The entire baseball team was ordered to line up. So were the cheerleaders. Faculty. Reporters. The scene had the panicked sheen of a state visit no one had prepared for.
Jihoon stood among them, tugging at his sleeve, collar itching against his skin. First the forced photoshoot, now this red-carpet circus.
Coach stood stiffly at the edge of the lot, arms crossed, sweat darkening the brim of his cap. Behind him, a flickering holographic banner blinked into view:
WELCOME, VIP DONOR.
Whispers rippled through the assembled crowd:
“Who’s it for?”
“Some investor?”
“Big money, they said. Real big.”
Lisa Liemawr hovered nearby, practically vibrating with excitement. Her Hexa Herald bot bobbed midair, lenses swiveling, emitting a pulsing headline overlay:
"WHO’S THE MYSTERY DONOR?!"
#RedCarpetAtJWU #VIPguest
Jihoon’s stomach knotted. He felt like merchandise on display, a mannequin flanked by teammates.
Then the air changed.
A long shadow crawled across the red carpet as a nearby tower blocked the sun. The heat of the afternoon dipped abruptly. Jihoon’s skin prickled. There was a drop in pressure, and a breathless hush settled over the crowd.
Above, halo lights flickered on.
And there, just for a second, he saw it... A coil of something ancient, suspended in the gloom like a ghost in the wires. Not a drone. Not a trick of the light. A serpent of shimmering code, flickering like it had always been there, and only revealed itself in the absence of light. Its presence made the hair on his arms rise.
Then came the roar.
A sleek cybercar, lacquered black-cherry with neon accents, screamed around the corner then screeched to a stop with surgical precision. Smoke rose in curls of ozone and burnt rubber.
The doors hissed open. A seal cracked. And smoke billowed out, tinted by red LEDs beneath the chassis.
A single elegant foot clicked down on the wet pavement in metallic silver heels shaped like fangs.
The mystery VIP emerged, rising from the car like a deity of glamour and annihilation.
Towering. Ethereal. Sultry. A pinstripe suit draped over an exposed alabaster chest. White hair flowed over his shoulders like carefully combed spider silk. His face hidden behind a sleek, jet-black mask with faint circuitry pulsing, and rabbit-ear antennae hovering overhead.
He moved as though seduction had weight, each step liquid confidence. Every head turned. Reporter bots surged forward; flashbulbs erupted like fireworks, synchronized to his stride, as if the scene had been choreographed by gods of drama.
Kyra whispered, “Is that… a model?”
Jihoon barely registered the question. His pulse hammered in his ears.
The VIP paused mid-carpet. The perfect center of gravity.
Then garage fell completely in shadow. As if on cue, the mask retracted with a smooth hiss of hydraulics.
Gasps rose from the crowd. Even Kyra’s hand flew to her chest, “Oh my god. He’s gorgeous.”
The face beneath was otherworldly: a sculpted vision of the divine on Earth. Pale as bone. Eyes rimmed with liner darker than a moonless void. And a poised, million-dollar smile that gleamed with polished warmth and prestige but with whispered smirk almost too subtle to be seen.
His gaze swept across the assembled team as if they were insects on a dish. Then it stopped. On Jihoon.
Jihoon felt like a blade was sliding into his stomach. His chest tightened. Vision tunneled.
That wasn't just a sponsor. Not just a some big donor.
It was the King Cobra himself.
CyberFair, so thick with amazing cyber goodness, will be ending on the 23rd and then we have to count the days until it returns once more with the latest awesome creations from all the talented designers. ... This post finally debuts the wickedly awesome MasterGin! I have been wanting to show you guys the diva in my inventory, always ready and willing to genderbend fabulously. He's the inspiration for this post, and I am so excited I could squeeze in the Mythic Bastet Cat Bot Prime. I had wanted to use it for Club Apopsis, but time is always my enemy. Deadlines do not forgive. So I had to go an emergency rewrite and drop 3 chapters to move this one up. But that's showbiz. Gotta be flexible.
The pitch perfect heels for MasterGin are the Subject 13 Cadaver Heels. To wear then on Legacy male, wear the update body's High Heel foot option. I love this! The shoes come in several colors, I used silver. ...The striped suit by Gild is gorgeous. It fits so well, I love it. I used the cool pinestripes for that Mafia Diva look. The stripes are part of the fatpack textures. ...The Bunny mask has a brilliant black texture with gold edges, perfect for the Egyptian theme with Cat Bot Prime. ...The Garage X Zone backdrop by Teriyaki. I used the mod version to disable the Fulbright and tint the walls to my color themed image of cyans and red. ....The garage is the perfect home for the Jey's Westinz Car-B. This car not only looks good, but doors move and fully drivable. ...MasterGin has shiny glittery-like body skin thanks to the Ambrosian Body materials by Auro. ...Working perfectly with bunny mask, is the 189 Hair by Ginko. Its long hair is pulled to the back in a loose braid. ....The crop is something MasterGin always has, it's like a part of him. The one used here is in a furniture by Dictatorshop. ...The 2nd round of the Androgyny Event will last a little longer than Cyber Fair. You have until the 28th.
BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky