"I'VE SEEN IT TOO"
We've got to remember to eat even though we don't feel hungry. Getting comatose every time I eat is less than ideal. Cyclops took his steam bath while I used the toilet. I wonder if he releases waste another way?
"I hope I don't take care of that for both of us too"
I probably do.
I brushed my teeth and ran a bath. Fortunately, cyclops was done by then so we had our bath together like usual. After that we had our morning meal and that was it for morning routine. Here comes the part I was looking forward to the most, exploring with cyclops. I say exploring but it's just playing in the backyard.
"let's go cyclops"
Cyclops jumped on my hand and we walked out of the door. I packed our meal in my backpack and wore said backpack as a constant reminder to eat.
The villa backyard is divided into two, the maintained backyard filled with short brown grass and the untamed forest garden filled with different plants and trees. Grandpa said he couldn't breathe those synthetic air so he made changes to the couple of acres of land our ancestors used, to create a small forest. He spread some seeds and let it be but they were regular inspections for dangerous animals like snakes but except for winged animals no other animals showed.
We pass the backyard and went into the forest. Not much had changed from what I remember but that was only on the outskirts I was allowed to roam but this time I'm going deeper. I heard some rustling sound in a nearby bush and my mind went wild. I mean what better day, to get mauled by a bear. The bush was way too small to hide a bear but my mind was made up.
I ran and hide behind another bush. I looked over and I saw a weird creature. It wasn't like cyclops but they share similarities in that they aren't like the animals the world is used to having. Unlike cyclops that was like reptilian-amphibian type this was mammal looking. It was a fox like creature with no eyes, giant fluffy ears and a big red nose. Though unlike cyclops it had a mouth. I observed it as it took some steps before falling to the ground. I think it was injured.
It had some scratches on it and a hole at the abdomen but there was no blood. It seems visibly in pain as it wailed continuous but not loudly, probably afraid its attackers would find it. I wanted to go help but cyclops stopped me by grabbing a close by plant.
Luckily I didn't expose my cover when a small creature burst out of the same bush. It was about the size of a rabbit about the same size as the fox like creature.
It had large sharp teeth for its size, tiny dot eyes, a gaping hole for a nose like a snake, no limbs, a white fur coating and a horn half its size. The fox like creature tried to get up and run but it couldn't. The creatures giant ears fluttered relentlessly and I just could tell that it was looking over at my hiding spot even without any eyes. I've only met three creatures including cyclops and two were docile but I didn't know they had the capacity to be aggressive. I didn't know if I had it in me to save this wounded creature. Even if I can I don't know if it's okay for me to stop the way of nature.
The way of nature? I'm just scared there's no the way of nature. The fox creatures nose brightened up, the white fur immediately went on a defensive but the attack wasn't for it instead it was aimed at a bush across. It had a confused look why its opponent would waste its attack but as it inspect the area it noticed two beings hiding behind the bush.
It backed off a bit.
"maybe I don't have to fight"
Cyclops slapped me across the face and the white fur barely missed my face. (Ouch) One of the protruding tooth made a cut across my face. It hurt like hell.
What do I do? I can't just run; I'll get mauled immediately. It jumped at me again I was so scared I instinctively protected my face with my hands. I thought I'll lose the arm but I didn't feel any pain.
I slowly dropped my hand, I saw the white fur in pain with a few teeth on the floor and a hardened cyclops. I could guess what happened, cyclops protected me by hardening. The hardening on cyclops was undone and it released steam around us. The white fur was in pain and confused because of the steam veil. It didn't have time to react cyclops pummeled it with their tail making a large boom sound and slightly cracking the ground.
I shielded my eyes from the dust and pollen that was kicked up. When I opened it up the white fur was gone and in place was a white wisp. It just floated there without doing anything I tried to touch it but nothing happened. Instead cyclops got down and immediately he got close to it the wisp flowed into cyclops. The bar in my mind immediately filled up and became empty again.
"what just happened?"
This entire morning the progress bar was hardly moving no matter how I interacted with cyclops but by absorbing this wisp it filled instantly.
"but why did the bar become empty again?
"I guess I'll think about that later"
Cyclops shun brightly turned into a ray of light and beamed into my right hand. I was confused but since it didn't hurt I tried to remain calm. As the light subsided, I saw a tattoo of cyclops likeness on my arm.
