Chapter 3: Dignity Is A Luxury

The world didn't just go dark; it was swallowed by a silent, suffocating void. For a heart-stopping moment, there was nothing—no sound, no light, no sensation of a body. Just the pure, existential terror of being unmade.

...So this is it. Eaten by an edgy special-effect panther. What a stupid, stupid way to—

EMERGENCY TELEPORTATION: ENGAGED.

A sensation of being violently squeezed through a straw, then—

THUMP.

She landed in a heap of dull feathers and tangled limbs, the air knocked from her lungs in a pained squawk. The world snapped back into focus, bright and loud and smelling overwhelmingly of damp earth and rotting leaves.

Above, the shadow panther landed with a ground-shaking thud exactly where she had been standing half a second before. It let out a roar of pure, incandescent fury that made the leaves around her tremble. Its emerald eyes scanned the area, searching for the prey that had just vanished.

It can teleport? The system can teleport me? WHY DIDN'T IT LEAD WITH THAT?!

She huddled deeper into the foliage, not daring to breathe, every instinct screaming at her to be small, to be silent. The panther sniffed the air, its obsidian nose wrinkling. It took a step towards her thicket.

No. No, no, no. Don't come over here. Go chase a monkey. They're tastier. I'm all skin and bones and rage, I promise.

The system screen flickered back into existence, this time transparent and muted, hovering at the edge of her vision.

COOLDOWN: EMERGENCY TELEPORTATION: 23 HOURS, 59 MINUTES REMAINING.

MANA RESERVES: CRITICAL. HOST MUST CONSUME SUSTENANCE TO REGENERATE.

A DAY? I have to survive a DAY with that... that thing out there? And what 'sustenance'? Berries? I am NOT eating a bug. I will starve first. I have standards, even in hell.

The panther, having failed to locate her, let out another frustrated roar and began to pace, its shadowy form blending unnervingly with the dappled light of the forest. It wasn't leaving.

Su was trapped.

Hours bled together. The initial adrenaline crash left her exhausted, sore, and painfully aware of her new body's needs. Her stomach gurgled, a strange, empty feeling. Thirst was a dry scratch in her throat. The system's "Sustenance Required" warning pulsed gently, annoyingly, in her vision.

Her eyes, sharper than her human ones had ever been, scanned the forest floor. She saw a cluster of bright red berries on a nearby bush. They looked... suspicious.

ITEM IDENTIFIED: CRIMSON BELL BERRIES.

EFFECT: RESTORES 10% HUNGER. SIDE EFFECT: UNCONTROLLABLE FLATULENCE FOR 30 MINUTES.

...You have got to be kidding me. No. Absolutely not. I have enough problems without crop-dusting this entire jungle.

A fat, juicy beetle trundled through the leaf litter right past her feet.

ITEM IDENTIFIED: IRIDESCENT GRUB.

EFFECT: RESTORES 15% HUNGER. GRANTS TEMPORARY +1 TO ARMOR.

NO. I draw the line. I am not putting that wriggling, oily thing in my— my beak. I'd rather fight the panther.

Her stomach growled louder, a painful cramp twisting through her. The panther, hearing the faint sound, stopped its pacing and turned its head slowly in her direction.

Shit.

Desperation began to override dignity. She looked from the fart-berries to the armor-grub. It was a choice between two humiliations.

Flatulence would definitely give away my position. But +1 Armor... that could be the difference between a one-shot kill and a two-shot kill. Survival vs. dignity. Dignity is a luxury for people with opposable thumbs.

The panther took a slow, deliberate step towards her thicket. Its low growl rumbled through the ground.

That decided it.

With a internal scream of protest, Su lunged her head forward, snapped up the iridescent grub, and swallowed it whole.

It was... crunchy. And then slimy.

SUSTENANCE CONSUMED!

HUNGER +15%

TEMPORARY BUFF ACTIVE: CHITINOUS HIDE (+1 ARMOR). DURATION: 1 HOUR.

A faint, almost imperceptible shimmer ran over her feathers, making them feel slightly tougher.

The grub gave her a spark of energy. Enough energy to realize the panther was now only twenty feet away, its head low to the ground, sniffing intently. It knew she was here.

Her eyes darted around, looking for anything she could use. A vine? Too weak. A rock? Useless. And then she saw it. Just beyond her thicket was a patch of ground that looked different—softer, darker, almost muddy.

AREA IDENTIFIED: QUICKSAND (DILUTED).

EFFECT: ENTANGLEMENT. DIFFICULTY TO ESCAPE: MEDIUM.

A terrible idea began to form in her mind. It was a plan that relied entirely on the panther's arrogance and her own newfound, grub-given durability.

Okay, you overgrown house cat. Let's play a game.

She took a deep breath, gathered all the air in her lungs, and then burst out of the thicket with a deafening, defiant screech.

KRAWWWWWW! (HEY, UGLY! OVER HERE!)

The panther, startled by the sudden noise and movement, recoiled for a split second. Then, its eyes narrowed with predatory focus. It lowered its body, ready to pounce.

