Arachne

 

"I claim her!" (N)

 

Did I really just say that?

 

"Huh!" (M)

"Hmm!" (K)

"Oh my!" (A)

"I-I brought her down, so I can decide what happens to her, right?" (N)

"This pertains to things the nest gathers and is thought for food distribution. If you claim her, you are saying that you want to keep her for yourself. To eat her that is, it’s not supposed to be for a pet. I can't vote for that, she would run at the first opportunity and we would have the same problem, if not greater!" (T)

"She has my vote!" (M)

"Masiabi!?" (T)

"The right to claim is absolute! I won't allow anything to obstruct it!" (M)

"If it's this important to her, I would prefer that we allowed it!" (A)

"That's three votes for her. Now what?" (M)

"It was easier when we still were an uneven number." (A)

"I don't like humans! They are cruel to my little ones!" (E)

"I would vote for her." (K)

 

Kyroki?
Why would she?
She is absolutely not the type who cares about others!
The only kind of care she would give is how she can make their deaths especially painful.
Everyone looks a bit dumbfounded at this sudden remark.

 

"You would? That isn't typical for you." (T)

 

Did she just grow a vicious evil grin?

 

"I don't think there is much of a problem taking her in. So I would agree. Under one condition!" (K)

"Condition? Wait, you aren't going to do the same to her as you did to me, right?!" (N)

"Don't be foolish. That wouldn't work. Your body was extremely convenient to apply these kinds of changes. You were young, and that helped to transition into a new form. You also had no magic of your own, so you could be filled with any other. And your resistance against outer influences was basically non-existant. That's not the case for her!" (K)

"Then... what is your condition?" (N)

"Simple! We will just make her your familiar." (K)

 

This simple statement strikes me hard.
I don't know what to make of this.
Looking at the others, I guess they also have no idea what their crazy sister came up with.

 

"I don't understand." (N)

"Hmm, I supposed so. It is easy! I just need to change a bit of her. Some small adjustments to the digestive system, maybe the eyes to see underground. Small stuff you see. Maybe a bit more. But the important point is that I'll change a bit in her brain. Nothing too invasive, just establishing the same connection you have to your familiars. This will make her perfectly docile and safe to wander around at home." (K)

"No! I mean... you want to enslave her? If you were to destroy her mind like this, she might rather be dead instead!" (N)

"Weren’t you listening? I said not invasive! Her mind will stay perfectly normal. She will just experience the same bond as your familiars. It's like an urge that will just go away if she complies." (K)

 

This doesn't sound the slightest bit reassuring!

 

"This would be my condition! How you treat her is up to you, but like this, she is sufficiently controlled to stay within our realm. Thus, Talisa should have no reason to complain, right?" (K)

"Fine, I'll comply." (T)

 

It seems this somehow got solved, but I'm not so sure if I should really be happy with the result.
With this development, I couldn't do much.

Walking next to the spiders that transport the bodies puts a huge strain on my mind, and because of my lack of strength, I couldn't take Liana with me.
Kyroki apparently has some stronger variants, despite the fact that her brood is commonly physically weak, yet has a very strong toxin.
I don't want to know how she adjusted them.
My own are still too small and also rather sharp on the edges which isn't very suitable to carry something as fragile as a person.
Since I can't leave her, I have no choice but to follow to the place they take Liana.
Obviously, it was Kyroki's lair.

She places her on that disturbing stone table.
And takes off her clothes!

The only assuring point is that I am sure she has no sexual thoughts, despite Liana's naked form in front of her.
But this is not really much, considering how disturbing Kyroki looks at her with that manic grin.
Then she approaches me.

 

"I need a bit of your blood! Cut your arm with your nails and fill this vial!" (K)

 

I really cringe at the thought of what she might do with my blood.
Nonetheless, I do so.
The strings under my skin are a problem, but ultimately I manage to draw a little bit.

 

"Alright! Now just wait there or go wherever, as this might take a while." (K)

"I cannot leave her like this!" (N)

"Do what you want." (K)

 

I don't understand what I’m seeing.
Some of Kyroki's smaller spiders are gathering around Liana's body and obviously doing "something".
Kyroki is first busy at another place, mixing some liquid together, and I think she used my blood for it.
The result is a milky grey fluid.

 

"This is the most important step! Drink up my dear! You will feel like a completely new person, kikikikikikiki!" (K)

 

Unnerving and totally creepy!
Now some spiders spread out and enter through her mouth, nose, and ears.
And did this one just dig into her navel?!!
I think there's blood!
Urbh, I wanna throw up.

Next, she takes another flask, opens her eyes, and applies it to them.

 

"Hmm, I don't know if that's enough. Ah, a little bit more won't hurt. Here drink!" (K)

 

She empties another bottle inside her mouth and carefully watches.
Abruptly, Liana starts to cramp up, but Kyroki grows her spider legs and holds each limb in place, two of her appendages for each of hers.
Kyroki's spider legs are even smaller and thinner than mine, but still strong enough.

 

"Wh-what are you doing to her?" (N)

"Kikiki, don't worry! It's just her being a little reluctant to accept the changes. I will just push through with force. Yet would you have been as stubborn as her, you would have ended up dead." (K)

 

This isn't the slightest bit reassuring.
She has this evil grin the whole time she is at it, and I'm not entirely sure anymore if death was really the worst that could happen to Liana.

Soon, two of her strong spiders come and take over for her, taking hold.
For a rather long period, she continues fiddling with Liana in, for me, incomprehensible ways.
Poking, stinging, and other things I’d rather not delve into.

At some point, the spiders that entered Liana emerge again.
This whole procedure is pure horror to me, and I close my eyes often and avert my mind.
However, I can’t leave, as this would be completely unfair to Liana, so I force myself to stay aware.

After a while, I get nudged awake.
It seems, despite my willful intent, I lost consciousness for a bit.

 

"I'm done. You can take her with you now." (K)

 

Yeah, great.
Glad to hear that.
And Liana surely would think so too.

NOT!

 

"Ah, right. You can't transport her. Take Joshua with you, he will help." (K)

 

One of the strength-focused spiders steps forward and takes Liana on its back.
The close presence of another’s spider is hard for me, yet after what I witnessed the past hours, I'm somewhat numbed.
A little hollowed, I walk through the halls until I reach my room.
I had no other idea where to take her.
Surely, I couldn't put her with my familiars.
We enter and I request the spider to put her in my bed.
This is the minimum I must grant her.
I don't feel good about what just happened to Liana, but I really didn't know what else to do.
Her death was the only other choice.
My mind is troubled and I am very tired.

So I place myself into a chair and sleep shortly after.