[General POV]
"Hey, Bruce. Looks like you went out hunting in the middle of the night again. You know Mom hates when you do that. She's definitely going to ground you."
The other boy, carrying a deer over his shoulders, hears what the first one says but doesn't seem to care. After a brief pause, he turns around—almost as if nothing had been said—and keeps walking toward the kitchen.
[Main POV]
Tonight's hunt was a good one. I managed to catch a fine deer. Ever since I arrived in this world, I picked up a new hobby—hunting—and I have to say, I love it. It makes me feel connected—to myself and to nature. I think maybe it's because, besides fear, hunger was the one thing that always stayed with me in my previous life. And to avoid starving, I had to hunt.
But in a big city, the kinds of animals I could go after were pretty limited.
In fact, most of my diet used to be pigeons, rats, ants—and a lot of other people's leftovers. I hated having to eat that stuff, but when you're starving, your taste buds get real easy to please.
The ghosts of my old life still haunt me to this day. Every night, I have nightmares about the way things used to be, and I'm terrified that all of this is just a dream—that I'll wake up back in the alley where I used to sleep. I'm afraid it's all just a figment of my imagination.
It's strange that even after all these years since my rebirth, I still sometimes question if this is real. In this new world, I have a bed to sleep in, a house to call home—and even a family. Things I never thought I'd have.
And tonight, I'll even get to enjoy a nice deer steak. That really does make me happy.
Oh, and by the way, I think the world I ended up in is... fictional. If I'm not mistaken, this is the Twilight universe.
That thought crosses my mind just as I finally step into the kitchen. I glance at the shiny walls and catch my reflection. That's another reason I believe I'm in Twilight. In the reflection, I see one of the most annoying, brooding people from my past life—Edward Cullen, born Edward Anthony Masen Jr. That's the face staring back at me from the wall.
Except, Edward's not just some guy I resemble—he's my twin brother.
Thankfully, moody teenage angst isn't contagious. Surprisingly, he's actually pretty decent. Apparently, years of being a vampire turned him into that depressive, rebellious figure we see in the movies—or so I've been told.
I glance down at my bloodied hands and think back to the years I've been here.
I was born on July 20, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois. That means I've been in this world for 14 years now. And I remember everything—every single thing—since I was born here. My memory is practically flawless.
When I was born in this life, I felt joy. I knew I'd be able to eat and live a much better, more human life than I ever imagined before. And it was real.
Edward's family is a wealthy one from Illinois. His—our—father is one of the top lawyers in the state. I knew he was important, but I didn't realize just how important until the governor himself showed up to my birthday party.
Kind of ironic, right? In my past life, I wasn't even allowed to step on the governor's sidewalk. But here? He visits me every year on my birthday.
Like any good politician, he tries to earn some brownie points with my dad and his two prodigy sons.
And yes, we're geniuses. Edward with his incredible musical talent and perfect grades, and me—equally perfect grades, plus an uncanny gift for sports.
I know exactly what world I was born into, and I'm aware of the hidden dangers that come with it. As thrilled as I was to be born here, I'm not naïve.
Even though I never had the right to go to the movies or places like that before, I was always a good listener and picked up a lot of details about this world. Knowing what dangers lie ahead if I ever become a vampire or something similar, I started training my body daily as soon as it was safe to do so.
I understand that impatience and overexertion are enemies when it comes to building physical skills and combat ability. I began training at three years old with little hops to improve muscle tone. I also maintained a diet rich in vegetables, legumes, and high-quality protein.
I'm only 14 now, but some already call me the boxing prodigy of the century. I've become an exceptional boxer. By modern standards, I'd be considered an elite amateur athlete—a feat people in the future might call genius considering my age. But right now, it's 1915, and most of today's fighting knowledge doesn't even exist yet. Some boxing styles haven't been invented—and are actually credited to me.
In other words, I'm seen as a monster in the ring—a once-in-a-generation talent.
I tried learning other martial arts too, but they weren't as effective due to the lack of good instructors. A bad boxing coach can still teach you something, but a bad instructor in Jiu-Jitsu, Krav Maga, or Kung Fu? That's a whole different story. Still, despite the setbacks, I managed to learn the basics of those arts and a few others—and I also picked up hunting skills from a few indigenous tribes who taught me a lot.
Suddenly, a noise nearby yanks me from my thoughts. I turn toward the sound and see a beautiful woman standing there—bronze hair like mine, green eyes like mine—arms crossed.
That woman is my mother.
And the anger in her breath says it all.
I know I'm in trouble. I got so lost in memories of the past that I completely forgot she might wake up.
She absolutely hates—and worries sick about—my hunting trips. Especially the ones I take at night...
To be continued…
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[A/N] If you've read this far, thank you! And since I'm terrible at handling compliments, please, insult me instead!