Even without her leading the way I would recognize the trail that gives off some kind of impression that is kinda resembling her.
Her room is apparently exactly the same as mine.
A bed, a hole in the wall to store clothes and stuff, a table.

 

<So, what is so delicate of a topic that you want to speak about it in private?> (A)

"You see... this." (M)

 

She goes to the hole and procures some kind of earthen vial.
In there is an ominous purple liquid.

 

<This...> (A)

"After she came out of your room this princess said no one can enter and put a guard in front of it. And then she went into mine. She didn't say much but handed this to me." (M)

 

She honestly prohibited everyone from entering my room!?
That's going a bit too far for my taste.

 

<You know what that stuff is, right?> (A)

"Uh, yes. And I'm kinda scared of it. Yet the one thing she said was that if I drink this I can take care of the young ones and this is going to be my 'role'. I don't know. If I think about it I guess being the caretaker of the young ones isn't too bad of a job." (M)

<But if you take it you're going to change!> (A)

"I know. This is why I wanted to ask you. How bad is it? I mean, does it hurt? Do you think I can endure it? How much is changing?" (M)

 

She seems to be really out of it asking so many questions at once.

 

<I can still remember that it burned. Quite hard. And then you're getting a crazy rash. But... I think you can endure it. It's progressively getting better.> (A)

"So you think I could do it?" (M)

<Just from the experience itself, yes. But that's not the issue. What's important is the result. When it's over you will be different. Not just the speaking but everything else too! You'll never be normal again.> (A)

"And do you think I could live with this? I mean, you do. Sorry if that was inconsiderate." (M)

<No offense taken. I don't have much of a choice now that it got me. But I have to tell you, it's much.> (A)

"What for example?" (M)

<Scruh, skriek!/Sigh. Something like this.> (A)

 

I show her the hand with the hole in the middle and she already looks a bit appalled.
Somehow I know how the inside of my arm works.
So I jerk with my arm and the spike slides out.

In my opinion, showing Millie that something like this can be expected if she drinks from this vial is important.
She should at least know what she's in about and that one is the most drastic change I have, yet.

 

"Oh my god, Allie! How, what, when? Oh my god!" (M)

<Yep, it doesn't stay at your throat, albeit that one can be remedied with practice.> (A)

 

Although I didn't practice the slightest bit recently.
Okay, I want to be able to speak like before but it feels so wrong when I force it and I don't like to hear how weird my voice sounds during my attempts.
But I should probably continue.

 

"Doesn't this hurt? You've got a hole in your hand! Oh my god! Are you okay?!" (M)

 

Sigh, she's truly too caring.

 

<As okay as someone in my position can be.> (A)

 

Oh, wait!
Is she seriously trying to touch the spike?!
I can't let that happen.
With another jerk, I use something in my arm and the spike retracts before she got it.

 

"Splch"

 

Ugh, and this liquid comes out again.

 

<Don't touch it, Millie! It's poisoned!> (A)

"Poison!?" (M)

 

I need to explain this.
The princess said that glistening stuff on the pike is poison.
Right now it's weak, but still the real deal.

 

"And, and you?" (M)

<What about me?> (A)

"Allie, you have poison in your body! That's... That must be dangerous." (M)

 

Now that I think about it she might be right.
I have poison in my body and still feel fine.
That's definitely not normal.
Though, I believe I can forget applying this term to myself.

 

"I guess I'm producing it inside me and won't get sick from it. Like a lizard monster that isn't dying after biting its own tongue." (A)

"A-and that doesn't hurt? Having this thing inside you?" (M)

<Not a bit. I am in some way aware but not in an uncomfortable way. There's another one inside my other hand but I didn't want to pierce it.> (A)

"If you say so. But if that's all I think I can handle having those spikes." (M)

 

I am quite sure she's wrong with this conclusion.

