Chrysalis

As I’ve come to expect from the Colony, their hospitality was exquisite, just exquisite! After arriving via the gate, Emilia led our little group to what I can only describe as an ant concierge (complete with an adorable little hat), who directed us to the most fitting place of residence.

“The Colony doesn’t really have ‘tourism’ or ‘hotels’ like you might find where you come from,” Emilia explained. “There aren’t that many people who want to come and stay here outside of the people who fall within their territory.”

That’s an understatement and a half! Information about the inner workings of the Colony is almost totally unknown! If that weren’t the case, would I, Tolly, the bold adventurer, have come here to investigate? There are no wastelands I will not endure, no dangers I shall not brave, no teas I shall not sample in the pursuit of enlightenment.

Despite Emilia telling me of the paucity of accommodation, I had become accustomed to the ways of these ants by now, so I knew what to expect when we finally reached our residence.

I could only describe it as an enormous, shared apartment, complete with kitchen, private bathrooms, several living rooms, a dining area and a SWIMMING POOL.

Emilia must have registered the shock on my face, so she rushed to explain.

“The Colony learned that humans, along with brathians, quite enjoy the feeling of being submerged in water. So they tend to include these when they can spare the room.”

If anything, I was given an even greater shock when I went into my own bedroom and saw the facilities there. I have to say, reader, that nobody could have been more impressed than I at the level of comfort provided. The bed was rather enormous. Well, it was both large, yet not too large, just the right size for a person to be perfectly comfortable within. And the mattress!

The older I get, the more I appreciate a good mattress, and I have to say, the moment I lay down to test it, I knew I would take it home with me. No matter what I had to pay!

had to, reader, I don’t mind confessing to

how they achieved it. It goes without saying that the linens and duvet were of the most sublime quality as well. I truly looked forward to immersing myself in their warm embrace. Even more surprising was

usual russet red of the ants I’d seen. Looking closely, I could see little glimmering pockets of light woven into the fuzzy exterior of the toy, which left me speechless. Why go to such lengths

going on, only to find her clutching her own fluffy

she told me cheerfully. “It’s considered lucky to get

she held out her own toy

“This is Solant.”

quite different from my own. It gave off a serious, even contemplative feeling, yet there was a sternness, a certain steeliness in the gaze of the

general of some sort?”

exactly right!” Emilia enthused. “She’s extremely capable, the

on their faces, each holding their own plush toy. One held a fuzzy gorilla-looking creature with bat wings, while the other was an indescribable horror of nightmares that I couldn’t look at

and Crinis! They’re so

out the plushies are quite the collectible items within the Colony, since they don’t give out that many and most of the ants want to have at least some of them. Naturally, I asked which was the most rare, because of course I did, reader! If there is a rare collectible item, I MUST have it, to display

I got an answer to my

for

asked. I certainly expected it to be that

has the Eldest. They make way more of them,

expected that the esteem in which the Eldest was held would place that august figure as the most rare in the collection, instead