Chapter 1 Lottery

Informarion:

First name: Marie

Last name: Unknown

In Game name: User not found

Age: 16

Gender: Female

Location: ???

Level: ???

Status: new

Yay I finally managed to win my very own VR set. It's been 6 years in the making now I may find out who I am and what I could be in life. My name is Marie and I am a just turned 16 year old woman. I am an orphan like 70% of most. I had parents but when the EMP hit they were hooked up to a VR headset and ended up frying their brains. We have no idea what or who did it, but the world became a whole new place. Kids ended up parentless, anything electronic was destroyed and life went from full of luxuries and fun to hard work and back to the old fashioned days where everything was done by hand. That was 10 years ago or as we call it 0AV (After EMP Virus). It's now 10AV. Over the years a lot of the world has recovered to a point but something prevents us from going further. For instance we have battery powered electricity for house lights and power but no vehicles will work. We have running water in homes but they have to be started with hand pumps and levers. It is a very rustic way of life. I live in a little town called Demon's Curse... what a wonderful name huh. No one knows who named the village but that was where I ended up after my parents died. We are inside the mass that used to be called North Island now since AV its called Area 3. It's one of the safer areas so I am told, but even here it's dangerous and you lock your doors and board your windows up at night.

Animals rule the night and they are cunning and have human like intelligence. Around here wolves are the real threat but we will find everything from bears to leopards to vicious rabbits from time to time. When the EMP hit it mutated all of the animals into killers.

But enough about my current surroundings, it's my 16th birthday and it got me entered into the VR lottery again this year and this time I was lucky enough to win. Everyday anyone who has a birthday has a chance to win one full VR set. This goes for all ages, once you win you are no longer able to win another one. They are genetically coded to the winner and some will go their entire life never winning one. Apparently this sort of thing went on for a few hundreds of years with different prizes but exactly how long was lost to us.

I thanked everyone for my prize and hurried back to my room to await its arrival. I knew that this is finally my chance to stop having to beg for handouts, eating at the orphanage or having to eat at the soup kitchens. As this VR set will provide me with a job and a way to live. Everyone dreams of being rich and famous, well in this life you are either lucky enough to have a job like a farmer or grocery store stocker, be a servant for a VR player, or be a VR player. Only winning a VR set can you join that elite well off to rich group.

I ran outside and used the pump to start some water flowing so I could wash up inside, I put on my most comfortable and nice outfit and then ran over to my main source of food the soup kitchen. We were allowed to take our food to go as long as we knew we couldn't have seconds or thirds, which is what I normally would do but today I sat down and made sure I was stuffed and ready for a night of VR gaming. I will finally get to make my character and get dealt my lot in life. Even the most basic character could make enough to have a 1 bedroom apartment and would be able to buy food and clothing after 2 months of playing.

I finish eating and run back to my room at the orphanage to await its arrival. I start moving around my little bit of stuff to make sure everything looked neat, orderly and tidy. No idea why I was fretting over it when I have 6 days worth of clothes as well as 2 church dresses, 2 coats (one for winter and one for rain), a few pics of my parents, and various books I have collected over the years.

All of a sudden a knock was heard at my door. I jumped up from my chair to run to my door and ended up getting my foot caught on my bed and fell down face first on the floor.

"Ouch that hurt."

I heard the door and looked up to see Sister Amy looking at me like I was hopeless and filled with exasperation.

"Sorry Sister Amy, I know slow and steady with proper posture is the way to be proper. I will work on it I promise."

"My child, somethings will be able to be learned and some are only miracles that god can provide. You have a package at the front door. How did you get up the money to actually have something delivered to you?"

"It's a full VR set, today is my birthday and I ended up lucky enough to finally win the lottery."

"My child, looks like God has finally blessed you with a miracle. I hope you won't forget our orphanage as you live your life."

I knew exactly what she was meaning by her statement. With that in mind I smiled and nodded.

"He wont wait forever, so get going child.

I walked out of the room and headed to the main entrance. When I was out of earshot...

Sister Amy mumbled, "let's see what can be squeezed from you before you are able to leave and get your own place. We have to take advantage of this blessing while we can. This is why I run this orphanage in the hopes someone I raise wins and becomes part of the well off and rich. I really need to actually learn her name now."

At the door, the delivery guy was just turning around to leave when I opened up the door. He turned around and said, "Hello, you are?"

"I am Marie and you have my package."

"You got blooded when you put your name in. Please sign for the delivery."

He held up a clipboard with a spike in the bottom left. I poked my finger and wrote my name in blood. The package chimed, "Identifying. Beep! Identified. A light turned green. Package now unlocked, welcome and please enjoy. Beep"

"I will be back in a week, to check that everything is ok," said the delivery guy. "I wish to welcome you to your new life and chance. May it be prosperous."

He waited for me to say something and then walked away shaking his head, when I said nothing and just stared.

I picked up my VR set and took it to my room. As soon as I was in my room I opened in up. I was extremely disappointed and confused with what I saw. The magazines showed a lot of hi tech stuff for the VR stuff. I was expecting a helmet, bed mat, as well as other gadgets for prolonged play time.

Well first I laid everything out on my bed and inventoried what all I had. I had a visor that was a metal band with padding that went around my head and had a large viewing screen that wrapped to give me even a peripheral view of my surroundings. Then there were gloves that covered my wrist and hands but left my finger tips from the first knuckle out open to the air. Next we have a body suit that zipped up made of a leather and spandex combo with some cords/wires. Finally I had the chargers and game manual/information.

I sat down in my chair and read the manual as I had heard that there is a test at the beginning of the game that will assign you your role/lot in life. It also explains the game's rules/character creation and warnings.

* * *

I startle awake to a beep that's coming from the gear.

Damn I fell asleep reading again, I fly to my feet scrambling over to my clock. It shows that it's been 5 hours since I got my stuff. I only have 7 hours left to put on an activate my gear so I can get my birthday welcome package. If I miss it then I will never be able to get it again. 2 hours later I have finished the information and am sitting there shocked at what I am about to do. My decisions here at the beginning are permanent. I decide to weigh the pros and cons for each race. 3 hours later I have a shakey game plan in place that might change as soon as I am in the game. With 2 hours remaining I plug in the cords to the devices. 1 hour remaining to begin by putting on the body suit and beginning to zip it up. Next is the gloves and finally the padded visor. I push the start button.

Setting you to custom mode. Please pat yourself to activate the sensors in the suit. Custom mode set and ready to go.

Welcome to the (game title) new player, happy birthday and here is your newbie gift.

You have recieved:

a custom outfit/skin voucher

15 gold coins

an exclusive item voucher

30 health potions

20 energy potions

Please read these rules and then get ready to take a test to confirm your acknowledgment of said rules. The test is done and over with I move on to the famous testing.

What is the most important thing that you need to know now that you have your VR set?

"That everything you do in game is final and permanent." I replied.

Correct.

What about your game name?

"It is permanent and bound to me forever in game and out."

How is money converted?

"It is to the 100, 100 copper equals 1 silver, 100 silver equals 1 gold, 100 gold equals 1 platinum or plat for short."

100 platinum equals what?

"100 plat is 100 plat. There is no higher currency."

What is your goal for playing VRMMO?

"To make my life and the people I care about more comfortable at the very least. Though my main goal would be to be able to live at Hope's Paradise."

Test is now complete.