So this is her mansion.
Purple shrubbery as tall as an average man hedged a fence about forty meters tall.
The black carved wooden gate affixed to this fence that leads to an incredible super large mansion behind it, keeps a figure supporting another from entering through it.
Its kind of locked. Should i break in or contact her...
Just as the figure in lead was moving his right hand closer to a bracelet on his left hand that held the other figure leaning on him—supporting her paralyzed body...
Click...
"Oh..."
She probably knows i am here already...
The locked wooden gate with a click sound automatically unlocked, surprising this figure in front of it who was seeking entry access and also making him smile in satisfaction with his lips curled.
I have got to be extremely delicate with you. Being my enemy earlier does not mean i should profane your beauty. And the thing is you are not even ugly on the inside.
Carefully holding this figure he supports, this figure in lead moved closer to this wooden gate, which like it was preprogrammed open on its own for him as he moved closer to it.
Everything is just sophisticated in this simulation.
This figure in lead passed through the carved wooden gate...
I will never get tired of sights like this.
And stopping on a wide paved pass between a lawn of raspberry grass with the gate closing behind him; this figure paused, taking in the magnificent front view of what lay enclosed by the fence. A view of black trees with raspberry colored leafs and fruits, growing in circle around several very large clear body of water that seems like giant puddles in potholes that are dug strategically in several places on the vast raspberry grass lawn.
And the king of it all, the view he is most fascinated with, a view which happens to be the front view of a mansion about three hundred meters in width and height as seen from the front view, lay majestically in front of him. A mansion made from crystalline glass walls that has been adjusted to be reflective with a little black taint, and a mansion its frame structure is made of black carved wood with the exterior as he sees it trained with exotic black and red flower vines.
"Meow... Meow... Lord Skylar."
The appearance of a maine coon, as big as a tiger, snow white, dark brown claws—a creature fitting this description with a pair of dark brown cat eyes fixed as if teary eyed on Skylar who happens to be this figure all along; run at him excitedly like it is reuniting with a long lost lover, or like a border coolie running after a frisbee.
Ah! This cat has recovered?.... So fast.
Skylar who already braced himself for an impact with this happy and excited furry creature, carefully put a small gap between him and is captive—Aya—who has been leaning paralyzed on his chest, therefore protecting her from a collision that might cause her damage since she can't exert her will.
"Lord Skylar, i missed you."
Like a predator pouncing on a prey but in this case the predator is like a child jumping into the arms of her father the prey; Skylar felt the weight of the white furry creature he last saw when he boarded the Golden Finch, as she lands on his broad chest, making him almost having to take a step backwards.
This guy is not just big, it has become heavier or maybe stronger. What has she been eating?...
"Meow.... Lord...Slurp... Slurp... Slurp... So sweet..."
Hanging on to Skylar, this creature licked his face three times with excitement in her eyes.
"Okay... Enough..."
Skylar gently pushed back the furry creature, making her jump backwards, landing gracefully in front of him. And sustaining the excitement in her eyes, she raised her lowered head.
"You have become big... How?"
"Meow... Lord i have always been like this..."
Skylar listening to her reply, pulled back his captive closer to him and pointed at the grand portico of the super luxury mansion.
Then the furry creature understanding his signal turned around, leading the way, and Skylar behind carried his absolutely stunning captive in a princess carry and followed behind.
".... Meow... I am from a clan of hunters in the yagur region. Our specie is one of the three ruling specie in that region... Meow... Because of our history of hunting in burrows and caves and because we had to manage our energy reserve, we were able to acquire the shrinking ability over the generations, and its why I could appear in that form that time...Lord Skylar."
"Do you have a name?"
Skylar asked as his leg left the last step leading into the portico, his figure completely stepping into it.
"Lord.. My name is Ling."
Ling the furry creature wagging her tail, briefly turned to look at Skylar before she continued forward, aiming for the crystalline glass door.
"Diana gave me the name. Meow..."
