AN: So yeah. Another Worm CYOA fic. This one's based on @Master of Squirrel-fu's modified Worm...
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In the Mirror ((modified) Worm CYOA SI/OC)
- Thread starter NorthSouthGorem
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Ch. 1.1
NorthSouthGorem
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AN: So yeah. Another Worm CYOA fic. This one's based on @Master of Squirrel-fu's modified Worm CYOA over on QQ. Nothing NSFW here, however. At least, not yet. Nothing really planned for that.
(Not) Alone 1.1
You know that moment when you're paying attention to something, only to suddenly snap back to attention and realize you drifted off without meaning to?
Well…I'd say that's roughly how it felt for me, except much more...drastic. All I can really say for sure is that the last thing I remember was sitting in my chair in my room, surfing the internet as usual, with some attempts at working on fanfics in between.
The next thing I knew, my head snapped up as if I'd just nodded off. But I wasn't in a comfy swivel chair. No, rather, I was seated on a (still moderately comfortable) wooden bench in a park in the middle of the day.
I straightened up with a groan, feeling a profound stiffness in my spine as I looked around. The park, while tidily kept, was looking decidedly forlorn. There was barely any grass poking out of the dirt and the trees were leafless. The air was bitingly cold, making me grimace as I looked up at an overcast gray sky. Piles of old, crusty-looking snow made dirty mounds around the edges. There was no one around.
"…Where am I?" I had to say it out loud. Indeed, that was one of the more pressing problems on my mind, shortly followed by 'what am I doing here?' and 'how did I get here?'
My thoughts drifted to home and my stomach clenched. Were my parents alright? Did they notice that I was gone?
But then, something alien drifted through my head, dulling the icy dread that those thoughts inspired in me. Wondering about stuff like that won't make things better.
I shivered. Whatever that was, it hadn't sounded like me at all. I gotta get out of here. So thinking, I stood up, stumbling slightly as I realized I was wearing a pair of thick boots. My body felt strange, off somehow. Looking down at myself, I registered that I was wearing a long, dark blue coat; an article of clothing that I was certain no one in my family even owned, along with a pair of black gloves. Good thing too, my hands would've been frozen by now otherwise.
There was no reason to stick around in this sorry-looking park, so I started walking. My boots clunked against the ground, sounding particularly loud in my ears. I plodded over the snow, glancing around habitually for any cars on the road. Even though it meant waiting before crossing, a small amount of the tension in my chest loosened as I spotted one approaching. Good. At least I'm not completely stranded or something, I thought.
I wandered for a while, looking around at the buildings. There certainly was a good deal of graffiti scattered about. More than once I caught sight of a trio of lightning bolts along with three Es. Great. Gangs. I hastened my step. My clothes felt oddly heavy on me, perhaps because I wasn't used to them. Strangely enough, though, they didn't seem that unfamiliar on me. The interior of my coat was warm, as if I'd spend a great deal of time sitting in it on that park bench. A pat on my pant leg got me the sensation of a familiar leather wallet.
"Hm…maybe I should get something," I mumbled to myself, "I'm hungry…"
At first, I passed by some newspaper dispensers, not seeing the need to read one. Then some sense kicked in and I realized that it'd probably help me learn where the hell I actually was. Sadly, seeing as I wasn't one to carry spare change with me, all I could do was peer through the front of it at the front page.
If I could trust the title of the paper, I appeared to be in a place called Brockton Bay. "Well, that's one mystery solved," I said, "Kinda." Something glinted in the faint reflection cast on the front of the dispenser. I blinked, feeling around the front of my coat. Something small and hard met my gloved fingers. "Huh? A badge…"
Indeed, there was a strange, golden object pinned to the heavy cloth. I couldn't quite see it from this angle, so I resolved to look at it in a mirror once I got somewhere with one. Preferably also when I found food.
A large shadow fell over me and I looked up reflexively.
A kid in red and gold was zooming by on a hoverboard.
I stopped. I had to, 'cause that just did not compute.
My head suddenly filled with a blank buzzing, which made me stumble and sway as I lost my ability to think clearly.
Something is off about this place.
Everything shimmered, taking on an odd hue before my eyes. A warmth filled my body and I felt as if something was watching me.
I straightened up, collecting myself and looking around. There was no one nearby. It seemed that my moment of lightheadedness had gone unnoticed. Glancing upwards only made me wince at the bright whiteness of the sky and look away. Whatever was going on, I needed to take this one step at a time. First food, then paranoia.
In the end I stopped at a small fast-food place. I could make do with a burger, definitely. Fortunately, my wallet had more than enough to pay. Surprisingly more. I didn't remember stockpiling this much cash. Much more worrying was that almost all of the cards I kept in my wallet were gone or…different. Let me tell you, it was a hell of a shock to look at my driver's license and see that not only was it no longer Probationary, but it was made out to a Friedrich Holmgardt.
Last I checked, that was not my name. So why was it not more worrying to be carrying it?
Nevertheless, I got a burger, fries and a drink and settled in to eat, hanging my coat over the back of my chair. The hot beef did wonders to calm my nerves as I devoured it gladly.
Afterwards, I remembered to look in a mirror, and you have no idea how shocking it was to not be looking at your own face. Or rather, I could still recognize myself, but enough details were still off enough that it creeped me out. Like the uncanny valley nearly.
Most shocking of all were my eyes. While they were still the blue color I was used to, that was only for half of them. My eyes were…divided somehow. Split down the middle by an invisible but still noticeable seam. The pupils and irises didn't quite match up and the color of one side was an odd greenish color. "...Holy crap I'm like that guy from Jojolion," I said finally. Another thought occurred to me, prompting me to put out my tongue. Fortunately, that seemed to still be just one part.
Without my coat on, I realized that my body was far more muscular than I had ever been, though my height remained the same. My face was older, slightly more lined and my hair seemed lighter.
Not only that, but in the mirror, I could see...something glowing beneath my skin, even through my clothes; a golden light. A blue-violet spark glinted in my pupils if I looked long enough. Could it be some sort of power? No, that would be ridiculous…unless…
"...Wait, AM I that guy from Jojolion?!"
No, I 'wasn't' that guy. I was me. I had features similar to him…but, if my situation was similar to that of 'Higashikata Josuke,' that might explain why my eyes were so freaking weird. Not to mention the ID in my wallet. It was going to take a while to get used to this. I decided to focus on my original purpose, and look at the badge.
It was a pretty simple pin, all things considered. It consisted of a sword, pointed downward, with a stylized V laid over it. Looking closer, the V also had several curved marks engraved along it, looking somewhat like birds. I'd never seen or heard of a badge like that, but I certainly liked it.
There was also a feeling of fond nostalgia…
I shivered and left the bathroom.
Shrugging on my coat, I frowned as I felt several long, hard objects inside the lining. Glancing inside, I realized that there were several long pouches along each side, each holding a long metal nail. …What kind of guy is Friedrich Holmgardt, I wondered, To be carrying something like this?
It was with great regret that I left the place. Small though it may be, that restaurant had certainly been warmer than it was on the streets. I needed to find somewhere to stay.
I sighed, putting a hand in my pocket…only to find a piece of paper stuffed in it. I took it out and unfolded it, revealing a map with a circled address. I had to find a street sign to orient myself, then set off. The location was quite a ways away, but at least now I had a destination
I stuck to the main roads, especially as the graffiti started to disappear and be replaced with cleaner looking buildings.
"C'mon! Get up, nigger! Or are you dead already?"
...Then I passed by an alley and say a group of tattooed thugs with shaven heads beating on someone and stopped. They were jeering and laughing at a stirring body and judging from the racist comment, they likely didn't have a reason for doing this beyond wanting to.
Aw fuck. I had to do something. Call for help? I didn't have a phone. Find a payphone? Couldn't see one and I might not have time to search.
...Normally I wouldn't consider this, but this is no time for pacifism. Something hot surged in my arms and legs, filling me with energy. I was all but ready to charge down the alley and beat the crap out of those bastards.
