Tutorial: Day 0
It started off like any other day, ripped violently from a vivid dream, or nightmare depending on who you asked, around the eye-crusting hours of 10 am. Normally It’d be earlier in the morning, but I loathed the cold. Every winter in Arizona was frozen enough to trigger my lizard ancestry that I’m half-joking half-serious my family holds dormant. Yours truly being the unfortunate soul the gene activated in. Not to mention I enjoy my dreams now, even if I often awoke in a cold sweat even still. Relatively a new development, 12 months in the making now, as most of life was spent dreading my nightly terror sessions. Never had I shied away from sleep, as it was a natural necessity, but I had hated it all the same up until recently, for reasons I don’t particularly feel like ruminating so early.
Arising from my congregation of thick, now sweat-soaked blankets and pillows, I began my routine. I quite enjoyed waking up, getting some balance training in, a few crunches, and the occasional hit of my electri-, ah, you know, the Penjamin. G Pen. Weed. I smoked weed, like…a lot. Don’t get me wrong, society often perceived me as functional at the very least, and I partook far less than in my younger years. Still more than the assumed average functioning 26 year old male consumed. At this point, it served as a relic of times far more trivial and…well…miserable. make no mistake, the highs felt just as good as the first time when I was but a preteen, getting in on my friend’s older brother’s stash. It had a way of keeping me ‘centered’, if you will, as I had my father’s temper. A nasty one at that, but one I spent a lot of time meditating on to better get a grasp over.
Part of the reason my night terrors became fantasies and anger turned a means for management had been hugely in part to my training, which now a year has passed since I had begun. It wasn’t some anime, training day and night thing, at least not in just one skill, but it certainly felt that way. The first 25 years of life had flown by as fleeting as silence in a crowded room, yet the last 12 months I felt, well, old. Like time just slowed all the way to a screeching halt. I kind of feared it at first, and wondered if life would become an inescapable vacuum that dragged for what felt like a millennia before my inevitable dirt nap, but I learned to yearn for more hours in the day short after.
Frankly, between the gym, sparring, shadow sparring, conditioning, honing my stock portfolio, working a regular ass job, and trying to be a good son/nephew/cousin/friend, shit was becoming increasingly difficult to balance. I try to dismiss it as a byproduct of holidays invoking nostalgic memories of times I was more relevant in their lives, but that typically fails to pacify nothing more than my words. No one told me part of getting your shit together was the demystification of most social excuses to forcefully bond. Not that I minded, I enjoyed my time with most of them, but I couldn’t help but wonder at what the opportunity cost was running me.
Greed, Tom, you’re letting the greed talk.
My closest-thing-to-lifelong friend and current trainer, Korbin, had been a big if not key factor in my current progress. At least the progress I was most proud of, and an unfortunate byproduct of his assistance was his annoying fucking voice ringing through my head intermittently. What’s worse, it was often right, but I would’ve gotten there you know? I must not have mentioned mental illness ran in my family, but I’m approximately 87.945% certain the OCD skipped me.
Joking, but no, I did dodge that very familial bullet.
After my morning routine, I headed to the living room to get a little snack in before the gym. Korbin was already out and about tending to his lady, Kaitlyn, and their newborn daughter, Anna. It was kind of crazy, seeing this 12 year old kid I met in middle school, who was honestly the human incarnation of ADHD growing up thinking back on it, becoming one of the better fathers I’ve seen in my marginally short life. At least the best adjusted thus far, but it shouldn’t have come to a surprise. After you watch a dude leap off enough perfectly good shit for the hell of it, things they do stop surprising you.
“Look Anna! The House-Cat has appeared!” Korbin exclaimed excitedly, while Anna immediately flipped her head and stared intently. It was odd, babies in general seemed to always vibe with me, but for some reason Anna was just enamored. It wasn’t favoritism either, it was like pure curiosity and bewilderment encompassed her mind the way she’d stare as I did my thing. She’d even watch me and Korbin spar, and often try to replicate our movements.
