Shiro's Sanctum

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.

Betad by Beans, Mike God of Lore, Malcolm Tent, Priapus, Marethyu, Old man of the mountain

The Guild of Gamers: The Blessed

Chapter 07: Widow

System Update: [Deathly Knowledge] has been replaced with [Memento Mori]

[Memento Mori]

You can absorb the memories of a corpse, gaining their knowledge and skills. You will rapidly experience their most important memories as you absorb them from their perspective. You also steal their form and are able to turn into them at will.

Washing the blood of the thug I sacrificed off my body, I blink at the notification. Memento Mori is noticeably stronger than Deathly Knowledge, but I have no idea what caused it to be replaced. Well, I don't really care as long as it isn't a downgrade.

I still don't know where my shirt ended up, and my trousers were a little too bloodstained to bother with, but I can fix this issue easily enough as I re-enter New York. [Cloak] and [Off-Screen Travel] make me an amazing thief, and I pay a visit to the storeroom of a clothing store to replace my clothes. 

I know where every camera is, and positioning myself outside of their field of view so I can just break the internal components with [Telekinesis] is easy. A single wire disconnecting disables each camera, and from there, I can do as I please. They'll probably think it was an accident, and with such a large storeroom, who is going to notice that a pair of jeans and a T-shirt are missing? They'll probably just write it off as a stock error if they do a count because, really? If someone were going to break in and disable their camera, they'd take more than a couple of pieces.

My Upgrade Quest is close to being finished; all I have to do is beat two capes with their own powers, and it'll be done, but finding two capes isn't as easy as it sounds. My mind flickers to my new power. [Tinker Speciality: Detection and Analysis] could solve that problem easily if I made a scanner that could detect metahumans or mutants, maybe even a crime scanner. As for how to get the parts?

Well, I just discovered how good I am at stealing. Maybe a scanner to locate parts first? Then, I can use it to find the best place to hit for the stuff I need for bigger and more intricate pieces.

With a Crime Scanner and [Offscreen Travel], I could find plenty of criminals to take down, and the worst of the worst can become sacrifices to ward off Bhaal's hunger. Rapists, murderers, the types that nobody will miss. 

Maybe I should start hunting Hydra? They will be after me, and I'd prefer to strike first and strike hard. Why sit around and wait for them to attack me at their leisure? 

Still, if I'm going to do this, I'll need as much power as I can get my hands on. I'm sitting on 50 pity points at the moment, which is weird, because I swear I spent them to get Off-Screen Travel. I should probably actually save them up for a Mythical this time, but an extra Epic Power could help me gather more rolls.

Temptation is a bitch.

[Conqueror's Gallery] - Epic Power

You can capture defeated foes into paintings, which they can move around in but not leave. You can alter the paintings at any time. You can create 'cards' of the paintings, which will summon a copy of the captured foe as an ally, possessing half the power of the original.

Worth it, absolutely 100% worth it.

Smiling to myself, I pull out my phone and open the map. I need some basic materials to make my first scanner, and I like the idea of keeping Xavier sweating as my time away from his little school drags on. Rogue knows I'm coming back, but I was vague, and I like the idea of the great one-eyed boy scout and popsicle kid getting deeper into shit as I don't reappear by tomorrow morning. I'm sure Xavier has already plucked my conversation out of Rogue's head, but I'm in no rush to go back.

Setting off, I cloak up and start moving through the night. Time for some labs to make some donations to my cause. There are so many villains in the city; one of them will probably get blamed for my mischief anyway.

– Later –

Sitting in my Astral Plane, I have to admit that I'd prefer to be doing this in a lab rather than working on a blanket on my tropical island with a bunch of stolen tools. Oscorp made a generous donation to my cause, and by Masquerading as their head of security, I disabled their security systems for the night (the guy is fine, just sleeping off a concussion).

Putting the final piece in place, I smile at my creations. The hand-scanner is my prototype Cape Locator. I borrowed a lot from Oscorp so I could build both my material scanner and this, but they're so rich that they'll barely notice the losses. Besides, I did a funny.

Feats Achieved: Frame Spider-Man. Perform a Heist on Oscorp. Enrage Norman Osborn. Finish your first Tinkertech device. Four Rolls granted.

