Task Completed: Created a power source for a mech of your design

I ignored the pinging of a completed task and the emboldened words that only I could see, having a pseudo-gamer ability in a former fictional world was a novelty but eventually it wore of when you realised life all around you didn't adhere to the gamer.

No, instead the ability essentially capped any personal growth that would normally come naturally.

Sure, I got sweet enhancements that I never had in my old life, and a sure answer about 75 percent of the time if I fucked up or succeeded in my task.

But there were downsides, like being stuck behind a figurative wall because you didn't know what stats would've worked best at first, and it's not like there are save points, redo's, or repecs that I can utilise.

Here intelligence is key, but I only bumped it up to an 8 when given the chance, while charisma got a 10, because my virgin arse was still sour about not getting any in the last life, but hey, I'm smart enough to now know I how much I fucked up and intelligent enough to know how scummy it is dating girls my supposed age because I still aged mentally.

"He's doing it."

8 was good, great even, enough to be here. But it opened the floodgate of not being good enough, a tidal wave of self-pity and regret.

The whole thing was a janky mess, no experience points, nor health bar, there was a perk system in place but what and if they unlocked was anyone's guess. At this point it was simply a in-mind Alexa, that wasn't even connected to the internet.

"Tofu is a class-a brooder. Makes all the ladies swoon when he gets like this." Tadashi said as he introduced his little brother to the lab.

"I don't brood."

"We don't all swoon," Go-Go said with a passive scowl.

Tadashi pointed a thumb at Honey Lemon who was probably gazing at me with a dreamy sigh.

"Tofu? Wasabi? Honey Lemon?" Little Tadashi asked.

"Real name is Ather Agni." I shrugged my shoulders, "Don't really care which one you use to be honest."

"Fred does the naming," Tadashi said as the school mascot appeared as if summoned.

I turned my attention to my station and inspected the data I was getting from my terminal, the core's output was great for such a small fuse-like device, but it wasn't enough. Not enough for anything I had planned.

And compared to His, the one he'll make, it was nothing. I would say it was a paperweight, but even a paperweight of his would make mine suck in comparison.

"Ather?" Honey Lemon asked as she tentatively approached my workstation, "Are you okay? You seem agitated."

"Just a tad," I pushed back with my chair and glanced at my younger protégé. At SFIT, the older students were required to mentor the younger years, and I ended up getting Tadashi Hamada, as mine. The kid didn't need one to be frank, and knowing his even younger brother was most likely a step above us all really hammered my poor choices when I 'created' my 'character.'

Though perhaps I had that in common with Tadashi freaky genius brother, though he had better standing with his one than I did with mine.

I figured when I was presented the option labelled origin it would've worked like a cliché self-insert, nobody really questioned it sort of thing, but nada.

Being the bastard of Howard Stark, half-brother of Tony, and the cause of his parents' divorce didn't do me any favours.

Adding the fact the woman who birthed died doing so, and Howard died in a car crash a year after I was born, it really seemed like I was a cursed thing.

The Cursed Stark, as the media back then penned me as now hardly anyone knew of my connection to the Starks.

Tony didn't want anything to do with me, I've met him three times. There wasn't hate there, not really, but not love enough for us to talk to each other.

Not that I was hurting for his care.

I had pops for that.

Grouchy old grandpa, kind of bit behind with the times, a bit of a dick, and my absolute favourite person.

"Oh." Honey Lemon uttered with a clear misunderstanding gracing her face, I may not go by Stark, but that was a shadow that loomed over me. Though bless her heart, HL only ever assumed I wanted something familiar out of the name while nearly everyone else assumed I wanted cash or what the body of SFIT assumed I wanted, the genius that came with it.

"It's cool Honey. Just mind wondering… and failing." I grumbled to myself.

The tall girl let out a giggle, "Only you can succeed and call it failing."

An arm slung itself over my shoulder, "Tofu my boi, sounds like someone isn't themselves. You must be hungry."

Tempting as it was to give the blonde stoner a flat look, he wasn't wrong, I was hungry and when I was hungry, I was an irritable twat of the highest degree.

"Sure, let's go." Letting out a sigh I powered off my workstation and turned to my friends, "You guys coming?"

"As long as it's not seafood." Go-Go groaned out with slumped shoulders.

"Need a protein fix." I clicked out, I was still holding out hope that the flat five in strength could be something remedied, then it meant the others could also be changed with hard work.

Hitting the gym paid off looks-wise, but I couldn't say if that was the influence of the high charisma or relentless routine.

