There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

45: Nu Point of View

Delta felt like she was falling into a very warm ocean.

Like an orange comet, she crashed into the depths of this pulsating ocean. The water rose as she fell. Dusty spires of rock flourished with sudden lush greenery and corals. The waters flowed with creatures that were not quite ocean appropriate nor quite understandable. Delta fell deeper and the darkness shifted.

A light at the bottom of his void pulsed as Delta drew near.

"Hello?" she called, her fingers splayed out, creating streams of disturbance as she moved closer.

The glowing pearl simply gleamed in the dark sand, the light coming from within. It felt warm, even from a distance. Delta tried to remember how an ocean was now around her.

The Mime... the hunger... the contract. It felt like a simple jigsaw puzzle where she could align the pieces and make the picture form a sensible reason for it all.

The Mime had hit the accept button and now Delta was in an alien ocean.

It made no sense yet Delta felt calm. Nervous sure but not panicky. The fear simply washed away in the gentle currents here. The Pearl pulsed and more life escaped its surface. A crab, some eel, a bird, a horse.

Orange dust fell like snow from the surface above and the pearl drew them in with a pulse and an inhalation. Delta drew closer and a flash of white and black marked eyes reflected in the surface of the pearl before the image was gone as quickly as it came.

Delta inhaled the ocean and it tasted old and yet... not treacherous..

She put a hand on the pearl the calm absence of fear persisted. It was then she noticed she had skin. Pink, somewhat pale, skin and fingers with nails.

Delta looked down and saw a real hand on her other arm. She could she her shirt...

The Pearl glowed again and then the ocean was gone. A familiar scene appeared and Delta stood in front of a far less faded purple and orange circus tent. She looked around and saw it wasn't in the cave where she had found it but on some rocky hill. Light's danced from inside the tent and the night sky above danced with an ocean of stars in shapes and clouds that made Delta fell so small but she inhaled and wanted to just hold the image tight. She had not seen the sky in what felt like such a long time...

Noise distracted her and people appeared from the line of trees near the bottom of the hill. Delta felt the first stab of startlement as the burly men's faces looked blurred, like a badly developed picture. One of them cursed and it sounded like he was underwater. Delta looked around and saw that some of the trees didn't look quite right, unfinished in some manner.

The stars above them seemed to rearrange themselves as if not quite happy with where they were.

The two men called out, a few words making it to Delta.

"Rin-... got us a li-...-ite me, the cheeky bugger," one of the men guffawed and they carried a cage between them.

Delta moved back as if the men would stop to stare at her or demand to know who she was.

But they moved past, flickering in and out of reality, clothes not quite solid as if the style changed slightly every second.

Delta felt confused by the scene until she saw the thing in the cage.

A near naked creature with barely enough skin or muscle to form anything human. It snapped and snarled with an exposed mouth, tiny pointy teeth and black gums. It looked around and Delta, in her head, applied white paint to the creature and a hat.

It was the Mime but... it wasn't a mime in this scene.

Someone poked her and Delta screeched, flying forward as if the touch had burned her. She spun and saw the Mime standing there behind her, fully grown and...mime-y. It put a finger to thin lips and pointed.

Delta slowly followed it's finger to see a much more defined man leaning over the cage.

A rather slender figure, the man twirled a very elegant moustache and smiled. His black trousers and bright cheery red suit top made him a striking figure.

"A interesting fellow, caught it snacking on our... ex-sword swallower?" he finished with a wince as if not wanting to dwell on the idea. One of the men said something and pulled out his sword, the young Mime screeched and rattled the cage with feeble strength. It looked so thin, just like how Delta had found him.

The red man frowned and slapped the sword out of the blurry man's hands, scoffing.

"Clearly, someone needs to spend some time cleaning the Tyrant Ape's bedding. Get to it, he'll return after hunting soon and he does not like to be disturbed when eating," the man sniffed and the scolded man ducked his head, moving into the unfinished part of the world.

