The Carnival

[Victoria]

It had been something to distract her, make her happy for only that short time. She had lost track of that time, and had gotten not one more snow cone, but two. She ate the things like a fish in water; she couldn’t ignore something that was free. During her respite she considered the entire fiasco. Free food and entertainment were not something to complain about. All Gamer wanted was equal entertainment, if only he didn’t include death with failure. She had to shine every time, otherwise she would be done, and that was a thought that scared her. She licked the icy granules, happy for this one thing.

Children screamed, adults chatted, and the rides rumbled. It was all blocked out; the only thing that mattered was the icy treat in her hands. She took another slurp of the red delicacy and remained doing so even as a man appeared in her peripheral vision. He spoke to her, and she looked up slightly. He was a man, that was for sure, but the glowing ring above his head meant something else. She thought back, trying to remember what it could have been.

“You have a halo,” she stated, eyeing the floating ring. “Why is that?”

She skirted the question, trying to get to the source of what was in her hands. Victoria smiled lightly, remembering how Alura had been in their first meeting. The lizard girl had fought her before offering up any conversation. Everyone here had a different way of socializing. Vic was a social virgin, she didn’t understand why people acted the way they did, she just had to know things. She avoided his questions, and would answer them if he answered hers. He did not act like the digital men and women here, he had to be another player.

The man sighed heavily, “Fine. I'm dead. Now-"

Victoria was taken aback. He’s dead? She couldn’t understand how a man could be dead, and not dead. Is it like the snow cone? She wondered, suddenly very interested. He had been brought back to life, although, not completely. The halo meant that he had to go back to death if he got out of here, she didn’t fully understand, but she wanted to know more.

She answered his question, and balked at his thought of her eating flesh. What would make a man think that? She wondered and looked him over. He moved away suddenly, having gotten what he wanted, sated his curiosity. She called out to him, not ready to let such an anomaly get away. To Victoria’s surprise, he turned around and considered her, before coming back. It had taken a fight to convince Alura to open up to her, and this man just had to be asked once. Despite his almost brute-like behavior, she felt excited to have someone to talk to.

"I'm Orion," he gave his name and sat next to her. "So, you'd like to know what it's like to be dead?"

“Yes, tell me what happens when you die,” she asked and proceeded to down the last of her snow cone. “Oh and how you died, and what it’s like where you go when you die.” She asked excitedly. The man looked at her quizzically.

“You know nothing of the afterlife?” he asked her, confirming his own suspicions.

“I wish I did, I don’t know a lot of things.” She replied, shaking her head. “I live a very sheltered life, and although I came here against my will, I’m starting to think this was a good thing for me.” She threaded a hand through her hair and smiled lightly. “I met an alien just before the last event.” She excitedly confided. "Before this place I had only just found out about Saiyans, it's so amazing, isn't it?"

“An alien? Was it a changeling?” He quickly asked in a hard voice. She tilted her head slightly and pondered what a changeling could be.

“Did he have a tail?” he replied, seeing her confused face.

“He? No, she didn’t, I don’t think.” She answered. “What’s a changeling?” Vic asked quickly.

“You have a lot of questions, girl.” He looked at her disgruntled. “Let me answer your first question.” He retraced, holding up a hand slightly.

Victoria didn’t mind which question he answered. She could tell by the faint lines in his face, and his rough demeanor that he had seen a lot of things. She looked down at her smooth hands; she could not measure up to his stories, surely. He started to explain what death was, and this meant a lot to her. It scared her, death was something unknown, but this man was proof that death was not nothingness, and he had come back.

“It’s just like living, but you have to go through many trials and otherworldly challenges to even get out of Heaven.” He explained.

“Heaven? Is that what it’s called?” She leaned forward, completely taken in by his experience. “Do you come back like this, with a halo?” she looked at the shiny ring around his head.

“Yes, there is Heaven and Hell and another place,” he waved a hand at her questions. “I will come back alive, not like this.” He gestured to the halo.

“I had no idea…” she looked away. “I’m learning so many things, it’s strange, but I like it.” She leaned back and smiled. “How did you die?” she asked.

He seemed happy to answer that question, and he answered with vigor. He had Vic nearly off her seat with his story. She stared at him in bafflement. “I could never imagine doing any of those things.” She replied, in her eyes, he was the ultimate warrior. “The Company would kill to have you.” She said.

She looked at him differently now, not only was he a warrior, but he was not human either. Although his story had been enthralling, his mention that he was a Saiyan had gotten her even more excited. He was not half human, either, he was a real Saiyan. She couldn’t wait to tell Joal, of all the things she had wanted to find out, this was one of them. She had more questions about what a Saiyan was, but she didn’t ask, not yet.

“The Company?” he asked, looking at her curiously. Victoria cleared her thoughts at the sound of his voice.

“It’s where I live, and work. I’ve been there for seven years, and I only go outside of the compound when I have to deal with a bounty.” She explained, realizing that this would be the second person she had confided in.

“You’re a bounty hunter?” he asked, showing some amusement.

“Does that surprise you?” She asked, raising her brows.

“Considering how foolish you look with that red dye all over your face, yes, I do.” He nodded at her and she shot a hand to her face in sudden embarrassment.

“I-I didn’t realize, it had been so good,” she looked away and looked around for a source of water to clean her face.