<div style="background-color:#353535; border:1px solid black; margin:10px 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 140%; line-height: 116%;">HERO SWORD VI</span><br/>COLLECTOR'S EDITION</span></span></div></span><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: #FF8000;background:#FF8000;"/></div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">She stared up as best as she could, even if being two dimensional impaired her vision slightly. "Collector's edition"? She could not recall ever having paid for any game, ever, much less buying a collector's edition. And why would anyone make a collector's edition of a frickin' 2D game, anyway? Nothing made any sense. She could vaguely feel the bricks underneath her feet, except that the <span style="font-style: italic">feel</span> of them was distinctly unreal, and more as if someone had tried far too hard to draw realistic-looking brickwork.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">NEW GAME<br/>LOAD GAME<br/>QUIT</span></span></div><br/>She shrugged, somehow pressing 'new game' by jumping awkwardly and swinging her arms. She had no idea what the game was, so it did not even occur to her to try loading an old save file. Plus, this had to be a very realistic dream. Why would she quit just as it was getting started?<br/><br/>She watched with apathy as the world disappeared around her - typical dream stuff. It was a change for the better that the graphics looked nicer, though. The bricks felt somewhat more real, too - along with the sudden realization that she was not really wearing anything. No one was around, but she felt embarrassed regardless. Skimpy female armor in video games was one thing, but total nudity?! Nuh-uh, son. The likely promise of actual clothes made her consider clicking the 'BOY' button, until she noticed the scroll bar. <span style="font-style: italic">Boy, girl, no... aha!</span> It was with satisfaction that she jumped, swung her arms, and pressed the button labeled 'vague, yet menacing'. Perfect.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">CHOOSE YOUR RACE</span></span></div><br/>There were just as many, if not more, options for race than gender, but unlike before, she knew exactly what she was going for. Noting with satisfaction that she was not forced to jump and swing her arms like some demented cheerleader anymore, she scrolled until she reached the good ol' 'dwarf' on the list. Not caring about the endless list of stats that popped up (aesthetics mattered more to her than numbers), she took her time appreciating the change of scenery before moving on to choosing her class. This, too, was a simple matter - warrior all the way. Like in any other game, it only took a quick press of the 'select' button for leather armor and a rusty hatchet to appear. She silently thanked anyone who might have been listening in on her thoughts for proper, functional armor. It was an oddly detailed and structured dream for her, she noted with a growing suspicion. Was something fishy going on? She sniffed the air. No, not fishy, at least not in the literal sense, which spoke for the dream-theory, but sadly also did not undermine the wild idea of her actually being a real, live video game.<br/><br/>Did she want a beard? Hell yeah. Best part about being a dwarf and being a vague, yet menacing gender - beards were an option. Two majestic, red braids sprung from her cheeks, and she giggled to herself. Absolutely incredible. She did not spend nearly as much time on her beginning stats as she could have, but it was all right. Dream or not, she had no doubt that she was in absolute control of the situation, and she was actually beginning to enjoy herself quite a bit. Sure, you started with shit stats, but you could always change things later in the game. And then, just as she had forgotten about it, the worst happened.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="color: #FFBF00">YOU MUST CHOOSE A NAME</span></span></div><br/>Naming had always been the bane of her existence. Besides, didn't she already have one? She tapped her hatchet restlessly against her leg as she struggled to remember. <span style="font-style: italic">Did</span> she have a name? Ah, no matter. She would have to find out later. For now, she could choose an alias. There was nothing to type with, and no keys to jump up and touch, so instead, she tried speaking her name aloud.<br/><br/>"Uhh... No, wait, delete that. DELETE, I SAID. That's right. Uhh... What would a vague, yet menacing dwarf be named? Oh, right." With the name, GentleRibcrusher, hovering above her head, she exited the beautifully rendered cave and arrived in another damn cave, only this time, it looked like there actually was a world outside the exit. If only that exit had not been covered in a red, shimmering film and a bunch of little noisy imp-things that were practically falling over each other in their eagerness to break down the barrier. Adrenaline that felt all too real made her heart race, and she grabbed her hatchet with both hands. GentleRibcrusher might have been a badass, but she wasn't, yet. Fortunately, there was another dude here. With a small sigh of relief, she ran over to him, hatchet still lifted just in case.<br/><br/>"Hi," she greeted him breathlessly. "So, I guess this is not a dream." It couldn't be, there were never other people in her dreams, and certainly not people with ridiculous, over-the-top names like <span style="font-style: italic">Saerimnir the Infinite</span>. Really now. She risked another glance back at the barrier. <span style="font-style: italic">Waiting for other players to connect...? Oh, geez.</span></div></div>