Formicea

I wake up in an unfamiliar room.

Well, to be fair, almost all rooms in this underworld are kinda similar, but ever since I took this smell drink, I get some kind of inkling regarding if I know a room.

I can smell it out, so to speak.

This time, it's even particularly easy because I'd certainly know if a room would contain a mud-filled tub like the one I'm currently lying in.

"Scruuuuuuhhhh!" (S)

Uh, was that me?

"Scraaaak!" (S)

Promptly, someone enters the room.

It's one of those "nurses".

I still feel kinda groggy and can't do much against the four arms that begin to strobe my body from all sides.

<There are still shifts below the skin and some parts seem underdeveloped. It seems you woke up right in the midst of your metamorphosis. You poor thing. Quite unfortunate.> (nurse)

Metamorphosis?

What's that supposed to be?

<I'd ask you to lie down again. Please, refrain from moving until a full examination could occur. Someone will be coming any moment.> (nurse)

She doesn't really have to ask me.

While I'd like to get out of this mud, my whole body feels tender and my limbs are kinda sluggish.

So standing up isn't an option for me.

She quickly leaves again, and I try calling after her.

Yet I become distracted, as not only does my throat solely make those strange sounds, but my mouth also feels completely wrong.

My cheeks feel tender and swollen, the form is all off, and it doesn't fit the way I was used to.

Especially, around the teeth, like there are far too many of them, and they are far too sharp.

From what I can feel with my lips and cheeks, I think there could be more than one row!

Several more!

More importantly, those rows are kinda circular!

I think they’re even sprouting from the inside of my cheeks!

As for why I can’t feel closer, I realize it’s because something else is missing.

Something extremely important!

"Squeeeeak!" (S)

Where's my tongue!?

I can't feel it in my mouth!

Oh my god!

I need my tongue!

How am I going to speak without it?!

I don't want to squeak for the rest of my life!

But how would you even talk without one?

Oh no, I'm screwed!

Just why did I drink that stuff?

If I'd known it would be so bad...

I want my tongue back!

Promptly, I feel something shifting inside my throat.

It's like there's something swelling.

A certain something is poking out from behind and reaching into my mouth.

Then it pushes all the way through and promptly goes out.

I-is that... A tongue!

My tongue!

But... it feels weird.

It's gotten kinda round and the tip is strangely formed.

Sharp and... hard?

With tiny spines, I think?

Also, did it overall become thinner?

I know for certain that it’s longer, as it kinda feels like it's now reaching from farther down my throat.

Where does it even come from?!

The whole thing emerged from so deep below and is wriggling like some animal, so long it is.

I need to check this properly.

Feeling, very slowly, a bit of strength returning, I manage to bring an arm to my face and feel with my fingers inside, noticing all the many, many sharp edges.

"Clack"

Then another realization hits me hard.

The finger I'm examining my mouth with, its tip is hard.

Not just the nail, if there even is a nail, but the whole thing turned into some kind of claw that is particularly hard at the pointy tip.

Further below, there's still softer skin, from where the bony parts stick out, as if what remains of my fingers simply function as covering sheets for these things.

Yet the sheets end short, or were maybe rather pierced through, as the whole limb looks a bit longer than before.

The other fingers are the same.

I spend quite some time trying to come to terms with this before someone enters the room.

"Saraaahhh!" (Alea)

Allie!?

What is she doing here?

Heck, what am I doing here?

She's giving me a hug, while pulling me up with quite some strength.

<I brought help! Hopefully, she will help.> (A)

<My Princess!> (nurse)

It's Honiu!

The one responsible for everything here!

What reason would she have to come here looking for me?

I see her approaching the nurse from before who instantly becomes completely reverent.

Seriously, it's still hard to wrap my head around just how important she is.

<Inform me. How is my new brood?> (H)

<My Princess, the specimen is still in good health, yet the metamorphosis doesn't seem concluded yet. We noticed it losing a number of its chewing tools, yet most shifts seem to be internal still. I'd advise against approaching too closely, as sudden, violent reactions could occur.> (nurse)

I still have no idea what to even do with all this.

Though Honiu, she seems interested.

When her gaze settles on me I kind of want to delve in the tub again.

Fortunately, she stops staring and looks at someone else.

Someone I know.

<Farrah. Your pheromones aren't all that contained. And even if you'd manage to completely suppress them, I can tell about your irritation. So speak.> (H)

<I can't believe you'd still do this!> (F)

<As you suggested, they're given the option on a voluntary basis. This ascertains that their motivation aligns with their permanent position as my subjects. I don't see how you have any grounds to complain here, Farrah.> (H)

Farrah doesn't seem to agree.

<Those are children, Honiu! Do you truly think they are old enough to make decisions that are going to affect the rest of their lives?!> (F)

I mean, yeah, I wanted to change.

Changies get better jobs and are treated well.

Not to speak about the improved abilities.

Okin became ridiculously strong, and Allie seems to never get tired, can fly, and I'm sure she got faster.

There are so many advantages to it, but right now I'm not sure if I didn't draw the short stick.

<I can see your point. Yet a younger stage is beneficial to the integration, so I need to maintain an equilibrium. In this case, I'm sure this one is capable of reason.> (H)

<She might still forever regret it. Not to mention how much could go wrong.> (F)

<Which is why I'm here. So would you let me examine this one now?> (H)

Examine?!

She's coming close.

Of course, I start feeling panicked.

<Speak. Are you feeling any form of discomfort or experiencing detrimental change?> (H)

Discomfort?!

