Hey guys! Kinda new at this, if you find anything wrong with the text just post a comment :)
This is the first chapter, just an introduction to the story so i hope not to have to edit in the future, but who knows... tell me if you liked it ^^
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. B was turning his office chair around and around attempting to get dizzy, when he was interrupted by a knock on the door.
-Come in!
-Sir, I bring the last results from the pre-launch diagnosis… among others.
-Give me, give me. Anything to see it to launching date!
His secretary, a skinny man with large bright brown eyes to young in his old and wrinkled face, deposits a stack of papers in front of Mr. B.
-Wa...whaat?! I though these were the last results how come there is so much paper? How can I read all this before tomorrow?
The secretary lets out a sigh.
-If you would prefer Sir I could resume go through them for you, I have already an idea about what they are about.
-Well, take a sit them… this one! It says betas…
-Ah, yes, it appears some of the betas are showing strange changes in behaviour after experimenting the game, mostly two groups, those that have greatest progress have become more energetic in real life, and get quite the obsession in training their body, and those that are unlucky and die multiple times in a short amount of time, appear to have an increased amount of accumulated stress, it doesn’t seem significant in a short period of time, but the counselling team is worried about later consequences.
-Hmm, leave aside the extra healthy ones, a bit more motivation for exercise won’t do them bad, most of them were neets when they joined the program, but the stress worries me…
-The technical team proposes that we should increase the restorative time, post mortem, plus in most severe cases the introduction to a counselling program. You can find the document to sign in annex to the report.
-Yes...yes… Can they do it before the launch?
-Sure, and if not, it can go as a patch to be installed next time the user attempts to connect to the game.
-Good, about this one… the site for the 8th gate, is it not yet dealt with? How many papers did I sign related to this one already?
-Well one of the landlords is making it hard for us. We moved the workers to soon, now he knows we need to buy his land or waste all money already spent on construction.
-Damm, pay him as much as he wants, we really need that site.
Mr. B hastily signs the document without even counting the extraordinary number of zeros.
-This one? Aha! The capsule… is it ready?
-They are doing a last check up on it, just to be safe. But last two times it showed all green, so I would guess you can have it installed as soon as they are finished. Just need to know where…?
Before the secretary finishes Mr. B already is rummaging through his drawers till he finds an old looking business card and a key.
-Take it to this location. Wait for the shop owner to leave and have your men discretely install it.
-Yes sir.
-About the rest of them?
-Mostly statistics from many sources, a document detailing the results obtained in the stress test, which went better than expected, and proposals from the media for after launch rights to show in game footage on future events and such…
-------------
It happened when Joshua was coming back from the market, after buying some ingredients for lunch, a van with a rabbit wizard as logo, on the side, was parked in front of his shop, strange men going in and out with boxes.
“What?!”
Picking is cell phone from the pocket Joshua starts dealing the police, but stops when he notices something strange:
“Which kind of thief would rob a shop in is work uniform.”
For that was what appeared to be happening, the men going in and out were wearing uniforms with the same logo from the van, and unless thieves now had organizations called Mr. B’s DreamWorld, then this guys weren’t thieves.
“Yet what are they doing? Going in and out of my home? Better, how did they get the key?”
Opening the camera app on his cell, Joshua takes half a dozen pics, just in case, and then avoiding their eyes enters the side alley and puts his body against the wall, trying to listen to what they were commenting.
-Guys ASAP, I swear he must be coming back soon. - Van driver.
-Calm down Fred, it’s already running the diagnosis, as soon as it tell us everything is ok we are out.
Shouts a voice from the window of the second floor where Joshua’s bedroom should be located.
-What’s so special about this capsule that you guys have both to be there? And why does the boss want this done in secret? – Van Driver.
-Well this capsule has a bit more software, filters and stuff. I am guessing some the user has some kind of limitation. That or the boss is giving him some good things when he dives. – New voice also from upstairs.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
-Could there had been a contest and this guy won something? – First voice from upstairs.