I didn't rob Oscorp. Spider-Man did. Just ask the guards who saw him swinging away with the bag of stolen goods. I was always going to get back at the fucker, and this is a good start. He has a lot of fans who report on sightings of the vigilante and while he was busy earlier today, I think he went home for the night, whereas I can stay awake forever thanks to [Noctis Cape].

Who can prove he didn't? Besides, it's not like they're gonna find the stolen goods hidden away inside my Astral Plane.

Rolling. Results: Legendary Power, Mythical Perk, Epic Power, Common Perk

The fates have finally stopped kicking me in the dick, it's a Christmas miracle.

[Entropic Eyes] - Legendary Power

You can absorb life force from anyone you can see, causing them to age and decay as you heal and extend your life. You can also cause material objects to decay but gain no life force from them.

That's a powerful trick because if they don't know what to look for, I could take out villains without ever actually attacking them myself. I think I'll keep that one secret; it could be a good way of getting rid of people without me being connected to it.

[Upgrade Master] - Mythical Perk

You are a natural when it comes to upgrading your powers; all upgrade quests are easier, and you can grant two upgrades instead of one.

Oh, hello. My Quest is now complete, as the lowered requirements allow me to instantly finish it. In addition, copied powers now only scale down to Legendary instead of Epic, giving me more value if I copy someone more powerful.

[Thousand Eyes] - Epic Power

You can place invisible eyes on any surface you can see, which cannot be noticed or harmed. These eyes will last until you close them, and you can instantly see through all eyes you have placed without any dizziness or issues from seeing through potentially thousands of eyes at once, able to take in all the information easily.

Now this? This is nice. Placing hidden eyes in special locations can help me keep an eye on everything. Heh. Lots of eye-based powers, this time. Kind of a weird coincidence, but whatever. I wonder if I can use Entropic Eyes through Thousand Eyes?

[Sweat Free] - Common Perk

You no longer sweat unless you want to.

Huh. Well, it's better than a curse, so I'll take it.

After some consideration, I pick the next power I want to upgrade.

Conqueror's Gallery has a lot of potential, after all. It's essentially a pocket army of defeated foes. 

[Conqueror's Gallery - Upgrade Quest]

Objective: Gain three capes inside your Gallery (0/3), defeat five enemies with summoned copies (0/5).

Reward: Triple Copies, 75% Strength Copies

Once this is complete, I'll be able to make three card copies of each portrait, and they'll have three-quarters strength instead of half. Now, I just need to find some people to add to my gallery.

It's starting to get close to morning, but I don't want to show up at Xavier's just yet.

Well, I have plenty of materials from my pilfering. Might as well get back to work and see if I can increase the range or effectiveness of my scanners.

– Anna-Marie (Rogue) –

Her decision to stay in Arthur's bed meant that when she woke up to an empty bed, she felt her heart drop. He hadn't come back last night at all. She'd stayed up late but eventually fell asleep, hoping he'd be back by the time she woke up.

Checking her phone, she got out of bed and started getting dressed. Classes were starting soon, and she had to get ready, but where the hell was Arthur? Would she look too needy if she messaged him?

Sending a message, she got ready and headed to breakfast, shaking her head as Kitty gave her a questioning look. 

"No Arthur this morning?" Jean asked, her brows furrowed.

"He didn't come back last night; he said he'd be late back, but-" Rogue blurted out before she sighed, giving Bobby an angry look which made him pale.

"I mean, his cat is still here, right?" Kitty said optimistically, making Rogue nod. The white cat slept at the bottom of the bed; surely Arthur wouldn't leave his pet behind? Checking her phone, she felt herself panic, wondering if something had happened.

What if he'd been captured? He was a wanted man, after all. Maybe some government agency had grabbed him while he was out. Her phone vibrated just before classes were due to start, making her let out a sigh of relief as she spotted Arthur's name on the screen.

'Sorry, stuff took longer than I thought it would. I don't actually need to sleep, so I stayed out all night. I'm heading back now, taking the scenic route.'

Arthur didn't need to sleep? Seriously, what were his powers?

Sending a message back, she told the others that he was coming back; she scowled as she spotted the frowns on Scott and Bobby's faces. Pricks. Heading to class, she frowned to herself.

