WORLD 6 - LEVEL 1

With the sky a bright blue, the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky, it's a perfect day in Narfinex. The Corruption hasn't been sighted since the Titan attack and all seems right with the world for now. We go to a small wooden shack carved into a giant oak tree, the familiar sight of Gretchin's shack. Inside, Game Girl sits with her head resting in her hands as she sits on a small tree stump, Gretchin stands on a small stool slowly swirling the contents of a cauldron in front of her. It's awkwardly quiet. Just the sounds of the wooden rod hitting the side of the cauldron as it turns and Game Girl tapping her foot as she tries to stay awake. The two share a glance, GG hardly keeping her eyes open.


"Are you tired?"

Game Girl let's out a short yawn but doesn't move much.


"I'm so bored."


"Being a hero isn't all adventuring and fighting."


"I get that, but. . Geez. This is the worst. There is nothing to do!"


"I do agree, it is unusually quiet. The Corruption hasn't been sighted in days, and even on Earth no one is talking to you."


"Did this ever happen to Game Boy?"


"No. Perhaps you have the same problem as I, men are scared of our feminine charm."

Game Girl slowly blinks and speaks in a disinterested tone.


"Yup, that must be it."

Gretchin makes an aggravated grunt and stops swirling the rod and glares at Game Girl.


"Maybe no one is talking to you because you're wearing that short Harpy skirt."

Game Girl snaps her head up and sits up straight, she pulls her skirt to stretch it out a little to take a better look at the clothing, she releases it, crosses her legs and folds her arms, looking away from Gretchin with a pout.


"It's not that short."


"Mhm. I have no idea why you wear a skirt, it's not practical for your work."


"I'm wearing leggings too."


"Bah. You youths only care about fashion it's absurd. Back in my day heroins wore battle maiden armor."


"Ew gross."


"It was practical!"


"Maiden armor covers like 20% of your body, it's ridiculous."


". . . Let's agree to disagree."

Game Girl looks puzzled at Gretchin until the thought of her in maiden armor crosses her mind. Her eyes go wide and she covers her mouth, careful not to vomit. Paige shakes her head to made the image disappear and stares mortified at her sneakers. Gretchin squints her eyes and leans in a little closer, she scoffs and goes back to stirring the cauldron.


"I didn't look like that, I was taller back then."

Game Girl looks a little scared at Gretchin, shuffling back a little on her seat.


"Did you just read my mind."


"Don't be stupid. . ."


"So what did you do?"


"Reading minds is unethical. . . I just predicted your thoughts through an astral projection within the contents of this cauldron. Totally different."


"It's exactly the same and I'm guessing a lie, how the heck do you see an astral projection in a cauldron? Where you trying to confuse me with magical sounding words to throw me off?"


"It worked on Game Boy."


"You could have wasted less energy by throwing a red ball to distract him."

The pair laugh for a moment, Game Girl quickly kills her laughter and looks down at her hands, twiddling her thumbs. Gretchin's laughter dies down and she looks at Paige.


"You miss him."


"Know that from one of your astral projections?"


"Heh. I miss him too. You know how old he was?"


"We talked a little when we traveled. He said he thinks he was 17."


"Thinks heh. He would have been 20 years old yesterday."


"What!? Really?"


"Mhm. He came into the world at 17, and stayed that age since the day he died. Just like you."


". . . I'm 20 too?"


"No just 20. . . That was a joke."


"Yeah I got that."


"But yes, you are 20. Our world, the video game we're in, was created on Earth in 1994. In December to be exact."


"What's December?"


"Not a clue. Anyway, you and Game Boy were the heroes of this game so you were created first. It's possibly the reason why you're memory is fuzzy, not as fuzzy as Game Boys thank Nirva."


"This is insane. What about the rest of the world? What about you? How do we have memories? Stories, legends, history?"


"All programmed. By some human at a computer. Everything we know was created from imagination."


". . . You seem pretty chill when telling me my life is a lie."


"Because it's not a lie. Game Girl, you and Game Boy have gone to Earth, no other video game character can say that. The average human can't say they have traveled to a world like ours, and a lot of humans would want to live in our world. We have transcended from simple code. We can do things humans can only dream of. Game Girl, we can do great things."

Game Girl is trying to take in the information, still twiddling her thumbs looking at Gretchin.


"I know it's a lot to take in. But you needed to know. Game Boy knew, but that idiot probably forgot."


"Can we really do great things?"


"Of course."


". . . Can we bring Game Boy back?"

Gretchin lets out a heavy sigh.


"Possibly."

Game Girl's eyes widen and she leans forward.


"Gretchin you need to tell me how."


"You sound like a damn damsel in distress Game Girl. Pining after a man to save her."


"It's not that Gretchin. He was a great hero, just him vanishing like that feels wrong. And he can help so much! Imagine what it would be like if there were two of us, we would rock this place."


"Game Girl, you may not like what you find."


"Stop being vague and tell me!"


*sigh* "Fine. Hollywood, California. A company named Funsoft, you'll find the answers there. But be careful."


"Hollywood, California. Got it."

Game Girl stands up and goes to the door.


"Thanks Gretchin."


"You have a fight on Urf tomorrow."


". . . Way to kill the dramatic exit dude."

Game Girl opens the wooden door.


"Don't forget to trash talk your opponent."


"Gah! He, she, it! Hasn't even said anything! . . . Fine. Power of Trash Talk to 1 million! Cert whatever is a stupid fCENSOREDing no d!@k sCENSORED eating fa&!£t a$$ c^*t!"

Game Girl quickly covers her mouth and stares at Gretchin, her pupils tiny and worried.


". . . HA! Don't abuse that power Game Girl."

Still holding her hands over her mouth, Game Girl speaks


"Well I didn't fCENSOREDing know! Dammit! Power of Trash Talk off! . . ."

Game Girl puts her hand back down to her side and shies away from Gretchin.


"So sorry Gretchin. That was rude of me."


"Think nothing of it. Now go, have fun and good luck."

Game Girl nods, slightly bowing to Gretchin which is kind of weird before walking out of the door.