A Novel Beginning// 一 頁 Are we all ready? Readiness is an abstract form of time. Thus, the many people had the opinion of bringing food! I brought the rest of the things. I... also brought food. I was afraid there wouldn’t be enough. Should I have brought something else instead? I was not notified. I did not bring anything. Oh, that's fine! Your company is more than enough! Y eah, and in case of emergencies, it can serve as entertainment. How and why is that a necessity? I'm sorry, what exactly’ll it do in emergencies then? Help us? Will you help any of us in case of an emergency? Negative. See? ... At least delegate its role now before it gets confused and just ends up getting in everyone's way. She is surprisingly right. H ow !? Other than giving it a counter-intuitive task, she has the right idea. Good point, she might bother us while trying to entertain. AI. Cancel that order and instead, become a piece of decoration. Affirmative. Why!? Why can’t you ask it to... I don’t know- be a lamp or something!? AI? Negative. A lamp may be helpful. See? C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 二 頁 Wouldn’t a decoration be helpful? Hel is correct. I will increase morale. That is unacceptable. Don't worry, you're too ugly for that. I am but a reflection of my creator. EXCUSE ME??? Oh. No. My. Systems. It. Appears. If. They. Are. Bzzt. Robot. Bzzt. Stupid robot... falls back on that excuse- wish I had an excuse to sit around doing nothing... C an we stop messing around and get in the story? There's a whole half- page ahead of us and I want to at least reach the middle by the end of a minute. I’m sorry, whose fault is it that we had to prepare? ... fault??? I said I was ready, and you were all like ‘but what about all the plots and stuff, we can’t have a story without those ’ ... FAULT!?? Okay, that’s enough you two. Ciel can sit at the background- SHE GETS TO RIDE IN FRONT?! Stupid- unfair- always the favorite... Is everyone buckled in? Mhmm! I'm good. Affirmative Grumble grumble... Take us off, Tidaesa! * * * Wait, the people forgot to eat! Again, Scylla? Sorry... Tsk, the next stop is in four and a half pages . What do we do until then? C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 三 頁 I suppose we need to play a few games to pass the time! Games? More of the card things? I don’t think I could play that right now; I have to keep out for oncoming bumps on the roadmap. That’s fine! It’s called punch-boke! Anytime you see someone acting like an idiot, yell out 'Oi' and smack them on the head! Isn't that just being a Tsukkomi? OI! OWW! Why !? You were the idiot in that scenario!! Read the room!! We're doing this roadtrip-style and everyone was playing along! Even the Reader knew! Seriously, Yssi, why did you have to ruin it? Boo !! Honey... Should I remove her from this story? No, it's fine, we'll just do something else. Like what? Uh... Hmm? No clue. Eh? Isn't that bad?? Usually, the theme just falls on us. Haven't you noticed that the story keeps changing from one genre to the next? It's like being thrown random prompts and honestly, we go along with whatever happens without asking too much from it but this time... This time, everything has gone... quiet Wh- what? What do you mean? What do we do?? If I knew that ... I wouldn't be throwing prompts around now, would I? But- but- but is the story over ?? No... no, it can't be! We just started! IT CAN'T BE ! I'm afraid... ‘Afraid’ what?? Nothing. Just afraid. H- how long has it been? It could be just another vacation! Yssi, it i s not a vacation. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 四 頁 BUT- Just accept it Yssi. The Author's gone. No. No... then... then why?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO US? WHY WOULD YOU CREATE US IF YOU WERE GOING TO ABANDON US?? Why... why... who would do this?? Who would do such a thing... The Author would. N- no! You don't know that! How many Authors do you think leave their characters in the dark? Their letters fade away and paper turn fodder? Mm, nummy... Face it, Yssi. We're not the first nor the last to be drawn this fate. Then... then we'll rewrite it! Don't be a fool, Yssi. Writing is an Author's profession. Our jobs as characters are to take that writing and bring it to life. Then we'll bring life to something else! Something else? Like what? An empty screen?? Y- yeah! We can do it! The Author can We can't The people miss the story... No, don't say that, Scylla! It's still alive! There, there Scylla. It's alright. Let it out. Don't listen to her false hope and just let it all out. No! It's not false hope! We need to hold on! If we do this together then... we stand a