Two hours of laughter, crying and non-stop jokes and baking later and the sun was falling, dyeing the blue and brown forest a deepening purple and shimmering orange. The children fell asleep while watching it and so did Liona. It was weird.

'If she had ulterior motives, she probably would've curbed them seeing me, or would she? I don't know anything about her do I...'

I sighed as I thought about it, only drawing awake from my stupor once I felt movement. It was the baby dhampir. I resisted the urge to hit my head against the ground as I remembered they're nocturnal. I sighed and slowly picked up the dhampir with my tail and walked out  into the dark, dank expanse as the baby looked around and laughed at random stuff.

Eventually, my inner clock, broken as it may be, told me the sun would soon come up so I walked back. When I made it back, I put the little dhampir onto the lap of Liona, who was sleeping in the rocking chair. Deciding the best move for me to get the baby to be quiet was to mime it, I put a paw up to my mouth and let out a quiet growl. Surprisingly, the baby mimicked me and then slept.

I smiled ever so slightly as I went over to a tree and laid down near it.

'Now, the question I've been wondering... to evolve? Or to wait?'

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Name: Undecided.

Level: 3/3

Exp: 15,200% Extra

Race: Black and White Tiger (No Seals)

HP: 52/52

MP: 219

Str: 20

Con: 21

Dex: 43

Wis: 152

Int: 35

Cha: 58

Seals: None

Skills: Claw VII, Bite IV, Tail Whip II, Tail Control I

States: None

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'Show Evolutions.'

«Alpha Tiger (Beast Seal {Dominance Variant})»

«Wayfaring Tiger (Sight Seal {Short-Range Variant})»

«Night Tiger (Dark Seal {Shadow Variant})»

«Tiger-Kin (Humanoid Seal {Beast-Kin Variant})»

«Regressing Tiger (Time Seal {Opposing Variant})»

'So, Tiger-Kin or Regressing Tiger as, the sight seal is good at later and earlier stages but not for me; the beast seal has too many drawbacks, even more so with the Dominance variant; the Dark seal is good but the shadow variant will do nothing for me in a few weeks when the storm stops. So, the future? Or the present. Which should I focus on...'

I sat there for hours. Pondering again and again until I had a summary.

Time Seal:

-Pros:

• I'll be able to go back in time.
• Eventually, I can use the evolved seal to slow down or stop time.
• I won't have to wait for things to happen and I can prevent multiple things from happening.

-Cons:

• As it's my first seal, the drawbacks will be immense until I get my seventh seal and reach origin on this one.
• It will be extremely costly to get stronger.
• I won't be able to get the Earth Seal again.

Humanoid Seal:

-Pros:

• I'll be able to communicate.
• I'll get stronger from the condensed muscle mass.
• I'll be able to transform from beast-kin form to normal form if what others have said is to be believed.

-Cons:

• I'll need to wait until the 4th seal to get the beast seal.
• I won't be able to get the Divine Seal at the 9th Seal.
• I'll probably be hunted down as a 'commodity' for the future 'noble heroes' and others.

The main pros are that I'll either be able to communicate, or that I'll be able to turn back time.

The problem is, how far can I go back? Or, do I have to relearn how to speak the languages. Those are the main problems. So I thought on them, it'd be likely I wouldn't be able to go that far back nor speak any languages when I choose one.

'There's also-'

I stopped and turned. Liona was petting my fur, smiling at me.

"You seem like you're thinking hard, don't mind me, I'll just comfort you from here."

I gave her the 'you sure about that?' look and she laughed.

"Perhaps I'm just comforting myself, who knows."

Her cryptic smile spoke volumes of her past. She, like everyone, had endured something invisible to everyone else. I watched her patiently before turning towards the children and gazing at them. They were all on a large blanket placed on the balcony, there was a curtain guarding them from the rain as they slept peacefully with smiles on their faces.

I thought back to the memories in which I wished I could turn back time. I thought back to the people who helped me at times. I thought about what I wanted and laughed at myself for even considering the other option seriously.

'Select Evolution. Tiger-Kin.'

I passed out.

I fell into a dream-like state, memories passing by and my ability to control them drifting in and out. I was a spectator to my own life as I waited. Eventually, I woke. But not the way I would've liked.

"EEEK!"

I leapt into the air and grabbed the branch of the tree above me, hiding within the leaves.

"Mimi! I told you not to pull their tail! It's offensive and hurts! How'd you like it if I pulled on your teeth or ears?"

"I wodint..."

I listened in and heard a child-like voice and a slightly older voice. The child-like voice I attributed to Mimi, whoever that was. While the older voice sounded familiar. It sounded like Ka'er.

I glanced down and saw them, it was an older Se Ka'er and Mi-sol'er. Mi-sol'er still looked girly even when they've grown slightly while Ka'er was starting to look like a boy. The little Mimi's hair had grown and they were slightly bigger as well, in contrast, Ka'er had barely grown apart from their hair which was now waist length. 

Having stared at them long enough, I repositioned on the branch and tried to speak.

"Ahem."

It started off with clearing my throat, there was a gravelly feel recognizable as the feel of someone who hasn't spoken in a long time. When I tried to talk, I was both unpleasantly and pleasantly surprised. For one, I could still speak.

"Hello."

The other two seemed surprised from my voice, but they weren't the only ones.

My voice was that of a girl's.

"Well... this complicates things."