Prologue 0
Depression... Can anyone even really explain what it is?
Though in truth, I won't listen to anyone who would try explaining what depression is without having experiencing it themselves… Because without having firsthand experience, their answers would only be a total hogwash.
But for now, consider this instance with me.
Opening your eyes, the first thought that comes to your mind isn't that you're thankful for seeing another day or that rustling leaves floating pass your windows speaks of a beautiful coming summer. No… It's praying to god that today's a Saturday.
That's point one.
Checking the alarm clock for confirmation, upon which you grit your teeth in resignation. You sigh and head to bathroom to prepare for the day. After washing your face, you look up to see the person before you and think.
'Wow, someone sure doesn't look like a morning person.'
No shit, Sherlock. He's literally in front of you, can't tell or what?
The one staring back wouldn't call himself handsome or even average. He could have deceived himself of being the former... If the others hadn't spent literal years reminding him of his looks. So, you're left with a below average boy whose eyes look deader than dead while feeling lesser than a penny.
After taking your bath and all the necessary rituals, you head out from your room towards the dining room to see to no one's surprise, your family has already started breakfast without you… Again.
But whatcha gonna do about it? It's not like they'll listen or even give a fuck about your life. So you take a deep breath –like you always do- and head for your seat away from the life that seemed so foreign.
That's point two.
Though if you think that's where the depression comes from, then boy are you so in for a blast… You see, in the comics and animes, people with these kind of dysfunctional or rather, partially dysfunctional families tend to go out and be the bad boys, the hooligans, or to some people, even the cool kids.
But Jimmy; reality ain't like that. Reality is much worse.
Pushing the door and walking out of the house to the world outside makes your bones to constrict a little. You make yourself wonder if it's just a little cold even though the answer is yelling at you through the hand that griped your bag and the shiver in your every footsteps.
It is only through self-persuasion that the day couldn't get any worse that you take the first step. On the way, you occasionally see your schoolmates but you don't feel any relief at that. Rather, a bone chilling terror seizes your breath as you pray to any god out there that the schoolmate doesn't even know you…
Hunching your body to hide your face, you sped up heading towards the hellhole called school so that you can just get this day over with.
That's point three.
At the sight of the school gates, you pause being assailed with a sudden vertigo. No surprise there, it's always been like this. The air gains a mud-like sensation as you pass through the gates. The bee-like chattering of the students decorating the school's premises only spurs you to move along to your classroom, you don't pay attention to anyone -at least to the ones that aren't calling for you, aggressively.
You arrive at your locker opening it—— only to have your face painfully slammed into the horrible contents within it. Your face is scrunched at the familiar pain of your nose being smashed against the awful contents being stuffed within.
It stinks of course, they wouldn't go for anything less.
Even so, you don't stick your head outside. You don't want to face the perpetrators and the passersby who were currently laughing at you. The one time you tried to do so ended with you being forced face first into the school's toilet. So you remain within the malodourous concealment unsuspectingly created by your malicious classmates.
Meanwhile, you think that this was one of the better mornings as this particular cruel pranks were among the tamer ones.
Entering class after the morning fiasco, you ignore the deriding giggles being thrown your way concerning the recent happenings some minutes ago. On your seat, you become somewhat of a statue. Placing your head on desk is asking for a knock while blatantly looking around invites one of them to come and seek trouble.
Using this opportunity, you take look around. Observing the world you're estranged from. Cliques comprising of the school's jocks and queen bees, another of normal friends chatting happily, others of nerds and Goths chatting about the occult or their favorite cartoons and animes.
Where do you stand, you say? Well, before that day happened, it would have been the nerds. Now though, let's just say you're currently alone.
A hand suddenly wraps around your shoulder and you freeze not out of happiness, but of sheer terror.
"So how was my joke from before, like it?" The Devil asked with a sickening smile.
Before you could even reply, the shadows grow taller casting away the little light in your corner. The others had arrived bearing amused look at the situation at hand.
For a moment, you are stuck at an impasse. Answering with a positive –like you always do- means you'll be shaken down for a 'Performance Fee'. Answering with a negative… Means a visit to the toilet courtesy of them . Of course, not answering means even worse… Like a whole lot worse.
Nodding with a demure smile –they seem to like when you do that- the Devil coughs mockingly while the others look knowingly as he begins fleecing you for every penny you own.
You smile while receiving occasional wincing smacks and jeers like a fool, hoping against hope that the homeroom teacher could just enter and put an end to this.
Soon enough, the fucking teacher enters drawling that it's time for class, though it's already too late. You are once again robbed of everything you own.
No surprise there, there's always been the suspicion that the teachers are in on what the students are doing, but you don't dare voice it out. The guy who tried had gotten transferred due to the harassment he'd received from both the teachers and students.
