I wonder if Earth Aleph has an ebook for Worm? Nah, that would be too convenient. I was walking home, and fortunately I noticed that my apartment was actually on the main road leading to Winslow. Good, because I really didn't want to catch the bus while I was here.

I briefly considered trying to send a projection to my apartment to see if anything was there, but ended up deciding against it. I'd probably fall over, and it's much easier to just practice it when I'm home.

I arrived, latched the key in and dumped everything on the table before going to check the fridge. No Contessa. Or Simurgh.

I could actually get used to this.

Also, the TV was working. From what it looked like, I guessed it was mostly re-runs of TV shows from Earth Aleph - they had pretty decent budget effects work. There were also a few ordinary talk shows usually set somewhere warmer, like California. Not like I'm a native US resident. Brockton Bay was surprisingly warm though.

Once I'd finished my impromptu TV dinner I'd decided it was high time to learn what my powers can do.

I closed my eyes and drifted into the space I still assumed was my frontal lobe.

A cat jumps as the eye dissolves into place. An old woman shuffles as she stares at herself in her mirror, unawares to the eye. A nose bridge forms. The woman stares at her dress.-

That wasn't as bad for my head, but I'm not having much success aiming it. If I'm not careful I might out myself.

I moved towards the furthest side of my apartment and tried again with a bit more oomph.

Eye emerges. Corner of a bed. Nose bridge and philtrum forms. Spectacles form as other eye takes shape. Dust connects with projection lens. Room is empty.

Oww. This is taking forever. What am I missing?

I decide to idle around watching Earth Aleph cartoons - unless they were from a time when Japan was above the sea level, then I grab some milk and head for bed. I eye the Hero pajamas carefully.

...

I glance at the clock. 4am.

I wonder what I would need to do to send a projection to Winslow? Might as well give it a shot.

Nothing.

I don't think that it's working... It might have a specific range. Maybe. If so, that would probably be a good thing. Otherwise I might fry my brain.

I can't sleep though. It's at this point that I kind of wanted a phone and access to fan fiction. Cape fiction is a thing here right?

It's kind of creepy writing it for real people, but heck, it might give me some ideas for what I can do with my powers. Note to self: write cape fiction about Glory Girl and Panacea with authors note, 'What? It's just pairings'.

If I'm not going to sleep, I might as well decide on what I plan to do. In all honestly, there's probably nothing more that I want besides being Security without a hero complex. I don't care about Scion.

What can I do with my powers? Well... It's looking like theft. And that by necessity fails, unless Cauldron deems it as okay. I still think that I'm missing something about it. My range isn't looking good enough to being used for scouting. There's a purpose for it being physical, but it's too small to be something like the Siberian.

What does sound the best is something civilian. Not even kidding. I'm not sure about using my powers properly, but it seems like half of the issues in Worm could be solved with basic military training and common sense. Shoot out their legs or something.

I just want to convince some capes to work with the police honestly. The main problem of Worm is that all of the legal power is in the hands of the PRT. Having other authorities breaks that. If Taylor simply said 'I'm a cape for hire' and worked with the police - even explaining Shadow Stalker behind closed doors - then that might work. But then she wouldn't work with the Undersiders. I'll tell her and let her decide.

I'm going to need a gun. I don't want to play by the unwritten rules, so the best thing I can do so far is avoid capes the best I can. Oooh, maybe I could use my projection to guide my shots. I need to test if I can feel pain through them though.

As I get out of bed I step on something.

My fucking glasses.

I quickly make sure that I'm wearing them.

Shit! My glasses were part of the projection.

... Well. Now, my immediate reaction is to jump in celebration at what I'm guessing is something from nothing. But if there's anything that Worm has taught me, it's that some things are arbitrary.

Still, "Woo." I say, cautiously, before glancing around at my apartment. I practically run for the furthest point in my apartment, then double back to find something to test it on.

A hat would obviously work I think. What would be a challenge? I settle on grabbing my keys from the table, and shuffle into the corner.

I put my concentration to showing my hand by the bed.

Arm hairs emerge before skin of forearm takes shape. Bed below, wall mirror reflects shape of arm. Skinny wrist gives way to metal ring. Key form emerges onto ring.-

-Oww, my brain. Maybe I could get better at aiming it so I can generate objects better. I nurse my head and make my way back over to take a look.

"Woo!" I exclaim. FUCK YEAH. There's a key resting on the duvet blanket. Right - comforter.

My old woman neighbour bangs the wall next door.

"Sorry." I pause and grin before trying again, "Woo."

You know what? Fuck Winslow. We're testing out how to get the most out of this immediately. I pick up a dollar and reactivate my power.

A bed. Empty room. A palm emerges from the air. Dust touches the palm. A dollar, composed of cotton, silk and linen, appears. Fi-

-I break it, then put down the dollar. That was a lot less of my body than last time. I start again.

A bedroom table and alarm clock. A reflective blue palm appears from the surrounding air. The palm immediately swerves. The palm touches the table and disconnects.

No pain. That was certainly better than my last idea of 'throw rocks at it in the middle of the stairway'. I smiled and let my excitement really take me over.

