2 The Answer, Wishes, and The Irony.

A being that I believe to be god is standing before me. Offering me wishes, powers beyond my wildest imaginations, or so he says.

I was raised to believe in the logic of 'give and take'. You get something, you lose something.

This god before me offers me wishes seemingly for free, having stated no price as of yet.

'Take what I'm will to offer or I'll move on to someone else…' he says, suggesting he has many options to choose from. That begs the question, Why me in the first place?

"You see, Argus… actually the reason is nothing too godly."

My eyebrows shoots up in doubt.

[Nothing godly? What does that supposed to mean?]

Seeing through my obvious confusion he continues.

"A little while ago, my daughter came to me and asked some questions.

She asked- What if we bless a person with a pure soul. One that has suffered great injustice. What will that person do? With a second chance…with the power to triumph over others? Will he go for revenge? Or something else?

My answer was what I have seen in my past experiments- Usually people like that tend to help those in need. They have this strange ability to relate with people's sufferings. I've seen many who dedicated themselves to make their world a better place. Some succeeded… many broke under the weight their shoulders carried. They usually turn out to be your typical Heroes or Idealists.

Looking somewhat satisfied with my answer, she asked another one- What about the capable ones? The ones who lived their lives like the Protagonists.

That was more than a little complicated question, there were too many variables to successfully define them. But, there is one thing I've seen them all trying to accomplish, their end goal was almost always them same.

So, I replied- People like that will strive for greatness, and greater power. Always aiming to reach new heights. They're hardly ever satisfied with what they have, always greedy for more power. Dreaming to reach the same level of existence as us.

She then followed with another one. One that even gave me a pause. - What about a failure? A failure, who's life has been full of love and opportunities? Basically the kind of people whose dead bodies are used for the reincarnation of our chosen ones.

I honestly have no answer to that. I've lived long enough to make one up but, without even realizing it, I too got curious. I never once bothered with a soul like that…a soul like yours. I'm certain that someone has. All I had to do was ask and I would've gotten my answer. Buuat! That's just not my style.

So, that's the reason why we're here."

I look at 'Sparkles' with both my eyes wide open in shock.

He never introduced himself so, I assumed a name for him.

Saying that his whole reason for being here shook me, would be a massive understatement.

[Is this how these gods operate? I guess reality never is pretty. Even if you are in a situation which should've been a fantasy.]

I go silent, framing my next words while I doing my best to calm down and think as rationally as possible.

Closing my eyes I go over the objectives I have set for myself. A part of me was convinced that this is all just a dream, and I'm probably in a coma. But, in the off chance that it isn't, then I need to get the best deal out of it.

First of all, I have to do something about my family. I have to. This is my last chance to contribute something. To return a small slice of what I owe them. To thank them for giving me a life that most people couldn't even dream of. It may be foolish given what's happened in the last month. But, what about the time before that?

[This may or may not be from the 'me' of today. But this will be the last gift from the dreamy Argus they smiled for… a month ago.]

Second objective was to secure a wish at the limits of what he's willing to offer. He has clearly stated, he won't give me just anything.

I try to keep 'Sparkles' busy while I think of the best course of action, "So… you're saying that, I'm basically a random guinea pig you've found, for the experiment born out of you curiosity?"

"Exactly!"

I need to keep this going, "Am I a special case or everyone gets the same treatment… being experiments, I mean."

"Quit stalling boy…but, anyway. Not just you but, every soul that once stood where you're standing is observed. It's that 'What if' which compels beings like me to appear before interesting people, just as I have before you, and every one of them is observed for a number different reasons. Do you honestly believe anyone would give away impossible power, just like that? … Now then…I grant you two wishes. State them while I'm still willing."

I thought, [2 wishes? Isn't it usually 3? Okay… so, one goes to the family that means I'll only have one advantage over others…not much but, if I play this right…I just might get a decent bargain out of this…Think Argus!]

I take a deep breath and state the first wish. Since he won't resurrect me to make things right, then I'll just get someone else to do it, in my stead. My parents at least deserves that much.

"Here's my first wish…you know the first two types you talked about… the Heroes and capable ones? I want a perfect combination of both, which would fit my situation to reincarnate in my body and live as me, Argus Hale. Someone who's kind, someone who understands the value of family, someone who yearns for it, someone more capable than me! A better son than me… someone who'd make things right!"

