Holy jeez this stuff was expensive! Emma sat down with a box sitting on her lap that contained all the equipment she needed to start her first ‘dive’ into the virtual world.  “At least that’s what the book says… Uuugh… this better be worth my grade….”  She muttered as she scowled at her package.  The Psychology major had zero interest in anything that had to do with gaming or online stuff.  She simply wanted to experience the craze that was causing a lot of concern around the world when it came to addiction and people being able to distinguish fantasy from reality.  She hoped she would be able to understand at least a little.  Perhaps talk to others while in the internet.  …seriously, INSIDE the internet.  She shook her head and opened the box…  

A full day had passed.  She really had no skill when it came tech stuff.  Everything was finally set up and ready to go.  All she had to do was put on the gear, lay down comfortable, and boot it up.  Or so one of the many tech support agents had told her over the last few hours.  

Finally, she was in.  Emma looked around her sudden new surroundings.  Everything was a soft white.  The only thing she could see, was window infant of her nonexistent self asking for a screen name.  Simply thinking of what she could call herself pulled up the required tools, such as a keyboard.  The letters seemed to type themselves as she didn’t exactly have hands to do that with.  Slytheria was now her online persona.  Next was gender and all the stuff she vaguely wondered how people had the will power to complete before giving up and doing something productive.  

Her time in the virtual world, or VR as it was called, suddenly got a little interesting.  She found that she rather liked the character creation and was a little amused, not that she’d admit it, of how her very self began to form as she went through the settings.  Ultimately she chose a tall female with waist length black wavy hair and purple eyes.  She was particularly fond of the black fox set she got from the starter currency she got for being a new subscriber.  The ears and tail moved as if attuned to her every thought and emotion.  That was pretty charming.  Her clothing was the most basic of basic.  A plain t-shirt and a pair of jeans and sneakers.  She had spent all of her currency on the tail and ears that she found so adorable. 

Her avatar created; she was suddenly dumped into the starting area of… the internet?  “Maybe I’m too old for this,” the 27 year old muttered to herself as she saw a bunch of creatures who were other players running around and shouting.  She could ‘hear’ it and read what was being said.  It was total chaos.  She didn’t even know where to start.  Her hands on her virtual hips, she stared around hopelessly while looking for a clue.