"Not all jokes are funny; there are jokes that can hurt someone even if it meant nothing to you"
NINTH'S / ALEXUS PAVETT'S POV
D*mn! What a crybaby! Did I do something, and why is this one crying? Maybe she forgot we are still playing, and we are in a critical stage? Sh*t always happens, but I never thought that it would happen right in this perilous situation. I don't know why she's getting on my nerves. Just when I see her being weak and doubtful of what we're about to do, I yell at her. I am displeased by her weakness. How can you not get angry when weight is pulling you away from winning?
This girl, Sixzen, was not like this before. She's wicked, tricking our team like Sectwen in the water category. She annoys me now that this is not the Sixzen that I want to play this game with. She has become the total opposite of the Sixzen I knew. It must be her memories acting up. Good thing, I'm in control of this game; if not, we'll surely lose this.
I am a solid gamer, so there is a good chance that I will win. I am someone who you called a rage quitter, but the thing is, I only rage but don't quit easily whenever I want something so badly. Yeah, that sounds braggy, but that's me.
"Get up! I'm going to use that firepower when that thing is ready." I commanded her. She's testing my patience.
She didn't say a word because she couldn't do anything about it. I'll keep controlling her until we beat and win this virtual game. I also don't like her for choosing this crappy game. If only I could choose, I would play 'The Zombie Catastrophe'. Aside from being a horror/thriller maniac, I heckin' love bloody and spine-chilling wars. This one's cheap, I can't feel the thrill of it. She's the only one who's thrilled because she's scared of every move I make her do... which reminds me of someone.
I have a little sister, she's 11, and she is supposed to be 12 right now. She's afraid of almost everything. I always make fun of her because I want to see her cry and scream for Mom's help. She's a mommy's girl, and I'm daddy's boy. Even though she has grown, she's still very childish, and I love teasing her because of that. I am known in school. I attended this school because almost all my boy grade school classmates and schoolmates went to that public school.
One day, a parents' meeting. I didn't expect my naughty little sister to come. She said she wanted to see my new school, which is my current public school. I didn't do anything because she was already at school, I just ignored her.
"Alexy!" Ah, here we go again. Her and her endearment—no, this is how she teases me because she wishes to have an older sister rather than an older brother.
She ran closer to me. Mom is still in the meeting, so she went out to meet me.
"Brother, this is your card. Look, you have a lot of bad grades."
Ah, sh*t. Her voice echoed throughout campus, even in open spaces. I covered her gassy mouth. I looked around, and everyone was staring at us. When I stared back at them, they went on with what they were doing, and some murmured. I removed my hand from her mouth. Why did she come along? And mom even let her. I was just planning to go out of school to get some fresh air when I heard her voice again. I ran so fast that she could no longer follow me. I am now teasing her to chase me because she's stubborn. I crossed the road to the school. I looked at my back, and she was still on the other side of the road.
"Oh, what's wrong, little sis? Can't cross the road, eh?" I made fun of her. She looks problematic while standing there. Haha, now you can't chase me from there.
"Brother Alexy, help me here!" And now she's asking me to help her cross after all the mockery that she made of me.
"Help yourself there! You're no longer a kid. You should be able to cross." I turned my back on her and grabbed some street food in front of me when I heard a sudden crash. She died.
It was meant as a joke. I would just tease her and make her tired of chasing me. I'll just finish my food in a bit, but all it took was a second of negligence that stole her life. Not all jokes are funny; there are jokes that can hurt someone even if they meant nothing to you.
"Ahhh!" She's screaming again.
My trance returned when I saw Sixzen's life percentage was only 5%! Oh crap! How long did I space out? To make me forget the dramatic flashbacks I had, I continued controlling her to regain her life percentage, but fate is playful! I already used the trump card. Now, only basic tools can be used.
We cannot die like this... We won't die like this. She is bleeding severely, and her clothes are torn. She is sitting down and weakening, while the robot that we can't knock down remains standing. Where am I missing out? I've used all the techniques I've learned in playing video games. This is supposed to be easier compared to the games I play.
"Game over," the game system spoke.
No! This is not happening!
I did everything I could to retrieve the game, but it was hopeless. Damn it! We lost the game!
"Alexus..." Sixzen is still speaking. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Because of me...w-we…"
She's crying again... Why is she such a crybaby? Will crying solve anything? What's wrong with her? N-No, what's wrong with me?
Sh*t! I felt a wet substance on my left cheek. Why am I crying too?! Is that why I've been angry with her? Because I see my little sister in her? She's a crybaby like her who depends a lot on me. She even called me by my name, and that reminds me of my sibling.
My hands clasped and slapped it on the table where the holographic monitor sat. I also punch hologram monitors like I'm crazy because you can't punch anything in a hologram. I'm not pissed because I lost. Not because I'm going to die. Not because I can't get my little sister back. It's because I can't even recognize the person who reminded me of my dearest sister.
