7: "Pick your poison"

Tanuki’s ship repairs were completed the next day, the hull patched with crystalline bark and reinforced with alloys he’d purchased using Atlas’s generous atomint transfer. The docking bay doors opened, and for the first time since his crash landing, he felt the hum of the engines beneath his feet as the vessel lifted into orbit. Atlas and NV had joined him for the maiden voyage, though Atlas insisted on letting Tanuki take the controls. The stars stretched endlessly before them, and the HUD displayed a list of nearby planets, each with its own resources, dangers, and recommended levels.

“Pick your poison,” Atlas said, leaning back in the co-pilot’s chair. “You’ll need rare metals if you want to upgrade those daggers. Veyra’s rings are full of iron dust, but the locals aren’t exactly welcoming.” NV smirked. “Or we could go somewhere fun. There’s a swamp planet crawling with amphibians that spit acid. Very relaxing.”

Tanuki ignored her sarcasm and selected Veyra. The ship lurched forward, stars streaking into lines as the warp drive engaged. When they emerged, the planet loomed before them, a massive sphere encircled by glittering rings of dust and stone. The ship’s sensors pinged with warnings of hostile lifeforms.

They descended into the atmosphere, landing on a barren plateau overlooking the rings. The air shimmered with metallic particles, and the ground crunched beneath their boots like powdered glass. Almost immediately, they were ambushed by creatures that looked like living shards of ore, their bodies jagged and razor-edged. Atlas swung his hammer with practiced ease, NV’s gauntlet glowed as she shattered their cores, and Tanuki darted between them, his mimicry Tarots copying their attacks and turning their own strength against them.

When the last creature fell, Tanuki bent down to collect the iron dust, his HUD flashing with quest progress. As he stood, he noticed a figure watching from the ridge above. Celeste. Her cloak fluttered in the metallic wind, her jade eyes fixed on him. She descended gracefully, her boots barely disturbing the dust.

“You’re reckless again,” she said softly, though there was a faint smile on her lips. “But you’re improving.”

Atlas crossed his arms. “You always seem to show up when he’s around. What’s your angle, Celeste?”

She ignored him, stepping closer to Tanuki. “There are places on this planet you shouldn’t go. The rings are unstable. But if you’re determined, I can guide you.”

Tanuki hesitated, then nodded. “Fine. Lead the way.”

They followed her along a narrow path that wound toward the edge of the rings. The ground trembled beneath them, and the sky shimmered with streaks of falling debris. At one point, they stopped to rest near a fissure glowing faintly with molten light. Celeste crouched by the edge, her face illuminated by the glow.

“You’re not like the others,” she said quietly, her voice almost lost in the wind. “Most people chase power, or money. But you… you’re searching for something else.”

Tanuki looked away, his hand tightening around the hilt of his daggers. “Nope, I’m pretty sure it’s just money.”

Celeste studied him for a long moment, then smiled faintly. “Maybe. Or maybe you’re searching for a reason to keep going.”

Before he could respond, the ground shook violently, and a massive creature erupted from the fissure, its body a writhing mass of molten ore. Atlas cursed, NV readied her gauntlet, and Tanuki drew a Tarot. The battle that followed was chaotic, the creature’s molten strikes forcing them to dodge constantly. Tanuki activated a mimicry card, his daggers glowing with the same molten energy, and together they brought the beast down in a shower of sparks.

When it was over, Celeste placed a hand on Tanuki’s shoulder. “You’re stronger than you think. Don’t forget that.” Then, as quickly as she had appeared, she vanished into the shimmering air, leaving Tanuki staring after her, his chest tight with questions he couldn’t put into words.

Back aboard the ship, Atlas shook his head. “She’s trouble. Mark my words.”

NV smirked. “Or maybe she just likes him.”

Tanuki said nothing, staring out the viewport at the glittering rings of Veyra. For the first time in years, he felt the faintest spark of something he thought he’d lost long ago. Not hope. Not yet. But maybe the beginning of it.