Chapter 2: First Dive: Am i… Happy?

Elissa opened her eyes, finding herself in a dimly lit alleyway between two buildings. Ahead is a large street with bright lights and tons of traffic, from wagons and carriages to pedestrians. FroMe is A modified High-Fantasy setting with Sci-Fi elements, so she was unsurprised to see a few of those carriages floating above the ground, and others with nothing pulling them. She took a deep breath, And started forward... only to stop as a chime rang in her head. Focusing on the sound caused a menu to appear.

[FIRST QUEST: FIND AN INN! REWARD: 10E(Earthcoin), 2 Health Phials, Beginner Quest#1. Complete the Tutorial to Leave Nova City.]

"Shit, really? The rest of the game world, including the area I need to go, is locked behind a tutorial? Sigh... Guess I'd better get started."

Elissa resumed her walk toward the main street, only to be blocked by an old man.

Old man: "Ello, Lass, Welcome Ta Nova City! Ennything i's can help ya with?"

Looking at the old man, words were floating above his head. They read: Vanir Tethrys, City Guide, NPC.

"No thank you, sir... unless you can point me toward an inn?"

"Course I's can point ya ta an inn. Yer comin outta Newbie alley, so you prolly got a tight budget, so Ya Should head left, on down tha main, until ya sees a sign that looks like a Swan. Tha's tha swansong, cheapest inn in Nova outside the slums... an you don wanna go there."

"Very well. Thanks for the directions."

"Enny time, lass. An have yerself a nice one!" 

After this last sentence, in very poor Cockney British, The old man vanished in a cloud of smoke. Smoke Elissa Accidentally Inhaled.

"Cough, cough... Eww. Smells like Tobacco, and tastes worse. Interesting way to exit, to say the least." 

Regaining her breath, She stepped out of the alleyway... which Disappeared behind her. She continued to the left down the street, Past Weapon shops and Armorers, general goods traders, multiple restaurants, even a very crowded red-light district, before finally coming to a small, three storey building with a sign that looked Vaugely like a Swan, if it were drawn by an toddler. Emblazoned in large red letters with incorrect spelling and seemingly random Capitalization were the words: SwaNsOng iNn, ChEEp RoUmZ AvayLabUll. Reading the Sogn gave her a headache, but she decided it was better than nothing, and went in.

A large room dominated by a counter, at which sat a very large man with a huge scar on his head, and a tiny woman. They looked at her and said "Welcome!". Or at least the woman did, the man simply gave her a crooked grin and wiggled his hand in what may have been a wave.

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Woman: "Sigh. Eddie, you're scaring the potential customer. Don't mind my brother, Miss, He's harmless. He Saved the city once, from an invading Army, Single handedly... but on his way back from the battlefield, he tripped on the bloody flagstones and smacked his head on the bridge... Nearly died, and hasn't been the same since. But he's a Hero, And wanted to Start an Inn, so here we are... Would you like a room, its 1E per night."

"Yes, please." Having paid for a room, Elissa was shown to the last door on the top floor. She's thanked the woman and went inside. The headache inducing Sign now made sense. A chime went off, and the menu reappeared.

[QUEST COMPLETE! REWARDS GRANTED.] A small bag of coins and two small vials containing a blue liquid appeared in her hands.

[Beginner Quest# 1: kill 10 lambwolves in the field outside the city, and bring their materials to the apprentice Armorer, Julius. Reward: 30E, 10% discount from Julius, Beginner Quest#2(2of5), Basic Armor crafting. WARNING: The Nova Gate is open from dawn dusk.]

She'd have to wait, as it was night. Elissa put the rewards in her inventory, and started toward the bed, only to freeze as she passed a floor length mirror. Looking back at her was a young woman with a slight smile, sun-darkened skin, Raven-black Hair, And almost Crystalline Green Eyes. Her body was well proportioned, and clad in a way that both emphasized her curves And Allowed for ease of movement. An oddly shaped hat, almost a fedora but with a wider brim, sat atop her head.

"Wow. So this is what the computer made, based on my brainwaves? Aside from the hair and eye color, height, and physical development,  it looks a bit like my sister... or my mom. This is me?" The smile in the reflection grew bigger, so large now that it looked painful... Tears started flowing, and Elissa made a sound she never thought she'd ever make. 

"Did I just.... giggle? I'm crying, smiling, And I just Giggled? Why?"

She realized she felt better than she ever had, all her self loathing was gone... and came to a realization.

"Am i... happy? But why? My sister is still missing and presumed dead, my mom is still dead, and I cant even investigate the rumors without completing a tutorial... so why am I happy... why do I feel all... bubbly?"

She took another look at her reflection... then mentally replaced it with her actual Appearance... A sharp pain In the pit of her stomach made her double over, and all the self hatred was back, coupled with a deep Revulsion... then she looked at the reflection again, and it was gone. This could only mean one thing.

"This feeling is Euphoria. Holy shit, The computer was right! Well. Shit. Guess it's time to start saving my paychecks, then. I don't think I can stand going back in my real body, not for long anyway. But hey, while I'm here, no depression! God, GRS cost a lot these days, with the new Genetic Alteration Techniques... but I have options. And that can wait, what's important now is finishing this tutorial and finding that Forgotten Godess and those damn Admins. I can worry about my gender Identity AFTER I have justice."

Elissa walked to the bed, and laid down, finding herself surprisingly exhausted. Her last thought as she drifted off was simple. "I wonder why it took me so long to realize this... if mom and sis were still alive, would I have realized sooner? And would they Accept me? I guess I'll  never know"...

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