School was over, but the kids weren’t in a hurry to go home. The autumn days were getting shorter, still holding onto the last bits of warmth left by summer. The schoolyard, where our two heroes studied, was covered with yellow and orange leaves.

     Timi, a seven-year-old boy, was in second grade. Like most kids his age, he loved playing games on his phone or computer. He also enjoyed reading and watching interesting shows. His six-year-old brother, Niki, had just started first grade this year. He was also passionate about video games, drawing, and sculpting with clay. The brothers were good friends, always playing and having fun together, supporting each other.  After school and homework, the boys usually had free time, which they happily spent playing "Brawl Stars." 

      Classmates would discuss the latest exciting news, talk about how many players and trophies they had, and which hero had a gadget — that’s what the rare, special abilities were called. They also discussed which upcoming quests would bring in the most points.

     One day, a boy at school mentioned that "Brawl Stars" had introduced a new feature where you could play as your favorite hero in first-person. To do this, you needed to buy virtual reality (VR) goggles and connect them to the game. The idea of personally shooting Colt’s revolvers flashed through the boys’ minds like a gust of wind before a storm. The thought of buying the goggles wouldn't leave their heads.

When their dad came to pick them up from school, Niki, wasting no time, asked:

– "Hey there, rascals," their dad replied cheerfully, "and what is that thing, and what’s it for?"

– "In Brawl Stars — the game we told you about — you can now play from a first-person perspective. It’s like you’re actually inside the game! And for that, we need VR goggles," Timi explained excitedly. "Complete immersion!"

      Their dad paused for a moment, seemingly imagining himself in those goggles, flipping enemies around as El Primo or maybe picturing himself tossing bottles as Barley.

– "Well, if you’ve really thought this through, let’s go ahead and get those goggles!" Dad emerged from his

thoughts.

– "Hooray!" the boys shouted, their voices echoing throughout the car.

       At home, the first thing the boys did was tell their mom about Brawl Stars. For some reason, they didn’t mention anything about lessons or school. Mom didn’t seem to share their excitement, but that was probably because she hadn’t yet realized how lucky they were and that soon, they could play their favorite game in virtual reality.

– "Well, if your dad says it’s okay, then I’m fine with it too," she agreed, sealing their dream.

– "Shall we hop online and buy them now?" Dad asked,

much to the boys' delight, and within seconds, Google was already pulling up the best options. Now, all that was left was waiting for delivery. Yahoo!

    That night, the boys could barely sleep, imagining which character they would play and on which map. Timi loved Rico — the robot who shot bouncing bubbles. "If I level him up, I’ll be the champion!" he thought. Niki, on the other hand, preferred playing as Colt — the cowboy with two revolvers, fast and powerful.

 And the coolest part was that Niki had recently unlocked a special ability for his character, known as a "gadget."

   When the VR goggles finally arrived, the boys were over the moon. This was the best day ever!

– "Fifteen minutes each, boys," Dad said after checking that everything was working properly.

– "Okay, Dad," Timi agreed, putting the goggles on.

     As soon as Timi put on the VR goggles, the familiar Brawl Stars screen appeared, but this time, something was different. The image felt more three-dimensional, as if it were popping out at him. After a few seconds, he was choosing a player from his account. 

    Timi had at least 19 heroes, and it wasn’t easy to pick one since he wanted to play them all. Once he selected his hero, everything around him started to spin and morph. The screen flickered like a string of Christmas lights. Timi was no longer in his room — it felt like he was flying somewhere. Slowly, blurry shapes began to materialize, becoming sharper by the second.

Suddenly, Timi found himself in a medieval town —

bright and picturesque. The cobblestone streets were lined with wooden, two-story houses with carved windows. The walls were draped with flowering bushes and trees, everything around drowning in greenery. The lively noise of the town blended harmoniously with the chirping of birds. The most amazing part was that Timi could smell the flowers that were scattered carelessly in the bushes around the houses.

     Out of nowhere, a strange sensation of lightness filled him, combined with an extraordinary feeling of super strength! Timi looked down at his hands and gasped in surprise. The iron hands of Ricochet the robot were holding a bubble-loaded gun — it was unbelievable!

Niki, after putting on his goggles, joined the game, and now it was his turn to choose his character. Colt was one of his first heroes, so the decision didn’t take long.

– "Let’s go!" 

What Niki saw made his head spin. He was holding two revolvers in his hands. The boy couldn’t believe he was in his favorite game. For a moment, Niki couldn’t move — he was breathless with excitement. It was pure magic — how perfectly the game’s world was blended with real life.

– "Niki?!" Rico asked in a robotic voice.

– "Timi!" Colt replied cheerfully.

The brothers couldn’t believe their eyes — could this really be happening to them?!

      The Brawl Stars mobile game had never fully revealed itself to the players. Its world could be explored through various arenas and battle modes, but what went on behind the scenes was always a mystery. In the real world, it was mid-autumn, but in Brawl Stars, eternal summer reigned. The in-game sun shone cheerfully, and the flowers and greenery were a treat for the eyes. Even more thrilling for the boys was that they could actually smell and distinguish the scents of the flowers.

