Chapter 62: Elizabeth

Elizabeth sat slumped on her couch, her knees pulled to her chest, the soft fabric of her oversized sweater brushing against her tear-streaked cheeks. Her mind raced with the events of the day, her heart heavy with betrayal. Her dark hair, usually neatly styled, now fell messily around her face, clinging to the remnants of her tears. She absentmindedly dragged on a cigarette, the smoky tendrils curling up toward the ceiling, mixing with the dim light of her small New York apartment. The soft glow of the city outside filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the room, mirroring the darkness she felt within.

Elizabeth was stunning, a fact she was painfully aware of even in her lowest moments. Her skin was a flawless pale, like porcelain, and her large, expressive eyes—now bloodshot from crying—were a captivating shade of hazel, catching the light in a way that made them almost golden. Her figure, curvaceous yet lithe, seemed to blend strength and vulnerability in perfect harmony. Even now, in her state of distress, there was a beauty about her that couldn't be dulled.

But tonight, her beauty was a bitter thing, mocking her as she replayed the day's events in her mind. At work, her boss, a man named Mr. Grayson, had been as inconsiderate as ever, piling tasks on her without a second thought, and then snapping at her when she didn't meet his impossible deadlines. Being a barista in a busy New York café wasn't supposed to be this exhausting, but every day felt like a new challenge, one that left her feeling more drained and more defeated.

And then there was Jake. The name left a sour taste in her mouth, as she recalled finding him with her best friend, Amanda she had caught them together in bed fucking like Rabbits. She could still see them together, could still hear the whispered excuses, the pathetic apologies that meant nothing. 'How could they do this to me?' she thought, the hurt still fresh, still raw. 'How could they betray me like that?' The image of them together, laughing behind her back, haunted her. She had loved him, trusted Amanda, and they had both shattered her heart in one fell swoop.

Elizabeth took another drag from her cigarette, letting the smoke fill her lungs before exhaling slowly. She glanced around her small apartment, the place that had once felt like a sanctuary but now seemed to suffocate her. Bills were piled up on the kitchen counter, though they weren't a pressing concern just yet. She was getting by, but barely, and the weight of it all was beginning to take its toll.

As she wallowed in her thoughts, her body tensing with the weight of everything she had endured, something strange happened. A soft humming sound filled the room, followed by a shimmering distortion in the air a few feet in front of her. Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat as she watched, wide-eyed, as the distortion grew into a swirling portal of energy. It was like nothing she had ever seen—a swirling mass of light and energy that seemed to tear through the very fabric of reality.

For a moment, she thought she must be hallucinating. But then, from within the portal, a figure emerged, and her heart nearly stopped.

The entity that stepped out was unlike anything Elizabeth had ever imagined. He floated a few inches above the floor, his form ethereal, otherworldly. His skin was pale, almost white, with an otherworldly glow that seemed to emanate from within. He was dressed in a flowing white kimono, the fabric appearing weightless as it hung from his tall, slender frame. A green strap ran diagonally across his chest, connecting at his waist, securing the elaborate outfit that seemed both ancient and futuristic at the same time.

His hair was stark white, cascading down to his shoulder in soft, silken strands that framed his face perfectly. But it was his eyes that truly captivated her—two pools of brilliant blue, with a swirling, churning flower-like pattern within them. They were mesmerizing, impossibly deep, as if they held the secrets of the universe within their gaze.

Elizabeth stared, unable to move, unable to speak. She knew, instinctively, that this being was not human. There was an aura of power around him, a presence that made the air hum with energy. Yet, despite his ethereal appearance, he was breathtakingly beautiful—so much so that she momentarily forgot her pain, her sadness, everything but the sight before her.

Toneri, for his part, barely acknowledged her presence as he floated into the room. He seemed more concerned with his surroundings, his eyes scanning the space with a calm, calculating gaze. The portal behind him closed with a soft whoosh, sealing him in this new reality. He floated a few inches above the floor, his movements graceful, almost like he was gliding through the air rather than walking.

As he finally turned his gaze toward Elizabeth, his expression remained unreadable. He took in her appearance—disheveled, broken, yet undeniably beautiful—and his eyes lingered on her for a brief moment. In that instant, Elizabeth felt exposed, as if this being could see straight through her, past her physical form, and into the very core of who she was.

Time seemed to stretch as Elizabeth and Toneri locked eyes, the room silent except for the faint crackle of her cigarette burning down to the filter. The air between them felt charged with an otherworldly energy, and Elizabeth could hardly believe what she was seeing. This being—this impossibly beautiful figure—had stepped through a portal and now stood in her living room, floating inches above the ground, looking as if he belonged in some distant, unreachable realm.

Toneri's voice was calm and soothing as he broke the silence. "Good evening," he said politely, his voice carrying an ethereal resonance. "Sorry for intruding." He began to walk around her apartment, his gaze sweeping over her surroundings with curiosity.

Elizabeth just stared at him, her heart racing as she tried to process what was happening. Finally, she found her voice. "Who… who are you? What are you?"

Toneri paused and turned to face her. "I am Otsutsuki Toneri," he replied, his tone even. "And apparently, I am far from home. Not from here."

Elizabeth blinked, still trying to wrap her mind around his presence. "Huh, I can tell," she said, her voice tinged with both sarcasm and disbelief. She studied him more closely, taking in his pale, almost translucent skin, his white hair, and those strange, mesmerizing blue eyes with a churning flower-like pattern inside them.

Toneri looked at her with interest. "Where are we right now?" he asked.

Elizabeth frowned, confused by the question. "Uhhh… you're in the Milky Way galaxy, in a solar system that houses Earth, and you're in New York City," she said, her voice uncertain.

