Continued from Sex 304: Autistic License

Earnest: Right. Who would be willing to drop everything to travel halfway around the world to take on an impossible Quest with people he doesn’t even know?

Lecher: Actually, I know just the guy…

Gamer

Earnest and Lecher enter the hut of Baba Yang to find that she and Ang have been joined by… a kid?

Gamer: Hey! What’s up?

Gamer is tall, skinny, wearing oversized wireless headphones and a backpack over one shoulder. He had been methodically stacking and devouring blini, but jumps up when Lecher enters and exchanges an elaborate handshake with him.

Both: Hey man!

Earnest: Ahem. Has anyone warned him that this Quest might destroy his immortal soul?

Gamer: (mockingly) “Might destroy his immortal soul?” Relax, man.

Lecher: Relax? Him?

Baba Yaga: And now, four have become five!

She grins at Earnest with a malicious smile, but there is a hint of compassion in her eyes.

Earnest sighs.
He walks over to Gamer, kneels, then prostrates himself on the floor.

Gamer: What is wrong with you?

Ang: Not wrong. Ancient ritual. You now boss.

Gamer: Awesome! Let’s get goin’ then.

Everyone sits at the dinner table.
Gamer reaches into his backpack and pulls out what appear to be five identical virtual reality headsets.

Earnest: You do realize we are already inside a virtual mindscape of psychic fragments, don’t you?

Lecher kicks Earnest under the table.

Gamer just grins.

Gamer: Haven’t you ever seen Inception? Reality’s just a series of illusions.
The reason you keep losing is you get stuck thinking your current reality is the only reality.
Open up your mind.
These headsets don’t create reality.
They help us un-see the illusion we think is reality.
The rest… is up to us.

“These headsets don’t create reality.
They help us un-see the illusion we think is reality.”

Gamer

Gamer glances at Baba Yaga.
She nods.
Gamer checks to make sure everyone is ready, then gives the signal.

Gamer: Here we go!

They all put on their headsets.
But reality doesn’t disappear.
They do.

Continued in Sex 306: Losing Face