That was 9 months ago that I left my hometown Alabaster and moved to Charleston. Nobody except me and my brother Peter knew the reason why. I told my parents about the girl I liked in Charleston, one of the girls I met at the Christmas get together. Also, it was true that someone needed to go to Charleston to take care of grandpa Newt. Of course it was going to be my father who would take off from work to do it.

In the end they agreed to let me go. It would make everything easier on the family.

I left my life behind me. I still decided to get the Recca 6 though. I was into games especially since meeting Kirsten. Not only that but I had a plan.

School was starting at Charleston High and I had to go. I tried to put it off and didn't go for the first month, but then my parents called.

So it was the first day of school for me and I was introduced.

"This is Tristan, he's from Alabaster, but has family in Charleston, please everyone make him feel welcome." The teacher was an older gentleman, who wore spectacles and always had his face in a book.

Tristan saw the only empty seat in the class room and walked over to it, as a few people sent out shouts of greeting, although it was totally lackluster.

Tristan wasn't really into it either. Lately he had been using the Recca 6 Configuration World alot, and was totally ready for Apocalypse Earth to come out, which was this weekend. Class was a total bore. He heard some of his classmates talking about the Recca 6 and Apocalypse Earth but he didn't really join in. He was wondering if Kirsten was able to get a Recca 6. They were expensive, and she didn't have a job. But her family was well to do. She had the Recca 4, but hadn't upgraded.

Tristan left school as soon as it was over. He headed straight home. He was riding his skateboard and zooming along until a girl who was riding a bike in front of him wouldn't let him pass. Actually, she wasn't really trying to stop him, but she seemed to not really be good at riding a bike! Boom! Finally she crashed into an internet pole but she slid off the bike just in time to avoid getting injured

"Geeeeeez!!! Stupid bike!" Suddenly the girl was kicking the bike.

Tristan slowly came to a stop. "Are you ok? You look like you should use training wheels on that bike.. How old are you?"

"How old am I? We are in the same class dummy! If you hadn't been spacing out all day you would know that!"

"So you are 15?"

"Yes, do you have a brain?"

"Easy, I just wanted to make sure you are okay. Anyway, I got to run!"

"Oh? Are you trying to get the early release of Apocalypse Earth?" She asked.

"How did you figure that out?"

"So am I! Almost everyone in school who has enough money is zooming home to download the game."

At this point, Tristan noticed that this girl was quite nice looking. Extremely pretty could be the word. If he didn't have Kirsten to think about, he might even want to get to know her better. Suddenly he was thinking of Kirsten. God he wished he could be with her.

"Hey space case. Did you already configure your Recca 6?" This girl was unusually violent in the way she spoke. This made him miss Kirsten even more. Still, he couldn't help himself.

"Are you flirting with me? I don't even know your name. I would put you at a 9.5 if you had a better personality." He was just joking. But she turned violently red!

"Molester!!!!" She screamed. There were shops across the road, and people walking by too! They all turned to look at Tristan.

Geez! Finally he said "This girl!" outloud, hoping that people would understand his situation.

Inhaling deeply, he decided he didn't want anything to do with her. She was violent, and didn't like anyone to one up her in anything! She had an evil streak about her where she wouldn't hesitate to throw you under a bus!

Tristan didn't even wait for any thing to happen, at this point, she had outed him as a molestor in front of so many people. He jumped on his skateboard and zoomed off. He was good at riding, and he could jump and do tricks. So he didn't hesitate to pull every move he could as he sped away. He even jumped a car as it stopped in the middle of the crosswalk!

Back at the bike, the girl's eyes narrowed. She picked up her bike and looked off into the distance after him, but only for a second. Then she gave the bike another try.

Tristan was home in a flash. It wasn't really home, it was grandpa Newt's and grandma Sheryl's house. But Tristan had his own room, and grandpa Newt was already fully recovered. If that was all to Tristan's stay, he would have already gone back to Alabaster, to that lovely charming girl of his. But he convinced his parents that he should stay on for the school year to keep an eye on things here.

Up in his room, Tristan loaded the game Apocalypse Earth onto the Recca 6 he had bought. He had a part time job but he put in notice last week. He wanted to get lost in Recca 6, he wanted to see Kirsten there. He wanted to tell her everything.

After loading the game, he chose a name for himself. It would have to be something Kristen would never guess. Since she would likely play this game, and it was possible they would meet, he had to keep his identity secret. Knowing that asshole Byron, he would likely keep tabs on Kirsten even in the virtual reality world.

He couldn't let that guy know if he was going to be near Kirsten. He couldn't even let her know, since that guy might get a clue.

The name he chose was SunDome.

27,000 years after the Earth was destroyed by the comet Zendor, human civilization had reverted back to a type of mideval times. The game lacked any modern tools, because electricity was interrupted by the Zendor elements, which somehow interfered with physics on Earth. The Earth changed. Nature took it's own path and covered over almost all of the previous civilization's modern buildings. In fact it was extremely rare to see something from the previous civilization.

