7 Goodbyes

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This history have no interest in offend any party. Having the sole objective of only entertain the readers. Enjoy~

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"Independece isn't doing your own thing; it's doing the right thing on your own."

- Kim Jonh Payne

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After a not-so-good night's sleep (at least they're getting shorter and shorter), I find myself getting ready for the funeral. In 10 minutes Aunt Chris will pick me up for the ceremony.

Being a man, I can get dressed fast. And apparently I know how to tie a tie, I learned it by dreaming.

Well... not dreaming, but after waking up I noticed that certain knowledge was floating in the front of my mind as I was thinking about something.

Watching Spider-Man fight Green Globin... I think about how he could have fought better and done it right. Disassembling the laptops I bought yesterday... I think of better ways to assemble them more efficiently and to avoid malfunctions in the future. And now dressing in a suit... I have no problem, even when I've always needed my mom's help.

Knowledges of Bruce Wayne and Funny Valentine are coming to me. That worries me. A person is formed by his memories. Will I lose myself and my uniqueness by assimilating different cards?

I sigh and try to get my head off the pessimistic thoughts. I didn't gain any memory. And that knowledge was not transplanted. They came during my sleep R.E.M. very peacefully. No pain or confusion.

I'm grateful for them, actually. It means that I will be able to learn things from the cards. Different fields of science, martial arts, techniques, magic. I won't just gain the ability to do it, I'll learn how to do it too.

It reminds me of the earlier Spider-Man and Green Goblin fight I watched, apparently they've been having encounters like this for a while. And no one knows the identity of the two.

It might seem strange to anyone who's only watched Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire, but in the comics Green Globin's identity has long remained a mystery even to readers.

Things here aren't settling down in time for a movie or a comic book.

That's good and bad. It makes things more difficult, but I may have more opportunities.

I've missed so many opportunities. I couldn't get an Ivan Vanko arc reactor, Hulk blood or Abomination, a radioactive spider, kill Victor Von Doom. You know, these things...

Not to mention the things that might be happening in the shadows that I have no idea. Everything related to the X-men, in space, S.H.I.E.L.D. and others. Tch. I hate not knowing.

After all this thinking, I realize I've just finished with my tie.

"I'm thinking faster too, maybe I should write down my changes...no...bad idea." I shake my head before going to put on my new suit and glasses.

Looking at myself in the mirror, even trying to keep my nerd persona, I see that I'm much better than before. Smoother hair, brighter eyes, more upright posture, less pimples on my face, I shaved off all facial hair.

I can already be considered a handsome teenager. If before I was 6/10, now I'm 8/10. And if I take my clothes off to show off my new defined muscles, I'm sure I can score an extra point.

"And this is just the beginning, I will get better, smarter, stronger, more powerful and good looking" I allow myself a smile.

I see a message from Aunt Chris saying that she arrived.

"Early than expected." But it's okay, I'm ready.

I run my hand down my torso, feeling my Ultimate Thor Suit underneath. Nodding to myself, I leave the house to say goodbye to my parents.

....

Even though I am present at this ceremony, everything seems so far away. There are many more people than I expected, from family members to patients that both of them helped. And that's just the life they've built in New York this past year. I'm glad to hear they were well liked...

"Well…not enough." I think morbidly looking at the coffin going down 6ft underground. A single coffin with their ashes. United even after death. They would like it.

As their son I got special attention, but I have to say I hated being approached by so many people saying things like "I know that is hard", "With time everything will be better". No shit. I don't want to be consoled, especially when you say the obvious.

I much prefer people who just pat me on the shoulder and speak well of my parents. That they were good people, deserved more. Those pitying looks bother me.

And if only they were pity. My mother's brothers and sister are almost looking smug. As if in the end they won some secret competition of who stays alive the longest. Bastards.

Aunt Chris stayed by my side the entire time. In fact, it's more that I stayed by her side all the time. Anything to avoid having to blend in with my mother's family.

Tch. My maternal grandfather was so cool, how did these guys end up like this? And I won't even talk about my cousins.

Of all the people at this funeral, the ones who came to talk to me. Two of them caught my attention for completely different reasons.

The first is my uncle. All my new Batman-like instincts are screaming that this guy can't be trusted, and that not a single word that came out of his mouth was genuine.

Uncle Alexander Belluci, unlike his namesake "The great" the man is a disappointment to all who create the slightest expectation for him.

Starting with my late grandfather. You see, my paternal grandfather Thomas Belluci started with nothing, and slowly walked to success and at the end of his life he had a network of hospitals and shares in several pharmaceutical and medical companies.

