Marvel: I Wish To Be One Above All

Jon could feel the Primordials emotions roiling off of them. All of them, save for Archon, were feeling upset. Well, upset would be putting it mildly. Nuwa and Zhuque were depressed, Qinglong was in a state of shock and disbelief, while Baihu was furious and Siwang and Xuanyue were fairly calm.

'Ah, crap...'

The original One-Above-All snorted derisively. "Well, what did you expect? You basically made them a babysitter and showed that you didn't trust them to do what you made them for. Even if they're still not entirely sure what you made them for."

'But that's not what Archon's purpose is! Well it is, but that's not all there is to it! Aren't they a part of me? Shouldn't they just know what I intend?'

"Don't be stupid. They are beings of free will. They may be a part of you as far as being residents are concerned, but they are individuals with thoughts and feelings. Not to mention that while they have inherent wisdom given the nature of their being, they're still basically newborns. And right now they're upset and misunderstanding your intentions. So? What are you going to do about it?"

Jon stilled. What could he do about it? He was out here, and they were within, it's not like he could just pop in and- ooohhh wait, that's exactly what he can do.

'I can show myself and talk to them, right? Like you did with the Fantastic Four that one time?'

"Exactly. In my multiverse, I have revealed to comic book authors that I am able to manifest and speak to my creations and have done so on three different occasions. I've actually done so more than they know, but it's not like comics can catch everything. But anyway, once was with the Fantastic Four to save Ben Grimm's life, I also healed Reed Richard's face of his scar at the time. The second was to recreate a universe at the behest of Thanos when he and Adam Warlock accidentally destroyed theirs. I decided to have Warlock replace that version of The Living Tribunal as well. It wasn't necessary, but I thought it might make interesting things happen later on. And the third was to guide a Peter Parker who was depressed that his Aunt May was dying and was in conflict between his calling as Spider-Man and his life as Peter, again. And of course, you are perfectly capable of doing the same."

'How?' inquired Jon.

"...I plan to show you how to do many things, but this is something you should try and figure out on your own. Once you do, it'll be that much easier to do many other things." 'That and it comes so naturally to me now I can't exactly describe how I first learned to do it... but you don't need to know that.' Thought Jack as he coughed into a fist.

'Okay.' Thus Jon started to ponder about how he could talk to the Primordials.

-Meanwhile-

Zhuque was depressed. Her feathers were dim as she lowered her head and cried into the chaos of creation. Her tears, as soon as they left her beak, crystallized into tiny gems filled with life force scattering into the ether. 'Why does Father not believe in me? I don't understand. Am I destined to fail and thus He put in place a measure to correct me?' She despaired.

Many of the others were thinking along the same lines. Though one was much more vocal about it.

"This is bullshit!" Baihu raged, her voice sounding like metal grating together in dissonance. "If He was going to create us, why not make us perfect to begin with and save Himself the trouble of any possible fallout from our natures! Even better, why let us feel anything other than a sense of purpose? Needing to have this... thing" She inclined her head towards Archon, "around just makes all of us redundant doesn't it!?"

At this, the newcomer, a being much more powerful than they, laughed. All of the Primordials looked upon Archon as he wiped a small tear from his face, and then continued to laugh. Siwang's and Zhuque's eyes narrow. Xuanwu tilted his head, his snake tail hissing at the man. Nuwa's sobbing broke and she looked up at him. Qinglong's mane bristled and extended his claws as a low growl sounded in his throat. After a few minutes of having to listen to Archon's raucous laughter, Baihu, the one with the shortest fuse, couldn't take it any more.

"What's so funny, you over grown tapestry wearing cue-ball!?" Baihu glowered. She was this close to just rushing in and forgoing any consequences that might come from attacking him. However, suddenly, unnaturally so, Archon stopped laughing and his face became a stoic mask, as if carved from stone.

"What's funny is all of you." Archon said with an even voice with little variance in pitch and timbre.

