Universe Theater

Atmosphere-wise, it was somewhere between a church and a museum.

Resembling a large theater lobby, the central hub of Kidneyland was set with dark red carpet and golden flourishes. The tall spherical ceiling and dark walls offered no windows- the room was brightened only by faint orange lights, and you couldn’t do much as catch a glance at the outside world without turning back around and leaving. Like a dimension of its own, the center was perfectly designed to connect all zones of Kidneyland and direct guests towards them while maintaining immersion.

Ignoring the concession stands and claw machines scattered about, Frankie approached the giant park map towards the middle of the establishment.

“So we’re… here.” She pointed up at the map, marking the “Universe Theater” as it was called.

“Yeah, that’s it.” Katie replied quietly. Many others looked at the map, and indeed, many, many others walked this transitory station- but it was an oddly hushed environment, thus the church comparison. If it was an explainable phenomenon, the sisters weren’t smart enough to figure it out. It was like the building just had that degree of power over its visitors.

Frankie looked at all the places they could go from here. If you walked down the hallways of the complex, you could apparently find viewing rooms that would actually just lead you to different parts of the park.

“This is just a video game hub area.” Katie offhandedly joked.

“Pretty much, yeah. Here I thought Kidney made cartoons.”

“I think he likes games, too.”

One of the men wandering the complex approached the map. The sisters paid him no mind, since people had been coming and going ever second for the past few minutes, but they were both surprised when he talked to them.

“Hi.” He quickly said, polite in tone but not in speed, like he was trying to get through the interaction as fast as possible. “I don’t think I’ve seen you two yet. Lemme guess- just got in?”

“Uh… yeah? Got a problem?” Frankie stung.

He had a Kidneyland baseball cap with racoon ears and a torn red vest similar in color to Frankie’s own hat, over a sleeveless white tank. He had black work jeans with stuffed pockets and a big black backpack that looked like it had even more things crammed inside it. If that wasn’t enough, he was also carrying a fat, brown bag that crinkled with his every move, as if it were filled with metal.

“I’m participating in the moon game. Kind of serious about it. Aaaand I happen to be pretty well off.” He smiled below his brightly reflective circular specs, the glasses taking up most of his face. “What I’m saying is, only one percent of guests are gonna make it to the end of this competition. The uh, y’know- fanboys, the serious ones, like me.” He had clearly said this before, his fast tongue getting through it all in a hurried jiffy.

“What are you getting at?” Frankie was already fed up with this guy.

“Can I buy your tokens?”