It was such an odd sensation, the simple act of sleeping in my bed for the first time in over 10 years. Waking up to sunlight streaming through the window, completely covered in blankets, with a solid roof over my head... it was surreal.
I'd spent a good chunk of the previous night watching half of the Twilight saga. It was... unique. I realized how almost every single problem in the series so far stemmed from a lack of communication.
'Especially that whole nomad situation with James, Victoria, and Laurent. Three against seven? Jasper alone could have used his powers to instill some serious fear.'
Sighing, I got out of bed. I had a lot to accomplish in this new life. First, I needed to get enrolled in high school and figure out what I'd missed during my... homeless years. Next, I wanted some freedom, which meant getting a license and a car.
Lastly, I had to work on my skills. I couldn't afford to be lazy and just hope that car-crushing vampires would leave me alone. Knowing my luck, I'd somehow end up right in the middle of things, completely unprepared. That wouldn't end well.
Leaving the house was easy: a quick shower and change, and I was out the door. A diner seemed like the perfect place to grab breakfast.
It was only a ten-minute walk before I found a seat and ordered my first proper meal in this new world. It turned out the system had granted me a wallet. With a simple reach, money from my bank or system bank would appear as cash or on a card, depending on what I needed.
After a delicious stack of pancakes, I left a generous tip, ignoring the stares from some of the townspeople. I wasn't sure if they were reacting to yesterday's events or just to my general appearance. I guess I do look like some kind of internet fever dream of an athlete.
Enrolling in the high school wasn't a big deal. They said they'd sort out all the relevant information about my previous 'homeschooling,' and I'd start classes the following Monday.
'System,' I thought, 'do I have to go through the whole DMV thing, or does the shop have something that can make this easier?'
[Host already has a valid driver's license due to the Omniversal Identity Card. Though the Host does not have the skills, they are easily learned through training and learning.]
"Mother fucker," I whispered as I left Forks High. 'This QoL Store really does make things easier. Still, I would have given anything to skip those DMV horror stories I've heard.'
"Man, the weather in this town is seriously messed up. I'd give anything for some sun right now," I said aloud. It was a habit of mine to voice my thoughts; when you're alone for so long, even your own voice can be comforting.
"Good luck with that. Forks is known as the wettest place in the continental US," a soft voice chimed in from behind me.
I jumped a bit, turning to see who was talking. It was a girl with dark brown hair in a ponytail and glasses that were a bit too big for her face. She was tall for a girl and had this quiet, almost librarian-like aura about her.
'Oh, shit, that's Angela.' I smiled inwardly. She and Charlie were the ones I liked most so far: down-to-earth and kind people, from what I remembered of the movies.
"Sorry, I'm Angela. I don't think I've seen you around here before," she said, smiling slightly, with a rosy tint to her cheeks.
Smiling back, I offered my hand. "You'd be right about that. I moved here yesterday. I'm Cyrus. It's nice to meet you, Angela." She took my hand in a delicate shake, and I could see surprise in her eyes.
"You're the guy that saved Bella from the forest, right? Sorry, my dad's the town priest, so he tends to know everything that's going on." She smiled brightly when she spoke about her father.
I could only nod; I was pretty bad at communicating at the moment. "Yeah, just my luck. Trying to enjoy the new town, and I end up saving the chief's daughter."
Angela let out a soft giggle at my explanation. "So, what are your plans in Forks?" she asked.
"Not much. Finish out my senior year, maybe try to find a hobby or two. Who knows?" I grinned; I finally had some kind of goal in my life.
Lost in my own thoughts, the bell rang, abruptly ending our conversation.
"Well, that's me. I need to head inside. If you ever need someone to show you around, there are lots of nice people around. Bye, Cyrus!" She blushed as she said this, then turned and hurried back into the school.
'Wait, was Angela Webber, the shy girl, flirting with me? No, that couldn't be it. She's just being friendly to someone new.'
(Later That Day)
I'd pretty much accomplished all my goals for the day. I'd applied for my senior year, gone to the local bookstore and picked up just about everything I'd need to study, from primary school level up to high school. After that, I did some grocery shopping, stocking up for the next week.
