Mimi

Despite the size of the creature, and how big its brain could be considered to be. It was very simple, and easily fooled. If it had been conscious of me tricking it, or even eating through the heart and brain, I might have died from a lack of air if a hole was sealed. Burrowing into larger creatures carried risks, as my chitin was covered with murky liquid. Something that might be considered blood, or pus, but more like a slime to prevent friction between opposing layers within the body itself.

I had to leave and enter the creature multiple times, just to breathe and continue on. Richard at the agreed time, merely watching as I continued my feast. "How long until you finish?"

I looked at the beast, taking small bites to force myself from evolving yet, pulling out silk to help me continue eating. A bite of the silk, and I gave him my best estimate, "Six hours, not including how long it might take to evolve."

Richard nodded, "I'll be back with Carter then. Do you plan on eating all of it?"

I licked my lips, "I wouldn't mind you trying to cook some of it. It's very delicious however, almost like the white ones I had growing in my cave."

"White ones?" He tilted his head.

"Yeah, they bloom, and have orange stalks. No idea what they are actually called, since none the memories I gained knew about them. Though not a lot of people in the Underground are mushroom experts."

Richard laughed a little, while I ate a few more pieces. "Yeah, though I think any dwarf from the North would probably know something. Lewis is an alchemist, he might know something too, or a way to see what it does. Why are you eating the whole thing anyway?"

I ate a few more bites, "Mainly because it tastes good, but also because I'm upset something so simple almost ruined this body. It didn't even put up a fight once I got it to dream. Not to mention the silk I can make from it. I was worried about the burrow worms I'd have to eat, but now I have something only I can eat. This is a gold mine of sorts."

Richard nodded, "Alright, do you mind calling Gray? I'd like to see Carter's face when he sees the new teleportation method."

I nodded, "Come back whenever you want. I'm looking forward to the bond between us. It should help with a few different things."

"Not a problem, I'll cook some of the stuff you want cooked when we get back. Can I eat it, by the way?"

I looked at him, taking a few more bites. "No, it is bad enough for creatures with black blood. It will destroy you, unless you can burn a path straight to your stomach and break it down completely."

He chuckled, "Yeah, I'm not gonna do that anytime soon. I'll be back Mimi." He left, while I focused on making more silk. Just the sheer amount of food was staggering. Something was going to change, and from what I knew about the creature, it wasn't going to be useless.

Minutes turned into hours as I continued the cycle of eating and spinning silk. I practiced more than I had before, finding different consistencies for the thread, tried to make it thicker or thinner, even a few different designs were tried when it came to how to store it. Pandora was interested, and watched through the eyes of the giants nearby, offering suggestions that I had yet to think about. The whole experience was relaxing and enjoyable. Made more so when Richard and Carter finally arrived. The former cooking some of the last bits for me, while the latter was given some of my blood to start on the ritual itself.

It took an hour longer than expected to finish the last bits of the creature, the giants ordered to burn the walls ahead to make certain no spores remained. A familiar sensation washed over me, as my body collapsed. Carter moved towards me to help, but Richard stopped him. He had seen it before, and softly whispered to Carter. The two turning away while I convulsed.

My blood boiled, my wings felt like they were on fire. I felt the sensation of pressure spreading through my body, as the mushrooms coming out of my eyes and ears receded. My elastic chitin melted, as more came out to take its place. The changes were exhausting my body, draining everything I had eaten, forcing me to bite into the silk for more to keep them going. My eyes regrew, light filling my vision as my body could see again. Blood seeped out of my ears, and gushed out of my nose, while I continued to adapt.

I took heavy breathes, as the pressure inside increased. New veins of the fungus mingling with my blood. A new method for repairing my chitin should it be cracked or damage. I felt an intimate connection with the new thing, something I could control like my elastic chitin. I felt the vibrations in the air through my wings, the colors changing, growing bright enough to softly glow, and dimming down. I saw the same thing happening with my elastic chitin, my hard chitin set with dim sparkles. I grinned, turning invisible in front of the two.

Carter gasped in surprise, while Richard laughed. I focused on the new sensation, learning to better control it. Then I felt something inside my bones. Foreign spores, that ate away at my black blood. Most of it located in my chest, and spine. I traced it all the way to the stingers, and elf part of the brain for my body. I could feel it now, I had a newfound control over my body that I couldn't have imagined before. I found the stingers they were connected to, realizing these spores that had been lingering inside me all this time; they were responsible for the healing stingers. I sat down, eating a bit of silk.

I couldn't control these spores like the new ones. I tried to imagine how they go in there, how they melded with my very bones, but nothing came to mind. I tried to stimulate them, my eyes going wide when I felt even hungrier. I could feel the nutrients in my body being taken. I could feel my energy being sapped, but most importantly, I could feel the healing stingers refilling. This was beyond anything I expected, or considered. I would have known sooner if I could have felt the blood in my veins, but now I could feel every bit of my body. I could control the hormones somewhat, and make more of my healing elixir.

Richard coughed, "Something happened? You seem really happy." He smiled at me.

Carter looked at him, then me, after finally turning around with the man. "You okay boss?"

I nodded, eating a bit more silk, we had plenty to spare and I needed to know how much I needed to eat to just force more healing. "Richard come here."

He walked over, "What are you planning?" He grinned, stopping right in front of me.

"I can feel my blood now. I can stimulate my stingers, and make more of everything." I continued eating, realizing I needed roughly 45kg (100lbs) to refill all three stingers with one shot.

Carter's eyes went wide, while Richard just tilted his head, "I'm not following. What does feeling your blood and stimulating your stingers have to do with refilling them?"

Carter just shook his head, "She can force her body to make more of the panacea! That's wonderful news!"

I grinned, while Richard just scratched his head. "I got that, but is there like an organ or something in there doing it? Why couldn't you do it before?"

"I didn't know I had spores inside me already, Richard. Some kind of mushrooms fused to my ribs and spine. I'm not sure how it happened, but it means the tests on the slave elves would have failed. It likely means that this body is less disposable, since I most likely need symbiosis to incorporate everything. I'll probably find answers within my old cave."

"So, why did you want me right in front of you?" He smiled at me, while I got up. I stung his shoulder, letting watching his arms regrow. The one that had been made of fire fell to the ground as he focused on preventing it from exploding. Richard coughed, rubbing his neck. "You really need to warn me before you do that."

I picked up the severed arm, holding it to him. "We're going to stay here after the ritual is done. When Carter leaves, we're going to try a few things. We might even teleport out of here, and I promise not to break your hips this time."

Richard's face turned red, while Carter just blinked. The bald man was clearly confused, "Must be some pretty intense training. Anyway, I should have everything ready."

Richard was stunned, but slowly nodded. I grinned before picking him up, and carrying him to Carter. I prepared the connections, just in case I needed to make a set just for Richard after we were bonded. Now just felt like the perfect time, with the revelations, the evolution, and my body simply being hungry in more ways than one. Richard didn't say a word, as I got on my knees in front of carter. He smiled a little, holding a bowl mixed with herbs and blood from me and Richard.

The brush strokes were quick and precise, showing how much the man had practiced. Richard was slowly calming down, his eyes watching over me with hunger. Richard tossed his discarded arm to the side, watching every stroke of the brush against my skin and chitin. Carter softly chanting the words of union.

Richard took off his gloves, and everything else above his waist. Carter moving onto him, paiting his forehead, his neck, arms, stomach, and chest. The same chant spoken again, as I watched every detail, making certain it was something more than a tamer's bond. This was to be a union, where we were both equal. Otherwise Richard's mind would have been lost to my Hive. I wouldn't have minded taming him otherwise, but somehow I felt he knew that much. The other option was for me to be tamed by him, and he refused that one, as much as I did.

Carter didn't risk making a mistake, doing the best he could. He said his chants without stuttering, finally drawing circles over our hearts. After ten minutes of chanting, the runes began to glow. I lifted Richard up, "Are you certain you want to do this?"

Richard rolled his eyes, "You and Pandora are all I have. You really do have trouble understanding these kinds of things, but thank you for giving me an out here." He smiled, "I'm certain, Mimi. Let's get this done, and move on to the best part."

I grinned back at him, hugging him close to me. Making certain the circles over our hearts touched. The runes glowed, the ink turning to glowing blue smoke that rose above us. It circled above us, like a halo, before spinning faster and faster. I could feel the ritual making our hearts race, I could see the magic washing over us. Then our hearts slowed down, synchronized as two wisps of smoke came towards us both. It entered our lungs, before becoming a part of us. I felt a connection to Richard once more, his emotions starting to filter into me again. I worked on the connection, making sure he wasn't hurt by the Hive.

Carter was holding his breath, only letting it go when Richard gasped. Richard laughed, "Forgot how to breath there!" He pushed away from me, and I let him. I could feel a connection to him, I knew where he was, or at least the direction he was in now. We were bonded together by the ritual, but I felt I couldn't use his alchemy yet. I tried to peer into his mind, to check his memories, only to find it blocked off. |"You should ask first."|

His voice came in clear, while I let out a small sigh. |"May I look at your memories?"|

Richard grinned, looking at Carter. "It worked! Great job Carter!"| He grabbed the man's hand, shaking it happily.

