“Alright, alright! Stop the chattering!” The nurse shouted as he ushered the noisy crowd of elderly and disabled people into a room, closing the door and following them into the large white space.

The flow of sickly people ceased talking slowly stopped in front of a handsome young boy laying on top of a white hospital bed. Each of them had a look of quiet anticipation on their faces and even the normally angry usher had a glint of excitement in his eyes.

The boy opened his eyes and smiled casually at the group of people that had gathered in front of him.

“Hey guys,” he lifted one of his hands and gave a friendly wave to the group, their head perking up at his gesture, “It seems like I can't avoid the lunchtime crowd once again.”

he put his hand down and lifted his body into a comfortable resting position, laying both of the stumps that served as his legs onto the gentle padding of the bed and firmly resting his bottom on his mattress, letting his back fall calmly into the fluffed pillows lying behind him. Although this simple act had once been a challenge for the boy, years of experience meant that he didn't even have to accept the ushers helping hand to lift himself off the bed. He noticed that the people were still gazing at him. He could see the pity hidden within their eyes as they saw him lift himself up and he sighed inwardly.

“What are we all looking at?” he swept his arms in a grand arc and smiled, emphasising his body and presence, “Is there someone famous over here or are we all just so lonely that our lunches have to be spent looking at this magnificent hunk of flesh I call a body?” his smile widened into a grin as the people around him began to laugh and the sadness they had felt was unconsciously swept away from them, replaced with feelings of laughter and happiness.

“Well I know why you're all in here.” The boy reached his hands behind his pillows and when he took them out again there was a large and battered guitar in his hands, “I, the great Maximillian Silver, rock star of hospital room one-three-seven B will gladly play a ballad for you.”

He swept his eyes over the elderly woman in the crowd,each old enough to be his grandmother, “This one is dedicated to all the pretty ladies in the room. Each of you are free to call me by my nickname, Max. But please save the autographs into after the show.” the elderly woman all giggled gleefully but Max had already put all of his intention into the guitar in his hands, “This song is an original composition, I call it Bubbles.”

As soon as Max spoke his fingers moved over the strings of the guitar and started to play the tune they had been practising to play all week.

A gay jingle with jumpy rhythm, it was the kind that was sounded like it would be played in an olden time bar or a pirate ship. It started fast with a hint of happiness and the elderly people couldn't help but sigh and remember their younger years, when their music was played on the streets with guitars instead of on the radio. Then the song quietened, keeping the pace but more steady, the type of tune you could dance to easily, Max swung his head to get some of his long black hair out of his eyes and saw that several of the group had already begun to dance, moving slower than the music but a dance nonetheless. Finally he started to quicken the music again, his fingers blurring as they moved from string to string on the guitar, but instead of being the type of sea-side shanty it had been before, he mixed a bit of a spanish tango feel into it, so that the group could continue dancing without much hassle. Finally he stopped playing, the song finished.

“Sonny boy if I had a beer I would raise it in appreciation right now.”

Max poked his tongue out playfully at the man that had entered his hearing range, an elderly guy.

“Albert I think you already spent your money paying for those great dancing skills I saw you breaking out a few seconds ago.” The elderly man blushed and Max laughed gaily, “And i'll have you know they'll help you a lot more with the women than a beer belly ever would.”

Albert nodded at Max's words, “Those are wise words for your age lad,” he suddenly looked back at the still giggling elderly woman surrounding Max's bed, “N-not that I need your help sonny boy. I'll have you know I was quite the heartbreaker in my prime. Why when I was in the army-”

“Oh cmon guys time to go, Alberts breaking out into another war story!”

A groan broke out from the gathered group and Alberts face grew even redder than it previously had been, “Now now, I was just saying that when I was in the army I had to leave a lot of broken hearts behind. Its not everyday you found someone with as much courage as me.” At his words Albert puffed out his cheeks and lifted his small chest into the air, the slight bulge of muscle against his white t-shirt being the only testament of the man he had been in his prime.

