Today has been a rather peculiar day… the mail man this morning had his uniform on backwards, that was actually kind of funny. Then when I'm off to work everyone's driving on the road backwards… not wrong side of the road backwards but their faces are against their headrests and hands going into the back of their cars… and now that I'm at work looking right at my office! The whole building is just gone!

It looks like someone just picked it up and left!

I rubbed my eyes making sure I hadn't just gone blind… nope… still gone. Welllll what can you do? Time to go home! Smiling to myself and trying to ignore the big question… what the hell is happening?

After an equally confusing ride home I take off my watch and set it down on the table with my keys. Grabbing a slice of leftover pizza, I sit down on my couch but the moment I hit the fabric I'm no longer in my house. I'm in a blank void with nothing but the couch cushion under me and the pizza in my hand.

"ahem" Never Mind Not Alone! I repeat NOT alone!

Turning towards the voice I'm greeted by an extremely built old man, "uhm… hello?" he spoke out poking my forehead forcing me to pay attention

"Oh! Sorry but um… who are you and where am I?" I asked looking over the old dude in front of me, he wore an old-worn yellowish white Gi, a long rough looking white beard that fell below his knees and eyebrows that fell below his neck.

"Ah yes… where indeed… he he… You, young man, are inside of the void that connects the worlds, between Time and SpaceLife and DeathYin and Yang… or, as the simpler folk have come to call it the 'Void' as the only thing that can exist here are beings capable of traversing the multiverse." The old man finished with a curious look seemingly peering at my very soul, causing my entire body to freeze and shiver at the same time making me feel the most vulnerable I have in my entire life.

Finally, as the old man must have found whatever he wanted when he looked at me, he smirked and began, "Hale, that is your name… Correct? Anyway Hale, seeing as to how you are clearly new in the business, I will give you an offer… one very few would be willing to refuse… only those at my level would anyway… he he… since you've managed to somehow save your self from the destruction of your universe by pulling yourself out of it to the void… I offer you a means of travel that was once gifted to me by my master… the ship will allow you to strengthen yourself while hiding you from others like me… others stronger than me… from destroying you and taking your abilities for themselves until you are strong enough and no longer need my gift…"

"Okay slow down for a second… you mean to tell me my UNIVERSE WAS DESTROYED!" I cried out in surprise, dropping my pizza to the…Ground? Void? Bah who cares.

"…indeed, young one… did you not notice any oddities before you arrived here? Distorted buildings? People? Behaviors? Those area the tell-tale signs of a dying universe… this only happens when a universe has finished their potential and can no longer march forward… and alas your world was one of the few that have passed over… to the true unknown…" he finished speaking, stroking his beard while nodding his head.

Rubbing my temples trying to process the idea of an entire universe dying I asked another question, "...why are you helping me? That I really don't understand… and why would others want to destroy me?"

As he abruptly stopped stroking his beard he once more spoke, "… I too once came from a world such as yours, a world of false leaders… authority with a love of power and deceit… the day my master saved me as I did you, he trained me by having me go to other universes and learning how to one day protect myself from beings stronger than he… and now? I am stronger than he… and now I must pass along that same favor to you when you've become stronger than I you will meet someone such as yourself and help them become stronger, so that one day… we can truly oppose those who would wish beings like us death… So? Do you accept my offer of strength? Know now that I will not be able to follow alongside you as my duty is now to join my master in his fight against those greater than us."

I just stood there stunned… one day I will have to fight beings stronger than the one in front of me? That's bullshit I didn't want any of this… I just wanted to make enough money to live happily and have a family and follow my grandpa's path… not…this.

Deep in thought the being in front of me observed my behavior and nodded, "now, now young one… there is no obligation to join the fight as long as you help out others like yourself and give them the choice of joining our battle… our fight would not be easily swayed just by having one more joining our cause… the scale of our battles… tends to cause the destruction of universes… which Is also why im offering this to you so soon after you found yourself here… we kind-of-were-the-reason-your-world-is-gone…"

"…. you're kidding me, right? Ha, yea there's no way I'm joining your fight. Just tell me what your gift is dude."

