An odd inauguration into parenthood

"So, it wasn't a dream, after all."

Those were the first words that unconsciously sprang out from Bob's mouth when opened his eyes.

The comfy bed, the opulent spacy room, and the unreal power coursing within Bob; it all told him that this is reality... His reality.

'One lifetime ago, I'd been run by a truck. Suspended in an abyss for an innumerable amount of time. Submerged in a golden wave, and then acquired the godlike powers of the Sentry... And now I find myself in some kind of post-apocalyptic world trying to become a famer...'

Bob's lips slowly stretched out into a happy beam and he hopped off from his bed.

"I'm Life's biggest joke."

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"Good morning world~— huh?" Bob's words clogged his throat as he looked up to the sky.

It was a clear blue sky with clouds sprinkled around giving it an artistic view. In order words; a perfectly beautiful but 'normal' sky.

But that was the crux of Bob's befuddlement...

"While I'm sure that I didn't spend much time sleeping – more of a power nap, really." Bob muttered, descending down the wooden steps, with bright blue eyes staring at the yellow star.

"That doesn't explain why the heck the sun hasn't not moved from its position... If nothing else, ought to be setting by now."

For a moment, Bob almost thought that this world might really just be an elaborate dream. But just to make sure, he gave himself a hard pinch on the cheeks, wincing as his unnatural strength brought him the expected wincing pain.

"Yeah, the pain's real, alright." Bob muttered rubbing his cheeks. "What's up with the sun, then?"

Bob cupped his chin in contemplation and then abruptly crouched. Thrusting his four digits into the earth, Bob closed his eyes, spreading out his senses – no, that wouldn't be correct; an apt description would be; Bob had sent his senses down into the earth.

Golden echolike waves pulsed out into the earth as Bob spread out his senses. This isn't an ability from the Sentry, but since even the original wielder of the power didn't use it except for punching and blasting, Bob reckoned that maybe he could utilize the latent powers in his own way.

Thankfully, it seemed to be working.

"The hell is this..." Sweat dribbled down Bob's forehead. Standing up, Bob regarded the land below him with no small amount of trepidation.

"The entire planet's isn't rotating! How hasn't it collapsed, yet...? Wait, but then again, this explains the flooded cities I'd seen back then... But even so, it still doesn't make any sense! There shouldn't be any flora at this side of the planet if that's the case."

Bob dragged a hand across his face.

"Hahaha… How golden."

ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ

Bob had spent a few minutes pondering on this particular conundrum before taking flight, deciding that he would do a quick probing across the sunny side of the planet.

He had to be sure that that planet is still 100% hospitable for life-forms like himself.

On the way, Bob flew by flora ridden zones, and spanning deserts. He had spotted some of the strange robot creatures as well as the human looking folks that certainly weren't humans, but as he didn't want to antagonize them, he manipulated light camouflaging himself.

Though, whoever is going to pick a fight with him would be having a golden uber-nuke dropped on their head.

It was only after an hour later did Bob return back to farm descending on his barn's roof. Bob hadn't scoured the entire planet – he could, but he wouldn't. But what Bob had seen was more than enough to have a deduction.

However daunting the situation of the planet's frozen rotation may be, it certainly isn't impossible for Bob to fix it. He had the power of the Sentry; a being who could make the impossible possible and is only bound by the limitation of his mind.

The miraculous creation of his farm was all the confirmation Bob needed that he had become a transcendent being, or if he could put it more arrogantly – a God in all but name.

But he wouldn't do it.

"Apart from the fact that doing so would certainly alert my new neighbors..." Bob hopped down from the rooftop. "Fixing the planet's rotation might actually make things worse..."

As it is, Bob certainly knew that the rules by which this place operates certainly wasn't normal – like he was one to talk- and to change anything would lead to significant consequences.

Consequences that could either be good or bad.

"Hah... It's not like the planet's going to collapse anytime soon. So I'll just keep all daunting thoughts outta my head and live in the motions... Even though this vacation of mine is blaring with all kinds of danger signals."

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Once again the door of a quaint house in the meadow burst open, and strutting out with a pep in his steps was Bob who had taken a bath and refreshed himself.

"Alright, let's do this one more time."

Dressed in a short-hand open brown shirt and white polo, with khaki shorts, Bob looked like one who was about to take a trek – though, that would have been an astute deduction considering the duffle bag draped on his person.

