“So Bianca. Want to go see techno now?” Gloria asked.

“Eh! Now?!” She asked in shock.

“Is that a good idea, I mean she just went through… that.” Jace said.

The twins nodded in unison. “Don’t push her!” Nene said.

“No, it is fine but… what do I do? I don’t know if he will even let me through the door let alone listen. He will probably take it as an excuse to throw the blame on my father or something.” Bianca said.

“Don’t worry, we will go with you. But… I will say it now, don’t ask for forgiveness, what was done… let us just hope he doesn’t go mad.” Gloria said.

Bianca became gloomy but got up and looked at her own state, “Let me take a bath. I want to calm down first.”

She turns and walks into her room, no one moves to go after her and just let her think for herself.

After the door closed the four sat down and sighed.

“What will we do?” Jace asked.

“Good question, this isn’t a simple situation, also from what we know of Techno, he is just a cocky blow hard that sees himself above others.” Gloria sneered.

“Not really.” Momo said.

“What do you mean?” Gloria asked.

“Well I was a fan when the game started. The great leader of the clockwork and so whenever some kind of news appeared I recorded it and realized something. Why didn’t other people do the same thing? Everything he did could have easily been done by another but most people feared the unknown and didn’t step up only he did and what was reward to him was a lot of items, many discovered technologies and even stuff he completely invented that was unheard of but none of it was beyond the scale that common people couldn’t do. There was even a forum post sent to him but left public asking him how he can make so much stuff. His reply was that if he encountered a problem he would purchase books on the subject and study it and try to implement it.” Momo said.

“So he is the hard worker legend.” Jace said.

“Yep, no one really knows how much he knows but he knows a lot since a lot of the inventions were made directly by him or his crew’s dwarf blacksmith.” Nene said.

“So it's suffice to say that what he owns today was because he wholly worked for it? I guess it’s no wonder he would look down on others.” Gloria said solemnly.

“Not just his efforts. You should have heard what it takes to become a Sky Whale. A full 24 hours of unadulterated pain and you can lose your character because of it. If the Golem in his crew was alone his giant body would be a new place that elementals were born besides the other skywhale.” Jace said.

The others nodded and slowly went through all of the crew's achievements and slowly realized that it wasn’t a fact that they were lucky but instead they simply did things first or more properly said they didn’t need others to provide for them.

“Now that I think about it, they didn’t really need the help of the constructs to learn how to make the silver wiring. With their searching ability they would have sooner or later discovered a memory chip that showed that. It kinda shows that he isn’t really cocky it’s probably what we learned today from Bianca that made him like that. Untrusting.” Momo said.

Hearing the door open they saw Bianca come out with a bit more refreshed face having washed away a lot of her sorrows.

“Since you’re ready, do you want to go?” Gloria asked.

Bianca smiled wryly and breathed in deeply. “Okay but… please help me face this.” She said and the other four smiled and nodded.

Techno PoV

The sound of splashing came with the sound of laughter from the Sasha and Sarah. The two had gone to play in the pool and earlier even I had joined up but even so water volly ball is hard even at knee height.

The pool grew deeper only at the far end being 10 meters long and 7 wide. The first 5 meters remained within the margin of 1 to 2 meters and then the other five dropped progressively to 6 meters .

Alex was beside me on the chairs just enjoying the sun that beat down from within the Virtual space.

“You know, looking at you and Sasha now, the last two years in here you two have changed. Well mostly you.” She said.

I was silent for a moment but looked out and sighed, “It is probably because of that psychologist forcing me to talk at least with you guys.” I said.

“Do you regret it?”

I looked at my little sister and smiled, “No. It made a world of difference for Sasha in Etheria.”

At that time there were several knocks at the door and it drew their attention.

“Are you expecting anyone?” Sarah asked.

“No, I don’t think the others from the crew can come here without invitation right?” I asked.

“Yeah, that is more or less how it works. They can ask to come here but it would notify you and they would appear directly inside. Only someone that can directly log into this specific Virtual Town can knock. Must be a neighbor.” Alex said.

I stand up and throw my shirt over my upper body and use the system to dry my shorts before walking over. Alex had put on a one piece sun dress and followed me.

Opening the door I found a brunette, a set of twins, a large man that looked like a body builder and someone hiding behind him which I could see from looking at the feet still appearing.

“Hello is someone named Techno living here?” The brunette asked.

“Do we know you?” Alex asked.

