This S.O.B. System

Asher woke up with his alarm at 7 am. He got almost 2 extra hours of sleep. Now feeling refreshed he stepped out of his room almost running into his mother. 

 

“Woah,” she said, stepping back. “Thank God. When did you get back?” 

 

“Late last night,” he lied. “Sorry we had no service where we were at. And the ATV broke down.”

 

“Who goes camping in February?” She asked skeptically. 

 

“These guys I’m hanging out with. They’re very hardcore. Besides, since I’m graduating in a few months I’m trying to broaden my horizons.” It helped to mention he was graduating soon. They needed to accept he had a life other than them. 

 

“Did you at least have fun?” His mom eventually asked. 

 

“I did,” he admitted. He had gained 3 levels in only 2 days. A speed he hadn’t had in a long time. 

 

“Well go shower and throw your clothes in the hamper. You smell like a bonfire,” she said. Asher agreed and left. It was a happy accident that the goblins had the bonfire going. A nice little detail he wouldn’t have thought of. When he was cleaned and dressed he got ready to leave the house to go to school. As he was about to step out the door his phone rang. It was a number he didn’t know, but he had a feeling.  

 

With a smile he answered it. “Hey beautiful.”

 

“Where were you?” Tiffany asked angrily. “Yesterday. We had group. Remember?”

 

“Oh jeez we did. I’m sorry. I went to a thing. With the Hawk group,” he said. “I had completely forgotten about it because of all the…excitement. I’ll tell you about it later. I would have warned you, but you wouldn’t give me your number, remember?”

 

“Who’s that?” His mom asked, coming from the kitchen. “Your girlfriend? 

 

“Maybe,” he said. No longer shy about such things. 

 

Before he knew it his mom had taken his phone from him and ran off. He thought for a second and ran after her. “Is this Zora?” His mom asked laughing as she ran from him. 

 

“No, it’s Tiffany,” she said on the other line. His mom had put it on speaker at some point. 

 

“Ah then I haven’t met you yet,” his mom said. She was on the opposite side of the table. He mouthed the words ‘give me the phone’. “Well I’m his mother, Ria. I was wondering if he was with you this weekend.”

 

“He was not. I was just asking him where he was. He and I had a date planned last night,” Tiffany said. 

 

“No we didn’t,” he said aloud. 

 

“We had a date to set a date,” she corrected. 

 

“Well let’s just set it now,” his mother said. “How about dinner tomorrow night?” 

 

Excited to see Tiffany again he said, “works for me.” He didn’t mind introducing people to his parents. Back in the day he wasn’t allowed to hang with anyone unless his parents met their parents. 

 

“Me too,” Tiffany said. From her voice he could tell she was smiling. “You can tell me all about Zora then Ria.” 

 

“It’s a date,” his mom said, handing him back the phone. 

 

She had a smile like the cat that ate the canary. “Like I care. You just scored me a date with a beautiful woman.” 

 

That wiped the smile off her face. “When did you get so smooth talking to girls? Hey, get back here. Bring back my cute shy son,” she yelled as he left the house. 

 

“She’s right you know,” Tiff said on the line. He took it off speaker. “You are a smooth talker.” 

 

“Why am I smooth for telling the truth?”

 

“So whose this Zora?” She asked scandalously. 

 

“I told you about her. I had to help her with the videos I gave to Amanda.” 

 

“Oh her. So do I have some competition?” She asked. 

 

“Maybe. I mean she did meet my parents.” 

 

“Oh well then I better be on my best behavior for our date. Think we can sneak away for a little-“ she cut off as Asher’s phone went off with an AMBER alert type tone. He pulled his phone away to read the message. 

 

-EMERGENCY MEETING

RED

ALL MEMBERS REQUIRED

5PM TONIGHT-

 

“Well that’s not good,” Tiffany said. 

 

“What is it?” He asked. 

 

“It’s a red severity. I’ve never seen that before,” she said. Worry in her voice. “Guess I’ll be seeing you tonight.” 

 

“Guess so,” he said. The number was from the group. Which was not a good sign.  

 

—

 

Asher sat in one of the front seats this time. He had been early since Amadeus practice had ended quickly. They were working on the death scene and it had been simple enough. 

 

The real trouble was Wendy had begun to warm up to him again. He was worried that she wasn’t quite getting the whole free agent thing. She was sweet, but very meek. The last thing he wanted was to send mixed signals. 

 

Worried where to go from there he was brought out of the conundrum as someone sat on his lap. “Hey sexy,” Tiffany said. A big smile on her face, his hand went to her back. She wore a virgin killer sweater so it was all smooth skin. 

 

“Where do you get these sexy outfits?” he asked. Looking her up and down she wore a knee high skirt that conformed to her legs. 

 

“Oh here and there,” she said. “A little birdie told me you nailed an Elf Queen over the weekend.” Her eyes sparkled with the unasked question. 

