With Tork's guidance, almost the entirety of the crew was busying about trying to repair the ship. The onslaught of attacks had inflicted significant damage to the vessel—But, thankfully, only insignificant damage to its crew. They had escaped with only minor injuries that could be easily remedied with a few bandages. For now, The vessel was at a dead stop in the Stream. Doran had given the order. Stating that this was now the only location they knew to be safe from demons or pirates. Neither type of group tended to move into each other's territory, so the fact that Wolfgang's crew had massacred the Imps meant they could be assured no other predatory groups would come for them.
Rep agreed with him- if only because she thought it would give the three new Replicants time to get accustomed to their existence before she found herself making another batch of them; she felt like more than three would be either overwhelming or, worse, not allow her to give each one the attention they deserved.
The attention she wasn't giving them now. She paused for a moment, then dismissed the thought. She refused to be overwhelmed. "I can manage three... students," she affirmed. Yes, students. Not her children, as Doran seemed to perceive them—that would be far too overwhelming.
Rep wasn't helping with repairs. Instead, she was cooking and- more excitingly, experimenting with her cards! She had a new one but was putting off even thinking about it for now. She didn't understand her cards' powers as much as she'd like. Particularly the active ones. She eyed the stairs going up to the main deck, then wiped her hands on her apron, leaving the ship's galley and heading towards the deck where Doran was overseeing the repairs.
"Doran, I've been thinking," she began, catching his attention. "Instead of helping with the repairs, I want to focus on experimenting with my cards. I want to understand their powers better, especially the active ones." She rubbed the back of her head. "It's kind of what I've been doing already."
Doran turned to face her, his attention only half on her as he spoke. "Ah, so you've been delving back into the mysteries of your skills. That's good, Rep."
She nodded a hint of excitement in her voice. "Yes, exactly! But I feel like there's still so much I don't know. And I'd like some paper to write what I find down. Do you have any?"
Doran chuckled at her excitement. "'Do we' have any, you mean. Typist does have a knack for keeping records. He's not just a warrior, you know. He'll have paper." Doran's expression turned thoughtful as he considered her request. "I see the value in that. Knowledge is power, after all. You're excused from repair duty- but try to see if you can get some food for those working while you experiment, alright? Let me help you track down Typist. He should have some paper that you can use."
As Doran walked away to find Typist, Rep couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for the support she received from her captain. She bounced as she pranced after him, expressing her barely contained-excitement. Doran quickly tracked Typist town as the Forged and Mizzan were moving product up from Tork's workshop onto the main deck; Rep closed on the Forge as he carried a toolbox.
"Typist, do you have any paper I could borrow?" she asked eagerly.
Typist paused from his work, the glowing orbs that functioned as his eyes shrinking in a mimicry of narrowed eyes. He observed Rep for a moment before responding, "I do; what for? It's not cheap."
Rep's enthusiasm was palpable as she explained, "I need to experiment with my skills and jot down my observations while I cook! I want to understand them better and make the most of their potential."
Typist's demeanor softened, understanding her intentions. He hefted his burden onto Mizzan and searched at a pack hanging off his hip. "Alright, I can lend you some paper. But don't get too distracted and burn the ship down," he cautioned with a playful tone.
Rep giggled, her excitement bubbling over. "Yup! Gotta go before the stew burns; thanks, bye!"
She eagerly accepted the parchment from Typist and bid him a hasty farewell, already brimming with ideas and experiments she wanted to conduct. Quick as she'd arrived, she turned on a heel and fled with her prize.
Typist directed his attention to Mizzen, cautioning the Replicant as he retrieved his burden from them. "Try not to imitate her too closely." Rep studiously ignored that last comment as she re-entered her gallery- and it did feel like it was slowly becoming hers, and began to write on the parchment, she began jotting down the names and initial descriptions of her skills, leaving room for further exploration and understanding.
