Meet Iris

Lucas was your average gaming nerd. He started playing games when he was just six years old on his older brother's pc.

The first game he played? MindBlock 2038.

An MMORPG (Mass Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) designed to push your pc to its utmost limit with its insane 3D graphics and in-game abilities and customization.

It was probably the apex of pc gamming where only a keyboard and mouse were used to play.

Unlike other games of its time, it only had one goal and that was to give a sneak peek into the VR game the company was planning to release next year.

Due to the complexity of the game, they thought it necessary to have the players learn the mechanics required to play the game.

With insane Character Class-extensions that were practically endless, where the only limit was how well one could use their mind to combine different skills and classes. It was truly an enjoyable game.

Most people couldn't wait to see a VR game where such mechanics were also possible.

Due to the traction VR technology was gaining at the time, people were already playing games where only your mind would travel and your body would stay absolutely still.

Unfortunately for all gaming enthusiasts, a forest fire managed to reach the HQ of the company where the game was being developed.

The company ended up suffering such a big loss that it declared bankruptcy.

Such was the end to the dream of the game Endless.

As the gaming community mourned the loss of the servers holding the secret to the game, along with the game MindBlock 2038 itself. Lucus did what any eight-year-old would do. Divulge himself into a public arcade.

An Arcade that was actually run by his older brother who was a whole sixteen years older than he was. As for why, well he didn't know. He was just a kid at the time. Still, he loved his family and his older brother.

Little did Lucus know, that his mourning would lead him into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As Lucus made his way downtown, which was relatively safe for him to do so in the city he lived in. He saw a young girl running from an ally and heading in his direction.

It was obvious at first sight that the girl who was no more than ten years old at the time was crying. Because she was running with tears covering her vision, it wasn't unexpected when tripped on a crack in the sidewalk that the city had yet to fix at the time.

Lucus jumped in place as he reacted to what must have been a painful experience. Luckily she didn't land face first, but whether it was a could thing only time would tell.

As Lucus heard an immense scream come from her mouth, he couldn't help but run in her direction.

Every bystander around them turned to see the source of the scream. Only a few immediately understood why. As Lucus arrived, he saw her holding her left hand with more tears in her eyes.

"It hurts! It hurts!"

Lucus went ahead and kneeled down to comfort her.

"Hey hey! Calm down for a sec okay? Let me take a look." Said Lucus as the girl simply looked in his direction with teary eyes. It was obvious she was trying to hold it in, as per request.

Lucus took her left hand in his arm, and carefully looked it over. According to his brother, as long as there was no bone sticking out, or intense swelling then it was probably just a simple sprain. At least that's what he told him last time he fell from the bed after jumping too much on it.

"I don't think it's broken." He said. "Here come to my brother's shop. We can use some ice to help relieve the pain."

With a nod, the girl stood up with the help of Lucus and followed him inside his brother's Arcade shop.

Luckily for her, she happened to have tripped right at the entrance so it wasn't much walking. Upon entering, one was instantly swarmed with the cool air conditioner, along with the clacking and screaming of countless players.

They were various devices and screens fitting the needs of every gaming enthusiast. In front of them, was a medium-sized round front desk, with a man behind a small screen.

"Hey bro can we get some ice? This girl tripped and hurt her hand."

Upon hearing a familiar voice, the man looked up with a grin on his face.

"Well if it isn't little Lucus." Said his brother as he took a look at the girl beside him holding her hand with a red face.

The moment his eyes landed on her wrist, he instantly jumped over the counter with a concerned face yelling, "Holy shit! That ain't broken is it?" As he grabbed the girl's arm towards her elbow to keep any possibility of harming her to a minimum.

The girl was shocked by his reaction and the speed at which he grabbed her, but didn't say anything.

He let go of her hand after examining the injury and yelled before turning around, "Come, follow me."

He swung open a small door keeping people from entering his private space. As he quickly locked it in place, he lead her to a corner with an icebox beside some drinks with the opposite wall holding various small containers.

He took one down and opened it to reveal a bandage wrap and a few alcohol pads with various small things.

"Here let's put some ice on it first." He said as he took a ziplock bag from the container and opened the icebox to pour some ice into it.

"Here." He said, as he kneeled to her level and handed her the bag. "You're gonna have to hold it in place as I wrap it around you okay?"

With a nod, the girl placed the ice bag on her wrist where the pain was the most painful. Before she even realized it, the man began wrapping the bag around her hand to keep her from dropping it.

"Thank you, mister."

"Oh? So you do talk." Said the man with a grinning face. "I was wondering how I was supposed to talk to you when you were just blatantly following my instructions without complaining."

With a flush face, the girl responded. "I was too focused on the pain to even care, actually."

"Oh, is that so? Got a name little missy?"

She simply nodded.

"Not gonna tell me?" He asked.

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She responded.

With a crackling laugh, the man responded "Don't you think it's too late for that? I doubt your parents told you to just follow random strangers or did they?"

With a face saying that she had lost, she answered "No."

"It's Iris."

With a smile, he said, "Well Iris, you should probably have a doctor take a look at that. You never know with these things. For all, you know you could end up having your hand chopped off for not doing so."

With a face full of horror, Iris simply stood there as small tears began building in her eyes.

But it was quickly interrupted by the sound of laughter. As she turned her head to face the small doorway, she saw the boy who had brought her here leaning back on the counter with his hands on his stomach.

"Do you see her face? She looks like a chipmunk that lost all his nuts!"

With determination on her face, she faced the boy and stomped her right foot on the ground.

"It's not funny! I could really lose a hand!"

With that, the brother started laughing as he tried to say, "I... I'm just kidding little lady, haha."

"Technology has advanced far enough to keep a little sprain from doing that much damage." He said with a wicked smile.

Realizing that she had run into a dual of barbarians, she quickly put on a face that screamed "I'm scowling at you."

As she turned around to leave and started making her way past the boy and the small door. Lucus confidently said, "Hey, wanna play a few games?"

"What?" Said Iris as she turned to look at him as though he was some kind of creep.

"I noticed you were crying before you tripped. Do you really want to leave?"

As though he had reminded her of the reason for her trouble. Iris hung her head as she contemplated.

She turned to the man and asked, "How much?"

"What? To play? It's free for kids under ten years old."

With a puzzled look on her face, she responded, "How do you even make a profit?"

With a smile, the man simply went back behind his screen doing whatever it was he was doing.

"So what do you say? Wanna play?" The boy asked.

...

"Let me guess. You suck at games am I right? That's fine I don't like to play with losers." Said the boy as he began to walk away.

It was as though a knife had pierced her heart when she heard that.

"Hey! That's not true!"

Without even turning back, Lucus simply lifted his hand to wave her off.

As her blood began to boil, Iris yelled at his back, "I bet you 100 credits that I can beat you at whatever game you play!"

Lucus stopped, and with a grin on his devilishly handsome face said as he turned around, "Is that so? Care to put your money where your mouth is?"

"Bet." She said as she nodded.