Virtual Reality : Dystopian Tales Online

007.1 | The Real World

Dystopian Tales Online and Virtual Reality are two entities placed in a single game. However, only Virtual Reality is dependent on the other. DTO can be played without a VR account, but a VR account must own a DTO account. This is to allow the one-way exchange of information from VR players to DTO. 

Due to this, anyone with VR accounts could open their character in DTO. This is already shown when Leon opened his VR account to play the desktop game. There are limitations in this mode of playing, but it will let the VR players experience many ways of gaming. 

Most of the VR players play DTO during their free time. However, there are also those players that never played in DTO. One of them is Ari-05, or also known as Aries Sagan, in real life. 

Aries Sagan, with an interstellar age of 28, is also a part-time bartender in real life. He works in an entertainment club owned by his uncle from 6 PM to 2 AM. However, this schedule changed from 1 PM TO 7 PM when he started playing the game. Often, Aries only goes full-time during weekends and would occasionally help when there are events. 

Considering his age, Aries should still belong to the non-working class and be tagged as a student by law. Even though there is no law not allowing minors to work, it is still rare for students to look for employment. The federation already allocated enough funds to every child born to give them enough sustenance until adulthood. 

This sustenance wasn't small. 

It has been known through history books that the mutation changed the body composition of humans. The change allowed them to have a more robust immune system and longer life. However, it also affected the reproductive side. The system has calculated that only thirty percent of the current population has the possibility of giving birth. 

Of course, the federation never forced the people to bear kids. Humans now have longer life spans. If they will order these people to give birth every decade, wouldn't they face overpopulation after a century? Most couples give birth when they reach the age of three hundred, while some have the idea of having a child every century.

However, Aries' parents seem to be thinking otherwise.

His parents are still young, just a few years over a hundred and thirty, yet he already has ten siblings. And he is the eldest. He could not understand what his lovey-dovey over the moon parents thought about giving birth every two years. Even the second child is born before he reached a year old. 

There's nothing wrong with the finances of the family. Both of his parents are hardworking enough to let the big family have a vacation across countries twice a year; added by the federation funds, there is no way for the family to face poverty. But Aries could not just sit still. His paranoia did not allow him to have peaceful thoughts until he could see that the family is stable enough. 

It must be due to being the eldest that carrying the responsibility of the family is a priority. While going over his studies, he went to work at his uncle's place to earn money. It wasn't much compared to the regular salary received by adult workers, but this is enough to let his heart at ease. 

Unlike any of his siblings, Aries was born with an outstanding intellect. He is known for his language skills and is fluent in fifteen languages at the age of ten. With a course related to the subject, he is attending one of the known universities of the city, and in the world, with a full scholarship. He only needed to be worried about living expenses, like food and some other daily necessities.

He is living a pretty mediocre life, not until someone introduced the game to him. By a friend of his uncle, he was given the game as a gift and played it. It's a very long story how he ended up being one of the game's best players. Forwarding to the current time, he is now standing in front of the building he last visited ten years ago.

He was still in sleep mode when he received a message. It is an invitation entailing a gathering of players, presumably for the next phase of the game. The players are not forced to attend the conference, but the coordinators encourage their presence. Aries thought that he got nothing to do anyway, so he decided to participate in the meeting. 

On the other hand, it is also good to show some face to the board. After all, Aries' game character, [Ari-05], is a well-known character. Having his race and all archetypes under the humanoid class, it is already a remarkable feat to enter the top five. He is also part of the first-string players that made his position quite delicate. 

There's also another motive. He wanted to see that person. Even though he knows that there's a tiny chance of that person attending, he still wanted to bet. Anyways, he got nothing to lose.

Aries arrived an hour earlier. He entered the building with an identification card then a man with the business clothes escorted him. He received the same treatment when he first arrived in this company years ago. The employees are amiable and accommodate their customers without looking at their age and appearance. 

Along the way, the person who escorted him explained the possible topics that the host will discuss at the meeting. When he arrived, there are already some people waiting inside.

The meeting place is a conference room with a huge round-edged square table with two dozens of office chairs arranged in equal distances on both sides. On the other end of the table is another chair that is mainly for the president to sit, while on the opposite direction is a whiteboard and an overhead projector.

