After a few tests at the ability management office, they figured out Chris's new form was about four times stronger than his normal human form in all regards, which was less of a boost than they'd hoped for, but still solidly mid-tier, even if it was on the lower end. Though, Jacobs said the fact that he'd improved in all aspects was a bigger deal than he might think. Apparently most physiques emphasized certain aspects like speed or strength, so his balanced improvement would let him hold his own against creatures up to the five times improvement range, maybe even six, depending on how specialized they were. It still wasn't huge but if he continued to mutate in the same way, that advantage would continue to grow.

Once they finished at the ability management office, there was still some time until dinner, so Chris ducked into his space to continue his conversation with Jello. Jello hopped over to him in her blob form before morphing into a little girl again. “Hey, Big Brother!”

Chris sighed. “I told you, I'm not your brother. I can't be. My parents died before you were born.”

“You think they died.” Jello retorted. “Essence doesn't lie!”

“How can you possibly be sure of that?” Chris countered skeptically. “You've spent your entire life as a ball of goop.”

Jello crossed her arms petulantly. “Because I am! If just using the DNA of other creatures was enough to change our essence to be so similar, then it would be completely unreliable! And how would you explain the other slimes recognizing your essence as well? I'm definitely not related to Jam and they say your essence is familiar too!”

Chris grimaced, trying to poke holes in her argument, but ultimately, he knew he was just resisting because he didn't like it. What Jello was saying made sense. It explained why slimes seemed to love him, and… well, Chris had always known he was weird, something that was becoming more and more clear as he explored his space, and this was a better explanation for why than anything else. Why didn't he seem human? Because on some level, he wasn't. That wasn't even the part that bothered him. He could accept not being completely human, especially after learning he was essentially a sentient space. Humanity was more of a choice anyway.

No, what bothered him was the idea that his parents, at least one of them, had abandoned him. He wasn't even sure if it'd be better if they had a good reason or not. If they just ditched him, then yeah, it sucked, but ultimately, shitty parents existed and someone had to get stuck with them. He wouldn't be happy about it, but at least it'd mean he didn't have any obligation to deal with them. But if they had a good reason… What if the problem was resolved and they ended up back in his life? Even if they were his parents, they would still essentially be strangers. He had no real relationship with them, but he was fairly certain they wouldn't see it that way. Which, you know, he got, he just really didn't want to have to deal with it.

Chris sighed. “Am I an ass for hoping my parents actually are dead?”

“Probably!” Jello nodded cheerfully.

“Yeah, that's what I thought.” Chris muttered. “Fuck it, fine, whatever. I buy it. You could be my sister.”

“Yay!” Jello cheered.

“But I want to see it for myself.” Chris added. “So… how do I check my own essence?”

Jello frowned. “Just look at it? You can borrow my senses, can't you? You didn't have any energy before, so it was hidden, but it's pretty clear now.”

Chris blinked. “What?” He checked his energy awareness, eyes widening as he noticed he actually had energy now! “How- where did that come from?!?”

“Mutating? I have more energy now too, and that's the only thing we both did.” Jello shrugged.

Chris concentrated on Jello, confirming that she did indeed have more energy as well, switching over to his spirit awareness to see if he had a spirit now, but no, still nothing. He paused as he noticed his connection with Jello in the process, frowning as he realized it was a bit… shaky. “Jello? Does our connection feel weird to you?”

Jello cocked her head, looking slightly confused as she tested their connection. “It feels loose? Like I could slip out of it, if I wanted to… can you fix it?” She asked hesitantly.

“I can try?” Chris agreed, focusing on their connection, trying to strengthen it. The connection did get stronger, but Chris felt pressure build as it did. He frowned, letting it go as the connection went loose again. “Not permanently, but if it looks like it's close to breaking, I can probably stabilize it for a bit.”

Jello grimaced. “But I don't want to lose our connection!”

Chris looked a bit surprised, giving her a slight smile and patting her on the head. “Don't worry, even if the connection breaks, I'm not going to abandon you.”