chance! Together? What could six characters without a story accomplish? We could write our own! WHO?! WHO WOULD DO THAT?? THE ONLY PERSON WHO COULD IS GONE!!! YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S UPSET, YSSI!! SOME OF US JUST WANT TO MOVE ON!! LINGERING IS JUST... LINGERING IS JUST... Stupid. Ciel... Hel... Let them be, Yssi. Ciel was the one with the most connection to the Author, remember? She must be... C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 五 頁 You're right... I'm sorry. Wait, wait! Connections! Huh? The AI! The AI was made- In the context of the story. Just like how it's written that you're responsible for Issues 5 and 6 when you’re still just here with us. It’s all within the fourth wall. Affirmative. This is true. Is it?? Isn’t that confusing to us all!? We use a five wall system, so it works. WHAT'S A FIVE WALL SYSTEM??? The characters are canonically writing this story, with Ciel as the A uthor. However, this Ciel and the Author are two of the same people within different context s Wh- what? Imagine this as a biography. Someone is both writing it and projecting it as a movie at the same time. We're living out the movie at the same time the Author writes it, while the Readers may come and go to watch in their own progression, and in all of this, I'm playing the part of the Author in the written present, past and potential future. Now, if the Author were to stop writing... Tsk, this is why you never hand in an unfinished piece. Yeah. Wait, wait, wait, wait! Wasn't the first cour over? For the viewers. Not for us It's our lives you're talking about. S- so then we can take a break! FROM LIVING!? I... We'll just die until they need us?? WHEN WOULD THAT BE, HUH ? INFINITY!? ETERNITY!?!? NEVER????? N- no, I just mean... what's the rush? We- we aren't trying to meet a deadline so... we can just take our time and live slowly! You know... take a break from the story! And what? Fine. I'll sleep for the next ever and what about you?? I... uh... THERE'S NOTHING TO DO!! IT'S ALL EMPTY!! I CAN'T- I CAN'T- I CAN'T EVEN FEEL, MUCH LESS SLEEP!!!! I never thought it could be, but... I feel no more pain; I feel no more hungry. The nothing isn’t tingly... the people don't like it. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 六 頁 I- I hadn't noticed- MUST BE NICE, YSSI! MUST BE NICE! I- I'm sorry! Tsk, alright. Enough. Hel? ... Uh... Hel? I've got it. Got... it? What? Ciel's Razor. My wha-? Ciel's Razor states that in an otherwise normal situation, the most twisted answer is the correct one. So... So, that can only mean one thing. Which is...? Oh, I think I get it. Huh?? I have ‘got’ parameter: ‘it’ as well. Ohhh, I get it! I just got it! AM I THE ONLY ONE!? Yummy paper... Nevermind. Author! You can reveal yourself now! We know this is all a part of the story! Wait- what !? * * * C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 七 頁 Huh...? What's this? I too have received something. Did everyone get the same thing? Affirmative. The probability chances that all of us received a similar object is high. Huh? Wait I'm still confused! Ooh! Paper! Yay! Scylla, wait, don't-!! Ooh! The people got another one! OM! Nevermind again Hmm? Touch your hand to this sheet...? What’s happening?? What is this? It feels like... Mhmm... A beginning. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 八 頁 Hel Physical Examination H eight – 1.6m - ??? Weight – 92kg - ??? Sight – refined; purple, piercing, round eyes. Hearing – refined; round ears. Smell – refined; straight nose. Taste – refined; dark lips; saliva and mucus poisonous to other species due to being chemically similar to antifreeze- when breathing through mouth, fog forms on side of the subject’s lips; subject advises me not to touch it as it is ‘cold’- temperature readings fluctuate around 3 °c – -7 ° c. Touch – refined; mammalian epidermis (no hide), bluish; temperature same as room. Diet – molariform- subject registered 8462 psi bite before rendering instrument unusable. Vocal chords – unknown, could not be found; voice seems to come out of mouth. Unguis – round; scratched my wedding ring on accident- I thought this was real diamond. Hairstyle – purple, straight, medium; incredibly kempt for what I expect from a thurs. Skeleton – bipedal, four major limbs- two arms, two legs; high-density packed skeleton, approx. 