//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9: Investigations of the Cloaked Stranger 
// Story: The Sorcerer Supreme of Earth 
// by Vishanti 
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In the early night of twilight, Doctor Strange and his new friends continue to converse in matters of his life. “What was your grandfather like?” Twilight asked. Doctor Strange hesitated to answer. After giving it a thought, he decided he will, for he trusts these ponies after their kind act towards him.

“I never knew him, way before I existed, after the birth of my father, Stephen Strange Jr. From what I know after doing research at the academy, my grandfather disappeared shortly after the birth of his son.” The ponies were shocked to hear this. “Why did he disappear?” Pinkie asked.

The sorcerer shrugged. “No one knows why. Some say he died in another dimension, others say he abandoned his home world in fear of raising a child. His wife, Clea, my grandmother, was heartbroken by his mysterious disappearance, and so she decided to raise my father out of magic. But it was all in vain as Wong, the same man who introduced me to Strange Academy, invited my father to learn magic.” He said, chuckling at the irony.

“If you had a dad, how come you said you were an orphan?” Rainbow Dash asked. Doctor Strange felt less confident to say. “Well, that’s because my father was a ladies man. He dropped out of the academy before he even completed his training and used his new found power for celebrity purposes. He wasn't a terrible man, from what I know. He was just different from what you would normally expect from a hero.” His voice gains confidence. “But he was always helping people in any way he could, albeit not perfectly considering he used spells he never properly practiced... then he died in the hands of Dormammu when he was freed from his prison during an Ultimatum Event… during the dark times.” He said, his face went blank. This peeked everyone’s interest.

“Ultimatum Event? What is it?” Rarity asked. Doctor Strange’s face turns grim, as if reminded of a terrible memory. “A terrible day when a mad mutant caused a chain reaction, a dark day and age when a handful of heroes and millions of innocent lives were lost.” He said in a gloom-like state. “I was there, in an orphanage. I saw the thunderstorm a mile away and thought nothing of it until the massive wall of water came down on us all. And I survived… I was the only one.” 

The ponies and dragon sympathized with him. “I am truly sorry for asking, doctor.” Rarity said. Doctor Strange painfully smiles, “It’s alright, you didn’t know. It was a long time ago.”

Applejack decides to ask something else to remove the tension. “So, why was your academy called Strange Academy, anyway?” This immediately changed the human’s mood. “It was named after my grandfather’s last name; Strange.”

“Wait, your last name is actually Strange?” Rainbow Dash asked, trying to stop herself from laughing. Doctor Strange could clearly see it and was unamused. He continued on with his story. “While my grandfather created the academy, he never took the role as principal or headmaster. His friend, Principle Voodoo, took the job. From what I was told, my grandfather already had too many responsibilities as Sorcerer Supreme, a surgeon and a part-time Avenger.” He said.

“Avenger? What is that?” Spike asked, intrigued by the title. Doctor Strange yet again explains. “An Avenger is a member of a team called Avengers. A team of superheroes that defend planet earth from villains, evil organizations, alien invasions and occasionally god-like entities. But those are rare.”

“So, kinda like us?” Rainbow Dash asks with a prideful smirk. Doctor Strange didn’t know how to answer her as he didn't know what kind of heroic feat they accomplished, other than pushing Dormammu back with their Elements of Harmony. So with a hesitant answer, he said “Yeah.”

Rarity spoke up. “You know, something has been bothering me for a while, and forgive me if I’m being bold, but I was wondering what are those white spots on your neck? And why do you have white hair on the sides of your head?” She pointed her hoof at the white blotches down his neck then to his hair.

“Well, I have a rare skin pigmentation, a very small one. It’s called vitiligo, a disorder that causes some parts of the skin to lose color. I have it on my neck, my chest and the sides of my hair. It kind of makes me resemble my grandfather, for he also has white hair on the sides, but that’s because of the stress he goes through as a neurosurgeon.”

