Darius (Three Years Later) —

I've given up.

I ripped up the piece of paper in front of me and threw the torn pieces around the room.

After all of this time, I still haven't figured out what Universe I am in!

Years of trying various different powers to no avail!

The Speed Force Equation, the Life Equation, the Anti-Life Equation, the Ki, Magic, Nen, Haki, the Six Powers, Chakra, fucking everything, and yet I have found no fucking answers!

I've even started looking at maps for distinct locations that didn't exist in my old world, like Kuoh from High School DxD, Racoon City, etc, but I still can't find shit!

Which is why…I've given up.

And funnily enough, I'm not even super upset about it anymore.

Years of practicing meditation in hopes of unlocking some power has allowed me to gain a lot more discipline. At the very least more so than the average man.

I've realized that I don't have any special powers, I'm no one special, just the son of two wonderful parents living in a world that's an exact copy of my old one.

Hell, if I decided to head over to Wilmington, North Carolina, I'm sure I could find my grave.

And yet, I'm fine with that.

It's not perfect, hell, it's not even what I wanted, but what it is, is a second chance.

How many people get one of those?

I get to live life starting from the beginning again with all the knowledge of my past life. Who am I to complain?

So, I've decided to be thankful for my life.

My mom was absolutely ecstatic the day she found me praying over breakfast. To say my mother is a devout Christian would be an understatement, so when she saw me praying, she instantly believed I was praying to Christ.

Which…isn't necessarily wrong. I was praying to the R.O.B. who sent me here and whatever other R.O.B.s that may have been involved, like Truck-kun and Car-sama, but my mom believed I inherited her love for God wasn't a bad thing.

We had already been going to church for as long as I remember, but now we were going twice a week, which, again, I didn't mind. The place was honestly lit with worship songs and everything. It was definitely the best church I've been to in either of my lives, and I've been to quite a few.

I pulled on my white dress shirt and did the buttons, then grabbed my suit jacket and threw it on as well.

"Get ready, Darius!"

I tightened the tie around my neck with a frown. Why the hell does a four-year-old need to wear a suit? In what world is this necessary?

Normally, we dress formally for Church, but never this formally. According to my parents, we weren't going to Church today, even though it's a Sunday, and that's because today is Christmas Eve.

Apparently, my father's workplace is having a Christmas party for employees and their families, so my mother and I will join him.

To this day I've never seen my father's workplace, nor do I even know what he does, but with how jacked the guy is, it's probably some sort of heavy lifting job like construction.

Honestly I don't mind the party, especially since my mom said that there are going to be a ton of people interested in me, which makes me think my dad is kind of a big shot in his work place. If it's his company, then maybe I'll even inherit it, which will guarantee I'll have a good second chance at life!

"I'm ready!" I called out, leaving my room and heading down the stairs.

Sitting on the couch were both of my parents, both fully dressed in formal wear. My tank of a father wearing a normal, straight forward black tux, while my mom was wearing a red backless dress. I was pretty much copying my father's drip, but I didn't mind the look, like father, like son and all that jazz.

"Darius, you got ready quick." My father, Lucan Johnson, said with an amused smile.

"Is someone ready to go to the party?" my mother, Miranda Johnson, giggled.

"Yeah!" I pumped my hands up. "I can't wait to see what Dad does for work!"

"Oh, I bet you can't." My mother smiled at me knowingly before standing up. My father followed along and grabbed her by the waist with one arm.

"Let's go." He ordered and started making his way to the door. The two stopped at the door and let me go out before them. They closed and locked the door before following me to the car.

I paused at the car I was looking at.

This…wasn't our car.

Our car was a nice car, a fairly recent Toyota Supra, definitely a car worth noting, but the car in front of us wasn't our Supra.

It was a blacked-out Rolls Royce with dark tinted windows and silver-gray door handles.

"Cecil really doesn't play around." My mother whispered under her breath with a small smile.

Cecil? There weren't any Cecils I knew in this world, and I don't recall any from media I've consumed in my past life.

"Come on, dear." My mother gently led me to the car and opened the door. She lifted me up and put me in the seat and then my Father helped her in, and then he took his seat.

