Schemes, Economics, and Annoyances

A/N: Sorry about the long delay. A lot has happened to me over the recent months and I've lost a lot of my motivation to keep writing this story so I took a break. To be honest, I still occasionally write, I just don't publish anything since the quality of my writing when I force myself to write goes down the toilet and I want to maintain at least a little bit of dignity as a writer.

.~.~.~.

"And if you took anything away from this video, then all I have to say is, Miracle, please re-right these wrongs! Only you have the power to heal this broken world. America, no, the world is waiting for you to do the right thing!" The YouTuber finished as his half-hour-long video essay/plea for my action finished up.

Ever since my reveal and the reality/true scope of my immense power became public knowledge 2 weeks ago, the world had been in a state of 'ordered chaos'. It was to be expected of course. When out of the blue, everyone realizes that there is just a 'normal guy' out there who could snap his fingers and create a utopia... well let's just say I've been getting a lot of 'requests' like these. The video I had just watched was of a socialist YouTuber who was basically trying to guilt-trip me into making the world into a perfect communist society where the rich and powerful were torn from their ivory towers and had all of their possessions redistributed to the world's workers.

The video before this was a request by a conservative libertarian to make 'the communists see the error of their ways' by making the world into a super-capitalist utopian dream where the government, as well as LGBTQ+ people, didn't exist. his racism shining through really hurt his chances more than anything.

The video before THAT was just someone asking to give everyone a copy of my powers to make humans all gods, and if I was unwilling, then to give my power to the video's creator so that they could do it for me, in a blatant attempt to convince me to make them all-powerful.

I sat back in my chair and loudly sighed, my head looking up towards the ceiling. This really wasn't the response I was expecting. Sure I was expecting the religious crowd to get their panties in a twist over me, like the guy in the parking garage below me trying to blow up the fertilizer bomb in the back of his van. I was even expecting the many assassins trying their luck like the sniper who just tried to blow my brains out with the Adamantium Bullet that just bounced off my skull, doing no damage.

Turns out, not everyone liked me all that much, who would have guessed? The fertilizer bomb guy thought I was the Anti-Christ and that he had to stop me before I caused the end of the world. I'd already disarmed his bomb with my powers, as he wasn't the first person to try this tactic. The ultra-religious always seem to cause more harm than good, so I was expecting them, though not in this large of frequency.

The sniper freaking out at having failed and was worried he'd be 'erased' by me was what I figured would be where the majority of assassination attempts would come from. He was hired by a cartel of pharmaceutical companies who didn't like the fact I was going to be turning over the cure-all for every human disease to the United Nations in a few hours which would drive most of them out of business. After all, the medical industry isn't about helping people and easing human suffering to these people. It's about those insane profits they rake in off of forcing people to go into thousands of dollars of debt for lifesaving treatments or charging hundreds of dollars for the insulin diabetics need to live.

I released another sigh. "I knew people were trash, but this kinda takes the cake, huh?" I asked aloud.

Emma Frost snorted. "I told you to wear a mask, but did you listen? No! You said you'd be relying on, what was it again?" She asked.

"I believe it was the 'goodness of the human spirit' or something," Jean said, assuredly.

A small blush appeared on my cheek. "I was feeling optimistic ok?" I said, slightly embarrassed. "Besides, if it becomes too much of a problem, I can always rewrite reality to where I was wearing it." I defended. They were referencing the fact that I didn't hide my identity when speaking to the UN, as I wanted people to know I was just a regular guy, not some weird cosmic entity that demanded I worship them, or an alien sent to trick them or something.

"Well, I think it's quite nice to see you being so naive sometimes. You usually act like you've got everything sorted out, so this is refreshing." Sam commented smugly.

Kara smiled. "I think that husband's naive side is cute." She said as she floated from her seat to behind my chair and rested her breasts on my face while gently hugging my whole head.

"hefinfeneienfeneine" I tried to reply, but my voice was muffled under the surprising softness of the woman of steel's bosom.

Kara giggled and I noticed Jean and Sam giving each other a look before rolling their eyes with my cosmic awareness since my eyes were also covered. Emma also seemed exasperated and shook her head before leaning forward in her chair and pressing a button on the side. The button alerted the building's private security, each outfitted in magical power armor, of my own design that'd give Thor a run for his money, to go and collect my two would-be-assassins. This had occurred so frequently that Emma didn't even have to say anything and the people knew what to do. They knew I was in the CEO's office, which meant a sniper. They'd probably also notice the fertilizer bomb now that I'd defused it and the fanatic in the parking garage was yelling rather loudly and freaking out, wondering if he'd been discovered or if it was just a fluke due to faulty wiring.

