In a cute pink t-shirt that said 'hug me' underneath the picture of teddy bear's smiling face with snow white spandex hot pants and bare feet, Tia Mayway worked. Her hair was kept out of her face by a head band matching her pants as she got on her hands and knees to work on a special VR pod.

Unlike commercial pods, this one was solely Nexcom property and as such, as a member of Nexcom's research division, was her's to do with as she pleased.

So there she was, pulling this wire and that wire to the point that she was looking to be a part of the machine itself. She almost got herself permanently tangled a few times but every time she came close, her small body came through for her to wiggle free.

It was a mess but more to the point was the reason for all this as she attempted to wire up a small mainframe to the pod. By doing this her pod would be able to enter First normally but would be doing so with an AI she created called bear bear, that was contained in the mainframe.

Having an AI in your head was a complete cheat but she didn't care. She needed an edge to get strong quickly and bear bear was it. Plus she didn't like the idea of going in alone... not that would admit it.

Once she was strong she could explore First, and look for signs. It was the idea of a certain someone.

Fact is, no one could get close to the 8 AI's right now, it was physically impossible. That left only one place to look to find answers, First.

There was a chance they could be found in First, maybe, it was the only other contact the AI's had but those same AI's were not built to interact with First. This left scientists skeptical and unwavering in their belief that the AI's were contained within their compound and simply isolated.

Tia wasn't so sure. There might not be a back door at all but if there was one, it would be in First. There was just no other place the AI's could possibly go even though she knew they could not access it.

She knew that. Right?

Tia's heart played dryer spin cycle 4000 in her stomach. She was so sure of something but at the same time a passing thought kept resurfacing to tell her something was off, something wasn't right.

Regardless, it was time. Tia resolved herself and entered the pod.

The capsule roof slid up and the insides glowed blue as the machine did a full scan of her and bear bear.

It did not reject them as Tia's consciousness drifted away to her first experience in first.

***

With a startling start, a Tia rose entered First. It was a name she already had assigned to her through Nexcom should she choose to enter First, it was reserved indefinitely.

Tia was wearing a starter set of gear consisting of a shabby short summer dress and had 10 silver to her name. She was also the spitting image of herself in the real world. It was to be expected though, your character was built upon the image you have of it in your head. Character customization was something you did after character creation by various means not readily available.

It was the first time Tia got to appreciate what they had made first hand. It was seemingly flawless, expansive and beautiful. She knew she was here for work but a small spark of fun flickered inside of her at the chance to be here.

"Bear, status"

A transparent blue interface came to life, much like virtual interfaces found in the real world.

On it was a map of the area with markers over the areas that had sites of interest, like a recognized art piece or store.

Tia poked one of the stores on the map and a line was added to her vision on the ground. She was what one could call a noob but a noob with an AI in her head and a virtual interface.

First she needed a weapon, a few in fact.

Finding the store for weapons, she walked in.

"Hello there missy, what can I do for you?"

In front of her was a young boy, seemingly younger then herself.

"Sword, daggers, other things."

Tia's AI was already sizing up the weapons on display, measuring the length, handles and gleam. Tia saw it as a blue outline with text boxes connected over them, stating prices and various other facts Tia might find useful.

"Well, let me have-"

He was cut off mid-sentence as Tia started pointing, the AI already helping to inform her what was best.

"That, that, that and 10 of those."

"Ah? Ok, well if that's what you want."

The boy barely got to speak and didn't feel too good about it but he still kept his smile, a customer was a customer. Grabbing what she wanted from the display he brought them down and out on the checkout table.

"That will be-"

Tia dropped 5 silver on the table.

"-5 silver."

The AI had already informed Tia of their worth by observing its surface. By the surface, one could tell the quality of the metal and its forging, though that was only supposed to be a skill for seasoned players.

Almost as soon as she arrived she left with a sword, some daggers and a miniature crossbow she could fit to her wrist.

Next was the armour shop and it went the same way as she left 3 silver and gained a set of armour. It was black while made of leather and cloth.

She looked somewhat like a ninja.

In a few more stops she picked up a carving knife, small axe, anvil, rolling pin, a bundle of wicks, flint, cloth, oil, and whetstone. All of them were recommended by the AI at the best price.

Slipping them into her tiny newly born soul realm, she was ready to leave.

It was a beginner area that Tia stepped into but it soon became a graveyard. She expertly, with the help of the AI, struck vital organs on every monster that approached her, striking them down with one strike time and time again. The foxes fearsome looking wolves were but babies before her efficiency. They eventually got the fear debuff from her actions and ran away at the sight of her, even then some of them didn't flee in time and were struck down.

Of course there were other beginners in the area too that seeing this wanted to approach but without her skills, could not follow as what she killed replenished not long after. Tia was taking a straight line path through the monsters to the tree line in the back that was simply impossible to cross with new monsters flooding overtop it.

That day a local legend was born at how fearsome the beginners that started here were. Lots of guilds would take note of this in the future and pay much attention to the beginners starting in the town.

However, Tia was oblivious to the theatrics of her actions and just kept blazing across. But she entered the tree line, she was gone from everyone's sights likely never to see them again.

There was a place Tia wanted to go, called the fountain of regret. By reaching it there would be an opportunity to gain tremendous strength but only if you knew how. Tia knew how.

And so a journey began taking days where she did nothing but play, sleep and eat.

She never strayed from the blue line showing the way and found many uses for her tools.

Timed explosives made from carved wood and ground plants, her whetstone kept her cheap sword and tools functioning, the flint and axe came in handy for fires and shelter, she even skinned her kills for meat, leather and bones for a bow. She 'knew' how to do everything and kept progressing just like that.

Eventually she found her destination, a cave with a cold chill emanating from it. That cold wasn't something stopped by clothes and anyone not knowing what it was might of runaway right then and there in fright.

Tia however, pushed on.

Inside she found a well of mystic design for it was overflowing but not flowing down. The well carved from rock had water running over its sides but then had it running up the walls.

It was a bizarre sight to be sure.

Tia cleared her throat.

"I, Tia Rose, have come for Sakura the black shadow to fulfill her wish, to cleanse her regret."

Yes, Tia was reading a script prompted to her by bear bear. There was no way she could have said those words on her own accord.

The water boiled but did not steam.

"A pink long haired vixen popped her head out of the water and rested herself by the elbows at the edge of the well."

"You know of my regrets and would carry them?"

"I do."

"Then state them and your qualifications for carrying them."

"I will restore the former glory of Sakura and because," Tia slashed somewhere in the air and as a result, a few strands of hair drifted off of Sakura's head, "I'm not giving you a choice."

"Hahahahaha, little one, your looks aren't bad and you dare to threaten Sakura of the night? The one who, in one night, made a country forever silent. I like you.

This puddle of water has sufficiently bored me, I will grant you my strength. From hence forth you shall be known as Tia Rose, the will of Sakura."

There was a surge of power within the cave. The cold was pushed back and replaced with a feeling of warmth yet at the same time ominous and suppressing.

In this time, Tia underwent some small changes as a lock of her hair turned pink and a ring of red formed around her irises. It was minor but she was clearly different than before.

Then, the cave felt empty, not a trace of anything remaining. The process was complete.

Tia walked out and slash open air once more upon the entrance of the cave. It was silent and nothing happened but then, the cave collapsed and the mountain it had been a part of shifted a little to the right.

This was the power of Tia Rose, will of Sakura.