Hey!

I heard a loud voice, making me open my eyes. I wake up standing, seeing the familiar dark room that the system calls ‘room of conciousness’.

Hey, sad sack! Wake up!

“Huh?”

Don’t give me that stupid look

“Who?”

Huh? Who? What are you doing there like an idiot. At the very least, come say hi first

A voice was speaking to me, but I couldn’t find where it was coming from. Much like how I couldn’t find where the judge from before was.

“Where’s your manners? Introduce yourself first before you start ordering me around”

Manners? What manners? And why should I introduce myself to you when you already know who I am?

“What the hell are you even talking about?” I asked it. It grew silent for a moment.

“Are you the judge from before?” still no answer.

“Are you my ancestor? My pet dog from another life? An ant that I accidentally stepped on?” I asked it a bunch of times, but there was still no answer.

“Hellooo!” I shouted and it finally talked.

…You really have no idea who I am? Not a clue?

“If I did, then I wouldn’t question you in the first place” why don’t people get it when someone says ‘I don’t know’ but they still ask you if you knew something about it?

That makes it more interesting!

“…” this time, I was the one who grew quiet at its enthusiasm.

Then let’s just say I’m one of your old friends~ Heck, I’m your very first friend! We used to hang out and watch the paint on the walls dry back then

My first ‘friend’? And why the hell would I watch paint dry? That’s more boring than waiting for your shit to come out and you have to sit there in the toilet for thirty minutes just to relieve yourself.

Ah, good times~

“Why are you even making yourself look so mysterious? Just tell me already, so we can get on with this” getting irritated at whatever ‘it’ was.

Nuh-uh ~, if you guess who I am, I’ll give you a prize! Yes-yes, an excellent prize. Something that’s worth your while!

“…” talking with this thing isn’t getting me anywhere. I had better just think about my own things.

“My trial…” last thing I remembered, I was sleeping in the rooftop with Eliss… wait, did I die? Did she kill me?

“What the hell am I even doing here anyway? What happened with my trial? Did I die again?” I asked it.

I don’t know~ but, you definitely didn’t die yet. If you did, then you’d be awake and we wouldn’t be having this happy reunion in the first place

So I didn’t die… am I still sleeping then? Is this all a dream? Another part of my trial? Shit, too many questions and I can’t fucking get any answers from this stupid entity.

“…So, how do I get out of here” asking it again.

Just go out of course. Don’t be an idiot and use your head sometimes

“Just tell me how to get out already!” my patience was reaching its limits while talking with it. And that’s to say I’m a very patient man, I once watched paint dry back then, though I can only take its word for it.

You know what, no! You can’t always let me do the hard things for you. And besides, if I told you how to get out, then you’d definitely leave me alone again

What the hell is this thing even talking about? It’s not like I have a weak memory that I’d forget anyone this annoying in the first place, on the contrary, I have an excellent memory. I still remember the ten-digit phone number of the closed down pizzeria near the orphanage from eight years ago. It was 1234567890, see? Excellent memory.

Why are you in a rush anyway? We have all the time in the world, so let’s savor this reunion

Savor my ass; I think it’s just here to annoy the living daylights out of me.

Here, have a drink

A glass filled with liquid materializes in front of me. It was floating in the air a few inches away from my face. It was weird seeing something so clear in this room, as everything else is covered in a veil of darkness.

Go ahead, don’t mind me. I also have one of my own

I grabbed the glass and noticed that it was cold.

“…what do I do with this?”

It’s juice, you drink it, duh. When you ask me those kind of questions, I just get the urge to cover you up in bubble wrap, so you won’t harm yourself

Was I just insulted by a disembodied voice? And no, I ain’t drinking any mystery juices from someone or something that I just met. I learned that the hard way yesterday, or was it the day before? This games day cycle is screwing up with how I remember things.

Honestly, I just woke up yesterday, and I need to catch up

Catch up? This thing was sleeping in my head all along? Creepy…

In reunions, you ask the other person about their life and how shitty it got when you weren’t there

Huh, didn’t Ellis and I just discuss something like this a while ago? Am I having one of those dreams where I’m feeling guilty about the things that happened today so I made a mysterious annoying voice to guilt trip and annoy me? It’s pretty effective.

So, how was life?

“Ho-“

Never mind, I already know~

I could imagine it grinning, as it interrupts me.

“FUCK! OFF!” I yelled at it while throwing the glass forward. It didn’t make it all the way down as it vanishes into thin air.

No can do~ and in the first place, you’re the one who called me for help

I called this fucker for help? I’d call the police or fire department first for help, heck, I don’t even have a cellphone to use. I only have an app on the computer that let’s me emulate a phone to send messages to my friends.

Then how about this. If you could guess my name correctly, I’ll make it so that your special prize would be my departure from your life. Though we just met after a long time, I’d give you that glorious option since I’m so benevole-

“James, Robert, Raphael, Michael, Jonathan, Lester, Joel, Lucas, Simon, Jeff, Jeffrey, Paul, Paol…”

Looks like someone’s eager to get rid of me~

I started reciting any male names that I could think of before I go over to the female sounding ones.

Nope~ Nope~ Nope~ Really, Dunderfucker’s a name? A definite nope

After ten minutes of reciting, I was out of breath.

Giving up already? Well, at least you tried your best, and that’s what matters, you tried

Oh, my god. Why won’t it shut up even for just a minute!

“Wake up” suddenly, I heard another voice, but it didn’t come from the annoying one.

Oh, I guess we don’t have all the time in the world. You better get going then, don’t want to keep her waiting

It must have been Ellis trying to wake me up. Even in my dreams, she still helps me.

“At last!” glad that this was all about to end.

Ahaha, I’m happy that you’re happy

“I’m fucking glad it’s over!” shouting at it.

“Red, wake up” I heard her trying to wake me up again.

But before you go, there’s something that I really need to tell you

“What now?” annoyed at the interruption.

