5: "I deeply regret it"

The sun was still high in the sky, and the street was bustling with people. He debated keeping the hood of his hoodie up, but as he’d rarely been to District 9, it'd be highly unlikely that someone would have recognized him there. He was following directions on his phone that Atlas had messaged him. Apparently, it was a restaurant nestled in a plaza, which also had an arcade, a true relic of a bygone era where people shared games on the same machine. He arrived at what he believed to be the place, a kitty cafe. Their sign of a cat licking a sugar cube with ‘Neko Sugar Cafe’ underneath suggested as much. He stood outside, trying to not look like he was loitering, which was made more difficult by his rather bummish attire. Atlas and NV were nowhere to be seen, but shortly after waiting he received a message from Atlas stating they were on their way, and would be there soon, having been held up by something. Not wanting to be approached, he walked past the arcade which was a few buildings down, and right after it, he noticed an unmarked set of double metal doors. He tried one of the handles, and to his surprise, it opened, so he walked inside. He took a shiny rock from his pocket, one that he had found on his walk over to District 9, and placed it on the ground where the door would meet the frame, so that it remained slightly propped open.

Inside was a long hallway, it looked as if it stretched a couple hundred feet. The floor was vinyl composition tile, like something you’d find at an older school, fairly dirty and scuffed, but didn’t appear to be in grave need of repair. The ceiling of the hallway was plagued with sterile, white fluorescent lights, which in combination with the tile, gave the long hallway an uncanny feel, as if he could be trapped in it at any moment. As he walked further down the hallway, he passed by rows of coin-operated dispensers. They were the same size as gumball dispensers, were stacked in rows of 2, and contained various small toys and knick-knacks. There were about 20 machines that lined the hallway, which seemed fairly out of place. Walking past the dispensers, he came across large windows which lined the rest of the entire hallway. Looking out, he saw a large auditorium, with the stage quite a distance away. The seating was empty, and the curtain was closed, but there was enough lighting from the ceiling to seem like it was ready to be used at any moment.

He was about three fourths of the way down the hallway, but stopped. He kept looking out of the windows into the empty auditorium. He couldn’t tell what this feeling was that slowly building inside of him, but he felt very unsettled. Motionless, he stood staring at the stage, almost in a trance. That feeling that was slowly building up in his gut, was something like dread. He felt a small bead of sweat form on his forehead, and he began to slowly walk back to the double doors he entered from. As he was slowly backing up, he never averted his gaze from the auditorium stage. He had a feeling that something terrifying would happen if he dared to look away. He made it halfway through the hallway and was just about to reach the coin-operated dispensers. Just before he walked past the last window nearest the doors, he paused for a moment. Still staring at the stage, the feeling swelling up within him was so terrifying, so heavy, he felt like he was about to burst into tears, yet still his gaze was fixed on the curtain. He took one more step to the side, and the curtain rustled, and he immediately burst into a sprint towards the door, running as fast as he could. He burst out of the double doors, which shut behind him, breathing heavily.

He sat down on the plaza sidewalk in front of the arcade, still panting, slowly trying to regulate his breathing to something normal. Atlas and NV were standing in front of the cat cafe, looking around, looking for him. He saw that they were wearing necklaces with their respective zodiac signs, which was Atlas’s idea of a signal to find each other irl. He took a few more deep exhales before standing up and making his way toward them.
As the three converged, he waved to them and they noticed he was wearing the kind of hoodie he told them he would be wearing.
“It’s nice to see you in the flesh,” Atlas said, “It’s always surreal at first, meeting people offline. But then it becomes as normal as anything else.” Atlas noticed Tanuki’s slightly labored breathing.

“Are you all right? You look like you just saw a ghost.”
“I’m fine I was just taking a little jog while waiting,” Tanuki lied.
While not as tall or muscular as his character, Atlas’s size was nothing to scoff at. NV had mostly the same sized frame, rather petite, and she wore glasses.
“You almost look like your character, only with some of the sliders turned down,” Tanuki remarked, to which Atlas let out a hearty chuckle. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Let’s go inside. And remember, it’s my treat.” And so the three entered the cat cafe.

They grabbed a seat at a table near the far wall, when several kittens walked through their legs. NV petted every cat she encountered, stroking them gently, and even twirling their tails. Atlas petted a couple on the head like a dog, to which most of them reacted pretty negatively, and snobbily perked up their tails and walked away. Tanuki chose not to partake in the cat petting festivities, just sitting with his head in his hand and thinking. NV let out a scream, which alerted Atlas and Tanuki, who stood up with their chairs sliding back, getting into fight or flight mode.
“NV?”
NV turned around holding a white cat with black spots all over it, including on its upper lip. “Atlas, look! He looks like a little dalmatian. LOOK! He’s even got a little mustache. Can I take him home with me?”
Atlas pointed to a sign in the cafe that read ‘Cats are not up for adoption.’