A stirring sensation around my hands and feet made my look down. My gloves and the sleeves of my shirt were disintegrating into a cloud of silvery particles, before they resolidified into a pair of sleek metal gauntlets. Likewise, my bulky boots flowed up to just below my knee as a pair of mechanical greaves.
...Armor? I stared at the new additions to my outfit, flexing my fingers to watch the joints in my new gloves bend. There was a small, Iron Man-like hole in the palm, but it glowed yellow.
A particularly loud, meaty *thwack* brought me sharply back to reality. Right. Nothing for it then. I turned and ran down the alleyway. As I did so, another cloud of silver flowed from under my collar, surrounding my head and plunging me into darkness. I almost stopped, but then my vision flickered back on, with numbers and words shimmering in the corners.
As my metal-clad feet clanked and thudded down the path, I became aware of…something. Like the light I'd noticed inside myself was focusing into particular points in my armor. Not only that, but I could feel the mechanisms inside it, particularly in my boots. Idly, I nudged one of them as my foot came down.
*BANG!*
A shock went up my leg and I rocketed down the alley. My knee crashed into someone's back and my momentum carried me into another thug before I hit the ground. Even when I landed, though, I rolled and was on my feet before I even realized it. The thugs were now staring at me, clearly forgetting the black young man who lay slumped against a brick wall. I stared back at them. Well, I was planning on beating them up anyway, I guess. "So!" I said brightly, wincing internally as whatever was in my new helmet warped my voice something fierce, "Who wants to have a bad time?"
AN: So, thoughts anyone? Is it good? Bad? Meh? And yes, I have been obsessed with Undertale lately, why do you ask?
Also, uuuugh I hate writing E88 people. Makes me feel freaking dirty.
Here's my CYOA build if you're interested.
My two Enemies (thanks again to Master of Squirrel-fu for making them up) will be appearing later.
The boots and gauntlets for the armor look something like this:
The helmet is fairly similar to Peter Quill's in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Real original, I know, but still.
(Not) Alone 1.1
You know that moment when you're paying attention to something, only to suddenly snap back to attention and realize you drifted off without meaning to?
Well…I'd say that's roughly how it felt for me, except much more...drastic. All I can really say for sure is that the last thing I remember was sitting in my chair in my room, surfing the internet as usual, with some attempts at working on fanfics in between.
The next thing I knew, my head snapped up as if I'd just nodded off. But I wasn't in a comfy swivel chair. No, rather, I was seated on a (still moderately comfortable) wooden bench in a park in the middle of the day.
I straightened up with a groan, feeling a profound stiffness in my spine as I looked around. The park, while tidily kept, was looking decidedly forlorn. There was barely any grass poking out of the dirt and the trees were leafless. The air was bitingly cold, making me grimace as I looked up at an overcast gray sky. Piles of old, crusty-looking snow made dirty mounds around the edges. There was no one around.
"…Where am I?" I had to say it out loud. Indeed, that was one of the more pressing problems on my mind, shortly followed by 'what am I doing here?' and 'how did I get here?'
My thoughts drifted to home and my stomach clenched. Were my parents alright? Did they notice that I was gone?
But then, something alien drifted through my head, dulling the icy dread that those thoughts inspired in me. Wondering about stuff like that won't make things better.
I shivered. Whatever that was, it hadn't sounded like me at all. I gotta get out of here. So thinking, I stood up, stumbling slightly as I realized I was wearing a pair of thick boots. My body felt strange, off somehow. Looking down at myself, I registered that I was wearing a long, dark blue coat; an article of clothing that I was certain no one in my family even owned, along with a pair of black gloves. Good thing too, my hands would've been frozen by now otherwise.
There was no reason to stick around in this sorry-looking park, so I started walking. My boots clunked against the ground, sounding particularly loud in my ears. I plodded over the snow, glancing around habitually for any cars on the road. Even though it meant waiting before crossing, a small amount of the tension in my chest loosened as I spotted one approaching. Good. At least I'm not completely stranded or something, I thought.
I wandered for a while, looking around at the buildings. There certainly was a good deal of graffiti scattered about. More than once I caught sight of a trio of lightning bolts along with three Es. Great. Gangs. I hastened my step. My clothes felt oddly heavy on me, perhaps because I wasn't used to them. Strangely enough, though, they didn't seem that unfamiliar on me. The interior of my coat was warm, as if I'd spend a great deal of time sitting in it on that park bench. A pat on my pant leg got me the sensation of a familiar leather wallet.
"Hm…maybe I should get something," I mumbled to myself, "I'm hungry…"
At first, I passed by some newspaper dispensers, not seeing the need to read one. Then some sense kicked in and I realized that it'd probably help me learn where the hell I actually was. Sadly, seeing as I wasn't one to carry spare change with me, all I could do was peer through the front of it at the front page.
If I could trust the title of the paper, I appeared to be in a place called Brockton Bay. "Well, that's one mystery solved," I said, "Kinda." Something glinted in the faint reflection cast on the front of the dispenser. I blinked, feeling around the front of my coat. Something small and hard met my gloved fingers. "Huh? A badge…"
Indeed, there was a strange, golden object pinned to the heavy cloth. I couldn't quite see it from this angle, so I resolved to look at it in a mirror once I got somewhere with one. Preferably also when I found food.
A large shadow fell over me and I looked up reflexively.
A kid in red and gold was zooming by on a hoverboard.
I stopped. I had to, 'cause that just did not compute.
My head suddenly filled with a blank buzzing, which made me stumble and sway as I lost my ability to think clearly.
Something is off about this place.
Everything shimmered, taking on an odd hue before my eyes. A warmth filled my body and I felt as if something was watching me.
I straightened up, collecting myself and looking around. There was no one nearby. It seemed that my moment of lightheadedness had gone unnoticed. Glancing upwards only made me wince at the bright whiteness of the sky and look away. Whatever was going on, I needed to take this one step at a time. First food, then paranoia.
In the end I stopped at a small fast-food place. I could make do with a burger, definitely. Fortunately, my wallet had more than enough to pay. Surprisingly more. I didn't remember stockpiling this much cash. Much more worrying was that almost all of the cards I kept in my wallet were gone or…different. Let me tell you, it was a hell of a shock to look at my driver's license and see that not only was it no longer Probationary, but it was made out to a Friedrich Holmgardt.
Last I checked, that was not my name. So why was it not more worrying to be carrying it?
Nevertheless, I got a burger, fries and a drink and settled in to eat, hanging my coat over the back of my chair. The hot beef did wonders to calm my nerves as I devoured it gladly.
Afterwards, I remembered to look in a mirror, and you have no idea how shocking it was to not be looking at your own face. Or rather, I could still recognize myself, but enough details were still off enough that it creeped me out. Like the uncanny valley nearly.
Most shocking of all were my eyes. While they were still the blue color I was used to, that was only for half of them. My eyes were…divided somehow. Split down the middle by an invisible but still noticeable seam. The pupils and irises didn't quite match up and the color of one side was an odd greenish color. "...Holy crap I'm like that guy from Jojolion," I said finally. Another thought occurred to me, prompting me to put out my tongue. Fortunately, that seemed to still be just one part.
Without my coat on, I realized that my body was far more muscular than I had ever been, though my height remained the same. My face was older, slightly more lined and my hair seemed lighter.
Not only that, but in the mirror, I could see...something glowing beneath my skin, even through my clothes; a golden light. A blue-violet spark glinted in my pupils if I looked long enough. Could it be some sort of power? No, that would be ridiculous…unless…
"...Wait, AM I that guy from Jojolion?!"
No, I 'wasn't' that guy. I was me. I had features similar to him…but, if my situation was similar to that of 'Higashikata Josuke,' that might explain why my eyes were so freaking weird. Not to mention the ID in my wallet. It was going to take a while to get used to this. I decided to focus on my original purpose, and look at the badge.
It was a pretty simple pin, all things considered. It consisted of a sword, pointed downward, with a stylized V laid over it. Looking closer, the V also had several curved marks engraved along it, looking somewhat like birds. I'd never seen or heard of a badge like that, but I certainly liked it.
