Greg climbed the rubble with his mother holding his hand as a golden light screamed a mile away...
We'll Never Be Home (Worm)
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1.0 Unlucky
Greg climbed the rubble with his mother holding his hand as a golden light screamed a mile away, heating up the air to an uncomfortable degree even from so far away. His mother was nursing a leg injury and dad and Jake was long dead from one of the Slaughterhouse member clones. He didn't even know where Abigail was anymore, having been separated in the chaos. He could only hope for her safety and he tried to assuage himself she had always been the practical sensible one in the family.
They had no food and had been raiding stores for clean water and food these days. But they were down to their last bottle and were trying to find some kind of military outpost to treat her leg and get some food.
There was little hope of finding one though as the government had degenerated in the recent years and dissolved in the face of Scion's attack on all the worlds. It'd be a miracle to find a standing military outpost, let alone a clinic.
He was trying to climb some uneven concrete when he heard a yell from his side and a crazed looking man crashed into his side with a knife. Greg choked on the pain but he saw his mother hit the man with a brick with a sickening thud. He fell to the ground, screaming in pain. She knelt down to his side as he wept.
"Greg stay with me." She said, reassuringly, but he could feel himself dying, feel his blood pooling onto the ground in a huge puddle.
"I'm sorry mom, I'm sorry." He babbled quietly as she held his hand tightly.
"It's okay, it's okay, Greg." She murmured, stroking his hair with blood staining his head. She was crying with him too now.
"Don't wanna die." He said tiredly.
It all hurt so much, but his eyelids were heavy. "Don't …"
000
Greg screamed as he jerked forward in the shower and slipped, falling forward as he slammed full force into the tiled wall. He jerked around bleeding from the nose as the world faded to black …
000
Greg screamed as he jerked forward in the shower and slipped, falling forward as he slammed full force into the tiled wall. He jerked around bleeding from the nose as the world faded to black …
000
Greg lurched forward in the shower and caught himself before he fell. He looked around wildly.
"What the fuck?!"
"Gregory, was that you swearing?!" His mother yelled from the other room and he twitched despite himself.
He ran out, grabbing the towel on the way out, and froze in shock at the sight of his mother looking radically different. Her hair was still brown, instead of the shock white it had developed into from stress and lack of hair dye. She had makeup on and was dressed to go to work at the tourist bag store she hated. He staggered as he started feeling unreal in his body. He recognized this, Steve had told him it was disassociation. Because Steve was a doctor.
"Greg? You're dripping water on the floor." His mom said, concerned.
"I'm okay." He said automatically, like all the other times she asked while they were on the road.
"Well, okay honey. I really need to head out to work so I'll see you later okay? Call me if you need anything." She said, walking downstairs.
He looked at the photo frame of his family in shock. Greg remembered the glass breaking when some men had broken into their house and were smashing it up for kicks. He also remembered that it was placed here in their old house, not their new one. He ran to where his old room was and hustled on some clothes while turning on the computer and looking around. It had all his old posters of Alexandria, Legend, Eidolon, etc. Even the Miss Militia one that he had to throw out because it got ripped in the move. So he was probably back in Brockton Bay, right?
His computer finally booted up and he looked at the date even as he logged into PHO. It was April, 8, 2010. He was shaken, but had to stifle a laugh even as he was starting to process the implications.
Greg was banned. Temporarily of course, but he couldn't comment at all. He could still view at least.
His gut turned to ice as he read through the current news and he stumbled to his bed to curl up inside it.
He was a parahuman that could go back in time. A time traveler.
What the fuck?
He wanted to vomit, but he was too tired to get to the bathroom, so he swallowed the bile and buried his face into his pillow. Was he supposed to go to the Wards? No, there was that thing with Cauldron with Alexandria, Legend, and Eidolon. He would be so fucked.
He thought about it.
No, he was so fucked. What was he supposed to do? He hadn't even memorized the lottery numbers for this! Goddamn Sparky. He called him stupid for saying that. Now he had to admit he was right.
He knew when all the endbringer attacks would be, the slaughterhouse nine turning into thousands, and more. But what was he even supposed to do with his information if Alexandria was going to personally dissect him if he came forward? But he had a responsibility now.
He groaned.
"Greg what are you doing?! You're supposed to be at school now!" Dad exclaimed.
Oh. Right.
They had no food and had been raiding stores for clean water and food these days. But they were down to their last bottle and were trying to find some kind of military outpost to treat her leg and get some food.
There was little hope of finding one though as the government had degenerated in the recent years and dissolved in the face of Scion's attack on all the worlds. It'd be a miracle to find a standing military outpost, let alone a clinic.
He was trying to climb some uneven concrete when he heard a yell from his side and a crazed looking man crashed into his side with a knife. Greg choked on the pain but he saw his mother hit the man with a brick with a sickening thud. He fell to the ground, screaming in pain. She knelt down to his side as he wept.
"Greg stay with me." She said, reassuringly, but he could feel himself dying, feel his blood pooling onto the ground in a huge puddle.
"I'm sorry mom, I'm sorry." He babbled quietly as she held his hand tightly.
"It's okay, it's okay, Greg." She murmured, stroking his hair with blood staining his head. She was crying with him too now.
"Don't wanna die." He said tiredly.
It all hurt so much, but his eyelids were heavy. "Don't …"
000
Greg screamed as he jerked forward in the shower and slipped, falling forward as he slammed full force into the tiled wall. He jerked around bleeding from the nose as the world faded to black …
000
Greg screamed as he jerked forward in the shower and slipped, falling forward as he slammed full force into the tiled wall. He jerked around bleeding from the nose as the world faded to black …
000
Greg lurched forward in the shower and caught himself before he fell. He looked around wildly.