 

<You can't be sure that it will be for you the same as with me. This princess apparently didn't seem to know what exactly to expect from my change. It might be random. Also, it's not the only thing.> (A)

"What else is there?" (M)

<I have severe troubles with my mouth and am apparently growing wings, which aren't a thing yet. Still, they're probably something I'll eventually freak out about.> (A)

"Wings! You're growing wings?!" (M)

<I have two stubs on my back. There's a rash but it doesn't really hurt. I'm only very concerned about when they will rip out of my back. That's quite the horror vision.> (A)

"C-could I see?" (M)

 

I'm absolutely not sure how this is going to help her in her situation.
She's probably simply curious since humans growing wings is no daily sight.

 

<Fine. But don't say anything weird!> (A)

 

I take off my shirt and show her my back.

 

"Oh, there's not much but I can definitely see something there." (M)

<Is it fine now? I told you I'm a bit conscious about this place.> (A)

"Okay, but didn't you say there are only two?" (M)

<Yes? Yes, I did.> (A)

"Well, but there are four." (M)

<SKRIEK!!/Four!?!> (A)

 

I could only feel two of them!

 

"They're not easy to spot since the lower ones are very close to the upper, but if you look at them you can make out that they're separated things." (M)

 

Great.
Absolutely wonderful.
I don't even want to imagine how cumbersome those are going to be.

 

<You see?! I can barely keep up with what is happening to me! Do you still want to drink this?> (A)

 

Millie looks placid to the ground.

 

"I guess so." (M)

<Really? Even after all this?> (A)

"I... I'm not as strong as you. Not as independent. I have no idea what I'd do on my own and I don't think I can figure something out. E-even if it's this weird place, it's still a place and I'd do something I'm glad to do. It's not perfect but good enough for me." (M)

<I won't keep you from it. But before you take it you should sit down and make sure that you won't fall hard on the ground. Also, take some kind of vessel in case you have to throw up.> (A)

 

Fortunately, we have water bowls for our private needs.
Once again I can't say that the way they're providing for us is lacking.

After Millie prepared everything she sits down on the bed with the vial in her hand.
And then she looks at it for a long time.
Her hands are quivering.

 

<Millie, if you don't want you don't have to.> (A)

"I'm scared, okay?! I... I-if I drink this... It's simply too much at once!" (M)

<Millie... I don't know what to say. If it's bothering you so much then maybe you should let it be?> (A)

 

She keeps looking at the vial.

 

"Hah, screw it." (M)

<It's okay. I'm sure we can figure something out. Maybe they'll allow you...> (A)

 

And she chugs it down.

 

<Screoh!/Millie!> (A)

 

The effect is instantaneous.
Her fingers clamp into the bedsheet, her breath becomes rigid, and her complexion grows pale.
She's truly not looking very good.

I touch her to lower her down onto the bed but realize that she's burning up.
So I empty the water bowl over her to cool that fever but she rips it out of my hands and empties her stomach inside it.
Seeing her like this makes everything feel much more terrible than when it happened to me as all I can do is hold her hair to keep it out of the way.

But then, as quickly as it started, it's also abruptly over again.
Millie's breath steadies and her cramps loosen up.
Not too long after this, she can even push herself up.

 

<Is everything alright?> (A)

<Skriak!/ It hurt so much but now it's better. My eyes are still burning and I feel a bit weird.> (M)

 

A moment after she said this she covers her mouth because of the foreign sound.

 

<Ah, right. That's hard to get used to. As I said you can train it.> (A)

"I-... Ieet's... huue... hua... hAard!" (M)

 

Wow, she's much better at this than I am.

 

<I guess for now you should just order your thoughts.> (A)

 

She can practice later but I want to know if she's fine.

 

<Okay. As I said, I'm feeling weird. My body, everything trembles inside. Oh god, my stomach is so churned up. And there's something crawling inside my back, from my spine to the sides. I guess I feel the same rash as you do? Do you think I'll grow wings as well?> (M)

<I don't know. But overall, do you think you can endure it?> (A)

<I guess? I'm still afraid about what's going to happen now. To think that this is only the start and I'll transform into something else.> (M)

 

She not only appears to be quite riled up but also her speech conveys it, in some way.
I can feel how troubled she is.

