"Your nails are so pretty." MJ tells Dr. Strange.
"Thank you!" She responds as she turns them toward herself to study them.
"Steven has a strong fondness for her hands." Wong says sitting a few feet away from Dr. Strange and MJ, who are enjoying tea and small cakes. "If it wasn't for her hands, she would never have become the sorcerer supreme."
"Really?" MJ asks. "Does it require such nimble hands to use more advanced magic, because I found this one pretty easy?"
"Not exactly." Dr. Strange answers, enjoying her tea. "While some spells might be easier, most require a combination of concentration and the use of other senses."
"Like remembering what a place looks like?" MJ asks.
"Exactly!" Wong answers with a smile.
*ting... ding ding* "Shit!" Peter says.
"If you break that sling-ring, you're going to have to make me another one!" Dr. Strange scolds Peter Parker. "And they're not easy to make." She turns, smiles, and winks at MJ.
"I'm sorry sir." Peter responds. "I'm just having a hard time getting the hand gestures right."
Dr. Strange looks at Wong, giving him a humored look. Wong lightly frowns back. A detail that does not go unnoticed by MJ.
"What was that about?" MJ asks.
Steven Strange looks away, possibly blushing, while Wong chooses to answer.
"Peter wasn't the only one having trouble mastering this spell." Wong tells MJ. "It's commonly the first spell we teach anyone, and much like your friend Peter, Dr. Strange was concentrating more on his hand gestures, then he was on the spell."
"Ah, the plot thickens." MJ says, giving Dr. Strange a playfully judgmental look. Strange just smiles guiltily in return.
"Not everyone is as fast a learner as you." Steven Strange says to MJ, setting down her drink and standing up. "All right, let's try this again."
Dr. Strange approaches Peter and places her hand on one of her stiff outstretched arms. "Peter, your mind is racing too much. You are overthinking the entire process."
"I'm sorry Mr. Strange... Steven Strange... Doctor." Peter stutters. "I keep trying to picture my room, and different places, but I lose track of my gestures, and then I can't remember all the details..."
"All right Peter, all right." Dr. Strange says. "It helps if you can concentrate on your other senses also. Sometimes, if there is a smell, or a consistent temperature..."
"I never really pay attention to that stuff." Peter answers. "Especially when I swing around the city, it can be a bit of a sensory overload."
"Hmm..." Dr. Strange thinks to herself for a moment. "I am tempted to use the teaching technique the previous Sorcerer Supreme taught me, but I was making significantly more progress than you, at the time."
Dr. Strange looks back toward Wong who shakes his head in extreme panic at the very thought. "Which honestly," Dr. Strange continues, "is saying a lot."
Peter looks up at Dr. Strange with concerned heart broken eyes. "Maybe I'm just not meant for magic, Sir."
"While I will admit, there are some people less capable than others, but using sorcery tends to bode well with people gifted intellectually."
"Uh... Thanks." Peter responds.
"Here, let's try this." Dr. Strange places her arm around Peter and turns her around. "See the temple?"
"Uh, yeah." Peter responds. "Wow, I didn't realize it wasn't even the same building."
"There in lies your problem, Peter." Dr. Strange tells her. "You need to concentrate on every detail around you in order to use this spell. Your hands are only conduits that follow the trail of energy using the magic that is all around you."
"Like an antenna?" Peter asks.
"No, not like an antenna." Dr. Strange tries to think of a metaphor. "More like a sea turtle following the ocean currents. He's not in control of where he's going, he just know where it leads him."
Peter looks significantly more worried now. Dr. Strange can tell she has clearly confused her.
"Don't worry about your hands Peter. Worry about where you want to go." Peter just nods back, clearly still worried. "Now, try concentrating on the building, and making a portal to it at the same time."
"Ok." Peter starts spinning her hand wildly.
"No, no no! Control your hands." Dr. Strange reaches out to grab Peters. "Slowly."
"I thought you said not to worry about them." Peter responds.
"Yes, but spinning wildly requires a level of conscious concentration." Dr. Strange responds. "Here, don't worry about your hands, and let me control them."
Dr. Strange reaches out and takes both Peter's hands into her own. She holds one hand steady and starts slowly rotating the other one. Peter feels a little embarrassed about this and looks toward Dr. Strange, wondering if she feels the same.
'She's so beautiful!' Peter thinks, losing concentration again.
"Peter!" Dr. Strange snaps. "Don't look at me, look at the building."
"Right!" She looks toward the temple.
"Just concentrate on the temple. Observe every detail, the cracks, textures, shading, and size." Peter starts to really study the building. "At the same time, I want you to realize, your hands are not in your control. They are being guided by an external force. Don't try to resist, and don't try to assist."
Peter continues to let Dr. Strange control her hands as she takes in the temple's details. She looks at the cobble stone then lets her eyes linger on the doorway. Realizing it's late, Peter feels the desire to go home.
Little yellow and green sparks begin to materialize in front of her creating a small hole she can barely see through. "I'm doing it!" She says excitedly turning toward Dr. Strange, who is actually no longer holding her hands. This causes her to lose concentration, closing the portal.
