Osamaru Ta
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(WLTK) B1: Chapter 18 - "Closer Than You Think."
🕑 Added 2024-10-28 18:14:14 +0000 UTC————————————————
Saturday, September 24th, 2253.
Early Morning
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Jeremiah shot upright out of bed, covered in cold sweat. His heart pounded as he took in deep, rasping breaths. His wide eyes flickered across each dark shadow of the room, chasing fading dreams.
After a moment, his heart rate slowed, and clarity returned. Jeremiah sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair.
“I’ve really got to stop waking up like this…” he muttered.
He reached over to his bedside table for his phone but paused when a clock display flickered into view, blinking 6:23am. Jeremiah stared at the display, blinked, then sighed. Right… For one blissful moment, he had forgotten everything that had happened yesterday.
Jeremiah stood from his bed and stretched.
“Might as well get up… doubt I’ll get back to sleep,” he said into the empty apartment. He couldn’t remember what his dream had been about, but it had shaken him. Jeremiah really hoped the recent string of nightmares was because of stress and not whatever the System was doing to his brain.
Thankfully, today was a Saturday. The CSA office reserved the weekends for their ‘Special Agents.’ A fancy way of saying they kept back the most difficult and dangerous jobs for the more powerful Gifted workers. Of course, someone with a useful gift wouldn’t be working for the City Support Agency in the first place, so that bar wasn’t too high.
Even so, Jeremiah wasn’t complaining. The policy kept those few Gifted on their roster feeling special and gave their normal workers a few days off to rest, something sorely needed after the rougher jobs.
Such was the life of a city-sponsored day laborer.
Jeremiah’s dreams of a relaxing day were dashed when a screen popped into view the next moment.
——————✴——————
Tutorial Mission #1 - Find a suitable location for your Menagerie.
Rank - G
Description - What is a gardener without his garden? An artist without his study? A Keeper without his Menagerie? Find a suitable location for your Menagerie and establish yourself there. Expand this Mission description for details about building requirements.
Reward - Prima City Business License x 1.
Failure - System Shutdown. [Warning! The System is currently in calibration mode. Shutdown may result in unpredictable consequences for the User].
Time Limit - 2 days. (47 hours - 13 minutes - 20 seconds)
——————✴——————
Jeremiah sagged where he stood and rubbed his temples.
That would have to wait. What he needed right now was breakfast and a long shower. With that thought, he flicked on the living room light and began his day.
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An hour later, Jeremiah walked out of his small bathroom feeling slightly less stressed and significantly more refreshed. The sound of splashing water drew his attention, and Jeremiah turned to see Billy waving sleepily from his bowl.
Jeremiah softly smiled and walked over to the glass bowl. He stuck out a finger, and Billy wrapped a tiny tentacle around it.
“Good morning, little guy,” Jeremiah said. “Ready for breakfast?”
At the mention of food, Billy became more animated and flailed several tentacles in the air. Jeremiah chuckled and got to preparing breakfast for both of them; eggs and biscuits for him and half a shrimp for Billy. The little octopus was always a slow eater in the morning.
Jeremiah moved Billy’s bowl to the dining room table, set his own plate down, and dug in. Billy latched onto his own breakfast, but instead of dropping back into the water, he pulled it up and over the edge of the bowl, landing with a plop on the dining table. Jeremiah grinned and reached over, rubbing Billy’s mantle with a finger.
“Wanna eat breakfast together, do you?” Jeremiah asked.
It wasn’t uncommon for the tiny octopus to explore outside his bowl, but Billy preferred time in the water much more than out. The two of them ate silently, simply enjoying the other’s company. Slowly, Jeremiah relaxed, enjoying his first moment of peaceful calm in what felt like a lifetime, even if it had only been a few days.
A long shower and good food helped. Individual units in the Tall Tale Apartments might not have been big, but Merry Grim didn’t cheap out with the showers and kitchens. He doubted some apartments in nicer places had a better setup.
Now that he thought about it, the building security was also rather high-end. Not for the first time, Jeremiah wondered just how deep Mrs. Grim’s connections ran. The woman obviously cared about her residents. A rarity in the Outskirts, for sure.
That thought naturally led to thoughts of the other residents.
“I don’t think I’ve been a very good neighbor,” Jeremiah said. Billy paused in his feasting and tilted his head. The tiny creature then pulled itself across the table and wrapped one tentacle around Jeremiah’s finger, gently patting it. Jeremiah’s eyes widened at the display. It was almost like Billy was trying to comfort him, and Jeremiah smiled down at him.
