I awoke to a suffocated feeling; I felt like my limbs were bound and restricted. I opened my eyes to a grey sky peeking through blurry tall shadows, I also noticed that I seemed to be laying on top of something. "You're a little short betty", I heard a man say. I try turning my head to see who was talking and saw the silhouette of two people. In front of me was a woman with white hair who had her back to me, and the man who talked was standing in front of her, so I was unable to get a good glimpse of him. Not that it mattered since, for some reason, everything looked blurry to me. "Jack, that's all I have on me right now. I will make up the rest to you next time," said the woman with her back to me. "That's not how it works betty, you know that. But if your short, I don't mind helping you out," Jack said as he walked up to betty before reaching around with his hand and grabbing her ass. "Yeah, that works," replied betty before lowering her pants and bending over me. "Who's the brat? You just have a kid betty?" asked Jack when he noticed me. "Just dead weight, forget the kid, I'm taking it to orphanage later," said betty as she looked at me with disgust, "I don't even know who the little shit's father is or else I'd ask for some money."
I realized at that moment that I had been reborn. 'Well, shit fuck. I thought my last life was bad being born into a narcissistic and abusive family, now I have a druggie for a mother. My luck suck's,' I thought to myself as I closed off my senses so I would not have to be disgusted by what was happening above me. While meditating I felt a warmth rising inside my body, besides the feeling of anger and annoyance due to my current circumstances. Concentrating, I realized that I could sense my insides, all the way down to my genes. Having been a biologist in my previous life, I had a little understanding of how the human body works, though I was not a geneticist or doctor, but at least I had some basic knowledge on what does what. "If I want to understand and process all the genetic information, I will first need to speed up the connection between my brain cells, that is the easy part, the hard part if finding energy to make the change," I thought to myself, "Then I can make whatever changes I want. Hm, the produces and uses energy, if I had the ability to adsorb and store energy, I would grow stronger over time like superman. Wait a minute, if I can alter my genes, why don't I just give myself the kryptonian gene. If I remember correctly, superman's ability is just a bioelectric aura, to become so OP thru a basic ability was awesome. His ability must have been overcharged since krypton had higher gravity, kryptonians evolved to have denser cells.' Comparing human DNA to kryptonian DNA is like comparing an old school 8-bit video game to a 4k video game. So, I started strengthening my base genes.
When they finished their business and were getting dressed jack said, "Hey, how about giving the brat a dose. You're going to dump him anyways; I wonder what would happen if a kid took Evo." I open my eyes and glare at the piece of human trash in anger for even thinking about doing something like that to a newborn baby. I watched as he chuckled to himself while looking at me, my so-called mother just glanced at me before stepping aside with a wave of her hand. "Eh, fine. But I want an extra dose, I lose customers without my ability, it's getting annoying with how much you disappear. You know I need the ability EVO gives me to bring them in," the woman complained. 'Wait until I grow up you two, I will hunt you down when I am older and make you suffer a fate worse than death,' I thought to myself, 'Wait, did she just say EVO gave her abilities. That sounds like the drug from X men in the marvel universe.' Seeing my mother step aside, Jack walked up to me before pulling something out of his pocket. He twisted off the top to reveal a small needle, before sticking it into my arm and squeezing the other end, injecting the Evo into me. It felt like someone had poured lava into my veins causing excruciating pain while ravaging my body, but even than I tried to keep my eyes open for as long as possible so I can burn their faces into my memories.
After a while I closed my eyes due to the pain and realized that a surge of energy was filling up my body, so I tried using it to make the changes to my brain and body I wanted. Instead of changing its structure I decided to increase the number of synapses in the brain and the speed of connectivity between them. In my previous life it was discovered that what changes with age is the number of synapses in the brain every time someone learns or forgets things, and that the average connectivity was around 10% for all humans. So, I was trying to not only increase the number of synapses I had in my brain but also double the speed of my brain's connectivity. Increasing the number of synapses makes it easier for someone to process information, while increasing the connectivity speeds up a person's ability to process the information. It's like going from counting on your fingers, to using an abacus, before ending with a calculator.
