Chapter 37: Tanya the Evil

Chapter 37 - Tanya the Evil

Tanya felt an odd mixture of dread and curiosity settling in as she pieced together the strange situation she found herself in. She had died—there was no mistaking that. The vivid memory of her final moments in her past life still clung to her like a dark shadow. Yet here she was, somehow alive again, in a completely new and foreign environment.

Her sharp mind, despite the limitations of her infant body, worked through the fog of confusion. The soft green-haired woman breastfeeding her was apparently her new mother, Rebecca.

The rugged man, who looked like he could have walked straight out of a Marlboro Man commercial, was her father, Six. Both of them seemed completely unaware of the internal struggle raging within her. What puzzled her more than anything was the ease with which they seemed to discuss reincarnation—as if it were a normal part of their lives.

Reincarnators. That word sent a shiver down her spine. If she and the baby boy beside her—her brother, apparently named August—were both reincarnated, then this was no ordinary rebirth.

The term "Merchant System" caught her attention as well. What was that? And how had it led to her being reborn, seemingly with full consciousness from the start, though still helpless in this tiny body?

Being X. Was this its doing? A new life to torment her once again, with a new set of rules, a new body, and new parents? The thought made her blood boil, but she quickly forced herself to calm down. She needed to learn more before jumping to conclusions. This was no time to indulge in hatred and frustration, not when she was so powerless.

The more she observed and listened, the more she realized that this world was vastly different from anything she had known. English, not Germanian. Tattoos, futuristic styles, and strange technology hinted at a world far from the wars and empires of her previous life. But what really startled her was that everyone seemed to know she and August were reincarnators. They spoke about it openly, almost casually.

Tanya's sharp mind kicked into overdrive. If they already knew she and her brother were reincarnated, what else did they know? Did they know who she had been in her past life? Did they know about Being X? She would have to be careful, bide her time, and learn everything she could.

For now, though, she was stuck in this infant body, helpless, relying on these strangers—her "parents." She couldn't even hold her head up properly yet, and her new mother, Rebecca, seemed annoyingly doting. Tanya's cheeks flushed with irritation as she was babied and breastfed, her pride taking hit after hit.

Still, her sharp instincts told her that this family was strong. Her father, Six, radiated a kind of hardened authority, and there was something about the way they handled themselves that suggested power. This wasn't the worst place to start anew, she thought. But if Being X thought it could break her spirit by throwing her into yet another life, it was sorely mistaken.

Tanya vowed to rise again. She would learn the rules of this new world, gain power, and find a way to control her fate once and for all. If her new parents had the means to give her this second—or was it third—chance, then they surely held more secrets she could exploit.

One thing was for sure: she would not allow herself to be manipulated by any godlike being or system ever again.

As the years went by, Tanya began to piece together the bizarre reality of her new family and their strange, chaotic lives. Some revelations were fascinating, while others were downright unsettling, but all of it painted a clear picture: her parents were bat-shit crazy, and she was surrounded by powerful, if somewhat unhinged, individuals.

The first and most glaring truth was her parents' overwhelming obsession with each other. It was impossible to ignore. Her mother, Rebecca, and her father, Six, were constantly doting on each other in an almost obsessive manner.

It wasn't just their infatuation that stood out, but their sheer inability to keep their hands off one another. They disappeared frequently, leaving Tanya and her siblings to be cared for by their grandmother Betty and Aunt Dora, a situation that, while comfortable, left a lot of room for her to observe the dysfunction.

Their passion for each other extended to the bedroom, resulting in a rapidly growing number of siblings—all reincarnators like herself and August. Apparently, her parents had no qualms about indulging in their... activities, which explained why the house felt like a never-ending revolving door of newborns.

Tanya found it both irritating and baffling. The sheer number of children meant there was little peace and quiet in the house, and the thought that all of her siblings had histories as former soldiers or killers like her made things even more unsettling.

But it wasn't just their romantic obsession that made her parents unusual. They were clearly insane, or at least entirely unconventional by her standards. Her mother Rebecca seemed to think it was perfectly reasonable to give a three-year-old a gun and to train them in combat, in which her father didn't seem to mind.

It was no surprise that her brother August, who she strongly suspected had been some kind of cold-blooded killer in his past life, took to this lifestyle like a duck to water, becoming her mother's favorite. He carried his weapon with him everywhere, always on edge, ready to kill without hesitation.

The way his eyes darkened before he pulled the trigger, his complete lack of empathy, it unnerved Tanya in a way that few things could. She had seen ruthlessness in her past life, but August was something else.

Tanya herself had been a soldier once, but she still couldn't quite stomach the idea of being given firearms as a toddler. Her own training was brutal, and while she excelled in marksmanship, August somehow managed to surpass her.

His detached demeanor when killing raiders or mutated creatures in the wasteland sent chills down her spine. He was young, far too young, but the skills he possessed were well beyond his years. Tanya knew better than to underestimate him. They had both lived hard lives before, but August had a darkness in him she couldn't place.

The most important discovery, though, was perhaps the most gratifying one. Both she and her siblings had inherited the best of their father's genetics. Six, as she quickly learned, wasn't just some rugged cowboy—he was a pinnacle of human potential.