Well, you really should be careful on what you’re doing, you reckless sonnovabitch. Otherwise, I might just step into the spotlight and help you out again, even if you wanted to or not

“Help? You’re going to help me put on my underwear or something? Sorry, but only special people can have the glorious chance to see these treasured jewels”

Aha, I see that you’re more humorous now, although a bit crude... But, I was serious on what I just said, by hook or by crook, I’m coming out

“Wha?” confused at what he was saying.

This time you got close, but not enough

“Close to what?”

Can’t tell, ‘cause dead men tell no tales~

“You just popped that out of nowhere and you’re gonna live me hanging?”

Don’t worry though, this isn’t the last time we’re meeting so we can just talk it out later on

“There’s more? Can we not do this again? I’d appreciate that, thank you!” pleading to whatever it was that it wouldn’t comeback.

See you soon John, until next time

The voice slowly fades and I was left all alone in the dark room.

“Wait! Why am I still here!?” I shouted, but there was no reply. Suddenly, the floor disappeared and I started falling.

“WAAA!!!” waving my arms and feet. I looked down and saw that there were bloodied spikes where I was about to land

“I need to die just to get out!?” I questioned to no one in particular. When I was about a few feet away, I started to slow down and stop just a few inches from it.

Just kidding~

I heard a snapping sound and everything turned pitch black.

“Ouch!”

“Ah!” I regain consciousness and I immediately prop my body up, but I hit something hard with my head, as I was doing so.

“What the hell…” rubbing the part of my head where it was hurting with my right hand. I looked around and saw Ellis sitting on the ground, doing the same thing as me.

“What happened to just opening your eyes and waking up?” it wasn’t the best wake up calls, but I’m glad I’m awake now.

“Sorry, I had a bad dream” at least I now know that she wasn’t one of them fakers, or I’d be dead by now… or she might be waiting for a better opportunity? But what’s a better opportunity than sleeping beside her? Finding me doing my business in the toilet maybe.

“A bad dream? You mean a nightmare?” she said. Was I scared shitless by that voice? No, but I sure was annoyed. Like that, one friend that you have that always talks nonstop while you’re trying to do something else, and it makes you lose focus on the thing that’s in front of you. It’s like you only became friends just so that they can annoy you.

“Not really, might be more of an irritating one” I stood up and offered her a hand.

“Well, I slept like a rock and I woke up refreshed” she grabbed it and I pulled her up. She was very light, good thing I only used a small amount of force, otherwise I would’ve pulled her in too close.

“Let’s go find some place to eat first, I’m starving” she said.

“They don’t serve breakfast here? What kind of business is this?” she looks at me for a few seconds before she realizes something.

“It’s ten in the morning, we’re way past breakfast time already” so, we overslept by a few hours, no biggie.

“Oh, right, don’t you need to fight with the captain today” fight with the captain? For wh-… wait a minute, am I forgetting something important? The realization hits me, as I remembered what we discussed yesterday.

“My fight for my bed!” suddenly remembering what we talked about yesterday.

“It’s still morning though, so I think you’re still okay” she said, as she goes closer to the vents.

“Hnnggg…I think I’ll go and meet with Leticia first. Just to see if it’s still okay” it’s better to confirm if the offer’s still on the table than to let it pass away.

“Then let’s go before we eat”

We then went inside the vents and made our way down. Doing it carefully, as to not slip and fall ten feet below and breaking our legs from the impact.

“it’s so hot in here” wiping the sweat on my forehead while crawling. Why is the mall so cool in the evening even though there’s no air-conditioning or windows? Obviously, because of the sun, I answered myself.

“You know what else is hot? A hot pot” she said, as we made our way out.

“What are you saying all of a sudden... are you sure the sun didn’t fry your brain?” I said, while jumping down from the vents.

“Don’t be mean, I’m just trying to keep the conversation going. It’s been years since I last talked with a friend” oh, that’s right, her backstory was that her family broke apart, then she grew apart from her friends and had a major mental break down for a few months, then the faker thing happened. Also, add to the fact that she might not have interacted with much people when she was traveling to get here.

“You consider me as a friend?” I asked her.

“Yup. Why, don’t you think the same way?” she was looking at me seriously. Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I said the first thing that came into my mind.

“I don’t think so” I just wanted to see her reaction, so I answered no. She then frowns, like a puppy who didn’t get its treat. It’s kind of cute.

“Don’t give me that look, of course I’m your friend. With all the things that you did for me, I’d be a senseless bastard if I didn’t” me, a bastard? No. Senseless? Maybe.

“…are you sure?” hey, girl, you aren’t actively trying to kill me and that’s already fifty points in my friendship scale. Also, add in that you’re also very kind and helpful, you might just get a perfect one hundred if you’re also a game addict like me.

“Yes, yeah, sure, of course, undoubtedly, absolutely. Though, friends give foot massages to each other, and I really could use one before I fight” she heaves a sigh of relief, but tilts her head afterwards.

“That’s a relief, but why specifically a foot massage?”

“I don’t know, I just felt like having one” that’s a good question, which my answer will be ‘it just is’.

“…I don’t know about that. I think I’ll pass”

“If you ever change your mind, I’ll always be right here, waiting for my feet to get rubbed” I still want one, and I would definitely wait for it to happen.

“Okay”

“But, really, in the off-chance that you do change your mind, I can also give you a foot massage in return. You know, I’ll rub your feet, if you rub mine” the ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’ technique to reason someone into doing something that you want. Thought to me by the wise masters from the easygoing mountains, it has a fifty percent chance to work seventy percent of the time.

“Yes, yeah, sure, of course, undoubtedly, absolutely” giggling as she answers

“Well, look who’s following my footsteps. You’d grow up to be a great person if you keep following me” smiling at her.

“Heh, I’m sure I would~”

We then made our way up to Leticia’s room on the third floor. The place wasn’t as crowded like last night, maybe because they were outside doing their own things.