There was also a feeling of fond nostalgia…
I shivered and left the bathroom.
Shrugging on my coat, I frowned as I felt several long, hard objects inside the lining. Glancing inside, I realized that there were several long pouches along each side, each holding a long metal nail. …What kind of guy is Friedrich Holmgardt, I wondered, To be carrying something like this?
It was with great regret that I left the place. Small though it may be, that restaurant had certainly been warmer than it was on the streets. I needed to find somewhere to stay.
I sighed, putting a hand in my pocket…only to find a piece of paper stuffed in it. I took it out and unfolded it, revealing a map with a circled address. I had to find a street sign to orient myself, then set off. The location was quite a ways away, but at least now I had a destination
I stuck to the main roads, especially as the graffiti started to disappear and be replaced with cleaner looking buildings.
"C'mon! Get up, nigger! Or are you dead already?"
...Then I passed by an alley and say a group of tattooed thugs with shaven heads beating on someone and stopped. They were jeering and laughing at a stirring body and judging from the racist comment, they likely didn't have a reason for doing this beyond wanting to.
Aw fuck. I had to do something. Call for help? I didn't have a phone. Find a payphone? Couldn't see one and I might not have time to search.
...Normally I wouldn't consider this, but this is no time for pacifism. Something hot surged in my arms and legs, filling me with energy. I was all but ready to charge down the alley and beat the crap out of those bastards.
A stirring sensation around my hands and feet made my look down. My gloves and the sleeves of my shirt were disintegrating into a cloud of silvery particles, before they resolidified into a pair of sleek metal gauntlets. Likewise, my bulky boots flowed up to just below my knee as a pair of mechanical greaves.
...Armor? I stared at the new additions to my outfit, flexing my fingers to watch the joints in my new gloves bend. There was a small, Iron Man-like hole in the palm, but it glowed yellow.
A particularly loud, meaty *thwack* brought me sharply back to reality. Right. Nothing for it then. I turned and ran down the alleyway. As I did so, another cloud of silver flowed from under my collar, surrounding my head and plunging me into darkness. I almost stopped, but then my vision flickered back on, with numbers and words shimmering in the corners.
As my metal-clad feet clanked and thudded down the path, I became aware of…something. Like the light I'd noticed inside myself was focusing into particular points in my armor. Not only that, but I could feel the mechanisms inside it, particularly in my boots. Idly, I nudged one of them as my foot came down.
*BANG!*
A shock went up my leg and I rocketed down the alley. My knee crashed into someone's back and my momentum carried me into another thug before I hit the ground. Even when I landed, though, I rolled and was on my feet before I even realized it. The thugs were now staring at me, clearly forgetting the black young man who lay slumped against a brick wall. I stared back at them. Well, I was planning on beating them up anyway, I guess. "So!" I said brightly, wincing internally as whatever was in my new helmet warped my voice something fierce, "Who wants to have a bad time?"
AN: So, thoughts anyone? Is it good? Bad? Meh? And yes, I have been obsessed with Undertale lately, why do you ask?
Also, uuuugh I hate writing E88 people. Makes me feel freaking dirty.
Here's my CYOA build if you're interested.
Difficulty: God Mode (10)
Disadvantages
Reincarnation, no memories (11)
Enemy (13) (Emilya)
Enemy (16) (Usagi Swing)
Wildbow? What's a Wildbow? (18)
Power Disadvantages: Powers act without my knowledge by budding, sometimes restricting certain applications to promote creative use. (20)
Advantages
Charles Atlas Superpower (19)
Resources, Level 2 (17)
Power Perk: Unlimited growth potential (16)
Hidden Depths: Powers can be combined to stack effects and/or produce new ones. (15)
OCP
Heroic Resolve (14)
Powers
Wildcard: Mysticism (13), 1d8+2= Rating 9 (1d4 for Variation: Divine Empowerment)
Wildcard: Supernatural Combat (12) 1d8+2= Rating 5
Wildcard: Intuitive Replication (11) 1d8+2= Rating 4 (Cannot copy Tinker powers. Can only copy powers by observing the Parahuman in action for up to a minute. The observation process can be bypassed by physical contact with the target Parahuman.)
Wildcard: Power Suit (10) 1d8+2= Rating 8 (Rolling 1d7 for Variation of Power Suit: 6. Wears a High-tech Symbiotic Exoskeleton.)
Wildcard: Weighted Attacks (9) 1d8+2= Rating 8
Wildcard: Magnetic Projectiles (8) 1d8+2= Rating 9
Worldbreaker: Inspired Inventor (0)
Disadvantages
Reincarnation, no memories (11)
Enemy (13) (Emilya)
Enemy (16) (Usagi Swing)
Wildbow? What's a Wildbow? (18)
Power Disadvantages: Powers act without my knowledge by budding, sometimes restricting certain applications to promote creative use. (20)
Advantages
Charles Atlas Superpower (19)
Resources, Level 2 (17)
Power Perk: Unlimited growth potential (16)
Hidden Depths: Powers can be combined to stack effects and/or produce new ones. (15)
OCP
Heroic Resolve (14)
Powers
Wildcard: Mysticism (13), 1d8+2= Rating 9 (1d4 for Variation: Divine Empowerment)
Wildcard: Supernatural Combat (12) 1d8+2= Rating 5
Wildcard: Intuitive Replication (11) 1d8+2= Rating 4 (Cannot copy Tinker powers. Can only copy powers by observing the Parahuman in action for up to a minute. The observation process can be bypassed by physical contact with the target Parahuman.)
Wildcard: Power Suit (10) 1d8+2= Rating 8 (Rolling 1d7 for Variation of Power Suit: 6. Wears a High-tech Symbiotic Exoskeleton.)
Wildcard: Weighted Attacks (9) 1d8+2= Rating 8
Wildcard: Magnetic Projectiles (8) 1d8+2= Rating 9
Worldbreaker: Inspired Inventor (0)
Basically, so far I've 'discovered' the beginnings of Mysticism and Power Suit.
My two Enemies (thanks again to Master of Squirrel-fu for making them up) will be appearing later.
The boots and gauntlets for the armor look something like this:
The helmet is fairly similar to Peter Quill's in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Real original, I know, but still.
Ch. 1.2
NorthSouthGorem
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2015
- Messages
- 2,122
- Likes received
- 20,535
(Not) Alone 1.2
As was to be expected, none of the gangers responded to my query. They were all staring at me, probably because I'd just come out of nowhere and knocked out two of their guys. After a moment, they started scrambling around, two of them brandishing weapons -a pipe and a knife- and shouting something about capes.
Huh, I thought, watching them move, Normally I'd be scared shitless right now. But… My fingers curled tight. These guys have nothing on me. There wasn't even an ounce of fear in me.
"So, should I take all this as a 'yes?'" I asked, taking a step forward. Another thug reached for his pocket. Maybe for another weapon. "'Cause I think we all know how this is gonna end. So. Why don't you take a hike and save yourselves the jail time?"
"Like hell!" snapped the one with the knife, "One on five? I dunno what kinda Cape you are, but there's no way you can take all of us!"
I looked at the black man slumped against the wall. "We'll see."
The thug carrying a pipe charged, swinging with a harsh yell. With movements as sloppy and uncoordinated as his, it was no trouble telling where he'd be aiming. I shifted and turned to the side, letting him blow by me, then seized him by the back of his shirt with both hands. I stiffened in surprise as my arms barely even felt the strain of lifting him. Then, as he started getting his bearings, I threw him back at his friends.
"Well, I dunno about you guys, but if you still think you can take me, now's the time."
Two more skinheads stepped over their fallen comrade to engage me, fists up. It seemed these guys had some actual fighting experience. Boxing, maybe? Well, either way, I failed to be so much as ruffled as one aimed a rapid jab at my face while the other one went for my stomach.
I tilted my head to the side to dodge one and caught the gut-punch squarely in one hand, twisting the gang member's hand sharply and eliciting a scream. When the first thug backed off in surprise, possibly over my nonchalant dodging, I felt something shift in my gauntlet. I let go of the second man's hand in order to bury my fist in the first's abdomen.
