Fantasy Justice: Incarceration

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2060 — Same Day

Felorius, Unholy Alliance Territory

After a conversation about the day’s combat training, the group arrived at the northeast gate’s trolley stop and parted company. Sara and Pari climbed onto a trolley together and were seated. After a few seconds the conveyance jumped into motion. There were several other inmates in their car—but in Sara’s limited experience, talking to strangers did not happen in Fantasy’s public transportation. That at least was no different from the T back home.

About once every other minute, the trolley stopped briefly to let passengers on or off. The vehicles had no one directing them—they were magic in the setting lore, and a computer algorithm in the real world.

“These things move fast,” Pari said.

“I’ve noticed. But inmate safety and real world physics aren’t a concern to the company.”

“Still...as messed up as this place is, it’s hard not to be impressed by the attention to detail.”

Sara nodded. Around her, streets and buildings passed by at a decent clip. Shadows were growing longer as the daylight waned. “Just think—personal computers were barely a thing in the 1980’s, and here we are moving through a photo-realistic simulation less than a century later. Using direct neural controls, no less. Human ingenuity is something else. ...I wish I could say the same for our compassion.”

“Definitely. ...Oh, I just want to thank you for including me in the lesson on Monday. It’s quite a chance to take on someone you just met. And who doesn’t even know if she wants to adventure.”

“It’s not too much of an expense. I made five thousand gold my first night at work—unless that was a fluke, I should be able to afford to completely outfit a party in about two weeks.”

Pari looked uncertain, and Sara continued. “My working as a stripper doesn’t bother you, does it? It’s fine if you feel that way.”

“No, that’s not what I was thinking. I don’t care if someone has different values than me, as long as they aren’t actually hurting anyone. And for that matter, it’s not as if every woman of ill-repute is portrayed negatively in the Bible. ...Not that I consider you, um, ill-reputed or anything! I mean, some people even think Mary Magdalene might have been a prostitute before she followed Jesus. N-Not that I’m comparing myself to Jesus!” She sighed and looked down. “...I should really learn how to talk. Or look into that whole ‘vow of silence’ thing.”

Sara smiled reassuringly. “Don’t say that. You’re actually kind of adorable when you’re flustered.”

Pari blushed. “Really though, what was bothering me is that I’m jealous of how confident you are. You just got here, and already you’ve got everything you want planned out like it’s not even a big deal.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. It’s just easier for me to hold myself together if I keep focus on what I need to do step-by-step. Otherwise, I’d be a complete wreck.”

“I think you should give yourself more credit than that.”

They fell silent for a while. Sara wanted to ask Pari about herself, but she had seen how the other woman had reacted previously to such questions. It occurred to her that, in the space of hardly a day, three beautiful women with mysterious pasts had dropped into her life. She found the idea of such intrigue amusing.

Sara settled on the most innocuous question she could think of, even though it had not gone smoothly the last time she had tried it. “So, where are you from?”

“Iran originally, but I don’t remember anything about it. My parents immigrated to the US when I was two—they wanted to raise me somewhere friendlier to Christians. There’s not too much more I can say. I lived in Kansas and went to a private Catholic school.”

Pari looked down at her feet and let the conversation lapse once more. Sara was not sure if this was due to timidness or disinterest, but she hoped it was the former. “I’ve never met someone who wanted to be a nun before. How do you go about something like that?”

The other woman’s eyes lit up at this topic. “It’s actually a lot more involved than you might think. The process is called ‘Discernment.’ When a woman feels the calling of the Spirit—the Holy Spirit, I mean—she has to be sure she’s making the right decision. First there’s research, reading scripture, and a lot of prayer. From there, you begin to interview with and spend time with nuns, to get a better idea of what life will be like...”

Pari went on about her experiences on her spiritual path at length. The trolley became more crowded as they approached Queen’s Square. Even after they finished their transfer to a new vehicle, she was still speaking.

Sara had mixed feelings about all this. It was heartening to see someone who was otherwise withdrawn explain her passion. But at the same time, the idea of becoming a nun seemed very misguided to her—Sara did not believe in anything supernatural.

She did not raise any of her objections. This was both out of politeness and out of her need to cultivate as many allies as possible. Not just Pari, but also the Bishop of Felorius—he was a noteworthy figure in the city.

“I suppose I really talked your ear off,” Pari finally finished as they were approaching the cathedral trolley stop.

