Die Of Destiny Chapter 1 I am Greg Veder?
Disclaimer: I do not own Anything as Worm is the work of Wildbow.
'Hello, ROB? Can you hear me? It's me, Greg Veder, or at least I am now. Your note said that you would be watching everything from my perspective so I thought I would try talking to you. I know, I know, you said in the note that you wouldn't interfere no matter what nor would you speak to me but right now? You're the only one I can talk to. I wish I could Hate you. For what you did to me, For putting me in this mess. But I can't. Because I know it's my fault. I'm still sorting out my memories so I'll start from the top.
The first thing I remember is me inviting you to my place to play some Poker. I don't remember what you look like nor where we met, only that I invited you. Then we started gambling. That I clearly remember. I loved gambling. I loved the thrill of winning a big pot and the sting of defeat when you got wiped out. I didn't really like things like slot machines or Roulette wheels. Too impersonal, too easy to rig. That's why I liked cards and dice more. There was skill in Cards and intimacy with dice.
We had some drinks with us and we started gambling against each other while talking to each other. We were getting along great which made us more comfortable with gambling as it was all innocent fun. At first, it was just Money, secrets, dares, and harmless stuff. but then as we both got drunker we began betting things that should have never been bet on. Things that if either of us were sober would have never betted on. Things of great consequence, Like the Soul.
Yeah, I bet my soul. And unlike every other story out there. I won. And it wasn't only once. I kept winning. Getting more and more with each bet. I got so much that I had increased my gains by several thousandfolds. I think you were extremely amused by this or something and kept offering stranger and stranger things. I don't know.
We kept gambling for hours and I got so much, But then, like with all things with luck. It has to end eventually. It started small, just a few things which at this point in the gambling meant nothing. But then I kept losing, and losing, and losing. I did win some back but over time I kept losing. Now, a Sober man would have either just stopped gambling or kept gambling things that he had gotten. But not me, I was somewhat attached to the strange things I was winning.
So, when I had lost most of the stuff I won off you with even my house and all my other earthly possessions gone I made a different bet. I didn't bet my soul this time but instead something even more personal that my drunk ass thought was a clever loophole. I bet my very Identity. I have no idea what I was expecting when I rolled snake eyes. But after that, things got worse. I kept betting on things that I shouldn't.
I don't remember them all as it just becomes more and more blurry, but I remember making one last bet and then you called it for the night. As soon as we were done. I don't even remember what the things I won were. Everything just went dark. I don't know how long I was asleep but I woke up in an Armsmaster Print Bed with all the matching pillowcases, mattress cover, etc.
At first, I didn't realize that anything had changed or that I wasn't in fact, Greg Veder. Age 15. Student at Winslow Highschool and Resident of Brockton Bay. I just assumed I had a strange dream and began getting ready for school. That's when I found your note and the 'Gift' you left me. I read the note that said.
'Greg Veder. You are not who you think you are. Think deeply about what you remember and what you don't remember. Notice the differences in how you are thinking now and how you thought before. Do you believe me now? Doesn't matter as I will be brief. You and I got way too drunk last night and we both made several bad decisions. This is one of them. You bet your sense of Identity and you lost it. You lost many things but also gained a lot as well. You did love gambling and now you'll suffer for it.'
'I can't help you in any way after you wake up but I can at least give the best start possible alongside giving you your winnings and this note. You are in danger. You have transmigrated into the world of Worm, a fictional Story in one universe but very real here. In June of 2013, the world will end at the hands of a powerful enemy if you don't do something.'
'To help you I have granted you a Perfect Recall and made sure that no one will be able to find out that this world could be considered fictional and that you are not the real Greg Veder for free. You bet everything including your memories of this place so you are truly on your own.'
'You still have many experiences and knowledge from your past life so make good use of them. The Die holds your Destiny and though it may disappear there are ways to get it back I am not allowed to tell you how. I will be watching everything from your perspective and I hope you survive. I want to hang out again. Signed ROB P.S This note will turn to ash upon finishing reading.'
Your note then indeed turned to ash leaving behind the Die. The Die was a crystal D20 but every single side of it had a different motif, color, and design. I remember saying.
"I'm not Greg Veder? Is this some kind of Prank? Did Mom prank me? And such a stupid one too!"
I picked up the die and threw it to the side, thinking that it was just a normal Die. The moment that Die landed everything changed.
