Chapter 1 of 336

1. Introduction

By Jerynboe • 385 words • Code: NV-CSgZbZa

This is a repost of a story that’s on CHYOA, so if you want to read ahead, you can find it here:

https://chyoa.com/story/The-Waifu-Catalog--Beta-Testers.4783

••••••••••I was in an endless sky. Blue skies and clouds as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t so bad really. I wasn’t hungry, I wasn’t tired, I wasn’t anything really. I was dead; this was honestly more than I expected. Thankfully they kind of turned off my need for stimulation before they put me in here. Whoever “they” are; they’ve just called themselves “The Company.” You could practically hear the capital letters.

I was purchased after my death, apparently. Wholesale. The god of my world had a chosen people and I wasn’t one of them. I don’t resent him for it. He didn’t throw me into some kind of hell. Apparently The Company was some kind of interdimensional entertainment corporation. I didn’t really love the idea of being someone’s sex doll or action figure, but they assured me that hardly anyone actually wanted someone who wasn’t happy to be there, and they typically used the souls of serial rapists for that kind of client when they did show up.

For a long time I just waited. Chatting occasionally with my neighbors or caretakers when the mood struck me. I still enjoyed company even if I didn’t need it. Eventually, I was pulled out. I assumed I’d be turned into a clone of someone’s favorite anime waifu or something, and made peace with it. Instead, they offered me a job.

••••••••••

They wanted a beta tester for a product they were developing. An immersive full recreation of a fictional setting, with access to an extremely pay-to-win cash shop. They had tens of millions in production, and I’d be matched with one and go through the experience they were developing for their customers. If my experiences and feedback provide them with acceptably useful data, I may even be placed in a queue to test another world after my eventual demise. Otherwise, I’d likely be integrated into the final version as a constantly reincarnating soul.

It seemed like a good deal. After all, if I was going to be The Company’s bitch for eternity either way I might as well enjoy myself. I put down my name to be entered into the lottery.