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Across the room, Spanner and Gianni were already engaged in animated discussion with Sofia. Spanner had pulled a small device from one of his pockets, its inner ws exposed as he tinkered. “Yadgets aren’t bad,” he said, holding up a circuit. “But you’re capping their potential. This could double the power output without burning the core.”
Sofia scoffed, leaning in to i it. “Double the output? You’d fry the system in five seds ft. This isn’t some spdash rig from your workshop.”
Anthony, who stood just behind her, folded his arms with a grin. “You guys pnning to blow us up already, or is this just forepy?”
“Please,” Spanner shot baot looking up. “If I wao blow you up, you wouldn’t see it ing.”
Gianni chuckled, examining another of Sofia’s prototypes oable. “He’s n. But hey, don’t knock a little chaos. It gets results.”
Sofia grabbed the circuit from Spanner’s hand, smirking. “Maybe, but I prefer my chaos trolled. Now, if you’d actually let me finish expining, you’d see why your little shortcut would make this thing explode.”
Anthony looked between them, pretending to nod sagely. “I totally see it. Yep. Explosion waiting to happen.”
Sofia turned her head just enough to side-eye him. “You have no idea what we’re talking about, do you?”
“Not even a little,” Anthony admitted, grinning wider. “But I’m here for moral support. Someone’s gotta keep you two from murdering each other.”
Maria piped up. “Let them. Maybe Spanner will win, and Sofia will finally stop making everything so plicated.”
Sofia didn’t miss a beat. “plicated? Says the woman who just spent ten minutes juring pop to sit on her ass while we saved Asgard.”
Maria tilted her head, unbothered. “A, here you are, alive and unscathed. You’re wele.”
Diego sauntered over. “I hate to say it, but Maria’s illusions did save my perfect hair from getting scorched. That’s worth something.”
“Your hair isn’t perfect,” Sofia muttered. “It’s annoying.”
Diego fshed her a grin. “Annoyingly perfect. Thanks for notig.”
Nigel, still by the window, cleared his throat softly. “If we’re finished paring hair and hobbies, perhaps we should address our new guests. Their iion into the Familia won’t happen on its own.”
“You’re no fun, Nigel,” Diego said, turning toward the newers. “But fine. Let’s start with the wizard.” He stepped closer to Snape, sizing him up with a pyful smirk. “So, how do we know you’re not secretly evil?”
Snape raised an eyebrow, his wand still in hand. “I could ask the same of you, but then again, I read your mind.”
Diego suddenly flinched, c the sides of his head with both hands. “Get out of my head!” he hissed, his voice sharp.
Snape raised an eyebrow, his wand twitg slightly. “You’re quite sensitive. I barely grazed the surface.”
“Barely grazed?!” Diego gred, his hands still h protectively near his temples. “You poked around like a nosy aunt at Christmas!”
Maria smirked, leaning bato the couch. “He does have a lot of mess in there, Professor. Proceed with caution.”
“Not helping,” Diego shot back, frowning as he straightened. “And what kind of wizard goes rummaging through people’s thoughts uninvited? Is this how you made friends back at—what was it? Hogwash?”
Snape’s lip curled slightly, though whether in amusement or disdain was hard to tell. “Hogwarts,” he corrected coolly. “And friends were her my priority nor my .”
“You don’t say,” Anthony muttered. “With that attitude, I ’t imagine why.”
Sofia snorted softly. “Great, we’ve summoned another brooding genius. Just what this group needed.”
“Oh, and you’re a ray of sunshine?” Diego quipped, brushing himself off. “Careful, Sofia. Your sarcasm’s showing.”
“Bite me,” she said without looking up.
Spanner raised a hand casually. “So, are we just going to ighe part where he literally read minds? Because I feel like that’s worth a discussion. Or a warning.”
Nigel, still by the window, interjected. “I suspect Mr. Snape’s abilities won’t require a debate so long as he exercises restraint.”
Snape ined his head slightly, his tone even. “Rest assured, I have no i in frivolous thoughts. I prefer my time spent on matters of substance.”
