"I don't think so."

The voice was softly spoken, a bit of a growl, and masculine in tone. It wasn't my own.

"Did you just talk to me?" I asked.

The feline sniffed and looked around before slowly lifting a paw to lick it casually.

"You did, didn't you. Man, what did I watch or eat to trigger this crazy-ass dream?"

A sudden choking noise came from the cat, "ugh, you think you are dreaming?"

"Ha, I knew it, you talked to me! You little Snookums, you!"

"No, I will not be named Snookums, you foolish core, and you are not dreaming. What do you think you are?"

"Snookums is a great cat name. It's funny! And, I am dreaming."

"It isn't and you aren't." He huffed and settled on his haunches, his tail flicked back and forth. "Tell me you aren't a human, at least."

"Of course, I am human. What's wrong with being human?"

"Oh for the love of..." He started muttering and meowing too quickly and softly for me to understand, moving a paw around as if swatting an annoying insect. "This is going to end poorly." He said morosely.

"Well, no need to be a Debby Downer, it's been pretty boring for the most part. Now then, if you don't like Snookums, how about Mr. Flufflebuns?"

I could see the shiver that raised his fur as he shook himself, "Dungeon, that is worse, and you need to realize that this is no dream and take this seriously. No wonder the system has assigned you an assistant such as myself."

It amused me to watch as the cat sat up straight and wrapped its tail around its feet, to all appearances, a royal beast of pride and might. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Sure, sure, Fooffster, so many names, so little time. I am sure to wake up, annnnnnny minute now."

"You, are a fool and I am being punished." The cat heaved a great sigh.

"Hey, words hurt!" I sighed and twiddled my incorporeal thumbs. "So what shall I name you? Hmmmmm." I pondered.

"I already have a name, you know." He sighed again. "It's Rixeodine."

"Oh, that's not nearly as cute or funny," I was growing tired of this back and forth, as entertaining as it had been. I focused on the window that was still visible for naming my summon.

At first, I wasn't certain how to interact with it, but as I thought about entering a name, I noticed the window updating to reflect my thoughts. I smirked.

Name entered:

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Sir Rix the Fluffy

I heard a growl come from my new feline friend and chuckled.

"Ok, now then, that's finished. Now, Sir Rix, it has been a pleasure to meet you, but this is growing tedious and I'd like to wake up now. Or at the very least, shift dreams into something more active. I don't suppose you can help me with that?"

I honestly doubted that he could, I mean, I had never really been aware in a dream enough to intentionally wake myself up. But the longer this went on, the weirder it was, and I was starting to get a bit anxious. I also wasn't feeling very well. I was starting to have some nagging sensations like prickling pins and needles at the edges of what I thought of my glow bubble. I was especially becoming more aware of that shiny crystal off to the side. It was becoming far more distracting. It was starting to annoy me. And while my mind was wandering, Rix had started talking and I had completely not been listening.

"... so as you can see, it is imperative that you begin at once - " He was saying.

"I'm sorry, what? I was thinking and didn't hear a word you said. Can you start over from... um, basically, where I last talked to you?" I asked sheepishly.

"For the love of..." He once more started muttering under his breath, this time starting to stalk around. His form moving in and out of the minimal light available. I tried listening more closely, but as he moved and muttered, the crystal to the side seemed to pulse a bit. It was mesmerizing, in a way I couldn't quite describe. Maybe my dream wouldn't be so boring if I had interacted with it? I mean, I don't mind chaos, but I'm not a big fan of carnage. That just doesn't sound cool to me. Sounds evil and I like to think I'm not the evil sort.

I felt my focus turn more toward the crystal and its allure. My senses were struggling a bit, I wasn't sure how I was doing it, but I felt my bubble shift, instead of a circular glow around me the section closest to the crystal started elongating. I was gradually reaching out toward it. As my senses moved closer to it, the pins and needles of that area lessened and I felt a bit of warmth. It was pleasant and I wanted more since it was nice and soothing. Like warming up your hands after coming in from the snow.

Suddenly, the crystal I had been reaching for darted away from me, flying into the darkness. A paw quickly stomped to the ground and intense anger filled me. That was mine!

"Did you not hear what I just said?" Rix shouted at me. "Do you want to be corrupted before you even begin?"

My anger immediately fizzled. "Um, oops. I got distracted. What did you say again?"

"I do not like my time to be wasted. Do you understand?" He asked. "Will you pay attention?"

"Yes, sure, sorry. Geesh."

"I am your dungeon assistant, unfortunately. I shall suffer silently through this. But, I will aid you to the best of my ability."

I couldn't help it, yeah right, silently suffer...

"Are you still listening?"

"Yes, yes. Good grief. No need to be so annoying."

"Yes, I do need. Now pay attention. You are a dungeon core. You are not a natural dungeon core. Typically, cores come into being in areas of heavy mana where it has solidified and bonded with pure life essence. I will explain mana and life essence in more detail shortly. But just know that you did not form via this means. Since you are human," it choked out the word, "you have likely been summoned, resurrected, cursed, or some other magically twisted method unknown to me, and merged with a dungeon crystal." He paused a moment. "That should not have happened."

"Why?" I couldn't help but be curious as to the backstory he was giving me. Even if the edges of my bubble were starting to get itchy.

"In the past, such methods had occurred a few times and the results were far more destructive than expected. The gods placed restrictions against such and it has been millennia since any but natural dungeons have developed in Mimmetia."

"Well, if there were restrictions, then how exactly am I here? Hmmm?" I couldn't help my snarky tone.

"I don't know, but it is concerning, and another reason why I am likely here to help you. Without proper guidance, you'd muck about and ruin things beyond redemption."

"Ouch, hostility much?"

"You seem to retain quite a bit of your humanity, which I admit is surprising, but you are a dungeon core and as a dungeon core, you will have instincts. Instincts that are going to be fighting for control over what remnants of your old self you possess. Make no mistake, you are now a monster."

"Hey, I'm not a monster," I replied quickly.

"Yes, you are. You just don't know it yet."