Era of Discovery?

{A/N: Pics are coming soon, but due to size, some might only be found in p@atreon. You can check them for free as a free members. Happy reading!}

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Observation Log by Spark Draconisfilia, with Seraph Draconisfilia.

System Crash Report and New Territory - Entry A8696

Earth-199999, ~69,000 BE (Before Emergence)

Year 232,635 of the Fulgebunt Draconis Imperium (Earth-199999)

The first accidental crash of The System occurred during the Master Chief's absence and, paradoxically, by his own actions.

From the mid-Carboniferous period to the present, the Master Chief utilized the data input-output command [Analyze] to gather information for the Grand Repository of Knowledge. This resulted in the collection of approximately three quattuordecillion, four hundred eighty-two tredecillion, seven hundred fifty-nine duodecillion, two hundred thirteen undecillion, four hundred sixty-five decillion, eight hundred ninety-seven nonillion, six hundred forty-eight octillion, two hundred three septillion, five hundred seventy-four sextillion, one hundred eighty-two quintillion, four hundred ninety-three quadrillion, six hundred fifty-seven trillion, two hundred ninety billion, three hundred eighty-four million, seven hundred fifty-six thousand, nine hundred twenty entries (long scale).

Expressed numerically, this amounted to:

3,482,759,213,465,897,648,203,574,182,493,657,290,384,756,920,182,473,659,284,029,384,756,120,384,756 entries being processed into The System over the course of a single decade. Given this overwhelming influx, it was inevitable that both Seraph and I, as integral parts of The System, would crash alongside it.

Fortunately—or perhaps by design—the Master Chief's SoulSelf assumed control of several critical tasks during the crash, both within The System and throughout the Imperium. This prevented any significant disruptions to operations.

In response to the event, Seraph Draconisfilia devised a novel method for data handling, while I developed a more efficient approach to data processing. It was only through our combined efforts that we successfully mitigated the impact of the crash and emerged relatively unscathed.

Moments like these lead us to ponder the extent of the Master Chief's foresight. As highly capable creations, Seraph and I had encountered challenges in advancing our respective divinities. The complexity of our divine domains had proved difficult for our followers to fully comprehend, which in turn slowed the growth of those domains.

By confronting and overcoming the colossal task of managing such an unprecedented volume of data, we transcended our previous limits and achieved the next stage in our power. Although neither Seraph nor I possess tails, we now stand at the eight-tails level. This raises the question: did the Master Chief orchestrate this event to catalyze our growth, or was it merely a fortuitous coincidence?

The Master Chief, preoccupied with the settlement of his Kaiju Spiders (official name), left us with little opportunity to seek clarification. Furthermore, both he and his companions—Jean Grey and the Madame—entered what Seraph has coined a "Dragon Sleep," a term inspired by the future Odinsleep. This, combined with our own immersion in cataloging the newly acquired data, has left the query unanswered.

Another factor that compounded our responsibilities in data handling was the addition of a new planetary dimension.

Dimensions can be categorized into distinct classifications.

First, there are Intra-dimensions, also referred to as Inner Planes. This category includes all dimensions that exist within the confines of a universe—that is, inside it—and that primarily play a role in the universe's continuity.

Examples include the material and immaterial planes, the Astral Realm, the Mirror Dimension, the Shadow World, The Nine Realms*, Olympus*, The Celestial Heliopolis*, and The Soul's Pathway for the Wandering, among others. All divine realms fall within this classification.

(*While these dimensions are part of the universe, they rely on dimensional pathways to interact with it.)

Some Inner Planes are locked, such as K'lay (also known as the Other-Realm, the Flickering Realms, the Dark Heart of Chthon, and the Dimension of the Darkhold) which was created by Chthon, one of the earliest entities of the Inner Planes, alongside his "brother" Set's Serpent's Sea.

Second, there are Extra-dimensions, which exist attached to the universe but outside of it, often requiring a Nexus location to access the universe—if access is even possible.

Examples of Extra-dimensions include the Archipelago of Anguish and Redemption with its Winding Way, Raggadorr, the Planes of Sephiroth, Dyzakk, Krakkan, Farallah, Boreas, Watoomb, the Dark Dimension, and Cloudsea, which encompasses several Splinter Realms. Other notable Extra-dimensions include Otherworld (connected to all universes), Amenth, the Realm of the Crimson Dawn, the Consecution of Colours, and the Crimson Cosmos, home to Cyttorak the Destroyer.

Within these overarching classifications, dimensions can also be subdivided by their composition:

Energy Type: Composed solely of energy, with no matter present.

Conceptual Type: Comprised entirely of concepts, devoid of matter or energy.

Realm Type: A single, unified realm without other celestial bodies.

Mater Type: Predominantly composed of one or more specific substances; often indistinguishable from Realm Types due to the absence of celestial bodies.

Planetary Type: Realities resembling universes, containing celestial objects such as planets and stars.

Repositories: Dimensions designed to contain or store something, such as forces, souls, or seals.

Pocket Dimensions: Smaller, often localized dimensions typically bound to a specific entity or object. These can exist within other dimensions.

The new dimension falls within the Intra-dimensional category and is classified as Planetary Type, with the potential to also qualify as a Pocket Dimension once bound to Gaea.

This dimension comprises eight planets, each orbiting its respective star, with deep space predominantly filled with nebulae rather than a dense field of stars. The nebulae provide the backdrop for a vibrant, multicolored sky. The Master Chief specifically designed this arrangement to replace the classic black void of space dotted with stars. To his All-Seeing Eyes, the night sky appears as a multicolor palette. Based on Seraph's analysis, this design choice may represent an attempt by the Master Chief to share his perception of beauty with Gaea. However, confirmation of this intent is pending.

With the Master Chief's preliminary analysis, numerous discoveries of potentially groundbreaking significance have already been identified. This new Imperial territory would typically entail an increase in power and responsibilities, yet it was presented simply as a gift. I can only say that this is entirely in line with the nature of both the Madame and the Master Chief. The scale of their gifts matches the magnitude of their extraordinary nature.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...  

/ End of Entry A8696/

_____________________________

"What's got you all sad and chummy, Firebird?"- Aragorn ran his fingers through her long fiery mane.

Jean initially retained her teenage physique, but after so much time—especially since she spent most of it in Hell, where time flows faster—she decided to lose the tight hold she had on her body's maturity. The fact that her supposed little sister, Madelyne, was rocking a mature body might have influenced her decision. Hence, she's sporting a mature body along with hair that reached the back of her knees when she was not holding it up with her telekinesis.

"P-Phoenix… she showed me some of my counterparts' lives."- Jean's voice came out muffled from his chest. Her hold around him was so tight that her superhuman strength would have crushed a regular mortal like a vice.

"Ah, the other Jeans? But I don't see how that would get you in this mood."

Aragorn didn't know what reason was behind Phoenix's latest sadistic stunt, but he was unsure why Jean would be so upset about it.

