I sat down and collected my thoughts. Something weird was going on, but I had no idea what. Between the way the lady acted when we talked to her about the new game suit and the way the guards were treating us, I was feeling uneasy. Add to it my father's words and warning, I was downright concerned.
Why would my dad not want me to play in the new league? Every bit of information that we received so far made it sound awesome. What could possibly be the drawback to cause so much concern?
Chapter Twenty-Six
I had fully intended to say something to my friends. But their overflowing enthusiasm for the new league made it difficult to bring up the subject. They all looked so happy. I couldn't bring myself to raise doubt when it was just a bad feeling.
Some details came in regarding our first mission in the new league. It was kind of boring, but it would give us a chance to acclimate to the new game. Rhese didn't seem all that surprised by the simplicity considering the circumstances. They always dumbed down the games when a rookie was involved. Now that our skill points had been wiped out, all of us were essentially rookies.
Each team would play their inaugural mission alone. There wouldn't even be any non-playing characters. Just three artifacts to collect and forty targets to shoot. It would be a race against the clock to give the teams their initial ranking before head-to-head matches began.
Two of the artifacts would be in nearby towers. The third would be hidden in the central structure that was surrounded by water. Finding a way across that natural barrier was part of the challenge, evidently.
The forty targets were scattered across the nearest half of the battlefield and were represented by glowing crystals. Some could be seen from a distance while others needed the player to get up close to even find them. It was a good way for us to learn our new arena that would be the permanent playing area for all future games.
None of us would be armed to start the mission. With no opponents that wasn't too shocking. At the start of the game the position of three ballistic pistols would be revealed, as well as a sniper rifle that only held ten rounds. The handguns had sixteen each and there would be no additional ammunition supplied. That gave us just fifty-eight shots to strike forty targets. Accuracy would be key. It was motivation to get close enough to each one to avoid wasting precious ammo. Each target remaining due to a lack of firepower would apply a penalty to our clocked time.
At the end of each mission, we would be able to keep the weapons claimed, just like in Skotopia. Our arsenal would grow quickly, I imagined. And everything gained would be for the team to use as they saw fit. There wasn't any talk so far about how we would progress individually. Or the importance of performing well. Could we still get kicked out of this new league and sent down to Athlios for a mediocre life at best? There had to be some sort of motivation. If not negative, then there should be rewards for winning.
Our avatar appearance would match the new hook-up units exactly. Holster and weapon slots appeared to be just like the ones we saw in the fitting room. Panels could be applied to the exterior over time to improve shielding against taking damage in the games. Some might also be decorative by the looks of the instructions. There were samples with sections that looked like bare skin. That was similar to the appearance that they set us up with in Skotopia.
The map wasn't showing complete detail yet, and that was okay. Learning all the paths and hiding spots would be part of the fun. Spreading out during our first mission would help us achieve our objectives faster. Afterwards we could share with each other what we had learned. Probably the computer would show details on the map after one of our players discovered them. Like a fog of war being removed in the explored areas of a strategy game.
"No health packs in this first game," Memphis mentioned.
"No need," Rhese replied immediately. "There are no opponents."
"Yeah, we've heard that before," Zaya said.
I hadn't considered that possibility. "Do you think they'll add bad guys without telling us? In our very first game?"
"Maybe," Zaya answered. "This first mission seems too gentle to me."
"What happens if one of us gets eliminated?" Memphis asked. "Is there a penalty?"
"There is no mention of it," Rhese told her.
We continued to scour the information provided for more than two hours, eating as we got hungry. During that time Memphis had not been giving me as much physical attention as I was getting accustomed. It was nice to see her so focused on our next mission. She did recently mention that my arrival and subsequent friendship has given her motivation to be a better player.
Once there was nothing left to gleam from the mission reveal, and all side conversations faded, Memphis and I went to the sofa. It was our favorite spot so far. Where our most meaningful discussions had taken place, as well as physical advancements in our relationship. The night before we were so hesitant in bed that we barely made contact. Proximity in the intimate zone was enough for our first time sleeping together.
Memphis pulled my arm up to place around her shoulders as she laid her head against my chest. We were holding hands nearly non-stop lately, and that certainly continued while on the couch.
Zaya and Rhese played a comical arcade battle game on the table during our absence. The occasional glances that they gave us had me wondering if we should be spending more time with them. Now that we were free to go into each other's quarters Memphis and I could do most of our coupling up out of their view.
"Will I be sleeping in your bed again tonight?" Memphis asked, as if reading my mind.
"I'd like that."
"Me, too," she said. "Are there any new things that we should be doing this time around?"
