Chapter Four Hundred and Seventy-Nine — List Your Strengths
Chapter Four Hundred and Seventy-Nine — List Your Strengths "Hi!" I said as I stepped into the room.It wasn't a room that I hadn't been in before, but it had been... well, at least a week or two since I visited. There weren't that many changes. The bookshelf against one wall had a couple more books stuffed into it, and there was maybe an extra pillow or two on the bed itself.It was strange, but this room didn't feel super... Amaryllis-y.Awen's room felt like Awen's room, because there were tools and trinkets and all sorts of stuff all over the place. Caprica's room was very neat and tidy, her bed was always done so well that I could have bounced a gold coin off the sheets, and her clothing and gear was stored just so.But Amaryllis' place was just... a smidge messy, but not dirty. There was a feather on the floor, and that's about all there was to show that it was hers. Maybe the books could help, since they were all books about magic and such, but that was it.Strange. But then again... I guessed that Amaryllis wasn't the kind of girl that needed a space to herself. She didn't seem to care as much about things like that."What are you doing here?" Amaryllis asked. She was in the midst of packing some things in a small chest. A set of nib-sharpeners from the Snowlands, some bottles of blue ink from Inkwren, tiny knick knacks I didn't recognize. Little things that we'd picked up as we went around."I need help," I said with a serious nod."Oh?" Amaryllis asked. "What kind of trouble did you land yourself in now?""Hey! I'm not in trouble... um, I don't think. I have questions about skills and stuff, and you're my walking-talking-snarking exposition bird.""I don't know what that is, and yet I feel like I ought to be insulted anyway," Amaryllis replied. "So, questions about skills? I'm assuming your recent level-ups have brought this about?"I nodded. Booksie and Rhawrexdee's mission to speed-level her was working well so far. Three levels for my favourite book-bun in only two days. That was a crazy pace, especially for levels past the first ten or so."Yeah, I've got a heap of empty skill slots now, and they're not filling up naturally."Amaryllis scowled. "How many are we talking here?""Uh, none for my Cinnamon Bun Bun class, one for my Wonderlander, and I have four open slots for my general skills."Amaryllis stared at me. "Broccoli, how often do you forget about levels and skills?"I pressed my fingers together and refused to meet her gaze. "Just sometimes?""Yes, I can see that," she snarked snarkily. She pulled out a plume from her writing kit, then a small wooden plank from a shelf. It had a dip on the top, for an inkwell, and a small clip to hold a page in place. She set it all up, then gestured towards the small desk squeezed into the corner of her room next to the porthole. "Sit," she ordered.I sat.Amaryllis placed the writing stuff in front of me. "Write down your skills and such, the same way they appear to you. Which, by the way, is something you should never ever do.""You're telling me to do something I shouldn't do?" I asked. We'd done this once before, but that had been a while ago. I vaguely recalled getting the same warning then."That's right. Letting others know about your skills is dangerous and irresponsible. Or it can be. There are levels of complexity to this. A normal labourer probably has nothing to worry about, but any noble or highly ranked individual would do well to keep their skills and abilities to themselves. Anything else is foolhardy.""So... I shouldn't do what you told me to?""Only if you don't trust me," she said.I pouted. That was silly. Of course I trusted her. I pinched the tip of my tongue between my lips and started writing. Amaryllis crowded in above me, reading what I wrote even as I wrote it. At some point I had to stop and refocus because I was writing it all in English and Amaryllis didn't read that, so I had to think in the local language.
Name
Broccoli Bunch
Race
Bun (Riftwalker)
First Class
Cinnamon Bun Bun
First Class Level
17
Second Class
Wonderlander
Second Class Level
6
Age
16
Health
160
Stamina
185
Mana
165
Resilience
75
Flexibility
90
Magic
40
Skills
Rank
Cinnamon Bun Bun Skills
Cleaning
S — 27%
Way of the Mystic Bun
C — 100%
Gardening
D — 57%
Adorable
D — 100%
Chivalry
E — 45%
Wonderlander Skills
Mad Millinery
D — 100%
Proportion Distortion
C — 42%
Social Butterfly
D — 100%
General Skills
Insight
C — 100%
Makeshift Weapon Proficiency
C — 100%
Archeology
D — 100%
Friendmaking
C — 100%
Hugging Proficiency
C — 100%
Captaining
C — 100%
Cinnamon Bun Bun Skill Points
4
Wonderlander Skill Points
6
General Skill Points
4
First Class Skill Slots
0
Second Class Skill Slots
1
General Skill Slots
4
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.Amaryllis rubbed at her chin as she looked over the list. "This isn't too bad," she said. "Say what you will about your... you-ness, but you're a quick learner, Broccoli.""That sounded a little insulting," I said.She huffed, amused. "Maybe. Your rate of growth is impressive. In fact, all of us are growing quickly, all things considered. Dungeons are supposed to help you grow at a faster pace, as long as you're not used to a dungeon in particular, and we've probably hit more dungeons in the last three months or so than most people will see in their entire lives. That, and the constant battling and high-risk things we do contribute to relatively fast growth.""It feels a lot slower than when I started," I said."Well of course it's slower. The amount of experience you need for each level grows... hmm, perhaps