Christine Supreme AU

[drpalmer]

In all the infinite universes, there was sure to be one in which Stephen Strange didn't survive his car accident, and in this, particular version of such an event, Christine had been with him. It had been a different path that led her to magic. The universe needed a new sorcerer, be it Stephen or someone else.

She had trained and devoted herself to the mystical arts just as she had devoted herself to medicine. Healing magic and defensive spells came most naturally for her, it was in her blood to help. In this universe Christine Palmer became an incredible power, she saved countless lives.

Of course, she had never truly stopped mourning Stephen, but she carried on and fought in his memory.

When the walls between universes started to crack it was as if a call was put out for all the Sorcerers in every universe to find ways to help repair the cracks.

Something was coming and she could feel it. She was pacing around the Sanctum, whatever was on the way was going to come here, of that she was certain.

Comments

[drpalmer]

"Christines have a tendency to be rather forgiving."

Though she is probably the best one for him to have stumbled upon, she knows that loss and understands his quest for power.

"I've not encountered any cape wearing bug entities, probably good, never been a big fan of bugs."

[mysticaldoctor]

"I see that. I'm not a fan of bugs either, probably the only thing good about this particular one was the magic cape."

He seems amused by the fact that she doesn't like bugs. She might not like some of the magic creatures, then. That are part of him. One of his fears had been - that Christine might not accept what he'd done. Maybe it still was.

[drpalmer]

"It does look like a pretty good cape." She nods with a little smile.

A hand finally reaches his face, running her fingertips along the sharp angles, learning the details of this Stephen, memorizing him just in case he disappears before they can find a way to fix it.

If she hadn't suffered a similar loss she would be far more wary and frightened of magic he had consumed, but she knows the pain of loss and the desire to fix it.

[mysticaldoctor]

"Christine. I don't... I don't know if the universe will let me stay, here with you as I would like , but. I will protect this universe better than I did my own."

He takes her hand to his cheek, but his hand melts away to reveal a paw, rather than his hand.

[drpalmer]

"I know. But I'm going to enjoy this for a few minutes anyway."

Just in case it's all they are able to have. She watches his hand change and shift.

"They're all a part of you now, huh?" She had only read theories of what he had actually done. It probably should bother her, but it doesn't.

[mysticaldoctor]

"Me too," He smiled a little, but it was a bit sadder than her Stephen's had been - if he did. "Yes, my universe's Fin Fang...and other horrors I won't name, but I'm sure you've read. Most of the time there is ... some measure of control." He seemed normal - and he wasn't sure if this was good or not. "A part of me... me, their power as mine."

[drpalmer]

It's actually impressive what he's managed to do. Of course the cost of that magic destroyed an entire universe.

"The power you hold, that shield, I've never felt anything like it." They can fix things. Hopefully there are other Supremes in other universes doing the same.

"Hopefully all the entities like me, that would be helpful, probably."

As much as they can like anything, after being consumed for their power.

[mysticaldoctor]

"I consumed them with the expectation that Christine would be alive when I was finished. I would hope that most of them like you, or at least, even if they don't like ... her, it is still a different version of you that - is a better Supreme than I."

"The shield is a compilation of Vishanti power... Wong taught me." It's been a long time, for this Strange and it was odd to remember it.

[drpalmer]

Being called a better Supreme is incredibly flattering, if only because she knows just how brilliant Stephen is.

"I took to healing and defensive spells like second nature. It took more for me to learn to attack, but needed to protect this universe."

She is still kind, she's taught quite a number of healing acolytes who have been able to work with hospitals to help survival rates.

"Should we go to the library?"

[mysticaldoctor]

"The Lost Library of Cagliostro only exists in a certain time, on a certain plane, and it takes quite a bit to get there - or do you want to show off your personal collection?" He didn't think he wanted to visit there again.

The man had already warned him that he could shatter his mind once.

[drpalmer]

"The library here would be my first choice. Hopefully there is something useful."

She thinks she's seen vauge mentions of multiversal theories, but they had been only that.

But to save him, there may be something more about that.

[mysticaldoctor]

"About those cracks - it's not just one event but many, that have likely lead to this. We may need more than one solution."

He wonders if he can die to solve it, and that he accepts it, but he won't say so.

[drpalmer]

"You don't just break this much with one small event."

They'd both be willing to sacrifice themselves to fix this, but hopefully matters won't come to that.

"Do you have your universe's time stone?"

[mysticaldoctor]

"Even one large one would cause ... the cracks, but not the tears that are patched for now."

He opens the Time Stone. "It's not from this universe so it might not be as effective. Reversing the process could work, but we have to be absolutely sure of this, even rewinding by a few minutes could prove detrimental.

[drpalmer]

"I've got the one from this Universe, it's still stored away."

As much as she wanted to use it, the dangers of the eye were too great for anything but the most dire of situations.

[mysticaldoctor]

"Might be safest on your person," he suggests, but he doesn't want to take it too far.
It seemed like he was ... perhaps undermining her authority in his own universe, and he had learned his lesson, and he could prove it.

"If rewinding happens, it's best it's only a few moments."

[drpalmer]

"Now, probably." She nods. Thus universe hadn't had quite the same level of interest in the stones so it has been safe thus far.

She is already leading him to it.

"Probably time for me to wear it, and it does make for quite a statement necklace."

[mysticaldoctor]

"A statement necklace. I'm sure that's new." He thinks this is quite new to refer to it as such.

"What did you like about being ... trained by The Ancient One?" He's mostly curious about what it was like for Christine, a thing he's wanted to know since he knew there were alternate forms of reality.

[drpalmer]

"It is though." The eye is a rather large thing to wear around.

"It was good, hard sometimes. Was your introduction to the mystic arts being shoved into the astral plane as well?" Christine would never forget that sensation of floating above her body for the first time.

[mysticaldoctor]

"Yes. Something about opening my eye. Third eye, that is." It glowed and blinked open, moving independently and looking about the room. "Did you find the sling ring easier than expected or more difficult?"

Knowing Christine, she would have - probably done better.

[drpalmer]

The eye is a bit of a surprise and she is intrigued. "Apparently my third eye isn't so literal."

Leave it to Christine to not only be horrified, but to make a joke about it.

"Easy. Oh, you would struggle with them, wouldn't you? Trying to believe in something like that early on?"

[mysticaldoctor]

"No, but -- I can still see it. It's always been difficult to believe in something - other than myself." He thought he could save her to fix something lacking in himself.

The eye closed and disappeared from view, but his aura still shifted in a manner that it was open, just - not entirely visible, in a way that she could probably still see it if she looked, but - to someone else he might look relatively normal.

[drpalmer]

"You've never lacked self-confidence, but you also earned it. The best surgeon I ever had the pleasure of working with."

He truly was magnificent, so incredibly brilliant. Her presence unlocks the door so she can get the eye and put it on. She's dabbled with it, she can open it, and it responds well to her, and her intentions.

"What artifacts chose you?"

[mysticaldoctor]

"The Eye... and at one point I had the - Cloak but I'm fairly sure that ripping it apart counts as rejection. I tried - reasoning at one point - with myself. We can see how that turned out."

He doesn't want to discuss this too much - he's better as an instrument of battle - not talking it out. He admires how well the Eye responds.

[drpalmer]

She can't help the way she moves to hug him again. Christine wishes she could have been there to help him, but he wouldn't have been strong then. Just as in her universe his death is a fixed point, hers is to him.

"I'm here. We will do this together." She wants to reassure him but also to be reassured herself.