Humans are social creatures.

It’s how we’ve grown as a civilisation, and a species. Our attachment to one another allowed us to hunt as a group and support the weaker members of our society, which in turn allowed for further specialisation, but that’s another discussion.

Humans are social creatures, and while I can certainly understand the maxim, I’ve rather suddenly grown weary of it. Or perhaps it would be wrong to say suddenly, as in truth my patience has been rather viciously worn through over the passage of hours.

“Oh, that’s strange, you lost my contact?” Flower-girl Alo says as we exchange messages once more, already she’s trying to hold a separate private conversation through the exchange of messages. I feel like I’m suddenly a popular high school girl, getting texts and messages every other second. But even then, those messages were limited by how fast a high school girl could twitch their thumbs over a smartphone screen.

Currently I’m drowning in conversations that I can barely keep up with even using my trick Skill made just for that. When people are limited only by the speed at which they think you might think that conversation would end rather quickly.

You’d be fucking wrong.

By some fuckery that even magic cannot explain, these people always find something new to talk about, and I have to play a game of conversational catch with a dozen different opponents all at their own pace.

Eshya’s short replies when I have something to ask her, are almost as a sweet salve to my mind. Though one that’s scrubbed away as I try to match the pace of my other conversational partners.

“Sorry about not bringing it up sooner, I’ve had trouble with my support device. Everything should be fine from now on though” I say, quite glad that she doesn’t actually know more about how these things work. I don’t need everyone figuring out that I’m using a new Chip. Even if Adler’s already suggest that it should be fine.

Apparently, if it doesn’t technically break the rules then there’s nothing wrong.

While I absolutely despise this lazy way of thinking, I’ll certainly abuse it when it’s my enemies making the mistake.

“We’re friends again, yay.” Alo says, hoping on the spot joyfully, “Have you been busy with studying? It’s so difficult to put effort into studying something like fighting. I can read tactics all day, but hurting things just feels wrong, you know?”

I don’t, but I really mustn’t share that little truth bomb.

We’re heading out towards the prison where Red and the others are kept. Alo keeps talking, sending a few massages on the side and I casually reply using half my mind, while going back over my strategy.

Distractions are dangerous, so I’ve taken this chance to cut off the conversations with at least half of the people that I’m speaking with. While the cute spiderling girl from alchemy might one day prove a valuable asset, right now I have bigger beasts to break from prison.

Vii, Eshya, Adler, and I have planned to split upon entry to leave ‘tags’ on those ‘beasts’ that we want to save when it comes time.

So, with a touch I can now tag a person and know where they are at all times, steal their Skills, drain their mana, and pull out their brain-chips. My love for guns and the general idea of killing people from as far away as possible, seems to be contradicted by my own Skillset.

I’m betrayed by my own talents.

I set aside my gripes and look over my current tag list, which includes Vii, Eshya, and Adler. All the information I can get about them is their general direction and distance, so it’s not quite as advanced as my old mobile phone.

It’s always good practice to just assume that there’s someone in the room listening to you when you have a computer or phone in the house, especially if you’re someone important enough to actually matter.

“Remember what I’ve said before.” Our taming teacher says, the same large half-lizard woman with fading pink scales. “No attacking any of the beasts. Also, I’ll need you to be careful around those who are less well behaved.”

With this we’re lead down the stairs into the reclaimed upper ruins where the beasts are kept. What makes this part of the ruins special, while the rest is off limits, I don’t know. At this point, I’m not even sure how many of the people responsible for decision making actually know the answer to that question. Inefficient bureaucracy at it’s finest.

Perhaps the best way to swing for the metaphorical kneecaps here, would be to set fire to all their paperwork. That and melt all their chips. Maybe Nel can help me develop a brain-chip ‘virus’ to melt all their precious support devices and chips while I’m at it, kicking for the metaphorical balls.

