The Dungeon was asleep.

Theory knew this to be true because his large form lay underneath the linen layers that composed his sleeping space, gently rising and falling with his steady breaths. The moon's blue light shone in through the window, illuminating the nicks and rises in the floor that only Theory could see, the marks of her tunnels' entrances.

She was a most excellent spider, she knew. The Dungeon had repeatedly told her of her remarkable intelligence and unsurpassed power and had whispered promises in the middle of the night that she was no replacement and unique in her existence.

The spider absently spinning a web next to her made her doubt that.

Thesis was... intimidating. Which wasn't to say that she threatened Theory personally, but rather that Theory knew herself to be inferior to the former... present?.. boss. Thesis was larger than Theory, with a greater leg span and body size. To add to that, she was doing something with the ambient mana in the Dungeon's room, absorbing it and easily directing it through the opaque, orange orb hanging from her stomach and releasing the excess back into the air. Theory didn't have the slightest clue how she was doing that, and how she'd learned it without the Dungeon's mana to assist her.

Flicking a leg forward, Theory opened one of her doors and began to crawl downward. Thesis moved a leg of her own and calmly placed it on top of Theory's abdomen. The smaller spider froze, turning around hesitantly.

Thesis pulled some mana inward, held it for a moment, and then breathed it out in a small cloud over Theory's head. The sparkling cloud of blue energy, hovering dustlike in the still air, slowly descended to rest on Theory's entire body.

Theory nearly jumped out of her skin as a quiet mind brushed up against hers, pulling and tugging against the outer walls of her psych. Scrambling out of the mana cloud, Theory spun around and practically hurled herself into her tunnels, yanking the door shut behind her. Once she was safely underground, in the comforting closeness of the musty boards and the creaking walls and supports of the Dungeon's domain, she lay flat on the ground. Without noticing, she began to tremble.

She could not cry, she knew that. Spiders were incapable of it. She had some concept of what it meant when a creature shed tears, such as the Dungeon had upon Thesis' return, but knew that she could not do it. Regardless, she felt very much as though she might.

It was... well, it was not unfair. She banished the thought before it could form fully. She had just begun to settle in as the Dungeon's boss, as the ruler of this curious domain of wood and dirt and bugs. She was comfortable here. Her tunnels had expanded significantly since her original arrival at the Dungeon and far more since the Dungeon had invested his precious time and energy into her. She was getting stronger, faster, tougher. She'd recently bumped into a support beam on accident and had knocked a sizable chunk from it.

Moodily, Theory settled down and spread her legs out, the hairs on the tips standing on edge as her entire body strained for the nigh-unnoticeable movement of prey approaching. At least her speed could be relied upon.

One of her doors opened, and Theory gazed upward in shock. Still with the opaque sphere hanging from her stomach, Thesis held a trap door open with one leg, staring down the small entry at the prone Theory.

She wasn't sure why she considered it to be embarrassing. Perhaps it was because, to a casual glance, it would appear as though she were merely lying down, resting even while the Dungeon slept. Regardless of the reason, Theory launched backward, spinning and scuttling through her tunnels.

A strand of web coiled around her back two legs, and she promptly tripped. Thesis carefully began to pull Theory back, her front two legs winding the glowing string into a neat loop as she slowly and surely brought her ever closer. Leaping to her feet, Theory attempted to sprint away from the boss and into deeper safety, but the web refused to break and she tripped once again.

As she was pulled into biting range by the larger spider, Theory rolled to her back and reached her second pair of back legs down in a last-ditch attempt to sever the threads. Instead, they snagged, and Thesis held the unfortunate trapdoor spider aloft, her large black eyes staring into Theory's own.

Taking another deep, mana-infused breath, Thesis blew the cloud of mana into Theory's face once again. This time, with nowhere to run and no way to escape, Theory was forced to simply hang there and feel the presence probing at her mind. She tried to hang on for as long as she could, inwardly screaming what do you want!?

Thesis stared at her calmly, and the sensation in Theory's mind carefully punctured that veil protecting her inner thoughts. A quiet voice, full of moonlight and calm reflection, entered inward. i wish to speak with you.

Theory resisted curling up, forcing her legs to stay outward in a display of force, however pathetic it might be. and you must capture me like a fly to do so!?

A high, sparkling chuckle rang throughout Theory's innermost depths. you ran. i desired to stop you.

Theory grimaced in frustration. get out of my thoughts!

Flipping Theory around with a deft movement, Thesis neatly snapped her own thread and lay the nearly flawless coil of shimmering web aside. Using her foremost two legs, Thesis set the smaller spider down. how else might i speak to you?

don't! Theory practically screamed, backing away and turning to leave.

may i request that you guard my eggs?

Theory froze as if the Dungeon himself had ordered her to stop moving. After a moment, the cold feeling in her mind seeped out, and the sparkling mist followed it, dissipating into the air. Slowly, reluctantly, Theory turned back around. what?

She knew perfectly well what Thesis had asked her, but wanted to be sure that she was understanding the question correctly. Thesis didn't seem to mind and used both of her second pair of front legs to cautiously remove the opaque orb from her stomach, easing it to a soft spot on the ground. Somehow, her thoughts and Theory's stayed connected. i am the boss of the Dungeon's room. i cannot protect my eggs and the Dungeon at the same time, and the Hated One may destroy them if i look away for even a moment. please, sister. would you keep me and mine safe from harm?

If Theory had a jaw, it would have dropped. i am inferior! she wailed, waving her front legs in the air in panic. what help would i be to you!?

Thesis crawled forward, and Theory resisted the imminent urge to sprint away. Turning around and backing towards her, Thesis settled down right next to the smaller spider. you are Dungeon-kind. i trust you with my life, sister Theory. do you trust me with yours?

Theory hesitated. i... no, i do not. you scare me, elder. i am familiar with solitude, with its comfort and silence. i am familiar with the Dungeon and his kindness, with his righteous fury towards those that wrongly intrude upon his home. but i am not familiar with you. i am not familiar with your kind. with my kind.

Thesis used one leg to pat Theory's head, and a deep shudder spread throughout the trapdoor spider's whole body. i am aware of your fright, sister Theory. i know this fear and know the terror that comes with uncertainty. but the Dungeon made both of us, did he not? made our minds greater than any other of our species?

Theory was beginning to feel rather miserable at this point. i do not desire harm to you, elder Thesis. but i am far from used to company. please... leave me alone for now.

Standing up, Thesis slowly picked her egg sac up and hung it on her stomach once again. very well, sister Theory. i will not intrude upon your solace and wish you good fortune against the Hated One.

She began to leave, being incredibly careful not to disturb her precious cargo, and Theory realized that it wasn't really an option to decline her request. Taking a hesitant step forward, moving as though the air were full of webs, she said, i... will take care of your eggs, if you so wish. keep the Dungeon safe, elder.

Thesis gratefully gave her the egg sac, wrapping it once over with a layer of shimmering web. thank you, sister Theory. and remember, i am not your elder, but your sister. we are equals in the Dungeon's eyes, and so should be equals in each other's.

Theory was still unable to acquiesce to that request. Thesis was still larger, stronger, more powerful. She was older, and the Dungeon had grieved for her. In Theory's mind, that made Thesis far superior to her own meager existence. Despite that, she quietly responded, perhaps in time, eld - sister. but i lack confidence and bravery...

As she watched Thesis lope upwards through the door and back into the Dungeon's domain, she hoped that it wouldn't come back to bite her someday.