Chrysalis

“Congratulations,” Enid smiled down on the still recovering young woman.

“Thank you mayor,” Lilin replied, radiantly happy despite what she’d just been through.

“We’re very happy,” her husband Phillip said as he stared lovingly down at his wife.

“And how has the care you’ve received been?’

“Oh, just perfect,” Lilin said.

“We couldn’t be happier, mayor. Thank you,” Phillip said.

“That’s good. After the effort we put into building this place, I’m glad it’s all come together.”

[We told you it would be fine,] the on-rotation ant-medic said. [I still don’t understand why you doubted us in the first place. When is the Colony anything but first-rate?]

[I should have believed in you,] Enid admitted, [but even I wasn’t sure how well you would be able to run a maternity ward. You don’t know anything about human reproduction.]

[Bah,] the ant groused, [our queens give birth hundreds of times every day. You think we can’t heal someone who has given birth only once? Don’t be ridiculous. Now get out of the way, I need to check the patient.]

Healers, medics and doctors always managed to be rude and ill-tempered. Even the non-human ones! In some ways, Enid took comfort knowing that this fact of life was even more universal than she’d thought.

forward, its head just barely high enough to see over the top of the bed Lilin rested in. Even if the eyes didn’t quite reach, the antennae certainly did. The recovering mother was lightly tapped and brushed by those curious feelers as Lilin’s eyes

they

the ant backed up and began to make her way

baby has been cleaned up and checked. It will return to

to confront just how bizarre it was that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with a newborn in its grip and feel absolutely no fear for the child. How strange.

younger, less evolved healer. She hadn’t had time to absorb the proper grumpiness expected

embrace them both, Enid brushed a tear from her eye. Such a touching scene, one that she would never tire of.

you to it. Congratulations

you, mayor,” they replied and she smiled at them once more

that they had fled the ruins of their homes, and already they thrived as they never had

to stay out of everyone’s way. She stepped out into the streets of Renewal, and finding herself in a reflective mood, began to appreciate

and expensive, which made it rare, at least,

the Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly, it was rare to see someone waiting

was engaged in conversation regularly as she made her way to her destination, the citizens pleased to see her and unafraid to approach and ask whatever questions were on their minds. She welcomed

the people were thriving. Renewal had more than delivered upon its

time, her own office situated in the same building. She walked behind her desk and sat with a weary sigh,

minutes. They were so stiff these days, and healing magic didn’t help at all. It wasn’t possible to heal

letter. It wasn’t overly long, but she carefully pondered each word, which dragged out the time. As it turned out, she finished just before the meeting was

an envelope and seal it, but decided against it.