Chapter 197 - My SI Stash #97 - Adversary by QAI521 (PreWorm) (1/2)

-A SI in Worm with some sort of All For One power~ Prepare for the badassery vibes!

Sypnosis: An (OC) self-insert ends up in Worm and decides that he wants to try and make the world a better place by solving (in his mind) the greatest issue first.

Rated: ???

Words: 30K

Posted on: forums.spacebattles.com/threads/adversary-oc-si.798962/#post-62290517 (QAI521)

PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)

-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)

Chapter 1-2 (exceptional)

So, another self-insert ends up in Worm.

How long before they try to befriend Tayl...

...what's this?

No Taylor? No Brockton Bay? Pre-Canon? What wizardry is this?!

So yeah, an (OC) self-insert ends up in Worm and decides that he wants to try and make the world a better place by solving (in his mind) the greatest issue first.

Technically also a crossover power as well, but given that's the only aspect from the other setting, knowing about it isn't necessary.

Linda had never expected much from working in a restaurant.

Sure, the tips were helpful and all, but there was never any real hope of upward mobility. What she did today would be what she would do for the rest of her time working here. She would always be waiting the tables, dealing with the angry customers, and get yelled at by the boss when it was all said and done.

That knowledge had weighed down on her for years, ever since she had dropped out of college. It made it difficult to not resent that in some ways, acknowledging that this would be the epitome of her career. To be nothing more than a smiling mouth on a pair of legs that carried food back and forth to ungrateful customers.

That anger burned in the back of her mind every day.

Though now?

Now she knew that if she lived through the day, she would never complain about work ever again.

”'Tis not often that I get to enjoy parley such as this.”

While she wasn't obsessed with capes like some of her coworkers were, she had seen enough warnings on the television to recognize the woman before her. Her shimmering green cloak and shawl were admittedly beautiful, complementing her child-like features. Emerald green eyes popped out in comparison to her nearly inhuman paleness, as though she was a living doll, trapped forever in a single moment.

Though what drew her eyes the most were the shadowy figures that flickered around her. Some of them looked normal enough, while others looked inhuman with exaggerated features. Her heart pounded against her c_h_e_s_t as one slid past her, a cold chill passing down her spine. The young blonde let the fear wash over her, holding back the whimper that rose up in her throat.

”Really? I would have thought other organizations would have tripped themselves over their feet to have your power added to their forces.”

Linda didn't recognize the other cape, but given that he was speaking to the Fairy Queen on equal terms, he was clearly powerful. Power oozed off his body as easily as one might breathe, the sheer weight of his presence pushing down any thought of rebellion against his directives. A suit that probably cost more money than she had ever possessed clung to his form, shoes so shiny she could have seen her own reflection in them cl_i_c_k_i_n_g against the ground.

The only thing out of place (or perhaps not, given the circ_u_mstances) was the heavily armored helm that covered his head. It vaguely reminded her of Darth Vader's iconic mask, though somehow far more inhuman. It was off-putting, staring down an expressionless face while he chatted on in a pleasant tone, as though this was just an ordinary day trip.

”There have been attempts in the past,” The Fairy Queen acquiesced as she calmly cut a slice of her steak. Linda wasn't religious, but she prayed with every ounce of her being to anyone that was listening up there that Carter had made the best damn dishes that he ever had before.

She did not want to die because two crazed parahumans had a problem with their food.

”But so often they seek to turn me subservient – as though a Queen would lower herself to be commanded by such rabble,” the girl snorted, her strangely echoing voice tittering with amus_e_m_e_nt. A low chuckle filtered through the man's mask, lacking anything relatable to humanity. It was as though someone had tried to teach a robot how to laugh and had spectacularly failed.

”Yes, I've had similar experiences. Too often, I've been approached by fools that think because they've had power amongst the powerless, that means they'll never be threatened by anything again. Of course, I correct them of this notion rather quickly, but it does get stale after some time,” the man mused as he took a sip of his drink, the cold liquid spilling through a small slit in his helm. ”I can only assume that you put such rabble in their place?”

The Fairly Queen giggled, and what should have been a sweet and innocent sound turned her spine to jelly. A startled squeak escaped her lips as another shadow materialized next to her, its ethereal form far too close for comfort. ”I had such p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e adding them to my collection. Their time on the stage may have been cut short, but they still have their parts to play through me. Though as much as I enjoy this conversation Collector, I believe that we have businesses to get to. After all, is that not why you sought to meet me here?”

”I do, but before we get to that, I would be remiss as a host to not see to your needs. Are you enjoying the food? This restaurant is a bit out of the way, but they had good reviews for visiting tourists – I thought it might be a quaint little place for a business meeting,” the man – Collector she had called him, said with a casual wave of his hand.

”Yes, I did find it enjoyable. The food the mortals cooked was quite delicious.” Linda felt a cold sweat break out across her forehead as the Fairy Queen's gaze swung towards her. There was an emptiness about those eyes that curdled her blood. ”Please do give the chef my regards.”

