Over a Century ago, humanity went into stasis pods, to live in a virtual reality. This was done to escape our dying world.
A handful of players were given implants, to allow them to co-exist with a Hive Mind. While the original doodled away in their Hub World, copies of their subconscious were sent out into various different MMO Games.
I... was a copy, an echo. And somehow that didn't matter in the slightest. I thought exactly like my original. Was in frequent communication with my original, and all their counterparts and copies... it was weird. But honestly, I hardly gave it any thought.
Though part of me realized I was programmed not to worry about it... But even that didn't bother me. I found it fascinating, on an academic level, but wasn't emotionally traumatized for being a copy.
My mind was made up of just as much organic tissue as cybernetic parts, more actually. As I was a reflection of my brain's subconscious. I only really thought about it, as my original had training in psychology, and I loved analyzing why I behaved the way I did. I've done that since I was a real boy. I just loved figuring out my own mind.
What was more concerning, was the fact I, and my child counterparts (Musky-Pup and Kole), were being sent on a special mission. Something only we were able to handle.
Musky-Pup was nervously chewing a popsicle stick. Standing about half the size of Kirito, who was only using a 15 year old Avatar, himself. No, despite being a Taur, Musky-Pup wasn't very tall at all.
The Husky Taur had the lower body of a dog, with four scrawny legs, a more human like Torso, with claw-like fingers, and a not quite dog like face. His muzzle was very short, with large anime style eyes, making it look much cuter then even a real Husky. He was covered in mangy fur, with countless mats and tangles, and long ginger hair on the top of his head. It stood out on his traditional Husky Coloring, with his black body, and white underbelly.
Where as Kole was a Kobold, with light blue scales, an occasional orange one, and a light grey underbelly. In place of hair, he had two rows of short bone-like spikes, jetting at opposite sides of the top of his head.
Where as I, myself, was a Lunar Vulpony. A bat pony, with fox features. Such as my head, front paws, and fluffy tail. They were all very fox like. Although my back legs remained hooved.
My coloring was mostly a bright orange, while my underbelly was a cream white, as in extremely pale orange. Although my lower legs were black, with thick blue squigglies where it met the orange fur, above all four of my knees. While my paws had blue pads, and my hooves were the exact shade of blue.
Then my tail was orange, with the underside being the same cream white as my underbelly, with a black tip, plus thick blue squiggles between all the colors of the tail.
My leathery wings were a bright white, with blue bones showing through the thin skin, and a thick black trim at the bottom of the wings.
My cheeks and lower jaw were the same cream white. While the rest of my face was orange. Well, except for the large number of black freckles around my green, anime style, eyes. With just a tinge of red to the irises. Looking like a mango.
My Avatar, itself, had a "Shifter" Racial Template. Meaning I could change my Avatar to a couple different shapes. Such as a bipedal Anthro Form, as well as a humanoid form, in addition to my feral (more animal like) form.
My humanoid form was more based on a "Animalistic" body. Meaning I might be clearly human, but had the occasional animal feature. Such as fox ears, a fluffy fox tail, hooved legs, and small bat wings.
Ever since the Earth was converted into a space station, the machines had been growing their own type of Empire. But they were machines. However Intelligent they were, they weren't very creative. They needed organic scientist, and inventors, to think things up for them. So that those machines could test and improve, to Optimize, in the real world.
To do that, the AIs created a place for scholars to gather, and expand their knowledge. They created-
"SCHOOL!!!" Kole wailed.
Musky-Pup smiled, "I did love college. Even miss it sometimes."
I had mixed feelings.
Kirito nodded, "You three are being reassigned as 'Hall Monitors'."
Kirito had such authority over us. He was the Sheriff in this Sector of "Space". That is, of the game's map. Where as, we three boys, were beat cops. We worked for him.
"You'll still be required to attend classes," Kirito explained. "but in between, you'll keep the student population from killing each other. You'll mostly be dealing with age players. So good luck keeping them under control."
Most age players, due to using child Avatars, and everyone treating them like children, had mentally regressed... in some cases, permanently. Since no one could actually have kids, in this virtual world, ageplayers were the next best thing. Frequently being taken in by couples who longed for a child to pamper.
