Turns out, the true powerhouse weren't the big [Humans] but the smaller ones.

"And then, and then, I just went BAM!" the other [Girl] at her side said while screeching.

She had learned that that subvocalization the [Human Child] did was called [Laugh], but for her? It was closer to a screech than anything else, so she liked to refer to it as such.

"Can you believe it? Like, why would he even think that I would like that stupid dirty ball?" She wasn't sure what that [Ball] referred to, nor why had the other [Human Child] had thought giving it to this [Girl] was a good idea.

But if it was a strategy to rattle her it worked quite well.

"I see, did you make sure to defeat this other [Kid]?" But since she was getting some useful vocalization information, and some practice with her [Language], she had to deal with it.

"Of course, I kicked his ass, he ran away crying to mommy!" The [Girl] said while making sure her torso was arching outward, as if that would make her look bigger.

Was this some social dynamic in which a [Human] would try to make itself look like a threat?

But why would she try to threaten her? Did she miss some social cue somewhere?

She had too little information!

"But girl, aren't you cold? It looks as if you only had that sundress on!" The other [Girl] asked before she could address her social problems.

Or had she asked someone else?

Was other [Sundress] around?

No wait, she referred to her? But she said [Girl] that was the denomination to their current stage...wasn't it?

"Hello? Anyone home?" The other [Girl] waved her hand over her face while making some weird noise with two of her fingers, that was one interesting way to make noises. She would file it for later study.

But what was she going about "What do you mean?" She asked for clarification.

"I mean, this place is already cold and I am using both spats and pants, besides two pairs of socks!" The other [Girl] said, while first lowering part of her lower armor, then showing part of her lower body.

She had indeed another set of [Clothing] bellow her [Pants], and on her feet, she had two different layers of [Clothing] too, probably those [Socks]. She poked with her finger the under armor and extended a small tendril into it to analyze the make of it.

She hadn't had a chance to study these armors and hers was designed using the design she could view from afar, "I see...I have those too actually." So she copied the design, she would need to burn some biomass to mimic them, but in the long run, if this could serve to normalize her body temperature then it would be worth it.

She was already burning extra energy to keep her temperature in sync with that of the other [Childs], so trying her best to weave a new set of under armor she gave herself a pair of those [Spats] and whatever was called the under-under pink armor the other [Girl] had on her.

She of course didn't give herself a pair of those [Socks], as her feet were exposed and didn't want to tip her hand (Yet), none of the other [Children] had used any level of augmentation, so she wasn't sure what kind of abilities they held.

She didn't give herself anything to her upper torso even though she noticed the other girl had two layers of clothing there, her current [Dress] exposed too much [Skin] to allow a change such as that.

"Here let me..." She started saying while grabbing the hem of her [Dress] to show her.

"STOP! STOP! I TRUST YOU!" The other girl screamed as she grabbed her hands and pulled them down.

Hadn't she doubted her level of thermal defenses?

Why was she stopping her then?

"Gosh girl, have some degensensy." The [Girl] said, was that a word?

She hadn't heard that word before, but in this context that one implied that she was missing something everyone else seemed to have.

"The word is decency." High-pitched said from behind them, "Also you all are like four? Most of your cadre will gag or not think much of it. You don't have anything nice to leer at."

"Mama says that a lady is made from a young age." The [Girl] at her side said, "And that we need to behave like one or bad habits will stick."

"Hmm....Well, whatever, it should be fine around other girls and women. Just don't do it around anyone bigger than you." High pitch said and moved along.

She had the right of it, she hadn't even thought about the problems of exposing her fleshy bits while surrounded by [Humans]. They were, after all, [Predators] even if they didn't act like it, nor expose their might right now.

Maybe it was the right move to use this mode to move around after all. She would still check up on other versions of different stages of the [Human] body, but for now?

"Okay." She answered high pitch and tried to hug her [Dress] closer to her, suddenly aware of how flimsy this armor was. She hadn't thought much about it, as the [Blueprint] images carried designs similar to this one, and since she had seen one of the [Humans] wear one at the first stages of her tests. She used it.

"Hmph!" The other [Girl] however only made one weird sound and crossed her arms to her [Chest], "Mama always said that those that don't value their chaspipi aren't pretty, so don't listen to her and never show your nono zone."

Her what?

Was the nonprotected area designated as [Nono zone]? Why?

Was it special? But it only had that weird delivery system for the toxins in her body. Granted she had found that there were plenty of important organs on that side, but the most important ones seemed to be nested in her chest and head. The others she could do without, and if she wasted some energy and biomass she could even function without them.

"Not even to other girls!" The [Girl] said, was she referring to their stage growth? Their designation? Or was this how a group of several [Child - Girl] were referred to in groups?

