Hello Charlotte.

What the- who- who’s talking to me?!

I’m your Catalogue.

Oh, I was waiting for you to appear, but why are you talking to me? Where even are you?

I’m in your head, there’s a lot of space tbh, and Air. Lots of Air.

Did you just say: “Tee-bee-haych”

Maybe-

Also, why does mine talk to me? I was hoping for some sort of Status Menu, with Numbers, and Skills, not some idiot!

I have Skills and Numbers, I’m just more accurate than Video Games, because you’re a living Creature. I mean seriously, what do you get from ‘100’ as your Strength Stat? No, instead I describe your strength to you more accurately, and how you would naturally apply it.

Hey, don’t you bash on MMOs, and Video Games!

I’m actually taking reference to those Stories you read in your Previous Life.

Don’t you dare-

I do dare. Yes, I find that using Statistics like that to be weird. I mean, if a Human’s Strength would be at 100, then would an Ant be 0.1? Also, nobody uses all of their Strength, not even when fighting, so wouldn’t it be more accurate to put something like 80/100 or something?

Dude, are you aware we’re in that exact situation?

YOU’RE in that exact situation.

How do you even know about my Previous Life?

Because you do. You actually know everything I do, I’m just another Consciousness that manages all of this for you, because it would be too inefficient for you to do it all on your own.

I could manage it just fine!

I’m not saying you can’t. But do you really want to waste your time with the Menu?

Actually, I might go for that, I mean, it’s not like I do much else all day.

Or you know, you could just ask, and we can talk about it.

Oh. So you’re here to talk to me?

Whenever you would like to.

You said other People have a Menu like you?

Their's are a bit different, more focused, and attuned to their personality. I’m still young, so I’m trying to attune myself to your Personality, since we keep arguing.

Oh, do they talk to theirs too?

Of course they do, look at Flare, notice how She’s looking around? Doesn’t she almost look like She’s discussing something with someone in her Head?

Oh yeah, I guess She does. So what ARE my Stats, and Skills?

I’m glad you asked, currently you have 2 Skills you haven’t named yet, let’s call them Shape Manipulation, and Mana Organization, aside from those 2 you have the Skill you named: Pressurization. Not a bad Name.

Thank you. I think I get what Shape Manipulation does, but what about Mana Organization?

Mana Organization allows you to collect the Mana holding your Body together, and use it elsewhere, so if you wanted to, you could pull away some of your Mana, and consume a bit of your Body.

But wouldn’t that hurt?

No, because it would no longer be part of your Body. Oh, and you can gather Mana in anything that is Water, that’s how you can expand your Body.

Oh, so I can decide to either consume the Water, or make it part of me.

Yep.

I take a moment to test what my new Partner has taught me. It works, I become a bit smaller, but I can feel my Mana increase, and on top of that I'm lighter.

Hey, I can consume anything in the Water I put my Mana in?

I believe so, wait a minute-

So that means I could Purify the Water right?

Good job Charlotte! You just created your first Skill!

Wait, really?!

Yes, I’m so proud of you! Now you have 4 Skills!

Oh cool, what’s its Name?

It doesn’t have one yet, how about you come up with this one’s Name?

Oh, I see, let’s call it: “Water Purification”

I like it, good Name. Would you like to move onto your Stats now?

Yes please!

Alright, with your Pressurization Skill, at full power, you can crush something with about 100 PSI of crushing force. But since you’re just a Baby, your subconscious won’t let you exert more than 10, because you could crush yourself into an explosion without thinking, and I'm sure you're well aware of how your Body would take to that..

So that’s how strong I am, how about Durability and Mana?

At the moment, if you really stretched it, you could double your size, but you would become much weaker. And you’re about as tough as you are strong, so if someone takes a swing at you, try and pressurize your body, in hopes you take the hit.

But since I’m a Baby Puddle, I’m still too weak to actually take much of a hit.

You got it!

You know, you’re not so bad after all.

I’m glad you think so, oh, I should mention, there’s also Titles and Quests you should be aware of. You don’t have any Titles just yet, but you do have a Quest.

No way, I got a Quest?!

Yeah, your current Quest is to Eat your Bowl.

Oh, that’s a bit weird, and couldn’t that kill Me?

Yeah, but when you get a larger container, you can just take it with you, and consume it there.

Well, a Quest is a Quest, what about rewards?

Not sure, I think it's just an item.

Weird, well I hope I get that new container soon, I wanna' know what it does.

Yes, I would also like to know what the Item is.

As I talk to the new Voice in my Head, the Elevator lowers, and some of the Kids run over to Mother.

Mother’s home!

We should really figure out Her Name.

