Mature Content Warning: There is a little foul language, and also a very mild sort of ero content. Monster girls also battle for dominance and stuff.

Author's Notes: I probably won't update this again till Thursday or Friday at the earliest as I like to keep the chapters detailed and lengthy, and I am working on the lengthy first battle-arc for the third volume of Origin ARS. I will put this out there as a fair warning: This story does not move at a break-neck pace.

It is a leisurely stroll through a Sci-Fi fantasy world with battles and hot monster girls looking for an emotional connection. There won't be any 'and thus did he crush 10,000 noobs and became the noob-king.' sort of things.

Fights in this series will start off simple and grow more intense. They will often involve small numbers of people. I try to keep the monster capture game sort of feel by having the battles involve strong skills, but limited numbers, and everyone gets a chance to shine that way. Think more 'Monster Girl Quest' or even 'Pokemon' (Hell, think of both at once...Seriously...) than a modern MMO where you kill a thousand monsters to gain a level. If that helps.

If that doesn't help, then think... (Every fight is like a boss fight.) and that might help. If that doesn't help... think of the battles from Nocturne. Except, no magical girl stuff. If that doesn't help, just read the thing and form your own opinion. Ha. Ha.

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Chapter 3: Here, Fishy, Fishy...

---

A soft, sweet, scent permeated the air. It was the gentle aroma of fresh green grass and wildflowers. It was an aromatic perfume that drew the senses and calmed the mind. It was the natural fragrance of the Alraune known as Flora.

Scott had rented a room on the outskirts of America so that they could easily leave the next morning. It was nothing fancy, but it had the basic furniture package that came with most rented rooms.

The Crystallim sipped water from her cup and thought of her new master. Her master had gone to the bathroom to attend to certain functions unique to the human condition. There were many things that a girl such as Flora did not need to do that a human did.

Crystallim needed to eat and drink when they were manifested in their dream forms but that food and drink differed from one girl to the next, and by breed. Flora needed only water, sunlight, a multi-vitamin, and love. She could eat normal human food, but it was not entirely necessary.

However, she did not need to use the facilities that her master used, as she was a plant type Crystallim. She would simply create complex sugars or release gases and water in small amounts. Simple sweat and her gentle aroma accomplished all of the waste removal that her dream form required.

“I wonder what he does in there?” Flora looked toward the door. It was a temporary structure created using the power of humanity. When her master had finished his business, the entire room and its contents would shimmer out of existence. His business in that tiny room would remain a mystery to the girl.

Scott exited the bathroom and sighed loudly. The room and its contents shimmered then faded from sight. “Well, that’s taken care of...”

Flora smiled at her master softly then opened her arms to him once more. The hunter could not resist her sweet request. He sat down on the bed next to her and slipped his arms around her slim waist.

The Alraune leaned against him. From the corners of her back-bud, twin vines slipped out then crawled along the bed. They curled around him and held the man tight.

“So warm.” whispered the girl.

Scott leaned his head against the top of hers and allowed her to enjoy her tender moment. It was important to treat your Crystallim well, and to support them in becoming emotionally strong. They would always be dependent on humans to a degree, for their emotional stability. However, a well-adjusted crystallim was generally happy and made those around them happy as well.

Some people thought that the key to keeping the M-girl in their life happy was copious amounts of frisky sexual debauchery. That was not true. That sort of overall excitement occurred because the girl was happy. The more a Crystallim grew to like their human master, the friskier they became. Prior to puberty that connection and friskiness came in the form of rough housing and gentle play. After puberty there was a different sort of rough housing that often occurred.

Flora held her master close and nuzzled her chin against his shoulder. It felt nice, warm. Her core began to pulsate gently, an approximation of a human heart beating faster.

The first day with a new Crystallim could go many different ways. It could be exciting and frenetic, or it could be gentle and sweet. Sometimes it might be terrifying, and at other times it could be thought provoking. The bond formed between master and Crystallim caused many changes on the psychological level, and not just for the Crystallim. Human psychology was resistant to rapid changes, but subtle things did occur. Sensations such as tenderness and a desire to be near your bond-partners arose quickly.

“Master...?” asked Flora.

“Yes, Flora?” Scott answered with her name because he felt it was important to gently remind her of their names.