There were villages and towns, but very few cities. People were inherenty distrustful. The game world was set in the apocalytpic civilization which gradually came into existence thousands of years after the cities fell and the earth was reshaped.

SunDome stepped into the sunlight. He was in a small town and there were various NPC's working. His body was exactly as it was in the real world, a feature of Recca 6. He would have to change that.

He walked into a nearby shop. Inside there were potions, various items that contained magical properties, medicines, and a few simple weapons.

In some ways, Apocalypse Earth was much simpler than the real world. But in other ways, it was more complex. Because of the Zendor Comet, magical properties were introduced. Other things like modern medicine were forgotten and had long since been replaced by natural medicines. Due to the magical properties of the rock in the Zendor Comet, the earth grew new kinds of plants, and many older plantlife was extinct or became a hybrid.

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Although Apocalypse Earth was a game. With the advent of Virtual Reality, the game elements had been lessened, and it was more like another reality, another world.

There were still quests, and glory, and magical items, but most things like in game menus were gone. It was more like stepping into another world, than playing a game.

Tristan, rather liked this feeling. Nobody in this town knew he was from the real world. They were all NPC's and they just lived their own lives.

"What can I interest you in, fella?" A burly man stood behind a counter.

"I'd like to hide my identity." The person known as Sundome answered.

"Ahh, on the run are we?" The shopkeeper said with a sly grin.

Sundome didn't answer. The man brought out several items. He brought out a chrome mask, and some herbal potions.

"Here, this mask will conform to your face on the inside, and will look like so on the outside. It's not exactly a handsome face, but..." The man glanced at SunDome. SunDome wasn't handsome in a flashy way, but his face showed strength. "Never mind... it will look very handsome on you." The man finished.

"How much?"

"52 bronze." The man said, then added "Also 34 bronze for this potion." He held up the potion.

"What's it good for?" Sundome asked, although he already had an idea.

"It masks your aura... Everyone has a distinct aura, so even with a mask, others might still be able to figure out who you are."

"I'll take em both!" SunDome said. A chrome mask and a distinctly new aura.

He bought a couple of other items like a cape for warmth, some food, and a cheap sword. All his money was on his person, not in some fancy menu. He didn't have enough bronze coins, so he gave the only silver he had. With that, he got some change and left the shop.

SunDome spent two days in that town. Learning everything he could about Apocalyptic Earth. The people there even called it that. Gradually he saw other newcomers arrive. Players from the real world. He spent every hour that he wasn't in school in the game. He even slept in the game.

Soon, a quest came. It didn't come like a pop up screen or anything, but it came as a person who read from a scroll. "The city of Yorkshire is bedeviled by the Were Demon. Anyone who can capture or kill this demon will be rewarded handsomely. The rewards are 300 silvers, a Denquet Dagger, and your name written on the Plaque of Righteousness in the city square.

As he was listening, his mind seemed to be thinking of something else. As if something in the back of his mind was trying to get his attention.

"Tristan, Tristan!! Wake up. It's morning." He awoke to Grandma Sheryl gently shaking him. The Recca 6 used brainwave technology to let the user sleep and play in their dreams. This huge technology jump was responsible for the huge word of mouth buzz spread by everyone from Tokyo to Moscow to Africa.

"I'm up grandma, what is it?" He took off the Recca 6 Headgear. Before he exited, Sundome dissappeared from Apocalypse Earth.

His mind was still on the Were Demon Quest. Interesting, he thought.

"There's that young Kirsten from Alabaster here! She took the train for two days just to get here. Comeon, hurry and shower, then come downstairs to eat breakfast. She got in late last night and already slept in the guest house."

Tristan froze. Kirsten was here???

The one girl he wanted to see the most in the whole world but really shouldn't. His brother's life was on the line! As was Vanessa's and their child.

If he could hold out for a couple of years, that asshole might move on to something else that takes his fancy. Then he might be able to explain himself to Kirsten. Or at least apologize. Truly what his brother had done could never be said by his own lips.

He showered and came down. It was a school day too. At the breakfast table, there was Kirsten, beautiful Kirsten, with long flowing hair surrounding her round shoulders and she was dressed in a tanktop. It was his tanktop.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. He was cold and impolite. He didn't know how else to handle the situation. If she felt even a hint of warmth from him, she would likely try to stay, or try to keep in touch. He had to hold himself back just from hugging her though!

"Hah! My parents let me come, I can only stay till tomorrow though. Let's hang out! Do you have school? Can I come as a guest?"

Ugghhh. He put on a twisted expression. Still he sat down and ate quietly. He listened to Kirsten and the sound of her voice was like music in his heart. He felt like the whole world had suddenly slowed down. But he couldn't show it. Instead he put on the most blank and uninterested face he could.

"I took a job over the summer and bought a Recca 6!" She was saying. "I didn't get the early release of Apocalypse Earth but I plan to get it when I get back. Do you want to play together? Did you get the Recca 6 yet?"

