by Noah Barnett
“I think I’d enjoy that too, but what happens if we don't?" Charlie asked with interest. There was bound to be people that stopped playing the game. Either because of money or loss of interest. She touched her neck lightly fingering the black collar, and it was only now he noticed it.
"This will start to fade, and when it becomes clear it will fall off. Afterward, a weapon may pick a new Meister to serve." She said tracing Charlie’s Player ID on the collar.
"Am I your first Meister?" He asked. She smirked at him with a sly and lustful look in her eye.
"You are, Charlie. I was created two months ago." She admitted still giving him another long look. Charlie had essentially, popped her cherry. What man didn’t get a rush from that?
"So you’ve been sitting in that room for two months?" He asked.
"No," she said with a playful smirk. “We unregistered pistols took shifts. There’s an apartment complex nearby for weapons that don’t have owners. We are pampered like royalty. I made many friends while I waited for a Meister. It’s good for growing our personalities." She said standing and putting a hand on her hip.
"What happens now?" He asked not quite hiding the glance at the bed. The sheets were tangled and rumpled from their lovemaking.
"You have some options at this point. We could reaffirm the contract." She said stepping towards him. Her fingers brushed his face, but he caught her wrist. Even virtually, it was a little too soon for a second round. Her fine features turned momentarily sulky from disappointment, but she quickly rallied.
"Weapons training would be the next step. We'll also need to go shopping for a holster and ammunition." She said stepping away from him.
"I don't have any money.”
She shook her head. "Your credit account is attached to your ID. Any money is drawn and deposited automatically."
"Whatever you think is best."
The blonde gave a last long look at the disheveled bed before turning away. Sex apparently was an intense part of her personality. Her blue eyes flashed with an inner light when she glanced back over her shoulder.
"Do you feel pleasure?" He asked following after her dangerously swaying hips.
"Of course, I receive the same sensory signals you do. The data is stored in my personal fileshare, but most is placed in short-term memory." She stated opening the door and exited the suite.
The strange bedroom opened onto a balcony overlooking the lobby, and dozens of players were moving around below. Women in skimpy black bathing suits were following men in gray military uniforms out of the glass doors. There were male guns as well which surprised him. A massive ebony-skinned Olympian strolled next to a tiny doll like girl through the lobby. His leg and back muscles rippled in the sunlight. The black speedo he wore was, in Charlie's opinion, way too revealing. The girl was a few inches over four feet tall with teal hair and a childishly flat chest. The weapon, by comparison, was over six and a half feet tall with arms like a tree trunk. Charlie stared at the two in amazement.
His companion noticed the pair and said, "Ahh, Philip found a Meister."
"You know him?" Charlie asked watching them leave the lobby.
"He's been there for six months. Not many people can handle the .500 Magnum in combat." She mused leaning over the balcony.
"Do you think that girl can do it?" He asked watching them through the large glass doors. The pair joined the crowd of pedestrians and quickly disappeared in the throng.
"They have a small body which indicates a low strength score. Either she's in it for the sex or she's planned a loadout. I hope it's an experienced player starting over with a new character."
"Loadout?" Charlie asked curiously. He followed the woman as she strode toward a set of stairs.
"Even with max strength, you can only carry so many guns. Most players go into combat with two weapons that compliment each other, along with a sidearm. That usually leaves enough weight for armor, magazines, and grenades." The girl said walking forward with those swaying hips.
"Did I screw up by only having two strength?" He asked and she glanced back at him. She eyed his thin but muscled arms. The character tutorial said he could reset his stats, but Charlie hoped he didn’t have too.
"It depends on your play style. Two points will let you carry two primary weapons. They'll be light guns with limited ammo, but you can still do it." The woman said moving down the stairs. Charlie followed his guide across the lobby and out of the building. Just outside they passed another lounging player. The Meister was a muscular Asian man who was deep in conversation with a buxom oriental. If strength determined a player’s size then this man was maxed out, and Charlie was starting to feel uncommonly average. Everyone was either a giant or ultra slim and short.
"Two rifles and a sidearm," he thought. That would mean three women, and that... in turn meant even more sex!
"You're thinking about it, aren't you." The blonde teased and he coughed.
"No," he answered quickly and she laughed.
"You are, men always do." She said humor coloring her words. The girl didn't seem bothered by the notion of sharing as she continued to tease him. "I hope you have the stamina to keep us all registered."
"Where do we go to train?" He asked trying desperately to change the subject. Her blue eyes rolled at his evasion though she lifted a hand. With a finger she pointed to a large shopping center two blocks down, where a constant stream of people were heading. This wasn't Nigmus Online or one of the other big name MMO’s, but there were enough people to fill the pedestrian sidewalk. His companion strolled along next to him completely unconcerned, or maybe she was just used to the sight.
