Mark's POV:
The first time it happens, I'm in the shower.
One second I'm just standing there, letting hot water run down my back, not thinking about anything special.
The next, this weird energy surges through my body - like electricity but not painful, more like being filled with light (At least what I think it would feel to be filled with light.)
Then I hear a crack, and suddenly I'm holding the showerhead in my hand, metal pipe ripped clean out of the wall, water spraying everywhere.
"What the hell-" I stare at the broken fixture, then at my hand. I didn't even pull hard. Barely touched it, really.
But there's no denying what just happened. I just tore a metal pipe out of solid tile like it was nothing.
I shut off the water and step out, wrapping a towel around my waist, still clutching the broken showerhead.
Water's pooling on the bathroom floor, but I can't bring myself to care. My mind's racing, connecting dots I've been seeing for weeks.
The memories of my past life - being Mark Grayson, being Invincible - have haunted me since that night I woke up screaming. But until now, they were just memories. Not actual powers.
I look in the mirror, studying my reflection. I look the same - same black hair, same build, same eyes.
But something's changed on the inside. The dormant strength I inherited from Nolan in my previous life has somehow kicked in.
I'm not just remembering being Invincible anymore. I'm becoming him again.
I set the broken showerhead on the counter and flex my fingers. They look normal, yet I just used them to tear through metal like it was tissue paper.
I press my palm against the bathroom counter and apply just a tiny bit of pressure. The marble surface creaks ominously.
I yank my hand back, suddenly realizing how fragile everything around me has become. Or rather, how fragile it always was - I'm the one who's different now.
"Mark?" Goku's voice comes through the door with a light knock. "Everything okay in there? I heard something break."
I freeze up. What do I tell him? That I just discovered I have super strength? That I'm turning into the superhero I was in another life?
But Goku's been different too since his own change. More centered, more... knowing. And he's been dropping these little hints that make me think he gets more about our situation than he lets on.
"I, uh, had an accident with the shower," I call back, trying to sound normal. "The head broke off."
A pause, then: "Can I come in?"
I wrap the towel tighter around my waist. "Yeah, sure."
The door opens, and Goku steps in, taking in the scene - water everywhere, broken pipe in the wall, showerhead on the counter.
His eyes scan everything, then settle on me with a look that's not so much surprised as... expectant.
"So," he says calmly, "it's starting."
That simple statement confirms what I've suspected: he knows. Somehow, he knows exactly what's happening to me.
"You knew this would happen?" I ask, gesturing at the broken shower.
Goku nods, grabbing a towel to mop up some water. "I could sense the energy building in you for weeks. It was only a matter of time before your abilities manifested."
"How do you-" I start, but Goku holds up a hand.
"We can talk after you're dressed," he says. "Meet me in the backyard in ten minutes. Bring something you don't mind destroying."
With that cryptic instruction, he leaves, closing the door behind him.
I stand there for a moment, dripping wet, holding a broken showerhead, wondering what the hell just happened and what's coming next.
Ten minutes later, I'm in the backyard wearing jeans and an old t-shirt, holding a brick I found in the shed. Goku's waiting for me, sitting cross-legged on the grass. He looks up as I approach.
"A brick," he observes. "Good choice for a first test."
I sit down across from him, putting the brick between us. "So... you know about me. About what I was before."
Goku nods. "Just as you know something has changed in me, in Lelouch, in Mikasa. We've all remembered who we were."
The directness is jarring after weeks of dancing around the subject. "But we couldn't talk about it directly," I say. "Until now?"
"The compulsion weakens when physical evidence manifests," Goku explains. "Your powers emerging has created a... crack in the barrier, at least between us."
I look down at the brick, then back at him. "Who are you, Goku? In your past life, I mean."
How does he know about my powers? That they would come back even though I myself didn't know? Is it part of his own powers?
A small smile plays at his lips. "That's a complicated question with several answers. Let's focus on you for now." He gestures to the brick. "Try to break it. But - and this is important - try to use the minimum force necessary."
I pick up the brick, feeling its weight in my palm. In my previous life, crushing a brick would've been nothing once my powers kicked in.
But I also remember how long it took to get control - how many doors I accidentally ripped off hinges, how many glasses I shattered just trying to pick them up.
I focus, trying to channel just a fraction of the strength I can feel humming under my skin. I squeeze gently.