Excitedly, she summoned her cards and placed them in front of her, starting with the ones she already had some grasp of. She wanted to document everything she knew, as well as her own personal observations and experiences. She didn't really know what half of them did, and as for the other half? She jotted them down. [Culinary Inutition] [Taste Proficency] and [Inspire Learning]. These were the ones she felt she understood most.
Doran entered the room galley after her, and she turned her attention to him. "Didn't you need to help with repairs?"
Doran waved it off. "I suspected you would need a touchstone for what you're working on, and I'm really only getting in Tork's way. He's in charge of repairs. I'll help you in here."
Rep gave him a wide grin. Then began speaking her thoughts aloud for his benefit as she handed him the [Culinary Inutition] card to look out. "Okay, so I working up to the things I don't understand, starting with what I do." He nodded in understanding, and she continued. "[Culinary Intuition] makes it so I have an instinct to cook and what's tasty and edible for me. Do I have to feel by false positives first? Does that make sense?"
He squinted, turning his eyes up from the card in his hand to her. "Maybe, Explain it again?"
She frowned in thought. "When I go to start cooking, I have to look at a thing and sort of try it out in my head. And then the skill will tell me 'yes' or 'no.'"
"Ah, Cascade has similar cards for her magic. I understand now. A shame you don't have [Cooking Proficiency]; base proficiency cards are an excellent match for intuition cards."
"I'll have to talk to her about it- but this card has issues; whenever I cook, it tells me what would be good for me. And I have to stop and intentionally ignore that every time I handle an ingredient. Would a proficiency card help with that?" She couldn't help but yearn to have [Cooking Proficiency] or a similar card. Having intuition was nice, but it lacked the substance of true skill. So many of the things she wanted to do were beyond her technical level to perform.
He nodded. "That makes sense; your card works for you, not other people. You should be able to overcome that through training- but a card would help if you have a [Gourmand] card you dislike."
She nodded. "But, in short. [Culinary Intuition] lets you intuitively know if something is edible and the best way to prepare it for the ideal taste; it also gives me tips on how to cook from time to time." She quickly wrote their findings down and placed the [Culinary Intuition] card above the parchment when he handed it back to her.
"I think I understand almost everything there is to understand about that card. But I'm less sure about [Taste Proficency]," she said, picking the card up and handing it to him.
"Gruesome." He said ideally, viewing the art for the card depicting a wild-looking Replicant that was devouring a severed equine leg. "What do you believe it does?"
"I think it just gave me a better sense of taste- like I'm able to detect more to a meal. Before, my sense of taste was pretty deadened. I really mostly enjoyed things via texture, heat, or how many calories they were worth."
"A luxury card, then. What a surprisingly gruesome appearance for one. It sounds straightforward. I've heard of cards like this before, but they're usually for shapeshifting species."
"Tork said the same- I think I technically am one? A shapeshifting species, I mean. I have full control over my onboard microunits- I am them, really. I could change my externals whenever I want."
He frowned in sympathy. "Ah, so this is a wasted card? You could just as easily shift this transformation into being?"
She shook her head. "Not without eating a whole lot of tongues. I'd have to copy how a tongue works by breaking a few down. I could use the Imp's tongues, I guess. But they didn't have stomachs- I don't think they really eat. I'm really happy about this card actually- it might be my favorite."
"Would to be able to mimic its effects now that you'd had it if you traded it away?"
Rep paused in thought, and she took a moment to internally look at her own micro units. She went to the ones stored in her 'mouth' and broke down their topmost layer, cannibalizing them. She quickly realized that she would likely be able to replicate the card's effects. "I think so? yeah."
Doran smiled. "I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who wants to have a sharper sense of taste at some point; you could trade it now then you can copy it."
She never would have thought of that and quickly jotted her findings down. 'Taste Proficiency. It allows me to taste things without having to consume a bucket of taste buds. Yay! But can probably trade it away now.'
When she was done, Doran asked. "Which ones next?"
