Riders of the Midnight Sun (f+/f+) Chapter 19 Posted 2023-04-23

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Post by Beaumains »

This story remains great. The world building is amazing. I loved the scene where Laura woke up in the underworld. The way how childlike innocence and true horror intertwine is very fun.

If I am honest, I am not so invested in any of the characters in particular, or the larger plotline. For me, the world building is what stands out, so I would love to see whatever you can come up with, and it will likely be great, no matter the characters involved. The Becky plotline is great, and the slow road to a successful escape would be a great read, but any strange adventures with Laura (in-game events, quests, her search for a role in this strange world) are also good. Myself, I would stay with one of these characters to keep the story somewhat together and not branch out to too many PoVs.
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Post by Mineira1986 »

Great stuff.

Though the girls were pretty confident that only Sweet Becky's cell was going to be inspected. Sounds like this isn't the first time something similar have happened. They could've checked all the cells and eventually found the key if they wanted to.

Other than that, great chapter.

As for the "real world" POV... I would go with Pretty Polly. She was a minor character at first, turned out to be more important. It'd be interesting to see her motivations and how the real world is affecting those. Another one would be Clever Anne, but I'm feeling she's still a minor character at the moment, so maybe not that interesting (right now).
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Post by BlissfulMisery »

Hey,

A bit of a transitionary/setup chapter, much like the last one at Fort Mallow. Wonder what you will come up with for the 'great escape', but I imagine it will be quite a scene of delightful chaos based on what has been teased so far.

Unsurprising that everyone seems to want in on the plan. Even besides the reason Orange Valencia gave, it is a chance for something more fun/interesting then sitting in a cell for days (nights technically I guess).
Mineira1986 wrote: 1 year ago Though the girls were pretty confident that only Sweet Becky's cell was going to be inspected. Sounds like this isn't the first time something similar have happened. They could've checked all the cells and eventually found the key if they wanted to.
Well, to be fair, from what was described, Sweet Becky's cell was the close one, and so the obvious choice. Plus she was clearly getting anxious, and probably figured she could get it out of Fancy Delilah faster then searching every nook and cranny of the cells (plus she is probably angry with the girl managing to get the upper hand on her). Besides, the key alone is not enough for an escape; they would simply be stopped (and increase their bounties further), so as of right now, the risk is more the embarrassment this causes for Happy Georgia.

As for the poll:

I will admit it is sometimes hard to follow the names as a lot of them get mentioned only a few times, and the names tend to blur together for me due to the naming scheme (but that is probably a personal problem), but Happy Georgia and Cloudy Edith's backstory sort of interests me, as they are both 'antagonist' characters. That sort of thing can go both ways I find.

Fancy Delilah has also become more and more involved in the story, and so it might be interesting to see more of her background as well.

Baby Valentina Quartz for similar reasons, but she was technically not one of the options, and I suspect she might get more 'in-game' development later, as she was just now properly introduced and did not do much in the scene she was in other then just observe in an aloof manner.

Ominous that Lady Maybelle is specifically not an option, because I would have definitely picked her. Based on that, I suspect she will also come up again later, perhaps directly interacting with Sweet Becky in some way, as so far Maybelle has been more of a 'scene setting' character, someone who is often present, but not often that directly involved.

Amusing how the votes seem to be very spread out so far... Probably does not help with picking who to focus on, but I think whoever ultimately ends up being chosen will be interesting to read about.
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Post by Shotrow »

[mention]Beaumains[/mention] Glad you're still enjoying it. Don't worry, I'm not planning on permanently switching POVs, this will be a single chapter vignette just like chapter 9.

[mention]Mineira1986[/mention] Yeah, as BlissfulMisery said, Sweet Becky's cell was the closest. I figured it would be unrealistic if Happy Georgia didn't immediately consider the possibility that Fancy Delilah threw the key somewhere, and Sweet Becky's cell might be the only one she could reach.

From Happy Georgia's point of view, there's no guarantee that searching the cells would have found the key. Fancy Delilah might have stashed it somewhere else, or even if it was in the cellblock, they prisoners might have just kept passing it between themselves as their cells were searched.

[mention]BlissfulMisery[/mention] Yeah, I think you got it right.

