[ Two Pairs BEATS Pair of Aces ]

[ You lose -3 Luck Points. ]

[ Activating Crazy 8 (Lv. 8) ]

[ Activation is SUCCESSFUL! ]

[ Side Step has Upgraded to Lv. 8. ]

[ Skill has reached MAXIMUM POTENTIAL. ]

“Luuuckyyyyyyyyy!” Fi cheered with glee, nearly attracting everyone within hearing distance.

“Quite down, bubble head you’ll alert security at that volume.”

“Yeah, my Tyche Engine nearly set off my auto-shut down with that one.” She said, catching her imaginary breath. “It’s just that this proves my theory, it seems it’s not a fifty-fifty split, it’s a fifty-forty-ten split. Think of it like an eight sided dice. Fifty percent it will land on failure, forty percent it will land on success, when it hits that ten percent or a natural eight, it’s a Super success. I still don’t know what an eight would do for you and me, bunny boy, but man it’s just... wow!”

“I’m sure you’ll be up all night trying to determine how to overcomplicate things, but I’ve got class in the morning and it’s nearly midnight in real time.” Chance said looking at an imaginary watch on his wrist.

“Wait, it’s that late!” Cee said in shock. “I didn’t even know it was that, I wasn’t even keeping track.”

“Inert Time, will do that to you.” Chance said. “It’s like when birds make their nest in a brightly lit area, plus there’s no clocks but the ones that appear when you look at your wrist.”

Cee tried this feature for herself. Sure enough the moment she moved her wrist as if looking at a small transparent clock appear that showed her the current time in game.

[ 23:47 CST, UTC 06:00 ]

“I’ve gotta go guys. I was only supposed to be on for an hour, I’ve got...things I need to do.”

“Wait, wait.” Fi said. “We gotta get a picture.”

“A picture, now?”

“Hey, we gotta commemorate this occasion.”

“We’re over a hundred thousand in the red and skills we hardly know anything about, with a disaster on the way we don’t know anything about. How is this a special occasion?”

“Hey, there’s a new bad time for a group photo.” She extended her fingers in the air to make an imaginary frame that instantly turned into a floating window that could be stretched and bended at will. She flipped the window around, converting it into a mirror like surface, and then started to move it around until she had herself in a perfect pose. “Alright, everyone gather around.”

Everyone gathered together as around Fi as she adjust and enlarged and manipulated the mirror frame until she got it just right. Then she let it go, leaving it floating above their heads like a camera on a pole and gave a big smile and pose. Cee gave a simple sign of peace with her fingers, while Chance simply stood still and gave his typical sour face, but Fi thought it was perfect.

“Everybody, say Luckyyyy!” Fi said.

“Lucky!” Cee called.

“Lucky.” Chance barely whispered. The frame closed and then shrank to the size of a small snapshot, then floated down to Fi’s hand.

“I think it came out good.” Fi said.

“Yes, very photogenic.” Cee commented.

“Are you all going to be here tomorrow night? I’ve got classes until 3.”

“You know I will.” Fi smiled.

“Yes...I do.” He said, rolling his eyes.

“I’ll see what I can do, like I said, I’ve got things.”

“We might as well meet around this place, since we don’t know when Benjii is going to call us.”

“How about the big fountain where we tossed our free luck rolls.” Cee said. “It seems like a nice place to meet up.”

“Right, don’t be surprised if we’re no here when you log back in. After all, you’re the only one who’s got things to do.” Chance said.

“Until we meet again, new friend.” Fi said.

“Right, until then.” Cee simply said.

With that she put her fingers on her neck and tapped her wrist three times, this was the signal that activated the logging out process. Her body began to evaporate, disappearing into a mist of white vapor. She left the world of Fortuna, as if blowing away like some many fracture particles in the dusty dunes around the city of endless sands.

# # #

She woke up in her bed like waking up from a dream. A young woman in the prime of her life, but unkept and unwashed for some time. She sat up from her resting position and reached over and looked over to the large shackle-like device on her right wrist. A few taps on various buttons and a set of green lights on the device quickly turned off. Then she proceeded to remove the device, along with a set of goggle-like device strapped over her long oily hair. It was an old, and used device, weathered by age and discolored in appearance, she carefully took it off and set it on her night stand beside her bed.

The Tyche Series 1019 set was not the highest quality VR system or the most expensive, in fact it was one of the first VR engines on the market, rumored to be the lowest of the low. However, because of its affordability it was often a collectable item for people who preferred to play on a low quality interface with high quality feel. She didn’t seem to mind, because she hadn’t paid a penny for it. It was part of her inheritance that she received some time ago, but she never knew about it until recently. It was soon after her 19th birthday, she would never forget it because it was also the best and the worst time in her life.

