The Reborn First Man:
Chapter 2: The Morningstar: Part 1.
The gentle winds of Eden felt like a soothing blanket, as they ran over the skin of the garden's recently-anointed keeper, rustling through his new head of hair, as he sat calm and motionless. His legs crossed in the lotus position, arms bent and fingers interlocked over his lap, as he meditated with eyes closed, and a calm, serene expression on his normally stoic visage.
He was by the very waterfall he'd heard the water flowing from, shortly after he'd first gained consciousness here, and been greeted by the angelic woman Sera. The noise of the stream of water as it gushed down mere metres away from him, crashing down unto soft rocks and into a pit of the same liquid below, which branched off into its own gentle-flowing river, almost like a harmonious tune to his ears, as he allowed them to listen to it intently, as part of his meditating.
It'd been about five days now, since he'd been left to his own devices, with naught for company but his own thoughts, and the sounds of nature all around him, both from the environment itself, and from the various animals that called this land their home.
He was still as naked as the day he'd awoken here, but the ex-Namekian found such a detail unbothersome. His new genitalia aside, which still didn't quite feel right on his person, outside of the initial shock that came with being reborn here, which had led to him feeling a small bit of embarrassment at his lack of clothing at first, he quickly found such a feeling dissipating entirely. Matter of fact, it hadn't even been an hour since Sera left him, that a remarkable level of comfort at his bareness overcame him, while wandering around the garden.
The new First Man wasn't quite sure at first what brought on such a complete lack of perturbance at his state of undress, but he reasoned that it likely had to do with his new body itself, both inside and out, feeling fine with it all, where his old body would've felt less so. The thought of it being clothed in the future, like his old one had been, didn't bring out any negative feeling either, so Piccolo merely surmised that his preferences hadn't even been inversed, so much as made far more comfortable being without something to wear.
Beyond that detail, the First Man had taken to exploring his new home and composedly basking in the beauty it brought to his senses, roaming the forested areas and the verdant planes to his heart's content. All while tasting of the fruit and vegetables he'd come across and recognized from his old life, when he felt hunger tease him. He'd almost found himself knocked off his feet with the tang of each, though, as not only were they as ripe as could be, but the flavour assaulted his tastebuds with each, and while bringing forth recognition, also brought forth a sense of euphoria, for they all tasted far better than even their most finely-prepared counterparts from his old life. The ones that Bulma's personal chefs had seen to preparing with all their skill and talent.
He wasn't sure how that could be, how the taste of each had been brought out to this kind of extreme, to where what he'd had of them in his old life felt dull and bland by comparison, but he was hardly about to start complaining about it.
Beyond the sights and edibles, though, there was the animals that roamed these spaces alongside him. Predator and prey alike, in his old world, peacefully coexisting with one another, and showing zero aggression towards any other living creature, not even to feed themselves, as all creatures, including the most well-known carnivores, all ate from the same fruit and vegetation he did, from what he'd seen. And that was regardless of if they picked the air, the land, or the water, as their abode within Eden.
Every animal was friendly to each other, including himself, evidenced by the lion, tiger and leopard that all lounged about near him, barely metres away from each other, without any hostility. Not even when a deer, a cow, and a sheep strolled by them from either side of the clearing, grazing and munching on the grass. Or even more incredibly, when birds like crows, ravens, sparrows and other smaller avians landed on their forms, heads included, and began resting there, trusting the larger beasts to not do anything, where in his old world, they'd have unquestionably been devoured by now, for doing something so bold.
Said birds did the same with him. Landing and perching themselves cosily on his head and shoulders, their tiny, beaked heads nuzzling playfully and affectionately against his scalp or neck in a way that even he found somewhat endearing, and thus allowed in a way he likely wouldn't have in his old life. Like everything else around here, it just felt peaceful. Too much so for him to shoo them away, as they weren't really being a bother to him, simply seeking this kind of closeness, barely making a peep as they did so. For it was as if they instinctively knew he enjoyed the quiet, and thus, never made any loud chirping or squawking noises within his close proximity to annoy him even slightly.
