Where the Dead Things Bloom [Romantically Apocalyptic Systemfall Litrpg]

I waited for Kristi to say more but she fell silent. Then she glanced back at Nessy.

"Look," she finally let out. "I'm... I'm not trying to speed run a relationship with you or anything, I just... I need to rant about... things."

"Rant away," I said. "I'm here."

"Urm… I've spent too long pretending I don't need anyone," she resumed, waffling up whatever she was trying to express before. "That I can carry everything by myself. But clearly I can't. My sisters are idiots that got themselves into deep shit because I let go of their reins, closed my eyes to what they were doing. For years, I pretended that having an online relationship with Alec was fine, but it really… Really wasn't. I felt so alone. Awful. Unfulfilled. Angry. I didn't see him often enough and felt like we were gradually drifting apart… and then he vanished… and then…"

She let out a sob into my shoulder.

Her feathers trembled slightly as she struggled to form words. "When I was trapped in that loop, every day felt like my soul was being carved, hollowed out, piece by piece. The only thing that kept me going was hope. And when I finally broke free, when I returned to Ferguson, I felt... empty. Like I'd left essential parts of myself scattered across that infinite highway."

She lifted her head, amber eyes glistening. "Then you appeared. Not the exact man I lost, but someone who could understand what it means to be unmade and remade. Someone who..." she swallowed hard, "who makes my heart beat again when I thought it had forgotten how."

I nodded and then my mind arrived at a sudden realization—if the souls of her sisters could be retrieved from the Superstore… then, maybe pieces of Kristi were still there, trapped on the infinite road, waiting to be rescued.

A tear finally escaped, tracing down her scaled cheek. "I know I'm not the easiest person to... care for. I'm rigid, controlling, often cold. My sisters would joke that I have ice in my veins." Her voice cracked slightly. "But with you, I feel warm. Alive. Like I'm not just existing day to day, but actually living."

From across the RV, I could feel Nessy's eyes digging into me.

"Joining your pack wasn't just about soul damage or your Reconstitution or protecting Ferguson," Kristi continued. "It was about... connection. Something real to anchor me when my mind keeps drifting back to that endless road. You ground me, Alec. In ways I didn't think were possible anymore."

She hesitated, then added very quietly, "I think I'm... falling for you. Not because you remind me of him, but because of who you are now. The man who walks between life and death. Who cares for his friends. Who sees me—really sees me—beyond the uniform and the duties."

Her confession hung in the air between us.

"I'm scared," she admitted. "Scared that caring this much makes me weak. Scared that you'll realize I'm too damaged, too cold, too broken by what I've endured. But I'm more scared of never taking this chance. Of letting fear of the endless highway rule me like it has for so long."

"You're not broken," I said gently. "Maybe scarred by that dungeon road, maybe changed, but not broken. And definitely not weak."

A sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob escaped her. "Only you would say that to someone who almost shot you multiple times."

"Well," I smiled slightly, "I am known for my questionable judgment."

That drew a genuine, if watery, laugh from her. "Indeed. Thank you," She wiped her eyes with her free hand. "I'm sorry for dumping all this on you. I just... needed you to know. Before we head into whatever nightmare the Superstore became. In case we don't make it back. Also, I'm sorry for threatening you with a gun. Please forgive me about that... I wasn't sure if you were a Systemfall monster or the Undying Knight that I was looking for."

"We'll make it back," I assured her. "And it's fine. You were stressed and tired. Water under the bridge."

"We totes will!" Nessy agreed from her spot beneath the crystal tree. "Bulwichu will help! She will go into the store with us."

"You know, privacy means not eavesdropping!" Kristi huffed at the husky.

"Can't help it, I have big fluffy ears!" Nessy retorted, bounding over to join us on the bed. She plopped down behind us, immediately wrapping her arms around both of us. "Hi."

"How do you know what the tree wants?" Kristi asked, wiping her face again.

"I can smell it," Nessy shrugged. "And once we're done conquering the store we'll conquer the highway too."

"What?! No effing way! I'm not going back to that hell…" Kristi shuddered, drawing into herself.

"You won't be alone," Nessy said softly. "We'll be with you. Always and forever. We'll destroy that highway. Get back what was taken from you. No matter how many loops it takes."

