Selvaria (POV)

[It was a surprise for us when you reached out and shared your location. We were equally surprised by all the SeaWorld Animals you showed us. The lengths you went through to save them are admirable. It is concerning to know that Vector has sent their fleets to Mars. Their technology and firepower could certainly turn the tide against the monsters. We are grateful that you are willing to offer some of it in exchange for transport.

If the Federation and the Union form an alliance, I will share your rescue proposal for consideration. If it doesn’t get approved, some Tamers are willing to come to Texas and help you. So don’t lose hope]

Zao’s message was short, and there were no guarantees on help arriving soon, but Selvaria preferred it that way. Setting false expectations would have raised morale in the short term, but it would be problematic if it didn’t happen.

Ultimately, Selvaria would still have to build an army to survive on Earth until her fleet found her.

Albert. “He sounded hopeful.”

Bison. “I am curious about the Tamers he mentioned are willing to come here.”

Tyson. “Zao is probably referring to the Black Phoenix Tamer. The one who appeared in the battle over Rockville and dropped fireballs on every Ice-Bug. He is going around searching for survivors and bringing them to Seward.”

Albert. “Sounds like a superhero!”

Miles. “Is he fighting on his own?”

Tyson. “There is another guy with him now. A Tamer whose Butterflies turn into floating swords.”

Bison. “Butterflies? He has more than one monster?”

Tyson. “I think they are clones of the original. But they aren’t illusions. I have seen them eviscerate Ice-Bugs till they become a pile of ash. The two of them seem to make a deadly combo against Ice-Bugs. Though I hear more tamers are joining them now. Each one has ridiculous abilities that can take on entire swarms.”

Albert. “Can they all fly like him?”

Tyson. “Nah, they follow him inside a transport drone they found in Seward. It’s big enough to carry 800 people.”

Mason. “Which isn’t enough for all of us here unless they make multiple trips.”

Selvaria. “Enough fanboying! Check on the Non-Tamers and make sure they are doing their work.”

Everyone in the room nodded to Selvaria and slowly exited. Rin was the last one about to leave when the door closed in front of her.

Selvaria. “I needed to talk to you about your Monster Partner.”

Rin. “I am almost done with tasks to hatch it.”

Selvaria. “That is good to hear, but I could speed it up for you.”

Rin. “What?”

Selvaria explained her ability to hack the Monster App to create unique partners more suited to the Tamer. They could skip the three-day infant period needed to evolve right away to their second form and revert back to their infant form if they wish.

Rin was surprised that Selvaria had such a cheat-like ability.

Rin. “I appreciate the offer, but it doesn’t feel right. I will raise and bond with it the normal way.”

Selvaria. “I see… I look forward to the abilities you get from it.”

Rin smiled and left the room. Selvaria gazed out of the glass wall and looked for the spot where her bunnies and Galatea were playing. They were roaming around the mini-SeaWorld habitat the Tamers created on the second day.

All the SeaWorld animals seemed healthy even though they ate Fish meat created from the food printers. Since all the stadium residents preferred fresh food, the printers were dedicated to feeding the animals.

Selvaria’s two bunnies were content with the vegetables and berries in the fields. They spent most of their time playing with Selvaria’s monster partner Galatea who stayed in the infant form instead of her second form.

Many Tamers were jealous that Galatea had the reversion ability. They all learned that Selvaria could give it to a Monster Egg before they hatched, but only those who swore to serve her would be offered it.

So far, Mason was the only one whose monster received that ability. Albert had already evolved his monster to the second form before he met Selvaria, and Rin didn’t want to take shortcuts. There wasn’t anyone else in the stadium who she felt inclined to help with that ability.

Selvaria planned to give one to her adopted brother Rad when they reunited again. She wondered what type of Monster and power would best suit him. As she was thinking alone in the VIP lounge, her phone began to vibrate with unusual intensity. Pink smoke leaked out the pocket of the black jeans where Selvaria stored her phone. She pulled it out and found an avatar of a Pika in a police uniform on the screen.

Selvaria. “High Command! What’s going on?”

[A Malicious entity has invaded… Unable to quarantine and delete it… This can’t be happening! I am being trappe-]

High Command’s voice was cut out by static. Something capable of resisting Selvaria’s AI could only be the one who installed the Monster App on her phone.

