"So this… is Midgardian healing," Loki commented, glancing down at a patient lying on a bed.
"Be kind Loki, they do not have access to the same kind of magic as we do," Thor pointed out... It did make him wonder though, what kind of magic did they have? Clearly that Stephen Strange had been quite the powerful sorcerer.
"Thor, while Midgardians don't have sedir, it doesn't take innate magical talent to learn the simplest healing spells," Loki reprimanded. "If you just use the energies of the universe instead of the energies of the sedir, you can still do at least simple spells. Yes, even Midgardians! These people are cutting their patients open like a pig for slaughter to stitch them up on the inside and then sew them together again! They are putting nails into people's bones!"
Thor had to admit it, he started to feel a bit queasy over the graphic description. "Maybe… After we are done saving the universe and stuff, you could come here and teach them some healing spells?" he suggested. The Midgardians had magic! So, healing should be possible... Right?
Loki snorted. "Why would I waste my time on that? Whatever Midgardian I teach it to would be dead in less than a hundred years and then the knowledge I tried to give them would just be lost again." He rolled his eyes.
"Perhaps you can teach just one and he could teach someone else and then let the Midgardians handle it," Thor suggested.
Loki rolled his eyes. "Show me just one Midgardian with the brains to grasp the concept of magic and the multiverse, then we can talk," he stated as he walked forward.
Thor quieted. Still remembering, Stephen Strange had been strong enough to trap Loki, even if it had only been for a while... That took some serious talent.
Thor hadn't really gotten around to telling Loki that, this ought to be quite fun though.
"Excuse me sirs, can I help you?" A woman asked, and both men turned to see a woman in a blue scrub and her hair in a tight bundle.
"Ah, yes." Thor turned to her. "We are here to see Doctor Stephen Strange. Could you tell us where we might find him?"
The woman sighed. "Stephen?" she asked. "You better have an appointment, he doesn't take unscheduled visitors you know."
"I assure you, he will see us," Loki stated with a snort.
The woman looked at him with a lifted eyebrow. "Are you related to him?" she asked Loki directly.
"What?" Loki asked.
"I'm sorry, your attitude just seems pretty similar." The woman sighed deeply. "And you do share features, tall… black hair. Stuff like that. You could be his cousin no problem. Especially with that attitude." She rolled her eyes.
Thor blinked... Strange had seemed a bit full of himself upon his meeting, but it hadn't been that bad. Had it? Thor was honestly unsure right now. Thor glanced at the woman's name tag and read Doctor Christina Palmer, then looked up. "Doctor Palmer, no, we don't have an appointment. But perhaps if you told him we are aware he has the Time Stone in his possession he will listen."
"Time Stone?" Doctor Palmer blinked. "What's that? A new medical tech?" she asked.
"Allow me, please," Loki then asked as he stepped forward. "Doctor, we were sent by S.H.I.E.L.D." He suddenly held up a badge with the official S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia. "It has come to our attention that Doctor Stephen Strange has information of the utmost importance and thus we must speak to him."
"Oh." Doctor Palmer looked at the emblem then looked up. "Okay, I can see it's official business, come this way please," she asked.
"Thank you, Doctor," Loki politely nodded at Doctor Palmer and then sent Thor a wry smile as they started to walk.
"Did you steal that?" Thor asked in a whisper.
"Of course I did, I thought it might come in handy," Loki replied in an equal whisper. "No need to look at me like that, we are on a mission to save the universe. Does that not justify it?" he asked.
Thor sighed deeply. "Aye," he admitted. "Are you going to give it back?"
Loki blinked, confused. "Why would I do that?"
And Thor sighed, well. Giving it back probably would be more trouble than it was worth anyway, he was just going to ignore this one.
Finally they stood in front of the correct door at the office area of the building, the name plate revealed the name, Doctor Stephen Strange.
Doctor Palmer sighed. "Well, you two are professionals so I am guessing you will know what to do. Just a fair warning, he is not easy to deal with."
Loki smirked. "I assure you, we are more than equipped to handle just one man."
"All right, if you say so." Doctor Palmer sighed. "Good luck then!" And she darted off.
Thor blinked as he looked after her then back at the door, he knocked politely… No response.
Thor frowned slightly, then knocked again.
He turned to Loki. "Maybe he's not in?"
"No, someone's in there," Loki informed. "Just a regular mortal though, no Stone."
Thor shrugged then finally pushed open the door and glanced inside, what he saw was a big and fancy office, yet mostly left in darkness as the curtains were drawn shut.