Mother greets all of her Children, taking what’s left of my Attention…

Stay calm, the Universe doesn’t revolve around you.

Fine…

I sit here and wait until Mother is done hugging all of the Children who were happy to see her.

One of the Children asks if Mother brought them a Gift, She pulls out a Wooden Sword from some sort of Dark Cloud, and finally says: “Here you are Zoltin, your first Training Sword.”

Zoltin is mesmerized by the existence of his new Toy. When he grabs it, he screams with excitement and Runs off waving it about. The Children that he runs past avoid the little berserker and giggle as their Sibling goes absolutely ape with his new Toy.

Mother pulls out some other Items for the other Children, and they all run off with their new Items after thanking Mother. When Mother is finished giving attention to all of Her Children, she walks up to Me, her Dark Cloud expanding in size. Mother pulls out a Tall Stand with a Bowl on it. It’s a Bird Bath. Mother picks me up and places my Bowl into the much larger Bird Bath and says: “I know this isn’t it’s INTENDED purpose, but I felt like it would be a great place for you to grow in.” Mother pours my Body out into the Bird Bath, and leaves my Bowl next on its ledge.

Wow, a new Home!

I would have preferred something like a Fish Bowl, but we could work with this.

Yeah, I admit it’s not much bigger, but at least we have more room to Grow. Hey, should we try to expand yet?

I guess it wouldn’t be a bad idea, our Mana HAS expanded thanks to the Food your siblings have been giving you.

Mother pours some Water and Food into my Body, and watches, most likely wanting to see how I take in Food and Water. I consume the Food, and expand my size with the Water, before I consume the rest of it.

Mother claps as She realizes I just expanded my size, and looks to the side, saying: “Hey, everyone, your Sibling is getting bigger, come see!”

Some of the Children come over to me, while Mother uses her Sword to cut a line in the Stone Bird Bath, measuring my Height.

I take a look at Calvin, and it turns out He’s fast asleep. I guess He fell asleep while I was talking to the voice in my Head.

Flare comes over to see me, and says: “Oh, you’re right Momma. Do you think it’s time to finally Name them?”

I forgot all about that, they still need to name me!

I didn’t, I just didn’t bring it up because we can’t really speak atm.

Oh right, yeah, that’s really been a problem hasn’t it.

When we’re bigger, you’ll be able to talk to people. Really, we just need to figure out how we would do it with our Body.

Maybe some sort of Telepathy Skill?

That could work, but it would require Mana, which I would personally prefer to use for getting bigger first.

Yeah, I see what you mean, we’re still pretty tiny.

While I got caught up discussing with the voice in my head, Mother came up with a Name: “How about Dripply-Genesis, wouldn’t that be cute?” But then Flare cuts in with: “Or maybe Verosaban-Genesis!” Another child cuts in with: “What about Demitalis-Genesis?” And once more: “Clovalin-Genesis!” And so on with: “Symmetratine-Genesis!” And even further with: “Metaleer-Genesis!” And just when you thought it was done, someone drops another Name: “Jevelinavan-Genesis!”

Children start spouting off Weird Names as I sit here. Mother finally cuts in and calms the Children, saying: “Alright, alright, those are all Wonderful Names, I’ll be sure to consider each of them, when choosing your sibling’s Name.”

Well, it’s taking a while, but at least I’m finally getting my Name. They’re so weird though.

I guess those Names are just normal here. Which one do you like the most?

I think I kind of like: “Verosaban” I like how it sounds like the Name of a Fairy.

I think I like the Name: “Demitalis” I like how it has a feeling of Superiority to it.

Veloura exits the Door, with the Bandage still on her Arm, with a Red spot where my Water Pierced it. Veloura walks over to Mother, and I notice that the other side of the Bandage has also been stained Red. It looks like I hurt her worse than I thought, the Water Spike went straight through her Arm. It must have taken all day just to get it to stop bleeding.

Veloura I’m so sorry!

Right, when you involuntarily disconnect from your Mana, your Body panics and does anything it can think of to get it back as quickly as possible.

I already knew that, what’s your point?

I’m guessing it takes on the Spike Approach because that’s the most structurally stable, and longest reaching form it can take.

That makes sense, a cubic rectangle might be heavy, and a whip would be too complicated and hard to predict.

I stretched out my Body to see if I could make the Whip, and I swung it around, nearly hitting Flare in the face. Oh right, She was still here. Flare floats out of the Way, watching intently. After I make sure Flare is out of the way, I try using the Whip some more, but it’s really heavy, and it’s really hard to control it.

Why is it so hard to use this thing?

I heard that Octopi have multiple Brains to control their Tentacles. What if you used Joints instead?

