Genesis Sync

Sarah was not the only one surprised; the other two women were also. This had never happened before in the one hundred and twelve years that Genesis and Tia had been running. Tia had never asked an individual how they wanted justice to be served; it was always she who made that choice.

"What are you doing here, Tia?" Flame Empress asked.

“Not good,” Red Rose said in alarm. “He’s already stated he wishes Tia would give us the worst possible punishment.

***

John Michaels looked at the holographic Tia before asking, "What do you mean?"

"I am asking you how you would like to punish Frank Hargreaves, Mary Brown, and, by extension, the human race for the wrong they have caused you over the past eleven years," Tia explained.

"You're letting me decide? I can choose anything?"

"I am, and you can, as long as it’s within my power to do,” Tia replied. “Tell me what punishment you would give this Frank Hargreaves and Mary Brown, as well as what punishment the human race should be given?"

"TIA!" Sarah cried out in shock, a remarkably similar reaction to that of Fire Empress and Red Rose as they heard Tia’s question.

John looked at Tia for a moment before saying, "Pass."

"Excuse me?"

"I pass on the right to decide their punishment."

"Why?"

"Because I am not qualified. I know next to nothing about the world outside my little apartment other than its shit, and I know even less about Genesis since I barely studied it.”

“You never studied Genesis?” Sarah asked in surprise. “It’s mandatory in all schools.”

“Ok, let me rephrase. I never went out of my way to learn more about it, and I barely paid attention in class since I knew I would never play it,” John replied. “I had better things to think about, like where I could look for work so that I could afford rent or food.

“I see,” Sarah replied before realising something and asking. “You keep mentioning rent, exactly how long have you lived here?”

“About three years,” John replied after thinking for a moment. “I got kicked out of my last place after the landlord decided to up the rent, which I couldn’t afford.”

“Surely your landlord should have known about the government benefit, or one of your neighbours?” Sarah asked.

“You’d have to ask him that,” John replied. “As for my neighbours, I hardly speak with any of them besides Mrs Thompson, an elderly lady who lives next door. I sometimes help her carry her shopping up and in return she occasionally bakes something for me.”

“Accessing Dawnscape City property ownership registry. Apartment complex is owned by Sanders Property, a subsidiary of Sanders Incorporated. The registered landlord is one David Thompson.”

“Yup, that’s him,” John replied.

Sarah, however, was more interested in another aspect of Tia’s announcement, “Sanders Incorporated?”

“You’ve heard of it?” John asked.

Sarah nodded. “Its CEO and founder is Clifford Sanders, father of Daniel and Alice Sanders.”

“Oh, you ex-boyfriend Silver Serpent,” John nodded.

Taken from NovelFire, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“While you're not wrong, that’s where your mind went?” Sarah asked in surprise.

“Shouldn’t it have?” John asked in confusion.

“No, I’m just surprised, is all. I would have thought your first comment would be regarding Alice Sanders; she is recognised as one of the most beautiful women in our generation after all.”

“Oh, never heard of her,” John replied.

Sarah smiled and chuckled at his response, so he asked, “You don’t like her?”

Sarah shrugged in response. “I have no problem with her per se. Even though I dated that damn snake for a while, I never really interacted with Alice."

***

“Sanders Property, huh?” Fire Empress stated thoughtfully.

“With this, we have a valid reason to investigate Sanders Incorporated and, more importantly, Clifford Sanders,” Red Rose said with a smile.

Fire Empress, however, shook her head. “One little tenancy issue isn’t enough justification to openly investigate one of the biggest human corporations. At most we can use it as an excuse to look into Sanders Property.”

“Still, it’s a start, something we didn’t have before and we should be sure to reward John for this opportunity. Heavens knows he deserves it,” Red Rose replied as she inspected what she could see of his apartment.

Fire Empress merely nodded in response. {He may even be entitled to an extra reward, depending on whether he truly decides not to pass judgment on us as he said.}

***

“Can we get back to the topic of punishment, please?” Tia asked, interrupting the pair's conversation.

“Oh, right, sorry, Tia,” Sarah apologised.

“That is all right, Blue Ice Queen.”

“Blue Ice Queen?” John repeated in confusion. “Why does Tia address you by your Genesis ID and not your actual name?”

Sarah didn’t immediately reply and instead glanced at Tia, only replying upon seeing Tia indicate that she could. “Tia addresses everyone by their Genesis ID regardless of whether they're in the real world or Genesis. The only exception to this is if the person in question holds an important title like empress, princess or the such.”

John nodded in understanding before turning to Tia. “Then I’m assuming you address me by my name because I am yet to play Genesis?”

“That is correct. You will choose your Genesis ID upon logging in for the first time.” Tia replied. “Now please continue explaining why you don’t wish to pass judgment yourself.”

John nodded before continuing, "I may not like the human race; however, I also have no right to claim the power of god and pass judgment as I wish. Only you, who is completely impartial, have that right.

Go ahead and punish those that have hurt and damaged me, sure, but leave those who had no idea about any of this out of it because, in the end, if you or I punish them, then we are no better than those who did this to me; in fact, we are worse.

I leave the punishment on the human race in your hands; it's not like I will be there to care anyway."

"You still don't plan to join Genesis?" Tia asked.

"Those who don't work don't eat, and if I don't eat, I won't have to worry about anything ever again," John answered.

Tia looked at John Michaels for a moment before asking, "And if you never had to work again?"

"That would be a fine thing and a dream of many, though chances are in a few months I won't be able to work anyway."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked this time.

"I currently work under the counter, so the companies get to pay me as little as they want and there is nothing I can do about it, but tell me what happens when I leave school? John asked in return.

"You will be classified as a full adult and be able to get full-paying jobs," Sarah answered.

"Correct, now tell me this. What company out there would want to pay the guaranteed minimum wage to an orphan with no references?"

Sarah was silent for a moment before she replied. "So, what you are saying is that once you leave school, you don't think any of the companies you have worked for up until now will want to employ you anymore because they will have to pay you the legal minimum wage as it will be monitored more closely, and you will have legal rights if they don't."

"Bingo, though it's not a question of me thinking they won't employ me but me knowing they won't since they have already told me as much. Why pay an adult with no references minimum wage when there are other underage kids they can pay under the table for less? I’m not the only poor fool in this damn empire."

There was silence for a moment before John decided to ask a question of his own.

"So, Miss Lapis, what is it that Tia has offered you in return for your help, might I ask?"

"I don't mind telling you, but I thought you were not interested in Genesis?" Sarah curiously asked.

"I never said I was not interested in Genesis. I just know what my priorities are; after all, there is no one in the world who doesn't want to play Genesis. You can even make a living off it if you're good or lucky enough; I just don’t have the luxury to take that chance.”

"I see, very well, take a look at this," Sarah replied as she used her access band's holographic interface to display the information on the 'Blood of the Immortal Phoenix Pearl'.

"I see, so I am guessing Tia offered you the missing drop of phoenix blood?" John asked as he read the description.

Sarah nodded and replied.

"Correct, Ice Phoenix Blood to be exact, though I am unsure what will happen when I receive it since the item only hints at a perfect rebirth."

John looked away from the holographic screen before smiling at Sarah and asking, "Can you go through with it, though?"

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