Arachne

 

We traverse the corridors and subsequently reach another open hall with a large table inside.

 

"This is also something like a meeting hall, but it isn't really used as such since we are sisters and can meet normally." (M)

 

She urges me to sit on a web-covered seat.

 

"I will get us something." (M)

 

She tends to one of the doorways and I can detect another large spider.
Not as huge as a horse but far bigger than a dog.
I shrink down into my chair as soon as I perceive this creature, but it quickly leaves.
Masiabi then heads back to me, carrying two stone flasks.

 

"Did the s-spider bring this?" (N)

"Yes, I told her to. She's one of mine, so I could order her to bring us some from the facilities!" (M)

"But when? You were always with me!" (N)

"Huh? You are always connected to your brood, wherever they are. Didn't you know? You can control them with your mind without issues." (M)

 

Wait!
I suspect she's been doing this breeding for a considerable time now.
Does this mean this carefree girl has thousands of obedient big spiders to do her bidding?
That's crazy!

 

"The next order is already out. So dig in! We make these flasks by etching the stone with our acid. This is Akasia's hobby and she always tries new ways, so that we have a great selection of tableware like this." (M)

 

I take the flask and the known taste of the liquid fills my mouth.
It helps very much against my hunger and it really is easy and pleasant to drink.
Yet some questions come up for me.

 

"Do you only drink this liquid? Wouldn't it be possible to eat meat or plants normally?" (N)

"We can eat meat but no plants, those wouldn't be digestible." (M)

"Is there really nothing? You always need to kill to get food?" (N)

"Well, some plants can work as a substitute, but not too great. Also meat includes insects too." (M)

"Insects!?" (N)

"You don't like them? Don't worry, you won't notice when they're dissolved in acid." (M)

 

This isn't reassuring!

 

"To come back to the topic some plants can be eaten in small numbers, but not to cover our nourishment. On the other side, it's possible for us to eat meat. However, eating raw meat is tedious, and a bit hard to digest, so it's preferable to liquefy it first. Also to cook it we would need to make a fire here and you see what that would trigger." (M)
"Yes, a fire might be bad." (N)

"And Talisa would be furious!" (M)

 

It seems that this is her main reason, instead of a flaming hell of webs.

 

"In addition, none of us can cook." (M)

"Uh, I can cook." (N)

 

I was often in charge of making the dishes at home.
And I helped mum to prepare meat for the feasts we had on special occasions.

 

"Huh, really?" (M)

"Y-yes, I  know how to prepare meals." (N)

"This is so cool! My little sister can cook for me! Now you have to! No backing off!" (M)

"How? You just told me that we can't make a fire here." (N)

"I will figure something out! You will get your kitchen!" (M)

 

Wait a moment!
When did I tell you to build a kitchen for me?

I notice that I start to calm down a little in the presence of Masiabi.
She might give off a sense of danger, but she hasn't done anything bad to me, yet.
Also, she appears to be very affectionate, which might be more of a reason to be wary of her.
Not to forget, she remains a man-eating monster.
Although I should ask about this.

 

"Ehm, Masiabi! Do you really eat humans?" (N)

"You can call me big sis or just sister. And sure. When we catch them. Why?" (M)

"Don't you feel bad about this? I mean they are people. Isn't this different from animals?" (N)

"No, it isn't. They are just prey like the others. And it's not like we are related to them. We are completely different species and we need the flesh. To distinguish what you eat on the question if it walks on two or four legs would be hypocritical to those you kill because of this. Especially, if you walk on eight legs! Besides, they all agreed to it!" (M)

"Agreed?" (N)

"Yes, we have marked our territory with webs and the scent of our acid. No predators are allowed to hunt in here besides us, so it could even be considered safer than outside, in general. Who enters agrees to be part of our hunting grounds. All the prey knows these rules, with the exception of the humans." (M)

 

It's unnerving to get a lecture regarding why it's okay to eat humans.
I mean all of this was concerning me as well before.
And now it's concerning me in a different way!

