Chapter 18: Showing the Ropes

Billy asked, "Can you copy my superpowers too?"

David hesitated before replying, "Maybe in the future, but for now, I think it would be dangerous."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous? How so?"

David looked at him seriously. "Your power, it's not like any other. It's luck, probability, chance. It's not as straightforward as other powers. I could end up accidentally turning all the probability in the world against me. One wrong move, and I could turn all my luck bad. Every step I take could be into a disaster waiting to happen. Or I could alter probabilities in a way that could have catastrophic ripple effects. It's best to avoid playing with chance when I don't fully understand or control it."

Billy blinked, taken aback. After a moment, he let out a low whistle. "I never thought of it that way. You're right, though. Luck isn't something to mess with unless you're sure you can handle the consequences. For now, let's focus on you getting a handle on your existing power."

David nodded, relieved. He was glad Billy understood his concerns. After all, the world of superheroes was unpredictable enough without adding bad luck to the mix.

"Have you ever had any bad luck?" David said with concern.

Billy chuckled at David's question. "Have I ever had bad luck? Sure, plenty of times. But that's the thing with my power, even the bad luck turns out good in the end."

David looked at Billy with a curious expression. "So even when things go wrong, they end up being right?"

Billy shrugged, "More or less. It's not always immediate, and sometimes the path isn't what I'd choose, but things tend to work out in the end. Like that flux alien earlier - would've preferred not to have my apartment trashed, but it did give me a chance to show off a bit."

David couldn't help but grin at that. His understanding of Billy's character was deepening, and he was excited to see how it would all unfold. "I suppose there's always a silver lining then, huh?"

Billy grinned back at him, "Well, for me there usually is. And hopefully, with my guidance, there can be for you too."

David watched as Billy picked up an alien object, turning it over in his hands as if it were nothing more than a trinket.

"Continuing our conversation," David began, "I noticed a glimpse of a portal. Was that Overlord, the dimensional traveler? And are you his sidekick?"

Billy chortled at that. "Oh, hell no. I'm not Overlord's sidekick. Without me, he probably wouldn't even be alive."

David raised an eyebrow at Billy's self-proclaimed genius. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Billy replied confidently. "But I tend to dumb things down, makes everything more enjoyable that way."

David tilted his head, considering Billy's words. "And how does dumbing down make things more fun?"

Billy shrugged, "Well, when things are too easy, they get boring. By acting dumb, I introduce an element of unpredictability, of chaos. It's far more exciting, don't you think?"

"And does this act of yours ever backfire?" David inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Billy simply grinned at the question. "Not exactly. It just leads to... unexpected results. But that's the fun part, isn't it?"

David thought for a moment, then shifted the topic slightly. "Has your Danger Sense ever failed you?"

Billy shrugged. "It's not about it failing or not. It's more about how I choose to react. There were times when I deliberately ignored the warnings, just to see how things would turn out. As I said, the unexpected results are all part of the fun."

With a brief flick of a device in his hand, Billy opened up a swirling portal in front of them. "Follow me," he said casually before jumping in, with David close behind. They emerged onto a chaotic battlefield on a distant galaxy, the alien sun casting a strange hue over the surreal landscape.

Before David could fully process the sight, Billy was already moving, engaging a hulking alien soldier with surprising agility. He weaved through the alien's attacks, each dodge and evasion seeming just a little too lucky to be purely skill-based. The alien's huge fist would narrowly miss Billy's head, or his swipe would only tear a piece of Billy's shirt, but never hit the body underneath.

In the middle of the fight, Billy turned back to David, flashing him a grin. "See, this is Plausibility and Shroud at work. I'm not invisible, just easy to miss. Plus, these near-misses aren't purely luck. It's more about nudging probabilities in my favor," he explained, ducking a blow at the last moment.

Just then, an alien shot a surprise attack at Billy from the side. The moment it happened, his expression changed, and he twisted his body, avoiding a shot that could have been fatal. "That was Danger Sense," he said, looking back at David while kicking away the alien who had tried to shoot him.

Billy continued his dance of evasion and attack, demonstrating his powers in a way that no lecture or explanation ever could. "See, it's not just about having the powers, but knowing how to use them efficiently," he shouted over the cacophony of the battlefield. "It's like weaving a tapestry, you got to know how to intertwine them seamlessly."

As David watched Billy move, he realized the mentorship he was getting was far more intense and insightful than he could have ever anticipated. This was not merely a lesson, but a vivid demonstration of how superpowers were a means to adapt, survive and make a difference in this infinitely complex universe.

After Billy had shown David the ropes, he stepped back, leaving David to face the oncoming rush of alien soldiers. "Alright, your turn," he said, his voice brimming with confidence. "Remember, you're superhuman. You're stronger, faster, and tougher than any normal human. Plus, we're nowhere near Earth, so if anything goes wrong, I'll step in."