Several hours have passed since I dug the pellet from the shoulder of Gentleman Ape. The winds have lost much of their intensity, and the sun has risen.

At this moment, I am dragging a sled constructed of rubbish bags toward one of my old dwellings. The reason I am dragging the rubbish sled is that the still constrained Gentleman Ape is napping upon it. Moreover, I have been harvesting foodstuff from the rubbish bins while I maneuvered toward my destination, and it makes for an easy way to move many items at once.

I glance at my gathered items consisting of old foodstuff, a glass jar, other curious knick-knacks, and then at the sleeping hairy person that is curled up beneath all of this.

‘It is unfortunate thy companions abandoned thou, Gentleman Ape. Though it is not so bad. At first, it can even be sort of nice to have time to thyself... Then time passes, and it is not as nice as it once was.’ I glance at the snow beneath the haze. ‘Eventually, one sort of just becomes accustomed to the loneliness and forgets the feeling of… not loneliness.’

Arriving at a thicket on the far side of The Lake, the side opposite the Terrace, I glance at my old abode and then turn to peer off into the distance. There I spot the familiar Terrace courtyard and Arcade. I can see a handful of noble’s guard strolling about. Each of them wears a face-covering similar to the one Terra used to protect herself from the haze. The Terrace is also different now; a section of it has been cloaked in some type of plastic covering. I can see my nodes are still intact; in fact, someone seems to be leaning against one, lifting their mask, and then eating a sandwich—a delicacy I have yet to acquire myself.

‘There is naught I may do. I still have some time before the seed is ready for me. I shall find somewhere hidden to lurk for a while and observe when the opportunity arises.’

Turning toward the rubbish sled, I slip the cattail into a square, white box that, when I found it appeared to have something tasty within it. That is what I assume anyway because there is a portrait of a small man with a mustache and big smile drawn onto the box, suggesting he is thoroughly relishing whatever it is.

The cattail engulfs a portion of the items, a bland flavor washes over me, and a purple wall soon arises.

Earl Interface:

Absorbed ‘Pizza Crust’ (Non-Magical)

Absorbed ‘Frosty Cheese Pizza Slice’ (Non-Magical)

Reduced Erysichthon value by 3

Essence value 0

0.2 Refinable Nebula

0.0 Refinable Vitrum

Details: A non-magical bread topped with synthetic cheese and a red sauce.

I tilt my head. ‘Pizza… it is a fun word, but not as satisfying as the little man on the box made it seem… Though, perhaps, if it had been stolen, would it taste delicious?’

Gentleman Ape stirs. His eyes open, and when he spots me, he prepares to howl, but before he may, I shove the bread item called “cheese pizza” into his mouth. Spitting it from his mouth, the frosty cheese pizza thunks against the rubbish bag. He almost yells at me, but an odd fire flickers in his eyes as he glances at the cheese pizza and then me. Squinting, and without taking his eyes off me, he turns his head and bites a tiny piece of it, followed by him chomping it down so passionately he nearly tumbles off the rubbish sled. His gaze fixates on my figure as he looks me up and down, mashing the pizza about in his mouth.

‘I suppose he must fancy it.’ I shrug and go about my business.

Moving into the thicket, I reclaim the glass orb and the Ecology book and then press onward to discover a new location to hide, one I hope to settle at and stay put for as long as I can manage.

‘Cosmic System, prithee, the Humorism selection once more.’

With my summons, the blue wall from earlier reappears. I was a bit busy at the time, so I never did read it.

You Have Shown Enough Ability to Rank A Interim Skill to the Novice Rank

Please Select One Below

[Novice Humorism II]

Continue along the primary path of study concerning humorism.

[Novice Supine Humorism]

Christened after a recently conjectured fifth-humor. What else remains to be uncovered regarding this rarely employed and primitive skill?

***TrailBlazer Skill***

‘Strange only two choices. Furthermore, the descriptions leave much to be desired; the second even contains a question...’ My gaze focuses on the bottom choice. ‘Have they truly found a fifth-humor? That is fascinating, and what is this “Trailblazer Skill” that it mentions?’