Taking third place was [Inspire Learning]. "It certainly has the ability to inspire learning- but I don't understand what that means. how much does it inspire?" Rep was a creature of numbers and yearned for more concrete information. "It's so frustrating; what does it mean to inspire? Is it consistent? And if it is, how? I need craved statistics, percentages!" Frustration crept in, and she drummed her fingers impatiently. "I know it works once every 24 hours- but why is it 24 hours? There's no day-night cycle here."
She conjured the card into her hand and placed it down between her and Doran. "I haven't actually looked at it before- I've been busy." She admitted sheepishly.
He smirked and eyed her card. [Inspire Learning] depicted a Replicant, slender and full of grace, standing in what seemed to be an ancient, celestial library, surrounded by floating books, scrolls, and starlit parchment. This Replicant was dressed in scholarly attire - a long, flowing robe with gold embroidery. Above the Replicant’s outstretched hands floated a luminescent, ethereal dreamcatcher. And she seemed to be in the process of bringing it down toward another Replicant that looked like Stick.
"Many of those questions you'll have to answer with time- I'm reminded you've only been traveling with us for a couple of days. You'll need more experience with it. But I can answer some. 24 hours is specific, but most cards have a reset period around the time, give or take six hours."
"So it's just random luck that it recovers after a day's worth of hours on my homeworld? Is it weaker than cards that take longer to refresh, or stronger than cards that refresh quicker?"
He held up a placating hand. "One question at a time, Rep. It's not chance; it likely took inspiration from that length when it formed. I would theorize the same for mine. Most of my active cards reset every 18 hours. Presumably, on my species' homeworld, that was the length of a day."
She bounced on the balls of her feet. "Are your cards weaker than mine, then?"
"I don't know, cards aren't so even or easily measurable- and most people don't try to solve them immediately like you are now."
She strode around the galley. "Can I inspire someone to do something they hate, so long as they learn from it? Do they have increased retention from lessons while under its effects?"
He shook his head. "To your former question- no, I doubt it. If they truly hated it. They'd likely stay inspired to learn something- but not whatever hated thing you wanted to teach them. It could be a mind-altering card, but those tend to be for people of much higher overall levels than you."
She stopped pacing and looked at him with concern. "So, cards like that exist?"
He nodded. "Charm cards exist- most belong to that domain, Charm, Lust, Love- blue cards and domains like those. Succubi and Incubi are a demonic subspecies that love forming pacts with people who have cards like that. Watch out for them- they'll look like incredibly attractive versions of whatever species they're mimicking, but they'll have horns and tail- or an extra set of horns or tail if the species they're mimicking already has them."
He diverted from his impromptu warning. "As for your second question? You used your skill on Stick the last two days, correctly?" She nodded. "He's gaining levels quickly. He might just be talented, but I presume your skill is having some notable effect, given he has you out-leveled now. If you really want to make a numbers game out of it... perhaps half again as fast? Slightly less than that? Some of that must be him, but no one is that talented."
She sucked in a breath. 50% faster? Or just nearly? But that was... a pretty substantial increase in leveling speed. She eyed the card and mentally noted that it might be her new favorite. "Why doesn't everyone have a teacher following them around using skills like this?"
"Some do- but levels become harder as one increases in power, and teachers who can keep up with high levels are a premier service. I'll be frank with you, Rep. If you didn't have the advantage of being what you are, I think you'd have died yesterday. I meant to speak with you about it; you have to be much more careful."
She nodded grim-faced. It had been close when the Imps had jumped her, weaving around Stick. If she'd been a normal Replicant, she'd almost certainly have died from the attack- it was only because she was a Replicator and had unleashed herself as a microunit swarm onto the attackers that she'd survived.
She jotted their findings down as she tried to mentally overcome that dispiriting turn to the conversation. 'Inspire Learning. Once a day, 'inspires learning' - unsure of the effectiveness of 'inspiration, Doran suspects 50% increases leveling speed, speaking positively of Sticks' improvement over the last two days.'
