The Brave Snail

Darkling Plain

"It's a bad world." –Huxley

As I left the town I felt confident in my ability to avoid dying. It might be my first time playing this game and I had never used neuro-tech before, but if this game took knowledge into account at all I would be the best in no time. It's not like I am arrogant or anything I just happen to know everything about the cartoon series this MMO is based upon. I'm sure I could take out the basic rat-boar without any effort.

Six minutes later I now realize how foolish I had been.

I'd been knocked on my butt at least eleven times now and only survived with panicked sword swings. It seemed I didn't have a proclivity for bending. Every time I performed a grandiose motion and tried to put a little power into my lashes I would lose control of the water stream. I had situated myself next to a small seemingly depthless puddle in order to best utilize my element. The first time I extended my senses outward and procured control over the water nearest to me I managed to form a poorly shaped whip. With an exaggerated motion I had swept both arms across my torso in the hopes of flaying the rat-boar directly next to me.

I had missed spectacularly, but the rat-boar recognized what I had attempted to do and swiftly head-butted my shins. Promptly flipping me over its back and tumbling head over heels into the pond. It was luck that assisted me in performing a quick shove with my arms that used the puddle water to block the charge the rat-boar had planned.

At this point I had been fighting the boar a good minute. The rat-boar predictably retreated in order to prepare its next skill, while I rose to my feet torso drenched with the smelly stagnant puddle water. I didn't want to admit I was only impressed with the depth of the game because the water's smell actually quite convincing. The boar charged and I sideswiped it with a wave of water sending the creature stumbling past me and my puddle. It rounded more quickly this time quicker than I had anticipated and managed to hit the back of my knee sending me instantly to the grass covered ground.

Pain wasn't included in this game thankfully so I shrugged off the strange pressure sensation and rolled away from rat-boar in a very un-child-gymnastic like fashion. My muscle memory apparently degraded over the past four years. I had been pretty nimble for an eight-year-old boy and not half as clumsy as my classmates. After completely another unneeded summersault I turned and clenched my fist frustrated. The puddle water turned to ice.

Normally I'd be impressed with myself, but I was then unable to affect the iced liquid. "Crap."

It took another couple minutes of me running circles around the puddle with a rat-creature on my heels before I unfroze the water. All I had to do was release my pent up frustration at not being a natural waterbender. Needless to say it took a while. The moment the water became unfrosted I spun on my heels and pierced the boar with water as I refroze to impact the boar's side. The rat-boar let out a couple death squeals that were frankly disturbing before shattering into polygons covered in miniscule 1s and 0s. If I was honest with myself I could have killed the creature more efficiently if I had used my sword instead of relying solely upon my bending skills, but I was simply too stubborn to accept I wasn't a natural at something.

That's not to say I am a natural at most things, but I'd always thought myself above the skill curve when it came to video games. A little egg-shelled colored message box appeared reporting the spoils of my victory. It said I got 53 col, 100 exp, and piggy ears. I realized I wasn't too far from the next level as I had 1100 exp till the next level.

I appreciated the old-school spoils-report loot box, but I had honestly expected something more. As invested as I know Kayaba is in this game you would think he'd try to revolutionize loot systems or something. For instance, never again do you kill a rattle snake for a quest and open the loot box only to notice you didn't receive a rattle snake rattle. Especially when you can see the stupid little quest item on its body! Kayaba brings you realistic loot! Cut that stupid rattle right off that stupid snake. No more enigmatic garden snake corpse loot replacing your deserved rattle snake loot.

But I guess that was just my deluded fantasies.

It was 3:00 PM now so I figured I had a couple more hours before my body was in danger of the grumbles (i.e. hunger). I scanned the grassy field counting how many mobs were left. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a yellow and orange blur I knew to be an airbender. I was surprised to the airbender as the marshes separating the water and earth nation cities were not very close to the nearest air temple city. I guess this guy was very lost or knew something I didn't. I decided to ignore him.