The old man had a sheepish grin on his face as he extended his hand, light forming into a beam shooting into the 'air' in front of me causing me to cover my eyes from the sun-like brightness from the beam.

Uncovering them I was greeted by a large spaceship in front of me, looking rather like a Hylotl ship. It had a large finlike protrusion on the top of the hull and was a nice deep blue color with red highlights making it look like a large fish.

Nodding my head in appreciation I waved at the old man determined to get strong enough not to be involved in their wars, "see ya old man! I'll try to send you a new trainee when I find one thanks for the ship…".

Now since every good ship needs a name, I'm gonna call her the… Calypso!

Walking? Over to my new ship and opening up the hatch my mind is flooded with all the info I need in order to pilot and use the various facilities in my new home.

After digesting the new information I learned that currently the Calypso is In her base form, she can grow and evolve further with my travels, the calypso gives me the capability to alter my abilities and add those of the universe I'm entering to better myself I.e., if the universe has special powers like superpowers in marvel or DC I will be able to 'purchase' certain powers for myself for the cost of how long it takes the calypso to recharge leaving me stranded in that world until she can recharge for a new jump. These charging times take anywhere from months to years depending on how much I spend per world therefore the more CP (charge points).

I closed the hatch allowing the ship to pressurize finally allowing me to feel gravity once more. Looking around me the ship had a rather futuristic feel even though it was decorated like a fish themed restaurant.

'All things considered? It was a masterpiece of a ship, grandpa wouldve loved it…

After a couple of minutes beating myself up an interface nearby turned on with a shop menu on it

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Calypso's upgrade terminal – 500 BP Remaining

Additional 20BP added per jump!

Key to the 'Calypso' – 250 BP

: you gain a key that will allow you to enter the calypso even while its in charging mode during your jumps which normally wouldn't be possible until the ship is fully charged and ready to jump once more.

-key will be element proof but if lost in a world you will only be able to retrieve it after the jump is complete where it will be waiting in the control room of the ship

-you get to design the key to look however you want – recommended options are all accessories

-direct teleportation to all bays purchased for ease of access

Med bay – 100 BP

: the med bay is a facility designed by some of the greatest minds in the multiverse, housed with healing pods capable of healing any and every sickness, disease, poison, injury, or even malformation in existence other than those cause by beings capable of destroying universes.

Storage Bay – 75 BP

: the storage bay is an ever-increasing bay capable of storing any and every item you find inside of your jumps.

Home Bay – 100 BP

: the home bay spans an entire wing and due to space-folding shenanigans allows you to have an entire manor and large yard to live inside of between jumps. !WARNING! USER MUST KNOW THAT WHILE USER IS IN 'CALYPSO' ALL IN-UNIVERSE LOCATIONS ARE PAUSED! RENDERING CHARGE TIME WASTED!

Stasis Bay – 500 BP

: the stasis bay is an entire wing of stasis chambers designed to allow the jumper to bring companions/lovers/friends with them on jumps between worlds. Warning unless they are in stasis between jumps, they will not survive the forces exerted on them as they do not naturally have the ability to enter the void like yourself

Theme Package – Free with ship

: multiple themes that the owner of the calypso can change the ships' theme into

-Hylotl – Avian – Human – Floran – Apex – Glitch – Nova – (additional themes based on jumped worlds will be added on as the user has gone through them)

(Other bay expansions are currently locked until user has purchased all of the above bays)

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'Huh interesting… BP or Betterment points allow me to enhance the ship as I travel… too bad the stasis bay is so expensive otherwise that would be the one would get first since having companions on a trip like this would be amazing.

I confirmed my choices, immediately buying the key to my own ship sounds incredibly useful as I would be able to potentially save my life if I'm in critical condition or I'm about to take a fatal strike.

In addition, buying the storage bay since it would prove useful as I gained things across the multiverse.

*DOO DEE DUM–GONK* the ship rattled and made clunking noises as the new bay were added onto the existing structure, causing me to fall onto the floor of the ship.

