The Protagonist System

60 Escapism At Its Finest

I spent the evening with Tabitha and the night with Chevreuse and Cybil. It was a teary goodbye the next morning, because neither of them wanted to witness me leaving them for good. Tabitha seemed okay with it, for some reason. It was almost as if she expected me to leave and this was just the confirmation.

It took me an hour after breakfast to convince Tabitha that I didn't want to leave and that I had to, or I would die and that wouldn't be good for anyone, especially her. If I didn't move on, fate would ensure that something happened to make sure that I did. She accepted that and kissed me goodbye.

Louise on the other hand, had already distanced herself enough during the last three weeks that she was only a friend. When I checked the party screen, she was already greyed out and the double lines had reduced to a single dotted one.

As far as I could tell, that meant the connection was a tentative one and wouldn't last past me leaving, so I spent the Karma points to end it now without repercussions for either of us. It was both sad and understandable. She let me kiss her cheek and that was all.

I checked the party screen again and did the same thing for Tabitha, Chevreuse, and Cybil, now that I had the option. When I checked the other party members that I had, they also had the same options. I thought that was odd, until I realized I had been ejected from the last world before I could clean up the party system. It wouldn't let me select them to fix it, however.

I pushed those thoughts aside and went to the hangar to take out the first plane. I easily pushed it out onto the runway and there were several claps off to the side. I turned and saw several people there, ranging from the headmaster of the academy to Montmorency, the girl that liked me the least. I thanked them all for everything, climbed into the cockpit, and started the engine.

The fighter plane started right away and it purred, thanks to me checking everything over to make sure it was all perfect. Apparently, being a mechanic was one of the skills that a normal person could use, as was being a pilot. I knew exactly what to do as I let off the brake and the propeller pulled the plane forward. I increased the propeller's speed, which increased the plane's speed, and I was quickly up in the air.

More applause came from the gathered crowd, since this was the very first flight. I did a fly-by and tilted the plane to wave to them, they cheered and waved back. I righted the plane and flew in the right direction. When I checked the invisible clock in my head, I was right on time. The sun was starting to be obscured as the eclipse formed and I could feel the magic gathering.

I turned the plane and faced towards where I knew the portal was going to be. I wasn't sure how long it would be open for, so I needed to be in the right spot for the transition. If I wasn't... well... I was going to be moving on anyways.

I almost felt a physical snap in my magic as the eclipse finished and the portal opened. It was huge! I couldn't understand how someone could cast such destructive magic unfettered and think it was good for the world to cause such disruption on a regular basis. I fixed the flaps and the rudder, set them and the flight stick, then closed my eyes as I cast magic detection.

At the very instant I felt myself cross the event horizon of the portal, I concentrated and cast dispel and agreed to pay the Karma point cost to permanently close the portals. The funny part was that I couldn't see what my Karma point total was. It had been blocked ever since I completed my first quest, which meant someone was interfering, probably Fate. It's why I had the crazy idea to close the portals.

I felt myself hitting a brick wall and then being torn away from the inside of the plane, then nothing.

After an unknown amount of time, the blue box that appeared in front of my face finally showed something.

I can't believe you did that.

Which part? Remaining true to my wife or successfully introducing the joys of flying to a medieval society? I asked with a chuckle.

You derailed the entire plot of the world you were in and then sealed it within its own micro-verse for a ridiculous amount of Karma points!

Ah, I see. Let me guess, you're upset that you can't play with my new total, whatever it is, because you blocked me from seeing it and now you can't see it, either.

Yes! That's it exactly! I wanted to play with all of that and you took it from me!

Hey, don't get angry at me for playing the game. It's my system. You are only the administrator.

How dare you insult...

The big blue box disappeared and left me all alone in the darkness.

I wonder if I can pop over to the gift shop while I'm waiting? I asked and suddenly found myself there at the Level 1 shop. Ha ha! Awesome. Thanks!

The smaller blue box appeared with the fancy writing. You're welcome, Sweetie.

