Formicea

 

- Farrah -

 

Okay, I'm going to have my second day as Princess Honiu's personal nurse.
While she was far more reasonable than I expected the decision I made yesterday makes me now quite anxious.
I mean, I can act as confident as I want in front of my family, which is actually the only way to convince them, but it's still about modifying my body.
You have to be like totally crazy to not even react to the severity.
Still, it doesn't sound too bad.
I'll simply sweat differently.
Sigh.

 

After quite a climb that makes me for the first time wish for wings, before I dismiss this idea very hard as it's an actual possibility and I've seen Erys struggle with them, I reach the district.
It's still a weird feeling when a whole troop of guardians simply lets you pass into guarded property because you belong here.
I mean, Erys courtyard is similar, but those big ones are of completely different quality and feel more foreign.
The first one I meet is Chitu.
Directly after my first sniff of her pheromones, I'm asking myself if being flustered might be her standard condition.

 

<Ehk, skria!/Ehm, hello Chitu. Something happened?> (F)

<You... What happened yesterday with my princess? What did you do?> (C)

 

What is she talking about?
She is so agitated that it's concerning.

 

<What do you mean?> (F)

<My princess... After she grew hungry this morning she left her chamber! And then, and then she, she asked us to bring her food into her quarter, instructing us to be careful not to interact with her, so we won't go against the order. A-and then she ate it by herself! Without assistance!> (C)

 

Okay... The way she talks about it, it sounds like the world just turned upside down.

 

<Well, this is good, right? You don't need to worry anymore that she starves herself.> (F)

<But what if she overexerts herself? She never acted this much on her own!> (C)

 

I roll my eyes.
Seriously, if something isn't healthy here then how much everyone already has gotten used to Honiu's lack of physical activity.

 

<Chitu, I know princess Liseti and in my opinion, she's extremely occupied with various things, different from Honiu, and is still doing fine. So there should be absolutely no problem if Honiu does the same.> (F)

<You can't compare princesses! My princess isn't Liseti!> (C)

<But for now everything seems to be alright. So there should be no harm if we see how it goes. Maybe it's beneficial.> (F)

<... I'm not sure.> (C)

<For now it's obviously Honiu's wish. So we should support her, right?> (F)

<... You aren't wrong.> (C)

<Then please let me now go to attend her. I'm sure she's waiting.> (F)

<Ahh, you're right! How careless of me!> (C)

 

As I said, maybe she's simply permanently flustered.
So I leave her behind and enter Honiu's chamber.

 

<Ah, there you are. Due time!> (H)

<At least I want to be diligent about my service.> (F)

<That's debatable.> (H)

<Yes, yes. At least I want to make sure you don't die. That should be good enough.> (F)

 

I receive a bit of an irritated response.
She's clearly bugged about me.
Pun intended.

 

<I left my alcove and require cleaning.> (H)

<Okay. Actually, I wanted to talk about something in that regard. I'd... maybe consider your offer regarding the cleansing fluid.> (F)

<Really? It would definitely improve your performance.> (H)

 

She's trying to maintain her dignity and stay calm but in reality, she's weirdly joyous.
It's an almost disturbing morbid elation about the opportunity to mess with my body.

 

<Ehk, before I'll agree to anything I first want to know what exactly the results would be. You know, not that I'm growing new limbs or something similar disturbing. I don't want to change my appearance.> (F)

<No, nothing like this. I'll simply grow the necessary organs and induce the forming of the glands at your upper appendages.> (H)

 

I'm slightly worried.
The idea of getting new organs is disturbing.
Especially if I consider that there's limited space in my body.
The same goes for glands on my hands.

 

<Ehk, they won't be too visible, right? And can this clash with my sweating?> (F)

 

I'd like to be able to differentiate between both.

 

<Sweating?> (H)

<You know, humans emit fluid if they're hot or did some hard labor.> (F)

<Let me see!> (H)

 

Without waiting for an answer, Honiu rushes to my side and has already my arm in her grasp, fiddling with it with four arms simultaneously.
Even if I'd say that I'm fairly open and made an amazing effort in integrating into this society for my girl, that a giant insect comes rushing at me and touches my body is still startling.
However, if she notices Honiu completely ignores my issues, absorbed in whatever she's doing.

