Sorcerer Supreme

I do find myself often thinking of Donna, my younger sister. I feel responsible for her drowning when we were young. While I understand that I can’t take the credit for her random cramping that resulted in her passing, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the what ifs.

The smallest of smiles perked at his lips before he answered. “We have worked hard, and it is quite the island. Thank you. Seeing it now.. well, it’s all been worth it for what we’ve gained.”

“I look forward to seeing what Krakoa will one day become. Until then, I’m glad to call myself a friend to your people.” He said offering slightly less subtle smile than Erik’s.

“Prisoner of war by the way of Clarice Fong. She teleported the air out of my lungs and strung me up with some of the other prisoners so that Magik could torture us in Limbo. Like I said, I wouldn’t recommend.” 

“Quite the different experience from me. Sorry I couldn’t have been more help then.”

Tony’s gaze fixated on the coffee in his mug– something about the steam rising from it made it easier to focus. The corner of his lip twisted, an almost smile that he didn’t quite have the energy for. “I get it.” That was the truth. “We all played our part. I had reasons to stick around but that would have been real shitty for everyone else.” Tony looked up, managing the sad smile he couldn’t muster a few moment ago. “It was a bold move, I’ll give you that. And it worked. Besides, dying a dramatic death had always been on my list– I like the attention.”

Stephen’s expression didn’t falter. While he had some guilt about not telling Tony how they’d win he’d do it again in a heart beat. “I’ll choose to take that as a compliment. And as for your next death, let’s aim for something a bit more, mundane, shall we?” He said attempting a joke, though the amount of time he spent in the sanctum only communicating with magical beings for days on end have curbed his sense of normal conversation.

“You can call me Natasha. It looks like we have some of the same friends. They say you’re pretty impressive.” Tony’s wording had been a little bit stranger. “You want what I want, I think. To protect people. We shouldn’t have a problem.”

“In which case, you can call me Stephen.” Not Steve though. Only a few people had that right. “Well I’ll have to thank them.” While he wasn’t the cocky bastard he used to be he still had great confidence in his abilities. “Same goes for you. Choirs have sung your praises, metaphorically of course. I’m glad we’re on the same page, Natasha.” He paused for a moment not really knowing where to take this conversation. “Adapting well?”

“Thank you, Stephen. It’s good to see you back as well.” It wasn’t like they had met. He had just been another face lost in their never ending slide show. “Not that we’ve officially met. Natasha Romanoff.”

“It’s good to actually meet you, miss Romanoff. Stephen Strange.” He said with a half smile and a nod. “I hope that we can rely on one another; should the time come.”

Sitting up a bit too quickly, Tony felt his head spin for a moment. When the fog cleared, he shot Strange a dirty look before wrapping both hands around the conjured coffee mug. “So, you’ve always been this weird huh? It’s nice to see not everything has changed.” He took a pause to sip his coffee, which was surprisingly good. It left him wondering whether it was because Strange magically made it appear, or because he hadn’t had coffee since.. well. “I’m guessing you didn’t look this far ahead when you were sifting through all those realities, huh? Would have been nice to know ahead of time that I get brought back from the dead. Or that I died at all, but we’re way past that.”

“Things have gotten far stranger with me. Pun not intended but welcomed. He said as he levitated his mug back down to the table. He was waiting for this part. The questioning of realities or why he didn’t tell him of his death. “Time was a factor. I was searching for an outcome with lower net-cost than the one we had to no time to search for the what would happen more than a year down the line in each potential timeline...” He said trailing off. “As cold as it sounds, I couldn’t have you be made nervous or hesitate. Any alteration to that timeline and the outcome becomes uncertain.”

There was more he wanted to say but Wanda appreciated the fact that he was refraining from doing so. Her actions had already happened. She had to remain firm in them instead of buckling under after the fact anxiety. “Thank you.” Her words were quiet. “The Sanctum – it looks like it’s in order. How is Wong?”

“An endless source of humor and smiles as per usual.” He replied with a faint smirk and tone filled with sarcasm. “He’s been doing well, but doing too much for me. He is my assistant but he pushes himself too far for me. Though I’ve been learning a thing or two from him as well, so his efforts are appreciated.” He said trying to remain light despite his feelings towards Wanda’s recent actions.

steve watched the kettle pour a new cup of coffee. now, if only he could get other things to magically appear when he needed them. “i don’t wanna know what kind of rituals need an endless supply of virgin blood.” he mused. a couple of years ago this may have thrown him for a loop, but after everything this was just a regular monday. “i’ve never had turkish coffee.” he admitted, giving the cup a sniff. smelled good. he took a sip. it had notes of something that was far too sophisticated for him to put a name too. “ ‘s good –thanks.” he glanced at strange. “you still training wanda?” he asked curiously. 

“More than you’d expect.” He said with raised eyebrows as he grabbed his mug with both hands and inhaled deeply before taking a long and satisfying sip. “Wanda? You could say that. Though she seems to be doing more and more without me teaching her. Or her asking about potential consequences...” He said trailing off before clearing his throat. “By and large it’s going well. How are your activities treating you?”

“It’s in her chest. Removing the Stone may very well kill her, and then her blood is on our hands. They already have reason to hate us.” Wanda needed to believe there was another way than that. “Back when Vis had the Mind Stone, I could interface with it. Feel him, the other Stones. I think it’s because of how I was created. Maybe if I could get close enough to Ripley I could try and read her Stone as well.”

“That is more or less what I was implying, however no matter how much faith I have in you I don’t want you to do that alone. I want to be there. Whether to bind her with the crimson bands of cyttorak, project her soul from her body to ease the task for you, or even just for moral support. This isn’t like with the Vision.”

when something wiggled in his back pocket his eyes bulged and he hopped back a step, bouncing over the snake that slithered toward the wizard man. pietro’s eyes danced between the reptile and the man. it took all of one full second for his brain to process as much as it could with as little information as he had, and then he was feigning recovery – an ill attempt to spare but a shred of his dignity. he cast the bewilderment from his features and turned to lean on the nearest surface. “not likely. consider it a personality trait ” he crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged. tends to happen when you’re codependent on one person for two decades and surviving on pick pocketed goods. not that he had any excuse for the latter, now. “what did you say your name was?” 

He sighed as the speedster continued. This was going to be interesting. The snake weaving between his fingers converted back into obsidian chains. As he closed his hands around the necklace it returned to its proper place in the Sanctum Santorum. “I didn’t, though now may as good a time as any to do so. Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme of thus universe.” He said his arms similarly crossed. He hasn’t taken to shaking hands since his were so damaged.

“nn—aah!” he shifted uncomfortably. for a man who saw most things coming, it was hard to startle him. nevertheless, pietro tucked the necklace into his back pocket and straightened. “how did you do that?” then his eyes narrowed at the mention of his twin and he took a flash step forward, bringing them uncomfortably close to one another. he surveyed him. “what do you know about my sister, hmm?”

“The same way I’m doing this.” He said before uttering an eldritch phrase as the necklace in Pietro’s pocket became a hissing serpent and began slithering out of Pietro’s pocket and on to Strange’s trembling hand. Unphased by the burst of speed his face remained dead panned. “We’ve worked together, I’ve helped her with her magic, and we’re arguably friends. Now, if you’re done with your over protective brother disorder and your kleptomania, I’d like to redo our first impressions, as yours has been... Abysmal.”