[CW/Series] Dream Link Online

[slashtiki]

Hello! Welcome to the story. I don't have much to say other than all reviews are appreciated. Be weary of censored profanity. All the "Episodes" are split into two parts. Excluding this one, which only has one. Thanks for reading!

“Episode 00: The Hooded Figure”

A figure stands in the very distance over a cold and unforgiving desert. Five figures idly wait by only mere feet from their target. They look around their surroundings. On the ground lays four bodies, each with a red square notifications hanging over their backs. These square speech bubbles all had one thing in common:

"DEAD" and a threatening set of skulls and crossbones to symbolize the humiliation.

The leader, holding a simple sword and shield was breathing heavily. Never before has him and his friends been driven to a corner like this. The hot dunes of sand blows over like a river of wind, the man sweats over. Time was running out. Again, he took a long look at the heroes who had fallen under their opponents vile scythe:

KelvinX (DEAD)

Miko-san (DEAD)

Universal Answer (DEAD)

Liz (DEAD)

Their opponent reveals his hand. He lifts up and twirls around his scythe, seemingly controlling the winds themselves. He taunts them, staring deep within the windows of the man's soul with threatening red eyes. One slam.

His scythe crashed along the soft dirt, yet it screeched like a bomb. The leader gets ready his blade and stares at the remaining four friends. They were trembling, barely keeping grasp of their weapons. It was time for him to speak up.

His lips shouted, "Do not be frightened by this one man. Powerful as he is, he simply but one man! If you are truly a fighter of this world, then you should not feel guilty over our friends' death. They chose this path and knew the consequences. Do not let our fallen heroes down. We will not fall because who are we?!"

No one answered his plea. His face frowned, his lips quivered, and he shouted at this comrades. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU! WHO ARE WE?!"

A small gathering whispered out their name, "the desert raiders..."

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU! WHO ARE WE?!" he repeated. The crowd slowly started to build their anticipation. They said it again, but with confidence.

"The Desert Raiders."

He held out his left ear towards his party and smacked his lips, "I STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU! WHO THE HELL ARE WE?!"

"THE DESERT RAIDERS!" Now it appeared that everyone was on board. Their gazes grew fierce and their battle stances readied.

"And what do the Desert Raiders do?"

"WE BURY SCRUBS!" they chanted.

"THAT'S RIGHT! If you're all with me, then I have a plan to beat this guy. You with me, right?" The other four people nodded with agreement. Their leader smiled. "Okay, then huddle up." A single command was followed and all of the party huddled together in a tight circle, keeping communication between the five of them.

"This guy's tough, Boss. He already shot down Kelvin and he was our best bet," a burly man with multiple ninja stars stated.

"Yeah, we're gonna need a miracle to beat him!" some little girl yelped. Their leader, avid and ready, grinned.

"Well, we're about to make one." He first faced his vision to the little girl who had recently spoken. "Maven, how many Dream Links do you have left on you for this battle?"

Username: MavenWendy

Species Hybrid: Castform

Speciality: Weather

MavenWendy thought it over for a second, adjusting the cloud shaped glasses around her eyes. She then resorted to checking the designated small jewels engraved across her Conductor's Stick. Out of the three jewels that had been implanted at the Stick's stub, two were dimmed a dark black. She sighed, "Only have one left."

The Desert Raiders' leader responded, "Can you check which one it is?"

Maven tapped on the only glowing jewel left on her Conductor's Stick. A grey hologram popped open in front of her eyes. She started reading through the contents. When she was finished, she slid down the grey notice and answered, "My last Dream Link is Drizzle. Do you think it'll be useful?"

"Depends, who here has any Water-type Modules?" Maven searched around her group of raiders and not a single one budged. "So no one?"

A small boy raised his creamy white hand, although almost entirely nervously, shaking and fidgeting, completely unsure if it really wanted to draw attention at all. He swallowed his spit, "Uhh… I have a bunch of Hydro Cannons in my inventory. D-d-d do you think that c-c-c could maybe, I don't know, umm…" The dainty kid swallowed hard. His voice cracked on his last word, "Work?"

The Desert Raider leader, knowing the small kid, nodded. "Perfect! Use those from far away when Maven uses her Drizzle Dream Link!"

Username: Oasis

Species Hybrid: Golduck

Speciality: Water

Oasis took a big boy sized breath and nodded fast, "O-o-okay!"

Next up was a confident girl with black, bug eyes and a black combat skirt and a magenta sleeveless top. On both of her hands were two automatic machine guns. "Uzzie, I need you to light this guy up with those machine guns! Keep him as far from attacking from me as possible! If you have to, I want you to throw so many Flash Module Grenades at him that he can't tell if he's getting his arm or leg cut off!"

Username: Uzzieshot

Species Hybrid: Ariados

Speciality: Automatic Fire

Uzzieshot arrogantly winked, pressing her hand against the trigger buttons on her pink firing monstrosities. "Piece of cake! That guy won't know what hit him!"

"Glad to know you're feeling ready," the leader said in return.

"What about me?" the last man said, feeling left out. All there was left was the heavyset male holding more ninja stars than a normal human can actually handle. He had a tan headband tied around his forehead, a black bandana tied around his wrist, and an anxious look in his eye. The classic sword-and-shield leader couldn't have ignored his please.

"You're coming with me, Smoke! We're gonna take this guy down together! What's your last Dream Link?"

Username: Silentsmoke

Species Hybrid: Shedinja

Speciality: Ninja Arts

Silentsmoke smirked, "Wonder Guard."

That answer was very appealing to the leading man of this desert crew, "Not bad. How long does it last?"

"Two minutes," Smoke answered. The other three players stared at their cocky leader and their ninja friend, confused. They were all thinking the exact sake thing, but knowing the two other kids, it was only Uzzie who actually spoke out.

"Uh… Everblade, is that really enough time to try and beat this guy? Two Minutes is a pretty short time to try and kill anyone, let alone someone like him."

Username: Everblade

Species Hybrid: Gallade

Speciality: Swordsmen

Everblade, their leader, reflected the burning sunlight of his silver blade, bouncing off sunlight to show it in all of its glory. "That's all the time we'll need. Ready?"

"READY!"

"Okay, break!" Like a team of football players, the Desert Raiders turned back to their opponent, feeling more confident than ever. The hooded figure took the scythe from the ground and swirled it around in circular motions, until the weapon stood firmly placed behind him. A calm wind blew through the hot desert, burning through

"Man, it's about time. I'm sort of in a hurry, so if I can destroy you guys any quicker, then that would be great! Plus…." He padded and fanned his black hood, letting cool air into his face. The Desert Raiders' adversary wiped a shoot of sweat excrete towards the hot sand, which evaporated on contact. "It's really hot out here!"

Everblade rallied his troops one last time, "ALL RIGHT, LET'S REMIND THIS ASSHOLE WHO WE ARE ONE LAST TIME. WHO ARE WE?!"

"WE'RE THE DESERT RAIDERS!"

"AND WHAT DOES THE DESERT RAIDERS DO FOR A LIVING?!"

