CHAPTER 1 - SOUNDS LIKE FUN

Backtrack.

What just happened?

I remember falling asleep, but I don't remember waking up, he has no reason to lie to us, so it's like he said.

I am Coulomb. My code name is anyway. My real name is.....

What was it again?

I was taken from the stupid world of dumb humans to a virtual world....

First he looked at his body, it appeared to be as usual, pale brown skin, fingernails long, unathletic lanky build. Even his clothes were his familiar white 'I think I've lost an electron... Are you positive?" t-shirt. The 2nd atom had its nucleus slightly faded and discolored from a certain incident.

His blue jeans that felt like it was made of elastic threads. Same.

His blue sneakers with the left's cord that was chewed by his sister's dog. Same

He ran his hands through his hair and pulled it. Same black hair.

Then his face should be as usual, drooping eyelids over brown eyes, a relatively small nose and lips that rarely curved.

It was a perfect reproduction.

Coulomb looked around him.

No we were.....

So many.... , to think this many geniuses existed, he said we were the best of the very best of humanity and that we had what it took to beat his game and reach the end.

We have to reach the thousandth floor of this world to meet him. We can leave whenever we want.

But if we die here we must leave. So we don't have to play his game....

But if they're really like me, who wouldn't want to?

So first, I must understand the rules of the game. If there are any. Actually our codenames are a dead giveaway of our abilities so they must remain hidden.

Coulomb should grant me electricity related abilities.

I hope I have super speed..... Even though that's not electricity rel....

'Hey'

Finally, I responded to the annoying voice, since it broke my concentration, I figured I should pay a little attention to what it had to say.

"What?", I snapped.

I was mildly irritated.

The voice belonged to a very feminine boy. He looked in his teens like me, had his fists together in front of him and stared at me, being horrifyingly short, with upturned eyes. He had light brown hair tied into a ponytail and blue eyes which looked like the sky on a clear day contrasting sharply with his white skin. He wore a blue hoodie.

Now that I think about it, I was expecting a girl.

But I'm not surprised at all. Blue suits him well.

He flinched at my speech. He seemed to become even shorter.

"Ein, what are you doing?".

Ein.... As in Einstein?.... I'm so jealous. Why does a kid... Dangerous thoughts man.... People who think like that die early in these situations.

I shook my head and turned to face the other voice. It sounded similar and looking at him they were probably twins, but that's where the similarities ended. They couldn't be more different in behavior and aura.

The boy wore a white shirt with a red waistcoat and red trousers. He was of average height for an 18 year old.

Then it's as I thought, he really is my age but just so deceptively short. I wonder what else is deceptive apart from his gender and age.

"Ah..... Stein, I wanted to get some allies first before we took this level's test."

Ein and Stein huh?.... So stuff like that happens here, split ability or two separate abilities..... I'll find out sooner or later.... Throwing a popular name like Einstein around... , getting them as allies is probably for the best..... They'll definitely be good.

"I'm Coulomb, pleased to make your acquaintance."

Stein squinted and then he circled Coulomb several times.

"Nice pick, Ein... Much better than Schrodinger and Newton over there."

No.... They're purposely throwing their names because they got big ones. I wonder what criteria was set for this.

He saw a tall girl waving and a shorter one ( not as short as Ein but given that Ein was a special case... ) with glasses. Taking her attitude and body language into consideration she's probably a single digit age.

The tall girl had long black hair which flowed down to her waist and brown eyes, she gave off the aura of someone trying to look like an adult. Her white suit was almost the same tone as her skin. She walked towards him in shoes which looked uncomfortable even though they had no extraneous height.

The other girl remained where she was staring at him with her golden eyes through her snow white bangs. She was wearing a white childish dress with a lot of frills. Her skin looked deathly pale. She was clearly a shut-in.

He ignored the gazes of onlookers and walked towards the girls. It's much better if we act superior for having popular names. People are less likely to get in our way.

"Yo.... I'm Coulomb, you're Schrodinger and Newton, right?".