"What the fuck?!"
"Gregory, was that you swearing?!" His mother yelled from the other room and he twitched despite himself.
He ran out, grabbing the towel on the way out, and froze in shock at the sight of his mother looking radically different. Her hair was still brown, instead of the shock white it had developed into from stress and lack of hair dye. She had makeup on and was dressed to go to work at the tourist bag store she hated. He staggered as he started feeling unreal in his body. He recognized this, Steve had told him it was disassociation. Because Steve was a doctor.
"Greg? You're dripping water on the floor." His mom said, concerned.
"I'm okay." He said automatically, like all the other times she asked while they were on the road.
"Well, okay honey. I really need to head out to work so I'll see you later okay? Call me if you need anything." She said, walking downstairs.
He looked at the photo frame of his family in shock. Greg remembered the glass breaking when some men had broken into their house and were smashing it up for kicks. He also remembered that it was placed here in their old house, not their new one. He ran to where his old room was and hustled on some clothes while turning on the computer and looking around. It had all his old posters of Alexandria, Legend, Eidolon, etc. Even the Miss Militia one that he had to throw out because it got ripped in the move. So he was probably back in Brockton Bay, right?
His computer finally booted up and he looked at the date even as he logged into PHO. It was April, 8, 2010. He was shaken, but had to stifle a laugh even as he was starting to process the implications.
Greg was banned. Temporarily of course, but he couldn't comment at all. He could still view at least.
His gut turned to ice as he read through the current news and he stumbled to his bed to curl up inside it.
He was a parahuman that could go back in time. A time traveler.
What the fuck?
He wanted to vomit, but he was too tired to get to the bathroom, so he swallowed the bile and buried his face into his pillow. Was he supposed to go to the Wards? No, there was that thing with Cauldron with Alexandria, Legend, and Eidolon. He would be so fucked.
He thought about it.
No, he was so fucked. What was he supposed to do? He hadn't even memorized the lottery numbers for this! Goddamn Sparky. He called him stupid for saying that. Now he had to admit he was right.
He knew when all the endbringer attacks would be, the slaughterhouse nine turning into thousands, and more. But what was he even supposed to do with his information if Alexandria was going to personally dissect him if he came forward? But he had a responsibility now.
He groaned.
"Greg what are you doing?! You're supposed to be at school now!" Dad exclaimed.
Oh. Right.
Oops wrong forum sorry guys.
Cetashwayo
Lord of Ten Thousand Years
- Location
- Across the Horizon
Moved this over to the Worm subforum in UF for ya, Life.
Thank you Cetashwayo!
1.1 Winslow is a Shithole
Winslow looked just as bad as he remembered it. Dad had wanted him to take a bicycle to school, but he was vaguely sure that it would get stolen if he brought it so he convinced him to just let him walk. He ended up missing half of his first class, which he barely found through his dug up schedule sheet.
"Jesus man, you look like shit." Noah said, looking at him askance. Greg gave him a half hearted glare. Noah was one of his few friends that tolerated him in Winslow because they both had a love of video games. But looking at him suddenly, Greg was struck by how young he looked.
He looks like a kid! Greg thought. He looked down at his hands. I probably look like a kid too.
"I'm fine." Greg said at last, earning a strange look from Noah.
" … Right." Noah said.
Greg passed the class in a daze, writing down all his future knowledge in one of his notebooks. He wrote about the endbringers, the undersiders, the slaughterhouse nine, and Cauldron. The bell rang and Greg tiredly got up to head to recess. He was walking in the wall when he stopped at the sight of Taylor being surrounded by a bunch of girls. He blinked.
The sight of Skitter being harassed by little kids made him want to laugh and vomit with fear all at the same time. Greg remembered passing by Taylor like this numerous times and wondered if this was why she became a villain. Maybe … if he stepped in, she wouldn't be Skitter. That was only a good thing, right?
Well, he was eighteen for god's sake. A bunch of little girls didn't scare him anymore. He squared his shoulders and walked towards Taylor.
"Taylor peed her pants when she was five, what a fucking loser." Emma said gleefully. He frowned.
"Hey leave her alone!" Greg shouted, as he entered their space and made most of them step back. Taylor stared at him as he crossed his arms. He was so cool.
Sophia though, stepped forward. "What's it to you?" She asked, nastily. Greg stared back at her levelly.
"Don't bully her or you'll regret it." He said, knowing it was the god's honest truth. Sophia snorted before punching him in the face. Greg flailed as he fell to the ground, nose bleeding.
He suddenly remember that, he too, was a child.
"Oh my god Sophia!" One of the girls shrieked.
"Shut up! He tried to touch my boob, right Emma?" She snapped. Emma nodded carefully. Greg cradled his broken nose, as he tried to stand back up. Sophia kicked his supporting arm out from under him, smirking strangely as he smashed his face into the floor.
Ow.
"Definitely Sophia."
"Leave him alone." Taylor said suddenly. Her voice was full of anger, and Greg twitched, remembering.
"Or what is the baby going to do?" Emma said mockingly, voice lilting and high. Greg found it ironic as they were all babies in his mind. She walked forward into Taylor's space invasively.
Taylor then pushed her away, startling Emma, when Sophia brutally smashed into Taylor in a quarterback tackle, sending her to the ground hard on her shoulder. Taylor silently stayed on the ground.
