CH.771 Myrphe’s new life
“It's morning. Time to wake up.”
Those words were what woke me up today. Like they had for the last … some number of days. I stopped counting after the sixth day in a row. Because it was nice waking up with someone there. I haven’t had that since … a long time ago.
… That is what I would like to be true, but it isn’t. I’ve been awake since big sis began moving. Comes from living in the woods. Any sound can mean a monster that wants to turn you into its next meal.
Sharon … big sister. I know she isn’t one. But it feels good to call someone a sister again. I miss my sisters, even if I hate them. I want to yell at them, I want to show them I’m better than them, I want to take their ‘birthright’ and show them that even with it, I’m better than they are. But I’d never hurt them again.
I feel like Sir Brian would say that inflicting emotional damage would be hurting them, but it doesn’t count. I don’t count it. I survived way worse emotional torment, so it can’t be that bad.
“Myrphe.” Sharon called again. “You’ll miss breakfast.” She then used her nimble legs to climb up to my web and shook me slightly.
“... I’m up.” I said quietly, but instead of leaving and letting me get up as I wanted, Sharon just stared at me almost like I forgot something. “... oh. Good morning.”
“Good morning.” She returned the greeting. “I know you struggle falling asleep, but it doesn’t save you from getting up in the morning.”
“...” I didn’t have an answer for that. I know I struggle with sleep, comes with my past.
“You know you could just ask Lua for assisted sleep services. She wouldn’t mind.” Sharon added. “I could even make you a sleep tonic if you’d prefer that.”
“... I don’t want to bother Lady Lua.” I responded. “I know she won’t mind, but … she is already so busy. Everyone is.”
“But they all still make time for you if you just ask.”
“And you do even though I don’t.”
“Your fault. You agreed to sharing a room with me.” Sharon said.
We indeed did share our sleeping area. It wasn’t a traditional room, but instead a space with vegetation, trees and such, and an open ceiling, but one still walled off from the common areas. Here we could spin our webs where we would sleep.
I personally couldn’t relax in those ‘rooms’ the others use. They feel like prison cells. So I was very happy when I was allowed to move out of one of them. I may have only stayed in one for the duration of the tournament, but every night I felt like I was trapped, even if the door was always unlocked.
I know Sir Brian told me I could make a web in that room if I was staying in, and I did, but it wasn’t the same. No matter how familiar you try to make a cell, it is still a cell.
But after I agreed to live here … no. I asked to stay. I didn’t want to leave. Had Sir not offered, I would have asked myself.
After I permanently became a resident, I was allowed to move. And I learned of Sharon’s room.
It wasn’t quite like the one we now have. It was much closer to the cells the others use, but it was a lot taller and roomier. So I asked for something similar, but something that would feel even more open.
Sir Brian delivered. A new room just for me, one that felt like a slice of my home forest with access to sunshine and moonlight.
And after seeing my new room, Sharon asked if she could also make herself a web here, and I let her. Just as long as it wasn’t too close to mine.
Mine was spun between the three tallest trees. I just wanted to be high off the ground. Luckily Sharon wouldn’t have wanted to be that high so she didn’t complain as she made her own web.
I just felt correct this high up. Blame my wings, I suppose.
Soon enough I was up from my sleeping position, and with a simple jump down, and a small flutter of my wings, I got down to the ground, landing without making a sound.
It took Sharon a few seconds to climb all the way down from my sleeping web, and she jokingly complained about me having to have it so high up.
“I’ll make you a rope.” I told her, knowing she doesn’t need one to climb the trees.
“Just make me a … what did Brian call it. … A wingsuit? Something like that. With it, I can jump down like you do.” Sharon said.
“... when I can.” I promised.
After breakfast, I walked towards the Seamstress studio. Sir Brian said it needed a better name than the ‘Tailor Workshop’, so Seamstress studio.
On my way there, one of the Card Venturers caught up to me and walked besides me.
“... Miris.” I greeted the centipede.
“Is my new undershirt finished?” He asked, getting straight to business.
Making clothes for the Card Venturers had quickly become one of my new jobs. They often tear theirs beyond Sir Brian’s ability to mend things in training, so they need new ones. And Miris was the first one to trust my clothing, and was also the one who had needed the largest number of them.
“... Almost.” I answered. “I need to correct some stitches. It should be ready by lunch. Should I bring it to you?”
“I will swing by after training.” Miris promised before his many legs carried him away quickly.
I admit, I found the centipede man intimidating at first. It isn’t his fault, it's just … there were centipedes there. On that day. So I find him … a bit scary.