The brick explodes into dust, scattering all over both our laps.
"Okay," Goku says calmly, brushing brick dust from his pants. "That was a bit more than minimum necessary force."
I stare at my hand, now covered in brick dust. "Sorry." It seems I need to relearn my previous control. This body is younger than when I first gained my powers, I'm not used to it having them.
And I didn't really need this kind of thing either, it was more instinct after a little while, since dad- Nolan, said it was because smart atoms do instinctivly what a Viltrumite wants - to a certain extent.
"Don't apologize," Goku says. "This is exactly why we're practicing. Control takes time."
He reaches into a bag beside him and pulls out another brick, setting it on the grass between us. "Again. This time, imagine you're holding something fragile - an egg, or a butterfly. You want to apply just enough pressure to feel resistance, but not enough to damage."
I take the second brick, concentrating harder this time. I imagine an egg in my hand, delicate and breakable. I apply the lightest pressure I can manage.
The brick cracks neatly in two.
"Better," Goku nods approvingly. "Much better."
We continue like this for over an hour - Goku providing bricks, pieces of wood, and other materials for me to practice on, offering guidance as I gradually gain better control over my new strength.
By the end, I can crack a brick along specific lines without pulverizing it, and I can snap a pencil exactly in half without splintering it.
"This is just the beginning," Goku tells me as we clean up the debris from our practice session. "Your heritage includes flight, near-invulnerability, enhanced speed, and more. Each ability will need its own training regimen."
I nod, taking this in. "In my... before, it took weeks for me to stop breaking everything I touched."
"You'll progress faster this time," Goku assures me. "Your soul remembers the skills, even if it's just learning them anew."
"My soul," I repeat, testing the idea. "That's what transferred, right? Not just memories in another version of me like that multiverse theory thing, but my actual soul, abilities and all, right?"
Goku looks at me thoughtfully. "I believe so, yes. The essential you has somehow been reincarnated here, bringing with it the memories of your past life and the template for your abilities."
I sit back on the grass, letting this sink in. "But why? Why are we here? Why do we remember?"
"Those are the big questions," Goku acknowledges. "I don't have definitive answers yet. But I doubt it's random chance that brought the four of us together."
"Four souls from four different worlds," I muse - since none of them recognized me, well besides Goku, but I feel its because of who he is rather than being someone from my world.
Goku nods. "The boundaries between realities are more permeable than most people realize."
Something about the way he says this catches my attention. "You know more about this than you're saying."
A small smile. "Maybe. But some things you need to experience rather than be told."
I think about what this all means - being Invincible again, but in a world with heroes and villains different from the ones I knew before.
A world with Superman and Batman instead of the Guardians of the Globe.
The thought of my previous world hits me hard. "My mom," I say suddenly. "Debbie. She's still there. After what happened with Dad, after I... died." The memory of my death at Nolan's hands is still vivid, still painful. "She's alone with him."
Goku's expression turns serious. "You're worried about her."
"Wouldn't you be? I don't know how much you know, but my father just revealed he's an advance scout for an alien empire that wants to conquer Earth.
He killed the Guardians of the Globe - basically my world's Justice League. He beat me to death when I refused to join him."
The words pour out now that the barrier preventing direct discussion has weakened. "And my mom is still there, probably thinking I'm dead, dealing with all the crap he did."
"You want to help her," Goku says. It's not a question.
"I need to," I insist. "There has to be a way back. A way to return to that world, to that time, to stop him from hurting anyone else."
Goku's quiet for a moment, considering. When he speaks, his voice carries that formal cadence again, measured and precise. "Crossing between worlds is... complicated. But not impossible."
Hope flares in my chest. "You think there's a way?"
"This universe has several beings capable of such feats," Goku says thoughtfully. "There are methods - some based in science, others in mysticism. Finding the right approach will require careful research."
"So it could be done," I press. "I could go back."
"Potentially," Goku cautions. "But it would take extensive research, powerful allies, and precise calculations. Such travel isn't just about finding the right world - it's about both luck and ability.
If this world and your world's times move differently, with this one being significantly faster, then not much has probably happened in yours, otherwise, you'll need to reverse events, which is... difficult to say the least."
I nod, determination setting in. "I'll do whatever it takes. I can't leave her alone with him. I can't let him destroy everything."