"They were so miserable. There was pain all around. Most were far more broken than I ever was. Most were puppets, either of their power or others. Worst of all, the 'successful' cases probably suffered the most. Is that what awaits me?"- Jean looked up from his chest, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Ah, I see."- Aragorn said softly. He brought his hands to the sides of her face, morphed his claw-like nails off, and brushed the tears from her eyelids with immeasurable care.

"Are you worried because your life has been 'easy' when in perspective with your counterparts'?"- Aragorn asked.

No great power should come without a great cost—a balance in the equation—because when it does, only defective individuals are left.

This was a truth more universal than many would imagine. Take the omniversally infamous 'Young Masters'; they were the perfect picture of power that came without cost. Take the myriad of reincarnated, transmigrated, and/or rebirthed 'Murder Hobos'; they gained a 'golden finger' and, following that, transformed from possibly normal mortals into 'Let's harvest these lowly mortals for my power path!' types.

It was so common that it happened all across the omniverse. It was so common that those with great power but none of the character defects were looked upon with suspicion. It was so common that no worthy story (Multiverse) was ever written (Created) without one of them present.

And the same applied in the other way. Those who gained power could and should expect difficulties if they had not experienced them before. The greater the gain in power, the greater the difficulties to come or that had already come.

In the local Multiverse, there were plenty of examples, with David Haller, Robert Reynolds, Wanda Maximoff, Norrin Radd, and Jean Grey among the most known across the Omniverse. People who had to fight the world—inner world or outer world—in order to stay 'good.'

So Jean's worries could be attributed to the fact that, compared to her counterparts, she's had a blessed life.

"I never wanted to imagine what my life would have been like if you had not been pushed forcibly by Phoenix into it, and because my home didn't have a future, I thought I would never get to find out. But Phoenix, using information from past doomed realities and other similar realities to ours, showed me what most likely would have been our universe's future."- Jean said and nudged at Aragorn's mind through their link.

Aragorn naturally accepted, and soon they were both watching the model Phoenix had constructed.

It all started when Jean discovered the seal in her mind placed by Xavier. Jean in this memory looked about as old as when Aragorn first met her.

She inquired with Xavier about it, and he avoided giving Jean a straight answer. Naturally, this would have raised a few flags for her, but Xavier was a far better telepath than a Jean stunted by him. So, with a few well-placed suggestions, Xavier made her dismiss the matter.

This held long enough until, during one of their bimonthly clashes with Magneto's Brotherhood, Jean was captured. Magneto brought her to Asteroid M and had the brilliant idea of using Jason Wyngarde's (Mastermind's) illusions and memory manipulation to have Jean's will bent under him. What Magneto didn't take into consideration was the connection between Jason Wyngarde and Nathaniel Essex.

Nathaniel Essex took Jason Wyngarde's place by using his shapeshifting abilities to pose as him and, under the watchful eye of Magneto, warped Jean into his perfect Summers-bearing womb. Nathaniel Essex had no other use for Magneto, now that he had delivered him his prize, and turned him into a puppet.

He took almost full control of Asteroid M and its mutants, with Raven Darkhölme (Mystique) and Irene Adler (Destiny) escaping thanks to the latter's premonitions. Nathaniel Essex didn't care about them because his mole, Remy LeBeau (Gambit), had already taken Anne Marie hostage, so he figured they wouldn't attack him while he held her.

He migrated the mutants to one of his bases and then dropped the asteroid onto Xavier's mansion, not before collecting Scott Summers. That marked the end of the X-Men as an organization, with very few of them surviving.

The impact leveled the East Coast, but that wasn't Essex's problem. Nine months later, Jean was about to give birth to twins: one Summers child and one Essex child.

Destiny and Mystique, in their desperation to stop the birth of the 'Child of Armageddon,' decided to find a way to kill the infant Destiny saw in her visions.

This 'Child of Armageddon' was simply Essex inhabiting the Essex twin. This was part of his plan to gain more power by personally acquiring Jean and Scott's bloodline, overwriting the newborn's mind with his own.

In their desperate attempt to prevent this birth, Adler and Mystique woke up En Sabah Nur (Apocalypse), Mr. Sinister's creator.

Fast forward to the confrontation: Destiny and Mystique, now Apocalypse's Horsemen, accompanied by their master, tracked and located Jean. The importance of Anne Marie's existence long ago was overwritten from their minds by their new master. They interrupted the birth and struck.

Essex panicked. Everything had been going perfectly, but now his most dreaded foe had somehow found him. He put up a futile resistance, but while he was busy dealing with Apocalypse, Destiny and Mystique reached the newborn twins. Since they didn't know which one was 'The Child of Armageddon,' they killed both.

The brainwashed Jean witnessed the death of her twins and, subsequently, her husband's (Essex). And so, the Dark Phoenix was born.

A psionic cry of wrath scorched the surface of the planet, and humanity virtually ended. Only those who took shelter in separate dimensions, like the Mirror Dimension, survived. But the Dark Phoenix didn't care about that and left the planet to bring the Cosmic Flame along with its judgment to the wide universe.

The Nova, Kree, and Shi'ar empires fell to the Dark Phoenix, with only the latter putting up a semblance of resistance.

Back on Earth, the surviving sorcerers and mystics emerged from the pocket and separate dimensions, forming a coalition to restore what could be salvaged of the planet's surface. K'un-Lun and The Sanctums led this desperate endeavor.

Fast forward a year: a large part of the universe was in flames, and Earth's fate grew grimmer. A certain girl could no longer bear the weight—Wanda Maximoff succumbed to Chthon when she discovered her brother had perished with the rest of the world a year prior, a truth Agatha Harkness had concealed. When Wanda learned the truth, her grief and rage consumed her. Agatha failed to end Wanda, and Earth became a Chaos Land.

The coalition resisted but soon realized their efforts were hopeless. They fled to Asgard to regroup and mount a counteroffensive. Meanwhile, Chthon opened a path to his Chaos Dimension, unleashing Chaos Fiends to claim the Earth. Anticipating a grueling war with the Council of Godheads and the coalition, Chthon ordered his Fiends to prepare for battle.

The Earth swarmed with Chaos Fiends, their numbers growing exponentially. At the same time, more gods gathered in Asgard, recognizing the mounting danger.

The war inevitably began. By its onset, over 30 billion Chaos Fiends inhabited Earth. Chthon and the deities clashed.

Another year passed, and the war continued with no end in sight. For the first time, Chthon appeared to be losing ground. But then, the tide shifted. He opened the Dark Dimension, and Dormammu entered the fray. The two Dimensional Lords struck a deal to divide the universe in half, though both secretly intended to betray the other once the locals were dealt with.

Residents of the Dark Dimension poured out under Dormammu's orders, and the war escalated to unprecedented mortality and scale.