Jello wiggled happily, then scowled as she thought about losing the connection again. “I still don't want to lose it.” She grumbled.

“We'll do our best not to stress it, don't worry. I'm just wondering why it's loose…” Chris muttered. “It has to be because of your mutation, right? Because… you're stronger? That's probably it. You've probably exceeded my space's natural ability to dominate.” Chris nodded as he figured out the problem. He'd always figured he had to have a limit somewhere and Jello had gone over it. He just wondered where exactly it was… it was probably somewhere in mid-tier, if he had to guess, like his barriers.

“So if I'm weaker, the connection will get stronger again?” Jello asked with a thoughtful expression.

Chris frowned at her. “Jello, you are not making yourself weaker just to strengthen our connection. I don't even know how you would, but even if you could, it wouldn't be worth it.”

Jello pouted, then brightened as another idea came to her. “Then what if we made you stronger!?!”

Chris shook his head. “I'm pretty sure my space is as strong as it's going to get. I mean, I mutated just like you, in better conditions even, and as far as I can tell, nothing about it changed. Hell, the fact that our connection is looser is proof it didn't change, because if it had, we wouldn't be having this problem!”

Jello cocked her head. “So we need to make the space stronger?”

Chris raised an eyebrow at her. “Sure? But there's no way to actually do it, so it isn't really a solution, is it?”

“If it exists, it can be strengthened!” Jello declared firmly. “We just don't know how yet, but we'll learn! And then our connection will be stronger than ever!”

Chris shook his head. “You’re certain of a lot of things for something that barely even had a mind a day ago.”

Jello stuck her tongue out at him. “It isn't my fault you can't see the obvious.”

“And how is this one obvious?” Chris asked skeptically. “There are plenty of things out there that can't be strengthened. Like diamonds. They're pretty much as hard as something can get. No real way to improve it.”

Jello frowned. “Well… okay, if something is at the limit of strength, then sure, you can't improve it, but your space obviously isn't at the limit because there are things stronger than it!”

“Steel isn't as hard as a diamond and there's no way for it to be.” Chris retorted. “In fact, all materials have intrinsic qualities that can't be altered. Steel is steel, diamonds are diamonds, water is water, and so on.”

“What if your categorization is wrong?” Jello suggested. “You see diamonds and steel as different, but they're all materials, aren't they? And you can always make a stronger material!”

Chris opened his mouth to retort, before pausing, realizing she had a point. Materials were all just different ways particles arranged themselves, and different arrangements had different strengths. “Okay, fine, you may have something there. But I wouldn't take that as a guarantee that my space can get stronger, since it isn't an ability, it isn't material… I'm honestly not sure what it is anymore. I'm not saying it isn't possible, but I wouldn't necessarily be confident that it is either.”

“It's okay! I'll be confident for you!” Jello assured him happily.

“You do that.” Chris replied with a slight indulgent smile. “Now, I still want to see what's going on with our essences. Mind if I hop in your head for a bit?”

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Of course not!” Jello agreed.

Chris projected himself into her head, focusing on her energy and vitality sense, comparing Jello's essence to his. It took a moment to make sense of what he was sensing, but once he did, he had to admit there were some obvious similarities between them. Chris returned to himself with a sigh. He wasn't expecting to find anything different, but it still left him feeling… off. Were one or both of his parents really still out there? Should he look for them? Did this mean his stipend from his parents death was technically fraud? Chris grimaced. This was going to be a mess, he just knew it.

*

“Chris, you're back!” Beth greeted him excitedly as he arrived for dinner, pulling him into a tight hug.

“I haven't really been gone?” Chris pointed out, slightly confused.

Beth sighed. “I know, but there's just something different about it being you, instead of Dyrdek being controlled by you. I mean, I couldn't hug Dyrdek like this.” She squeezed him a bit tighter.

Chris cocked his head. “But we were still hanging out in my space?”

