What should we name the book youThe day I died started like any other, until it didn't. I had left work early after seeing the fire on the news and had been spamming my dad's cell for an answer.
That was where they, and the neighbors I grew up with, lived. When I arrived, smoke curled into the sky, flames licked the windows, and heat pressed against my face. I barely had time to process the chaos, firefighters shouting, hoses spraying, before I noticed him: a body trapped under a chunk of wood from the old apartment. Burnt almost to a pile of ash, I could barely make out his shape. My heart sank. That was my dad. I fell to my knees as a firefighter tried to drag me away from the building.
Then a small explosion, probably a water heater, sent a chunk of brick torn loose from the crumbling facade hurtling toward me at impossible speed. Time stretched as it spun through the air, and I saw the red-orange flicker of the fire reflected on its jagged edges. My vision narrowed, my ears rang, and for a fraction of a second, I saw, horrifyingly, my own face beneath it. The world warped as the brick collided with the top half of my head.
The light went white. Sound shredded into silence. I was weightless, floating above the chaos. Firefighters swarmed my body, paramedics carried me like a broken doll, the smoke and heat crawling over me even though I felt nothing. My head, or what remained of it, was heavy with panic until a new presence slipped into the edges of my awareness, impossibly small, impossibly smug.
"Well, you aren't supposed to linger," it said, its voice a melodic tease. "Why are you still here? Or… so, how are you?"
I blinked, and suddenly, the world had a grin.
I barely had time to register the cat's words before a soft but firm paw shot out and scooped me off the ground. In an instant, the chaos of the fire, the heat, the screams, everything, faded away.
"Hold still," the cat purred, dragging me through a void of nothingness that stretched forever. The world around me warped and twisted, time folding like paper, until suddenly we were somewhere else.
"Ultra Space," the cat announced, with a flourish that made the stars around us shiver. "Welcome to my domain. I own this. I can do anything here. Anything."
I tried to move, but my body felt like it belonged to someone else. The cat floated around me, inspecting me with gleaming eyes. "Hmm, interesting. Your soul," it mused, "has been stubborn. Most would accept the system of rebirth and move on. You don't. You've rejected it so hard that your personal system is completely shattered. That's why you can't move on, isn't it?"
I had no words. I just stared, my chest tightening as the weight of everything I'd lost pressed against me.
The cat's grin widened. "Fascinating. A broken human refusing death and peace. Well, that's a toy worth keeping. Don't worry, we'll have fun."
Ultra Space was a void of impossible shapes and shimmering lights, where gravity laughed at itself and time bent in curious loops. I hovered there, unsteady, when the cat spoke again.
"Oh, don't just stand there looking miserable. You've been dead for, what, thirty seconds? Maybe a year? Time's funny here," it purred. "You're still attached. Emotionally messy. Fun."
I tried to speak, but words stumbled over themselves. The cat's gaze softened slightly.
"You're holding onto it all," it said, tapping a paw against my shoulder. "The fire, your parents, yourself. It's a lot. But look at you, you survived it all. Sort of."
Grief crashed over me in a single breath, and a strange calm followed.
The cat hummed approvingly. "There. That's better. It's not perfect, but it's good enough for now. You're in my space. My rules. My fun. I like you. Let's see how far we can push this."
And just like that, Ultra Space felt less like a void and a little more like home.
As I started to accept everything, the void shifted. Colors twisted, lights danced, and then a house began to take shape: walls, floors, and finally a perfect recreation of my childhood bedroom.
I found myself sitting on my old bed, the quilt still worn as I remembered. Posters, toys, books, even the faint smell of home. And there, on the edge of my bed, sat the cat, tail curled neatly around its paws as if it had always belonged there.
"Well," it said with a smug tilt, "looks like we'll be spending some time here. Comfortable. I do love a good toy that's sentimental."
I sank into the familiar surroundings, my chest loosening just a fraction. For the first time since the fire, I felt almost safe. Almost normal.
"Good," the cat purred. "Now that you're settled, we can get to the fun part. Choices, systems, and a world that's all yours to play in."
I blinked. "What are you?"
The cat brushed its cosmic-furred cheek against my fingers. "What amnt I? I am everything there ever will be."
Before I could process that, it vanished with a soft pop and reappeared in my lap. "…and nothing at all. But mostly, I'm a game master. I set up games to keep the masses entertained."