Around this time, the Emergence began. While Chaos Fiends and Dark Dimension denizens didn't provide the same nutrition as humans, their sheer numbers compensated.

As ancient Dimensional Lords, Chthon and Dormammu immediately recognized the threat. They knew they had to stop it at all costs. The deities, unaware of the emerging danger, initially obstructed their efforts.

Tiamut completed its emergence, and the planet ceased to exist. The deities recognized their ancient foe too late. Facing no other choice, they allied with the Dimensional Lords to confront the Celestial.

Tiamut knew it couldn't win and sent a call for aid to Arishem. Singularity portals warped space around the Solar System, heralding the arrival of the Celestials.

Two Dimensional Lords, the Godheads, and the Celestials clashed in a two-front battle. Celestials fell, deities perished, and the conflict's scale drew the attention of the Dark Phoenix.

The battle spiraled out of control, its effects spilling over into the multiversal level and disrupting surrounding dimensions. The Phoenix Force informed the Cosmological Compass, and The Living Tribunal intervened, declaring the Universe must be reset.

Death entered reality, and all war ceased. Across multiple universes, the Celestials' original selves recognized it was time to abandon this reality. The Celestials of this reality stopped resisting the inevitable.

Odin paled as Death's gaze fell upon him. All perished.

A snap resounded, and reality restarted under The Living Tribunal's authority. The Phoenix Force blessed the reset Universe with Rebirth, and the cosmos began anew.

"She wanted me to see what she believed was my future."- Jean said as the memory ended.

"And what do you think, Jean? Are you afraid of the future now that you've seen this?"- Aragorn asked, one hand drawing circles on her back while the other combed through her hair.

"... I am. I also don't know if I deserve this... It terrifies me to think that maybe I'm living my peak and that soon my bottom will follow."- Jean trembled.

"I know you and Death will always be here, but what about the others? They're not like you—and even you! What if you lose your memories again, and by the time you recover them, this Multiverse is already over?"- Jean looked at Aragorn in dread.

"It's possible, right? You once told me you witnessed the end of a Multiverse, a natural end. So what if that happens? Or what if I am lost and you can't find me? That's also possible... And I know it's stupid to worry about the what-ifs, but my powers—Phoenix—put things into perspective."- She bit at Aragorn's chest to stifle her whimpers.

"What if I have to sacrifice myself like many of the other Jeans did? What if you're not there to prevent it? What if something irreparable happens to one of us, and you go mad from the pain? What if this Multiverse comes to its natural end, and you can't separate me and Death from it because we're bound to it by our nature as Aspects? What if all these blessings you've given me are only temporary and will be taken away soon?"- Jean ended her outburst, sobbing. Her nails dug into his skin.

Aragorn didn't reply. Most of her questions—if not all—were possible scenarios. He wasn't an all-powerful being, and Jean knew his limits well, which only made her worries more real.

Still, Aragorn chose not to answer. Instead, he slowly induced sleep in Jean until she fell limp in his arms. He lifted her in a front carry, as if afraid she might break, securing her with one arm beneath her and the other on her back.

"So?... What was the reason?"

'When the time comes, she will need to endure and accept all of these emotions. Not only her emotions but also those of the other avatars connected to me. There's a reason no one remains as my White Crown for long.'- Phoenix replied through the Link they shared.

"I see... And how much of it was true?"

'Up to the point where she awakened as the Dark Phoenix. In a doomed reality, when a Dark Phoenix awakens, its drive is to burst at full power and end its reality. Your universe would have ended at that point. The rest was what would have happened if it weren't a Doom Reality.'

"... I see."

'... You're mad.'

"What gave it away?"- He asked, red stars blazing in his eyes.

'It was necessary.'

"I'm not mad at you, Phoenix. For all your sadism, you know that this Jean is the only one who will give you the chance to permanently become The White Crown. It doesn't change the unpleasantness of the situation. My mind is always open to Jean, and consequently to you. You know how much I love Jean, and it maddens me to see her like this."

'There was no other choice. You love her so much that you'd remove all obstacles beyond a certain level from her path. She can't grow like that. Luckily for us, I don't need to force tragedy into her life—I can borrow tragedy from my other hosts to help her grow.'

"Like I said, I'm not mad at you. I understand the need for challenges in the healthy growth of a being of power and great responsibility. That doesn't mean I like it any better."

'When will you take care of the Exterminators?'

Aragorn narrowed his eyes at the question.

"Are you going to show Jean when I have to kill that universe along with its Jean?"

'Yes. She needs to experience the sense of betrayal.'

"... I'll deal with it later."

'Make sure the Jean Grey of that universe experiences betrayal.'

"How fucking unpleasant."

'It's for your Jean's benefit.'

"Spare me the emotional manipulation. I know it's what's best for her growth."

'... Good. Bye.'

"Fucking shit."

With Jean in his arms, Aragorn opened a portal to the Crystal. He navigated his way to his room and laid back on his bed, Jean still asleep atop him.

"Did Phoenix go overboard with her host again?"- The melodious voice of Death came from his right.

Death teleported to his side and gently ran her fingers through the cascade of red hair draped over Aragorn.

"I don't think so."- Aragorn replied, his voice calm.

"But the result was bound to be unpleasant no matter what anyone wanted. She's teaching Jean how to bear the external emotions of past hosts."- As he spoke, he used his biokinesis to comb through Jean's hair, restoring its luster.

"Ah, that makes sense."- Death said thoughtfully. She took over Aragorn's hand that was patting Jean's back and then guided his free hand to her head, her eyes pointedly fixed on the other hand running through Jean's hair.

"Hah! You're so adorable when you demand my attention."- Aragorn chuckled. He began running his fingers through Death's hair as well, while she resumed patting Jean's back in his stead.

"How about we sleep for a few years?"- Death asked, visibly content with the tender touch of his hand.

"Years? And what about Jean?"- Aragorn raised a brow.

"If Phoenix is already training her mind, that means her body is ready, and she doesn't need to return to Hell. She can stay with us while we enjoy your mindscape. She's already there, isn't she?"- Death replied.

"Yes, she's floating in one of the oceans of stars."- Aragorn confirmed.

"Then it's settled. Let's sleep for a few years. It'll do Jean wonders, and we don't have anything pressing until you need to build the next Obelisk. And that's what? 400 years from now?"- Death's suggestion seemed more enticing by the second.

"489 years."- Aragorn corrected with a faint smile. "I suppose there's no harm in it."

"Spark?"- He called out.

"Master Chief?"- Spark's voice resonated in the room.

"Let the Duskari know that I'll grant them a personal reward if they reach Halo on their own. Not the Moon—Halo."

Landing on the Moon was simple enough, but landing on Halo was an entirely different challenge.

"So it's my time to gain popularity? How amusing. I'll let them know, Master Chief."- Spark replied, her tone laced with humor.

"We'll be in my mindscape if you need anything. You can contact me or my SoulSelf through The System."- Aragorn instructed.

