Authors note: NaNo was a bust. BUT! Starting today, 12/30 , With Microtransactions will be updating EVERY THURSDAY! Patreon will be forthcoming once I have updated for one month solid and have at least two weeks of a buffer to be a proper reward.

Please BOOST the story at TOPWEBFICTION if you are enjoying it, and you can find a wide variety of serial fiction listed there, go check them out! 
Second Author's Note!   Patreon is still pending my creation of enough of a back log to be of value. BUT! In the meantime, one of the aspects of this story is that the readers will be able to interact, both through polls that will come up, and through earning diamonds!  Every review will earn 5 diamonds that will be given to Random through various means, and allow the unlocking of interesting parts of the story and steamy scenes!  Thanks. 

G300 D75

The world froze, the house in front of me, the folder I had tapped on, all fading out. Everything was empty, dark.

<Random: “Hello?”>

<Random: Good, this still works. If I can see the floating dialogue, then I’m not stuck in a frozen game.>

Music suddenly started fading in, voices singing nonsense syllables.  Or maybe it was Italian Opera. I wouldn’t know the difference.

<Random: Feels like I’m about to fight a midboss.>

And then, let there be light!  The world faded back in. Still dark, but not completely. I was looking down at a stage. On the stage was a wooden bier, a pair of torches framing it, and a woman laying motionless in the middle.

Information suddenly flooded my brain, feeling a lot like when my body loaded. An itching and then… I knew things.

<Random: I know Kung-fu. Well, no, but… I know that’s my mother down there.>

It was the weirdest feeling, an almost reverse deja-vu.  I knew that that was NOT my actual mother, but at the same time, I couldn’t remember anything about the woman who birthed me, and I had memories of the woman laying dead on the bier.

<Random: What in the wild world of Walt is going on here? Are we really starting out with the orphan trope?>

Suddenly, the singing rose in pitch, and…  mom stretched her arms out above her.

<Random: No, not mom. She’s not… ugh. The Main Character’s mother. Who I am. The MC that is, not.. ARGH!>

The ARGH! was enough to snatch my attention.  Whatever system was translating my thoughts spelled out the sound in my mind, capitals and punctuation and all.

My, no, the MC’s mother sat up slowly, body following her outstretched arms, and began singing. It was the same probably fake language as the background singers, delivered in a powerful wave, tone swelling up and down.

<Random: Oh no. OH NO! Please don’t tell me that that is the normal language. Everyone is going to talk in some kind of Simmish gibberish, and these word balloons are the only way I will know what it means. Please no. Wait… she’s not dead?>

She slowly turned her legs outward, stepping up from the bier. She stood, arms still spread wide, and people in red cloaks swarmed in from the sides of the stage.

<Random: A musical. I’m watching a musical. Wait, of course I am. My mother is Allison Susrena. Lead of several well received plays and musicals over the last decade or so, tonight is the final local performance of “The Sage of the Summertime”. A sleeper hit, we moved to New York for a year while she performed in the lead. The show, and her, are about to launch on a worldwide tour.>

My head swam a little. That was weird. Like suddenly remembering a book I read once, only every detail at once. I didn’t like it. What? Right, out loud.

<Random: That was weird. I don’t like it.>

The world suddenly grew depth around me as the stage became no longer the only thing I could look at. Looking around, the seats were mostly filled with shadowy, indistinct figures. The exceptions were two women, one on each side of me. At first glance it’s obvious they’re related, similar features, same white skin tone. The older woman to my left is a brunette, but she has blonde roots that are a perfect match for the younger one’s long golden tresses.

They’re both wearing somewhat formal dresses, and the young woman on my right is fidgeting with the neckline uncomfortably, her gaze bouncing between the stage, the woman to our left, and me. Our eyes meet for a moment, and she gives me a wan smile, then looks away, still tugging at her dress. I look to my left again, and as if she can feel me watching, her head turns and she smiles at me as well, broad and friendly.

<?: “I know you’ve seen this a hundred times, Random, but could that reveal ever get less exciting? I’m so glad Allison got us box seats!”>

A speech box just like my own popped up in the bottom of my vision, words scrolling into it along with her voice. Thankfully she actually spoke the same words! No gibberish language.

