Immortality is BS

To make it clear: All rights to characters, setting, story and central concepts in this story remain the property of Wildbow, Worm's author, and the good people who created GURPS. This is just me playing in the sandbox. Worm can be found at parahumans dot wordpress dot com, and GURPS Fourth Edition can be bought from warehouse23 dot com.


Identity

The motorcycle was a thing of beauty. It had the basic shape of a high-end racing bike but enhanced with what locals called tinker tech. Gadgeteer by any other name is still a friggin' annoyance. Take Raquel, for example. The bike had the same basic color scheme as its rider, midnight blue with silver highlights. The rider had power armor on, with a helmet that left the lower half of his face bare.

As the rider dismounted his steed he grabbed a halberd from the bike's body with the same movement. I recognized the hero from PHO. Armsmaster, some sort of efficiency specialist, which explained the move as well.

"Armsmaster," the girl whispered. She seemed to be close to hyperventilating.

"Calm down, we're the good guys, remember?" I said to her.

"Hero or villain?" Armsmaster asked, staying outside reach.

"What is it with you people and that question?" I wondered aloud. "We're standing here, in plain view, over an unconscious villain, checking if he's alive. What villain would do that?"

Armsmaster relaxed, although I saw a quick flash of annoyment on his face. He came closer. "What happened here?"

"I was on my way home and heard screams. Then there was a muted explosion and a roar of rage. Like the fool that I am, I ran here. I arrived just in time for Lung to pick me up, jump to the roof, and start looking for her," I said, stabbing my thumb towards the girl.

"I was on my patrol and came upon an ABB gathering. Soon Lung joined them. I could hear a part of his orders, something about killing kids. I decided I needed to act and attacked them with my power. Apparently he has enhanced senses after he transforms because he turned towards me as soon as my foot hit the gravel on the roof. Then he came," she said indicating me, "and the distraction gave me a chance to reach the fire escape. Then Lung was on the roof holding him, and I decided to help," the girl explained.

"Once on the roof I told her to run because Lung couldn't hurt me. Lung tried to prove otherwise and ripped my arm off. After it grew back I repeated my order and she complied. Once she was gone I managed to extricate myself from Lung's grip and use a standard Judo throw to fell him. He got up, I tried to dodge, failed, and he crushed my head under his foot. As soon as I got over that I taunted him some more. Before he could do much, though, he was tackled off the roof by one of Bitch's dogs," I continued.

"The Undersiders were here? Why didn't you try to stop them?" Armsmaster asked.

"We didn't realize who they were until shortly before they left and it was four of them plus three monster dogs versus us. Not the kind of odds we could overcome. Anyway, once Lung was tackled down to the street and two other dogs joined the fight it was pretty much over. Her bugs' venoms had slowed down Lung's regeneration and the dogs did, well, this to him. He wasn't getting up. Actually, I was afraid the dogs had killed him so I came down to check. Then you came to the scene."

"Hmm. That's all?"

"Pretty much. So what happens next?" I asked.

"I have your statements, so that's done. From what you told me you're a powerful regenerator, and your power has something to do with bugs," he said.

"Yes, I control bugs. I had them sting and inject venoms into Lung," the girl said.

"I best be careful with sedatives, then. Have you two considered joining the Protectorate? You'd get backup and resources."

I shrugged. "I think I'll want to consider the situation first. I don't know about my friend here."

She was silent for a moment. "I think I'll think about it, too."

Armsmaster nodded. "Good. Here's my card, call or send mail once you've decided. Now, to whom should I credit this takedown? Your names?"

I took his card and the girl took hers. I wondered briefly what to call myself. I had told the Undersiders my name but didn't think it would really matter.

"Call me The Immortal."

The girl hesitated. "I… haven't come up with a name yet," she admitted.

"Protectorate could help you with that too, and a costume for you," Armsmaster said. "When you decide on a name, just call me or send mail. We'll update it to the file."

He then sprayed Lung with containment foam and called for a pick-up.

"So can we go?" I asked him.

"Hmm? Yes. If you want to and have nothing else to add."

I nudged the girl and we started walking toward Boardwalk.


"So, first night out?" I asked.

"Yes. It was different than I thought."

"It always is. Scarier. More exhilarating. Exhausting. My parents practically lived on strong coffee during villain hunts."

"Your parents were capes?"

"Yeah. My dad flew and my mom controlled technology. Children of supers on my world are very likely to get powers but the powers themselves are rarely inherited. It seems to be almost random."

"On your world?"

