Richard Adams

The trek back to the shack was uneventful, given that it was just a few hours before sunrise. I felt a bit empty after my time spent with Raul. It drained me emotionally, but it was a good feeling. The real boon for the time spent with him was learning just how Mimi got everything started. She was healing people for much cheaper than the church while also giving them hope. She had been out there saving those that couldn't be saved. On the surface, she was like some kind of saint that earned the title, 'daughter of Bo'Chi.'

Though I knew she was a little more cunning than that. All the time I spent with her, how I was connected to her through our bond. She considered things from many different angles before making her move. That's not to say she doesn't do things to help others, she does that for anyone she considers a part of her Hive. The issue comes whenever she's dealing with a stranger. Just like how she saved Cynthia and her son Drake. Mimi told me that she had held plans to groom the boy if things didn't pan out with me. On the surface, she saved a mother and her son from certain death. A little deeper, and some questions, you find out her intentions weren't entirely pure.

I let out a soft sigh, as the moon dipped past the outer wall. I could see the shack, and the wagons now. Mimi might be a little upset I missed cooking her dinner. She'd get over it, but not before teasing me about it. I cracked a smile, she might even want one last meal before we leave. I walked to the wagons, putting the new gear and weapons inside. I looked at the shack, the curtain standing in for a door as it kept both the heat and cool air out. I wondered if Mimi was still out exploring before her wagon started to rock.

Thousands of bugs marched their wings in unison, making a sort of drumming sound. I looked around, trying to see if anyone else was nearby. The bugs weren't warning me about anything, there was no tension, but why were they marching? I saw a shadow in the corner of my eye and turned to face it. There was nothing there, but some of the bugs were spreading out from the wagon. Just to make sure it wasn't Mimi messing with me, I tried to feel where she was through our bond. She was on her way, but whatever I just saw wasn't her.

Something or someone was here. I know I saw a shadow move, so they used shadows. I doubted Raul would follow me, or he'd reveal himself at the very least. The fire I had stored under my skin crept up my arms. It always hurt, but the nerves were severed and burnt as fuel. One by one, as I let the fire burn away at the fat and muscle. The limbs were dead, but I could use my magic to move them still. I walked towards the shed, as the bugs were focused in one direction. They could sense magic, so they were tracking whatever this was.

I grabbed one of the torches we had stored in the shed. Fire came out of my fingertips, lighting the thing as I controlled the flames. I wanted them to think I was a pyromancer or fire elementalist at the very least. The bugs were circling a spot now, some of them gathered around me. Mimi was telling me she would handle it when she got here, it would be the smart thing to do. Something like this happened fairly often, after all, some kind of monster that used the shadows was just too difficult to keep out. Worse were the ghosts or anything that could go through solid objects.

This happened often enough, and usually, the prisoners working the fields would just take care of it. I was just plain unlucky to have this thing stumble on me. I bet I looked pretty tasty to it, a single short person surrounded by trees and alone. The orchid was in bloom, most of the trees almost ready to bear fruit. I pointed the torch at the circle the bugs made. "Hey, I know you're there. If you come out and talk, we can work something out."

I counted to five, before taking a step forward. "I mean it, I don't want to have to hurt you. Reveal yourself, and I'll lead you back outside the walls." I was in control here, I needed to sound assertive. If it was able to understand me, then we could work something out. If not, well I wasn't going to wait for Mimi to rescue me every time. I trained with her and fought in the Arena with her. I slid my free hand over the two explosives I had on my hip. My focus was cleared up with the death of my arms, it was just a precaution in case it attacked.

Ten seconds passed, as it didn't make a sound. I took another step forward, just a few paces outside the circle the bugs had going for them. They could still sense it, a small blob of deep black on the ground. The grass around it was withered and dead. It was like staring into a black void, that swallowed night itself. A blight slime? No, it didn't have a white core glowing in the center. It couldn't be a shadow crawler or any flavor of them. It wasn't in a shadow right now, just laying there on its own.

I pointed my torch at it, taking another step. That was when it shrieked loud enough to shatter glass. The explosive vials on my side did as much, as I willed my magic to keep them from living up to their namesake. The gray liquid falling off my clothes and onto the grass in a puddle. The creature's body erupted with dark lances that stretched the once smooth pool into something like a net. I threw the torch right at its center, jumping back as it shrieked again. The torch cut through it like a sharp sword, as I let the flames expand. The creature disintegrated around it, almost splitting into two to avoid the flames. This was a young shade, it didn't have a body yet.

