When Saturn woke up he felt something was different about himself. He couldn't tell what, he tried going through his recent memory and nothing seemed out of place, his body was also as normal as it usually is. He really couldn't put a name to the feeling, it was like a part of himself that was connected to his very soul was locked up in a jail cell, sort of like his physical body. Since Guy couldn't put a understand the feeling he decided to fully wake himself up, since it was breakfast time.
Saturn walked through the dreary concrete walls along with the other inmates while in a line. Saturn was situated in the middle of the long line. The entire group was surprisingly quite considering a group of dozens of people who were locked up for a whole manner of reasons, including disturbing the public. The line also consisted of big time drug dealers, rapists, and murders, Guy was part of the last group. Saturn thought of how he ended up in prison while partaking of the long somber walk.
A young Saturn could be seen air practicing the only thing he was confident of himself in, piano. He had started learning piano around the time he was five, not because he was rich but because he was poor. His mother had hoped that if he could learn a skill as refined as piano he could use it to make a life for himself, instead of ending up as an addict who lived and died in the hood. Sadly in order to pay for the lessons Amelia had to resort to prostitution. From the time Saturn was five to the time he was fourteen Amelia had to deal with degradation and danger from her customer's and abuse from her pimp. He would often beat her in front of Saturn, but she would always hold it in and keep her pain, blood, and tears to as much of a minimum as possible.
It was one day that Saturn's life changed, he was air practicing piano as usual when he heard the usual yelling and thumps that was obviously abuse. The only thing different about that usual situation was that Guy couldn't take it anymore, he couldn't stand to hear her in pain, or to see her in pain, he hated even more to see her spend their small amount of money on him and not herself. He grabbed a baseball bat he had prepared; when he walked out of his room the beefy black man that was Amelia's pimp was standing over Amelia wailing furious blows upon her. Saturn didn't understand his anger nor did he want to, he only wanted it to stop, and stop it did.
The first hit upon the pimp's head disoriented him, the second knocked him over, the third pissed him off, the fourth made him realize, the fifth made him fear, and the last thirty made sure he was dead. Guy didn't understand what he had truly done until an hour after he was finished. When he had come to he saw his poor beaten mom cleaning up the blood, the body already wrapped up. When she saw him become clear minded she didn't yell, she didn't fear, instead she hugged Guy and consoled
him, telling him " It'll all be alright, let mommy take care of it. "
Saturn just nodded and changed clothes as instructed by his mom. After that Saturn continued about his normal life as though nothing happened, but as all good things must come to an end, the police came.
At first Amelia tried taking the hit but Saturn was done letting her shield him. After a lot of trouble he was first sent to Juvy ( Juvenile Jail ). After six years there he was sent to real jail.
After that he kept up a good four years of good attitude, library, and monotony he only had four more months until he would be released. Usually murderers wouldn't be released, but thanks to Guy's good behavior and various circumstances he was going to be released soon. The circumstances were a new program being put in place for prisoners with good behavior. The program would help prisoners be released and then help prisoners who were released from prison get a job.
By the time Saturn's thoughts got to that point he had grabbed his tray of food and sat down right in the middle of the cafeteria. He then started to eat, he didn't talk, he didn't make much noise, and he kept movement to a minimum. He just minded his own business until it was time to go back to the cells. When he got back to his cell he sat down on his bed, picked up a book, and started whistling a toon he had never heard before. While he was thinking of where he had heard the toon something suddenly popped into his vision.
| You have gained one Music Point |
He was extremely surprised, but he cleared it off his face fairly quickly, it was a habit for living among some of the countries worst people for years. He decided to test the screen by tapping it, his hand went straight through it though. Since that was the only way he could think of to test it he just waved both his hands in a nonchalant manner, somehow though that cleared the screen out of his vision. He tried the motion again, but nothing happened. Since nothing happened for a few minutes Saturn once again went back to reading and whistling, chalking the recent events up to him being crazy after staying in prison for years. After a few minutes more of reading and whistling another thing popped up in front of him. Saturn couldn't hold it this time and said.
