Chaotic belongs to TCDigital.

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I feel bad that it took this long to start writing again. I want to make it up to your readers.

Bonus chapter?

Bonus chapters.

Don't burn out.

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Cut

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"Little Piabo's muscles are growing quickly."

Back at the doctor. Baba Tanto took me as fast as he could. Mudo's here, too, because popping joints sound really bad, and no baba can focus on work knowing their bibi sounds like that. The Human Nicolas is sitting in a corner, his negotiations with Tanto cut short.

The doctor carefully lifts my arm up and works my elbow back and forth. It stings a bit, and my shell makes a clicking noise.

"See here?" the doctor says. "The old exoskeleton is lifting off where the muscle presses against it."

Tanto is wringing his hands together, emitting distress and alarm. All four of Mudo's hands are clenched and shaking. Both are quiet, though, listening to the doctor's every word.

"The new exoskeleton beneath seems well developed, fortunately," he continues. "It is still soft for the moment, but there is no bleeding whatsoever."

"So, he will be okay, then?" Tanto blurts.

The doctor nods and slowly lowers my arm. "He is simply growing quickly. Very quickly." He softly pats my loose shell. "The molt will look a little messy, but I think we can all breathe easier."

"Messy how?" Mudo asks sharply.

"In bits and pieces, for the most part," the doctor clarifies. "The high-mobility joints such as the elbows and knees are going first, while places such as the thorax and abdomen may cling for a while longer yet."

"Can't we-" I stop, then start over. "Maybe we can just pull the old stuff all off now?" That's what a child would ask, anyway.

The doctor pats my head gently. "No, we cannot," he smiles. "You will have to let your usual running around loosen it on its own."

"Um, you can trim off the old stuff, right?"

Everyone's heads turn toward the speaker. Nicolas, sitting in the corner, wrapped in that bedcloth.

He cringes at the attention. "Er, like, the old exoskeleton, is it doing any protecting anymore? Or is it just going to get snagged on everything he runs too close to?"

The doctor stares. "You... you could be right." He leans down and looks closer at my shell. "That is, as long as the old shell is truly disconnected from the system. Piabo, when I touch like this," he taps the tip of my elbow, where the shell is loosest there, "what do you feel?"

"It- it itches down here," I point at the offending spot a ways away. I'm a tad distracted, though. Nicolas brought up something even I hadn't thought of.

"Look away," the doctor orders, and I do so. "Do you feel this?" And he asks me this questions a few times.

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It's weird looking at clippings of my old shell. It normally comes off all in one section, so it seems... wrong. It feels so much better, though. So much better.

Tanto and Mudo are kind of fawning over Nicolas. They're all "Look how much happier Piabo looks now!" and "You will make a perfect companion for him."

Nicolas, meanwhile, is staring at a small nugget of gold with wide eyes. "I've never held this much gold before in my life," he mutters. "This is five ambers? And I get that a month?"

"All for luxury spending," Tanto beams. "Do not worry a claw's depth about being able to afford food or anything else like that, it is all covered."

Mudo gives Nicolas a friendly squeeze on the shoulder. "We can get you something proper to wear on the way home if you want that."

"Kinda surprised you guys know what clothes even are," Nicolas mumbles.

Mudo laughs. "You are hilarious."

"Wasn't trying to be..."

The doctor stands and wipes the razor he was using with a cloth. "That is as much as I feel comfortable trimming away. How do you feel, Piabo?"

I wiggle my limbs around a bit. "I feel great!" I really do. I'm also kicking myself for never having considered this before.

Tanto lifts me off the table and holds me in his arms. "Who is my big strong bibi?" he coos at me.

I can't fault him for the baby talk, but it's still grating. "I am!" I shout as I flex my arms.

Tanto laughs and rubs his face and antennae against mine, then carefully puts me on the ground. "Sit here with Nicolas, yes? Babas need to speak to the doctor." And he and Mudo move to the other side of the room to speak in lowered tones.

I cross both pairs of legs and sit next to Nicolas. I have the feeling I should be attempting small talk, but nothing's coming to mind...

"So, 'baba' kind of means 'dad', and 'bibi' kind of means 'son'. Am I right?" Nicolas is the one to break the ice, it turns out.

I tilt my head. "Um, I guess?"

He holds out the gold nugget. "And an 'amber' isn't the smallest 'coin' you have, because I kind of doubt everything costs a fifth of this minimum."

I should be too young to know all these words, right? "I guess if you say so." I poke the nugget. "They do not let me buy stuff."

Nicolas folds his arms and leans forward, and he speaks quite softly. "So, what's your connection with Atrapol's 'god'?"

I suddenly feel very cold. "Who?"

Nicolas stares at me, and I wonder if I should have said "what" instead. After an uncomfortable moment, he sighs and looks away.

My babas rescue me from this awkward moment by approaching us. "Piabo, want to help your friend pick out something to wear?"

"Yes!" I'm trying to sound enthusiastic, but I can't focus. They don't seem to notice.

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Ugh, I think this one's going to have to be a short chapter. I could try to force the clothes shopping in, but I don't even know how to make that sound interesting.

Don't force it. This is enough. I'm pretty certain I've written shorter before.

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Chaotic belongs to TCDigital.