“H-“ I cut my sentence short, as I hear people talking inside.

“…didn’t stay within the quarters? I told you to keep an eye on him” are they talking about me?

“I’m sorry ma’am, but that Red kid just disappeared when people started moving out of the cafeteria” yup, definitely me. Was it a bad idea that I didn’t tell them where I was going? Maybe I should’ve left a note in the bed that I was assigned in, ‘went stargazing, won’t be home by morning. P.S. don’t take my blanket and pillow away’.

I hear Leticia sigh from inside the room.

“…it can’t be helped then” I think it’s better if I just go in and ask about my match quick before they could question me. In and out. It really was a hassle to explain the things you do to others.

“Hello, Leticia. It’s me, Red” knocking on the door, there was an immediate reply.

“Come in”

Ellis then goes to the side of the door and leans on the wall.

“I’ll wait right here” she said. I give her a nod, as I go inside the room.

“Okay, be right back then”

Leticia was furrowing her eyebrows and frowning while she watches me enter from the door.

“So, where have you been? You didn’t stay at the guards quarters last night, not even a single word about where you went” like a mother questioning her son who didn’t inform her of where he was going the night before and returning home the next morning all rugged and vomiting on the floor. Her eyes staring daggers at him, as if she knew that he went to drink booze at the local bar with his good friend Badin Fluwens.

Hey, it’s not my fault. He was just having a bad day when his fiancé cheated on him with a millionaire midget, and learning that a lion who escaped from the local zoo ate his parents while they were looking around. We were drinking for his survival!

“Yeah…about that, I was stargazing and I fell asleep”

“…star gazing?”

She and the guard called Miles next to her were looking at me suspiciously. But I really did go stargazing and fell asleep!

“Yeah” trying not to flinch at their stares. Better to change the subject before I need to explain myself again.

“So, about the fight. Is that still going to continue?” I asked.

She looks at my facial expression for a moment before she answers.

“Yes, but we’ll move the fight later this afternoon”

This afternoon, great, gives me more time to do other stuff like… I don’t have anything I want to do.

“Okay, then I’ll go eat first” as I was heading out, she stopped me for a second.

“And just a reminder, don’t stray too far. We’ll call you immediately when everything is ready”

“Will do” let’s get real here, something’s most probably going to happen that will get me caught up in trouble and I’d have to use every brain cell that I have to get out of it.

“That was fast. So, how did it go?” Ellis asked.

“The fight’s happening this afternoon, so we could go eat and do something in the meanwhile” on the other hand, maybe nothing would happen and I’d just get to fight later on. Whatever, either of them is fine with me.

“Great, I just happen to know of a place that has good food”

I hope it’s a steak house. I really want to eat one big and juicy steak right now.

------------------------------------------------------------------

“I did all that I can, but I’m sorry to say that he didn’t make it” he said towards a middle-aged woman and a girl. Both of them were crying when he revealed the devastating news to them.

“I offer my sincere condolences to the both of you”

“PAPA!!!” the girl collapsed on the floor crying, while the mother was trying to get her daughter up, even though she herself wasn’t in a good condition.

“I’ll be taking my leave now” he walked back towards where he just came from. His footsteps were reverberating through the hall as he made it back to the surgery room. Inside of it were two other individuals, one male and one female. The female was wearing a white female nurse’s dress uniform, while the male with a few large stitches on his chest and face was lying unconscious on an operating table, breathing slowly as his chest was going up and down rhythmically.

“He has the same blood type as the father of Mr. Friedrich Hillven” she said.

The man sighs while looking at the unconscious man.

“Business is so slow these days… we need more patients or volunteer organ donors. Don’t you think so too, Helga?” he asked her.

“Shall I make arrangements to take care of our problem, sir?”

“I guess so… but tell them to keep it in moderation. We don’t want to make anyone more suspicious now do we?” the man took out a small white card from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Of course, sir” she took the white card from him and put it in one of her pockets.

“In the meantime, place him in one of the vacant rooms on the eight floor until Friedrich’s father’s heart surgery” he said. Helga then took out a device from her pocket and pressed a button, immediately, two men wearing a male nurse’s uniform entered the room and carried the sleeping man away.

“Shall I prepare some tea, sir?” she asked as the both of them went out of the room.

“No, I’m going to eat outside with my nieces in a few minutes” a slight smile could be seen on his face at the mention of spending time with his sister’s daughters.

“Then I shall prepare the limousine instead”

“No-no, I’m going to use the Sedan”

“The Sedan?” she tilts her head at her superior.

“I like spending time with my family, so I want to use a family car when I’m with them”

“…very well, then I shall prepare it”

“Okay. Thank you, Helga” both of them separated ways. He then went towards his office to greet his guests. Opening the door, he saw his two nieces sitting on the couch.

“…Uncle” the older green haired girl greeted him, while the younger red haired girl smiled and waved at him.

“Did you two have a good day?” he asked as he takes his white lab coat off and puts it in a rack.

“…Good” she said, while her younger sister made a thumbs up.

“Haha, that’s nice” he then sits down and scribbles something on a white piece of paper.

“Did you visit your mother yet?”

“…Yes” was what she said. He didn’t really see his other nieces response but he imagined it was something like a thumbs up like always, indicating that it was a yes.

He then finishes what he was writing and stood up from his seat. Going near one of the filing cabinets, he takes out a folder and puts the paper inside of it, then returning it inside the cabinet.

“Okay, then where do you guys want to eat?” he asked them, but instead of answering, they both looked at each other.

“How about you Sol?” he asked her.

“…Doughnut”

“You want to eat doughnuts for dinner? How about you Lorelein?” he then looked towards his red haired niece.

“Croissant!”

“…” torn between which one to pick, because he wants to please both of them. He didn’t have a child, since he focused too much on his work, but when his sister had children, he focused all his affection on both of them, as if they were his own. Giving them toys and other things that would make them happy every time they saw each other, which was once a week back then. Now, it was once every day or two, making the man joyful at seeing his nieces often.