"WE BURY SCRUBS!" Everyone got their weapons ready and aimed them all at the cocky scythe wielder. The hooded man finally swung his scythe in a full one hundred and eighty degree half circle.

"That's cool, you guys even have your own little catchphrase."

He cracked his neck and began to fully mess around his elbows. When he finished, the hooded man directed the black edge of his scythe towards the others, "Alright, let's get this over with. I don't have all day."

Everblade checked upon his teammates to confirm their will to battle. They all nodded in return. Everblade's point of his sword lit up like the desert sun. Two opponents stared each other deep within each other's eyes with intent to kill, but also with curiosity and mutual respect. The hooded man smirked. Everblade smirked back.

"ALL RIGHT, LET'S START DIGGING! CHARGE!" One command finally made things excitable once more as the five figures belonging to the Desert Raiders charged all at once.

"Come and get me…" the hooded man mumbled. He tapped the hilt. Suddenly, the black steel of the scythe began to glow a bloody red. He swung the weapon once more, allowing it to grow nearly twice its original size.

Everblade looked beside him to the little girl, "Maven, now!"

The petite girl struggled to get herself recuperated. "O-o-okay!" She fumbled over taking out the Conductor's Stick, but managed to do so in her current running speed. MavenWendy stared hard at the small jewel attached to her thing of a weapon. She nearly tripped on nothing but pulled off her next words, "D-D-Dream L-Link… Drizzle!"

Rain began to drop down over the desert, replacing the once hot sun. The opponent laughed, "Rain? Is that all? It definitely solved my sweating problem, but it definitely hasn't solved your losing problem."

"That's what you think. You're the one that's about to lose," Uzzieshot said. She kept the chamber of her machine guns aimed directly at the scythe-wielder. With a slight press, a barrage of lead bullets came flying at him. He held his scythe and began encircling the weapon around in front of him. Little by little, each of her bullets deflected from each other.

"Still not good enough," the hooded man said. Without any forewarning or notice, the hooded man saw a large torrent of water coming directly for his face. The scythe-wielder couldn't do anything about it, being directly shoved backwards by the Hydro Cannon.

"It worked! Good going, Oasis! Maven, go ahead and use it!"

Sand kicked up from the ground below as the black hood struggled to keep his balance, only saving himself by digging his scythe unto the dunes. "Stupid, cheap modules! I swear that'll be the last big hit you land on me!"

Perfectly timed afterwards, the guy started to get quietly but quickly bombarded by tiny knives of precipitation. He stared upwards, only to see that a certain Castform hybrid controlling the rain stabbings using her Conductor's Stick. Maven waved the stick around, commanding the weather like a fully fledged orchestra. Her movements not missing a single beat. The rush of multiple strikes hitting at once at different areas of his body at once proved to be just enough to subdue him, even for a little bit.

"Keep it up! Alright Uzzie, you're up! Use Flash!" Everblade led.

Uzzie nodded and plucked a grenade from the belt of her combat skirt. "Alright, Mr. Big Shot, let's you take this!" Uzzieshot yanked the pin from the grenade using absolutely nothing but her bare teeth. The Ariados then lobbed it upwards, arching the reaches of the raining clouds, inching just close enough in the range of her opponent.

Everything stopped for the young man wearing the hoodie. I need to get out of this funk and fast! As just then, a small grenade scooted close to his left leg. The man's eyes widened in fear and surprise. "OH SHI-"

White. All he could see was a heavy white and nothing else. He still felt the effects of the rain punching him like needles, but he didn't see any other attacks. This is what being blinded probably felt like. He had always hated the move Flash. He grunted, "Dammit. These guys just got good all of a sudden. Guess they're forcing my hand." The shoulder bulges underneath his jacket swayed up and down in a quick motion. "Oh well."

Everblade cheered, "All right! Nice going! Ready, Smoke? We're gonna take this guy down together."

"Ready when you are!" Smoke answered.

The Gallade hybrid turned his back and gave a thumbs up to all his teammates. They all smiled in response. "Now, hit him with all of your best attacks! On my mark…." The leader had his pale hand raised. He squinted at the distance. The light started to clear itself. "Get set…"

Flash worn off. All Everblade could sight was their hooded opponent. Poor guy couldn't even stand up straight after that last attack. Everblade snickered and shot his hand towards the man, "NOW!"

"Hydro Cannon!" Oasis shot a stream of water.

"Weather Ball!" MavenWendy said as she conjured up a projectile imbued with the force of a storm.

"Explosion!" A large rocket-propelled bullet with enough force to level a city shot out of Uzzieshot's machine guns.

"Smoke, let's go finish this!"

"Right! Dream Link… Wonder Guard!" Smoke literally became covered in a thick fog that was near impenetrable. Everblade started to run with his Shedinja partner across the field of the ever expanding desert, ready to finish this man for good and finally bury this cocky punk. It all seemed to go so well for the Desert Raiders. Until…

The hooded man's grin filled the arena they were fighting in. In what would be seen as a fireworks display, everything blew up around him. There was a flurry of lighting, bomb fire, and water, all mixing together like a soup built for both natural and manmade destruction. Every seemed to appear so beautiful. All there was left from the explosion was a large puff of unforgiving white smoke.

Everblade's jaw dropped. "That went better than expected…"

Maven's eyes enlarged with pristine delight, "D-d-did we win?"

Uzzie shot a couple rounds in the air, victoriously, "HELL YEAH! WE WON! THAT'S THE DESERT RAIDERS FOR YOU! WU-WOO! YEAH!"

Oasis stuttered, "W-w-we actually did it."

Smoke raised a suspicious eyebrow, "Something isn't right… don't mean to be the party pooper or anything, but shouldn't we get a notification that we won the battle?" That good point also made everyone curious towards their situation. Smoke gazed back at the explosion the other three had caused under Everblade's leadership. "I thought so. We should all be on our to-"

The poor Shedinja couldn't even get his last words out. Everyone that was still alive appeared mortified. Smoke had been cleaved completely in half by a pinpointed Dark-type attack, presumably Night Slash. Silentsmoke fell on the desert dune, his body completely in half. Their teammates looked upon in horror at their friend's state.

Silentsmoke (DEAD)

"Wonder Guard: A Dream Link that allows the user to become immune to most attacks, but is killed instantly by any connected attack. Looks like my Night Slash connected properly," the hooded opponent explained.

Everglade gritted his teeth, "You bastard! What sort of person cheapshots someone like that?!" The smoke finally cleared and the murderer stood strongly in his cozy little crater that the others made.

"For starters, you completely skimmed over whether or not I had a Protect or Detect module, which I did. Two, this is a nine versus one, so I had every right to. And three, it's his fault for looking away." Smoke's killer flipped around his scythe and readied it once more.

"You asshole, I can't wait to kill you!" Uzzie proclaimed.

"A disrespectful punk like you has nothing. I'm going to enjoy slaughtering you," Everblade said.

"Oh, will you now? Then I'm going to show you guys a little something-something. Tell me what you think." The hooded opponent lifted his vile scythe from the ground and smiled. "DREAM LINK… DARK AURA!"