I managed to take out five more boars before succumbing to muscle fatigue. Though bending technically required nothing of your body Kayaba's system still required you to clench and unclench your muscles as you go through the motions. My body might be sprawled out on couch at my Dad's apartment, but I still had to mentally control the water every action. I hadn't realized how taxing external influence could be. It was like having my kinesthetic sense extended to the nearest water and then having to mentally form and mold the water in a manner dissimilar to the rest of my body. To put it in fewer words 'it made me think hard'. As I rested on a particularly elevated section of the grassland I witnessed the yellow and orange blur systematically eliminating several mobs I hadn't even realized were on this field. The guy was good that's for sure.

I wouldn't say I was jealous however as I reasoned airbending was infinitely simpler than waterbending. All you had to do was affect the air and blast it in a direction without much prolonged control required. I couldn't do that with waterbending. Instead my element martial arts style was apparently inspired by Newton as it embodied the Conservation of Energy law quite well. I understood the theory behind waterbending, which consisted of continuous movement in order to conserve the power behind your blows and not waste any motions, but it was much easier said than done. Unless a person had taken martial arts as a kid I think most people will find waterbending the most difficult element to use efficiently.

I can't really justify my decision picking water. All I thought when making this character was being able to form a water tornado under me in the middle of an ocean and simply wreak havoc on my enemies. In retrospect I should have also picked a closer approximation to my own height when creating this character. I didn't realize how difficult it would be being a giant or adult-sized. It took an hour of walking around the starting city to properly assign heights to objects rather than assigning everything as short and merchant counters as 'made-for-dwarves'. I wasn't tall in real life so being 5'2'' is a very different experience than being the 6' I was now.

A stray blast of air interrupted my contemplation. The yellow and orange blur was now close enough for me to make out their figure. It was quite obvious that it was a guy with longish black wearing the airbending starter outfit, which honestly didn't fit his profile as was too bright for such a dark demeanor. A tap on my shoulder had me on my feet in a moment. Since I was no longer near my stinky puddle and I'd already used the small canteen of water to kill a couple stray rat-boars I opted to draw my sword. Well I would have if this guy had not been bowing to me.

"—single. I am 22 years-old." He had been talking before I even processed he wasn't a threat. This guy had to be pretty stealthy to have snuck up on me or, I was not as good as I wanted to believe. Unable to truly comprehend the situation I simply said. "Okay."

He looked up as if struck a huge smile spreading across his face before he took in my appearance. His expression instantly fell. "You're a dude."

"Hell yes I am!" I was slightly offended even though I shouldn't be as my current appearance in no way reflected my actual age or size. I probably looked like a girl with cropped hair from the back instead of a mid-sized guy with auburn hair down his neck. My face was, however, very recognizable as masculine because I chose to have a ridiculously out of place beard reaching down my neck

He muttered an annoyed. "Troll."

I actually got offended when the guy immediately dismissed me as if I was the one who slighted him. He stepped around me to approach the orange, yellow, and black blur that was the only other player in this field. It took another second for me to process the dismissive person's colors. Red.

A Firebender had flanked me and I was only lucky he was clearly new to this game's lore or I would have been PK'd. It was an unspoken aspect of the community. The War that happened deep in this game's supposed past created tension between firebenders and every other nation. It is likely a war will be waged to secure unique resources on the upper floors. As the firebender conversed with the airbender I hesitantly left the field for the waterbender start city, Neptune Village. I wasn't proud of leaving an airbender alone with a firebender, but I figured since it's a game there's not much harm that can be done other than a corpse run.

On my way back to Neptune, I refilled my canteen in my favorite puddle in the off chance I encountered any more threats.

(-)

It was on way back out of Neptune Ville that I met Issin. He was a tall guy with shaggy brown hair and a kind face. He looked confused and slightly disappointed as he meandered towards me. One of his hands was tapping on something invisible in front of him, which I guessed was his interface.

"Hey, Hermit-san. Do you happen to know where the border between the Water nation territory and Earth nation is found?" I didn't bristle at being called hermit because I'm sure looked absolutely ridiculous with this huge beard on such a youthful face. I pointed to the direction I had been heading. "It's north and to the west. I was just headed there myself."

