🙡 CHAPTER 7.2 🙣

Future plans

I must say, these snakes are very convenient! >Dummy Shepti< took me, and finished drying me up with an airstream out of one of her “hair”, using it like a very smart and self moving hairdryer. After that, she put me back in the cage I woke up in, put the stuffed toy next to me, closed the door, and went back to talking to her sister… who wrapped a rope around the cage, blocking the door off. In spite of this, I’m pretty much certain that I haven’t been captured to be eaten, but to be a pet.

I will take anything that saves me from eternal damnation after death… but it still sucks! To be practically a slave, no privacy or rights of my own, at the perpetual whim of my owner's fancy. Yeah, let's say it’s the best case scenario and I get to be pampered, like an ancient egyptian (or millennials) cat, being fed and worshipped, not having to do anything for the rest of my life… is that really what I want? What I need? Actually, is this even an option for me, given the “job” I received from the gods…

And yes, it is the time to think about it. In a world of magic I strongly suspect they have methods of making their pets stay with them. Maybe they will improve this cage to be able to stop me from escaping, or maybe they have some form of pet chip, which would make it possible for them to find me no matter where i am…

Wait. Wait wait wait! Pet. Male. Pet. Be honest, what is one the first things you are thinking about?

I’m NOT giving them up! I’m pretty sure I’m the only one of my species, but still!

Wait, do I even have the “parts”? …

Well let’s leave exploring for after the dark hours.

On the other side of my chopped jewels, I am in an unknown place… scratch that, an unknown world! And as demonstrated by my brief stint as a part of local wildlife, a young tentacle monster is but a tasty snack to the vile predators. Even if the only thing I get is a safe space, it might be worth it—at least until I adapt to my current situation. With proper precautions It should be possible to run away at some later point in time.

… I’m sorry my friends. I’m sorry, but the choice is obvious. A normal person living in a modern society being told to live off land like a macho frontier man without any preparation? What if this world has seasons and winter is about to come? Or what if wild octopii are hunted on sight? Not happening! Not to mention the ultimate benefit of being part of a civilisation—knowledge! And Magic! And good food! Only a fool would take my chances in the wilderness instead!

But I would be an even greater fool If I ignored the risks of being someone else's property. I should still prepare to skip the city if necessary.

First, I have to try to hide my abilities as much as possible—especially my intelligence. Hopefully my actions so far don’t rise too many suspicions...

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Then, there are skills. Survival and escape skills especially. That’s where the question of “Points” I can gather comes in. I didn’t pay as much attention to them as I should have before... Well, I had other things to worry about (I still do), and didn’t know how useful they would be... Either way, it is something I should be concentrating on from now on. If I can trade them for new abilities, they might be the fastest way to getting power, and power is the solution to most of the world's problems.

It is also the source of new ones, but that is a worry for the future.

Looking around the room I can see a whole rainbow of colors, though metallic gray seems to dominate around the mass-produced potions. Apart from a set of professional-looking tools here and there, and a handful of jars with ingredients, the points amount they are worth seem insignificant… I didn’t notice it before, but my earlier escapade gave me a few red and gray points.

But that is still not enough. Based on my still fresh memory of the otherworldly casino, I need to use the points to get “time”, and then use them again to get new skills. It might be a good idea to save up a bunch of them and only then try entering. Except, I’m currently too weak! If I can’t do anything, I can’t get points! Not to mention getting better skills would allow me to get points faster! You need to spend points to make points!

Finally there is the question of the popup I’ve just seen. Was it an accident, or is someone searching for me? But who? Gods? Those weird trees? No one else reacted to it, suggesting that they either couldn’t feel it, or it’s a common enough occurrence that no one cares. Maybe we are close to some kind of airport equivalent, and it was caused by it’s magical-radar? Once again, I just don’t know enough!

After about half an hour of pondering interwoven with getting diabetes (is it a thing in this world?) from seeing two girls talking and making loving eyes at each other, and occasionally holding hands, it seems the time has come for them to part.

> I won’t be able to come for a while… Please take care of Sir Yarnball! <

> Yeah yeah. If he behaves he should still be alive by the time they let you go out again <

> Sister! <

> I promise you will get to be the first one to buy his body parts! <

> You are terrible! I’m leaving now! <

> Bye! <

The kid came to me again and said

> Goodbye Sir Yarnball! Be good! < I don’t understand your language! Woman! Is this why cats always have this disappointed look on their faces when you talk to them?

*Taptaptap* *Clack* Welp she is gone.

> Well well well. It seems we are alone now… <

… why is she smiling at me this way?

… I think I might have declared this a safe space too prematurely..

> Hmmm.. yeah, I really need to test that ability of yours… but first, there is the contract we should cast… I need some ingredients as well, but it’s not a trading day yet… <

The Medusa murmured something while looking at me. Then, as if deciding on something she quickly turned around and quickly moved towards the stairs… only to walk back immediately after, pointing her fighters to her eyes, then at me, then again at her eyes… Yes, yes, I’m not going to do anything. Not that I could do much else apart from wobbling my tentacle back at her, and lie on my plushy companion.

Companion, who I must say is really nice to the touch! And soft. It makes a great pillow. The material is woven in a very uniform manner, suggesting this world has developed a certain level of manufacturing.

A few moments later she was back, with a short sword attached to her belt, and a brown messenger bag on her arm. More noticeably however, following after her was… a low table. A low table, with hundred centipede-like legs, which was now trudging towards my cage.