*Sigh* Being an Administrator is Hard Work, Isn't It?

6 AM.

At least, that's what the clock reads.

Next, it'll display 6:01 AM and then 6:02 AM and 6:03 AM and so on and so forth until it doesn't fucking matter what time it is, everything will be reset.

...

But now the clock reads 6:01 AM and nothing has changed. Still lying here... still waiting for that god damn annoying phone call to break the silence. Still waiting to get off my lazy ass to reach for the phone. Still waiting for that obnoxious twat's voice so that I can delude myself into thinking for just a brief moment that I am back--safe. 

...

I hate this ceiling... This grey plaster ceiling with a slight crack in the center. I especially hate that crack. Sure, at first glance no one would notice it. It's so small that you can barely see it. If you invite a friend over and point at it, they'd fail to see it and laugh at your stupidity. But if you take just a moment to just lie on your back and just stare... There it is. That god damn crack that stands out like a fucking eyesore.

Why is it there?

Never mind the fact that I don't know where that crack even came from. This is supposed to be a new apartment for fuck's sake. I sure as fuck didn't make it. Although, I should probably punch a hole through it. Make it something actually worth staring at...

And yet, even that sounds tedious. I'd have to get up, find a broom and use its handle to bust a hole. And the hole would be just as annoyingly small as this god damn crack. And what would be the point? Punching a random hole in my own fucking ceiling won't stop what's coming.

6:03 AM.

...

A standard ringtone broke the silence. He slowly reached for the phone on the nightstand and pressed it to his ear.

"Hey Evan!"

I feel like I should say something... But I already know what he wants... He needs help designing his website for that stupid game he lives in. That's all he ever talks about. That's all he ever is...

"Evan? You there?"

I guess the same could be said about that so-called Constellation. The one that pretends to know it all and yet was able to guide us so far in... Who was so good at solving those ridiculous puzzles... Who managed to save my ass countless times despite the circumstances...

"Hello?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Evan croaked out, licking his dry lips. "I'm able to design that website for ya."

After all, in a week it'll be my website. Alone.

...

God that sounds disgusting. This whole situation is nauseating. 

"How'd you know I called about the website for Arcadia?"

... Should I lie? Or tell the truth? Both options seem so useless.

Evan hung up the phone.

Sometimes silence is the better option. There's no point in explaining. He's gonna die soon anyway.

Evan turned his head to gaze at his desktop.

I've written the code for that website so many times I practically have it memorized. It's the most tedious task that I have to do over and over again. Should I just not write it this time around?

6:04 AM.

Evan slowly pushed himself up from the bed. He trudged his way over to the desk and plopped down in his old gaming chair and stared at his tired reflection in the screen.

God I look horrible. 

6:05 AM.

He pushed the power button.

***

"Say cheeese."

A little girl excitedly posed in front of a duck statue, a wide toothy grin on her face.

"Cheeese!" With a quick flash, a picture was taken. 

"Good job!" Doug studied the photo he took, ruffling the hair on his niece's head.

"Thank you for taking time off work for this." Allison tiredly yawned. 

"No problem. We all deserve a break after all the hard work we've done."

That's what Doug thought at least. After all, he had just finished wrapping up a murder case he had spent a long time investigating and sent the relevant documents to court while Allison had been left juggling the music hall and raising Emma all by herself. As for Emma, she had just finished taking a major test for the year and was finally on Summer Break. If a break wasn't deserved after all that, then he didn't know what constituted a break. 

Making their way into Lake's Amusement Park, the little girl ran ahead.

"Stay within sight, okay?" Allison called out.

"Okay!"

"So, we're finally here." Doug chuckled. "I'm glad we managed to fulfill one our our childhood wishes."

Back then, it had been nothing but a silly dream. Having grown up relatively middle class, but on the verge of being poor, trips to the amusement park were not something their family could afford. So, while the rest of his classmates went on such trips Doug and Allison were left with nothing but their own imaginations.

"Me too." Allison smiled slightly. "Do you still want to try the roller coaster?"

"Heck no." Doug shook his head. "I don't want to deal with any danger today."

Allison studied his face. "Just... be careful with the cases you pick up."

"Of course, I'm always careful." Doug wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a slight hug.