From the red-and-white stalls, the boys realized they were in a marketplace. 

   Strange, somewhat comical, and bustling vendors shouted over one another: "Weapons for sale!", "Armor!", "Gadgets!" Oddly enough, the stalls. 

were also packed with food, pixelated and toy-like, as if they had walked into a child’s play kitchen. Rico, being a robot, felt nothing as he looked at the food, but Colt licked his lips, realizing he would happily eat something from the market.

The brothers explored the town with growing curiosity — the game was becoming more than just a game. It felt deeper, more detailed, and immersive, pulling them in completely.

“Bang! Bang! BANG! BANG!”

The sounds of explosions echoed in the distance.

Colt and Rico were nearly knocked off their feet by a massive boulder.

– "Get out of the way!" a voice thundered. "Or I'll CRUSH YOU!"

The "boulder" was actually a biker in a leather jacket, with a ring in his nose, charging forward like a bull, knocking over everything in his path. The brothers immediately recognized him as Bull, one of the characters from the game.

– "Hey! Are you lost?!" Rico and Colt prepared for a fight.

Bull, holding a massive shotgun, spat to the side and aimed it directly at the brothers. The merchants quickly ducked under their stalls, and in another moment, the battle would begin. But suddenly, almost out of nowhere, a girl with purple hair and a massive shotgun appeared. 

 Her name was Shelly. She dramatically leaped in front of Bull, standing tall and firm.

– "How many times do I have to tell you not to attack the newcomers' area!" Shelly scolded the biker. "I warned you — one more time, and you'll be fined 500 coins!"

Bull grumbled, lowering his weapon but glaring at the brothers. Shelly’s presence seemed to cool the situation, saving them from an intense showdown.

    Bull, who just moments ago was fierce and intimidating, suddenly looked like a little boy. Lowering his shotgun, he hung his head and tried to mutter something under his breath:

– "I didn’t mean to, it just happened by accident… they started it first..."

– "Enough!" Shelly thundered. "Get out of here! The 500 coins will be deducted from your account by the end of the week!"

    Bull knew better than to argue with Shelly, so he silently turned and trudged off down the street, his shoulders slumped.

– "Hi, I’m Shelly! What are your names?" she asked the

boys with a cheerful smile.

– "Hi, I’m Niki!"

– "And I’m Timi!"

– "So you’re new here, huh? Don’t worry, you’re safe with me! I’ll show you around and explain everything. Let’s go!" Shelly exclaimed enthusiastically and energetically started walking down the street.

   The boys exchanged a glance and shrugged. They had no choice but to follow her. As they walked, they admired the small wooden houses with picturesque steep roofs, leading them toward the central square. There, they saw large taverns and inns with strange names like "Win It, Drink It" and "Gadget on the Wall, Time to Relax, Kid."

The world felt surreal, yet the vibrant charm of the town made them feel more at home with each step.

    The central square of the city

was cobblestone-paved and 

round in shape, with large 

and small streets flowing 

into it like streams. 

It was bustling with

activity—characters

from the game were hurrying 

about, some laughing, others shouting around a notice board.

   Shelly invited the brothers into one of the taverns, which had the cheeky name "Hit and Sip." Inside, cheerful music played, and nearly all the tables were occupied. The massive wrestler El Primo was arguing with Poco, the guitar-playing skeleton, about who was more authentically Mexican. A girl in a cap with a magnetic rifle was spinning around in her chair. 

    Despite the tavern's rough name, it was cozy and pleasant inside. Winking at the bartender, Shelly chose a table and invited her new friends to sit. The soft lighting, the lively chatter, and the aroma of cinnamon and berries created a warm atmosphere.

   Shelly ordered everyone a raspberry brew—it had nothing to do with alcohol, but for some reason, everyone called it beer. 

She took a hearty sip, downing nearly a third of the large mug, leaned back in her chair, and asked, 

   – "I gather you don’t know much about 

the real Brawl Stars," she began, 

smacking her lips. "Everything here is 

controlled by a program called the 

                  'All-Seeing Eye.' It affects  

                    everything—from bonuses and victories in                            battles to the quests."

                      Shelly suddenly lowered her voice and                                   leaned in closer to Colt and Rico.

                        The boys instinctively leaned in as well.

– "I’m putting myself in danger telling you this... but I don’t have any other choice. Strange things have been happening in the game—players have started disappearing from Brawl Stars, and no matter how hard anyone tries to find them, it’s all been in vain. The player base is huge, so no one has noticed the isolated cases. Rumor has it that people have spotted new characters in the game—ones that don’t resemble any brawlers. Be careful. Some adventures aren’t worth it."

Shelly glanced around cautiously before her expression changed as quickly as a switch was flipped. She relaxed in her chair, her demeanor becoming carefree once again.– "Now, tell me about yourselves! I’m really curious!" she said with a playful smile, as if nothing serious had just been discussed.

The boys exchanged surprised glances, wanting to ask Shelly something, but she merely winked and cleared her throat a bit.

-"Maybe it's better not to do it now."