"WHAT!? Take that BACK you son-of-a" At this Archon suddenly released a divine pressure and forced Baihu to lay down on her stomach.

"Son of... what were you going to say? Because I'm certain you weren't going to insult our Father by claiming Him to be a female canine... right?" Feelings of murder rolled off of Archon. The feeling was shared by the rest of the Primordials as well. They may be upset, but they would never dare or even want to insult their Creator. Baihu, feeling killing intent from all sides, gulped a mouthful of saliva, and shook her head. She cursed herself for being so loose-lipped.

"Now, if you're quite calm," Archon drew back his pressure and Baihu was once again able to stand, "I have a few things to say about my existence." The Primordials all paid attention to his words as he continued.

"All I know, is that I have an instinctual need to make sure that there is balance in all things and to periodically report to Father of anything pertinent. What is funny, is that you all think that you can assume Father's complete intentions without hearing it from Him for yourselves."

Stunned silence followed his words. Everyone reeling at the implications of what he said. Nuwa, excited, was the first to speak. A melodious voice, that calms all who hears it, echoed in the void.

"He's coming? Here? How? When?"

"I do not presume to know. But we were all created for a purpose. It is only logical that after we have been created, what comes next is for us to find out what that purpose is. And the only way for that to occur, is for Him to tell us. Thus, it can be assumed, that He will show Himself to us when it is time."

Qinglong nodded at this. His voice then softly echoed like the boughs of branches full of leaves rustling in the wind, steady and swaying. "That does seem to be the most logical flow of events."

Zhuque's feathers brightened at the thought. Curiosity started to flood her. A roar of an inferno sounded as she spoke bright and cheerfully. "What do the rest of you think He'll be like? All we know instinctually is that His base form is male and that He is absolute. I think He'll be powerful."

Everyone else rolled their eyes at that. Because it's already obvious that He's powerful.

Her curiosity was infectious, though. Everyone, even Archon, had thoughtful looks on their faces as their imaginations started running wild.

Nuwa with her ethereal and sweet voice chimed in. "He will be kind, and loving."

Qinglong reared back, looking poised and proud. "He will be wise and a man of taste."

Baihu flashed a ferocious grin and cackled mischievously, which resembled knives rubbing together quickly while submerged in glass. "He will be fun."

Archon, in his even tone, added his own thoughts. "He will be fair."

After a few minutes. A whisper, seemingly from nowhere, yet everywhere, sent chills down everyone's spines. "He… will be… accepting." Said Siwang.

After hearing everyone else's guesses, in a voice seemingly as old as time itself yet with the power of a full force hurricane, Xuanyue slowly spoke. "He will be… unexpected. But in the end, be everything you all expect." As he said it, his eyes glowed green like emeralds, still emitting cosmic power, but also his inherent power over time.

As if on cue. The space they were in started to broil. All the floating particles and energy seemed to vibrate. Archon and the Primordials felt a new presence join them, but it was not being formed, not like they were, it was everywhere. It flooded their perception. It brought out emotions in them all. It spread warmth and joy and comfort. At the same time though it radiated power, unlike any of them could imagine.

Clouds began to form above them. They were majestic, full, fluffy, and golden. It brought tears to several of the Primordial's eyes. Xuanyue kept a blank look on his muzzle.

Then, the clouds began to show a face tall enough to dwarf all of them in size. A prominent nose, large floppy ears hanging down the side of the head, with golden fur... wait, what?

"WOOOOOOF"

The sound of which. Made everyone speechless.

Then, as if they were never there in the first place, the clouds and the dog head, disappeared.

What replaced them was a man. Still tall, thrice as large as Archon, and still radiating power. He had large bright green eyes, shaggy brown hair, sculpted facial features, and built like his muscles had muscles. He was wearing a golden robe. The man they knew in their bones to be their Father looked at each of them in the eyes. Then started laughing.