I instinctively stiffened. Not necessarily in fear. It was just a delicate and awkward conversation if she wanted to advance toward some kind of mating ritual. Sexual education was extremely limited in school and my parents didn't really supply much advice in that area. Teachers suggested that each couple find their own way in a manner that worked best for them. There was no right or wrong way to progress the physical relationship to that point.
Given a choice, I would prefer a step-by-step manual. Tell me exactly what to do and when. Pictures and detailed instructions would make me the most comfortable. Otherwise, I would constantly be thinking that I was messing things up. And letting Memphis down. I wanted to be everything that an adult boyfriend should be. And eventually a husband. But running down that path blindly was very scary to me.
"Relax," Memphis said. "I'm not talking about that stuff yet."
That was good news. Sort of. Slow and steady progress was my goal. Too slow could be just as bad as too fast, though. I didn't want to always be wondering if I was doing enough to keep her happy.
"What kind of things, then?" I asked.
"I don't know," she answered, her head still buried in my chest. No eye contact for this conversation was helpful to me. Maybe she knew that. "It's my first time too, Boone. But I can guess at the next steps."
When I didn't reply, she continued. "We could lay sideways front to back. The person in back would put their arm around the other."
"Spooning," I muttered.
Memphis finally looked up at me and smiled. "I thought you didn't know anything about these things."
"Well, I've heard about that much, at least."
"Good," she said, returning her head to my chest. "We can take turns spooning as we cuddle together. Maybe have our bodies in contact more often than last night. I'd like that."
"Me, too."
"Maybe just wear our underwear this time."
When I took a deep breath, she looked up at me again. I was nervous about keeping my body under control. I didn't want anything to happen that would embarrass me. If Memphis laughed about me in bed to the other girls that would absolutely crush my confidence.
"You don't want to see me in my underwear?" Memphis asked. She was smiling, but I could tell she was a bit worried that I didn't find her body attractive. I c
ouldn't imagine someone looking like her worrying about that, but I'd been told that physical appearance was a delicate situation for women. Even those strutting around confidently could be struggling with crippling insecurity.
When I thought about Memphis crawling onto the bed tonight in just her undergarments, I began to giggle nervously. I didn't want to, but I couldn't control it. I felt like a little schoolboy instead of an eighteen-year-old man.
Despite my nerdy behavior, Memphis’ face it up. She was excited to know that she had such an effect on me. She grabbed my face with both hands and planted a kiss on my lips.
Staring into my eyes, she said, "You can wear your clothes if you want. But I'm coming to bed in my undies tonight. Are you okay with that?"
I nodded my head in rapid fashion like a neck muscle was spasming. The love I saw in her eyes at that moment told me that maybe I couldn't mess things up with this girl after all. She was prepared to lead me along at a pace that was best for me. And I was extremely happy about that.
In the game I wanted to be more like Rhese and Zaya. Charging in confidently. Dominating the battle. Acting aggressively instead of reacting all the time. But in the bedroom, I was delighted to let Memphis lead me by the hand. In doing so, she was also leading me by the heart.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I woke up to use my bathroom while the lights were still low. Luckily, I wasn't too intertwined with Memphis and I was able to leave her sleeping as I took care of necessary business. The thin blanket had slid down while we were adjusting positions in our sleep to leave her shoulder and back exposed. I gently pulled the material up to cover her smooth bare skin.
She had slept in her underwear just as she had planned. Once under the blanket it didn't make much difference. I restricted my embrace to outside the cover. Her silk undies felt too much like touching her skin and I wasn't ready for that step just yet. Outside the blanket I was becoming comfortable with resting my hand on her hip or belly. That was progress to me.
When I returned from the toilet she was sitting on the side of the bed as the illumination slowly increased. "Good morning, Boone," she said through a yawn. Her hair was ruffled, but somehow looked amazing. The soft material of her sleepwear covered her private regions adequately but did little to conceal her shape. I pulled my eyes away reluctantly when she caught me glaring.
"Good morning, Memphis. Did I wake you?"
"No. I think the lights turned on early."
"That is correct," Philia's voice chimed in from the ceiling. "In twenty-nine minutes, you will need to vacate your chambers to allow for a new garment to arrive. I wanted to provide you enough notice so you can prepare your breakfast and use the facilities. Will your overnight guest be using your shower today?"
"No," Memphis replied with an annoyed glance toward the ceiling. "Philia you are starting to creep me out. Boone and I are taking things slow, for both of our sakes. Surely, you can appreciate that."
"I apologize, Memphis," my room computer responded. "Perhaps it is time for you to return to your assigned quarters."
Memphis gave the disembodied voice a dirty look before kissing me on the cheek and darting into the social room. I could hear Zaya out there teasing my girl about leaving my room so skimpily dressed.
