Turned out Ribbit and Kaufmo were just ‘logged out’ early by luck and some middling kids and a great dane.
Months later, medical crews saved him and the rest from a hidden lab. Jax swore he was pickled inside a chamber of sticky fluid, got his head shaved, and had some wires and a visor over him. He barely remembered there were others, too, after they escaped Caine together and deactivated a kind of ‘filter radar code’. He needed a few months to recover and physical treatment to be able to live a normal life again. A PD told him the VR headset was made by a kind of mad CIA scientist who went rogue, but they can be assured of safety since the criminal had been punished by his own medicine, alone.
“...and after I can get on my feet once again, I chose to take a digital break for a few months, to Asia.” A black-haired woman with glasses who smiled faintly walked on the stage, looking at her audience. “Like, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and a brief visit to Indonesia before I returned to New Zealand”
Jax sat among the audience at the TED Talk Auckland, chuckled while crossing his arms, and played with his dyed purple hair briefly. “We are gonna need to talk,” he smirked, “Glad to know you don’t need a mask to smile anymore.”
A lady on the stage bowed lightly. “And one of my best friends in that digital prison once told me I am always a human, no matter who or what told you otherwise.” She smiled, paused at Jax slightly. “Thanks for your visit to my TED Talk tonight, may you have a pleasant night!” She bowed again, slower and lower.
A lanky man with a red aloha shirt remained in his seat, as a woman with pale skin and slight chub approached him. “Had we met before?” she asked, beaming softly. “Like…at a fast food chain?”
“Ribbons,” He grinned even wider, looked at her with widened eyes, before both laughed. “That’s such a dumb nickname! Can’t believe a CIA’s AI gave you that design!” He hugged her, chuckled as ‘Gangle’ tittered, and hugged him back.
Jack breathed deeply as he tried to stop laughing. “Uh, what’s your human name anyway? Gangle.” He wiped a tear from his eyes. “Want a drink? My treat.”
“Ms. Liyana Gungor, lecturer in Modern Islamology.” She replied with a gentle smile. “You know, Tafsir said I can’t drink alcohol, but if you mean a cafe. Sure~” She smirked, tilting her glasses closer to her face.
“Oh.” Jax chuckled and looked away, picking up his phone. “I am gonna tell…Pomni, Kinger, and Ragatha to change the location anyway.” He shrugged before offering a handshake. “Jacob Stark, and, no, I am not a noble in a snowy land or sell super-armor.”
Liyana shook Jax’s hand as she took her phone out. “Actually, I have already met Ragatha.” She tilted her head like her Avatar habit. “Regan Gardel, she is a French. Just don’t say you prefer Italian Roast,” she chuckled and dialed her number.
“As an Italian-American myself, she’d better prepare to defend that croissant is not just a fatter cornetto.” He grinned as he clicked on Messenger on the name ‘Pongsai Maninadh(Pomni)’ and texted in the DM.
J. Stark, Jerk who Cares: Hi, PomPom. Do you know any nice cafes near your dorm?
Pongsai Maninadh (Ploy): There is a Malaysian-style Kopitiam on Edward Road—nice kaya toast and kopi, halal.
J. Stark, Jerk who Cares: Anyway, how’s your thesis about AI and medical engineering? You did not have enough living in a digital chamber simulation?
Pongsai Maninadh (Ploy): Fuck you, Jax. XD. Seriously tho, I meant to make medical work less overwhelming for doctors. Y’know, so maybe Americans could eventually get free healthcare.
J. Stark, Jerk who Cares: Whatever, I may move to Phuket by 60 anyway. Heard your country’s healthcare is damn much better.
Pongsai Maninadh (Ploy): How about you move to Nakhon Sawan? My hometown is literally a heaven by name. Just don’t die first.
J. Stark, Jerk who Cares: You owe me a senior room now.
“Yeah, Regan, a nice cafe with a board game? You and Kinger are into it? Count me in!” Liyana smirked as she patted Jax’s forearm. “Jack and Ploy may join us. Buy me chocolate mint tea and maybe a chicken sausage roll.”
Jax beamed while texting on the DM. “Okay, maybe the cafe at Edward’s tomorrow. Ploy’s wallet is lucky tonight.” He joked as he raised his phone, “Let’s selfie. Rob and Klaus are on honeymoon in Vegas, I think.”
