A peaceful outing.

Seth who opened his eyes was blinded momentarily by the lights of the living room, he rubbed his eyes, and he felt a bit strange yet energetic.

"I'm hungry" he silently muttered under his breath, he could feel Thally still sleeping peacefully inside of him.

Seth blinked in surprise as he saw the table before him. His mother, with a gentle smile, set down a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and a glass of orange juice.

"Let me feed you," she said, her voice soft and caring. "You've had a big day and need to eat."

Seth sat up, feeling a bit groggy but eager to eat. As he took a bite, he noticed that the food tasted unusually good, perhaps even better than usual.

His mother watched him with a mix of relief and affection. "How do you feel, Seth? Any different?"

Seth swallowed the bite and nodded, "I feel pretty good. A bit more energetic than usual. What's in this breakfast?"

His mother chuckled lightly. "Nothing special, just the usual. Maybe you're just feeling the effects of the elixir finally settling in."

Seth's thoughts briefly turned to the elixir. He felt a surge of energy, but there was no immediate sign of any drastic changes. "Well, whatever it is, it's working. I feel like I could take on the world."

Thally stirred in his mind, groggily stretching. "Uhh, I feel a bit refreshed too. What happened?"

Seth gave a slight smile. "Dad gave me something last night. I think it's starting to take effect."

Thally seemed curious but didn't press further. "Alright, just make sure to be careful with any new changes."

Seth finished his breakfast and felt ready for the day. "So the first thing dad did when he came back was give me a strange potion…but I would expect that from him," He said as he started a conversation with his mother.

His mother chuckled. "Yeah he is, Sorry we didn't come back earlier this week, we had to do something important in the lab"

Seth nodded, understanding. "It's okay, Mom. I know you both have important work."

His mother smiled, reaching out to tousle his hair. "Just remember, no matter how busy we get, you and your well-being always come first."

"There's no school today," Seth said realizing it was the weekend.

His mother nodded her head. "Yup and we are going on a little outing in the afternoon "

Seth's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? Where are we going?"

His mother smiled, enjoying his enthusiasm. "It's a surprise, but I promise it'll be fun. Your father and I thought it would be a good idea to spend some quality time together."

Seth felt a warm rush of happiness. It had been a while since they'd all gone out as a family. "I can't wait."

After finishing his breakfast, Seth went back to his room to freshen up. As he looked in the mirror, he noticed a slight glow in his eyes that hadn't been there before. He touched his face, feeling a strange sense of newfound strength and clarity. The elixir was having an effect.

"Thally, are you noticing anything different?" he asked internally.

Thally, now fully awake, responded, "It did nothing much, just a few mutations on your organs and blood which merged my parasitic strands more with your body, Also the amount of energy we can store has increased "

"Oh, can you elaborate?" Seth asked, genuinely curious.

Thally continued, "Sure. My parasitic strands are now more integrated with your organs, which means they are more efficient and resilient. Your heart, lungs, and other vital organs will function at a higher capacity. As for energy storage, it's like having a bigger battery, you can exert yourself more without getting tired as quickly."

Thally Appeared back on his shoulder. "Well, this could be a good excuse to say that I got powers now and you are a part of it or I could just tell them the truth" He didn't find a need to hide Thally from his parents, well they may get a bit worried that a parasite is inhabiting their son's body. 

"hmm, I don't like hiding though" Thally complained and Seth poked her. "True I wouldn't want to hide you too" 

She had an urge to bite him, but she didn't his compliments saved him. "Hmph, I am hungry give me food" 

Seth chuckled and brought out a grasshopper from the container near his bed. After handing it to her she began to feed, and Seth could sense her contentment.

After she was done, Seth took a bath and wore his clothes, After brushing his hair, he went to his computer and checked the internet for any interesting news.

[Yooo!!!!, Hello, everyone, this is your favorite Level 5 Ability user and today we are on a Planet here to gather materials, But here is the twist, this is a newly discovered planet so it may take some time to identify some of the beasts here, hopefully, we don't run into an S-Rank or even a Delta…of course, that's a joke hahahahah but if we were to run into something like that…]

Yalen Kries was famous for his planetary exploration, he was strong among ability users. He could control vibrations he was usually a solo actor, he is ranked third among Level Five's, In the world there are only about 20 Level Fives.

"isn't going out there alone kind of stupid?" Thally asked with her head tilted.

"Relatively no, he can take out B ranks with no problem, A ranks will give him trouble, S ranks would easily hurt him gravely, Delta Ranks are more or less a death sentence" Seth explained to her, he picked her up with his fingers and kept her in the pot and brought it in front of him.

Thally's eyes widened. "I didn't realize the hierarchy was so intense. I mean, I knew it was dangerous, but I didn't expect such a clear-cut system."

Seth nodded. "Yeah, it's a pretty structured system. The higher the rank, the stronger and more dangerous the creatures or threats. Even Level 5 users like Yalen Kries have to be careful when they're out exploring.

His phone buzzed, breaking his concentration. He picked it up and saw a message from his dad.

[Morning, Seth. I know you're excited about the outing. We'll be leaving around noon, so get ready. Also, we need to have a little chat about the elixir and its effects later. See you soon.]