"I just left the border after being assaulted by some fire nation guy." Calling it an assault might be a gross misrepresentation of what had happened, but I was still annoyed with the guy for so easily dismissing me. The tall male expressed seemingly genuine concern, which made me feel a slightly guilty for lying. "Hah! Don't you worry! No firebender gets the drop on me!" I embellished with false bravado.

Another lie but this one was done to assuage this man who a heart two sizes too big for his body. I do believe there's such a thing called caring too much. What he said next actually impressed me. "I will be your escort sir! The name is Lord Knight Issin the Brave!"

He held no titles, but his effort was truly appreciated. I knew the guy had less experience at this game than I did and that caused me to almost reconsider as I spent six minutes fighting a basic monster.

"Yes." It was the answer I defaulted to on most things because I enjoyed that one Jim Carry movie so much. So we, an inexperienced duo, set off towards possibly hostile land. We made it two meters before being transported somewhere else with a flashing of blue effect.

…

It was no game.

I blinked. Pandemonium is occurring all around me. I see people crying collapsed in the streets and plazas, while others rush around as if suddenly running late for a very important date. Issin was gone I realized and I couldn't really blame him. Issin had been as scared as I was, but upon meeting one of his old guild mates the other man had dragged him away.

I was short again… and looked my age.

For a good hour I wasn't too sure what to do, but as the sunset neared completion and the bedlam of players began to settle I realized I wanted out of this bad world. I also recognized the fact I was only 13 years-old and this was not the place or time I should die. Not in a game, not like this. A child I may be, but I had always been precocious. I didn't plan to rot in the middle of Neptune Plaza—everyone had been returned to their starting nations after the announcement—so I picked myself up and managed to get myself to an inn.

(-)

I only spent a day in that motely humid inn. I had an epiphany after a day spent cooped up in the bed sheets. It was not inspiring, but it helped me accept my circumstances. Who am I to say who should and shouldn't fight the battles of mice and men? The best laid plans and all that. If I was a self-proclaimed precocious know-it-all why shouldn't I participate in the grandiose plans of Kayaba? I am neither a man nor am I a mouse so my plans should be sound. My new found determination lasted until I was officially out of the safe-zone of Neptune Village. This had suddenly become a game of life or death, much like the real world so I put on my metaphorical big boy pants and marched out into the Water nation marshes.

The first monster I encountered was new to me. It was tall, imposing, and billed. I recognized its profile even if I had never seen it in-game before. I uttered the creature's name softly quite certain it had acute hearing. "Platypus-bear…"

It gave no inclination of hearing me, thankfully. I approached it cautiously not sure if I remembered correctly if this creature's daunting visage was genuine or if it was harmless. I decided better be safe than sorry. The creature and I were surrounded by marsh water so I would not lack the means to fight him, but I was still unsure if I had the skill.

I realized slowly how silly I was being.

I was a proclaimed freaking child prodigy, of course I'm ready.

I stepped out from behind the weeping tree I had subconsciously hidden behind and approached the bear in a needlessly loud manner. It turned immediately in my direction, which gave me a complete view of what it was crouched over. Eggs.

"Oh sorry thought you were a mammal." I immediately regretted my decision. The giant platypus-bear charged. The ground was either shaking or I my legs were, but on instinct I whipped out my sword and dodged. As it barreled past I chopped at its duck bill successfully doing no damage if the thing's health bar was correct. It rounded a tree and made to swipe at me as it rose to its full 2 meter height. With a swipe of my hand a whip of water streaks across its eyes. Despite my actions the huge paw still smacked me across my torso. I was knocked backwards and barely maintained my footing. I'm surprised that didn't kill me in true One-Hit-Knock-Out fashion.