Ah, perhaps I should I have included descriptions along with the names. I don't think it's just you, I sometimes have trouble remember who's named what without looking at my notes. I also realized that I forgot to include Shy Sarah. So here are the options again:

-Happy Georgia (the prison guard at Fort Mallow)
-Pretty Polly (the pet thief in the first chapter, who helped Singing Laura at the saw mill)
-Fancy Delilah (the little girl in the call across from Sweet Becky)
-Cloudy Edith (the leader of the Summer Campers)
-Clever Anne (the owner of the ranch that Sweet Becky and Singing Laura are part of)
-Shy Sarah (the bounty hunter who captured Sweet Becky)
-Someone else- please specify

The votes are a bit spread out, but to be fair, only two people have voted so far.
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Post by Caesar73 »

Sorry, forgot to vote!

These are my choices;

Cloudy Edith (the leader of the Summer Campers)
-Clever Anne (the owner of the ranch that Sweet Becky and Singing Laura are part of)
-Shy Sarah (the bounty hunter who captured Sweet Becky)
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Post by boundfunrp »

Started reading this and very intrigued by the premise...
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Post by Mineira1986 »

BlissfulMisery wrote: 1 year ago Well, to be fair, from what was described, Sweet Becky's cell was the close one, and so the obvious choice. Plus she was clearly getting anxious, and probably figured she could get it out of Fancy Delilah faster then searching every nook and cranny of the cells (plus she is probably angry with the girl managing to get the upper hand on her). Besides, the key alone is not enough for an escape; they would simply be stopped (and increase their bounties further), so as of right now, the risk is more the embarrassment this causes for Happy Georgia.
Oh, I understand Happy Georgia's anxious reaction, I'm just saying she could've searched the other cells. Usually, when this kind of things happened (solely based in my knowledge from TV shows and movies), the guards do a more exhaustive search, not just two cells. Anyway, I was just mentioning it, don't have the intention of starting a discussion that will take the readers out of the story.

I keep my vote for Pretty Polly. A couple of chapters ago, I'd have gone with Shy Sarah as well, but now it seems she's faded into the background. But if it comes down to a tiebreaker, please consider my vote por Shy Sarah.
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Post by BlissfulMisery »

Mineira1986 wrote: 1 year ago
Oh, I understand Happy Georgia's anxious reaction, I'm just saying she could've searched the other cells. Usually, when this kind of things happened (solely based in my knowledge from TV shows and movies), the guards do a more exhaustive search, not just two cells. Anyway, I was just mentioning it, don't have the intention of starting a discussion that will take the readers out of the story.
True, but consider the fact that these are young girls messing around in 'the horse game'; not exactly professional guards that might have specific procedures they were trained to follow in such a situation. Plus this is ultimately play, although of course the line is (intentionally) quite blurred in this universe. Happy Georgia straight up messes with Fancy Delilah on purpose, which seems to have backfired in this case, something she would probably not have done if she were taking her duties completely seriously.

But you are generally right. I can certainly see the the arguments either way, and ultimately it is quibbling over a small detail; she could have easily searched the cells but failed to find the key for whatever reason. From a story/writing perspective, it would be strange to introduce the key and immediately have it be taken away and nothing come of it.
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Post by trainer »

Still loving this story!

I want to second a thought I read in one of the replies that it's the world-building here that is most awesome to read!

For my votes here you go:

-Pretty Polly (the pet thief in the first chapter, who helped Singing Laura at the saw mill)
-Fancy Delilah (the little girl in the call across from Sweet Becky)
-Shy Sarah (the bounty hunter who captured Sweet Becky)

As a side-note I do think some side-snippets with Shy Sarah capturing other criminals in world would be a lot of fun to read.
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Post by Shotrow »

Alright, it's probably about time to close voting.

No one voted on DA, so here are the results. Please let me know if I missed anyone or made any other mistakes.

Mineira1986 - Pretty Polly, Clever Anne
BlissfulMisery - Happy Georgia, Cloudy Edith, Fancy Delilah, Baby Valentina
Caesar- Cloudy Edith, Clever Anne, Shy Sarah
trainer - Pretty Polly, Fancy Delilah, Shy Sarah

Pretty Polly - 2 votes.
Clever Anne - 2 votes.
Cloudy Edith - 2 votes.
Fancy Delilah - 2 votes.
Shy Sarah - 2 votes.
Baby Valentina - 1 vote.
Happy Georgia - 1 vote.

