Chapter 1: The End, and a Very Unusual Beginning
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: REALITY INTEGRATION COMMENCING... STANDBY.]
The last thing I remembered was the surprisingly rude honk of a delivery truck and the sudden, unyielding crunch of something distinctly un-pavement-like. Then, nothing. Just… a vast, inky blackness. Not the kind of blackness you get from closing your eyes, but the absolute, suffocating void of nothing. No sound, no light, no sensation. Just… me, or what I assumed was the spectral remnant of me, floating in an existential soup.
"Well, this is… underwhelming," I thought, my voice echoing only in the cavernous expanse of my non-existent ears. "I mean, if this is the afterlife, could they at least spring for some mood lighting? Maybe a complimentary snack bar? A single, lonely celestial harpist would be nice. Just something to break up the monotonous abyss."
Just as I was mentally drafting a strongly worded complaint to the afterlife's customer service department, a shimmering, ethereal light flickered into existence before me. It wasn't a sun, or a star, but more like a sentient nebula, coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape. It radiated an immense, ancient power, but also, surprisingly, a sense of… weary efficiency. Like a cosmic bureaucrat who'd seen too many souls.
[COSMIC ENTITY: MORTAL SOUL, YOUR JOURNEY HAS CONCLUDED. DUE TO AN UNFORESEEN QUANTUM FLUCTUATION, YOUR ESSENCE HAS BEEN DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR REASSIGNMENT. YOU ARE GRANTED THREE WISHES TO FACILITATE YOUR TRANSMIGRATION.]
My non-existent jaw probably would have dropped if I still had one. Three wishes? Transmigration? This wasn't just a cosmic refund; this was a full-blown spiritual upgrade program. My mind, ever the pop-culture sponge, immediately flashed to every "isekai" anime and fantasy novel I'd ever consumed. This was the moment. The cheat sheet. The chance to not get hit by a truck this time.
"Okay, Adam, don't screw this up. This isn't a genie from a lamp; this is a cosmic being that probably runs on pure logic and disdain for mortal foolishness. No wishing for infinite wishes. No wishing for a harem. Keep it practical. Keep it useful. Keep it… me."
"Alright, uh, esteemed Cosmic Entity of Light and Bureaucracy," I began, trying to inject some of my usual Stiles-esque charm into my non-corporeal voice. "Let's get down to brass tacks. First wish: I want the innate ability to open stable and controllable portals between the Arrowverse Earths (like Earth-38 and Earth-1) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Earth at will. And I want to retain all my meta-knowledge of both the Arrowverse and MCU to know where and when to open these portals." This was paramount. Knowledge was power, especially when facing alien invasions and purple-skinned genocidal titans.
[COSMIC ENTITY: WISH GRANTED. ACCESS TO SELECTIVE MULTIVERSAL CANON RETAINED. PORTAL CREATION BETWEEN DESIGNATED REALITIES ACTIVATED. NOW, FOR YOUR SECOND WISH.]
"Second wish," I continued, feeling a surge of confidence. "I want a power, a system, something unique that allows me to navigate this new reality effectively, not just as a spectator. Something that grants me the ability to influence events, gain strength, and protect myself and, ideally, others. Make it… adaptable. Something that grows with me. And crucially, give me the ability to traverse the broader multiverse beyond just the Arrowverse and MCU, like Cisco Ramon eventually does." This was where the "Broker" part came in. I needed a way to do things, and not just be limited to two specific Earths.
[COSMIC ENTITY: WISH GRANTED. THE TRADER SYSTEM SHALL BE YOUR CONDUIT. ITS MECHANICS WILL BE INTEGRATED UPON AWAKENING. NOW, YOUR FINAL WISH.]
"Final wish," I said, a mischievous grin spreading across my non-existent face. This one was crucial. "I want my body to be perfectly adaptable to any power, serum, energy, or enhancement. No negative side effects. I want to be able to absorb or utilize anything without turning into a puddle of goo, exploding, or going insane. Super-soldier serums, cosmic energies, alien biologies, speed force… bring it on. And finally, because I'm a human being, I want to retain my personality. Sarcasm, humor, slight nerdiness, general existential dread – all intact. No blank slate for me. I need to be me."
[COSMIC ENTITY: WISH GRANTED. ADAPTABLE PHYSIOLOGY INTEGRATED. PERSONALITY MATRIX PRESERVED. COMMENCING TRANSMIGRATION TO DESIGNATED REALITY: NATIONAL CITY, EARTH-38, ARROWVERSE. GOOD FORTUNE, MORTAL SOUL.]
And with that, the shimmering entity dissolved, and the vast blackness began to recede, replaced by a swirling vortex of colors and sensations. A moment of intense pressure, like being squeezed through a cosmic straw, and then…
…the distinct, undeniable, and utterly obnoxious smell of lukewarm coffee and desperation. My eyes fluttered open to reveal a ceiling tile. The cheap, perforated acoustic kind.
"Well, at least I landed somewhere with coffee," I mused, pushing myself up. My body felt… different. Lighter, like shedding a constant burden. I glanced down. My hands were leaner, more agile. I was wearing generic clothes.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: REALITY INTEGRATION COMPLETE. WELCOME, ADAM STIELS. CURRENT LOCATION: NATIONAL CITY, EARTH-38, ARROWVERSE.]
The message flashed in my mind, an immediate confirmation. It had worked. I was here. And it was exactly as advertised. The coffee shop hummed with mundane life, completely unaware of the cosmic intervention that had just delivered a very sarcastic, very meta-aware human into their midst.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: THE TRADER SYSTEM IS NOW ACTIVE. INITIATING FIRST-TIME USER TUTORIAL.]
A holographic interface flickered into existence in my peripheral vision, visible only to me. Sleek, sci-fi cool. "Initiate Trade," "The Brokerage," "System Market." And a glowing counter: TP: 100.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: INITIATING TRADES (PERSONAL): THE SYSTEM CAN ONLY BE USED TO INITIATE TRADES WITH CHARACTERS WHO ARE NAMED AND CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT TO THE PLOT OF EITHER THE MCU OR THE ARROWVERSE. IT CANNOT BE USED ON RANDOM CIVILIANS, UNNAMED AGENTS, OR BACKGROUND CHARACTERS. THIS RULE IS ABSOLUTE.]
"Still the same rules for client selection, huh? No trading my questionable fashion sense for a better chair with Bob the barista. Got it."
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: FIRST TRADE BONUS: THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL TRADE WITH A CHARACTER GRANTS ADAM A RANDOM, RELEVANT SKILL FROM THAT PERSON. THIS SKILL'S POWER CAN GROW WITH ADAM. SUBSEQUENT TRADES: ADAM CAN CONTINUE TRADING WITH THE SAME CHARACTER FOR ITEMS, MONEY, INFORMATION, OR TRADE POINTS (TP).]
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: NEW FUNCTION ADDED: SKILL MARKET. SKILLS ACQUIRED FROM FIRST TRADES, IF DEEMED NOT IMMEDIATELY USEFUL TO ADAM, CAN BE SOLD TO THE SYSTEM FOR TP, OR TRADED DIRECTLY WITH OTHER PLOT-SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERS. THE VALUE IS DETERMINED BY THE SKILL'S RARITY AND POTENTIAL UTILITY.]
"Aha! Now that's an upgrade! So if I get, like, 'Expert Laundry Folding' from a minor character, I can just offload it for some TP? Or trade it to someone who actually needs their shirts pressed? Excellent. Utility is key. My wishes were truly productive."
The rest of the tutorial followed the original, detailing The Brokerage, Trade Points & The Market, Plot Coupons, and the Inventory. My inventory still held the Nth Metal Locket, ready for its purpose.
My eyes scanned the coffee shop, and there she was. Blond hair, stylish glasses, earnest expression, engrossed in a newspaper. Kara Danvers. Supergirl.
"Alright, Adam, this is it. First contact. Remember, be charming, be witty, be just a little bit weird. Don't, under any circumstances, blurt out 'Are you the actual Supergirl? Because my entire life has been leading up to this moment and I'm pretty sure I just died for it.'"
I took a deep breath, the familiar scent of lukewarm coffee filling my new lungs. This was going to be a wild ride. And my first client was about to receive a very unconventional offer.