- Erys -

Sigh, today was already quite tense, and now another festivity.

I have no idea how I'm going to convince Honiu to partake.

But I wouldn't want to end this trip on a sour note by refusing to attend.

After all, they give it in our honor.

So I'm right now going to her quarters.

And stop when I feel many very upset pheromones, only to walk even faster after a moment of contemplation.

I increase my pace to reach the origin and discover pure chaos.

Several workers are attempting to drag a boy away who is trying to push past a wall of nurses and messengers to Honiu, with quite hostile intentions, according to his pheromones.

Yet the weird part about that picture is that they visibly seem to be struggling to do so.

I mean, several oversized insects, some specially created for doing manual labor, against a kid.

It should be a bit more one-sided, yet it's not like the boy has a chance.

In actuality, it's more of the difficulty that comes with handling children and not as much that a full-grown worker isn't strong enough.

And to a big part, it also seems that they're trying to handle him delicately.

Realizing that this isn't going to get out of control, I take in the rest of the scenery.

There are two other children.

Girls around Toris' age I'd say, as is the boy.

Oh, isn't that one next to the boy the girl I met last time?

She looks better than back then.

Then there's Honiu who watches what happens with an uninvolved curiosity, while mum is more affected but probably as unsure as I am about what to do in this situation.

Finally, it seems like the persistence of the workers wins over the stubbornness of the boy, and they manage to pull him back and hold him still.

(O)

Wait, he's speaking Formicean?

Oh no, Honiu!

The princess in question comes closer to inspect the boy.

(H)

True to her words the workers push him down by his shoulders but only to prevent that he jumps at her without pressuring him further.

(H)

(O)

(H)

I'm still gathering my thoughts for an appropriate reaction when the girl from before speaks up.

(A)

(H)

(A)

(H)

The girl seems to relax once she hears this.

Meanwhile, I look at the other girl they obviously just spoke about.

She seems a bit uneasy with all this trouble.

Wait, did she just say nurse?

God, this princess?!

(H)

(F)

(E)

(H)

Damn, I have no idea what to reply to this argument.

She basically declares complete ownership over all the children through this.

While it might be considered positive that they're at least equal to her drones, for her this doesn't mean as much if one considers that those lives are seen as replaceable in the swarm, only weighted in quantity.

And if nothing else, the fact that she's mutating children isn't even morally grey anymore.

(H)

(O)

The boy again tenses against the workers who strain a bit to contain him.

(A)

(M)

She can do that?

Damn, now I worry about how many changes she was subjected to.

Poor girl.

(A)

(O)

(A)

(O)

(A)

Seeing this, it looks like this boy didn't really think this through.

Having a sibling of my own I can very well understand that she's fed up.

But now it seems like Honiu lost interest in those two and turns to me.

(H)

(E)

(F)

(E)

(H)

(F)

Mum is saying very firmly since nothing else is going to get through to this princess.

(H)

(F)

(H)

(E)

(F)

The princess in question is contemplating for a while.

Then she speaks.

(H)

Wow, that's unexpected.

This princess isn't so much into cutting down on her personal satisfaction.

(F)

(H)

At this, she looks at the young girl.

Mum as well, yet with a more disbelieving expression.

And I follow their gazes, so that now everyone is looking at her.

(M)

Sorry, girl.

You got dragged into her antics.

(E)

(M)

Yep, that might be a bit too grand for poor orphans.

(A)

The poor girl looks a bit overwhelmed.

(H)

"Ehk?" (A)

(F)

Thank god! Finally a voice of reason.

(F)

Excuse me, what?!

(H)

And mum smirks nefariously.

Oh my god, she isn't trying to get the children out of this!

She wants to play dress up!

And this with the unlimited resources only a vast empire can provide!

Quickly she grasps both of the girls' hands and pulls them away.

The boy, unwilling to separate, follows behind.

(H)

I'm absolutely not convinced about this.