1x1 Do No Harm

[Atomic Knight]

"Jude? Young man, are you there?"

It was midday at the Coalition interim hospital, and the elder mage, Wynne, called to her younger comrade. Her slightly annoyed look stared down the boy, who seemed to be in his own world. Wynne's nose wrinkled slightly before she let out a sigh. Jude and the mage had always got along well. The elder mage's annoyance soon turned to concern.

"This isn't normally like you, Jude. Normally when I walk in, you're moving around the room with busy work. I assume something of importance is on your mind? Do you need to talk?"

"..."

Jude Mathis still didn't respond even as Wynne adopted a more sympathetic tone. He had a first aid box open in front of him, but instead of rifling through its contents, Jude was transfixed by his own hands. He held them in front of him, palms up, staring down at fingers calloused by years of physical training. Thoughts of Leia Rolando swam in his head, clouding him and anchoring him to the spot.

He had heard Wynne, but couldn't bring himself to speak a word. He waited a long moment instead, ignoring her for longer than he knew was comfortable. It was terrible for him to be doing, especially with Wynne being one of the few on the medical team, but nothing seemed to really matter right now.

Leia was missing, possibly killed in a manner that the Coalition would never discover. The civil war took many, and Leia was likely one of those poor souls.

"I'm sorry, Wynne," he said with a sigh. He finally lowered his hands and turned to the older woman. "You know there is something on my mind, but I just don't see what there is I can do about it." He looked around, finding the room drearily lonely. Aside from himself and Wynne, the only others around were comatose patients. With so many Coalition members on leave or working on the Knowhere headquarters, the provisional hospital was undermanned for the time being.

Jude gestured to the first aid supplies he had out. "... Paladin Danse asked me to gather some of these for his men."​

 

[Josh]

The elder mage took a seat next to the young man. She placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. Looking away, Wynne sighed.

"Jude, I'll take this to Danse. You take the rest of the day off. As hard as you work and all that you've done for me, you deserve it."

Turning to the young man, Wynne's smile was soothing. However, a noise stopped the smile in its tracks.

"... Is Wanda still here? Hmm. I thought she left hours ago.... "

It would be clear to Jude what the situation was. Wynne and Wanda had been on the outs for some time now. Wanda had been pushing people away, save Jude and a few others.

"Before you go, you mind checking in on our Scarlet Witch? I know you too are fairly close, yes?"​

 

[Atomic Knight]

Jude looked over at the sound, seeing that it was indeed Wanda who had stopped by. He really wasn't sure what was going on between her and Wynne, but there was no denying that Wanda had been just as depressed as he since Genji had been assassinated. Even worse was that others had passed away in their malevolence-induced comas. The ones that still lived were the main patients they were looking after here, but occasionally men and women fighting on the Ashen front stopped by when they could for supplies.

Jude was thankful to be working here as opposed to a war zone, especially now in his current state. He probably shouldn't have been the one to comfort Wanda, but what choice was there? Nodding to Wynne, Jude stood up and made his way to the Scarlet Witch.

"Hey, Wanda..." Jude stared at her for a moment, analyzing her expression. "What brings you by?"​

 

[Josh]

Seated quietly near a bookshelf, Wanda stared downwards before she turned the o young man. Jude would be able to tell that, at some point, the witch had been crying due to the red that was slightly faded on her face.

"Oh, hello Jude, it's good to see you. I was just picking up a few things."

Wanda smiled as she motioned the young man to take a seat near her.

"Anyway, how are you, Jude? We have talked much since..."

Wanda's head turned slightly.

"Since Genji died. I never thanked you for staying with me that day, did I? Now that I think about it, I never thanked you for stopping Shane from attacking me at Bright Falls either! Hmm. You've always been too good to me, Jude."​

 

[Atomic Knight]

"Uh--"

Jude coughed, looking away from Wanda much like she had looked away from him. He had never been too good at taking compliments, and these sudden ones from Wanda seemed a bit odd to be hearing now.