35% bodyweight; made of an unknown perovskite. Musculature – frost giant structure; small as expected, and extremely dense: high concentration of fast-twitch; strange leftover ligament- possibly from an earlier evolution. First time observing frost giant’s anatomy outside of literature- can’t believe most things they say are true. Subject has zero veins- frost permeates throughout the body; any attempt to pierce the skin would cause a snowstorm- where veins transport blood, it’s as if the body transports frost- and it came first. Subject shown to recompose body as necessary, significantly minimizing, or expanding- this is done by magical compressionm without metabolism or metamorphism, and is instantaneous. When softened, muscles could be mistaken for fats- in fact, body fat may be a variant of dormant muscle. When hardened, tissue is impossible to slice. Subject also able to reconstruct attachments, explaining the preference of multiple muscles per bone over utilizing a singular, large connector. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 九 頁 To demonstrate control, subject rippled skin with integumentary muscles, then proceeded to initiate crepitus without external aid; cracking fingers simply by applying tension- even dislocating several joints and relocating them through internal manipulation. With a more refined technique, subject could theoretically massage individual muscles by isolating and stimulating adjacent groups. According to statement made, subject regulates own cardiac and smooth muscles, thus assuming full control over internal organs. Subject seemed incredibly prideful of mass, a trait associated with thurs, large and small alike. Fats – 18% (*see Musculature for further analysis) Organs – not found, lacking in all departments; does not show up on scans, or show evidence of existence when assessed externally; scopes and other external instruments completely useless. Extra appendages – sexual organs covered by shell-like calcium carbonate. Blood type – in taxonomic literature, under the Domain of Primordial Descendants, and the Kingdom of Thurs, is the Phylum Jotun; there, split into two separate classes: frost giants and fire giants. In this case, subject falls under the category of a frost giant- with frost, averaging at zero kelvin, subsisting under muscle and skin. What I cannot determine, however, is the subject’s Order. According to the chart, they range from giants, not much bigger than a troll, to Stratosphere Giants, that stretch to reach the lower atmosphere. Then, there are the undocumented Cosmic Giants, of which are so few, that even in scriptures, is considered myth. Allergies – none. Mental Capacity Singular brain- based on subject testimony; vivisection could not be conducted, and scans show improbable results (*refer to ‘Organs’) Accelerated thinking with an incredibly high recall rate and short-term. Unclear whether subject even has a subconscious or long-term memory storage as subject never felt the need to think for longer than a few seconds during questioning- recalling events from centuries before with such detail that it could have been only a day since. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十 頁 Yssi Physical Examination H eight – 1. 75 m Weight – 75 kg Sight – amplified; elongated, lacking sclerotic rings- very unusual for a forest nymph; observation was difficult due to the consistent bioluminescence. Hearing – amplified; leaf-tip ears, no canal- armored cochlea on tip, highly sensitive. Smell – amplified; wet snout, mucous on skin absorbs oxygen; trachea runs throughout body- moss sacs weight quite significant; genus hard to tell without vivisection. Taste – amplified; soft lips, secretes adhesive found in carnivorous plants. Touch – amplified; amphibian epidermis, orange and moist. Diet – liquids; nymphic juicer- capable of shredding any organic and inorganic materials together to blend a most easy-to-absorb puree. Subject advised to mix a healthy dose of soil and hydration for gain optimal nutrient intake, and to regulate blending under/overflow. Oil flush able to rinse mouth adequately after each meal; siphon sees no problems either (*refer to Oils for more). Vocal Chords – obligatory nasal breather with cutaneous and photosynthesis supplements; trachea leads directly to sinus, bypasses mouth, as such, voice box may be in the back of the neck. Unguis – carbon-roof, nail-bed roots smaller than average- contains starch that can be suckled for sustenance; starch levels extremely high, should pay attention to sugar intake. Hairstyle – red, wavy, long; abnormal lack of chloroplasts and subsequent pigment chlorophyll. Feather-like corolla twines from base to tip, trait commonly seen in inmyeonjo- with full formation only present during peak sexual maturity. Skeleton – bipedal, four major limbs; flexible hollow bones, with interior vacuole pump. Musculature – slightly toned; nothing special compared to nymphs of similar size. Oils – 25%, slightly