“Well I for one will never get used to being able to see a real life war hero in front of me every day,” The small crowd hushed as soon as Max begun speaking, “Besides I think some of you have been in here for ten years, thank god I still haven't had the time to get used to it!”

The group of people broke out into laughter again and even Albert joined in, his pride rekindled by Max's words.

“Alright guys, I think we've bothered Max enough and now its really time to go.” The patients started booing as soon as they heard the nurses words but he gave them a half hearted glare and silently they begun to flood out of hospital room 137B, “Thanks for letting them bother you again Max.”

Max shrugged and gave him a small wave goodbye, “It's my pleasure, bringing smiles to peoples faces once a week is more than I’ve ever done before. It frees the spirit you know!”

The nurse smiled at his kind words and turned to exit the door, “What are you all looking at!” He suddenly put on his intimidating aura as he saw the group of people with happy tears in their eyes from Max's words.

“He's such a gentleman, I wish my grandson were like that!”

“Why if only I were a few years younger I’d suggest promiscuous things that would make your ears go red!”

The elderly women kindly heckled Max as they were pushed further and further away from the room, finally clearing the door so that the nurse could shut it firmly. The moment he was out of sight Max's shoulders hunched and he slumped over, sighing and putting his arm over his eyes to block the light of the bulb which was hanging over him. The confidence and happiness that had pervaded the room only moments before seemed to leave no trace as a sadness replaced it. He looked down at the stumps that ended right below where his knees used to be.

“God damn, I wish I had legs.”

“Hold your head up legless. It's not like you haven't done anything in your life,” Max wearily looked up and found that he was looking into a pair of light blue eyes, “I loved you in Lord of the Rings.”

“Oh ha-ha Maxi.” Max put his hands on his stomach to mimic laughter, “You should go into stand up comedy sometime.”

At the edge of Max's bed a girl was sitting down and staring at him. With her wavy blonde hair and light blue eyes she could pass for Max's twin sister, they even looked the same age. At his words her eyes lit up and she smiled, “You're right, I totally should! You can join me, we'd be Max and Maxi the comedy duo!”

Max smiled at Maxi's enthusiasm but it quickly disappeared, “I'll have to take you up on that offer another time, my comedy is gold but I think the standing up part is the hardest.” He pointed down to his leg stumps and Maxi pouted, her pearly white skin reddening as the air pushed her cheeks out.

“At least you're not stuck in somebodies head. It gets real messy in here sometimes, not to mention your lack of porn means I have to see some pretty horrible stuff. I'm a woman and you should treat with the respect I deserve!”

“It's not like I asked you to be in here,” Max smiled at the girl that had been with him all of his life, “Besides, I think you enjoy my company more than you let on, at least you get to see my magnificent body twenty four hours a day. I'd pay to be in your shoes.”

“Oh, a shoe joke. I see you and Maxi are getting along fine.”

Two heads of blonde hair bobbed as Max and Maxi looked at the newcomer that had snuck in while they were bickering. A man of around forty was gazing at them from behind a pair of glasses with rims far too wide for him. His white coat denoted his position as a doctor of the hospital. Max immediately straightened his back and the confidence he displayed before was back. Maxi rolled her eyes at his display.

“She's fine Doc Martin, complaining about the fact that I'm a simple plebian and not a humble prince like she wants me to be.”

“Mmm,” The doctor's hand twitched slightly as he wrote down everything Max said on a piece of paper, his pen interrupting itself every few seconds to cross out words and write new ones.

“You know,” Maxi looked over at Mx and her blue eyes glittered with suspense, “I think you should tell the doctor that I can see his teddy bear underwear. It's really a fine testament to the olden time kiddy style but I don't think it suits his brown eyes and black hair.”

Max brushed his hands in the air to wave her away from him, “I am definitely not telling him that.”

“Plus look at you,” Max pointed to Doctor Martin, “You already know I’m crazy enough that you don't need to hear what Maxi's telling you right?”

“Multiple personalities are fairly common Mr Silver, I don't think you crazy nor do I believe you to be any bother. After all, that's why you're here, but indeed I would like to hear what Maxi has said. But perhaps that can come later.”

