Various people were asked to write some inspiring statuses to inspire the world of eBunnee:
Eliza: "Whether hands or paws, deep inside, we share the same essence, just with different forms."
Ashlyn Starr: "If you merely follow your followers, you'll end up chasing your tail in circles."
Kai Uzros: "I wield words as incisive as my weapon."
Princess Pensée: "Do I get paid to write this per character?"
Amii Ling: "What?! You are getting paid? They said nothing to me about money!"
Xinx: "..."
Lillian Steele: "Whhaatt iss uppp witth mmy typping?! Howww Dooo I fixx ghoostt touuch!?!!"
Lucid Chaos: "Th' liquid gold... it's like th' s-secret sauce t' winnin' 'gainst th' Jellyfish sting."
Jess: "Please don't show my name."
Jason: "I'm truly disappointed in you."
Initially, Jess was brimming with excitement, boasting about the flawless proportions of his female avatar while Xinx stood by as his partner. Xinx's contribution to their battles was minimal; instead, she constantly pilfered from Jess and shot disapproving glances in his direction. Was this truly the legendary VR fighter of 'The Mask That Only Smiles'?
It hardly seemed so, with Xinx lagging behind Jess and barely making any effort. Jess entertained the thought of confronting Xinx and claiming all her EXP. But as he turned to face her, contemplating his next move, she shot him an icy stare that sent shivers down his spine, even permeating his physical body through the VR glasses. The sudden chill made it feel as though he inhabited two separate bodies simultaneously.
"It takes some effort to balance in these towering, black, teetering platform heels," Jess muttered to himself, regaining his equilibrium before walking in a straight line once more. Gradually, the hitboxes of his avatar returned, with the last two large hitboxes inevitably functioning again.
Taking in the sight of the slime waterfalls and pits, Jess briefly considered the idea of bathing beneath the cascading water and snapping a few selfies for the eBunnee channel—but a sense of urgency soon took hold: "No," he reminded himself sternly, "this is a serious fighting event! I must stay focused and perform well!" With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Jess shouted inwardly, drowning out any distractions as he steeled himself for the impending battle.
As a giant sock puppet monster approached Jess, he couldn't help but wonder how much of a threat it truly posed. After all, it lacked arms to wield a weapon. Glancing at Xinx, Jess was surprised to hear her offer something deep and insightful. "..." Xinx paused, then continued, "...." Jess understood the underlying demand: "Prove your mettle by vanquishing this adversary. Demonstrate your worthiness to stand as my partner." Jess confidently hoisted their bazooka once more, with a double serving of 'ammo' perched up top, aiding their balance as they took aim. With impeccable precision, they fired at the approaching sock puppet monster—a great big sock adorned with yellow and grey stripes. It was a shame to destroy such a nice pair, a single sock, but alas! A warrior does what a warrior must do. The sock exploded into thousands of tiny pieces of cotton.
** Loaded Save State **
An unexpected disturbance caused Jess to slip slightly, his footing compromised amidst the myriad stutters and frame drops plaguing the game. Peering ahead, he spotted the sock puppet he had previously vanquished, still looming closer to him.
** Save State Created **
"Didn't I dispatch this creature already?" Jess questioned himself as he observed the sock puppet's slow approach beneath the weighty stone slab, supported by sturdy pillars. Reacting swiftly, he aimed his weapon at the pillars, unleashing a barrage of shots that sent the entire structure crashing down upon the unsuspecting sock puppet, burying it beneath the rubble.
** Loaded Save State **
Another glitch hit the game, reducing the frame rate to that of a slideshow for a couple of seconds. Clearly the opponent was cheating by constantly reverting to saved states to avoid consequences. The pillars and stone slabs continued to smash, but the puppet monster was on the other side of the structure, nowhere near the fallen debris.
The sock slowly walked methodically, its top points wobbling from side to side, resembling some sort of bizarre little head, with two googly eyes affixed on each side, giving it the vibe that it wanted to play with you—or PLAY WITH YOU!
** Speed Reduced to 1/16x **
The game now slowed down to a crawl, leaving Jess unable to do anything. Panic gripped him as the sock drew closer and closer, like the Grim Reaper inching towards its prey. "No!! I will not go out like this! You will never defeat me!" he shouted, disconnecting his VR glasses and finding himself back in the VR booth at the Estresey Academy.
"See, you never defeated me," Jess declared triumphantly, though the message above his avatar read: "Rage Quit! Disconnected from the game," as his pretty little female avatar pixelated away, leaving nothing but the heels for a player to loot.
Jess reached his limit with this game. His partner's incompetence was infuriating, and he was exhausted from carrying the team. As he looked down at the VR booth, attempting to step out, he felt liquid splashing beneath his feet. Glancing at the damp puddle, he was about to scream in frustration when the maintenance worker approached, shaking his head in disapproval. Without a word, he handed Jess a mop.
(•ω•)