Finally, a place to call home? (Part 2) (REWRITTEN MARCH 25)

Alan couldn't believe the sheer size of the place they were landing in. Back on Earth—before the lockdowns—he had only seen a couple of locations this massive. One was the Henry Ford Hospital, which he, unfortunately, knew like the back of his hand, and the other was the Alvearium Enterprises Headquarters. Yet this place was something else entirely.

He began counting: four main buildings, an Olympic-sized pool, and two playing fields. A virtual message popped up in his field of view just as Oscar's giant cat entered the area.

Welcome to Shooting Stars Headquarters.

"I can't believe it! This is really where you guys hang out? Tell me it's not a joke!"

"Why would it be a joke? Are you that impressed by this pigpen?" Marissa sneered, catching Oscar's glare in the process. She cleared her throat. "I mean... yeah! Cool place, right?"

Oscar's cat landed softly in an open courtyard surrounded by neatly trimmed square hedges and black, curved lampposts. Alan hopped down, his eyes drawn to the salmon-colored paving stones leading to the smallest of the four buildings, a hundred feet ahead. He squinted at its simple, pristine design, a sudden sense of familiarity washing over him.

Wait... this looks just like Unus' Town Hall. Does that mean...?

He found himself rushing toward the entrance without thinking, ignoring Marissa's comments. The double doors then opened, and for a brief moment, he hoped Astrid would appear with her warm, radiant smile. Instead, three unfamiliar figures emerged.

The first was a hulking, muscular man whose sheer size made Oscar Fuentes seem diminutive. His shaved head gleamed under the lights, and his expression was one of clear disapproval as he sized Alan up.

The second was a striking woman whose exaggerated curves seemed almost unreal. Her perfectly proportioned frame was accentuated by a sleek, crimson sleeveless gown with a daring slit, making her look like a pageant queen. Her long, spiky crimson hair varied in length, the longest strands grazing her thighs. She folded her arms and scanned Alan from head to toe, frowning.

Finally, a sharply dressed man in a tailored black suit stepped forward. Alan could discern glossy scale-like accents on his collar that glinted subtly. 

"Welcome, Alan Warden," the man said smoothly, extending his arms. "It's an honor to finally have you with us after... what, three years?"

"Three years and four months," Alan replied, meeting the man's calm gaze. "Thanks for the warm welcome. Um…"

"My name is Marco Souza," the man said with a modest smile, offering a handshake. "And it's an honor to meet the founder of Shooting Stars."

Founder? Alan blinked, glancing back at his escort. Though the group of three helped him, none of them seemed quite as eager to meet him as this gentleman. Well, Marissa seemed curious about me though.

"It's a pleasure." Alan took Marco's hand. He then noticed that the handshake was curiously light, prompting him to grip tightly first. Marco hesitated, then returned the pressure, though only faintly.

"There's much to discuss, and the night is young." Marco beamed. "Why don't you freshen up before joining me in my office? I'd like to have a word with you before you rest from your… hectic trip."

Alan glanced at his torn clothes. "Oh, a warm shower would be amazing. Thanks."

"Amelia, escort Mr. Warden to his room," Marco instructed the red-haired woman. He then turned to the others. "Good job, everyone. You're dismissed. Except you, Matthew. Come with me."

"This way," Amelia said curtly as she passed Alan. He hesitated only briefly, turning to Marissa, who leaned casually against a nearby wall.

I guess she's waiting for her boyfriend.

Marissa smirked at Alan. "See ya later, 'Mr. Warden'."

"Come on, slowpoke," Amelia called over her shoulder. Her brisk pace forced Alan into a light jog to keep up.

"Sorry!" Alan mumbled, lowering his head. His gaze inevitably focused on her imposing long hair. "So… your name's Amelia, right? Nice to meet you. I'm--"

She spun on her heel without warning, her piercing amber eyes freezing him mid-sentence. "This is your stop," she said flatly, snapping her fingers.

A male NPC with dog-like ears stepped forward, who was waiting at a nearby door. "Good evening, Mr. Warden. We've been expecting you. Please, this way."

