The Red Hand

Side Story 6 – An End, and A New Beginning.

"I love that at such a key moment in time, potentially our last day in FWO, Daikael is busy trying to reach the fucking sky box..." Alveron sighed as he watched the crazy fox messing with a rocket that she'd been building. Over the last few months, Daikael had been attempting to see just how high up one could go before they reached some kind of invisible barrier, and so far she'd failed to reach anything.

"I mean, would you expect anything else?" Shiru shrugged as she sat on a rock with her tea. "Besides, it's better than brooding about going back." She gave a wry smile. After being trapped in FWO for nearly four years, many players had begun dreading a return to Earth. Living in what was effectively an entirely different world, complete with superpowers and magic was simply too enthralling for many, and the Misfits were no exception.

"I'm gonna miss sitting on your head." Alveron said as he floated up and sat on top of Shiru's head. "You make a very comfy seat."

"I'm going to miss my resident seasoning since I won't be able to drop you in the soup pot anymore." Shiru retorted.

"That happened like three times, and only one was my fault!" Alveron had been trying to pay back Ara for the other times, but the cat was too fast.

"But still, I wonder what's going to happen when we get out." Shiru said as she looked up at the sky. "This world... Is it really going to vanish?"

"I guess." Alveron shrugged. "Wouldn't they just delete it once we leave?" He figured it would a quick and simple wipe of all data related to FWO since this place was responsible for a lot of deaths.

"But what about the people that live here?" Shiru asked about the NPCs. "Surely they have a right to live? The thought of so many being deleted..."

{It just doesn't sit well with me. I don't care what the Assault team says, those NPCs are much more than simple programs. A program can't laugh with me, tell jokes and act as 'human' as they've been.} (Shiru)

"I don't think they're going to even give that a second thought." Avahn said as she and Ara approached from the house. "They're nothing but data to people on the outside, and many players still refuse to accept that they're anything but code."

"Nyi don't think nyany nyof these people will survive."

[I don't think any of these people will survive.]

Ara said sadly. She'd made friends with many NPCs over the years and was going to miss many of them.

"I know, but it's not like we can do anything." Alveron said as he hopped onto the ground. "We can't just magically take them back to Earth with us." He couldn't even imagine where to begin with such a thing.

"So what are you two going to do once we get back?" Shiru asked the two cats. "Don't you live pretty far away from each other?" Avahn was from overseas, while Ara was from Yokohama. From what Avahn said, she was in Tokyo to play the game, so it would probably be hard to meet up quickly.

"I don't want to think about it." Avahn's face grew dark. "There are too many problems with going back. So I'm just not going to think about it." She had her own host of reasons why returning was undesirable, and going back most likely meant pain and suffering for the Demon cat.

"Please don't do anything stupid." Shiru glared at her. "I don't care how miserable you are. I don't need to find out that one of my friends took their own life!"

"No promises." Avahn shrugged.

"Nyu nyan't hurt nyurself. Meowhat will nyi do nyen nya~?"

[You can't hurt yourself. What will I do then?]

Ara didn't want to imagine her girlfriend disappearing like that and poked her in the side to show her displeasure.

"Nyi'll comewn nyand find nyu, so just wait."

[I'll come and find you, so just wait.] Ara's glare told Avahn that she'd find a way to make her miserable if she took her own life.

"Because it's you, I'll hang in there." Avahn gave a defeated smile. "Just don't take too long, my little kitty." She scratched Ara's ears, which made her coo.

"Are you going to go back to school?" Alveron asked Shiru. She'd grown ever more fond of plants during her time in FWO, and so he figured she'd want to study that back on Earth.

"That would be ideal yes, though right now I have no idea exactly how things will go." Shiru sighed. "I suspect we'll be in recovery for quite some time, especially as our bodies will have atrophied to a severe degree.

"Oh yeah..." Alveron forgot about that part. "It's gonna suck being trapped in a hospital bed."

"And being fed nothing but liquid or mushy meals." Shiru's face turned sour as she imagined that hell.

{Last time I was in the hospital, the food made me sick...} (Shiru)

"Guys! It's ready!" As they discussed their post-FWO plans, Daikael called out to them. "My supreme Totally Going to Reach the Skybox 9000 is done!" She was covered in dirt and oil and had a makeshift parachute slapped onto her back

"Ah yes, the next edition..." Alveron sighed. "Does this one at least explode in a nice fireball upon coming back down?" He liked the explosion when 5000 hit a tree.