Charlie walked up the street following other players. Many had multiple guns. A few paces ahead a good looking woman strolled lazily. A pink heavily modified AK-47 was slung over her shoulder with little adorable cell-phone dolls hanging from the rifle sling. A candy colored pistol sat in a holster at her waist. Next to her, another man walked with his arms wrapped around two beautiful women. Both were scantily clad in silk sarongs. One vixen said something to the camo-covered male and he laughed squeezing her waist.
The size of the city surprised him, especially for a simple combat shooter. It felt a bit like San Francisco. The sun was bright on his skin and the wind off the bay was pleasantly swift. This wasn't what he'd expected. The name ‘Gun Meister’ conjured images of dark alleys with oil and blood flowing in the gutters. Instead he was confronted with a modern paradise.
They approached the shopping mall and entered through the double glass doors. A marble tiled food court took up most of the lobby. A brightly lit central hallway led deeper within, and colorful signs indicated a multitude of wares each store sold. The amount of upgrades he could buy was mind boggling. He passed stores selling night sights, red dots, lasers, rubber grips, compensators, silencers, and upgraded triggers. Charlie had no idea what most of the items did but there were lots to choose from.
Finally, they walked into a store which sold holsters of every description. Charlie followed his companion past shelves of magazine holders and shot bandoleers. They came to a counter near the back of the store. An old grizzled man sat in front of a glass window, beyond which he could see people practicing. The shots sounded like distant firecrackers.
"I need a lane and a box of ammo. He'll need some eyes and ears too."
The old shopkeep glanced up from his tablet. A white cardboard box, a pair of ear plugs, and a set of plastic glasses were set on the counter. "Put your hand on the terminal," he rasped gesturing to the display. It was facing Charlie and he rested his palm on the flat screen. An ID number flashed on the screen followed by a thousand credit balance. The ammo and range time would cost twenty-five credits bringing him down to 975c. He pressed 'yes' to the charge.
"Lane two is open."
Charlie put the glasses on, placed the plugs in his ears, and walked into the gun range. Eight or so players fired rifles, pistols, and tight little sub-machine guns. None even glanced at him as he w
alked past.
"There is a lot of people here," Charlie shouted looking around.
"Not really, there's a more interactive range in the competition hall. This is just a place to test out weapon upgrades." His companion said and set the white box on the shooting bench.
"I'm going to tell you the rules for handling a gun. If you don't want to look like a dumbass I suggest you follow them. There is no such thing as friendly fire, and accidentally shooting a teammate will cost you money and reputation." She announced in a deadly serious tone.
"First, the gun is always loaded. You treat me like I'm ready to fire at all times." She said and he nodded quickly.
"Second, keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. I will remind you gently at first, then with increasingly stronger words. Most accidents happen because people have terrible trigger discipline."
"Third, don't point the gun at anything you do not want killed. That includes that precious piece of equipment between your legs." She stated and he laughed. Her blue eyes flashed with inner light as she glared at him, and he swallowed hard.
"Fourth, know your target, and what lies beyond it. Don't shoot at shadows, it could be a teammate. I already mentioned what will happen if you partake in unfriendly fire." She said holding up a fourth finger. "Inspect me before you start," she said and closed her eyes. Her white skin started to glow and Charlie had to look away. There was a flash and a pistol was laying on the bench. He stepped forward and picked up the gun. He was reminded again of how deadly the 1911 looked, and it’s weight was reassuring in his hands.
"Your finger is on my trigger," she whispered next to his ear and he started at the sound. Just great, he'd already fucked up. It was so easy to just put it in there, like it belonged. "Keep it straight out along the side of the frame," she added after a second. When he complied she continued in a more friendly voice. "On the left side is the magazine release."
He tilted the weapon seeing a round nub next to the trigger guard. This he pushed with his thumb and an empty box slid free from the bottom of the gun. Opening the cardboard box revealed two plastic racks of ammo with a hundred rounds in total. Charlie picked up and held one in his palm admiring the size of the fat cartridge, then slid the first bullet in. He continued to load until he'd managed to squeeze in seven. That didn't seem like very many but they were big rounds. Slowly he pushed the boxy thing back into the grip. It slid home with a satisfying click.
"In order to fire you need to charge me. Remove the manual safety then rack the slide." She instructed in his ear. He followed her instruction a little awkwardly. Using his thumb he flicked the safety catch down then grabbed the slide and pulled back. There was a flash of brass before a bullet was pushed into the chamber.
"Aim at the target with the top of the sights. Keep the middle post equal with the others." She said and he pulled the trigger. The pistol jerked in his hands as the 1911 barked loudly. Three meters down range he completely missed the target.
"Squeeze my trigger gently or I might be rough with you later tonight," she admonished. He blushed despite the tone she used on him. Charlie aimed, really aimed at the target this time. When the gun fired a hole appeared in the silhouette below and to the left of center. He smiled, pleased with his effort.