Diego scoffed, gesturing broadly. “Oh, I’m sure your substance is fasating. But ime, try asking.”
Nero chuckled as Donald plopped dowo him, the couch creaking slightly uhe weight of Asgardian muscle. Donald nudged him with his elbow, pushio the side.
“Hey,” Nero said, shifting to make room. He g Donald with a smirk, then turo the rest of the group. “Remember, the system proteinds from scrutiny. Snape was just teasing you.”
Diego’s gre shifted back to Snape, his arms crossing defensively. “Teasing? More like psychological warfare.”
Snape raised an eyebrow, his voice measured. “If I had truly inteo enter your mind, Mr. Martinez, you would know. Or rather, you wouldn’t. sider this a demonstration.”
“Demonstration?” Diego threw up his hands. “Of what? How to be the most annoying wizard ience?”
Maria snorted, adjusting her position on the couch. “Says the man who spent twenty minutes deg which cologo wear for a fight. You’re practically a Kronan repellent.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” Diego shot back, turning toward her. “Not a single scratch.”
“Maybe because Sofia and Anthony were ing up your mess,” Maria said, twirling a lock of her hair. “Your cologne wasn’t doing the heavy lifting.”
Anthony smirked. “To be fair, the Kronans did seem a little distracted. Maybe they were trying to figure out what the smell was.”
Diego poi him, his tone sharp. “Et tu, Anthony? I thought we were on the same team here.”
Nigel sighed, his gaze drifting from the window to the group as their banter escated. They were back at it again, trading jabs and quips like they had nothier to do. He walked toward Maria, who was still lounging fortably, occasionally tossing illusory pop into her mouth. Without missing a beat, he reached dolucked a kernel from the air.
“Got any real pop, or do I have to settle for imaginary snacks?” he asked.
Maria shrugged zily, juring a fresh bag in her hand and holding it out to him. “You’re wele to pretend with me. The calorie t is excellent.”
“Always watg out for me,” Nigel said dryly, tossing a phantom piece of pop into his mouth and mock-chewing. “Eves stuck between my teeth. Your illusions are as irritatingly perfect as always.”
Maria smirked, flig a hand zily to jure another piece, which hovered just out of Nigel’s reach. “You’re wele. A refined pate like yours deserves only the best.”
“Appreciate it,” the old man said as he eased dowo Maria. Nigel reached into the illusory bag of pop, plug out a handful and popping one kernel into his mouth. “Even tastes burnt. I suppose perfe has its drawbacks.”
Sanding a short distance away watched the se with thinly veiled curiosity. “Illusions that i with the senses so vingly… A fasating application of magic—or whatever passes for it here.”
Maria turned her head toward him with a grin. “Magic, fmes, illusions. Call it whatever you want, Professor.” She gestured toward the bag. “Want some?”
Snape found the act of eating pop beh himself, but curiosity got the better of him. He stepped closer, extending his hand cautiously to take a single kernel from the illusory bag Maria offered. He rolled it between his fingers, noting its texture. “Fasating,” he said, his voice carrying mild intrigue. Even the smell was ving.
Maria grinned, leaning back against Nero. “ving enough for you, Professor?”
“It’s… adequate,” Snape replied, though he did it. He let the kernel dissolve into mist in his hand. “The level of sensory detail suggests a precise uanding of juration. You’ve ied siderable effort into this particur illusion.”
“I like my snacks,” Maria said simply. “And if I’m going to make something up, it might as well be enjoyable.”
Diego smirked. “Pop’s the least of what she’s jured. You should see her shut up a Kronan with a puppy illusion. It’s weirdly effective.”
Maria grinned mischievously, her fingers flig lightly as the mist thied. From the haze, a figure emerged, tall and familiar, exuding an air of effortless charm. Loki’s unmistakable smirk adorned his face, his green and gold ensemble pristine. He tilted his head slightly, his sharp eyes narrowing in an expression of amused curiosity.
