Chapter 3.05 REQUESTED PERMISSION

Streets of Chicago, IL

Saturday, July 12th

[Wake up, Kyle! Zombies are going to eat you!]

Kyle awoke with a start, jumping out of the sleeping bag he had been using. Wide-eyed, the young teen looked around the roof but saw no menace in the shadows created by the faint illumination of some strange world in the sky.

[Just kidding.]

“What the fuck, Bob. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

[Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. The others asked me to do it.]

Shaking his head, Kyle rolled up the sleeping bag and secured it to the bottom of his backpack. Feeling a bit hungry, he removed one of the travel bars he found in the store and ate it.

“Man, feeling hungry in a video game is odd. The urge seems far stronger in Outbreak than Fantasy.”

[Unsure, the others say their owners have had similar experiences with feelings and senses feeling odd or wrong.]

“Interesting, maybe they are still working out the kinks with the new sensations in this game. Maybe from the time compression?”

Kyle looked around one last time before putting on the backpack. Next, he removed the cinder blocks covering the hatch and then opened it. After a quick peek up top, he hurried down the ladder. Hoping to collect whatever he missed the day before, Kyle went through the store’s shelves one more time before hearing a noise from the other side of the store. Pulling the nine iron from its makeshift spot between his back and backpack, he began to inch towards where he heard the noise.

Peeking over the rack of winter gear, Kyle spotted a head of blonde hair. Moving slowly around the shelf, he found himself looking into the eyes of a cute blond girl around his age.

“You scared the hell out of me,” Kyle said.

“Sorry, I didn’t think anyone else was here,” replied the blond.

“What group are you a part of?”

“I was a part of Terminally Chi till they were dissolved. One of the other’s sisters had been infected, and it went to hell fast. I escaped and ran away. I mean, I know I’ll die soon, and that doesn’t scare me. But Jesus, those Zombies really frightened the shit out of me,” she said as she started to giggle.

“What’s so funny?”

“Sorry. It’s just the first time in a while that I’ve been outside the hospital and walking around on my own legs. Even nearly getting scared to death, this is amazing. The doctors at the hospital had us all chipped recently, and we are now in these fancy medical capsules down in the basement. Even with Zombies roaming around, I don’t want to wake back up.”

“I-I’m sorry to hear.”

She waved her hand, dismissing his apology.

“Don’t worry about it. Name’s Kimberly. Your group go tits up too?”

Kyle laughed.

“Oh yeah, our group went tits up pretty quickly. Names Kyle.”

“So Kyle, what’s your plan for the rest of the twelve or so hours we got left tonight?”

“Was thinking of roaming around and finding more gear. You’re more than welcome to join me.”

“I think I’d like that. I haven’t talked to many people my age outside the hospital.”

Kyle helped Kimberly find a decent size backpack and fill it with whatever various goodies were remaining. Finding another sleeping bag, Kyle strapped it to the bottom of her pack as well.

“Alright, let’s get going. I want to find some type of transportation and more weapons before the day’s over,” said Kyle.

The two left the sporting goods store and headed northwest, giving the hospital a wide berth just in case the Zombies within decided to check out. As they walked down the road, Kyle would peer into each building as they passed, looking for anything to help them out. Thirteen blocks into their journey, Kimberly called out to Kyle from across the street. Running over to her, Kyle followed her into an unmarked building to find it filled with various blunt and sharp handheld weapons.

“Man, if we had found this store before, we might have been able to fight the Zombies better. Blunt weapons don’t seem to do much to them,” said Kyle.

Kyle walked along the store’s shelves till he found a section with long machetes. They even had matching holders. Taking two of them, he removed his belt to fasten a holder to each hip. Kyle then slipped the blades inside. Kyle then tossed his bent nine-iron aside.

Grabbing a large bowie knife, Kyle placed that inside his bag. Feeling better prepared, he walked around till he found Kimberly. She was in the back, twirling a long pike around herself.

“Were you some type of warrior princess before you got sick?”

Kimberly stopped twirling the pole around. A dark shade of red blush trailed from her cheek down to her neck. Kyle found himself somewhat amused at the idea that a girl carrying a six-foot pike would also be so easily embarrassed.

“I was a part of my highschool cheer squad my freshman year. I’m the one you see spinning the baton around in front of the band.”

“Hey, if you can use that, do so. It will keep you farther away from the bitie end of a fight. Come over to the other side. I found some blades you can use as well.”