"No!" Peter exclaims. "I can do it again!" she turns back toward the building and starts spinning both hands rapidly again.
"That's a good start, Peter." Dr. Strange responds. "Perhaps, we can pick this up another day?"
"No, I can do it." Peter responds, stubbornly spinning his hands.
"Don't feel bad, Peter." Wong says standing up and walking toward her. "For some people, it can take years to show as much progress as you did today."
"I just..." Peter responds, somewhat emotionally. "I just don't know what I am doing wrong."
Wong pats her on the shoulder. "It's ok, Peter." He gives her a patient smile.
"May I try something?" MJ asks, unexpectedly.
Dr. Strange and Wong both look at her, with surprise. "Seeing as you seem to be a natural at it, I don't see why not." Dr. Strange says with a 'go ahead' gesture.
MJ walks up to Peter slowly and grabs her hands. Peter can feel the warmth off MJs palms and wonders if it's from the tea.
"OK, Peter." MJ says. "First, I want you to calm down."
At hearing this, Peter suddenly realized she was feeling very nervous. "Calm down? Ok, got it." She looks at her hands and starts trying to breath slowly, sounding forced.
"Ok, next Peter, I want you to close your eyes."
"Close my eyes?!"
"Yes, Peter. Close your eyes." Peter does so.
"Alright, Peter. Now I'm going to let go of your hands, and I want you to concentrate on my voice."
"All right, concentrate on your voice." Peter feels MJs grip loosen as she lets go of her hands, making her worry.
"I'm here, Peter." MJ reassures her. "I'm going to come up behind you."
Peter can hear her footsteps as she circles her. "I'm right here Peter." MJ places a hand on Peter's back very gently, giving her chills. Peter feels MJ's other hand touch her back also. They both feel so warm.
"Ok now Peter, I want you to move your hands around slowly, like you're feeling the air. Don't worry about the direction, just feel it." Peter begins to sway her hands wondering if she's doing it right. "Don't concentrate, Peter. Just feel the air. There's no right or wrong answer."
Peter continues to follow her directions, and it does seem to calm her.
"Alright, Peter. Now instead of thinking of a place, I need you to think of an object. Something special to you." The thought makes Peter nervous, but MJ suddenly grips Peter's shirt. It seems to anchor her emotions.
"Just think about the object Peter, something very special to you." MJ continues. "Think about all the details. What makes it special to you? What is the first thing you look at when you see it? What are its flaws? Its perfections? What is it used for."
Peter picks an item and tries to concentrate on the details. She is not sure if it's working, but she can definitely picture it in her head.
"Good, Peter." MJ says. "I want you to keep concentrating. Concentrate on where it is. What's it sitting on? Is it near a window? Are there other objects around it? Is it indoor? Is it outside?"
Peter follows MJ's directions and starts to build a strong mental image of the object and its surroundings.
"You're doing very good, Peter." MJ says. "Now concentrate on that image, and I want you to slowly open your eyes."
Peter is nervous but she trusts MJ. She slowly opens her eyes to see a clear image of what she was picturing. The lighting is different since she imagined it in the morning and the current location is in the evening light, but it is clearly what she was picturing.
"I did it!" Peter says excitedly. She starts to worry about her hands but quickly banishes the thought, afraid of losing concentration. "I did it, MJ! You're amazing!"
MJ lets go of Peter's shirt and steps next to her. "Good job, Peter." MJ says, genuinely impressed. "It's my desk." Peter gets nervous when MJ mentions this. MJ leans in and kisses Peter on the cheek. This causes Peter to completely lose concentration, closing the portal. "Pretty smooth, Tiger." She tells her before lightly squeezing her arm and walking away.
Peter watches MJ strut toward a smiling Dr. Strange and Wong. Dr. Strange nods her head with a very impressed look before turning toward Wong to show her silent approval.
Wong gives Dr. Strange a questioning look and says, "Are you sure we're sending the right person into space?"
Peter opens her mouth in a shocked expression. "Wait! We're going back into outer space?!"
***Meanwhile, in Outer Space***
"It is as you expected, Father." A dark shadowy figure says, as she approaches Thanos."The collector had all of them, the entire time."
Thanos's long slender hand reached out for the box held in the hands of one of her children. The infinity gauntlet sat on the armrest of her seat. The stones lighty flicker like a dying candle.
"Thank you, my child." Thanos responds, in a patient and sweet voice. The figure smiles lightly underneath a concealing hood. Thanos opened the box to reveal six gold looking rings, with empty heads designed to hold large stones.
"He said, "while not as powerful as the gauntlet, they are made with uru metal, and should allow you to wield each stone individually.""
"Excellent." Thanos says, lifting one of the rings out of the box nimbly. She studies it in her right hand for a moment before sliding it onto her left middle finger. The metal seems to expand into a comfortable fit.
Thanos reaches over and plucks the red reality stone from the second knuckle of the gauntlet. She moves it toward the ring and lets it hover for a moment. There is a magnetic pull, similar to the gauntlet's. She drops the stone into place and the ring seems to grab onto it greedily.