She needed more answers, should she try and try to [Devour] one of the other [Girl]'s in this group? Well, not this one. "You are looking at me funny, like how Papa looks at Mama when he takes that weird yellow drink..." This one had been useful.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

But most of the ones around them seemed to hold the same [Blueprint], so maybe it wouldn't matter?

She had found (by accidental touch) that it was a group with both [Female] and [Male] variants of the [Human- Child Stage], so she needed a [Female] variant, her current [Design] was [Female]. And the [Blueprint] she held was also [Female] for the most part, it seemed that whoever had put it there favored most [Female] variants than [Male] ones.

So it should have some kind of advantage to be a [Female], "Anyway, are you looking for your teacher? " The [Girl] asked.

The logical and truthful answer was [No]. She didn't know what a [Teacher] was, but she was sure that she didn't have one of those. "Yes," but she answered that, since not having something that she was supposed to have would be bad for her [Disguise].

"Do you know what she is called? Mine is Miss Baking! She is nice, even if she doesn't give us cakes even though she's Baking." She would add that to her growing list of possible phenotypes. One that was always doing something and had enough time to take care of other [Child-Stage Humans] would be one that had a good multitask CPU.

That was something she could use for her personalized [Design], "I do not know the designation of my [Teacher - Unit]." She answered while preparing most of her defenses to go into overdrive at the most minimal sign of hostilities.

She had taken the chance to say that when they arrived at one point of their walk when three routes had opened, most of the other [Child-Stage Humans] had gone into one, the other one seemed to go into what looked like a dead end if her [Boosted Eyes] were to be trusted, and the final fourth route seemed to have different [Smells] mixed, so she was banking her hopes in having a broader catalog of [Blueprints] to disguise herself.

"It's okay!" The [Girl] said while letting her hand up and down into one of her shoulders, "I also took like forever to learn Miss Baking's name!"

"It's Baker you brat." A [Woman] said while attacking the [Girl]!

The [Girl] let a small yelp as she used both hands to search for damages on her [Head], "There you are. Did you hear about our tour and sneak into it? All the classes have all the students accounted for." The [Woman] spoke while narrowing her eyes at her.

Had she been found out? But they had stated that a [Sundress] girl was in their numbers! Was this a deception?

Something must have changed as the look the [Woman] gave her changed, and she released a breath "It's okay, we aren't mad. We do need to find your parents if you came with them. If not... Well, do you know your parent's number? Or your address? We can get you to your home in one of the teacher's cars while we get the brats back to school." It seemed as if she was...okay?

Weren't they mad because of the deception?

"I will need a name by the way," Or not, again with the [Name], was it a designation?

She didn't have one, or not one she could use.

"...See, this is how you should be Melissa, an adult you don't know asks you for your name, you don't tell them." The Woman said while speaking to the [Girl].

Wait, her designation was [Melissa]? Was this a clue?

Main core! Query: Search for use of [Designation] and find a fitting [Name]!

"[Query Accepted...Searching database.]"

"But that's only in places where there are bad adults! Like the streets! Or the understomach!" The [Girl] called [Melissa] answered.

"Underbelly, also that isn't real." The [Teacher] answered. "Now I can't keep calling you Sundress, I promise that I'm trustworthy. I'm, after all, a Teacher. Our job is to be there for little girls who are lost like you."

"[Database search finished, collating results...Calculating a more efficient naming scheme...Taking into consideration Host predilections...]"

Main Core was taking its sweet time... "My [Name/Designation] is..." She started speaking slowly, she noticed one of the [Keratin] growings above the [Teacher]'s eyes seemed to move. Had she missed something again?

Damnation! She needed a better [Social] library!

Main Core!

"[Name generated, please say...]"

She didn't take time to listen and straight up patched the result to her vocal cords, "...Alexand..." And noticed that the main core straight up patched the name of the blonde man she fought before her [Awakening]!

"Alexandra huh, that is a cute name." The [Teacher] finished for her, she had said a different name though...Was Alexander a name not apt for a [Female Unit]?

"Yes, Alexandra. That's my [Designation]!" She felt something [Change] within her [Core] as she uttered those words, as if something shifted and felt herself more [Her].

"See Melissa, you should be like her, instead of shortening her name like you do to Meli, she says her full name." And the teacher said towards the other [Girl].

"But teaaaaaach, Melissandra is such an old lady's name. Melissa is more cute, and Meli is even cuter!" The [Girl] said, what was this?

She had a three-stage name?

Did that hold some kind of hidden power within the [Humans], then shouldn't she try and harness that kind of power?

Main core!

"[...Calculating formulae to follow that scheme of Power...]"

