Solomon logged off from the game he had been playing - Immortals of the Skies.
He had been playing since its release one year ago. In the one year he had been playing, he had risen to become one of the strongest characters on his server. Of course, there were plenty of people who could probably beat him, but he would always be sure to cover his tracts. 'Til this day, Solomon's character- Sky Master Solomon- had only died once. He blames that tarnish to his record on not being familiar to fighting games.
Solomon floated through the Hub World, an empty white space which could be customized to the user's tastes. Solomon opted for the default white since he didn't spend much time in the Hub World anyways.
The Hub World was essentially the desktop on your laptop. From here, one could access their games, web browsers, and messages.
Solomon was surprised when he noticed he had been sent a message. He didn't have many people who messaged him through VR. If his friends needed to tell him something, they would text him or tell him in person.
He opened the message with a flick of his finger.
A crooked smile appeared on the side of his face when he read the message.
User 10052: You little brat! How dare you kill my character! Do you know how long it will take me to recover?! I SPENT 15 HOURS GRINDING FOR THAT SABER!!!! Why don't you meet me IRL?! I've got thousands of confirmed kills! I'm trained in actual martial arts! You won't be so arrogant if I meet you in person!
Solomon realized the message was sent by Saber King Matthew. The dignified Saber King turned out to be a rager... Did such people still exist?
"I thought these kinds of people only played MOBA's and Call of Duty...."
Solomon decided to amuse himself and sent back a reply.
HumbleHut: Peh! Who're you callin' a brat? For all you know, I could be 40! What are you? One of those hip grandpas? Sorry, but those yoga routines in the park aren't actual kung fu moves. If you wanna fight come get me! I'll beat you to a pulp old geezer!
Solomon was satisfied with his reply. This truly was a new age for internet trolls.
Solomon shut down his VR equipment and removed his head gear. When the equipment was taken off, a slightly tanned face was revealed. He had a small nose with a thin nose bridge. His eyes were dark a dark brown and were capped by equally dark brown brows. Solomon's face was clean shaven with no beard or mustache. He had wanted to grow his facial hair, but no matter what, the hairs would remain a length that was more disgusting than handsome, so he decided to shave it off completely.
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Solomon did not care much for flashy outfits or trends. He confidently kept his childhood bowl cut to this day, and he wore a simple gray shirt with black shorts.
After putting away the VR equipment, Solomon took a shower and changed into clothes that were slightly more acceptable in public.
If it weren't for his disinterest in fashion, he would definitely be considered good looking for his age.
Solomon left his house, hopped on his bike, and began travelling down the street. He was on his way toward his local youth center to get an hour for his weekly exercise.
Ever since he gained access to his own VR equipment, Solomon slowly become more and more introverted. It seemed that he was so introverted that it would affect his personality online, leading to the haughty personality Sky Master Solomon portrayed. the only times Solomon would interact with others would be at school or this youth center.
After thirty minutes of biking, Solomon arrived at his destination. Solomon quickly locked his bike and made his way inside.
"Ah, hello Solomon! The ping pong tables were just cleaned, so no one is there right now."
A female receptionist greeted Solomon when he entered. She seemed to be in her mid twenty's. She was pretty and gave off the "innocent" vibe. Solomon got acquainted with her over time, as he became a regular visitor when she began working.
Solomon shyly nodded to her in gratitude. The receptionist had figured out that Solomon preferred being alone, and would always help him find something he could do by himself.
Solomon made multiple twists and turns before he finally reached the ping pong tables. Truthfully, he had no idea how the game was played. All he new was that it was an easy way to fill up exercise hours. There would be no intense movements as long as you played casually.
The room was empty just as the receptionist had said. Solomon picked up a paddle and some balls, then he booted up an AI robot to be his partner. The robot looked just like a tin trash can with wheels. from its sides sprouted arms that could hold the paddles. Solomon was glad that he lived in an age that helped him to avoid human interaction.
Solomon set the robot to merely return his serves rather than to play an actual game with him. Solomon had spent his exercise hours like this for the past two years, with the only exception being when he came with his few friends.
He kept at his monotonous task for the next hour, enjoying the rhythm of the ball hitting the paddles and table.
Pik
Pok
Pik
Pok
Once his alarm went off, informing him that the hour was over, he returned the room to how he had found it.
Solomon made his way back to the receptionist to update his hours before finally leaving the building.
The sun was already setting and the sky was turning a comforting orange.
As Solomon rode his bike back home, he took in the world around him.
This was the atmosphere he liked best in reality. The atmosphere when all of your senses were stimulated. The whizzing of wind on your body as you cut through the air on a bike, the warmth on the body turning cold as the sun sets, the changing of the sky's color as thoughts race through your mind, the smell of the food stalls following the breeze toward your nose, and the dull ambiance of the world all around.
Although many would look at Solomon's daily routine as dull, no matter what, Solomon didn't want to miss out on moments like these where one could feel at peace.