Seth read the message with a mix of anticipation and curiosity. "Looks like we're in for more than just a fun day out. Dad wants to talk about the elixir."

....

(Yalen's POV)

The atmosphere on this planet is hot but it is nothing too much for Yalen, His gauntlets were fine-tuned for his abilities and he isn't getting high energy readings from his tracker.

"Strange, my camera is out of commission…Well looks like I'd have to explore with no service again, must be the magnetic field" He glanced around, the tracker wasn't reliable to him, he stomped his feet making an invisible vibration spread around the surroundings.

The vibrations painted a mental map of the area for Yalen. He detected the presence of several smaller creatures, but nothing particularly threatening. The terrain was rocky and uneven, with scattered vegetation that looked alien compared to Earth.

"Well, at least it's not too bad so far," he muttered to himself. His gauntlets hummed with energy, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

Yalen moved cautiously, aware that the initial calm could be deceptive. The magnetic field interference was a nuisance, but he had trained for such conditions. His instincts told him to stay vigilant. As he walked, he recorded notes on the flora and fauna he encountered, knowing that any information could be valuable for future expeditions.

After a while, Yalen came across a cavern entrance. The vibrations from his stomp had hinted at something deeper inside, something with a stronger energy signature. He hesitated for a moment, considering his options.

"Alright, let's see what's in here," he decided, stepping into the darkness. His gauntlets emitted a soft glow, illuminating the path ahead.

The cave was cool and damp, a stark contrast to the outside environment. The deeper he went, the more intense the energy readings became. His pulse quickened with a mix of excitement and caution. The vibrations he sent out were now revealing larger forms, some stationary, others moving slowly.

"Not alone in here, heh Multiple B-Ranks this will be fun," he thought. He prepared himself for whatever might come his way.

(Seth POV)

Currently Thally was hiding in Seth's hair, he was in the car with his mom and Dad.

"Sigh, I can't believe my little bean pole is going to the academy in a few weeks," His mother said wiping a tear from her face.

Seth's father who was driving exclaimed. "Well he is my son and he was going to grow up sooner or later."

Seth suddenly felt he should tell them about Thally… "Uhm Dad, did you have a seed you kept in the lab?"

He glanced through the rear view. "Yeah but it got lost, do you know where it is?"

Seth silently fiddled with his fingers. "Well kid of pricked my fingers on a needle and then it fell on the seed, then the seed suddenly grew roots and entered through my hand…turns out it was a parasite"

"…Oh well, I thought it was just a dead seed I experimented on?" The car stopped, not because of his father because he could feel his mother's anger being directed at his dad.

Seth then tried to calm her down. "Mom don't get mad, Thally isn't dangerous"

His mother raised her eyebrow, she calmed down. "Who's Thally?"

Thally then appeared on his shoulder. "Hello, Also you are scary"

His mother's eyes widened in surprise. "So, this is Thally?" she asked, leaning forward to get a better look.

Thally waved her tiny hand again. "Yes, I'm Thally. I've been living with Seth for a while now. And don't worry, I'm not dangerous."

Seth's father, more intrigued than alarmed, looked at Thally closely. "Fascinating. You're a sentient parasite? How do you communicate with Seth?"

Thally explained, "I communicate with Seth telepathically, and we've developed a symbiotic relationship. I enhance his physical abilities and help him stay healthy."

His mother, still processing everything, asked, "And you're sure this is safe? You don't feel any pain or discomfort, Seth?"

Seth shook his head. "No, Mom. I feel great. Better than ever. Thally's been nothing but helpful."

His father, always the scientist, nodded thoughtfully. "We should still run some tests to make sure everything is alright. But if what you're saying is true, this could be an incredible discovery."

His mother turned to look at his father. "William?!!, No, we are going to continue the outing, we can talk about this later"

His father chuckled. "Of course, Helen. The outing comes first." He glanced at Seth through the rearview mirror. "We'll discuss everything after we have some fun today."

Seth felt a wave of relief wash over him. He hadn't been sure how his parents would react to Thally, but their acceptance made him feel even closer to them. Thally seemed to relax as well, nestling comfortably on his shoulder.

As they drove through the city, Seth enjoyed the sights outside the window. It was rare for them to go on outings together, and he cherished every moment. They passed parks, bustling markets, and tall skyscrapers, eventually arriving at a serene nature reserve on the outskirts of town.

His mother turned to him with a smile. "We've planned a little picnic here. There's a beautiful lake, and we thought it would be nice to spend some time in nature."

Seth's eyes lit up with excitement. "This is perfect, Mom. Thank you!"

They found a cozy spot by the lake and laid out a blanket, unpacking a variety of snacks and sandwiches. As they ate, they shared stories and laughed together, enjoying the peaceful surroundings.

After lunch, Seth's father suggested a hike along one of the reserve's trails. Seth eagerly agreed, and they set off, enjoying the fresh air and the sounds of nature. Thally, perched on Seth's shoulder, seemed fascinated by the new environment.

As they walked, Seth's father took the opportunity to discuss the elixir and its potential effects in more detail. "Seth, the elixir I gave you was designed to enhance your physical and mental abilities. But i don't know how it affects you now because of the parasite"

Thally puffed her cheeks. "Hey I have feelings"