Disclaimer: all aspects of this story are fictional and all properties belong to their respective owners

Author's note: This story isn't a direct sequel to The Apocalypse Engine but rather the events that happened outside the game. So it starts around the same time as chapter 6 of The Apocalypse Engine.

Chapter 1

He was so dead. It was nearly 7:00 and his practice had ended like it always does at 6:30 so he was dead meet when he got home. "I should never have listen to them," Davis murmured to himself as he raced home. "They said it would only take a minute but it ended up taking a whole half-hour." He was still mentally beating himself up for being this late. "All it was a stupid rematch and I couldn't refuse just because I was so sure that it would be only 10 minutes. Boy was I wrong. It took me near 20 minutes and then I had lost." He then turned round' the corner into an alley that was a shortcut home. Since he was so preoccupied with his predicament that he failed to notice the gooey puddle on the ground. "Great now I just stepped into a puddle of muck. This day just can't get any worse." He moaned as he ran out of the alley failing to notice the puddle was gone.

"Mom I'm home!" Davis yelled as he walked inside the house taking off his shoes noticing that his sock was wet from his shoe. "I'm sorry that I am late."

"Let me guess, you got challenged to a match and lost again," jeered his older sister.

"Well… you see…."

"Oh Davis not again. What did we tell you about staying after practice on a whim?" groaned his mom.

"Hey at least I didn't go on the digital world game like last time."

"That's the only reason your still standing here right now. Also you had better take that wet sock off before you dare step on this carpet. So make it quick, dinner is getting cold."

Leave it to Mom to make you feel insignificant and loved at the same time thought Davis as he took his socks off. Great, my foot is wet too. Well I guess I can just wipe it off with my dry sock.

"Today Davis," said his dad.

"All right all right. I coming."

"That was good food," said Davis with his belly bulging.

"And to think this means almost nothing coming form the human garbage disposal," said his sister with mischief gleaming in her eyes

"Knock it off. Davis what are you doing?" asked his mother.

"Scratching my foot."

"Well knock that off too. You have been scratching it all through dinner."

"I'm sorry but it itches like no tomorrow."

"Let me see," said his mother taking on the role of house hold nurse. "It seams as though your skin has just dried out a lot. Make sure you put some lotion on it before you go to bed."

"Yes mom," acknowledged Davis knowing not to argue when she gets like this.

Later that night…

"Davis you might want to see this," shouted his father

"What is it?" Davis asked as he walked into the family room. Then he noticed what was on TV. "Hey that's the Digital World Game building. Why is it on the news?"

"That's what we are waiting for. So sit down and watch."

"In an interesting turn of events the end of the world scenario was triggered today in the game," came the voice of the reporter. "However instead of being the ultimate thrill for gamers things have taken a turn for the worse by what seams to be a huge miscalculation by the Administration. They have seemed to have tampered with this scenario's program causing the safety measures to be damaged. But their still might be hope to recover the situation by a fortunate twist of fate. To the extreme fortune of numerous players the Head programmer is inside the game and may be able to guide the players through the crisis with minimal hazards."

"Wow It is a good thing that I didn't go to there today," said Davis with shock in his voice.

"Yes it is a very good thing that you didn't go," said his mother with relief in her voice. "I'm sorry I yelled at you being late. You could have been in much worse condition if you had gone to the game today." Then she promptly hugged her son.

"Mom I know your sorry and all but it doesn't mean you can strangle me to death."

"Sorry I got carried away. I just don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"Speaking of things happening to you when are you supposed to meat with Yolei about your science project?" asked his father.

"Oh no. That's tomorrow when we're supposed to meet. I need to get my research done!" He shouts as he run panicking down the hallway almost knocking over his sister.

"Why do I think he hasn't even started any off it," she mummers to her self.

"Davis don't forget to put lotion on that foot of yours," shouted his mother.

"I won't," he shouts back.

