Chapter 2: I Am Void
"Hey… can you explain?"
"..."
"What the hell is actually going on?"
Cypher let out a soft sigh.
"To be frank," he said.
"I still don't trust you."
"You have no data. None at all."
After speaking, Cypher opened his own command window and typed something.
[Name: Cypher
Sent Message To ####
Message is: Meet me.
Location: 17e-Mn78900]
"Wait here. I need to contact someone."
Void nodded, still in a daze. He lifted his own hands, staring at them, wondering what was happening here, and who he even was.
Suddenly, he convulsed. His body seemed to glitch, to break apart into countless fragments before the effect vanished as quickly as it came.
Void was horrified. Cypher was just as stunned.
"What the hell was that?" Void gasped.
"Who… or what… are you?" Cypher breathed out.
"I don't know. I really don't know."
Void slowly got to his feet, trying to take in his surroundings once more.
Around him was a city that looked normal enough, but every single building had its own info-window. Some were set to public, others were private.
"So each building has an owner?" Void asked.
"Sharp eyes."
"But it's not just the buildings…"
Void turned to face Cypher, who was standing with his arms crossed.
"What do you mean by that?"
But before Cypher could answer, an old man approached them, dragging a massive sack along the ground.
"Hey, kid…" the old man said to Cypher. "Buy something from me, would ya?"
"Oh, Uncle Natthiw!"
"Cypher!? Is that you!?"
"Uncle, how did you end up like this?" Cypher asked. "Weren't you rolling in it before?"
"Ah, well. Investing is a risky business, isn't it? Haha."
Cypher gave a small, wry smile.
"Sorry, Natthiw. I don't have any money on me today. Maybe next time."
"You got it."
"See you around, Cypher."
Void, who had been standing there stunned, watched the old man leave.
"How the hell is he carrying all that?" Void exclaimed.
"Wanna find out?" Cypher said. "Try focusing on him. Really focus."
Void stared intently, and finally, a window popped up.
[##########]
"Huh… I can't see anything," Void said, surprised. All he could see was the window floating above Uncle Natthiw's head, but the data was blocked.
"Figured. Uncle Natthiw must have his data set to private," Cypher replied.
But before Void could ask anything else, a woman's voice came from directly above him.
"Yo, Cypher."
The woman looked down at Void, and Void tilted his head up.
But what he saw wasn't her face. It was her underwear.
"Yo," the woman greeted Void casually.
Void's face flushed red, and he quickly ducked his head.
"Miss… could you please come down?"
"Sure thing," she said, looking slightly confused.
"Right… I'm Void."
Cypher, who had been staring blankly at the woman, snapped out of it and quickly made the introductions.
"Void, this is Mix."
"Mix, this is Void."
"N-Nice to meet you."
"Cypher told me about you. Said you were interesting."
Mix then held out her hand, just like Cypher had done.
"Say the word 'Consent'."
Her too? What are these guys trying to do? Void thought.
"…Consent."
[Information: ####V#######oi#d
Data: IescapedfromthestrangebuildingImetCypherImetastrangeoldmanIsawagirl'sunderwearImetMix]
"It's minimal data, but it exists now," Mix said.
"Really?" Cypher cut in. "Before, there was only a name."
"Let me check one more time."
Cypher held out his hand again, asking for consent. Void complied without protest.
"Weird," Cypher muttered. "His name is corrupted, too. And the data… it shouldn't be able to update this fast."
"And if it did, why is the old data gone…?"