"Tch, I can't tell what kind of ability he got but it looks like he didn't get a mutation," the man complained before turning around and leaving. After my mother finished pocketing the EVO, she picked me up and started carrying me somewhere. 'I finally finished the alterations to my brain, but now I feel so detached. I am spending more time processing information then planning ahead on what to do with it,' I thought to myself after a while, 'Hmm, people with multiple personalities are able to live productive lives because one personality is always the main one. I could make a separate personality for myself to process and organized the information I take in, like an A.I. It should be easier since I can just form the personality from an idea, I just have to think about who I want to hear in my head from now on. If I am going to have someone in my head, it is best to have a woman, and it would be good to base her on an A.I. I know to keep the image. The one I know best is Cortana from Halo, so I guess it will be her."
Once I made up my mind, I started to gather all the memories I had about Cortana from the games, what she looked like, what she sounded like, and her personality traits as well, before dumping it all into my subconscious. I do not know how much time passed before I heard, 'Wow, and I thought being in the Chief's head was close enough, this is almost as bad as getting rampancy.' That was when I saw in my mind's eye the image of a blue woman. 'Well, I needed someone's help to process the influx of information before I drove myself crazy, and you were the most reliable person I could think of,' I say inside my head. 'You do know how to compliment a woman, don't you. Okay, let me see what's going on here, so I can catch myself up,' Cortana replied before waving her hand, 'Done. Well, that's one way to start a new life, can we ask for a do over to whoever brought us here.' 'I don't think it is that bad anymore, I got you after all,' I think. 'Your mushier than Chief, I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It feels nice when someone admits to needing you,' Cortana said, 'Now, what do you want me to do here. I don't think you made me just to have someone to talk to.'
'Although it is nice to have someone to talk to, no, I need your help managing my ability. It would be nice if you could create a systemized display image I can use to keep track of my ability,' I think to Cortana. 'No problem, it'll take a bit, but thankfully there is still some energy left from whatever that psycho gave you,' Cortana says before she disappears from my sight. That was when I felt a jerk, causing me to open my eyes. From what I could see, I was now inside a building, being carried by the angriest, fattest women I had ever seen. "Ha, an infant, skank bitches need to learn this isn't a dumping site. Ah, whatever, they are easier to get rid of anyways," the nun say's while looking down at me, before taking me inside and putting me inside a broken crib with no mattress. 'Cortana, put this woman on must kill list for the future. You know what, put my mother and that prick Jack on there too,' I thought to myself as I glared at the fat woman. 'Sure-thing boss, anyone else you want on there too? Grandparents? Jesus?' Cortana asked mockingly. 'I would like to meet them first; I know I made you in my subconscious based on the Cortana I knew but that doesn't mean I am going to be some self-sacrificing hero like Chief. Don't get me wrong, I respect men like him, until they let their moral code kill the ones that care about them most,' I reply to Cortana, 'I was enough of a nice guy in my last life, and look were that got me. So, you forget about that holier than thou shit in this life, the first chance I get for revenge, I'm taking it.' 'But seriously, what's going on with this world. It's not logical for someone to be able to alter their own bodies,' I think. 'Sorry boss, I do not have enough info about this world to give an informed answer,' Cortana replied. 'Well, screw it. I'm tired, wake me up if something interesting happens,' I say before falling asleep.
After that some time had passed, with Cortana helping me stay motivated to train my newborn body, she also helped me correct my bone structure and insides, so I wouldn't have any problems when I grow up. She even told me that apparently, I was born with a deformed heart and would've needed a transplant, or I would have died before my eighteenth birthday. She ended up making a system window for me, telling my current stats, as well as what I could change and how much I could change every day. Just for kicks, I told her to look into the kryptonian gene so I could become superman. 'As interesting as that would be, without a genetic sample there is no knowing how long it would take to research something like that,' Cortana said mockingly. 'What are you talking about? All life on earth is genetically similar, why else would humans die without sunlight just like plants," I say in protest. My days were uneventful, but with Cortana, at least they weren't boring since we were left alone most of the time in the crib, with only the view of the sky from a window as the only scenery.