-Previously-

A few hours passed while Jon was trying to figure this out. How does a person go inside of himself? It doesn't make any sense. Then again, nothing that's been happening had made any sense. Creating water? Eating nothingness and existence? Who could even imagine it possible? Exasperated, Jon looked up, surprised to find that Jack was still there. Jon pulled out his best apologetic voice he could.

'Sorry for making you wait for so long...'

No response.

'Uh... Jack? Mr. Kirby... sir?'

That got a reaction from the cosmic giant.

"Hm? Oh! Sorry, what were you saying?"

'I said that I was sorry for making you wait.'

"Oh! Don't worry about it, time is relative here. While it does pass, it's disjointed and is experienced by each individual differently. Heck even inside of ourselves time is a very very mutable thing, for us at least. Honestly, I've been on a beach on Xandar in Universe 616 during Earth year 2016 while I waited."

'Wait, so. Time doesn't matter? But what about my Primordials? Won't they, I don't know, revolt if I leave them alone for too long?'

The elder multidimensional being seemed to frown at that.

"Ah, well, yea they could, not that it would really do anything. I know I said that time was mutable for us in our own multiverses. However, that is not how it is for you, for now."

'What do you mean?'

"It's one of the things we need to talk about. But just know that, for now, time moves forward with you and with your multiverse's outer dimension at the same pace. Anyway, while you figure it out, I'm going back to the beach! Oh yea, one last thing. Never let your Primordial Gods know that you used to be a being much weaker than them. It never turns out well. Instead, cover up your failings with the fact that you were only recently born. It's technically the truth anyway."

That shook Jon up a bit, but he quickly brushed it off and paid attention to his predecessor and observed his actions as he "went to the beach". A flash of energy was seen from the beings 'head' and it entered into one of the small orbs in his c.h.e.s.t.

Dumbfounded, Jon couldn't make heads or tails of it. It looked like how he made the Primordials, but instead of an intent to create, there was a different kind of intent. Wait… intent!

'Whenever I did anything within myself, there was always intention. The slimy bastards came about due to a lack of intention, while the water, steam, deconstructing matter, and the Primordials, all happened due to it being my intent! So if I intend to appear where they are, while focusing, then I can! I wonder if there's anything else I can do just through my intentions…maybe, change my appearance?' Jon smirked as he heard a certain phrase being yelled out by Baihu.

'This should be fun.'

-Present-

"Bhahahahaha! You s-should've seen your f-faces." He doubled over. However, it seemed as if the joke didn't carry over well. No one laughed with him. Although, Baihu seemed like she was trying not to. So Jon decided to count that as a partial success.

Eventually he stood up straight and squared his shoulders. He looked upon them all with all the affection in the universe in his eyes. They all visibly relaxed at that, only for their excitement to start bubbling over once more. Each wanted to say something, ask him something. But he held up his hand and they remained silent.

"Honestly, while I'd been trying to figure out a way to come here and speak to you all, I was worried about what to say to you. Thankfully, Baihu gave me the perfect icebreaker. That's why I appeared as I did at first, a harmless joke to try and ease the tension and keep everyone calm."

That left them all aghast, Archon especially. Each of them were expecting him to put on an aloof air, filled with power and grandeur. But the first thing out of his mouth when he arrived was an admission that he was not as perfect as they made him out to be, and he seemed incredibly casual.

"Father, whatever could you mean? A being that could create us, had to figure out how to talk to us? It does not follow logic." Said Archon, while the rest nodded along in agreement.

Jon smiled. "Archon, none of you are yet aware of this. But I was only born, according to my predecessor, a few billion relative years ago. Granted, I was born with much inherited knowledge, which I have already shared with you, but regarding what I am, what I am capable of? It is still a work in progress. Thus, I am currently being guided along the path by said predecessor, who is, a much older and wiser member of my species."

