Chương 10: My Mouse Can Resurrect

The CCTV footage mirrored what she'd seen. Nothing. She still wasn't going out there. She didn't know what was making her so uneasy, and did not feel remotely inclined to check. Of course, once one monitor was on soon all of them were. She was already here, why not see what was going on in the rest of the world. Just a quick check. She almost wished she hadn't. On one screen was live footage of a highway pileup. Cars skidding out of control. Explosions and small fires that were growing instead of being put out.

The most terrifying thing was that most of the people shown in the video looked to still be unconscious. There were maybe only five or six people who were aware. Most were stumbling about, weeping and bleeding, with no emergency vehicles in sight. One of them was holding the camera. They were clearly in distress while the world around them was frozen, unaware. On another feed, a looping post was quickly racking up views. It was a video the teenager had called Night and Day.

Outside the window, she filmed the sunrise. Then she turned to show the inside of her home, where seven people, from children to the elderly, were frozen in place, unmoving. She turned to look out the window again, then the camera flipped to show her face. In the background was a dark room full of still people, while rays of morning sun illuminated her face. The tear tracks glistened in the light. Outside, something roared, and the girl began to sob. Then the video cut off, then started again.

Scarlet hadn't even seen the creature that made that noise and her handgun already felt inadequate. Even though she hadn't seen anything on the CCTV, she added 'Upgrade Firearms' to a list as she left the command centre. Maybe a rifle? She had most of the parts for one already. The rest could be fabricated easily enough using her 3D printer. That was in the detached garage... Outside. Okay, so a project for another time, perhaps.

She briefly considered getting a silencer for her handgun as well, though that would need to be sourced. She knew a guy. Hopefully, he hadn't been mauled to death by some mutated System horror. Unfortunately, contacting him meant braving some of the less regulated forums. The pre-Integration internet had already been a cesspit for the vilest humans to act without conscience. Now every POS with a power fantasy had been given the magical means to see them out. If they didn't have the power now, they would eventually.

The thought made her shudder. She reminded herself to contact him the next time she felt masochistic enough to boot up the internet. Knowing her, it wouldn't be long.

"Curiosity is a disease," she said to Maus as she prepared to go through her bond's Status sheet. Habitually, she made a cup of tea before settling down with a notepad. Something told her information was the most important thing she could be focusing on right now. It was time to understand this bond, and the companion it was attached to. The interface responded immediately, pulling up her stat screen. The moment she focused on the final entry, the interface changed, expanding into what could only be Maus's Status.

This time she focused on not just seeing the information, but the details as well. Name: Maus Species: Spatial Mouse Level: 3 Tier: 0 Stats Per Level (SPL): 3 Base 1 Title +2 Free Stats (FS): 6 Bond: Type: Soul Bond - Subordinate Bonded: Scarlet Bourne Titles: First Bonded: First individual post-integration to form a system-recognized bond (+2 SPL) Traits: Bond Revival: If bond dies, their form dissipates and reforms within the bonded partner's soul space.

They will be available for physical reconstitution after cooldown. (Current Cooldown: 5 days) Bonded Growth: Growth rate linked to bonded partner Stats: Strength: 4 Dexterity: 4 Vitality: 3 Perception: 6 Intelligence: 3 Willpower: 2 Mana: 5 Skills Ravaging Bite (T1): A close-range attack. Damage inflicted is moderately increased on successful attacks of non-vital areas. Damage inflicted is significantly increased on successful attacks of vital areas. Blink (T2): Short-range spatial displacement (teleportation).

Distance scales with mana and control Bond Communication (T1): A skill that enables basic communication between bonded entities through intent, emotion, and simple concepts Scarlet read through it once, then again more slowly, her attention moving in a deliberate pass from top to bottom as she organized what she was reading into something she could work with.

"So," she said after a moment, "you are considerably more dangerous than you have any right to be." Her tone was measured, but her heart was delighted. Sure, she wasn't enthused that while he had short range teleportation and an increase in lethality. Her only real unique contribution to the team was 'feeling feelings'. However considering they were a team, her boosted perception and intelligence was a good offset to the more physical build Maus was shaping up to be. Sensing her focus, Maus turned to face her.

His whiskers shifting at the appreciation. Her gaze lingered briefly on the species line. Spatial Mouse. She tilted her head. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. It would explain the teleportation. Though she was sure he hadn't been anything other than an average Deer Mouse before the Initialization. Perhaps the episode they'd experienced during the Integration process had something to do with it? Her attention moved on to the bond section.