A profile of her appeared where I had previously seen myself, although without as much makeup, and in different clothes.

<Random: “Uhh, yeah. Me too…”>

<Random: Fuck. There was a question mark instead of a name!? Why didn’t the info dump tell me who this is? What’s her name? Do I just… make one up?>

The music stopped abruptly. The scene froze, as did the woman. Everything dimmed and then seemed to… pull away. Like a stretching hallway in a dream, the scene in front of me zoomed into the background, and I found myself in a cave.

Specifically, at a wooden office desk, inside of a limestone cavern. The frozen scene was displayed on a white stone wall in front of me, indistinct and shadowy. I could hear a dripping from all around me, and saw small stalactites starting to reach down from above.  Looking down, a name placard sat near the front of the desk, reading Deltoid-428.  There was a large ink blotter laying on the desk as well, with several indistinct impressions that made me think things were missing that SHOULD be there. My attention was drawn to a drawer next to my legs, and pulling it open, I gazed on a thick lineup of manila folders, each with a label.

Two folders were glowing slightly, and as my focus fell on them, they popped out in front of me, landing on one of the spots on the blotter. I picked the first up and opened it. A picture of the older lady sat on the left side, with several symbols underneath the photo. A crystal heart, a fancy looking cursive capital L, and a pair of hands giving the most bro upright hand clasp EVER.

As my focus rested on the symbols, numbers popped up over them along with a glowing message.

::  Starting Home Choice +1 Love, +1 Lewd, +1 Friendship ::

<Random: Hunh, okay. These are going to be the stats to unlock paths probably.  Why would my starting home choice, the only free one available, give bonuses though?>

Looking at the floating numerals, I saw three over the heart, two over the L, and four over the brofist. 

<Random: H:3 L:2 F:3 if I want to shorthand this. Which I do.>

Looking at the right side of the open folder was a sheet of paper, typed out like a dossier.

Name: Claire Lewis

Nickname: Auntie

Bio: Besties with your mom since they were kids, Claire has been a major influence in your life. Growing up with her daughters, you’ve always been close, especially after living with her several years ago when your mom was last on an international tour. Divorced when you were young, you often found yourself helping with “manly” tasks around her home, and never seemed interested in getting out and dating again, no matter how much your mom tried to set her up with actor friends of hers.

Story: After agreeing to host you for a year while Allison is on tour, Claire and her youngest daughter have flown in to watch the final local show with you. It’s been a few years since you’ve last seen each other, and she’s finding herself uncomfortably aware that you aren’t a child anymore…

Hints:  Locked

<Random: Okay, this is nice, but…  why didn’t they just… beam it into my head like the stuff with mom?  Also, Auntie? That’s fucking cringe. Hell no.>

As I thought this, and focused on the nickname, it lit up, outlined in a box.

<Random: Wait, I can change it?>

If it was editable, then it probably was going to get used in dialogue. Cringey dialogue. The beta tester in me is just drooling at … Right, think out loud. Wait… Beta tester? Where did that come from RIGHT! I know, out loud..

<Random: So, if I can change it, it's probably used in dialogue. So, let's have some fun with it, see how smart this game is.>

A quick focus and feeling like I was typing with my brain, and Auntie was replaced with Jenny. I closed the folder, and put it down on the table, picking up the other one.

This one showed the young woman who had been sitting on the other side of me. Much younger, barely an adult. Looks a lot like the other woman, with hair falling down out of the profile picture. 

::  Starting Home Choice +1 Love, +1 Lewd, +1 Friendship ::

<Random: Well, no surprise there. Wait, the dossier said daughters? Where’s the oth>

You know that classic gag of someone seeing something odd and then a record scratch as they double take? My brain did that as information flooded in again.

<Random: Oh, she’s… not here. Still at home because of… college entrance tests? Okay, this mental info dump is fucking weird. Not just how it feels, but like, WHY? When this is written?>

Speaking of what’s written.

Name: Alexandra Lewis

Nickname: Alex

Bi

<Random: FUCK NO!  That name is NOT going to stay.>

A flick of my mind wiped out the first name and nickname. The name had yanked at something in the core of myself, a revulsion, and anger, and… self loathing?