Paradise, this place had been called by Sera. Yeah, Piccolo wasn't about to dispute that, after having lived here for almost a week now, watching as the sun set and the sky darkened. All the stars in the black sky shining like little diamonds carried aloft by the aethereal blanket of the night, while the light of the moon cast its own glow down upon the majestic land of Eden, as he allowed himself to fall into slumber, after taking in the wonderful sight, each time. The soft and pleasant winds carrying with them the sounds of slumbering and waking animals in equal measure, as the more nocturnal creatures became active.
Beyond Eden itself, though, he'd seen his own reflection in the river, on the first day being left here, too, giving him the full picture of his new appearance. Lively, short, but somewhat spiky cedar-brown hair adorned his head. His facial features angular, with an almost square jawline that looked cut from granite, a nose no different than the one he'd had in his old life, outside of colour, refined cheekbones that he'd nearly call regal-looking, eyebrows the same shade as his hair above his coal-black eyes, and a forehead that looked carefully sculpted to fit well proportionally with the rest of his face.
His full appearance wasn't all that he'd discovered about himself, though, as he allowed a small smile to take over his features during his meditation. An almost invisible, milky-white aura outlining his body, rising off his pores like gentle flames.
His Ki could still be accessed. He'd discovered it on the third day here, after much meditation and seeking inward, and though it'd taken more time than he'd like, he was able to properly call it to the fore, the following day.
His reserves had basically started over, it felt like. The massive pool of Ki he'd had during the Tournament of Power was no more, and heck, even the pool he'd started out with, when his father had birthed him, was still a great deal higher than what he currently felt.
Even still, however, the ex-Namekian didn't complain. He was glad he still had it at all, even reduced down to such a minute state, as it was. Having his soul respond to him like this, and the energy from it seeping from him so freely, yet in a controlled manner, felt so freeing. Having always had Ki since he was born anew, in his old world, Piccolo had never truly known the sensation of what it was like to be without Ki, or rather, what it was like having your Ki locked off from you, and then unlocking it, like he'd just done recently.
It was like a blanket of comfort, as weak as it was now, and another reminder of his old world, in a sense, which he was glad was kept. Just as he was pleased with what else he'd found, by reaching deep into his soul.
Magic. Just like with Ki, he still had it too. He'd recall the sensation of it, just as he would his Ki, anywhere, even if there was a somewhat different feel to it from what he'd wielded in Universe 7.
Unlike with his Ki, though, even in the limited capacity it was in, he hadn't been able to draw on it just yet. It kept slipping through his fingers, so to speak, whenever he tried to latch on to it and bring it out, like he'd used to. This fact didn't bother him, though. He had all the time in the world right now, so even if it took him a while yet to grasp and call upon it in even the tiniest of fashions, such as he was doing now, with his Ki, just knowing it was there, that it was still with him, was enough for him, for now. Another blanket of comfort, weaker what his Ki brought, but no less appreciated for being with him.
Hmm. He couldn't help but hum to himself, both inwardly and outwardly, in content, even as his ears heard the flapping of wings nearby, which sounded louder than any bird he'd come across so far, in Eden, and then, what felt like a pair of eyes on him, as whatever creature was gazing at him, perched themselves on the closest tree. The sound of the branch creaking ever so slightly being enough for him to be aware of that fact, as he chose to ignore said creature's presence, for now, feeling no hostility from them, either.
If it was still there when he was finished with his meditation, and he felt inclined, he'd give whatever it was a greeting.
Meanwhile…
"Ughhh… Turned down again…"
Such words were uttered with a despondent sigh, as the one who spoke them in a somewhat deep, distinctly male voice, soared through the air with a depressed expression.
