“So what you are just always in my head now?”
Yes, you are connected to me and the rest of the group. You are capable of sharing thoughts and emotions with the others bonded to me. It will take some time to get used to, but with practice it will become more natural.
“Cool.” Looking up at everyone still sitting around the little shack, they were staring, probably listening to our conversation. “Okay now that that is over. What should we do about Tony?”
“Well Tony is still in Ohio, which means that unless we plan on leaving him there. We need to get him here, how we move a two ton rock monster over 700 miles, I don’t know.” Everyone looked around in confusion, Niki stared at John, Nate and Scarlette talked in hushed tones, while Cat and John looked down to think.
“Well maybe Rein can help?” Nate said to the group, he looked over to John and Cat for approval.
That may work, if Rein is able to convince his sister to land there. Their path takes them through that general area. It may even save Kaley some time, as it is a more direct route compared to stopping in Arkansas.
“Okay, that still doesn’t help if we can’t get him here. I mean we would need to rent a massive truck, get him in and drive through several states. Then once he is here, then what do we do with him. Let him continue digging tunnels for the rest of his life.” I was worried, being bonded would mean that I essentially had to stay here. It was necessary but, I doubt that it would be safe to leave. Myc couldn’t fix Tony, he didn’t have any blood to infect. All we could do would be to keep him safe and healthy.
“We could do just that.” Niki stood up from her seat, stretching her arms in the air.
“Well if we could coax him into the truck, perhaps studying some of his attributes and habits could allow us to better understand him. There are no creatures like him on this planet, it will take time, but perhaps we will find something that can help him.”
“Alright, well that means I have to drive all the way back to Ohio. Uhh, I hate driving.”
Rein was able to get his sister to change their flight plan, they will be arriving in Ohio tomorrow afternoon. That will be plenty of time for you to get there before Rein arrives. Plus you will have me to talk to on the way there, and Rein on the way back.
“Fine. Well I suppose I should get going then.” I got up from the little stool I had been sitting on. Looking down at my bare legs and lack of shoes I looked over to John, “So do you mind if I borrow some clothes?”
“Ooo, I have some things you can borrow.” Scarlette was only a little taller than me, at least compared to Cat and Niki.
“I will help with any adjustments that are needed.” Cat seemed to be the most hands on of the group. She was wearing a handmade dress, it went a little past her knees. It flowed and twirled as she got up to stand it was white, with lots of blue and green flowers covering most of the front. As she turned to head to her cabin, you could see that all the flowers were blooming from a large tree that ran up her back and branched around her sides to provide branches for the flowers in the front.
“Damn, she is good.” I was a little dazed at the quality of the work and stitching, as Scarlette lazily pulled me over to her cabin. We went into Scarlette’s cabin to see all the clothes she had folded on one section of the room. Pants, dresses, shorts, shirts, all folded into neat little piles and color coded. She went through some of the clothes trying to find a good color for me.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Cat walked in, and started helping Scarlette. I was a little taken back to be honest, most of the time I just wore jeans and a t-shirt. Being out in the field to report meant being comfortable and not having anything too nice that could get ruined. Not everyone was happy when you called them out on their shit.
A grim look adorned my face, I hadn’t really been writing much since I found out about Tony. Since then the only story I had truly written was finishing the fracking site, not that it had helped in the end. I questioned what I would do if I couldn’t be a reporter anymore. I mean with a species like Myc, reporting problems was redundant and unnecessary. Everyone already knew everything about each other.
While that is true, I am sure we can find another aspect of your talent as a writer to use. Although I cannot think of one right now.
“Thanks, that helps.” So once Cat and Scarlette were done fussing over their plans for my outfit, I ended up with the same pair of shorts, white leggings with a green vine running up the side. A white tank top covered with a dark gray jacket, and a poofy purple scarf that was Cat’s first attempt. It came out pretty nice if maybe a little much for me to drive to Ohio and back.
“Alright now that you are done playing dress up with Liz, and Myc was capable of bonding with the ash tree in New York. We have to finish planning for phase 2.” Niki was apparently the strict one around here, or she was jealous of the attention. I was still new to this whole mind reading thing after all, I couldn’t tell if it was the connection or just me attempting to read her face. “I am not jealous.”
“Oops, sorry.” Forgot that they could read my thoughts as well, I would need to work on that.
“Well if you need anything else, Myc will be there. If it becomes necessary to help Tony, one of us will leave if need be. However, I trust that you and Rein will be able to handle it.”
So with a few final goodbyes and an uneasiness settling into my stomach I grabbed the quad that was parked by the lake and left. I wasn’t sure how we were going to get Tony into a U-Haul safely and drive him through several state lines without him destroying the truck or possibly getting pulled over. It was nerve racking and I couldn’t stop thinking about it while I returned the quad and headed back home in my little SUV. “Hey, Myc, I thought I wasn’t going to be alone here.”
I apologize I have been making minor alterations to your body chemistry and examining your body. You are the oldest of the members of our little group, so….
“Rude.” Even if it was true, they all looked maybe in their twenties. While Nate and Scarlette weren’t even twenty yet. So I was nearly twice as old as any of them, that was a depressing thought. I had waited until my forties to do anything worthwhile with my life, like joining an alien cult.
I didn't mean to be rude, it is a rather interesting problem to work through.
“My age is not a problem, have you ever heard the expression that women age like a fine wine?”
The others have, although I do not see that as true. Humans as a species have increased their average age faster than most animals on Earth. It means that your body and technology have not caught up to the ever increasing amounts of problems that arise with time.
“So you are admiring my faults, still can’t say that is flattering.”
I am not admiring them, they are a problem I am attempting to fix. You will need to eat for me to obtain the nutrients and mass to fix the issues. You need more cartilage around your joints and the discs in your spine. I will increase muscle and bone density to limit any future problems, while I have also stopped the menstrual cycle from occurring as you were on the brink of menopause.
“Wow thanks for that information.” It was kind of depressing to be honest, I always imagined having kids one day. I had a husband, but he was a cheating prick so that didn’t work out. I suppose I dove into work as a coping mechanism, I had a few ‘friends’ since then but nothing ever stuck. I just always imagined little me running around trying to get their first interview.
If you wish to have children I am sure that you would be able to convince one of the other members to conceive with you.
“What, I thought you just said…”
I said that I was stopping the tedious and wasteful human hormone cycle, I can still very easily produce new eggs or use the still existing ones. If you wish to conceive a baby I will simply release an egg and allow it to be fertilized. I am more than capable, truthfully if you wish I can even use your own cells to create a clone of yourself for asexual reproduction.
“Wow, you are something aren’t ya?”
Yes, once I spread throughout this world. Hospitals will be but a distant memory, diseases and disorders will be nonexistent. I would be able to fix any physical or mental problems that your species has. With time and some tests I will stop aging, you will be more intelligent, and spread throughout the stars.
“Wow.”
Yes. It is a dream of mine to create colonies amongst the stars. But for now, I will settle with fixing any issues that you may have. Scar tissue will be replaced with smooth skin, if you wish I can even tighten the skin around your eyes to get rid of the wrinkles. Your hair will be filled with nutrients so it is shiny and soft. I can also fix your eyes so you will not need your glasses anymore. While any extra fat will be burned for nutrients to make the changes.
“Man, I am gonna be hot. Ooo, can you give me another tattoo?”
Yes, just give me an idea, I will change the pigment on your skin, it will not fade and I can change it in the future.
“Ooo, okay. Let’s see. I want it going up my left arm, I want it to be…”