mmmmidblood crisis

It’s as big as the bunkhive, which contained a dozen trolls at any given time. This place is enormous.

Tyzias’ hive is huge. This is too much space for one troll.

The pieces of the situation have been assembling themselves in Bronya’s mind, and with Tyzias’ simple statement they all click into place. Bronya rubs the dried tears from her cheeks and takes two deep breaths to reorient herself. “…I can cook, and clean. I’ll help you out around the hive however you need. And if you can get me a small work space–maybe eight by eight feet?–you won’t have to know I’m around.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, it’s my hive. You don’t have to hide in a cupboard like the heroine of a rust novel.” Tyzias rubs at her neck, pulling her messenger bag over to her with her foot and digging around again until she finds another foil-wrapped facial towel, which she hands over to Bronya. “You’ll be the one who won’t see me much, I’m mostly just here or at the bookhive...”

“Yes. I need access to the internet to get the blueprints back, and from there I can scrounge the actual machine together. I’d be starting from scratch, though, so I’m not sure how long it’ll take me.” She looks back down at the egg on her lap, and absently rubs her thumb in a circle on the apex. “…I don’t know what to do about myself, though. I don’t know if I can finish before I’m due to leave.”

It’s sound logic, and phrased perfectly to get through Bronya’s cranial plate. She takes a few deep breaths and nods.

“So then… what do I do? How do I make this right?”

“I assume not.” Some of the color that had returned to her cheeks after the pretzels blanches back out. “Oh, god. I can’t believe I just abandoned my girls! They need me, and I’m here! Jioyse… and Maftie! Maftie was looking for me! I heard her voice!” The verdant waterworks begin anew.

“Do you think it hurts, to be disintegrated by a drone’s laser?” The bag is now empty, and Bronya reaches for the water on Tyzias’ desk. “It’s not something I’ve ever thought about, but it’s suddenly become an urgent thing to consider.” She drains the bottle in a few gulps, and frowns at it when she’s done as though disappointed that there isn’t more.