Rep rolled up her metaphorical sleeves- then her literal ones too. No point in getting stew on her sleeves. Rep nodded and stepped away from her list and cards to think; She'd better make sure everything was in order if she got distracted. The soft clinking of utensils and the sizzling of pans filled the ship's kitchen as she and Doran busied themselves preparing a meal for the crew. Her mind kept wandering to the new skill. 'Bounty of Plenty' just sounded impressive to her- it was the only three-word skill she had, and that felt like it meant something.
[Gourmand level 3]
Generosity: Bounty of Plenty
That had been the mental prompt she felt as much as seen some hours ago now, after feasting on the imps. She resisted the urge to summon it, instead turning to other, older cards. There were two other cards to understand before she moved on to this latest one; better to work upward to it. "Toskana wasn't built in a day."
"I'm sorry?" Doran asked.
"Nothing, time to work to understand [Adaptive Curriculum] and [Classroom Control]."
He nodded and waited as she quickly wrote down the names of the other three skill cards, leaving their descriptions blank. "I wonder... Adaptive Curriculum?"
"As good a start as any."
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A card materialized in front of her as if reacting to her thoughts. It was adorned with detailed artwork and framed with soft blue and gold hues. The words 'Teacher' and 'Adaptive Curriculum' were written on the top and bottom of the card in elegant calligraphy with orange and purple ink, respectively.
At the center of the card, an artful representation of Rep stood, depicted in the same scholarly robe as Inspire Learning. She looked confident, intelligent, with a small, comfortable smile on her face. In one of her hands, she held a staff that was constantly morphing through various shapes – a ruler, a quill, a book, a mathematical compass, and more. Her other hand was open, palm up, and above it floated several shifting symbols representing mathematics, languages, arts, and sciences.
Around Rep was a semi-circle of Replicants of various shapes and sizes. They seemed to be her students, and each was engaged in a different kind of learning. One was practicing a combat stance, another was writing on parchment, and yet another was examining a plant with a magnifying glass. Their forms, too, were changing, subtly adapting to different learning styles.
"So the cards can be animated?" That was interesting. She placed the skill card by the others and looked over her shoulder to the stairs leading back to the main deck, where Keel, Mizzen, and Timber were working. She didn't really have a curriculum to use the card on. But maybe she could use it to make it?
"Yes, they can- though I'm not aware of any significance to them when they are. You'd have to talk to a card [Scholar] for that."
Admittedly, she wasn't entirely sure what a curriculum was. Was it just a syllabus? She huffed. "Doran, Is a curriculum just a syllabus?"
Doran turned his attention to Rep. "Don't know, Ask Tork. He's the [Instructor]. Typist might know if he doesn't."
She nodded and jogged away from Doran with a quickly uttered 'Just a minute,' rushing up to the main deck and shouting out. "Tork, Is a curriculum just a syllabus?"
He shouted back to her, not stopping what he was doing. "A curriculum, Rep, is more than just a syllabus" Tork paused to whisper a skill, and Rep watched a half dozen nails fly out of his breast pocket and nail a board he was manhandling to one of the ship's deck beams that had been exposed from the fighting. Only then he continued. "It's a plan, a structured framework that outlines what needs to be taught, how it will be taught, and the goals to be achieved. It encompasses the entire scope of learning for a particular subject or area."
Rep furrowed her brow, trying to grasp the concept. "So, it's like a guidebook for teaching?"
Tork nodded. "Yes, you can think of it that way. It serves as a navigational plan that helps guide both the teacher and the students through the learning process. It ensures that important concepts and skills are covered and provides a sense of direction and progression."
"Ah, I see," Rep said, her mind racing with possibilities. "Okay, thanks, bye!"
Tork smirked as she ran back off, and Typist passed by him. "Energetic today, isn't she?" Typist only grunted by way of reply.