“Did we get the wrong Virtual space?” She asked.

A low whisper came from behind and the Brunette looked directly at me.

“Oh so you’re Techno, I was expecting someone… bigger when compared to that giant six armed robot you use. Especially why you tried to intimidate us that time during the negotiations.” She said.

“Negotiations?” I thought and the only one that appeared was the construct and merfolk. Then the group that came with them also appeared in his mind and the angel’s face and figure appeared and slowly overlapped the brunette.

Summoning up a notepad window I start writing, “Are you that angel from the crew? So that means these are the halflings, that big fella is the sylph and the pair of legs are the construct?”

The brunette frowned, “Even in real life you disregard us and speak through messages?!” She shouted.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“I’m sorry if it seems offensive but as said before, he doesn’t do well with strangers. His original crew even had a hard time at the beginning until several events made him talk with them verbally.” Alex explained.

“So what did you want?” I asked them

This time the face of all of them grew tense. “Can… we come in first?” She asked.

I narrow my eyes and look at their faces, I don’t remember seeing any of them as part of the Juvenile detention group but there were hundreds so it's not like I would know all of them but they way they talk shows they are invited from the hidden one.

“What do you want?” I asked again and stare at the legs of the hidden person. “And who is that one hidden?”

The face of the group grew even more serious and both of us noticed.

“Hey bro, who is it?” Sasha called out and looked from between them both. Her face lit up when she saw the twins who seemed around her age.

“Ah! These are those two tiny guys I remember! They visited before when we arrived! Hey want to go play in the pool!” She asked.

“Eh?” The both said and tilted their head to see inside only to see a huge lawn and a house inside followed by all the toys and the big pool.

Their face was conflicted and they looked at me and their group.

I sighed and turned around before walking inside, “Come on.” I said and walked inside. “Sasha, get some swimsuits for them if you want.” I said out loud.

The group looked at each other and walked in and Alex came up to me, “Are you fine? This looks like something a bit more than a simple talk.” She said.

“If something happens it will happen.” I said simply and walked into the house followed by the group.

I sat down but they stayed up. Gesturing to sit the brunette looked at the large man. The two children had gone with Sasha upstairs by now and so the sofa had enough space for the three.

“We will stay here.” The brunette said.

“Sit down.” I said, “And come out.” I said louder to the hidden one.

“Don’t boss me around!” The brunette shouted.

“Please, he is blunt but I also agree that at least hiding behind someone is even more rude.” Alex said.

“It’s fine…” A voice came.

The voice rang some bells like I have heard of it before and a someone foreboding feeling came over me. My hands clenched and my heart began to speed up.

Finally the person came out and the world around me turned red. “YOU!” I shouted. My teeth were clenched and I was about to pounce when Alex appeared and pushed me down and hugged my head.

“Calm down, your heart rate is almost at a point that the system will cause you to black out. Deep breaths. In, out. Slow in, slow out.” Alex said in a gentle calm down and slowly I began to calm down with her help. This is the main reason my interaction with her was the best, she helped me greatly and similar to Sasha she became someone I can calm down around.

My body slowly relaxed in her embrace and soon she let me go before turning to them. “What did you need?” She asked in a serious tone.

“I…” Bianca’s voice got trapped in her throat upon seeing the scene.

The brunette pulled her and sat with her in the chair. “My name is Victoria Rose, in Etheria I am an angel named Gloria, we heard only today what happened between you two.” She said.

“Why did you bring her here, as you can see this can easily cause a grand degree of problems for Nate. Do you even know the degree of what was done to him?” Alex asked bluntly. Before she had been courteous but after Bianca appeared it threatened my mental state.

“We know, we actually know quite a lot more than you do including her side of the story.” Victoria said.

“So you want me to listen to her side and pity her after all she did to me?!” I said venomously.

“No!” Bianca said and slumped down.

I narrow my eyes, this wasn’t anything like the person I had known.

“Please calm down, it will do us no good to be at each others throat. Now, you might not believe it but she suffered a lot after what happened and even before.” Victoria said.

“Cut the bullshit, bitch talk now or I will just throw you out.” I said without any hint of pity in her voice.

“Don’t insult her at every chance!” Victoria shouted.

“So you want Nate to thank her for ruining his life and pet her for coming here?” Alex said narrowing her eyes.

“I didn’t…”

“QUIET!” Jace suddenly shouted making everyone look at him.

“Bianca first tell him what happened today.” Jace said.

