500th Time Reborn, A World Only Known By Women: The Karma System

"I wish that I could join you, but Kira looks like she will want some blood from me for speaking out like that," Mishal said, and I frowned, but she smiled. "Not real blood, she isn\'t a monster, but she might crack my ear drums. She can be louder than the howling tempest, but I should be fine. Kira will just be upset that I haven\'t visited in so long. Don\'t think that Melrose is completely cowed, either. She is as smart as she looks."

I nodded, and Mishal left Tallia and me alone.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked, and I nodded but then heard a squeak from behind me.

I turned around to find Barry, but she was about twenty feet down the hall from me. I had completely forgotten about her, but I must have scared the creature when I lost control of myself. That moment was pretty worrisome, considering that I blacked out and didn\'t remember what I had said or done. It wasn\'t until I had the Queen held out of the window by her neck that I regained control.

What would have happened if Tallia hadn\'t been there? Would there have been anything left of this building? What was wrong with me?

"Galio?" Tallia asked, putting a hand on my face and turning it to the side to face her. "What is wrong?"

"I am just wondering what is wrong with me? Why did I lose control?" I asked. "Things could have been a lot worse if you hadn\'t been there. They would have been a lot worse, I am sure. There are two warring factions inside of me. One wants to see everyone happy and relaxed, but the other thinks that I need to control everything to make that happen. It\'s always been there."

"I don\'t know the answer to why, but I do think that you need to keep me closer when you are doing things that are going to stress you. I will stay by your side, but you have to let me," Tallia said and then turned to look at Barry. "Where did you get this? You know what it is, right?"

"It\'s a big squirrel. I found her, she looked cute, and she came over, so I am keeping her. I mean, I wanted to, but then I went all feral and scared the shit out of her. I even named it! Barry!" I complained, and Tallia let go of my face to cover her mouth and burst into a fit of giggles. "What?!"

"Interesting choice of name. I think that Berry might be more fitting since she is a woman, right?" Tallia asked after getting herself under control again, and I frowned at her and then turned to the now Berry.

"Are you a person?" I asked the Blue Bell, and it tilted its head at me, and Tallia burst into giggles again. I turned on her with a scowl. "What is the big deal? You talk like this is a person, and then laugh at me?! What is it? A person or a beast?!"

"Both."

"Both?" I asked, looking back and forth between Tallia and Berry.

"Yes. She is still considered a monster, but she gains a human-like form after a certain amount of time and conditions are met. Seeing that she was already following you, the first has been met. The other two are not as easy, but I don\'t think it is something you have to worry about for now. This one looks pretty young still, and you seem to have put quite the fright in her, so trust will be a hard thing to earn back," Tallia explained, and I squatted down.

There were other monsters like this that would transform after creating bonds with a partner. That just made the little creature that much more interesting. I wonder how many other monsters there were like this in the world?

"How much can they understand when they are young like this?" I asked, and Tallia shrugged.

"I don\'t think very much, but I really don\'t know much about them. You could ask the Queen, but I think we should just leave her be for now. Blue Bells are known to partner with Peekaans that captain a boat. They have a sense for those that are destined for greatness, or that is what they say. Could be true, but who knows," Tallia said, and I nodded and stuck my hand out to Berry.

"Sorry for scaring you. I would like it if you come back to ride with me. You are my cute little buddy, and I would hate to lose you so quickly," I said and waited as Berry just stared at me, making me feel even more stupid for talking to the thing.

Then Berry ran over and jumped on my arm, running up it to climb on top of my head. After some slipping, scratching, and hair pulling, Berry settled down.

I stood back up and turned to Tallia, who was smiling warmly at me. I could remember that smile, and it made me become lost in her eyes that swirled with storm rainbow colors.

"Are we just going to stand here all day?" Tallia asked, and I grinned.

"That doesn\'t sound half bad. You are pretty easy to look at, if you know what I mean," I smirked, and Tallia rolled her eyes, pushing me.

"Come on. We will take the stairs down to the next floor and take the elevator down from there," Tallia said as she started walking.

"Why don\'t we just go back to the one in the main room we were just in?" I asked as I followed.

"Melrose will be having another meeting right away, and it is best to stay out of her sight for now. You did stick her out the window. The last thing she wants is for her people to see her flinch at the sight of you. Not very good for her image, if you know what I mean," Tallia explained, and I sighed.