A Cadaverous Anniversary

"Good afternoon, everyone!" Isrina greeted the audience as she held the microphone. "I am Dr. Isrina Niang. Thank you so much for taking the time together with us to celebrate our first anniversary of our worldwide MMOG, Syanic Earth Year 3225."

She pointed to the large screen with a title slide with the title of the MMOG written in straight blue lines. Moving green hexagons surrounded the title, dilating before the audience's eyes. Applauses filled the assembly room as they admired the title page.

"We're proud to say that young players across the world have enjoyed our game! We are happy to see our MMOG bring joy to others," Isrina gestured to the side of the stage. "I present the founder of the UICA! Please welcome President Kainos Cecilius!"

A tall man wearing a long yellow UICA coat and a white shirt walked out. The long-haired blonde man smiled and waved to the crowd as everyone applauded. Isrina gave the admired man the mic as Cecilius replied with a friendly nod.

"Ah, thank you, Dr. Niang!" Cecilius waved as Dr. Niang walked to the left side of the stage. "Dr. Niang has been as wonderful as always! And a pleasure to be here today, ladies and gentlemen!"

The crowd continued to clap as the wise president of the UICA smiled.

"Before we begin our celebration," Cecilius started. "I want to discuss the current events."

The crowd was silent, eager to hear what the renowned UICA president has to say of the ongoing political conflict.

"I will keep it short. I apologize for the worries and concerns the frazzled field of politics have inflicted," Cecilius acknowledged. "None of you deserve to be troubled by such events. The UICA aims to create technology to those in need. We only fight with our own machines to defend others."

The president shook his long-haired head.

"Oof, politics. Oh my. Too complicated for me. We know you have many questions and concerns. I announce we will have reception full of scrumptious snacks and drinks at our WARBLER Center's lobby, where we can discuss those worries over wine and cookies as gentlemen."

Cecilius cleared his throat.

"Ahem! As we put our worries aside until fine refreshments, I present Syanic Earth Year 3225!"

Cecilius made a snap of his finger. With rock music, the game title turned into a spiraling vortex. The spinning circle of turquoise cybernetic zeros and ones stunned the crowd.

The spiral came to a stop. It burst lightning across the screen from the center. The audience cheered as the game's title reappeared and floated in a digital grid while the rock music ended with the guitar making a climatic drop.

***

As Isrina walked backstage to the main hall of the WARBLER Center, she saw a familiar face.

"Nice job, Dr. Niang!" The blonde girl adjusted her glasses as she closed her laptop and placed it into her black case. "You got the crowd's attention with that intro."

"Well," Isrina shrugged. "Not as good as Cecilius back there."

"Shall we join the Syanic Earth crew?"

"Sure thing, Dorian!"

The two ladies smiled as they walked down the hallway together. Isrina was giving Dorian a tour of the WARBLER Center, showing her the different work opportunities at the UICA.

"How's Shien?" Dorian asked with a bright smile. "I heard that the goon squad was planning to hang out today in the Syanic Earth."

"He's doing fine," Isrina strolled through the hallway with Dorian. "He is already in the Syanic Earth now. You aren't going?"

"Eh, I'd love to, but I just thought it would be more productive to intern for the UICA. And, thanks for showing me around, Dr. Niang."

"Of course! So, you are looking forward to being a programmer for us?"

"Definitely. Computers are my cup of tea."

As the two walked through a door, their eyes looked at the various holographic boards that displayed the world map view of Syanic Earth: Year 3225. Some crew members were zooming into the continents' terrain to correct any errors in the system. Lots of crew members circled the round room on their computers to manage such a large MMOG.

"Ah! Dr. Niang!" One worker noticed as his colleagues smiled at the ladies. "How goes the anniversary?"

"You know our president, Niode," Isrina said. "He always has a way to catch the eye of a crowd."

The tall brown-haired man with green eyes walked towards Isrina, where the two shook each other's hands.

"It's good to see you, our legendary Desert Cardinal!" Niode began.

"Oh, stop it," Isrina rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm not that special."

"Well, the Desert Cardinal dressed all red, hiding little Shien in a backpack as the graceful red riding hood fought hundreds of Reaper Squad with her bare hands made of steel!" Niode spoke as he spun around, trying to imitate Isrina's Wing Chun and spinning kicks along with making kung fu sounds only to find himself trip over a piece of paper and tumble on the floor.

As Dorian and Isrina picked him up, the other colleagues chuckled, knowing Niode was well-known for his constant acting in telling the Niang Chronicles as a campfire story almost every day.

"Oh boy, here we go again," A teal-haired lady with a red hair tip walked into the circular room. "If you keep on impersonating Isrina, you will get yourself killed one day, Mr. Shuruuko."

"I don't think so, General Saitori. I'm fine!" Niode continued. "She danced to the death with the vile General Hernamidos, the Kneapexist King of the Reaper Squad! Come on, Dr. Niang! The entire UICA knows the legends of the Niang Chronicles!"

Isrina couldn't help herself but chuckle along with Niode's storytelling. He then turned to Dorian, who was also giggling at his charisma.

"And, Ms. Cazeium, correct?"

Dorian smiled and nodded.

"My apologies for not greeting you earlier! How was your tour with Dr. Niang?"

"Quite interesting," Dorian said, adjusting her glasses. "I am looking forward to helping the UICA in programming for your fancy mechanical marvels!"

"Ah! So I assume Dr. Niang here has shown you her trash buddy?"

"The what?"

Isrina blushed. "Niode, please. Let's not-"

"Oh, yeah!" General Saitori interrupted. "That cute little trash can that talks and moves?"

"Oh my gosh, Saitori. Please, don't-"

"Yeah! It's like a pet!" Niode blurted out to Dorian. "It can make over 30 distinct faces of different emotions! It speaks over ten different languages! Not only that, when you wanna throw trash out, it becomes a fat bird, waddles to you, opens its mouth, and says, 'I'm hungry! Feed me!'"

"Really?" Dorian asked, fascinated by Isrina's embarrassing story. "That's so cute! Can I see it?"

"Of course, Dorian! Got a video of the one I bought! Mine speaks Japanese!"

"Oh no, Niode," Isrina attempted to swat at Niode's phone like a cranky toddler as he blocked her with his other hand. "No! Please don't show her!"

"Aw, can I see it too?" Saitori chuckled.

As Dorian and Saitori watched the video of Niode's trash buddy that ate his trash and spoke Japanese, Isrina's cheeks reddened as she heard the other colleagues giggling. The entire UICA knew about the cutest invention Dr. Niang made. The feared Desert Cardinal invented a trash can.

"Dr. Niang!" Dorian said. "This is so cute! Eh? Dr. Niang? What's wrong?"

The three found a pale Isrina kneeling on the floor, murmuring to herself.

"I... I invented... a... trash… trash... can," Isrina mumbled. "Trash… trash can. Why? Why did I bother… making it?"

"Dr. Niang? I think it's cute! Why are you so pale? You looked like you saw a ghost."

"Haha," Saitori began. "Our magnificent innovator gets quite embarrassed about her little trash buddy story."

"But why? I love it!"

"People feared me," Isrina continued to mumble to herself.

"Oh brother," Niode whispered to Dorian. "Here we go again."

"People respected me… for my mastering of Kung Fu. Until… my trash can… people stopped respecting me. They called me… a cutie."

"Wow," Dorian spoke. "That's quite an interesting way of thought."

"It's okay, Dr. Niang!" General Saitori happily said as she kneeled to pat Isrina's head. "We still respect you, our Desert Cardinal!"

"People started… started saying," Isrina continued. "I am harmless… that… that I am cute… why? My... my trash can."

"You know, Dr. Niang. The problem is that you are cute!"

"Waaahhh!" Isrina whined as Saitori hugged her. "Nobody respects me anymore!"

"Don't worry! We love you, Isrina!"

Isrina sobbed a bit as Saitori continued to hug her. The two were close friends for quite a while before Shien was born. After all, Jinhai and Isrina were the ones that found the fugitive Saitori, who used to be a Shin-Kaminari.

