AN: My other story isn't dead, but I am taking a break from it. I work retail, and a bunch of people quit at work at the same time, and since I like money I've been volunteering for more hours now that they are available. As a result, my free time has been nonexistent the past few weeks. The manager who would normally hire new people also quit, so it took a while for everything to settle down but it's finally reached that point. Writer's block also decided to kick me in the ass whenever I went to write more Chained Dragon, so it'll probably be a bit before I manage to put out a chapter of that.

So, what's this? This is a story with no plan at all, being written purely for my own enjoyment. Yet another Self-Insert of myself, except this time instead of Jumpchain? The Celestial Grimoire, in the Destiny universe.

I stare up at the celestial sphere hovering above me, its form casting an ethereal glow over the bustling streets of the Last City. People pass by, their faces set in expressions of everyday life, oblivious to the spectacle in the sky. Why should they care? This is something they've witnessed every day of their lives.

I glance around, noting the few refugees like myself, eyes wide with wonder, and I realize that the locals have probably grown used to it. They barely spare a glance at me, just another newcomer gawking at the Traveler, lost in the vibrant chaos of the Last City.

"Guess God-Me was telling the truth after all," I mutter, excitement tinging my voice.

God-Me, as I like to call him, is a functionally omnipotent alternate version of myself who woke up one day and decided he needed subordinates. 'You know who'd make a good subordinate? Me!' He probably thought. And why wouldn't he? Gaining actual cosmic power and the ability to traverse worlds previously confined to fiction is quite the incentive to agree to work under him in the far future. When he extended that offer, every one of us leaped at the chance.

I recall the conversation I had with him, my mind drifting back to the revelations he shared. Each version of me, while fundamentally similar, led different enough lives, each shaping our individual mindsets and goals. Can't say I was surprised to learn there's a sociopathic version of me out there.

It's almost laughable that the only way I could escape my mundane existence is through multiversal nepotism. Or is it narcissism? Whatever the case, there are more pressing matters at hand. Like figuring out my own abilities!

We all received unique powers before being launched into our own little isekai adventures. I know for a fact that one lucky bastard got a freaking Jumpchain! But me? I'm left in the dark.

What kind of power did I receive? A Ghost? No, probably not. That would be too predictable, too typical. If it were something so standard, I figure it would have revealed itself by now. Whatever my power is, it has to be extraordinary, capable of holding its own against the heavy hitters of this universe.

Time-manipulating robotic hiveminds, reality-bending gods who refuse to die permanently unless in their own pocket dimensions, and a galactic empire with a starship capable of forcing a star into supernova. And none of those threats even come close to the power of The Witness.

… Why did I want to come to the Destiny universe again? Right, because it's the one universe I know like the back of my hand. I didn't know if I'd ever visit another reality, so I figured I might as well pick one I understood well.

Suddenly, a flicker catches my attention, a shimmer at the edge of my vision. I turn sharply, half-expecting to see a Guardian screwing around with their Light. Instead, it's just a street performer juggling glowing orbs, a display that feels oddly reminiscent of an emote from the game.

I chuckle softly, watching the orbs dance through the air. It's a momentary distraction, but as I return my gaze to the Traveler, I focus on the details. I can roughly determine where I am in the timeline based on its physical appearance and the lack of aliens roaming the streets.

Definitely after the Red War, but beyond that, I can't pinpoint anything specific. I'll need to gather intel from the local news and see what's been happening in the Last City.

I step away from the crowd, seeking a quieter place to think. I find a bench beneath the shade of a nearby tree, where I can still see the Traveler overhead. I sit down, before attempting to meditate.

Alright power. Reveal yourself.

… Please?

As if waiting for me to ask nicely, I feel my very soul lurch as it reaches out, grasping for… something.

{+100 points! Rolling…

Lore - Sorcerer Savant - Young Justice (300 points)

Roll Failed. Current stockpile: 100 Points.}

A massive grin spreads across my face despite the failed roll, and I have to stifle a cackle bubbling up inside me. The few people nearby glance my way, and one edges away, clearly unsettled by my sudden display of excitement.