Apparently he had a big break during WWII. He was one of the Howling Commandos. That's right Captain America's squad, I was shocked when I found out too. And when I joined with the memories of this life.

He loved to tell what he was like on the battlefield, a small, light-footed guy who ran around saving lives. But he had the strength to carry soldiers twice his size. My self in this life loved hearing this story.

After the war, everyone in the squad was able to retire, with rewards and great connections. Many remained in the army, because they did not know another life. And they were promoted to higher ranks. He predicted that after the nukes, there wouldn't be a major war for a long time. So he decided to save the common people.

He was also disappointed in how the war ended. "Two unnecessary massacres, after all that Cap have done to prevent. He die stopping a bomb, to our own government do the same in Japan" He cofess to me one time.

The clinic he opened was successful, and he also provided psychiatric care. He was one of the first to see that the body and mind were intertwined. Back then, someone with trauma was seen more as mentally weak. People don't care too much with psychiatric care, even for soldiers.

I think seeing the horrors of war made him notice the soldier might leave the war, but the war never leaves the soldier.

Well, my grandpa is a great guy. He had 4 children, the oldest and the man I as talking right now is Alexander Belluci. And as I said, a disappointment. He's not smart, doesn't look good, and doesn't have any business talent. That wouldn't be a problem…if he didn't act like he had everything I said.

The man is arrogant, misogynistic, ugly, xenophobic and keeps making subtle little comments that offend people. He never got along with my father. My dad almost punched him once, when he mentioned something about wasting time helping kids in the tribes in the Amazon. My mother after realized that my uncle was going to lose some teeth, she placate the situation it before it happened.

My mom wanted everyone to get along, but sometimes that just isn't possible.

And why dear Uncle Alexander is a disappointment? Well, if you compare it to my mother and the other brother and sister... He never stood out. He needed help getting into College. Problems with alcohol, drugs, bad grades, minor criminal misdemeanors like drunk driving and almost killing a guy... A lot of times he got away with it just because he had a rich dad.

But dear Uncle Alexander's biggest disappointment was during an argument with my grandfather. My grandfather gave him an ultimatum to get his life straight, he got mad. He said he never wanted anything to do with my family again, that he didn't need my grandfather.

So to prove the point he used all of his savings from his allowance. That it had all been my grandfather's gain. But he conveniently forgot and decided to enter the real estate market.... In the real estate market. Lol. In the USA. Lol .In my life, the real estate crisis happened a little later. But in this world, it happened much sooner. lol

Right around the time he decided to invest. lol HAHAHA

Need to say he came back with his tail between his legs to my grandfather?

My grandfather took him back, gave him a position to manage one of the sectors in one of the Hospitals. For him to go up from there. Well, he hasn't climbed the professional ladder much for all these years. Probably because of all that weight he has...

So this guy came to talk to me. Give me his condolences. He gave a speech about how shocked he was by the news and that the world won't be the same without my parents. I almost threw the punch my dad owed him all these years.

But what left me on edge was his talk about me being able to move in with him if I needed to. That he would support me in this difficult time.

He just became my first suspect in the involvement of my parents' death. And I feel like I'm right about that.

I almost agree to move in with him. This guy can't hurt me, that's the truth. And he thinks I'm a stupid kid, I can infiltrate and find out everything about him or kill him at any time.

A push from D4C down the stairs. Or any other kind of "accidental" death. I can teleport with D4C and have an alibi on the other side of town.

But that thought disappears almost instantly. Being under his "care" would put me under constant surveillance, preventing my growth.

The second person who caught my eye was a big surprise for me. Dr. Donald Blake came to my parents' funeral. Donald Blake it's Thor. Thor's origin as a human is different in the comics when compared to his movie.

To teach him humility, Odin trapped Thor in a vessel with a human identity. A surgeon with a crippled leg, Donald Blake. And even made Thor lose his memories. Only after a long time, when Thor began to have more compassion and to think more before acting rashly, did he implant a compulsion for Donald Blake to go to Norway to find Mjolnir and become Thor.

By the way, I remember there was a saga in the comics where Donald Blake's alter ego goes crazy and going in a killing spree. It even absorbs the Odinforce.

Even so, he didn't regain his full memory for a long time.

I didn't know that my parents knew Thor, but I'm not that surprised. Donald Blake is a surgeon in New York, it's not that hard for him to meet my parents when he works in one of my grandfather's hospitals.

The man in front of me is the Norse god of thunder, and he may have already regained his identity as Thor. Heck... Is this cane the Mjölnir disguised?