Unfortunately, it seems there's no clear winner, so I'll choose myself from the 2-voters, I guess. Thanks for voting!
boundfunrp wrote: 1 year ago Started reading this and very intrigued by the premise...
Welcome! I missed your post, but glad to see a new reader.

[mention]BlissfulMisery[/mention] and [mention]Mineira1986[/mention] - I have to say, it felt pretty good to see you two discussing the story amongst yourselves.

@trainer and [mention]Caesar73[/mention] Thank you for continuing to read!
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Post by Mineira1986 »

Yet another plot twist to the votes :mrgreen:
Mineira1986 wrote: 1 year ago But if it comes down to a tiebreaker, please consider my vote por Shy Sarah.
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Post by Shotrow »

Ah, I guess that settles it then. Thanks! :D
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Post by AlexUSA3 »

I have read the first few chapters and need to get myself caught up on this one as it has so much promise going forward. :D
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Post by AlexUSA3 »

Shotrow wrote: 1 year ago Thanks for the comments everyone! I actually didn't intend for this to be a dystopian world, necessarily, but I can see how people see it that way. If anything, it was more an attempt to make a future world that's like the real world, which I guess shows my cynicism towards the real world.

I can't believe it's been three weeks since I posted a chapter. It's quite a relief to have a new one ready to go.
I am enjoying watching how you build this world, and unlike some other multi-part stories one can actually see a growth in the characters, whether it's learning a lesson from experience or improving their skills.

The "real world" parts are actually quite unnerving because what you describe in it isn't really too different from China does and what some "world leaders" want to do to people. Sad, but true. Klaus Schwab would approve.
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Post by Shotrow »

Hey guys. Sorry it's been awhile since my last activity, but hopefully that will change soon.

On the question of dystopia, let me just give my perspective. I of course did not intend for it to be a utopia, but I intended it to be understandable why the fictional society chose to evolve this way, and perhaps portray a system with more upsides than downsides. Our modern day society also requires people, especially kids, to obey rules and fulfill responsibilities, but tends enforce these by coercion and social pressure. I view replacing these things with positive reinforcement as a positive direction for society to evolve.

To understand my thinking, it might be good to read this essay by George Orwell. He brilliantly articulates why utopian writing generally fails to be compelling, showing that happiness is most believable when contrast exists. For that reason, I believe that an ideal society must be one that allows people to experience the full spectrum of human emotion. And what I tried to portray is a society that allows people to do so with minimal real world consequences.

There's also a quote from another George Orwell essay that I really love:

"In a society in which there is no law, and in theory no compulsion, the only arbiter of behaviour is public opinion. But public opinion, because of the tremendous urge to conformity in gregarious animals, is less tolerant than any system of law. When human beings are governed by ‘thou shalt not’, the individual can practise a certain amount of eccentricity: when they are supposedly governed by ‘love’ or ‘reason’, he is under continuous pressure to make him behave and think in exactly the same way as everyone else."

Polaris is, in my view, exemplifies the idea of a society of "thou shalt not." The rules only dictate peoples' actions, not their thoughts, feelings, personalities, or character. It is in fact a relatively individualist culture, willing to accept and celebrate differences. The system is willing to adapt to someone like Margarita, with life experiences and personality far outside the norm. Samson and Mia's cynical attempts to get ahead in unconventional ways are not punished or discouraged. Whatever other freedoms they may lack, the people in Polaris have what I view as the most important freedom: the freedom to be themselves.

So, for that reason, I don't view it as a dystopia. It's an imperfect society, like every society that has ever existed.

That said, that's just my point of view, and of course readers are welcome to have their own perspective on the events and themes of the work. I don't always agree with the viewpoints of the authors of every work I enjoy, and I don't expect my readers to do so either.
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Post by BlissfulMisery »

Interesting thoughts, so I suppose I will drop some of my own (and perhaps someone else might find them interesting as well).

On the subject of the first linked essay, I feel like one way to summarize the point is the concept of the 'hedonistic treadmill', ie the notion that when one's situation improves, the happiness that results from such only lasts a certain amount of time (I am sure we have all experienced this in our lives), until the brain effectively corrects and accepts this as the new norm. This goes both ways too, which is why people can become used to, and manage to emotionally endure, horrific conditions.

