As the playful banter continued between Jenna, Mike, and the newly transformed Jeff, Alex glanced at the pile of notes and textbooks scattered across his desk. A worn novel, borrowed from Jeff weeks ago, caught his attention. "Hey, Jeff," Alex interjected, "I'm thinking of swinging by your place to drop off this book I borrowed."
Jeff’s whiskers twitched with excitement inside the game world, sensing an opportunity to finally prove the incredible truth to his skeptical friend. "Sure thing, Alex. I’ll be here—well, in a manner of speaking."
With a nod to his laptop screen, Alex tucked the book under his arm and slipped his laptop into his backpack. Locking the door behind him, he set off on his familiar route to Jeff's house, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows along the sidewalk. Upon arrival, Alex grinned up at Jeff’s window—left ajar, just as he expected. With practiced agility, he clambered up the sturdy old tree out front, balancing as he swung himself over the sill and into Jeff's room.
The room was silent, save for the quiet hum of electronics. The computer's screen glowed steadily, but the chair sat conspicuously empty. Frowning for a moment, Alex shrugged off his bag and placed the novel on Jeff’s desk before retrieving his laptop. Settling into the desk chair, he reconnected to the game, eager to rejoin the others.
"So, where are you, Jeff?" Alex asked, scanning the room one more time out of habit while his avatar adjusted to the virtual landscape. "I don't see you anywhere."
Jeff chuckled through the voice chat, his squeaky timbre alive with amusement. "Told you, Alex. I’m literally in the game. Been trying to convince you!"
Meanwhile, an idea began to form in Jeff's mind, and he turned to Mike. "Hey, Mike, can you check the options for some kind of 'logout' or something under my character settings?"
Catching onto the request, Mike nodded and navigated through the menus, locating the option labeled "logout." He selected it, and an immediate glow pulsed from the Chronivac device beside Jeff's computer. In a cascade of luminescent energy, the tiny anthropomorphic rat knight materialized in the real world on Jeff’s desk, still adorned with his intricate armor and rocket-pack.
Marveling at the sight, Mike quickly started a video conference on his laptop, his heart racing with uncontainable excitement. He carefully lifted Jeff, now miniature and tangible, holding him gently before the camera.
"Guys, you won't believe what just happened," Mike announced, his eyes wide with astonishment, the diminutive armored rat squirming slightly in his grasp.