"We are the cookie, you're just the crumbs." A young Samuel can't hold back the floodgates any longer. For the first time in a long time Sam had gained a friend, and the first time he came to play... His cousin Angus just had to be staying the night. Angus has always been the brother Sam never had. You might think he'd know that family can hurt you the most given his father's penchant for anger, alas little Sam hadn't learned that lesson till today when Victor came over.
Sam had always been socially akward so when he started school he had no friends til 2nd grade. As a seven year old this was devastating. But luckily this year recess was with the special needs kids, though Sam's blessed little heart had no clue they were any different. Well.. he realized they wouldn't run the best when playing tag so he'd sort of half run to give them some space.
A week ago Sam met the first other kid who would play tag with them. Victor was quite the kid, he'd also only chase Sam at full speed. Sam thought he was fun to be around so he invited him to come play at Sam's house and stay the night. Sam had spent the next few days planning out what fun things they'd do. When asked Sam's mom said it'd be fine and that they could include Sam's older cousin Angus, who had stayed the night for weeks and months in a row before and had an extra bed set aside for him. Sometimes Sam wondered if his parents loved Angus more than him.
On the day in question Victor, a young red headed boy a few years older than Sam, walked home with Sam and all the while they talked about stuff on TV or toys they each had. Sam was quite partial to his MP Joes and a pull along dinosaur which would, as it was pulled along the ground, open and shut it's mouth. Sam had had it as long as he could remember and in a way it was a security blanket for him. When he got home Sam saw Angus and his memory went dark. scenes of his favorite toy being bashed against the ground by his supposed friend and "brother". More darkness, loneliness, a scene of Victor and Angus taking their sleeping bags to the livingroom to watch cartoons together while telling Sam to leave them alone. Father sides with Angus because Sam "should leave those boys alone, can't you see you aren't wanted?" And then from the boys themselves "We are the bread and you are the crust." and once again darkness clouded Sams memory though the memory of crying all night remained.
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Samantha was so excited for her first real date. Though she had gone on fun playdates to a few other noble's houses, and she'd gone on "dates" with Will. In school she was too afraid of breaking down for unknown reasons to allow herself away from Matthew. That had always perplexed her, she would break down at specific words or phrases. Some nights she'd wake up in a cold sweat because of a nightmare she doesn't understand. So when she had gentlemen callers, she had to decline.
Unfortunately for the couple Professor Walrus had regained his memory and given them both PT every weekend morning till noon. Matthew suggested they have lunch at the cafeteria and then meet up for their date.
Sam knew there was only so many places to go on campus so she was curious about where they would go. The gardens are a hotspot for dates but were always crowded on the weekends. The library is an option, though they'd have to keep it down.. Sam hoped for the library because there were plenty of nooks and corners to tuck themselves away in, because while she may have seemed disinterested in boys the reality was much different. Sam already had strong feelings for Matthew. He had been with her through thick and thin. Though they had often studied together, there was always someone else who would tag along to try and learn from the "dynamic duo".
Annie, Sam's best female friend since about year three, would not stop hounding Samantha. "So Matthew finally made a move huh? He better have reserved the whole of the gardens for your date!"
"I just hope he is serious about us, he said it as a joke.. I really can't lose him. Maybe I should call it off?" despite being excited, Sam's worries went through the roof, "Will he hate me if I call it off?"
"Sammy, calm down. I have never seen a boy so infatuated with a girl. Even if he makes you mad and you leave him, you will always have me and Aria!" Annie said while working on her spellwork. "Besides if you don't do this now how will you seduce the crown prince?" she says with a smirk as this is a running joke among the trio.
"I just hope we can stay friends if this doesn't work out."
"Don't you have PT today?" Aria, another of Sam's best friends and roomate, asks while walking out of the bathroom with a big fluffy towel around her waist. Aria liked to take morning showers despite Samantha offering multiple times to cast a cleaning spell for her.
Sam's face grew grim as she realized if she was late she would have to stay for an extra hour to clean the whole locker rooms by hand! She jumped up with such gusto her notebook flew off her lap as she bolted out of the room. Aria looked surprised towards Annie as that Samantha always locked her journal with a spell that not even her father could break without incinerating the book! Meanwhile Sam had already cast multiple spells from speed spells to spells that gave support in areas that "gifted" women like her needed.
She arrived to see Linda talking with a certain hardass instructor. Ever since that day Linda had done her best to help Sammy. In Samantha's eyes Linda had become her mother despite their rocky start. At this moment Sam heard Linda yell, "I DON'T CARE WHAT THAT SNAKE OF A MAN SAID! THESE ORDERS ARE FROM THE PRINCIPAL BUT IF YOU LIKE I'LL TELL HIM THAT YOU ONLY MOVE FOR THE KING!"
She was a bit of a mother hen. Out from behind her Matthew jogged out and noticed Sam. His shirt clung to his chest revealing a chiseled body and Sam always would look away in embarrassment. Today was no different, while she was furiously studying the high ceilings and the mage lights floating lazily she heard Matthew say, "The plan is still to meet up after lunch, I think you should talk to Linda though." He then slipped away.
"Sam, you can't skip PT even if Professor Vic assigns it. I got you off the hook by promising the principal you'd clean the Library with your unique cleaning spell for a week, and the Sergeant said you still have to clean the lockers. I convinced him to let you do it next week though because Matthew had non-rescheduable plans for your date."
Sam just stood there and listened, though the last bit pulled her haid out of the clouds long enough to ask, "Plans?"
