I open my eyes, there knocking on my door. It's Thane, Alicia behind him. Her heart rate is above normal.

  “Scratches, can you hear me?”

  I don't feel like getting up, I'm spent emotionally. I create my illusions, I suspect they will be coming in. The guild master uses a key to open my door. He steps inside, sees me and rushes to my side. Alicia follows after and closes the door. I think I panicked the guild master with my bloody clothes.

  “Scratches?”

  My ears flick up and towards him. I then notice the various smells that are on his body. That's really weird. He is looking at me with wide eyes. It's Alicia who speaks first.

  “Why does Scratches have cat ears?”

  My mind goes blank, my illusion must be showing both. It probably looks rather bizarre.

  “Do you want to explain it?”

  Thane asks the serious question, his mana finishes healing what the potion did not. I squeeze my eyes close and then explain.

  “I have a skill that subconsciously changes my body based on the things I receive experience from.”

  She rushes over and pulls on my ears. Ow, I try to swipe her hand away from me. Thane catches my wrist and pushes Alicia back.

  “Careful Scratches, your nails aren't blunt anymore.”

  He releases my wrist and I look at my nails, their claws now, sharp, and iron. I start to shudder. I croak out a question.

  “What else?”

  “Well, your ears are feline now, your eyes pupils match your magic ones, your nose interior isn't human anymore and you seem to have open two ducts into the roof of your mouth. Your stomach seems different than before, I suspect you can eat raw meat if you so desired. And your canine teeth are far larger than before. O and you have a tail now.”

  I look down and see a black and blue stripe tail with flecks of gold peppering it. It is almost twice as long as my leg, it's absurd. Who needs an illusion now after so much has changed. I flick my teeth with my tongue, gah those are sharp.

  “Are there any races that match what I look like?”

  “The Pimar match most of your features but they have fur.”

  “What sort of race would a partially infused Pimar have?”

  Thane thinks on this. “Chimera would still be the safest for you.”

  I nod. Alicia has been quiet the whole time. Her hand is bleeding. I can smell the blood. It's on my left ear and her hand.

  “Um [Guild Master], I think She who Preys cut her hand on my ears.”

  He goes over and heals her hand. Alicia finally talks again.

  “Doll, how are you not freaking out right now.”

  I give her a sad smile, "It's not the first time.”

  She stares blankly at me for a moment, then has an epiphany, “You have iron bones from that rabbit you killed, and hair, oh my system no wonder you weigh a ton.”

  I am about to pinch the bridge of my noses when the guild master grabs my wrist again. My eyes widen at the claws that almost gouge my face.

  “How much does an iron file cost?”

  “Its going to have to be stronger than iron for this. If you offer the shavings perhaps you can borrow one.”

  I think of how fast my hair grows when I eat.

  “It won't work, eating will just replace the claws just like my hair is replaced.”

  I close my eyes and focus, I need my blunt nails back. Claws get in the way, I can't manipulate tools with them. I need my fingers to be what they were. I focus on those thoughts. My fingers burn. When I look again the claws have fallen off.

  You have gained [Soul Etching] Basic 7

  Gain 10 exp

  “Oh if you can change back, why not the rest?”

  I murmur the answer, my ears flattening against my head, “I have to be able to fully believe they aren't beneficial to remove a trait.”

  She rushes to hug me, “Oh my system you are so adorable, you've gone from a doll to a cat.”

  I almost wish the claws were back. I sigh and adjust my illusion to my hair, nails, eyes and skin. I remove my earrings, and use the adventurer ring to hide my Quintarl?ne from my status sheet.

  “So how weird is it, if I just start going around like this?”

  “There are not too many people who know who Scratches is, and since you are a mage they might just think you're practicing illusions. The fact that your hair and nails are being obscured, will sell it more.”

  “Wait, purple is not your hair color?”

  I use my illusion magic to change the color of my tail to match my head, I hope she didn't notice it.

  “Aw, I liked it being striped.”

  I squint at her, and she just squeals.

  “Your ears do the most adorable things when your mood changes.”

  I just sigh. “What time is it? I haven't eaten yet.”

  Alicia starts to pull me to the door.

  “She who Preys, I suggest letting Scratches change her top before you drag her out. She is still covered in blood.”

  “O, sorry.”

  -----

  “Bwahaha, so now you're a cat girl.” Thanks Stomp.

  Titters and Alicia swoon when my ears flatten against my head. I just sigh as I watch them. I relax my ears. My hearing about as sensitive as before but now it's directional, before I still had to turn my head to hear something clearer before, now my ears turn.