With a dull *boom* he was lifted off his feet and slammed into the opposite wall. He landed in a heap.
I glanced at the remaining three. Pipe-dude had gotten back up and picked up his weapon. This time I didn't say anything, just shrugged and pointed at them in a 'well? Let's go if you want' sort of way.
The only answer I got was the pipe being chucked at me. It hit me square on the head and bounced off with a metallic *BINK!*
I blinked, looked down at the offending object, then back up. Then, with the noise still echoing in my memory, I started laughing. There was just something greatly amusing about the timing and high pitch of the pipe bouncing off me ineffectively.
Finally, the guy with the knife decided to do something more useful and ran at me. I, of course, made sure to stay outside his reach so that he couldn't stab my unprotected body. The person formerly known as Pipe-dude ran up beside me and tried to trip me up. I responded by standing on his foot, then elbowing him in the gut when he cried out. After that, I sidestepped to let the knife-nut stab past me, only to reach out and snag his wrist. With the way he'd over-extended, he'd almost shanked his fellow ganger.
"No," I said sternly, plucking the blade from his fingers, "None of that. Shame on you." Then I tossed the knife in the air, grabbed both thugs by the head and smacked them together. Nodding in satisfaction, I let their unconscious bodies fall, then held out my hand to catch the knife. The blade skittered across the metal wrist of my gauntlet and fell on the ground. "Aw man…" That almost ruined the moment. At the same time, though, I couldn't help but marvel over the fact that I'd just done the impossible, and beat up five dudes in one minute.
Wait, was it five? I'd beaten up Pipe-dude twice, then the two wannabe boxers and the knife guy… Where was the fifth one? Blinking, I looked down the alley to find that it was empty. Hm. Oh well. I shrugged and walked over to the thugs' victim, slumped against the brick wall. "Hey, you alright?" I asked.
He turned his head to regard me with a swollen eye, breathing harshly. "...Been better," he groaned, "I dunno who you are, but thanks. You probably just saved my life."
"You're welcome," I responded, nodding, "You need help? Can you stand or anything? You need a hospital?"
"Nah, I'm okay," he declined, grunting as he pushed himself up, nevertheless accepting my hand and letting me help him stand, "Pretty sure it looks worse than it is. Maybe bruised rib or somethin'. That motherfucker didn't use that pipe he was holding, but if you hadn't come in…" He shook, grimacing. "Fuck. Fuck, I shoulda known better than to walk through here! These Nazi fucks don't care if guys like me need to cross through their territory, they just…!"
"Nazis?" I asked, tilting my head. I'd gathered already that the gang I'd beaten up were a bunch of racist douchebags, but actual Nazis?
The guy gave me a look. "Man, what kinda rock've you been living under? Empire 88? Big gang of Neo-Nazi shitheads with Cape backing?" He broke off, sighing, "Sorry, just…pretty sure there's not a damn person outside their big circle-jerk who doesn't hate those bastards."
"I can certainly see why," I agreed, "But to be honest, I don't know the first thing about this city beyond it being called Brockton Bay."
"What, really? You just…rolled into town without knowing anything about this shithole?"
I shrugged, spreading my hands. "To be honest, I'm starting to think that I don't know anything about this world, let alone the city. Don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me what a Cape is, would you?"
He stared. "What, for real? You from Earth Aleph or something?" He went on before I could deny knowing the term, "Capes are what we call people with powers who go out as heroes or villains. With that armor and how fast you wiped the floor with those shitheads…well, I'm glad you showed up when you did."
Slowly, I nodded, processing the information. "Certainly seems that way. You think I can look stuff like this up? It might be best to get going before this lot wake up."
"Yeah, good point. Thanks again, man. This city needs all the heroes it can get." With that, he pushed off the wall and walked away, limping slightly.
…Hero, huh? I'd never considered myself the type to jump in and help others. Not for lack wanting to, mind you, but more because I felt my contribution wouldn't accomplish much. Now, though…I had some sort of powers. Good ones. A power that had let me save someone's life. Did that make me a hero?
The thought made me smile. Looking around at all the unconscious bodies made me want to groan. Great. Now what? I could certainly call the cops and get these guys arrested. I didn't really wanna stick around and get questioned, though. I already … Fuck it. I'll let luck decide what happens to 'em. "Enjoy your nap, fellas," I told them, giving a mocking salute before walking out of the alley.
Now, where's that address again…?
After exiting the alleyway, the armor covering my limbs and head dissolved into silvery particles and reformed into the boots and gloves I'd been wearing before, while my helmet flowed under my collar to god knows where.
Oh good. I was wondering how I'd do that, I noted with satisfaction. I pulled out the map to check the marked location again and grimaced. "Man…that really is a long way away…" Still, there was nothing for it but to keep walking.
After a while, the gang sign graffiti (presumably for the Empire 88) Started to become more scarce, with the general state of the buildings improving as I kept walking.
At the same time, my mind drifted back to what I'd seen and done. I'd never been a fighter of any sort of skill. In fact, before today I'd just stayed away from stuff like that.
How was I that good? Why had my clothes turned into some armor that looked like I'd robbed Tony Stark? Was I a Cape, like everyone seemed to think? Did any of this have anything to do with Friedrich Holmgardt, the man whose body I was somehow inhabiting? "What a pain," I sighed to myself, scratching aggravatedly at my scalp. Why can't this be simple?
Finally, with one last double-checking of the map, I arrived at a simple two-story house. Hopefully the place had been marked as possible shelter and not a danger zone. I didn't want to press my luck with another fight so soon.
I reached for the doorknob, only to remember that I probably needed a key. "Well, shit." However, for an instant I thought I saw something shimmer along my glove, before a click issued from the door. "...Are you fuckin' kidding me?" Sighing in exasperation at the ridiculous amount of convenience in this whole setup, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Hello?" I called, "Anyone live here?"
No one answered. My boots clunked against a hard linoleum floor as I ventured further, before being muffled by carpet. Nice place, I thought, looking around. The doorway led directly to a small, cozy-looking living room with a small couch and a few armchairs facing towards a fairly nice-looking TV. I decided to remove my boots, unlacing and pulling them off to avoid tracking dirt or anything on the carpet.
This place felt safe.
I pulled off my gloves and stuffed them in the pockets of my coat, which I then shrugged off. I rolled my shoulders gratefully, glad to no longer be weighed down by the admittedly comforting garment. However, as I went to stow it in a closet that I spotted, the whole thing turned silver and melted, leaving me with a puddle at my feet that looked disturbingly like Mercury. I could only stare at the the thing in some consternation before stepping cautiously over it and continuing on my way. Not even gonna ask at this point.
I passed through a dining room, giving it a cursory glance, along with a kitchen that I didn't quite feel like examining at the moment. I spotted a set of stairs leading upstairs and took them, calling "Hello?" again, just in case the theoretical owner of this house was still around. "Hey, you don't mind if I crash here for a bit, do you? Your door just kinda opened itself and there was a map leading me here…"
But nobody came.
I frowned. Could this house really be empty? Then I reached the top of the landing and saw the simple plaque affixed to the door: Friedrich Holmgardt.
"...Oh." This…was my home, wasn't it? That made a lot of sense, certainly, but why didn't I recognize it? Apart from the name, the placement on the door reminded me of my own room at home. It was even made of green plastic, with the engraved words being white.
I pushed the door open and looked inside. The bedroom that greeted me was decently-sized, like my own. The bed was placed against a corner, perpendicular to the windows, which had the blinds drawn. A large desk sat against the wall opposite it (and much neater than mine…), alongside a desktop computer.
Looking at the room filled me with a profound sense of homesickness. It was so like my own, but different enough to feel alien. I had to wonder why I was here, in this strange city; in this world full of superheroes, even.
Most importantly…why am I alone? The thought made my heart heavy. The events of the day, short as it had been, were creeping up on me, making me feel heavy. Hopefully things would be better after I got some sleep.
