Dreams Come True

Who Are You, Really?

The question hung in the air, a tense atmosphere slowly falling across the room as I looked up at Thanos.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"Who are you?" The Mad Titan said again calmly. "A boy as young as you driving, living alone, and with no last name isn't something you tend to come across easily. Which means there's more to you. Even if you showing up was an accident, and your travels were an accident, there's a reason you're here now..."

"Thanos, this is completely off topic!" Lightness shouted. "You wanted to question Caleb about your senseless paranoia, but now you want him to share that with us? Absolutely not!"

Thanos grunted. "I'm just trying to see the whole picture. If he truly means no harm, then he wouldn't have a need to hide his past. I'm just looking out for the world you so kindly want to keep safe. And right now, all of us feel threatened because a child did something no one else has."

He looked down at me. "So, start from the beginning. Who are you?"

I was dead silent, my brain running into the ground. I was crashing, spiralling, yet somehow was able to open my mouth.

"I... I am Caleb... I don't remember my last name, and I was born in Canada."

"Don't remember?" Aku asked in suspicion. "How can you not remember your last name?"

"I just can't..." I forced out, my mind screaming at me. There was a memory, a memory I seemed to have buried that was clawing its way out.

"Very well." Thanos roped the conversation back on track. "Do you have parents-"

"I DON'T!!!" I screamed. "I NEVER DID!"

The room fell silent, the entire Council looking at me in shock. Thanos looked bored, although there was the slightest hint of vindication behind it. I took a deep breath, running my hand through my messy hair.

"Look, how about we take a break!" Rainbow said suddenly as Virus extended an arm out and picked me up. "We're all tired, so let's just have a few minutes to just slow down and take it easy."

Thanos growled. "You're delaying, Rainbow. The more you act like this, the more you raise our suspicions that this child did something he shouldn't have."

"Thanos, enough!" Beerus barked. "The boy is clearly getting overwhelmed. The more you press him, the less straight answers you'll get. Let him get some rest, or this will spiral and we'll all be here forever."

"Nah, I say we keep bombarding him!" Bill shouted in glee. "I like seeing him squirm! Hey kid!" I looked over at him, with Virus' arm tensing. "When'd you start driving? Because you're only sixteen, right?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but hesitated. My memories were flashing back in my head, memories that made me want to scream and cry. I wasn't being honest with myself this whole time, and that made me horrified.

What did they do to me?

"I'm... I lied..." I said, making everyone look at me again. "I'm not sixteen, I'm fifteen. I lied about my age so I could get a licence..."

Rainbow's eyes widened, and she gave a sheepish laugh to the rest of the crowd. They all looked at me with a variety of expressions, although the main one was... Worry. Most of the Council were looking at me in worry, clearly wondering why a child like me would lie about such a thing.

"Okay, we're going to take five." Rainbow quickly scooped me up and walked towards the back of the room, where there was a curtained area. "Just for a bit. We'll be right back."

She carried me behind the curtain, then set me down. I kept my eyes glued to the ground as she aired down at me, quickly joined by Virus and her brothers. For a while, all five of us remained silent, the four gods looking down at me as I shifted uncomfortably.