“Do you really like me?” asked the girl in a soft, almost timid voice.

Scott rubbed the top of her head with his cheek. “I chose you out of all the others. What does that tell you?”

She shook her head a little. “I don’t know. What should it tell me?”

Scott leaned away a little and she immediately whimpered in response. She turned her head then looked at him with a gentle, vulnerable, expression. Her master smiled at her then said, “It means that I like you, and I want to know you better.”

Flora shared a sweet smile with her new master. “I’m glad. You seem nice, master.”

“You seem nice too, Flora.” said Scott.

The light green skin of her face shifted to a darker tinge and her smile widened a little. “Do I?”

“Yes, you do. Would you like to tell me a little about yourself?” asked the hunter.

She tilted her head to the side a little then leaned forward slightly and looked him in the eyes. “What would you like to know, master?”

He considered her question. What did he want to know? He had many questions. Her status only included basic information. Why not start with something basic? “Have you had many masters?”

Flora closed her eyes then slowly opened them. “I’ve had two other masters since I awakened from thenightmare. I thought that I liked them, but later I realized that I did not.”

“Really? Why is that?” asked Scott.

The Alraune shrugged. “They told me that they liked me, but when they found a stronger Crystallim they abandoned me. I have been sold three times now.”

Scott reached out and gently gripped the girl’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It is, OK. I already like you more than either of my old masters.” said the girl. She smiled at Scott then tugged on him with her vines.

He pulled her closer in response then said, “Really? Why is that?”

Flora giggled softly then leaned in and kissed him on the nose. “You actually talk to me instead of telling me to do things.”

Scott frowned. What kind of losers was she with before? Everyone knew that Crystallim needed to interact frequently with their master to remain Lucid. “Feel free to talk with me any time that you like, OK?”

Soft green lips gently pressed against his chin. Her nose brushed against his nose, and then she caressed the side of his face with the side of hers. “You are so sweet to me. Thank you, master.”

“Flora, you can call me Scott. You do know that, right?” asked the man.

The Alraune kissed him gently on the cheek then softly whispered into his ear. “Yes, master.”

Scott fought down his immediate desire to giggle like a school boy when she blew into his ear then kissed him on the ear lobe. “You’re certainly energetic when you want to be.”

She smiled at him then nodded. “Oh, I can be. If I’m handled with care...”

“I’m pretty sure, I want to handle you any way that I can get you.” said Scott.

“Only pretty sure? Are you trying to make me cry?” asked the girl. She pouted at him in a cutesy manner then smiled.

“Maybe. I could be a jerk who gets off on making pretty girls cry, you know.” said Scott.

Flora surprised him by lunging forward and pressing him down onto the bed. At the moment he was stronger than she was, but he did not fight her advance. If she wanted to take the initiative who was he to tell her no? Well, he was her master, but that was not something he cared about in this regard.

“If you’re the kind of guy who makes pretty girls cry, why am I not crying? Aren’t I pretty?” she asked in a strangely serious tone.

Scott decided to make an attempt at being cute and poetic. “You’re a flower so beautiful that the sun rises in the morning just to see you bloom.”

She snorted at him then gently laughed. “Oh, you’re not one of those wanna-be poets are you?”

“Nope, just a guy telling his new partner that she is pretty enough to make the sun rise. What’s wrong with that?”

Flora’s face darkened to a much deeper shade of green along her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. “Be careful. If you say things like that, I might start to like you more.”

“Well, in that case I’ll have to keep doing it until you’re hopelessly into Me.” replied the hunter.

She kissed him on the nose then embraced him tightly and placed her cheek against his cheek once more. “I might already be a lost cause...”

“Good. My evil plan is working. Soon, you’ll be following me around whining about love and begging for cuddles.”

Flora giggled. “I probably will at that. I truly enjoy cuddling with you, master.”

Scott kissed his new partner gently on the ear then whispered. “Good to know.”

She squirmed against him in and enticing manner. They were off to a fairly sweet and innocent start.

***

The American National Park was a sprawling well-trafficked area that most Crystallim hunters journeyed through during their first week of their careers. Scott had been there a few times on training missions during hunter course work and field exercises.

“So, you’ve been here before, too?” asked Scott.

