[Carter Residence, Living Room, New York, 28th September 2010]

Outside, the world looked like it was ending.

The sky above New York was a churning mass of dark cloud split through with veins of blue lightning that branched and rebranched across the entire visible horizon. The wind rolled through the streets hard enough to send trash cans clattering down the block and strip leaves from every tree available.

The temperature had done something that no meteorologist in the world could adequately explain in their report, climbing and dropping at the same time, the upper air hot and the ground-level air cold, the atmosphere itself caught between two competing demands and unable to resolve them.

Every place across the world is experiencing the phenomenon.

Cities that once pulsed with life fall into chaos as fear spreads faster than any storm. People flood the streets, their voices rising in confusion and panic, while others remain frozen in place, staring at the sky as if it might offer answers.

No one understands what is happening.

Some whisper that it is the end—that this is how everything finally falls apart. Others cling to theories, wild and desperate, trying to force meaning into the unknown. Screens flicker with breaking news, experts contradicting one another as uncertainty grows heavier by the second.

And somewhere, in labs and observatories across the globe, scientists work relentlessly—analyzing, calculating, searching for even the smallest clue.

But the truth remains just out of reach.

And the world holds its breath.

Meanwhile, inside the Carter residence, it was perfectly calm.

The living room was warm and well-lit.

The storm outside was a distant thing, present in the sound of wind against the windows but not in the room itself, as though the house had quietly decided to be exempt from whatever was happening in the sky.

Ethan sat in the center of the couch, and his women arranged themselves around him with the natural ease of people who had learned each other’s geometries over time.

Anna was to his left, Jean to his right, Diana in the armchair angled toward him, Didi settled nearby with her legs folded under her, and Sue beside Anna with her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee she had stopped drinking twenty minutes ago.

Elizabeth sat close to the group, near enough to be included but with the careful posture of someone still learning where the edges of belonging were.

After Jean had finished healing Johnny, Ethan had extended his Chronokinesis across the affected area in a wide, precise sweep, rewinding time through every block the fight had touched until the cracked pavement was whole and the scorched storefronts were intact and the construction site was exactly as it had been before Ghost Rider had used it as a battlefield.

The city around the Baxter Building remembered nothing. Then he had handed an unconscious Johnny to Ben and spoken briefly with him before they left.

Ethan even carried the unconscious Johnny Blaze—Ghost Rider—into the Mirror Dimension, and told them he would figure out what was going on with him.

"What did Ben say?" Sue asked.

"He said he would explain everything when Johnny woke up," Ethan said. "He also said, and I am quoting directly, that he had taken worse hits on a Tuesday and Johnny better wake up fast before he ate all the food in the building."

Sue almost smiled. "That sounds exactly like him."

"He also said to tell you he was glad you were okay," Ethan added. "In the specific way Ben says things like that, which is to say he said it while looking at the wall and then immediately changed the subject."

Sue’s almost-smile became a real one, brief and warm.

Then it faded, and the room settled into something quieter.

Ethan looked at his hands in his lap. The room waited.

"I owe all of you an apology," he said.

"Ethan—" Anna started.

"Let me finish." His voice was calm but it carried something underneath it, something that had been sitting in his chest since the moment he had sensed the situation from Italy and understood exactly what had been happening while he was eating gelato and watching the Tuscan stars.

"You are my responsibility. Every one of you. Not because you are incapable, because you are all extraordinary and I have never believed otherwise. But because I made a promise to protect this family and I have been arrogant about what that means."

He looked up. "I convinced myself that no one would come after you knowing what I am capable of. That my power would be enough of a deterrent to keep you safe by proximity alone."

He let the words sit for a moment. "That was arrogance. In a plain and simple terms. I have the power to destroy galaxies and today I nearly lost Sue’s brother and probably even Sue because I was on a date in another country and none of you had what you needed to handle what came through the door."

The room was quiet.

"It’s not your fault," Sue said. Her voice was steady and she meant it fully. "You cannot be everywhere, Ethan. None of us expect that."

"You can’t predict every threat that comes out of nowhere," Jean said. "Mephisto sending Ghost Rider after Sue with no prior warning is not a failure of planning. It is simply the universe we live in."

