Following behind the black panther, I keenly noticed how his tail wagged in tandem with his steps. It was a weird detail that caught my eye, just a quiet reminder that I wasn't alive, nor on Earth.
Eventually, we approached a small shop with a simple storefront: a white bowl overflowing with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream.
Next to it, a sign read 'Peanut's big N' smalls!'
The colours were soft and inviting, oddly warm against the surreal chaos of the city.
The panther stopped in front of the shop and gestured inside.
"First scoop's free," he said, grinning. "For first-timers, of course."
I hesitated. This place was still impossible to fully comprehend.
The buildings made of bubbles, beings that would be considered monsters back on Earth, and even the weird god from earlier.
Yet here was a seemingly small, comforting slice of normalcy: ice cream.
I followed him inside. The shop smelled faintly of sugar and warmth, though I felt no heat or cold. It felt... perfect. Perfect in its simplicity.
"Sit wherever you like," he said, tail flicking behind him.
I sat at a small counter, watching him scoop ice cream with deliberate precision. It was. A bit odd watching his feline-like hands move with such precision and calm.
"You don't seem surprised," I said, watching the panther work.
"Surprised?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "About what?"
"That… this place exists. Talking animals, candy-colored cities, all the gods, and wishes bullcrap."
He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated through the small shop. "Well, that's transit. It's what some call death, others call in-between. I like to see it as… life without the usual rules. All the crazy stuff, you get used to it, eventually."
I stared at the bowl of ice cream he handed me: a swirl of chocolate and strawberry, perfectly balanced. I pulled the bowl closer and thanked him.
Thanks for this... What's your name again?" It was only then that I realized I was taking a free meal from a complete stranger.
"Igris, I was a hunter on Pantheon before I passed." He said firmly while taking a seat.
"You?" He asked.
"Ah, yes, I'm Joffrey. I was a veterinarian on Earth before I passed."
Not saying anymore, the panther watched half-lidded as I took a spoonful of ice cream and lifted it towards my mouth.
Taking a bite, I felt an instant surge of flavour; unlike on Earth, it felt as if my whole being was flooded with the sweet taste of raspberry. It mixed perfectly with the cold, creamy texture, melting slowly in my mouth like a bath bomb meant for the tonsils.
Raising another spoon, I tried the chocolate.
Unlike the raspberry, it had a very grounding flavour to it, bringing balance to the sweet flavour of the raspberry. I allowed it to slowly melt into my mouth, leaving a sweet yet slightly bitter aftertaste.
It felt like I was in a dream, a short-lived yet beautiful dream. Before I noticed my hand had stopped moving, and had left the intoxicated state.
The ice cream in the bowl was only halfway finished, yet I felt like I had been eating for 5 minutes!
Slowly moving my spoon towards another scoop, I asked the panther a question to make myself seem less like an ice cream fanatic.
".. what did you put in this stuff?" I asked as I mixed the raspberry and chocolate in one spoonful this time.
"Not too much, the joy of children, the essence of love, and a little bit of post-nut clarity." The panther spoke while watching me stuff another spoonful into my mouth.
'Joy of children and the essence of love?' I didn't hear everything he said, but those did sound pretty good, if I was being honest.
Not using precious ice cream-eating time to comment on it, I instead simply took more bites. Although I noticed something strange: every bite seemed to ground me further, that intoxicating feeling had come and gone; now replaced by a feeling of deep control.
It made the impossible world around me feel slightly more manageable.
Slowly outgrowing the taste, I spoke to the panther again.
"Why am I here?" I asked finally. "I mean… besides death, I know that part."
The panther's grin softened, his eyes fixing on mine. "You're here because of the ticket."
He said. "You've got one. Most do. It's the reward for living, not a punishment. What you'll do with it is a better question to ask."
I lightly felt the golden ticket in my pocket, still holding its ethereal warmth.
A gift, huh…
"And what about you? Did you use your wish?" I asked.
Instead of a quick response, the panther broke eye contact and went silent for a moment.
".. I have."
Taking in the silence, I decided not to ask about it again and took another bite of the ice cream. It was sweet and comforting, but fleeting. Like happiness in a long-lost memory.
