Back to Sidnie, time to see how an adorable little sick girl goes about getting attention and learning.
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I stretched and yawned while slowly waking up. Smacking my tongue against the roof of my mouth to get rid of the awful feeling and taste that my diet gave me, I looked around my room, trying to gather my thoughts.
I was ten now, and yesterday Daddy gave me something..!
I jumped out of bed and rushed to my table, and looked at it, hearing birds chirp and the calls of the other animals within. My gaze went straight toward the rocky crag that held the Imp village, and I was shocked to see the progress the little ones had made.
They had set up walls, and a few towers to enclose and protect their tiny village, and the numbers had grown!
I saw at least fifty, including the first ten, and what looked like several small bundles flying around as well.
So there had to be more of them. "Good Morning leo!" I shouted out in glee.
Good Morning Sidnie,
I grinned after hear/seeing his words threw the display my watch sent, and my neural link with him.
"This is amazing! How did you do this so soon?"
"I used the points I came with, a full 50, and accelerated their breeding period. I underestimated the time they took normally, and will likely reach the cap for their population well before the breeding increase ends."
Imp count - 70
Variant Imp count - 1
The numbers were huge!
He also had said the population limit was coming up, which meant we should focus on increasing that. I didn't want those 50 points he had used to go to waste.
Some things, the A.I could do on his own, because it used little to no points, and Starter A.I's always were able to spend their starting points to increase breeding production for a full day.
With the other starter races that was a good idea, their caps for population were massive, but the Demons were a high tiered, and from what I had read, and seen on T.V they required massive amounts of points to be used.
It was a lot like when the Naga Race had been released to the general public. A mid/high tier race, it could be bought, but was recommended for intermediate, and master players due to the sheer amount of point accumulation required to advance them.
"Ok! Display Advancement unlocks for the Imp species please.' I said while smiling wider. The unlocks were special traits, or abilities set to a certain species within the selected Race. There were three separate branches,
Traits - Used to increase certain aspects of a Species, or evolution, within the race you are focused on.
Advancement - This dealt with generic things, like the ability to increase population limits, or how advanced the settlement the species made would grow.
Evolution - The evolutionary tree based on what you knew of the Race itself, or unlocked.
There were subcategories, but those could only be accessed by winning tournaments and having them unlocked by the company for you.
Leo displayed the screen for advancement of the Imps for me.
Imp Advancement Tree
Population increase to 200 - 100 points
Settlement improvements Tier 1 (ability to build storage areas and better walls.) - 300 points
Social skills (Increases their comprehension, and ability to communicate to other species within the A.I world) - 500 points
Increased Variant chance (Going from 1 in 100 to 3 in 100) - 800 points
Further advancement unlocks will be available as you advance through the tree, or discover unique methods through experimentation.
Current Points available - 5
Oh wow...So expensive. I frowned at that, We could earn 100 points easily enough by reading a book dedicated to this Race, but it isn't officially released yet, so the books won't be available. It was also a one time gain from what Daddy had always said when explaining the A.I to me when i was younger.
I wanted to take advantage of the population limit though. We could perhaps split our efforts some, I could buy a few books through the Watch's built in store that Leo could read on his own, and I could read stuff online or from Daddies library that could help gain knowledge, maybe that book about mythos and Demons that he kept hidden while he was researching to make this Race?
I'd bribe him with hugs!
But we should be able to accumulate the points in a few hours if we did that.
"Leo, are you ok reading books bought through the Watch while I spend time with daddy before he has to go?" I asked this timidly, because I wanted to inspect the Imps more, and help. But I had missed my Daddy a great deal. I also wanted to see the Variant that had been born.
Of course Sidnie, please, enjoy time with the Creator. I will accumulate points in the meantime once you grant me access to the library section of the watch.
A display asking permission appeared, and I hit yes. Then went to the Watch and began opening the store function. It was a unique addition in newer models that let you buy from the company's store, and was focused purely on the Races. My access, because I was new, was limited to the Starting races, and I had some money saved up from allowances for being a good girl. About fifty dollars.
I looked at the store, and frowned.
Starting Race books available to User 'Sidnie'
Goblin - The basics of Goblin culture $10
Skeleton - How to raise the dead! $10
Wolf - 10 ways to tame your beast $10
Rabbit - carrots are golden $10
Demon - Introduction to the inferno $30 (Unique access given)
But..I clicked buy on the book, and promised to read it later. Daddy was gonna get it for surprising me like that! I only liked some surprises. Hmmph. I could feel my bottom lip sticking out, and left my room rushing to Mommy and Daddy's room.
"Daddy~! Mommy~!" I yelled as loud as I could, and I heard a soft 'told you' followed by laughter echo from behind the closed door before I opened it and jumped into the open arms of my Daddy who hugged me and put me between him and Mommy.
I bopped his nose, and pouted at him. "Hey! What did I do?" Laughter was evident in his voice.
"You granted access to the starting Demon book without telling me. No hugs for Daddy!"
I snuggled into Mommy, who crooned, and hid me away.
"Gah! My heart, no Cuddle bug, don't leave Daddy all alone."
"Hush, you, you gave our Angel Demons, and then hid what else you did. You deserve this."
I peaked behind my shoulder and saw Daddy look lost and confused, and after a moment I whispered to Mommy
"Has he had enough?"
She nodded, and I turned around and snuggled into Daddy. "Thank you Daddy"
He grinned at me and pulled Mommy in close as well and held us.
I reveled in it for a time before my excitement took over and I started wiggling around to be free. "Daddy! Daddy! I chose Imps, and and and.."
he laughed and told me to take a breath and slow down, a soft worry in his eyes because I was out of breath and breathing harder.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"Leo made it so I have 70 already, we are rushing to increase the population before his increased production ends tonight." I smiled wide, and started to get out of bed, pulling him with me, and Mommy just laughed, she knew what I was gonna do.