-Maybe but I heard nothing about it. – Second voice.
-Guys!! It’s been an hour, the guy couldn’t have gone far on foot! – Van driver.
-Hai, hay. –Second voice.
-Ok, Fred it’s done, all green, let’s clean the house and leave. – First voice.
Ten minutes later.
Joshua opens the door and inspects the shop floor, everything is in place, and the cash register seems to be intact. He climbs up the stairs, and goes around the living quarters, same has the shop, except for his bedroom.
“What a… what’s that machine?”
Instead of a bed there was a huge egg like machine in the middle of the room, curiously Joshua approaches and extends his hand to touch it, only to push it back on reflex as sson as he receives am electric shock.
-Pshhhh…
The egg like machine crack in the middle and the top rotates opening the crack enough to reveal a comfortable looking sit on the interior, where rests a black envelope.
Carefully now, observing the machine for any signs that it wouldn’t close on him, Joshua once again extends his arm reaching for the envelop. Once it is in his hands he reaps one of the sides and take the contents.
His eyes widen as he reads the words written on the single piece of A4 paper, he took from the envelope.
To Joshua,
Hey, kid I hope you didn’t forget our last encounter, 3 years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised, many in lighter situations, choose to forget. Anyway I hope you appreciate my gift, it’s in response to the question you asked me at the time. So take a sit and play the game.
Mr. B.
Three years Joshua had been in an incident that caused most of his family’s death, only Joshua and his sister had survived, although his sister was now missing, she had been transported to another place, world.
“At least that is what that strange guy said. A question? Who is Mr. B.? Could it be? How did that guy say he was called again? Never mind it says this thing is involved, I got to find her! How does this work? I just sit? ”
Thinks Joshua inspecting the interior of the capsule. Eventually sitting onto position.
With another “Pssshhh” the top merges with the bottom leaving the boy in complete darkness. For a moment Joshua gets scared that he had been tricked, after al couldn’t they have come for him, to tie up loose ends…
“But he said they were gone and wouldn’t bother me ever again…”
His head starts to hurt as his fear triggers the memories of time he attempted to put in the back of his mind and forget, never to be successful. The cries of his parents, the gastly face of his best friend’s mutilated body, the look of terror on his sister as she was dragged to into the darkness.
Suddenly light shines on his eyes and a voice interrupts his thoughts:
Welcome to DreamWorld
Your biometric scan isn’t in the records.
Initializing avatar creation process.
Please voice your name:
It is recommended use of a nickname.
Feeling a bit lost due to his previous thoughts, Joshua says the only thing that came to mind, the name a mythological bird that his mother used to tell him.
-Phoenix.
Please confirm: your nickname is Phoenix?
Yes || No
-Y…wait…no.
“Calm do Joshua, think this through, Phoenix seems kind of feminine… And you do not want any1 calling you birdbrain… another name… but I like the dam bird, it reminds me of my mother… oh, I know!”
-Nickname is Felix!
Please confirm: your nickname is Felix?
Yes || No
-Yes!
By default your genre is male.
Do you wish to change?
Yes (female, neutral) || No
Have in attention that your choice might limit the number of species you might have access in the future.
-No.
Currently only two choices are available in regards to species/race.
Human || Unknown
Beware in mind that during your game time due to choices made race might be subject to changes.
“Unknown? If I choose this one would I become like them? Have a beast like form? Dam some of them looked distasteful… This if this game really is related…”
-Please clarify Unknown.
Based on the scan results a new species or race from an existing one is created to the benefit of the user, this avatar will be less influenced by physical changes during gameplay.
“Well it’s not like I can say I am human any longer, not after what happened.”
-Unknown.
Please confirm: Do you choose Unknown species?
Yes || No
-Yes.
Due to Unknown species your avatar you are unable to customize your avatar.
Now commencing transference to City of Seasons.
Enjoy your game!