I blinked at how nice the interior of the car was. But I could only admire it for a moment before the driver of the car spoke up.

"We'll leave any moment you're ready, Nocturnus."

"Now will suffice." My father answered, crossing his arms.

Nocturnus?

The car started the move, and we all sat in silence, with me in the right backseat of the Royce, my mother in the middle, and my father on the left side.

I looked at him in confusion, and he caught my gaze. He raised an eyebrow at me and stroked his lovely mustache.

"Something wrong, Darius?"

"Who's Nocturnus?" I asked without skipping a beat.

"Me." He answered as if it should be common knowledge.

"Why do people call you Nocturnus?"

"Because that's who I am."

Okay, we weren't gonna get anywhere like this. The name Nocturnus couldn't sound any more like a superhero/villain name if I tried to come up with one.
Seriously, who the fuck is my dad?!

"Are you a superhero?" I asked before I could stop myself. My parents raised their eyebrows at my question. For a moment I thought I fucked up, but then I remembered: I'm fucking four. Asking if my parents are superheroes should be seen as natural for kids my age.

"Who taught you about superheroes?" My mother asked, looking at me with scolding eyes.

Or it should have been a natural question if my mother actually allowed me to watch tv.

"I…heard about it from dad." I rubbed the back of my head and nervously looked away.

"Lucan, what did I tell you about keeping superhero business from Darius!" My mother's glare was turned to my father who was still very confused by this entire development.

"I thought I had been." He said, holding his hands up, although his face exuded a calmness that I couldn't relate to.

Wait, what the fuck am I doing? My father just admitted to not only doing superhero business but actively keeping it away from me!

Then what world am I in?! It can't be DC; otherwise, I would have seen things about Gotham, Metropolis, Star City, etc. Marvel, maybe?

"Well, obviously not because he knows." My mother said with a frown, this time she was much calmer than before.

"Then he must have good hearing. That's always a good thing." He grinned, reaching over my mother's body to place his large hand on my head. "Looks like it's about time someone learned what his father does for work."

So that confirms it.

"Do you work with other superheroes?" I asked curiously. I knew nothing of Nocturnus, but hopefully I could get the names of some of his allies.

"I do from time to time." He nodded.

"Ooh, are they strong? What are their names?!" I asked with only half pretend excitement. Three years I've been searching for answers and finally they were right in front of me, waiting to be revealed!

"They are…"

I eagerly waited for my father's answer before he chuckled.

"Well, you'll see at the party."

No!

Fuck!

"Oh, is someone grouchy?" My mother asked as she saw my look of sadness and anger. "Your father is so rude, isn't he, for playing you like that? Don't worry, mommy's here."

I almost hated being babied as much as I hated being edged.

My father knew what the hell he was doing; he just wanted to see me upset!

I looked at him and saw a wide smirk under his mustache.

The fucker is taking pleasure out of this!

I closed my eyes and let my father stroke my hair as the Royce drove.

I wanted answers, and I wanted them now, but I knew my limits. I couldn't beat time or rush it, which meant I must wait.

As I waited, the darkness of rest welcomed me.

Later —

I awoke to the sound of chatter going on around me. My eyes began to flutter open and I paused at the sight in front of me.

"This is your son, Lucan? He looks just like you!" A tall, gruff man laughed in front of me. I looked down to see that I was in my father's arms, and I likely had been this entire time.

This man…I know him!

"I agree. Unlike Nolan's son, my boy takes after his father."

"Oh, eat a dick." Another tall man said, and this one I definitely recognized.

Omni-Man, or Nolan Grayson, from Invincible.

"Nolan!" A short, black-haired woman scolded the man from beside him.

"Sorry…eat a sausage!" Omni-Man corrected with a cough.

"Better."

My eyes danced around the room, and I looked at all the people present in pure shock.

The first gruff man was Immortal, and the short woman was Debbie. As I looked around, I spotted each member of the Guardians of the Globe standing around, mingling with each other and one another's families.

Holy shit…I'm in Invincible.

Chapter End —

Beta Reader: Basilisk Dragonboy1