not exponentially but certainly not at a linear pace. Your second class is also growing quickly, and I would expect it to also slow down a great deal in a few more levels. Still, it's impressive. I have to wonder why you're asking about all of this, though."I reached over and tapped the top of my list. "These empty slots. They're making me uncomfortable. I remember getting new skills at the drop of a hat... or sometimes when I'd put a hat on. Usually I'd have a slot open for a few hours and then I'd pick up a new skill.""Ah," Amaryllis said. She nodded knowingly. "I think I see. No, what's going on is pretty normal. Actually, what wasn't normal was the speed at which you picked up new skills. Even those that I know you weren't too fond of."I grumbled. I still had Adorable. It wasn't leaving, no matter what I did. Chivalry was supposed to combine with it, but it hadn't yet."The normal method to pick up a skill is to work on that skill, with purpose. You would find something you want, and practice it actively. As long as you do so, have a free space, and are somewhat capable at the skill, you can unlock it as a World-granted skill.""A lot of my skills didn't work that way... I don't think. I was never actively cute.""Uh-huh.""Hey! Don't just agree like that. And what do you mean, uh-huh? It was a statement, not a question.""Well, if you're going to ask for help, at least have the decency to be honest about your faults," Amaryllis said.Was... was being cute a fault? Actually, on thinking about it, it definitely was. Being cute meant never being taken seriously. What if someone only wanted to be my friend because they thought I was small and innocent and naive? I wasn't any of those things! I was cool and sophisticated and... and Amaryllis was laughing at me. "Why are you laughing?" I asked."You wear your thoughts on your face, Broccoli. That wouldn't be as much of a sin if those thoughts weren't so foolhardy."I pouted some more. "Can't you help me without making fun of me?" I whined."I suppose I can try. You at least made the effort to seek out the council of someone smarter, better educated, and more elegant than yourself," she said with a nod. "Now, you want help filling your free slots up?""Well, I was more worried that them not filling up was a problem," I said."It's not necessarily a problem, but it is a missed opportunity. The more time those slots remain empty, the more time passes without you sharpening an existing skill."I nodded. That made sense. And the sooner I got all my skills the sooner I could have new skills improve."At the same time," Amaryllis said as she looked over the page. "You have a lot of skills that are topped up and ready to improve. And it's not like you're missing the points to put into them. A few of these could be brought up a tier with a single point spent, and they might unlock a lot of potential.""Yeah, I'm kinda bad about that, aren't I?" I asked."Then stop being bad about it," she said with a shake of her head. "Here, let me grab a fresh sheet. I can think of a few general skills that you might want to practice, and you might want to ask the others on the ship about theirs too. It'll let you fill those out with useful skills to have. Then... spend your damned points, Broccoli."
* * *
Chapter Four Hundred and Eighty — Public Comment Period
Chapter Four Hundred and Eighty — Public Comment Period "Hmm," Amaryllis said as she eyed the still-blank paper. "Okay, these first two are either-or kinds of skills. You likely don't need both. But having one would help you a lot."I nodded and watched as she wrote down two things at the top of the page. Meditation and (right under that) Mana Regeneration."Meditation?" I asked."It's a practical skill. Helps you centre your mind, helps you think, regain any spent stamina and mana, and best of all, it requires that you sit down, alone and quiet, for hours at a time."I poked her in the ribs, which got her to squawk. "Rude, you just want me to sit down and be quiet, don't you?"She sniffed. "Fine," she said before scratching Meditation off the list. "You might have a point there. Mana Regeneration is just good, however. Having you full mana capability at all times is just such a powerful boon in almost any situation.Now, other options on the less magical side. Danger Sense is a fantastic anti-assassination skill, and it can just save you from lots of trouble, and Common Sense is a skill that... honestly, scratch that one, to get a skill you need to be able to practice it."Amaryllis half-turned, giving me the list. "Thank you," I said. "But that's only two skills? I need more than that.""Then go ask the others," she said with a dismissive shrug. "It's not like you don't have people that wouldn't have advice to give you."I smiled, then placed the list on the table so it wouldn't get crumpled up as I gave Amaryllis the biggest hug. "Thank you! You're the best friend a bun could ask for, you know?"Amaryllis huffed an embarrassed huff and refused to meet my eyes. "Yes yes, now go along. I was busy... I can't remember what with, but it was certainly more important than whatever you have in mind.""Thank you!" I said before darting out of the room. It didn't take long for me to find another friend because Awen was just walking out of her room when I left Amaryllis'. "Awen! I need help!"Awen blinked and turned my way. "What's wrong?" she asked.I waved my list in her direction. "I'm looking for general skills to fill out my missing skills. Amaryllis had a few suggestions, but I figured I'd ask all of my friends!""Oh," Awen said. She took the list and read over it, which