The following morning dawned with a strange, muted energy. A hazy dread hung over Rosa as she sat at her kitchen table, pushing the last crumbs of breakfast with her finger into a neat pile. She picked up her pen, tapping the tip against the paper before letting it drift into a familiar motion, her hand moving instinctively, adding a few more lines to the idle doodles already sketched in the margins. Eyes - quick, uneven, with heavy lids or unblinking pupils - scribbled over and over, their vacant stares mirroring her gaze. The rest of the page was filled with chaotic mindmaps and interconnecting boxes about monkeys, M.A.S.S., dreams, and now RealityStep.
Pale October sunlight filtered in through the window, casting a soft glow over the scene, and Rosa found herself staring at her own handwriting as though it were an ominous code she needed to decipher.
“Rosa!” Selina’s voice broke the quiet. Rosa looked up toward the living room, where Selina had made herself comfortable after returning from her own apartment earlier that morning. Her small flat, shared with a parade of other tenants who drifted in and out unpredictably, wasn't much of a sanctuary. Rosa’s spacious place, though, was different. There was a calm in the air, an ease that Selina liked, one that made it easier to sink into her own thoughts without the usual distractions.
Selina had grown up in London, but her family rarely intruded on her life now - aside from her mother’s occasional calls urging her to date “a proper boy.” Selina always brushed it off with a breezy “just too busy,” navigating her days without the weight of expectations. Her world was one of late sleep and long hours, juggling experiments, deadlines, and endless streams of data. Free time was filled with hurried meetups with friends or intense gym sessions - a release as much as a necessity. Yet, she loved the chaos, the irregularity of the rhythm, thriving in the constant motion.
Now, with a tension mixed with excitement, she held something up for Rosa to see. "You need to get a look at this!” Rosa joined her friend in the lounge, her face tight with anticipation.
Selina was peering at her phone, wide eyes reflecting a kind of disbelief, as if she had just stumbled upon a hidden secret. “I checked the HR portal. There’s a COVID outbreak at the office - they’re encouraging everyone to work remotely until it’s sorted.” A trace of excitement edged her voice as she looked up.
"So... we get some time off?” Rosa’s words held a breath of relief. After everything they’d just been through, time away from the lab seemed the best option right now.
Selina’s grin held a conspiratorial glint. “Exactly. More time for… whatever it is we're doing. And…” She trailed off, holding her phone toward Rosa. The screen showed a glowing QR code and an animated promotional video.
“RealityStep?” Rosa’s eyebrows knitted together, curiosity flickering in her gaze.
“Yep. I saved the link from the QR code back at M.A.S.S.,” Selina said, her eyes bright with purpose. “They have a place in Infinity NexUs, where…”
“Hold on. Infinity NexUs?” Rosa asked.
“Surely you know it? It's the VR mall where everyone goes for virtual shopping, entertainment, and….” She waited then, examining Rosa’s face for signs of recognition.
“I’ve heard of it,” Rosa admitted. “I’ve just never used it. Virtual reality at work is one thing - I'm used to data visualisations, simulations, the occasional training module - but this kind of stuff…” She gestured vaguely toward Selina’s phone screen. “It’s not really my world.”
Selina tilted the screen toward her, showing off the vibrant images of Infinity NexUs: glowing skyscrapers, neon pathways, and lush gardens filled with avatars bustling like digital tourists. “It’s incredible, Rosa. The RealityStep block is supposed to be in one of the most exclusive parts. It’s worth checking out.”
Rosa leaned back, her discomfort creeping into her tone. “So we log in, find this RealityStep, and what? They hand over their entire business plan? Is M.A.S.S. definitely connected to RealityStep?” Rosa’s mind was racing with possibilities. “I’m not sure a virtual mall is going to tell us what M.A.S.S. is really doing with the monkeys.”
Selina gave a small laugh, undeterred. “Come on, Rosa, they wouldn’t have a QR link on their property for something that didn’t matter. We might not get a confession, but we could uncover breadcrumbs - something they don’t expect us to find.”
