While stomping her way towards the Damage Room #3, Amelia Laflamme formed fists, which fumed and sparkled constantly. “Thanks for ruining my breakfast, you freak.”

Since the room was soundproof, the tranquility of the hall was broken once she opened the door, letting out the cry of someone inside: “Do you have any idea how much gold I lost last night?!”

“415,000 gold,” Amelia replied aloud, shutting the door behind her. “You’ve said it a million times.”

The enraged black-haired young woman in front of the testing area groaned at her, and cast balls of fire, blades of ice, and gusts of wind at rapid speed, striking a target 100 feet away from her. Her spells had no finesse and instead looked like out-of-control machine guns. The white specialized walls could withstand the attack, but outside of the Damage Calculator room, such magical firepower would have demolished half of the HQ.

“I’M--SO--SICK OF HER!”

When the mage ran out of mana and the smoke dissipated, a system window appeared above a dancing unscathed mannequin.

Amazing!

Damage Rank: Silver A!

"Yeah, that’ll show Astrid,” Amelia sneered, sitting on a black leather cushion in the spectator area. “So, what are you going to do about it? You’re talking about our great and valorous Guild Master! She might be stupid and childish, but let’s not forget that she could do that same amount of damage with just one punch."

The young mage, wearing pink sporty clothes, stomped out of the testing area to yell at her. "Are you being sympathetic to that bitch, Red?!"

Amelia's amber eyes shone with a fiery intensity. "Don't even joke about it, Karen."

A sonorous slurping sound made them turn to Faiza, the dark-skinned girl wearing a panda-themed hoodie, who was vigorously munching ramen next to them. She glanced back at both, blinking. “Sorry, did I interrupt your bickering?” She shrugged while mixing her food with her chopsticks. "But Amelia is right. As long as Astrid is our leader, we can’t do shit about it…” She then started mumbling: “We shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I told you that yesterday…"

Karen squinted at her, grimacing. "Hey, give me a bite of that."

"No way!” Faiza hugged her bowl protectively. “You were the one that said, ‘it’s too early to eat ramen’!”

“Come ooon! Just a little--” Karen got close enough to snatch the bowl, but was pushed by an elephant-headed spirit that manifested out of Faiza’s body.

“Do you see that?” She pointed at a system menu hovering above a coffee table. “That’s the service button. Order yours and leave me alone!"

"Fine!” Karen stretched out her arms to her sides. “Someone doesn't know what sharing means, huh?! Red, since Lord Marco is taking his sweet time, I’m going to order some ramen. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"I was going to, but…” Amelia sighed. “Just order black coffee for me, please."

Damn, Ghost. Who the hell does he think he is? Just because Astrid defended him and supposedly ‘cleared his name’, he thinks he can sit with us so casually? Seriously, Marissa, that was low, even for a prankster like you!

Amelia stared at the end of the room, where the dancing mannequin taunted her, ready to test her power. She wondered what rank she would get for stabbing or beheading it with her bare hand, as she did with Alan the night before.

‘Are you guys sisters?’ he had asked, while maintaining a dumb smile in his face.

Makes me sick…

A male NPC entered the room to deliver the food, and while Karen flirted with him as he handed her the noodles, Amelia absently observed her hands. She could still remember the feeling of taking Alan’s many virtual lives. She checked her nail polish and decided that the black color did not fit her anymore. She changed them to red, through her User Interface. Red, like his blood.

"Here is your coffee, miss," the NPC spoke, but Amelia did not reply.

“Just leave it there, sweetheart,” Karen said from her seat. “Someone is a little cranky today.”

“Says the one that was popping a vein just minutes ago.” Amelia tapped the mug to display a temperature slider, lowered it, and gulp it down immediately. She waited for the NPC to leave to continue talking. “Guys, don’t you think that the 'coma story' is bullshit?”

“It’s too convenient,” Faiza pointed out before drinking the last of her soup.

“Exactly! So what do you think happened then?”

Faiza shrugged. “Maybe he was working outside with the rest of the ship’s staff.”

Amelia stared at her. “What makes you think that?”

“Aren’t we guessing?”

“Yeah, and your guess is stupid!” Karen interjected, pointing at Faiza’s face with the chopsticks. “If one of the ship’s engines exploded or something serious like that, why would they choose him to help them out? He’s a teen, just like us. If he was some sort of hotshot engineer or something, he would’ve bloated about it last night!”