Rep retreated back to the galley and flipped the page she was working on. A curriculum. So she had to make an organized list of the things she wanted to teach to create one.
Rep took a deep breath and focused her thoughts on what she wanted to teach her new Replicant students. "If I want to make a curriculum, I have to have something to teach- what should I teach them?"
Doran hummed. "Try a lesson on making a stew; even if the Skill card doesn't work like you think it does, at least you'll have reinforced what you learned."
She nodded and flipped the parchment over, writing on its back. Shortly after, she had a short lesson plan made. Now for the interesting part. She pulled out the [Adapative Curriculum] card and activated it- and nothing happened. She hummed; the card hadn't been 'used'. She still felt its daily charge. "It didn't activate?"
"Let me see." He paused in his work and eyed the piece of parchment."You may have to plan more thoroughly what you're using it for. What are you trying to adapt?"
"Make it better?"
He frowned. "I don't think you can adapt to 'better'- try setting a goal in your head."
She hummed, tapping her fingers, then tried again. This time she imagined a lesson plan that was easier to understand- Mizzen, Keel, and Timber were all brand new and might struggle with what she'd written. She tried again and... nothing.
"That didn't work either!" She complained.
Doran shrugged. "Sometimes you get cards that stump you- what have you tried so far?"
"Just making it easier to understand. Do you think it's too small to count as a curriculum since it's just one lesson plan?"
"No, that's generally now how it works. Skill cards are usually good at accepting bare minimums. My [Captain] skills work as easily on a little skip as much as a ship." He saw her question before she asked it and clarified. "A skips a very small boat, smaller than the Imp's vessels. Usually for just one or two people."
"Isn't that called a 'skiff'?"
"Is that what they called him in your homeland? Odd, normally, the translation spell would catch those. There must be some distinction between the two. I'd have to see one of your 'skiffs' to tell you what. But we're getting off track. You've tried adjusting the curriculums linguistics; try its contents."
She turned back to the document with furrowed brows. Alright, then. She thought. Let's try... a curriculum about what was edible on the island? she activated the card, and it went into action this time. The ink ran and shifted like it was a living thing, and the words of the text changed. And soon she had a whole new lesson plan looking back at her- but more than that, much more than that, she remembered writing it.
Her hand went to her head. She knew she'd written a short lesson plan on how to make soup. But she couldn't remember anything she'd actually written; instead, those memories were replaced with her best attempt at that time of making a lesson plan on flora editability.
"Doran... what just happened?"
He paused, noting the concern in her voice. "I don't know, are you alright?"
"My lesson plan changed!" She showed it to him, and his brow furrowed. Then they raised up in surprise.
"Oh, that's an excellent skill. Do you remember that you used it?"
"Yeah! But... it doesn't make sense; I know I didn't write this, but I do remember writing it?"
"If I had to guess, it replaced your curriculum with another, as if you had written it yourself- so you remember how to use it. It's a very good skill; I knew a wizard who did something similar with his spellbook."
"Then... could I make a massive curriculum, or collection of curriculums and just change them to whatever I needed?"
He nodded, seemingly less impressed and concerned than she was. "Yes, a good time-saving skill."
Rep couldn't help but be absolutely floored. And felt the need to clarify. "Can I use it on a curriculum I've already used it on? It matches it a minute for a minute? Can I learn things through this?"
"Don't know, but I'd think yes. Don't know, but probably yes. And don't know, but probably not." He gave her a smile as he counted off her answers. "The journey to Crossfar isn't short, and we've been delayed, test it over the trip, perhaps?"
She deflated at the lack of easy answers but nodded, writing down her findings, placing the card alongside its kin, and pulling the second to last free. [Classroom Control].