"No, bad Tofu." Fred chided, "Food is to be enjoyed not counted. If I see you, use that app of yours I'll be…" He then trailed off as his mind went into overdrive to think of something to punish me with, "No comic time is a bro-out moment for me too."

"We may be here for a while."

"Yep." I agreed with HL as the other blonde was rooted to the ground as he was in deep thought. Though it gave the Hamada brothers time to join us as they returned to the lab.

The younger of two struck up a conversation about app design something that allowed me to make bank in this life, as smart devices were now becoming a thing here. Thank the gods I knew how to do that in my past life.

I mean the apps were essentially stole from my old life, but fuck it, I wanted pops to live a cushy life, and the old codger will.

Still its a little perturbing in how the kid wasn't only keeping up with me but even flourishing but I didn't have it in me to be envious of him. Hiro was a good kid, a little rough around the edges, because he was clearly smarter than most people here, but as super genius go, his attitude was more endearing than irritating.

Junction choice approaching

Well, that's new, never seen a junction before with this janky grindy mess of a gamer system.

[Junction's choices are split decisions that will have a lasting impact on your life, though not all-knowing, it's based off your limited knowledge of what will cause an impact of possible dire results.]

I'm guessing letting Tadashi die or prevent it and let and possibly stop Big Hero 6 from forming. Sure, with the wider universe with the presence of my half-brother possibly confirmed, Big Hero 6 would be useful but damn it all I wasn't going serve up Tadashi or scar Hiro.

It's a no brainer, consequences be damned.


Weeks Later

Junction chosen; Saved Tadashi

"Well fuck…" The left side of my body was numbed yet the blistering pain was still present. Fucking Tadashi, stupid brat what was he going to do about a fire, he's a gangly 18-year-old.

The expo went as head, Hiro created his micro-bots, and Professor Callaghan driven bitter by Krei, sabotaged the expo.

Though I was a complete and utter idjit of the highest degree, of course scoping out and trailing Callaghan throughout the expo was pointless, I don't know how but he managed to cause the fire remotely, one I couldn't extinguish with the means I had set up to combat what I had assumed was a spur of the moment plan.

Was it pre-mediated murder that he planned for Krei, only to change the plan on the fly when he saw the potential of Hiro's bots?

Fuck professor…

I respected the man, the man he is, wasn't too dissimilar to the face he's shown the world so far, but this was beyond the scope of the heat of the moment or taking an opportunity when presented. He was willing to throw away his life to kill the Krei only to stop himself as he wanted to inflict as much damage to the man, not caring who else got hurt.

"I'm a fuck up." I groaned.

"Eh, not the most fabulous recuse, but I wouldn't rate it that bad." A familiar voice spoke, and I hastily sat up much to my body screaming protest, his hand suddenly grabbed me and eased me up at a slower pace.

"Easy, kiddo, easy," Tony said with a grimace as he gazed at my left side…

Oh yeah, the debris completely wrecked my left arm, so much so that it wasn't there anymore, just a clean stump.

When I bodied Tadashi out of the fire. I didn't go into shock. The pain was unbearable and only when I confirmed that my stupid-genius protégé was alive did I pass out, clutching my ruined arm to my chest.

"It's okay… I'm all right now."

He flatly stared at the stump where my left arm used to be, "Did you just… No, of course-"

"Yes, yes I did," I said with a grimaced grin, as I adjusted the bed so I could sit comfortably, "otherwise I would've regretted the passing moment."

He let out a snort, as he sat on the chair next to the bed, a familiar ratty coat was slung over it, no matter how many times I would buy him a nicer jacket, the old man would always wear the aged denim everywhere.

Still, I made no comment to it, just as I didn't mention Tony's frazzled and yet somehow kempt state. How long has he been here? I didn't think he'd care.

"Your gramps is a force to be reckoned with."

Letting out a snort I gave him a nod, "Tell me about it." I let out a wince, he was a prickly wanker to his friends, I can't imagine what he was like to anyone with the name Stark, "I hope he wasn't too harsh."

Tony waved off the concern, "It's cool. Nothing I can't handle, plus I'm fairly sure he's pretty sleep deprived, so it wasn't too bad." Tony then cleared his throat, "He only just stepped out with my assistant to get some coffee in the cafeteria."

"Old goat." I grumbled, "He needs his sleep, and I sure as hell know he hasn't been eating anything but vending machine snacks." I looked around to see if there was a bin full of wrappers, but I only spotted a shitload of balloons, cards, and flowers littered around the room, "First time I've gotten flowers."

