Look to the future, and then to the past only to realize the present has gone by fast;

Soon you are your history and your own past,

Sooner you are worried about your future’s looking back

Because you know alack, your story is not in this one’s past

And you finally finish last

With no future and no past

Long gone is the present-no time to resent;

You are forgotten

Next time remember:

A life of blunder is better than not having a life asunder

At all.

“Anne-!” I blast awake discombobulated and confused; I open my eyes, and for once they aren’t immediately scorched by light. Quite the welcome experience I’d say. In fact I’d say most of my body is fine now. I mean finer than before of course. I try to move around but I find myself strapped into a chair once more not unlike when I first came to the facility. This dark place and being strapped up in this chair is an oddly relaxing combination. Nothing to worry about and nothing to do; it’s how I like to live my life. Relaxing my eyes I let the darkness blur out my vision.

*Creak!*

“Fuck! Close the door! Close the door! Ow the fucking light!”

“What, do you really not want to see me that bad? Don’t worry I’ll be quick. I just need to drop off a few things and tell you about your new schedule starting tomorrow.” His voice rang through my new cell-like fucking sandpaper being run through my eardrums. It’s the old ass man who made me break my wrist. The fucking jebaiter. I keep my cold mask of a face plastered on and stare at him dead in where I suppose his eyes are. It’s hard to see him properly because he’s using the door for light. His figure walks in a little bit without turning on the light.

“No need to be so stone cold with me Tom. I am the reason you are alive right now after all. You would be dead for killing our poor little prison guard like that. Not only that you almost killed my favorite coworker Damien. Poor little Damien was so rattled. Now, now why would you go an-”

“Why are you talking like that now? It’s annoying, go back to the businessman talk like before. Like it’s really not that scary or intimidating you just sound like an idiot.”

“...”

“I’m not lying man I really hope you don’t talk like that to all your prisoners.”

“No just you. I guess you really aren’t just a five year old.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing I was just speaking to myself.”

“Just kidding I heard you, loser.”

“I was wrong you are just a five year old.”

“What was that?”

“Oh fuck off. Anyways I’ve come to give you your VR gear and your schedule. Also I’ve been given orders to tell you that you’re not allowed up above anymore under any circumstances even if it is life and death. If you are found up above you will be killed.”

“What am I too dangerous to be up above or something?”

“I’m not supposed to answer that kid so let me tell you something. This cell isn’t constantly watched by a power nullifier for no reason. You fucked up kid. You had one chance and you blew it.” Oh no now I can’t use my power what am I the powerless naive kid to do? A lot of relaxing and looking into the void that’s what. Wait didn’t he mention something about VR gear. As if he knew my inquisitive thoughts he continued.

“Although you can’t see it you are already currently hooked up to your VR gear. The first of its kind actually. It was engineered by some of the top scientists in the world to help train the trainees here. You have the more advanced version of what everyone else in this facility has.”

“Ain’t that just great and dandy.”

“Ahem, you are probably wondering what about this rig is different than everyone else’s right? Yours is hooked up not only to your brain signals but also your muscles and all of your nerves. There’s a lot of particulars I’m not going to go into, but this means you can experience everything in the VR like it’s real life. And not only that, when you work out in the VR you will gain real muscle mass out here in reality. No other trainee or faculty in this facility have these same benefits.”

“And if I say no to all this.”

“That’s the most enjoyable part Tom. You don’t have a choice. I’ve already said enough and I really don’t like you Tom so I’m just gonna leave this here and go get some lunch.” He puts a janky headset on my head completely blocking my view from the endless darkness. The only thing on the screen attached to the headset is a digital clock with the numbers in Comic Sans MS displayed across the entirety of the screen. I hear the business man’s steps fade as he made his way to the door.

“Tom! I almost forgot to tell you that you don’t need to worry about food either it’s being tube fed into you. Have fun in classes. Pfft hahahahahahaha! What a joke.” The door creaked to a complete shut behind him.

“Fuck that I’m not doing jack shit. I’m just gonna close my eyes and I’m going to sleep until I can’t sleep anymore.” I said out loud to comfort myself but I know deep down they definitely have some messed up method to keep me busy. I’m not a complete idiot. Probably.

