Wade98: … holy shit, you're right. I found this way funnier than I expected to.

alaskan-dracolych: I also slot the Fast & Furious movies (minus 7) and most of the recent Marvel stuff in there as well. It is a bad time for big movie franchises. MI7 was pretty good though.

Jeffery O'Brien: Not for another… 3 chapters?

Sunrise

Taylor asks me about possible options.

I say I have no family left on this planet (weird phrasing, but she doesn't seem to question it).

We get to bond over having the shared trauma of losing a parent, which I didn't actually go through, and that makes me feel like an even larger asshole than I already am, but hey! I'm very close to falling asleep.

I tell her I have a place queued up in about 3 days, and when I mention that I wished I could've told my parents about things I hadn't told them, she invites me to her place.

God, I feel like a manipulative asshat. I really hope this helps the daughter-father relationship, or I'll feel like a bigger prick than I already am.

She does request that I give her a chance to explain things to her dad, and once she says so, I put out a scan for cameras, and find a block with none. Well, no working ones, at least.

"Sunrise, I didn't tell you to turn here."

"Yeah, but if I drive home as a Bugatti, then someone's gonna notice why you have a hypercar from a defunct car company in front of your house, and people are going to start asking questions."

I quickly check the internet with my Bluetooth systems, and let's see what car brands actually exist here…

Again, Bugatti had shut down along with Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and all of the Japanese car companies bar Nissan. Lamborghini and Porsche were still a thing.

Those two brands were a little too sleek though…

I look up available Nissan models. Usually, their cars were boxier than traditional sports cars and sure enough…

Time to pull out some Japanese classics.

"It's going to get a little bumpy," I remake to Taylor.

"What?"

I shift and contract into a vehicle that one definitely wouldn't think of when first thinking of sports cars (and by that I mean Lambo and Ferrari).

However, the car I was changing into made the rest of Japan, and some international brands look outright incompetent on the racetrack and terrorized Australian competitions so badly that it was banned from competing.

Once I'm done shifting, the blocky, yet sleek form of the Nissan R32 GT-R takes the place of my former Bugatti alt-form.

Affectionately nicknamed "Godzilla" by the Australian press after it turned the rest of the competition into metal slag in their national racing tourney.

Let's ditch the Iron Man colour scheme for pure black. I want to be incognito, after all.

And let's make sure the interior is up to standard for a modern car. Don't want my guest to think I'm classless.

I pull out of the alley, and Taylor readjusts her course for her home.

I use to opportunity to her about myself, and she begins to tell her own story.

Sure, I knew it, and this was mostly just to have an excuse to know her tale, but fuck.

Was Madison that desperate to be popular, was Emma that traumatized, was Sophia that screwed up by her shard, and were they THAT level of raging bitch?

The house with the broken step looks as worn down as its name suggests. Doesn't have a garage for myself to stay in.

"You know, I've taken you home, and you've told me about your problems, yet I don't even know your real name."

Taylor gets out of me, and turns to me, before quietly saying "Taylor Hebert. Nice to meet you."

I scan for any lifeforms within two blocks. All of them show signs of REM sleep. It is 2:30 in the morning.

There's a blink, and the car is replaced by me, wearing a hoodie, Jordans and shorts. God, it's kinda cold.

I offer my hand to shake.

"Lex Qing."

Taylor shakes and enters her house, gesturing for me to wait outside.

There's a chair there, that looks clean. I take a seat and instantly feel exhaustion setting in.

Maybe just a quick nap…

?

Hi, this is the ROB that sent Sunrise to Worm. It was, in fact, not a quick nap.

Sunrise/Lex Qing

I groan. Ugh, was that natural light, at 3 am?

"No, it's natural light at 8 am."

I shoot up, before flinching at the holographic screen that appeared in front of me and flubbing the landing.

"Ow."

"You okay?"

I pivot my head to locate the voice. It belonged to a middle-aged man, with a receding hairline and significant bags under his eyes.

I guess I wouldn't have slept much either if my daughter and I had a conversation about powers.

The man nodded at me.

"Danny Hebert. Taylor's dad. Is… that supposed to be there?"

He's pointing at my screen. I pull it up, and new options!

First Status. Just a general summary of skills that I've acquired.