I got the Celestial Grimoire.

Sending a quick, silent prayer of thanks to God-Me, not that he needs it, I take a deep breath and focus.

Alright, what do I know?

The Celestial Grimoire, boiled down to the absolute basics, is basically a multiversal gacha focused on magic. What kind of magic? Every kind.

I remember it being a tool for writing fanfiction, so the thought strikes me; 'I'm probably the protagonist in someone's shitty fanfiction.'

… It's an infinite Omniverse, after all. Someone has to be writing about me somewhere.

But what does that mean for me in practical terms?

The more interesting whatever I'm doing is, the more often I'll gain rolls. There goes any plan to hide away and grow more powerful without putting myself in danger. Not that I really wanted to avoid the plot. What's the point of overwhelming cosmic power if I don't use it?

So, I have my powers. Technically, I may not have anything just yet, but RNG willing, I'll be casting actual magic soon enough.

I shift my thoughts to my immediate goals. First, I need to figure out where I am in the Destiny timeline and how much of my metaknowledge I can leverage before it becomes irrelevant.

Good news: I've been eavesdropping for a few hours, and I know exactly when I am.

Bad news? Cayde-6 is dead.

That stings, because literally the first thought any self-respecting Destiny nerd would have upon being inserted into this universe is: How can I save the funny robot space cowboy?

Okay, maybe not in those exact words, but Cayde-6 is one of the most likable Guardians to ever exist. Sure, he comes back in the last DLC thanks to some Wish Dragon shenanigans, but he sacrifices himself after the final battle to revive the player character's Ghost. Apparently, being ripped from the afterlife isn't a pleasant experience for him, so I probably won't be able to revive him with any magic I might acquire. The man deserves to rest in peace.

According to the chatter I've overheard, Shadowkeep hasn't happened yet, which means we're in a lull between major events in the universe. I'm in a unique position, but I need more information.

Eavesdropping has only revealed so much, and I still don't know who has taken the place of the player character in this universe. I can't just stroll over to the market and buy a datapad to browse the Citynet; I'm broke and, honestly, kind of hungry.

"I should probably choose a name for myself. Something suitable for a wizard of my future caliber." Don't want to be just another Miles after all.

I take a few moments to think, before settling on my new name.

"Mavriel." Rolls off the tongue quite well, and sounds suitably mystical for something I came up with on the spot.

Now, I need some food. I don't fancy my chances of stealing something without getting caught, so I'll have to go with a tried and true method that dates back to the early days of humanity in this universe.

Dumpster Diving.

So there I am, neck deep in some vaguely Korean looking restaurant's dumpster, desperately trying to find something edible. Turns out, people in this universe don't tend to throw out leftovers. Who would have guessed?

"What are you doing?" A female voice asks. Slightly distorted, as if through a radio.

I pause in my edible archaeology. None of the civilians I'd seen eying me had bothered to approach me, each giving me the odd look you'd expect a guy digging through trash to get.

I pull my head up until I can clear the edge and take stock of the voice's owner.

Polygonal in a vague plus shape, maybe slightly bigger than a fist. Some sort of whitish metal that seems to move in time with her words, and a single glowing eye.

'So that's what a Ghost looks like in real life.' I note.

"Dumpster Diving." I respond, before moving to continue.

The Ghost tilts sideways slightly, almost like a person would tilt their head in confusion. "Why?"

"I'm hungry and I don't have any Glimmer, so I'm scrounging for something edible." I answer, continuing my search.

I'm startled by the unnamed Ghost emitting a brief pulse of energy, the wave of what I recognize as its scanning ability washing over both me and the dumpster.

"Half a meter to the right of your right hand." The Ghost helpfully notes, and I'm quick to grab up the plastic container. Opening it nets me some form of meat on a stick, cold and half eaten.

I immediately chomp down on the rest, devouring it in seconds. "Thanks." I mutter, discarding the leftover trash and hopping out of the dumpster. "So, is there something I can help you with?"

"Are you a time traveler?" The little flying magic robot asks me.

What the hell kind of question is that?

"I'm… going to need a little clarification. What, exactly, makes you ask that?" I cautiously ask.