I glanced around the shop. Outside, the city pulsed with chaotic, bright life, but inside, it felt cozy and lacklustre. The navy blues and baby pinks on the white walls were tones I could get used to; it made me relax, even if only a little.
"Alright," I said finally. "Then I guess I should figure out what I want to do with my ticket."
The panther's grin returned to its full width.
"Good choice. That's all anyone can really do here. Make the choice, and see where it takes them."
I finished the last scoop in silence, letting the sweetness hit every taste bud. Outside, a whole new world was waiting for me. I had to be ready.
Licking the bowl and the spoon, I asked Igris where I should go next.
"Depends," he said. "You want answers, or you want distractions?"
I set the spoon down, tapping it lightly against the empty bowl.
"Answers." I still didn't know what that god meant by a mental curse or why I felt so empty. Although the ice cream was nice, it could wait.
He snorted softly. "Everyone says that."
Standing up, he grabbed the bowl from in front of me and turned, placing it somewhere behind the counter without even looking.
"Answers aren't handed out here," he continued. "They're bought, traded… or stolen."
"That sounds unnecessarily complicated," I muttered.
"It is."
He stepped out from behind the counter and gestured toward the exit with his head.
"Come on. If you're serious, I'll show you where you can find answers."
I paused for half a second. I debated whether I could really trust this guy. Although he seemed friendly enough, I hadn't forgotten the fact that he was a walking black panther.
Yet, recalling the flavour of raspberry in between my teeth, I decided to give him a chance.
"haaaah, That must be the essence of love talking." Again, I ran a rough hand through my hair.
Then I followed.
The moment we stepped outside, the noise of the city hit me again.
Voices layered over each other. Laughter, arguments, something that sounded like singing but wasn't quite right. The air itself felt alive, shifting with every passing second.
"Stay close," Igris said, already walking.
I didn't hesitate. If anything, staying near a giant black panther felt safer than being alone in whatever this place was supposed to be.
We moved through the unknown streets at a steady pace.
However, more strange things appeared the more I looked.
Buildings with legs slowly trotted, while other buildings simply floated. It was a wonder, honestly, how you would even get in some of them. Simple vendors lined the streets, selling things that made absolutely no sense, like "bottled laughter" or "Peace flowers". Some street vendors even sold jars filled with what looked like tiny thunderstorms.
Creatures of all kinds walked around Igris and me, minding their own business; most didn't even seem remotely interested in a walking panther and the hairless ape.
"…Where are we going?" I asked.
"Somewhere useful," he replied.
We turned down another street, then another. Somehow, the more turns we took, the more bizarre everything became. Nothing looked more dangerous. If anything, it simply became more ridiculous.
That's when a small store caught my attention.
It was a simple building made from deep brown wood, the second semblance of normality I had seen since coming here. Above the entrance, written in small plain letters, were the words:
The Regret Store
The name was odd and made one think, but it didn't give off any strange feeling. If anything, it felt… normal, way too normal for this place.
"Igris," I said, slowing slightly. "What's that place?"
"What place?" he responded without looking.
I frowned and turned my head back.
The store was still there. Same wooden texture and dull glass windows I could barely see through. With the Same small sign above it.
"The one right there," I said, pointing directly at it.
Only then did he stop and look where I was pointing.
"There's nothing there," he said calmly.
I looked back again.
The words hadn't changed.
The Regret Store
For a moment, I thought about walking back and checking it out, not because I was curious. It felt more like an urge, the kind of feeling you get when you forget something important but can't remember what it was.
I stared at the door for another second, then turned away.
"…Never mind," I muttered.
Igris shrugged slightly and kept walking.
We turned another corner, and the normally looking building slowly disappeared, replaced by the nonsensically bright buildings.
"…This whole place just looks like a vacation spot," I muttered.
Igris snorted softly. "That's because it is. For most people."
Nodding at his words, I continued to follow Igris through many streets and alleys. I noticed that, as we continued, the buildings' valour and obscenity began to diminish.
We turned down a narrow street, quieter than the rest. The noise of the main road dulled behind us, replaced by something more… contained.
At the end of the street stood a small bar.
