" I'm in my dark place, scraping the bottom, just leave me alone. ”
Laika brought me back to Shinjuku after we left the Okuyama Server.
After another data-transfer, we found ourselves here again.
"Quick, Neko, come with me. The GM left me the keys to the studio, it was only a matter of time before we came here" Laika said with determination.
I wondered how many other things I hadn't discovered yet...
We headed towards a room very close to Laika's living quarters, descended two flights of stairs, and stood in front of a sliding door painted black.
"Go ahead, give it a try" she encouraged me.
She took my hand and asked me to say my name.
"Neko?" I said anxiously.
Magically, the door opened like the others, revealing the entrance to a venue with a soaring ceiling, filled with equipment, neon lights, and massive speakers.
"Welcome to your new studio! Of course, you'll have to pay me rent!" Laika said with a playful smile.
"And how do I earn money to live?" I asked, curious.
"Every NET Player receives Bytes based on the Quests they complete. Non-Player Gamers, on the other hand, work daily at their businesses and usually pay Players to solve their problems" explained Laika.
"And how do you make a living, Laika?" I asked, smiling like a curious cat.
"I get paid by the Game Master of the zone, based on the help I provide to Players like you" Laika replied proudly.
"So, that's how the world turns?" I asked.
"Exactly. Everyone has a role and a task, and NET is the universe where anything is possible. Remember, you're not here by chance; you have your Quest" Laika replied seriously.
"And how do I discover my Quest?" I asked, uncertain.
"You'll have to find your Gadget" Laika answered confidently.
"My what?" I asked, confused.
"Gadget. It's an item that you'll be bound to forever, representing you. Every Player has a Skin, a Mask, and a Gadget as basic equipment" explained Laika.
"I'll think about it..." I replied, pondering her words.
"Don't worry, it will come in time. You'll find yours very soon, I'm sure of it... Ah, right" Laika said, suddenly interrupting herself. "Come on, we're not done yet."
She eagerly took my arm and dragged me into another room, still filled with futuristic equipment. It was like being immersed in a dream.
"Here we are, this is the Emotion Room" Laika announced proudly.
"It's beautiful... what's it for?" I asked, admiring the Emotion Room.
"Put on the headphones, and now listen... You'll need to use your purest emotions to create your art. The more intense the emotions, the better the result: it's only through them that you can move your audience. In the world of videogames, emotions are everything. Without them, the network we're in now wouldn't exist" Laika explained.
"I don't understand... emotions are part of all this?" I asked, trying to grasp the significance of what she was saying.
"Absolutely, they're the most important thing. The energy derived from emotions fuels the Kernel... Every being here automatically contributes part of their power, but it's from intense emotions that greater energy is released, crucial for the very existence of NET. Without emotions, this world would die, taking everything with it. That's why artists who create art are so important" Laika concluded firmly.
I listened to Laika explain these "absurd rules," trying to absorb them. It seemed like everything had to work this way... always. But always when? I needed to understand how I ended up here...
A slight tap on my head made me jump.
"Hey, don't get distracted! There are so many things that..." Laika was interrupted by a digital acoustic sound.
"Come on! The package has arrived" she promptly said, cutting off our previous conversation.
Hastily, Laika turns and heads towards the studio entrance. She opens the door and I see a small package strangely floating in the air.
"Open it" Laika says, accompanying her words with a little dance.
I open the package and pull out a very small rectangular object.
"What is this?" I ask, uncertain.
"It's a peripheral! Come on, let's see what it contains" Laika urges.
We return to the main studio just inside the entrance and sit in front of the machines. I look at them in amazement, my heart filling with joy... I've never seen a place so beautiful, wow!
Laika: "Put the peripheral in there, it must be the program for your mask."
I insert the peripheral into a computer, and a folder appears on the screen.
Clicked instinctively, and immediately a window opened on the screen, revealing a drawing interface with a multitude of tools.
"Let me introduce you to ENGINE," Laika said. "It's the basic program to create what you desire. Everything you see here has been created using this program... You draw and then convert it into data, materializing what you want. Of course, everything comes at a cost; those who do the conversion always want to be paid. M-Ajira is one of the CONVERTERS you can encounter, for example."
"So I have to draw... my face?" I asked, uncertain.
Laika burst into laughter. "Exactly, you can be whatever you want."
I spent the entire night immersed in the program. I must say it's very intuitive to use, and I didn't stop for a moment. My very existence depends on this; I can't just disappear without discovering my Quest.
The next morning, Laika got up and headed to Neko's studio. She entered through the door and found him asleep in the chair, with a relaxed expression on his face. She approached the screen and smiled.
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