November 2nd, 2019
Getting company at the Sanctum wasn't a common occurrence, but it did happen every now and then. But some company was better than others.
Master Araav, a large, older black man with white hair and bright purple robes, was standing in the display room, inspecting each artifact with a critical eye and an occasional "Hmmm." Stephen was standing at the entrance to the display room, preferring to keep his distance while Araav wasted his time.
The master and council member showed up completely unannounced, and wouldn't tell Strange why he was there. He interrupted Stephen's workout routine, and it put him in a weird situation. He was only in a black t-shirt and some sweatpants instead of his standard blue robes, and felt underdressed for his surprise meeting with a council member. He should be dressed in sorcerer garb, have Cloak on his shoulders, and not be a sweaty mess. Keeping one's mind sharp was only half of being a sorcerer – one also needed the physical constitution to handle casting spells. This meant that sorcerers had to be fit and exercise regularly.
A visit from a council member was a big deal, and usually meant that you were in trouble for something. Stephen hadn't done anything explicitly wrong, except… Was he allowed to have an apprentice? Especially one who wasn't formally trained at Kamar-Taj like the other students? Strange didn't know the formalities of taking on an apprentice, and he never intended to take one on. June just sort of… evolved into the role. Was he supposed to stick to a lesson plan, or an approved curriculum? Questions were running through his mind, and he was silently praying that none of them would have to be answered. Araav would eventually leave, and if he didn't learn about June, well… What he doesn't know can't hurt him, right?
"So, Araav… Are you going to actually talk with me, or are you here just to check on the artifacts?" Sass might not be the best option here, but it was just too natural for Stephen. Back when he was a neurosurgeon, he could sass and talk down to whomever he liked – he was king of his world. But now his big mouth often got him in trouble with the other masters.
Araav turned to face Stephen slowly. "I've been asked to visit this sanctum and see how you are doing as its master." His voice was deep and booming, the kind that immediately made people take notice of his words. "Are you keeping up with your duties?"
"Of course. This place is almost always empty, there's not much to do most days. I make the occasional house call, however, and help the people of Manhattan with more… supernatural problems." Things like possessions, magical parasites, and the occasional other-dimensional monster on the loose made up the common work week for Strange.
"I see." Araav said with a nod. "Have you adjusted well to your new responsibilities? Was the transition into a master of a sanctum hard for you?"
"Uhh, yeah. It's been fine. Great, actually." Why was he asking Stephen these weird questions? Did the council think he couldn't handle this? He felt a little offended – he did save the entire world, running a sanctum was a piece of cake compared to that. Was the council unconfident in his abilities? Strange scoffed mentally. I'd like to see one of them do this job.
Araav raised his brows and resumed looking at the artifacts around the room, particularly the enchanted goblet of Tull – a golden goblet that spit fireballs. It was a fun artifact to use in combat, but in unpracticed hands it was quite dangerous.
"Very well. If you have any questions, or need assistance, there's no shame in asking-"
"I'll pass. Running this place is outrageously easy – I thought it would at least challenge me." He cut off Araav, getting a bit angry and sharp in tone. So, the council was doubting his abilities. Rage reared its head, and Stephen struggled to push it down. He was one of the best sorcerers that Kamar-Taj had ever seen, conquering every challenge put before him. He became a master of a Sanctum after just two short years of studying, which was faster than anyone else in recorded history. And not to mention that he saved the entire world from being consumed by the Dark Dimension and defeated Dormammu's zealots. Was that not enough for the council? He had to prove himself to them somehow further? Bullshit. Strange cursed in his mind.
"Is there anything else you needed, or are you here just to check up on me?" Strange asked, growing a little impatient. Araav raised his rows at Stephen, noting his disrespectful tone, but chose not to address it.
"I suppose there is nothing else to discuss. I'll be on-" The unmistakable swoosh of a portal opening stopped Araav in the middle of the sentence. He looked over at the foyer of the building, which was connected to the display room, and saw the portal in question.
