When Kakashi opened his eyes again he looked around and found himself in Kamar-Taj.
Travelling between realities was not a good experience. He could feel his body in extreme pain. Every muscle ached as if it had been torn apart and stitched back together roughly. His chakra was completely exhausted. He could barely move his fingers.
But Kakashi did not think of the pain. The only thing that he could think of was that he had failed Pietro. He had not managed to complete his final wish.
Pietro had given everything in the end to save his sister. But she had died. Wanda's kids would not have their mother. He remembered the faces of those children. They were innocent and full of hope. Now they might grow up without the warmth of their mother's love. Kakashi stared at the roof.
He sensed a presence nearby. Without turning his face to where he knew the Ancient One was standing, Kakashi spoke in a tired voice. "Was that the difficult choice you mentioned before I went to that reality? That to save a few people, I had to let go of the entire world? Did I make the right choice?" His words came out slowly. Each one carried the weight of his guilt and confusion.
The Ancient One stood calmly in her flowing robes. She began to speak, "We all make difficult choices, Kakashi. Every choice is difficult in its own way. Life is not a simple path with clear right and wrong answers marked for us. Sometimes we stand at crossroads where every direction leads to pain. Did you make the right choice? Perhaps. Perhaps not. The truth is that we can never know for sure until long after the moment has passed. What matters is that you chose with courage and with the desire to protect others."
She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in. Then she continued. "Think about the lives you saved rather than you could not. If you were not there, even they would have died."
Her voice grew softer as she brought up a sensitive topic, "Pietro's sacrifice was his own choice. He chose love for his sister over his own life. Wanda's children may not have their mother in the way they or Pietro hoped, but they have the memory of her strength. And they have the knowledge that people like you fought for them. Life balances loss with new beginnings in ways we cannot always see right away."
The Ancient One placed a hand gently on his shoulder for a brief moment. "Remember that no single choice defines your entire journey. You are more than this failure you feel today. You are the sum of all the quiet kindnesses, the battles won, and the lives you have improved along the way. Difficult choices test our souls. They refine us like fire refines gold. You have emerged stronger, even if it does not feel like it now. Rest in that truth. The path ahead will need your clear mind and open heart."
She added one more thought with deep compassion. "In the end, we do not always get to save everyone. That is the hardest lesson for protectors like us. But giving up because of one loss would truly dishonor those who sacrificed. Stand tall, Kakashi. Your story is not over. New chances will come to make things right in unexpected ways."
Kakashi listened quietly. Her words touched something deep inside him. He still felt the heavy guilt, but it felt a little lighter now. He took a slow breath. "I failed Pietro so I guess the choice I made was not the right one. You should have told me what would have happened if I could have changed it." His voice was full of self-blame.
The Ancient One shook her head slightly. "You are a singularity, Mr. Kakashi. I cannot see you clearly in the timeline, but I can see others. And I can see how your actions affect them. I only knew from the possibilities that you and the other Avengers would be making a difficult choice. I did not know exactly what would happen. The future is never fixed, especially when someone like you steps into it."
She stopped for a second before continuing. "While I cannot see the future, I can see the past. And from what I have seen, Pietro jumped in to protect his sister who was rampaging around. He managed to break his sister's mind control with his death. Do not disgrace his sacrifice by blaming yourself. He died a hero, with love in his heart. That is something beautiful and powerful. Honor him by remembering that, not by carrying endless guilt."
"Anyways that was quite an adventure you had there. To think that one of the cosmic Phoenix would awaken in the very universe you went to. Coincidence? I do not think so." The Ancient One's tone shifted to something more reflective.
"Jean was a result of what Professor Charles Xavier had done. So whatever happened was not your fault, but it was not his fault either. He did not know what he was messing with. Ignorance is not a mistake. It is simply a lack of knowledge. We all learn through such moments, though some lessons come at a terrible cost."
Kakashi looked up at her. "What happened after we arrived to this reality? What happened to the other one?"
"I am afraid that Earth is burned down and destroyed by Jean's power going out of control." The Ancient One's voice was calm but carried sadness for the lost world.
"What about Wanda, Erik and Charles?" Kakashi asked with worry in his eyes.
"I am afraid they sacrificed themselves to prevent Jean from following you to this reality. She would have done it and would have managed to, considering she is the living embodiment of the Phoenix." Ancient One said.
"As for Wanda, you should be glad and happy that she stayed behind. That girl might be novice at using her chaos magic but if not for her the barriers between reality that you broke through would not have repaired quick enough and irreplaceable damage would be done to both the universes."
'Chaos magic so that's the name for whatever her reality magic was.' Kakashi thought to himself. He stored the information away for later.
"What about Jean?"
"She is a Phoenix, Mr. Kakashi. She will be reborn with enough time." Ancient One said calmly.
The Ancient One smiled faintly and gestured around the peaceful hall. "Now rest up for a few hours. Then you have brought quite a few people with you. You would need to bring them out and let's hope that the reality doesn't break up with that. Hohohoho." She chuckled darkly.
-----Author Notes---------
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