On the walls hung numerous prizes, there was a large bookshelf filled with big heavy books, a gray carpet covered most of the floor and there in the middle was a big heavy desk made of wood, and by that desk was sitting a man looking at a huge stack of papers.
The light from a computer screen reflected on his face as his eyes read over the paper.
The man himself was wearing what looked like very high quality Midgardian wear.
A three piece suite, black with a gray shirt sitting so perfectly it had to be tailor made.
The man didn't move to greet them as both Thor and Loki stepped in and the door closed by itself leaving them all in semi darkness as the lights were turned off and the drapes for some reason were drawn.
Thor cleared his throat. "Ahem."
Still the man didn't reply, just kept reading, and Loki frowned, annoyed.
"Excuse me," Thor then tried. "Sir? Doctor Strange?" he asked. "If we may have a minute of your time."
Then finally, the man responded. Not moving his eyes the slightest bit from the paper he just spoke.
"Idiopathic bilateral vestibulopathy is an acquired bilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction of unknown etiology, with persistent unsteadiness but without sensorineural hearing loss, in this case though the eye sight has been affected. Brain surgery is needed and I must be prepared, I only do flawless operations. A minute of my time can be the difference between flawless or faulty, and I do not do faulty. Why should I waste a minute of time on you?"
Both Thor and Loki were gaping, Thor because he couldn't believe that he had actually found someone more condescending than Loki! He was ready to swear, it had not been this bad the last time!
And Loki clearly wasn't used to being on the receiving end of such a condescending tone.
Then finally Strange looked up, his blue eyes in an annoyed frown.
Loki's face quickly changed from being gobsmacked to that of a pure scowl. "It needn't even take a minute! We need the Time Stone, you have it. Give it to us!"
Strange's frown only deepened. "The what?" he asked.
"The Time Stone, Mortal!" Loki demanded, stepping forward. "A stone that is the foundation of time itself!"
Strange looked up at Loki, his eyes slightly wide.
"Well?" Loki asked in a hiss.
"Fascinating," Strange then stated, standing up. "You are entirely convinced of your delusion, there is not even a doubt in your mind."
Loki blinked. "What?"
"When did you sustain the head injury?" Strange asked. "The temporal lobe." He grabbed Loki's head, turning it to have a look. "I see no wound."
"GET OFF ME!" Loki shouted, pushing him away. "Do not… Ever touch me! I am a god! You mortal fool!"
Strange didn't really react to having been pushed away. "Fascinating. Tell me," he addressed Thor. "Did he always have similar delusions or did they first arrive after the head injury?"
"Well." Thor held his hands together. "Loki has always been just a bit full of himself, honestly."
"WHAT?!" Loki, wide-eyed, turned to Thor.
"He thinks he can do magic," Thor then informed and Loki seethed.
Strange though, laughed. "Magic?" he asked. "Hahaha, people thinking they are gods I have heard of. But thinking they can do actual magic!"
Loki turned back to him. "You." he was stopped though as Thor laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't believe in magic?" Thor asked Strange seriously. "Perhaps there are things you simply cannot perceive at this moment."
"If I can't perceive it, why would I believe in it?" Strange asked. "I am a scientist, all I do, the things I can do are based in hard science! It can be measured, quantified and explained," he stated. "Magic?" he chuckled. "Oh, that's funny."
Thor looked seriously at Strange... the man was serious. He honestly didn't believe in magic, not even remotely. So that meant...
Loki seethed. "How I pity you, you mortal fool," he hissed. "Your mind has been closed, the secrets of the universe are denied to you because you are the kind of person who would refuse to see." He snorted. "Then I suppose it would go beyond your tiny human comprehension anyway!"
And Strange burst out laughing. "Oh, he really is a piece of work, this one, isn't he?" he asked.
"Aye… Excuse us, I am just going to take Loki for some fresh air," Thor informed. "Calm him down." His hand on Loki's shoulder tightened and he pulled Loki with him.
"Let go of me, Thor!" Loki exclaimed. "LET ME TEACH THAT MORTAL A LESSON!" he shouted, reaching for Strange.
"No… Loki no." Thor pulled Loki backwards. "Not here!"
"I shall show him things, which will shatter his tiny little mortal mind!" Loki exclaimed.
"Okay, now it's really time to go," Thor stated, grabbing Loki and pulling him outside, closing the door only for Loki to reach for the handle again as they could clearly hear Strange's laughter on the other side. "Loki, there's no point!" Thor exclaimed, stopping Loki. "Clearly he doesn't have the Stone yet!"
"So we came all the way here for nothing?!" Loki asked.