“I didn’t say that they woke him up to do some important work!” Faiza shouted, covering her gaze with her panda hoodie. “Maybe they needed a janitor!”

Karen vigorously shook her head. “Why are we talking as if ‘working outside’ was the only valid theory?”

“What do you suggest, then?”

“Don’t ask me! I don’t even know why we’re talking about that piece of crap!”

“Astrid literally pissed off a third of the guild because of him,” Amelia reminded her in a soft voice. “Don’t you want to know why would she risk everything she has built for a guy like him?”

“Maybe they used to be fuck-friends! There! That’s my theory! She did it because he was her little pumpkin.”

“Astrid with a guy like that?” Faiza loudly sneered. “Please! And you said that my guess was stupid.”

“Whatever, who cares! I don’t care! You?!” Karen shouted, furiously mixing her noodles, until noticing Amelia’s lost in thought expression. “Too bad you couldn’t make him talk yesterday, even though you literally tortured him.” Karen giggled, pointing at Amelia’s bosom with her gaze. “Maybe he was into it, just to see those balloons of yours wiggle over and over again. Hu-hu.”

“The guy kinda strikes me as a masochist after all…” Faiza added, shivering.

“Risk everything she has built for a guy like him, eh?” Karen quoted after slurping noodles, smirking. “One can only hope. Wouldn’t you like--?” The room’s door opened, prompting Karen to quickly wipe her lips with her sleeve. “There it is! Welcome in!”

Marco Souza entered at a calmed pace, accompanied by his confidants. William The Stoic acted as his bodyguard, Matthew Bernstein crossed eyes with Amelia before nervously looking away, and Jason Foreman quietly giggled as if he had heard a joke inside his head.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting, ladies,” Marco said, slightly bowing, putting his right hand against his chest. “But as you know, organizing all this resulted in quite a challenge.”

“But, please, tell me you have good news!” Karen beamed at him. “Are we finally free of that harpy’s claws?”

Marco smiled warmly at her for a brief moment, holding the information for a bit. “Kathleen Maher is awaiting us at the Drinking Banshee, yes.”

“AT LAST!” Karen cried, ecstatic, dashing towards him to hug him, making Amelia frown slightly. “I knew you could do it!”

“I’ve instructed the rest to go as soon as they can,” Marco continued. “As for you, my most trusted companions, she has sent for us a special transport. It’ll arrive shortly.”

“That’s our boss!”

While Karen kept embracing Marco, William, the seven-foot-tall, hulking man, sat beside Amelia. “It’s so reassuring seeing you here, beautiful,” he said in a raspy voice. “You made the right choice.”

“As if I had plenty,” she sighed. “I couldn’t bear sharing the same roof as that bitch another day, so…”

“Jason, what are you doing here?” Faiza asked, looking at him through her hoodie’s eyes that also acted as goggles. “Aren’t you supposed to respawn in like eight more hours?”

Jason giggled while rubbing his hands constantly. “It takes more than a punch of the Golden Bitch to take down this chad.”

“Or you got lucky thanks to your ‘Flip Coin’ Passive Skill,” Matthew whispered.

“Which only emphasizes how awesome I am!” Jason cried, before invading Marco’s personal space, even Karen stepped back too. “By the way, Boss, at what time is Kathleen picking us up?”

Marco winced as if Jason’s breath had hit his nostrils. “Any moment now,” he replied patiently. Why? Afraid that Astrid will crash through that ceiling?”

I could say the same to you, Amelia thought, sneering, which did not go unnoticed by Marco.

“I seriously think we should go right now,” Jason said, making Marco twitch one eye.

“Listen… I can’t cancel Kathleen’s ride. Why don’t you relax a little and…” Marco went silent after Jason whispered something in his ear. “You didn't…"

“You aren’t mad at me, are you?” Jason asked, hunching like a grounded kid, but Marco just chuckled.

“Not my way of doing things, but I can’t blame you for being so… daring. William? Could you please escort this fool to the Drinking Banshee? Don’t make any stop and don’t take your eyes off him until you arrive there.”

“Sure thing,” William said, and leaned towards Amelia to whisper: “Let’s have a drink later.”