“You grandfather’s a surgeon? That’s neat. Do you practice that stuff too?” Applejack asks. Doctor Strange made a so-so gesture. “I practice, but I never got a license for it. I haven’t perfected the skill just yet. But with enough practice and completing my online course, I should be able to get an official side job as a neurosurgeon.”

“But why do you want a side job? Isn't the Sorcerer Supreme job awesome enough?” Rainbow Dash asks, confused by the idea. The sorcerer explains. “That's because in my world, the Sorcerer Supreme isn’t the kind of job that pays. I don’t get paid for keeping the world safe, I still have to do taxes and pay house bills and stuff. I plan to get a real job so I can pay off those bills. Sure, I could use magic to print money, but with the current economic inflation back home, I’d just make it worse.”

“Um, excuse me.” Fluttershy softly spoke. “I have a question; how is it that your dog turned into a ghost?” She asked.

“Well, I didn’t exist at the time, but from what Bats told me, a god of mischief named Loki felt guilty for accidentally giving him a heart attack. So, he used some asgardian magic to bring his soul back from the dead in a spirit form. Or at least, that’s the gist of it, from my understanding.” Doctor Strange said. His story brought a look of fascination to his audience as they looked down to Bats with sympathy.

Doctor Strange notices their faces,he clears his throat. “It’s okay, he finds it fun to be a ghost. He takes advantage of phasing through doors.” He grumbled at the last last part.

“That’s cool. But how did you teach him how to talk? Wait! In your world are there dogs that talk like us!?” Pinkie asks, invading the human’s personal space. “Uh, no. My grandfather placed a spell on him, allowing Bats to communicate through human speech.”

Twilight looked at the clock and realized how late it was. “Well, it seems like we should be off to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.” She said, Some, mostly Pinkie, was bummed out but knew better than to argue. Before any of them could place their hoof on the doorknob to leave the library, Doctor Strange intervened.

“Please, allow me.” He said as he made a circle motion with his hand and conjured a portal to Fluttershy’s Cottage. The ponies were awed by the display of magic, especially Twilight. “That’s so useful!” Pinkie shouted. “That does seem pretty handy.” Applejack commented. Rainbow Dash seems to dislike the idea of easier travel. “Sounds kind of lame if you ask me. I prefer to fly to have the wind brush through my mane!” Rarity begs to differ. “Nonsense! This kind of magic would be revolutionary! Just think of what this could be used for if we ponies had this advancement in magic.” Rainbow Dash still stuck with her preference.

“Well, it’s not for anyone.” Doctor Strange said. Each ponies got a portal ride home, except for Rainbow Dash as Doctor Strange didn’t know where she lived and that Rainbow Dash herself wanted to fly home anyway.

With them, all that was left is Twilight, Spike, Doctor Strange and sleeping Bats. Twilight had provided Doctor Strange a bedroom to rest for the night. 

Throughout the night, the sorcerer had dreams of passing through dimensions. You might think he is unprotected in his sleep and surely he would be attacked by Nightmare, Prince of the Dream dimension. But you may breathe easy, for he placed protection spells to prevent Nightmare from imprisoning him within his dreams. It’s how most sorcerers protect themselves from Nightmare’s clutches.

Within his dreams are of worlds beyond imagination, bizarre landscapes with colorful atmospheres. Creatures of different colors and in all shapes and sizes. He finds himself standing in a town with a castle as the center of it all. The town’s people were similar to humans, but looked more like elves. Wearing medieval-like clothings as some would be armed with swords and shields. One peaked his interest, a child in green training with an older man. Probably a parent training his child to defend himself.

His surroundings changed, he finds himself in a local park. He can see skyscrapers in the distance above the trees. Something walked past him, a golden yellow furred creature in the shape of a fox, standing on two legs. Humanoid animals, probably furries. There were also creatures not anthropomorphic. He can see two fighting. No, it looked more like sparring. Welding great power over elements, like magic. They were side by side with people like him, humans. Mostly children. 