But Su didn't run away. She ran sideways, skirting the edge of the quicksand patch, flapping her wings to make herself as big and annoying as possible.

Kreee! Kreee! (Catch me if you can, you floofy edgelord!)

The panther took the bait. With a silent, powerful leap, it soared through the air—directly over the patch of quicksand she had just led it past.

It was a perfect pounce. Or it would have been, if its landing zone was solid ground.

The panther's front paws hit the edge of the quicksand. For a moment, it seemed it might scramble out. But its immense weight and momentum carried it forward. Its hind legs sank into the mire, and with a surprised, guttural yowl, the great beast began to sink, its shadowy form struggling against the thick, sucking mud.

STATUS: SHADOW-STALKER PANTHER - ENTANGLED!

DURATION: ESTIMATED 3-5 MINUTES.

IT WORKED! IT ACTUALLY WORKED! HA! WHO'S A SPECKLESS IDIOT NOW?!

She didn't wait to celebrate. This was her only chance. She turned and ran, not with grace, but with panic, crashing through the undergrowth, putting as much distance as possible between her and the enraged, trapped beast.

She ran until her lungs burned and her legs ached. She ran until the panther's furious roars faded into the distance. Finally, she collapsed, panting, beneath a massive, gnarled tree, her heart hammering against her ribs.

She had survived. For now.

The system screen popped up, almost cheerfully.

QUEST COMPLETE: IMPROVISED SURVIVAL!

REWARD: +100 EXP!

LEVEL UP!

SPEAKLESS PEACOCK IS NOW LEVEL 2!

+1 TO VITALITY! +1 TO AGILITY!

A warm, tingling sensation flowed through her, easing her aches and sharpening her senses slightly. She felt a tiny bit stronger, a tiny bit faster.

Okay. Breathe. Or whatever this weird bird-body does. Don't panic. You're a Level 2 Speckless Peacock now. You have... slightly better stats. You just need to find some non-fart berries and a place to sleep that isn't a panther's snack bar.

She took a tentative step out from the roots of the giant tree. The jungle was quieter now. Eerily quiet. The whole "almost being eaten" thing had really killed the mood.

SUGGESTION: HOST SHOULD SEEK SHELTER. NIGHTFALL APPROACHING. NOCTURNAL PREDATORS ARE... MORE AGGRESSIVE.

More aggressive than a shadow-panther? What's next, a vampire bear? A werewolf-snake? Shut up, system. You're not helping.

She picked a direction and started walking, her scaly feet making soft thump-thump sounds on the damp earth. The hope of finding a way out, or at least a halfway decent bush to hide in, was the only thing keeping her going.

And then she saw it. A clearing and in the middle of the clearing, nestled against a mossy rock, was a small, perfectly formed... hut. It was made of woven vines and leaves, with a little smoking chimney pipe poking out the top. It looked cozy and safe.

No. Way. Is that a... a player house? An NPC? Did I just find the jungle's bed and breakfast? Thank you, universe! Finally, a break!

Her heart, or whatever avian organ was responsible for hope, did a little flutter. She scurried forward, her exhaustion forgotten. Maybe there was a friendly hermit inside. Someone who could tell her what the hell was going on. Someone who might have, she didn't know, a spare pair of pants.

She reached the little wooden door. There was a welcome mat. A welcome mat.

Tears of relief actually pricked at the corners of her eyes. She reached a trembling wing-tip forward to knock.

And that's when she saw it. Hanging from the doorframe by a piece of twine, swinging gently in the evening breeze.

The door of the hut creaked open, just a crack. From the darkness within, a single, long-fingered, furry hand emerged. It waved her inside.

A chattering laugh echoed softly from the darkness.

The system notification that popped up was the most unhelpful one yet.

LOCATION DISCOVERED: THE COLLECTOR'S HUT.

HOST HAS ACCEPTED AN INVITATION.

LEAVING IS CONSIDERED... RUDE.

Su stood frozen on the welcome mat, staring into the dark doorway, realizing with a sinking feeling that she might have just traded a quick death by panther for a much, much weirder fate.

One foot still awkwardly raised. The chattering laugh from inside the hut didn't sound menacing. It sounded inviting. Which was somehow worse.

Okay. Run. Just turn around and run. That's the plan—

The furry hand wiggled its fingers, gesturing more insistently. The door creaked open another inch.

WARNING: REFUSING HOSPITALITY FROM A TERRITORIAL CREATURE MAY RESULT IN A PERMANENT 'HOSTILE' REPUTATION WITH THE LOCAL FAUNA.

OH, NOW YOU WARN ME?! Where was this "reputation" warning with the murder-weasel and the void-cat?!

Gulping, she took a hesitant step forward. She ducked her head and shuffled inside.

The hut was a chaotic museum of junk. Piles of smooth, colorful river stones were sorted by size. A wind chime made from discarded arrowheads and wolf teeth clinked softly. Bunches of dried herbs hung from the rafters, and a collection of cracked clay pots filled with suspicious pastes lined a rough-hewn shelf. In the center, sitting on a throne made of a deer skull and woven sticks, was a monkey.