Diego froze mid-sip of his drink, his eyes widening as a faint blush crept over his cheeks. “Oh my,” he muttered, setting the gss down too quickly, causing it to k against the ter.
Maria couldn’t help but ugh. “You’re wele, Diego. I thought you’d appreciate some...pany.”
Anthony watched with a smirk. “Isn’t that the guy you were practically drooling over in Asgard? Looks like someone’s got a type.”
“It’s not like that,” Diego said quickly, straightening his posture. “I was being diplomatic.”
Sofia couldn't hold her chuckle. “Diplomatic? Is that what they call flirting these days?”
Diego ignored her, pointing a fi the illusory Loki. “You’re not real. I know you’re not real.”
Illusory Loki stepped closer, his smirk deepening. “Oh, but you wish I was, don’t you? Tell me, darling, were you this toied in Asgard, or am I witnessing something special?”
Diego’s face turned a deeper shade of red as he waved his hand dismissively. “Maria, turn it off. This is harassment.”
Maria shrugged, still grinning. “You seemed to enjoy it at the time. I’m just giving you what you want.”
“I don’t—” Diego cut himself off, visibly flustered, and turo Nero. “ you make her stop?”
Nero, lounging fortably with Maria still leaning against him, chuckled. “She’s got a point, Diego. You were awfully chatty with the real one.”
“I was making versation!” Diego excimed, his tone defensive.
Sofia finally looked up. “Pretty sure calling him ‘absolutely devastatingly geous’ isn’t standard diplomatic protocol.”
“You weren’t even there!” Diego shot back.
“Maria told me,” Sofia said ftly, her lips twitg as if holding back ughter. “She’s a great storyteller.”
Much to Nigel’s chagrin, the gang fooled around for hours, the versation veering from teasing bao pyful challenges.
“You’re hogging the pop, Nigel,” Anthony said, leaning against the arm of the coud reag for Maria’s jured snack. “Share with the css.”
Nigel g him, unfazed. “It’s imaginary. jure your own.”
Anthony plucked a phantom kernel from the bag anyway, tossing it into his mouth. “Tastes a little burnt.”
“Clearly an acquired taste,” Nigel replied dryly, setting the illusory bag down as though it weighed something. “Or perhaps it reflects the pany.”
Maria smirked but said nothing, watg the group. “So, Snape,” Diego began, his tone light but curious, “any first impressions? Or are we not iing enough for you yet?”
Snape didn’t look at him directly but responded after a moment. “You’ve all exceeded my expectations in... uability.”
“That’s just a polite way of saying we’re insane,” Sofia interjected from her spot.
“Insanity has its uses,” Snape remarked. “But it’s rarely an anized affair.”
“Who said anything about anized?” Anthony quipped. “We thrive on chaos.”
“You thrive on something, that’s for sure,” Maria said, her voice tinged with amusement.
After the galed down, Nero gathered everyone, including their new and old allies and those able to make it to the base in New York. It was a diverse and chaotic crowd—some familiar faces, others freshly summohey moved through the sprawling base, versations and teasing boung off the steel walls as they headed to Sofia’s b.
“I’m telling you,” Gianni said, gesturing animatedly with his hands, “if she’s got the right tools, I have a prototype up and running in a week.”
Spanner smirked. “Sure, if you want something that explodes on the first try. Maybe let the grown-ups hahe engineering.”
“I don’t see any grown-ups here,” Gianni shot back.
“You two done?” Sofia interrupted without looking back. “We’re already short on time, and I don’t want to hear excuses ter about why you didn’t finish.”
“I like her,” Gianni muttered. “Takes charge. Very bossy.”
“She’s also the one who’ll kick you out if you touething you shouldn’t,” Anthony added, walking beside them.
Diego trailed behind, gng at the glowing panels lining the walls. “You know, Sofia, you could brighten this pce up a bit. Maybe some mood lighting? A nice vender?”
“Lavender?” Sofia repeated, gng over her shoulder. “Why not throw ied dles while you’re at it?”