Toneri deadpanned, realizing her misunderstanding. "Uh, yeah, I know we're in the Milky Way and on Earth, I am also from Earth" he replied dryly. "I was just asking about the city."

Elizabeth blushed, feeling sheepish. "Oh, right… New York City," she mumbled, realizing how ridiculous her response had been.

Toneri gave a small, amused smile. "Definitely not feeling the aster," he commented, his tone light.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, surprised by his mannerisms. "You… you talk like anyone from Earth," she said, a bit shocked by how normal he seemed despite his otherworldly appearance.

Toneri nodded apologetically. "Sorry for this, but would you mind me intruding a bit to learn more about this world?" he asked, his tone polite yet curious.

Elizabeth crossed her arms, still trying to make sense of everything. "I thought you said you were from Earth?"

Toneri tilted his head slightly. "Yes," he confirmed, then clarified, "But not from this Earth. I'm from another one."

Elizabeth's eyes widened in realization. "Huh, so you're more like Superman," she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

Toneri's attention was piqued at the mention of Superman. "So there's a Superman on this Earth?" he asked, intrigued.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, Superman. He's kind of a big deal," she said. "There's also Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash…"

Toneri listened intently, his interest growing. "And Martian?" he asked, hoping to hear about the Martian Manhunter.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I don't know anyone called the Martian Manhunter," she replied.

Toneri's brow furrowed slightly. "Hmm… why is that?" he wondered aloud, his mind working to piece together the differences between this Earth and the one he had come from.

He continued his questioning. "What about the Justice League?" he asked, curious to know if such an organization existed here.

Elizabeth gave him a strange look. "Justice League? I've never heard of that before," she said, confusion evident in her voice.

Toneri's mind raced as he considered the implications. This Earth was different, and yet similar in many ways. He needed more information. "And what about sidekicks? Aqualad, Robin, Kid Flash…?" he asked, hoping to find some connection to his previous world.

Elizabeth shook her head again. "No, there aren't any like that here," she said, her tone firm.

Toneri fell silent, contemplating his theory. This must be one of the sequences of the multiverse he had sensed before, a different version of the world he had known. To understand better, he asked, "Would you mind if I tried something?"

Elizabeth looked at him suspiciously. "What?" she asked, unsure of what he was planning.

Toneri gave her a reassuring look. "I want to look through your memories to see how different this Earth is from my own," he explained.

Elizabeth scoffed, half-expecting something more dramatic. "You definitely wouldn't see anything interesting," she muttered, then shrugged. "But knock yourself out."

Toneri stepped closer to her, his intense gaze locking onto hers. His eyes shifted into a more focused expression as he thought, 'Genjutsu: Tenseigan'. A moment later, he sifted through her memories, scanning the world as she knew it. The process took only a second, but when he broke the jutsu, he had gained a deep understanding of this Earth's history and its differences from his own.

"So that's how it is, huh?" Toneri muttered, contemplating the variations between this world and his. There were many similarities, but also crucial differences that set this Earth apart.

He glanced back at Elizabeth, having also glimpsed her personal life story. A flicker of sympathy crossed his face. "Sorry for what that mongrel did to you," he said quietly, referring to her cheating ex-boyfriend. "It is most human nature to exploit their carnal desires."

Elizabeth looked at him with a mixture of surprise and gratitude. She wasn't expecting him to understand or care, but his words struck a chord. Toneri continued, his tone philosophical, "Humanity often struggles with its impulses, caught between higher aspirations and baser instincts. Pain, betrayal… they are part of your journey, but they do not define you. Growth comes from overcoming, from finding strength in your suffering."

Elizabeth smiled faintly, appreciating his words. "You're not human, but you seem to understand more than most," she said softly. "But… if you're not human, what are you exactly? I mean, your race."

Toneri closed his eyes for a moment, considering his response. "My race, huh?" he mused. "Well, you could call us Celestials. To some, we are considered gods, but to others, we are seen as parasites."

Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock. "Parasites?" she echoed, her voice filled with confusion. "You don't look parasitic… unless you're like a leech or something that sucks up life force," she added, trying to lighten the mood with a nervous joke.

Toneri looked at her, his expression serious. "You're not completely off the mark with your assumption," he replied, surprising her with his honesty. "But instead of humans, most of my race… go for entire planets across the cosmos and dimensions."

Elizabeth's face paled as she realized the implications of his words. The fear was evident in her eyes, and Toneri noticed it immediately. He sighed, softening his tone. "I need to go now," he said, sensing that he had frightened her enough.

As he made his way to the door, Elizabeth tried to get up from the couch, her legs shaky with fear and uncertainty. But before she could say anything, Toneri turned back to her, his Tenseigan eyes pulsing with a soft blue light. "Sleep," he commanded gently.

Elizabeth's body instantly relaxed, and she slumped back onto the couch, her eyes fluttering shut. A strange seal appeared on the back of her neck, a tattoo-like symbol of a full moon, glowing faintly before fading away.

Toneri continued toward the door, but as he neared the doorknob, something caught his eye. On the counter, he saw a pile of bills, evidence of the financial struggles she was facing. He paused, contemplating for a moment. "Hmm," he thought, considering what to do.

With a flick of his wrist, he used 'Banbutsu Sozo', the power of creation. Wads of cash materialized on her counter, at least a million dollars' worth, neatly stacked with a note of appreciation. "That should be enough… for the intrusion," he thought, satisfied with his gesture.

He glanced back at Elizabeth, now peacefully asleep, before stepping out of her apartment and closing the door behind him.