Arthur was going to leave. She was sure of it; why would he stick around this place when this had been his reaction so far? So many groups wanted to recruit him, and Scott and Bobby had made sure that his impression of the X-Men was a shitty one.

Her only shot at normalcy was being driven away by a pair of jealous, petty dickheads.

– Arthur King –

I got my Crime Scanner working, with another trip to a different lab. New York has plenty of places that I can use to reappropriate tools and materials, and my Material Locator can pinpoint the closest location of basically anything I need.

I've stopped a couple of muggings and a B&E so far, starting small, but I made sure to get seen doing it as me. Arthur King, the wanted criminal, stopping crimes even while he's being hunted for the crime of self-defence.

There's been a lot of arguing online about my actions, whether I was justified in killing the thug, and I've gone on record as saying that if I'd done the same thing but used a gun, I'd have been celebrated instead of hunted.

I quickly shifted locations after posting, moving elsewhere to make it harder to track me. I'm sure they have my phone traced, but I don't want to get rid of it until I can get a replacement or maybe just make one if I get some more Tinker powers.

As my phone rings, I go to answer it, expecting Rogue, before I pause as I see the words 'unknown caller' on the screen. 

"Hello?" I say, answering the phone after a moment of thought.

"You are a uniquely frustrating person, Mr King," a feminine voice answers, making me blink before I chuckle. I recognise her accent.

"I feel like you don't get to say that after shooting me in the back, Black Widow," I say, making her hum on the other end. "Should I expect Shield agents to descend upon my location? I'd rather you didn't; I'm trying to enjoy my breakfast."

Sitting in a cafe, I sip the coffee I'd ordered (paid for with the ill-gotten gains taken from a mugger's wallet), and I hear her chuckle on the other end. I don't look like myself, but I don't doubt that they're tracking me.

"No. As you no doubt know, Shield has been a little busy lately. We had a bit of a nasty surprise," Black Widow admits. "No agents, just me. Agent Carter spoke fondly of you, Copycat."

"I did save her from torture followed by her execution, then helped her expose an international terrorist organisation that had infiltrated your organisation," I point out. "So I should hope so. If that's not a good first date, I don't know what is. So, what can I do for you?"

"I want to meet in person. No tasers this time, I promise," Black Widow says, making me pause. I should run back to Xavier's, but I can't deny that I'm curious about what she wants. 

"Is the promise of a spy worth anything?" I ask, buying myself time to think.

"It's worth as much as the paper it's written on," Black Widow admits. "I wouldn't trust me, but this is important."

"Central Park, where you shot me, thirty minutes," I say, ending the call before she can respond.

I've not gotten this far by being cautious. 

Finishing my breakfast and leaving a big tip, I set off and head into an alleyway, moving across the city in an instant as I exit a different alleyway not far from the park, now wearing a different face.

– Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) –

Entering the park, she approached the spot where she had previously shot him in the back, looking around carefully. It was around midday in Central Park, so there were plenty of people around, and none of them looked like Arthur King.

Her eyes lingered on a young Indian woman sipping a coffee from a to-go cup on a bench, reading a book. The woman looked up, her calm smile flickering into a smirk as she gave Natasha a nod. A second cup was sitting in a cup holder next to her.

Approaching, she took a seat next to the woman with an impressed smile.

"Nice trick," Natasha admitted, making Arthur chuckle.

"It helps me get around," Arthur admitted, his voice sounding utterly feminine with a small but noticeably Indian accent. "So, how can I help the infamous Black Widow? Shouldn't you be off doing Avenger things?"

"I am. It's not all fighting aliens," Natasha admitted with a shrug. "You can call me Natasha."

"You didn't answer my question, Natasha," Arthur pointed out, looking around for any Shield agents ready to ambush him.

"First, can I ask you something?" Natasha asked, getting a nod from him as he sipped his drink. "How did you realise I was after you?"

"Ha, it's been eating away at you, hasn't it?" Arthur asked, making her nod shamelessly.

"I am very good at my job, but you took one look at me and immediately identified me as a threat," Natasha admitted, wanting the answer to the one question that had been constantly gnawing at her. "If you could identify me, so could other people. That's the kind of thing that could compromise my missions or get me killed."