"You don't get it! It'll eat your skills, your levels!" Kristi protested. "You…"

"Aww, you care 'bout me?" Nessy purred.

"I…" Kristi let out. "I care about Alec…"

Nessy arched an eyebrow.

"And yes… I'm trying to care about you, you damned furry menace!"

"Don't worry. The highway won't be able to eat our levels while we sleep," Nessy shook her head, rapidly relocating from behind us onto our laps. "Because we have a domain. We'll travel inside it until we find and slay the core that's looping that road."

"And that will… work?" Kristi looked down at the grinning husky on her lap. "You're… certain?"

"Mhmmm," Nessy nodded. "Totes am."

[Quest Alert: "Highway to Hell, Population: You" - Break the infinite loop of Highway 69, rescue your companion's soul fragments, and avoid becoming permanent roadkill. Estimated difficulty: Impossiburr deathloop. Reward: The knowledge that you've chosen willingly to return to a place that literally eats souls for breakfast. Good luck, you absolute madlads!]

Kristi bolted upright as the silver text materialized in front of us, nearly dislodging Nessy from her lap. Her feathers stood on end, pupils contracting to slits.

"No, no, no," she muttered, her voice tight with panic. "Not the highway. Anywhere but there!"

"Shhhh." Nessy reached up, patting Kristi's scaly cheek with surprising gentleness. "Tomorrow is Superstore day! One nightmare at a time! We won't go to the highway till we've beaten a few smaller dungeons, kay?"

"Okay," the raptor exhaled, settling slightly but still looking quite tormented.

"Speaking of which..." The husky's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Since you've just confessed your… appreciation for our pack leader, I should probably lay down some rules."

"What rules?" Kristi let out, momentarily distracted from highway-related despair.

"As a senior pack member and self-appointed moral guardian, I must supervise all romantic activities!" Nessy declared, puffing out her chest. "It's my solemn duty to preserve Alec's virtue!"

Kristi's anxiety momentarily forgotten, she stared at the husky incredulously. "You're joking."

"Nope! As a goodly Nazarite, I must ensure all courting follows proper protocols." Nessy raised a paw.

"You actually have protocols for something?" Kristi raised an eyebrow. "You? The most disorganized creature in Ferguson? Consider me shocked."

"Oi, I'm plenty organized," Nessy huffed from her lap.

I couldn't tell if she was serious or not, but decided to play along. "And what exactly constitutes 'supervision,' oh moral guardian?"

Nessy grinned, showing all her teeth. "It means I get to watch and make commentary! Maybe… join in. Monitor that you don't cross the line. You know, normal pack bonding stuff."

"Great," Kristi groaned. "I'm being lectured on romantic propriety by a dog who licks people's faces without permission."

"Face licks aren't romantic! They're basic dog affection! Totally different vibe!"

Krysanthea's feathers twitched. "You're insufferable, Whitepaw. You realize that, yes?"

"Insufferably adorable, you mean," Nessy shot back, sticking out her tongue in a playful blep. "But seriously, Kristy, if you're gonna be all heart-eyes at Alec, we need ground rules. I'm the pack's vibe-checker, and I say we gotta keep things… classy."

"Classy?" Kristi echoed. "You literally chased a tennis ball like it was your life's mission an hour ago."

"And I looked majestic doing it!" the husky declared, undeterred. "Point is, I'm in charge of making sure this pack doesn't spiral into a soap opera. So, here's the deal: any romantic shenanigans have to be pack-approved, and I'm the approval committee!"

"This is absurd. I'm a grown pradavarian and I'm being offered to be supervised by a husky with the emotional maturity of a pre-teen," Kristi said. "Why are you like this?"

"Like what?" Nessy blinked.

"You know what you're like!" Kristi eyed Nessy up and down.

"I've sniffed myself plenty and determined that I'm awesome and lovable," Nessy replied smugly. "Also, you're dodging the issue. You confessed your big ol' raptor feels, so now we gotta integrate that into Fort Pack without anyone getting their feathers, hair or fur ruffled. Right, Alec?"

"Uh, sure," I said.

"Great!" Nessy chirped, hopping off our laps and striking a dramatic pose, one paw on her hip. "Fear not! Under my expert supervision, we're gonna have fun that keeps everyone happy!"