It was still alive, moving into the shadow of a tree. Some of the bugs followed after it, while I picked the torch back up. I could feel Mimi divert her course to chase after it. If she had trouble, she'd just come and grab the torch. In the meantime, I had to break down the explosive goo. Which meant separating the parts mixed together with my magic. I let out a soft sigh as I focused on it. The glass was gone, and I just knew it was probably the same inside the wagons. The stores wouldn't be open by the time Mimi had to be out of the city, so I knew what we were getting t the first village or town we stopped at.

I heard the same shriek in the distance, only this time it was quickly cut off. A sense of satisfaction came through our bond, then disappointment. Mimi was on her way back, right when I finished breaking down the explosives. I walked to the wagons making sure the ropes were still hitching them together. They were, and I got on my knees to check the axels one last time. As soon as I confirmed they were fine, a pair of ebony hands wrapped around my chest, pulling me into a hug.

Colorful wings wrapped around me to complete the embrace, as Mimi's soft voice whispered in my ear. "It was too young for me to get anything new from it." Her voice was soft and pleasant. The kind anyone could listen to for hours on end. Even more so when she whispered. I didn't bother struggling in her embrace, since she could easily overpower me. It didn't help that my feet weren't even touching the ground anymore, as she stood at a whopping ten feet tall (305cm). I hugged held her lower arms, while she moved to the front of the wagons.

I could hear the bugs flying back onto her wagon, even while she grabbed the wooden bars on the front. Mimi didn't even grunt as she effortlessly pulled both wagons with her upper arms. The lower ones still holding me close to her. I hung my head low, still not enjoying the position she'd be viewed in. Anyone that saw her would think she was just a dumb monster used for pulling goods and used as muscle when things got dangerous. It broke my heart honestly, and it would be especially true in the Kingdom of Fire.

I pretended to sulk a little while admiring her arms. The upper ones were thicker than the lower ones. They looked like dark armor with joints that made them seem like bracers and plates. When they caught the light just right they'd reveal a purple hue with pink sparkles almost like the stars above. The tips of her fingers were pink for whatever reason, and she didn't offer an answer herself.

The lower arms were more slender, with shaper fingers for more dexterous work. The joints were surprisingly doll-like for whatever reason, and she tended to keep them hidden beneath her wings. "You're being awfully quiet Richard." Her voice came in calmly, cutting through the sounds the wagons made.

I could feel her starting to prod our bond to figure out what was wrong. It was her first reaction, but lately, she's been trying to refrain from it. It bothered her to not know everything someone else was thinking, but she was getting better. I smiled as I felt her pull back without actually figuring out any of my thoughts. "I'm a little upset that the shade destroyed the glass we had. I'm also a little moody after spending the night with Raul."

Mimi rested her chin on the top of my head, "I'm aware, I was watching you both. The whispering basket seems like a wonderful place for another hive. All the secrets I could learn from it, and yet I can't interfere with this city for an entire year." She huffed a little, "I'll save the basket for later, that way I have yet another thing to look forward to when we return. Maybe one of the others will find and secure it in the meantime. That would be a welcomed surprise."

I nodded a little, "You took care of everything with them, right? They'll accept you as their queen even though you'll be gone so long?"

"Of course, there are a lot more of them than in the cave. The giants alone are smart enough to remember me and a lot of the memories I had them store. If they go against me, then I'll just have to remind them why I'm the Queen. Besides, I'll be checking up on them monthly, just not interfering with whatever happens inside the city."

I kicked my feet a little, "Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean... you explained it before, but I still don't like it. It's going to be hard when someone says something bad about you in front of us. I managed it alone, but it's rough Mimi."

"I am aware, but it is much better than me going by myself. You do not have to come if you do not wish to. I alone was the one to be exiled. I merely need one of the person races to pretend we have a bond and I am subservient to them. I asked you because you are the singular person I trust most in the world. There are many other reasons, of course, but the ones stated are the most important."

I laughed a little, "Most important because you think they have the best chance of convincing me." Mimi tsked at that, "It was a good try, and you know I already made up my mind on joining you. Besides if I left you alone with anyone else you'd mess with them too much. I can see it now, you'd call them master in public and pretend to be meek and defenseless. Kind of how you were at the Ball, and when we first got here."

"You've been around me too long, but you accept that part of me. Join us, Richard, together we can truly become one. This world is only a playground for forces beyond your imagination. The time of people has come to an end. We will rule the world together." I could hear her soft laugh at the end.

