Chapter 2: Fantasy Lovefool

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

It was a miracle they had both been alone. Atlas was certainly wary of his other friends entering and seeing what was occurring, but at the moment, it appeared it wouldn't be happening anytime soon. The sheer bewilderment of what was even happening alluded his very mind, and..

He shivered, rustling his holy armor.

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT THE QUEST "DATE WITH ABARIA"?}

YES 

NO 

..W—What was this quest?

Within the far distance, Abaria Flowersong — the NPC, coded to have the same responses over and over — began to murmur, shutting her eyes with her slender hands clasped against each other. He was unsure of what she was doing at first, or what she was coded to do, but with enough listening, he could make out a few words..

"Please let this work, please let this work..!" The girl would plead, blushing intensely. Her eyes fluttering open, she'd gasp as her eyes made contact with Atlas'; turning away in embarrassment.

[. . .]

There had to be an explanation. Now that he had calmed down, perhaps.. the developers were testing new options for Abaria; a new AI-based response module, maybe. O—Or, this was a prank made on him! Maybe he'd finally get famous, like he had always wanted! ..Ugh, what kind of stupid idea was that!?

Crap! Was he hyperventilating!? Oh God, all that practice with dating simulators must have paid off somehow, right!? A—Aha! That's right! They were adding JRPG romance mechanics to the game! Maybe his avatar just looked that good..

..Oh, no.

[YES <--]< p>

"W—Wait.."

As the prompt for her quest went through, the young lady took a moment to pause, unable to register the man's decision. Looking at him with confusion, the innkeeper was struck with disbelief, and without fail..

..Her eyes glimmered with glee, and a smile — the embodiment of positivity — was immediately sent Atlas' way.

"R—Really!?" Abaria exclaimed, instantly embarking towards Atlas as he nervously took a few step backs. "You would!? Oh, yes! Yes! I can't believe this! I—I feel like the luckiest girl alive..!"

"—Oh, how embarrassing! Look at me, reacting like a kid..!" She'd pout at her own behavior, unable to control her own heart racing. "Uhm.. I didn't think I'd get this far. I've mostly looked at you from afar, and.."

Now mere centimeters away from the adventurer, Atlas could only blush himself, unsure of what to do. It was certainly flattering being one of the few to receive her quest..

He had never seen her expressions this way before.

A revelation came to her. "Mr. Atlas, I'm afraid I haven't properly introduced myself! Please, excuse me."

Chuckling giddly to herself, Abaria twirled around in sheer positivity, standing straight and doing a formal bow to the adventurer. Atlas stammered, as he found no words to respond with whilst she made her introduction.

"My name is Abaria Flowersong! I've been the Innkeeper of The Fair Lady for most of my life, and I also act as a tour guide for new tourists every once in a while." She'd giggle, rising up, "It's nice to meet you!"

She'd wave happily towards him, her positivity almost contagious. Atlas.. couldn't help but be shocked at the gesture, his expressions indicating uncertainty. 

When was the last time he was waved at?

WAVE <--< p>

"Hehe~!" Gently chuckling at his wave, it would appear to her that Mr. Atlas — while a bit more talkative before — was rather the shy and quiet type. 

Abaria didn't mind, though. She was intrigued. Walking past him with her arms swung behind her back, she'd lightly press against the door, swinging it open.

"I've made some plans for today, so don't worry about the inn having no staff present!" She'd smile reassuringly, but immediately reverted to a nervous expression. She'd look down, stuttering.

"U—Uhm.. for our first meeting together, we could possibly take a brief walk around town." Abaria pressed her index fingers together, "Yeah! That should be fun! Wouldn't you agree?"

Why was she talking like this? It felt immersive, which should've been the point of the developers, but it wasn't like he could just.. respond. Still, this whole day had taken a spin, and Atlas was certainly invested in this questline.

He'd awkwardly stay silent, to which Abaria paid no mind. With an optimistic smile on her face, she'd gently take Atlas' hand, his eyes widening at the gesture.

[—!]

"Let's go, Mr. Atlas! I'm so excited for our day together!"

Being pulled by the giddy Abaria, Atlas would let out a slight yelp, as he was not used to his character being forcefully moved in such a manner. With his eyes taking one last look back at the Fair Lady, many thoughts ran through the young man's mind. He'd let himself go along with this, let himself be in this position..

. . .

..It did feel nice being treated this way.

 ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The strummings of a bard's love song. The fresh air — paired with the smell of fresh fruit and vegetables — along the fruit stalls that lined up against the rocky roads of Centralborne. The bright daylight, perpetuated by a light, blue sky. Once again, the capital of the 5 Major Villages was as lively as ever. 

Though these were average status-quos for Centralborne, today was certainly a special day..

"Look, look! Mr. Atlas!"

Abaria stood in the midst of the of the market; facing forth to a pot of flowers, and while her surroundings teemed with life themselves, the wide smile plastered on her face suggested an abundant amount of energy. She acted in the manner of a schoolgirl — giggling to herself — and twirling what appeared to be a rose between her fingers.

