Chapter Text
~~~~~
Begin send back.
System reboot commencing.
Body transfer in 3... 2... 1...
~~~~~~
Oliver's eyes shot open. He blinked rapidly as the harsh fluorescent lighting of the extraction room burned his retinas. He strained to move his arms, his muscles feeling leaden, as if he hadn't used them in months. The restrictive straps were gone. He was no longer connected.
He tried to stand up. The moment his foot touched the cold metal floor, his legs gave out completely, and he hit the ground face-first. "OW!"
A sharp gasp echoed nearby. "Hey! Easy there, Oliver!" Rapid footsteps rushed to his side, and he felt hands gripping his arms. "Take it easy. Sitting in these things for so long, we lose so much circulation in our legs."
Oliver was slowly hoisted up. Turning his head, he saw August supporting him.
"Here," August grunted, guiding him back toward the chair near the wall. "Grab hold of that big computer server thing next to it. I was going to tell you to sit back down, but I think it's actually best for you to stand right now. To get your blood pumping again, you know?"
Oliver did as he was told, blinking against the stark light. Even though he had been back to this room almost every night, right now, it felt profoundly strange. To actually stand up and walk around in his home world felt alien. He watched as August stepped away.
"Where are you going?" Oliver asked, his voice raspy.
"To this guy," August replied, walking over to a third boy huddled on the ground.
Oliver gasped, finally noticing the other teenager. "Who's that?" he asked.
The boy looked terrified. He had his knees pulled to his chest, hugging himself tightly as he pressed his back against the cold wall.
"His name is Arnold Harper," August explained gently, crouching down to the boy's eye level.
"T-That's not my name," the boy muttered, pulling his knees closer. "Stop calling me that,"
August glanced over his shoulder at Oliver and silently mouthed, See? That's not his name.
Oliver's heart dropped into his stomach. He glanced over at the transfer chair across from his old one; it was completely empty.
"How... How did you get him out of the chair?"
"I sent them all the same note I gave you," August said. "Did I tell you that? I don't remember." He shook his head and stood back up. "I got it to work with... well, Richard here, but now he's just completely lost."
August frowned. "It's strange. Do you know what this is?"
Oliver blinked, piecing it together. "I think I do," he murmured. "Doctor Barclay... He mentioned that this experiment was a complete success. Maybe a little too much of a success. It seems like the poor guy got rewritten by the world he was sent into, and now he doesn't remember his real home."
August's jaw went slack. "That's not good..."
"No, it is not," Oliver agreed grimly. "What if the other one ends up like that? What the heck are we supposed to do then?"
"I don't know." August looked back at Oliver, his expression softening. "But what about you? Are you okay? Is everything okay with... whoever you made friends with in that world?"
"I..." Oliver blinked, his gaze drifting back to his transfer chair. "I... I do not want to leave Venti. But I want to help you."
"You don't have to leave right away," August assured him. "I can probably handle this on my own... that is, if the other one comes back. I don't know if they'll be like you and remember their normal lives." August let out a heavy sigh. "If they don't, I'll definitely need the extra help."
Oliver steeled himself. "I can stay," he decided. "Maybe Venti will understand once he figures out that I left." He lowered his voice to a mumble, "I really hope he does."
Suddenly, a loud grumble broke the tension. August blinked, looking down at Arnold. "I think I just heard his stomach. We're not connected to the chairs' IVs anymore, so..."
Oliver's eyes went wide. "Oh— shit." He stared across the room at him. "We're not connected anymore. We need food. And you said this lab is stranded in the middle of nowhere, and we can't leave!"
"It might be doable," August said calmly. "One of the rooms down the hall is a break room. It has a vending machine filled with junk food—chocolate bars and stuff. I smashed the glass with a chair earlier. It's not the healthiest diet, but it can get us by until we figure out how to escape this building."
August knelt back down, extending a hand to the trembling teenager. "Hey..." he said softly. "I know you're still in shock, and you're confused and don't trust us. But you sound hungry."
From his spot across the room, Oliver watched Arnold hesitate. The boy looked incredibly timid, but slowly, he reached out and took August's hand.
August stood up, turning to Oliver. "Arnold and I will be back in a little while."
With that, the two of them shuffled out of the extraction room.
Oliver let out a deep, shuddering breath. He glanced around the sterile environment, took another huff of air, and stretched his stiff limbs. "Yeah... that felt good." He felt like he hadn't moved his real body in ages. "I never felt like this inside the Genshin universe..." He looked back over at his old transfer chair. "I was always having energy,"
"Should I go back?" he muttered to himself. He wanted to, desperately. But knowing how messed up his avatar currently was, he wouldn't be able to log back into his realm until the next night when he fell asleep—or if his avatar suffered severe damage.
