Ready Player One : The Sixth Player

The "stacks"

Jason sighed as he logged out of the Oasis. He removed the visor from his head and removed his haptic gloves before jumping out of the makeshift immersion rig that he bought cheap from one of his acquaintance. He look around his simple looking flat until his gaze fell onto a mirror mounted on his wardrobe. A pair of dark green orbs belong to a young man in his early twenties stare back at him. He fixed his slightly messy jet black hair as he check on his face. He never considered to be bad looking and his tall and slightly muscular stature helps add to his appeal. He move away from the mirror before grabbing his jacket from the hook on the wall and walked to his door. He put on a pair of worn out working boots and get out of his save Haven before locking it.

This "save" Haven is actually the lowest part of a tall makeshift building that made of stacks of RVs. Hence where the name came from. "Stacks." He got it cheap because it's located at the bottom. And only the brave and the desperate, or the combination of both that dare to live on the bottom of the stacks. Since the building itself never followed any standard safety procedure, the odds of a stacks falling over or collapsing on its tenant is as high as the number of people that lived inside it.

He walked down the street, filled with junkies, alcoholic and some people with tired looking expression plastered all over their face. Overall, the world is a pretty depressing place outside the Oasis. That's why people tend to escape the real world and prefer to spend the rest of their time in the sweet simulation of Oasis. Ignoring the fact that the world they're living in is dying and humans are on the verge of extinction.
He soon arrived at a shabby looking restaurant that's modeled after 80's style diner. Well, tried to be modeled. Seeing the state of the place. Sweet smell of coffee and slightly greasy smell of grilled bacon invade his nostril the moment he entered the place.

"You're here early." Said a middle aged man with brown slicked back hair he has a stocky build with a friendly looking face, along with similar eye colour to Jason.

"Yeah, I finished earlier than i expected." He said as he took a seat at the counter.

"How did it go?" He asked as he walked over to him. Putting a glass of coffee in front of Jason.

"I didn't get it. Some top level A hole grabbed it before I can." He sighed tiredly. Pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Aww, Don't sweat it. I'm sure you'll do better next time."

"I really wish I got some of your positivity." Jason sighed as he slumped onto the counter.
"How did it go?" He asked the middle aged man.

"Well, the examination? I'll live." The man shrugged as he clean some glasses from the counter behind him.

"I'm serious, dad. How did it go?!" Jason said with a annoyed tone.

"Kid, I told you to not worry about me. Just focus on what you're doing right now." His father said, not looking at him.

"That doesn't stop me from being worried... Look if there's anything y-"

"I told you, you don't have to worry about it. The only thing you can do to help me is go back home." His father cut him off.

"I told you I can't do that. I need a better connection, a decent place to place my rig and... Look... This Oasis is the only place I can go to get decent cash. As soon as your operation is done we're going to get a new place. A real home. I promise." Jason said to his father. Determination could be seen on his face.

"Fine. Just take care of yourself will ya?" His father sighed and turned around. Finally looking at him.

"I promise! Look... I gotta go now. Wish me luck!" Jason said as he get up from his seat and finished the rest of his coffee before putting the cup back on the counter and walked away.

"Leaving so soon? Where are you going?"

"To a race." Jason shrugged with a smirk as he walked out of the room. His father only shakes his head and pick up the dirty cup, carrying on with his duty.