That sign shouldn't have been there.

Julian had walked this route nearly every morning for the past six months he had lived in the small town of Alvion, and he was sure of it: the little shop with its dark windows and dainty gold lettering had never once advertised anything, let alone a discount on the most expensive gaming gear on the market.

"Selling CoA Headgear - never used. Buy a coffee and get a discount!" Julian read aloud. He peered through the glass, seeing nothing but empty chairs and polished round tables. There was a small glass display at the back filled with the sort of pastries that made his mouth water, but he could see no-one manning the till that rested on the counter. 

"Think he's desperate for rent or something?" A voice beside him asked. It was soft and delicate, and a head peered over his shoulder to get a better look, long black hair whipping him in the face in the process.

Julian rolled his eyes, shoving her away slightly. "Really? Do you have to look over my shoulder every time?" He grumbled. He could taste her shampoo in his mouth, and he made a show of wiping his tongue clean.

"It's not my fault you're so tall." She replied, a small pout on her lips. Clara stood nearly a whole head shorter than he did, and that was with the added inches from her boots. "Anyway, what do you think? The only places I've seen selling those bad boys are the official stores, and trust me, I looked everywhere when I got mine."

Julian shrugged. "It's weird," he admitted. "No one ever goes in there. Why would they have something like Chronicles of Aeon headgear just lying around? That thing costs—what—five grand new? Why would you sell something like that without even using it once?"

Julian watched her head cock to the side, a slender finger tapping at her chin in thought. He squinted as he watched her, the early morning sun streaming through the buildings blinding him momentarily. He pushed his shaggy brown hair from his eyes, using his hand to shield himself from the glare.

"Maybe it was a gift he didn't want?" She replied. "Or maybe he bought it and realized he needed some of the money back. Does it really matter? You've been wanting to try this thing for months, right?"

She was right of course. Who wouldn't, he thought.

Chronicles of Aeon - or just Aeon for short. A VRMMORPG granting unparalleled freedom to its users. Julian had heard of it before. Who hadn't? It had launched just over five months ago, and quickly became the most purchased game of the 21st century. It amassed over 100 million copies sold in a single month, and it was clear to see why.

'Full Dive' is what they were calling it. A small chip that goes into the base of the skull, paired with a headset that looked like it came straight out of one of those space movies Clara enjoyed watching so much.

It would transport you to a whole new world, which in this case, was the world of Aeon. A virtual reality that felt so real it was supposedly indistinguishable from the real world. Julian had his doubts, but what did he know? The thing cost half a year of his rent. The thought alone sent a small shudder down his spine, his eyes glazing over momentarily.

"Besides, don't you wanna play with me?" Julian rolled his eyes as she looked away, her eyes filled with mock hurt. Her hand clutched at her heart, and she refused to look at him. "Oh how you wound me." She sighed.

"Alright, fine. What do you even play as anyway?" He asked. He already knew, of course. She loved to ramble on about her adventures in Aeon, and he loved to pretend it annoyed him that he couldn't join in on the fun.

Well, it did annoy him. Aeon was everywhere. Every time he opened his phone, it was 'Aeon this' or 'Aeon that.' If the headsets could've been shared he probably would've caved by now and begged Clara for a turn.

Not that he'd admit that to her.

She looked back at him again, her grin sharp and feral. "Well, last night I torched an entire tavern," she laughed. "Summoned a Fire Spirit—poof!—and the whole thing went up in flames. The other players didn't even stand a chance."

He wisely chose not to comment on how crazy she looked while she said that.

"And what? Dying doesn't hurt? I thought it was supposed to be 'more real than real life?'" He questioned. If he recalled correctly, that was the biggest concern people had before the game launched. If everything felt real, the must include death.

Clara winced at that, and Julian actually had to bite back his own surprise. In his expert opinion of all things Clara, he'd even go as far as to say she looked sorry for them.

"Well, yeah. In the beginning, it hurts like crazy. Seriously, first time I died I thought that was gonna be it. But you get used to it quickly. And a lot of the items in game make dying hurt a whoooooole lot less."

"Alright, alright. You've convinced me. Let's check it out." He sighed. He watched her straighten up, her eyes wide in excitement as she smirked.

"Well, follow my lead then." Before he could get another word in, Clara had already pulled open the door to the small shop, setting off the quiet chime of the silver bell hanging above the entrance. "Helloooo? Anyone in?"

Julian let out a huff. Clara always was more of a 'do first, think later' kind of girl, he thought.

