A Dollmaker & His Keychains

On the first day of his new life, Jonathan Clark wakes up unaware that anything has changed. As far as he knows, he's still in the same bed he went to sleep in, still wearing the clothes he fell asleep in, and it takes him several moments to begin to ready himself to open his eyes.

Jonathan hates opening his eyes. That's always the thing that cements that he is awake and not going back to bed. The young jumper, still unaware of the mysterious transformation he has endured or the subtle kidnapping which has occurred, actually mentally readies himself to go back to sleep but his powers begin to slowly kick in right in the nick of time if their purpose was to keep him awake. Before he can begin to fall asleep the upper limits of his senses abruptly and dramatically increase, causing him to begin to hear distant woodland creatures and other important sounds that come from the surroundings of the curious building he finds himself in.

The sounds of soft footfalls in the snow and distant animal noises fill his ears. Perhaps to someone else, who lived somewhere else, this might not be strange but Jonathan lives in a city in North Carolina. Not to mention that when he was abducted from the world he was kidnapped from it was summer and yet he can still distinctly hear the sound of snow being crunched by tiny animal feet. His eyes snap open, and when they do the young man is stunned at what he sees.

Jonathan does not see the plain ceiling of the cheap apartment he has lived in for most of his adult life at the top of the room. His enhanced vision, and even more enhanced mind, allow him to not only see but well and truly study a brilliantly decorated ceiling above him. The extravagant ceiling is obviously different from the plain ceiling of his apartment, and as he studies the thing he subtly feels the effects of multiple perks in his possession. Curiously, in some ways, the most subtle effect of the perks he now possesses is also the one doing the most to protect him.

Jonathan is a true gamer, as far as his new powers go, and as such possesses one of their most useful abilities: "Gamer's Mind". That potent component of his system keeps him calm as he considers different explanations regarding the fact that he is not at home. The young man is still for several seconds as his mind races and pieces together important environmental clues to help him figure out where he is.

The figure listens as distant snow continues to be crunched. His total range of hearing is over several miles, though at the outer edges of that range what he can hear diminishes greatly. Nonetheless, his hearing is sharp enough for him to be well aware of all sorts of events beyond the confines of the building he is in. He can hear the subtle creaks and groans of the building that surrounds him, as well as the louder noises of snow becoming too heavy for branches and snapping them.

His bright brown eyes study the ceiling for a few more moments before he eventually gets up and begins to look around. He is unsurprised to see that he is in a bedroom, but it's not the bedroom of his apartment. To be fair, that also doesn't surprise him. He is in a rustic master bedroom and surrounded by luxurious furniture.

He can look through a nearby window and see a bright landscape outside of the building he is in. He is evidently quite high up, at least two story's judging from the distance from the window to the ground. The landscape is snow-covered, and it is early enough in the day that only the most adventurous of the sun's rays reflect off the snow that blankets the area.

The curious lad stares out the window for a few moments before he decides to do something quite smart. He casually inspects himself, his gaze falling to his chest and he sees that he is, in fact, in different clothes than he was wearing last night.

Last night he fell asleep in his uniform, a simple outfit designed to show off his allegiance to the store that employed him. He is currently in a tight t-shirt that clings to his body and hints at muscles that he knows that he doesn't, or at least shouldn't, have. He curiously lifts the shirt up and is delighted to see a powerfully muscular form underneath the shirt.

"This is… weird." He eventually remarks, as he gets out of bed and stands up for the first time since he was abducted and transformed hours ago.

The man, only in his very early twenties, finds that he feels lighter than ever and stronger than ever.

 _____________________________________________________

The longer I am awake the more amazing I begin to feel. All my senses are enhanced to comical extremes, to the point that I am reasonably certain that among the things that I can smell and even taste is the early morning light pouring into the room. I am still as I give myself a beat to adjust to this reality, and so that my mind can focus on sifting through the massive amounts of sensory input I get every second.

After a minute or so passes I let go of my shirt and begin to actively look around the room I am in. The room is vast and I can see both a walk-in closet and a door leading into a master bathroom close to the bed.

