That Oni encounter really bugged me. It seemed intelligent enough to call for help but why did it call to me? Was it merely because I was a fellow monster? Is it related to this separate reality this world keeps flickering too? Every monster in that reality seems to be made of the same material, gray or white skin with shallow holes, a smiling stone face. Moreover, is it truly my obligation to help my fellow monsters? Is it a human's obligation to help their fellow humans? I would think not but it still leaves me puzzled. There is something intrinsic within me that pulls me to aid these other monsters but I am not sure what it is. Is it mere instinct? No that can't be it, it must be more. Why do I feel the feelings I do? Are these feelings genuine or the result of another outside force? I absorb the feelings of others in my posy allowing them to influence my actions and yet I still have my own feelings. No.... I should focus on escape but really, should I? Dongung disappeared without a trace when she 'Learned the truth' so is it really best for me to learn what lies outside this facility? I don't want to disappear and yet I want to know more.... I suppose I simply don't have enough information to come to a solid conclusion. My whim is to get outside, see the moon... I must see the moon. It seems to be connected to everything happening here. Everything in that alternate reality resembles the moon I've seen in memories, so I must see it for myself. It must provide me the answers to all my questions. This is not just to learn the truth of what I am, but the truth of the world around me as well. I'm not sure what awaits me and I'm still scared of what will happen when I do learn about this world but it has become more than a necessity now more than ever.
Skill Ascension: Self Realization is attempting to ascend to Moderate.... Ascension complete.
Skill Ascension: Self Reaction is attempting to ascend to Major.... Ascension failed.
My mind has become clearer, more focused. I'm still not sure what Self Realization does for me but I can feel myself coming closer to some sort of climax to my being. A sort of new form upon my soul at the end of it all. Still, I must remain focused. The Fortification department looked rather strange compared to the other department. It looked unfinished, as if someone had been tinkering with every part of the place without stopping or knowing when to stop. There were broken tools, open wires, mass clumps of colored cords plugged into separate wall sockets all intertangled with each other, and other signs of disorder all over the place that I wouldn't expect from a professional facility. The floor was decidedly metal, couldn't find any hint of earth other than under the few floorboards that were somehow misplaced, broken, or gone. I could see the magical fire light cloak drop from Stephany and Victor as they speak with each other.
Stephany: "Hey that thing is still following us, even without us being on any soil"
Victor: "Yea that's worrying, think we might have to take it on..."
Stephany: "Don't worry, I'll scare it off"
I could see Stephany's form shift as she raised her arms pointing her gun at me. Seeing the damage it did to the Oni first hand, I harshly flinched when she did so coming to a complete halt as I do so.
Stephany: "Aw, the poor thing got scared. It's kinda like a puppy if you squint your eyes at it"
Victor: "Looks like it recognizes the gun, maybe it's smarter than the rest"
Stephany: "If it's following us and hasn't attacked yet, maybe it's looking for something?"
Victor: "Probably just saw something on us that took its interest, either way we can't really count on it being harmless. Especially with all these other stage 5 monsters running around."
Stephany: "Hey, maybe it could help us. Remember when it took out those Goblins? It was careful not to get hit and poisoned those goblins in the process. That's some real high cognitive function."
Victor: "I wouldn't call that 'high cognitive function' seemed just like instinct to me. It's natural not wanting to sustain damage and we've seen other monsters including normal plants that poison their targets with no further forethought."
It seems they've observed more of that battle than I thought. They don't seem to be mentioning my Earth Control so I can probably assume they didn't see that. I suppose I should do something to demonstrate my intelligence, otherwise they might shoot me dead like they did that Oni. I search my available memories from others in the Posy and use my remaining mana to manipulate the earth to rise and shift its shape spelling out "I Friand" in crude english. My mana runs out quickly as I hold it up despite me using Mana Recharge to slow it and the earth falls with a light thump. Their faces express one of shock and awe so I suppose I got my message across. I use Mana Recharge to gather up my lost mana and it feels as slow as I thought it would be.
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Stephany: "Victor look! It's talking to us!!"
Victor: "That's.... Strange. It seems to be able to use elemental magic"
Stephany: "I think it said it's a friend!"
Victor: "Ok let's calm down for a few moments. None of this makes sense to our pre-established knowledge on Genie Sprouts or Swarms. They can't be this intelligent." I could see him composing himself as he says this.
Stephany: "You're right but maybe it has to do with that Apostle freeing all the monsters? I did hear of a story of an Apostle teaching a dragon how to do fine pottery."
Victor: "Those are simple tales, it's strange enough that an Apostle exists at all. Plus draconian monsters are already known to gain intelligence as they age, so there's already a precedent for them being able to learn to do such tasks." He scratches his head clearly having conflicting thoughts on the situation.
Stephany: "I for one, trust in these 'simple tales' and if we can make our escape smoother, the better. If it tries anything, we can always kill it."
Victor: "Fine, I'm not helping you befriend the thing but I'll be right behind to assist if it turns hostile." He says backing away a few steps, he sounded rather reluctant saying that.
I could see Stephany approach me, holstering her gun under her lab coat as she changes her tone of voice to sound softer.
Stephany: "Yes, friend! We're friend! Are you friend?"
A part of me feels this is rather degrading but another part of me does appreciate her new tone. I simulate a human motion of understanding, moving my roots and petals to simulate a nod. I noticed Stephany and Victor seem audibly taken aback by my gesture but Stephany, seemingly noticing that I noticed her reaction, reverts her previous tone of voice.
Stephany: "Good! Good. Did you take out those goblins for us?"
I decide to lie a bit and simulate another nod. This'll go more smoothly if they believe my previous actions were purely to aid them. Again, they seem taken aback by my response. Victor more so than Stephany but they both echoed slight surprise nonetheless as they turned to each other.
Victor: "This thing is.... Beyond what I expected"
Stephany: "It seems like it gained intellect equivalent to a dog. Maybe even more due to its apparent ability to write coherently."
Victor: "That's likely... What do we do with it though..."
Now they're speaking about me as if I'm not right in front of them. They were speaking to me moments earlier so this shift confused me. I brush that aside to analyze what they're saying. I seem to remind them of their pet animals rather than a human so that's progress in the right direction. Equally as they are unsure of what to do with me, I am unsure what to do with them. Killing them would be suboptimal approach, while I could get around this place on my own, they know their way around better than I do. The more I think on it, the best it is that I become a known ally to them. If those monster extraction personnel come back, it's possible that they could beguile their way into not getting me captured again. So using the mana I gained from my recharge, I use the earth again to spell "Me with you" I could only show these words one at a time to get the full message across before my mana ran out again. I continue using Mana Recharge as I wait for them to get the message.
Stephany: "The little guy wants to come with us! Told you it was friendly"
Victor: "Ok cut the shit, this seems awfully convenient to find a friendly monster in this place that wants to come with us."
Stephany: "Well, we have no way of knowing if it has an alternate agenda. It's helpful to us now and it isn't tough enough to be a big threat if it does attempt to betray us in the future."
Victor: "I guess.... Just keep that thing within your sight. Don't want it slipping away to alert any other monsters" He gives off an incredulous grunt after he says this.
I see Stephany approach and her hand reaches for my core. I flinch at her touch and she seemingly notices as she instead puts me in the center of their line. Behind Victor but in front of Stephany; I can see the thought process, if I attack either of them in this position than both would have a clear shot of my core and could end my life in a single movement.
In this formation, we continue together down the dismantled hallway.