As an aspiring farmer and one who has absolutely zero ideas on farming – and doesn't want to use his powers to cheat the process. Bob had decided that the first thing to do concerning his farming project was to look for what he should plant.

Obviously there were many plants atypical on a farm; corn, tubers, oranges, heck even apples. Not to mention of the husbandry in which he would need to scout the forest to get the proper animals... And maybe he could even find an animal worth keeping as a pet.

Walking past the overhead sign of his farm, Bob utilized his Molecular Manipulation to create a brimming hat – to get into the groove- and turned his gaze towards the forest while grinning.

"First adventure out of the many, here I come."

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The forest looked exactly how Bob had left it. Brimming with life and vitality like no other... And such life included a myriad of wild animals.

*Bam!*

"Yeah, that's right, run you lion idiots!"

Waving a raised steaming fist, Bob wildly gestured at the hastily retreated lions.

This unique situation hadn't really taken much time to happen. It was about 30 minutes passed, Bob had left his farm taking deep into the lush forest. He had come across many plants; most inedible, others tasted bitter, while some tasted quite funny.

Though that shouldn't have been much of a surprise – seeing that the planet looks like it had gone to hell and all.

Anyways, just as Bob had decided to move further ahead. The growling started as he found himself walking into a pride... Honestly speaking, with the powers Bob had now it was without a question that he could have avoided them.

The question now remains that why didn't Bob do so?

"Yes… Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes! A mango tree!"

Doing a samba, Bob danced as he skipped towards the tall tree under which the pride resided.

Upon arriving, Bob flicked the tree with a finger rattling it greatly and causing a sweet orange colored fruit to fall on his waiting palm, and without any further ado took a large bite.

"!..."

Eyelids dragged back while pupils dilated into pinpricks.

"This... This is... Delicious!"

Taking more bites, Bob commented with line indicating tears sliding down both sides of his face. "I'd been afraid that with the planet being what it is, I wouldn't be able to find anything delicious to plant much less to eat... I'd thought that my farming project had died just as soon as it had begun... Thank God that isn't the case."

Bob would love to just uproot the tree and stick it into his farm, but it would be the same as using his powers – that would cheating. And if there was anything Bob didn't want to do; is to take the enjoyment or rather the process out his work.

Sighing, Bob lightly swiped his hand with the tree tilting and promptly falling – a noticeable section of the tree had seemed to vanish leaving a smoldering scent. After filing his bottomless bag – yes, heard that right. Bob hefted his bag as he prepared to move ahead.

But before that...

"Ah, yeah, before I get going." Bob muttered, moving towards where two lion corpses lain with noticeable indents on their heads. "How about fixing you two up."

Obviously such a thing normally would have been impossible as to fix something that was already dead wouldn't matter much – except if one wants to bury them.

But to Bob that didn't mean a thing.

Besides, while Bob remained adamant that it was the lions fault for bellicosely attacking him despite his eyes glowing in warning. Bob still felt quite guilty for killing the big cats.

He didn't even mean to kill them in the first place.

"I really need to work on my strength if I want any of my farm animals to live a long life." The visceral mental image of a cow's udder exploding made Bob's face to turn quite green. "Ugh, just the image is enough to give me nightmares."

Placing his palms on both of the lions, Bob's palms gave off a warm glow that bathed both lions form. With golden tinted eyes, Bob utilized the more mysterious part of his powers – the part that even the original wielder couldn't explain.

When the light died down, the forms of the lions stirred before they both opened their eyes and struggled to their feet – the indentation on their heads was gone. More importantly, Bob had once again done the impossible.

He had brought them back to life.

After regaining their-selves, the lions realized who it was that stood before them, and with a roar that seemed like a cry of terror, they dashed, promptly abounding away.

"... ..." A yellow brow twitched. "I really don't know if I should be proud or be crying that my presence was menacing enough to scare away lions... I'll just take the former for my heart's sake."

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The rest of the trip didn't contain the same excitement – compared to the pride incident, that is.

Bob had come across animals that he had to scare away – this time he'd chased them away by exploiting the ambient temperature, upping it to a boiling point.

On his way, Bob had come across a corn that tasted rather muddy – Bob had to spit everything out and wash his mouth with a water he had procured from his bottomless bag.

But apart from that, Bob's outing was more or less successful. He had found potatoes, some grass that looked a lot like rice, melons, apples, and some sweet tasting grapes of many varieties.

