As the sun rises, its blinding rays cover’s Haiko’s face. Waking him up.

Haiko grimaces as he opens his eyes, “Worst bed I’ve ever slept on, but the best sleep I’ve had… two out of ten, Lizzie…” Haiko murmurs to himself as he lifts his body up.

Haiko notices something different as he looks around. “Wait… where is Lizzie?” Haiko asks franticly as he notices the giant corpse of the Evavalquis is gone.

The Card then pops out of Haiko, “The corpse of the Evavalquis has been fully absorbed and collected. New abilities and skills have been acquired” the card then prompts and says;

“Changes have been made as per suggestion in showing the acquired skills and abilities” The card says monotonously with its robotic voice.

Haiko simply stares blankly at the prompt, being too drowsy to comprehend what the Card just said. “I’m sorry, but what?” Haiko says aimlessly.

“Did you just say you absorbed and collected… ALL OF LIZZIE?!” Haiko asks seemingly coming to his senses as he shockingly pieces together what the card just said.

The card replies, “Yes, as exemplified by how you’ve absorbed a Valquis and gained its abilities by using your innate ability VOID. What I did was the same in a sense” the Card says to Haiko with a Visual prompt.

Haiko looks blankly at his companion, “How come I’m just knowing this now?”

The Card morphs back to its card form, “You did not ask” it says bluntly.

Haiko glares at the Card, “touché…”

Haiko sighs as he stands up, “Alright… could you show me the new abilities I got again?” Haiko asks as he dusts off the dirt on his body.

The Card then prompts the newly acquired abilities which this time Haiko looks at curiously. “What’s the pack-leader do?”

The Card then displays another visual description as it explains. “PACK-LEADER, a skill that boosts nearby allies, giving them an increase ability prowess and heightens unified attacks” the Card explains briefly.

Haiko ponders and sighs, “Would be useful, if I had a team, I could use it on… Well, maybe at some point, we’ll see” Haiko murmurs to himself.

Haiko looks at his Card companion, “Tell me about the scale formation” he says as he crosses his arms.

“It is an ability to form thick and hardened scales along your skin” The Card explains with another visual prompt, showing arms having scales all over itself.

Haiko extends his right arm and tries it out, a second later scales begin covering Haiko’s right arm. “Neat! Feels a bit heavy, but good enough for some defense!” Haiko says as he tries it on his other arm.

“Hey, buddy! Can I use multiple abilities at a time?” Haiko curiously asks as he plays with his scale formation ability.

The Card simply prompts, “(￣ー￣)ｂ”

Haiko childishly grins as he tests out with mixing his abilities. Using scale formation and adding elemental touch to it. After feeling satisfied with his testing, Haiko perks himself up as he and his Card companion continue on.

* * * * * * * * *

After some walking, Haiko eventually ends up finding a dirt road. Haiko without much thinking decides to follow where it goes, hoping to find some form of civilization along its way.

Walking on the dirt road, Haiko continues to ask his Card companion to scan things he’s curious about. Most of the scans gain nothing in return though. But still adds to the Cards database.

After a while and running out of interesting curiosities, Haiko thought of something. “Hey, buddy. Do I have any other abilities that I don’t know of, like ones I can use for a mix of both offense and defense?” Haiko asks mindlessly to his floating Card companion as he continues to walk onward.

“Your innate ability ORBS OF CREATION, is meant to be as you said. It is the special ability granted to you by the Overseer, an ability that gives you control over the powers of creation. Using the ORBS OF CREATION, you are able to create anything you so desire and are only limited by your own forms limitations and knowledge on the given desired creation” The Card bluntly says.

Haiko jolts and stares blankly at the Card. “Orbs of what now?!” Haiko says in disbelief.

The Card stops and looks at Haiko, “As I said, it is the ability that lets you wield the power of Creation. But is limited to your own form and knowledge on th-” the Card is cut off by Haiko silencing it.

“Ye-yeah I heard you the first time! I wanna know why didn’t you tell me about that sooner?!” Haiko frustratedly asks.

The Card simply replies, “You did not ask” it says bluntly.