His surroundings changed again, the scenery of a desert with a few patches of grass. So much fog. He also sees creatures that roam. A shadow looms over him. Doctor Strange turns around to see a man in a blue cloak standing on a tall rock, holding a staff. The staff caught his attention, it’s made of wood with a metal ring at the top with a carved, transparent blue crystal inside, and two metal teardrop pieces hanging off by the side. Beside the man was a short humanoid dog with blue and black fur. The man’s face was familiar, very familiar. He’s seen it before, but where?

Then out of nowhere, the man threw a blue flame at him. Doctor Strange quickly ducks. “Hey, what was that for!?” He inquired. The man said nothing as he jumped down in front of the sorcerer, so too did the dog-man follow and land behind the sorcerer.

Surrounded, Doctor Strange was wary of what these two would do next. The dog-man made the first move as it went for a punch. Doctor Strange blocked the punch, the dog then went for a swipe of the legs, causing Doctor Strange to almost fall, but his cloak suspended him in air. Doctor Strange blasts a bolt of mystic energy at the creature, pushing the dog away.

Doctor Strange was then taken by surprise as he was hit by a blue flame from the back that came from behind. He falls to the ground, groaning from the hit. He turns and sees the man in the air about to strike him with the staff. He quickly rolls away, a moment away from being hit. He stands up and faces the duo.

Doctor Strange conjures two Rings of Raggadorr, two crimson disks with mystic symbols appear, one on the hand. The duo charges on and he deflect both of their attacks with swift movements. He kept up with his defenses before using the winds of Watoomb to blow them away at a safe distance.

“Who are you!? Why do you attack me?!” Doctor Strange questions the mysterious man. The man said nothing, instead he raised the staff. The staff’s crystal began to light up as the man spinned it. The sky darkens by thundering clouds and the natural winds blow unnaturally.

The man then struck the ground with the staff, causing the ground to split in two while also shaking as if an earthquake was taking place. Fear paralyzes the sorcerer, right as the cracks grow and stretch underneath him. They split and he fell into the dark depths. He tried to fly back up, but his cloak no longer lifted him. He falls and screams in terror.

Doctor Strange awakens in cold sweat, his breathing erratic. After calming down and taking deep breaths, he looked at his current surroundings and realized he wasn’t in the Sanctum, but in the Golden Oaks library. He searched for Bats and found him sleeping in a basket bed, a spare of Spike’s. He laid back down on his bed and pondered his dreams.

Was there a reason for these dreams? Possible predictions of the future? Visions into other worlds he has never seen before? Probably not. Dreams are just dreams, nothing more. But they could have meanings. Psychological studies have shown that dreams can have meanings, like a subtle message. Like, falling teeth that symbolizes loss or unattractiveness.

Nevertheless, it has come to a past. As he was about to sleep, a ray of yellow light hit his eye. He opened them and saw light coming from the window. He groans, realizing that the sun has risen. He quickly pulled the pillow to both sides of his face and tried to pretend the sun never existed.

Unfortunately, Bats awoke and seemed chipper as he bounced on Doctor Strange. He felt his breath slip from his lungs from Bats’ weight. He pushed Bats off his chest and glared, the basset hound smiles cheekily in response. “Come on! I want some breakfast.” Bats said as he jumped off the bed and phased through the door.

Doctor Strange let out a tedious sigh as he flipped over the blankets and got up from bed. He left the guest room and entered the only bathroom this hollowed tree had and washed his face in the sink.

He headed downstairs and saw Twilight, Spike and Bats waiting at the door. “Good morning, Doctor Strange.” Twilight greeted him. “Mornin!” Spike also greeted him. Doctor Strange greeted them as well as asked what they were having for breakfast. “We’re going to a diner called Hay Burger. Trust me, you’re gonna love the food there.” Spike said.

Doctor Strange chuckles at his child-like excitement.

They all left the library and headed to a wide building with a large board sign with a picture of a burger with nothing but lettuce and a drink.

They entered the building through the double doors. Doctor Strange sees the wooden round tables with barrels as seats. He thought of it as an odd design choice, but who was he to judge? He smells the aroma of hay, he glances at the customer’s food; it was like a regular burger but with no meat, instead it is replaced with hay, and the fries are horseshoe shaped. It made sense about hay as food, but he was baffled by the horseshoe shaped fries.

