Controller: Rise of Kaelum

Chapter 1

New York City was a busy place, lots of cars zooming up and down the streets and people rushing to make it to work on time. April was stuck in the middle of it all, walking up one of the busiest streets in the damned place.   42nd street. Her hands stuffed into the pockets of her black tight fitting skinny jeans. The smell of rubbish and car fumes had forced her to pull out a piece of peppermint gum. Chewing it quickly as the over powering minty smell filled her nose and mouth. Today was the day April had been waiting for, since the start of the year the “Controller” project was the only goal this girl had. Controller was said to be the next big thing in the gaming world, it was to be the first game to ever use a new type of gaming console that lets you enter the game and play it as if it were real life. Excitement radiated off April like light did from a fire, burning and firs. There was a small bounce in her step as she tried to contain the most part of her excitement. Alongside her, walking in time to April's step was her friend Rei. April turned her head to the side looking up at her older companion Rei and smiled up at her. Rei's long red hair swung lightly as she turned to her darker friend, her emerald eyes coldly looking down at the other girl. April's excited expression fell slightly in response.

“Why do you have to look serious all the time?  Rei!? Aren't you excited at all?! We are testing probably the next biggest game in gaming history!” Rei’s expression didn’t shift from the emotionless mask that was becoming etched on her beautiful face. Her voice as cold as her stare replied, “This is nothing new to me, remember? I tested the Halo series and Tomb Raider.”

April growled a bit then hissed back, “Yeah don't remind me.” She turned away from her cherry red haired friend. Focusing on the path in front of her, Rei muttered one last sentence before she began weaving her way through the constant swarm of people.  

“This game is yours to be excited about anyway, April.” The blue haired girl didn’t hear her friend’s last comment and continued to pout over all the gaming opportunities she missed. Rei is April’s childhood friend and current guardian; it’s been like that for almost 7 years. April lost both her parents when she was younger; her dad abandoned her and her mother to peruse a life of drugs and alcohol when she was only an infant. Her mother died when April was 10 years old in a fatal car accident on her way home from work one evening, she hit the curb to hard and the car rolled four times. She didn’t have anywhere else to go, and was supposed to go live in an orphanage. Instead, Rei took her in and put a roof over her head even though Rei could barely feed herself. Some days, it seems like the two girls hate each other, but others they are kind and work well with each other.

Both girls continued to walk, turning into a less busy street lined with skyscrapers and flashy office blocks. The largest building was positioned at the end of the street, the morning sun reflecting off the side of the building. A large fluorescent sign was protruding out the side of the monstrosity, the sign spelt out “GameGen” in green and blue lights. This was the company that Rei and April had been working for so they could afford to live in the city. Rei had been working for them since she was 13 years old, working her way up from coffee girl to lead beta tester. April only recently found work there because she had just completed her 12 years of schooling.

April spat out her gum, aiming for a bin just outside the lobby. As the duo walk into the building the person at the front desk recognised them, it was Bob, the receptionist. With a small nod of his balding head he greeted us, eldest first out of respect.

“Good morning, Miss Uchida, Miss Fuller.” Rei didn’t respond but April happily bounced over to the front desk a large smile planted on her face.

“Good morning to you too Bob, how are you this fine morning?” She chirped happily, starting a conversation with the rather lonely man. Even though Bob works at the front desk, a lot of people don’t have enough time to sit around and talk to him so April makes an effort every working day to talk to the poor old man.