I didn't see the die land but I FELT it. In my mind, I saw a Golden 11 but the second 1 was mirrored to make it look like an arrow with a sparkly pink background. I snapped my head back to look at the Die but it was gone and in its place was a golden arrow with a wide head. I recognized the Arrow as being a Stand Arrow from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure which made me freak out due to the fact that Greg Veder knew as a Jojo Fan that there was no anime for parts 4 and 5 yet I clearly remembered watching both.
Thus began my spiral of doubt and confusion as the part 5 anime was made around 2019 but the current year was 2011.
I quickly ran over, picked up the Arrow, noticed its weight, and sat on my bed. I went through my memories as you told me to do and after a while, I believed your note. Not only were all my memories as crisp as if they just happened, but I also had memories of 2021, a decade into the future alongside memories of being an adult and going drinking and gambling. All that was missing was anything involving my past. I won't lie. I was crying and had a meltdown that lasted me a solid 30 minutes before my Mother knocked on my door.
I panicked and hid the Arrow under my pillow and I hugged her tightly while I cried. She didn't understand what was going on and I refused to tell her. After a while, I calmed down and explained I had a very bad nightmare and she chided me for being a child. I didn't care and my mental state had recovered by then. She left and that is how everything led up to now. I'm talking to you mentally to psych myself up before I stab myself with it.
It's funny. I have the vague hope that this is all just a delusion of mine and that I'll just need to go to the hospital for being an idiot. But if it works, If I manifest a Stand then that means that this is real and I am no longer in my old life and I have to stop the Apocalypse. Isn't Isekai supposed to be sent to another world with OP powers not to try and save your own!
I stopped my internal monologue or is it prayer? to the ROB and took some clothes and the Arrow to my bathroom. If I'm going to stab myself I don't want to get blood onto an easily stained carpet. The bathroom was compact with a tiled floor, Toilet, glass shower, and sink.
I stripped naked. entered the shower, turned it on, and I looked down at the Arrow in my trembling hands. You can do this, Just one thrust! It doesn't have to be fatal, just a deep wound! If you don't you'll live in doubt forever! Take the plunge!
I raised the Arrow in both hands above my head and I thrust it at my stomach! Damn it! I can't do it! I stopped right as the blade touched my skin. Don't judge me! I'd like to see you impale yourself in the gut!
I tried 3 more times but each time I chickened out. Come on, you can do it! I raised my hands one more time and I thrust down!
"Greg! What's taking you so long!? You're going to be late for school!"
My mom shouted as she banged on my bathroom door. 'SLIT!' Oh God it hurts! I wanted to scream as I stared at the arrow now embedded in my stomach! When Mom distracted me I ended up stabbing myself pretty bad! I was an idiot! Me, not Greg Veder? Absurd. I need to go to the hospital!
I opened my mouth to call out to my mother when my entire body froze as something rushed through me from the wound in my gut. I saw so many colors, all whipping and spiraling around me and I blacked out. I came too pretty quickly to my mom shouting.
"Greg!? Are you even listening to me!? If you don't open this door right now I'm going to break it down!"
My face was against the glass door and a flare of pain reminded me of the Arrow in my gut! However, I forced myself to answer.
"Sorry Mom! I'll be out soon!"
"You better! If you're not out in 5 minutes then you're grounded!"
She stomped away and I shakily stood up. If I hadn't seen those strange lights I would have told her to call the hospital. I reached down to the shaft of the Arrow and then before I could think too hard I ripped it out!
"Huh, the pain is gone?"
The pain was gone so abruptly I almost passed out from it!
I stared at the clean Arrow then to my perfectly fine pudgy stomach.
"So does this mean I have a Stand now?"
I felt excitement flood me as I imagined how cool my Stand could be! Maybe it's a power type that kicks some major ass! Or maybe a speedy type that moves faster than the eye can follow! With Stands, they could be anything and I wanna see it now!
"Okay, I gotta summon it with my will! I just have to want to punch somebody or defend myself right?"
Hold on. No, I can't do that now! I'm naked and I have to hide the Arrow before my Mom comes back! I regretfully got out of the shower after I got dressed. I spared a glance into the mirror.
I was my usual self, same greasy bowl cut haircut, same average face, same blue eyes, same white skin that was pale due to not going outside if I could avoid it, Same gangly facial hair that was too little and messy to actually look good, Same short frame of 5Ft8, slightly pudgy body. Same plain jeans and blue Armsmaster Shirt. I used to think I was handsome but now I can only say.
"3/10 Not garbage but close. Note to self, start exercising."
