'So, this is the main character of this world? She's hyperventilating and passed out in the middle of the forest, calling some guy's name! Good lord, they're screwed.'
I couldn't believe my luck, running into her here, of all places. I mean, what were the chances? Still, I did not know what to do. I moved a little closer, stopping a couple of meters away, and took a deep breath. "Uh, miss? Are you okay?" I couldn't exactly use her name; I was a complete stranger.
I waited a few minutes, but all I could hear was her ragged breathing as she lay there on the cold forest floor.
'System, are there any mobile phones in the shop I could use?'
[Host can purchase an Omniversal Mobile Phone for 10 credits. The phone's battery will always be full. Communication via text and calls is unlimited, and the host can browse the Omniversal Internet as well.]
'Screw it. This means I'll never have to buy another phone in my life.'
"Purchase the phone and put it in my hand."
At my confirmation, I heard a slight 'Ding!' in my mind, and a weight appeared in my hand. I looked down and saw a phone that looked suspiciously like an iPhone 15 from my old world, though I'm guessing the tech inside is on a whole other level.
I opened the phone and quickly found the maps app. I did not know where I was, and this would definitely help. The map showed I was in the forest surrounding a small town called 'Forks.'
"What a weird town name. What's next, 'plate' and 'spoon'?" I muttered to myself.
Once I knew where I was, I quickly searched the internet for the direct line to the Forks PD. Hopefully, I could get in touch with some authorities to pick her up. It would be pretty strange for me, a complete stranger, to walk into town carrying a beaten-up girl in my arms. This was the safest option.
I dialed the number and waited a few moments before a gruff voice answered. "Forks Police Department, you're talking to Chief Swan."
'Well, ain't that a coincidence?!'
"Hello, Chief Swan. I'd like to report an injured hiker I found on the outskirts of Forks. I came across her while I was taking photographs in the forest." It was a complete lie, but a believable one.
The line was silent for a moment. I could hear the Chief grabbing his keys and standing up on the other end. "No worries, son. Can you give me a description of the hiker?" he asked.
'Oh boy, here we go.' I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. "Yeah, she's around my age, seventeen or eighteen, with brown hair and eyes. Uh, she's wearing regular jeans and a jacket. Oh! She was yelling about someone named Edward before she passed out. Maybe you know who she was talking about?"
And boom go the dynamite! All I could hear was the sound of something shattering before the Chief started swearing loudly, rushing even faster.
"That's my daughter, Bella! Please tell me she's okay. Are you close to any main roads?" His breathing was ragged but steady.
I pulled up the maps again and saw that I was about 20 minutes from the main road in Forks. The closest place was a diner. Fortunately, it was the only diner in town.
"Yeah, she's fine, but she's cut up from the trees, I think. I'm about a 20-minute walk from the diner. I'll carry her and meet you there. See you soon, Chief." I hung up, placed my phone back in my inventory, and walked toward Isabella. I gently placed my arms around her, lifted her into a princess carry, and started walking.
This whole situation was a complete mess, but hilarious at the same time. The walk was fine; Isabella weighed almost nothing in my arms. Thank heavens for this cheat-like body. It wasn't just aesthetically pleasing; its fitness was on a whole other level as well. Maybe I wouldn't even need to train much here? I guess with something supernatural though, it would be safer to build up my body more.
About eleven minutes in, I could see the treeline thinning, and the sound of a police siren told me how close I was to the main road. 'Guess I was walking faster than I thought.'
As I came out of the trees, two police cars and a bunch of townsfolk milling around, trying to figure out what was going on, greeted me. As soon as I appeared, one of one officer made a beeline for me. He was about my chest height, lanky with a bit of a gut starting to show, but the best thing about him was his thick-ass mustache.
"Bella! Oh, Bells, tell me you're okay." He rushed towards the girl in my arms, stroking her hair and muttering to himself, before gesturing for me to head towards the police cruiser waiting nearby. The backseat was already open. I gently placed her inside, closed the door, and turned to face him.
"I'm assuming you're Chief Swan?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He nodded, his eyes not leaving his daughter in the backseat. "I can answer any questions you have, but maybe with another officer. She definitely needs to be checked out by a doctor."
Hearing this, he nodded quickly before speaking to his deputy. Once he was done, he rushed into the car and sped off.
"Thank you for finding her. The Chief worries about his daughter a lot. She's really accident prone," the deputy said, walking up to me and offering his hand.