Twilight ordered for Bats and him as they sat down on a spot of empty barrels. He felt uncomfortable as his knees touched the table due to his size.

“So, how are you liking your stay so far?” Twilight asked. “It's good, I've enjoyed myself here in Ponyville. It’s a nice peaceful place.” He complimented the town. Spike chuckles. “So far, just wait until another friendship problem happens where Twilight and the others have to solve.” Spike informs, confusing the sorcerer and ghost dog. “what?”

Twilight laughs off nervously, feeling embarrassed. “Yeah, Ponyville doesn’t have long peaceful moments. Usually it’s when colts get into trouble, or an ursa bear comes around, or a simple argument that escalates. My friends and I are the ones that solve the issues.” She summarized.

This confuses the human. “And there aren’t police forces or guards that handle this kind of thing?” He asked. “Police forces? Uh, no. Ponyville doesn't really have any Royal Guards as there was no need since there is no crime, not until the return of Nightmare Moon.” She said,

“Whose Nightmare Moon?” Bats suddenly asked. Twilight grimly explains. “Nightmare Moon is a corrupt form of Princess Luna. A thousand years ago, Princess Luna was jealous of her older sister, Princess Celestia. She felt she was in her sister’s shadow, she bottled up her feelings until she couldn’t handle it anymore and tried to usurp her sister and make the night last forever. Both sisters fought until Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to seal her on the moon for a thousand years. When the seal spell weakened, I found a book that told the upcoming prophecy. I tried to warn the princess, but she waved it off as if it wasn’t real. Nightmare Moon broke free, kidnapped the princess and hid in the old castle before Canterlot was made. My friends and I, before we were actual friends, headed there. Nightmare Moon tested our friendship with illusions and situations. But we pulled through and proved ourselves to possess the Elements of Harmony. We defeated Nightmare Moon, resulting in forming her back to her original self.” She said, as her tone became happy, reminiscent of the time she made actual friends.

Both Bats and Doctor Strange were amazed by the story, no doubt in believing it wasn’t true. Their food arrived and they ate. “Wow, this stuff is delicious!” While Bats gobbled down and inhaled the food, Strange was hesitant as he never thought he would eat hay. Taking the first bite, he found it okay. Even though it’s chewy and crunchy, it has an aftertaste of salad bread. While he still prefers a cheeseburger, he could get used to this.

After they finished, Doctor Strange believed it was time to go back to Canterlot and continue the investigation. “Bats, stay here until I return to pick you up.” He instructed. “You got it, boss.” They both thanked Twilight before Strange left through a portal 

In Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia was taking a break from her duties and was enjoying herself a nice cup of tea, until suddenly, a portal appeared. She almost spit out her tea until Doctor Strange exits the portal. Seeing how it was just her new ally, she calms down. “Good morning, Doctor. I see you have regained your strength. Have you come for the investigation?”

“Yeah, when do we start?” He asked. “After I finish my tea, we can interrogate the cul-!” All of a sudden, the same female Royal Guard bursts through the double doors, an alarmed look on her face. “Princess! Someone has released the prisoners and their rioting through the dungeons!” She informs her until she notices Doctor Strange in the room.

“Take me to the dungeons.” Doctor Strange ordered the female Royal Guard. She looked towards the sun princess, wondering if she should, to which the princess nodded in agreement. Doctor Strange and Princess Celestia are led to the lower levels of the castle where there is a room of Royal Guards that were blocking the entrance to the dungeons, barricading it with tables and anything large and heavy enough.

“Report.” Celestia demanded. One of the Royal Guards answers with a salute. “Three of our stallions are captured and held hostage. We have blocked the entrance to prevent any cult prisoners from escaping. We don’t know if the hostages are still alive.”

The princess looked grim as she tried to analyze the situation and move forward. He thought about negotiating with the prisoners to save her ponies, but Doctor Strange stepped up front. “Hold up, I got this.”

