Returning to my crappy apartment after the whirlwind weekend was both relieving and depressing at the same time. While I appreciated the convenience of a hot shower, I couldn’t help but wish I’d had a chance to spend more time with Kassandra and Rieka rather than have to go back to my everyday life.

“Ain’t it hell though?” I muttered while scrubbing shampoo through my slowly regrowing hair. “The fact that I’d rather be in some medieval parallel world than in this one with all its conveniences like cell phones, television, hot water, sewer systems and the rat race that life has become.”

Dunking my head back under the spray, I held it there for several long moments to let the soap run off my head before pulling back out of the water. I did my absolute best not to imagine how Kassandra might react to something like the hot shower and what sort of mischief she might insist on getting up to in my tiny stall.

Slapping the shower off with one hand, I started drying myself while replaying the weekend in my mind.

I’d handily trade having my truck for spending more time with the girls. A vehicle isn’t that big of a deal and walking everywhere isn’t that bad if you are in shape. That world has so much random useful stuff too, so it’s not entirely medieval. The glowing stone that Rieka had to replace candles or lamps...I’m sure there are other things to help with convenience, I’ve just not stayed long enough to really see them. The girls talked about dimensional bags too and there is the magic that they showed me. I wonder how that would all work anyway. Shape-Shifting should cost mana, but I’ve never needed to draw from infused metal like the girls do. Wonder why that is?

Thinking about my Shape-Shifting power redirected my thoughts away from how much I was already missing even just Kassandra’s smile and I remembered the messages I’d received just as Kassandra had sent me back. I’d disregarded them at the time with a desire to get out of my stiff clothes. Closing my eyes, I entered into the System interface again.

The readout in the corner told me I had 1370 SP available and I smirked in satisfaction at the reward for the weekend. Well, the other reward. I’d say getting closer to my cuddle-noodle was the real reward. I’d still be doing this even if the System wasn’t rewarding me. I thought to myself before opening my eyes.

It took only a few more moments to finish getting dry and dressed in clean clothes once more. With that taken care of, I flopped down onto my bed and got comfortable before reviewing my options. I hadn’t forgotten the last message I’d received about having more powers available now. I wanted to give them a glance over before I passed out for the night.

Need to do meal prep for the week too. I reminded myself with a sigh. Too much to do and not enough time to do it. But I’m already looking a lot fitter by cutting out the junk food. It’s not like I don’t get enough exertion at work after all.

With that thought, I went back to the System interface and instead dove into the tab labeled ‘Powers’ to see what else had unlocked.

There were several entries that caught my attention and the first one was inside the Body tab.

Enhance Self (Moderate) - Cost: 250 SP - Increase personal stats by 20 points, can be spread out at once, up to a maximum of Fifty points per stat beyond (Lesser) effects.

May be selected multiple times.

If the previous tier was not fully exploited, that opportunity is not lost. Previous tier will become unavailable once max points are allotted from it.

“Huh…okay that’s good. I wonder what triggered that one being unlocked? I’ve had half of the lesser tier allotted for weeks now. Maybe I crossed a threshold for ‘amount earned’?” I muttered while examining the skill. It wasn’t too bad of a return for the investment in boosting the points, since my highest score was still only a 30 in Willpower and buying into Enhance Self (Moderate) would let me nearly double that ability if I wanted to. Still more efficient to use the lower tiers for now though for anything that isn’t maxed. Well whatever, did anything else come up?

Flipping over to the Spirit tab, I checked it over and saw no changes there before moving on to the Mind tab.

There were definite changes here. The Mind tab had several items that were beginning to unblur, with the blocks of text being visible, if not readable. There were two entries that were actually readable though and I skimmed over them quickly while my heart began to pound in my chest.

Manipulate Element (Minor) - Cost: 100 SP - Select a base element from the following list: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth. User has basic control of this element and can manipulate mana to produce and shape that element into spells.

This can be selected multiple times for an additional, neighboring element (EX: fire and earth, or fire and wind) but not an opposing element (Ex: cannot select fire first, then water).