“Can’t wait,” she replied, without gazing at him.

“I’ll go too,” Matthew said quietly, after cautiously glancing at Amelia again.

She groaned. Stop looking at me as if I’m going to scorch you, kid! It always happens when you and Marissa have a fight. Did you have a fight? You, little--

“Will you wait for Kathleen’s transport, Boss?” William asked, as Jason and Matt crossed the exit.

“Yes.” Marco smirked. “The rest of the guild needs to see ME leaving. That’ll make the cogs in their heads work.”

As the door closed, Amelia examined Marco’s expression. There was a gleam in his gaze that Amelia had only seen a couple of times. Although he looks like in control of the situation, why do I perceive something else?

Marco crossed eyes with her, making her flinch. “There’s still a spot available for your sister,” he said. “I hope she can join us.”

“Thank you, Lord Marco, I appreciate it.”

“Did you really convince the ‘Snow Diamond’ to receive us?” Karen took the word, embracing him again. “Only you could pull it off. This is like a dream come true!”

“It was something that took months in the making,” Marco said, chuckling. “Thanks for your confidence in me, Karen.”

Noticing Amelia’s lost in thought expression, Faiza got closer to whisper in his ear: “‘For how long is she going to continue hugging him?’’ Is that what you’re thinking?”

“You don’t know me that well, Faiza,” Amelia replied, rising from her seat and strolling to the test area, where the dancing mannequin reset the score and waited. She stepped on the designated spot, then focused on the dummy. “Fire Crafting,” Amelia intoned, getting surrounded by a fire whirl, hoping that the roaring of the flames could drown Karen’s annoying voice.

The spell intensified, giving birth to a flaming serpent, which gradually turned into a 10-feet wide dragon. Amelia reached out her hand aloft, commanding the monster to rise while channeling a fire breath.

Her mind superimposed Alan's stupid face on the dummy doll. Your entire existence doesn’t matter. I couldn’t care less if you were really in a coma, or working outside. The only good thing you’ve done for us is give us the little push we needed.

She smirked and commanded the dragon to launch an incandescent fire beam. The explosion startled Karen and made Marco purse his lips. Amelia then sent the monster forward while transforming its entire body into a long metallic projectile. With the banging metallic sound of what now was a giant lance, the impact created a shock wave that blew the caster’s hair away, along with the mug and bowls of ramen off the coffee table.

“I’ll go get my stuff,” she said, strolling towards the exit without glancing at her companions.

“You fucking bitch...” Karen whispered, watching the test’s results.

Outstanding!

Damage Rank: Gold E!

****

***

**

“There’s an Engineer Class, eh,” Alan muttered, while consulting a System Screen from the Shooting Stars’ private library. “What do they do?”

After recognizing Alan, a couple of guilders decided to leave. “This place is haunted by a ‘ghost’ now,” one of them said loud enough for Alan to listen.

It’s called a library, but there are no books here, he thought, glancing back at the people leaving, and at the white room with small individual cubicles.

“Is that the Class you’re interested in?” Tamara got close to him and read over his shoulder. “Look, it’s divided into three subclasses. One that specializes in empowering themselves by crafting their own custom weapons, one that acts as a support that creates healing and boost devices for their team, and last, the one that allows the User to build their own robotic minions to fight for them.”

“All of them sound quite interesting,” Alan said, tapping the screen until Marissa’s loud groaning made him cringe.

“Are you seriously going to waste all day reading that?” she said, while lying upside down on an armchair. “This is your first day in Londorus! You should do fun stuff insteaaad!”

“Practically, this is my second day here.”

“True,” Marissa smirked, “but you’re now free to take a tour. What do you say?”

Tamara shook her head. “Um, Marissa…”

“You know what? I’d love to take a walk around the city,” Alan said, looking expectantly at Tamara.

“Londorus is a Safe City, Tammie,” Marissa insisted.

The young mage pursed her lips, looking as if she was mentally fighting with herself. “F-fine! But we have to be here before Astrid returns, okay? Remember that you’ll have dinner with her tonight.”

“Yay!” Marissa beamed, jumping out of her seat. “Where should we go first?”

“Could I copy this Engineer info to my User Interface?” Alan asked.

“You could borrow a book instead!” Tamara smiled at him. “There's the ‘print’ option on the top right corner of the screen. Tap it.”

