Prime, still feeling confused by the situation, took a moment to compose himself. He then turned to Annie, trying to reassure her, as she seemed more disoriented than anyone else there. It was understandable; waking up suddenly to find her room in complete chaos, with Prime, Sara, and her sister Emma around, was enough to confuse anyone. Prime knew that if he were in her place, he would react the same way.

After everyone calmed down, Prime led them to the kitchen, leaving the task of tidying the room for later. With everyone seated at the table, he began preparing breakfast. Although this activity might seem secondary, Prime knew it was important: Emma was visibly hungry and couldn't wait much longer. And Sara? He knew she was hungry too, which was evident when she started eating as soon as the plates were placed on the table, oblivious to the rest of the world.

Afterward, all that remained was for Prime to explain everything to Annie. He detailed the events, from the unexpected transformation to the symbiote's attack, which had perceived Prime and Sara as a threat. Surprisingly, Annie didn't react with the shock Prime expected. Instead, she seemed even more confused.

"So... you're saying I transformed, like you and Sara, and attacked both of you using my hair?" Annie asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly" Prime replied, lifting his coffee cup to his mouth.

Upon hearing her father's confirmation, Annie briefly glanced at her hands. She didn't feel anything different. In fact, she couldn't perceive any change that distinguished her from how she was before her symbiote awakened.

The thought of having her own symbiote gave Annie a strange feeling. The idea of "her own symbiote" seemed simultaneously odd and unique, something special she had never considered before. Watching her father, who drank his coffee calmly, Annie felt a small smile forming on her lips. The idea that she was now more like him made her happy; somehow, it made them even closer as a family. However, there was something Annie couldn't help but question.

"This is weird. I don't feel... different" Annie began, opening and closing her hands, watching them closely. "I mean, I thought I, I don't know... would feel something different" she said, still perplexed by the situation.

Listening to Annie's words, Sara, who had been distracted eating until then, looked up and fixed her gaze on her. Without saying anything, Sara pushed her empty glass towards Annie. Intrigued by the gesture, Annie looked at Sara with a confused expression.

"Try squeezing it as hard as you can" Sara said.

Even though she didn't fully understand, Annie trusted Sara enough to comply with her request. She felt there was a reason for this, so Annie did as asked. However, before she could apply any significant force, the glass strangely shattered in her hands.

"Uh!" Annie exclaimed, feeling a slight twinge of pain.

Annie stared in astonishment at her hand now with a small cut. What had just happened? The glass simply broke in her hand. No, Annie knew it wasn't just that; she had broken it, but strangely, without even using 5% of her normal strength.

Furthermore, something even more surprising happened next: the cut on Annie's hand was enveloped by a small mass, similar to what her father used when transformed. In a matter of milliseconds, the cut was healed as quickly as it appeared. Annie looked amazed at it, unsure of what to say.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Indeed, there was another being inside her, sharing her body. Thinking about it made Annie nervous for the first time. Before, when it was something akin to an egg, Annie didn't think much about it. But now that the being was alive and apparently helping her, everything seemed strange to her.

"As you saw, your strength now is completely different from what it was before. The symbiote is strengthening your body as a whole, enhancing your reflexes and senses beyond what a normal human could feel. You must be careful with this; all this strength could easily... kill a human effortlessly" Prime cautioned Annie.

Listening to her father's words, Annie nodded. Soon after, a question arose in her mind: how could she transform in the same way as her father? Annie was aware that, although she had become much stronger, this was only a part of her true power, which manifested only when her symbiote was active.

"How do I transform?" Annie asked.

Hearing this, Prime wondered how exactly he should explain. Additionally, he noticed that his bond with the symbiote had returned. Prime hadn't felt the need to use it before, but now seemed like the appropriate moment.

(This is our first personal conversation. You know who I am, don't you?) Prime asked mentally.

(...)

No response came. Prime raised an eyebrow; he was sure she was listening.

(I know you're listening) Prime said, staring firmly at Annie.

Annie, suddenly aware of Prime's intense gaze, looked confused. Shortly after, a kind of mass began to emerge from Annie's body, starting with a small part that shaped and formed until it transformed into a head with long hair. The head looked directly at Prime.

"Father"

A feminine voice suddenly emerged. Hearing it, Prime nodded. He found it truly fascinating that their kind was born already knowing how to speak and with their own mind—a bit strange, yet fascinating. As for being called father, Prime simply decided not to dwell on it too much.

"I'd say you're right" Prime said with a smile before his expression turned serious. "You know what you need to do, right?" he asked the symbiote, staring at it.

"... I will protect her, after all, she is my host" the symbiote spoke.

Hearing its words, Prime nodded with a slight smile. Then, he contemplated giving her a name. Prime wasn't sure if he should name her or if she already had a name. Symbiotes were still a complete mystery to Prime, even though he was one of them.

"Do you have a name? Something we can call you?" Prime asked. "It would be strange to keep calling you Annie or symbiote"

"... I am Scream" the symbiote replied.

At this moment, Prime seriously questioned the symbiote's peculiar sense of nomenclature. He himself had chosen his name partly because it made sense, since he had transformed into a monster, and also because he thought it sounded good.

As the conversation unfolded, Annie watched the situation with a surprised look. The symbiote was indeed emerging from her, yet Annie felt nothing—a strange sensation, to tell the truth.

"Alright, soon we'll have another symbiote in the family. Remember, we're all family here, we don't attack each other..."

Those words made Prime reflect on the past. There was still that pending matter, or rather, Prime was still curious about it. Taking advantage of the opportunity that arose, he asked.

"By the way, do you feel any desire to kill me, as your creator or something like that?" Prime asked cautiously.

The question also caught Annie and Scream's attention. Annie didn't know Prime's intention in asking, and Scream was curious too. In Annie's case, she imagined the question might be related to having attacked them earlier, something that still weighed a little on her mind.

"I was created by you for the sole purpose of serving and protecting my host. I have no intention of rebelling. I will fulfill my mission, even if it costs me my life" the symbiote spoke in a serious tone.

Hearing this, Prime pondered the situation. If that was the case, he wondered why the first symbiote that emerged after him tried to kill him, as if it were obvious. Prime could only conclude that the way they were created might have some influence on this behavior.