Lifting up his beloved XL bean bag, Noah shaked it to loosen up the beans inside it. He then let it go and it fell to the floor in a random position. His computer was already on, his chosen viewer program for the Sphere-game was on and ready for input. Cables from his headset sloped in the air between him and the console. There were head gears out there, which were wireless, however he fancied the cabled ones. They were faster and more reliable, he believed. Placing himself on the bag, with his back to the computer, made sure he couldn't get entagled into the wirering and cables. They were thin like a spider's thread, and about as strong.

Wriggling himself into a comfy position, he made sure his head had the right amount of support. Older modules of headgear had a visor, to project the screen before the eyes of the player. This newer one had sensors placed at the back of his head, close to the visual center of the brain. The advantage was faster interaction between eyes and brain, the disadvagtage was the risk of a headache, because the little bulge of sensors and the cables connecting, could add pressure if the player rested too long in a unfortunate position.

He floated, as the starting sequence began, connecting him with the servers running Sphere. Did he remember to set the timer on his smartphone, before he tugged it into the left pocket in his pants? it was just like trying to remember if you had locked the door when leaving your home. He remembered. Yes, he had. Three hours worth, this thursday eve. He still felt baffled how the sensors inside the headgear could send impulses to his braincenters and how the simple thought of movement immediately resultet in him, moving inside Spheres. Tapping his fingers in different manners, made him able to open different menues, which his eyes did not see. The sensors put impulses directly into his mind and it reacted as if he his eyes had seen it in real life. Amazing. And he was inside and alive in the Sphere.

The sound woke alive from a muffled growl to a raging roar of falling water splashing, drops flying, rainbows dancing in the wet veil. The experience always catch him off guard and he dwelved in the greatness of this pretended world. It seemed he really was alive inside the game. Everything still had this grade of artificial look. However at every update things got a little more life like. Or he got just used to this to be close to the real world. He tried to help himself, not to be entirely engulfed into the game. Real life still had to be real life. And the game still what it was, a game. The Waterfall Hub was one of his favourite spots in Sphere. They met there, Tirpze and him. Now he gazed up the waterfall as it fell towards him, down next to the platform where he was standing. His clothes didn't get wet, nor covered in drops. He couldn't feel the moisture in the air. He longed for that one day, when the game have liftet itself to such extreme level of realistic measues. Imagine feeling your clothes get wet. Amazing.

She was there, next to the big sign "Waterfall Hub". They walked towards each other, smiling, sharing joy. She used her usual avatar, Babydoll from the movie "Sucker Punch". She was looking as an exact replica. Blond hair in pig tails. Big cute eyes, reddened cheeks, little sexy sailors uniform. Two handles of swords sticking up behind her back. Not that she could use swords for anything here, but push objects around, if they weren't too heavy for such games. They turned both and walked towards the orange benches, that were placed with their back towards a low wall, with greened grass and flowers on the other side. They sat. As they always did.

- "Greetings Ms Tirpze", he said.

-"Greetings Mr Stint", she said.

Formalia was kept, they both felt safe. The waterfall was a distant roar, birds chirping and other people talking made the background noise. He looked around, viewing the mix of avatars looking close to and far of other human beings. On the bench next to them, a male in denims and tshirt was talking with a lady fox. It was a lady. Her eyes and lashes gave her away. He looked up, the sky was blue.

-"Have you been to the Pirate Bay, yet?"

-"I have", he said and sort of knew what she was to ask next, "I have unlocked a Waypoint closer to the beach than the main teleporter" he said. He smiled too. "Didn't explore much though, left this to later, wanna join?"

-"Would love to, lead the way", she said.

Letting his fingers dance, Noah had the travelmap appear on the HUD, Head Up Display. Finding the Pirate Bay and the waypoint he had unlocked. Then teleported. The map vanished. His view of the area around him shrunk into a pinhole, then blackened. A Swuuuuuffff sounded in the headphones and he kind of flew into the pin hole and the world extracted beore his eyes. He was now at the Pirate Bay, standing on the ground and fulll 360 degrees world around him. All he had to do was turn his head or move his body. Amazing. A path went thru between a group of palm trees, which blocked the view from seing more distant. He tapped his fingers, sending commands and the game responded. An "Invite to Join" was send to Tirpze. She could now come and unlock this waypoint herself.