139 Rippling Effects 

"Goodnight, Kitty."

Jean smile was a bit strained as she wished her a good night and went back towards her bedroom. It was already around 12 am in the morning and with everything that was going on in her life and school, Jean knew that once her head hit the pillow she would be out like a light.

When you took how tired she was into account, it was a better question ask why she was still up?

Well, she had been up waiting for the small group that had gone out for Laura's birthday and that was the reason her smile was a little stiff when she wished Kitty goodnight. She was still a little annoyed that she wasn't invited. But it was Laura's party and she had heard that Felicia had helped plan it.

It was no wonder that she wasn't given an invite, they hadn't really been close after what happened the first time they met.

But she just had to stay up, at least to hear what Peter was doing. Jean herself wasn't quite sure why she wanted to know what Peter was doing at every second, or why she was so fixated on him, but chalked it up to the crush she had on him going into overdrive.

'Especially when there was unexpected competition trying to move in on her territory.'

'Ok Jean, that type of thinking might be going to far.'

Having prepared everything she needed for the next day, Jean's head slowly rested on her pillow and as predicted she was fast asleep in seconds and it was as her body went to sleep that another entity inside stirred.

A pair of fiery eyes seemed to stare into the distance, looking into the universe at it felt something. Those eyes narrowed in anger and disbelief for a second before disappearing.

**********

A glittering web, weaved of starlight hung in the darkness, illuminating the multiverse. It floated in the darkness, shimmering and glittering as every now and then different points along its weave brightened then faded.

It was always a spectacular sight when a being could catch sight of the Web of Destiny, but the one that had been granted access didn't even spare it a glance as they appeared in an inferno of power.

"Death!"

Their eyes were spitting fire literally as they call out their recent adversary, knowing that they could hear their call. But even after a few milliseconds they still did not appear. The beautiful green eyes of the Pheonix darkened even further at this before a new idea stuck her.

Having been granted temporary access to see and observe 'The Web', by the great weaver himself, she turned to observe its magnificence and its intricacy. As only a being at her level could do though she looked deeper, easily identifying the string and connecting point that hinged her reality to the greater multiverse.

It was glowing faintly, pulsing, but that wasn't what drew her attention or drew her displeasure, no it was the small amount of black that had tinged the pulse.

The same black tinge that spread slowly from that string to the rest of the web, a faint black luster that was being strengthened in every reality, becoming stronger from its mere connection to one point of the web. Though the rest of the strings in the web had started to adopt this black tinge, starting from their universe, it wasn't prominent yet.

The 'connection' wasn't complete.

But already 'death' had become stronger.

The Pheonix scowled, it was already behind, but Anansi was watching, she knew that, she couldn't force the matter. She had already been trying to push her host to be more aggressive in the budding relationship between her and the Totem, but they were being hindered at quite a few turns it was infuriating.

As the Pheonix stood brooding, starring daggers at the web, the object of her annoyance slowly appeared in the room. Darkness coalesced around the beings form as she almost Swaggard into the room.

The Pheonix had already turned by this point as she felt her arrival, and almost scoffed at the smug look on her face. Turning away to look at the web once again to distract herself from her perceived first loss, both entities didn't say anything.

The Pheonix had already started to feel out the small changes in Death as they stood there, though she could tell from the web that Death was stronger, now that she was in her presence, she could really feel the difference.

Just this small connection to the web had made her a magnitude stronger. She wasn't doubly as strong or anything like that, but she could easily handle her previous self, it was a quantitive change.

'If I can form a deep... a complete connection with the web... it would be....'

Just the thought was enough to ignite her mind into future planning, but she did have to know one thing.

"What did you do?... and what's with the new form?"

Yes, Death's form was different, unlike last time when she appeared in her natural form of death that she let other view, she had now become a black-haired woman in her early twenties. She had taken a leaf out of the Pheonix's book and chosen to use Laura's form as she was her current host, though she had taken the liberty to age her up a bit, to fit with her standards.

Still with a smug look on her face, she sent a look Pheonix's way before replying, enjoying the new found increase in strength that came with connecting to the web.

"My host is just spending some 'quality' time with the Totem right now.... Actually, if you only called me here to ask that, I think I might go back, it is quite.... riveting and.... enjoyable. I haven't felt like this in... eons."

Giving a small laugh to end her sentence that didn't fool anyone about what she was talking about, she didn't actually wait for a reply before disappearing. The Pheonix grit her teeth as she realized that the only reason, she had appeared was to rub her achievement in her face.

"Bitch."

She sent one last look at the web. Her eyes stopping on the pulsing of the totem as it was tinged black, before turning and heading back to her host. She would just have to try harder to get her host to step up, she wouldn't lose.

As both entities disappeared 2 new people appeared in the area, having been there the whole time. One was Anansi the great weaver, he had a calm look on his face as he turned to look at his companion.

"What do you think?"

The woman next to him wore an armored tribal vest with a hood, it was a mix of black and purple. On her neck rested shoulder pads in the form of claws, covered in black pelt, leading down to her arms that had two matte black greaves. Her outfit was finished off with an armored battle skirt and black boots that showed off her dark legs.

The cloak covered her head and obscured her face from view, all that could be seen were the two bluish purple orbs that starred at where the two cosmic entities just occupied. Her voice was gruff and stern as she replied to the great weaver.

"They are cosmic entities on a completely different level than myself."

Anansi gave the woman an appraising look before a small smile appeared.

"It's just an opportunity, I noticed that one of your progeny showed interest."

His words did not move the woman as she almost instantly replied.

"There can only be one host."

Anansi looked at the web once more for a few seconds, before turning away.

"I'll give you some time to decide. Just call my name in the future and I will appear."

The woman now frowned, starring at the Web of life and destiny one last time. She knew that Anansi was far more powerful that herself, she also knew that he could see into the future as well as nearly all different possibilities.

He knew something, something that would lead her upcoming host to change...

She kept that frown on her lips as she turned away and left the space.

She had much to think about.

I would like to put a note at the end, that while the connection to the web will make them stronger, like a lot stronger than they usually are when complete, this only applies to them in that universe. When I mentioned the web being tinged with Death here, I was implying that all versions of death are strengthened by this one connection. Not on the level of this universe here, but overall, they became slightly stronger.

Oh yeah, I gave quite a bit of information that you guys should be able to guess who that new entity is.