The owner of the voice was short, barely reaching five-foot-two in height, if he were to stand upright, and slender-figured. His skin was smooth and as white as the purest of clouds, with red, almost clown-like dimples on his slim cheeks, which led down into a sharp, royal-looking chin and up into a modestly-sized forehead. His eyes held sclera as blue as the bright, daylit heavens, with pupils and irises that shone a rich, dazzling shade of white, even lighter than his skin, with dark, sharp eyebrows above them, and eyelids a near-radiant shade of purple. His features, when all put together, looking as if they'd been formed to be as youthful and attractive as possible, while still maintaining the visage of a grown man.
Atop his head, he wore a wide-brimmed white top hat, with a golden underside and accents, with a white-gold halo floating above it, with spikes that made it look like a crown adorning him. Beneath both, was his blonde hair, which was short-cut and slicked back with one tuft sticking out, with thin, light-coral streaks on the thicker, paler blonde highlights he also had.
For the rest of his attire, he wore long-flowing, long-sleeved robes that reached just past his feet. The attire softer than silk, as it gently rustled in the wind, and clung to him comfortably in a way he found to be to his tastes, as his six glorious, heavenly-white wings stretched out wide behind him, each pushing out further than his arms could. The attire itself holding the same colours as his hat and halo, being mostly white, but having accents along the rim by his feet, the edges of his sleeves, and a big letter 'L' at the front and centre, between his chest and belly, which were all a glimmering gold. And lastly, upon his feet, he was adorned with pastel-white, heeled, knee-high boots.
"I just don't get it…" The winged male continued to himself in a forlorn way, as he flew about aimlessly. "Why won't they at least hear me out…? I have… I have so many new ideas! And I've really thought them all through, this time! I know I have!" He suddenly exclaimed passionately, his voice getting much louder, as he borderline sung of his woes, dramatically clutching a hand to his chest, before his voice dropped, and just as quick as said passion had arisen, it was crushed down, seemingly along with his spirit. "And yet… they won't even give me a moment of their time to show them. Show them what I have planned to improve Heaven for our fellow angels… All they do is just shoo me away, these days, like I'm little more than a nuisance…"
Was his purpose not to bring joy and happiness to those who shared his home? It was certainly what he'd been told it was to be, shortly after his creation from the primordial light of Heaven, within said realm's highest layer. A remnant left behind by Creation's almighty Creator, who according to his eldest siblings, the 'Elders of Heaven', as they went by, had not been seen since He had fashioned all that there was, for His creations, the angels, to play about with and mould as they pleased. The very being that said siblings all derived their names from, apparently, as unlike he, who had been born too late, had all been named by Him, personally. The one they all referred to, as their Heavenly Father.
"If only I could've been made sooner." The blonde angel grumbled, as he thought about the parent he'd never met, but which he deeply wished he had, knowing not the reason why he'd left, in the first place. "Maybe if I had, and had met Him, I might've been able to get Him to stick around a bit longer, and unlike my siblings, maybe He would've listened, and at least given me a second shot…"
Either that, or maybe he'd have shot him down just as hard as his siblings were, right now. It was hard to tell, given he knew nothing about His character. About the being that his soul always felt a tingle and yearning for, whenever he dared to utter the word 'father', while thinking about Him.
Shaking his head to rid himself from the ponderances of what could've been, and would never be, the blonde angel chose to distract himself by gazing down at the primeval Earth, which his eldest siblings had created, as part of what was now their latest project. His eyes briefly flitting over the mostly barren land and broiling, untamed seas, where he caught glimpses of mighty, large beasts that roamed about, alongside smaller animals, which looked identical to the ones he'd seen several of his siblings moulding for the Eden project. None looking friendly toward anything around them, and the angel was quick to turn away from said creatures, before he saw something his gut told him he'd be better off not having to see.
Speaking of Eden, he saw the secluded space that the Garden of Eden occupied getting closer, as he flew toward it. The space he would've loved to have been involved with, just like he'd have loved to be more involved with Heaven's governance, but like with the latter, he'd been soundly rejected, and bitterly left to his own devices, whilst his eldest siblings worked on it, and what would dwell within.