With a nod Bianca recounted what her father had down.

As soon as she finished my eyes burned with a rage hotter then when she came in here. “Good good, so that fucking bastard wants war huh?!” I grinned while my rage overflowed.

Alex put her hand on my shoulder and slowly I began to force everything down to listen.

“Is that all you needed to say?” I asked.

Bianca took a deep breath, “I didn’t come to ask for forgiveness, I know I can’t be forgiven… but…” She stopped and then began talking in a long string.

The talk went all they way back to when she was 4, her mother had died when giving birth to her brother but neither survived, at that time her father completely broke down and isolated himself at work not even going to the funeral. From then she tried many things to get his attention but each made him more distant until she fell into her despair and began to rampage during her teens.

Being raised by strangers and ignored by her family, having no friends in school besides those that wanted her money, she entered into a state similar but not as deep as when I found out Sasha was crippled. When she saw me or anyone actually that lived life casually she hated us simply for having a normal life and felt it was unfair.

It was true what they say bullying was born due to needing to feel better about oneself or needing to see someone worse off but do to my somewhat indifferent personality at the time I wasn’t as greatly affect and it lead to what it did.

Once she saw what had happened, once I had entered full despair even deeper than her own it finally woke her up and when it did she actually degraded further in grief, despair and guilt. Her social life ruined, school grades even worst, finally her father just ‘threw’ her away when he confronted her and she told him what she did.

I listened with a blank face, I didn’t care about her life nor would I forgive her at all, pity her not even passed my mind. When she finished the room was silent.

“Is that all?” I asked.

“What do you mean is that all? Don’t you feel anything?” Victoria shouted.

“What am I to feel towards her, this story, should I pity her? She isn’t someone to pity nor do I care to forgive her. Her being ‘thrown’ in here, this isn’t a punishment for her.” I said.

“How is it not a punishment! She is stuck in this game just like you!” the brunette shouted back.

“She was thrown in here by her father but she was never trailed by the court, I wasn’t released with her confession my sister isn’t walking in her real body because of her confession. Being in her, she can even consider it her living inside a came like a vacation until she grows up. She isn’t being punished, if she killed someone through PvP she wouldn’t get increased her jail time. If she broke the law she wouldn’t be restricted in any form unless she was caught in game. A real Juvenal detention convict has many restrictions on him but she is simply a player like you two, like those twins playing with my sister, like my own sister and like any player that came in after the beta was complete.” I said.

This made the angel freeze upon hearing this. He was essentially correct in this, Bianca wasn’t a juvinal detention convict. She was just put in here because of her father and not restricted.

I simply stood up, “As for my feelings towards you, bitch, I won’t ever stop hating you but from what I can see I don’t even need to do anything. Truthfully I don’t even care about seeing your face anymore. There is no pity, your own life is a testament to your own punishment. Your guilt breaking you down.” My eyes go to her crew, “Like me you even have your own crew but your own guilt is still larger then their help so what do I need to do. The most I can do is this…” I said and opened the door, “Get out and leave me alone, in the game, I don’t know you, you don’t know me. Don’t talk to me, I don’t care if you need upgrades you will just be another but don’t think of us as acquaintances just because I didn’t do anything, anyone of my crew is enough to destroy you and I can dismantle you without killing you so just leave and never show your face.” I said.

The two crew members looked at each other perplexed and Alex sighed, in relief and with complicated emotions, “This is the best result you can get, please don’t make him say more.” She said and the other side seemed to also realize something.

They passed the door and saw the twins and Sasha playing with Sarah.

“Lucas! Lucy! We are going!” Victoria said.

“Ah~!” The two complained.

“Do we have to?!” Lucy shouted.

“We are leaving already.” Jace said.

The two pouted.

“Hey bro! Can they stay and come over sometimes!” Sasha said.

I make a really conflicted expression but looked at the children, “Only when Sarah and Alex are here.” I said sighing.

Alex was beside me giggling, “You really do anything for your sister.” She said.

I rolled my eyes and looked away as I saw the twins come over and with the system sharing contact so they can be on the list of invites. They then ran back into the ball jumping in.

“We will go then.” Jace said and the three left while the children remained for some more.

I didn’t say anything and just shut the door behind him.

Once it was done I simply walked inside and sat in the living and bent over. Alex was beside me and she pat my back while just staying quiet helping me surpass the whirlwind of emotions that were raging causing tears to fall.