“Yes. My last two masters brought me here. One of them traded me for a fire type on the second day because he had really wanted one.” said Flora.

“I thought that you said you were sold three times?” asked Scott.

“Yes, twice for money. Once it was more like barter but it still counts as a sale. Either way, he decided he did not want Me.” said Flora, sadness and a hint of anger lacing her voice.

“Well, I have no plans to trade you. So, I guess you’re stuck with Me.” said Scott.

Flora slipped a vine out and used it to gently swat her master on his rear-end. “I suppose.”

Scott yelped playfully then laughed. She laughed as well. It was a nice moment as far as he was concerned.

“We have about half a day to comb the park for Crystallim. I have someone I need to meet later.”

“Someone you need to meet? Got a hot date?” she asked. There was no hint of jealousy or anger in her tone. She was merely curious.

“Maybe. I’m not really sure. She’s another hunter.”

“Will I get to meet her?” asked Flora.

“If you want, though there may be naughty hijinks and stuff.” said Scott with a smile.

“Really? Those are the best kind.” replied the Alraune. She grinned at him. Naughty hijinks sounded just lovely.

“Works for me; let’s kick a little ass then get to It.” he said.

Flora swayed her hips from side to side then nodded. She was ready.

They walked down the road toward a small line of people. There was always a line of people for just about everything near the city. Scott was used to it now, but sometimes he missed the orphanage. There were only a few hundred people in the area that he had grown up in, and there was rarely a line for anything. Most places outside of the mega-cities were like that, actually. Humanity, even after a few thousand years, only actively controlled a small portion of the Mega-Earth sized planet known as Galataea.

They mildly dynamic duo got in line and waited. A few head nods and helloes occurred, but beyond that people kept to themselves. Few of the hunters and assorted others in line had their Crystallim out, but that was to be expected. The line was long enough as it was.

When it was their turn they walked up to the park entrance and Scott spoke to the ADF park warden on duty. “Good morning, sir.”

The older man nodded to his junior. “Good morning. What is the purpose of your visit today?”

It was a common question with several common answers. Scott said, “Training. I just received my hunter’s license and need a Class-One hunting zone to work in for a while.”

“I see. Go into that other line over there and fill out the paperwork.” He pointed at another line.

Scott nodded to the man then walked over to the hunter’s line. This was the final check-point before entering the park as a licensed hunter. He could have entered as a simple visitor, but he would not have legally been allowed to hunt in the park. Doing so without filling out the necessary paperwork would lead to the possible revocation of his license.

A series of message screens popped up in front of the man. Scott filled them out one at a time. Most of them involved requests for access to his visual records if any combat occurred. It was illegal to directly tap into any citizen’s records without a court order, or blatant permission given.

After the basic paperwork was complete, he had to fill out a short questionnaire regarding legal Crystallim capture techniques in the region.

<<< Fact Checking >>>

Your hunter’s battle records indicate that you have not captured a Crystallim outside of field work during your hunter’s training. You will need to answer five random questions regarding ethical battle and capture techniques outside of a war-time environment. You will have one minute to complete all five questions. Time begins when you accept this task. If you fail the task your license will be temporarily suspended under review.

Are you ready to begin? Yes | No

>>

Scott clicked ‘yes’ and waited for the short test to begin. He was not concerned by the requirement. He had to answer questions like this on a frequent basis, anyway. The ADF was a stickler for many things, and the American City Council wanted to be certain that it’s hunter-trainees were well-versed in the laws and capture techniques.

<<< Begin >>>

Q.1. If you come across another hunter who is currently battling a nightmare, which of the following options is correct.

A. Ignore the scene completely and keep moving.

B. Observe the scene quietly, and determine if the hunter needs assistance.

C. Observe the scene quietly, and determine if the hunter is performing ethical capture techniques.

D. Help the hunter take down the Crystallim as soon as you see the conflict.

E. Attack the Crystallim in an attempt to capture her yourself.

>>

Scott read the answers carefully then chose options ‘B’ and ‘C.’ He was greeted by a message that said, “Correct.”

<<< Continue >>>

Q.2. You are currently battling a nightmare. Your Crystallim are losing the fight. Which of the following options is considered to be ethical?

