"Good morning Night City!"
"I could bother you about the current news around the world but let's be honest, none of you care about that, so I'll get straight to the point."
"The leaders of the flying island on top of us, or should I say Paradice, otherwise known as Aincrad, have said no to any corporation entering it, but they will be allowing both the New United States and the Republic of Texas to trade with them."
'Now I know what you are all saying, that they can't possibly defend themselves from the Corpos. Well, I have news for all of you!"
"We all have seen the lush forest, the abundant wildlife, and everything that's needed for us to live as kings."
"But that place is full of dangerous creatures."
'What did you say? You don't believe me? Well, let me tell you!"
"They have giant bears, the kind that only Highly augmented people can have a chance of fighting if they are lucky."
"There are bugs in there so dangerous that most militaries can't even scratch, and those are just the ones that the Players say are in the Middle."
"There are stronger things in there, and yes, they are that dangerous."
"Now for some good news, if you want to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, even realm meat, the players are allowing people from the lower levels into the island."
"But hold on before you think about trying to get in; if or when you are discovered to be someone from a corporation, they will consider it a declaration of war."
"So don't get caught!"
Gloria turned off the radio as she drove to her son's school; she couldn't help but worry about what mess he had gotten himself in, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Inside the passenger seat was a pair of tickets; she had signed both herself and David for permission to enter Aincrad. She didn't expect that the Players would let them in, as everything good in this world was only for those that had money.
Her day started completely normal, that is, if she ignored the fact that someone was knocking at her door.
It wasn't that she didn't have guests before, but no one showed up so early if they weren't hiding from someone or crazy.
So anyone can imagine her shock when she saw someone dressed as a knight standing outside.
"Gloria Martinez?" he asked, and she nodded.
"Congratulations, we have accepted you and your son." the knight said to her as he handed her the tickets.
"The moment that the two of you step into Aincrad, you will be considered citizens of the Castle and will be given all rights as such and will be expected to follow our laws." he said to her before he lifted his hand.
Gloria didn't know what to say; she honestly believed that none of this was real and that she was still asleep, so even as she shook the man's hand, she dint know how to act.
The man said his goodbyes and walked towards the exit of the building.
She was brought out of her memories as she arrived at David's school, and even before she entered the main building, both the teachers and the students looked at her with disgust.
She ignored them.
It wasn't that their glares didn't hurt in the past they did, but not anymore. After today, she would go back home and take David to the Castle, and they would start over.
She opened the door to the principal's office and walked in; she listened to the list of rules and things that were destroyed by the defective program that David used when he tried to bypass the school's security so that he could study with everyone else.
She felt her heart sink when she heard how much she would have to pay.
'There are two options open for David."
"You can pay for the repairs, or you can transfer to another school; I suggest the latter." the principal says to her.
Gloria was about t say that she would pay, but the image of the knight standing at her door forced her to keep her mouth closed. She remembered that they would be in Aincrad tomorrow, so the chances that David would return to this school were slim.
Gloria closed her eyes and hoped that she was making the right decision.
"David won't be coming back." she said to the principal, who looked at her with relief in his eyes.
"David, Miss Martinez, take it from a fellow rat of the city."
"You made the right decision; there are things that happen to those that shine brighter than the children of those that rule over us." the principal said to them as they walked out of his office.
The two of them walked without saying a word. Gloria bit her lip as the feelings of rage and pain filled her; she had just ruined David's future for something that neither of them knew much about.
"Mom."David said to her as she started the car.
'Look under the seat." she says to him as her voice carries her anger.
"Mom?" David repeated.
'Look under the seat David!" she raised her voice as she drove away from the school, and David did as she told him; he soon found the tickets and looked at her with wide eyes after he read what was written on them.
Gloria can see the wide smile David has as she enters the freeway, she turns and grins at him, and so she fails to see that the car next to hers has a man carrying a bazooka.
The man fires, and the car in front of them explodes; Gloria tries to avoid crashing into it, but the woman driving the car next to hers is panicking, and she slams her car into the woman's, but she can't avoid the burning car and so she crashes into it.
"Mom! Mom!' Gloria thinks that she can hear David calling to her, but she isn't sure; everything is so heavy and dark; she never sees the armored boots land next to her and David.