James Ford, a college sophomore living on his own in an apartment barely scraping by with the help of his allowance and few scholarships could only find escape from his banal routine of classwork, study and sleep by reading web novels and Dragon ball spinoffs and getting drunk. James downed another bottle of beer while scrolling down the fanfic he was currently reading "Homesteading in Invincible", it wasn't necessarily the best thing he's read but at least it wasn't another translation piece. Barely reading along something from the author note caught his eye.
"Complete this survey to receive a grand prize from the author [PurpleGaze] himself!"
James never saw himself as a lucky man but it wasn't as if he had anything better to do. Clicking on the link a form instantly popped up with 3 weird questions.
"Would you want to be reincarnated into the world of Invincible?"
"Yes". 'Would be much better than this', James thought instantaneously. He was never a thrillseaker by any means but that wasn't by choice. He always felt restricted by the limits of being a human and assimilating into society just to survive future financial burdens.
[If you were to reincarnate into an existing character who would it be?]
- Rexplode
- Cecil
- Black Samson
- Oliver Grayson
- Monster Girl
- Monax
James was conflicted he remembered that Oliver wasn't the strongest at first and he also wanted the time to enjoy life and actually prepare for the universal threats such as the viltrumite invasion and invincible war. Growing up as an only child reading invincible comforted him, seeing Mark evolve and overcome his circumstances all the way up to him even having his own children and becoming the leader of the viltrumites made him feel a connection to his character. The only right decision for him when considering that as well as the convenience of the viltrumite recovery boost he picked Oliver.
"Select two advantages
- animal communication
- acid spit
- Belly button beam
- 2x recovery boost
- x-ray vision
- heat vision
- slightly slow healing factor
- acid spit"
This felt like a no brainer to James, who wouldn't want to have heat vision like Superman himsel but he came to the realization that it wasn't as profitable as a the healing factor since as strong as viltrumites are surviving being maimed relies on making it back to get patched up. And for the second it was a no brainer, eventually when he is facing other viltrumites he'd attain even more strength while retaining his sanity. He chose 2x recovery boost he couldn't wait to see how strong he could become.
"If im gonna get my ass beat i might as well get my money's worth"
[Submit]
*click*
[Congratulations you've been chosen for the Invincible transmigration retreat]
"What kind of sick joke…"
There was a low whir as the light of his monitor began to glow brighter and brighter rapidly. James instinctively covered his eyes but it was much too late.
James slowly removed his hand from his eyes to his dismay he was no longer in his room sitting in his gamer chair he was floating in the air as natural as taking a piss. He felt as if defying gravity was simply a new muscle. He slowly pulled himself forward and back with a look of shock and amusement worn on his face. Completely disregarding the chaos around him. The corpse of one of the Mauler twins laid out on the floor.
The advanced technology of the facility unbeknownst to the world of his past was almost completely destroyed with steel and sparking wire all over the floor. The bodies of the incapacitated guardians of the globe laying atop the rubble.
"I give up! I surrender" the surviving blue bald giant threw up his hands.
Oliver felt the need to kill him being in the world made the threat of their existence real. He was floating above the chaos they ensued in a single day how many will they kill in their next criminal act.
*sigh*
"Put your hands behind your back and lay kn the floor."
Mauler followed instructions without hesitation.
"If you're done playing dead can you arrest this son of a bitch, Guardians of The Globe my ass"
Oliver focused his strength in his levitation and flew out of the facility. The guardians slowly picked themselves up out of the rubble to arrest the fear stricken mauler twin. Oliver was soaring through the sky until he passed the clouds. It was around midday and the weather was beautiful he never thought this was an experience he would never be able to have. He slowly retreated down just enough to still be able to breathe the sweat air of the atmosphere and be able to see the terrain of the area.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he admired the desert surrounding the military base. He looked down at his hands much smaller and more purple but they held a newfound strength and even though his current appearance looked comical in his suit he couldn't help but appreciate it.
"Oliver.."
His brother held a look of worry and regret as he looked at his blood soaked adolescent body. Oliver knew what was going through his mind but he also knew the nest course of action in this scenario and thankfully tears were already on his face. He flew closer to Mark and hugged him crying even harder.
"I didn't mean to kill him i thought he was stronger"
"It's okay, it's my fault I should've never let you stay out here. From now on leave the hero work to me"
"But you needed me if i don't even try how will i know what to do in the future. You can't be everywhere at once"
"That's not something you should worry about, you're a kid Oliver"
"Not for long"
Using the memories he gained from oliver when he transmigrated he flew in the direction of his home. He exerted all of his energy propelling himself forward he could feel the wind warping around his body as his surroundings became a blur.
Mark knew that Oliver wasn't lying but that wasn't what scared him. When the time comes when he isn't there to protect his little brother after holding him back what will he say to him, what will he say to their mother. Mark couldn't find it in himself to chase him down he knew that wasn't what Oliver needed.
