LoneWolves (3)

The sun on my face felt so nice! Spending that long in a dark cave was less than enjoyable. I wonder what was going on in the outside world while we dealt with this AI's quest. Even though it felt like a day to those of us in game it would only be an hour in the real world.

"I'm headed to a restaurant." I said. Thinking about the delicious in game food that would replenish my avatar's state.

The six of us split ways based on food preferences. All of us were hungry and we only had a half day before the end of the tutorial. I was curious if the AI would leave it at this or if it would throw something else at us before letting us go back to the real world.

Call me skeptical but I do not trust AI's with a vendetta. It might even make us do several more challenges before freeing us. Did the tutorial even count as a challenge? The AI had also said maybe 100 challenges it might never completely free us.

I shoved the thought from my mind and focused on the giant steak in front of me. Oh it looked delicious. In a game with real pain settings it better have a wonderful taste buds setting as well or I'd be ticked!

I took a bite, heavenly. I closed my eyes savoring it a little.

"ROYAL!" a voice yelped and I opened my eyes.

Deck had arrived at the restaurant. With him was a group of SnowLeopards including Blank.

"Decimal do you know him?" a member asked.

"Yeah we're friends irl!" Deck replied walking over to me.

Lowering his voice he asked "So Royal I was wondering, if you're in game does it still bother you to be touched?"

It was a valid question but I hadn't allowed anyone to touch my avatar yet. I shrugged and immediately felt a hand touch me.

"Oye bug off" I muttered pushing away but then I paused. It didn't bother me. I stared at my hand for a second. And Deck looked way too happy to give me a hug. I should have just told him it did.

"I'm eating with you" Deck's smile kept growing.

I rolled my eyes "whatever but I'm eating not being hugged or experimented on by you."

The rest of the cats guild sat at a different table. A few minutes into eating Blank approached us.

"Greetings Royal." He said.

"Blank" I replied. Why was he always trying to be friendly with me. We were rivals not dinner buddies.

Ignored his presence after that until he went away.

"Hey Royal did you know it seems Blank might have a crush on you." Deck said and I almost chocked on my food.

"Please do not spread gossip like that" I growled.

"But it's true, he practically idolizes you as prefect and treasures your friendship."

"Friendship?" when had that happened? Last I checked we just occasionally teamed up in game and battled over loot for fun. Hence why I had upgraded him from nobody to rival.

"Yeah I think the entire SnowLeopards guild knows of it by now." Deck said.

"Great" I muttered. As if I didn't get enough of people with a crush on me back in school. Even here I couldn't escape. "He's going to be sadly disappointed then." I added.

It wasn't like it actually mattered. I had a large running total of broken hearts caused by me. Almost all were girls though. I didn't have a lot of nice let you down lines for guys. Shoot now I had to think of something relatively nice to say if he ever asked me out.

Or maybe I didn't? He wasn't in my guild, he wasn't really a friend, I hardly knew him. I could just tell it to him straight. Hey sorry but no. or maybe I'm sorry it's not you but me. I am utterly repulsed by you. But wait it's not just you its everyone. Ugh no wonder I had a reputation as cold and aloof.

Nope I give up to much work. I'd just say no. Maybe I should just invent myself a girlfriend? Or wait I'll just tell him I'm into girls not guys. Shoot no also a bad idea then I'd start getting more requests from girls. Okay new plan, avoid Blank completely and never give him a chance to potentially confess.

Wait if I was fine in game could I for once have a relationship? This was a new potential. But if I could only do it in game that would just be sad to whoever wanted to be with me. I felt my heart sink a little.

What would it be like to have an actual relationship anyway? To be held close like I was the thing that mattered most in the world without feeling like I had to throw up. Would that feel nice? Actually it would probably just feel awkward. Last time I had been touched without problems was back before my parents passed away. As I grew my 'problem' had grown steadily more worse.

It began with just wanting to always wear pants and a hoddie to cover my arms. Then it grew until now where I couldn't stay being touched or any skin to skin contact. My mouth was the most sensitive.

I shuddered remembering when a girl ran up to me once and kissed me hoping her kiss would convince me to date her. I ended up throwing up in the bathroom for a solid hour and then drinking some germ-x and being placed in the hospital with alcohol poisoning for it. Thus ended my attempted dating life and any and all attempts to get close to someone else.

Not that I needed anyone I was a lone wolf not a lonely wolf. I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I finished my food letting Deck rant about whatever was on his mind. I loved having him as basically my only friend. He left me plenty of space and did about 95% of the talking. It was a perfect deal.

Once I had finished I slipped away saying bye to Deck and avoiding Blank. I had just enough time to catch a nap before the end of the tutorial. I was too tired for anything else and who knew what the AI would throw at us next.

Great! The system had left the alarm function intact. I set it for 10 minutes before the tutorial end and then found a nice rooftop to curl up in the sunshine. Being underground had thrown off my sense of day and night. Well if you could call going to bed at 12-3am and waking up around noon a schedule.

A loud dinging broke my peaceful snooze and I was very tempted to just ignore it and go back to sleep. The sun up here felt great. Oh a message was in the sky again.

[All players please gather in the town of EagleWood for the end of the tutorial.]

Perfect the system was nice and chose the town I was already in. Did this mean I could sleep in for another few minutes. My alarm clock begged to differ. It was focused on destroying my lovely dreams.

I groaned and got to my feet whacking off the alarm. It was set to making me stand up before it would go off. I should really change that, but it was effective. What a pain.

The countdown finished and the AI's voice played for us.

"So wonderful that all of the survivors managed to make it to EagleWood."

Survivors? Had people actually died during the tutorial? Never mind I don't want to know, nor do I care. They are in charge of their own fates.

The Ai continued, "Now that everyone has had sufficient time to prepare we shall begin the first in game challenge! Don't worry it's simple all you have to do is prevent towers from being destroyed. Good luck! Please note there is a punishment for failing to complete the assigned task."

[Teleporting players in 5:30]

As countdown of about five minutes appeared in the sky.

"Oh right I suppose I should add that this challenge will be another guild based one. In order to pass 50% or five of the guilds must manage to protect their towers." The AI then vanished with a static noise.

I yawned, darn it I wanted to sleep not deal with this nonsense! Could I just leave it to the other guilds to protect their silly towers? Ugh there would probably be monsters this was definitely going to cut into my beauty sleep.

[Teleporting players in 0:14]

[Teleporting players in 0:01]