For Christ's sake, Juniper! Now is not the time! Stephen had to struggle to control his facial expression, trying his best not to show his "oh shit" face. His hands clenched into fists, and Stephen used the pain from his crippled hands as a distraction for the frustration burning inside of him.
Araav watched as a young woman stepped out of the portal. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with brown hair that had silver streaks running through it. She had on black legging and red apprentice robes, immediately giving her position away. Is this… Strange's apprentice? Araav wondered. His instinct told him that it was, but he didn't want to make any assumptions.
"Oh, um… hey." June squeaked nervously as she approached both her master and the tall, intimidating stranger. When she got closer, Araav noticed a small coil of rosary wrapped around her wrist, and dangling from it was a miniature book. The book gave off an incredible and powerful aura, and Araav immediately knew it was a dangerous magical artifact. He sifted through his memory to see if he could identify the book, but none quite matched the description… except one. It couldn't be. The book of the Vishanti has been lost for decades. His eyes widened a bit with disbelief, and several questions ran through his mind. Was this Strange's apprentice, and if so, why did he keep her a secret from the council? And how did a mere apprentice sorcerer end up with the book of the Vishanti?
"Hello little one. And you are…?" Araav probed with a raised brow. June smoothed out a wrinkle in her robes nervously, waiting a few moments to speak.
"Ah, yeah. I'm Juniper. Nice to meet you." She stuck out a fingerless-gloved hand to shake. Araav met it confidently, with a strong grip that left June's hand a bit sore.
"Nice to meet you. I'm master Araav, one of the councilmembers." He introduced himself. June passed a quick look to Stephen, who pinched the bridge of his nose.
"So I guess the cat's out of the bag." Stephen groaned. He brought his hand back from his face and looked between Araav and June. "Juniper is my apprentice." Stephen couldn't help but feel like he was taking the sorcerer-equivalent to political suicide. He was pretty sure that having a secret apprentice was against the rules, and that he would soon have to face the wrath of the council.
"I see…" Araav turned to Strange. "How long has she been studying under you?"
"A year." Stephen's reply was curt.
"And why did you neglect to send her to Kamar-Taj, so she could be with the rest of the students?"
"Because she's not like them." Strange motioned to June, specifically the book of the Vishanti. "The power June holds is unbelievable. She needed a fast curriculum to help tame her powers as soon as possible. She was a danger to herself and other people."
"You were keeping me a secret?" June asked, butting into the conversation.
Strange ran his scarred hands through his hair and groaned. He wasn't prepared for this interrogation, and frustration was nipping at the corners of his mind. He struggled to hold his tongue and not lash out at the two.
"Yes, I was keeping you a secret. It's just… easier that way. The council has all these rules, and you'd be forced to stay at Kamar-Taj like all the other students. Then I wouldn't have been able to keep as close of an eye on you. We don't know what that book is capable of, and we still don't! Until then, you're very dangerous, and you need to not be around the other students!" Stephen didn't mean to raise his voice, but he couldn't hold back his anger any longer. All his decisions were being challenged, and it was infuriating him. The thought of the council finding out about June honestly scared him. He would never admit it, but he was terrified about what they might do to her. Were they going to take her away and make her stay at Kamar-Taj? Would they try to rip the book away from her, and potentially hurt or even kill her in the process? The book of the Vishanti had never been successfully removed from a host before, and Strange had no idea what that would to her. Or worse, would they make her walk away from all this? Unleashing June out onto the world wasn't the wisest idea, and although she had a good handle on her powers, there was no telling how they would develop over time. She might become dangerous again.
Araav's eyes narrowed as he looked at June, then Strange. "You know I will have no choice but to report this to the council." If the news of Stephen's apprentice surprised him, he didn't show it.
Stephen sighed, looking a little defeated. "I know…" His mind was racing, trying to find a way to make sure the council didn't take June away. Maybe he could move her away from the sanctum, and discontinue their lessons for a while- No. If the council decides to take her, there's nothing I can do. He was worried, but he couldn't let that consume him. Maybe there was still a way out of this.
