Chapter Seven - Ancestral

I saw the most majestic being I had ever seen in my 6 years of life coming down the stairs. It was my unrequited love "Ancestral". I looked at her some more and thought "Elizabeth, is there anyone from the MCU movies that you haven't fallen in love with?" A tough question, maybe when I meet them all I will know who I really fell in love with.

I followed her gaze as she walked down the stairs when my gaze left Ancestral I looked at Daniel who was standing next to me. He gave the sorceress a little wave and turned his gaze on me.

I asked myself "What did I do to deserve two such penetrating stares at me?" as I was about to answer myself with a resounding "Nothing" I remembered everything that had happened.

- "Who are you, little one?" - Asked the ancestral one.

- "She's just a little intruder," - Said Daniel to his teacher, - "An intruder who came in selling biscuits."

Yeah, I thought it would be a lie about my favorite villain when the girls came in to sell biscuits to Vector, but apparently, it worked. Maybe I should go sell biscuits at the entrance to Hydra's bases. It would be pretty fun and suicidal.

- "My name is Elizabeth" - I looked at Ancestral - "Elizabeth Charlotte, and you are the sorceress supreme Ancestral... at least for a few years" - I whispered the last thing.

- "Well, I don't need to introduce myself" - Ancestral didn't look at me, but her gaze fell on my rabbit - "and who is the handsome rabbit with you?"

- "Benjamin..." - Ancestral took my stuffed animal in his hands, Well Eli... they took the one thing you wouldn't leave. You won't be able to run away anymore. I watched as the little rabbit began to float in the air and came to my hands. I took it as lovingly as I could, I wouldn't let it go again.

- "So Miss Elizabeth, what would be easier to talk to me about?" - I looked at her doubtfully, until I remembered what I had said earlier.

- "I, well..." - I was about to speak but suddenly I saw the time - "They're going to kill me" - I said.

- "Because of the time, I guess" - It would be too much to ask Ancestral to use the eye of Agamotto so I wouldn't get a punishment, a big one. Yeah, Eli, they're not going to use an infinity stone so you don't get a punishment.

- "I think I should go... If I don't arrive at 8 o'clock they will kill me and there are only 10 minutes to go" - I looked Ancestral in the eyes, they must let me go, right? - "10 minutes" - I repeated - "and 20 blocks to get to where they are waiting for me." - I went to get my car and my backpack but a voice stopped me.

- "I'll expect your visit tomorrow, Miss Elizabeth" - She made a portal through which you could see the place next to the orphanage where I had hidden my backpack - "I guess you know what to do, don't you?"

- "Yes..." - I took my things and walked towards the doorway - "Thank you, miss."

In a few seconds, I appeared right where the portal had shown me before, I looked back but no one was there. I sighed, I could learn how to make portals so I wouldn't be late anywhere, it would be a good use for magic wouldn't it?

I walked to the entrance of my orphanage with an empty car and without my backpack, as I had to leave it hidden under the cardboard. Before entering I hugged my teddy bear, I don't know what I would do without him.

I put one foot inside until I realized something important, I didn't have the money for the last boxes of biscuits. "Without the money from the last boxes of biscuits I sold at the sanctuary, they were going to kill me. This is as far as I've come, Ancestral don't expect me tomorrow. I'll be dead already."

I looked at the small bag that went with the cart, in it was all the day's earnings, I was going to count it to see if there was any possibility that I had the money. When I noticed that there was a white piece of paper, I took it and started to read.

'The price of 5 boxes, even though you ate a biscuit.' I saw the money underneath the words, it was indeed what the boxes cost. 'We'll see you tomorrow... don't be late.'

"Ancestral, I love you. No matter how many millennia you are older than me. Marry me."

I walked happily to the entrance, handed over the money, and put the note that Ancestral had written me in Benjamin's backpack. I had dinner and went to bed, tomorrow would be a big day.

The next day I woke up even earlier than usual, I was nervous. I put on an everyday outfit. Yes, just jeans and a T-shirt. At my age, everything looks cute anyway.

I went to school, did the typical morning tests, and went to my secret room. I was going to plan my conversation with Ancestral. I thought, over and over again, but nothing came into my head.