I got myself ready and carried my bowl of fiber rich grain to the community table before my door closed. Just a few minutes later it reopened along with the rest of them to indicate that we all had new clothes delivered. I wasn't in a hurry to check them out, but the girls were dying to see what we would be wearing inside our new game hook-ups.
Rhese and Memphis returned quickly with their garments in their hands. My girl draped hers across her body to show size. The material was designed to cover everything below the neck except for our hands and feet. That was much more body coverage than we were used to, but the fabric was super thin. At least it wasn't sheer.
When Zaya returned to the common room, she had her new piece of clothing on already. It clung to her so tightly that it revealed the contour of every inch of her slender form. The tone of the muscles in her legs and arms. The V-shape of her abdomen as it dropped down to the meeting with her strong thighs. And the round shape of her firm small breasts. Even the poke in the center of each mound for her nipple was clear to see.
Zaya caught me staring with my jaw open and didn't mind one bit. She even wiggled sexily to give me a better look. Rhese snickered at the display, but Memphis was not happy.
"That's enough, Zaya," my girl said. "Can you please cover yourself?"
I regained my composure as Zaya strutted back to her room. I swiveled my head back to see Memphis' look of disapproval.
"I can't wait to see you in yours," I mumbled, hoping that it was the right thing to say.
"Oh, dear," Rhese said as she took hers back into her quarters.
Memphis smiled reluctantly. Then she did that little flirty wobble on one foot that she had mastered. A few seconds later I could tell that I had been forgiven for gawking at the shape of another girl.
Turning eighteen was great because it meant that I could think more for myself. No longer living with my parents gave me a lot of freedom. Being selected for Skotopia was a dream come true. However, the full realization of what that meant did not kick in right away. I was not only socializing with the great Zaya and Rhese I was also seeing a whole new side to them. My friends would be so jealous if they knew the things that I was seeing and participating in.
Of course, the grand prize was my relationship with Memphis. I needed to remember to treasure that above all else. That was something that my mother encouraged me to do. And I could clearly see why. The happier that I made her the better my life seemed to be.
Two hours later we were all dressed in our new garb. I stared unapologetically at Memphis in the hallway for a while. She looked just as good as Zaya in the outfit, just different. Not as slender, but more curvaceous. Especially up top.
I was so engrossed that I had forgotten to cover the bulge in my crotch. The suit was even more revealing when it came to men's bodies. The shocked look on her face drew my attention to it. I quickly cupped both hands over my private region as the same two guards escorted us down the hallway.
A couple turns later we met up with Rhese and Zaya. I made a concerted effort not to gawk at their bodies, and I could feel Memphis' eyes on me while I did.
"What are you hiding there?" Zaya teased me.
"Leave him alone, big foot," Memphis snapped back.
Rhese bust out laughing. "You do have long feet, Zaya."
"They are the right size and shape for my body," our star player responded without embarrassment. Her confidence both in and out of the game world was admirable.
I wanted to tell her that she was right to help her deflect the attention to her skinny bare feet. But commenting on another woman's body seemed like a bad idea at the time.
"I'm surprised that they didn't let us wear shoes," Memphis said as she grabbed for my hand. I reluctantly pulled it away from the area it was protecting. Then we followed the guards quietly for the most part as they led us on a long journey through sections of the station that I had never seen before. Three times we had to stop while others were herded out of our path.
Eventually we arrived at a very strange looking door. Instead of a rectangle extending up from the floor, this one was a circle about a meter in diameter. We would need to raise our feet up to knee level to get through the opening, while ducking our heads at the same time.
The woman from the fitting room was standing beside the weird entrance. Several more dressed like her were lined down both sides. It gave the vibe of a ceremony. And that made sense because it was the launch of a whole new league. Our society had not experienced anything like this in over a hundred years.
If anything, it wasn't a big enough celebration. Our parents and friends should be present. And other important officials in our government. They should also have provided us more dignified clothing. And shoes! Couldn't w
e have gotten dressed after arriving at our new hook-up location?
Not much was said by anyone before we were ushered into the room beyond the circular entrance. One at a time we were required to crawl through a tube over two meters long before we could step down to the floor inside. What I saw there was nothing like what I expected.
The old hook-up room was much like a medical facility. A narrow bed to lie on while they connected us to the gaming computer. Lots of displays on the walls. And two techs for each bed. The round coned shaped room that we just entered was vacant before we arrived. Four of our new armored style suits were hanging from the walls, spaced out at intervals. Between them were tall back chairs with fastening harnesses.
Gamer 1 - Skotopia: A Gamelit novel for science fiction action fans Page 16