Did I mention she’s 7 months old? Kid’s crazy strong, and had been on her feet already for a while now, though I’m bad at keeping track of dates and all that. Anyways, I did what I always did, and frantically waved with a big smile, giving the typical long drawn, high pitched, “Hi little one” I always gave. It never failed to get a giggle out of them, and frankly that’s where my uncle/House-Cat duties start and end until she’s old enough to have opinions and whatnot. Hoping she won’t need mine, but I’d hate to be blatantly despondent to my buddy’s kin, regardless of my comfort about it. It’s not how I’d want him to treat mine, if I have one that is.
I was fresh off a 4 year relationship nearing marriage like a cargo plane loaded with an unstable nuclear reactor barreling into a fucking hospital, but luckily that ended before things got too permanent. Needless to say, having children wasn’t on the top of my to-do list anytime soon, but I learned to plan ahead the past year.
“Say ‘no no it’s cool do your thing House-Ca…’HYAH!” My ruminations on mutual mentorship responsibilities between friends were abruptly interrupted by the sensation of a tiny baby foot bouncing from my chest. It was like someone brushed by while holding an empty paper towel roll so, naturally, I crumbled to the floor writhing in pain. Feigned, of course, but how could I discourage a well placed body kick from the little one like that? We encourage good habits around here.
After Anna got her fill of laughter from basking in her triumphant victory in the battle for supremacy with the House-Cat, she got bored and started doing the “drinking from a bottle” face, indicating she’s over it. I got up and resumed making my snack. Little Peanut Butter and Honey had me like Winnie the fucking Pooh, and it was actually really good for you, something most all of my diet shared but, couldn’t compare in sheer elation upon biting into.
God, I miss those sandwiches.
“You work today?” Korbin asked. I knew what the next question was gonna be if I said no, “Wanna spar?” Of course I did, so I skipped the formalities.
“I’m down to spar today, lemme get chest and triceps in first. Last day before my rest days.” I said, in a matter of fact tone.
“Pussy, okay sounds good.” Korbin fired back, only to decrescendo in both tone and seriousness. It’s just how we communicated, you skip the pleasantries after 14 years of knowing each other, and spending most of your recent time trying to kill each other for practice.
I turned to take my first bite into my daily treat, sort of taking in how happy I had suddenly become over the span of such a short time relatively, and had well and truly put my broken ass living situation growing up, my shit show relationships, my lack of discipline, direction, focus, the years I ran around trying to ignore my own yearning for happiness out of some misguided sense of martyrdom for…whom honestly to this day I couldn’t tell you, all behind me.
Another truly appreciated taste of the freedom I’d been fighting to earn it felt like since adolescence. Even if I merely paid rent for a room for now, I had more than tripled my total income in 6 months, and saved more than ever before. One more savory glimpse into my desired path manifesting before me in real-time, one decedent morsel of my pursuit of happiness drawing closer than ever to its destination.
And then, the world went white.
Tutorial: introduction
What the fuck. What the fuck. Did I just fucking die? No goddamn wa-I mean, not goddamn or, f-fuck. What is this?
Truly spiraling in every sense, I felt myself spinning on my feet, but on what I couldn’t tell you, as I could only see myself. Everything else was just…nothing. Whiteness. It was like I was in the backdrop for a certain morally questionable R&B singers music video or something, only they used stadium lights. It was to the point I questioned truly if I were in heaven, and if so, fucking how?! I transitioned to Taoism essentially right before…dying?
I don’t feel dead.
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I turned around once more, as I felt something shift, only to jolt back into my fighter stance upon finding a…figure. Definitely looked like it was human, at least human shaped. It didn’t have much of any distinguishing features though, outside of a snazzy suit and tie. It stood in front of a slightly grey platform in the shape of an office building, along with a black table and two black chairs before them. They apparently just appeared there, it was so damn bright yet, they suddenly occupied that space here. Wherever here is, I thought.