Seeing that one choice seems almost too simple while the second has roused my interest, a decision is easy for me to make.

‘With or without the first option, I can study Humorism just fine and at my own leisure. Hence, aye, I may as well select the Supine Humorism.’

Congratulations!

You have earned the “Novice Supine Humorism” skill.

Prepare for memory upload.

When the blue wall changes, images of myself in a white space flash before my mind’s eye. [1] In them, I kneel beside the usual man, except this time he has an intense scowl. Evidently unconcerned by this, my hand drifts into position a foot above his face. A black-light glows around the tips of my fingers, and dark sandy material slips from his throat, concentrating just beneath my palm. The man’s scowl dims and changes to a flat countenance. [2] The pictures cease a moment later.

‘That… that sand was black bile, and removing it seemed to… calm him?’

A new blue wall manifests.

Congratulations, you have been awarded the title:

[Trailblazer (Humorism)]

This Title acknowledges that the one who possesses it is both at the top of their field and the first Entity to receive the “Supine Humorism” Skill. From here, they will be blazing a new path in the field.

{Humorism doesn’t actually work without Mana nor the way humans thought. Show someone some credentials, and they’ll be more likely to believe you actually know what you’re talking about.

If desired, direct a System Prompt to another Entity, confirming you possess this Title. Others may have been more qualified for the honor of this Title, but they all died centuries ago, so congratulations on winning by default!}

My head tilts as I read the wall. ‘Trailblazer? Top of my field? Nay, I do not believe that to be correct! Not unless I am missing something…’ Continuing to read, the reason becomes clear. ‘...So I only receive this because everyone else died? What!? That does not make sense and also makes me feel like I do not deserve this!’

As per usual, all I may do is shake my head. ‘I will just have to learn more in time, but as much as I hate to admit it, Humorism is not that important in regards to my current predicament.’

Shaking my head, I drag the bound Gentleman Ape, keeping close to The Lake and searching for a new place to shelter until circumstances improve.

A tickling sensation on the kiln stops me on the stop. My gaze shoots downwards in time to see the paste collide with the top of the snow. ‘Nay!’

Just as I am trying to decide what to do, I hear the sound of something moving on the rubbish sled and then notice a hairy hand stretching toward the substance. ‘Nay, Gentleman Ape! How did thou free thy arms!? The paste belongs to me!’

He ignores me, his mouth open, his hand at the ready to scoop it up, he reaches toward the black haze without hesitation. The paste and the snow beneath are scooped in an instant, and a mere second later, it is over.

Twisting the lid unto a glass jar, I lift the cattail and stare into the jar clutched within its tendrils. My hand drifts to my chest when I confirm the paste and snow are locked away peacefully within it. ‘For once, it did not result in the creation of a monster.’

I glance at Gentleman Ape, who is still lying there with his arm outstretched, a frozen expression upon his face, and fingertips just a mere poppyseed [3] short of the black haze that shapes my gown.

‘I forgive thou for attempting to take from me. Now let us be on our way.’

Taking the jar from the cattail and into my hands, I grab the rubbish sled with the tendrils, and the two of us disappear into the snowy park. Time passes...

It takes me two days of hiding with Gentleman Ape before I locate a new shelter. After that, hours, nights, days pass as my time in the park becomes eerily peaceful.

Achieved Novice Gluttonous Naturalist [Grade 2]

Achieved Novice Gluttonous Naturalist [Grade 3]

Achieved Novice Tenebrous Sneak [Grade 2]

Achieved Novice Tenebrous Sneak [Grade 3]

The sound of children whispering from the opposite side of hedges has Gentleman Ape clapping his hands together. Hearing the children start to whisper at one another, I glare at Gentleman Ape, waving my own hand to silence him. ‘Gentleman Ape! Do not forget the knowledge I bestowed upon thou. Thou must earn thy meager bread, and this is how it shall be accomplished!’

He stares at me, blinking a few times, and then nods as if he can tell what I am thinking. I squint, holding up a leaf; Gentleman Ape stares at it and nods at it too. ‘As I thought, he still simply nods at everything. Never can be too careful in this era.’