"Please don't blow up my trees, again..." Shiru shook her head.

"Ah, who cares." Daikael smiled. "This world's gonna go woosh in a bit anyway, so who cares if I burn a few trees down?"

"I just... fine..." Shiru waved her hand and told her to just get it over with.

"I honestly hope you manage to pull this off, just so we can see something stupid." Avahn laughed. "Maybe you'll get stuck in the skybox!"

"I hope so! That would be cool!" Daikael laughed.

"Bug hunting meow~!" Ara's streamer instinct kicked in and her tail started flicking back and forth as she imagined all the exploits such a thing might bring.

"Gather around!" Daikael called them over to the upright rocket, which had a seat strapped on the side. "Today marks our furthest accent yet! I shall reach the edge of known space!"

{More like the fucking invisible wall of DOOM.} (Alveron)

"Better make this quick, it looks like they nearly have Serval dead." Avahn said as she checked global chat. "Get going, you nutty fox. At least if you pull this off, you can tell your CO back home that you should get an astronaut badge or whatever they give them."

"Don't talk about him..." Daikael's ears drooped. "He's going to kick my ass when we get back... I just know it..." Moving away from the depressing topic, she hopped onto the rocket and began all final checks.

"Gloves. Check. Hats. Check." Daikael started listing off all the things she needed.

"Underwear!" Ara called out something silly to throw her off.

"Ummm." Daikael moved her pants aside a bit to double-check if she had any. "Check!"

{I hate that she needed to check...} (Shiru)

After making sure she had everything, Daikael began pushing buttons on a remote control, and the rocket began to emit smoke from its thruster.

"Alright, that's everything! Time to fly!" She slapped her goggles over her eyes and pushed the big red button on the remote, and after a ten-second countdown the rocket ignited and she took off upwards.

"LET'S GOO!!" Daikael flew into the air at high speed, as the rest of the Misfit's looked on.

"I wonder if it's going to explode like that last one?" Alveron asked Shiru.

"I hope so..." Shiru laughed. "At least that way we can end FWO with a bang!" She made a very bad pun and everyone else, just shook their heads in disapproval.

{OH SO WHEN YOU IDIOTS MAKE A BAD JOKE ITS FINE, BUT WHEN I DO IT'S NOT?!? I SEE HOW IT IS! At least Avahn has my back!} (Shiru)

"WEEEEE!" Daikael screamed out as she flew upwards into the sky, she'd made several changes to this version of the rocket, and based on her calculations, she was sure this would reach the skybox. "COME ON YOU BASTARD! GO! GO! GO!" As she began climbing higher and higher into the sky, she was greeted by a system message.

*DING*

Congratulations players!

The World Boss Serval has been defeated.

With his defeat, all ten World Bosses in Free World Online have been defeated!

*Calculating Statistics*

The defeat of the World Boss Serval resulted in the death of eight players.

This brings the total number of players currently within FWO to 1,047 out of the original 3,000.

"What?!? NO!" Daikael cried out in protest. "I need more time!" The message then began listing off various statistics. "Yes!" She continued to climb as the voice listed off names and records, and eventually, she could see some kind of strange red lettering approaching from the distance.

"THERE IT IS!" Daikael cheered as the rocket approached the skybox, which said No Entry in red letters across it as she got closer, but her joy was short-lived.

With a total of 1,047 out of 3,000 players remaining this rounds to a 35% survival rate and enables 100 players to receive the final reward!

Congratulations to those who have survived my game and congratulations to those award winners!

As promised all surviving players will be logged out, thank you for playing Free World Online and I look forward to seeing your futures!

"No, wait! I haven't hit it yet." The world around her started to go white, and just before she would've collided with the skybox, everything stopped and she found herself in a hospital bed.

"Nooooo..." Daikael let out a weak cry as she was robbed of her dream of crashing into the skybox.

{Damn you... I was so close...} (Daikael)

_____________________________________________________________________________

In the aftermath of FWO, each of the Misfits were surprised to find that they'd retained their in-game bodies and powers. As the days post-awakening turned into weeks, they each came to understand their unique position as 'returnees.' Naturally, Daikael was wanted by the U.S. Military, mostly for study. However, they were never given the chance, for the moment the fox was healthy enough to move on her own, she bolted from the hospital, leaving a note behind telling her CO that she quit.

