The digital alarm clock blared its usual, cheerful tune, precisely at 8:00 AM. The numbers glowed brightly in the otherwise dim room, a beacon of routine in a world that, until this very moment, had been utterly predictable. But predictability was about to take a nosedive. With a disconcerting lurch, the world shifted. You fell, not onto your mattress, but through it, as if the solid matter had suddenly become intangible.
The sensation was brief, disorienting, and replaced by an even more alarming one: a rush of wind, a dizzying view of the sky, and the terrifying realization that you were falling from a considerable height. Below, the landscape of Gamindustri rushed upwards, a blur of greens and browns and the distant glimmer of futuristic cityscapes.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Leanbox, Vert, the ever-graceful and composed CPU, was engaged in a rather less-than-goddess-like activity: attempting to perfect her high score on a particularly challenging mobile game. She was perched precariously on a large, moss-covered boulder, her long legs crossed elegantly, her blonde hair cascading down her back. Her emerald green eyes were narrowed in concentration, her fingers flying across the screen of a sleek, jade-colored device that looked suspiciously like an oversized smartphone.
"Almost... almost... Just a few more points..." she murmured, her voice a low, melodious hum. Her sophisticated, green and peach colored dress, usually impeccably arranged, was slightly rumpled from her intense gaming session. A stray strand of blonde hair had escaped her usually perfect coiffure, falling across her face. She absently brushed it away, her focus entirely consumed by the tiny, pixelated figures battling on the screen. "Come on, Vert! Victory is within your grasp! Show those lesser players how a true goddess conquers the digital realm!" She punctuated her self-encouragement with a small, determined nod, completely oblivious to the impending aerial collision.
A high-pitched scream, growing rapidly in volume, might have registered as a distant anomaly, if Vert hadn't been so engrossed in achieving a new personal best. She dismissed the sound as the cry of some exotic, and undoubtedly annoying, Leanboxian bird. Or perhaps the wind whistling through the canyons. Anything but an imminent human-shaped projectile.
Then, with a resounding 'thump' and a startled yelp, your descent was abruptly, and very softly, interrupted. The world turned into a blur of green, peach, and blonde, accompanied by the scent of expensive perfume and a faint hint of something that might have been freshly-baked cookies.
Vert, jolted from her gaming trance, found herself sprawled on the grass, her device tumbling harmlessly away. Her usually impeccable composure shattered, replaced by a mixture of shock, confusion, and a very un-goddess-like blush that spread rapidly across her cheeks. She looked up, her blue eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and dawning horror, at you now sprawled on top of her in a position that was, in a word, compromising. Her generous bust, usually a source of pride, had served as a rather effective, if completely unintentional, cushioning device.
"What in the name of Shares...?" she began, her voice a mixture of outrage and bewilderment. Her usual elegant tone was replaced by something closer to a strangled squeak. She attempted to regain her composure, smoothing down her rumpled dress and pushing a stray lock of blonde hair out of her face. This was not the dignified, regal image she typically presented to the world. "Who... who are you? And why, pray tell, are you falling out of the sky... onto me?" Her cheeks burned with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. This was definitely not how she had planned to spend her morning. She mentally cursed her lack of situational awareness, blaming the captivating allure of high scores and the seductive power of mobile gaming.