Facing the tall and then the short in order.

"Yup, I'm Schrodinger.", the tall girl answered.

"Hello.", Newton murmured.

"Well, even if we count the twins separately we're at 5 now, ideal size for a group in these situations should be 6 to 8.",Schrodinger said suddenly.

Huh?.... She's making conversation in an odd manner. So she's the type who acts overly familiar with everyone... Another dangerous person.

"I think we should just take the test now, other parties are already moving.", Newton said.

Test? Parties? I guess I missed those details.... Didn't even consider those around.

For the first time Coulomb surveyed the field.

It stretched into the horizon. A grassland with a few trees. It felt wrong to call it savanna with so much green, a stereotypical savanna should be more of yellow.

There were so many people there. He estimated that the number should be about hundreds of thousands to millions.

"Wow.",He exclaimed breathless.

"I know right? Totes takes the air outta your lungs. Didn't expect that humans had so many geniuses in hiding, Although it seems like we're still graded as unequal here." Schrodinger said as she grabbed his hand.

"Ein, Stein... It's time.",Newton said.

"Then let's form the party! ",Schrodinger declared spontaneously and followed by shouting Stats.

A virtual panel appeared in front of her. She went to the top left corner where her name was displayed and tapped her picture. She was about to select 'Yes' on the 'Form a Party' dialogue box when Ein grabbed her hand.

It was a very bold and powerful move from the timid body. His expression was very severe also.

Then noticing the reproachful glare of Stein and the shocked one from Newton, he released her hand and smiled.

"Let's not do that.", he said still smiling, "Not just yet."

"But we'll miss out on any advantage for forming a party, plus we just met, I need the protection of the rules so that you can't hurt me, I don't trust you.... Yet."

"By what you said we'll also avoid any detriments in forming an official party, let's just stick together for now."

"Then what about trust?"

"You mean to say that you don't trust me?", Ein replied with a question that she probably shouldn't answer.

"That's.... I got it, we'll do as you say for now, let's also assign you as team leader then.", She said, the second part dripping with sarcasm.

"I intend to take on that role.",He replied honestly with a blank face, "Any objections?".

Coulomb who had been toying with the stats panel, raised his left hand suddenly without looking up. If he had, he'd have seen 3 other people with hands raised.

"Well, what's the problem?".

"That's.... Well... I.... Just... Don't like the way you're acting now." Newton shouted quickly after stammering.

Schrodinger nodded.

Stein smiled nervously.

Turning to Coulomb with an expression that asked what he thought, the only reply he got was a single finger raised indicating that he needed time.

Ein waited patiently for Coulomb to finish.

"I don't really have any problems with you being the leader, I just won't approve of a situation with a clearly defined leader.", Before the rest could voice their criticism which was evident by their actions, he continued,"Since we're so lucky that you're twins, how about the two of you being in charge?".

Nobody had any problems.

"Then on the issue of forming an official party?", Coulumb went on looking at Stein for his opinion.

Stein looked at Ein, he appeared to be pleading with his eyes. He sighed.

"We'll do as Ein says, for now.... He's usually not so assertive and wouldn't have suggested being leader under normal circumstances, but, I trust his instincts, if he says it's better this way, then...".

"Well then, the test." Newton said.

"Let's go.", Schrodinger chirped energetically.

*********************************

They followed the guide on their panels to the testing ground, it was really faraway over the horizon.

It was a testament to the size of the playground. This was the smallest level according to the guide.

They eventually reached the place, the floor stopped abruptly without an incline. It was a cliff or better yet, an abyss, if taking into consideration the other side.

The test was easy. One simple word.

JUMP

"We're supposed to jump to the other side, it appears.", Newton stated the obvious uninterested.

It was a rather anticlimactic test. Sure it appears to be impossible but if they were asked to do it then they can. The only obvious reason for this was to test bravery or courage, stupid, senseless things which seemed unlikely to be what the creator would do.

Another group which got there earlier jumped and fell just a little bit short of the goal.

"So close."

Whispers spread among the people present.