"Keep at it, ammo is cheap so fire until it's all gone."
That’s exactly what Charlie did, and for the next thirty minutes, he kept shooting at the target. He felt quite proud of himself for hitting it most of the time. Towards the end, he barely noticed the weight of the pistol in his hands. When the last bullet was fired the slide locked back, and he stood there smelling the gunpowder in the air. Players around him were still shooting in their own lanes.
"Done?" She asked.
"Yes," he replied and the gun began to glow. She appeared next to him and glanced down range. Her expression was suspiciously neutral when she looked back at him.
"Good job," she lied and he too glanced at the target. It was filled with holes, enough to make it look like swiss cheese. To him, it looked dead as a doornail and he mentally shrugged.
"I kinda have to pee," he admitted.
"Then you should logout. The system will let through body signals. You'll know it when you are hungry, tired, or need to answer nature's call." She stated and he quickly glanced around.
"What do I do?"
"For now let's go out to the store then find a seat and log out. Your body won't disappear when you exit. Soon you'll need to consider where to live but that's for later." She said and they left the range. Charlie returned the ear plugs and shooting glasses. They found a seat and he touched his temple with two fingers. The pop-up appeared and he quickly pressed the logout button.
CHAPTER TWO
Match
His eyes slowly focused. Charlie was sitting in an easy chair within his tiny living room. The television was on, and a news reporter was blathering about labor riots. Gingerly, he removed the virtual dive helmet and set it on the coffee table. Charlie stood stretching, then went into the bathroom to relieve himself. Afterward he returned to the chair, sat down, and pulled the dive helmet back on. The padded device fit snugly over his head. He pushed a lock of hair away from his eyes before settling back. Reaching up Charlie touched the activation button and waited while the helmet started. There was a slight humming noise as it scanned his brain. Then the world faded away.
A blonde goddess was curled in his lap purring. Her chest pressed against him as she clawed gently at his stomach with her long fingernails. Charlie’s body had relaxed when he logged out, and he sat up from the awkward slouch. She looked up scanning his face with those sky blue eyes.
"What would you like to do now?" She asked batting her long lashes at him. "We could look for a place," the girl offered rather quickly.
"Let's play the game."
"That works too," she admitted sliding from his lap. Her body swiveled to face him making her breasts jiggle again.
"You mentioned a holster and ammo," he said standing awkwardly. As casually as he could, Charlie adjusted the bulge within his pants. Then followed the blonde into the first section where they sold holsters.
"What kind of holster do you prefer?" She asked.
"I have no idea. I've never owned a gun, before you." He said and she touched her chin.
"As a full-sized pistol frame, I'd suggest hip or leg carry. Really though you may just have to experiment," she offered turning away.
After searching through the hundreds of choices he found a leg holster he was satisfied with. Two straps buckled around his upper thigh, and a kydex lock secured the gun so it didn't rattle. Admittedly he was more impressed by how tactical it looked. Ammo they found near the entrance, and the person behind the counter glanced up from a tablet as he approached.
"Can I help you?" The clerk asked.
"I need point four five caliber ammunition," Charlie said proud he'd remembered the bullet type. His ego though took a dive as the clerk started to laugh. The man waved a hand apologetically.
"You must be new, but just say Forty-Five ACP."
Charlie was left feeling a bit embarrassed. "You'll just hand me ammo? People walk around with loaded guns?" He asked incredulously.
"If you'll pardon my French miss, guns aren't worth a damn without bullets." The clerk replied dipping his head towards his blonde companion. She shrugged in response but said nothing. "To answer your question yes, people do walk around with loaded guns." The clerk replied turning. On his hip was a holstered pistol of his own, and Charlie was surprised by the sight.
"Player?" He asked.
"Yep, I get paid to man the counter just like in real life. They tried an NPC but people kept getting confused and buying the wrong caliber ammunition."
"What prevents someone from killing another player in town?" Charlie asked making the clerk laugh again.
"Oh god, I love noobies. Nothing prevents you from blowing someone's brains out. Two reasons it doesn't happen often. Everyone else has
a gun too. Pull it out and most people will draw on you out of habit. If you do manage to kill someone, they'll instantly respawn. You, however, will earn an immediate twenty-four-hour ban. If you don't learn your lesson it's seven days. If for some inexplicable reason you feel the need to do it a third time, the ban is permanent. They'll lock the account and blacklist the dive helmet or immersion pod you’re logged in with." The shop clerk said while reorganizing the other boxes of ammo. Charlie resolved to keep his pistol holstered.
"Thanks for the help," Charlie said paying for his items. The holster cost him thirty-five credits and the ammo ten more.
"You'll need to find a corner to load your girl up." The clerk offered winking and pointing to a quiet little spot next to the entrance. Charlie thanked the man a second time and left the store. Just outside he found the bench and sat down. His weapon changed, vanishing from her human form to lay on his lap.