Oliver slowed down as he got closer home taking a pit stop in the city. As he halted hus flight he could feel the wind snap a gust swept across the top of a skyscraper. He sat by the edge of the building and he took a moment to witness the civilization around him. It's much easier to appreciate the beauty of life from the view up above. He saw what his brother was fighting to protect although not in the most efficient way. But what could he say about it, after all the Mauler twin will prove himself useful eventually. A couple ideas came to Oliver's head mainly around taking advantage of his boost.
The city of Chicago was everything but quiet, Oliver was sensory overloaded he flew home stopping right beford his bedroom window stopping right before crashing into it. He gently opened it fearful of his foreign strength. Happily he didn't break anything, he let out a sigh of relief hovering through the window right above the bed before releasing his levitation and falling on the bed.
As he hit the soft mattress it was as if the little energy he had left was expelled out his body. The soul transferrance and the detailed memories of Oliver meshing with the ones of his past life had drained the life out of him and gave him a terrible migraine.
Oliver felt at peace while he was sleeping but from the outside it wouldn't look like it. He was burning up and subconsciously he began to rip apart the torso section of his suit as steam began to expel from his body as it expanded with even his hair growing.
Accidentally Oliver knocked the lamp by his bedside nighstand with his thrashing.
*Shatter*
Debbie heard the noise from her room but her new boyfriend Paul had just left so needless to say she was a bit tired. She forced herself to get up and walk to her alien son's bedroom knocking thrice.
*knock* *knock* *knock*
"Oliver?!"
No answer but she could hear him grunting slightly if she put her head to the door.
"Oliver! Are you okay!?"
Still no answer. Oliver was busy surviving his metamorphosis, sweat soaked the bed as his breath became more strained but deeper. His body grew past the restraints of his uniform ripping the fabrics. The process wasn't painful but he was burning up. The steam began to lessen as Oliver rolled off the bed. His skin had changed from a purple to a light pink.
Oliver shell shocked from this foreign experience droned out the protests of his new mother. Walking to his mirror to witness the change firsthand. He grew much taller in height before he was around 4'10 now he was about 5'7 and 158lbs with the appearance of a ripped pink-skinned 15 year old.
A part of him knew that this couldn't be the result of his boost since he hadn't exerted himself.
"Thank you Purple_Haze!" Oliver dropped to his knees with his hands clasped grateful for he knew he couldn't handle having the appearance of a child much longer. He needed the advance and he got it no matter how disturbed the metamorphosis left him.
*Bang*
Debbie knocked the door open using a fire extinguisher. She knew the boy wasn't normal since Mark brought him home but she never expected him to become a young man overnight when he looked like schoolboy yesterday.
"Oliver?" Her voice was weak with worry.
"I don't know what happened but I think I'm okay" Oliver was nervous, he was never the most comforting person and in this moment he genuinely had no idea of what to say.
'Sorry mom i evolved overnight because i'm not reallh your ex husbands space baby im a soul from a different world'. But living in the invincible world for this long made Debbie learn to roll with the punches.
"Can i have some of mark's clothes?" Oliver was still in the tatters of his old supersuit staring up at the dumbfounded Debbie.
She slowly closed the door, went downstairs to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine and then went on to grab some of Mark's older clothes.
"Thank you Debbie"
Debbie hugged him, telling him that it's okay before leaving and trying to shut the door that miraculously hung on the hinges.
Oliver took a black hoodie a plain shirt and levi's to the bathroom before taking a cold shower and changing. Even his hair grew a little more. By this time it was already about 10pm and he knew that after that process there'd be no chance of catching sleep easily.
He moved his bed to hold the door shut and flew out his window. The city lights of Chicago illuminated the night becoming more beautiful the higher he rose and the closer he got to the skyline. He wore a childish smile as he thought 'if i had this in my past life i wouldn't have been that depressed'.
"Wooooo!"
Oliver soared the skies looking down at the city below him. There were people still bustling in the streets but it was quite a calm night when it related to crime. A part of him wanted to explore different countries but he began to worry about the consequences of his actions if he spent too much time outside and debbie checked his room out of worry. He could feel the lingering attachment of the love oliver had for his family and sharing his memories certainly didn't help.
However he just had to take one more glance at the galaxy. He propelled himself above using all of the speed he could muster breaking the atmosphere staring forward. He forced himself to an immediate halt which felt as if he was pulling a punch before hitting someone. The action felt incredibly natural. Holding his breath he looked back on the planet he came from, he could see the clouds surrounding his exit point.
The gathering of green, blue and white was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and now he wielded the strength needed to have a chance at defending it. In his past life he held an admiration for astronomy he never imagined he would ever have the opportunity to view the earth from such a distance with nothing but his enhanced vision.