Tony sniffed, "I've never gotten flowers." He let out a furlong sigh, "It must be the people in my life, so mean."

"Maybe you need to lose an arm or leg." I grinned causing him to falter for a moment before he let out a laugh.

"Wow, you really…" He trailed off as his eyes accessed me for a moment, "What are your plans? Poly-titanium alloy with a control chip, to mimic movement?"

I let out a pained noise, "Pricy, but doable, but fuck it's going to be a pain… I'm… was left-handed." I shrugged my shoulders, "Still why stop at making just a replacement." In for a penny, in for a pound. I was taking this well, but that's probably because of the dope running through my system. This is some good shit.

Chuckling to himself, he leaned forward, and I could see the spark in his eyes, something that I wished I could capture for myself, but call it Stark pride or just anger at my own stupidity, but I wanted to do it myself, but it was Tony Stark, even stupid pride had to take a backseat when it came to getting help from someone like him.

"I could help, money wouldn't be an issue."

"I'm set for money. I'm not old money like you, and pops may act like we're broke but, we're not hurting for money, I'm just cheap." I shrugged unashamed.

He let out a snort, but there was a strange look on his face, was that guilt?

"But if I draw up plans, I wouldn't mind you taking a third look at them."

"Third look?" He leaned back with an amused look on his face.

I motioned to myself, "Measure twice, cut once."

"Fortune cookie wisdom."

I let out a scoff, "Tell me I'm wrong," He opened his mouth, but I cut him off, "and mean it."

Tony shook his head with a wry chuckle.

"Tony Stark stumped." A woman said as she stood at the door next to Pops, "And hell must been frozen over now."

"Hilarious." He groaned as he sat up, allowing Pop to walk over to me, a furious look on his face. The tension coming from the man was clear as day, so Tony and I'm assuming Pepper decided to make moves.

"Ather it was good…" He let out a wince as pops looked his way, the angry expression seemed to gain some heat at her poorly chosen word, "I mean… I'll… I've got this trip, a weapon demo," My blood froze in my veins, "top secret and all that noise, but, when I'm done, do you want to…"

"Tony," I swallowed thickly.

Junction approaching

Maybe I could turn Tony into the man he'd become without him becoming Iron Man, but fuck, the world needed Iron Man…

"When you're back, let's meet up, and maybe hash out an improvement to whatever half-baked thing I create."

"You don't give yourself enough credit brat," Pops grumbled to himself.

Tony's eyes flickered to pops for a moment before he turned his focus on me, a small smile on his face as he nodded, "I'd like that Ather. See you around kid," He then winced, "And good luck."

"I'll need it," I said flat as Pops looked like he was holding himself back from throttling me.

"Mr Angi." Pepper said with a nod, "Ather."

"Miss Potts," Pops said with what most could assume was a soft and polite dismissal.

I gave them one last wave and gave the old man my full attention, and I sent thanks to whatever deity that was listening that he didn't have his old man slippers with him. I don't know what is worse getting whacked by 'em or the smell.

"What the fuck were you thinkin' boy?" He spat and with the vein throbbing in his head, I could tell he was relatively calm now, good, he really needed to watch his blood pressure, ordinarily, his brown-tanned skin would've turned crimson red if he was truly angry.

"Love you too Pops," I said easily enough.

His scowl bled away for a moment as he looked away, his large wrinkled hand gripped my right arm, as he let out a long breath, "You never listened to me when I told you to stop growing older than 5," I let out snort at the memory of him pleading with child me to stay as exactly that, "but you sure as better listen to me now, you better to live to two-hundred, no three-hundred years after I'm gone because if you don't I'll make your afterlife hell."

"I don't believe in the afterlife pops but sure I promise."

He deflated in the chair beside my bed, "You're such a pain, Ather."

"You wouldn't have me any other way."

He failed to cover the wry grin on his face, "I wish you weren't a pain."


Medical care in San Fransokyo was beyond anything in my past life, and cheap he may be for regarding himself, pops happily paid to the gills to make sure I was well cared for, hells he even reluctantly told me that Tony even offered to pay for the best when he found out about what happened to me.

Not quite sure how he found out, but if I had to guess, with the fire making the news, the Cursed Stark made headlines during the slow news day.

To get back to my point, what would've taken months of hospital care, was done in the three-week period.