Then, Currency Log. I tap on that button.

Actions Log

Met C-Class threat (N/A) + 10 Rings

Met A-Class threat (Lung) + 30 Rings

Defeated A-Class threat (assisted, N/A) + 60 Rings

Met B-Class threat (Armsmaster) + 20 Rings

Achievements

Pulling a Dave Stieb? (Bronze)

Injure yourself while using your own weapon. + 10 Rings

Maybe I could've destroyed Kyushu… (Gold)

Defeat Lung. + 30 Rings.

Alley-OOP! (Bronze)

Defeat an A Class threat or higher with help. + 10 Rings

Current Currency Total: 170 Rings

Cool.

"You injured yourself?" Danny asks with a raised eyebrow.

"... It was to look cool? Also, I'm fine now."

The older man snorts. "Just be sure to take care of yourself kid."

Finally, Options.

Oh god, this thing is longer than Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Whether I'm talking about his name or wingspan is up for you to decide.

I find a setting that lets me pick which people can view my screen. Currently, it was set to: "ALL".

I set it so just Taylor and Danny can see it for now, and then turn on the ability to shift that setting with a thought.

"Yeah, it's part of my powers. Lex Qing, a pleasure to meet you, sir." I extend my arm out in a handshake.

The smile of a grateful man is shot back at me. "It's a pleasure to meet the kid who saved my daughter."

And being a good guy is already paying dividends!

Now, time to possibly squander those dividends.

"Did… you approve of her… thing?"

He frowns, and whispers to me, "I did. But please… protect my daughter."

He glances over to the wall. A younger Danny, along with a younger Taylor, is smiling with an older Taylor.

… This is the wrong time for this comment, but Danny hit THE jackpot with Annette. Holy shit, she was hot.

"After my wife died… she's all I have left."

Danny looks me in the eye. I meet his gaze.

"I'll protect her with my life."

I glance back at the photo.

Danny was still mourning, wasn't he? And Taylor had been suffering as a result.

As Danny turns back to cook, I decide to hold a mini-intervention.

"You haven't gotten past her death, have you?"

I think there have been victims of hypothermia who were less frozen than Danny after my question.

"It's okay to mourn. It's not okay to emotionally abandon your daughter to the point she was basically suicidal."

I continue to hammer the point down.

"Going after Lung? To protect kids? That's a death sentence for most capes. But she did. I believe that part of it was bravery. But a teenage girl who's been bullied and neglected going after the man who held up against an Endbringer seems to me like suicide. You know your daughter deserves better than an absent father. You can be better, you just have to try. Try and get help, try and reach out to her."

"... How will I know it won't push her further away?"

"Because you're her father, and she still loves you, despite your actions."

He glances back at the photograph on the wall.

",,, Annette would be so disappointed in me.'

I snort. Very rude, I know, but I couldn't help myself.

"You think?"

Pause. Then, I continue.

"The way you disappoint her more is by not even trying to reconnect with your daughter."

Danny continues to stare at the wall, before turning back towards me with a melancholic smile.

"Thanks for telling me what I needed to hear, kid."

I smile. "Thank me by educating your daughter in cars, then. I quizzed her on the drive back, and she couldn't tell the difference between Honda or Toyota."

Danny walked back over to the stove.

"You think you could turn into a McLaren for me to drive?"

Damn. Unlike in our world, the F1 had numerous production issues, and McLaren had sunk soon after. Looks like Danny knew his way around a chassis.

A sound is heard from the stairwell.

We both look at the stairs to see a sleepy Taylor trudge her way down to the ground floor.

"Taylor, your father is a man of taste and culture."

She stares at me confusedly and nods.

After some divine sausages and pancakes, where Danny and I discuss what other cars I could turn into, a reminder that I would promise not to be a hassle for them in 2 more nights, I finish up breakfast and go take a shower that Danny had graciously offered me.

During the car talk specifically, I mention my actual, Trump power. Danny doesn't seem to get the scale of me gaining permanent powers from here on out, but Taylor's staring at me like a deer in headlights.

As for the shower, I would have to re-wear my clothes, but three days isn't that bad… right?

Once I'm down, and Danny inquires about my family, we all share a moment of silence, for the people we've loved, and probably won't ever see again.