"Master Araav, what's going to happen to me?" June asked. She was scared too, unsure of her immediate future.
Araav looked at her, and a moment of silence passed before he spoke. "Several different things could happen, Juniper. The council could decide to make you stay at Kamar-Taj, where you will train with other students and masters. Or maybe nothing will happen, and you will get to resume your learning under doctor Strange. I can't speak for the council, and I can't tell you how they might vote."
"So it's up in the air, then?" June frowned and looked down for a moment. "You can't make me go." She said in a hushed tone.
"Excuse me, little one?" Araav couldn't quite hear her, but he had an idea of what she said. If she refused to go, this would complicate things. It was a good thing Araav was a patient man, otherwise he would have found his temper flared by June's open defiance.
"I said I'm not going." She looked up at the master, her eyes hard and her voice loud. "No matter what the council decides. I can't go."
"June, don't. You're going to make this much worse for you, don't do this." Stephen's voice was soft, betraying his worry for her. Araav simply rested a hand on his chin and raised his brows, mildly amused by June's defiant attitude. It seemed like she wasn't someone who obeyed the rules. She's much like Strange in that way… maybe he is the best master for her right now. If she was relocated to Kamar-Taj, she would most likely cause a great deal of trouble for the masters there.
"I will make sure the council understands your wishes, but I can't guarantee they will abide by it." Araav crossed his arms and looked towards Strange. "I assume you don't want her to go, either?"
"Of course not. I remember what it was like at Kamar-Taj. The other students will just be holding her back, and that's not something she needs if she's going to learn how to use the book of the Vishanti." After saying that last sentence, Stephen paused. Should he have openly admitted that June was wielding the book of the Vishanti?
"So it is the book of the Vishanti, then?" Araav was a bit surprised that the book had resurfaced again after all this time, but he didn't let it show. His face was a still and calm as ever. He looked towards June. "How did you end up with one of the most powerful magical artifacts in existance?" This was a story that Araav needed to hear. From what he knew of the book, he understood that the book always had a host. The host was the only person who could use the book's power. Perhaps the story of how she had gotten her hands on the book would give Araav some insight about why the book chose this small woman to be its host.
June passed a questioning look to Stephen, who nodded. It was too late to be keeping secrets from the council, and telling the story of how she got the book wouldn't change anything. "I found it when I was out with my sister." June began. "We went into this weird occult shop that April- my sister- wanted to see. That's where I found the book."
"I see. What happened after you found the book?" Araav had a hard time believing that June just simply stumbled onto the book – the previous hosts had always encountered it in a dramatic way. But he didn't voice his doubts.
"It just sprouted this chain of beads and jumped at me. It attached to my wrist, and nobody could get it off." June rubbed her wrist as she recited the story, remembering how painful it was to get a stand of beads slapped at her. "That's why I came here in the first place. The shopkeeper told me that Stephen helped with a cursed rug his friend bought, and that maybe he could help me with this possesed book."
"And that's you decided to train her, Stephen?" Araav asked, his lips pursed as he digested this information.
"Yes. That's how this began. If I didn't start teaching her, she was going to kill somebody." Stephen crossed his arms defensively. "I didn't have much of a choice." Stephen didn't show it, but he was nervous. Araav was so cool and collected, it was hard to read his emotions. It made him a little difficult to deal with. The man in question simply nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, going over all this information.
"I see. I need to report this to the council, and they will vote on June's fate." He grabbed his sling ring from off his sash, and placed it on his left hand. "In the meantime, I suggest packing your things, Juniper. You will need to be ready to move if the council demands it." He gave a quick bow to Stephen and a quick nod to Juniper before walking away from the two, into the foyer. June and Stephen watched him leave with baited breath. The tension in the air felt like it was choking June, as if it was filling up her throat. With a wave of his hand, Araav opened a sling portal that led to Kamar-Taj and stepped through it. It closed with a hiss, leaving the Sanctum deathly quiet once more.