Flabbergasted once again, it took several minutes of contemplation before any of them spoke. 'There are others!?' Was the thought running through everyone's minds.

"How many others are there, Father? Like you, I mean." Asked Nuwa who seemed rather nervous at the anticipated answer.

Jon looked to his first born daughter and frowned a bit as he brought a hand to his chin.

"To be completely honest, I'm not sure. I haven't asked him yet. Creating you all and talking to you as soon as possible was the most important thing to me so far so I hadn't thought about it. I'll be sure to ask." Nuwa smiled warmly at this and Zhuque happily chirped, to think that such important information was not yet acquired simply because he considered them more important. "However, I'll tell you now, there's no need for you to worry about them. You all are meant to do far more important things."

The whisper of death came to Jon's ears, but instead of being put off, he turned a fond eye to Siwang as she spoke.

"What... are we meant... to do, Father?"

Jon grinned, and spread his arms wide. "Within this space, you can do whatever you wish, follow your in-born nature. Create, destroy, establish order, sew chaos, create life and spread death. The energy and matter in this space is at your disposal. If I have something specific that I want you to do, then I'll let you know at that time. Just remember this, as amazing as you all are apart. What you can bring about together is even more extraordinary. For now though, work to understand yourselves, your abilities, and the full force of your natures. And know that no matter how you see each other, I love you all."

Whatever they were expecting Him to say, it certainly wasn't that. They all felt excited and happy. Even though He wasn't quite what they expected, He still managed to make them all feel as though He is exactly what He should be. However, it was not yet time to relax. Baihu quelled her excitement quickly and turned a sharp gaze to Archon, who seemed to be so very different in purpose to the rest of her siblings.

"What about him? What is he meant to do? He is not like us, is he here to leash us?" The almost forgotten anger began to rise again as she spoke making her voice edgier like metal ingots in an industrial blender caught in the middle of a tornado. At this, Archon chuckled before returning to his stoicism, which caused Baihu to grow even angrier.

Everyone else went silent. Qinglong bowed his head to inquire, "Father, though she be impertinent, she raises doubts many of us share. Just what is the purpose of Archon?"

Jon, seeing and feeling the emotions of his Primordials, had his gaze filled with concern. He looked each in the eyes and then sighed.

"Archon is here for a very important reason. But he is not more important than any of you. Have you not noticed that many of you are diametrically opposed to each other? There is a reason for that. Which you all will discover for yourselves as you continue to exist into the future. It does mean, however, that you are destined to come into conflict among yourselves. Archon is here to be the arbitrator between any Primordial when things get to the point where continuing would harm yourselves, your creations, or the multiverse. He is here to make sure that there is balance between you and the primordial forces you each represent. Too much of any one thing is dangerous. However, there is an extremely wide margin of freedom there before your actions could be considered a threat to the balance between your natures. So let loose. Archon won't even show himself until it is necessary."

Jon let all of that sink in for a minute before wrapping it up. "Are there any other concerns?"

When they shook their heads no, he looked visibly relieved. Then, he started getting excited himself. He shrunk himself down to their size and appeared next to Xuanyue.

Taking up the large tortoise/snake heads into each arm's embrace. "I am so happy you all were born. Xuanyue, you did well not to spoil the surprise even though you knew what was coming. Don't ruin the future by telling them everything. Let them discover things for themselves and enjoy yourself as well." Xuanyue, who expected this, simply nodded and smirked at his siblings shocked faces, his scales filled with exploding big bangs flashed brighter for a moment as he did.

After Jon released them, he turned to Nuwa. He teleported behind her and took her hand into his and spun her in a dance for a minute before bringing her close and giving her a great hug. "Nuwa, you will be amazing, and I'm happy you are here. It's fine to help the others bring about their potential, as I know you'll continue to do for many others far into the future, but do not neglect your own worth." Nuwa, who was shook up for a brief moment, smiled serenely, closed her red eyes, and pecked her father on the cheek as he let her go. She then watched as he smiled back at her and moved to Baihu.