I lay down on the bed. This is pretty comfortable, actually…
Downstairs, the silvery pool of not-quite fluid rippled as if disturbed by a breeze. Slowly, it started to creep across the floor, to the other end of the room. Long after fell asleep, it reached the dining room and crossed it to the stairs. It extended metallic tendrils and started climbing…
AN: There now, that's much better! I hope you guys liked this chapter. Not much to comment on from my end, really.
As was to be expected, none of the gangers responded to my query. They were all staring at me, probably because I'd just come out of nowhere and knocked out two of their guys. After a moment, they started scrambling around, two of them brandishing weapons -a pipe and a knife- and shouting something about capes.
Huh, I thought, watching them move, Normally I'd be scared shitless right now. But… My fingers curled tight. These guys have nothing on me. There wasn't even an ounce of fear in me.
"So, should I take all this as a 'yes?'" I asked, taking a step forward. Another thug reached for his pocket. Maybe for another weapon. "'Cause I think we all know how this is gonna end. So. Why don't you take a hike and save yourselves the jail time?"
"Like hell!" snapped the one with the knife, "One on five? I dunno what kinda Cape you are, but there's no way you can take all of us!"
I looked at the black man slumped against the wall. "We'll see."
The thug carrying a pipe charged, swinging with a harsh yell. With movements as sloppy and uncoordinated as his, it was no trouble telling where he'd be aiming. I shifted and turned to the side, letting him blow by me, then seized him by the back of his shirt with both hands. I stiffened in surprise as my arms barely even felt the strain of lifting him. Then, as he started getting his bearings, I threw him back at his friends.
"Well, I dunno about you guys, but if you still think you can take me, now's the time."
Two more skinheads stepped over their fallen comrade to engage me, fists up. It seemed these guys had some actual fighting experience. Boxing, maybe? Well, either way, I failed to be so much as ruffled as one aimed a rapid jab at my face while the other one went for my stomach.
I tilted my head to the side to dodge one and caught the gut-punch squarely in one hand, twisting the gang member's hand sharply and eliciting a scream. When the first thug backed off in surprise, possibly over my nonchalant dodging, I felt something shift in my gauntlet. I let go of the second man's hand in order to bury my fist in the first's abdomen.
With a dull *boom* he was lifted off his feet and slammed into the opposite wall. He landed in a heap.
I glanced at the remaining three. Pipe-dude had gotten back up and picked up his weapon. This time I didn't say anything, just shrugged and pointed at them in a 'well? Let's go if you want' sort of way.
The only answer I got was the pipe being chucked at me. It hit me square on the head and bounced off with a metallic *BINK!*
I blinked, looked down at the offending object, then back up. Then, with the noise still echoing in my memory, I started laughing. There was just something greatly amusing about the timing and high pitch of the pipe bouncing off me ineffectively.
Finally, the guy with the knife decided to do something more useful and ran at me. I, of course, made sure to stay outside his reach so that he couldn't stab my unprotected body. The person formerly known as Pipe-dude ran up beside me and tried to trip me up. I responded by standing on his foot, then elbowing him in the gut when he cried out. After that, I sidestepped to let the knife-nut stab past me, only to reach out and snag his wrist. With the way he'd over-extended, he'd almost shanked his fellow ganger.
"No," I said sternly, plucking the blade from his fingers, "None of that. Shame on you." Then I tossed the knife in the air, grabbed both thugs by the head and smacked them together. Nodding in satisfaction, I let their unconscious bodies fall, then held out my hand to catch the knife. The blade skittered across the metal wrist of my gauntlet and fell on the ground. "Aw man…" That almost ruined the moment. At the same time, though, I couldn't help but marvel over the fact that I'd just done the impossible, and beat up five dudes in one minute.
Wait, was it five? I'd beaten up Pipe-dude twice, then the two wannabe boxers and the knife guy… Where was the fifth one? Blinking, I looked down the alley to find that it was empty. Hm. Oh well. I shrugged and walked over to the thugs' victim, slumped against the brick wall. "Hey, you alright?" I asked.
He turned his head to regard me with a swollen eye, breathing harshly. "...Been better," he groaned, "I dunno who you are, but thanks. You probably just saved my life."
"You're welcome," I responded, nodding, "You need help? Can you stand or anything? You need a hospital?"
"Nah, I'm okay," he declined, grunting as he pushed himself up, nevertheless accepting my hand and letting me help him stand, "Pretty sure it looks worse than it is. Maybe bruised rib or somethin'. That motherfucker didn't use that pipe he was holding, but if you hadn't come in…" He shook, grimacing. "Fuck. Fuck, I shoulda known better than to walk through here! These Nazi fucks don't care if guys like me need to cross through their territory, they just…!"
"Nazis?" I asked, tilting my head. I'd gathered already that the gang I'd beaten up were a bunch of racist douchebags, but actual Nazis?
The guy gave me a look. "Man, what kinda rock've you been living under? Empire 88? Big gang of Neo-Nazi shitheads with Cape backing?" He broke off, sighing, "Sorry, just…pretty sure there's not a damn person outside their big circle-jerk who doesn't hate those bastards."
"I can certainly see why," I agreed, "But to be honest, I don't know the first thing about this city beyond it being called Brockton Bay."
"What, really? You just…rolled into town without knowing anything about this shithole?"
I shrugged, spreading my hands. "To be honest, I'm starting to think that I don't know anything about this world, let alone the city. Don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me what a Cape is, would you?"
He stared. "What, for real? You from Earth Aleph or something?" He went on before I could deny knowing the term, "Capes are what we call people with powers who go out as heroes or villains. With that armor and how fast you wiped the floor with those shitheads…well, I'm glad you showed up when you did."
Slowly, I nodded, processing the information. "Certainly seems that way. You think I can look stuff like this up? It might be best to get going before this lot wake up."
"Yeah, good point. Thanks again, man. This city needs all the heroes it can get." With that, he pushed off the wall and walked away, limping slightly.
…Hero, huh? I'd never considered myself the type to jump in and help others. Not for lack wanting to, mind you, but more because I felt my contribution wouldn't accomplish much. Now, though…I had some sort of powers. Good ones. A power that had let me save someone's life. Did that make me a hero?
The thought made me smile. Looking around at all the unconscious bodies made me want to groan. Great. Now what? I could certainly call the cops and get these guys arrested. I didn't really wanna stick around and get questioned, though. I already … Fuck it. I'll let luck decide what happens to 'em. "Enjoy your nap, fellas," I told them, giving a mocking salute before walking out of the alley.
Now, where's that address again…?
After exiting the alleyway, the armor covering my limbs and head dissolved into silvery particles and reformed into the boots and gloves I'd been wearing before, while my helmet flowed under my collar to god knows where.
Oh good. I was wondering how I'd do that, I noted with satisfaction. I pulled out the map to check the marked location again and grimaced. "Man…that really is a long way away…" Still, there was nothing for it but to keep walking.
After a while, the gang sign graffiti (presumably for the Empire 88) Started to become more scarce, with the general state of the buildings improving as I kept walking.
At the same time, my mind drifted back to what I'd seen and done. I'd never been a fighter of any sort of skill. In fact, before today I'd just stayed away from stuff like that.
How was I that good? Why had my clothes turned into some armor that looked like I'd robbed Tony Stark? Was I a Cape, like everyone seemed to think? Did any of this have anything to do with Friedrich Holmgardt, the man whose body I was somehow inhabiting? "What a pain," I sighed to myself, scratching aggravatedly at my scalp. Why can't this be simple?
Finally, with one last double-checking of the map, I arrived at a simple two-story house. Hopefully the place had been marked as possible shelter and not a danger zone. I didn't want to press my luck with another fight so soon.
I reached for the doorknob, only to remember that I probably needed a key. "Well, shit." However, for an instant I thought I saw something shimmer along my glove, before a click issued from the door. "...Are you fuckin' kidding me?" Sighing in exasperation at the ridiculous amount of convenience in this whole setup, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Hello?" I called, "Anyone live here?"
