Chance
Sitting at my desk, the glow of the computer screen cast an eerie light across my dorm room. All my roommates were out at some charity event. The only sound was the quiet hum of my computer and my own steady breathing. I was about to do something that felt like a cross between a spy mission and a really bad idea.
There was a club presentation coming up later that evening, but I was on a mission: to uncover the identity of my stalker Mindy.
Back on the Freshman Beach Trip, she had sent me some pictures to entice me into going skinny dipping in the ocean. Using reverse image search, I’d managed to trace the pictures she sent me back to the account of 4XGoddess on the popular adult website OnlyLosers.
Logging into OnlyLosers, I noticed something strange. My password manager autofilled the account information. I figured, that the previous Chance, the person whose life I’d transmigrated into, must’ve had an OnlyLosers account himself.
And, judging from the invoice, he’d spent thousands of dollars a week.
As that simmered in the back of my mind, I remembered my target: 4XGoddess.
4XGoddess had some very lewd pictures on her profile, but never showed her face. Her profile picture featured her, identity hidden by a mask in a slutty cheerleader outfit. Another was of her in the bath with bubbles obscuring the good stuff. But it was the last one that caught my attention.
It looked like a bikini that matched the pics she had sent me on the Freshman Beach Trip. At this point, it was obvious to me that she was a student at LAG, but I still needed to find out more before I could take her down.
As I initiated the chat, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. I couldn't shake the feeling that each message I sent was like a step further into some digital quicksand.
"Hey, came across your profile and couldn't resist saying hi," I typed, trying to sound casual.
I waited, the suspense knotting my stomach. Then, her reply popped up, "Hi there! Always happy to meet a new fan ;). What brings you to my neck of the woods?"
The conversation flowed, but it was like dancing on a tightrope. I was probing for information while trying not to seem too eager or suspicious.
Amidst the tactical exchange, a notification popped up from my bank app - another $20,000 deposit from my "parents". I had barely noticed these transactions before. LAG took care of everything, so the money just accumulated.
It made me pause. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
Why was so much money being poured into an account I didn't need? It made me think of the previous Chance - what was he up to with this kind of cash? From the looks of it, he just spent all this extra money on e-girls and gatcha games.
My gaze returned to the screen where 4XGoddess awaited my reply. I delved back into the conversation but part of my mind was elsewhere, pondering over the pieces of a puzzle I was still trying to understand.
I thought about the nature of platforms like OnlyLosers. The loneliness it implied, the search for some kind of companionship or connection. It seemed so far from the world I knew at LAG, surrounded by people all the time. But then again, maybe that was the point. Maybe this was a refuge from the very public life we led at school.
It couldn’t just be about seeing naked girls. Since the invention of the internet, pictures of naked girls have proliferated faster than nuclear weapons.
In fact, a famous astrophysicist once said, “there are more lewd pictures on the internet than stars in the sky.”
But why would the previous Chance need to resort to this? From what I could tell, he’d previously dated both Amber and Pail, and Bleu had obviously been pining after him since elementary school. It’s not like he was short on female attention.
These thoughts spun in my head, creating a web of questions with no clear answers. As I chatted with 4XGoddess, trying to peel back the layers of her digital persona, I was also trying to unravel the enigma of the person whose life I had stepped into.
There was one thing I knew about OnlyLosers girls, all they cared about was money. If I was going to get any information out of 4XGoddess, I’d need to drop some serious cash.
I transferred $5,000 into my account on the site - a drop in the ocean of my mysteriously vast bank balance but a substantial amount for an interaction like this.
As I resumed my chat with 4XGoddess, I felt like a detective in a noir film, minus the trench coat and the incessant rain.
"Heard you had a blast at the beach recently," I typed, my fingers hovering over the keys after sending the message. I was playing a dangerous game, trying to bait her into revealing something about herself.
Her response was quick, "I love the beach! The sun, the sand, the waves... it's my happy place :). Why do you ask?"
I leaned into the screen, typing with a smirk, "Just curious. Got any photos in your bikini? For a new fan?"
The wait for her reply was agonizing.
Then it came, a photo that made my heart skip a beat. It was her in a bikini, the same one from the photo I had, the one that led me to her in the first place.
I stared at the screen, a mixture of triumph and unease churning in my gut. This was it - the link I needed.