She had just spent her first years in college when she received news that her father was taken to the hospital. Her father was a proud man, hard working man, very fit and in good health, he wasn’t wealthy but he was independent. He owned and operated a small bar that had his family name Rana, although of moderate success he managed to keep it going through determination, numerous debts, and even handshake deals but kept it afloat, even at a time when bars were considered obsolete. Then in one brief moment, all that pride was nothing when compared to the unexpected nature of a heart attack that stopped him in his tracks.

The heart attack led to seizure, which caused him to go into a vegetive state. The coma was a crippling turn of events, not only for her father but for her as well. He had never talked about any of his family, in fact she never knew that she even had an aunt, but on her way to the hospital she learned this through a complete stranger that met her at the hospital on the day of her father’s heart attack. She had stopped everything, even going to class to see what could be done, seeing this once mountain man in a hospital bed brought her to tears and a sudden realization as to how he would be able to recover. It was the very same day she met a mysterious man in a very formal suit and tie, he came bearing gifts and a light of new hope.

“Ms. Cadence Fortunato?” He called her to a name that was familiar and yet estranged.

“I’m Cadence, but my last name is Rana.” She said turning to the man.

“Oh, my apologies, I didn’t realize your father had taken your mother’s last name.”

“Who are you Mister? Are you a doctor or a lawyer?”

“Neither actually, I guess you call me an executor?”

“Executor of what, for who?”

“Your late aunt’s estate... or didn’t you know?”

“I didn’t even know I had an aunt.” Cadence said. “My father never talked about his father much, only that he had a sister and that she was estranged.”

“Ah, yes, I suppose that’s to be expected.” He reached into a briefcase he was carrying to pull out a letter and clipboard. “Anyway, as the executor of your late aunt's estate, I was ordered to deliver this to you on your 17th birthday, but your father was adamant to refuse.”

“Wait, what? My father refuses, what, I mean, now when all this is happening?” She was outraged that legal documents would be brought at a time like this.

“I realize the time of this is inept, but at this crucial juncture certain parties would like to have these matters resolved effectively given your current situation?”

“What matters now is my father, who’s currently in the hospital and you want to talk about my late aunt’s old legal stuff?”

“It’s more than that Ms. Rana, it’s an inheritance which given your current financial situation should come as a welcome endorsement.”

“You think I want anything from an aunt who wouldn’t even send me a birthday card, let alone a gift from two years ago. If my father didn’t want anything to do with her then why should I?”

“I understand your father is uninsured and given his current and currently accumulating medical expenses this endorsement should at least be considered.”

She knew her father was a hard working man, but not a practical one. He never bought insurance, never accepted help from others, but helped people even at his own expense. How he managed to run a business and raise a single daughter was a great mystery, but she was still the only family she had. Her mother had died in childbirth, and like her, her family was also estranged, but now a man a mysterious man was offering her an opportunity to help him recover if only to at least hear him out.

“...What exactly are you offering?” He held out the documents, in front of her.

“According to the terms of your aunt’s estate, upon signing these documents, you are to inherit a tidy sum, enough to cover your father’s medical expenses and possibly keep his business afloat for at least a couple of months. However, are there certain conditions that must be followed according to the terms of the will?”

“What conditions?” She said scanning through the technical legalese to the best of her first year college knowledge and her father’s lessons about fine print.

“You are to take a certain possession and utilize it with the instructions left in these presents.”

“What possession?”

“I’ll leave you some time to read over that contract, while I retrieve it.”

He left for several minutes, giving her ample time to look over the documents. She had read the writing several times, but could not find any hidden clauses or something that seemed suspicious. The only thing that seemed off was this whole situation, a man appeared not even a few days after her father’s heart attack and came bearing gifts. Her father used to say, ‘if you look a gift horse in the mouth, be sure he didn’t spit in your face.’ In other words something didn’t feel right about this whole situation, not just the timing, but a phrase he mentioned. ‘Certain parties would like to have these matters resolved,’ but who were they and why did they need her help? All these questions she hoped would be answered when the man returned with the box in his hands.

“The possession in question.” He said, handing her the box. She opened it, to find that it was a set of old weathered goggles and bracelet, that she had often heard about but had never held before, the executor could tell by the look in her eyes. “Are you familiar with the Tyche Engine?”

“Who isn’t?” Fi said. “My dad let me use the systems at school, but never allowed it at home. He said it would melt you brain if you played it too long.”

“Be that as it may, the terms of your inheritance state that within 4 weeks time you must use this device and a game imprinted on it.”

“My aunt’s will state, I have to play a VR game? Why, she’s already dead, what’s worth playing on this old piece of outdated tech?”

“I only know that it has to do with receiving your full inheritance.”

“Wait, there’s more of an inheritance? How much?”