“He talks really weirdly don't you think?” Maxi whispered conspiratorially to Max, “Its like he's trying to sound smart but we're just getting confused instead of impressed.”

Max smiled at the girl but most of his attention had been turned to the Doctor, after all, he was real while she wasn't.

“It is indeed a rare case where you can talk to your other personality Mr Silver. But that is not why I’m here today. I'm here to offer you a simple solution to a problem you've been plagued with for a while.”

Maxi lifted a slender leg and pointed her toes at the doctor while rolling her eyes, “Tell him to spit it out already, the suspense has already fizzled and died.”

“We are trying a new type of therapy so that you will be able to feel like you've got legs again.”

“Say what!-” before Maxi could talk Max had already butt in, a look of excitement crossing over his features.

“-Well, I don't want to get your hopes up too high. You wont be able to get your legs back or anything,” a small pang of emotional pain flushed over Max's face, “I'm sorry, but while we can;t give you new legs, we can offer the next best thing. Virtual reality Mr Silver. The latest technology to hit the market. A completely new world for you, legs and all, you will stay yourself but you wont be confined to this hospital.” The look on the Doctor Martin's face softened as he saw the smile completely disappear from Max's face. He had been Max's doctor for years and knew that the boy was in a lot more pain than he ever showed.

“I know all about virtual reality, I still have the internet doc. And I also know how much it costs. My family wont be able to afford something like this.”

Doctor Martin coughed and brushed his hand over his mouth. From her position in the room Maxi could see that the man was barely covering a smile and a small feeling of hope spread over her.

“Well you see, there are many applications for virtual reality technologies. One of the most advanced and profitable ways virtual reality technology is used is in video games. Entire virtual worlds which people can enter and play in.”

“Get to the point doc.” Even while saddened Max new that the doctor wouldn't be talking this much unless the information somehow affected him.

“Erm,” The doctor coughed and wrote some more notes, “My point is that the hospital has been given leave to use several 'virtual reality capsules' by the OmniGame Corporation to give to patients to play their latest virtual reality game, Glorious Morning. And the board has opted to allow them to be used by patients as a form of rehabilitation. Something perfect for someone that not only wants to walk again but is also plagued by a second person in their mind.”

“Give them to the elderly,” The words were out of Max's mouth before doctor Martin had even finished talking. “I dropped some water on myself earlier and I swear it turned into steam. What I’m trying to say is that I’m still young and my bodies hot enough to evaporate liquid.” Max thought about what he had read on virtual reality capsules. About how they could connect your mind to a completely new world where your body would be whole and you wouldn't have to feel worldly pains such as fatigue and worn muscles, “I've heard that in virtual reality the elderly wont feel the wear of all their years. I'll probably gain my legs back but there's a big difference between me selfishly walking while they would get their youth back. Some of them have legs and even I can walk better than them.”

Doctor Martin smiled at Max's words, “I told the board that you would say the exact same thing and they agreed with me. However,” the doctor pulled out the notepad he had been writing on and handed it to Max who stared in confusion at the list of names written down on the paper in different styles of handwriting, “The patients also agreed with us and in retaliation against you they signed this notepad with their names. I think you'll find what they had to say quite enlightening.”

The doctor looked down at Max and saw that he was intently reading the notepad with tears glimmering at the edges of eyes. Names upon names had been written on the paper and as he reach the last name he saw that it had a message attached.

-Dear sonny boy, I'll kick your ass so hard you'll wish you had legs so that you never had to sit down on it again.- Albert.

“Sheesh,” Max crumpled the paper and felt his tears falling onto the exposed skin of his leg stumps, “You guys...” Max couldn't even speak as the tears continued to flow from his eyes and emotions swirled inside him and threatened to spill out in gurgles and coughs from his throat.

“Well,” Doctor martin had given Max a moments rest but then looked down at the crying boy, “Since that water is clearly still there, how about we get you cleaned up and showered and then,” A smile crossed his face, “I'll take you to your new virtual reality capsule.”

