[51] Plans on graduation, Prototype Battle Training VR Helmet

8th March, 2011, New York City. 

Prometheus Headquarters, Eighth Floor. 

Inside a spacious, high-tech room brimming with futuristic gadgets.

"How was it? Do you feel disconnected from reality?" Joe asked, an amused smile playing on his lips. His eyes remained expectant of her reaction. He donned a white lab coat, giving him a hot and sophisticated appearance, reminiscent of something out of an erotica. 

Gwen gradually sat up from the makeshift bed and removed the futuristic helmet from her head. She lightly shook her head, making her mane of blonde hair tumble down freely. 

"Th-That was really really incredible!" Gwen exclaimed wildly, her eyes almost exploding in excitement and disbelief. 

"It was... It was fuckin' out of this world," she stuttered, her unsettled mind still replaying what she had just experienced. 

Joe nodded to himself with a thoughtful expression on his face. 'It's as expected. The prototype battle training VR helmet is still viable.' 

He cast a glance at the streams of statistics and data analysis on the elevated screen beside him. There was a simulated brain model representing Gwen's real-time neural activity, and also her full vitals. 

Before jumping straight to ask Gwen about her experience in the simulated reality world, Joe decided to look into her well-being. 

"So you don't feel any discomfort like the world is breaking down, little by little, like a Lego construct? Any vertigo or nausea?" 

A hidden sparkle shone in Gwen's eyes and she immediately gazed down. Some of her frontal hair fell and hid half of her face. 

'Let me see how you'll react, boy,' Gwen schemed delightfully, anticipating Joe's reaction. 

"Hahaha!" She pretended to laugh hysterically like a madwoman. With her hair down like that, she seemed more like an imaginary ghost from a horror film. 

'Maybe if I pretend to have awakened my second hidden personality because of the unforeseen malfunctioning of the system... I wonder what he'll say about it.' A secret, mischievous grin graced the corners of her pink lips. 

"I've awakened thanks to that virtual reality trip, haha." Gwen further exaggerated her theatrics like a possessed Ash from Evil Dead. She flawlessly altered her voice to a jarring high pitch. 

Joe looked down at her, his brows arched in ridicule and amusement. 'Why is she trying to replicate something from Evil Dead 2? For God's sake, we only watched the movie like two days ago.' 

'So she can be childish and a 'baka' sometimes, huh? How cute.' Joe chuckled internally. 

"Who are you?" Joe asked with feigned restlessness.

"Who am I? I'm your little nightmare, the horror of your dreams!" Gwen cackled condescendingly. 

"Gwen Stacy will now act as my vessel, forever suppressed under my willful shadows!" 

Joe's lips twitched, impressed by Gwen's delusional energy. Her power of delusions was top-tier, surpassing even the saintly Chuunibyo. 

"Wh-What? Bring Gwen back!" Joe wailed in a shocked, agitated voice. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn't like this kind of cringe fun. 

Here they were, casually acting like a pair of deranged NPCs. Just how cool and random that was? 

"Keke, she's forever gone. Now I'm the only sole owner of this vessel. With my descent, the world shall be mine!" Gwen screeched like a banshee. 

'Now she really needs a psychiatrist. She's too far off into her role.' Joe pondered, pursing his lips. He had had enough of the play. He decided to shatter this wannabe evil spirit's laughable dream. 

And the best way to do that? Do something that would surprise the hell out of everyone! 

Unhesitatingly, Joe moved and slightly pulled her head backward, exposing her confused face and graceful neck. Then, while she was still confused, he leaned down until their faces were inches apart. Joe lightly pecked the tip of her nose while she was disconcerted. Her 'possessed body' stiffened at the warm, soft texture of his lips. Her heart missed a beat in that instance. Time itself seemed to have stagnated. 

"With that mini kiss, I presume the evil dual personality of yours is now exorcised." Joe gestured a quote with his fingers, his smirk intensifying even more. 

A small shade of pink gradually colored Gwen's cheeks. She closed her eyes to hide her embarrassment. 