She studied it for a moment. Bond: Type: Soul Bond - Subordinate Subordinate. Meaning she was what, the superior? Why wasn't that on her stat sheet? Scarlet exhaled softly, her fingers tapping against her thigh. Also, the bond type was 'Soul Bond'. Was that good? Were there better types of bonds? She didn't dwell too long on the possibilities. Instead, she focused on what information she'd been provided. [Bond Revival: If bond dies, their form dissipates and reforms within the bonded partner's soul space. They will be available for physical reconstitution after cooldown. (Current Cooldown: 5 days] Scarlet had adopted 6 mice in the past 10 years. Her first had been a pair of House Mice from a research lab on the island. Algernon and Algernon the 2 nd. Then had been the Desperaux trio two years after the second Algernon had passed (not to be mistaken with Algernon the 2 nd who had died before the 1 st). The three Fancy Mice were the only survivors of a hoarder situation. Then six months after the final Desperaux, she'd adopted Maus. He was her first and only Deer Mouse and had been with her for a year and a half now. The runt of the litter, Maus had been destined for termination before her contact got in touch. Unfortunately for Scarlet, mice had short lifespans. Maus had already been a third to halfway through his lifecycle before Integration. Now he had Bond Revival. [… If bond dies, their form dissipates and reforms within the bonded partner's soul space…]"So long as I am alive, you are immortal," Scarlet whispered, stroking his tiny head. She couldn't imagine the face she was making right now. This trait that meant she'd never have to lose a companion again. Never have to watch them die of old age, or induced illness, or even mutated raccoons with magic powers – Skills. She reminded herself. Those magic powers were Skills, and this new world meant anyone, and anything could possess them. Yes, the world was dangerous now, but the world had always been dangerous. That man at the library hadn't needed superpowers and a magical reward system to justify trying to brain her with a brick. The world had always been dangerous; System Integration just expanded the list of predators, and the ways she could combat them. Bond Revival meant Maus could engage more aggressively, Scarlet could plan more daringly, and she'd never have to face losing him like she had the others. It meant new possibilities, with the only permanent loss being time. Of course, time was precious, and just because the System didn't explicitly state additional risks, didn't mean they weren't there. She'd never intentionally put him in mortal danger, but choice wasn't always a factor. The weight of responsibility warred with relief and Scarlet took a moment just to breathe. This was… a lot. At least Bonded Growth offered some joint benefit." We scale together," she said." Well, what's mine has always been yours." She said, reaching out to stroke his fur. He promptly began grooming her fingers, and she smiled. Letting him have his way as she refocused on the stats. STR 4, DEX 4, VIT 3." I suppose those numbers are relative to your size and build," she mused." It would be strange if four in strength for me was the same as four in strength for you." She queried the Guide just in case: [All stats are relative to the individual] She was shocked the Guide didn't require her to 'Advance' before it gave her the information. However, in retrospect it made sense. That wasn't exactly something that couldn't be verified just by comparing with other people, and now creatures. Maus's stats were clear." You are not built to take a hit," she said, scooping him up and raising him to eye level." But you're not meant to." PER and DEX being some of his highest stats, coupled with his movement skill meant he was great at sensing danger, and avoiding it. Being great at escaping didn't mean he wasn't meant to deal damage. It just meant he wasn't meant to get hit doing it. Ravaging Bite coupled with his STR and mobility meant he could sense the enemy, deal a blow, and be away before they even knew he was there. Well, within reason. Then there was Blink. It was the only Tier 2 Skill she'd encountered so far. Only Tier 2 anything, and it was a huge mana sink. No wonder he'd gotten sloppy mid fight. He was running out of fuel. She was glad they'd fought before she went through the screens because it had become much easier to figure out a build for her companion. Her only real struggle would be boosting those SPL and getting the guy to train. Though if their growth was linked somehow, maybe she'd be able to help with that as well. Bond Communication required no clarification. She'd yet to have a need for it as there was nothing she'd wanted to tell him that their normal methods of communication didn't convey. However, there was no reason not to test it out. Scarlet focused, and as if by instinct, the skill came to her. She could feel a connection between her and Maus that she hadn't noticed before. It was strengthening, from a thread of connection in the background to a thick matrix of connection points that both bound them together and provided the scaffolding that the skill built itself upon. Having nothing profound or urgent to share, Scarlet just focused on Maus himself. On feelings of gratitude, warmth, and curiosity. Maus froze, and for a moment nothing happened. Then a flood of disjointed feelings rushed back at her. They weren't overwhelming in the way the roidcoons had been. Their wave of bloodlust and greed had been obtrusive and foul. This and that were nothing alike. The feelings felt like they were her own, and yet not. There was no other way to describe it. She also got the feeling she could shut him out if she wanted to. Or push to feel what he was feeling if she felt so inclined. She closed the Interface and gave her full attention to mapping this new shared connection with Maus. For a quiet minute, it was just her and her Maus. Then the little guy decided he required popcorn, and he needed it now. She rolled her eyes and stood. The moment broken. Well, at least she had a direction to follow." Going forward you will handle mobility, long range scouting, and opportunistic damage," she said, placing him on her shoulder and heading for the pantry." For now, I will handle everything else. We will reassess once we understand more." She pulled out the kettle corn and decided she would have some as well. Handing him a piece, she took the bag with her as she made her way into the command centre." Understanding ourselves is only one part of the equation. If we never want to fear battle again, we must understand the enemy." Scarlet glanced at him as he munched away." Which means," she said, "we are going to have to see what everyone else is doing." Maus stilled, some part of Scarlet's feelings must have bled through. She gave him a reassuring scritch as she slid into her computer chair. For all the good it did, the internet had been a bit of a buffet of awful before Integration. From the small glimpse she'd seen post-integration? Well, this time she was ready for the bombardment of activity. In just the time she'd taken to look over Maus's stats even more of the world had regained consciousness, and they were quick to post. As she prepared to delve into a field both familiar and daunting, she reminded herself why she was online in the first place. Information." Hello World," she said, fingers flexing as she began. Then something flickered across one of the feeds so quickly she almost missed it. Quickly she clicked on the video before it was buried beneath a flood of uploads. The video was short, grainy, and filmed from a terrible angle. The contents themselves were disturbing, but that wasn't what had caught her attention. For a moment, the knife in the man's hand was glowing. Were her eyes playing tricks on her, or was that magic?