“Hello, Tom. Welcome to your introduction to the multiverse. I will be your guide in selecting your class, along with providing l answers to any questions and concerns you may have. I’m sure you’re quite uncertain as to why you’re here, so I will go ahead and tell you now that your world has just been approved for multiversal integration, as deemed by the system, and is currently being terraformed to better accommodate for your safe and sufficient interpolation into the multiverse.”
Fucking, what? What the hell is this guy yapping about? I didn’t realize when you died you went to a comic universe but, I guess that’s what we’re doing.
My eyes relaxed as my response subdued my frustration.
“How did I go?” I said.
“Error, please rephrase your question.”
“How did I die?” The thing didn’t have a face, but the tilt said it all, as it smugly retorted, “You are not dead, human. If anything, this is your world’s opportunity to live to a degree you may not deem possible given your species current lifespan and capabilities.”
That kind’ve stunned me. I don’t know why, but death felt okay. I mean I hadn’t done what I wanted to, but one had to accept death to enjoy their life, for to dread the end of the destination is to meander the journey, but this was different.
“So, s-so you’re telling me, you brought me here? And your intent is to terraform my planet, and then what?” I could feel a hint of rage building. I didn’t like the intrusion quite frankly, we were doing just fine.
“You will pick your starting class, weapon of choice, 1 free point to give to your stats, and 1 class skill unlock of your choosing. Then, you shall be placed within your respective tutorial, where you will acclimate to how the multiverse really works, at least to your best abilities, until your world is fully prepared for integration.”
Starting class. Points, skills, this is starting to sound familiar.
“What exactly is my ‘class’”?
“A class is what type of fighter you will become. Power is essential in the universe for ensuring your survival as much as knowledge. You will get 4 choices, each with subclass options to better suit your preferences. The 5 main classes are as follows; Warrior, Rogue, Ranger, Mage, and Healer. To better decide your class, the system has integrated your original physical, mental, and spiritual attributes, and translated them to your starting level all newly integrated humans begin at; H ranked level 1 Human, and level 1 in your class. You may review your stats now.”
Just as they stopped info dumping on me, a big display appeared, showing…my stats?
Name: Tom Murphy
Race: [Human(H) - level 1]
Class: None
Profession: None
Strength: 12
Agility: 16
Endurance: 13
Perception: 10
Vitality: 8
Toughness: 12
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 14
Willpower: 8
Skills: None
Titles: None
Ain’t no way. I’m in a fucking video game?
Now I felt certain I died, and God is so, so good. My fantasies of being a decorated loot goblin in first person manifested to the utmost degree. However, they seemed adamant that I wasn’t dead, which didn’t seem very Godly, at least not the kind I figured, and a hint of concern creeped in.
“What exactly do these stats dictate?”
“Well strength determi-“
“I get the first 3, it’s after where the lines get blurred per game, and it seems to me you people live by similar logic as shit for gamers to blow time honing hand-eye coordination.”
Damn, that might’ve been a bit too confrontational. Not sure if I wanna piss this thing off yet.
It went on to explain in far too much detail than I’d like, so I simplified. Perception is tricky, as it not only dictates how well you see (obviously) or how far, but how quickly, and it apparently translates into almost every skill during the learning section. It emphasized “almost” very diligently, as some later stats really don’t interpolate, but can. Fucking cryptic, even with all those fluffy words.
Vitality kind of was a given, total health points, but I needed confirmation because what the actual fuck. Eight whole points? I know I’m technically underweight, 6’2 and 153 lbs and all, but it’s a cut ass 153 goddamnit. I suppose I couldn’t be too upset, as I guess 8 was the average stat per human integrated from our planet, which it refused to call Earth.
“Planet #147 of the 29th Universe.”
This somehow felt more pompous, and I didn’t even bother to question how many planets there are, considering #147 didn’t sound right.