"Roger that, Master Chief."- Spark acknowledged.

And so, Aragorn and Death joined Jean in his mindscape, while Spark set out to ignite the Space Race within the Imperium.

___________________

489 years later...

"Girls, it's time to return."- I said to Noona and Jean. We were floating in one of the oceans of stars, absentmindedly staring at the complex processes my sub-minds were running for The System.

The black backdrop mimicked the darkness of space as most beings with not-my-eyes perceive it during a clear, starry night. However, instead of stars dotting the sky, we had a flickering, intricate map of pathways and intersections that closely resembled a neural network.

Each sub-mind lorded over a specific process. For example, interface generation, interface response, and interface feedback all fell under the dominion of the Interface sub-mind.

Most of these functions were primarily run by my other selves, but they all passed through my MindSelf to help me practice multitasking.

"So, it's time. I don't want to leave the comfort of your mind, My Love."- Noona said softly.

We were floating with our heads touching, forming an equilateral triangle, while holding hands. There was no practical need for this particular position, nor for the hand-holding, but we gravitated to it naturally, and no one saw a reason to resist.

The hand-holding habit had emerged as a way to drown Jean in affection, helping her overcome the dread induced by the Phoenix.

"Do we have to? Can't I stay here for another... epoch?"- Jean wallowed.

"Don't worry, Jean. Phoenix won't return to torturing you until you've fully processed the previous session."- Noona reassured her.

"I wish I could just do it all at once, instead of suffering through it for thousands of years."- Jean whined.

"Most of those who have held the title of White Crown of the Phoenix have done so in the same way."- I said.

"There's your counterpart, Hope Summers from Earth-616, and Emma Frost from that strange reality, Earth-92124. Though I'm not entirely sure about the latter; that's an issue I never read."- I hadn't read all the Marvel comics, and some of my knowledge came from random tidbits online.

"Weird reality?"- Jean asked.

"It's a reality where Amazonia conquered the world and slowly phased out the male gene, so almost everyone was female."- I explained.

"It doesn't sound so bad, if you ask me."- Jean mused.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Right, and how would you feel if it were the other way around?"- That kind of thinking was like justifying harm because the victim was the "weaker" side. It was no different than claiming certain humans couldn't be oppressors simply because of their demographic.

"... Uh, yeah, that's terrible. Sorry."- Jean replied meekly after a moment of thought.

"Why do you even care, Jean? You're not exactly bound by sex, are you?"- Noona asked.

With Jean's mastery over her powers, she had long ago unlocked biokinesis, she quite literally could go from Jehanne to Jehan (old French for female and male versions of the name Jean).

"I like being a woman."- Jean answered simply.

"Such a peculiar Firebird."- Noona teased in a patronizing tone.

It was patronizing because Noona saw it as childish for her to be fixated on sex and gender.

"You!"- Jean half-glared back.

I chuckled. "Alright, let me continue."- I said, steering the conversation back on track.

"Those who attain that level of power should be eternal powerhouses, shouldn't they? When you reach nigh-omnipotence, you shouldn't have to relinquish the seat. If circumstances force you to do so, then you were never truly that powerful."- I remarked.

Not even I could be compelled to relinquish my power—it's part of me, as I am part of it. So how was it that Jean Grey and Hope Summers didn't get to keep their White Phoenix status?

"... Yeah, that makes sense. Why didn't Prime Jean keep the power?"- Jean pondered aloud.

"It's too much, and Phoenix knew they would have been crushed under the weight of it. It wasn't a perfect ascension. No human, no matter how extraordinary, can reach that level of power without the right mindset."- I explained.

"Phoenix's powers also didn't help."- Noona added.

"How so?"- Jean asked.

"Phoenix is the nexus of all that is psionic, except Aragorn—my love is his own nexus—which means she's the nexus of the past, present, and future psionics. Her White Phoenix form, as the ultimate expression of Phoenix's power, is connected to this nexus—one, and the same."- Noona explained.

"And that means?"- Jean pressed.

"As the White Phoenix, you must bear the collective existence of all past, present, and future Phoenix Hosts—their memories, emotions, dreams, hopes, nightmares, and despair. Your body is finally at a stage where it can physically bear the power, and so is your soul after living for so long. But now, your mind needs to reach the same level. That's why she's torturing/training you."- I concluded.

"... Can't she train another Jean or that Hope girl?"- Jean asked, though she already knew the answer.

"No. There are specific requirements. Mainly the Trinity of Self—body, mind, and soul. Biokinesis could theoretically elevate the body, and personal suffering might develop the mind to the required standard, but the soul is another matter."- I explained.

"It's not impossible, Jean. Imagine you've been crafting a masterpiece your entire life. You're almost finished; you're just missing one last stroke or detail. Would you ruin it with mediocrity at the end, or would you strive for the same masterful quality?"- Noona added.

"I see."- Jean said, nodding in understanding.

"What other reasons are there?"- She asked me.

"Our reality doesn't have a future, and because of that, neither do you. If you had one, when the time came to process your past, present, and future, you'd be weighed down by your future. Either you succeed, and you're bombarded by a feedback loop of eternal success, or you fail, and you're overwhelmed by predestined failure. But without a future, you're unburdened by it. That makes you nearly as compatible with this power as me—which says a lot."- I explained.

"You?"- Jean tilted her head.

"I have no future, like you, but I also have no past. Without a past in the timeline, there's no psionic energy to carry it to me."- I clarified.

"That's... cheating."- Jean said with an adorable pout.

"Not really."- I replied.

"Why not? It sounds like cheating."- She insisted. I couldn't help but miss the days when the Firebird only knew defiance.

"I've told you about the pain I endured when I merged with The Void, haven't I?"- I asked.

"Yes... Is that the reason?"- Jean asked uneasily, shifting uncomfortably. Those memories were among the ones I didn't allow her access to.

"I'm still studying the seemingly endless record of memories from that experience, and new discoveries resurface daily. What I do know is that the pain wasn't just about having my soul remade; it was also about part of my existence being torn apart. I'm certain that some of the suffering I experienced was my past and future existence being voided. From that moment to the past, and from that moment to the infinite future, I endure through infinite suffering, the type only possible in a place of no time."

"... T-That's... okay, I'll stop whining now."- Jean stammered, capitulating.

"Can I see the memory?"- Noona dared to ask. She was ever the daredevil.

"No, Noona. I'm pretty sure that memory is part of my mind's defensive system. It's a weapon of sorts."- I said.

Isshiki and Essex could attest to that.

"Really, not even I can see them?"- Noona pressed.

"Noona, as far as I know, The Aniki didn't create the conditions necessary for someone to have their past and future ripped apart. So, even if you could technically endure the memory—especially by merely observing it—it would still harm you. I don't want to do that."- Unless it's something like our usual lustful indulgences, but this is not that kind of pleasurable harm.

"Fine."- She relented.