”I-I'll be sure to let him know,” She managed to get out with a weak smile. ”I-is there anything else I could get for you? Dessert, perhaps?”

It felt wrong to offer such a staple and bland response to one of the great parahuman murderers of the decade, but it was what she knew. Linda clung to the familiarity with everything she had, using it to anchor herself, so she wasn't reduced to a gibbering wreck. The Collector made a show of pulling the dessert menu from its stand, giving it a once over before passing it to his companion.

”Is your Chocolate Lava Cake any good?”

”Y-yes, that's one of our best sellers,” she offered, her already weak smile turning brittle. The longer they put on this show, the longer she would be stuck here and the higher chance that they would kill her in a fit of fury. But in the end, she supposed it was best to keep them happy, so they didn't do that and treat them like any other customer as they had ordered her too.

Her gaze flickered towards a bloodstained wall.

A lesson her boss hadn't learned.

Her stomach twisted at the memory of bones shattering, and flesh pulping as a crackling red sphere of energy consumed the dower and spiteful man. It had been so casual, how they killed him, as though he had been a fly buzzing in their faces.

”It does look delicious,” Collector offered with a slight nod. The surrealness of a parahuman criminal completing this 'hole in the wall' restaurant's food wasn't lost on her. But Linda beat those stray thoughts down and focused on her task at hand. ”But I am trying to watch my weight these days. I don't suppose you'd be willing to split it with me?”

”Yes, that would be an acceptable course of action. I enjoy the odd sweet or two and well, though as they say – moderation is key,” The Fairy Queen offered with a smile.

”I-I'll get the kitchen right on it,” Linda said, only barely managing to keep herself from bursting out into a full sprint. Their words turned into murmurs as she passed through the door that separated the dining room from the kitchen, her heart pounding against her c_h_e_s_t as she did so. There was a certain level of relief of not being in the same room with them, though the threat of death still lingered in the back of her mind.

”D-did they l-like it?”

Linda grimaced as the whole of the kitchen staff, turned towards her, pale expressions marred with the slightest traces of hope. Men and women, some of which she liked, paused and stared, waiting for the response that would mean their doom or salvation.

”Yes.” Linda felt terrible about what she was about to say as the tension in the room dissipated, tears of relief running down the eyes of more than one staffer. In a way, she was almost jealous of them, being granted a single instance of relief in the face of certain death.

But she knew they weren't done yet.

”They want dessert.”

Just like that, the cloying weight of fear returned.

The nascent hope scattered just as quickly as it had gathered, one of her coworkers stumbling to the ground in shock. Others looked little better, tears of relief replaced by terror and misery. But they moved back to their workstations as she gave off the order, and the dessert was prepared as it always had been – if with a little more trembling.

Lava Cake in hand, Linda steeled herself.

The door swung open as she pressed against it, the pervasive fear that had slunk away while she had been in the back rising once more. Part of her wondered if it was part of one of their powers, to make the people around them afraid, or if they were just that terrifying. Books she had read always seemed to describe an 'atmosphere of fear,' but she had never truly understood what that felt like.

Not until now.

”—to dethrone the high priest of a god,” was the snippet of conversation she caught from the Fairy Queen's multifaceted voice as she pulled herself into the dining room. She still possessed that child-like wrongness that made her so terrifying to speak to, but there was a hint of something else under there. Her usually placid expression was marred by the furrowing of her brows, as though she was concerned with whatever Collector had said.

The man's shoulders shifted as though he was about to say something but stopped short as she pulled up next to their table. A wave of cold fear washed over the young woman as their attention centered back on her. She couldn't help but feel as though she were a rat being eyed by a pair of serpents, wondering if she was worth killing. ”Y-your dessert.”

”Ah, of course!” Collector answered what she supposed was supposed to be a cheerful tone.

It sounded horrifying.

”As I was saying,” Collector said as he cut off his half of the cake, gently sliding it over to his companion without so much as touching it. Linda held her breath as they started to pick at their food with dainty bites.

In the dark corners of her mind, she chanted. You just need to get through dessert.

”I have no doubt that it will be a difficult goal to reach. But important things rarely are, and what would life be if we didn't challenge ourselves every now and then?” Collector asked with a small shrug. Linda shivered as his tone grew darker, fiercer, and it was as though all the life was being s_u_c_k_e_d out around her. ”Besides, you and I know what their meddling has unleashed upon this world. What it will unleash.”

”…it is true that they have sowed chaos upon the stage and touched powers beyond the ken of mortals. But you have not explained what you wish of me; otherwise, you would not have called their parley. Your goal may be ambitious, but fighting against the high priest is not an ambition of mine,” Fairy Queen warned, and Linda couldn't help but wonder if she was about to watch a superpowered brawl.

That would be so cool if it didn't kill me.

