"The new full-dive VRMMO hit, Magia Online! Experience the thrills of learning magic firsthand in a world of fantasy and sorcery. An ultra-realistic world with the latest cutting-edge AI to make you feel like you've truly stepped into another reality. 50 Million preorders and counting!"
The video ad ended and I heard it loop back to the beginning as I turned around the corner towards my apartment. One of those fifty million preorders was already mine, yet that didn't exempt me from continuing to be bombarded by the advertising everywhere I went.
"Seriously, what kind of backing do they have to dump that much money on ads?" I muttered as I put my key into the lock on my door and let myself in. It wasn't unusual for big companies to dump money into advertising their next big thing, but that was the thing—Magia Online wasn't developed by any big developer. Big Fish studios, the company behind the game hadn't really done anything of note before MO, nor had they announced any big name sponsors or game devs on the team.
The whole thing struck me as weirdly suspicious, but after rampant hysteria over the original introduction of full-dive technology, the whole industry was by this point heavily regulated, and Magia Online was just using the same console that all of the other full-dive games used, so it wasn't like there was actually anything to be worried about.
Still. I grabbed a juice from the fridge and punctured a hole in the top with the straw as I went to sit down on the couch. It wasn't exactly reassuring.
Of course, that didn't mean I wouldn't buy it. Ever since full-dive tech had been introduced onto the market, it had been my obsession. I'd been there on launch-day for almost every major game release, and MO would be no different.
"Naomi, you here?" I heard my Mom come in through the door, and glanced up from my phone.
"Mm," I projected while continuing to sip on my juice.
"How was the expo? You get any good leads?" I heard her set down some groceries and begin to move around the kitchen.
I worked as a freelance audio editor mostly for things like podcasts or audiobooks. I liked the free and introverted nature of the work, but that also meant I sometimes had to go out to try to hunt for jobs since a lot of my projects were temporary or seasonal depending on market fluctuations.
"Eh, kind of. I didn't really connect with anyone, but I gave out my card a bunch, so hopefully that turns into some leads."
At 23 I could certainly be living on my own, but what with high rent prices, and the fact that my mom was single and we got along pretty well, I'd just decided to move back in with her to share the cost of things.
Maybe other 23 year olds would find that burdensome what with love or romance going on, but that had never been a problem for me. Ever since eighth grade when I'd fallen in love with a girl and figured out my sexuality only for her to immediately break my heart, I'd never really fussed with romance since. When I heard my friends telling me happy stories of their latest relationships I could only thing 'is this really going to last?' and all too often it didn't, and they like everyone else were left heartbroken.
It was the same with my Mom. She had fallen in love, and even had a kid, and what happened? The guy left her the minute she decided not to get an abortion, and it took her five years before she could pin the bastard for child care.
The smartest thing to do with love was not to get involved.
"Any thoughts on what you want for dinner?" my Mom had finished putting away the groceries and was staring into our open fridge.
"Oh are you cooking tonight? I thought you had girls' yoga or something."
"Alice pulled something in her leg, so they're postponing till next week, so you got me all to yourself tonight!"
"Oh, but there was a meetup I was planning on going to in Next Life tonight…Do you want me to cancel? We could do something together if you'd prefer."
"Nah, play your game honey. Will you still have time for dinner or should I make you something quick?"
"Dinner should be fine, I was planning on logging in at 7 anyways."
"Perfect! Let me do some stir-fry then, and we can at least have a decent meal together."
***
"Starcrosser!" I saw a red-haired angel waving frantically at me from across the busy street and quickly maneuvered my way through the flow of people to her. "Ayyy, you came!! Nekki and Grumps are already here, come in, come in!"
The angel tapped on the door to the house in front of her making a window appear, and after tapping a few more times until another window appeared in front of me
[You have been invited into FlowR!der23's private home. Accept?]
[Yes] [No]
I clicked the yes button and the scenery around me quickly shifted into a cozy house setting, crazy knicknacks and statues lining the walls and corners of the otherwise medieval-looking room.
Laughter and conversation drifted into the entryway where Flow and I stood from a living room further in.
"And that's when I said to him, 'lad this ain't your middle school's playground you can't be spoutin' off like that.' and I swear his character figure turned red! Actual steam coming off him and everything! Gahahaha, I can't believe the new natural emote system. The devs really outdid themselves…"
"Star!" A bubbly blonde elf suddenly stood up and rushed over to me "You cammmmeee!!" She wrapped her arms around me while simultaneously doing a little dance.
"Nekki," Flow said in a warning tone as she put a hand on the elf's shoulder. "Don't scare Star off, you know there's a reason she doesn't usually come to our gatherings, and I swear it's fifty percent you."
"Meeeean!" She put her arms on her hips, pouting as she turned to Flow. "You don't mean that do you?" She looked at me with puppy eyes, little bubbles coming off her fists when she put them up to her cheeks.
"Wow bubbles…" I said fascinated, peering closer. "Are they supposed to be tears? Is that a new natural emote, or is that a special collection?"
"You like it!?" Nekki brightened. "I got it in a drop from last month's big event! It's manually activated, though, so no it's not one of the new ones."
"Ahh stop pestering the girl, Nekki. Come on, sit down, sit down. We came to talk about MO not Next Life didn't we Star?" Grumps, a big bearded elder dwarf thumped the cushion next to him, and Nekki gradually gave way letting me go in and sit down.
"Now, now that Star's here why don't we get down to what we know about Magia"