We enjoyed the mesmerizing light show for a few moments more before waking up in my bed in The Crystal.

Almost immediately, I began reviewing the data I had received through The System, which I hadn't bothered to personally inspect until now.

"Heh."- I let out a small laugh.

"What?"- Jean asked, with Noona equally curious.

"They managed to land on the Moon a century ago. They even have a forward base there. But," I smirked, "they still haven't figured out how to land on Halo's inner surface."

Astrodynamics can be a challenge—no, astrodynamics is always a bitch. The calculations involved in orbital mechanics, flight dynamics, launch windows, Earth-to-Moon transfers, lunar orbit insertions, lunar descents, and more already make landing on the Moon a monumental task. Add Halo into the equation, and the complexity multiplies.

To make matters worse, Halo doesn't have a fixed rotational orbit around the Moon. Many times, their missions succeeded in reaching the Moon's proximity, only to have to slingshot back to Earth because the ringworld had drifted out of position.

"Isn't that too slow? Didn't the Moon landing happen 66 years after the first flight?"- Jean questioned, her tone curious.

"That's a fallacy."- I replied.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm right. The Wright brothers' first successful powered flight was in 1903, and Apollo 11 landed on the Moon in 1969. We studied that in high school."- Jean countered.

"The fallacy isn't in the timeframe, Firebird. It's the starting point of your count. You're assuming that humanity began aviation from scratch with the Wright brothers and landed on the Moon 66 years later."- I explained.

"Isn't that how it was? Or is there some conspiracy I missed?"- Jean's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Jean, you're overlooking all the foundational work that came before aviation. Mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics—humanity studied these fields for centuries before powered flight. What My Love means, is that if you want to measure the time it took for humanity to achieve space travel, you'd need to start from when the first rock was thrown."- Noona interjected.

"... Oh! So the Duskari have been pretty quick."- Jean said as realization dawned.

"Yes and no."- I replied.

"Their education has been sporadic and abrupt. They've known advanced mathematics for ages, and physics is practically second nature to them. Technically, they've had access to the knowledge needed to plot a course to the Moon for thousands of years. In that sense, humans advanced far quicker."- I said.

"Humans owe much of their rapid progress in aeronautics to two World Wars, the Cold War, and the alien technologies they secretly acquired."- Noona added.

"So in a way, the Duskari are faster than humanity in the future, given their lunar base, but they're also technically slower."- I concluded, still mildly impressed by their progress. They were exceeding my expectations.

"I want to see their advancements! Let's check it out!"- Jean exclaimed, dragging us with her as she teleported us to Urbes Sorores—Sorores for short—the capital of the Imperium on Earth.

The name, meaning "Sister Cities," originated from when the Sister Tribes united into one single city. Out of reverence for their shared history, the Duskari named it in Latin, one of the sub-languages of magic.

"..." "..." "... It's weird, isn't it?"- Jean finally asked, breaking the silence.

We stood observing the "modern" city, its aesthetic a curious combination of medieval, fantasy, and modernity. Jean's question stemmed from the visual dissonance of it all.

Earth's Imperium had always embraced a medieval-meets-fantasy style, leaning heavily toward medievalism. Yet here, modernity intertwined with it, reminding me vaguely of certain European cities, though with a far more fantastical twist.

Ancient buildings stood alongside skyscrapers inspired by my Obelisks. Roads of stone replaced asphalt, as the Imperium had scant petroleum reserves. The city was walled—its massive fortifications, tall enough to keep even Deviants from scaling them, stretched across rivers and beyond.

"A bit strange, but not outlandish."- I replied.

"How do they power those vehicles? I thought the use of fossil fuels was banned here."- Noona asked, eyeing the cars—not the usual beast-drawn carriages—circulating on the roads.

I activated my All-seeing Eyes, peering through the layers of metal to examine the engines.

"They use water."- I said simply.

"Water? Do they break it down into oxygen and hydrogen?"- Jean asked, intrigued.

"Yes, they use a spell I don't recogniz-oh, I found it, it's a spell called Aqua Exhalatio. They use it to make combustible hydrogen and oxygen in a special chamber, then it is ignited and used almost the same as a human modern combustion engine. It's got a pretty good output, a basic engine is no different from a modern one, the only disadvantage is that you need magic for the fuel."- I explained.

"Magic? Couldn't they just use hydrolysis and sell the fuel?"- Jean pressed.

"They could, but considering storage costs and infrastructure, it's more efficient to rely on magic."- I replied.

"Then why are they still using beasts to pull carriages?"- Noona asked, pointing out the continued presence of animal-drawn vehicles.

With the invention of the engine, it would be expected that the use of pulling beats to cease, especially since cities would be filled with animal waste, but that was not the case here. 

On one side, with the use of magic, a carriage could comfortably reach speeds closer to the maximum speed of the pulling animal. On the other side...

"Part of it is practicality. The city collects animal and human waste and uses it for biogas production. There's a massive biodigester on the outskirts. Also, they've normalized using pulling beasts within city limits, where traffic speeds are regulated. For longer journeys, though, they use cars instead of carriages."- I explained, reciting what I was gleaning through The System.

"As far as pre-spacefaring civilizations go, this one is one of the greener ones I've seen."- Noona commented.

"Do they have smartphones yet?"- Jean asked excitedly.

"Not yet, but they're not far. In the communications field, they're somewhere close to the 1990s."- I replied.

"Great! Now I just need to wait a decade or two, and we'll have social media back!"- Jean grinned.

"If you're looking forward to it so much, why don't you take point on that field?"- I suggested. It would be good for the Firebird to have something productive to work on in the Imperium.

"I'd need a few months in the Learning Room, but I guess I could do it."- Jean nodded.

Jean held a unique position in the Drachantheon Therion. She wasn't revered as a goddess but was part of it. The Divinicon mentioned her as my and Noona's equal, but like us, she didn't have a following of believers. Now that she was no longer fighting in Hell, boredom could often loom over her, so creating smartphones seemed like the perfect project.

"Father."- Seraph's voice interjected suddenly.

"Just 'Father'? No 'Mother'?"- Noona asked, feigning hurt.

"Hehe, Mother. I missed you too. I just needed to inform Father about a meeting with the heads of state that we scheduled for your awakening."- Seraph said, teleporting to Noona and wrapping herself around her neck like a scarf.

"It's good that you know to miss your mother."- Noona said, pleased with Seraph's attention.

"I wanna go to the meeting!"- Jean exclaimed eagerly.

"You? What for?"- I asked.

"I haven't really met any Duskari before—at least not living ones. I'm curious about them."- Jean replied.

She probably had seen the souls of Duskari in Hell, but not living individuals.

"Sure, why not?... Actually, Seraph, what is this meeting about?"- I asked. I couldn't think of a reason for the heads of state to convene with me.

"A little bit of a status report, questions about the Favor you'd grant them, and… they've discovered the other continents and have questions."- Seraph explained from the comfort of Noona's embrace.