Aries just counted the seats where numbers are being placed. There are hovering holographic identification plates in each seat with the person's in-game name and their position. He quickly located his name amongst the chairs near the center position. 

He checked up on the people sitting beside him. The guild leaders seem to have crowded around him. 

On his right, the top 4 position, is Arcana's Guild Leader, Rios-72. 

On his left, the sixth placer, is the Thunder Beast's Guild Leader, Jung-55. 

Further on his right is the Merlin's Box Guild Leader Melon-45. 

Surprisingly, the guild leader of the human race is in tenth place. But nobody could blame him. After all, Aries' existence on the top five is already unusual. This made Allen-38 and Ari-05 the only humanoid players that managed to enter the high ranks. 

Looking over at the second place chair and the President's chair, he found the name of his Guild.

Frass and Clover must have owned those places.

He just waited as people started coming in. He was served a drink and some snacks while waiting. This is the hospitality of the Foster Company. Never they treated their people as servants but as an asset. While waiting, he recognized more people coming. One of them is on the Top 12, Xav-11.

The image of the elven is almost close to his real-life face. Like that fluffy and comfortable feeling around him, he also brings the flowers as he greeted the people he met at the door. The players who recognized him by just his aura greeted him heartily. 

However, he wasn't as sticky as in the game. The feeling of warmth and friendliness is present, but he is too polite. It somehow gives a sense of being cold and be alienated. Other players might not see it, but his indifference is visible to those who had prior interaction with Xavier. 

Xav-11, known as Xavier Church in real life, is a genius art student. His primary medium is sculpting and paper cutting. Aries met him once when Xavier's school opened a public exhibition showcasing different arts in every department. Xavier amazingly sculpted a female model dressed in a loose and messy fabric covering the genitals. If not from the white-grey color of the marble, Aries would think that he had seen an actual human. 

Their acquaintance is merely an affirmation of being related to the game, but they never really chatted that much. They would say hi and hello when they came across each other on the way, then they will just part and go to whatever destination they are going to. 

The person is kind and very enthusiastic in the game, but it is normal to be different in real life. 

A few minutes more and the meeting hour is about to come. The chairs are gradually getting filled except the two chairs on the very edge where Top 2 and Top 1 are placed. Though there is still time left, it's a bit surprising to know that the top positions are still empty. 

Clover never comes in late, Aries told himself. He will always arrive early or will not come at all.

He drummed his fingers on the table while counting seconds. Some players are bored, while some opened their phones to check on their social media sites. The two guild leaders beside him waited patiently. That is when he heard someone calling his attention on the right side.

"Hmmm?"

He faced the guild leader of Arcana, Rio-72. His ID says that he is Roderick Hussein and is wearing a sleek black military uniform. The person is quite famous, so Aries knows that this guy is attending a military school. The person on his other side is also wearing the same clothes. The only difference would be the color of the pins on their collars that represented their ranks within the institute. 

Aries did not know why he is called, so he leaned closer to hear what the other person wanted to say next. Roderick still has his back ramrod straight, but it didn't stop him from moving around. 

"What is it?" Aries asked.

"I've been wondering, are you the bartender at the Cassaianne?" Roderick asked.

"Yeah, why?" Aries responded.

"Oh good, then I think this will fit in you!"

The person that showcased a noble and elite feeling suddenly presented him with a beige-colored paper bag. Aries accepted the object reflexively then waited for Roderick's instruction. Roderick motioned him to open the bag, to which Aries did so.

He took from the bag a thick black cloak that is presumably worn by fortune-tellers and scammers according to history. He made an inquiring look to Roderick since he did not know what to do with these clothes. Roderick didn't seem to be offended as he patiently gave instructions. 

"This is a costume," Roderick said. 

"I can see it well," Aries commented. "And what do you mean by giving this to me?"

"How about wearing it?"

Xavier that seems to be walking around wasting time, noticed the two talking. He went closer to see the situation. 

"What is happening?" Xavier asked, appearing in between the two. Roderick, seeming to catch prey, handed the same paper bag to Xavier. 

"What is this?" Xavier took an identical black cloak out.

"A costume," Roderick exclaimed.

"A costume for?" Xavier decided to try the robe, and it fits very well.