Mana Reservoir (Minor) - Cost: 1,000 SP - Grants the Traveler a minor mana reservoir equivalent to 10 mana. This mana will regenerate at a fixed rate depending on ambient mana of the environment.

Spells cast by the Traveler will pull from this reserve first, then any other mana reservoirs in the Traveler’s possession.

“Magic…” I muttered, staring at the two entries before letting my eyes pop open. I’d been clenching them shut so hard that my vision sparkled and spun above me as I considered my options now. I’d had decent training with weapons and was getting a handle on my Shape-Shifting, but now I had the option of using magic like the girls did. And if the Mana Reservoir was to be believed, I wouldn’t need to use the coins that the girls used for my spells.

Take it easy, Liam. You have no idea how much a single coin holds in mana anyway. The girls blow through a dozen or more of them on a trip so ten mana might not get you much and this would basically blow your entire budget…but fireballs…

The temptation was there though. I’d seen the girls perform casual magic so easily and it was always fascinating to see. The fact that my body could shift and morph so much was its own kind of magic, but this sort of magic was something that every nerd, video gamer, or fantasy fan dreamed of.

I held one hand up in front of my face and focused, allowing claws to sprout from the tips of my fingers and scales to flow over my hand. I maintained my focus and my hand shifted directly from the taloned and scaled configuration into a gorilla’s paw-like hand. From there I shifted it into a crab claw before returning it to a human hand once more.

Even if the magic is only a short term or temporary thing, it would make for a handy trump card. Especially if it has some range. I’m going to need to practice a lot if I do take it. I need to talk to the girls first. I remember them talking about the elemental aspecting of their magic being something that happened naturally, but I get to pick mine. I can either double down and learn one that they already have to work with, or I can pick an opposing one to expand our options. I thought while scanning over the entry for Manipulate Elements (Minor). I know Kass would probably want me to pick fire so I could keep her warm easier…the other non-selected option is earth. That one always seemed like an under-utilized type in the books I read. I wonder if there are creative ways to use it…

The thought of Kassandra demanding I pick fire as a type was amusing enough that it kept coming back and I couldn’t help laughing out loud before another thought hit me. I didn’t have to wait to talk to the girls. I had a pair of advisers I could message using my brain and an inter-dimensional supercomputer that used a magical LAN effect to communicate back to me while it studied my genetic history.

That thought also brought a snicker bubbling up from my chest at the sheer ridiculousness of it.

“My life is so weird.” I muttered before sitting up on my bed and crossing my legs under me while I navigated to the ‘Message’ tab and sent a quick note off to Cariad since she was supposed to be my first point of contact.

And I’m curious how she’s doing. It’s been a while since I talked to her.

Liam

Hey Cari! Hope your weekend went well and you had some fun, or at least weren’t in any dangerous situations. Definitely had the former myself, but the latter was a miss. Trouble seems to have my forwarding address after all. Have a question about something when you have time.

Her reply arrived less than a minute later, making me grin. Cariad had always been quick to answer back whenever I contacted her. She had such an earnest desire to help that it was impossible not to be happy as well. Kinda reminds me of Rieka when she gets all ‘excited puppy’ like that.

Cariad

Hey Liam! Glad you are doing okay. You are okay right? And no, my weekend was pretty boring. I spent most of it doing research on history from your dimension to see if I could track anything down on the last human Traveler that existed there. I haven’t found the most recent one but I have found one of the more famous. Apparently he was named ‘Myrddin Emrys’ and was from almost fifteen hundred years back in your peoples history, though that number is not set in stone. Figured using famous personages would give me a starting point in the records and I could solve forward. But what was your question?

Liam

Got a bucketful of SP after working with the girls over the weekend and it unlocked some new powers. I have access to Manipulate Elements (Minor) and Mana Reservoir now, as well as the next rank of Enhance Self. I’m trying to decide if I should get the first two or save the points and keep buffing myself via the last one. Suggestions?

Cariad

Amusing you get access to magic after I find records of a legendary wizard amongst your species Travelers. You said before your girls were ice and lightning aspected? So their magic is a superior form from water and air…having more variety would be good, but they would actually benefit from you having aspected mana to match theirs. It’d make it easier for them to learn new spells and master their control, but Manipulate Elements (Minor) only gets you in on the ground level. You’d have to work to get it to aspect into one of the superior forms but from that point the benefit would happen naturally. Hmm, I see the issue you are dealing with.