He'd eavesdropped enough on their plans for this, to know it was meant to be more than just a paradise separate from Heaven. He'd heard Sera speak, with a rare level of excitement he didn't typically hear from her, of the 'extraordinary' new species that they'd be making especially for the garden. To inhabit it, until such a time came to where the Elders of Heaven believed the new species ready to wander out into the rest of the world and populate it.
As of now, because of Sera's loose lips, due to her happiness over the project, he knew that only what she and the other elders called, 'The First Man' currently occupied the garden, and knew of his duties. He was to be his kind's beginning, and when 'The First Woman', as he'd heard Sera refer to her as, was finalized, she would join 'The First Man' in the garden. And from there, beyond having her own duties and looking after the place, as much as 'The First Man' would, even though, in the blonde angel's mind, such security didn't seem necessary, Sera had spoken of them eventually 'procreating' the second generation of Mankind.
"Ya know, I gotta admit, I'm curious." He said to himself, eyes narrowing slightly, as he got closer and closer to the gateway of the garden. Which was less an actual 'gate', like what the entrance to Heaven was, and more like a rippling space, where an entire sub-dimension existed beyond, located dead-centre above a far from pleasant wilderness, cut off from the harshness of the rest of the world surrounding it. "I wonder what this new species they made is like?"
Of course, he didn't intend to directly interact with the sole occupant of Eden. That would likely get him in trouble with his fellow angels, if they found out, so he'd have to settle for poking his head around inside, and observing the new creature that his eldest siblings seemed quite happy with, for a short bit. Just to see what all the fuss was about.
Hmph. Knowing them, and what they deem to be 'good', with how they are with Heaven and all those rules of theirs, he'll probably be uninteresting and boring. The six-winged being thought with a shrug, as his form finally reached and passed through the rippling gateway of Eden, immediately replacing his vision of the wild and unpleasant-looking wilderness beyond, with a lush, lively haven all around him.
"Huh. So, this is what Eden looks like?" Turning himself left and right, as he rose up higher into the air, Lucifer took in the beauty of this location created by his siblings, and upon feeling the tranquillity in the air, despite his current feelings for his elders, he found a small smile coming over his features. "Well, they did a pretty good job with it, I suppose. Wish they'd trusted me to help with it, though. I'm sure I could've put my own touches on this place to really make it snazzy."
Matter of fact, he could already see it now, the spaces with which he could place or plant his own creations, like what his siblings had, as well as the visions of his own created animals that could also be inhabiting this gorgeous garden…
Ngh…! Focus, Lucifer! Focus… The angel, now revealed to be named Lucifer, snapped himself out of his little fantasy with a shake of the head, before it got ahead of him, as so many of his fantastical ideas were want to do. His attention going back to what his original reason for coming to Eden under the noses of his eldest siblings was. That being a quick observation of their latest creation, which they all appeared to be the most proud of, before zipping back to Heaven, undetected.
With that back in mind, after hovering over the area for another moment, high enough that he broke through the treelines, the angel began scanning around for him. His supernatural sight capturing not just the breathtaking imagery of the area itself, but of the various animals that inhabited it, as well. None of whom exhibited any of the feral hostility of their fellows outside of this wondrous, divinely-crafted zone.
No sign of this 'First Man', yet, though. Guess he's not the kind that'll grab your attention, on first glance. The blonde snorted to himself, after a few moments. Before The First Man had been placed in here, the angel had caught a glimpse of his moulding once. It was in its early stages back then, sure, but he knew from that alone, what he was looking for, was supposed to be a creature with four limbs and that would obviously walk on two legs, just like he and most angels did, based on what little he'd grasped, being as uninvolved as he was, with Man's creation.
