- Shari -
"Lessons?" (Nia)
The slime in question gets literally big eyes while saying this, as far as this term can be applied to those borderless circles.
Is it fair of me to refer to her like this, even if it's only in my mind?
Well, what's done is done.
It's not like there's a way to change what she is now.
Which is exactly the reason why we should now apply some rules and ingrain some basic abilities into her core that she's certainly going to need.
"You know, this shouldn't come surprising to you, but there's quite much to your new life situation that you're not aware of yet, but which might be nonetheless essential to you." (Shari)
"Like what?" (Nia)
"Well, of course, there's controlling the dissolving reaction. I think it's understandable why it's a good thing not to be the subject of your instincts. It also helped me to feel a bit better about myself, as it's proof that you're not just a slime but can decide for yourself by your own will how you react to things." (Shari)
"Of course. So are you going to tell me a trick? Or something?" (Nia)
"First, you two, would you be so kind as to make some space? As I already mentioned, it's a bit dangerous for Okin to linger around while Nia does stuff. Also, Liqu, nothing against you, but you're a bit distracting and we'll need to focus!" (Shari)
"Yay! She said she has nothing against me!" (Liqu)
"But I want to stay with my sister!" (Okin)
Before he can say anything else, Liqu grabs him and lifts him away with an abundant amount of slime.
He squeaks at this, but the giant slime stays rigorous.
"My Shari said to leave them space, so we'll go now!" (Liqu)
It kinda works out for me, but nonetheless, I'm not sure if I should say something.
At least she doesn't block his mouth.
"Was that really necessary?" (Nia)
"Not too sure with this, but there's the tiniest chance that something might go wrong, and I don't want to take risks. Rather safe than sorry is my motto." (Shari)
"Still, how is this relevant if I'm not supposed to dissolve stuff? Can't you just tell me what not to do and I let it be?" (Nia)
Kids.
Always after the easy solutions.
I should explain this carefully to her.
"The thing is, you need to be able to tell yourself that your core isn't at risk, even if some foreign object comes close. I know that's easier said than put into practice, as it's impossible to prepare for getting startled. Sadly, there is no real trick to it. Something like controlling your instincts you can only do by living that way every day. Not just some training here and there, but just continuous working on yourself can bring you the desired results. This is the only way to regain control over your life. By exercising self-control. However, what helps with this is to train your other abilities that define how well you can handle your body. Familiarity is a key factor in gaining skill." (Shari)
"A-and how do I make this happen?" (Nia)
"That's part of your practice. You can modify the abilities of your slime. This is essential for you, as it widely expands your options. Like for example, grabbing stuff. All things you need to train." (Shari)
"Why would I need help to grab stuff?" (Nia)
Sigh.
Hate to break it to you.
But there's no real choice here.
"Here, catch!" (Shari)
I let one of my blades drift into my hand and throw it with little force towards the girl, aiming for her arms, so it's in her range.
Naturally, she's startled, but she still tries to reach for it.
Yet the moment there's contact, as anticipated, the metal passes through the slime without greater resistance.
Because it's still so liquid that it barely counts as an impediment.
"M-my hand!?" (Nia)
"That apparently didn't work so well. Then, would you be so kind to hand it back to me?" (Shari)
"The blade?" (Nia)
"Yes, what else? Afraid of cutting yourself? I don't think I need to remind you that this-" (Shari)
"Okay, okay! I'll do it." (Nia)
And just as suspected, her attempts to pick up the dagger from the ground lead nowhere.
She can lift it a bit and move the metal on the ground, but her form is just not durable enough to achieve anything concrete.
Even with my sufficiently prepared slime hands, I would usually barely be able to hold the handle.
The gloves help a bit, but without them, all objects always tend to slip out if you don't glue them in place and either apply more mass to envelop them or use more concentrated, sturdy mass.
I know this isn't nice of me, but she has to learn this sooner rather than later.
In my opinion, nothing is a better motivation than being so utterly frustrated with oneself that this state of affairs just isn't acceptable.
Something that I seem to have achieved here if I look at her further attempts.
"Damnit! What's that supposed to prove?!" (Nia)
"Splash!"
Hitting the ground won't help you very much.