I... had gone through a few caretakers myself, but nothing had stuck so far. I was a Deputy, and most caregivers had strong feelings about that. Since I didn't want to give up my job, and they couldn't handle their "kid" in such a dangerous role...
Yeah, administrators were one of the few positions in the Oasis, that ran the risk of actually dying, due to rogue hackers... some of the better ones, had learned how to kill people, in the real world. By cutting off life support, causing a power outage, or such. With this dangerous field... it was hard finding an "adult" that could deal with that.
"You'll find someone," I heard my original assure me. Even though he was trapped in his Hub World, I could hear him as clear as day.
It wasn't so bad for the original. As they could play in whatever media franchises they wanted. Even had their Hub village, filled with AI Townsfolk, to keep them company. Where they acted as mayor, in an Animal Crossing like game, with elements of SIMs and Minecraft.
I will freely admit, I was a bit jealous of him for that. As he was surrounded by people that were programmed to love him unconditionally.
I just rolled my eyes, "You're the last person I want to hear from. At least you have your Cyber Family." Which were the Townsfolk he directly "courted" to be his parents and Siblings.
"Pay attention kid," ordered O.G. Sunny D, from his place in our Hub World.
That's another thing. The Original Smart Mouth was kinda... crazy. That's why he was one of the few people fitted with an Implant, outside the Programmers Council. He was actually one of the first, way back when the technology was new, and about a decade before the first Oasis build was even a thing.
His implant was originally designed to treat Schizophrenia, but somehow, when combined with later Oasis builds... Well the Dreamscape helmets had streamed information directly into the brain, and that had an unexpected reaction in the implant. It triggered a new type of Multiple Personality Disorder, which wasn't the same thing as Schizophrenia.
It wasn't quite the same thing as either disorder. As his counterparts were technically artificial Intelligence, that just happened to manifest through his own subconscious.
I might be based on the original, but there were a bunch of copies of each of these personalities. All of us existing in MMOs or the Main Oasis Server... which was technically an MMO, itself, I suppose.
Musky-Pup (the Husky Taur), and Kole (The Kobold), were actually copies like me. We even shared the same hive mind. The fact we were a civilian, and had a hive mind, was why Kirito recruited us. Well I suppose we were all me, but it was hard not to think of us as separate people, that just happened to share a brain.
Well I was sitting in my Deputy briefing. I was watching other copies play in MMOs. Equestria Online, and Re-Bottled Sodaroo, looked like a lot of fun... but I had to settle to just watching, and thinking at those copies.
I was talking eagerly with my new counterpart in "Star Trek Universe Online". Which was basically Star Trek, but using aliens, worlds, and some technologies from various other franchises as well. Since Lunar Vulponies weren't one of the Available races, he was playing a traditional bat pony. Due to the DLC our original bought, to unlock an Equestria Campaign in the game.
It was based off the FiM fiction "Watching the Watchers" by "Ryvaken"... where Starfleet is discovered observing Equus, and Ponies start reverse engineering Federation Tech. The campaign takes place after the team has been discovered, and first contact is officially made.
Bat Pony me was eagerly narrating everything going on, and I couldn't blame him. Hell I was excited for him. Our Hive Mind had just bought the game, and he just came online.
"Did you Hear me!!!" snapped O.G. Sunny D, our resident Sodaroo, in the Hive Mind... and a reflection of our more irritable side, that I tried to bury in myself, but that he fully embraced. "Kirito is giving you orders!!!" D barked.
"I know, I can talk to you, and listen to him, at the same time," I reminded. It was a feature of the implant.
"He means it's rude," informed O.G. Metagamer. Our Genderfluid Asari side. I say genderfluid, because she had a male Krogan transformation. We called her Oasis Counterpart "The Were-Krogan".
Like how I was "S'mouth", which was short for "Smart Mouth". While the Smart in "Equestria Online" was "Mouthy". Then the me in "Re-Bottled Sodaroo" was called "Smart Alec". Where as the me in "Star Trek Universe Online" was named "Smart'tholomew Mouthitcus".
