Formicea

Urgh.
What happened?
I feel like there's a huge weight on me.
Wait, there is!
To be precise, many weights.
All around me, and my legs still being pinned awkwardly below me.

<Hey, can any of you shift? I want to get out of here!> (S)

Some stir, but most of them keep sleeping.

<Awh, look. They are so nice together.> (nurse 2)

Oh no, I know those pheromones!
It's the two nurses from before!
I can easily tell them apart from the other bugs, though buried as I am, their scents are a bit blocked.

<Come by, here's food.> (nurse 2)

At this, the whole mass around me awakens.
The first get up, then more, and before long, all are on their way to get their share.
Meanwhile, I first get awkwardly back up and stretch my stiff legs.
Also, there's a familiar scent tingling in my nose.

<Sarah?!> (A)

Allie?!

Why?
She's next to the nurses?

Of course, I walk closer.

<I couldn't find you yesterday. I started looking, but only after I heard from these two did I get a lead.> (A)

<So it truly was this hunter who was this 'Sarah' you were referring to. You could've provided more details, but it served the purpose.> (nurse 1)

<Hello, little one. I have your food here. If you behave well, I'll give it to you as one of the first.> (nurse 2)

I notice that the slices are brown this time.
They also smell different, but tasty nonetheless.
My mouth waters.

No.
No!
I can't let this control me!
I have to know first!

<Okay, what even is this stuff? And what did you feed me before?!> (S)

<To think a hunter would ask such a thing. The meat for the last feeding was delivered to us as part of an agreement between Princess Honiu and Princess Chera, who had a surplus of it. It may have been a bit stale, due to the long delivery. This time, however, it was just gathered from those that perished, so it's fresh. Just as you hunters like it.> (nurse 2)

Eh, what!?

<S-sorry, but I decline.> (S)

Just ignore the delicious smell.
As hard as it is...

<Ehm, Sarah, what is going on here?> (A)

Ah, I almost forgot she was there.
This smell should not be so distracting!

<I honestly don't know! Those idiots placed me in here and then left me!> (S)

<But you... stayed?> (A)

<It got complicated, okay? I got caught up here pretty badly. However, this ends now!> (S)

With one single jump, I vault over the wall.

"Scrrrlll!" (alpha)

One glare of mine is enough to tell him I'm not putting this matter up to debate.

<You shouldn't leave your enclosure, little hunter. Not without proper training.> (nurse 1)

<Damnit! Get it inside your heads that I'm not one of them!> (S)

<Oh, it became emotional.> (nurse 2)

<For good reason! Allie, you are with me on this, right?> (S)

<Ehm, Sarah. There is...> (A)

<But you are, aren't you?> (H)

Honiu!

Huh!?
Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

<H-Honiu?!> (S)

<A hunter that is. Quite the natural at it, even, and already at the top of the pack.> (H)

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I'm intimidated.
Alea is the same.
Whenever we are with the princess, there's always this strong aura around her that induces respect for her.

<E-ehk./H-how much did you see?> (S)

<Enough, since you awoke. Also, I received very interesting reports on you. You can be assured, I care enough for my brood to show this kind of interest, my little hunter.> (H)

Shit!
She knows everything!

<Now that it all presents itself in this manner, would you still deny your role among them? Are you still saying your place lies elsewhere?> (H)

Elsewhere than in this pen?
Of course!
But... but I get that there's something about being with the hunters.
I still see myself as human, but I can't deny that my time here wasn't all bad.
They can even be nice and aren't quite as stiff as most drones.
I even had some fun.

<You don't need to answer right away. An interruption is closing in.> (H)

"Honiu!" (F)

There comes the maid of the princess.
She walks right up to her, without any hesitation.

"I swear to you, once these are grown, I won't let you run off as you please anymore!" (F)

Are those sprouts of wings on her back?

"Oh no, are you bothering the poor girl again? I thought we had this covered yesterday?!" (F)

<Circumstances have developed. And I wish to react to them> (H)

<Seriously, Honiu, you can't! Don't treat this poor child like this!> (F)

<Farrah, I wish to receive an answer from the young hunter. So while your input is duly noted, received, and considered, please, don't interrupt me on this. It won't make me more favorable for your cause.> (H)

<...understood.> (F)

And with this, she grows quiet.
Now it is just me and her.

<So, little hunter, back to my question. Are you still denying your role?> (H)

<Yes! I mean, no! I mean, I mean...> (S)

<Please, answer more clearly.> (H)

<I-I am not against spending time with them. I'm also not against later doing stuff for you with them. But, but I don't want this to be everything. I also want to hang around with Allie, Millie, and the others. I want to do my own stuff. I need to have my own life as well. I just need to! And I, I would still like to have my own room.> (S)

Now she's fixing me with her black eyes.
This piercing stare that makes everything inside me squeeze together.
I feel the urge to submit to her, like the others did yesterday to me, but keep standing nonetheless, knowing I have to hold my ground on this.

<I see you're going to be a handful. But if you insist. Very well then. Yet if you have to take up such resources, you'll have to prove to me to be worth them. I'll put you and your pack to use and will judge your performance within it. So don't disappoint me.> (H)

I got it!
I can keep on living as a human!
I wouldn't know what I'd have done if she denied me this.