Max gave the doctor a watery smile, his will to fight against the decision all but gone. He knew that there was no fighting against the elderly and sick in the hospital. He had never been able to. Max looked at the girl sitting at the edge of his bed, Maxi, and she immediately looked away, the glistening of tears sparkling her cheeks as well.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“What are you looking at, an innocent and precious lady like me needs to have her privacy sometimes!”

Max smiled and looked back at the doctor.

“You know what. I think I could go for a video game or two right now.”

****

[The scan on your iris and vein has determined that you are an unregistered user. Do you want to create a new account?]

Max looked around at his surroundings. Although he had heard many impressive things about virtual reality technology he had never experienced it before. He was standing in the middle of a black expanse, lit only by numerous stars that seemed scattered across the sky just like in real life.

“You know, you just thought about how you're standing in a black expanse. What's an expanse anyway mister fancy pants?”

Mac groaned as a familiar female voice filled the air and looked down from where it originated. Maxi was laying on her stomach with her feet cross in the air behind her, grinning and starring down at Max's legs.

“Legs!!” Max's eyes widened as he realised what Maxi had meant before. As fluidly as moving in real life he bent down and started rubbing his hands over every part of his newly generated legs, looking just like they had in real life back when he remembered them. No tears fell from face this time since he had been prepared for what he was going to experience but it was still a sight for sore eyes. He was wearing a casual white shirt and some black tracksuit pants but his feet were bare so he stood there and soaked in the sight for a few minutes.

[The scan on your iris and vein has determined that you are an unregistered user. Do you want to create a new account?]

the distinctly feminine voice spoke again after Max hadn't responded for a while. He stopped rubbing his legs and looked up into the sky where the voice originated.

“Yeh, sure.”

Maxi waved her hand in the air as he spoke and he grasped it to help her stand up. Even if she was a figment of his imagination she had always acted like a real human.

[Select your user name]

“Alright, time to think of a fabulous name suited for a man with good feet, hmm.”

“How about Toes? Sounds good for a guy with a fetish like yours.” Maxi poked her tongue at him as he spoke out loud to himself.

[Selected name: Toes. Are you certain this is the name you want?]

“Y-you can hear me?”

Maxi's eyes turned as big as globes when she heard the feminine voice respond to her. It took a couple of seconds for this to register with Max as well and he looked in surprise at Maxi.

“Wait, she can hear you?”

[Affirmative. There is no error in communications. Selected name: Toes. Are you certain this is the name you want?]

“No!” To Max's surprise it was Maxi that had shouted at the feminine voice.

“Quick, Max.” Maxi looked at him with wide eyes, “We need to think of a ridiculously cool name for ourselves.”

“Um, don't you think its more important that we find out why this thing can hear you? Are you like a different person or something?” Max was still trying to take in this startling turn of events but Maxi waved her arms at him dismissively. She turned to face the sky again.

“Computer how many people are standing in front of you?”

[You are currently the only user in the login screen. Account User: Maximillian Silver.]

“So...” She turned back to face Max, “She can hear me but she still think we're the same person. So we have to think of a really good name.”

'What makes you think people will be able to hear you in the game?' The thought passed through Max's mind as quickly as it left it. He would never say something so mean to Maxi but the moment he thought it he saw Maxi's smile drop and instantly regretted it.

Max sighed as he viewed the saddened girl, “Go ahead, I always get to talk and be heard so its only fair that I give you the chance when you have it.”

Maxi's smile instantly brightened and she fluttered around the space while talking out loud, “Okay so you're a stuck up hospital patient that can play a bit of guitar. You also talk a lot of crap and stylise yourself as a rock star... and I’m a beautiful yet sarcastic blonde haired girl with a hint of innocence on the inside. I think we go with the name Hippy and Princess.”

Maxi looked at Max with an eager face but he frowned at her, “The comment about being stuck up aside, I am not naming this hunk of a body Princess. How about we replace Princess with something more appropriate, like Naughty.” Maxi grinned and put her thumbs up to indicate that she liked the name and Max shrugged “of course you like the name, I've known you all my life.”

