"First, it can't be placed somewhere easy to attack. Hands and feet are out. A hairpin? No, no, that's too dangerous. It'd be best to make it a safe protective shell... Make a suit of armor and set it into that?"
"That's not right, Chloe." Theus cut in. "Your true body is the gem. If you turn the gem into armor to protect a body that doesn't need protecting, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?"
Chloe froze for a moment, then nodded. "That makes sense. So... I should treat the body as armor to protect the gem?"
"Exactly."
"In other words... it'd be best to put the gem inside my body?"
Theus: "..."
Theoretically, that really was the optimal solution, but why did it sound so strange?
"Mmph! Mmmphh!!"
Chloe suddenly clutched her throat and let out a mournful cry. Everyone hurried over to check on her, only to see Chloe pointing at her throat and making incoherent noises.
"What happened?"
"Did something get stuck?"
"I just saw her trying to swallow the Soul Gem. It probably got stuck in her throat!"
"Where's the doctor? Someone get the legendary doctor to save her!"
The room immediately descended into chaos. Theus rolled up his sleeves as well. "I know the Heimlich maneuver. I'll do it!"
Unfortunately, before he could squeeze through, Monica made her move.
She pried Chloe's mouth open, then raised the tip of her tail and gave it a downward jab into her mouth.
Pop~
"It's fine now. It went in."
Chloe gasped for breath. "Ugh, I almost choked to death..."
"You really swallowed the Soul Gem?"
"Yeah. I thought what Theus said made some sense, so I wanted to try it... Anyway, it's very safe this way!" She patted her stomach in satisfaction.
Beside her,