Patch 1.00

Throughout all of gaming history, whether it was the greatest game of its time, or one that captivated the hearts of the masses. There was none quite like this one. Both now and ever - throughout all of time - there will never quite be one to encapsulate the sheer excitement, the craze that spread throughout the hearts of the public.

It had to be twenty or thirty years from the development of the technology to the actual development of the game. 

First must have been the VR pods. Then the smaller helmets. So advanced that it was a wonder that they were even allowed to market them to the public. 

The helmets and pods ran on computers stronger than anything ever seen. They also held more data than anything currently available.

This was needed. As the publisher's said that the VR devices need to read every single signal coming from the brain and then interpret that into movement.

It was so… so advanced.

There was even controversy about their reading of movements, but as new laws were passed. There wasn't anyone that could really deny them this privilege. 

Some leaders wanted to pass laws against the technology, but like clockwork the leaders were exposed to be in some scandal. The company even gave paper trails and everything. Hard to believe that so many leaders were so degenerate.

But people got over it.

No one is allowed to go after their game.

That was the message that the company was sending.

After they announced that AI would be responsible for developing the game - along with hundreds of thousands of individual employees - there was nothing that anyone could do to stop them. 

They already had influence in so many places.

But like I had said. It had taken them twenty or thirty years to develop this game. No wonder people were so hyped about this.

They even had celebrities to endorse and play demos.

Lazily my eyes turned towards the TV, where someone - a recognizable celebrity even I, culturally illiterate, could recognize - her face turned towards the camera. Long lashes flashed blue colored eyes and a smile that seemed to come from a goddess. 

Her voice was quiet and demure. 

"I will say this once." 

She tucked the helmet under her armpits. Really, she could have used the pod. But for some inane reason she didn't.

Everyone's heart sat in wait for her words.

"I cannot do this game justice, no word of mine could ever trace the magnificence I have felt within this mere hour. And I am sure that many want me to summarize my experience, give word and warning towards the nature of this game."

I could hear the quiet whispers - almost silent, as they were never meant to be heard - "Get on with it"..."No one cares for your fanciful words"..."Bitch"

If we could hear it then I felt it right to say that she could hear them. 

"But I will drag my words no longer. This here" she tapped the visor "Is the future. There will be nothing but this game within the next decade."

Her heel clicked and the celebrity stalked off. She didn't need to say anything more. The footage alone accounted for her words.

She herself had said it with such vigor. 

Sanctuary

Our future.

My arms stretched and popped the kinks left over from lazing. I had was channel surfing. Well, until she showed up on my screen. The program was rerun many times. 

Still the excitement of the footage settled into my heart. It was like I wasn't able to see anything but the blood and gore that she had shown us.

I turned off the TV by pressing the button on the back.

The room was musty because of the surrounding area. It was filled with pollutants which is why the window at the corner was never opened.

The fog still made its way in. Probably a faulty air filter or something.

The door closed behind me. I coughed. The smog kept on getting in my lungs and it was unpleasant.

I looked on my phone at the promotion.

It read:

"Sunday, sign up for a chance to win a VR pod"

But still.

"it's just so vague."

"Whatcha muttering about there?"

Lilac green hair parted against her eyes and stopped in a slight curl. A bob-cut that seemed to intentionally scream next-door-girl. She waved at me and stuck her tongue out while gesturing for me to come closer.

"Hey! Nothing much." I waved back.

Jade was dressed in her usual outfit. A fashionable schoolgirl outfit that strained around her chest. The buttons were doing quite a job containing her breasts and the way that her eyes stared into my own wandering ones.

Yeah, it was on purpose.

Not that I minded much. If she wanted to show off her body, then all the power to her. 

"Did you get the email too?" 

"Yeah, I did."

"Already leaving?" 

"Yep, don't want to be late." I tried to outpace her.

"Walk with me then?" 

Jade reached out her hand. Asking for me to take it.

I slapped my face in exasperation. Jade was stubborn. 

Unless I said something explicitly and tried to get away from her physically too then she would just bulldoze into my personal space.

I chose the third option.

Running away.

There was some nonsense that other people were saying. But there was only one valid truth.

A test, and that two would win.

When I looked back into Jade's stubborn eyes, I was sure that she knew this too. Despite the appearance Jade chose to show; Jade was intelligent. Not more so than me.

Her brain wasn't just all empty air.

\.\

The gates of the school passed by my vision. Huge things that blocked the entrance and exit of any passersby.

There were trees and such planted around it.

But to most it was a prison.

One I found myself trapped in again.

I could see about a dozen people, by a conservative estimate, all loitering around the building.

They eyed the other with suspicion. 

I couldn't help the exasperated sigh.

Yeah, the pods were expensive but the helmets aren't. Realistically just save for a day or two and boom you have the 200$ needed.

I had already asked the admin and I was supposed to go to this place. I opened the door to the classroom and sat against the teacher. 

He looked from his papers - grading - and handed me a piece of legal paper.

Before I could read it though he placed his pen down and looked towards me. 

"You have questions."

"Yeah"

"Out with it."

Rude. But okay.

"Just tell me about the process." If he wanted to be rude then I would be as rude as he was to me.

The teacher stood and pointed at the lines that I needed to read. I muttered a thank you then left after signing the documents.

Though before I could leave the teacher interrupted with a cough.

"If you get the pod, and you don't make it - make it being defined as the top 3000 in the country then you'll have to reimburse us. That is all. Go off."

"And if I do."

"Then promote the school, say some nice things. That's all."

I left the room. Knowing that in the next hour I would be called back to the office, the auditorium. Some place to conduct the test. Whatever that may be.