Giving drugs to an addict

Gerald moaned painfully as he leaned back in his chair. He felt like he was going to burst at the seams. As the teacher wrapped up afternoon class, Gerald rubbed his distended stomach painfully.

The students rose and bowed as the teacher left. Cha'Rolette stood as she normally did, but did not bow. Gerald remained in his seat and burped.

As the class gathered their things, Cha'Rolette drifted over auspiciously to Gerald's desk.

"Gerald, I have a gift for you."

"Please, no more food," he groaned.

She set down a hand-sized domed device. It kind of reminded Gerald of that Simon game he used to play as a kid.

"Oh, you made him lunch AND brought him a gift? Zurra pouted. "That is cheating!"

Gerald looked it over but was careful not to touch it. "What is this?"

"Something I had the local R+D whip up. Since you can't link wirelessly to Central, this can do it for you."

Gerald brightened up. "Oh, you know, that's actually really thoughtful of you..."

The device rang.

Cha'Rolette looked away. "Oh look, you have a call. What are the odds?"

Gerald glanced over at her suspiciously. A holographic window appeared in the air with a woman in it.

Gerald's eyes bugged out. "Mom?"

"Hi Muffin, how are you?"

"Pfffft, Muffin," Ilrica snorted as she walked up.

"Hiya, Ms. Dyson!" Zurra greeted, her pink hands doubling in size as she waved them about like banners.

"Look, can I have a little privacy here, guys?" Gerald requested.

"Yeah, sure." They all backed half a step away but kept watching intently.

Gerald sighed. His mother looked better than she had in a long time. Her face was clean, her hair was washed. Her skin had some color in it again. The sores on her temples and chin from constantly wearing the game helmet were healing.

"Mom, I'm happy to see you look well."

"Shut up about that. Gerald, you need to marry this girl, you NEED to marry this Ssykes girl, like NOW. "

Gerald was flabbergasted. "There... are so many things wrong with that statement, I don't even know where to begin. You do realize that we're not even dating?"

"Hey, we've been on one date," Cha'Rolette defended. "That's more than the rest of you," she said, glancing at the other girls.

Zurra ground her teeth.

Ilrica batted the tip of her tail, pretending not to care.

Gerald's mom held up her finger threateningly. "I don't care, you propose to her tonight."

Gerald's eyes narrowed, "What did she do?"

Mary tried to look innocent. "Nothing, I'm just trying to be a good mother. She's a very pretty girl, you know?"

"What did she DO?"

Mary looked around furtively. "Okay, I promised I wouldn't say anything..."

"I'm right here, you know?" interrupted Cha'Rolette.

"...but that girl, her company makes True Life."

Gerald tried to keep his anger in check. "Yes, they do."

"Well, she gave me a billion gold in game currency!"

"Game currency?"

"Yes," she tittered, dancing in her chair like a little kid. "And complete Administrator status! Administrator status!"

Gerald dropped his head in embarrassment. "Mom..."

"It's incredible! I can host events, I can set up tournaments between rival guilds. I can arbitrate marketplace disputes. I can ban anyone I want! I already perma-banned all those bums from Aphotic. You should see the message boards, they're on fire!"

"Mom... I'm gonna call you back."

The window folded up on the image of Mary pumping her fist into the air. All the other girls glared at Cha'Rolette.

"Face it girls, you don't have a chance," she said, flipping a ringlet back over her ear. "With the resources my family has, I can outbid you all a thousand times over."

The other three girls looked at each other worriedly. "She does have a point," Trahzi admitted. "In a normal war I could simply incinerate her, but on this battlefield, financial resources provide a distinct advantage."

"Looks like round three goes to me" boasted Cha'Rolette.

Zurra held up her finger. "Don't bite the hand that puts your eggs in one basket."

Gerald stood up. "Cha'Rolette, my mother has instructed me to marry you..."

Zurra looked like she was about to cry.

Cha'Rolette threw her head back snobbishly and closed her eyes. "Don't be so presumptuous. I'm a Ssykes. Just because you ask doesn't mean I'll accept you."

She cracked an eye open. "Are you asking?"

Gerald tried to be tactful. "Duchess, it might be different around here, but where I come from, the parents have little to no say in who the child chooses to marry."

Cha'Rolette snapped her fingers. "Blast."

Gerald breathed deeply to calm his temper. "And while I appreciate very much that you did something nice for my mother, I really wish you would have done it another way."

"Why? Didn't you see her? She was ecstatic" said Cha'Rolette.

"She's an addict, Duchess. Of course she looks happy, you just gave her more drugs."

"Oh."

Gerald scooped up his squawky chicken, grabbed his bookbag, and headed for the door. "If you want to do something nice for her, help her quit."