No one answered. My boots clunked against a hard linoleum floor as I ventured further, before being muffled by carpet. Nice place, I thought, looking around. The doorway led directly to a small, cozy-looking living room with a small couch and a few armchairs facing towards a fairly nice-looking TV. I decided to remove my boots, unlacing and pulling them off to avoid tracking dirt or anything on the carpet.
This place felt safe.
I pulled off my gloves and stuffed them in the pockets of my coat, which I then shrugged off. I rolled my shoulders gratefully, glad to no longer be weighed down by the admittedly comforting garment. However, as I went to stow it in a closet that I spotted, the whole thing turned silver and melted, leaving me with a puddle at my feet that looked disturbingly like Mercury. I could only stare at the the thing in some consternation before stepping cautiously over it and continuing on my way. Not even gonna ask at this point.
I passed through a dining room, giving it a cursory glance, along with a kitchen that I didn't quite feel like examining at the moment. I spotted a set of stairs leading upstairs and took them, calling "Hello?" again, just in case the theoretical owner of this house was still around. "Hey, you don't mind if I crash here for a bit, do you? Your door just kinda opened itself and there was a map leading me here…"
But nobody came.
I frowned. Could this house really be empty? Then I reached the top of the landing and saw the simple plaque affixed to the door: Friedrich Holmgardt.
"...Oh." This…was my home, wasn't it? That made a lot of sense, certainly, but why didn't I recognize it? Apart from the name, the placement on the door reminded me of my own room at home. It was even made of green plastic, with the engraved words being white.
I pushed the door open and looked inside. The bedroom that greeted me was decently-sized, like my own. The bed was placed against a corner, perpendicular to the windows, which had the blinds drawn. A large desk sat against the wall opposite it (and much neater than mine…), alongside a desktop computer.
Looking at the room filled me with a profound sense of homesickness. It was so like my own, but different enough to feel alien. I had to wonder why I was here, in this strange city; in this world full of superheroes, even.
Most importantly…why am I alone? The thought made my heart heavy. The events of the day, short as it had been, were creeping up on me, making me feel heavy. Hopefully things would be better after I got some sleep.
I lay down on the bed. This is pretty comfortable, actually…
Downstairs, the silvery pool of not-quite fluid rippled as if disturbed by a breeze. Slowly, it started to creep across the floor, to the other end of the room. Long after fell asleep, it reached the dining room and crossed it to the stairs. It extended metallic tendrils and started climbing…
AN: There now, that's much better! I hope you guys liked this chapter. Not much to comment on from my end, really.
Ch. 1.3
NorthSouthGorem
Versed in the lewd.
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(Not) Alone 1.3
Like earlier today, when I awoke on the park bench, my return to awareness was sudden and total. But, something was wrong. The first thing to tip me off was that I was standing, with no bed in sight. In fact, nothing was in sight. The ground beneath my feet was hard and flat, but too smooth to be normal ground. It was like I was standing on a mass of black glass. There was barely any light to see by; a faint haze of green light shone from the distant horizon in every direction. Looking around, I noticed that the glass wasn't quite as flat as I thought. The surface rolled gently in soft-angled hills, like a frozen sea. Looking up only showed a black sky, broken by five stars arranged in a perfect pentagon.
"Am I dreaming?" The words, echoing in my mind, found their way out of my mouth.
Partial Agreement.
A surge of feelings and images pulsed through my head, making me momentarily dizzy. I shook myself and looked around wildly.
Destination: Above.
The sky was no longer quite as empty. A great, honking ball of golden light hung next to the five stars, poking me right in the eyes with its glare. "Arrgh!"
Inquiry.
I received few more vague impressions in my mind. "Yeah, I…just wasn't expecting that," I answered automatically. A chill ran up my spine. "...Hey. How can I understand you, whoever you are? And what is all this?"
More images and sensations flashed through me, a flood of them now.
Self. Innermost. Reality of Fantasy.
The last one left my head feeling numb. "What the hell does that mean?" I asked.
A single image showing me, with a glowing aura around my body. The energy dispersed into the air, connected to other people, let me push and pull on a strange membrane that connected everything-
Power: Mysticism.
The golden sun pulsed brightly.
"S-so…" I mumbled, trying to regain my bearings after the mental deluge, "What, I can do magic?"
Affirmation.
"...Oh." Well, wasn't that a pleasant surprise? "So, wait, are you the reason why I was able to kick so much ass with those gang members?
Negation.
"Then what…?" But before I could finish my sentence, a burning sensation ignited beneath my skin, throughout my entire body. Red light glowed through, giving me glimpses of coiling muscle underneath.
"That was [my] doing." This voice was more concrete, yet like the other entity, was entirely silent, but at the same time I could feel it, as if it was speaking in my ear. "[I] bid you greetings, Friedrich Holmgardt."
"Who…what are you? Where am I?"
"You are within yourself, at the convergence of your powers. am the 'power to fight.' It is [my] duty to empower you against foes, no matter their number or strength, just as it is your duty to fight those battles."
Finally, some straight answers. "What do you mean by 'duty?'"
The muscles distorted and flexed. "We are the ones who empower you. You must use our gifts as best as you can. Those were the terms of the contract you signed, both [you] and Friedrich Holmgardt."
I frowned, feeling the burning in my face shifting. "You know who I was originally, but you still call me by that…what contract are you talking about? Who is Friedrich Holmgardt?"
Stipulation. Censure of memories.
"While their past is no longer accessible, Friedrich Holmgardt is now you."
Well, that was suspicious.
"It was [you] who wrote the contract. In return, you are empowered beyond the limits seen by those of this world."
I looked up at the five stars. "What do you mean? How many powers do I even have?!"
The sun pulsed. Seven.
I staggered. "Holy shit that's a lot!" It seemed almost unfair…but if I'd supposedly arranged all this, that wouldn't be so surprising. If I'd been offered powers, I would be as unfair about acquiring them as possible, especially if I could justify it… "This memory loss thing, is that the price for having all these powers?"
Affirmation.
"It is not the only one, however. Beware, Friedrich Holmgardt, for you have enemies."
Of course I do…I sighed and asked, "What other powers do I have?"
A shimmering made me look down. My shadow stretched out before me, in defiance with the position of the sun and colored a bright, metallic silver. It gazed back up at me with blue and green eyes, emotionless and still. It said nothing.
Another flicker had me look down at myself. Stuck to my side, around where my left kidney would be, was a large patch of darkness, with a series of red eyes glaring out at the world. Faintly, I heard whispering. "Watch them, watch it, work it out, take, take it, take it all…"
Well, that was helpful. I shuddered at the unhinged quality of the whispers. "Alright, that's four. What are the other three?"
"One is above and all around," said the voice in my body, "You stand within it. The other two are inherent in you."
I frowned. "What, like a metaphor or something?" I looked down at my hands. "Or by 'you,' do you mean Friedrich Holmgardt?"
There was no answer.
"Hello? Are you still-"
"-there…?" I asked the pillow. Then, realizing that I'd woken up, I groaned. "That...wasn't a dream, was it?" It couldn't have been. I could remember the strange conversation clearly, unlike any dream I'd had before. I could only remember events from dreams on occasion, but never speech.
So, I was apparently in this world of my own free will, owing to some 'contract' to mysterious beings. Said beings had given me super powers, in exchange for my memories and giving me 'enemies.'
Hopefully nothing would prevent me from doing research about this world. I did have a computer, after all. I sat up, grimacing as I realized that I was still fully dressed and slid off the bed. "Ack!" Something cold and squishy greeted my feet, making me jump. A familiar silvery puddle was at the side of my bed. The creepy part was that I'd definitely left it downstairs before taking my nap.
…Was this what my 'shadow' had represented? Clothes that turned into liquid metal and armor? I couldn't quite figure out what sort of power that was meant to be, but it might not completely suck, depending on what I could do with it. "One thing at a time," I told myself reassuringly, glancing out the window. The sun was starting to go down; it seemed I hadn't just slept the day away.
Well, seeing as I had a computer, I might as well do some research, right?
This time, the silver pool shifted and parted around my feet as I left the bed to walk to my computer table.