“Now we’re talking,” Diego said with a grin.
Maria strolled leisurely beside Nero, seemingly ued in the b’s destination. “All this chatter,” she said, tossing an imaginary kernel of pop at Anthony’s head. “I could be napping.”
Nigel, walking ahead, responded without turning. “If you find yourself too fatigued, Donna, I’m sure the others will manage just fihout your… unique tributions.”
Maria chuckled. “Aw, Nigel, I didn’t know you cared.”
He ignored her, tinuing toward the b.
As the group entered Sofia’s workspace, they were greeted by the hum of maery and a maze of wires, soles, and half-finished projects. Holograms floated in mid-air, dispying blueprints and diagrams too plex for most of the group to decipher.
“Wele to my humble b,” Sofia said ftly, brushing past a table piled with tools. “Try not to touything unless you like your butt kicked.”
Gianni stepped closer to one of the soles. “What’s this? Fme ductivity enhancer?”
“Don’t touch it!” Sofia snapped, spping his hand away. “I mean it.”
“Rex, I wasn’t going to break it.” He stepped back, holding up his hands. “Much.”
Nero cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “We’re here for one reason. Gianni, Spanner—you’re both about to awaken Dying Will Fmes of this group. Sofia’s already prepped everything you’ll need, so let’s not waste time.”
“Dying Will Fmes,” Snape said from the edge of the room, his arms crossed. “An intriguing name. I take it they’re not metaphorical?”
“They’re a power source,” Sofia expined briskly. “Think of them as a physical maion of your will. They do anything from enhang your abilities to creating structs or ons, depending on how you use them.”
Nero looked at the summons gathered in Sofia’s b: L, Yagami Light, Sakura Haruno, Nami, Hercule, Lara Croft, Finn, and Severus Snape. Spanner and Gianni stood ready for their awakening, while others watched from around the b. Not everyone could make it—Edward was still in Kathmandu, training uhe Sorcerer Supreme, while Toph and Sokka remai Xavier’s school to avoid drawing attention. Frank Martin had bee Kingpin’s right-hand man, tying him down in New York’s underbelly, and Ezio had taken charge of the Assassin and Thief Guilds, ting his new position of leadership. Erwin Smith, buried deep within SHIELD’s operations, couldn’t easily sneak away without promising his role.
“Well,” Nero began, his voice cutting through the chatter as he gestured for the group’s attention. “Let’s start with introdus.” He paused, letting their gazes settle on him. “You’re in my Familia now. And whether you’re here fineering, magic, or brute strength, you’re here because y something we need.”
He then looked at the loyal faces of his summons. Some looked tough, others cold, but all were eager, their attention locked on him as the room quieted. He gestured toward the holographic dispy Sofia had jured earlier, which showed the flickering colors of Fmes—the vivid e of the Sky Fme at its ter, surrounded by the hues of the others.
“You’ve all seen what Dying Will Fmes do,” Nero began, his voice direct. “But some of you only know them as the energy we use in battle. They’re more than that. These Fmes represent who we are—our willpower, our resolve, the essence of our existeurned into something tangible. That’s why they’re called Dying Will Fmes. They’re born from the idea of having something so important to you that you’d face death itself to protect it.”
Hercule leaned forward slightly, his arms resting on the back of a chair. “So it’s not just about strength. It’s... focus?”
“More than focus,” Nero said. “It’s itment. Every Fme has its own properties, tied to the person wielding it. The Sky Fme unites, brings bao everything around it. The Storm Fme erodes aroys. Rain Fmes soothe, purify, and calm. Each Fme reflects the core of its user.”
Silted his head, his sharp gaze unwavering. “A rather poeticept for something so evidently destructive.”
Nero smirked. “You’d be surprised how ofteru and creation go hand in hand. It’s not just about tearing things down—though Diego does plenty of that.”
Diego raised his hands in monoce. “What I say? I like leaving an impression.”
“Usually on people’s skulls,” Anthony muttered, earning a smirk from Diego.