Scrolling through my phone, I checked out dealerships in Seattle. I wanted to buy a car, but I wasn't sure what to get.
'Nothing too flashy,' I thought. '
I don't want people looking at me the way they do the Cullens. For vampires who've lived for over a century, they sure don't know how to blend in.'
Lost in thought, I almost missed something I would have seriously regretted overlooking. There, in all its glory, was a 2005 Gun Grey Ford Mustang GT. I didn't even have to think twice. It was perfect.
A quick call to the dealership and an offer of 5% over the asking price convinced them to deliver the car tomorrow, along with someone to finalize the paperwork. 'God, money really does make the world go 'round.'
With that settled, I had nothing pressing to do except for my education.
I picked up the high school English book and started reading. Now, I wouldn't say I had no education, but working with those mob bosses did teach me some useful skills. Sure, they liked that I wasn't too bright, but I still had to be able to do some math and read decently.
Sitting there, I skimmed the first chapter, taking in what was being discussed. The more I read, the more confused I became. This was easy... like reading a comic book.
'System, am I missing something?' I asked.
[Due to the Host's Reactive/Adaptive Evolution, your cognition will continue to develop at a rapid rate. No matter how difficult the obstacle is, the Host will always overcome it.]
Shock was the only thing I could feel. I'd expected the system to help me to a certain degree, but the fact that this was already happening with something so trivial... it was unbelievable.
"H-holy shit... this is broken!" I yelled in excitement. "I could finish everything by the start of next week! That's four days! Maybe I could be ahead of my classes by then!"
Shifting in my seat, I pulled the books closer and buckled down, ready to devour them.
---
"Phew! That's all of English done, up to pre-university level!" I sat there, my hands shaking as excitement coursed through my body.
The more I read, the easier it became. My reading speed had increased to the point where I was spending less than a minute on each page before moving on. I comprehended everything almost as soon as I'd read it.
Placing the book down, I headed to the kitchen; I'd completely forgotten about dinner. As much as I wanted to make my own meal, I had no idea how.
'Pre-made meals. How easy is this?' I thought with a slight giggle. I'd learn to cook eventually, but it wasn't a pressing matter.
Grabbing a knife, I quickly cut open the box of microwavable butter chicken. My excitement got the better of me, and the knife slipped, slicing into my finger.
Almost instantly, I dropped the knife. "Fuckin' hell!" I yelled. Looking at the injury, blood was pooling quickly; it seemed to be a rather deep cut.
Watching the blood well up, I made a beeline for the sink, turning on the tap and rinsing the wound. Fortunately, I'd included bandaids on my shopping list. Opening one, I turned off the tap and lifted my finger to inspect the damage.
'Huh, that's weird. Where's the cut?'
I looked all over my finger, trying to find it, but it was as if it had never been there.
Ding!
[Due to Adaptation Skill, the Hosts body has strengthened to resist wounds from non-powered blades. Due to the Host's need to heal, Regeneration Skill has been acquired. It is recommended the Host continue to expose themselves to harm in order to improve the skill!]
I laughed; it was all I could do. A large, boisterous laugh escaped my lips at the absurdity of the System's message.
'You want me to hurt myself to get stronger? That's insane! Oh God, I'm going to become the Apex Masochist, aren't I?'
That thought only intensified my laughter.
It took a couple of minutes to calm down, but I couldn't stop the occasional chuckle.
Picking up the knife, I examined the blood on the blade. "Well, it doesn't hurt to try, right? The System hasn't lied to me yet."
Placing the knife in my palm, I closed my eyes and quickly slashed across it. I waited for the pain to come, but my fears were unfounded.
'Well, I'll be damned.' I tried poking my palm with the tip of the blade, and yet nothing happened to my skin. If anything, the tip of the blade began to bend and blunt itself.
"You know what, System? Thanks. This is incredible."
Forgoing my meal, which was sitting forgotten on the counter, I spent hours experimenting, trying to find any knife in the house that could pierce my skin.
'I wonder what else I could do to strengthen myself tomorrow?'