When GLE met Eirei

Ding-ding!

Instant Message from GridWatch.

The call came in IM, over the GridWatch channel in Second Life. The day had been quiet so far. Griefing was down to a minimum. Maybe our anti-griefing efforts were paying off, thought GreenLantern Excelsior as he hovered in Sandbox Goguen. But then he remembered with a touch of cynicism that when Linden Lab killed one griefer, three came to his funeral. Well, maybe this group IM was something of interest. He clicked the GridWatch IM tab to read the message:

[21:29] Nerva Viatruso: superhero contest at WET DREAMS

GLE looked around the sandbox. There was no activity worth reporting, and no prospects of anything of interest happening here in the near future. It should be safe to spend some time in that club as long as situational awareness was maintained. Clubs were known to have griefer attacks sometimes, and since a Lantern was always on duty even during recreation, it was best to be prepared. He checked his equipment and HUDs and found everything operating normally. Clicking the SLURL, he TPed to the club.

As the Wet Dreams Dance Club slowly rezzed around him, his eyes scanned the Mini-Map. Two yellow dots nearby indicated that there were friends in the club. It was good to have allies available in case of attack. Next he checked the avatar scanner, which was updating itself. When it finished its calculations, it indicated a single avatar with an age number shown in red. Eirei Flagon, age six days. He clicked the Trace button and a red beam speared down from overhead, highlighting that avatar. He zoomed in with the camera to check. Female avatar, no obvious griefer clothing or attachments. Clicking the Profile button, he evaluated Ms. Flagon's profile. Only one group membership - Wet Dreams Members and Guests. The tag over her head read "Wet Dreams VIP," which correlated to that group. Evaluation: probably a genuine newbie. He remembered his own mantra regarding SL age: "All newbies aren't griefers, but most griefers are newbies." Ms. Flagon would bear watching, since it wouldn't be beyond the realm of imagining that a cunning griefer could lure a Lantern into a dance club with the promise of winning a contest.

Ding-ding!

Instant Message from Eirei Flagon.

The indicator needle on his personal Suspicion Meter swung immediately into the red zone. Could this person possibly know that she was being evaluated? From what he knew of Second Life, he hadn't done anything to alert her. If she were a griefer, she may have checked his profile and was ready to send some verbal challenge his way before she began griefing. If she were an ordinary Resident, she might be a fan of the Green Lantern comics and wondering how she could join the group. Warily, he clicked the Eirei Flagon IM tab in the Communications window.

[21:43] Eirei Flagon: *spins an enticing circle before the lantern* come dance

Huh? Prepared for either a challenge or an information request, GLE was caught off guard by the offer. Confused, he recalled the usual messages he received from newbies:

1. JLU sucks.
2. Can I join your group?
3. Oh cool, I didn't know Green Lantern was in Second Life.
4. Nice wings. Where did you get them?

He had developed standard responses to the four standard questions over the years, but he was unprepared for this deviation from the norm. Potential answers were Yes, No, and Maybe later. He could continue scanning and monitoring during the dancing, and it would be good to "show the flag" of the Green Lanterns in this public place. Thinking quickly, he responded:

[21:44] GreenLantern Excelsior: You betcha
[21:44] Eirei Flagon: *purrs swishin my tails at you*

He moved onto the darkened dance floor opposite Ms. Flagon. Next, it was time to get animated and blend in with the crowd.

[21:46] GreenLantern Excelsior: Okay, where's the dance ball?
[21:46] Eirei Flagon: above the floor
[21:46] Eirei Flagon: its huge and blue
[21:46] Eirei Flagon: unless you want me with ya then its behind ya
[21:46] Eirei Flagon: Your choice

He clicked on the display behind him labeled "Intan Couples Dance Ball."

[21:48] Intan Couple Dance Ball: Please wait and jump into Couple Poseballs when they reach you.

A blue ball and a pink ball moved from the display out to a point between them. A selection beam moved from Ms. Flagon to the pink ball, and instantly she was standing where the ball had been. He right clicked on the blue ball and selected "Sit here."

Suddenly she was in his arms.

[21:49] Eirei Flagon: *brushes back against GL*

He was so surprised that his hands recoiled from the keyboard and mouse and his eyes locked on the screen. The two avatars began to dance, but this was no clunky set of repeating individual dance moves. This was an expertly scripted choreography, with the characters dancing together, moving back and forth, whirling around, moving to arms length and back to arms enclosing. It was fascinating to watch, easily the most intricate set of scripted dance moves he had ever seen. He stood tall and strong, catching her as she shot back toward him and spinning her away again, her dress billowing outward.

Just as suddenly, the dance animation changed.

[21:49] Eirei Flagon: *drops down hot between GL's arms*

GLE was now holding Ms. Flagon from behind, his face looking down at her. Ms. Flagon's head was leaned back, resting on his shoulder, her eyes closed in satisfaction. As they swayed back and forth in their own footsteps, his arms encircled her in a tight embrace, moving up and down her torso, while her arms rested on his. It was so natural and so appealing that he leaned forward, staring intently as if to burn the scene into his mind. And then, in the next instant, it was gone.

[21:58] Eirei Flagon: *dances back against him purring lightly*

The dance animation changed again. This time, GLE and Ms. Flagon launched into a ballroom dance. She stepped gracefully to arm's length, then spun back into his arms.

[22:16] Eirei Flagon: *spins wildly 'gainst GL*

He embraced Eirei, lifting her gently off the dance floor. She slid down within his arms, then the couple locked into a passionate kiss. As he continued to embrace her, she turned her back on him.

[22:21] Eirei Flagon: *purrs as i press back 'gainst his suit* mmmh... is this kevlar?
[22:21] GreenLantern Excelsior: It's nice and soft isn't it?
[22:22] Eirei Flagon: *nods* hmmm.... yes *presses back a bit more firmly arching 'gainst you*

As a new song began to play, the dance animation changed abruptly. The two dancers separated, now leaping from side to side in choreographed unison. GLE shook his head and looked around the room. He realized that he had not been monitoring the local time dilation, checking the avatars entering and leaving the area, or watching the various IM window tabs, several of which were now showing the white color that meant messages were waiting. He looked at Eirei, dancing at some distance away. Clearly it was time to get back to Lantern business.

[22:24] GreenLantern Excelsior: I am absolutely incorruptible, completely fearless, and immune to coercion.
[22:24] GreenLantern Excelsior: My profile says so.
[22:24] Eirei Flagon: really? not even physical sexual... coercion? *rubs up 'gainst you a bit*

Lantern business immediately forgotten, GLE watched the next 36 minutes fly past in a flash of sploder action, whirling dancers, pounding music, and laughter. But all too soon, Eirei stood up from her Intan Couples Dance Ball, yawned, added GLE to her friends list, and went offline for the evening. GLE teleported home, his normally well-disciplined mind filled with thoughts of Eirei, that beautiful, alluring, delightful woman about whom he knew virtually nothing. He moved around his house without purpose, aligning one picture with another, changing the color of a table, and purging a few items from his inventory, but his mind lived somewhere far away that evening, and finally he logged off and went to sleep.

He logged in to Second Life the next day, but she was not online. Gradually, as he became involved in other, more routine pursuits, his mind strayed from his preoccupation with the events of the previous night. Then it happened, while he was flying aimlessly around Sandbox Island...

Ding-ding!

Instant Message from Eirei Flagon.

W00T!!