The Amazing Joni's
CHAPTER 30: THIRTY (END)

I blinked my eyes. Crumbly.

Silent.

Slowly everything seems bright. This room looks all white. White wall, white ceiling, white floor, white curtain, mattress and white sheets. Even the light bulb looks more white.

“You're awake?” Someone who was also dressed in white greeted. Smilingly.

I'm turning. “I-n-i d-i-m-a-n-a?”

“You're in the hospital. Your friend is next door.” The doctor pointed to the bed next door. Me and Deni one room.

The infirmary? That means the portal actually drove us home. I rubbed my face. We were both lucky. I think there's no way around it anymore, we'll be stuck in that game forever. Once again I turned my head, Deni was fine.he just fell asleep. His arms are infused, just like mine.

“Your parents will be contacted. They will be coming soon.” The doctor smiled again.

I looked at the doctor's goal. Ask for a more detailed explanation of how we arrived at the hospital.

Smilingly. “I don't really understand about games. But why are you in this place, I can explain.” The doctor confirmed the collar, fixing his sitting position close to where I was lying. Deni next door is still asleep.

I swallowed spit. What about the gaming company? What the hell's going on? How's officer? What about other game players? There are so many questions in my mind.

“I can only explain about you guys. The rest is about the game, the company, the people, I don't know. You found firefighters lying in the middle of the rubble. Wearing, you guys don't seem to eat for a few days. Your body is very weak, unconscious. They took you both by ambulance to this place. About the building, they said collapsed hit by an explosion. Everything's shattered. I was actually astonished myself. Your body is not at all burned or anything like that, even though you are right in the middle of the explosion location.” The doctor took a breath for a moment.

Sure oes. We were probably driven by the portal a few minutes after the explosion. Or maybe a few hours later.

“You guys should rest. Don't move too much. Your body is still weak. I've checked your hull, no problem with mag. Everything's secure. Controlled.” The doctor cupped his hands together, ready to come out. Taking care of other patients.

I once again looked around. Silent. The air conditioner slowly nodded. Whether this is on what floor and which hospital. Ever since I was a child, I was rarely sick and needed to be taken to the hospital. Therefore, I don't know the ins and outs of any hospital in my city. Despite all that, my heart is actually divided into two flavors. Good, because we both got home safely. No men fought with the blow of the wind pressure, no more slashes of Deni's radiant sword, no more noise of bullets. Sad, because we had to part with Nin, parting with Sem. They're like real. Although I know, it's just a program created to help us complete missions in the game.

On the next bed. Deni looks squirming, he's not gnawing like me. Deni was immediately shocked, almost jumping.

“Quiet, Den. We're in the hospital. We're home.” I raised my hand, trying to calm down. Actually it's funny, he just woke up, had to sting.

“Which hospital? Does the cloud country have a hospital? Or is this Nin's home?” Deni was not aware.

“This is a hospital in our city. Or hospital in—entahlah. We have obviously come home.” I smiled, trying to explain. Deni was beginning to calm down. Rubbing his own chest. A moment later he looked down.

“What's up, Den?” I asked again.

“How about Nin?” The voice was slow, very slow.

I'm silent for a moment. “He may have gone home. Submitted Lod.” Deni nods. Back to lay down on the mattress with white sheets.

“What will our parents say, Jon?” Deni asked, his eyes staring at the ceiling of the room.

I shrugged my shoulders. I don't know. Getting angry? Worrying? Saddened? A miss? Everything may exist.

“Anything can. Provided don't get angry.” Deni grinning. I laughed hearing that.

“It's not our fault, is it? This is purely a game console mistake. If only the portal was not damaged, that afternoon we have returned home.”

“Yes. And there's a chance we'll be back in the company again tomorrow. Still we'll be stuck, right?” Deni laughing. I responded with a smile.

Silent moment.

“Hei, Den. You can grab that TV remote.” I pointed at the tv remote placed near the kapala on Deni's bed. I just saw a black LCD TV screen hanging on the wall of this room. There may be news of the explosion.

Deni turned on the screen. Music events.

“Replace, Den. There may be news about us and that company.” I asked Deni to change the channel. Deni pressed a button on that remote. Channels change. Cartoons, dramas, soap operas, talk shows, and news. Well, news. “Stop, Den.” Deni stopped the movement of his fingers. Put the remote to the side.

This is the news I want. Explanation of all the events since we got stuck in the game. It appears a reporter is conducting a live broadcast, right in front of the destroyed game-making company. Where we played a few days before. It seemed that, behind the reporter standing, the building was flat on the ground. Just leaving ruins and debris. In some parts, it still smokes smoke. Also seen the firefighters are busy working.

