Reincarnated as a Spider (Draft/Writing practice)

While Alicia was enjoying her roasted bird, she noticed that her top canines were much longer than normal, long enough to almost touch the lower gums. Furthermore, they were exceptionally sharp, even though they weren’t as thin as a natural fang should be. In passing she thought ‘Wow I could cosplay as one convincing vampire, just need a pale makeup and red eye contacts...’ but after inspecting them further the teeth had a small opening, like one to deliver venom. Trying to see if it functions the same, she attempted to spray venom out. The odd yet familiar sensation of delivering venom came about. The oddity was from the feeling of trying to blow out your nose, but through one’s teeth instead. The venom sprayed around haphazardly, some landing on her tongue. It initially caused her to panic, however the venom was tasteless, odourless and importantly harmless even after being directly applied in the mouth. She wondered if she was innately immune to her own venom or was it the doing of a certain resistance skill. ‘So skills can physically change me… I’m  either a biologist's a dream or a nightmare and I can’t tell which. Regardless of the anatomical implications, most importantly, there’s still hope for me to get bipedal legs. As a side note I can also retract into my fangs concealing them. Which is probably why I didn’t notice it until I started eating.’

As the sun leaned more and more into the horizon and after being lost for a half the day, she eventually found her way back to where she started, the great oak tree. Throughout the day she encountered numerous hostile creatures, however they were all easily dispatched by Alice since they almost always had the initiative thanks to Stealth. During this she noticed that if any danger arose she would have to exclusively rely on Alice. Although there wasn’t any particular problem with that since they were practically inseparable, it still made Alicia uneasy.

‘I need to look into how to better protect myself. Weapons are no good with my current form… It's still very awkward. Maybe magic could help me, I was starting to make investments anyway.’

‘Oh new skills are available fire, water, air, earth. Since they appeared after the Principle of magic I’m guessing they’re related  Fire seems like a nice offensive magic to have. Probably the most intimidating of my current choices. Water… oh right Maybe that lake spirit might know something about magic  but...’ Remembering her last encounter with the water spirit she wasn’t quite thrilled to meet her again, though she did invite Alicia to visit again sometime. ‘Right I was going to bring her some clothes… Since she came out of the water maybe a swimsuit? That’s not much better than before. Something simple that can be made quickly, a sundress feels appropriate especially since it covers her body.’

Eliminating every hostile creature they encountered - from huge warthogs with massive tusks to giant chubby humanoids - had net them a total of 11 points. ‘Enough to get rank 10 in any new skill… Let’s save it for when I meet that girl. For now though I’ll start on that dress. Structurally, a long tube with 2 strings that hold it up by the person’s shoulders. Isn’t that just an enlarged, long and fancy cloth grocery bag with an open bottom? Well good thing I’m not a fashion designer. Blueprints and floor plans make sense to me. Women’s fashion doesn't. I might not be the best judge for it since I’ve only worn PPE all the time…’

Alicia started to weave the sundress. With only a vague image and uncertain planning what came out could only be described as a patchwork of rags. ‘There should be 4 holes; 2 for arms, 1 for the head and another for the legs. I’m counting way more than that… I wouldn’t give this to even a homeless person. They’d be insulted.’

• ‘...?’

• ‘Alice?’

• ‘i will... try?’
• ‘Please, and thank you.’

With their switch in who’s in control of movements they started over again with another dress. Again hanging upside from thick branches of the tree they started to weave but this time the shirt they wore half came off and blocked their vision. This was not troublesome for Alice as she could weave even without sight. However, without Alicia’s guidance on the shape, it looked like a funnel web tube rather than a clothing.

• ‘I think I need to take this off… actually, why don’t I just glue it to my waist…?’ Using some adhesive silk after balling it up, Alicia forcibly stuck the shirt to herself, preventing it from falling off.

• ‘not... good?’

• ‘It’s just not what we’re trying to make. Let’s try again, I’ll help you so do as I tell you, okay?’
• ‘mmh...’

Their next attempt, borne from an unusual partnership between engineer’s technical skills and seamstress like artistry of a spider, was that of considerable polish. The loose fitting, fluttery silken sundress, white as milk. It’s design basic, but it’s quality top notch even by modern standards.

• ‘This turned out fine… Let’s make some more, better to have a change of clothes’
• ‘...okay...’

As if in trance they got carried away with their weaving and made many garments overnight. Caught up in their work, the warm light of the sun broke them out of their stupor. Only then did they notice their silk products piled up and hanging from various branches. The oak now resembled a white willow tree with all the silk.

‘Ahh… I need to stop pulling all nighters… but I don’t feel tired though. It’s gonna come back and hit me later. That’s a problem future me will take care of…

Now what the hell am I going to do with all these… I’ll find a use for them later. For now I’ll just go see the lake spirit.’

After a short hike west, the calm lake promptly came into view. And as if waiting for Alicia's arrival the water spirit surfaced from the depths of the blue waters almost immediately. Before she could say her greetings Alicia interrupted her by shoving the neatly folded dress.

• “It’s a gift, please take it and try it on. I had to guess the proportion so it’s loose. If it’s uncomfortable I’ll adjust it immediately.”

There was a hint of impatience in her voice. ‘It’s for you physically, but also it’s for me and my sanity. I don’t think I’ll be able to stay focused if I'm with someone nude.’

After initially being taken aback with Alicia’s assertive advances. She accepted her gift with a pleased smile.

• “For me? How generous…”

⟨ Presence Detection ⟩

‘ᴵᵗ'ˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᶦʳˢᵗ ᵗᶦᵐᵉ ᴵ'ᵛᵉ ʳᵉᶜᵉᶦᵛᵉᵈ ᵃ̨ⁿʸ͜ᵗʰ̀ᶦ҉ⁿ͠ᵍ…’ almost inaudible mumbling escaped her lips.

The already whisper-like voice faded to near obscurity near its end. It was never meant to be heard by anyone else, but intervention of a skill didn’t let it slip by. ‘First time receiving anything…? How old is she? How sad, to have never had a present before. She doesn’t have a family, does she…? I don’t think she leaves this place, and even the lake lacks any fish, at least I’ve never seen one. Maybe I should keep her company every now and then.’ Alicia held a solemn sentiment, that wasn’t apparent on her face while the Spirit put the dress on. Since it was a simple dress it didn’t take much time. Thankfully it was a decent fit, tad a large but nonetheless loosely fitting.

• “Is it too big? Should I fix it?”
• “No! I mean... It’s fine as it is.”

‘Is she excited? Why yell no?’

• “We’ll if you’re happy with it…
  Can I ask you something?”
• “Why of course. What is it?”
• “Do you know anything about magic?”...