After studying the room for a few moments I begin to walk to the one shut door I can see, the door that leads in and out of the room. I place my hand on the door and am surprised when I see… what I can only describe as a weird, floating text box appear in front of me.

[Alert: Welcome Message

Hello [User]. You have attained a [System], which is currently in the process of aligning itself with your soul and with your essence.

A [System] is a powerful, soul-altering construct that enables its user to interact with reality, and himself (in your case), in new and unique ways. The [System] you possess is a [Gamer] system. That means that it revolves around making you like the main character of a video game.

Each [System] provides its user with various boons. Yours is especially powerful. By the time you finish reading this message the system will be finished aligning itself with you.]

I take my time reading the thing and when it comes to an abrupt end I am surprised to watch it vanish. As soon as it vanishes several… things begin to appear along the corners of my vision. Symbols, a circular mini map which is almost completely blank, and even bars depicting what I instinctively recognize as health, stamina, and magical power appear throughout my field of view.

The mini map is something I curiously study before I even finish studying just what is immediately visible. Every room in the building I am in, as far as I can tell, is visible on the map but nothing else is. By looking at it I can see that the building I am in is large, and has multiple stories, which I can independently tell is accurate thanks to what I saw when I looked out the window earlier.

Assuming the rest of the information the mini map conveys is equally accurate, there is no one else in whatever weird snow-manor, or ski lodge, I am in. Of course, it could also be that my mini map doesn't tell me about other creatures and is only to avoid getting lost… After thinking about that for a few moments I elect to turn further inward and study other symbols in my real-life version of a head's up display.

Even as I continue my mental exploration of the icons that have appeared in front of me I wonder about critical questions. One of the big ones I think about is whether this has happened for a reason. I spend several moments thinking about this question, and am pleasantly surprised when my internal inquiry causes a text box to appear in front of me!

[Alert: Introduction to Jumping

At any given point in time there is a single [Jumper]. When the previous [Jumper] dies, the next person who possesses the ability to survive traveling from [Setting] to [Setting] awakens. Minutes after you fell asleep the last [Jumper] perished. That death sent the energies he accumulated across the [Multiverse], and those energies awoke the metaphysical organs you possess that enable jumping.

No two [Jumpers] jump in the same way, and the mechanism through which you can jump from [Setting] to [Setting] remains unknown for now. Nonetheless, it is a certainty that you can jump.]

The notification vanishes the instant I finish reading it, but even this simple notification allows me to be sure that my "System" is a responsive thing.

"Can I… go home?" I ask, addressing my "System" directly and only pausing when I hear my voice. It is far deeper than it was before I "became a/the jumper". It's a bit weird to hear my voice and not recognize it.

[Alert: Question Received

Returning home is not possible for now. That said, the [Setting] you are currently in is a [Multi-World] setting. It may well be possible to find a world like that of your birth, eventually.]

That answer is unsurprising, and more than a bit disappointing. I had a life back on Earth, and through no fault of my own I am stuck in a strange new world… That said, I only spend a few moments mourning this reality.

For reasons I can't quite articulate, I find it easy to accept this moment and begin to plan how to address it. It's helpful, but I can recognize that logically this is the sort of news that might make someone feel… despair. It just… doesn't make me want to weep or throw a fit. And that's good, even if it's weird.

Truthfully there is no point in despairing about this and letting that move me into inaction or wasting my own time. I cannot ignore the opportunity I have been given here, and I was told by the only thing that seems to know what is going on that returning home isn't impossible, it's only something I cannot do right now. So my mind naturally moves past despair and other toxic, wasteful emotions, allowing me to easily focus on the positive aspects of the curious adventure I have begun.

It seems like I live in what may well be a fancy ski lodge, and furthermore it might even be mine. That's very neat. Plus, now I have a chance to become something akin to a video game character! I'm unsure of what all that entails, but it seems like at least some of it boosts me and changes my body, senses, and mind.

One of the things that appears in my mind's eye is a Minecraft-style hot bar! What's more surprising is that the bar's boxes are not empty. Small items, including what I know, through… some sort of gamer-sense, is a wand, a ring, and some rope, fill various boxes in the hot bar.