A small building sitting quietly at the end of the street.
It wasn't floating. It wasn't colourful. It didn't look ridiculous like the others. Just a simple building with a dark wooden door and a wooden sign above it.
The sign hung above the entrance, slightly crooked.
I narrowed my eyes and tried to read it properly.
The Last Drink
"That's it?" I asked.
"That's it," he said.
"Doesn't look very impressive," I said.
"It isn't," Igris replied. "On purpose."
He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
I followed behind him, not needing an explanation.
Inside, the atmosphere changed instantly.
Unlike the buzzing city, this place had a depth I couldn't explain.
The lighting was dim but warm. The wooden walls were slightly old, smeared with unknown stains.
A few people sat at small tables talking quietly whilst the bartender looked to be deeply sleeping at the counter.
I turned slightly toward Igris. "So where are the answers part?"
Instead of replying, he walked past the counter without even looking at the bartender and stopped near the back wall.
For a second, I thought he was just standing there for no reason.
Then he tapped the wall twice with one finger.
Nothing happened.
He tapped again, slower this time.
Click
The sound caught my attention; it came from behind the wall, but nothing changed. It looked exactly the same.
Still thinking about whether this was a secret entrance or something, I noticed Igris glance back at me.
"You still want answers?"
I hesitated for half a second.
"…Yeah."
Grinning slightly, Igris said nothing and walked through the wall.
I froze. One moment he was there, and the next… he wasn't. The wall stayed still, unchanged, yet Igris had vanished through it as if the wall had bent itself around him.
"…Right," I muttered while stepping closer hesitantly.
I wasn't surprised by this. The moment I had seen God, things had already stepped away from common sense.
The edge of the wall pressed against my fingers, then, as if it were never there, it gave way, sliding aside like smoke. I didn't hesitate and stepped through the wall.
In front of me, Igris stood with his arms tucked into each other, as well as a deep darkness behind that I couldn't see far into.
The bar's previous noise disappeared instantly.
All that remained was the silence of the darkness.
"Keep walking," Igris said from ahead of me, his voice lower now. Less casual.
I didn't hesitate and listened to him earnestly.
I didn't get why I needed to come to such a sketchy place to get answers, but I had already decided to trust Igris.
It was far too late to back down now.
Each step echoed faintly against the floor, though I couldn't see what it was made of. Stone, maybe. Or something pretending to be stone.
As my eyes slowly adjusted, the room began to take shape.
To my surprise, we weren't in a room.
But instead a long hall.
Suddenly, bright torches on both sides of the walls lit up one by one, leading down the hallway to a closed wooden cellar.
"Is this supposed to happen?" I asked. I thought we would go to an adventurers' guild or something, but now it looked like I had just walked into the final boss battle.
Instead of responding to me, Igris simply walked casually towards the door.
I thought about staying still and waiting for Igris to figure out what was behind that door, but decided against it.
What if something attacked me back here?
I'd be finished!
Thinking like that, I sped up my pace and kept near the calm black panther.
"…What is this place?" I asked, quieter this time.
"..This is where people come when one ticket isn't enough."
My grip tightened.
"One ticket… isn't enough?"
"No," he said simply. "Not if you want more, like most of us."
We kept walking and whispering to each other until we were within hand's reach of the door.
Igris said nothing as he grabbed the handle and instantly swung the door open.
Unlike what I had expected, there was no beast behind the door chowing away at human flesh; instead, a man sat loosely behind a Brown wooden desk.
He looked extremely normal, and even more surprisingly, he was a human.
He was in his mid-thirties with blonde hair and a plain face. He wore a nice, creamy tuxedo. That matched well with his overall plain looks.
"New one?" the man asked, looking directly at me.
I didn't answer.
Igris did.
"Yeah."
The man's eyes shifted to my clenched hand in my pocket.
Then back to my face.
A small smile formed.
"Careful with that," he said. "People kill for less."
A pause.
Then he leaned back into his chair as if nothing had happened.
"Kill?" I muttered to myself.
"Aren't we already dead?" I found myself a little dumbfounded at his words.
'That implied I could be killed for my ticket, right?'
