Chapter 764
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Chapter 764
Having had just one disciple for months now, Anton expected to get another in short order. And he did, but not the individual he expected most. Sustained Chittering had been quite impressed by the power Three Squeaks showed helping Lowcliff Burrow, and she was among those who had come to join Shadysands Burrow. It would have also been less intimidating to approach him through Three Squeaks.
Perhaps that might still happen, but instead someone else came along as he was working in his little food patch. One of the meerkats simply waddled over to him. If Anton remembered correctly his name was basically a single sound. Meep was a good approximation. Ñøv€lRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Ñôv€lß¡n.
The meerkat spoke slowly, each sound punctuated by its solitude. You make food?
I grow food, Anton agreed. Seeds become plants which are food, Anton gestured.
Food only on surface?
Anton pondered the question for a moment. His initial instinct was to explain that food grew from and into the ground, but that might not have been the real question that was being asked. My people live on the surface, Anton said. So we tend to plant near the surface. Either way, plants mostly require sunlight to grow.
What about deep roots?
The meerkats didnt have- or at least hadnt used- the relevant botany related words for Anton to explain properly, but he did his best. Most roots will come from a plant growing on the surface. He scanned the area with his senses just in case, and while there were indeed roots poking into the meerkats burrow, they all came from above. Very few things grow without light. Many fungus did, of course, and then there was everything from Aipra. But Anton didnt know if the meerkats could digest any of that stuff. Some plants that might not be safe to eat, Anton added.
Will try plants. Staying underground safer. Meep looked up to the skies.
You have guards keeping you safe, too. And they will get stronger.
Yes. Guards keep safe. Better for them if we dont roam far.
Anton nodded. He supposed the other side of the hill counted as far by some metrics. I have some plants you can try to grow. But you need to be careful when eating them. Anton could help someone that ingested something poisonous if he was around. In the worst case scenario, he could entirely remove the poison from their system, though it might be a bit harsh on their body.
Show me how to grow, Meep requested.
It might be a lot of work to get nothing useful, Anton warned.
But it could be good?
It could be, Anton agreed. But it will probably take a season or more.
I will try.
Well, Anton couldnt deny anyone with an industrious personality. Alright. But if you want to do it better, youre also going to have to cultivate energy.
How do I start?
Anton had the answer for that. And he was also developing a series of modifications to the One Hundred Stars given the differences hed observed in the various meerkats. First you need to sense natural energy. Some of it is all around you. You can breathe it in, absorb some of it as heat through your skin. Or fur. Or eat it.
Good food for guards, Meep said. They need.
They might need it more, Anton agreed. But everyone else can do more with some.
Good food cant catch.
Looks like you broke through successfully. Congratulations on your first prime tempering. You will probably think more clearly.
Its weird, Three Squeaks said.
I agree, Anton said. Suddenly remembering things that he had forgotten in vivid detail was only one aspect of that. It was difficult to explain to anyone who hadnt experienced it, it was like being in a state of great focus all the time. Except it was possible to be distracted still. Wandering thoughts still existed.
You said she, Three Squeaks brought up. Like you know it. Her. What is she?
A void ant, Anton said. A very special species of ant. They consume and quickly process natural energy, and their chitin tends to break it down into nothing. She is their Great Queen, the progenitor of all of those that currently live. At least, to our knowledge. Some people tried to wipe them out because they were afraid.
And she is dangerous?
Yes. But I am also dangerous. And to a lesser extent, you are dangerous. Do not worry. The Great Queen will not suddenly try to eat you. But if in the future you find other ants like that, I would be careful with how you approach them. At some point you can meet her.
... I didnt try to speak with her, Three Squeak said.
In this case, it would not have worked. She is not from here, and thus doesnt know this language.
She speak the weird one you use sometimes? Three Squeaks asked.
She understands it, but she doesnt have vocal chords, Anton indicated the part of the neck the two of them used to make sounds.
Their conversation was cut short by an interruption. If there is no danger Can you show me how to start?
Of course, Meep, Anton said. Didnt mean to cut you out of the conversation. I have a few different sorts of seeds. Listen carefully and I will tell you how to plant them. Technically the things that would grow into mushroom were spores, but they served the same purpose. Anton would continue to help Meep, now that Three Squeaks was reassured.
-----
It was very difficult for Chikere to think with constant distractions, so she did her best to cut off all sensation besides her right arm. That annoyingly bright lady was back in the room, repeating her attempts to get information from Chikere.
In a moment of weakness Chikere had asked the woman to scratch her nose, but she had just laughed and hadnt even offered to do so in exchange for information. So Chikere was going to have to manage it herself.
There had been some talk of putting a sword in her replacement arm, but ultimately that hadnt happened. The engineers werent really swordsmiths, so it would have been subpar. In some circumstances Chikere might have been happy to have a subpar sword, but now shed really rather avoid them.