“How about we visit a doughnut shop and somewhere where we can buy croissants after we eat dinner? How’s that sound?” going with the only option that he could think of.

“…Okay” Sol said with a faint smile on her face, while Lorelein just smiled brightly at him. Seeing both of them happy fills his heart with warmth.

“I’m coming in, sir” someone then knocked on the door and the nurse called Helga came in, carrying a few folders with her.

“Oh, good evening to both of you” she smiled and greeted them both.

“…Good evening” was Sol’s reply, while her sister just waved at her.

“The car is ready, sir” she said

“Great, thanks. Then, let’s go guys” going outside the room.

“Take care while driving” she said as she closes the door.

“Helga, call me immediately when you find someone” he said to her as his nieces both look at him.

“I will, sir” she replied.

“There’s a vacancy, so we’re hiring new people” he said, to which the both of them just nodded. They then made their way towards the parking area and drove towards a fancy looking restaurant.

“Good evening, Mr. Olleson” the young receptionist greeted him.

“Evening, Charles. A table for three please”

“This way, sir” he led the three of them to a table that was next to the window. A waiter then came and asked for their order, which Lorelein and Sol just pointed at things on the menu and he wrote everything down.

“So, I heard that your friend was discharged from the hospital yesterday. What was his name again, Joe?” he asked, remembering how she pestered him to check on how her friend was doing. It surprised him greatly, as it was the first time he saw her talk so much in a single day.

“His name is John” she said.

“Oh, right. it’s John” putting it into memory as to remember some of her few friends.

“He’s doing all right now? I heard that the reason he went into coma was because of playing too much of that new game”

“Haven’t seen him yet” but she gives an ‘okay’ sign with her index finger and thumb, indicating that he was already fine.

“You be careful too, and don’t spend too much inside that thing” but she responds by shaking her head to the side and smiling. He sighs as he saw his niece’s response.

“How about you Sol, are you also playing it too?” he turned towards his other niece.

“…Yes” she responded.

“Kids these days. Back in my day, the only thing I did was to study all the time so I could finish med school. Maybe the both of you should also focus on your studies” the both of them only shook their heads in a coordinated manner at his suggestion. Which elicited another sigh from him. Blaming her sister and his brother-in-law for being too lenient on both of them…himself as well.

They spent the time by talking how their days went until the waiter came and delivered their food. In the middle of their meal, his phone rang.

“Excuse me for a minute” he said as he went inside the bathroom.

“What is it?” he asked the other person.

“Sir, I found a person that would do the job”

------------------------------------------------------------------

She said good food, but all I see on my plate are leaves and a green thing that should be in cartoons.

“Ellis, I’m not doubting your tastes or whatever, but what the hell is on my plate?” she took me to one of the few restaurants in the east side of the city called ‘Good Morning Take Outs’.

“It’s something new that I just came upon when I arrived here. It’s good, go try it” happily stabbing her fork in the thing and cutting a piece, then putting it in her mouth.

“Okay, you told me it’s good and all, but what the hell am I looking at?” poking the thing with my fork. This big green broccoli with a head of a small cabbage is so fucking cute. It also has a small mouth and big charming yellow eyes that you would mistake for a cute plushie. I’d definitely see anyone who eats this sweetling as heartless monsters. I mean, how can you even eat this adorable little fucker when it’s looking straight at you. And I’m pretty sure it’s moving it’s little hands and feet on my plate just to look more adorable.

“Harhhh” great, it’s trying to communicate too. I really have a weak spot for cute little things. Maybe I should call it Har-har and make it my pet. Taking it to the park and teaching it how to fetch a stick and stuff.

“I know what you’re thinking” she said.

“You’re also thinking it’s cute and because of that you don’t want to eat it?” she can already read my mind? That was fast, it took Dean and me a few years before we could do that ourselves.

“What?” although I thought she understood what I was thinking, she looks at me weirdly.

“No, I was thinking that you don’t like vegetables that much”

Not like vegetables? Preposterous! I like this broccoli thing in front of me so much that I’d even have it vaccinated!

“FYI, I do like to eat vegetables when they aren’t staring at my soul. And you haven’t answered what the hell this adorable thing is!” poking it as it moves to the side.

“Harhhh!” it let out a cute voice while it moves its hands and feet.

“Dafuq!” resisting the urge to take it away and releasing it in the wild.

She sighs at seeing me play with the sentient broccoli being.

“They call it ‘Lush Broccolis’” lush, huh. Must be something luxurious for rich people to have. Like a breed of dog that would cost thousands of dollars to own.

“Here, let me help you with that” she stabs her fork in it and uses her knife to cut a huge piece away.

“Harhhh…” it’s voice weakening after every slice. How can you do something so inhuman!

“What the hell are you doing!? You’re hurting it!” looking at her.

“Oh, shush you. I’m doing this for you” stabbing it again. You monster!

“Harhhh…” it looks at me with its eyes, as if it want’s to say ‘Dude, I’m about to die. It’s been fun meeting you and all, but please savor each bite’.

“Nooo!” I extend both of my hands to save it, but she swats it away.

“Red, you’re being silly again” she was cutting it up more. I can only look at it as it gets cut into dozens of pieces, wishing that it could go to vegetable heaven in one piece.

“I’m sorry buddy, I’m too weak to do anything” wiping a tear away.

A minute later, she was finally done taking the life out of a cute broccoli monster.

“There, bon appétit” she smiles. But I can only imagine that smile to be from some psychopath who kills cute things.

“…”

“Why are you looking so sad? Just take a bite” stabbing her fork into one small piece and putting it in front of my mouth.

Har-har, I hope you made it safe to vegetable heaven…

I took the bite in front of me after a few seconds of mentally saying a prayer for Har-har …and it was delicious. All sorts of flavors that weren’t supposed to be in vegetables flooded my palate. It tasted like roast beef, but with the texture and crunchiness of a vegetable. Which was weird, but in a good way.