[Selected name: Hippy and Naughty. Are you certain this is the name you want?]

“No,” Maxi looked surprised as Max interjected, “Naughty and Hippy.”

[User name Naughty and Hippy confirmed.]

[Select your gender from male, female or neutral]

“Male”

“Steady there cowboy!” Max turned to look at Maxi and she pointed her hands downward, “I'm one hundred percent girl down here.”

Max lifted his eyebrows in surprise. “You checked?”

“I think I would know if I was a girl or not dumbass.”

“Fine fine, so we'll go with neutral then?”

Maxi nodded and the computer confirmed their gender as neutral.

[Glorious Morning has twenty nine races. You may select your race from the primary twenty-nine races.]

A list of races  appeared in front of them. Max and Maxi looked at each other and grinned. He had his legs and she had someone acknowledge her existence so other than that they had no reason for any special sort of physical characteristics.

“Human.”

As soon as Maxi spoke two figures appeared in front of them.

[This is the avatar that will appear in game and which will be viewed by other players. Is this avatar acceptable?]

“Two of them??” Max looked at the figures in front of him, although the computer had only spoken as though there were one avatar there were two figures. One looked masculine and he easily saw that it was an exact replica of him.

However, the other one was distinctly feminine and looked exactly like Maxi!

“This is fine! This is super fine!”

Maxi was excitedly waving her arms in front of her avatar and running her fingers across its replicated hair.

[Your account has been activated. Your stats have been allocated to your avatar automatically. You are free to choose your class in game at level ten.]

“So it runs exactly like a normal RPG.” Max had played a ton of non-virtual reality games while stuck in the hospital all these years and with the exception of the virtual reality component this was elementary stuff for him which he had heard dozens of times before. Even Maxi looked bored as the computer started explaining the basic stats and things of the game and they ultimately just asked the computer to skip it.

[Select your starting continent and city.]

A list of names appeared in front of Max and Maxi but without knowing which continent had what the names held no real meaning for them. Maxi looked at Max and he nodded at her, a grin spreading across of her face as she turned to talk to the computer again.

“Random city please mademoiselle.”

[You have been placed on the continent of Faun and in the city of Saxa. Welcome to Glorious Morning. Would you like to take the tutorial?]

“Thank you darling. You have been most courteous to us.” Maxi spoke in a posh manner but a hint of worry underlined her voice. Max knew that she was thinking about whether or not she would get into the game. He walked up to her and put his hand around her, pleasantly surprised that it didn't fall through her body as it did in real life.

“Don't worry too much about it. If we've gotten this far then there's no reason you wont get further.”

“Worried? Who's worried?” Maxi looked at Max with a pompous smile, “A princess does not worry young Hippy. It gives me wrinkles.”

Max laughed at her words, “Sure, we'd love to take the tutorial.”

[Stats of the human race are; strength, agility, stamina, vitality, dexterity, intelligence and wisdom. 10 stat points have been allocated to each primary stat. You will begin the tutorial at the end of this message.]

As though the darkness had suddenly consumed the stars, the entire space was suddenly devoid of light and Max and Maxi both closed their eyes. When they opened them again they found that they were standing in a grassy meadow with the wind blowing calmly over their skin and clothes.

“Muhahaha, I see you finally made it. Took you long enough!”

You have encountered the sky buccaneer, Trinity. Try talking to her.

The pair looked up in surprise as messages popped up in front of them and then looked at each other in joy. The message had also popped up in front of Maxi as well. Maxi looked at the towering figure in front of her, an over two meter tall woman that looked as tough as nails and as tubby as a bathtub was standing in front of them smiling with crooked teeth. She was carrying a sword in a leather holster and every other part of her was also covered in leather which seemed to only exaggerate her bulging features.