Beth pulled back, glaring at him. “It's just better, okay Chris?”

Chris shrugged. “If you say so.”

“So, how'd your mutation work out?” Derek interjected before Chris got himself in trouble.

“Pretty good.” Chris replied. “Four times improvement in physique and I actually have ability energy now. I think I might be a high-tier, but I'd need to go to the ability management office to check, which probably won't happen till next Monday, since Jacobs will definitely want to be there.” He paused as he noticed everyone staring at him in shock. “What?”

“You- what- how?!?” Zack exclaimed incredulously.

“Mutation?” Chris offered. “Jello's ability energy increased as well, so I'm pretty confident that's just what happens when you mutate.”

“Before or after the physique improvement?” Nadia asked seriously.

Chris cocked his head. “Before, so I guess with that I might be equivalent to a superior-tier?”

“What even are you?” Carmen muttered, shaking her head.

“I'm me.” Chris shrugged.

“Does this mean you have a new ability?” Beth asked curiously.

Chris paused. “I honestly don't know… I can't tell if I do, so I'd need to see a Reader.”

Derek shook his head. “You're just insistent on getting more and more ridiculous, aren't you?”

“I mean, I'm not exactly trying to be, but yeah, that does seem to be the trend.” Chris sighed.

“As long as you're still you, I don't care how ridiculous you get.” Beth assured him, latching onto his arm with a smile.

“Do you mind if I ignore this for the squad?” Nadia asked, rubbing her temple as a slight headache began to build. This was the first development that might need her to change how they used Chris, but… they needed Chris where he was!

“Go for it.” Chris gave her a thumbs up. He knew trying to expand his role in the squad any further would cause problems. That was why they were using Dyrdek after all. No, his new power was definitely an emergency only kind of thing.

“He can't possibly pull off anything more ridiculous than this, right?” Zack asked Derek as they got their food.

“Wanna bet?” Derek asked with a smirk.

Zack hesitated, glancing at Chris, before shaking his head. “Hell no. At this point, the dude could announce he's taking us all to the surface, and I wouldn't be surprised.”

“You want to go to the surface?” Chris interjected.

Zack froze. “Please, tell me you're joking.”

“Okay, I'm joking.” Chris replied with a smirk.

Zack narrowed his eyes at him for a moment. “You're fucking with me.”

“I am.” Chris nodded.

“So you can't take us to the surface, right?” Zack confirmed.

Chris's smirk grew slightly. “That's not what I said.”

Zack groaned. “Come on, man, don't do this to me. Can you or can't you!?!”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to know?”

Zack hesitated. “Only- only if you say no.”

“Then no.” Chris shrugged.

Zack glared at him for a moment, before shaking his head. “Nope, I'm not biting! I don't care if you can or can't, just leave me out of it!”

“Deal.” Chris chuckled, getting one last dirty look from Zack before he stomped off with his food.

“That was rude.” Beth chastised him, struggling to suppress a smile as she did.

“Hey, a little confusion never hurt anyone.” Chris replied.

“It's frustrating as hell though.” Derek grumbled, glancing at Chris hesitantly. “You don't actually have a way to the surface, do you?”

“Do you want me to?” Chris asked.

Derek's expression went stiff. “Fucking hell, I hate you sometimes.” He muttered, shaking his head and following after Zack.

Chris chuckled lightly, pausing as he noticed Beth glaring at him. “Don't ever do that to me, okay?” She insisted.

“Of course not.” Chris smiled. “That'd require me to keep secrets from you, and I don't keep secrets from you.” He paused. “Which reminds me, we need to talk later. Privately.”

Beth blinked. “We do?”

Chris nodded. “I learned some things today that I think you need to know.”

Beth eyed him warily. “After dinner?”

“After dinner.” Chris agreed.

*

After dinner, Chris set the other four up with a game before retreating to his private space with Beth, Jello waiting for them. Chris made them a couch as Jello launched herself at Beth, shifting into her little girl form again. “Big Sister!”

