1 Chapter 1 - A New Beginning

My past life was like a nightmare I couldn't ever wake up from. At the tender age of seven, my parents left my sister Jane and I with our grandparents before disappearing into thin air. The night they left all we could hear was the sound of our parents arguing with our grandparents...saying that they never wanted us in the first place. My sister was only three so she didn't understand what that meant, but I did...

Providing for us till I reached high school, my grandparents died quietly in their sleep leaving us all alone. We mourned their passing, but the two of us knew they had been suffering from cancer for the last few years of their lives. Both of us were grateful they passed peacefully, as what came next would have broken their hearts.

Walking with my sister back from her school, we found the parents that had left us sitting on the front porch. Looking at how they were dressed and acted, I could immediately tell that they had been spending money without regard for their financial limits. Going to tell Jane to be careful, she took off before I could say anything. Recognizing them from the various photos our grandparents had hanging around the house, she was excited to see them in person.

Welcoming them back with open arms, our parents hugged her tightly before looking back at me. By this point in my previous life, I was a bodybuilder, a martial artists student, and a linebacker on my High School football team so I was built like a tank. Seeing me glaring at them, both of my parents hesitated to say anything to me.

"You are back!", Jane laughed with a smile, "I am so happy you came back! Grandma and Grandpa died, and it's been so lonely here! Are you going to stay with us now?"

"We know, we are sorry we couldn't make it to the funeral.", Dad stated pretending to be apologetic, "We were in Asia on a guided tour."

"Oh wow!! Did you bring us any souvenirs?", Jane asked.

"Of course, why don't we go inside and talk?", Mom suggested.

"Okay!", she agreed running to open the front door.

Waiting for me to approach, our father try to applaud my hard work but I just glared at him. Knowing full well why they were here, it pissed me off that they were playing on Jane's emotions. As her older brother it fell to me to protect after our grandparents passed, and frankly I wanted to throttle his ass. Even though our parents abandoned us, our grandparents tried to instill in us that our parents were good people deep down...but I didn't believe it.

Putting my stuff away in my room, I came back downstairs to find Jane serving them tea. Asking me if I wanted a cup, I shook my head and told her I was fine with just water. Pouring myself a glass, I sat next to her as our parents told us about everything they had been doing. Listening intently, Jane was taken in by their grand stories but all I could hear was dollar signs being thrown around. As the day turned to evening, Jane left to go to cheerleader practice leaving our parents and I alone.

"Thomas...you haven't said a word to us.", Mom said, "Is everything okay?"

"No it's not, Jane may buy the crap Grandpa said but I know you hate us. I remember that night you left, you said you wished we were never born.", I growled glaring at them, "Don't hurt Jane, or you won't need to worry about going back on your world trip."

"We are your parents, don't you threaten us!", Dad fumed.

Standing up, I leaned over the table and stared him dead in the eyes.

"You are not our parents, you just brought us into this world. Grandma and Grandpa were our parents.", I corrected him, "I know you are here for the inheritance money they left. Stop acting like you want to be a family again. Jane wants you to stay so we can be a family, but I know you just want to leave the moment you get the money."

"That's not true!", Mom refuted, "We-"

"Don't lie to me, everything you told us costs a lot of money. You didn't win the lottery, you aren't wealthy, nor are you working...all of that money came from somewhere.", I stated, "I bet you took loans from rather shady people, and that's why you came here...you need it to pay them back."

"Thomas, that's-", Mom tried to argue but Dad stopped her.

"Fine, you caught us.", he sighed with annoyance, "You are right, that is why we are here. Just give us the money, and we will be out of your hair for good this time."

"That money isn't for either of you, it's for our college expenses when we go.", I told them, "Grandpa told me that's what it should be used for, and that is what I intend to do."

"Bullshit, you are a star linebacker on the football team!! You can get scholarships and have them pay for your education.", he shouted, "As for your sister, she is a bright girl and can get some of her own scholarships too."

"You don't get to decide that, Grandpa was smart and put the money in a Trust. No one has access to it till we are graduated from high school.", I remarked with a smirk, "You are three years too early to collect anything from us, not like you were going to anyways."

