Chapter 170 - 166: Epilogue

TWO WEEKS LATER

In the classroom, I put my pencil down and turn in the exam.

I still want to study law, for now. Not because my parents expect me to, but because I believe it's my path. Only I'm focusing on animal rights law and environmental law.

Stretching, I savor getting up from a wooden desk and a seat that feels like sheer rock. My human limbs wobble because I'm not used to them. Fortunately, any awkwardness can be attributed to being in a coma, despite recovering so quickly.

The pen and pencil slide into their case. Ah, to use tools with a firm grip. My handwriting is probably atrocious, but I check with the proctor to make sure it's legible. I refused the option to take the exam on computer. I wanted something tangible, not digital.

The proctor nods at me, acting as if it's perfectly normal for a student who almost died to retake an exam. Whistling, I pick up my briefcase and walk out.

Professor Katt pulls me aside in the hallway. "It's good to have you back. That was a terrible situation. Thank God you're alive."

I smile. "I am, Professor. And what a relief."

He nods and pushes back his glasses on his nose. "Everyone was pulling for you. Prayer groups. That kind of thing. I can safely say that I've never seen a student collapse in the middle of an exam. I don't think any professor at W University has."

"I don't doubt it."

His eyes glitter. "You should take it easy. Classes are over for the summer. You should take some time. Maybe go to the beach or whatever you like."

Touched, I smile. "Why, Professor. Encouraging me to slack off?"

"Don't get used to it," he warns. "I expect great things from you."

* * * * *

Amber waits for me outside the exam room, her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. A huge smile breaks out. "Hey."

"Hey." I kiss her softly.

Human kisses. Another adjustment since my return to this world.

She holds my arm. "I was thinking that we go to the noodle shop. I'm craving noodles."

I keep my voice low. "Agreed. Somehow, you can't really enjoy them as beasts. I mean, you can, but it's not the same."

We walk out together, Amber steering me. After all, I still have moments where I'm not sure of my footing. Or of spatial orientation. Walking a hallway upright is navigating a foreign landscape. Beneath my shoes, I can feel the linoleum, and then the stairs. Amber has to hold onto my arm tightly to prevent me from pitching forward.

"Steady now," she says in a calm voice. "Just one more flight down."

"Thanks. I think I can make it."

For once in my adult life, I accept the help. When you've been as far down as I was, it's not a pleasant experience, but it does teach you about letting go of your pride. I have to let go. Because a lot of people helped me, and helped my family. That's a debt I will never be able to repay. The entire world came together, not knowing the stakes. To the world as a whole, it was just a video game tournament. System was just part of an epic video game finale.

As we reach the ground floor, my phone vibrates in my pocket. It takes me a second to register the unfamiliar buzzing. Not a bee. Not a spell. Not an amulet. A phone. Something I can use with my human hands, and talk on with my human voice.

Amber digs it out of my pocket and hands it to me. "It's probably Damon or your parents."

Glancing at the phone, I remark, "You're right on both counts."

A text from Damon. [You did it! But they had no excuse not to let you take it. Nearly dying is a good reason to make up an exam.]

A text from Mom and Dad. [We are so proud of you! Are you feeling OK? Dinner tonight, Le Clair Brasserie, our treat. Amber's invited too.]

Dinner sounds wonderful. But for now, Amber and I have earned that noodle feast.

The sunlight bathes our faces when we step out of the building. Normal human laughter and conversation and the sounds of everyday activities fill the air while we walk.

Amber keeps a tight hold on me. "I hear that Tanglewood had a temporary bump in user activity, but it's dropped off. People have moved on to the next thing."

I shrug. "Naturally. It was overexposed."

Her voice is light, but there's a subtle underlying tension. "You and Damon aren't hunting for a new game to replace it, are you?"

Only a fool would answer yes. "I've had enough of virtual excitement. If Damon still wants that, then it's a case of 'you do you.'"

I kiss her again, ruffling her hair, inhaling her scent. Naturally, my human nose doesn't have the sensitivity of my tiger nose. However, I can kiss and hold and walk with her.

Stares and whispers follow us.

"That's him..."

"Passed out during the exam, nearly died..."

"Look at how cute they're being."

"He looks pale."

"Ha! Get out of hospital in record time after being in a coma for days and see what you look like."

"I didn't mean it in a negative way!"

"They are so cute together."

The words just wash over me. Somehow, other people's opinions don't matter to me as much as they did. I float along with Amber, heading off campus to the nearby neighborhood that's a magnet for students. Our favorite noodle shop, tucked away between a bookshop and a pet food store, beckons with its varieties of udon, soba, ramen, and Korean ramyeon. The aromas of noodles and broth are irresistible.

Inside, the shop only has a few tables and a long counter running the length of it with stools. I never noticed the pictures of animals on the walls. They do not resemble any of the characters from the game, but they add a strange hint of wildness. I guess that no matter where I go, I can't evade my animal instincts or my connection to the natural world. Not anymore.

We order full bowls of ramen and claim two stools, squeezed together. Very different from eating as beasts. We get to use chopsticks and slurp noodles and just enjoy the warmth of a good bowl.

Amber rubs my thigh. "Are you with me?"

"Waiting for ramen, just like you."

Her fingers dig playfully into my muscles. "Funny. That's not what I meant."

I rub noses with her. "I'm with you."

Sighing, she leans into me. "Just checking."

I lick my lips in anticipation. Anticipation of the ramen, and also future kisses. And dinner tonight at Le Clair Brasserie.

"I was thinking..."

Her eyes focus on me. "Yes?"

I rub noses with her, just like our tiger selves. "I was the idiot dragging my feet on setting a wedding date."

Her breath catches. "Josh..."

The clatter of ramen bowls and the slosh of broth interrupt this momentous moment. Reluctantly, I lean back so the server can set down our food. Once that little inconvenience has passed, I re-focus on Amber. "I wanted to wait till we graduated law school. You were more flexible."

"I said I was flexible. There's a difference."

My eyebrows shoot up. The ramen is forgotten. "Then what do you want?"

"I thought you'd never ask. After all this, I'd marry you tonight."

My heart flutters. "Tonight, as in tonight at Le Clair Brasserie? Do you even have your wedding dress picked out?"

"Of course, you silly man. I've had it for months."

Ramen gets consumed in a hurry.

I text Damon, who doesn't seem at all shocked by our wedding plans. He texts back. [Mama and Dad had a feeling. They just knew. Luckily, they got me a tux. And you too.]

Everything is falling into place. Thanks to my human feelings and goals married to my animal instincts, I am finally seizing my destiny.

I swing Amber up into my arms, or try to. Staggering all over the sidewalk, I must look like a crazy person, but I don't care.

On a shocked peal of laughter, she cries out, "Careful, darling! You're still recovering."

Beaming, I let her slide down the length of my body and secure her in my arms, burying my face in her hair. "Worth a little danger for everyone to know you're mine."

"Well, don't get too carried away. I want you to get to the wedding in one piece."

I hug and kiss her. "I'd say we've waited long enough, and technically in the game, we've been married for weeks. So, we're just making it legal in the human world."

"This is the only world I care about anymore. And the only life." She closes her eyes, holding me as if she'll never let go. "As of tonight, you're all mine."

In answer, I roar.