Carter grinned back, "I was concerned when you brought up the runes to block mental influence. I'm glad she didn't notice them being painted on her honestly." I raised a brow at that, more than a little curious.

Richard turned towards me, "You see Mimi, in the Underground we have a code. If we need to bind with a monster, then we do everything we can to help out other people. Even if they're smart, they can be tricked."

I blinked at that, left confused by what they were saying. "You mean to tell me that I am now bound to you, as a lesser or as a pet? I don't have any memories about this being a thing, but you were whispering to him in private sometimes." I felt the magic binding us, I couldn't undo it unless we both wanted it undone, or he was dead.

Carter shrugged, "A shame for you really." Richard's emotions weren't coming in as he blocked them from me. "Welcome to the Underground, where betrayal is around every corner."

I felt a deep pain in my chest, as I looked down at the ground. I let Richard feel the pain, as he grit he teeth. Then he face palmed, "Holy shit, you really are thinking about killing me."

I felt his emotions coming through, as well as permission to look at his memories. I couldn't look at them all, but I found everything about Carter and their plans here. He wanted to test me somehow, only asking Carter to play along. The motives were hidden, but I didn't feel like prying. I doubled down on the pain I had felt from their 'betrayal.' Richard winced more, as he took a slow breath.

"Mimi, I know you're mad, but this is the kind of shit you do to everyone. You're tricking a lot of people, and when they find out the truth it will hurt them as much, if not more than this."

I let up on the emotions, watching him as he steadied himself. He nodded at Carter, "Go ahead, we have to 'train' here anyway. I'll see you tomorrow Carter."

Carter nodded, "Best of luck, and it was an honor to bind you two together." He smiled, "I'll be in the library if you need me. There are still so many rituals I have yet to understand." He left with a small grin.

Richard walked towards me, while I crossed my arms looking down at him. Richard looked up at me, crossing his arms as well. "We don't understand each other yet, and I know what I did hurt you." I gave a slight shrug, figuring he was likely lashing out because of Pandora or some other thing. Richard took a deep breath, "You don't tell someone that you're throwing their first born to the wolves, and that they can do whatever with the second."

I raised a brow, "You made an apt comparison with the king and the castle. I intend on letting you do as you want with our second. It is only fair."

Richard grabbed his arms more, the knuckles turning white. The fingers digging into them, but not enough to scratch or draw blood. "That's the issue right there Mimi. You're just saying what you think you should to make the problem go away. You aren't trying to understand why this pisses me off. You're taking reckless risks, and you almost lost your body today. Something that you just admitted you can't get back. Today's just full of ups and downs isn't it?"

I nodded slowly, "If there is an issue, then you're free to state it. I am attempting to address the issues you have, but what you did was a breach of trust."

Richard rolled his eyes, "Promising to give our first born to Cheshire wasn't? You admitted you were using me, when Oswald was around, and that you still are. You promised to not break my hip just now, but you didn't ask the important question there. Which by the way is; are you up for it?"

I felt his emotions trying to hammer in the points, the small bit of anger, the frustration. What was more surprising was how they were eclipsed by sadness and disappointment. He wasn't letting me check his memories, then I realized the true betrayal. Pandora stole the ones I gained from him while he was cursed. I felt my own emotions starting to flare up, but controlled them with the fungus. This was starting to become dangerous, I needed a moment.

Richard just stood there, his own emotions waning. He was pulling them back, letting them flow in as a trickle versus the current from earlier. He seemed to understand something I couldn't. The minutes passed, as I regained my composure. "Did you convince Pandora to steal the memories I had from you?" My voice was low.

Richard was surprised, and slowly shook his head. He laughed a little, letting me feel his pride towards our daughter. I blinked, as he started talking. "She probably did it on accident. Though I don't want you to take them from her, or copy it, or whatever. We're going to understand each other, and we'll do it my way, okay?"

"You're playing a dangerous game Richard. May I ask why you waited until now to do this to me? What do you mean by understand each other your way exactly?" I calmed down a little, relieved he didn't use Pandora like that. Though I started to ask myself if I would have. I frowned upon realizing I certainly would.

Richard relaxed, smiling a little. I felt something like warmth from his emotions, something I hadn't felt before. "You're telling me the things you think I want to hear. What I want to hear is what you really think or feel. Let me feel your emotions at all times while we talk, and lessen them if they are too much. I need to know how you're feeling to help you through it. You need to work through these emotions, and I'm here to help you, really."