A. Attack the Crystallim directly in order to aid your team.

B. Use any items or abilities in your possession to bolster your team’s capacity.

C. Use any items or abilities in your possession to weaken the Crystallim without inflicting direct injury.

D. Flee.

E. Do nothing and wait to see the result.

>>

Scott chose every option except for option ‘A.’ No hunter should directly attack a Crystallim unless it was absolutely necessary for self-preservation. He received another correct message and the next question popped up.

<<< Continue >>>

Q.3. When is it ethical for a human to directly attack a Crystallim without the permission of the Crystallim?

A. Never.

B. Always.

C. If the Crystallim directly attacks the human first.

D. In order to stop a Crystallim that is attacking a human.

E. If the Crystallim is under the control of subversive forces such as a criminal organization.

>>

Scott chose the last three options then smiled when he received another message citing that he was correct. The next two questions were basic items as well. They were actually carefully reworded versions of two of the other questions. He nearly answered wrongly on the last one, but changed his mind at the last moment and received a final message citing that he was correct.

He finished the short test with eight seconds to spare. It had been a bit longer than he had suspected with that time limit, but he had still completed it. The line moved forward and soon they were able to greet the next park warden.

“Welcome to the American National Park. There are transit points set up at ranger stations in each zone. If you get into trouble, please head to the nearest station.” said the older woman. She was probably at least in her late nineties since she had a small touch of grey in her hair. Of course, that could be cosmetically chosen as well. It was hard to tell someone’s age by looking at them.

“Of course, thank you. So, we are free to enter?” asked Scott.

“Yes. You have a day pass. If you wish to hunt for a lengthier period of time in the future, you will need to purchase a season pass.” replied the woman with a curt nod.

Scott would not purchase that pass. They were expensive, and honestly the only thing they granted was the privilege to legally hunt for more than twenty-four hours in the park. He could simply transit out and then get back in line if he wanted to hunt for more than one day at a time. After he had a full team of four, the most Crystallim he was allowed to equip until his ninety-day review ended, he would probably never come into this park again.

They stepped forward and walked into a transit point that lead to sector four, the section Scott chose as their entrance point. Sector four was close to the lake.

Flora looked around for a moment then smiled. “Nice view.”

Scott followed her gaze and looked out at the pristine lake. Far beyond the lake, a tall mountain rose toward the sky. There was an evergreen forest surrounding the water as well, a truly picturesque scene.

“Yeah, I think so too.” said the man before turning to his new partner. “Ready to kick a little ass?”

“Definitely.” she said with a smile.

They left the sector four ranger station and headed toward the lake. The area was filled with people enjoying their day. Scott and Flora would need to cross the boundary and head to the far side of the lake. The boundary lines were designed to keep the general public away from the areas where nightmares were known to spawn.

The public could enjoy the park, and nature could continue to give life to her daughters in peace. In the thousands of years since humanity had developed limited space travel, man had finally learned the lessons of ecology and natural living. They still built their mega-cities, but the planets that they lived on were all vibrant and filled with life. Well, except or the mining colonies on dead worlds that did not have life on them to begin with.

Flora and Scott walked through the crowds of happy people and took in the sight of man and Crystallim frolicking in the bounty of nature. Scott pointed out a Giantess serving tea to a centaur, and Flora giggled sweetly. She looked up then pointed out a group of Avia flying around while holding a chair in their talons. A small boy sat in the chair and he cheered like he was having the adventure of a lifetime.

On their way to the boundary a young man with blond hair ran up to them. “Hey, are you a hunter?”

Scott nodded to the teen and he clapped his hands together. The blond said, “I’m trying to get into the battle-net so that I can join a league. Would you like to have a battle with me and my team?”

“I wouldn’t mind it, but unfortunately I just started my career. I only have my first partner. I would not raise your ranking much since we are both level one, still.” admitted Scott. Was that too much information to share? In the wilds: yes. In the city park: no.

“Oh, well, thank you anyway. I came here thinking that I would be able to find a lot of hunters, but there are mostly campers here.” said the teen.

“Yeah, I noticed that there were a lot of people. Have you considered trying sector nine? It’s a grassland area. Fewer people go out there to just have a picnic due to all the tall grass.”