below average- a quick analysis shows similarity to coconut, with a good scent. Organs – Unlike in species with kidneys, forest nymphs have a multi-cycle preliminary filtration, with a digestive-respiratory system: C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十一 頁 Primary filtration tract consists of mouth, esophagus pouch, and collecting ducts. The mouth blends solids into liquids that then sit in the pouch, waiting to be collected. Collecting ducts filter the liquid and excretes smaller substances into secondary waterstream; leftover materials go through the secondary filtration process to be broken down further. Secondary filtration tract located below pouch; acetabulum transfer excess liquid to holoparasitic garden. Wasteless decomposition occurs from fluid-enzymes created as byproduct of holoparasites leeching secondary waterstream that channels nutrients and deceased phytoplankton. Fertilized holoparasites reproduce, complete their lifecycle, and break down in their own enzymes. Enzyme is neutralized in the process and perspirates through epithelial tissue into primary waterstream. Note that secondary waterstream is stagnant to promote bacterial growth as holoparasite feed. Final digestion begins when the spine pumps the primary waterstream through four major limbs that transfer water into vessels that run beneath a thin layer of skin. Organic particles mix into the watervessel to feasted on by phytoplankton that photosynthesize in reaction to light passing through the epidermis. This process creates ATP and Oxygen that is supplied for the primary organism, ‘Yssi’, to survive. Excess Oxygen is siphoned by secondary organism, holoparasites, to regrow, and begin thriving. Thus, restarts the cycle to feed the tertiary organism, phytoplankton. Blood type – Forest nymph standard; high in minerals and metals, good xylem and phloem flow in the spine; skin high in moisture; symbiotic phytoplankton adequately watered. Extra appendages – external seed storage; nothing abnormal. Allergies – none. Mental Capacity Singular brain. Medical records of an earlier learning disabilty that remains present. Though knowledgeable, subject takes a long time to memorize unfamiliar patterns, and is incapable of solving puzzles that require the use of several preestablished techniques in tandem. However, subject has an avid imagination, going on a three-hour tangent wherein puzzle one spoke to puzzle two and they had a debate on which was the proper way to solve them. For reference, both solutions were wrong. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十二 頁 Ciel Physical Examination H eight – 30cm - 90cm Weight – ??? Sight – unresponsive; silver eyes, round. Note: skin around eyes peel back to expand radius for spotting- size of eyeball is larger than initially thought. Inspect the rest of the body with care. Hearing – unresponsive; round-tip ears, nothing unusual- but I thought I saw something move. Smell – unresponsive; button nose, nothing unusual. Taste – unresponsive; thin lips, nothing unusual. Touch – unresponsive; porcelain carapace, smooth but hard; segmented, possibly to compensate for stretching; under-skin is rough and wrinkled, but when fully stretched, is smooth. Diet – tertiary consumer; incisors, porcelain. Note: located pharyngeal chelicerae fangs, hidden, as well as horizontal mandibles protruding from the retromolar trigone, able to extend between the buccal mucosa and teeth. Subject was not happy about my discovery and attempted to bite me. Markings on my hand show that the mandibles were used to hold me in place, while the incisors sliced through skin, and the fangs peeled it to steal clean cuts of meat with shocking precision. Vocal Chords – voice box located below xiphoid process; visible when carapace not obstructing- makes a sort of ‘squeaking’ noise when pressure is applied; subject possibly ticklish in this area. Unguis – porcelain, trimmed; can be pried open, with needle-like proboscis underneath, possibly extending the length of the finger- when finger is cracked and shaken, a substance is leaked. Subject was definitely upset about this as well, and tried to inject me, causing localized numbing. Hairstyle – silver, silky, tied with a decorated stick; note: chemical makeup unlike keratin, but resembling fibroin- also, subject stared directly at me the entire time. Skeleton – endo-exo-skeleton; spinal cord extends and retracts, limbs rotate in all directions. Musculature – t issue pathway lined with a strangely inactive nerve-net. When decapitated, head emits a chemical signal- upon this is the discovery that subject’s neck is a prehensile proboscis which sends a signal