“Your death wasn’t in vain…” tearing up as I eat another piece.

“Glad you like it” Har-har, you’re so good! How can something so adorable taste so damn good!

After eating, she paid for our food. I know what you’re thinking, as a man, shouldn’t I be paying for our food, or at the very least my own? But did you forget that I have nothing else on me besides my charming personality, eye-catching good looks, and great fashion sense. Oh, and my knife was confiscated so I’m basically defenseless. Working to pay for the food you say? I’m not in the mood right now.

“Thanks, I’ll pay you back later” bowing towards her, as it was the only thing I could do right now.

“Don’t worry about it. I know you don’t have anything on you anyway, and I still have two bags of candy left” patting the handbag that she was carrying.

Ah, I almost forgot that candies can be used as payment around here…it’s great when your friend’s rich in candy. Willy Wonka would be everyone’s ‘go to guy’ if he was around, or he might be at the top of the most likely to get kidnapped list.

“Wait, can’t you make candy easily if you have butter, sugar and some other stuff?” thinking of an easy way to get rich. Move aside Willy Wonka, there’s going to be a new confectionery pimp in town and his name is Tooth Decay.

“Sure, but we don’t have a large supply of sugar or honey. If you know of a recipe that doesn’t need those two then I think we can give it a try” she said.

“Sadly, I don’t know of any…How about those things that we just ate. Can’t we harvest some of them for some quick cash?” I know that my friend is loaded and those things are adorable as hell, but having no type of currency on me feels…weird. I haven’t really gone outside the orphanage building without carrying at least five dollars, just for emergencies or whatever.

“Lush broccolis? I don’t think that’s a good idea” she said.

“Why not?”

“From what I heard, they only grow in some forests where a lot of fakers died. They said that the collective black blood caused a mutation or something in the surroundings and voila, you get something delicious”

“Then I’d have to stay penniless for a while” shrugging my shoulders. Maybe I could do some part time jobs to get something and trade it for food in the meanwhile. But my friend’s loaded… meh, I’ll think about it later.

“You still got me to help you out in the meantime” she smiles. I think God has given me a green haired angel when I first came here. She’s too good for me, so send something less angelic next time, I’d feel ashamed if you send someone like her again. My preferences are, it must be a massage chair, doesn’t require electricity, and long lasting.

“I bumped into an angel” looking at her.

“An angel, me? You’re being silly again” waving her hands in front of her.

“I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about the person behind you” pointing behind her.

“Ah” she blushes as she looks back.

“But I don’t see anyone there” confused as she doesn’t see anyone behind her.

“Of course there isn’t, because I’m obviously talking about you” smooth, if I do say so myself. If only I could apply this in real life.

“Oh…” she blushes.

“Heh, don’t go shy on me now. Where did that girl who stabbed and sliced Har-har to death go?” it’s not like I miss Har-har or anything, but I really want a stuffed doll like it.

“I’m not!” she certainly is, as if her red face and evasive look weren’t a dead giveaway already.

“If you say so~” grinning from ear to ear. I quite like seeing her like this to be honest. Teasing people might become one of my hobbies in the future.

“So, what are we going to do now? We still have a few hours left” she asked.

“How about you? You got nothing to do today?”

“Not really, and I did everything that I needed to do yesterday” she shakes her head, making her green hair sway slightly from side to side.

“Then want to tag along and watch me get beat up?” pain is just a means to something greater, but what if I don’t feel it? Do I still get that ‘something’?

“Uhmm, sure I guess”

Of course, although it’ll be way easier than before. Like taking candy from a large adult man working at a candy shop and pummeled by his large fist when he catches you.

“Then let’s go to my school”

------------------------------------------------------------------

A big muscular man was walking up towards the stairs inside the tree. He was dreading how there was no elevator inside of it.

“Dean, go faster!”

“I’d go faster if you aren’t sitying on my shoulders! And call me by my nickname, Bob McManlyHack!” he said towards the longhaired blonde girl on his shoulders.

“That just won’t do” wagging her fingers.

“Aren’t you the self-proclaimed man among boys? So show me who’s the man!” she slapped his arm. They were now returning to submit their requests while the other one of their group of three wasn’t online yet.

“Lenneth, can you at least buff me up so I could climb faster?” he asked.

“If you treat me to some parfait after school tomorrow, then I’ll do it” she smiled.

“You’re going to make me go bankrupt…AH! I can do this on my own!” he picked up the pace and climbed faster.

“That’s the spirit!” she was happily enjoying the ride. They climbed up towards a room with a black door, where an old woman wearing a brown and white robe was sitting behind a desk.

“Hey, granny! We’ve got that thing you asked for” Lenneth said.

“Ah, come in and take a sit” she said.

Lenneth came down from her shoulder seat and sat on a wooden chair, while her partner was rubbing his shoulders before he also sat down.

“Here you go” he put a bag on the table. The old woman named Chari then took the bag and inspected its contents. Putting what was inside on the table, she then grabbed a pot from below her and put the seeds in it. Nodding her head, she then reached for something behind her and gave them a yellow piece of paper that had symbols written on it.

“Thank you, and here’s your reward” smiling at them both.

“No probs, granny. Just call us anytime you want something done. I’ll let De- I mean, Bob McManlyHack do it for you” she smiled at the old woman.

“I’m not too keen on you letting me do all the work, but I must always help the elderly!”

“Oh, my. What a gentleman” his partner said.

“Then, I’ll make sure to call you with the raven when the time comes” Chari said, before she started writing on something again. Using a black feather to write symbols on another piece of paper. They both went out after saying their farewells, making sure not to make too much noise as they closed the door.

“Let me ride on your shoulders again” she said as she was trying to climb on him.

“No, go walk and get some exercise. You don’t want to get fat right?”