"Plus, I wouldn't even remember anything unless I was near a fire or warm water..." Oliver sighed, running a hand over his face. "And with my luck, it wouldn't even occur to Venti to let me use Aether's bath again."
He leaned against the wall near Arnold's empty chair, squinting against the glare. "The lights in here are bright as shit," he grumbled. He was half-tempted to go hunt for the switch. "I think I honestly liked it better when they were off." Still, he made no effort to move, letting a whirlpool of anxious thoughts consume him.
Beep
Oliver's head snapped up. "What was that?" He scanned the room until his eyes locked onto the Genshin Impact transfer chair.
"Hey!" August's voice echoed down the hall. "Can you come in here?"
Oliver looked toward the open doorway. "Y-Yeah, sure!"
Stepping out of the extraction room for the first time, Oliver finally took in the facility. To his right, there was a heavy door with a small window—the exit. Outside, a flurry of white snow whipped against the glass. To his left was a darkened, ominous hallway with depressing gray walls. "Uhh... where are you exactly?"
"Down here!" August called out. "Towards the only hallway that's actually lit up!"
Oliver took a step, but then—
Beep
He stopped, grabbing the doorframe and peering suspiciously back into the extraction room.
"Are you coming? Or do you just have the world's quietest footsteps?"
Oliver shook his head, pulling himself away from the door. "Sorry, I just keep hearing this beep." He walked past the exit and stepped into the lit room on the left.
The break room was mid sized. A few tables, a few chairs, and at the far end, the vending machine with its shattered glass front sat dormant with a lot of treats left. August was leaning against one of the tables. "Don't worry about the beeping," August said, tossing a candy wrapper. "Sometimes the transfer chairs just do that. I don't exactly know why. But for the most part, the people in them seemed perfectly fine."
Oliver nodded, but his mind drifted. He wandered back out to the hallway, drawn to the heavy exit door. August didn't call him back, knowing the other boy was just curious.
Pressing his face near the cold glass, Oliver stared at the rolling hills of pure white snow. "Where the hell is this...?" he muttered, his eyes tracing the jagged landscape. "Those look like cliffs... This definitely isn't California."
A chilling realization washed over him. How long had it been? He hadn't even dared to ask.
For him, it had been November 12, 2023. Or, at least, that was the last date he remembered.
"Hey... uh... August?" Oliver called out, his voice trembling.
"Yes, Oliver?" August answered through a mouthful of chocolate from the room.
Oliver couldn't tear his eyes away from the falling snow. "What's the date?" he called out.
"Well," August started. "The dates are actually displayed on the screens above the chairs. I read them yesterday. So, today should be... December 10th."
Oliver blinked.
December 10th.
That would explain the snow. But he's from Cali. It doesn't show much. But... just a month?
"August... What's the year? Do you remember?"
"The year? Uh... It's 2026."
Oliver froze. His breath hitched in his throat as his wide eyes stared blankly at the frosted glass. "Four years...?" he whispered.
"What was that?" August asked. "Hey, Oliver, I know you're amazed by the snow, but please come back in the room so we don't have to keep yelling back and forth,"
Slowly, mechanically, Oliver pushed himself away from the window. He shuffled into the break room with a profoundly lost expression, stopping dead in front of one of the tables.
"I... I have been trapped in there for four years?" He looked up, horrified.
August paused mid-chew. "Come again?"
"2026..." Oliver blinked back sudden tears, looking down at his feet before meeting August's gaze. "This was the year I was supposed to graduate."
He wasn't angry about the missed degree. He was just utterly baffled. How had four entire years slipped by? He wasn't hooked up in the Genshin Impact world for that long. It had only felt like a few days!
"I'm so sorry, dude," August said softly. "That's rough. I know how long it's been for me, and it was only a month."
"This doesn't make any sense!" Oliver spun around, pacing. "I was with Venti for just a week and a few days! I wasn't in there for years!"
"Do you have family?" August asked carefully.
Oliver hesitated. "Not... really, to be honest. I was mostly on my own," he admitted. "I just wanted to get my degree to work in the field I loved." He ran a hand over his face. "I wasn't in there for four years. I couldn't have been—"
"Wait... how did you even end up here in the first place? I forgot if you told me."
"Doctor Barclay," Oliver spat the name. "He posed as someone who worked at my school. He had me sign up for some fake internship. It must be that... It was never real."
August looked deeply pained. "I'm sorry, but this is all just so hard to believe."
Oliver sighed heavily. "I know. It's your dad."
"Yes. He never showed any signs of doing something like this," August tapped his fingers anxiously on the table. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I do believe you! It's just... a lot."
Not wanting to push the sensitive topic, Oliver glanced over at Arnold. "How's he holding up?"