“Not at all. You were right, that it’s much more involved than I imagined.”

“Oh, would you like to come in and meet the bishop while you’re here? I could introduce you.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

The pair stepped off the trolley when it came to halt, as did other inmates. They were once again near the city wall, though this time to the west. The center of Felorius was densely developed—the only exception was a park around the castle. In contrast, out this far there were more open fields of grass and trees, with fewer roads and structures.

The cathedral was an impressive building, though its size felt wasteful. The construction trade was the most expensive to use, with the greatest need for raw materials that had to be gathered outside the safe zone. The effort required to build the Gothic stone edifice with its soaring towers must have been substantial. One strange thing about the cathedral she noticed was that even the stained glass windows were covered by the city’s ubiquitous cold iron bars. Perhaps it was impossible for inmates to even make a window without them in this game.

They crossed a road and made their way up the path toward their destination. There were several smaller buildings near the cathedral—Sara suspected that one of them was the convent Pari intended to join. One of the buildings had a line of inmates waiting out the door. No doubt that was one of the places in the city where gold for sustenance was given out to poorer inmates.

“Do you know anything about Bishop Bell?” Pari asked.

“I read that he’s in a brain jar like us, but for medical reasons—while he was still a priest he suffered from terminal cancer that hadn’t yet spread to his brain. The decision to prolong his life with controversial technology very nearly led to his being defrocked. But ultimately, that scandal passed. A few years later the Church took a more neutral stance on the technology.

“By Catholic standards, I’d call that monumentally fast progress.” Sara paused. “Oh, no offense.”

Pari just laughed slightly. “I realize the Church has been ponderous on some issues.”

They made their way up the cathedral steps. “Not long after the game launched, the Church decided to reach out to Fantasy inmates by forming a virtual diocese. Bell was the natural choice. As a courtesy, the company granted him NPC status within the game—a hunter account would leave him vulnerable to inmate attacks, and draw aggro from city guards. Since then, other religious organizations have been granted similar considerations.”

“I’m surprised you know all that.”

“I argued against Fantasy on the outside. To prepare, I researched the game thoroughly.”

They passed through the large, open doorway of the cathedral. In keeping with the city’s architecture, only interior doors could be made of wood. Beyond the entryway, Pari dipped her fingers into a font of holy water and made the sign of the cross.

The pair walked down a long central aisle, with row after row of wooden pews on either side. The interior of the cathedral was not as fancy as Sara had expected, but there were the stained glass windows and other religiously significant adornments. There were no services going on at the moment, but there were a handful of worshipers kneeling among the benches.

Past the pews, there was a raised step leading up toward the altar. Behind the altar was a massive cross and a large chair. Pari knelt on the step and started praying silently, leaving Sara to hang back awkwardly.

The bishop, recognizable even before his nameplate appeared by his elaborate robes, emerged from a door off to the side of this area and approached. He was a grandfatherly white man with gray hair. Though he looked to be in his early fifties, Sara knew him to be a couple decades older in the real world. Even a man of the cloth could be a little vain about his age, she supposed.

Bishop Henry Bell

XP 0% | NPC (Noncombat)

Catholic Church

Pari again made the sign of the cross and rose to her feet. “Your Excellency,” she greeted him with a respectful nod. They spoke quietly to avoid their voices carrying.

“Pari my dear, I’m pleased you’ve returned.” He had a formal English accent. Bell looked to Sara curiously, and she walked over to join them.

“This is Sara Takahashi. She’s one of the women I told you about.”

“Bishop Bell, it’s nice to meet you,” Sara said.

“And you as well. Thank you for helping Pari after she arrived in the game.”

“I was glad to.”

“Why don’t we talk?” Bell offered. Sara nodded, and he lead them back through the door he had come from.

Inside was a room adorned with various objects of religious significance—some of them might be used during mass, Sara guessed. There were a number of chairs, three of which were in front of a desk. The two women sat across the desk from the bishop.

“I’m interested to hear how your day of combat training went,” he told Pari. She gave an overview of her experiences, while Sara listened. It was promising that the aspiring nun sounded enthusiastic once more.

After her story, Bell spoke. “Have you changed your mind about adventuring then?”

“I wouldn’t say that. I just want to fully explore my options.”

“I see.” The bishop looked to Sara. “Offering to pay for a lesson, and with John Martinez no less? That’s exceedingly generous of you.” She picked up on a hint of skepticism in his tone.

“Given the serious dangers involved in fighting, I don’t intend to take training lightly. Mine, or anyone I might have to depend on.” She decided to lighten the mood. “And hopefully, a little generosity will balance out my whole ‘monster from beyond the grave’ thing.”

“Oh. I figured you went vampire,” Pari said.

Sara turned to her, held her hands out in front of her like they were claws, and extended her fangs. “Blah!”

Pari giggled. Sara retracted her fangs and lowered her hands once more.

“A vampire! If only there were a cross nearby,” Bell joked. Both women gave a slight laugh. He then looked to Pari. “I should mention, the Mother Superior has returned from her errands. She’s in the convent and anxious to meet you. And she’ll see to your accommodations and sustenance.”

“I shouldn’t keep her waiting then.” She looked to Sara as she rose. “Thanks again for all your help. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Sara nodded. She and the bishop also stood. “Training starts at nine, but we may go earlier. Have a good night.”

“Take care, Pari.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency.” She nodded to him and departed from the room.

“Sara, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to speak with you.”

By the clock on her HUD, she still had an hour until she had to be at work. “It’s no trouble.”

“Please walk with me then.”

The two left the room and proceeded to walk slowly around the interior edge of the cathedral, past the many pews. By the light coming in through the stained glass windows, it was clear that the sun was setting. “I’ll come right to the point. When I spoke with Pari before she was placed in Fantasy, she was strongly leaning toward the option of not playing the game. Both I and her parents agreed that this was best for her—as you must be aware, she has a delicate temperament. You can imagine my surprise this morning, when I found her determined to begin combat training. I’m very concerned by this change.”

“You’re worried about my motives.”

“And your character, yes. As you may be aware, you briefly came to national attention regarding your arrest. I felt there was a rush to judgment in the media based on scant evidence. But then you quickly took a plea offer.”

“I didn’t do so out of guilt. Given my political views, I had no hope for a fair trial.

“As for my motives, all I want to do is prevent executions by resisting the hunters. Unfortunately, there’s a great deal of risk to finding allies within a prison. Just as there’s no way for you to be sure I can be trusted, I have no way to know that any of my potential companions can be trusted. Including Pari.”

“...I find her to be sincere.”

“Does that mean you believe she’s innocent?”

“The company’s official position is that every prisoner here is guilty. I would not think to contradict them.” He held up one hand and waved it as if to indicate the air around them. “Within Fantasy Justice, God is not the only one who is watching.”

Clearly, Bell did think Pari was innocent. But he also did not want to risk losing his NPC status. While the company obviously did not have the manpower to monitor everyone in the game, it made sense that they would check up on individuals they deemed significant.

The bishop continued. “I take it you’re determined to have Pari join your struggle?”

“I want her to make her own choice, based on a thorough understanding of the risk involved. Also, I can’t be sure that Pari will be talented enough to fight without putting herself and everyone with her at risk. ...For that matter, I can’t even be sure I’ll have any skill at the game.” Sara had tried to avoid dwelling on this possibility, but it was a concern. “I’m hoping General Martinez will help me to make those determinations.”

Bell paused in consideration. “You strike me as a conscientious young woman. So I won’t discourage Pari from reaching her own decision—but I cannot say the same for her parents. They will be making the journey to Felorius in a month’s time.”

Sara felt a pang of jealousy here. Her family could not afford a medical VR machine. If they could, they would be able to gain access to a hunter account at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars per month. Pari’s family was clearly wealthy—though not so influential that they could gain NPC status and bypass the in-game trip from Kingdom territory.

“Thank you for letting me know,” Sara said. “And for being direct about your concerns.”

“Of course. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m curious if you have any religious affiliation?”

She smiled ruefully. “I’m afraid that my affiliation is ‘stubborn non-believer.’”

“Our doors are always open regardless. But for now, I won’t keep you any longer.”

“Have a good night, Bishop Bell.”

“You as well. I’m sorry that we couldn’t meet under more fortunate circumstances.”

She nodded, and then departed from the cathedral. Outside, it was evident that the sun had set behind the city wall. The city was aglow in its magical lights. Sara walked toward the trolley stop, ready to make the trip from the cathedral to the strip club. That’s not something you do everyday.