Fate! How did you like screwing me over so quickly again? I asked and grabbed a couple of t-shirts with some good slogans on them. When I wondered how I was going to store them after I bought them, two options appeared. One for my expanded backpack that I somehow still wore and to buy an extra-dimensional space for a personal inventory. I chose to buy the space for 5,000 Karma points and put my backpack in it.

It was a little lackluster, considering you didn't go out in a blaze of glory. The little blue box showed and then had the word 'giggle' on it. You didn't even leave any special deposits! I was so disappointed that I won't get to play with your future kids on that locked world.

I laughed at her explanation. I'm sorry about that. It didn't even occur to me to do that, especially with all the social restrictions on nobles there. Children aren't discussed until at least a year after marriage. I grabbed 2 lightsaber keychains for 50 credits each, or 1000 Karma points total. It wasn't cheap, because each credit cost 10 Karma points. I don't suppose you know my Karma point total, do you?

I do, and believe me, you can pretty much do what you want, even after spending all those points on closing the portals. The idiot that is supposed to take care of you was upset that he was going to get a huge payout for you doing so well on that last world and screwed himself over by jumping the gun and messing with you instead.

I had suspected that, thanks. I thought and browsed around for a while. They had a lot of weird and funny books and I barely stopped myself from grabbing a bunch of them and only chose a couple of my favorites for 10 credits each.

For a laugh, I bought the pink werebunny Halloween costume for 400 credits. I also settled the previous bill I had for 100 credits for Fate's earrings. The last thing I picked up a red baseball cap with The Flash's ankle wings on it for 150 credits. It gave me a 20% speed boost when worn and that was worth the Karma points.

Just as I was about to leave, I received a popup with the bill for a dog collar for 150 credits that had 'Fate's Bitch' engraved on it. I laughed and paid it right away, and went back to the blackness to wait for what happened next.

I floated there and started to read one of the books I bought, a science fiction novel about space warfare and other worlds. Almost immediately, I thought I felt something settle beside me and cuddled into my side. I absently put my arm around the unseen presence and the pages of the book started to turn by themselves, so it was a win-win situation for me.

We finished the book about ten hours later and it was a great book, just like it had been the first time I read it. I had meant to sit down and read it again and just never found the time to do it. Now I had and it was great.

Thanks for the company and the cuddles. I had a great time. I thought to whomever was with me. I felt a kiss on my cheek and then the presence faded away.

A big green box appeared in front of me. Hello, there! I'm your new handler!

Greetings and salutations, new handler. Do you think you can do a decent job?

I can do better than that! The green box showed. Here's your current Karma point total.

46,320 Karma points.

My mouth dropped open and I stared at the number. It was ridiculous, especially after all the points I spent in the shop. Is that real?

It is, my transitional friend! After you gutted it by spending 100,000 Karma points to close all access to the last world, that is all that remains.

I choked on my own spit at the cost of what I unknowingly spent. I had thought maybe 10,000 or 25,000 because of the size of the portals and their frequency. Instead it cost 100,000 Karma points.

No wonder the last guy was upset! I exclaimed in my head. Holy hell, I'm upset now, too!

Ha ha! No worries! You've done well and chose wisely. Thanks to your intervention, you saved millions of people from their unnatural deaths from Void exposure and conflict.

I wasn't sure if I needed to respond to that, so I stayed quiet.

Now, let's move on to your choices for the next world.

My eyes bulged as a list of 700 entries appeared with all of their options for insertions, alternate universes, alternate timelines, and even changing who the protagonist was. I shook my head at that and suddenly remembered what Fate had told me before about what I could do if I had been here and had over 20,000 Karma points.

I could chose anyone and create my own story as the protagonist. An absurd idea flashed through my mind and I held in my giggle at the fun I could have. It would be a total crack fiction, quite intentionally, and it would let me reward myself for getting through what I had been through.

The first thing I did was check the party system and paid off the detriments that Hestia, Lili, and Aiz suffered for me not ending the party at the time. I checked Hestia's entry and saw her power boost had doubled and the wife / goddess part that was greyed out had 'suspended until further notice' written across it. Before I could ask what that meant, Fate's little blue box appeared.