It activated, enacting a transformation. The hooded figure envelops himself in a dark aura, flowing through his veins and being like crimson blood. The sky grew black, the rain itself stopped falling in fear. The Desert Raiders' opponent's eyes flashed a painful and bloodthirsty violet-red. His scythe even saw it's transformation too. The red highlights on the black scythe evolved into a deep royal purple. The scythe itself grew even larger than before, now scaling at twice its original size.

"I think you guys know who you're dealing with now, right?" He arrogantly questioned.

Username: Kyrino

Species Hybrid: Absol

Speciality: Dark Energy

When it all ended, Kyrino's changes stayed, yet those specific Dark Aura changes suited him well. He smiled again, only this time he had neat matching fangs. "My name's Kyrino. And I'm about bury some Desert Raiders! Starting with you!"

The Absol hybrid pointed his pointed at the face of none other than MavenWendy. Everblade noticed the man's next target and stammered. "Maven, watch out!"

Maven didn't have any time to react to the situation. Kyrino popped in front of her and ran through her with his scythe, decapitating her in an instant. Her head plopped on the desert sand. Maven didn't spew a bunch of blood from having her head cut off, instead her hollow body fell on the ground.

MavenWendy (DEAD)

"Goddammit! Whatever you do, GET AWAY!" Everblade urged. Kyrino wasn't having any of it. He made a full dash towards Oasis, stopping just before he could reach him. Oasis nervously stepped backwards, scared out his little mind. He tried to shoot another Hydro Cannon.

Kyrino had zero problems deflecting the shot of water away from his body. Oasis shook, "Oh no. Ohnoohnoohnoohnoohno. Not good. What do we do, Everblade?" Kyrino sighed and impaled Oasis at his chest. He yanked the scythe from his tired body, staring at the Golduck hybrid, disappointedly. Oasis casually fell to the ground, unmoving.

Oasis (DEAD)

"Crap. Crap. Crap. I'm gonna fill your ass with so many bullets, now! You asked for it!" Uzzie aimed her machine guns at the monster and shot ferociously. Each time she shot, she took a step backwards.

"Uzzie, get away! Wait for it to wear out!"

"Screw that! I'm ending this, now!" Uzzieshot's bullets in her chamber glowed a blinding white color, expressing her intent to kill. "EXPLOSION!" Uzzieshot released the ammunition from her chamber and they exploded upon impact on Kyrino's body. The tired woman panted and wiped the spit from her lips, "Stupid dick."

"Hello!" Kyrino greeted from behind her back. Uzzieshot barely turned around. "And... goodbye!"

The Dark Energy specialist yielded his dastardly blade against the blunt on her back. Unfortunately for her, she launched in the air like a baseball to a professional batter.

"DAMMMMIIIIIIITTTTT!" Uzzieshot screamed as she flew helplessly in the air, disappearing like a star in the sky.

Uzzieshot (DEAD)

Kyrino's demonic violet-red eyes smiled at his last opponent. He held his scythe behind the comforts of his clothed back. "Leader's the last one standing. How poetic. Just know that this is what you get for messing with me!"

"Shut your mouth. I can handle you alone!" Everblade said.

"How can you when you're already dead?"

"Hold up, what?" Everblade didn't see his opponent miraculously appear behind him. One swing of his scythe. One swing. That was all it took to destroy a man. One single swing of a scythe. Kyrino now stood feet away from Everblade's paralyzed body. Kyrino smiled underneath his demonic teeth and underneath his alluring and haunting presence.

"Like I said, you're already dead," Kyrino stuck his tongue out.

Everblade did not say another word, instead his body slid down in half from the cut on his waist and his legs below. The knight dropped dead straight on the sand, not a single expression on his face than sheer terror. It was like Kyrino siphoned his very essence. His very soul. His very being. Kyrino swung his scythe around his body and finished by sliding his weapon on his backside. His Dark Aura shifted back to normal, transforming him to the hooded vigilante he once was before he activated his Dream Link.

Everblade (DEAD)

Kyrino Wins!

A red notification notice appeared before Kyrino in a holographic form. On it had all of his stats from the last battle:

You gained 827 EXP!

Kyrino LEVELS UP to Level 54!

Please check your Level Up Report for gifts and stat information.

Kyrino fist pumped the air, "Hell yeah! Level Up!"

xxxxx Loading Chat Room xxxxx

{KelvinX}: DAMN SON! GET WREKT! #BodiedByOneGuy

{Liz}: That took an unexpected turn.

{Miko-san}: You can say that the Desert Raiders….

{Miko-san}: Just got buried.

{Universal Answer}: YYEEEEEAAAAAHHH!

{Uzzieshot}: That was absolute bulls***! That Dream Link is OP!

{MavenWendy}: Did we do good at least?

{Silentsmoke}: I told you all to keep on your toes.

{KelvinX}: Says the guy that got shreked because he didn't do exactly that.

{Universal Answer}: Tell that to Oasis. Boy was a deer in the headlights.

{Uzzieshot}: LOL! TRUU!

{Liz}: That is very rude, you two. He sure as hell lasted longer than you, Universal.

{KelvinX}: Yo! Look at Liz preaching the truth up in here. #Pastor #Blessed

{Oasis}: I'm sorry. I should have been more on my toes.

{MavenWendy}: I think you did good.

{Silentsmoke}: Don't sugarcoat his performance.

{Uzzieshot}: Smoke, who died and made you leader?

{Silentsmoke}: No one.

{Uzzieshot}: Then shut the hell up!

{Everblade}: Who is that guy?

{Liz}: Excuse me?

{Everblade}: I mean Kyrino. Who is he?

{Uzzieshot}: Low key op af.

{KelvinX}: *Passes Uzzieshot some fries for her salt.*

{Liz}: No idea.

{Everblade}: Universal?

{Universal Answer}: Nuh-uh.

{Oasis}: I think I know him…

{MavenWendy}: Really?

{KelvinX}: OUT WITH IT MAN.

{Oasis}: I heard rumors of an Absol hybrid that had a Dark Aura Dream Link. Apparently he calls himself...

{Oasis}: The Grim Reaper.

xxxxx

Welcome one and all to the most engaging piece of hardware that allows player interaction through combat! This is where players are challenged on multiple fronts over their interaction and communication skills, combat prowess, and more importantly, their imagination in the field of many others.

You will embark on a journey beyond your dreams, taking the presence of the avatar you create in order to form new and growing bonds throughout the world. As a Pokémon Hybrid, you will experience what it is like to battle as our ancestors did so long ago.

As a player within the confinements of your image, not only are you fully engrossed in your player, but you can also see the hardworking and imaginative avatars that other players have come up with too. Given both weapons of your design and abilities from the Pokémon of old, this not only makes this the best battling experience on the market as far as Pokémon is concerned, but the best battling experience ever conceived in gaming!

Devon Studios have been hard at work to create the best experience possible since the end of the era of real life trainers and Pokémon.

Link up in a world beyond your wildest dreams, where your only limit is your imagination.

Welcome to Dream Link Online!

DJTiki Presents...

