Chapter 1: Purchase
'Boring!' I was lying on my bed surfing the internet on my laptop, a machine so old it could be called an artifact. I just finished high school and summer break is about to start, meaning time for a new game, or more specifically new console. If it can be called a console, it was Brainer, a necessary device for connecting to VR, or in my case VRMMORPG's.
Reset stood as the number 1 Fantasy VRMMORPG with a stunning rating of 96/100 on the VR-list! The second place only had a rating of 68/100 so Reset should be really good. But one never knows with those game critics.
I went down to the kitchen. There I cut open a baguette in half before taking all necessary ingredients, some lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, meat and mayonnaise, from the fridge and placed it on the bread then returned it all to the fridge.
As I was eating, I checked on my smartwatch where I could find the closest Reset-dealer and started the navigation. Moments later I went to my room, got dressed then hurried to the Reset dealer. There I bought the Brainer from the dealer after waiting almost endlessly for 3 hours, 43 minutes and 21 seconds. While trying to fasten the box on my bike, I accidentally let it fall. Hoping I didn't break it I quickly picked it, fastened it carefully this time, then returned home.
Back at home, I unpacked my brandnew Brainer. Read the first few pages from the instructions on how to sit and that sort of rubbish you get from health & safety instructions. Then finally lying on my bed, with me wearing the Brainer, I turned it on.
I felt my senses disappearing. I couldn't see anything, it isn't like seeing black, no it was literally not seeing a single thing or colour. It wasn't just not being able to see. I couldn't even smell anything, nor feel nor taste nor hear. It was terrifying. I don't even know if my body is panicking, but my mind sure was. Fearing for my life, I waited because I couldn't even scream. I felt like it, but my mouth is it moving or not? That I do not know. I wanted to imagine I was screaming, but having no feedback is making me crazy. I waited and waited in what seemed like 2 hours, maybe it was just 10 minutes or 10 hours. I don't know. Finally I see black with something blue in the middle. I tried jumping from the suddenness. But no feedback...
Connecting to Brainer...
Unregistered user detected...
Performing body scan...
No problems detected...
Please wait while tutorial is being loaded...
Turorial loaded, please follow the instructions.
Next moment I knew, I seemingly found myself on a grassland and another blue thing pops up.
Welcome to Brainmenu. This gear works slightly different than others. This gear only replaces your sight as for the the other senses, it will feel as you have a body growing out of your own body. This body is only virtual and doesn't affect your physical one. For safety reasons all feedback to your real body has been cut-off and is managed by a copy of your brain.
'Oh this is the supposed safety mechanism huh...'
Your virtual body has been made and is the exact copy of your real one. Try talking by imagining yourself talking through your virtual body.
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I try to concentrate on saying something.
''Something!''
You tried speaking through your real body. Please try again.
''Not this time!''
You tried speaking through your real body. Please try again.
'This is gonna take some time...'
''...''
''...''
''...''
Silence. Pure silence. 'It's driving me CRAZY!'
"AAAAAAAAAAARGH"
I scream out through my imagination.
Congratulations! You have spoken through your virtual body. Now please try taking 3 steps forward.
'Are you serious? Well on to the next step, I hope I got the trick. In the meantime let me practice my virtual speech'
"Okay, now this feels weird. Talking to myself! But I need it for practice. I just hope this won't turn into one long monologue where I just talk to myself without saying anything that is actually being worth useful, nor for me nor for others, not even for the AI. Damn I already am talking too much nonsense, I can't even seem to stop. Oh please HELP! Who am I even calling help for? Wait a minute, I am not even trying to step with my supposed virtual body. I really am spending too much time talking gibberish, or not. I mean I did remind myself to try stepping. By which I actually still haven't tried. Maybe I should just shut up. Like being quiet, or not talking. I really cannot stop. Why? I this a curse or something? Okay I will try not to say anything after the next sentence. This is the next sentence... Good. FUCK! I didn't stop talking. Okay concentrate, concentrate... Good now I am quiet. Or NOT! Aaah... maybe I had enough practice. I should just stop. But it is too difficult. Oh wait I remember, I need to move."
I finally shut up. 'Great! I am epic, wait, tone down a bit, else I'll start talking again. Now how do I move my body?' I feel something. I feel something, weird sensation, it's like having 4 extra limbs... 'I do have 4 extra limbs, virtually though...' I try moving them. and weirdly enough my virtual senses tell me I am moving.
Congratulations. You have completed the tutorial. You will now be transported to the interface of reset.
The scene changes. The grassland turns into a grey room, or a grey cube would be more appropriate with no exits or anything like it. On the wall I see a pictogram with the logo of Reset.
To select anything inBrainer, it suffices to think about it with your virtual brain. Anything inBrainer is done with your virtual brain. Only emergency logout is controlled by your physical body. To use emergency logout please say: HELP ME LOGOUT NOW!
'Okay, so I want to play Reset. Oh no good, I need to think about it with my virtual extra brain, does that make me smarter? I hope so. Now think, think...'
You have selected to play Reset. Please wait while your being logged in.