An old man with long, thin, white hair glared at a board, reaching his hand above a piece resembling a Chinese coin. “Pomni, is this thing supposed to be some kind of Ko or something?” he asked as he put a rose piece on its right. “Ah, I mean, Ploy!”
“Well, Pai Sho is actually something from a cartoon, Kingsley.” A late-20s woman shrugged before putting a white lotus piece on the board. “Avatar: The Last Airbender, to be exact.” She grabbed a fork and took a piece of peppery jerky into her mouth. “Your avatar was a chess piece, so better play a game that both of us are rookies,” she grinned.
Kingsley paused as he looked upon the board filled with flower-themed pieces, and frowned with a long sigh. “If my Lily is not gone yet, she would love your challenge.” he shook his head, eyes watering as he reached for a cup of ginseng tea. “Can’t believe I trusted that mad doctor claiming he knew how to cure cancer with that vat…”
A person with long, spiked pink hair reached their hand behind Kingsley, gently squeezed his shoulder. “Mister, you don’t have to force yourselves over tragedy…we can change the game, or you can just watch.” They suggested, handing him a tissue paper.
“Thanks, Zhou. You’re always gentle inside.” Kingsley took a tissue and wiped tears off, smiling lightly. “I just can’t help it. Lily, my queen…she loved flowers, exotic tales, and board games.” His beam turned more gentle as he got up. “Sorry about an old man’s rant. I am clueless about how to be with you youngsters.”
Ring!
Liyana and Jack entered the cafe, as Jack waved at the group. “Wow, you guys plan to play all of that tonight?” He joked, looking at a pile of board game boxes and some card sets. “Hey, waiter, a glass of Red Snapper, dry and with extra hot sauce.” He turned to a young man with ebony skin in a skinhead.
“Wha-”
“Brock, he meant Bloody Mary with gin in vodka’s place, less sweet.” Ploy shrugged before turning to Jack. “Actually, Kingsley lost her Lily for…” she paused and pushed seats for both “...He already moved on, almost completely.”
Jacob sat nearby Kingsley, patting his shoulder. “Kinger, may I buy you a drink? Like double what I ordered,” he smiled as he reached for a pile of board game cards. “Spiciness helped me get through the hard days…before the circus stuffs”
“I quit drinking since I was with her for the last time.” He chuckled while rubbing tissue over his mustache, barely heard. “She wanted me to stay around and live for her.” A bittersweet smile formed on his face as he took another gulp of a clear black tea.
Liyana took a seat between Regan and Zhou, looking at a cup with a mint leaf and latte art of Marchille with ‘empty mind’ meme face on the microfoam.
A giggle sounded as she turned to Zhou. “You’re into Dungeon Meshi too?” She smiled widely and looked at the cup again with a phone. “I can’t just drink this cute thing.”
After a snap sounded from Liyana’s phone, Jack grabbed a toothpick and stirred the surface of her cocoa tea. “This is no Mona Lisa, so drink it up.” He joked, “You can look at your photo later anyway.”
Liyana rolled her eyes before raising a glass. “You just can’t quit a habit of breaking masks?” She mumbled before nodding, “Creamy and fresh tho”.
Regan lowered her book, slapped Jack’s head lightly just enough for a lesson and tease. “I‘m glad Liyana is now confident enough to bite back.” She smirked before reaching for a box labelled ‘A box full of pranks, by Jax’ “Wha-”
Opening a box, she found a cardboard box the size of a golf ball covered in velvet. “Jacob, please…” Regan rolled her eyes. “Don’t do a jumpscare Jack-in-a-box.”
“Much worse…” He grinned, crossing his arms. “You'd better find it out now.”
Regan rolled her eyes, turning the box to Jack’s direction, and opening it as if nothing had happened before Jack chuckled.
“I do.” He smiled, chuckling in his throat. “I am now your Jax toy, forever.”
Regan turned a box to see a ring in it, tipped with a sapphire shaped like a button engraved with four tiny diamonds. She blushed and smiled, putting it on her ring finger. “I do! Oh my-” She blushed, waving her hand like a struggling hatchling, grabbing Jack’s twintail, and kissed him.
Ploy’s face turned red as Zhou’s jaws dropped, and Liyana’s hand was upon theirs, as Kingsley raised his cup as a toast. Regan broke her kiss, blushing that her face turned bright and red before Jack pulled her wrist for another brief one.
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