“Hey, not a bad idea. I better be careful though, lots of nightmares like to hang out in the tall grass.” said the younger almost man.

Scott grinned at him. That was certainly true. Crystallim did like to appear in the tall grass around that area. He had done field work there frequently. He wanted to try to acquire a water type for the synergy effect with Flora, however. Otherwise, he would have headed out that way instead.

They parted ways with the gladiator wanna-be and continued toward the boundary. Scott and Flora were accosted a few more times by young people who wanted to battle, but when they realized the current level and status of their intended opponents they sighed and went away. It would be nearly impossible to make a name for yourself just by fighting level-one Noobs, even if you were technically a Noob yourself.

Finally, they moved beyond the boundary. A soft shimmering light provided the evidence of the change in the nature of the world. On this side of the boundary the world was quiet and pristine. It was the real image of the world without noisy humanity involved in the equation.

“Alright. Let’s see if we can liberate a few ladies from their Nightmare status.” said Scott.

“Yes, let’s.” said Flora. She grew her vines out slightly and took on a ready appearance. She had already gotten her head in the game.

Unfortunately, the National Park was a hard place to locate a Nightmare. The constant over-hunting of the area kept the park safe and the general level of the Nightmares low. However, it also meant that it was harder to even find one.

Scott and Flora walked around the large lake a few times, they did not dare go into it due to the fact that neither of them would be a match for a Nightmare in the water. You needed water types or a high-level to deal with an aquatic battle.

The sun had started to set before they finally caught a lead on a possible capture. A splash occurred, just a tiny little splash at the edge of the water. It was the sort of thing that most people might not notice. However, by some random act of chance Scott had looked in that direction just as it had happened.

“Get ready Flora. I think we found one.” said Scott.

The Alraune turned toward the water then nodded. Nothing happened for a moment so Scott leaned down and picked up a rock. He tossed it toward the water. Suddenly, the water erupted furiously and an incredibly beautiful sight emerged.

A creature who was half fish, half supermodel rose up out of the water in a glorious display of feminine grace. The mermaid snatched the rock out of the air.

Flora launched her vines out and gripped the nightmare around the waist. The mermaid cried out in surprise and tried to struggle. However, she was too close to the shore and could not gain traction.

The Alraune pulled the fish-girl out of the water and onto dry land. Her aquatic powers were cut in half by that action, but that by no means meant that she was out of the fight.

The Nightmare glared at the plant girl. “Come play with me in the water. It’ll be fun.” She then slapped her fishy tail down on the ground. Water shot out of the lake in a tight, high-pressure, spear. Flora was hit on the shoulder and she cried out in pain.

“No, thank you.” politely replied Flora. She did not give in to the pain from the minor injury. This was a battle of wills just as much as it was a battle of skill. Had the mermaid been in the water it would have been a much stronger attack, and even the minor resistance to water damage that plant-types usually possessed would not have saved her from taking greater damage.

The Alraune dragged the girl further and further from the water. Scott watched carefully and tried to avoid attracting attention. It would be unethical to get directly involved unless the girl attacked him. They the girls battle it out for the sake of bringing that poor mermaid to full consciousness.

The mermaid cried out in panic then took a deep breath. She unleashed a loud discordant screech that caused Flora to clutch her ears then fall to the ground. Scott did not fare much better despite being outside the primary attack range of the sonic effect. He clutched his ears as well then staggered back.

Their intended target used the momentary distraction to try and crawl back to the water while dragging Flora with her. If she reached the water it was over. Whether she continued to fight or flee, they would not be able to beat her in her own element.

Scott recovered before the Alraune due to his slightly higher vitality. He called up his inventory screen then chose to even the odds a little. He could not ethically attack the girl directly and do damage, but he could certainly inflict a status effect on her.

The hunter opened his hand and a small spherical device shimmered into existence in his hand. It was light blue with metal electrodes. Scott set it to a three-second discharge. It would go off in three seconds. He tossed the thunder grenade at the mermaid in a casual manner, it bounced off of her fishy bottom and she turned to look at what had hit her. Just as she did, the grenade went off.

A loud bang and a brilliant flash of light engulfed the Nightmare. She cried out in surprise then went limp. She had been afflicted with a mild form of stun. The modern day version of a flash bang grenade did little to no lasting damage, but it did have a high chance to stun an opponent.

