Earth – World of The Misplaced Dungeon

{Timeline: February 2019 – MD shortly before Ch. 79}

Nate bit his lip and surreptitiously wiped his palms on his jeans while watching Katy with wide eyed apprehension. He was used to being ignored by the popular girls and he knew Katy’s current boyfriend to have an uncertain temper and a jealous disposition.

At the thought of Zeke his eyes darted round the locker room much to Katy’s amusement.

Katy giggled softly, “relax Nate honey, my Zeke’s having a maths tutorial. Course that means that he’ll be mean as a snake in about half an hours time.”

Nate tried to back up, but as he was already backed up against the lockers he failed. Katy giggled again.

“They say you’re one of the brightest guys in our year. I’ve got a bet for you. If you fail then I’ll set Zeke on you. If you succeed well... Maybe I’ll ask Lani to take you out on a date or two. What do you say?”

“Um... Err...”

“Good I knew you’d agree. Well Nate yanno that this System thingie isn’t playing nice or fair. Look at what it did to poor Harry. Bet you can’t figure out how to make it allow us to become real vampires like in the books.”

Nate was starting to panic, vision of Zeke and his friends weren’t helping. “Um, books ... you mean like Bram Stoker’s Dracula?”

“Who? No like all the books with the sexy vampires who bond to their ladies and do anything for them.”

Nate just stared. “Wha?”

“Yeah that’s right Nate. You have a week... Na, I’ll be generous, I’ll give you two.” Then she swooped in and gave Nate a kiss that left him weak kneed.

Nate saw Katy sashay away and greet her usual coterie of friends who he now realized had been in earshot the whole time. He once again broke out into a nervous sweat.

A visit to the local library enlightened him as to the impossibility he faced, and only the threat of Zeke enabled him to keep skimming books he found boring and repetitive. He finally left and headed home in a daze.

‘Now what?’ thought Nate, ‘I can’t see those blue screens, sometimes I think it’s all an elaborate hoax. So who... Oh yeah I’ll see if Denise can help me, I never hassled her, maybe she’ll overlook that I never helped her. God I hope Katy forgets about Lani, she might be beautiful but she’s a bitch... Why couldn’t it be Zoe?’

* * *

Nate arrived at school very early that day, then he waited for the other pupils to arrive. When the bright pink Chevrolet Bolt turned into the parking area he started walking towards it.

“Um, excuse me Denise, can I ask you something please?”

Denise Sottomayor turned to watch the small Asian looking teen approaching her. “Well Nate you’ll have to make it quick or we’ll be late.”

“Um, sorry. I want to learn about the system and how this integration thing works, and you are the person I know who has... um, changed most and not made a mess of the... Um, sorry that doesn’t sound right.”

“Why Nate, do you want to become a girl too? I really recommend it. Except for periods, they’re icky,” Denise teased.

Nate blushed furiously while Denise’s brother Julian laughed out loud.

“No, no, no! Katy bet that I could ... um, and I really do not want to loose that bet. The penalty ... um.”

The Sottomayor siblings lost their smiles. “Guess you don’t trust the principal to keep you safe. You should tell him though,” Said Denise. “He can be very supportive.”

“And Zeke can be a bastard, especially with Katy egging him on,” replied Nate.

The Siblings shared a long look, and then Julian said, “You should talk with Mary. Mary Silvestre. She’s the one who helped us out. And if you still need help ... well you can count on us.”

“Yeah, but we have to run now or we’ll be late,” confirmed Denise.

* * *

Nate had planned to accost Mary during the lunch break but he lost his nerve. When classes ended he hurried out and made his way to where he had seen the jeep parked. He arrived at much the same time as the tall girl.

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“Mary, please wait.”

Mary slowed and turned to face Nate. “What do you want? And sorry, but who are you?”

“Err... Nate. I’m Nate Wilson. Please I need help with the System’s integration system. I was bet – um, threatened really. Katy wants me to figure out how she or one of her friends can become... One of those vampires that exist in her favourite romances.” Nate finished with a rush.

Mary rolled her eyes and sighed. “Keep sayin’ got no affinity with undead. I’m a water girl me.”

Nate seemed to shrink into himself and he looked frightened.

“Look Nate, vampires, well the classic western ones anyway are animated corpses that need to steal life force to exist. What does Katy expect from a vampire anyway?”

Feeling a sliver of hope, Nate answered. “Um, tall, handsome, sexy, nocturnal but capable of braving the day if properly covered up and using sunscreen, existing on a small amount of blood and having a life bond of som...” he stopped talking at Mary’s laughter.

“Doesn’t want much does she? Well forget usin’ a vampire as base. And why should an infertile vampire have a mate bond. Makes no sense.”

“You’re saying it can’t be done?”

“Keep sayin’ got no affinity with undead. An’ no don’t think it can. Why don’t you pick somethin’ capable of avoidin’ or dealin’ with whatever this Katy threatened you with instead?”