"I can't say much but wear anything you like. You heard about the library cleaning right?"
"Yes mother.." Sam petulantly replied while wondering what was going on. Sam went back to her dorm to change into her civis which she hasn't wore in a few months since her Papa came to see her. Then lunch was a blur of veggies and unanswered intrigue.
"You... look..." Sam was struggling to find the words as that Matthew was dressed in a white unbuttoned suit with a black vest and white dress shoes. Yet the thing that stood out most was his hansome face. "Handsome." she finished.
"And you are stunningly beautiful, though your dress is nice too." Ever the smooth talker he walked up to Samantha and offered his arm, which she took.
Hard, she thought as she grasped his arm. He then led her down the hall as onlookers stared. It wasn't everyday that the two most eligible people in the school walked together dressed up for a date. As they arrived at the front door Sam was confused, no students were allowed off campus till they graduated.
Matthew steps forward and the doors open automatically. "After you." Matthew stands to the side while holding his hand up to signal her outdoors.
They walked the surprisingly clean streets, there were a few people hocking their wares in small stalls and on rugs every now and then. Matthew, a commoner couldn't possibly afford to buy her everthing she'd like, but being a noble herself it wasn't a problem. Matthew worked hard to obtain what little money he had so when the day of walking around together, chatting, and sometimes flirting they arrived outside the city at a small river.
Matthew chanted for about thirty seconds and a small rock bridge sort of sprung from nowhere and a small marble gazebo right next to it. They walked over the bridge and Samantha stopped at the top of the bridge and stared at the river below them. Feelings rushed to her, happiness, contentedness, and more importantly a spark of love. As they stood there Matthew said, "Here, I know your birthday is coming up and I wanted to get you something that would mean something."
Samantha was taken aback because her birthday wasn't for a few weeks. She took the smooth wooden box that fit in the palm of her hand and she opened it to find a ring. It was clearly made by Matthew as the inscribed runes on the silver band were his handwriting.
"That ring has taken me three years to study to create, it is able to sense elevated moods and cast 'Calm' on the wearer. You can turn that function off if you wish but the mana storage will hopefully help you when we inevitably fight on the front lines."
Samantha is stunned into silence as she realizes the magnitude of what this ring meant to him. He couldn't have afforded the mythril much less all the other magical materials during testing with his current job. "How.. Why..." she couldn't help but put on the ring to try to calm herself down but she found that the mana pool was empty and the flood gates couldn't be stopped.
Matthew came in to hold her, and she let him. The ring was unnecessary after that as she now felt secure. The sun began to set and she looked up to Matthew's handsome face. She noticed his thin eyebrows, then his green eyes with flecks of gold, his nose was ever so slightly offset from center but that seemed to make him all the more handsome, then her eyes were drawn to his lips. She quickly looked down trying to find something interesting to look at on his chest but a strong and soft hand touched her chin using the pointer finger knuckle to raise her sightline. she closed her eyes and leaned in. A warm yet cooling sensation as their lips met. Samantha found her toungue had a mind of it's own as she deepened the kiss. They found their way to the gazebo as the sun began to set, the most beautiful sunset completely ignored by two young people in love.
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Matthew was still thinking about how the VR felt so real. It was less than a minute and five years had passed. He wondered if anyone else had encountered such a quest and what other people thought of the NPCs so he hopped on the forum exclusive to alpha testers.
His face grew more and more warped as he read different posts.
"What a ripoff I made my character and didn't even load in before the game booted me!"
KingslayerXx420- Same here.
CatMage321- I got as far as birth. But the game kicked me after I got spanked.... Developers are you trying to be funny by letting me get humiliated?! I am a well known streamer how dare you!
SwordSwinger69- Above How was it being born again? Much like OP I didn't get that far.
Matthew must have been reading and searching for an hour before he found one post on a forum hidden underneath everyone else.
"The math behind the gear! The reason for your flaccid experience."
Hello everyone I am A catperson in the desert, many of you have experienced very little of the game. I myself barely experienced till the age of one. The immense compression required for your mind to go at speeds anywhere near what would be necessary to keep up with fifteen years in a minute is astronomical. So I surmise it isn't actually you playing the game but just watching a movie from the first person. There is technology that can map the brain but no way to copy a mind. I suspect that the company has cracked copying a mind or atleast transfering it to electronic brain! This is a more amazing breakthrough than we could ever guess! My hypothesis is that the more in tune you are with your character the easier it was for your mind to opperate the e-brain and thus longer times. In light of that I guess you have guessed I am furry so if any other alphas want to meet up in the beta PM me :D Also if anyone beat my record I'd like to know!
Ham'N'Beans- ... I barely made it out of the womb...
xXTopDogXx- Born a wolfman, stayed awake for half an hour studying my mother and father.
Mathew could have kept on reading but he was stunned. Why could he be in there for five whole years? He didn't relate particularly well with little Matt. He wondered as he stirred a couple cheese slices into his block ramen. He went back to his room and sat in the chair which substituted for a bed since his apartment was so small and he was so poor. His parents left him as a ward of the state as soon as he was born. Life was hard but he was finally on his own!
Matt sat in his chair as he ate his ramen. He cleaned up and went to bed as he still had to open in the morning. He is the manager at a medium sized gas station.
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Samuel jerks to a sitting position sweat won't stop pouring from his brow as he yanks the helmet off and begins to bawl. He cried so loud he woke his father. "Quit crying you sissy! Real men don't cry like you!"