The White Phoenix 12: A Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Fanfiction

Chapter 3: Something Very Real

Unknown location. 

Wanda Maximoff clipped the apple branch off the tree and placed it on the grassy floor. Then she reached for another one and clipped that one too. 

'Apples, right?' a voice said, and she turned to see Stephen Strange and a familiar face standing next to him. 

'Eventually,' she said. She offered one of the branches to him, and he took it, inhaling the scent. 

'Smells...' 

'Sweet,' she replied softly. 

'I was gonna say real,' he replied. 

'It's all very real, thanks. I put the magic behind me.' 

'So we can see,' I said, walking up with a smile on my face. 'Hey, sis. It's been too long.' We hugged. 

'I've missed you,' she said softly. 'How are your husband and your kids?' 

'They're fine, Wands. How are you holding up?' She didn't respond and instead turned to Stephen. 

'Well, I knew sooner or later you'd show up, wanting to discuss what happened at Westview. I made mistakes and people were hurt.' 

'But you put things right in the end, and that was never in doubt,' Stephen replied. 'I'm not here to talk about Westview.' 

'Then what are you here for?' 

'We need your help,' I said. 

'With what?' she asked. We started to walk through the grove, as Wanda collected piles of apple branches and set them into a wooden container. 

'What do you know about the multiverse?' 

'The multiverse... Vis had his theories. He believed it was real. And dangerous.' 

'Well, he was right about both. We found a girl who can somehow travel across it, but she's being pursued,' Stephen said. 

'Pursued by who?' 

'Some kind of demon. One that covets her power for itself. Now we've taken her to Kamar-Taj, and we've got our defences, but we could use an Avenger.' 

'There are other Avengers. You've got her,' she said, pointing to me. 

'Yeah, but given a choice between the archer with a mohawk and several bug-themed crimefighters or... one of the most powerful magic wielders on the planet, it's an easy call. Come to Kamar-Taj. We'll get you back on a lunchbox.' 

'What if you brought America here?' she offered. 

'Here?' I asked with surprise. 

'Yeah. I know what it's like. To be on your own; hunted for abilities you never wanted. I can protect her. You never told me her name, did you?' 

'No. No, I didn't,' he admitted. She stood a ways away from Stephen and me. 

'You know, the hex was the easy part, she said, not turning around. 'The lying, not so much.' She waved her hand, erasing the utopia that was the apple grove, turning the area into a wasteland of red. I activated my suit and noticed that hers had come up as well. We both looked to our left, seeing an ancient-looking book swirling with red and black mist. 

'The Darkhold,' Stephen said. 

'You've heard of the Darkhold?' 

'I know it's the Book of the Damned. And that it corrupts everything and everyone that it touches. I wonder what it's done to you.'