Wanda's POV
Mount Justice, Midnight

To say I was grumpy would be the understatement of the century. I was pissed. Bruce woke Dick and I up ten minutes ago and shoved us in the Batcave zeta tubes, grumbling something about a new training exercise. Batman dared to interrupt my beauty sleep...for training?

I should make him sleep through Alfred's alarms for this.

When we exited the tubes, the rest of the team was already gathered with their mentors and looking about as sleep deprived as I felt. Dick and I groggily made our way over to them, muttering greetings because really, who can hold a conversation at midnight after being woken up by Batman without coffee?

"Team, we have gathered you here for a special training. We have a guest tonight, one from the Avengers' roster." I instantly perked up, Batman finally finding a way to gain my interest in his grumblings. I looked over to where he was gesturing, only to see no one standing there. Frowning, I went to say something but Batman glared, shutting me up. "Follow me, they are waiting in the training bay."

I was at the head of the sleepy zombie pack, trotting behind Batman and trying to keep pace with his long strides. We all stopped outside the training room, waiting for Batman to open the door but instead he gestured for me to do it, mumbling in his growling voice something about me knowing them best. With a shrug, I opened the door and a knife was instantly flying through the air at me, stopping at the tip of my nose due to my telekinesis . It clattered to the floor when I released it from my hold, screaming in excitement. "Natasha! What are you doing here?"

The Russian assassin smirked, throwing her arms open for me to toss myself into. "Hello, little one. I am here to assist in a special training Batman has planned for you and your team. Are you ready?"

With a smirk of my own, I tossed my hair over my shoulder and nodded. "Of course, the question is, are you?"

Nat laughed, calling Batman and Black Canary, who had joined us during my reunion with Natasha, over to her side. "Right, good attitude. So this exercise is going to test your limits as we are going to be coming at you from all angles. We know everything about you, your life stories, your fighting styles, your inner thoughts and feelings, all of it. We want to see how you can handle the pressure of fighting enemies that know your inner workings, that know what make you tick. We want to see if you can stand the heat or if you will crack." Nat paused, looking at the cranky team before her. "Right, so who is first? Wanda, you're the newbie here and you are so cocky, let's take you down a few notches."

I nodded, watching my teammates exit the room to go watch from the observation area. I turned to face the three adults, about to ask how this will work when I got met with a punch in the face from Black Canary.

I guess that's how it is going to be.

"You think too much, Scarlet Witch. It makes you weaker. Instinct has helped us survive, not thoughts." Natasha taunted, lighting up her Widow gauntlets. "Like right now, you are trying to figure out if that humming you hear is really a power dampener at works or just a fake out rather than fighting back. That could cost you your life, little one."

I grit my teeth, levitating myself and the three adults in the air. I threw Batman against the far wall, slamming Nat on the floor, and dropping Black Canary on top of her. I put a force field around myself, using my mind to keep it active while I used a hex blast on Batman to keep him down. I grunted when something hit my forcefield, making me hesitate for a moment and therefore letting the enemy in, where she then landed a solid kick to my head, disorienting me.

"You are so focused on taking out what you perceive to be the biggest threat, you forget about the 'smaller' ones. Just like in Budapest."

I froze, my blood running cold as I rose from the ground, my eyes turning a dark scarlet when I growled at Natasha. "How do you know about that, Widow?"

The Russian smirked again, attempting to punch me but I caught her fist with my own, tossing her to the floor. "Good, you are angry. Use that. Hone it."

"Answer me." I commanded, unknowingly putting magic into my words. The Black Widow's eyes turned scarlet and her face went slack.

"I was there. Clint and I were sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. to investigate possible Hydra business. What we found instead, was you, carrying out your mission."

"No." I whispered, my hex blast on Batman faltering. I felt the batarang hit my left arm, slicing my bicep. I hissed in pain, dodging the next assault of projectiles by flying towards Batman and placing my hands on his temples. "Sleep." He fell into a nap and I gently placed him on the ground, only to be hit by a sonic scream from Black Canary.

I covered my ears, stumbling to the ground. I looked up to see her right over me, ready to stomp on my stomach. I grabbed her foot, twisting her ankle and breaking it in the process. She screamed in pain, so I took the opportunity and used my telekinesis to toss her to the wall, turning when I heard Nat's voice again. "I saw what you did in Budapest, Witch. And I must say, I am impressed. You would make a great spy, having fooled all of these heroes into believing you aren't a monster."

"Stop it." I cried out, shooting a hex blast at Black Widow, one she dodged so she could continue her verbal attacks.

