“That worked out surprisingly well,” Sonya said, slightly distracted by whatever she was reading on her interface. “Where are you headed?”

Torbin whistled a little tune, quite pleased with himself and the progress of the day. “Nowhere special. I’m getting a bit hungry, and my back is trying to murder me. Might get some chocolate, see if that helps.”

“Ahh, I know that pain. Well, when you log back in lemme know. I’m mostly caught up at the moment, so we can figure out which dungeon to run Arron through.”

“I’m thinking Jurassic Classic,” Torbin said with a mischievous smile.

“Oh! That’s perfect. And I haven’t run it in forever. Great choice, Toshi!”

“It’s gonna be awesome to see the look on his face,” Torbin said.

Sonya laughed in agreement and broke off, heading to the library, as usual.

Torbin waved, but didn’t leave right away, Sonya’s pleasant chuckle keeping him company for a few moments longer. The little moments never seemed to last long enough.

Once he was alone, he enjoyed a peaceful, quiet moment as he strolled through Glendale.

His team was together! It had taken so long, but with the addition of Arron, he had a good feeling things were gonna start advancing for them. He was going to really push their DPS output over the top.

And man, was that guy durable. It was crazy how much damage he could take. He shrugged off hits that would have punched the ticket of most other players his level. Torbin had been able to actually deal some damage in that battle, not needing to focus exclusively on the heals. And holy crap could he hold agro! The group had put everything in their arsenal into that Blood Ogre and it hadn’t even glanced at them.

Though Arron was nearly insane when the rage took him. Tactics went out the window at that point. He turned into some sort of violence machine, swing after swing after swing. Not a care in the world about injuries, blows raining down on him or the movements of his team.

They would probably need to work on that.

“Hey, Torbin! Wait up!” a tall man wearing full plate armor yelled. A cacophony of clangs followed as Carthage, Guild Leader of Ominous Latin Name, ran over, his filigree-covered full plate armor shining in the daylight, and crashing as he moved. “I heard you guys finally KO’d Big Ugly!”

Torbin stood just a little straighter. “We sure did. Took him out no problem this time.”

Torbin stumbled from the power of Carthage’s excited pat on the back.

“The guild went up a whole level from that win, Torb! How’d you do it? You guys have been trying for, like forever.”

“Aye, we have. Turns out we just needed the right person to round out the party. Our new guy holds agro like I’ve never seen.”

“Nice!” the guild master exclaimed. “He’s a melee class, right? What is he? Paladin? Hoplite?”

Torbin’s face fell a bit at the question. “Ah… afraid I can’t tell ya that. Made a binding promise to keep it secret.”

“Keeping his class a secret? That’s a little odd. Unless…” Carthage’s eyes widened a little. “Oh! Umm, ok. Seriously? Ok.” He visibly calmed himself. “I get what you’re saying,” he finished with an exaggerated wink.

“Now wait a minute, I’m not saying anything here, Carthage,” Torbin started.

“No. No. No. I got it, Torb. No worries,” Carthage replied with another, almost comically overdone wink. “You just be sure to get him into our guild when he meets the level requirement, K? You heard about Hero’s Haven, right? Some pretty awesome new content popping up! Perfect stuff to add some new members for.”

“I did, but no promises, Carth. He can make his own decisions.”

Carthage just about pouted at the comment. “You think he’s using you to power level?”

“No. I’m just not going to—” Torbin sighed in frustration. “I think he’ll opt to stick with us.”

“Excellent! That’s what I wanna hear,” Carthage said, excited smile returning, and his eyes took on a far-off look. “Crap. I have to go. Gratz on Big Ugly, though! I look forward to meeting your new teammate!”

And with that, Carthage was running in the direction of their modest guildhall, the racket from his armor almost deafening.

Torbin shook his head, laughing as he thought about Arron meeting the over-energetic guild master. That was going to be something to see.

The Hammerhead was a fantastic addition to the team, but he could still be baffled by the most straightforward in-game concepts. It was confusing. He role-played so hard, especially for a new player. The weird outdated machismo fairly dripped off his character. No way was this his first time gaming. Which was why it was so weird he was clueless on the in-game stuff. Even without missing the tutorial, he had to have played some video game before, right? It’s not like Interius was original with its mechanics. But people didn’t play for the mechanics, did they?

The immersion was what drew Torbin in. He stopped just outside the tavern inn, turning to look past the buildings of Glendale. In the distance, the trees moved back and forth in the wind. He thought he could almost smell the pine and cedar, and took a moment to take in the beauty this game offered.