"He's eating, at least. And we're the same age, so maybe that helps," August said, turning to the boy, who was slowly nibbling on a Snickers bar. "Are you doing okay, dude?" August asked, placing a reassuring hand on Arnold's shoulder.
Arnold didn't respond immediately. He just stared blankly at the tabletop, his knuckles white around the candy bar. "I went through this twice..."
Both boys froze. "What was that?" August asked softly.
Arnold kept his gaze averted. He remained silent for a long moment before his quiet voice cracked the silence. "Forgetting who I am. Heading into a new realm... only to realize I was always a part of it." Tears welled up in his hollow eyes. "What am I...?" he sniffled.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. Just... just take deep breaths," August soothed, gently rubbing Arnold's back. "Shhh, it's okay. I know this is a nightmare to adjust to, but Oliver and I will make sure you're comfortable. You don't have to lift a finger. Just focus on calming down, alright?"
Oliver took a heavy breath. Arnold was clearly breaking down. At least he's not going through it alone, Oliver thought.
Suddenly, a horrendous, grinding noise echoed down the hallway. It was followed by a rapid, frantic series of electronic beeps and violent glitching sounds.
Oliver gasped, whipping around to look out the doorway. Flashes of intense light were spilling out from the right side of the hall.
"I told you I heard something!" Oliver shouted.
August was already on his feet. "Wait here!" he ordered Arnold before sprinting past Oliver.
Oliver chased right behind him. They rounded the corner and skidded to a halt. The harsh overhead lights in the extraction room had completely died. Inside the pitch-black room, a blinding white light that was not from the fluorescent lights was strobing violently.
"What is happening in there?!" Oliver yelled over the noise.
"I dunno!" August bolted into the room. "I don't know! Get in! Maybe the guy hooked up to Fallout has something wrong with the chair!"
Oliver dashed in after him. "Has this happened before?!"
"No, but—" August slid to a stop next to the occupied chair, freezing in confusion. "Huh?" There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Fallout chair. "There's nothing—"
Slowly, August turned his head to the right. Across the dark room, it was Oliver's old transfer chair that was going berserk.
Oliver realized it at the same time. "August... what's wrong with... my chair?"
A booming, mechanized voice erupted from the chair's hidden speakers, vibrating in their chests:
WARNING! WARNING! DIMENSIONAL BREACH! WARNING! WARNING!
August stumbled backward, waving his hands frantically to tell Oliver to back out of the room.
Oliver felt his heart leap into his throat. He remembered hearing that exact warning before. That dark, monstrous creature had spawned from the chair once, heralded by the exact same alarm. Cold sweat beaded on Oliver's forehead. He was completely defenseless in his real body. That creature was bigger than anything in the real world. Not even the laws of Genshin Impact could have dented it. If it's angry self was still alive, and came to the real world, they'd be finished.
WARNING! WARNING! DIMENSIONAL BREACH! WARNING! WARNING!
The heavy metal chair began to vibrate violently, shooting sparks into the dark room.
Panic took over. Oliver grabbed the back of August's shirt and yanked him toward the door. "Quick! Get out and shut the door!"
"But what about Jasper?! We can't just leave him in here!" August protested, fighting against the pull.
"Who?!"
"Jasper!" August screamed over the noise. "The last guy hooked up in the Fallout chair!"
Before either of them could make a move, the violently shaking chair abruptly stopped. The sparking ceased. The strobing lights died out, and the blaring alarms fell dead silent. The room was plunged back into darkness, illuminated only by the faint glow spilling in from the hallway behind them.
"Uhh—" The two boys exchanged terrified looks.
But before they could breathe a sigh of relief—
CRACK— A blinding flash of wind and light exploded from the chair, illuminating the entire extraction room like a lightning strike. CRASH— something flew from the chair, hurtling across the room and violently slamming into Arnold's empty chair. The impact sent the heavy machinery ricocheting off the wall before it slid across the floor, sparking and fizzling, until it crashed to a halt right at August and Oliver's feet. Loose wires dangled uselessly from its side.
"Oh, no..." August whispered in horror.
Oliver knew for a fact they were doomed. He had no weapons. He couldn't summon his sword—that magic belonged exclusively to his avatar, and he was no longer in Teyvat. He was just a normal guy again.
"What do we do?" August hissed, panic lacing his harsh whisper.
"I don't know!" Oliver whispered back frantically.
"Well, we gotta think of something!" August whisper-yelled. "We've got an unconscious guy and a practically brain-dead boy to protect! We gotta—"
"Ahh... ow, that hurt," a soft-sounding feminine voice groaned from the darkness across the room.
Oliver froze. His eyebrows furrowed. That voice...
Squinting into the pitch black, Oliver slowly pushed past August, stepping over the threshold.
"Where are you going, bro?!" August hissed, grabbing for him.