None of the items or their boxes are "Selected" but I elect to change that and focus on the first box in the bar, at least when looking from left to right. The box contains the wand, and as soon as I focus on it for more than a split second I feel the thing materialize in my hand.

The moment the thing finishes solidifying I involuntarily shudder as the object begins to grow warm in my hand. The wand is a long object made of metal, but it is mysteriously and supernaturally warm to the touch. I hold onto the object and I begin to look around again. As I clutch the wand I see another text box appear in front of me.

[Alert: Magic System

You possess a [Magic System] [Perk] as part of your [System]. This allows you to both learn magic you come across and serves as a mechanism through which you can create spells and rituals on your own. This [Perk] is innately tethered to your [Epic Wand], which is one of the [Innate Items] you begin your journey possessing.]

Again, as soon as I read the notification it disappears. This time I chuckle when that happens. Out of curiosity I point the wand in my hand upwards and I softly chant a single spell. The spell is a simple one, but I'm mostly doing this to see if I can guess what kind of spells I might innately be able to perform. And especially to see if there's any chance that I could mimic the feats of wizards from a certain franchise I liked growing up…

"Lumos." I mutter, and my eyes widen when the tip of my wand begins to glow brilliantly. The light is powerful, and its glow touches every corner of the room.

The bar depicting my total level of "Magic Points" or "Mana" indictates that I have taken an incredibly small hit to my total amount of useable magic. That said, I watch as the bar does not decrease suggesting that at least for basic magic maintaining it only takes slight focus. I wonder how far I can go magically before even maintaining a spell becomes an active, research-draining act? While I ponder this, a new alert appears.

[Alert: Magic Focus Created

Your actions just now, while you are still in your protean, fledging state have allowed you to forge a special [Soul-Bond] to the setting from which the magic you have just used comes from. The [Wizarding World] is now a place to which you possess a special connection.

This will link you to the any and all [Wizarding World] jumps, as you grow in power, though for now you can only link to one which will be decided and revealed to you in a matter of minutes. Acquiring perks from that jump will come easily and naturally to you as you acquire more experience. It will also be easier for you to acquire magic perks in the future, even some from different settings if your achievements are noteworthy enough.

This unique achievement has also imbued you with the most minor fragments of the [Essence of the Archmage] in its capacity as a [Body-Modifier] rather than a normal essence. In time what that means will become clear.]

The notification makes me laugh. I'm linked to... Harry Potter? How bizarre. But... as far as basic, utility magic goes it's a solid system to be innately connected to.

As I watch the glow, I begin to smile. I'm smiling because my earlier thoughts seem to have been vindicated. If I test myself further and I can still mimic spells from that one series… I could have some fun.

Another notification appears in my mind's eye, and this one tells me that I have just "Created" new "Skills". The thing disappears almost as quickly as it appeared, and I shake my head at it. As I shake my head the light coming out of my wand vanishes.

I study my surroundings and I see a pair of boots near the door leading out of here. I point my wand at them, determined to test more facets of my gamer's system.

"Accio, boots!" I say, more loudly than before. My eyes widen in delight when the boots vibrate, lift off the ground, and shoot towards me. I grab them out of midair and a notification appears asking me if I want to put them on.

I contemplate it for a moment before deciding that I do, since there is snow outside, and as soon as I realize that I want them on I see them vanish from view, and my hand, even as I feel them wrap around my feet. This shocks me but not enough for me to ignore the neat reveal that has come of this.

I ask my system to show me my stats and am surprised when a table appears in front of me.

[Name: Jonathan Clark

Species: Human (Wizard)

Strength: 18

Dexterity: 18

Int: 18

Wisdom: 20

Charisma: 19

Constitution: 20

Special Note: A range of [Starting Perks] have enhanced your [Starting Attributes] to right around peak human level. These perks are a part of [Generic Gamer Jump] and form part of your [Baseline Package]. To fully unlock the potential of those perks you need to actually hone them. Initially your only above average [Attributes] were [Charisma] and [Constitution]. [Wisdom] is maxed out due to a number of [Perks] you possess, which focus on your [Wisdom] specifically, coupled with [Perks] that boost your senses.]

