THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

23

2 weeks later

"Hey, Hazel," Stephen barged into her room, catching her body on the bed, astroprojecting. "I'm gonna go get a sandwich, do you want one?"

Her Astro form's eyes lit up, and immediately went back into her body, gaining consciousness. She sat up excitedly.

"Yeah," she fumbled with her pockets and gave him 2 dollars "can you get me a cookie, too?"

"You know that we don't recommend eating for pleasure's sake only, Hazel," he raised an eyebrow knowingly, making her pout.

"Please?" She gave him big eyes and scrunched her eyebrows "see, the sandwich doesn't even get me to be that full, so the cookie's gonna balance things out. I need the cookie. Please?"

"Fine," he rolled his eyes. He hated it when she did that thing with her eyes, how could he ever say no? "How'd you get the money, anyways?"

"I have my ways," she shrugged mysteriously. Before Stephen could say anything more, she started to shove him out the door "now go, you have sandwich duty,"

"Yeah-hey-okay!," He stuttered, slowly getting pushed out, not being able to say a witty remark since the door shut on his face. "Wow," he breathed.

*
"Seriously, you don't have any money?," Stephen asked I'm disbelief as he walked down the stairs after Wong declined the offer to a sandwich

"Attachment to the physical is detachment to the spiritual," he answered back, following him

"Well I'll tell the guys at the deli. Maybe they can make you a metaphysical ham on rye-," he surmised and continued climbing down the stair with his hands in his pockets.

"Wait wait wait," Wong hastened down and started to dig his hands inside his pockets "what about 200?,"

"Dollars?,"

"Rupees," he corrected

"Which is?"

"A buck and a half," strange rolled his eyes at his response and put on a small smirk

"What do you want?," Stephen asked, and a smile appeared on Wong's lips.

"I wouldn't say no to a tuna melt," he said dreamily. Suddenly, a great rumbling and crashing sound filled their ears, making a huge object break into the sanctum.

The two sorcerers immediately got into their stances. Hazel ran out the door, as if on queue, her staff on hand. She entered, seeing a man on a pile of wood, gasping about someone named "Thanos".

Before she could ask, Stephen was already speaking to the man. They were rambling on and on until Stephen created a portal to a park, getting Hazel to be even more confused.

"This man..." she gasped, walking slowly to him and gasping "is a little naked. Wong, do you have any spare clothes?,"

He gave her a small nod and walked out to get some clothing. She made the man a portal to where she was standing.

"Uh- thanks," he said sheepishly and shyly "Bruce Banner," He introduced himself 

"Hazel Wolfe," she returned and shook his hand, walking to Stephen and then returning with none other than Tony Stark himself.
Now that she was aware of it, she really sensed a lot of pride and ego when he came into the room.

"Tony, Thanos is coming," he breathed anxiously, clearly stressed out "he's coming to get the infinity stones, he's not gonna stop-"

"What?," Hazel gasped in shock, her eyes flickering to Stephen "I-is this true?,"

"Yes," he gave a disappointed nod and pursed up his lips. Hazel ran a hand through her hair stressfully.

"B-But then that means-" she was rudely cut off by Tony Stark, who was understandably very confused.

"I'm sorry, I seem to be the only one to be confused here- what are these stones?", he inquired, making Wong do some hand gestures for a projection spell.

"From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then, boom! The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals, hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence."  Wong explained, showing a detailed and accurate reflection of the universe and stones, leaving the two avengers in awe.

"Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind. And Time." Stephen opens up the eye of Agamotto, looking at hazel, who anxiously raised up her staff.

"What's his name again?"

"Thanos," Bruce answered "Thanos. He's a plague, Tony. He invades planets. He takes what he wants. He wipes out half the population. He sent Loki. The attack on New York. That's him."

"So this it?," He asked in disbelief "what's our timeline?"

"No telling. He has the Power and Space Stones, that already makes him the strongest creature in the whole universe. If he gets his hands, on all six Stones, Tony..."

"He can destroy life on a scale hitherto undreamt of." Stephen added, making Hazel cringe at his word choice.

"Did you seriously just say 'hitherto undreamt of'?" Tony leaned on the cauldron of the cosmos, making Hazel once again cringe.

"Are you seriously leaning on the cauldron of the cosmos?" He asked, making the cloak of levitation whip his hand off, offending Tony.

"I'm going to allow that," he straightened himself up "If Thanos needs all six, why don't we just stick this one down the garbage disposal?"

"No," hazel scoffed for the first time in the conversation "we swore an oath to protect the time stone. With our lives,"

"Well I swore off dairy, but Ben & Jerry's makes a flavour after me, so..."

"Well this isn't dairy," she replied dismissively

"Stark raving hazelnuts," Stephen hummed, a little bit distracted

"It's not bad," he commented

"A bit chalky-"

"I thought you said not to eat for pleasure's sake?," hazel recalled, making Stephen take a step away from her, turning his back against her.

"Point is, things change,"

"Oaths aren't supposed to," she replied "it could be the best chance to beat Thanos,"

"But also his best chance against us,"

"Well, if we do our jobs-"

"What is your job exactly, besides making balloon animals?" He said condescendingly, making Stephen step to him closer.

"Protecting your reality, douchebag," he said calmly and smugly, making Hazel turn her lips into an 'o'

"What's that face? Why is she doing that face?"
"Stop doing the face" Tony and Stephen said together without Stephen turning back.

"That was good," she defended, trying to fight back a smile, making Stephen wink at her while Bruce and Tony had their own conversation.