Chapter Text
Ch.1
The scent of the hot coffee resting in your cold hands invades your senses as you lean against the hard wooden bench, gazing across the cafe that will soon be bustling with college students aching to get their hands on a precious cup of coffee, the only thing getting them through the semester. You scull the last dribbles of your coffee, the warm bitter substance your only means for getting through another morning shift and the lecture you’re attending this afternoon.
As you begin your morning routine a pang of sadness hits you, it has been over 7 months since your father and brothers left on their mission. Not even mundane tasks can distract you from the fear that they might never return. Your twin brother Mark who has always been by your side left in a hurry with your father, if you can even call him that, your opinion of him rightfully soured after the revelation of him not being the man you thought he was.
Being a daddy’s girl he was always praising you, he was a perfect attentive father and you completely idolised him, but you felt a shift that fateful night Mark got his powers and you were knocked off your pedestal. From that moment on you were treated differently from your counterpart, as the Viltrumite duo opted to train together instead of spending time as a family. You and your mother Debbie were always there for each other as powerless humans, like how you were there holding her hands inside the GDA as the sounds of your fathers voice permeated in the room, “I love your mother and your sister… but they are more like pets to me.” That word ringing in your mind,
Your eyebrows furrow together as you continue to lay out pastries in the display cabinet, their warm delicious scent filling the cafe as the morning sun breaks through the large stained glass windows. There is no time to focus on the hurt that was caused, life goes on… feeling ever grateful you were not burdened with such powers, it has saved you from fighting in an inherited war like your beloved brothers. You felt blessed to be home where you belonged, at peace with your lack of powers that cursed the ones you loved.
As you stock up on the final things you will need for the busy morning, your phone buzzes.
EVE: Hey! Are you still coming tonight?
You quickly shoot back a confirmation text as the first customers walk in. From there it is a blur of brewing coffee, doing dishes, taking orders for a seemingly endless line of customers and chatting away with coworkers. Once it hits 12 you snatch your apron off, throwing your sweater on and grabbing your backpack. As you run down the street towards campus you are muttering prayers that your laptop is actually charged or much less in your bag. You finally reach the lecture hall, sitting with a huff in the only place you could find a seat. Once you settle in the vibrations of your phone pull your attention away from the clearly agitated lecturer,
EVE: Awesome! Can’t wait to see you! We have so much to catch up on <3
Reply: Of course! Sorry I've been so busy lately…
EVE: Don’t sweat it, we’ve both had a lot going on.
Of course you are suffering without your twin brother but poor Eve has had it so rough since he left, you have been trying to keep busy by throwing yourself into work and studying but Eve had to move back in with her parents and stop Invincible incs services. Debbie has offered many times for her to crash in Mark’s room, she does so occasionally but you can hear her crying from your room, the image of her curled up on the bed clinging to Mark's clothes flashes through your mind. Luckily all three of you can be sad together, it all happened so suddenly there was no time to wrap your heads around it before they were flying off into space.
The details were blurry for all of you, you knew they were fighting Viltrumites, but you didn't know their names or what they looked like, you couldn't possibly fathom how far away they were and what they were going through. Flashing memories of Oliver’s broken body after his tiff with Conquest makes your heart catch in your throat, I hope he’s ok, you think to yourself. You sit lost in thought, staring out the window up at the big blue sky as your professor drones on and on.
--A week prior, on a Viltrumite ship in our sun's rotation
Thragg had preemptively sent a Viltrumite ship to Earth’s solar system, which he had been basing himself at since before Viltrum was destroyed to observe Earth. The great loss was still fresh, replaying the moment his whole world was eviscerated in his mind. The only home he knew… though there was nothing homey about it, as he recalled the intense training regime and cruel culture he helped foster. His own upbringing far from nurturing or kind, his world has always been eat or be eaten.
The moment the remaining Viltrumites regrouped they were Earth bound, infiltrating human society was already on the cards before Nolan forced their hand. What was left of their great empire was currently fraternizing with these lesser beings, the thought of procreating with the humans left a foul taste in Thragg’s mouth. As he stared out at the blue orb in the distance, the source of his anguish, he thought of Mark’s upbringing as Nolan’s spawn on Earth, far cushier and loving than anything Thragg could imagine… pathetic, he thought to himself.
Whilst completely lost in thought his trusted General Kregg, entered the room and announced himself.
“Grant Regent, I received your request for a progress report and have come to personally inform you that our infiltration into human life has been a success. Your loyal soldiers are working tirelessly to fulfil our great mission” and tirelessly working they had been, each having already procured many potential mates to repopulate their fallen empire.
Thragg hummed in approval, but he was seemingly indifferent to this good news.
“Grant Regent, does our progress displease you?”
Thragg let out a great sigh and to Kregg’s surprise he seemed to almost express a pained look.
“Your efforts have not gone unnoticed, it is the unfortunate circumstances of our being here which displeases me," he replied. “It also does not escape me General that while my soldiers are on the forefront I am up here watching idly…”
Kregg raised a brow at this statement, unsure of what his great leader was suggesting.
“... I believe it only makes sense for me to join in your efforts, we must all do our part to lay the foundations for our empire. As much as I despise the thought of breeding with such creatures, I will discover a human truly worthy of carrying my offspring.”
Kregg’s mouth moved to form an understanding “oh,” completely surprised by this revelation, he tentatively begins to explain, “Grand Regent if you don’t mind my saying so, you will need to thoroughly research the humans before you are able to find a mate. Their mating rituals are complex and based on forming proper relationships before consummating, it will take time to acclimate before you are able to even speak with a human.”
Thragg looks down, raising a hand to pinch his eyebrows, as he mutters “then let’s get started.”