Volume 1 – Chapter 1

“Ahoy, sailors! Our pirate ship sets sail again today!” – Marissa’s bright voice filled the stream as her virtual avatar appeared on screen. A lively pirate girl in a red jacket with golden buttons, a hat with a skull, and a teasing eye patch winked at the viewers – as if inviting everyone on a new adventure.

The chat instantly exploded:
[Rsaito]: Captain, you know there’s a hole in the hull, right? 😂
[KawaiiPanda]: Marry me, Marissa!! 💍💍💍
[BigBoss]: Sent $5 – for the crew’s rum! 🍹

“Oooh, rum?” – Marissa pressed a hand to her chest theatrically. – “You know our ship only drinks the finest... supermarket juice on discount!”

Laughter flooded the chat – emojis, hearts, endless LOLs.

“But today’s voyage is a special one!” – she said with a grin. – “After the mini-game, we’ll have a chat treasure battle! And maybe... something special at the end of the stream. Who knows?”

[Senpai]: Is that a spoiler or a tease, captain? 👀
[baka_baka]: Whoa, we’re not ready for that kind of excitement! 🌊⚓

“He-he!” – Marissa laughed. – “A true captain never reveals secrets without a little torture first!”

She clicked her mouse, launching a pixel mini-game. A tiny ship rocked among the digital waves.

“All right, crew – our mission is simple: collect every treasure and try not to sink in the first puddle!” – she announced grandly. – “Although, knowing you, you’ll sabotage me on purpose...”

[SatoritheOne]: Dropping anchor right on the reef! 😂
[SweetPeach]: Marissa, port side! There’s a shark! 🦈
[MegaAkira]: Sent $10 – for patching the hole after we crash!

“Hey, don’t jinx it!” – Marissa spread her arms in mock despair. – “I already know we’ll crash – I’m the one steering!”

The chat roared with laughter.

She pressed “Start” – the little ship dove into a wave and reappeared with a golden chest.

“Oooh, first loot!” – shouted Marissa. – “Now, voting time: what do we do with the treasure?
Option A – share it fairly.
Option B – all mine, you get fresh air!”

[Senpai]: All the gold to the captain! 👑
[lololo]: Option B – because we love you 💕
[GrumpyCat]: Option C – sell the ship and buy a new mic!

“Hey, come on!” – Marissa made a pouty face. – “My mic is top-tier... well, almost. Okay, sometimes it sounds like I’m underwater – but that’s called ambience magic!”

The chat erupted again – hearts, “LMAO”s, and laughing emojis filled the screen.

She glanced at the donation feed.
“Well, well – looks like we’ve got ourselves a generous pirate!” – she smiled. – “All right, mates, let’s toast our sponsor with rum... or better yet, a loud Ahoy!”

[ChatFlood]: AHOY!!! ⚓⚓⚓

Her laughter rang bright and clear – like sea breeze through an open window. The stream pulsed with energy – emojis flying, jokes overlapping, donations flashing like fireworks. For a few shining moments it felt like a real celebration – wild, joyful, alive.

Marissa brushed a strand of pink hair from her face, leaned back for a second, then closer to the mic again.
“Well, crew – our raid ends here. The treasure’s ours, and the ship didn’t sink – a true miracle!”

The chat exploded in “GG”, “EZ”, hearts, and clapping emojis.

Two more hours passed – fan-art reactions, polls, and endless laughter. Donations kept pouring in, and the atmosphere stayed bright and wild.

Finally, Marissa waved cheerfully.
“See you next time, my brave sailors!”

Her words grew shorter – her voice softer. The smile on her lips faded as she glanced to the side, hesitating before pressing End Stream.

Everyone laughed tonight – that’s good, right?
I’m playing the role – and it works...
Then why, when the stream ends, does it feel so empty inside?..

She clicked End Stream.

Silence filled the room. The monitor’s light dimmed. The echoes of laughter and sound faded into stillness.

Her eyes lingered on the dark screen – blank, lifeless.

Her real name was Mirai.
No one in the chat knew that. For everyone, she was Marissa – the bold pirate VTuber in a red jacket and skull hat, confident and carefree.

But in truth – she was just Mirai.
A small nineteen-year-old girl with pink hair and red-rimmed glasses. Shy, quiet, uncertain – nothing like her virtual alter ego.

Maybe that was the problem – she’d become too good at being Marissa. So good that no one would ever believe who she really was once the camera turned off.