There is a light surge, but nothing like the feeling Thanos had the first time she wielded the stones. She points the ring at the gauntlet, hoping for some sort of change. The gauntlet continues to sit unphased on the armrest.
'As I expected.' Thanos thinks to herself. She reaches for another ring and places it on her index finger. She then removes the purple stone of power and places it into the second ring. There is another small surge of power, but nothing she can't handle.
Thanos, once again, tries to use the stones to affect the gauntlet. Once again she has no luck, but... 'Was that a flicker?' She thinks to herself, unsure.
Thanos reaches for a third ring, retrieving it slowly this time. She gently places it on her left ring finger then looks at the gauntlet. Her right hand hovers over it for a moment as she contemplates which stone to use next. Her eyes concentrate on the soul stone, making her think of Gamora. Despite her great desire, her instinct says not to use it. She reaches for the blue Space stone instead.
Thanos places the stone in the third ring and feels the same faint surge of energy, but this time, all three stones visibly pulse. She raises an eyebrow. Turning her left hand toward the gauntlet she tries enforcing her will upon it.
At first, it seems to not be working, but gradually, little streams of energy begin to flow from the Power and Space stone, into the reality stone. It begins to glow brightly again and moments later, the gauntlet starts to take on a new shape. The metal begins to lightly creek, then the palm seemingly deflates. The length of the fingers change and the hole for the hand becomes even more slender as well.
Thanos slowly grins. Part of her can't believe it actually worked. When she reaches for the gauntlet she lifts it slowly, afraid she'll break the spell. The gauntlet holds it's shape as Thanos studies it, afraid to mentally celebrate, just yet.
Thanos lifts her left hand toward the gauntlet and watches as the three stones she is wearing fly from the rings and back into their previous resting spots. All six stones pulse with energy for a brief moment. She then places the gauntlet on her lap, and proceeds to remove the rings, placing them back in their box.
"Thank you, my child." She tells the now smiling hooded figure, as she hands her the box. "Tell the Collector, he shall be rewarded handsomely."
"Yes, father." The figure responds. She takes a few steps back, but stays to watch.
Thanos reaches once more for the gauntlet and nervously lifts it in the air. She lifts her left hand and begins to slide her fingers through the opening. The fabric inside feels soft and warm. It seems to fit better than it had before. There is a definite pulse of energy this time as her fingers settle into their respective sleeves. She can tell the stones are still weak.
"Now, to undo this spell, and restore the stones to their full power." Thanos says aloud. She lifts her left hand into the air and snaps her fingers.
A long moment passes by and nothing changes. Thanos looks at her child then studies her right hand. She is unsure if her wish worked. She looks at the stones, and they seem to be still pulsing weakly.
Watching the stones intently now, she attempts once more to undo her prior wish. Five of the stones begin to glow and immediately stop the moment Thanos snaps. She frowns at this reaction until she realizes it is the orange Soul stone which is not reacting. It is the only stone that is actually not glowing at all.
"Gamora..." Thanos whispers, with disappointment in her voice. The soul stone flickers ever so slightly as if responding to Thanos. She points the stone in front of her and tries to use the gauntlet to expel Gamora from the Soul stone, but nothing happens.
Thanos leans back against her throne in frustration, contemplating her options. It occurred to her that the stones were getting stronger by the day, and she could just wait until they were too strong for Gamora to resist.
'The idea sounds good, but how long would that take?' Thanos wonders. 'How long before someone comes to take the stones? I should count myself lucky no one has come for them, yet. If only I had my children, then I could buy some time...'
Thanos's eyes light up suddenly. 'My children? They weren't taken by the stones. Would I be able to...?'
Thanos leans forward, pointing the gauntlet out, once more. Five of the stones begin to glow funneling energy into the reality stone. Energy streams out from the glove and touches the floor. One by one, four figures begin to materialize in front of Thanos, seemingly from the dust coming off the ground. Each one draws a deep breath as they reanimate into existence.
From left to right, the four previously deceased members of the Black Order now stand before Thanos.
Ebony Maw, the furthest to the right, looks at Proxima Midnight then Cull Obsidian. He cannot see Corvus Glaive due to Cull's size.
"What happened?" Ebony Maw asks. "Why are we here?"
"The Great Lord Thanos has been gracious enough to revive the Black Order." The hooded figure answers. "Be grateful for his generosity."
Ebony Maw, who normally does not startle easily, sneers at his new sibling, then looks to Thanos in surprise. He hardly recognizes her, but upon seeing the completed gauntlet in her hands, he gasps. Without any further hesitation Maw kneels, saying, "It is an honor to continue serving you, Father."
The others, noticing the gauntlet also, begin to kneel as well.
"Please, my children." Thanos says, interlocking her fingers. "Call me mother."
Ebony Maw tries to respond to the request, but a sharp pain suddenly shoots through his body. He has to grip the floor to avoid losing balance. Cull Obsidian was not so lucky. He hits the ground hard and curls into a fetal position, trying his best not to cry out in pain. Thanos watches on, with a smile.