“And what would that involve?” Rosa asked, folding her arms. “Walking into some VR building and poking around? Can we even do that without a virtual appointment? And wouldn’t we need the right equipment?”
Selina grinned. “Already thought of that. I’ve got a headset at home. It’s nothing fancy - I use it for shopping and the odd virtual meet up - but for NexUs, we’ll need pro-level rigs. Luckily, I found a rental place nearby.”
Rosa’s brow furrowed. “I don’t have a problem using VR gear, but this sounds… different. The stuff at work is all pretty practical and straightforward. This just seems messy. Unpredictable.”
Selina waved off the concern, her enthusiasm unshaken. “It’s just another environment. You’ll get used to it. Think of it like stepping into a dream, only one you control.”
Rosa sighed, her reluctance giving way to practicality. “Fine. But it still feels like a long shot. I can’t believe M.A.S.S. would leave anything important in a place like that.”
Selina smirked. “Careless or not, it’s a lead. And right now, leads are in short supply.”
Rosa felt a thrill of nervous excitement. “Alright, let’s go for it.”
*****
By late morning, they found themselves outside "The Grid Zone," an eclectic gaming shop squeezed between a vape store and a forgotten dry cleaner. The storefront was plastered with neon-bright posters featuring the latest in VR tech, starships streaking through alien skies, and immersive adventure simulations promising to let players “Live An Other Life.” The place vibrated with a low, techno beat that seemed to resonate from the walls themselves. Rosa felt a mix of intrigue and nervous energy as she took it all in.
Inside, the scent of new electronics mingled with something smokier, like burnt circuitry - a rather ominous touch for a tech shop. The place was a sensory maze of glass cases filled with high-end VR headsets, holographic projections hovering in midair, and interactive display screens showcasing dazzlingly immersive environments. Rows of gadgets and accessories lined every wall, each more ‘next-gen’ than the last, glowing under soft, iridescent lighting. VR rigs shimmered with metallic finishes, gleaming like alien artifacts, each promising a new dimension of reality.
Behind the counter stood a wiry figure in his fifties, his silver hair combed into a sharp ridge that peaked high over his forehead, like the crest of a wave about to break, and holographic tattoos flickering faintly on his hands. His name tag, written in a bold, techy font reminiscent of old-school terminal screens, read “Zephyr Phisher.”
“Looking for the good stuff, huh?” he grinned as they browsed one of the aisles.
Zephyr had the look of someone who'd just stepped out of a plasma storm. His eyes, concealed behind his iridescent pink-tinted lenses, glowed faintly with pulsing data streams, hinting at mysterious feeds only he could see. A neat, circuit-like design traced down his cheek, etched with bio-luminescent ink, and his hands were clad in fingerless gloves embedded with microchips that blinked and clicked as each finger moved.
Zephyr was draped in a long, weathered grey coat, its pockets brimming with an assortment of salvaged tech - fragments of circuitry, functional chips, and a tangle of multicolored wires. Suspended from a chain around his neck hung a small silver corvid skull, gleaming faintly against the muted fabric.
As soon as Selina mentioned Infinity NexUs, Zephyr let out a knowing cackle that echoed through the shop. “Oh, Infinity NexUs, you say?” he smirked, leaning in like he was about to reveal an ancient secret. “You’re not just looking to play a game, ladies - you’re looking to transcend.”
He pointed to a VR headset encased in a neon-lit glass display. “This here’s the SoulSync XT-7,” he whispered reverently. “This baby’s equipped with neural receptors fine-tuned by the A.I. psions out at Quantum Boxx. Just one session, and it’ll align your brain’s frequency with the Infinity NexUs grid. You’ll feel it in your soul.” He drew out the word as if savouring its taste, his eyes flashing dramatically behind his lenses.
“But maybe…” He paused, sizing them up with a cryptic smile. “Maybe you’re looking for something more… ambitious.” He slid over to a case and tapped a code into a panel. The glass clicked open, and he extracted a headset that looked almost organic, as if it had been grown rather than manufactured. “The OmniWeaver,” he said, voice dropping to a near whisper. “Experimental tech. Part machine, part… something else.” He caressed it with an odd fondness. “They say it’ll not only let you ‘find’ Infinity NexUs, but it’s capable of shaping worlds within worlds, dreams that bleed into life.” His eyes gleamed as he held it up, the organic curves of the headset catching the light. “The only question is, do you dare let it?”