What could I say to her "Hi, I'm your number one fan. Will you teach me how to make portals?" maybe a "Hi, I came to warn you about what will happen in the future" or "Don't trust Kaecilius, he's crazy, he'll try to join the Earth with the Dark Dimension and you'll end up dying".

Could I say those words to her? Of course not. The bell rang, marking the end of the school day.

- "Anyway, on to life," - I said to myself as I left.

I went to get the biscuits and headed for the sanctuary. I sold them before I got there, leaving only three boxes in the car. I couldn't arrive empty-handed, could I?

I stood in front of the door, I was going to knock, but clearly, the door opened first. I hesitated, but it was already there, I couldn't escape. It was 4:30, I had plenty of time to spare. I stood in front of the stairs. I didn't see anyone, but they were sorcerers... they could appear out of nowhere.

I waited for a few seconds, Ancestral was next to me and Daniel was behind her. I imagined doing that to the orphanage caretaker, a cardiac arrest wouldn't hurt. The girls would be thrilled. Ancestral looked at me.

- "I don't think you want to give a lady a heart attack," - I looked at her.

- "Of course I do, she's evil... she doesn't deserve this life, she's just wasting oxygen" - I looked at her defiantly, but she just looked back at me normally - "Ok, I don't want to do it" - 'Please Eli, you wouldn't hurt a fly. Seriously, you don't do it because you think they might be Antman's helpers.' - "Well, I tried, didn't I?"

- "You tried" - Daniel answered - "Are you sure you want to talk to her in private" - I looked at the sorcerer reproachfully.

- "I'm 6 years old, even if I tried to kill her I couldn't" - I rolled my eyes - "Besides, Ancestral is too smart and strong for me to try anything against her."

- "You're right" - With those simple words Daniel walked away and I stayed with Ancestral, I was too nervous, I was holding my stuffed animal tightly.

Suddenly everything changed, I was in the room where Stephen met Ancestral. I just stood still and watched as the woman in front of me made tea. She put one in front of me and asked me to sit down. I listened to her, it wouldn't make her angry... she could kill me if she wanted to.

- "It's just normal tea" - She told me - "Of course..."

- "With honey" - I answered - "It's good" - I drank it slowly - "I don't know what Strange was complaining about when he drank it, it doesn't have hallucinogens, that's for sure." - 'What did I just say, could I say that?'

- "I guess in a few years, he won't take it the same way" - She took a sip of her tea - "Honey" - She gave me a half smile - "So, Miss Elizabeth, Could you tell me what this is?" - The map she had drawn two days ago appeared in her hands - "You were looking for us."

- "Yes well..." - What would I tell you, I'm terrified I can't tell you something that will happen in the future, can I? - "Do you know who I am?" - 'Interesting answer Eli'

- "Elizabeth Charlotte, 6 years old, straight A's waiting to be moved up a grade. One of the girls from the orphanage in New York" - She looked at me - "Is that what you want to know?"

- "No" - I looked her in the eyes - "Do you know what will happen to me in the future, do you know anything about me other than the present?" - 'Why did I ask you that? Well, because I wasn't in the original story. I didn't know yet if I should get involved in the fights or the events to change everything or leave it as it was supposed to happen.'

- "Interesting answer - Took another sip of her tea - "That leaves us with an intriguing vision of the future." - I waited patiently - "No, I can't see anything of your future."

- "Nothing, nothing at all" - She seemed amused by my answer - "Maybe it doesn't work quite right... and what about the doctor? The neurosurgeon, do you know what will happen to him?"

- "Are you referring to Stephen Strange? Of course, I know" - She looked at me - "I remind you that you named him a few minutes ago" - What? If I really did name him and I didn't remember... yes I'm nervous and I'm too nervous - "But the big question here is why does a girl know about him?"

What an excellent question Dorothy, how do I follow this conversation... I confess the truth to her, will she believe me if I tell her, can I tell a lie? No, of course not, she would know my lies for miles.

- "I... magic?" - What a great answer Eli, you said magic to a sorceress - "No um, I didn't mean that" - I started to choke on what I was drinking.

- "I guess if I don't know it... it's not meant for anyone to know, is it?"

- "Yes" - I looked at her surprised by the answer she gave me - "It's a pity though, I would have liked to know about my future" - I smiled at her - "I guess I can't achieve everything in life."

