Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
Firstly – due to popular demand, I added the meeting at Lauren's POVs to the previous chapter, so go back and read it, if not already – do we need a POV on 7 and this one? It seems fairly simple (and monstrously yet somewhat unknowingly cruel, incidentally – honestly I am trying not to think about it any more than I have to...).
I am attempting to avoid getting too deep into details, hopefully moving the plot forward – but if You feel that we need to stop at some event/action/description in particular (apart from Lauren' thoughts in 9th – it is all planned later – and so much more - “must not let my head explode!”), please let me know.
Also – I added a warning to the intro, but repeating it here just to make sure everybody is aware of how reviews work - if any of You want to share something after reading a chapter, don't wait to read the whole story - feel free to review the chapter You have just read (and also make sure to attach the review to the particular chapter not to spoil anything for others, and of course read reviews only from the chapters you are through) – one can do that simply by using the review box at the bottom of the chapter – the default action for a review on the entire story will default to the first chapter I think, which would be widely visible... And deleting reviews always feels bad – even if it's for the best and is followed by asking for their re-post in the proper place. As for how to read them - there is a dropdown with options “View all reviews” / “Reviews for chapter...”, where You can select all or only the one that interests You – hopefully avoiding any spoilers for later (great thinking Asuka* ).
And no spoilers this time – I feel that the one about Nicole being angry in 7 has really, really destroyed the immersion and the effect I was aiming for......
I am attempting to avoid getting too deep into details, hopefully moving the plot forward – but if You feel that we need to stop at some event/action/description in particular (apart from Lauren' thoughts in 9th – it is all planned later – and so much more - “must not let my head explode!”), please let me know.
Also – I added a warning to the intro, but repeating it here just to make sure everybody is aware of how reviews work - if any of You want to share something after reading a chapter, don't wait to read the whole story - feel free to review the chapter You have just read (and also make sure to attach the review to the particular chapter not to spoil anything for others, and of course read reviews only from the chapters you are through) – one can do that simply by using the review box at the bottom of the chapter – the default action for a review on the entire story will default to the first chapter I think, which would be widely visible... And deleting reviews always feels bad – even if it's for the best and is followed by asking for their re-post in the proper place. As for how to read them - there is a dropdown with options “View all reviews” / “Reviews for chapter...”, where You can select all or only the one that interests You – hopefully avoiding any spoilers for later (great thinking Asuka* ).
And no spoilers this time – I feel that the one about Nicole being angry in 7 has really, really destroyed the immersion and the effect I was aiming for......
Amber is shocked how many things can go wrong with training micros. And the worst part she has no idea what she did. She even is not sure what is happening... but it seems that every time she comes back to the bigger zone well, until recently bigger the counter shows less micros than when she was leaving. Three days after Lauren's party, it seems that her explanation how she will try not kill too many of them each time should be having some effect but the numbers suggest otherwise, already a million less than right after graduation.
Was somebody else killing them? When it repeated the second time, she checked if anybody had privileges to it but that was not the case, and she even took away the manual access she gave Nicole and Kate. If they don't want to trust her, then neither will Amber. But the seemingly constant decrease in population... she can understand it happens when she plays with them although carefully, no more than a town or two at a time, just like she promised what could be causing it?
Are they killing each other? It is the only explanation she is left with she heard about some wars in various zones, but they usually quickly ended upon the Caretakers arrival it seems they had enough effect on them to convince them not to continue those silly fights. Christina even mentioned how she watched some war when she arrived to an unvisited zone and they even seemed to turn on her which apparently became very amusing to watch. That is before she wiped them away as she became bored with the tiny prickles and spots of light along her hands on the ground and face leaning forward. She could not even feel anything through her uniform...
Amber thought, how would a war look like? Maybe if they are actually doing that.. could she order them to do this war for her instead? It seemed like fun, but... the population kept dropping. What if they are killing themselves? She heard about some mass suicide among micros from firsts that was the worst part, like why would they even do that? And they even failed to obey her very specific request not to kill themselves? Stupid micros... it is the Caretakers who should be killing them, not each other.
Every time she tries to ask Andrea or Kimberly the only firsts that seem to be willing to talk to her seriously, at least sometimes they say it's complicated and takes time, gibberish like that. Like what is she supposed to do? Leave them for a couple days and then return? It seems they would only kill more of themselves!