Always trust [Main Core], she couldn't believe she fought against this thing just a few [Hours] ago!

"I'm sure she does the same, right Alexa...Alessa...Ale...Right Ale?" The other girl seemed to have some malfunctions in her [Vocal - Speakers].

"You may call me [Alexa] if you want." She said and felt something within her settle more strongly, something told her that she should project her chest forward and look upwards while using that weird facial snarl others used.

So she did, this felt [Right].

The result was immediate, the other girl [Designation - Melissandra/Melissa/Meli] smiled and circled her body with her arms as she did some weird motion with her face trying to impregnate her with whatever weird liquids she was secreting from her [Face].

"Okay that's about it, you are scaring Alexa." The teacher said while grabbing the other [Girl] from the base of her upper armor, interesting. So armor could be used like that and not only as protection.

"BUT SHE IS SO CUTE!!!!" Shrieked [Melissa] and she felt herself inch a few steps backward.

Did she have a malfunction?

Actually, didn’t P9 act somewhat like that in its final moments?

Oh...P9!

She needed to make sure her disguise wasn't pierced, lest she end as P9, but how?

"[Suggestion; Child - Stage animals look up to the older members of their species. Advice: Seek council from older members of the Humans about doubts so long as these do not compromise the disguise.]"

Well, that was easy enough, "Did I do something wrong [Teacher]?" So for now, she pretended to be a [Child] and acted as such.

"Oh no, you are okay. This child is sick." The [Teacher] said while [Melissa] struggled as she extended her arms towards her previous target [Me].

But what is this [Sick] she speaks of?

"I'M NOT SICK! SHE IS TOO CUTE TO NOT HUG!" The [girl] shrieked again.

Shrieked, such a nice word.

"Don't mind her Alexa, her mother is also sick with the same thing, so it probably runs in her blood. Anime, such a dangerous thing to expose a child to." The [Teacher] did some weird sideways movement with her head as she moved away with [Melissa].

Main Core, order: Save [Anime] as dangerous [Sick].

"[Acknowledge, saved in priority database for further investigation and possible weaponization.]"

That would do for now, she ignored the other [Girl] as she seemed to want to free herself from the clutches of the [Teacher] who was carrying her under her arm.

She noticed how the other girl didn't seem to want to move her lower body appendages as much as her upper body ones, was this part of the [Sick]?

The only visual difference she found was that the lower body ones had a variant of her [Sundress]...Oh...

She didn't want to expose her under armor even while in captivity... The lower body of the [Female - Human] variant had such a disadvantage? Then the advantages this [model] must have should be quite the thing over the [Male - Human] variant.

More reasons to stay using [Blueprints] similar to these ones, while thinking over these kind of things they arrived to their destination. As the [Teacher] finally let [Melissa] down, who quickly ran towards her and latched onto one of her arms while squinting her eyes in the direction of the teacher.

She was lubricating them for some reason while holding onto her, the [Teacher] only did that weird form with her mouth.

"[Designation: Smile]"

She did the [Smile] and moved her head sideways while speaking to other [Teacher] units, [Melissa] for her part kept lubricating her eyes while holding onto her.

Oh, she was using her as a [Visual Aid] since her [Eyes] were lubricating, smart. And also that helped as evidence that her [Disguise] hadn't been penetrated, no smart race as the [Humans] would let a [Child - Stage] members of theirs with another species while vulnerable like this.

Perfect.

This meant her [Disguise] had overcome all the difficulties, now she only needed to escape this [Den] and search for another place to settle, maybe try and incorporate herself into a...

What do [Humans] call a group of their species?

"[Possible names: Herd, flock, pack, pod, school, pride, swarm, colony, gaggle, murder, hive, brood, shoal, family, cluster...]"

Main Core as always gave a long list of possible ways to call them, she was partial towards either pod, swarm, hive, brood, or murder. A species full of predators should have one similar to those, she had fought subjects that were under the designation of [Hive] and [Swarm] already, and those moved in groups of similar-minded subjects.

Similar to all these [Human - Child Stage] [Girls] and [Boys], but those moved in a single mind focus, not like the [Chaos] these [Human - Child Stage] did. So that removed two of the valid options.

So then what were they called?

Perhaps she would ask the [Teacher] again, she seemed quite [Happy] when she answered her question before... And it even took [Melissa] away from her!

Maybe it could do the same again, one could only get so much [Blueprint] information from another [Human] before it became redundant, and she had enough [Blueprint] of [Melissa] to mimic her body at 100% fidelity already...

Also, she needed to fix her [Toxin filtration] and [Heart cavity], she had too much [Waste] in both, oily waste. Did one of her internal pipes mix the contents?

Such [Messy] care of herself, even though it was such an easy fix...