"A lot happened both those times... I really didn't do anything special. What would have really mattered was to save more lives, but now we're just..."

Jude raised his hands as he shrugged. He looked around the room, to show he was referring to what remained. Of those who had been gravely injured in the civil war, only a few remained. Reinhardt had recovered thanks to some miracle work by Dr. Ziegler, but she had to take some time off herself when the same methods had not saved Genji's life. Jon Snow was still recovering, but he had been allowed to return home to continue what duties he had there. The little boy, Nemo, had unfortunately passed, and his demon companion had mysteriously disappeared afterward. Ellis, Meira, and all others injured in Ilona's blast had recovered at different times, aside from one girl in particular.

All in all, Qrow, Jak, Bradley, and Jennifer were all that still remained in an indefinite coma.

Jude tried to think of what to say, but his mind was coming up blank. He didn't know what to do for Wanda in her time of pain, especially when he himself was in no better a place. He was eventually spared having to say anything at all when Makoto arrived, stopping at the entrance of the room in surprise as he laid eyes upon the Scarlet Witch.

"Oh! Wanda... I didn't expect to see you." Makoto gingerly moved forward to approach the pair. "I... How are you feeling? What brings you here today?"​

 

[Josh]

"Oh, hello Makoto. I'm feeling better. I just had to invest more time for myself. Doing more yoga... more meditation. I'm going to see my therapist more often."

It was clear Wanda was, at least at the movement, fine. However, something did seem off. It was slight, but she seemed tired, almost drained.

"I came back to pick up something I left. What brings you here? Normally, aren't you off today?"​

 

[Atomic Knight]

"I see. Well..."

Makoto's gaze wandered toward the nearby medical beds. They were mostly empty, aside from the remaining comatose patients. Feeling the melancholy coming from both Jude and Wanda, Makoto found himself sighing heavily. "I came to see the patients."

"Makoto visits Jennifer often," Jude said, wanting to be helpful. "And it's appreciated, considering how lonely it can get here."

Looking momentarily embarrassed, Makoto rubbed at his neck. He didn't want it to come off like he was being selfless, considering how much of what happened came down to being his fault. He certainly couldn't feel very good about himself when the woman he respected most in the world still seemed to regard him coldly. "That's not necessarily the case this time," Makoto said, his gaze focused on Jennifer. "You see, Alter Ego has been running some tests based on the information your medical team has given us, and we believe now that the comatose patients are in this state thanks to their level of malevolence."

Jude sat up straighter, looking alerted now. "Really? Even Jennifer...? Have you called the exorcists? Can Sorey--"

Makoto shook his head, stopping Jude short. "We have, but Sorey said he already tried to purify them. Sometimes, it's just not possible for him. And even then... While we understand how the others became corrupted, it was unclear how Jennifer was taking on so much malevolence. I think... Or we believe that considering it was the incident with Ilona that put her in a coma in the first place, the malevolent energy from the attack affected her in ways we couldn't have imagined."

"..." Jude found himself unsure what to think about that. Was Makoto saying there was no hope for them?

"It's okay," Makoto said. He offered Jude a sad smile. "Don't give up hope. That extends to both of you. Things can always be turned around for the better."​

 

[Josh]

"It's not just them, it feels like everything is on fire."

Wanda's words lingered for a bit, before she began again.

"Jude, Makato, this reminds me of something a woman with a log once said to me. When this kind of fire starts, it is very hard to put out. The tender boughs of innocence burn first, and the wind rises, and then all goodness is in jeopardy."

Wanda slowly walked to the doorway and shut it. Turning to Jude, she made a shocking announcement:

"I saw Shane Walsh this morning. He stood at my bed frame. He looked at me, and I looked back at him. Like an omen. The Black Lodge. It calls to me, does it call to you, Jude? Have you been to the Red Room?"​

 

[Atomic Knight]

Makoto and Jude shared a concerned glance.

