Finn Mendez. That was his given name. He was even often bullied because of it. In the past his classmates called him 'Finn the thin'. Often times with additions like Finn the thin weirdo, Finn the thin fool, just anything they could think of. Because he was truly thin, it seemed like it fits him. Then, as time passed, he became used to it.
["I don't like your name kid, that's all. It sounds so weak and unpromising."]
He subconsciously nodded. In the first place, he had so many bad memories binded with this name. Since birth, this name, together with bad luck, ruined his life.
He suddenly recalled his past. Remembered that whenever people called him by that name, it was never out of something good.
"Hey, doggy Finn, clean the comfort room for me. Or... Do you want to get beaten again?"
"Finn! You leech! Can't you clean the house properly! Your sister slipped because of you! I'll deal with you later, bastard!"
He then pushed those dark thoughts away his mind. Then, he took a deep breath as if cleansing his head.
["Are you hesitant? Are you attached to this name so much?"]
He strongly shook his head. "Never."
"You're right, gramps. Therefore, I have decided to change my name. That name is unlikable. Not all people who named someone deserve to name that someone. And they are not my real parents to have the right in the first place. Since my parents left me without a name, I will name myself in their stead."
["Your awakened confidence is somewhat of good use. It helped me save some effort."]
Changing his name in paper might not seem possible for now but he would make sure, it would happen in the future. This time, he would change his name through the system.
["Hey buckle up kid. Naming yourself is a happy occasion.] Its tone was trying to cheer him up.
"You're right old man." He then smiled.
Yet it instantly shifted into its 'oh so serious tone'. As always, when it wanted the control of everything. ["Now, think of a name, I judge."]
Even so, he chose to focus about thinking of a name for himself.
He was immersed for hours, thinking for a suitable one. But with the presence of the system, it made things more lengthy, as the system kept on rejecting whatever he raised. In his room, scratch papers were scattered on the floor, before coming up of a name approved by the system.
From Finn Mendez to a more determined name, Pierce Mendez. He just followed the last name of the family who adopted him as he still felt a tiny bit respect to them. In the first place, they adopted him and were good to him for sometime in the past.
Then in just a snap, the supposed to be empty 'name' section in the Status Screen, was then filled up.
["By the way, I really like your new name kid. It feels like it can penetrate to anything, so domineering. Now let's start the journey to piercing the heavens!"]
Seriously, Pierce wanted to roll his eyes for the system's unbelievable words but that made him smile too. "Whatever you say old man."
---
["Wake up! Wake up! You stinky kid!"]
"Hmn?" Pierce's brows met as he was bombarded by the system's loud old voice, acting like an alarm clock.
He tried to open one of his eyes and saw that the sun already took over the sky. Therefore, he chose to go with the likes of the system.
["Goodness, move faster. Can't you smell yourself? Ah, terribly gross. Clean yourself up, could you?!"]
Pierce twitched his lips. "It's not like I have somewhere to go at this very hour. I'm not a student who must go to school neither an office worker who have to rush to work."
["Yes as you are just a complete shut in. But that was before I integrated in you. Now ass up! I don't want to work with a lazy wimp!"]
Pierce sighed. "It's not like I didn't tried finding a work~"
["Whatever! Quit reasoning! You're acting like that Finn again. I want the person named Pierce starting today."]
He was reminded again that today was really supposed to be a great day. The first day of him being Pierce. That alone made his lips automatically forming a smile. "Alright. Aye, old captain."
["Now, stop talking and move. I don't want to talk to some stinky kid!"]
When he sniffed his underarms, it didn't even smell. The system was just plainly blabbering things.
After he took a bath, the ranting continued.
["Go to a barber shop. You're more of a pathetic girl than a boy with that long and greasy hair. Let's start with that."]
Without even letting Finn voicing out his opinion, the system made it sound like a final verdict, as if nothing could change it. Although Finn was a little surprised, but he did not object with any of the system's suggestion, well, more of decision. Moreover, it really seemed to be the right time to cut his hair.
["Let's fix your face first. No matter how pure your intention may be, majority of the people will still look at your face first before they will, at your heart."]
["You couldn't possibly say or do your good intention as they will avoid you first with that ugly look for sure.]
A series of reminders with a package of hurtful words bombarded his mind. Still, Pierce just let the system be as those words also contained sense of truthfulness.
After closing the door of his room, Pierce stretched out the hem of his hood and covered the area near his eyes. With that, he was ready to go.
["Before you go, one more thing. If you continue to act like that, no one will like to be near you. Heads up kid. Are you not feeling stiff until now? Tsk, a sense of endurance was used in a wrong way. What a pity."] Then it let out some clicking sounds as if it felt very disappointed.
Pierce kept being silent. He did not mind the system's words much. Aside from that, confidence would not be built instantly. It needed process, that was why he felt like he need not to rush. He could work it out gradually. As they said, change cannot happen overnight.
'You said it as if it is something as easy as a pie but it's easier said than done.' He twitched his lips a little as he was already irritated of its unending teasing.
["Yeah, it's easier said than done but if you wouldn't start it now, then when?! Until your neck break bending? Stupid!"]
Pierce got more and more irritated not wanting to listen anymore. Even though he used to be bullied before but there was still a bit of pride left in him. Besides, lowering his head was already a habit of him. As they say 'old habits die hard'. It was quite true for him. It was hard to change it, definitely surely hard.
He then walked faster and his strides were long without looking ahead, as if venting his annoyance on the road.
Then the system interrupted again, but this time, it was more of a warning. ["Hey watch out kid!"]
Too late for him to watch out and too stubborn of him to listen.
There, he bumped into something hard like a wall and the impact caused him to be pushed back. His butt landed hard on the rough cement making him groan in the sudden pain. He caressed it with a patterned stroke trying to ease the pain while maintaining his head low. He was very embarrassed to lift his head up and take a look to whom he caused inconvenience with.
Pierce gulped while feeling the person's unfriendly gaze even without looking up.
"Eyes on the road weirdo! What a bad morning." A man's voice said angrily. Then that person left with stomping footsteps.
He just closed his eyes, already expecting some sermon and badmouthing from the system. This time, feeling remorseful of what he had done.
But witnessing his expression, the system finally stepped on its break. After reading the atmosphere, it gave him silence, realized that his host needed a break and had enough of its scrutiny. He need to learn on his own too.
'I know, even if you won't say it. I really looked like a weirdo.' He said in his mind while laughing like the old times, feeling pity for himself.
'Even if I won't admit that I'm weird but everyone will, right? They're doing it on my stead.' He paused, remembering some scenes that caused him to become like this in the present.
The system still didn't respond.
'I'll take your silence as a yes then.'
For sometime, he became silent too as he was drawn into a deep thought. Thinking that was he was doing this time was the same as his old self.
He took a long breath.
'Okay, I'll try to start changing myself but don't expect much from me. You know, I always mess up. If the result is not good--' Right there, he was cut off.
["Just think of this. Do you think staying like 'that' will do you good? Maybe you see 'that' as okay but you, yourself know it's being far from good. Kid you're already grown up, you know what's good and bad for you."]
The system then sounded even irritated when it saw him still has the look of hesitation.
["What, you want to stay like this? A poor kid without ambitions, a nobody, all in all a complete loser. Surrendering without trying, dying without being satisfied even if an opportunity was given. What a waste of life."]
"Who said..." I'm not satisfied being like this?
That was what he wanted to say but it got stuck on his tongue. He knew if he said that, it was as if he personally betrayed himself.