… I don't know if you can tell, but I'm trying my best to not think about my situation right now.

To distract everybody from our lack of family members, I pull up the Gacha screen and- oh. Interesting.

There were two wheels. One was the general wheel, which had the standard mostly 1-Star banner and cost 50 rings

The other was the premium wheel at 100 rings.

A steal right? Well…

Note: The premium wheel can only be pulled once per week.

Danny and Taylor look at the screen. I pull up the premium wheel and push the screen over to Taylor.

"Wanna try and get me a cool power? You did help me earn most of my Rings."

Taylor nods hesitantly before spinning.

"Blue is fine, purple is good, gold should be great.

The wheel slowly, but surely begins to slow down… landing on the blue 2-Star.

"Aw, man."

Taylor winces.

"Sorry?"

I wave her off. The first rule of Gacha; is never to get your hopes up.

Anyway, the Superstars pack rips its way open, and the card displays a blue cyborg in the classic Mega Man pose; jumping forward, with an arm cannon pointed at someone not in the card art's frame.

Seattle Mariners jersey. And after firing, he throws his hands up in the air, letting out a roar toward the heavens.

Felix Herandez

Variable Pitch Arsenal

Variable Pitch Arsenal

While in your Cybertronian form, you will be given access to a growing number of ammo types, directly correlated to parahumans you have met.

Current Ammo

Standard

Explosive

Smokescreen New!

Cryobeam New!

EMP Shot New!

"What's a Cybertronian?"

… It's an alien of sentient robots that can turn into mechanical devices?

Taylor deadpans at me. "Not funny?"

"... I said that out loud?"

Danny chuckles and after I explain that my giant robot was known as a Cybertronian asks if he can interact with my power too.

I present him with the normal wheel. I get a 1-Star. Yay.

Andre Iguodala

Defensive Joker

Defensive Joker

Gain a minor resistance to all forms of damage.

On paper, it sounds good. I don't wanna try that perk in practice.

"Okay, gacha's over. Wanna go to the PRT now?"

"... I don't have a name yet."

Uh, shit. Bug-based heroes. Uh, Spider-Man, Blue Beetle, Ant-Man OH! The Wasp!

"What? That sounds like something a 5th grader would name themselves if they had bug powers!"

… well screw you too, Taylor.

"Also, aren't wasps yellow? My costume is all black, and I don't want to wait for more dye to dry again before we go to the PRT building."

"Just use spray-on fabric paint. I remember that it dries pretty quickly."

Taylor stares at me. "That's a thing?"

Danny seems highly amused by this verbal table tennis patch.

"Also, I still don't like Wasp as a name," Taylor complains.

Okay. Let's fire up the name generator, brain!

"Uh… Bumblebee?"

"No."

"...Waspinator?"

"...I'm gonna pretend like I didn't hear that."

"Yellowjacket?"

Taylor blinks. "That's… pretty good. But we don't have the paint here."

Danny takes a chance to interject. "I would drive you to the Home Depot, but my car's in the shop right now."

I grin at the Hebert patriarch. "Wanna drive a hypercar to buy arts and crafts supplies?"

AN: Don't quote me on that paint. I just remember Miles using paint for his spider suit in Into the Spiderverse.

Also, assume that the costume looks professionally done because I used my supercomputer Cybertronian brain to make sure the paint doesn't drip or smth idk.

Also, another sports reference in achievements: Dave Steib was a pitcher for the horrible Toronto Blue Jays when they first entered the league in the early 1980s. As a result of their bad pitching staff and Steib being really good at baseball, he was overplayed to the point where his arm literally deformed because of his overuse. That's my inspiration for recoil achievement.

Anyway, powers!

Felix Hernadez: King Felix! A great pitcher, who can hang his hat on having 5 different pitches that he threw with significant regularity, helping throw off his opponents. I could've put a lot of people here, including Verlander, Scherzer, or Darvish, but I'm a Mariners fan. So the King is here instead. His large pitch "arsenal" and the blue colour scheme remind me of Mega Man's Variable Weapons System, which is the inspiration for this power, except it's strapped to a Transformer now!

Andre Iguadola: Pretty good defender for multiple NBA teams, and famously won the 2016 Finals MVP because of his defence, and minor brute power for a good, maybe great, but never elite player.