Kara giggled as she listened to the man as he literally tore out his own hair in madness before passing out, pissing himself in the process. "It's not that big of a deal, is it?" She asked to the room, but mostly me.

I shook my head and spoke using my powers so that everyone could hear me clearly despite my face still being buried in her chest. "No, it really is. From his perspective, I am literally Satan come to kill his family or something and this was his god-given mission to stop me."

Jean rolled her eyes. "So the one down there is another radical religious person then?" She asked. "Why do they keep using bombs? Do they want to take out all the innocent people around them to? At least the corporations and crime bosses use snipers or poison."

I nodded. "I know right? Also, you'd think the ultra-religious would read their own damn book more before jumping to conclusions. The Anti-Christ doesn't show up until AFTER the rapture, and since it hasn't happened yet, I can't be him. Also, they are supposed to be super Charismatic and willing to let the Jews rebuild their temple in Isreal, however, I'd never advocate for something like that since that'd start a religious war with the Palestinians." I commented.

"Whose to say you won't get a Zionist girlfriend in the future and your mind won't change?" Cecil Stedman commented as he entered the door, files in hand. "I'm more worried about cults dedicated to your worship popping up. If normal, but charismatic people can convince hundreds of people they are divine, I can't even begin to imagine what will appear when an actual man-god appears."

"You don't have to worry too much because I've already altered reality to prevent such things." I chuckled. "Also if it were that easy to seduce me, the Agent you sent would already have me wearing one of your shield badges," I fired back.

"Was Agent Adams not your type? The blonde-haired, blue-eyed bombshell usually works," He asked with a slight smirk. His banter would be funny if it wasn't for the fact he wouldn't even deny the fact he'd report on 'my type' to Fury and the council so they could improve their chances of successfully honey-trapping me.

I smiled and finally removed my face from under Kara, who floated away so as not to be in the way when Cecil handed me the file in his hand. He didn't say anything, clearly waiting for me to respond to the question about my 'type'.

I sighed again. "Don't get me wrong, Tanya Adams is hot as hell, I just don't like people who want to only use me for my powers," I said, skimming through the file. "If I only cared about appearance, I'd already have Emma bent over this desk screaming my name right about now", I teased as Emma blushed slightly before composing herself a moment later from my sudden sexual harassment.

I smirked noticing this, satisfied I met my quota for the day and ignoring the glare Jean was giving me before going back to the papers in my hand. I didn't have to read these reports manually but did so anyway because I didn't want to use my powers for everything under the sun and only use them for self-defense or when necessary.

The fact I used them to talk just now rather than remove my face from under my lover's jugs counted as absolutely necessary.

Noticing this, for the briefest of moments, Cecil's mouth twitched, attempting to curl up into a genuine smile of amusement for less than a second before he steeled himself again. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about you being seduced by the criminal element using such tactics."

I smirked. "I don't know man, Elektra is pretty hot." I lightly teased.

Cecil rolled his eyes, "R~ight" he said, clearly knowing I was joking, or at least hoping, I wouldn't join the Hand over such a petty reason, though I had no doubts my joke would make it into the report about our meeting later anyway.

"What's in the file?" Emma asked as I handed it to her.

"Looks like corruption and crime are down. The economy is slowing down, but most companies are giving their employees raises. There is bipartisan support from the United States Congress and Senate for comprehensive reforms in various sectors, such as rebuilding infrastructure, breaking up monopolies, and implementing a new universal healthcare bill." Cecil summarized.

"It's almost like when you know god is watching and could smite you for not doing what the people want, even politicians will have to do what's in their people's best interests rather than what will make the most money from their corporate backers," I said sarcastically.

"And when 'god' is as socialist as you are, it turns heads and moves asses, even in Washington" Cecil replied.

"I'm not actually Socialist, though I guess you could say I'm a social democrat," I replied as I got up from my chair and walked to the window to look out it.

"Um... what's the difference?" Kara asked. I'd given her general knowledge about the world, but the finer details of politics and whatnot still alluded her.

"Social Democrats want a lot of the most basic things Socialists advocate for, like free healthcare for all, heavily subsidized or free schooling for everything from kindergarten to college, more unions in the workplace, etc without going fully into authoritarianism. Think of countries like the USSR as having 'the right idea, but the wrong execution'. They still like to have free and fair democratic elections for politics and prefer workplace democracy over government-owned businesses." Jean explained.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm more of a 'New Dealer' myself but it's sad that after Regan, those people became 'Socialists' or 'Communists' or whatever." I corrected.

