Toby stood there in silence as the cold air brushed across his body. He would turn his eyes up towards the floating mission objective. Simply focusing on it. The primary quest had such a massive timeframe that he wouldn't worry about it. But if there was something insidious happening to one of his students he needed to know.
But there was one question in the back of his head. Was this because of his power? "Can I recall her? Did this child always exist or did my power spawn her in?" He would mutter this to himself his mask hiding his face. He was far less caring if he monologues all alone in the parking lot. His jaw was somewhat tired from all the constant tensing and clenching.
"I recall her throughout the year but this thing set the precedent that it can mess with my mind- unless it's lying," He would keep muttering to himself as he got in his car. He would sit there for a few seconds before sighing the words reappearing at the top of his vision. It was somewhat distracting truthfully.
Yet he would go tense as a small circle appeared in the place of the text. His eyes locked on the loading symbol as he starts up his car and just sits there for a few moments. The feeling of fear warming his chest as his heart began to pound louder. A sudden and sharp feeling that caused him to grip the wheel.
The System knew him and knew his weaknesses. Even if whatever this power was had created this child it was still a living breathing person. A small thing so weak and naive to the ways of the world and filled with unlimited potential and talent. Finally after a heavy few minutes of waiting words finally appeared giving him a slightly sick feeling. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tight as he read.
QUEST UPDATED. A TEACHERS WRATH FIXED.
OBJECTIVES
-Save Penny before she is injured.
-Discover the source of the issue.
BONUS OBJECTIVES
-Don't call social services.
REWARDS
-Saving a child's future.
-EXP
"Are you lying- please be lying. . .," He whispered gently to himself. He leaned back a slight anger flaring up inside him. The words never changed nor did they falter. The bold words sat there. So many questions running through his mind as he sighs and turns on the car. He had been keeping a somewhat close eye on the girl trying to spot bruises or any reason to call social services besides "A gut feeling."
He had heard rumors from Jones how bad it was here. Of course he had heard a solid argument that the county placed too much funding into Heroics and public projects which caused them to be understaffed but he wasn't sure. He was a history teacher not some politician trying to balance a shitshow.
His close eye had not spotted any bruises but he had seen her bus pass. A small white card which held the route number she got on after school everyday and every morning. Usually the students had to show them to the bus drivers to get on. Route four in the morning and six after class. Lucky enough for him on the outdated school website was bus routes.
Toby shuts off his phone with a soft sigh as he feels a strange buzz fill his throat as he whispers, "So- The powers gonna force me to go and find out what's going on with Penny right? And its gonna be something that makes me angry and beat a man to near death? Get into trouble maybe?"
There was no words that appeared upon the screen as he simply sat there in silence. Artificial light had begun to fill the parking lot of the school as he sat there as the seconds ticked by. But his choice was already made long before he put his car into drive and began his drive. He wasn't sure what he was looking for but he was sure his power would guide him there.
He would begin driving down the bus routes in silence simply keeping his eyes peeled. The silence would only last thirty minutes before he began to whisper to himself, "I don't know what I'm looking for and I wanna punch my power for making me do this. I wanna scream just abit because my entire life may be a jumbled mix from this power but- Im not."
"Because if I don't remain calm and collected for everyone who will," The last words came out as more of a whisper as his eyes were dragged to the familiar leather jacket of his student simply sitting on a stone bench on the side of the road. His heart would clench as he would pull over fast as he could.
OBJECTIVES UPDATED.
You've found Pennys beloved jacket but not penny! Something horrible could be happening to her right now!
Toby would pop his trunk and step out of his car. He would head to the back and pull out a tire iron before closing his trunk. His eyes would carefully scan the surroundings before a faint white diamond appeared hovering over the mouth of an alleyway across the street.
MARKER UPDATED.
