Light, sound, and sensation all melted away. Tim’s body dissolved in the slipstream of the void. His conscious drifted as if in a dream through the darkness; disconnected from all sensation except the vague sense of falling. One by one pinpricks of lights filled the tunnel. Tim saw in all directions stars, constellations and gas nebulas. The lights became streaks as his consciousness accelerated. Finally, the light became one large blur that grew in blinding intensity. But he no longer had eyes to close. Eternities passed by enveloped in pure white light.

Tim’s mind grew numb, his thoughts uneven and concentration vacant. But then he found it. Inside the perfect whiteness was a small black blemish. It was a single mar upon the unending existence. With something to finally focus on Tim felt himself changing direction and being pulled towards it. The dot slowly took grew in size as he approached. Soon the darkness enveloped his entire being and pulled him in like a black hole. Tim felt spread out upon the event horizon. His mind striated as his consciousness was pulled apart then condensed again as he sank lower. He was swallowed, digested and spit back out. His body rebuilt itself and then he hit the ground.

Pain was the first sensation to return as Tim crashed in a heap on the stone floor. Sound came next as nine voices wailed in anguish. With his face pressed against something cold and hard Tim tentatively opened his eyes. He lay upon a strange gray stone floor he did not recognize. An intricate geometric pattern stretched out from under him. The design was inlaid with a strange shimmering metal. Tim lifted his head stiffly. The room was made from the same gray stone as the floor. A large dome loomed above. Veins of matching metal streaked along the walls like ivy. But instead of leaves, there were triangles, squares and circles each containing a rune. Eight other people were scattered around the room.

“Frick, I think I broke my coccyx!” Randal complained.

McKenzie rolled across the floor in pain but managed to laugh. “Ha, ha, ha you said broke.”

Tim pushed himself up to his feet. His legs were shaky as fumbled in his pocket for his phone. The upload is complete. Tim relaxed a little and tried to check on the status of Yvonne. No service. He was about to ask Randal what happened when shouting echoed from the other side of the room.

“No, No, NO! Why did this have to happen to us! My easy life is ruined!” Captain Genzo Uchida whined “I want my prize money! I want my fans!”

Tim’s eyebrow twitched. “How are you speaking English?”

“I’m not” replied Genzo. “I’m speaking Japanese, but since we’re in another world, everything gets auto-translated.”

“Hunh?” Replied Tim, Randal, and McKenzie in a chorus of confusion.

“What, the cheaters who robbed me of the grand prize don’t understand? Well, let me spell it out to you geniuses. We all got sucked over to some primitive filthy dirt-world, and the automatic translation is our only consolation prize!”

Tim that that was one way of explaining things, like the trip through the void and why there was no cell service. But it was just as likely that he was in some fever dream after suffering a stroke onstage. Or maybe he was still trapped in MOBO like what had happened with the pre-gen testers. All of it seemed just as likely.

Ikko who seemed to be going over something with his team suddenly perked up. “What do you mean our only consolation prize? We should have buffs shouldn’t we?”

“Open your menu and look for yourself, fool.”

“But how do..”

“Keyword ‘Status Screen’” Genzo cut him off.

Ikko nodded as a thank you. Everyone else present was equally grateful to learn how to access the menu. Especially the Americans, who were most confused of all. Around the room, the others whispered ‘Status Screen’. Tim was shocked to see an interface, much like in MOBO pop up. There in the corner of his vision was his health, level, and physical conditions.

“How do you know where we are, how do you know about this menu?”

“Every year hundreds of Japanese people get taken to other worlds.” Stated Ikko like it was a public safety announcement. Genzo shot him a glare.

“Why haven’t we heard of this?” asked McKenzie.

“It’s a bit of a secret. Most of the returnees have gone on to do great things. It’s because of them that Japan has made its reemergence as a superpower.”

“So, what you’re telling me is that every year over a hundred Japanese, what, just get whisked away to wherever?” Randall shouted indignantly.

“That’s correct, cheater.” Replied Genzo Uchida, whose scowl intensified enough to frighten small animals. Brimmed with intimidation and rage he marched over to Randall, who was head and shoulders taller. “How else do you explain where we are? How else do you explain the status screen? How else am I talking to you? You stupid. White. MONKEY!”

The other Japanese transportees withered under the intensity of Genzo Uchida who billowed smoke. Tim gently placed his hand on Randall’s shoulder and pulled him back. Randall glanced back at Tim and his expression softened just slightly. Randall may have been the captain of Flesh Wound, but Tim was the eldest. Everyone else present was either still in high school or had just graduated. But Tim was working on his doctorate in Engineering. He was too old to keep up with the fast twitch reflexes of these kids, but he made up for it with creativity and experience.