Selvaria. “Is it Fluffals?”

[Oi Oi Oi! Use the full title! It’s the Majestic Pink Fluffals, the Third!]

That voice did not belong to Selvaria’s AI. It sounded like a Cockney accent spoken with a deep voice. The avatar slowly popped out of the screen and turned into a real Pika with pink fur and red eyes. It wore a cartoonish uniform used by London Policemen in the 20th century.

Selvaria. “What did you do to my AI?”

“I gave your friend a time out in quarantine. She put up a tough fight, but no one can mess around Officer Fluffy and get away with it.”

Selvaria. “You are not Fluffals?”

Officer Fluffy. “Of course, I am not! His Majesty ordered me to stop you from messing around with his App.”

Selvaria. “So, you are a subordinate like the Ice-Bugs?”

Officer Fluffy was stunned. Selvaria had hit a sensitive spot on his ego. His pink face literally turned red in anger. He pulled out a mini button and started waving it at Selvaria.

Officer Fluffy. “You see this badge on my cap? It is only given to those his Majesty deemed extraordinary and blessed with the power to carry out his will. Don’t compare me to the likes of those buggers.”

Selvaria. “So, did you come here to threaten or stop me?”

Officer Fluffy. “A bit of both. His Majesty knows who you are despite the powers you gained in this life.”

Selvaria. “He knows me?”

Officer Fluffy. “Of course, he knows! He knows everything there is to know. He has seen everything that there is to see! For he is the Majestic-”

Selvaria used her fingers to pinch the little one’s mouth shut.

Selvaria. “Get to the point!”

After that, Selvaria’s fingers relaxed to let the Pika speak.

Officer Fluffy. “You have been a pain in his back every time he brought ruin to Earth. But every time you fail! So, stop interfering in his plans and return to your Moon.”

Selvaria. “He is afraid of me?”

Officer Fluffy. “Afraid? HAHAHA! Don’t be ridiculous! You are an oddity that refuses to learn with each reincarnation.”

Selvaria. “If he is so powerful, why doesn’t he come here and fight me?”

Officer Fluffy. “If you haven’t noticed, his majesty is leading a global invasion of Earth. He is not going to take a break to deal with you. That is why I am here!”

Selvaria. “What can you do to me?”

Officer Fluffy. “I have the power to take away your Tamer ability forever!”

Officer Fluffy unhinged his jaw and opened it wide to swallow Selvaria’s phone. Galatea, who was playing with the Bunnies outside, suddenly dematerialized. They were alarmed by her disappearance but assumed Selvaria had called her back.

Selvaria. “What did you do?”

Officer Fluffy. “I have a pocket dimension in my tummy. It can store anything inorganic as long as I live.”

Selvaria. “Oh… so all I have to do is kill you to get my phone back, right?”

Officer Fluffy. “Kill me? I am a being that has been blessed by his Majesty! Do you think I can be killed so easily?”

Selvaria. “Hmmm… then I will have to take control of your body and have you spit it out for me.”

Officer Fluffy was surprised by that reply.

Officer Fluffy. “What are you talking about? Hey! Keep your fingers away from me! What is happening? AAAAHH Stooooop! Majesty heeeelp meeeeee!”

Selvaria ignored Officer Fluffy’s squeal as she clawed at the little creature’s face. Her nanites entered its bloodstream and began to take over the nervous system. They encountered resistance, but nothing could stop them for more than a minute. They adapted and evolved to completely take over the body. The last time she used this ability was at PETA’s branch office. They all could see what the nanites were making them do, but their willpower couldn’t stop their legs from jumping off the roof of the building.

Selvaria. “Now give me back my phone!”

Officer Fluffy’s face was purple now. He was trying to hold his breath to pass out by not supplying any oxygen. But his nose betrayed him, and it took in deep breaths while his digestive system began convulsing.

Selvaria. “There is no use in trying to resist me. I will control your body as long as I live… and I won’t be dying in this life. Maybe for a few hours if someone gets a lucky shot, but my nanites won’t let go of you if I am resurrected in time.”

Officer Fluffy's eyes bulged in shock and horror at Selvaria’s words. Only Fluffals might be able to save this poor creature from this fate. But in its eyes, Selvaria could see that it had lost all hope of that happening.