“We report directly from the scene. The fire from the explosion three days ago today was successfully defused. Viewers, as we reported earlier, this explosion not only destroyed a subsidiary of the game maker, but spread out several houses around it. According to our records, twelve housing units were affected by the explosion. As for the company behind us, the medical team said no one of its employees survived, including security personnel. Except for two teenagers who play games in this place. This afternoon, they were taken to the hospital. The medical team said they survived. The victims of the explosion who died were taken to the hospital and some have been buried by his family.”

“That means, Om the officer who explains the game when we want to play, choose the game to be played, he also did not survive.” Deni looked down, staring at the white sheets.

I'm nodding. On the other side we didn't know, it was the officer who was actually trying to save us. He's trying to create a portal at the end of the scene. The red portal that took us home that Lod saw was the portal he created in the control room, moments after he told us at the time in the Sabana state that the log out system was no longer working. The officer rushed to find a way out, trying to save us. Just making that portal is all he can do. But it all has to be paid a lot. Overloaded system. The explosion could not be contained. All destroyed. Explodes. Right after the officer managed to lock the portal he placed in the cloud country. Although the portal often appears sinking because it is not perfect, but the fact is that the portal took us home.

On the TV screen, it was seen that the reporter confirmed the communication tool in the ear. Looks like there's an incoming call. Nodding. Prepare to deliver it to viewers.

“Good, viewers. We have just received information that the world space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is holding a press conference at their headquarters in Washington D. C. They responded to the explosion that happened a few days ago. And according to the information they also found new facts about games that are currently the most in demand in the world, especially in Asia. For more details we will tayepang pictures we received a moment ago.”

“We from NASA claimed to be very concerned, seeing the condition of the victims of the explosion due to negligence. It was clearly an omission, an omission that resulted in the lives of others drifting. From the beginning, the world had opposed the presence of games that used its own body as a player. In this case, we greatly appreciate the move of Japan which is very much fighting to reject the presence of the game. On this occasion too, we would like to convey a news that will make you tremble for a while. This news is a fact. We have gathered some strong evidence from our agents who went straight into the field. Of course we don't want to mention who they are. They have been doing research since the portal-based game was first launched. And today, they have already got one conclusion.”

One conclusion? The facts? Deni and I were silent, staring unblinkingly at the tv screen on the wall of the hospital room. Deni even rubbed his face a few times.

“As known lately. We are indeed being intensively discovered a new planet that can be inhabited by humans. We are also actively conducting research on hundreds of Earth-like planets with the highest percentage of human possibilities to survive there. For now, we're more focused on Kepler 452b, one of the planets similar to Earth. Here's fact. We did not like the game that included a portal while playing, bringing his own body into the game, it was too dangerous. But we intend to make the portal an interplanetary means of transportation. Kepler-452b is not as close as Earth is to the moon, or Earth is to Neptune, the distance between Earth and Kepler-452b is 1,400 light-years. The planet is twice the size of Earth with an orbital period of 385 days. If using the portal, we can get there in just a few seconds. And it has been done by some children who like the game.”

I rubbed my forehead. Already done? Whatdoes thatmean? Deni next to me also fell silent, wondering. And I'm sure something similar happened outside this hospital. Not just the game, but everyone. They will be surprised to hear that statement.

“Those who play with the VG.10 V.2 console do not actually enter the virtual world created. But they play live on the planet Kepler 452b, although there are partially modified places using additional programs to give the impression that it actually resides in a virtual world. They use the portal to move directly between planets. We know that the planet is similar to Earth. Deserts, forests, savannas, oceans, everything is similar. All of that will be explained later by the inventor of the dangerous game console from Southeast Asia. Because that's not our part, even though we already know that fact. We are happy, he is ready to admit everything.”

Deni and I got into each other. Is it true what NASA officials say? have we not set foot on Kepler 452b? Wait for. It's not certain yet. There is still an explanation from the inventor and creator of the game directly. Even if it's really Kepler 452b, how do they explain Sem and Nin? What about the sword and the arrow? About bullets? And other things.

“Isn't that cool, Jon? We may be two kids who became the first people to set foot on the planet” Deni chuckled. Sheets sway.

I'm nodding. Thas right. On the one hand, we were lucky. You can enjoy the beauty of the planet. Not many people are as lucky as we are. But on the other hand, it will make the country in Southeast Asia will be boycotted by outside countries. They will consider it as a misuse of the portal. Because only NASA is authorized to transport humans to other planets using portals. Southeast Asian countries will come under heavy criticism from the outside world.

A few minutes later, the image on the screen changed. The early reporter who delivered the news spoke again.