"So, aside from gracing beaches with your presence, do you play any games?" I asked casually.
Her response came quickly, "Games? Oh, I'm a huge fan of 4X games. There's something thrilling about conquering the world, don't you think? ;)"
I’d never been into those grand strategy games like Universal Europe and Totality of War: Rome, to be honest. Too much economics managing and complex political alliances, not enough catgirls.
I had no idea how people put thousands of hours into what was essentially coloring maps and spreadsheet management.
But, since I was trying to pump 4XGoddess for information, I lied.
"Absolutely. There's nothing like building an empire and crushing your enemies. Totality of War: Rome is my go-to. What's yours?"
"Universal Europe. I love the complexity and the strategy involved. Plus, I always had a thing for rewriting history," she replied, a playful edge to her words.
"Ah, a fellow conqueror. Do you prefer diplomatic victories, or are you more of a 'crush them under your heel' kind of girl?" I teased.
"Depends on my mood. But let's just say I don't shy away from a bit of... aggressive negotiation," she shot back.
As the conversation flowed, I couldn't help but think about the previous Chance. Was this what he sought in these exchanges?
A connection, however fleeting, based on shared interests and playful banter? It was a stark contrast to the idea I had of him - a talented student and gaming prodigy surrounded by adoration and yet, perhaps, profoundly lonely.
With each message, I was drawing a clearer picture of 4XGoddess, but simultaneously, I was beginning to empathize with the boy whose shoes I now filled. The ease of this digital back-and-forth, the anonymity, the escape it provided - it was alluring.
"You know, in Universal Europe, I always found the 'hidden agendas' of other nations fascinating. It's like a game within a game," I typed, subtly probing.
"Oh, absolutely! It's all about reading between the lines and uncovering what they're really after. Kind of like us, here, don't you think?" she responded, a hint of depth in her playful tone.
I leaned back in my chair, a thoughtful frown creasing my forehead. Her response was intriguing, almost as if she was aware of the dual nature of our conversation.
As our conversation about empires and strategies started to wind down, I decided it was time to up the stakes.
"Hey, I've really enjoyed this chat. How about a custom video? Maybe something... personal? I’d like to see how you live. Like… maybe in your bedroom." I asked.
Now, I admit that was kind of creepy. I was half-joking, but if I could get her to make a video in her living area, she’d probably leave some clue as to her real identity. At that point, I could tell she was a student at LAG, but I didn’t have prove that she actually was Mindy.
Her response was quick and playful, "A personal video, huh? Like a sexy one? You seem like my bikinis, so I’m sure you’re going to like my lingerie even more ;). Give me a week, and I'll have something special for you. Patience is a virtue, after all. <3"
A week. In the grand scheme of things, not long at all, but in this game of digital cat-and-mouse, it felt like an eternity. I couldn't help but wonder what she would come up with. Would it be a clue-laden masterpiece or just another piece in this increasingly complex puzzle?
As I logged off, I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. This investigation, this whole charade, was more than just a hunt for Mindy's identity. It was a deep dive into the life and psyche of the previous Chance. A life filled with intrigue, digital escapades, and a loneliness that seemed to seep through the cracks of a seemingly perfect existence.
I started to understand why he might have been drawn to platforms like OnlyLosers. It wasn't just about the thrill or the escape; it was about connection. A connection that, for whatever reason, he couldn't find in his real life. It made me reflect on my own experiences since arriving in this world, the connections I'd made, and the ones I still struggled to understand.
This whole situation had started as a mission, a means to an end. But now, it was becoming a journey of self-discovery, not just about Mindy or the previous Chance, but about me. Who was I in this world? What did I want? And how did I fit into the legacy of Chance Last?
I chuckled to myself, thinking about the video. It was like waiting for the next episode of a gripping series, except I was both the audience and the protagonist. This new life was full of surprises, and I was starting to enjoy the unpredictability.
For the time being, I’d have to wait to get the video from 4XGoddess. But thankfully, there was an event that evening to get my mind off the situation.
It was starting to be club season, and the various student organizations were ramping up their recruitment.
I was most inclined to just join the JRPG and Visual Novel Clubs. But since coming to LAG, I’d began to expand my gaming horizons.
It was the FPS club holding the event that evening, and I’d decided to give it a chance.
