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The Sage of the Mind: Chapter 86 [November 2010]
Manhattan
–Axle Riddle–
"So, let me get this straight. You have a teacher–"
"A Mentor."
"--someone who can do reality bending stuff? Someone who can create liquids that can seemingly heal everything?"
"Well, not everything, I don't think the fibres could regrow organs, for example."
"--Actually, I believe that if we had any more of the concentrated liquid that was used to make the fibres, we could actually make someone regenerate entire limbs from scratch, provided enough nutrition was provided to the body," Cho interjected in between, which was really not helping.
"Not helping, Dr.Cho." He wished he could glare at people in this paper avatar, something to think of, for the next version.
He was currently in a shouting match with Tony, Bruce, and Nick Fury, the unholy trinity.
The second Fury had heard that I had finally "Shown my royal ass up", he marched into the city and into the warehouse without a second thought, and was now currently demanding to know everything that transpired that night in his apartment.
Well, a dozen block radius around his building was all rubble when he was done with the monsters, or more accurately, the Ancient One was done with the monsters, leaving them void of any energy after closing off their path to the Guy Below.
Good news was that his congregation, his soup kitchens, and even the rich guys staying under his protection had all pitched in, combined with his rep with the Mayor, it had resulted in expedited construction, for a complete reconstruction of the area, to be completed in less than a year.
Something that was hella impressive if one considered the average build times of the apartment buildings.
"Okay, let me get this straight. Not only is there someone out there who can do, honest to god, magic, but you are also telling me that she is stronger than you?" Oh boy, here comes the forehead vein. Fury might just have an aneurysm after this.
It was bad enough that he slipped under SHIELD's radar but to think there was someone out there with an even bigger impact than the Invisible Man. Well, he could already see memos being given to Fury about his Director position.
Still, he couldn't really lie and there was no reason to, anyway. It was not like he was outing the Masters of the Mystic Arts as a whole. No, letting them know about the Sorcerer Supreme was fine, as long as he did not unduly expose Kamar Taj to the mundane world.
"Yes. She is both stronger, and older than me. Actually, she is older than all of us…combined."
That was another bomb and his inner self cackled as he saw the pin drop silence in the room as Tony and Bruce both looked disbelieving at his statement.
"WHAT.DID.YOU.JUST.SAY." Oh boy, the vein was throbbing now.
"You know an IMMORTAL?!" Tony and Bruce both shouted at the same time, nearly shoving away Fury as they whirled upon his paper avatar.
He was not about to let them hit his avatar with their barrage of questions, so he dropped another bomb.
"Well, she is not absolutely immortal. Only unaging, she will die if her head is removed from her body."
Just as Tony and Bruce were about to sigh in relief, he added, "But I do know of people who can, and have survived being bisected in half, even vivisected actually."
Both of their faces twisted in disgust at the last statement with Fury glaring holes in his avatar. He was sure that if Fury were actually a mutant, and powers really did come from both the mindset and the DNA, he might just be capable of firing lasers from his eyes.
"What is the matter with you? Leaving aside the fact that we still don't know anything about those monsters, apart from them being aliens, what is up with all the information that you are suddenly being generous about?" Fury asked him, his voice breaking a bit, which had him snickering internally.
"Okay. Look, I understand that it doesn't look really good. But the good news is that the last incident had my mentor, a vastly stronger being than I am, take interest in Bruce's situation. She has assured me that nothing will happen, even going so far as to aid us in the delivery as well as any complications that might arise in the process."
Bruce and Tony both looked thoughtful at that.
Fury looked mutinous but well, he was done for the moment. So, his paper avatar turned to Bruce, "So, what is the progress with the operation?"
Bruce was surprised a bit but then he began speaking, "Frankly speaking, we have to do it now. We have maybe 2-3 days before there is a significant danger to Betty."
"What do you mean? Wouldn't the Vibranium help in making sure that the delivery is safe?" Fury asked Bruce and he had the same question as well.
The operation was not much of an operation because all they had to do was use a specialised arm that Tony had built with a very high sensitivity, and insert the fibers in the designated locations. Locations that had already been provided by the Ancient ONe.
That would help siphon off the excess gamma and now that the fibres were infused with CHI, it would also increase Betty's overall health, allowing for a potential natural birth to occur, which would occur in another month or two, according to the baby's growth rate.
He thought that was the whole point of the CHI infusion in the fibres. Why was Bruce still talking about an early delivery?
"...I, Look, the fibres might help but nothing is set in stone. I think we should use the fibres on the baby instead so that there is a chance that both of them would be alright." Bruce said with a resigned look on his face.
The silence in the room was deafening, as he could see Tony's throat make some noise but not a word coming out of his mouth. He could see Fury looking a bit shocked as well before he put on his blank mask.
Dr.Cho's reaction was the harshest one out of all the people present. She straight up walked up to Bruce and slapped him across the face…hard.
He winced as he saw her tearing into the poor man, who just wanted to be a bit selfish and get the best chances of both his baby and his lover surviving.
"Who are YOU to make that decision, huh? How dare you suggest such a vile thing even when you have an option in front of you?"
Dr.Cho then levelled such a potent look of disgust at the man that had him recoiling even more than the slap, and then she left the room.
Tony and Fury both looked quite uncomfortable to be in the room, even as tears slowly gathered in Bruce's eyes.
He could not even fathom the pressure he was putting himself under. Fury left the room soon after, probably having no words of comfort left in him.
Tony stayed and patted Bruce's shoulders as Bruce remained mum.
He could see Cho head directly toward Betty, after getting the SHIELD issue car for her, a team of SHIELD agents leaving right after her as well. She was one of the five people on base who was of priority.
He was really conflicted as to what should happen here. He knew Bruce was objectively wrong because the Ancient One had already told him that the delivery would be successful and both the mother and the son would survive.
But Bruce's trust in the Ancient One and more importantly, in the Time Stone was not as absolute as his. On the other hand, he didn't know if the Ancient One talked about delivery being natural or being in the middle with both of them surviving due to the CHI infused Vibranium.
Ah, this was all so confusing.
"Bruce," His voice boomed in the small room they were in.
"You may not trust me, or the words of my mentor but know this, we will both stop at nothing to save Betty and the baby. I will inform Betty of the same. In the end, it is her decision to make. I will see you in the evening," Saying so, his paper avatar dissolved with the burner phone slotting itself in its designated place in the warehouse.
Meanwhile, CHO was actually driving quite sedately, on her way to Betty's apartment. He thought she would be burning rubber, and he would have to step in but she was really rule abiding, it would seem.
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