MidReal Story
Digital Love: Hunter's Realm
Scenario: I accidentally fell into the world in Love and Deepspace, found that I become a real hunter, and got to meet my digital boyfriend there.
Create my version of this story
I awoke with a start, my heart pounding in my chest.
For a brief moment, I was sure I’d fallen from some great height or been pushed down a flight of stairs.
My body felt heavy, but somehow I managed to open my eyes, the world around me spinning in a wild array of colors and shapes.
I was standing in the middle of a strange place, yet I couldn’t recall how I’d gotten here.
Confusion clouded my thoughts as I tried to remember what had happened before I’d ended up here.
I remembered watching Leo play Love and Deepspace on his computer, but that couldn’t be right.
I was still watching it now, only I was standing right in the middle of it, or so it seemed.
The voice in my head that was usually there to calm me when things got too weird or too scary was eerily silent, and the sensation of being watched settled over me like a heavy blanket.
I forced myself to take a deep breath and hold it, waiting for the world around me to settle down.
It was then that I noticed the alienness of everything around me, the plants, the rocks, even the sky above my head—it was all wrong.
I tried not to panic, to tell myself that this was just some bad dream and that I would wake up soon, but I knew better.
This wasn’t some dream cooked up by my overactive imagination; if it was, then I’d have been able to wake myself up a long time ago.
No, this was real.
The ground beneath my feet felt solid as I moved away from the spot where I’d woken up and into the light for the first time.
It wasn’t bright or dim so much as it just was.
The best way to describe it would be as an ethereal glow, one that bounced off every surface imaginable, making everything around me seem to be giving off its own light.
Even the flowers that dotted the landscape around me seemed to glow, casting shadows that didn’t fit with their surroundings.
In the distance, I saw what looked like a city, but not like any city I’d ever seen before.
The buildings weren’t just tall; they reached up into the sky like fingers stretching to touch the heavens.
From this distance, I could see that they were made of what looked like glass and stone, twisted together to create the most otherworldly architecture I’d ever seen.
But more than that, the sky wasn’t blue or gray; it looked like it was on fire with color.
Reds and oranges melded together to create a beautiful sunrise that stretched in every direction.
What kind of place did my mind come up with?
I took another deep breath and held it for a moment before releasing it slowly.
Whatever this place was and however I’d gotten here—those were questions I needed answers to.
Surely there had to be someone who could help me figure out how to get home again?
But before I went anywhere, I needed to remain calm and keep my wits about me.
I’d never been one to panic or lose my mind when things got tough; my parents had raised me to always be calm and think things through before acting.
With that thought in mind, I made my way toward the city.
I stumbled into the city like I’d just woken up from a long nap.
The world around me was all wrong; yet somehow it felt right.
I didn’t understand how that could be, but as I walked down the unfamiliar streets of this alien world, I couldn’t help but feel like I belonged here.
Everywhere I looked there were vendors selling their wares.
There were glowing fruits that pulsed with an inner light like a beating heart.
Colorful crystals sat on tables, each one humming with its own unique energy.
The crowd that passed by me was an eclectic mix of beings from all corners of the galaxy.
Some were almost human-like in their appearance: two arms, two legs, one head with two eyes and so on.
Others looked like they’d been pulled straight off the pages of science fiction novels—tentacles where arms should be, wings that sprouted from their backs.
There were even beings who looked like walking tree trunks—a large round base with multiple limbs that extended upward instead of outward.
I’d never seen anything like it before.
And the sounds!
It was like the entire world around me was talking, but not in one voice.
There were so many dialects and languages being spoken, my head spun trying to keep up with it all.
Still, amid the chaos, there was an underlying sense of order.
A harmony that connected them all.
A merchant called out to me from his stall, his voice high-pitched and almost musical.
When he realized I couldn’t respond, he simply smiled and went back to hawking his wares.
I watched as what looked like an insectoid creature bartered with a tiny, furry being over what appeared to be a cluster of pearls.
The crowd around them gathered, each being taking their turn to offer their opinion on the price of the item.
In the end, the insect seemed happy with the deal and went on its way.
As I made my way through the crowded streets, something caught my eye out of the corner of my vision.
I turned to see what it was, but there was nothing there.
Shaking my head, I moved on.
A hand landed on my shoulder, making me jump.
I turned to see Maya standing behind me, her face twisted in concern but her eyes crinkled at the corners with amusement.
She had her usual long braids hanging down her back, each one adorned with beads and feathers that jingled softly when she moved.
“Hey there, space cadet,” she grinned, using the nickname she’d given me when I first joined her crew.
“Lost in the wonders of the galaxy already?”
I couldn’t do anything but stare.
I’d read about this place, this world that felt so much like a video game come to life—a place where your wildest dreams could be made real.
But I’d never imagined it would be anything like this!
The stars twinkling overhead, the alien creatures that walked among us, the strange plants that glowed with an otherworldly light.
It was like nothing I’d ever seen before—and I’d been to some pretty strange places!
“I-I’m not sure,” I finally stammered, still trying to process everything.
Maya arched an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk.
“You…you really are here, aren’t you?”
I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper.
I had seen her in person countless times before, during our video chats, but this was different.
This was real.
Maya rolled her eyes and pulled me into a tight hug.
She was tall and willowy, much more so than me, and her arms wrapped around me easily.
She smelled of fresh flowers and cinnamon, with just a hint of gunpowder.
Just as I remembered from all those times we’d spent together.
Her fingers dug into my back and she gave me a firm shake, making my teeth rattle in my skull.
“Of course I’m here, you dolt!”
She let me go and gave me a gentle shove.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I…” I struggled to come up with the right words, but none of them seemed to fit.
Had I really made it here?
Was this some sort of elaborate dream?
Or had something gone terribly wrong?
“Hey, did you get zapped or something?”
Maya’s voice broke through my thoughts and I blinked back to reality.
“I’m sorry,” I said, managing a weak smile despite the storm raging inside my mind.
“I’m just a little overwhelmed, that’s all.
I…I didn’t realize it would be like this.”
“Like what?” she asked, her voice softening as she realized how out of sorts I was.
I could see the concern written all over her face, and for some reason, it made my heart ache.
“Hey,” she said gently, taking my hand in hers.
“It’s okay to be overwhelmed.
I mean, look at this place!
It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin.”
“You’re right,” I said, forcing myself to breathe.
“It’s just…so much more than I expected, that’s all.”
Maya smiled and squeezed my hand.
“Yeah,” she said.
But hey, there’s plenty more where that came from!
Come on, let’s get you set up properly before we go diving into any real trouble.”
She led me through the crowded marketplace to a small stall just off the main drag.
The merchant there, a tall and willowy sort who looked almost human with his pointed ears and gleaming red eyes, waved me over with a smile when he saw us approaching.
“Ah, Ms.Rodriguez, always a pleasure to see you!”
he said, bowing his head slightly in greeting.
“And who might this lovely young lady be?”
I followed Maya into the small shop and found myself surrounded by racks upon racks of clothing—tunics and leggings and boots and gloves—all made from the finest materials I’d ever seen!
They were dyed in vibrant colors and embroidered with intricate designs that seemed to glow with their own light.
I reached out and ran my fingers over one of the tunics hanging on a nearby rack and gasped when it shimmered beneath my touch.