Being online

I really like the fighting course.
We usually do it outside on a huge field just between some buildings of the education center.

It's nice that we even got uniforms including some protective gear.

First I had Flora as my partner, but soon we started to switch partners around and so I'm already getting to know many people there.

Almost everyone has been uncomfortable with holding these soft swords at first. But we improved quickly after our teacher showed us some basic moves and poses.

I still don't feel like we're really making progress, but at least it's a lot of fun to me. It really feels like I'm a warrior.

After one lesson, we're in the changing room, so I'm talking to my most recent training partner.
I chose to stay with her for most of the time today because she looked so familiar, but I don't remember where I could have seen her before.

She's called Sally and she's pretty athletic.
But she still had problems to handle her current weapon. She couldn't even hold it correctly.

Maybe you should pick a smaller one next time.

Yeah...
This one really was too heavy...

She's kind of disappointed. She finds huge weapons much cooler.

I already start changing, but she takes out some little portable screen and starts to pose while holding it.

Hey, could you also make a photo of me?

What do you mean?

Just a photo.

She gives me that screen. I have no idea what she wants from me.
I'm currently in underwear and would like to get dressed again first.

What are you waiting for?

Flora comes to me.

You still don't know, how to make a photo?
Let me show you. It's nice to be the person to explain something for once.

Flora shows me how a picture of her appears on the device and I just have to press some button at the right moment.
Then I give it back to her and start to get dressed again.

Thanks. How comes you never made photos before?

She's from a village.

Yeah...

Oh, I guess...

She seems kind of disappointed.

What is it?

I thought, you're cool, but if you don't even know such basic things...

It's not that I don't know anything.

Uhm...

Now get changed finally. I already finished changing.

Yeah, I probably should. But why do you care?

I just wanted to wait for you.

Oh...

She also starts changing and doesn't take long.

Let's go!

I look around, but Flora already left without me.

Okay...

We leave together and walk through corridors.

You also have an apartment in the education center?

Yeah, I'm really happy about the free apartment. I even got a nice roommate.

Ok, that's cool.

Yeah, she's really nice. We spend a lot of time at the screen and watch... stuff.

Okay...

Sally looks at the ground and seems uncomfortable.
Oh no, she must know...

Why so quiet?

Sorry, I don't know, what I can talk to you.
You're...

I'm from a village. I'm not stupid.

Hey, that's not...
...not really what I've been thinking.
But if you don't even know...

I still don't know everything.
Maybe you can teach me some things?
Just talk about whatever you want, I might understand it.

Uhm...

It's really getting uncomfortable.
She obviously doesn't want to walk home alongside me, does she?

So what are you doing with that photo?

I posted it online for my followers.
They always give me positive comments.
Just like when...
Not sure how to explain it. That's already the most basic thing I know.
You probably don't know about things like videos and streaming, do you?

I already used screens before. So I also watched some streamers.

Oh really?
Maybe you have already seen me?

Yeah, maybe that's why you seemed familiar to me.
But I think, I've only seen that preview picture.

Yeah, probably. I'm not that popular yet.

Is almost everyone a streamer in this city?

I think, I'll have a look into your streams.

If you want, you can also just visit me now.
Maybe I'll make a little stream today, so you can watch me in person.
Or you could even join. I always like to have other people in my streams.

She suddenly seems really enthusiastic.
It looks like our relationship already started to shift.

But if I join, everyone could see me, right?

Yeah, that's the point.

I think, I don't want that.
But I'd be glad to watch.

That's fine. Just follow me.
We're almost there already.

Okay.

We quickly move toward her room together.
Looks like we might still get along.

Soon we reach her place.
It's not too far away from mine, but all of the rooms are in the same building anyway, so that's no surprise.

I'm getting excited.
In her room there are already a bunch of devices.
A bunch of dirty underwear is still lying around as well.

Wait, does this mean she gets naked in her streams?
Is she one of these girls who makes these stripping and sex videos? I can't imagine meeting such a girl in person.
It would be weird if a stranger like her just gets naked in front of me, when we're alone.
Oh, but this thought really starts to make me horny.

Sally immediately cleans up her room, and it looks perfect in less than a minute.

Sorry, I didn't clean for a while.
I didn't expect any visitors today.

What about your roommate?
Isn't that annoying to her?

I currently don't have one. My last one left, and nobody new came since then.
So in case you want a new roommate...