“I don’t want to walk and we’re inside a game, idiot. You won’t get any exercise in here, and besides, I’m not fat in the slightest bit” using her hand to slap her belly. She was right, she was thin and exercising in here was useless, but he really didn’t want her to ride on his shoulders while he walks down the tree again.

“Then, let’s jump down. We’re almost at the top already, so why not just do that instead” he suggested. Her ears perk up as she heard him say ‘jump down’.

“Okay~” she was happily smiling while she goes in front of him. Like a child who was about to go to her friend’s house to play. He thought she was cute this way, but if only she stayed like this most of the time.

They then arrived at an opening in the treetop. He had to crouch his body to fit himself through the opening. He remembered when he first joined the order; he had to jump down from up here to prove himself to them. The thought of jumping scared him shitless until Sohei couldn’t wait any longer and pushed him off the branch.

“SOHEI! I THOUGHT WE WERE BROTHERS!” screaming at the monk who was slowly growing distant each second.

“It’s called a push of goodwill, brother! I’m giving you the courage to jump down!” he shouted from the branch. He seriously thought at that time that he was going to die inside the game, but before he hit the ground, something like a net caught him in the air. There he saw Sohei smiling at the side of the tree where the net was connected.

“You see, brother, we all need a little push in the back to get us started on our journey” he said. He then grabbed his hand, yanking him out of the net and pulling him inside an opening in the tree. It was strange to see a three-foot tall man, pulling someone who was more than twice his size without much effort. After that was done, a small ceremony was held for being a new initiate. It bored him to death, but luckily, he slept through it all.

“Want to see who can go down first?” she said.

“Sure” she grins when he answered that he would do it. He suddenly felt something amiss after he saw her expression.

“The loser listens to whatever the winner says” now something was fishy, that the very air reeked of unfairness.

“…okay” he nods.

“Then, on your mark. Get set” both of them wear in a jumping position. However, she muttered something inaudible next to him and he felt his body slowly being turned to stone.

“You cheater!” he shouted while his body was petrified from the neck down.

“GO!” she jumped. Safe to say he lost that one.

Arriving at the bottom, he saw her sitting next to the entrance, wearing a happy expression on her face.

“I won~” she said. He sighs at her unfair victory, but a man always keeps his word.

“Okay, what do you want?” he was preparing for the worst.

“Let me ride on your shoulders until Eva goes online”

…

“Hmm, okay” relieved that she didn’t make him do something involving going around the place naked, although he did like to show off his muscles for everyone to admire. What’s the use of a well-toned body if you aren’t going to flaunt it to everyone, right?

She then climbs on his shoulders and regains her throne. Putting both of her arms on his head while humming a sweet little tune. He thought that letting her ride his shoulders was fine as well.

“Then let’s go fight in the meantime!” until they went to fight monsters with her on his shoulders that is.

------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you okay?” she looks down at me.

“Peachy” trying to make a thumbs up, but my fingers won’t move.

“I think we should go look for a doctor” she suggested.

“No need. Look, I’m all fine” trying to raise my arm, but it only moves up by a few inches.

“He’ll be fine, he just needs to walk it off” he said as he slaps my back with a lot of force. Almost making me lose my balance and toppling forward. You already did enough damage to my body, don’t add more you shit. I still have a fight in thirty minutes and can’t you see I’m trying to look cool here?

“Only gave him a few pointers and some adjustments before his fight, and what’s the best way to get it through that thick skull of his than to make his body experience it first-hand” he’s got a point though, sparring with Mr. Gulliver for an hour and a half gave me some ideas on how to fight properly.

For example, I learned to turn my body to the side so that my shoulder was facing the opponent, making it harder for them to hit me. A very nice and simple thing to do when I’m facing someone who has a weapon with a longer reach than I did.

“See this? He’s basically ready to fight anyone right now” he takes my arms and lifts them up. Something in my shoulder makes a cracking sound.

“What the fuck!?” that definitely didn’t sound good.

“Relax, I’m putting it back in place” he then uses his hands to feel my shoulder joints and pressed hard, making another cracking sound

“There, all good” he said. I can only hope that it was.

There was also that thing where I should use minimal movement when doing things, so I could better use my body to dodge or to slice and stab at them. I’m bringing the stabs back baby! Although I need more practice.

“Did that work?” Ellis was worriedly looking at my shoulder.

“Of course” he said with confidence.

And one of my favorites was that he pointed out that I shouldn’t focus too much on the weapon, but give most of my attention to their eyes, because it was a dead giveaway for where they will strike. With the addition of looking at how the opponent’s body twitches when it’s about to move to predict when they will strike. It’s like playing mind games and I fucking love it.

“Go rest up, kid. You need all the energy when you fight later on” he said. But all I did the whole time was trying to dodge every single strike of his. He didn’t go easy either, striking my temple, knee’s and most of the other joints.

“It would’ve been better if you didn’t beat me up so much…” I said under my breath.

What I really thought through that whole ordeal was how my teacher knew all these kinds of things. It makes me even more curious to find out how he got the knowledge for the stuff, because all I know was that he was a physical education teacher. He didn’t really tell stories about his past, only just small tidbits about how he got some of his scars and injuries. Oh, this scar right here? A vicious dog bit me back in Vietnam, so I bit the ugly bastard’s ear off.

“Got it” I nod my head.

“Oh, and if you lose even with all my help. I’ll beat the living shit out of you the next time we meet. Got that?” a smile forms on his face. Intimidating me are you? Well, I’ll have you know I was only slightly affected by it.

“I won’t. And even if I did, you can try, but I won’t go down without a fight”

“Heh” he then strode towards the other people in the field.

“Men” Ellis was sighing while she supported me.

“We still got thirty minutes left, so let’s go see a doctor first”

“There’s really no need, I can just rest in a few minutes and I’ll be back in tiptop shape” what I said wasn’t all that convincing if you look at how bad my arms and some parts of my body were.

“You can’t even lift your arm up and you’re saying you’ll just rest it up?”