1992
At the age of three I was still in the orphanage, but this time I was moved into a group room with other children when Cortana said, 'Happy third birthday Jack.' 'Please don't call me that,' I say for the umpteenth time to Cortana. That's right, the fat woman named me Jack, just like that asshole, because my bitch of a mother never bothered to name me before dropping me off, and yes, she is still on my kill list. 'As a present, I will tell you something. I have deduced the kryptonian DNA sequence,' Cortana said before jumping and clapping in my mind. My mind was blank for a while before I thought to Cortana, 'You're pulling my leg, right? I know the theory is that kryptonian's are carbon-based life forms, but there is no way-' 'Why not? It is theorized that even crystalline lifeforms may exist and that they may survive thru absorbing sunlight. Humans already need sunlight to live and evolve, so I just used that as a framework to creating an evolving genetic algorithm. I just tweaked it so your cells would be able to absorb more energy and used it to stimulate your cells to evolve, you still need to eat, for now,' Cortana explained while swaying her body side to side in my view, 'Mind you, if you want specific traits, you will still need genetic samples for now, after all, I only just deduced it. So, all it will do for now is absorb sunlight and turn it into your own energy while condensing your cells making them stronger. Unfortunately, I have not yet deduced the bioelectric aura superman's body creates, maybe you can touch an electric eel. On another note, I have discovered that you also have the ability to rewrite and study others D.N.A. as well, although you will have to touch them for now.'
'That's great, this is the best-' I think with a smile on my face before stopping myself, 'What was that last part?' 'With the increase in available energy, you are now able to rewrite others D.N.A. with contact,' Cortana said sheepishly. I sat on my bed, unable to even think of what to do with this new information, because with this new ability I had the opportunity to even become a god, but this could also drive others to fear me enough to want to kill me. It was then that all hell broke loose.
It started with the sounds of sirens getting closer and closer to the orphanage, noticing this, I walked to the window and looked outside the front of the orphanage. Others in the orphanage were also gathering behind me to see what was happening. All of a sudden, I saw a red beam shoot down the road. This caused the other kids to run in fright as I heard the administrator say, "Damn mutants, all they do is cause trouble. The only thing those x-men do is cause more damage, if you ask me, they should all be round up and shot." I froze in place, before reaching up to touch the administrator and thinking to Cortana, 'Cortana, it's time for this fatso to die. Can you make it look natural?' 'No problem, should I make it painless?' she asked while her projection in my mind glared at the bitch. After being with me for so many years and seeing what the administrator put all the kids thru, she grew to hate her as much as me. 'As long as she doesn't have to chance to oust me,' I say. 'Hm, I can give her a double dose of stomach cancer and Alzheimer's. Cancer is easy, and she already has the genetic trait for Alzheimer's, I will just speed it up. She will be confused and in so much pain she won't have time to think of you,' she replied with a smirk before getting to work.
Once she was done, I went back to watching what was happening outside. 'She said x-men, Cortana. This means we are in the marvel universe; this better not be the zombie universe. Cortana, compile and organize everything we know about marvel, we are going to need it,' I think to myself. 'Sure-thing boss,' Cortana replies. At that moment a car suddenly shows up, about to drive into the orphanage, when a puff blue smoke, and a blue man appears, grabbing us on the shoulders before the scene in front of me changes to one outside. I was stunned for a second before I looked up to someone familiar, Nightcrawler of the x-men. I reach up and grab his hand before he can disappear and think to Cortana, 'Cortana, can you copy over his ability?' 'Yes, but it will take a while to analyze it first. You either need to stay in contact with him, or get a D.N.A. sample,' Cortana replies before getting to work. 'Hopefully in the future we can do it without having to touch them, there are some people I do not want to get close to,' I think. Nightcrawler tried to go back, but realized that I was still holding his hand, before he could shake me off the other X-men showed up and pulled the people from the car. 'He looks younger than I remember,' I think while looking at nightcrawler. I then look at the X-men to see if I can narrow done which universe I am in. 'Ok, we have Nightcrawler, Cyclops, speedy what's his face, and guns are floating in the air meaning magneto or jean is somewhere around here,' I think to myself while looking them over before seeing three more flying over, 'And there's jean grey with storm, now the only ones missing are the professor and magneto.' 'That would just make it one of the main universe's, it does not mean that in ten years the zombies are going to show up and eat everyone,' Cortana say's, trying to sooth my worries. 'I would have preferred to reincarnate into a fantasy world, I know I would have complained about the lack of technology, but then at least I wouldn't know dozens of ways this universe, much less this planet, can be destroyed in the future,' I complain.