"What kind of… fun?" Kristi asked with a suspicious face.

"Oh, you'll see. It's time for Fort Pack's first official pack bonding activity! Something to celebrate our victory over the slime dungeon and have a relaxing evening before the Superstore mission. We're gonna get cozy, share some feelings, and bond extra hard!" She waggled her eyebrows exaggeratedly.

I exchanged a glance with Kristi.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"So," I said. "What do you have in mind?"

"Trust me, it's gonna be maximum pawesome!" she declared, darting to her duffel bag and rummaging through it with manic energy. She emerged with a small, suspiciously shiny bottle, a variety of hair brushes, a massage roller and a deck of cards. "Behold! The tools of pack intimacy!"

"Is that… massage oil?" Krysanthea asked.

"Yup!" Nessy confirmed, tossing it onto the bed between us. "And these—" she waved the cards, "—are Truth or Dare: Pack Edition! Custom-made by yours truly for maximum bonding and minimum awkwardness."

"You made a card game?" I asked, picking up the deck and flipping through the cards within. The cards were hand-drawn, covered in paw prints and glittery dog-themed stickers, with titles like "Confess a Secret Crush", "Brush Mane", "Give a Packmate a Back Rub."

"Genius, right?" Nessy beamed. "We're gonna play, get a bit touchy-feely, and make sure everyone's on the same page emotionally. No one gets left out, no one gets jealous, and we all come out stronger as a pack! Yay!"

"Yay?" Kristi repeated.

"Just so you know, you're already on thin ice, Miss," Nessy said. "Stealing Alec on a date without my permission."

"That wasn't a…"

"You keep telling yourself that, feather-butt. Alec—pick a card."

I hesitated, glancing at the whimsical deck. With a sigh, I drew the top card and read it aloud: "'Dare: Give a packmate a five-minute shoulder massage using the provided oil, unless they're furry, then just hand massage is fine.'"

Nessy squealed, bouncing in place. "Perfect start! Who're you picking, Alec? Me or Kristy-whisty?"

Krysanthea's claws flexed against the bed.

"Relax, Chief," I said, holding up my hands. "I'll pick Nessy. She looks like she's about to explode if she doesn't get attention."

"Yessss!" Nessy fist-pumped, scooting closer and turning her back to me. She rapidly yanked her ranger uniform top off, revealing her black-and-white fur in all its fluffy glory, and tossed it aside.

"Make with the massage. Fur needs direct contact for maximum relaxation!" she declared, wagging her tail so hard it nearly knocked the cards off the bed.

Krysanthea pinched the bridge of her snout, muttering something about "Nazareth save me from this canine catastrophe." Her eyes however lingered on Nessy's bare back.

I put my hands on Nessy's shoulders, her fur feeling soft and warm beneath my fingers. She let out an exaggerated moan the moment I started kneading, her tail thumping against my leg.

"Ooooh, Alec, you're a natural!" she purred, leaning into my touch. "Kristy, you're missing out! These hands are magic!"

"Uh-huh," Krysanthea said dryly, though her gaze flicked to my hands working Nessy's shoulders, a faint violet flush creeping up her scaled neck.

I focused on keeping the massage as platonic as possible, working out the knots in Nessy's muscles while trying to ignore her theatrical sighs and wiggles. Despite her dramatics, I could feel actual tension melting away under my touch, and it was oddly satisfying to know I was helping her relax after the day's conquests.

Oddly enough I noted that blood didn't rush into a particular place to make things awkward for me. Did having Reconstitution give me greater control over my cardiovascular system or something? I decided to ignore it for now.

"Time check!" Nessy announced after what felt like an eternity but was probably only three minutes. "Two more minutes of bliss, then Kristy's turn to draw!"

"Joy," Krysanthea deadpanned, crossing her arms.

When the five minutes were up, Nessy rotated, came up and flopped back against me, her head resting on my chest as she grinned up at me. "Best. Pack leader. Ever. Your turn, Kristy!"

"Put a shirt on!" Kristi growled.

"Fine, fine," Nessy rolled her eyes, dug into a drawer and pulled on her pink nightgown, pulling off the ranger pants right in front of us. Kristi and I tried not to stare.

"Back to the game!" Nessy declared, rapidly buttoning up the back of the nightgown to contain her wagging tail.