Flora recovered not long after. She immediately dragged the mermaid back with all of the strength she could muster. The Nightmare did not resist much as she was still stunned. Soon, she had been dragged nearly to the tree line, a good distance from the water.

The Alraune was now in her element, the forest and grass! She immediately used her attunement to plant life to cause vines and roots to sprout from the ground. They wrapped around the stunned mermaid then held her tight. Flora quickly began to lash the girl with her personal vines after that. Vine whip after vine whip rained down on the girl. Eventually, she succumbed to the attacks and lost cohesion. A small blue crystal sphere appeared then fell to the earth below.

“Good job, Flora!” said Scott excitedly. They had managed to defeat a mermaid Nightmare. They were somewhat rare in this lake, but common in a few others. They were most common near the ocean, however.

The Alraune smiled thinly at him then clutched her shoulder. The light green skin had taken on a dark, angry, shade and several small lacerations bled lightly. The mermaid’s water spear attack was potent even when she was physically removed from the water. Had the angry fish girl actually been in the water at the time, Flora might have had a massive hole instead of a few minor scratches and pressure bruises. Of course, plant-type Crystallim were usually strong against water attacks to a small degree, so that did help things as well.

Scott walked over and placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder. “Do you want to use your abilities to heal, or would you like for me to use an item?”

“I can do it master.” said Flora. She kissed him softly on the cheek then stepped away from him. The Alraune spread her arms out wide then leaned back and lifted her chin up. She faced toward the sun for a moment and then the world around her grew slightly darker. She had activated solar absorption. She sacrificed a little of her vital force in the short term but the effect would last until she had completely healed or she was forced to stop.

Less than a minute later she was completely healed of her minor damage and had regained all of her vital force. She lowered her head and the absorption effect came to an end.

While Flora was healing, Scott had moved forward and collected the blue water Crystallim core. Now that she had been forced out of her Nightmare state it would be possible to communicate with the true mind of the girl. A Nightmare was like a living prison. The true personality was trapped inside and had to see herself performing actions that she could not control. That was why Crystallim found in nature were considered Nightmares. They were a dark and twisted version of that girl’s true heart.

You did not always have to beat them in a fight, but you still had to force the loss of cohesion so that you could acquire their core. Only then could a human try to reach the mind of the Crystallim and help them form a bond and become emotionally stable.

The mermaid had immediately attempted a lethal response once she had been ensnared. That might seem like a common sense answer, but it was telling of her nature. In her Nightmare state she had not tried to talk beyond a threat, and instead of attempting to communicate in a meaningful manner she had immediately tried to kill. That was common, and the hunting party had gotten lucky.

Had Scott not noticed that subtle splash, the mermaid would have potentially attacked them from behind with a much stronger attack. Mermaid Nightmares were known man-eaters after all. They would bludgeon and pierce their prey with water spears then dragged them beneath the surface.

Stronger mermaids, such as the siren, would even develop their screech into beautiful songs that ensnared the senses. They would then lure humans to their doom by causing them to drown themselves in an attempt to reach the origin of that song.

Scott held the sphere in his hands and checked its resonance. He eventually saw two numbers. Those numbers were one percent and ninety-nine percent. That proved two things. She really had been a Nightmare. It was not always easy to tell such things when close to human civilization. She might have been a stray or perhaps she was simply separate from her master. The second thing it proved was that she was an F-Rank. She had probably never had a master before.

She would not doubt prove to be a wild Nightmare, as opposed to the offspring of a human and a Crystallim.

The hunter gazed upon the sphere for a moment then said, “Hello.”

The only response he received was a soft and pitiful sob. The Crystallim was obviously frightened and upset. She would have been born alone, lived her life alone, and existed as an incomplete personality trapped inside her own mind. It would have been a hellish existence for a human, and it was no doubt similar for her. There was also the fact that she had just been conquered by two people she had never met before.

“Hello. My name is Scott. I have come to help you.” said the man.

She sobbed a little louder then made a sniffling sound. He repeated himself then gently said, “I want to be friends with you, if you’ll let me.”

The tiny little crystal sphere sniffled a little more, but eventually words were spoken. “H-how can I believe that...?”