The other students quieten down quiet quickly as we head down the stairs and come face to face with the absolutely horrifying image of… placid animals, and plants—I’m not speciesist—all wondering around mumbling their thoughts as if half way to brain dead. I’d guess that while half are pretending, the placebo lobotomies did their magic for the other half.

We’ve decided to leave the less intelligent species to their fates— I may not be speciesist, but I will absolutely discriminate against those too stupid to be useful—instead we’ll focus our efforts on saving those who are capable of fluent communication which also seem inclined to work with us.

I figure there might be quite a few considering some people here are already on the chopping block—literally, rather than figuratively. Though it’ll be a butcher rather than a headsman that’ll be doing the chopping.

That said, these peaceful people are something of a mixed bag. While Adler and Eshya head out quite quickly into the cells where the more dangerous beasts are being kept, Vii and I hold back to figure out what to do with the people gathered here.

The same blue crystalline girl from the last time is now sitting with a different group of students. She’s clattering away in her seat making quite a racket without even trying, the movement speaking of a terror that she can’t give voice to. Her gaze is deliberately turned away from me.

“Hello there, how are you all doing?” I ask, taking a spare seat at their table.

“Oh, hello.” Says a small plant, he’s twisted himself up into a sad imitation of an elvish form. Some of his branches look to have been snaped off, and there’s friction marks all over where he’s tried to file away lumps and bumps that don’t match the new aesthetic.

It’d be a genuinely horrifying sight if he wasn’t a plant. Somehow, I just can’t feel the same horror as I know the situation deserves.

“Where are the other two?” I ask, carefully placing a hand on the blue crystalline woman, stealing her Skills and placing a tag in one move. So long as she hasn’t broken down completely, I get the feeling she’ll be alright with breaking out of this kennel.

She pulls her hand away from me and holds it close to herself. She grips tightly to the front of her shirt, as tremors pass through her body.

“Sorry,” She says, staring down at my hand in horror, “I moved too quickly, I didn’t hurt you, did I? I… I didn’t mean to.”

“I’m fine.” I say, waving my uninjured hand around before her. “What about you? Do you need anything?”

“No, nononono. I’m good.” She says, “I’m good.”

“There were a pair who attempted to escape shortly after we moved here.” Says the third person, a tall, thin young woman, with long brown hair. While her torso is pretty much that of an elf or a human, her arms and legs are thick with brown fur, and her fingers end in dangerous seeming clipped claws. The rounded ears atop her head are certainly not human, but I can’t place it to an animal either. If anything, it’s like the rounded ears of a teddy bear.

She may be fluffy, but not nearly as fluffy as Fluffy Butt.

“They were moved to the more secure section of this facility.” She says slowly, enouncing every word clearly. Unlike others, her language sounds more complete if that’s a thing, and I think she might have lived without a translator for a time.

“I wasn’t involved.” The blue crystalline girl says quickly, “I… I didn’t know. I wasn’t involved.”

I reach out for her and place a hand on her shoulder, hoping to soothe her. If she’s truly broken, it might be best to leave her here.

As much as I’d like to save everyone, I can’t handle the burden of an invalid. We’re on the warpath, not a stroll through the gardens.

“It’s alright.” I say firmly, and confidently hoping to find some spark still bright within her.

As she meets my gaze, she slowly stops shaking, and calms her breathing. Whatever she’s been through, it must’ve been rough, but I do see a shining light in the depths of her eyes.

I’ll have to make sure that I find those other two, I know that the dragon was a combat course student, and if they tried to escape then I’m sure they’ve got the sort of nature that I’m after.

“What sort of talents do you have?” I ask trying to pull the conversation somewhere else, “What sort of work do you have experience with?”

“Cultivation… farming.” The crystal girl says, “Happy little seedlings. Soft soil, and plants, all colourful, all bright.”

“Sewing. Clothes crafting.” Says the little seedlings, “I didn’t even know clothes were a thing until I got here. Now they’re my life. Clothes are good and important, but my body wasn’t good at wearing clothes, so I need to change.”