“Yup” contrary to not being able to use my skills, my stats over in the game carried over here. Last time I checked I had eighty-seven vit, my second highest stat next to agi. From what I observed, vit gives a slight HP regen per point. Therefore, with that high amount of vit, I’m regenerating a lot of HP per minute. It would definitely be helpful if I can see my HP bar though.

“Then let’s go rest under that tree for a few minutes before we go” she lets me down slowly, while my arms weren’t able to move properly.

“Hah~” feeling the nice refreshing breeze passing through.

“Are you really sure you don’t need a doctor for this?” poking at one of the spots where Gulliver’s weapon hit.

“Nope, I don’t even feel a thing” it was a lie, I can feel it sending slight tingles in my arm, but since I can’t feel the pain then it’s fine.

“This doesn’t hurt?” poking it harder.

“Do you really need to do that? And yes, it doesn’t hurt”

“I don’t want you to collapse later on while you’re fighting, so I’m just making sure” she said.

“You really don’t need to worry about my body, and about the fight, it’s going to be a piece of cake” I wasn’t hoping it to be an easy fight, but I wanted it to last long enough so I could test out the things that I just learned.

“Hmm, okay then. I’ll take your word for it”

“That’s right, so just sit back and relax for a moment” relaxing under a tree near the ocean is one of the things that I should do when I’m stressed out. Feeling the cold breeze while you take a nap under it is so calming.

“How about some riddles to pass the time?” she asked as she sits down next to me.

“Sure, give me one” I clearly remember I wasn’t really good with those kind of things.

“Okay, first one is what is so fragile, even saying its name can break it? This one’s easy, so you should be able to get it” she said.

“Fragile and name…” I thought for a moment what it might be.

“What if his name was something embarrassing like Picklehead Prejaculator? His self-esteem or ego might shatter every time someone says his full name”

“What the? No, the answer is silence. How’d you even come up with something like that!” I’m really that bad at this? My answer somewhat makes sense, I think?

“I got my answer from the words fragile and name. ‘Fragile’ as in something like his ego and ‘even saying its name’ must be his literal full name” explaining how I got my answer.

“You’re really bad at this” you don’t have to rub it in, I just need a little practice. Haven’t you heard about the saying practice makes perfect? No? Me neither.

“I know, but at least I try” trying to shrug but my shoulders only move by a little.

“I’ll give you another one, so try to think about it okay?”

“Riddle away”

“Okay, here it goes. If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, I no longer exist. What am I?”

“Share…” I thought for a moment again.

“Maybe a drink? I’ll go with something you can drink like juice or beer”

“Nope, the answer is secret” she denies my answer.

“What? Why would I want to share my embarrassing secrets with anyone? And I think my answer is more plausible than that” sharing that I wet my bed when I was seven wasn’t a good secret to share. Or that I enjoy watching Barbie wasn’t one I’d share either.

“Hmm… you got a point. Want to try another one?”

“Just keep ‘em coming”

“Then, what can you always count on when trying to solve math problems?” Is that even a riddle? The answer’s so simple that I could even answer it without thinking too hard.

“This one’s too easy, it’s a calculator” a mathematician’s best friend, a handy dandy calculator.

“Wrong again, it’s your fingers”

“What? Why would I use my fingers when there’s a perfectly good calculator right next to me?”

“What if you don’t have a calculator next to you?” she counters.

“Well, what if I don’t have fingers?” I counter her as well.

“Then I’ll return that with, how can you use a calculator without your fingers?”

…

“Touché” although, I could always use my feet or tongue if I’m desperate.

“Got anything else for me to answer?” I was kinda enjoying this to some extent.

She shakes her head and shrugs.

“I’m all out. How about you, got any riddles for me?” hmm, a riddle…

“Okay, I got one. What becomes wetter the more it dries?”

She thinks for a few seconds before answering.

“It’s a towel, because when you use it to dry yourself, the towel becomes soaked in water” she explained.

“…you got it right” the answer was supposed to be, a woman after hearing how dry my jokes can get, but now that I think about it, if I said it was wrong, I need to give her my own answer…I’ll just go with hers instead.

After that last question, we just sat there in silence and relaxed, listening to the wind as it passes by. We were also watching the people in the fields practicing for some time, with Gulliver shouting at some of them, loud enough to reach our ears.

“It’s already afternoon” I said to her.

“Are you already fine? Can you move properly?” she asked

“Look at this” I did a somersault once, making her go ‘Oh, wow!’. I can do somersaults in the real world too, but it takes too much out of me from just doing a couple of them. Then I did a few punches, which didn’t look too amazing, but I just did it to show her I can move my arms now. Thank you stats for making me be able to do these things so easily now.

“Let’s go, I want to get there as soon as possible” before I find myself any trouble, I’d first want to secure a place to stay. We then went towards where she parked her bike, with her the one doing the peddling and me in the back seat. Yes, I also didn’t know how to ride a bike, because I don’t have one.

“Get on, we’re going to take a shortcut” …I didn’t like the sound of that. The only shortcut that I know was going left from the school and use the four hundred-step flight of stairs that were going down the edge of the hill. People mostly ignore that route, since it wasn’t maintained properly and there were missing flights and cracks on them, making them a dangerous way to go down the steep hill.

“We can just use the normal rou-“ she rides on, with me holding on to dear life as we went towards the stairs.

“Don’t worry, I’ve been down this way before. It’s safe and fast” I doubt it’s safe, but she may have gone down before and she lived, so I guess there’s a chance of survival.

“I don’t think it’s safe, but I’m not worried about that. I have a fear of very high places” instinctively grabbing on to her waist due to the fear of falling. We were now at the edge of the hill, where I could see the park at the bottom, making me feel slightly dizzy.

“Ah…” I’m still fine when it’s only about fifty or so feet up, but when it gets to seeing people so small from up above, that’s when I start to panic.

“Then let’s try to fix that” the bike accelerates forward, moving closer to the first flight of stairs.

