He sighed, not without some happiness. Truly it was a botheration, but considering the various bullets he'd just dodged, Belasco wasn't complaining. Not out loud, anyway.
He'd died.. and died.. and died! So many unpleasant demises, but Limbo and his soul being bound to his blade by the Elder Gods all those years ago had kept the old bastard going strong.
He was altogether unsurprised that his successor to the throne of Limbo had reintegrated into a new life upon her deaths. The means was wild, but then from what he'd scryed, Illyana Rasputin had died in some VERY severe ways, multiverse-wide.
As he lounged in his little side-pocket (Limbo currently reconfiguring into a second Realm for its renewed Mistress, the odd time-wracked plane was currently unavailable), Belasco snorted gently. Yes, he was aware she'd be reborn, somehow.. and he'd planned for it.
"Now, all I have to do keep things turning sour gently.. in those little ways that ruin the soul--and I'll have my life-weary living Gateway, yet!" He laughed in a (of course) evil fashion. Of course, he'd barred off Nerima's reality from outside interrventions, aside from his own. Took the majority of his current powers, but it was worth it.
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POV: All And Away
From the outside, the Universe had no set from, unless you had just the right perspective. This was important.
For to those with sufficient perspective and luck (and the favor of such beings) there were conceptual beings. Embodiments of notions, they.. were, without quite fitting into the system the way conventional lifeforms did.
Out here, that was especially true (in all cases) of the Eternity set. Eternity was, simply and awesomely enough, the embodiment of a universe. The most famous example (as in the one actually described by he who a aspect was revealed unto) was the Eternity of the Main Maervel Universe. Of course, each universe had its own.
Out here (in the sense that there was a place outside Places), Eternity sat, and Eternity sat, and so on. Usually.
But as Illyana could tell you, it's certainly possible to bridge realities. So equally obviously, Realities interacted at times. So this odd 'sight', if one had the luck to be 'here' and the perception to witness it.
Eternity Juggled. This one had been juggling a few things for quite some time, and the flashy part was just beginning. What this Eternity looked like? No words ecxisted, and if they did, it wouldn't matter really. What mattered was the occasional addition, a flow of minor objects into the juggling act. Eternity, the Marvelverse one, was doing its own long juggling act, as always, but as the Tribunal 'walked' by, it showed a faint gleam of a different face, then tossed a addition. This was smoothly juggled, and led to a first pull back, the Juggling act becoming a dual act, one tossing a bone (or whatever) to the other. The Ultimate Tribunal watched and judged it good, then 'spoke' when it determined doing so wouldn't unbalance this in its own right.
~So. The Ancient One within you had a point?~ This to the Marvelverse Eternity. That one just shrugged at the right moment, allowing a pair of Ruby Quartz glasses to be 'snatched'.
~Somewhat. Besides, I dislike both the rampant abuse of one linked however obliquely to my varying aspects.~ That was in reference to Illyana's associate and the Ancient Onbe's disciple, Dr. Stephen Strange. Eternity had 'personally' appointed Strange as Sorceror Supreme of Its turf befoe the Ancient One had died, anyhow, so it tended to keep a perception or two on Strange's life and associations.
The other Eternity 'chuckled'. ~Yes. This makes things a bit more serious that I had envisioned for my own Nexi, but that may just throw the salient events into sharper relief anyway.~ Being a Embodiment of a younger universe, the Eternity of the Nerimaverse was a bit more into showmanship. No doubt it would settle in its own time, the Tribunal judged.
While it was judging stuff anyway, the Tribunal decided to inquire on a minor aspect. ~So, you rocket scientists figure out how to counter the lunkhead?~ Not the most formal way of expressing it, but then this was Aspect/Aspect chatter, nothing mortals were ever going to get a sense wrapped around. Bedies. In cosmic scale, Belasco wasn't exactly the most respectable sort. Nor respected, as his planning to undo some of the Marvelverse's major events (the binding of the Elder Gods) tended to make him seem rather a persistant headcold or Malaria: a disease in other words, one you could handle, but never quite be rid of.
This time, the Marvelverse Eternity 'chuckled', even breaking into 'laughter' for a 'moment'. ~Already set, as you might suspect. He's spent centuries on creating a living Gate, but the little moron hasn't realised that he can't percieve her portal save by actual scry, by those very properties he so prizes. So, it was a simple matter for Lord Order and Master Chaos to ensure that every time Akane opens a hole between Our turfs, We get to toss a bit more through on the sly. He's going to hose himself *really* good, and on Ner's lands, which means soon I'll finally be freed of my little Belasco infection.~ Marvelverse Eternity was almost giddy (for It), as this was a goal It had long hoped to have come to pass already!
The Just Revenge face of the Tribunal dipped in a sharp nod for a 'instant' as it grasped the point easily. ~Basically, you've set up the Ascent of Belasco's pawn and ensured she and her companions are going to trample the unjust one in the process. This is Approved. In lieu of making a huge fuss or manifesting in this--as You two seem to have it well in hand--allow simple congratulations.~ The Tribunal then wandered off to Judge more things.
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POV: Occasional Presence
The Ancient One was dead. Indisputably. But as he'd actually merged with Eternity Itself in a couple of life-aspects, he did pop up from time to time. Frankly, the Spiritual Master, Wong, was never sure what he meant when the Ancient bothered to do so, although insight could be found applying it to what he learned later.
So with a air of curiosity, he watched the transparent form of his former boss appear. Before the Ancient demanifested, he simply said the following, with the most *wicked* grin;
"Elephants, have little fleas, upon their backs to bite them. Little fleas have littler fleas, and so, ad infinitum."
Wong comptemplated. Then he got the Excedrin and comptemplated some more, while tidying Stephen's place. It was a living.
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(Posted Sat, 29 May 2004 17:04)
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