With a shrug, I look him up and down. Over the past several day’s Gentleman Ape has changed. His fur has grown a bit longer than before and is pure white, except for a black fur patch covering his neck that then runs down the front of his arms and legs. I would also say he has grown a bit taller as well, to around three feet and a hand. But it is difficult to tell because of the oddest part. He has started to walk like a hunched over man, allowing his arms to dangle loosely as he walks.

At first, I was puzzled until I was studying the Ecology book and found a picture of an ape becoming a man. A concept called “evolution” or something. I can only speculate that the “evolution” thing is what is occurring since I do not have any other guesses.

Seeing Gentleman Ape tilt his head, I motion for him to be on his way first while I watch from the bushes. When I brush away some snow and stick my head into the hedges, I can see a group of children from between some leaves. They stand in a half-arc around one another and the snowy bushes. Each of them holds an offering in their hands, waiting and gazing at the hedges.

‘That is new?’ There is a short fence there, one that was not there yesterday when we were here last. Staring at the sign, I can see they are thin, and if I look hard enough, I can make out the dark letters on the front. It takes me a moment to read the backward letters, but I discover the signs read, “Quarantine Zone: Fenced Off Areas South of 79th Are Closed. Noxious Gases. Do Not Enter.”

‘I already suspected something of the sort as I have hardly seen anyone that was not a noble’s guard moving around the park. What really bothers me is I have not seen the Hex Church. I suppose I must confess that I am more than happy I have not seen them because their church is not far from my present location. Yet, it is odd and I am still waiting on Terra; I am concerned about her safety.’

The children start to cheer but quickly start shushing one another. “Quiet! If they find out, they’ll take it back,” a little boy declares.

All the children nod in tandem. The bushes shake as Gentleman Ape sticks his head out, nodding at the children. Some of the new children gasp. When they do so, the more experienced children cover their mouths, shushing them once more.

‘Aye! This shall be our biggest haul yet!’

Gentleman Ape extends his hand through the fence and flexes his fingers, motioning for the children to hand him their offerings. The first child to step forward was the one we first came across. After that, she brought her companions. Every day, the little girl is the first to step forward and always brings the same thing, something known as a chocolate pudding cup. It is Gentleman Ape’s favorite.

Placing the chocolate pudding cup in his hand, she giggles, saying, “Hi, monkey! I’m glad you came again!”

Gentleman Ape seizes the pudding cup, nodding and pulling it from the girl’s hand. The girl laughs as he draws his hand into the bush and shakes. As I am about to retrieve the pudding cup from him, a blue wall manifests.

You Have Shown Enough Ability for an Interim Skill

Please Select One Below

[Scrounger]

A skill for those that regularly make use of items in ways other than their intended purpose. Often these items might be stolen and reused in another way.

[Beggar]

Entities with the Beggar skill is typically able to garner pity, soliciting goods or currency from the entities around them.

[Junketeer]

A specialized skill for one who is proficient at smooth-talking their way into handouts from others. A junketeer is especially skillful at not allowing others to realize that acquired handouts are almost regularly used recklessly.

‘A new skill, it has been quite some time!’

Reading the Cosmic Systems wall, I cannot help but inwardly frown. ‘None of these skills seem to make a person seem particularly endearing. Regardless, I cannot speak to enough people to make use of Beggar nor Junketeer even if I wished to, so I shall accept Scrounger.’

Congratulations!

You have earned the “Scrounger” skill.

As an Interim skill, it must be trained to the novice rank within 7-days to obtain permanently.

Gentleman Ape shakes the bushes harder, removing me from my thoughts. ‘Oh! I am out of position!’ I back out of the hedges and move behind Gentleman Ape. He drops the pudding, and I place it in a plastic rubbish bag. One after another, offerings are handed to Gentleman Ape, and I stuff them into the bag.

A woman’s voice shouts, “Carly? What is everyone doing in the corner of the playground?”

