The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 56: Fake? (Part 1)

Chapter 56: Fake?

3 months before the Merge:

"And there you have it everyone! You're champion, once again, the one and only Crozen!" The crowd cheered as the man in question took the stage his arm raised high. Cher, the usual MC approached him, mic in hand, "Crozen how does it feel once again to take the world championship?"

"It feels great," Crozen smirked. "I think we can safely say that I deserved the honour."

"Quite right indeed," Cher smiled. "Your loss last year surprised everyone, but now that you've taken the crown again, is there anything you'd like to say?"

"Last year I lost due to dumb luck. This year the true king of Areithia Online won. Also if you're looking for supplements to keep you gaming check out GG supps and use my coupon code CROZEN." He turned and pointed to his back where the logo of GG supps was plastered on his jacket.

Cher took it all in stride, "Sponsors aside, Crozen, one last question. Rumour is that the winner of the World Championship gets to make a wish. Is that true? What wish are you asking for?"

Crozen smirked, his eyes directly facing the camera, "You'll just have to wait."

"How mysterious," Cher withdrew the microphone. "Okay everyone let's give it up again for your world champion, Crozen!"

The audience screamed in exhilaration to the point even I who watched from the TV screen felt it.

"Well, there you go," my friend Ash sighed. "Crozen won. Who bet on Crozen?"

"That would be us," Doug put out his hand, gesturing for his winnings as Joanna, his wife, hooked against his arm. "Pay up."

"Tch," Ash pulled out the fifty dollar note and handed it to him. "I really did think Raizo would do better."

Raul sighed, "Man I bet on Lady G as well. Hey, how good do you think we'd be if we actually had the time to spare?"

Ash stared at him with a raised brow, "What you mean like we didn't have to work and just spent all the time gaming?"

"Exactly, you think we could stand a chance? I mean we do pretty well in group matches with the five of us."

"Hmmm," Ash thought about it. "Nah, let's not go there. Though..., Ardent that headset you were working on is meant to come out soon. You think you could get us some?" She grinned.

I folded my arms and breathed tiredly, "Don't even get me started. The entire production has been a mess and we're being pushed to charge an arm and a leg for it. It'll be cheaper but not by much."

"Hey, if it costs more than that means more money your way right?" Ash said hopefully.

"Not even, it all goes to the producer. Our lab basically just gets its name tacked on."

Doug expressed his pain, "Oof man that sucks. But that means more funding, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, at the very least as long as nothing drastic happens, I should be in the job a while yet," I smiled. "So what time was our booking at the VR Café?"

"Two hours to go, should we grab something to eat first?"

"Hell yeah," Ash pumped her fists. "Then we go all night."

I looked at my friends, the excitement of the World Championship had already faded from their minds as we geared up to play together. I never wanted to forget the feeling of them being by my side. Sure, things weren't perfect, but we had been friends for a long time now and they grounded my normal life. I couldn't think of how my life would be without them.