 

<Yes, I see. Glands. Embedded into the surface. Do you know their purpose?> (H)

<Not really. Is there one? The sweat has no real use.> (F)

<Hm, it might be linked to the mentioned activities. Fascinating! This means there are already existing structures! How convenient! I can simply take advantage of these. If the produced liquid serves no purpose it will serve well to replace it. Yes, yes this should work.> (H)

<Should!?> (F)

<Will!!! It will work!> (H)

 

Yep, totally not the crazy researcher.

 

<Okay, if you promise that it won't deform me or I'll get terrible health issues. You realize that this would be very bad regarding Uma's decree? I'm asking for both our sake.> (F)

 

For a moment I sense a slight degree of panic around her, realizing this possibility but it quickly subsides.

 

<I am confident enough in my abilities to perform this modification. So it seems we can finally begin. I can't wait to receive a proper cleaning.> (H)

 

If her ovipositor just wouldn't emerge so threateningly from behind her.

 

<I have your permission, yes?> (H)

 

Somehow it doesn't feel like I have much of a choice at this point.

 

<Ehk, how exactly will this commence?> (F)

<As you know, a princess can produce all the drones which sustain the hive. Each princess has the ability to decide on the patterns typical for our kinds. At the same time, we are also able to create specialized patterns. At greater cost, we can create drones with unique features, within the limits of our kind of course. Yet there's another thing to this. As it's not required for the role of a princess this ability lies dormant within us. However, princesses can make use of all the construction information for our kind. And this means we are able to send the information out. I can produce a liquid that contains this concentrated information and inject it into the respective part of the body it's supposed to get changed into.> (H)

<So, do you... have to sting me?> (F)

<It depends on the intended change. It needs to enter the respective body part. Yet not just superficially, but deep down to the essence. In this case, yes, it has to enter.> (H)

 

Urgh, I'm not too keen on getting stung.

 

<Okay. But please, nothing too painful.> (F)

<I'll try to adjust.> (H)

 

I know this won't be pleasant, so I show my hands, where I'm supposed to get the change and look away.
A second later there's an impact in my chest.
A piercing sting.
Then two more on each of my arms in quick succession.
This caught me off guard.
Questioning I look at the perpetrator.

 

<Why?> (F)

 

This expression might've been a little too simplistic, but in reality, my pheromones contained all the variants of the questions I wanted to ask.
From "Why my chest?" to "One sting wasn't enough?".
Which is a bit convenient in terms of communication.

 

<What did you think this is about? As if only your claws would be affected. No, I had to adjust your whole body system so it would be able to produce the right liquid inside.> (H)

 

That's something she really could have mentioned before.

 

<It's strange. I don't feel all that different.> (F)

<That will change, exactly... Now.> (H)

 

Promptly I feel it.
My body starts to itch and I feel a rising heat everywhere.
But worse are only my arms.
The itch becomes so strong there that it hurts.
Also, the heat and pressure in them are extremely uncomfortable, while the flesh itself seems to warp.

Only my mental preparation, and the fact that I stayed close to a bench in case I lose my footing, prevents me from falling to the ground.
It takes far longer than I'd like it to.
But eventually, I can press through this ordeal and everything subsides.
Slightly disgruntled I turn to Honiu.

 

<You didn't mention that it would be this intense.> (F)

<What do you think this was about? I had to modify your whole inner system so that your body would direct the resources to the right places for the production, make sure there won't be any counterreactions to the liquid, and establish an inner transportation and expelling system to make it appliable. As if something like this would just pass by.> (H)

 

There's still a slight prickling in my palms.
Naturally, I inspect them.
Fortunately, I can't make anything out.
No abnormal big glands or a different colorization.
They look like before, which is kinda surprising as I can't believe what I just felt was about nothing.
Still, I feel like before.
Which is quite soothing but at the same time worrying.

 

<I want to know if the change completed. Please report.> (H)

<I... I'm not really sure if anything is different at all. It seems to be over. Are you sure it worked?> (F)

 

After all, even if this was very intense, to believe that my entire inside changed just in this short moment and I don't feel any different at all is a bit odd.

