A click could be heard as the door to a small apartment was opened. Inside was a simple bed, simple desk and a just as simple closet, all on a brown wooden floorboard.
Off to the side lay a simple kitchen setup with a small stove and sink under the only window in the space, all while a small bathroom with a basic shower could be seen.
I walked in, the space so familiar that I was able to practically toss my bag as it landed perfectly in the middle of my bed.
It didn't take much effort to do so, nor did I need my sight. Which was perfect because they were currently preoccupied with the screen that had appeared an hour ago and still remained before him.
[Congratulations, You are The Cameraman]
"Uh…"
I stared blankly.
Was I hallucinating? I knew no one else could see it. I didn't have to ask and make them think I was a weirdo, all I simply did was simply watch to see if they acknowledged it.
It was pretty hard to miss. And they didn't.
'Have I finally gone mad?'
Maybe…but I had to admit…I was curious.
"Thank you?" I spoke, and just as I acknowledged it, the screen disappeared, another replacing it.
[Status]
[Skills]
[Potential Stories and Events]
I stared at the three categories, eyes focusing on the first, and as if to answer my curiosity…
[Status:
Name: Isaac Hale
Current Status: Broke/Unknown
Personas: The Cameraman (Unknown)
Achievements: None
Captures: None (0/3)]
I focused on the next.
[Skills:
Camera (Lvl. MAX)
Description:
You can summon a Camera that may record or capture moments with just a thought. Similarly, it will only ever appear when you need it. Once this camera appears, all others in its immediate vicinity will malfunction unless you choose it not to.
Broadcast Sense (Lvl. 1)
Description:
You can sense any potential story or event happening in your vicinity.
Presence Nullification (Lvl. 1)
Description:
As long as no eyes are on you, your presence will be nulled significantly. Things like your smell, the sound of your bodily functions and everything else will be untraceable. Though, anything out of the norm may be tricky to hide from.]
I couldn't help but be in awe as I witnessed everything I was seeing.
'Why does it all look kind of…legit?'
My curiosity was over the moon. I needed a way to confirm this all and my eyes landed on the description of one of the skills.
And just as I did…
-VUA!
My eyes darted to the side as I witnessed a large camera suddenly appear from thin air. I stared as my eyes slowly widened.
"Holy shit…HOLY SHIT!"
This was legit!
My hands darted to the camera, and just as I grabbed it, I felt my body change.
I felt lighter despite carrying the large camera that seemingly weighed nothing. I felt exhilarated, like I could capture anything with this camera.
I placed it on my shoulder, fixing the eye piece to my pupils as I swung it around a few times. It was easily the clearest resolution camera I'd ever looked out of.
It was like I was seeing everything happening right in front of me with my eyes…no, better.
"Alright…"
I sent away the camera, taking a seat on my bed as I breathed in.
"This really is real." I repeated. And before the magnitude of this all could bear down onto me, I calmed myself and continued.
"Finally…"
I looked at the final category.
[Potential Stories and Events
Wakanda:
Story value: S+
Description:
Wakanda is hidden behind secrets and the future.
The Truth About Mutants:
Story Value: A
Description:
Mutants aren't as the public perceives them. There's more to them.
Shield Secrets:
Story Value: A
Description:
Being a government organisation, there's a surprisingly shady side to them.
The Secret of the Multiverse:
Story Value: S+
Description:...]
I stared as my eyes slowly widened, then curled in confusion, only to once again doubt if everything I was seeing was real.
The potential stories continued on, some even having sub events and stories. But what they all had in common was…
"What the hell is this talking about?"
I scratched my head.
"Wakanda? What's that? The Multiverse? Like from physics class? And I've heard of Shield before but…"
The more I scrolled the more I realised that the higher the story value the less information was given on it. And the less I knew of it.
Words like Avengers, Asgard and The Fantastic Four appeared every so often, and most notably…
"Secret Identities…" I stared aghast.
This was all a lot to take in.
'Let's calm down…it's not like I'm being handed these pieces of information. Though I am ironically learning more than I knew before I still have to go out and discover these things, no? And there's no way I'm even doing half of these.'
My eyes focused as the rest of my system almost called out to me.
"At least…not yet."
