Chrysalis

It doesn’t take that long for my new guards to arrive, although Barker and his apprentice… Fluffles… also stick around.

I mean… FLUFFLES? It’s offensive to mention she has a rabbit nose, but that’s a totally fine name to have, apparently.

Whatever. The cultural idiosyncrasies of the Folk don’t need to make sense to me; they can, and do, call themselves whatever they want. I’m just here to check out the place and sell some end tables.

My new guard is, I’m pretty sure, a turtle guy named Phil, though of course I don’t mention his SHELL, no matter how much I want to. Like, does he have a wax routine for that thing? I’m only wondering because it has such a healthy sheen and I’ll be darned if I don’t want my carapace to look like that.

With him comes his apprentice, Pete, who is also a turtle, but doesn’t have a shell, but does have a sort of turtle face, with the beaked mouth and all that. These people make no sense to me.

It seems clear immediately that they’ve sent some more powerful warriors. There’s a certain aura around them that lets me know they mean business. I’m not willing to be rude about their appearance, but there are other things I’m willing to be rude about.

[So, are you a blademaster?] I ask as soon as introductions are done.

[You want to fight and find out?] he replies.

This guy is clearly pretty old, judging by the long silver beard and moustache he’s sporting, but his mental voice is still gravelly and vigorous. He sounds like he’d give Granin a run for his money in a rock chewing contest.

[Not really,] I reply, and I swear he slumps a little in disappointment. [I just had a fight, so I thought I’d relax for a second, get a little private time.]

Although I couldn’t move on the ship, I was the centre of attention pretty much all the time. People gawping at me from the other ships, ants checking if I was still alright, birds threatening to drop bombs on me. It got stressful.

Also, it’s been too long since I was embraced by sweet, sweet, dirt. Phil looks around, confused.

[You’ve got twenty ants inside five metres of you. How is that ‘private time’?]

who whips out his sword, looking a little

they do a pretty good job staying out of sight. I can’t get rid of them even if I

“Protectant.”

Stubborn, resentful silence.

“Protectant…”

ship too,” she says, not

this story is not meant to

ship sucks, I’m on your team. What also sucks is getting chopped up by turtle-Folk, so you need to reveal yourself so I can explain

admonish her again to drop her… forget-me-field or whatever, appearing in front of the

of the twenty guards who are with me around the clock. Don’t worry, we included their numbers

Barker and

Barker

doing anything other than being hard to spot. Besides, they are included in the manifest that lists the key members

to just about everything except fighting. That appears to include admin. There isn’t much they can say to what I’ve said, so I take

I’ll think about having some more fights. Although I do have to warn you, Phil. If you aren’t significantly stronger

as his hand plays

think you’ll find I’m more than up to the

miss the blessed relaxation of Ant zen. The dirt in my mandibles, the flowing tunnel air, my siblings by my side. Getting a proper rest on the boat was absolutely impossible, not that I physically needed one. After a brief snooze surrounded by dirt, I feel a

clacking my mandibles happily. This is the life! Exploring, adventuring, and not having to worry about getting toxified by a race of evil slug-people.

for me when

White! Nice to see you

time I saw them, still furry and/or muzzled,

Grey rumbles. [I didn’t

most people on Pangera. Surely you aren’t that surprised. I mean, I bet we were more surprised the first time we met you.

about that,] Grey breaks in hastily, his voice