It was elegant, with the same dark borders that most cards seemed to have. The name of the class and the card itself were written where they were for every other card. At the center of the card stood a poised and dignified figure of a Replicant, which looked a lot like Rep but adorned in the same scholarly attire all the [Teacher] cards seemed to depict. The depiction of Rep was larger, more feminine leaning rather than Rep's presently neutral form- and oddly, had a nose. given that she didn't presently have one. The other-Rep also clutched a book firmly in one hand. Behind the Replicant, a beautifully depicted classroom came to life. Replicants of various designs and sizes were seated neatly in rows, their attention fixed on the figure at the front. All the students had eyes glued to the central figure, and their art was well drawn enough to see their expressions' alertness.
She looked up from her card and very seriously said, "I should make myself a nose."
Doran squinted and gave a small shake of his head. "I'm sorry?"
"A nose, I should make myself a nose. I have one in this card- look."
He took the card and gave it a once over. "You can just make yourself a nose?"
She nodded. "I can sort of smell things, but I bet making a designated organ for it would help me cook a whole lot."
He hummed and nodded. "It probably would. Are you getting tired, Rep? This is the second big tangent you've gone on."
She shook her head. "No! Well. Maybe. Skill experimenting is hard! but I'm almost done. Hang on; I don't wanna forget this, though." She quickly wrote down a note at the bottom of her list 'make a nose.' Which made Doran chuckle. She then took the card back from him and went back to looking it over. "I look good here, but kind of... bossy, I think?"
She focused back on [Classroom Control]. How was she going to figure this one out? She could imagine what it would do. Calm down a rowdy group of Replicants, presumably. But she didn't exactly have rowdy Replicants- and she wasn't sure she'd want to use a card that controlled their behavior on them anyway. She eyed it with a grimace before placing it down and writing down her assumption.
"What are you writing there?"
"What I think it is... I don't really wanna use it. A card that changes someone's behavior doesn't really appeal to me."
"You're sure that's what it does? You'll need to test it."
She shook her head vehemently. "No, nope. It's a bad card."
He placed a hand down on her shoulder. "Rep, stop. Are you okay? You seem upset."
She stopped, a gave a long sigh. "The cards really pretty- but I don't want a card that controls people; I want nothing to do with it. I've always been controlled. I'd never want to do that to someone else- much less my own Replicants!"
"Then calm. Your certain you'd never want that?" She nodded to him, and he continued. "Then the card likely doesn't do that."
"What do you mean?"
"The Voice of the Atherium wouldn't give you something you'd hate to so vehemently- not unless you desperately needed it. Either way, you shouldn't write it off. Calm down; we can test it now."
"You want me to test it on you?"
He nodded. "I trust you, Rep. As captain of this ship, I declare this galley your Classroom."
"You can do that?"
"Of course, I can; I'm captain. Now try the card- grab some spices and teach me about them and what you think they'd be good with. I'll try to tune you out."
Feeling self-conscious, She hummed, activated the card, and went to collect the spices.
The spices met her halfway as she went to them, and she nearly walked into them. She blinked in confusion as she looked at the salt, pepper, cayenne, and sage. Each bobbing in the air as if floating in water at about her chest height.
"Uh... Doran?"
"Not listening!"
"No, Doran! The spices are floating."
He looked up at her and gave a soft 'huh.' "That's new; what a strange domain to have for a card like that. Try putting them back."
She followed his instruction, imagining the containers floating back to their resting spaces. Which they did. "What? How did I do that?"
"I'm guessing your card lets you 'control' anything in your classroom. In this case, telekinesis."
"That doesn't make any sense. Why would a teacher need telekinesis?"
He hummed. "I can think of many reasons, demonstrations, managing the classroom, you'd just have more hands to help you, I suppose. I am surprised it's not a Magic card- a purple."
She summoned the spices back to her, then made then dance in circles around her. "This is..." Her eyes lit up, and she started to bounce in place. "fun. It's like having my own little magical performance." Rep's eyes sparkled with delight as she easily controlled the spices, making them twirl and float around her in a mesmerizing dance.
Doran couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement. "Well, it seems like you've discovered a hidden talent, Rep. The card isn't about controlling people."