“Keep this up, and I’ll leave one on yours,” Diego shot back, though his tone was light.
Nero tinued, ign their banter. “These Fmes aren’t just fhting. They amplify what you’re capable of. They make you more than you are. You’ve seen Sofia turn her Rain Fmes into id create barriers. You’ve seen Diego disie whatever he touches. But the Fmes aren’t limited to what you’ve seen. That’s where Gianni and Spanner e in.”
Spanner perked up, pushing his goggles higher on his forehead. “Oh, good. My cue.”
Nero gestured toward him. “Fme teology is their specialty. They take what’s already in us and create tools that push it further. Imagine ons that respond to your Fmes, armor that protects against them, or even structs that fight alongside you.”
Gianni nodded, his arms crossed. “Think of it as giving your powers a blueprint to work with. Your Fmes are raw energy—we turn them into something you actually hold.”
Donald looked thoughtful. “By the way, does it work with... well, magic?” His eyes flicked to Snape, who stood with his arms folded, silent but attentive.
“It ,” Nero said. “We’ve already started experimenting with what each Fme do, but here’s an example. The Cloud Fme’s property is multiplication. With the right application, it could increase the number or power of spells. Imagine firing three Stupefy spells with a single cast.”
Diego tilted his head, frowning slightly. “What now?”
Maria’s face lit up in the way only a true Potterhead’s could. “It’s a spell that stuns the target,” she said quickly, her tone full of excitement and disbelief. “Basic stuff, really. You’d love it.”
Diego gave her a bnk look. “Right. I’m sure that’s incredibly useful if your enemies are... I don’t know, squirrels?”
Maria rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Like you don’t use basic moves all the time. ‘Look at me, I’m Diego, and I spin-kick my problems away.’ Very inal.”
“You love my spin-kicks, admit it,” Diego shot back, pointing a fi her. “If I added magic, they’d be unstoppable.”
Donald cut in, his tone dry. “Maybe save the spellcasting for someone who actually focus lohan ten seds. Or do you pn to spin-kick your wand across the room too?”
Dieged. “Wouldn’t need one. I’m all-natural.”
“You’re all something,” Sofia muttered, not looking up as she adjusted a sole on the far wall.
Anthony, leaning against the edge of the b table, poi Maria. “Alright, nerd. If these spells are so great, what else they do? Turn people ints? Make someone’s nose disappear?”
Maria smirked, clearly in her element. “That’s just begiuff. There’s Expelliarmus, which disarms your oppo. Protego creates a barrier. Oh, and there’s Avada Kedavra, but that’s—”
“Wait, wait,” Anthony interrupted. “What’s that st one?”
Maria hesitated. “It’s... uh... a killing curse.”
Diego raised both hands, mock horror on his face. “So, let me get this straight: your ‘amazing’ wizard world has a spell that just... murders people? Isn’t that a little dark for a children’s story?”
“Not everyone’s story is about sparkly vampires or shirtless werewolves,” Maria replied. “It’s called depth. Look it up.”
Anthony grinned. “Alright, killing spells aside, how does that even work with the Fmes? Wouldn’t multiplying spells like that be risky?”
Sofia finally turned around, wiping her hands on her pants as she stepped closer to the group. “It depends on the caster and the Fme. The multiplication isn’t just physical—it enhahe energy itself. But unless you’re precise, it could blow up in your face. Literally.”
Spanner, who had been quietly , finally spoke up. “Sounds like a calibration issue. If you’ve got enough trol, there’s no reason you ’t handle multiple outputs. Think of it like routiricity. Too much at once, and the wires fry.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying,” Sofia replied, crossing her arms. “But most people don’t think about the meics. They just want the result.”
Nigel’s voice came from he window. “As fasating as this is, perhaps we should move on. Spanner and Gianni are here for a reason, after all.”
“Always keeping us on track,” Maria said, mock sighing. “Where would we be without you, Nigel?”
“Dead, most likely,” Nigel replied without missing a beat, drawing a ugh from Diego.
--
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