"This is going to be fun," Ren smiled at her younger brother as he walked in with a second chair he had grabbed from Lotte's room. The wheels squeaked on the floor as he pushed them.
"My big sis doesn't need help with her homework every day," QJ said, sliding the chair closer with a soft screech. He then paired their headsets, the sound of the connection echoing in their ears, while assigning his as the Master. "I won't make any choices you don't approve of."
Ren nodded and waited for QJ to log into her account, and they merged into the Character development interface. A transparent avatar spun in place, waiting to be detailed into a character. "Female, blond hair, blue eyes."
"Easy peasy," QJ replied. "Want to use yourself as the model?"
"Don't make fun... Okay?"
"I won't, Ren. Let's have it."
"Okay, use my face, but I want to be a bit taller, have more curves, and be athletic."
QJ bit down on a smile, happy Ren couldn't see it. "You mean like Mom?"
"Right, but with my face. I'd be weirded out if I kept seeing Mom's face everywhere." Ren paused. "Going to tease me now?"
Sure, because this isn't weird, QJ thought to himself. "No, your face with an Amazon build. Sound right?"
Ren watched the changes to Avatar, pursing her lips slightly. "Okay, that's too much. A bit slimmer and not so tall."
QJ made adjustments using the slider. Ren gave him the thumbs up, settling on an avatar that split the difference between mother and daughter. "Ready to choose a class?"
"Yes, thanks for helping me, QJ."
"It's fine; what class were you thinking?" QJ asked.
"A flautist," Ren replied.
"A Flautist? You mean flutist, or did we suddenly become Brits?" QJ shook his slightly. "You want to match your lifestyle class to your real-life career?"
Ren nodded. "It's the perfect cover; then I can follow the Songbirds when they do jobs on other games."
"Ren... You already know that GnG lifestyle players will be limited to GnG."
"Most will, but not me."
QJ found the musician category and then scrolled down until he spotted Flautist. "You can add two secondary abilities within the same category. These will be limited to 80 percent of your primary class ability."
"Guitar and Percussionist," Ren replied.
QJ chose the subcategories. Ren was a talented musician, so the choices were within the wheelhouse of her natural ability. "It looks like you have to choose a subcategory within percussions."
"Drums," Ren stated without hesitating.
"Interesting," QJ made the changes. "Want me to save this Avatar?"
"Do you disapprove?" Ren asked. The slim blond spun her chair around, her pale hair lifted off her shoulders.
"Not at all." QJ saved the Avatar and then logged out of Ren's account.
Ren smiled at her younger brother and stood up. Her cut-off jean shorts and tank top made her look like someone's teenage daughter rather than a woman in her mid-30s. "Thanks again for helping."
"Spill it, Ren." QJ wheeled his chair in front of the doorway, stopping her from exiting. "Why do you think the game jumping clause that every Avatar in GnG has to follow doesn't apply to you?"
"I was awarded a World Pass token for finishing my Path. I can switch servers in GnG and jump into other Exodus games."
"What the hell? Like Dad's NPC Assassin? Can you go anywhere? Then why not use your Rogue?"
Ren shook her head slightly. "It's limited to lifestyle characters. Once I activate the token, it's bound to that avatar."
"Well, it's less great but still has potential." QJ considered Ren's choices. "You chose the flute and guitar because both come with increased finger dexterity. I'm guessing you added the drums for hand-eye coordination."
Ren nodded; QJ always saw cause and effect. "Lockpicking is one of the skills that musicians can learn."
"Of course, or we wouldn't have thieving bards." QJ wheeled out of the doorway and stood up. "That's not everything you were awarded, right?"
"Maybe not," Ren smiled and hugged her brother. "I owe you one!"
The sound of Ren's flip-flops bouncing off her heels echoed as QJ followed her to the doorway.
"Next time, take off your shoes..." QJ waited while Ren opened the front door. "Do you have plans tonight?"
Ren nodded. "Baking Monster cookies with Quinn."
"Save me some," QJ grinned, watching his sister walk away.
After walking Ren to the door, QJ logged into his GnG account but stayed in the house VRP and changed into a swimsuit before exiting through the backyard door.