“Hmph.”
A waitress came over wearing cat ears, but with a casual shirt and skirt, so it seemed that this wasn’t a place for roleplaying. She took their orders: Atlas with a protein shake, NV with a strawberry parfait, and with Tanuki simply ordering a coffee with extra cream.
“For the record,” Atlas said, “This is her favorite place. It’s not usually my first choice.”
“Hey,” NV snapped back, “at least my favorite cafe is real.”
“Touche.”
“By the way,” Tanuki said, “Do you want me to call you by your real names, or your online names when we’re offline?”
“Either would be fine with me, but if it’s easier for you, you can just keep calling us Atlas and NV. Well, I shouldn’t speak for NV.” He turned to ask her, “What do you prefer to be called?”
“I prefer NV,” she said, “My government name is classified. It’s on a need to know basis.”
“Same,” Tanuki said.

“By the way, do you have a history with that Arsenyx guy? Seemed like you knew each other.”
“Unfortunately,” Atlas replied, “we used to be in the same guild. In fact, we pretty much started it together. I convinced NV to join a bit later, and it took pretty serious convincing given how much of a loner she is.”
“I’m sitting right here, you know.”

“Anyway, we had built ourselves up to a fairly decent size. A hundred or so people. We started taking on harder and harder quests, and amassed some pretty rare Tarots and equipment. Arsenyx himself was pretty talented, and usually took on the hardest quests. He was pretty generous too, he started a communal chest for the guild, and anybody could add anything or take from it as they saw fit. It didn’t really matter to me which one of us was the guild owner, so I happily took the backseat to let him be in charge. I trusted him. One day, a group of people in the guild had the idea to put all of our rarest Tarots and gear in the communal chest to do a randomizer challenge. This was a viral trend, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary. So, we all put our rarest items, some that took months of material farming to get, into the chest. Do you know what Arsenyx does? He kicks everyone out right after that, all except for the people who were helping him out with this scheme. So many people lost access to their prized possessions, that some of them outright quit the game. People that I considered my friends, they just never logged in again. But he didn’t kick me out, he wanted me to be a guild captain. But I could never stay there after he kicked NV out. So I left. I started a new guild with some of the people who were still somewhat active and willing, but it was only about a dozen people. Naturally, most of the people kicked weren’t going to trust joining another guild after that.”

Atlas began sipping his protein shake that the waitress had brought over during the middle of his story.
“So what made you start playing Constellarium?” he asked Tanuki.
“The 10 million dollar bounty.”
Atlas chuckled, “Well, I appreciate your honesty. I suppose it’s a good thing that Rainforest is doing that contest, it’s brought all kinds of new players to the game, it’s never been this lively. Even some veterans are coming out of the woodwork, names I haven’t seen in a long time.”
“Don’t praise soulless corporations,” NV said, looking irritated. “They definitely have an ulterior motive for doing this. We just don’t know what yet.”
Tanuki sipped his coffee. “So what about you, how long have you played it?”
“Well,” Atlas began after sipping his protein shake, “It’s been two years, maybe. I wasn’t expecting to really get into another MMO. I used to be a live streamer. I did that for about 5 years, and no matter what I tried, I just couldn’t get it off the ground. And when my dad died, I got a part time job to help my mom out, on top of still going to school. Decided I wasn’t cut out for streaming. I had no time for it anyway.”
“I tried to tell you you weren’t cut out for it,” NV said, after gulping down more of her parfait.
“And yet,” Atlas retorted, “you still showed up for every single one of my streams.”
NV rolled her eyes. “I just felt bad for you, that’s all.”

Atlas smiled. “To be honest Tanuki, I wouldn’t mind winning that 10 million myself. I’d be able to take care of my mom and my brother. But I haven’t found any leads either. I think that’s what made Arsenyx so desperate. He jumped on anything he could find. I don’t know if that strange Tarot means anything, but that being said, I still don’t want him to have it.”
Atlas gently slammed his empty cup on the table.
“That’s why..! That’s why we’re going to help you. When you’re Level 1, you can get to Level 10 pretty fast through grinding unranked matches in the Citadel. After that, you’ll start getting harder opponents. At that point, it’d be easier to leave Geminus and start doing quests. Plus, you can start getting rarer materials and Tarots that way. I’ll give you the best gear I got that you’re able to equip as you’re leveling up. Oh, but before you can leave on your own, you have to buy the parts to repair your ship. That’s a story element that you can’t really get around. But we’ll deal with that later. For now, would you like to do some combat practice after this? Best way to learn is to just do it.”
Tanuki thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I’m probably going to need it.”
“Do you have any experience in MMO’s?” Atlas asked.
“A little. I used to play games with my sister growing up, so that helped too.”
“Good to hear. I actually got NV into Constellarium, it was her first MMO.”
“I deeply regret it,” she chimed in.

