The night was tranquil, and the rooftop of Camp Lehigh even more so.
Natasha moved with lithe grace, her gaze fixed on the figure before her. She hesitated, unable to muster the courage to approach him.
Until the figure turned around.
They stood face to face, sharing the same features yet possessing entirely different eyes.
Future Natasha gazed at the present Natasha, her eyes holding a strange, inexplicable light.
There was understanding in her gaze, but even more so, a sense of astonishment.
"What exactly did you go through?"
The two spoke almost simultaneously, their words hanging in the air before they fell into an equally profound silence.
After a moment, Natasha slowly walked to the edge of the rooftop and stood beside Future Natasha.
Future Natasha broke the tense, oppressive atmosphere first. "You... don't seem to have experienced what I did."
"Perhaps because someone who shouldn't exist was introduced, causing everything in this world to be twisted..." Present Natasha gazed at the sky above. "In truth, this is beyond imagination."
"Then... could you tell me about your experiences?" Future Natasha asked quietly.
And so, the tale began to unfold.
On the other side of the room, Arthur stood by the open window, his hands resting on the balcony railing.
He and Lily hadn't moved yet.
They'd lived here for so long that the urgency to relocate hadn't materialized as expected. For now, their current apartment felt surprisingly comfortable.
Having finished tidying up, Lily approached the window and wrapped her arms around Arthur's waist from behind. "You look... strange right now," she murmured.
"It'll pass," Arthur replied, patting her hand. "This sudden situation has left me... well, a bit at a loss."
"But you can handle everything, right?" Lily asked softly from behind.
"I can," Arthur assured her.
He smiled faintly. "Actually, nothing has truly changed. The only difference is probably my mindset."
After a moment of silence, he told Lily, "I'll probably need to go out tonight."
"Mm-hmm," Lily nodded.
Arthur turned, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her gently on the forehead. Releasing her, he studied her tense little face.
Arthur reached out and gently pinched her cheek. "Frowning will give you wrinkles."
"That's not true..." Lily muttered under her breath, turning to follow Arthur. The Blink glow was already on the floor. Arthur had activated the Teleportation Array.
"I'll take you to work tomorrow morning."
With those words, Arthur's figure vanished from the room.
Lily watched as the Teleportation Array's light gradually dimmed. She let out a soft sigh and turned to the window, gazing at the moonlit sky. Why do I suddenly not want him to be a superhero anymore? Suddenly, I just want him to be an ordinary person, to stay by my side forever. Ugh, Lily, you're being so selfish... even though you know...
As she spoke, tears welled up and streamed down her face. Wiping them away, she silently shook her head. Even though I know everything, I can't help myself. Lily, Lily... why are you so useless?
As the light Blinked within the room, Arthur's figure gradually materialized from within its glow.
He stepped forward into the narrow, dimly lit space, finding it completely empty.
He made no move to open the door and leave; the quiet solitude was exactly what he sought.
Sitting on the bed, it was clear the room was regularly cleaned; not a speck of dust lay on the spotless sheets.
With a thought, he triggered Blink, and an orange glow materialized before him.
Arthur silently observed the floating gem, the two locked in silent confrontation.
"Are you behind this?" Arthur finally asked.
There was no response.
"You're behind this..." This time, Arthur spoke with certainty. "According to her account, she was sacrificed, voluntarily, though it may have been. But the truth is, she likely died right before you. You control her soul, so her sudden appearance before me must be your doing."
"But I still don't understand... why?"
Arthur frowned deeply. "Why would it do this? Why would it so easily yield control to me? Why would it inexplicably send another Natasha to me? Or... are you planning to send all the various Natashas from the parallel universes here?"
The Soul Stone pulsed with a vibrant orange glow, blinking serenely without changing.
Arthur found himself at a loss for words, muttering to a gemstone like this. He could only sigh softly, casually stow the Soul Stone into his Disassemble space, and rise to open the door. The person standing there took him by surprise.
"I've been waiting for you," Stephen Strange said, his tone carrying a hint of his own confusion. "Though I'm not entirely sure why you've come."
"Perhaps... because some people know," Arthur replied.
The moment Arthur saw Stephen, a hunch formed in his mind. His slightly furrowed brow betrayed his less-than-ideal mood, but after a few breaths, he let out a long sigh. "Let's go, junior brother. We shouldn't keep her... waiting."
Stephen hesitated for a moment before following Arthur.
Arthur, naturally, knew Kamar-Taj like the back of his hand.
In contrast, Stephen felt like an outsider as he trailed behind Arthur, eventually arriving at the Ancient One's chamber door.
Before they could knock, the heavy wooden door swung open.
The Ancient One sat in serene meditation, then looked up with a gentle smile. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."
"...So you've known all along?" Arthur strode into the room with a resigned sigh. "What will the Future truly become?"
If Natasha from the parallel universe hadn't appeared, Arthur believed the Future would have been a simple, straightforward path to peace. The world would be at peace, and even if occasional major villains emerged, they would be easily defeated.
But now, with her arrival, everything seemed to have shifted, becoming increasingly unpredictable.
He couldn't help but wonder what he was about to face...
"I can't see everything, as you know."
The Ancient One smiled faintly. "But by now, almost everything has come to light. We're very close. If you're willing to wait patiently, all the endings will soon be revealed to each of us."
"...I feel like you haven't said anything at all." Arthur couldn't help but interject.
(End Of This Chapter)
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