Zephyr straightened, eyeing them with renewed intensity, as if he’d just shared something dangerously intriguing. “But here’s the kicker,” he continued, his voice shifting into a more familiar, almost theatrical tone. “Infinity NexUs isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. Oh no. Corporate types, with budgets bigger than their brains, are losing their minds over it.
“Take PsyLoop, for example. Supposedly, they’re just a ‘memory enhancement start up,” - he made exaggerated air quote gestures with his fingers - “letting people relive moments, preserve memories. But they’re really about rewriting. They can make you believe your life’s different than it is, clean up your past, erase your worst mistakes, or… even invent a few. All ‘for therapeutic purposes,’ of course. In the end, you don’t just forget what you wanted to let go of; you forget who you were before you stepped in. They call it ‘memory enhancement,’ but it’s just reality on a leash.
He waved his hands like he was ushering them through a tour of absurdities. “Then, there’s DreamDrift. Their big thing? They want to turn your dreams - yes, the weird spaghetti-nightmares you have after eating too much cheese - into a virtual reality theme park. You go in, and bam! You’re tiptoeing through some Freudian forest of all your anxieties. Oh, they call it ‘self-exploration,’ sure, but all I see is a techie’s excuse to charge you to wander through your own unresolved issues. Imagine it: your old school teacher’s giant face popping out of the clouds, demanding why you still don’t know your multiplication tables.”
Rosa’s mouth twitched, and Zephyr took it as his cue to lean in a little closer, lowering his voice to a stage whisper. “But the pièce de resistance - the real circus act in this whole setup - is RealityStep. Now, RealityStep is so high-concept, it circles back to being absolutely absurd. What they’re trying to do - get this - is pull fictional characters, actual storybook characters, into our reality. Sounds like something out of a bad sci-fi novel, right? Picture this: you’re in the grocery store, and boom, there’s Sherlock Holmes trying to figure out why the eggs are on sale. Or you’re in a lift, and suddenly - whoosh! - an ogre in an orange suit just strolls by. They call it ‘ontological projection,’ but honestly? I think it’s just ‘fictional nonsense,’ plain and simple.”
He gave a dramatic, almost exaggerated sigh, as if the whole thing was beneath him. “Look, sure, it’s one thing to visit a simulation with Alice in Wonderland giving you guided tour of the pool of tears. But reality? How about you’re just trying to pick up a loaf of bread and - surprise! - there’s Frankenstein’s monster, grumbling about getting the right kind of sourdough? Yeah, I’m not buying it.”
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He paused, staring uncomfortably long into Selina’s dark eyes, continuing just as she was about to speak. “And some of these characters? Even in Infinity NexUs they’re apparently a little... unpredictable. I heard someone say they saw Tinkerbell flitting through the food court, leaving a trail of sparkles in her wake, her little wings practically buzzing with angst. Forced her way into a bagel trolley, tossing pixie dust on people, making them forget you can't really eat in VR. If they're uncontrollable in the Nex can you imagine what’ll happen if they're unleashed into RL? Honestly, the whole thing sounds like a walking fever dream - except it’s not the kind with happy endings. No, this one’s got curses, quests, and villains randomly popping up to mess with your lunch break.”
He shook his head with the air of a philosopher grappling with the profound mysteries of the universe. “I love a good adventure, but there are boundaries, you know? Some things were meant to stay in the pages. Or, at the very least, not cut in line at the coffee stand!”
Rosa wasn’t sure if Zephyr’s pitch was just blatant hyperbole, dry humour, or unsettling glimpses of the truth. She tugged at her sleeve, her fingers brushing the hem repeatedly to steady her thoughts. The idea of stepping into something as unbound as Infinity NexUs sounded made her skin itch in a way she couldn’t quite ignore. Zephyr's cryptic theatrics just deepened her unease.