‘It is time for us to depart!’ Shaking the bushes myself, this alerts Gentleman Ape that we must leave. With our prize in hand, the two of us dart from the bushes and flee to our hermitage. It’s not really a hermitage, but it sounds better than calling it a cave. I discovered the cave around a week ago, in a place called “The Ramble,” after roaming around for two days, eating what we could attain. When I arrived, it was sealed with bricks for some reason, but after I used the tendrils to slip between the cracks of a loose brick at the base of the entrance, a whole wedge of bricks slipped out, allowing access for the two of us.

Time passes, and It takes about an hour for us to make it to our hermitage. Together the two of us walk down a set of stairs into a shallow gulch. At the bottom, we are flanked by stone walls to our left and right. The path becomes slim and continues for twenty or so feet, and this is where one might think they have found the end of the little gulch; however, upon closer inspection, one would notice that the path has been bricked up.

‘This place has been a blessing, Gentleman Ape.’ With that thought, I yank the bottom wedge of bricks, and a gap around three foot by two foot is opened—just big enough for Gentleman Ape.

With the stones removed, Gentleman Ape rushes through, and I follow, dragging the bag of treasures through the opening. Thanks to my vision, the cave is lit in a purple hue. Similar to me, Gentleman Ape does not fancy the dark but does not seem to mind as long as I do not close the negating membrane.

The inside of the cave is egg-shaped and littered with items we gathered over the last week. On the left side is a bed for Gentleman Ape, which I made from a rubbish bag stuffed with various plants. To the right is the foodstuff we have gathered from rubbish bins and that the children have given us or, more precisely, given Gentleman Ape. In the back are the items that I do not wish to lose and have forbidden Gentleman Ape from going near. Those items consist of things like the glass orb, pistol, ecology book, glass jar with paste, and any baubles that I thought were interesting.

I move to the right side of the cave, pick up a twig, and tap it against the ground, gaining the attention of Gentleman Ape, who seemed to have just eaten something he discovered in his fur. ‘Aye, Gentleman Ape, before thou eats, it is time for thy writing practice.’

Tossing the stick to him, he stumbles over and lifts the twig, and then stares at me. I nod, he nods, lowering the stick to the ground he writes. He really fancies for me to observe him writing. Always looking back up to ensure I have not lost interest in his efforts.

‘It is amazing how intelligent these creatures are! When we first met, I feel like he was not quite like this; the evolution thing is truly amazing! Though, to be honest, his attitude was a lot more hostile to me in the beginning also. It took a few days before he did anything but glare at me and hold his hand out, requesting more scraps of food. After that, things have gone smoothly!’

Gentleman Ape glances at me, except he does it in a way that he does not wish for me to know he is looking at me. When next I notice his gaze, I make a motion as if I am clapping for him. He nods enthusiastically, producing a small “ooh” and goes back to complete his “T.” A few minutes later, he has completed his name, which simply reads, “Gentleman.” After he makes certain I have seen it, he places pebbles over some of the later letters, so it merely reads, “Gen.” I do not know why he does it, but he regularly does.

I nod. ‘Aye! Thou hast done well! If I knew more than six words in the sign language, I would inform thou of such thus instead…’ I reach into the rubbish bag, tossing him his pudding cup. ‘Pudding!’

He nods, raises his arm to catch the pudding, and before he even fully clasps the cup, he has almost opened it.

‘Enjoy the meal.’ Tossing the pistol and some rubbish out of the way, I pick up the glass orb and glance back to see Gentleman Ape licking the pudding.

He looks at me. I make an up and down motion in front of my face with my hands as if I am closing my eyes. ‘I am going to attempt this Mana technique, as I have all week.’

As always, he nods.

Moving to the front of the cave, I close my negating membrane most of the way and position myself to gaze into one of the bland gray bricks. The reason I do this at the entrance is so light may still leak in through the opening. This way, it is not so dim that my fear of the darkness wells up as it did in the park over a week ago. Honestly, it has welled up several times over the last week as I have frequently practiced and failed this technique numerous times.

With the quiet atmosphere and the insipid surface, I find my sight glazing over and my mind slipping into a tranquil trance-like state.