Alerts

Once skeletal branches were now adorned in leaves and flowers of every color, blossoms growing on bark and branch as much as anywhere else. Standing out against it were deep discolorations where Autumn had once been wrapped around the tree, marking where the organic material of the two plants had melded together to create something new. Though once an Ash tree, the plant amalgam seemed unable to decide what it would be now and its structure and design varied from branch to branch, the bulk of its truck shuddering and shifting occasionally as it followed suit. Around the lesion-like remnants of their fusion, the tree's bark seemed to ripple in slow motion, setting down patterns and colors and even the occasional half-formed image as it changed. In one place it might be smooth, in another covered by almost scale-like patterns, though some of the oddity was hidden by the growth of the even stranger flowers.

Before, the flowers had been varied, the result of many different plants coming together. A lotus might burn with the colors of fall or a carnation might slowly take on more aspects of a lily, slowly creating something distinct and different and new in each blossom—but all leading back to some recognizable source, if you knew what to look for. A specific flower might combine a shape with a strange color or a find a middle point between two extremes, but you could still see where it came from.

But Autumn had grown beyond such things now. Flowers I couldn't identify grew from the wood of the tree or rose from the dirt around it, reaching up from the roots. A flower would fall away and something more vibrant rise in its place, white petals catching the light strangely and sending it back in opalescent shades. A fern-like leaf would twitch once and close, as if growing in reverse. Vines would fall from branches and twitch occasionally, curling oddly. I could recognize it all, ascribe traits to plants I'd seen and studied and knew existed—but they weren't plants I'd given to Autumn.

It was strange. What had once been a simple tree now seemed almost alien, something unreal. Beautiful in some ways, but also something that put you on edge, something that looked wrong. And yet…

"You've grown a lot," I said, smiling. Though someone else might have been frightened or alarmed, I wasn't off put in the slightest by Autumn's changes. Part of that may have been the Gamer's Mind, part of it might have been that I knew my own power—and part of it might have simply been that I was feeling bizarrely…hopeful. And to the extent that I felt nervous, it was for a different reason. "I've said it before, but…my name's Jaune Arc. I was the one who…well, who woke you up. I'm kind of your father, you could say. I, uh, I even gave you a name. Autumn, because you survived the Summer and because you have such beautiful leaves…do you know what Summer is? Or what, um….can you understand what I'm saying, now?"

Autumn's branches creaked slightly as they moved, shifting unnaturally in the windless night. There was the sound of leaves moving and brushing together, but even that seemed…off. Deliberate, maybe?

But she reacted to my words. She'd moved. It was still slow, cautious, and careful, but she'd reacted. I'd spent all night Observing her closely as I urged her to grow just a bit more. I'd leveled up Green Thumb greatly in the last few weeks and I knew Autumn's own skills had improved as she'd grown, but this…

I'd actually done it. Before I left for Mistral, I'd wanted to do at least this much, to guarantee nothing went wrong in my absence. As she'd grown ever bigger, I'd known that taking her with me would be unfeasible, but I needed to ensure that she'd be okay. In the body of an ancient tree with roots set firmly down, supported by the many plants she'd made a part of herself, I knew that she'd survive—and if I'd gotten her far enough to be able to understand what I was saying and react to my words…

It was thanks to my new skills, I thought with a fierce grin. I'd strongly suspected that reaching a hundred would give me something good, but three skills? That had surprised even me.

Medium Mana Capacity (Passive) LV1 EXP: 0.00%

An ability given to the few mana users that are born with an exceptional ability to handle mana.

Mana-based attacks are 15% stronger.

10% less MP used for all attacks.

Mana Regeneration (Passive) LV1 EXP: 0.00%

An ability given to those with a special heritage that allows for faster recovery of MP.

MP regeneration increased by 100%.

Clairvoyance (Active) LV1 EXP: 0.00% MP: 50

An ability given to those with the natural ability to clearly perceive the world through forms of Extrasensory Perception. Takes the form of enhanced visual acuity and perception beyond the limits of normal eyesight, as well as optical interpretation of information. Range, breadth, and visual processing increase with skill level, INT, and through related abilities.

