Jennifer dragged me towards the back of the park. The crowds thinned out once we passed the main plaza and the facades slowly changed from the colorful, cartoony versions we saw at the entrance to something more gritty and realistic.

  We ended up in a section that looked like a rundown industrial district. I briefly thought that we might have wandered into a backstage or employee-only area, but the area was absolutely filled with people, so it must have been a part of the park.

  “So, where are we?” I asked when Jennifer finally stopped.

  “This is where they have the more ‘mature’ games and entertainment,” Jennifer explained. “You know, shooting galleries, haunted houses… simulations…”

  “So that’s what you’re looking for, the samurai simulator,” I said. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? If you’re spooked by a puppet that looks vaguely like a Model Three, how do you think you’re going to react when a detailed virtual model is lunging at your face?”

  Jennifer went pale and trembled slightly.

  “I’ll absolutely freak out,” she admitted.

  “Then why are we doing this?”

  “Because if I don’t confront my fears, I’ll never get over them. I’m hoping that knowing we’re in a simulation will help bolster my confidence enough to not have a complete breakdown,” Jennifer explained.

  “We?” I asked.

  “Of course, you’re going to be there too. You’re already a samurai, and I figure having you around will help boost my confidence,” Jennifer said, before giving me a small sad smile. “And if I do go to pieces, you’ll be there to protect me long enough for me to collect myself and try again.”

  “Although I’m proud of you for being brave, I’m not sure if this plan of yours is exactly healthy,” I said.

  “We won’t know until we try,” Jennifer shrugged.

  Before I could argue, Jennifer grabbed my hand and pulled me over to a wide, squat building that was designed to look like some sort of industrial factory. Whoever had designed the attraction had obviously never really seen a real industrial complex, because it was far too clean to be realistic. One of the garage doors was open, allowing people to walk in, and above it was a heavy metal plate with letters cut out of it. It read, “Become a samurai - Industrial simulation.”

  “Why does it have to specify ‘Industrial simulation’?” I muttered.

  “Because Nimbletainment has about a dozen different maps and scenarios, which they sprinkle around their different parks. The simulators are so popular they typically have two different simulators in each park, and if you want to try all the different scenarios, you have to travel to another park. Apparently a lot of rich kids tour around and visit every single park just so they can try each one. It’s especially popular among those families that attempt to groom their kids to be chosen as samurai,” Jennifer explained. “I chose Industrial simulation because it's far less popular than the coastal one on the other side of the park.”

  “Wait, wait, wait,” I said, digging in my heels and staring at Jennifer. “There are families that train their kids and attempt to get them chosen as samurai? Why?”

  “What do you mean, ‘Why?’” Jennifer frowned. “Having a samurai in the family means you’d have easy access to blueprints and advanced tech. It could turn a tiny, floundering company into a world-leading multinational overnight.”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “That’s fucked up,” I exclaimed loudly, forgetting to censor myself and drawing some looks from the other guests. “No matter how well you’re trained, intentionally confronting the Antithesis as a regular human is usually a one-way trip to Biomassville. Has it ever worked?”

  Jennifer shrugged. “If it has, I haven't seen any evidence of it. Besides, I never said they were sent out alone. Most of these wannabe samurai go out with a full security team, or even a private military company. Mostly, they go to the edge of an incursion and take potshots. They’re rarely in real danger.”

  “Of course not,” I muttered. “I don’t know why I immediately jumped to the idea that they were actually risking their lives.”

  Jennifer pulled on my arm again, and this time I followed behind her. The building opened up into a large front room, which had several rope barriers set up to create a long snaking line that led up to some sort of reception desk. There was barely anyone in line, and by the time we made our way around the excessively long labyrinth, everyone had already been processed, allowing us to walk right up to the front.

  “We’d like to participate in a linked scenario, please,” Jennifer told the reception bot.

  The plush mascot, which vaguely looked like a chibi magical girl, giggled. “You’re in luck! We have one family-sized room available for the four of you. Please proceed to room two seventy-six.”

  “Four?” I asked. “But there’s only two of us…”

  “Ahem!”

  I turned around at the sound of someone clearing their throat and caught Deadbeat’s disapproving glare.

  “Did you forget about us already?” she asked, gesturing at herself and the bodyguard fox.

  “Nooooo…” I replied, lying through my teeth. “I just didn’t expect that you’d want to participate.”

  “If my choice is to either participate or sit in a tiny room and stare at the back of your head while you’re immersed in a simulation, I’ll participate. I get enough staring at your head while we’re walking around,” Deadbeat replied.

  “Please proceed to room two seventy-six,” the bot repeated. “If you’re not prepared to enter the simulation yet, please step to the side so I can help the next customer.”

  I glanced at the completely empty line, then back at the bot, unimpressed. “Fine, we’re moving.”

  I don’t know exactly what I expected when we stepped inside, but it wasn’t this. There were hundreds of doors on both sides of the hallway, squished so close together that the rooms behind them couldn’t be much bigger than a closet. The hallway split at regular intervals, and each intersection had a street sign so you could easily locate your assigned room. The massive grid-like structure must have been able to hold hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

  After following the directions, weaving our way back and forth through the complex, we arrived in a section where the doors were just a little further apart. Our room was on the corner, and when I stepped up to the aluminum door, the scanner next to the entrance jumped to life. After quickly scanning our group, the door popped open.

  “This is it?” I asked, confused, as I stepped inside the tiny room beyond. It was tiny, just barely large enough to contain four recliners, two on each side of the room, and a couple shelving units holding headsets. They were squeezed so closely together that I had to squeeze between the front set of chairs to reach the rear of the room.

  “It’s a mesh simulation; you sit down, throw on the headset, and connect to the simulation. You don’t need much room for something like that,” Jennifer explained as she squeezed by and sat in one of the recliners. She grabbed one of the headsets off the shelf and fingered it nervously.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked quietly. “There’s no need for you to actually confront your fears. With all the protection I’ve assigned to you and the rest of the family, the Antithesis will never get close enough to threaten you. I doubt you’ll ever see a Model Three up close ever again.”

  “I know,” she muttered. “I just feel stupid, being afraid of anything that looks even remotely close to a Model Three. I know I should be somewhat afraid of them. They’re dangerous. I just don’t want to freeze up every time I see them. What if something happens, and I have to protect Issi and Eddie?”

  “That’ll never happen,” I chuckled.

  “Yeah, well, the Antithesis never should have reached the undercity. Yet last year there was a one-in-a-million shot, and a seedpod managed to smash its way into an access lift. We can do our best to prepare, but even with all your bears and defenses, you can’t guarantee that something like that will never happen,” Jennifer said. “Maybe I’ll never have to protect the other kids, but I’d at least like a chance to defend myself and not become a whimpering mess in front of them.”

  I stared at the girl as her fingers tightened on the headset. She was obviously dead set on doing this.

  “Fine,” I finally said. “I still don’t know if this is a good idea or not, but I’m willing to give it a try. I’ll stay back, give you a chance to confront your fears, and only step in to protect you when you need the help. But if I think you’re getting overwhelmed and can’t handle it, I’m going to pull the plug. Got it?”

  “Got it,” Jennifer replied.

  “Good,” I muttered as I wandered over to the chair across from hers. After sitting down and leaning back, I grabbed the visor. “Soooo… how does this thing work exactly?”

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