Marvel: Shadow Monarch

Lucien and Anna turned around to face the voice, their hands instinctively moving toward defensive positions before they saw who had spoken.

Standing behind them was a girl who appeared to be around their age, with striking black hair that fell just past her shoulders and equally dark eyes that seemed to hold depths far beyond her apparent years.

She wore simple jeans and a dark sweater, but something about her presence made even casual clothes seem deliberate.

"Yes, we are moving in here," Anna said, her natural politeness overriding any suspicion. "I'm Anna."

"Lucien," he added, studying the girl with interest. His perception was picking up something unusual about her, though he couldn't quite place what it was.

"Galacta," the girl replied with a slight smile.

They shook hands, and Lucien noted that her grip was firm without being showy—the handshake of someone who didn't need to prove their strength.

"Do you guys have something to eat?" Galacta asked, her tone carrying a hint of hope mixed with what might have been barely controlled hunger. "I mean, I know you just got here, but I figured I'd ask."

Anna glanced at their bags and the wooden crate containing Jeff. "No, we haven't had time to get groceries yet."

"We were going to go out for something later," Lucien added.

Galacta's eyes lit up with what could only be described as relief. "How about you two come over to my apartment? I was gonna make some lunch for myself anyway. Might as well cook for three."

The invitation was casual, but there was something in her tone that suggested this was more than just neighborly courtesy.

Like she was genuinely excited about the prospect of the company.

"Alright," Anna said, always willing to accept kindness from others. "That sounds great."

"Let us just get settled in first," Lucien added, gesturing toward their door.

They moved into their apartment, and both teenagers stopped dead in their tracks as they took in their new living space.

The apartment was exactly what SHIELD had promised—fully furnished, spacious, and decorated with the kind of understated luxury that spoke of serious money.

The main living area was open concept, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a stunning view of Central Park. The furniture was modern but comfortable, all clean lines and neutral colors that managed to feel both sophisticated and welcoming.

"This is heaven compared to my previous rented place," Lucien said, still processing the sheer scale of the upgrade. "And that trashy prison."

Anna was turning slowly in place, taking in every detail. "I've never lived anywhere like this. Look at that kitchen—it's bigger than our entire motel room."

It was a three-bedroom apartment with two full bathrooms, each equipped with amenities that bordered on excessive.

The master bathroom featured two different bathtubs positioned in parallel corners, along with a shower that looked like it belonged in an expensive spa.

Jeff seemed particularly pleased with the arrangements. The moment they opened his crate in the bathroom, he made a beeline for one of the tubs and settled in with obvious satisfaction, his tail creating small waves as it moved through the water they'd filled for him.

"At least someone's happy," Anna observed, watching their oversized pet make himself at home.

They took a few minutes to wash up and change into cleaner clothes before heading to Galacta's apartment.

The girl had mentioned being just down the hall, and sure enough, her door was only three units away from theirs.

Galacta's apartment was similar in layout to their own but decorated with a more eclectic style.

Where their place was all neutral tones and careful coordination, hers showed more personality—artwork that didn't quite match, furniture that looked comfortable rather than expensive, and what appeared to be several scientific instruments that definitely hadn't come with the standard furnishing package.

The smell of cooking food hit them the moment they entered, and both teenagers realized just how hungry they actually were.

Galacta had prepared what looked like a full Italian feast—pasta with multiple sauce options, garlic bread that was still warm from the oven, and a salad that somehow managed to look both healthy and appetizing.

"Please, take a seat at the dining table," Galacta said, gesturing toward a table that was already set for three. "Hope you like Italian food."

As they settled into their chairs, Lucien couldn't help but notice the way Galacta was looking at the food.

There was an intensity to her gaze that went beyond normal hunger—like she was looking at the table and seeing something that could satisfy an appetite far greater than any normal person should possess.

"This looks amazing," Anna said, genuine appreciation in her voice. "Thank you for doing this."

"My pleasure," Galacta replied, though she was already reaching for the serving spoons with barely contained eagerness.

They were halfway through the meal, making pleasant conversation about the building and the neighborhood, when Galacta casually dropped a question that changed everything.

"So what are your powers?"

Both Lucien and Anna froze mid-bite, their forks stopping halfway to their mouths.

The question had been asked with the same casual tone someone might use to ask about the weather, but the implications were staggering.

Lucien's expression grew serious, his muscles tensing slightly as he prepared for potential trouble. "How would you know about that?"

Galacta seemed to realize she'd said something unexpected, but her response was more amused than concerned. "No need to worry about it. I can just sense these things." She gestured vaguely in their direction, her tone taking on an almost innocent quality.

