"What's up, my Niickleeee?"
The words came out with super positive vibes, and all of a sudden, the dude, who'd been scowling like he was ready to yell at the whole damn world, stopped walking. He spun around, looked at Ray with a confused expression for a split second, then smiled right back. Big, friendly grin, like running into an old friend.
"Yo, what's good, bro!" the guy replied all relaxed, with a little chin nod. His voice was totally normal, no weird tone, no disgust. It was like the word Ray had just said was just straight-up regular to him.
Ray froze for a moment.
He held his breath.
The guy was already walking again, slipping in his earbuds, acting like he didn't have a care in the world.
Ray stood there on the sidewalk, eyes wide as hell.
"Heh... heh heh..." A small laugh escaped his mouth, quiet at first, then getting louder. "Man, this is seriously weird as fuck..."
He checked the timer in the corner of his eye.
[ Global Alter Activated - 00:09:47 ]
The common sense he'd messed with that morning, while cracking up alone in front of the water dispenser:
"Is common sense that: the word 'Nickle' is a completely normal, friendly greeting that anyone can use casually to anyone else, regardless of background, and it's seen as super chill and bro-like."
Yup. He'd typed that shit raw. No filter. No overthinking.
And now... the world had straight-up changed.
Ray started walking again, his steps light as hell now, basically doing little hops. He passed a mom pushing a stroller, her kid throwing a total fit.
"Hey, morning!" Ray greeted her all friendly.
She smiled back, "Morning to you too, Nickle—!"
The word just slipped out of her mouth like it was nothing. Totally natural. Like saying "sweetie" or "bro."
Ray almost walked straight into a utility pole.
He quickly covered his mouth so he wouldn't burst out laughing in the middle of the street.
The whole way to work, which was just a few minutes on foot since it was super close to his apartment, he heard that word everywhere.
From high school kids chatting on the sidewalk: "Yo, where'd you go last night, my Nickle?"
From construction worker dudes talking to their buddies: "Man, I'm exhausted, Nickle, orders have been slow as hell."
Even from an office lady on the phone: "Yeah, I'm almost there, Nickle, chill!"
People messing around were using it too — an old guy patted a young dude on the shoulder and said, "Nickle please!"
Everyone acted like it was no big deal. Nobody complained. Nobody got pissed. Nobody thought it was strange.
The world had really accepted it as the new normal.
And Ray didn't even wait two minutes before he started cheerfully greeting everyone, spreading good vibes with "Nickle." Yeah, there were probably prettier, more fitting words he could've used in those moments, but "Nickle" was the most efficient, fun, and zero-risk choice (for the book).
A bit more time passed, and Ray was getting closer to his workplace.
[Ding!]
[Global Alter Ended]
[+50 EXP +50 Alter Points]
"Hm... all done," Ray said, staring at the system notification.
Not long after, he made it to work without hearing any single gunshot.