Officer Fluffy. “Fine… I will give you the phone back.”

The Pika unhinged his jaws again and coughed out Selvaria’s phone. She picked it up and tried to launch the Monster App, but it refused to open without the presence of an AI Butler.

Selvaria. “Release my Butler from Quarantine.”

Officer Fluffy managed to shake his head and pull an evil grin.

Officer Fluffy. “You may control my body! But you can’t control my mind! I will never unseal her!”

Selvaria. “Hmm… maybe some pain will get you to change your mind.”

Officer Fluffy. “I told you… you cannot hurt my body.”

Selvaria. “My Nanites control your nervous system, which transmits pain to the brain. All I have to do is switch them all on.”

Officer Fluffy’s body began shaking in fear. He suddenly had an idea and stared at Selvaria with puppy dog eyes.

Officer Fluffy. “You love animals! How can you torture something as cute as me?”

Selvaria. “Yes, I do love animals… Innocent ones. But are you innocent?”

Officer Fluffy. “How can you prove that I am not innocent? I only stole your phone! Is that a crime worth torturing over?”

Selvaria. “We can find out by what else you are hiding in your tummy.”

The Nanomachines inside the Pika work on making Officer Fluffy spill out the contents inside his pocket dimension.

Skeletons, phones, precious jewels, gold, weapons, and armaments poured out of the little mouth until the floor of the VIP lounge was filled. Selvaria looked around and counted the number of human skulls. She noticed one of them clung to a phone in its skeletal hands.

Selvaria picked it up and ordered her AI to hack into it. Once done, she inspected the video messages stored in the phone and discovered a clip that revealed the last moments before the female Tamer died.

Officer Fluffy popped out of her phone and swallowed her into his tummy. Other Tamers were fighting by her side against a monster horde in India. They too were swallowed up and sent into the pocket dimension.

Inside, a demonic entity made of darkness devoured all organic matter until only her bones were left behind to float within the space.

Selvaria. “Who were those Tamers, and what did they do to end up like this?”

Officer Fluffy. “They were too powerful together, his majesty offered them a chance to join him, but they refused. I was ordered to get rid of them before they told anyone about… the offer.”

Selvaria. “What offer?”

Officer Fluffy. “Eternal life… in exchange for eternal servitude to his majesty.”

Selvaria. “Are you one of those who accepted his offer?”

Officer Fluffy. “Yes.”

Selvaria. “He gives the offer to animals?”

Officer Fluffy. “This is the body he had blessed me with. My true form is what you saw in the video. I belong to a race that ruled this world… long before the cycle of your civilization came into existence.”

Selvaria was confused by his words and chose to ignore them and proceed with her true goal of the investigation.

Selvaria. “Whatever you were before… you have the blood of countless Tamers on your… paws. Now release my AI or suffer!”

Selvaria ordered the nanites within Officer Fluffy to activate the pain centers in his brain. The little creature screamed in agony, and its cries were so loud that everyone in the stadium could hear.

In a few minutes, someone tried to open the door to the VIP lounge but found it locked. Selvaria had ordered the Stadium AI to stop anyone from interfering.

Rin. “Selvaria! Are you alright in there?”

Selvaria. “I am fine! I am just conducting an experiment. Sorry for the noise, tell the others to not worry. It will end soon.”

Then she looked at Officer Fluffy and spoke with a low voice.

Selvaria. “When I am done with you… there won’t be anything left for Fluffals to recognize.”

The screaming continued for three hours until Officer Fluffy ruined his vocal cords. He continued his futile resistance for five more before his mind broke.

[I have regained access!]

High command’s voice came out of the phone once more.

Selvaria. “I am glad to have you back! Summon Galatea for me.”

A Seal Pup appeared in front of Selvaria. She looked around in confusion. All the skeletons and items in the room looked odd to her. She soon noticed the Pink-furred Pika in police cosplay lying on the floor nearby and went over to check if it was still alive.

Selvaria. “Don’t worry about that one. He is going to be my purse.”

Selvaria then pointed her finger at Officer Fluffy and made his body move around like a puppet attached to invisible strings. Drool leaked out of the Pika’s mouth as it climbed onto Selvaria’s shoulder and swallowed back the contents it had previously spilled onto the floor.