Clenching his fist, Dad went to strike me but I caught his hand and slammed it into the table.

"I am not a scared little boy like I was back then, I am more than capable of kicking your ass Old Man. Get out of here now, and don't ever come back here. If I see anywhere near Jane or I, I will have you arrested for harassment!", I shouted at him, "You burned any family connection with us when you left us here. Our grandparents should have enjoyed their twilight years, but they had to continue working to support us! They reason they died was because they overworked their hearts putting food on this table! You are a disgrace to their memory, the ones that should have never been born are you two!!"

"Thomas, we are in deep debt. If we don't pay it back soon they are going to come for us.", Mom said with a worried look, "Aren't you the least bit concerned about us?"

"Not in the slightest, why would I care about someone who said they should have aborted Jane and I?", I mocked, "Both of you are worthless pieces of garbage that only showed up for money. Get out of our house now!!"

Dragging them out of our home, I opened the door to find Jane standing there in shock. Apparently she had forgotten something and heard the whole conversation. Looking at them in disbelief, their angry looks changed to soft expression as they tried to say I was the problem. Having heard what I said, and what our parents said...her mental image of them shattered. Running past us, she ran to her room and slammed the door as she started crying.

"This is why you should have never come here!", I spat throwing them out on their butts, "Don't ever let me see you again. Next time you will leave on a stretcher!!"

Locking the door behind them, I went upstairs to comfort my sister. Finding her bawling her eyes out, I regretted not telling her sooner about them. Taking a seat on the bed, I patted her head and apologized to her that she had to hear that.

"It's...it's okay.", she whimpered, "I can't believe...they only came here...for the money. They never loved us!!"

Pulling her into a hug, I held her tightly and let her cry till she fell asleep. Calling her coach, I explained the situation and said she wouldn't be there tonight. Understanding the circumstances, she didn't hassle me about it. Making myself dinner after that, I sat down and watched some tv before going to bed myself.

Coming home from school several days later, we approached our home and noticed several black SUV's parked outside the house. Knowing that this wasn't a good sign, I peaked around our neighbor's fence to see several men waiting with our parents outside the house.

"Shit...", I growled.

"What's wrong?", Jane asked.

"Call the police now, their debtors showed up.", I stated.

Doing as I said she called our grandpa's friend, the Chief of Police, and said we had trouble at the house. Sending several officers over, we waited for them to arrive. Watching the officers pull up, the men became agitated, and drew their guns. Grabbing Jane, I took her to the ground as the gunfight started.

"Why are they shooting!?", Jane screamed.

"They must have warrants for their arrests, and they don't want to go to jail.", I said, "We need to go now!"

Helping her up, we started to run the opposite direction. Before we reached the corner, two more SUV's showed up with more men. Telling her to stay behind me, several men got out of the vehicles.

"Jane, when I say go I want you to run to Miss Angie's house. Let her know what is going on, and have her call her sons. I don't think the police are going to be able to stop them.", I told her.

"I am not leaving you behind!!", she refused.

"Just do what I say!", I ordered.

Waiting for the men to get closer, I launched my attack first and slammed a right hook into the closest guard's throat. Feeling his windpipe collapse from the punch, he dropped to his knees allowing me to grab his gun.

"GO!!", I shouted at her as I started firing on the men, "DON'T STOP!!"

Begrudgingly doing as I said, she took off running while I kept them preoccupied. Aiming for the head, I used the minimal amount of training I had from my grandfather to aim for their heads. Forcing them back behind cover, they pulled their weapons and went to shoot back. Grabbing the dying man off the ground, I used him as a meat shield to get closer to them. Once I heard their guns click, meaning they were empty, I tossed him aside and jumped on them.

Throwing well placed kicks, punches, and chops I began taking out their team. That said it wasn't like I wasn't getting injured. I was one guy fight twelve killers, of course I was going to get hurt. Getting shot, stabbed, and punched I kept fighting to buy her as much time as I could. I don't know how many minutes passed, but soon I heard the signature sound of Miss Angie's boys pulling up in their old pickup truck along with additional officers.

"Thomas needs help!!", I could hear Jane shout, "He's over there!"