At least the other zone is doing better. The population dropped a bit, when she entered and surveyed it obviously she might have been more careful where she walks, Amber thinks now in retrospect but at least they are not killing themselves! What if she moved more people from there to this one would they be able to convince those suicidal maniacs they should stop it?
Was this the reason for Kate being so angry at her? She must have been experiencing the same problems in her zone. Amber heard it was untrained and it would make perfect sense if they kept killing each other there as well... and Kate only has a single zone she must have been really worried about them. If somebody entered any of Amber's zones and started killing micros without her permission, she thinks she would literally explode!
What was Rachel trying to teach them in school about this situation? That must have been the reason we were having those lessons, after all... but Rachel seemed so disconnected from the reality, so... abstract - Amber remembers the word. Like she wanted to show them the theory instead of real, practical guidelines of how to train and care for micros. Damn, now it will take a long time to even make up the looses she has already inflicted, even if the micros could stop doing this!
Wait! Maybe Kate found a way maybe she finally managed to stop their killing and was afraid of some rush action causing it to resume? That explains everything. Even Nicole tried to tell her not to be more careful... if only Amber listened in the school more. Funny how Nicole never seemed to pay any attention to the parts on micros how would she know? Was it so obvious and Amber so ignorant to miss it? There must be some way think Amber, think!
Maybe some of them wanted to die so much that they ended up in killing each other? Perhaps if she took some Volunteers and left the rest to rebuild... Yeah, that should help.
But this request of her does not seem to appeal to many of them initially at least. After an hour or so, she sees some micros gathering next to her hand placed between several bigger towns, she was careful not to kill any healthy micros only the ones trying to kill themselves. Damn, she forgot the iron plate and the tube.. maybe if she just...
Yeah, ordering them to climb her nail and sniffing it was just enough to make her feel them so Amber can relax now. She tries to think about how she will need to repeat this in various places around the zone, to remove these maniacs from the population. And it will be a lot of fun...
But when she looks at the counter, she notices how it went even lower a hundred thousands in mere half hour since she snuffed them... What the hell! It's more than during the last night! It does not make sense, she was trying to help them... No, it must be something else think!
And to make matters worse, Kate will not even reply to her mesgs. Maybe Nicole will know? Fortunately she has a moment and invites her to one of her zones. While leaving, Amber makes sure to specifically tell micros they must not kill themselves.
Hi Amber, what's wrong - says Nicole obviously noticing her concerned expression.
Hi, thanks for seeing me... - she responds, as they hug - It's one of my zones the micros seem to be... I don't even know what's happening, it's like they keep killing themselves. Every day I return I find less and less of them is alive and I don't know what to do! - she explains hastily.
Whoa, easy now... - Nicole tries to comfort her - have You tried talking to them?
Yeah, I kept ordering them to stop that, not to die and everything, but they just don't listen!
Um, I mean talk with them to see what is wrong as in try listening to what they say?
What do you mean..? - Amber is surprised.
Oh you know, like get some headphone and...
Yeah I know, my other zone can manage that but... problems?
Yup, the micros seem to have a lot of them. I do not know many of them, since my mother gave me already trained zones at least most of them are, but the firsts seem to complain a lot about their 'problems' while in training. I just never cared much to listen closely...
Yeah, me either... do You remember any problems they have mentioned?
Nicole thinks about it for several seconds and says: I don't know, like some micros did not see any point in living or something stupid like that... - well, but why would they come to that conclusion, Amber thinks... Maybe if you asked Kate she seems to be fairly comfortable with her micros and she trained them from the scratch, right?
Yeah.. I tried, but she won't... she won't answer me.
See, I told you not to be to hasty with her and now she could probably help you, but you already damaged the friendship with her...
Amber thinks about this for a minute, while being obviously analyzed by Nicole but who cares about that, Amber simply wants to fix her micros. Sure she knows now she should have.. but couldn't Kate just explain the reasons why they should be careful? It would be so much easier to listen to logic instead of orders... What did she think they are some micros she can push around? We are her friends! - she concludes. But now... maybe Nicole was right, if she could just get Kate to advice her...