"I should wash those sock's of his for his game tomorrow. On second thought I guess I should wash every ones socks."

The next day at Yolei's house…

"'Bout time you got here," said Yolei opening the door for a panting Davis. "What took you so long."

"I ran here straight form my soccer game this morning," He replied. "So I got here as soon as I could."

"Hah. A likely story. I know for a fact that the game ended 20 minutes ago since my younger brother was over their to watch."

"Well…You see…," mumbled Davis

"Just can it. Cody is already here."

"Why is Cody here?"

"Don't you have any room in that head of yours for anything but soccer? He is in our group, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

"Just take your shoes off and get your butt in here."

"yes mistress," he grumbles under his breath silently regretting one of his partners. Oh great Davis thought. Mom put so much lotion on my foot it soaked my sock. But why is my other sock wet too? She probably wanted to be safe than sorry.

"Are you going to just sit there and look at your feet or are you coming in?"

"I'm coming. I'm coming," he grumbles as he walks in.

"you'd better or you will fail this project."

Latter on after a huge lecture on the topic form Yolei…

"… and that's every thing you need to know about it."

"Um Yolei if you know that much about the subject why did we all have to do the research last night?" asked Davis.

"Ha! I knew you did your research at the last possible second."

"opps," muttered Davis trying his very best to look very meek and timid.

"Yolei, you can leave him alone," said Cody.

"But he almost didn't do his part."

"Just make him do more of the physical part instead."

"Fine."

"Thank you Cody," Davis whispered to him

"I don't think you should be thanking me just yet."

"Davis get your butt over and start working," shouted Yolei

"I'll get you for this," whispered Davis.

"Davis, why are your socks so wet and why are you walking over the carpet with them?!"

"My mom thought that I needed lotion on my feet cause I kept scratching so she put on so much that it soaked my sock."

"Let me take a look at it," asked Yolei coming closer to Davis.

"Why," said Davis cringing form Yolei.

"Because I want to see if it is a fungus infection."

"A what?"

"You really didn't do your research did you?"

"What does that have to do with my foot and fun guys infatuation?"

"First off it's fungus infection and secondly our subject was on a humans' parasites. So take off the sock."

"All right, if you say so," Davis agreed as he took off his sock

"Sheesh how much lotion did your mom put on? It look's like she dipped your foot into a vat of it. Also this stuff smells like dirty shoes."

"First she just rubbed on a little bit, not this much and also this has been inside my shoe and socks while I was playing soccer."

"What ever. Well it looks like you have a fungus all right. And it seems to be making the excess moisture on your foot. And finally I have no clue as to what kind of fungus it is."

"So basically I have an unknown slime making foot fungus?"

"That's about right."

"Does it get any worse?"

"Yes it does."

"How?"

"This stuff doesn't wipe off either," she complains as she tries to wipe the slime form his foot on to a tissue.

"Well maybe it is contagious," Davis mumbles hopefully.

"Funny Davis. Hey do you ever clip your toenails?"

"Yes I do I just did it last week. So why are getting after my personal hygiene all of a sudden? Is it cause of the joke?"

"No it's because your nail seem to be almost a half inch longer than what is usual. Not to mention that they seem to be almost 4 times as thick."

"So what? They're better to kick you with my dear."

"Funny. I'm serious, they look gross with all that slime on your foot."

"Well maybe I should wipe it off on something," Davis says as he approaches Yolei.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Watch me," he says as he takes off after Yolei running all around the room.

"Hey guys watch it. Your getting that foot slime all over my leg as well."

"All right I'll cut it out. But seriously could you get me a towel for my foot Yolei?"

"I will as long as you promise to keep that gross foot away from me."

"I will."

"Could you get me one too since I got some on me from your great chase."

"Sure thing Cody," she agrees as she heads to the kitchen. "Just make sure you two are ready to work as soon as I get back."

"yes Ma'am," both Cody and Davis agree although not in the same tone,

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