Paramancical

Part 3 of More

Regaining his senses and logging out of the VR equipment, tears fall down Mamoru's face. "Feels great to have some comradery after so long-- Wait this means I can hold a conversation with people. And...I can direct message these people now too! Man...this is more socialising possible than all my years in highschool!" Then someone responds. "Oh my god, you too?" "...Oh my gods, the mic was on because I was automatically put into a voice channel." Mamoru instantly disconnects from the speak channels and regrets everything in his life for a moment.

Recomposing himself slightly, he sees that was Yoko in the voice chat and nobody else. "Why was there only be the one person, in a speak channel for newcomers?? Wouldn't that be a good place to welcome them at the least?" I'm sensing something is very wrong here. 'OK, imma message Yoko then get answers.' And so, with his helmet still on his head, only the visor section removed, Mamoru begins directly messaging Yoko. But something immediately becomes apparent to him. "Oh shit, a redhead...one of my crippling weaknesses." He says to himself after making sure there was no speakways active.

[MamoruBattleon113-
Yo, Yoko, was there meant to be more people in that speak channel?

YokoLittnuts247-
Uh hello Mamoru. Didn't expect this so soon, but, yes! Yes there were.

MamoruBattleon113-
Probably avoiding me 'cause of the whole 'I am a cannibal' thing soo looks like I blew the introduction.  

YokoLittnuts247-
I can see why that would result in a noshow for welcoming...

MamoruBattleon113-
Wait, not to sound ungrateful for the conversation, but why are you talking to me then? Shouldn't you have stayed away too like your teammates?

YokoLittnuts247-
I was just trying to be nice and inviting. You're a friend of Riko, so you can't be all that bad.

MamoruBattleon113-
Whoa, you're a real ray of sunshine! I like you already.]

"So this is what it's like to feel warm? Feels pretty good actually...Now if only I could connect with the rest of the larger party. Shouldn't have gone with the whole persona of 'lone survivor that's resorted to cannibalism to survive' when introductions are that crucial thing... Well, I at least made it conversing with someone of a group, which, is an improvement on last time." A ping goes off and Yoko's messaged back a little bit more.

YokoLittnuts247-
So I have to ask: Are you actually eating people in-game or...what really was all that?

MamoruBattleon113-
Oh in-game I was mainly in a solo-server that was a jungle soo was just playing up to a persona.'lone survivor, willing to go cannibal'

YokoLittnuts247-
Ah, I understand the whole playing to a persona. I was like that until a while ago myself. Maybe if I explain that to the team, they'll be less wary of you.

MamoruBattleon113-
I'm really relieved that you'd be willing to do that for me, thank you.]

"Huh. Thiis is weird. Someone wanting to help me is something very new..." A quick streatch and walk around his room, Mamoru spots the date on his clock. Within his mind, thoughts rise: 'School tomorrow already...? It's like at any interval I'm finally happy, time speeds up just to prevent me from being happy for too long. And now I've overthought it and made myself sad again... I still can't believe summer break is already over and it's back to school for another term for me.' Well all this thinking has taken about 2 minutes. Enough time for Yoko to message back and saying that she's talked to the team in a group direct message and they all sort of clicked with the idea that Mamoru was playing a persona / role. They still don't trust him though. 

MamoruBattleon113-
Well that's a best-case scenario for me. Thanks a million!

YokoLittnuts247-You're welcome!

So concludes that exchange. However, Mamoru can't seem to subdue this sense of gravitation towards Yoko. Maybe it's the nerves for the September day that comes tomorrow? Maybe the shock of suddenly having seen multiple people in a server? Whatever it is, puts Mamoru at some awkward angled sense of peace, as he gets a great night's sleep.

... The sounds of an alarm chimes with an unusually calm frequency at 7:00am