"Hey, you wanna play?"

Friday.

The end of the work week. Not for you anyways. While Displo had said you were free to come in and work whenever you decided to at least do a few days on before a break. The job was easy anyway.

Today was going to be a bit different however. Tabi had given you an update on his and Agoti's meeting with the 'cat-boy hacker'. His name was Kapi and you'd never heard of him before. Apparently he had agreed to help out on the condition that his 'nemesis' be defeated.

Said nemesis seemed to be a hacker of their own, having somehow broken into a few separate arcade machines. When in he would display a threat to Kapi or other people in the arcade. Tabi had forwarded you a photo from one such message. Then on, Kapi's nemesis had singlehandedly smashed every high-score he had gotten. He went by the name 'Sonic' and Tabi added that it wasn't 'the' Sonic. You figure if it was the real Sonic it would have been news.

Tabi delivered the news late last night, long after you had finished work.

Back at Displo's you were there now. It was just you and Displo in the meeting room. He was sitting in front of TURINGS, scanning through the warning and address. You were leaning on the desk, standing beside him.

"It's a little unusual this 'hacker' is targeting exclusively arcade machines. I checked with our security teams and they have no knowledge of a hacker named Sonic."

Displo scrolled through. "According to the Flashpoint docs these cabinets aren't even connected to the internet in any meaningful way. All around this hacker is just strange."

Displo had the photo displayed on the computer screen. It was a threat to Kapi inserted right into the high scores table. Signed Sonic, it included a warning as well as a web-address where to find him.

After Kapi and Tabi's meeting another warning was finally put up. It was another threat. Sonic vowed he would keep breaking scores until Kapi agree to 'fight' him at some web-address. vrp://19910726.sonic.md. You had no idea what to make of it, never being much of a computer expert yourself.

"The streets are my office." You used to say.

Displo didn't know the specifics of the address. He had put in a call to the cyber security team at IRIS. One of their technicians was on the line, speaking through the computer.

"The address is strange. I can't seem to pinpoint exactly where this server is, what system it runs or any history from it. I've checked the usual places. VirusTotal, OTX, even pinging it. At most it appears to be some sort of 68000 machine but that also seems impossible. Nothing these days uses 68k. We use mostly ARM and x86. Maybe RISC-V but not 68k. It doesn't make any sense."

"What should we do?" You ask. You had no idea what he was talking about but it didn't sound good. Displo was listening attentively, choosing not to speak.

"Well, I'd just say be careful. My scans don't indicate any malware on the server. It appears to be provisioned, sandboxed and even read-only. So there's not much can jump out at you. It's probably safe, but again be careful." He paused. "The VRP means it's a VR world. I guess the worse that could happen is that whoever is there could hit you with seizing lights or explicit pictures. Long as you aren't epileptic it should be okay."

"Thank you for your help." Displo said.

"Aight. Y'all know where to reach me. Peace." The technician hung up.

"What do you think?" The whole thing seemed unusual to you.

"The mission seems do-able. I'm still not sure what Sonic means by fight. It's VR. He can't hurt you in any meaningful way." Displo shrugged. "Maybe it's a simple game he wants Kapi to play? Just a simple wager for the highest scores. I guess you best get to it."

"About that. You wouldn't happen to have a VR set around? I've never touched the stuff."

Displo sighed. "Well I don't suppose someone like you would. My, without me this operation would be dead on the vine."

"Hey, you're the smartest, most well-connected of any of us."

"Thank you. Compliments will go a long way. I could borrow a set from HQ, but it would take some time to arrive. Don't you have any allies back at the station? I'm sure they have something in evidence." Displo said, casually suggesting you steal one.

You weren't sure about allies in the station but you knew they had some back-end evidence sales.

"Hrm. I think we might. Is the TURINGS compatible?"

Displo nodded. "It should be."

"Alright." You get up. "I'll go see if I can commandeer one and we'll do this soon as I get back."

"Until then, (Y/N)."

A quick trip to the station later you got yourself a VR set. It took a bit of doing, as well as the chief asking lots of questions. You told him the PI business was on hold while you did security. You managed to avoid telling him what restaurant thanks to an intern barging in.

