Slimes & Magic

39. Skills and celebrations

Making their way back to Zonia, followed by all their fighters, Alex thinks through how they should go about sharing the skills they currently have. Among the basic skills that Alex has they are able to share: dash, magic, magic sense, creation, far-sight, sound waves, night vision, detection, blacksmithing, mapping, carpentry, weaving, water breathing, telepathy network, stealth, and magic control. They'd only be able to share skills like venom bite and claw slash to those who actually have fangs and claws. "***Maybe I can share skills with creatures too?***"
"[As long as they meet the requirements that they follow you, that should be possible.]"
"***Neat.***"
Of their current special skills, Alex is only unable to share the special skill; universal language, as it is something only creatures and animals are able to obtain. This leaves their 5 special skills: super speed, air manipulation, steel skin, fire manipulation, and lightning manipulation. That leaves the only ultimate skill they are able to share, Shapeshift. Seeing as Alex is only able to share shapeshift with 10 people total, they decide that for now only their own party should have that privilege. Alex also decides that Special skills should probably be saved for the strongest, or most qualified people. "***It would probably be smart to keep a list of who I grant which skills to.***"
"[I am able to provide that information should you ask for it.]"
"***Oh that's perfect, thanks.***"
Not quite sure how to handle the distribution of the basic skills, Alex asks May who's walking alongside them. She recommends that they should set up a sign up type of system, where people can write their names and tick off which skills they would like to receive. Confirming that the names of the people are enough to share skills with Astra, Alex approves and sets it aside as something to do later on.

Setting down for the second night before they arrive back in Zonia, Alex decides to go ahead and share shapeshift with May, Carl, Elvan, Liz, and Mel. Staying connected to each other through telepathy network seems like it'll be the easier option for now rather than having them all learn how to use sound-waves to speak as well. Alex in to a small dragon themselves, thinking that would be the easiest for the others to work with, both walking and flying. For Alex, changing forms comes naturally at this point, but for the others it's a first time experience. On Alex's advice they each change their appearances based on their own preferences, using Alex's dragon form as a base. Walking around on four legs comes easily enough for each of them, struggling only a little with balance at the start. After Alex explains they should rely on the tail to make sure they stay balanced their problems disappeared, though Mel didn't have to be told at all, being used to her regular tail already. The biggest challenge was even before actually flying. The five of them have so far only lived using 4 limbs, now they had an extra pair to work with, taking a good 30 minutes before they are really able to control their wings as they wish. Going over to the road, as its the most open area around, Alex demonstrates how to take off and land. Urging them to try jumping and gliding first they each manage alright, satisfying Alex for their first lesson in shapeshifting. Alex promised to give them extra lessons later on, especially on flying, which would make travelling long distances ideal as a group. In the process of teaching them, Alex discovered that their shapeshifting and Alex's transformation's have another important difference. If Alex transforms using their slime transform skill, it rearranges their cells in to that of their transformation, leaving anything Alex was wearing behind. While if the others change using shapeshift, it shifts them with their clothes and all, unless they specifically prevent it from doing so. To Alex this doesn't pose much of a problem at all, seeing as they are able to simply store everything they had on in their stomach. Speaking of which, with it evolved in to its ultimate form, whenever Alex stores something in their stomach, something like a miniature black hole appears sucking in whatever they stored. Pulling things out also had the same effect, making it look kind of ominous. After checking with Astra, the skill has a virtually limitless space to store things in, quite like the name suggests. Astra mentioned it being some form of other dimension, but Alex didn't really understand

Entering Zonia the following day from the south, the people who stayed quickly noticed them, cheering them on after seeing them all in good spirits. Gathering everyone on the plaza Alex goes up a couple steps in their slime form.
"*We have successfully defended against the empire! Everyone take the rest of the day off and prepare a feast to celebrate our victory! Today we party!*" Alex says the last part jumping up, throwing out their borrowed clothes and shifting to human form in to them and landing on the steps with their arms raised. Cheers erupt from the crowd, and the people run off to their houses and rooms to prepare, tables and chairs being moved on to the plaza in to rows. A huge campfire is being lit in the middle for cooking and dancing later on.
"*Lets go say hi to the chief, and then get some proper clothes for you. alright?*" May holds on to Alex's hand and find the chief at the edge of the crowd.
"*Hey chief, wanted to properly say hi before our official meeting. You probably guessed it already but I managed to get my very own human form, so I'll probably be going around like this more often.*"
"*Yeah good to see you are well. It was indeed a bit of a surprise, but I can't say its totally unexpected. When would you like to have the meeting?*"
"*Hmm, how about lunch time tomorrow, there is something that I'd like to take care of still in the morning before we meet.*"
"*Alright, I'll let everyone else know. For now lets enjoy ourselves!*"
"*Indeed, see you around!*"
"*Now then, lets go and see if the ladies have some extra clothes around that fit you.*" May rubs Alex on the head and they walk over to the building that has been designed as a workplace for weaving and sowing. Alex had been regularly providing them with lots of spider silk using their skill, so they had some more materials to work with.

Inside they find the group of ladies putting their work away for the day.
"*Hey guys, could we bother you for a moment?*"
"*Oh May, how can we help?*"
"*Alex here is in dire need of some clothes that fit them.*" she says holding Alex in front of her by the shoulders. Alex smiles kind of awkwardly and says hi.
"*Ooh you are adorable! Alright girls, lets find Alex some nice clothes!*" They flock over to the shelving area where they have all their newly made clothes folded up and stored away. They seem to be debating in hushed voices what kind of outfit to give to Alex, eventually selecting two sets. They herd Alex and May over to a small room and hand over the sets for Alex to quickly change in to. The first is a nice and colourful set, short shorts dyed yellow and a white t-shirt Alex depicted on it in their slime form, great for everyday wear. The second set is something more formal looking, a good pair of brown pants with a long sleeved shirt, with a long cloak type coat. The ladies there had excellent eyes as both fit perfectly, quite pleased with how they looked, they promised to specially make Alex a third set that would be ideal for travelling in various climates.
*"Could you also find me something that works with these?"* Alex asks, taking off the t-shirt they are wearing and sprouting a pair of falcon wings from their back. They find a no sleeved shirt that has big enough holes around the arms that Alex's wings can fit through as well. They also agree to get an extra couple ready. So, set up with a good set of clothes Alex and May happily head back to the plaza to prep for their party.

Veggies and meats cooking over the campfire, the smell spreading all over the plaza. People grouped together at tables drinking and laughing together. Children running between the tables without a care in the world. Tamed creatures lounging around with others or their masters. The large fire crackling, flickering shadows cast by those sitting around it. Big logs carved in to benches circled all the way around. Alex and their group Sitting by one of those benches themselves. May, sitting on the ground leaning against the log with Alex sitting in between her legs. On one side of the log Liz and Carl on the end, the other side with Mel and Elvan on the end. Each of them happily munching away at their plates of meat and veggies, Alex nibling at a skewer themselves. Everyone is enjoying the feast, finally able to let go of all the emotions that had built up till the fight against the empire. They were all done, everyone happy to never go to war again. With the emperor dead, the individual posing the greatest threat to them all, is gone. The same set of thoughts are going through the minds of all the fighters who came back in one piece: if anyone ever threatens Zonia again, they will hunt them down like a tiger chasing a mouse.

--- End of volume 1 ---

The story continues...