Alan glanced around, realizing they were at an adjacent two-story building with red brick walls. He turned to thank Amelia, but she tossed a plastic-wrapped package at him first.

"Put this on," she instructed before stepping away. "And don't keep Marco waiting."

Before Alan could say a word, she was gone. He stared at the package: A clean set of clothes sealed inside.

I wanted to ask her about Astrid.

He sighed, then addressed the waiting NPC. "Hey, buddy, quick question. Is Astrid Bradford here? At the headquarters, I mean."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Warden," the NPC replied politely. "Ms. Bradford has been away all day, and I'm unsure when she'll return. Anything else I can assist you with, sir?"

"No, thanks," Alan muttered, stepping inside.

***

**

*

He was given a room with the number 13 on the door, which made Alan wince. The NPC asked if everything was alright, and Alan just nodded, thanked him, and entered the room. It was a very spacious place, four times bigger than his old room at the Santa María. And I bet this bed is dreamlike. But before he could give into temptation and lie down for an entire day, he looked at his new clothes and sighed. 

Now I get what Marissa's boyfriend was saying about being sent by the First Officer to pick me up. So, he was referring to this Marco guy, huh? Fine, let's see what he has to say. He probably just wants to know where I've been these past three years, most likely.

He came up with the best excuses while taking a shower, which was the most delightful thing he had experienced in months. The water eased the pain in his aching muscles, reminding him that he had been tossed from a train just two hours ago. The Red Potion healed my wounds, but not my stamina.

When he finally stepped out of the shower, he examined his reflection for the first time since logging into the Novus, and a single detail made him groan. Oh, come on, Novus! You're supposed to apply a beauty filter on my avatar, so why do I still have dark circles under my eyes?

After comparing himself to a raccoon, he started to dress in the traditional way, until he remembered that he had just returned to a virtual environment. "Umm… Equip?" The Voice Command worked perfectly, and Alan was dressed in an instant.

Looking at his reflection again, he realized his clothes were the same as the NPC servant's from earlier, consisting of a white shirt under a waistcoat, black trousers, and black shiny shoes. Did that Amelia gal give me these clothes as a prank?

It did not matter; those clothes alone seemed to be of the finest quality. It wouldn't surprise me if my defense went up.

Outside, he found his way back to the Townhall-like building where Amelia was waiting at the entrance. Marissa was nowhere to be found.

"What took you so long?" the redhead grunted before giggling at his sight. "Those clothes look good on you. That style suits you perfectly," she sneered, holding her hand close to her lips to hide her mocking smile.

That did not deter Alan from walking toward her. "Thanks. Tell me if you need anything, okay? I'd be glad to help."

Amelia's lips contorted in an awful wince. "What?"

The muscular man Alan had seen before opened the door. "Come. Marco is waiting."

Before following the big guy, Alan gave his best NPC impression and bowed to Amelia, who looked away in disgust. The interior of the place confused Alan for a moment. He had expected it to be a close recreation of Unus Town Hall, but he quickly noticed the monument of a lion where the mayor's desk should have been. The huge feline sat proudly in a kingly manner, and when Alan stood near it, its eyes shone white.

"Go on. You can save here if you want," the man said gruffly, pointing at the lion. "Just be quick about it."

This attitude again, Alan thought, hiding his frustration. He stepped in front of the monument, hoping he could remember how to save at a landmark's checkpoint. Fortunately, the process was as straightforward as it used to be.

+++Would you like to save at Shooting Stars' Headquarters - Londorus City?

+++Yes / No

Alan tapped yes, and the man resumed walking immediately. They eventually reached a room that reminded Alan of the few times he had visited Kintech's visitor museum

Every wall was adorned with framed videos, showing different Users performing their best Special Move or Magic Spell in 15-second lapses. Alan quickly understood that he was watching members of the Shooting Stars guild during their finest hour, probably during Player vs Player competitions. At the farthest corner, a virtual window projected the latest Battle Stream, but it was turned off to display a map of Londorus City. Marco Souza then rose from a leather armchair and smiled.

"You can go, William. Thank you." Marco gestured toward the seat in front of him. "Alan, please, come join me."