Arthur paused, and she could see him trying to decide whether he wanted to tell her the truth before he laughed, the feminine giggle sounding entirely natural. He was good.

"I have a power that lets me identify other empowered individuals. It wasn't your act; I genuinely thought you were just on a date with the guy you were with. You might not have any serious powers, but you are superhuman in a lot of ways," Arthur admitted, making her groan and give him an impressed look.

"And it didn't take a genius to realise I was after you when Clint and I were making our way over to the bridge you were hiding under," Natasha continued. 

"I didn't know for certain, but I figured it was time to go, just in case. Then you shot me in the back," Arthur agreed, making her laugh slightly.

"Would apologising help? We're still adapting to dealing with empowered individuals, and that's our standard operating procedure for dealing with teleporters. I was worried you were about to do your little vanishing act, so I hoped to take you down and convince you we weren't your enemies afterwards," Natasha admitted.

"It wouldn't hurt, and I was trying to get a good line of sight to teleport away. If you hadn't, I would have been gone before Magneto showed up," Arthur admitted. "You still haven't told me what you actually want. You didn't come all this way just to soothe your wounded pride."

"True, and I am sorry, for what it is worth," Natasha said, making him hum slightly, clearly not believing her. She didn't take it personally; she was a spy, and he knew it. She'd think less of him if he did trust her. His mistrust also meant that he was very confident he could get away if it became a fight. "What I want is the same thing I wanted last time; I just thought I'd take your advice and try the whole talking thing first this time," Natasha joked, seeing him smile slightly at her, referencing the taunting message he left with Sharon. "I want to offer you a place in Shield. As you know, we could use the help."

"I can't say I love the idea of getting tied up with a spy agency, especially one currently stuck fighting a shadow war with the Nazis that infiltrated them," Arthur admitted, making her nod.

"I know, but you know you're also a target for Hydra. They don't know that you're Copycat, but it won't take them long to find out. Besides, Shield can make your legal issues disappear far faster than Xavier," Natasha pointed out. "Your power is impressive; you've got some amazing potential. With your unique talents, you could be a powerful agent. Don't tell me you've never wanted to be a superspy," Natasha teased, making him snort. "The Avengers could use you, and I think you enjoy the danger just a little."

Arthur didn't respond for a moment, but she could see the smirk on his face, and he didn't deny her words. Fury wanted Arthur for the Avengers Program, but in truth, he hadn't even sent her. This was all her, which was why no agents were waiting in the wings.

Clint was waiting nearby in case this became a fight because he always had her back, but he was mostly just amused by how much Arthur had gotten under her skin. She didn't expect Arthur to attack her; he was more likely to flee again.

"Say you're right; what would joining your side look like?" Arthur asked, not refusing immediately. She smiled, knowing she had her foot in the door. 

"Special training to become an agent. You're good, but you could be so much better," Natasha teased, making him snort. "Shield making your legal issues vanish, a good paycheck and missions with me. For the most part, you'd still be free to go and do what you please; if you want to play with the other mutants at Xavier's, that's fine."

It would also give them a way to keep an eye on Xavier and his X-Men.

It was interesting to be on the other end of this, her memories slipping back to when Clint had recruited her into Shield, but she meant what she was saying. He may be untrained, but Arthur and his powers had so much potential. 

Arthur went to speak, but she spotted something out of the corner of her eye, her eyes widening as she jumped into action, pushing Arthur out of the way as a crack sounded out, grunting in pain as she felt the round that had been aimed at Arthur strike her in the shoulder.

The large round pierced straight through her body, making her gasp as she looked down at the brutal wound, her consciousness fading as she watched Arthur's head snap to the side before he grabbed her.

– Arthur King –

Pulling Black Widow into my Astral Plane, I watch through the new eye I placed as the sniper, a woman with long black hair in a skintight green bodysuit, looks over the park with a scowl on her lips.

The wound is bad, her shoulder torn apart by the round that would have hit me if she hadn't pushed me out of the way, and I act fast as I pull out a small wooden amulet and put it around her neck, leaving my Astral Plane several blocks away from the sniper as I grab some… life-saving equipment from a nearby supplier.