Kara nodded her head slowly. "Ok... I have no idea what any of that means." She said.

I chuckled. "I'm in favor of the economic system the United States had just before, during, and after World War 2, which heavily favored the average worker over businesses. You couldn't have workers' rights riots in your factories stopping the production of tanks, planes, bullets, and bombs because the factory owner wanted to cut corners for profit after all. Back then a single working man could buy a large house, a car, invest a substantial proportion of their income into the stock market, and save up for their children's college education all on a blue-collar working man's salary in a 40-hour work week factory," I explained.

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad," Kara replied.

"The tax rate was almost 50% for the average person, and up to 95% for the wealthy." Emma shot back, glaring at me.

I held up my hands in fake surrender, conceding the point. "I never said it was perfect, just preferable to what we have now."

Cecil nodded. "In fairness, a refined version that economic system is what led America into its 'golden age' economically in the 1950s and somewhat into the 1960s," he argued.

I turned to Cecil and smiled. "My man Cecil! Do we share an economic outlook!?! Want to join me as we write our representatives!?!" I joked.

Cecil fought the urge to roll his eyes "I'm good."

"Boo~ We should overthrow this capitalism system together Cecil!" I joked.

"Alright there, Marx, let's not get off topic." Jean interrupted, trying to get us back on track. "How's the Overwatch Project going?" She said, taking the file from Emma.

Cecil nodded, thanking Jean mentally for moving away from the 'joke' of the reality warper wishing to overthrow the bourgeoisie. "So far it's been going well. Almost every single cape is at least willing to try out Overwatch, with some of the more enthusiastic ones already forming teams and the experienced Capes forming a council of sorts to establish rules for themselves and the organization." He asked.

"Oh? Why haven't I heard of this, Damian?" Sam asked, genuinely curious.

"Because their first 'vote' was to delegate me to a non-voting member," I replied a slightly bitter tone in my voice.

"WHAT!?!" Sam yelled. "That's outrageous! Not only are you the most powerful member, but you also started the whole thing! They are using YOUR Moon Base for their headquarters!"

I nodded darkly. "Tell me about it. They really are testing my patience," I replied.

Cecil, seeing my mood turn sour, interjected. "They likely want to see if you'll accept a limitation like this onto yourself," He said hastily before calming himself and continuing. "Fury speculated that they want to see if you'll re-write reality to get your way. They already said you can continue being the administrator and advisor for the project."

Kara was confused. "Um, does Administrator mean like, the President of Superheroes?" She asked.

"It's closer to being the COO of a company. The COO is right below the CEO in terms of position but usually they are unable to make the big decisions without approval from the CEO or the Board. Despite this lack of power to affect major company-wide changes, they are still responsible for the majority of the day-to-day operations and paperwork," Emma explained.

Kara nodded. "Oh, I get it. So it's a token position."

I nodded. "Basically. I don't get to make the big decisions, however, I'm forced to do the actual legwork whenever they want their decisions enforced." I grumbled.

"In fairness, it's not that bad of a deal in reality." Cecil protested. "The council will be able to vote on things like a general training course for all its members, or a salary for all heroes so they don't need to waste time on day jobs to live, however, it'll be up to you to work out the specifics. So long as you and the council agree on the goal, how you go about it is mostly up to you. For a micro-manager like you, this should be a dream come true."

"Under normal circumstances, maybe, but there is no guarantee that everything they do is something I'd agree with. If, for example, they require everyone to place their secret identifies into a database; I can make it our database unhackable with my powers to mitigate the risks, however, if they decide to hand over the database to the United Nations, then any shmuck who can bribe his way into the UN delegation to a small country like Timor-Leste can get access to the secret identities of every hero and leak it online." I argue.

"Oh... I can see why you aren't a fan." Kara concluded, to which I nodded in response.

Cecil shrugged his shoulders. "Winston Churchill once said something to the effect of, 'Democracy is the worst kind of government, except when you compare it to every other kind of government'. Looks like that's what you're experiencing now".

I shrugged my shoulder, deciding to drop the point. It was annoying what they did, and to be honest, it was downright disrespectful, however, I wasn't some kind of small-dicked cultivator who'd humiliate them all just because I didn't get my way. I had my own means of doing things and influencing their decisions without being directly on top.

'Better to be a King Maker than the King' I thought as my lovers continued on with our disgruntled grumbling while Cecil continued to play devil's advocate.