Could I maybe push for more?

<Also, please, just please, tell your nurses that I can eat normally. They don't need to do hunter-behavior training with me. Or any training for that matter!> (S)

I give these two a glare at this.
Number two even shrinks a bit away from my gaze.
Hah, I'm commanding respect!

<You do have a point. Your former feedings proceeded uncomplicated enough. So you likely don't require guidance in this respect. Yet maybe larger rations, until your body fully adjusts. However, you certainly will receive training.> (H)

<I-I, I... what!?!> (S)

<You are the pack's new alpha. It's only natural that you'll have to learn how to perform in this role and guide your fellow hunters from here on. Therefore, I'll make sure that you'll be educated.> (H)

That means dog school, doesn't it?
Will they again have me perform tricks for something to eat?

<However, as you are a human, I'll make sure that the education you receive goes beyond the usual. Formal guidance by a scholar should serve the matter well. It won't be anything like the usual hunter training, but if I received you correctly, you won't require this, will you?> (H)

<N-no.> (S)

<Then this is settled. Yet one more thing. You will still move out of your room.> (H)

<What?! But you said I can have it!> (S)

<You humans and your habit of jumping prematurely to conclusions. The crib is for human infants without a role yet. But you have one. Therefore, I'll make it so you will have one close to your pack. It will still be your own nonetheless. Also, I suppose, it should be a bit larger. After all, hunters require sufficient space. Do you agree with this?> (H)

A bigger room?!

"Y-yeEESh!" (S)

I wanted to say this in human.

This is all about my point.

<Very well. Then prove my trust in you founded, Human Hunter Sarah.> (H)

She knows my name!?!

I guess that's it.
I got what I wanted.
Everything and more.
Slightly perplexed, I walk up to Allie.

"Sarah! I-I'm so sorry! I, I just didn't know what to say and didn't want to make it worse for you." (A)

<It's fine. You see, everything went well.> (S)

But it feels kinda unfair that her speech is so much better than mine.
Foremost, because I am not quite sure how to deal with this stupid tongue.

"You know, everyone else was worried as well. Owen might still be looking. And Millie. She was the one who got wind about some nurses asking about the accommodations for a 'special hunter'." (A)

So, Millie got access to a nurse network?

"Th-thchaaaankch, shouuuu." (S)

Doesn't work yet.

"You know, today we'd have our group. You want to join?" (A)

"Y-yeshh." (S)

"Great! Then come along!" (A)

<Uh, can I ask something first?> (S)

"Sure, what is it?" (A)

<How do I look? Do you think the normal humans would freak out if I went into town?> (S)

Her gaze studies me for a few moments.

<Well, if you put on gloves and a long skirt, you probably could pass as normal. Heh, though that would suit you even less now.> (A)

<What? Why?> (S)

<Your face. It's a bit…tomboyish now. More than before. But nothing bad! You still look mostly normal. Might even pass as a well-fed, military Lady with those muscles.> (A)

I'm glad.
I never overly cared about my looks.
Who cares about being girly in this world where someone can just come and burn your home down?
In exchange, I got now quite a bit of strength, so I guess that's fine by me.
Even better, I might still be able to explore human areas without fear of getting mobbed.
If I'm careful, that is.

<Uh, Sarah?> (A)

<Yes?> (S)

<You may want to not smile when around people who don't know you.> (A)

<Oh. Right.> (S)

"Well, we'd better be going." (A)

So I follow after her, but not before casting a last glance at the other hunters.
I know I'm gonna come back.
I won't completely leave them be.
Just as I won't abandon my old friends and the life I've led until now.
There's so much new happening around me.
I wanted to change.
I drank the potion out of my own free will.
However, to turn a new leaf doesn't have to mean abandoning everything you ever held dear.
Doing as well as possible and living the best I can, I firmly believe this is already all that is needed to take a new path in life!

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<You know, I didn't believe you'd be so accommodating on that matter. But I'm glad you were.> (F)

<I realized I should consider the human side as well. You were right that those two parts now make for a whole and have both to be considered. It might make the maintenance of my little hybrids more extensive, but it is also the reason why they have the potential to outperform their pure counterparts in their roles.> (H)

<I see. So you won't stop seeing those children just the same as Formicean drones? Like, maybe instead as individuals with a personality that goes beyond their role?> (F)

<Certainly not. I have particularly high hopes for this one. The future development of my hybrids looks all too promising. Given what I've seen from this one, it's stronger, faster, and more intelligent than the others of its kind. The way it can conceive more complex commands makes it fitting as a pack leader and even as a future commanding unit.> (H)

<So you're seeing potential. Well, as long as you allow them to lead dignified lives, I won't complain about your methods.> (F)

<Yes, potential. Incredible potential in mind and physique. But most importantly, I'm quite certain my hybrids retained their human reproduction facilities. To think that this one could be the progenitor of a self-sustaining population of a superior version of hunters. You see, hunters are closest to the ancient males who scouted suitable prey for their females to produce offspring. This opens up completely new paths of advancement. If I were to reactivate their genome and bring them together... Oh, I'm growing excited!> (H)

<Honiu.> (F)

<Yes, Farrah?> (H)

<If you start a breeding program, I'm gonna kill you.> (F)

<...understood.> (H)

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<...I have time.> (H)