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Liam

Yeah, it’s a bit of a pain. I really want to grab a spell ability but I already have the Shape-Shifting as a powerful ability. I know Cerebaton said I didn’t have to rely on Shape-Shifting as my primary tool, but something is telling me that I should keep focusing on it. Also, I think getting these two will give me some ranged options to work with, and that might make for a nice supplement while I keep refining Shape-Shifting. And the Mana Reservoir will mean I don’t have to use the imbued metals the girls do. Do you know if I’d still be able to draw mana from them?

There was a distinct pause before Cariad’s response came and I guessed she had to research some more on it. Rather than lay on the bed, I pushed myself up and wandered into the kitchen to get my meal prep for the week out of the way. While spaghetti with meat sauce wouldn’t be the most healthy option, it was still better than fast food and something that I could take care of quickly.

Cariad

I don’t believe so. Generally the System would focus on abilities that are natural to your environment and genetic history. If your world had mana infused metals, then I would expect you to be able to. I had to look it up but the power specifically states it regenerates naturally, depending on your environment. Maybe not directly like you said your girls cast, but if you had some against your skin it might be considered part of the environment? I can do some more digging and find out, but the easiest way will be to just take the power and experiment.

Liam

Yea, but I really don’t wanna waste all that SP at the moment.

Cariad

That is fair. I can ask Mr. Cerebaton if he has any suggestions as well? Maybe hold off for now and ask your girls too. You mentioned that they were supposed to be helping you ‘grow’ and to cultivate your power. Also, they are your partners. They should have some feedback on what you do, if only just to suggest what they think is the best.

Liam

True again. I suppose I just wanted something new to toy with while dealing with the idiot that is my boss at my day job.

Cariad

You really do need to find a better source of daily income. The stories that you’ve told of that man paint him as an incompetent and a fool. I’m worried he’s going to do something that will get someone hurt sooner or later. I don’t want that to be you.

Liam

Worried about me?

Cariad

Of course I am! I consider you to be a friend after all, Liam. Also, if you get hurt or die it’ll look bad on my record as an adviser. ;)

Liam

Ah, I see the truth of it now. :P

Cariad

If you did not want the truth, you shouldn’t have asked. Seriously though, you shouldn’t be working there. You might be a ‘small time’ Traveler for now, but that’s only because you started from scratch. Travelers do not stay small time for very long and it wouldn’t do for your dignity as a dimensional-hopping powerhouse to still be doing menial labor when you do get there.

Liam

Suggestions are welcome. The issue is that I still need to keep a roof over my head. The girls have already said that if I could just come and visit of my own will or somehow become a permanent resident of their world, they’d welcome me and that would give me alternate housing at least.

Cariad

Not possible that I know of. But then again, I didn’t think it was possible for someone to be randomly assigned the role of Traveler and you’ve already broken that rule over your knee. Only the System might know what will unlock as you grow in power. Also, don’t forget that the SP you are looking at right now might seem like a lot, but veteran Travelers have tens of thousands of SP spent on refining their abilities.

Liam

I’ll keep that in mind, Cari. I know you said something originally about getting a payout rather than taking my starting package. Is there a way to convert SP into physical money?

Cariad

Yes, but it’s one way. You cannot buy SP in any fashion other than earning it from System-approved missions via your interface. I’d caution against that option.

I thought for a moment while the water boiled for the noodles, considering what Cariad had said. The last thing I wanted to deal with in the morning was the numbing monotony of loading a semi trailer again. Add in Dutcher’s verbal abuse and generally annoying personality and it felt almost worth it to trade some of my ‘phenomenal cosmic powers’ for some hard cash to avoid the idiot. I shoved the idea aside though, since I needed those powers to look after the girls. Though it did give me an idea that I was quick to put to Cariad.