“That remains undetermined, but just follow the instructions on the note provided and in 4 weeks time you are required to follow the instructions. That should give you plenty of time, get your current affairs in order. Now, if you would please sign the papers, then we may proceed.”

The situation was confusing but she took the attached pen on his clipboard and started signing everywhere that was marked with an arrow. When she was finished, the executor checked signatures and then reached into his briefcase for a large manila envelope.

“This folder contains all information, regarding your immediate inheritance. Including a checking and savings account that may be utilized under your name for any expenses. There are further instructions regarding the inheritances that must be followed. I wish you the best, Ms. Rana.”

With that left the hospital as quietly as when he had entered, leaving only the box with the box and the envelope behind. She quickly opened the envelope containing a list of papers, mostly a copy of the contract she signed, along with checking account information and the like. She realized she hadn’t been lying with this much money, she could cover her father’s medical expenses for a month or two at least. However, among these so called instructions, was just a simple white sheet of paper, with handwriting on it with very few words that made sense. In read:

Find your true fortune in the sands. Dragon District. Wie’s Pawn. Box 101. Password, Fortuna Favet Fortibus.

Nothing in those words made sense, but that was the least of her concerns, for at the moment her father’s health and well being was her own only concern. In the next 4 weeks she had to make a series of life decisions on her father’s behalf. When his comma lasted longer than the first week, college didn’t seem that important so she dedicated herself to handling her father’s financial affairs. The second week, she dropped out of college, shut down his business and started focusing on his loans. The money that should have kept them floating for a couple of months, barely lasted one, by then her father was floating in and out of consciousness.

The once strong and stout man was not merely a shadow of his former self, confined to a hospital bed, but well enough to be taken home. By day she did whatever work she could to keep paying her father’s medical bills and repay her current student debt. Bills kept piling up and all the money she made was quickly brought out again. All these thoughts haunted her until this very day, the day that she was to play the game. Now, after playing the game, she had no fortune, but was no deeper in debt, more than when she first started.

“Why didn’t I just take the money?” She whispered as she walked across the hall into her father’s room.

He was man kept alive by machines, but aside from waking up on occasions to eat he spend most of his time sleeping. Now, we was sound asleep on his hospital bed, monitored by machines and wrapped up tight she felt she could speak to him of things she never could when she was awake. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t have time, but every time he seemed to forget what they had talked about the day before. Doctor had said the seizure might have affected his memory, but even talking to him at this time was enough to get her through the day.

“Hey dad,” she whispered. “Sorry I’m up so late, even though I got work in the morning, but you know...today I thought a lot about you, a lot of your good advice came in handy. You would have been proud. Today was just...a momentary setback. I’m sure, if I follow these things through, I’ll be able to cover all your expenses, maybe even open up the bar again, I don’t know...I know you probably think I should have taken the money and left, but I guess I am my father’s daughter.”

She attempted to chuckle, but not even a titter would come. Soon her smile turned to tears as she held her hands as if saying a prayer to whatever god could be listening as tears of sorrow rolled down her cheek.

“It’ll all work out dad, I know it will... I just have to work hard like you. Even if it’s only a game, there’s just so much on the line...a game...a stupid game.”

Suddenly she saw her father starting to stern from his slumber, he slowly began to stir in bed.

“W-what?” He asked to look around his bed.

“Dad, it’s just me, dad.” She said, wiping her tears away.

“Cee... what time is it?”

“It’s around midnight, I just came in to check up on you?”

“I told you not to worry...it takes more than a heart attack...to keep me down.” He said, picking his body off the bed. “You’ll see...I’ll be back running the bar in no time...Gotta pay off your college tuition.”

“Yeah dad, my college tuition.” She nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, he started to look dizzy as his body started falling back to the bed. Cadence managed to catch him before she fell off the bed, helping him get back into his rested state.

“It’s late dad, you need your rest. If you’re gonna get better.”

“You’ll see...It takes more...than a heart...to stop...”

As he rested his head upon his bed and drifted once more back into slumber, Cadence covered him with his sheet and tucked him in again. Her father was like a lion who refused to admit his olds wounds of mortality. The doctor had told her that his body was still recovering from his coma, but his spirit is what kept him strong. When he was sure he was sleeping again, she went back to her room to get some rest herself.

These days it was harder for her to get sleep everyday. Maybe it was the stress of having to work, pay the bills and manage her home. Maybe it was that fortune that she had been promised had been spent for promises yet to come. Yet, she could only hope that her aunt’s inheritance was more than just an old VR engine and games that were costing her more and more everyday. All she had to hold onto was hope, and fate that if there were spirits of luck in this world or the next that they were looking out for her in these dark times of strife. That with winds of change blew through the sands, so too would her life be blessed with a new fall of opportunity.