A few minutes later as the vibrations stopped, I picked myself up off the floor, and dusted myself off, "…next time I'm waiting until I'm securely attached to something." I grumbled to myself as the monitor asked me what shape I want the ships key to be in.

'After a quick thought I knew exactly what I wanted the key to be, so I typed into the interface and hit enter. A short moment later the computer let off a ding and a small compartment opened up with an exact copy of Grandpas watch was floated out.

"Hah… its not perfect but it'll do."

Slowly reaching out and putting the watch on, I noticed the major differences from the real thing. The watch face no longer functioned as it was turned into an interface linked to the ships warping functions as well as the warping function between it and the storage bay.

I finished off the tour of my new ship by entering the main control room, that housed a singular deep blue swivel chair and a desk with a built-in computer.

Sitting down in the chair I began reading the screen.

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Rolling for beginner friendly world…

Entry found…

Loading coordinates from database….

Found!

Loading – Jump – Rune factory 4….

Loading shop…...

SHOP

1500CP -starting fund NOTE! Will decrease to 1000CP after this jump

Race-

EARTHMATE- 150 CP

You are an earthmate capable of communing with the earth, spirits, and control the power of runes

HALF-MONSTER- 100cp

Your body has changed to incorporate the energy you gained when sent in through the gate

! NOTE ! THIS DOES NOT ALLOW USER TO CHOOSE

MONSTER WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM

TALENTS-

INNATE MAGICAL TALENT – 250CP

You can understand magic innately no magic can elude you as long as you take the time and steps to understand it and train.

SWORDMASTER – 200CP

You know how to innately use any weapon you come across no matter how unfamiliar or strange.

HEPHAESTUS'S BLESSING - 300CP

You have been blessed by the Greek god Hephaestus, he has gifted you his talent on any crafting and smithing you attempt.

MONSTER'S FAVOURITE… SOMETHING? - 200CP

You emit a smell most monsters of lower intelligence find enticing. Its up to them if that's you in their mouths or if they just like you. Monsters of higher intelligence trust you easier and will like you more, no pointy teeth from them.

ITEMS-

TRANSFORMING TOOL- 100CP (free with EARTHMATE)

This tool can turn into any tool the user requires, from the smallest of tweezers to a large shovel or even a telescope.

FARMING ATIRE- 100 CP (free with EARTHMATE)

These clothes are rated 9/10 by farmers multiverse-wide, that once guy did get eaten by his crops before he could comment though…

They are climate controlled so no matter how hot or cold they feel like a nice spring day!

They are incredibly rip or tear resistant! Just don't test that on the local wildlife!

CAPITAL FUND- 100CP

Can't have you starving or dying of exposure now, can we?

Every world you enter you will gain the equivalent of 1000 US dollars

ENTRANCE-

You've gotta make an entrance somehow!

FALL IN! - 0CP

This is not your regular drop in!

DROP IN - 500CP

Come on this is your first great adventure, have some fun and pick this one!

creates a fully randomized choice selection for first jump!

Warning! This can grant bad powers but also incredibly useful or powerful ones at a much cheaper cost!

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These look like the only one's worth looking at, everything else is just crap, I mean who would want a SONIC screwdriver! My soon to be transforming tool can turn into a regular screwdriver already why would I want a fast one?

Anyway, I think ill just take all of these except the Drop in option, that is severely overpriced who on earth would take such a shoddy option, and I still have 200CP I can bank and add on to my next worlds jump! Perfect.

Entering the choices, make certain to not click the Drop in option, and hit enter not even a moment later the wind starts billowing around me and a bright swirling kaleidoscope of color opens below me sucking me through and spitting me out high in the air with nothing but clouds around me.

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That's the first chapter of my second attempt at this story, I'm hoping you all like the concept though i can understand if you dont. Anyways this chapter is rather short and is more akin to an introduction for the rest of the story, more will be posted soon so keep an eye out i suppose... until then

-Happy Reading -