Liam

Fair enough. Do you know if the DSR needs a contractor or anything? Heck, I’d take ‘mail clerk’ at this point if the pay was enough to cover the apartment. I really just need a job to feed myself until I can figure something out. The girls have already told me that they’d send precious metals back with me to sell if they could, but that Dimensional Pocket ability hasn’t cropped up yet.

Cariad

Bringing home precious metals or resources is a standard for Travelers, yes. Don’t worry, it’ll show up eventually. As for a job…not that I’m aware of. I’ll talk to Mr. Cerebaton about it. He might know of an opening in a department that would take on a Traveler. The issue is that the DSR is based in our native space, which is kinda dangerous for you to even be near, let alone touch. I told you before that it might take awhile for me to dissolve you by touching you, but if you showed up in the DSR offices right now? You’d probably last about three seconds before you melted away into nothing without some kind of protection. There is only one type that would keep you safe that I know of and it's basically impossible to make and/or give you and not have it hurt you just as bad.

Liam

Okay, scratch that. Maybe some kind of field agent?

Cariad

If anyone knows, it’ll be Mr. Cerebaton. I’ll ask him as soon as I see him and get back to you. Sound good?

Liam

Thanks Cari, you are the best. I’ll make sure to talk to Cerebaton about it at practice later in the week, but if you get him thinking on it as well it’d help. Give him time to consider it rather than distracting him during my weapons practice. Oh, that reminds me, I need to message him about the weapon types. My sword broke on the last mission and I’m currently using a mace as a stopgap, but I was thinking that it might be time to start stepping up my martial arts so I can start using my Shape-Shifting more.

Cariad

Definitely let him know. That’ll give him a chance to adjust his plans. You really are picking up on weapon training quickly, aren’t you?

Liam

I boosted my mental stats first to help with coming up with new ideas for Shape-Shifting and in hopes it’d help me memorize the forms quicker. It’s also one of the reasons I’m holding off on the spell thing. It might be better to dump more points in them in a rush to get myself higher up on ‘basic competence’ for self defense rather than learning magic too. ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ and all that.

Cariad

Fair point there. But don’t forget the rest of that quote, Liam. It goes ‘jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.’ Keeping your options open isn’t a bad thing. I gotta go, Liam. I need to get this paperwork done, but I’ll get in touch with you later in the week in order to fill you in as soon as I know more. Promise!

Liam

Have a good one, Cari. Thanks again!

Focusing back on what I was doing, I found the water in the pasta pot going at a rolling boil and quickly dumped the noodles in before digging the frozen meatballs out to quickly thaw in the microwave. I know that using frozen meatballs and jarred sauce is heresy, but it was what I had and I just didn’t have the time and energy to make them from scratch.

While the meatballs sizzled away in the microwave and the sauce warmed in a pan, I couldn’t help but smile as I imagined Cariad puttering around at a desk with her bright, strawberry-red hair bouncing energetically as she moved back and forth.

It’d been strange the first time that I met her. The blue skin and red hair was such a huge contrast to the smart office look she had been wearing at that first encounter. I’d been mostly in a stunned mental state at the time and had spent far too long ogling the professional young woman who’d showed up to help me on the side of that dark road.

“Didn’t hurt that she literally appeared next to my truck on the side of a mountain highway. Sounds like the beginning of a horror movie. Lucked out that she wasn’t an axe-murderer and was instead an inter-dimensional bureaucratic assistant here to help.” I snickered while laying out the tupperware to package up the lunches when they were ready.

I’d learned a long time ago that doing mass cooking was the best option for a bachelor. Cooking for just one person wasn’t efficient after all, so I’d gotten used to eating the same thing for a week straight and just making normal sized batches of food. The monotony sucked but one had to do what they must to survive and this saved on the grocery bill. I need to get more vegetables in this…the sauce is good but needs variety.

My train of thought was disrupted by the sound of my phone going off from the other room. I checked the pasta to make sure it wouldn’t boil over before hurrying back to the bedroom to pull my cell off the charger. I answered the phone without looking at the caller ID while heading back into the kitchen.

“Hello, this is Liam.”