I move to the bedroom and examine the dollar. Exact copy - fantastic. Ultimately, I'd rather not be someones' informant or be a vigilante if I don't have to. I think with this power, I might be able to live for myself. I grin with greed. Money.

Must resist the urge to act like Montgomery Burns. I hastily get dressed - goodbye Hero pajamas - and make my way out of the apartment. As long as I don't have to do those roles, I'm happy. Actually, I probably wouldn't be at Winslow either, unless it's necessary as a cover... Shit. I'll have to think about it. For now I wonder if I even have a bank account, and how much I should store in it.

Would they have 'tinkertech' to figure out carbon copies? There are also a lot of banks out there.

By the time I'm down the street I'm planning spreading out the money, getting bigger bills and trying to replicate stacks. The glasses seemed to work, and I could probably unscrew them. Kind of makes me wonder if I should do it for diamonds, gold and other valuable materials. I haven't really got a fence or anything, and I assume that it's a lot more dangerous handling actual valuable materials.

Cash though? I don't think so. I could start living comfortably. Maybe even hire a private tutor. Though I'd need to make it look feasible for how I got the money, and not alert the Number Man or Cauldron. Bit of a fat chance.

I could get started by looking for a fence. But who would I trust? Hrm.

I yawned and made my way to class. There were probably a lot of people that probably weren't here yesterday.

I stopped as I heard banging in the hall. What could possibly..?

It took me all of a few seconds to realise what is going on when the smell hit me.

Shit! It's fucking Taylor.

...

Damn.

I move slowly closer before glancing around. The hallways are empty. She'd stopped banging. I paused.

Well... This is a conundrum.

Taylor started again, frantically beating down her locker door from the inside. "Help-please! Someone!"

I rested my chin on my palm intentionally calmly and slowly. There is no point panicking.

I need to think through the noise and smell. I have money now. I can do whatever I want. I think. As long as I play it well.

Do I want to live Taylors life, taking her duties? Do I want her to owe me? No... No.

Do I live my own life, or do I live for Taylor?

She hit the metal, "Help me!"

Well, this is what it's like. Being a self insert and not living to 'right wrongs'. This is necessary. I'm not just going to conveniently pop up in her life as her saviour or to grab the glory.

I suppose in a way I'm glad that this happened - that I wasn't made to save her or skip the painful decision. This is what heroes would look like in this universe. Conflict powers.

I withheld a snort and walked away quietly.

A black girl approached from an empty classroom, "Pathetic, isn't she?"

"Hm? Oh, her?" Sophia... Fantastic. It looked like she was waiting.

"Yeah, Hebert," she sneered. "You like her?"

"Nope."

"Huh. Good. She's actually pretty slutty. I thought she deserved to be shamed for it." Indirectly asking people for approval...

I nodded, "Yeah-to be honest, it just smelled pretty awful. I was wondering what that was."

She grinned, "Mm. It does smell bad." She outstretched her hand, "I'm Sophia Hess."

I shrugged and shook it. Oddly forward. "Chris. What's up? Haven't you got class?"

"I've got track," she replied nonchalantly.

"'Jealous. I should probably head off to mine," I said, not immediately making a move to the class. It's high school again - I can wait.

"How did an English guy get into Winslow?" She asked.

I relaxed. "Well I highly doubt I'm that rare." I paused, "You make it sound like I'm some mystical being or something."

"Nope. Well maybe... Just weird."

I grinned. "Well, duh. 'Course I'm weird. Anyway, yeah, you sock it to this Taylor or whatever. I've heard a lot about this Gladly guy."

There was a space of silence where her eyes roamed the hallway. "... Yeah, he's a loser. He'd be fine if you were late."

I tilted my head. "Oh really? Huh. Alright then. I might just grab some breakfast."

I paused like I was genuinely considering it. "Nah, actually. I might as well head off."

She dismissed me, "Kay. Bye."

I nodded and spent a second thinking up something witty. "Respect for a fellow non-white person. We gotta stick together."

She snorted. I glanced back to her as I walked to class. Just standing where she is.

Well that was something. I wonder if my adulthood is just more naturally confident than all the teens around me. Sigh. Fuck sakes. Well, it's going to be embarrassing when people realise that I'm just a giant nerd. I mean, I'm wearing baby glasses.

On second thought, contacts aren't even available, are they? Shit. I'm going to need to pay Panacea. Yet another random person that I'll have to go out of my way to do something for.

Maybe I could get her to work for me.

A/N: I felt like I'd covered a lot, so it's pretty sparse in actual agency-driven actions this chapter.

Whoops! Thanks modeluchosen1. I should really add the disclaimer I'll be adding for SV and SB - this is a self insert written by someone who hasn't read Worm (bar extracts). Wish me luck that I don't butcher it by accidentally incorporating fandom. Yeah, it's a cliche start, though I kind of wouldn't want to get dropped into Worm any other way tbh.
I will be removing all the egregious errors that I find. They'll probably show up most in bits not covered by fan stories or viewed as less important.

Also, as an interesting tidbit, Wildbow says that Taylor wouldn't have been suicidal even if she hadn't had her powers. Neat. On the Parahumans subreddit 2szsy2 (slash) what_wouldve_happened_to_taylor_if_shed_never (slash) cnuqjfd