Taro woke up when something cold hit his face. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and noticed that the sky was cloudy. The white kitten was still on his chest and he couldn’t find anything amiss. What had woken him up?

Taro felt his face. There was a drop of… water? Another drop of water hit his hand and he realised what it was. Taro carefully lifted the cat off his chest and got up, droplets of water beginning to fall. He went inside the building, just in time as a wave of water drops cascaded onto the roof. It was now officially raining. Wonderful.

Rain normally wasn’t a problem, but it certainly was right now. After all, he had a kitten and nowhere to put it. He couldn’t put it out in the rain, and the dorm wouldn’t allow pets. What could he do?

Taro checked the time and noticed that it was already evening. He’d skipped out on the entire day of classes. That was bad. The cat woke up and stretched in his hand. Taro stroked the cat’s outstretched back as he thought. All he could really do now is go back to his room or something, but he should study to make up for missing the classes. Taro’s stomach rumbled and the cat meowed. [i]First thing’s first.[/i] Taro thought. [i]Food.[/i]

Taro snuck into the kitchen and stole some food for him and the cat, and made his way back to the dorm room. Once there, he opened the can of Tuna he stole and set it on the floor for the cat. The cat meowed gratefully and began eating the tuna. Taro opened the packet of bread he took and began eating it. He wasn’t that hungry. As he chewed his bread, he thought about the cat. What would he do with it? Well, he certainly couldn’t exactly leave it out there in the rain. Whatever reservations he had, he’d have to keep the cat for now. He’d decide what to do with it later.

After some time, the cat finished the can of Tuna and Taro finished his bread. It was getting late, so Taro decided to take a bath. Taro looked at the kitten, and found to his dismay that it was quite dirty, so Taro took it with him. Taro came out of the bath refreshed, with a sweet smelling cat who was clean. No fleas, fortunately. Taro settled down to bed in his cat pyjamas and the cat jumped onto his bed as well. Taro pulled his blanket up to his chin as the cat jumped onto his pillow and made itself comfortable.
“Good night.” Taro said to no one in particular as he turned the lights off.

Taro stared into darkness for a while. It had been a crazy day, running into 3 dudes, running away from 3 dudes. Running into a cat and a meeting, running away from the meeting with the cat. Skipping out all of his classes and stealing food… He had a lot of explaining to do. Well, he’d deal with it tomorrow. He was too tired now. Taro closed his eyes and went to sleep.

And then he woke up staring at a blue sky. Taro got up quickly. He was still in his pyjamas, but he was no longer on top of his bed. He was on the roof of a dilapidated building that he’d felt like he’d seen before. Quickly, Taro got up and ran to the edge of the building, looking over it. A huge crater filled with dissolutions met his sight. He was in deep ground. With his pyjamas on.

Taro was confused, but his question was answered, when he saw the message he had gotten.

[quote=Silver Jester]Greetings Players of Deep Ground Online. From your standpoint, you may be wondering many things. Allow me then, to enlighten you of your situation. In short, you are now placed within the Deep Ground Program indefinitely. However, as you also may notice, you are each stripped of your Player Avatars and their abilities. Also take note that your Private Messaging systems among one another are no longer functional. In short, you are completely human and trapped within this world. The game is simple; your minds in the living world are still connected to your chips. However, I have made some rather amusing enhancements. If you die in Deep Ground, a lethal electrical charge will be sent to your brain. You will die instantly. Why have I done this? That too is simple in itself. You people are so… Interesting. Please have fun with this new addition to the Deep Ground experience.
[/quote]

Taro was in deep ground, without his abilities. But so was everyone. Taro quickly took out his phone which was mysteriously there, and turned it on. No service. Figures. Taro looked out at the crater again. The dissolutions ran away from the centre as a massive kingly dissolution came out from the ground. Taro hid under the cover of the building’s railing, peeking over it at the new dissolution in the centre of the green city.
“Why is this happening?” Taro asked out loud, cowering behind the flimsy cover.