Haiko glares at the Card, “You know… that’s why some people don’t like wild cards…” Haiko sighs.

Haiko perks himself up again, “Anyhow, can you tell how it works?” he asks timidly.

“ORBS OF CREATION works differently among your two forms…” The Card then prompts and explains;

Haiko can’t tell if he should be excited or annoyed, “You know… this could’ve helped me out a lot, especially with last night’s troubles. Don’t you think?” He says lifelessly at the Card.

“Agreed” The Card replied bluntly, not caring for Haiko’s icy glare.

Haiko just heavily breathes out, “You really should tell me about this earlier. I mean why di-! No! don’t answer th-” Haiko franticly says to the Card but was cut off immediately.

“You did not ask” The Card again says bluntly and monotonously with its seemingly pompous robotic voice to Haiko.

Haiko blankly stares at the card in silence, “For the most advanced sentient technology. I would’ve thought you would be better at actually doing your job… but you suffer the safe fate as the rest of em… lack of humanity… just a bundle of smart metal and energy…” Haiko dejectedly sighs.

To Haiko’s surprise, the Card floats up and close, onto Haiko’s face. “I CONCUR, I MAY HAVE BEEN MADE AS A TOOL TO AID YOU IN YOUR JOURNEY. BUT I WAS MADE FROM A LIVING SOUL, I AM NOT JUST MERE METAL AND IT IS A FACT THAT I HAVE NO CYBERNETICS OR ANY FORM OF MACHINERY THAT COULD OTHERWISE PROVIDE FACTUAL PROOF THAT I AM JUST A MERE ARTIFICIALLY MADE TECHNOLOGY. I WAS MADE FROM NOT MADE INTO; I PREFER YOU UNDERSTAND THIS DIFFERENCE” the Card says with a deeper tone voice indicating a lot of tension.

Haiko reels back and raises his hand in surrender, “Ok… My bad… sorry buddy…” Haiko nervously smiles.

The Card then floats back to Haiko’s side, “Apology accepted. Now if you would kindly please stop calling me in a pet like manner, I would highly appreciate it” the Card says monotonously and back with its normal robotic voice.

Haiko continues to walk as he smirks, “How would I know if you didn’t ask…” Haiko says playfully.

The Card then just ignores Haiko. “As I told you now, I assume you would change your calling then”

“Gimme a moment I’ll try and think of a good one then…” Haiko ponders for some time thinking of a name for his Card companion. “Going with some stylistic choice, aren’t you like that eye thing from Egyptian gods. Going by that, I think he was called Harus? Howrus? Hosu?” Haiko shrugs, “Hosu’s fine, I guess… What do you think?” Haiko asks with a smile to his Card Companion.

The Card then stops as it begins emitting beeping sounds. “ACKNOWLEDGE IDENTIFICATION UPGRADE” the Card’s voice slowly changes into a more manly voice as it says.

Haiko looks in confusion as his Card companion continues to glow brightly and somewhat morph into something else.

With a flash of bright light from the card, Haiko shields his eyes. As Haiko opens his eyes he sees his Card companion turned into a spherical drone with a shutter like eye in its middle and triangular indents around it.

“Umm… Hosu…?” Haiko nervously asks but to no reply. “Bud-” before Haiko could finish a holographic-like projection of a fist from the drone knocks Haiko into the dirt.

The drone’s eyes open, “I already told you to never call me that. The name is Mimir and I would suggest you remember it” Mimir says menacingly with a deeper and human-like male voice.

“Bwut, ywou dwidn’t sway awnthing whwen I swaid Hoshu…” Haiko says with his face on the ground.

Mimir simply sighs, “I was rebooting myself and I didn’t entirely like being called that” he says with a projected shrug.

Haiko pulls his head off the ground as he stands up and dusts off the dirt on him. “So, Mimir, that’s your name? if you already had a name, why make me go the trouble in naming you?” Haiko asks Mimir calmly.

“The process to lead up to it, is due to your BOND SYSTEM” Mimir explains as he sends out a drone that prompts what he means;

Haiko looks curiously at the prompt. “Care to explain?” Haiko asks Mimir.

