I'm a Stingray?

Chapter 216: Scientific curiosity

This day had carried a lot of oddities, but what happened through these past seconds might be the toughest to comprehend - even if everything that happened today was combined to create a monstrous amount of uncertainty, it wouldn't beat what the hero saw just now.

A full and flawless skeleton dropping from the higher portions of the sea, was confusing alone itself; but it was worse how that wasn't all of which this skeleton brought along.

Because this newcomer wasn't just a rag doll, but it had the freaking ability to move! That's not how life is supposed to be! A creature of this size would require a whole system of muscles, organs and nerves to properly function. Yet this thing was proving nature itself, wrong.

This skeleton was a good half meter long and carried characteristics that would describe a stingray's body! And now it was difficult to decide what to do, because the newcomer was latching its tail off the weird-fish it had just killed.

And with a bit of effort, it swam upwards and faced the hero who was more terrified than ever. Fear was reaching new heights at the moment. He didn't even bat an eyelid before, while facing against massively terrifying sharks; but this skeleton is proving far more terrifying!

Before anything could be done, the oddity actually proved that it could talk. "Why are you afraid of me, Tim?"

Although it sounded like the creature was suffocating while asking that question, it was understandable as much as it was fascinating. Never in two lifetimes, had he expected for such a tremendous situation to occur.

He wanted to answer but felt at a loss for words. So the other spoke instead, "Don't you recognize me?"

And this time, through that horrid tone, the young boy could notice some familiarity. No wonder how deep this voice had sunk, it was always easy to recognize a tone that solely featured mockery.

So with a hunch of hesitation, he spoke out a name that was more like a question. "Dana?"

"Finally you remember who I am!" She celebrated, even leaped up a bit in sheer joy.

Feeling certain that this was a friendly even though fleshless face, he could ask. "What happened?"

"Your crystal-worm friend has revived me, can't imagine how he did it though." It was noticeable by tone that the lady was confused, because she couldn't understand what she was explaining either.

Pointing out the obvious, the latter cited. "But you don't have the rest of your body."

"Yeah, but at least I'm kinda alive you little complainer." The oddity stated, trying to remain enthusiastic.

But now she felt uncomfortable, which led to a question. "You don't mind how I am, right?"

Giving her a long glance, the best he could do was build up a lie thanks to the respect he had for this lady. "I don't mind at all, you kinda look badass now!"

"Pewww!" The young girl followed along, unleashing a heavy sigh.

Curiosity was taking over any other emotion, it led Timmy towards asking. "How are you moving though?"

Before anyone could answer, the system decided to intervene with information that was rather uncommon.

[Your senses are still rather terrible but I can see and smell that she's surrounded by powerful and yet purified radiation]

[That's what's keeping your friend's soul intact. Whatever that worm was, it had helped her more than any parent could]

"Oh the lady in your head is smart, I didn't even know that about myself." Dana suddenly stated, and had the audacity to release a mocking tone even in such a heavy sentence.

Towards that, the only thing that the hero could utter under his breath, was. "What the fuck?"

[What on earth!]

Tremendously descriptive, the skeleton expressed. "I can kinda read minds now, well at least the strong vibrations are noticeable and such. The lady in your head takes a lot of your brain space when she speaks, it's too loud not to notice."

[Well fuck] The system cussed out for the first time ever, this was just too odd and bizarre. Even someone of her esteemed intellect could not hold back.

"Well shit!" Timothy followed along, hating that someone could actually figure out his secret upon will.

"Well fadoodles." The stingray-skeleton followed along, a tad lost regarding what was going on.

[Listen to me, Dana]

[I can sense that a strong source of radiation is holding you together. But that's all it can do and it won't last forever]

[The worm has explained that you will grow in power after you touch other gems. Which specifically are the worm's body parts]

[My theory is that such a procedure will give you a long... uh, life?]

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but why are you helping me?" The oddity of nature spoke out, rather direct to the point.

[Scientific curiosity] the system answered wholeheartedly, unwilling to beat around the bush.

And continued, [I have never seen someone like you before, so my aim is to keep you alive for the sake of observation]

[You could marry my guest for all I care, just stay close to me]

The idea went smoothly up until that point, but it was painful to know that Dana could properly decipher the last portion of which the system had stated. As both the stingrays synced into a little bit of embarrassment.

But the skeleton was the only one well-mannered enough to add, "The last thing I want right now is marriage, don't need it."

And then assured, "But I don't mind staying and travelling with you all."

That was when the hero intervened, "Okay perfect, but right now we need to go check if the diamond stingrays have been revived as well."

"I didn't see any other skeletons to be honest." The bony-lady added her own bits of thoughts.

[The collector had roughed their bodies up pretty badly, I doubt they have any chances of revival]

"I still want to check it out." Timmy insisted, and afterwards they departed towards the borderline where this mess had started.

While the collector's body and the freaky-fish it had given birth to, were laying together in a bundle of dirt and sand. This battle was over and they will never have the chance to move again.