Powers

Yuki's story was an eye-opener. I was not expecting Naomi to be a partial victim in this. I say partially because she still chose to go along with them. Rather than hate her now, I am just disappointed in her. After giving Naomi a disappointed look, I returned my attention to Yuki.

"What happened next was Naomi getting in contact with Exodus Technologies. Basically, she got you hooked up with someone from their legal department. I am guessing they want to keep this incident on the hush-hush and will just settle out of court once you wake up. Alex would have been a stand-in for you if you didn't."

Naomi finally found her nerve and spoke to me, even though she was still timid.

"Sarah, I really am sorry. I..."

I cut her off before she could continue. "I get it. You were scared of the ultimatum given to you at the time. I am, however, still very disappointed in you, and I can't quite forgive you just yet. You seem like a good person so I will give you a chance. I guess this could also be another ultimatum. If you want hope of being friends with me again, then leave Kaito. Break off the engagement. As long as you are still with him, I won't have anything to do with you."

I stared at her as I could visibly see her thinking.

"I would love to break it off, but what will I do afterward? I will be cut off…."

I interrupt her once again. "That is for you to work out. I can't help you or tell you what you should do. You are a big girl and can make decisions on your own. You say things like you want to do your own thing and to live your life, but how can you do any of that if you are relying on your family's money? If you continue to do so, you will be a slave to them."

"Yuki and I lost everything when Kaito divorced me, and we are living mostly fine right now. Sure, money sometimes gets tight, and the house isn't the greatest, but it works. I think you need some time to go and think about things. If you go through with what I said, I will at least welcome you back to the house. If I don't hear back, then nothing has changed. I live my life, and you live yours."

Seeing her upset face, I break down and offer her some advice.

"If you decide to leave your parents, here is some advice. If they have access to your money, take it all out before breaking the news. At least this way you can have something. Take only what can be legally yours, don't want that to bite you later."

Naomi stood up, gathered her things, and walked to the front door before stopping.

"I really am glad you are okay." She said with a somber tone and walked out the door.

I exhaled my breath I didn't know I was keeping as I sank further into my cheap couch.

"That was exhausting and unexpected."

Yuki leaned in on my shoulder and spoke. "Seriously, though. What are the odds of the two people you meet in-game being two people you knew in real life?"

Alex chuckled for a bit before giving her thoughts. "Yeah, it's almost like this was all the work of God."

She mentioned God, and I have flashbacks to my time in the dungeon and my encounters. I then remember my eyes before I was interrupted by Naomi's presence. I then realize that if I have the same eyes from the game, what other things do I have? Also, the possibility of God just skyrocketed in my mind.

"I think God might actually be real and had a part in it," I say with some uncertainty.

Alex and Yuki gave me a confused look before I decided to elaborate. "Remember how I got new eyes in that dungeon? Well, I have those same eyes in real life. This is a big what if, but what if that game isn't all just a game?"

I haven't had the time to experiment or even thought of it until now. But what if I can use psionics in this world too? I look around the room and spot the TV remote sitting next to the TV.

I start to concentrate on the weave, just like in my trials. I could feel it! The weave was real! To my surprise, I made a loud yelp as I drew my hand back.

"Sarah, what's wrong!?"

I could see both Yuki and Alex looking at me.

"I followed the last thing I said and decided to try something I learned from the trials. I found that I could do it."

"What!" Both Yuki and Alex exclaim.

I reach out toward the TV remote, connecting myself to the weave again. I grasp the remote and bring it towards me. I hear audible gasps from Alex and Yuki as my hand closes around the remote.

"WHAT THE SHIT!" Screams Yuki as she jumps off the couch. Stares going back and forth between my hand and face.

"Okay, hold the damn phone! Did you just use the force on the remote? Just that concept alone breaks science and physics as we know it!" Alex said while staring at me.

"I know. This means that my trials were real, at least in some way. Learning things from the 'game not game' in real life is possible. "I respond back.

"Well, there is that too, but what I meant is all those times I and others like me who sat on the couch only to realize the TV remote was not in reach. Then we reach out our hands as we try to use the force on it just so we don't have to get up and get it. You get to live that fantasy that we can only dream of."

Yuki and I look at each other for a moment before we burst out in laughter.

"She is right, mom. Asking the real questions. Seriously though, does that mean you can fly now, and your eyes, what do they give you exactly? If they work like how I have seen in some fantasy media, then you should be able to see darkness to some degree."

"I don't know what all they can do, really. I know I can see through illusions, but that doesn't do anything for me now because there are no… Wait! What if illusions do exist in real life? What if there are individuals that can use illusions, and I can see them now? I got these eyes and psionics in real life, right?"

Yuki and Alex ponder what I had just said before sighing.

"Well, I don't think there is much we can do at the moment, so no use actively thinking about it. It does, however, bring up another question. Do we continue to log into the game? Asked Alex.

"I don't think we should. We've all seen how dangerous it can be. I mean, I got some cool things from it, but at what cost?" I replied.

"You have a point, mom, but that won't help us in the long run. What if other people start to gain powers from the game? How will that affect the world? What about criminals? I think we should continue to use the game and see if we can't gain anything else from it. Worst case, only you get powers. Best case, we all gain powers along with everyone in the world and have a chance to no longer be bottom of the totem pole."

What she said had made sense. Maybe I was being paranoid, and we already discovered that death in the game does not negatively impact us. So, it's not like it's not safe…well, mostly.

"Alright. I think we should keep using the game. If other people log in and gain abilities, I think we should at least do the same too."

"Yes! I wonder if we will also start to look like our characters? Oof, if that's the case, I don't want to permanently be a halfling, though. It was fun for the game, but I don't want to be that short in real life. What about you, Mom? You going to change your race?"

I think for a moment before answering. "I think I will stay as an elf for a bit longer. It has grown on me."

"Perfect, sis! Then we can be twins still in the game! Now let's experiment with these powers of yours."

We spend time on the couch as I show off my psionics.

===

Two familiar figures could be seen on the moon. One could be seen visibly distressed while the other tried to calm her.

"Everything will be okay, mistress. If that…entity wanted you dead, it would have done it."

Scarlet was sitting at her tea-table, visibly shaking while trying to drink her tea."

"I know that! I just came this close to being erased from existence. I don't know who that mortal is, but to have the protection of such a big name, she can't be ordinary."

"Eri. I have a task for you. Next time that mort…I mean, Sarah goes to that world. I want you to meet her and deepen your friendship with her. If she has questions, you can answer them, but don't mention that entity. I feel it doesn't want Sarah to know about it, and I would rather not incur any more of its wrath."

"It will be done. What will you do in the meantime?"

"I will continue my plans. It seems I can continue with my plans as long as I don't try anything else with Sarah as I did. I will just be more deliberate and slow this time."

With a flash of light, Eri disappeared from where she was standing, leaving the lone figure of Scarlet.

"Why did the Elder Gods have to disappear at a time like this?" She sighed.

===

In an office at Exodus Technologies were two people conversing with each other. One of them was Jason. A leader within the company to oversee the game development.

"I had the technician install some hardware on user RejectedGoddess's VR pod. We should now see how exactly she is hacking the game. I don't believe for a second it's some rogue VI."

"Thank you. I also think it's not Eri. Our VI shouldn't even develop like what some of the others are saying. The thing that doesn't make sense is how was she still logged into the game while not being in the game? Run some tests and see if this can be repeated. Try to figure out the cause of this. If this happens to others, we could see a major lawsuit."

"I will get results for you. If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave."

The man stood up and walked out the door, closing it behind him. Jason stared at his computer screen in contemplation.

"What the hell is going on with the game?"