No, no, no!
I'm already happy with my current roommate.

So would you like me to start streaming already, or should I tell you something about your online identity?

I don't know. What would you tell me about?

For example how you could post stuff yourself. Most of it is stored in decentralized databases, and there are multiple of them.
So depending on which you choose, a different numbers or types of people are likely to see it.
Would you like to try it?

Okay, what do I need to do?

Let's generate an account together. You don't have a screen with you, do you?

No.

In that case you can use mine for now.
You probably don't really care about the network, so I'll just choose a common one.

Okay...

So, ready!
Here you can create a new account.
But when you create it on my device, I will be able to post stuff under your identity.
Are you okay with that?

I don't really care about that.

Let's just do it.

Just enter your name here.
It can also just be a fun name you like, and then press "create".

It doesn't have to be my own name?

Okay...

She gives me her little screen.
I enter Celery, since I'm hungry and I would really like a proper soup again.
Then Sally takes her device back.

So you have an account now.
Let's post a photo of you, and see how they like it.

What!?! You mean right now? I have no idea how I look after the training.
I don't think, that's a good idea.

You look great.

She looks like she's making a photo of me.

Okay, it's published already.

What!?! I...

Don't worry.
You even got a like already.
And there's no dislike yet.
And another like. People seem to like you.

Oh, cool.

And you get a comment. It says..., oh...

What does it say?

It says, you look so cute, they'd like to... cuddle you.

Really? Let me see!

I think I should start my stream now.
I don't want to do it too late, when the more popular streamers are already online.
You still don't want to participate?

No, thanks...

She puts a chair in the corner of the room, where I sit down.
I also have a good view on her screen at the wall, which she just turned on.
I hope, I really won't be seen here. This photo thing was already enough for today.

And don't talk. Except you want to be heard in my stream.

Sally presses some button and her face appears on the screen.
I would really like to ask her some things, but I would be heard already.
The show must have started now.

Hello, it's me!
I see some of you are already waiting.
Sorry, I'm a bit later than usual today.

Sally talks about some survey and how she starts to play a new game today.
Then she starts up some weird game, which looks more like a video about the ocean to me.
Her face is still visible on the screen.

Then she presses some buttons and things change on the screen, while she's talking about the game and also some other weird stuff.
I really don't get it.

I start to feel like I shouldn't be here now.
I don't know, why people would watch her doing this.
I don't even understand how this is a game.

Should I just leave? I can't ask her. Many people would hear me.
I keep sitting there for a while, not really watching her anymore, but just thinking how to get out of this and hoping her to end.
I don't get it after all.

After a while I finally decide to get up and leave.
I wave her to make sure she understands.
She waves at me for a moment, but then focuses on the screen again.
So I leave her room and go back to mine.

In my room, Ruby is already there.
She's lying on the bed and...
Really?

Hey, what are you doing there?

She doesn't wear any pants, not even underwear.

I don't mind you watching me.
You've also done it in front of me before.

Oh no, she's really doing it.
I don't even want to see what she's watching.

Could I watch something else on the screen?

No, I was first.
Where have you even been so long.

I've been visiting a new friend. She's a streamer, too.
I just wanted to know if it's possible to watch her on screen.
And it's live, so we can't wait much longer. She might stop.

Okay, I'll look for her. What's her name?

Sally.

Oh, I know her. We share a course, too.

Oh, cool...

Ruby stops her video and enters something.

Wait, what was she just watching? Was this a girl shitting?
I think, I'll ignore that.

Is this her?

I look at the screen and see the same as I've seen on the screen when I was visiting Sally.

Oh, that's really it. I see both her face and that game.

You want to watch it?

At least I don't want to see what Ruby watched before.

I'm not sure. You probably want to watch your show again. But...

It's okay. Just come here.

I sit down next to her and we watch her stream together, still not knowing what's going on.

You know, she's just sitting in a room, close to us.
It felt like these people were just somewhere else, maybe not even real people.
That's really weird, isn't it?

Not really. Many people I know publish videos of themselves at least once in a while.
Even I published one some time ago.

Can I see?

I...
I don't really, want you to see it.

Why? Did you look bad? Have you been as chubby as me?

Uhm..., yeah, that's the reason!

I'd really like to see her.
Maybe I can find her myself.

I keep sitting around, watching the stream.
But I don't really care about it anymore.
As usual, I just enjoy being close to Ruby now.