Evolutionarily this makes perfect sense, as this provides us with constant incentive to seek to improve our situation, which generally ends up to our advantage. But it also means the concept of a true utopia is essentially impossible - when all the obvious problems are addressed, we move on to other problems, even if they are lesser and lesser, and it will never stop, even after we have long passed the point of diminishing returns. Even in a utopia, we will find something to complain about, or, as is often depicted in such fiction, it is possible we might indeed become apathetic and uncaring, which would eventually lead to the collapse of the utopia as people no longer strove to maintain the system. In a way, one could argue we are always doomed to misery of one kind or another, and can only stave off such things on a fleeting, temporary basis. Such is our nature I suppose.

-

But to address the rest of the post:

I generally agree with [mention]Shotrow[/mention]'s point that this is 'just an alternative society' rather then intended as a dystopia.

I suppose this will veer slightly into 'politics', but it is hard to avoid given the subject matter is inherently political. I will try to keep it brief and inoffensive.

I think few people would disagree that our current society is deeply flawed in many ways. As Shotrow mentions, social norms are effectively enforced via bullying (it is an unflattering way to put it, but it is sort of true), something I think many people on this board might be familiar with. There are real world consequences to this, which cause emotional misery, and in some cases even suicides. In addition, economically, there is staggering inequality and exploitation of various people. There is much talk of freedom, but the truth is most people have almost no control over the circumstances of their lives - the difference between 'freedom from' versus 'freedom to'. While the former might sometimes be present (and even that depends heavily on exactly where one might live), the latter is usually almost non-existent outside of the upper social classes.

Obviously there is much more to dive into on all of those points, but I figure a basic summary is sufficient to make the general point.

Yet there is the almost instinctive desire - because we have been conditioned think so pretty much from birth via both the education system and simple peer pressure/group mentality - to defend this obviously imperfect system, and to claim that 'there is no better system'. Effectively a large scale example of default bias/status quo bias. It is almost akin to putting our fingers in our collective ears and trying wait for all the problems to magically go away. Is the system depicted in Polaris 'the solution'? Hard to say, since we do not have all that many details on the world. But to simply automatically discard the notion without even considering it seems like a mistake born of being too comfortable with what we have grown used to, and the reasoning generally comes down to a few things we might disagree on a social level.

But back in the day it was considered perfectly normal to (for example, many other systems have existed of course) have an all powerful monarch with a supposed divine right to rule, with dissent from this prevailing notion being highly frowned upon, if not outright dangerous. Yet we would scoff at such a notion today as archaic. Even outside of politics, society changes over time. Social norms, gender roles ect have shifted and changed drastically over time, and what we consider 'normal' today would have been considered utterly alien during other periods in history.

The point of (proper) science fiction is to utilize the often fantastical premises get us to challenge such pre-conceived notions about society, politics, morality ect. And I think this story follows in those footsteps.
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Post by Shotrow »

Insightful as always, BlissfulMisery. There's definitely a lot more to be said about these topics. I think you've correctly identified that there is a bit of a status-quo bias to overcome when we look at any other hypothetical society. Not just when looking towards the future, but also when looking towards the past. As you touched on, it's pretty hard for us to understand why historical feudal societies operated the way they did. It's good that fiction can help us see things from other points of view.
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Post by Mineira1986 »

I'm just going to drop my 2 cents to support my claim that this looks like a dystopian story.

While the Happy Trails world looks like it gives the participants a big sense of freedom, which include stealing, assaulting, capturing and even gaining money from the game, I'm gonna go with a false sense of freedom.

One, the players cannot stop playing. As stated in chapter 2, there's no "log off" button. So once they're experiencing something "not nice", they're stuck. So hey, did another player tie you up and gag you? Too bad, have to stay that way. Oh, that happened at the start of today's session? Sucks to be you, you'll have to spend eight to ten hours like that until the session ends.

Two, the players must log in every night. Why do every girl return after a session in where they were captured? Doesn't make much sense to log in a game just to be sitting in a cell for 10 hours doing nothing. Specially at Fort Mallow, why would any of the girls keep playing? Why not just stay out for a couple of days, or maybe until the sentence has passed? Unless... it's mandatory of course.