The table is a curious thing, and I smirk when I see the "(Wizard)" part of the table that denotes my species. It's hard not to laugh at that, given the fact that until just minutes ago I believed that such things were only real in fictional works.

Once I take a beat to laugh I give myself a moment to think rationally about the nuances of what I have learned. One of the things I can take away from the statement I just read by my system is that there are more "Perks" within me worth exploring. When I attempt to do this, three text boxes fill my mind's eye and I let out an exasperated sigh as I begin to read them.

It takes me several minutes to finish reading all three things, but they provide me with valuable information. It turns out that I draw power, innately, from three different "Settings". Kind of, anyway.

[Generic Gamer Jump] is the name assigned to one of the "Settings" I draw power from. It is a powerful setting, and one that I have all of the available powers and perks from. I fully plan to take advantage of that, and very soon, but these powers are not the only ones at my disposal.

[Germanic Norse Mythology Jump] is the name of a setting from which I have a very small font of power. I own the perks and most of the items of an "Origin" referred to, according to the notification in front of me, as "Trickster". These perks and items are fun, and this place's greatest perk, at least among those available to me, gives me the power to partially ignore the need to grind.

Grinding is a problem that plagues and bores most gamers, but the "Capstone", or greatest and most weighty perk, I possess as a "Trickster" cuts down my how much experience I need for something down to one third of its initial cost and even triples how much experience I get. That perk… is going to be incredibly helpful in the days to come.

[Generic Harry Potter Fanfiction Jump] is the third setting from which I draw power and it is also the one that allows me to use Harry Potter magic. Thanks to my earlier actions I now possess a connection to the Wizarding World. I can see a whole slew of perks and items available to me, though I only possess the "Epic Wand" and something called a "Basilisk Cloak" item at the moment and a perk giving me the ability to use generic Wizarding World magic.

The perks I can see in the part of my mind attuned to the Wizarding World excite me. They are curiously powerful things, which I suppose must be common elements of the grander fandom's ideas regarding Harry and his misadventures across Magical Scotland. I was never super into the series, which a part of me is now regretting.

Having begun the work needed to arm myself with knowledge, I glance at the door leading in and out of "My room" and I stride towards it.

I can arm myself with knowledge while going outside and interacting with the world! That balance is important, especially since I have not yet activated powerful perks like "Hyperspecialization", which is an intensely powerful experience booster. When I put my hand on the doorknob that separates me from the rest of the world I twist it and open the door, while pushing past it and stepping out into the wider world with a smile on my face and pep in my step.

I go from standing in front of my door to standing on the other side of it. I check out my surroundings and realize that I am standing right at the end of some hallway of what looks to be a ski resort, though one that must be on the smaller side. Perhaps calling it a ski B&B would be better?

When I take my first step out past the door I feel my mini map update itself and I smile brilliantly. My mini map no longer depicts exclusively the room I woke up in, but now the entire floor of the building I decided to call my temporary home is visible in the map created by my perk. My room is the only occupied room, and I silently begin to walk down the hallway so that I can look at other rooms.

The hallway's walls are populated by a long stretch of doors, only a short distance away from their closest neighbors. Each of the doors is closed, but when I approach one and try to open to get it open the things open, even magically unlocking to do so, without hesitation, even though I clearly hear the sound of the lock moving in the doorknob to allow me entrance. I stick my head into the room after a quick scan, coupled with a glance at my life detector reveals no one else of the room.

What I see on the other side of the plain door is another room, one that is smaller, less well-decorated, and less maintained than the one I woke up in. Seeing this firsthand helps the reality of this situation sink in, which is a bit sobering if I'm being honest.

"So the map appears to be correct…" I tell myself, quietly, as I take in the weight of the moment. It confirms the ability of the ability as described in the big text box that described my perks from the" Generic Gamer" jump.

My map CAN tell me where people and other creatures are located, so long as they would appear on the map close to somewhere I've been in the past. Knowing this manages to excite and also frighten me, It means that I can be nearly impossible to sneak up on, thanks to my senses and the map itself. What a handy tool!

After a few minutes I wrench myself out of the room I was just in and I begin to walk towards the stairwell leading downstairs and to another part of my new home.