CyberWorld

CHAPTER TWO: YUNON (INTERLUDE)

It's a little past 1 in the morning, but I'm not at my desk like I usually am. Instead, I'm staring at my most recent purchase lying on the bed in front of me. Out of the carbon-fibre packaging that doubles as a case, the headset looks nearly identical to Issac's, but not only because it's the same model. From what I saw of it before I broke it, Issac must've taken great care of his headset for the last couple of years.

Luckily, the principal let me off relatively easily because of my conduct, but she told me that Issac deserved a new headset and an apology by the next day. After I left, Dad picked me up and drove me to the hardware store. This time, he didn't pull any punches on the car ride there— he really let me have it. Once we got there, he'd given me his credit card and told me to hurry.

Leaning against the bed frame, I bring my knees to my chest and sigh. I thought things were bad yesterday, but it's nothing compared to today.

As I play with the headset case in my hands, I notice a black chip with a circular logo in one of the side slots. When I take a closer look, I realise there's a curved, yet angular "W" plastered on its side. In each of its caverns are two claw shapes that have been turned almost completely vertically, aiming at the triangle hovering between the "W" ends.

I imagine myself in a sailor's outfit transversing the storm when a siren appears before me. Although I try to block out the chanting, the seductive nature of her hymns seeps into my ears as she lures me to my doom, causing the ship to crash.

My parents won't be back till even later. With no one to disturb me and no work to finish. I could try the headset on for a while, and Issac wouldn't even know.

You gotta shake things up. Dad's voice echoes in my head from my distant memory.

Screw it. As per the instructions, I pull out the charging cable in the case and plug it into the port under my desk. As I unravel it and bring it to my bed, I feel a sensation of excitement tingle through my skin. I've got the chance to try out something new.

I sink back into bed and hit the power button, inserting the disk into the top slot. As I place the headset around my head, a white screen with the CyberWorld logo appears on the screen.

"Greetings Adrian Leong," A female automated voice says. "I am Cybrone, your in-game assistant. Please wait as we scan your frame."

Slipping back the headset just enough to see my legs, I catch a laser grid beaming itself from my chest to my feet, briefly bathing my room in cyan.

"Scan successful," Cybron says, and I feel a tingling at the back of my skull. "Welcome, Monochrome. Do not remove your Cognitive Resonance Gear."

As I glance at the clock on my bedside table underneath the headset's faceplate, I promise myself I won't overstay my welcome.

Even though it's 1 back home, the sun's rays that bathe my cheeks in a warm glow peek through the ink-stained clouds above, muted by its translucent overlay. As I shield my eyes, I realise I'm now in the middle of a circular plaza complete with European-inspired architecture and wooden arrows directing players to miscellaneous shops and restaurants. Five narrow alleyways are connected to the centre, leading to other establishments like inns and taverns.

Meanwhile, a crowd has congregated in front of a wooden stage that spans about eight feet tall and a hundred feet wide, buzzing eagerly as they stare at the giant LED screen that plays a looping graphic of Kakushin Games' logo. Besides the speakers at the stage's sides, there's a lone microphone stand that lies vacant for its upcoming host.

I take a step forward, feeling the weight of my boots sinking into the gravel below. While I kneel down to touch the ground, a mechanical crow with red eyes lands a few feet from my boots and eyes me, tilting its neck. Still crouched, I inch towards it and raise my hand to its throat, expecting it to nuzzle its beak into my fingers.