That smile slowly fell as he remembered Mero’s warning from yesterday.
“…you need to have a talk with whoever gave you that ‘octopus.’ Sooner than later,” the fairy’s words echoed in his mind. Now that he was aware, it was obvious that Billy was far more intelligent than he should be. Even for an octopus. With Mr. Roger gone for who knew how long, Jeremiah wasn’t likely to get answers anytime soon.
Or would he? Jeremiah considered with a tilt of his head.
Didn’t Mero say the System could analyze things for him and tell him what they were, just as it had with the switchblade that Jeremiah had been gifted? The only question was, would it work? It’s not like he had gotten much of a chance to use it.
Only one way to find out, I guess, Jeremiah thought to himself. He looked down at Billy and gave the mental command.
[System Scan]
The young man blinked as a new window popped into view.
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Name: Billy
Species: Polaris Kraken
Age: 0 years, 2 months, 1 week, 3 days.
Grade: G - 7.5
Mental - (G): 2
Physical - (G): 0.5
Supernatural - (G): 5
Rarity: Mythical
Pedigree: 8 Stars
Ecology: These mythical creatures, once called the ‘Heralds of the Guiding Star,’ are said to lead wayward ships to safety during harsh storms when no stars are visible. Its glowing light, vast power, and gentle nature have made it a deity of protection and an omen of safety and good luck for sailors across millennia.
Woe onto the fool who tempts these gentle giants’ goodwill and kind nature, for even if the creature may forgive, the Sea does not take kindly to the mistreatment of one of her favorite children.
The lost ship, abandoned by its guiding star, will never find shore again.
——————✴——————
Pffffft!
Jeremiah spewed out his coffee, and he coughed, fighting to take a breath. A moment later, he composed himself and wiped both his face and the table clean. He then turned his attention to the screen and read it over once more, hoping he had misread something. To his horror, Jeremiah found he had not…
“Kraken…? What the hell. There’s no way that can be right! There’s got to be something wrong with this thing.” Jeremiah muttered to himself.
“Na, kid, ain’t nothin’ wrong with the System,” Mero suddenly said from over Jeremiah’s shoulder.
“Maker above!” Jeremiah flinched, snapping his eyes to the fairy. “Did anyone ever tell you it’s rude to sneak up on people like that?!”
Mero grinned. “All the time, Jerry-boy! Anyone ever tell you that ya complain a lot?”
Jeremiah frowned and opened his mouth to respond, but closed it without a word. As much as he loathed to admit it, Mero was right. Jeremiah had been complaining about his situation a lot recently, justified or not. Had he not just been thinking about that?
He had complained to Mero about being tired of not having any say or control over what was happening to him. But if he was honest, what had he done to change that, other than complain? Part of him felt he had the right, but another part knew nothing was going to change unless he made an effort to change it.
His growing mental problems would have to wait, however. Instead of addressing that particular can of worms, Jeremiah changed the subject. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the Fairy Guide. “You can’t expect me to believe that Billy —” the subject in question perked up at his name, “— is a kraken. A creature so rare they’re practically myths. Hell, the college never even bothered to cover them, and we studied dragon care!”
Jeremiah pointed at Billy with one hand and waved the other. “What’s more, does he look like a kraken to you? Young krakens are supposed to be the size of a bus, and the adults are even larger!”
Mero landed on the table and pulled a sizeable biscuit from Jeremiah’s plate before swiping it through the gravy. The fairy took a to-big bite and shrugged. “Don’t know what to tell ya, kid. You’re free to believe what you want. But let me set you straight now before this becomes an issue; the System isn’t all-knowing… but it’s pretty damn close.
“The amount of effort that went into building its database would make your head explode. Physically and metaphorically. There are very ancient, very powerful beings who would sell everythin’ they have ever owned for just a fraction of what’s sorted inside.”
The fairy wiped his hands off on his plain white t-shirt, then pointed at Jeremiah. “Keep that in mind before ya go off braggin’ about it, by the way,” he said. Mero turned and looked at Billy, who had been slowly sneaking toward the plate of biscuits. “When the System isn’t sure about somethin’, it will tell ya. As for little Billy here, your bones will be dust long before he outgrows your current setup… under normal circumstances. Remember, krakens are one of the few true biologically immortal creatures. Even a ‘young’ kraken might be older than your great-great-great grandpa.”
Jeremiah’s jaw fell open, and his eyes widened as they flickered between Billy and Mero. Billy was slowly reaching out a tentacle toward the biscuits, but froze the moment he realized Jeremiah had noticed him. Jeremiah closed his mouth and frowned.
