>>42472016
True to character, Twilight shows her gash to the first stranger she sees and gets head. There's another crude joke somewhere with Twilight's first instinct being to measure the purple-scaled worm's length and girth (especially just after "Secret of My Excess"). Aside from that, the story hasn't done anything trouser dropping, nor anything trouser raising. I was rather stone-faced throughout.

Let's get the rationalism out of the way. Twilight complains about not having a vessel to boil water, yet uses a magic umbrella to deflect away water. She complains about not having anything to write with, despite sitting next to a campfire with ash and charcoal. She complains about not having paper, while holding Spike's letter. Dispel such vile thoughts, as the author mentions—they're a mere framing device.

I liked the descriptions of the hive: they flowed nicely and painted a good dynamic picture. Even the changelings, flying bug vampires, respect the sanctity of a safe workplace by installing railings on their balconies. And hey, the changelings can even file for annual leave! Chrysalis ain't so bad! As a little detail, Twilight used imperial measurements while Thorax used metric. On the other side, characterisations were spotty with some strange dialogue here and there. The criticisms are minor; I don't have room to squish them into this single post!

I didn't have much more to say, until I noticed that despite the story trying to create a wholesome, heartwarming friendship, there's something unsettling—something sinister about it—that's bugging me. Thorax has admitted multiple times that he has done this purely because Twilight has shown him kindness; he's not doing this out of any moral compass, empathy, or duty, but just because he receives this in kind—it's a transactional relationship. Twilight is completely at his mercy, and anything she may do to offend him can very well get her killed by him, the hive, or simply abandoned to starve. Additionally, it alludes to Thorax feeding off of her, although I don't remember Twilight ever giving him consent to do so. She cannot even think negatively without him peering into her mind. He also uses his submissive and timid behaviour as a way to garner sympathy and emotionally manipulate prey. Twilight is completely oblivious or too pure-hearted to cotton on that he is the ideal weapon of subterfuge and manipulation. It's all quite creepy, and if not for the tags, I would think this was a rape fic. The only character in the story that seems to show genuine affection is Pharynx.
The question I have: is this tone a part of the story, the author's own worldview, or my neuroses leading me on? I'm perhaps over-analysing, but whatever the case, Thorax is definitely giving me the ick. Though, in his defence, he doesn't know any better.

The truth is we, the real-life readers, will never receive such a heavenly gift of Twilight's dysentery-and-sweat soaked bedroll to sit down upon. Why even live?