Vesity

[6]

Adler’s POV

It had been ten hours. Why wasn’t she back yet?

Was I not nice enough? Was Vesity glitching for her? Had she been killed in the IRL? Was that Edwin guy keeping her with him? Why the hell was I so fidgety?

I sat outside of the pod I had left her in. I remembered exactly where it was. Why? I can’t tell you. I just remembered. It felt as though I was being drawn to the pod.

I sighed and flopped down, dangling my legs out over the edge. I watched the busy Central Vesity bustling about below. So many people, living their lives without truly living.

What was truly living, anyhow?

Was it something that could be done in Vesity? Could I ever find the answer? Perhaps she would tell me if I asked.?

There was a suction sound behind me and I jumped. I turned around and saw Y.N, or U.N, materializing and stepping out. She had logged into Vesity. I turned quickly, a smile on my face ready to greet her!

She smiled at me lightly, and exited the pod. I jumped to my feet, and the platform began moving, taking us down to Central Vesity. Y.N begins the conversation.

“So, Adler,” she said. “There’s someone I want you to meet!” I smile and nod.

“Who is it? A friend of yours?” She nodded again.

“His name is Edwin.” I felt something drop in my abdomen.

What was this feeling? I remembered the name Edwin, from Y.N’s mentions of him the previous day. Why did her mentioning him again make me feel so… empty?

“Alder?” Y.N asked. I looked up, realizing she was ahead of me. “Is everything alright?” I realized I had stopped smiling, stopped walking, just stood still for a while. I forced a smile once again.

“Yes!” I exclaimed with the biggest smile I could muster. She smiled softly back, and whatever had dropped in my abdomen began fluttering wildly, causing my non-existent organs to shake and jiggle. I felt as though I would throw up.

And yet I enjoyed the feeling.

What the fuck?

No POV

Adler and Y.N arrived at an old warehouse with a big sign. The place was in a distant part of Vesity, and was dark and programmed to be scary and ominous.

“What’s Edwin’s username?” Adler asked hesitantly.

“Uh… MadLad463.” Adler copied this down, remembering to do some research on MadLad463 later. The travelling pair stopped at a large metal door, covered in rust. It appeared to be a garage door, sealed shut.

Y.N knocked on the garage door loudly. Adler jumped at the echoing sounds.

“Ey, Ed!” Y.N shouted. If she had given any hint she didn’t have an idea what she was doing, Adler would have stopped her. “Open up! It’s Y.N.”

There was a loud screeching noise, making Adler frantically cover his ears. The door rolled upwards, revealing a tall figure behind the door. His large, muscular arms were crossed over his chest, an angry expression on his face. Y.N seemed unphased by this.

“Howdy, partner!” she yelled loudly in a strange accent. Adler looked at her rather worriedly. The strict looking figure burst out laughing, bending over and slapping his knee with his muscular hand.

“Hey, Y.N,” he replied in a charming southern accent. Adler felt that thing drop again. “Why’d you disappear this morning?”

“Sorry, Ed,” she said in her regular accent. “I was in a bit of a rush, and I didn’t want to wake you up.”

Adler felt that thing drop further. They had… slept together? Why else would she be worried about waking him up? Where these two…. Intimate? Better question: Why did this bother Adler so much?

“Ed,” Y.N said, sapping her hand on Adler’s shoulder. “This is Adler. He’s the guy I told you about last night.” Ed smiled broadly and welcomed Adler into the garage. After all three were safely inside, the door rolled closed. Adler felt as though the walls were closing in on him. He could barely breathe.

Technically he didn’t have to breathe, but either way, he couldn’t.

Something was very, very wrong.

Even worse for our little glitchy friend, someone had noticed his twitchy state.

Edwin James was very suspicious of this elusive Adler, Y.N’s newest friend. Who was in the most trouble?

Edwin or Adler?