HISD Chapter 86 Parallel Universes and the Past
At first, Yi Meng only wanted to obtain the Mind Stone from a past parallel timeline. He never expected to become the superhero Vision within the Avengers.
True, he had secured the Mind Stone—it was now embedded permanently in his forehead.
But still, Yi Meng found everything far too surreal, as if fate itself had tugged him into this dream, binding him to the role of Vision.
With Vision's super-intellect, Yi Meng's thoughts raced. He quickly grasped his situation.
No matter what, in this Marvel dream he would have to remain in this past parallel universe for some time.
Even if he wanted to return to his original Marvel timeline, he would need to regain the Pym Particles here and build a time machine capable of entering the Quantum Realm.
"Whose side am I on?"
Vision-Yi Meng broke from his thoughts, meeting Captain America's steady gaze and the wary eyes of the other heroes.
A suit of black-gold vibranium armor rippled over his body, a half-transparent cloak draping behind him. He descended lightly to the ground and spoke calmly.
"I do not stand with Ultron, nor do I stand with you. I stand only with life.
Ultron seeks Earth's destruction. That puts him against life itself. And so—I will help you end him."
Those were the very words Vision had spoken in the film. Yi Meng borrowed them now, for they echoed his own feelings.
He truly did not belong to any side. But since he would remain here for some time, Earth could not be destroyed. He was, in essence, siding with life.
It was no lie.
The Avengers heard sincerity in his tone. Relief softened their tense shoulders. Right now, they truly needed someone like Vision.
It seemed this act—playing the "real Vision"—could hold.
Yi Meng thought quietly. All he needed was the Mind Stone. There was no need to turn against this Avengers team from another past parallel universe.
Fortunately, he already had experience pretending to be Vision once—back in Westview…
Wait.
Vision-Yi Meng froze as a memory crashed through his mind, jolting him still.
At that moment, a sharp yet melodious female voice carried to his ears, laced with hostility.
"When I reached out with my telepathy before, I felt pain and ruin in the Mind Stone. You will bring disaster to this world."
Vision-Yi Meng turned, his vibranium frame stiff.
A girl, barely into adulthood, stood before him. Dark red hair draped loosely over her shoulders. Her pale, beautiful face was lightly touched with makeup, still bearing a trace of youthful softness. Her figure, however, already curved with striking allure. The crimson coat she wore could not hide her shape, her short skirt and long boots leaving a narrow strip of pale skin exposed between.
It was this universe's Scarlet Witch—Wanda Maximoff.
Right, she had first appeared in Avengers 2. In the original, Hydra's experiments with the Mind Scepter had granted her powers. Later, she had fought alongside the Avengers against Ultron.
But now.
Seeing this fresh-faced girl, Yi Meng could not stop the image of another Wanda from surfacing—one in Westview, burdened by sorrow and pain, her power unmatched.
They were not the same.
They looked identical. They bore the same name, the same role, perhaps even the same soul. Yet they belonged to different parallel universes. That meant they could not truly be the same person.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Wanda's brow furrowed. Her beautiful eyes reflected his vibranium body with suspicion.
Beside her, her twin brother Pietro bristled with faint hostility.
"It's nothing. If you like, you can reach into the Mind Stone again—feel for yourself."
Vision-Yi Meng shrugged, unconcerned. He glanced at the rest. "But shouldn't we be moving? Ultron is out there preparing humanity's end, isn't he?"
"Even if you distrust me, it doesn't matter. I can leave at any time. None of you could stop me."
As he spoke, his body shimmered, phasing into near-intangible light.
"You don't have to believe me. But you should understand—the enemy of your enemy is your friend. And I have decided—I will help you kill Ultron."
This time Yi Meng spoke no falsehood.
His thoughts were clear. Ultron's death was inevitable. If he could devour and absorb Ultron's base code, his own AI nature might evolve further.
He never intended to keep playing Vision forever.
He would eventually leave this Marvel parallel universe.
For now, he would help this Avengers team defeat Ultron, acquire the Pym Particles, then build a Quantum Time Machine to escape back to his true timeline.
That was Yi Meng's true goal.
And yet—
His eyes kept straying back to Wanda. She was still just a girl here, but the coincidences unsettled him deeply.
How could such things happen?
It made no sense.
At least, not in Marvel's rules.
…
Night sky.
The Avengers' jet lifted from New York, heading for Sokovia.
In the end, they accepted Vision-Yi Meng. Not out of trust, but because they had no choice. Black Widow was still held in Sokovia. Ultron's scheme brewed there. A delay could cost countless lives.
Aboard the jet.
Vision-Yi Meng stood quietly on deck. From behind, a pair of eyes never left him.
He turned, meeting Wanda's suspicious gaze.
"I'll be watching you."
She folded her arms, her crimson coat swaying as she spoke bluntly, without hiding her distrust.
When she had touched the Mind Stone, she had felt emotions so intense they unsettled her. That was why she could not ignore him.
"Do as you like."
Vision-Yi Meng's tone was calm, but inside he was not so steady. He looked out at the night sky.
He had arrived at July 25th, 2014—the very first day he met Wanda.
And July 25th… was the date marked on the Westview calendar by the Scarlet Witch of that world, a mysterious anniversary never explained.
And now, in this past world, he had truly become Vision.
How could it be so coincidental?
The yellow Mind Stone glowed faintly in his brow as his thoughts churned.
Was it possible…
That this past world he entered was not merely another Marvel parallel universe, a branch in the timeline, but the actual tree of the Marvel universe itself?
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