This has been buried in the dark corners of my laptop for the past month. I figured I may as well put it up – if anyone actually wants me to continue this, let me know. It isn't the best, but eh, I try.
Shutdown 1.1
Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello?
Those…echoes. Bouncing off both the physical walls of the locker, my current prison, and the metaphorical ones constructed in my head. I'd only screamed for a few minutes, but those sounds, those begs for help, they kept coming back to me. They didn't want to leave this…this place. Didn't want to leave me.
Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello?
Everything was hurting. My bones ached, my head was pounding, my eyes refused to stay open for more than a few seconds. I was so…
Helpless.
I could barely move at this point. How long had I in here? Hours? Days? Or had it only been a few minutes, and I was just blowing this all out of proportion?
Come on, you're not stupid enough to actually believe that, are you?
Probably hours. If it had been days, there was no way I'd still be alive.
You aren't hungry. You aren't even thirsty. Come on. Just bloody consider it for a second.
It didn't sit right with me. I couldn't understand how I was even conscious. I hadn't slept for the whole time I'd been in the locker. I felt pain but…
You aren't tired.
Was it national 'Mess with Taylor Day' or something? Because I was starting to think I was going crazy. I was certainly hearing voices in my head, and they were definitely getting louder.
Would you just fucking–
Yeah, definitely getting louder. If only there was a goddamned on and off switch–
Welcome, User!
I stared. A large blue box had just appeared in front of me, displaying some sort of…welcome message? And it was still appearing even when my eyes were closed. What the actual f–
Would you like to change your Username? (Y/N)
I had to be going crazy. Yeah, I was hallucinating. There was no way that a bunch of text boxes has just popped up in front of my face in this stupid locker. God, even when I did move tampons were brushing against me.
Wait a second. Was I a…cape?
Was that even possible? I'd read about trigger events, but…well, this was…huh.
I decided to give it a try. What harm could it do? Worst case scenario, I didn't really have powers and I was just hallucinating. I decided to ignore exactly what it would mean if I really was hallucinating.
Taylor.
Welcome, Taylor!
I was staring again. This was slightly unnerving – I was still confused as to what was going on.
And then suddenly, three bars appeared in the top right corner of my vision. Green, red and blue. Just like the text boxes, they didn't go away when I closed my eyes – not that I could really tell the difference. I couldn't see an inch in front of my face. What…what the hell were these bars supposed to be? Suddenly they grew, just large enough for me to read what they were labelled as, as well as the four smaller icons underneath them.
HP: 65/100 (REG 2 HP/min) (Negated by Bleeding)
Stamina: 100/100 (REG 30 Stamina/min)
MP: 20/20 (REG 2 MP/min)
Status Conditions:
Short-sighted: Next Full Rest
Clinically Depressed: Next Full Rest
Bleeding (Negates HP REG): 2:43
Mildly Poisoned (-3 HP/min): 4:30
And what the hell was that supposed to mean?
…crap. I'm in a fucking video game, aren't I?
I was pretty sure I wasn't hallucinating now. This was way too far to be some sort of surreal mind trick. This was real. I was a cape, and my power was living life like a fucking video game. I had Health, Stamina, Magic or Mana, and even Status Conditions. According to my interface thingy, my Short-sightedness and Depression (hell, I hadn't even known I was depressed) were both Status Conditions. While Bleeding and Poison both had timers next to them which were ticking down by the second, Short-sighted and Clinically Depressed both only read 'Next Full Rest'. So, did that mean they'd just go away when I went to sleep?
It was only then that it hit me that this power of mine, if my interface wasn't lying, would allow me to function at peak human condition with nothing more than a quick nap. If that was so, and I wouldn't need to wear glasses anymore…this was overpowered. If this was like a game, then could I level up? Become more powerful?
Stats.
Nothing.
Status.
Username: Taylor
Occupation: Student
LV. 1 (Next LV. 0/1000 XP)
HP: 61/100 (REG 2 HP/min)
Stamina: 100/100 (REG 30 Stamina/min)
MP: 20/20 (REG 2 MP/min)
Title: None
STR: 2
VIT: 2
INT: 8
WIS: 7
DEX: 2
CHA: 1
LUK: 0
AP: 0
$: 0
…oh hell yes. Jackpot. So, everything was listed here. But what the hell were the extra stat acronyms supposed to stand for?
Strength: 2
Vitality: 2
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 7
Dexterity: 2
Charisma: 1
Luck: 0
Attribute Points: 0
Money: 0
Thank you, magical subconscious, for knowing exactly which ones I meant. My LUK being so low actually explained a lot. There was no way that my life was just that shitty for no reason. At least, that was what I told myself. It was less painful, in a way.
As for the other things…CHA was low as hell. If I could improve that, would the bullying stop? Would life get better?
Yeah, maybe you should think about that after you get outside the locker.
And there was the problem. Considering my measly 2 STR, there was no way I was going to get out of this locker without a lot of difficulty. Plus, I was still Bleeding and Mildly Poisoned. Although, both were down to under a minute. I just needed to hold out a bit more, and then I'd be fine. At least, I hoped so. Couldn't ever assume anything – especially now that I had powers.
I was still trying to wrap my head around it. Me, a cape? I'd always dreamed of being like Alexandria, ever since I was a little kid. Would my new powers let me reach that level?
Well, only one way to find out for sure.
New Quest: Get the Hell Out!
Get out of your locker.
Success: + 1000 XP
Failure: Humiliation, -1 CHA, ?