"Yeah, I got transferred here from another couple of days ago. It's been both interesting and frustrating. Your capes and our supers are both alike and so different in so many ways. It's confusing. Take the secret identity thing for example. On our world, it's mostly a tradition supers do to spot each other more than any real need for a completely different identity, although there are those who do it for that reason too. Here it's more of a law unto itself. I find that strange since so many powers make finding out who's who so very easy. Yours, for example."

"I'll take your word for it. I couldn't imagine doing this without a secret identity. Going public would make my dad a target."

"I suppose that's part of it. Going after family or civilians, in general, isn't done much in my world. But then again, we've had superpowered people about seventy years against your thirty."

"Sounds like a big difference to me," she said. After a few moments, she asked hesitantly: "Are you really immortal?"

"I seem to be. I have on several occasions survived even the complete destruction of my body. I always come back. How does your bug control work?"

"Well, I control all the bugs that are within about a block's distance. Do you have any other powers?"

"Let me see. I'm immune to poisons, diseases, and psi effects, I don't need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe, and it's possible I don't age. I feel very little pain, which I suppose is a blessing with my powers. I also seem to have gained photographic memory since the last time I took count of my powers. That's good," I checked my jeans, "since I have only one pocket left and that seems to have my wallet in it. I lost my phone on that roof. And the vast majority of my clothes." I drew my wallet out of the only intact pocket I had left and went to put some bills in it.

The girl glanced at it and gasped. "Where did you get those?"

"Hmm? I looted few of the unconscious goons before I checked on Lung. Pretty good haul, about five hundred dollars."

"But that's stealing!"

"Actually, it's not. Heroes are legally allowed to loot villains and their henchmen, except when the amounts are significant to the local or national economy. I checked. Something similar exists in my world. It's sort of a shortcut compared to how justice system reclaims assets from criminals. It also encourages heroes to take down villains."

"I… see. I didn't know that."

"Heh. I noticed most people don't know about that. It's an old law from before Protectorate and PRT that they probably missed when they set them up."

There was a moment of silence, then I got an idea. "Hey, what about Iridescent? As your cape name? Just add a layer of iridescent beetle carapace or something similar to your costume and it'd fit. You wouldn't lose the dark color that blends into darkness but it would look exceptional in the light."

She seemed to think about it. "I guess I could try it. I don't know if I can manage to layer it on the suit, but I think it's worth the effort. Thanks."

"No problem."

"So, about your powers. What does psi immunity mean?"

"Well, it protects me from mainly or purely mental effects like telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, ESP… I think that in this world it might protect me from Masters and Thinkers, mainly. Haven't had an opportunity to try."

"That's insanely useful. Do you think it would protect you from Simurgh?"

"I don't know, and I don't see what I could even do against an Endbringer. It's not like I have Brute or Blaster powers, or even shields. Unless you count jumping in front of an incoming bullet."

"But wait, if you're immune to teleporting, how did you end up here?"

"Because psi powers aren't the only ones that can do it. We have our mad geniuses in our world, little like you have Tinkers. I'm sort-of-friends with one called Raquel. He specializes in travel tech, mostly teleporting and interdimensional travel and shit like that. He also thinks he's funny, so I wouldn't put it past him to kick me here as a prank."

"Ouch. And he's a friend?"

"I said sort-of-friend. He's not the only mental case in my circles. There's this one guy, Sammael, who enjoys killing me in creative ways…"


We talked the whole way to Boardwalk where we went our separate ways. I gave her my PHO nick so that we could get in touch later. It was nearly four when I finally got to Rachel's who wasn't too happy about me waking her up. Although when she saw that I was already undressed (har har) for her she got over it.

When we woke up in the morning she immediately started the third degree.

"So I suppose I'll be getting that interview now?"

I shrugged and sighed. "I suppose so. By now Armsmaster has probably stuck my face with the name The Immortal into some database. Might as well let you profit from this as well. It might be a good idea to wait for their announcement about Lung's capture first, though."

"The Immortal? Lung's capture"

"Well, that's what I am. Here's what happened…"

I told her what had happened with Lung and then we went shopping. I got myself some cheap clothes, identical sets of everything since I was probably doomed to go through them at an increased pace, a cheap cell for the same reason, and a bo staff.

Then it was time to go meet her cousins and their families. Apparently Sarah had bullied Carol into throwing a barbecue and we were all invited.

Somehow I ended up as the cook, probably Rachel's influence. No one complained, though.

We also hashed out my situation with Rachel and Carol. She was willing to try and set up some legal protections for me but basically it all boiled down to two choices, one of which I had already sabotaged. So it all boiled to one choice. Going public. I had no problem with that.