"What is going on here?"
000
Greg sat next to Taylor across from a scowling Sophia. Principal Blackwell cleared her throat.
"This is not acceptable behavior, Mr. Veder." She said, looking down at him.
"I didn't grope her!" He protested, waving his hands.
"All of the girls said you did." Principal Blackwell said, as she took notes.
"Not me." Taylor said, cutting into the conversation.
"As his friend-,"
"I don't even know him!" She snapped. Principal Blackwell rolled her eyes as she continued taking notes.
"Sure." She said. "As the parties responsible, I'll have to suspend you two for a day and call your parents."
Greg couldn't believe it. "She broke my nose! She kicked me while I was down!"
She wasn't even listening now. "Do I have to get the security guard to escort you out?"
Greg walked out with Taylor, with Sophia saying something that he didn't pay attention to.
"Why'd you help me?" Greg blinked out of his stupor to look at Taylor.
"I, uh," He stammered, before lapsing into silence at her incensed look.
"You're always bugging me, but you've never helped me before. I've watched you walk away. What's different now Greg?" She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to date you now."
Greg looked at the fourteen year old and was repulsed instantly by how young she looked.
"Um. Nope." He said, shaking his head. "That's, that's not why I did it. Honestly … I was just worried about you. You can get kinda scary."
"So you thought I was going to do a school shooting?" She said, sardonically. "Well you don't have to worry, I'd never do something like that."
Uhh …
"You'd be surprised at yourself, Taylor." He said, voice small. He groaned as he heard his phone vibrate in his pocket.
"My dad." He said, by way of explanation as he pulled out his phone. "Hey?"
"Gregory Veder," He winced. The Full Name was never good. "You-,"
"No! She lied! She punched me in the face and broke my nose. I didn't do anything wrong."
There was a pause. "She broke your nose? Is that why you sound so strange?"
"Yeah, it kinda hurts." Greg whined.
"Well the other girls said you did, Greg." His Dad said, sounding less certain.
"Look, Taylor was there and she can tell you that I didn't do it!" Greg rushed over to Taylor and stuck the phone in her irritated face.
"What? Fine." Taylor took the phone. "Mr. Veder? They lied, he didn't do it. The Principal took their side over ours." She handed the phone back to Greg. "He wants to talk to you again."
"Greg, I believe you. I'll talk to your mother about what we're going to do about this later okay?" He said.
"Uh. Okay. Bye dad." He said, hanging up. "Hey you wanna go to Fugly Bob?"
"We're not dating." Taylor said instantly. Greg made a face.
"No! I mean like, hanging out, like friends. I'll pay." Greg still had his allowance of that week. He used to end up spending it on in game money but this seemed more important.
" … alright." Taylor said, walking in lockstep with him finally.
"Jesus man, you look like shit." Noah said, looking at him askance. Greg gave him a half hearted glare. Noah was one of his few friends that tolerated him in Winslow because they both had a love of video games. But looking at him suddenly, Greg was struck by how young he looked.
He looks like a kid! Greg thought. He looked down at his hands. I probably look like a kid too.
"I'm fine." Greg said at last, earning a strange look from Noah.
" … Right." Noah said.
Greg passed the class in a daze, writing down all his future knowledge in one of his notebooks. He wrote about the endbringers, the undersiders, the slaughterhouse nine, and Cauldron. The bell rang and Greg tiredly got up to head to recess. He was walking in the wall when he stopped at the sight of Taylor being surrounded by a bunch of girls. He blinked.
The sight of Skitter being harassed by little kids made him want to laugh and vomit with fear all at the same time. Greg remembered passing by Taylor like this numerous times and wondered if this was why she became a villain. Maybe … if he stepped in, she wouldn't be Skitter. That was only a good thing, right?
Well, he was eighteen for god's sake. A bunch of little girls didn't scare him anymore. He squared his shoulders and walked towards Taylor.
"Taylor peed her pants when she was five, what a fucking loser." Emma said gleefully. He frowned.
"Hey leave her alone!" Greg shouted, as he entered their space and made most of them step back. Taylor stared at him as he crossed his arms. He was so cool.
Sophia though, stepped forward. "What's it to you?" She asked, nastily. Greg stared back at her levelly.
"Don't bully her or you'll regret it." He said, knowing it was the god's honest truth. Sophia snorted before punching him in the face. Greg flailed as he fell to the ground, nose bleeding.
He suddenly remember that, he too, was a child.
"Oh my god Sophia!" One of the girls shrieked.
"Shut up! He tried to touch my boob, right Emma?" She snapped. Emma nodded carefully. Greg cradled his broken nose, as he tried to stand back up. Sophia kicked his supporting arm out from under him, smirking strangely as he smashed his face into the floor.
Ow.
"Definitely Sophia."
"Leave him alone." Taylor said suddenly. Her voice was full of anger, and Greg twitched, remembering.
"Or what is the baby going to do?" Emma said mockingly, voice lilting and high. Greg found it ironic as they were all babies in his mind. She walked forward into Taylor's space invasively.
Taylor then pushed her away, startling Emma, when Sophia brutally smashed into Taylor in a quarterback tackle, sending her to the ground hard on her shoulder. Taylor silently stayed on the ground.
"What is going on here?"
000
Greg sat next to Taylor across from a scowling Sophia. Principal Blackwell cleared her throat.
"This is not acceptable behavior, Mr. Veder." She said, looking down at him.
"I didn't grope her!" He protested, waving his hands.
"All of the girls said you did." Principal Blackwell said, as she took notes.