"I understand the status report and the Favor, but what's this about other continents?"- I asked.

"They launched a few satellites before starting manned missions. Naturally, they were aware of the latitudinal size of America, but the satellites led to the discovery of the other continental masses."- Seraph replied.

"And how does that lead to questions?"- I pressed.

"As Father knows, they are aware of the other sapient species in Halo. With the satellites, they tracked the movements of a few tribes of Homo sapiens and became curious about them—mostly because they recognize them as one of their ancestor species. They're wondering if they should establish relationships with them, especially since distance prevents them from contacting Halo's sapients."

"...Okay, but why didn't you just deny their request and move on?"- I asked. That seemed like the logical approach since the Duskari couldn't leave the Imperium—or my Obelisks—because they were all time variants.

"Right. Elder Sister and I agreed that forbidding it was the only option. But typically, when we deny something, we provide a reason. Since the timeline is a sensitive topic, we weren't sure if we should discuss it openly. Peggy suggested we wait for you to handle it."- Seraph admitted.

I understood their hesitation then.

Religion often makes believers blissfully ignorant. When something is incomprehensible, but a holy book explains it with X reason, people tend to accept it and move on without deeper thought.

In my original universe, religions weren't created by deities—they were crafted by mortals as mechanisms of control and spiritual guidance. Mortals, as ignorant as they were, gradually began to realize their insignificance as they pondered their surroundings. That realization was driven home every time they faced death, gazed at the vastness of the sky, or experienced the trembling earth, roaring seas, or raging storms.

Faced with their own insignificance, mortals either broke or adapted. Humanity's curiosity wouldn't let them stop questioning their surroundings and the beyond—a quality I've always admired about them. But that curiosity inevitably led them to confront their insignificance, a confrontation that could have caused widespread despair, madness, or even suicides.

Enter religion.

Religion offered answers to the unanswerable. Don't understand how humans were created? No problem—the Creator made you. Can't comprehend why your loved ones die? Don't think too much about it—they're in a better place, or perhaps preparing for their next life.

During my mortal days, I suspected religion's explanations. They offered little proof and demanded belief as an act of Faith. But I chose to believe anyway—not wholeheartedly, but enough to prepare for the worst. If they were wrong, I would simply have lived a virtuous life for nothing.

I lived with the heart of a cautious believer. I avoided wrongdoing, partly because I was a decent person but also because I feared the consequences if Hell or reincarnation as a pig were real. What a waste that turned out to be. I still suffered, still became a blob of Void for eons, and still had my mind broken and my heart shattered.

That suffering proved to me that religions could be wrong. Since mortals wrote the holy books, how could they possibly comprehend what would be best for believers millennia later?

I'm not a mortal, but I'm a flawed being, as is my family. To prevent the Duskari from becoming blind followers of the Divinicon, we explicitly stated that it wasn't a book of ultimate answers. Instead, we encouraged them to ask "why" and "how," to seek understanding rather than blindly accept our words.

I had a lot of fun after creating the Divinicon. To prove we could make mistakes, I frequently misinformed the Duskari about trivial things. The gender of their unborn children, the weather, the taste of food—nothing was off-limits.

One year, I told them the Sun was a falling star and would crash into the planet, destroying everything. The resulting wave of prayers that year yielded an extraordinary amount of faith. Luxena, as the Goddess of Agriculture and Celestial Stars, put an end to my fun.

"Okay, I'll explain about the timeline."- I said.

We decided to walk to the building since we had some time, and Jean was eager to immerse herself in Duskari culture. It wasn't a long walk, but it carried its own novelty.

"Lady Seraph, how's your day going?"- A passerby Luxelvi asked as they approached.

"Hello, Frekyn. All is good. How did the kid's magic match go?"- Seraph responded warmly.

"Sadly, his group lost, but you know how kids are—he bounced back before I did."- The passerby chuckled.

"Yeah, kids are like that. Well, better luck next time."- Seraph said with a smile.

The passerby nodded in greeting toward us before continuing on their way.

"... That's weird. They don't know you?"- Jean asked, tilting her head.

"No, they do. But Noona and I aren't worshipped—and neither are you. They see us as something closer to a big mountain; you respect it, but you don't love, have affection for it, or worship it like they do Seraph and the others."- I explained.

"Head, Mistress."- Another passerby said, bowing briefly, before addressing Seraph.

"Ah, Lady Seraph, a sight for sore eyes."- The woman said with reverence.

"Maty, how is your dissertation coming along?"- Seraph asked.

"My Lady, I'm almost done! Could I run it through The System before publishing it?"- She asked with a pleading look.

"Mmm… maybe. Ask my local priest about it. You can't circumvent them through me."- Seraph replied sternly, though her tone carried a motherly endearment.

"Eh, it was worth a shot. Have a nice day, My Lady."- The woman said with a grin before leaving.

"Do you know all their names?"- Jean asked Seraph, sounding impressed.

"Father, Elder Sister, and I run the subsystems. We have profiles for our people under the Believers Managing Subsystem. If you enable the option in your interface, you should be able to see their profiles when you mentally request them."- Seraph explained.

Jean followed Seraph's instructions, and soon, one of my selves was projecting in her mind the names of passersby above their heads, accompanied by small arrows that could be pulled to view their full profiles.

"This is cool. I mostly used The System to catalog demons and demonic realms."- Jean remarked.

"Seraph, did you or Spark guide them toward nuclear power?"- I asked, my tone turning serious.

I'd noticed in one of the reports that most cities ran on nuclear or hydroelectric power. Given the Imperium's location in the tropics, hydroelectric power made sense due to the abundance of water. Nuclear power, while more advanced, was also viable if handled correctly. However, last I checked, there were basically no reserves of fissile material inland, and if they were to mine it from underwater they would need to know what they were looking for, otherwise, they would just disregard the material, just like humanity did for ages. 

"It wasn't us—it was Bucky!"- Seraph immediately deflected any perceived blame.

"Okay, remind me to reward him later. Nuclear power is—after solar energy—the only viable option at this stage for life support systems (LSS) in space."- I said with a mischievous grin.

"... You planned this, didn't you?"- Seraph said, glaring at me.

"Hahaha. No, no, I don't know what you're talking about, Cute Blue."- I chuckled.

"Don't 'Cute Blue' me, Father. That was totally uncalled for. But, well, it was Bucky's idea. Elder Sister introduced the concept and I taught them how to use it."- Seraph said, growing a tendril and giving me a light slap on the shoulder with it.

"Okay. I made them highly resistant to irradiation, so radiation poisoning wouldn't be an immediate problem, but they'd still die from overexposure if they overcame the threshold. Just make sure that if they do a Chernobyl, it doesn't destroy the megafauna's habitat in the central lands. The rest can be repaired."- I advised.