I mean the docs were still angling for me to stick around, but I had the all-clear as long as I kept up with the physiotherapy assigned to me. My gym gains are fucked nonetheless, but even with the dopamine worn off I was still keeping a positive look on it. Sucked beyond belief sure, but I knew how to remedy it, and I sure as hell had the means for it.

"Sup." I greeted the younger boy without looking up from my workstation as he stepped into the lab.

All of the gang had visited me in the hospital, hells even some of the other students I hardly interacted with had also, even Hiro, yet not the older Hamada.

He was avoiding me, so that's why I told the gang to not tell him I was going to be in SFIT today, "Tadashi if you back out of here now, I will chase you and kick your arse." I looked up and met his eyes, he winced.

Some burns that looked like they were being treated already licked his face, I'm guessing Baymax was being used as an opportunity presented to him.

"I may have lost my southpaw, but I would still put money on me." Cocking my head to the side I gave him a wry grin, "Wouldn't you?"

He swallowed thickly and stepped forward towards me, he looked like he was steeling himself, wait, was he actually excepting a fight?

"I'm sorr-"

I slugged him in the gut, knocking the wind out of his breath.

"There, we good now?" I huffed out, "Because if I hear some sappy chick-flick apology for something that isn't your fault, I'll thump you again."

He stood up straight when he got his bearings back, "Maybe I should." He said with a testy voice.

"Eat a dick Tadashi," I said as I slammed my laptop lid shut, "did you cause the fire? No. Can I fault you for rushing in to save a life? Fuck no, because even as much as I want to give your gangly arse a lecture about doing something so boneheaded, I pretty much did the same thing." I motioned to the light burns on his face.

I fucked up and it was on me, but I couldn't, wouldn't admit it, but I sure as hell wasn't going to let this dumb-arse blame himself.

"You lost an arm!" He spat with fury, "You lost-"

"It's a setback, dip shit," I groaned out, "It's almost as if I have the means to replace it," I then walked over to Honey Lemon's workstation and rifled through her notes, chem being her forte, and English being her second language of six, I couldn't make heads or tail of her work but the drawn arm was a clear indicator what it was angling at.

Same with Go-Go.

Same with Wasabi.

Hell's Fred's stack of comics was looking mighty cyborgy at the moment.

"Even if I didn't, I have the dopest friends a guy could ask for." Walking back and sitting on the desk of my workstation I then motioned at him, "Though I thought I had one more." Dick move, to guilt him like that but I cared about results.

Seemed like he agreed, "Dick move." He sighed as he stared at the ground.

"Hey, I'm fighting with a handicap." I grinned.

He looked up and my smile widened at the hint of anger, "You suck." And even still he let out a short and unsure laugh.

I reached as I stood up straight and pulled off his cap and even ruffled his hair, "Dah, stop it."

A stifled laugh could be heard outside of the lab, and it seemed the eavesdroppers finally made enough noise for us to acknowledge them, "You can come in now."

The gang shuffled in with their tails tucked in, "Sorry." Honey said with a guilty voice as Hiro was the only one who seemed amused, can't have that now, can we?

"Thanks for the heads up, Hiro." The youngest boy's face turned to dread when his brother sent him a look with a sinister smirk on his face.

Whatever joy or amusement I was feeling as the familiar ping echoed out in my ears.

Junction chosen; Tony has been taken

I turned back to my workstation, logged back into my laptop and sent out the prompt for my industrial 3D printer to etch out my designs.

Time to get to work.


Name: Ather 'Stark' Agni

Age: 20

Race: Human

S:5 . P:4 . E:7 . C:10 . I:8 . A:6 . L:1

Title: Dunce {Self-imposed} – [Offers no boost or increase of any kind, but it's there and unlocked due to self-hatred.]

Perks Unlocked:

{Key: '*' Perks related to stat choices}

Shielded mind – [The sounds of crickets will chirp if a telepath tried to access your mind.]

Invisible to the naked third-eye – [Cannot be tracked through magical means]

*Honka-Honka – [Times x3 success rate with the desired conquest]

*House always wins – [Ironically, you'd have better chances of winning the lottery than games of chance]

Gym-Rat – [Muscle degradation is a much slower process for you.]

Karate Kid – [You pick hand to hand combat faster than most]

Is there such a thing as 2 left hands? – [Armed combat will never be your forte.]


A/N - Published - 2024/05/24

Do I ever learn my lesson? Nope... new story. I really do try and continue what I've already written and then get side-tracked like me playing an RPG. (Sidequests galore.)