"That is exactly the problem," Ethan said. ’We live in the Marvel universe.’

He said it plainly, without drama, because the plainness of it was the point. "I know what this universe is fully capable of. I know what lives in the dark corners of it. There are powers here that can erase someone from the timeline entirely, and my Chronokinesis cannot bring back someone who has been erased from existence without consent. I know this. And I have been sitting on resources that could change that equation for every single one of you, and I have not moved on it because I thought proximity to my power was enough."

He looked around the room. "It is not enough. It was never enough. And today proved it."

Nobody argued with that.

Anna reached over and put her hand over his. She did not say anything immediately, which was its own kind of answer. Diana had her arms crossed and her expression was composed but her eyes were thoughtful.

Didi watched him with the particular quality of attention she brought to things that mattered to her, quiet and total. Sue was looking at her coffee.

"So," Anna said finally. "What are you planning to do about it, sugar?"

Ethan’s posture shifted slightly. The weight of the apology settled behind him and the forward-facing version of him came to the front.

He used his telepathy then, not words but a complete and vivid transfer of information, images and context and sensation, the way telepathic communication worked when the sender was precise about it.

He shared everything to Diana and Susan. The Solo Leveling world. The Monarchs. The war he had fought there. The cores he had taken from the Monarchs he had killed, each one a compressed essence of power that the original wielder had wielded throughout their existence, now contained and transferable.

Sue’s eyes went wide as the information settled into her. Diana’s jaw tightened slightly, processing.

The cores he currently held were these. Antares, the Dragon King and the Monarch of Destruction, second in power only to the Shadow Monarch himself, a being of pure destruction whose strength was so absolute that he could fight the Shadow Monarch to a standstill on his best day.

Silad, the Frost Monarch, whose dominion over ice and cold operated on a scale that could freeze entire continents.

Yogumunt, the Monarch of Transfiguration, who could reshape matter and living things at will.

Rakan, the Beast Monarch, whose physical power and combat instinct had no ceiling that had ever been found.

And Tarnak, the Iron Body Monarch, whose physical durability had made him nearly impossible to destroy.

He then shared Elizabeth’s situation, the full context of it, Querehsha’s possession, the destruction of her kingdom and her world, the length of time Elizabeth had held her own consciousness intact against a Monarch’s will, and how it had ended.

The room fell deathly still as Didi, Anna, and Jean understood what Ethan was silently transmitting to Diana and Sue through telepathy.

Diana looked at Elizabeth with an expression that carried the specific recognition of one warrior seeing another.

"Elizabeth," Sue said quietly.

Elizabeth looked up, surprised to be addressed directly, and found the room looking at her with an assortment of expressions that shared a common foundation of something warm and serious.

"She’s one of the strongest people in this room," Anna said. She said it simply and without performance. "Holdin’ your mind against a Monarch’s will for that long. I don’t think most people understand what that actually means."

"I do," Diana said. Her voice was quiet and certain. "I have faced possession attempts from beings far lesser than a Monarch during my journey in Hell dimensions. What you endured is not a small thing, Elizabeth."

Jean opened her eyes. "It is remarkable," she said. "Genuinely."

Elizabeth’s cheeks had gone pink. She looked down at her hands and then back up, clearly uncertain what to do with the weight of the room’s attention.

"I did not think of it as strength at the time," she said carefully. Her voice was soft but it did not waver. "I only knew that my family wished for me to live. My mother. My father. Everyone I had lost."

She paused. "The only reason I did not let Querehsha consume me completely is because they wanted me to have a happy life. Letting go would have been a betrayal of that wish."

She looked up and there was something very clear in her eyes.

"I know they are gone," she said. "But I believe they are at peace. And I believe they would be glad to know that I am here, with people who are kind to me, living the life they wanted for me."

A small smile touched her face. "So that is what I intend to do. Live it. Not only for myself but also for them."

Her hands rose to her chest, feeling the essence of Querehsha settled within her, and her expression gradually steadied.

"I did not choose to have this power, but I have it so that I can live. And I refuse to waste it. This power was once used to destroy lives, and now I want to see if I can use the same power to protect the innocent. That feels right to me."