Maybe I'll try to ask her again maybe we can figure something out together.
Yeah, do that I'm sure Kate will help you, remember she has always been your friend, just like me - the overly obvious tone suggests Amber it may be just one of Nicole's games, but again she just wants to...
Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it... - she ends the brief discussion.
Sure, any time! - and Amber returns to her quarters.
She does not want to return to her zones yet, fearing further decrease in population and just thinks how to appeal to Kate to help her. Maybe Amber was behaving a bit bitchy recently.. especially how Lauren told them they need to be more mature now was this what Kate was already trying to do even before Nicole's graduation? She cannot forget the image of Kate lying down and enjoying... something but definitely not killing micros or having fun with them in any way, it seemed. Laying on her back, eyes closed, relaxed expression...
Her recollections are interrupted when a mesg from Kate appears on her wristcom... What do you want? - that's not the way to write to your fellow second, Amber thinks but inquires in reply if she could come in explaining she just wanted to talk about some problems that she had.
In Kate's zone, she can see her slowly rising up from crouching some distance away from her spot - and as she turns towards Amber, signaling her to stop and start walking carefully, Amber thinks if she will need to act like that in her zone... Others do not seem to be so careful around micros but as soon Kate is close enough to hear her, she starts to talk:
Hi Kate, I wan...
Now listen up, you will not do any damage here, do not even try to leave the spot, and no rash actions! - Kate interrupts her in a demanding tone.
Hey, I just wanted to talk...
Like hell you did, you are not killing anyone this time! - the expression on Kate's face was very angry, is this how Amber behaved the last time? It was just some casual destruction... it can't be that bad...
Listen, I...
No you listen you are not harming anybody here, understood?
That does it Amber is trying to be nice, but all she gets are demands and instructions! Looking around, she notices a small cluster of small towns near the edge of the spot where she arrived and jumps onto it with one swift move:
Really? Look how did this happen!
Kate's stops in her tracks obviously angry, her face turns red and she demands: Get out!
What..
Get out now! I am never letting you in here again!
Whoa, this is no way to treat... - but Kate jumps her, grabbing her back onto the spot and holds tightly by her neck, blocking the breathing... She is violent with her! Amber cannot fight back due to shock and think of anything other than to teleport away, speechless.
Back in her quarters, she thinks about what happened she heard about only one fight between girls, ever it was Courtney and Andrea and they just scratched each other when arguing... still, mothers blocked them from any zones for a month it was before theirs graduations, so they just wandered around the facility for the entire time and begged for some explanations of what anyone was doing with the micros... Andrea even seemed to remember Amber being nice to her and returning the favor it must have really been terrible for them... An entire month with literally nothing to do!
But Kate knocks on her door promptly and asks if she can come in casually it seems and without any mesg or anything... Amber is afraid, but... she would not do it again, right? To attack her intentionally and with deliberate attempt to hurt her? That was... but the doors open, shit she forgot to lock them!
Listen up carefully - Kate explains with a grim tone, while closing the door behind her - not only You are not getting back to my zone. Never. You are also never talking to anybody what happened and publicly we are still great friends and everything. Understood?
Amber has never seen anybody so determined, so obviously confident with she is doing as Kate right now... How could she do this to her... and only manages to whisper: Yes...
Good. Now, we are going to get Nicole to help you understand why your nasty actions were wrong and if she does not help the mothers...
That was already too much, mothers told them to respect each other's property... but to talk with them about some random play? It seems... actually, it seems that Kate is really willing to go through with everything she just said. Scared for probably the first time in her life, Amber faints.
Chapter End Notes:
More explanations to follow while the story unfolds slowly – also, in case any of You are wondering: I completely ignored the requests for Kate to “be like this” “or do that” - >this< was the plan. I have a storyline and I simply follow it, with necessary adjustments when I feel something is wrong about it (just like the recent rearrangement). If You feel any character seems unreliable, which may happen, of course – that is an actual problem and please make sure to tell me about it immediately, only.. some arguments are necessary for me to understand Your point and not just “I really wished she/somebody/anybody/they/(...) would...” (which isn't even an argument, just a desire to have something happen differently – not that I do not appreciate it, but remember.. the storyyy... - as in “my precioussss...”).