“Hold on tight!” she said. She didn’t need to tell me anything as my hold on her waist tightened while I closed my eyes. Thinking in my head that everything was going to be all right just to reassure myself.

“Also, don’t close your eyes!” she shouted.

“Why!?” I shouted back. We were now moving down at break neck speeds. It was a bumpy ride as the bike was hitting each flight. I forced my eyes open and watched everything that happened…bad idea.

“We’re curing your fear of heights!” I really didn’t like what she’s making me do. The bike then goes up in the air for a few seconds and lands hard, before continuing to go forward again. It felt like an eternity when it happened.

“ELLIS! THIS ISN’T WORKING!” my heart was palpitating so fast and my back was drenched in sweat that maybe I could fill a whole glass full of it.

“It’s going to work!” the bike jumps up again.

“WAAAAAA!” everything was getting blurry now, with the slight feeling of almost blacking out and my hearing was slowly disappearing. It was like when Natalia gave me that poison filled water.

“Ah…” my life was flashing before me, as if I was about to die. It came in order, from the time were I first went outside, everything looked so big and scary. When Tala arrived at our doorstep and Mrs. Lane telling me that, I was to be a role model for her, like a big brother. I was kinda excited back then, to have a new person added to our ‘family’. Then the twins came, with the Devin family arriving in the city the same year. And lastly, sweet little Alana with her big round eyes.

“…” But there was one particular flashback of my fourth birthday. It was just the three of us back then, even before Tala came into the orphanage. Me, Mrs. Lane and… there was one other person laughing and smiling at that time, I just couldn’t remember their face.

“Hey!” she shouted, snapping me out of my stupor and making me focus on the present. We were almost at the bottom of the stairs with a few people looking at us.

“You made me have a flashback!” the bike was jumping up in the air again.

“Good, you’re still conscious. I thought you fainted” she said, while I braced myself when it landed at the base of the hill.

“My life flashed before my eyes…” slumping, as my head hits her back. I try to calm down my piston like heart by breathing in and out, as well as trying to open and close my hands to stop them from shaking. Good thing I left my cloak back at the mall, or else it would’ve been swept up by the wind if I brought it with me.

“You all right?” she asked, but I didn’t answer her as I was still in the process of calming myself down. If only I had a switch, where I could turn it all off and give no fucks about the things that were happening around me. Oh, I think I already have something similar; it’s called fainting and losing consciousness.

“…why didn’t we just go down the normal way?” I managed to calm myself down a bit, only feeling a slight buzz everywhere on my body and the back of my neck felt slightly sore, which the soreness went up to my head.

“You said ‘as soon as possible’. So I took a shortcut” it would definitely take us ten to fifteen minutes longer if we used the other way, but that definitely sucked a lot of energy out of me. I feel like lying down on the spot and taking a long rest.

“Anyway, did you get over your fear of heights?” she asked.

“…I don’t know, I was too busy trying to stay conscious” my heart finally stopped beating fast and maintained a steady normal thumping.

“We can find out if you’re cured later. Let’s get you to the mall first” she accelerated once again.

------------------------------------------------------------------

A man with yellow dyed hair was concentrating hard in front of a computer. His hands were moving in an unnatural speed, as they continued to type codes in the machine. He was the only one working at this time, since all of the other employees went home a few hours ago.

His phone then vibrates from the side, where a text message is showing on the screen. He stops what he was doing and picks up his phone. Reading the message, he saw that his wife was asking him if he was going to be late coming home again, which he replied with ‘Yes, honey. I’ll be home in an hour’. He then puts it back down and continues to type again.

He was dedicated on finishing this last string of code before the first maintenance of the game happens. A lot of adjustments were needed in order to fix some initial bugs and errors from the initial release two weeks ago. Most of them were balancing issues, skill fixes, and getting rid of glitches, but he added something into the code that would make his partner fume in anger, maybe he would even kill him for it. He also did the same thing before the game launched, where he slipped in a few lines.

“…there” he yawned.

It was just a few lines of code that were almost unnoticeable in the tens of millions of numbers and letters, but the overall effect of it will be very beneficial in the end, he thought. Not for his company, not for himself, and certainly not for his partner, but for everyone else who was going to get involved in this miniature garden of Eden that was created by greedy and corrupted men. He knew what his partner and the company were doing, and it was redundant to what they were called. The company that ‘keeps on giving’, but what they really did was that they took everything that they could grab with their grubby hands on for themselves.

He wasn’t the only one who did this though, he had two other accomplices. One was another employee of the company and the other one was an outsider who knew what was going on behind the scenes. Maybe he was doing something that he shouldn’t butt his head in, but as the partner and friend of Hector, he had to take some responsibility for what the man was doing. He was once his closest friend back then, and he hated what he had become. If you could just see how his eye’s changed from a loving and caring person to what he was now, you’d ask if it was someone else who took on his appearance.

“Now it’s just a waiting game” he said to no one in particular.

Pressing the enter key, the codes were now uploaded into the main data frame nicknamed ‘Dotir’. With six more hours until the maintenance happens, he can only hope that what he did was enough for everyone to get by. There were already some who were affected early on, but the company silenced them with money, and if they weren’t, then with force.

He then picked up his phone and texted his wife that he was on his way. A little guilty at how he makes his wife wait alone in their house, but she was an understanding one. She gave up on a lot of things just so they could be together, almost getting shunned by her whole family for what they did back then. But everything was all right now, she was happy, he was happy, both of them were happily enjoying the moment.

“Maybe I should pick up some flowers along the way” he thought, but giving up on the idea immediately as it was already ten o’clock in the evening. All the flower shops near his office and home were already closed at this hour. With everything he needed to do finished, he turned off the switch of the room and made his way out.

After he left the building, everything went back to a deafening silence except for the sounds of beeping from the room where Dotir was. The main screen in the room turned on by itself with the word ‘HELLO’ displayed on it, and then it faded away and turned off as if nothing ever happened.