The Sunny D's had "Sunny Dilbert" in the "Re-Bottled Sodaroo", with me. Then Sunny De'roo out here in the main Oasis server with us. And another "Sunny Dext'aroo" in Star Trek Universe Online... they liked giving themselves "D" names. That way the "D", in "Sunny D" would be an abbreviation of their favored drink... Which was like, major Nerd Cred.
They all preferred to use a kangaroo Avatar, colored like the soft drink "Sunny D". Which was... well what made Sodaroos "Sodaroos". Unlike most Roos though, he had giant webbed claws (bigger then his head), a platypus tail, and webbed feet... as well as fangs and sharp teeth.
All the O.G. counterparts, had given all us copies our own nicknames. Where we just added "O.G." to their username.
"You're still rambling," O.G. Sunny D snarled. "Pay attention or I'm sending Sunny De'roo in there to give you a hiding!!!"
I flinched. While the boys beside me, in the Main Oasis Server, gave me sympathetic looks.
"I'm already on my way,"
That's when I started to panic, "I'm SORRY!!! I'll be good!!!" I sat up straight, and did my best to pay attention... unfortunately it was too little too late. I could still see through De'roo's eyes.
He was walking through the halls of the Anthro Police Department... right towards the conference room I was in. He was dangerously close to-
"We should not have to tell you the same thing over and over again," Was De'roo's response.
Kirito took notice of how much I was shaking. Asking, "Something wrong?" just in time for De'roo to jerk the door open.
Sunny De'roo quickly explained, "The Boys are spending too much time day dreaming, So I need to give them a quick reminder of why they need to give you their undivided attention."
Kole's and Musky-Pup's eyes widened, not realizing they would get a turn to.
"We were paying attention!!!" Musky-Pup begged.
"Yeah, it was just S'mouth zoning out!" Kole insisted. Throwing me under the bus.
De'roo wagged one of the massive fingers, of his massive claw... which all three of us would soon be feeling. "Don't lie to me! I saw you two surfing the hive mind."
All three of us gulped.
Kirito sighed, putting his pointer stick down, and touched his left peck. His profile immediately popped up. "Let me help you out," he said, as he pulled out a paddle from the floating screen.
All three of us boy's began to tear up.
### •
An evil plot was quickly devised, for our little rumps. Both men took a seat, and beckoned us boys forward. We would each get a taste of De'roo's paw, followed by Kirito's paddle. That might seem harsh, for the crime of day dreaming, but given we weren't biological children. Well it was pretty standard.
There were lots of downsides to using child Avatars. Although the virtual government made sure there were even more perks, that way people would continue using them.
Like the School system itself, as only those with child Avatars could use it.
"You're still daydreaming," De'roo growled.
I glared right back, "I'm Autistic!!! My head rambles!!! YOU KNOW THAT!!!"
"The least you could do is not broadcast your every thought to the Hive Mind," Sunny De'roo rubbed his head. "You Smart Mouth's are such attention whoring brats."
All 5 of us screamed "Oi!!!" into the hive mind. Causing everyone else to flinch. We rather liked stealing British slang... blame Harry Potter and Doctor Who.
"ENOUGH!!!" De'roo snapped, with his real voice. "Here, NOW!!!"
I suddenly lost all bravado, and hesitantly walked over. The moment I was in reach De'roo picked me up, and placed me over his lap.
De'roo wasn't one for ceremony, as he immediately started swatting my rump. Careful to make sure he was only using non-lethal damage.
I wrapped my arms around his thick leg, and hugged it as tightly as possible. Determined to take the spanking like a big boy.
His massive claw was about the size of me. Alhough, due to the angle, it only hit my backside and upper thighs. I jerked forward with every swat. My poor little bottom being literally designed for an adult's hand.
I wanted to be a brave, big, boy. But truth be told... I was crying before the first swat even landed.
I was an old man when I was originally installed. Although, how old I can't remember. What I was, in the real world, hardly mattered anymore. What I chose to be, in this world, was all that mattered... and what I chose was a tiny boy, over his Elder's knee, getting my bare bottom swatted.
I had chosen the warm backside, and the surprisingly gentle hug afterwards. Before being stood in the corner... while I waited for my turn with the paddle.