"Never, all that is good and just belongs to us people races. We were created by the gods, while your ilk was made by a singular agent of chaos. So long as I live you shall never be free of the bond I chained you to. I shall pass it down to the next generation, and they shall keep you from what you truly seek, monster." My voice wavered on the last word, as Mimi kissed the back of my head. We took this up to try and desensitize each other to harsh words, while also playing around. It still hurt to call her a monster.

"You forgot one key fact, Richard. I have already tempted you twice now, and we have two daughters. If you pass this bond to either of them, they shall set me free." Pandora was in the Underground, while the King stole Ember away. I felt it hurt her a little to think about it, but to Mimi, it was only a matter of time before we got her back.

"Blast! Damn your wiles, curse your charm! I will find another! Even if I have to pay them with coin, surely someone will give me a child of the people's race."

Mimi pretended to scoff, "Foolish Richard. You forgot something very important."

"Heh, and what might that be?" I started to say abomination, but just couldn't.

"My kind mates for life~" She drew out the right words to make my heart skip a beat.

I blushed a little, breaking the facade with a laugh. "Blast, and dammnnnn!" Mimi started laughing as well, as I continued, "Damn it all!" We both laughed for a while, before calming down. "You know, I don't think I mind the fact that walking between the walls takes an hour here. You really are wonderful, Mimi."

I could see her smile in my head. "I know, but there is something I have to tell you, Richard. Something important."

I swallowed hard, all the pretense of cheerful banter gone now. I took a small breath, unsure what she was about to tell me. My mind was swirling with ideas, but this never really happened before. I usually had to push her to tell me things she wanted to keep to herself. "Go ahead, you know you can tell me anything."

I felt her joy from those words, as she gave a nod. "I've been struggling with a way to explain this concept to you. I told you before that if I lose connection to my Hive I will go berserk, correct?"

I remembered something like that, and how she told me it happened when she went outside the walls and fought an eldest banshee. "Yeah, that's why we have the wagon in the back. I knew it wasn't just to make small hives to connect back to the original whenever you wanted to check in. What about it?"

"I understand the cause of it now. My body is not prepared to hold my soul. The pressure is too great, and it causes pain to the point I cannot think. The silence eats away at my reason and my mind fractures. It's why the other personalities developed, a sort of bleed over from my soul moving over to the multiple bodies that can contain my being."

"You're losing me here."

"Think of the body as a vessel, something like a pitcher. The bugs are tiny cups, while my body is a pitcher. Now consider my soul to be water that can fill up four pitchers. I'm able to grow how much water I have because there are more cups to fill compared to the single pitcher that is always full. When the cups shatter, however, that water has to go somewhere, but the pitcher is already full. If my Hive is close, that water chooses to go to where there are a lot of cups, while the water in the pitcher starts to evaporate and trail after."

I slowly nodded my head, "Last I checked, you can't just make a bigger pitcher. You have to work with what you have."

"Therein lies what I'm about to tell you. I discovered a way to make my pitcher bigger, my vessel more accommodating to my soul for lack of better phrasing." She kept her voice low.

"I'm sensing a 'but' here. You're not about to sacrifice babies all of a sudden are you?" I hit the back of my head against where her neck and chest met.

Mimi laughed softly, "No, but it will leave me vulnerable. I can stop at any time, and pick it back up again, but I'd rather tend to it as quickly as I can. I do not like having a potential problem when it can be solved before there is one."

My eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by vulnerable?"

"I will be in a suggestible state, similar to hypnosis. More like a cross between that and meditation. I can mitigate the potential damage if we stumble upon other individuals by having you tell myself to only listen to you in this state. This journey is the perfect opportunity to do this, as I will be alone with you for a long period. I will be alone and vulnerable with only you to guide me during that time. I can attempt it on my own during periods we feel safe, but I fear if I wait before continuing then my work might be undone. I'm hoping I can do it in steps, but I will not know until I make the attempt."

I scratched my chin, "What about your Hive? Couldn't we just hole up in a cave while you do this? Shouldn't one of the personalities stand guard?"

Mimi slowly shook her head, "I'll be vulnerable to them as well. They are not even aware of this, and I feel it would make me appear weak to them. I doubt any of them would be foolish enough to take advantage, but the risk is too great to not go with the one I trust the most. Hence, why I am telling you, and making the request Richard. It is more efficient, and a complete display of trust."

"Why me? I really don't think anyone would betray you, Mimi." This was giving me some complicated feelings.

