We out on the high seas now! Huge tidal waves and gale force winds are throwing and bashing the ship in their unrelenting assault. Although my vessel is mighty, and the captain a veteran, this may be a fare from whence I don't return. I always knew the life at sea was not for me. This time I may have underestimated the cruelty of the sea and all her waters for the final time.

Or maybe I'm slightly exaggerating the details of this calm and peaceful cruise, but relative to my size these waves are fairly large! So that's not too much of a lie. I'm just excited to be on a boat for the first time.

"So you have no name, huh? Strange. I wonder why your tamer didn't name you, kinda cruel considering you can speak" Bartlon thinks out loud as he absentmindedly rows the boat. It's kinda strange that he's facing the opposite direction to where he's going, but I don't understand how boats work. Maybe that's normal?

Also, why does he always refer to this 'tamer'? I keep trying to change the subject because I have no idea what it means! He also seems to get sad whenever he mentions the word too, so why say it?! But, I'm too deep in the conversation to admit I don't understand it, I can only pretend to understand, give general answers, or avoid the topic entirely, I prefer option 3.

"I'm thinking of my own name!" I chirp with excitement, at least this is the truth. He might even be able to help me think of one! He has a name after all, he must have some idea. "It must be fierce! It must be soft! Most importantly, it must be cute! I've been thinking about it for a while, but nothing feels right".

"Your own name? ahhh I see, that makes far more sense" Bartlon nods sagely, content with my answer.

"Although deciding your own name sounds like quite the task, as names are normally given, not chosen" he adds on.

Hmmmm, I never thought about it like that, it is true though, giving names is easy peasy! Misty Death. Big Fluffer, Grey Fluffer, Mr. Squiggly, all given without second thought, is choosing your own name impossible then?

I can see that Bartlon has wise words to match his countless wrinkles!

I go silent and fix my gaze on the waterlogged wood at my feet as I muse over the thoughts. Names are given? So I should wait until I get a name, right? And what if I get a bad name? Then I'd live my whole life with a bad name! That would be the worst! More importantly, I don't want to wait for someone to give me a name, I want a name NOW!

I don't feel like I have a place in this world as just a nameless bird! I must be someone.

"So where did you learn to talk? Or is it some kind of skill given to you from your tamer?" Bartlon interrupts to my internal identity crisis, perhaps sensing my inner turmoil? Also, there's 'tamer' again!

"I've always known how to speak" I reply, returning to my perky self, which in turn, seems to cheer up Bartlon.

"By the way, what's a skill? I don't understand that word, how does it relate to speaking?" I ask while playfully hopping around the limited space in the boat. There's no way I'm going to make the mistake of ignoring words I don't know a second time!

Bartlon scrunches up his wrinkles in thought as he considers the best way to answer my innocent question. He remains in thought for quite some time too! Must be a difficult question? I take the time to perch on the stern of the boat and look overhead of him, at the big blue tree, that with every passing minute, dominates more of the scenery.

I think I can feel it again. The air here is pure, yet strangely.. occupied? The same feeling from back where those two parallel stone walls started, only stronger. It feels like there's a great power residing here and I'm willing to bet this tree has something to do with it, I can't say it's very inconspicuous.

Bartlon breaks the sounds of his oars cutting through the water and the supple waves caressing the boat with a hearty chuckle.

"Haha, never thought answering that question would be so hard! I never realized how strange it is, skills are something akin to breathing you see, you never really think about it". He chuckles while fixing his sight on me.

"I think they can be explained like this: A skill is something that YOU are uniquely capable of, something that you've earned through struggle, it can also be referred to as a 'trait'" he answers, even taking a hand off an oar to help him explain it with grandiose hand gestures that make little sense. "But, even though I said they're unique, most skills are commonly shared between people. Like my 'Heal' for example, many people know it, yet it is still my own... I think I explained it poorly" he huffs out, hanging his head in frustration.

Well that was hard to decipher. So skills are something you've earned? Would Bellows and Cinders be skills? After all, I did 'remember' them after leveling up, and struggling, lots of struggling, and they certainly feel unique to me!

"It's easy for us humans to recognize our skills and traits because we can see our statuses, where our whole being is displayed. I'm not sure if you have a status as well, you might do, or they might be unique to humans, like I said, talking to a tamed pet who can talk back is a first for me!"

What? A status? A thing that displays your being? I definitely haven't seen that before. What would it even look like? A reflection? A soul? He just said something really important, life altering even, If I'm able to see my status, everything could change!

"How do you see your status?" I chirp musically with hope budding in my chest. If I could see my status, I might learn something important about myself! I wouldn't be surprised if I had more fantastic talents that I'm not even aware of!

"That's easy!" Bartlon quickly responds with a cheery smile, his wrinkles doubling at the expression.

"Focus on seeing yourself, every inch of your soul, then, when you feel like you're ready, say 'status' to summon it" guides Bartlon "Whoops, I just did it by accident" he stutters, recoiling in surprise.

Sounds easy enough.

I close my eyes in concentration and mentally block out the external sounds of the lake and Bartlon's audible wheezing. I guess rowing the boat for so long at such an age isn't easy, but that's not important right now. I do my best to hone in on my soul, a fire burning brightly in my heart. Something that I've never realized existed, but now that I can see it, I know I've always felt it inside me. I can't see a reflection of myself or anything in the fire, but this is as close as I can get to the center of my being. Hopefully this is enough.

"Status" I whisper to the wind.

Oh my god

Name: -----, ------

Health: 81/81 Mana: 134/134 Level 4 (191/400) Strength: 12 Endurance: 19 Species: Pheonix Dexterity: 11 Intelligence: 38 Class: Pheonix, Level 2 Affinity: 24 Skills Traits Cinders, Level 2 Mythical Bellows, Level 1 Fire to Fire Profound Fire Affinity Dungeon Bound

"AHHHHHH MY EYES" I cry

"THAT'S TOO MANY SQUIGGLIES"