counterpart. It also stems bleeding so both external and internal vascular C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十三 頁 systems remain closed. Subject, fascinated, instructed me to isolate her body for observation. In response, electric signals in the body are suddenly agitated, making it uncharacteristically twitchy and responsive (*see Touch). To my surprise, it demonstrates complex behavior found in brain- lacking marinebiology- food searching; primitive danger avoidance; environmental awareness, etc. Fats – 0% Organs – i ntestines cultivate primary-consuming tardigrades as digestional bacteria that release partially digested detrius, which re-enter the process as usable cecotrope. Leukocytes play an integral role in maintaining growth to prevent SIBO. During subject cryptobiosis, tardigrades are repurposed as fodder, and leukocytes are once again released. They selectively force a percentage of tardigades into dormancy, and devour any excess, before returning to the marrow to be consumed with their bellies full. This only occurs if subject has a functional internal bloodstream. Blood type – open circulation exothermic, designed for sub-optimal flow; excessively oxygenated, with presence of haemoglobin and haemocyanin, consistency varies between hemolymph and plasma and changes when entering closed circulation. Closed system evident within deep tissue, possibly to stem and redirect flow in case of leakage in outer carapace- in which case, endothermic properties apply, and stagnant inner-heart begins pumping; outer heart becomes dormant. Arteries currently unused and shriveled- linked to evidence of cryptobiosis; moreover, presence of double-system suggests severe hemophilia or at the very least diminished clotting factors. However, before reattaching the head, I took a sample of subject’s blood- and it solidified before I was able to store it. Perhaps the blood is meant to aid the subject in a fossilized stasis, rather than simply clot? Extra appendages – possibly applicable. Allergies – none. Mental Capacity Brain unknown. Subject refused a CT scan. I chose the wise option to skip this procedure in fear of my well-being. Subconscious incredibly proactive; subject answers questions instantly without active recall. Little else is known, as subject was uncooperative. Word of advice to future examiners- of all the ways you could make her upset; do not touch the hair ornament. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十四 頁 Scylla Physical Examination H eight – 120cm Weight – 23kg Sight – eyes clouded; though able to point directly at static objects- subject also has the habit of not facing objects when referring to them; subject’s eyes are definitively blind, though she can see. Hearing – ctenoid-shaped shells on sides of head, vibration-transmitting gas bladder in cheeks; subject does not listen to instruction- thus, results will be omitted for all five senses. Smell – button nose with seamless gills that extend to infraorbital regions, tongue resembling sea- anemone, with highly concentrated eimer’s organs. Taste – translucent lips; could not locate taste buds, but subject insists that almost everything she eats is quote ‘nummy’- she began to list a number of inedible objects to convince me of their taste. Touch – dermal denticle, sandy texture; face has powdery, lamellar scales seen mostly in lepidoptera; chromatophores on area directly covering gills, color change concerns emotional state- based on observation, blue-flashing conveys happiness- other colors are rarely seen. Diet – viliform teeth; Omnivorous* (subject will literally eat anything, hence, a true Omnivore) Vocal Chords – voice box located in base of throat. Unguis – aquatic-standard fins as tip; profound webbing between each finger. Hairstyle – blue, short, braided; soft-cartiladge miniscule fibric spinules that expand when submerged to resemble corals- function remains unknown. Skeleton – should be stated that each bone is made of cartilage, classifying subject as an elasmobranch, and cartilage is the width of a hair, overlapping to form a bumpy, cylindrical core- structure- wherein each hair may detach to alter morphology of the body. One that I‘ve had the privilege of witnessing is a rather loose-forming shape, resembling the curvature of an octopus; subject took this form- possibly out of familiarity- to squeeze into a bowl, of all things- much like a cat. Upon request, subject dropped a single hair out of her hand, and in studying it, I have discovered that they show a remarkable similarity to stem cells- that they, quite possibly, act like C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十五 頁 pills and