Taylor sat at one of the many tables of the library working while she talked with Wong, the new librarian. Wong snickered as she told him all the tricks she had pulled on the Avengers, mostly with the help of Tony and Clint, but sometimes the others got in on it as well.
"He gave me that ridiculous name so I just let him fall…for about thirty minutes between portals." Taylor shrugged. "The Mage, it sounds like mange."
Before her on the table was an older book and a book binding sewing frame. She moved swiftly repairing the binding of the book as was her main job in the temple. While Wong watched the books Taylor maintained them. Next to her was a good sized wooden case that held some of her tools, the outside carved with a floral and leaf design.
"He must have been angry." Wong commented, putting some books away.
"At first he was, but then he started doing flips and turns, basically turning it into a new game." Taylor shook her head. "Then he got the others in on it, said it was like skydiving without the threat of death."
"You didn't tell them about the chance they may have been stuck between worlds?" Wong raised a brow.
"Didn't come up." Taylor hummed eyeing her work for faults.
"You should be more careful using your sling ring." Wong cautioned her.
"I know." Taylor nodded as she finished up the book setting it aside and taking up another to assess the damage to it, writing what she found in her notebook. "It's just very hard not to turn back into a kid with those guys."
"Hey." Stephen came into the library.
"Hey." Taylor replied setting the book aside finishing her notes on what needed to be done.
"Mr. Strange." Wong greeted.
"Uh... Stephen, please." Stephen replied. "And you are?"
"Wong." Wong answered.
"Wong." Stephen echoed. "Just Wong? Like... Adele? Or... Aristotle. Drake. Bono." Wong's face remained impassive while Taylor rested her chin in her hand watching as Stephen floundered. "Eminem."
Seeing he wasn't getting anywhere Stephen laid his stack of books down, Wong picking them up and going over them reading off the titles.
"The book of the invisible sun. Astronomia Nova. Codex Imperium. Key of Solomon." Wong listed off.
"You finished all of this?" Taylor raised a brow.
"Yup." Stephen nodded.
"Come with me." Wong said walking away with Stephen following behind him and stepped into a larger section of the library. Stephen did a double take seeing Taylor at another table waving at him. "Master Taylor, we just talked about this."
"Sorry." Taylor mumbled, but didn't look to sorry and Wong was obviously buying her apology either though he did let it go.
"Alright." Wong regained Stephen's attention. "This section is for Masters only. But at my discretion, others may use it." Wong moved down the aisles selecting some books as he went. "We should start with Maxim's Primer."
"Hey Strange, quick question, how's your Sanskrit?" Taylor said wondering over to another aisle.
"I'm fluent in Google Translate." Stephen replied.
"Read it." Taylor pressed a book into his hands. "Classical Sanskrit."
"What are those?" Stephen looked to a section of books that had glowing script embedded in them.
"The Ancient One's private collection." Wong answered.
"So they're forbidden?" Stephen guessed.
"No knowledge in Kamar-Taj is forbidden." Wong corrected him. "Only certain practices." Stephen walked over to the books taking one down and flipping through it. "Those books are far too advanced for anyone other than the Sorcerer Supreme."
"This one's got pages missing." Stephen looked at the rips left behind.
"That's the book of Cagliostro." Wong told him. "The study of time."
"One of the rituals was stolen by a former Master." Taylor frowned darkly. "A zealot called Kaecilius."
"Just after he strung up the former librarian, and relieved him of his head." Wong told him as he stared Stephen down. "I'm now the guardian of these books. So if a volume from this collection should be stolen again, I'd know it." Wong took the book from Stephen closing it with a snap and tucking it under his arm. "And you'd be dead before you ever left the compound."
"What if it's just overdue? You know? Any... late fees I should know about?" Stephen tried to get a laugh, but both Taylor and Wong just stared at him, Wong handing him his books to take. "Maybe, perhaps, uhm...Uh, you know, people used to think that I was funny."
"Did they work for you?" Wong asked.
"Alright. Well, it's been lovely talking to you, thank you for the books and for the horrifying story and for the threat upon my life." Stephen made for the exit picking up the others books Wong gave him from the table.
"You and Mordo are vouching for him, correct?" Wong asked with a raised brow.
"He's a bit full of himself, but I think he has potential." Taylor shrugged as she took the Sorcerer Supremes book from him flipping through the pages. "I mean he's no worse than Stark at least."
"That's comforting." Wong deadpanned holding out his hand for the book which he put back in its place.
-0-
Taylor twirled The Spear of Inlustris as she faced off against fellow master Tina Minoru who wielded the Staff of One. They had agreed to keep it a melee fight, forgoing spells to build on their combat skills. With a shout they charged one another moving deftly, the force of their hits proving that neither Master was holding back.
Tina landed a hit that had Taylor flying back into the ground. She rolled to recover as Tina brought her staff down where she had landed seconds before. She drove the pummel of her spear into Tina's stomach forcing her back. Shooting to her feet the planted her spear in the ground using it to vault herself at Tina to kick her down.
