Chrysalis

[Do you guys mind? My pet is feeling a little put upon here.]

As one the Sophos turn on me.

[MIND YOURSELF, BOY! THE EXPERTS ARE TALKING!]

Yikes. Not one to mince words, this one. Although, I could say the same for all of the Sophos I've met. They seem universally loud and pugnacious.

[THAT'S HIS PET, YOU NINCOMPOOP!]

[HOW DARE YOU!]

[OH, I DARE THAT AND MORE!]

[FORMO, YOU SLACK JAWED NINNY! I'LL MAKE PAJAMAS OUT OF YOUR FAVOURITE PET FOR YOUR WORDS!]

[YOU WANT TO TRY IT ASONAN? I'LL TURN YOUR HOUSE INTO A BIOMASS PANTRY. AND LAUGH! HEARTILY!]

[Calm down! Sheesh! No need to get so worked up!] I interject.

They turn on me once more.

[THIS- ahem. This is merely banter, old boy. Conflict between Sophos is- well, its unheard of.]

[AND NOT JUST BECAUSE WE CAN'T TALK!]

[OH HO! JOLLY GOOD JAPE!]

[QUITE SO!]

I'm not sure if my burgeoning headache or weariness will become more pressing in the short term. These damn Sophos are exhausting.

[WE WERE MERELY EXAMINING THE CHOICES YOU'D MADE WITH YOUR PET!] the one named Asonan shouts at me.

[I don't see why it's so interesting] I said, honestly. [For the most part, I let Crinis make her own choices.]

Silence fell at my words as the Sophos sightlessly stare at me for a moment before they turn back to studying Crinis.

[Anthony, you really let your pets make their own evolution decisions?]

[Yes?]

[Even that one?] Formo points and Tiny as the ape continues to shovel handfuls of Biomass into his face.

[Yep.]

didn't design their evolutions?

still are now, compared to yours I suppose, so I wasn't able to get

[… why?]

as Formo queries me.

I'll come clean! On the one hand I can't be bothered to micromanage every little thing, on the other, they have their own minds, even if they're pets! They can decide what they

with that, we just find it interesting that your

[Really?]

Although with that one,] he points at Tiny again, [You'll need to intervene. The Lightning Fist Ape is an interesting creature, but it chews up its own mental attributes every time it evolves until it eventually becomes effectively mindless. We rarely bother with them

[Uhh, that's great advice.]

not to give our pets such free reign. But I can respect your

[Thanks!]

MUCH POTENTIAL THIS NEW SHADOW BEAST HAS,] another member of the Crinis fan club interjects. [IT'S AN INTERESTING NEW APPLICATION OF THE SHADOW FLESH ARCHETYPE.

darn close to evolving right

[Ah! Yes, Master!]

by

heck can you look at her

can almost feel the Sophos around me rolling their non-existent

We hardly waste time on core shaping our

SIX?!

Ant monster and

[YOU DID WHAT?!]

at that. All of the Sophos turn to stare at me once more, but this time the air feels a little

produce offspring more like me and the species

A BLASTED THING TO

[INCREDIBLE!]

[INSPIRED!]

FANTASTIC IS WHAT IT

thumping loudest. [CREATING A NEW SPECIES IS A GRAND ACHIEVEMENT! ESPECIALLY FOR

pronouncement is met with a chorus of "GOOD SHOW!" and "INDEED, YES!" from

admit for a second there I thought you guys might get angry at me

EASILY FRIGHTENED! WE'VE FOUGHT OFF SWARM MONSTERS DOZENS OF

[HUNDREDS!]

NOT

to hear. It's good to find people who aren't afraid of

WE

dedicated to core shaping after I was inspired by Formo's

[OUTRAGEOUS?!]

[HOW DARE YOU, INSECT?!]

[NOW, THAT IS THREATENING!]