"Not me." Taylor said, cutting into the conversation.
"As his friend-,"
"I don't even know him!" She snapped. Principal Blackwell rolled her eyes as she continued taking notes.
"Sure." She said. "As the parties responsible, I'll have to suspend you two for a day and call your parents."
Greg couldn't believe it. "She broke my nose! She kicked me while I was down!"
She wasn't even listening now. "Do I have to get the security guard to escort you out?"
Greg walked out with Taylor, with Sophia saying something that he didn't pay attention to.
"Why'd you help me?" Greg blinked out of his stupor to look at Taylor.
"I, uh," He stammered, before lapsing into silence at her incensed look.
"You're always bugging me, but you've never helped me before. I've watched you walk away. What's different now Greg?" She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to date you now."
Greg looked at the fourteen year old and was repulsed instantly by how young she looked.
"Um. Nope." He said, shaking his head. "That's, that's not why I did it. Honestly … I was just worried about you. You can get kinda scary."
"So you thought I was going to do a school shooting?" She said, sardonically. "Well you don't have to worry, I'd never do something like that."
Uhh …
"You'd be surprised at yourself, Taylor." He said, voice small. He groaned as he heard his phone vibrate in his pocket.
"My dad." He said, by way of explanation as he pulled out his phone. "Hey?"
"Gregory Veder," He winced. The Full Name was never good. "You-,"
"No! She lied! She punched me in the face and broke my nose. I didn't do anything wrong."
There was a pause. "She broke your nose? Is that why you sound so strange?"
"Yeah, it kinda hurts." Greg whined.
"Well the other girls said you did, Greg." His Dad said, sounding less certain.
"Look, Taylor was there and she can tell you that I didn't do it!" Greg rushed over to Taylor and stuck the phone in her irritated face.
"What? Fine." Taylor took the phone. "Mr. Veder? They lied, he didn't do it. The Principal took their side over ours." She handed the phone back to Greg. "He wants to talk to you again."
"Greg, I believe you. I'll talk to your mother about what we're going to do about this later okay?" He said.
"Uh. Okay. Bye dad." He said, hanging up. "Hey you wanna go to Fugly Bob?"
"We're not dating." Taylor said instantly. Greg made a face.
"No! I mean like, hanging out, like friends. I'll pay." Greg still had his allowance of that week. He used to end up spending it on in game money but this seemed more important.
" … alright." Taylor said, walking in lockstep with him finally.
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1.2 Epiphany
"This Hawaiian burger is pretty good." Taylor admitted.
"I know, right? Who knew roasted pineapple could be so good with beef." Greg said, pointing his fry at her.
"Now I have to live with you being right for once?" Taylor said dryly. "Strike me down now."
Greg chuffed, but took it in good humor. "Anyways, you should totally play Love Love Book Club. It'd be totally your thing, and it's free."
Taylor frowned. "Sounds kinda weird to be honest."
"No no, it's totally deep. It starts out kinda dumb at first and boring but then it gets you with something totally shocking! There's all sorts of literary references and stuff so you'd like that a lot, that's the real staying power of the game." Greg remembered Taylor had always been the smart one in class. "I did my book report on it."
She stared at him before starting to laugh. "Oh god, you're serious."
Greg pouted. He'd gotten an F for that, though Mrs. Gabriella had actually liked it out of all his work. She said he'd actually been passionate.
"Alright, I'll give it a try." Taylor said, shaking her head. "Oh that was a good laugh. Thanks Greg."
He beamed. Taylor had thanked him! She'd never had done that before. "Oh no problem!"
"Hey could you come to my house? To explain that I wasn't trying to assault Emma." She said carefully. Greg shrugged and nodded.
"Yeah sure," He munched on his burger. Delicious caramelized onions. Taylor looked at him curiously.
"Aren't you worried?" She asked.
"About what?" He said, after swallowing his burger bite.
"Sophia. She said she was going to, and I quote, 'make sure you regret sticking up for this loser.' " Taylor said, with a twisted grimace.
"Oh." Greg paused. "Well she's like fourteen and tiny."
"So are you." Taylor said, furrowing her eyebrows at him. "I don't know if you've noticed, but she likes getting physical with people. And you're a boy."
"So?"
"So she's probably going to beat the crap out of you with a bunch of her sports friends." Taylor pointed out.
"Oh. Oh shit." Greg swallowed his fries nervously.
Taylor stared at him. "How are you this oblivious?"
"I've had a lot on my mind!" He defended. He did!
" … Right." She said. Greg scowled at the exact same way she said it like Noah. What was up with people?
Taylor strummed her fingers and looked at the clock of Fugly Bobs. "I think I should head home now. Dad's going to get pretty worried after that call if I don't show up."
Greg nodded as he stood up with her, shoving the burger remains into his Fugly Bobs' baggie. He'd eat it when he got home. They took the bus to her house, debating the merits of Hamlet. Greg had watched the play when he was younger but Taylor had actually read the whole thing. He thought the entire thing was kind of awful in that everything spiralled out of Hamlet's control and everyone ended up dead except for like one dude. Taylor disagreed as she thought that was why it was great.
They trudged up the steps, ("Mind your step on that one, Greg.") and Taylor announced while opening the door, "I'm home!"
"Taylor," Her Dad greeted, before zeroing in Greg. "Hi, who is this?"
Taylor shifted foot to foot. "This is … Greg. He's here to explain what really happened at school."
"Oh. I was wondering about that." He said mildly. "It did sound strange."