"No." At this point, I lied.

Grandma Sheryl gave me a sharp look. Before I headed off to school with Kirsten in tow, Grandma Sheryl pulled me over to the side. In a whispering voice she said "Why are you lying young man? There had better be a very good reason for it. That girl is so nice. I thought you two...."

"No. And there is a reason. But I can't tell you."

"Ok ok, but please don't hurt that girl, she is such a wonderful person."

"Ok." I said.

On the way to school, Kirsten talked and skipped and always avoided the obvious things, like what I said to her before leaving Alabaster, and the fact that I didn't pick up the phone when she called.

"Listen, Kirsten, I told you, I have a girlfriend, and this will be complicated." I lied again.

"I don't beleive you. Who would like you?" She smiled alluringly. But actually, she was holding back tears.

Not knowing if he could hold back if she cried right in front of him, Tristan blessed his fortune when that Crazy Violent Girl came riding up on a bicycle. "Thats the girl who I like." He said out of desperation, and pointed at the approaching girl, without really looking at her. Those 6 words would change his life. For the worse!

The Violent Crazy Girl came riding up, sort of uncertain like, as if she would fall over at any moment. However, she managed to stay on the bike until she arrived. Indeed she was beautiful, in a scandalizing sort of way.

"Why hello, what have we here?" Violent Crazy Girl said.

"Are you Tristan's girlfriend?" Kirsten got straight to the point.

Violent Crazy Girl looked Kirsten up and down, and noticed her subtle body positioning next to Tristan and seemed to grasp everything. "Indeed I am! He's great in bed!"

Tristan let out a roar. "How could you say that! How could you say that out loud!"

Kirsten was confused. She was sure that Tristan had just bluffed but now this girl who was obviously beautiful and seemed to have chemistry with Tristan had just blatantly confessed to something Kirsten herself had never even thought of.

Seeing the Crazy Girl and Tristan together made it so that Kirsten couldn't hold back the floodgate of tears.

Tristan's jaw was clenched. His fists were curled so tight that he was sure blood would flow. He wanted to knock this girl and her bicycle back to the underworld.

Kirsten finally wiped the tears from her face. She sniffled a couple of times and didn't look Tristan in the eye but said, "Actually I really have to get back. I have a lot to do for school and it's just the start of the year."

This was exactly what Tristan wanted but it really hurt inside. It hurt to see her hurt, but there was also a strength that she seemed to possess which he only noticed when she looked him directly in the eyes.

"Good bye Tristan." She said.

"Yes, you might as well go back to whatever hick town your from girl." Violent Crazy Girl said.

"My God, could you be any less mean? I'm sorry Kirsten, I really am." He truly was sorry, but couldn't explain himself.

He was the asshole now.

"No, it's ok, it's about time I got on with my life... I mean it's about time I go..... back." Kirsten said. She was trembling even though she wasn't crying.

Tristan's heart sunk, this was her saying good bye. She came here to see if he was just playing games, but he wasn't, it was real.

"Kirsten, if there was another way..." He lost his words. "I'm sorry." He said again.

This was heart wrenching pain.

"Oh comeon, let the past go." Violent Crazy Girl said.

Kirsten turned to her and looked at her with clear blue eyes "Your right, I have to let the past go."

She wrenched her arm away from Tristan who had inadvertantly grabbed ahold of it as he was apologizing. Then she left.

"Good bye!" Tristan said softly to the girl that he loved. But she was out of ear's reach.

A full ten minutes passed as Tristan stared dumfoundedlly in the direction she left.

"Ahem.... are you going to explain any of that you gorilla or are are you just going to stare off in the direction she went like a dumb shit?" Violent Crazy Girl said.

Tristan slowly turned to her and looked her in the eyes.

"That girl is an 11 out of 10, just so you know. You are a 5. You have the personality of a giant pile of dung."

"What about if we just look at beauty?" She said coyly.

You may have great looks, but there are a 100 other girls in our school who look better."

"Really? Name one?"

She had a point. He over exagerated in an attempt to try to get her back.

"Carmel coated dung candy" The four words came out of his mouth and were like razors cutting into her.

"Oh, did I hurt your feelings?" She said sarcastically.

They were both intensifying their sharp words. It could only end in one way, and Tristan didn't want to spank her in broad daylight. Who knows what sort of charges she would make against him.

"I'm not going to explain. Lets just say that I can't be with the love of my life because of some shit head from my old town. Not only that, but I had to become the shit head asshole you saw just now."

"Aww, poor you. Do you want your darling to kiss you?"

"Get away from me."

With all the talk of relationships, everybody went their separate ways in the end.

Tristan found out after school that Kirsten left a letter for him.

"I just want you to have a good life and be happy. I saw your brother Peter and his wife Vanessa. They are both happy and have moved into their own house. I want for you to find someone to be with like that. Whether it's that girl or some other girl you find in the future. Love Kirsten."

I wept.