Zeldritzon [Cycle 15] - Afternoon

  Current Location:

  [Lylore Zone]

  [Crystal Shelter]

  [UvoSath Forest of the UvoSath Realm]

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  [Innate Status]:

  Name: KiAera

  Age: [30 Cycles] [25]

  Race: [Merecritt]

  Species: [Merecritt]

  Innate: [Human ?????]

  Special Trait: [Chimera's Mark]

  Evolution Stage: [Fledgling] (F)

  Variant Grade: [Uncommon]

  Attribute Influence: [Beast] [Fire]

  Dominions: [Revise] [Virtuoso]

  Stored AP: [4800]

  Current APeX: [2925 Units]

  Power Cap Limit (APeX): [10125 Units]

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  KiAera stretched atop her bed as she finally came to. She pulled herself up from her pillow to peer out the window, recognizing that it was noontime. The last thing she remembered was defeating Mina and Boggorc, no. The last thing she recalled was fainting after bestowing Big Osseod its name. Oh, no, no. She grimaced at the flash of thoughts that ransacked her mind, events that transpired before the harrowing moment. Her paws clenched on her blankets edge as she looked to her door.

  She realized she could not move much when a weight, one foreign to her, weighed on her legs. This made her avert her gaze from the door to the weight, only for her ears to twitch from the sight.

  "Skaditty… waits for other Merecritt… to wakey…" the Merecritt girl before her mumbled in her sleep.

  KiAera blinked a couple times, processing the Merecritt's presence, only to remind herself that the girl had been the Merecritt she, Gilbud, and the Mezmeics rescued a cycle ago. It took her off guard slightly by the pink fluffy creature's proximity and overall nonchalance of resting atop her. But she did not mind much. Her paws ran through the creature's soft fur, she wasn't much trouble was a cute little thing—she did a double take as she inspected Skadicritt's sparkling fur—a cute thing with starlight glittering fur.

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  Creature: Merecritt

  Faux Nym: Crestella Skadicritt

  Brief description: fledgling mere critter.

  APeX: [Dormant]

  Attributes: [Beast] [Celestial]

  Evolution Stage: [Fledgling]

  Current Variant Grade: [Rare]

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  But she had to compose herself to other matters—like the condition of the newly named Oath the Big Osseod, Saptal, Sapshorla, and the others! It was bad enough that fainted after the battle with Boggorc and Mina, that the fact she bestowed a [Faux Nym] to another member of her crew meant that:

  [Cycle Check]

  Time Elapsed Since Last Activity:

  [1 Full Day, 11 Hours, 31 Minutes].

  She fell back against her bed rest as she took in the sight. The situation could not have been better. But that did not mean that it was worse possible situation simply because she had nothing urgent during her inactive period.

  'Big sis, you've been out for a couple days! I'm glad you're back!' KiAera placed her gaze on the Liorex egg, Liozel, which spoke through mind link.

  'I'm… sorry… once again, Liozel. You must have been very worried about me being like that again.'

  Liozel's egg surface shimmered, and the emotion of humor gushed through her. 'No need to apologize, big sis. I appreciate the fact you thought about my wellbeing. Actually I knew you were going to be all right! How you ask? I can feel it.'

  KiAera crinkled her nose in accordance to the egg's statement. "Oh, really? You mean you're responsive to my conditions at this point? My, my, how lovely. That's quite fascinating, little Zel."

  "Talking…" Skadicritt murmured. The Merecritt girl stirred, her head rising until her dazzling heterochromatic eyes of bubblegum and magenta met KiAera's. "You, you're finally awake!"

  'Oh, no…' Liozel grumbled.

  KiAera shot an uneasy glance at Liozel, then back to the Merecritt girl that pressed her nose against hers. "You! You're awake! Skaddity's glad! It's been so long since I've seen another Merecritt. It's nice to meet you! How are you? Why were you out for—"

  Placing a paw gently on the fluffy critter's head, KiAera smiled at the handful's enthusiasm. "Hold on, Missy. You're bombarding me. Let's start by introducing ourselves. It's great to see you're in a better condition, I'm KiAera."