The light coming from the screen in front of me starts changing but I refuse to open my eyes and instead opt to shut them tighter. There is no way I’m dealing with this shit right now I am too tired. Suddenly the lights stop and go the screen goes dark, not that I mind. I try to sit back and relax in my apparent ‘electric chair’, but life is never that easy.

I feel the armrests or what I thought to be armrests suction cup to my arm. Next the back of the chair molds perfectly along my spine and butt as if it had been made precisely for me. I feel boots wrap around my feet and gloves enclose around my hand. I don’t bother struggling or anything at all I’ve had enough of freaking out for the time being. I feel cold metal slither along my head until it meets the other side of the chair. Except now it really isn’t a chair; it’s more of a suit or a bulky exoskeleton.

“Is that it?” The chair then starts to creak again and I feel my heart catch in my throat once more. ‘Why would I ask that? That’s rule one! Rule one! Never ask if it’s over.’ I feel sharp pinpricks all along my entire body followed by a very intense numbness. I try to yell out but my mouth goes numb too making me unable to even let out a whimper. An extreme faint feeling of electricity flows through my body like pins and needles. My eyelids start to droop but I fight it, I fight whatever is flowing through my body. I don’t want to go to sleep like this. I want to do what I want to. ‘C’mon just stay up. Don’t. No. Up...keep eyes...’ My eyes shut and I’m out just like that.

“Welcome Number One would you like to take the tutorial?”

“Wha- No I’m not a fucking pussy.” A mechanical monotone voice echoes throughout the room. The room? When did I get here? How did I get here? The simulation...I’m in a simulation. I’m in VR! It feels so realistic, this is amazing I wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference from real life if given the chance. Porn in this must be amazing!

Looking around and smelling the air it appears that I am in some sort of waiting room. Waiting rooms just have the sort of smell you know. Dust and depression is probably the most appropriate label. Oddly enough the waiting room I am currently in only has one singular chair and I’m sitting in it. Not very accommodating if you ask me. Not only that, it is poorly lit, only has one door, and no windows at all. Talk about claustrophobic.

“We hadn’t prepared one anyway so you can take your attitude and shove it where the sun don’t shine.”

“Holy shi-. I totally forgot about you. Where are you speaking from anyways I don’t see any sort of comm system.” I say while looking around.

“In one minute that door will open up and you will start your training course and finally be on your way to becoming a professional.”

“Professional what?”

“That’s for you to figure out and me to laugh at your bad decisions.”

“You are such a beta male you know that ominous voice man.”

“Time in the world you are going into is dilated by an enormous amount so you can effectively learn the masteries you will need to know. Your body on the outside will struggle to keep up and you will most likely be extremely sore at all times, but we will manage any possible damage to your body so don’t freak out. Also, unfortunately, there is no one in your age group right now so we had to move you into a ten-year-old class. Any questions?”

“Yea-”

“Sorry times up bye Tom enjoy your stay in hell.”

“C’mon I just got here can’t I stay a little longer?”

“Nope.”

Suddenly the lone door creaked open slowly revealing a vortex of swirling light. What I assume to be some sort of portal. Welp. I am moderately angry, and I kind of want to freak out, so I’m going to do the grown-up thing and curl up on the ground in the fetal position, and not do anything at all.

I really just need to lay down and rest for a little while; then I’ll solve all this shit. The floor is cool to the touch but it comforts me in my destitute. I can relax here and chill out no need to go out there into the harsh world. Harsh world mean. Harsh world scary. I’ll wait out my life and die peacefully like everyone else.

God seems to have it out for me. Why the fuck is the whirlpool teleporter thingy getting bigger. It inches closer too me at a constant slow pace. I back up against the wall and look into the swirling void. People say when you stare into the void it stares back too, but all I see right now is a whole bunch of fucks I could not give.

“Stop! Shoo! Back off! Abra Cadabra motherfucker!” Alas none of my spells worked and the whirlpool encapsulated me and...and a loading screen appeared? Everything around me is pitch black and only the only light is emanating from a empty loading bar with the number zero percent written underneath it.