But let's not get into that…
During school break, you wait for everyone to leave before leaving as well. Unlike in animes or cartoons you don't head to the roof terrace or the toilet to eat your lunch. You go to that little corner near the staff room –the store room that smelled of disinfectant and take out the little food you'd managed to snag from home.
The food doesn't really taste good, given where you're eating it. But it will surely distract you for the losses you'd attained today –all things considered it's actually a good day.
… … Until it's not.
School ended without any more ignominy, and just as you grab your bag with the intention of bolting away. A hand pulled you back to see the Devil with a look you know all too well.
"You see, a little something happened today. Something that made me a bit pissed off and that isn't good for my blood pressure. So I thought how can I relief myself from feeling this… You know, angry. Then I thought of you!"
Ah… You knew where this fucking spiel was leading to.
In another world where you were the Main Character, you would fight. Throw a punch here and a kick there –go down fighting as they say. But reality says otherwise, you understood it won't help much; it'll only makes it worse.
"You know where I'm going with this right." The Devil's cronies cracked their fists as they joined in wearing their leader's smile. "So how about we get started."
That's point four.
To make this even more ridiculous, this was one of the tamer days.
ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ
Now consider the case above and tell me what depression is? Hah, you wouldn't even be able to describe it properly… Yes, that's my life.
There's a saying that 'everyone's problems are their own'. In a way, I'm sure their right.
People would argue that somewhere in the world, there are some going through situations that made mine seem docile… Well, fuck them. Just because their problem seems bigger doesn't make mine anymore smaller.
A dysfunctional family, a dysfunctional life. In another world… in a better world, I would awaken a superpower, get my own Mary Jane, and save the world. But reality isn't that kind.
Honestly speaking, I don't think the first thing I would be doing if I ever get powers would be altruistic. I would be fucking selfish as hell. Screw the 'with great power comes great responsibility nonsense'. Why should I be responsible to a world that was never responsible to me in the first place?
Ugh… I really am no superhero candidate.
ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ
I would like to say that I was afraid when I'd seen that truck barreling towards me. That the screeches and blare made my legs shiver and my teeth clatter… Actually in hindsight, I was afraid… Only that it wasn't because I was going to die. I was afraid that it was going to hurt.
Was that being cowardly? To most, it would be a resounding yes. But the thing is that I couldn't bring myself to care about what they think.
I had once thought of ending it all. The pain and everything else… It wasn't just suicide. No, what I thought of doing was something much worse . The news would have dubbed me as the next Ethan Crumbley. It would have been the perfect final fuck you to this world—only that I didn't have the courage to do it.
Now, I couldn't help smiling as the truck headlights blinded my eyes.
At last… It was over.
There was an intense heat followed by full weight of the truck crunching my body, then pain, and darkness———
ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ
How can I even begin to aptly describe it?
After that truck had ran me over, smashing me skull and all. I'd found myself in a somewhat murky abyss. I couldn't talk, feel, breath, and I sure as heck couldn't see… Though the later could be that everything was originally dark.
I wasn't surprised at my lot, not one bit. But I was thankful that this had proven my thoughts on whether there was a divine deity waiting to judge me after death, and I was proven right.
There is none at all.
Boy, am I glad to be an atheist!
Now all that's left is for my consciousness to fade away with this murky darkness and disappear. Because I definitely don't think my sanity could last long not being able to do anything.
But it didn't take long before I felt 'It' –a warmth that I couldn't explain.
I couldn't exactly comprehend what was happening. But if I were to liken it; it was as if I'd been infused with drugs. I've never actually taken hard drugs, but this feeling of power suffusing me could only be explained through that… Like I was high on something
The warmth grew to a boiling point, but I felt no pain from that. Only that my senses had been restored.
With my other senses slowly coming back, I opened my eyes (?) only to see a tide of white flames surging towards me. Before I could cry out in alarm… My world turned white.
ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ
For the first time in a long time, Nolan woke up feeling like a billion bucks. It wasn't an idiom. He felt refreshed, better, stronger in ways he couldn't explain.
In his half-linden state, Nolan reckon that someone must have drugged him in his sleep for him to be feeling this good. Though when he opened his eyes, Nolan realized that he wasn't in his room anymore.
'Wait… Room?' Nolan thought as a hand went to his head. "What the hell happened? And… The accident."
Images flooded in as the memory of his death came crashing like a peal of thunder… That's right, Nolan had been returning to his house that evening when a truck came tumbling towards him.
Nolan winced as he recalled the brief painful experience. He was quite sure as that he had died back there.
But if all that had been a dream. Then where is this?
"This sure as hell doesn't look like the hospital."
It was an abandoned house –probably a warehouse or something of that sort. The air had a blenching smell accompanied by the rat's squeaks and rubbish strewn around signifying its unhygienic location. Nolan could also hear the sound of the sea which told him that he wasn't even in his state anymore.
"Seriously, where the hell am I?"
Nolan sighed, standing up--only to now notice the inhumanness of his own body.