Dream Link Online

[slashtiki]

“Episode 01: Nothing Changes (Part 1)”

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Continue

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oooooo

The world has changed a lot over the past given a few hundred or so years. I stopped counting a long time ago, so forgive me if my facts start to sound like fiction. Someone made a decision and it cost our coexistence with Pokémon. That's what I was taught as I kid. That's what my teachers were taught as a kid. That's what my teacher's teachers were taught as kids. Apparently, life wasn't bland at all. But all I can see now is mediocrity and blandness sheltered over the industrialized city of Petalburg. Funny, apparently this was simply a small town where everyone didn't live in skyscraping apartment buildings, but rather lived in cozy, little cabins with a tiny fireplace for good measure. I like that sort of style.

Yet… nothing changes.

I sometimes wonder lying in bed, what the hell have I really been doing with my life?

I live in a world where trainers don't exist. Where I don't go on a journey that I can only hope to experience in game. Where I don't get to battle eight, awesome boss battles to unlock the final five boss rush. Where I don't get to kick the ass of any criminal organization trying to screw us and our world up. Where I get to truly experience the most immersive game of all time.

Devon Corp. tries to make this out like it's the new age of technological advancement in the "Post-Pokémon World", as they try to market it. And I can agree with them on one thing. We DO live in a new age…

An age of boredom.

My alarm clock yells in my ear that I need to man up and wake up already, but I've been restless this entire morning. I don't need to slump over on my side and check the alarm clock. It's 6:30 A.M. That's what I set it to. That's what it will always be set too. I will never change it. I really want to change it but too many things are on the line if I set it differently.

Yet… nothing changes.

I live alone in a decently cheap housing that doesn't look decently cheap. My job is the only way that I can make money, so if I lose that, by extension, I lose my house. If I lose my house, I'll become homeless. And have you seen a hobo fight?

No thank you, I'll settle with my routine life. I have to be a top-tier MMA fighter for that to work out well.

Yawning without a shirt, I got up from the right side of the bed and stretched out my life's purpose, which didn't extend that far, unfortunately. I scratched my back a couple times, soothing my own self-satisfaction so quickly and so vigorously, that back scratching could be my own personal fetish. I smacked my lips as I dragged my soulless body to my bathroom.

A stare at the mirror screen provided for every single bathroom in this prison of an apartment building. I see myself in all my "glory". Tiny blackheads scatter across my otherwise silky sourdough skin. At least my acne matched my black spiky hair which parted over my left eye, leaving my right green eye relatively untouched. Sometimes, when I feel around my face while I splash myself with water, I wonder if I style my face in a way that matches my avatar.

Yet… nothing changes.

I'm still the same me I was yesterday. I'm still the same me I was yesterday. I'm still the same me I was yesterday. Nothing changes. Nothing ever changes. I am only a spectator on life's pleasures and punishments. I am only a spectator on life's pleasures and punishments. Nothing changes. Nothing ever changes.

Nothing ever and will never change. And that is the sad fact of reality.

oooooo

Episode 1: Nothing Changes

After scrubbing my teeth and brutally murdering the grime from last night's dinner, I stepped back into my room and planted chest first on my cozy mattress. I should probably put some clothes on. That's how it always worked. I nabbed the alarm clock and examined it. It was only 6:35. I have to be to work by seven. Or nine, I forget sometimes. There was no time to be lazily lying in bed, hoping my workplace drowned in a fire and I didn't have to go. Either that or call in sick.

But I need the hours to pay some overdue bills, so I got up from the bed and made an evil stare at my own dresser. He didn't do anything wrong, but I'll he damned if I actually had to wear clothes today. Maybe I simply wasn't making any sort of sense. My hand reluctantly wrapped its tired palm around it's handle. Insert some sex joke that I had on my mind, then I slid it open. Were my work clothes crumbled on the top of my clothes pile like a retarded snowball?

I ended up staring at some old shirt that I didn't wear since middle school. So that was a definite no. I threw it over to my nonexistent "I Don't Give A Damn" pile and hoped for the best. My lazy butt decided to get off from the mattress and squint inside the opening of my drawer. I saw my designated work clothes underneath a mountain of my other crap and yanked it out, giving zero disregard to my other horrifically dirty clothes.

Ahh… here it was: A medium, navy blue collared shirt with two black buttons sitting right near the top. Where the left chest plate of my body would've been clothed spelled out in white, incursive words, "Devon Corp." Opposite of the trademark had a small name stitchings with a card inside it. Of course, I'm not actually excited. In fact, I groaned at the sight of the name card inside the plastic stitchings.

"Kyle"

I didn't need to be reminded what my real life name was, but apparently my ass is so invisible to the public that we need convenient name tags to alleviate the masses of their guilt whenever they have no idea who or what I am. They will have that bewildered look on their face, "Thanks… um…" then they take a look at my name tag and say with a fake smile, "Kyle". Then I will be forced to say "Thank You" and act like I care.

Despite my personal issues, I slipped on the shirt anyway because that is what society demands of me. Oh well…

*KNOCK KNOCK* That's different. Since when did people actually visit me? I rushed to the door. Who could it be? A check for my hard work paid off? Or maybe a package? My cheeks scrambled with blood and colored a distinct pink. What if it was girl that was asking me out? Probably setting myself up to fail, but I don't give a damn, something chose me and I was ready for anything.

My hand excitedly reached for the doorknob. It twisted and turned over an axis. I could hear the hatches on the bottom lock come undone. Slowly I eased the door open and put on my best smile I could fathom. Then I actually opened the entrance...

"Yello! Didn't expect to see me here, huh, Mr. Grim Reaper?!" I could feel my hopes and dreams crash down like a dysfunctional airplane. There she stood… completely and utterly short. I still find it more troubling that she was about my age and graduated. Like always, she had brown hair that extended to the top of her shoulders, although barely. Her eyes were a striking ocean blue and her outfit was simple, yet professional: a short, white dress and black, high top wedges which falsely improved her height.

Was she trying to impress me or something?

I sighed, "Hey, Nicole. Why are you here?"

"Don't you remember what I said yesterday, loser?" Nicole asked.

I didn't really recall much from yesterday. For some reason or another, that day felt the same as any other average day. I rubbed beneath my chin, thinking over my events leading up to now. And now that Nicole mentioned something about it, I think I actually DO remember something from yesterday.

oooooo

Yesterday...

Kyrino fist pumped the air, "Hell yeah! Level Up! Now, let's see what I got as my prize!"

The Grim Reaper stared around the empty desert and scratched his hair just a tad. I think I may have over did it a bit. Before he checked his own stat information and Level Up Prizes, Kyrino decided to examine his scythe. More specifically, the victor made a quick checkup on the back of his silver handle. Three jewels lit up like the hot, blazing sun. Yet, one remained darkened from the battle. He didn't question the occurrence.

He tapped on the black jewel, initiating a red notification to flash in his face. Kyrino silently read the contents of the Dream Link report:

Dream Link: Dark Aura (Currently Inactive)

+You're body becomes subjected to an Aura of pure dark energy. All standard base stats are increased by 30%. All Dark-type Module attacks increase its damage by 50%. Effects last for 3 Minutes.

- Your body becomes worn out once the effects of the Dream Link declines. For 1 minute, all standard base stats are decreased by 30%. All Dark-type Module attacks become temporarily inactive until the initial nerf cooldown reaches 1 minute.

