A different kind of Game
~XxX~
Prologue
"Move it people! Move it!"
Faintly I could make out moving shadows through the smoke. It was hot in here, stifling so, and I could hardly breathe.
"Is there someone left in here!?" I heard the voices shout over the chaos that was all around me, and I tried to open my mouth to answer, but no words escaped me, only a weak and pathetic wheeze.
It was so very hot.
My eyes burned and my mouth was dry, the air smelled of smoke and breathing was becoming a chore.
I needed to breath though, didn't I?
But it was so difficult.
Smoke was filling my lungs with every breath I took, I knew that, I knew that the smoke was poisoning me, but I couldn't help it.
Couldn't they see that I was here?
Again I tried to cry out to them, and again I could only wheeze weakly.
Something heavy was on my back, and I could see the flames in front of my face...they were getting closer, I could feel them now, they were licking at my face now.
It didn't hurt, how strange.
My vision was getting blurry.
Someone needs to save me.
Please…
I don't want to die!
"Please…"
I don't want to burn alive.
"...I don't want to die."
With my blurring vision I could see the firefighters run around, right in front of me, but they payed me no attention.
They didn't see me.
They couldn't hear my weak wheezes over the sound of the roaring flames that had engulfed the building.
With a last wheeze my eyes closed...and the noise of the flames crackling grew distant.
It felt...peaceful.
It felt nice.
~XxX~
"AHHHH-!"
My eyes shot open wide and I felt my body shoot up into a sitting position.
"I...the fire...what…"
I babbled while patting down my body as if it was still aflame, and it took longer than it should have for my brain to catch up with the situation. It was only when I felt the blankets pooled around my waist that I realized that everything had to have been a dream.
"But it felt so real though…"
It did.
That nightmare was so real I could still feel the flames burning hot against my skin, searing it off to cook the flesh beneath.
In felt my entire body shudder at the thought, and unbidden my arms closed around my own body. I felt short of breath, and a part of me realized that I was beginning to hyperventilate.
Calm.
Calm down.
Deep, calm, breaths…
"It was just a dream. It was just a dream. Just. A. Dream." I repeated those words like a mantra until my body and mind accepted the words as truth, and it was only then that the shudders and shakes started to subside.
I exhaled pushing out all the stress and the fear with it, and taking another calming breath.
Good, good, I've managed to center myself.
The first time in my life that I had to do so because of a bad dream of all things.
I shook my head and let out a weak chuckle, "well that was an experience that I won't soon forget."
I unwrapped my arms from around myself before rubbing my face with them. Dragging my palms down my face, I opened my eyes and looked around my bedroom, it was pitch black. I could barely make out the silhouette of my own hands in front of my face.
I knew for a fact that I wouldn't be getting any sleep anymore after the dream I just had, so with that in mind, I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and stood up.
I stumbled through the darkness until my hands pressed up against the wall, and from that it only took some fumbling around until I found the light switch. I flipped it and immediately groaned when the bright light hurt my sensitive eyes.
I blinked several times to remove the spots before my vision cleared, and then I looked around my room and sure enough, everything was where it was supposed to be.
I sighed and felt how the last of the tension from my nightmare left my body.
It really was just a dream.
"A pretty fucked up one…" I muttered under my breath, "why the hell would I dream about being burned alive?"
That truly was the strangest dream that I've ever had, it felt unnaturally real, so much so that I still doubted that it was a dream and not reality.
The helplessness, the smell of smoke, the heat, the pain, and how the heat turned into cold, even the smell of my own fat and flesh sizzling...how would I even know how that is supposed to smell like? Or how all those sensations are actually supposed to feel like.
I really should just stop thinking about that dream all together. Just act as if it never happened, yes, that sounds reasonable.
I'm just going to get a cold shower and grab myself a bite to eat, and then everything will be alright.
And I made to do exactly that.
I walked up to the door that led out into the hall only to stop when I saw a sheet of paper being taped to my door.
I lifted an eyebrow, I'm pretty sure that I didn't put that there, or maybe I did and just forgot about it, yesterday was quite hectic, what with that fire that broke out in the office…
Wait, what?
No that was just a dream, but then what did I do yesterday?
I went to work...I think? Wait what was my job again? What am I thinking, I'm an artist, that's right, and I'm employed at...where am I employed again?