Boy was THAT an eye-opener.
Apparently, Parahumans had been a thing on this world since the mid 80s, ever since the appearance of a mysterious golden man named Scion. Those that put on costumes to fight crime, or perpetrate it for that matter, were called Capes. A pretty quaint name if I said so myself; I rather liked it.
Admittedly, I'd only taken a cursory glance at how the rest of the world had fared from the existence of Parahumans, but I knew enough to say that it wasn't good. America had the Parahuman Response Team, sure, but there were a lot of bad names from gangs, country-altering superhumans, murder cults and the Endbringers.
I shuddered thinking about them. The first time I'd seen the term, I'd been curious, but had passed it over as a reference to some group or whatever. But, after seeing the name referenced EVERYWHERE, I'd finally looked up what everyone was talking about.
A trio of larger-than-life monstrosities with powers beyond what most Parahumans wielded, who showed up several times a year to completely wreck shit and kill people. Their arrivals were so horrible, every time one showed up, dozens of Capes, heroes and villains, would put aside their differences to try (and fail) and stop them.
"That's some Shounen finale shit right there," I mumbled, feeling cold, "But it's always a losing battle…" Endbringer fights were not only synonymous with massive loss of life, but also with the deaths of many heroes AND villains.
Many theorists on the forums (especially the one called PHO) claimed that if the Endbringers were not stopped, society would eventually collapse.
I knew this, before coming here, I thought, running a hand through my hair, No wonder I took so many powers! This world is fucking sadistic!
Fortunately, it wasn't mandatory to turn up at an Endbringer fight. Those that went did so voluntarily. I was thankful, deep in my heart, while at the same time guilty.
Still, it wasn't like the Endbringers were the only troubles around. The city I found myself in, Brockton Bay, New Hampshire, was known for having an abnormally high Parahuman crime rate owing to a rather shitty economy. What that economy was I was a little fuzzy on, but the result was that there were several large gangs in the city with Parahuman muscle backing them up.
The first was the Azn Bad Boys, an all-Asian gang that recruited aggressively and took up territory on or near the docks; I wasn't sure which. What I did know was that they had two Capes leading them, Lung and Oni Lee. Looking up their powers (because of course I did) gave me some trepidation. Lung could transform into a dragon, complete with pyrokinesis and would grow stronger over time…and according to his wiki entry, if he had an upper limit to his growth, it was far past the point that he had apparently fought the Endbringer Leviathan to a standstill twelve years ago.
Oh, and that was another big shock to learn; not only was I in a different world, but also in another time entirely! 2011, to be exact. Considering that it had been 2016 just yesterday, that sure as hell threw me for a loop. There's no way that I'm back to being 17; not with this body.
Continuing my Cape research, Oni Lee had a disquieting ability to teleport and leave behind what was for all intents and purposes a Kage Bunshin. The fact that he was listed as a confirmed killer just made me dread the possibility of facing him.
"It is [my] duty to empower you…just as it is yours to fight…"
I shook myself to quiet that memory and looked into the other Brockton Bay gangs.
The most disorganized gang were the Merchants; a bunch of drug pushers and addicts who were known to forcibly addict innocent people to their 'products' in order to extort money from them. A hot surge of anger washed over me when I learned that. I'd always been highly conscious of the consequences of drug use; the thought of becoming a slave to some substance and having your life and future falling apart was one that scared me on a deep level. The idea of there being an entire faction in this city that actively capitalized on that…
First, figure out my powers. Then, those assholes are going down, one way or another.
The Merchants had three Capes backing them up and leading them. Their boss was Skidmark, a man with the power to lay down 'zones' that made objects move in a certain direction. His subordinates were Mush, who could create armor out of detritus, usually trash, and Squealer, an 'Augmented Vehicle Tinker,' whatever that meant.
I was sorely tempted to look up the meaning of Tinker, but instead chose to look into the gang I had apparently crossed today by helping out that black man: the Empire 88.
It seemed that the guy who'd told me about them was fairly accurate in calling them Neo-Nazis. The wiki even mentioned something about them having ties to a group in Germany. They rivalled the ABB in size, but their members committed far more hate-crimes. So the two of them are probably rivals, I guessed, One side being racist and the other side all asian.
The gang also had the largest backing of Capes in the city, with a total of 17. "Fuck." The first faction I piss off and it's the anti-semites with over a dozen Capes. "Just my luck," I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Still, they probably won't even notice a few thugs getting their asses handed to them."
If I was correct in what those...beings had hinted at, they expected me to use their 'gifts.' Most likely, they wouldn't care WHAT I used them for, so long as I used them. And if the choice was to be a hero or a villain…
I thought back to the man I'd saved. A singular example of the crime in this city alone. "I saved him," I murmured to myself, "I can save another. I can keep fighting." I couldn't stand up to the likes of the Endbringers… "But I won't back down from the evils of my fellow man."
Then I blushed. Oh god, I actually just said that out loud. That was so cheesy. I went back to researching, aiming to familiarize myself with the heroes in the city. Lessee...local Protectorate…
AN: I think I'll just leave this here. Suggestions for uses of powers would be appreciated; part of the fun in OP builds like these is that it gives one options to play around with. And let's not beat around the bush: to me, superpowers = fun. And seeing as I no longer know anything about Earth Bet and the Entities, I have no reason to assume otherwise.
Like earlier today, when I awoke on the park bench, my return to awareness was sudden and total. But, something was wrong. The first thing to tip me off was that I was standing, with no bed in sight. In fact, nothing was in sight. The ground beneath my feet was hard and flat, but too smooth to be normal ground. It was like I was standing on a mass of black glass. There was barely any light to see by; a faint haze of green light shone from the distant horizon in every direction. Looking around, I noticed that the glass wasn't quite as flat as I thought. The surface rolled gently in soft-angled hills, like a frozen sea. Looking up only showed a black sky, broken by five stars arranged in a perfect pentagon.
"Am I dreaming?" The words, echoing in my mind, found their way out of my mouth.
Partial Agreement.
A surge of feelings and images pulsed through my head, making me momentarily dizzy. I shook myself and looked around wildly.
Destination: Above.
The sky was no longer quite as empty. A great, honking ball of golden light hung next to the five stars, poking me right in the eyes with its glare. "Arrgh!"
Inquiry.
I received few more vague impressions in my mind. "Yeah, I…just wasn't expecting that," I answered automatically. A chill ran up my spine. "...Hey. How can I understand you, whoever you are? And what is all this?"
More images and sensations flashed through me, a flood of them now.
Self. Innermost. Reality of Fantasy.
The last one left my head feeling numb. "What the hell does that mean?" I asked.
A single image showing me, with a glowing aura around my body. The energy dispersed into the air, connected to other people, let me push and pull on a strange membrane that connected everything-
Power: Mysticism.
The golden sun pulsed brightly.
"S-so…" I mumbled, trying to regain my bearings after the mental deluge, "What, I can do magic?"
Affirmation.
"...Oh." Well, wasn't that a pleasant surprise? "So, wait, are you the reason why I was able to kick so much ass with those gang members?
Negation.
"Then what…?" But before I could finish my sentence, a burning sensation ignited beneath my skin, throughout my entire body. Red light glowed through, giving me glimpses of coiling muscle underneath.
"That was [my] doing." This voice was more concrete, yet like the other entity, was entirely silent, but at the same time I could feel it, as if it was speaking in my ear. "[I] bid you greetings, Friedrich Holmgardt."
"Who…what are you? Where am I?"
"You are within yourself, at the convergence of your powers. am the 'power to fight.' It is [my] duty to empower you against foes, no matter their number or strength, just as it is your duty to fight those battles."
Finally, some straight answers. "What do you mean by 'duty?'"
The muscles distorted and flexed. "We are the ones who empower you. You must use our gifts as best as you can. Those were the terms of the contract you signed, both [you] and Friedrich Holmgardt."
I frowned, feeling the burning in my face shifting. "You know who I was originally, but you still call me by that…what contract are you talking about? Who is Friedrich Holmgardt?"
Stipulation. Censure of memories.