  Skadicritt tilted her head, her shimmering ears twitching as if she were trying to absorb every word. "Oh! Skaddity's sorry for being too much. Skaddity's just... so excited! I'm Skadicritt! Or, Skaddity, if you like. That's what others used to call me."

  KiAera tilted her head, curious. "Others?"

  Skadicritt's ears drooped slightly, a shadow flickering across her expression. "Skaddity doesn't want to think about that right now. Skaddity's here with you! And you're KiAera! The Merecritt who saved me. So strong, so amazing!" Her demeanor brightened once again, her glittering fur catching the light in the room.

  KiAera chuckled softly, her paw ruffling Skadicritt's star-speckled fur. "Well, Skadi, it's a pleasure to meet you properly. You've been quite the snuggle bug, I see."

  The pink Merecritt puffed her chest proudly and grinned. "Yep! Skaddity kept you warm! You needed rest, and Skaddity helped. Good, right?"

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  Liozel's voice chimed in KiAera's mind, dripping with subtle annoyance. 'She's been glued to you since they brought you back. Amber tried to move her once, and let's just say... it didn't go well.'

  KiAera couldn't suppress a laugh. "Sounds like you've made yourself at home, huh?"

  Skadicritt nodded fervently. "This place is nice! It smells good here, and everyone's so interesting! But you're the best. Skaddity wants to stick close to you!"

  KiAera's smile softened as she regarded the energetic Merecritt. "Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like. I'm glad you're feeling better, Skadi."

  Before Skaddity could respond, there was a soft knock at the door. KiAera looked up, calling out, "Come in!"

  The door creaked open, and Tailza peeked in. "Um, oh, g-good, you're awake, Miss KiAera!" she exclaimed, stepping inside with a tray of crystals balanced in her hands. "I brought you something to eat. You must be starving after being out for so long."

  KiAera's stomach growled in response, and she smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, Tailza. You're a lifesaver."

  Skadicritt tilted her head, eyeing the tray. "Food? What kind? Is it good? Skaddity's hungry too!"

  Tailza chuckled, setting the tray down on a small table near the bed. "Don't worry, little one. There's plenty to share."

  The aroma of freshly cooked, crystallized vegetables and bread wafted through the room, and KiAera felt her mouth water. She reached for the bowl, but paused, glancing at Skadicritt. "Oh. Let's eat together, then. All of us."

  The Merecritt's ears perked up, and she let out an excited squeak. "Yay! Skaddity loves food!"

  As the two of them dug in, Tailza stood nearby, her tail wagging slightly. She sat near KiAera's bedside with Skadicritt sniffing her. "Everyone's been worried about you, Miss KiAera. Oath Osseod is recovering well, and the others are doing fine, but they'll be relieved to know you're back on your feet."

  KiAera nodded between bites, her thoughts turning to her companions. "Thanks for looking after everyone, Tailza. Once I've eaten, I'll check on Oath and the others. We've got a lot to do." She glanced at Skadicritt, who was happily munching on a piece of bread. "And it looks like we've got a new addition to our little family."

  Skaddity looked up, crumbs on her face. "Family? Skaddity's part of the family now?"

  KiAera smiled warmly, reaching out to ruffle the Merecritt's fur again. "Of course. Welcome to the team, Skadicritt."

  The pink Merecritt beamed, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Skaddity's so happy! Skaddity promises to be the best Merecritt ever!"

  'Big sis,' the egg spoke. 'Though you might want to brace yourself. I overheard Gilbud-Plelepun and Scarbol rallying everyone to celebrate your recovery. Something about… a 'victory feast'?'

  KiAera groaned softly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I love their enthusiasm, but I don't think I'm ready for a party yet. And what are we even celebrating? I fainted!"