Was that why Arron played, too? For the immersion?

Torbin wasn’t entirely sure of the story behind the brute, but clearly the newb had read somewhere that the Black Keep was the region goal.

It was sad how new players missed the fun of leveling their character in a race to make their way to the higher-level content. Even if there were some pretty exciting things happening out east at the moment, they squandered so much of what made the game special: the nuances that made the realm tick, the history, and most of all, the beauty.

With a sigh, he walked into the inn and waved at the innkeeper, who smiled in return.

“Logging out for a bit,” Torbin casually said as he passed, drawing an understanding nod from the woman.

The stairs creaked like they always did, and before he knew it, he was in front of his account-locked Safe Area, turning the handle of the old wooden door.

Torbin deeply inhaled the pumpkin spice aroma that greeted him. The incense totem he purchased at auction supplied a constant, steady stream of his favorite scent.

After a quick glance to ensure everything was in its place, he laid on the bed and logged out, smiling.

***

Toshiko opened her eyes, still smiling.

She took off her headset, returning it to its cleaning stand for a cycle, and full body stretched on her bed. She arched her back, leaning into the stretch and pulling until her shoulders couldn’t go any further, straining awake her sleeping muscles, and working out the kink in her lower back. With a deep groan, she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

She caught a glance of her BTS sheets wadded up in the corner of her mattress, briefly remembering that it was laundry day and it had been… a while since the sheets had been washed.

Hello Kitty stickers smiled at her from her nightstand, framed by pictures of her and her friends on various adventures around the city. Rollercoasters, trips for ice cream, and other fond memories lined the bookshelves across her wall.

Those shelves were a unique addition to any teenager’s room, but she liked the classic feel of real wooden shelves. They even had a book or two, the classic bound kind with covers and pages. Toshiko rescued them a few months back and gave them a home. She hadn’t ever read them, but nobody else she knew bothered to keep a physical book anymore. It seemed… sad.

Her desk sat to the side of the shelves, actual paper covering its top. She glowered at the forms that needed filling out, not relishing the chore. She’d been shocked that the university wanted her application on paper. Toshiko hadn’t realized the kinds of institutions her parents intended for her to attend maintained their old traditions. She forced the anxiety of that task from her mind, not interested in dwelling so soon after logging out.

Getting out of bed, she briefly frowned at her reflection in the tall mirror on her wall. She stopped long enough to stretch her neck, trying to see how she would look without the folds she despised and headed to the kitchen.

Her bare feet were silent on the hardwood floor as she passed through the, predictably, empty home. Pulling a loaf of bread out of the freezer, she grabbed some bologna and a few squares of wrapped chocolate she’d hidden behind a bag of peas.

She liked her food frozen. She didn’t even really have a reason, but the cold in her mouth made eating more pleasant. Even the ice cream she brought home from restaurants went in the freezer to harden it up a bit before she ate it.

“Soft serve is for the weak,” she thought to herself, smiling at her own joke.

If she was going to take in the calories from ice cream, she was damn well gonna enjoy it.

“Toshi, is that you?”

Toshi almost dropped the bread at the sound of her mother’s voice. “Yes, Okaasan,” she called, quickly stuffing the chocolate in her pocket.

The moment her mother walked into the room, Toshi stiffened just a little. How could a five-foot-nothing woman exude so much confidence? Had to be the pantsuit.

Toshi brushed her fingers through her hair, kicking herself for not running a comb through it before she came down. Her mother never had a single hair out of place.

At least she was still distracted by her tablet.

Toshiko made her sandwich while she waited for her mother to look her way, knowing that whatever she was working on would be sorted soon. She started shifting uncomfortably, not wanting to take a bite for fear she would be mid-chew when her mother spoke.

Not that her mother would mind. Sadako was a loving mother and perfect in every way. Just like she was in every other aspect of her life. Toshiko loved her mother, and was proud of her, and her accomplishments, and the honor it brought to their family.

It was just…

“Toshi, you finished the applications, yes?” Sadako asked, not looking up from her tablet.

“I… Uh—” Toshiko started to reply before her mother cut her off.

“I don’t care, Steve. We are not being unreasonable. If they want us to increase the rate of our deliverables, we will incur a greater cost in staffing. We are simply reflecting that increase. Send this audio to Mr. Guttenburg. Further attempts at negotiation will be met with silence.”

Toshi eyed her thawing sandwich, wondering if she could sneak a small bite. Probably not. Her mom, the one and only Sadako Tanaka, VP of Customer Care for a massive, faceless global corporation, wouldn’t have come out of her office if she hadn’t intended to give Toshi her full attention. Eventually.