…my fucking power gave me quests. God, this was crazy. But if what it said was true, if I didn't get out, my reputation was even more screwed than humanly possible.
Now I just had to make sure I didn't fail.
As soon as both Bleeding and Mildly Poisoned were cancelled, I slammed my foot into the door of the locker, wincing as I felt a wave of pain shoot through my leg.
-4 HP.
Yeah, not my brightest moment. Probably should have tried hitting it with a little less force. Still, I tried it again.
-1 HP.
It still hurt like hell, though. Well, at least I could literally see my HP creeping up as it slowly regenerated. I could still get out of here.
-2 HP.
I used both feet that time. The door still didn't budge.
Of course it isn't budging, it's a fucking metal door.
-3 HP.
God, I was getting desperate. Was Panicked a possible Status Condition? Because if so, I was definitely getting close to it.
-5 HP.
You have unlocked the Passive Ability 'Damage Resistance'!
You have unlocked the Passive Ability 'Basic Unarmed Combat'!
…holy fuck.
Damage Resistance (Passive) LV. 1 5.5%
All damage is decreased by 1%.
Basic Unarmed Combat (Passive) LV. 1 1.5%
+ 1% Unarmed Melee Damage.
Increases knowledge of basic unarmed combat.
Okay, my powers were way too overpowered. I kicked at the door again.
-2 HP
Again.
-3 HP
And again.
-6 HP
God, I was loving this. I glanced at my HP.
HP: 42/100 (REG 2 HP/min)
Not too bad. But waiting for my REG to kick in couldn't hurt. So I waited a few minutes, long enough to think everything through.
I had a weird power, but it was pretty damn overpowered. It let me take something basic and make it better. Hell, if Damage Resistance was a skill, what else was?
Well, probably everything.
Damage Resistance is LV. 2!
God, I loved my power. Well, time to get kicking again.
-4 HP.
-3 HP.
-8 HP.
+ 1 STR
Huh. So I could earn extra points for my stats by doing basic things without levelling up? Well, I definitely wasn't going to complain. I tried my best to twist my head around to look at the locker door and see if there was any visible damage. God, it was dark. I could see the door's faint outline – I just needed to–
Observe.
Locker Door
HP: 33/100
You have unlocked the Active Ability Observe!
At this point, I was barely even surprised. My power seemed to pull random shit out of the air whenever I needed something.
Observe (Active) LV. 1 5%
Allows you to observe people or objects and gain information about them.
Well, at least now I knew that I didn't have far to go. Soon, I'd be out of this stupid locked.
And then I can go home.
I kept kicking. With each kick the door's HP went down by 1-3. I was getting closer. I had to pause to allow REG to kick in every once in a while, but I was getting closer.
+ 1 STR
+ 1 VIT
Damage Resistance is LV. 3!
Basic Unarmed Combat is LV. 2!
3 HP left on the door. But I only had 10.
God, this is taking too long.
-8 HP.
The door flew off its hinges, clanging loudly against the floor. A flood of blood covered tampons poured out of the locker as I quickly pushed myself out, yelping as I slipped back and hit my head on the floor.
-1 HP.
Quest Complete: Get the Hell Out!
Get out of your locker.
Success: +1000 XP
Failure: Humiliation, -1 CHA, ?
You are now LV. 2!
+ 5 AP
+ 10 HP, Stamina & MP
Well, that was good. Without any hesitation, I stuck all 5 of my AP into VIT. My REG was way too low.
Alright, I had to take this easy. I had 1 HP left, and I really didn't want to die because I did something incredibly stupid like trip and fall.
Back to the waiting game, huh?
I lay on my back for 12 minutes. I wasn't taking any chances, not after getting out of that stupid locker. The hall was dark, the only source of light being the occasional car as its headlights swept over the school and briefly passed through the windows. I could barely see – my glasses were broken, and the darkness didn't help in the slightest. But eventually, the time came when I had to move.
Username: Taylor
Occupation: Student
LV. 2 (Next LV. 50/1500 XP)
HP: 43/110 (REG 3.5 HP/min)
Stamina: 110/110 (REG 35 Stamina/min)
MP: 20/20 (REG 2 MP/min)
Title: None
STR: 4
VIT: 3+5 = 8
INT: 8
WIS: 3
DEX: 2
CHA: 1
LUK: 0
43 HP would have to do. I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to sleep. Not because I felt tired, but because I seriously didn't want to have to wear glasses for the rest of my life. Groaning, I used the lockers to support myself as I pulled myself up to my feet, swearing as my glasses fell off my face. They clattered against the ground, landing in the midst of the pile of tampons.
Don't need them anymore. They're broken, anyway.
I ignored them, considering that tomorrow they wouldn't benefit me at all. Short-sightedness would be cured, and glasses would only make my vision worse after that.
+ 1 WIS
And there it was again.
I walked slowly at first – I was hesitant, uncertain. But as my REG continued to restore my HP, my anxiety went away. I strode forward with a purpose, a small spring in my step as I headed for Winslow's entrance. Past darkened hallways and pitch black classrooms, leaving the mess of my locker behind me. As soon as I stepped outside, I received a new text box popped up in front of me.
New Quest: Return
Get home safely.
Success: + 500 XP, that Proper Rest you want so badly
Failure: How the hell are you going to fail this?
So my power had some snark. Well, I supposed I could deal with that. But right now, I needed to do what it said.
I started running home.
You have unlocked the Passive Ability 'Running'!
You have unlocked the Active Ability 'Sprint'!
+ 1 VIT