“Seriously? You know I expect loading screens in normal video games and all, but not here. For real you guys have figured out how to make the first complete immersion VR and yet you haven’t gotten ridden of loading screens. You don’t even have any minigames to pass the time what the fuck.” For the next four hours, I was forced to watch a loading bar slowly inch forward and occasionally lose percentage for no apparent reason. It got to the point that I thought I was watching an ASMR video. The kind that gives you an epileptic seizure of course.

Next thing I knew I was standing in an open field watching a bunch of ten year olds beating the living shit out of each other. Not one of my top five fantasies but it will do. Taking in a deep breath inhaling the fresh air I sit down crisscross applesauce and watch.

The sun is blazing and I feel parched but the kids just keep beating on each other. The field them and I are in stretches on for what looks like forever with only a series of platforms for the kids to stand on changing the scenery. All of the platforms had different terrain and all of them appeared to train different things. Some were for using swords, some guns, and most were for training powers. However, it appeared only the older kids were using those ones.

I sat in the same place with my hands in the grass for quite some time and it was incredibly satisfying. Sitting there made me think that this training might not be a bad thing. Maybe I could become some sort of cool super soldier or something. Or even possibly there’s a tiny chance I could get abs. The relaxing sensation of the breeze and the sun made me feel that things were not so bad. ‘What did Annette say? Live your life? Something along those lines. Things aren’t as bad as I originally had thought.’ I wonder if Annette reincarnated too. *sigh*

Thinking hard I imagine a ball of water appearing in front of me, but all that appears is a blue screen in front of me reading ‘Unauthorized Magic Zone: Magic Cancelled’. It appears I can only use my powers in those square zones. Tch. I’m too thirsty for this shit. Fuck this place is awful. Is that a fucking spider crawling up my arm eww, holy shit ants are crawling up my pants! This place is awful!

I stand up wiping ants off my legs and realize that I am standing on a slow rising hill. Allowing for a perfect vantage point of the training grounds below. Everyone appears to be congregating in the centermost and biggest platform of them all. One of them stands at the center and speaks with a voice so loud I hear some of the echoes from where I’m standing.

“...Champion...games...Cleo…” The bits and pieces I put together seem to prove that there is a competition going on among the students and that the one named Cleo won. I hear cheers echoing from the platform seemingly vibrating the entire area around it. A huge picture of a black boy with two scars dragging down his eyes and cheeks appears. His hair is a very pure white and his face is dull like he is bored out of his mind. I assume he is Cleo the champion.

Soon everyone starts disappearing one by one until no one is left. Leaving only the man in the center of the platform left. I see his figure move and face towards me. I feel his eyes pierce straight into mine and I can’t help but look down.

“Teacher Litica has invited you to teleport to his position do you accept?”

“No-.”

“You accepted!”

Next thing I knew I was standing in front of the towering alpha of a male that was teacher Litica. My eyes grew wide. This man’s body is an amalgamation of muscles and badassery, he easily stands over six foot five. His tight-fitting tracksuit did little to hide any of it. His face square with overhanging eyes like a neanderthal hiding his eyes under shadows of pure power. This man must have been eating only protein powder and raw eggs since he was born.

“Dear God you’re intimidating.” I couldn’t help but tell it like it is.

“You ain’t so bad yourself kid. I’ve seen your...work. Anyways I’m tired and want to sleep irl so let us make this quick. You will be completing a simple exam to judge your physical and magical prowess.”

“Your voice sounds like a lions growl. How does one become so alpha please tell me?”

“My name is Mr. Litica I will be your examiner and teacher for the next five years until you graduate. You will be participating in classes tomorrow and be doing some extracurricular work during that time. You will have no time to yourself irl and will only be allowed access to this facility and your homeland.”

“Is that five years in here or irl?”

“Five years here.” He said with his godlike voice. He gestures for me to follow him and starts walking toward another platform. I struggle to keep up with him as my strides are about a tenth of his. We walk down the steps from the platform and over to the other one which took a surprisingly long time. With everything looking so similarly everywhere it is hard to gauge distances properly. We come to an abrupt stop making me almost bump into his calf. Panting with my hands on my knees I feel his stare once more.

“First test: Martial Ability.”

“Martial what?”