I touched it and Cyclops popped out.
"is that a new ability!? I'm happy for you, cyclops"
I guess with this I don't need a complicated system to travel with cyclops. {Hiding him in folded gym shorts isn't really a complicated system}
I think I get why the bar filled up and emptied itself but before that.
I got close to the fox like creature and the ears started fluttering like mad. With that kind of speed, you might think it would fly away.
"Oh so you're scared now, not too scared while you were snitching"
I reached out and the creature laid down accepting its fate.
"Calm down I'm not gonna hurt, so don't give up on life"
I picked it up and it really odd up close. Big fluffy pointy pair of ears where its eyes were meant to be.
We got home safely but I didn't what to do. I just wrapped it up in bandages and fed it some left overs.
KNOCK KNOCK
I turned towards the door.
"Who could that be?"
I opened the door and another creature stood in front of me. It was a humanoid looking bird. It had wings with feather fingers at the end, the creature was about the size of a little girl. Making it the largest I've seen for now. It had a very big beak like a pelican that was almost 2x its size. It was beady eyed and had blueish feathers. It nodded in my direction and walked or more like waddled in since he moved like a bird would.
It waddled its way to the foxlike creature. It slowly lifted it up and then shoved it in its mouth.
"Ah!"
I was caught by surprised. I wanted to stop it but I remembered how calm the foxlike creature was. I know it ears flutters when it's scared so I don't think it was in any danger and just as I thought it popped out of a pouch in the humanoid bird's abdomen. I couldn't tell it was there until the creature popped out all healthy. It folded up the bandages and gave them back to me.
It processed to ransack its pouch and pulled out a wisp. This one was greyish and not completely white like the other one I saw. It shoved it onto my face. I didn't understand so I thought it was giving it to me. I grabbed at it but it retracted and shook its head. It pointed at me and pointed at the wisp and then pointed back at me.
"Oh an exchange"
CHIRP CHIRP
It chirped in a deep voice.
What do I trade with it? I tried handing it the bandage back but it won't take it. I gave it some food; it ate but didn't budge. (If you eat it then at least give something back)
I thought for a while and I got an idea what it might want. I shoved my hand into my pocket and pulled out the white fur's teeth and handed it over. It accepted it and tossed it in its beak. Then put its hand into the pouch and pulled out 2 additional wisps and handed over. They lightly floated on my hand, it was kinda cool actually.
It waddled to the door and let itself out.
"Wow really smart"
I turned to the creatures in front of me.
"I wonder how I should use this"
I have to try something out. I called cyclops and put one wisp in front of them. They hastily absorbed it. The bar filled up till half.
"It's half this time"
I dropped another one and they absorbed it. The bar filled up and emptied up right away.
Cyclops on the other hand twisted its tail around itself and hardened.
"Is this a new ability?"
Hardened cyclops looked like a round shield, they even come equipped with a tail handle in the middle.
I guess absorbing this wisps sometimes cause some kind of evolution.
"Anyway since feeding cyclops last time filled the bar instantly and just by half this time, I guess the effect progressively gets weaker"
Giving cyclops this last one wouldn't make much of a difference. Should I see what would happen if I give it to the foxlike. It might be a waste since we're not companions yet but I'm curious.
I walked towards it and dropped the last one in front of it. It looked at the wisp and looked at me. It shook its head and reluctantly ate it. Like cyclops absorbing it for the first time the foxlike shun brightly. It turned into a ray that went straight for my leg. After the light disappeared I found a tattoo of the foxlike silhouette on my leg. I touched it and it popped out. Unlike before it was enthusiastic to see me this time. Rubbing itself across my leg and licking me. I noticed that its nose was quite warm. Well since it shoots fire from it I guess it's expected.
Another piece of information just appeared. Giving a willing creature a wisp turns it into a companion. You don't always have to slowly build relationships like I did with cyclops.
"Anyway what do I call you now. Hmm, how about Sizzle"
Sizzle looked happy to have a name.
I should also come up with a specie name too; Sizzle's specie would be called shnosizzle from the word schnozzle, lol. Cyclops specie would be Rospodi, after a one eyed protozoan. White fur species would be called Buzz hole, no particular reason for this one just off the top of my head. The humanoid bird would just be called Helper Bird.
It would be super convenient to have helper bird as a companion. I wonder if I could find one in the wild.