She added, still wagging her tail excitedly. And Skylar as a response shook his head in acknowledgement.
"I see..."
"Lord, did you know we just retuned from..."
Ding....
Like cutting Ling short and following the chime of a bell, the crystalline glass door part at the middle, revealing the figure of barefooted Empress diana dressed in an off-shoulder black dress.
"Grrrr..."
Something about her has changed...
While Ling glared angrily at Empress Diana who smiled slyly in return, Skylar as he moved closer took his time examining Empress Diana's state and figure, trying to figure out what has changed about her since they last met.
"Lord Skylar... I am happy to meet you again."
Empress Diana curtsied as Skylar with Ling by his side reached in front of her.
"Please come in."
Her arrogant presence has transformed. She is now carrying an air of absolute confidence... Interesting.
As Empress Dianna gave way, Skylar with a smile on his face, and Aya still in his hands and nestled on his chest in a princess carry, enter into a vestibule beautifully decorated with glowing floral species and glowing exotic energy creatures coexisting with them.
They drew his attention—the crystalline glass wall of the vestibule displaying images of what seems to be powerful looking individuals fighting and either subduing or defeating creatures that seems to be above them in caliber. And Skylar watching one of this display at his right side as he walks towards the vestibule exit in front, with Empress Diana and Ling at either side of him, paused when he saw the display of himself defeating a flaming boar in one hit- an event that happened when he met Lingyue and her people.
"There is a record of this?"
"Yes my lord, and its one of the viral videos circulating our safe zone..."
Four pair of eyes on the display that has been repeating many times unlike the rest, Skylar asked and Empress Diana answered him.
Hearing her words delivered with her sweet caressing voice, pure with no hint of arrogance or ostentation unlike before when they first met outside the safe zone;
"How was it recorded? Did the tower do it?"
He asked and looked to his side at Empress Diana who smiled sweetly, probably thinking Skylar is cute for asking such question.
"Lord, it should be a drone explorer... Although the tower might be capable of knowing what is happening anywhere in the simulation, they will never release our private information—including anything we do in the simulation either as individuals or a group without our permission..."
She tucked her hair, then continued, "They are simply saying anything we do as long as it is not recorded by a third party will forever remain a secret. They also said—no power or thier agencies, the goverment included, have the power and right to demand player–user information from them."
At this point Empress Diana whose sweet caressing voice has been like an elderly widow addresing her married and successful eldest son she is happy to see after a long time, looked into Skylar's eyes that has been looking at her attentively, with the intent to catch his reaction as she continued.
"They announced this a few days after the launch of the simulation. And its the same for Tribes in the real world... They also promised not to give away any of their customers' information to anyone or a group—be it major world powers, powerful organizations, powerful families and entities, and the likes..."
"I know about the one of tribes promise. Its in the terms and conditions affixed with the contract we have to sign before getting a VR pod, i signed one too..."
Skylar who has been smiling at her since the time after she uttered her first sentence when she made eye contact with him, responded like he is clearing the doubts in her mind that he sensed in the later half of her words.
Pausing briefly, he resumed his slow march towards the door—their aim, making her and Ling follow along, matching his steps.
He continued, "... And about any annoucement they made after the launch of the simulation. I know nothing about them as we speak... I was trapped somewhere in the black zone for a very long time, and I only logged out there once, and that was even a few months after the launch."
Ding..
Matching the conclusion of his narration, the sound of a bell chime was followed by the faint sound of the door in front of them parting.
"Lord, are you saying your spawn zone is a black zone?"
"Mm mm... Yeah"
Skylar as they enter into the space behind the door nodded affirmatively, answering her question with an answer that stunned her silly, making her pause as her raspberry eyes widened and has her mouth gape wide open like she saw the most terrible thing ever. However, only happening for a few short seconds; she quickly recovered her composure, staring at the back of Skylar who is looking around her super big, spherical living hall with a diameter almost twice the length of a football pitch.
I should note her love for red and black.