Chapter Text
“What happens to their mother?” Stephen asked. The question made the Scarlet Witch speechless, silent but angry. No answer but a quiver of anger in her lips. Wong looked at Stephen for a second to see what he would do and as Wanda was about to attack first, Stephen summoned a hydra. With each blast of magic, the heads multiplied at a fast rate. Stephen at the moment seemed to have a connection to these beasts, adapting their instincts, because Wong was sure he had just heard Stephen hiss for a second before Wanda finally casted the final blow. The air around was strong with magic; a glow of red in her palms and she was levitating in the air.
Before Stephen could even think, Wanda slammed his body into a pillar nearby, almost knocking him unconscious. Wanda then finally set her focus on Chavez. The girl was afraid, with no experience to fend for herself from such threats, and could only panic and shriek. Wong casted the Eldritch Whip and flung it towards Wanda, but she was powerful and fast. She deflected it and pulled Wong towards the hard cement.
With quick thinking and instinct he curled his body and protected the back of his head with both hands. The air was knocked out of his lungs when he finally hit the hard ground. There was a step. By Vishanti, if he hadn't protected his head he would've gotten knocked out at the sharp edge. He thought of replacing the coppered edges with rubber when they were done.
He heard Chavez scream for a moment before he regained his balance. Then a sudden silence. Wanda was already manipulating Chavez’s mind, keeping her subdued while she tried to take the powers for herself. Wong remembered Chavez saying that she could only open the portal when she was afraid. When he had raised his head to face Wanda above him he heard a sudden explosion and ringing in his ears; now he saw a blue star-shaped portal when he looked to where the kid was supposed to be. Chavez was being levitated by Wanda and dangled in the middle of the bright portal, silent and unmoving.
Wong was about to attack Wanda from behind with a summoned blade, but he saw Stephen running towards the portal to save Chavez. With no hesitation he instead summoned the Eldritch Whip and wrapped it around Stephen's leg to keep him from getting sucked in. Wanda, not realizing Wong was up at first, tried to stop Stephen with a blast of fire. Wong underestimated the power of the portal. He did not realize how powerful the pull would be when Stephen and Chavez were sucked into the star-shaped portal like a black hole. Wong's grip didn't lessen and thus he was pulled in with the two.
Everything happened so quickly. He was pulled in at sheer force and floating in familiar and unfamiliar places. First it was the outside part of Kamar-Taj then he felt another hit – was that the heads of the Tribunal? - then another hit and another, each in different places. It felt like they were just falling and floating endlessly in panic and confusion. He could hear Stephen's voice echoing with every hit of a new portal opening. From glass to the buzz of bees and suddenly he was drowning in a body of water in mere seconds. It was endless. He tried his best to get near Chavez and Strange every time they traveled across places.
They floated slowly for a few moments, from a world in white and robotics to a hellish dimension. "Strange!" Wong shouted when he saw Stephen hit what seemed to be a pile of skulls and bones. He waited for it to end. He could only see things in mere seconds before once again hitting the glass-like barriers of each realities. Stephen could only scream in panic and tried his best to keep Chavez close to him. Wong's whip had already disappeared multiple universes ago and he was falling behind. The rhythm of fall and hit became faster and faster until finally they hit solid ground.
Everything happened too fast and every universe had flashed before his eyes. He was expecting to fall and float again but gladly did not. Stephen groaned in pain when he hit the ground, struggling to stand and catching their breaths. Both were disoriented and the world was spinning. Or were they in another universe where everything spins?
"You ok?" Stephen first uttered. Wong may see him hide his feelings or show no weakness but he knows that behind this facade is a very caring man. Wong tried to stand; his stomach flipped and his head pounded in nausea.
"You saved me,” he heard Chavez say. He was surprised that this was the first thought. How long has she been alone?
"I hope so." Stephen set his eyes to Wong before he stood. "Wong!" he exclaimed. "You alright?" He was about to rush towards Wong but Stephen stood so fast that Wong thought that he might fall back again.
"No, no, I'm okay." He raised a hand, stopping Stephen in his tracks. "How about you Chavez? Are you okay?" Both sorcerers looked at her in worry.