The poor, little sapling starts rubbing two branches against each other, slowly carving them away. He seems strangely cheerful, but I think he might be a little too broken, and I’m not talking about the self-modification.

While I’m sure he’d be lovely as a self-trimming garden hedge, I’m not quite so sure about bringing him along into the deeper ruins. That, and the poor fella won’t get any sunlight.

“Hiding.” Says the tall, teddy bear woman, “I’m talented in stealth, but there’s few valuable uses for stealth here.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.” I say, leaning in closer, “And your ‘taming’ is coming along nicely?”

She taps her clipped claw on the table in thought, her eyes meet mine as she quietly contemplates. After a few moments she smirks, and replies.

“There is more to hiding than simply being out of sight. It’s the ability to be seen, but without being seen.” She says, “Though, it is rather bothersome to keep up all the time.”

“Well, what are your thoughts on the escape attempt?” I ask.

“Foolish,” She replies, “As soon as we were given collars we were trapped.”

“You shouldn’t speak like that.” The crystal girl hisses quietly. “We mustn’t ever speak of things like this.”

“It’s just tiring…” She says, with a long sigh. “We can’t properly stretch our legs here.”

“I’ll see if I can’t get you some fresh air.” I say. Reaching out and placing a hand on hers, and like that I plunder all her Skills, and place a tag.

“What’s your name, anyway?”

“Shy.” She says, the name sounding the same in her own tongue.

“Yours?” I ask, the crystal girl.

“Livi.” She replies simply.

“I should probably get moving.” I say, looking around to see the others students gradually warming up and interacting with the other beasts, “How are you with surprises?”

“Surprises? Bad.” Says the Livi, her startled blue eyes staring my way.

“Well, here’s your warning.” I say, turning to leave.

Shy reaches out and grabs me as I’m about to leave.

“Are you crazy?” She asks, looking me up and down. Her question sounds strangely sincere, as if I may just be out of my mind.

“Perhaps.” I reply, looking back, “I can leave you alone, if you’d prefer.”

“No, I’ll take the risk.” She says without hesitation, “I just hope that you’re smart about this.”

“Well, as much as you can expect.” I say, “I’ve got to go find a few others who might be interested in coming along, but one last thing…”

K- Hi, the collar doesn’t mess with this does it?

Shy- I’m not sure how much should be discussed, but yes we can communicate.

“Good.” I say aloud before exchanging contact with Livi too.

Shy slowly nods, letting me go and sitting back in her chair as if nothing’s changed. Livi in comparison looks at me like I’ve just headed into class wearing only the emperor’s new clothes.

Vii has already fluttered away somewhere else by the time I’m done with these two, and rather than look for her, I head out towards the secured section of the prison, trying to figure out where exactly Red’s cell is. Our free time here is rather limited, as Saren is busy talking with Freid about one thing or another.

The stone door slides out of the way, and easily enough I find the doorless rooms where the more dangerous beasts are kept. It doesn’t take too long to find Red.

“So, we meet again.” I say, walking into her cell and looking around.

There’s nothing here but an elevated bed that’s carved out of the wall. The sheets on the mattress are straightened to a perfection and Red sits opposite, glaring at the perfect sheets as if they’re responsible for murdering her family.

Beyond that, there’s nothing else here, and even the walls are without any markings.

“Red?” I say, waving my hand before her face.

She flinches, turning slowly to look at me. She blinks a few times looking almost drugged, before finally I can feel her gaze actually settling on me. Her expression is tense, but without any real emotion.

She doesn’t say anything, and considering her collar and her nature, I’d be surprised if she wasn’t crippled by all the orders that she’d have received.

“Can I talk freely?” I ask her, looking only into her eyes, where I hope to find some response.

She opens her mouth but can’t manage a reply. With a look of frustration, she looks away.