I started to look away, but the look in his eyes made me focus on him instead. I let him feel a small trickle, adjusting them to let him know what I felt more than others. He smiled, and continued. "Tell me the truth, even if you think I'll get mad at you for it. You were already doing this somewhat, but I want the whole of it as best you can explain it. I won't lie to you Mimi, half the shit you do is fucked up, at least motive wise. I mean really, saving a kid to groom them in the future? Taking advantage of their mother's trust in you to let it happen without her noticing? Even sparing gang members to run a gang or use them to your own ends?"

"What's wrong with what I have done? The ends justify the means, but lying to them helps the conclusion and relationships."

Richard sighed, "I never said it was wrong. Just that it was fucked up. You didn't save those kids because you were nice. You saved them to get Gray fresh bodies, and potentially have a new group of workers that are completely loyal to you. You used the laws to protect your murders, and I'm proud of you for that. If killing bastards like those you killed is wrong, then I don't want to ever be right. You think different, and I accept that. I'd go so far as to say I love that messed up logic of yours, because it proves you don't have to be good to do good. It's something that makes you, you."

I relaxed a little myself, "Then you understand to some degree. I do not understand why you did all of this. What was the purpose? Why are you still so upset about Pandora, when we can just have another child?"

Richard shook his head with a sigh. "It's because you didn't think about asking me. You're telling me what you're going to do, then you do it without a single fuck as to how I feel about it."

"That's not true." He raised a hand stopping me.

"Let me finish, please." I nodded slowly, as he continued. "Saying something like, 'oh you can raise the next one however you want,' is gross Mimi. You have so many minds that are a part of you, and if you think about it for a second you realize it's impossible for me to do that. I might not be the sharpest, but I know people and you explained how you work. You can talk to Pandora no matter how far you are so long as you can connect to her."

I blinked, "You want me to disconnect our daughter from the Hive? I can do that, but wouldn't recommend it."

Richard rolled his eyes, "Mimi please, that's the last thing either of us want. I'm not asking you to consider just how I feel about something, or how you might feel. I want you to think about how we'd both feel. I don't want to raise our next child without the other. I want you to be a part of it, as much as I want to be a part of it. I want you to talk to me about things before you do them, if you aren't certain how I might take them. Just like I'm talking to you about this now. Did you really think I was going to raise our next kid alone, or run away with them? Actually, don't answer that, I have a good idea since you just thought about murdering me to protect yourself."

I took a second to consider it. These were things I should have understood from the memories from Mother Oak. Yet, it was all buried under other memories from the slavers, the slaves, the murderers and so on. "I was being selfish." The words sprang from my mouth, as the thought formed. I looked down at Richard, seeing him nod. He wasn't upset, but mildly happy I realized it. He was right, I dragged him along with every plan I thought up. I forced so much of this on him.

I wasn't sure what to do. It was insultingly easy to understand where he was coming from now that I looked back. The whole thing festering like the rot that took this warehouse. Finally bubbling out to this confrontation. If it had been the other way around, I would have left Richard so long ago. Yet, here he was. He remained by my side, forcing me to look at him, to understand him a little more with each challenge to my authority. This is what it meant to be equals, and we had a long way to go before we truly understood each other.

Richard moved forward, wrapping his arms around my waist, his size still much smaller than my own. He harbored no hatred towards me, but only frustration and anger towards the emotions I had allowed to guide me. I rubbed his bare back, "You realize that this one conversation will not be enough to change me, correct?"

Richard nodded, "Mimi, I spent a year with Oswald before he even thought about making me his apprentice. He didn't even bother writing about me in his personal journal until the end where he said he used me, and was sorry. To me, that apology meant I finally got through his thick skull. I'm used to stubborn idiots, because I'm one of you." He smirked, looking up at me.

I laughed a little, "I suppose you truly are, just your skull is thicker. Richard... would you like to have another child?"

"Only if you want to, though having kids doesn't make us closer. It just binds us together, or something. I'm sure you'll think of something more fancy than I can."

I nodded, "Agreed, would you like to start here or somewhere else?"

"Fuck that." He pushed against me, and I giggled, falling back. "I'm on top this time, you aren't breaking my hips." I laughed as he worked on the silks I wore. "Just fucking someone isn't love, by the way. Though we're getting there. I kind of love you Mimi, and that's the truth right now."

I smiled at him, "I kind of love you too then Richard. Let's see if we can find the real thing together."