"It's still early right?" Julian asked, eyeing the stillness of the shop. "Maybe it's not open yet."

Clara let out a short laugh. "Pretty shitty security then if they just leave the door unlocked."

Suddenly, before he could reply, Julian heard a cry of surprise, followed by a crash of something clattering to the floor. Another yell reached his ears - this time of pain. The words died in his throat, and he shifted from foot to foot hesitantly.

If someone was getting murdered back there, he really didn't want to be a part of it.

"Uh... maybe we should go," Julian said, stepping back toward the door. Clara looked about as ready to bolt as he did, and he was in half a mind to just grab her and leave.

"No no! Don't go. Please!" From a dark, wooden door behind the glass counter, came a man. A small man, with thick rounded glasses and tanned skin. His head was nearly bald, only a few wisps of steely grey hair remaining. Short, messy stubble adorned his chin, and his mouth went wide in a hesitant grin. He was carrying a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and clutching his side with the other, as though he'd tripped and fallen. "Hello hello. You must be here for the um..." He closed his eyes for a moment. "The VR thingy, right?" He laughed. It was a wobbly sound, like he was unsure of himself. Julian didn't really know what to make of the man, other than 'awkward.'

"Uh, yeah," Clara said quickly. "The sign outside said you're selling Chronicles of Aeon headgear?"

"Yes, yes! That's right!" The man nodded eagerly, setting the coffee down on the counter. "Buy a coffee, and you get a discount. $2500. Best deal you'll find anywhere."

Julian's jaw nearly dropped. That was half the retail price. One hell of a discount, he thought. His mind raced, doing the math in his head. It would be a stretch - hell, more than a stretch. He'd have to work so much overtime to make up for it he doubted he'd be able to even use the thing for at least half a year. But still - that meant it was doable.

"Why so cheap?" The words escaped his mouth faster than he could stop them, and the old man paused slightly, his smile growing more strained.

"Ah, well… I don't have much use for it, you see. I'm not really the gaming type. Figured someone else could enjoy it."

Julian narrowed his eyes. Why spend five thousand on a gaming device if you're not at all interested in gaming?

Still, it was one hell of a deal. He could see Clara staring expectantly at him from the corner of his eyes, and he let out a small sigh as he turned to her. She never was one to think too hard about something, unlike him.

"Well?" She asked. 

"I don't know," Julian said finally, lowering his voice. "It feels… off. Why would he sell it for so little?"

"Because he's weird," Clara whispered back, glancing at the old man, who was busy tinkering with something behind the counter. "But who cares? Weird doesn't mean sketchy. And hey, I'll spot you half if you need."

Julian blinked. "You serious?" He didn't need to ask, he knew she was. Julian wished she would slow down and think more before doing something, but he knew fighting her on anything she had set her mind on was a fruitless endeavor.

"Dead serious." Clara grinned. "Think of it as an early birthday present. Or an investment in my future punching bag." Julian rolled his eyes, but Clara continued. "Seriously, with the number of times I've wanted to punch you in real life, you best believe I'm taking full advantage of the fact we'll be in a game and I can kill you as many times as I like."

Julian groaned but couldn't help smiling. "Fine. But you'd better not hold this over my head forever." Already, Julian was thinking of ways to avoid dying to her as much as possible. She liked magic, so the first thing on his priority list was getting his hands on anything and everything that could nullify that.

"Deal," Clara said, slapping Julian on the back. "We'll take it! And two coffees to go please. House blend."

The old man looked happy. Relieved even. Too relieved. It unnerved Julian slightly, but he shrugged it off. He old man was weird, he decided.

"Good good! Very good! I'll go grab it and get to work on your coffee! Please, sit, sit." He ushered the pair towards a table pressed up against the wall of the small shop. "Now I'll need to get your names please." He smiled again, that same shifty, awkward smile that made Julian's spine tingle, pulling out a small notepad and pen.

"Clara Katz. And this moron is Julian White." Before he could even get a word in, Clara had answered for him. He kicked her shin under the table, smirking lightly as he saw her face bunch up into a wince.

She glared at him, but that just made him smirk even harder.

Julian watched as the man busied himself with making their coffee for a moment, before disappearing off into the back room and leaving the two of them alone once again.

Julian glanced around, his unease growing. The shop was so quiet it felt like the walls were listening. His gaze drifted to the faded photos lining the walls—black-and-white snapshots of people he didn't recognize, their faces blurred and eyes staring out as though they could see him. 

"I don't like this," Julian muttered.

