White Flower, Black Feather

Special Item

The sunlight entering from the window is warm… a beautiful sunset, perfect for a confession, really

‘Sadly, I can’t say yes to one… not like this’ I am alone sitting in the classroom, third from the front and one column removed from the windows, I can feel the paper on my hands, the uniform against my skin…

The wrong uniform… the wrong skin…

‘What-?’ the classroom’s door open distracting me and she enters ‘…?!’

She has no face and as she gets closer, her hair vanishes, her clothes turns into dust revealing a featureless skin, that peels away into nothingness

I am alone, but for some reason my face hurts

‘I got hit?’ I touch my face with my hand

Not

‘It’s not my hand, this body is not right, why I’m here?! What is going on?!’ the seats… who are the ones that use them? Who were my classmates? Why I was here?

“It’s better this way…” a voice that is NOT mine comes out of NOT my mouth

-----

‘NO-! Ugh!’ my awareness returns with a painful snap, I am in the forest ground next to the rock where I carved the eye, everything hurts ‘Blah… what hit me…? Status?’

‘Fuck…’ I close the windows and look at my arms ‘What thumbs?’ I am in my snake body again, my actual body ‘A dream…? No… a nightmare… or was that a memory…?’ I can’t remember the name of my classmates… ‘Ok… Magic Drain deletes your memories… that means…’

I jokingly thought “Ia” while touching the eye and then… something got… pulled out of me, I try to relax-!

‘…! What?! ’

And I can feel a… void inside of me

‘Not a void… it has something in it… but it’s almost empty…’ I have the feeling that is filling… slowly ‘What else did I lose…’ a shiver runs through my body ‘I must save the girl that will reborn as a crow’ Ok my objective is not lost, good ‘My siblings are… Max and Jess, both younger, I hope they are alright, I don't care about anyone else in that world… I know sign language because Jess, but Max was better than me, so they are going to be alright… as long those two don't… good, as long I don't forget that, I am fine… I hope I didn't forget anything important though’

That was a harsh lesson to learn, I lift my head from the ground… and there is something in my mouth? I look to the ground and open my jaws, my fangs fall to the ground, one perfect, the other broken in half, I move my head to see the shadows of my fangs and I see that I have another two, ready to use

‘So… snakes are like sharks? They have new fangs always growing to replace the previous ones? Did… my… I forgot the name of my biology teacher…’ that leaves me stunned for a while, so I rest my head in the ground

…

‘Now that I realize, is about mid day… I could eat something… still not thirsty though’ if I were aware of an actual river, I could try to find a place nearby to make fish my main food source and not be worried about water ‘Local smells… nothing except yesterday’s boar… I need to move, and use the EP… but lets try to find food first, I already spend some hours unconscious, Absorb and the Helper could do the same and leave me starving’

I look at the symbol… there is no difference, it looks like the stones of those adventurers, but there is no smell, or glow, or feeling…

‘Did it work? Or it just sucked all my magic and it wasn't enough so it failed?’ unlike some of my previous questions I have no idea, or hunch about the answers ‘I suppose that with magic, my… mind is not… prepared? My previous world was devoid of magic, so I have no reference for this stone… yeah, that sound about right… um?’ a smell reaches me ‘Another lizard? Fine, lets have seconds’

This smell is from the southwest, I try to move in that direction, but my body feels stiff and movement makes me unstable, so I laid down again

‘Ok this is more than just memories, Status’

‘Sleep Deprived?! Snakes sleep?! No, wait! How I am supposed to sleep with that cold?!’ I try to calm down ‘Name… yeah I still remember the name I wanted, but… is not fitting, anything on Spells?’

‘Ok… this stone maybe is magical after all…’ the percentage of the state made me nervous in an instinctual level ‘I want, at least… five times the amount of magic I have to make another one of these… sadly I have no numbers of how much I have, but… now I can sense… sense? EP Shop, Senses’

‘Ok… seems fair, even IF the “Ia” in my species name makes reference to magic, I am way too early to have that kind of sense, this should either maintain the price as I evolve, or get cheaper… it probably unlocks an evolution too, so, yeah, fair’

Still not buying anything, I need to get something to eat, this time I lift my head and move slower than before, I am still stiff, but need to get this over with sooner rather than later, I already lost half the day

‘Is the smell getting closer?’ it was getting stronger at least

A green and red lizard enters the same opening I am, I recognize the smell I am getting as its

