3rd Person POV
A monster was wreaking havoc in the city when Doctor Strange began to fight with his magic, saving a screaming girl with a star on her jacket from being torn in half by the monster
"Look out!" The girl, America Chavez, screams, pointing at the bus that was hurtling towards the two
Strange uses his magic to slice the bus in half before turning to the girl. "Do I know you?" He asks. America stares at him as if in a trance before the monster attacks once again, throwing Strange backwards and he goes unconscious
The monster begins to attack America but Wong shows up and uses his magic to save her. Wong and the monster fight. Strange's cape saves America from the street and throws her on the ledge of the building before the cape is taken out by a motorcycle, falling
Strange comes to, scanning the scene in front of him. Wong is being held by the monster that is still attacking the city. Strange puts his hands out to do magic but stops as a gust of wind whooshes next to him
Strange looks over. "Nikita Maximoff?" He questions
Nikita Maximoff stares at the monster in front of the two before looking at Strange. "Doctor Strange. Boy, am I glad to see you." She says, her accent thick to his ears
"What the hell are you doing here?" Strange asks
"Help!" Wong yells
"Maybe we should save questions for later?" Nikita suggests, looking at the monster
"Right." Strange says, using his magic to free Wong. "You're welcome." Strange tells Wong
"Do you know it's ancient custom to bow in the presence of the Sorcerer Supreme?" Wong snarks
"Yeah." Strange says. "I'm aware of the customs."
"If you boys are done, maybe we should get to work on taking out this monster." Nikita says
"Nikita Maximoff?" Wong questions, looking past Strange to her
"In the flesh." Nikita answers, her eyes tracking where the monster was heading. "Who is that?" She asks, looking at America on the ledge. It was obvious that America is the target
"Not sure yet." Strange says. "But we probably shouldn't let that monster get her." He says, looking at Nikita. "Can you warp to her?"
"I can definitely try." Nikita says, staring at the ledge. "But if I miss...prepare to catch me, yeah?" She says before she disappears in a flash of purple
"She didn't fill me with much confidence." Wong says, staring to the ledge where Nikita was warping to
Strange and Wong try to stop the monster from the ground while Nikita stumbles to her knees on the ledge
"Oh thank god." Nikita whispers, realizing she didn't miss and fall off the side of the building. She looks at America. "Hey, you're okay." She says, rushing over to America
The monster thrashes around, making its way up to the ledge of the building. Nikita grabs America's arm and warps to the ledge above. And the monster follows. Strange uses his magic to spear a lamp post through the eye of the monster
And with that, the monster falls to the ground, dead
Nikita warps herself and America down to the ground where Strange and Wong are standing
"Who's this?" Wong asks
"Yeah, I was gonna ask the same question." Strange says. America goes to bolt but Strange grabs her wrist. "Hey, kid. What did that creature want with you?"
"Where are your parents?" Wong asks
"Take her back to the Sanct..." Strange says before America is sprinting away. "She took my slingy." He realizes
"She took your slingy." Wong repeats
"Can you, like, warp after her?" Strange asks, looking at Nikita
"Can you, like, use your magic to go get her?" Nikita shoots back. "I'm tired."
"What are you even doing here?" Strange asks
"Something's wrong." Nikita tells him. "I figured I'd need the help of a sorcerer."
"Well, I'm the Sorcerer Supreme." Wong says
"Then you can help too." Nikita tells him
"With what?" Strange asks
"Wanda." Nikita says. "I think...I think something's wrong."
"Alright, let's find the kid and then we'll find your sister." Strange tells Nikita who nods. Strange uses magic to teleport the three to right in front of America who gasps. "We're not gonna kill you, kid. I just bust my ass trying to save your life, remember?" He says, putting his hand out for his slinky which she gives back. "Giant monsters, I can clearly handle. But what bothers me, is that last night, you were in my dream."
"That wasn't a dream. It was another universe." America explains simply
***
"How much experience do you guys have with the Multiverse?" America questions as the group of four sit in a pizza shop. Strange and Wong are still in their hero suits while Nikita had put on a hat, angling her head slightly downwards
"We have experience with the Multiverse." Strange says. "Most recently, there was an incident with Spider-Man..."
"With what Man?" America asks
"Spider-Man." Strange says. "He has the powers of a spider."
