Under The Cherry Blossoms

Under The Cherry Blossoms Part Three

Author's Note: this Chapter will contain brief Nudity. You have been warned.

Credit is due to my friend Rain who helped me to figure out the way the tech works for the Virtual Dive.

After glancing at the virtual rig a bit longer I moved to go shower stripping out of my uniform as I walked. I had to admit it felt good to get out of those clothes though I tried to get them hanged up for tomorrow. I would have to wash them after I got done with the shower.

Once in the shower I lingered in the cold water. While I could have flipped the lever over to hot it would have been a waste of time as I would soon be back in cold water anyway due to the nature of the Virtual Drive.  I'll explain more details before I enter the thing but suffice it to say an icy shower was an excellent way to prepare for what was to be ahead.

Once I was done and dried off I shivered from the cold but walked towards the virtual drive. 
The inside was made of some type of synthetic foam that molded to my body. It was essential to remain sky-clad within. 

I reached for the mask as the sounds of soft hissing filled my ears and a cold feeling like I had just plunged back into a cold shower. Though the water was oddly soothing as my body was already used to the cold.  As the cold water filled further the bits of algae that made this more like a terrarium also appeared. they would feed off the release of my CO2 and produce more of themselves while providing me with the essential oxygen I needed to survive underwater. Thankfully it would only be cold during the initial immersion period my body heat being used to warm up the water to provide a suitable environment for the algae.

The other systems of the Drive came online some goggles being fitted to my head and a voice saying "Drive System Powering On. System Capacity is 5000 Microliters of Oxygen. Current Capacity is 100/5000.  The voice was decidedly female whether it was a choice of the AI itself or the default setting I confess that I did not know or care. 

"Initiating Neural Impulse Link Calibration" I felt the strange sensation of something touching my mind and easing over it like a helmet. a brief shock of cold at the base of neck as something metal was pressed there. 

The sensation repeated several times along my body particularly at the ends of my joints like my elbows or knees. "Neural Frame Work Has Been Established." a few more moments before the next words reached my ears and I felt the sensation of being bonded to the pod. "Framework Connection Established. Connection Strength Is 100%." 

Awaiting User Input  "Finally" I thought to myself before focusing my thoughts. Loading Program Lycera  I couldn't deny my excitement as the words Game Start! appeared in my vision and my mind got pulled into the game world.

I fell down a tunnel of colors and while there was no supplied sound it still felt as if it took a very long time. When I landed while I felt the shock of impact I was quick to realize that I was unharmed. 

The shifting colors around me resolved themselves into the form of a Grand Library books to the ceiling as far as the eye can see. Phasing into existence from nothing about 5 feet in front of me on a vacant stool sat a Lady Dressed In the traditional ball gown pale blue in color. 

"Welcome Adventurer to Lycera. Please have a seat." I nodded to her and chose a seat on the other side of the table facing her. "Do you need a moment to adjust?" she asked of me her voice pleasing sounding as if it were composed of wind chimes. Unsure of how my voice would be working since in the back of my mind I knew I was floating in water I attempted to reply that I was fine but my voice did not come out. I touched my throat in alarm. "Just Nod or Shake your head. Until you finalize your character your voice will not work."

I quickly nodded doing my best to calm down though I new my heart rate had temporarily sped up from the realization that I couldn't speak. A small timer like device appeared in front of me. "Tap that once your ready to continue." she informed me and I nodded once more focusing on my breathing and shoving my anxiety back into it's box. Then I stomped on it and chained said box shut and added a few locks for extra measure. It's just a game. Relax. Your Safe. I told myself as the moments slowly filtered by. 

Once I had ahold of myself I slapped the top of the timer device and the NPC smiled at me once more. "Well look at that it only took you 5 mins to get your crap together. At least your a speedy one." She said in a slightly mocking tone. Being I still couldn't speak I just simply raised an eyebrow. Apparently my expression was just hilarious or maybe she had a few hits of laughing gas before she came here. At any rate her peals of laughter didn't really help my mood.