Ignoring him, Oliver carefully crept toward the far end of the room. He could vaguely make out a silhouette shifting in the dark. Leaning closer, his eyes caught faint splashes of color. An unmistakable green. Crisp white fabric.
"Ow..." The figure stood up, rubbing the top of his head.
Oliver blinked repeatedly. His eyes widened to the size of saucers. He stumbled backward.
"Oliver, what is happening down there?!" August demanded. "Ugh, screw this—" August reached around the doorframe, wildly smacking the wall until he found the panel. "Why did these even turn off?!" With a sharp click, he flipped the switch.
Harsh, blinding fluorescent light instantly flooded the room.
"Ahh!" Oliver squeezed his eyes shut against the sting. When the spots cleared, he cautiously opened them again—only to find himself staring directly into a pair of massive, luminous, aqua-green anime eyes.
Oliver gasped, leaping backward so fast that his feet tangled together. He tripped and fell flat on his butt. "Ouch!"
Venti was standing right in front of him.
in front of him.
In his realm. In the real world.
Oliver scrambled frantically back to his feet, staring at the bard in utter disbelief.
Venti blinked his oversized eyes. "You...." He tilted his head, his voice lacing with uncertainty as he took a cautious step forward. "Oliver?"
Oliver looked around wildly. "Uhh..."
Venti reached up, adjusting his beret and straightening the Cecelia flower pinned to it, before slowly closing the distance between them. "Oliver? This is you, isn't it?"
"What? No! I'm not you! I mean, I'm me! I'm NOT I— Oh, fuck—!" Oliver stammered helplessly.
Venti stared at him for a second longer before bursting into a fit of bright, musical laughter. "Oh my word, it is you!!! Oh my, it worked! I had absolutely no idea if that was going to work!!!"
Venti launched himself forward. "Come here, you big dork!" He wrapped his arms tightly around Oliver's waist, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. "Oooohhh~," Venti cooed, nuzzling into his chest. "I can't believe I actually did this!"
Oliver stood completely frozen, his arms hovering awkwardly in the air as his boyfriend hugged the life out of him. He slowly looked straight down... at the top of Venti's hat.
Oh, fuck, Oliver realized. The bard was definitely, undeniably short compared to Oliver's real-life height. Venti's head barely reached his chest.
Over near the door, August stood completely paralyzed. "Uhh... How did that happen?" he muttered, staring wide-eyed.
Venti pulled back slightly, looking up. He let out a fond giggle at the dumbfounded expression frozen on Oliver's face. "So, this is what my boyfriend really looks like, huh~?"
Oliver just blinked.
"Wait... Boyfriend?" August interjected.
Venti smiled brightly, stepping back to slowly circle around Oliver, taking in his entire appearance. He hopped back in front of him, beaming. "Why were you so sad about this? You're adorable!"
Oliver's cheeks flared hot, and he looked away. "You're just saying that."
"No! I'm being perfectly honest!" Venti insisted. The bard reached up, gently cupping Oliver's face in his hands. His thumbs softly brushed against Oliver's brown skin. "You do look different, but I can feel it's still you. Same energy, same lovely personality.... Same dorkyness~"
"B-But my eyes are smaller..." Oliver mumbled insecurely.
Venti just shrugged. "So? You look kinda similar to the people who walk around Mondstadt. It's nothing too strange!"
"B-But I... I... I'm not—"
"Babe." Venti pressed a soft finger to Oliver's lips, silencing him. "You are beautiful."
Oliver blinked rapidly as a wave of emotion hit him, tears swelling in the corners of his eyes. "But—"
"No buts!" Venti stood up on his tiptoes and pressed a sweet, silencing kiss to Oliver's lips.
Oliver melted instantly, his eyes fluttering shut as he gently kissed back.
When they finally pulled away, Venti smiled up at him, reaching out to toy with one of Oliver's braids. "Your hair looks different, too..."
"Yeah," Oliver breathed out, still slightly dazed. "Uh... they're called braids. Short braids, actually. They're not like the single long braid Aether wears... Or my avatar,"
"I see," Venti smiled warmly, fascinated by the texture.
"Ahem."
Venti leaned to the side, peeking around Oliver to see who had cleared their throat.
Oliver turned around. Standing in the doorway were August and Arnold, both staring blankly at the bizarre scene unfolding before them.
"Well, since the cat is out of the bag that you're dating Venti..." August crossed his arms, a small smirk playing on his lips. "I was dating Pete in Grounded," he chuckled.
"O-Oh?" Oliver managed to say.
Venti just blinked and smiled pleasantly, completely oblivious to what was going on or what Grounded even was. How could he possibly know?
Arnold, however, looked from the literal anime boy standing in the middle of a sci-fi lab, back to Oliver, and frowned in profound distress.
"Am I back inside the internet?"
August paused, looking down at his traumatized companion. "What?"