Copy Cat Part 1 (Patreon)

Myst wasn't sure which god he'd pissed off to get stuffed into the locker from hell in Taylor's place, nor the name of the bastard he'd heard walking down the hallway with shitty music playing when he'd been banging on the door like a deranged lunatic or even the identity of the team of goons that had hauled him out of the hospital while he'd been drugged out of his mind but they were going on his list of people that needed to die.

Of course, he hadn't known that he was stuck in Worm until a large man in black combat gear told him that he basically worked for Coil and that they'd shoot him in the head if he didn't cooperate. He probably wouldn't have believed him if he hadn't woken up with a heads up display and a crafting menu. Unfortunately, his power didn't include a brute or a blaster rating or the type of master rating that would let him tell people to let him go.

Fortunately part of his power let him create minions which was rather unfortunate for the soldiers that were supposed to watch him as the green haired teenage girl that he created behind the more annoying soldier had the man's combat skills and ruthless disregard for human life and surprise on her side. She'd punched the soldier at the base of his skull before he even realized she was there then reached up, grabbed his neck and twisted.

Myst watched the other mercenary drop to the ground thanks to a solid punch to his temple from a pink haired teenager. "I'm suddenly glad that I didn't try to hit either of them."

"He was a right bastard. Do we have a plan?" the green haired girl asked as she quickly looted his belt, weapons and armored vest.

Myst glanced around the almost dorm-like room, noticing the obvious camera which meant there were probably several that were hidden. He covered his mouth with his hand, not seeing a point in making it easier for the guards or Coil if they could read lips. "Is there anything in the vault?"

"Probably, we're not supposed to go near it," the girl replied as she put the mercenary's vest on.

"In that case, we need to get there so we can leave, unless you know a better way to get out of here?" Myst asked hopefully.

"No, it's actually easier to get to the vault from here," she replied as she stripped the other man's vest and tossed it to Myst. "He's not going to need it."

Myst quickly put the vest on, wishing he had some Ironman style armor or a force field as the bullet resistant vest only covered his chest and wasn't a great fit. "In that case, lead the way."

"Do you want one of the guns?" the pink haired girl asked as she held out her extra gun.

Myst shook his head. "I haven't practiced in years and you might need the bullets."

"Good point," she agreed as they headed out of the door.

Myst did his best to stay out of the way and behind the girls, trusting their training to get them to the vault, mostly because he didn't have a decent alternative. He wasn't sticking around so that Coil could drug the shit out of him and he didn't trust the villain to hold to any deal as far as Skitter could toss him which meant escaping while he could was the best choice. It didn't take long before they ran into opposition, thankfully the other mercenary took the time to stare at the half naked girls while his green haired minion just shot the guy in the head without any hesitation. 'Yeah, I might need to copy a shrink.'

He hid behind the corner while his minions picked off the mercenaries blocking the way to the vault, thankfully it hadn't been a priority to guard, most likely because Noelle didn't need the help and the mercenaries wouldn't have helped against her. He quickly ran over and hit the intercom button once his minions gave him the all clear. "Noelle?"

"Who's there?" Noelle asked suspiciously.

"Someone that can help you look human. I can give you a duplicate of Oliver's power which should stabilize things for you," Myst told her, hoping she didn't freak out.

"What do you want?" Noelle asked warily.

"I need help getting out of here," Myst admitted. "Coil kidnapped me and I really don't want to be here."

"How are you going to help me when you don't have powers?" she asked suspiciously.

'So much for it just being a strange parahuman power with a heads up display.' He took a breath and tried to calm down, fairly sure that acting nervous would just set the monstrous cape off. "I'm a trump and I'm immune to precog which is probably why you're having a hard time detecting my abilities."

"Prove you can help me and I'll help you get out of here," Noelle promised.

Myst grabbed the wheel on the vault and spun it, glad that it was made to keep Noelle in rather than anyone else out. "One second."

"You shouldn't have opened that," Noelle told him, feeling hungry and on edge.

Myst focused on the shadows where he could see the hint of something monstrous and created a naked purple haired teenage girl. "I have powers and I can help."

"Did you just copy me?" Noelle demanded, staring at the girl that looked like a healthier version of what she'd looked like in her teens. "Does she have my powers?"

"Relax," Myst suggested as he checked the clone's power. "She can make naughty duplicates of the originals and she's a regenerating brute but she doesn't have a changer rating."

"How does making copies of me help?!" Noelle demanded.

"I'm squishy, you're a brute." Myst smiled when a popup window with a collection of runes appeared floating in front of his face. 'Rune for strength and enhanced senses as well as the ability to create naughty duplicates. I'm going to have to test that,' he mused as he turned to look at Noelle. "I can give you a power imbued item or a tattoo that should let you get a copy of Oliver's power which should restore your humanity or at least get you a lot closer," he offered, hoping she was still sane enough to take his suggestion.