Silence stretched between the three of us before the seated man spoke again.
"Go, Igris," he said.
"…What?" Seeing my tour guide be casually dismissed like that made all the imaginary cortisol receptors in my new body spike.
"Sorry mate, this is as far as I'll walk you."
He turned his head around, looking directly at me.
"For now."
That same grin returned, but thinner.
With that, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Looking back at the first human I had interacted with since coming here, I almost subconsciously wanted to vent a few things out.
But the calm demeanour from earlier was gone. The dull-looking man from before now sat up straight in his chair with his body leaning slightly towards me.
"Welcome, would you like some tea?" The man asked politely. His body was still leaning towards me with his hands held together in front of him.
"Uhhhh, I'll pass, thank you." Being faced with his blatant politeness, the words I wanted to speak unknowingly swallowed themselves.
"I see, so then. Why are you here?" The man gave a smile and a kid before leaning back and asking a question.
"Erm, well, I felt rather curious about this place. I was hoping to find more answers." I said as kindly as I could. If I were lucky, this would probably be the turning point in my story, when I befriended a high-class merchant.
Right?
"Answers cost more than curiosity." But unlike the answer I was hoping for, the man responded slightly coldly.
My eyes flickered around the room for a moment, thinking of a fitting response.
Then back to him.
"…And if I don't like the price?"
He shrugged.
"Then you walk away."
"But you won't."
…
'Why do they both think that?' I'm not sure what type of vibe I gave off, but it seemed like these two thought I was some sort of fearless, resilient type.
Far from it was the truth. In my past life, I had spent all my time.... Doing something.. but I can't remember..
But that's not the point. If it came down to it, I'd gladly leave this place and spend my life here eating ice cream!
My gaze dropped again. This time to the man's desk.
On it were many things: a feathered pen, a large brown book and a neatly stacked pile of golden tickets.
I couldn't be certain, but it looked to be at least ten.
"…You have more than one," I said.
The man's eyes shifted slightly, following mine.
"Yes." He responded quickly with no pride or hesitation, only with a fact-like tone.
My hand subconsciously tightened around the flimsy, singular ticket that was mine.
"How?"
A pause.
Then—
"That," he said, tapping the stack lightly with one finger, "is not a free question."
Right.
Of course.
Everything circled back to capitalism.
I exhaled slowly through my nose.
"…Then what is free?"
The man leaned back slightly in his chair, studying me.
"Very little."
The silence stretched for a moment.
"Let me make this simple," the man continued. "You have one ticket. That gives you one clean outcome. Return, and reset. Nothing extra."
I already knew that.
But hearing the man say it so clearly made resurrection feel like something small.
"…And if I want more?" I asked.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Then you need more tickets."
My eyes flicked back to the stack.
"…And the only way to get them is…?"
He smiled, not in a friendly manner, but just enough to show his pleasure.
"Trade. Deals. Risk."
A beat.
"Or take them."
The words sat in the air.
"…So people here just steal from each other?" I asked.
"Some do."
"And the rest?"
"They do their best not to lose their own."
"…What happens," I said slowly, "if someone loses their ticket?"
This time, the man didn't answer immediately.
His eyes held mine for a long while, perhaps looking for the right response.
"They stay."
A pause.
"But not like you are now."
Something in his tone shifted; I couldn't tell what, but it felt a little more sincere than before.
"How?" I asked.
Another pause.
"That," he said quietly, "is not a free question."
…
Of course it wasn't.
I let out a small breath, almost a laugh.
Everything here had a price.
Even a few questions, even God wasn't higher than this rule.
"…So what can I do here without spending anything?" I asked.
The man tilted his head slightly.
"Observe."
A beat.
"Or participate."
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"Participate in what?"
This time, he didn't answer.
Instead, he moved his hand.
Just slightly.
Flipping through some of the tickets beneath.
Some tickets were different, brighter.
Some dimmer.
One was almost entirely dull.
"…You're new," he said. "So I'll give you something for free."
That got my attention.
"A warning."
The room felt quieter.
If that was even possible.
"Don't assume your ticket is safe just because you're holding it."
My fingers instinctively tightened.