A sense of relief washed over Rep., And she juggled the spices in the air. "Can I just do this... always now?"
He shrugged. "it's an active card? Likely not, then. There's some sort of time limit. Likely a weight limit as well- but it could be object-based."
She tilted her head. "How could it be object-based? Its thousands of grains of salt and spices."
"But only four containers. Perception matters, so don't try to convince yourself it doesn't make sense- you might convince the card too."
"That can happen?"
"On occasion. But it's rare; they mostly imprint on your perspective when you got them- or the perspective of the world at large. There are theories." He shrugged as if to say, 'I'm only a layman' "Try switching to something less breakable, and see how long you can hold it."
Rep returned the spices and instead plucked up a handful of spoons, letting them float in a lazy pattern around her. She placed [Classroom Control] beside its peers. Then turned back to Doran.
"Thank you for helping me- I was really worried."
"I could tell; let's take a small break, perhaps? You can make that nose of yours."
She nodded her ascent and went seeking out some fruit Virid had left in the galley. How many calories are in a nose? A dozen, perhaps? It was a small little thing. The Imps, thankfully. Did have noses; she could copy their design. She sucked down one fruit, then two, and began her attempt. It was surprisingly calorie dense, requiring a dip that the 200-odd calories from the fruit only barely covered.
She breathed in. She suspected the imps lacked a good sense of smell, but even this small enhancement to her previously very limited sense of smell made a massive change.
She could scent stew's savory aroma; It was like seeing or hearing. All this time, what she'd 'smelled' had been... she struggled for a metaphor. It had been like feeling the vibrations through the soles of your feet and thinking you'd be hearing normally. It was almost overwhelming.
"I can smell."
"You couldn't before?" Doran asked with scrunched, confused brows.
"I could, but... not like this! Do imps have a really good sense of smell?" Her voice sounded deeper now, less nasally.
"I don't know- perhaps? Are you alright?"
"I'm more than alright. I'm great! This is... a lot! But it's great." She took a moment to luxuriate in the enhanced sense until, finally, she broke away from it to move on and went to summon her last card.
"Bounty of Plenty! Doesn't it sound cool? Three words! That seems important. A word longer than any of my other cards. More wounds seem like it would be a good thing, right?"
Doran hummed. "Your not entirely wrong. Later-level cards tend to have longer names and are more powerful. I doubt it will be more powerful than Classroom Control, but it could be. What's its domain?"
"Generosity! I love it already; it's the best sounding of all my domains- besides maybe Hearth?"
"Well, what are you waiting for? summon it."
She hummed acceptance and did so. The skill card materialized before Rep in a miniature blue whirlwind of light and color. The artwork at the center of the card was intricate. It depicted a scene of a grand banquet set under the starlit expanse of the Atherium. There at the center was a Replicant, reminiscent of Rep but adorned in regal garments reminiscent of ancient harvest deities. She wore a crown made of golden grains and leaves, and her flowing dress seemed to be woven from the bounties of nature itself – vines, flowers, and fruits.
She held a cornucopia in her arms, from which an endless stream of dishes, fruits, vegetables, and baked goods flowed. The food spilled over onto a long table where various figures from different races and walks of life were seated. Ento, Forged, Humans, Replicants, and even some creatures could only be imagined in tales. The crowd seems to sprawl off the card, hinting at an even greater number of people just out of the card's portrait. The expressions of the figures at the table were those of joy, gratitude, and camaraderie. They were sharing stories, laughing, and helping one another with the plentiful servings.
It seemed fancier than any of her other cards- and like Adaptive Curriculum, Rep could spot signs of animation amongst the crowd. The Bounty of Plenty card floated for a moment longer before she placed it down by the others, admiring the set for a moment. She then dismissed them all.
