Shawn found himself standing back in the Academy hall, the bustling energy of the other students washing over him. The sudden transition was disorienting; one moment he was in the white room, and the next, he was back amidst the crowd. He looked down at his hands, his heart leaping into his throat. The glowing orb, the System's child, was gone. Panic threatened to overwhelm him; had he lost it already? Just as fear began to consume him, the announcer's voice cut through the hall, silencing the excited chatter.
"If you are wondering where your System went," the announcer's voice boomed across the hall, "it is now a part of you. You will see something at the corner of your vision; a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer. Focus on that; it is downloading, integrating itself into your being. At midnight, it will come fully online. Congratulations, young ones!" With that, the announcer left the stage, leaving the students to process the information. Shawn, his heart still pounding, followed the instructions, focusing on the faint shimmer at his peripheral vision.
Shawn focused on the faint shimmer at the edge of his vision. As he concentrated, a small, translucent panel materialized, displaying a simple progress bar. The words "1% of 100%" were clearly visible, confirming the announcer's words. A wave of relief washed over him; the System was indeed integrating with him. He was no longer alone.
Shawn watched as other students, their faces alight with excitement, exited the Academy, their parents beaming with pride. He decided it was time for him to leave as well. He stepped out into the bustling city streets, the weight of the day settling upon him. As he walked, he began to think about his immediate needs. "First things first," he mused to himself, "I need to find a hotel room." The adventure had just begun.
Shawn sat in his cheap but surprisingly quiet hotel room. He'd opted for budget-friendly accommodations, wanting to conserve his funds. The room was modest but clean, offering a welcome respite after the day's events. He glanced at the translucent panel at the edge of his vision; the progress bar was nearing completion. The time on his phone read 11:59 PM. Only one more minute. He checked the download again: 99% of 100%. Anticipation thrummed through him, a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
The progress bar reached 100%, the translucent panel blinked once, then vanished. Silence. Shawn waited, his heart pounding in his chest, but nothing happened. He looked around the small hotel room, searching for some sign of his new System, but found nothing. He checked the time on his phone; it was precisely 12:00 AM. Confusion washed over him, quickly turning to concern. What was going on? Just as he was about to give in to panic, a tiny giggle, light and airy, tickled his ears.
A small, giggling figure materialized in front of Shawn, seemingly out of thin air. It was a fairy, no bigger than his hand, with brown hair, adorable freckles sprinkled across her nose, and dressed in a pristine white dress. She laughed, a tinkling sound that somehow filled the small room. "I got you good, didn't I?" she chirped, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Shawn, still reeling from the unexpected appearance, could only stare, speechless.
"Who are you?" Shawn finally managed to ask, his voice a mixture of surprise and bewilderment. The tiny fairy giggled again, a playful sound that somehow calmed his racing heart. "Shawn," she said, her voice surprisingly mature for her size, "it's me, your System! Please try to keep up." She winked, and a mischievous glint shone in her eyes.
"Wow, I have a fairy as a System! That's so cool!" Shawn exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. The little fairy, however, seemed less than amused. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. "Stop being weird," she mumbled, though her tone lacked conviction. Shawn, however, was undeterred. "Wow, she's really cute too!" he added, his smile widening. This time, the fairy's blush deepened, and she looked away, trying to hide her face. Shawn's laughter filled the small hotel room, a sound as light and carefree as the fairy herself.
After a moment, Shawn's laughter subsided, leaving a comfortable silence in the small room. He leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "So," he began, "what type of System are you?" He was eager to learn more about his unexpectedly adorable companion and the abilities she might offer. The fairy, still slightly flustered, fidgeted before answering.
With a flourish, the tiny fairy spread her delicate wings, the movements surprisingly graceful despite her size. She zipped in front of Shawn, hovering in the air. "We have a lot of things to cover," she announced, her voice regaining its confident tone. "But first things first, I need a name. And please," she added with a playful glint in her eye, "make it a cute one."
"Can't I just call you 'System'?" Shawn asked, testing the waters. His attempt at casualness was immediately met with resistance. The tiny fairy zipped right in front of his face, her expression hardening into a fierce glare. "No," she declared, her voice surprisingly sharp for such a small creature, "you absolutely can't." The intensity of her glare, coupled with her firm tone, left no room for argument.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Shawn conceded, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I just suck at names." He sat down on the edge of the bed, his brow furrowed in concentration, clearly struggling to come up with a suitable name for his diminutive System. He tapped a finger against his lips, lost in thought, the fairy hovering patiently nearby, her earlier glare softened by a hint of amusement.
Shawn naps his fingers and says " I got it, how about Aurora? It means Dawn, like this is the start of our adventure together"
Shawn's suggestion hung in the air, a hopeful question rather than a statement. Aurora tilted her head, considering. The name, he realized, wasn't just a label; it was an offering, a promise of the bright future they would build together. A faint blush colored her cheeks, a subtle reaction that spoke volumes. After a moment of quiet contemplation, she nodded, a tiny smile gracing her lips.
