The holographic projection of Bubu blinked down at Isabella with the slow, disappointed squint of soone who had watched her do absolutely everything except the correct thing for the past thirty minutes.
The system hovered there in its little blue glow, arms folded, expression blank but sohow aggressively judgntal.
Glimora sat beside Isabella like she was watching her mother get scolded by a floating iPad.
Isabella stared up at the system dramatically from where she lay draped over her bedding like a fainting princess who’d lost all will to exist.
Bubu blinked again.
Isabella blinked back.
Bubu continued blinking.
"...what?" Isabella snapped finally.
Bubu’s voice materialized in her head, dry, crisp, and absolutely lacking rcy:
Isabella gasped. "EXCUSE ? I WAS CULTIVATING."
Glimora paused mid-chew, as if even that claim was too bold.
Bubu let out a tiny digital sigh — the kind of sigh that said I regret being assigned to you personally by the heavens.
Isabella slapped a hand over her face. "Oh my god, I TOLD you to stop observing all the ti—"
Glimora nodded softly like: mmm yes this tracks.
Isabella shot the creature a glare. "Don’t take her side!"
Bubu ignored her.
Isabella groaned dramatically, rolling over like she was being dragged into a school lecture against her will.
She finally sat cross-legged again, lifting her chin with the haughty dignity of soone who did not want to admit she was about to learn sothing from a floating hologram.
"Fine," she muttered. "Educate ."
Bubu’s tone was painfully condescending.
(Actually it’s level 1)
Isabella sniffed. "SO?"
Her jaw dropped. "MY WHAT?!"
Isabella gasped in horror. "WHY WOULD THAT EVEN BE POSSIBLE?!"
Bubu blinked again.
Isabella turned red. "OH."
Glimora placed a comforting paw on her knee like: it’s okay mama, you’re just stupid.
She shoved Glimora away lightly. "Stop TOUCHING ."
Bubu continued, deadpan:
Isabella stared. "I CAN’T."
"THAT’S RUDE."
Isabella turned scarlet. "STOP READING MY——"
Glimora squeaked, covering her little face.
Isabella snatched a pillow and scread into it.
Bubu waited patiently like a therapist used to loud clients.
Finally Isabella threw the pillow aside and flopped back down. "Fine. What’s Rule Two?"
"Focus on your dantian."
"My what?!"
A tiny glowing dot appeared on Isabella’s abdon.
She slapped her stomach. "OH. Why didn’t you just say stomach?!"
She threw both hands up. "SA AREA."
"YES IT IS."
Glimora keeled over laughing, tiny legs in the air.
Isabella covered her face with both hands. "Why are you like this—"
But Bubu continued rcilessly.
"Rule Three: Breathe correctly."
"I WAS BREATHING CORRECTLY," she snapped.
A replay echoed through the tent:
"HUUUHHH—HAAAAA—HUH—HUHHH—AAA—"
Isabella lunged toward the hologram. "DELETE THAT!!"
She fell flat on her face.
Glimora patted her hair sympathetically.
Bubu cleared its throat.
Isabella cut in, irritated. "CIRCULATE WHAT energy? There is no energy. Nothing is happening!"
Isabella blinked. "There’s a FOUR?!"
Bubu nodded, smug.
She stared, horrified. "External—external—EXTERNAL?!"
Her eyes widened in betrayal. "BU—BU—BU—YOU—you—HOW MANY?!"
Isabella pointed a trembling finger at the hologram. "I AM ALREADY COLLAPSING EMOTIONALLY."
She let out a wounded hiss.
Glimora nodded. "Pip."
Bubu continued, unfazed:
Isabella frowned. "...aning?"
"But why didn’t you tell ?!"
Isabella choked. "I—WHAT—YOU—OF COURSE I DIDN’T ASK—WHY WOULD I KNOW TO ASK—"
Isabella froze, mouth open.
Glimora snorted.
Bubu continued calmly, ruthless:
"My heart IS quiet."
Isabella WHEEZED.
"IT IS NOT—"
She buried her entire head under her blanket.
Glimora pressed her tiny head against Isabella’s arm and let out a soft, trembling "pip..."
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