That's one of the things your last handler was in trouble for. He was supposed to tell you that all personal relationships end when you leave a world by any means and will only reinstate if you return there.

I frowned at that. But, doesn't that mean I'm not married to Hestia anymore?

Fate's little box showed the word 'sigh'. I see your old handler neglected to tell you a few basic things. Bell was the one that married Hestia. If you ever return to that world, if you're lucky, you'll become Bell again and reinstate it.

I can't just pay Karma points and have it happen? I asked.

It doesn't work that way. You have The Protagonist System. The story has to be about you. If you leave a world, the story is no longer about you. As I said, if you get the chance to return and are lucky, you'll insert as Bell again.

I felt sad about that. I thought she would be waiting for me to return.

She is. Was. Might be. It's why you usually automatically end the party sharing system before you leave a world. It's only detrimental to those you leave behind, because it's a constant reminder that they lost you.

I sighed and nodded. I guess I have no choice but to move on.

Yes, that's true. Moving on now. Fate's box showed. You have the points, so are you going with your fantasy of being Dr. Doom and saving Sue Richards from her boring housewife life?

It's tempting, especially as a power fantasy. I thought and tried to put my mind on what I had ahead of me and put Hestia into a special part of my mind to always look forward to going back there. I have a much better idea for a fun time. I need to pop back to the shop and grab a few books first.

Why would you need books from there? Fate asked me.

As the backstory. I thought with a smile and reappeared in the shop. I went right over to the book shelves and chose the seven books that I needed. I bought them and a few more lightsaber keychains and reappeared back in the blackness. I floated them out in front of me and I heard a giggle and felt a presence as it settled at my side.

I spent a week floating there and the presence beside me loved the books. Their excited and happy sounds as I read the voices out loud and altered my own to match, made the whole thing very enjoyable.

I think I understand what you want. Fate's little blue box showed when I was done.

Perhaps. I thought and gave the presence beside me a hug and felt lips on my cheek again before the presence faded. Let me explain what I mean.

Fate's little box showed the word 'giggle' ten times when I told her and it disappeared.

Congratulations! You have chosen Harry Potter as your reward world!

Alternate Universe options set:
Hogwarts changed from a Junior High / High School (ages 11-17) to become a High School / College (ages 14-20).
In-universe books published about the savior of the wizarding world (the 7 books you read) are canon and not made up or fantasy, despite most adults believing they are (the children know better, as do you).
Casanova (females are flattered you pay attention to them and are never jealous of others).
Magical Prodigy (inherent magic unhindered by previous restrictions).
Partial-Metamorphmagus (can change superficial appearance).

Items purchased (exclusive for this world only):
My Home Is My Castle (One-time permanent transfiguration spell. Muggles will only see a normal house while you, your family, and other magicals will see the magnificent castle created.)
House Elves x5 (cook, maid, nanny, butler, gardener)
Magical Sync Amulet (all foreign spells, enchantments, curses, and potions go into the amulet instead).
A Wand For All Occasions (can use any magical focus as if it was your own).

Point of Insertion: First Death (Voldemort's attack). You must live your entire life to the beginning of the 'real' story, which is your official entry to the wizarding world after you receive your Hogwarts letter. All adventures mentioned in your in-universe books will happen as described.

I giggled like a little girl as I read all of that over again. It was going to be a pure power fantasy, making Harry Potter into the actual hero that all of the children in the world read about since they were kids.

It was going to be a little annoying to live out the adventures starting when I become 5 years old, though. But, princesses needed to be saved, dragons need to be slayed, and manticores and nundus needed to be culled and tamed... and I was the best person to do it, because I was going to become the best Harry Potter ever!

Get ready for insertion! Since you're starting from the beginning, no new memories will be added. Good luck in your self-delusional sex-filled world!
(You should have bought normal and wizarding disease immunity.)

WHAT?!? I exclaimed as everything went black.