"Aurora it is," she confirmed, her voice a delicate chime. "Though," she added with a playful wink, "you'd better not forget it."
"Never," Shawn replied, a genuine smile spreading across his face. He felt a surge of affection for this tiny, powerful being who had become his System. The weight of the day seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of excitement and companionship.
"Now that that's settled," Aurora announced, her tiny hands on her hips, "let's talk about your skills. As a Summoner, your initial skill will be… well, summoning!" she declared with a flourish. "But not just any summoning. You'll be able to summon… me!" She puffed out her chest, a comical display of pride given her size.
"Just you?" Shawn asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice. He'd imagined grander creatures, majestic beasts, mythical entities. A single fairy, however adorable, felt a little underwhelming.
Aurora zipped in front of his face, her expression serious. "Don't underestimate me," she said, her voice surprisingly firm. "I am a Fairy Queen, and my power is far greater than you can imagine. My summoning skills are exceptionally rare, and I possess abilities you haven't even begun to comprehend. Think of me as a Swiss Army knife of magic: healing, illusions, combat, and much more. We'll level up together, and you'll unlock more of my abilities as we go."
Shawn's initial disappointment melted away, replaced by a burgeoning sense of excitement. A Fairy Queen? A Swiss Army knife of magic? The possibilities were endless. He had to admit, a fairy who was also his System was pretty unique.
"Okay, I'm ready," Shawn said, grinning. He was ready for whatever adventures awaited them. The future was uncertain, but with Aurora by his side, he felt confident he could face anything.
Aurora, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, chirped, "Shawn, now say 'stats window'!"
Shawn, a little bewildered but trusting his new companion, blurted out, "Stats window!"
Immediately, a translucent, shimmering window appeared before him, hovering in mid-air. It displayed the following information:
Shawn's Stats
Name: Shawn
Level: 1
System: Summoner
Bound Creature: Aurora (Fairy Queen) - Level 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Strength: 8
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 6
Charisma: 10
Skills: Magical Learning A+
Below that it says Aurora's stats
Aurora's Stats
Name: Aurora
Level: 1
Type: Fairy Queen
HP: 25/25
MP: 100/100
Abilities: Illusion (Level 1), Healing (Level 1), Locked Abilities
Shawn stared at the stats window, a mixture of awe and confusion swirling within him. He'd expected something, but not this. A translucent window hovering in the air? His own stats, laid bare? And Aurora's too? It was all so… fantastical.
"Wow," he breathed, tracing a finger across the shimmering surface of the window. The numbers seemed almost…alive, pulsing with a faint inner light. He focused on his own stats, noting the high Intelligence and Charisma scores. He'd always considered himself fairly intelligent, but the numbers confirmed it in a way that was both exhilarating and slightly unsettling. The high Charisma score, however, was a pleasant surprise. He'd never thought of himself as particularly charismatic. The 'Magical Learning A+' skill also caught his attention. What did that even mean?
Shawn glanced down at Aurora and asked what does this all mean? Aurora, perched on Shawn's shoulder, giggled. "HP is your health points, and MP is your magic points. Simple enough, right? Think of HP as your physical health, how much damage you can take before you keel over. MP is your magical energy – it's what fuels your abilities, or in this case, my abilities, since you're a Summoner." She tapped a tiny finger on the 'Strength,' 'Agility,' 'Intelligence,' 'Wisdom,' and 'Charisma' stats. "These are your base attributes. They affect everything you do, from your physical prowess to your magical aptitude and even your social interactions. The higher the number, the better you are at that particular thing."
She paused, then added with a wink, "Your high Intelligence score explains why you understood my instructions so quickly! And that Charisma? You'll charm the pants off anyone you meet!" but stats have a bigger meaning too. Strength increases your HP and makes you strong. Agility increases your speed and reflexes, Intelligence increases your understanding of things and give you more MP, Wisdom lowers the cost of skills and Magic abilities, and finally Charisma helps you speak but also gives a bonus to your party stats based on how much it is. 1 point of Charisma gives a stats bonus of 0.2 to your party. But it doesn't effect you, only your party. Aurora Says " That all I know, the rest we will have to learn together. Try thinking about your skill and it should explain what it is" Shawn thought about the skill Magical learning and its pups up :
Magical Learning A+ (Passive)- Allows the Summoner the copy the magical skill of others ( if he understands how it works) and give it to his summon
Shawn, eyes wide with understanding, and let out a low whistle. "So, basically, I can learn other people's magic and give it to you?" he asked, excitement bubbling in his voice. This was even more amazing than he'd initially thought. A Summoner with the ability to learn and adapt magic? The possibilities were staggering.
Aurora nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! Though, you'll need to understand how the magic works first. It's not like you can just watch someone cast a fireball and instantly replicate it. You need to grasp the underlying principles, the flow of magical energy, the intricate patterns involved. Think of it as a puzzle – a magical puzzle that you have to solve before you can give it to me."
"Okay," Shawn replied, already brainstorming. He pictured the various mages he'd seen in the city, their dazzling displays of power. "This is going to be fun!"