"Yeah so Taylor was being bullied and I kinda jumped in, but then Sophia punched me in the face and they said I was trying to touch their boobs," Greg babbled on. At Taylor's dad's look, he added, "But I wasn't!"
Taylor had her face in her palms. "Greg, really?"
"So you're being bullied? And the school's doing nothing?" Taylor's Dad said angrily.
"It's not a big deal." Taylor started.
Greg remembered the locker. "Uh, I don't know, Emma and Sophia are pretty nuts."
"Well it's not like we can do anything, Greg!" Taylor exploded, wheeling on Greg. "It's he said, she said and they've got more people on their side!"
Greg was struck by that.
What could he do? All he had was dangerous, explosive knowledge of the future. He wasn't a brute that could beat up Sophia or a thinker that could convince the school of their harassment.
He was useless.
"I know, right? Who knew roasted pineapple could be so good with beef." Greg said, pointing his fry at her.
"Now I have to live with you being right for once?" Taylor said dryly. "Strike me down now."
Greg chuffed, but took it in good humor. "Anyways, you should totally play Love Love Book Club. It'd be totally your thing, and it's free."
Taylor frowned. "Sounds kinda weird to be honest."
"No no, it's totally deep. It starts out kinda dumb at first and boring but then it gets you with something totally shocking! There's all sorts of literary references and stuff so you'd like that a lot, that's the real staying power of the game." Greg remembered Taylor had always been the smart one in class. "I did my book report on it."
She stared at him before starting to laugh. "Oh god, you're serious."
Greg pouted. He'd gotten an F for that, though Mrs. Gabriella had actually liked it out of all his work. She said he'd actually been passionate.
"Alright, I'll give it a try." Taylor said, shaking her head. "Oh that was a good laugh. Thanks Greg."
He beamed. Taylor had thanked him! She'd never had done that before. "Oh no problem!"
"Hey could you come to my house? To explain that I wasn't trying to assault Emma." She said carefully. Greg shrugged and nodded.
"Yeah sure," He munched on his burger. Delicious caramelized onions. Taylor looked at him curiously.
"Aren't you worried?" She asked.
"About what?" He said, after swallowing his burger bite.
"Sophia. She said she was going to, and I quote, 'make sure you regret sticking up for this loser.' " Taylor said, with a twisted grimace.
"Oh." Greg paused. "Well she's like fourteen and tiny."
"So are you." Taylor said, furrowing her eyebrows at him. "I don't know if you've noticed, but she likes getting physical with people. And you're a boy."
"So?"
"So she's probably going to beat the crap out of you with a bunch of her sports friends." Taylor pointed out.
"Oh. Oh shit." Greg swallowed his fries nervously.
Taylor stared at him. "How are you this oblivious?"
"I've had a lot on my mind!" He defended. He did!
" … Right." She said. Greg scowled at the exact same way she said it like Noah. What was up with people?
Taylor strummed her fingers and looked at the clock of Fugly Bobs. "I think I should head home now. Dad's going to get pretty worried after that call if I don't show up."
Greg nodded as he stood up with her, shoving the burger remains into his Fugly Bobs' baggie. He'd eat it when he got home. They took the bus to her house, debating the merits of Hamlet. Greg had watched the play when he was younger but Taylor had actually read the whole thing. He thought the entire thing was kind of awful in that everything spiralled out of Hamlet's control and everyone ended up dead except for like one dude. Taylor disagreed as she thought that was why it was great.
They trudged up the steps, ("Mind your step on that one, Greg.") and Taylor announced while opening the door, "I'm home!"
"Taylor," Her Dad greeted, before zeroing in Greg. "Hi, who is this?"
Taylor shifted foot to foot. "This is … Greg. He's here to explain what really happened at school."
"Oh. I was wondering about that." He said mildly. "It did sound strange."
"Yeah so Taylor was being bullied and I kinda jumped in, but then Sophia punched me in the face and they said I was trying to touch their boobs," Greg babbled on. At Taylor's dad's look, he added, "But I wasn't!"
Taylor had her face in her palms. "Greg, really?"
"So you're being bullied? And the school's doing nothing?" Taylor's Dad said angrily.
"It's not a big deal." Taylor started.
Greg remembered the locker. "Uh, I don't know, Emma and Sophia are pretty nuts."
"Well it's not like we can do anything, Greg!" Taylor exploded, wheeling on Greg. "It's he said, she said and they've got more people on their side!"
Greg was struck by that.
What could he do? All he had was dangerous, explosive knowledge of the future. He wasn't a brute that could beat up Sophia or a thinker that could convince the school of their harassment.
He was useless.
Flairina
Least Omnipotent Goddess
- Location
- The next infinity over
Not usually fond of Greg as MC stories, but this could be interesting. And yes, operating on this scale, you are indeed useless, greg. You're probably going to have to wait for shit to start flying to really be useful in most respects.
Hmm, does Greg know who Sophia is? An anonymous report to the PRT may deal with her.
1.3 Sick in the Heart
Greg went home by bus to his parents who took him to the hospital to have his nose set correctly. Of course they went to Jake's hospital and he swung by to visit Greg. Of course.
Jake and Greg never really got along as the seven year age gap and the fact that Greg was reminded he was a doctor every day of his life. It was still strange to see him fine and not dead. Greg was left uncomfortable, staring at Jake's face.
Greg finished with his appointment and was with his family in the glossy lobby area with his parents smiling broadly at Jake's white coat.
"So you got punched in the face?" Jake said. "What happened?"
"The girl punched him for defending the girl she was harassing." Dad said, ruffling Greg's hair. Greg grumbled at the patronization. He used to be taller than his Dad for crying out loud!
"Oh really? That's really great of you Greg." Jake said, earning a stare from Greg.
What?
"Are you serious?" Greg blurted out.
"Uh … yes?" Jake said, uncertainly.
"You never say that!" Greg exclaimed, angrily.
"Well it's not like you do anything Greg." Abigail said, snippily. His sister of thirteen years always took umbrage with him. Greg turned a deep red and rounded on his sister.
"Shut up!" He shouted, nerves fraying.
"Greg, there are sick people here." Dad said, reprovingly.
"That doesn't mean she can call me useless!" He snapped, feeling stung.
"Well, you are." Abigail said, rolling her eyes.
"Let's calm-," Jake said, holding his hands up.
"Stop patronizing me!" Greg snapped at Jake, causing him to look guilty.
"All he does is play games and trawl PHO while I work hard getting A's in school and Jake is an actual doctor." Abigail said, irritated. "It's not fair!"
"At least I'm not a furry!"
"They're anthros!"
000
The ensuing fight in the hospital had gotten both of them grounded for two weeks. Greg felt like an idiot afterwards even if it had been satisfying to pinch twist his sister's underarm fat. The internet was his pipeline for information and a way he could have crowdsourced questions about his situation. What was he going to do, watch TV?
He sat on the couch watching the news on the TV. The anchors were discussing some cape or another that had been found involved with illegal substances.
Greg found himself lost and confused on what to do. He went to sleep troubled with dreams of Alexandria staring at him.
He woke up feeling tired and ate a bowl of cereal quickly, not wanting to get into it with his sister who'd probably pick a fight with him for getting suspended. He headed out, deciding to head to Taylor's house since they were both free. He eventually got to the old house, managing to creak the old step dangerously, and knocked on the door. Taylor opened it, face blank.
"Somehow I knew it'd be you." She said with a sigh. "Come on in."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He said, walking inside.
"You know what it means." Taylor said, with a roll of her eyes. Greg guessed along the lines of 'Emma drove away everyone else.' He felt a mix of pity and anger.
"Do you have internet? I got grounded." He asked.
"For the suspension?" Taylor raised her eyebrows.
"Nah, for fighting with my sister in the hospital." He said, sheepishly.
"Of course." Taylor said dryly, but led him up to her room where an old junker pc laid. She looked at him, daring him to say anything. Greg swallowed the first five things he wanted to say for once and sat down to turn it on.
"Don't tell me you're going to spend all day trawling PHO on there." She said, crossing her arms looking peeved as he started typing the internet address of PHO.
"Not exactly." He said, distractedly. "Just a few minutes." Greg typed a thread up asking about his situation in an oblique way.
"You're VoidCowboy? Oh that explains so much." Taylor said, shaking her head ruefully. She peered over his shoulder. "Why are you asking what people would do if they went back in time and Alexandria was a Ziz bomb?"
"Uhm. Reasons." He said, awkwardly. Taylor eyed him.
"Look a response!" He said quickly, refreshing the page. His gut fell as the response amounted to 'lie down and die.'
"Wow, these people are depressingly uncreative." Taylor said, shaking her head. "Impossible situation or not, you got to get the word out somehow."
Greg blinked. "Really?"
"If you know when and where the Endbringers are coming, you have a moral obligation to do something." Taylor said matter of factly.
"But Alexandria is a ziz bomb!" Greg protested, scared.
"So? Just tell Eidolon and he'll like, use his powers to protect you. Eidolon is stronger than her right?" Taylor said. "Though Alexandria is my favorite."
"How do I even get to Eidolon?" He snapped, causing a sudden silence.
"Wha-," Taylor started.
"I should go home." Greg said, before running out of the room and out of the house. It was three blocks when he stopped, his chest burning unpleasantly as he cried.
Jake and Greg never really got along as the seven year age gap and the fact that Greg was reminded he was a doctor every day of his life. It was still strange to see him fine and not dead. Greg was left uncomfortable, staring at Jake's face.
Greg finished with his appointment and was with his family in the glossy lobby area with his parents smiling broadly at Jake's white coat.
"So you got punched in the face?" Jake said. "What happened?"
"The girl punched him for defending the girl she was harassing." Dad said, ruffling Greg's hair. Greg grumbled at the patronization. He used to be taller than his Dad for crying out loud!
"Oh really? That's really great of you Greg." Jake said, earning a stare from Greg.
What?
"Are you serious?" Greg blurted out.
"Uh … yes?" Jake said, uncertainly.
"You never say that!" Greg exclaimed, angrily.
"Well it's not like you do anything Greg." Abigail said, snippily. His sister of thirteen years always took umbrage with him. Greg turned a deep red and rounded on his sister.
"Shut up!" He shouted, nerves fraying.
"Greg, there are sick people here." Dad said, reprovingly.
"That doesn't mean she can call me useless!" He snapped, feeling stung.
"Well, you are." Abigail said, rolling her eyes.
"Let's calm-," Jake said, holding his hands up.
"Stop patronizing me!" Greg snapped at Jake, causing him to look guilty.
"All he does is play games and trawl PHO while I work hard getting A's in school and Jake is an actual doctor." Abigail said, irritated. "It's not fair!"
"At least I'm not a furry!"
"They're anthros!"