Stepping into the auditorium, the electric atmosphere of the FPS Players Club event hit me like a wave. Rows of gaming enthusiasts buzzed with anticipation, their eyes fixed on the giant screen at the front. The event was about to showcase a face-off between two top-ranked Duty of Honor teams – 'Phantom Trigger' and 'Neon Mavericks'.
I took my seat among the crowd, my skepticism about FPS games firmly in place. To me, these games seemed more like a digital version of tag than anything resembling the complex narratives of the games I preferred.
The lights dimmed, and a well-known celebrity gamer, Razorblade Rick, known for his flashy playstyle and even flashier hair, took the stage. The crowd erupted into cheers, some fans even standing up to get a better look.
"Welcome, thrill-seekers and digital warriors!" Razorblade Rick's voice boomed through the auditorium. "Tonight, we have a spectacular showdown between the stealthy assassins of Phantom Trigger and the explosive powerhouses of Neon Mavericks!"
The crowd's roar grew louder, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement, despite my reservations.
The captain of Phantom Trigger, a player known as ShadowVixen, stepped forward. Her presence commanded attention, her eyes focused and sharp. "We're here to prove that strategy and stealth reign supreme in the world of Duty of Honor," she declared confidently. Her voice had a calm, almost hypnotic quality to it, drawing me in despite myself.
The match started, and I found myself leaning forward, intrigued despite my initial skepticism. Phantom Trigger moved like ghosts on the battlefield, their coordination and strategy evident in every calculated move. Neon Mavericks, on the other hand, were all about bold attacks and flashy tactics, their gameplay a stark contrast to their opponents.
Watching the teams, I began to see the layers of strategy unfolding. It wasn't just about shooting; it was about positioning, timing, and teamwork. The players communicated constantly, their voices a symphony of callouts and responses. I started to appreciate the skill and precision required to excel in this digital battleground.
As Phantom Trigger set up an ambush, I was on the edge of my seat. ShadowVixen's voice cut through the noise, calm but commanding. "Wait for it... now!" she called out. In a fluid motion, her team sprung the trap, catching Neon Mavericks off guard. It was a beautifully executed play, and even I had to admit it was impressive.
The match continued, each team scoring points, their fans cheering them on. The more I watched, the more I found myself drawn into the world of FPS gaming. The strategies, the teamwork, the split-second decisions – there was a depth here I hadn't appreciated before.
By the end of the match, my view of FPS games had shifted. There was more to these games than I had given them credit for. Maybe they didn't have the narrative depth of a JRPG, but they offered a different kind of storytelling – one written in the heat of battle, where every player's move contributed to the unfolding drama.
As the match concluded and the victor between Phantom Trigger and Neon Mavericks was declared amidst a raucous cheer, I prepared to slip out of the auditorium. That's when an unexpected twist grabbed everyone's attention.
ShadowVixen, her presence as commanding as ever, took the microphone once again. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and a sly smile crept across her face. "Now, for a special challenge!" she announced, her voice reverberating through the auditorium. "We've seen what our teams can do. But tonight, we have the #1 student of LAG in the audience. Chance, why don't you come up here and show us what you've got?"
A spotlight swung over the crowd, stopping to illuminate me. Murmurs rippled through the room, a mix of excitement and surprise. My heart pounded in my chest. Me? In an FPS showdown? This was way out of my league.
But the crowd had already started chanting my name, a growing chorus urging me to take the stage. I hesitated, feeling the weight of expectation bearing down on me. I was the #1 student, sure, but not in FPS games. My mind raced with the possibilities of embarrassment, of letting down the crowd, of revealing a chink in my armor.
"Come on, Chance! Don't be shy!" ShadowVixen called out, her challenge hanging in the air like a gauntlet thrown.
I stood up, the auditorium's eyes all on me. Walking towards the stage felt like an eternity. Each step was heavy with uncertainty. I climbed onto the stage, the heat of the spotlights suddenly making me acutely aware of every eye in the room fixed on me.
As I stood there, facing the crowd, I put the Rudders over my eyes and logged into the Nautilus.
Could I live up to the expectations? Could I adapt to this unfamiliar battlefield?
The room hushed in anticipation. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart.
Then, with a sudden burst of action, the match began.
The auditorium was a sea of faces, all waiting to see how the #1 student at LAG would fare in a realm far from his comfort zone.