"How do you know about Oliver?" Noelle asked.

"I have friends, one of them is a precog. I want to help you and I'll do the best I can but we're running out of time so we need to leave before Coil sends his mercenaries to kill me or blows up the base, he has a bit of a Bond villain complex," Myst explained, trying to be as honest as he could without causing her to flip out and kill him.

Noelle moved into the light, showing off part of her monstrous form. "What makes you so sure you can help me?"

"Because I know that Oliver took the other half of the vial and I know how his power works. If I stabilize your powers with a copy of his, you should get back to some version of normal. If that doesn't work, I'll try something else. I have a lot of options, it's just going to take some tinkering," Myst promised, hoping she'd come with him because the alternative resulted in her going insane and the Travelers helping Coil cause trouble.

"Fine, let's go," Noelle said, willing to admit that he had a point about Coil acting like a Bond villain.

Myst backed out of the vault and stepped out of the way, being careful not to touch the clone he'd made of Noelle on the off chance that he was wrong about how her power worked, he didn't want evil clones of him running around or even 'naughty' ones. "Thanks, you won't regret it."

"I'd better not and get some clothes for my clone," Noelle complained.

"Already taken care of," the pink haired girl piped up as she tossed Noelle's clone a shirt and a jacket that more than covered everything that needed to be covered.

"Thank you," the purple haired girl replied as she pulled the shirt over her head. "Now what?"

"Now we get the hell out of here and find a place to meet up with Oliver so I can give Noelle a magic tattoo," Myst replied as they headed for the exit, happy that Noelle was an excellent meat shield as he wasn't. 'I'd take the time to make a tattoo of the clone's powers but I don't think I have the time and I'd rather not be in his base when he blows it to keep Noelle from leaving.'

0o0o0

Myst leaned back against the side of the alley tried to get his breathing under control, having sprinted the last hundred yards down the tunnel so he could get the hell away from Coil's base on the off chance the megalomaniac used the self destruct because his minion had shot his impersonator in the head on the way out. Thankfully, for whatever reason Coil had chosen not to activate the self-destruct as they were fleeing, probably because he was trying to figure out what was going on or because he'd been stuck in a meeting in his civilian identity.

The green haired girl glanced at Myst then went back to keeping watch over the empty alley. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Sure," Myst lied as he glanced at the tarp that Noelle was using to cover her lower half on the off chance that someone decided to walk down the alleyway. "How long until Oliver gets here?"

"Two minutes tops, he was on his way back when I called," Noelle replied, trying to stay calm.

Myst glanced at the maintenance they'd wedged shut then turned and looked at the entrance to the alley when he felt two capes approach. "At least I don't have to deal with Trickster," he muttered as he glanced over the two rune words that appeared on his HUD.

Noelle shook her head. "He's the one that set up the deal with Coil, he would have objected."

"That makes sense," Myst said as he waved the changer and pyrokinetic over. "Did you bring it?" he asked as the two capes walked over.

Oliver pulled a permanent marker out of his pocket and held it out, "I brought it, do you really think you can help?"

"One way or another," Myst replied as he accepted the marker. "I'm going to need a hand Noelle."

Noelle carefully reached down so he could draw on her hand. "I'm still not sure how this is going to help."

"I draw the runes then I use my power and you'll get a copy of Oliver's power which should stabilize your own or at least manage the symptoms," Myst said as he checked the gloves he'd stolen from one of the mercenaries then went to work drawing the runes on Noelle's wrist that should give her a copy of Oliver's powers. "Make sure no one bothers you, don't kill anyone unless you have to."

"I'll try not to," the green haired clone said as she headed towards the street.

"Are you clones insane?" Sundancer asked in a whisper once the clone was out of easy hearing range.

"I'm fairly sure she's saner than the original or at least nicer," Myst replied as he continued working on drawing the runes he needed to empower her, going with the full package as he doubted the extra skills would actually matter if it came down to a fight and he wanted to be able to show her some progress.

"How long until the marks fade?" Oliver asked.

"The ink will probably wear off in a couple of weeks but that should be long enough for a proof of concept and tattoos are a lot more permanent," Myst replied as he charged the drawings with mana.

Noelle blinked when the runes glowed with a shimmering multicolored fire for a second before the fire died, leaving the drawings looking like normal ink drawings. "Is that it?"

"Pretty much, it might take a couple of hours or days before you're back to your normal appearance but you'll get there," Myst promised.

"What about being able to touch people?" Noelle asked.

Myst shrugged. "I suggest wearing long sleeve shirts until I can figure something out. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to grab something to eat and find a place to hide that Coil can't find me."