She knew how long her arm was. Thus, she began measuring the size and shape of the room using that as a measuring stick. There was all sorts of fancy garbage in the storage room, but obviously none of it was the key to get out. Chikere would have normally just slashed the door open but no swords. And smacking the door had just drawn unnecessary attention.
So her arm grabbed anything that seemed like it might be able to whittle away at the bottom of the door, and she began carving away. The door itself was mainly a vessel for the formation markings anyway. She didnt want to mess with those as people would pay more attention once she did, so she just scraped away at the wood with some fancy rocks and random sharp non-swords.
Some of them were pretty useful, and she managed to get an area her arm could probably go through. That was as far as she had thought. The only things on her mind had been that stupid itching nose, and trying to stop it.
What was she supposed to think about, if she wasnt thinking about swords? It was strange and weird. She didnt like it, but she also didnt want to go back to the sword thing because it nearly made her vomit just to think about the mere concept of swords.
She focused her thoughts back on the things in the room. Some of those rocks had to be able to negate energy, right? She could just shove them through the opening shed carved out and slink out. Energy negating rocks had to be a thing.
But if they were, the first two dozen of them werent any good at it. They broke and cracked on the inside of the barrier, and she swept away shards of them to make room for more. Now that she thought about it, they might have been gemstones of some kind. Not that they were any better than rocks, but some people valued such things.
She would have to try other things. About the time she was going to beg the interrogation lady to just solve her problem, she realized that the woman was gone. And there was more of her blood dripping onto the ground. The whole room smelled of iron. And that was just like swords and she hated it.
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Chapter 764
Having had just one disciple for months now, Anton expected to get another in short order. And he did, but not the individual he expected most. Sustained Chittering had been quite impressed by the power Three Squeaks showed helping Lowcliff Burrow, and she was among those who had come to join Shadysands Burrow. It would have also been less intimidating to approach him through Three Squeaks.
Perhaps that might still happen, but instead someone else came along as he was working in his little food patch. One of the meerkats simply waddled over to him. If Anton remembered correctly his name was basically a single sound. Meep was a good approximation. Ñøv€lRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Ñôv€lß¡n.
The meerkat spoke slowly, each sound punctuated by its solitude. You make food?
I grow food, Anton agreed. Seeds become plants which are food, Anton gestured.
Food only on surface?
Anton pondered the question for a moment. His initial instinct was to explain that food grew from and into the ground, but that might not have been the real question that was being asked. My people live on the surface, Anton said. So we tend to plant near the surface. Either way, plants mostly require sunlight to grow.
What about deep roots?
The meerkats didnt have- or at least hadnt used- the relevant botany related words for Anton to explain properly, but he did his best. Most roots will come from a plant growing on the surface. He scanned the area with his senses just in case, and while there were indeed roots poking into the meerkats burrow, they all came from above. Very few things grow without light. Many fungus did, of course, and then there was everything from Aipra. But Anton didnt know if the meerkats could digest any of that stuff. Some plants that might not be safe to eat, Anton added.
Will try plants. Staying underground safer. Meep looked up to the skies.
You have guards keeping you safe, too. And they will get stronger.
Yes. Guards keep safe. Better for them if we dont roam far.
Anton nodded. He supposed the other side of the hill counted as far by some metrics. I have some plants you can try to grow. But you need to be careful when eating them. Anton could help someone that ingested something poisonous if he was around. In the worst case scenario, he could entirely remove the poison from their system, though it might be a bit harsh on their body.
Show me how to grow, Meep requested.
It might be a lot of work to get nothing useful, Anton warned.
But it could be good?
It could be, Anton agreed. But it will probably take a season or more.
I will try.
Well, Anton couldnt deny anyone with an industrious personality. Alright. But if you want to do it better, youre also going to have to cultivate energy.
How do I start?
Anton had the answer for that. And he was also developing a series of modifications to the One Hundred Stars given the differences hed observed in the various meerkats. First you need to sense natural energy. Some of it is all around you. You can breathe it in, absorb some of it as heat through your skin. Or fur. Or eat it.
Good food for guards, Meep said. They need.
They might need it more, Anton agreed. But everyone else can do more with some.
Good food cant catch.
Looks like you broke through successfully. Congratulations on your first prime tempering. You will probably think more clearly.
Its weird, Three Squeaks said.
I agree, Anton said. Suddenly remembering things that he had forgotten in vivid detail was only one aspect of that. It was difficult to explain to anyone who hadnt experienced it, it was like being in a state of great focus all the time. Except it was possible to be distracted still. Wandering thoughts still existed.
You said she, Three Squeaks brought up. Like you know it. Her. What is she?