"I'm sorry, he must have acquired it at a later time!" Thor stated... Plus a deep understanding and clear acceptance of magic. In just a few years too! ... Impressive.
"Well at least let me show him my powers then!" Loki exclaimed. "I can teach him a lesson, then it won't have been for nothing!"
"Loki. No," Thor stated.
"Why not?!" Loki whined. "It would shatter his world view! It would take me less than his precious little minute!"
"Leave him be, Loki! There is no point," Thor pointed out.
"Yes there is! It would teach him a lesson and it would make me feel good!" Loki exclaimed.
Just then laughter sounded, this one female, not far from them.
Loki seethed, his hands clenching. "Who dares this time?" he asked and turned. "To laugh at..."
Loki didn't get any further, he just halted. Thor turned as well and blinked at the strange sight.
A woman, wearing odd orange garbs. Her head was bald, there was an odd air around her, it was impossible to describe. It seemed… Old somehow, powerful. But also pleasant, like she was a creature of another nature. Then Thor's eyes fell on her neck and his eyes widened, the pendant! With the green stone! … The Time Stone.
Loki's eyes were on it too, then he looked up.
"Stephen Strange has yet to arrive at the time where his destiny will be revealed to him," the woman spoke, her voice, too, sounded like something from another world. Was she… Midgardian? She seemed more like a light elf or something. But even among those she looked a bit strange.
"I am indeed a human." The woman smiled in amusement. "And yes, Loki of Asgard, I have become one with the universe itself which allows the universe itself to flow through me and I can manipulate it at will. A gift only the fewest have, yet it is even more powerful than that of an inner Sedir."
Loki seethed. But oddly he wasn't speaking back.
"You may call me the Ancient One," the woman spoke. "I believe this is what you are looking for." She pointed at the pendant.
"If you knew why we were here, why didn't you come before we bothered with him?!" Loki asked, angrily gesturing at Strange's door.
"Because seeing you squabbling with him was funny," the woman chuckled, amused, and Loki seethed.
Thor put a gentle hand on Loki's shoulder to calm him, then stepped forward. "You know we are after the Stones, do you know why?" he asked.
The Ancient One nodded. "The universe is collapsing," she stated. "This reality we are in now, it is a fragmented piece, belonging to another reality. The prime reality… It lacks Stones. You are on a journey to bring them back. If you fail, the universe and all of its small fragments will collapse."
Thor breathed out. then nodded. "Aye, that's it. Will you give me the Stone?" he asked.
"What other choice do I have?" The Ancient One asked. "It is the only logical thing to do, only you can travel between worlds. You were handed this task..."
"By the universe itself," Thor swallowed.
"No… Not the universe." The Ancient One smiled, amused. "A person."
Thor blinked. "What?"
The Ancient One smiled. "I imagine he will reveal himself to you eventually."
Thor was stunned into silence.
"Listen, Thor of Asgard," the Ancient One spoke. "This reality is a fragment of the reality of which you came… It split apart, like a shard of glass falling from a mirror. The people here are like fragments of the people in your original timeline. They are the same, but fractured. That is why what happens to one can have an affect on the other."
"I do not understand," Thor spoke.
The Ancient One smiled as she reached over her head, and took off the medallion. "There are two universes, but only one set of Infinity Stones," she spoke. "However, when a piece of pottery fractures... Then what do you do?" she asked as she put the medallion into Thor's hand. "You put the pieces back together," she stated, closing Thor's hand around it.
Thor blinked, then he looked up. "But, if I were to do that... Then what would happen?" he asked. "I mean, this isn't a vase. This is a universe!"
The Ancient One just smiled. "I am sure the answers will come to you in due time," she stated as a portal opened behind her.
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Loki exclaimed, though the Ancient One just smiled and stepped through. Loki ran for her but it was too late, she was gone. "NORNS!" he shouted.
Thor looked down at his hand, the pulsing green stone.
"This realm is infuriating!" Loki hissed. "We got what we came here for, didn't we?! Can we go back to Asgard now?!"
Thor nodded. "Reality, Mind and Soul are not in Midgard. We can leave," he assured as he put the Infinity Stone into his pocket dimension with the others.
"Good," Loki groaned. "I have had it with this place!"
Thor smiled, a bit amused. "Food's nice though, isn't it?"
"Yes, but there are people like him living here!" Loki exclaimed, gesturing at Strange's door. "Have you ever seen such an attitude before?!"
Thor elected not to answer…. It would probably be really stupid to answer right now.
"Let us just… go home to Asgard and rest for a bit before we plan our next move," Thor then suggested and Loki nodded.
"I couldn't agree more!"