I wasn't one to be optimistic. At least, I tried not to be. I understood that hope was a weak man's crutches.
And though I would fall for it sometimes…I was the weak man in question.
I was a realist first and foremost when it came to things like these, I was extra skeptical.
"But what if…it didn't have to be this way. What if…I wasn't weak?"
-RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!!!!!!
I winced in pain as my eyes darted to the screen that suddenly appeared before me.
[Story Detected!!!]
"This is…Broadcast Sense."
And it was because of this ring snapping me out of my trance that I was able to now notice the louder than usual sirens in the distance.
And I didn't even need the screen before me to tell me something was up.
No…I knew. And I grinned.
***
"HUPP!!!"
I leapt through the air, my feet landing hard on the ground, my knees bending to take the impact.
Despite the impact of my feet hitting the ground, the sound alone hinting that no man could come out of that unscathed, I barely felt it, bouncing back as I continued to dart forward, a wide grin on my face.
I was trying to stay focused…but how could I?!
I was leaping from building to building, closing into the sirens and commotion faster than any car or vehicle would have allowed me too.
'If I was able to get to trouble this quickly in the past I'd be in a way better position than I am now!'
I was ready. With my sizable camera that weighed nothing on my shoulder and with one more leap, I perched my foot on the edge of the last building.
Below, I could see the large crowd formed behind a barricade of policemen, all staring at the scene I had a better view of at the moment.
"A bank, huh?" I mumbled, staring.
Now that I thought about it, I rushed here without even trying to figure out what was happening.
What exactly was it I was going to be capturing…
-CRACKLE
-BOOM
Before I could even finish, the ceiling to the bank exploded outward, electricity roaring as it crawled around the building.
The crowd below screamed as this seemed to give them the wake up call to evacuate even further.
As for myself, I didn't move as I widened my eyes at the scene I witnessed before me upon the dust settling.
"Come on, guys. It's a 6 Vs 1…"
An almost mocking yet mischievous voice cut through the air as a man in blue and red spandex landed on the ground in a pose, staring at a few individuals that appeared.
One was the man I knew to be responsible for the electricity. In a green and yellow suit…
"Electro…"
Another appeared, long metallic tentacle like appendages smashing into the ground as it gripped to bring forth a man.
"Doctor Octopus…"
A man with a glass opaque sphere of his head floated to join them.
"Mysterio…"
The dust began to gather, taking shape…the shape of a man wearing a green shirt.
"Sandman…"
And finally, a reptile-like creature crawled to the roof as the scene became clear, the two parties facing off.
"And Lizard."
Just as I finished listing them in awe as if I were counting sheep, Spiderman finished his quip.
"Ah, seems I was wrong. There's only five of you today. What happened, Chameleon still hasn't recovered from the beating I gave him last time?"
Spidey joked, but unlike usual, his jabs didn't seem to bother them.
"The five of us are quite enough to end your story here, Bug." Doctor Octopus spat.
"Yeah right. The Mighty Sinister Six, great enemies of the Amazing Spiderman…robbing a bank? Come on, guys, you're making me look bad as your arch nemesis. Oh, how the great have fallen from grace."
Clearly, Electro was not as calm as his partner, snapping back.
"Us?! Face it, web-head, with all the heroes running around these days you've been forgotten. No one cares about you. You're a washed up has been."
"Oh yeah, well this "Has Been" has been with your mothers all night. Each and every single one of you."
"Enough!"
Sandman spat, stepping forward.
"Let's brawl!"
The others followed him…as for myself?
'Oh…hell…fucking…yes! Score, the Sinister Six, I'm gonna get a scoop on the Sinister Freakin Six!'
Some might see danger and run. Some might be in awe and watch their favourite Superhero. But me?
I saw a payday…so much so that I grinned like a maniac, my pupils damn near turning into dollar signs.
This…this is what I needed.
And just as Spiderman rose to his feet, I leaned in, the both of us speaking in unison.
'ACTIVATE PRESENCE NULLIFICATION!'
[Presence Nullification Activated]
"Sinister Five, prepare to lose…AGAIN!"
"AND ACTION!"
With this, a red dot appeared on the camera as it let out a small sound.
-BEEP