Oh, good idea, I’ll try that!

While I’m testing out my potential new Skill, I notice Veloura talking to Mother.

I build a spike that goes straight up, and it’s actually a lot easier, it’s hard to hold it up, but I’m doing it. After I decide where the Joints will be, I start messing with it, and after that, I compress my body, and create 4 spider-like legs, and I begin trying to hold myself up.

I actually manage to hold myself with my new Legs, and I try to walk around. Before I can make any major movements, I hear a high pitched scream coming from where Veloura is.

I look at Veloura, and I find Her backed up into Mother’s front, staring at me, so is Mother actually, and the rest of the Children are behind Mother, all staring at me too. Veloura’s scream had woken up the other Children, even Calvin, and they looked around, until they noticed me and also took on similar Expressions. Calvin on the other Hand, had the expression of someone who had just found an Abomination. Calvin darted towards me and screamed: “BURN IT BEFORE IT LAYS EGGS!!!” And with that, he charged up his fire breath, and I felt my Life flash before my eyes, until Mother had somehow stepped in front and created some sort of Glowing Shield that blocked the Flames from reaching me.

Mother lowers the Shield, and screams: “DON’T TOUCH MY BABY!!!” Calvin stops immediately, and sits still, like a Dog who had just been yelled at by its owner. After I regain my senses, My Body lowers itself back into its original position, and everyone begins to calm down.

Veloura walks around me, and up to Mom, saying: “Mom, what is that thing you have brought into our Home?...” Veloura points at me, as though I’m some sort of Crime against Nature.

Mother looks at Veloura, and says: “They’re still a Puddle Baby, they’re just trying to figure out how to get around without living in a Lake or Pond. They’re not trying to hurt you.”

That’s right, my Species lives in Lakes and Puddles…

We should probably avoid the Lakes and Ponds around us though, a lot of the Domesticated Animals actually drink from them.

Oh right, good job on your New Skill. What do you plan to name it?

How about: “Water Limb Creation”

I like it, good name.

Mother walks back over to me, to see how I’m doing, and the Children have calmed down, and start to approach me again. Once Mother is sure I’m fine, She places Her Hand on me. I decide to test out ‘Mana Organization’, and Her hand dips into my body. pushing the water out of it’s way. Since I removed my Mana from that area, My Body doesn’t panic, and I realize I could actually consume her Hand, if I were strong enough to break it down. Mother pulls Her Hand out, and it drips with Water. I try to raise my Body, trying to reclaim my lost Water. Mother picks me up with Her Hand, and I compress my Body around Her Hand, completely absorbing the forein Moisture.

Good job, you learned 2 new Skill, let’s call the first one Water Absorption.

Oh, nice, so all I do is stick to the Water with my Body. but what about the other one?

The other one allows you to travel through Seams, like how your Water did when Mother Absorbed it.

Ah, I see, let’s call it Seamless Water then.

Oh my~, sounds fancy, I love it.

Thank you.

I drop myself back into my Bird Bath, and Veloura walks up. Veloura asks Mother if I hurt Her in any way, and Mother tells Her that She’s just fine.

Mother tries to teach the Children that I’m not dangerous, and that I’m really not trying to eat or attack them.

Mother walks back over to me, and pushes Her hand into my Body again, doing it in the exact same way that Veloura did, saying: “See, it’s fine, they’ve already gotten better control of their Body, they really didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Veloura walks over and places Her Hand on my Surface, and finally calms down around me.

The other Children join in, and I think the majority of them are no longer afraid of me.

Thank you Mother, they finally don’t think I’m so dangerous.

Thank goodness, I was worried we’d have to fight our Siblings some day.

What- No-

Well, unless you want to die, you would have to defend yourself. The other Children wouldn’t have stood still for long, with the nagging fear that one of their siblings might be killed by us.

Just, shut up man. What would we have done anyways?

Alright, maybe the Limb Ability wasn’t actually your idea.

What are you talking about?

I was afraid we might Die, so I was trying to guide you to getting proper movement control, and then we would try and raid the Kitchens and grow as large as possible, until we could fight Calvin, and escape.

Oh my fuck. What is wrong with you?!

I was trying to protect our siblings by removing our presence, so they don’t do something they regret.

Fine. Fine. I’ll forgive you, but we’re stuck with each other, we have to work together, you jackass, don’t hide things from me like that.

Alright, I understand, I won’t do it ever again.

Thank you. Hey, you need a Name- What should I call you?

I don’t know, I’ll come up with something soon.

End of Chapter 3: “Finally, after so long, you appear…”

Thanks for reading!

Yes, thank you.