"What the…!"
He had shot up from 5.3 to over 6ft if he had to estimate. Where there should have been lanky brown skin were dark scales and magma. The scales were layered around his forearms, forelegs and chest. The rest were flames that took on the shape his body parts.
Upon touching his face, Nolan felt resistance. But it was in the same way his flaming body felt resistant. Tracing his hand over knife-like ears, Nolan couldn't help thinking that the amount of crack the people must have drugged him with must be insane.
"After all, if this is real. Then that means…"
Nolan shook his head and banished the budding thought. It's possible that he may have survived the accident and that he was in a coma, which is why he is able to imagine stuffs like this.
"Although…" Nolan dryly muttered as he looked at his scaly, flaming, Adonis, and buck-naked body. "I could do with some clothes."
At that utter, something within Nolan stirred. It was some kind of energy… A sentiment energy. A cosmic energy.
It was like the universe itself was speaking to him -telling Nolan of his connection to it. It showed him images of a Silver Rider speeding across the cosmos. A Rock Giant whose axe could split planets. A Fiery Being who could kick start stars. A Diamond humanoid creating black holes… A Universal Titan who could devour planets.
The energy… The Power Cosmic still kept on talking to Nolan but he didn't need it to do so anymore. With a flourish, Nolan gathered the molecules in the air around him fashioning a brown coat and a blue vest inner adorned over a long hand turtle collar with dark mild pants and long boots.
"Ha… Hahahahahahaha!!"
Was he being dramatic? Of fucking course! Especially now as he knew of that this wasn't a dream –the Power Cosmic had assured him of that- as well as extent of his powers and the Multiverse he was in.
"Damn… Of all the realities I could have landed in, it had to be the one with planet cracking beings and galaxy wiping poopers." Despite the morbid words, an excited smile was on Nolan's face. "But I've got the Power Cosmic, I'm sure I can manage."
But before Nolan could begin any of that. The Power Cosmic user turned to the side of the warehouse looking at a particular corner of the railings.
"Whoever is there, come on out." Nolan said a bit warily. He had realized he wasn't alone just as he had acknowledged the Power Cosmic and the spacial awareness it brought.
There was a girl hiding up there.
"… Don't want to come out? Fine. But——"
"Wait! Wait! Wait! I'm coming out." A dark skin girl dressed in a cropped tank-top covered with open sweater and cargo pants came out. "Sheesh, no need to get all fiery on me. I'm the one who pulled you in when you landed in the streets, no thanks for that."
Raising a brow, Nolan seeing that she ostensibly did not appear to be of any threat was about to leave. But then he remembered that he still doesn't know which iteration of Marvel he was in… Eyeing the wary girl, he decided that he might as well use her to gain information.
With a single step, the space between Nolan and the girl vanished. Raising his hand for a handshake, Nolan tried smiling disarmingly –as much as his flaming visage could manage.
"Sorry, about that. I was kinda' jumbled by all this. I'm… Ace. Nice to meet you, Miss…"
The girl blinked at Nolan in bafflement.
"Whoa… So you're a matter manipulator, a teleporter, and also a Case 53 who actually remembers his own name. Brain's so not gonna' believe me when I tell him."
'Ok, what does she mean by Case 53?' Nolan thought in bemusement. 'Does she think I'm some form of Mutant?'
While Nolan haven't read of that in the comics, he reckons it to be a form of superhuman classification in this reality. He was right in needing this girl for information.
'Though if she doesn't cooperate, I'll just take what I want from her memory.'
Meanwhile, the girl eyed his hand.
"Those flames of yours didn't hurt when I pulled you off the streets. But now that you're awake I'll ask; sure that my hand won't turn to charcoal if I shake you?"
Nolan nodded. "Nope, I control what they burn and what they don't."
"That's good for me." The girl excitedly took his hand, shaking it. "I'm Aisha. Allow me to be the first person to welcome you to Brockton Bay…"
"Brockton Bay——"
Nolan was suddenly cut off by a thundering roar. It was like a bomb had gone off. Turning his head to where the sound came from, Nolan peered through the walls that gave way to a coast city lit up in flames.
"What the hell is going on?"
Aisha's chuckling pulled Nolan back to see the girl sporting a cryptic smirk.
"Brockton Bay's going on."
Author's Note;
Ok, I really didn't mean for this to happen. When I'd been typing the next chapter of Chimeric Eminence, my mind flew to the movie 'Brightburn' and then I remembered the Worm fanfics I used to read and Bam! Suddenly a new chapter.
I wrote this fic with the intention of creating a kinda selfish MC -one that even if he knew that the world was going to end, he won't really give a damn about it. I wrote this fic to explore what would giving absolute power to a messed kid do?
Of course, I'm still gonna make him a Hero in the end –honestly, I'm not too good at writing Evil MCs. Nevertheless, the process before he even becomes that wouldn't be pretty.