  When the meal arrives its mystery meat again. Except now I can tell its three different meats. Opening my mouth to take a mouthful gives me an even deeper range of the smells. I put my fork down and cradle my head.

  “You alright there Scratches?”

  “Sorry, sensory overload, my sense of smell is like super strong now, and I got nostrils on the roof of my mouth.”

  Alicia rubs my shoulder, her hand sweat leaving a lingering trace of her smell on my clothing. I try my best to ignore it. Eating takes awhile, I'm not going to attempt to push my skill this time. Titters puts a bag of coins on the table. I look up, she pushes it towards me. I stop the bag.

  “I only agreed to a small silver.”

  “You didn't agree to getting mauled by a tiger, besides how am I supposed to entice a tier two to join our party?”

  I cock my head to the side, Alicia swoons again, “Why do you need a fourth person who can read?”

  Titters says the next in a low voice that only the table can hear, “I don't mean your adventurer rank.”

  Stomps spits out his drink and looks aghast at what was said. I just stare wide eyed. Alicia is looking contemplative.

  “My lady.” Stomps recovers in the worst way possible.

  I just groan, and slump down my arms shielding my head from any possible stares. Alicia scratches me behind my ears, I want to swat her hand away but it feels really good. Oh my system, I'm purring, I don't shift though. My toes curls in my boots, my claws rip through the front of my boots and scrape the floor. I jump up as the high pitch squeal it makes hurts my ear. When I land on the bench, it collapses and I fall onto my back, making a large slamming sound.

  Seems my toes remain deadly, my reasoning for blunt fingernails obviously didn't cover them. I look at my ruined boots and sigh. Thane is above me now.

  “You're paying for the bench.”

  “How much?”

  “Five large silver.”

  I groan again. I'm short by a few smalls.

  “We'll cover for our newest team member.” Titters volunteers.

  My groan gets louder.

  -----

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  I only had to borrow one large silver from my new party. They dragged me to a small cottage they were renting. They told me there was no point in me wasting half a small silver at the guild when I could chip in two large coppers to stay with them. Stomps tried to carry my box and bag saying it was the chivalrous thing to do. When he strained to pick it up, he asked what the hell was in it.

  “Just some hair.”

  He looks at me incredulously, I pick up the bag with the braid and walk out of my old room. The house they lead me to is fairly run down. There is a backyard but it's all rather cramped. Before we enter, a young man calls out to us. He hasn't bathed in days.

  “Oy, have the adventurers picked up a stray, you know new pets require licensin’ fees.”

  “Birg, we aren't giving anymor' to ya or your gang, we're far beyond your threats now.” Alicia bellows back.

  “Ah don't say tha’ luv’, you might be strong enough when you’ around but ya ain’ always around.”

  Titters chimes in, “We’re already paid up for the month.”

  Both Preys and Stomps look at Titters, annoyed.

  “Righ’ three of ya hav’. But now there a fourth.”

  I walk towards the foul smelling man. My tail swinging back and forth. It's very weird but if I don't pay attention to it, it just does whatever. I'll need to get it and my ears under control before I become an attendant again.

  “If you guess my weight within fifty pounds, I'll pay double the rate, you fail, you ignore my friend's new pet.” I smile at him.

  He smiles back, “You best ready to pay, you ain’ more than seven five.”

  “Errrk wrong.”

  “Thats not quit’ fai’ luv, lying to git out of fees ain’ goin’ mak’ you friends.”

  “Pick me up.”

  “Eh?”

  “If I weigh around seventy-five pounds then you should be able to pick me up. I just ate so do go by my armpits and not my waist.” And I don't need him reaching through my illusion.

  When he struggles to lift me from my armpits, I jump to over commit him. It barrels him over and I have my knife against his throat before he can recover. My mental eyes flare on and look him in his eyes. I activate my [Tiger Intimidation Aura] … another fucking change, not important, and grin at him showing my teeth. Teeth that include very large fangs.

  “Now see, I weigh a lot more than seventy-five pounds. Why, you were off by six hundred” Thanks a lot, forty pound tail. “Now you're not going to force me to have to incinerate your corpse, are ya?”

  My fire dot flares in my one eye. He vigorously shakes his head in the negative.

  “Good, now I can smell ya a thousand kings feet away and anyone who comes close to our house, if anything untowards happen to me or my friends possessions I will find you and whoever did it. Do ya ‘ken?”

  He nods, I get off him and head back to my shocked friends. The young man is on his feet and lunges for me, I slap him down when my tail connects to his face. Thanks a lot, forty pound tail. I can hear him scurrying backwards. I smell the blood from his cut lip and the scratches on his face, the fear sweat mixed with urine just makes it worse. I never turn back to look at him. Alicia's party hurried me inside.