‘Welp, there goes my sneak attack… it looks wary?’ the lizard is looking at me, I recognize the red part of its body as a flap of skin that flares to intimidate, or appear bigger, is about the size of my lunch, so I don't know if evolution, or just higher level ‘Do I get closer? Pretend to be worse than I am? Pretend to flee…? I have plenty of options… but is better if I get further away from the stone, just in case it works’

As I move, the lizard keeps focusing its gaze on me, but doesn't move, so I try to act, I start “walking” with my arms and move my head to look down, but still keeping it in my sight, the hard part is keeping most of my body unreachable to it, as I move to the southeast, the lizard now looks prepared to run, but is still wary between fighting or running, as I get closer to the edge of the opening we are it starts moving its head up and down…

‘What does that means…? You got cocky? Or you actually think I am scared…? Lets see’ I hiss softly and the lizard backpedals making its own hiss and slightly flares its neck ‘Good… lets keep pushing’ I hiss softly again, in the same tone, still slowly moving away

The lizard moves forward, hisses and flares again, I don't think I can’t make that distance in one attack, I go lower to the ground and make a weaker hiss, as I coil my body, the emboldened lizard runs at me while flaring completely

‘Gotcha!’ lunge, bite, hold, venom, grab, squeeze

I held it in a different way than my previous lunch, but the result is the same, even if this one struggles more

Crack!

‘Hearing your heart slow down, is really unnerving to me too. Thanks you, I will do my best going forwards, so this moment doesn't becomes meaningless’ its heart stops and I remove my fangs of its body

Ding

I look into its eyes and nod, before starting to eat it, the flare doesn't get in the way, surprisingly enough

‘Status’

‘Ok… shopping time? No wait, finish swallowing… why did this kill gave me a level, but with the insect I had to add a mouse…? Ugh not being able to see “exp points” makes this kind of things annoying!’ I open the Shop and look at the items as I eat ‘Still… one hundred sixty points… those Deeds are for later, not now… I am going to miss those points eventually… and Anomaly just screams “You fucked it up” Ugh…’

After is inside I move to the stone, is still getting some light, so I might as well make use of it, but I wait some minutes, before doing anything

‘Priorities, I am getting the helper first, just adding it to the Shop hurt, a lot, so I will get that out of the way now’ I look at my body and to the bulge of my lunch ‘I hope it doesn't gives me an indigestion… then… sixty points… Absorb sounds too good so that is the next one, then… good question…’

Weak venom is out, I would prefer to see if evolving would make that cheaper, I also have questions about venom variety. Can I mix them? Can I have multiple prepared at the same time? Do I have to use them before producing the next one? Are venom glands a thing that is going to appear in the Shop after I have more than one kind?

Stronger fangs and scales are my most likely option to go, though. Now that I know that I “shed” my fangs (I don't know if I forgot that before, or because the Magic Drain… anyways, sorry teacher!) having them last for longer between sheds sounds good, and with future levels I’ll get a general upgrade to bones and muscles each, in that order. I am too much of a coward to see what happen if I only upgrade my muscles, sorry, not sorry

‘And… yeah with the rest of the levels I can get those extra venoms’ I take a moment to calm my mind ‘Buy Aggressive Helper for 100 EP!’

The warm starts in my head and spreads to my whole body, but it doesn't focus, a spot in my head becomes hotter and hotter, before drilling in-!

‘Aaahhh!’ the warm recedes except for the point in my head, it takes longer to go away ‘Ok, not worse than getting the update-’ a new screen appears in front of me

‘As expected…’

-Don’t “As expected” me, you consummated IMBECILE! How can you be so STUPID! To become an ANOMALY?!-

‘You think I wanted the Title? What does it do anyways?’ I should get some answers now

-What do you THINK! It does?! Your Supreme STUPIDITY?!-

‘That is the best you can do? Really? Let me guess, it marks me. Now everything that sees me, knows I am weird’

-DING! DONG! You win NOTHING! You fucking idiot!-

I look at the store and see that the next upgrade to the helper, Uninterested Helper is for 500 EP, the window updates itself

-What, trying to get rid of me already? WEAK!-

‘I was just seeing the Shop, my arms didn't get an upgrade after I bought them’

-They are LEGS! You UTTERLY! Buffoon!-

‘I will turn them into arms, eventually’

-Yeah sure, WASTE MORE POINTS! like you are already doing, I suppose that State is only showing those two things, because you being STUPID! Is your natural STATE!-

‘Ha! Good one, if a bit obvious. You haven't been a waste, yet

. What does the stone do?’ I nod towards the engraving

-Stone: is a stone, very stone-

‘You know what I mean, the engraving that unlocked my magic, what does it do?’ it probably won’t-

-Yep, STUPID! Is your natural state. Do you really think the first level of an Item will give you all the answers? FOOL!-

‘Nope, but I had to check, how do I get more spells?’ saw that one coming at least…

-I don't know, how does anything get spells?-

‘Ok, starting to see a pattern, is the First Mother a god here? What is the name of this world?’

