(AN: So this Mark is gonna be a little different than the one from the story, he'll be a full on Viltrumite, no Shazam powers, no gravity manipulation. I'm a big fan of Viltrumite abilities so it'll be nice to write it. Also this Mark will be the one from the beginning so the only person who'll miss him is his mother. It'll be a mix of MCU and Marvel Comics, also some characters may be a little OOC but that's due to them being younger than their show or movie counterparts, some things will be different like buildings existing before they were built blah blah. Also before any of you cry Mark will be nerfed a bit cause I don't think godly MCs are interesting, so at the start I'll put him at around Hulk level, but like with all Viltrumite he will get stronger)
Gotham, what a shit hole. It was by far the worst city on the earth, there was no doubt third world countries that had less crime than Gotham did. Whether it was by immolation, being pounded by a steroid addicted wrestler or being shot in the head by a sadistic clown, there was no shortage of ways to die in this city. Yet people still stayed there, most people because they trusted in their caped heroes to keep them safe, but the smart ones who knew that wasn't true, and they just had no where else to go. Mark was one such boy. Despite earning funding from the Martha and Thomas Wayne Foundation to pay for his tuition for Gotham academy —as well as a small stipend for books and supplies. Despite him graduating as class valedictorian and getting near perfects in every test he had taken. Mark Grayson found himself working in a fast food restaurant because the scholarship he was on track to earn for an Ivy League college was instead given to a legacy.
He shouldn't have been surprised, Gotham Academy was for the elites, the old bloods. The entire time he was there he was an outcast, people treated him as if he had a disease simply because he didn't have as much money as they did. He couldn't help but not feel a little bitter about it, he had worked hard, broke records with how well he had done and yet someone else got what he had earned just for who they were. The worse part was they didn't even need the scholarship, for Mark this was a chance for him to escape Gotham. Get a good job and get the hell out of there with his mother.
Now he was stuck here flipping burgers for just over minimum wage.
Mark just finished serving another group of drunk assholes, he processed their order and sent it to the back where other workers just as miserable as he was started putting it together. Mark for started on their drinks —they had ordered five of them. But apparently he wasn't going fast enough for their liking as one of them started snapping his fingers.
"Hey bitch! It's called fast food, my grandma could serve it faster than you!" The man shouted.
Mark exhaled through his nose as he continued to pour the drinks, the man didn't let up and continued to insult him about how shit he was as a worker and his poor his attitude was.
"Stop ignoring me! I'm a customer! I pay your—"
*BOOM*
The windows shattered in as an explosion pushed everyone to the ground. Well nearly everyone, Mark was unaffected by the shockwave, though the drinks he was pouring all exploded in his hands covering him in sticky soda. Marks facial expression barely changed, though a hint of annoyance could be found on it. This was a common occurrence in Gotham, a supervillain attack, Mark was just annoyed it had to happen while he was at work.
Mark took off his apron and put it over the counter, it seemed he'd have to find another job now. He was getting closer and closer to his wits end when it came to situations like this. He shouldn't have to work in minimum wage shit holes like this one, he should be getting his degree in advanced engineering or robotics. He had built a a functional jet pack when he was fourteen. 'Not that I need it...' Mark thought to himself. That was another thing about Mark, a discovery he had recently made about himself, and something that had continued to tempt him into turning to a life of crime himself.
*CRASH*
Slamming through the wall was a recognisable villain, one of Batmans rogues —Bane. The venom addicted muscle man stood up, lashing out and managing to slam his meaty arm into someone close by. That person was thrown across the restaurant until they slammed into the menu above the counter. Following in after Bane was none other than Batgirl herself, swinging inside and sliding across the floor she threw several batarangs at Bane which Mark could see were aimed at the tubes sticking out of his neck.
Mark watched as Batgirl danced around Bane while the later got very close to smashing her into the ground. It was clear that the dark knights sidekick wasn't doing much damage, the only reason she was able to keep up was due to her speed and agility. Even targeting his weak points did nothing. Eventually she slipped up and he managed to grab her leg and slam her against the wall which stunned her. Bane then brought her up and from the looks of it was about to snap her spine in two.
Despite how much he didn't like heroes, he liked villains even less. Normally Mark would've left by now but as mentioned he'd discovered something about himself.
As Bane brought her down on to his knee he was abruptly stopped. Looking down in confusion he saw a black haired boy who was dressed in a fast food uniform.
Mark had discovered a month or so ago that he had powers of his own. He was basically Superman without the heat vision and other weird eye powers, though he reckoned he could use frost breath as it was just an application of thermodynamics.
Mark didn't budge as Bane tried to push his elbows —that he was holding— down. The larger man swore and cursed at him, sadly for Bane Mark was not working anymore and he wasn't a paying customer, so he didn't have to stand there and listen to his shit. Bringing his foot up he slammed it into the villains stomach, at the same time he gripped his elbows harder, snapping the bone. This led to him letting go of Batgirl to which Mark promptly caught and set down.
"Hey Bane! Are you done yet we could use some help out here!" Someone shouted causing Mark to turn around.
He had a yellow outfit on with a green cowl, and for a moment Mark wasn't sure who he was looking at. Though it came to him a few moments later when he saw the gun in his hand. 'Why is Mirror Master in Gotham?' He thought to himself. Though he shrugged a few moments later and pushed off the ground towards Mirror Master who started to panic.
Mark had made a mistake though. Not all the windows had shattered in the initial explosion and Mirror Master stood behind one right now. Instead of breaking through the glass like he expected he was instead transported somewhere else. Mark felt disoriented and almost sick to his stomach as he looked around, this dimension seemed to be filled with mirrors of some sort.