Avahn was probably the happiest of the bunch, for she was ecstatic to keep her new body, though her relationship with her family proved to be problematic. As she waited in the hospital and thought about what to do next, she was surprised to find Daikael had arrived at her location. She had no clue how the fox found her but was unable to pass up her offer to flee together. Over the coming weeks and months, Avahn put her power to good use, becoming a powerful Yakuza boss, and took over a number of different crime syndicates within Tokyo. Though she quickly ran into an issue, when an all too familiar Red Haired Cat came knocking at her door.

Ara was probably the most confused and energetic of all the Misfits upon her awakening. Not only could the hospital staff not understand her cat speak, but they didn't have much time to figure things out as she fled from them several days after awakening after figuring out she could use her inventory and proceeded to chug a potion which restored her body to full health. Zipping around Japan at high speed, she eventually found Avahn after rumors of a Demon cat running criminal dealings in Tokyo spread around. She was annoyed at her girlfriend for turning to a life of crime but was quickly subdued by promises of high-quality meat and other food from her operations.

Alveron was a very strange case upon awakening. Being much too small for the helmet, he found himself trapped under the hospital sheets and nearly thrown in the wash before his pleas were heard. Unlike most of his compatriots, he happily waited in the hospital until he was cleared to leave, though the fact that Shiru was also in the same location meant he had little reason to try and flee.

Shiru upon awakening, was overwhelmed with a cacophony of nature that surrounded her. It was quickly apparent to her that something was wrong, and it didn't take long for her to understand that she'd retained her powers and inventory. After she and Alveron were cleared to leave the hospital, the two of them flew to an area North East of Kyoto. It was a mountainous nature preserve and a place that Shiru had visited several times with her family as a child. The two built a small home together and began passing the time growing vegetables and conducting magical experiments. Just as she promised, Shiru went back to school, remotely and has been working on two separate degrees in biology. Though she doubts that she'll ever use them.

As time went on, the other members of the Misfits found their way to Shirus and Alveron's mountain home, and the gang was reunited at last. Things quickly settled into something resembling their time in the Silka Forest, until a certain Demon came knocking. Not wanting to anger the most dangerous being on the planet, they agreed to work with her and provide things that she needed from time to time, and in exchange she'd allow them to do as they pleased with that area of land.

Life on the mountainside seemed to be quite peaceful, and life was a slow but happy one as the Misfits enjoyed themselves and their newfound freedom.

"I still can't believe Akagi caught Silfana and made her wear something like that." Shiru giggled as she cooked a big batch of pork tonkotsu ramen for dinner. "That outfit was kind of cute though."

"It was funny, that's for sure." Alveron was kept away from the giant pot and was firmly planted on the dinner table. "I'd say she deserved that kind of punishment at a minimum after everything she did."

"The fact that she wasn't just killed by Akagi was already a surprise, but this was defiantly more entertaining." Daikael laughed as she sat drafting up notes for her cloning technology. Imp had taken to the idea quite well and the two were making rapid advancements, and both figured it would only be a few years until Daikael had her own clone wife.

"Too bad nyit wasn't nya kitty nyonyesie meow~!"

[Too bad it wasn't a kitty onesie!] Ara giggled as she was pet by Avahn.

"I kinda want to fight her though! Do you think Akagi would let me?" Avahn didn't get much of a duel with Silfana at Hassan and was hoping for a proper match.

"Maybe." Shiru said as she put a lid on the pot. "But that's something you're going to have to ask our resident evil overlord." She shrugged.

"Nyi think nyavahn will win, nyeasy peasy meow~!"

[I think Avahn will win, easy peasy!] Ara was confident that her angry kitty would defeat the Vampire in a duel.

As the five of them sat around the dinner table and discussed various things, the front door was kicked open.

"Good Afternoon, everyone!" Akagi's smiling face greeted the Misfit's and all their hair stood on end.

"H-Hello..." Shiru greeted her but had a bad feeling.

"So do I have something exciting for you all!" Akagi continued to smile as she walked into the kitchen.

"E-Exciting?" Alveron asked quietly, as he too had a bad feeling.

"Yeah! How would you all like to fight Serval?" Akagi asked with a terrifying smile, and none of them answered her. "What's that? You're raring to go? Well far be it from me to deny such wonderful people their heart's desire." Her smile curved into a smirk. "So let me fill you in on the details."

And that is the story of how the Misfits willingly volunteered of their own free will to fight the Emerald Dragon Emperor Serval.