One could say that!

But how do I reply?

All I can make is these sounds.

Yet perhaps I can put meaning in them now as they do?

<Sckr-/My->

Woah!

I, I can smell my own thoughts.

Is this this smell talking that the others were talking about?

So if this works, she’ll understand when I complain to her!

<Screeeeech!/My tongue is gone and got replaced with some kind of worm! I can't speak like this!> (S)

I push it out and wriggle the thing a bit to make my point.

<I see. Not too rare, but the shape is intriguing. Also, I admit, it's interesting how this happened already in this stage. And those teeth... Would you mind standing up, so I can take more into account than your face?> (H)

I try to, but quickly realize that my legs feel off as well.

They don't quite move right and strain in strange ways.

Allie notices.

"Heere, let me hElp you." (A)

I need to support my body with my arms to actually get up, but together we can do it.

<Is something wrong?> (F)

My joints hurt like hell.

Especially my knees.

<My legs hurt.> (S)

They feel so, so wrong.

I, I can't bend them.

They won’t move!

It's, it's as if-

"CRACK"

"SCRCHAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" (S)

Pain!

Overwhelming pain!

My knees!

My knees just broke!

The whole leg, it's, it's kinda turned around, bending outwards now.

Oh my god, somehow my legs cracked right in the middle at the joint!

It hurts!

It hurts!!

<Hm. I didn't expect that.> (H)

You didn't!?

Then this is simply going wrong?

I'm going wrong?!

<Skchaaahhh!/Waaahhh!> (S)

<Sarah!> (A)

Allie apparently kept me from falling.

Still holding me and afraid to let go.

<Honiu! What is with her?! This, this shouldn't happen!> (F)

<Be quiet, you two! I need to think.> (H)

She lowers down to me and then grabs my left leg with two left arms.

"Ackh!" (S)

I can barely struggle, as I’ve no strength in my legs, but the pain dulls slightly.

<No sudden movements. Tell me how this feels.> (H)

She squeezes, and pain again shoots through my leg.

<Skccchhhhiieeh!/It hurts!> (S)

<How much? Be specific.> (H)

<As if my leg just got bent the wrong way!> (S)

What is with that question?!

<Does it hurt like an injury?> (H)

What does she mean?

My leg... Actually, it doesn't hurt quite that much anymore.

Still a lot, but, but not like it's broken.

I once broke my finger, and that pain didn't stop as quickly as this.

Another squeeze, but this time, not quite as painful.

<As I presumed. The leg is still connected. Very interesting.> (H)

She, she might be right.

The joint is still kind of there.

I think I can even move it a bit without hurting.

But I don’t want to do it anymore, or it could go really wrong.

Even the kneeplate has shifted to the side!

<What is wrong with Sarah?! She's my friend!> (A)

<I have a hypothesis, but it requires one more test.> (H)

Again, she bends closer to me.

<Please, open your mouth for me. I require access.> (H)

I kinda don't want to, but she's important, and I know that what she does here is important for me.

So I open up.

<Ah, fascinating. Four rows with regular intervals. Far more orderly than expected. Now let's see...> (H)

"Clack"

She has some kind of thin stick, she's poking my teeth with.

"Clack"

It's weird, but not particularly unpleasant, aside from having to keep my mouth open.

"Clack"

<Interesting. It seems you have a grasp of them… Could you bite this for me?> (H)

Bite?

<No, I didn’t say close your mouth. I said bite.> (H)

"Sclick"

Wha-what just happened!?!

I tried to bite down, and suddenly, all these teeth pierced towards the center of my mouth!

Some of the front ones have even gone out, as I can see the points!

While I’m freaking out, she taps a tooth, one from the second row, and...

"Sllllrrrrkch"

Ahh!

Did they rotate around my mouth?!

I felt my teeth move!

What kind of muscle even is this?!

Completely at a loss, I relax my bite.

Promptly, the teeth retract and something falls out of my mouth.

A grey-black length of something.

As I try to identify it, Honiu holds up her, now shorter, stick.

<Good that I kept this writing tool that was gifted to me. It was of great help in this situation. My claw may be lost now had I used it.> (H)

I used my finger before!

Oh my god, what is going on in my mouth?!

<Wha, what was this?> (A)

Yes, thank you, Allie!

<I see. I think I know now what kind of pattern will be realized here. > (H)

Pattern?

<I'd like to know as well! What is going on here, Honiu?> (F)

<She's, with near absolute certainty, a hunter. The jump-optimized joints are an obvious indicator. The same goes for the maw. > (H)

A hunter?

What’s a hunter?

<Look at this. If she’s not paying attention…> (H)

While I’m trying to place what a hunter is, she again pokes in my mouth, which was still agape after what happened here, and promptly...

"Sclick"

Agh!

That stick again felt weird, and my mouth just reacted.

<Yes, obvious. A developed spike-pattern maw. All around the center, solid spikers formed. If something is inserted and the teeth are triggered, they'll shoot out to take hold of any object and then move sideways in alternating circles to shred it. Yet it's the first time I’ve seen one so orderly. An impressive maw. I dare to assume, her digestion is going to adapt as well.> (H)

<Just what is going on with me?> (S)

<Nothing problematic. The process still works completely as intended. Now please, lay down again and let it finish.> (H)

She frees me from Allie and gently pushes me back into the tub.

I am so overwhelmed that I don't fight back.

<Now rest. Once you reawaken, I'll have just the right place for you.> (H)