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Chapter 721: 721

Eager to begin my tickling spree, I rush into the chambers only to pull up when I notice someone rather unexpected in the room . Reacting quickly, I spin together a mind construct, marvelling at how powerful my mind feels handling the mana .

[Hey there, Sarah! How’s things?]

The giant bear sits in the centre of the chamber, grubs and brood tenders swarming around her as she reaches out to roll the larvae around with her big paws .

[Oh, hey Anthony,] she says, turning toward me, [you look different . Did you evolve?]

Although the polite tone is still there, she has a certain listless quality to her tone, a sort of lifelessness that wasn’t there before . I’d heard all about the battle that had been fought here in the brood chambers, how Sarah had fought to the brink of death fending off the golgari, and how she had turned on the Queen in her blind rage . I wish I’d gotten a chance to speak to her before the evolution, but there was never enough time, the pressure to reach the next tier was high and I felt like it needed to be done as fast as possible . Right now though, I’m not about to let this chance slip past .

[Sure did! You’ve certainly made yourself at home,] I say, indicating the gleeful grubs wiggling about around her furry form, [the brood tenders were happy to let you in here?]

The massive bear manages to almost look shy . Almost, she fails in the end . She just looks too scary .

[It was… the Queen’s idea . She thought it would be relaxing, and it is . ]

She reaches out and scritches one grub with the tip of a claw and the little thing shivers with delight .

[Of course it is,] I’m indignant, [brood tickling is the greatest pastime there is!]

And I may as well get to it . Nobody said I couldn’t tickle and talk at the same time . I bustle into the chamber which is quite crowded all of a sudden, now housing two tier six creatures alongside the usual inhabitants, but it felt cosy rather than crowded, and I happily settled down, my antennae already extended outward to start rolling the grubs around .

[I never got the chance to thank you properly,] I say, tormenting my first victim with an initial salvo of tickles, [you went way above what any of us could have asked of you and you didn’t have to . Without you, thousands more members of my family would have died, thank you . ]

The great bear shifts uncomfortably .

[I’m not even sure if I was fighting to save your family or just because I wanted revenge on the golgari . Or… perhaps I just… just wanted to fight . The rage is addictive… it wasn’t easy to turn my back on it the first time . I thought I’d be free of it once I escaped the cult and their plans, but I threw myself into it the moment I had the chance . ]

She grows still as she talk with me, her paws coming to rest on the ground at her side . Haha! That means more grubs for me!

[From my perspective, it’s so much simpler than that . You helped us, and we’re all grateful for that help . In the process, you managed to give the golgari a whack on the nose, what’s not to like?]

She rolls her massive shoulder blades and goes to speak but I cut her off before she can get started .

[I know that you lost control at the end . ]

The hulking monster that Sarah has become seems to fold up on herself at my words . I can practically smell the shame coming off her . It actually makes me a little mad .

[But nothing happened in the end . Nothing . Happened . You fought off the enemy and the Queen was able to calm you down . There isn’t a single ant in the Colony who holds it against you, not after what you did and what mother said . Like it or not, you’re part of this family now . ]

[… is that really true?] she asks, her mind full of doubt . [I’m not an ant . And when I think that the Queen nearly died because of me… ]

She trails off and I can see that her mental scars go deep, not just due to this incident, but everything that had gone on in her life . This life as well as the previous . It wasn’t my place to try and talk to her about her past, but there was something that I could assure her of .

[Look around you,] I invite her .

A little confused, she raises her huge snout and takes a look around the chamber .

[Where do you think you are?] I ask .

[… in a brood chamber?] She replies, confused .

[EXACTLY . You think we let just anyone in here? This is the brood we’re talking about! Every single ant in the Colony would throw down their life in order to preserve the future generations . If you weren’t family, do you really think that we would let you in here? Would these tenders tolerate your presence if it weren’t the case? They barely put up with me being in here! Me!]

As if to prove my point, one of the many caretakers in the room gives me an irritated prod in the side with one leg .

“You need to give me that grub,” she tells me curtly .

“Ah, sure . ”

I release the larva I’d been tormenting with relentless tickles into her care and the little thing collapses with relief, finally freed from my antennae . Time for the next victim! Gweheheheh! Sourcing another grub, I roll it about with my antennae as the little thing wriggles with joy . So cute! So soothing! It takes me a little while to realise that Sarah still hasn’t said anything . I look over to see her sitting morosely, a pensive look on her bear face .

[Look . Nobody here is going to make you fight . And if you want to fight, nobody here is going to stop you . Here, in this Colony, you can make your own decisions, you’re free . If you want help, for anything, just ask and me or someone else will come and do what needs to be done . You’ve earned that from us . ]

She nods silently and I return to my tickles for a time before she speaks again .

[What about Jim?] she asks quietly .

Hot anger burns in my gut at the mention of that traitorous tapeworm .

[The moment we find him, he’ll be food,] I say, my mind tight with rage .

I can see that she’s troubled, wrestling with thoughts inside her head, until she sighs .

[I didn’t think he would be forgiven,] she said, [not after what he did . I just… I don’t know . ]

[He was your friend, I think I understand where you’re coming from . But brood died because of him . There’s no coming back from that, not with us . ]

[I think he did it for me, you know,] she confesses, her mind so still and quiet I almost can’t hear her words . [He didn’t want me to fight . He was so scared, so worried that I’d lose myself again . Maybe he thought that if he ended the conflict, broke the siege, then it would all be over . I think he wanted to save me . ]

I shrug my antennae .

[So?]

The giant bear huffs in anger, turning her gaze back to me .

[What do you mean, so? Doesn’t that mean that the betrayal, and everyone who died, the brood, almost the Queen, it was all because of me!]

[Is that what you’re worried about? That’s just nonsense . You were helping us, any decision that moron made is one that he made himself . He bears the responsibility, not you . ]

The bear drooped her shoulders once again .

[I wish I could agree with you,] she mutters .

[Look, you’re really being a downer in what is meant to be joyous tickle time . Tell you what, why don’t you go explain yourself to the Queen and see how she feels about it . She was the one most affected by your actions, so you should go and listen to her words on it . ]

There’s a moment of silence as Sarah digests my words before she nods with determination .

[You’re right . I should talk to the Queen and let her decide what to do . Whatever punishment she decides, I’ll live with it . ]

With a resolute attitude, the powerful bear rises onto her four legs and pads down the tunnel, making her way to the egg-laying chamber . Content with the extra space, I settle in and keep rolling the grubs around, laughing as they wiggle about with glee, but I make sure to prop an ear open, waiting for a particular sound to echo down the tunnel . It doesn’t take long, and when it finally arrives, it’s like music to my ears .

*THWACK!*

Holy moly! That sounded like a big one! Chuckling to myself, I push my six legs under me and make my way out of the brood chamber . Mother will be wanting a word with me as well no doubt . Good thing my carapace has gotten this tough .