"It's because you played a prank on me, Richard. When we had Carter binding us, you decided to joke about altering the bond. You had Carter play along with it, and it forced me to check that I was not bound as your pet. You saw me as enough of an equal to do such a thing, but it also means you contemplated what you would do if you could control me. The other personalities are growing, and coming to complex ideas of their own. While I considered what I would do if they betrayed me, the thought never once crossed their minds. If such an idea came to them while I was vulnerable, then they would certainly become the Hive's ruler."

I swallowed hard, as she continued to hug me. The outer wall was getting bigger with every step she took. There was more to this that she left unspoken. It warmed my heart but also weighed down on me. There was so much responsibility in this, so much to consider. "But, it's Mimi," I said out loud. Mimi stopped for a second, as I realized it myself. I coughed, "It's you, and I know there's more to this. You're leaving out things you expect to happen, aren't you? I mean the most likely stuff, or is this some kind of test?"

Mimi hugged me a little tighter, "I'll be disconnecting from my Hive in this city after we leave. I have enough bugs to hold my soul in the wagon. The Hive itself gains strength from my being, meaning that it will weaken without me. They are aware of that part, but they do not know how much harder it will be for them. You have given me your trust multiple times, and I find this to be the only way to properly express mine towards you."

I bit my lip, unsure about this. A few seconds passed before I nodded. "Only after we leave the city, and we're outside the range of any patrols." How many people would kill for this chance? Some would probably just take advantage, no make that most people. Just because of her black blood, so many wouldn't hesitate to hurt her or use her for their own ends. Monsters were considered less than beasts because you could at least eat them. How far had we come, for her to consider giving me her trust like this.

"Thank you, Richard." Those words were all she needed to say. I wouldn't betray her, I'd sooner die. Her logic didn't make sense to me, but she needed my help. That was all that needed to be said on the matter.

The rest of the walk continued in silence, as we arrived at the outer wall. Most of the guards out this far were in watchtowers that looked for any hordes coming our way. It had been a while since the last one, and every year that passes without it makes people more nervous. The more time that passes, the bigger it will be when it finally comes. Mimi stopped just a brisk walk away from the gate. The guards were facing forward, watching the three hundred sixty feet (110 meters) area before the forest.

I looked up at Mimi, to see her violet lips curled into a smile. "You remember that I said I wanted to see the sunrise before we left, correct?"

She looked down at me, her flawless alabaster skin standing out as the darkness around us was starting to lift. I sighed, smiling at her glowing silver eyes. "They can't get us for breaking a law now, can they? We do need to come back to get our wagons, so don't get us into too much trouble, okay?"

Mimi laughed a little, before jumping up and scaling the fifty-foot (15 meters) wall. One jump wasn't enough, so she kicked off the wall spreading her wings to get a little higher, before gliding back and doing it once more. I knew she was holding back to not make any noise, but I found myself gripping her arms during the ascent. She dropped me at the top, where the walkway between watchtowers was. I took a few seconds to collect myself, while she sat on the wall.

I walked beside her, looking at the seemingly endless forest stretching out before us. The sun was just about to rise over the trees, painting the sky in brilliant hues. I put my hands on my hips, smiling, as I stared at the beauty of it. I let out a small sigh, "You know... I kind of wish Pandora was here with us."

Mimi tilted her head, her dreadlock stingers moving slightly before her antenna popped up. I could see her smile, "Silly Richard, the Hive sees what I see. This is the last memory I'm giving to them for a while, I felt it would be nice to have it be something beautiful."

"Ah, so that's why you wanted to do this. You're saying it's like she's right next to us enjoying the sight with us right now." I rubbed my chin.

Mimi reached into the shadow of her wings pulling out a package with my name on it. My eyes went wide, as she slid it back into the darkness. "You mentioned smuggling blue haze past the guards as well. But yes, Pandora wanted to see this with us. She can feel our emotions right now. Is there anything you want to say to her?" Mimi looked right at me.

I grinned back at her, "Sure, tell her to stay out of trouble." I gave Mimi a wink, as she laughed a little.

"There, she received it. She says she's going to get into all the food fights and keep Cheshire safe. We better bring her and Ember something back."

I rubbed the back of my head, "You told her about that, huh?"

Mimi nodded, "She was talking to her sister before she even hatched after all. I couldn't keep it from her."

I nodded, looking back at the sunrise. "Yeah, before we know it the year will pass. We'll see our little girl all grown up, and everything will work out."

"Will it Richard?" She raised a brow.

I crossed my arms, "Damn straight it will, and if it doesn't I'll make it better than alright." I stared back at the forest ahead, no longer the scared apprentice I was last year. We'll spread Mimi's Hive, and get stronger so we can take our daughter back from the king himself.