Krysanthea eyed the deck like it was a venomous snake but leaned forward and snatched a card with a flick of her claw. She read it, and her feathers immediately puffed out, making her look like an irate peacock. "'Truth: Share a romantic fantasy you've had about a packmate.'"

"That's a fun one," Nessy bobbed.

"You know, normally in Truth or Dare you get a choice of..." Kristi began.

"Stop avoiding the question n' criticizin' my game," Nessy's ears shot straight up, her grin turning positively feral. "Spill it, Chief! What's your spicy raptor brain been dreaming up?"

Krysanthea's scales darkened, and she looked like she was seriously considering bolting from the RV. "This is…" she hissed. "I'm not—"

"No chickening out!" Nessy interrupted, wagging a claw. "The Chicken-butt title awaits if you don't answer. Come on, Kristy, we're all friends here. Lay it on us!"

Krysanthea's jaw clenched, her amber eyes darting to me, then away. "Fine," she growled, her voice barely above a whisper. "Earlier... I... imagined... dancing with Alec. Under the stars, atop of the ranger station. Like we did at the formal, but... slower. Closer. More than one dance. Concluding on an air mattress looking up at the stars." She swallowed hard, her claws digging into her thighs. "With no one else around. Just... us."

The room went quiet, even Nessy's tail pausing mid-wag. I felt my face heat up, the image of slow-dancing with Krysanthea under a violet sky vivid and unexpectedly stirring. Her vulnerability, already raw from her earlier confession, made the admission hit harder. My mind suddenly slid sideways.

Colorful lights above us. "Spring Formal of 2021!" Banner overhead declared. My hands entwined with the class president, the smartest, prettiest raptor girl. My heart beating like mad as she allowed me to spin her. Fiberoptic dress lighting up her curvy, absurdly fit figure.

"I like you," she whispered.

"Why?"

"You're sweet," she replied. "Kind. Artsy. Reliable. Logical. Calm. I liked you for a while now, but kinda loafed on saying anything. Do you want to go out?"

"Aww, Kristy, that's super romantic! A gold star for feels!" Nessy declared, tearing me out of the invasive memory. The Husky leaned over and gave Krysanthea's arm a quick, playful nudge, which the raptor surprisingly didn't dodge.

"Fine. Your turn, Nessy," Krysanthea said quickly, clearly eager to shift the spotlight. "Let's see how you handle your own ridiculous game."

Nessy snatched a card with glee, her eyes lighting up as she read it. "'Dare: Brush a packmate for three minutes, and sing a song or talk about why they're awesome.' Oh, this is my jam!" She grabbed an odd looking brush and spun to face Krysanthea, who recoiled.

"No," Krysanthea said, raising a clawed hand.

"Pack rules!" Nessy sang, already scooting closer. "You're getting brushed, feather-face, and you're gonna love it!"

"I'll bite you," Krysanthea threatened.

"Promises, promises. Relax, Chief, I'm a pro," Nessy said, her tone soothing.

"Do raptors even enjoy brushing?" I asked. "They don't have hair."

"Dis is a soft brush," Nessy waved the brush in question at me. The brush was wide and flat, almost like a painter's brush. "It's designed for prad feathers, to glide with the grain of the feathers, never snagging. Since feathers don't tangle, it's designed for feels more than anything. Raptors still feel it when you caress their feathers."

Having declared that, the husky fluttered around the raptor-girl and started to brush her feathery mane. The feathers were softer than they looked, shimmering under the RV's light, and Nessy's touch was gentle, almost reverent. Then, true to the dare, she started to sing, her voice clear and melodic.

"Oh, Kristy's got feathers that shine like the stars,
She's tough as a tank, leaves monsters with scars!
Her heart's big and brave, though she hides it with sass,
The best raptor packbae—yeah, she's got class!"

Krysanthea sat frozen, her amber eyes wide with surprise as Nessy's brush moved through her feathers with practiced care. The tension that had been holding her rigid slowly began to melt away. She shifted slightly, unconsciously leaning into the touch.

"She saved our town from slimey doom,
With courage that makes the darkness bloom!
Though she acts all stern and mighty cold,
Her heart's worth far more than gold!

Her scales gleam emerald, violet and green,
The fiercest ranger you've ever seen!
She guards our valley day and night,
Our packmate strong, our friend so bright!"