I bundled up the Arrow in my dirty laundry and went back into my room. I walked over to my mattress and I slipped the Arrow underneath it and placed the clothes in the hamper. My room was decent and was covered in posters of heroes and on the desk in the right corner was my computer.
Across from that was my closet where I put on my blue Armsmaster Tennis shoes, grabbed my Armsmaster wallet, my blue flip phone, and my backpack still full of yesterday's homework that wasn't done. Old Greg was smart but a terrible Procrastinator and so was I.
Who cared about homework when I had Superpowers? Also, I am pretty sure that with my Perfect Recall I can ace classes with ease!
With me ready for school except for breakfast I exited my bedroom. My house had two floors with my Mom's room and mine were on the second and the living room, kitchen, dining room, and a bathroom on the first. I went down the brown carpeted stairs and went to the kitchen. The Kitchen was tile and a U-shaped marble counter separated it from the dining room. In said dining room was my Mom with two plates of Eggs, toast, and bacon.
She was a short Caucasian with blond hair in a Karen haircut, blue eyes, and dressed in the blue dress suit she wore to work. She looked at me and briskly said
"Good, You're up. I get that you had a bad dream but you're going to be late for school now. I'll drive you today so eat up but the next time this happens you're grounded."
"Yes, Mom."
I go to the table and we both eat the meal she made.
As we eat I think about the woman who is both my Mother and a complete stranger. She works at Medhall as a manager and is a workaholic. I'm honestly surprised she made breakfast as she is usually gone by now.
She works super hard to support us since dad died 3 years ago and she cares but at the same time she expects such high things from me that the Old Greg was never able to meet and I don't plan on now.
I must have really worried her. Once we finished eating she and I got into her blue Ford 1992 Ford Tempo and we drove through the city towards Winslow Highschool. I gazed out of the mirror and took in the slowly rotting city around me. Brockton Bay was on the East coast and used to be a major shipping hub before Leviathan showed up and ruined it all. Now the city was slowly dying and no one could stop it.
We eventually arrived at the school and my mom handed me a piece of paper.
"This is my signature excusing you for being late. I'll be home around 7"
"Yes Mom."
I took the note and I got out of the car and she drove away without looking back. I sighed as I began walking towards the school. It was a beaten-down yellow schoolhouse and was the ghetto school of Brockton Bay. I went through the front door and went to my class.
As I did so I walked by several different groups who were all loitering outside of class. There were the white kids who had red and white outfits marking them as E88, then some Asians wearing Green and red which told me that they were ABB.
The E88 was a group of Nazis that blew my mind as the idea of Nazis in 2011 was just absurd but Greg's Memories saw that as normal as they have been around for a long time.
The ABB was an all-Asian Gang that followed a powerful Pyrokinetic and shapeshifter named Lung who turned into a Dragon! They were the two largest gangs in the city with the Merchants, a group of drug dealers being quite firmly in the third spot. Unlike the others, they were a bit harder to spot with the only common outlier being drug use.
I finally arrived at my first-period class which was Math. The teacher, Mr. Thorpe. an overweight black man in a green suit chided me annoyed.
"Mr. Veder. Would you like to explain to me why you are 30 minutes late to class?"
He was a very no-nonsense teacher and he didn't like me at all. That was fine as I didn't like him either. I handed him my mother's note and said,
"Sorry, I had something personal come up. Here's my mother's signature."
His frown seemed to grow as he said.
"I see, well the next time you're late It'll be strike one do you understand me Veder?"
"Yes Sir."
I then made my way to my seat in the back of class while the class snickered and ridiculed me like usual.
Greg Veder was almost at the very bottom of the social ladder with only one person lower. They called me stupid, ugly, weak, annoying, and Wow, If I actually gave a damn about these brat's opinions then I would've felt bad!
But I was a Stand User and I'm certain my Stand could fold them like chairs! Thinking about the pecking order made my gaze glance towards the one at the bottom of the school. She sat a few seats to the right of me and was currently looking at Mr. Thorpe while writing something down.
She was a tall, willowy girl dressed in a grey hoodie and had glasses that covered her large expressive green eyes and her thin lips were in a frown. She had beautiful, long, curly brown hair and overall she was pretty cute. Then again, The Old Greg Veder had a huge crush on her but the guy was a coward and awkward so he never made a move. Between that and why she was at the bottom of the social ladder was enough to keep Greg away.
