The hivemind is conquering for me?

”Ahhh, that hit the spot.” I said as I patted my stomach. The others held similar expressions to my own as Elias knew how to cook up some good biomass.

Looking to my left, Lele had tears pouring down her eyes. She had not stopped since she started eating, judging from the smile also on her face, I assumed she was fine. The only one that hadn’t touched anything was Sol, causing me to ask telepathically.

”Are you capable of consumption by the way? You have spent the majority of your time inside my Mindspace after all, it has never floated across my thoughts.” In response, Sol picked up a piece of meat and opened her mouth.

She took a bite and as she did so, I could hear the food inside her mouth become audibly crunchy as it burnt black. She then put the rest of the meat back onto the plate before her and looked at me with a happy smile.

”I can eat, fuel the flame so to speak, but I do not require it. I am not a living entity the same way you are after all. As long as anything, anywhere uses fire or heat, I will continue to exist.”

I placed my elbow on the table and leant against my hand as I gazed deeply towards Sol. She was such a unique entity. I had only just started learning about how Psionic entities like the Bloodfiend began to work and then this beauty came a long, the next, if not multiple levels above.

”What I wouldn’t do to just explore every single crevice of your form. Learn how you work on a scientific level, because right now, you are magic to me. Just layer by layer, Psionic building block by block. Become intimate with how your concept works, why it works, what makes it work, how you work. So much to do...”

...

After coming out of my daydream, I picked up a fruit as my digestion and metabolism was ridiculous at this point. As I began peeling the hairy sack away from the fruit, I looked around and became confused.

Everyone was staring at me except Sol, whose horns were erect and was looking directly down at her empty plate and Lele who was still just munching on her food. After a few moments, I heard a ding and suddenly realised something.

”Oh, did I say my daydream out loud? Whoops, I thought I was getting better at that.” I said before shrugging my shoulders. Actively making sure I was thinking internally this time, I THOUGHT to myself.

’Hmm, I should work on that again before I head to the college. I don’t want to accidentally say something dumb out loud and then get chased to the edge of the galaxy. Jewel would say no to our little agreement at that point and just begin eating everything.’

The women around the table continued to stare at Apollo. They were not shocked by what Apollo said, but the way he said it. They had witnessed true Apollo at that moment. Raw thought, no layers of love added into each word he spoke, His thoughts were cold and the lust for knowledge on his tone had left half the girls quivering.

Keyla, however, shivered slightly. She was familiar with that tone. An image of Apollo in those large goggles, looking at her like a lab experiment with that wide smile appeared in her mind, causing her to slam her hands onto the table. When the attention was placed on her after that action, she recovered quickly and smiled. ”Leilani, child, I am going to take you to our school now, are you ready?”

Lele, who had been in the zone muncing the best thing she has eaten in months, suddenly turned to the other kid in the room with wide eyes. She then turned to Sophia and asked. ”I really get to go back to school?”

Sophia looked at Keyla confused, she tried to probe into her cultist, but with the authorities to her genome she received from being in direct contact with the queen, Keyla could now choose to block out her mother.

Sophia then frowned, but didn’t bring it up further and turned back to Lele. ”Well, I was planning on showing you around our facilities today, but if you wish to attend school for the rest of the day, I won’t stop you.”

A surge of excitement threatened to burst out of Lele at the thought of going back to school, but that was then squashed by months of hard living as she looked over towards Jinx with a pleading expression on her face.”

Jinx, who was in the zone, getting some marrow out of a bone with an even smaller bone, suddenly realised she was being looked at by everyone. ”Uh oh, I wasn’t saying my thoughts out loud as well was I? Mama already has to filter me out, I don’t want to burden the rest of you with what goes on up here haha!” She exclaimed, pointing to the sides of her head.

Sophia then relayed what just happened causing Jinx to look at Lele. ”Kid, I told you. We part ways now. You are out. Free. Bye bye White Death, hello new amazing family! Just don’t fuck up this opportunity or I will hang you up by the small intestines!”

Lele smiled excitedly, before that look dropped from her face as the big kid she was about to go with said. ”Actually, the large intestines have more tensile strength, they make better cordage for hanging and stuff. Especially in a kid, you would need the tensile strength to counterbalance the weakness of development.”

I facepalmed listening to Keyla. She had become more vocal about her atrocities since I took interest and asked about them a few days ago, but still... Not in front of kiddo’s. Keyla didn’t seem to find anything wrong with what she just said as she walked around the table and softly took hold of Lele’s shoulder.

”Come on, let’s go. I am sure Ethel will be glad to have another young one to look after. Wait, how old are you again? Eight? Mmhh, good years...” As Keyla began leading Lele away, she looked back at me as though to non verbally ask if this was a good idea.

I smiled and gave her a thumbs up, but that didn’t seem to help as I heard Keyla say as she left the dining room. ”Do you know I also lost my parents when I was around your age? Let me tell you about-”

...

”Janine! Hurry up! We can’t keep the driver waiting too long when it gets here!” Talia said, pacing in the living room. They had ordered an aircab as they were on a super secret mission! Talia was practically giddy, so when she heard. ”Ok, ok. I’m coming now!” From the other room, she turned to see what Janine had put on, only to be incredibly disappointed.

”What the? Janine. You were supposed to dress cutely so we could go out, buy dresses and find your look. Not put on your grimy mercenary clothes and your helmet. You were supposed to be wearing jewellery so we could show off together! Now it just looks like I am being escorted...” Talia said with a pout as she sat down on the couch.

Janine walked over and sat down next to Talia, placing her hand on her friends. ”Look, I have no idea what fantasy wonderland adventure day you have made up in your head for us, but that still isn’t me Talia. All Sophia did was return me to my natural state. My personality is still for the most part the same. Sure, I don’t feel like gagging when I try to do anything girly anymore, but going out for ’gal pal’ time? That just isn’t my thing.”

Talia nodded her head. ”I know, I’m sorry. It is just, I wasn’t just in a relationship with my past lover, I had two sisters for a very long time. I have grown accustomed to a certain way of being around other Sepiida. This is how we used to celebrate good news. I mean, it’s not like I left on bad terms with them either, I just miss going on shopping dates with my sisters. So when you told me you were back to the way you should be, I just got excited and went back into ’sister state.’ I’m sorry.

Janine took off her helmet and then leaned her head up against the back of the couch. She could tell Talia was not faking sadness as there were no tears, just simply a bit down. She sighed, she was going to hate this day, but sisters look after sisters.

”Fine, come help me pick something out. And I only have one piece of jewellery so don’t get your hopes up on that front.”

Talia looked at Janine with genuine surprise before she smiled jubilantly. ”Oh you are the best Sister ever! Come, show me your jewellery, I am sure it will be lovely!”

...

”What is this piece of crap? Ugh, it’s not even real silver on the chain, it’s just a strap with some floral patterns... Girl, we need to get you some serious upgrades and-” ”-Apollo got me it.” Janine interrupted Talia’s rant, causing the Sepiida to flip on her head.

”Actually it is very cute, but still, I don’t think it matches your skin shade, it would surely look better against my skin don’t you think?” Talia then suddenly felt the room get colder as Janine stared daggers at her.

She then watched in silence as Janine picked up the necklace from her hands, looked at it lovingly, before putting it back inside the box it was in before locking said box.

It was her prized possession, she wasn’t letting anyone take it from her. No one.