Nessy's tail wagged in time with her song. Somehow I could almost hear an illusory guitar tune behind her words.

"When Highway 69 tried to break her will,
She fought like crazy and is alive still!
Our Kristy's brave, our Kristy's strong,
In our pack, where she belongs!

Though Superstore might try to tear us apart,
Kristy stands firm with her warrior's heart!
With claws of justice and mind so keen,
She's the finest ranger this town's ever seen!

When darkness creeps and monsters roar,
She stands between us and danger's door!
Our feathered guardian, proud and tall,
The best packmate of them all!"

As the three minutes drew to a close, Nessy finished with a gentle sweep of the brush down Krysanthea's neck feathers, her voice dropping to a tender finale:

"She faced the endless road alone,
Through loops of time, where hope had flown!
But still she fought, still she believed,
And now her soul can start to grieve!

Her feathers soft, her spirit steel,
Her wounded heart we'll help to heal!
Together strong, together free,
Our pack of four - our family!"

Nessy set the brush down with a flourish, her blue eyes sparkling with pride at her impromptu performance. Krysanthea remained still for a moment, her scales flushed brilliant violet.

"There," Nessy declared, sitting back. "Three minutes of premium feather care and a custom ballad. How's that for pack bonding?"

"Did you just call me your family?" Kristi let out, opening a single eye to stare at Nessy.

"It fit into the lyrics therefore I did," the husky shrugged. "Pack is more than family, you know!"

"How did you do the guitar thing? I could have sworn you were brushing me."

"I dunno. Riffweld stuff, I guess?"

"I see and who's the fourth?"

"Bulwichu tree, duh!"

Kristi glanced at the tree, perhaps worrying that it might grow legs and brush her too.

"You know, Kristi," I said. "According to your stats your Agility is 55 and Nessy's is 29 yet it took you a while to catch her."

The raptor opened and closed her mouth.

"This either means that the System's stats are bullshit," I said "Orrrrr... you let her run circles around you on purpose."

Kristi's cheeks ignited with violet.

"S'prolly both," Nessy commented, snickering at Kristi's expression. "Calvin said that the System stats don't necessarily correlate to physical body, but rather to your soul's capacity to tie itself to particular artifacts, concepts, and realities..."

"What does that even mean?" Kristi demanded.

"Do I act like an brainless airhead?" Nessy asked. "Be honest."

"Nope, you're pretty clever," I said.

"No, you're a... dog," the raptor added. "You behave like all other dogs."

"Exactly!" Nessy raised a finger. "My Intelligence and Wisdom are at one. Bulwichu is our amplifying artifact. She cannot amplify my ability to multiply large numbers or act as my search engine that much."

"Uhhh," Kristi considered this. "But it... she can amplify Alec's intelligence as that's his biggest stat?"

"I think so, yes," Nessy nodded. "If I'm sniffing it correctly... As our artifact, Bulwichu is our Astral Ocean amplifier. So, once she levels up to Level 3, she will amplify Alec's intelligence 3 times from 35 to... uhhh..."

"105." I said.

"Yes," Nessy bobbed. "One-oh-five!"

"Which does what?" Kristi asked.

"Make him thrice as effective as an intelligent tree," Nessy declared.

"What," Kristi said, "the fuck is that even?"

"I'm not sure," Nessy shrugged. "Alec will figure that out eventually, I reckon. That's like his thing—being a tree!"

"Uh-huh," the raptor said. "And how does Bulwichu help me then?"

"She doesn't," Nessy replied. "Not yet, anyway. I think that you gotta figure out how to weaponize your soul, how to use your skeeeeels in new ways n' stuff."

"New ways like?" Kristi pursed her lips.

"Don't know," the husky shrugged. "To start off—you should understand who you really are, consider how to use your own soul best. I can't teach you how to use your soul, I can't smell it from within that well yet."

"What does Bulwichu multiply for you then?" the raptor wondered.

"My music and sniffing," the husky said. "Riffweld and Scrutiosmia. Both rely on Foresight stat the most. I'm foreseeing the lyrics, coming up with them on the fly, revealing hidden truths with the powah of song. It's super effective! Tomorrow, after I level up I'm shoving ten points into Foresight to foresee stuff extra hard!"