He never imagined he would have the opportunity see the chaos of the chromosphere of the sun, and the craters of the moon. He could feel the cold of outerspace but it was simply like a going outside in a shirt in 40 degree weather. But what he couldn't feel was his clothes and shoes on his body, He looked down at his toes and appendage.
'I should've known everything would've been pink, i look like a hello kitty girl's wet dream'.
He flew back to earth at almost the same speed the feeling of the wind enveloping his body was exhilarating. Orange streaks surrounded him as he broke into the atmosphere. He stopped before he crashed into the ground, the gust of wind swaying the trees in his wake.
Sneaking back into his bedroom through his window Oliver quietly fell asleep.
….
The next day
On a serene mountain peak high above the timberline, a world of stark whites and deep blues, dominated by jagged, snow-covered ridges and steep rock faces that reach into a clear sky surrounded Mark and Eve with only the fire infront and their winter apparel to warm them.
Eve: "Wow, just... wow. I've never done anything like this... I mean, this is totally cool... so romantic."
Eve: "You're getting major points for this, Mister Grayson... major points."
Mark: "Yeah? Cool."
Eve: "With Rex and William, I was lucky to eat at a restaurant without a drive-thru. This... this is just—-"
Eve - "Mark?"
Mark - "Hm?"
Seeing Oliver kill one of the Mauler twins took a toll on Mark mentally. He was scared that the apple didn't fall too far from the tree and what it would say about him. Oliver was a child he should never have been there in the first place.
Mark's human heritage couldn't allow him to see the good in allowing a superpowered child murdering villains as he sees fit. Mark witnessed firsthand the greatest hero he knew become a villain and if the mauler twins aren't allowed a chance to redeem themselves… would his father.
Eve - "Are you even listening to me?"
Mark - "What?"
Eve - "Mark!"
Mark - "Huh?"
Eve - "Oh my god--you aren't, are you?! I can't believe it!"
Mark - "Oh, Eve--I'm sorry... really. I wanted this to be special... this is our first real date--I just, I don't mean to drift off. I've just got a lot on my mind."
Eve - "Are you still thinking about Oliver?"
Mark - "Yeah, I don't know how he's dealing with what he did yesterday--or if he's even given it a second thought. I want to talk to him some more. He killed someone yesterday... he's still just a kid. I can't take my mind off the whole ordeal."
Eve - "I understand... that's a big deal. Do you want to leave? I mean, we can do this again some other time."
Mark felt guilty, he hadn't been finding enough time for their relationship he didn't want to rob her of this moment too.
Mark - "What? No. I can't do that. This is supposed to be special. I hate that I've ruined the moment as much as I have already. No way."
Eve - "Whoa--I'm not some stupid girl you have to bend over backwards for to keep happy. I'm Atom Frickin' Eve--I know what you're going through. Let's go."
Mark - "Really? You don't mind?"
Eve - "I get it. You've got something to deal with. I know what it's like. You're never going to have to lie to me to explain why you missed a date, or worry about me being mad because you have to go save the world instead of shop for shoes with me. I know your life--I'm a part of both sides. I know about all the crap that comes with the superhero part. That's why our relationship is going to work."
Their gazes softened as they stared at the love of their lives before gathering their things and heading home.
A little while later …
Oliver Grayson
*knock* *knock* *knock*
Hearing a knocking against my windowpane awoke me from my beloved slumber. As i rolled over to face my window i grew wrought with frustration. I opened my window.
"Oh my God! Have you ever heard of a door it's 10 in the morning!"
"Oliver? Are you okay", Marks face was worn wary of his brother's abnormal growth. He looked 10 yesterday who ages 5 years in one night and could the timing be any worse.
Mark - "You looked like a toddler yesterday and now you're almost my height!? Did somebody do this to you after you left?"
Mark had witnessed Oliver's growth spurts before but nothing of this magnitude he couldn't help but feel worried.
"Oh this! I understand why you'd be worried but I'm perfectly fine, my mother's race doesn't live longer than a year it only makes sense that i would age faster" i shrugged.
"About yesterday—"
"It's okay Mark seriously I understand why you don't want a homicidal maniac for a brother i shouldn't have killed him even though only more destruction lays in their wake every time they decide to return to their villanous ways, it isn't my decision to make."
"It's not just about that in this line of work that inner voice that tells you right from wrong matters much more than you think. It is the only thing separating us from monsters."
"I understand but if we're ever in a situation where we have to prioritize the safety of our loved ones choosing the permanent solution doesn't make us our father" i stood up meeting his eyes.
"I know oliver I know… just promise me it will be the last resort" Mark reached out and hugged me as he said it and i hugged him back.
"It will"
'i was lying for the most part because in this life if their existence cannot serve me and they continue to threaten the lives of innocents I won't hesitate'