  “Are you insane, why are you picking a fight with the green matron?” Stomps demands after he closes the door.

  “It won't be long before the mind mage shows up, I'm curious if they are registered or not.”

  “Mind mage, Cat?”

  Guess I'm no longer a doll, but just a cat. I turn on my mental sight to full.

  “My purple eyes see mental magic, there was plenty of mental magic floating around his head. Titters has some around hers.” The aforementioned girl's eyes widened. “Is it who is stomping towards us that did it?”

  She nods as the big woman bangs on our door. That I can tell she is a woman from scent alone disturbs me. I go to open it over the protest of the others, dimming my eyes before she sees them.

  21 Orc Bookkeeper

  “Blimey, you really are a cat girl, what sort of Pimar has no fur.”

  I just stare up at her and smile showing my teeth. The green skinned woman is shaken by that a bit. She collects herself and continues.

  “One of my boys said you denied our fees and assaulted him, got a nice fat lip to prove it, he does.”

  “He gambled the fee away, he lost the bet and wishes to harass me about it. Frankly I'm surprised you haven't pulled that out of him.”

  A rectangle appears in one of her eyes, purple. It looks me over. I wonder if she can see my dims.

  “That still doesn't excuse the assault.”

  “People who lunge at me from behind get swatted by my tail automatically, really it's his fault.”

  My tail is up and wagging back and forth to mock her. Her eyes narrow.

  “YOU WILL FEAR AND RESPECT ME!”

  I reflect the compel. It hits her not as pure mental magic but as the same compel she just tried on me. I guess now that I can wield the magic, my reflections are more. She wasn't expecting it, it sinks deep into her soul. The fear she makes in herself is amplified due to naturally fearing someone more capable than she is. It reinforces and locks. I can see it all happening in my fully powered mental eyes. It only reinforces her fear. To be honest it's a rather nasty compel, self reinforcing. She shrinks back.

  “Um sorry to be a bother my lady, I'll make sure to spread the word that no one should bother ya.”

  She made a hasty retreat and I closed the door. Stomps is the first to speak.

  “The hell just happened?”

  “I think I just lowered your rent.”

  A small voice quakes, “Do I really have a lingering compel on me?”

  I walk over to where Titters is sitting, I crouch so I am looking up at her, into her eyes.

  “If it's like the one she tried to use on me, remember how she looked scared and meek of me, how she ran away, how the fear wafted off of her and the sound of her heart beat quickened.”

  The mental magic dissipates, and Titters giggles, “Scratches, only you can smell and hear that.”

  Right, differences. “Sorry but it looks like the hold broke all the same.” I give her a small smile, she returns it.

  Alicia gives me hug from behind, “Aw, Cat you're wonderful, you going to tell us your name now?”

  I sigh, “Sara.”

  Alicia's smile brightens, “I'm Alicia.”

  “Xerc.”

  “Phenolp Krakner.”

  I raise my eyebrow to that. Phenolp just waves me off, “No one special, just one of many Krakner's great great great grand children. I'm so far removed that I doubt I am even recorded in the main family books.”

  “Sometimes we get called in to help cater their events.” Xerc throws out a tid bit.

  “Only Phenolp gets to attend though, she says she just does some basic food busing but I bet she charming all the guests.” Alicia adds her own.

  I smile. I only got one party before everything changed. I wouldn't say I was charming everyone but I felt like I did alright.

  “I do beg you all to keep calling me Scratches though. I'm trying to not draw attention to myself.”

  Xerx snorts at that, “Was that before or after you just picked a fight with the local gang.”

  I stick my tongue out at him.

  “Or grew a tail and cat ears.” Phenolp adds.

  I just hang my head. Alicia shakes me out of my funk. “Come on, let's show you to our room.”

  Considering the living area only had the outside door and one other, I suspect cozy is the nice way to describe the cottage. It reminds me of the hut I shared with my father. The room Alicia brings me to has a bunk bed and a dresser with a mirror on it. I rush over and look at it. I see my triangle ears, their bottoms start where my previous ears did but the triangle tips are a lot higher. Like a bobcats. I can see my pupil is slitted now and the grey blues corneas are all that remains of my previous look. The eyes are reflecting light like I've seen cats do. It's weird.

  “Jeez Sara, wait till we set the light before rushing into a dark room, you're too heavy to be tripping over something.” Alicia admonishes me.

  Dark room? I look around, it feels like the room is as lit up as if it was midday. Cat eyes, I can see in low light situations. And I always have my fire magic, so I can always make a low light situation. I smile to myself at the idea. The light gets brighter in the room.