Her hands were on her hips as though she were waiting for something and Max nodded at Maxi to talk to her, noting that the movement seemed as simple and easy as though it was being made with his real life body. It appeared that movement was a simple thing in virtual reality. He had had no idea that technology had come this far while he had been living in the hospital.

“Well hello there gorgeous,” Maxi grinned at Trinity, “My names Naughty, and this is Hippy standing next to me.” She stuck a thumb out to Hippy to emphasise her point.

“Wow that's trippy me laddies. I’ve come across a lot of things in my lifetime but it looks like you have two bodies. Are you sure you're a human?” Trinity looked in confusion at the both of them and smiled as she saw them both grinning widely at each other, “But never mind that children. Both of you come with me. I've got to teach you the ways of this world but there's only one thing you have to know. And that's how to fight!'”

Success! Buccaneer Trinity is walking to your next destination, walk alongside her.

Trinity had already started walking across the meadow and Naughty and Hippy had to walk quickly to catch up with her stride. Each one of her legs looked like they weighed as much as the both of them but she still walked twice as fast as they could.

“Ouch.”

Naughty looked back and saw that Hippy had fallen onto the ground, “You okay Hippy?”

“Yeh yeh, just a bit rusty is all.”

Hippy laughed as he spoke. It had been only a few hours before when the doctor had come into his office and he thought that he might never walk again. His parents had never been able to afford a set of new legs. Besides, they had all but abandoned him in that hospital to live out his life as an amputee with mental trauma.

“Cmon laddies!! I can't wait all day while you get over your sea legs.”

“Makes you wonder what such a large pirate is doing out on land,” Naughty whispered to Hippy as she helped him up, “Maybe she got chased out by whale hunters.”

As the pair walked up to Trinity she lifted her hand and they saw that a glowing blue ball of light about thirty centimetres long and wide was pulsating in the air above it.

“This here is a sea spirit, caught the little bugger when I had a ship. It's one of the most common critters you'll find in the world, whether it be land or sea. Try to kill this one. You don't have to worry, spirits never truly die, they always go back to their worlds and then come back another day as good as new. Take these to fight it.” Trinity took her swords out of their leather scabbards and handed one each to the players.

You have been given the beginner's sword by Trinity! Do you want to equip this sword? [Yes/No]

As the swords were placed into their hands they clicked yes to the message and equipped the weapons.

You have equipped the beginner's sword. Slay the baby water spirit.

The glowing ball of light suddenly started pulsating red and it moved towards the pair, Trinity also took a few steps back to give them room.

“So I just swing this yeh?” Naughty called out to Hippy and he shrugged, she was in an incredibly good mood and immediately swung at the large light. The sword passed through it and a glowing health bar appeared above its head, numbers indicating its maximum health and next to them a lower number indicating its current health. In one strike she had reduced it to almost half of its health.

“Basic stuff then,”

Hippy nodded his head and swung at the sea spirit, hitting and killing it easily. The spirit flew into the air and dispersed into small wisps of light which disappeared into the air.

“Well you two made it look easy! I'm sure you'll have a grand time in our world of Tala.”

“Tala.” Hippy and Naughty repeated the word on their tongues. It was the name of the world inside Glorious morning. They themselves were going to the continent of Faun this was only one of five continents they could visit. Each had its own lore but overall they all resided and held sway to the rules of the world of Tala.

“Well laddies, you know how to walk and talk and you can fight as well as the next man! Or woman! Or whatever you guys are.” Trinity looked at them curiously as she spoke. An ornate pink door with key decorations appeared behind her and she stepped aside as it opened, showing nothing that lay beyond except for a white light.

“So then, I wont stop you! Go through this door to enter into the world of Tala. Oh and by the way,” Naughty and Hippy looked at Trinity as they were about to pass through the door, “Those nasty whale hunters couldn't catch me no matter how many men they brought! Twas a husband and kids that brought me back to the land I was born in!” She winked at the pair and pushed them through the door with a large meaty hand.

“Goodwill and good hunting!”

With those final words of parting Max and Maxi, now known as Naughty and Hippy, entered the game Glorious Morning and the world of Tala.