"It tells you the exact thing you need to know. That you're having a problem. Now it's your choice to put in some effort and overcome it, or dwell in your misery." (Shari)
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
"As if! My whole life was nothing but struggle! You could at least tell me what I'm supposed to do!" (Nia)
Does her core maybe make it a bit harder for her to really listen to my lessons?
"I already did." (Shari)
I walk up next to her and lower a bit to the ground.
"If you want to get hold of something it won't do to just grab for it. Your hand has to be able to hold it." (Shari)
I reach for the blade, letting the upper part of my hand flow toward it, glue it to the surface, and pull the whole thing into my palm.
At the same time, as all the other times, my slime fingers become that tiny but essential bit sturdier and sticky.
This act is by now so deeply ingrained into my core that it comes totally natural to me to do so.
Thus, it isn't very difficult to lift the blade up and hold onto it.
My grasp of it might be more than slippery, but I can manage to lift it up.
A moment later, I let my slime envelop the weapon and submerge it into my arm, before sucking it all the way back to my main body, making it clear that I don't require much strength if I simply use more slime.
"You see, there are several ways to go about this task. Though, the one that would suit you the most at the moment would be to learn how to control your own viscosity." (Shari)
"What the heck are you talking about?" (Nia)
I probably should avoid bothering others with words I learned during my alchemy apprenticeship.
"It refers to how liquid your slime is. You can make it so that it's almost solid. Well, not by much, but just enough that you, for example, can grab a piece of metal." (Shari)
"So you want me to train by picking up stuff?" (Nia)
"That's not even necessary. You only need to get a feeling for it and check how your body does. You may start small. If you want confirmation, you can, for example, make your finger more solid and push it against the wall to see how much it squashes." (Shari)
"Urgh, as you say." (Nia)
It seems she's growing annoyed.
To my surprise, after she initially focused, once she brings the finger to the wall it just crumbles against it.
I really thought it would come easier to her since I got quite instantly the hang of it after Liqu explained the theory to me back then.
"Don't be discouraged. Just keep trying." (Shari)
I continue watching her efforts, but unfortunately, there's no clear degree of improvement.
Once the number of violet streaks on the wall starts piling up, Nia eventually grows frustrated.
"Grah, I don't want to anymore! I've had enough of smearing my body on the wall!" (Nia)
"There's no point in giving up. That's a natural ability. There's no reason why you wouldn't be able to do it." (Shari)
I say so, but I'm not really the best teacher right now, having essentially no idea what's going wrong here.
Maybe it's the fact that her core is significantly smaller than mine.
We were rushing things a bit with her dying, and Liqu might've been right that her core doesn't contain as much information.
"I just don't get it. How am I supposed to make this happen? What am I doing wrong?" (Nia)
"I can't really give you a concrete explanation. It's mostly about feeling. You need to look into yourself and listen to some inert sense that tells you what is supposed to happen." (Shari)
"This doesn't help! Don't you have any kind of advice? Any trick?" (Nia)
A trick.
As if it would be so easy.
This isn't something you can just explain.
It's something fundamental.
An inert sense.
It's like asking how one would use one's eyes to see things.
How would I even begin to convey... this... idea.
Okay, world.
Why do I feel set up?
Ah, fuck it!
Okay, okay!
I'll at least ask.
"Sigh. Nia, I think I've got an idea." (Shari)
"I hope that one doesn't involve as much smearing." (Nia)
Oh, you'll regret these words.
"You asked me for a trick before. A shortcut, so to say. Well, there might be one." (Shari)
"For real!?! Then why am I even bothering with all this crap?!" (Nia)
Is it possible that she has become more brash since turning?
"Do you really think I wouldn't have considered it sooner if there'd be nothing wrong with this option?" (Shari)
"You just can't hand over something that's purely positive, can you?" (Nia)
Don't tell me this.
Tell the world.
"You want to hear it or continue complaining?" (Shari)
"Just get started." (Nia)
"You know... we could link." (Shari)
"Link?" (Nia)
"Like when I woke you up. Do you remember that part when you heard mine and Liqu's thoughts? It's some kind of direct thought transfer that helps to even convey abstract ideas. We used it to support you in forming your body." (Shari)
"Oh, yes. That was helpful. So we just have to repeat this and it will work?" (Nia)
"First, I'd need your consent." (Shari)
"Consent? Why?" (Nia)
Okay, no choice on this.
Here it comes.