Tim stepped forward and addressed Uchida. “It sounds like you know a lot about things like this, Captain Genzo.” Tim tried to address him as firmly and politely as he could.

“So disrespectful” muttered Genzo Uchida, who twisted his head away and glared off into the distance.

Nonplussed Tim continued “If over a 100 people are taken every year I’m sure there must be measures in place to protect against it? The Japanese government wouldn’t let this go on without doing something.” Tim talked a bit slower as he puzzled things out in his mind. “There’s mandatory training isn’t there?” Uchida flinched. Tim gave a slight smirk then went around him to address the others.

“Captain Ikko, I saw everyone get into crash positions when that ring of purple light appeared. Well, everyone except us visiting Americans.” Tim thought to his rough landing and painful bruise on his rear end. “That would mean that enough people went and came back to know that you’d need to protect yourself during the transport. So there must be some information on how to get back, correct?”

“It is as you say,” Ikko gave a disapproving look and replied, “There are a series of common scenarios. Each scenario has a particular route or path to getting back home.” Genzo Uchida turned around to stare daggers at Ikko Inoue. “There are 70 theorized scenarios. But, ah, I,” Ikko scratched his cheek, “I don’t really know them that well.”

“Captain, you never were that good at studying.” Called out Emi Ito. She walked forward and found a place beside Ikko. Her every step was carefully measured and controlled, even her long dark hair seemed to sway with disciplined perfection. Ito’s attitude was just as refined and showed a measure of respect for Tim, who was older. Genzo was disregarded as a stone along the side of the road.

“The scenarios are broken down into groups of ten.” Emi Ito started.

“Keep your whore mouth shut before I shut it for you!” Threatened Genzo Uchida. His eyes had turned bloodshot and his hands shook with rage.

“The first thirty…”

“Shut up!” Genzo bellowed “How dare you help these disrespectful gaijin?” Flecks of spit and madness flew from his face, his fist raised ready to strike. Genzo was not above hitting a woman. After numerous violations, his account was banned for abuse against his virtual girlfriend. He felt it was equal opportunity after all.

Emi did not flinch; instead, she was about ready to continue when Yuma Takeuchi interrupted her.

“Uchida, please,” her sweet sounding words could melt ice. When she glanced up with her sleepy looking eyes at Genzo Uchida he deflated visibly. Yuma had always had a way with him. And he had developed feelings for her. Genzo had once asked her out, but Yuma politely declined, stating that she didn’t date guys shorter than her. It was about that time that Genzo bought subscriptions to several virtual girlfriend services. “I think we will have a better chance of getting home if we all work together.”

“We're not getting home.” Genzo Uchida said coolly. “Group summoning; series 40 through 70. Group larger than seven, that’s the 60 series. No one to greet us after five minutes of arrival; scenarios 68 and 69. In scenario 68 there is something that binds the large group together; they are all classmates or a single family. But thanks to the gaijin” he spat out the word “I think we are in scenario 69. With no way home.”

Ikko Inoue’s eyes went wide, while Katsukno and Hayata started muttering to themselves. Tim took on a serious look and rubbed his scruffy chin. Emi maintained her stoic expression while trying to find something to refute this. McKenzie glanced at Randall and giggled. Randal took the prompting of his teammate and followed up by approaching Genzo.

“Uh, so, we are in a sixty-nine?”

“Yes.” Replied Genzo with the seriousness of someone whose life was about to end. McKenzie covered her mouth and snickered.

“You and me, we're stuck in a sixty-nine situation?” Randal pushed with a grin.

“Yes, we are all stuck in a sixty-nine scenario together!” Genzo retorted in anger.

McKenzie fell on her butt laughing.

“What the hell is wrong with your bitch?” Demanded Genzo whose face had turned red.

“It’s a problem with the automatic translation.” Retorted Tim, “I’m not sure it is processing idioms correctly.”

Randal, who seemed unable to quit “So, about this sixty-ni…”

Genzo interrupted Randal with a swift punch to the gut. He was too short to reliably reach Randal’s face, so the solar plexus became a suitable target. Randal doubled over with the wind knocked out of him.

Tim and Ikko stepped in to separate them, but Genzo showed no further hostility. Instead, he just stared at his clenched fist with such intensity it grabbed the attention of the room.

“I unlocked a skill.” He said bluntly.