"I thought you'd be playing," QJ smiled at Lotte, who was treading water in the pool while Fen circled her. "Great, now my room will smell like a wet dog the rest of the night."
Lotte favored QJ with a crooked smile. "Have you contacted Kenzo yet?"
QJ shook his head. "I asked Anna to put me in contact with Roxy; she's the only one with a direct route to access his Stream."
Lotte swam closer when QJ entered the water, her hands resting on her shoulders. "Class tomorrow at 0900?"
QJ nodded, grinning when Fen tried to get between them. "I expect I'll be talking with Felix soon; I might as well mention this little guy."
With a slight nudge, Lotte urged Fen away, and the wolf puppy dog paddled away. "Notice anything?"
"Should I?" QJ stared blankly, wondering what she was talking about.
Lotte leaned closer. "I made this Avatar today. It doesn't have any of my scarring. This is how I used to look."
With a bit of effort, QJ kept a frown off his face. "They disappeared long ago."
"QJ..." Lotte rested her head against his before leaning closer for a kiss that lingered for several seconds. "Hey, I want you to look at some interesting things in my room."
QJ laughed and eased away, diving under the water and swimming the pool length before surfacing. "I accept your invitation with the understanding that it is a nefarious trap."
Lotte smiled brightly but didn't deny it. "Would you care if I use this Avatar for virtual social activities?"
QJ shrugged. "Whatever you are comfortable with. Just don't dye your hair like a rainbow."
Lotte smiled and climbed out of the pool; the water ran off her sleek dancer form. "Would you like to see me dance sometime?"
QJ caught the towel Lotte tossed since he had neglected to bring his own. "Yes. Is that something you are starting again?"
Lotte nodded while picking up the wet wolf pup and carrying him toward the house. "Although it doesn't improve my real-world strength and agility, virtual dancing can help regain my timing while teaching my body how it is supposed to move."
"When do you have time for all this?" QJ followed Lotte into the house, where she released Fen. The wolf pup made a beeline for the stairs, searching for Nina.
"There was something you wanted to show me?" QJ flashed an innocent smile.
"Was there? Lotte grabbed QJ's hand and pulled him into her room before pointing at the bed. "Sit, please."
"Sure," QJ sat comfortably on the bed. The best part of virtual swimming was that you dried instantly and didn't smell like chlorine afterward.
Lotte eased a shoulder strap of her swimsuit down before doing the same with the other. "Thank you for saying those things about not seeing my scars. It means a lot to me."
"It's true." QJ leaned back on the bed, trying to form coherent thoughts. "You're sweet and beautiful."
"Hmm..." Lotte discarded her swimsuit, standing close without covering. "It's vanity on my part, but this is how I looked before the scars. I wanted you to see."
"I'll repeat it: I don't see the scars, but use whichever Avatar you feel comfortable with. My Mom's first gaming avatar had a metal prosthetic, but eventually, she made one that had both legs."
Lotte moved closer. "I have a virtual dance studio. Let me practice for a few months, and then I'll dance for you."
QJ waggled his eyebrows. "We can't start now?"
Lotte laughed suddenly. "What kind of dancing are you hoping for?"
***********
QJ reentered the development and waved to Mike, the guard on duty, as he ran past and turned down the first cul-de-sac to his home. Scuffing his feet a few times in the driveway to clean off the red mud that had caked onto his shoes after cutting through a construction zone, QJ opted to remove his Nikes and leave them outside.
The scent of something sweet hung in the air, and QJ pushed open the front door. "We baking something?"
Lotte leaned on the kitchen island, using one crutch for balance while wiping down the surface. "My Mom calls it Coffee cake."
"Not quite ready," Breeze said, closing the oven door and holding up a toothpick. "Ten more minutes?"
"Coffee cake? Does it have coffee in it?" QJ asked.
"You know it doesn't, smarty pants." Lotte kissed QJ's cheek and nudged him towards his door. "It goes well with coffee. Like a cinnamon roll without the glaze."
"I'll be back in ten minutes," QJ pushed open the door to his room before pausing. "Thanks for cooking."
Breeze smiled lazily. "Don't thank us until after you've tried it."