A nuclear disaster in the Imperium, in the long term, wouldn't be catastrophic for the Duskari due to their innate resistance to cancerogenesis. However, the same couldn't be said for the preserved wildlife in the central lands.

"Don't worry, Father. The cores are built over deep wells. If something fails, the core is dropped into a lead-lined well. Actually, we've had a few malfunctions, so the method has been tested."- Seraph said, sending me reports of the incidents.

"Wells? How deep?"- Jean asked, intrigued.

"It depends. The emergency wells under the cores are between 3,000m and 5,000m (1.86–3.11 miles), but we also have a main well for high-level waste (HLW), including spent nuclear fuel (SNF), in the subduction trench of the Cocos and Caribbean plates. That way, the waste gets dragged into the mantle."- Seraph explained.

"The Duskari can build those?"- Jean asked, astonished at the scale of the engineering feat.

"Yes, but Drako usually blesses the ones in charge to expedite the process."- Seraph replied.

"Drako was aiming for the divinities of economy and undergrounds, right?"- Jean asked for confirmation.

"Yep. He built the well in the subduction trench, but the others were entirely made by the Duskari. A lot of earth magic for construction and wind magic for aeration. Difficult, but not impossible."- Seraph said.

"Interesting. It's so different from how things are done back home."- Jean remarked.

"Seraph, did it start due to the need for a fuel source in space?"- I asked.

"No, it began when the construction of the first rockets and launch facilities started siphoning too much energy from the local grids. Nuclear power is still not fully cleared for use in LSS aboard spaceships, but the Moon Forward Base (MFB) is indeed run by a small core."- Seraph explained, Noona patting her head like a cat's.

That made sense. At the moment, using nuclear power as a means of propulsion was far beyond their current capabilities. However, using it to sustain LSS, communications, waste disposal, scanning systems, and other electronic infrastructure was well within reach. The real issue lay in safety.

Placing a nuclear core in a rocket and then losing that rocket would be the equivalent of setting off a dirty bomb. Even if the rocket didn't explode, the vibrations during launch could destabilize the containment system, potentially killing the crew through overexposure to radiation.

"I see. You mentioned 'Heads of State' earlier. Have they finally settled on a form of government?"- I asked, referring to something more structured than their divine oversight.

"Ah, that came about shortly after the Deviants became a commodity."- Seraph began. "There's a council manned by the heads of each city. Each city head is selected pseudo-democratically every 15 years from a pool of civil servants. Right now, Peggy is heading the council, but that's only until they figure out how to select someone for the position long-term.

"Some are leaning toward meritocracy, others toward democracy. A few idiots even suggested combat, and—get this—some said that if combat were an option, it should instead be a dance-off. Overall, they feel more comfortable having one of us oversee things, so they're not exactly in a rush to finalize the process."

"Pfft! Hahaha, a dance-off!"- Jean burst out laughing.

"If the so-called 'most advanced country' in this world's future decided their king through combat, I don't think a dance-off is any worse."- Noona chimed in, her voice laced with amusement.

"I mean... combat is already overused in the wide universe. At least a dance-off would be original."- Seraph added with a small smirk.

"Hahahaha! Yeah, tell them this—if they decide to settle it with a dance-off, I'll laugh my ass off. And if the winner manages to impress me, I'll grant their government one favor."- I said, grinning mischievously.

"No! You'll throw their entire government into chaos. Please don't, Father."- Seraph pleaded, her expression caught somewhere between exasperation and worry.

"It's just for a few millennia, Seraph. Nothing irreparable will happen."- I replied with a teasing grin.

"Tch!"- Seraph clicked her tongue in irritation, clearly not amused.

"Hey, Seraph. What was that about being elected pseudo-democratically?"- Jean asked.

"Oh, that? Because the Imperium leans heavily toward capitalism, we didn't want politicians to end up controlled by their 'sponsors.' Each candidate is selected democratically, but they're later divinely sanctioned. So, even though it's a democracy, we have the final say."- Seraph explained.

"Is that really a thing?"- Jean tilted her head, puzzled.

Seraph looked at her as if she couldn't believe the question. Noona and I exchanged similar looks.

"What? Isn't it usually the other way around? Politicians influencing businessmen?"- Jean asked innocently.

We took a moment to analyze Jean's question. We knew she wasn't stupid, so we were trying to find out what exactly she meant by such a naive question.

"Ah! I think I understand why you're confused."- I exclaimed.

"Enlighten me, Father."- Seraph said, while Noona nodded in agreement.

"Back on our Earth, Hydra controlled most governments and a significant portion of the private sector. In theory, governments should function as Jean imagines, with politicians acting on behalf of the people who elected them. But in practice, monetary power lobbies politicians and controls the government.

"However, Hydra had been running things for so long that they made it appear as if everything was functioning as intended. Essentially, Hydra—disguised as the government—controlled the private sector, which was also largely Hydra. The result? A facade of idyllic governance."- I explained.

"Ah! That's true!"- Seraph exclaimed, the realization dawning on her.

"Wait, so Hydra is doing something good?"- Jean asked, baffled.

"Not Hydra itself."- Noona interjected. "It's the power centralization that's good."

"Power centralization? Isn't that what you and Doom have been advocating for?"- Jean turned to me.

"Yes. Power centralization is, in most cases, preferable. Look at the Shi'ar. Their government is downright evil, but because their power is centralized, they've achieved great things as an empire."- I said.

"It's the same in your home universe, Jean. Hydra is evil, but technically they've been running a smooth ship because they control almost all the critical positions."- Noona added.

"Part of the reason the colonialist faction of Skrulls hiding on Earth hasn't managed to take over is that Hydra runs a tight ship."- Seraph pointed out.

"...What the hell?"- Jean muttered, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, as long as you're not a full-blown dystocrat—derived from 'dystopia' and 'aristocrat'—or a ruinarc—from 'ruin' and 'arch'—who seeks to plunge your territory into anarchy, power centralization is almost always beneficial in the long run. This isn't about morality; it's about achieving the greater good, especially from the perspective of immortals like us."- I explained.

Jean stood silently for a moment, making that adorable pursed-lips expression she always does when deep in thought.

"Now that you mention it... The Kree, Skrulls, and Shi'ar aren't exactly 'good guys,' but their empires are technically successful—or will be."- Jean said, looking back at us with a sense of approval.

"Yes, Jean. All the great civilizations I've encountered rely on centralized governance."- Noona confirmed.

"When morality is set aside and the goal is to achieve quantifiable results, as long as the political system follows a sound logic, centralization is the key."- I concluded.

"What counts as a 'logically sound' political system?"- Jean asked curiously.

"Any system that follows a workable logic. Even if the system fails, centralized power makes it easier for the next system to take over without starting from scratch."- I explained.

"Similar to how even kingdoms throughout human history fell and were replaced when the structure was left standing."- Seraph added.

"But those weren't truly centralized."- Jean argued.

