pat pat

I'm really enjoying this new companion I have.

Pat pat

No, it's more like a pet at this rate, honestly

Ever since that discussion with Stolidus about the ore slime on my back, I found that using vine lash I can pet my new companion and honestly, it's a lot of fun just patting it.

[Ugh, (vine pat) acquired]

Oh, I got a skill from that.

I'm not the only one who's enjoying this new grouping, as the ore slime seems to enjoy snuggling with me, the ore slime produces an oblong object that I can only assume is a pseudo head and rubs it against mine. My head of course. I don't have a pseudo head.

I haven't been able to use the ore slime in any other way than that though. Sadly, it doesn't seem smart enough to understand commands.

Wait, I don't talk anymore do I?

Stolidus!

[Yeah yeah, the skill telepathy is available for one point.]

One point? That's rather cheap for the ability to talk to people in their minds.

[High level psychic attacks include rearranging minds, creating whole dream realms, and lifting islands with your whole mind. This is only telepathy.]

Fair enough. And uh, while you're at it, how about some low-level mind resistance. None of that sounds fun.

[you only have 1 point.]

Ah well, telepathy it is I suppose.

[skill (telepathy) acquired]

Alright, flood of information acquired. Hello? Hello little ore slime?

The ore slime turns to me for a second, cocking its pseudo head.

Can you coat this, I produce a stake, with metal please?

The ore slime doesn't really send me any thoughts. It just stares at me, confused.

Ah, it's too dumb for telepathy to really work on it. What's the point of communicating with minds if there's not a mind to communicate with.

Stolidus doesn't say anything, but he does produce his avatar so he can muffle his laughter.

That's clearly mockery because he has no reason to create his avatar otherwise.

As I grow exasperated with my guide, something else attracts my attention.

A salamander crawls out of the grass into my sight and locks its with mine.

We stare at each other for a second before the creature rears its tiny little head back.

Uh oh. Flame salamander

The creature spits forth a glob of flaming mucus, which lands on my exposed shell for a second, which results in some serious pain!

I'm a moss turtle currently! Shit!

I'm trying to figure out what to do before the heat on my back fades, causing me to look back and see the ore slime having smothered the glob of fire on my shell, before returning to the center.

By the way, it rests in the middle of my shell most of the time. I didn't really mention that did I.

Not important! I turn back around to glare at the salamander. That hurt! I decide to return fire.

I decide to use the vine pat skill, but utilize it a bit more, constructively.

Imagining something more than a tap. I produce a vine that continues wrapping itself around itself, again and again, slowly taking shape.

And finally,

I have a bat!

I take the bat and swing downwards, Bashing the brains of the flame salamander!

The ore slime seems to have thought it looked fun, because to my surprise, it produced a bat too, made out of hard metal, and brings it down too, and for a second I feel bad for the creature.

Then I remember it lit my shell on fire.

Take this you little beast1 I swing my bat once more, and the slime joyfully copies.

[Level 3 flame salamander slaid.]

No level up this time, but that's expected. I'm assuming that each level up represents some energy or experience gained, and since I get stronger with each level, it'll no doubt get harder each time.

[True]

And that's confirmation.

[and skill (vine bash) was gained as well.]

Well, at least I got something out of it, right?