Chrysalis

Universal education. It's a desirable principle, but how many times has it been achieved on Pangera in any meaningful way? The only large society to apply this idea on a wide scale, to my knowledge anyway, is the Colony. Though it might not last long, the education every hatchling receives is certainly intensive, covering almost all aspects of operations within the Colony. The curriculum is focused on the breadth of knowledge an ant will need to fit into their society, how to work and function as independent members of the greater community. Each member receives a primer and introduction to the purpose and Skills required for every caste, ensuring that every individual understands on a surface level the purpose and work undertaken by every other. It may be possible that this is just as large a reason for the incredible cohesion the Colony demonstrates as their shared Monster species.

Witnesses to the process have never failed to be impressed with the robust methods and particular care taken with each graduating 'class'. Taking a fresh hatchling at the beginning, and turning out a fully capable member of the Colony in a matter of weeks. It's remarkable in every way.

-Excerpt from 'Teaching the teachers: The education of the Colony" by J Hattsie.

The cocoon shakes a little, then a rustling starts from within. This goes on for a few minutes as the creature inside tries to take control of new limbs, to stretch an unfamiliar body. I can understand the feeling, I've been there once before myself after all. The next sound to emerge is a light scraping, close to the top and I can immediately tell that the tiny mandibles within have begun to flex, to try and grapple with the fibre of the cocoon itself.

A soul is yearning for freedom! To stretch and run free amongst the Colony!

I can feel the mind with the folds of silken strands bubbling into wakefulness as the sleep falls away from her. The fierce curiosity is starting to burn once more, the impatience also and the attacks on the cocoon grow stronger every second. It takes a little while. It'll take a little more time before her carapace will harden fully so for the time being she's forced to work with blunt tools, so to speak. Even so, a few minutes later and the first strands part under her relentless pressure. Once the first few go, the next break shortly after and the progress becomes more rapid.

Normally at this point of a new ant eclosing from the cocoon, other ants would step forward to help them break out. I know this is something that the brood tenders usually do, assisting the new arrivals and making sure they don't hurt themselves in the process of freeing themselves. I don't bother. This isn't any ordinary ant we're talking about here, this is a champion! If she can't do something as simple as break out of her cocoon on her own, then what hope will she have of matching up to her senior champion sister Vibrant? So I sit and watch, with my pets arrayed around me, as the little silken pillow wobbles this way and that as the hatchling inside struggles to break free.

When it finally breaks, it all comes in a rush, with chunks falling away to the ground until at last an antenna pokes through the gap, followed by the other, and then, finally, the full head.

"I'm free! My life for the Colony! MY DEATH FOR THE COLONY!"

Ah heck, not this again…

She's so focused on gaining her freedom that she doesn't even appear to notice the four tier six monsters looming over her from behind. Instead, she frees the rest of her body, stretching her legs one by one and finally kicking away the last remnant of her pupal form, swishing her antennae through the air triumphantly.

"Where is everyone?" she wonders out loud, "I'll go find them!"

YOINK!

she can get any traction I lunge forward and pick her

you don't, young one. You're going to stay right here for a little longer while we

been Tiny, she might have run off before he realised he was supposed to catch her. The hatchling wobbles in the air a little, her antennae waggling about as she

Hello there, it's nice to meet you," she dips her antennae in a polite greeting and I feel myself warm up to her

little hatchling," I say, "welcome to the greatest and most magnificent Colony in the

I'm in it!"

Oi.

do you remember from your time as a

a little comical as she's

much," she confesses, "just impressions and

his

"Ring any bells?"

shiver runs through her

sure but I think I don't like it?

sure," I

feel welling up inside her and filtering into my Vestibule. I lean forward to put her down on the ground and the moment one leg hits the tunnel

fast, little one," I lift

Colony or something? There's only two ants in this tunnel and I'm one of them! I'm ready to

alright, Master?]

going to have to slow her roll a little,] I tell the horror

in this Colony, but I do. Give me a chance to explain things, then you will too. For instance, before you can work, you

with a

"I'm an ant. The need to work is baked

"Couple weeks," I say.