No-One But You (The Mystic Consultant) - Part 1
Chapter 60: Parallel Universe (Part 10)
Stephen was constructing a map of everyone in his head. He had Victor, Sofia, Donna and Wong there beside him, while his semi-sorta ex girlfriend took off toward the Dark Dimension.
His wife was currently having a conversation with her, and Stephen was about to have a mild stroke when he finally tuned into what they were talking about...
...
Christ.
...
The sorcerer's mind kept moving through. Tony and Steve were exactly where they were supposed to be, like always, so he kept hunting.
Ezekiel, Bucky, Natasha and Clint were about to enter something called the "War Room", so Stephen Strange decided that he had seen enough.
He knew where all the pieces to the puzzle were
in that moment, so the sorcerer decided to make his move.
"Vic, I've been meaning to talk to you about something."
Stephen returned to his skin, and the first thing he did was address his brother. Victor was feeling out the sarcasm that his sister had dished out earlier.
She wasn't throwing in his direction, but he became curious. Victor heard his brother tho, so the baby sorcerer slowly turned his focus around.
He actually looked at Stephen. His brother seemed troubled, and Victor's focus started dropping down to the ground. He understood that he kept punishing him, and for some reason it felt good.
Victor hated thinking that way, and he told himself that he had reasons for it, but it was best to let them go.
"Agamotto used my body to kill our family members, in the past. I know you became aware of that, and it's true. I've changed things here, but that means things were sacrificed in exchange."
Stephen didn't want him to dwell on it any longer, but the sorcerer felt like he needed to make himself clear. Victor brought his eyes back up, just when his brother made a motion with his arm.
He summoned the cloak of levitation, and he gestured for it to move behind Victor's back. Stephen secured it around his shoulders, and he added a protective latch beneath the collar.
"I can't be the Sorcerer Supreme here like I would if I was all alone. I'm suposed to be all alone here, and pretty miserable.."
Pretty friggen miserable, because everyone he cared for was supposed to be dead. Stephen thought about the other versions of himself that he had met, but then he gave his baby brother all his focus.
Victor looked very surprised. Jumbled. Nervous. Confused. Stephen's hands were on the artifact, and the older brother started muttering an incantation.
He was telling the cloak to protect him. Stephen treated the artifact as if it were his own soul. He held it tight, and eventually smiled at his brother.
The cloak of levitation sorta...vanished.
The weight of it remained on Victor's shoulders, but the baby sorcerer glanced down at one of his arms. He felt...
"I'm going to stay in the Dark Dimension and be there for Clea and Sofia. That means I need you to take care of things here. Can you do that?"
Stephen needed to protect his family. He couldn't keep them safe and fufill all the responsibilities of the Sorcerer Supreme. He planned to guide Victor, and consult with him from afar.
The baby sorcerer couldn't believe it. He started staring at his brother's dark shirt. Victor felt like crying there where he stood, but he did his best to make it all stop.
It didn't sound like Stephen was leaving permanently, but Victor thought over what he said. Wong always made him feel like he was only worth dusting the drapes, or just taking notes for his older brother.
Stephen made him feel the opposite in that moment, and he couldn't really speak. His brother picked up on that, so he started looking over at their sister.
"I've also made arrangements for you to consult with a small crew within S.H.I.E.L.D. when they need you. That connection is important, and you can even call yourself their Mystic Consultant."
That is how Stephen saw it all panning out, and he knew that his little brother felt happy. Victor described himself as a "Mystic Consultant" long ago.
The job title had become a reality, so Stephen took in a deep breath.
Victor had the option to refuse if he wanted to, but the baby Strange seemed happy with what he heard. A mystic consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D. ?
Say what? Plus the responsibilities of the Sorcerer Supreme?
"You really trust me with that?"
Victor glanced toward his shoulder again. He felt the presence of the cloak when he moved. The sensation of that threw him off a bit.
Stephen held a soft smile. Of course he did. He planned to guide Victor and help him understand what it all meant.
"Yes. Would you like to begin?"
Stephen planned to bring his brother directly to the "War Room" with the others, but he wanted the make sure they were on the same page.
Chapter: END
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