9246/Django in Chains

Django in Chains
Date of Scene:	18 September 2019
Location:	Steadwell Sanitarium, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Pietro, Steve and Wanda go to see Django Maximoff in the sanitarium where he is being kept. An emotional visit ensues for the twins
Cast of Characters:	Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Captain America

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Scarlet Witch has posed:
After Doctor Strange had destroyed the Nivashi Stone, a gypsy magic totem that Django Maximoff had somehow gotten his hands on, Wanda Maximoff's soul had returned to its body from the doll in which she'd been imprisoned. Another doll that looked quite a bit like Pietro was in a cage next to the one holding Wanda.

The Romani adoptive father of the twins had spent sometime being evaluated while held at the Avengers Mansion, before finally being sent to a mental hospital. Wanda walks down the hallway towards his room for a visit, saying to Pietro, "So apparently Pappa blamed himself for the attack on the camp where Mom died. He saw us on TV, but he was so far gone with grief, he thinks I'm Ana, and that you're Mateo," Wanda says, speaking of the son and daughter of Django and Marya Maximoff that had passed away before Wanda and Pietro were given to them to raise. "I haven't been able to convince him otherwise," she says as they approach his room.

Quicksilver has posed:
Thankfully, that doll was never completed or Pietro might've been completely screwed. Unlike Wanda, he had no mystic powers or knowledge, so he would've been unable to escape the doll without outside help. But as Pietro walks alongside Wanda, Pietro is holding her hand if she lets him.

He was nervous.

This was someone who could be really important in Pietro's life...or could've been. "Got it." Is all Pietro says to her, he shakes his head.

"What do we know about Ana and Mateo? Did they have our...abilities? Did they look like us?" Yes, Pietro is emphatically out of the loop, so he's asking questions that may be interpreted as stupid.

Captain America has posed:
Behind both Maximoff siblings, the tall and broad-shouldered form of Steve Rogers walks. His position at their six, midway between the two young people, could be a subtle demonstration of the 'why' of his presence. In a leather jacket and jeans, his grey shirt emblazoned with a stone-washed rendition of his spangled shield, he doesn't sport a baseball cap to preserve any anonymity.

Having not been present for the initial incident with Django and his uncanny dolls, the Captain awaits hearing the answers to Pietro's questions. As such, he remains silent for now, eyes wandering around the hallway of the institution with the unconscious long-earned habit of the soldier scouting for issues.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda pauses beside the door to Django's room. It's a sanitarium but a nice one. Not like the depictions in movies. The walls are warm colors and it isn't all tile and metal. More like a retirement home with extra security.

Wanda gives Steve a grateful smile for his presence. She gives a small shake of her head to Pietro. "I only remember them sharing little bits. Their birth children, though we thought they were our parents too, until Dad revealed he was our father," she says, speaking of Magneto as 'Dad'. Django is still 'Pappa' to Wanda. "They died when they were toddlers. Soon after, they said a cloaked figure came down from Wundragore Mountain with us. After having lost Ana and Mateo, they eagerly accepted taking care of us. But he's just... Pappa sees us and can only think about them. I don't know if it's guilt over the attack on the camp where we thought he and Mother died? Maybe he could imagine Ana and Mateo forgiving him, but not us?" she suggests.

Quicksilver has posed:
Captain America's presence was a welcome one for Pietro. Its nice to have a....friend there to support you in a tough situation.

All he remembers from Django in vivid detail is when the camp was attacked and being told to take Wanda and run. While Pietro didn't have control over his powers at the time, he did exactly what he was told, and the immediate result was Pietro and Wanda living on the run for a long time.

When Wanda pauses at the door, so does Pietro. "Maybe he thought..when he lost us, he lost his children a second time." Pietro tries to sympathize. He looks conflicted. This guy captured Wanda and made her suffer by trapping her soul in a doll and would've happily done the same to Pietro.

"I don't know what to do But....talk? I guess? What do I even say?"

Captain America has posed:
"It might boil down to talking." This is Steve speaking up quietly as they pause by the door. He looks between Wanda and Pietro before offering them a small, sympathetic smile. "Sometimes, people don't want to hear the truth. All we can do say what we need to say 'nd hope it sticks. We can't save 'em all, or make 'em all be at ease, but we can try."

A nod towards the closed door is gentle encouragement to enter. Perhaps the Captain's treating this like removing sutures, an operation that stings but also frees up a wound for further healing.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda Maximoff nods to Pietro and Steve. "If we can help him to remember us as us, help him realize he can be in the lives of Wanda and Pietro... that would be a good start," she says. "I also wonder... the totem stone he had was responsible for most all the magic he did. But, I don't think it would have been capable of holding the soul outside of the body permanently like that. I want to know more about the dolls he had, if we are able to learn more. The stone, which Doctor Strange destroyed, was obtained from another Romani, but I gather the dolls were not. It seemed like Pappa's work," she says of the man who was a dollmaker before having to turn to thievery to feed his family.

An attendant comes over to unlock the door and let them inside. It's a nice enough room, lacking a television but with some books on shelves, a nice bed and a view of the grounds. There's an old man with bush hair sitting inside who rises as they step inside. "Ana. You brought Mateo with you," he says, moving forward, his hands wringing in excitement as he looks on Pietro for the first time in so many years. "Son. I've missed you so much," the older man says, and looking like he wants to move to hug Pietro, but holding back. He hasn't shown any recognition of Steve yet. Wanda fades into the background for the moment next to Steve, as Django focuses on Pietro.

Quicksilver has posed:
Django was the one who taught Pietro how to steal in the first place and DAMN was Pietro good at stealing. He had the perfect power for it, really. But at Steve's encouragement, Pietro seems to squeeze Wanda's hand, because he looks like he's about to run all the way back to Transia to get as far away from this meeting as humanly possible. But...it was Django. The Django that took Pietro and Wanda in.