Alan did, and a slide opened on his desk, from where a blue, leather book was delivered. “Cool…” Alan tapped the item and saved it inside his inventory.

“Let’s go, then,” Marissa said, marching to the exit, but Tamara pulled her from one arm.

“Wait,” Tamara whispered in her ear. “You’re just tagging along because Astrid told you to stay, am I right?”

Marissa chuckled. “I’m bored, yes. But I’d rather believe that she indirectly told me to keep an eye on his guest wherever he goes.”

“Whatever,” Tamara said, puffing out her cheeks.

Reaching the front gate took them a couple of minutes. When the double doors opened, Alan could see a lively city in motion.

He walked through the front yard blindly, while admiring the motorized vehicles passing by, at the street vendors, at the people flying over the buildings riding winged beasts. The Victorian buildings looked sturdy and elegant, and all the passersby were good-looking, wearing shiny and colorful clothes.

“This resembles a city from Earth, but at the same time, is like something out of a fantasy!”

“Just watch your step, Five,” Marissa said, pulling him from the collar of his jacket, as a black, slick car halted in front of the Shooting Stars’ HQ.

This thing almost runs over me!

“T-thank, you, Marissa.”

Marissa did not respond, as something at their backs got her attention. Alan, as well as guilders hanging out in the front yard, others looking through the windows, and some bystanders, followed with their gaze the group of four exiting the building.

Faiza Khalil was walking at the back, hiding her face inside her panda hoodie, although everyone knew how she dressed. Marco Souza was at the front, hands inside his black dragon leather coat, and holding the most arrogant smirk in all The Novus. Two stunning, beautiful women walked by his side, looking more like professional models than guilders.

Sporting a red, strapless cocktail dress, Karen Svensson dedicated a last condescending look at the surrounding people. Lastly, wearing a front zipper, black leather mini dress, Amelia Laflamme tossed her hair behind her shoulder before glancing at the three standing on the sidewalk.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Amelia said to Marissa, as her companions disappeared inside the vehicle. She stretched out a hand to her. “Come. It’s time.”

Marissa got closer to the astounded Tamara and grabbed her hand, tightly.

“Marissa, what are you doing? It’s now or never.” Amelia insisted, tensing her jaw, but her sister would not move an inch. “W-why?” the redhead asked with a broken voice, as her eyes got cloudy.

“She made her choice, Amelia,” Marco said from his seat’s window. “Let’s go.”

Amelia’s expression suddenly turned severe. “Fine. Suit yourself, then.” She then looked in Alan’s direction and glared at him.

What the… hell was that? Alan thought while watching the car take off.

****

***

**

“As you can see, Londorus has been modeled after one of the greatest cities of the Old World,” Tamara was saying proudly as they crossed a bridge, but Alan was too busy thinking about what happened to reply. He did not even notice the hundreds of gazes staring at the one-digit number above his head. More than one tried to approach him and ask him about it, but Marissa would scare them away just by glaring at them.

“Can we go to ‘Jack Robins’?” she suddenly said in a tiny voice. “I have a craving for a milkshake.”

It’s the first thing she’d said since we left the guild’s HQ. She’s asking as if she was a child. Alan caught Tamara’s gaze and nodded.

“Sounds great!”

* * *

Minutes later, Alan thought they were entering a kids’ store. What am I thinking? There are no kids in this spaceship. WE WERE the last kids on Earth.

The pastel colors invaded every wall of the establishment, as well as the NPC’s uniform, and the ice cream cups. He squinted as if his eyes hurt.

Pink. Everywhere you see.

“Here you go, Alan,” Tamara said, bringing him a chocolate ice cream cone, which he inspected before tasting it.

…I love this place.

After taking a seat, and while Tamara scanned the menu for the 100th time, Alan got close to the strawberry blonde to whisper to her ear: “Do you… want to talk about it?” He waited, but the absent-looking girl responded by hitting him with her index finger again. “W-what was that for?!”

“Shut up. It kinda is your fault, you know?” she said.

“My fault? What are you talking about?”

“Hello, my dear astronauts! Are you feeling Cosmic today?! Let me hear you, people of Iregorn!”

Alan looked at his surroundings until looking at the video screen at the back of the store. A pink-haired girl wearing a gleaming purple dress was addressing the camera. Her smile was wide and cute, her mannerisms were mesmerizing, and her body captivating.