"Hmm… I wonder if they gave him wings?" The angel pondered aloud, rubbing his chin as he began flying around, idly searching for his charge, whilst also taking in more of the sights of Eden, as he passed them by. "Or if not those, though I can't imagine why they wouldn't, as I can't even imagine life without mine, maybe he has a bunch of eyes, just like the Seraphim and Ophanim do? I mean, I didn't see either of those on him, as he was being moulded, but that was back in his early stages of development. They might've added them to his design later… Hmm…" Tapping his chin in thought of what the finalized First Man was going to look like, Lucifer ultimately shrugged. "Eh, I guess I'll find out soon enough. Hopefully, they didn't make him look dull…"
As he said this, not a moment too soon, the six-winged being felt something tickle at his senses, and as he did, he found his head instinctively turning in the direction his gut told him to. His eyes focusing, as he saw it, in the distance. A faint, but noticeable glow of ethereal white, perfectly visible to his angelic vision, now that he was zoned in on it.
Right away, he could tell this was no mere light source. There was just something about the feeling it gave off, an aura, if you will, the longer he focused on it, that crossed such a possibility off, in his mind. And before long, without even thinking about it, he'd changed course, and was now flying in its direction, with an occasional flap of his majestic wings.
The sound of a waterfall reached his ears in the distance, as he furthered his approach, until eventually, he flew close enough that he could see a clearing up ahead, where the trees parted, and he could see the water gushing down from the edge and splashing into the aqua-filled pit below. The flowing liquid glistening attractively beneath the rays of the sun, as four-legged animals and winged creatures relaxed about beside it, on the top side, without a care in the world.
When he saw what sat betwixt them, however, they might as well have become invisible to him, as his eyes widened at the sight before him. His body dipping as his feet gently landed atop the highest branch of the closest tree, which stood a good twenty metres away. The branch he perched himself on, filled with vibrantly green leaves, with a final flap of his wings, before he tucked them into his back, being more than fifteen metres up from the ground, as he stared down at what'd captured his complete focus.
With two arms and legs, and a body shape similar enough to Lucifer's own, just without wings, more muscular and toned, and a handsome, chiselled face to go with it, the angel knew right away, this being's appearance would certainly garner the attraction of plenty of the female heaven-born, and some of the males, as well.
The visage of this being by himself wasn't what snagged his attention so strongly, though. It was the aura he'd seen from a distance. A magnificent, milky-white flare all around his body, which cast a radiance that only made the seated figure that much more alluring, as though his very soul itself was lighting up and pushing itself out from his skin, like a brilliant fire that licked at the surrounding air and soil around him. Never burning anything in its reach, yet profoundly felt, all the same, as far as Lucifer was concerned, being this close to him.
What… Is this…? Lucifer thought, feeling genuine awe, as the desire to get closer grew stronger with each passing second he watched him, all but enraptured by that focused, calm flame of ethereal white coating the being's body, like a protective veil. The sensation it gave off unlike any magic he'd ever used or felt from another. Intuitively, he knew that whatever this being was releasing from themselves, it was something wholly new to him. And given how much he'd already seen, that said a lot.
This was something that, for the first time in quite a while, brought him a sense of wonder. For it was fascinating. Interesting. Entrancing…
The angel wasn't sure how long it'd been, but he found himself moving closer, eventually, like a moth drawn to a light, as he quietly pushed away from the tree-branch, being sure to keep the sound of the beat of his wings as low as possible, so as to not disturb this individual, as he descended toward him. His feet touching the ground, as he soon stood in front of him, the space separating them being a little under three metres, now. The animals around the glowing figure making no moves to stop him, as they watched him curiously.
Up so close now, where the sensation his protruding aura gave off felt more intensified to his senses, prickling at the angel's skin, as the air around them hummed, thanks to the milky-white fire billowing over the bipedal creature's form, Lucifer found himself even more mesmerized, and in a way he didn't think he'd ever been before. The blonde barely able to stop himself from getting closer and reaching out to see if he could physically touch the aura that exuded from the seated male, for he was certain now, as crazy as it sounded, that his earlier thought about it may've been far more accurate than he'd believed. And he near balked in shock, as that realization hit him.