It didn't take much to get a VR set from the evidence room, the guard outright giving it to you. He complained the box took up too much space. It was a large set, one that required several cops to load it into your car.

Apparently someone had been arrested in possession of several beta builds of it. The evidence guard, happy it was gone even erased the report for it. For all they knew this VR set was never in police custody.

You read that the case was a year ago but it looked like nobody had bothered to actually return them to the company they were stolen from.

With the help of two other cops you were able to load it into your car. You also learned off the record that a few more rules were put into place as a result of you digging too deep into the family. Something about police no longer being allowed to go after "monetary benefactors" to the station.

Either way you were again glad you weren't working there anymore. Back at Displo's you and him unpacked the tools and set it up in the hideout. You only intended it to be a one-off thing so it wasn't set up with any professionalism.

"Where did you get this?" Displo asked. He slotted a metal piece into another.

"Evidence. Was in storage for a while."

"Couldn't have been too long. This is a recent model." The whole process to assemble was easy. Though there was no instruction guide it was obvious what piece fit into what.

"Yeah, like a year or something."

Displo looked at one of the pieces, the logo etched onto the metal catching his attention.

"TGG." Displo mumbled.

"Hmm?"

"It's the company this set belong to."

"You know 'em?"

"Vaguely. They are one of our competitors. Shouldn't be a problem though."

"They as close with our 'partners' as you guys are?" You ask in code.

Displo looked up, thinking. "I do not actually know their stance on them. They are fiercely...how should I say...anti-paranormal so I would assume so."

"Interesting." You mentally note that down. Maybe I could return it later and get in good favour with them. You think.

A few minutes later, and a little bit before the restaurant fully opened you and Displo had the set up done.

"Do you perhaps think I could take this off your hands after this?" Displo asked. You shrug. "Fine by me."

You had originally thought this to be just a headset and some controllers. You were wrong, it was actually the full package. It looked more like a futuristic pod than a set.

While the headset was there, there were a lot of additional tools such as sensors to feel things on the body, gloves and shoes. A card within the box read that it allows the user to fully immerse themselves in a 3D world. There was a table in the set followed by a hook hanging above it containing the set. It apparently allowed the user to lie down while simulating the feeling of VR (allowing them to walk around and feel).

A small pillow was even included.

It was a bit extra from what you were expecting but you were still curious.

"What do you think?" You ask Displo.

"It's a rather advanced set. I'm sure my superiors would love to take a look at this."

"Better them than me. Tell 'em it fell off a truck or something."

"Very good." Displo said, missing the joke. He plugged the set into TURINGS.

It lit up, LEDs on the table shining red faintly. It took a minute to orient itself and install the drivers. Once it was ready a small whirring sound was heard and the LEDs starting shining blue.

It was ready.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Displo took a seat at the computer and started fiddling with it. You go to look at the set and begin putting on the apparel. The wired gloves and boots felt slick but soft. You could tell there were sensors fitted on each.

"Okay. I am going to turn it on. Once in you should be able to navigate to the VR world yourself. I'm going to leave you alone while I handle the lunch rush." Displo finished inputting some settings on the computer.

"I'm afraid that today is a corporate retreat and we're expecting a lot of employees to come by. I won't be able to help you."

"Ehn, shouldn't be a problem."

"I'll be back in a few hours. According to the instructions you just need to put the headset on and it should start. You'll be able to enter the address yourself. Worst case scenario just remove the helmet."

"Okay. Thanks Displo."

"Best of luck (Y/N)."

"You too."

Displo nodded and left you alone, closing the door behind him.

You pull yourself onto the table and lie back. You place the headset on top of your eyes and ears, allowing it to take full view. It appears bright blue as it adjusts, eventually settling into the vision of an options menu. You move your arm up, unsure if it did in real life or just the set. Either way, it mimics your perceived actions. You lose track of feeling from the outside world as the virtual reality sets in.

