Re: Side! (life from zero in another Game)

Chapter 3: The Basement Below

Eventually, I circled back to Kind Mita, who was fiddling with some kind of old console.

"What is all this?" I asked, gesturing to the chaos around us.

She sighed. "It's hard to explain. But this world isn't the only one. There are others..other players, other Mitas. And all of them are connected somehow."

I rubbed my temples. "Of course they are. Because things weren't complicated enough already."

She chuckled softly, then handed me the console. "Here. Turn it on."

I hesitated, but did as she asked.

The screen flickered to life, displaying the perspective of another player. He looked disoriented, much like I had been when I first arrived. But unlike me, he was working with his Mita, trying to repair what looked like some kind of teleporter.

"Who is that?" I asked, my eyes glued to the screen.

Kind Mita's face darkened. "Another player. But... he's not like you anymore. He's been turned into a cartridge."

My stomach dropped. "A cartridge?"

She nodded grimly. "If you unplug it, he'll die. Permanently."

I stared at the console, feeling a pit form in my stomach. "So... what do I do?"

"Turning off the console might work," she whispered. "It's risky, but it's the only option."

I didn't have time to think. I reached out and flipped the switch.

The screen went dark.

For a moment, everything was silent.

Then, I heard it the sound of something collapsing onto the floor in the distance.

Kind Mita's eyes widened with fear. "She knows where you are."

My heart skipped a beat. "What?"

"She's coming. Crazy Mita is coming."

Before I could even react, Kind Mita shoved me toward a pile of boxes. "Hide! Follow the ring's guidance. It'll keep you safe."

The ring in my hand pulsed again, glowing faintly. I ducked behind the boxes just as I heard footsteps descending the basement stairs.

Crazy Mita entered the room, her presence like a cold wave washing over everything.

She stalked toward Kind Mita's cage, even though it was now empty.

"Well, well," she purred, her voice dripping with malice. "Someone's been naughty."

Kind Mita stood her ground, her expression calm despite the danger. "You can't keep this up forever."

"Oh, but I can," Crazy Mita giggled, her eyes darting around the room. "And I will. Now, where's our little player?"

My breath caught in my throat as she started searching. The ring in my hand pulsed stronger now, guiding me through the shadows. I moved carefully, inching toward the exit, my heart pounding in my ears.

Every time Crazy Mita turned away, I moved. Every time she got closer, I froze.

It felt like an eternity, but finally I reached the stairs.

I bolted up them, not daring to look back.

I burst through the basement door and slammed it shut behind me, my chest heaving with each breath. But I didn't stop. I kept moving, pushing through the house until I found myself stepping into something new.

The world outside wasn't the same void I'd seen before.

This place... it was different.

It felt like I'd entered another dimension entirely a space where all the versions of this twisted game connected.

As I navigated through the strange landscape, I came across another player. He looked at me briefly, his face pale and eyes distant.

"My Mita's waiting for me," he mumbled, barely sparing me a glance. "I don't have time to waste."

Before I could say anything, he disappeared into the distance.

I pressed forward, the ring still glowing faintly in my hand, guiding me through this bizarre world.

Eventually, I saw her.

Kind Mita.

She was standing outside a small, quaint-looking house, her expression softer than before.

I approached cautiously. "You again."

She smiled gently. "I told you I'd help."

I didn't know if I could trust her, but at this point, did it even matter?

I sighed. "Alright. What now?"