Author's Note:
Okay I want to make this short so here it goes. First things first this is my first time writing a story and English isn't my first language so any criticism (preferably constructive but I take any kind as long as you aren't rude) and corrections are welcome. This story was born after reading many Worm fics where Taylor got a power from a character of another universe and I decided to try the opposite where a character from another universe gets a Worm power only this is an OC not a preexisting character. For those of you who read Worm James has Numberman's power if you haven't read Worm then go read it it's certainly better than anything I could write if you're still here then don't mind the Worm bits because you don't need to know anything about it.
This is the important part: This wont be an OC+Team story simply because I didn't think I'd be able to write a good interesting story with that premise. The team will appear eventually.
PD: I'm looking for a Beta or at least someone to bounce ideas off.
I smiled as I walked out of Math class with Zack next to me, finally freed from the terrors of infinite boredom. Playing dumb was better than being the math prodigy for making friends, but every time I had to get into that class I seriously started to question whether it was worth the effort. We were now walking through the dirty unmaintained halls of Star City High, that's what I get for going to a public school, and I had 227.8679 meters before reaching my next class. No idea where Zack was going.
"Aghhh" He exclaimed "I can't believe that that old hag gave us that much homework on top of the test we have next week."
He was referring to Ms. Smith our math professor. Actually the workload wasn't so bad, but Zack isn't exactly the brightest student in the school. Sadly neither I am, that honor went to someone else.
"It's not so bad. The homework is more tedious than anything else. And you know she never checks homework when it's test day so you can treat it as practice for the test if you want."
"Of course you'd say that. You always get perfect scores in the tests even though you're the last one to finish in class! Seriously dude if you are cheating the least you could do is to give me the answers too."
Again with that. Zack somehow had latched on to the idea that I was cheating in every subject from Physics to Math. I find it odd that he hasn't noticed that my test scores got higher the more numbers were involved into the test.
"I'm not cheating. And the reason I take so long in class is because I like looking out of the window."
"I feel you bro anything is more interesting than that old hag. Anyways you coming to practice this afternoon? " He changed the subject. "The coach has been asking about you."
I couldn't help but think that the coach had specifically told him to ask me about training. A good man, the coach, but I was leaving the basketball team and I wouldn't change my mind.
"Dude I already told you I'm leaving the basketball team."
"C'mon James I thought it was a joke. You can't seriously leave. You are the best shot in the team and next year they'll probably start scouting you."
"Which is exactly why I left. I don't want to be a professional player and somebody else on the team could take advantage of a scholarship a lot more than me. Someone like you."
"Yes, except we will start losing if the guy that scores every time he throws the ball leaves." He wasn't exaggerating it was extremely easy for me to calculate the trajectory of my throws. "And then good bye to scouting."
"Sorry but no." I was getting closer to my next class, but had no idea where Zack had to go. "Hey what's your next class?"
"Art." So that's why he always walked with me; art was very close to geography which was my next class.
We kept talking as we walked and not before long we turned around a corner and there she was. Casey Williams was my childhood friend and overall my best one. Standing at 170.3789 cm and with a carefully uncombed mop of blond and pink dyed hair she was wearing some ragged jeans and a cheap second hand military jacket and I'd bet anything that underneath she had a shirt with something that would get her sent to the principal's office if she took her jacket off. I could feel a smile appearing in my face as a frown appeared in Zack's.
"James please tell me you aren't going to talk to the weirdo." And also it happened that my best friend wasn't very liked around school, meaning the popular crowd and the faculty, usually that'd mean that I got the same treatment for being around her so much but being the star, not anymore though, of the basketball team helped in that regard.
"Zack you know she is my best friend. I won't make you talk to her, but please don't be a jerk." I had conciliatory attitude about the subject. I mean Casey was my best friend but she liked to irritate people a little too much and had a rebel sort of thing going on so I kind of understood both sides here.
"Aright I won't start anything, but I don't promise anything if she does."
She probably will, but the important bit was not to provoke her. Casey had already noticed us and was waving at me to come closer. Zack chose to leave instead of staying.
"See you later James." Zack then turned a little to the left and walked past Casey. Unfortunately Casey took notice of that and decided to provoke him.
"What's up Idiot can't handle so much intelligence together that you had to leave?"
"Watch it weirdo everyone knows that-"I decided to cut him off and defuse the situation.
"Stop Zack! Go to art already" I ordered him
"What? But she-"
"Yes I know, I know. Just go."
