Grumpy after leaving the market and arriving in his place, took to the task of organizing the stuff he got from the market and at the same time... clean, check and put everything in his house in order, making sure he would have nothing to worry about when he is gone.

  Grumpy after he was done with his task, got himself a chocolate cake and orange juice for dinner. He sat on the floor eating in front of the large television screen in his living room, and switched to the national news station and watched the evening news with his attention mostly on the food in front of him.

  [...The world of BRAVE's launch which is scheduled for tomorrow morning has seen a lot of opposition from young boys and girls below the age of fifteen. The reason for this, being the age limit TRIBES corporation set for those who can gain access into the simulation world—BRAVE... This situation also gained the attention of several nation's government, with few of them against the age limit and therefore requesting the leniency of the corporation.

  At the same time the CEO of TRIBES corporation, lady Helen issued a statement, saying their decision for the age limit was to protect the young ones from what the users are bound to experience and that this decision, she stated, as already been signed by all the current 1.1 billion registered users and is therefore...]

  "Idiots, that's why you should read terms and condition before you register for anything online." Grumpy muttered with a hiss as he returned his attention to the food in front of him.

  But what that CEO mentioned is suspicious. What are we really going to experience? I just hope their technology is reliable and we don't get stuck in the simulation... Grumpy thought as he emptied his cup of juice into his wide open mouth.

  ...

  12:30 AM, Grumpy's room.

  Grumpy kneeled in front of the sim-pod he just unboxed as he reads through its installation manual.

  Is this actually human technology?... How can this thing preserve someone for more than 15 years without drawing energy from any power source? Does it have some invisible battery or something? What's even all this lengthy words they wrote here? You are telling me I should just sleep in this guy and the rest is just few button press away to the other side...

  This is definitely something else, maybe that's why its a bit expensive...

  Grumpy thought and then threw the manual to one side.

  "Now I should do a final check, disconnect the main power supply and lock everywhere." Grumpy muttered as he rose to his feet and left the room.

  After a while;

  "I am back again." Grumpy shouted pointing at the cool looking pod at one corner of the room as he rushed back inside.

  "Wait.. are we going in naked or not?" Grumpy muttered, curious but never really cared for an answer.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  He stripped naked, approached the pod and as instructed opened its lead.

  What came into Grumpy view was a transparent bluish still liquid filling two third of the pods total space.

  As he entered into the pod he noticed the liquid unlike regular liquid did not flow and wet him, and he also felt nothing as he made contact with the strange liquid.

  "This liquid is like I am back in my mother's womb, I even breathe better and also felt like fresh air is escaping into my body through all my pores. Its not even escaping into my mouth. Strange, very strange."

  Grumpy after entering the pod muttered as he laid face up, completely submerged in the strange liquid.

  They say we blink twice.

  Grumpy thought and then blinked twice.

  [Welcome to the log in space]

  "Shit." Surprised, Grumpy cursed out loud as a robotic voice welcomed him right after his second blink.

  He felt and saw his now gigantic naked body suspend freely in space, his sense of balance telling him he is still laid on his back.

  In the infinite space around him is an ocean of bright stars mimicking galaxies and nebulas and particularly right in front of him is a holographic screen blinking as it awaits a response.

  So this is the simulation log-in space, so sophisticated and futuristic...

  Grumpy thought as he check the content of the holographic screen.

  "Let's see."

  Click [ Settings ]

  [ Default Settings ]

  Click [ Change Settings ]

  [ Profile Settings ]

  [ Connection Settings ]

  [ Experience level ]

  [ Advanced Settings ]

  "Let's check profile first."

  Click [ Profile Settings ]

  [ User name : Skylar]

  [ Mortal vessel : XY Humanoid ]

  [ Affiliation : None ]

  [ Friends : None ]

  [ possession : None ]

  [ Money : None ]

  [ Others ]

  "There is nothing to adjust or change here, everything looks normal. What about this experience level thing."

  Grumpy muttered as he checked his profile carefully.

  Click [ Experience level ]

  [ Brave ]

  [ Extra Brave ]

  [ Extreme ]

  [ Hellish ]

  [ Nightmare ]

  [ Impossible ]

  "What does all this mean? Do they mean difficulty level? Then it definitely has to be that one."

  Grumpy with confusion on his face muttered as he tried to understand the content of the holographic screen before he made his choice, which he then did.

  "Yes, that's the right one I guess. Hmm... Why do I feel like I am setting myself up. Well, if it is completely unrealistic it wouldn't exist, right."

  Grumpy muttered as he contemplated his choice.

  Click[ message ]

  "Fuck I knew it. What's with all this clause and conditions attached to this difficulty level? Is this a joke or something? Just why? crazy people..."

  Grumpy ranted in annoyance and irritation as he felt cheated after reading the message that popped up after his selection.

  "So what's next?"

  With his face still holding a frown, he asked the sea of stars rudely.

  Countdown [ 09 : 45 ]

  A jingle sound followed the holographic reply that came up.

  "You are telling me to wait for the next 9 minutes staring into space, right?" Grumpy once again turned to the sea of stars and asked rudely after taking a look at the reply to his previous question—the countdown timer on the holographic screen.

  Now you are acting mute, should I just quit and return when its time?... I just don't understand this timer thing...

  if I think about it now, I will probably spend a lengthy time online. Maybe I should have waited for others to go first and bring information for me. No, absolutely not, I don't like being behind, and I want to experience everything firsthand, no one should spoil things for me...

  He contemplated as the timer counts down.

  Countdown [ 00 : 10 ]

  Its almost time, since morning... Grumpy thought as he fixed his eyes on the remaining count down.

  Suddenly there was darkness as the countdown hit zero and Grumpy for the first time in his life lost his consciousness.

  ...

  BRAVE

  [ Welcome to the inner region ]

  Unknown amount of time later, a robotic voiced welcomed an unconscious figure falling down rapidly from a dark tunnel to a world he might actually be returning to.