Taking courage from the pioneers, a lot of people followed suit but no one made it across.

Checking the time, Coulomb noted that it was going to be a long day.

*****************************

Seeking meaning in the disappearance of her younger brother, the junior reporter, Marie Greene stayed behind late, searching for information online while her co-workers crowded broadcasts of the playground.

The children weren't interested in coming back, they kept jumping to their doom, trying different brilliant strategies and failing. The creator said for this floor only, they'll respawn when they die,so they were being reckless. He also said that the longer they stayed in his world or the more attached they get to it the more they forget about their previous reality.

She wondered just how much her brother had forgotten. They lived alone ever since their parents died 12 years ago. To her, he was always happy and never let anything get him down, he shouldn't have stayed back in the fake world. He should have left immediately, yet as she minimized the tabs on her screen, she saw the live feed of the playground which had been playing in the background, Her brother was there and when she went into Specific View mode, he was listed as Coulomb. Her research into Coulomb's life did not bring any apparent similarities.

What exactly are these codename and what are they for?

*******************************

6 hours had passed. Without the sun, it was hard to tell but they all knew. Only one boy had got through so far. With the aid of his ability apparently, they all assumed that they needed to access their abilities to move forward.

The blond haired boy waved at his group from the other side, he shouted that he'll wait for them and the sat on the grass paying no attention to the fact that he was ruining his expensive looking clothes in the dew, ignoring the cylinder which descended from the sky.

Stein met with his group and found out that the boy was Babbage, but that didn't answer how he got across.

Unless he hacked the game with his abilities?

"That's ridiculous, Stein.", Ein said shaking his head.

"Such wouldn't exist, you're right, but he clearly used his ability, perhaps to gain insight on some clue.",Newton said thoughtfully.

Not surprised that she caught on his thoughts easily, he looked at Schrodinger who was uncharacteristically silent for advice.

She shrugged.

Then she shouted a few seconds later as if she had an epiphany. Stein was already about to ask Coulomb but he gave up and turned back to her.

"Why did we assume that he used his abilities even though ours are locked?".

"That's.... Well.... Um.....", Newton seemed unable to answer.

"Arrogance, Yes, we're all so very brilliant, so much that we won't accept the existence of something greater than ours, that's exactly why we attributed it to something else..... But that arrogance is exactly what's stopping us from moving forward. We have to return to the start, what are supposed to do?... Just jump.....not what but why? "

A little lost, Stein quickly spoke," So we're being tested on courage? ", he said. He didn't seem convinced.

"I think..... Schrodinger's not far off.", Coulomb said as Stein gave him a look saying 'Not you too?'.

"I think maybe it's a parody of letting go of our attachment to the past world."

They didn't seem to but it but they also didn't refute it.

"So we'll have to forget the real world?", Newton said, slightly horrified after a few seconds of thinking.

That question-like statement cleared things up for Coulomb, he realized he had nothing holding him back and made his first attempt.

Strangely, even though he couldn't reach the end from his calculations, his body moved forward and he rolled to avoid damage. He made it.

"I see.", Ein and Stein concluded simultaneously grabbing their hands and jumping together.

"In that case... Me too! ", Schrodinger shouted meaningless words as she jumped.

Newton sat on the floor realizing that she was the only one among them who felt attached to the real.....

Real?

That implies that this existence, these feelings, this world is fake. This is my reality now.

And in that moment, she forgot her real name, age, family and past life. She ran forward and jumped.

Then for some reason she remembered something that she must never forget and the memories came flooding back.

She didn't make it. She was so close to the goal she touched it with her hands but slipped and fell.

Coulomb and Schrodinger grabbed her. They smiled at her.

"I'm glad you got the answer yourself, I wasn't wrong in picking you."

"I'm sorry, Newton, that must have been tough."

"Not bad."

Stein, Schrodinger and Coulomb said respectively.

"Good job, Newton." ,Ein finally said as their panels appeared with the text:

'Level 0 : Floor of Tests'

Followed by:

PASSED!