Long Island

Prologue

In the era after the world's first virtual reality game, when the gamers started looking for other games, companies started releasing newer Virtual Reality games (VRMMORPGs). Game companies searched for inspiration from a lot of places like manga, anime, books and even real life events in order to make the next legend.

During this boom of new VRMMORPG games, there were released some good games which showed promise. Another game in this list was Long Island.

Archesoft Pvt. Enterprises, established 2025, by a bunch of students who were avid manga readers. They found inspiration from the manga and decided to make a game which they called “Long Island”.

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Mankateshver Umeshwar Swamy, or Swamy, as everyone called him was about to catch a bus to the university. Standing on the bus stop, fiddling with his hair and nervously checking the time, he often glanced towards the direction the bus was supposed to come. 

“Today’s just not my day.” He had gotten up early in order to get in time to reach college on his first day. 

“If its late today, what am I going to do”, thinking that he glanced at his watch again. 

Finally the bus arrived and he breathed a sigh of relief. He had just 1 hr 40 minutes left to reach the college but he figured that he should be able to make it in just under an hour and 10 mins if no bigger problems arose. 

He sat down next to an elderly man with a walking stick on his side. He noticed that there was a pretty girl with dark black long hair sitting just in front of him with a guy next to her. The girl seemed to be smiling at what the guy was saying.

“And so this guy logged on and then waited for 15 minutes till he figured out that you had to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the choices the game gives you. I mean isn’t that hilarious. In this day and age you get a newb to VRMMORPGs!!”

“You are right. That is quite funny. And did you hear about Rekha? Seems she finally met the guy she was dating in the game in real life. Good looking guy he was too but long distance relationships are not everyone’s cup of tea. After all the guy lived in Switzerland. And you know the first thing they did? They went shopping!! Seems he was loaded and as soon as she realised that, off she went to the mall dragging him along. Hahahaha!”

“Yeah well she was always that way. Anyways good for them. Oh hey, did you hear about this new game coming out next month. Its called Long Island. Seems like they based it on an old manga.”

“Oh, well there seems to be a few coming out during this time. How is it?”

“Well all the game developers say that they are coming out with some new stuff, but this one seems a bit different. For one the developers of this game, Archesoft, have said that this game will feature a lot of sea travel and a lot of islands. They haven’t confirmed how big the world will be saying that it will be ‘big enough’. But what would be unique is the concept that classes would not exist. Any person can learn any skill they choose or find in the course of their adventures. However all skills will have conditional requirements and without achieving those conditions you won’t be able to learn. They are also introducing the concept of ‘age of the character’. Not sure how it works though.”

“Hmmm, sounds interesting. I would definitely like to play that. The ones we are playing now seems kinda boring.”

“Yeah, I would like to play that too. Hopefully it isn’t very expensive. And then we can play together again!!”

“Silly! Whats up with that! Haven't we been together since we met in that game?!! Aren’t we together now” *giggle 

“When I am not with you I feel so incomplete!!” 

“Aw” and she slid more towards him and held his hand while placing her head on his shoulders.

Swamy was flabbergasted. He could never get used to these situations. 

‘Bunch of loverfools’ ‘F*** Idiots’ ‘They should be drowned in holy water’ and similar thoughts kept coming to his head.

Swamy was a studious intellectual guy. Ever since he was little, his parents had focused on a strict curriculum and kept him on a tight leash. Ofcourse he was no newb to the VRMMORPG world. His parents had once taken him on a vacation in the very first virtual reality game when he was 12. But even in the game he was constantly monitored. 

Virtual gaming and related subjects were becoming the hottest new curriculum in colleges and competition to enter in these courses was becoming fierce. His parents had him write reports on his observations in the game and VR game mechanics just so he would have a head start when he reaches this competition. 

And finally he had reached it. He joined the University of Bangalore in the virtual reality program. He would say that it was obvious doing the things he did but he would also say that he did not have much fun till now. Ofcourse his parents always said, work now so that you can play later, but it always seemed like that later never came. Not that he was not allowed to go outside and play with the other kids, but always because keeping fit is important or participating in sports will allow better prospective for the future.

He had started cricket but was never good at it. He sucked at football, volleyball, basketball, seemingly every game invented by man, till he started chess. He liked chess and slowly got better at it. But he continued playing a bit of football just cause his parents insisted that he needs physical exercise.

But all that was over today. He might not become any better but atleast he would be moving away from his parents so he could hope. His relatives at Bangalore said he could stay with them. They had just bought the apartment next to where they were living and were about to put it on rent but changed their minds and offered it to Swamy to stay. In return his parents would pay them a highly subsidized rent. So he had got a place all to himself for which he was really happy.

He stepped down from the bus following the pretty girl, still cursing them in his mind. He got an Ekishaw (Electric autorikshaw) to his college. Today was just a formality and he had to fill out some more forms. They said orientation was tomorrow and attendance was mandatory. 

Another Ekishaw to his relatives. Meeting them all took a bit of time and he hoped his enthusiasm would carry him over till the end. Soon he got his key and saying he wanted to unpack and rest a bit left and entered his apartment.

His apartment had a living room overlooking the kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Not small and not quite big, just the right size for him. His relatives had taken care of putting some furniture in like a bed, a sofa, some utensils, a wardrobe, tv, fridge and basic things like that. 

He was looking forward to his new life.