"Here," he continued, "value attracts attention." He took a brief pause, inhaling a deep breath before lifting his head to look at the roof.
"Especially from those who have none."
"…So what are you then?" I said, keeping my voice as steady as possible, "Are you the boss here? What do you even do?"
A faint smile returned.
"I facilitate."
"Facilitate what?"
"Opportunity." The word hung in the air, carefully chosen, yet hollow in meaning. I leaned back slightly, not understanding what this guy was getting at.
"What kind of opportunity?" I asked cautiously, eyes fixed on the stack of golden tickets.
He tilted his head, a faint smile curling on his lips. "Depends on what you value. Knowledge, power, influence… or more tickets."
I narrowed my eyes. "More tickets? Like… yours?"
He tapped the stack lightly. "Yes. Tickets come in grades. Low-class, most beings receive these. They're common, lacking power. Mid-class… or what "we" like to call them. Normal tickets. Similar to the one in your hand." He said while pointing his chin towards my hand.
"These tickets can usually achieve the wishes that most people desire, but are still inherently weak. Then there are high-class tickets. These are the fruit of highly respected beings of all kinds; kings and queens are the owners of these tickets. But it's best not to think so far ahead."
"So… How do I get more tickets then?" I asked slowly. "Give a normal ticket and get two low-class back?"
If that was what he was implying, I wasn't interested. I was no buisness man, but sometimes 1 good punch was better than 1000 weak kicks.
I was still unsure what the difference between tickets was, but I found it hard to trade my shiny golden ticket for something less shiny.
He smiled faintly. "Well, there are multiple ways to get tickets in Death. Some take the more investment-based route, some call it leverage. Give one, gain two. While others are more keen on risk."
I understood what he meant. The temptation of doubling, tripling my options wasn't small. If I did this, I could probably ask God about what I was missing. I'd even have an extra ticket to spare.
But then I thought of Igris, of the beautifully weird city waiting for me to explore. Of discovering this place for myself, it was still far too early for me to begin labouring me and my golden ticket off!
Slowly, I shook my head. "No.. I can't," I said, wavering slightly as my fingers tightened around the ticket.
"I… I'll do my own thing for now. One ticket is enough for me."
The man's eyes softened, a faint nod acknowledging my choice.
"Suit yourself. This option is open as long as that ticket remains yours."
Hearing his words, I gave a brief nod, then quickly stood and headed for the exit.
The man said nothing more as I opened the door and left.
Seeing the familiar sight of a tall black panther, I let out a breath I hadn't noticed I was holding in and rested my hands on my knees.
"…What'd you choose?" he said.
"No," I replied quietly, still clutching the ticket.
He nodded once, and we continued down the long hall. The darkness thinned as we approached the see-through wall we had entered from.
Behind it, I watched a different group from earlier sitting at a table, drinking what I imagined was alcohol, and the familiar sight of the bartender sleeping soundly at his counter.
Stepping through it haphazardly, I thought back on the man's offer. And the fact that I had never even asked for his name.
I still didn't know how much a low-grade ticket was worth, or even what wishes it could grant. So I felt thankful I had turned it down, but this whole situation only made it clear to me how much I needed another ticket.
Especially if I wanted to know why I felt so empty.
Suddenly, the image of those vendors selling thunder in a bottle popped into my head.
'Right! Maybe one of those guys has a sort of memory potion?' Not thinking the idea was absurd, I left for the exit without a word.
"Leaving so soon?" Suddenly, a hazy voice caught my attention. Turning around, I noticed it was the previously sleeping bartender. His eyes were half-closed, and held a slightly nauseated look in them.
Caught off guard, I gave a quick response. "Ahh, yeah… we're done here."
"Take care," he said whilst nodding, returning to his quiet nap.
Looking behind me, I noticed Igris watching silently.
"…We should go," I said.
"Yeah," Igris replied.
I hastily exited the building, letting the fresh city air slowly wash away the unease I felt. We were now back into the streets of Transit.
I didn't know what I'd do now, or where I'd go. But somehow I felt a little more secure. I just had to make sure I kept this ticket. I hadn't seen anyone looking to kill me just yet, but I had no doubt that man's words held some truth.