“Infinity axes are a quarter bitcoin,” Bugz said, referring to the last of the tomahawks she planned to sell. She stood atop a beautiful red mesa with a seven-foot-tall Amazon facing her.

“Of course, and can I get a selfie too, please?” the Amazon asked.

“Sure, no problem.” Bugz leaned in for the screenshot.

“I watch your streams every day,” the fan said, posing at her preferred angle. “When I’m in the ’Verse, I’ve always got the stream window open, and if I’m out there,” she continued, referring to the real world, “I watch you on my phone.”

“Cool.” Bugz smiled. “I like your beadwork,” she added, referring to the pink, blue, and red geometric patterns her fan wore on her cape and leggings.

“Thanks, they’re Quechuan designs, from my Ancestors. I want to be as fierce a warrior as you someday. You’re such an inspiration.”

“Good luck,” Bugz said. She always tried to shower her fans with good vibes and to answer all their questions. It seemed like the right thing to do, and it was good for business. “Well, next time we’re online together, put your name in the chat screen and I’ll shout you out during the stream.”

“Oh, okay, awesome! And thanks again.” The fan picked up her giant tomahawk and flew off into the sky using a jetpack.

Bugz scanned the desert plain. She came here, far from Lake of the Torches, to conduct these sorts of transactions. She swiped her hands apart quickly to open a livestream.

“Hey, hope everyone’s having an awesome day in the ’Verse. Just a quick update to say I’m all sold out, but I’m back again next week, same location. And a quick shout-out to everyone who came by today to hang out, buy something, or just take a look around. Big shouts to all of you—especially Big_L_N, SchroederCat, and PeruvianGoddess—for the pics. Tag me. Hit the Subscribe button. We’ll see you soon.”

Bugz closed the chat window and stared off into the distance. The mesa on which she stood was the only high ground for miles. In the west, a burning red sun began to set. It set untold millions of fine dust particles on the horizon ablaze. The virtual scene stirred Bugz’s heart. She liked to come here to escape the challenges of the real world. Her first time climbing the mesa came after a run-in with a girl at school who lived in a town close to the Rez.