"Do you have a number where we can reach you if there's a problem?" Oliver asked.

Myst shook his head. "Sorry, I don't have a cellphone."

"You can have mine," Oliver said as he pulled out the prepaid phone he kept for emergencies.

"I'll check it at least once a day," Myst replied as he turned and headed down the alley, looking forward to getting something to eat and getting a long and very hot shower before he tried to figure out what to do about Coil.

0o0o0

"I'd say you clean up nicely but you still look like shit," the green haired girl offered as Myst walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

Myst snorted as he glanced at the pair of 'teenage' girls that were sprawled out on the bed sans clothes eating his supreme pizza. "That's what happens when you're jumped while you're unconscious by a couple of thugs."

"Would it help if I let you pound my ass? My alternate helped," the green haired girl replied playfully as she shoved the box of pizza towards Myst.

"Not even remotely," Myst replied he grabbed two pieces of pizza from the box then flopped down in the chair. "Let me guess, Noelle's clone went for a walk?" he asked, changing the subject as he didn't have a clue where to start on his minion's mental issues.

"She's grabbing ice," she replied with a smirk.

The pink haired girl swatted the green haired girl's behind. "For the soda."

"Promises, promises," the green haired girl replied with a smirk then turned to look at Myst. "Do you have a plan?"

Myst finished his first bite of pizza. "I'm going to give everyone regeneration and skill boosting runes if they want them, then I'm going to buy some clothes and see if I can track Panacea down at the hospital. I want a professional to look at my leg before I give myself regeneration."

"I'm certainly not going to object to having regeneration or improved skill growth," the pink haired girl said cheerfully.

The green haired girl smirked at Myst as Noelle's clone walked in. "My ass yours to do with as you please."

"Do I want to know?" Noelle asked as she closed the door behind her then set the bucket of ice on the table next to the 2 liters of Coke.

"Green is being weird," the pink haired girl said.

"Fuck me," Green replied sarcastically. "The boss is the boss, if he wants to play with my ass, he gets to play with my ass."

"Makes sense, can I get a copy of Oliver's skill boost?" Noelle asked as she took her robe off and tossed it on the bed.

"Do you have any modesty?" Myst asked as he let his gaze travel over his minion's body, fairly sure his version was better looking than Noelle's original form, if only because she looked like she knew how to eat.

Noelle shrugged. "Noelle does, I don't. I don't have most of her mental issues which is a good thing considering she had subscriptions."

"Most?" Myst asked.

Noelle grinned. "If we're ever part of a raid in an MMO, I reserve the right to yell at stupid people."

Myst laughed as he thought about some of the warcraft raids he'd been a part of that had ended badly because one of the people had decided they couldn't follow directions. "As long as they're over eight you can make them cry."

"Fair," Noelle replied with a grin then flopped down next to the pink haired clone. "Are you planning on being a hero, villain or a rogue?"

"I was thinking about trying to be a helpful rogue or hero. I wouldn't mind talking to New Wave and seeing about upgrading their powers or at least giving Panacea a force field and picking up the runes for biokinesis."

"What exactly is your power?" Noelle asked as she grabbed a slice of pizza.

"I can basically infuse objects with exotic energy to create magic items or magical tattoos and copy people," Myst replied.

"In other words, you're a bullshit level cape with magic?" Green asked cheerfully.

"Pretty much," Myst agreed. "Between copying powers and making magic items, I should be able to keep us safe or at least reasonably safe while we figure out the best people to copy." He took another bite, trying to eat it before it got completely cold.

"I want a healer for the team," Green said without any hesitation.

"Othala or Panacea?" Pink asked thoughtfully.

Green shrugged. "Both. I'm sure we can bribe Panacea into agreeing to get a naughty twin."

Myst finished chewing his last bite, fairly sure she'd agree to a lot of things she shouldn't for a naughty copy of Victoria. "I have a couple of ideas."

"What about Lung? Is it worth copying his power?" Pink asked.

"I'd rather not create a rage filled teenager with impulse control issues," Myst replied as he wiped his hands off on his towel then stood up and grabbed Oliver's marker. "Who wants to go first?" he asked as he walked over to the bed.

Green glanced at the open bathroom door. "Draw on Noelle's ass first, Pink and I are going to grab a shower."

"Shower sex?" Pink asked with raised eyebrows.

"Or the counter, I'm not picky," Green replied with amusement as she rolled off the bed and headed for the bathroom.

"And objections boss?" Pink asked.

"Have fun," Myst replied, not sure what else to say as he started drawing runes on Noelle's ass to give her a copy of Oliver's skill boost. "We'll probably have to swap to tattoos eventually but it should last at least a couple of weeks."

"I'm not complaining boss," Noelle replied with amusement. "What are you planning on doing once we get enough firepower to take over the world?"