Toughness was your ability to take damage and negate its effects, and my conditioning most every day probably contributed to the above average level it started at. Not the ‘run 8 miles a day’ conditioning, more the ‘kicking shit with your shins and punching rocks’ sort. Rather a masochistic evolutionary trait for our bones to grow back stronger and larger only after making micro fractures on them if you asked me. Still, score one for scheduled pain, and 11 more for estimated suffering.
Intelligence bummed me out. According to no-face, it was your ability with magic in purity, meaning damage output and what kind’ve spells you can cast and such. My dreams of throwing lightning from my fingers and hurling space stations had never been closer, so I knew I had some hard training ahead of me, whatever that might entail.
Wisdom was interesting, as it was like Perception, in that it can sprinkle into one’s entire path and growth. It was intuition, to put it bluntly, but for sort of everything. This was also one where perception both did and didn’t overlap, depending who you ask I guess. Either way, I was glad my recent infatuation for bettering my 3 pillars of health (mind, body, and spirit) had seemed to pay off when I didn’t know it mattered, if it did. It was an odd journey at the beginning filled with scary silence and a lot of discussions with myself, but I suppose so will this one be. Hopefully, I get to meditate just as much.
Willpower was another interesting stat, one I didn’t think functioned how it did. I assumed it would be some sort’ve secondary stat to boost for a class, like maybe a pure combative class used willpower to up its potency without being a strength build. Like cunning, or something.
Turns out, it’s a bit more esoteric, as those who can dominate in the willpower department tended to achieve Godhood at a far higher success rate, but was also rarely one’s strongest stat to start. Needless to say finding out you can become a fucking God was enough for me to ponder, so my questions sort’ve ended there with that one. I figured I’d find out well enough a thing or two about Willpower soon.
My balance stumbled with a jerk, finding myself seated in the chair, sitting neatly at the table. I didn’t perform the act of sitting, nor did I scoot in, yet lo and behold. As I leaned my elbows on the questionable surface, I noticed a sensation I hadn’t felt before. I couldn’t explain it, it was as if something was…alive in the table. I placed my hand to the chair and noticed the same energy, it was as if millions and millions of tubes were moving, something, throughout this detail-less furniture.
It felt good.
“Are you alright, Tom?” The figure asked, in an endearing manner while touching my hand to get my attention. I pulled back and was about to snap at the creature, but it had done me no wrong, even if it had kidnapped me essentially. I refrained, relaxed, and lied.
“Yeah, yeah I’m alright, just trying to digest all of this.”
With a tinge of curiosity, I thought to bring back my stat sheet after closing it to talk to the thing. I don’t know why, it’s not like we can make eye contact. As I wished to see it, it appeared. I noticed at the bottom a section labeled “Titles” and knew any stone left unturned right now might not be in my best interest.
“What exactly are titles? Is the multiverse some sort of nobility based society? Like, is there a King of Earth now or?” I wasn’t kidding, this fucker just gave me stats, and I could feel the difference in the world already. Nothing’s off the table right now. I refuse to die to some ugly, half-baked humanoids smug lack of voluntary knowledge pertinent to my life.
He already ruined my snack.
“It depends, truly it’s outside your purview for the foreseeable future, but yes, to a degree. At least there will be. All factions have some formal form of hierarchy, but they’re mostly composed of the strongest to weakest, depending on what they deemed as ‘strength’”.
This answer couldn’t piss me off more. He essentially said, ‘yes, kind of, accept not at all sometimes, but there’s order.’
No shit, I could’ve surmised that.
Although the idea of factions running the multiverse did have its fair share of implications, they were some that once again this shithead refrained from emphasizing. Real rat-like, and I’m not a fan.
I sighed in defeat. Sensing this anger would do me no good here, I knew I needed to just get over myself for a second. Just for one.
“Alright, so then what should I be worried about right now uh, mister..?”
I hadn’t a clue what to call this fucking thing.
“Your guide. I’m your guide, Tom.” It responded, smiling but, in an eerily firm tone.
“Ok, My ‘guy-de’, what’s next?”
“Now that you’ve seen your stats and understand how they work, it’s time to select your class.”