The summer after Petunia turned ten, she sat cross-legged on her bedroom floor, the ledger hovering in her mind like a living blueprint.
The gray light of early morning filtered through the window, brushing the walls with faint gold. Outside, Lily's laughter drifted up from the garden.
Petunia's attention did not waver.
She had a long list to consider. Her next purchase could shape decades, not days. She could not afford recklessness.
The ledger pulsed softly, welcoming her scrutiny.
[SYSTEM STORE ACCESS: 8 FANDOMS AVAILABLE]
[Available Credits: 1,941,300 SC]
Each fandom had its own tab in the system store and they were sorted alphabetically.
Avatar: The Last Airbender was the first tab.
Elemental abilities—unneeded for direct use. Observation and subtle influence remained her focus. Could be useful for camouflage or escape.
Decision: Minimal priority.
Bee & Puppycat was next.
Temporal and spatial utilities and restorative tools. She noted them as potential support for long stretches of observation — keeping herself fed, rested, and in hidden locations.
Decision: Soft wishlist. Could integrate for logistical ease later.
Then Doctor Who.
Temporal tools, alien languages, time mechanics. Vortex Manipulator already purchased, along with Multilingual Assimilation. Options remained:
Temporal Shielding — reduce paradox accumulation risk. 40,000 SC
Expanded Alien Linguistics— understand every form of communication in magical and non-magical worlds. 12,000 SC
Decision: Both flagged as essential for long-term observation missions. Temporal Shielding first; the linguistics upgrade would complement her ability to detect subtle cues from Tom and others.
Marvel Cinematic Universe tab had:
Physical enhancements, genius-level cognition, pattern recognition. She already had Strategic Pattern Recognition, but more options lingered:
Long-Term Cognition Support— maintain high-level processing for decades. 30,000 SC
Durability Enhancements — unnecessary for non-combat.
Decision: Cognition upgrade first. Mental stamina came before any physical enhancements.
Miraculous Ladybug tab had:
Agility, stealth, protective charms, communication tools. Petunia considered these for subtle, real-world maneuvering.
Decision: Lower priority. Useful, but secondary to mental and observational capabilities.
Next, Star Wars:
Petunia scrolled through the galaxy of options. Force abilities shimmered temptingly: telekinesis, precognition, mind tricks. Starships, lightsabers, holo-communications.
She paused. The allure of raw power was strong. But she reminded herself: she was a squib. She had no intention of entering battle or relying on brute force. Observation and subtle influence were her domain.
Potential acquisition: Strategic Insight (Force Precognition)— could allow her to detect critical turning points in Tom's life. Cost: 25,000 SC.
Decision: Tentative. Add to wishlist, but possibly postpone.
Steven Universe:
Healing, empathy, emotional resilience. Past purchases had already granted her Emotional Regulation I and Trauma Resistance I, stabilizing her mind and body.
Potential acquisition: Gem Resonance — could allow sensing emotional shifts in those around her. Cost: 18,000 SC.
Decision: High priority. Would bolster subtle influence over Tom without breaking non-interference protocols.
And last tab: Voltron Legendary Defender
Team-based abilities, piloting mechas.
Petunia smiled faintly. No. Perhaps symbolic later, but not a tool for today.
Petunia exhaled and tapped a mental confirmation for the ones she decided on.
[PURCHASES CONFIRMED:
Gem Resonance (Steven Universe)— 18,000 SC
Long-Term Cognition Support (MCU) — 30,000 SC
Temporal Shielding (Doctor Who) — 40,000 SC
Expanded Alien Linguistics (Doctor Who)
—12,000 SC]
[SC Remaining: 1,841,300]
The integration was subtle but profound. She felt it first in her mind: threads of awareness extending outward, connecting her attention to the smallest emotional shifts, to whispers, to micro-expressions. Gem Resonance hummed faintly in her consciousness, alerting her to stress, fear, excitement, and curiosity.
Her cognition expanded, long-term planning and probability calculations becoming almost second nature. She could consider scenarios not just for weeks, but years, weighing consequences of subtle choices against potential outcomes.
Temporal Shielding wrapped around her mental awareness like a protective membrane. Even as she observed the past, the system assured her: paradox risk would remain low so long as she maintained restraint.
And the linguistics upgrade… it was like a new sense unfolding. Every voice, every tone, every pattern of speech could be analyzed. Even magical languages she couldn't yet speak, like Parseltongue, were clearer, their structures almost intuitive.
She flexed her fingers, felt the hum of new abilities settle into her body. They weren't flashy. No energy flares, no sudden strength. Just clarity. Precision. Subtle power, entirely compatible with the long game she had begun.
Petunia walked over to window looking down at where Lily skipped across the garden. Gray eyes softened.
'This is the foundation,' she thought. 'Observation, understanding, and subtle influence. Nothing more. Nothing less.'
Her gaze returned to the ledger. Tabs and tiers shimmered faintly. She began plotting the next five years: key observation points, emotional development markers, and subtle testing opportunities. Every interaction would be cataloged, every choice carefully considered.
She allowed herself a small, rare smile.
The long game had structure now. Strategy. Rules. And above all, patience.
The future was a canvas. She held the brush.