"Wanda, do you maybe want to take a break in one of the private rooms?" Makoto asked. "I know things have been tough ever since the civil war..."

"I can't say I've experienced any of that," Jude said. "Not exactly. Sure, I've had dreams, but those seemed... regular? We've been through a lot, so it's only natural these things come back to haunt us. Malevolence lingers, right? We all carry it in some way."

There was a moment of silence while Jude or Makoto both didn't know what to say. Eventually, Jude added, "Makoto... can you tell me about Leia? You've been looking for her, haven't you?"

"Oh! Of course. We have a good lead with Ludger--"

"A good lead?"

"Yes, but, um, I'm honestly not too sure on the details myself. Kyoko's the leader now, remember?" Makoto looked away, seeming distracted. "Can we talk more later? I came to see Jennifer, so if you'll excuse me, Jude, Wanda." He gave Wanda a sad smile before moving on.​

 

[Josh]

The former Avenger chairwoman couldn't help but feel hurt by Makoto's and Jude's reactions. As valid as their doubts were, Wanda knew the truth; a fire was building, and everything was in danger.

However, Wanda perked up as Makoto shared info with her. Smiling as he left, the witch turned to Jude. A knowing, bright smile appeared on her face.

"So, we're going to look into this, right? Ludger is around here, isn't he?"​

 

[Atomic Knight]

Jude took a quiet moment to think this over. He nodded to what Wanda said, but didn't really seem to be listening. "Hmm... Well..."

He wanted to do something. He needed to do something. Of course, he was expected to stay behind and watch over the comatose patients, and with so few medical staff around at the moment, maybe it would be a terrible idea to leave his post. All his life, Jude had never abandoned someone in need, but this was Leia they were talking about. His best friend. How could he be expected to stand by if he could do something to help her?

"Ludger's not here. He'd be out there, looking for Leia. I have no idea where he is... but Makoto just told us who would know." Jude crossed his arms and watched Makoto out of the corner of his eyes. The boy had his back to them, so Jude nodded for Wanda to follow him.

Once they were out in the hall, Jude said, "We're short-staffed here, so there's no way Kyoko would let me join Ludger. What I'm going to have to do is..." He sighed. "I'll need to sneak into her office, find Ludger's reports, and then head there myself. Kyoko has an office here while the Knowhere facility is still being set up."​

 

[Josh]

Seeing Kyoko's office, Wanda turned her head to Jude.

"I'm not letting you do this by yourself, Jude. If you're going after Leia, then I'm going with you. We're in this together now "

Wanda went to the door, looking at the lock. She could easily open it via magic but she wanted to do it another way. Pulling out a bobby pin, Wanda gently unlocked the door with easy

"It's all yours, Jude."
​

 

[Atomic Knight]

"Well... that was easy. Keep a lookout for me, will you?"

Jude was thankful, at least.

He opened the door, worrying briefly that Kyoko might have locked herself inside to work, but the girl was nowhere to be seen. Seeing the empty room gave Jude a pang of guilt, but he moved on regardless. "Please let this just take a second," he muttered, moving to stacks of papers that had been neatly aligned on the desk. "Knowhere, no... the Ragnarok team? No..." Jude didn't see much that he didn't think was too top secret, though he wasn't taking the time to read anything that didn't seem to concern Leia.

"Come on...! Huh?"

Jude then found stacks of reports, the majority from Strike Team members, though there wasn't anything from Wanda in the collection. Just as well, for Jude was looking for one name in particular. "... Jackpot!"

One report by Ludger detailed his latest findings regarding Leia and where he was going in search of her. Jude quickly committed it to memory before putting the papers back as he found them and making his escape back out into the hall. He locked the door behind him and gave Wanda a sigh of relief as he went toward her.

"I know where Ludger is going, so we need to chase after him. I'm not sure how we're going to do it because I don't know how to use the transportation devices, and it's not like I can just ask..."​

 

[Josh]

"Oh come now, Jude. No need to worry. Once again, what you need is covered under my skill sets."