But, if she was quick enough, perhaps she could—

Her mother’s tablet dropped to her side. Sadako closed her eyes, centering herself.

“I’m sorry, Toshi, I interrupted you. You were saying?” she asked, opening her eyes and smiling at Toshiko.

Toshiko shuffled her feet nervously, looking down at the hardwood floor as she replied, “I haven’t filled them out yet.”

“Oh?” Sadako replied, eyebrows raised. “Why ever not? Distracted by Interius?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, Okaasan. It was irresponsible of me,” she replied, perhaps a little too quickly.

If her mother noticed anything strange about her answer, she didn’t mention it. Instead, she walked over and gently pulled her daughter into a hug.

“Now, now,” Sadako said quietly, “there is no need for all that. We all get distracted. Especially by things we find pleasing.” Sadako took on a more serious tone when she said, “It is important, however. You need to get the applications in so you can attend one of the best universities. You do want to go to a good school? Be successful like your mother and father?”

Toshiko nodded, still looking at the ground. “I do, momma.”

Sadako smiled. “Of course you do.”

Her mother pulled away enough to look into her eyes as she cupped Toshiko’s face with a hand.

“I love you, my daughter. We all want what is best for you. Don’t become too distracted.”

And with that, she walked out of the room, once again focused on her tablet.

Toshiko blew out a breath, knocking aside the strand of hair hanging into her face. She finally took the long-anticipated bite of her sandwich and headed back to her room.

Her mother was right, of course. She did need to complete the forms. She just couldn’t quite force herself. Somehow the papers had become almost symbolic to the rest of her life, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to decide the rest of her life.

So, procrastination was on the agenda. Laundry was always an excellent excuse to put something off, and her sheets were starting to smell. No amount of pumpkin spice was masking that sharp scent.

An endless sea of buildings fell away into the distance outside the never-ending windows of the Tanaka home. The ugly grey sky pushed her mood even further down. Almost without thinking, she passed the hall leading to her room and found herself at the family’s massive balcony.

She needed a bit of quiet. A bit of peace.

Living on the 45th floor of a high rise had several perks. Their apartment being the penthouse, added a few more.

The Tanaka family’s balcony was huge, covering almost a full acre. Above ground gardens and decorative seating were tastefully placed throughout the space. To the far side, a pergola had been installed over an outdoor cooking and reclining area, giving the space somewhere for guests to mingle on a warm evening.

Toshiko loved the balcony. It was the place she felt most free. Well, within the garden portion, at least.

She started making her way through the beautiful plants, most standing almost seven feet tall. The roses, corn stalks, and honeysuckle dwarfed her as she travelled beneath the green expression of vitality.

She tried not to look at the view out from the balcony. By contrast, there was nothing beautiful in that view. The hill country around Omaha, Nebraska, used to be considered beautiful. Her textbooks contained pictures of rolling plains, hills, and trees. The Missouri River flowed peacefully within its banks.

Nothing grew here anymore.

The city skyline continued as far as even she could see from her privileged height. Dark grey clouds of smog leaning down towards the city pockmarked the dull sky. Dirty, stained buildings accented by bright flashes of neon extended beneath that sky into the far distance, promising noise and the ever-present human touch.

There used to be city parks with trees and grass and lakes, areas that the government protected all for the benefit of the public. Somewhere everyday people could experience nature. She wished such a place still existed.

After the sea level turned twenty miles of land across the entire eastern seaboard into ocean-topped property, people had moved farther inland, no longer trusting their homes to such a fickle neighbor. Even the vacation industry abandoned the oceans after toxic materials the waters swallowed in its swell made it unfit for swimmers.

The Midwest, always the literal center of America, became the cultural center as well, and the place to go for temperate climates and stable infrastructure. The migration meant land was at a premium, and the government, trying to recover using an old statute from the traitor president, sold the public parks.

Now, the only trees left for 250 miles were on multi-floor greenhouses constructed for photosynthesis.

Well, almost. The rich would always have their privileges.

She felt the familiar smile creep onto her face as she passed a massive group of tomato plants.

The weeping willow was the most expensive thing her parents had ever purchased for her. A tree like this could pay a family’s expenses for five years, easy. Finding a healthy tree that could be planted was so rare, people faced the dangers of the scrub to hunt for them.

Her family had bought it when she was six years old, after seeing how much she enjoyed their new garden. It was her absolute favorite thing in the world.