Returning, I uncap the bottle of expensive whiskey I grabbed and push it to her lips.

"I'll explain later, but drink," I order, seeing her fading consciousness as her eyes droop. She obeys after a moment, gulping down swig after swig of whiskey as I force-feed her the entire bottle. The [Amulet of the Drunkard] gets to work, repairing her destroyed shoulder as I let out a sigh of relief. I don't want anyone to die for me. 

As she watches the wound close, she lets out a drunken giggle, the Amulet ensuring she gets properly plastered in exchange for its healing powers, but I just give her a relieved smile as I stand up.

"I'll be back soon," I promise, teleporting away with a scowl on my lips.

– Ophelia Sarkissian (Viper) –

Putting away her rifle, she knew she didn't have long before the police response came for her. Hydra could run some interference, but with their position in Shield being exposed, their abilities had been crippled.

Her target had survived, her lips twisting into a fierce scowl. She'd be punished for this failure. She'd known it was a risk to try to take the shot with Black Widow there and had considered shooting the spy first, but her orders were clear. Baron Von Strucker wanted revenge for the twins' defeat and his son's death if Carter's report of Copycat shooting him in the head was accurate. 

As she prepared to move, her senses screamed, and she dodged to the side, throwing a poisoned knife at her assailant at the same time, watching with shock as the Black Widow dodged under the knife.

But she'd just- Copycat.

The fates had given her another chance to fix her mistake, drawing her pistols and going to open fire before she gasped.

The Black Widow was a foe even she wouldn't want to fight up close. As Copycat teleported right on top of her, it became apparent that Copycat took more than just his target's face as he jumped forward, 'his' body wrapping around Ophelia's in a display of terrifying skill and dexterity before he wrapped his legs around her head and tossed her in a flawlessly executed scissor-leg takedown, Black Widow's favourite.

How do you fight Black Widow when she can teleport? The short answer? You don't. Ophelia skidded across the rooftop floor, grunting in pain as she felt the Widow's sting strike her back and send a jolt of electricity through her; only her training allowed her to not seize up and collapse entirely as she rolled back and rose to her feet.

Something else was wrong; her body felt increasingly heavy as 'Black Widow' stared at her, but she knew there was no fleeing from a teleporter, so she only had one option: attack.

She was a very good martial artist, able to hold her own as she clashed with Black Widow, trading blows, but it wasn't what she was known for. For all his skills, Copycat lacked Black Widow's caution as he kicked her in the side, and she took her opportunity.

Rushing forward, she grabbed the front of the shirt Black Widow had been wearing, pulling Copycat close for a rough kiss, making Copycat's eyes widen in confusion as she pushed him away. 

Watching him step back, he staggered as she wiped at her lips, seeing the green lipstick stain on Black Widow's face. The real Widow would never have let her pull that off, but he paled as her poison did its work. 

She rushed forward, firmly believing in double-tapping as she drew one of her poisoned knives and stabbed the staggered Black Widow in the gut, digging the deadly blade in deep with a satisfied smile… right up until the figure in front of her burst into ash.

Movement from behind made her spin around, freezing for just a moment as she saw herself, pistol already drawn as 'Viper' opened fire and shot her twice in the stomach with a cold look in her eyes, a green lipstick stain on her lips. She was immune to her own venoms; her strength had been turned into the ultimate defence against her.

Her own cold green eyes stared down at her impassively as Viper looked down at the wound. Two shots, both hitting vital organs. 

"H-Hail Hydra," Ophelia gasped out, feeling her strength leaving her as 'she' scoffed down at her.

"Oh no, you don't get to die that easily," Copycat said, holding his hands out as she felt her world shift. 

Standing in a dense rainforest, she looked out at Copycat in confusion at her sudden healed state. Rushing forward, she collided with an invisible wall as Copycat smirked at her with her own face, watching her beat her hands against it, seeing how big he looked in comparison to her. 

– Arthur King – 

Picking up the large portrait of Viper, I smirk to myself. Viper's powers aren't that impressive, but her skills are; I was just a bad match-up for her. Now, she's the first piece in my new gallery.

