The new VR hit, Reborn Venture, has finally launched across the globe. Purchased and played by mostly a younger audience. Popular with early adults due to the cheap price of the setup and the good reviews for the game. In York, UK, two roommates have just purchased the game. Or rather, one has, and is about to go home to the other. Mike having just finished his day job, biking home with two sets secured in his bag. One for himself, and one for his buddy Dylan.
Riding up the street, Mike locks away his bike and enters the apartment. Just a single small house with barely enough rooms to hold the two men. Mike stepping in and seeing his friend currently sitting on the couch, resting his foot on the table. It's covered in bandages and wrappings, Dylan wincing for a moment as he readjusts and puts his foot down upon seeing his roommate enter.
"Put it back up, doesn't bother me."
"Too late now. How's work?"
"Eh, was work."
"So... you get it?"
"Get what?"
"C'mon, don't tease me. I've missed a week of work, I'm dying to do something new."
"Like this?"
Mike holds out the set, Dylan almost leaping out of his seat, then groaning in pain again. Did he really have to fall at the worksite? Though his friend has been taking good care of him, paying rent while he can't work. Even now, he got the game and is walking over to him with the set. Mike opening up the box and laying out the pieces on the table, asking.
"Start playing right now?"
"Hell yeah. I've been looking up things online for it. Lots of info already."
"Oh yeah? I know it's a fantasy setting, that's about it."
"Heaps of character customisation. Humans' vs Monsters. You can play human, or you can play monster."
"That sounds like it'd be fun. What's considered a monster?"
"Anything that isn't human. From orcs to elves to dwarves to goblins, anything you can think of and it'll be there."
"Neat, there a messaging system in game or something for us to communicate?"
"Not really, but it's proximity based. Long as we both pick the same faction; we should be near each other."
"So, monster it is?"
Mike looks to Dylan expectantly, already knowing the answer. His friend is a bit of a jock, and always loved the manly monsters you'd see in fiction. Mike didn't mind it too much either, but he usually let Dylan decide due to his more expressive personality.
"Duh, dude. C'mon, let's get set up."
They tear open the boxes. Laying out the gear they'll need. Headset, chest piece, straps for arms and legs... and a bracelet. Mike looking at it confused.
"What's that?"
"Most important part. Some new technology where it helps register you into the game. Need to keep it on at all times."
"Huh, neat."
"Yeah man, a lot of people wear it outside the game too."
Dylan straps it on, the bracelet locking into place as he gets the rest of the pieces on. Mike helping when it comes to the pieces for his friends' legs and feet, before putting on his own devices. The game begins the moment the helmet goes over their head. Asking the humans what they want to be in this world, and both selecting monster immediately. The text changing in front of them, asking them to visualise what monster they desire to be.
Dylan knows what he wants to be, a minotaur. Suddenly starring into a mirror, the reflection displaying who he currently is, which quickly changes. Fur sprouting from his chest and spreading to the rest of his body. Short brown fur that hides his increasingly bulky skin. Dylan was always a muscular man, but this beast of myth far exceeds mortal strength. His legs starting to inflate and be reshaped, muscles ending into a fresh pair of hooves. Arms looking mostly human, barring their larger size and fur coverings. Then finally, his head. What is once a cocky Englishman slowly shifts to a dominant beast.
Dylan's mouth presses forward into a muzzle. Nose turning pitch black and resting closer to his mouth. Iris turning a deep brown as it expands in size, pupil along with it. Fur having covered every inch of the bull, though parts of it growing wilder under his chin and at the top of his head. Resembling a messy beard and hair, as two large white horns stretch from the top of his head. The newborn minotaur releasing a roar, before having the same cocky grin that Dylan started with.
Looking to his new self, words are repeated to his mind. Telling him that he is a strong bull. That he takes what he wants and does as he wants. That he shows off every inch of himself and is born to impress his friends and lovers. Dylan momentarily mesmerised by these words as the bracelet temporarily tightens, hearing one last sentence before the barrage ends, and he loads into the world.
"Never take your bracelet off."
Mike stands at the entrance screen still. Being asked what creature he would like to be... what would he like to be? He could stay close to what he is right now. He's a rather thin and weak guy. Trying his best to be helpful but often being physically reliant on others. That could change in this fantasy... or he could stick to it. It does feel kinda nice being the weaker guy sometimes, especially around Dylan. Thinking for a few more moments, he decides on his form.