SideQuest!

Video Log #458

February 14, 2066

Valentine's Day

9:45 AM

A cold, rainy morning greeted Grace as her system starts to boot up at the sound of the loud dial tone coming from the Holo-TV. As she turns her head to face the open screen and holo-console left by Julia after long hours of editing yesterday, she notices a familiar face projected on the caller ID portrait: the face of Antonio Rubio, the CEO of Rabid Games.

Her head then turns to face Julia, who seems to be sound asleep and snoring from the strenuous task she had just completed. Opting not to disturb Julia in her sleep, Grace decided to access the console and answer the call herself, seating herself on the chair placed in front of the Holo-TV. At the press of the answer button, she was greeted by the familiar countenance of Antonio Rubio.

"Oh, it's you." Rubio remarked in his mild shock. "Grace, is it?"

"Yes, sir." the android replied. "Please excuse me for having to answer on Miss Cheong's behalf."

"No, it's all right. I...I understand." Rubio replied as he retreated into silence, taking note of Julia's snoring in the background.

"Is there anything in particular you want me to relay to her, sir?" asked the android.

"Well, normally I'd just leave a video message for her to watch later, but since you're here, perhaps it would be better if you tell it yourself instead." Rubio explained. "Please inform Miss Cheong that I mailed her a list of pointers she needs to follow as she plays the quest I assigned to her. Kindly...encourage her to read those first before logging in to the server to play. I noticed that she isn't that thorough in reading important documents."

"I...I see what you're trying to say. I'll make sure she'll be fully briefed on the situation before she logs in, Mr. Rubio." Grace assured him. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"That would be all, Grace. Oh, and if you may, can you keep tabs on your owner? Just for good measure. I just want to make sure that instructions are being followed."

"Of course, Mr. Rubio." the android replied.

 "Thanks. Until next time. Goodbye" Rubio exclaimed as the screen dissolved once more into the grayish white window of the video editing software, ending the call.

"I should cook Julia some breakfast." Grace said to herself as she rose from her seat, going straight towards the kitchen.

The rain outside the apartment started to fall much harder than before, with large droplets starting to seep in between the gaps of the sliding window - prompting Grace to nudge the window to close completely to prevent water from entering the house, which then also seals off the cool air coming from the outside.

Satisfied, Grace moved on towards the tiled countertop, picking up a bowl from the stack of dishes and plates neatly stacked horizontally inside a huge drawer beneath the counter. She then pushes the drawer back and opens a cabinet above the counter that is filled with packets of instant noodles, along with a bottle half filled with cooking oil on the far corner of the shelf.

"Maybe not today." Grace reconsiders, closing the cabinet and instead opening the fridge. She then picks up two eggs from the tray, promptly closing the door after. She then goes back to the counter to c***k the eggs by hitting each of them against the edge of the bowl, pouring the contents and throwing the shells in the trash. She then retrieves the small glass salt sprinkler and gave the egg bowl a few taps before getting a fork from a cylindrical utensil holder placed at the center of the dining table, which just happens to be inside the kitchen. Grace then began beating the egg at moderate speed up to a point where the white has disappeared completely.

After preparing the eggs, the android then takes the half-filled bottle of cooking oil from the cabinet and sets it aside on the counter. Afterward, she takes the pan hanging on the wall on the side of the counter and places it on top of an induction-heat stove positioned on the other side of the kitchen counter, which she turns on by pressing the touch-screen interface of the appliance, twisting the dial to 126°C. Once the pan begins to 'steam up', she then goes for the bottle of cooking oil and pour a small amount on the surface of the pan to lubricate it - setting it aside on the counter once she has poured enough. She then promptly retrieves the bowl of eggs along with the spatula hanging on the wall where the pan also once hung, then goes back once more to the stove to pour the mix.

It didn't take long for the smell of cooking eggs to fill up the apartment, waking up Julia from her sleep. A loud yawn can be heard coming from inside the bedroom.

"Morning." greeted Grace. "Breakfast will be ready in a minute."

"Ughhh...morning. Say, did I oversleep again?" Julia asked in a very yawny tone as she rubbed her eyes and combed her short, orange hair with her fingers.

"Not really." Grace reassured as she flipped the egg. "I mean, it's just four minutes before 10AM."

"Really? Well, that's...new." Julia comments as she stretches her arms and straightens out her oversized white shirt before setting aside her sheets to get off the bed, revealing an almost bare lower body - with only a tight, black underwear covering her private parts.

"Mr. Rubio called earlier. I didn't want to wake you, so I took the call on your behalf." Grace told the young girl as she steps out into the kitchen.