"Relax on a tropical beach," Myst finished the rest of the sentence in his head, 'and figure out how to go home.'

0o0o0

Panacea looked up from her phone as she heard someone walking towards her and winced when she noticed the bruises covering the man's face. "What happened?" she asked as she glanced between the man in his late thirties or early forties and the purple haired teenager walking next to him.

"Coil's goons decided to work me over while I was unconscious," Myst grumbled as he studied her powers and the rune script so he could duplicate them.

"Coil?" Panacea asked with a raised eyebrow. "What did he want with you?"

"Considering I didn't even know I had powers until after he grabbed me, no clue," Myst admitted.

"What type of powers?" Panacea asked.

"I'm a trump, I'm basically like Dauntless only I can hand the items out and I can create tattoos that give people powers," Myst explained.

"Shouldn't you have a mask?" Panacea asked with a raised eyebrow, wondering why he wasn't being more careful.

Myst shrugged. "I'm reasonably sure I can trust you and I'm not exactly shouting the fact that I have powers."

"Fair point," Panacea admitted. "I don't normally do requests."

"How about a trade? If you heal me, I'll give you a force field," Myst offered.

"How long would it last?" Panacea asked, curious about his powers.

"That depends, if I draw it with a marker, probably a couple of weeks, if you get a tattoo and I charge it, it should be permanent," Myst explained.

"Can you prove you have powers?" Panacea asked, unwilling to commit to anything permanent without proof that it worked.

"Sure, just give me a second," Myst replied as he pulled the marker out of his pocket and drew the runes for biokinesis on the back of his hand.

"What are you doing?" Panacea asked as she watched him draw a series of runes on the back of his hand.

"I'm drawing the runes for biokinesis and charging them," Myst replied as he finished drawing the runes then charged them with magic, giving him a copy of Amy's power. He knelt down and touched a blade of grass and caused it to twist, grow and turn purple. "I might need some practice."

Panacea stared at Myst in disbelief. "You can copy powers, can't you? Not just give people powers from a list?"

"More or less," Myst admitted. "I can copy bits and pieces and draw runes on people. In other words, if you wanted a copy of your sister's powers, it wouldn't be hard."

"What's the limit?" Panacea asked, wondering if she was looking at the next Eidolon.

Myst shrugged. "You only have so much skin. I'm still trying to figure everything out."

Panacea glanced at Noelle. "Recent trigger?"

"I didn't have them before I got stuffed in a locker," Myst said, making a mental note to find the people that put the crap in the locker and have a rather long, drawn out and painful 'discussion' with them.

"Shit, sorry, I didn't recognize you. If I heal you, you'll give me a force field?" Panacea asked, figuring she could ignore Carol's rules about profit just this once considering it might stop her from having some lunatic kill her.

"Sounds fair and yes, you have permission to heal me," Myst said, knowing she was big on permission.

Panacea stepped forward and touched Myst's arm and promptly went to work fixing the damage Coil's men had done. "You're lucky they didn't do more damage or give you a concussion. How did you escape?"

"I had some help," Myst replied as Vicky flew down for a landing.

"Just a second Vicky," Panacea said absently as she finished healing the new cape. "That should do it," she said as she took a couple of steps back.

"Thank you," Myst replied as he turned to look at Vicky, studying her powers so he could duplicate them for Amy. "Do you have any objection to letting me use your shield as a template for Amy?"

Vicky raised her eyebrows. "Explain."

"I'm a trump, I can draw runes or empower tattoos to give people temporary or permanent copies of powers from capes that I've met. Amy was willing to heal my face in exchange for a force field and you have a pretty decent force field so I figured I'd ask if you're willing to let me copy it," Myst explained.

"Do you need permission?" Vicky asked.

"No," Myst admitted. "But I'm trying to be polite, you're a hero."

"So you'd duplicate a villain's powers without asking?" Vicky asked.

"Wouldn't you?" Myst asked.

Vicky considered the question for a couple of seconds then shook her head. "I don't think I'm supposed to answer that. If it helps Amy, go for it."

Myst smiled at Amy. "Let me see your wrist, unless you want it somewhere else."

"Arm," Amy said as she rolled up her sleeve and held her hand out, figuring she could easily hide the runes from Carol.

Myst carefully drew the rune script for Vicky's powers other than her aura, as he doubted Amy wanted to deal with having to suppress it, then charged the runes. "Okay, that should give you a copy of your sister's force field, including strength and flight."

"Mom is going to flip," Vicky pointed out.

Amy grinned as she floated a couple of inches off the ground. "I don't care."

"What else can you do and how much are you charging?" Vicky asked, wondering if she could get something useful.

"I'm sure we can work something out," Myst replied.

0o0o0