"So my name is still Derrick," I muttered to myself, staring at the sleek, black card in my hand. It contained all my vital information, or rather, this Derrick's vital information. My picture, an old man with a thick, white mustache, stared back at me. It was a stark contrast to the thirty-two-year-old I remembered being when I... died. Now, according to the card, I was sixty-three. The card listed my name, address, and an identification number, which I instinctively knew was mine, or rather, his.
I looked around the small room. It was clearly part of a wooden cottage, the scent of pine thick in the air. The room was cozy, almost quaint, with a 6'5" bed, clearly custom-made for someone of this older Derrick's stature. The bed was adorned with thick, warm cotton blankets, and two fluffy pillows rested at the head. The log walls were decorated sparsely: a stag's head (or what I assumed was a stag's head – this new reality might have different names for things), a few hand-drawn pictures that looked like landscapes, and a framed photograph. I picked it up. It was me, older Derrick, with an elderly woman. We were embracing, a comfortable, loving pose that suggested a deep relationship. My wife, I presumed.
"This is utterly disorienting," I sighed, setting the photo back down. "Dying in a car crash, the screech of tires and shattering glass still ringing in my ears, only to find myself in a new world, inside the body of an older version of me. It's like some bizarre cosmic joke. And then there's this." I gestured towards the floating screen that hung in the air in front of me. It was a pale blue, almost translucent, and displayed only three words: 'INPUT YOUR WISH'.
Confusion warred with a creeping sense of unease. Was I in some kind of fantasy world? The logical part of my brain screamed no. The flat-screen television mounted on the wall and the smartphone resting on a small, wooden drawer next to the bed screamed modernity. So, was this some kind of sci-fi scenario? A simulated reality? I had a million questions buzzing in my head, but I knew I wouldn't find answers by simply sitting on my ass all day, staring at a floating blue screen. A disconcerting feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, like a lurking threat I couldn't quite place.
One of the biggest questions was the wish itself. Could I input any wish? Could I wish for world peace? For the extinction of all dangerous diseases? For infinite knowledge? The possibilities were both tantalizing and terrifying. What were the limits? If I was a complete psychopath, could I wish for the total annihilation of the human race, and would it happen? Were there any rules? Could I wish to be omnipotent? The sheer scope of it was mind-boggling, and the uncertainty gave me a splitting headache.
Looking back at the photo on the wall, more questions piled on. Where was the woman I was posing with? Was she still alive? Did we have children? Were they alive? Did they know I was here, in this older version of myself? If they knew, why was I still here, in this strange cottage? What was so important about this place?
"Fucking hell, this is a nightmare," I sighed, rubbing my temples wearily.
There were just too many unknowns. Too many things I needed to know. The lack of old Derrick's memories was a huge handicap. They would have given me some context, some grounding in this bizarre situation, especially regarding the mysterious blue box. On the other hand, there was something strangely amusing about running my fingers through this thick, bushy mustache. It did give me a certain air of old-age sophistication, I had to admit.
"You know what? Screw it," I said finally, a decision forming in my mind. My index finger shot out and, to my surprise, actually made contact with the screen. It pulsed a vibrant blue, the three words vanished, and I got the distinct impression that it was waiting for my input.
"Uhm," I began, clearing my throat. "I wish to possess the permanent, irrevocable, and exclusive superpower of Meta Ability Creation, which allows me to consciously and subconsciously create, modify, or remove any superpower, ability, or skill for myself or others, at any time, without limitation, restriction, negative consequence, or external interference of any kind, with full mastery, understanding, and control over all abilities created, ensuring that no entity, force, or circumstance can alter, remove, restrict, or manipulate this power or its effects, including myself unless I choose to do so, and that my mind, body, and soul remain eternally protected, stable, and unharmed regardless of how this power is used."
I'd spent a lot of time reading fantasy and science fiction, especially Japanese light novels. I knew how genies, or wish-granting entities, often worked. There were always loopholes, hidden clauses, ways to twist your desires into something unexpected and often unpleasant. I was determined to avoid that. I could have simply said, "I wish for Meta Ability Creation," but that was too vague. Maybe I'd be able to create powers, but only in my imagination. Or maybe they'd be temporary. I needed to be specific, thorough. My carefully worded wish appeared on the screen, and I meticulously reviewed it, making sure every word was exactly as I wanted it. When I was satisfied, the screen vanished.
"Now what?" I asked myself, a hint of nervous anticipation in my voice.
Suddenly, the world exploded in a blinding flash of light. Or maybe I'd just gone blind. I couldn't tell. I had no idea how long it lasted, but when it was over, I found myself on the floor, my head throbbing. But something was different. I felt… different. A new sense, a new awareness, had blossomed within me. I instinctively knew it was my power. Information flooded my brain, confirming that my power was exactly as I had worded it: complete, unaltered, Meta Ability Creation. Overjoyed, I decided to test it out. All it required was thought, intention, and wording.
"I want Cosmic Regeneration Beyond Death as a permanent and boundless superpower that allows me to instantly regenerate from any form of damage, destruction, or death across all realities, dimensions, and timelines, ensuring that my mind, body, soul, and existence remain eternally intact and unaffected, with no limits, negative consequences, or external interference, and granting me full control over when and how I regenerate, including the ability to improve and evolve after each regeneration." I felt a pleasant warmth spread through my body, but otherwise, nothing outwardly magical happened.
"Huh," I muttered, flexing my fingers. "Was it a dud?" I glanced towards the kitchen, my eyes landing on the set of gleaming knives hanging on the wall. The thought of testing my regeneration on myself flickered through my mind, but I quickly banished it. I wasn't a masochist.
"I guess I'll just have to put my faith in my power," I said, a sly grin spreading across my face. "Or… I could just create another power, one that demonstrates its effects immediately."