MMORPG: Yandere NPC

Chapter 1

What do you define love as?

Caring for someone? Wanting to be more than friends? Something you feel for someone you want to spend the rest of your life with? How you feel about your family?

Can you use the word love to describe the care an owner has for his/her pet? Most will say yes, I think.

"I love this pen." Is that statement wrong? I don't think so except you want to actually date the pen. Now that is just crazy.

At least that's what I would have said a few months ago.

No. I'm not in love with a pen. Yes. I still consider such an ideology bonkers.

But I'm in love with an NPC.

Well, the game administrator says she's technically no longer an NPC as she's now tagged 'error,' but you get the gist.

Hello. I'm Allister Newman from the year 3817 and I'm in love with an NPC.

I don't know if this time machine prototype works but it's supposed to be able to send some digital data. I'll test it with my diary.

Settings: →1st century.

I can't send it any further than that.

[0%...12%...30%...37%...60%...85%...96%...97%...98%...99%...Begining Transfer]

*** *** ***

Wednesday 12th February 3817

It was one of those snowy days, but it won't stop me from going to school. Well, it depends on what the word 'going' entails since school is online and I can just log in from home. Only those who registered themselves as not having computers and suitable internet at home are exempted as they can't go to the school building to use the computers under the snow.

It's not all roses for them either. They have to stay in school and watch all the videos and read all the PowerPoint slides for today and all the days they missed when there isn't any snow while those of us who have already checked in today will only have to read and watch materials of tomorrow's classes.

No, I can't fast forward videos or skip slides as my overall grade will be affected by the quizzes you take after the video and slides. The quizzes in every subject amount to at least seventy percent of the grade and in worst cases, I've heard of quizzed being worth the entire grade.

I could just flunk school and still have a good life as I'll inherit my parents' company but, they said I'd either be qualified to run it or don't get anything. There is no getting a job there.

It's a game company called IMEX. To manage such a huge business, having nothing but an average or lower high school degree isn't going to cut it.

Once I'm done attending school via my laptop, I head downstairs for lunch.

My parents are still at work so I'm eating alone. What about siblings you ask? I've got none. I'm legally not allowed to have one. The law exists to curb overpopulation and I can't blame them as the earth's population as of this year is estimated to be 38.6 billion. Yes. 38,600,000,000 people roam the earth.

The atmosphere has been wrecked so much the weather fluctuates like the gods are playing DNDX. It's -4 degrees Celsius today but it may be 30 degrees Celsius by this time tomorrow. The population has risen but the land mass is decreasing all over earth as the ice bergs are almost completely gone.

I could warn you all back in the 21st century but you probably won't listen, or you did and created alternate timeline. Well, I will never know, will I?

Once I'm done, I toss my plate into the dishwasher, and I head back up to my room. I'm about to get some rest when my smart watch starts beeping. It's the alert for the VR room.

Yes, you probably have started VR back when you're in but, VR now is way more advanced. You can see, smell, taste and feel via VR calls now. Of course, you can't eat someone else's food over a VR call, but you can smell, feel, and even taste it. How does that work? I'm not an engineer so don't ask me.

VR rooms are like capsules where you enter to maximize the VR experience. Its interior is no different from an empty spacious white room except the VR gear (which is also white).

I put on my gear and answer the call from my parents. I feel like I'm right in front of them. Is that chicken I smell? Dad's having chicken for lunch again, isn't he? That's all he eats. Fried chicken.

"Hi mom. How's work?"

"Ally. Have you eaten?" My mom asks. She wishes she could be home and I know it but, it can't be helped.

"Yeah."

"You're not eating only pizza again, are you?" She doesn't want me to end up like my father.

"I had some carrots and freshly squeezed orange juice too."

"Good." She nods in acceptance. "The company will be releasing our new game, Utopia later today. I've already sent you the latest VR gear. The drone should be arriving soon. I know you're usually bored since you're home alone and have run out of games to play so this should be fun. You'll get to meet a lot of other players there and interact with them."

"Oh. Kind of like Wema Universe?"

"Yes, but better." She replies. "If you need anything just call."

"Mm."

"Bye sweetie. Have fun."

"Bye."

I take off my gear after the call ends and head out to the door of the house. I unlock the doghole so when the drone arrives with my package, it an come in freely. You have to lock it, so people don't send drones into your home to spy on you.

Yes. More than 1000 years from your time, there are still bad people. Worse now that resources aren't enough for the high population.

After less than an hour, the new gear arrives. The gear is designed specially for Utopia.

As I download the necessary data to the VR room and put on the gear, I can see join the countdown to release.

Hour(s): 02 Minute(s): 41 Second(s) 09...08...07