"4 hours, 23 minutes and 7 seconds ago, you spontaneously appeared in my line of vision and proceeded to act unusually until now. In addition, you are genetically closer to pre-Golden Age humanity than modern humanity in any of its forms." The Ghost says, no trace of hostility in its tone. Just curiosity.

I vaguely remember something about human lifespan tripling in the Golden Age, and now that I'm thinking about it it's obvious genetic engineering of some kind happened, probably using the Light to shortcut a lot of the normal difficulties.

She probably got my genetics during the dumpster scan.

"... Technically, I'm from the twenty-first century, but probably not this universe's twenty-first century. From what I gather, things diverged a bit from my world's history when the Traveler arrived." I answer.

Once more, my soul lurches, reaching out to something vast and incomprehensibly familiar. Unlike last time however, this time my soul's metaphorical grip feels strong enough that if I wanted, I could keep what it's grabbed.

{+100 points! Rolling…

Lore - Thought Acceleration- Tsukihime (200 points)

Roll Success. Current stockpile: 200 Points.

Purchase Thought Acceleration?}

Thought Acceleration

Even a human brain operating at peak capacity has its limits - it is, after all, what amounts to biological hardware with set what if those limitations could be surpassed? You are able to accelerate your thought processes to twice their normal speed, letting you quickly multitask and react faster than body and nervous system would normally allow, running calculations and strategies in a blink rather than a minute. In time, you could even accelerate this to three, or four or more times in speed. However, much like overclocking a computer, this is a stressful technique that is exhausting,and if overused, can burn your brain out like an overheated engine. Practice and careful moderation may let you overcome this, but for now, be cautious in how you use this.

I feel as if I could reject the Perk my ability has latched onto, but why would I? This is the first real magic I have had the chance to get, and its from the fucking Nasuverse.

Yoink.

I can feel the strength of my metaphorical grip plummet with the expenditure of points.

Where before I was a normal man, I can now feel the mental switch in my body, waiting for me to activate it and funnel prana from the magic circuits that came along for the ride (4 circuits of middling quality, not great but better than nothing) into my only mystical ability. Since I'm not an idiot, I don't immediately begin experimenting with an ability that could kill me if I use it wrong.

Fortunately, the Ghost in front of me isn't actively scanning me, so she doesn't notice my acquisition of actual fucking magic. Instead, she seems to be contemplating what I've just told her.

"An alternate universe without the Traveler? No, probably a result of a Vex simulation..." She mutters to herself, her single glowing eye gazing off at the dumpster as she loses herself in thought.

"...Right, well, thanks for the help finding food, little light. See ya." I turn and power walk out of the alley, merging into the crowded street. Gotta find somewhere to test my new ability out.

I giggle like a school kid, toggling my new magic on and off. It's exhilarating. Thought acceleration, the technique I had latched onto, isn't particularly taxing in terms of magical cost, since the dudes it's generally used by, the Atlas Alchemists of the Nasuverse, generally have fuck all potential when it comes to magic circuits. Even Shiro Emiya has most of them beat when it comes to magical energy…

Like the Perk description said, two times acceleration is my limit for now; beyond that, a vicious headache greets me. But I could already feel it; this was a skill issue, not a fundamental flaw. If I want to see the world in even slower slow-mo, I need to practice.

"T-h-e-r-e y-o-u a-r-e!" The same Ghost from earlier drifts into view, her voice drawn out and almost melodious as it intersects with my altered perception of time.

I drop the spell, allowing my perception to realign with the world around me. "Here I am. Wazzup?"

Her polyhedral shell twists into what I can only describe as a pout, and I have to stifle a laugh. "You left me behind, without explaining anything!"

"And? I don't know you. I don't go around spilling my personal secrets to random magic robots, y'know." I lean back, arms crossed, amused.

She rears back as if offended. "Random magic robots? I'm a Ghost! I'm better than any other magic robot out there!"

