It was a most extraordinary and inexplicable affair... a grotesque and absurd anomaly.

Let us endeavour to compose ourselves and reason it out, shall we? Hm...Ha...

Very well, I have regained my equanimity now. That is the first and foremost duty of a rational being in such a predicament. Now, what has transpired? The last thing I recollect is that I was about to partake of a frankfurter, when all of a sudden, my world was turned upside down. The life I knew, the reality I knew, they have all vanished somehow.

As for my person, I can no longer behold my splendid abdominal muscles, nor the brawny arms that I used to admire in the mirror. Moreover, it seems that my vision has been impaired. I find myself confined in a narrow space with a whitish lining. There is a tiny aperture on the wall, but it is too small for me to squeeze through. Some sounds, however, manage to penetrate it and reach my ears. They are indistinct, but they indicate that there are other living beings in the vicinity.

Friend or foe? Ally or adversary? Who can say for certain? Throughout history, mankind has progressed by means of experimentation and observation; a method common to both science and art. A wise proverb says: 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again'.

Only by making an effort can one ascertain the truth. Thus, having reached this conclusion by my own cogitation, I set to work on the material with my mandibles and, after a few hours, I succeeded in breaking free.

Why was it so thick?

Perhaps it had been moistened before and then dried up, making it more resistant.

Now, I must take stock of my situation. What sort of creature have I become? What devilry is this?! Has Providence or some other agency decided to pluck me from my home? For their own amusement? That is most sinister... but what can I do about it? I cannot undo this transformation. I am no hero, and I possess no extraordinary powers. The only thing at my disposal is my keen intellect.

Rather, I should examine myself thoroughly. That should reveal to me what species I have assumed. The body; that is, the legs, the arms, the torso, and even the head. And the posterior.

Good heavens... this is an ant?! [¹]

It is not the worst thing imaginable, but I am far from pleased by this fact. Who ordained that my fate would take this turn?! Have mercy on me... please? Whoever you are?

As I shook my head, the antennae also moved about. Resolving to press on, I walked at an irregular pace. The steps made hardly any noise, which can be attributed to the fact that ants are light in weight.

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After a while, some light shone on my path, allowing me to relax my eyes. [²] I blinked several times as the discomfort became evident. Indeed, I had strained my lenses too much. Perhaps it would be prudent to rest along the way since injuring myself so soon would only hinder my progress; not just for the eyes, but for the whole body. . .

A few more minutes passed, and I arrived at a... rather crowded place. Many creatures resembling me in form and movement were in my sight. These must be ants from my colony, but I cannot be sure of this.

What if this is not my colony's nest? If they regard me as an intruder, they might turn hostile and attack me en-masse. I do not wish to perish at this point, but taking risks is necessary to advance. With this in mind, I exposed myself and started to mimic their behaviour.

There were two different lines of workers carrying leaves on their backs; one line bringing food pieces and the other line with empty leaves.

Ants are the sort to live in colonies for a reason, prioritizing cooperation and teamwork.

Ants are creatures of a social nature, who depend on the mutual aid and organisation of their fellows. They labour in concert and, by so doing, secure their daily sustenance. To venture forth alone would be a folly most fatal for many reasons.

First, the peril of foes. In every corner of the earth, there lurks some danger that may threaten harm. For feeble beings such as ants, they are exposed to the attacks of many... shall we say, formidable adversaries. These include the winged fowl as well as the terrestrial batrachians. At any instant, the tiny insect may be seized by a frog's tongue or even spied by a soaring, ah... I forget.

What bird preys on ants indeed? This one has escaped my memory most vexingly. Let us hope I can recall it anon.

Second, the facility of work. Let me employ a simile; when you repair to the gymnasium alone, you may be inclined to omit the prescribed number of repetitions, eh? (Save for the resolute ones.) If you brought a companion to join you, it would furnish extra incentive to complete the task. Companions are those who assist and guide you, while you render them the same service.

When all the food stuff gathered is combined, it can suffice to feed the entire colony. After all, insects have not very large stomachs.

...Nay, let us not use the word insect. Ants are arachnids by virtue of their possession of six legs. Having this many feels most strange to me. It is very uneasy to move each one correctly. I feel as if I am about to collapse at any moment now. That is how arduous this really is.

I picked up a leaf from the pile while avoiding any eye contact with anyone. Perhaps I can thus elude suspicion in this manner. Besides, it is not as if there is someone to inspect our identities, eh? We are not secret agents in the employ of the FBI or CIA. We are merely some ants endeavouring to obtain something for our stomachs to be satisfied. How absurd it would be if we had to present identification cards to be approved for a specific mission. That would be preposterous.

In fact, someone should produce a cinematograph about that.

Perhaps they would entitle it, 'Agent Ant'... Very well, my sense of humour is deplorable, I admit it. But it could be a feasible idea, could it not? Hehe!

My name is Saito Junichiro, and I fear I am losing my wits. . .

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