October 27th, 2023
Alastar
Alastar watched as the large, oddly built, creature ambled away. It was something like a mix between a slime, a giant rat, and a swarm… at least if he was just going off the ideas he’d gotten from his gaming days. “That was strange.” He muttered to himself, ignoring the large blue flashing light that appeared in the corner of his eye.
You aren't wrong. Vajra said, allowing the feeling of nodding to come through their mental connection. Alastar was still unused to this feeling of something being essentially inside of him, mentally and spiritually. Still, Vajra was a good fox, he was sure of it. You going to check on that notification?
“Not yet. I’m going back inside first.” Alastar said, standing up and walking through the tunnel. These dungeons didn’t function the way they did in his books. They weren't extra dimensional, at least not yet, and they seemed to abut each other in all ways. He was walking from one dungeon into another, as he returned to his erstwhile home. “I don’t know what this reward will be, it’s possible that I’ll be given some key to the dungeon I’m in. I want to save the museum, not the subway, though both would be better.
I understand. It’s not always like that, but it’s best to be cautious while examining and opening notifications. If nothing else than you need to be sure you don’t, you know, take yourself out with the notification. Vajra projected.
“Take myself out? Like there are notifications I could accidently kill myself with? Slip of the hand and just, idk, hit the life quit button?”
Not quite, but there are times and places where looking at notifications would be a bad idea. You don’t want to lose focus when you are talking to someone. Much less a fight.
Alastar nodded as he pushed open the gate and locked it behind him, leaving him in what was now one of the safest places in the museum, the area right next to the cafeteria, where he was unlikely to run into exhibits turned monsters. With a final glance around to make sure he was in fact safe, he opened his notification and read it, getting his quest reward.
> Quest Complete!
>
> Reward: New Skill, Dungeon Curator
Well that was simple enough. “Is it just me or are the quest prompts simpling down?” Alastar asked his familiar.
MAybe, it could be that the system thinks you need less constant handholding, or maybe it’s learned more about what your culture values. Either way, read the next notification.
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> New Skill: Dungeon Curator
>
> Type: Dungeon Master
>
> Rank: F
>
> Rarity: Relic
>
> Description: You are the curator of dungeons, using their materials you create dungeon experiences that help to educate and entertain the masses. With your skills, you have begun your path towards true mastery of curation.
>
> Effect: You may claim a dungeon as your own without subduing all the monsters, as long as you can find the central core. Any hostile monsters will then become hostile to the dungeon.
Well that was perfect. He wasn’t sure what the monsters turning hostile would mean, but it would be a good enough help to start wth his path. He needed to protect the history within these walls, he just had to. He knew instinctively he needed to go back upstairs to touch the core he’d found earlier. Hopefully he could make it without too much time to spare.
“How can I get there?” He asked himself, mumbling as he thought about all the things that could get in his way.
I think I have an idea. Vajra said into his head. But you are going to have to trust me for it to work.
“I… I think I can do that. What is it?” Alastar asked, frowning a little.
It’s simple, I’ll take the body for a bit. With that, Alastar felt himself shoved into the backseat of his own body for a second. His ears and tail twitched oddly, feeling weird as he felt like Vajra’s instincts were taking over.
“Alright.” Vajra said in Alastar’s voice. “I’m going to be maing my way upstairs through the quickest way possible.”
We can’t exactly fit in the vents, what are you going to do use the stairs? Alastar said, it feeling weird that he was the one with the mental voice for once.
“Easy, we’re taking the elevator.” Vajra said, walking over to the nearest elevator and calling it down.
Why didn’t you just tell me to do that, I could have… Alastar started, until he was interrupted by a loud noise when the elevator stoped and several creatures were sharing the little space.
“That’s why.” Vajra whispered, before hopping intot he elevator and standing on the ledge of the hand rails. Vajra’s fox ability to stand on this was making this easier, but not easy. The being sinside the elevator looked like… toys?
What in the world are those things? Alastar asked, staring at them. Dinosaurs?
“Based on your memories, I’d have to say they are probably from the gift shop.” When they got to the right floor, Vajra flipped through the now open door and ran towards the exhibit where Alastar found the elephant.
There they were, nearly a dozen elephants all stomping around the large hall. The other animals were behind glass, and for now contained, but the elephants were still on alarm. The loud trumpet of one made Alastar wish he had his ears muted as well as his voice.
“Careful, this is going to be tricky.” Vajra said as they jumped up and landed on an elephant’s tusk. They jumped from there to another, and another, using that odd balance ability to make their way from one end to another. Finally, there it was, one of the less impressive looking elephants had a tusk that was now glowing a pale goldish yellow-white light. Landing Alastar felt himself placed in front as their hand grabbed the tusk, and with a sudden jolt he was takin out of himself and into the mental interface of the museum.