I slammed the table in front of me. I adjusted my seat. I collected myself. I saw Sixzen's virtual body is now lifeless. I shudder at the mixed expression that dominates me. I closed my eyes and felt the air I was breathing on this planet. When I open my eyes, I am no longer in this world. I can no longer return to where I came from. After all, I'm the one who has a problem. I vented my frustrations onto Sixzen, so we lost. I am the one who lost the game. I sympathized with Sixzen's death. I wish I were the one in her position, like my little sister. I killed her... I also killed Sixzen.
History heckin' repeated itself. Nothing good comes out of my life. But when I heard Sixzen apologize to me, the hatred disappeared from my heart. It was like my little sister was speaking to me to finally forgive myself. Forgive me, little sis. Your brother Alexy is so stupid to be like this. I bet you're making fun of me from heaven while watching me look pathetic. I'm sorry too, Sixzen. My unnecessary emotions have eaten me up. This is supposed to be a pair's work, but I didn't even listen to you.
"You did well, Yriel."
I do not deserve to be a winner when I am a sore loser to begin with. I do not wish to bring my little sister back to life. She might suffer again from her terrible brother. There's no guarantee she will live a good life with me. The world is cruel enough, and I made it crueler for her. So, I'll join her instead.
I opened my eyes and wholeheartedly accepted the gift of destiny for me. I now finally face my retribution.
THIRD-PERSON'S POV
Second already knew the answer!
"The neck or the nape! That's his weakness," Second whispered with confidence to First.
First controlled her right away, and they targeted Zarod's neck or nape.
The eye is like a person's head. And then, instead of fingernails as one of Zarod's strong points, it is nails, as in construction nails. The nail's horizontal one or the head of the nail is a person's shoulder. The vertical one or the shank is the neck or nape. 'The bottom is its weakness', so the vertical is the weakness because that is the bottom.
They continue to attack, and Zarod dodges.
"13%!" First stated the percentage.
"Argh!"
They hit him in the nape!
Zarod sat down and lay down on the ground. It appears that he is in bad shape. He stumbled as he tried to compose himself. She approached him.
"Don't! We do not know what he's going to do to you," First warned her, so she avoided approaching Zarod.
He was coughing up blood and was very weak. She slowly approached him because he was pitiful. Even if he is a killer, she still has no right to judge him. He stared at her. His bright red eyes are gone and have gone back to deep brown. He looks so innocent.
"What now?" he stutters. Even though he was injured, the tone of his speech didn't change.
"We're sorry. We didn't want any of this," she muttered tearfully.
"Hmp," he scoffed. "Really?" Even though he was teasing, she could see the despair in his eyes.
"Why are you sad?"
"Hahaha!" He managed to laugh while he bled.
"Second, don't," First keeps on worrying.
"It's okay, First."
Second supported Zarod to lie down properly because she could see that he was really having a hard time.
"What are you doing?" Zarod is confused.
"You need to put your head on a soft surface." She laid him on her thigh.
"Do you know why?" Her attention returned to what he had asked. He turned his gaze around, looking above. "Because life here is boring. Yes, I'm just a virtual human made of technology. I was just made to be a game character. Everything here is virtual, the living and non-living. I don't like it here. It's depressing. I murdered because we weren't real, and we were just made for fun. So, when I found out that there was a real person who was going to play, I attacked you right away. I was eager to meet you. My excitement cannot contain that I nearly killed you right away. What do you look like, what kind of skin do you have, what is your voice, what are your feelings, and how do you guys think? I want to know all of these—what it feels like to be a real person."
"I see," So, that's what he feels and thinks about them.
"I prolonged the game by letting my clones play to have more interactions with you."
She didn't know, but her tears rolled down her cheeks at what he said as she just stared into his eyes, staring at her as well. Her tears kept falling down his cheeks.
"Are humans really like that? You're all too emotional?" She couldn't answer. She greatly empathizes with this virtual person. He coughed. "Of all my opponents, you are the worst." Does that make her a good opponent? "In my own accord, I'm not a murderer. The game made me be because this is how I was designed."
She wiped her tears. "I know. Even if you're a programmed character for this game, you're a good person." Then she gave him a sweet smile. Smile says your suffering is over. She doesn't know if a virtual person can feel the same way as the real ones. She knew there was warmth in his heart.
"Thank you," Zarod whispered before his last breath.
He disappeared from the world of the virtual game when his body glitched, and the game gradually took over his body.
It hurts to think that Second is downhearted by the loss of someone she met in a virtual game, even though she is the reason for it.
She stood up. The whole setting of this virtual reality game also glitched. She looked around. The people glitch and disappear. The structures, establishments, houses, trees, animals, and cars are starting to fade.