A headset, hiding behind boxes of useless items, and blanketed by the thin layer of dust sat just out of arms reach. Despite this unfortunate placement Hakeem, a young black male sporting a blue hoodie with strips and red accents, continued on, this time rearranging the tower of boxes between him and the device. Dislocating his shoulder, ever so slightly, his hand finally grasped the fruits of his mild labors. Able to relax he laid on the floor, taking a much-needed breather.

After getting back up he fixed the closet housing the boxes, went into his kitchen, and took to removing the layer of dirt and grime collecting on the headset by mixing chemicals together. The condition after being cleaned was noticeably better than before, a slight shine could be seen if one looked hard enough. Wrapped within a towel to absorb any excess water it was left on the kitchen counter for a period of time. Taking the initiative Hakeem decided to prepare his PC by connecting wires, running programs for troubleshooting, and cleaning the general area around it. 

Minimizing his current tabs to then begin another application titled "Fallen Arc 2: Online." Sitting down to face the monitor he navigated a startup screen where he customized rudimentary presets, such as play style and video contrast. Continuing on he reached a sign-in screen; Username-Email/Password, or Create New Account. Pressing 'Create New Account' he proceeded to provide a Username "RippingTide," and a Password for the new account. 'Link Email/Phone Number' was the next portion he needed to fill out. Forced to only provide one he chose email, phone numbers were too personal to give away. 'Error: This Email has already been registered to an account. Try logging in!'

- Hakeem: "That doesn't make sense, the account should've been deleted a long time ago?" Backtracking to the login page he vigilantly attempted to crack into his account. Long latent thoughts were reinvigorated as he racked his mind. "I don't do hard passwords, it'll have something to do with the game itself... '********ctiC7' that has to be it." 

The password was correct, though it was his fourth attempt at it. He then quickly moved through the starting interface, breezing through Terms of Service and technical jargon, to finally reach the start screen. 'Would you like to create a new character, or continue with your previous save..?' Surprised by the text before him he took time to weigh the options given. 

- Hakeem: "So my character wasn't deleted, Gray will definitely be jealous. Losing a level 34 account? Shit, I'd be mad too." As he said this the mouse on his screen moved to the right, arriving past the boundary of the display.

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A blank monitor, having just been powered on, housed the cursor. Booting up, windows pooling with tabs everywhere, Hakeem sent a message to an account by the name 'DarkGraySpectacle,' "I found my headset! it was behind some boxes. I logged in and apparently my old account and character still exist. Should I make a new character?"

After waiting for a bit the ding of response rang out, "If you're telling the truth then you've got a unique account on your hands; weren't you like level 14? I'd use the old save cause you won't need to spend time going through the tutorials (they're trash/a waste). Anyways, I'll hop on in a day or two. Talk more then ✌️" A green status symbol quickly changed to black, indicating the application being closed on Gray's end. 

In response to the message he shook his head, a slight smirk gracing his lips. Moving the cursor back to the left screen he clicked 'Continue With Previous Character,' as instructed by Gray. A synopsis of the character 'Leek' popped up after waiting through a minimal loading screen. Stats/Investments, Equipment, Skills/Special Skills, Backstory, and more were briefed in sections, providing in meticulous detail every aspect of the character Leek.

- Hakeem: "Was the game always this overkill, aside from the basic game ideas none of these ring a bell to me. 'Stat Bias: N/A' does that mean I have no specialties in my character? I'm level 12 though, I must have all my stat points as uninvested." As he continued to skim through each section one somewhat caught his eye. 'Current Location: Rustling Reeds (3).'

Wondering what the 3 beside the name meant, and dwelling on it momentarily he clicked the final start button. A non-interactive prompt popped up. 'Dive Into Fallen Arc 2: Online With Any Full Stream Headset, And Let Your Mind Run Free! *Put Your Headset On To Begin!*' Changing places from the rigid chair to a cushioned beanbag, grabbing the device on his way, Hakeem sat down and took a deep breath. 

Pulling the headset over his head, he clicked a button on the side. His body sank into the seat as his muscles relaxed, and facial expressions went blank. Seeping into the immediate surroundings a gentle glow emanated from the device's screen. The harsh light from the computer monitor faded, as did the prompt it read...

A.I: "Welcome Back, And Welcome! Your Last Login Date Was 8.9.28, Before Fallen Arc 2: Online Was Released!.. Knowing Your last Experience Will Be A Tad Different Than What's To Come We Recommend Going Through Our Basic U.I., Controls, and Gameplay Tutorials!" The still air crumbled as these words came from the direction of Hakeem's thoughts, disguising themselves as his own but to no avail. 

Hakeem: "Gray said to skip the tutorials, so I'll do that. 'No, Skip Tutorials.' I swear he better be right on that!" This voice representing Hakeem's disembodied self spoke, its thoughts just as loud as the words given in response.

A.I: "Okay! Since You Wish To Proceed We'll Hold You No Longer. The Vast World Of Fallen Arc 2: Online Awaits You, And Your Choices! Good Luck On Your Adventures... 'Leek'." A chime rang out as these words flew forward, consuming Leek's mind at breakneck speed. Suddenly overstimulated the mind fell unconscious, fading into whatever that looks like.