In my Astral Plane, a genuine art gallery forms, and I place Ophelia on the wall of the Hydra section. I almost let her die, but my Bhaal Curse is silent for now, satisfied with its recent meal.

[Outfox the Operative] Complete!

Objective: Find and neutralise the Operative (Ophelia Sarkissian) before they can kill you.

Reward: Curse of the Operative removed, Perk granted

It was closer than I'd like to admit; if it weren't for Black Widow, I would be very dead, but that's one curse down. I'm resistant to all forms of poison, but the kind she uses is damn scary; I felt it rushing through my body despite my resistance. 

For defeating a member of the Serpent Society, you have been granted a fitting perk.

[Parselmouth]

You have the rare gift of Parselmouth. As a Parseltongue, you can talk to and control snakes.

Wait, Serpent Society? Is that some secondary group inside of Hydra?

Returning to the rooftop to grab her stuff, I freeze as a man spins towards me, bow drawn. Thinking fast, I shift to take on his face, which makes him hesitant.

"Copycat, right?" he asks, making me nod. "Black Widow, where is she? There was a lot of blood-"

"She's fine, I can take you to her. I healed her before I came back for the sniper," I admit, making him relax slightly as he lowers his bow. "Figured I shouldn't leave her stuff scattered around."

"Smart, no telling whose hands it might have ended up in," he agrees. "I'm Hawkeye; I came with Widow to provide some backup, just in case. I figured she'd be fine, but better safe than sorry, right?"

"Copycat, but you already knew that. Come on, I've hidden her in my own little slice of paradise," I say, opening the portal as he hesitates before shrugging and following me.

– Clint Barton (Hawkeye) –

"...what happened to her?" Clint asked, watching Nat giggle to herself at something: the empty whiskey bottle on the floor of the beach.

"I used an… artefact I had to heal her, the Amulet of the Drunkard. It turns any alcoholic beverage into a healing elixir but at the price of also making it far more alcoholic and bypassing any resistances she had. She was badly hurt and needed a lot. Basically, it made her into a complete lightweight," Copycat admitted.

"Two Clints, is it Laura's birthday already?" Nat asked, bursting into more drunken giggles as Clint rubbed his head with a chuckle, happy the tiny camera on his outfit was recording this. Drunk Nat was a new one; she normally got slightly tipsy, at best.

"I'll get her home and report on this. Do you know where the assassin went?" Clint asked, watching Copycat hesitate.

"I have her; I used one of my powers to trap her," Copycat admitted after a moment. "She isn't going anywhere."

"Don't suppose you want to hand her over?" Clint asked, helping Nat up as she took three steps and fell flat on her face, her legendary grace having abandoned her in her intoxicated state.

"Not yet. Tell Nat that I'll be giving her offer some serious consideration, and… thank her for me. I'd be dead if she hadn't pushed me out of the way," Copycat admitted, his body shifting as Arthur dropped his face. 

Clint hesitated, but his priority was Natasha, and after a moment, he decided to leave it for now. Fury wouldn't like Copycat having the Hydra Assassin, but it sounded like Nat had made a compelling pitch, so why ruin it?

"Where do you want me to open the portal? I can only make it in places I've been," Copycat explained, and Clint nodded.

"Just put me on the ground near the rooftop; I've already called for reinforcements, so a car will be there soon," Clint explained, watching Copycat wave his hand again and reopen the portal, Clint guiding the drunken Nat through it.

Nice kid with some impressive tricks.

– Arthur King –

Desummoning the amulet as Black Widow is guided out of my realm, I close the portal with a small frown. Sure, I took down the operative, but I doubt this is the end of Hydra's hunt for me.

Maybe I should take her up on that offer, the enemy of my enemy. I don't think Black Widow arranged this; the attack was genuine, and so was her saving my life. I got cocky, thought I'd be fine as long as I had someone else's face, but they've probably got my phone bugged.

Shield could probably get me the materials I need for my Tinkering as well; there are quite a few benefits to joining up… and more than a few cons as well.

Feats Achieved: Defeat Ophelia Sarkissian (Viper), one roll. Save Natasha Romanoff's (Black Widow's) Life, one roll. Impress Clint Barton (Hawkeye), one roll. Three rolls granted.