Atlas chuckled then checked his watch. “You sure all you wanted was a coffee? I told you it was my treat.”
“Yeah. I wasn’t feeling very hungry. Just one quick question, do either of you guys know anything about that auditorium next to the arcade?”
“Huh?” Atlas replied. “There’s an auditorium there?”
“Nevermind,” Tanuki said, quickly changing the subject, “I should start heading back. I need to start leveling up.”
“Right.” Atlas and NV got up along with Tanuki. “I’ll message you when I’m online and we’ll do some combat practice. You want to join us, NV?”
“I think I’ll just watch,” she said enthusiastically. Before she walked out, she picked up the black and white spotted cat before rubbing her face against his and making a frighteningly cute baby doll face. NV and Atlas just stood and stared. Turning slightly red from embarrassment, she set the cat down and stormed out. Both of them followed after her, shaking their heads.

The train home was fairly long. Tanuki kept his hood up, as he felt more comfortable that way in a crowd. Through the windows, the outside was passing him by in incomprehensible blurs, and he turned his attention to a digital advertisement in the train. It was rotating through ads about skincare products, then the release date of an upcoming movie, then a newly released app for sports betting. All had a common thread: ‘Sponsored by Rainforest.’
‘Rainforest Presents.’
‘Order now through Rainforest.’
This corporation really had its claws in everything, every possible dimension of anything there was to consume. It felt sometimes as if they really did control the world. NV would have probably agreed with that sentiment.

As he got off the train at District 3, his stomach began to grumble and howl. He had been dying for something to eat, but even if he was offered, he didn’t feel comfortable accepting things from people, even friends. No, especially friends. As he walked through town for a solid chunk of time, he made it back to his apartment, exhausted. He lay on his bed, almost dozing off, before he was awakened by the growling of his own stomach. He opened his cabinet and a few packages of spicy pork ramen fell out. He ignored the ones on the floor and grabbed one from the cabinet and started making it. As he was eating, he checked his phone and saw that Atlas had messaged him, the message reading “We’re online! Whenever you get on, we can start practicing!” He slurped his noodles, and watched some videos of Constellarium PvP matches as he ate. Movement and positioning looked important, as the primary means of dealing damage was still your weapons, but the Tarots added another layer of complexity. Timing the Tarots right and not wasting them, or discarding them for mana in desperation, were just as important as how well you swung and parried an attack. He finished eating then put on his F-Diver and dove once again, into the mystic world of Constellarium.

Tanuki met up with Atlas and NV in Luxiem, in front of the weapons shop. He had a hearty grin on his face.
“Hope you don’t mind, but I picked up a gift for you. When I was going through my weapons earlier, I realized that I don’t have anything that I think would be suited for you. So I picked you up the best weapons for your Level range. They’re twin daggers, very fitting for a Gemini.”
“Or a raccoon.” NV remarked.
Tanuki accepted the twin daggers from Atlas and equipped them. They were beautifully crafted despite being for low leveled players, with a jade gemstone embedded in the hilts.
“If you like those, you can always end up just upgrading them. Remember, each Zodiac class has a unique strategy related to their signs, including their exclusive Tarots. A fight against me wouldn’t be the same as going against NV. She’s able to even wall me out sometimes. Well, let’s get practicing then.”
The three walked to the main square of Geminus, and entered the Citadel. Inside was a room that looked like a dimly lit subway platform, with neon signs and monitors hanging across the wall, and an express train at the other end.
“Here, I’ll create a private lobby. The XP you receive from this is very minimal relative to unranked or ranked, but you’d probably get clobbered in your current state, so this will have to do for now.”
He tapped through a few holographically projected screens of lobby options, while a larger version of the same screen appeared at the other end of the wall. After setting the lobby options, he could choose from several different battlegrounds. He scrolled through a few, and chose one from the Gemini themes. The train, while remaining stationary, began to glow, and opened its doors.
“I’ll stay here and watch it on the big screen,” NV said.
“Sure thing,” Atlas said, and then turned to Tanuki, “All aboard!” They entered the train, and both of them dissipated into sparkles of light.