000
The ensuing fight in the hospital had gotten both of them grounded for two weeks. Greg felt like an idiot afterwards even if it had been satisfying to pinch twist his sister's underarm fat. The internet was his pipeline for information and a way he could have crowdsourced questions about his situation. What was he going to do, watch TV?
He sat on the couch watching the news on the TV. The anchors were discussing some cape or another that had been found involved with illegal substances.
Greg found himself lost and confused on what to do. He went to sleep troubled with dreams of Alexandria staring at him.
He woke up feeling tired and ate a bowl of cereal quickly, not wanting to get into it with his sister who'd probably pick a fight with him for getting suspended. He headed out, deciding to head to Taylor's house since they were both free. He eventually got to the old house, managing to creak the old step dangerously, and knocked on the door. Taylor opened it, face blank.
"Somehow I knew it'd be you." She said with a sigh. "Come on in."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He said, walking inside.
"You know what it means." Taylor said, with a roll of her eyes. Greg guessed along the lines of 'Emma drove away everyone else.' He felt a mix of pity and anger.
"Do you have internet? I got grounded." He asked.
"For the suspension?" Taylor raised her eyebrows.
"Nah, for fighting with my sister in the hospital." He said, sheepishly.
"Of course." Taylor said dryly, but led him up to her room where an old junker pc laid. She looked at him, daring him to say anything. Greg swallowed the first five things he wanted to say for once and sat down to turn it on.
"Don't tell me you're going to spend all day trawling PHO on there." She said, crossing her arms looking peeved as he started typing the internet address of PHO.
"Not exactly." He said, distractedly. "Just a few minutes." Greg typed a thread up asking about his situation in an oblique way.
"You're VoidCowboy? Oh that explains so much." Taylor said, shaking her head ruefully. She peered over his shoulder. "Why are you asking what people would do if they went back in time and Alexandria was a Ziz bomb?"
"Uhm. Reasons." He said, awkwardly. Taylor eyed him.
"Look a response!" He said quickly, refreshing the page. His gut fell as the response amounted to 'lie down and die.'
"Wow, these people are depressingly uncreative." Taylor said, shaking her head. "Impossible situation or not, you got to get the word out somehow."
Greg blinked. "Really?"
"If you know when and where the Endbringers are coming, you have a moral obligation to do something." Taylor said matter of factly.
"But Alexandria is a ziz bomb!" Greg protested, scared.
"So? Just tell Eidolon and he'll like, use his powers to protect you. Eidolon is stronger than her right?" Taylor said. "Though Alexandria is my favorite."
"How do I even get to Eidolon?" He snapped, causing a sudden silence.
"Wha-," Taylor started.
"I should go home." Greg said, before running out of the room and out of the house. It was three blocks when he stopped, his chest burning unpleasantly as he cried.
MBsymphony
Just an awkward person here
- Location
- Asia
He should've said that he was sorry before leaving, even if I understand why he ran away
1.4 Life and Death is not Easy
(Warning for torture)
Greg walked back to school, feeling exhausted and dull. It was easy to see why he didn't notice the two burly seniors until it was too late. They grabbed his arms and started frogmarching him to the side of Winslow by the parking lot.
"Hey, let me go!!" He shouted, kicking futilely with his legs.
"No can do, Emma promised me a date with Jennifer." One of them explained, almost apologetically.
He started screaming loudly, but one of them headbutted him and he went silent with concussion, his head lolling.
"Jesus Dave!"
"Hey we can't have the teachers fucking catching us."
They pulled him along to where Sophia was waiting with a hose, playing with the water settings on it. Greg swallowed as a pit of dread started forming in his stomach. They threw him to the ground and sat on his arms before he could get up. Sophia threw a dirty t-shirt on his face and Greg started hyperventilating as Sophia cranked up the water on the hose. Sophia laughed at his panic and the seniors laughed along, uneasily.
"You're a pathetic loser Greg who needs to learn his place." She said
"Please-," Sophia turned the hose on his face and he thrashed his face around trying to avoid the water but the blast was huge and he couldn't breath, couldn't breath-
She moved it off of him and he coughed and sobbed as he caught his breathe.
And then again.
And again.
Again.
000
One of the seniors finally took a look at Greg and froze. "Sophia I don't think he's breathing."
"He's pretending." She said, excited as moved the hose back to his face.
"No fuck this, I'm not going to jail for Jennifer." He said, pushing Dave off of Greg and pulling him into his arms.
Sophia snarled. "You do this, I'll end you!"
"Better than jail!" He retorted, unafraid of the freshman. A pit of dread formed as he realized that Greg was lifeless in his arms. "Dave call the fucking ambulance!"
He tried performing CPR on Greg on the steps of Winslow but he didn't really remember the steps at all and as Greg's pulse became fainter and fainter, he became more and more frantic.
Then Greg died and his last thoughts was 'Why is everything disappear-'
000
Greg screamed and jumped out of the shower, falling to the ground. He shook as he pulled the towel off the hanging bar and ran to his room to curl up in.
"Greg! What are you doing!? You're supposed to be in school right now!" His dad said, half an hour later.
He didn't say anything.
"Greg?" He touched him and found him cold and shaking and crying. "Shit, you caught something didn't you? Let me get you a blanket and some soup."
Greg didn't move for two days.
000
"Greg. It's Jake." His brother said, sitting on the side on a chair. "Are you okay? You can talk to me."
Greg looked at him and Jake flinched at something in his face.
"Please. You're worrying us, even Abigail. She made your last soup." Jake pleaded.
"I'm scared." He said finally. His voice was hoarse and tense.
"Why are you scared?" Jake asked, gently.