Really, it wasn't a bad outing all things considered.

Stopping by a stream, Bob cleared out a spot before arranging stones for a fireplace.

Despite not feeling physically tired, all the walking and searching made Bob carving for grilled fish. Thankfully, if there was one thing among the repertoire that Bob was sure that he could do – grilling fish was to be among one of them.

After gathering dry sticks and catching four tasty looking salmons, Bob flicked a weak beam to start the fire and began preparing his tasty lunch.

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Without any further ado, Bob chowed down on the rich brown fish and chugged a cold canned beer soon after.

"Uwaah~ this is the life~"

The sourly aftertaste of alcohol accompanied by the grilled fish was one that was heavenly.

Sighing in content, Bob made his way beneath a tree and sat, taking time to observe the picturesque background around him. Waving his hand, small particles gathered forming a camera.

"Something like this deserves to be immortalized... And my house is desperately lacking in decorations despite its quaint opulence."

After some minutes pass, Bob threw dirt over the fire and hefted his bag. It was time to head back home. But just as Bob began to do so, he paused turning towards the east.

There was a mechanical humming coming from that direction.

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In a way, it was at this moment that Bob's story on this post-apocalyptic planet had truly begun.

Bob really didn't have a reason to check out the origin of that humming. Quite the contrary, it would have been detrimental to his slow life if what he finds could alert the present world powers about his existence.

But at that moment, Bob didn't care.

It wasn't because he felt the winds of destiny calling, or anything mystical of that sort. No; his action to move against his word of not checking out the unknown was entirely based on a whim.

Though later on, Bob would look back on this day and smile.

To check out the source of that mechanical humming was one of the best decision Bob had ever made in his life.

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Throwing the camera into the bottomless bag and setting his wide brim hat, Bob beamed as he strut ahead.

"Let's go see what the hell's that is, shall we."

ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ

Bob traversed for over 5 kilometers before he felt himself passing through something akin to a thin film, and the location promptly changed.

"Hmm~ interesting. A camouflage barrier, huh."

His view of the lush forest had changed, replaced by a trio of buildings worn down by time and knee length grasses. Looking back, Bob pocked at the barrier, chuckling as it wobbled with a funny sound.

Resuming back on his walk, Bob moved ahead— before a loud crack of thunder was accompanied by popcorns impacting his form. No, not popcorns. Lead ammos. One large enough to classified as an anti-tank.

Taking a deep breathe, Bob calmed himself so as to not instantly vaporize everything before him, and regarded the six mounted turrets currently spraying him with lead.

"I really should have expected this. A facility still running ought to have one sort of protection or the other... But even so, anti-tank shells." Bob smirked. "Talk about taking things to the next level."

The loud blaring abruptly stopped as time crawled to a halt.

With his superspeed, Bob slowed his perception to the point that it held no difference from stopping time, itself.

Bob tilted his head to move away from the bullet currently frozen in space, and his eyes flashed in gold towards the mounted turrets which superheated but still remained in their forms due to the action happening within the span of a moment.

It was only until Bob had entered the building did he release his perception. Outside the stringent sound brusquely halted as all the turrets dissolved into golden hot syrups.

Bob scratched the back of his head in annoyance.

"There better be something interesting within this building, or else I'm nuking this location to a ground zero."

ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ

After taking time to explore the mysterious building hidden beneath the veil – cool name, he would remember that. Bob found out that his earlier hypothesis of this building being a facility of sorts was holding weight.

Some of rooms Bob had entered could have passed as a hospital room both in his and Sentry's home world. There were two cafeterias; one big enough for public use and the other was much smaller, but appeared more opulent. There were other rooms with interesting equipment that Bob had picked and stored in his bag.

But it was upon heading deeper did Bob halt before a two meter silver door.

[AI Systems online...]

At the feminine robotic voice, Bob's brows rose up in a jolt.

"Woah... Kinda' like Stark's A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S if I remember correctly."

[Unknown Presence detected. Please stand still for scanning or vacate from the premises...]

The wall section above the steel door sank in and a device akin to that of a camera popped right out. Bob's eyes gave off an ominous golden glow in preparation for assault, while a green grid light passed over his form, presumably scanning him.

"I swear if this door open turrets on me, I'll vaporize it."

[Scanning complete]

[Human genome detected...]

[Detecting 47% DNA alteration]

[Calculating values on Human Archetype...]