"I mean, thirteen years old and already a murderer? What did you do again, give the Prime Minister of Hungary an aneurysm?" I felt the tears leak out of my glowing eyes as the room began to shake, Nat stumbling as she lost her balance. She laughed when she saw my face. "I get it, you were following orders, but you still have red in your ledger. And what a mess to clean up, good thing Clint and I were there in time to put the Prime Minister's clone in place, saving the world from going into another world war. You're welcome, you little demon."

"Enough!" I roared, the whole mountain shaking with the scarlet energy that exploded out of my body as I fell to the ground with sobs shaking my body. Natasha and Dinah were thrown back from the blast, the window on the observation deck shattered, the power went out in the mountain, and some rocks came crumbling down from the ceiling due to all the rumbling. My head was in my hands as I let out all my emotions, not noticing the red waves of energy still emitting from my body.

It wasn't until I felt a hand on my shoulder that I looked up, seeing Wonder Woman standing there with Zatanna and Superman, concerned looks on their faces.

"What happened? We could see the blast from the Watchtower and everyone here is passed out, except you..." Zatanna explained, gesticulating to the rest of the cave.

I wiped my eyes, trying to put on a wobbly smile but a sob came out instead. I waved my hand, waking the others up as I explained simply to the Leaguers before me what happened. "I cracked."

??? POV

I fell onto my bed, exhausted from my training with Ra's. He was pushing me harder and harder each day, and every night he would put me into the simulator with the helmet. I tried to ask him what it was for, specifically, but he just said to prepare me. For what, I am kind of scared of.

Nevertheless, Ra's has a mission for me and I am willing to carry it out for him, even if it kills me. He saved my life, I owe him my servitude, even if I know he is a crazy evil bastard. He has become like a father to me, the only family I have.

The only family I have ever had. I think.

Before I woke up on that table, everything is a blank. Ra's says that is good, that I was a nobody before and none of it matters. That it would only deter from my mission. That my past would only distract me. And I can't have any distractions, not when we are so close to striking.

My bedroom door opens and I know it is Ra's instantly. I leap off my bed and kneel on the ground, my head bowed. "Rise, my son. This is an informal visit." Nodding, I brush my hair out my eyes and follow his orders. Ra's smiles sinisterly, putting his arm around my shoulder and leading my out of my room, down a hall towards the training room. "I have someone I would like you to meet. He will be assisting you on your mission."

I nod, knowing better than to talk back to Ra's Al Ghul. I knew I did not need assistance, but Ra's word is law so I opened the door to the training room, allowing my father figure to enter before me. We stopped in front of a teenage boy about my age with jet black hair, a white streak in the front of his fringe. He stood at attention, a blank expression on his face when we made eye contact. He was solidly built, but still lanky, scars could be seen fading on his exposed skin.

Ra's stood between us, gesturing for us to shake hands. "This, my boy, is Jason. He was trained by the Batman before his death and resurrection, and now he is loyal to me. He will be your partner, the two of you will work together in achieving my will. Understood?"

"Understood, master." We answered at the same time and I could've sworn I saw a shadow of a smirk on the other undead boy's face.

Ra's nodded, satisfied by our commitment. "Good. I will leave you two to discuss the mission. At ease." He turned and left, leaving Jason and I alone.

Jason looked at me, finally releasing the smirk that seemed to be itching to be let go. "So, you are the famous Pietro I have been hearing all about, eh?" He drawled, eyeing me up and down.

"Yeah, so what's it to you?" I scoffed, secretly glad Ra's gave me a partner my own age for the mission and not some snooty old guy. Or his daughter. Yikes.

Jason shrugged, checking under his nails for dirt or blood. "You prepared for our mission? Ever done something like this before?"

I nodded, tightening my fists. "Of course I am prepared. I have been preparing ever since Ra's gave me a second chance. I owe him my life and yes, I have done this before."

He nodded, a thoughtful look on his scarred face. "Do you know about our target? I've seen the footage, she is one of a kind."

Gritting my teeth, I glared at Jason. "She is no match for me." I sped around him, hitting all his pressure points until he fell to the ground paralyzed. He glared back, muttering under his breath. "I told you, no match."

"She has powers, Pietro. I don't."

I growled, kicking his shin. "I don't care. I will finish this mission, with or without you."

"Oh, you misunderstand. I like a challenge." He winked at me, about the only muscle he could move besides his mouth.

I nod, turning to leave as I call over my shoulder. "Good, then we are on the same page. By the time we are finished, the Scarlet Witch will be dead."