“It seems like you need a break from all this, huh?” I say, nudging her shoulder, and stealing her Skills. I don’t bother reading them yet, but I’m sure there’s some interesting stuff hidden in there.

“I hope you’ve still got some fight in you.” I say, staring into her eyes, “In fact, I’m rather depending on it.”

She spins around to meet my eyes, and this time I can feel her presence almost as if she’s pressing down on me from all around. I can’t see any magic in the air around me, so unless she’s suddenly found a way to pull out her soul and smother people with it, then it’s just in my own mind.

K- Does this work any better?

R- …

K- They’ve blocked up your brain that much?

“In that case let’s just rush through this. No, it’s not a lie. Yes, it is risky. Yes, losing a collar does hurt.” She shudders, which I hope is her attempt at showing her joy.

“I’ll be seeing you again soon. Get some rest.” I say, looking down on her. “Now I need to go look for a few other recruits.”

I stop at the door, turning back to her.

“Oh, I hope that you’ll enjoy being my minion.” I say, “I’m hoping for a lasting relationship, ‘cause you will owe me for this.”

I turn away, knowing she can’t actually reply.

I manage to track down the humans shortly after. I don’t know why they deserve to be crammed in here, but all three of them are arranged in cells lined up in a row.

“How you all doing?” I ask, strolling by.

The first is curled up in the corner unresponsive, the second glares quietly at me but wears an awfully sour expression as she curses at me under her breath.

“What’s with those two?” I ask the third human, a young man, who’s leaning on the inside of the door frame trying to force his leg up and out the bounds of the room.

“You…” he says, his eyes focusing on me as he slowly seems to come to his senses, “You were the one to warn us of this.”

“That’s right.” I say, “How is it bunking here? They feed you well?”

He sneers glaring at the ground as he tries to lift his foot across the boundary.

“It’s not… I hate it.” He says, “I… are you here to help us?”

“Why would she?” Asks the sour girl in the next cell along, “She’s the one who threw us to the beasts in that… that horrible place.”

“Sorry about that. It won’t happen again.” I say, “Though, I’m sure that doesn’t really sound all that comforting where you’re standing.”

“What are you here for?” The guy asks.

I pace along the hall outside, looking between the cells around me, as I wonder how much I can say here. I’ve been daringly reckless so far today and I don’t see a reason to stop here.

“Technically I’m here for class. Beast taming class.” I say, “So, in a sense I’m here shopping for some beasts.”

“You…” The girl pops her head almost out the of the door as she turns her vicious glare my way, “You aren’t human.”

“No scales under this skin. I’m a hundred percent free-range human.” I say, “Anyway, are you two interested in getting out of those cells for a stroll?”

“What do you mean?” The guy asks, more curious than suspicious.

“Well, there are a few ways to get you out of there.” I say, “And I’m in a somewhat unique position. You interested?”

“What about Anne?” Asks the guy.

“Who’s that?”

“The crying wreck in the next room.” Says the leery girl, “She watched her friend get eaten by that monster. The one you let in.”

“Oh, is that so?” I ask, walking over to the cell where the girl is still weeping.

While I’ve been surrounded by death, I’ve been uniquely fortunate in that none of the corpses were people I genuinely cared about. This girl hasn’t been so lucky.

“Anne.” I call her name, and she shudders pulling her arms closer to her.

“Anne,” I say her name again, stepping inside and tapping her shoulder. She has no Skills to steal, but I leave a tag on her, and I also send her a simple message, though she hasn’t replied to it.

Maybe I am a little speciesist after all.

“The people who sent that monster have gotten the fates they deserve.” I say, though I’m not sure she’s listening. “I understand you’ll need some time to adjust to things here, but there simply isn’t much time to be spared.

“I’ll be back for you. Just keep your head down, okay?”

She doesn’t respond.

