《The Most Powerful Ant in the Universe》Chapter Forty-Six: Back to Null
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I'm not really sure what to do in this scenario.
There are three humans in total. One of them - a big one with black clothing - is bleeding, one of them has cat-like ears, and the last one looks ready to pass out. None of us are moving at all.
[...Joule? What am I supposed to do here?]
[Uhhh... I don't know what language they're using since they haven't said anything, but once they do I can translate it directly to your mind.]
[Okay, but then what?]
[I don't know, honestly.]
I return my attention to the humans, who seem a little hesitant about attacking me. The cowardly one takes a deep breath and starts talking very fast. I can't understand a word of any of it, but the other two are looking at him like he's crazy.
[Okay, I got it. Translating now!]
"-ucatswhowerereallyscaryandIreallyappreciateyousavingusbutareyousavingusorareyoujustfiguringouthowtoeatus?"
My mandibles fall open. [What?]
[I didn't catch any of it either. Should I rewind it?]
[...I don't think it really matters too much.]
I pay attention to the big one. He looks like a fighter.
[What exactly are you doing in my house?]
The man leaps to his feet, staggering away and falling over backward. He says several words that I don't recognize.
[What do those mean?]
[It's probably best that I don't tell you.]
[I'll take your word for it.]
The cat-human lunges forward, claws out, clearly trying to attack me despite the fact I haven't attacked anyone yet. I automatically light my mandibles up with void before remembering that Joule doesn't want me to kill any humans. Instead, I simply head-butt her.
She acts as though I threw a tree at her and slams into the back wall, collapsing. The coward's mouth is now a large O. Well, I might as well talk to him. The big one is still saying words I don't understand, the cat-human (who I honestly like, she seems violent) is faking being knocked out in the back and this one is the only one who's still talking.
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[What are you doing here?]
He immediately shuts up, his mouth still flapping, but no sound coming out.
I sigh, my recently-earned lungs assisting with the feeling. It's quite a helpful expression, sighing. As if I can just breathe out the annoyance I'm feeling.
[Are you going to actually talk or are you just going to keep moving your mouth?]
His face pales, but he draws himself up and starts talking even faster.
"ThankyouverymuchforsavingusIreallyappreciateitbutwhydidyou-"
[Stop!]
He shrinks away as though I just stabbed him. Walking closer to him, I tap him with an antenna and he completely freezes up.
[If you keep talking that fast, I'm never going to get what you're saying. Start over. Slowly, if you can.]
He sucks a massive breath in, and manages to talk at a normal pace, though still not at the rate I talk at.
"Thank you very much for saving us. We really appreciate it, but why did you do it?"
I tilt my head. [When did I save you?]
He seems a little stunned. "Ju - just now! From the stucats!"
I look a little closer at him, curious. [From the what?]
Joule groans in my head. [Good grief, just let me take over. You tactless invertebrate.]
What's an invertebrate?
[Hello, there. I'm Joule, and this is Null.]
He looks a little thrown by the different voice but manages to keep going, spots of sweat coming through his clothing. I don't think I've ever met a species that was so varied. One talks constantly, one uses words that I'm not supposed to understand and the other pretends to be knocked out by a single headbutt. In spite of myself, I'm curious to see what other kinds of human exist.
"Uhhh, hello? Why did you change your voice?"
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[I didn't change my voice. I'm speaking as another being existing inside the same body as the ant. I could be compared to the 'system' you use, but exclusively for Null.]
He nods slowly, quite obviously not getting it. "Okay... I'm just going to pretend this is normal and go with it."
[I have to do that all the time with Noah.]
He jumps away and trips over his shoes, falling over backward. As I move forward, trying to see if he's okay, he instead scoots back, talking even faster.
"Y-y-you're the one that Noah was talking about? But I thought it was going to be a weapon, or a dragon, or a super-monster of some kind, but you're an ant!"
[He's like five feet long. Is that normal for an ant?]
I cut in, still curious.
[Why is the human with the cat ears pretending to be unconscious?]
He looks back at her, and then back at me.
"She's not pretending - you hit her really hard!"
I check on her again.
[Are most humans this fragile?]
The bigger human, who seems to have regained some control of the words leaving his mouth, interjects. "Dylan, why are you talking to the giant murder monster?"
[Oh, so he is considered large. That's helpful!]
The coward (Dylan, apparently) talks without looking away from me. "He's using telepathy - he's what we're looking for. He mentioned Noah specifically."
[Why do I get the feeling Noah scared the crap out of someone?]
Joule doesn't even sound surprised anymore, just resigned.
[Pardon me, did Noah intimidate you somehow?]
The big human snorts. "Intimidate? He ripped a friggin' earth dragon in half."
[That does sound like Noah. So, why are you looking for me?]
Dylan talks over him. "We were sent here to try and find out what Noah was doing here, but you're honestly a whole lot better than what I was expecting."
The cat woman starts coming to, and the big human walks over to her, muttering more things that Joule refuses to translate. He leans down and gives her a bottle filled with red liquid, which she drinks gratefully. I wonder what that is?
[I don't have very many questions for you, but I do have one important one.]
Dylan smiles a bit, but still looks a little panicked. "Sure, what is it?"
[Do you know how to get to Lymphadra?]
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