The room was quiet for a moment.

"That," Didi said softly, "is one of the most genuinely wise things I have heard in a very long time. And I am very old."

Ethan looked at Elizabeth for a moment. He had seen a lot of things in his time across universes by using Chronokinesis.

He knew, with the clear-eyed practicality of someone who had watched reality operate without sentiment, that soft and caring people often paid the highest prices in worlds that ran on power.

He knew that the universe Elizabeth lived in now was not going to be gentle with her simply because she deserved gentleness.

He stood, crossed the room, and placed his hand on top of her head.

Elizabeth looked up at him, startled.

"I will do everything in my power to help you," he said simply. "Whatever you need to build that life. You have my word."

Elizabeth’s expression did something complicated and quiet. "Ethan-sama," she murmured, barely above a whisper.

"Oh, she’s definitely joining the harem," Anna said, from across the room, with the confident tone of someone announcing a fact.

"Anna," Jean said.

"I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking, Jean."

Elizabeth turned a remarkable shade of red. "I did not mean it that way! I would never presume to—Ethan-sama has done so much already and I would never take advantage of his kindness by—"

"So you’re saying you don’t like him?" Anna asked pleasantly.

"I did not say that!" Elizabeth pressed both hands to her cheeks. "I like Ethan-sama very much, he is the most important person to me after my family, but that is not the same as—"

The room laughed. It was a warm laugh, not a cruel one, and Elizabeth seemed to understand the difference even through her embarrassment, but her eyes had gone glassy in the way of someone who had reached the outer limit of their composure.

Didi stood, moved to the couch beside Elizabeth, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Ignore them," she said serenely. "They do this to everyone. I will protect you."

Elizabeth looked at Didi with the expression of someone who had just been handed a lifeline in deep water. "Thank you," she said, with complete sincerity.

"She looked at you like you were an angel," Ethan told Didi.

"I am very angelic," Didi agreed.

"You are literally Death."

"Death can be very comforting," Didi said. "Ask anyone."

The laughter settled and the room found its way back to the purpose of the conversation. Ethan looked around at his girls, at the people who mattered most to him in any universe, and felt the weight of the evening shift into something more forward-facing.

"I want each of you to consider which core you want," he said. "Take your time. This is not a small decision."

Didi spoke first, calm and immediate. "I appreciate the offer. But those cores add nothing to what I already am."

She said it without arrogance, simply as a statement of fact. She was Death of the Endless. The essence of a Monarch, however powerful, was a different category of thing entirely.

Everyone nodded. There was no argument to be made.

Jean was next. She was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "I have been working toward something," she said.

"The Phoenix Force. The absolute peak of merging with the Phoenix. I can hold that state for a few minutes currently and I intend to master it fully." She looked at Ethan. "Taking a Monarch core right now would pull my development in two directions at once. I would rather perfect what I am building before I add something new to it."

Ethan smiled. "That is exactly the right call."

"Besides," Jean added, with a perfectly level expression, "you already told me you are not giving a Monarch core to the mother of your child without knowing the full range of possible interactions."

The room went very still.

Sue turned to stare at Jean. Diana’s eyes moved between them.

"I’m sorry," Sue said carefully. "The mother of your—"

"Congratulations," Diana said, before the sentence could become a question. Her voice was warm and genuine and she looked at both of them with something that was clearly real. "Truly."

Sue recovered from the surprise with admirable speed and leaned across to squeeze Jean’s hand. "Jean. That is wonderful. I am so happy for you both."

"Thank you," Jean said. The composure she usually wore with such ease had softened at the edges, just slightly. "We were going to tell everyone properly but the evening had other plans."

"Hey, quick question—what do you guys think the baby will be, boy or girl?" Anna asked immediately, raising her hand like she was in a classroom.

"We are not discussing that right now," Ethan said flatly.

"That means he doesn’t know yet," Anna shot back, turning to the room with a grin. "But I’m confident it’s a boy."

Ethan exhaled softly, clearly trying not to get pulled into it. "I’ll be happy either way," he said, and then added, "but if I had to choose... I’d prefer a girl."