  Skadicritt bounced off the bed, landing nimbly on the floor and striking an exaggerated heroic pose. "They're celebrating you being alive, silly! And naming Oath Osseod! That's a big deal, right? You're like… a hero in one of those old stories!"

  KiAera shook her head with a tired smile. After all, Oath's survival was something to celebrate, even if it came at a cost she didn't fully understand yet. "All right, everyone. Let's see what kind of 'celebration' the crew has put together this time."

  The Merecritt's eyes sparkled as she skipped toward the door. "Yay! I bet there's food! And dancing! And maybe shiny things! Oh, oh, do you think Oath will be there? I wanna see how big and sparkly he is now!"

  KiAera raised a brow in intrigue. "You've meet the others, haven't you, Skadi?"

  Skadicritt spun on her paws. "Well, those that came to visit you, yeah! The Kobolbo with scars, the Plelepun and Mezmeics that saved me, and the bats!"

  The last part reaching her ears made her ears twitch. "Those three knuckleheads are still here? I would have believed they'd been long gone."

  Tailza tilted her head, poking a finger to her cheek. "Well, the yellow-striped one kept insisting on visiting you. Rox joined in the visitation but Nex did more grudging than anything else."

  KiAera followed with a soft laugh, her thoughts briefly drifting to her newly-named companion. "I hope Oath's feeling strong enough to join us. But knowing Oath, the big one won't want to miss this either."

  ??. .????. .????. .??

  The sight before her. Wow. No words could perfectly describe how she felt. The crystal cake was a marvel to behold. It was a towering confection, constructed out of layers of spongy, crystalline goodness. Each layer adorned with different types of blue crystals, and the entire thing sparkled with an otherworldly beauty. The topmost layer was capped with a crown of glittering fruit, and it all looked so tempting that KiAera could barely restrain herself from diving in—or in her case—doing so before Skadicritt.

  Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at GamaGen. "You've pried into my memories again, didn't you?"

  GamaGen laughed heartily at KiAera's accusation, his pages rippling with in accordance to his amusement. 「'Ah, you've caught me! I must admit, I've been quite curious about your world. However, do not fret! I have no intention of stealing any of your secrets... This, Miss KiAera, is merely a small token of my appreciation for you.'」

  "Woah! What is that? A crystal tower? It looks delicious!" Skadicritt said, poising to pounce on the cake.

  KiAera quickly placed a paw in front of Skadicritt, halting the little Merecritt mid-pounce. "Hold on there, sparkles! This isn't just any 'yummy crystal tower.' This is a crystal cake. And it looks way too good to devour recklessly."

  Skadicritt whined, her tail flicking with impatience. "But it's sparkling! Food this shiny has to be eaten before it stops being shiny!"

  KiAera chuckled, shaking her head. "Food doesn't just stop being shiny, Skadi. Besides, we should share this with everyone. It's big enough for the whole team."

  Skadicritt groaned, sitting on her haunches and staring longingly at the cake. "Fine, but I get the shiny top part!"

  KiAera smirked. "We'll see about that."

  She turned back to GamaGen, her tone softening. "Thank you, GamaGen. This means a lot. But next time, maybe give me a heads-up before you pluck memories from my brain, okay?"

  The book tilted slightly in acknowledgment. 「'Ah, a fair request, dear KiAera. I shall endeavor to tread more lightly… although, I cannot promise to resist entirely. Your memories are quite vivid, and your fondness for these human traditions is intriguing.'」

  KiAera rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. She knew GamaGen's curiosity wasn't malicious—he was just endlessly fascinated by her human past.

  "Alright, everyone!" she called out, cupping her paws around her mouth. "Crystal cake is officially on the menu! Gather around!"