I shrug, enjoying myself far too much. "Nah, that can't be right. I've been here for less than a day, but even I know real Ghosts have a partner Guardian. Clearly, you're the off-brand version. A Spectre, maybe even… a Ghoul." I wiggled my fingers theatrically. "OoOoO~"

The Ghost freezes, her shell quivering as she glares at me. "... You're messing with me, aren't you?"

I drop my hands and grin. "Yep. I'm bored, and bugging you is fun."

She lets out a sigh that reverberates through her frame. "Who are you?"

"My name? Mavriel. Future greatest wizard in the universe." I give her a respectful nod. Well, as respectful as I can when I'm lazily lounging on a park bench.

"Don't you mean a Warlock? You don't look anywhere near chitinous enough to be Hive." She replied, her confusion evident.

"Nah, I'm not one of those posers. I'm gonna be a real Wizard, like Gandalf… or Dumbledore." I declare, puffing my chest out.

"... Who?"

I sag, almost teary-eyed. No one will ever understand my references in this universe.

"God-Me giveth, and God-Me taketh away…" I mutter, utterly defeated.

"... Oh, I get it now. You're an idiot." She says in realization.

I shoot her a halfhearted glare. "Hey! I'll have you know I'm quite smart where I came from. I went to college!"

She gives another sigh. "You flunked out, I assume."

I give her an exaggeratedly wary look. "Are you… psychic? As expected of a Specter!"

In frustration, she rushes forward and bonks me on the head.

"Ow! Someone help, a Poltergeist is assaulting me!" I laugh, rubbing my head.

"Stop it with the names!" She whines, hovering indignantly. "You're infuriating!"

I chuckle. "That's the point! I'm here to learn magic and have fun. Besides, real wizards are always at least as infuriating as they are powerful."

Something in her 'body language' shifts, her interest piqued despite her clear disbelief in my claim. "And what will you do with that power?"

"Change the world, I guess. Maybe help people? Have some epic adventures?" I reply.

Her glowing eye narrows. "You really believe you can do that?"

"Why not?" I shrug. "It's either that or just sit around and waste away. Scan me again."

She looks at me in confusion, but after a moment she scans me. "I don't see why- wait, a pseudo nervous system? That wasn't there earlier. And that energy… it's not Light."

"That, my dear, are my Magic Circuits. With those nifty little things, I can do all sorts of things… like accelerate my thoughts by a factor of 2. More, if I practice." I activate the ability for a moment, my circuits subtly heating up my body as she continues scanning me.

"... Why are you telling me all this?"

Loneliness. "Dead men tell no tales. Therefore, a Specter like you won't be able to tell anyone!"

"..." Speechless. I suppose not every joke can be a winner.

My soul lurches once more, and this time the grip catches easily.

{+100 points! Rolling…

Source - Vision - Genshin Impact (free)

Roll Success. Current stockpile: 100 Points.

Purchase Vision?}

Vision

To be able to use the magic of this world, most need a Vision. This is a seemingly indestructible gem, a gift from the gods themselves. The Vision, or gods eye, appears like a coloured glass orb. It allows those it is gifted to to wield the elemental power of the god that granted it. It is only gained by those who have gained recognition of the Gods by their deeds or resolve. What is known only to the gods though is that every wielder of a Vision is one who can attain godhood and ascend to Celestia. Be careful though, your Vision can be taken from you or otherwise stolen, preventing you from using its power.

Yoink. A red gem manifests in my pocket.

I had the option of each element, but you can never go wrong with fire. Besides, if fire isn't doing the trick? You're clearly not using enough of it.

I reach out for the Pyro energy, snapping my fingers and summoning a small flame above my thumb, like a lighter.

The Ghost stares. I stare back.

"How?" She asks, completely bewildered.

"Magic. Duh." I respond.

She hits me (again). I laugh (again).

CHAPTER 1 END

AN: Mavriel gets 100 points and a roll whenever I feel like. Right now I'm going with the standard roll every 1000ish words, but I might change it in the future.

Also, wtf are these rolls? I wrote this chapter after spending five minutes rolling random shitty perks on the document, but the moment I need to roll a perk for the story Mavriel gains the blessing of fucking RNGesus. This must be that fabled 'Streamer luck'.