Goku studies me, his expression unreadable. "Your priority is admirable, Mark. But rushing into such an endeavor without proper preparation could lead to worse outcomes. We need to approach this methodically."
"We?" I catch the pronoun. "You'll help me?"
"Of course," he says simply. "You're family."
The statement, so straightforward yet so meaningful, catches me off guard.
In my previous life, family had become complicated - my father's betrayal had shattered everything I thought I knew.
But here, in this life, family means something different. Something built on choice rather than blood.
"Thanks," I say, meaning it deeply.
Goku stands, brushing the last of the brick dust from his clothes. "We'll start researching possibilities.
But in the meantime, you need to master your emerging abilities. Control is essential, especially in a world as populated as this one."
I nod, understanding the responsibility that comes with my powers. In my previous life, I had barely begun to grasp my full potential before Nolan killed me.
This time, I have a chance to develop properly, to become the hero I was meant to be - not the conqueror my father wanted.
"When do we start the real training?" I ask, getting to my feet.
Goku smiles. "We already have."
The following days establish a new routine. Early mornings are for strength control exercises, with Goku providing increasingly delicate objects for me to handle without destroying.
Afternoons focus on speed and reflexes - Goku sets up elaborate obstacle courses in secluded areas of the woods outside Gotham, challenging me to navigate them faster and faster while maintaining precision.
Evenings are for flight practice. This ability emerges three days after my strength, when I wake up hovering six inches above my bed.
Talk about a weird way to start your day. Goku takes me to abandoned quarries and remote forests where I can practice without being seen, teaching me techniques for stability, maneuverability, and controlled landings.
Throughout it all, I'm amazed by Goku's expertise.
He understands flight dynamics, power control, and combat techniques at a level that suggests personal experience rather than theoretical knowledge.
It reinforces my suspicion that his past life involved powers similar to mine, though he stays vague about specifics.
One evening, after a particularly intense training session where I finally managed sustained flight at supersonic speeds without losing control, we sit on a cliff overlooking Gotham Bay, watching the sunset.
"You're progressing crazy fast," Goku observes. "Your body seems to be remembering skills faster than I expected."
I flex my hand, marveling at how natural the control now feels. "It's different this time. Before, I was fumbling through it, learning by trial and error. Now it's like... like my body is remembering skills my mind already knows."
Goku nods. "The integration of memory with physical capability. It's fascinating to watch." His voice carries that formal, almost scholarly tone again - so different from his usual casual manner.
I glance at him sideways. "You know, you never really talk about your past life. Where you came from, what you could do."
A small smile plays at his lips. "No, I guess I don't."
"But you have powers too, right? The way you move sometimes during training - it's not normal - like human normal. And you know too much about super strength and flight to just be learning it from books."
Goku looks out over the bay, considering his response. "Let's just say I have relevant experience."
"From your world? Wherever you were before?"
"From several perspectives," he says cryptically.
I sigh, recognizing the dodge. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"
"Not yet," Goku confirms. "Some revelations need the right timing. For now, it's enough that I can help you master your abilities."
I decide to try a different angle. "Have you made any progress on the interdimensional travel research?"
Goku's expression turns more serious. "Some. I've been studying the known methods in this universe. There are promising avenues, though each comes with its own challenges."
"Like what?" I ask eagerly.
"Some methods require specific types of energy manipulation," Goku explains. "Others involve complex mystical principles. Finding the right approach for our specific needs will take time."
"Us?" I catch the pronoun again. "You're planning to come with me?"
"If that's what's needed," he says simply. "I wouldn't send you into a potentially dangerous situation alone."
The casual offer of support touches me deeply. In my previous life, I had friends and allies, but there was always a sense that ultimately, I faced my biggest challenges alone.
The idea of having someone like Goku - someone with obvious power and experience - standing beside me is both new and reassuring.
"What about Lelouch and Mikasa?" I ask.
"They have their own journeys," Goku says. "Their own integrations to complete. But they're part of our family too. Any major decisions would involve them."
I nod.
"Though you must understand the laws of this reality appear to be binding," Goku explains, his voice taking on that formal quality again. "Once souls have been anchored here as we have been, permanent departure becomes... problematic.
But temporary crossings may be possible, or perhaps bringing others across to this side."