Cooldown Timer: 47:56:27

He knew the effects of using something like Dark Aura. Kyrino just hated it, yet he still used it. Just staring at the Dream Link summary angered him for a bit. He swiped the summary away, promptly closing it. "Stupid Desert Raiders. Now I have to wait another two days to use this Dream Link again," he mumbled. Without permission, a notification bar appeared and rung as annoyingly as his alarm clock.

"You received a chat invite! You received a chat invite! You received a chat invite!" the notification repeated over and over and over again, making Kyrino wish he could put a couple bullets in his ear. He pressed the notification bar like a convenient button. The ringing stopped and Kyrino proceeded to read its contents, seeing if this was just some dumbass troll yearning to taunt him into a battle:

You have been invited to a chat invite!

Members: JadeStrike (Chat Head), Blazefang, Stellar Starlight

Would you like to join the chat?
Yes
No



I should've seen that one coming. Been out here dealing with these guys so long that I forgot that I was in a hurry. Might as well tell them what's been going on. Kyrino had a slow reaction getting to the touch board, but his finger motioned over to the chat notification. He sighed and made a tiny little tap on the screen.

You have been invited to a chat invite!

Members: JadeStrike (Chat Head), Blazefang, Stellar Starlight

Would you like to join the chat?
((Yes))
No

….. Loading Chat Room …..

{Blazefang}: HEY A*******! WHERE THE HELL YOU'VE BEEN?!

{Stellar Starlight}: It's not nice to leave your friends hanging like that.

{JadeStrike}: Yeah, what those guys said. Where the f*** you've been, bruh?

{Kyrino}: Sorry, sorta got held up. XD

{Stellar Starlight}: You're so cute when you lie! c:

{Kyrino}: I am not cute

{Stellar Starlight}: Oh, come on! You're cute because you're such a horrible liar!

{Blazefang}: I don't know… dating/boning death sounds very depressing. You would know, won't you Jade?

{Kyrino}: No. You're just jealous that I'm the Grim Reaper.

{JadeStrike}: Oh, you know we were totally a thing for a while way back in middle school?

{Stellar Starlight}: Really?! Kyrino, how come you never told us?!

{Blazefang}: That's new news for me. I was just making a joke. So how'd it go?

{Kyrino}: It was middle school. As in, it didn't count.

{JadeStrike}: It totally did. But I can tell you all this. It IS very depressing.

{Blazefang}: I knew it!

{Kyrino}: Did not count. Refused. Rejected. Denied. And are you implying that we had sex in middle school?

{Stellar Starlight}: Aww, the first step of moving on from a relationship is acceptance. You're in the denial phase, still.

{JadeStrike}: He was such a sweet guy. And then I broke his heart because he took my cookie off my lunch tray.

{JadeStrike}: Kyle cried for three days. And to this day… that was the sweetest cookie I ever ate. XD

{Kyrino}: And to this day… Nicole is still a cold-hearted b****! Not even video games can make your ass taller!

{Blazefang}: DAMN! NOT BAD KYLE-KUN! Nice and sauced. Nice and delicious.

{JadeStrike}: Ouch. Hurt. That struck home. My feelings are hurt. Damn. I'm going to die. Thanks, Kyrino. #whycantwebefriends #kyrinoisntgoodinbed #kyrinohatesme

{Stellar Starlight}: Shut up, Jason! You hurt Nicole's feelings.

{JadeStrike}: Shut up, Miranda! My feelings aren't actually hurt.

{Blazefang}: Shut up, Nicole! Nobody likes you!

{Kyrino}: Shut up, Jason! Now you've been told to shut up twice, now. Nice and double killed. Got any rebuttals? #NoMercy

{JadeStrike}: Damn, Blaze. You just got destroyed. ANYWAYS, why aren't you here, you a******?

{Kyrino}: I was WONDERING when we'd get back on topic. ANYWAYS, I got held up.

{Blazefang}: By….

{Kyrino}: The Desert Raiders. All nine of them challenged me.

{Stellar Starlight}: Why didn't you call us to help? We're pretty good in battle, too. We would've helped. /.\

{Blazefang}: Man, you're such a try hard. I hope you're ass lost.

{Kyrino}: I won.

{JadeStrike}: Dark Aura?

{Kyrino}: Yep.

{Stellar Starlight}: HAHA! Now you can't use it for two days!

{Kyrino}: Shaddup.

{JadeStrike}: Kyrino. There's actually something I need to talk to you about. It's very important.

{Blazefang}: Please keep relationship questions via PM, please.

{JadeStrike}: Shut up, Blaze. I'm the chat head! Feel my godly powers!

JadeStrike kicked Blazefang from the chat room.

{Stellar Starlight}: Do you guys need some alone time?

{JadeStrike}: Uh… yeah. Do you mind if you.. you know...

{Stellar Starlight}: KK!

Stellar Starlight left the chat room.

{Kyrino}: So what is that you want to talk to me about? I really hope it isn't a date.

{JadeStrike}: Nononononono. I recently applied for a job at Devon Corp. You work there right?

{Kyrino}: Uh… yeah. More or less. So you applied for a job at Hoenn? You live in Unova, how the hell is that gonna work?

{JadeStrike}: I'm moving.

{JadeStrike}: There were some apartments open at Scenic Homes in Petalburg. That's where you live, right?

{Kyrino}: Yep! Apartment 6J

{JadeStrike}: Cool. Cool. Cool. Well, I didn't tell the others but I've been doing the moving for about a couple weeks now. So I'll be there in time for my interview tomorrow. You think I can come crash at your place and hitch a ride to Devon Corp. early morning before 9:00?

{Kyrino}: Yeah sure, fine with me. My shift starts at 9 anyways. When will you be there?

{JadeStrike}: Around 6:40ish. Be awake by then, k?

{Kyrino}: That's pretty early. Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, then, Nicole.

{JadeStrike}: Thanks! Just hurry up and get back to Everline, slowpoke! :/ See ya in a bit, Mr. Grim Reaper.

JadeStrike left the chat room.

Kyrino left the chat room.

Chat Room terminated

oooooo

"Oh yeah, you live here now," I said, smacking myself in the forehead. "I'm like half awake right now. Try not to make a huge racket." Nicole took her first steps inside my apartment. Well, she didn't really take her steps onto any carpet, but the designated tiled area where you are given the chance of removing your shoes. I checked up and down at Nicole's person, "You mind taking off your shoes for me?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." Nicole kicked off her footwear and placed them neatly beside a wall. I could tell that she was at least somewhat interested in my house, when I found her examining all over the place with her eyes fascinated. "Pretty snazzy place you got here! Not even bad!" Nicole placed one bare foot on my clean, white carpet, followed by her other one. She ended up snickering, "By the way, you're not wearing pants."

My eyes narrowed down at my pants. Or lack thereof. All I had on my body was my black boxers and my work shirt. I had been flashing my crotch at my house guest. I didn't have to think to cover the…..ummm…. bulge showing from my boxers. How embarrassing. "Thanks," I said sarcastically. I made it obvious that I tried to ease away from the situation. Nicole simply laughed it up and planted her dress on the living room couch. Her bare arms folded behind her head and she smiled. I knew that she'd get too comfortable.