“Liam! Glad you are alive. I’ve been calling you all weekend, dude! Was worried you’d fallen off the planet, or into the toilet and drowned.” A man’s voice answered from the other side and I had to fight down a grin. This was unexpected but a nice surprise for once.

“You are the only one who goes bobbing for road-apples in the toilet, Jameson. I was otherwise occupied.” I shot back, tucking the phone into my shoulder and wandering back into the kitchen. Jameson Gillespie had been one of my only real friends growing up. Others like Jason drifted in and out of my life at random, but he’d always been there to lend a hand when I needed. Jameson had helped me handle the dispensation of my parents estate when they passed, despite being a professional architect working with the city and very busy. He’d really lucked out on work after graduation and was now part of the city planning office. It’d been a while since I talked with him and it was good to hear his voice once more.

“Twat.” He laughed back at me over the phone.

“Wanker.” I returned with a roll of my eyes, grabbing the green, dinosaur shaped pasta spoon to test the noodles with.

“Seriously though, muff-goblin. What had you falling off the face of the earth? You normally don’t ignore my calls, I’m feeling a bit hurt here.” The faux-betrayal in Jameson’s voice made me laugh just as much as his friendly insult.

“I’ll have you know I was out camping, Rumple-foreskin. Not all of us have sold our souls to bureaucracy.” I heard Jameson snigger at that name before he responded over the line.

“I suppose you’d have to be camping if you were going to get any. Gotta get those bears while they are hibernating after all, otherwise they struggle too much, right?”

“Seriously? That’s the best you got? Gotta fall back on Super Troopers at this point?” I shot back at him. This had been one of our trademarks growing up. We’d trade playful insults all the time. It always ended up devolving into more and more ridiculous terms, rather than hurtful ones, the longer we talked. The rustle of paper preceded Jameson’s answer, telling me he was likely working late on something as well.

“I mean, if the shoe fits you might as well wear it. Isn’t that right, Captain Skinny-Dick? Seriously though, you were out camping? Haven’t done that for years man.”

“Yea, it’s been a while for me too, but the girls wanted to go.” I replied without thinking and winced as soon as I realized what I’d said.

“Girls? Since when did you have ‘girl’, let alone the plural, assbutt?” The playful interest in Jameson’s tone was more than enough to remove any hurt from his words. I debated silently for a moment before deciding that it was better to admit what I could rather than hide it. Jameson was one of the only folks I really considered to be a friend after all and I didn’t like lying to people.

“Couple of weeks. Met them while I was out in the mountains a month or so back and we’ve been meeting up fairly often to hang out and talk.” And fight monsters. I added mentally as I carefully answered his question while checking on the bubbling pasta sauce.

“Well damn, dude! I’m proud of you. Who’d have thought my buddy, the Jolly-Jackass-Giant, would have found not one, but two, girls to hang out with? You gotta introduce me to them sometime. The project I’ve been working on is finally wrapping up, so we should meet up for a few beers and talk. Would love to meet them if you are willing to share their time.”

I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach at that. Jameson knew I didn’t like to lie and he’d also known me long enough to know when I was. Keeping this on the level without him thinking I was mad would be hard and I couldn’t exactly bring one of the girls with me to introduce them. I decided to just keep it noncommittal for now about the girls. It would be nice to hang out with my buddy though.

“Sure thing. Hey, I gotta go. I was in the middle of cooking and I need to make sure nothing catches fire. Talk to you later, Adolf Titler.”

“Catch you later, gutter-gator.”

“Bonus points for the rhyme, cooter-crank.” I replied before hanging up.

I set my phone on the counter and stared into the boiling pot of pasta, watching the pale yellow noodles dance back and forth as I thought. How the heck was I going to explain this without letting too much drop? I didn’t want to lie to someone I actually thought of as a friend after all.

“It’s not like I could just rock up to the bar with him and go ‘hey dude, so weird thing, I was just hanging out on the side of the road after getting in an accident and then I got hit with this crazy dimensional magic and was summoned by a snake girl and part-wolf princess to another world and got crazy magical powers.’” I snorted and shook my head while idly rubbing the runic tattoos on my forearm that came from bonding with the girls. “No one would believe that.”