Then Sarah suggested that I might fit in with New Wave and Carol was summarily the only one voting no, although her husband Mark abstained. He was a bit withdrawn, and I recognized the symptoms of depression easily enough. I had seen it in my uncle after my cousin died.

While Sarah and Carol began to plan the great publicity event that was me joining I went to entertain the guys, kids, and Rachel.

"How come you're so good a cook if you don't eat?" Eric asked.

I nodded to Rachel and she explained. "He doesn't need to eat but he enjoys it. And since he doesn't need to eat healthily he eats tasty and has learned to cook that way. Trust me, anything greasy, salty, sweet or combinations thereof, if it's unhealthy, this guy can make it."

"Perhaps not everything but I do notice a rise in my popularity whenever I happen to cook for others."

"You do make a mean steak, Eric," Neil grumbled. He had already eaten five of them.

"Your burgers aren't bad either," Mark added.

"Thanks. So now that I'm joining, what are your powers?"

"Well, I guess most of us manipulate energy in some way. Except for our flying brick, who's all Brute," Crystal said, nodding towards Victoria.

"And Amy," Eric said, "but she's adopted, so we understand her lesser powers."

Amy threw a chicken bone at him. "Shut up, Eric, or next time you can suffer through your flu the normal way."

"Neil controls electromagnetism near him and can use that to form a shield around himself in addition to his obvious brute body. Mark throws around explosive balls of energy to which he himself is immune. Carol has the ability to create various simple weapons and martial shields out of burning 'hard' light, and she can turn into an invulnerable bouncing sphere of hard light. Sarah is your standard flyer with shooty beams and a forcefield, same for Crystal and Eric. Eric has stronger forcefields with the cost of his other two powers and Crystal is the reverse of that. Vicky can fly, hit and take a hit. She's almost invulnerable. Like Crystal said, a flying brick. Then again, that's pretty much what Alexandria is as well. Oh, and she has that aura that strikes fear in the hearts of her enemies and makes everyone else adore her. Well, at least look on her more favorably. Last and best we have Amy who heals whatever ails you. Except for brains," Rachel listed.

Amy beamed at Rachel. "That's right, and don't you forget it! Although with your powerset you won't be needing my services. Would you mind if I took a look?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Go ahead." I waited until she was touching me before stabbing a steak knife into my thigh.

"Oh wow," she said somewhat dreamily. "You certainly are different. Look at those cells replicating!"

"Amy, dear, we can't see it. Although it is sort of interesting to see a steak knife embedded in someone without hearing at least whimpers of pain," Sarah said as she came back out. "I hope you left some food for us too."

I pulled the knife out and Amy released me once I was fully healed.

"That was amazing. I could watch that all day and not get bored. His body is crazy interesting," she gushed.

I was little taken aback. Trust a healer to be excited about the one guy she'd never need to heal. Her power was a little odd, though. I had never come across a brain limit before. Then again, some of the powers in this world were really strange.

"Hey, you said last time that you're immune to psi powers. I want to see if Vicky's aura affects you," Eric said.

I shrugged again. "Sure. How do we test that?"

"Come further away from the others and we'll try it," Vicky said and walked to the other side of the yard.

I did so, feeling little foolish. "Now what?"

"You mean you don't feel that?" Vicky said, her brow furrowed. She seemed to concentrate more. I still didn't feel anything and checked if the others noticed anything. I saw the others reacting with various levels. Carol and Mark seemed least affected, Amy the most. I found that rather odd since she had spent her whole life with Vicky.

"I think you can stop now. The others seem to be little in awe of your display."

"Damn. I tried harder than ever. Did you really not feel anything?"

"Nope. How do you deal with your aura affecting the others, though? Wouldn't that be a little distracting on the field?"

"Nah, they're immune," Vicky said, dismissing the whole thing with a flick of her wrist.

I hesitated but decided to come out with it since he was going to be a part of the team. "No, they're not. Even Mark and Carol seemed to feel it a little at the end there. Amy almost fell to her knees. Didn't you see that?"

"What? No, I didn't look at them, I was concentrating on you. And don't be ridiculous, of course they're immune, especially Amy."

There was a moment of silence soon broken by Sarah.

"No, dear. I'm pretty sure none of us are immune. I definitely felt it even before you ramped it up."

Vicky looked pleadingly at Amy. "Amy?"

Amy twitched and suddenly found her toes extremely interesting. She mumbled something.

They were sisters, though, so Vicky could read Amy like a book. With a horrified scream, she flew off.

"Great," I muttered. "Way to kill a party, Eric."

If looks could kill Carol's stare would have murdered me. Or would have made a valiant effort at it. I and Rachel were politely ushered out while the two families began to discuss things. The rest of the day was sort of gray and depressing for us.