After about 3 hours of strenuous work, I laid on the bed exhausted. I wasn't sure if living was still in my cards after all of that work. Though even after all those game ending thoughts I got up anyway to inspect this so-called package.
Which I had to 'reluctantly' unbox outside of my apartment to fit it through the door. I circled its large area, tapping on its glass as I looked at it confused.
"It looks more like an X-ray machine than a VR device."
Walking back over to the left over scraps of the box I had ripped open—out of necessity and definitely not spite— I found a note.
"This is the Virtual Reality Dive Apparatus, the main hub where you'll enter the game! The normal players will use a headset, but I wanted to get you the best one we had :D!"
I groaned as I read the note.
'For someone so nice, he forgot about how small my apartment is.'
I look over at the Virtual Reality Dive Apparatus, or VRDA for short. Taking up the entire space in between my small kitchen and bed it looked just about as science fiction as I had pictured.
"There goes my weight rack…"
The picture of a weight rack in its place appeared in my mind before it left as quickly as it came. A self realisation that I never would have gotten it anyways.
The glass I was tapping on earlier was the main hatch to enter inside. The VRDA hummed to life after I hit the power button, strips of blue light fading in and out in its form. The hatch opens up to show a seat in the middle with a helmet attachment.
I stare at it suspiciously, looking from the VRDA to its instruction manual in my hand. It started to look less like an X-ray machine and more like an alien brainwashing device.
After following a few setup procedures I sigh. Stepping inside, I look at the instructions as I place the helmet on my head, making sure I was doing it right.
"Here goes nothing…"
My vision fades to white as I press the start button.
-_-
I felt like I was falling, but felt no wind or anything at all really. It sent my mind through a loop that made me feel nauseous, but before—what I assumed was my dinner from yesterday—flew out of my mouth. My feet slowly spread out on a glass floor as I landed.
I looked around frantically, still a little spooked before my eyes landed on the floor. I froze in place. I wasn't one to be scared of heights, but looking down and seeing—what I assumed was—well over a hundred thousand feet of sky, and the only thing currently holding me up from plummeting to my death was a glass floor. Not my most favorable situation, I'll admit.
After a deep breath, I take careful steps. Not hearing or seeing any cracks I started walking normally, though I made sure to be light on my feet. I looked down at myself after feeling something was a bit off, being slightly self conscious. I was butt naked, though with none of the usual privates I was used to. My previously familiar body was now extremely unfamiliar.
I wave my arms around, feeling no air brush past them from the movement. Realising there wasn't any air present. I clasp my hand over my mouth, wondering how I wasn't dead yet. Then the realisation that this was in fact a virtual world split open my thoughts.
My hand lifted from my face and my eyes trained to its details, seeing the various patterns of skin across my palm, and the scar I got from working in construction way back. The degree of realism was so high that even with most of my important senses missing my brain instantly thought I was still in reality.
'If I said this wasn't slightly traumatizing I'd be lying…'
I clasp my fist, my first thoughts drifting.
'How did Mark do this…?'
"You seem to be adjusting well, Traveler."
I flinch, feeling my soul almost leave my virtual body from the scare as I hear a voice from behind me. I quickly turn my head to the source. Seeing someone that was rather out of this world, whether that was literally or figuratively I'd probably never know.
It was a large, more-so tall woman. Her clothes were modest, seemingly more like a fantasy priestess' attire than anything. The clothes were white with gold accents shaped like a plus sign. Though her most striking features were her shining golden hair and the golden halo above her head.
"A… Goddess…?"
"Indeed."
Her answer was a lot more curt than I was expecting. No super odd way of talking, nor a haughty attitude. Probably a little disrespectful to assume though.
"I welcome you to my world of Gaia Traveler. I have long foreseen your coming," She speaks again.
Her voice echoed in my head, not that I minded. I stared for a second, watching as she politely smiled at me, blinking every so often. The realism was still striking to me, the usual polygonal figures I was used to had a massive upgrade.
"Alright, so where's the character creation?"
I decided to get right down to business, focusing on the kind of bugs or issues I could find. I could assume the lack of senses was one, but I couldn't say since I was still in character creation.
"Your character has already been made, Traveler."
I looked at her a bit surprised before coming to the conclusion that it was probably because I'm a beta tester, but not being able to test character creation was a little concerning.
"Is there anything else I need to do then?" I ask, my brow raising.
She shakes her head, her smile shifting slightly. Though I couldn't tell for what reason.
"There is not, I wish you luck on your journey."
She waves her hand and light envelopes me. I close my eyes to shield them from the sudden brightness. I could almost see a melancholic smile form on her lips, my mind almost forming the words I saw on her lips as I fell into Gaia. Officially ending my brief, yet memorable encounter with the goddess.
-_-
I slowly open my eyes, my arm moving to shield my vision from the shining sun. I look at my arm confused, my skin a bit lighter than I remembered. I sit up, feeling the wind blow against my skin. Ruffling my clothes and the trees as I stand up, my hair blowing in my face as I try to keep it out.
My eyes fully adjust as I see the expanse in front of me, a large field of corn with a few farmers attending to it. The sun almost reached its peak in the sky, beaming its light down on me. I take a deep breath in, the fresh smell of the air and farmland fills my nose.
I lean down and take a bit of dirt in my hands, sifting through its loose crumbs with my fingers.
That's when I noticed the significant change.
My hands were smaller, a lot more dainty than I was used to. My nails were perfectly clipped and clean, except the bits of dirt I had just picked up. My skin was clean and untouched, the scar on my hand nowhere to be seen. I stood up to my full height, feeling how short I was now. Rather than my 180cm (5'11ft) form, It seems I was more so around 155.
The black hair I was used to was now a platinum blonde, much longer than shoulder length as it sat on my ankles. I looked down at my body, and sure enough just as I was beginning to realise.
It seemed like the pre-made character was a small girl, much to my very serious dismay. My heart began pounding in my chest, as I stumbled and fell back on my butt.
"Ah…,"
I let out a habitual sound of pain. My back hitting the tree behind me, not feeling the usual pain I was supposed to cause me to go into even more of a spiral. My voice was higher pitched, sounding light and airy like a girl's. Not helping my situation at all.
"AHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, making the nearby villagers look over in concern.
-_-
Meanwhile in the real world, Mark holds his phone up to his ear. Hearing it ring repeatedly before sighing heavily. Giving up calling Ray as he sets his phone down on his desk, a few workers pass nearby.
"He didn't start already did he? I forgot to tell him how to play…"
He leaned back in his chair, worried for his friend.