Enemies or Friends?

My face projected anger, but my mind was calm.

To these kidnappers, the numerous arcing streaks of lightning were like a chaotic ball of living thread, squirming in any which direction.

To me, each strand was firmly within my control as I weaved the charge into a dancing spiral. But I wasn't sure where this control came from; it was like half the work was being done for me...

The memory of my awakening popped into my mind, and the ringing of the system in my ears was more prescient than the shout of pain that came from my creepy carrier over there.

Spotting him shift his leg forward, I launched several scales; a swath of the swirling static carried with it, while I slid back against the ground to gain some distance.

These... Demons, I was sure, appeared powerful. So my aim was not to hurt them but to buy some time and see what awoke me so suddenly.

I flicked my eyes to the side, and the emerald window fluttered into existence for what I was sure was me alone.

_That's... New..._

The puzzlement was brief, as I quickly clicked on the practically jittering 'class' that now shone more boldly than the rest.

[[Suitable source nearby: This space has locked in the Opase-field of a Crystallised Source Fruit.]

[Condition for Special-Black Grade Class, 'Emulser':

[Enyin: 25]

[Exyin: 25]

[Direct Absorption of the fruit...]

[This is a recommended course of action.]]

I wasn't sure how to feel.

_Special-Black?_

_Opase-field?_

_Recommended?_

_Am I being used here..?_

_And a fruit?! Super-powered fruit does sound appetising to my currently void stomach at least._

Before my impish instincts could let my mind wonder further, I snapped my focus to the woman now strutting in front.

As expected, the one to my left dissolved my attacks with his magic with ease, and I could see the faint remnants of darkness clinging to the ground like some lightless flame.

But I couldn't focus on him. The other had pulled out some strange weapon from behind her waist, and it... was made of her hair?

It seemed short, weak even, but I rattled my scales, and a shallow static ran across my body in tandem with the instinctive growl that left my lips. For some reason, I didn't like the confident... no, controlling—look in her eyes.

I watched as she ran her fingers through the blood-red threads. As she did so, a dawn glow emerged from within, and the strings grew at an alarming pace. She did nothing, only staring in my direction as if giving me the room to decide.

_Well, I want to stay here if I can and get my hands on this delicious power fruit._

She looked a little amused that I had not changed my posture in the slightest. It was irritating—the kind of look you would give a petulant child.

I crunched my shoulder in irritation. I wanted to stay somehow, and it didn't look like they wanted to hurt me. But I didn't want to make it too easy for them either.

_I am certainly not a petulant child._

Surprisingly, she raised her other arm and drew some kind of intricate array of curves into the air. I could see nothing though; _perhaps it's my lacklustre mana sense._

Before I could make a move, a seed of intense calm sprouted in my mind, like numerous roots digging through my sense of self and forcing my emotions in a certain direction.

I slammed my head into the ground at the disgustingly perverse sensation. Both a cry of surprise and another ringing entered my ears.

[[System Derived Prerogative: Complete Control]

The system is under the control of user: Syrin. Unintentional psychological manipulation is an implicit use of the system and will be actively removed.]

She was stunned, and I had a little time to read over the message.

_So she tried to influence my actions in some way? Wait... but sleep doesn't count?_

I wasn't given the time to ponder over the implications of such an ability; the demoness had begun to move, and I found myself too wary of their intentions to give in easily.

With a thought, a thin sheet of spherical lightning shot out from my body. The energy excitably tore throughout the air and tugged on a strange crimson tinged aura. Before, it was calm, so calm that I hadn't even noticed it. Yet the lightning threw it into a frenzy, and I found that the burden of her magic had lightened.

The aura tore itself into fragments. They shrank in on themselves and grew brighter and brighter as they did, until they formed into a sparse, crystal rain, illuminating the dark cobbled path and revealing every flaw and harsh inflection.

It was a fleeting atmosphere, and it left me slightly blinded; what remained was a charred web that painted the stone beneath me.

The two demons looked at me with incredulity.

That attack was surprisingly tiring; I just kept pouring my strength in.

_Well, they haven't retaliated yet; perhaps I can see what they want from me or find a good time to escape. I'll always know this place is here then, and can come back when I'm stronger—perhaps I could steal this fruit at that time._

_For all I know, this special class is the only one I'll ever find, and they seem permanent._

All of a sudden, the woman flung her strange hair whip in my direction, and I watched different strands whirl through the air, transforming into ropes and slithering like snakes on whatever magical currents kept them afloat.

I could have reacted, but I didn't really care to move—it didn't look like a damaging attack.

Strangely, the life faded from the attack, and it fell back to the ground. In but a moment, the strands retracted inwards towards her hand once more.

I raised a scaly eyebrow, only to see the man looking at the girl with a strange expression after saying something I couldn't understand. Her response was equally incomprehensible, but fortunately, her less than subtle use of body language seemed to convey that she had done it intentionally; she then gave a shrug in response to another question, which seemed to show that she couldn't grasp my actions at all.

A maniacal grin crossed my face while I pictured a beautiful divine fruit laden with power for the taking...

_Emulser... could be some kind of evolution to Synergist, but perhaps that's underselling it._

I looked up, and it seemed my wicked grin had been interpreted in a radically different light. They appeared to think I respected their power or something, with how they were strutting over all willy-nilly like my personal space belonged to them.

_Hmph, then don't mind if I take it for granted._

I quickly grasped hold of the demoness's hair and climbed my way up.

"Ah, ah."

She let out a slight shriek of surprise, and the man followed up with some loud, probably offensive language.

He even tried to hit me off, but she quickly turned to the side after recovering. His arm swiped through the air, and his anger faded into confusion.

He looked quite defeated at this point. I almost felt bad for him, except I remembered the vague feeling of being carried like mere luggage, and the thought quickly fell from my mind.

I scampered my way up, one leg on her shoulder, and one hand resting on the top of her head.

I looked forward expectantly, but I could see her looking up at me from the corner of her eye, an eyebrow raised, and faint exasperation decorating her face.

The two of them exchanged more words, and I looked down while bouncing slightly in tandem with her laugh.

Tapping her head lightly in response, the laugh drifted off, and I flinched suddenly at the smooth, pale-red hand that reached up and stroked the scales on my head.

It was strange. I didn't particularly mind it, but it felt a bit demeaning at the same time. So I just let it happen, not leaning into nor away from the warmth.

_I hadn't been alive very long, but the endlessly grey, unchanging cavern quickly drains your mood and sanity._

_Well, whatever, let's just see what's inside._