"You're overthinking it." Clara scoffed. "He's probably just one of those loonies that believed all the rumors going around."

Julian thought about it for a moment, before conceding the point. He had read the articles that were floating around, of course. Rumors of people being driven insane after playing Aeon. Formerly sane people that just… Went crazy, with no warning. Every one of them repeating that same phrase that had been posted around on every horror site since the news broke.

"The question must be answered." Julian said, and Clara smirked at him in response.

"What, did they get you too? Do I need to drag you off to a white padded room and cut off your internet?" She laughed.

"So what, you think this guy read one too many articles and got spooked?" He muttered, his voice low.

"Probably," she replied. "I think if we hadn't walked in here, he would've buried it in a swamp somewhere and forgot about it."

Their conversation dwindled as the man returned from the back room, a heavy white box tucked under his arm. The box looked metallic, and far too heavy for a frail man like him, and It was still wrapped up neatly in its sealed packaging. Julian made to stand, but the older man just shook his head with a small smile, gesturing for him to sit back down.

He delivered the package before them, and stood back up with a strange look in his eye.

"Here you are. And your coffee is on its way." He said, and Julian forced another smile as he looked at the man.

"Thanks, appreciate it."

The man nodded, turning back to the coffee.

It didn't take long before two steaming cups were placed before them, and Julian accepted his with a grateful nod. He brought the cup to his lips, savoring the aroma before taking a long sip, letting out a sigh at the luxurious taste. It was a far cry from the cheap, synthetic crap that his work served them. He could taste all the complex flavors on his tongue as he slowly drained the brew. 

"It's great, thanks." He said, and Clara nodded fervently in agreement, savoring her own cup and the heat it gave off.

When it came time to pay, they split the bill. Julian squeezed his eyes tight, not bearing to look at the price. He heard the beep of his card signal the transaction complete, and ignored Clara's snickering in favor of looking over the metallic white box.

It looked heavy from its sheer size alone, the box reaching almost up to his hip. It wasn't something he was particularly eager to carry around with him.

Especially when he had work in… 

He pulled out his phone, checking the time.

Forty minutes. Shit.

So instead, he turned back to the old man. He was standing there, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. Julian understood social awkwardness. Hell, he was the damn king of it. But this was taking it to a whole new level.

"Do you mind if I come pick it up later?" He asked. "I have work and -"

"No! No, you must take it!" The old man cut off suddenly. His eyes were wide, and he spoke almost frantically. Julian watched as dawning horror drew across his face, an apologetic look in his eye. His breath sounded heavy, and he cleared his throat with a short cough before he spoke again. "Sorry, I just... I don't have much room in the back, that's all." He clarified.

Julian wasn't quite sure he believed him. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the man, before he was brought out of it as Clara nudged him.

"Well, that's okay. Your apartment isn't far, we should be able to take it back and get to work on time, right?" She asked.

Julian did the math. No, no they could not. They'd be ten minutes late at minimum, unless they sprinted all the way to work. But with the way the old man was looking at them, Julian just wanted to get out of there.

"Of course, plenty of time." He smiled. His face was strained from the plastic smile, but he kept it in place as he picked up the box with a grunt of effort, tucking it under his arm as he made his way towards the door. "Thanks for the coffee, and the headgear. Have a good rest of your day."

As they were ushered out the shop with a hasty 'goodbye, come again,' Julian and Clara shared a look.

"I'm not the only one of us who found that weird, right?" He asked, and Clara shook her head in agreement. "Good. Now please tell me how we're gonna get this back to my apartment and get to work on time."

He watched as a grin slowly grew upon her face, and he mustered up the most deadpan stare he could give her. Sometimes, Julian felt like he had a gift for reading her mind. Or maybe that's just what happens when you're best friends with someone for your whole life, he thought.

"No. Don't you dare." He groaned.

Her grin grew wider.

"We?" She asked. "I think you mean how you're gonna get to work on time. I'm going to be just fine." She laughed.

"Really? You're gonna make me carry this all on my own?" He asked.

He didn't know why he bothered.

"Yup. Have fun buddy, I'll come up with a good excuse for you at work, don't worry." Her laugh grew louder, and Julian stifled another groan.

He watched her skip away, still laughing. 

He waited until she was out of sight before allowing himself to smile.

"Asshole." He muttered with a small laugh, beginning to walk.

The old man watched them leave through the window, his back hunched as he stared at them. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his breath fogged up the glass.

"The question must be answered." He muttered, almost to himself, before turning back to his shop with a dazed look in his eyes.