Chapter 6: Chapter 6: The Game Begins
Chapter 6: The Game Begins
The first rays of sunlight streamed through the windows, bathing the Gordon household in a warm glow. Sam opened his eyes, instantly alert. The sofa wasn't the most comfortable sleeping arrangement, but he didn't mind. He glanced around the living room, noting the peaceful quiet. James was still asleep upstairs, likely nursing the aftermath of last night's drinks, and Barbara was presumably still in her room.
Sam stretched and stood, his massive frame shrinking as he de-transformed back to his normal self. His human form felt lighter, less imposing, but it came with its own sense of ease.
"Kit," Sam whispered.
A small, white anime-style cat with bright, expressive eyes appeared in front of him, stretching lazily as if she, too, had just woken up. Her voice, sharp but charming, cut through the silence. "Finally, you're up. You've got work to do, Sam!"
"I barely slept, Kit," Sam replied, rolling his eyes. "Let's get to it. Explain the watch. I need to know everything."
Kit hopped onto the coffee table and sat down, curling her tail around herself. "Alright, listen up, because I'm not repeating myself. This watch is your lifeline in the game. It lets you transform into any character whose powers you've unlocked. You can also check your ID, your points, and even other players' IDs if they're nearby."
Sam tapped the screen on the watch, a sleek black-gray device wrapped snugly around his wrist. A holographic interface appeared, displaying a simple menu. "Let's see this ID," he muttered.
The watch displayed his stats:
ID: Sam
Points: 1
Characters Unlocked: 1 (Ryu)
Ryu Mastery: 8%
Rank: Bottom 5
Sam's eyes narrowed. "Only one point. And five others are at the same level."
"Yup," Kit chimed in, lazily grooming her paw. "You're tied with a handful of others at the start. But look at this—three players already have 10 points, and one is at 100."
Sam's brow furrowed. "A hundred? That means they found a gold coin."
"Bingo!" Kit said with a smirk. "They're in the lead. But don't let it get to you. It just means you need to step up your game."
"What about the map?" Sam asked.
Kit perked up, her tail swishing. "Good question! The watch has a map function that shows the approximate location of the coins. Bronze coins are everywhere, so you'll have no problem finding those. But silver and gold coins? Those are trickier. Their locations can change at random. You might see one on the map, and poof—it's gone."
"That's… inconvenient."
"Tell me about it," Kit replied, rolling her eyes. "Oh, and there's a shopping feature. But it's locked until you hit 100 points."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "Shopping? What can I even buy in this game?"
Kit smirked mischievously. "That's a surprise for later. Focus on getting the points first, rookie."
Sam crossed his arms. "What about legal identification? Do I even exist here?"
"Of course!" Kit said, puffing out her chest proudly. "I've already made legal documents for you and your first character, Ryu. When you unlock new characters, I'll make IDs for them too. You're all set to live your double life."
Sam nodded, impressed by her thoroughness. "What about mastering the characters? How does that work?"
"Ah, now we're getting to the fun part," Kit said, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "To master a character, you need to use them more—stay in their form, fight, act like them, and basically immerse yourself in their personality. Your mastery over Ryu is only 8% right now. The more you use him, the better you'll get."
Sam leaned back, processing the information. "Alright. Anything else I should know?"
Kit's playful grin returned. "Oh, absolutely. The gods added a little twist to spice things up. Normal people can use the coins too. If a regular person finds one, they can transform into a character and use their powers."
Sam's eyes widened. "Wait, what? That sounds… dangerous."
"Dangerous and entertaining," Kit corrected, her tone gleeful. "But here's the catch: since they don't have a watch, the character's personality will heavily influence them—almost take over. And they can only transform into one character, unlike you and the other players."
Sam frowned. "So, we're not just competing against each other, but against anyone who happens to find a coin?"
"Exactly," Kit said with a dramatic flourish of her tail. "And one more thing—silver and gold coins are sentient. They don't just sit around waiting for you. They'll move closer to people they 'choose.' Makes the game more exciting, don't you think?"
Sam sighed, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead. "Exciting isn't the word I'd use."
Kit hopped onto his shoulder, her voice softening slightly. "Look, I know it's a lot to take in. But you've got potential, Sam. You're not just playing for yourself—you're playing for a wish. And who knows? Maybe you'll even enjoy the journey."
Sam glanced at the watch again, the holographic map glowing faintly. "Alright," he said, determination hardening his voice. "Let's find those coins."
Kit grinned. "Now you're talking! Let's get to work!"
The sun continued to rise over Gotham as Sam prepared himself for the challenges ahead. The game had only just begun.