Three, it looks like most of the things going on are heavily controlled by AISPA. In the first chapter, Aziyah (Sweet Becky) gets tokens for things like "exercise, creative enrichment, hygiene, academic work, socialization". And that's to the very detail, such as "shower quota", "applying cream to the skin", "taking supplements". Sure, one may decide not to do it, but then again... they have to play. And those tokens are the currency in the Happy Trails world. Without them, you're pretty much stuck in Singing Laura's rookie robe and a horse that cannot outrun anybody.

So, at least for the girls in the story, the thing is "dear teen, you have this world where you can do whatever you like. You cannot hurt but each other. Alas, if you want to progress, you must do as we say in real life. And no, you cannot avoid this world. You'll have to visit it every single night."

This may look as a positive reinforcement, in contrast to nowadays enforcement. But it doesn't mean it's not dystopian. Trying to not spoil this for anybody, for example, in the book The Giver, many aspects of society controlled by the government, and in some way it looks like a positive thing:
- People will get a job according to their abilities and skills, so we avoid unemployment here, and also unhappy and depressing jobs.
- People will get a spouse that is right for them, so we avoid unhappy relationships, domestic violence.
- People will get a child if they are prepared to raise a child, so we avoid child abuse, and adults not ready for parenthood.
However, for people who have read the book, in the end it wasn't all perfect, was it?

The same could be said about this story's world. Essentially, the government (AISPA is presented by the National Department of Health and Human Services) is teaching the teenagers to obey and follow all the rules, rules that go to the very detail of pretty much every aspect of their (real) lives, in exchange for more resources in a virtual world. That's got to raise some "dystopian" flags.

I'm not saying the story has to focus on that aspect, as it's clear it won't go that way. But it does seem that many readers will get the idea that it's set in a kind-of-dystopian world, even if that won't change through the story, and even if that setting is only there for the story to make sense.

Looking forward to the next chapter! =)
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Post by Shotrow »

Interesting point about the game being mandatory. That is, of course, a contrivance necessary to make the story work, but it also touches on the themes we've been discussing.

The game wouldn't be as exciting, to either the players or the audience, if the players could just opt out of all the bad parts. The fact that the game is mandatory requires them to be invested in the world, and ultimately makes it feel more "real" and rewarding.

I don't think that makes it more dystopian than a society that requires kids to attend school where they might be bullied.

As for the comparison to The Giver, probably best if I address that privately to avoid spoilers. Another possible comparison is Black Mirror's episode 15 Million Merits, which I rewatched recently.
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Post by AlexUSA3 »

I hate to go down this road, but I think it is helpful. Keep in mind, I am talking about a world much before Orwell but one in which the world of today was predicted. I am speaking of England between the Victorian Era and World War II, the world of Chesterton, the man who predicted before his death in 1936 that WWII would begin in Poland and that Germany would commit genocide against the Jews.

To apply Chestertonian logic here would conclude:
1. Anything that is coerced is inherently dystopian.
2. Anything in which the government is monitoring people in day-to-day life is inherently dystopian (e.g. the government knows they brush their teeth).
3. Anything in which behavior is deemed by the government as "good" or "bad" is dystopian.
4. It is dystopian to say behavior is bad in one place but good in another. People are stalked by drones and body chips in life to make sure they obey Big Brother's every command, but they are free to find ways to kidnap, rob, and murder in the game. That's like the government making it illegal to eat cheese on Tuesday but legal on Wednesday.

The world is inherently benevolent in that:
1. Margarita can go to a school she wants because it has the educational opportunities she and/or her family wants for her.
2. People can transfer to a different game if they wish.
3. There are legal ways to make extra money, and innovation is encouraged.
4. The government understands the physical and mental needs of people and has good-will in its solution even if its solution is flawed.

The thing that to me proves the world is not purely dystopian and is merely flawed is that we sadness that the one character's mother (I forget which character) is dead. It proves that there is still some free will in some very important aspects of the society.
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Post by acetic »

Great story!

Looks like it's too late to vote now, but I'm really interested in what Fancy Delilah and Wild Nellie are like in the real world.
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Post by Shotrow »

(Me and Alex and the others involved continued the conversation privately, so that's why I'm not responding to their post right now.)

[mention]acetic[/mention] - Always a pleasure to see a new reader! As you said, it's too late to be counted, but I'm glad to hear the interest in those characters anyway.
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Post by Shotrow »

Chapter 19
Deirdre felt disoriented. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to hopping between worlds so casually, nor for the eerie feeling of refreshment she felt upon waking. Her hand fumbled for the latch on her sleep pod, and she swung her body onto the carpeted floor.