The battleground Atlas chose was a mirrored colosseum, its walls reflecting every movement like a hall of glass. Twin constellations shimmered above, casting pale light across the battlefield. Atlas grinned. “Alright, Tanuki. First lesson: don’t panic when the fight starts. Keep your eyes on me, and remember, when brute force fails, your Tarots are your lifeline.”
Tanuki nodded,“Just don’t hold back too much.”

Atlas chuckled. “You might regret saying that.” He raised his hand outward, and a giant warhammer materialized in his hand, which he slung over his shoulder.
“Ready?”

Atlas charged forward, his warhammer raised high. The ground shook with each step. Tanuki darted aside, barely avoiding the crushing blow that cratered the arena floor.

“Fast reflexes,” Atlas said, swinging again. “But dodging won’t win you the match.”

Tanuki drew his first Tarot. The card shimmered, showing Atlas’s warhammer wreathed in flame. He blinked. “Wait… this looks like…” The card activated. His daggers ignited with the same fiery aura. He slashed forward, flames trailing in arcs. Atlas raised his arm to block, surprised as sparks bit into his armor. Atlas laughed. “Copycat Tarots. I had almost forgotten you started off with those! Not bad.”
Tanuki smiled nervously.

Atlas planted his feet and activated one of his Tarots. “Usually I don’t like to use Tarots, but for the sake of demonstration…” His muscles bulged, his attack power surging. He swung his hammer in a wide arc, the sheer force sending Tanuki flying across the arena. His HP bar dipped dangerously. He coughed, shaking his head. %$^& this guy’s strong… if I take another hit like that, I’m done.

He activated another mimicry Tarot. This time, his body glowed with the same buff Atlas had just used. His daggers felt heavier, stronger. He rushed forward, blades clashing against the hammer. The impact sent shockwaves through the mirrored walls. For a moment, Atlas’s grin faltered, then quickly returned. “Not bad at all,” Atlas shouted. “You’re actually keeping up.

Atlas pressed harder, his hammer strikes relentless. Tanuki struggled to parry, his copied buff fading. His HP bar ticked lower with each glancing blow.
“See the difference?” Atlas said between swings. “Strength alone isn’t enough. You lose to someone stronger than you. You need timing. You need to know when to use your cards, and when to discard them.”

Tanuki’s hand shimmered again. He discarded one card, mana flowing back into him, and drew another. This one mirrored Atlas’s last swing, a heavy strike Tarot.

He activated it. His daggers elongated into spectral copies of Atlas’s hammer, and he brought them down in a mirrored arc. The clash rang like a bell, both weapons locking in midair. Atlas’s eyes widened. “You’re already reading me.”

Both fighters were growing weary. Atlas’s HP was still far higher, but Tanuki’s persistence had chipped away more than expected. Atlas raised his hammer for the final blow. “Alright, new blood. Time to wrap this up.”

Tanuki’s last card glowed. He activated it instinctively. His body split into two mirrored forms, each wielding flaming daggers.

The clones struck from both sides, catching Atlas off guard. His HP bar dipped sharply, lower than he anticipated. He staggered, laughing even as he swung his hammer to disperse the illusions, while swinging his hammer around a second time targeting the real Tanuki. The blow connected, and Tanuki’s HP hit zero. His avatar dissolved into starlight. A system voice declared Atlas the winner, and they both reformed in the Citadel lobby Atlas had created.
NV was leaning against a wall, seemingly uninterested.
Atlas rested his hammer on his shoulder, before it dematerialized, shaking his head with a grin. “You’ve got potential. I underestimated those copycat Tarots. With practice, those mimic Tarots of yours could turn any fight upside down. Even against a stronger opponent, being able to use their own strength against them, it’s like fighting a reflection. Next time, I might not be so lucky!”

Tanuki checked his HUD and saw that Atlas had been so strong, that even by losing, he had already gained 4 levels.
Atlas checked his HUD, muttered under his breath and prepared to leave. “I’m going to go on a quest for something. I think you’ll make it to Level 10 pretty fast. Oh, here’s one last gift.”
Tanuki checked his HUD and saw a transfer request for 100,000 atomints to give Tanuki.
“What are you-”
“Just take them,” Atlas said stoically, “That’s enough to buy the parts needed to repair your ship so you can travel. There’s no time to waste is there?” He turned to NV. “Looks like I won’t be able to support your gambling addiction for a while.”
“Whatever, meathead,” NV replied. Atlas smiled as he turned and left the Citadel.