Additional 50 MP used per minute.

All three were powerful skills even separately. Together, though? They were something else, both for what they said and what they didn't say. Medium Mana Capacity, even beyond the cost reduction to my other skills, seemed to have…well, increased my Mana Capacity, despite nothing indicating it. I wasn't sure why that was the case—perhaps it was a set amount that did not change as the skill improved?—but it was and it meant I suddenly had a lot more MP to work with, especially with Mana Regeneration assisting it. Boosting my passive MP regeneration from one percent to two percent on top of my increased MP meant I could maintain far more skills than before, as well as restore my full power much more quickly.

Clairvoyance, the random ability I'd gotten for going over a hundred INT, didn't play into that combination directly, but made up for it by simply being an amazing ability all around—so much so that I had to wonder if it was truly a random selection at all. Had I gotten lucky or had I gotten Lucky? Either way, I'd struck gold when I received it. At its most basic level, it improved my sight, allowing me to see far further and more clearly then I had with even Lenore—but then my Affinities and Skills came into play.

I wasn't sure if it was because I was a game character, but…really, it reminded me a great deal of some of the games I played. Sonar vision from Levant, thermal from Suryasta, what I assumed was EMF from either Vulturnus or Crocea Mors—or perhaps both—the list went on and on. For a long time, I'd used them to perceive such things for me and notify me in abstract was, but now…now I could see it for myself.

And it didn't stop there. Perhaps it was because of my meditation or past experiences, but…surrounding Autumn, Gou, myself, and everything around us…I could see Auras as clearly as if I was wearing Lenore, if not more so. When I'd used my power on Autumn, encouraged her growth with my own energy, I'd been able to see it with my eyes as well as feel it. When it came to applying Aura, the addition of 'sight' to what had formerly been only 'touch'…

Gou barked, drawing me out of my thoughts and self-praise. He stood beside Autumn, front paws on the tree's truck and head stretched back to look at me. I saw patterns of dark colored Aura ripple and pulse around him, colliding with Autumn's own in a prismatic display as the tree continued to shift.

I frowned.

"Autumn?" I said again, watching her continue to sway her limbs, brows furrowing in concern as I approached carefully. Of course, she didn't reply except perhaps by shifting herself in my direction a bit more than others. Almost as if… "Oh. Oh, no. Shit."

I continued my approach until I touched the tree as Gou had, hands flat against the truck. The movement of her branches halted as we touched—or rather, as my Aura touched her own.

God damn it…

"I'd hoped that as you grew, with so many plants and such a high level…" I sighed quietly, the happiness I'd felt at my power and success draining swiftly away. "But of course, you can't see, can you? The way you perceive the world is…"

I reached out beyond her trunk, Aura extending to grasp her own. I held her like that for a moment, watching the light of my soul surround her own as she calmed, quieting slowly at the contact. I'd just been thinking of how much of a difference even one additional sense made when it came to Aura, but Autumn…Autumn was blind. And deaf and numb and—

"I…dammit," I whispered, suddenly feeling exhausted and awful. "It's…I just…"

I wondered to do. I mean…the life I'd created had suddenly gained awareness of the world, not merely as a plant but as a truly sapient creature—and one locked within a body that could not see or hear or feel, but for the touch of another's Aura. Something like that…

It was a problem I had to make a priority. In comparison, the trip to Mistral was effectively meaningless; I couldn't leave her alone and scared for days or weeks, even if she could survive without me. If she'd been able to see and hear…that might have been different. I could have left her with my father, if I couldn't find another solution, or made plans, or…but…

No, I told myself. First of all, none of that mattered. I shoved it from my thoughts and focused, gathering my power. As I touched her Aura with my own, I shifted my power in a careful pattern, tracing slowly.