With an exasperated look Zack threw his hands up in the air, turned around and left. Meanwhile Casey was smiling like the Cheshire cat.
"Hahahahaha" she laughed "Did you see his face? The idiot thing totally triggers him."
She was right Zack was a nice guy but a little slow in the uptake and he knew it. However I wasn't happy with what she did and it could be seen in the frown in my face.
"Cass could you please not try to anger everyone you talk to?"
"Hey Jay it's not my fault if they are idiots. And why do you hang out with him anyway?"
"Zack might not be the smartest guy around but everyone is an idiot if you compare them to us."
And it was true right now I was talking to the number one student and delinquent in Star City High with as many A's as skipped school days, the faculty still didn't like her though. As for me well let's just say that as long as it involved numbers no one would best me.
"Us? Sorry but you might be getting a little arrogant mister B in History." She tried to provoke me.
"Arrogant eh? So you want another Math tutoring session? I believe we left off at geometrical shapes in four axes planes." I countered with a smirk
"No please not! You know I can't handle that evil and wrenched subject!"
We both laughed at that. Casey was a nice person she just insisted on being a hard to handle rebel. It was at that point that we entered the classroom and sat next to each other as we talked for the remainder of the break.
"Soooooo" She started saying. "Have you thought about my Idea?"
"What Idea?" I asked with a puzzled expression. In reality I knew what she was talking about and that I'd end up reluctantly agreeing to it but I wanted to delay it as much as possible, maybe she would get an attack of common sense and drop it.
"You know what idea." She looked around to make sure that no one was listening. "My idea to be Heroes."
"Ah that idea. No."
"No what?"
"No, I won't do it. It's crazy and it's the most dangerous idea you've ever had."
"C'mon it's not so bad. We'll just patrol a little and beat up some criminals. You know common thieves, muggers, rapers. We will be fine we got powers."
There was the center of this whole conversation. Casey seemed to be under the delusion that we both had superpowers. We didn't, we were just geniuses. So what if I saw and understood the complex mathematical and mechanical equations that governed the world around us every time I opened my eyes. So what if Casey had perfect muscular and mental memory, which let her learn things that would take months of practice and didn't need to sleep. Those weren't superpowers flying was, invulnerability was, bench pressing a car was. And if ours were superpowers they weren't exactly hero material, we couldn't shrug off a bullet wound. But Casey didn't seem to get it.
"No we don't. And even if we did a bullet would still kill us. Can you please rethink this?"
"You worry too much. I know martial arts and you don't need them. I've sparred with you and you win most of the time."
67% of the time actually, but that's not important. Casey may know martial arts from her part time job at a Gym but that wouldn't help her against a gun and I told her so.
"That still won't help against a gun."
"Don't worry I learnt what to do against guns in the gym. Nothing bad will happen. Batman and Green Arrow don't have powers and they are fine."
"True but we don't have their gadgets. And you know what I think about heroes anyway."
"Yes, I know but that's only in regards to supervillains not against common thugs" She was right but I had been hoping that she wouldn't notice the hole in my argument because it was the last one I had. "Look I'm gonna do it on Friday whether you come or not."
"Friday? Don't you think it's a little too soon?"
"It's never too soon to be a hero."
Something was wrong Casey was rushing this too much and she wasn't one for cheesy lines. I had an idea of what was really happening here.
"Cass… Did you have another fight with your mom?"
Casey didn't really have a good home life and her Mom wasn't exactly parent material. Fights with her were very common and sometimes Casey did stupid things in the fallout.
"No, this isn't about her it's about me." She may be saying no, but her refusal to make eye contact told me everything I needed to know.
"Cass what if you spent a few nights in my house and then we can think about this better. You know my parents wouldn't mind having you over." I knew she would refuse, but I had to try.
"I know but I don't want to bother your parents anymore and you know I don't like your bitch sis." My step sister and Casey never got along but that hadn't stopped her from staying before. No, she wasn't staying because she knew I'd dissuade her from this if I had more time.
"Okay I'll do it." I gave in. I knew Casey a day and a half should be enough to make her recover reason before she makes a mistake. And if she didn't then that was why I'd go with her, to slap some sense into my best friend if needed. Ah the perils of being a good friend.
"Wait seriously?"
"Yes, you are going to do it anyway and I'd rather be there in case anything goes wrong. And besides you need my common sense."
"Nothing is going to go wrong you'll see. And I've got plenty of common sense."
I was about to answer with a witty rebuttal but I shut up because the teacher entered the classroom and started giving class.
The break was over.