really didn't take long. "Awa, I see. Danger Sense would actually be nice. Hmm, but I guess there are other skills too. Did you ever hear of Time Management?""No?" I said as I pushed the list up against the wall and added it under a new Awen subsection. "What's that do?""My parents both have it. It's a skill that lets you better manage your time. I'm kind of envious of it, so I wouldn't mind picking it up myself. Uh, for other ideas, maybe Basic Mechanics? It'll help you understand how the Beaver works. Actually, you should ask Uncle about his skills too. His ship flies when it really shouldn't, sometimes.""Thank you!" I said. I gave her a big hug too, with some extra wiggling thrown in so that the love got in deep. Awen giggled and wished me good luck before I darted out of the room.The next friend I found was Orange. The ship's cat was licking her semi-transparent paws while lounging on the topmost step, where she was in the optimal spot to have someone trip over her."Do you have any skills that you think I should get?" I asked after I explained the situation."Mow. Mrow," she said as I nodded and took note."Thank you!" I lifted her up and gave her forehead a big smooch. She complained, but I knew that deep down she didn't actually mind at all.I ran into Calamity next. He was sitting next to the entrance, on a cushioned bench where he could take in the sun. He had his old wooden bow out, but it wasn't strung up, and he was rubbing some sort of oil over the wood. "Hey there, capt'n," he said."Hi Calamity," I said. "So, uh, I'm looking for suggestions for useful General skills." I showed him my list. His eyebrows rose at Orange's section, but he nodded along. "Got any suggestions for me?""Hmm, I've got a few. Nothing quite that normal though. I always felt like General skills, since you can't get them that high up, should be weird things that'll give you a bit of a boost. So, stuff like Laugh in the Face of Death is nice. Swashbuckling could be handy now that we're on a ship all the time. Oh, and since you might not get it with your main classes, maybe something like Never Miss?"Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences."I don't know how to get any of those," I admitted. But they did sound really good, so onto the list they went. "Thanks Calamity. Hugs?"He said yes to hugs and got one heck of a squeeze before I was off and looking for more friends to ask. I didn't get any new suggestions from the Scallywags, none of the three had much to add, but they did accept their daily ration of hugs.I found Caprica sitting at the very front of the ship, next to Desiree. The foxgirl was on the deck, sitting cross legged and brushing one tail while Caprica was on a bench behind her, brushing the other tail with an ivory comb. "Hi girls," I said."Hello, Broccoli," Caprica said. "What's that paper?""Oh! I'm making a list of General skills to pick up. I'm missing a few, but I don't know what to work on.""Oh? Hmm, may I see?" she asked."I also wish to see this list," Desiree said.They shared it for a moment, and Caprica nodded. "Some of these are sensible. Some… anyway. Might I suggest a defensive skill of some sort? Thick Skin? That one's exceptionally practical, and it works against both mental and physical assaults. I know you don't get injured often, but it can't hurt to be harder to be hurt.""That's a fantastic idea," I said as I added it to the list."Might I make a suggestion of my own?" Desiree asked. I nodded so hard my ears almost flew off my head. "Graceful Under Pressure is a strange skill to obtain, but I could assist you with it, and it's both a physical and mental buff. Caprica's suggestion reminded me of the skill. Otherwise, perhaps something like Etiquette? Tail Maintenance?""Hmm, I don't know if my tail needs much maintenance," I said."Ah, but what if you make friends with more people who have tails?" Desiree enquired.I laughed, and added it to the list anyway. Then, of course, hugs happened. I was very envious of how much hugging utility Desiree had with her tails and Caprica with her sylph wings. It was nice to be able to fully wrap someone up while giving them a hug.The next person I found that I could ask for help from was Booksie. She was sitting on the other end of the ship, legs dangling off the side of the hull without a single care about the height we were at. "Hi Booksie," I said."Hello, Broccoli," she replied. "What are you up to?"I explained, then showed her my list. She looked over it with a smile, then grinned up to me and patted the deck next to her to sit down. "Did you want my own suggestion, then?""Yeah!" I said."And what about my own?" Rhawrexdee said. He rose up from below the ship. It was impressive how quiet he could be sometimes, for a dragon."I'd love your advice too, of course!" I said."Well, there are a few racial-only skills for buns, you know?" Booksie said.I blinked. "I didn't know. Like what? Oh, wait! I have Way of the Mystic Bun, that's got to be a bun skill, right?""That's one I haven't heard of. I know of Harebrained, Haredevil, Buns of Steel, Hopping Mad, Bun in the Oven is one that I just picked up with my new class. It'll help me with baking and the like!""Oh, nice nice," I said as I jotted it all down. I was pretty sure I'd gotten one of those as a class option once, actually."Hmm, my suggestions are Hoarding, Flight, and Draconic Confidence.""What's that last one do?" I asked.He eyed me. "It reminds me and others that I am a dragon.""Oh," I said. Well, that made sense. I jotted it down, then looked at my list.Amaryllis— Meditation— Mana Regeneration— Danger Sense
— Common Sense