-"Well, okay!" Tima began, and together with Niki, they started sharing about themselves—about school, family, sports, their hometown, and their beloved dog named Paddington. They spoke over each other, recalling interesting moments from their lives. They asked Shelly about everything exciting happening in the game.

When there were almost no one left in the tavern, Shelly said, -"Well, it’s getting late, and you probably want to rest. There are rooms on the second floor that you can rent for the night, and I’ll come by tomorrow for breakfast," she said with a smile, 

energetically heading toward the exit.

-"Shelly is cool," Colt said as he climbed the stairs to the room they had rented in "Brawl and Drink."

-"Yeah! But what did she want to tell us?" Rico replied.

                                               They didn’t feel tired at all and                                                                 remembered the fifteen 

                                                  minutes of gameplay—if they had                                                          ended, their dad would have 

                                               called them or turned off the game. 

Their eyes closed, and the game’s loading screen appeared, displaying the percentage of the loading state. Although they hadn’t fought any battles, the boys were thrilled with the world of Brawl Stars. But perhaps that was enough for their first time.

                            "Brawl Stars Forever"

For some reason, after the loading screen, Niki’s game time didn’t end. In the world of Brawl Stars, it was morning, and roosters outside the window were waking up the city. The bed where Rico lay was empty.

-“Interesting—did the game time really not end? And where’s Tima?” Niki thought to himself.

As he descended to the tavern hall, he scanned all the tables but couldn’t find his brother, only seeing Poco, who was sleeping at a table. Colt approached the bartender:

-“Good morning! Have you seen T... Rico by any chance?”

-“I did, about an hour ago. He said hello and left the

tavern. He hasn’t returned since,” the friendly owner of the establishment replied.

-“Strange,” Niki thought. “Tima wouldn’t wander off for long in an unfamiliar place, especially since he wouldn’t leave his brother alone.”

At that moment, Shelly entered the tavern, lively making her way straight to Colt. She greeted him with a smile:

-“Good morning! How did you sleep? And where’s Rico?”

-“Good morning! I thought he was with you,” Colt said, his voice tinged with anxiety. “Maybe he went to play in the arena?”

-“No, he’s not there. I just came from there,” Shelly replied.

“Wait a minute, let me check something!” Niki thought that Tima might have exited the game. But no matter how hard Niki tried to call up the game menu to exit Brawl Stars, nothing worked. 

- “Well, what now? Maybe there’s a problem with the game—this happens sometimes,” he said aloud.

- “We need to find Rico! Let’s go!” he exclaimed and swiftly left the tavern, with Shelly running after him.

Colt didn’t know the city, so they decided not to split up and search together. A light rain added gloom to the already dreary situation. The streets, which had been bustling with brawlers the night before, now seemed empty. Colt and Shelly walked through the market and emerged onto a narrow, gloomy alley lined with old, peeling houses. 

  As they passed one of these, they saw Crow, who was digging with a dagger in his beak and seemed oblivious to their presence. The friends were almost out of the dark alley when a raspy, unpleasant voice rang out behind them.

  - “Stop! Looking for trouble, are you?” Crow said with a predatory grin. “We rarely get such little creatures around here.” 

Dark silhouettes began to emerge from all corners. “Robbers,” Colt thought, reaching for his revolver.

- “Easy there, kid; you won’t even realise it before it’s Game Over,” Crow said, not moving from his spot, but something told them he wasn’t bluffing.

- “What do you want?” Shelly asked casually.

- “Why have you wandered into my territory without my permission? Even you, Shelly, shouldn’t be here. Don’t you know the rules?”

- “No, I don’t know, and I don’t want to know! I’m looking for my brother, Rico, and if I have to search every dark alley and turn over every stone, I’ll do it,” Colt said confidently, surprising himself a little with his bravery.

- “Hmm… you say brother?” Crow looked closely at Colt. “You don’t seem like the minions of the All-Seeing Eye. Well, this time I won’t bother you, but don’t let me catch you in the thieves' quarter again without an invitation.”

- “Have you seen a robot named Rico?” Colt seemed to ignore Crow's warning. “Or maybe you’ve heard something?”

- “I haven’t seen any Rico; get out of here before I change my mind!” Crow snapped irritably.

    Even though the robber was acting hostile, he seemed to be telling the truth about Rico, the friends decided, and they moved away from the thieves' quarter.

    They spent the entire day searching and asking passersby about Rico, but it was all in vain; he seemed to have vanished without a trace. Niki tried several times to exit the game, but nothing worked. In the craftsman’s district, Shelly and Colt encountered Dynomike and Carl—quirky little miners who were extracting crystals in the mountains for the “Crystal Battle” game arena. The craftsmen agreed to ask their neighbors and promised to

let them know if they heard anything about Rico.

As the day came to an end, the exhausting search yielded no results. Colt didn’t want to return to the tavern until he found his brother, but Shelly convinced him that if they didn’t recharge at night, they wouldn’t have the strength for searching the next day.

“Where is Tima? How do I exit the game? What’s really going on?”—questions swirled in Niki's mind. It felt lonely and sad without his brother. The exhausting day took its toll, and a tired Colt turned off on his bed.