Outside The Grid

I wake up in a hotel room, half-naked. The same voices from the time back in the rig greet me as I wake up, And then die down immediately as soon as I try to focus on what they are saying.

What happened? How did I get here? Classic questions of coming to after disorientation stampede across my mind.

I step out of the rather comfortable bed and open the curtains to let some light into the room. A decision I regret as the sudden rays pierce my eyes and cause much pain.

I know what the outside is like. I know what the sun on Earth is like. It's brilliant in its light, dazzling, and sacred, not like the cheap, dim imitation we have here in the extract.

But those beautiful flowers, those stars, are all monopolized by those damn monstrosities. Why are we still here? Why do we compromise? Why settle for something so much inferior? Why?

"I am thinking too much(*yawn*)" .

I should just focus on living the best possible life here, I suppose. I know it is hypocritical. I am just doing what they are by thinking such and saying and doing such. But I don't want to be shut down like my uncle was.

*Knock knock*

"You in?" asked Lexny.

"Yep," I reply in a not-so-active tone.

"WHOA," she remarks just as soon as she walks in. "Still... still naked, I see," with a slight tint of blush this time her hand in front of her face.

I scout around to find my shirt and jacket on a chair near the small glass table.

"Why am I here?" I ask her slipping my clothes back on.

"Oh, you passed out, and we have uni starting tomorrow. We are in the same class as we should be." She left as soon as she said that, still blushing.

That's sus. She's seen me naked before and it's not like we were kids when she did... Why was she so red then? She usually isn't... Hmmmm. Oh wait, that was kinda CUTE!

Could it be... yes, It must be. Why else? Let us play my favorite game, 'Corrupt the Cutie.'

Pfft. What am I thinking? That can't be. I should just focus on getting good grades... or maybe not... yeah, I'll do whatever that gets me more popular.

"Status" I command. A command to activate to pull various details linked to the nano gel.

Due to specific issues in the past, it is compulsory for every child to be imbued with the nano gel. It's only active in retinal areas, and it enables us to live in augmented reality.

Blank walls are full of adverts, promos, and holograms that can be found at certain spots, but most importantly, They can help you keep track of your physical condition, mental condition, achievements, feats performed, appointments, etc. Unfortunately, it's monitored by the "GREAT GRID", While it is possible to have everything done via the nano gel. The use of phones is yet to actually die out completely since GRID's access to mobile phones is more restricted due to compatibility issues.

[Updating status...]

{All systems online.}

<Awakener detected.>

<Updating interface.>

<You can now check your health status at the top left corner.>

<Override. >

<Connection with the GRID is compromised.>

<Detecting viruses and threats.>

<None detected.>

<Sending emergency signal.>

<Unable to send the signal.>

"What's happening? Why is it going bonkers again?"

<The GRID is now locked out of your systems.>

"What the fuck!!!"

A very annoying shrill mechanical voice starts rotating and ringing.

"My ears... no, my auditory cortex..."

What does it mean locked out? That's illegal to tamper with the nano gel in any sort of way.

Is there a hacker nearby? But why target this nobody, which is me?

Am going to pass ou...

< condition stabilized.>

[You have 11 new functions.]

I ponder whether I should report this to the authorities as I lay flat on the ground. I'll be in more trouble for this than the guy who hacked it, so let's not... I can't do anything at least.

Let's check the new functions.

[Now that you are an awakener, you can check the rankings.]

[Now that you are an awakener, you can keep track of your items, skills, etc.]

[The grid will no longer be invasive to the user]

[The user can toggle grid connection (the connection will still be limited)]

[You can now bypass the standard security of the devices you connect to]

[As a student of the academy, your system has been updated.]

[Many tools to assist you are now available.]

Oh god, some of these functions are ridiculous. This one right here explains a lot. I think I will need to speak to Lexny's father about this.

[Nanite control.]

[Machantium harmony.]

I now have an idea of what's going wrong here, but I am still unable to make complete sense. These are like skill names yet they are under system functions odd...

"Well, I can check for more details, I suppose."

"[Sea...]"

<Error >

{All systems going offline}

"...Great. Absolutely great."

Lexny's father is a busy man, so I just left a message that went along the lines: "Can we meet? It's kinda urgent."

Surprisingly, I got a reply instantly: "Yes, wait a while. I will contact you in a few days."

For the rest of the day, I suppose I ate a lot, drank a lot, shook a lot, and slept a lot.

It was 6 am. The alarm woke me up. I brushed, bathed, and pulled up the schedule.

Geez, thankfully the systems are back online. I would not have woken up otherwise. So tired still.

"Alright, directions to the academy," I command. And there was a map on the top left corner of my eye showing my real-time location and highlighting a path. Not only that, it was showing me arrows in real-time... It pointed when I had to take a left... It pointed when I had to take a flight of stairs down from my hotel room. And I'm like, "Damn, everyone should have this feature. I would not have burned time wandering in chapter 2 earlier."

Ah, man, could I not get there faster...

<Calculating shorter route>

<Integrating user's athletic and acrobatic ability>

<New 20 route calculated: minutes shorter>

...This is beyond the realm of the absurd as I stand by a crosswalk waiting for a signal to be red.

The illusionary augmentation is telling me to jump atop that red car and run further down the crosswalk, straight ahead, there is an alleyway with a stone wall in the middle, and I see an arrow on that wall, suggesting I wall run onto the building, hop over that wall, climb pipelines, and possibly jump rooftops...

Do I do it?

Hell, yes. It's showing me all these math calculations that I do not understand but feel in my soul are one hundred percent correct. It wants me to believe...

I rush along, feeling an adrenaline rush like no other... I feel so free running along this path. When was the last time I did something this crazy? Why am I doing it? This is exhilarating... I feel powerful...

Yes, more. Gimme more. Gimme an even shorter and more difficult route.

<Calculating >

<New route is displayed>

Bahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahaha

"I can do whatever I want, no restrictions. I've bypassed all protocols. This is incredible. I didn't think this was even possible."

"Mommy, a crazy maniac is laughing and doing dangerous stunts," a girl shouts from a window.

"Whoa, I heard that... Awakening heightens your senses to their maximum input. So this is what it feels like. I didn't notice it earlier."

"I can feel the wind flow so much more vividly. I can see farther and smell more strongly. Ha ha ha ha ha."

I stop in front of the academy, at the large gate that is at least as tall as a four-floor building. It has a Chinese shrine gate design, but it is white with a veil of blue in between where the air should be. Many people my age walk through it.

All the exhaustion hits me at once.

"Ugh... I overdid it back there."

I walk towards the gates slowly, panting. I also notice that I am seeing way fewer to almost no advertisements. I guess not being connected to the grid has its benefits.

Just as I am about to enter the gate, I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Lexny.

"You got here way earlier than expected," she says, panting and still leaning on me for support.

"Yeah... well, I ran. I'm just as exhausted."

"Your location. I can't read it anymore. Some glitch maybe? You went through the building it showed," she continues.

"Well, I'll tell you about it later. Let's go attend the enrollment ceremonies for now."

We both look towards the gate. The gate is between two huge buildings, almost sandwiched in the middle. As we approach from a large empty square or grey brick road with benches where other students are still eating and chatting, we push forward inside.