"Hence the name." Wong says
"Gross. Does he look like a spider?" America asks
"No. More like a man." Strange says
"Climbs walls, shoot webs." Wong adds
"Yeah. Bingo." Strange says
"Out his butt?" America questions, disgusted
"No." Strange says. "Maybe. I don't know. Honestly, I hope not."
"Super weird." America whispers, shoving pizza into her mouth
"You're gonna get a stomachache." Strange tells her as she eats her food
"I'm from another universe." America tells him. "How do you know my stomach works the same as yours?"
"I don't." Strange says. "I don't even know if you're from another universe. Which is why I'm still sitting here waiting for you to enlighten us."
"Frankly, of the two Doctor Stranges that I've met, you are not my favorite." America says in Spanish
"Which means?" Strange questions
"He can't speak Spanish?" America questions Wong in Spanish
"I don't even know if he speaks his own language." Wong says
"Guys, I barely speak English." Nikita says, her accent thick through her words as she lifts her head slightly. "I am losing the conversation, please choose a language."
"Look, I left a very nice wedding to save a smartness kid from getting eaten by an octopus." Strange says
"Whose wedding?" Wong asks
"Christine's." Strange says
"You went?" Wong asks
"Holy shit. You married Christine?" America asks
"Do you mind?" A person asks, trying to take a picture with Strange. Nikita lowers her head more
"Yes, I do." Strange tells the person. "No, I didn't." He tells America. "Yes." He tells Wong, answering everyone's questions. "You need to explain to me what's going on. Why was that octopus trying to eat you?"
"That thing was trying to kidnap me." America says. "It's like a henchman who works for a demon. All we knew is that they wanted to take my power for themselves."
"What power?" Strange asks
"I can travel the Multiverse." America says
"What?" Strange asks as Nikita looks at America
"You can physically move from one universe to another?" Wong asks
"How?" Strange questions
"That's the problem." America says. "I don't know how. I can't control it. Only happens when I'm really, really afraid."
"Okay. Did the other me know how to defeat this demon?" Strange asks
"Well, you just knew this magical book of pure good, that gives a sorcerer whatever they need to defeat their enemy." America says
"The Book of Vishanti?" Strange asks. "It's not real. It's a fairy tale that doesn't exist."
"Actually, it does." Wong says. "I found out in the secret book you get when you become Sorcerer Supreme."
"Unbelievable." Strange mumbles
"You're not the Sorcerer Supreme?" America asks Strange
"No, I am not the Sorcerer Supreme." Strange says
"Other you was Sorcerer Supreme in his universe." America says
"Although it does exist, the Book of Vishanti is said to be unreachable." Wong says
"It is, except... we reached it." America says. "Then the demon caught up with us. I thought you'd protect me, but... You didn't."
"That was the fight in my dream." Strange says
"That wasn't a dream." America tells him
"Prove it." Strange says. And that's how the group ends up on the roof of a building with a dead and charred-looking other universe Doctor Strange "It wasn't a dream. That means... Dreams are windows into the lives of our Multiversal selves."
"That was his theory." America says
"So that recurring nightmare where I'm running naked from a clown..." Wong trails fof
"Somewhere out there, it's real." America tells him
"Somewhere out there, I had a ponytail." Strange says
"There could be more creatures coming for her." Wong says
"That power is dangerous enough in the hands of a kid." Strange says. "Imagine if a real threat acquired it."
"It occurs to me, young one, we don't know your name." Wong says
"America Chavez." America answers
"Miss Chavez, will you come with us to Kamar-Taj?" Wong asks. "You'll be safe there."
"How do I know you won't betray me like he did?" America asks Strange
"I guess you're just gonna have to trust me." Strange tells her
"What do we do with him?" Wong asks, looking down at the dead Strange. Strange uses his magic to bury the dead Strange within the building cement. "That's gotta violate an ordinance."
"I've buried worse." Strange says
"The creature that killed him, did... did it have the same markings as the octopus?" Wong asks
"Runes." Strange says
"This isn't sorcery." Wong says
"It's witchcraft." Strange says
"Do we know anyone who's faced such a thing?" Wong asks
"I think we might." Strange says, looking over at Nikita. "Nikita Maximoff....we can go visit your sister, now."
