"Isn't that Yamamoto Hoshi"
"I think you're right"
"I heard that He was denied the chance to play the new Bloodlines Vr System"
"...."
...
'I can hear you' he thought while shaking my head.
'D*mn those creators, It's not my fault they can't create a game that takes me more than a few hours to beat'.
He kept checking his phone as he walked down the busy sidewalk, paying so little attention to his surroundings that he would rudely bump into others. Having to apologize reflexively.
' what has it been 25-30 minutes?'
"Uuurrgggg"
"No one wants to sell their beta pass"
***
Earlier in the day
ttiring ttiring I lifted my phone to look at the number
'why would Pangi Corps. be calling me today'
"Hello"
From the other end, there came a Stern Buisnessness voice
"Yamamoto Hoshi-san, Please excuse the disturbance, but we have an important matter to discuss with you, would it be possible to meet in 1 hour at our Kyoto office?"
Now Intrigued with the possibility of the extra benefits of the new beta coming out tonight I hurriedly answered.
"Yes, of course, I'll be there." As I ended the call I pumped my fist inwardly.
'I am the greatest.' I thought to myself while checking the online countdown
*08:11:42....41....40....39*
'Just over 8 hours Huh, They must be desperate....'
At that moment a small window in the corner of my phone caught my attention.
*Beta Signup Unconfirmed*
'What the hell does this mean' I thought. I felt myself getting a little worked up as my heart beat a bit faster.
Bump bump ....bump bump...
Calming down a little thinking back to his phone call 'well I am meeting them in an hour it'll get straightened out.' Relaxing he caught a cab and headed straight for Pangi Corps. Home Office in Kyoto.
******
A Jr Associate was bringing tea to the Sr Executives' office.
Slam
Pow
"I don't care if he has a million followers, I don't want him in the beta for this game."
Said a large rounded man in a suit that was better tailored than everyone else in the room.
"Sir," Said a man with a timid voice. "I called Yamamoto-san myself a bit ago and have him coming in to explain our side and our potential profit lo....."
"He doesn't need to know why just that he can't play the Beta" Roared the large man again
"Yes sir," they all said in unison as if they trained for this moment all year,
"We had IT block the early access he signed up for."
Just then a meek man with thick glasses stood up and announced "I also blocked his Vr Gear in case he does get a copy of the game he can't play anyway"
The large man stared at the meek developer for a minute, then erupted in a roaring laugh
"Ha Ha Ha... What is your name boy?" He said as he wiped tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes.
The man quickly bowed 90 degrees at the waist "F F Fukuda Shinsaku, Sir"
"Shinsaku, huh"....."Well Done"
"Thank you, Sir."
********
As Hoshi Pulled up in the cab a bellman ran out to get his door "Welcome to Pangi Corps."
He walked in and was whisked up to the 23rd floor immediately almost as to not talk to anyone.
'Man there must be a development issue that needs help with.' as the corner of my mouth arched a bit I thought 'Well this is something ill charge them for like a crazy amount, But my talent deserves such pay.'
A thin well-dressed woman walked over to the door of the room they had him in to open for the Jr associates to walk in.
Hoshi stood and they all exchanged greetings and they all sat, with two of the six men on either side of him. he looked at both of them and thought to himself ' they are wearing suits, but they look more like they move couches, instead of pens and papers'
Just as he was going to lay down the rules for helping them Hoshi was interrupted by one of the men on the other side of the table."I'm sorry to inform you, but your Beta access has been revoked and you must wait for the full release of Bloodlines" with that the man gave the two men beside him a nod and they lifted Hoshi up from the table by his arms and took him out of the building dropping him out of the side door.
'Why did I need to come in for that' he thought angrily. He quickly lifted his phone and a message appeared.
**Vr Data Deleted** {Authors Note at end}
"Those B@stards"
after spending the next hour trying to get back in, and making a fool of himself while being recorded by onlookers Hoshi gave up and left.
His phone was popping up with messages from his followers
"Dude is that really you"
"Meltdown at Pangi Corps"
"I heard you won't be playing the new VR so sorry"
As he was just about ready to bust his phone an idea ran through his head
'What if I bought a Beta pass that'll show those B@stards'
so he quickly put the word out
*Looking to buy Bloodlines Beta Pass, Will Pay substantial amount*
'There, Its time for payback'
He started heading home at that moment...
*****************
He kept checking his phone as he walked down the busy sidewalk, paying so little attention to his surroundings that he would rudely bump into others. Having to apologize reflexively.
' what has it been 25-30 minutes?'
"Uuurrgggg"
"No one wants to sell their beta pass"
Just then a message popped up on his following page.
"Wow Pangi Corps issued a statement: If anyone is caught selling their Beta pass they Are to be considered Beta banned"
"D*mn it" he threw his head back, chin to the sky
Ba-ding
his phone lit up with the little email symbol
'ugg not another message about Earlier'
Hoshi started walking again towards home
***
As he got home, he walked thew the door and his mom called out to him
"Hoshi-chan"
He rolled his eyes and turned "yes mother"
As she moved into the doorway of the hall from the sitting room she spoke
"Your father will be late so dinner is in an hour, and we can talk about what happened at Pangi Corps. earlier today"
His face reddened and he flew up the stairs to his room as he sat there contemplating why this had to happen an all too familiar sound rang out.
*Ba-ding
This time it was a text. Hoshi looked at it 'Anonymous'
*Well hurry and open my email before it's too late*
'What the hell is this' His thought. Maybe a game being played on him by a spammer.
He often gets them all the time from being a Pro-Gamer.
*Ba-ding
'Anonymous'
"WELL, OPEN IT"
*BEEP*
he turned his phone off. At 6 pm he went downstairs for dinner and his little sister was there watching the multiple videos of him on ONIVID an online video share site. "Stop that" She yelled as he turned her phone off the page.
Their mother glared at them so they quit immediately and began dinner whilst talking about their days.
*Ba-Ding
His sister looked at her phone with a puzzled look
"What?" said Hoshi
"It's for you," She said
As he looked at the screen he saw it again
'Anonymous'
"Hoshi open it"
"What the Hell, Just ignore it," he said
**********
After dinner, He went to his room and turned his phone back on to see the timer for Bloodlines
*00:08:21....20....19....18*
'I can't believe I'm gonna miss this'
*Ba-ding
'Anonymous'
"You don't have to"
Okay this has been too much
"Who is this?" He replied
"Open it"
"NO"
"Don't miss out"
*00:06:36....35....34....33*
Hoshi stared at his email for a minute before opening it
[Anonymous Sender
You have Received 1 Beta Pass to Bloodlines login to collect]
Astonished Hoshi read it again
[Anonymous Sender
You have Received 1 Beta Pass to Bloodlines login to collect]
[Will you Login Y\N]
'AAhhhh that's an easy yes'
As he logged on the phone told him to ready his VR Equipment.
As soon as he did the count down appeared in his VR wait room
*00:00:52....46....31...24.....16....5..4..3..2..1..*
BEGIN
Just then a rainbow of colored lights assaulted his eyes and he was thinking something felt wrong and then a bright flash came over him quieting his mind.
*********
At that moment in a dark basement office, a pair of glasses shined off the light of a computer screen and a wheezy chuckle broke out
"I knew you couldn't resist Yamamoto Hoshi-sama, and now this is the last game of mine you see after you ruined the others."
^^^Phones hold all the data for VR storage and logins, Developers offer stat boost for the most consecutive games in a storyline that you have beat.^^^