Doctor Strange then conjured several small portals that lead inside the dungeon. He made hand signs to perform a spell. “By the Vapors of Valtorr. May the Miasmic Mists of Morpheus now ruse in a vaporous -- enwrap you reach the Realm of Dream.”

Clouds of smoke appear from his hands as they move into the portals like snakes. Before the cult realized they were being attacked they all collapsed into a deep sleep. Silver Dagger saw this, he jumped onto the ceiling and expertly used his daggers he got back from the evidence room and stabbed them onto the ceiling, hanging onto it and away from the vipers.

The three hostages were unaffected by the spell, and were relieved that they were being rescued as a team of rescue Royal Guards un-barricaded the door, surrounding and taking the perimeter while also taking care of the hostages.

Doctor Strange walked over and counted the cult members. Finding one missing, he knew who it was. “Come out, Isaiah Curwen. You're outnumbered. Your good for nothing cult of an army has been defeated.” Doctor Strange taunted to lure him out.

A knife whisked past his face, almost directly cutting his face. He flinches as the blade stops when it is stabbed into the stone floor. Looking in the direction where it came from, he sees Silver Dagger lunging towards him. Quickly reacting, Doctor Strange smoothly falls on his back while grabbing Silver Dagger’s arms and kicking him to the air.

Silver Dagger rolled to the ground before he swiftly stood up. “Your reign of sin ends in the name of god, you heathen!” He screams as he charges Doctor Strange head on. 

“Come on! I want all the smoke! Show me them hands!” Doctor Strange yells out as steps back away from the first strike, then the second, then the third. Silver Dagger thrust his blade, resulting in Doctor Strange grabbing his wrist. He then swept his leg, lifted the old man with his shoulder and flung him to the ground.

Silver Dagger kicked Doctor Strange away in the chest, giving himself room to recover. The cloak of levitation lifted its master into the air before he could hit the ground. Doctor Strange conjures an eldritch whip from the strings of Cyttorak between his fingers and whips it around Silver Dagger’s leg as he tries to take more daggers hanging from his chest. He pulled three out and threw them in Doctor Strange’s way. Doctor Strange quickly lets go of the whip and quickly conjures a trap of the Hoary Host of Hoggoth, which causes the blades to turn into green butterflies upon contact.

Silver Dagger jumped up and made an attempt to tackle down the sorcerer, to which he moved out of the way. Silver Dagger twists his body to turn around mid air and throws a dagger at him. The cloak of levitation catches the dagger with ease. “Thanks, cloak.” Doctor Strange said as he shot a beam of red light at Silver Dagger. Silver Dagger tries to deflect the beam but is hit in the chest.

Silver Dagger falls to the ground, he loses his grip on his blades as they clatter away. Doctor Strange approaches him with caution. “It’s over. Turn yourself in and give me the answers I need, or I'll give you nightmares for days.” He warns.

“You fool…” Silver Dagger mutters as Doctor Strange approaches him further. Out in the way of Doctor Strange’s eyes, Silver Dagger slowly slid a knife out of its holder from his leg. “Your devil magic will not deter me from the path of god, and neither will you!” He flung his knife directly to the Sorcerer Supreme’s head, and before the knife plunged into him, a beam of light blasted it away. They turn to see Princess Celestia stepping into the scene with her Royal Guards behind her back.

Before Silver Dagger could get up, Doctor Strange swiftly restrained him with the spell of Seven blue Rings of Raggadorr.

“Thank you for saving the hostages.” Princess Celestia said with gratitude. Doctor Strange nodded in response. They both look down on Silver Dagger, who struggles to break out of the unbreakable magic binds. “Should we continue with the investigation?” Doctor Strange asks with amusement. “Yes, I believe we should.” Celestia agreed.

Doctor Strange crouches to be direct with Silver Dagger. “Now, then. Tell me about your partner; the Cloaked Stranger, who are they? What are their inventions?” He questions. Silver Dagger merely laughs in response. “You think I’ll just give it up willingly? You can go ahead and ask my legion, but they won’t know, and I won’t tell.” He said with a grin.