"Because I just realized this only ends when I'm dead. That I hate dying, I'm scared of dying, that this isn't fun. This isn't fun." He started to sob into his blankets and Jake hugged him tightly, something they never did before.
"Greg … are you a parahuman?"
Greg walked back to school, feeling exhausted and dull. It was easy to see why he didn't notice the two burly seniors until it was too late. They grabbed his arms and started frogmarching him to the side of Winslow by the parking lot.
"Hey, let me go!!" He shouted, kicking futilely with his legs.
"No can do, Emma promised me a date with Jennifer." One of them explained, almost apologetically.
He started screaming loudly, but one of them headbutted him and he went silent with concussion, his head lolling.
"Jesus Dave!"
"Hey we can't have the teachers fucking catching us."
They pulled him along to where Sophia was waiting with a hose, playing with the water settings on it. Greg swallowed as a pit of dread started forming in his stomach. They threw him to the ground and sat on his arms before he could get up. Sophia threw a dirty t-shirt on his face and Greg started hyperventilating as Sophia cranked up the water on the hose. Sophia laughed at his panic and the seniors laughed along, uneasily.
"You're a pathetic loser Greg who needs to learn his place." She said
"Please-," Sophia turned the hose on his face and he thrashed his face around trying to avoid the water but the blast was huge and he couldn't breath, couldn't breath-
She moved it off of him and he coughed and sobbed as he caught his breathe.
And then again.
And again.
Again.
000
One of the seniors finally took a look at Greg and froze. "Sophia I don't think he's breathing."
"He's pretending." She said, excited as moved the hose back to his face.
"No fuck this, I'm not going to jail for Jennifer." He said, pushing Dave off of Greg and pulling him into his arms.
Sophia snarled. "You do this, I'll end you!"
"Better than jail!" He retorted, unafraid of the freshman. A pit of dread formed as he realized that Greg was lifeless in his arms. "Dave call the fucking ambulance!"
He tried performing CPR on Greg on the steps of Winslow but he didn't really remember the steps at all and as Greg's pulse became fainter and fainter, he became more and more frantic.
Then Greg died and his last thoughts was 'Why is everything disappear-'
000
Greg screamed and jumped out of the shower, falling to the ground. He shook as he pulled the towel off the hanging bar and ran to his room to curl up in.
"Greg! What are you doing!? You're supposed to be in school right now!" His dad said, half an hour later.
He didn't say anything.
"Greg?" He touched him and found him cold and shaking and crying. "Shit, you caught something didn't you? Let me get you a blanket and some soup."
Greg didn't move for two days.
000
"Greg. It's Jake." His brother said, sitting on the side on a chair. "Are you okay? You can talk to me."
Greg looked at him and Jake flinched at something in his face.
"Please. You're worrying us, even Abigail. She made your last soup." Jake pleaded.
"I'm scared." He said finally. His voice was hoarse and tense.
"Why are you scared?" Jake asked, gently.
"Because I just realized this only ends when I'm dead. That I hate dying, I'm scared of dying, that this isn't fun. This isn't fun." He started to sob into his blankets and Jake hugged him tightly, something they never did before.
"Greg … are you a parahuman?"
Last edited:
- Location
- USA
Oh. It's a loop. Wasn't expecting that.
If Greg joins the Wards his reaction to the one who murdered him being his team mate would not be good. Not good at all. How would they power test him I wonder?
- Location
- Inside My Thoughts
I think it's more like everytime Greg dies, he has a respawn point, his shower. It could be looping too.
HereticMIND
[happy_robot_dinosaur_noises.flac]
- Location
- Howard County, MD
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Is...is this fic gonna end up breaking Greg? Please don't let this fic end up breaking Greg.
I'm starting to like the premise. Just don't break Greg, please!
I'm starting to like the premise. Just don't break Greg, please!
Nah, it's gotta be the same moment. Otherwise, that assumes he didn't shower all the way from that shower through all of canon, which, including time skip, is two years.
Errr, that was revealed in the first chapter. He looped like three times in a row.
Sooo.... Does Greg have a scion version of greyboys shard but applied differently. Their is a cyoa version 5 gimmel striker power that lets you apply your power to someone and bring back their consciousness from a point into the future, second trigger could bring them back in their future selves, i.e.. If they triggered or something.
I'm kinda hoping that the person who performed CPR on Greg came back in time too. That would be a horrifyi,g power, but incredibly useful. If so Greg will Need a strong loyal team, I'm kinda hoping the undersiders because he is gonna need a handler to keep as sane as possible with such a terrifying power and Tattletales the best shot he has.
I'm kinda hoping that the person who performed CPR on Greg came back in time too. That would be a horrifyi,g power, but incredibly useful. If so Greg will Need a strong loyal team, I'm kinda hoping the undersiders because he is gonna need a handler to keep as sane as possible with such a terrifying power and Tattletales the best shot he has.
Orion Zete
[verify weaboo]
- Location
- Malaysia
This stuff will break him to little tiny pieces not matter what but either he rebuild himself stronger that before or break and never recover
Basically undertale but with Greg and possible alot of mental breakdown
Basically undertale but with Greg and possible alot of mental breakdown
Eventually his shard will run out of power. Both coil and contessa's shards are power hogs. I think using the path cost scion one years worth of his lifespan ( activation cost is high but no cost to maintain ability)
I think his hard cap limit should be around three to four thousand uses of the ability.
I think his hard cap limit should be around three to four thousand uses of the ability.
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Is shadow stalker a ward at this point?