“I didn’t know that…” he said, pulling the plate out of the tiny octo — no, kraken’s — reach. Billy visibly deflated. A pang of guilt pinched Jeremiah’s heart, but he knew better than to let Billy eat strange things before he could do more research.
Mero shrugged and shook his head. “What are they teaching you lot at that fancy school of yours? I thought ya were gonna be a veterinarian.”
Jeremiah sighed. “I am… I was. We know more about bloody phoenixes than krakens, though. They’re almost never seen, let alone studied, and rumor has it they can hop worlds all on their own, making them even harder to find.”
Mero grinned. “More than a rumor, I assure you. There are reasons that they’re legends on most worlds with a large enough ocean.”
Jeremiah scoffed. “Legends is an understatement. They’re almost —”
“Mythical?” Mero finished with a wide grin.
Jeremiah rolled his eyes, though a small smile crept on his lips. “Yea… that.”
They slipped into a calm silence as they finished breakfast, after which Billy crawled back into his bowl for an after-breakfast nap.
“A kraken…” Jeremiah almost whispered as he stared Billy inside his bowl. After a moment, he shook his head, stood, and carried his empty plate into the kitchen.
“Yup,” Mero responded before lifting off the table and following Jeremiah, the fairy’s dragonfly wings beating so fast they almost vanished.
As Jeremiah started the dishes, he shook his head. “I’m not sure what’s more overwhelming, an actual, living, baby kraken, or all this System business…”
Mero hovered over Jeremiah’s left shoulder and crossed his leg, reclining in the air. “Speaking of System business,” he said, “do ya have a plan for today? I’ll remind ya, Jerry, the quicker you finish the mission, the better for all of us.”
Jeremiah paused before continuing to wash his dishes. “If I’m honest, no,” he said, not bothering to turn and look at Mero. “Two days isn’t enough time to find a proper storefront. Let alone one with the requirements the System is asking for.”
Mero shrugged. “It’s all part of the process. Remember, the System, at its core, is all about realizin’ potential. It won’t give ya an impossible task, even if it might seem like it at the moment. Besides, I’ve got a guy feeling you’re closer to an answer than ya think.”
Jeremiah turned and frowned at the fairy. “What are you tal —”
Ring Ring!
Before he could finish the sentence, Jeremiah’s smartphone started ringing. His eyes narrowed, and he glared at the now-grinning Mero before drying his hands and walking back into the living room, where his phone was charging.
Jeremiah picked up the phone and answered it. “Hello?”
A deep voice spoke from the other side, “Jeremiah?”
“Speaking,” Jeremiah responded.
“Ah! Glad I caught you. I was worried for a second I’d gotten your contact wrong. This is Ulrick from yesterday. How’s your wounds, lad?” the voice said.
Jeremiah’s eyes widened, and they turned to stare at Mero once more. “Yes, I remember you. Don’t worry, I’m…,” Jeremiah’s hand touched his face to find the deep gash on his cheek had already closed. He couldn’t even feel a scab. “I’m recovering well, thank you. Was there something I could help you with?”
Jeremiah was slightly worried the thugs from yesterday had started some kind of trouble for him. It was unlikely they would call the police, given the area and situation, but if they had somehow found out that he frequented the CSA office, there were plenty of ways for them to mess with him.
“You’ve done more than enough, Jeremiah. No, I wanted to call and ask if you were still looking for a storefront. It took some calling around, but I might have found something for you,” Ulrick said.
Jeremiah’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropping. “Wha… well, I mean, yes, I am. Are you telling me you already found something?!”
Ulrick gave a deep chuckle, and Jeremiah could picture the large man grinning over the phone. “Don’t underestimate the power of good contacts, lad. I’ve found there’s little that can’t be done if you know the right people.”
Jeremiah was silent for a moment. “I… thank you, Ulrick. This means a lot to me. Yes, I’m still looking.”
Ulrick gave another chuckle. “Good! I’m glad to hear it. Come to my bakery around noon, and I’ll set you up with my contact. Though I’ll warn you, they’re a little… eccentric. Good people, though, don’t you worry.”
Jeremiah frowned, and a nervous pit formed in his stomach. “I’ll… keep that in mind. Thank you again, Ulrick.”
“No problem, lad. It’s the least I can do. See you at noon,” Ulrick said.
“See you at noon. Goodbye,” Jeremiah responded before hanging up.
The next moment, Mero burst into laughter.