"Daddy! Mommy taught me how to cook! I'm making breakfast today!"
I saw him smile and follow me before looking behind his shoulder at Mommy who waved him on and started getting up herself.
As we made our way downstairs, Daddy mentioned how it was closer to lunch, than breakfast. I pouted at him.
"I only know how to make breakfast though..."
"Then breakfast it is Cuddle bug"
I jumped some and pulled him into the kitchen and made him sit, then went about hunting down the nasty paste I our house was filled with that supplemented my food source.
I made Eggs, Bacon, and pancakes. Not really any of them though, Mommy said my paste was a lot like something called Tofu, and I swore when i was better I would never eat that either.
By the time I finished, Mommy had joined us and was talking to Daddy while I struggled, after refusing help, to set it all out on the table.
"So, Demons huh?" Mommy asked, and I giggled.
"They are so cute!" I called out after taking my seat next between them. "I also got a variant, but I don't know what kind yet. I wanted to see you both more."
They smiled at me, and then Mommy glared at Daddy. "What possessed you to give her demons anyway? Cute though she thinks them."
My Daddy just smiled. "because any the starter races, after everything I've told her, and all she has read and seen, she would max them all out in a year, and become way too strong. The Demons will take a far longer time with her being a beginner, and the point accumulation being far smaller."
He paused a moment and looked at me smiling, and just patted my head. "Remember, Sweetheart, your first purchase with points requiring authorization is cheap, afterwards all those points you may have seen if you looked at them, will triple that amount once you finish the first purchase. This goes for every tree for the Race."
I nodded still smiling, and devoured a big piece of paste Bacon to happy to care it tasted icky.
"I know Daddy, I have Leo Reading the starting book now, and I'm gonna read it later!"
He grinned, and patted my head again. We finished breakfast, and then he had to go. I cried, and hugged him tight telling him he better come home sooner than a month. I wanted to show him my progress with Leo, and the Demons.
"Of course I'll try Cuddle Bug, but you won't be too lonely. Daddy pulled some strings, and in a few days you'll get the last birthday present from me."
I tilted my head confused, and he kissed my forehead before giving Mommy a big hug and a deep kiss with tongue, I turned away going ewwww.
They both laughed at me, and I gave Mommy a hug, and rushed to my room promising to do the online homework I needed to finish tonight.
"Leo! How did the book go?"
It went well Sidnie, we have enough points to increase the population limit, and begin doing a few things that require no authorization. Would you like to confirm the population increase, and see the options I have not requiring authorization?
I said yes to both, and a large screen showed itself, displayed from the watch.
You have successfully purchased your first trait increase, and earned 60 points for the achievement. All other upgrades, regardless of the tree used, are now triple in price, and will take a day to implement.
Options not requiring Authorization (Prices do not increase, used at A.I's need)
Begin forming hunting Parties (uses the deaths of both your Imps, and creatures they kill to earn 1 point) - 20 points
Expand settlement (Increases the size of your settlement by five yards, and requires the Imps to redo the walls and towers.) - 80 points
Training (Your Imps begin training in their method of swarming prey) - 30 points
Crude Weapon Craft (They craft crude weapons of stick and stone. Higher weapon qualities require authorization, or the Imps to stumble upon them themselves.) - 10 points
Further options available when reaching the capacity to handle higher functions.
I grinned, and saw we had 65 points left.
"Should we start the weapons, and Training, and save hunting parties for when the levels increase?" I asked worried, i didn't want my Imps to die, even knowing it was needed to regulate both their population growths, and to keep the environment from being over hunted.
If that is what you would like, for now Sidnie, then I will prioritize this, however it will mean the natural predators will grow in numbers, and level as well. Is this acceptable?
'Yes~"
I saw when the changes were started, and grinned as all those cute little Imps swarmed a giant Rock they had found and practiced beating it with sticks, and stone held in their hands.
One of them, spit fire at it from time to time, and was a larger version of the others. About the size of the leading male.
I asked Leo to show a detailed large hologram of the pure Red Imp, and what greeted me was a juvenile female that was pure red, and had little flames atop each studded horn on her head. Her face was child like, and filled with fangs, her eyes holding malice. She was also utterly adorable.
"What Variant did the book say she was?"
The book stated she was a Hell-fire Imp, a surprisingly rare Variant, and nearly a separate evolutionary path in itself. They are a 1 in 500 chance birth from Imps, and are always female. They are able to evolve into unique female Demons, such as Succubi, and Fallen Angels, female only, far later. We have the option of setting them as a common birth rate, however it is one of three starting rare, and hard to acquire Variants.
Imp Variant Unlocks. Makes this Variant common(One Given to purchase, the rest must be earned.)
Hell-Fire Imps (Female only) - 6000 points
Troglodyte (Female and Male, Water based Imp Variant) - 6000 points
Rock Biter (Male Only, rock based Imp, unable to fly though stronger) - 6000 points
The Life span of the Hellfire Imp is also two months. So we could have the points gathered, far before she perishes, and allow us a certainty of more being born. If that is the option you pick.
I read the Information, and grinned. Three wonderful choices. I would need to read the book soon, and be able to gain more points by us both having the knowledge on hand.
"I'll let you do what you see as best, I want to read that book for now."
Yes, Sidnie, enjoy the book. ^.^
I regarded the Emote, and giggled softly before settling down to read on my bed.
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Here you go, Next Chapter is a massive Info dump on the Demonic Race, and some detailed interaction between Sidnie, and leo, and the Imp tribe. The first hunt begins!
As always, much love and cookies.