She sighed and folded her hands on the glass counter. Then a cold dread filled my belly. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t think you’d come back. And the man who came in loved it so much. I…” Her voice broke off.
My head swam for a moment, and I braced myself on the counter. “No, but I asked you not to. You didn’t sell it, right? Please, tell me you didn’t.”
“I’m sorry. I sold it for 5,200 YD to an old man. He seemed really sweet, if that helps.”
I thought of screaming at the woman, and an image of me cutting her down with my katana flashed through my mind’s eye. But no. As I stared at her, my rage fell away. It was not her fault, and it wasn’t really mine. What other choice did either of us have?
I tried to speak, but my voice cracked. I took a moment and wiped away a tear that had betrayed me. “If he comes back, for any reason, please contact me. I am staying at the Eternal Online facility just down the street. My name is Dahlia Otou. If he comes back, please just call me there.”
The woman nodded, her mouth pursed tightly. Her own eyes were filling with tears as well, so I did the only thing I could do. I turned and left the store.
And as I walked back toward the only life I had left, a scene of my mother’s pale, slender hand touching the side of my father’s face, with a platinum and jade ring glinting on her finger, played through my mind on a tight and unyielding loop.
7: “Nothing will make you feel stronger than holding an axe… except maybe two axes, of course.”
— Madrigal Serrano Mendoza
MADI
For the millionth time, with my scream finally subsiding and the weights clanging back in their resting position above me, I was grateful for the insulated walls of my apartment.
“That’s right, cabrón. Who is your mommy?” I panted out, my arms completely numb and shaking. Ever since the accident, I had found that losing part of myself physically could be compensated, at least emotionally, by making the rest stronger. And though I was shorter than my in-game avatar, and realistically not strong enough to wield a massive battle axe, I was proud to say that I was ripped.
I lifted myself up, balancing my weight with one arm while I mopped my brow with my free hand.
“Gita, a little help, please,” I called out, and the assistant bot wheeled over. I had placed his controls on silent, which made me feel a lot better. There was something upsetting about being helped out by a kind and polite butler bot.
Gita deposited me in my wheelchair, and I spun myself over to my workstation. Losing the function of your legs is not a fun thing to experience, but if you are going to do it, I suggest you get rich in the process.
A few years ago, as I’d been crossing the street, traffic light in my favor, minding my own business, a delivery truck smashed into me. The AI inside had malfunctioned, causing it to register neither my presence nor the signal, and yet the company had known about that flaw. I’d made out like a four-armed bandit in a jewelry store.
One of my first purchases had been a computer station. I had one-hundred-eighty degrees of interactive, ultra high-def screens, a holographic projector, and a quantum computer to boot. Was it all necessary? No way. But hell, I’d wanted it.
The second thing I’d done was move out of my parents’ house. They were worried about me, and since I was only fourteen when the accident happened, they had to sign off on it. When I’d suggested buying Gita, the Assyst Bot 4.0, they finally gave in.
It also helped that I wanted to live in one of EO’s luxury gamer apartments. I had my own pod and enough space for my weights, which had come afterwards as a desperate attempt to fight depression. There was also the AI I’d come to grudgingly appreciate, Elendil himself.
In a funny way, the AI reminded me of Alysand, though far more hardcore. Something about the way he was easily ruffled and his vaguely British accent. What was it with white people and UK accents anyhow?
“Elendil, bring up the Interworld Exchange, please. It is time to do some shopping!”
“Of course, Madi. What is it you are looking for today?”
“I want to buy something for Hana, but I don’t want it to seem cheesy or… or too forward, y’know? Something she’d like but that will help out the group as well.” I felt nervous for some annoying reason.
“Well, her weapons are of good quality, and she has decent beginning clothing and armor. What is she lacking that also fits her personality?” Elendil asked helpfully.
I thought for a moment but was stumped. I scrolled through a bunch of quivers and found one that was insane.
Quick Finger Quiver
Quality: Epic
Durability 80/80
+10 Dexterity, +5 Stamina
5% increase to Rate of Fire
Capacity: 50 arrows
The item certainly would help out the party, and I could afford it, but the price was so high that Hana would probably crap a brick. No, something a bit more reasonable.
Our cloaks were already top notch, and she had nice boots. And the pauldron she’d fixed up for herself paired up with those bracers! The girl had certainly increased her hotness.
Then an idea came to mind, and as I searched through the list of items currently for sale, the perfect gift popped up. And it wasn’t cheap, but considering the landfall we’d just been given, and the gloves that Hana had bought me so early on, despite her lack of funds, I thought it was worth it.
I made the purchase, wheeled over to my pod, and transferred
