THE MOMENT
"Now I know why you thought Mars was boring...," Rodney commented as he swiveled his head left and right. He was walking through an unfamiliar park that he'd been to hundreds of times with Victoria at his side. She was the most beautiful woman Rodney ever had the chance to date. And he felt extra lucky that for the first time in almost two decades he wasn't alone for Valentine's day. "... It looks unrecognizable, but it still feels like the same park I know. I don't get how it's Valentine's day here already. It's still a few days away on my Earth."
"Every alternate Earth has its own time stream," Victoria shrugged. "Sometimes it syncs up with other Earths, sometimes it doesn't. Each Earth starts keeping time in different ways; I've been to an Earth with more than 30 months."
"Is that normal here too?" Rodney asked. It wasn't the question he meant to continue the conversation; but, the stranger was too distracting. He nodded forward at a mostly naked man walking in their direction. He stepped forward to try and put himself between Victoria and the armed stranger. He wore only a pair of white boxer shorts dotted with bright yellow happy faces and he wielded a machine gun in each hand.
"No..., not really," Victoria giggled. She put a hand on Rodney's shoulder to put him at ease, then she stepped forward. Rodney almost disagreed; but, he realized she regularly traveled between universes. She could take care of herself.
"Hi, what are you doing?" Victoria asked when the stranger was close enough. Rodney winced when he realized the man was going to walk by them without any trouble. But, Victoria drew his attention.
"Speedrunning the game, not that an NPC would understand that though," the stranger said. He sounded dismissive and resumed walking; but, Victoria stopped him again.
"What class are you?" Victoria asked.
"What?" The gunman paused and gave Victoria an appraising look up and down.
"The NPC thinks she's playing too!" He laughed and shook his head. "There're no classes, this isn't that kind of game," he said.
"Oh?" Victoria asked. "Then, what kind of game is it?"
"Free for all sandbox," the nearly naked man grinned. Without a second thought hefted one of the machine guns and pointed it at Rodney; then, he squeezed the trigger.
Rodney saw it happen and flinched; he brought his hands up and closed his eyes. But, the gunshot never happened
"WHAT THE HELL!!?" The stranger yelled in annoyance and Rodney peeked one eye open.
"What the hell?" he repeated the gunman's question with sincere curiosity when he opened his eyes. The gunman's head; and, only his head, hung in front of them upside down. His neck extended upward into a small black portal. Rodney knew Victoria could open portals, but he had no idea how adept she was.
"I'm having fun on this date, and you're not going to ruin it," Victoria said.
"HELP! MODS! SOMEONE!" the gunman yelled. "THIS NPC IS BROKEN!"
"You're right," Victoria stepped closer to the head and caressed his brow. "This NPC is broken," she said. Rodney noticed a tall portal open up next to them. A young man with wild curls atop his head stepped out and nodded at Victoria.
"Need a Mod?" he asked.
"YES!" the upside-down head yelled. "Look at what that glitchy bitch did to me!" Victoria simply nodded at the head. The Mod flicked his wrist up and summoned a translucent slate. His fingers typed on the surface for several seconds, then he nodded. The upside-down man was no longer screaming and yelling; he hung there with a vacant look. Victoria waved a hand at him and the black hole around his neck swallowed his head. Another portal placed him upright before them, except he was no longer naked. He wore a clean, crisp suit and held a single briefcase instead of his guns.
"Hey, you're late for work," the Mod said. The stranger looked at his Rolex, then darted off. The mod turned to Victoria.
"That one too?" he nodded at Rodney. Victoria hooked his arm in Rodney's before his mind could catch up to the situation. He was aware of the multiverse now. He knew that Victoria was from a different Earth; but he had no idea what just happened. But he relaxed a bit when Victoria answered. He realized he'd have the opportunity to ask questions later.
"Nah, this Zero's kinda cute."