***
"Apples, right?" Strange asks as him and Nikita walk to the orchard where Wanda is tending to her trees
"Eventually." Wanda says, turning around and seeing Strange and her sister. Wanda lets out a small smile and gives Nikita a small wave. Nikita returns the smile and wave, trying to keep the confusion off of her face
Wanda hands Strange a blooming flower. "Smells..." Strange trails off, sniffing the flower
"Sweet." Wanda finishes for him
"I was gonna say real." Strange says
"It's all very real." Wanda tells him. "Thanks. I put the magic behind me."
"So I can see." Strange says, looking around
"Well, I knew sooner or later you'd... show up, wanting to discuss what happened at West View." Wanda says, a slight choke in her voice. Nikita listens. "I made mistakes, and people were hurt."
"But you put things right in the end and that was never in doubt." Strange says. "I'm not here to talk about West View."
"Then what are you here for?" Wanda asks
"We need your help." Strange says
"With what?" Wanda asks
"What do you know about the Multiverse?" Strange questions her, the group of three beginning to walk through the orchard
"The Multiverse." Wanda says. "Vis had his theories. He believed it was real. And, dangerous."
"Well, he was right about both." Strange says. "We found a girl who can somehow travel across it but she's being pursued."
"Pursued by who?" Wanda asks
"Some kind of demon." Strange says. "One that covets her power for itself. Now we've taken her to Kamar-Taj, and... We've got our defenses, but... We could use an Avenger."
"There are other Avengers." Wanda tells him
"Yeah, but given a choice between the Archer with a mohawk, and several bug-themed crimefighters, or... One of the most powerful magic wielders on the planet, it's an easy call." Strange says. "Come to Kamar-Taj. I already got your sister on board with me." He says, nodding at Nikita as the group walks. "We'll get you back on the lunch box."
"What if you brought America here?" Wanda poses
"Here?" Strange asks
"Yeah. I know what it's like." Wanda says. "To be on your own, hunted for abilities you never wanted." As she continues to talk, Strange begins to slow down. "I can protect her." It's silent. Wanda drops her head. "You never told me her name, did you?"
"No. No, I didn't." Strange answers
"You know, the Hex was the easy part." Wanda says. "The lying, not so much." She flicks her wrist in the air and her red magic swirls around to reveal the truth. The veil drops and the orchard is completely dead and the sky is red and...and the Darkhold is floating in the air next to Wanda
Suddenly, everything about her sister during this whole interaction made sense. Wanda would have immediately run to Nikita and not let her sister go, not just given her some half-assed wave and a smile. And the vision of red...it was making sense. Wanda...wasn't Wanda...at least not completely
"The Darkhold." Strange breathes
"You've heard of the Darkhold?" Wanda asks
"I know it's the Book of the Damned." Strange says. "And that it corrupts everything and everyone that it touches. I wonder what it's done to you."
"The Darkhold only showed me the truth." Wanda tells him. "Everything I lost... can be mine again."
"What do you want with America?" Strange asks. "What do you want with the Multiverse?"
"I'm going to leave this reality, and go to one where I can be with my children." Wanda says
"Wanda, your children aren't real." Strange tells her. "You created them using magic."
"Provoking her probably isn't a smart move." Nikita whispers under her breath
"That's what every mother does." Wanda says to Strange's comment. "If you knew... there was a universe, where you were happy, wouldn't you wanna go there?"
"I am happy." Strange tells her
"I know better than most what self-deception looks like." Wanda tells him
"What you're doing is a flagrant violation of every natural law." Strange says. "If you take that child's power, she won't survive."
"I don't relish hurting anyone, Stephen." Wanda says. "But she's not a child. She's a supernatural being. Such raw power could wreak havoc on this, and other worlds. Her sacrifice would be for the greater good."
"Well you can kiss the lunchbox goodbye because that's the kind of justification our enemies use." Strange says
"Is it the one you used?" Wanda questions. "When you gave Thanos the Time Stone?"
"That was war, and I did what I had to do." Strange defends
"You break the rules and become a hero." Wanda says. "I do it and I become the enemy. That doesn't seem fair." She whispers, her voice breaking slightly
"What happens now?" Strange asks
"Return to Kamar-Taj, and prepare to hand over America Chavez by sundown." Wanda demands. "Peacefully. After that... You'll never see me again."
"And if we don't?" Strange asks
"Then it won't be Wanda who comes for her." Wanda says. "It will be the Scarlet Witch." And with that, she walks away
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Hope you all enjoyed that chapter!! Remember to vote and comment!! Next chapter up NEXT THURSDAY
-MC