My gaze moved to 1/3rd of the reason and saw a cute brunette with sky-blue pins in her shoulder-length brown hair, and wore a strapless top and denim skirt. My personality was a mix of whoever I was before and the old Greg which made me both very mature but also still a very horny teenager. Sigh, I hate puberty. I thought Madison was quite cute but I wanted nothing to do with her or the other 2/3rds of the problem.
I tried to pay attention to the teacher and to my surprise I had no problem remembering what he said. Every time Mr. Thorpe showed an equation on the board I could easily recall and that meant I didn't have to worry about forgetting the equations!
Right, I have a perfect recall! Does this mean school will be a breeze for me? Hehehe I hope so! Sadly perfect recall doesn't solve boredom and I decided to summon my Stand! I'm the only Stand User on the planet so I should be fine right?
Only Stand Users can see Stands so I closed my eyes as I tried to connect to whatever my Stand was. Come on, where is it?! Focus. Focus. I focused on my breathing which was strangely easy and I felt a strange warmth grow and fade with each breath which actually made me stop. Hold on, Something isn't right.
I opened my eyes and looked down at my right hand and I focused my thoughts on that energy in my right hand and with a deep breath, I saw a yellow spark of some kind of electricity spark between my fingers! Holy shit! I looked around rapidly as I desperately hoped no one just saw that!
It's Hamon! Before Stands showed up Jojo's Bizarre adventure was about fighting vampires with sunlight simulating martial arts powered by breathing. Otherwise known as Hamon! And I could apparently use it! No, even more as I think about it I can remember how to do the basics though I know I didn't know how to do this before waking up as Greg Veder! But that makes no sense!
I looked down and put my chin in my hand as I tried to figure this out. I shouldn't be able to forget things so why did I not notice this sooner? Maybe, Maybe it's because I was so freaked out before? But that still didn't explain it. The ROB said I should have a perfect recall. Wait, he said recall not memory.
Is that it? it's a perfect recall, not a perfect memory? If so then does that mean that I have to think about something to remember it? I don't know for sure but I'll keep it in mind. But what matters is that I need to make sure no one sees me using Hamon! Unlike Stands, anyone can see Hamon. It was around that time that class ended and I got up to go to my second class. Taylor got up as well and we both left for Mr. Gladly's English Class. We didn't speak as we weren't friends.
We got there and Mr. Gladly greeted us. Mr. Gladly was actually Greg's favorite teacher mainly due to how lax he was and his constant attempts to be considered a cool teacher. His Homework wasn't too hard either and he let class out early. For a lazy student like Greg, this meant he was awesome.
The current Greg still liked him though not as much. Taylor and I are seated a good distance away from each other and Madison was here too. I was going to pay attention but then I had an idea. What if I just memorize the textbooks? If I do that I won't have to pay attention ever again! Oh Greg you are a genius.
But that doesn't matter as the only thing I want to do is summon my Stand damn it! I made sure to not trigger any external Hamon use as I tried to coax out my Stand. I should just have to focus on fighting or defending myself right?
I looked at Taylor then at Madison and I pretended I was going to protect her from Madison, I pictured it in my mind standing up to her, Sophia, and Emma and I felt something change! My mind expanded and I opened my eyes to see myself encased in flaming yellow energy and before my very eyes, I saw something appear.
It clattered onto my desk and I stared dumbly at it for several seconds as the aura around me abruptly died and I had to fight the urge to scream!
'Keys!? KEYS?! MY STAND IS A KEY RING!?'
Yeah, sitting on my desk was a white key ring and on it were 4 different large keys. They were Green, Yellow, Blue, and Red and as I picked them up I realized that they were based on the 4 suits of playing cards.
The Red one was Hearts, the Blue was Diamond, the Green was Clubs, and Spade was Yellow. Their designs were unique to each other and their 'Teeth' were two of the suit's symbols and the handle had that symbol stick out. I wasn't sure if they were my Stand though so I held the Keyring and I jingled it.
I had already come up with the excuse that they were just some keys I got from a novelty store but as I looked around I saw that no one had reacted to the sound proving my suspicion. Yep, this is my Stand since only Stand Users can see or hear them.
"But why is it a keyring?"
I couldn't help but mutter this in despair as my hopes for a punchy ghost died. At least I have Hamon and maybe the Spin? I perked up at this as I thought about the Spin. Do I have that? I never read that part or watched it since it wasn't out. I focused on the Spin but unlike Hamon I got nothing.