This creature… he had somehow pulled out the very energy of his spirit itself, melding it over himself almost like a second skin, making it so that it and his physical body were fully as one, in a way that Lucifer had never seen nor experienced in his entire life, before, amongst any of his angelic kin. It was the kind of harmony that not even the most refined of magic could replicate. Not from what he knew, anyway, despite how such was also, in its own way, tied to one's soul.
Beyond viewing that glamorous glow, his new position also allowed the short angel to get an even better look at the male's face in full, lit up like the rest of his figure in a – dare he say – holy way, truly accentuating his composed and serene features, as he appeared to be in some form of slumber, with his eyes closed.
He both looked and, thanks to his soul being as bare as it was, for him, felt so pure. So free of any taint or troubles.
Lucifer gulped, as the face was one he vaguely recognized, while the rest of his appearance clicked into place within his head, alongside it.
This was him. The First Man, in all his glory. His elder siblings most recently completed part of the Eden project, and what they all had been the most satisfied of, as of late.
"Well…" The words began tumbling out, just as he thought them, before he could stop himself. For he felt he was beginning to understand, on some level now, why his elders were as pleased as they were, with how their latest, completed creation had turned out. "He's definitely not dull or boring, at least…"
"You know that 'he', can hear you, right?"
"Nngukh!?" Lucifer made what sounded like a cross between a gasp and a choking noise, as he flinched back with a startled look, hearing that deep voice address him in a less than enthused, unimpressed tone, as the eyes of the First Man snapped open in a glare. Onyx pools shining with the dazzling aura of his spirit meeting with the angel's white pools, which reflected surprise and apprehension at being under the former Namekian's gaze, sound evidence of him having been fully detected, and caught red-handed being where he wasn't supposed to be.
Well… fuck.
AND CUT!
Well, that's the end of this one. Cranked this out faster than I thought I would. And for those wondering, I assure you, I am still primarily working on The Olympian God of Destruction's upcoming chapter, which should be out late-night Sunday.
As for this chapter, well, the compulsion was there, during my breaks from re-writing TOGOD, so I said screw it, and got to work. Ended up finishing it faster than I thought.
The chapter length for this fic, at least in the beginning, is going to be around 5K words. This should make it easier for me(hopefully) to slam out chapters once the motivation is there.
Not a whole lot happened here, but I did give confirmation that Piccolo's appearance is, essentially, Adam from Hazbin's Hotel, just minus the gold eyes, the bags under them, the stubble beard, and potential fat under his robes, as his physique is in its prime. Well, 'prime' until Piccolo makes it better with training. Dude's gonna be naturally jacked after a while, just like he was in his Namekian body. Piccolo has also reclaimed his Ki(or the ability to use it, anyway. Reclaiming makes it sound like I've given him all that he had during the TOP back, and if I did, he'd literally have no challenge in the verse at all, lol), along with discovering he still has magic too, though hasn't been able to tap into it yet. He'll grasp it again eventually, though.
Most importantly, we have Lucifer in this chapter, and he and Piccolo/Adam have officially met! They'll be interacting properly in the next chapter, whenever that is, but for now, Piccolo unintentionally drew him close, via allowing his Ki to blaze, even if in a controlled, calmed state. Our angel boy still felt it, and was quite beguiled by it and him, for doing such a thing.
As for Lucifer's appearance, before anybody whose watched the show asks, this is a pre-fallen Lucifer, who's apparently a Seraphim(in Hazbin lore), so I gave him similar characteristics, when it came to his eyes and wings, that I did for Sera. His top-hat is also present, but it doesn't have the accessories it does in canon. It does have a neat-ass halo above it though!
In any case, hope you all got some enjoyment out of this chapter, and I'll see you all again on the next one!