I did manage to do some noticeable damage with my water attack, but the mob still had 95% of its health left. I had a little more than half. I cringed jumping away from the next swipe as I realized the bear had done 49% of my health in damage with one hit. After it took another swing at me I saw my opening. It was recovering! A common mechanic in that is found in many games. I locked my leg to secure my balance and extended my right arm forcefully towards the bear. The marsh water beside me headed my command and blasted a torrent of water into the platypus's face. It was not a particularly large blast, but it threw the creature onto its back as it wasn't truly a bipedal animal and had little balance standing as it was on its hind legs.

I lunged the moment its back hit the marshy earth. Hacking with my sword with reckless abandon it was then that I realized I was crying. The tears were practically blinding me, which allowed the platypus-bear to clip me with its hind legs as it turned to rise. Even though I had only been clipped by its stupidly large foot, I was sent tumbling backwards off balance. It also did another 5% of damage to me, which meant another swipe of its claw would kill me. Kill me! I was 54% dead. I allowed it to rise on its hind legs again because I was honestly afraid to take another action. I spun on my heels and kicked out weaker than I had planned. The failed roundhouse only managed to slap the creature weakly with a wave of murky green water.

It lunged at me, which momentarily surprised me before I realized it was about to kill me. I rolled in between its legs thanking my mother profusely for making me take child gymnastic classes. I rolled my shoulder to relax before raising my arms while keeping my finger pointed to the ground. Marsh water rose in a circle around me and in that moment I realized I would never stop. Fighting that is. The feeling of power and control over a fundamental resource was simply to addicting. I spun arms as if I was emulating a windmill, which made the water revolve around me faster.

As the bear made to swipe again I took a step back and punched at its chest fist clenched. The revolving water turned to ice shards as it was launched at the giant platypus. Some of the shards impacted bluntly against the platypus-bear's thick hide, but several shards managed to pierce the beige underbelly. The damage of this attack was the most I've inflicted throughout this fight, but the bear was far from defeated.

After a display of such skill and finesse on my part I immaturely expected my enemy to fall my feet, but I was of course incorrect. The bear lunged again and I dived under it again as I found this path to take me furthest from the bear. The billed-bear roared causing me look up. It was already charging me, which was not what I had expected. The downtime between lunging and recovering had grown shorter. I panicked. I repeated what I had seen so many times before on TV. I raised my arms quickly with little power behind my movement and a wall of water rose to defend its commander.

A swipe of the bear's claw destroyed my pitiful defense. I honestly thought I had been killed in that moment, but I hadn't I was simply knocked down and stunned. My health had dropped into the red showing me how little life I had left. Less than 20%.

"Mercy?" I couldn't accept the fact I might actually be killed by this bear at any moment. As the bear continued with its momentum to set its claws upon my feeble body I blinked as I saw something glisten.

I clenched my fist.

The bear froze, not for long, but it was enough time for me to role away. I began to cry again. I had survived by sheer luck. Throughout the fight I hadn't realized I had been steadily soaking the bear with water, so much so that when it was close enough to bite me I could clearly see it was dripping wet. I froze the water covering its body and managed to dodge its lunge even though I had been waylaid onto my back from the previous hit.

I threw myself into attacking the animal's exposed back wind-milling my arms wildly. Water rose and struck out at the monster continuously as I poured myself into my final chance. Whips of water besieged the creature strangling, lashing, and even restraining the creature. Even with all of my attacks pouring into its unprotected back the bear still rose. It shrugged off my restraints and began to prowl towards me.

I began to cry full force then sobs slipping from my lips, but I still waved my arm spastically. Hoping. If I had blinked I wouldn't have the seen the flash of axe and kill effect of the platypus-bear. A man—a distinctly non-Japanese man—had appeared. Still posed from the axe skill he had used I couldn't exactly see his expression. When he looked up I understood.

Guilt was so prevalent in his features it hurt.

"It's not a child's place to fight in my place." I think he was crying too. Maybe he had a child himself he was certainly old enough.

I would have liked to expound upon his point, but I was feeling particularly somber. "Agreed."

Personally I feel this is a major improvement from the original draft, which was half as interesting as this prologue.