"While their past is no longer accessible, Friedrich Holmgardt is now you."
Well, that was suspicious.
"It was [you] who wrote the contract. In return, you are empowered beyond the limits seen by those of this world."
I looked up at the five stars. "What do you mean? How many powers do I even have?!"
The sun pulsed. Seven.
I staggered. "Holy shit that's a lot!" It seemed almost unfair…but if I'd supposedly arranged all this, that wouldn't be so surprising. If I'd been offered powers, I would be as unfair about acquiring them as possible, especially if I could justify it… "This memory loss thing, is that the price for having all these powers?"
Affirmation.
"It is not the only one, however. Beware, Friedrich Holmgardt, for you have enemies."
Of course I do…I sighed and asked, "What other powers do I have?"
A shimmering made me look down. My shadow stretched out before me, in defiance with the position of the sun and colored a bright, metallic silver. It gazed back up at me with blue and green eyes, emotionless and still. It said nothing.
Another flicker had me look down at myself. Stuck to my side, around where my left kidney would be, was a large patch of darkness, with a series of red eyes glaring out at the world. Faintly, I heard whispering. "Watch them, watch it, work it out, take, take it, take it all…"
Well, that was helpful. I shuddered at the unhinged quality of the whispers. "Alright, that's four. What are the other three?"
"One is above and all around," said the voice in my body, "You stand within it. The other two are inherent in you."
I frowned. "What, like a metaphor or something?" I looked down at my hands. "Or by 'you,' do you mean Friedrich Holmgardt?"
There was no answer.
"Hello? Are you still-"
"-there…?" I asked the pillow. Then, realizing that I'd woken up, I groaned. "That...wasn't a dream, was it?" It couldn't have been. I could remember the strange conversation clearly, unlike any dream I'd had before. I could only remember events from dreams on occasion, but never speech.
So, I was apparently in this world of my own free will, owing to some 'contract' to mysterious beings. Said beings had given me super powers, in exchange for my memories and giving me 'enemies.'
Hopefully nothing would prevent me from doing research about this world. I did have a computer, after all. I sat up, grimacing as I realized that I was still fully dressed and slid off the bed. "Ack!" Something cold and squishy greeted my feet, making me jump. A familiar silvery puddle was at the side of my bed. The creepy part was that I'd definitely left it downstairs before taking my nap.
…Was this what my 'shadow' had represented? Clothes that turned into liquid metal and armor? I couldn't quite figure out what sort of power that was meant to be, but it might not completely suck, depending on what I could do with it. "One thing at a time," I told myself reassuringly, glancing out the window. The sun was starting to go down; it seemed I hadn't just slept the day away.
Well, seeing as I had a computer, I might as well do some research, right?
This time, the silver pool shifted and parted around my feet as I left the bed to walk to my computer table.
Boy was THAT an eye-opener.
Apparently, Parahumans had been a thing on this world since the mid 80s, ever since the appearance of a mysterious golden man named Scion. Those that put on costumes to fight crime, or perpetrate it for that matter, were called Capes. A pretty quaint name if I said so myself; I rather liked it.
Admittedly, I'd only taken a cursory glance at how the rest of the world had fared from the existence of Parahumans, but I knew enough to say that it wasn't good. America had the Parahuman Response Team, sure, but there were a lot of bad names from gangs, country-altering superhumans, murder cults and the Endbringers.
I shuddered thinking about them. The first time I'd seen the term, I'd been curious, but had passed it over as a reference to some group or whatever. But, after seeing the name referenced EVERYWHERE, I'd finally looked up what everyone was talking about.
A trio of larger-than-life monstrosities with powers beyond what most Parahumans wielded, who showed up several times a year to completely wreck shit and kill people. Their arrivals were so horrible, every time one showed up, dozens of Capes, heroes and villains, would put aside their differences to try (and fail) and stop them.
"That's some Shounen finale shit right there," I mumbled, feeling cold, "But it's always a losing battle…" Endbringer fights were not only synonymous with massive loss of life, but also with the deaths of many heroes AND villains.
Many theorists on the forums (especially the one called PHO) claimed that if the Endbringers were not stopped, society would eventually collapse.
I knew this, before coming here, I thought, running a hand through my hair, No wonder I took so many powers! This world is fucking sadistic!
Fortunately, it wasn't mandatory to turn up at an Endbringer fight. Those that went did so voluntarily. I was thankful, deep in my heart, while at the same time guilty.
Still, it wasn't like the Endbringers were the only troubles around. The city I found myself in, Brockton Bay, New Hampshire, was known for having an abnormally high Parahuman crime rate owing to a rather shitty economy. What that economy was I was a little fuzzy on, but the result was that there were several large gangs in the city with Parahuman muscle backing them up.
The first was the Azn Bad Boys, an all-Asian gang that recruited aggressively and took up territory on or near the docks; I wasn't sure which. What I did know was that they had two Capes leading them, Lung and Oni Lee. Looking up their powers (because of course I did) gave me some trepidation. Lung could transform into a dragon, complete with pyrokinesis and would grow stronger over time…and according to his wiki entry, if he had an upper limit to his growth, it was far past the point that he had apparently fought the Endbringer Leviathan to a standstill twelve years ago.
Oh, and that was another big shock to learn; not only was I in a different world, but also in another time entirely! 2011, to be exact. Considering that it had been 2016 just yesterday, that sure as hell threw me for a loop. There's no way that I'm back to being 17; not with this body.
Continuing my Cape research, Oni Lee had a disquieting ability to teleport and leave behind what was for all intents and purposes a Kage Bunshin. The fact that he was listed as a confirmed killer just made me dread the possibility of facing him.
"It is [my] duty to empower you…just as it is yours to fight…"
I shook myself to quiet that memory and looked into the other Brockton Bay gangs.
The most disorganized gang were the Merchants; a bunch of drug pushers and addicts who were known to forcibly addict innocent people to their 'products' in order to extort money from them. A hot surge of anger washed over me when I learned that. I'd always been highly conscious of the consequences of drug use; the thought of becoming a slave to some substance and having your life and future falling apart was one that scared me on a deep level. The idea of there being an entire faction in this city that actively capitalized on that…
First, figure out my powers. Then, those assholes are going down, one way or another.
The Merchants had three Capes backing them up and leading them. Their boss was Skidmark, a man with the power to lay down 'zones' that made objects move in a certain direction. His subordinates were Mush, who could create armor out of detritus, usually trash, and Squealer, an 'Augmented Vehicle Tinker,' whatever that meant.
I was sorely tempted to look up the meaning of Tinker, but instead chose to look into the gang I had apparently crossed today by helping out that black man: the Empire 88.
It seemed that the guy who'd told me about them was fairly accurate in calling them Neo-Nazis. The wiki even mentioned something about them having ties to a group in Germany. They rivalled the ABB in size, but their members committed far more hate-crimes. So the two of them are probably rivals, I guessed, One side being racist and the other side all asian.
The gang also had the largest backing of Capes in the city, with a total of 17. "Fuck." The first faction I piss off and it's the anti-semites with over a dozen Capes. "Just my luck," I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Still, they probably won't even notice a few thugs getting their asses handed to them."
If I was correct in what those...beings had hinted at, they expected me to use their 'gifts.' Most likely, they wouldn't care WHAT I used them for, so long as I used them. And if the choice was to be a hero or a villain…
I thought back to the man I'd saved. A singular example of the crime in this city alone. "I saved him," I murmured to myself, "I can save another. I can keep fighting." I couldn't stand up to the likes of the Endbringers… "But I won't back down from the evils of my fellow man."
Then I blushed. Oh god, I actually just said that out loud. That was so cheesy. I went back to researching, aiming to familiarize myself with the heroes in the city. Lessee...local Protectorate…
AN: I think I'll just leave this here. Suggestions for uses of powers would be appreciated; part of the fun in OP builds like these is that it gives one options to play around with. And let's not beat around the bush: to me, superpowers = fun. And seeing as I no longer know anything about Earth Bet and the Entities, I have no reason to assume otherwise.
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