" What are you? "
Another prompt suddenly popped up in (Guy's ) vision.
| " Hello Guy, I am your Music System. " |
" My what? "
| " Your Music System. " |
" . . . . "
" . . . . "
" Alright, I'll cave, what's a Music System? "
| " A system to help you in your pursuit to the peak of music. " |
" . . . . "
" . . . . "
" Then can you explain what your purpose is? "
| " Sure. I am a system that was granted unto you because the universe spirit pitied you. " |
" Why does the universe spirit pity me? "
| " Your past five lives have all been amazing music talents, but none of them have been able to fulfill the their talent. The universe first sent your soul to a different version of earth, that is you. Unfortunately you have also not been able to fulfil your talent so the universe gave you me. And I am to help you. " |
" How are you to do that? "
| " Have you never heard of a system before? Like from novels. " |
" Nope, why? "
| ' . . . . Well shit, all the others said that their users already knew what we were. ' |
The system didn't actually put the last thought out for Saturn hear, instead it thought to itself.
It also pitied itself that it got the only system user who had never heard of a system. After a half
minute or so of self pity it tried to come up with a method to help itself out of the awkward
situation.
| " Do you have any method to access the internet? " |
" Hmm, oh I do have a few minutes during my library job, though not that long. "
| " Well darn. " |
The system then continued to think, that is until it came up with the easiest solution.
| " Hey, say status. " |
" Status. "
|
Name - Saturn Vanya Emerson Age - 24 Music Points- 1 Stats - Store - Inventory - Skills - |
| " Alright, what I want you to do is continue whistling until your Music Points reach 30, it should only take an hour or so. Once you reach that goal you can use the store to buy three novels or so, that should let you have a pretty basic understanding of my existence. " |
When Saturn heard the commanding tone of the neutral gendered voice he happily continued to whistle
while reading one of his favorite books.
The system was spot on that it would only take an hour to reach his goal of 30 MP. Since he reached
his goal Saturn put down the worn red covered book and instead started to search through the system
shop. He first went to miscellaneous, he then went to books, and then he went to the system genre.
After that Saturn's Music System recommended him two books, both that were similar to his
situation. They were " I'm really a SuperStar " and " Jay Aslan ". He then proceeded to read "
Jay Aslan " in two hours, the book gave him a few ideas on his situation. He wanted to hurry up and
continue reading, but the alarm for lunch went off. That meant that Guy would first go to lunch
and then he would start his job at the library.
It took around three hours for lunch and his job to pass, during that time Saturn spent ten minutes
of his time to find out all he could about systems, he also found a few good novels to buy from his
system shop. After he finished his job at the library Saturn was allowed an hour and a half in the
yard, he spent the entire time doing one of his three favorite activities, working out. Saturn had
always enjoyed working out, that's how he was able to kill a full grown pimp despite being only 14.
Once he was imprisoned, he didn't have much to do other than workout, read, whistle, air practice
piano, sleep, and eat. That meant that he would cherish all the time he had for those small
activities.
The entire time he was eating, working, or pumping iron he was whistling or humming or air
playing piano, all of which gave him minute amounts of MP, about 1 per two minutes. So he had 135 MP
to spend on whatever he wanted in his store, but Saturn held out, instead he got to reading " IRSS ", and that was how he spent the rest of his day, sitting, reading, and whistling.
So his original name was Guy Kelly, but a bunch of people over on RoyalRoad complained about and I put up a poll. In the end, Guy's name was changed to Saturn Vanya Emerson, I don't get it, but whatever. Anyway I will try to change it when I am transferring chapters over, but I might miss some accidentally, so sorry if I do.
Haven't read it yet. It's on my Plan to Read. But a name could be something still simple like "Musical Systems" Not much of a difference but I feel it rolls off the tongue better. Also, Something involving instruments. Just an example. But something like " Instruments of my *BLANK* " I don't know what would fit the blank spot better. Maybe something like "Instruments of my Symphony" Just some suggestions though.
There is only one system, I have thought about giving Saturn more than one system in the past, but any other system I give him wouldn't involve music. The main idea of the story is a wish fulfillment one where Saturn achieves his full potential and eventually becomes something of a " God of Music " so I don't think your instruments of * Blank * idea would work. I have thought of changing the name of the novel, and I appreciate your suggestions, but I'm more inclined to leave it how it is, basic and mundane. Any other names I have thought of for this novel have been arrogant, flashy, and not very likely to draw anybody in, not that " Music System " draws people in either, but still, I'm sure you understand my point.
@WaterBear6 Yeah, I get that.
@SovietWeeb Cool, many a people would of thrown a hissy crying when I didn't follow their suggestion.
Intrigued