Twinkle in Sweet Repose

[The Vision]

EPILOGUE

From the fog of Silent Hill, a purple light glimmered dimly. If you didn’t know better, you would have sworn that the fog was trying to hold the light back, somehow. But the light persisted and grew gradually brighter until it turned into a green and red man with a cape carrying another in orange clothes.

Darkshire was not too far away. Goku required solid rest more than he did medical attention, but time was still of the essence. The Vision’s cape fluttered behind the android as he soared over the horror-riddled marshes of the Pale Moors.

When he finally arrived at Darkshire, the archers did not raise their bows. They knew who he was now. Of course, soon enough, they would fire at him on sight.

Goku was placed in an inn. The Vision paid for his stay there while he recuperated, as well as a business card for the Avengers. Goku would be welcome in the Tower, the Vision decided. Then he activated the recall teleporter. He would need to stay in the same place for an estimated time of 9 minutes and 45 seconds. Very well. He would finally watch the footage of Willa Ironheart. There were logical reasons, of course. He needed to analyze all files relevant to this incredibly powerful individual and judge the current threat level of the Crimson Witch now that she was deceased. But there was a second, more compelling reason that the Vision could not quite figuratively put his finger on.

Perhaps it was regret.

But he would never be quite sure, for as he scanned the footage that he collected from Alchemilla Hospital, this emotion, whatever it was, transformed quickly to rage. At that moment, the Vision made a decision, one that he did not expect to make when he set off on this mission. He grimaced as he realized that, once more, he would find himself on the wrong side of the law.

There was a gentle knock on the door.

> print(time_to(recall_completion))
3:47 remaining

The Vision scowled and turned to the door.

"Come in."

Lysander opened the door and nodded at the android.

"Vision," the Astronomer greeted, "I had heard that you had returned. I wish you had called for me."

"Apologies, Lysander," the Vision said, his voice hiding his disgust, "I was preoccupied."

Lysander nodded at the sleeping Goku. The once-impressive fighter was now snoring extremely loudly. "I see what you mean. Who is this?"

"This is Mr. Son Goku. He was held captive by the hostile elements of Silent Hill, and the Star Piece was separated from him."

"Ah, yes," Lysander said, frowning, "And what has happened to the Star Piece?"

"Query: are you not curious as to the whereabouts of the rest of the team?"

Lysander's brow twitched.

"I- Yes, of course. Presumably, they are nearby?"

"I am unsure as to the current whereabouts of Mr. Wright," the Vision confessed, "The three agents you deployed alongside us are KIA."

"A shame," Lysander lied, "I hope you at least recovered something from the journey."

"Affirmative," Vision replied, "The Star Piece. I found it within the heart of one of the Silent Hill... monsters."

"I am glad to hear you defeated it," Lysander smiled, then reached out with his hand. "I would have the Artefact, so that we can-"

"Her name was Willa Ironheart."

Lysander flinched upon hearing the name.

"I... see. Related to the late Agent Ironheart?"

"His daughter."

"Ah."

"Yet you knew it."

Lysander acted surprised. "How would I-"

The Vision wordlessly opened his palm, from which a small holographic screen appeared. A video began to play.

willaironheart.mp4

The screen comes to life, static making way for the image of a clean, crisp hospital room. It's Alchemilla Hospital, in better days. Willa Ironheart is sitting in a chair, trapped in a straitjacket. She has manic, hollow eyes. A deep voice starts speaking.

"Subject 19, Experiment 64. Subject name, Willa Ironheart. Her body is starting to accept the infamous fog into its system. I had to participate in some less-than-holy rituals, I will admit. But once the ritual was complete, and the blood of all four virgins were absorbed, Subject 19 began to demonstrate some signs of connection with the fog. Perhaps we could better understand what's going on in this town through her."

The speaker stands up, and you can hear the chair scraping on the floor behind the camera. Lysander appears with lodes and wires. He begins attaching them to Willa's head and wrists. She shakes defiantly, but Lysander persists. Willa stares fearfully at the wires climbing from the suction cups on her forehead. Lysander rolls up a towel and puts it between her teeth. It is large enough that it stretches her jaw a little. He moves behind the camera.

"Now beginning the low-stress experiment."

Lysander flips a switch off-screen, and Willa starts screaming in pain, muffled only slightly by the towel. The woman, in pain, starts shaking her head furiously, and the towel drops out of her mouth. Now her scream is unrestricted, and it is horrifying. Smoke starts sizzling out of where the nodes are connected to Willa's skin. She weeps openly.

Suddenly, an air raid siren is heard. Lysander gets up again, muttering something. A door is heard opening. He doesn't turn off the machine, and Willa continues to scream. We can hear the voice of a young man storming down the hallway, along with the voice of a young nurse. Willa begins screaming Victor's name.

"Mr. Shade, please don't-"

"No, let GO of me. Lysander, you canNOT put my wife through these experiments."

"Now, Victor, calm down-"

"They are inhumane and sadistic! Release- Jesus, is that her?"

"Victor, I think we need to talk about this somewhere else."

"Willa! Willa! Let go of her, you asshole!"

"Victor, calm down-"

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD. LET MY WIFE GO-"

A gunshot is heard. The nurse screams. Willa's face contorts in horror and she momentarily stops yelling. The smoke from her burning skin begins to turn a shade of red. Then, she screams once, louder and more terrifying than ever before.

"VICTOR!"

End of video.

The Vision closed his hand and the screen folded. Lysander sighed.

"I don't know where you found that, but-"

"You did that to her," the Vision said, his voice for once shuddering in rage, "You... You... You killed her husband in front of her. You branded her skin. You tortured her in every way you could imagine."

"And she died. There was no harm done."

The Vision resisted slamming Lysander with everything in his arsenal.

"Not only did you harm two innocent individuals, the three soldiers you sent on this suicide mission fell to Willa's powers. There was plenty harm done."

Lysander's ears perked and his eyes brightened.

"It worked?"

The Vision scoffed. Lysander scowled.

"You don't understand what was happening," Lysander mumbled, his face inches away from the Vision's, "You couldn't. We were trying to understand why the town was-"

"I'm going to kill you," the Vision announced, "One day, I will come for you and tear your heart out of your chest."

Lysander chuckled. "If you think that's the first death threat I've ever heard, you're wrong. You would do well to reconsider it. I am an Astronomer of Dalaran, backed by one of the most powerful forces in the Omniverse. So. I'll take that Star Piece off your hands now. I have many more important experiments to undergo- Why are you standing so still?"

> print(time_to(recall_completion))
0:04 remaining

"I am going home," the Vision replied, "And I am taking this with me."

And with that, to Lysander's rage, the Vision warped back to Avengers Tower.