"I don't think I've ever seen such a delicate flower before! How lovely!" She'd murmur to herself introspectively, smiling to her companion. "..Though, with company such as yourself, I beg to differ that everything looks beautiful!"

Atlas blushed at the statement, glancing away from her eyes.

They had spent a while walking around the streets, visiting various locations such as the Adventurer's Guild, the Blacksmith, and one of Centralborne's many gorgeous aspects; the flower fields. He acted meek within the entire situation, unsure of what to do as he was led along by the sociable Abaria Flowersong.

He gave it props; this was truly well-made. The interactions she has with other characters, with him, with the world; did he stumble into something that was a work-in-progress? Maybe he simply.. got lucky. Well, he couldn't help himself but enjoy it, slightly smiling as he was led along. 

Something worried him, however.

A few glances came his and Abaria's way. It was obvious that the quest he was doing wasn't common by any means, and it caught the eye of other players alike. He was lucky they hadn't gossiped about them, because that was the one thing he was bothered by most, but he was sure it would happen when push comes to shove.

"Are you alright, sir?"

[—!?]

W—Was he supposed to respond with something!? Quickly turning towards Abaria, who had nestled the rose between her ear, she simply smiled warmly at him; tilting her head. As they both basked in the Sun, he was unsure of what to do..

With a blink, though it would seem she understood the assignment, as she nodded in understanding. "Don't worry! I understand that this may be new for you, and.. I'm really not bothered by it. But, I'm just.. excited to even be here with you!"

She'd nervously turn away with a blush, keeping a certain distance from him as to not let her heart race. "I'm not able to be outside this much, especially with someone. Mostly Sofia is the one who does errands, and the inn isn't supposed to be understaffed for long.. Well, she's covering for me now, so I'll need to repay her later! Hehe~.."

Atlas blinked. It still was uncanny. Now fully focusing his attention onto her, there was a surprising amount of depth to her character, one that almost appeared.. real to him. Abaria still kept her usual smile, but there was a feeling of inadequacy within him.

He furrowed his eyebrows. There had to be something he could do in return. There was no way she would respond to his words, but..

[. . .]

Shifting his focus to the pot of flowers, and then the nearby stall of a variety of flowers, he'd deeply inhale the fresh air, determinedly walking towards it. Abaria would audibly gasp as she'd hastily follow behind him, hurriedly trying to keep him.

"W—Wait up!" She'd exclaim, taken aback.

"Good day to 'yer, adventurer! What can I get for 'ya?" In the vicinity of Atlas, the flower merchant appeared to be a chubby man of middle-age. With balding hair, and a long, combed beard, he donned a gray shirt with black overalls; an adorable little flower pin present on the right of his chest.

He'd pound his chest, smiling gleefully. "Here at Dazby's Flower Shop, 'yer ain't gonna find a better variety!"

[DAZBY AESUS SERINGAT]

BUY [X1 JEWELRY LUXUS] <--< p>

LEAVE

"H—Huh?!" Abaria once again gasped in shock, realizing what he was about to do. Her face a mess of blushes and surprise, she'd rush towards Atlas.

"Mr. Atlas, that's.." Her jaw dropped. "That's the most expensive flower in all of Centralborne! Oh, no, you really shouldn't..!"

However, it was too late. The purchase had quickly been made, and without fail, Atlas would turn towards the anxiety-driven Abaria. In Fantasia Online, there was an option to lend gifts to various NPCs; a relationship-driven system that held almost zero depth due to Fantasia's action-based nature. The more expensive the gift, the bigger the level, and the more perks you gain from them. It's mostly neglected, but..

Abaria waited in anticipation, looking up at the young man.

[ABARIA FLOWERSONG, THE INNKEEPER]

TALK

GIVE [X1 JEWELRY LUXUS] <--< p>

LEAVE

[CONFIRM.]

[. . .]

It was as if time had stopped for them.

Atlas looked on, a warm smile on his face. He had always been affected by other people's moods, whether fictional nor real. The two of them were strangers by this point — Abaria, making all the dialogue and advances — but he felt a certain connection to her. One that could only be reciprocated by doing something of his own accord.

He was sure this was part of the quest.

As he continued to gaze upon her, the duo still residing in front of the shop, he couldn't read Abaria's expressions. The innkeeper's head hung low, the bright, red rose hanging from her ear. In slow, mediated gestures, she began to remove it..

..Replacing the rose with the flower she had just received.

"I.."

She sniffled. It was right then and there that Atlas' eyes had widened, as a certain pang had struck his weakened heart. C—Crap! Was that too much!? He made such a grand gesture, but maybe it was a tad bit too overwhelming.. Even in virtual dating simulators, he was awful.

Wiping her eyes, there was a pause, before..

"Thank you.."

A delicate, genuine smile. As Centralborne headed towards its evening period, it was a smile he had never seen before. No matter how real they looked, how every little aspect about them was fine-tuned to perfection, they could never replicate the humanity and soul that real humans held. They could never.

So, why..?

"I—I never thought.." She'd stammer, turning her back towards him. "I'm sorry! I'm really weak to these kinds of gestures.. Oh, I don't even know what to say!"

