young avengers → infinity war & endgame [p. parker]

THE SOUL WORLD: TWO

"What defines us is how well we rise after falling."

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VALERIA'S SOUL WORD

     "Do you think time works the same here as it would in the real world?" Valeria felt a bit out of place in Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum, afraid to touch anything in fear that she'll break something. "Cause I feel like we've been here for years."

"It's actually only been a few weeks. I kept track. But on that note, you really haven't grasped on to the fact that you can literally make this place into anything your mind sets on yet, have you?" Strange couldn't blame the teenager, he was still trying to comprehend the whole situation himself and he wasn't even the one who had the bigger responsibility on his shoulders. It was unfair for Valeria to be the literal barrier between the soul worlds of Thanos and herself while still trying to understand the lengths of her powers.

Valeria sighed, shaking her head softly. "It's just so... insane to me. The fact that we're here, that my mind decided to make us all be in New York City and make it seem like it's all okay. But we all know it's not. I see all these people, I feel them. I can feel the emptiness inside of them because they lost their halves the moment Thanos snapped his fingers. I know this because—" Valeria's mind immediately went to her half that she left behind. The guilt hasn't left her, knowing that she should've at least given the boy a warning. But she also knew that had he known there was an alternative where he'd be the one to go, Peter would've done anything to make sure that happened. And there was a reason she had to be the one to go: the soul world.

Strange set the book in his hands down, approaching Valeria, who paused midway her sentence but didn't have to continue because Strange knew how to finish it for her. "That boy is probably turning his world upside down trying to figure out how to fix this: how to win this. And you, you're gonna be able to keep us safe from Thanos. The stone literally wouldn't have formed this connection with your powers if you couldn't." Valeria appreciated Strange basically taking her under his wing in this world, she could feel the weight on his shoulders to do so. Valeria couldn't quite understand it, he hadn't known her, Tony, or Peter for longer than a share of hours, yet he felt a responsibility to them to look after her. Valeria didn't question it, there was greater matters in their hands.

"I know he is, just like all the surviving Avengers and Guardians. Maybe even other enhanced individuals, but... What if they don't figure out what they have to do? What if Thanos does before?"

"Val, he won't as long as you keep this barrier held up and strong."

"And what if he breaks through it? All Thanos needs is for me to lose control of my emotions and that's it! We have to figure out a way to communicate with them and tell them what they need to do. What if they haven't even gotten Scott Lang out of that one realm yet?" Strange knew Valeria meant well, her frustrations had reasons, but that didn't mean they were the smartest. "What we need to do is work on understanding your powers and putting a lock on your senses and emotions. Half of the universe is here, there has to be someone who can help us in that department."