Boy Meets Ai

Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Some time passes

"Happy birthday!" Seiko rolled his eyes, but it was hard for him to hide his cheer.

Ms. Reeder stood on his doorstep with his cake in her hands. The blue icing spelled out "happy 24th birthday Johnny!" She had made it herself.

They sat together at his table, he cut off slices for each of them.

"How was school?" She asked.

He was unable to respond as he was already shoveling the red velvet cake into his mouth. He simply nodded, a huge, slightly frosting covered grin breaking across his face. He was just about finished with his freshman year, studying a major in Emotive Ai studies. The field was on the rise as of late. More and More people began to notice that the companions they had created were beginning to change. Experts studying them discovered that they were evolving, gaining emotions. Seiko felt drawn to the work. He wanted to help prevent Ai from becoming what Aramais did but also wanted to advocate for the kind and creative artificial beings that just wanted to live life with freedom. Times were changing. Many suspected it wouldn't be long before Ai would be considered no different from their human counterparts.

They chatted for a bit but then Ms. Reeder left. She didn't live down the hall anymore. She had bought a small cottage with a beautiful view of a lake. He was glad to see she ended up somewhere nice. That's what her son had wanted for her.

Seiko finished cleaning up and sat down in his chair, making sure he had his bus ticket. He planned to visit his mother again tomorrow as he always did on Saturdays now. The disease that took her mind was starting to affect her body as well but still she was always happy to see him. Seiko pulled the headset on over his head. Despite everything he'd been through, the Ether was still a place he could go back to. There was a little shock and when he opened his eyes, he was in the middle of a bustling town. Players and their companions shuffled around as they looked for quests and the merchants with the best deals. His friends were waiting for him at the gate, just a little ways away from where he spawned.

"Yo! Birthday boy! Let's get a move on!" Hendricks shouted. Shinobu and he waved at him. Even marquis seemed excited to see him. Reunited, the party made their way to the portal. They stepped through and were transported to the Blood Keep. Normally this area was meant for xp farming. However today was special. Seiko opened his quest log and tapped on the one marked

"Special Quest: Day of Birth and Mirth"

It was a limited event for players to complete on their birthdays. The current objective was to storm the blood keep and rescue the princess being held captive.

"Lets get to it!" Shinobu ran ahead. As she did, a horn sounded. Oily Chains began to jangle, and the large iron door of the keep creaked open. A horde of goblins poured out. They were red skinned pot-bellied creatures. Their weapons were crude, jagged spikes with hooked ends. The Blood curdling war cry filled the air as the goblins charged.

"Protect the master with your lives!" One of the larger ones barked.

The four of them tore through their defenses like tissue paper. Each of them had leveled up quite a bit over the last year. Shinobu and Seiko had both managed to hit the level cap. They made quick work of the goblins and entered the keep. Sitting on the throne in a torch lit room was presumably their master. She lounged on the chair made of bone and twisted iron. A slender and beautiful dark elf held a dark orb in her hand.

"The guide I read said the princess is trapped in a pocket dimension. That orb is the key." Hendricks muttered.

Marquis fired on her, his new magic powered rifle kicking as he did. The dark elf looked bored as she caught the bullet between her fingers.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Shinobu snorted.

The battle was intense. The party used teamwork to pressure the enemy, attacking her on all sides. Seiko got a clean shot on her shoulder almost causing her to drop the orb. Instead, it moved the fight into phase two. The dark elf stood. She chanted a spell in a language they didn't know, and the room began to fill with blood. It cascaded around her as if it were alive. She manipulated with her will. As she continued the incantation, it became a massive crimson cobra. The creature took up most of the throne room. It coiled around the elf to protect her. The players jumped back as it lashed out at them. Venom that dripped from its fangs made pools of acid that melted the stone floor.

"I hate snakes, you guys are gonna have to deal with this one." The samurai said, instead choosing for a head on attack on the dark elf. Hendricks strummed his guitar to boost their attack. Seiko jumped into the air and grabbed onto the chains hanging above. He hung from them by his feet then fired several shots into the cobra. Each shining arrow boiled away part of its liquid body. The snake creature recognized him as a threat. It attacked him with its mouth open, ready to swallow him whole. Seiko realized at that moment that his leg was stuck in one of the chains. He couldn't move! He put his arms out to shield himself as he entered the cobras mouth but suddenly, the creatures head exploded in a shower of bloody mist. He and Hendricks were absolutely soaked.

"Got her!" Shinobu held up the dark orb in one hand and the dark elf's decapitated head in the other.

With a triumphant "HAH!" She smashed the orb on the ground. It released a red smoke that curled itself into a portal. They waited for a moment. Nothing happened. Then, a small figure was flung out of the portal, screaming her head off. Marquis caught the princess before she could hit the ground. The little girl immediately recognized them. It was Penelope. The target of their first mission together.

"I had everything under control!" She pouted.