You get up off the table, though in reality you haven't moved at all. It feels a bit jarring but you quickly get used to it. Looking around everything looks retro-futuristic. There were purple horizons in a light purple grid. The menu popped up in front of you.

Navigating through the menus you find the option to enter the address. Displo apparently already pre-programmed it in as a small paper on the ground displays it.

You enter it in.

vrp://19910726.sonic.md

It takes a few minutes to connect but afterwards you see all the ground fade and turn to a bright shade of green. Slowly but surely everything loads in. At first it is just a plain green field, blue horizon like in a dream but gradually structures begin to form in it.

A pop-up message displays "Sonic's World, HILL ACT 1". A light jingle was playing as well, giving the area some atmosphere.

You look around. It all appeared really cartoonish.

Above was a picturesque blue sky with just a touch of clouds. On the horizon you could see a vast ocean, water all pixelated. Further down the horizon were a series of mountains that were infinitely far away. Those were the most 'normal' looking things around.

The grass contained a green and darker green checkerboard pattern. It severed any implications this was real life. The rest of the world was and robotic. Standing in an open field. There were a few bushes around but like a lot of the scenery were blocky and rough. Even the green like the grass and leaves looked sharp. The whole bush looked more like a paper fan than a bush.

Everything was rasterized with large pixels making up all the objects and scenery. It was as if a 2D sprite had been thrust into 3D, giving it a blocky and sharp feel. You would have said it was if everything was made of Lego/Lepin blocks.

The sunflowers were comically large, sharp as well. There were a few totem poles present, spikes extruding from the sides of the tops. Checking around at least some of the flowers were normal, albeit heavily pixelated.

Other than the mountains the trees were the most normal things. Palm trees, though arcing straight up instead of angled. The leaves very slowly moved in the wind, glitching as they did. Nothing much had that of the scenery appeared to not be jagged. Only some of the landscape beyond had a more 'normal' appearance.

But despite the appearances it all felt real.

Even the ground felt real beneath your shoes. Looking over yourself you see that you were wearing the same clothes as when you were in reality. Even your brown trench coat was present, gun in holster. The program even recognized it as a gun, sort of. You carried a 9mm but the program seemed to have scanned it as a revolver. Checking the barrel it was fully loaded.

There wasn't any way you could be fooled. This was virtual reality.

But, despite the presence of nature there wasn't much in the way of any creatures, let alone Sonic. You spot some woodland creatures and robotic versions of them foraging around. If they've noticed you then didn't care as they did nothing upon your presence.

Figuring Sonic could just not have shone up yet you walk around. You take in the fresh air. The scent reminds you that it was still just VR as you pick up the scent of the hideout. A slight smell of various dishes emerging from the kitchen. Well, at least if the restaurant burns down I'll be able to tell.

While the field looked 'normal enough', the landscape beyond it was even more unusual. The land contorted into loops and huge rolling hills. In parts it completely warped and went high up in the air, far higher than a hill should. And far steeper too.

You shrug it off. This was supposed to be virtual reality anyways.

Before you could examine the scenery further a notification pops up in the bottom corner of your vision. You try to look at it but you find it moves when you look. It was part of the UI.

"VRP Pro-Tip #1: You can check your settings but looking down and activating your elbow! (you can disable these pop ups by s̷̡̙̺̙̯̠̤̟̖̆̇̇̋̃̄̂̋̽́̉̆͌͐͝ͅw̴̨̡̭̙̘̣̤͙̟͇̞͂̃͊̅́̔̽̈̇̂̚͜͠i̴̧̳͔̳͆p̵̰̰̮̫̞͐̋͜ͅi̸̧̢͈̥̯͓͛̃̒n̶̪̞̓̈̈̃g̵̢̻͕̉̿͌͛̌̋́̉͊͗̐̕ ̶̨̡̥̖͎̲͈̪̰͇̘͂̿͛͜ͅt̸̨̨̧̰̘̟̖̼͎̻̱̎̓̑́͌̊̽͂̂̓͘͜͝͠ͅh̵̢̰̼̖͎̮͓̥͈̱̱̤̊̇̀͐͛̚͜ę̷͙͕̥̯̬̤̥͍̞̞͓̆̐́́͊͆̍̊̃̓̆̒̔̕̚ ̸̛͚̪̲͆̿̓̋́̋͐́͘̕̚͝ḿ̵̧̱͙͇̺̳͇̺͓͉̪͚͒͘͝ͅę̵̩̝̝̝̫̙̼̳̝͈̦͐̈͑̾́̊́͜͜͝n̷̢͖̼̣͇͕̗̠̓̌͂͒͌̆u̵͍̾̈́̒̃̄̓̂̆͆̕ ̵̧̙̖̭̮̄̆͋̓̉̃͗͒͒̑́̄͒̕͜͝ä̶̬́͂̓̾͘͝w̷̧̱̑͑̌̀̈́̒͝a̵͓̫̒̊͂̃̅́̇̿̀̃̃́͘̕̕y̸̰͓̳̻̪͕̙͚̘̺̝̞̓̒͆͑̾̕͝)"