The tree was smooth under her fingers, tracing the blemishes on its bark and remembering the history there. Having grown up with the tree, she knew each mark’s story. Months of her life had been spent under its branches, listening to the wind twisting through the garden, rustling its swaying leaves.

She began to relax the moment she sat down and leaned against the tree. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on its trunk. At peace.

What am I going to tell mother?

Toshiko nearly spit at the unwelcome thought.

No. Absolutely not. These problems would not intrude on her here. This was her happy place. Her sanctum. She would not let her worries ruin this moment.

She needed this time. It helped her feel normal in her outstanding family. Everyone in her family was so… important.

Her mother, obviously, with her position and accolades, was a walking figurehead. A role model for other focused, powerful women.

Her father the surgeon, her brother the congressman. Even her cousin Haruki, who had been so strange when they were younger, had pulled himself together and was working in one of the most prestigious environmental engineering firms in Chicago, converting the endless plastic sea back into oil. Cousins, aunts, uncles… everyone had found a place that lifted the Tanaka name.

As a daughter of Tanaka, Toshiko had a lot of expectations to fulfill.

It was expected she would apply to some of the “great” universities: the University of Chicago in the nation’s capital, Kansas City United, even the more local University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Some of the oldest surviving institutes of education, these universities upheld rigorous expectations and produced impressive results. The connections she would make, the funneling she’d have access to, would effectively guarantee a life of success and status.

Except… she didn’t want a life of success and status.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She didn’t really know what she wanted. Had no idea. But she knew she wasn’t interested in board meetings, law degrees, or being a doctor.

She liked plants, nature. She liked being outdoors.

That was actually how she’d ended up a ranger in Interius. When she first entered the game, after completing some of the starter quests, she walked out of town and spent several days in the woods lying on the grass and listening to the trees.

The longer she spent in the woods, the more she understood the forest. Understood ecosystems and how everything, big and small had a place in the forest. Just like everyone had a place as a Tanaka.

Except for her.

Shaking her head, Toshiko blew out another breath, frustrated at her inability to control her thoughts enough to enjoy her favorite place. A place she wanted to be.

Like Arron and the Black Keep. That guy was growing on her. Now that he’d moved past the toxic masculinity bullshit, of course. Toshiko frowned remembering the chauvinistic way he’d acted early on.

Clearly, he didn’t know his entire group was made up not just of women, but women who found that sort of behavior unacceptable in the extreme. Thankfully that had worked itself out.

Mercutio, Helen, having finally gotten away from her abusive ex-husband, absolutely wouldn’t have stood for it. Toshiko shivered as she remembered some of the things Helen confided in her about her “silent prison.” Mercutio was like therapy for Helen. Spitting jabs and snark at everyone and everything that walked by, working through her years of being a silenced victim.

Iris, Camila, daughter of two high-ranking members of that cult called a church, would have likely lashed out too. Arron’s actions were too close to some of their unhealthy practices. She had grown up fully engaged in some really crazy-sounding religious stuff. After being excommunicated and isolated from her family of “true believers,” she wasn’t quiet about her opinions. And by becoming a rogue, she was able to work out some of her demons as well.

And of course, Sonya, Aniyah. She was one of the cleverest people Toshiko had ever met. A graduate student, Aniyah was using the time compression as an assist for studying while she pursued her degree in Oppressed Peoples studies. Her thesis was on 21st-century women and their resurged battle for equality in the first world.

Toshiko had warned everyone about Arron, of course. The group met the idea of a man throwing weight around with a predictable fervor.

Though, she was genuinely surprised by how far he’d come. An almost 180-degree shift in his attitude. He was definitely still working towards the Keep though, almost single-minded in his goal, and the group was happy to help. At least he seemed to have worked past that false bravado. It was like he realized he didn’t know how to interact and became hungry to learn. And they were all too happy to show him, especially after the way they tore through that Blood Ogre.

The way her mother expected her to tear through the college applications.

Toshiko retrieved the chocolate from her pocket and tore open the packaging with her teeth. She popped the morsel into her mouth, thankful it hadn’t warmed up too much, and focused on the creamy taste.

But not even chocolate could touch the stress of responsibilities waiting for her.

Sighing, Toshiko accepted her mind wouldn’t cease wandering, and peace likely wasn’t to be found under her tree today. She had an issue to deal with, and she wouldn’t have peace until it was complete.

Standing, she returned to her room to complete the forms.

Her future was set for her, she supposed. All she had to do was walk the path.

Good school. Good company. Good salary. Meet a husband. Have children. Ensure they go to a good school. Don’t embarrass the family.

At least in Interius, she could be what she wanted.

At least in Interius, there were trees.