-HAHAHAHAHA!-

‘Answer me’

-Why?-

That is actually infuriating… but it makes sense that is not going to answer anything related to the gods, a human getting the helper just for those answers would… yeah holy wars are the least annoying thing they would do with that information

‘Getting Absorb now, would add the “flare thing” my current meal had? Or is just going forwards, that I may get things added to the Shop?’

-SURE! Become an even bigger ANOMALY! Why wouldn't you?!-

‘…? are you saying that Absorb is bad?’

-Did the “???” not trigger a RED ALERT! in you brain?! Oh sorry, STUPID! I forgot!-

That… is a good point… I start to really see… how this works, most humans wouldn't get the Helper beyond the first few, and that knowledge would spread from word of mouth, or by writings, making it a thing that beast and monsters might get, but only advanced ones, not the ones at my “level” and only if they are patient, or thick skinned, but…

‘You are a survival system… and Anomalies have a very difficult time doing that, that is why you are trying to prevent this purchase… and any other that might paint a bigger target in my head’

-Wow, look at that, the LITTLE SHIT! Can think! Bravo!-

HISS!!!

‘Listen. Very. Well. I don't care what, or how, you call me. But call me that again… and I will make a human body, place you on it and then bite you, with the most painful paralyze venom I will have by then, but not to kill you, I will eat you alive, from the legs to the head, just so you can watch me doing it, then I will digest you slowly, until you die of thirst first’

-You promise?-

‘I don't do promises, if I say something, it’s as good as done, have I made myself clear?’ the window disappear ‘Good’ I look to the store… I am already an Anomaly, and it looks really good… ‘Plus I am angry now. Buy Absorb for 20 EP-!’

HISS! HISS! HISS!

HISS! HISS! HISS!

HISS! HISS…! HISS…!

HISS…! HISS…!

HISS!!!

-----

When my awareness returns the sky is starting to become red… everything… really hurts…

‘Status…’

‘Why…?’

‘Ok, you win this time…’ I can’t move, it hurts ‘I’m… hungry…? Not quite, but I… should I eat something? At this rate… should I just give up?’ I just raised the difficulty, by a lot ‘I am also getting thirsty’

…

‘I’m… scared…’

…

‘No… I can’t give up… at the very least I should tell her to avoid the humans… and let her eat me… no… Absorb is dangerous, she would end like me… I…’

What do I do?

‘Thanks you, First Mother’ I lift my head ‘Ugh… it feels like my bones are saws… and my flesh is weaker… ok, north… water first, then we follow it until it gets bigger… or I get something to eat… then… shelter’

-Really? That is all it took? Are you stupid? That was me trying to avoid a self-destruction IDIOT!-

‘Lies… Hahaha… my faith is stronger than that, you silly system’ I don't need a confirmation, I will survive everything

‘And we hope to hear them…’ I just said I don't need a confirmation!

Absorb, made me thrash a lot, so I use the position of the rock to look north again and rest for a moment before opening the Shop

‘Buy Stronger Scales for 20 EP… Ugh!’ the warm is too much for me, as if metal is being poured on me, I can feel a hiss escaping my mouth, but I resist and get the next item when is over ‘Buy… Increase Bone Strength once for 5 EP-!’ this time the pain is worse and accompanied by loud snapping sounds ‘Ugh… Buy Increase Muscle Strength… once for 5 EP-!’

…

‘Did… I just black out?’

