Chrysalis

I find Jim and Sarah in a place I didn't quite expect, visiting the golgari prisoners, which is an unexpected convenience for me. As I bustle onto the scene, my pets in tow, my two fellow ex-prisoners appear to be getting ready to leave.

[Hey there you two! How've you been?]

I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing humanish reactions from giant monsters. Jim is a gigantic worm, he basically doesn't have a face, you can't even see his mouth most of the time, but I can still recognise the awkward jerking motion he makes as he reacts to my voice.

Sarah, for her part, has a much more standard face. Eyes, nose, big ol’ horrifying bear maw filled with death fangs of murderising. Standard. Those huge eyes blink slowly as she looks down at me for a moment.

[Anthony? I-I didn't expect to see you here…]

[Yeah, I've been ignoring this lot for a while. Letting them stew in their own juices, as the fairly disgusting saying goes. I guess I'm not that shocked to see you here, considering how long you were… a guest of the cult. Manage to get anything out of them?]

[I'm afraid not,] she says sadly, [they don’t want to open up to me. I can't get any answers out of them about what they planned to do with me, or why. I guess I just wanted to know what made them want to turn on me.]

[Self-interest,] I shrug, [isn't it always? That's why you're better off hanging with the Colony. If you ask one of these ants if they're self-interested, they'd probably slap you in the face.]

[What about you Anthony?] Jim interrupts suddenly, his tone a little sharp, [can you make the same claim? You aren't an ant like them, after all, you were human once.]

I'm a little taken aback at these words, but I consider for a moment and do my best to answer.

[I don't think I'm particularly self-interested, or selfish. I didn't have that many wants or needs in my past life. I mean, some security would have been nice. Physical or emotional, either one, I'm not picky. Could have used some heat in the winter actually, those last few years were rough. Perhaps a few less beatings? I always wondered about that, you know? They knew I didn't have any money, so why continue the beatings? I tried asking once, but -]

[Jeez, I don't need your life story. I just want to know you won't turn on us to look after yourself like they did,] the big worm jabs his ringed tail back towards the improvised 'cell' the golgari are being kept in.

I scratch my head with an antenna.

you

for

rather not talk

gave all my last scraps of food to an ant colony I'd raised in my room. There were so many of them, I kind of

says quietly, [I think you answered his

the two of them a cheery wave with an antenna, [all the people from Earth who wind up in this place are a little weird. We need to keep looking out for each

feet and begins to plod down the corridor, her vast bulk

she calls back,

the worm is aghast. [We

feel motivated. Come

[Fine, fine.]

can slither in a resentful way, then that's what I witness as Jim and his many segments vanish around the corner. Those two have been out hunting? Nice! I hope Sarah managed to keep herself under control. Having an insane raging doom bear stronger than myself tearing the tunnels apart would be a slight problem,

out of my mind, I round another corner to find who I came here to see. When I lay eyes on the 'cell' the colony stashed these two in, I almost stumble over. It's clear the ants don't have any real understanding of the concept of prisoners. These rooms are

weren't for the team of eight mages placed about the place watching

quick chat,"

ahead, Eldest. These two don't do much. Maybe talking to you will

to give us any meaningful intelligence, but at the least we might be able to use them as bargaining chips. It's unlikely, given how willing their leaders were to throw lives away, but I don't want to rule

and feel it

would come to

you even sneer over a purely mental form of communication? Her face didn't move, but there's a

what? ] I ask,

us? Taking us captive and placing us in your control where once you were in ours?] she seems almost flabbergasted that I would need to

I kind of forgot you two were here. There's a lot

member settles her down and