Well, it was beautiful- now, what did it do? It seemed themed to.. food, so she went back to cooking, nudging Doran out of the way with a grin and taking her rightful place, mentally placing the card in her hand as she stirred the pot. Then she activated it, whispering its name as she did. Suddenly, a comforting heat radiated from her hands. Her heart swelled with affection for her loved ones aboard the ship, and a profound spirit of benevolence enveloped her being.
Suddenly, the pot of stew she was stirring seemed to come alive. The aromas became richer, the colors more vibrant, and she could swear the amount in the pot had doubled. She blinked in disbelief and cautiously leaned closer, eager to witness the enchanting spectacle unfolding before her as a smile began to split her face.
There were things in the soup she hadn't put there- things from her homeworld, things she hadn't ever had before but had seen or known about. She could see slices pieces of what she was pretty sure were chicken, carrots, and potatoes. Not the variants of such products she'd been able to find in the ships' stores, but the foodstuffs she remembered from movies and overhearing conversation.
Doran peered over her shoulder. "What's happening?"
"I think... my new skill is in action," Rep whispered with wide eyes and a delighted grin.
Doran raised a brow. "Dare I ask?"
Rep couldn't contain her excitement as she gestured towards the pot of stew. "Look, There are ingredients in here that I didn't even put in! It's like magic! They're ingredients from Toskana, my home!"
Unable to contain her glee, Rep broke into a little happy dance, the exhilaration of her newfound ability overwhelming her. The ToskanaPatriotismProtocol had undoubtedly left its mark on her, shaping her perception and infusing her with a deep appreciation for her homeland. Despite her awareness of the program's influence and despite her hatred of the government of her homeland, her genuine longing to be part of the vibrant world she had observed in stories and movies had been by the program.
"I'll finally get to taste chicken and carrots!" Rep exclaimed with excitement, her eyes gleaming.
Doran peered into the pot, curiosity piqued. "Do you think the rest of us can also enjoy this dish? It looks... decent, but I know your species has a more adventurous palate."
She hummed. "No, you can eat it, I think- I don't think the skill would make anything you couldn't eat. And also, it's human food- not for Replicants." She grinned fiendishly at the stew. "Except this time, it is for Replicants!"
Doran chuckled, his appetite piqued. "Well, count me in then. I'm eager to try this culinary creation of yours. That's an impressive Skill card. It might actually be more powerful than Classroom Control."
With Doran's encouragement, Rep's excitement soared even higher.
The rest of the crew gradually gravitated towards the galley. Rep beamed with delight as she dished out bowls to everyone. It was a simple dish, even with the enhancement to the card, but for those who ate it, It was as if their meal had been finely tuned to their individual preferences, creating a symphony of flavors perfectly tailored to their palates.
As Stick took a spoonful, his usual hard demeanor softened. He looked around at the crew and smiled. “Good,” he said softly, likely the first word he'd said in an hour.
Rep watched with satisfaction as the crew gathered around, savoring the stew with expressions of pure enjoyment on their faces. Even Typist looked positively elated despite his inability to eat, his usually reserved demeanor replaced with animated gestures and lively conversation.
Rep felt a warm sense of fulfillment in her chest as she watched the crew bond over something she made with Doran's help. It wasn't just about the taste or the physical nourishment—it was about the connection and the joy that food brought.
Rep couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of purpose as the crew continued to enjoy the stew. She had the power to create moments of happiness, to bring people together through the simple act of sharing a meal. To give the sort of gift, she'd always longed for.
She turned to Doran, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you for believing in me, for encouraging me to explore my skills. This... is just the beginning. We can do so much more together."
Doran smiled warmly at her, a twinkle of pride in his eyes. "You've unlocked something truly remarkable, Rep. The Atherium couldn't have given you those cards if you weren't worthy of them. Be proud."
She nodded and then, somewhat awkwardly, reached out to Doran. He smiled gently down at her and took the hint, pulling her into a hug.
He smelled like the Atherium. Like clean open air and storms. Faintly of ozone and with a hint of the greenery that had been on the island he'd found her on.
He smelt like freedom.