//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - Sealer Shy // Story: James' Nymphs // by AizakkuHorooee //------------------------------// Finally, we’re out of the forest, and ahead in the distance is our current destination. “There it is, everyone... Emerald City!  We’re almost there! Just another half mile left!” Wait a minute.  No one knows these creatures exist.  Indigo’s kind is a regular sight in Comania, but not these three creatures.  For all I know they could be as rare as sanago, or even rarer. Well, the glossary didn’t give any idea of whether or not they’re anicom, but any anicom could hide in a sealer.  At least it gives us students the element of surprise when battling. If they are able to get in a sealer, they must be anicom. “Um... do you guys know what a sealer is?” The three shake their heads. “Oh.  Well, let me pull it out for you to see.  It’s basically a little capsule that’ll take you somewhere comfortable.  Think of it as a sort of portal.” As I explain, I unhook three of my five sealers out of my toolbelt and lay them out between us.  The seeming leader of the three starts chattering, only to turn sheepish when landing and looking up at me. “Aw, no need to be shy little fella.  It won’t bite.” With all three landed onto the path, the one that had just chattered inches toward the middle sealer.  I watch it inch until it touches the sealer, only for the creature to glow white as the sealer opens. Now, it looks like any old anicom going into the sealer, complete with the sound of a slowing closing candy egg from the sealer. “Huh...” I scratch my scalp with my free hand, the left one. “It seems you guys are anicom.” The two remaining creatures look quite scared as they’re hugging each other and shaking. “Hmm... are you from another region?  Anicom generally aren’t scared of sealers.” The two continue to shiver together as I grab the sealer that their friend took and hold it in front of me. “There is one other way I can hide you.  It’s easier to get used to, but you’ll have to stay there until I can get a place to stay the night at.  It’ll take a good while, but I think I’ll drum up some cash before supper. If that’s alright with you two, I suppose it’d a majority vote.” The two nod, prompting me to press the button on the sealer, with my thumb, and watch it release the one that went inside.  It’s the same appearance as before, and is the same as the other two. However, unlike the other two, the one released seems ecstatic. “Hm.  You favor being in there now, which I can see.  Well, it was a short-lived time in there since your friends don’t want to go in theirs.  Hey... while I’m at it, let’s see if the glossary has anything new to say about you!” I grab the remaining sealers from the ground and put them back in my toolbelt.  I take out the glossary again, hoping for a new answer to pointing at the front of the three new creatures. Unnamed anicom... all that is known is her ability of flight, shapeshifting, and telekinesis. “Telekinesis?  That’s new. The only anicom to do that is Yunico.  What about the other two?” I point the glossary down and to the left. Unnamed anicom... all that is known is her ability of flight, shapeshifting, and telekinesis. “What about to the right?” No identified anicom. “Okay, so there must be gender differences if it only detects you and one of your friends.  Can he shapeshift too?” The one in front of me nods. “Okay.  I think it would be safer if you were all turned into Indigo’s species.  Color doesn’t matter though.” Within a split second, the three turn into ravo through spontaneous and brief flames of green.  Each one has a distinct color, the one in front of me being red, and the other two being grey on my left and black on my right. “Oh man, won’t Megan hear about this.  She could still help me though with where you guys came from.  I’m sure she’d be happy to help.” The grey ravo looks to Emerald City and coos twice in a rather slow succession. “Yeah.  We really should get continuing on the road.  Not gonna get anything standing here. Let’s go.” -=- Welp, I drummed up the cash I thought I would, through about a dozen or so battles. Currently in my backpack, I have enough Life-up Energy in the back to last Indigo until she gets fatigued, the three shapeshifters clinging out of the front, and in one of the pockets is about 2,000 qips. And our current location, a booth inside the complimentary Star-qips in the Comania Unions station in Emerald City.  After paying for the bafe, I carefully take off the backpack and push it toward my corner. I then take off my vest and put it beside the backpack. “Alright.  If you need me, I’m going to call Megan before supper.” The shapeshifters nod as I start walking to the bathroom.  As I enter, I grab my cell phone and dial Megan’s number like I did this morning in Marble Town. “James?” “Hi Megan.  I just arrived in Emerald City.” “Splendid.  About to celebrate with something to eat?” “Yep.” “Great.” “Hey Megan, you’ll never know what I just came across today.” “Oh... what is it?” “I think I found a few migrated anicom.  They don’t act like it, but the glossary says they are.” “What does the glossary say?” “All it states are their abilities.” “Okay.  I’ll tell you what, James.  Come back to Hedgetown and let me see them for myself, okay?  That way we can determine what type it is.” “Sounds good to me.  How should I do it? Train?  Foot?” “Whatever way you feel is best for them.  You know more about them than I do at the moment.” “Okay.  I’ll see what they think.  Bye, Megan.” I hang up the phone and put it back in my toolbelt.  And so, I arrive at the booth after getting the food I desire: mashed potatoes, mac ‘n cheese, and rice. “Welp, after today, I’m heading back to my hometown.  Megan wants to study you guys in person. I’m sure she’ll like you all.  She’s my teacher after all.” While I eat, my phone vibrates twice, prompting me to turn the screen on and unlock it.  Megan probably sent a text my way. It came in at last, a working translator! “A translator?  Does that mean what I think it does?  We could collect data faster than we did before if that’s the case!  Oh, I can’t wait to see it!” I quickly don my vest and backpack and head for the hangar of the station to begin my journey back home.