Chris froze. “Wait, what?!?” There was no way one of Beth's parents could be the same as his, right?!?

Jello looked at him curiously from where she'd latched herself onto Beth. “She's going to be your wife, isn't she? Doesn't that make her my sister according to human customs?”

Chris collapsed onto the couch in relief. “Fuck, you almost gave me a heart attack. Yes, when we get married she'd be your sister-in-law. Or if, since we haven't made anything official yet… should I buy a ring?” Chris trailed off, muttering to himself.

“That's great! Big Sister is the best!” Jello squealed happily, tightening her grip on Beth.

“Chris, what- hold on!” Beth exclaimed, pulling Jello off and holding her up to examine her. “Why does she look like she could be our kid?”

“I'm not sure, but it wasn't because of me.” Chris shrugged.

“I didn't want to look like someone else, so I mixed together my two favorite people!” Jello provided, hesitating as Beth frowned. “Was- was that wrong?”

Beth sighed, sitting next to Chris and putting Jello on her lap. “No, it's fine. But you know my dad will have comments.”

“Honestly? One of the first things I thought of too.” Chris agreed.

Beth smiled, leaning into him, before pausing as she processed more of the conversation. “Chris. Why would I be Jello's sister-in-law?”

“Because she's my sister. Probably.” Chris replied.

Beth sat up to glare at him. “Chris, what did I just tell you not to do!?!”

Chris blinked. “What? No! Jello actually is most likely my sister! See, slimes have this method of identifying themselves that combines their vitality and energy senses to determine someone's essence. It's how they recognize each other across mutations, and my essence is close enough to Jello's that it's pretty hard to say we aren't related. It's why slimes never fight my connection, because they think I'm one of them. Our current theory is that one of my parents is a slime that mutated into a human. Of course, it could just be a coincidence, something about my space messing with my essence, but I think the odds of my essence randomly matching a slime's are lower than a slime getting a human form and infiltrating the City.”

Beth blinked. “Oh.”

Chris nodded. “Yeah. It also means at least one of my parents might still be alive, because Jello is only four or five years old, but I'm not sure I even want to touch that one, because how am I supposed to deal with someone who's essentially a stranger, yet not? That is just too complicated a relationship for me to be comfortable with.”

“Chris, stop talking.” Beth groaned, still trying to process the idea that one of his parents might be a slime, let alone the fact they may still be alive! Chris fell silent, giving her some time to process. “You're still- you're still you, right?” She asked, knowing the answer but needing to hear him say it.

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Who else would I be?”

Beth let out a long sigh of relief as she leaned back into him. “As long as you're you, I don't care how ridiculous you are. I still love you.”

“Didn't you already say that?” Chris pointed out.

Beth rolled her eyes. “It bore repeating, due to the fact you might not qualify as human anymore.” She paused. “We can still have kids, right?”

“Probably? I mean, I've never checked, but I don't know why we wouldn't be able to. I'm still genetically human, and if any residual slimeness would be an issue, I wouldn't be here, would I?” Chris pointed out. “Plus, if all else fails, we can just find some dude you like the genetics of and I'll steal his form.”

Beth frowned. “That… seems wrong on some level.”

Chris cocked his head. “Why?”

“I don't know, it just does!” Beth sighed.

Chris paused. “Then… if I couldn't have kids, would it be a problem for you?”

Beth hesitated. “No… but I wouldn't be happy about it.”

Chris nodded. “Yeah, neither would I. Though… I've always kind of felt like I should adopt.”

“That could work?” Beth agreed tentatively, before shaking her head. “We should probably wait until we actually know if it's an issue before we start making plans.”

“True…” Chris glanced at her. “So we're both just accepting that we're going to get married, huh?”

“Do you have any doubts?” Beth asked, half cheekily, have seriously.

“None.” Chris replied firmly. “You?”

“Not one.” Beth smiled, snuggling closer to him.