Disclaimer:None of this story is accurate to real life or even close. It is inspired from the fun I had whilst playing Kairosoft's "Game Dev Story". Only the world, event names, console names and certain environments described are borrowed from the game. All characters and major plot points are mine.

CHAPTER FOUR

Everyone was excited when Jared told them about Fantasia that day in the team meeting. Even though the meeting was right near the end of our working day, everyone wanted me to start briefing them on "Fantasia".

As I went through the mythologies and the atmosphere that I have thought up to compliment the game's world, everyone was mesmerized. As I went through a basic outline of a battle system, everyone agreed that it was basic but promised that it will be built up into something magnificent. As I told them about the campaign, everyone was shell-shocked as I went through some of the major plot-twists that I had planned for the game.

Everyone was so excited, that everyone was willing to work overtime without pay, as the budget that Jess and Jared had built did not take into account any overtime work. No one complained. Everyone was too excited, they just wanted to start making the game.

At about one am, even though we needed to be back into work by nine am, we decided to go out for a quick drink. And this time, surprisingly, Mack joined too. None of us knew what changed his views about after-work drinks, and none of us cared. At that point, all of the Epik Gaming crew – including Jess and Jared – were at the nearest bar, having a few drinks.

I had always felt comfortable working at Epik Gaming, there was a family-type feel to the company, but this was the first time that it genuinely felt like my colleagues were my second-family.

After a few drinks, everyone was a bit tipsy and decided to go for a bit of a dance before leaving. Mack and I stayed behind sitting at our booth. "Hey Chris," Mack said to me, his cheeks bright red.

"Hey Mack, you don't drink much do you?" I answered.

"Huh?" Mack groaned, looked at his beer and smiled, "yeah, I don't really. Too busy trying to think up scenarios, you know?"

"Not really, you don't really interact much with me and the others." I answered him honestly.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I guess it's," he paused to burp, "a habit from my upbringing, you know? I used to spend tonnes of time in my made-up worlds instead of talking to my classmates, my family, all that."

"Oh." It was all I could mutter. Maybe Mack was a little bit more than tipsy.

"Anyways, that was not what I want to chat to you about!" Mack exclaimed, "I just wanna say, you, are a natural."

"A natural?" I asked.

"At making scenarios! Man, I am a teensy-weensy bit jealous of you. 'Fantasia', sound amazing!" Mack continued.

"Thanks, I guess." I laughed quietly.

"Do you think there'll be any sequels for 'Fantasia'?" Mack asked softly.

"I'm not sure yet, I believe 'Fantasia' might be a big enough universe to explore in sequels." I said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we're able to think up something to make sequels right?" Mack laughed loudly. So loud, it was uncomfortable sitting next to him after being so used to him being quiet for two years.

"Actually, Jared said that if 'Fantasia' does become successful enough to make sequels, that I'd be in charge of writing the story alone like the original." I confessed to him. Mack looked guttered when he heard that.

"But what would I be doing then?" Mack asked.

"I don't know." I answered him honestly, "you'll need to talk this through with Jared tomorrow about it…"

"Fair enough." He mumbled, skulled the rest of his beer, and went off to throw up.

The next day
"Hey, did you hear about what happened earlier this morning?" Callie ambushed me as soon as I got in to the office the next day.

"What? I just came in Callie, of course I haven't heard about anything." I answered her.

"Mack and Jared had a heated conversation about something." Callie explained, "yeah, Mack had got in earlier than everyone, just as Jared came in, and then proceeded to go to Jared's office to discuss something. I came in when they were about halfway into the discussion and boy, did Mack sound mad."

"Mad?" I asked. Mack had been so quiet all the time, the picture of Mack being angry that popped up in my head was an intriguing thought.

As I got to my seat, Mack walked out of Jared's office, grabbed his stuff from his desk and left. He didn't look at me at all. Jared walked out of his office and cleared his throat when he was sure Mack was gone.

"Mack has just got a lot on his mind today. He's going to be taking the day off to get through some personal circumstances. If everybody could just keep working their best, that's all I ask of for today."

"No drinks tonight then?" John asked.

"No, I won't be tagging along tonight, but if you guys are going to, then go ahead." Jared answered, "that's all guys, keep working now." And with that he went back into his office. I looked over to Jess at her desk and she caught my gaze and shrugged.

I guess no one really knows what that was all about.

Five days later
We were doing quite good progress on 'Fantasia'. Mack came back the day after his big discussion with Jared. Jared won't even talk about it to Jess. So it must've been some big personal stuff that they were talking about.

That night, everyone had left, either to go home or to go have drinks. I had opted to stay late to do some finalizing over some story-work that we were about to start the next day.

Everything was silent, except for my keyboard clicking, and it had been for about twenty minutes before Mack had entered the office again.

"You're still here?" Mack asked, a bit of surprise in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm looking over the story of 'Fantasia' one last time before we start working on it. I want it to be completely like I imagined it."

"You're really dedicated to this, aren't you?" Mack asked again, approaching his desk. He turned on his computer.

"Yeah, I guess so." I looked at him, he wasn't looking at me, "so what are you doing here?"

"Well, I got home, but then the phone lines in my house went down, and I'm waiting for a very important email." He answered.

"I see." I started, "what's the important email about?"

There was a pause, I checked on Mack and saw that his eyes were blank on his screen, "Mack?"

"Oh, sorry, dazed off a bit there, nothing really, just an update about some family I've got down south." Mack answered.

"Ah, alright then." I said, since it was family matters, I didn't want to push too far.

I jumped when Mack suddenly coughed really loud. And he kept coughing.

"Are you alright Mack?" I asked, leaning to the side to check up on him.

"Yeah," he said before coughing heartily again a couple of times, "I think I caught something from one of my apartment neighbours."

"It sounds quite bad." I murmured.

"I don't know, it wasn't so bad at first, but now my eyes continuously itch and sometimes I get a runny nose." Mack explained as he rubbed his teary eyes, "it's getting really annoying. But I'll be fine."

"I don't know man, I think you better get some days off, maybe your body's just exhausted from all the work you've been doing." I told him.

"That really sounds like a good idea," he admitted.

"Alright, I'm pretty sure I'm done here for tonight, you take care of yourself. Don't make whatever you have worse." I told him as I turned the computer off and gathered my stuff.

"Yeah, will do, thanks." Mack said.

"I would shake your hands, but –" I started.

"I understand, me being sick and all." Mack said kindly.

"Good night!" I said as I left.

"Night."

Three days later
A call woke me up from my sleep. It was six-thirty when I dazedly looked over at my clock. I answered it, my voice growly, tired from the sleep. "Hello?"

Callie's voice jolted me awake, "Chris! Have you heard?"

"Heard what Callie? I was asleep." I groaned.

"Jared sent us an email after we left last night. Have you seen it?"

"I haven't been on the computer since yesterday in the office." I sat up and stretched.

"Mack's quit Epik Gaming." Callie said, her voice shifting down from her usual, excited voice to a stern one.

Here we go, as I promised, more dialogue. No game reviews this chapter. And I don't know if there will be any next chapter, but we'll see.

Hopefully, this chapter is good. Hopefully this chapter is still gripping your interest. Because I like writing this story. And I like that you like this story. So, keep writing reviews, as they motivate me to write. And please do tell people about this story if they like Game Dev Story, because the more people who read this and write reviews really help me out.

Constructive criticisms are always welcome and are very helpful!

I'm not sure when I'll start on Chapter 5, but it's most likely after