Scaliens

Chapter 2

Chapter 1 Recap:

In my hand, the gem glowed white, and i felt a peculiar sensation in my right hand. I looked and saw my   hand covered in scales, my nails became claws and the pearly white scales were climbing up my arm. Suddenly the glow died down and i realised three things.

One, the gem was actually a diamond.

Two, I had white scales on my arm up to my elbow.

And three, I was going to get Rika to tell me what exactly happened to my arm, even if i had to tickle her to death.

With my left hand, of course.

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Chapter 2- Mushroom Pie

"AHHHHHHHHH! Stop it! Limmy! You know I'm ticklish! Let me explain first!"

"You'd better."

After her recent fit of giggles, she took off the necklace around her neck. Oh, so that's what she was wearing. Her precious gem, an emerald. Rika then grasped the gem in her hand, her fingers closed securely around her own gem and opened her hand.

I gasped as leafy green scales climbed up her left arm, right up until her elbow. We were almost a mirror image. Except Rika's not me, and I'm not Rika.

"Yay! Now we're sisters! Prepare yourself for Introduction to Scaliens Lesson 1!"

"I'm listening."

"Okay, so when you grab your gem, the one I just gave you, this-" She gestured to her arm, "Happens."

"Got that part already Rika."

"You're such a fast learner, Limmy! Now, lesson 2."

I rolled my eyes and waited.

"We can't hurt people, I mean normal mortals. Our claws don't work on them, at least that's what Mom says. But it slices through other stuff perfectly well." Seeing my raised eyebrow, she offered, "Here, I'll show you." 

Rika then turned to the mushroom I was sitting on earlier and karate-chopped it. The mushroom continued standing for about three seconds before the sides fell away from each other.

"Your turn Limmy. If we chop enough mushrooms, maybe Mom will make giant mushroom pie." She waved her right hand over the ground and ten mushrooms grew out of and around the space my chair once was. Rika was always thinking about food, mushroom pie was her favourite dish, if you can even say that since she eats almost everything.

"Whatcha' waiting for Limmy? Let's have a competition!" She grinned, one of those bright smiles that automatically make you smile back. I nodded and swiped at a mushroom to try my claws out. Another mushroom immediately grew out to replace the one I severed.

"Okay, ready? Start!"

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We were so tired, we couldn't even defend ourselves when Rika's mother came in 30 minutes later.

"I brought you both Lemongrass Tea. And from the looks of it, you've both been hard at work." She commented, referring to us lying on Rika's bed in exhaustion. At least Rika was, I was decked out on the floor, trying to catch my breath.

Rika's mother was a stay-at-home wife. She let down her gleaming golden ringlets that reached her waist. Dimples appeared on her heart-shaped face when her lips curved into a smile, she definitely looked like someone who smiled often. She was the same height as Rika, I had to call her Elise at her insistance. 

Elise tried to cross over Rika's room to place the tray of tea and accidentally kicked some of the mushroom pieces that littered the floor. I noticed that she was wearing earrings that glittered green when she turned her head. Hm, interesting. I'll ask Rika about them later.

"Rika, what is this? I can't make this much mushroom pie! I doubt the both of you can eat this much." Shaking her head, she sighed.

"Harvest these and bring them up to the kitchen within 10 minutes, girls. I'll see what I can do with them." Elise informed us before heading up the medieval-like staircase herself. Before she disappeared from sight completely, she turned.

"Don't forget the tray."

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After Elise left, Rika shot up from her hammock so fast, the ropes got twisted round approximately ten times. In fact she almost stepped on my limp hand. 

Our claws will deactivate after we don't use them for an hour, sort of like standby mode. If you want to use your claws, you just have to "will" them to come back.

If you're not going to use them in five hours, it's best to "off" them. Rika told me it's also just using your willpower to keep your claws.

"Limmy! If you don't hurry, our mushroom pie will disappear!" 

Rika wailed and wringed her arms above her head.

"Mom's serious! You know how many pies I've 

A/N: Thanks for reading.