Just as I was settling into my new state of being, a blue light appeared in my consciousness.

I cannot quite describe how I knew it was blue, but it was. As I focused my attention onto it, I recognized it as a blue board with white text written on it.

The text felt strange. I could tell that it was not any kind of alphabet I was familiar with and that it didn't make sense, yet I could also understand its meaning. It was like seeing a shadow of a rock and recognizing it sortof looked like a cat, despite knowing it was something else.

WELCOME TO SYSTEM

The what? As I finished reading the text, it changed into something else, similar to a textbox.

PLEASE CONVEY YOUR NAME ...

My name? Hmmm.

NAME ACCEPTED: MYNAMEHM WELCOME

Wait a minute! No, I didn't mean that! I started panicking and wondering how to go back and change my name to something better.

SHORT GUIDE WILL EXPLAIN USE OF SYSTEM, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION

I guess there's no turning back now. Still, I keep trying to look for an X or an arrow, anything indicative that could help me turn back to the name selection screen.

LOADING Loading image [http://cdn.onlinewebfonts.com/svg/img_462420.png]

A small spinning circle appears, the classical symbol for waiting. User experience designers might be the same across the universes?

Aniways, I waited for a fair bit, and then the circle stopped spinning, seemingly stuck.

Huh, is this thing even working?

Hey?

I examine the circle in my consciousness, but it seems I cannot interact with it by focusing my attention onto it.

I wonder if there is anything else I could do while waiting.

I try to focus my attention on my surroundings. It feels like I'm in a tight enclosed space, and it feels like I'm somewhere I belong. It's a strange existential feeling similar as being in your own house, and I'm surprised at myself for having such feelings despite having been here for so little time.

I try moving around but I can't. Like, physically can't. A mild panic sets in and I begin to wonder whether I cannot move because I'm in a tight space or because I cannot move at all.

I try to focus onto myself, trying to understand my new state. And as I do that, another window appears in my consciousness, right on top of the loading screen.

STATUS Name: Mynamehm Level: 1 Title: None Race: CALCULATING... Stats: CALCULATING... Traits: CALCULATING... Skills: CALCULATING...

It seems like everything was calculating. What did that even mean? The being that pulled me here did mention I was in a highly unusual situation, but she was quite unspecific about it.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

With a ding, the status window finished calculating.

STATUS Name: Mynamehm Level: 1 Title: None Race: Toothpaste Stats: HP: 3/3 MP: 0/0 AP: 1/1 STR: 4 AGI: 2 VIT: 3 INT: 10 DEX: 2 LUK: 13 Traits: Skills: Refreshen

I methaphorically blinked a few times. What do you mean my race is Toothpaste? Toothpaste?! Like the stuff you put on your teeth to clean them?

This must be a mistake, this... this toothpaste system seems to be poorly made and riddled with bugs. How can my race be toothpaste?

I read the rest of my stats and they seemed pretty obvious. STR made me stronger, right? I wasn't sure about the difference between DEX and AGI, however.

The traits I had were more interesting. I was apparently uniquely minty. I tried to focus on the text and another smaller window popped up.

You have an inherent, pleasing minty freshness. This effect cannot be removed.

Uh, okay.

What about the next one?

Uncountable beings have been reduced to ashes, and from their ashes you were born.

Right. But does it do anything? I'm not sure what it means. Focusing on any part of it didn't yield any result.

The next one was also interesting.

A particularly powerful being has marked you.

Again, what's with these unhelpful descriptions? I hope this isn't something negative, though.

Your body naturally destroys minor forms of filth.

Minor forms of filth entails the existence of major forms of filth. What is the difference, though? I feel like there's so much I don't know.

I wonder if the guide/tutorial has finished loading by now?

I shift my attention to the original window, making my status disappear.

GUIDE IS FINISHED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

Wait, it's already over? Did I miss it?!

Dammit.