dissolve the subject’s unbelievable bloodstream. When studying the limbs, I stumbled unto a mind-boggling revelation; the arm, in its natural state, has no skeletal framework. It should be considered to be a muscular hydrostat- paradoxically, the subject moves it as if a joint were present; bending it, unlike how a hydrostat curls. While cartilage is found on the distal and intermediate phalanges, I am stumped on how the entirety of her arm works. To summarize, it is as if her body was not designed with a singular function in mind- but rather that a shift in nature’s mindset was made in its creation; that the body functions for her will. Tissue – low-density viscoelastic rheopectic shear-thinning muscle-fat composite. Never thought that could be a diagnosis, but the evidence is... evident. Where denticles provide an external layer of protection, impact-trauma applied with percussion hammer is dispersed by liquefaction- so fast that shape does not distort. When prodded to the degree that depressor sunk deep into tissue, elasticity was able to bring both internal tissue, along with skin, back to original position. Treated with time-dependent compression- though more strangely- when in proximity to saltwater, subject begins to solidify; an instinctive reaction to a familiar pressurized environment? Subject also known to release a catalyst that reacts with tissue to expand volume, as a mechanism of defense against predators- as seen when subject felt threatened by my paperwork, and needed to scold it. Organs – unknown; subject’s organs are difficult to locate- with a ‘far away’ look when observed. Extra appendages – applicable, but none. Blood type – azure, phosphorescent; diffuses light to a plethora of color that exits the subject, as if she were a living rainbow. Allergies – chocolate. Mental Capacity Subject is either brainless or able to shrink own brain. Cannot ascertain. Subject is strange; at times, she appears nothing but a child, but then, there are times when the subject speaks, and I recognize her words to be ancient. In my assessment, the subject’s maturity has not caught up to the wisdom she portrays, nor the knowledge she collects. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十六 頁 Tidaesa Physical Examination H eight – 190cm Weight – Unknown Sensory – a cute recognition of vibrations, chemicals; responds to molecular change and feedback, though, due to transduction bypass, subject falters when bombarded with information. A simple yet most complex system; so long as length of exposure exceeds x duration and subject is made aware of stimulus, an evolutionary trigger may occur- tested with controlled electical impulses; subject able to translate impulses into words and actions after lengthy explanations, thus both ‘exposure’ and ‘knowledge’ are key. This also means, if I’m correct, subject’s awareness of universe could exceed comprehension, ie subject could secern a wave and a particle simply by feeling , or tell that atoms in the air are shifting as she moves, as absurd as it seems for us without the capacity to. Endomorph – thin membrane, transparent with wriggling spots; resembles cellular cytoplasm. Motor function incredibly precise, as if a body of water had purpose; subject was able to shape a fine, hairlike structure and demonstrate full control over it. Also, subject shows aversion to light. Exomorph – disconnected from membrane; very hard to penetrate- 27 gauge needle snapped midway, larger 14 gauge needle could not puncture at all. Classified as mollusk-esque; acting as ‘shell’ to cover endomorph. Epidermis bears resemblance to scuta found in reptiles and aviaries. Mutations – s ubject is capable of mutative ecdysis, with exomorph acting as a hardened chrysalis that may be re-entered. To test this, subject was presented with and asked to mimic the form of a spinyback orbweaver; what resulted was a strange flesh-substitute, utilizing endoskeleton and mammalian organs; post-predation , the copy was identical . Next, subject, still a spider, ate a crab and grew chela that replaced chelicerae, overlaying genetic template. Finally, subject was educated on the tineola bisselliella and fed wool; confused, she simply repurposed it; subject has the ability to decompose and recompose matter- what a find! Biology & Pathology – best way to describe subject would be as a microbial zooid, with viral- bacterial infectivity. Each individual cell may either attack or inject a virus, infecting host tissue. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十七 頁 Currently, two methods of transmission have been found: bite and injection; as a disease, two unique symptoms exist: death and infection. If virus is attacked within cell, DNA is damaged and tissue develops cancer. If bacteria is killed, membrane spills digestive cytoplast into bloodstream, melting host from within. Infections are more common, as both bacteria and viruses assimilate host’s DNA- in this event, both bacteria and infected cells are indistinguishable from proper cells, and one of two outcomes with occur; if there are more infected cells, bacteria is assimilated into infected cells and zombification of tissue finalizes; however, if there is more bacteria, infected cells are devoured and returned to subject, increasing biomass. This also comes with the knowledge that each infected is unique, being that it is their DNA the virus assilimates to, rather than the subject’s- less like an actual infection, and more like- for lack of a better term- a gift, as it changes the function of the cell, not the identification. This is further evident when the zombification of a spinyback orbweaver looked exactly like the mimic (*see Mutations). This proves that the object being assimilated is, in fact, the subject, NOT the target, with the virus being only a prompt- or catalyst- for evolution. Moreover, when the zombified spider ingested the meat of a crab, no change was observed- meaning that the subject, and only the subject, has a genetic template with the capability of being overlayed. One final thing to note, individual cells lack sentience when not part of a zooid structure. As long as several cells are clumped together, subject is able to maintain a vestige of control, with more being more. Mental Capacity Without a doubt, one of the most complex lifeforms I’ve studied. It is incredible that the subject retains an ounce of control to the degree that she does, while suffering physical sensations from all directions. However, subject shows low intelligence in other areas, such as knowledge and memory. C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十八 頁 C onclusion: Soulbound bodies carry the consequence of allowing a chimeric being to intrinsically exhibit characteristics belonging to differing genome identities; whereas an assimilative zooid may mix and portray incompatible trait s by overlaying self-DNA and mutating to compensate. The similarities are present, but without an extrinsic force, it is impossible for the zooid to change and grow. Both phenomena are, without a doubt, out of our world; in spite of that, they remain within the realms of possibility- however, which may be applicable to our own evolution is yet to be seen. - Mun C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 十九 頁 A I Self-Diagnosis H ardware H eight – 170cm Weight – 120kg Sight – Info-Relay; standard-fit A20 round-type omni-directional dimensional visual receiver, up to 2m wireless connection, collects images from 35m. Hearing – Info-Relay; A32 five-track audio recognition, capable of focusing on and recording 5 given audio signals at any single moment. Smell – Info-Relay; A60 2-pump mammalian pheromone capacitor, ext. receptor and refill, mimics any scent (42 presets included). Taste – n/a; standard-fit x2 detonation device with speaker function; fragmentation radius of 45 meters, incineration of 150 degree celsius. Touch – n/a; biomimetic action-potential capability on select surfaces that will react to external stimuli automatically, lacks gradient sensor, lacks input sensor. Denticulation – Ignition spark, retrograde to fit x2 detonator cycle; capable of activating x2 device instantaneously (disarming not included). Vocal Chords – x2 high density explosive built-in countdown speaker Unguis – asymmetrical (no 10; no 11; no 15; no 16; no 17) (no 18; no 20; no 22; no 24; no 36) scalpels with 14-27 gauge needles underneath. Base – standard a20 protounit in crystalline metal, outfitted with A32 replacement bits. Attachments – none. Specs a32 drive with overclocking capabilities a32 power core f20 coolant system with synthesized icing during overheat state f10 cooling tubes to replace missing f20 liquid-cooling tubes C.L Leporia A Novel Beginning// 二十 頁 f10 cooling liquid version XayA processor standard a20 memory unit prototype storage unit back-up prototype storage unit type-x transmitter type-y transmitter type-67 network connector C-unit detector Error: no charging port detected Error: no emergency kit detected Error: mismatched parts may cause compatibility issues when system is activated No connections to XayA Server Connection to main server established Servers Online Software Prototype 41154 Personality Unit Godstongue Omnitranslator Overdrive Regulator Lazarus Module Possession Module Sealing Override Protective Override C.L Leporia