After Raising a Cyber Cat in the Pirate World

As a longtime otaku, Tsukimiyari Wataru has watched all kinds of anime and is deeply familiar with fan works, too. Recently, he's gotten hooked on a cozy little game.

One Piece Cats: Grand Line is a casual management game. Every time you level up, you unlock a new kitty.

The only flaw is that leveling up requires spending real money.

Completionist Tsukimiyari Wataru (wincing): Bought it!!

*

His first kitty is a calico wearing a straw hat, with a scar under one eye. It spends all day yelling that it wants to be a pirate cat.

After who knows how many times of catching the runaway kitty and bringing it home, Tsukimiyari Wataru sighs, feeling a little exasperated. "Am I raising it wrong?"

Lu Cat scratches itself with a hind leg. It's filthy, its tummy rumbles, and its beady eyes droop. "Meow~"

Tsukimiyari Wataru: This game is so devious! It's basically forcing me to spend money! Who could let such a cute kitty go hungry?

In a fit of enthusiasm, he stocked up on 99+ dried fish for the kitty.

*

His second kitty is a tuxedo cat wearing an orange cowboy hat, with tattoos on its body. It's a strange little cat that likes to eat and sleep at the same time.

Tsukimiyari Wataru looks at the test paper the kitty hands him, deeply moved. He rewards it with a dried fish. "Thirty-six points! At last, my family has a kitty genius! Waaaah!"

For the record, Lu Cat gets single-digit scores or zero on every test. It often falls asleep in the exam room, then comes home carrying a whole basket of zeros.

Ai Cat (hands on hips): Gives a proud little snort* (happily swishes its tail)

Tsukimiyari Wataru: Hmm... (his weak spot has been hit)

*

One day, he opens the game and discovers that one of his cats is missing!!

He stares at Ai Cat's missing status, looking around in bewilderment with his sword drawn. "???"

Who stole my cat?!

Tsukimiyari Wataru spends a while feeling down because he can't find the cat. Then he pulls himself together and keeps looking after the kitties he still has.

Greedy Na Cat with an orange on its head, Suo Cat, who treats dried fish like three swords, lustful Xiang Cat with curly eyebrows, cold-faced Luo Cat in a mushroom hat...

Even with the complete collection badge on his screen, he can't feel happy. He still worries about the lost kitty, and wants the rest of them to grow up safe and healthy.

In a fit of enthusiasm, he maxes out every cat's skill points and spends who knows how many 648-yuan bundles. Then the game crashes.

Tsukimiyari Wataru: ...Seriously? Did I spend so much that I broke the game?

He stares at the black screen, uncertain, and quickly reports the problem to the game developers.

*

The good news: after restarting the game, he gets his lost kitty back!!

The bad news: Ai Cat has brought back a whole group of cats, and even found itself a dad.

Theme: Let go of past regrets and look toward the bright future