Baihu tensed as instead of outright embracing her, He grew in size until her relative size to Him was the same as that of a house cat. He scooped her up into his arms and scratched under her chin and between her ears. What surprised her is that, involuntarily, a low metallic rumbling echoed from her throat. "Baihu, sew as much chaos as you want. Be the winds of change and evolution. But remember, chaos cannot exist without something to inflict it on. Be mischievous, conniving, and cruel. Have fun, but try to respect what your siblings do, as only by giving respect, can one expect it in return. How you show that respect, is up to you." Baihu licked Jon's hand after he put her down. 'Pretty sure she'll show her appreciation to the others' creations by destroying them, but that's just her nature.' Jon thought to himself.

Jon then leapt into the air, much to the dismay of Qinglong, as it seemed He was intending to crash onto him. But as He approached, He shrank down until He was just tall enough to ride with limbs akimbo on Qinglong's head. Jon leaned forward into Qinglong's soft ethereal jade colored mane, shut his eyes and spoke while rubbing Qinglong's head. "Proud, organized, and Just, Qinglong. You will become the beacon of civilization and a representation of the order of the universe. Civilizations will rise and fall, but remember, through change, brings progress. Try to be accepting of that." Qinglong nodded solemnly as Jon stepped down.

Walking towards Zhuque, Jon increases in size once again and held out two fingers to the side in front of his face, and looked to her. In a flaming burst she flapped her wings and landed on his fingers, curling her talons around them to get steady footing. She preened her wing for a second and then looked up into Jon's emerald green eyes. He smiled at her and using his other hand started petting her flaming feathers from the top of her head to the base of her tail. "Zhuque, use your flames to breath life into the universe. Then, when you feel the need, use them again to destroy and cleanse to bring about rebirth. Try to get along with your sister, you two will not fulfill either of your purposes without each other."

"Yes, father." Replied Zhuque as Jon set her down.

Walking a little further away, Jon reduced his size to match his next target. Siwang was again leaning against nothing and looking off to the side. Her body language showed indifference. But if you saw under the hood and into the orbs of blue flames within her sockets you could see the glimmer of expectation. When Jon sidled up to her in one motion he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, used the other one to take off her hood, and then kissed her bony forehead.

At this, she stood stock still, her jaw open, and the flames flickered wildly. When she recollected herself she pushed him away and brought her hood back up. She crouched down and put her gloved hands over her face.

With a laugh, Jon sat beside her. Soon, his smile turned melancholic. "Siwang, I won't lie to you. You will have it somewhat the hardest of them all. Nothing living wants to die, and there is nothing mortals fear more. However, never let that stop you from doing what you must. All mortal life must come to an end, returned to the cycle of creation. Find comfort in knowing that I love you exactly as you are, my daughter."

Jon patted her head through her hood and ruffled it a bit. Siwang grabbed the sides of it to keep it secure and then turned her head away with a "Hmph!" that was barely audible. But Jon could feel her happiness, so she wasn't fooling anyone.

Jon's size then tripled as he walked towards his youngest, yet most powerful, son. Archon started to bow at the waist towards his father, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him and lifted him back up to stand. Jon extended his arm, and Archon grinned as he extended his own. Both clasped each other's forearms. "Archon, as my representative you will be unable to intervene until the most dire of consequences could happen without your help. Creation must be designed , destruction must be inflicted, life must proliferate, death must befall all, time mustn't stand still, progress must march ever onward, civilization must rise and decline and each universe must eventually be destroyed to be remade anew. Peace must be sought and war must be wrought. Only through balance can evolution occur unimpeded and each universe be brought to harmony."

Turning to them all he showed a full tooth smile. "I must go learn all of what I'm capable of. But though I won't be physically near, I can hear you and feel you with me. See you next time." And he disappeared in a flash of golden light.