Return to reality.

Obviously, that little incident had ended the combat. We ended up letting the pirates finish with their loot, then sailed back to Cor Nostrum with Sibilla and Gael, the "boy" (he was easily 20) we had come to save. I'll admit, the voyage was somewhat awkward. Despite the mood being ruined, I still desperately wanted Sibilla. It didn't help that she did whatever she could to stay near me during the trip. I was looking out over the passing sea when she snuck up behind me and wrapped me in her arms. The way my head just barely reached her chin really solidified how small I had made Nameya. I shivered as she whispered into my ear.

"I missed you. So much... But when I heard that no one else had seen you, I figured something must have happened. I'm glad to see you didn't forget me though."

God, I felt so weird. This girl wasn't real! But I still didn't want to tell her I had indeed been scared away in part by her advances. To be fair, school and my increasingly imminent future had been what pulled me from the game. So it wasn't really lying when I said:

"Of course I didn't. I don't think I could forget. I'm sorry, something back home kept me busy. I... Missed you too."

We stayed like that a while, her holding me, warming me from the cool sea breeze. This... Was different, but equally concerning. Right? I mean, it's one thing to feel turned on by her. That's perfectly rational. But... She isn't real! That feeling, that warmth... This longing to just be with her, that was something more.

Eventually, though, we arrived at the city. Gael's mother thanked us, and payed us each a fair amount of coin before dragging her son down the street. We could all see as he brazenly picked a passerby's pocket and winked to us. She probably didn't need to worry about protecting that one. Sibilla hadn't come into the town, to avoid running into the guards. Unfortunately, now my friends could speak freely about her. In came the mocking I had expected.

"So... She seems nice. But I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you dating, young lady." Raistlynn pointed a finger at me. He had always pretended to be a fatherly figure to my character.

"Yooooooo! How far have you gone?! When did this start?! What kind of friend doesn't give details on this shit man?" Stian wrapped an arm around me and shook me.

Imari was grinning wildly, but thankfully said nothing. I'd hoped someone would come to my defense here, but it looked like I was alone. "Yeah, yeah, very funny. Look, can we just... Shit, what time is it?" I opened the menu. Real-world time was 7:12. "Shit! I gotta go!" I almost logged off immediately, but caught myself. I looked at this group, my friends as I had met them. "Uh... Do this again tomorrow?"

I pulled the headset from my face, and for the first time felt downright eager for tomorrow to arrive. I opened the door to my room just as my older sister was about to knock. "Oh. So you did hear us. Well, come on, it's time for dinner. Why didn't you answer?" She peered into my room, and her eyebrow rose when she spotted the headset. "Oh? Back at that virtual reality shit, huh? That explains it. Well, come on dork. Real food's waiting."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Olivia had come home from uni, her classes ending before my own did. She may have poked fun here or there, but she shared a few of my nerdy hobbies. Never got into the VR though. Probably for the best. I'd never be able to play as Nameya if she wanted to quest with me.

Dad had really gone all out tonight. If not for the VR, I would've come down from the smell alone. Fuck, I love this lasagna. We ate and made small talk, not much of substance being discussed. We had almost finished when dad smiled and asked "You seem in a much better mood. Something good at school, or...?"

"Yeah, I guess. Just had a good time with my friends is all." It had been a good time. Hopefully school would go by fast, because I could not wait for whatever would come next.

I was lying in bed, insomnia stricken and lost in thought, when my mind drifted back to the game. The freedom of being in the sky. The feeling of Sibilla holding me down. The sensations of being Nameya, of looking at myself in that body. I tried to relieve myself, but... God, maybe there was something wrong with me. I just wanted to be back there, in that body, with that woman. I eventually did get off, but I'd be lying if I said I felt satisfied after.

My attempts to rationalize and consider my feelings about this eventually drove me to sleep.