  “Gah, that's creepy to be smiling in the dark like that. Also your tail is wagging like you're happy about something.”

  “Sorry, it seems my eyes are good at seeing in the dark.”

  Now that I am done with the mirror I look around and see two chests near the bed.

  “Well do you want to sleep with me or Phenolp?”

  I shake my head, “I'm good with the floor, I weigh over six hundred pounds and have hard metallic hair, either of you fancy surviving me rolling over you?”

  They pale and shake their heads.

  “Well then I'll just climb in with Phenolp and you can have the top bunk.”

  “Still weigh six hundred pounds, its fine cats are great at sleeping wherever, right?”

  They tried to convince me until I shook their bed and it creaked. They gave up exasperated.

  “So where does Xerc sleep?”

  “On the couch in the main room.”

  Poor Xerc, the couch looked lumpy. I go and grab my box and bag and prop myself against the wall. Covering myself in my ripped work dress and rags. Phenolp eyes the old work dress but says nothing.

  “Goodnight.”

  -----

  This is a daily reminder: You have 28 unallocated stat points

  I open my eyes, the bunkmates have started to stir. I go and check my braid and head out into the living room. Xerc is splayed out on the couch. I smile. The other two girls come out of the room yawning. Various levels of mornings are exchanged. I stretch and pull out my short sword. I do four hundred swings and find myself unaffected, I do another six hundred to get the old jelly arms back.

  “Why ya swinging your sword like that so early in the mornin’, Cat?”

  One night of Sara, back to Cat.

  “Just exercises my mother taught me.”

  Alicia nods at that, she doesn't pry further.

  “So what's the plan for the day?”

  “Nothin’, the tiger you bagged is good for a week if we wanted. Probably just a day or two before more rabbits spawn in Na's Crypt.” Xerc is up.

  “Does no one else hunt them?”

  “Naw better monsters deeper in, kill a bunch of skeles and bring back their bones. Makes for great alchemical powders.”

  My eyes widen at that, is it used in potion making? I shiver a bit.

  “Aw, is Cat scared of the undead? We ain't moved on to them cause we wanted more in the party. Lets earn enough so we can get a four set of quarter exp rings, and make our way down.”

  I look away and murmur, “I'm fine with the one percent ring.”

  Phenolp calls me out, “Are you going to wear it this time?”

  I squint at her with my ears flatten, she notices way too much. She just laughs at me. I explain, “I'm afraid of getting traits from the things we kill.”

  “Seem to be in the wrong line of work.” Xerc opines.

  I just sigh, "It's too late now anyways, I'll make sure to wear my ring.”

  Alicia hugs me on my waist, pats me through my illusion and then squints at me. “You seem to be a lot smaller than you've been letting on.”

  I sigh, removing the illusion from my waist.

  “That is quite an extreme ratio, what is your family name Sara?”

  “Sorry, I'm not allowed to say it, please don't pry.” Another murmur from me.

  Alicia hugs me harder, “It's okay Cat, we all got things we can't say, and don't worry about changing further, I will always have a new name ready for ya.”

  I give a small smile to that.

  “Since my day is free, I'm going into the forest for more clover.”

  “O, I'll go with ya, Cat.”

  “Sorry, I have to go alone, my method precludes anyone else.”

  “O don't be like that, I'll be fine, Cat.”

  “Whats your mental fortitude at?”

  “Not sure why you're askin’ but it's twelve.” Alicia states this proudly.

  “Ha, got ya beat at thirteen.” Xerc one ups.

  I flick my glance at Phenolp. She sighs.

  “Nineteen.”

  “You've been getting extra lessons from mages behind our backs, Phen?” Alicia sounds angry.

  Probably more likely she picked up mental resist from the green matron.

  “Well that confirms it, none of ya can come with.”

  Xerc challenges that, “O, and what does the mighty eleven have.”

  Their levels are fourteen to sixteen. I flick a look at my status screen.

  “A hundred and three.”

  Xerc and Alicia are shocked by this Phenolp just nods.

  “I still don't understand what that has to do with anythin’, Cat.”

  “I use an aura that keeps goblins and predators away. It's based off my soul stat and it must be maintained at a certain level to keep them away. If you were with me you would succumb to it and it wouldn't be safe to weaken it.”

  “So what, we run away then?”

  Xerc asked the question I didn't want to answer, but it needs to be said. They need to know what it means to have me join them. I sigh.

  “People who succumb to my aura tend to kill themselves.”

  I leave out the soul eating. All three pale at that.

  “On that note, let's go eat.” They didn't laugh at my joke.