A/N: Hello everyone! I have had this chapter for some time now. I've decided that this will be the last update until I completely finish this story. So once I write that last chapter I will update all the remaining chapters at the same time. Now you guys just have to be patient. A friend and I have another story already in the works, but that won't be started until after this one (plus it's meant for a whole different audience so I don't think it would mean much to you guys anyway;;)
I don't know what to think of this chapter since I haven't read through it in some time now (a few days, maybe a week or two tops) so I hope you enjoy it and keep you sated for a while.
Reviews are fun to read and help motivate me to hurry and write out the rest of the story!
Amalgamating Flesh & Pixels
Chapter 8:
Fluffy-Butt-Bunny
I was filling a second washing machine of my clothes when I heard about it the first time.
There were two teenagers (young adults whatever) that were standing in the corner of the Laundromat a few feet away from me talking about The Game. I didn't pay attention to what they were saying since I didn't care all that much, but being the gossip that I am I tuned in here and there.
"I need like 10,000 gold so I can buy this wicked sword." I think that was the guy who was wearing a sweatshirt with some kind of skater logo on it.
I was thinking to myself who the hell even said wicked anymore as I slid my (read: stolen) Credit Card through the slot to start the machine.
"Have you run into those new monsters yet? The black horse ones." A guy in a grey beanie said.
That caught my interest. I didn't turn towards them just strained my ears to hear over the few machines that were going to hear what they were saying. I sat down in a white plastic seat right across from the two machines that held my clothes. After all this time these places still had uncomfortable chairs.
"Yeah! Dude, I don't think those are monsters. They kept fucking with my character! Monsters don't do that!" Said Sweatshirt.
"I guess, man, when they attacked me they took a huge chunk of my gold." Beanie.
"Did you hear that they taking players? Like eating them up or something and running off with them?"
Those had to be the same as that one monster that tried to take Tooth.
"That's some fucked up shit. Where d'you think they're taking em'?"
"Fuck if I know dude. Hey, remember that one chick I was telling ya about…?"
I tuned them completely out now. I should tell North and them about this and see if I can find out more about it.
After my clothes are finished.
I just logged into The Game when I see I have 4 new messages. The first one was from Jamie from last night asking if we could get together for another homework meet-up (god no). Then there was another message from him with a completely different topic.
From: The Last Light [Jamie]
Subject: did you hear!?
Message:
about the new monsters i mean. the black horses that have been running around
I wrote back:
From: LetItSnow [Jack Frost]
Subject: im not doing homework with u again
Message:
jamie stay away from them k? and i am not joking either
I had another message, but this one was from Tooth.
From: Dont-Forget-To-Floss [Toothiana]
Subject: Hi there!
Message:
Hi! What a weird day, huh? And it ruined our first meeting too! L
Hopefully next time some dumb horse won't get in the way. J
By the way you're pale skin really is pristine.
I liked Toothiana even if she was a bit weird and maybe even a little flighty.
From: LetItSnow [Jack Frost]
Subject: don't-forget-to-floss?
Message:
yea that kinda sucked huh? pristine? i just picked it becuz it worked with the snow thing
Then the last message:
From: BIGEYESFULLOFWONDER [North]
Subject: JACK
Message:
JACK WHERE ARE YOU? YOU NEED TO GET OVER HERE NOW. YOU PROMISED.
I looked at the message for a moment trying to decide whether he used caps lock to show that he was serious(angry?) or if that was how he really typed. I deleted the message anyway and headed towards the area he told me to meet them at (the last place I was with them).
"Okay, North, big guy, I know I promised to meet you, but I do have things to do outside of The Game." I said once I landed down near them.
"But Jack if you are to be Guardian you need to be here on time when we tell you otherwise something might happen!" North replied exasperatedly.
"I dun think Jack is the punctual type, mate." Bunny said from the side his arms crossed.
"Hey! I could totally be punctual when I want to be! You know, just not extremely early in the morning. Or when I'm hungry." I said lamely. Bunny just laughed quietly to himself (which sucks because even though he isn't on my good list anymore I still thought he had a nice laugh). Then I thought of something, "Where's Tooth? And Sandman." I added once I realized he wasn't here either.
"Shopping." Bunny said.
"Shopping?" I quirked an eyebrow.
"Shopping. Tooth likes to stock up on supplies, anything that seems like it would be useful she buys it. She also likes to take Sandman with her."
