+ Chapter 0: Epilogue

Fortune Galaxy
May 6, 2020
5 min read

On your marks... Get set... And they’re off!

The new season had begun. The galaxy was holding its breath in suspense as all they could do was watch and wait for the chaos to unfold. BILLIONS of bounty hunters of all shapes and sizes suddenly descended on THREE lone targets. It was pure unadulterated chaos as professional killers, part-time enthusiasts and legendary veterans put their heads together to tear these guys apart in a ruthless mob.

Some went for their businesses, taking out low-level thugs and dismantling their criminal connections, starting from the bottom and working their way to the top. Others opted for their homes and livelihoods, torching huge high-rise estates and busting bunkers with heavy ordnance to make sure there wasn’t a hole left in the galaxy they could hide in. And others went for their families… Doing the unspeakable to get what they needed.

It must have been a month or so before the deeds were done and the bounties were brought in, dead or alive and each team and participant paid out in full for their part in the grand takedown. The public and the media began to question whether or not sending a galactic army against three individuals was immoral or unjust. At the same time, a massive wave of celebrity and fame, swept those questions aside. Fan groups burgeoned for fresh faces, news anchors provided live commentary of every takedown and Fortune was trending on social media.

You’ve hit the big time...

“My my! What an exhilarating start to the season!

We had high hopes for you all but we didn’t

expect THESE result, Advertising revenue

is up, social media engagement has never

been so high and the public ADORES YOU~.

Needless to say, we’re impressed!

But don’t get cocky kids, this is just

start of the race,and we have a long way

to go before you’re superstars ;}.

Congratulations again to KRAISE for taking

the lead in the first leg, Followed by STRIDE,

TECHICO, INNER EYE, and lastly ANCESTOR.

But fear not friends, as I said,

there’s a long way to go~.”

...

[ 18 days later. Location: c®uPt ]

A large empty board room,

A long black marble table surrounded by empty chairs

No sign of walls, just an empty void surrounding the scene.

Darkness.

In a spark of light a figure emerged. A yellow holographic being with formless features appeared at the head of the table, sitting comfortably in one of the large marble chairs. It sat quietly, waiting as another flash of light followed, then another and another around the table, taking up the remaining seats until 19 yellow Holographs waited quietly around the table.

“Thank you all for coming. I know we have not met like this in some time, but with the new season starting we cannot ignore the significance of what’s happening. We’ve lost too many good members already … This ‘publicity stunt’ was a clear message that any slip-ups will cost us everything.

So, once more I call to order a meeting of...

... the Remnant”

Chapter 0: Epilogue

[SEASON 1. CHAPTER 0]

___________________________________________________________________ FRTN: 5.2 ▲ // VG9: 4.1 ▼ // TMBW: 3.5 ▲// MBS: 4.3 ▼ // HXCB 5.0 - ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

Life was good. Better than good! The opening event of the season had just ended and you could already bask in the fame and glory of your own success. You were living the dream, taking down some serious badasses and getting the recognition you deserved.

It was gradual at first. A few people sharing your selfies, a bystander filming you taking down your target and then, it escalated to the front cover of magazines and your face plastered over the news. Famous people, REAL famous people were making passing comments about your work, kids were making remixes of your interviews. A handful of you even landed deals with games companies to become unlockable characters as you take your first baby steps into the world of bounty hunting fame.

Before you could get too comfy and spend ALL your money, you received another pop-up message on your Fortune App.

▲ [ VR Online ] ▲

You stared at your screen for a little while trying to suss out what this was about. VR HQ? You’d heard of it in passing a few times before from some of the Top Bounty Hunters, but nothing beyond ‘Bob was going to fix it’, whatever that meant.

Indulging your curiosity you tapped the link, leaned back and sat through the video tutorial filling in the blanks. As you expected, like every Fortune tutorial it was cringe-worthy, long-winded, painfully obvious and spoke to you as if you were a moron. You rolled your eyes as the credits started scrolling but it at least made sense. VR HQ’s were, as the name suggested, a VR online network where Fortune Bounty hunters could interact, do business and even play games in a virtual world, no matter where you were in the galaxy.

No need to try and hang out at the Fortune station’s grubby offices anymore.

What really caught your eye and sweetened the deal was the part about ‘Faction VR HQ’s. An online world dedicated to your faction with its own unique theme and experiences, to hang out with your fellow team-mates. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that, right?

Right?

By the looks of it, you didn’t even have to apply for it either, already getting notifications that the ‘Fortune VR Headset’ was on its way, courtesy of Fortune’s Teleportation Systems. It materialised in front of your very eyes. A large and clunky looking thing like an ugly old bike helmet. Grimacing at the obvious ploy to push Fortune’s crap your way, you were suddenly taken by surprise as the device changed and transformed.

What once was a piece of junk was now something stylish, sleek and … Oddly to your liking? Guess that’s what happened when big corporations followed your search history. You couldn’t argue with the results though, as you admired the machine, catering not only to your taste but also your species as it comfortably slipped onto your head and got to work.

Within a blink of an eye, you were thrown into a digital void with giant option panels floating around you. What was really disconcerting was how REAL it all felt, as if the VR headset was tapping into your brain and tickling your senses, making this world indistinguishable from the real one.

But where to start? In here you could be anything, maybe even put that well-earned money to good use on virtual items to show in front of your teammates? Before you could make up your mind you suddenly notice a pulsating application only an arm's reach away from you …

D&D Experience

[ Dimensions & Druids, A virtual fantasy role-playing game]