"I'm just glad you're happy to see me," she laughed it off.

Puns. Quips. Jokes. Nicole definitely didn't leave those at home, unfortunately. Now I'm going to be the butt of all of her inappropriate jokes. "Don't worry, Kyle, I'll just chill until you find some pants. You hungry by any chance?" Nicole asked. That was an odd question. Even for Nicole.

I couldn't help but stammer as my hand reached for my bedroom door, "U-u-uh… why do you wanna know? I didn't get breakfast just yet."

"Cool! What do you have? I'll whip something up," she suggested.

"You're not my wife or anything. Hell, we aren't even in a relationship. You don't have to." Nicole acting like this always bugged the everliving hell out of me. For some reason or another, she acted like an evil witch and then could turn into a good witch in seconds. Unlike me, Nicole didn't opt for staying seated and observing life pass by on their racehorses. And that will forever annoy me. Or maybe I'm just jealous she really isn't my wife.

I just gave up on insisting otherwise. When she has her mind on something, it's difficult to change it, "Fine. Do whatever, just don't burn the whole place down. There's some bacon in there that I never felt like cooking. You mind fixing that?"

"You mean you can't cook it," Nicole insulted.

I creaked the door open. "Yeah. I can't cook worth shit. But I'm pretty handy with a microwave. Cooking stuff is on the cabinets beneath the sink. Oil and spices are on the cabinets above the stove and dishes are to the left cabinets from the sink. I'm gonna go find my pants now."

"You go do that!" Her shouts made it obvious that she wasn't staring in my general direction. Good. At least she wasn't staring at me in all my quarter-nude glory. I slammed the door behind and took a breather. House guests are weird. I never had one in a while, but they sure are high maintenance. Perhaps Nicole was just being extremely chill because I was driving her to her interview. That's probably it.

I heard some pots and pans go clang, bash, and crash, then my face smiled and my person began to get all jumpy like a spring. You know that feeling as a kid when you heard some pots banging over a stove when you woke up in the morning? The excitement that your parents were cooking hot breakfast? I'm twenty-two and I haven't felt this way since that one time I had won one of those plastic, cereal toys. It felt awesome.

I gazed over to my alarm clock. 6:43 A.M. Two hours and seventeen minutes until my first shift. "YO KYLE!"

"Yeah, wassup!" I shouted from inside my bedroom.

"I can't reach the oil. I'm short, remember?" That conclusion made me laugh. She was too short to reach anything besides the stove and cooking crap. I think Nicole heard me. "Stop laughing and help me, loser!"

"Just use a chair something! That should help!" I shouted at her.

"K'!"

It wasn't that hard to find my pants. I had a system for everything. As disorganized as I was, everything has its place and every place has its thing. I'd only lose myself if I organized it. My eyeballs scanned the work pants like a cyborg to see if they were really the ones I was searching for. Confirming my doubts, my brain instructs my muscles to slip it on. I covered my boxers and zipped up my fly. If there was anything I had been trying not to do was walk into a bunch of Nicole's jokes. And the whole "Your fly is down" joke is a classic. I'm avoiding the embarrassment like the bubonic plague.

I looked at my clock. 6:45 A.M.

For the first time this morning, I was fully dressed and ready to tackle the test of the day. I organized my shit into neat little piles that looked kinda clean, kinda not. Then, I went to see what my old friend was up to. After all, I could smell the oil being cooked from in my room.

And that is what exactly happened. Nicole stood over the burning stove, flipping around bacon on one pan. On another eye, Nicole was firing up some scrambled eggs. Finally, she had herself a half-pot filled with slowly cooking grits. Having someone cook for you was incredible. Especially when you don't have to do it yourself.

"You know what, Nicole?" I asked both my online and real-life friend.

"Yo," she asked.

"I'm sorta glad that we're neighbors now. Even if you live on a completely different floor and apartment room. I'm happy that I won't always be bored out of my mind," I told. I stared about to the kitchen. It was very hard to see, but Nicole had a huge, blushed grin across her face.

"Me too, Kyrino. Me too. By the way, the eggs and bacon are practically done-zo. We just have to wait on the grits. Probably won't start eating until seven or so," Nicole explained, taking a spatula and lifting the hot, sizzling bacon from the pan, gently slapping the pork skins on a placeholder plate, as I like to call it. She ended up doing the same with eggs.

"I'm fine with it," I said. I found a spot on my couch and sat on it. My spot was the cushion nearest to the window. My grass green eyes couldn't help but check.

Petalburg City: A city once renowned for its cozy home feeling to the serenity you felt from taking strolls in its hospitality-filled air supply. Now look at it. The place isn't even recognizable now. Skyscrapers and factories. Roads and Cars. No clean air, just smoke. It was the middle of the morning yet it appeared like it was a rainy afternoon with the black and dark clouds overhead. Why? What did they do to this once, great city. Where did we fall off? Where were the Pokémon? Buried beneath cement or forced into hideaway by our cruel, industrial expansion? Whose idea was this?

Maybe I'm just a nostalgia freak. Hell, I wasn't around when it did look good. Someone made a decision and it cost our coexistence with Pokémon. That's what I was taught as I kid. That's what my teachers were taught as a kid. That's what my teacher's teachers were taught as kids. But who? Who made the choice?

Nothing changes in our helpless world.

Only life happens. But nothing that will shape our futures. Nothing. Nothing whatsoever.

I noticed that Nicole was temporarily resting her head on the dining table. Even if you're friend meets up with you in real life, nothing changes. I stared at the window for a while…

Thinking...

Plotting…

Thinking some more…

And staring…

And thinking...

And contemplating…

I must've been spaced out for a while because when I aimed my gaze back at the dining table to see what was going on with Nicole, she had miraculously held a fixed plate of breakfast, all with a glass of good old OJ. Her blue eyes stared harshly into mine. After a moment of no blinking and my eyes tearing up, she sighed, "Come eat!"

My arms yawned and cracked the tired shell that I had enveloped over myself. I was finally beginning to get my land legs and my full awareness. I sat down at my dining table and watered at the mouth when my nostrils detected Nicole's cooking. "Thanks, Nicole!" I began to chow down at my plate. You wouldn't believe how hungry I was. And boy did the slop of bacon, eggs, and grits filled my little tummy with delight. My hand wrapped around my respective glass of orange juice and the liquid slid down and… wait…

Across from the table, Nicole was eagerly staring my down with her hands folded like she was a proper kid in grade school. Weird. "Uh… do you need something?"

"Well… how is it?" Nicole anxiously awaited. That's when I realized she had been referring to the plate of food that I indulged myself in. Nicole hadn't even touched a morsel on her plate. I guess this what chefs lived for: the satisfaction of their customers. I swallowed the food I had in my mouth and carefully set the glass down on the table.

"It's good," I said.

Nicole frowned, "What's good about it?"

But I wasn't no chef. I couldn't pinpoint each and every perk and flaw of each dish and give an explicit, detailed, informed explanation on it. But I tried, "Well... for starters, everything blends well together."