For all her bothersome squawking the other girl does eventually assent to being saved. Her name is Aalia apparently, and now that I focus on her she looks perhaps Indian? I’ve never paid that much attention to race before, and it seems that much less important now that I’m trying to tell species apart.

The guy, rather aptly named Guy, is also willing to accept my tag and I quickly add him too to my contacts.

“With that, I’ll catch you all later.” I say, looking into each cell for more potential minions.

It’s only a short stroll away that I find the dragon and the strange, thin figured young man that I’d met the last time I came here. They’re both set up in cells opposite one another for whatever reason. Perhaps some plot to force them to watch each other slowly breaking down, or perhaps these are just the rooms that were free.

Not everything is an evil plot.

“I didn’t get your names the last time.” I say, popping into the cell with the purple dragon first. She’s cute as all heck, and I sort of wish she was less intelligent so I could keep her as a pet. Then again, I am rushing down the path of evil, what’s stopping me.

As long as she consents, where’s the problem?

Nothing sexual to it, obviously. Just petting, and hugging, and all the stuff you’d do with a cat.

“Meat.” She replies, “Or at least that’s all I’m going to be. What was your phrasing? Cut up and used for parts?”

“No need to be such a downer.” I say, “Who knows what fate might bring?”

“Fate’s brought me nothing but a cell and a date with a butcher.” She bemoans.

“You haven’t had your voice stolen from you?” I ask, sitting on the bed beside her and placing a hand on her back. Her warm scales are smooth, and strangely slippery. It reminds me of the time I once held a friend’s pet snake.

She glares over at me, before letting out a puff of smoke and resigning herself to my touch. Accepting her resignation, I enjoy the feeling of her pleasantly warm scales.

“Fate brought me to your door.” I say pulling out her Skill and placing a tag. “So long as you stay behaved for a few more days, I’m sure you’ll make it out of this just fine.”

“Another plot?” She snorts again, filling the room with smoke that has a strangely pleasant scent to it, “Fine, what’s left to lose.”

“What’s your name?” I ask.

“Rare.” She replies, the sound coming out growlingly from her throat. I can hear the similarity between the translation and the actual sound, but it’s clearly still different.

“You can fight?” I ask.

“I never graduated.” She replies, “I’m not well suited to restraint.”

“Oh, even more fun.” I say, “Well, I should probably be off.”

After sending her a simple message I continue to sit there, running my hand along her scaled flank. There’s a pleasant warmth burning out from inside as the smoke rises from her nose. It’s already hot enough to hurt a little.

She’s a spicy little cat.

“You’re recruiting others?” She asks.

“I am.”

“Then you should recruit Lui.” She grumbles, “The one with me for the attempted escape. It didn’t fail because of him.”

“Alright.” I say, settling back and tallying. “Four girls, two guys. Shit, I really need to get a move on.”

“What?” She sits up, staring at me in confusion.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Nel, my… one of my girlfriends? Argh, I’ll need to figure out a better way to say that. She’s pointed out that I only pay attention to girls. I’m trying to prove her wrong, but it’s like fate itself has conspired so that most interesting people I come across are women.”

“So, you’re trying to prove her wrong, by specifically hunting down males for… this?” She asks, sitting up and stretching.

“Um… yeah?” I reply, “Well, got to go. See you soon.”

“Perhaps.” She grumbles repositioning herself before settling back into bed again.

“Lui,” I call out the guys name and pop my head through the door, “Do you know any other cool guys that hang out around here?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Skills & Stats

~Mana Form:

Current mana density: 790 units

~Mana distribution:

Catagory Current Max. Skin 28% 28% Muscle 0% 12% Mind 0% 65% Cardiovascular 0% 11% Misc. 0% 10% Efficiency 28% 79%

~Favourited Skills:

-Chip Shredder

-Multi-mind

-Tag

-Mana surge movement

-Mana surge punch

-Reactive mana skin

-Infused delayed Casting

-Fire burst punch