"Because it's fucking gross! We didn't have much of a choice before, as you were out cold and your brother panicking, but linking is, it's something you shouldn't just do without thinking it over." (Shari)
Even if I know one slime that certainly would like this better.
"Why? Why are you suddenly so weird about it?" (Nia)
"Because, my dear, linking works by meshing our slime together. This way the thoughts inside our core can be transmitted via the slime." (Shari)
"Woah! You're, you're saying..." (Nia)
"Yes, we merged. But in my defense, it was necessary for getting you back." (Shari)
"Bluargh!" (Nia)
Right now I feel more like she's a kindred soul than ever before.
Especially, as when the expelled slime eventually returns to her, she goes into the same repeated throw up cycle I got in before.
I patiently wait, for a rather long while, till the slime finally settled.
"Are you finished?" (Shari)
"Urbh, urbh, urgh. In every way! Seriously, being a slime is already... indescribable, but this! I don't even know what to think anymore! I mean, I wasn’t considered clean before, but now I'm a filthy slime and another slime mixed itself with me, filled with who knows what, and... urbh!" (Nia)
Liqu would point out in this respect that slime is by no means as dirty as our reputation makes it out to be.
I mean, yes, slimes are often found at sewers and waste dumps and the like, but one shouldn't overlook that after dissolving, none of the original filth remains.
Though, it's still a troubling association that I can't deny.
"Hey, it's not like I'm making the rules! You can believe me, I'm just as affected as you are. However, you asked me for a shortcut, and I present you with one. I never said it wouldn't come at a price." (Shari)
"Okay, I get it. But still. This is just so gross." (Nia)
"You should probably adjust your perspective in regards to the matter that now makes up your body. Objectively seen, it's not quite as icky as it's made out to be. However, I'm fully with you that this act is to be considered very problematic." (Shari)
"So what are you waiting for?" (Nia)
"Excuse me?" (Shari)
"I don't intend to spend weeks with figuring out the basics. Give me everything you know, and I'll just put the bad stuff there's about it with all the rest and lock it away." (Nia)
I feel like every time we talk she finds a way to remind me about her harsh life until now.
"If you really want to. The process itself is simple. We just need bare contact with our matter. Holding hands should be enough. At least, I think so." (Shari)
A more complex thought could require more than this.
Nonetheless, I hold my slime appendage towards her so that no one can say I forced myself on her.
"Alright. Just the hands. Fine... As you say... Here I come!" (Nia)
And there's the connection.
* "So, can you hear me?" (Shari)
* "This is so weird!" (Nia)
I certainly think so as well.
Although, this might to a great deal be because her idea of this drifts unhindered into my mind.
* "Let's make this quick. I don't want our personalities to merge." (Shari)
* "THAT CAN HAPPEN!?!" (Nia)
* "Hey, not so intense!" (Shari)
* "Uh, s-sorry, but this is a bit much." (Nia)
* "As I said, just try to stay open for what I send you next." (Shari)
So I call forth all my ideas and insights about controlling slime.
The concept of hardening it.
Making it sticky.
Controlling it at a distance.
While I'm at it, I also start sending other concepts that I think might be useful for her.
Like the forming of a slime shell, or how I usually avoid dissolving when it would be bad.
* "Aaahhhh! Stop it! Stop! It's too much! I feel like my mind is bursting! It's hot! Aagh!" (Nia)
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!
Her core is scorching hot!
She's like one of those small slimes that get overwhelmed by too much thinking!
I almost fried her mind!
Instantly, I cut the connection so she might very literally cool down again.
From the outside perspective, she's still moving, so I hope she's fine.
"Sorry. I think that was a bit much at once." (Shari)
"Uuhh. You think so?!" (Nia)
"Ehm, your overheating core taken aside, did it work?" (Shari)
"Work? You mean the trick. Not sure... Please... just give me a moment to gather myself." (Nia)
"Sure." (Shari)
At this, Nia literally goes flat on the ground.
Maintaining her form seems to be asking too much right now.
However, a break should be fine.
After all, nobody can deny that compressing a week of training into a single moment isn't intense.
Eventually, she gets back up again.
She moves to the wall and strokes her finger against it.
And it doesn't squash!
"It works! It works!!!" (Nia)
At least something good came from this, it seems.
However, just why do I feel so dirty?
I mean, even more than usual.