”It is not my intention to call you to battle against him. Besides, I would be a fool to challenge him now, not while there is still so much to do. He might be the end goal, but there are so many more stepping stones I must take on that path,” Collector offered with an easy shrug, seemingly unconcerned with his companion's dismissal of his goal – whatever it was.

Who goes around calling themselves a 'high priest' anyway?

”No – for now, I have a much easier target in mind.” Collector leaned forward, tense with energy, and it took Linda everything she had to not lean forward with him. Despite the threat of certain death, something was exhilarating about being witness to these proceedings. The one silver lining to this whole thing that could see her through to the end. ”A band of bandits and murderers. One whose leader has a penchant for speaking with powers.”

”I see.” There was a smile on the young teenager's face now, as though she had just been given a vat of ice cream and told to go wild. A youthful exuberance probably didn't mean anything good for those in their path. ”You wish to take his place, hear the words that he has? To understand the power of the Fae in a way that only one of us can? A noble sentiment, though it does not explain why you sought out my aid. They could easily fall to you as to me.”

”Call it precaution,” Collector said slowly, drawing the words out with a certain tenseness. ”I would be as much a fool as those who sought to bend you to their will to believe that I am undefeatable, invincible. The power of his mad dog, the one he keeps on his tight leash…it concerns me, the thought of facing that in battle.”

”One soul in exchange for eight others?”

”I wouldn't be opposed to taking more if you aren't interested in their powers, but yes, that arrangement would work for me.”

”Then we have an accord. Shall we take our leave?”

”Of course.”

Linda's breath hitched.

This was it.

Either they would walk out that door and leave her unmolested, or they would turn around and turn her into a smear against the wall. Her knees wobbled as the masked man turned towards her, his shielded gaze washing over her body. A single man who held the power of life and death against her and all her workmates.

It was terrifying on a level she couldn't comprehend.

”Would you mind bringing us our check?”

”W-what?” She couldn't help but ask. Linda could feel her thoughts screech to a halt, all the horrible things she had conjured in the dark corners of her imagination of what he might do to her vanishing in an instant against the sheer banality of his question. They had acted as though they were paying customers, but she never would have guessed in a million years that they would actually pay for their food. ”O-on the house.”

”You're too kind,” he said with what she was sure was a smug smile. It made her want to grit her teeth in anger, but she kept her smile as placid as she could. Her lips twitched once or twice, and for a moment she thought she heard the faintest of giggles. His hand reached into his suit, and a spasm of fear flashed through her legs.

I'm about to die…

”For your troubles,” he said as he set down a wad of bills at least as thick as her wrist. The terror that held her in place washed away at the sight of the money, what she could see as hundred-dollar bills gently resting on the table. From a mere glance, she could see that it was easily a few thousand dollars! ”Feel free to call the authorities once we leave, though I would recommend waiting ten minutes or so. You would hardly want this to turn into a firefight, now would you? It would likely get…messy.”

”N-no, sir,” she agreed with a vehement shake of her head.

What does it say that a supervillain is a bigger tipper than most regulars?

Linda kept her tongue firmly clamped down, and her breath held long after the two passed through the doors, waiting until they were far down the street before she finally released it. The young woman nearly collapsed to her knees as the tension fled for her all at once, tears of joy and relief freely flowing down her face as she wept.

It took ten minutes for the rest of the staff to gather the courage to check on her.

---

Chapter 2

From Nine to None

The tingling hadn't stopped.

Jack Slash kept his expression placid even as something akin to concern bubbled in the back of his mind. His instincts and intuition had gotten the Nine and himself (mostly himself) out of plenty of dangerous situations before. Even when he and his band of killers (his band, not King's – not anymore) were at their weakest, he knew that he could trust his instincts to guide him.

Which was why it was so irritating that he couldn't figure out what they were warning him about.

They had left the nearest town hours ago (where they had…liberated the RV they were currently using from their owners) and were in the middle of nowhere. The Protectorate didn't have much of a presence in the state yet. What few heroes did call this place their home tended to drift towards the main cities or isolated towns. Neither of those groups would be willing to spend the time and effort to track them down.

”Something wrong, Jacob?”

Jack twitched as Grey Boy leaned against the passenger seat. Screamer, the one who had chosen the short straw to drive, was far less controlled, leaning as far away from the monochrome looking boy as she could. Jack prided himself on being able to keep his group in line, but even by their standards, Grey Boy was unstable and powerful.

Ideally, those were good for Nine membership.

Not so much when the possibility existed that he might turn on them.

”Nothing to concern yourself with,” Jack said with a slick smile. He leaned back, letting his posture relax, demonstrating his lack of concern at the psychotic Shaker's presence. It was like staring down a hungry predator, they wouldn't attack if they thought they couldn't take you. ”I've just been finding these empty plains rather tedious. Perhaps we should spend on time on one of the coasts. It might be a refreshing change of pace. What do you think?”