"I'm fine... I'm used to it,” she assured them. "Surprised you guys didn't puke."
"It's not my first weird trip, kid." And just like that, Stephen’s usual tone of voice was back. "So, this is New York in the multiv-". Stephen gagged. He quickly turned and retched into a chimney; apparently they were on the roof of a building. The sound of whatever Stephen had eaten was quite a lot and really watery for Wong's ears.
"Yep." Chavez added. "There it is." Stephen continued to vomit and Wong was so nauseated at the sound that he couldn't help but throw up over the edge of the building. Thankfully there was no passerby.
Wong spat a final time and wiped his mouth with his arm. He huffed in exhaustion. "That was not great."
"Don't worry you'll be fine." Chavez told him.
Whilst Stephen groaned – “Crap” – wiping his mouth just as the cloak tried to. In a low voice he softly advised the cloak to "Cut it out." He then removed it from his back and inspected it. The fire that Wanda attacked him with had burnt a hole through the cloak. "Yeah, you got pretty dinged up. We'll get you fixed."
Wong walked towards the two. "When we get back, I'll ask Rintrah if he can help with it."
And Stephen might have not heard him at the moment. "Alright America, you gotta open a portal and get us back there right now.”
"I don't know how."
"You just did."
"But not on purpose."
"There are sorcerers alone with Wanda right now and Wong and I are the only hope they have." Stephen has gotten all worked up.
"Stephen–" Wong tried to intervene.
"I can't control my powers–" America's voice wavered. Stephen’s words must've put too much pressure on her. Before either could continue Stephen's voice rose in frustration.
"You must be able to control it somehow, even I could d–"
"Stephen, enough!" Wong roared at Stephen. The doctor realized what he had just said and how the tone of his voice had sounded. The way Wong looked at him in disappointment made him regretful. Chavez is just a kid.
"I'm sorry." Stephen turned his head; he couldn't look at both Wong and America. He looked regretful of what he just said to a kid.
Stephen thought for a moment then he realized: "Well, what about this universe's version of you? Maybe she could control her powers,” he said in a hopeful tone.
"This universe doesn't have a 'me'," America revealed. Both Wong And Stephen raised their brows at these words.
"What?" both the sorcerers said.
"None of them do."
Stephen, still in disbelief: "But how do you know that?"
"Cause I've looked..." She forced these words out, then paused. There was sadness in her. "And 'cause I never dream."
Stephen felt a strong pity at the fact she must have been looking for herself in other universes and looking at Wong, he understood that the two of them shared the same thought. "that's okay, kid." He expressed his apology and understanding by raising a hand. "And even if you could get me back there, I have no way of fighting Wanda."
"What about the book of Vishanti?" She said, turning her head to Wong for confirmation.
"Yes, it will help. We must find it." Wong acknowledged.
"What about it? Unless, Wong, you know how to get there." Stephen had walked a few feet away thinking of the many ways and what ifs of what to do. He turned to Wong again. "Do you?"
Wong made a heavy sigh before he answered, "No, there's a specific doorway that leads to it. No one has reached it yet. Except for America and the other you."
"Other you thought it could stop whoever was after me.” America added.
"Well he's not here, is he?" Stephen asked in such a sarcastic way that Wong was sure his eyes would disappear into the back of his head from rolling. "Well, Wong and I don't know where it is, unless there's another, other me–"
America looked at him when he said that. The two sorcerers only just now realized that they were somewhere in the Multiverse with their own alternate selves. Both caught the eyes of the other.
America's eyes and voice were hopeful again. "We need to go find–"
"Other, other me." Stephen agreed, voice quite hopeful at the news with a gentle smile.
"I thought one Strange was enough." Wong said, clearly enough for Stephen to hear. Wong said it so casually with both his hands behind his back as he would always do.
"Very funny Wong." The doctor said sarcastically. America, now in a good mood, let out a giggle. "Oh, come on now." Stephen commented when she clearly agreed with Wong.