Rolling. Results: Mythical Weapon, Legendary Power, Mythical Power

What the fuck. That's not right; I don't roll that well, ever.

[Yamato] - Mythical Weapon

Yamato is far sharper than ordinary blades and is imbued with tremendous demonic power. The sword is said to be able to cut through anything, even the very fabric of space itself. This ability is shown primarily through the sword's ability to create portals for its wielder to travel through.

Okay, seriously, what is it with me and teleportation? It's an amazing blade that synergises amazingly with my swordsmanship, but another way of teleporting? Really?

[Puella Magi Homura Magika] - Legendary Power

You can send yourself back in time by up to five minutes, replacing your past self with all your future self's injuries and possessions, but you won't be able to use the ability again until you're back to where you first time travelled from. 

Fucking self-localised time-travel?! 

[Demon Lord's Corruption] - Mythical Power

You can corrupt your targets by engaging in a battle of wills with them. If you win, you can corrupt them both physically and mentally. This corruption is irreversible and can take whichever form you wish.

That's a very simple description for a Mythical power. Corrupt, how? I might want to be careful with that one; I don't trust that description for a moment.

Frowning thoughtfully to myself, I look down at the playing card of Viper with a small smile. The first in my deck of capes, ready to be called on for whatever I want. The first of many because something tells me I'll need it when Von Doom comes looking for me.

Heading back to Xavier's place, I stroll through the door at just past three pm as if I own the place. Gotta let them know I go where I want, spotting Rogue, who brightens up at the sight of me.

"Arthur, you're back!" Rogue cheers, heading over to me quickly.

Bobby looks guilty as I stroll up to Rogue, pulling her in for a fierce kiss which catches her surprise, but she melts into it after a moment, and I see Bobby frown at the sight of me copping a feel of Rogue's ass.

Pulling away, I walk over to him and, without a word, knee him right in the dick with my full strength as he lets out a squeak of surprise and pain, rapidly paling. Yeah, how does it feel, dickhead?

"Hey, you can't just-" Cyclops starts as he grabs my shoulder, cutting off as I turn and punch him in the face.

"That's a little unnecessary, Arthur," Jean scolds, making me grin as I slap her on the ass, making her gasp in surprise as I take a squeeze of the curvy backside through her jeans, silencing her angry words with a rough kiss which makes Scott shout out as I pin Jean against the wall, surprised by how unresistant she is as I slip my hands into her jeans and squeeze her ass directly before the world shifts.

"Arthur, you're back!" Rogue cheers, heading over to me quickly.

Bobby scowls as I give Rogue a light kiss on her lips, making her beam and fidget in place, and Scott frowns as I give Jean a look. Yeah, I could get used to this new power.

Feat Achieved: Punch Cyclops in the face, two Rolls granted (Fuck Cyclops).

Rolling. Results: Uncommon Consumable, Uncommon Power

Well, my string of amazing luck had to end eventually, but I won't say no to some uncommon rolls; they aren't curses, after all.

[Dwarven Brew] - Uncommon Consumable

Dwarves are known for many things, but one of their most famous is their brews. This endlessly replenishing stock of alcohol is of the highest quality, able to make even Gods of Debauchery nod their heads in approval.

Hey, I won't say no to that. If for no other reason than because unlimited booze goes well with my Amulet of the Drunkard.

[Bottomless Clip] - Uncommon Power

Weapons you are firing will not run out of ammo or need reloading, creating 'phantom rounds' that will disappear several seconds after being fired. 

I don't use guns, but again, it's better to have this and not need it.

Sitting at the table with Rogue and Kitty, I chat with them and enjoy the normalcy as they talk about classes. I don't mention my near-death at the hands of a spy. Does Scott's food fly up and cover his face in a display of [Telekinesis] that really could have been anyone? No, of course not; I'm totally innocent, and they'll never prove otherwise.

You can do a lot in five minutes.

— Bonus Scene — Peter Parker (Spider-Man)

Listening to J.Js rambling, he blinked to himself.

What the fuck? He didn't rob anyone last night; he wasn't even awake. Eye-witnesses? Oscorp calling for his arrest? What the hell had he missed? Groaning to himself, he rubbed his forehead as he tried to work out what on earth was going on.