 

<Whatever happens, you'll still be you. I'm as well still myself, right?> (A)

<I guess. By the way, did it get brighter in here? I'm still seeing things a bit blurry but it's not as dark anymore.> (M)

<Eh? No, it's as bright as before.> (A)

<Wow, do you think we're also getting enabled to see better in the dark?> (M)

<I don't know. Maybe. They seem set on integrating us here.> (E)

<This is just so much to get used to.> (M)

 

Next, she weirdly looks down at her hands.

 

<Uh, is it normal that my hands sweat this much?> (M)

 

She had a pretty high temperature but now that she shows me her hands...
No, definitely not normal!
That's far too much liquid!
It trickles to the ground.

 

<Millie, what is happening there!?> (A)

<I don't know! I can feel how it's flowing from inside me. I, I...> (M)

 

Then suddenly the flow stops.

 

<Guess that cut it off? I think I did this.> (M)

 

Can she do this at will?
Is this an ability?

 

<So you can make liquid flow from your hands? That's weird.> (A)

<Oh sorry that I don't have poisonous spikes to stab someone like other people!> (M)

 

Okay, I deserved that one.

 

<So, do you think I can leave you alone? I wanted to look after Owen. Didn't see him the whole day.> (A)

 

If that princess blocked access to my room he was surely freaked out.

 

<Now that you mention it. Oh my god!!> (M)

<Huh, what is wrong?> (A)

<Did you forget? He had another vial! You don't believe...> (M)

 

Shit!
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!
Yes, yes he would!

I run as fast as I can to the room cave I memorized by his scent identification.
And there he lies, writhing on the bed.

 

<You stupid idiot!> (A)

 

Maybe one shouldn't insult someone in that state but I lack a filter with this speech.
Maybe human words aren't such a bad alternative after all.

Millie followed directly behind me.

 

<Why is he like this? I just drank that stuff and am already fine. If he took it before me then why does it still go on?> (M)

<I don't know! As I said, we're not similar on this. His change might be incomparable to ours.> (A)

 

I look closer over him.
Did he grow?
I can't say for sure but a little bit?
Also, maybe he became a bit bulkier.
This might have done something to his muscles.

I touch him.
The same fever.
But what concerns me more is that there was some kind of resistance to his skin where it shouldn't be.
Like his neck or even the stomach.

 

<What are you doing there?> (M)

<Checking him over. He has a fever. I should get some water.> (A)

<Wait, I have an idea!> (M)

 

Millie puts her hand on his face and a moment later he's soaking wet there.

 

<Did you just drench my brother with your hand liquid?> (A)

<Ehm, yes?> (M)

<But why?> (A)

<I, I don't know. It felt... right?> (M)

 

Uh, if I look at him, he might even be a bit calmer.

 

<Okay, we need to talk later about this, I think there might be a mental influence on you. But for now, please continue.> (A)

 

Millie is touching Owen all over and I think it truly might get him better.
After a while of this, he can focus on me.

 

<Scra-scrah!/A-Allie?> (O)

<Stupid! Just why did you do this?> (A)

<This, this princess did something to you. And after this, I couldn't even see how you were. I was so frustrated. I thought 'if I'd just be a bit stronger'.> (O)

<Congratulations! Now you're getting "monstrous" strength!> (A)

<Allie!> (O)

<I was fine when it was only me! But now you too! And Millie! I don't know how to handle this!> (A)

<It's not just about you! We all are in this and we decide for ourselves!> (O)

 

I know that he's right, but that doesn't make it okay for me.
Yet he's still in a poor state and I should be considerate.

 

<Did I sweat very much? I'm totally drenched.> (O)

<Ehm, about that.> (M)

<Millie?> (O)

<I got it too and...> (M)

 

I should quickly switch topics.

 

<What do you think about a learning group to practice regaining our speech?> (A)

<Uh, okay?> (O)

<Sounds fun! And if someone else gets it we can tease them with our skills!> (M)

 

Is it possible that Millie has a slightly dark side to her?