"How do you talk in my head?" Ranav asked, curious to know about Jessica's voice in his head that is not his own.
"We're bonded. Did you forget?" Jessica replied smoothly.
"Explain. How does this work?"
"I don't need to do anything. I just talk, and you hear me."
"That doesn't make any sense. How is this even possible?"
"What's confusing about it? We share a mind link. I simply use it."
"Can I do that too?"
"Of course. You're the owner of this link."
Ranav frowned. "I feel so stupid. Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"You never asked. And, well… you seemed more inclined to use your mouth for communication."
"Alright, let's test this. Check 1, 2, 3. Check."
"What does that even mean?"
"What did you hear just now?"
"'Check 1, 2, 3. Check.' But seriously, what does it mean?"
"Never mind. It means you heard me correctly. Test successful."
"We clearly speak the same language, yet sometimes I can't understand you."
"I have my own quirks. Over time, you'll get used to them."
"Whatever..."
Ranav switched to thinking instead of speaking aloud. "Talking in my head like this feels… strange. Back home, someone doing this would be diagnosed with an acute case of Autism Spectrum Disorder at my age."
"What's Autism Spectrum Disorder?" Jessica asked, curious.
"Forget it. It's a personal thing. I'll explain later. Let's change the topic… can you see our surroundings?"
"Yes, I can. In fact, there's a rabbit hiding behind the bush on your right."
Ranav perked up. "Are you sure? Can you catch it?"
"I can try, but I'll need to borrow your body. Relax; you're too tense."
Suddenly, Ranav's hand shot up, his index finger pointing at the bush. A moment later, a burst of energy surged forward, striking true. A startled squeal came from behind the bush.
"Quick, Ranav! Run to the bush! The rabbit's injured but not dead yet… catch it before it escapes!"
Ranav dashed toward the bush and found the rabbit writhing in pain, blood staining its fur. He crouched beside it, his expression conflicted.
"Poor creature," he murmured. "What now?"
"End its suffering," Jessica instructed. "Twist its neck. You'll know what to do once you try."
Taking a deep breath, Ranav whispered, "Sorry, little one." He grabbed the rabbit firmly and twisted its neck. The animal fell limp in his hands.
"It was a female," Jessica remarked.
Ranav frowned. "Does it matter?"
"Not really. Just an observation. You should take it home."
"How? Won't it be messy with all the blood and fur?"
"Use the ring's pocket dimension. Touch the rabbit, focus your spiritual sense, and imagine sending it into the space."
Ranav hesitated, then did as instructed. The rabbit vanished from his hand. "Did it work?"
"Check the ring," Jessica replied.
Ranav focused, and his spiritual sense revealed a softly glowing 10x10x10 feet space. The rabbit lay there, preserved exactly as it had been.
"It's so small, Nanima brought out a barrel of my size from her storage ring." Ranav muttered.
"It'll grow as my power strengthens. Don't compare me to that old woman's storage ring just yet," Jessica said defensively.
"Nanima is my master," Ranav snapped. "She's been nothing but kind to me."
"I didn't mean to offend. You talk about her fondly, so I assumed you were close."
Ranav sighed. "I should address her with more respect. I'll do better."
As he approached his home, Ranav pondered how to explain the rabbit to his family. "What should I say?"
"Just bring it out of the pocket dimension and be honest," Jessica suggested.
Ranav retrieved the rabbit and walked into the house. "Mom, I need help," he called.
Naveena appeared from the kitchen, her face lighting up briefly before she caught sight of the rabbit dangling in his hands. Her eyes widened in shock, and she froze.
"Ranav! What are you doing with that? Are you hurt?" she shrieked, rushing toward him. Her hands moved frantically as she grabbed his face, tilting it side to side to check for injuries.
"Mom, I'm fine!" Ranav tried to reassure her, but she was already spinning him around to inspect his back and arms.
"Why would you even go near an animal like this? It could've bitten you! You just recovered, Ranav… what were you thinking?" she scolded, her voice tinged with both anger and fear.
"Mom, calm down. I used magic from a distance. The rabbit didn't even touch me. I'm fine," he insisted.
She sighed deeply, her shoulders relaxing a bit. "You're reckless, Ranav. If something had happened to you…" She shook her head, unable to finish the thought. "Go take a bath. Lunch is nearly ready."
After bathing, Ranav returned to find Trinav examining the rabbit. His father's gaze was calm but approving.
"This is a good catch," Trinav said. "We'll have meat tonight, and I can sell the fur. Do you need anything? I can buy some supplies with the money."
"I need paper and a pen," Ranav replied.
"Done. I'll go to the village after lunch."
"Dad, can you teach me how to prepare the rabbit?" Ranav asked.
"Of course. Watch closely after we eat."
Over lunch, the family chatted about their day. Afterward, Trinav took Ranav to the kitchen, where the rabbit was hung upside down to drain its blood.
"First, you bleed the animal immediately after killing it," Trinav explained. "Otherwise, the meat spoils."
Ranav nodded, watching as his father made a clean incision in the rabbit's neck, allowing the blood to drain into a bowl.
"Now, if you don't need the fur, you can cut off the head directly, it's faster. But if you do, you need to skin it carefully."
Taking a sharp knife, Trinav demonstrated how to make a small cut near the base of the rabbit's neck, exposing a bit of the skin. "Always use a sharp knife for this. It makes the process cleaner and safer."
He then used his fingers to separate the skin, pulling it gently but firmly. "Hook your fingers under the skin here, and pull one hand toward the back and the other toward the head. See how it peels off?"
Ranav watched closely, mimicking the motion in the air.
"When you're ready to disembowel, be careful. If you puncture the bladder or intestines, the meat will be ruined." Trinav pointed to the rabbit's abdomen. "Always make shallow cuts here, and go slow."
As Trinav worked, Ranav asked questions, eager to understand the process. Nearby, Naveena watched quietly, her eyes glistening with affection.