The thought of bringing my mom to this world instead of permanently returning to mine hadn't occurred to me. It's a new angle worth considering.
"So we could go there, deal with my father and whatever situation has developed, and then bring my mom back here?" I ask, hope rising.
"Potentially," Goku says with measured caution. "Though such endeavors are never simple. We would need to be precise and prepared."
The thought of facing my father again sends a chill through me, despite the warm evening. "He's stronger than me. Than I was, at least."
"You're different now," Goku points out. "You're approaching your abilities with the knowledge and experience of your past life, without having to relearn everything from scratch. And you're not alone."
The implication is clear: with Goku's help, the outcome of a confrontation with my father could be very different.
"I need to save my mom," I say, more to myself than to Goku. "I need to stop him from hurting anyone else."
Goku places a hand on my shoulder. "And we will. But first, you need to master your abilities fully. Control, precision, strategy - these are as important as raw power."
I nod, recognizing the wisdom in his approach. Rushing back half-prepared would just result in another defeat, another death. This time, I need to be ready.
"So, what's next in my training?" I ask, standing up and brushing dust from my pants.
Goku rises as well, a glint of challenge in his eye. "I think it's time to test your combat reflexes. Flying and lifting heavy objects is one thing. Defending yourself against an opponent who can match your speed is another."
I blink in surprise. "You're going to spar with me?"
"Unless you'd prefer Mikasa," he says with a slight smile. "She's been asking to test her skills against you."
The thought of Mikasa, with her formidable but human-level combat prowess, going against my superhuman strength sends a wave of concern through me. "No, that wouldn't be fair to her. But you... can you match my speed?"
That mysterious smile again. "Let's find out, shall we?"
Before I can respond, Goku is moving - not just fast, but with a fluidity and precision that makes it clear he's holding back significantly.
Still, his palm strike to my chest sends me skidding backward several feet.
"Lesson one," he says calmly, settling into a fighting stance I don't recognize. "Never underestimate an opponent based on appearances."
I grin despite myself, excitement building.
This is new territory - in my previous life, I never had the opportunity to train with someone who could actually challenge me without trying to kill me.
My father's "training" had been minimal and focused on power, not technique - well, not advanced technique.
"Lesson two," Goku continues, his voice taking on that formal, instructive quality again. "Power without technique is just brute force. Technique without power is just theory. You need both."
I mirror his stance, feeling my abilities humming beneath my skin. "I'm ready."
What follows is the most educational ass-kicking of either of my lives. Goku moves with a speed and precision that shouldn't be possible for a human, yet he clearly isn't like me.
His technique is flawless, turning my strength advantages against me, using my momentum to unbalance me, finding openings I didn't know existed.
By the end, I'm breathing hard, covered in sweat, and sporting several bruises that are already healing thanks to my enhanced physiology. Goku, meanwhile, looks not even winded.
"You've got natural talent," he tells me as we cool down. "And your instincts are good. But you rely too much on power and speed, without enough attention to technique and strategy."
"No kidding," I say ruefully, rubbing a particularly sore spot on my ribs. "How did you get so fast? So skilled? In your past life, I mean."
Goku considers the question. "Training. Countless battles. Learning from both victories and defeats." He pauses, then adds, his voice taking on a more profound quality,
"And understanding that true strength comes from protecting what matters, not from domination or conquest."
The words strike a chord. In my previous life, I had rejected my father's philosophy - the belief that strength gave one the right to rule, to conquer, to destroy the "weak."
I had chosen a different path, using my powers to protect Earth rather than subjugate it.
"That's the difference between me and my father," I say quietly. "He saw power as giving him some fucked up right to just rule everyone while I saw it as something that can be used to help people."
Goku nods, approval clear in his expression.
And that's how I decide the path of my new life. I will save my mom, I will save my world, while also not abandoning my new life.
I will never give up on this. Never. My will, will be unbreakable.
Because I am - Invincible.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter.
I think I'm gonna start 3rd pov's soon. Writing formally in pov, with describing things and all just kind of feels awkward to me, since I know he wouldn't be like that, but I don't really know how to write details without sounding formal.
So yeah, do tell me what you think of Mark wanting to save Debbie - which will probably happen, Debbie will become one of the cast soon enough, Eve probably as well.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)