Kyle showed Kimberly the machetes and helped her fasten two of them around her waist. She wasn’t wearing a belt, so they had to find one in the store. After a brief search, they came across a belt meant to hold daggers. In no time, they had her kitted out in two machetes. Kyle placed one of the large bowie knives in her bag as well.

“Alright, let’s head out.”

The two kept walking west, each of them on opposite sides of the street, looking for any buildings that had loot held within. Over the next few hours, they found various structures with supplies, food, and gear. Kyle made sure to mark everything on his map as they went.

Around midday, Kyle found a vehicle inside an open garage. Looking inside, he found no key fob to start the car. Figuring the keys may be in the house, Kyle told Kimberly to wait at the back door. He broke the glass of a first-floor window on the house’s side and then counted to one hundred. When nothing Zombie-like came running out of any of the rooms, he crawled inside. Unlocking the door for Kimberly, she was surprised to see a fully furnished home, complete with cabinets of food. It didn’t take long before Kimberly cheered, finding the keys on the table beside the front door.

“I think we should stay here till we know more about the game, Kim. We can take the car back to that last hardware store and get plywood, nails, and any other items to board up the house.”

[Hammers. You’ll need hammers,] quipped Bob.

Kyle looked at a mirror on the wall and shrugged. That was good enough to get a giggle from his AI companion.

A little over an hour later, they pulled up beside the house with a stack of plywood tied to the roof of the sedan. The two spent the rest of the day hand cutting the plywood to fit over each of the first-floor windows and then nailing them into place. Seeing they had less than an hour before the end of the first day, Kyle parked the car inside the garage and closed the door to hide it.

The two headed inside, locking the door behind them. Kyle and Kimberly went into the living room, each picking out a couch they could logout from.

“Do you play Fantasy, Kyle?” Kimberly asked as she made herself comfortable.

“Yea. It hasn’t been the best of experiences so far, but I’ve been having fun. The NPCs in the game are crazy realistic and make it worth playing, even if the gameplay has been lacking for me. Did you start yet?”

“Yep! I started earlier this week when we entered our medical capsules. I’m a spear-wielding female Elf.”

Flea laughed at her enthusiasm.

“I’m a Gnome rogue with daggers. I hope to soon be able to control a magic ninja star.”

“Where did you get a magical ninja star?”

“My AI companion, Bob, helped an old Elf, and he gifted it to me. I’m still lacking in the mana department to control it, though.”

“You can play with your AI? How? I would love to play with Ellie.”

“Got lucky again and was given a Guardian Egg. Hatching it allowed my AI, Bob, to create an avatar and transfer to it.”

“Oh, what did he make?”

“A Persian house cat.”

Kimberly laughed.

“I'd love to see that. I’m currently playing in the coldest damn place on Mea. I had to spend almost all the silver I’ve made to buy clothes to stay warm.”

[You can invite her to your MicroWorld, Kyle. She can then meet the great and wonderful, Bob.]

Kyle laughed, causing Kimberly to give him a look.

“Sorry. The Great & Wonderful Bob says I’m able to invite you to my MicroWorld to meet him.”

“Can I? I want to meet him!”

“How does that work, Bob?”

[I’ve sent her AI our MicroWorld coordinates. With them, they can create a gateway to the pavilion at our base.]

“Bob says your AI, Ellie, now has our MicroWorld’s coordinates. You can come and visit after we log out.”

“See you soon!” Kimberley squealed before slumping over on the couch.

Kyle moved her body, so it was lying correctly on the couch. He then laid on the other couch and logged out. Materializing at the center of his pavilion, Kyle walked inside the house to find Bob in the same place he left his companion. Though the wall now held three screens. One watched Kyle’s sleeping body in Outbreak, and the other Flea’s in Fantasy. Kyle saw an episode of Stargate on the middle screen had been paused.

“That’s kinda creepy,” Flea said, pointing to his Gnome’s body on the couch of Tenzin’s Lorien.

Bob shrugged.

Flea heard a chime followed by a message prompt.

Rabies Kitten requests permission to establish a gateway to your MicroWorld.

What the hell kind of name is that?

