THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

39

"Hazel, brainstorming time." Tony's voice called from the monitor as he body slept and her astro form read books on spells and time travel. The girl got up and in a blink of an eye, was standing in the room with the Avengers. Scott jumped a little, alarmed by her presence and she made a chair appear for her.

"Ok so the how works, now we gotta figure out the when and the where. Almost everyone in this room has encountered at least one of the infinity stones." Steve started.
There was a presentation on the board saying "Brainstorming".

"Or substitute the word encountered for damn near been killed by the infinity stones." Tony interrupted, and a small chuckle escaped from Hazel's lips.

"I haven't, I don't even know what the hell you all are talking about." Scott stated. Everyone in the room sighed, Hazel couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

"Regardless we only have enough particles for one round trip and each stone has been through a lot of places throughout history." Bruce stood up and went to the front of the table.

"Our history, so not a lot of convenient sponsors just dropped in," Tony corrected him

"Which mean we have to pick our targets," Clint added.

"So. Let's start with the easier. Thor: what do you know?" Steve called to him and everyone turned their heads towards the god. Thor was slumped down on his chair with a pair of sunglasses, motionless.

"Is he asleep?" Nat asked

"I'm pretty sure he's dead." Rhodey answered, and Hazel gave a laugh at his statement.

Slowly, Thor stood up and took the floor.

"Here's an interesting story. My father had to hide the stone from the dark elves. So Jane, Jane, an old flame of mine" Thor started ramble about the story of his life.  "She stuck her hand in it and she got very very sick, so I took her to Asgard where I come from and she got to meet my mother...who's dead...and Jane and I aren't even dating anymore. So, these things happen and nothing lasts forever."

Hazel put a palm in her face and sighed with exhaustion, trying to get herself together. Tony tried to comfort his friend and asked him to sit down.

"The only thing permanent in life is
impermanence."

Hazel scoffed at Thor's statement. "you'd be surprised after traveling the multiverse." Her eyes went wide, remembering everything she has seen.

"Awesome. Eggs, breakfast?" Tony offered.
Everyone looked at one another and decided to order Chinese food to get themselves out of the state of weariness. The heroes munched on their food as Rocket and Nebula explained their stones.

"Kay, Hazel, up next!" Tony called her attention and everyone turned their heads towards her. She shot her head up from eating a tub of mint chocolate ice cream and handed it to Bruce, who gladly finished it.

"That time stone. Doctor Strange, what kind of doctor was he again?," Natasha started as she walked to the front after wiping her lips.

"Kind that pulls a rabbit from a hat," Tony mocked. Bitterness was obvious from his voice, and the sorcerer couldn't help but take it personally.

"And a head from a body, when he wants to." Hazel took over the floor and laid her hands on the table. "I'm gonna avoid telling you guys about the tragic events that have unfolded these past five years because frankly, I know we all just wanna get the stones,"

"Right then, getting to business," Tony hummed

"There are two pieces in the time stone:  one in my staff and the other in the Eye." She made the figures appear from her hands. "Ironically enough, you don't have to worry about the timing with these ones; they're just always in New York

"Wait! You live in New York," Natasha slammed a palm on her forehead and shook her head. "Guys, if you pick the right year, there are three stones in New York."

"Shut the front door." Bruce put the ice cream down and a look of realisation flooded all of them.

"Well this is embarrassing," she muttered to herself and sat back down on the table.

Steve walked in front of them and clapped his hands together. "Alright, we have a plan. Six stones, three teams, one shot."