Yeah that's right, even though I'd do anything to sooth things between us myself but, given the circumstances that's the best possible option I can think of.

Now that I think about, may be it is for the best. As much as I want it to be me, a part of me questions- Will I be able to do it? Am I good enough?

A self-deprecating scoff escapes my lips as I wonder- just how pathetic can someone be? Recalling how proudly I demanded resurrection.

*sigh*

I hear sigh coming from the deity before me. Looking up with a smile containing a thousand emotions I ask, "Pathetic, aren't I?"

A moment of silence descends upon us. Seemingly lost in his thoughts, I take the opportunity to collect myself. Until he speaks.

"Your second wish…"

[I cannot make a mistake here. I need to think something versatile, and not expensive. A cliché- Sharingan? … No…Upgrading it is complicated…]

I spend a few moments with a clear mind, logically thinking about the power that would work best for me.

[Yes! That's it!

Nothing too OP like a system, or some ancient primordial bloodline…

Starts off as nothing fancy but, is sure-to-kill if I play it smart… has an almost cheat like potential…

Perfect for someone like me and the way I do things.]

What I'm about to ask is most probably at the very limits of what he's will to offer. I wouldn't be surprised if he downright refuses.

"Okay…here's my second and final wish. I want the Outsider's Mark from the Dishonored series, which will have a custom set of skills from the three characters- Corvo Atano, Emily Kaldwin, and The Assassin Daud."

"Hmm… Why should I agree? Deal was of a single power."

Fully expecting, I nod and speak, "You see…The Mark of The Outsider IS the power I wish for…It just so happens that the mark itself comes with 6 active skills and 7 passive skills…sooo…umm, there!"

A 'humph' of annoyance comes from his nose and, he says, "Clever… but, I'll allow no passive skills"

"No passives…" [Did I just somehow, even a tiny bit…checkmate a God?]

"Very well. Name your…custom skill set." He sounds a little cheated.

"I want…

Blink (Corvo's Blink)

Dark Vision

Bend Time

Arcane Bond

Domino

Doppelganger"

With another sigh, he says, "Granted… Now choose, the kind of world you wish to call your own."

"Hugh… I get to decide that?" given how annoyed he was getting I thought he'd just slap me somewhere randomly. As for me, well… beggars can't be choosers.

"Yes brat! Now hurry up."

"Okay! Easy…whoa-what are my options?"

He opens his mouth only to close it again. Seemingly thinking about something.

"Say Argus…don't you hate m…Reality so much? I'll let your anime worlds be on the table…and before you ask. To dumb it down as simply as I can. Your world ticks on what you call 'parallel worlds' theory. So, in those countless of worlds there are similarly countless of people…people like you, who wishes and believes in the existence of these 'anime worlds'. As a result, the energy and the intent generated by these believes leads to the existence of such worlds in reality…I don't normally do this…equations of your anime worlds are already set in stone…altering them and force feeding a variable of my own can cause all sorts of complications, but I think, I'll make an exception…Now choose."

That's a lot of cosmic information to take in. Parallel world exists. Weeby wishes actually leads to the creation of all sorts of amazing anime worlds. May be, Hentai too? And I get to choose one to reside in, which is the easiest to accept.

[I have to think carefully about it. It's gonna be the place I'll be spending the rest of my life in. Think Argus…what suits you the best…what do you need. What will be a world where you'll have a distinct advantage over others? It's not just about the advantage is it?]

"Very well…I've decided. I choose the world of DanMachi."

.

.

.

The deity or to be accurately called Reality snaps his fingers, putting the floating boy to sleep. A thought of his is enough to open a 'whirlpool' shaped dimensional rift which slowly starts sucking Argus in.

Only a few inches remains between the swirling rift and Argus when his descend stops. Reality looks at the boy, deep in thought. A few moments later he lets out 'sigh' whispering. "Fine…I will not have people saying that I was not fair with him."

Only he knew whether he was taking about what happened with Argus while he was still alive, this meeting him, or something else entirely.

Having decided, Reality conjured a ball of white light, and pushed it towards the sleeping boy.

The moment the light came in contact with Argus, It burst into bright sparkles, covering him in a 'cocoon'.

A second later the rifts consumes Argus before closing. Signaling the beginning of his journey.