The Mime moved forward to examine his younger self in the cage, still shrieking. Delta could definitely see much more masculine features now that his body had filled out and lost the sickeningly gaunt appearance it had when she had found him.

His strange pale and smooth face had not changed but his throat and arms seemed to fill out and thicken. Not exactly muscular but he had a wiry feel to him and actually fit his suit now.

The Mime moved on and stood next to the red man and bowed his head.

The red man's hands moved through the Mime as he talked, like a ghost.

"Now, I know what you need, my young friend," the man chuckled and pulled out a wrapped package from his pocket.

"Now, I was going to give this to my other beasties but I think you could use some cheering up, my little ghoul friend" he smiled and opened the package.

A purple steak rested on the crinkled paper and the smell made the young Mime paused in his fearful screaming. It sniffed and, without eyes, locked on to the meat easily.

"Go on, the circus has had worse things than you, my young friend, do not be shy," he encouraged and put the meat near the cage and withdrew his hand.

The young Mime pounced on it, snarling and chomping like an animal.

The real Mime put a hand to the red man's cheek and it passed through but the Mime just held it there as if to try and feel something.

"He... was your friend?" Delta said, breaking the scene like a dozen butterflies, the colours and sounds all fading away as if some spell had been broken. The darkness was brief but the Mime looked... terribly sad as the vanishing of the red man pained him.

He only nodded and another scene appeared.

Delta saw the young Mime again and gasped as the red man, still as wonderfully elegant as ever, lead him around by the hand. The young Mime had his black and white makeup but still dressed like a human boy of his age, if boys dressed in brown suspenders and white shirts and red ties.

Delta followed the scene with delight and the Mime sat on the grass next to her, utterly happy as he saw the scene unfold. He tapped Delta and directed her gaze to something.

It was a small sign next to the circuses main sign. A list of attractions was listed, a twin-headed ogre strong man and sketch performer... at the same time. A half siren, half magical banker. She sang about really good taxes, according to the sign and near the bottom was a quickly drawn sign tacked on.

"Renny's Silent Show! Come see the Ghoul perform with just his smile!"

"Renny... your name is Renny?" Delta turned back and the Mime did a little half-bow from where he sat.

"Nice name, how did you get it?" Delta asked, wondering how the Mime would explain it without words.

The Mime simply pointed to the biggest sign of them all.

Delta looked up and up until she was craning her neck.

"Renaird's Fantastical and Fabulous Circus!"

The Mime then pointed to the man in the red and back to the sign and smiled a smile that showed his many teeth. Delta smiled weakly back at the sight but nodded slowly.

"He gave you his name? He-" she paused then saw Renaird lift Renny onto a small box and sat down in a prepared single chair.

"Now, give me your best! I paid good money for this show!" the owner of the circus winked and young Renny saluted and began to push against an invisible wall. Delta grinned as the young ghoul clearly was moving his hands slightly. Renaird's smile was patient and he applauded as the young ghoul did a slight rope pull with a nice yank.

"Wow.. you really needed to practise," Delta teased and turned to see the Mime sitting on an invisible couch, legs curled and back relaxed. He tilted his head as if asking her to repeat herself.

Delta smiled and the Mime patted the space next him and Delta stood and with excitement sat down, crashing to the flickering grass on her ass.

The Mime stood and bent over slapping his knee.

"Hey! That was mean!" she called and the scene began to fade again.

She stood but the Mime's silent laugh was somehow infectious and she ended up chuckling.

She stopped when the next scene appeared.

---

"Delta! Delta! Where Did she go!?" Ruli demanded, the orange glowing cocoon surrounding the Mime preventing anyone from looking in.

It was this scene that Nu had returned to.

He groaned and flexed stiff aching extensions of himself, not using to feeling so out of shape. He looked around, confused as he wasn't quite sure why he was here. There were people, there were no challenges... and yet, here he was.