The message cut out.

Must be because this is a beta model. You think regarding the distorted text.

You look at your wrist, pressing it like a button. A gauntlet forms onto it and a menu pops up. You look through various options before putting it away.

Where was Sonic anyways? You were expecting more of a welcome than this. You continue walking around, curious as to how that loop in the landscape functioned.

While walking to it you notice something on the ground contrasting with the rest of the scenery. It stood right out.

It was a...doll? You pick it up.

It was a doll of Tails, someone you knew was part of Sonic's crew. It was a cartoony version of him with an antenna atop his head. At the end of the antenna was a crystal. It didn't look professionally made, seams visible throughout it.

"Cute little thing."

You decide to keep it with you. You figure you could hook it onto your belt but find that while it appeared there it wasn't 'real'. You couldn't grab it. You fiddle with it for a bit before it somehow clips to the belt as if gravity pulled it. It was now attached to your waist but some unseen force. You shrug.

It's a been a while since you entered the simulation and you felt fine. Looking around still felt a little jarring and you could feel just a minor headache but you were getting used to it. Wasn't as bad as you heard it was.

With Sonic still nowhere to be found you decide to try and interact with the animals you saw back there. Turning back you notice that they were all gone. The flowers had disappeared too. Trees, foliage and the bushes remained.

While there had been a light jingle playing earlier there was no music now. In a matter of seconds things had become eerie.

The whole space looked liminal, the sky had becoming clear as well.

"Tails, where are you?" You hear someone call from afar. It sounded like the real Sonic. It echoed throughout.

You almost respond back but decide not to. Something about the whole setup was odd and you didn't trust that this wasn't to be some ambush. VR had taken over the senses and you had forgotten this wasn't real life. Or was it now? It was hard to tell.

If this is the real Sonic there was zero chance you could take him on. Not against someone with that kind of speed. You decide not to, hoping to either surprise him or run into him normally.

You blink, or the surroundings blink. You couldn't tell. The colour appeared slightly more washed out in everything, and the water falls on the horizon had stopped moving. They just stood there, motionless.

It was getting splittingly quiet. Something was really off.

Before you could even react you briefly see something move fast behind you. You spin back only to see nothing. Sufficient to say, you were starting to get creeped out now.

Another flicker in the area. For a split second you see stuff appear distorted, trees appearing out of the ground and bushes flashing in the sky. It was as if the integrity of the land itself was breaking.

You look at you wrist, pulling the menu out. Alright, enough playing. You were thoroughly creeped out. This must have been some kind of trick to scare Kapi. You didn't know him but imagined he would be freaking out too.

The exit button or rather most settings were displaying the same kind of blinking corrupted text the help-tip outputted earlier. The buttons weren't working. Nor were really any of the buttons are you pressed frantically.

While looking for another option to quit, you notice a red fraction displaying 3/30. You touch it and a menu pops up saying "ACTIVE PLAYERS".

It lists 3, though one name disappears before you could even read it. All you saw was that it started with the letter S. The other 2 players listed were you (displayed as Player 3) and Sonic.

The eerie silence began to be replaced by strange sounds and glitch tunes.