'True, anyways, I have finished analyzing his ability. It will still take me a while before I can integrate it, though, we were able to save enough energy beforehand," Cortana said. I give her a mental thumbs up, and noticing that the administrator had run off somewhere, I let go of Nightcrawler before slipping between some debris nearby so I can watch as things progress. 'Cortana, do you have a way to block mind reading?' I ask. 'Unfortunately, no, but I can hide inside the sea of useless information that I collect every second,' Cortana replied. 'Really? That works, thanks,' I say as I watch as the x-men subdue the criminals before the police arrive to take custody. They are giving interviews when Cortana tells me that assimilation is complete but looking at my hands, I see the are not blue. 'That is a genetic trait, not a reflection of the ability, like mystique,' Cortana explains. 'Ok, also, change my fingerprints, hair color to white and eyes to blue. I know my skeletal structure has changed over the years, but it would be best to change everything, making me into a completely different person. Heh, give me the face of an incubus with the body of a Greek god' I say to Cortana. 'That is simpler, but what are you planning?' asked Cortana. 'Well, we know we are in the Marvel Universe, right? That means I can pull off the Kryptonian persona without anyone being the wiser,' I think with a smirk.
'That might actually work but are you sure you want to present yourself as an alien. Would it not be easier to just tell them that you are a mutant as well?' Cortana asked. 'Remember, you over-wrote my genes so I could absorb and use sunlight but leaving my original abilities, meaning that I no longer have the x gene,' I tell her, 'Besides, I doubt they will check deeper if I display an ability. Just in case, why don't you create some memories from the DC movies I watched while you are hiding our thoughts.' 'True, with the alterations made to your D.N.A. you are technically no longer classified as human,' Cortana cautioned me, 'Very well, I have fabricated some infant memories of you being from krypton and that the pod you were in taught you some things, but in order to explain our origin I showed you being dropped off at the orphanage making it easier to integrate the memories.' I nod my head while trying to make my way thru the crowd, when I notice the X-jet coming in for a landing. By the time I pushed my way to the front I can see the X-men already walking up the ramp. 'Cortana, how far can I currently teleport?' I ask. 'In a straight line? Maybe a thousand feet, we have used a lot of our energy reserves today. Why?' Cortana told me. 'I looked inside the x-jet so I should be able to teleport inside it, and if I wait until they let down their guards and begin to accelerate the jet. They may not notice our presence until we are at the academy,' I tell Cortana. 'That is insane, but, plausible. As long as you do not die in this attempt, I might be able to regrow any lost limbs,' Cortana says in a matter-of-fact tone. 'Thanks for the vote confidence. I think?' I reply while watching the jet take off. I wait for a few more seconds before hearing the whine of the engines as they begin to speed up and taking that as my signal. I disappear from inside the group of reports and on lookers in a puff of blue smoke.
The view in front of me quickly changed to the inside of the x-jet in the middle of the loading ramp, to be specific. Realizing my predicament, I look around and see a uniform rack to my right, I jump in before anyone can notice me. Jean grey, sitting in front of the plane freezes before turning around to look at the back of the plane. "What's wrong jean? You sense something?" asked Cyclops aka Scott Summers. "No, I think it was just the fight getting to me," Jean replied before turning around to look up front. "It was an accident Jean, no one thought they would try running from us. How could we know that they would crash into an orphanage," Scott said, trying to consul Jean, but she didn't reply. 'Thank goodness you hid our thoughts, or else I have no doubt Jean would have noticed us, though I doubt we will be able to hide our presence from Xavier' I thank Cortana in my mind, 'Now, we just have to sit back and wait for them to take us back with them.' I settle myself among the uniforms and make myself comfortable. 'Question, which ability do you plan to expose to them when they locate you?' asked Cortana. 'Easy, Jean's. Wait, do I have enough energy to analyze and assimilate her telekinesis?' I reply. 'It depends, transplanting that teleportation ability and then coming onboard the plane took more than half our reserves. We may be able to assimilate it, but you wouldn't have the energy left to do anything,' Cortana tells me, 'And how in fact do you plan to get her D.N.A.?' 'That is the easy part, as they are getting off once we arrive, Jean, having already sensed me thru her telekinesis, will be compelled to check here first before leaving. Thus hence, being the first to find me, then all I need to do is hold her hand until you have finished analyzing her abilities,' I explain. 'I like the feasibility of this plan a lot more than your first one of teleporting into a moving plane with no prior experience of teleporting,' Cortana says mockingly.