 

<Naturally it worked! I don't make mistakes. You simply have yet to make use of the modified glands.> (H)

<And how would I do this?> (F)

<Simply think about wanting to expel the liquid. Or how would you move your body? It's entirely the same principle.> (H)

 

Well, if she says so.
This means I have to think about producing a liquid I don't even know about its nature yet.
Nothing easier than this, huh?
Okay, fun aside, this is kinda weird to think about.
I only have to think I want it to come out of my hands.
Is this it?
But how would I control such a foreign effect?
Can I really... Oh, forget about it, my hands are getting damp.

I stare at my palms.
They're feeling sweaty, but aside from a bit of glistening fluid covering their surface, there's nothing unordinary.
And when I touch the fluid it feels like something between water and oil.
But not as clingy as the latter.
Seriously, the thought that this feels like my sweat but at the same time clearly is none is distressing me.
I use my cloth to wipe them.
For a moment it works to get rid of the liquid, but seconds later they're as damp as before.

 

<M-my hands! It won't stop!> (F)

<Just pause the reaction.> (H)

<And how!?> (F)

<The same way you started it. As if that's of any difficulty.> (H)

 

She's once more annoyed but for me this loss of control over my own body is frightening.
With my voice, I could at least decide if I want to speak, but this liquid just continues to flow.
Is this how Erys feels with her eggs?
But no, Honiu says I can control this and I believe her.
I just need to understand how.

Trying to overcome my panic I concentrate on my palms and tell myself to stop this flow.
It doesn't work.
So I concentrate a little more on my hands, in particular, I retrace where the liquid comes from.
There's a strange sensation originating from inside my wrist.
Like prickling, or some strain in the muscles, but not quite the same.
And then I cut off the flow.

I didn't target a specific muscle or even know how my insides work.
I just know that I did it.
Like moving a limb.
You aren't aware of every single muscle, you control the entirety.
And this is how this works as well.
Sadly my hands still remain damp, as I have nothing to dry them with.
The cloth in particular is totally soaked by now.

 

<It seems you've acquired control of a nurse's most basic ability. Would you now please put it to use and begin to clean me?> (H)

 

Uh, well, I can't deny that this is part of the job.
However, I shouldn't forget to educate her a little.

 

<If you want that someone does something for you it's basic courtesy to request it with a "please".> (F)

<You are irritating. Why can't you just act according to your role?> (H)

<Because I see it as my "role" that you need to learn how to interact with others. And one part of this is saying "please" if you want something.> (F)

<You would make me beg to receive my cleaning?> (H)

<This isn't about "begging". Just about appropriate behavior. You shouldn't take the things others do for you for granted. There's always a being behind this. And while drones might find fulfillment in their jobs it won't hurt you to let them know that you appreciate their efforts.> (F)

<I certainly appreciate that they do their work without strange requests or backtalk.> (H)

<And then you say "please".> (F)

<Skch! Scria!/Would you please begin to clean me?> (H)

 

This was more of a hiss than a request but I'll take it.

 

"Wieth pleeasure!" (F)

 

By now I believe to know how far I can tease her.
The pheromones certainly help me to gauge her state.
So I begin to use the soaked cloth to wipe her down.

 

<Why are you using this kind of communication?> (H)

"Ehk? Ie'm tryeing to practiece human spEech. You know, thee same you took from me. Iet wiell make mye Erys feel bEtter ief I rEgain thies ability." (F)

"Understood." (H)

"You can speeak iet as wEll?" (F)

"Ie learn fast." (H)

 

It's simply unfair that the one who ruined my voice now is so much better at it.
But I won't be petty about this.
At most I'll tomorrow teach her the meaning of "thank you".

However, with my new drenching ability, I can clean her quite well.
And it's kinda convenient that whenever it gets too dirty or dries I can simply wring it out and soak it again with the liquid from my hands.
Just to think that this stuff can also effectively treat wounds is quite a thought.

Honiu didn't even complain about my technique like before.
At most, she wondered why I wouldn't use my "claws" directly and I had to explain the advantages of a piece of fabric.
Like better traction or protection from hurting my fingers at her carapace.
The wings are still difficult to work on but I can manage without greater slip-ups.

It doesn't take too long and I'm done.
Quite good for using a completely new part of my body.