There had to be some part of him left.

When Django greets Pietro, the older of the twins (by mere minutes) seems to literally freeze. "Pappa...I'm." he gulps. "I'm not Mateo. I'm Pietro. Do you remember me?" In a way, this hurt Pietro. While he always considered Django like a father to him, seeing him like this was heartbreaking.

Captain America has posed:
Steve remains by the doorway for now after gently closing it behind him, being the last to enter into the room. He leans back against the wall, painted in its pleasant hues, and hangs his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans. With watchful true-blue eyes, he makes no point to intervene in any manner while the two gentlemen talk.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Django's head tilts to the side as he looks at Pietro, the old man having a kindly face that is full of emotion. "I'd know you anywhere, Mateo," Django says, shaking his head. He reaches out, trying to rest his hands on Pietro's cheeks as Django looks at Pietro's face. "You and your sister. It has been so long. I'm so sorry to not have been there for you, son," he says.

Wanda moves forward finally, touching Django's arm. "Pappa. It's not Mateo. It's Pietro. Pietro and Wanda. Do you remember? Before we got the wagon, we had the little apartment with the horrible drafts we could never seem to seal? And you made made me that princess doll, and a prince for Pietro?" she asks him.

Django shakes his head. "Ana, you say such confusing things to me," he says, before finally noticing Steve Rogers. Wanda sees that and says, "Pappa, this is Steve Rogers. Captain America." Django's face beams. "You are on TV with my son and daughter. The Avenger. I know you. Thank you for watching out for them," Django will say, trying to shake Steve's hand.

Quicksilver has posed:
Pietro didn't look at Steve. To Pietro, he's the surprisingly patriotic emotional support. Its when Django touches Pietro's face and fails to recognize him for who he is that Pietro takes a shaky breath.

"She speaks the truth, Pappa. When we fell on hard times, I helped you steal, even when you tried to talk me out of it. Remember, please?" Pietro looks at Wanda then as Django greets the Captain, the look in his eyes suggesting that Django might be too far gone.

Captain America has posed:
With his politest smile, the Captain steps forward and returns the older man's handshake with a gentle, firm pressure. "Nice to meet you. I have the pleasure of knowing both Maximoff siblings. But, I don't know an Ana or Mateo," he continues evenly, patiently. "These two upstanding young people with me are Avengers, and their names are Wanda and Pietro. I am sorry for your loss, Django, but they are their own persons -- not Ana or Mateo."

He then takes a step back, distancing himself from the conversation. Good timing given his phone softly chimes in his pocket with the tone set for an unknown or untraceable number. A glance and nod to each Maximoff sibling and he returns to his place on the wall, frowning down at the phone. A deep sigh follows the reading of the message sent.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Django seems happy enough to meet the famous American. Steve's words give him pause though, as he looks over at first Pietro, and then Wanda. "How could a father not know his own children?" he asks in a gentle voice. Django looks at his adopted children again, his eyes going to Wanda last before he looks down. "I know, I was wrong to try to force you to come be with me like that. But you don't know how difficult it was, losing you both," he says.

Wanda lets out a soft sigh. "It's ok, Pappa. I understand," she says, moving over to hug him as she did when she was a little girl. His arms go around her, holding the woman tight. When Wanda finally lets go she turns away for a moment to wipe at her face.

Django looks back to Pietro. "I didn't want you to learn to steal from me, Mateo. We had such hard times though, it was the only way I could keep food on the table for your sister and mother," he says, shaking his head.

Quicksilver has posed:
Pietro is a little surprised when Steve speaks up for the Twins like that. After all, they weren't always Avengers, or on the right side for that matter. They've done truly horrible things in their lives, but it was nice to have Steve state his confidence in them.

"Pappa. I'm not..." Pietro tried to explain, but he realizes that Django will see what he wants to see. "I took care of my sister Pappa. Like I promised." He tries to calm Django further and provide him with peace, even as he embraces Wanda.

"I hope we made you proud." Pietro gets s little teary-eyes for a moment. This was hard for him. For Wanda.

Captain America has posed:
Having dealt with personality dissonance and something akin to dementia before in his oldest and dearest friend, Steve knows better than to argue, even kindly, with the man. He keeps his facial expression neutral, distantly attentive, even before he looks back down at his phone's screen again. His eyes narrow and a dangerously cold shadow passes over his features before the Captain schools his composure.

Thumbs fly. Whatever the text was, it receives a brief reply back. Rather than put the cell phone immediately away, Steve pats the screen lightly against the outside of his thigh, awaiting a response. By the pinking of the tips of his ears, his dander's up beneath his mask of poise -- of all the times now to ask for a favor. Another soft chime has him checking the screen again and then shoving the phone away into his jeans. Fine.

A last sigh and Steve fully brings himself back to the present. He'll remain steadfastly present until the Maximoff siblings choose to leave, accompanying them as they do.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
The rest of the visit is spent talking with Django. Trying to help him to remember his adopted children, without forcing against his impression of reality too strongly as to be painful to him.

In the end some tears are shed and there are maybe some sad moments. But perhaps a few good ones too as at least Wanda and Pietro both remember the good times, and a number of those are brought up as well.

Wanda doesn't get an opportunity to ask about the dolls. Yet. But that will be something for another day.

Quicksilver has posed:
Pietro did not mind Steve taking the time to send a text, his attention was on his family. Another time for the important business, this was s chance for family to come together, even if the circumstances were rather grim.

Stories are shared, tears are shed, and at the end of it, Pietro holds Wanda as they start to leave. This was good for them. Closure. But at the same time he was still Django.

A man who was perhaps a better father than their real father.