The loud child, Deo was fishing out the golem and Nu felt still odd so he stretched again. He scratched his nose.

He sighed and then stopped scratching.

Itching needed a nose... in which he needed fingers to scratch it with.

He moved the hand away from his face and stared at the clumsy looking digits. He wriggled them and they indeed... wriggled.

"My ones and zeros have become... tentacles, tiny meaty looking tentacles," he said aghast and looked down to see two stubby things.

Feet, he had flipping feet!

Nu spun and fell over.

There was silence and Nu looked up to see everyone looking at him. He stared back for a long moment and then saw that his new shell was a deep blue, it was akin to what Delta looked to him but lacking the annoying bouncy hair, and the flowy skirt.

"HELLO!" Deo waved and Nu spun and spluttered.

He gathered himself and spoke.

"Uuhuhh," he managed, the thing in his mouth flapping. He calmed himself and tried again.

"Heeelllo," he said and nodded. Talking was not so hard and he rolled over to try to stand. It semi-worked.

"Master Nu!" Devina called, the box holding her breaking as she pushed. Rale, his stomach covered in a large growing bruise, kneeled next to him.

"Master Nu, how is this possible?" he asked and Nu could only ask the same question.

"Dell...Delta, wheer is Delta?" he demanded and all his boxes felt like lost sheep, scattered to the four corners of his awareness. He scowled and pulsed his power. Things snapped into view, his usual list of gains, loses, potentials.

He managed to stand and a long tie flopped against his shirt.

"The intruder! Mother..." Rale waved his hands and Deo looked at them as the golem tilted its head and a stream of water began to pour out its ear.

"YOU'RE NU? I LIKE YOUR SIGNPOSTS! THEY GIVE GOOD ADVICE!" Deo nodded, Nu felt his annoyance at the child fade as he spoke the honest truth but then Ruli's shadow fell over him.

He looked up and up into the glowing eyes of the woman, her horns making her already intimidating features more so.

"Where is Delta?" she asked quietly and Nu felt her words settle around him like iron weights. He scowled and crossed his arms.

"Give me a second to get used to whatever stupid stunt Delta had done now and then I will get right to serving you, I forget my place as your butler," he said and Ruli raised one brow.

"Sassy little dungeon thing, aren't you?" she asked, tail whipping dangerously. Nu adjusted his tie and noticed his feet were flaking away rather fast. He felt relief flooding him, soon he would be back in his normal form.

He moved and felt odd having his sight at the top of this form and not in the centre... how annoying, how was he supposed to be aware of all his spots if he could not see both around and inside out?

No wonder Delta walked around like a blind duck that had its brain removed. This state was just... just... ugh.

Nu scowled and looked at the glowing orange cocoon. He could felt Delta, her entire being focused on that single spot.

"Of course, she just jumped into something unknown and I, of course, have to fill in whatever mundane tasks she usually performs, like being a mouth breather and pretending I like any of you. I want a contract, I want terms!" he snapped and Ruli picked him up, his avatar flaking badly as she held him to eye level.

"Can you fix this? She contracted the bloody Mime!" she snapped and Nu narrowed his eyes.

"Lady, I am in no mood to put up with you, put me down or I will do something unpleasant," he warned and Ruli looked unimpressed.

"I will put a damn timer on that pond and you will have to wait between fish," he threatened and he was promptly dropped on his ass again.

He had a buttocks, ugh... if other dungeon menus saw him now... Nu wanted to bang the ground or screech at someone.

Instead, he focused on the contract dome.

"The Mime tried to eat her and she employed it. I rather like her work ethic but there is such a thing as planning or thinking or maybe 'we can always get another Mime that won't eat us'. Fine, fine... let's see," he mumbled and tapped the dome. It didn't yield and Nu gathered his will and focused.

"I am the...substitute Dungeon Core! I demand my annoying core back!" he ordered. The dome ignored him and a box appeared to him.

So... that was how it looked with human eyes. Nifty.