THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

29

"Strange! We alright?!" Footsteps started to patter around, alerting Hazel to stand up and run to them.
Doctor Strange fell to his side and let out a soft cry.

"I went forward in time to view alternate futures. To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict." He explained as Hazel finally made their way to them.

"How many did you see?"

"14,000,605."

"How many did we win?," Tony asked him anxiously.
Strange stared at the man intently, as if he was debating on whether to say it or not.

"One"

Hazel's stomach dropped to the floor, and a shiver went down her spine. Suddenly her breathing started to get short, and air seemed scarce.

"T-this is it, we're all gonna die," Hazel's voice started to tremble as tears started to brim her eyes. Pins and needles attacked her skin, and the world spun like a carousel.

"Don't say that," Tony denied and stepped towards the girl

"That's a one over fourteen million six hundred and five chance!," she managed to say. "We're gonna die, we're all gonna die!,"

"No, no, we can still try," The man approached her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, kid, listen to me. Breathe. Take a deep breath, c'mon,"

Hazel followed what Iron Man recommenced and took big and deep breaths. Slowly, her nerves calmed down and she relaxed a little more.

"We can't let him even touch the stone," her voice filled with determination "please, all of you, set everything aside for later and try to work together,"

"It's not me who's being plucky, he is!," Tony pointed to Star Lord.

"Me? You're the one-"

"-Stop it!," Hazel screamed, making them jump. She impulsively walked towards Quill and grabbed his collar. "Half of the population is going to die if you don't get you shit together. Straighten up and get over yourself!" She had her teeth gritted and her fists clenched.

"We need a plan," Strange stated "tell me everything everyone can do,"

"Drax here is really strong and good with knives, I have super great combat skills and am a better than usual thief, and Mantis has empathy powers," Star Lord made a bad summarization of what they could do.

"Yeah, I don't trust him." Tony shook his head

"I can also control people's emotions," Manits added with a smile "I can get people to sleep and feel other emotions, but aside from that I can feel their emotions at the touch of their hand,"

She walked over to Hazel and touched her hand. Her antennas went down and sadness started to fill her expression. "You feel anxious, and...sad," she explained "you are feeling a great amount of sad-,"

"Hey, stop that!," she whipped her hand away from her arm defensively. "I didn't ask you to touch me!,"

"We're losing track here. Mantis: can you make someone sleep on command?," Strange asked and she nodded "great. Here's how it's gonna go: I'm going to talk to Thanos when he comes, and then the rest of you try to get him tired. We're gonna need him to be near mantis, and mantis, you're gonna get him to sleep. After that, we'll pull the gauntlet off his hand,"

"Seems simple," Quill nodded in determination "so what do we do now?,"

"As of now, all we can do is train," Stephen said and took the cloak off his body, marking heavy physical activity. "Waste no time."

All of them started to disperse and get into all sorts of progress. The guardians combatted with one another, Tony and Peter discussed their machines, and the sorcerers practiced their spells.

Hazel made her hand movements and practiced different spells. Balls of fire, stars, blades shot through the air at high speeds. Rings of all patterns wrapped around her arm as she focused deeply.

"Excellent," Strange commented from behind her. Hazel immediately turned to him and gave him a modest bow.

However, in the middle of the bow, Strange pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her. He clutched her tight in his grasp and shut his eyes.

"M-master-," she managed to whisper, stiffening up and trying to retain her tears.

"Shut up, stop calling me that," he pulled her even closer and shook his head furiously.

"No, you were-,"

"-I was wrong, I was angry and I took it all out on you, I'm sorry, will you ever forgive me?," He pleaded firmly. In response, Hazel returned the hug, failing to keep her tears in her eyes.

She sniffled in his chest and wiped her eyes with her shoulder, making the man lift her chin up to face him.

"Hey, stop crying," he softly tutted "it's over now. It's gonna be okay,"

"O-okay," She gulped for air and wiped her tears, then released herself from his hug. "So what are we gonna do now?,"

"Well, Hazel, this is the fight of your life, maybe," he explained "no- I want you to fight with me,"

"Fight with you?," She did a double take "but what if I'm not ready? I don't think I'm ready-,"

"I get to decide that, and I know you're ready," he said with pain in his chest. He didn't want to see her like that; he didn't feel needed anymore. He didn't want her to grow up and although it was unsafe, he knew he had to.

He had to have this moment with her. He had to have this fight with her. It meant too much to him.