[Report This]Date: November 06 2025 9:55 PM Title: Downtime with a Best Friend Act I: Storytime
So here's the next act in Anura's mind of madness, or as I'd like to call this particular one... the Antopia chapter!!
It was finally time for Anura to wake up in a dream that wasn't trying to torture him physically or psychologically LoL. Thankfully, he's now literally on the hands of someone who cares about him, even if it's just a dream. He can talk to Charlotte as he always longed to, in the small state his mind always craved.
It's interesting to see how his macrophilia began and ironic that arose at the hands of a microphilic person LoL. Speaking of her, I felt like this would be the first time you'd introduce Monique in person, since she only appear throw a picture in Max phone back in Antopia. I don't know if she'll be some kind of final boss at the end of Antopia or just a main antagonist. I found it ironic that Monique mocked Anura with the excuse that she was taller and stronger than him and that he couldn't do anything about it, but he forgot the small detail that Anura saw her cigarettes and had something to use against her. Yes, I know he's just a toddler and his parents couldn't believe him, but he had something to hold against her and wasn't actually insignificant after all. In fact, I found this situation similar to that of the ants. Basically, they have to suffer at the hands of humans who crush or torture them because of their enormous size, and they can do nothing but watch as they are brutally killed. The only thing they have to defend themselves is the shrink dart, but considering the lack of materials and that some colonies probably didn't know the formula well, they can basically just stay silent and watch as humans “Bullies” their home and their loved ones every day.
Speaking of the ants, I liked the mention of some characters from Antopia like Sting, Penelope, and her father. Although 2of them are probably still waiting outside the library to get to the next stop on their long journey, LoL.
I'm glad to see Rebecca again, even if it was her teenage version. I'm intrigued as to why Monique only found out about her best friend's pregnancy now. I mean, she hadn't seen her in the last few months, and saw her belly? I guess she could believe Rebecca had just gained weight.
The aphid family from Chapter 2 still haunting me. This ant family didn't really affect me much, maybe because their fate was around onto somenthing that i'm really into LoL. But seriously, I liked your descriptions of the would vore scene and the interiors as would, even though some were a direct copy of the ones in Antopia. Still, I liked them. It actually makes sense that the descriptions are the same, right? I mean like mother, like daughter, LoL. Although the difference is that Gaia wasn't with that poor family, I hope they can rest in her promised land. I'm also curious to know if we'll ever get an answer about how Gaia's light ended up inside Lucy as well.
I liked the hints about Max's journey, like his mother would slowing down her insect killing spree when her son is kidnapped. I suppose having Max in the palm of her hand and falling in love with an ant princess will give her a chance of view and focus more on her surroundings. Although I'm actually curious to know if the ant family will have any effect on Max during his journey, since he literally fed on them and, in a way, has them inside him too.
I liked Dyvia's return. It was strange to see her again on a different storie and not in Antopia. I also felt you missed the opportunity to make her grand return happen in the living room, where someone is watching TV and, when she appears, there's a huge clap in the background coming from the TV, like when a celebrity appears in a sitcom.
The school part was the hardest for me to read, not because of the word count, but because I actually kind of felt the same way Anura did, only in a more complex and different way. I'm sorry you're where through something similar, and I want you to know you're not alone on this.
Anura and Divya's interactions with the ants were adorable, and how she basically did the same thing she did with the cookie crumbs in Antopia, plus teasing Divya weak spot between her fingers toes LoL, maybe Max would like to take notes if he wants to get her attention.
This episode has been my favorite of Hook Up. I'm curious to see what happens next and when Anura will finally wake up, only to be trapped in the waking nightmare of the now bigger and larger pub.
The easter eggs that i catch where Monique, teen pregnant Rebecca, Max mentions abouth him and his future journey, the mentions of Sting, Penelope and her father, Divya cameo and the mentions of her perfect golden sister that will also have a life changing journey and experience like her brother Max, Lucy Firewall!!!
I give this chapter a 9.5/10. Keep it up! :)
Author's Response:
Hi thanks for reviewing
Yeah figured after 3 straight chapters of sadistic torture and suffering to change it up a bit to more happier and pleasant macro interactions and who better than be shrunken down than be in the hand that you had a massive crush on uni?
Monique was essentially the previous Lucy who bullied/terrorised a different ant colony around more than two decades ago. The story of that incident got out and has been circulating as a warning to other colonies. Monique's interaction with Anura was sort of a chain interaction as her microphilla ironically triggered his macrophilia where his character would influence Divya later on in regards to her size interactions and eventually leading back to Lucy. Yeah Anura could have told his mum about the cigarettes his babysitter was smoking but he's the kind of person who doesn't like to cause issues with other people (people-pleaser) so it would be more likely he would stay quiet. Monique even knew about this somewhat and took advantage of this.
Yeah since this story is sort of a spin off to Antopia and takes place in the same world I thought it would be fitting to mention Antopia characters to show the influence they have on this story.
In regards to why Monique didn't know about her best friend's pregnancy this takes place in March (right at the start of school year in Australia). Summer holidays are in December and January so they she hadn't seen in her in almost 2 to 3 months, pregnancy bumps only start to be visible in fourth or fifth month.
Yeah like mother like daughter they say, Rebecca has been killing ants for most of her life just like Lucy but the major difference is that Lucy is aware while her mother is completely unaware. Gaia can't appear at every ant's death but to make things at ease lets just say the all made it to promised land.
Yeah once Max is shrunk by the ants and held captive, Rebecca starts to gain some more awareness and new perspectives which is why her unaware killing spree starts to slow down. As more the lingering of the ant family's souls inside Max since he was literally fed with their corpses via umbilical cord lets just wait and see for now.....
Yeah Divya being Anura's youngest cousin is the main factor which ties these two stories together so I decided she needed an appearance in this story.
Anura feeding ants biscuit crumbs is something I used to do when I was younger and still do sometimes, lol. Yeah a lot of Divya traits she picked up from her cousin so Max might need to take some pointers that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Pub sequence will be coming up very soon. Let's just say that the shrinking gas really makes you dream vividly lol.