"Eso es muy cierto ,” she told Wong, looking at him with a very giddy smile. Stephen looked at her, very clueless of what that meant.
" Te acostumbrarás ." Wong smiled. Even with the language barrier that he can't understand, the two reminded Stephen of a father and daughter with their quick bond with each other. Stephen hid the quirk of his lip when Wong looked at him.
"Okay, enough now you two. Let's go." Stephen spoke while the two still shared a laugh.
The two seemed to have dropped their sling rings. But there was one thing the multiverse seemed to agree with: Ladders. When the three finally reached the bottom of the building and went through a gate, they were surprised how clean and full of vegetation the buildings were. Stephen looked around the same as Wong but didn't look further. The place felt modern and at the same time old. People wore hats and Grey toned clothes as if they were somewhere in the early 1950s of New York City. The three might have been odd with their colorful clothes as a few passerby looked at them. But they were mostly staring at Stephen.
Wong ignored that and looked around fascinated by the place, setting his eyes everywhere. Wong also noticed pedestrians from afar stopped at the color green. "Shit–!" he heard Stephen exclaim. He was so busy looking that he did not notice Stephen just walking straight into a busy road. America was quick to grab him before a car could hit him. Within Wong's unmoving expression from the fast occurrence, his heart was surely jumping out of his chest.
"They go on red?" asked Stephen, astonished by that knowledge he so dangerously learned.
Chavez rolled her eyes behind her lids. "Rule number one of multiversal travel... You don't know anything,” she explained to both of them.
"Right." He nodded and stared at Wong standing beside him, also giving him a nod in return. They stood patiently waiting until the lights turned red. "It's red." Finally they crossed the street.
"So, what's rule number two–?" Stephen turned to her only to realize she wasn't beside him, he looked around in dread. "America?" It made Wong look around too when he heard the anxiety in Stephen's voice and saw no sign of the kid. "Wong, where's America?" His voice was a panic.
"I–I don't know. She was just beside you." Wong was turning his head and setting his eyes at every person in hopes to see an odd one out of the group. Both were distraught when they couldn't find America anywhere.
"Strange, was she taken?" Wong paused to face Stephen with silent panic painted on his face.
"I don't know, I don't know– America?!"
"Rule number two." Both quickly calmed when she spoke, putting her hand on Stephen's shoulder to get his attention first. Wong saw Strange sigh in relief, and he did so too. "–find food. Preferably pizza. Pizza balls."
Chavez showed them what she had just bought. "How'd you pay for that?" Strange asked.
"It was free." she said.
Wong was amazed at that. "Oh?" He walked to her opposite side to not lose sight of her. Food's free? That's not so bad.
"Yeah! Food's free in most universes, actually. It's weird you guys have to pay for it." she said with some contempt.
"Hey! You didn't pay for that." A vendor exclaimed and turned, facing America.
"Crap, maybe it's not free here." She said when she had already taken a bite.
"Pizza Poppa always gets paid." The man gestured. Wong didn't like how rude his tone was.
"We apologize–" Wong stepped in front of America.
Strange, quick as always. "All right, Pizza Poppa, relax. She's just a kid– She was hungry"
"Relax yourself there, Doctor Strange..." He looked at Stephen from head to toe before turning to Wong and scoffed. "And his most trusted subordinate, Wong."
"Excuse me?" What does that mean? Wong wondered and the man continued speaking anyway.
"Where'd you get this cape from anyway?" Oh, Stephen will not like that. With no personal space he just grabbed a hold of the red cloak. "Oh, that feels authentic." His thumb felt at the fabric of the cloak. Both Wong and Chavez looked at the vendor with furrowed brows.
"It's not a cape, it's a cloak, and I suggest you let go." Stephen and Wong were on the same page, their patience wearing thin from the rude man.
"You took this whole suit from the Strange Museum didn't ya?" The older man interrogated, his eyes not leaving Strange.
In another bewilderment of the day, Stephen couldn't help but ask. "The Strange Museum?"
"You have a museum?" Wong asked him in return instead. He looked at Wong with the It's why I asked kind of gaze.
