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Published:
2024-05-09
Updated:
2025-06-10
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432,646
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179/?
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A daring synthesis

Summary:

Growing up is painful, it brings on many changes

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: Fuck that gay wizard shit 1.1

Chapter Text

Running away from girls and your problems: A Greg Story prologue

I had always known I was special, a being beyond all others. That one day I would awaken. Not that I wasn't already woke af, mind you, it was just that I had now ascended.

"You may lefer to me as Dr. Wu."

Dauntless cringed into his armour for some reason.

"May I ask why you have come to my juggering pavirion," I swept my throwing knives into the air and juggled for a few seconds.

Your DEX has increased by 1!

Shit! I nearly dropped my knives when the popup box sprang into view, but me being awesome me I managed to vanish all my knives into my inventory as they fell, which I knew looked super trippy from the outside.

"Just…" Dauntless smiled. "Bein' neighbourly. New cape on the block, y'know, I wanna make sure you know the Protectorate has your back if you want."

"Domo arigato," I inclined my head. "But it appears I will be doing just fine."

Dauntless coughed, "That so? Well, give it a think eh? Kid like you might find some trouble from the, er, ABB. The gangs know not to go after Wards though so-

"I am, of course," my voice cracked as I cut him off. "Eighteen."

"Oh, um, really?" he replied skeptically, scanning me.

"Yep," I replied in moderately fluent Japanese, pointing at him with one hand. "And there's nothing you can do to prove otherwise."

He started slightly, "Beg pardon? I'm sorry, I can't speak Japanese."

I smiled, the expression hidden behind my mask. Yeah, I was so fuckin' slick.

"I merery wanted to get your autoglaph, Dauntress-san. I am very big fan."

Dauntless laughed and shuffled a step back, "Hey uh, yeah, I'd love to but I don't have a pen."

I clicked, extracting a pen from my inventory.

I saw his eyebrows crease behind his Centurion helmet. "Y'got paper in there?"

I had post-it notes. Another click. He hastily scrawled his name and made to leave but I pointed at a bucket filled with various coins and notes.

"Donations, prease."

He fidgeted a bit and threw in a measly buck. Man, fuck you Dauntless you fuckin' cheapskate.

Quest 'Get dat green, son!'
Money collected: 57/100

I dismissed the popup.

I had no words to describe this bullshit. Being a Hero was dangerous, being a Villain was deadly but being a Rogue? Being a Rogue was fucking tedious. Of course, I expected no less from the government, an entity whose sole purpose was to keep everyone chained into endless pseudo-slavery and kept in line with bread and circuses. Like, for fuck's sake, it was so much effort to start up a business as a Parahuman you may as well just do it illegally as a vigilante.

The problem was, I wasn't not going to use my powers to be the ultimate ninja warrior, but I also didn't want to get merced by any one of the two dozen insane fucktard villains in this shithole city because I accidentally scuffed their new NIKE's or something; so I needed lawyers and accountants and shit.

And I needed money to get all that started anyway, which I didn't have, no thanks to Dauntless.

An hour or two came and went, mostly with me sitting down and pretending to meditate in the shade of my beach umbrella until enough people gathered around and I would juggle a bit and blow some smoke.

Quest 'Get dat green, son!' completed!
Money collected: 147/100
Gained: 100xp

"Hello there."

My eyes snapped open and I sprang to my feet, coming face to face with a girl. Blonde, cute, green eyes; just my type!

"Herro~" I Observed her. Sarah Livsey, Inference Engine; very nice. Age sixteen, hates parents, brother necked himself, a teenage runaway, Tattletale and Undersider, works for Coil. Ah, I see. "Gorgeous!" I continued, hurriedly sweeping my cash, cash bucket and umbrella into my inventory. "I have to reave for raisons!"

New Quest! 'Flee you fool!'!
Get the fuck out of here, Tattletale is on your tail and you need to ditch her. Get to safety!
Rewards: 100xp
Failure: ???

She suddenly got this deer in the headlights look of shock and I bolted up the Boardwalk as fast as I could.

"Wait! Stop!" I heard her call after me.

I turned to see her waddling as fast as she could, laden down with a dozen shopping bags. I whimpered and sped up. Fucking fuck! Coil?! I didn't expect any of them to be onto me so soon. They feared me, I knew.

You have gained the skill 'Running'!

Feared my potential.

But how did he know?

I barely made it to the main street through the tearing stitch in my side. I heard my VIT go up as I staggered up the pavement trying to hail a taxi. Christ, that was only a half mile run; 19 INT but only 5 VIT, the perils of min-maxing.

I gasped out my destination to the cabbie then used my power to instantly equip a different disguise.

I slowed my breathing, I knew this day would come. That I would be hunted. But so soon? I had to go underground, lose this heat. The taxi pulled over, I was here. I handed the guy the correct change and kicked the door open.

"What the fuck, kid?" he spluttered as I strode away with great purpose. "You little shit."

But I had no time for his problems, my destiny awaited.