“In that case, I have to do this the hard way.” Doctor Strange uses the Mist of Morpheus to put Silver Dagger to sleep. He stands up and walks away, the alicorn follows. “What are you going to do?” She asks. 

Doctor Strange conjures up a portal to what appears to be a dimension full of capillary shaped landscapes, a jungle of neurons. The Mind Dimension. “I’m gonna search through his mind. I’ll be back.”

As he entered the portal, it closed behind him. He gazes at the atmosphere, the never ending void of neurons before spotting something in the distance. “There you are.”

He flies through the air as he closes the distance between himself and the figure he seeks. Silver Dagger’s form saw his pursuer, coming closer. “I will not reveal the master’s plan, this I decree!” In his mind he formed memory constructs of his cult, an entire army manifested within the Mind Dimension.

“These roadblocks will not save you.” Doctor Strange said as he easily blasted away the constructs. Silver Dagger ran from the oncoming elemental storm that is Doctor Strange as he brewed his spells, mowing down the almost never ending constructs with ease. Only hindering his approach.

“Running away will not prevent the inevitable. If you don’t give up the answers I seek, then I will erase every memory that makes you function as a normal man.” He threatens as he lists the  functions he will remove. “Your ability to walk, to talk, to eat, to drink, to shower yourself, to pray to god until you're nothing but a human potato on a wheelchair.” 

Just as he said this, the constructs froze, as if time had stopped. Doctor Strange lowered his arms, knowing he had won. He approached Silver Dagger, who made no attempt to flee but stood still. “Now will you tell me?” Doctor Strange asked.

Silver Dagger glared before he relented. A construct was formed, the Cloaked Stranger. His face hidden within the shadow of his hood. The construct lifted his hands to his hood and lifted it off, revealing the identity of the Cloaked Stranger.

Doctor Strange gawked as he stared in disbelief. And yet, somehow he sort of knew the moment he saw the family portrait in the abandoned castle. It was a guess, a feeling. But his intuition was correct.

As the Royal Guards placed the prisoners back into their cell, Princess Celestia observes with the growing concern of the human sorcerer. But just then, a portal formed beside her. Doctor Strange exits the portal with the look of a child who figured out a puzzle. “Silver Dagger has told me everything, and I know where the Cloaked Strange is heading.”

Back at the Princesses’ chamber, the two princesses have gathered with Doctor Strange to discuss their next clue. “So, what have you learned from Silver Dagger?” Luna asked, somewhat tired from being awoken for this. “Can I get a map of the entire world?” Doctor Strange requested. Princess Celestia teleported in a long rolled up paper and gave it to him.

“I learned that the map is not on Equestria, it’s beyond Equestria.” Doctor Strange stated as he unrolled the map onto a table. “The cloaked figure is looking for an ancient fountain that if one bathes in the waters it returns ones to its youth.” He explains, using the pointers from Silver Dagger and comparing the small map to the expanded map. He looked for any small area that resembles it. 

“Wait, are you suggesting that there is this “fountain of youth” that the cloaked stranger wishes to seek out for immortality?” Celestia asks, doubtful of the idea of a magical fountain. But then again, strange things have happened before from her experience.

It only took a minute before Doctor Strange finally found it. “Yes, well. That is what Silver Dagger told me.” He said. “And why should we believe the words of a delusional human?” Luna asks. “Because I gave him a reason to speak the truth.” Doctor Strange said. He points to the area that was identical to the note. It was far behind Griffinstone, behind the mountains where there are many rivers next to Trotsylvania. “There, that is where we will find the man. If we go there, if I portal there, we can be ahead of him and prevent him from getting his youth.”

“It seems we now know what we must do.” Celestia stated. “Yes, we stop the evil doer and punish him for his actions! Huzzah!” Luna cheered, finally getting some action after all these thousand years.

“Then it’s settled, we prepare and do a little steak out.” Doctor Strange said.

All things have come together, plans have formed and are now in motion. Will Doctor Strange reveal the identity of the Cloaked Stranger? Have you figured it out by now on who it is? Find out for the next chapter in a month or more, and may the Vishanti smile upon you a good night/day!