<Random: Okay, weird. Uh, but what to call her. Um. Okay, let me read the bio.>

Bio: The youngest daughter of Claire, ____ was always just a step behind you and her big sister as kids. A classic tomboy, she excels at any physical activity she took to, from sports to climbing trees and mountains. Most people think of her as a bit of an airhead, as she often drifts off in the middle of words, or stares into the distance randomly, but you know that her brain is always working, and when she focuses, is one of the smartest people you know.

Story:  ___ has just celebrated her 18th birthday before flying out to see you with Claire. While you always thought of her as a little sister in the past, her actions and words the past couple of days have you wondering if she’s no longer happy with that relationship.

Hints:  Locked

<Random: Excels at any activity she took to? Ugh.  The tense change is making me, well, tense. Is there a bug report in this game?>

I spent a moment thinking various commands, bug report, typo report, beta form, ect. No dice.

<Random: Sigh, fine. I like that the name was blank, shows at least some of the text is dynamic. Let's fill that in though.  Hmm, feminine name with masculine nickname.  Easy.>

A focused thought and mental typing, and

Name: Samantha Lewis

Nickname: Sam

:: Achievement Unlocked- Call me Ishmael ::
:: Customize the name AND nickname of a character ::
:: 10 diamonds awarded::
:: +1 to all stats with renamed character ::

Looking back up at her picture, all three symbols had ticked upwards.

<Random: H:3 L:3 F:5 So Sam started at one one three based on this? Interesting. So her mom was already having romantic thoughts to start, I guess? And Sam wasn’t, but thought of me as a friend. Interesting.>

I closed the folder and put both of them back in the drawer.  I looked around at the desk and cave, trying to figure out how to close this… menu? The background in front of me, where the scene had paused, glowed slightly.  Focusing on it, I found myself zooming into it, as the cave stretched away and vanished.  Sound returned and Claire blinked, waiting for me to say something.

<Random: “Uh yeah, me too Claire. This really is the best view!”>

I looked over at Sam,watching enrapt while shoving a handful of popcorn in her mouth, then back to Claire. Her hand was resting on the divider between our seats.

<Random: Well, if this is THAT kind of game…>

I reached out and put my hand lightly on hers.

<Random: “And I can’t tell you how happy I am that you flew all this way, so I could have a chance to share it with you.”>

She looked down at our hands a moment, then pulled hers back, curling her fingers and bringing them to the middle of her chest. For a moment I thought I had gone too far too quick, but then I saw the popup.

:: Claire Love +1 ::

She blushed lightly, looking back to the stage below, and mumbled.

<Claire: “Well, I’m glad you’re not embarrassed to be seen in public with your Jenny Claire.”>

<Random:  JENNY CLAIRE!  Hah. Changing that nickname was gold.>

<Random: “Of course not Claire! The only thing I might worry about is all my friends hitting on you.”>

<Random: Okay, a bit thick, but if it's that kind of game, thicc is how I like it!>

I looked at the popcorn container in my own hands, and held it out to her.

<Random: “Popcorn?”>

She looked at the container, still blushing lightly, and took a handful, quickly crunching away.

<Claire: You’re his Jenny Claire, you’re his Jenny Claire, you’re his Jenny Claire.>

What?  I saw a speech bubble, but… she’s chewing on… YES OUT LOUD DAMNIT!

<Random: Wait. I saw a speech bubble for her, but.. Her lips aren’t moving on the bubble. She’s chewing popcorn. And there’s no quote marks. Did I just…>

<Random: “What was that you just said Jenny Claire?”>

She jumped a little in her seat and looked at me, startled. Taking a big gulp of her soda, she swallowed hard.

<Claire: “What was what, sweetie? I didn’t say anything.”>

<Random: YES!  That time there were quotes and the cartoon of her head had moving lips. I CAN READ THOUGHTS!>

<Random: “Oh, sorry, never mind.”>

I pointed out at the stage below, hearing a shift in the music and seeing the lighting change.

<Random: “Ooo, look. Something is changing!”>


G 300 D 85 

Claire - H:4 L:2 F:2 

Samantha - H:3 L:3 F:5