1 The Average Accountant
The Earth is a wonderful place. It's mornings and nights and beautiful wilds to explore but none of that matters in face of the System.
On a random Tuesday, everyone was going about their business: Office workers were going through monotonous tasks, Children and Teens hoping that the school day would move just a little faster, and certain unspoken events were happening in dark alleys.
Then nothing and everything changed.
With a bright flash of light the geography of Earth and the lives of its inhabitants changed forever.
Fantasy creatures and races flooded the planet, different forms of unknown energy entered the atmosphere, and all sentient life gained a new and outlandish companion: The System.
What with all the information in the universe who else would try and fail to put it all into numbers and words but humans? However, where humans had failed The System had succeeded. You could easily compare your strength to another and gain power beyond your understanding as long as you were willing to work for it.
But is any story good without a main hero? No! So here we descend on the Earth, 100 years after the Awakening, in the accounting building of a mid-size chemistry lab, in a cubicle too small for even a Dwarf, is our hero.
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Alright. 5 o'clock. End of the day. Now I just have to leave and enjoy my weekend.
"Hey Alice! Want to go for a drink?"
No.
"Sorry, not today Bert, I have to catch the train."
"Aw, okay, see you tomorrow!"
"Bye Bert."
Why does Bert always try to ask me out? He knows that I don't like him. I thought I made that clear. Now to deal with the security guard and I can go home.
"I.D. please."
"Oh, here."
"Alice Windshaw?"
"That's me."
"Okay, you're clear to go."
Always the same guard all day and night. I wonder if he ever sleeps? Actually, he probably has a skill for it. Lucky guy.
Leaving the office grounds for Al-Chem laboratories, I walk toward the cleanest place in New York: the subway. A place where all your comfort needs are satisified.
"And in other news, CyberKnight has destroyed another power plant for unknown reasons, Police say that they working with the Heroes to take care of him."
Ugh, I bet they're just letting the Heroes do all the work, what about their own jobs that they should do? They're still on the payroll, I think?
After walking on to the train, I sit down and relax for the first time today. Maybe I should start job hunting again? No…it was hard enough to get this job; plus it pays pretty well. It'd be too much effort to try. It's not like jobs just fall out of the sky.
"Hey mutt!"
Oh, please don't do this shit today.
"Dogs aren't supposed to be on this train!"
Oh hey. This one is stupider than usual. Just ignore him. Don't let him get on your nerves. You know what she told you. She said to—
"Don't just ignore me, you bit*Bam!*"
"First of all, I am not a dog, I am a wolf beast woman. Second of all, I am allowed on this train as it is a public form of transportation which means a passenger is required to respect other passengers."
Oh, that felt good, but he is out cold. I really needed that though. Hmm, I should take a 'Me' day sometime. But I do have bills and there isn't really anywhere I can go… Yeah that isn't an option. I guess I'll just bottle this all up inside for later. Oops, this is my stop.
I then walk to my apartment building, unlock my door and collapse onto my bed and, finally check my messages.
Maddy: Hey Ally. How stressful was your day?
Ally: Same as usual.
Maddy: Anybody get hurt?
Ally: No…
Maddy: You know you need to work on your anger issues.
Ally: I know, but the everything just stresses me out. I know that with the System everything was supposed to simpler, but for normal people like us nothing changes.
Maddy: Don't worry Ally, someday you'll get stronger and won't have to listen to anyone!
Ally: Sounds like a villain origin story. But you have the cooler background with a computer engineering major, while I just have a degree in Accounting.
Maddy: Don't be so hard on yourself. Well, good night.
Ally: Good night, Maddy.
Hmm, maybe I should check if my status has changed?
Status.
[ Name: Alice Windshaw
Species: Wolf Beast-human
Age: 24
Level: 1
Experience: 0/0
Titles: None
Effects: Sleep Deprivation
Health: 100/100
Magic: 0/0
Power: 131
Endurance: 92
Intelligence: 120
Wisdom: 100
Agility: 82
Dexterity: 56
Skills: Enhanced Senses(Minor, Passive, Hereditary)
Beast Transformation(Active, Hereditary) ]
Oh, look at that. Same as it was last year and when I legally became an adult. Likely to stay the same forever. How sad.
Well, I don't have work tomorrow, so time to sleep in!