It was bigger up close. And it had accessories. A shiny, polished piece of obsidian was wedged over one eye like a monocle. A gleaming bronze brooch, probably stolen from some knight's cloak, was pinned to the fur on its chest. It regarded her with a look of profound, smug amusement.

It gestured to a stool made from a mossy, hollowed-out log.

He's a hipster monkey. I'm about to be judged for my lack of authentic, artisanal feathers.

She awkwardly hopped onto the log stool. The monkey leaned forward, its eyes fixed on her crest. It reached out a long, deft finger and gently tapped one of her dull, greyish feathers.

Oh no. Do NOT like that.

The monkey pulled its hand back, examined its empty fingers, and chattered softly, shaking its head in clear disappointment.

TRANSLATION: "The plumage is... regrettably common."

REG RETTABLY COMMON?! YOU LIVE IN A PILE OF STICKS!

The monkey stood up and waddled over to a small collection of natural pigments. There was a cracked oyster shell filled with a vibrant blue paste made from crushed berries, and a small pot of glittering, gold-flecked mud. It dipped a finger into the blue gunk and advanced toward her.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. SYSTEM, INITIATE PROTOCOL: GET THIS WANNABE ALCHEMIST AWAY FROM ME!

SUGGESTION: COOPERATION MAY YIELD POSITIVE OUTCOMES. THE COLLECTOR IS KNOWN TO TRADE FOR COOPERATION.

The monkey's blue-tipped finger came closer. But then, its other hand gestured to a small, clear space on a shelf. Sitting there was a single, perfect flower that seemed to glow with a soft, inner light. A tiny notification appeared.

ITEM IDENTIFIED: MOONPETAL BLOOM.

EFFECT: WHEN CONSUMED, GRANTS A TEMPORARY +5 TO CHARISMA AND A SHIMMERING VISUAL AURA. DURATION: 10 MINUTES.

Su’s internal rant came to a screeching halt.

A memory flashed: Resplendent Feather, his tail a magnificent, iridescent fan. The ultimate symbol of peacock-ness. The very thing she, a "Speckless" freak, lacked.

This stupid, sparkly flower was a tiny, tantalizing taste of what it might feel like to not be a drab, earth-toned disgrace.

The monkey's blue-tipped finger hovered an inch from her face. It raised a single, questioning eyebrow.

The choice was a special kind of hell: endure the monkey's medieval makeover, or remain a dull, Level 2 nobody.

She let out a long, defeated sigh that sounded like a deflating bellows.

...Fine. But if you try to braid my feathers, I'm pecking that stupid rock off your face.

The monkey’s grin widened. It leaned in.

She closed her eyes as the monkey began to apply woad-like blue paste to her face. The stuff was cold and smelled like fermented fruit. She felt it being dabbed around her eyes, then a line drawn down the bridge of her beak.

Getting a makeover from a monkey in a deer skull throne. If any of my orphanage bullies could see me now... they'd probably die laughing.

The monkey chattered, pleased with its work. It then dipped another finger into the pot of gold-flecked mud and started carefully applying dots and swirls along the sides of her neck.

BUFF APPLIED: ‘PRIMATE’S PATRONAGE’.

EFFECT: UNLOCKS THE ‘BARTER’ ACTION WITH THE COLLECTOR. REPUTATION WITH ‘THE HOARD’ FACTION SET TO ‘TOLERATED’.

After a few more minutes of artistic endeavor, the monkey stepped back, admiring its work. It then plucked the Moonpetal Bloom from the shelf and offered it to her.

Hesitantly, Su took the flower in her beak and swallowed it. It tasted like moonlight and honey.

A warm, tingling sensation spread through her, different from the level-up. A soft, silvery light emanated from her feathers, making the crude blue and gold designs glow. For the first time since this nightmare began, she didn't feel... dull.

TEMPORARY BUFF APPLIED: ‘PEACOCK’S PANACHE’!

CHARISMA +5!

The monkey clapped its hands in delight, then scurried over to a large woven basket. It rummaged around and pulled out a small, leather-bound book, tossing it at her feet. The cover was blank.

QUEST ITEM ACQUIRED: THE COLLECTOR’S CATALOGUE.

OBJECTIVE: FILL THE CATALOGUE WITH UNIQUE ITEMS FROM THROUGHOUT THE JUNGLE. REWARDS WILL BE GRANTED UPON DELIVERY.

You want me to be your fetch-quest mule? Of course you do.

The monkey then pointed a stern finger at her, then at the book, then made a shooing motion towards the door. The invitation was officially revoked. Business was concluded.

Stumbling out of the hut, the silvery light around her already starting to fade, Su looked down at the book. The first page now had a beautifully illustrated picture of a Moonpetal Bloom, now crossed out with a neat red 'X'. Below it, the next entry was blank, waiting.

She looked back at the cozy hut, then at the dark, predator-filled jungle she was expected to now go out and "collect" in.

Well, shit