And for no particular reason, the vendor wanted to squirt Strange with a bottle of mustard. Before the man could squeeze the bottle, Strange took control of the use of his hands and made him squeeze the bottle at his own face. Then he started punching himself. Chavez was in awe and smiled at the whole scene. Wong was not surprised. It would stop at any moment, no problem.
"Alright, I think we should go." Wong gently pushed his hand into America’s back to encourage her to walk away from what was happening with the man.
"Come on, it's not permanent." Strange said in assurance.
"Like he'll stop in a few minutes?"
"About three weeks." Stephen was smug, and it made Chavez smile again, turning her head for a brief moment to watch the poor man trying to stop himself from the hard blows.
"Three weeks?!" Wong blurted. " Stephen Strange ." He said his name in force behind his teeth.
"Oh– he was rude, Wong. Plus he called you my subordinate which is not true." He raised both his hands with a slightly higher voice. Still wearing a smug smile. But Wong still has his eyes on him. "I– fine. Three days."
"No, leave it for a week." Wong purred a laugh and Stephen was speechless. This man, is absolutely unpredictable.
"Those universes we went through… Were we paint in one of them?" Stephen’s voice was incredibly soft when he asked. Gentle and curious.
"Yeah, you don't want to get stuck in there,” Chavez said. The two sorcerers couldn't imagine why. They remembered having their voices taken, unable to utter more than a gurgle. Couldn't even feel anything. As if all their senses were blocked. "It's really hard to eat." When she added this last part, it was almost impossible to hear.
"How many universes have you been through?" Stephen questioned again.
Chavez hummed and thought for a moment. "Uhm, 72? 73, counting this one." America pointed out. That was. A lot.
"That's a lot." Wong stated. Stephen seemed to have the same thoughts and might have also said the same thing but was interrupted by an AI voice when he stood at one of the lighted steps.
'Memory lane. Replay your significant memories… Now at a discounted price. We remember, so you won't forget.'
It scanned Stephen and for a moment, his eyes glowed a bright blue. The reflection and the entire store in front of them turned into a large apparition with his memory playing in front of them like TV. It looked so real that it felt like they were there in his memories. It felt invasive but Wong couldn't help but watch with curiosity. It was Stephen and Christine on their date. Stephen stood there, his hardened, confused expression softening when he heard Christine's voice. Wong understood. Strange was, and still is, a hopeless romantic.
His expression was... sad. Wong felt pity. For a man to not show his weakness, hiding behind stubbornness and pride. Stephen wouldn’t admit it, but Wong knew how much love this man could hold in his heart. And pain that he wouldn’t show nor share with anyone. Stephen stood there, breath quickening and he slightly shook; yet he was afraid to leave that spot, reliving the happiest and most cherished yet heartbreaking memory.
Stephen broke from his own trance. Wong swore he saw a forming tear in his eye. "We don't have time for this." He quickly walked out of the platform with his head down.
"Stephen." Wong ran towards him, trying to catch his attention. He shouldn't have watched, he should've advised them to move out of the platform.
'Memory lane. Replay your significant memories… Now at a discounted price. We remember, so you won't forget.'
Both couldn't help but turn. It was Chavez. Standing fast at the platform in hopeful excitement as the platform scanned her memories. Carefully, Stephen walked back and Wong followed. There they are again, watching a memory.
The memory played with her as a child in a field of greens and colorful flowers. There were two individuals walking together with their arms locked in a loving, domestic manner.
"Where's this?" Stephen questioned.
"Home..." answered America. "My moms..." Her eyes were teary. She was... so happy to see them, even if it was just a memory. Her voice was trying to keep out a sob. " Son mis madres ."
Her mother kissed her forehead in a way that warmed both Stephen and Wong's heart. They were happy and loved each other very clearly as shown. Until Chavez gasped, her eyes now in fear. In her memory she shrieked in fear. Her eyes glowed white and a portal opened just behind her mothers. Both had tried to save Chavez but the portal's pull was too strong for them. And it was definitely too strong for a child. Chavez now had tears running down her face, her breath quickened. Stephen turned to her, frozen and unsure of what to do.
