Wandering Wonderland: Mochi Madness

“Let’s go get your body! Lumi will show you the ropes while I finish up my little project. You’re going to love it” She spun on her heels, her flaming hair flicking in the air as she began to float lazily toward the kitchen.

Bo blinked, confused. “Project? Which project?”

Lucy didn’t answer, instead humming to herself as she floated ahead, her wings barely making a sound as they moved. Bo hesitated but eventually followed after her, still trying to process everything that had just happened. Whatever she had planned, it was probably best he didn’t know right now. The thought alone sent a shiver through him. Is she planning to…?

They entered the kitchen—a chaotic mixture of old alchemical tools and what looked like futuristic kitchen appliances thrown together in disorganized harmony. Most of Lucy’s attention was focused on a large, pillow-like lump of dough sitting at the bottom of the cauldron. It looked soft, smooth, and strangely glossy. Bo could swear he had seen it wiggle by itself, almost as if it were alive. He watched as Lucy went back to pounding the dough with her comically oversized hammer, sparks of magic flying off the surface with every hit.

Bo grimaced. “What exactly is that for?”

Lucy looked over her shoulder with an amused grin. “You’ll find out soon enough.” She then addressed Lumi, “Lumi, my gift.”

Before Bo could respond, Lumi, who had been hovering near Lucy, approached him as she began to glow brighter, shifting her form slightly. A small, childlike version of Lumi appeared beside her, like a miniature clone of the original orb.

This one had a much gentler glow, with soft silver light flowing around its metallic core, which gleamed faintly in the kitchen’s dim light. Bo watched as the orb hovered closer, suddenly revealing a pair of timid eyes. It blinked at him, shyly retreating behind its own shimmering glow.

“W-What is this thing?” Bo stammered.

Lumi’s voice, soft and motherly, echoed through the air. “This is your personal companion, her name is Aeri.” Lumi explained. “I created her to guide you closely and assist you in everyday tasks, protecting you when needed. She’s a newborn, but she will be loyal to you, Bo. You’ll soon see how useful she can be. I only ask that you show her the same care and trust that she will for you. As for her personality… Lucy made it so it would adjust to your own self…”

Bo’s ‘eyes’ widened in surprise. “My own personal companion?”

The orb, now known as Aeri, gave a tiny nod, its glow pulsing slightly with a pinkish hue. “H-Hello…” Aeri’s voice was soft and hesitant, almost whispering. “I… I’m here to help… y-you. B-But don’t get the wrong idea! It’s not like I want to help you or anything. I… I just have to.”

Lucy stifled a laugh, her wings fluttering slightly as she leaned in to roll her dough with a massive, golden spoon. “It seems Aeri’s personality adapted to your soul. Cute, isn’t she?”

Bo watched as little Aeri twirled around him, her playful energy infectious. “Well, she’s… Kinda cute.”

“Cute?!” Aeri huffed, her glow flaring for a brief moment. “I’m not c-cute! I’m powerful! M-Maybe not as powerful as Mother, b-but I’m still a superior being and your teacher! Show some respect!”

Lumi’s voice returned, this time with a hint of surprise. “I never expected this outcome…”

Bo rubbed the back of his ethereal head. “Great. So, now I’ve got a shy, tsundere teacher. What’s next? Is she going to call me an idiot every time I ask for help?”

Aeri puffed up slightly, floating closer to him. “Idiot! Just because you’re… stupid and slow doesn’t mean I won’t help you! Hmph!” Aeri’s glow flickered, clearly flustered.

“She actually called me an idiot…” Bo muttered under his breath.

Lucy grinned. “Don’t be fooled. It might be cute now, but that little one is more powerful than you’d think.”

Bo felt a flicker of hope for the first time since arriving in this bizarre world. Maybe things weren’t as hopeless as he had thought. “Alright then...”

Lumi’s voice softened, guiding the conversation back on track. “Aeri will assist you in understanding the basics of the system. For now, many features are unavailable, as your soul still lacks a physical form. However, she will show you the current available perks.”

Aeri hesitated for a moment, then floated toward Bo’s soul, casting a gentle light over him. “O-Okay, let’s get started. Try to keep up, okay?”

Bo nodded, more amused than anything. “Lead the way, Aeri.”

Suddenly, Bo’s vision shifted. Information began to overlay itself across his ethereal sight, like a digital heads-up display from a game. Everything was neatly categorized: his soul status, basic attributes, and a set of grayed-out options labeled “Abilities,” “Skills,” “Inventory,” and a bunch of other stuff. Everything was there, just waiting to be unlocked once he had a proper body.

“This is… Incredible,” Bo murmured, his awe genuine as he stared at the interface. “It’s like something out of a game.”

“Hmph, of— of course it’s impressive! Mother made it all possible, and Creator Lucy designed it.” Aeri stuttered, her glow pulsing slightly with pride. “But don’t get distracted! This is serious business!”

Bo grinned. “Right, right. Got it.”