"Ms. Cazeium," Niode spoke. "Dr. Isrina Niang, the Desert Cardinal, has already turned from untamed ferocity to pure cuteness."

"No, Niode!" Isrina said as she wiped her tears off her blushing cheeks. "Stop calling me cute! I am not cute! I am grumpy and aggressive!"

"So that's where Shien gets it from," Dorian laughed.

***

As the circular room bustled with laughter, two people dressed in white UICA coats spied the Syanic Earth crew's activities through the glass windows of the room. They then scurried off through the hallway, blending in with the others with their disguises, until they found the side windows of the assembly room. The two of them spotted Cecilius and the clapping audience within.

"Heh," The black-haired man with purple eyes spoke softly. "Cecilius and the crowd don't suspect a thing, Colonel Maika."

"Indeed, Agent Dacos," The young lady with dark purple hair and green eyes whispered. "Let's keep it that way. Getting in was a bit of a hassle, but now, this is where Fanghui's plan will be in motion."

"So then," Dacos said as the two walked through the bustling hallways to the empty staircase towards the basement. "Do I get to blow everything up now?"

"What? No, you dimwit!" Maika stomped as a UICA scientist with goggles passed by, puzzled by the two's conversation as he held a pack of books.

"What's this I hear of blowing things up?" The scientist asked. "Everything good?"

"Uh, yeah. About that," Maika awkwardly replied as she made a quick glare at Dacos. "We meant, blow things up like getting everyone, uh, excited for the rest of the anniversary, right?"

"Ahem, yes! Yes!" Dacos spoke when Maika shouldered him. "We didn't mean to startle you!"

"Oh, okay," The scientist almost dropped his books. "Woah, gotta go before these books fall!"

As he scurried away with his books, Maika grabbed the agent's throat and slammed him on the wall.

"Okay, you psychic windbag, listen," She told Dacos. "If we ever want our plan to succeed, we need to be smart! We have to stay low. You were too loud and almost blew our cover with your big mouth!"

"Stay low? Really? That's no fun. And I hate this UICA disguise. Sick of this infiltration thing. Why can't I just blow up the entire center with my psychic? I just go to their internet reactor and boom. Right?"

"No, Agent Dacos. We can't just blow up the center," Maika calmed down, letting Dacos go. "We have to be subtle. That's the plan. We have to make it look like the UICA did it on purpose. Don't be so reckless."

"Reckless? I am the agent of General Hernamidos, Colonel. He chose me because I am powerful. He sees my potential, but why don't you?"

"Hernamidos chose you because your powers have potential to be used wisely, not foolishly. You have skills that are not refined. You show your skills without thinking. If you blew up the station, will we successfully convince the brainless Americans that the UICA is their true enemy?"

"No, guess not," Dacos grumbled.

"Exactly. Remember Fanghui's wisdom. Have a world-centered view. Only by then, would we be able to achieve what every government has failed to do so."

"Yeah, fine, Colonel," Dacos walked with Maika towards the basement level. "Whatever. I never understood that heterochromatic-eyed dude. His face gives me the creeps every time I look at him. It's like, he analyzes your face!"

"Hush now," Maika whispered as the two walked behind a passing group of UICA maintenance workers pushing a cart of wired equipment, blending in with them.

As the other workers discussed their routines, one of them pressed a keypad to open the large glass doors to the internet core.

"Alright, team!" The worker adjusted his blue cap. "Let's make sure this mechanical marvel is in good shape!"

The others nodded while Maika and Dacos looked at the large cylindrical tower that burst with electricity as its equipped generators vibrated with energy. As the cart rolled into the room, the two infiltrators noticed a few of them at the computer pads of the tower.

"Okay," Maika said as she grabbed her laptop. "You remember the next part?"

"Hehe," Dacos whispered back. "Hook up and plant the virus. Finally, some action."

"Come on, gentlemen!" One worker said. "Let's quickly do our work and still be in time for dessert at the reception!"

"And dessert you shall have," Maika said as she hooked up her computer to the internet core tower while Dacos grinned.