"She must prefer his company rather than mine, ours, I mean." North said sulkily.
I smiled and Bunny just rolled his eyes, "No, she likes to dump the items she can't keep in her inventory on Sandy."
"Huh. Okay. So what are you guys doing?" I asked.
"Waiting for them to get back." At that moment there was a chime from a message and I walked a few feet away from where Bunny was crouching, sitting?, and North.
From: Dont-Forget-To-Floss [Toothiana]
Subject: Yes! I picked it out. Like?
Message:
It suits you.
Sandy and I are out shopping if you showed up already.
Do you need anything?
From: LetItSnow [Jack Frost]
Subject: i like. are you the friend who picked out bunny's name?
Message:
nah i don't need anything thx 4 asking
I slowly walked back to where the guys sat watching the frost form after every step I take. New message.
From: Dont-Forget-To-Floss [Toothiana]
Subject: Yes I am! :D
Message:
Oh, cavities you're there already?!
We'll try to hurry and get back so we don't keep you guys waiting.
It was fun doing that to North and Bunny because they're a bunch of grumps. XD
But you're a new friend and it would be an awful impression of me.
From: LetItSnow [Jack Frost]
Subject: good choice
Message:
trust me yur first impression on me has already been set and its a good 1
"Toothiana says she and Sandman will be back here soon." I said in the silence.
"You're messaging Toothiana?" Bunny asked.
"Yes. She messaged me first so it's only natural that I write back. What, you jealous Cottontail?" I smirked.
"No." I scowled at me. "I've known Tooth way longer than you so I ave' nothin' to be jealous about."
North spoke up and I almost forgot he was there, "Ah, but you two are wrong! I have known Tooth the longest!"
"Technically, I've known Sandy the longest." We all jumped at Tooth's voice. I turned around and she and Sandy stood there (well Sandy was standing Tooth was floating) both smiling at us. North just sat back against the tree he was sitting by looking like a little kid who didn't win his soccer game. Both Bunny and North seem to already know that Sandy's relationship with Tooth has been longer than theirs. "But, still, I've known North longer than Bunny."
North perked up at that and Bunny just rolled his eyes again (he did that a lot I realized or at least around North he did).
I turned my attention towards Tooth, "So, whatja get?"
"A little bit of everything!" She smiled Sandy nodded his head enthusiastically by her side to agree.
"Tooth, ya do realize that we never use half the stuff ya get right?" Bunny said from behind me.
"I do realize that, yes, but you never know when we might need it!" Tooth defended. "Or, if you have such a problem with what it is I buy for us you can do it." She smiled as she crossed her arms.
I'm sure they were just having a friendly argument, but Bunny seemed to take Tooth's offer seriously considering the look on his face.
"Fine, I will." He said back.
It wasn't so much as tension per se, but North cut through the whatever-it-was easily, "Alright! Now that we are all here we can finally talk about what it was we came here for in the first place. Jack," I looked at him, "we have much to explain to you as I am sure you have lots of questions." Which I did. "But we probably won't answer half of them." Well that was great.
There was a long pause after he said that. I glanced at everyone as they all just stared at me and then I realized that I was supposed to say something.
"Oh, right, okay, questions. Let's see…" I rubbed my chin for a moment as I looked as though I were seriously thinking of a question. I snapped my fingers and pointed at Bunny and asked with a straight face, "Tentacle rape or bondage?"
He stuttered incoherently and had he not had fur on his character I am pretty sure he'd be beet red. I laughed leaning on staff for support. My stomach felt like it was going to explode from laughing so hard. His face was priceless! If only I had a camera…
"Jack." North said in a serious tone.
"Okay, okay, fine." I coughed and took a few seconds to catch my breath before standing up straight again. It was hard not to start laughing again when I looked at Bunny's completely serious I'm-So-Done-With-Your-Shit face. I took another moment to make sure I wasn't going to start up again and seriously asked, "What is it exactly you guys do?"
Sandman tried to explain that one, but the little icons and text pictures were flashing by too quickly for me to keep up.
"We're moderators." Tooth said on Sandman's behalf to which he graciously nodded his head.
"Moderators." I repeated.
"Slash administers." Tooth quickly added before Bunny pitched in.
"We make sure things aren't screwed up in The Game."
"Like, glitches and stuff?"