"Chavez. Chavez, that's enough." Wong advised her, but she didn't leave. Frozen in place. This is what he should have done for Stephen. He would not give up the opportunity to spare Chavez’s heart. "Chavez–" He laid his hand gently on her shoulder to get her attention away from the painful memory. "We're here, it's okay." Wong understood what she'd been through, how young she was to be away; Wong tried to reassure her.
Now they understood why she was afraid to go hungry and why she would always mention food. She had nowhere to go, no home across the Multiverse she had traveled through since she was just a child. Alone, surviving all by herself.
Chavez still looked at the memory until it disappeared, revealing her reflection... no, their reflections. The parallel of her two mothers to Wong and Stephen standing beside her. "You know, you were right, this is a waste of time." She walked past them both. Trying hard to not break down.
"Hey kid."
"Chavez."
The two sorcerers called and catching up to her. "That was the first time you opened a portal, right?" America was walking quick, but Stephen caught up to Chavez first.
"It doesn't matter."
"It does matter... You lost your parents."
"I didn't lose them. I killed them."
"No, no you did not. Don't even think that."
"Okay, I opened a portal with powers I can't control and sent them to a random, probably deadly universe with no way to escape."
Wong spoke. "Listen… If your moms are anything like their daughter," the three stopped in their tracks, "they survived."
"We're sure you'll meet them again someday." Stephen added, his voice softer.
Chavez calmed in their presence and slowly smiled. Looking both at the sorcerers, "Not bad."
Stephen scoffed. "Thanks." And he gave her such a genuine, endearing smile that Wong couldn’t help but do the same. The tension finally calmed and the three continued to walk.
"That woman in your memory bank thing… That was Christine, right?"
Stephen sighed. He had no choice but to answer. "Yes, that was Christine. How do you know her?"
"From other you." Chavez said, picking up the pace.
"Were they together?"
"No. They don't talk anymore. He blew it."
He sighed again, of course the other him did. "Of course."
"Sounds like him," Wong couldn't help but add. So he let the two have their moment and bond. Stephen is quite good at this he thought, Stephen is showing his softer side without knowing. Wong liked that.
"Did you blow it with your Christine?"
"Yes, I guess I did."
"Why?"
"Complicated…"
"More complicated than being chased by a witch across the multiverse?"
"Yes, actually. It is." Stephen smiled at her and at his own witty remark.
"Wong, why were you surprised when Stephen went to her wedding?" Chavez said, turning to Wong who was now at her opposite side. Just like any curious kid, she couldn’t help but keep asking questions and the two had no choice but to answer them.
He looked at Stephen while he spoke. "Because I told him to learn to move on and advised him not to go."
Stephen stuttered. "I- okay, I went there because I wanted to congratulate and tell her how happy I am for her."
"No, you wanted to see her."
"Still seeing right through me, are you?"
"Nothing to see through when it's obvious, Stephen."
Stephen made a frustrated sigh and brushed it off as they walked. The place looked quite different from the New York they knew, but it was so well engraved in their muscle memory that they knew where to go even if the structures and paths were different. They walked in silence until Stephen broke it by speaking – ignoring what they had just discussed.
"I'm quite curious about yours, Wong." Looking past Chavez to speak to him.”
"About my what?" He asked, curious.
"You just saw our most significant memories. We can't go back there to watch yours but I am interested as to what yours was." The three then turned a corner. And before Wong could answer: "And, it would be unfair that you're the only one we haven't seen."
Fair Wong thought, the three stopping for a moment; He hummed, diving deep in his own memories. What was his most significant memory? Wong fell silent for longer than he realized.
"It's okay!" Chavez blurted. The two looked at her. "-sorry, uhm, we don't have to if you don't want to talk about it. You saw our memories were quite emotional for us at the end…" She paused and looked at Wong. "If we try to make you remember, wouldn't it hurt you too?"
Wong made an exasperated sigh and gazed at Stephen with a much softer expression, yet… The same expression Stephen and Chavez had when they relived their memories.
"When he came back home." Wong then remembered how alone he was, and how much he mourned Stephen.