"Can you hear me?" I said pointlessly. I wasn't communicating with her through sound, but through the touch of my Aura—and not in the form of words, either, for what grasp would she have of language? Instead, I tried to give a feeling, to express something without words to someone who wouldn't understand anything I said. Really, what I was trying to do was something ridiculous, akin to teaching a language I didn't know to a newborn. If it was possible at all, it'd take years of trial and error to slowly establish meaning between us, but…

But if it was me…

"Please…" I said quietly, repeating the message carefully, again and again and again. "Please…"

A skill has been created through a special action! Through the repeated connection of souls, the skill 'Floral Communion' has been created to speak with plant life!

Floral Communion (Passive) LV1 EXP: 0.00% MP: 40

The ability to comprehend and communicate with plants. At this level, simple communication with an appropriate target is possible, limited by the target's Intelligence and sense of its surroundings, as well as their ability to respond to stimuli.

Increased closeness with plants.

Duration: 30 minutes.

"Yes!" I near shouted, smiling again. "Hell yes! Thank you!"

Of course, with my ability, something like this was nothing. Really, I've done way crazier things, this was just—

I used the skill and tried again, 'speaking' slowly to make sure I was understood. It wasn't much at all like talking, but it was something, and I was able to tell the nascent mind within the tree that I was here for her, who I was, and what was happening. I was able to connect my mind to hers slowly and hear her respond, however sluggishly. And so I tried to explain and allay her fears, keeping things simple as I did, even as I used the skill frequently to try and improve it. With my improved MP and Mana Regeneration, and with the skill's duration…I cast it until I had almost no MP, and while the skill lingered, regained MP to cast it even more.

As the skill improved, I tried to explain things to her, though I wasn't sure how much she truly grasped. I explained that I'd created her and how and why, told her about the world around her and tried to paint it in a way that she could understand. More than that, I tried to explain my power as the Gamer, tried to somehow convey what it meant. My power, the party system, the points she had…was that the solution? It might well have been, but how did I explain that to someone who had no reference point?

Perhaps I should try something else. An Elemental, perhaps? I wasn't sure if it would work for this, but I could certainly try. Or, if not for me, then perhaps she could use an Elemental? The Affinity required for the skill and how difficult such a thing was to get for anyone who wasn't me rendered the ability pretty much impossible for me to teach to others—but if anyone was likely to have a…Plant Affinity, one would imagine it would be a sentient plant. I had options, was the point, I just had to figure out—

A screen appeared before me so suddenly that I nearly stumbled back. It was one I didn't recognize, yellow in color, and I would have sworn at it if the Gamer's Mind hadn't calmed me. Instead, I look a deep breath and looked at it, figuring it might actually be important.

I stared.

You have 1 new message!

"What…?" I murmured, looking around as if I might find a message box somewhere. I had a new message? What kind of message? From who? And how? The only messages I got were from—

I paused before reaching into my Inventory with one hand, fishing out my scroll. Sure enough, the light was blinking, indicating that I had a new message.

I eyed it strangely. I suppose it wasn't that odd, relatively speaking. In games where you had scrolls and such, it wasn't uncommon for you to get an alert when you got something—except I never had, even when I'd gotten messages in the past, so what was going on? Had my power changed somehow or…

No, I thought as something occurred to me. This was something new and it just so happened that I had just gotten something new. I'd turned off most of my abilities to maximize my MP regeneration, but I'd left several on for being useful—including my new Clairvoyance. I'd kept it because being able to see my Aura made 'speaking' with it that much easier, but…

It had interacted with my Elemental Affinities, I mused. Could it be interacting with…I suppose it would be the Gamer's Body? It wasn't that hard to believe; the information I got from Observe appeared to me in the form of a pop-up window, so I knew stuff could work like that, but I hadn't…

It didn't matter, I thought. Though a part of me was tempted to just ignore the damn thing, only a few people had my number, none of whom would call me for no reason—especially at this time of night. So I opened it, keeping one had on Autumn's trunk reassuringly, and checked my messages. It was from Adam, I noticed with a bit of surprise.

We need to talk. Meet me at the shop.

