As I slumped against the wall of the dirty alley, I couldn't help but wonder what I was doing here. It had been an hour since I woke up in this godforsaken place, and I was still trying to wrap my head around my surroundings. At first, I thought I might have just had one too many drinks, but the state of the alley was a far cry from the rough-around-the-edges neighborhood I called home.
I approached an elderly couple, hoping they could provide some answers. "Excuse me," I said, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible, "but could you tell me where I am? I might have had a bit too much to drink, haha." The couple took a step back, eyeing me warily, but they answered my question nonetheless. And that's when I realized I was in Brockton Bay, Earth-Bet, the world of Worm. Oh, god, oh god, oh god.
The graffiti I had ignored earlier now seemed to leap out at me, the sloppy scrawl of "Merchant Rulez" making my heart race. I felt like I was about to pass out. Brockton Bay was a city notorious for its metal dragon, superpowered Nazis, and druggies who'd stab you for looking at them sideways. And Earth-Bet was a world filled with terrible heroes and terrifying villains, not to mention the whole Zion debacle...
I couldn't help but wonder why I wasn't dead yet. Was I a blind spot? I'd expected Contessa to show up and put a bullet in my head by now. Even if I was a blindspot, I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary, such as superpowers.
Even if there was no one to watch me, I still felt embarrassed at meditating in a stinky alley, while trying to look for an "inner energy" or saying different variations of "Status" out loud, and attempting to do a Kamehameha to awaken something.
Just as I was about to give up hope, I felt something inside me shift, and suddenly I was flooded with a vision. I wasn't undergoing a Trigger Event, was I? I couldn't be. I didn't have a Gemma for a Shard to bond with me. No, this was something else entirely - something ancient, something arcane.
I saw an enormous, rough-hewn book, its leather cover wrapped in chains that began to unravel. The book opened, revealing trillions of pages filled with spells, rituals, and enchantments. It was overwhelming, to say the least. I felt a spark ignite within me as one page ripped free from the rest. I recognized it - the Celestial Grimoire.
Abracadabra (Sailor Moon) (100)
Sometimes, all you need is a little magic from the mind - self-confidence, hope. Or maybe just a pick-me-up. Every time you say the word "abracadabra" to yourself, you'll find your mood, self-confidence, and hope get a temporary boost. It won't guarantee victory, and it's not actually magical, but it can help if you're feeling down or just need a little reassurance. And sometimes, that's all you need.
Required: 100 CP Current: 100 CP
Purchase?
[Y/N]
I reached out for the piece of paper as I snatched it away and found myself back in the alley in a light daze.
"Abracadabra," I murmured as a small smile came onto my face. "Abracadabra," I said again as I felt myself relax.
With the Celestial Grimoire, I should be able to have a chance at survival. Perhaps with it, I could even leave this world altogether? I didn't particularly care for this world; just my existence - my being here - may have doomed the thin chance of survival that humanity had.
If, by the time of the Golden Morning, I had enough strength to face off against the Warrior, then I would do so, but the priority would be to leave this world altogether. Though, could I truly abandon an entire multiverse and leave it to die? I could, and I wasn't particularly hesitant about it. Even if I killed Zion, then the shard-network would go haywire and lead to the events of Ward with broken triggers and the Titans, and it wasn't as if the people here were kind-hearted either. The people here were unhinged, and the government was controlled by Cauldron, who had committed hundreds of atrocities. I couldn't even trust Cauldron and help to save humanity with them, as I well-remembered Taylor getting shot in the head. All of this is to say that this world is a clusterfuck of issues, and all of it would end up blowing up sooner or later, especially with the Conflict Engine of the Shards never leaving space for peace and harmony.
I really, really didn't want to be a hero. At least, I didn't want to be part of the Protectorate, as they were puppeted by Cauldron. Funnily enough, being a villain may be the easiest; the truly powerful, like Lung, were left alone as they could pose as a valuable asset during Endbringer fights and, most importantly, against the Warrior. It was the entire reason behind the unwritten rules: to preserve as many capes as possible for the final fight. Oh, how the Triumvirate would roll in their graves if they learned of Ward, to know that every single atrocity they had committed was for naught. And finally, this city was a test for Cauldron to know the effects of Parahuman rule over a city, which was originally meant for Coil. Speaking of Coil, I'm not sure how well his abilities would work on me; I'm after all an out-of-context problem, since the Shards brute-forced every single possibility to try and predict the future. It wasn't actual divination, which was something that the Celestial Grimoire could let me eventually perform.
Okay, first of all, "Abracadabra," I need a plan of action. I first of all need shelter, going through my pockets I found that I had a crisp $100 bill which I'll have to leave for food. Food was unfortunately a more important need than shelter. Mostly because in the alley as much as I didn't want to sleep here, I'll likely be shanked and die quickly while starving will lead to a slower demise.
I felt myself transported once again as I focused on my surroundings. I was floating in the middle of a vast galaxy, surrounded by millions of twinkling stars and planets of all different sizes and colors. Right there in front of me hovered the ancient book, the Celestial Grimoire, its worn leather cover flapping open as the chains that were binding it receded. The seemingly endless number of yellowed pages started rapidly flipping by until it stopped on one, the page ripping itself out as it hovered in front of me.
Mystical Sensitivity (DC Occult) (100)
Your experience with magic has left you acutely aware of traces of magical energy. You can tell what kind of spells were cast days after the fact by the residual energy they left behind, discern the potency and nature of enchantments, and track down anything that leaves behind a magical trail and with some practice you'll be able to when someone is about to cast a spell and know the effect of said spell.
Required: 100 CP Current: 100 CP
Purchase?
[Y/N]
This time I didn't snatch the page as in this world there is no magic as such the ability wouldn't be useful in the slightest as I found myself back in the alley.
Author's Note: It's just a snippet~ let me know if you'd like for me to throw it up as an actual story or attempt any other-one shot ideas that you may have. I have a ! (pat re on . com / spiderlite) Where you can help and motivate me to continue writing (if you have any ideas that you want me to write, I'm up for that as well.) Even a dollar is appreciated. Thank you to Will Bishop7053 for becoming Antagonist Teir members, you guys couldn't believe how much of a surprise it was to see something lol.
Alternatively, you can praise me and give me ideas, that works too!
Spider-Lite, out!