Title:           AiE: Welcome To the Swarm [Part 16]
Author:          TheUnbr0ny
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/tHkt2YiL
First Edit:      Wednesday 19th of September 2012 07:48:38 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Wednesday 19th of September 2012 07:48:38 PM CDT

>Sigh.
>Despite how you feel, how you think you should leave, you approach her.
>She flinches but instead of some kind of violent action, you nuzzle her.
 
“I'm the one who should be apologizing. I did something very horrible.”
 
>”I...I don't want you to leave.”
>This surprises you.
 
“I don't understand why. I defiled you in the worst way possible. Aren't you concerned it might happen again?”
 
>”No. For the time I've known you you've done nothing but help us. When you... changed... I treated you like just another of my subjects. Like another drone. You... were in the right.”
>You furrow your brow.
 
“No, I wasn't. I've done something horrible. It was wrong. Instead of at least trying to talk with you, I acted-!”
 
>”On impulse? Instinct? Of course you would; unlike the drones you don't have me to curb your hunger.”
 
“I don't understand.”
 
>She appears to be getting frustrated with you again.
>”Think about it.”
>Oh.
 
“So then when you said that...”
 
>She nods.
>”I can do a very good job at concealing my emotions. But you felt it. I couldn't tell you because the others would have sensed the emotion. I didn't know you felt so strongly about one little action, so I didn't think that you'd take my words so badly.”
>She's still rather well composed.
>”The truth is that you're everything the old king wasn't. You're strong, both in will and in physical might. And yet you're still kind. When you first arrived, you offered your own life to save ours. I remembered that.”
>Now you can sense it.
>Love.
>You begin to salivate but steel yourself.
>You don't want to ruin this moment.
 
“So you're saying that... that...”
 
>”I could have stopped you back there. I could have used my magic to snap your neck like a twig.”
>You're in disbelief.
 
“You could have just said something. Pulled me aside or told me in the egg chamber. Why did you put yourself through that?”
 
>”I.. I wasn't thinking clearly. Who knew that the very thing that makes me strong is my greatest weakness? It happened at that wedding as well. That princess and her groom used their love to send me and the Changelings away.”
>You put on an empathetic smile and nuzzle her gently.
 
“I understand. Now, don't you have to gather those drones?”
 
>She smiles and nods.
>It seems a bit out of character for her to smile as she does; you're used to her cynical smiles or her scowls.
>It's a nice change, but you couldn't picture the Queen not barking orders or making snide remarks.
>Thankfully she goes right back to just that.
>Ah, normalcy.
>Hopefully you two could go back to like nothing ever happened, but you know there will be tension even now for some time.
>You return to you quarters and open your old wallet.
>You look at the name of your home state on your Driver's License and think about home.
>Back there you were simple, not a king, not a diplomat, and certainly not a bug.
>Now you were all of those things and more.
>You check the contents beyond the plastic card.
>Earth currency.
>Useless here you guess.
>A debit card and a couple of credit cards for emergencies.
>Useless too.
>A gift card to...
 
“Olive Garden? Where in the hell did I get this?”
 
>Oh yeah, your birthday last year.
>Never bothered to use it.
>You hated Olive Garden.
>Photos of family and friends.
>Right in the feels dammit.
>You look over.
>Mother, father, siblings, friends from work...
>”What is that?”
>You look to the door and see Chrysalis.
>That wasn't a question so much as a demand for an explanation.
 
“Nothing important.”
>You quickly reply.
>She takes your wallet and the plastic covered photos inside with her telekinesis.
>She looks over the pictures.
>”More like you?”
 
“Family, friends.”
 
>You answer, a hint of depression in your voice.
>She looks over the item to you.
>”Change.” she demands.
>You do so, flexing your fingers.
>Her eyes go from you to the images to you again.
>”This female is your mother, correct?”
>She holds up the picture of your mom.
 
“Yeah.”
 
>”I can tell; you have her eyes.”
>She looks at another photo.
>”Who's this?”
>A picture of your [brother/sister, reader's discretion].
 
“That's my sibling.”
 
>She observes you and the image.
>”I can see the resemblances.”
>She sets the item down in front of you.
>Then she asks a rather surprising question.
>”Would you, given the opportunity, go back to them?”
>God damn women and their ultimatums.
>Truth is, you would like to go back.
>You miss them.
>But if you went back, you'd be leaving Chrysalis.
>God damn women and their fucking ultimatums.
>What's it gonna be?”