June and Stephen stood frozen, the only noise the sound of their breathing. After about 30 seconds, June finally broke the commanding silence.
"I'm not going. I don't care what they say." June's mind was made up. She couldn't just leave her family behind like that, and to leave Stephen on top of everything else? Unthinkable. She imagined herself at Kamar-Taj, surrounded by students who still needed their magical training wheels. June wasn't like them, and sitting through slow, dull lessons wasn't her style. She needed action, excitement, and a quick pace when it came to learning. Stephen really was her ideal teacher – though she would never admit that to his face. His ego's big enough already. She thought to herself.
"You can't really defy the council, June. They're the only governance that sorcerers have. It's… important to listen to them."
"I don't care. They can't make me go to Kamar-Taj. I want to stay here, with my family." And with you. She silently added. "Besides, when has Stephen Strange ever listened to the rules? We can keep doing this, and they can't stop us." June looked at him and smiled with a devious glint in her eye. She usually wasn't too much of a rulebreaker, but now was an exception. The rules are stupid. She decided.
Stephen half-smirked a second. "Hey. Do as I say, not as I do." He said, crossing his arms. "We are in serious trouble though." Stephen had been so caught up with the thought of June's consequences that he neglected to think of his own. Could they revoke his master title and give the Sanctum to someone else? He hadn't thought of that. I can probably kiss the Eye of Agamotto goodbye. There would be no way the council would just let Strange take the Eye anymore, maybe unless it was an emergency. I really liked casting with it, too…
"Fine, let them think we're troublemakers. Let them come and try and stop me from doing this." June said proudly. "The Vishanti chose me to be their hero, and that's what I'm gonna do. I'm going to be a hero and learn how to use this book, whether they like it or not."
"I admire your dedication, but maybe you should just… lay low for a few days, until the council reaches a verdict." Stephen frowned, he knew she would be disappointed from those words. But he didn't want to start a new lesson, just for her to be taken away in the middle of it. And June really needed to calm down and really think about this situation, instead of charging in with nothing more than a gut instinct and a prayer.
"Can't you say something to them? To make them realize that taking me away would be a huge mistake?" June looked at Stephen, a plea in her eyes. She didn't want to leave – she couldn't leave. But the thought of the council coming over and forcing her to leave scared her. There would be nothing she could do if a few masters came to the Sanctum and literally carried her back to Kamar-Taj. Fighting off one master would be a struggle, but several? Out the question.
"You think I want them to take you away? I'd talk to them if it did any good. I'm in trouble here too, they're not going to let me into a council meeting to explain myself." Strange ran one of his hands through his hair. "I want to tell you that they won't take you away. But I also don't want to lie to you, June." Stephen took a step back and sighed. "We're in deep."
"You got that right." June let out a long sigh and fiddled with her book a bit, turning it over between her fingers. "I just feel… helpless right now." She looked down at her feet and pursed her lips. Stephen's eyes softened – he hated feeling helpless, and sympathized with her. He didn't want to say it, but he felt helpless too. Maybe he could get a chance to explain himself to the council, but that chance was slim. Still, it's better than doing nothing. He concluded. He looked back over to June, who seemed to be staring off into space.
"Hey. I know what will make you feel better." He said, getting her attention.
"What?" She turned to face him.
"We can go out back and test out your weapon conjuring."
June couldn't hold back her smile. She'd been bugging Strange to teach her how to conjure up the "fun" weapons, like swords and bows, instead of standard discs and whips. "Alright." She knew Stephen was just trying to distract her, but hey, it was working.
Stephen gave a small smile before turning around and walking out into the display room again, heading towards the back of the room. "You coming?" He asked when he noticed June didn't immediately follow him. She was staring off into space a bit, contemplating her fate.
"Ah, yeah." Juniper walked off to follow Strange out into the courtyard, desperately hoping that the drills would make her feel better.