"Oh, s**t! He...he didn't see anything he shouldn't see, did he?" Julia nervously asked as she went straight for the kitchen sink's faucet to wash her face and gargle.

"Well, if by that, you meant aside from your loud snoring, then you're safe. The blanket saved you from disgrace." Grace chuckled as she turns off the stove, going back to the counter to get a plate from the dishwasher rack.

"Oh, thank God! I was sleeping in my undies!" Julia sighed of relief. "What was the call all about, anyway?"

"He called to follow up on the message sent on your email." Grace replied as she transfers the cooked egg from the pan onto the plate. "A...list of pointers you need to follow as you play, he said. I think he meant rules. I'm not sure."

"A set of rules to follow? What is this, Night at the Museum?" she sneered as she seated herself at the dining table.

"Well, I believe you should still read it. I mean, he's your employer, after all. And who knows, those might actually be pointers. You know, to make your job easier." Grace explains as she places the plate on the table. "I did the best I could with what food we have right now. Here, you should eat before you start with your game."

"Thanks." Julia exclaimed as she gets her utensils from the cylindrical holder and starts to eat. "You know, once I get my pay from Mr. Rubio, maybe I should buy more groceries. More ingredients, I suppose. I've always wondered what else you can cook."

"That would be great." Grace affirmed. "Some kimchi or a proper ramyeon would be nice."

"Then we should do grocery shopping together next weekend." Julia invited as she picked up a slice of the egg with her fork. "We haven't been able to go shopping together since the lock from the outside got busted really bad. But it should get replaced on Wednesday this coming week. It's been a while since we shopped together."

"Yeah." Grace agreed. "We haven't been able to get the lock from the outside replaced since we were robbed last time."

"Yeah. Waking up in a hospital bed sure is a hell of an experience." Julia added. "Good times."

"Agreed." Grace chuckled as she pulled out a glass from the dishwasher. "I even thought I was gonna get scrapped after the beating I endured. My processor unit really took a hit."

"Yeah..." Julia affirmed as she paused for a few seconds. "It was very lucky that you were able to dial 911 in time."

Grace then opens the fridge, takes out the almost-empty carton of orange juice and pours the contents into the glass.

"You know, ever since that incident, I've been having these strange...experiences." Grace explained as she gives the drink to Julia. "I've had instances where I record new experiences only to find out that these experiences have duplicates within my directory. It's like...I recognize certain events, people and places by comparing with what I have on file. But, the problem is...those files are uncatalogued. They're stray pieces of data scattered all around my directory. You know the file exists...but you cannot determine the context behind it. Kinda like the deja vu you humans experience. Perhaps I'm actually experiencing deja vu just like your species can."

"Strange." Julia commented. "I've been having an awful lot of that deja vu feeling myself. I've actually had one recently during a duel in-game with the AI that I'm supposed to train today. It's really weird...and kinda creeps me out too. It was like my body just acted on its own. There was no automation in the suit, my body just...just did it without my intervention. It was as if my body knew what was going to happen at that moment! I don't know. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. and I'm overreacting."

"How so?" Grace inquired.

"I mean, I've been learning some self-defense these past few weeks because of that robbery incident. Arnis, to be exact. And it proved really useful in-game and in real life, because it really teaches you how to fight." Julia explains as she takes a gulp from her drink. "I mean, I was able to beat up a guy who tried to mug me in a back alley with a stick while he brandished a butterfly knife at me. I mean...maybe you get some kind of ultra instinct when you practice a martial art long enough, I guess?"

"Perhaps..." Grace commented. "I just thought I'd bring this up because...you know, in case something might be malfunctioning in my system. I don't want to be a danger to anyone, especially to you."

"I see." Julia acknowledged as she slowly finishes her drink. "Thanks for letting me know."

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As Julia puts on the final pieces of the RealityVR suit and step inside the simulation platform placed in the very spacious section of the bedroom, she relays her final instructions to Grace before putting on the headset.

"Okay, so you'll be on operator duty today, Grace. Since I'll be in-game to find and interact with this AI in Argos - the most ridiculously hostile part of the map of all places with no fast travel option, I need you to be my extra eyes and ears. You can access the World Map of the game by opening the HoE Companion app in the Holo-TV. Your job is to give me shortcuts and alternate routes via the Messenger voice call in case things go south."

"Wait, aren't you gonna read Mr. Rubio's instructions first?" asked Grace, her face showing quite the concern.

"We can discuss that along the way. You're the operator, remember?" Julia responded as she puts on the headset.

As soon as she sets foot inside the simulation platform, Julia started to float as the electromagnetic forces begin to act as the familiar cosmic loading screen began to fill her visual interface.

"All right." Julia said as she heaved a huge sigh. "Let's rock!"