Teasing playfully, Wanda lightly touched the young man's shoulder.

"I can find him, and bring us to him. I just need to focus."

Taking a deep breath, a red energy laced around Jude and the Scarlet Witch. She breathed deeply.

"Spirits, heed my call! Lend us your strength. Wisk us away like leaves in the wind! Take us to the man we need..."​

 

[Atomic Knight]

"Wanda!" Jude reached out grabbed Wanda's arm. "What if something goes wrong? And... why didn't we try this in the first place if you could do it? I just think that--"

He couldn't finish his thought before Wanda's magic took effect in full. A red light enveloped the pair, flashing brightly enough to obscure the sight of them, before dissipating to reveal that Jude and Wanda were no longer standing in the hall. Only silence remained.

In the back alley of a city, a similar red light flashed. It unceremoniously left the pair standing side-by-side, staring ahead at a crowded city street. Jude's brow furrowed at the sight, for it was familiar to him. He jogged forward to the end of the alley to witness the city that lie beyond.

"Wanda..." Jude turned to the woman. "This is Trigleph. It's from my universe, or at least one similar to it." He turned to watch the people walking by, letting the sounds of the city wash over him. He could hear a speaker yelling for the last call of the local train, the major attraction of both Trigleph and the region of Elympios itself.

"I don't understand, the report I read didn't put Ludger anywhere near Trigleph. Did something go wrong, Wanda?"​

 

[Josh]

"Well, no. Jude, have I ever let you down?"

The witch's nose twitched as she chuckled. Looking around the train station, her eyes widened.

"Look! It's him! Ludger!"​

 

[Atomic Knight]

"What...?"

Jude turned to where Wanda was looking and spotted the man in question hopping onto the train that was just now leaving Trigleph station. Jude was frozen in surprise for a moment, realizing far too late that they were going to miss catching up with him. "Wanda, come on!" Jude yelled, vaulting over the ticket gate and making a run for the train. A man called after him, but Jude didn't care. This was his only lead in finding Leia.

"Hey..! No!"

Jude was fast, but the train was faster. He wasn't able to catch up with it before it left the station and Trigleph behind. Jude stared at the back of it, looking defeated.

"What are we going to to do now?" Jude asked himself, unmoving even as the station security began to make a run for both him and Wanda.​

 

[Josh]

"Let me help!"

Rushing right behind Jude, Wanda lightly put her hands on the young man. The two once again teleported, and this time they were on the train. Wanda gave Jude a smirk.

"Like I said, have I ever let you down?"​

 

[Atomic Knight]

Jude let out a strangled gasp at being transported so suddenly. He pulled away from Wanda, looking at her with incredulity, before breaking out into a chuckle. "... I guess you're right." He turned to look at the other end of the train car. "I don't know what Ludger is doing here, but we have to be on the right track."

He nodded to himself before making a run for it. There seemed to be very few passengers on the train, for whatever reason, which was odd when one considered how big a city Trigleph was.

Hurrying into the next car, Jude spotted Ludger ahead. "Ludger!"

The man turned to them, his dual blades at the ready. At first, he looked angry, but when he realized who was talking, he turned surprised. "Jude? And... Wanda?"

The train then shook from some kind of explosion in another train car. "Watch out!" Ludger yelled, starting a charge forward. Jude held his hands up as a defense, but Ludger ran past the pair. Jude turned quickly to see Ludger attacking a man behind them, who blocked the attack with two large gauntlets on his arms.

Jude couldn't believe it. "That looks like..."​

 

[Josh]

Wanda's hands glowed with red energy as she slowly brought them together.

"Stop!"

The witch fired a hex bolt into the man. She knew there was a chance of an unknown side effect, but was pretty sure it would not adversely affect her or her companions. She figured the bolt should be strong enough as well to deal with the man.​