[Human Archetype Values accepted: 'Green']

[Hail humanity]

With a hiss, the sides of the door slide away from each other leaving a bemused Bob who shrugged and entered the building.

"Hail humanity? Hah! Catchy phrase, I'll give it that."

ᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥᴥ

The part of building behind the steeled door was different from the main building. Clean enough that it seemed like the echoes of time hadn't touched this place at all.

Bob passed a white room that appeared to be an experiment chamber, giving credentials that whatever was going on here was most likely a secret from most people – given that he had already seen a much larger experiment room in front building.

Sighing, Bob just shook his head and moved on – he didn't want to think about what had happened inside the room.

It didn't take 5 minutes later, Bob stood before a steel door.

"Project ' Replicant Alternative'... I've seen stranger names."

Seeing as the door didn't open, and there was no AI to do any scanning of sorts, Bob shrugged and stuck his hands into the metal which squealed as he tore a large hole in it to enter.

The room inside was much smaller than Bob expected – it was a small space that contained two tanks and a machine that probably served as the controller.

Though the contents within the tanks surprised Bob to no end.

"!"

Bob rubbed both of his eyes as if to clear an illusion, but reality before him didn't change despite him doing so.

"Haha..." Bob huffed despondently. "I really shouldn't be surprised but, hah... What can you expect from a post-apocalyptic world?"

The reason for Bob's morbid laughter was the tank at the end of the room, or rather, the contents within – inside the tanks were unclothed kids; a boy and girl around the age of 5 and 6.

It was obvious from the lack of heartbeats that they were dead, and judging from their bloated stomachs, it seems that they had drowned in the very thing that was meant to preserve them – though in a morbid way, the tank actually did preserve them; their bodies, that is.

Upon reaching the tanks, Bob slowly read out the names inscribed on at the base of the containers.

"Hansel and Gretel... Beautiful names."

Bob couldn't fathom the circumstances of their birth. As a child, Bob had always considered himself lucky to have a loving family, a mother who had supported his choice from childhood and a father whose advices became the tenet by which he lived by.

That was why Bob couldn't fathom it.

The lives Hansel and Gretel lived, did they experience the love of a parent? Was it all lab coats and strings? Did they have anyone to confound to, or was it only themselves? Were their lives all pain or did they find any modicum of happiness?

Bob or rather, the Sentry had seen it. In a world of Heroes, Villains, Gods, and Monsters, many would do anything to obtain power – there was no line they wouldn't cross and no amount of lives is considered too much for them to waste.

Maybe the circumstances behind Hansel and Gretel was as a result of the world ending. Yes, Bob understood that in the face of that, morality and ethics lose their value faster than one could blink... But that doesn't make it anymore right.

"Shit. This's all kinds of messed up."

Cupping his chin, Bob's eyes narrowed in thought –– a plan, one crazy enough that Bob couldn't believe he was actually considering it, seeded in his heart.

"Guhh... Ah!"

Grouching in frustration, Bob swung his arms and the tank broke, spilling out the kids. With both of them secured in his arms, Bob muttered.

"I can't believe I'm about to play Jesus..."

Transfiguring a section of the floor into a comfy duvet. Bob laid the kids on the duvet, before telekinetically pulling out the medical liquid that had bloated their stomachs and suffused their body – he couldn't have them waking up only to die because some water got stuck in their throats.

Fashioning simple cloths around their forms, Bob laid his hands on their wavy azure hairs and his eyes glowed. Just like what had happened to the lions, a golden radiance submersed the children physique, although it was much brighter.

To this mysterious power of his Bob only has one command. Resurrect. To bring Hansel and Gretel back to life, to restore them both hale and healthy without any form of complication.

Soon enough, the golden luminance in the room died down and childish groans ensued.

Beautiful aquamarine eyes opened with a wince, as the boy, Hansel weakly muttered. "Ugh... What... Where am I?"

Holding the children's hands, Bob looked at both Hansel and his sister, Gretel who was just opening her eyes, and said with a small smile. "It's ok, get some sleep. I promise you both. Everything will be alright."

"The pain... It's gone." Gretel muttered, grasping Bob's hand as if it were a lifeline. "Warm... Your hand is warm... Papa."

Bob's eyes widened in shock before softening.

"Papa, huh..." Bob huffed, rubbing the back of his head. "That's one heck of a title to heap on me, kid."

Though to be honest, being called that doesn't sound so bad.