If he wasn't careful what would happen to Allison and Emma?

...

He'd rather not think about it...

"So, what about you? Still wanna try that Ferris Wheel?" Doug asked.

"Yup, and you're coming with me."

"What? Why!"

Allison laughed. "Come on, what's the worst that can happen? Just don't look down."

"Then what the heck is the point of going on the Ferris Wheel?" Doug asked in playful indignation.

Turning to check on the little girl, Doug nearly had a heart attack. "Wait, Emma, hold up! Don't touch that goose!"

"Why not! You said I could pet them!" Emma whined as Doug and Allison caught up.

"Not that one--that one isn't trained."

The goose that was almost pet was not one of the park's geese. It was a wild Canadian goose. The geese that she could pet were supposed to be smaller and white as snow.

Doug sighed... luckily he had searched up the amusement park and its attractions ahead of time.

"Let's go find the tea cups." Allison grabbed Emma's hand. 

"I don't want to!"

Whining and kicking, Emma was dragged off leaving Doug and the Goose behind.

"Kids, right?" Doug said to himself offhandedly. 

"Indeed." A voice replied back.

Doug startled. He turned to face the voice. It was a strange woman in white and gold military-like attire holding onto a colorful "Lake's" souvenir cup. Strange... He didn't see her approach...

"Sorry, I didn't see you there." Doug apologized. "I'm Doug, you are?"

"Administrator Petrolia." The strange woman replied, sipping from the swirling straw.

"Oh, so you're here for the goose."

Administrator Petrolia gave him a dead-eyed stare. "Sure..."

For some reason, this woman gave him the creeps... Taking note of this fact and shelving it for later inside his mind, he slowly backed away. "I... have to go..."

"Then go."

Doug hurried off under her intimidating stare.

***

Kicking a can across the road, Mell angrily huffed. "Okay, that plan didn't work. What went wrong?!"

Mell scanned her surroundings and made her way into a nearby alley. Picking up a metal pipe, she swung it skillfully. "Welcome back Bonkers." She said to the pipe. She rested the pipe on her shoulder.

"Since Administrator Ko De Oako is all about big wipes, I made sure a good amount of people made it past the first floor... I did lose a couple to the second, but that didn't really matter in the long run..."

Mell groaned exaggeratedly. "Was it Administrator Philas's floor? The puzzles and traps he had set up were kinda tedious and took out some of the key Players I was raising."

"Hey lady, are you okay?" A voice from behind interrupted her thoughts.

Mell turned around, raising an eyebrow. "Ah, there you are. Took you long enough."

The fast food employee, who had come out to take out the trash, looked at her in confusion as she approached. Why was this lady talking to herself in the middle of the day? Next to the trash can at that.

With one efficient strike, the fast food employee was knocked unconscious. Snatching a pair of keys from within their shirt pocket Mell hummed. "Thanks again Stark, you're a real one for always being so diligent."

If there was one thing that Mell had learned during her time on Earth, it was that everything cost money. And the only way to get money--seeing as she had no way to legally work, nor had the time or desire to work, was to steal from anyone she could.

"I should ask Evan what he thinks." She thought to herself aloud, making her way into the fast food joint.

"Ma'am this isn't the front do--"

15 minutes later...

Mell steadily made her way back to Autumn National Park, counting the money she had just stolen. "Heh, heh, heeehh," She evilly laughed, "I managed to steal an additional $100 this time. Speed run strat, let's goooo! System!"

A blue hologram appeared in front of her.

{Name: Mellenia of the Sacred Bell

Title: Former Constellation (All statistics have been reset)

Level: 1

HP: 500

Mana: 100

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 10

Intelligence: 10

Wisdom : 5

Skills

Inventory}

She tapped on the word "Inventory" and proceeded to throw the money into the hologram, along with her trusty pipe Bonkers.

"Man, I can't wait until the tower opens up so I can see what you guys are saying. It's lonely carrying a Playthrough by myself."

Once she reached her destination, she stood in front of the stone fountain found at the center of the park.

"Now, if I remember correctly, I should look at the fountain... this way..." She paced around the fountain. "And gooo this way!"

With a wide grin on her face, she marched forward--on her way to find and harass Evan.

"Fear not, my little minion, your shepherd is here to guide you!"