Deirdre took a moment to collect herself and remember what she was supposed to do next. She padded into the tiny bathroom attached to her bedroom. The mirror showed a bright red notice that was becoming familiar to her.

WARNING: No camera module detected. Evidence of task completion cannot be recorded.

Your privacy is important to us. Any footage collected by this AISPA smart mirror is reviewed only by image-processing software for the purpose of providing a more accurate assessment of your grooming routine. While participation in the personal grooming module of the AISPA program is optional, we would hate to see you miss out on valuable rewards due to a non-functioning camera system.

Please schedule an appointment with a qualified technician at your earliest convenience if this problem persists. Contact AISPA support with any questions or concerns.


Deirdre dismissed this notice as she had on the other days. Her mirror's camera module was not only deactivated but obscured under a textile covering advertised to be opaque to most sensor technology. Being recorded in the bathroom was one aspect of Polaris culture that Deirdre's family was not quite ready to adopt.

Her eyes glazed over as she scrolled past the usual fluff news pieces simplified to her age level. The events she was reading about didn't seem real to her. Deidre had been warned that some dissociation was to expected within the first few weeks of Free Play. She wondered if she was experiencing this now or if her mind was simply preoccupied with the burden she had just agreed to take up in-game.

"Can you show me any news about Happy Trails?" she asked hopefully.

The mirror was only connected to a specific news service and not to the net as a whole. For that reason, its offerings on Happy Trails were somewhat limited. Nevertheless, the mirror was soon covered with a smattering of articles. Deirdre could see that most of them were about the various equestrian sports the game offered… score tables, interviews with champions, and the like. Unfortunately, those didn't particularly interest her at the moment. Deirdre had looked forward to competing in the sports once she had sufficiently mastered the riding mechanics, but at that time, her mind was on other matters.

She went about grooming herself with one hand while swiping past article after article with the other. Deirdre had just about given up on finding anything useful when her eyes suddenly rested on a phrase she recognized in the title of an article dated a few years back.

Inside Fort Mallow, Happy Trails' New Virtual Property Up For Auction

Deirdre immediately began reading the article with interest. Happy Trails had clearly gone through some changes since the article was written, giving it an almost uncanny feeling. The article was accompanied by a few in-game pictures, most notably of the salmon-colored Fort itself, and yet there was something off about them. Deirdre wondered if Happy Trails had gone through some graphical changes since the shots were taken or if it was simply that sacrifices had to be made in transferring dreams to images.

Deirdre was all too well aware that Happy Trails had existed long before she joined, but she hadn't fully appreciated how much history she had missed out on. The girls' outfits in the photos looked so basic compared to the ones she had seen in the game. Deirdre realized that she wouldn't have looked too out of place in her beginner's tunic in these old photos.

But what really fascinated her were the follow-ups about the family that ended up buying the property.

---

"You don't have to meet me here every day. I know where the station is," Lee said.

"I don't mind. It's on my way," answered his sister, Mirabelle.

The only sound was the footsteps of the two siblings. School had been dismissed over an hour ago, and the other kids in Lee's after-school classic video game club had already left.

"No, it's not," Lee retorted, "If you get off the train here, they charge you for two trips, not one."

"We can afford it."

Lee sighed. That wasn't really the point. It wasn't that he didn't like seeing her. She was the closest family she had. They weren't biological siblings. Or even step-siblings, really, as that would require their parents to be married. Like everything else about them, the relationship between Lee's mom and Mirabelle's mom was complicated, chaotic, and unstable.

"We're on our own for dinner tonight," Mirabelle explained to her brother.

"What a surprise…"

"It's ok. I was thinking we could order drone delivery. I got another gift code from you-know-who."

Lee gave his sister a look. He did not, in fact, know who. Lee had never met them or spoken to Mirabelle's black market connection. All he knew was that Mirabelle had been engaging in illegal in-game real-money trading again.

Mirabelle only gave her brother a confident smirk in return. Lee didn't dare confront her about the risk she was taking in earshot of the drones. They weren't supposed to have the capability to monitor conversations, but Lee wasn't convinced. Instead, he quickened his pace and diverted the conversation to lighter topics. The two siblings discussed the day they had and their progress toward their respective AISPA goals the entire train ride back to the apartment block where they both lived.