"Yeah?…" Nicole veered closer.

"And… the eggs are seasoned well. Plus, the grits are not too hard and not top mushy. I like that. And the bacon is pretty crispy, too."

"Crispy in a good way or a burnt way?" Nicole wanted me to specify.

"Uh… good way," I specified.

"PHEW!" Nicole leaned away from my face and leant back against her chair. "I didn't think I did all that well, so thanks for being honest. You were being honest, right?"

"It is a bit greasy," I stated. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

Nicole slapped and punched her fists about her forehead, "DAMMIT! I knew I used a bit too much oil. You don't have to eat the rest to make me happy."

"Nonono. It's good. I like it," I consoled, picking up my utensil and stabbing another piece of succulent bacon. I tried to continue with my sentence, but my stuffed mouth made that rather difficult. "It's fine. Swear. I haven't had cooking made by someone else in a while. Thanks." My ears registered my voice just fine even with my mouth full, but all my house guest heard was jumbled mumbling. I could tell because Nicole was laughing.

"Didn't your mom teach you not to eat with your mouth full?" she joked.

"Shaddup. Aren't you going to eat too?"

Nicole got up from the dining room table and stretched out her arms, then proceeded to scratch her white backside. She started to walk away from me and to my living room couches, staring heavily out the window. "Nah. I ate before I got here. Consider this my thanks for letting me crash and give me a ride."

"Yeah… no problem. Anything for an old friend, right?" I huffed down the rest of my food and drink at a quicker race. A large burp escaped my throat and made a large noise out my lips. "You got the time by any chance?"

Nicole checked her phone, "6:57."

I did the math in my head. "We still have an hour and thirty-three minutes before we need to leave. Wanna hop on DLO?" Nicole was flustered when she heard that.

"I still need to set up my CPU after my interview. How are we gonna get on?" Nicole queried.

"I have two VR headsets. I'll let you borrow mine and I'll use my spare. That's cool?"

Nicole nodded in return. It wasn't long before we were both in my bedroom, breaking the official record of how many girls came in my bedroom in a day. Yay, me! I extended my reach towards the keyboard and mouse, clicking the handy little icon which symbolized the online game we frequently went on. The launch window for DLO was still rudimentary at best, but it was excusable.

How many players?

Two.

Loading…. Loading….

Please do not unplug VR headsets at this time. Failure to comply may lead to data corruption on both the software and hardware.


After the game started to load, it displayed that usual notice. That notice that I enjoyed fondly.

You may now connect to the game. Please equip your respective VR headset and connect to the program using the connection phrase.

I slipped on my headset. Silver, rounded goggles which wrapped around my face and forehead. It had a hard exterior and a comfortable feel on the inside. Almost like a pillow. You could almost feel the electromagnetic waves pulse through your neurons like a river of information. Nicole and I are laying on my bed, situated side-by-side from each other. She was wearing the same thing, except it appeared more authentic. And by that I mean that she had my chrome one.

I liked that one more. She's my house guest and she cooked for me. Allowing her to use my expensive… good looking…. an awesomely designed piece of hardware was the least of my worries.

"Hey, Kyle?" Nicole called from beside me.

"Yo."

She snickered to herself, amused, "Will this be the first time you slept with a girl?" Goddammit, Jade.

I rolled my eyes in a rather unamused fashion, "Can you please just say the thing and get logged on?"

"Let's say it at the same time. You know, like how people in T.V. shows and anime do it all dramatic and shit. That'd be cool." That was odd request, but then again, crashing at some guy's house and proceeding to hitch a ride from them and make them breakfast is already weird as it is.

"Yeah, sure. So do we do on three or something?" I asked.

"Yep. One… Two… Three!" Nicole started and finished the countdown. Our mouths quivered, then they burst into a synchronized phrase used to log on to the most popular game in the world.

"Dream Link... CONNECT!"

Then my world went completely blank.

oooooo

A world without change.

That was the world where everyone lived in. A world where nothing happened. A world where your life was simply a spectator on life's pleasures and punishments. You may have good things happen to you and unexpected occurrences, but you will continually watch as the world fails to evolve at the rapid pace that you do.

Nothing changes.

But something exhilarating ran through Kyrino's chest as he warped inside the game. He felt that he was flying through cyberspace itself. A multitude of colors raced below his naked, blank, mannequin of an avatar. The body twisted and flew straight up like a rocket. And then his cold feet made touchdown in a dark room.

Kyrino smiled. He always smiled. A dark bronze notification took up the space between Kyrino and a wall. The man knew what was coming.

Username:

Password:


He cracked his knuckles and the back of his hand and typed away at the holographic keyboard. When he finished, the Grim Reaper made a few steps back from the notification, more ready than anything.

Username: Kyrino

Password: ******

The naked avatar started to wear clothes. First, he was given a skin tone of a soft olive. Afterwards, his eyes rolled over from being completely lack of any soul or personality to a hard red. His nails shifted from more of human to more of an Absol, making his nails completely grey. His hair remained as a moderately spiky look, but it wasn't black, but now white.

Kyrino was finally given his clothes. A mid-sized black hoodie with white highlights throughout. His pants were simply grey jeans and his shoes were simply black converses.

Then the icing on the cake appeared, his weapon. His trusty little scythe named Sephtis. A black scythe with blood red marking around it. The hilt was a comfortably calm silver. Kyrino now had everything he needed.

The floor beneath him began to cave away. It was finally time to get things started.

And then he dropped...

A fall from a few thousand feet seemed scary at first glance, but then you realize that the moderators, game design gurus, and the specialists wouldn't want you to die. So for now, you fan out your body like a snow angel and enjoy the ride.

On the other hand, Kyrino had always had difficulty enjoying the drop.

"AHHHHHHH! I THOUGHT I TOLD THAT THING TO LOG ME ON AT THE GROUND!" Kyrino screamed at the top of his lungs. He stared to his left and found another short body in the distance making the drop as well. This person he knew. But it wasn't Nicole.

She had long, flowing, cotton candy hair. Her neck was wrapped by pearl white ribbons running through the dropping wind. Kyrino recognized her almost immediately. No mistaking it.

"STARLIGHT, HELP!" Kyrino begged. The girl falling with him turned to her immediate right and saw the discomposed Absol hybrid. Her large, buggy blue eyes with no pupils smiled at him.

Username: Stellar Starlight

Species Hybrid: Sylveon

Speciality: Pure Energy

"Isn't this fun, Kyrino?" she enjoyed.

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M HAVING FUN?!" Kyrino panicked. "WHEN DOES THIS STOP?!"

She laughed, "Don't worry, scaredy-cat, this will end once we hit the ground. Aren't you supposed to be at work?!"

"NOT FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF!" The Grim Reaper thought it over for a brief second about what Stellar Starlight just mouthed to him. His heart sank, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'HIT THE GROUND'?!"

His Sylveon friend just giggled and giggled. This is not funny! What's so funny about dying? When Starlight finished giggling, she directed Kyrino below them. They were both hurdling at towards the pavement at top speed. All there was now was the quick and swift punch of death.

