Prologue

“Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear John

Happy Birthday to you!”

John smiled widely while his family members clapped and laughed around his bed, always careful not to bump the several beeping machines, or disturb other patients out in the sterile white halls.

For the last five years he has been living in room 421 on the fourth story of the St Twinckett hospital, And for years before that he was a frequent visitor, as his immune system decided to invite and throw parties with every virus, bacteria, and allergen it could find.

Luckily for him, his parents were able to grow a business selling toothpaste that was able to support his illness and allow him to eventually live inside the hospital despite the expense.

Now on his eighteenth birthday, having spent the last years with few friends, aside from those on the internet, only his family celebrated with him.

“Alright son, how does it feel to be eighteen?”

“Like you asked me that same question 18 times now”

“Don’t make me laugh I’m trying to enjoy my cake!” snorted his sister through a mouthful of chocolate cake.”

Chuckling his dad began to unveil the large box brought up beforehand,

“That’s true, but now it's time for presents and now that you're eighteen, we got you a very special present”

Once the box was uncovered it was revealed to be a shiny silver blue cabin, vaguely circular with hatch for entry and several screens and consoles on the side, as well a emblem with a 9. As John saw the cabin his eyes went wide and he asked

“Is that really a Chrysalis? Those are so expensive! And why did you get me such an advanced one?”

“Don’t worry about it, it's not like it's the 10th generation one anyway, besides it's your only present this year so let’s get it turned on and you in there!”

“Thanks guys, this is great”

After several hugs and minutes of awkwardly getting John into the Chrysalis, the machine was on and already putting him to sleep to begin the startup process. Leaving his parents and siblings to eat some of the cake and clean up.

‘Verifying identity’

‘Initializing sleep mode’

‘Success’

‘Booting up’

‘Beginning tutorial’

“Welcome to Forever Online”