The man leaned back, grinning, giving them a long, hard look. “So, what’ll it be, adventurers? A stroll through the unknown - or a deep dive into dimensions that were never meant to touch our own?” He held up a payment device. “Scan here if you’re feeling brave… or foolhardy.”
Selina met Zephyr’s expectant gaze with a smile, as she examined the options. Finally, she picked a midrange kit, holding it up like a challenge.
Zephyr’s grin faltered. “Ah, playing it safe, are we? I didn’t peg you for the cautious type,” he said. “For just a small hike I can offer you something with top-tier enhancements - serious processors, adaptive interfaces, the works. And, just for you, I’ll throw in a five year warranty - because someone like you shouldn’t settle for less.”
Selina pursed her lips. “Sounds tempting. But I’ve got a thing for keeping things simple. No strings.”
Zephyr chuckled, clearly intrigued. “Alright, alright. No strings. But if it ever breaks, don’t come crying to me.”
With their VR gear secured, Rosa and Selina left the shop and walked back to the car, the fresh autumn air adding to their shared anticipation. A blustery breeze was scattering clouds across a pale, restless sky, but their thoughts were turned to the virtual experience ahead. They chatted eagerly, not just about the technical details, but also about Ro - how he’d adapted to the new outdoor enclosure Rosa had carefully prepared for him.
“You’re sure he’s alright in that place?” Selina asked as they walked, casting Rosa a sideways look.
“Oh, he’s living like a king,” Rosa replied with a smile. “I set him up with a hammock between two planters, and his covered food station with a warming pad for when it gets cold.”
Selina shook her head, laughing softly. “We’re about to dive into an online retail and entertainment mall, and you’re setting up a royal retreat for a monkey in the backyard. I guess it’s nice to know we’ll come back to something so grounded.”
When they arrived home, Rosa went out to check on him one last time before connecting into NexUs. Sure enough, Ro was lounging contentedly in the wooden structure with soft bedding and a clear view of the garden. He scratched idly behind his ear and inspected a stray leaf, looking now every bit the ordinary macaque. He seemed content to sit and enjoy his new home. Georgie was nowhere to be seen, but then, he often disappeared for days on end.
Back inside, the two friends began unpacking their shiny new VR headsets and fine-sensitivity haptic gloves. The sophisticated self-moulding gear adjusted rapidly to their shapes as their minds began to drift toward their virtual destination. The visual displays, designed with advanced optics and a subtle, ambient glow, offered the promise of perfect clarity, while the gloves - embedded with precision sensors and dynamic feedback mechanisms - hinted at the deep immersion awaiting them.
Selina ran her fingers over her glossy headset, turning it about in her hands and examining it closely. “Alright,” she said, glancing over at Rosa. “This thing is either going to transport us into a tech dreamscape or leave us sitting here looking ridiculous in your living room.”
Rosa laughed. “A little of both, probably. Just don’t get too distracted by your reflection in the virtual mirrors.”
They each took a seat, positioning themselves comfortably as they connected the rigs to Rosa's Wi-Fi. The state-of-the-art system could detect even the faintest neural impulses and micro eye movements, translating them into highly precise simulations of walking, running, or even flying through the virtual realm with impressive realism. The sound of faint electronic whirring filled the room as the headsets came to life. Rosa felt a tingle of nervous energy running through her, every click and beep amplifying the sense that they were stepping into the unknown.
Selina peered at Rosa from beneath the edge of her headset, a teasing glint in her eyes. “One last check before we go full Matrix?”
Rosa smiled, raising a thumbs-up. “Yep! Let’s go... and keep it low key, right?”
Selina grinned. “Yes! What else?”
They shared a laugh, then put on their headsets, greeted by the initial welcome screen of the Infinity NexUs entry system. Rosa felt the slight pressure of the headset settle against her face and flexed her fingers, feeling the adaptive circuitry veins pulse beneath the second skin of her cybernetic gloves.
Just as she began to think the experience was like nothing more than watching a film, the immersion transition kicked in abruptly. A sudden, disorienting vertigo swept through her as though the ground beneath her feet had given way. Her vision blurred, not with the usual fuzziness of an object coming into focus, but as if the world itself had been painted over with new colours, new textures, an unfamiliar reality taking shape around her.