Kyrino braced himself for impact. He heard Stellar Starlight laughing at him from across the air space.

Then everything just… stopped all of a sudden.

Kyrino opened his eyes, only to find that he was merely floating in midair. The tip of his nose barely touched the bricked walkways of the city. He caught himself hyperventilating. Never again am I doing this drop. A barrier around them broke and the Absol fell flat on his face, while Stellar Starlight managed to land on her two feet.

"Uhhh.… I hate falling. F*** this stupid drop. And f*** Everline for always being in censored mode," Kyrino cursed. He moved his eyes back up. There were two bodies. On the left was a girl bearing a mid-sized, slightly armored, baby blue and white crop top. The body on her left also bore a white and pink combat skirt with a chrome rapier attached to it.

The body to his right of him had a heavier and light armored, jade tank top with black jeans. Instead of bare arms, this girl wore cold, hard steel gauntlets that ran up her entire sleeve. There were vicious claws at the end baring a deadly gold.

Stellar Starlight reached out her hand and held on to Kyrino's, only to yank him soon afterwards. He grazed against her bare stomach and a bit of her crop top before getting back on his own feet. "I thought felines always landed on their feet," Starlight joked.

"And you do realize that Everline is an open space, so they censored it for the poor kids who shouldn't hear it, right?" the short girl with the gauntlets stated.

He frowned, "Thanks, Captain Obvious."

The short girl smiled with her jade eyes and shrugged.

Username: JadeStrike

Species Hybrid: Metagross

Speciality: Iron Gauntlets

"That's why I'm here, amirite?" Jade poked fun at. You're just here to be annoying. Why did I let you come over? JadeStrike punched Kyrino on his right wrist, "Lighten up, Kyle. You only have to deal with me for an hour and a half!"

"You live in at Scenic, now. I have a feeling that I'm gonna have to deal with you for a long time coming…" Kyrino complained.

Starlight confusedly mumbled to herself and kept looking back and forth between Kyrino and JadeStrike. "Are you two roommates, now?"

He nodded his head, "No. We're not. In real life, she's laying in my bed, wasting brain waves on my good VR headset!"

Jade's eyes burned with scorn and she started to yell at the Absol, "You were the one who insisted that I wear yours! Don't give me that bull****!"

Kyrino argued back to her, "I thought you were going to be all like…" he coughed up some mucus and tried his hand at a high pitched voice, "No, Kyle, you don't have to do that for me!"

"Too bad! I'm wearing it! Is this how you treat someone who cooked for you?!" she screamed even louder.

"You're cooking was s***!" Kyrino topped.

"Uh.. guys, stop fighting please, we're making a scene," Starlight pleaded with her sad puppy eyes. It was true though, they were making a scene with all the other players stationed on the Everline part of the server.

"YOU LIKED IT! YOU ATE IT ALL UP!"

"THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE I WAS BEING NICE!"

"EMO, DEPRESSING LOOKING ASS SKELETON!"

"YOU SHORT, WANNABE COOL, COLD HEARTED B*-"

Kyrino was muted for one minute(s) by Jirachi (Super Moderator).

JadeStrike was muted for one minute(s) by Jirachi (Super Moderator).

Now all there is between the two friends were nothing but moving mouths. Nothing but air came out of it. Stellar Starlight gave herself a large breath of relief. "Phew, you two sure know how to argue. You're both so cute, but we don't want a bunch of attention, right?"

"Right," someone said. A female levitated over to the two muted players.

Username: Jirachi (Super Moderator)

Species Hybrid: Jirachi

Speciality: Wishing and Moderation

"Sorry, guys, but I muted you because we don't condone arguments in a public and censored HUB like Everline. Please settle all disputes via PMs, Grudge Matches, or in real life," Jirachi warned before floating away on her own business.

Stellar Starlight, being the only one who could talk for the minute, wrapped her bare arms around the necks of Jade and Kyrino. Her smile brought an aura of calmness between the three players, "Come on, we're all friends here. You two knew each other the longest. So let's focus on having fun. Let's not be negative by bringing in our real life selves, K? You should both apologize to each other."

They couldn't talk, but Starlight could tell that they were reaching some form of mutual understanding. The Metagross and Absol shrugged and turned towards each other. Kyrino nervously smiled. Jade nervously held on to one of her arms. Stellar Starlight motioned her hands about, hurrying them along, "What are you waiting for?"

Probably for the mute to lift, Kyrino thought.

The mute on Kyrino was lifted!

The mute on JadeStrike was lifted!

"Sorry I called you an emo. I know you hate it when I do. Plus, your avatar is pretty banging," Jade apologized

"Sorry I called you short and that you're cooking suck. The breakfast was actually was good," Kyrino returned quickly.

"Now, hug…" Starlight commanded.

JadeStrike nodded her head, "I can admit I'm sorry, but I am not hugging Kyrino."

Stellar Starlight detached her rapier from her skirt and threatened them with an eery and intimidatingly happy-go-lucky grin, "HUG, YOU MAGGOTS!"

JadeStrike's eyes popped, "Fine. Fine. I'll do it!" Her and Kyrino both blushed at each other, like two siblings who were forced my their overbearing parents to hug. They reluctantly enveloped their arms around each other for about a second before letting each other go.

Kyrino gave the evil stare to the Sylveon, "Happy, Starlight?"

She nodded, "Yeppity, yep yep! You guys only have an hour and a half so let's go do something! Anything! We'll just have to leave Blazefang behind if he's online."

"I'm game. You feel the same way, Kyrino?" Jade asked him.

He huffed, pulling the scythe from behind his back and held it close above his shoulder plates, "What sort of question is that?! Of course I'm game!"

Stellar Starlight leaped in the air with joy, "YEAH! LET'S GO!"

oooooo

Meanwhile...

"U-u-u-uh, are you sure this is a good idea?" said the Golduck boy. He was fidgeting behind an alleyway in Everline.

"The odds are stacked in our favor, Oasis. We got our help and we got me!" a blondie with highlights as cold as ice bragged.

Oasis, obviously scared, tried his best to get out this situation, "I don't know, Kelvin… Everblade said we shouldn't. Plus… he has company with him."

Username: KelvinX

Species Hybrid: Mamoswine

Speciality: Ice

"Don't worry about him, I have a plan. We're gonna trap them and ambush them at the forest. He thinks he's so cool because he beat the Desert Raiders and has two c**** riding of his d***! I'll show him who he messed with!" KelvinX promised, all the while getting censored.

"We need to send them a challenge, right?" Oasis said.

"Not if they're not in a HUB, we don't!" KelvinX states. "Plus, we can't lose, not while our backs are covered, ain't that right?"

A purple feline laughed and played around with her claws. "Why, of course, we will. If they only have an hour and a half, let's stall him until he misses work. If he loses his job, so what. As long as we both get paid for what we do."

Username: Kitty Kat

Species Hybrid: Liepard

Speciality: Trapper

"KK, you'll get paid. We just need to held redeem the Desert Raider's name. Got it?" Kelvin maliciously grinned.

"As long as I get paid, you'll see to it that the Grim Reaper and his friends wished they never messed with you!"

To be continued...