Mordo came close pausing as he watched them fight, his eyes lingering on Taylor. Her skills had improved during her time away, a time where he dearly missed her. Clasping his hand behind his back he turned over his thoughts of Taylor in his head tensing every time Tina seemed to get a little to enthusiastic in their fight.
Tina had recovered blocking the kick with the Staff of One, their weapons clashing again. They were locked together, pressing against one another looking for an opening. Finally Taylor dropped to the ground swinging her leg around and kicking Tina's legs out from under her then shot up pointing the blade of her spear at Tina's throat.
"Give?" Taylor asked, panting for breath.
"Give." Tina nodded, Taylor reaching down and helping her to her feet.
"You're getting better." Taylor commented.
"Thanks." Tina nodded taking some deep breaths. "Those were some new moves."
"Yes, my time away with the Avengers proved educational." Taylor shrugged as Mordo came up to them.
"Master Taylor, Master Tina." He greeted with a small bow, smiling at Taylor.
"Master Mordo." Taylor and Tina greeted back.
"I would like to talk, but I must take my leave. My husband and I have to attend to our annual charity fundraiser." Tina said to them with a sigh. "Good day to you both."
"Good day." Taylor and Mordo nodded as she left.
"You really have improved with the spear." Mordo commented. "You looked good out there."
"Thank you." Taylor ducked her head as she placed her relic back into the sheath on her back. "How is Stephen coming along with his sling ring?"
"He's struggling." Mordo replied, his smile twitching a bit. He had noticed how close Taylor had become with Stephen. "The Ancient One is taking care of him."
"This I must see." Taylor smiled grabbing her cloak. She and Mordo walked back to where Mordo had left Stephen with the Ancient One.
"How is our new recruit?" Mordo asked as he and Taylor came up to the Ancient One.
"We shall see." She replied, her hands clasped around her fan behind her back. Mordo and Taylor glanced around themselves for any sign of Stephen. "Any second now."
"No, not again." Mordo realized which caused Taylor to realize as well.
"Everest." Taylor breathed out. "How long?"
"A few minutes so far." The Ancient one replied.
"Maybe I should..." Mordu started, but the Ancient One stopped him.
A few minutes later a portal opened slowly allowing Stephen to stumble though falling to the ground, the portal closing behind him cutting of the blizzard coming through it. Taylor removed her cloak placing it over his shoulders, using her control over fire to warm him up.
"Mount Everest is lovely this time of year, is it not?" Taylor asked gaining a look from Strange and a chuckle for Mordo.
-0-
Taylor set across from Wong as they stared down at a Majong set, the tiles in the shape of a turtle. She made her move then waited for Wong who took considerably less time to make his move. Letting out a frustrated sigh as she tapped her cheek thinking out her next move.
"Why do I agree to these games with you? You always win." Taylor groused making her move to which Wong quickly replied.
"Last time we played you said you would not stop playing until you won at least once." Wong told her.
"I have a problem." Taylor grumbled.
"Stephen." Wong acknowledged Strange as he came into the library.
"Wong." Stephen nodded. "Quill."
"Hey Strange." Taylor nodded, glad for the distraction. "Shave and a trim huh? You're looking good."
"Thanks." Strange smiled slightly.
"What do you want, Strange?" Wong asked as he stood up.
"Books on astral projection." Stephen replied.
"You're not ready for that." Wong told him.
"Try me, Beyoncé." Stephen challenged, glancing between them, but they both just stared at him. "Come on. You've heard of her. She's a huge star, right?" Neither of them gave him a reaction. "Do you ever laugh?"
"When someone's funny." Taylor pointed out.
"Oh come on, just give me the book, huh?" Stephen said in exasperation.
"No." Wong said right away. Stephen tried a few more times before giving up and leaving the library with Taylor who had given up trying to beat Wong for the day.
"You're just not ready yet." Taylor shrugged. "Astral projection in a big deal. Plus if you do it wrong you might not be able to get back into your body."
"That can happen?" Stephen asked and Taylor nodded giving him another moment of doubt, but he shook it off. "Taylor, that first time I went into the library, you used your sling ring to get into the masters room right?"
"Yeah, why?" Taylor raised a brow.
"Nothing, just thought there'd be something to stop that from happening, that's all." Stephen replied looking thoughtful.
"Right." Taylor drawled out clearly not believing him. The next day when Taylor came into the library Wong leveled her with a dark look. "What?"
"Multiple books have been taken from the library without my consent, one as I was reading it." Wong told her.
"It wasn't me." Taylor shook her head.
"No, but I've no doubt that you're the one that put it into Strange's head to use his sling ring in such a way." Wong crossed his arms.
"Hold on, I in no way told him…." Taylor trailed off under Wong's gaze. "He asked how I appeared there that one day, guessed it was my ring, not my fault." Another glare was leveled at her from Wong and she started to edge away. "Well I'm out of here, sure you're very busy, don't want to bother you any longer."
