September 2, 493 U.C.

Like some strange relic of history, a black-and-white photo sat in front of me. I studied the man on my screen. Butch Cassidy, guide me in this madness. Spinning, I turned back to my father on Saturday morning.

“Alright, do you understand?” Dad asked.

“I’ll do better this time. I can get a video game.” Maybe I could throw in some extra ones and knock over a display or something. Though I didn’t want to trash the place. Maybe I could just knock over some small things that would be easy to clean up.

“You really won’t.” Dad sighed. “Why not get some cash?”

I rolled my eyes openly. “Dad, no one uses cash! You know that. I know because everyone gives me looks for using cash.”

“Hmm. That’s true. Maybe you need to rob a bank. They have cash.” Dad nodded to himself.

“What? No.” I shook my head.

“Why not? The people are insured! In fact, you will rob a bank. That’s your target. You will take at least ten thousand credits, got it?”

Damn it! I don’t want to steal that much. “Let me prepare, at least.” I let out a long breath and began planning. I didn’t want a crime on my hands. My frown grew as I realized I’d be training for a month if I didn’t. Rebelling sucks. I huffed.

Dad patted my shoulder. “You have ten minutes. I want a bank heist. We need them to have fear, Casey. Focus on the fear!”

“Fear. Got it.” I went to get ready while debating what to do. An idea came to mind. I froze time. “Death!”

“What’s up?” Death appeared, standing there in jeans and a T-shirt. His spiky white hair was standing up.

“Where’d your getup go?” I asked.

Death laughed. “I just wear that to mess with people.” He searched the place and grabbed the jerky. “Where’s the food, Casey?”

“I’ll get you something. I was wondering -”

“Fuck, no! That’s never good news. No, you cannot travel in time. I don’t care if there is no paradox. I will kill you!” Death summoned a sword.

For the first time, I felt his power. It swamped the room in a torrent. It was like standing in a mana hurricane. “Never mind.”

“That’s more like it,” Death said with a long breath.

“How do you mask your aura?” I asked, my curiosity growing.

“Get me a pizza and I’ll tell you. Oh! And some wings!” Death added.

“Deal.”

“You just keep the aura inside yourself. You’ll need to feel it flowing through you. Yours isn’t strong enough to pick up just yet; so, it's the best time to practice.” Death chuckled and vanished.

I let out a breath of relief. At least that answered why the fae didn’t figure me out. Then I turned focus to the task at hand, appearing just outside a towering bank in New York City.

People instantly bustled around me. The glass doors revealed people inside. I stormed through the door in a villainous fashion, heading straight for the line of tellers on the wall. “This is a robbery!” I yelled.

“Think it’s her?” one of the people in line asked with a face of pure boredom.

“Make an illusion or something!” one of the managers called from an office across the place.

Dad would not be happy with an illusion, so I used a different spell. A ball of fire formed above my hand.

“This is a robbery!” I asserted while stepping forward. “Hand over all your credits!”

A guy started recording. Several others did the same.

“Is it a hologram?” the manager asked.

“No!” I yelled back, teleporting up towards him.

The man grabbed his phone while everyone began filming. “One second, Miss Viper, please?”

“Okay. You can have one.” I turned and watched for some defense drone or something.

“Hello. Viper is robbing us. What should I do?” the manager said in the background.

I frowned and debated what to do. Whatever, I’ll teleport into the vault if I have to do it.

“Right. Uh-huh. “ The manager looked over at me. “I can do that. Hang on – Viper, we have five thousand in the vault. It’s yours. Don’t cause any damage to the people or building please.”

“I need ten thousand,” I said.

“Why?” the manager asked.

I blushed. “I can’t get into it. But I have to have ten.”

“Is someone blackmailing you?” the banker asked.

“No! Ten thousand!” I proclaimed. That had been a mistake. Honestly, I needed a spell to boost my deception skills. I kept letting details slip.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“One second, please.” The manager began talking into his phone.

I frowned and wondered if he was calling the police. I prepared for it. It seemed logical.

“Right. Ten thousand it is,” the manager announced as he walked forward in his suit and tie.

“Where is it?” I asked.

“Follow me.” The man led me towards the vault. “Could you stamp our wall?”

“No! I’m not giving autographs.”

The manager quirked his brow. “It’s your calling card. Every villain needs a calling card. Don’t you need to leave it to show your work?” he asked.

“Oh. – That’s true. I do need everyone to know.” I stamped the wall and the safe for good measure. I did need them to know.

“Wait here, please,” he said while walking into it.

Not wanting some hero to sneak up on me, I did just that. Then he returned and handed a stack of bills to me. I did a quick count. He hadn’t even used fake ones or an ink pack. That worked for me.

The man leaned close. “Can we trap you in the vault? You can make a legendary escape.”

“Oh! Good idea.” I nodded and walked inside.

“And can you promise not to rob us for six months?” he asked.

I blushed. “Yeah. Sorry.”

“You should contact the authorities. They’ll help you deal with whoever is forcing you into this.” He walked out.

I blushed as the door snapped shut. Dad would tell me to steal more. The system triggered and began venting some gas in. I just teleported to a nearby pizza place instead of dealing with the safe defenses.

Walking inside, I enjoyed the glorious smell.

“Viper? Or cosplayer?” someone yelled.

