Chapter 5: Dear Players, we have reached a decision about the Questgiver Seb...
Everything was black, then it was not. I could see the world again and this time I was back where I belonged. I also felt an urgency to hand out rewards, an urgency that I could not explain. But I was popular again, at least more so than I was recently. I handed out more and more quest rewards, even Dragon's Lightning (which now everyone was using). I was very satisfied with this result. That is, until the usual 12 hour news broadcast scrolled across the screen.
"TIME REMAINING TO COMPLETE SEB QUESTS: 154:32:02"
What could that mean? Was I an event? Surely this would keep me popular, right?
"Man, I can't believe they're really going to delete Seb." One Player said after collecting her rewards. "It's like the end of an era."
"Nah, he was obsolete a long time ago. Besides, you don't need him as long as I'm around," some cheesy looking male character grinned.
They walked away hand-in-hand, as I listened to other players murmur the news. I was stunned. I was to be deleted?
"HEY!!!" Some girl shouted at my face. Oh. It was her. Nadya. And she wasn't shouting at me after all, she was shouting at the fairy in front of me.
"What can I do for you, sweetie?" The fairy kindly replied. "I'm always willing to help a child," she suddenly sneered.
"Oh no, don't worry about it, Grandma. You're just moving so slowly and I have quests to finish." Nadya sneered back.
"Dear child," the fairy stressed the word 'dear' at this point, "I assure you that I am quite well-paced. I understand you young things are impatient these days, but there should be a limit even for you." The fairy smiled, revealing the razor sharp teeth of the Blood Clan. The only fairy clan you didn't want to meet.
Nadiya just hefted the Hammer of Honor onto her shoulder in the Hammer's classic pose, then smiled sweetly. "Sorry, did you say something? I think I was listening to something more important just now."
"You should know how to treat your elders, child. Let's take this to the Arena!" The fairy spat out the words as venemously as she could.
"Oh no," Nadiya gasped in mock horror. "I couldn't possibly take you there." The fairy smiled, until Nadya continued. "You might break a hip, I couldn't do that to you! Dad would be so upset."
The fairy hissed and bared her teeth again. "Now you lis--" the audio cut off quickly and the fairy disappeared, quickly dissolving in a wavy downwards motion, the trademark Log Off animation.
Nadiya started to smile when she, too, logged off. I was left alone, except for the quests I had to give.
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"She started it!!" The girl pointed an accusing finger at an the older woman. "Grandma even skipped work just to play the game!!"
"Oh, grow up. I skipped work because I'm sick. You shouldn't pick on sick, old women." Grandma smirked, crossing her arms.
"You grow up first!! You're older than--"
"ENOUGH!!" A man roared. "Mom, go home. Melissa, go to your room and stay there. You should learn to respect your elders." Grandma's smile widened, but Dad just continued speaking. "Even if they're old enough to go to work instead of calling out sick to play video games. I'm calling Grandpa."
Grandma's face fell. "Oh, fudge buckets. This time I'll get fired for sure."
"No." Dad's face paled. "His wife just said he's in the hospital."
Everyone hurried out to the car to visit Grandpa at the hospital.
When they reached his room at the hospital, there were cameras everywhere. A violin played somewhere in the background. Grandpa turned his head and smiled. "Ah, my dutiful son..." He coughed.
Well, Melissa and her family didn't look too happy. Grandma especially had a large scowl on her face.
"What's wrong?" Grandpa asked them. "Come closer..."
Grandma walked over and smacked Grandpa's head. "Get up! We all thought you were sick!"
Melissa and her parents started to leave the room. when Grandpa started wailing. "But I am sick!! Sick of my wife always complaining!!"
Grandma smacked his head again. "So you waste your money going to a hospital?! Get up, get up!! Before I call her to come over!!"
"Look, I'm actually shooting a movie right now." Grandpa sat up, grabbing Grandma's arm dramatically. "And I'm low on actors... how would you like to be in a movie?!"
Grandma smacked his head again. "You're low on actors because you spend your money on hospital visits for no reason!! And who's going to fall for that sad old trick again?! All of your movies are failures!! No one is--"
But Melissa had surprisingly appeared at her Grandfather's bedside, on her knees. "No, Grandfather! You can't go, not like this!!"
Grandpa clasped Melissa's hands in his, staring at her happily with tears in his eyes. "My good granddaughter, how faithful of you to come here at this time. I--"
Grandma smacked his head again. "This kind of a scene doesn't work if you're not asian!! Get up!! You're wasting film and my time!!" She smacked him again.
"Why are we so violent this early in the morning...?" A sleepy voice asked from the doorway, wearing doctor's clothing and name tag. "Oh, hi Grandma. Melissa. Where are Aunt Kassy and Uncle George?"
"My grandson!!" Grandpa switched topics -- and grandchildren -- quickly. "I can't believe you made it here!!"
"Grandfather, I was here first!! Don't forget about me!! I'm right here!!" Melissa started crying dramatically.
"...Yeah, no. And I'm out of here. Don't forget to clean everything up, we may need this room in an hour." He quickly made his exit, with a sigh.
Grandma smirked and looked down condescendingly. "Did you hear that? He said to pack up and get out. There's a real patient coming here."
"Really, why do I keep you hired? It's not for your positive attitude, that's for sure." Grandpa looked at her, disappointed.
"You keep me hired because no one else will work for an out-of-date producer who hasn't had a single success in fourty years." Grandma answered. "Now get up!!"
Grandpa looked offended. "I thought you were sick, but your mouth is as feisty as ever."
"I am sick!" Grandma defended herself. "I rushed over because some nurse said you'd had a heart attack."
"Oh, she must have misunderstood. She was the heart attack. OUCH!" Grandpa complained when Grandma hit his head again.
Melissa laughed. "Why did you ever divorce? You're such a match. It's like watching a soap opera on live TV." She giggled haughtily. Then she ran out of the hospital room, dodging a slipper thrown her way.
"Just wait until your father hears what you said!!" Grandma yelled.