THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

36

HI GUYS! THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THESE CHAPTERS OBVIOUSLY CONTAIN ENDGAME SPOILERS! THANKS SOOO MUCH FOR READING, and don't worry, there are much more chapters to come.

5 years later

"Leonel, what you're doing is you're focusing too much on the hands and not the words," Hazel shook her head from the top staircase as she watched her class practice in kamar taj. "Try and really understand what you're trying to do. Don't let them just come out of your mouth, recite them."

"Look, over there," Wong pointed to another student who was struggling to cast a spell. Hazel sighed at the sight.

"Mr. Walker, how many times have tried to tell you not to access the dark dimension?!," The sorcerer raised her voice, making everyone jump. "You're all dismissed,"

Everyone stopped in their tracks when they heard a mocking snort from the pupil. Hazel turned back around with a glare.

"Sorry, I just can't take you seriously knowing you're, like, 16," Walker laughed mockingly

"Well you'll learn to try and take ridiculous things seriously once you encounter trying to teach someone like you," She responded, making her students smirk at her response.

"I'm ridiculous? Look at you!" He pointed and catered to his classmates "cmon I mean she's pathetic! Your master is dead, so why won't you let yourself, well, you know, move on?,"

Anger started bubble up in her veins. Hazel's skin started to tingle and guts start to turn, fists clenching and foot threatening to tap.
"Wong, please strip him of his ring and escort him out of the monastery," Hazel put a hand on his shoulder

"That's unfair, I-"

"It's not, because we get to decide who we want to keep here, and no one wants you here. Congratulations, Mr. walker, you've managed to piss off the only teacher willing to keep you here," She said, completely composed with her hands behind her back.

"No, you don't get to do that just because you're pissed at me-,"

"Yeah she does," a student scoffed at him, making others laugh.

"Thank you, jacky," Hazel struggled to keep a straight face on. "And I'm not only doing that because you're an annoying twat, I'm also doing it because you've been trying to access the dark dimension. You think I don't see your candles and your sketches?,"

"Come with me, Mr. Walker," Wong has a satisfied smile on his face, he's been wanting to get rid of that kid.

"Right, well, you all did really well today, of course, aside from Walker. I mean, I never expected anything from him but anyways, you know the basics, blah blah read and meditate, whatever," Hazel said dismissively, making others chuckle "hey you know what? Why not have the day off today. You guys deserve it."

"Thanks Master Wolfe!," everyone greeted as they all slowly left training grounds.
Hazel appreciated the peace of the day and travelled back to the New York sanctum.

She took the books that Stephen was studying before Thanos, and continued to study them. That's all she had been doing the last 5 years, she's been working with all her might to find a way to get him back.

"Who's there?," she demanded as she stood up from her desk and walked around the sanctum. Swiftly, she made a big blade of glass like material fly from her hands, right beside the intruders. "I said: who's there?,"

"Hazel," Tony's voice rang through her ears, making her turn around quickly. "I-it's um, it's good to see you again, I mean- not good that you almost killed us but still a pleasure,"

"Tony, Bruce, Steve, Natasha," She greeted and packed her books up, hiding her smirk. "I've been expecting you- did that sound too villainy?,"

"Yeah, kinda," Natasha nodded in agreement "Look: were here-,"

"Because you've found a plan, a new plan to get the others back." Hazel nodded and put her fighting tunics on in a snap. She made a portal back to the Avengers tower and crossed her arms.

"How did you know?," Steve asked while they made their way to the living room once more.

"Well, Stephen,"

"You can still talk to him? What, like a master to apprentice connection?," Tony asked and tilted his head.

"No, no, see, I-I just know him, you know? Once you're in his shoes you'll understand that he had a plan- woah!," Hazel stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her. Thor stood up, completely filthy and unhealthily large, with a can of beer in his hand. Bruce stood as the hulk but with clothes, smiling.

"Ah, little sorcerer!," Thor cheered "y-you're still little! How are you still little, it's like you haven't changed at all!,"

"It's cause I didn't," she replied, capturing their attention. "I slowed my body down, only aged for about a year, which makes me 16 now."

"Why? Is it easier to advance while being your or something?," Steve asked and she turned to him with a twinkle in her eye.

"Once again, Mr. Rogers, this our planet and our timeline. I refuse to age within this era, because it's not my era, and I am not satisfied with it. I will not grow up around this,"

"So you can still alter time?," Bruce asked

"No, but I can alter my body. See, I can't fully stop it because unlike the others, I'm not drawing power from the dark dimensions, which made me age 1 year in 5." She explained and crossed her arms "but I'm sure we're not here to talk about me, are we?,"

"No, we're not. We have a plan," another man came in and had a look of determination in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Hazel asked, making him sigh "no, I don't believe we've met,"

"See? No one ever knows who I am! Scott Lang, but my superhero name is ant man," He explained and shook her hand.

"Maybe no one knows you cause they can't see you, you know, being an ant," Hazel responded, making Rhodey chuckle. "So. What is it, the quantum realm or something?,"

"How'd you know?," Tony asked

"Well, I mean...Ant man here obviously can shrink so that most likely involves the quantum realm. What are we gonna do, piece the stones back together?,"

"No, we're traveling through time."