"The exorcism," she shyly commented, as she opened her eyes, "might as well be considered perfectly executed." That bastard's unconventional move dazzled her. 

"What were you thinking in that hard head of yours to pull off that sneaky move?" Gwen questioned him. 

Joe chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "Everybody needs some love, I guess. Even loveless evil spirits. I aim to spread positivity and love as much as I can." He spread his arms invitingly, like an angel of benevolence. 

How disgustingly pretentious! 

Gwen rolled her eyes and climbed off the bed. 

"Love, pfft? Even ghosts and evil spirits alike would cringe awfully if they heard your BS." 

"Love is the most powerful weapon in this world," Joe chivalrously explained, like a random Disney princess. 

Love Gu, Snow White's kiss... Joe knew it all so well. 

"We both know love pales in comparison to fear. After all, it's the strongest emotion a human can ever experience," Gwen rebutted, finding her words logical. 

Joe inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her point. He recalled a similar quote from one of the famous novels in his past life. (Maybe a little over-hyped. Yeah, LOTM, it's you). 

"But I think opinions on that subject will always remain subjective. Everyone experiences these emotions differently." 

Gwen stepped closer and gently stabbed his chest, her upturned eyes gazing at him. "That's very true. So... When will you return to school? The school feels bland without a smartass like you there." 

Joe sighed before he swiftly caught her hand without looking. He heard her gasp of surprise. However, his attention was on something else. It was her interesting small, frail hand. He could easily crush her hand with just a little forceful tug. It was a good thing that he could completely control his strength, Joe thought as he stared at her beautiful hand. 

'Some women will always be interesting. Gwen's one of them. But why I'm hesitating with her? Am I… afraid?' A trace of emotional weakness dimmed his eyes before fading. 

Their current relationship was still... vague. They were just sailing aimlessly, not knowing where the yacht would finally take them. 

"I'll come back with you then, but not to learn. I'll finish the whole curriculum and maybe publish my master's paper." Joe gave her some hope and astonishment. 

"What? Are you for real? Do you truly plan on pulling a 'time skip' to the graduation bits ahead of everyone?" Gwen narrowed her eyes, her brows furrowed. 

"Honestly, I'm being real. I know it will take a lot of convincing to the academic board of professors. I'll just show them my competence," he declared, not bothered by the hurdles awaiting him. 

"Sigh, this is truly disheartening, ya know that, right?" She smiled self-deprecatingly. 

"Now I know that there's a huge, distinctive line between normal geniuses and people like you." 

Joe gently patted her head, finding the action satisfying, as he comforted her. "Life's a long journey. Take it step by step, unlike people like me who scramble for shortcuts." 

"Can you please stop with the sarcasm? It isn't helping anyone." Gwen playfully head-butted his chest, out of slight jealousy. 

"Oh, are you jealous?" 

"Who's jealous?" 

"Of course, it's you. Who else?" 

"You are an enormous pile of horse shit." 

"Wow, tiger, I'm honored. We share the same energy." 

"I know." Gwen showed a small smile and gave him a brief hug before stepping back. 

"Now that the buzz about you and the gaming world has simmered down, do you plan to pull something into the academic world? I reckon the research you have compiled on reverse cell differentiation is going to make the scholars go crazy." 

"And this..." Her eyes gestured to the VR helmet. "... shows unimaginable profits. It's going to be evolutionary." 

Joe joggled his head. "The timing isn't right for that. While I'm always twenty steps ahead in my approach, the current world isn't ready." 

Gwen lightly scoffed before nodding. 

"When will I have too much knowledge and suffer from it like you?" she murmured, pouting to herself. 

Joe showed a sorrowful expression, his eyes staring at the ceiling. "I wish I could share my intellectual gifts with you, Gwen." 

The blatant shamelessness in his voice snapped her back to the present, and something ticked on her temple. The frustration, the resentment—it all flared up again, but she quickly smothered it, unwilling to let it ruin the moment. She would save her grievances for another time.

For now, she would play along, keep smiling, and hope that one day, she'd find her own way to shine—maybe even alongside him, rather than under his umbrella. 

***

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[Word Count 1485]