I pondered the terse message with a slight frown, musing over it. 'The shop' meant Tukson's, of course, but for Adam to call me and request a meeting…

"He probably just wants to hang out," I said to myself. "Get me that drink he owes me."

I waited for a moment to see if I believed that and shook my head. Even though I'd sent some messages to Ozpin and things were beginning to calm down a bit, they were still very much on the edge and Adam—Jian Bing's most well-known accomplice—probably wouldn't risk meeting here in Vale just to hang out. I'd figured we wouldn't meet each other for another few months, in fact. For him to call me this early meant…I had no idea what it meant.

Trouble, I guess. And if it was trouble, Adam either needed my help, in which case it must have been very dangerous, or else wanted to warn me about something, in which case it must have been catastrophically dangerous. Either way, I should go see what he had to say.

But…with Autumn still in this state…leaving would probably mean abandoning her for hours. Maybe longer, if things were bad, and possibly a lot longer if things were really, really bad. A part of me wanted to swear, because good God, nearly two months of peace and things choose to pop up now?

I considered asking him to meet me here instead, but would that have been too risky? Adam was a wanted criminal, while I was…well, an even more wanted criminal, but better hidden. Walking around when he didn't have to, coming to my house…logic and wisdom said I shouldn't risk it, but…

I nearly growled when I heard something that made me turn around; the sound of another screen appearing—

And again, I stared. It would have been a normal status screen, if not for the fact that it was completely blank and released a strange, alternating hum.

"What the…?" I muttered, frowning as I tilted my head. What was this supposed to mean? Was it another new window caused by my Clairvoyance? And if so, what was it trying to tell me? Or—

I looked up at Autumn.

"Is this yours?" I asked, both aloud and with my power.

For a moment, there was no reply.

And then she started melting, branches beginning to droop under their own weight as bark liquefied and droplets of plant matter fell to the ground.

"What the fuck!?" I swore, immediately trying to heal her. I used Soulforge first, pulling out a Dust crystal when it did nothing. When that didn't work either, I tried Regeneration and Green Thumb, but neither made a difference. I started panicking—

I exhaled slowly and used Observe. Her HP was full, I noted in relief, so whatever was happening wasn't hurting her in that sense. I skimmed her stats quickly on my way to her statuses—

My gaze snapped back up as I caught something, mouth opening.

WIS: 111

As I stared, Autumn shuddered once before abruptly falling to the ground in a splash of liquid plant matter that sent Gou running back, whining in distress. I swallowed once, Observing her again—she was alive but…

The puddle stirred as something began to rise from it. For a moment, it was a misshaped blob of gleaming fluid, but it quickly seemed to solidify into something…I wasn't sure how to describe it. Like a snake, perhaps, but not; tough-looking green flesh in place of scales, a flat expanse where the eyes should be, and a mouth with teeth as long as my hand—

It fell back into a puddle an instant later and rose anew, forming something that could have been the upper body of a human, if a human had no head and four arms and was made of intertwining branches—but again, it liquefied and returned to the ground.

For a moment, the fluid was still enough that I considered approaching, but in a sudden flurry of motion it rose into a spiked expanse of whites and red, like a giant starfish made out of barbs and thorns. It held that form for a moment and I had a sudden feeling that I was being watched, even though there was nothing indicating eyes. But then that too fell away and it returned to a quicksilver expanse.

After a moment, it began to shift and swirl like a whirlpool, fluid rushing towards the center even as it shrunk in size—

And all of a sudden, there was a rose, rising serenely from the dirt. Not a bush, even, but more like something one might find in a vase, dismissing the fact that it seemed to have roots.

I hesitated for a moment and then approached, kneeling beside it to touch the stem with a finger.

"Autumn?" I asked. "Are you okay?"

The rose shifted, blossom turning to face me, even turning it in a gesture that reminded me bizarrely of someone tilting their head.

I exhaled harded, shaking my head.

"I…" I searched for the words and couldn't find them, but at last settled on a smile. "Hello. Hello, Autumn. I'm Jaune."

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