“Audience, in a few moments we will witness firsthand the press conference or the direct explanation of the inventor and owner of the largest game console company in Southeast Asia related to the facts said by NASA some time ago then. And this of course will really be awaited by game lovers all over Asia, even the world.”

Some shock then the picture on the TV screen changed again, but still with the voice of the reporter gave a little explanation. The owner of the great game console was preparing to do an interview with several reporters.

“Good afternoon. We from the owner of the VG.10 V.2 game console will explain the details of the games we made, and we will also respond to NASA's allegations moments ago. First, the danger issue. We don't agree if this game is dangerous. It depends on the player himself. Our log out facilities are provided plus a large number of continue menus. Just a few days ago we were unlucky. The portal was broken and it wasn't human error. It was purely a system error. Second, the facts of the virtual world. We admit, there is no virtual world we created. The game's arena is indeed the planet Kepler 452b which in some scenes we modified. Including the people inside, buildings, weapons, and everything. It's as a game complement. It's not hard to do that with technology now. We think that's enough as an explanation.”

The owner and inventor of the game console was moving. Refuse to ask journalists to continue the interview. The press conference was completed briefly.

The room feels stuffy. Deni and I gasped. We are on the planet Kepler-452b. Silence moment. Deni.

“I think it's still cool, Jon.” That voice sounds weak. Not sure.

I smile. “Of course. The game was cool because I had a punch capable of knocking down a hundred lions at a time.”

“Hey, isn't it because of the slash of my sword that is capable of cutting anything. Plus, I'm probably one of the most handsome characters.” Deni grinned pretently.

I tried to hit Deni, throw a pillow, but it didn't come. Deni laughing. From the television screen, the reporter closed the live broadcast and promised to keep updating information about VG.10 V.2. Coupled with new information that caught their attention, interplanetary transportation used a portal. The news will attract a lot of attention from the people of the Earth. Who does not want to see a twin of the Earth with a landscape that is still beautiful. But not for us, Deni and I have been there.

As we tried to fight further about whose action was the coolest in the game, the door of the room was knocked from outside. My parents and Deni are coming. We both smiled wryly in unison. The doctor did not go inside. Not wanting to know the attitude of parents to their children who disappeared for several days. More precisely not to get involved.

One day after the two-party press conference. The world, through the United Nations decided to prohibit Southeast Asian countries from continuing portal-based gaming projects. All things related to the Southeast Asian manufacturer's game console were pulled from the market. As a result, Japanese game consoles will again dominate the market. Apart from the game world, Southeast Asia is no less competitive with other countries about technology. The sophistication still envelops every inch of life. Homes, schools, shopping malls, hospitals, offices, all inseparable from one word, technology.

That afternoon, just before the sun set, two days after we managed to survive the game. The hospital doctor let us both go home. The infusion equipment has been removed. Deni's father takes care of all the administrative needs of the hospital. Tomorrow morning, we will have a normal day as usual. School. No more sleeping staring at the stars in the night sky, no more grilled antelope, and no more pounding bullets.

In the hospital hallway, we walked side by side. Deni had chatted.

“Jon, did you not find any irregularities in that VGA game?” Deni staring. Smiling all smiles.

I'm turning. “What date?”

“From the beginning since choosing that game, we explained if the game was about corruption. Well, now did during the game play you find any indication of corruption?” Deni laughing. That's actually a reasonable question.

I shut up for a moment, rubbing my nape. Keep in mind. We kept going, Deni waiting for a response.

“Mafia it can be classified as corruption, right?” I laugh. Don't know in which part of the scene we found corruption. Cheap oil sales to the mafia? The use of pearl mussels for personal gain, rule the world? I don't know. I don't know. Really don't know.

“Maybe next time, they have to pin the right title on that game.” Deni holds his chin.

I keep walking. Leaving the contemplating Deni alone in the front courtyard of the hospital.

“Hey, Jon. I got a good title. Might as well be cool.” Deni ran around a little, following. His face wanted to call that title.

“If it is related to you who are always sober, then it will not be cool, Den.” I keep walking. Our parents were waiting in the car park. Deni's father decided to pick us up both by car. The scooter that I brought when I went to the company was already charcoal.

“This time there's no cool-ass, Jon. Listen, what if the game title was THE AMAZING JONI?” Without waiting for an answer, Deni ran away from me, entering the car.

I stopped my steps, silent for a moment.

Half the circumference of the sun sinks in the western horizon. The swallows flocking home. The cloud-wrapped western sky was orange. I pondered for a moment. What did Deni say? The Amazing Joni's. I smile. The title of the game is really cool.

I ran after Joni.

The horizon on the west bank was starting to darken.