The Symbiote Saiyan Multiverse: Cannibal

The Doctor Is Out

"Strange! It's Clint! Open up!" Hawkeye called as he knocked on the door of the Sanctum Sanctorum. "Wong!? Come on, somebody be home?!"

It had been less than an hour since the deaths of Bulma and Chichi. Vegeta had ordered Clint to track down the Sorcerer Supreme so that they could find The Punisher easier. Frank's DNA was the last compound necessary for Bulma's cure, so he had to find the vigilante at all costs.

Hawkeye, having limited arrows, made sure to take the least cumbersome route possible, which means he had to avoid areas with the most infected. Sure, he made sure to put down a few, including a cannibal Janet and Flash Thompson, but was nothing he couldn't handle.

"Wong? Strange? Anyone home?" Hawkeye called as he knocked on the door again as he looked behind his back. The only sounds nearby was the frantic J. Jonah Jameson reporting the abundance of news resulting from the virus. Good, he didn't want to deal with a cannibalistic Doctor Octopus, Scorpion, or Mercenary Tao, let alone an infected Sandman or Lord Slug. Could it be possible for Sandman or Hydroman to even get infected?

"Zeno damn it, I can't wait any longer." Hawkeye said to himself as he tried to kick the door open, but before his foot could reach it, the door slowly and eerily swung open on its own. Gazing into the dark and unkempt insides of the Sanctum Sanctorum, he could tell that something bad went down. Last time he entered a ravaged home, he had to take down Beast Gohan. Oh well.

"Time to go into the belly of the beast." Hawkeye said as he drew his bow, ready to put down some infected magic users if necessary. Slowly, Hawkeye entered the Sanctum and made his way up the battered staircase. All the bottoms of the closed entryways looked vacant, save for the second door on the right emitting a low flickering light.

"I don't understand how Kate can play these kinds of games." Hawkeye said, referencing Kate Bishop's avid love for late 90's horror video games. Slowly, Hawkeye entered the room taking one step at a time.

"Doctor Strange? Are you home?" Hawkeye said looking around the room with only a dying fireplace to light the room.

"Hello Clint." Came a low voice as Hawkeye immediately whipped around and aimed his bow at the voice belonging to Doctor Strange.

"Are you one of them?" Hawkeye asked, prepared to fight if it came down to it.

"Not yet. I have an hour or so before the infection sets in." Doctor Strange spoke as he got up and approached, revealing his face and body. Strange had dark circles under his eyes and his shaky hands.

"I see....where's Wong?" Hawkeye said. Although he believed Strange, there was always the possibility that he could be lying and was already infected.

"I had to put him down." Strange said as he looked over to another part of the room. Sure enough, there was the deceased body of Wong, dried blood plastered over his mouth. With one quick glance, Clint could tell that the infected Wong had been brought down by someone who still had their mind intact. Strange's story did add up.

"Why aren't you fighting with the rest of us? So many of our friends and family have turned, the rest of us are doing everything we can to keep the survivors alive. Even Oolong and Puar are playing morgue assistant with Chichi's and Bulma's corspes." Yelled the frustrated Hawkeye as took a few steps towards Strange, but the Sorcerer Supreme did not budge, his tired demeanor fully grasping the situation.

"I'm sorry, but I needed to stay out of the fight to prepare myself for my final and most important task...getting you to Frank Castle. I saw that every possible in future since the virus was created, I could keep my mind for a longer period of time. The same goes for everyone else. The more we fight, the sooner those who aren't immune would become infected." Strange informed.

"Sorry, I should have known you had a reason." Hawkeye said, finally relaxing himself in Strange's presence.

"Don't be. In these trying times, it's safer to always be on guard." Strange said with a small and sincere smile.

"I guess that's why Goku got infected first. He's also itching for a fight." Hawkeye said with a bit of an uneasy laugh as he rubbed the back of his own head.

"It would seem so." Strange said as he slowly walked to the window, gazing out into the sky. Clint was expecting Strange to witness the beautiful sky before his demise, but then they both heard a loud boom echo throughout the city. Hurrying the Strange's side, Clint saw several hundred familiar ships hover in the sky.

"The Frieza Force!?" Exclaimed Hawkeye.

"Correct you are. It would seem that Cooler has learned of Frieza's and Son Venom's brutal demise and has come to test himself, unaware of the virus. Without his father King Cold to reign him in, he will lead himself and his men to become one with the infected." Strange said.

"And if Cooler is looking to have Earth for his own, that would mean-" Hawkeye said, his eye growing wide.

"Yes....this will draw the attention of Thanos, and with the Mad Titan looking to stake his own claim on Earth, Lord Beerus will look to step in to stop him in the name of Earth's food. Not to mention, Whis will no doubt bring Broly and Cell along for the ride if he so chooses." Strange finalized.

"Thanos, Cooler, Beerus, Whis, Broly, and Perfect Cell. If any one or all of them become infected, it won't be just Earth that will be in danger. They could take their campaign in space and possibly the rest of the multiverse. They could infect or eat the likes of Thor, Hit, Toppo, Jiren, Champa, and Vados. Possibility even the Omni King and the Grand Priest." Hawkeye said.

"Which is why it's imperative you leave post haste." Strange said as he conjured a portal for Hawkeye to step through. "Collect Mr. Castle and head to Capsule Corp. End this nightmare before it's fully realized."

"But what about you? I don't mean to sound like a monster, but I can put you down now before you turn." Hawkeye offered. Strange didn't respond at first, but instead walked over to a nearby counter and picked up a bottle red wine, clearly tapped into.

"This happens to be my favorite beverage. Took it the moment you stepped in the Sanctum. I suppose I have fifteen minutes left before the poison does its job. Plenty of time before I become a maneater, of course." Strange said, explaining why he had such tired eyes instead of the energetic frenzy the pre-infected normally sported.

"Goodbye Strange. See you when we get to summon Porunga." Hawkeye said as he shook the magician's hand.

"As with you, old friend. Good luck out there." Strange said as he accepted the handshake.

"Thanks." Hawkeye said, saying his goodbye before he stepped through the portal and disappeared. This left Strange alone, awkward with the metaphorical hourglass operating over his head.

"I suppose it's time to read a good book." Doctor Stephan Strange said as he picked one of his favorite novels from the nearby bookcase, sat down in his favorite seat, and began to read the same book his mother read to him as a child.