And even outside of that, centipede monsters tried to eat me during my time as a spider. Before I reclaimed control over that monster’s body. Sir Brian calls it a phobia, but I have them to other monsters than just centipedes. Almost all insect monsters, to some extent. Except spiders and moths.
And on HomeBase, there was one moth in particular I felt a strong connection to. And since I had a bit of time before I needed to start my work, I made a quick detour to the giant tree it lived on.
It didn’t take me any time at all to flutter to the top of the tree. The butterfly living there of course noticed me, but it didn’t care beyond that.
I gently laid my hand on Mothra, the Giant Rainbow Butterfly.1Note: Mothra is a Neo Lightwave Rainbow Butterfly but Myrphe doesn’t know the difference.
I couldn’t explain the connection I had with it, but I knew there was one. I felt like asking Sir Brian about it, but he likely wouldn’t give me the straight answer. I know he knows so much more than he is letting us know. But if you ask him why he does that, he tells us that sometimes it is better for you to not know something.
Spoiler
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I looked at the shining wings of Mothra. They were so similar to the wings of Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon. I don’t know why but it does seem like Sir Brian’s tamed monsters often take after his card monsters.
I turned my face and looked at my own wings. They were colorful to be sure, but nothing like the wings of a rainbow butterfly. I wonder if I could ever get my wings to shine like that? Maybe if I evolve? I’ve heard it can really change how you look.
After I got to the Seamstress studio, I got to work on Miris’ undershirt. It was finished, but I didn’t like it. If it went out as it is, it would wear out in no time.
So I got to work restitching parts of it to make the shirt more durable.
But I didn’t get very far before an announcement was played over the HomeBase public announcement system. … at least that is what Sharon told me it was.
“Card Venturers, prepare for an immediate sortie. Code V.” I heard Brian’s voice say.
I didn’t know all the codes he had made, but if the Card Venturers are heading out, it must be some sort of fight. Maybe one of those miasma blobs? Or perhaps some other emergency?
… Maybe it could even be something as bad as that day.
Then I realized that Miris doesn’t have the undershirt for his armor. His previous one was broken and the new one is still in my hands. So I quickly rushed out of the Seamstress studio, while hastily redoing the stitches I already ripped out.
I got to them just in time. Miris was about to put on a shirt that really shouldn’t be used as an undershirt for armor, but luckily he got the correct one in time. I was a little worried if my hastily made stitches would last, but it is better than what he was going to use.
As he took off the shirt he had on, I quickly turned around as I felt blood rushing to my face. Seeing a man without a shirt. What would my mother say?
I wished the Venturers luck and headed back to the studio, while trying to get the image of Miris’ pecs out of my mind.
After some time, I heard that the Venturers had returned, so I headed over to their dressing rooms to wait for Miris. I wanted to still make the shirt better, so I needed it back.
I would have to ask Sir Brian to clean the shirt before I could work on it, but he should come by the studio tomorrow to teach me, so we can do it then.
But as Miris walked out of the room, he was holding broken armor and scraps of clothing.
Looking at the scraps made me collapse to the floor. It … they were just like that time. Clothes I made. Ruined. I … I …
I didn’t know what happened after that. I just … blacked out.
I woke up in the medical room, on a web Brian likely made. At least it felt like his work. He has a unique style different from me and Sharon.
I moved my body a bit, just feeling it in case anything was wrong. It was something I got used to during my time living alone. And as I was, two people appeared in the room. They didn’t walk in, as I didn’t hear the door open, so they must have teleported.
Brian does that, so it isn’t that strange.
With him was Lua, and as Brian asked me some questions, Lua looked over my body, but there was nothing wrong with it. She did say that my monster core was almost completely gone, so it may have contributed, but she said it shouldn’t have been the cause.
Brian on the other hand seemed to know the cause. My brain simply … overloaded. That is what he said. I couldn’t quite handle seeing my clothes ruined, again, so I passed out.
That is what he said.
He then told me that it wasn’t on purpose. Miris had been hit by an SS-rank while they were out, and his armor had shattered, taking the undershirt with it. He hadn’t been too badly hurt, thanks to his equipment, but he had to hang back the rest of the fight to not risk his safety.
It made me feel a bit better, but I still wasn’t ready to face the scarps left behind. So I asked Brian to take me to my room, and he did just that.
A bit later, Sharon came in and brought me some easy to eat foods.
“... I need you to show me how to make clothing that won’t break.” I demanded of Brian when he was next teaching me.
“That is impossible.” Brian said. “You can try to make the most unbreakable thing, but at the end of the day, clothing that is meant to be worn can never be unbreakable. You’d have to make it out of adamantite thread and at that point, you’d make something no one can wear.”
“Then … Is there anything that we can do?”
