It’s expensive taking something from 0 to +30. Four hundred and sixty five! Just imagine that number. It wasn’t so long ago that I could barely imagine having that much Biomass ready to use.

As it is, after the hunting I’ve done with the gang and vacuuming up the food the others didn’t need, I only have enough stored away to mutate these two body parts, and only barely at that. If we hadn’t run into a few high tier monsters on our hunt, I would never have stored enough.

I do the same with the plating as I did with the carapace, taking the one option at +5, the other at +10, then fusing, and repeat the process up to thirty. Satisfied with my selections, I punch in the confirmation and await my fate.

Here it comes.

Oooooo, it’s going to be a bad one. I can already tell.

AaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAND HERE IT IS!

[Crinis! Cover me!] I howl as I immediately flop onto my back and start thrashing wildly.

Being as large as I am, the thrashing is all the more spectacular and I’d prefer none of my siblings were able to see it. Ugh, just horrible. Why is it that I have to put up with this dreadful sensation when I mutate? Nobody else seems to roll about suffering like I do. What’s the deal?! I’ll have to mention it to Gandalf the next time I see him. In fact, that’s all the motivation I need to push for tier eight, forget about this stupid hook the Ancients stuck me with.

Eventually, the itch fades and I right myself quickly. I want to check my carapace as fast as possible! I look over myself, inspecting every detail. Surely I’m more shiny than before? There’s no way my lustre was reduced even further, is there?

Thankfully, I believe I can detect a little more oomph to the deep purple shimmer that can be seen within the diamond. It isn’t much, but I’ll take it. I don’t remember ever feeling vain as a human, but for some reason, I became quite attached to my glimmering carapace. It caught the eye and really lit up the room, in a literal sense.

[Is everything alright, Master?] Crinis asks as I continue to check over myself.

[Yes, it’s all fine. Now that the itch is gone, I just wanted to see how the new mutation looked on the carapace.]

[You look as imposing as always, Master,] Crinis assures me.

[I just wish I didn’t have to put up with this stupid itch all the time. Every time I mutate, it’s like my entire body is on fire. I hate it.]

[Oh.]

[Do you feel it? What happens when you mutate?]

[Um, nothing, really. I feel a bit wiggly, that’s all.]

Probably an advantage she gets from being a shadow creature. Dammit, how is that fair?

[At least you get what I mean, Tiny. The mutation itch is just ridiculous.]

The big ape looks at me and shakes his head.

[What do you mean, no?]

He pats himself on the chest and then gives me a thumbs up.

[You’re totally fine when mutating? This is outrageous! How come nobody told me anything about this?]

Tiny shrugs.

[What do you mean, you did?! I think I’d remember something like that!]

Well this just won’t do. I have to find Sarah and confirm this injustice right away. It’s completely unfair that only us reincarnated folks have to put up with this. We need to commiserate together!

The question is, where do I find her? I haven’t spoken to her at all since I evolved, not since the resolution to the whole Jim fiasco. I hope she’s been able to heal her wounded heart, at least a little.

She’s got a real family now, one that cares for her. Mandibles crossed, that’ll be enough. Although it probably won’t if she has to put up with this itch!

It doesn’t take much asking around for me to work out where she is. Not in Roklu, as it turns out, but another ant held demon-town closer to the border we share with the lizard wizards. She’s been assisting to suppress the demon shenanigans while patrolling with the Colony to help scare off the ka’armodo.

Truly, a hard working bear/killing machine!

It’s on patrol that I eventually find her, out strolling along the border with a squad of a hundred ants, looking tough and intimidating. I run up to her with an urgent wave of the antennae, reaching out to her with my mind.

[Hey, Sarah!]

She sounds a mixture of surprised and confused when she replies.

[A-Anthony? Is that you?]

[What? Of course it’s me! Oh, the evolution. Yes, I have become huge. But that’s not important!]

[It isn’t?] Now she sounds doubly confused, and I can’t blame her. Evolution is important to us monsters, after all.

[No! W-well, I mean yes, but right now, no! I’ve just confirmed that my pets don’t itch like mad when they mutate! And between you and me, I don’t think normal monsters do either. It’s just us! How unfair is that!?]

The mighty bear staggers back under my mental word assault, looking left and right as if someone might be able to step in and help her out of this situation. No, there’s nobody except me who can sympathise with this terrible state of affairs, Sarah!

[I should probably be focusing on my patrol,] she says, [are you to help out?]

[What? No! Although I probably should help while I’m here…. I just wanted someone to commiserate with. I’ve been putting up with this horrendous itch ever since I arrived here on Pangera. Every time I mutate, it’s awful. The idea that only us reincarnated folk experience it just seems dreadfully unfair.]

I stare at her earnestly with my eyes sparkling. Finally, I’ve put it out there. Finally someone else will express their shared loathing of this terrible inconvenience!

Instead, Sarah just shuffles and looks uncomfortable.

[Anthony… I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve never experienced a dreadful itch or anything when mutating. It’s uncomfortable for a bit, but that’s about all.]

I feel like my world is crashing down around me. How can this be?

[You mean to say… it’s just me?!]