There was an inventory system, which Aeri explained was more advanced than he’d ever seen. “Your inventory can store items, materials, and even living creatures… As long as they agree to be stored,” Aeri felt clearly proud of that feature. “It doesn’t have an infinite capacity, so only I can organize it, don’t even think about messing it up!”

“Wait—inventory?” Bo’s eyes lit up. “Like a bag of holding?”

Lucy giggled again, watching as Bo fumbled with excitement. “Oh, you have no idea what you’ve just unlocked. Lumi’s inventory is… Special.”

Bo raised an eyebrow. “Also, living creatures? Really?”

Aeri felt flustered again. “W-Well, spirit creatures, pets, magical beings. B-But that’s not important right now! Focus!”

Lucy’s voice chimed in, clearly amused. “I suppose you’ll find that feature useful at some point in time.”

Bo’s grin widened. “Just this bag—inventory is incredible enough.”

Lucy, still pounding the dough, threw a quick glance over her shoulder. “Don’t get too excited. You’re still a weak little soul for now. Even with your new body...”

Bo felt as if she had thrown a vat of cold water over him.

Aeri floated around him, her glow pulsating softly, still bashful yet determined. “There’s… A lot more to the system than just abilities and an inventory, you know,” she mumbled, clearly trying to regain her confidence after their earlier interaction.

Bo’s curiosity piqued. “Oh? What else does it have?”

Aeri’s glow flickered slightly, almost as if she were blushing. “W-Well, there are other functions… Things you might find… Useful.”

“Useful how?” Bo asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

In response, a small pop-up screen appeared in front of him, showing a series of icons. Each one was labeled with simple but intriguing names: Map, Quests, Compendium, Notes, Messages, Notifications, Titles, Achievements, Store, Languages, among others.

Aeri floated closer, pointing at the Map icon. “For example… The Map function. It’s not unlocked completely yet, but once you have a body, it’ll show you detailed layouts of wherever you are. You can also mark important locations or even set reminders for quests and goals.”

Bo blinked. “So… Like a video game minimap?”

Aeri fidgeted a little. “K-Kind of. But it’s more than that. It can track certain things—danger zones, hidden paths… Anything that would be useful to you while exploring. It will display these things in the actual world, like augmented reality…” She trailed off shyly.

“Alright, that’s cool,” Bo muttered, eyeing the inactive map display. “What’s next?”

Aeri hovered toward the next icon—Compendium. “This one’s pretty important. The Compendium logs everything you learn, see, or interact with. It’ll store information on creatures, items, people, and places you encounter. It’s like having an encyclopedia in your head… Except it’s even better since it automatically updates when new data is collected.”

Bo grinned. “An auto-updating knowledge base? That’s amazing! Way more useful than having to write stuff down myself.”

Aeri bobbed slightly, her glow pulsing with a bit more confidence. “Y-Yes. It’s very handy, especially when you explore areas rich in history or face creatures you don’t know much about. The Compendium will log everything for you, so you can review it anytime.”

Bo scrolled through the Compendium briefly, noticing that a few entries were already there, such as one for Lucy and another for Lumenis and Aeri. There were brief descriptions under each, though most of the details were locked. There were also some for the creatures he had met underground…

“I’m guessing I’ll unlock more as I learn?” Bo asked, and Aeri nodded quickly.

“E-Exactly. And you can add your own notes to entries if you want. That’s what the Notes function is for.” Aeri pointed to the Notes icon, her glow softening. “It’s… Personal. Completely private for just you. You can record anything, like a journal or just thoughts you want to keep track of.”

Bo grinned again. “Huh. A personal journal? Never thought I’d have time for that, but I suppose if the system makes it easy, why not?”

Next, Aeri gestured toward Messages. “This function is… For communication. Once you connect with others—those who are part of the system, like Lucy or… Anyone else who becomes connected—you can send and receive messages in real-time.”

Bo blinked. “Wait, so it’s like an interdimensional chat system?”

Aeri nodded. “Y-Yes, but it’s… Private. Only those who have permission can message you.”

He noticed the entire system had been designed with a very… Lucy-esque flair. When opening the chat, it was accompanied by a flurry of animated Lucy-shaped emotes you could send whenever it was activated. Bo chuckled at that one.

Aeri continued her tour, highlighting a few more game-like functions, including a friend system that allowed him to track those whom he had met and befriended. As Aeri showed it off, she added, “B-But don’t let it go to your head! It’s just a tool for tracking friends, not… Anything else!”

“Right,” Bo said, chuckling softly. “Wouldn’t want that.”

Lastly, Aeri presented him with a journal feature. “This will automatically log any quests, tasks, or important events that you come across,” she explained, her glow brightening slightly. “It’s very useful! S-So don’t lose it or ignore it!”

Bo stared at the holographic journal floating beside him. “How do you lose a digital journal?”

“I-Idiot!” Aeri huffed. “Just… Make sure you don’t!”

As the system tour wrapped up, Bo couldn’t help but feel a sense of amazement. Despite the playful and quirky nature of Aeri, the system was powerful—well-organized and filled with potential.

“Not bad,” Bo said, nodding to himself. “I think I can work with this.”

Lucy glanced back at him, her devilish smile returning. “Oh, you’ll do more than work with it. You’ll live by it.”

