Nicki sat down on the beach.
"Tch..." Now that Nicki had caught her breath the adrenaline in her body started to dissipate and pain manifested from her injuries. They weren't serious, but she would still return to the healing pool for a quick soak to be safe. After that, maybe she'd take a quick swim to another island before lunch. But, for the moment, she just laid back on the beach and took advantage of the morning light to watch the clouds overhead.
At the same time, miles beyond the clouds Nicki gazed upon, the Ocean Hydra's creator stared back at the planet before her.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!..." It was the only sound Ireree could release as awe and excitement flooded her thoughts. She'd barely been able to maintain a composed tone as to whisper 'The Ocean Hydra has been slain. You have assimilated the Jelly Girl Pattern,' to Nicki.
Watching Nicki's battle with the Ocean Hydra had just been that amazing. Mere moments after Ireree had unleashed the hydra, Nicki had stared down the creature, matched its strength, identified its weaknesses and defeated it. How was it possible for her to be so cool?!
Reimagining the fight in her mind, caused sparks to shoot out of Ireree's blazing form. Then she remembered Nicki's figure splashing through the water and onto the shoreline. Her drenched swimsuit clinging to her body as water streamed through her hair and down the curves of her sides. The though caused the hue of her flames to darken to a deep pink and her sparks began to burst into heart-shaped fireworks. That sight had been a whole other pleasure.
It wasn't unusual for a Cosmic to form relationships with their charges, but Ireree's adoration for Nicki was infuriating for the other Cosmics. She never manifested upon her world as the others chose to and insisted it was to remain professional as an observer. But any Cosmic who'd heard one of the hours-long rants she gave about Nicki could see the actual motive of her devotion.
Of course, those Cosmics were rooting for Ireree. But they'd been waiting centuries for her to at least talk to Nicki as she continued to respond with silly excuses. This drove them up the wall.
Today however, Ireree wouldn't just look on in admiration. The Ocean Hydra had been an anniversary gift of sorts to celebrate the day Nicki had been summoned to her world. But it wasn't the only way she intended to celebrate this time around. In addition to the hydra, she'd finally prepared her physical manifestation to descend upon the world. Today, she and Nicki would meet.
As Ireree envisioned her physical form in her mind, she also banishing the lingering doubts. She wouldn't give in to them today, she wouldn't give any excuses and, above all else, she wouldn't chicken out this time. Building up the last of her courage, she started to advance toward the planet and began to reshape herself. But a small blue light caught the corner of her eye and prompted her to stop.
Lights such as these weren't uncommon in the Cosmic Realm and wouldn't normally be so significant. They only acted as markers for the locations of other Cosmics. But this one had moved too fast to be a far presence. This one was much closer and unmistakably watching her.
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YOU ARE READING
Isekai & A.I.
FantasíaWhen leveling systems across existence started to glitch and crash, a new race was born - The Cosmics. Their power to traverse realities and alter them at will has lead most to revere these beings as gods. But they are still a young race thrust upon...
