Cytronica

Eleven

Tuesday

The gymnasium was completely full, with every student and teacher crammed in. The seniors and juniors were given the luxury of chairs; the freshmen and sophomores had to settle for a removable carpet.

Atop the wooden stage was Principal Ramirez, who stood behind the microphone stand, discussing upcoming events at the school. Behind him were Hunter, Jiaying, and Priya. They were the only three of the admins who agreed to talk to everyone about Cytro; Diego declined the offer, and Zack had no intention of addressing an audience of this size.

"Next, I wanted to discuss with you something that I know most of you are already familiar with," Ramirez said, "our Cytronica realm. It's no secret that it's become a little stale lately, which is why I've asked our five network administrators to get the word out. It's one of the academy's greatest features, and I personally wish I was a student again just so I could use it."

Hunter bit his lip in an attempt to suppress a groan.

"And so together," the principal continued, "we've come up with a great solution that makes the realm a cool and exciting place: the 4PM Club."

Jiaying snapped her head right, shooting Priya a horrified glance. "I came up with that stupid name!" she hissed.

Priya had to stifle a laugh.

Mr Ramirez held a hand back, gesturing to the teenagers behind him. "So let me introduce you to three of our admins—Hunter, Priya, and Jiaying—who'll be reminding you about the features and benefits of logging in."

The three students rose from their place and were greeted with a round of applause. Some in the audience clapped with enthusiasm; some were completely disinterested.

"Thank you, Principal Ramirez," Jiaying said first, standing before the microphone. "As mentioned, the 4PM Club is designed to encourage students to log into Cytro and make the most of the virtual world. It's a great way to interact with one another, and the learning centre's features are second to none." She cringed as she said the words. It sounded so forced.

But Cytro's illusion had to be maintained.

Priya was next. She took a step closer. "Judging from the user numbers, we know there has been a positive response to establishing the 4PM Club," she said, her voice echoing off the wooden walls of the gym. "We encourage everyone—from freshmen to senior level—to head home after school and log in at 4PM. There, you'll find your fellow students waiting for you, and together we can have fun in the realm we've built."

Principal Ramirez smiled as he listened to the speech. It was much more effective coming from students rather than the faculty.

Hunter inched closer. "The 4PM Club is an organisation for students, by students. It's a haven where we can be ourselves, free from the likes of teachers and parents." A few laughs were heard in the crowd. Hunter wheeled around and offered his peeved principal the thumbs up. "Now," his voice boomed, "I know some of you have approached me and voiced your concerns about the use of the realm, wondering what would happen if students were to break the laws inside."

Jiaying's and Priya's eyes widened. They exchanged a mortified glance.

Diego and Zack sat together in the crowd, their expressions similar.

"What's he doing?" Diego asked.

"I ... I'm not sure," Zack said.

"Well, rest assured," Hunter's voice boomed, "the Cytronica world is designed for learning purposes and social interaction. As such, I'd like to remind you all that we are the administrators of the realm. And ultimately, we will have the final say in what takes place inside."

His speech received a mixed reaction. Some smirked. Others just glared at him. Most had no idea what he was talking about.

"That will be all," he concluded. "Thank you for your time. See you at 4PM."

The audience clapped, somewhat obligatorily.

Mr Ramirez rose from his chair. "That's it?" he asked. "I allowed you ten minutes to speak."

"That's all I had to say," Hunter grinned.

The trio returned to their seats on the stage while the principal resumed talking about other matters.

"What was that?" Jiaying demanded.

"A warning," he whispered. "I won't tolerate people telling me how to run this realm."

"That wasn't smart," Priya said. "We need to work with the other students; not against them. We can't risk a divide."

Hunter chuckled softly. "What are they going to do about it?"

Priya folded her arms and sank into her chair, making herself more comfortable.

Maybe Hunter was right. Maybe there was nothing to worry about, she thought.

Maybe ...

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