That nightmare must've messed me up worse than I thought, to think that a dream could jumble someone's mind like that, guess you never learn out.
I stepped forward and ripped the paper from the door before starting to read…
Welcome Gamer
"Gamer?" I snorted and continued to read the strange note.
We are sorry to inform you of your passing, but fret not, your death has lead you to this marvelous opportunity to play a Game like none other. A Game of life, of death, and of unending possibilities. We do not wish to keep you from experiencing your new adventure, so just leave this room to start your new life.
We wish you the best of luck.
Ps;
Raise your Level to unlock more information about the Game.
Okay, this really is one of those days, isn't it? First that nightmare and now this?
We are sorry to inform you of your passing? Okay which one of my friends decided to play a prank on me? Was it…
What are the names of my friends again? Jason…? No isn't Jason my name? That's right.
Yes, I'm Jason.
Jason...something...it's on the tip of my tongue.
I felt lightheaded.
"I really need a drink." I muttered and opened my bedroom door, and then I stepped through and blinked...
~XxX~
...I blinked again and felt my mind freeze.
This couldn't be right!
Why in the name of all that is holy am I sitting in the middle of a fucking classroom full of students? How?
"Wha…!" I couldn't help the strangled sound that escaped my mouth, which inadvertently was heard by everyone in the classroom, even the teacher at the front of the class turned to face me.
"Jason?" The teachers curious voice echoed through the otherwise perfectly silent classroom, "is everything alright?"
"I...no-wha…?"
I felt my heart hammer against my chest and I tried to make sense of the situation before me, but nothing came to mind. This had to be some sort of hallucination! I knew for sure that I was no longer a student!
I am an adult, I'm sure of it!
That, that damn note!
My eyes widened even further as the realization hit me with all the might of a freight train.
'A game of life, of death and endless possibilities. Just step through the door-
"Jason!" My eyes snapped towards the teacher to see her look at me with concern clearly written all over her features. "Are you alright? You are pale and sweating, do you need me to call the nurse?"
I...alright, I need to get it together. I steeled myself as best I could before slowly-jerkily-shaking my head, "no I-I'm fine Miss…?"
I didn't know her name, I knew no one in this classroom. Looking around I saw all the other students-all whom seemed to be girls-look at me with various looks of concern or worry.
Looking back at the teacher who was now walking up to me, I couldn't help but wonder how any of this was possible?
This...no focus, this wasn't the time or the place to lose my shit. Just think, Jason, think, the note said something about a game and being a Gamer-
"Hey, look at me Jason." My eyes snapped up to see that the teacher was now standing right next to me, looking down at me with concerned eyes. "Calm down and take a deep breath."
I did as the lady instructed, it must've been obvious to her-and everyone else in classroom-that I was basically having a nervous breakdown.
"Deep breaths." The lady teacher repeated and I did as I was told.
"Inhale."
"Exhale."
"Inhale."
"Exhale."
I felt a hand on my back, rubbing soothing circles between my shoulder-blades, and it did wonders to calm me down.
"Are you feeling better now, Jason?" The woman asked and I managed a shaky nod in her general direction. "Do you think that you are well enough to walk?"
I looked up at the woman who had nearly draped herself over me in a protective fashion, and then something bizarre happened. The world around me seemed to slow to a near crawl, the chatter of the other students in the classroom stopped and even the teachers face seemed frozen in time.
Then stats appeared right next to the teachers face, just floating there in mid-air, and I realized that I truly was inside of a game.
Name: Tsume Mikorume
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Title: Mikorume-sensei, Professor Mikorume
Occupation: English and Biology Teacher
Rank: Common
Lvl: 1
I couldn't believe my eyes, even as I reread the information that I just had been given over and over again.
This was real.
And as if to mock me, the game answered my sudden realization with even more information.
[Skill Unlocked]
{Observation – Lvl: 1/100}
-Observation grants the user the ability to Observe objects, creatures and people according to level.
-User has a 0% chance of discovering weaknesses or vital information through Observation.
[Quest Completed]
Baby Steps: Unlock your first skill (Completed)
Rewards: +25 XP, Feature Unlock (Skill Menu), Feature Unlock (Status Menu).
Damn, that's just bizarre. Disregarding everything else that is on my mind right now, the feeling of completing a quest is weird, its going to take a while to get used to it.
To that and everything else it seems.
But I can't deny it any longer, I'm a Gamer.