A void ant, Anton said. A very special species of ant. They consume and quickly process natural energy, and their chitin tends to break it down into nothing. She is their Great Queen, the progenitor of all of those that currently live. At least, to our knowledge. Some people tried to wipe them out because they were afraid.
And she is dangerous?
Yes. But I am also dangerous. And to a lesser extent, you are dangerous. Do not worry. The Great Queen will not suddenly try to eat you. But if in the future you find other ants like that, I would be careful with how you approach them. At some point you can meet her.
... I didnt try to speak with her, Three Squeak said.
In this case, it would not have worked. She is not from here, and thus doesnt know this language.
She speak the weird one you use sometimes? Three Squeaks asked.
She understands it, but she doesnt have vocal chords, Anton indicated the part of the neck the two of them used to make sounds.
Their conversation was cut short by an interruption. If there is no danger Can you show me how to start?
Of course, Meep, Anton said. Didnt mean to cut you out of the conversation. I have a few different sorts of seeds. Listen carefully and I will tell you how to plant them. Technically the things that would grow into mushroom were spores, but they served the same purpose. Anton would continue to help Meep, now that Three Squeaks was reassured.
-----
It was very difficult for Chikere to think with constant distractions, so she did her best to cut off all sensation besides her right arm. That annoyingly bright lady was back in the room, repeating her attempts to get information from Chikere.
In a moment of weakness Chikere had asked the woman to scratch her nose, but she had just laughed and hadnt even offered to do so in exchange for information. So Chikere was going to have to manage it herself.
There had been some talk of putting a sword in her replacement arm, but ultimately that hadnt happened. The engineers werent really swordsmiths, so it would have been subpar. In some circumstances Chikere might have been happy to have a subpar sword, but now shed really rather avoid them.
She knew how long her arm was. Thus, she began measuring the size and shape of the room using that as a measuring stick. There was all sorts of fancy garbage in the storage room, but obviously none of it was the key to get out. Chikere would have normally just slashed the door open but no swords. And smacking the door had just drawn unnecessary attention.
So her arm grabbed anything that seemed like it might be able to whittle away at the bottom of the door, and she began carving away. The door itself was mainly a vessel for the formation markings anyway. She didnt want to mess with those as people would pay more attention once she did, so she just scraped away at the wood with some fancy rocks and random sharp non-swords.
Some of them were pretty useful, and she managed to get an area her arm could probably go through. That was as far as she had thought. The only things on her mind had been that stupid itching nose, and trying to stop it.
What was she supposed to think about, if she wasnt thinking about swords? It was strange and weird. She didnt like it, but she also didnt want to go back to the sword thing because it nearly made her vomit just to think about the mere concept of swords.
She focused her thoughts back on the things in the room. Some of those rocks had to be able to negate energy, right? She could just shove them through the opening shed carved out and slink out. Energy negating rocks had to be a thing.
But if they were, the first two dozen of them werent any good at it. They broke and cracked on the inside of the barrier, and she swept away shards of them to make room for more. Now that she thought about it, they might have been gemstones of some kind. Not that they were any better than rocks, but some people valued such things.
She would have to try other things. About the time she was going to beg the interrogation lady to just solve her problem, she realized that the woman was gone. And there was more of her blood dripping onto the ground. The whole room smelled of iron. And that was just like swords and she hated it.
Chapter 764Having had just one disciple for months now, Anton expected to get another in short order. And he did, but not the individual he expected most. Sustained Chittering had been quite impressed by the power Three Squeaks showed helping Lowcliff Burrow, and she was among those who had come to join Shadysands Burrow. It would have also been less intimidating to approach him through Three Squeaks.Perhaps that might still happen, but instead someone else came along as he was working in his little food patch. One of the meerkats simply waddled over to him. If Anton remembered correctly his name was basically a single sound. Meep was a good approximation. NvlRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Novln.The meerkat spoke slowly, each sound punctuated by its solitude. You make food?I grow food, Anton agreed. Seeds become plants which are food, Anton gestured.Food only on surface?Anton pondered the question for a moment. His initial instinct was to explain that food grew from and into the ground, but that might not have been the real question that was being asked. My people live on the surface, Anton said. So we tend to plant near the surface. Either way, plants mostly require sunlight to grow.What about deep roots?The meerkats didnt have- or at least hadnt used- the relevant botany related words for Anton to explain properly, but he did his best. Most roots will come from a plant growing on the surface. He scanned the area with his senses just in case, and while there were indeed roots poking into the meerkats burrow, they all came from above. Very few things grow without light. Many fungus did, of course, and then there was everything from Aipra. But Anton didnt know if the meerkats could digest any of that stuff. Some plants that might not be safe to eat, Anton added.Will try plants. Staying underground safer. Meep looked up to