He came over to give me his condolences and say to me be strong, because that's what my parents would want me to do. Very viking I would say, but maybe is only my bias.

Aunt Chris decides to have a little chat with Dr. Blake. And a little part of they conversation take my interest.

"Donald, where is Jane? Are you still together?" she asks.

"We are together and strong, Christine. Jane is in New Mexico researching some space anomaly. Astrophysicists always have to move around the globe to get a better look at the stars, you know?" he answers smiling

Hmm. So it's a mix of the MCU... or maybe just an adaptation for these modern times... Both Jane Foster and Christine Palmer were nurses in the comics. At that time it was less common for women to have professions such as doctors and astrophysicists. Today it is normal.

I really am at the beginning of the storm that will be this world. I wonder when and what will be the first large-scale invasion of theplanet. Loki? Kree? Skrull? Galactus? Thanos?

Dr. Donald Blake leaves a little later and I'm still not sure if he's Thor or not.

Many have already said goodbye too, leaving only me and Aunt Chris.

"Do you want a ride to home?" she asks me.

"No... I think that I'm gonna stay for a while. Give my propers goodbyes..." I reply.

She nods her head and doesn't try to convince me anymore.

After she leaves, it's just me in the cemetery. Me and the tombstone with my parents' name.

I look a little at the sky, I see it's cloudy. It's just a misty morning of january.

No rain, huh? I was expecting some clichés for the weather...

*haah*

I sigh and kneel in front of the tombstone and just let myself bathe in the moment. In the silence. I let the thought that my parents are really dead sink in my mind.

"uh..." I start off not too well.

"I was never the most religious, you know? I've always been skeptical... cynical. I think it was because it made me look smarter...like an internet atheist..." I chuckle a little.

"But now I know there's something out there... There are gods in this world... one just came out of your funeral... But I don't think you're going to Valhalla. You guys are cool and all... but not cool Vikings. Haha." And here I go again, I always do it to light of the situation, making jokes when things get too serious.

But I need to be serious now. I need to be serious from now on.

"I am your son. I am your son for two lives. It's weird, I was transmigrated. I have repeated memories, new ones. I feel that the me of my past life has a little more precedence when compared to the me of this life. Maybe it's because he's further along in time, or because this world is fictional for my other one."

"But I mean... not for a second did I stop thinking of myself as your son."

"In this life or the old one. That's why it hurts so much to know that I lost you guys." I finally cry a little now that I'm alone.

"Without you… I'm going to have to decide what kind of person I'm going to be from now on. I don't think I belong in the heroic business. But I also don't consider myself a villain."

"I've thought a lot, and I still don't have a concrete answer. But I think I know where to start. Like it or not, you guys created a good person. You two are a good people. From an outsider's perspective, it may seem naive or idiotic. But I think I want to help people, you know?"

"At least try... My priority will be my life always. But I think I should try to repay my luck to the world. The two of you are really rare people, who did not deserve to have died so soon."

"I want to create a world where good deeds are appropriately rewarded. I think there's a line from Batman like this: 'Sometimes people desserve to have their fate rewarded' "

"I won't have the cripling hero-complex like Spider-man. But I will start helping people more. Be more active. In hindsight, maybe because of the assimilation of Valentine and Batman, I see that I was very passive. Afraid of making mistakes, of failing. I will try to let it go."

"Failure can be a great teacher, Master Yoda says. Or 'Great Teacher failure is' more acurately" I again joke a little

"I will try to change the world for the better. And if I fail... well. They who lose. I will take spaceship and visit the rest of the universe."

"I thought I could just ignore everything, you know? Move to Brazil. Staying there for a few years growing in power with Gacha. And then come back kicking ass. But that would be an easy way out."

"And you, Dad, taught me that sometimes the easy way out isn't worth it. I feel like I would lose if I decided to escape. That I will regret for the rest of my life."

"I will fight and start my fight by bringing justice to whatever did this to you two"

"My justice" I complete darkly "see... I'm not hero material"

"Well that's it..." I say standing up after a minute or two.

"I don't know if I'll be here constantly."

"I don't know if you're watching me from somewhere, or if you two can't, or if you've already reincarnated."

"Haha. Perhaps you two were isekaied in some other world as well. One married couple in a fantasy world. 'That time a doctor couple was reincarnated in another world' hahahaha would make a good title. I would read your story. But I don't think mom would let you make a harem dad."

"I'm going now. I'll try my best... I love you guys" I say goodbye.

I should have said these things while I could. Teenagers should value their parents while they have them.