 

“Perhaps,” he said embarrassed. “And she wasn’t a queen. She was a chieftess.” 

 

“Oh my god. You can’t be serious,” she said. Her laugh and smile caused her puffy cheeks to dimple. “Pics or it didn’t happen,” she said. 

 

Looking her up and down he pulled out his phone. His selfie with Tillie and Lyola was one of the last pics he took. Other than some scenery inside the dungeon. “No way,” she said, taking the phone. “They’re hot,” she remarked. 

 

“Eh,” he said truthfully. “They were all hair and skin and bones. I prefer to know I’m with a woman,” he said, beginning to squeeze her ass. “Did you know the men look just like the women?” 

 

“I have heard of a few people meeting elves. They didn’t say that though. Just said they had a lot of women.” 

 

“Oh I thought they were all women. A couple guys actually had to point out that they were.”

 

“Well next time you’ll have to take me.”

 

“I’d love to,” he said. “Wasn’t all fun and games though. I got kidnapped at one point.” 

 

“That’s what Joan said, you’ll have to tell me about it later,” she said. Standing up he had to will his erection away. 

 

“Before you go, what's this all about?” He asked. 

 

“No idea. My dads been very hush hush all day,” she said. She jumped up to the podium as her dad walked up the stairs to it. Soon Carl and Amanda were up there as well and the meeting began.  

 

“Last night I received a red quest generation alert,” Wayne Tyler said once everyone was seated. Asher looked around the room. It was fuller than it had been before. Much closer to 100 were there now. 

 

“It warned that a System User had gone rogue. It wasn’t long till I found out Penny Dalton had been kidnapped from her home,” he said. “You all should know her. She runs our website along with some other minor things. I went to her house early this morning. Lloyd Rivers was dead at her house.”

 

A few gasps went out but Wayne quickly added. “Penny of course had nothing to do with it. She is a victim of Raul Luis. He has been a member here for a few years. But after digging into his life more, apparently he hasn’t been the most stable of individuals. Now we have a video from Penny’s laptop that shows the kidnapping, but does anyone know his System and level?” 

 

Everyone looked around. Eventually a little hand raised. “He has the Superman System,” Joan said meekly. “I think he was level 20 last I checked.” Her Identification skill was so high level it showed species, level, and System name.

 

“Damn,” Wayne said into the microphone. “Alright-“

 

“Wait like Superman Superman?” Carl asked behind him. The fact that he had the Batman System was odd. What were the chances they would live in the same area? Unless their Systems weren’t that rare to begin with. 

 

“Yes. Based off the video we have to assume he has all the powers of Superman,” Wayne said. A few curses rang out. And mumbling began around the room. “For those of you who don’t know. A red quest is something the System sends out when a person uses their powers unwisely.” Asher could have sworn the old man looked at him when he said that. “When they pose enough of a danger to those in the area and they kill someone with a System; we administrators are notified.” 

 

“Why is that?” Someone asked. 

 

“Because people with Systems can gain experience points from killing people with a System,” he said. The room became very quiet after that. It wasn’t too surprising to Asher. It sounded right. After some thought he could see how that could be a problem. Some mass murderer could show up at their group and kill them all for levels. 

 

“Before anyone leaves. I want you all to know that you can deny a red quest. In fact it won’t appear for anyone below level 10. Which is most of you. But we will need assistance. I would like to brainstorm ideas before anyone heads out. We need a way to subdue Raul. We also need to find him. And I would like to get volunteers for an attack force.”

 

“What do we get out of a red quest?” Someone asked. 

 

“No one knows for sure. One Administrator friend of mine said they went through one and all those involved received a lot of experience and Syscos. Just assume it will be more than a regular quest. Especially if you’re in danger,” Wayne finished. “Now first. Any merchants sold anything to Raul lately? Anything odd? Yes, Anthony?”

 

“I sold him a System specific item…they were Clark Kent glasses. They made it so no one could recognize him if he wore them.”

 

“Goddammit. I can’t believe I have to ask this. Ok, everyone with glasses please take them off. If anyone does not take them off please say something,” Wayne said then paused. “Everyone good? Ok at least Raul isn’t here. Put that in our notes. We need someone that can dispel illusions,” Wayne said to Tiffany as she began writing in a notebook. 

 

“Ok. Next on the agenda. Do we have a Diviner System? Or maybe an Oracle?” Wayne asked. “We need someone that can find him. And potentially keep track of him.” 

 

“I can,” an old woman said. “I need some materials though.”

 

“Perfect. Get with one of the merchants. We can get an estimate on Syscos and take it from our bank.” 

 

“Lastly, I will let Carl speak on this. We need everyone’s input before I let people loose,” he said. Stepping away, the large black man took the podium. 