"And you, my lucky girl," it purred, "are today's greatest winner. I've been granted permission by Tstmahma to offer you an afterlife of our creation. You and I get to make your next life fun."
The name twisted in my head like static.
The room rippled with light. My old TV flickered to life beside a purple GameCube and a sleek, floating monitor covered in glowing runes.
"This bad baby," the cat said, patting the screen, "is your newest buddy. A system of our making, customized just for you."
"For your next life, of course. Can't just throw you back without some proper upgrades, right?"
"A system? Like what? A video game?"
"Close-ish. Think of it as a life simulator, a quest machine, a reality you get to shape. All of it is real. All of it is dangerous. Mostly fun."
I rubbed my face. "So… I pick stuff and live it? What about bills? Work?"
The cat floated upside-down. "Ah, don't worry about that. No deadlines, no bosses. Just you, your companions, and whatever chaos we create."
"Okay… what exactly counts as a companion? Are they alive? Can they die?"
"Yes, sometimes, and yes," the cat replied cheerfully. "Your first companions are special."
"And quests?"
"All that and more. But the fun's in discovering the rules."
I stared at it. "You're insane."
"Of course," it purred. "But you'll get used to me."
Before I could blink, the controller appeared in my hands. "Now for your first choice. Flick the stick, my lady, and spin the wheel."
The screen whirred to life, a glittering wheel spinning faster and faster. "Keep your eyes on it," the cat said. "And prepare for the first choice of your new life."
Three Poké Balls appeared before me when the wheel stopped, glowing faintly.
"Well, let's see what you got," the cat purred. "Go ahead, pop them open."
I pressed the first. A red light flared, and a Chespin appeared, its quills sparkling faintly.
"Would you look at that," the cat said. "Grass type. Perfect pick."
Next, a Torchic appeared, flapping its tiny wings, and then Popplio, spinning gracefully.
"I'm supposed to choose one?"
"Exactly," the cat said. "And remember, whatever you pick will stay with you."
I stared at the three, frozen. "I can't just pick one. I can't."
Torchic squawked, Popplio barked back, and Chespin panicked between them. The cat purred, amused.
I clutched my head. "Why is this the hardest decision of my life?"
"The heart of a true trainer," the cat said softly. "But for now, pick one."
I took a breath. "You. You're it," I said, pointing at Torchic.
Torchic puffed up proudly. Chespin and Popplio looked disappointed as I petted them gently. "I promise I'll come back for you."
The cat's grin widened. "Good choice. Now, follow me."
The room dissolved into light. Torchic was warm in my arms as we floated in a blank white space.
"Before I start," I said, "where exactly am I going?"
The cat's eyes shimmered. "Marvel. A universe of complications. Superheroes, villains, chaos."
"So… dangerous?"
"Always," it said with a grin. "That's what makes it fun. You'll learn, grow, fight, and adapt. You won't be helpless."
I nodded slowly. "Okay. Let's do this."
The holo-console appeared before me, showing a 3D model of my new body.
"Name, appearance, body type, all yours," the cat said. "Make yourself whoever you want."
I hesitated, then began shaping the model into someone I admired: tall, graceful, strong. Long hair, golden eyes, confidence. The woman I'd once wished I could be Cynthia.
Torchic chirped in approval.
The cat smiled. "There. That's you now. Not who you were. Who you're meant to be."
I confirmed the choice, and light filled my vision.
Sunlight spilled across my bed. My skin shimmered faintly silver. Torchic hopped beside me. For a moment, I thought I was still dreaming. Then a small holographic alert pulsed in the corner of my eye.
Tutorial Quest: Welcome to your system.
Step 1—Understand your companions.
Step 2—Learn your first abilities.
Step 3—Complete the trial for your first reward.
A calm voice spoke: "This is your new reality. Torchic will be your first partner. Completing your tutorial will unlock your next companions. Shall we begin?"
Torchic chirped excitedly. I smiled faintly. "Okay. Let's do this."
The notification blinked, and the room shifted slightly in response. A glow radiated from my hands, and a bond formed.
Your journey begins now. Complete your tutorial, claim your rewards, and your first real adventure awaits.
Somewhere unseen, the cosmic cat peeked in, eyes gleaming with mischief.