  The sound of thudding footsteps and skittering claws echoed through the Crystal Shelter as her companions poured in from every corner. Amber, the LeapLeap, entered with her head held high, her feathers fluffing out in curiosity as she eyed the cake. Oath Osseod moved slower, its crystalline body still visibly scarred, but a soft hum of contentment emanated from it as it approached. The Kobolbos bounded in next, led by Scarbol, who clapped his claws in excitement. The Sapkins entered beside them, swaying into the room with the Mezmeics bundled in their arms. Even Nex, Rox, and Viz swooped in, the Nexperbax trio drawn by the scent of something sweet.

  "What's the occasion, boss?" Scarbol asked, his tail wagging like an overexcited puppy’s.

  KiAera shrugged. "Do we need an occasion to celebrate surviving another day? Plus, this cake was too beautiful not to share."

  As everyone gathered closer, Skadicritt tried to inch her way toward the topmost glittering fruit. KiAera caught her in the act and lightly flicked her on the nose. "Nice try, Skadi. Wait your turn like everyone else."

  The Merecritt pouted but stayed put, muttering under her breath about how shiny things were meant to be hers. "But I saw it first, KiAera! First dibs rules!"

  Amber huffed, stomping her taloned feet. "No way! Amber saw it first—Amber called dibs, and dibs never lie!"

  GamaGen's voice interjected smoothly. 「'Let us not turn this joyous occasion into chaos. There’s plenty for all, and a lack of patience will only spoil the feast.'」

  "Thank you, GamaGen," KiAera said, giving Skadicritt a playful nudge. "Listen to the wise crow-book, everyone. Let's enjoy this without turning it into a feeding frenzy."

  The monsters begrudgingly settled down, though a few grumbles persisted. Saptal passed around wooden plates crafted from his own leaves, while Sapshorla used her vine-like fingers to serve each monster a generous slice of the crystal cake.

  Amber and Skadicritt was, of course, first in line, as they clutched her portion. KiAera directly handed Oath Osseod its slice, the creature with a new name glistened at the sight of her.

  "Glad to see your up and about best buddy," KiAera grinned as she gave the giant crystalline mouse licked her face.

  "Oath! See cake and KiAera! Oath Osseod happy!"

  As each companion took their piece, the cake's otherworldly aroma filled the air—a heady mix of sweetness, a faint mineral tang, and a cool freshness that reminded KiAera of her childhood occasions.

  She bit into her own slice, savoring the way the delicate crystal shards melted on her tongue like snowflakes, giving way to the soft, spongy layers underneath. It was exquisite, almost too perfect to be real.

  "Yo, yo, yo!" Gilbud the Plelepun interrupted, poking his trunk toward the cake. "No one told me you alll would chow down without inviting the architect! Yo, rude!"

  KiAera smirked, cutting him a slice. "How could we forget the mastermind? Here, enjoy the fruits of your labor."

  The Plelepun puffed out his chest proudly as he took the slice, but his voice softened as he mumbled, "Yo… it does look nice. Guess I'm kinda awesome, huh?"

  Oath Osseod, now sporting a crumb-coated grin, chimed in with a loud, "Oath Osseod agrees! Cake good—Gilbud good! Everyone good!"

  Laughter rippled through the group, the festive atmosphere brightening even further. Even Nex, perched at the edge of the gathering with Rox and Viz, allowed himself a small, begrudging smile as Rox nudged him with her wing.

  KiAera caught the moment and grinned to herself. It wasn't often that Nex let his guard down, and seeing him relax, even briefly, felt like a win.

  "Alright, everyone," she said, raising her plate like a toast. "To the Crystal Shelter, to all of us here, and to the many adventures yet to come!"

  The monsters roared their approval, raising whatever they had in hand—plates, claws, wings, and even vines—in a triumphant cheer.

  The festive cheer within the Crystal Shelter was abruptly interrupted as KiAera's gaze caught a figure huddled in the far corner of the room. The flickering light of the crystal torches cast shadows over the unexpected visitor, but there was no mistaking the disheveled dark hair and the distinctive horns curled back like an oni's crown.

  Mina the Minokaurbo.