'Inner dialogue/thoughts'
"Normal dialogue"
[System]
[Diary Entry]
(Word count: 1,445)
~ With Luke ~
"The One Above All. . ." Luke absentmindedly repeated.
When he regained his bearings, Luke was suddenly hyper-aware of just who was standing before him to the point that his mind was beginning to short-circuit. 'Holy shit that's The One Above All! He could end me in a single thought and there would have been nothing I could do about it!'
"Your Highn- Your Maje- My Lieg- My Lord-" Luke fumbled as his body could not decide on what to do.
First, he had wanted to shake hands, but then decided to bow, which changed into him getting on his knees about to perform a dogeza, until ultimately deciding to get on one knee while lowering his head and raising his arm 90 degrees just under her face.
"You don't have to worry about that, Luke. And please, you can refer to me as Stan." The One Above All, now referred to as Stan, said reassuringly.
Luke did not dare raise his gaze, preferring to stare at the ground beneath him. 'Oh look at the ground, it's so empty, so white, so pure, so demure.'
"Raise your head, Luke Sullivan." Stan commanded.
With the command given, Luke hesitantly raised his head, but still held his gaze so as to not look directly at Stan.
Stan found the sudden change in Luke's behaviour mildly amusing. But as much as the situation amused him, he still had things he needed to do.
"Come with me." He said, turning around and walking away.
Luke immediately got up and trailed just behind Stan. As they began their walk, the scenery began changing all around them. But instead of grand sceneries like a mountainous backdrop, or the starry night sky above them, Luke found himself walking along a familiar hallway.
'This is. . . Home.'
"Not exactly." Stan remarked. "I am not able to send you back to where you came from, though thanks to my agreement with the entity that sent you here, I do know much about you and of your past life."
It was then that Luke stopped in his tracks, finally realizing a piece of information that Stan had revealed a few moments earlier. Stan stopped as well, hearing the unspoken question within Luke's mind.
"Ah, yes." He chuckled. "Imagine my surprise when I find out that there was a multiverse in existence where myself and Source are just fictional beings. Source has the power to scout out other multiverses, so I knew of there being other multiverses in existence.
In fact, I've seen this other multiverse that seemed much like ours. I believe you called it the multiverse from the studio next door?" Stan revealed, much to Luke's surprise.
"Holy shit, you've seen the DC Universe?!" Luke exclaimed.
"Ah yes, the DC Universe is what it's known. Indeed, I have." Stan then turned to face Luke. "You know, as surprising as it was to know that I was just a fictional character, it all kind of makes sense now.
You see, while I was attempting to visit this DC Universe, something came to meet me at its' doorstep. He called himself. . . The Presence. At first glance, I could tell that he was just as powerful as I was.
And while he was cordial, he had also hinted that outside presence in his multiverse domain was not welcome. I respected that. Even I myself would react the same way. But as we spoke, he revealed something to me. Something that made me question my very being." Stan said.
Luke found himself unable to react at Stan's multiple revelations. Other multiverses. Source being able to see other multiverses. Stan being able to visit these multiverses. Even visiting the DC Multiverse and meeting with The Presence!
That's The Presence! An entity on par with The One Above All himself!
'And yet, something it said surprised Stan to the point where he began doubting his very existence?! What the fuck did he sa-'
"He told me that even he himself was created by 'external' forces. And that got me thinking, if someone as powerful as he, who was as powerful as I, was created by external forces, then what about myself?"
Luke struggled to stand at the reveal. His knees buckled and he was about to fall flat on his ass, when he sunk into a comfortable beanbag. He knew who created it, but he could not react as his mind was still in shock at what Stan was telling him.
"This question stuck with me for eons. Until most recently, an entity appeared by my doorstep and made a request to me."
It was at this moment where Luke's eyes widened, and he instantly made eye contact with Stan. He saw as Stan nodded his head, indicating that his own conclusion was what had happened.
"That's right. That entity was the higher entity and the request he made to me was concerning you. It was only then when I got an answer to my question. And so, finding out that I am but a fictional character in your original multiverse is not as big of a deal that you think it to be."
Stan did not speak any further, allowing Luke time to digest the information. On the other hand, it had felt like many years had passed by to Luke as he sat on his beanbag, digesting and contemplating every single piece of information that Stan had just bestowed.
By the time Luke snapped out of his dazed state, he had found himself in his old bedroom that was plastered with multiple articles of varied content. There were posters of Justin Bieber next to posters of DC's Flash, there were figurines of Goku that stood next to figurines of Gawr Gura, there were even multiple plushies lining the bedframe.
A lone tear traced down his cheeks as the sight brought back many memories for Luke. Memories that he had long since reminisced on. He had focused most of his time on his new reality, rarely remembering the old.
"Why?" He questioned.
"I know what you want to ask, but I want to hear it from you." Stan requested.
For the second time that day, Luke made eye contact with Stan and held it. "Why bring me here? The timing seems all too convenient." He started.
"I finally have a good day where things just fell in place perfectly for me. I got to live the dream of being officially together with Wanda Maximoff, even kissing her. Did you know how soft the sensations of her lips were? What she tasted like?" Luke asked rhetorically.
Stan opted to remain silent, knowing that Luke was not really expecting a response.
"She tasted like strawberries. Throughout her birthday party, the culinary theme we set was strawberry. Do you know why? Because she told me it was the first thing that she ever tasted which was sweet.
Then after my time with Wanda, I find out that the fight between Stane and Tony was happening. And just as I was about to go help Tony, my day gets ruined further because some different, darker version of Wanda appears and starts yapping to me.
To make matters worse, I find out that the one constant that's been with me, helping me throughout my new lease in life, my system, is unable to help me.
I have never felt so powerless before that encounter. I thought my whole life was over. Either that Wanda would end me, or my entire existence would be found out because of her. But just as I was about to face her head-on, she disappears.
Just like that. And when the containment ends, I find myself in the emptiest space I could ever imagine, where I finally meet you. The One Above All, who tells me that he was the one who brought me here.
So why? For what reason have you brought me here?" Luke pleaded.
It was time to get serious. Seeing his old room had aroused something within him. Luke believed that there were no such things as coincidences, so he had to find out the reason why the biggest big shot in Marvel had specifically met up with him on the one day where his life became a rollercoaster.
- End of Chapter 96 -