“Understand that this chart signifies all your bonds or relationships. The affinity meter is what level of your connection is, the shape and color signify what type of relationship you have. Mine is at default as it should be, is a four-edge star, meaning a special bond” Mimir explains discretely.

Haiko crosses his arms, “A special bond? What does that mean exactly?”

Mimir blankly stares at Haiko, “A bond between a tortured guide and an overly curious lost kid” he says bluntly.

Haiko wryly chuckles and just nods in agreement, “Touché…”

Mimir then continues his explanation. “You should also understand that the color, shape, and affinity level, are all shown base on mutual views” Mimir then changes his drone’s prompt into a visual presentation of what he’s saying. As Haiko listens carefully.

“Basically, the affinity meter can also change color and shape depending on your relationship with the person you’ve bonded. But this solely relies on what both party’s common view of each other’s relationship is, mainly focusing on Haiko’s view towards that person. Example;” Mimir then sets up a scene with his drone.

Mimir continues as his drones do a visual explanation, “Haiko views someone he bonded as a close friend, and the bonded also shares the same view but treats him more like a brother a more familial view, in which Haiko doesn’t share the same view. The affinity meter will mainly accommodate Haiko’s view, so as a close friend the affinity meter might have the color blue, but if Haiko‘s view towards the bonded is also that of a familial state, the affinity meter might change to the color green. Simple as that” Mimir looks at Haiko as he finishes. “Do you understand?”

Haiko nods, “I think I get it. In a sense, this BOND SYSTEM only shows my point of view with my relationship to others and what equals to what they think I see them as, correct?” Haiko says questioningly.

Mimir simply releases a drone that prompts, “♪( ◠‿◠ ) 人”

Haiko nods, “So, what’s the point of the Bond system then? Besides being a neat form of relationship status checker?” Haiko puts his hands over his head as they begin to walk again.

Mimir brings back his drones before he explains. “It should be fairly obvious” Mimir conceitedly says.

Haiko ponders for a moment before giving up and chuckles, “Got no clue really…” he shrugs.

Mimir sighs, “Listen, the BOND system adds many things for you and the bonded person depending on its level. This may come in a form of a power boost, a new ability, or in some cases an event similar to what happened to me” Mimir explains to Haiko with a tired tone.

Haiko smiles, “So if I make friends. I can get new abilities and they can power up with me. That’s a neat ability!” Haiko chuckles in excitement.

“Assuming you’re able to make any friends” Mimir bluntly says.

Haiko ignores Mimir as he thinks he’s forgetting something, “Now what was it…” he murmurs to himself. Haiko then jolts as he remembers, “Oh yeah! I forgot to ask for a demonstration of the Orbs of Creation ability!”

Mimir looks at Haiko confused, “I’ve already demonstrated it?”

Haiko tilts his head in surprise and confusion, “Really? When did you do that?”

Mimir then projects another holographic hand, “It was these, the current looks are just my personal touch. My abilities are just inherited from yours to simply explain”

Haiko looks in awe as he understands, “Alright, I see… Wait? Doesn’t that mean you could have helped me from the beginning if you can use a copy of my abilities from the start?” Haiko asks Mimir with a stern face.

“Clarification, my abilities are linked to your abilities. And to answer your question, yes I could have but I chose not to” Mimir bluntly says to Haiko again not caring for Haiko’s murderous smile.

Haiko menacingly smiles as he grits his teeth, “Why didn’t you then…”

Mimir simply projects a shrug, “You did not ask”

“I hate you…” Haiko bluntly says as he looks forward and continues walking.

* * * * * * * * *

Another day passes, another night eating tasteless poisonous berries for Haiko.

Haiko and Mimir continue to walk on the dirt path, at one point they find something interesting.

Haiko notices some broken-down stone path branching off the dirt path they were on. “Mimir check this out!” Haiko says as he crouches down to check on the stone path.

Mimir scans the path, “It leads to a temple nearby” he says looking at the direction where it may be.

Haiko excitedly laughs as he claps his hands in excitement. “Ooh! I wonder if we could find some goodies inside!” Haiko childishly says.