As we shook hands, I couldn't help but smile at the friendliness. "It's no problem. Hopefully, she'll be fine. I'm Cyrus Thorne," I said. I'd decided on a last name in this world while I was carrying Isabella through the forest. The System mentioned it would automatically make the changes in this reality for me.
The deputy nodded and wrote the information down on his notepad. "Can you tell me how you came across Isabella in the forest, and why you were there yourself? It's a pretty small town, so I'm sure you're new here," he asked.
"Oh, I'll be moving here in the next week and finishing my final year of schooling. I was going to look at some homes, but got sidetracked by how beautiful the forest was. Seems like it all worked out in the end?" Internally, I was laughing at how easily I could lie. Living on the streets for so long made lies like this easy.
"And where are your parents? I'm sure they'd be looking for you right now."
"Emancipated minor, unfortunately. It's just me moving here," I said with a shrug. At my words, the deputy seemed to deflate, assuming the worst about my situation.
"Ah, sorry, lad. That should be all I need. If you find a place of residence, please call me on this number so we have it on file in case we have any more questions." He handed me a card, turned, and walked back to his vehicle.
'Seems like small-town cops are pretty trusting, even towards strangers. Nothing like the assholes in the city.'
I pulled out my phone, found the local real estate agent's office, and started walking.
(3 Hours Later)
It took a couple of hours, but I found a nice one-story home a couple of minutes from the local high school. It was off the main road, down a dirt track for a minute or two. Paying for the home was stupidly easy with the Black Card that I owned. Before making a quick call to confirm my emancipation, the agent asked me some basic information. She seemed to feel sorry for me when she found out.
Standing in front of my new home was a surreal moment. I couldn't help but shed a tear. Growing up in the foster system wasn't easy. Sure, waiting to find a new family was always daunting, but the people were kind enough. Once I escaped my new abusive family, though, I never thought I could live the life I was granted.
I knew none of this was because of my own efforts, but some type of luck I had. Maybe all the hardships I had dealt with finally added up to something? I knew one thing, though; I would not take my situation for granted. I would live life for myself, and I would do everything I could to grow, to become better.
Opening the door, I was greeted by a simple but lovely home. It was already furnished, so all I needed to do was add my own touch to certain things.
The front door led to an open living room with a single couch and a small coffee table. To the left was a dining table that could seat six people. The kitchen was directly behind the dining room, small but with enough room for a couple of people to move around. Behind the couch in the living room was a door that led to the single bedroom, which included a bathroom as well.
I flopped down on the couch, letting out a long exhale. The stress of the day was already getting to me.
'System, do you have any functions that would allow me to learn about each world that I end up living in?' I couldn't help but be apprehensive. If I was going in blind to every situation, then I needed to be extra careful.
[The System does not have any direct way to help the Host gain knowledge.]
'Well, ain't that a — Wait! "No direct way," what the hell is the System alluding to?'
I sat there for a couple of minutes, racking my brain, trying to go through each function, hoping that I was missing something or that I had to enter a cheat code to gain access to information. Unfortunately, that failed, leaving me where I started.
"WAIT!" I yelled, pulling my phone out of my inventory. Opening the browser, I typed in 'Twilight: The Movie' and hit the search function, crossing my fingers, hoping that this phone held more than I expected.
Bingo! Millions, if not billions, of search results appeared in front of me. Choosing the first link, I began investigating. My eyes never stopped as I finished reading the synopsis of the first film.
'Vampires! Nothing like the ones from kids' stories, though. They sparkle in the sunlight like disco balls, they have no blood in them, no fangs, they're technically immortal, but fire is their worst enemy. Super speed, strength, and increased cognitive functions. No need for sleep as well, which sounds horrid.'
'Then there's Isabella, or Bella. She's at the center of this whole supernatural situation. Edward, the one she called out, is—or was—her boyfriend, or "mate," and she was his blood-singer. They have powers too, which just makes this even more chaotic.'
There were multiple movies, following the Cullens and Bella Swan in their quest to act like absolute idiots. 'Did becoming a vampire make their emotions go haywire? They all sound so hormonal.' Shaking my head, I found the books online, along with the movies. It wouldn't hurt to know both sides of the material, just in case things were different here.
Getting up, I had a quick shower before moving to my bed. I'd read everything I could tonight and start my new day tomorrow.
'Maybe I should get a driver's license?'