Then, they were standing in a room with walls of soft, smoky glass that gave the illusion of an endless expanse. For a while, it felt as though they were floating, weightless and suspended in something that wasn’t quite air but wasn’t entirely void either. The room was entirely still, and the ambient quiet made Rosa hyper-aware of every inch of her body, as if her senses were recalibrating.
Before them, floating panels of information flickered to life with vibrant, welcoming messages, words pulsing gently, beckoning them forward. The sensation of standing on something solid slowly registered, and as Rosa’s senses adjusted further, she could almost feel the air shift, the temperature change as if she were breathing it in, actually present within this digital world.
The floor beneath their feet was smooth and matte, glowing with a low, ambient light, just enough to cast soft shadows along the walls.
As the vertigo ebbed away, Rosa’s balance shifted, and she felt more anchored, more in control. The sensation really was strangely immersive, convincing enough that Rosa felt the texture of her boots on her toes as she slid a foot along the ground, even though she knew she was still sitting in her chair.
As they navigated the welcome screens, they reached a seemingly endless customization menu, offering opportunity to ‘sculpt’ their avatars. Their voices resonated clearly in each other’s minds as they considered the options, their comms equipment making the distance between them feel nonexistent.
Rosa couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed as she scrolled through an endless array of options, each avatar style more elaborate and otherworldly than the last. The system’s AI, cheerful and persistent, offered suggestions based on her “personality metrics,” which it assessed in real-time. A lithe, neon-laced look appeared on the screen, with labels like "digital rogue" and "synthwave oracle," causing her to recoil slightly. She flicked the suggestions away, looking for something more subtle or grounded amidst the myriad extravagant choices.
“Guess we’d better choose something suitably flashy, or we’ll look like obvious tourists,” Selina said, scrolling through a selection of outfits that looked like they belonged in an intergalactic fashion show.
“Right?” Rosa replied, feeling a bit uncomfortable. “I guess if we show up looking too normal, we'll just draw attention.”
Selina seemed to enjoy the process and soon selected a suitable appearance. Her avatar wore a jacket with a mandarin collar in pale grey, embroidered with iridescent silver patterns tracing her shoulders and neck. Zips and pockets adorned her trousers, giving her a futuristic tactical look, while her dark hair was pulled back high and tight in her signature ponytail. A neat silver ear cuff shimmered as if it held some hidden communication device, proclaiming, yes, I belong here, and no, you can’t handle my secrets. She cast a mischievous grin at Rosa. “I think I’m ready to breach whatever cyber-elite party we stumble into.”
“Wow, Selina,” Rosa murmured, half-amazed, half-amused. “Going all out, are we?”
“You bet,” Selina replied, her smile carrying an air of theatrical mischief. “You have to stand out to blend in.”
Rosa rolled her eyes and selected an avatar she thought to be a bit more understated. She chose a long, tailored black coat with subtle charcoal grey accents along the cuffs and collar. Underneath, she wore a dark grey blouse, its soft texture complementing the sharp cut of her slim black trousers. Her fair hair was swept into a simple twist, held in place by black lacquered chopsticks, adding an element of quiet sophistication. Sturdy black ankle boots with low heels completed the look - practical and refined, a style she hoped would not draw undue attention.
Selina glanced over, visibly impressed. “Well, if we’re trying to look like the cool, mysterious types who actually know what they’re doing, hopefully mission accomplished.”
Rosa adjusted her collar with a faint smile. “Let’s just hope everyone else is dressed up too. Now, let’s find RealityStep.”
If the initial transition to virtual space had been unsettling, what came next was a sensory onslaught. They were spawned into Infinity NexUs with a rush, as though their bodies had been completely remade. A wave of warmth washed over them, followed by a strange tingling sensation as the air around them buzzed with energy.
Rosa and Selina’s senses were engulfed in a wash of vibrant lights and sounds as they found themselves within Infinity NexUs’s bustling shopping district. The place glittered with hues that stretched across the spectrum and beyond, every colour rendered in blindingly sharp contrast as if each shade held its own unique energy.