His physical prowess, reflexes, and endurance were on a level most could only dream of. And to Tanya's immense relief, she had received those same traits. She wasn't doomed to be the short, fragile girl from her previous life. No, she was far stronger now. Even as a toddler, she found herself capable of feats that would put normal adults to shame.

This development gave her hope. Despite the insanity of her parents, despite the bizarre reality of this world, she had power again. She and her siblings were not ordinary children. They were superhuman, able to outfight and outthink the average wastelander with ease. They trained hard, fought harder, and in time, even the harsh Mojave Wasteland felt like less of a threat.

Tanya knew she was being prepared for something—her parents clearly had plans, though what those plans were remained vague. For now, though, she focused on building her strength and honing her skills. She couldn't afford to waste this second chance. Whatever the future held, she would be ready.

The strange part was, for all their madness, her parents had given her something she hadn't expected: a real family. One that was as chaotic and dangerous as the wasteland they lived in, but a family nonetheless. And in this harsh, unforgiving world, that was more valuable than she could have imagined. Now she only worried that Being x would pull something.

Being X POV

The God of Reincarnation, the once majestic and unchallenged ruler of the cycle of rebirth, felt a chill run through his divine essence as the being in the yellow suit—an ominous figure not bound by the laws that governed the heavenly planes—drew closer. This was not just any mere interloper. He was something far worse, far more terrifying, a cosmic force that transcended the rules even gods had to follow.

The God of Reincarnation, or "GR," as the being called him, had always believed himself invulnerable in his domain. This was his realm, his creation. Yet, here stood this strange entity, grinning like a predator that had cornered its prey.

"Stay back!"

GR's voice trembled, his once unshakable authority crumbling as panic set in.

"I—I've served this role for eons! The cycle depends on me! Without me, the balance—"

The man in the yellow suit tilted his head, with half his face covered by a yellow top hat, as if humoring the god's desperate pleas. His wide grin never faltered as he slowly advanced, the sharpness of his shark-like teeth gleaming ominously under the ethereal light of the heavenly plane.

"Come on now, GR. You've been warned before."

he said in a voice as slick as oil.

"You're a little too invested in that girl, aren't you? Tsk, tsk. The powers above—therealpowers, mind you—don't appreciate when someone like you bends the rules. You were supposed to observe, to guide souls through the cycle. But what did you do instead?"

He paused, savoring the tension.

"You tried to play god with a mortal soul. You got... personal."

"I wasteachingher a lesson!"

GR spat back, now inching away, his back pressing against the colossal throne behind him. His once divine glow dimmed as his panic grew.

"She defied me, spat on my mercy! I— I had to—"

"Had to what?"

The being's tone grew sharper, cutting through GR's excuses like a blade.

"Had to mess with free will? Had to manipulate her existence to stroke your fragile ego? Had to scheme like some petty mortal with a grudge? No, GR. You broke the sacred rules. And now."

The yellow-suited being leaned forward, his teeth gleaming.

"You're going to pay the price."

The God of Reincarnation's fear morphed into desperation. He summoned all his divine power, trying to expel the intruder, but the being in the yellow suit merely flicked a finger. Instantly, GR felt his power drain away, siphoned like water slipping through his fingers.

"I— I can fix it!"

GR pleaded, now on his knees.

"Give me another chance! I'll set everything right. I'll stop interfering. I'll let her go through the cycle like the others—"

The being in the yellow suit sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes.

"You're really missing the point, GR. You're notneededanymore. There's always another to take your place, remember?"

He crouched down so his face was level with the trembling god.

"The universe doesn'tneedyou. Not anymore."

"No... please... I'm— I'm the God of Reincarnation.Icontrol the cycle of rebirth!"

GR's voice was a desperate whisper now, fear overtaking every ounce of his being.

The man in the yellow suit licked his lips.

"Not for much longer."

Without warning, the being lunged forward, his mouth opening wide in an unnatural, grotesque stretch. GR let out a final scream, one that echoed across the heavenly plane as the being devoured him whole, piece by piece. The God of Reincarnation's divine light flickered, sputtered, and then—gone.

The being in the yellow suit stood up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and giving a satisfied burp.

"Huh, not bad. Didn't taste like chicken though."

He glanced around the now-empty throne room, admiring the quiet serenity that followed the god's demise.

"Well, time to get a new guy in here. Can't let the whole reincarnation thing fall apart, after all."

As if on cue, a shimmering light began to form in the center of the room, a new figure slowly materializing—a new God of Reincarnation, ready to take on the mantle.

The man in the yellow suit gave a little wave.

"Good luck, newbie. Try not to make the same mistakes as the old asshole, yeah?"

With that, the being disappeared as suddenly as he had arrived, leaving behind only the faintest trace of his unsettling presence. The new God of Reincarnation stood silently for a moment, taking in their surroundings, feeling the weight of the responsibility that had just been thrust upon him.

And somewhere, far below in the mortal realm of the Mohave Wasteland, Tanya Degurechaff was reborn to her life, blissfully unaware that her defiance had outlasted even the god who had tried so hard to break her. The cycle of reincarnation carried on, but now with a new overseer—one who would hopefully be wiser and less vengeful than their predecessor.