Throwing one of the men against one of the SUV's, I punched his head through the window before looking back. Seeing them running over to help, we managed to subdue the remaining men I hadn't killed.

"You okay Thomas?", the oldest son Robert asked me, "You look like shit."

"I...I will live.", I wheezed, "Is my sister okay?"

"Yes sir, she made it over to our mom's house bawling her eyes out saying you were being attacked by people with guns.", he said, "What the hell is going on?"

"Parent's...debt collectors...", I struggled to say.

"Hold your horses kid, we need to get you to the ER.", Robert said seeing the full extent of my injuries, "I am honestly surprised you are still standing."

Helping me towards their truck, only a few of the debt collection thugs were left. Jumping out of the truck, Jane came running over to me seeing how bad I was beat up.

"Jane, stay in the truck!!", I shouted seeing the remaining men aim for her.

Pushing Robert off me, I ran over and jumped in front of Jane. Feeling several bullets hit me in the back, I fell to the ground with searing pain. Taking the chance to gun down the remaining men, the officers turned around to give me aid.

"I am sorry!!", Jane cried, "I am so sorry Thomas!! I didn't mean for this to happen!!"

Sensing that I wasn't going to make, I gave her a weak smile. Patting her head like I always did, she began to cry louder.

"It will be okay...I know you will be alright Jane.", I struggled to say, "You are a smart, strong woman who will achieve great things. I want you to know, I loved being your older brother."

"Don't say that!!", she sobbed, "You are going to make it!!"

"Use the money our grandparents left...get a good education...and always remember that grandma, grandpa, and I loved you.", I wheezed as the world grew darker.

"You can't leave me!!", she screamed, "I don't want to be alone!!"

"...I am sorry...", I apologized before fading into darkness.

Floating there in the darkness for a while, I wondered what was going to happen to me. I wasn't particularly religious in life because I felt we were dealt a shitty hand. My grandparents worked themselves to death to support us, our parents never wanted us, and I didn't get to have a normal childhood because I was always doing what I could to ease the burden my grandparents had.

'I wonder if God is going to punish me for not worshipping him...', I thought.

"Nah, I won't do that.", a man said directly to my left.

Turning my head, I saw Superman standing their with a smile on his face. Blinking several times to make sure I wasn't dreaming, I asked him what he was doing here.

"I am here to reincarnate you!", he chuckled, "I understand the confusion, after all Superman is a Hero not a God...well usually anyways."

"Yeah...", I replied as I started to think maybe I was hallucinating.

"Moving on, you are the first person I pulled from the reincarnation cycle to talk to. I have an offer for you.", he said.

"Hold on...what was going to happen to me if I reincarnated normally?", I asked.

"Due to your karma, you'd be reincarnate as an Emperor's First Son and be quite the ladies man. Depending on how you play your cards, you'd end up with quite a decent harem of women from different races. You'd be a beloved Emperor who'd bring peace to a dark world.", he informed me.

"My karma is that good? I don't remember being a religious person...", I stated.

"There is more to karma than being a religious person.", he laughed, "You have always strived to give you sister a normal life through your own hard work, you helped your grandparents out to the best of your ability, and you never once turned your back on someone in need. So you know, that little boy you saved from his abusive father two weeks ago...because of your good deed he will want to help people, and will one day become a genius doctor that will cure many different cancers."

"I mean...that's just one case.", I pointed out.

Noticing that he had a giant stack of paperwork, he told me that my small acts of kindness would one day bring about a lot of good things. Feeling a bit better about my situation, I looked him dead in the eyes to ask something important.

"What about my sister?", I asked, "Does she have a good life?"

"Your death traumatized her for a few years, but eventually a young man in her class helps her overcome your death. The two of them marry, and their first born son they named Thomas...she ends up going to school and becomes a lawyer.", he told me with a smile, "She keeps a picture of the two of you on her desk, and in her wallet."

If I could have started to cry, I would have. Hearing that my sister went on to become a lawyer was awesome.

"So what is this deal you wanted to talk about?", I inquired.

"Haha, let's get down to it!", he laughed with a beaming smile, "Boy do I have a deal for you!"