Anna folded her arms, smirking. "You can’t prove it won’t be a boy."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "And you can’t prove it is."

Anna leaned forward slightly, her grin widening. "Oh, I don’t need proof. I have intuition."

Ethan let out a quiet chuckle. "Your intuition also said it wouldn’t rain last week."

"And it almost didn’t," Anna shot back instantly.

A few quiet laughs spread through the room, easing the tension just a little.

Didi shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "You two are unbelievable."

Anna pointed at Ethan like she had just made her winning argument. "See? Even she agrees with me."

"That’s not what I said," Didi replied calmly.

Ethan crossed his arms, though the warmth hadn’t left his expression. "You’re arguing over something neither of us can confirm yet."

Anna shrugged, completely unfazed. "That’s what makes it fun."

He looked at her for a moment, then sighed in defeat, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Fine. Believe what you want."

Anna’s smile turned triumphant. "Don’t worry, I will. And when I’m right, I expect full acknowledgment."

Ethan smirked slightly. "If you’re right, I’ll admit it."

"And if I’m wrong?" she asked, tilting her head.

Ethan paused for a second, then said, "Then be prepared for the punishment of messing with me. And trust me... by the time I’m done with you, you’ll be screaming my name until your throat gives out."

Anna’s eyes lit up for a brief moment, a spark of excitement flashing across her face—but it faded just as quickly, replaced by a more cautious look, like she wasn’t entirely sure she actually wanted to test that promise.

"Oh, I’m both curious and concerned now," she muttered.

A few snickers rippled through the room.

Ethan’s expression didn’t change much, but there was a quiet edge beneath it. "But we’ll discuss that later. We’re moving on."

Anna leaned back with the satisfied expression of someone who had gathered enough information to continue the conversation later at a time of her choosing.

Ethan looked at the remaining three. "Anna. Susan. Diana. Take your time."

Anna spoke after a moment of consideration. She laid out her current power set plainly, the Power Cosmic that Ethan had given her, the Viltrumite physiology from Anissa, the absorbed traces of Logan and Lobo and Magneto and Doomsday, the absorption ability that came from her X-gene.

"The problem," Ethan said, cutting in gently, "is the inhibitor collar risk."

Anna’s expression acknowledged it without flinching. "Yeah."

"Your X-gene powers can be suppressed. A Mutant inhibitor field, the Inhibitor Collar, a sufficiently advanced version of the technology that Trask Industries has been developing, any of those can take your mutant powers offline. Which means in the right situation you lose access to everything you have absorbed. The Power Cosmic stays because that was a direct transfer, not a mutation. Your mystic arts knowledge stay, but with right tech, one can make you unable to access your energy to perform mystic arts. So, you’ll be mostly vulnerability."

Anna nodded slowly. "So more power that doesn’t route through the X-gene is a smart move."

"That is my thinking."

She was quiet for a moment, running through the cores he had described.

Then she looked up. "The Beast Monarch. Rakan." She said it with the certainty of someone who had already known the answer and was confirming it. "Physical combat is where I live. More raw power, better combat instinct, a ceiling I have not hit yet. That works for me."

Ethan nodded. "It suits you. I had the same thought."

Diana looked at Sue. "I want the Dragon Monarch core," she said. "Antares. If that is acceptable to you."

Ethan’s eyebrow went up slightly and he looked between them. He had known Diana would want it the moment she heard the descriptions.

The Dragon Monarch was destruction embodied, raw overwhelming power, exactly the kind of strength a warrior with Diana’s mindset and combat philosophy would reach for. And it was second only to the Shadow Monarch. But he had simply wanted to check with Susan first.

Sue smiled. "I do not mind."

"Susan," Ethan said. "I want you to be certain. I don’t want you to regret it later. If you’re not sure, we can think this through—Diana would be fine with another choice. But make sure you’re certain for yourself."

Diana looked at Sue as well. "If you want Antares, take it. I will find another path. I mean that."

Sue looked at both of them and there was something quietly amused in her expression. "I already know which one I want," she said. "I had decided before Diana spoke." She looked at Ethan. "The Frost Monarch. Silad."