the skies.You have guards keeping you safe, too. And they will get stronger.Yes. Guards keep safe. Better for them if we dont roam far.Anton nodded. He supposed the other side of the hill counted as far by some metrics. I have some plants you can try to grow. But you need to be careful when eating them. Anton could help someone that ingested something poisonous if he was around. In the worst case scenario, he could entirely remove the poison from their system, though it might be a bit harsh on their body.Show me how to grow, Meep requested.It might be a lot of work to get nothing useful, Anton warned.But it could be good?It could be, Anton agreed. But it will probably take a season or more.I will try.Well, Anton couldnt deny anyone with an industrious personality. Alright. But if you want to do it better, youre also going to have to cultivate energy.How do I start?Anton had the answer for that. And he was also developing a series of modifications to the One Hundred Stars given the differences hed observed in the various meerkats. First you need to sense natural energy. Some of it is all around you. You can breathe it in, absorb some of it as heat through your skin. Or fur. Or eat it.Good food for guards, Meep said. They need.They might need it more, Anton agreed. But everyone else can do more with some.Good food cant catch.Looks like you broke through successfully. Congratulations on your first prime tempering. You will probably think more clearly.Its weird, Three Squeaks said.I agree, Anton said. Suddenly remembering things that he had forgotten in vivid detail was only one aspect of that. It was difficult to explain to anyone who hadnt experienced it, it was like being in a state of great focus all the time. Except it was possible to be distracted still. Wandering thoughts still existed.You said she, Three Squeaks brought up. Like you know it. Her. What is she?A void ant, Anton said. A very special species of ant. They consume and quickly process natural energy, and their chitin tends to break it down into nothing. She is their Great Queen, the progenitor of all of those that currently live. At least, to our knowledge. Some people tried to wipe them out because they were afraid.And she is dangerous?Yes. But I am also dangerous. And to a lesser extent, you are dangerous. Do not worry. The Great Queen will not suddenly try to eat you. But if in the future you find other ants like that, I would be careful with how you approach them. At some point you can meet her.... I didnt try to speak with her, Three Squeak said.In this case, it would not have worked. She is not from here, and thus doesnt know this language.She speak the weird one you use sometimes? Three Squeaks asked.She understands it, but she doesnt have vocal chords, Anton indicated the part of the neck the two of them used to make sounds.Their conversation was cut short by an interruption. If there is no danger Can you show me how to start?Of course, Meep, Anton said. Didnt mean to cut you out of the conversation. I have a few different sorts of seeds. Listen carefully and I will tell you how to plant them. Technically the things that would grow into mushroom were spores, but they served the same purpose. Anton would continue to help Meep, now that Three Squeaks was reassured.-----It was very difficult for Chikere to think with constant distractions, so she did her best to cut off all sensation besides her right arm. That annoyingly bright lady was back in the room, repeating her attempts to get information from Chikere.In a moment of weakness Chikere had asked the woman to scratch her nose, but she had just laughed and hadnt even offered to do so in exchange for information. So Chikere was going to have to manage it herself.There had been some talk of putting a sword in her replacement arm, but ultimately that hadnt happened. The engineers werent really swordsmiths, so it would have been subpar. In some circumstances Chikere might have been happy to have a subpar sword, but now shed really rather avoid them.She knew how long her arm was. Thus, she began measuring the size and shape of the room using that as a measuring stick. There was all sorts of fancy garbage in the storage room, but obviously none of it was the key to get out. Chikere would have normally just slashed the door open but no swords. And smacking the door had just drawn unnecessary attention.So her arm grabbed anything that seemed like it might be able to whittle away at the bottom of the door, and she began carving away. The door itself was mainly a vessel for the formation markings anyway. She didnt want to mess with those as people would pay more attention once she did, so she just scraped away at the wood with some fancy rocks and random sharp non-swords.Some of them were pretty useful, and she managed to get an area her arm could probably go through. That was as far as she had thought. The only things on her mind had been that stupid itching nose, and trying to stop it. What was she supposed to think about, if she wasnt thinking about swords? It was strange and weird. She didnt like it, but she also didnt want to go back to the sword thing because it nearly made her vomit just to think about the mere concept of swords.She focused her thoughts back on the things in the room. Some of those rocks had to be able to negate energy, right? She could just shove them through the opening shed carved out and slink out. Energy negating rocks had to be a thing. But if they were, the first two dozen of them werent any good at it. They broke and cracked on the inside of the barrier, and she swept away shards of them to make room for more. Now that she thought about it, they might have been gemstones of some kind. Not that they were any better than rocks, but some people valued such things.She would have to try other things. About the time she was going to beg the interrogation lady to just solve her problem, she realized that the woman was gone. And there was more of her blood dripping onto the ground. The whole room smelled of iron. And that was just like swords and she hated it.