- "I think you can achieve everything you set your mind to, little girl" - She looked me straight in the eyes - "Now you will tell me why were you looking for us?"

- "Well, I'm trying to change some facts... of the story" - I don't think that should be my answer, but I already blurted it out - "I just tried, to get a little bit deeper... to help?" - I said hesitantly.

- "Help..." - She looked me in the eyes - "Go on."

- "Yes, I could help, but because of the date... the only thing I had close by was" - I looked at her - "The sanctuary in New York. When I realized that it was the only thing close I started to create a plan to get here... it cost me a little, but with a little help, I managed to achieve what I had proposed" - I finished, I almost had no air left - "I drew the map that you have in your hand and mark with colors every place I usually go to." - I took the map I had drawn - "The school, the orphanage and my new mission, the sanctuary."

- "So you decided to come to sell biscuits 20 streets away from your 'home' just to enter the sanctuary?"

- "Exactly" - I smiled, this was getting easier than I expected.

- "Could you explain to me why you marked us with the green color?"

- "Because of the time stone, it's obvious" - Eli, think before you speak. Please, every time you open your mouth you talk nonsense.

- "Mmm... You also know about the stone" - She looked at me - "You're quite peculiar."

"Elizabeth, the newest member of the peculiar children, Miss Peregrine I'll come and get you."

I kept quiet, if I opened my mouth I would screw up again. I just stared at her and she seemed to be thinking about what to do with the 6-year-old girl in front of her. When she seemed to come to terms with herself she spoke to me again.

- "If you want to help, I guess I could set you on your way" - She winked at me, Odin Ancestral winked at me, I was going to faint - "You can start learning from the beginning."

- "Learn? What?"

- "I don't think I should teach you maths, should I?"

- "No" - I slapped my face, what can Ancestor teach you, obviously the mystic arts - "Well, because of her age she could also teach me history, couldn't she?" - I was talking to myself, but I noticed that I said the last thing out loud.

- "No, I won't teach you history" - I looked at her and gave a nervous smile - "I'm sure you know what I'll teach you."

- "Yes, I do."

- "But... speaking of history, maybe you should learn a bit of history from the 40s onwards" - She looked me in the eyes - "It seems that you will have to study for a test in a few days... you shouldn't lose your advance for history."

- "How do you know that I don't know that history" - I asked him.

- "I didn't" - She answered - "Until you said your answer."

You fell right into the trap, we talked for a few more minutes and he let me go. Tomorrow I will start my training, I had a month. A month in which I could go out with excuses to learn, or 'sell biscuits' after school.

The next day, after taking my daily tests, I went to the library to look up information about the Second World War. In my world there was no Captain America, no Howard Stark to help, no Peggy to steal sighs from the palette every time I saw her picture.

I started reading, I learned the history easily. Of course, the film I had seen as a child was playing in my head and I matched the events with what I was reading. I finished studying, I was sure that if I was asked a question I would answer it perfectly. But, after putting the books down, I remembered what Ancestral said "From then on" Sure, I should find out a bit about Stark's company.

I knew the things that were most useful to me, and to keep the story on the course I was used to. The death of Tony's parents, the reason why he had decided to stop selling weapons, the relationship he had with Potts, how he met or how Shield came into his life, the relationship he had with the Avengers, the traumas caused by the Chitauri and how Tony's story progressed until his death.

But, I only knew about Tony's life. I didn't know exactly what each part of Stark Industries did. What did Eli know, simple, movie details. The help Howard provided for the super soldier serum, the shield he made, and the death of him and his wife. After that, Tony's life, the Arc reactor, gamma ray projector, missiles. I didn't know anything else.

I meditated for a few moments, I decided to search the computer for information about the company. I studied everything they did, and tried to learn more, but... I didn't have a photographic memory like Stephen, nor was I as intelligent as Banner and Stark. Or, well, that's what she thought. She never took into account what she was like in this world, she only showed what she had learned in her past life.

So she decided something quite important, she would learn to do things in this world... that could go wrong. She would strive to be the best student of Ancestral, maybe learn about gamma rays and help Banner and Stark. Well, she had a myriad of options.

She would go and learn with Ancestral and she was determined to be the best... or well she would try to be.