What the fuck am I going to do now?
As I wanted to ponder on that question, time resumed once more and the noise of the classroom came back, reminding me of the fact that I still had a problem standing literally in front of me.
"Um yes I think that I can walk, why Mikorume-sensei?" I asked even though I had a pretty good idea of what the teacher had in mind, still answering the woman's question first and foremost seemed like the best idea given the current situation.
"Because you and I are going to visit the nurse now." I nodded at her statement, that would be for the best.
I could most certainly use the time to try and come to terms with this entire situation.
I allowed Mikorume-sensei to help me onto my feet, and I quickly noted that I stood a bit taller than the woman, though not by much.
I remember being taller than this.
I felt Mikorume-sensei push gently against my back so I started to walk and allowed my teacher to lead the way, taking the time to look around the classroom. It quickly became obvious that I was the only male in this class, which seems a bit strange to me.
The again, considering everything else that happened today, that truly seemed like the least of my problems or concerns right now.
"Behave yourselves, I'll be right back after delivering Jason here to the nurse!" Mikorume-sensei's stern voice pulled me from my thoughts.
The teacher and I walked out of the class into a standard school hallway and then Mikorume-sensei led me down the hall towards the office of the school nurse. When we arrived at the office my teacher stepped out from behind me and gently knocked against the door.
It was barely a moment later that we heard a feminine voice call out, "enter!"
The voice was clear and strong, and it made me wonder just what kind of character the nurse would be. I didn't have to wait long to find out either, as Mikorume-sensei opened the door and ushered me inside.
"Good day, Belphegor-sensei, I'm sorry to impose on your time, but my student here needs your expertise."
I stepped up next to my teacher and when I got my first look at the schools supposed nurse, I couldn't help but be a tad bit awestruck. No, screw just being a tad awestruck, I literally felt myself freeze for a second.
Jesus Christ...this woman was utterly gorgeous.
Not beautiful, but gorgeous.
Top models and Movie stars have nothing on this woman right here, and part of me wondered if someone so otherworldly could be real.
This woman looked to be no older than 20, and she possessed a figure that would make Victoria Secret models die from embarrassment.
Just unbelievable.
This woman had long, wavy hair, colored a very light pink and braided into a single thick braid with several messy stands of hair covering her forehead. She had bright golden eyes, a color that I can't remember ever seeing in someone's eyes, and her face was immaculate, as if a true artist had handcrafted her to be a masterpiece.
Now there was no doubt left in my mind. This was a game set in some fantasy world, because if there is one thing that I am certain off then its that human beings are not this pretty.
This woman has the most beautiful woman of the world beat by a fucking mile, and she is a nurse in some school.
There is no fucking way.
"Now then young man, might you be done with ogling me?" The nurse asked and I could heat my teacher let out a nervous chuckle from beside me.
Right, I wasn't alone in the room.
Damn I could feel the blood rushing into my cheeks.
"Oh...um, sorry, I didn't mean to stare like that." I nervously scratched my neck.
The nurse on the other hand just waved me off with a giggle that sounded just right.
"Oh its alright, I take it as a compliment." She smiled at me and as ashamed as I am to admit this, I felt flustered from just that smile. "Now what might be the problem that caused you to come to me, young man?"
"Young man?" I blurted out without thinking, "you can't be that much older than me!"
The woman looked surprised for a moment, and perhaps that's just my mind playing tricks on me but I think I caught a hint of red appear on her cheeks before it dissipated and she let loose another sweet giggle.
I couldn't help it, I needed to know more about this woman, as such I stared at her...really hard, and just hoped that the Game System did the same thing it did back in the classroom.
And luckily it did, and thus spared me the shame of being caught looking at her like a damn creep.
[Observe]
Name: Roygun Belphegor
Race: [?]
Gender: Female
Title: [?]
Occupation: Kuoh Academy Head Nurse
Rank: Veteran
Lvl: 350
Race unknown...
Level 350…
Veteran…
Fuck!
A/N: Well hello there, and welcome to a new story, I hope you got some enjoyment out of this prologue.
I'm not quite sure if I like this Prologue or not. I wanted to do something different from the other Gamer fics that I've read so far, and I tried to make the entire experience confusing and abrupt for Jason by quite literally throwing him into the fire. I'm not sure if I did a good job with that or not.
Well, tell me your thoughts about this story so far, would appreciate it.