"Well, when I received the message of the meeting, I suddenly got excited and prepared some disguise. I brought in robes and cloaks for everyone to wear. Can't you see, just imagine the scientists' look if ever they saw us in a dark room wearing black robes as if we are in a cult or something! Can't you imagine their faces?"

Xavier and Aries look at each other before giving Roderick a weird look. Aries somehow remembered an article he once read bypassing. It seems that a young master from the Hussein family loves to do cosplay. Even though the person is a student from a military school, as long as their hobbies will not affect their and their peer's study, they are pretty much allowed to do it. 

"So, how about that? Would you like to try?"

Aries blinked his eyes while Xavier seems to have taken an interest in the clothes. The sizes of the cloaks were standard, so it was easily worn by Xavier. Roderick enthusiastically praised Xavier for having such good charisma that he seems to like he is about to summon some ghost by wearing the cloak. 

"I... um... could I not wear it?" Aries is already embarrassed by just watching them. 

"C'mon. It is just a little fun," Roderick persuaded. 

Aries wanted to run away... so he did run away. Roderick tried to chase him. Xavier is trying out the outfit when he noticed the stiff person beside him. 

Xavier moved on the seat where the 25-year-old Jung 55, Young Dong-Jun, is seated. Xavier just casually placed the robe above the man's head as if ignoring the barriers that could tell that he should never do that, especially that these guys are never really in a truce in the game.

"Would you like to try it too?" 

Xavier didn't mean to drop some bombs, but the people inside the room can tell that the air has gone cold. They all silently murmured a prayer to let Xavier have a body intact once he dies.

Dong-Jun removed the robe above his head and threw a deathly glare towards the bunny. Xavier quickly felt it and sweatdropped, slowly turning his head around to avoid seeing the man. The person is already terrifying to look at, added by his uniform; he now looks like a war machine ready to kill people. 

"What did you just asked?" Dong-Jun asked in his most terrifying, earth-shaking, baritone voice that not only made Xavier tremble but also all the people inside the room.

"Well, well, just let our little bunny pass and wear this robe like a real man, soldier," Roderick entered the scene and quickly dressed the man in a split second. "Awww... you pretty much look like a model!"

Two voices from the side laughed out. They are the cousins, Melon-45 and Allen-38, known as Damian Forbes and Alexander Murphy, respectively. Damian, Merlin's Box head, took one out from the paper bag and found his fit. He showed it to Alexander.

"Now, I do look like I'm from the undead race," He said with a smirk. "All who belonged to the Merlin's Box, I am ordering you to wear the same clothing as mine. And don't be shy; this one looks good on us."

The players are bored and just followed him and wore robes, even if they are not part of the guild. It came to a point when everyone is wearing the robe with the hood covering their faces. From the perspective of the staff watching them, they really look like a part of the cult. 

Do they have to lit some candles to level up the fun?

They just sat there silently. There's only a little time left. The scientists who are to explain the details entered the room almost in shock. They even wondered if they entered the right room. Did they accidentally send the messages to cult people? The players snickered by the reaction, and laughter filled the room.

"Don't scare me like that!" The head scientist said, named Ivan Carter. 

The person is wearing the standard appearance of a diligent scientist. Square-framed eyeglass lay abridge on his long nose that seems to cover the teal-color irises. The surprise is quite apparent from his expression while he almost threw the documents on his hands away.

"I don't know what you mad people are thinking! And here I thought I started some religion of games or something," Carter commented.

"Religion of games? I kinda like that idea," Alexander pointed out.

"More of a cult," Damian snickered.

Light laughter filled the place again. Carter raised his board up to silence them.

"Oh well, I think everyone is here already, so can we start-"

"The two are still not here," Damian pointed to the chairs beside him.

"Oh..." Carter said, pushing the rim of his glasses up. "As for Frass, he is flying from a trip in Country XYZ that is why he might be a little late. And for Clover..."

Just when Carter said something else when they heard the door open with plenty of steps coming. The room has been lit dark when Carter decided to start his presentation so they could only vaguely see the outlines of the people. The men entering also have the same confused expressions. 

One familiar voice that they heard a lot of times suddenly reverberated. 

"Oh s**t, have I not been sleeping enough time, or it was just I'm seeing a cult rising over here. Are you sure this is the right room?"