When two worlds collide

Chapter 5

The sun was hanging low in the sky by the time Y/N and Wanda reached the soundstage where the next stunt was being set up. The once bustling lot had quieted down, an uneasy tension gripping the crew as they milled around, unsure of what to do. The harnesses and wires that Y/N was supposed to use in the next sequence dangled limply from the overhead rigging, but the crew members who had been adjusting them looked on edge, as if the equipment might come to life at any moment.

The AD had been right—there was something wrong with the rig. Even from a distance, Y/N could see the wires twitching, shifting in ways that defied the normal physics of a film set.

"Look at that," Wanda murmured beside them, her voice low but filled with an unmistakable edge. Her eyes glowed faintly with a familiar red hue, magic already simmering beneath the surface as she observed the scene.

Y/N's heart was racing now, adrenaline surging through them. This wasn't just a malfunction—it was something far more dangerous.

"So, how do we handle this?" Y/N asked, keeping their tone light despite the tension crackling in the air. "Because I'm not too keen on getting strangled by my own harness today."

Wanda's lips pressed into a thin line as she scanned the rigging, her mind clearly working through possible solutions. "We need to neutralize whatever's causing the interference," she said. "If I can get close enough, I can disrupt the magic."

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "Disrupt the magic? Sounds easy enough, right?"

Wanda shot them a look, but there was a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Just keep your head down, and let me handle the hard part."

Y/N chuckled, but their mind was already racing, calculating the risks. The rig was set up for an aerial stunt—wires crisscrossed over the set, designed to lift them high into the air for a sequence where they'd be thrown across the room by an explosion. Under normal circumstances, it was a high-risk, high-reward stunt. Now, it was a potential death trap.

"Alright," Y/N said, cracking their knuckles. "Let's do this."

Without another word, they stepped onto the set, moving toward the rigging with the easy confidence of someone who had spent years throwing themselves into danger. Wanda followed close behind, her gaze sharp and focused.

As they approached the wires, Y/N could feel the air growing heavier, thick with an unnatural energy. The harnesses swayed gently, but every so often, they would jerk sharply, as if something invisible was pulling them in random directions. It was unsettling, to say the least.

Y/N reached up, grabbing hold of the harness they were supposed to use. It felt normal at first—just nylon straps and metal buckles. But as soon as their fingers closed around it, they felt a faint pulse, like a heartbeat thrumming beneath the surface. It sent a shiver down their spine.

"Yeah, this is definitely not right," Y/N muttered, glancing back at Wanda.

Wanda stepped forward, her eyes glowing brighter now as she raised her hands, red tendrils of magic swirling around her fingers. "Stay close," she said, her voice steady. "I'm going to isolate the source."

Y/N nodded, tightening their grip on the harness as they braced themselves. Wanda's magic flared to life, wrapping around the rigging like a cocoon of red light. The wires twitched violently in response, the unseen force pushing back against her magic, but Wanda held steady, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

For a moment, everything seemed to hold still. The wires stopped moving, the air grew thick with tension, and Y/N could feel the weight of the magic pressing in on them. It was as if the entire set was holding its breath, waiting for something to snap.

And then—everything exploded into chaos.

The wires suddenly shot to life, yanking themselves free of their restraints and lashing out in all directions. Y/N barely had time to react before one of the cables whipped toward them, moving with a speed that defied explanation. They ducked just in time, the wire slicing through the air above their head with a sharp crack.

"Wanda!" Y/N shouted, stumbling backward as another wire lashed out, narrowly missing them.

Wanda's magic flared brighter, but the force pushing against her was stronger now, more violent. The wires thrashed wildly, driven by whatever malevolent force was controlling them. Wanda gritted her teeth, her hands glowing with raw energy as she fought to contain the chaos.

Y/N scrambled to their feet, their mind racing. They couldn't just stand there while Wanda did all the work—if they didn't find a way to stop the rigging from tearing itself apart, someone was going to get hurt. Or worse.

Without hesitating, Y/N dashed toward one of the main supports of the rig, dodging another lashing cable as they went. They reached the base of the structure and quickly began climbing, their muscles burning with the effort. The rig shook violently beneath them, but Y/N kept moving, determination driving them upward.

"Y/N, what are you doing?" Wanda called out, her voice strained from the effort of holding back the magical onslaught.

"Improvising!" Y/N shouted back, a smirk tugging at the corner of their mouth despite the danger.

They reached the top of the rig and grabbed hold of the central pulley system that controlled the wires. If they could manually disengage the mechanisms, they might be able to cut off the force controlling the cables—or at least slow it down enough for Wanda to neutralize the magic.

As Y/N worked, sweat pouring down their face, the cables continued to whip around the set, but Wanda's magic was holding them at bay, preventing them from causing too much damage. Still, the pressure was building—the air crackling with magical energy, the rig groaning under the strain.

"Almost there," Y/N muttered to themselves, their fingers working quickly to release the tension on the wires.

Just as they pulled the final lever, a cable shot up toward them, moving like a snake striking its prey. Y/N barely had time to react—they swung out of the way just as the wire whipped past them, grazing their arm and leaving a burning line in its wake.

But the distraction had been enough. The rig shuddered, and the cables went slack, their wild movements slowing as Y/N's adjustments took effect. Wanda's magic surged forward, filling the gap and pushing the malevolent force out of the rigging entirely.

With a final flash of red light, the wires fell still, hanging limply from the overhead rigging once more. The air felt lighter, the oppressive magic dissipating into nothingness.

Y/N exhaled, relief flooding their system as they carefully climbed back down to the ground. Their arm ached where the cable had grazed them, but the injury wasn't serious—just another scar to add to the collection.

Wanda was already waiting for them when they reached the bottom, her expression a mix of concern and admiration.

"You're insane, you know that?" she said, though there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

Y/N grinned, wiping the sweat from their forehead. "Takes one to know one."

Wanda shook her head, her smile widening. "Thank you," she said, her tone sincere. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Y/N shrugged, trying to play it off. "Hey, what are partners for?"

But despite the humor in their voice, there was something different in the way Y/N looked at Wanda now. A shift in their dynamic—a recognition that they weren't just dealing with stunts and magic anymore. This was personal. This was dangerous. And they were in it together.

As the crew cautiously returned to the set, checking the rigging and making sure everything was secure, Y/N and Wanda stood side by side, the weight of what they had just faced hanging in the air between them.