"I don't know who you are, but enjoy staying in the void forever," a voice spoke before he started laughing.
Mark growled and flew to the sound of the voice going from mirror to mirror, but nothing happened when he reached them. They just bobbed in the air like this whole place was in space. However that soon changed as he looked down and the white dimension seemed to open up into something darker. Mark flew up, but it seemed that he was getting sucked in. He pushed himself to the limit, but it was useless. He was sucked into the darkness and could do nothing but watch as the light got further and further away from him.
He had been falling, falling for what felt like years? Weeks? Days? Seconds? He didn't know, but what he did know was when he finally opened his eyes his body felt like it had just been hit by a train. He couldn't see, his ears on the other hand felt hypersensitive and he was deafened by the sounds to the point where he might as well have been deaf. The smell though was the worst part and the only thing that made him think he might still be in Gotham.
He turned to his side coughing up blood mixed with whatever he had eaten that day. He tried to get up after but quickly realised that he couldn't, so instead he just lay there with the cold concrete against his back. Slowly but surely his vision began to return to him, all of his senses began to return to normal. The pain started to numb as well, but he still felt weak. After an hour of lying down on the ground he decided to push himself up against the wall. Looking around he saw he was in some kind of alleyway, it wasn't Gotham though. 'Too clean,' he thought to himself.
'New York maybe?' He thought as he pushed himself further up the wall until he made it onto his feet. He threw up again, but this time hardly anything came out. His stomach grumbled as he wiped his mouth, ever since he gained his powers he'd been eating like crazy. Or at least as much as he could afford, which honestly wasn't much. He'd actually lost weight ever since he gained his powers. He stood at 6ft and weighed around 90kg before he had gotten his powers. Most if not all of that weight was muscle; muscle that he had gained from fighting at Ted Grants gym. He'd go there nearly every day, if he wasn't lifting weights he was hitting the bag or training with the man himself.
However after he got his powers his metabolism started to go crazy, and he started feeling hungrier a lot more. He kept that to himself though, his mom was already struggling enough with the bills, he didn't want to put anymore burden on her. If he wanted more food he'd pay for it himself, and while he did start eating more —mostly cheap canned meats and rice or pasta. He still lost a lot of weight and was now only 75KG.
Mark started limping towards the exit to the alley, as he did he went through his pockets. His wallet was still there, that was good. He'd just gotten paid the day before so he should have a couple hundred dollars to get some food.
"Hey buddy you don't look so well," an amused voice called out from behind him.
Mark turned around to see three thuggish looking men approaching him, grins on their face like they just hit the jackpot. "I'm fine..." Mark said, but his voice was somewhat strained.
"You sure about that?" The man in the centre of the trio said a she continued to approach him.
"How about we give you a ride to one of those free clinics, or even that F.E.A.S.T centre downtown," the one on the left said, as he smiled he exposed a set of chipped and yellow stained teeth.
"Of course there will be a few costs, you know how it is though? Gas prices are crazy nowadays," the third man laughed.
"Whatever is in your wallet will do," the centre man said as he drew a blade.
'Barely over an hour and I'm already getting mugged, maybe I am still in Gotham," Mark thought to himself as he stood up to his full height despite his weakened body.
"Get out of here before I have to hurt you," Mark said trying to sound as threatening as he could.
The three men all just looked at each other before they laughed, the one on the left then walked forward and drew his arm back. He had okay form, not that it mattered; when he unleashed his fist straight at Mark, the young man moved his head slightly to the right avoiding it. He then shot his own fist against the man's liver, he was careful not to put too much power into it, however that seemed to be a mistake as his weakened body meant his super strength was somewhat muted.
"Gaaah!" The man spat as Mark delivered the liver blow, he barely held himself up and held his side as he moved backwards. At this point the rest of them got involved, the second man lunging forward and swinging for Mark.
Mark was caught in the face by his fist which made him stumble slightly, he managed to shift out the way of the next punch and then connect a right hook to the man's temple making him hit the ground cold. The third however did not try to fight him and instead stabbed Mark in his side. "Fuck!" Mark shouted and he grabbed the man by the throat —his super strength somewhat returning— and threw him across the alley straight into the wall where he fell unconscious.
Mark grunted as he looked at the large knife sticking out of him, he didn't take it out as that was the worst thing you could do in that situation, but he also didn't want the other thug to make it worse. Speaking of the other thug he saw the state Mark was in and relished it, he had a grin on his face as he moved closer to him. "I'm gonna enjoy slicing you up!" He growled out as the pain in his side still throbbed.
Mark walked backwards keeping the man in sight, when he got close enough he'd use the knife to stab him, he'd risk bleeding out but right now he didn't have much choice. However all of that was changed when Mark was tripped up by the guy he'd knocked out on the ground, he fell on his ass which agitated his wound.
The man came closer to him, and when he fell he lunged at him. Mark prepared to do what he could but when the thug was just within distance a shadow moved over him.
The thug was kicked in the face by a figure who jumped over him, he was sent crashing into a nearby dumpster where the figure grabbed his head and slammed it against the metal for good measure. They then turned to the thug that had grabbed him and brought their leg up high before hammer kicking their head and knocking them out.
Mark wasn't sure if this was an ally or enemy, life in Gotham had taught him that they could always be both depending on the situation; though in this situation he hoped it was the latter, as he fell back down and passed out.
(AN: this is a spinoff short story I did a while ago, but I've decided to add more to it. I've got part 1 which is about 25k chapters, part 2 will be around 30k. Depending on how people like it I may continue it, chapters on here will be split up.)
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