Regarding Vanya

Encore

Vanya trained for about thirty minutes more, learning to focus on specific sounds and patterns in nature. Everything, from a small rain drop to frogs chirping was fuel for her, acting as the conductor of her energy bursts. She felt a bit unpredictable, trying her best to remain as calm as possible given the strange circumstances. While calm may have worked for her, her brothers chose a different route. Diego and Five seemed unable to remain still, one constantly teleporting to new areas to observe her progress while the other interrupted her focus with the whirring sounds of knives in the air. Klaus was the worst offender, talking to the invisible Ben a bit too loudly. These interruptions had the unfortunate effect of breaking Vanya's attention from her fourth boulder right as she let her powers flow. Intended to cut the boulder directly in front of her, her energy instead came out in a complete 360 degree circle, sending the bystanders flying into the air. Thankfully, the grass they landed on was soft enough to avoid fatal damage, but the guilt inside Vanya festered upon impact. Running towards her nearest brother, Diego, she could feel the icy tears tracing themselves down her face.

"Are you okay?" She shook him a bit too roughly, adding to her guilt before dropping him in realization. This had happened before. An alley way with three men, two dead she recounted before remembering the fourth.

"Leonard-" it came out as a strangled croak before she returned her gaze to Diego, who groaned and faced her.

"Don't mention that son of a bitch. Please?"

"What happened to him? Did I..." she trailed as she focused on her first memory. The night flashed before her. "I killed those men."

"Not your fault." Diego struggled to get up, leaning on a nearby tree as he steadied himself. "And coming from me, that's a lot."

Vanya backed away from him, not willing to risk another outburst. He could see the fear on her face and limped over, reaching out his arm in an effort to touch her shoulder. "Guys!" He called the others to attention as Vanya turned and began to sprint.

The academy. Dad. The portraits. Each step brought a new memory as she made her way through the forest. Knowing Five's ability, she made the effort to run in a zig zag pattern for miles after obscuring herself in the forest. She didn't know how long she ran, but it had become darker until the night officially arrived. Every revelation hurt, but the moment she recalled Allison's throat, she tripped over a rock. Falling to the ground, the only pain she cared about was her sister's. It was her fault. She couldn't go back. Rushing to stand up again, she choked back a sob and glanced up. The forest was inclining, plateauing above her at a slab of barely visible concrete. A road.

It was desolate. She couldn't make out much with the lack of light and her enhanced hearing couldn't pick up anything new. Finally reaching the top, she came to both a figurative and literal crossroads. She couldn't wait for too long because of Five. She couldn't cross into the neighboring piece of forest because she could get lost and starve. She couldn't hitchhike if there were no cars. Vanya resorted to running on the road, electing to turn North and continue on her way. She wasn't built to run, muscles already sore from her earlier venture. Her only motivation was her siblings, and the shame she felt that prevented her return. She was never accepted. She wouldn't be now. It just made sense.

After a while, she finally decided to walk. Five couldn't find her now, she'd reasoned, she had put a lot of distance between them and he wouldn't know where to start. Not to mention, an upsetting notion biased in her mind, you might have seriously hurt him. Vanya stopped moving, her recollections overpowering her. She couldn't remember anything after what happened to Allison, but knew there had been a "concert" that was probably her fault. Another thing to add to the list, she supposed. She was tired of hurting people, especially her family. She'd just let the darkness have her, sitting down and refusing to move, absorbed by her own pain.

She was there for over twelve hours. Every minute dragged on, but she didn't care. The grumbling in her stomach and leaves caught in her hair went ignored as she stayed rigid. Eventually, the first car arrived on the overlooked road, puttering down the smooth concrete. It was an older model, but Vanya knew that made sense, given that they were in a different time. She didn't know why, but everything already seemed to be her fault. This probably was too. The car slowed, eventually stopping a few feet from her. As the window rolled down, Vanya made out a kinder, older face with long gray hair pulled back.

"Are you okay dear?" The woman appeared concerned, which said a lot about how Vanya looked at the moment. She exited the car slowly before kneeling down to eye level. "I'm Agnes, do you need a ride?"

"Please." Vanya nodded quietly before being helped up. The woman checked her for injuries, brushing the stray leaves out from her soft curls with eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Why don't you come stay with me and my Hazel for a while, get some food in? I just got some groceries and-" she winked conspiratorially- "I can make a mean donut."

"Thank you." Vanya nodded again and followed her to the car. This was wrong, she knew that. However, she was hungry. She also knew that the others might be looking for her. After everything she'd done, they deserved more closure than finding her corpse on the side of a highway.

"Where are you headed?" The woman appeared calm, trying to fiddle with the radio and avert her gaze from Vanya, who was quite thankful for the gesture.

"Anywhere but here."

"Well then," Agnes continued cheerfully, "I'll show you our new home!"