This was a world of dead silence.
Endless darkness stretched in every direction, broken only by massive stone fragments suspended in midair, as if gravity itself had forgotten its job.
This was the place where Asgard's ancient king Bor had once sealed away the Dark Elves.
"What the hell is this place…?"
Jessica Jones slammed into the ground, groaning as she rubbed her lower back and forced herself upright.
"This… this doesn't look like Earth," Jane Foster said, staring at the floating rock formations in disbelief.
"Obviously not," Jessica muttered, rolling up her sleeves as silver-white bracers unfolded along her arms. Her stance shifted instinctively—combat-ready, eyes sharp. "Stay close."
As they cautiously surveyed their surroundings, the massive stone pillar nearby began to glow.
Deep within it, an eerie red light pulsed.
The dormant, unknown fluid sealed inside the stone seemed to sense the presence of living beings.
It began to boil.
Then it burst outward.
"Jane—watch out!"
Jessica moved on pure instinct, throwing herself in front of the human scientist. A defensive barrier flared into existence as she shielded Jane with her body.
"BUZZ—!!!"
But the red fluid ignored the shield entirely.
It seeped straight through.
"AAAHHH—!!"
Jessica screamed.
It felt like ten thousand fire ants flooding her veins—like molten lava being poured directly into her heart.
"Jessica!!"
Jane panicked and reached for her.
"Don't—DON'T TOUCH ME!!" Jessica roared in agony.
Too late.
The instant Jane's fingers brushed Jessica's skin, the red substance reacted—like it had found a second outlet.
It surged out of Jessica's body and flowed directly into Jane.
"No—!!"
Their screams overlapped.
The Aether wrapped around both women greedily.
-----
Five hours later.
Inside the abandoned factory warehouse.
Antony sat casually on a concrete block, a bag of potato chips in hand, patiently waiting.
Darcy was pacing in circles nearby, on the verge of tears. She'd already called the police, but all they'd done was set up a perimeter outside. Ian, the intern's intern, was busy explaining things to the officers for the third time.
"Mr. Starr! How can you be this calm?!" Darcy demanded, her voice cracking. "They've been missing for five hours!"
"Panicking won't help," Antony replied calmly, popping another chip into his mouth. "Trust me. They'll be back. Want some? New flavor—beer-infused. Surprisingly authentic."
Right on cue—
THUD!
The air shook.
Two figures crashed down onto the concrete floor.
"Jane! Jessica!!" Darcy screamed, sprinting forward.
Antony stood up as well, brushing crumbs from his hands as he walked over.
Jane Foster lay unconscious, her face pale as paper.
Jessica Jones—
She was on her knees, gasping for air, eyes unfocused, like someone clawing her way out of a nightmare.
"Cough—cough… what the hell… was that place…" Jessica rasped.
"Are you okay?" Antony asked, but didn't touch her yet. His vision shifted—X-ray vision activating.
What he saw made his heart surge with triumph.
Inside Jane Foster's body, her blood was no longer purely red. Dark crimson energy flowed through her veins.
And inside Jessica Jones—
The same energy surged violently through her blood, her bones, her very cells.
It worked.
In the original timeline, Jane alone bore the full burden of the Aether. But now—because of Jessica's intervention, and her vastly superior superhuman physique—the Aether had split itself between them.
"Jessica!"
Antony immediately put on a concerned expression and reached out.
"Don't touch me!"
Jessica recoiled sharply.
Zzzzt—!
A burst of red energy lashed out, jolting Antony's hand and leaving a faint numbness behind.
"This thing…" Jessica stared at her trembling hands in horror. "It's inside me. It's… moving."
Jane stirred and slowly woke up.
"I… I feel strange…" she murmured, trying to sit up.
Then something even stranger happened.
Jane took a step to the left—
And Jessica's body slid left as well, completely against her will.
Jessica tried to step back—
Jane was yanked backward by an invisible force.
"What the hell?!" Jessica shouted.
It was like an unseen chain bound them together. The moment they moved more than a meter apart, the force snapped tight and dragged them back.
"…Looks like you two are linked," Antony said thoughtfully, eyes narrowed. "Like conjoined twins—on an energy level."
"Damn it—what is this?!"
Jessica tried to force herself free—
Pain exploded.
Soul-rending, unbearable pain drove her to her knees instantly.
"RUMBLE—!!!"
Outside, the sky tore open.
Torrential rain poured down, but even that couldn't drown out the thunder shaking the heavens.
A bolt of lightning struck the open ground outside the factory with pinpoint precision.
The earth trembled.
Rain and steam dispersed—
And a tall figure stepped forward from the lightning.
Red cape billowing. Hammer in hand.
Thor Odinson had arrived.
"Jane!"
Rain soaked his golden hair, but it did nothing to diminish his divine presence. He rushed into the warehouse and immediately spotted Jane on the ground.
"Jane! Are you hurt?"
Thor moved to pick her up—
SMACK!
A sharp slap echoed through the warehouse.
Everyone froze.
Jane Foster—weak, pale, barely able to stand—had just slapped the God of Thunder across the face with everything she had.
"…For what reason?" Thor asked blankly, holding his cheek, looking like a golden retriever that had just been unexpectedly disciplined.
From the side, Antony whistled.
"Wow. That sounded personal."
"Where were you?!" Jane shouted, fury burning through her weakness. "You promised you'd come back! Two years, Thor—two whole years!"
"I—I couldn't!" Thor protested. "The Bifrost was destroyed! The Nine Realms were in chaos—I had to restore order—"
"Oh, that explains everything!" Jane snapped. "Except I saw you on TV! In New York! Eating barbecue with people in spandex—and you didn't come see me?!"
She pointed directly at Antony.
Thor glanced over, looking awkward.
"That… situation was complicated. And also… the barbecue wasn't very good. I barely ate."
A poorly timed snort echoed nearby.
Thor spun around, locking eyes on the man behind it.
"Homelander?" he frowned. "You're here too?"
"Long time no see, Hammer Boy," Antony replied, arms crossed, clearly enjoying the show. "So this is how Asgard handles relationships? Disappear after you get the girl?"
He clicked his tongue.
"Looks like whether you're human or alien god… the essence of a scumbag is exactly the same."
--------------
T/N:
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