"I'll treasure it with my life! I vow to you! It's the greatest gift ever!" Leaning closer to Atlas, the after-effects of her tears were clearly shown; her reddened eyelids being a loud indicator. She was.. grateful. The interactions between a player and an NPC had always ended this way.

It shouldn't be anything new.

..He smiled back. She looked happy.

[Hey, 'you seeing that?]

[—!]

N—No!

His worst fears coming to fruition, Atlas' expression paled into horror. His mind became a raging storm as he froze in place, feeling the stares of a few players crawling down his spine. Staring daggers. Judging opinions. He wanted to leave.

[What the.. have you ever seen her exit the inn?]

[Not really, no. It's weird.. Also, she's all over that one guy.]

Stop.

[Lucky him! Probably a tester for a quest. Hopefully he has fun jacking off to a fictional character.]

[Just admit it, you're jealous. But it is kind of pathetic he's getting all intimate over an NPC.]

J—Just stop..!

"Let's get out of here!"

Grab.

Atlas felt his avatar being pulled forcefully, the ginger-haired innkeeper smiling cheekily at him with a giggle. Whether or not she noticed him freezing up, he was taken completely off-guard, letting out a yelp as he was pulled along. It was admirable. How, although they knew almost nothing about each other..

"I still want to do so many things with you! I'll be sure to make use of this day!"

..She had been so vulnerable around him, giving her all. While in his position, he hadn't even uttered out a single word due to fear of embarrassment.

It was funny. How things can affect you when you least expect it.

He only wished he could feel the wind blowing against his face, and his hand grasped by hers.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

. . .

[ASIA 2.0 SERVER, DIAGNOSTIC CHECK-UP..]

[SERVER RUNTIME: 10.1 HOURS.]

Their time spent together was coming to an end.

With the rattlings of carriages fading away as their horses galloped across the street, Atlas' eyes gazed upon the twinkling stars; his body, automatically walking along with the innkeeper. Throughout his years of experience within Fantasia Online, he always found the period of night to be the most immersive time of day. Northborne still held the most beautiful night skies, but he had no urge for comparisons.

It was.. so fun.

"Owh, I'm 'woving this!"

Her voice would snap him out of his trance. Walking along next to him, Abaria happily indulged herself with a package of cookies, taking frequent bites of the sugary treat. The 'Jewelry Luxus' — the gift that she had received — shone in the dark of night, reflecting the moonlight off of its shiny surface.

"Did ywou know.." She spoke through her chewing, "..half of Cwentwalbworne's pwopulation eats cwookies every day? It sweems we all have a sweet tooth!"

Atlas couldn't help but giggle at the prospect. The thoughts of this being a glitch, or a hidden quest were long gone from his mind.

Harping on it would take the enjoyment out of his time with her, and with their day spent together.. he was really glad he had the opportunity.

She'd swallow the cookie, looking up towards him with a smile. "I'm.. sorry if this was a little sudden. When you accepted my request, I couldn't help but be a little too excited, and ended up dragging you everywhere."

Pausing for a moment, she began to think of what to say, before rushing up past him and standing in his way.

"I—I hope you enjoyed your time with me, too! If you want.. we could do this sometime again!"

M—More quests!? He couldn't believe it! 

Scratching the back of his head, he was incredibly excited about the possibilities. Maybe Abaria's opinions of him would save, and she'd bring up the fact that he brought her such a wonderful gift every now and then? That would make it incredibly realistic! Oh, if that dream could be true—

STANLEYCUP1: [Atlas!]

He'd blink.

Stopping in his tracks, he'd let out a sigh. Crap. Upon accepting Abaria's quest to go on a date, he had left his party immediately, embarking on a whole-day journey with her. Some had already logged off, but Stan felt a little ambitious today, it seemed..

ATLAS: [What's up?]

STANLEYCUP1: [Where were you!? Y'know, we thought you were just AFK, so we didn't really ask for you.. Server's almost closed~!]

ATLAS: [Sorry.. It's just been—]

"Hey! What'cha talking about?"

Halt.

[. . .]

..Huh?

He stood. Not an inch of movement. 

The silence was louder than any conversation could be.

Her smile repeated in his mind. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his head; his blue pupils, shrunken. His body felt heavy, and it felt like his knees could drop at any moment. A weight..

A weight had been put on—

"It's.. not often I hear you talk, Mr. Atlas." Abaria brought up, blushing to herself. "I really love your voice! If I could, I would want talk to you more.."

This couldn't be.

This.. can't..

 ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Whirrrr, whirrr..

The air was stagnant within the complex.

Rotten. Bags of plastic, filled to the brim with water bottles, filled the enclosure. Dirty clothes — stained with various liquids and foods — laid throughout, with half-open boxes of meals inducing an odor that was almost unbearable. Fluorescent lights, constantly opened no matter what time of day, was so bright as to irritate the naked eye.

The monitor's light reflected upon his face. His hands, dry and sweaty, shook in place. The contents of the screen reflected upon the boy's dull, black eyes; his long-grown hair almost covering them.

"She.."

He'd gulp, tugging on his T-shirt.

"..She hears me?"