-Like an idiot, for 5 minutes-

‘Oh… good… Buy Very Weak Paralyze Venom for 5 EP’ the warm in my mouth is manageable at least… once it’s over I look to the store

‘It’s a shame that I can’t lower my metabolism in winter anymore…’ I injected cocky lizard with about half my venom and my supply is… it just stopped making more…? ‘Oh, do I need to think what I want…? I’ll experiment later, keep the production on standard kill venom, please…’ the feeling of resuming salivation is… odd

-Idiot! Did you forgot? Or are you masochist? Besides being Stupid!-

‘The fangs are for later, right now if I am going to fight, I need to grab them, I am in no condition for waiting patiently… and if I find fish, I can just pull them out the water, no need for a better delivery method for my weapon’ the window closes an I lift my head ‘Ugh… forwards’

Progress is going to be slow, I am moving like a glacial… or at least as a wounded snake, I will think about everything later, right now I need to focus in moving…

‘Before I forget, hide the option to buy legs from the Shop’

-Why would I do that IMBECILE?!-

‘Because I don't want to evolve into a lizard’ I look at my body, the bulge of my second meal is almost gone ‘They have a… low survival rating, thus far… and I can’t discard saying “Buy everything in the shop that is below X cost” by accident in the future’

-That would be FOOLISH!-

‘And that is why I am preventing now, you are the one calling me “idiot” remember?’ the message closes ‘Hehe’

Nothing changes in my body, so I suppose now I can just focus on moving and hearing…

‘The boar is… not coming here, but is at downwind right now… I will try to avoid this area and find a river proper… but they still drink water…’ not looking forward to my fight with one of them… ‘Fights… they are big and filling… there is no way that I am just dealing with one…’

-----

‘What the hell are you?’ I finally found the brook again… and a… thing ‘You are one ugly mother-’

Ska!

Hiss!

The thing flinches backwards, it looks like a rat… no, that is a disservice towards rodents… it has the size and fur of one, but lacks a tail, has six beady black eyes and is half mouth… really, it looks like it saw me eating and tried to compete with me out of spite, its four short legs end in paws with three claws that have black as night pointy bits

It also smells like rotten meat, the reason I got closer to the brook without stopping to scout

‘Ugh… sorry for killing your cousin the other day’

-They are not related to rodents. Idiot!-

‘Good, they look like a terrible guest at a funeral…’ the message goes away, is not attacking, just snarling… its teeth suggest carnivore… but the smell is of a carrion feeder ‘And I don't have poison resist…’

It’s not really cornered, the shallow water is behind it, but unless is afraid of water more than me, it’s not going to stop it from running-!

Ska!

It opens it mouth wide and charges at me, it has row after row of pointy cutters inside, I go up, use my claws to try and close its mouth and bite into its back, grab, curl, squeeze

‘Ok, you are struggling more that a lizard-! AAAHHH!!!’ fill it with venom, squeeze harder, die, die, die, die!

Crack! Crack! Crack!

I disengage

HISS!

‘FUCK YOU!’ I look at my body

It kicked me twice and leaved behind six holes, two of those are bleeding, the others are shallow but cracked my scales

‘FUCK! How do I deal with an infection?!’ I look at it, it’s twitching ‘Venom or bones which one hurts more uh?!’ it stops moving

Ding

‘I give up, I have no idea how the levels work, Status… what?’

‘How was that bug, the launcher, not a monster?!’

-What do you think is the difference between a FUCKING! Monster and an animal you BUFFOON?!-

‘That all animals can evolve into a monstrous shape, but good luck getting a monster to become an animal?’ the window closes ‘Uh… damn, the domestication of dogs must have been hell… now I am scared of meeting a cat…’ I look at my… dinner… ‘Ugh…’

I go to the water and drink before placing my wounded spot in it

Hiss!

Some of my blood flows out and goes away with the water, there isn’t enough light for this right now, I will need to do something about it tomorrow, there was an empty spot under a rock before reaching the water, I’ll use that to rest, then clean this in the morning… for now… getting cold

‘Do I really need to eat that…? Ok, you are not freaking out, so I am either desperate for food and shelter, or you can’t answer that one’ I grab the… monster with my mouth and slide to the hole I found

-----

‘UGH! Worse… thing… I have eaten… and this is the first time I have actually tasted something in my mouth…’ that line of thought started to stress me ‘Ugh… sleep…’

Is cold, this spot under a rock is more windy than my first hiding spot and I am digesting something nasty…

‘How I am supposed to sleep again?’

-Do you want to see what happens to IMBECILES! That let sleep deprivation reach HIGH?!-

‘Ugh…’ I curl as tight as I can, letting my wounds be in the place with less access to the cold ‘Forgot to pray after killing the monster…’

-Do THAT! And you die!-

‘Curious… Good night’ trying to relax… implications… tomorrow…

…

-Good Night-