Integral Factor: Ordinal Scale

Friday, April 24th, 2026

Wakawakawakawaka. The sound effects of the video game icon Pac-Man chomping on hovering yellow balls were the only sounds between the eight teenagers seated. All eyes were on the three-dimensional gameboard with varying degrees of interest. Four girls were playing the game; two girls were entranced by it, while the two boys looked at it with an overall lack of interest. One seemed utterly bored, while the other was snacking on chocolate chip cookies.

When Pac-Man reached the central castle, ending the game in their victory, the six girls cheered respectfully to the greater public. "Alright, we cleared it!"

"We did it!"

"Great job, Silica and Koharu! Nice assist, Liz!"

"We all got a hundred points for beating it."

"Good job, you four."

The girl named Liz looked at the prompt in front of her and the other three girls who played with her. "Look! It says we each get a free slice of cake! Sweeeeeet!"

Koharu nodded and reached for one of the cookies between her and the munching boy seated across from her. He didn't utter a dissenting word to her since 1) she had a coupon for the cookies and allowed him to use it, 2) he didn't care much for sharing desserts, unlike entrees, and 3) she was his girlfriend, and he enjoyed the benefits of having prepared lunches from said girlfriend. "Indeed. But we didn't get to choose which cake we would like, huh? Then again, what's to complain about? We get to play games and win cake."

The bored boy, head held by his left hand, sighed. "You guys play games way too much these days."

Six pairs of eyes turned to him. "I-I never thought I'd hear that coming from you!"

"Heck, every time we play, we get points to shop at stores. Might as well play our butts off, isn't that right, Jaymes?" Liz bumped her shoulder into the cookie monster, forcing him to stop eating the half-eaten in his hand. He didn't hide his annoyance, but he knew it was better to say something than to ignore one of his longtime friends.

"Sure, Liz. Such fun, that is."

"You did a real number on him, huh, Koharu?"

Philia had a point that Koharu couldn't counter. She sighed and looked apologetically at him. "I know I've said it multiple times, but I'm really sorry, honestly."

"Mhmm." He resumed eating his cookie, even more unhappy after answering. He didn't say much, but Koharu knew she had subjected Jaymes to a disproportionate amount of shopping trips over the last couple of weeks. She knew he detested those trips -- ironic given that he treasured shopping in VRMMOs, even if that was explicitly weapons and armor -- but she always paid him right afterward. She learned quickly over the last four years that the easiest way to keep her on his good side or manipulate him to her desires was food; in the real world, ramen and sushi were the best choices.

In any case, they found themselves in a mall, and it was almost guaranteed that Koharu would indulge in more shopping with her friends. This explains the ongoing appeasement with the cookies.

To her right sat Asuna, and she turned to her boyfriend to her right. "I bet deep down you wanted to play too, didn't you?" He responded with a disagreeing grumble.

"Well, I love this thing," Lisbeth said, gesturing to the thin, white headset around her head. "It's super convenient. It lets you watch TV anywhere, it's easier to navigate than a smartphone, and the weather report is a lifesaver. Best of all, we can talk to Yui, Strea, and Rei whenever we want." On cue, Kirito and Asuna's AI "daughter," Yui, appeared on her mother's shoulder. Likewise, her sister Strea and Jaymes' AI companion from Gun Gale Online, Rei, appeared respectively on Philia's shoulder and Jaymes' head. Koharu knew none could feel the tiny beings on them, but they knew they were there. The connection between the humans and the AIs brought happiness to both parties.