Jack woke up in a dark room, his vision hazy and unfocused. The only thing he could see was a single, faint beam of light cutting through the darkness. He slowly made his way toward it, each step hesitant, his bare… well, nonexistent feet making no sound. As he got closer, he began to hear a familiar sound—soft, rhythmic, and nostalgic—but he couldn't quite place it.
Once he arrived at the source, he froze. Sitting cross-legged in front of him was an old man wrapped in a thick, worn-out blanket, hunched slightly forward. In front of him was an old box TV glowing dimly, hooked up to a dusty Nintendo 64. On the screen was Donkey Kong 64.
Jack's eyes widened in shock, and before he could stop himself, he blurted out excitedly, "I love that game!"
The old man slowly turned his head toward him, a warm yet knowing smile tugging at his lips. His tired, kind eyes seemed to pierce straight into Jack's soul as he said, "I know you do, kiddo. It was the first game you ever played. Jack, why don't you join me? Oh, wait…" He chuckled softly. "…you don't have a body right now."
Jack blinked, his excitement fading as confusion washed over him. He quickly looked down—and for the first time, he noticed he didn't have hands, legs, or even feet. His entire form was just… a glowing, formless orb of light.
The old man tilted his head slightly and said calmly, "Let's fix that, shall we?"
Jack's voice trembled slightly as he replied, "Fix it? How? What happened to me?"
The old man sighed, rubbing his chin before speaking casually, "You died. Got crushed by a statue of Akuma at a game convention."
Jack froze for a moment, blinking blankly before muttering, "Oh yeah…" He scratched at the back of his nonexistent head awkwardly. "…So what happens now? I assume from the fact I'm here, I'm not going to heaven or hell?"
The old man leaned back slightly, giving a small shake of his head. "No, you're not. I'm gonna reincarnate you as Tet—the God of Games—in the Percy Jackson universe. I ain't giving you a system 'cause those suck. Besides, you won't need one anyway."
Jack's glowing form pulsed brighter, almost like it was reflecting his excitement. "Whoa… even without wishes, that's a pretty sweet deal!"
The old man smirked faintly. "Right."
Then, without warning, he snapped his fingers. Jack's glowing form began to shift and twist, reshaping itself into something solid. The formless orb of light that had been Jack became a boy—around twelve to thirteen years old—with short, snow-white hair and mismatched eyes that shimmered faintly. He wore a red coat over a light green shirt, blue shorts, red shoes, and a matching red cap perched slightly askew on his head.
The old man gave an approving nod and said warmly, "Welcome back to the land of the living, Tet. Now, join me for a game."
Tet—Jack no longer—smiled brightly, his mismatched eyes glowing with excitement. He walked over, sat beside the old man, and grabbed the other controller. As the two started playing, Tet leaned back casually and asked, "So… what am I supposed to be doing from now on?"
The old man's lips curled into a soft smile as he replied, "Whatever you want. Just try and make people's lives a little better, okay?"
Tet smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll probably cause trouble for a few people."
The old man chuckled, his shoulders shaking slightly. "That's fine."
Tet tilted his head curiously, his expression thoughtful. "Why'd you pick me?"
The old man paused, his gaze softening with something unreadable before replying gently, "You won't know till way later, so don't worry for now."
Tet leaned back with a small shrug. "Alright then… if you insist."
The old man grinned knowingly. "You gave up quick."
Tet smirked, his lips curling mischievously as his mismatched eyes gleamed. "I have a feeling you won't tell me no matter how much I ask. You're open, by the way."
Before the old man could react, Tet's fingers moved swiftly, and his in-game character fired the winning shot.
The old man's jaw dropped slightly, and his controller slipped from his hands in mock defeat. "Not bad, kid… oh well, it was fun. Now, off with you."
He snapped his fingers, and suddenly a trapdoor appeared beneath Tet's feet. With a startled yelp, Tet dropped through it, plummeting into an endless void.
As he descended, he saw a brilliant white light rushing toward him, brighter and brighter until it engulfed him entirely. When he emerged, he was suddenly floating high above the New York City skyline.
Luckily, the old man had given him the knowledge of how to use his powers, and instinctively, Tet slowed his fall, hovering effortlessly above Manhattan. A wide grin spread across his face as the wind tousled his white hair.
"Well…" he muttered under his breath, mismatched eyes sparkling with anticipation. "…let the games begin."