"Something like that."
"So, that's it?" If I sounded disappointed that was because I was a little disappointed. I was kinda expecting something more than that if being a Guardian was so special. What a blow.
"You make it sound as if you expected more." North said.
"Honestly, I kinda was."
"Well, that isn't just it, mate. It's not just go around to check to see if shops are taking more gold than needed or to see if your characters wardrobe is malfunctioning." Bunny said irritated.
"We look for those kinds of glitches, yes, but we also look for viruses that could potentially hurt players inside or even outside the game." Tooth added.
"We mean players getting hurt while they aren't playing." Bunny elaborated, knowing that I was going to ask.
"These side effects could include nose bleeds, severe migraines, bleeding from the ears, hallucinations, mistaking reality for non-reality, paranoia, paralysis, incapability of doing everyday actions, or even becoming comatose." Tooth listed.
"But viruses and glitches aren't the only causes for these effects. Sometimes it's just playing The Game itself problems or not." North said. "Some players can't keep up with the complexity of The Game and become victims to things they have no control over."
I was silent for a few seconds while I took all this in. "So, what happens to the players who come out of being in a coma?
Bunny answered. "Considering that hasn't happened yet we think the loss of motor skills, simple or not, completely."
I remembered hearing and reading about people going into comas because of The Game, but never read or heard about players waking up. I'd taken in the risks of playing the game and since nothing ever happened I never really cared and just continued to press my luck.
I didn't say or do anything and neither did anyone else. They all just watched me to try and gauge my reaction. After a while I nodded my head slowly which quickly became a confident nod. I looked at them.
"What do I have to do?"
North smiled broadly. "So this means you'll join us?" I just nodded again. If possible he just smiled even broader and let out a joyous laugh. Maybe it was an impulse, but he pulled me into a bone crushing hug that squeezed out every bit a breath I had. "This is excellent!" He turned to look back at the others who looked just as thrilled as he was save for Bunny.
Toothiana clapped her hands excitedly as she looked down at Sandman who was smiling brightly too. She threw her hands up and flew over to me and North. "This is exciting! We have to tell Manny!" She landed down next to me and squeezed my arm. "This is going to be great. A new Guardian! We haven't had a new Guardian since, well, me!" She giggled. her happy energy just seem to make her buzz. It made me slightly wonder if she really did that in person. "Oh, but we can't do the ceremony just yet though I have things to do, places to go! More specifically sisters to take care of!" She smiled as she flew up again.
"Is it that late already?" North asked confused.
"Well, it is for Sandman and I!" Sandy agreed by yawning. Did you know yawning is contagious? I yawned along with him and realized that it was indeed late. For me anyway.
"I've gotta get going too. There's a mattress sitting 3 feet away from me and it's calling my name." I said as I stretched just to emphasize how tired I was. Admittedly the action wasn't needed, but I am known to do things that aren't necessary.
"This is unbelievable." Bunny started up. "I stayed up all through the night, which it is almost six in the mornin' now, just to have this dumb Q & A that only involved two, and I repeat, TWO questions from the human Popsicle over there." He pointed at me fashioned along with his well-known glares. "I have classes tomorrow I can't be staying up like this."
"I believe I asked…" I took a moment to count on my fingers, "6 questions. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but only 5 of them were answered." I smirked as I looked as Bunny for an answer.
He only squinted at me in confusion before finally realizing what I was talking about. "I am not answerin' that! I don't watch or read that kinda stuff and even if I did I wouldn't tell you!"
I heard Toothiana giggle from off to the side and when I glanced back at them I saw that even Sandy was letting out a few airy chuckles. I walked up towards Bunny, him glaring at me the whole time. When I passed by him I nudged him in the hip with the end of my staff he instantly tensed. "Oh, it's fine. You seem like you're more into school girls anyway." I laughed as he clenched his fists and looked back at me with this look that so didn't make me tingly just thinking about it. He looked like he was going to say something, but thought better of it. Darn.
Before I logged off completely that night I received two messages.
Message #1:
From: The Last Light [Jamie]
Subject: fine!
Message:
i'll stay away from them. jeez. you sound like my mom.
Message #2:
From: Dont-Forget-To-Floss [Toothiana]
Subject: Good Night Jack!
Message:
The other option I gave Bunny for a username was Fluffy-Butt-Bunny.