Nate’s mouth dropped open. He shuddered, “Err, what do you suggest? And what if we use something else as the base?”

“Depends what you want out of you life. No heartbeat’s gonna louse up it’s sex life.”

Nate blushed. “Um, err, if I could hide and maybe fight Zeke off long enough to run...”

Mary grinned and chuckled. “Take a look at leopard ‘folk. That is beastfolk. If fightin’ is what you want Tiger ‘folk would serve. Don’ forget to drill down in the options and check fitness and size.”

“What?” queried Nate.

“Just suggestin’ you take your time.”

“Um, but I can’t see the System’s interface yet.”

“Can fix that. Just not here. Wanna follow me, or get in an’ I’ll take you. Got to get some fishin’ in an’ I can set you up at the beach.”

* * *

Having opted for tiger, a bemused and much larger furry Nate left Mary fishing on the beach alongside a few other enthusiasts and caught a bus for home. He spent the trip utilising his new knowledge to study the information he now had access to. He drew a blank on how Mary had conjured up his new clothes. And he couldn’t see how to turn any of the innumerable types of vampires available into a relatively innocuous sexy human.

Home was another adventure. He hadn’t realized how loudly his mother could scream. She had nearly deafened him when he walked into the lounge. The explanations had been long drawn out and it had to be repeated when his father arrived home from work. Somehow he had ended up by telling them about Katy and Zeke.

Much to Nate’s frustration the next task was to get his racial change registered with the appropriate authorities and with his school. Then shopping for clothes.

* * *

Nate woke before his alarm on the following morning and lay looking at the ceiling of his room. ‘What if I use a different base? Human with a difference? Um... Pheromones for the sexy bit, an extreme allergy to the sun. Stronger and faster seems possible, Mary is after all. No way a bit of blood is going to feed someone that size though. Blood as a supplement, but why... wouldn’t make sense. Needing some life essence... but just a bit... maybe... Oh damn this doesn’t make sense, and why am I worrying.’

Then Nate got up, got ready and went downstairs. ‘Um, maybe because if I don’t figure this monster out someone else will... And I can add exploitable weaknesses.’

Nate discovered that tigers didn’t like cereals though the bacon was absolutely delicious as were the eggs.

He banged his head getting into the school bus and everyone fell silent when he got on and took his seat. On arriving at school he was met and sent to see the principal to get his records and ID updated.

After school found him in the local library once again. Luck was with him and one of the librarians on duty was his mother’s friend. He explained his dilemma. She was sympathetic and drew him out and then she dragged one of her friends into the discussion.

He left the library several hours later and he had a tentative solution in an endless series of vampire romances that used an improbable high tech solution for its vampires. Now he just had to sell it to Katy and get some more help from the Sottomayors and Mary.

* * *

Julian and Denise were happy to help, Denise had actually read some of the books in questions and had some suggestions. Mary wasn’t as open or helpful. But together they worked out something. Immortality was nixed by Mary, she suggested an extended lifespan instead and as she had said, in a hundred years time it wouldn’t matter if they were annoyed with him or not.

That night he finalised the design of his faux vampire and wondered why Mary had snorted in amusement at his disgust that they were giving Katy or whomever a two hundred year lifespan. And what did she mean by read the fine print?

The weekend was hectic as he had to phone and visit friends and family to explain his changed circumstances. On Saturday too, they had had to visit the local branch of the Paranormal Division of the FBI, so that they could run some tests. It would seem that he was the first tiger folk to manifest.

Monday was actually a welcome relief for once. Katy had been suspicious and somewhat unhappy but at least she did promise to read the books he gave her and that had been by the librarian and her friend plus another Denise had recommended.

On Wednesday Katy sought him out. She had Zeke in tow.

“They’re not real vampires,” she huffed. “But if that’s the best you can do, fine. But I won’t get you the date with Lani, ‘cause you didn’t really win the bet Nate.”

Nate managed to keep his relief from showing.

“So Nate, talk us through the setup. And if you get it wrong I’ll cream you.” Stated Zeke.

Nate’s eyes widened in surprise as he glanced out of the window at the bright sunny day, “Now?”

“Yes now!” agreed Katy.

“If you’re sure, um the full change might take a day to finish but it will start to take effect immediately. Are you sure you want to do this now?” Nate asked as he watched some dust motes dance in the sunlight.

“Yes. Get on with it cat breath,” ordered Zeke.

“Right, call up the integration blue screen and select race. Pick human and select variants. You should find an option called Human – Vampiric. Select that. And that’s all you have to do to be a nanotech vampire like the ones in the books. All the rest is standard, class etc.”

Nate couldn’t believe it. They did pick it just like that. They didn’t check any of the available information. They just picked it.

‘Thank god Mary knew how to create that template and place it in the System. Or rather she knew how to talk “Bluey” into helping us, me.’