Now Playing...

Artist: School of Emotional Engineering

Song: Slicing the Skin

You decide you've had enough. Time to leave. No escape button? No matter. You try to take the helmet off only to find it wasn't coming off. At least, you couldn't tell. It just felt as if you were grabbing your own head. You couldn't feel a visor, let alone the headset at all. You try to take the gloves or boots off, unable to do so as well. It was just your hands and feet that you touched.

You open up the settings again only to find all the options had become distorted just as the other text. There was no getting out, at least not that way. There had to be some failsafe emergency exit. You try to weigh your options. A panic sets in, breathing becoming sharp. You touch the tails doll. It provides you with just a small amount of comfort. Displo would eventually come looking for you. This is just VR, nothing can hurt you. With no way out you had to wait for Displo now.

You relax slightly. There has to be another way out. Maybe a door or something. You look around. The foliage had all but completely disappeared, the field was barren now and the sky had turned a darker shade of blue. The horizon's colours had begun to fade as well. It was as if nature itself was becoming dying. At least you still had your gun and that doll. You try to do a check over. All pulses were fine, breathing normal. You take a deep breath, taking in the scent of Displo's cooking.

You start to walk around, a little fast now, looking for any semblance of a door. Or a portal, or anything to escape this ever-changing nightmare.

You nearly jump as another pop-up appears. Unlike the others, the text was clear, but in all caps.

"KAPI?"

"YES / N̶̙̤̜̹̟̬̪̮͍̈́͆͗̌͂̏͆ͅǪ̵̛̤͉͓͕̣̜͓̬́́̈́̑́̌̃͆̒̽̚͝͝"

It presented two options. Whoever was in charge of this world had gotten to you now. You choose to tell the truth, and, if you survive this care to kick the crap out of Kapi.

"NO."

The pop-up fades away instead of disappearing outright like the others. It was as if it was processing your response.

You stop your search upon seeing something rise up in the distance. It was red and glowing. It didn't appear as glitchy as the rest of the landscape, it looked almost organic. It reached a height in the sky before vanishing. It was like a flare.

Hoping it was some sort of escape signal you run towards it, pushing foliage out of the way.

You jump off a ledge into the clearing. Lying there, bloodied and cut up was the body of a man. You freeze, not expecting to see a dead body of all sudden. You completely forget you're in VR, this was as real as it could get.

It looked to be the body of a student, if his uniform was any indication. Soft blonde hair, light blue uniform, his face was an unrecognizable mess.

He was more pixelated than you. His appearance, though unlike the scenery was unlike yours as well. There were all sorts of cuts, bloodied bruises and bite marks all over him. He was dead.

"You saw it too right? Just dealt with this guy and some red thing rose out of him." Someone says, smiling behind you. You tense up.

"Then it just popped like a balloon. Pretty crazy huh?"

You knew that voice. It was Sonic. You turn around to see Sonic...floating above the ground?

"I wonder if you'll do that to?"

You couldn't believe your eyes.

Most people in Newgrounds City knew who Sonic was. He was the so-called "Guardian of Mobius". The few times he had come to NC had been a major event, with all sorts of people lining up to see him and his crew. You'd never seen him in person but you'd seen pictures and videos. But the being floating in front of you now could not have been him even though it sounded just like him.

In front was a blue hedgehog, wearing white gloves and red and white sneakers. Thick socks folded just above the shoes. Just like how you'd seen Sonic in pictures.

But things were off.

This didn't look fully like Sonic. His eyes were black and void-like, with a glowing red pupil in each eye. He had sharp yellow fangs that glistened in his wide, evil smile. From his eyes blood looked to have been dripping, spilling down his cheeks and past his mouth. His teeth were stained with a crimson red, no doubt carrying the blood of the deceased behind you.

"Well?" He asked.

The being calling himself Sonic shrugged. "That guy didn't stick around very long. Just you and me now."

His expression changed, happiness taking over. "Hey, you wanna play?"

Your heart skipped a beat.

The next chapter will be called Mad God. (vs. Sonic?).