Flea mentally gave permission and immediately heard a noise coming from outside. Going through the backdoor, he found another monolith rising at the edge of the pavilion. Leaving the house, he walked towards it as it slowly rose. Kyle could see the new monolith was covered in splashes of brightly colored paint like someone had thrown dye-filled balloons at it. As the standing stone finished growing, a door materialized. The door, like the monolith, was covered in bright colors. Unlike the monolith, the door was painted with various lines of color crisscrossing it.

A moment later, a brunette Kimberly, walked through the door. She looked around, taking in the scene, then looked down at the Gnome.

“Kyle?”

“Yep, I like being the Gnome when I’m online.”

“I didn’t know you could do that! Ellie, can you change me into my Elf?”

A moment later, Kimberly grew almost two heads taller, her brunette shoulder-length hair turned snow-white and grew down to her waist as it braided itself.

“This is so damn cool. I can’t wait to show Paul.”

“Paul?”

“Oh, sorry. He’s one of the others at the hospital. I think he’s my boyfriend, but we never really put a name to it.”

“Oh, no worries, I wasn’t looking to date anyone. But now you know you can visit one another’s MicroWorlds.”

Flea could see the look on her face when she realized what he had just said. She seemed to concentrate for a moment. But before Flea could comment, he got another chime and prompt.

Nasty Boy requests permission to establish a gateway to your MicroWorld.

“Nasty Boy? Your boyfriend?”

Rabbies’ cheeks went a few shades red as she nodded.

“Don’t say that around him, please.”

“What part? Boyfriend or him being a Nasty Boy?” Flea said to the now redder teen.

Flea mentally allowed the connection, and another monolith grew from the ground next to Rabies. This monolith was bare and pale blue. The door materialized and was a flat white. When it opened, Flea watched another Gnome walk through the door. As the new Gnome made eye contact with Flea, they both jumped and pointed at one another, and then shouted to one another.

“Gnomes Rule!”

“Oh, god, not you too. Please don’t ever say that again,” the Elf said.

“Oh, we have two visitors today,” said Bob, coming out of the house.

“Oh Gawd, you’re adorable, Bob!” Rabbies yelled and ran over to him.

Bob sighed as he raised his hands into the air. The Elf ran up to him and immediately picked him up. Rabies then buried her head into the top of Bob’s head and rubbed back and forth.

“Oh man, you’re so soft. I haven’t held my cat Loki in years.”

“What’s with the Gnome sized cat?” asked Nasty.

Flea gave the other Gnome a quick rundown on how he got the egg and how that led to the creation of Bob’s body. They all went into Flea’s house, and Rabies told her secret boyfriend how they met in Outbreak, found the house with a car, and made a small base out of it.

“Bob, can you show my map on the screen?”

A moment later, the map that Kyle had been writing on showed up on the center screen.

“We got a car now, so when you spawn tomorrow and find out where you’re at, we might be able to come and pick you up.”

“That would be awesome, thank you. I was so mad when Kevin’s sister bit me. I started losing control of my body, and then I could only watch as Zombie me went on a rampage, going after everyone else. So I just logged out and went back to Fantasy.”

“Where and what are you doing in Fantasy?”

“I just left my starter Island and sailed to Denalice, the capital of the starter area’s territory. I want to be a mage but found out that you need to join one of the academies to get the required Skill Orbs. I’m going to do quests till I get the required 2 Royals to join. I got lucky by waiting to use my token for a Skill Orb at the capital. I wound up getting the [Fire] skill. The unlucky part is I need to level it to tier two before I can control it well enough. Right now, it’s basically a party trick.”

“Wait, you hit level 10 in less than five days? How?”

“Got into a group of noobs right away. We farmed non-stop and split everything fairly. No one died after the first day, so we just grinded and slept. I wanted to try and meet up with Rabies as fast as I could.”

“You figure out where she is on Mea?”

“Yea, too damn far away. She’s on Fordrum Island on the other side of the damn planet. We thought about one of us rebirthing till we got closer to one another, but our AIs said they were told players only get a hundred lives on Mea. What kind of shit is that? I hope they don’t make people buy more lives or something.”

“Oh, you told the others what Tenzin said?”

Bob looked over at Flea, hearing his silent words, he just grinned and shrugged.

“Well, it was great meeting you two, but Bob and I have a baby yellow Dengre to get back to his family. I’ll see you tomorrow when Outbreak goes live, Kimberly. Hopefully, we can find out where you’re located and pick you up, Paul.

“Baby yellow Dengre?” The Elf and Gnome asked in unison.