“Hey, I know her. I watched one of her music videos yesterday. And I think she’s also a commentator? I’m not sure. What’s her name?”

“Miss Cosmica!” Tamara replied from her place near the counter. “She’s awesome!”

The Idol danced and sang while accompanied by another young woman, wearing a blue navy dress. A banner on the bottom of the screen read: ‘Live from Iregorn - Burning Love Summer Tour’.

“And that gal dancing with her is Consteline,” Tamara continued, taking a seat.

“Neat names,” Alan commented, turning back to look at the five-liter ice cream cup she had brought. “Are you really going to eat all that?”

“Of course. Why?”

By his side, Marissa slurped her milkshake in a louder way, finished her drink, and started tapping on her User Interface.

Seconds later, Alan got a System notification.

Marissa Laflamme has sent you a Friend Request!

Huh?

Alan turned to Marissa, but she kept tapping her window. Once he accepted, a different request popped up in his field of vision.

Marissa Laflamme wants to start a Party Chat.

“Why are you not--?”

Marissa pinched his leg under the table, making him flinch. Baffled, he glanced at Tamara, but the ice cream cup blocked her from view. He reluctantly accepted.

“Don’t say a thing out loud,” Marissa’s voice was heard inside Alan’s head. “If you filter your thoughts, we can privately talk using this.”

“How--?” he said using his normal voice, shut himself, and cleared his throat. “Like this?”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Woah! This is like telepathy! Awesooome!”

“I'd call it handy.”

Alan looked in Tamara’s direction once again. “Why do people not talk like this all the time, then?”

“It’s considered rude.”

“Figures. But we’re being rude to Tamara, then.”

“Did you enjoy your ice cream?” Tamara suddenly asked. “Chocolate is a no-brainer.”

“Yes!” He shut his eyes. “I mean, yes! I’m glad that we came.”

“You were asking if I wanted to talk ‘about it’, so here we go,” Marissa continued. “I just don’t want Tamara listening. I mean, she’s my friend, and I trust her, but…”

“Okay, I’m all ears. Or brains. Get it?”

“Shut up.” Marissa took a deep breath. “If you ever wanted to take revenge on Marco and the rest of last night’s welcoming party, you’re out of luck.” She crossed eyes with him. “Marco and his most loyal guilders quitted the guild.”

“WHAT?!”

"What’s wrong Alan?" Marissa asked before Tamara could.

"I… I saw someone identical to Miss Cosmica outside. I thought she was the real deal…"

"She's live on Iregorn, Alan," Tamara said. "But I wouldn't be surprised. Since her debut, her look has become popular among the whole Novus. No one rocked the pink-hair style as well as she does now."

“I see. It was a look alike then.”

"So… what happened an hour ago?" Alan asked privately.

"Amelia wanted me to join Marco's new guild."

"And you rejected the offer. That's why she looked so hurt. You won’t be able to hang out any--"

"Hey! I was hurt, too!"

"Yes, sorry. But what's going to happen to Shooting Stars now? Wasn't Marco the Co-Leader?"

"Guilds are created, disbanded, and merged all the time, Five. Astrid will find someone that can fill the role in a heartbeat, trust me." She smirked. "Unless you want the job."

Alan got silent for a bit, but Marissa received a series of noises and unintelligible words.

“Where is he now?” he asked.

“Who? Marco? I thought you’d ask about my sister… Wait. Why are you asking that?”

“There’s something I need to talk about with him.”

“You’re not planning something stupid, are you?” she asked. Alan did not respond, but something in his eyes made Marissa chuckle. “Okay, then. There is someone I need to see there, too. Hurry, mention that you’re thirsty.”

“Tamara, don’t you feel thirsty after eating all that ice cream?” Alan asked. He could finally see the petite girl after she had consumed half of the cup.

“Come on, Alan, another push.”

“I need a drink. What do you say?”

“A drink?” Tamara asked, squinting at both, especially at Marissa.

“If that’s what you want, how about the Drinking Banshee?” Marissa suggested.

Tamara placed her spoon on the cup, exhaled, and turned her face as rigid as a stone.

Oh, god. What have we done?

“Let’s go,” Tamara said in a deeper tone of voice.