Once they were safely inside the apartment where Lee lived with his mom, Mirabelle placed the order through her a tablet hanging by the front door.

"I don't really see the big deal about this," Mirabelle said, noting Lee's slightly disapproving look. "If being good at real-world stuff gets you in-game rewards, why shouldn't it work the other way? How is it fair that my free-play skills are only good for free-play stuff while other people live good lives in both worlds?"

"I think… isn't the idea that the free-play rewards are supposed to make you work harder in the real world? Doing it the other way kind of defeats the purpose…" Lee's heart wasn't really in what he was saying. By now, his stomach was growling, and it was becoming difficult to maintain his principles in the face of a hot fresh meal.

"So what did you do to earn this?" Lee asked curiously as the two of them sat down to unpack their meal.

"Oh, you should have seen me. I had to track down this girl halfway across the continent and bring her back before the reset. There were barfights and wolves, and bandits…"

Lee listened spellbound as Mirabelle gave him a blow-by-blow account of her free-play adventures. With his stomach full and his imagination fired up, all the stresses of his life just seemed to melt away for a time.

"I really wish you could join me in Happy Trails sometime," Mirabelle finished wistfully, "I know how those girls can be but… you know I would protect you, don't you?"

"I know. You always do," Lee answered, "But I feel better knowing that for a few hours a day, you don't have to."

---

"We spotted three more Ottoman planes last night. Kazuo thinks they've set up an airbase somewhere in the archipelago," announced Gabe as he sat sideways with his knees bent and his feet against the loveseat armrest, a tablet resting on his thighs.

"Sounds like it," agreed Ben from the couch set perpendicular "But if they're still searching by air, that means they haven't realized that the entrance to the Kaiser's tomb is underwater. We still have our lead."

"Yeah, but we better explore it soon. You up for taking the boat out tonight?"

"Can't. Mom's making me transfer to Happy Trails, remember?" answered Ben, "My application goes through tonight. You and Kazuo can go."

"Oh yeah, I remember now. Well, if we manage to find the scepter and send it back to Tokyo, you can help us choose the reward when you get back."

"Thanks. Wish I could go with you."

"Well, at least you'll get to see the Fort again," responded Gabe sympathetically, "It is kind of fun getting to boss around all those girls, isn't it?"

Ben grimaced. There was a time when he also enjoyed the fawning attention he and his brothers got every time they visited their mother's property in Happy Trails. But lately, the idea had started to lose some of its charm. "I guess…" he agreed reluctantly, "But doesn't it feel a bit… wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Gabe asked in genuine confusion, "Mom says it's ok… and it's not like the girls have to be there. It's just the price they pay for being part of Mom's awesome Fort…"

Before Ben could respond, his mother's voice cut through the room like a knife. "Ben, you missed out on all the fun last night. If you had started your transfer application sooner, you could have been there," she chided.

"Mom, I sent it as soon as you told me you were sending that Sarah girl after her two days ago." Ben answered evenly, "And we only found out that she succeeded yesterday." As soon as it was clear that the conversation was directed at Ben, Gabe had taken his tablet and scampered off.

"Well, I can't always predict when I'll need you back at the Fort. I can't do everything myself, you know. If you boys would spend more time there, we could… "

"Well… what can I do? The AISPA guidelines say that kids my age shouldn't spend too much of their free play with their caretakers…" Ben answered hesitantly. Of course, his mother knew this. There was a good chance she was the one who wrote that guideline.

"I'm just saying that we're going to have a lot of catching up to do tonight. And you should be more excited. Don't you want to take your revenge on that girl who harassed and humiliated us?"

Ben didn't, especially, but he knew it was the wrong answer to say so. "Yeah, I guess so… I just kind of don't want to think about…" His hopes of bringing the conversation to a swift end faded quickly as he realized she would not let this go.
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Beaumains
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Post by Beaumains »

Nicely written as always, and these out-of-game chapters always hit home hard. It is great science fiction, and I love your exploration of the real-life psychological consequences of the in-game choices. I am curious what you have mind when you add a bunch of boys to the world of youthful Amazons.
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trainer
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Post by trainer »

Love the extra world-building! Happy to see you've had time to post too :D
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