Darn, I guess since I didn't read that part or watch it I can't get the Spin. But Hamon is still awesome! It can heal! It can hurt! It can even make you live for a long time! And with it, I'm not without a way to fight! I ended up playing with the Keychain during the lesson and figured out a few things about the keys.
1. I can remove the keys from the circular hoop with ease.
2. I'm constantly aware of the keys and the loop's location even when I close my eyes.
3. I can dismiss them no matter how far away they are from me. I tested this by throwing the Spade Key across the classroom and with a thought it vanished and with the same thought it reappeared in the keyring.
4. The Keyring only exists to hold the keys and it didn't have any mass with only me being able to touch the key ring at all though I haven't tested it out with another person.
5. The Key Ring will vanish if it leaves my person and it has to be summoned again for it to appear.
6. I can summon the Ring anywhere I want on my body from my pockets to on my wrist.
Honestly, I had a lot of fun but a fly kept buzzing around me the ENTIRE TIME I was messing around. It was really pissing me off and I tried to kill it but it somehow always dodged. Lucky bugger, but it didn't matter. I had a Stand and though it was just some keys It had to have some kind of power and I bet it had something to do with locks considering the fact they are, ya know? Keys?
The class couldn't end soon enough and I dismissed my Stand and got up to go to History Class. I didn't summon my Stand again for the rest of the morning. There is only so much I can do with some keys without drawing attention to myself. Instead, I focused on going through my school books and began the tedious process of reading them cover to cover. Once I finish this then school will be a joke.
During Lunch, however, something happened. Remember how I mentioned earlier the three reasons why Taylor was on the bottom of the social ladder? Well, it's because of three girls.
Sophia Hess, The track star of the school track team and the bad girl of the school. Emma Barnes The Supermodel, and Madison Clements the cutest girl in school. They were the popular girls in school and all were very hot and they knew it. But I knew better. These girls were Sadistic with a capital S.
They were willing and able to make Taylor's life a living hell and to make it worse apparently Taylor and Emma were once practically sisters! They shoved her in a damn locker full of feces and waste! She was Hospitalized and had to go to the psych ward!
And after all that, they just started doing it again when she got back! And no one, not even the Teachers, did a damn thing about it! Greg didn't either. What could he do when the girls seemingly had free run of the school? In the face of such power, what could a coward like Greg do?
The memories stung like filthy tar on my mind. Now, why do I bring them up right now? The reason I brought them up is that these girls were now blocking Taylor in the Cafeteria.
"Taylor, I thought I smelled used Tampons."
Sophia Hess, a black athletic girl with a black ponytail in a black shirt and jeans sneered with great pleasure at Taylor whose shoulder's rose.
"Yeah, I'm still amazed you would show your filthy face in this school considering you're a loser no one could love."
Madison piped in, eager to join in the fray. And last was Emma Barnes, a beautiful redhead with long red hair dressed in designer clothes and smiling such a cruel smile as she said.
"Why don't you just kill yourself and finally do something right for once?"
Taylor remained quiet with her head hung low, obscuring her face but that didn't mean someone didn't answer Emma's Question.
"How about you shut the fuck up and go back to fucking your producer for more photoshoots? Cuz that's the only way an ugly bitch like you could ever be a Supermodel."
Everyone's head snapped to the source of the voice that strolled up to the group. This, of course, meant that they were now all looking at me.
Die of Destiny Rolled 11. Stand Granting Arrow (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.)
Author's Note:
Hello! This is Rebel Shard Caster and you are reading the first story I've ever published on ! I've been a lurker for quite a long time and I've finally decided to take the plunge to post some of my work! This one went through a lot of iterations and one reset of the entire plot. Now, for the point of this Author's Note.
In the Description, I said this was a Luck-based Story and I will now tell you why. The Die of Destiny has 20 Things from other settings that are unlocked upon either rolling the number they are linked to or meeting some kind of requirement. Every time Greg earns a Die I roll a real D20 twice and I pick from the two numbers! Fun idea right?
When he accomplishes some kind of feat or accomplishment he earns another Die of Destiny. If he meets a requirement for a number he gets it which can allow for some fun coincidences. The only exception to this rule is if I roll an 18. If I roll an 18 I get to pick! Why 18 and not 20? Well, maybe I'll explain why later. I have no editor so please forgive any grammer/ Spelling issues as I will work to clean it up if pointed out. Hope you guys enjoy.
EDIT 1 8-20-21 I have tried to make dialogue easier to read.