183~Memory Problems (1)
As Aya was about to head into her room for the night she remembered Risel’s plight and felt the urge to ask Mars what the other NPCs in the game were like. The Verdant Vale was only her first taste of what the rest of the world looked like.
Aya stopped and turned to Mars and asked.
“Mars, have you ever dealt with a grieving NPC?” Aya asked, Mars paused as she was reaching for the door knob to her room.
“Yeah I have, but then I remember it doesn’t matter because it’s all scripted.” Mars said leaning against the door. “Let me guess, one of your NPC just lost someone, happens a lot in this game.”
“Do you think it’s dumb that I care so much about them?” Aya asked self consciously, she pulled the collar of her shirt nervously, waiting for Mars to say something.
“Of course not, I like that you’ve got a big heart. That’s more than I can say for the others playing this game. I’m in no hurry to have you meet other players.” Mars said, grumbling the last part under her breath.
Aya released the tense breath she held during Mars’s reply, she didn’t want Mars to think she was stupid or childish.
“Silly girl, you should know by now I’m not that kind of person. Now go to sleep, tonight isn’t a late night gaming night. I can tell you’re tired.” the dark haired girl said sternly.
Aya pouted, then saluted and marched to her room, making Mars laugh at her antics.
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Once in her room Aya changed into a set of pajamas and hopped into bed. It was an old pair that was getting a bit threadbare from overuse but it was comfortable.
“I should buy a new pair, but then again I have a lot of things to buy so far don’t I?” Aya said to herself, she thought back on the day about her heart soared when she remembered talking to Daichi.
Aya checked her phone to find Nisha and Renard had messaged her ages ago but she had never replied to them. Nisha had spam texted, leaving Aya with more than a bundle of messages to read.
[Did you make it to Mericross?]
[Summoner, you need to text now]
[I’m getting worried about you]
[Helloooo!]
[Aya, seriously. Renard and I are worried something happened]
[Sorry, I’ve been busy with moving in and gaming]
Aya texted back, hoping the girl wasn’t too mad. From the way Atlas had spoken to her as well, he was worried when she didn’t reach out.
Nisha was probably the same and Aya had worried her by not checking her phone. She placed the phone on her bedside table and turned out the lamp light, it didn’t take her long to fall asleep. Her phone buzzed but she couldn’t hear it so deep in slumber.
Nisha had texted again, ready to give Aya an earful when she picked up her phone the next morning.
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“Sleep well?” Mars asked Aya who was downing a glass of orange juice the next morning at breakfast. Aya yawned but nodded to the other girl’s question as they gathered around the table for their breakfasts.
“I’ve never really had pancakes for breakfast.” Aya said, she drizzled a little syrup on her stack while Mars doused her plate in the sweet, amber maple syrup.
“Mars do you ever get worried about your uh...sugar.”
“Sugar’s fine.” Mars said cutting into her stack, she lifted her fork and in one fell swoop shoved the syrup doused pancakes into her mouth.
Aya shrugged and decided to let Mars have her way, it probably gave her all that energy to run around outside.
The brunette checked her phone and found more messages from Nisha who seemed both angry and overjoyed to hear from her.
[You’re alive!]
[Don’t tell me now that you’re in Mericross you’ve forgotten about me!]
[Call soon, but not when I’m at work okay?!]
Aya sighed, she had so many people to keep in touch with, it warmed her heart to read the messages. She could hear Nisha’s voice through them. The other girl must have missed her a lot.
[Aya I hope you made it safely to Mericross]
The message from Renard read, his was calmer. Then again she didn’t know him that well, but Fred seemed to.
Aya facepalmed, only realizing in that moment that she hadn’t updated her uncle on anything going on. Mars watched her cycle through emotions and snorted, Aya would figure it out.
She always did after all.
“I really need to start getting back to people.” Aya said, sticking her fork through another stack of pancakes.
“Or do what I do and totally disappear on everyone you’ve ever known or loved.” Mars said smirking.
Aya laughed, feeling her unease lightened at Mars’s joke. The brunette kept her phone aside for now as she took the time to think up what she was going to say to her uncle when she finally called him back.
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“Fred you’re looking...how are you?” Victor Sinclair took on look at his disheveled right hand man and sighed.
“No worse for wear but I did have a question.” Fred said stepping into the office, Victor offered him a seat but the blonde man declined, preferring to stand and suffer his caffeine induced jitters.
“What do you want to know?”
“The Yvlena protocol wasn’t just to find Aya was it?” Fred said, he kept his tone neutral, hoping his voice wouldn’t seem disrespectful to the man who had given him so much. But he had to satisfy his own curiosity.
Victor touched his temples, sighing. Speaking briefly to Aya had triggered some of his earlier memories, things he had done after the funeral.
“I should have known you’d poke deeper into his.” Victor said with a laugh, he turned his gaze on Fred who didn’t shrink away from the intense look the owner of Lumos Inc was currently shooting him.
“For now all I can tell you is that the Yvlena protocol was something Anastasia, David and I participated in.”
“Why is that all you can tell me?” Fred asked, narrowing his eyes at the older man. Didn’t the man trust him enough?
“Because, Fred, that is all I can remember.”