Recovery

I was lying in my pod. I didn't want to move; my body felt weird as the lid was already open. I was just in this trance. Everything in the game hadn't happened to me. I chanted in my head again and again that it was just a game. I knew this, but it all felt so real. I had just zoned out my feelings, just so exhausted my body was screaming at me as I lay there. It felt phantom pain of that last trail. I didn't know what to do with myself.

Victoria smiled above me, looking down. I had no idea when she got there. I do not know why or what, but tears came to the corners of my eyes, and I started to cry. I was just crying, and Victoria was surprised. She helped me out of the pod, and I was just a mess. My body was screaming as I cried and got out of the pod. My emotions went from zoned out to a brutal assault. My body was just overwhelmed, my mind a mess, as Victoria half carried me to the couch, and I just cried. I didn't say anything, and Victoria never asked.

That went on for an hour; I just couldn't stop my emotions from flooding my system. After that, with Victoria hugging me, I calmed down. The swarm of emotions is gone leaving nothingness in its void. I got a handle on myself, though. I asked if we could order in and wanted to put it all past me turning on the TV putting it on the business network. Victoria looked a little worried but went and ordered food for us. I was not even watching the TV; I just was putting my emotions back together. I felt like something in me broke with that last woman in the quest. Something snapped as I came again and again with all that pain with pleasure.

I didn't know what broke, and I knew I could never get it back. That was all I knew. I was a broken husk, but I didn't know what it was to try and fix it. Did something even break? Was it all my imagination? I do not know how to answer these things, but I had a friend I could talk to. I didn't want to talk about what happened; I just wanted some normal. So I stood up and joined Victoria and told her to cancel the food and let's go out. She nodded, seeing that I was looking better after breaking down. I felt new steel now though I felt I could take more next time I went online. I just wanted to hang out and enjoy a meal with Victoria. I wanted my mind off what happened and the emotions that flooded me. That pain and pleasure felt like it made their mark.

Hours later, as we enjoyed the presence of each other, Victoria asked what had happened.

"Victoria, what happened was a hard quest that took it out of me and put me through an emotional wringer. I don't want to talk about it, though. Tell me how your gaming sessions are going." I sidestep telling her.

She noticed I dodged the question. I made no secret of it and took a step back. "Well, Rick, The wood elves are currently in a war with the fire elves, and so I have joined the army. Although my level is only six, I can join in to do scouting quests and whatnot. Its been a gratifying experience. I am looking for a trainer in classes. We made this not in a typical way my programmers told me, making Classes more challenging to do. There are also downsides and upsides to having classes or going classless. Some classes will limit growth in the later stages, making them a liability. Though I told my programmers not to tell me too much about the game. What fun would I have if I knew the perfect route to go? The thing is that few Classes will limit you. Most will boost your character so grab one if you find one—the more complex the quests for the class, the better that class will be.

"One of the Rangers, though, in the army will probably give me access to the class if I put in enough effort, so I am going into that rout." She told me with a smile and went into it for a while. I enjoyed my time with her, and I felt a lot better as we went to a spa for another massage. It was fantastic as we got them together and talked some more. My mood was significantly lifted and the shadow of the Second lesson quest disappeared to the back of my mind.

We got back late and went to bed after both of us went into our respective showers. I bid here a good night with a towel around myself. It was a nice sleep.

I woke the next morning, quickly rising myself out, startled for my dream already quickly being forgotten. All I knew, though, was I had a phantom semen taste in my mouth. I walked to the kitchen and drank some water before going to exercise. I worked up a sweat losing myself in the run before I finished and went over to my computer.

I called up a Fitness warehouse and ordered a bunch of equipment for Victora and myself. I forgot yesterday, and they told me they could do same-day deliveries. I told them if they could be here in a couple of hours, the security team would escort them to the room and watch over them as they set it up. They agreed, and I was getting a new gym. I heard Victoria behind me on the treadmill running. I walked past and started to make breakfast for both of us. It was a simple meal that we had from restocking our fridge. It was done before she finished, so I set it in the microwave and ate my breakfast. She came down in her workout clothes, smiling at me, and I told her they were her portion was. She nuked it as I finished mine.

I called my Head hunter buddy to get an update. He had four candidates coming in that day for the chef position, all of them nutritionists that could cook. The masseuse, he only had two and was not coming in for another day. I thanked him for his time and went to go have a shower to wash the sweat off.

After the shower, I felt better and was about to get into the pod again. I took a deep breath hesitating outside my pod. I looked down at it, knowing a different world was waiting for me. I took a deep breath and got inside and ready for what was to come. The lid was closing down, and my emotions were confused as if welcoming the pod's roof closing.

The world changed, and I appeared in my shaken body, sore and laying on clean silk sheets. The ends of my nerves were flayed, and I looked at the notifications.

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You Have completed the quest "The Second Lesson" Please return to the quest giver to receive the reward.

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