"So- Some sort of precognitive power mixed with an adaptable? If I do have power and I'm not crazy then solid long term potential," The words were jumbled and unacknowledged whispers. Toby's eyes would glance down the street grabbing Penny's jacket before he began to jog across the street tire iron gripped tightly in his hand. He would keep his eyes locked on the alleyway trying to enter it quietly as he could unaware of the faint whisperings as his heart began to beat harshly and his hands grew damp and sweaty.
Walking forward his eyes would finish adjusting as he spotted a large figure at the end of the alleyway holding a smaller form against a brick wall. Any fear inside of Toby's chest simply vanished as he stood there the strange white diamond reappearing above the large man's head. He would walk forward in silence stopping about four feet away.
Some of the man's hushed words were finally picked, "You had the fucking money yet you threw it away! You stupid fucking bitch you had the money to pay me back but you just bought more! I need that-"
Toby would clear his throat, "You folks need some help down there? I just replaced my tire when I noticed you two- Everything alright need me to call for an ambulance?" The large man would pause dropping the far smaller one.
In the darkness Toby couldn't clearly see the smaller one but it didn't take a genius to understand what was going on here. The man would turn to me and bark out, "Get lost ain't none of your business!'
"Penny? Is that you," He didn't need a response back when he saw the shadow flinch as it sat there. A soft rage boiled inside of Toby as he reached into his pocket. He ignored the objective changing as he said, "What's the kid owe you?"
The man seems to pause for a second his head turning to Penny, "One fifty!"
"I'll give you eighty right now to leave the kid alone," The shadowed and large man stood there for a few seconds.
The Wrath of a Teacher
-Defeat the shadowy man and save Penny!
-Figure out the other issues with Penny.
Finally his response came back as he backed off Penny, "Alright deal my man." Toby would dig up the money from his wallet. He would be broke for the rest of the week and would have to ration his food carefully but at least things didn't have to get violent.
Digging out the money he would set down the tire iron and walk over. He would reach the man silently, his jaw clenched as he held back his mumbling. He would hand over the eighty dollars as he got a better view of the fat man. He had a black hoodie, torn jeans and Nikes with his face semi-hidden by his hood.
The man would snatch the money out of the toby's hand before the man turned his head to Penny, "Got lucky this time you fucking rat. I expect the other half of my money." This entire moment left a sick feeling inside of Toby's gut even as the white words above the man shifted.
Toby would let the man walk away before turning to Penny and whispering, "You okay kid? Did he hurt you or anything?" Toby's eyes quickly pick up on a bruise upon the girls wrist.
The girl would look up to her teacher with confused eyes as she whispers, "Im good I- I've just gotta get home okay?" The young girls voice was weak and a part of Toby felt a stab of pain at that. Somewhere close a parent had failed in their job of raising their child and place them into this position.
"What did that man want Penny? Why did you owe him money just please explain that before you go," The girl pauses rubbing her arm as Toby finally let his eyes look up at the big white bold words which hovered above him.
KILL THE MAN OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
PENALTY ADDED. MAIN QUEST UPDATED.
These words sent a small spike of fear in him yet he saw no obvious change for now. The girl would rub her bruise and whisper, "Thanks for the help sir but I'm good. I just had to help my family out with the bills- Just. . .thanks"
The girl would whisper reaching out and taking the jacket from his hand before standing up and slipping past Toby. The school teacher would stand there saddened as he watched a future crumble before him. As he got to see yet another future steered towards a path of ruin with so little he could do about it.
QUEST UPDATED.
DISCOVER WHAT WAS WRONG WITH PENNY. 1/ 2
SIDE OBJECTIVES FAILED-
DISPOSE OF THE SHADOWY MAN.
CONSEQUENCES WILL COME.
REWARDS: LEVEL UP!
Toby would pause for a split second as the form of Penny turned the corner right before he felt his entire body tense as he collapsed unable to handle the burden of this- new addictive sensation that ran through his mind. This sensation of a level up bringing him to his knees and causing him to scream.