Bo wasn’t sure if that was a promise or a threat.

Aeri floated closer, her shy demeanor returning. “I-I’ll do my best to help you, even if you’re kind of slow… And… An idiot.”

Bo couldn’t help but grin. “Thanks, Aeri.”

Lucy’s wings fluttered as she glanced back at the cauldron. “Alright, Aeri, make sure he doesn’t break anything. I’m almost done with this.”

Bo’s curiosity flared again as he glanced at the squishy and wiggling dough. “What… Exactly are you making, anyway?”

Lucy’s smile turned wicked. “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough. Don’t worry. Just focus on your system for now.”

Bo swallowed nervously, his eyes drifting back to the glowing system interface in front of him. He had a feeling that whatever Lucy was making, it wasn’t going to be something he liked.

“And Notifications?” Bo asked, glancing at the next icon.

“That’s where all important updates, quest completions, warnings, or new information will pop up,” Aeri explained. “It keeps you informed without you needing to manually check all the time. You’ll get notifications for achievements, progress, and warnings about danger zones or threats.”

As Bo continued exploring the system’s various features, another icon caught his eye—Languages. His curiosity piqued, he selected it, and a new interface popped up in front of him, revealing a long list of languages—both familiar and utterly alien. Some he recognized: French, German, Japanese—while others, like Elvish, Primordial, and Draconic, seemed like something out of a fantasy game.

His soul pulsed with excitement. “Wait… I can learn all these?” He turned to Aeri, eyes wide.

Aeri floated a little closer, her shy glow flickering. “Y-Yes. Once you’re connected to the system properly, you’ll be able to access the language function. You can start learning by completing quests or finding language tomes.”

Bo stared at the list, awe-struck. “So I could actually learn Elvish, or even Primordial?”

Aeri nodded, a hint of pride creeping into her voice. “Y-Yes. You’ll gain proficiency as you complete related tasks or quests. You can even practice with simulated dialogues.”

Before Bo could respond, Lucy’s voice chimed in from across the room, dripping with amusement. “Isn’t that nice? Maybe you can finally stop being so… limited.” She punctuated the last word with a mocking tone as she continued to smash her hammer into the cauldron.

Bo grimaced, glancing at Lucy. “It’s not my fault I only know one language. You can’t expect everyone to be a language genius.”

Lucy giggled, her devilish grin spreading. “Oh, but I can expect it. One language, and it’s English of all things? Pitiful.” She sighed dramatically, as though the very thought of him being so linguistically inept weighed heavily on her.

Bo’s frustration grew. “It’s a common language! On Earth, at least. And, uh… I never really needed more than that, I think...” Even until now, he couldn’t remember anything from his past life…

Lucy waved her hand dismissively, her laughter ringing out like the sound of tinkling bells. “I can’t decide if that’s just sad or amusing. Here you are, in the midst of a universe where people communicate with magic, celestial tongues, and primordial scripts that could melt your brain… And you speak English. How quaint.”

He felt a twinge of indignation but couldn’t deny the allure of the Languages function. “Well… I’m about to change that,” he muttered, scrolling through the list again. There were hundreds—no, thousands—of languages waiting for him to learn.

Lucy’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she turned back to her cauldron. “I’ll look forward to hearing you butcher the basics of Sylvan. Maybe you’ll finally be worthy of a conversation in something more… Sophisticated.”

Bo shot her a defiant look, though he couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement at the possibilities. Hundreds of languages… He was going to need to get started right away. Maybe even start with something simple, like Japanese—or even Sylvan, just to prove a point. Poor Bo thought Sylvan was a simple language…

As he stared at the long list of languages waiting for him, a new thought crossed his mind—this system wasn’t just about survival. It was about growth. A path to becoming something more than he ever thought possible.

Bo’s interest deepened as he explored the various sections of the system, but before he could delve too much further, Aeri floated closer, her glow a bit brighter now.

“D-Don’t worry,” she whispered, her usual tsundere attitude momentarily softened. “Once you get a body and more things unlock, you’ll understand how… Amazing this system is. It’s… Meant to help you grow. Just… Don’t think you can take it lightly, okay?”

Bo smiled softly at Aeri’s sudden earnestness. “Thanks, Aeri. I’ll make sure to do my best.”

Lucy’s voice suddenly cut in, reminding him that she had been listening the entire time. “Aww, how sweet. You two are bonding! Just wait until you’re running errands and trying to survive the things I have lined up for you. This system will be your lifeline… If you survive long enough to appreciate it.”

Bo’s heart—or what was left of it—sank slightly at her words. “Right… Errands and survival. I forgot I’m now a minion…”

Lucy’s mischievous laughter echoed through the room as she turned back to her cauldron. “Oh, don’t worry so much, it’ll be fun~”

Bo shook his head, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension as he took in the system’s features. Despite the strangeness of it all, he couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of anticipation. This world was crazy, but… It also seemed really interesting.

Just maybe, he had a shot at surviving whatever this was that he’d been dragged into.

Next... Was the matter of his new body...