8: She IS kinda cute.

Tanuki’s daggers still hummed faintly with the energy of the last fight as he sat in the cockpit, staring out at the endless sprawl of stars. The ship drifted quietly, its patched hull holding steady, though the faint creaks and groans of the metal reminded him it was still fragile. Atlas leaned back in the co-pilot’s chair, arms folded, while NV sat cross-legged on the floor, idly flicking through her HUD menus with a look of practiced boredom.

“You did well on Veyra,” Atlas said, breaking the silence. “Not many rookies can handle molten guardians their first time out. You’re adapting fast.”

Tanuki shrugged, though a small flicker of pride warmed his chest. “I just copied what you two were doing. That’s all.”

“Copying is still learning,” Atlas replied. “And if you can mimic your opponent’s strengths, you’ll always have an edge. That’s what makes your deck dangerous.”

NV snorted. “Dangerous? He’s still a baby raccoon with shiny knives. Cute, but not exactly terrifying.”

Tanuki smirked faintly. “Keep underestimating me. It’ll make it easier when I beat you.”

NV raised an eyebrow, but didn’t respond. Instead, she pulled up a star map and pointed to a glowing marker. “Next stop: Aeloria. Swamp planet. Acid-spitting frogs. You’ll love it.”

Atlas groaned. “Why do you always pick the worst places?”

“Because the worst places have the best loot,” NV said matter-of-factly.

The ship descended through Aeloria’s thick atmosphere, the viewport fogging with green mist. The ground below was a patchwork of marshes and twisted trees, their roots coiling like serpents through the muck. The air shimmered with humidity, and the distant croaks of unseen creatures echoed through the swamp.

They disembarked onto a half-sunken platform, their boots sinking into the mud. Almost immediately, a frog the size of a small car leapt from the water, its throat glowing before it spat a stream of sizzling acid. Tanuki dove aside, rolling through the muck, and instinctively drew a Tarot. His daggers shimmered, transforming into a long spear that mirrored the frog’s glowing throat. He thrust forward, the spear erupting with a burst of acidic energy that pierced the creature’s hide.

Atlas laughed as he swung his hammer to finish it off. “See? You’re already thinking like a Gemini.”

They pressed deeper into the swamp, battling more of the creatures, collecting rare herbs and minerals that glowed faintly in the mist. At one point, Tanuki lagged behind, wiping the muck from his daggers, when he noticed a faint light flickering through the trees. He followed it cautiously, and there she was again. Celeste, sitting on a fallen log, her cloak draped around her shoulders, the glow of a small campfire illuminating her face.

“You shouldn’t wander off alone,” she said softly, though her eyes betrayed no judgment.

Tanuki hesitated, then sat across from her. The fire crackled between them, its warmth strangely comforting in the damp air. For a long moment, neither spoke. Finally, Tanuki broke the silence. “Why do you keep showing up? Every time I go somewhere dangerous, you’re there.”

Celeste’s gaze lingered on the flames. “Because I don’t want to see you disappear. This world… it’s beautiful, but it’s cruel. Most people don’t last long on their own.”

Tanuki looked down at his hands, the faint scars of his real life hidden beneath the avatar’s skin. “I’ve been on my own for a long time. I’m used to it.”

Her eyes lifted to meet his, soft and searching. “Maybe you don’t have to be.”

The words struck something deep inside him, something he’d buried beneath layers of cynicism and survival instinct. He wanted to tell her about the earthquake, about the night everything he loved was swallowed by the earth, about the years of drifting through life like a ghost. But the words caught in his throat. Instead, he just nodded, staring into the fire.

Atlas’s voice echoed through the trees, calling his name. Tanuki stood, brushing the mud from his armor. Celeste rose as well, her cloak shimmering faintly in the firelight.

“Go,” she said gently. “They’ll be looking for you.”

He hesitated, then asked, “Will I see you again?”

Celeste smiled faintly, though there was a sadness in her eyes. “You will. But not always when you expect it.”

When Tanuki returned to the others, NV gave him a suspicious look but said nothing. Atlas clapped him on the shoulder. “Ready to head back?”

Tanuki nodded, though his thoughts lingered on the campfire, on Celeste’s words, and on the strange warmth that had taken root in his chest. For the first time in years, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be alone anymore.
I mean, she IS kinda cute.