"It's like... you know how some people can tell when it's going to rain? I can tell when people have abilities."

Despite the casual explanation, Lucien's perception was still warning him that there was much more to this girl than met the eye.

She didn't feel dangerous exactly, but she definitely didn't feel normal either. Curious about what he was dealing with, he decided to take a discrete look at her status.

What he saw nearly made him choke on his food.

Name: Galacta

Title: Daughter of Galactus

Strength: 520

Health: 510

Agility: 500

Perception: 512

Mana: 524

Holy Shit! Daughter of Galactus? 

The cosmic entity that devoured planets. The being so powerful that except for a few heroes, even the combined might of Earth's heroes could barely slow him down when he decided to feed.

And this seemingly normal teenager sitting across from him, asking about powers like it was the most natural thing in the world, was his daughter.

Her stats are way off the charts, she could crush me if she wanted to.

Lucien barely managed to swallow his bite of pasta without choking, though his reaction didn't go unnoticed.

"You okay?" Galacta asked, though there was a knowing quality to her smile that suggested she was perfectly aware of what had just happened.

"How are you..." Lucien started, then stopped, realizing that finishing that question in a normal tone might be impossible. "Aren't you supposed to keep something like that secret?"

Galacta shrugged, twirling pasta around her fork with practiced ease.

"I figured I could trust you guys. You've got powers too, and my instincts about people are pretty good."

"Plus, it gets exhausting pretending to be completely human all the time."

She paused to take another bite, then continued with the matter-of-fact tone of someone discussing their family business.

Anna was staring at Galacta with wide eyes, clearly trying to process the revelation. "Your father is... the Galactus? The one who eats planets?"

"That's the one," Galacta confirmed cheerfully. "Though to be fair, he doesn't actually eat them. It's more like he converts their life energy into a form he can absorb. The planet destruction is just a side effect of the process."

The casual way she explained cosmic-level destruction was somehow more unsettling than if she'd been dramatic about it.

"And you're here, why?" Lucien asked, his tactical mind already working through the implications of having a cosmic entity's daughter living next door.

"SHIELD found me when I first came to Earth a few weeks ago," Galacta explained, reaching for more garlic bread.

"I was trying to figure out how to live independently without, you know, accidentally destroying things. They helped me get set up with an apartment and a way to blend in with normal society."

"How do you accidentally destroy things?" Anna asked, though her tone suggested she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Well, when you're used to existing on a cosmic scale, human-sized problems require some adjustment," Galacta said with a slight smile.

"Like, did you know that normal doors aren't supposed to disintegrate when you touch them? Because I learned that the hard way."

Both Lucien and Anna stared at her, trying to process the idea of someone so powerful that simple human architecture couldn't handle their presence.

"What about you two?" Galacta asked, turning the conversation back to them. "What kind of abilities are we talking about?"

Anna glanced at Lucien, who gave her a slight nod. "I can absorb life energy and memories through skin contact," she said carefully. "It's not something I can control very well yet."

"Absorption powers," Galacta said thoughtfully. "Those can be tricky. The control usually comes with practice and emotional stability."

Lucien decided to keep his explanation vague. "I'm still figuring mine out. Enhanced strength and speed, mainly. Some other things that I'm not entirely sure about yet."

It wasn't technically a lie, though it was certainly an understatement of epic proportions.

Galacta studied him for a moment, her dark eyes seeming to see more than he was comfortable with. "Fair enough. Everyone develops at their own pace."

They finished the meal with more casual conversation, though the knowledge of exactly who their new neighbor was colored everything else.

Galacta was surprisingly normal despite her cosmic heritage—funny, sarcastic, and genuinely interested in getting to know them as people rather than as fellow powered individuals.

When they finally returned to their own apartment, both Lucien and Anna were quiet as they processed everything they'd learned.

"So," Anna said finally, "our next-door neighbor is the daughter of a cosmic entity that destroys planets."

"Apparently," Lucien replied, checking on Jeff, who was still contentedly soaking in his new bathtub.

"And she invited us over for lunch because she was hungry."

"That seems to be the case."

Anna sat down heavily on their new couch, staring out the window at the Manhattan skyline. "I think our lives just got significantly more complicated."

Lucien had to agree with that assessment.

Between SHIELD wanting him as a freelance weapon, a rapidly growing land shark, and now a cosmic entity's daughter living down the hall, his quiet life as a fugitive was definitely a thing of the past.

But as he looked around their new apartment—spacious, comfortable, and completely paid for—he had to admit that complications weren't necessarily a bad thing.

At least they were interesting complications.

.....

POWER STONE GOAL: 700 ( 1 Extra Chapter)

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