It was a start! The girl had a natural resonance with him of only one percent. That meant she at least had a minor interest in him, or someone like him. His resonance stat granted up to a ninety-nine percent chance to form a bond, but he had to first create a real connection with the girl. That could take some time.

“I can’t tell you what to believe. I can only tell you, that I am here for you. Your Nightmare is over.”

The tiny little crystal unleashed a few sobs. Light flashed around it and tiny little tendrils of ethereal energy began to form. “R-really...?”

“Yes. If you can’t accept me as a friend, I can take you somewhere that will help you eventually find someone who you can trust. OK?” said Scott.

The crystal brightened a little further. “Friend... What... is a friend?”

The fact that the crystal brightened meant that she was curious and interested in the concept at least. She did not know what it was, but Scott’s kind demeanor had made her feel a little safer.

“A friend is someone who cares about you, protects you, spends time with you... If you have a friend, you won’t have to feel lonely all the time.”

The Crystallim core dimmed slightly for a moment then suddenly brightened to a far stronger degree than before. “You... you want to spend time with me?”

Scott knew that it was time. He had to try to initiate the bond while the girl was interested. If he didn’t manage it, he might have to wait a little while to try again. She would need time to think it over, as it were.

He envisioned the girl he had seen leap out of the water. He thought strongly about simple things like holding her hand, or hugging her close while he stood in the water with her. He thought of hugs, and gentle kisses, and all manner of sweet things.

The core brightened slightly and Scott received an image as well. The bond was starting to form. However, the image he received was a bit different than what he had thought. It was the image of the girl from before crying out in ecstatic bliss as he hotly pumped his man-hammer into her soft, pink folds. Romance was something she appreciated, but this fish wanted to be feisty!

Scott immediately sent back another erotic image. He thought strongly about sliding into her sweet folds while massaging her breasts and gazing down at her in a loving, but authoritative manner.

The crystal practically exploded with light and began to vibrate wildly. A soft dinging sound caught his attention.

<<< Message >>>

Congratulations!

You have formed a bond with a wild Crystallim. Please treat her kindly and help her grow into a strong and productive person.

- American City Council.

>>

“Ha. Ha. I got a mermaid!” exclaimed Scott happily before kissing the Crystallim core. The blue sphere grew slightly darker where he kissed it. Though the change it color was most likely due to moisture and atmospheric issues, it did give off the impression that the crystal had blushed.

Scott placed her into a slot on his armguard then watched as blue lines of light joined with the green lines from before.

He now had two girls to work with. His new friend would have limited usage outside of the water at the moment, but when she reached a high-enough level to evolve to the second-tier she would be able to switch between aquatic and terrestrial forms. In short, she would be able to grow legs and walk on land.

He walked over to Flora and gave her a warm kiss on the cheek. “Your new sister will need to rest for a while before I can manifest her properly. Do you want to call it a day?”

“Sure.” said Flora.

Scott and his Alraune friend walked away from the lakeshore and headed for the boundary. They had made a new friend, and would no doubt make more in the future. For now, however, it was time to go back to the room and prepare for the night’s activities. He was supposed to meet up with Alexis at nineteen hundred. That was only a few hours away.

On the way out of the park, he checked Flora’s status and noticed that she had gained three experience points. Not bad, but they would need to head to another part of the park. It would have been a sad day for him, if his new fishy friend had not sparked with him. Making money was nice. Making new friends to adventure with was even better, especially when they thought of sexy happenings as a proper way to get to know each other.

Idly, he wondered how his status would change. He would check on his new friend’s status after she calmed down a little. He should receive a few experience points for both leading a team that defeated a Nightmare, and bonding with a new Crystallim, but that sort of thing was awarded at dawn.

Everything that he did and chose to report before sunrise, provided that he shows proof, would be totaled. He would receive experience and rewards in accordance to his job performance. He did not have to report every day, especially if he was out in the field. He could make a singular report upon returning to a town. If he was in the field for a long time and did many things, he could increase his overall status and level dramatically all at once. Of course, that was just his backlog of experience and rewards catching up. If he reported in daily, he would have slower but steadier growth.

He had not done much in the fight, so he had not received any direct experience. Using status effect items did not count. Direct experience was more of a Crystallim thing, anyway.