"No, but whoever took over after the previous ruler had an easier time than if they were starting from zero. And let's not forget that many failed because—like you said—they were never truly centralized—they had to contend with foreign influences."- Seraph elaborated.

"Take it with a grain of salt, Jean. This principle works in most cases, but you can't be certain until you see it in action."- Noona cautioned.

Jean nodded thoughtfully, and we continued our walk.

The scene repeated itself: the Duskari would nod respectfully to Noona and me but showered Seraph with adoration. Occasionally, when they carried cameras—which looked retro to my eyes—they would ask for a photo, and we obliged, striking various poses.

"Thank you so much, Head, Mistress, and Lady Seraph."- One Noctelvi said after using her tripod to snap a group picture.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Phoenix. We can finally put a face to the name."- She said to Jean.

"This photo will become famous even in the Second Step. There's no other picture like this in The Ark, right?"- She asked.

"No, I've been busy fighting in the hellish realms. This should be the first picture of me in Duskari hands."- Jean replied.

"Awesome! Thank you so much."- The Noctelvi said before walking away with her camera and tripod.

"That was interesting... They know about our power, right?"- Jean asked, glancing at us.

"Yeah."- I said.

"Yes."- Noona followed.

"Absolutely."- Seraph confirmed.

"Then why aren't they afraid? Back home, my approval ratings tanked because half the world was terrified of me after I shielded it in a cocoon of Cosmic Fire."- Jean said, her tone laced with confusion.

"Desensitization."- We all answered in unison.

"That's the secret?"- Jean asked, incredulous.

"Do you remember when I told America about the frequency of crises in our reality, and she just rolled with it?"- I asked.

"Yes. She said that back in her home universe, the world faced a crisis at least twice a year."- Jean replied.

"It's the same thing. That girl was so desensitized to the word 'crisis' that, for her, it was just another day."- I explained. "Well, in the end, she nearly crapped her boyshorts when she saw the Goblin Force, but that's just a difference in scale."

"Then I hope humans back home get desensitized quickly!"- Jean affirmed with conviction.

"Wishful thinking."- I said curtly.

"I'm allowed to have dreams!"- Jean retorted.

"Now that we're on the topic, Skynet picked up some chatter about a Mutant Registration Act (MRA) before we left. I thought that wouldn't happen in our universe, given how unmatched humans are against Jean, Father, and me—who they perceive as mutants."- Seraph said.

"They've been scratching their heads for the past year trying to figure out what my 'mutant' powers are. They might be pushing for the MRA to legally force me to reveal them and limit me."- I replied.

"But don't they know you can lie?"- Jean asked.

"Yes, but based on what Fury told me, they currently just have a growing list of feats they're trying to attribute to my telekinesis. Part of the MRA's purpose would be to get me to spill details and, ideally, identify other mutants who could counter my public abilities. Since I don't lie publicly—technically, I do, but not about anything they can prove—they figure I'd at least stick to the powers I write on paper. If I use powers outside that list, they could discredit me."- I explained.

"They're desperate. My existence only made things more urgent in their eyes—yours too, Jean. Even more so because they dread the idea of offspring between you and Father."- Seraph added.

"Ugh, that's such nonsense. Aragorn and I are never having children. It's all just a farce."- Jean grumbled.

"No, Jean. Technically, you're the one most at risk of getting pregnant by My Love."- Noona said. I nodded in agreement.

"Excuse me?!"- Jean's eyes widened in shock.

"Jean, do you know how Gaea got pregnant by me and Noona?"- I asked.

"Yeah, I saw the memory."- Jean replied, still processing Noona's comment.

"Well, consider how often my psionic energy and Phoenix's blend within you. Normally, this wouldn't amount to much, but since Phoenix and I are the nexuses of our psionic energy, and you're our direct beneficiary—and since Phoenix is the Aspect of Rebirth—higher energies within you occasionally mix with concepts so close to life that, technically, you could get pregnant if one of us slipped."- I explained.

"... Excuse me?!"- She exclaimed again.

"Don't lose your marbles, Jean. It's technically possible, but it's highly unlikely. When I said you were the one most at risk, I only meant because no one else is at risk at all. Since you have an infinitesimal chance, you're technically the most at risk."- Noona clarified with mirth.

"What? Really, that's it?"- Jean asked, her heart settling.

"Yeah, Jean... They were pulling your leg."- Seraph said with a chuckle.

"Ugh... Can you two please not joke about this?"- Jean glared at us.

"Would it be so bad to bear my and Phoenix's child?"- I asked, more curious than anything.

"... I don't know. I can't picture myself as a mother, so I haven't deeply thought about having my own children. I enjoyed Sarah, Vladarion, and Luxena when they were infants, but that's different from having my own."- Jean replied after a moment of thought.

"Besides, would you accept it so easily, Death?"- Jean asked Noona.

"Mmmm, I think you misunderstand the nature of my jealousy for My Love. After Gaea bore our seed of death and void, I wouldn't feel jealous if My Love impregnated another woman, so long as no intercourse or feelings were involved."- Noona nodded, as if finishing a mental calculation.

"Now, I would absolutely explode with jealousy if My Love were impregnated by a man."- Noona's eyes gleamed with madness. "I want to be the first to do so—once we figure out how, of course—but, Jean, I'd actually be supportive of you carrying Phoenix's and My Love's child."

"What? Why?"- The ever-innocent Firebird glanced my way, a subtle flush painting her cheeks. The conversation was clearly too much for her.

"Phoenix was my only friend for billions of years. I'd be happy if she found something else to focus on, other than torturing her hosts. And, well, I like you, Jean. So there's that."- Noona finished.

Jean stood stunned.

"What a weird conversation. What about me? Can I carry Father's seed?"- Seraph asked.

"Hahahahaha!"- I laughed.

"Hahahahaha!"- Noona joined in.

"No."- we both said firmly.

"How unfair!"- Seraph pouted.

"Our family dynamics are already odd enough, at least wait for a few billion years before you muddle boundaries further."- I said.

"Not to mention how the majority of our children sleep with each other as casually as sharing a hug."- Noona added.

"I'm an eldritch being, so I'm not one to measure your relationships with human morality. But if you keep this up, I won't get to see the Drachantheon Therion expand. So far, only James's and Steve's descendants have spread."- I remarked.

"That's all you care about, Father! Getting more babies."- Seraph grumbled.

"Pretty much."- I said.

"Sounds about right."- Noona agreed.

"I wanted a child with you, Father."- Seraph muttered under her breath.

"You can have one with Jean. The Firebird here should get laid before she becomes the Aspect of Virginity instead."- I teased the thoughtful Firebird.

"You! What do you care? Let me be!"- She exploded in exasperation.

"Hahahaha!"- I laughed.

"Hahahaha!"- My partner in crime, Noona, supported me.

Teasing Jean and poking Seraph, we finally reached the building where the heads of state convened.

—————————

{A/N:

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