That was when I doubled down on the villainy. “Viper. This is a robbery! I need two pizzas. Make them pepperoni. And I need a dozen wings! The spiciest ones you can make!”

“And you are Viper?”

“Sure am!” I grinned and teleported up next to the counter.

“It’ll be ready in twenty minutes.”

“Thank you, sir.” I took a seat. Then I cursed myself for saying thanks. Wanting to ensure that I left my calling card, I stamped the table.

“Excuse me, Miss Viper,” a woman said with a smile. “Can I get a picture of you and my daughters?”

With nothing better to do, I grinned at the two young girls. “Sure.” Then I pulled them close for a picture.

“I’m next,” some guy said.

“All visitors must purchase!” someone yelled from the counter. “No loitering!”

“Queue up!” another yelled.

“Can I get a note?” a lady asked.

Live long and eat pizza! ~Viper

I handed her the napkin. “Next!”

I spent ten minutes autographing things while my food was cooked. It felt far better than robbing the bank. The employees were giddy as a massive line backed up outside. Then two guys in uniform showed up with enforcement drones. They forced their way inside.

I groaned. “Oh, hello, officers. - Guys? Is my order ready?”

“Five more minutes, Viper.”

“I don’t think I have that long.”

“Just give her this one,” the girl behind the counter muttered.

“Order’s up!” the boy yelled.

“Thanks! Sorry, officers. I have to leave.”

“Viper, you are wanted for questioning. Please come with us,” the officer said while going for his taser.

I used Haste, grabbed my food, stashed it, and teleported home. Then I spun and pulled up the news to ensure that it had gone a bit better.

“Damn it!” I yelled.

First Galactic Bank! - Where we put your protection first! Our managers will go above and beyond to ensure that you are safe in the event of a robbery!

First Galactic Bank survives robbery with no injuries and only a ten thousand credit loss, setting a new standard for super-villain bank heists.

“Why didn’t you empty the vault and maybe hit one of them?” Dad asked with a look of frustration.

“The vault was venting some gas, and I thought ten thousand was a lot! This is way more than I’ve ever had before.” I huffed and crossed my arms. “Are they just going to turn everything I do into publicity?”

“Yes. And the pizza?” Dad asked.

“What? I was hungry!”

“Of course.” Dad rolled his eyes. “You know that you made them money?”

“I don’t want to bankrupt restaurants. I was hungry.”

“We need to get you more training.” Dad massaged his brow. “I have a meeting.”

“I’m ready.”

“Stay home. Focus on your list and be ready. We will start selling and becoming more overt. Things are moving forward to take over. You will need to help.”

I frowned at him. “Why can’t I come?”

“You have enough to do without worrying about politics. We’re pulling in allies. We need your help with that. We need to awaken others. Focus on that.”

“I could still come,” I muttered.

“Casey,” Dad hissed.

That shut me up. I was not getting more training. I just nodded and closed down the news, not wanting to read another word about it. Dad walked away without giving me training. I called it a win even if it had gone poorly.

I froze time. “Yo, Death! Pizza’s up!”

“Awesome!” Death popped in and took the wings and a pizza. “Later, Casey!”

“Later.” I took my own and tried to shove the guilt from the bank heist aside. I ate lethargically while finishing my homework. Then I started on the endless list of chores while the guilt grew. Maybe I can sneak it back to them? Then the doubt hit me. Are we really the good guys?... Thinking about alternative places to stay, I shook my head and vowed to end my crime spree. There had to be a better way.

Current Level 11 Current XP 10.32% Current Max Mana 9029.13 Regen per minute 13.68 Reputation 12000

Tier Skill Cost Tier 11 User Time Dilation (Haste)

- User experiences 256 seconds for 1 earth second.

- Force transference limited to 25%. 1 mana per earth second. Tier 7 Pocket Dimension

- 128 cubic meters of pocket space.

- Rapid stash and rapid draw.

- You may tether objects to your pocket space.

- Your pocket space cleans, preserves, and organizes items inside based on your will. 32 mana Tier 7 Time Stop

- Caster leaves spacetime. They may remove and place things back in spacetime.

- You may control the flow of time in the demiplane.

- You may summon in willing living creatures.

- This automatically triggers if you take significant damage.

- Recast to gain vision. 200 mana to cast.

Variable cost to move items in and out. Tier 7 Teleport.

- Teleports the caster or a willing creature.

- You may cast this on a willing or unwilling creature if they are within fifty meters.

- You may teleport inside an object, causing the matter to push outward.

200 mana for the caster.

400 mana for a willing creature.

1000 mana for an unwilling creature with no resistance.

- Short range casts cost less mana.

Tier 3 Attire Swap

- Locked to a single outfit. Current outfit set to Magical Girl Uniform.

- Attire cleaned on swap.

- Attire repaired on swap. 20 mana. Tier 3 Enhanced Body

-Caster’s body is enhanced by a factor of eight. 2 mana per caster second. Tier 2 Enchanting.

- Enchantments last twice as long. Variable cost. Tier 2 Potions.

- Potions last twice as long. Variable cost. Tier 2 Familiar Manifestation. 20 mana to cast Tier 2 Free casting

- Cast any spell you can replicate.

- Slotted Spell. Use half the normal cost of the spell to store a single spell for future use. Cast the spell for the remaining cost. Variable cost. Penalty of 8x mana.