 

“Hey everybody. I’m Carl. If you don’t know my System. Then please don’t ask people. I’m sick of my identity getting out,” he said. A few chuckles let out from that. “Anyway. I’m sure all of you know Superman. He’s from the planet Krypton. Gets his power from the sun. Faster than a speeding bullet. All that. So the 3 weaknesses we know for sure he should have is keep him from the sun. He can’t see through lead. And he can’t use his powers if he’s near Kryptonite. That’s it. So if anyone has any ideas on how to utilize those 3 things. Then please let me know.” 

 

“What about the Flash? Anyone wake up his System?” A new voice asked. 

 

“There’s a guy in Canada with that power. But he’s still low level,” Amanda said. 

 

“Can any merchants buy Kryptonite?” Wayne asked. 

 

After a little while a few voices confirmed that they could not. Fuck, Asher thought as the idea came to him. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He thought louder. At least he assumed he did. The quiet room around him, Tiffany gave him a worried look and mouthed the words ‘what’s wrong’.  

 

Asher took a deep breath. Of course he had said that out loud. And since no one had been talking everyone heard him. Closing his eyes for a moment he slowly stood himself up. Looking around all eyes were on him. “I can get ahold of Kryptonite,” he admitted. 

 

—

 

“What do you mean you can get ahold of Kryptonite?” Wayne asked. Hope in his eyes. They had decided to go on a break so Asher could explain himself better to the Administrator and his assistants. 

 

“I mean I have a power to make it,” he admitted. “I’m about 90% sure it will work.” 

 

“Damn kid. What kind of power is that?” Carl asked. Asher ignored the question. He was feeling very awkward. Only he knew what this would entail. Tiff knew his System, but not all of his skills.

 

“Ok, Asher. Let me make this a little more clear,” Amanda said. “This guy is as close to Superman as anyone has ever come to it. If he’s unstable, which looks like he is, we don’t know what he could do. For all we know he’s bulletproof. He could show up. And kill most everyone here if we don’t have a plan. Hell, he could destroy the city if he was let loose long enough. Especially if he kills a bunch of us and levels up more.” 

 

“I understand that,” Asher said. “It’s just hard for me. I need assurances. Assurances that no one outside this room will know how I do it.” 

 

“Deal,” Wayne said. “The more I know the more the System lets me do. I’m the current quest giver for the red quest. If I think your plan will work then the System will send the quest to those most likely able to finish it.”

 

“What if they don’t want the quest?” Asher asked. 

 

“Then they can decline it, and it moves onto the next most likely candidate. The system decides how many are required. I just need to know the general information. I’m like a middle man between the System and you guys. Besides, I don’t think anyone wants to abandon a red quest.”

 

“Ok. I’ll take your word for it,” Asher said. Tiffany walked up to him as he calmed his nerves. She took his hand for comfort. He kissed her hand and began. “You know how I said I broke into Aleksi’s house to get his safe?” Amanda nodded. “Yeah that was all bullshit. I have an ability to generate a prop from a role play I do. So a friend and I did the role play. And once the conditions for the role play were met. Poof the stuff was in there.”

 

“Hold up. You pretended to have something. Then you had it? So you’re gonna pretend you have Kryptonite?” 

 

“Not exactly,” he said. Struggling for the words

 

“You better tell him,” Tiffany said. Looking into her eyes Asher knew there was no time to waste. So he was going to tell people. Again. The first thing Doug had said was not to tell people. And all Asher did was tell people.

 

“My System isn’t really the Actor system. It’s the Porn Star System. I have the ability to Roleplay parts. Along with that Roleplay I can manifest props from the scenario that was acted out.” 

 

“What are the restrictions?” Wayne asked. In business mode Asher was surprised he didn’t question it. But he had been dealing with systems for a while. There could be crazier things. 

 

“2 things. You have to have sex in the scenario and it has to be filmed,” Asher said. 

 

“Bullshit,” Amanda said. 

 

“Oh I wish it was,” Asher said. “Zora helped me with the last one. We needed the stuff in Aleksi’s safe. And we had no idea where the hell he lived. He practically never left the girls. So when I got my ability I tried it out in a scene. I had some Monopoly money. Used it in a scene. Then when it was over I had real money. So me and Zora ran. I told her my power. Then we did a sex scene. I don’t know much but I know I really have to believe the Roleplay for it to work. So I pretended to be Aleksi. Selling off all the contents of my safe to her. Bing bang boom. I get the notification. And it worked. Everything was in there. Passports. Those videos. Money. I’m pretty sure everything in his safe was teleported to my suitcase. Not only that, but I had a bunch of Monopoly money to play the prop for buying the safe contents. And $10k of that turned into real money.”

 

“You are serious,” Amanda said after some time. The 4 of them looked at him shocked. 

 

“Yes. To save the city we will have to… make a porno,” he said sadly. And with that the quest appeared in his field of view.