Above them loomed towering skyscrapers, their glassy facades and chrome edges reflecting thousands of iridescent neon signs that advertised everything from rare artefacts to the latest in luxury fashion. Colossal digital screens played out endless loops of advertisements, their visuals as crisp and surreal as any film.
The variety of storefronts was staggering, each stall or shop a doorway into its own theme. Some storefronts were embedded in ancient stone archways, adorned with vines and arcane symbols, while others floated in midair, enclosed in transparent, crystalline tanks that held an entire mini-world within. Hovering around were avatars in every imaginable form: neon-skinned humanoids, bulky robots with holographic faces, animals and half-animals of every shape and size, and plenty of creatures that looked as if they’d walked straight out of a myth. Each avatar was as unique as the shopper it represented, many with their colours chameleon-shifting to match their surroundings as they moved.
“I’m beginning to feel distinctly underdressed,” Selina commented, glancing around with a mix of amusement and curiosity.
Infinity NexUs was divided into various themed districts, a cross between a fantasy realm and a futuristic metropolis. They found a ‘you are here’ information screen near the spawning point of the main plaza and tried to locate RealityStep. Overhead, various drones zipped around, announcing deals and upcoming events in upbeat, digitised tones that added to the chaotic charm, whilst shoppers flew in aerial taxis and Web-gondola.
The plaza itself heaved with activity. Giant holographic maps rotated above, marking routes to popular stores and showing the entrances to even more exclusive zones - accessible only by avatars with the right status. Everything seemed to pulse with life, from the flickering reflections in the glassy streets to the avatars chattering and bartering with vendors. Rosa scowled, feeling the pull of the tide drawing the crowds in currents where reality and imagination blurred together, and any possible desire could be fulfilled with a simple click. For a moment, she paused, taking it all in with disapproval, realising that Infinity NexUs lived up to its reputation: a world of limitless experiences, as immersive as any dream, yet exhilaratingly real.
Then they saw him.
Reflected in the virtual smart advertising glass of a trawler bar, a dark form crouched across the street, stark against the backdrop of vibrant neon hues, rough crest erect above his heavy brow. The black Sulawesi macaque stared at them, his glossy fur gleaming with a surreal vibrancy that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. His small stature belied the intensity of his presence.
Ro stood stock still, poised like a statue, his fierce amber eyes cutting through the digital haze, sharp and piercing, locking onto Rosa and Selina with an unsettling clarity.
“Rosa…” Selina’s voice dropped to a whisper as she spun to look at him. “Is that…?”
The macaque stood, chest rising and falling defiantly. His raw, visceral reality in the digital landscape surrounding him was shocking. This creature, with his primal instincts and wild essence, felt entirely out of place amid the gleaming constructs of Infinity NexUs and yet so utterly at home. No one paid him the slightest attention.
“How?” Rosa gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. The implications crashed over her like a tidal wave. “He’s… he’s here.”
Selina nodded, a mixture of disbelief and awe written over her features. There was something almost sacred in that moment.
The black monkey crossed the street, his intense amber eyes locked onto them, not with the curious innocence of an ordinary macaque but with something almost… calculative. His gaze swept over them, pausing momentarily on their flashy outfits as if assessing their choices with a kind of quiet judgement, and then returning to meet Rosa’s eyes with a twinkle of recognition.
The two women exchanged a look; the creature seemed to be… sizing them up. His eyes shifted back and forth between them in a way that made Rosa feel oddly self-conscious, as though he saw through her avatar’s digital finery to the woman beneath.
“Is it just me, or does he look like he’s about to critique our outfit choices?” Selina whispered, her voice tinged with awe and amusement.
Rowan’s face creased slightly, and in a moment of eerie clarity, he raised one hand, motioning them to follow. The fluidity and intention behind his movement startled Rosa; there was no mistaking it - Rowan wasn't simply present; he was aware, engaged, even purposeful. As he turned and began to move down one of the digital alleys, Rosa and Selina hurried to keep up, feeling like they'd stepped into an entirely new game where Rowan, somehow, held the dice.