 

"I was chased when I entered. Was I prey too?" (N)

"At least you were in our territory and here we decide what happens to those who enter. We had a discussion regarding what to do with you. I said the big one was enough and we shouldn't thin out the grounds. Kyroki made the proposal to take you with us. And we all agreed on her idea." (M)

 

So basically, I stumbled into these monsters' jurisdiction and got judged to become a monster myself.
This is cruel.

 

"But now you are one of us, so you can decide as well. And you are certainly not a human anymore! We will need to expand our territory a bit in due time. Yet, you will get your share! No worries!" (M)

 

I feel extremely down to hear that they don't even consider me to be human in any way.
How deep were those changes?
It can't be possible to take this much of my identity from me, right?

 

"I-I don't want to eat humans." (N)

 

I may not be able to refer to myself as one after what happened, yet it feels nonetheless wrong.
This would be as if I eat my family.
They still were humans.

 

"This is a bit unfortunate. I mean, we are hunting and giving our best to bring you some food. So it's a little rude to say that you don't want what we provide. But if there is no other way, maybe I can try to lay a bit of food from other sources to the side when we have a feast. But in general, we simply mix all of it in the nurturing liquid together." (M)

 

She apparently tries to be considerate, but I feel dread.
It seems wrong to play along with this.

 

"A-at least y-you aren't e-eating children, or?" (N)

"I avoid it. Bad for the development of the grounds. Just those who would die anyway. Besides that, they are no fun to hunt down." (M)

 

All this hunting is based on logical thoughts and maybe I am the weird one here.
However, that they can kill someone just like this seems not right to me.
Still, I believe I should get to know her better.

 

"You... seem to have much experience with hunting." (N)

 

After all, she said that her fangs are regularly in use.

 

"Yes, I love it! There is no greater thrill than chasing down an opponent. There are so many different ways to go about it and sometimes they even try to fight back! Sometimes you need to get creative or you can just have fun. And most importantly you can claim your prey for yourself if it's not desperately needed to feed the others! Then you can look if the flesh tastes different. This is almost as great as cuddling with my new sister!" (M)

 

Another disturbing embrace from the spider monster.
And the way she gets this excited about killing things makes me no less wary.
Her main reason to let me live this way might have been to have a cuddle toy for herself.
This makes me feel a little uneasy.

Also, I just remembered what Talisa said about her contribution.
She was the one who continuously stung me to make me sleep.
Does that make her compassionate or cruel?
At least the reason is not clear to me, so I would like to know this from her.

 

"You, you made me sleep when it happened, right When I... changed?" (N)

"Yes, I did. Why do you ask?" (M)

"Why did you do it? I understand that the other things probably were important for what you did. But why making me sleep? Was I too noisy for you?" (N)

"No, no! I did it because you were in pain!" (M)

"Huh!? Because of that? But you are hunting and killing so much." (N)

"There is a difference! I don't hunt to cause pain and I would never unnecessarily prolong a death. There is no reason to do such a thing. That is wrong! Maybe Kyroki would do something like that, but she's a weirdo." (M)

 

I don't know what makes me more perplexed.
That Masiabi has a moral code or that this spider monster has someone she calls weird.
This Kyroki makes me now a bit anxious, yet what do you expect of someone who comes up with the idea to turn human girls into spiders?
I will eventually meet this troublesome person and simply imagining it gives me the creeps.

If not for Masiabi's overly affectionate behavior, the time we spend together goes by without incidents.
She lets her familiars bring new flasks to us several times and I can finally completely overcome my hunger.

It was noteworthy that my "itch" almost completely settled with this.
As it seems, the spiders don't want me to be hungry or it's something about getting their share.
I don't need to say how much I loathe to think about this, which ironically triggered the itch again for some time.

When we are done she guides me without issues to my room.
I stand there absolutely astonished.
My empty room got filled to the brim while I was away.

Besides the chest that I chose, there is a new set of clothes and a nightgown, a table made of etched stone, wooden chairs with silken padding, a strange construction that could be a hanging wardrobe stabilized with a complicated system of threads, and also a very foreign looking wooden thing.
It has some needles, a spinning wheel, and many notches, so I think it's probably a tool for tailoring.
Is this part of some kind of spider education?

I can't make much out of it at the moment, so I decide to ignore it and go to sleep.
I had enough near-death experiences today to earn me this.