Chapter 17: Meeting the Unpredictabile
David waited anxiously for a few more moments before the door finally swung open. There, standing in the doorway, was none other than Billy Ray himself, who was unexpectedly taller and leaner than David had imagined. Billy wore a nonchalant expression, a stark contrast to the stern Overlord who seemed to be stepping out of a dimensional portal in the living room.
"Ah, Overlord! Leaving already?" Billy asked, his voice casual as he glanced over his shoulder at the armored figure. Overlord simply nodded in response, his voice sounding mechanical through his helmet's speaker.
"I have other matters to attend to, Billy. The mentoring is up to you," he said, the portal swirling and closing behind him with a loud whoosh.
David looked around, his eyes taking in the surprisingly spacious and well-furnished apartment. It was decorated tastefully with a blend of contemporary and retro styles, contradicting his earlier assumption of a shabby, typical apartment. His eyes widened in surprise as he noticed an impressive fish tank filled with exotic alien species swimming around gracefully.
His attention was then caught by a figure lying motionless on the floor. It was a Flux alien, the same species Overlord had pointed out earlier. Its blue-skinned body appeared lifeless, causing David to gasp in shock. However, much to his surprise, the Flux alien sprung up suddenly and lunged at Billy.
Before David could react, Billy, still with his back turned, casually pulled out a compact blaster from seemingly nowhere. With a swift, nonchalant motion, he fired at the creature, disintegrating it into nothing more than a puff of smoke.
David stood there, dumbfounded. "What... What just happened?" he stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Billy shrugged, stowing the blaster away. "Oh, that? Just a friend stopping by. Not a very friendly one, I guess," he said, chuckling at his own joke.
David tried to collect his thoughts. "Why... Why do you live in a place like this?" he asked, still trying to make sense of the surreal situation.
Billy looked around, smiling at his simple surroundings. "I own this building. Actually, I own a couple of buildings around the city," he replied casually.
David was taken aback. His mind reeled as he tried to reconcile this new information. He had never written Billy as a character with incredible wealth.
"But how...?" David started to ask, but Billy cut him off, seemingly reading his mind.
"I won the lottery," Billy explained, "Not just once, but a dozen times or so. I've been banned from every casino in just about every country you can think of."
Billy continued, his tone casual. "I have so much money I don't even know what to do with it. I even tried to get rid of the money by donating to every charity and cause I came across. I do it under the name 'Prophet'. But well, luck is a part of me, it seems. Money just keeps coming back, one way or another."
David froze, his mind clicking into place. 'Prophet'... he had written a character by that name in 'Redo of a Hero', a mysterious benefactor who donated copious amounts of money to various causes. But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the 'Prophet' was Billy.
David stared at Billy, his mind racing. The depth of the coincidence, or perhaps the irony, was staggering. He'd crafted Billy as a character with a unique, fun ability, but now he was standing face-to-face with the reality of that character. And this reality was far more intricate and unpredictable than he had ever written.
Billy seemed to enjoy David's reaction, a faint smile gracing his lips. It was as if he'd just revealed the punchline of an elaborate joke only he knew about. "Surprised, kid?" he asked, amusement clear in his voice. "Welcome to the team. Let's get started, shall we?"
David decided it was time to pull up Billy's status menu, his curiosity piqued. As he navigated through the holographic interface, a series of stats and titles populated the screen:
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Status Window
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Name: Billy Ray (Trainwreck)
Title: Escape Artist, Undefeated, Banned from Every Casino, Rich without Ever Trying, World's Quickest Thinker, Luckiest Assassin
Level: N/A
Strength: High Human (10)
Endurance: High Human (10)
Agility: Peak Human (15)
Intellect: Peak Human (15)
Super Powers:
- Plausibility (Unique): Makes highly improbable outcomes more likely to occur.
- Shroud (Unique): Allows Billy to go unnoticed by the average observer.
- Danger Sense (Common): Provides an intuitive sense of incoming threats.
Skills: Sands of Time Martial Arts, Marksmanship, Lucky Fighting
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David's brows rose as he read through the titles and abilities, each one more surprising than the last. "Escape Artist," "Undefeated," "Banned from Every Casino"... these were titles that made for an interesting, albeit unusual, resume for a hero.
And his powers... 'Plausibility' was as he expected, a luck-based ability that could turn the tide of any situation. 'Shroud' explained why he could live in an apartment complex without raising eyebrows. 'Danger Sense' was, quite possibly, the most useful ability for someone like Billy, who seemed to invite danger with every step.
David looked at Billy, a newfound respect in his eyes. Behind the easygoing demeanor and the casual attire was a man who'd not only defied odds but had made a lifestyle out of it.
"Alright, kid," Billy said, leaning against his lavish sofa, his gaze flicking towards David. "If you're here with me, I'm assuming you either have no superpowers, or the academy thinks you're a failure as a student. Which one is it?" His tone was direct, with a hint of amusement lurking beneath the surface.
"I have powers," David retorted, crossing his arms defensively. "They're unique." His voice carried a note of defiance, a subtle challenge to Billy's casual dismissal.
"What's so unique about your powers?" Billy asked, his gaze intent and evaluating. Despite his laid-back demeanor, it was clear he was taking David's admission seriously.
"I can copy the superpowers of others to a certain extent when I'm in proximity. So far, I can only do two at a time," David revealed. He felt safe sharing this with Billy. He had written his character to be nonchalant about Omega 6 and trustworthy with secrets. Billy simply raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued by David's unique power.
"Can you copy my superpowers too?" Billy inquired, an intrigued glint in his eyes.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone