Daily Short: Matt 14

Matt stared at the System Avatar that had appeared in the small bubble of accelerated time. His face made a moue of disappointment. Jeeves rolled his eyes at his Lord and adjusted the sable and crimson suit before stepping in front of Matt.

The System Avatar gave one look at Jeeves, and runes flashed through their eyes as they said, “A Pure Abyssal, how rare. Do I have the honor of addressing Royalty?”

“May you be honored by the presence of the Darkness,” Jeeves said succinctly.

Matt watched, impressed at the speed the Green Matrix’s incarnation displayed. He found it interesting how those weaker than the Big Two kept up to date far better. Her entire form shifted into something palatable based on the Celestial Empire. His eyes twitched as it was clear someone had sold his preferences of the current millennium. The devilish grin from Jeeves told it all.

“I am honored.” The Green Matrix said. “This incarnation can be called Xin for ease of communication.”

Matt sighed and engaged his mind entirely. Multiple thought streams, like threads of hair, sparked into existence. Communicating through vocal means was limited enough to insult most Systems. They might not say anything, but the implication of disrespect existed. For someone like Matt, who knew of the taboo, it would reflect poorly on him. On the other hand, one ignorant of the custom wouldn’t be tainted by the failure to adhere to it.

Entire data libraries, verbal jousts, complex runic encryptions, and more flowed between the System and Matt. In the span of a second, Mr. Anderson was sold by the entity he represented. His fate sealed for the chance to communicate a few minutes longer with Matt.

The Green Matrix eventually wound down the exchange of information, no longer able to bear the cost. Its personal handcrafted Avatar, Xin, bowed deeply.

“Thank you for your teachings, Honored One,” Xin said.

Matt shrugged, “It was the least I could do for one aiding in collecting a debt.”

Jeeves picked up the almost corpse of the immortal Mr. Anderson before giving a toothy smile. Xin shuddered and looked away, phasing out of existence. Matt was satisfied with the payment he had received. Within one of his pocket dimensions, a host of tiny marbles spun. Compressed World Cores were a specialty of the Green Matrix. While arriving had been to make a point, this was a nice bonus.

People don’t read the fine print on their employment contracts. Matt thought as he enveloped Jeeves and himself in a bubble of localized reality. They don’t believe their existence is forfeit when they choose to embezzle Soul Mana.

Sometimes reality was stranger than fiction. Matt shifted through the framework of reality back to the Prime World. Lifting his eyes into the distance, satisfaction flashed in his gaze. Out in the far distance, a Titan was on its last leg. Soon enough, the end would begin.

“As the first embezzler of the decade to be caught, ensure Mr. Anderson has a warm welcome,” Matt said, turning to Jeeves.

“Understood, sir,” Jeeves said with respect and a healthy dose of fear. The Dark Bank wasn’t something that anyone fell afoul of twice.

“Once that is handled, we’ll depart for the others,” Matt said, turning his attention back to Ig and Jennifer in the distance.