“You can’t make unbreakable clothing.” Brian told me. “You have to learn to accept that clothing is temporary. I know you have problems with it, but it is the truth. Even self-repairing clothes can break if they take enough damage fast enough.”
“... that isn’t an answer.”
“No. It isn’t an answer you like.” He corrected. He didn’t sound condescending, but it still made me feel bad.
“I think I have a way of showing you. Let’s teleport to your room.” Brian said, and I felt the world shift around me. In the blink of an eye, we were in the room I shared with Sharon.
“Look at your web. And Sharon’s as well.” Brian said.
I did as he asked, but I wasn’t sure what he was going for.
He levitated himself into the air, and soon enough I also began to float as I felt him lift me with his Telekinesis skill. He brought me close to my sleeping web and began pointing at threads.
“See these? Notice anything?” He asked.
“... they are thin? And they look like they might break soon? So I need to put another thread there.” I said.
I do minor web repairs like that almost every day. So I don’t see where Brian is going with this.
“You just thought that you do repairs on your web every day, didn’t you?” Brian asked.
“... can you read minds?” I asked him.
“Yes, but I don’t need to in this case.” He said. “Webs, clothing. They are different but the same. You have to keep mending them, or they will break. And if you want to make something that won’t break for a long time, you may as well be wearing, or sleeping, on a rock. And even a rock will eventually break if you use it as a bed for long enough.”
“... so I will … have to live with my clothes being broken. Over and over again?”
“I know you don’t want to hear it, but yes. There are ways to try and mitigate that. As I said, self repairing clothing, consistent mending, and so on. My Storage is also quite a good way of doing things. But even it can’t repair what has been fully broken.” Brian said. “Myrphe. You make good clothes. You will make even better ones in no time. But you have to understand that they are something that will break. And not because of maliciousness, but because it is the nature of everything. Very few things can stay around forever, as forever is a very, very long time.”
He let me think for a moment before he spoke up again.
“Now. Miris is in need of a new undershirt. Again. And he wanted you to make one for him. Do you think you are feeling up to it?” He asked.
“... Yes. I’ll … I’ll make a better one. One that won’t break.” I said, but that didn’t seem to be what Brian wanted to hear. “... no. I’ll make as many as he needs. Even if one breaks, he will always have one more. … right?”
“Yes. As long as you don’t go overboard.” Brian said.
A few days later, as I was handing the finished shirts to Miris, I began feeling strange.
My head began spinning and my body was feeling slightly heavy. I didn’t quite know what was right, so I asked Miris to call Brian.
But before he could, my legs gave out from under me. I couldn’t support my body, but luckily Miris caught me. He said something about me burning up, but I wasn’t sure what it meant.
My body felt heavy and weak, and I even struggled to keep my eyes open. Even my hearing began to go strange.
I could just barely see that Brian had teleported in before I passed out for the second time in just a few days.
When I next woke up, I felt amazing. Probably better than I ever had. I wasn’t sure why, but as I opened my eyes, I began to come to a conclusion.
I had once again been brought to the medical room, but this time I was inside of a tank. An evolution tank, Brian calls it. Something he has around for those times someone on HomeBase evolves, as apparently it happens way more than you’d assume.
And I was in one.
The tank I was in was draining the healing liquid, so soon enough it should open. And on the other side of the glass I already saw Brian, Sharon and Miris, waiting for it to happen.
As the tank opened, Miris and Sharon helped me out while Brian teleported away to pick up Lua. The two looked over me for a bit before taking me to a mirror where I could see myself.
I looked mostly the same, but my wings and abdomen were different. Both had taken on minor rainbow colorings. They weren’t as aggressive as the colors on the spider monsters I used during the tournament, and my wings didn’t match Mothra, but I found them beautiful.
Before I was done appreciating myself, Brian returned with Lua and she gave me another checkup. I’ve had to have so many of them lately, but I don’t mind.
As she did, Brian encouraged me to take a look at my status.
My race had changed from Winged Drider (System accepted) to Rainbow-Winged Silk-Moth Arachne Tailor. I had somehow gained the Silk-Moth race my mother and my sisters were, but I had also become a full Arachne. And Tailor? A clothes maker? What does that mean?
I also had new skills. Tailor. Shining Wings. Silk Thread.2Note: She already had Web Making And finally, a unique skill. Rainbow Thread.
I know what Silk Thread is, it is the skill my sisters had. But Shining Wings and Tailor. I’ve never heard of anyone having those skills. Even my sisters, who were tailors, didn’t have the Tailor skill. Nor were they called Tailors by race.
So I really am a worthy tailor. And I will make the best clothes with my Rainbow Thread.