It took a few minutes before I started to feel the plane begin to descend, marking that we had arrived at the school, and not long after I felt the bump of the plane landing. I listened as the ramp began to lower, and they started to exit the plane. As I sat there, I saw a pair of shoes stop, before turning in my direction, and slowly begin to approach where I was hiding. A moment later the clothes were pushed aside, and as I looked up, I stared directly into Jean's eyes. A look of surprise and shock crossed her face when she saw me. "Who are you? How did you get here?" asked Jean, but I decided to keep quiet for now, people have a tendency of filling in gaps themselves when they have a lack of information. When I didn't say anything, I felt a slight pressure on my mind, but I kept my mouth shut. I then saw her eyes go hazy, before her face took a distant look to it. 'It looks like my idea worked, she's probing your mind now, but she is stuck sifting thru the useless information,' Cortana said. After a while I heard Scott call out for Jean, "Jean, is everything ok." That was when I felt an even stronger pressure on my mind. 'This must be Professor Xavier, who far has he gone?' I ask Cortana as the pressure eased. 'He got further then Jean but didn't even make it a tenth of the way before he stopped at the fabricated memories before reading them,' said Cortana. 'Damn, he made it so far with just a casual glance. Then he would be able to read my mind if he actually tried,' I replied. 'Maybe, maybe not. It depends on whether he is willing to spend the time and energy it would take to breakthrough our defense's. And the more time passes the harder it will be for him to succeed, since we are always adsorbing information,' Cortana reassured me.
At that moment Jean's eyes finally refocused on me, before she took a step back, and that was when I heard an electric motor come up the ramp. From where I sat, I could see the professor's bald head, followed by the rest of his body sitting in a wheelchair. "Jean, what do you see?" asked the professor, since he couldn't see me from where he sat. "Professor, it's a kid," replied Jean. "Come son, we aren't upset and won't hurt you. We would just like to ask you a few questions," said Xavier, but I continued to just sit there, staring at Jean. "Jean, reach in and see if you can coax him out," Xavier said to Jean. Jean looked at the Professor questioningly, before letting out a sigh and resolving herself. She took a few steps forward and kneeled in front of me while stretching out her hand. But she did not make a move to grab me and instead just sat there with her hand outstretched. I waited for a moment before hesitantly reaching out and placing my hand in hers. 'See, just like I planned. Alright Cortana, begin analyzing her abilities,' I said in my mind. Grasping my hand, she gently pulled me out of my hiding place. As I made to stand up, I stumbled due to my legs going numb from sitting in such a cramped position for so long, causing me to fall into Jean's arms. The professor just looked at me holding onto Jean as I waited for the feeling in my legs to return and Cortana to finish.
"Child, who are you? Where did you come from?" Xavier asked me. 'Do you think I should give them an earth name or kryptonian one?' I asked Cortana in my head. 'Well, seeing as you are trying to portray yourself as a kryptonian I think that would be best. You can always take on an earthly name later when you want to enter society,' Cortana replied. I gave her a mental thumbs up before turning to the Professor and opening my mouth.
"I am Jor-El the third. Child of Zor-El and Alura In-Ze. And last son of Krypton," I say to the professor while still holding onto Jean. Jean and the professor exchange confused looks before the professor turned back to me and asked, "And where do you come from?" I took one hand and slowly pointed up. A look of surprise crossed the professor's face before he continued, "Do you mean you came from another planet?" I nodded my head before saying, "Krypton." 'Abilities analyzed. Now assimilating,' I heard Cortana say in my head. "Let's get him settled for now before we ask anything else. I will need you to keep quiet about this for now Jean," Professor Xavier said, after the shock had worn off, before turning around to exit the plane. I walked slowly, pretending that my legs were still asleep in order to give Cortana more time. As we walked down the ramp, I noticed that some of the X-men were coming back to see what was happening. As I stood in front of them, I noticed storm walk back into the hanger. That was when I suddenly had another crazy idea and then heard Cortana say, 'Assimilation Complete. Energy reserves nearly depleted.' "Cortana, alter the memories to make Kara look like a younger version of Ororo,' I think to her as a plan began to form in my head. 'Don't tell me you came up with another hair brained idea?' asked Cortana but began to make the alterations I had asked for. Feeling a surge run thru my body as Jean's abilities were integrated. I gathered what little energy I had left and used telekinesis to throw myself at Ororo, and as I began to feel myself lose consciousness from lack of energy I yelled out, "SISTER KARA". My last image was of me crashing into Ororo before darkness took over.