The Honeyed Hive

"Yeah well that's the human society for ya, we were biologically predisposed to roaming the world and then we decided we hated each other enough to kill each other senselessly for decades." Lucina sighed, grabbing a nice cat carrier and putting Amy inside before having Celica grab the cat food. "Half of learning history in college is finding out that most of it is made up by people who won wars and then they burnt down any dissenting information. I'd say you all probably if ya hadn't come out on your own would have suffered the same fate as native Americans." She slumped her shoulders a bit before shaking her head. "Can we stop talking about this... I'm not here to change the world. I just wanna do what I can when I can to spread the truth."

Celica nodded "Yeah...sorry, it's just a lot to take in as to why Marcy needed so much money." She picks up the food and carries it out, balancing the umbrella between her head and shoulder as they leave the apartment. "How does life work out here?"

"The short of it is that it doesn't. Nothing's comfortable it feels like no one likes you and occasionally a slur will be thrown in your face without much warning whether or not it even has anything to do with you." Lucina put Amy in the back seat buckling the carrier while checking to make sure she had a month's worth of medication on her. "I work for local news so it's normally just conservative bullshit... guess that's what I get for staying in Texas." Once Celica was inside she turned the car back on and headed downtown towards some fast food.

Celica nodded "Well...have you ever thought of moving somewhere smaller? Maybe report on what you want more rather than what someone overhead wants you to. Texas is a large state, there has to be some other studio more in line with what you want to report on."

Lucina snorted before breaking into giggling. "Oh sweetie you've never seen texas news have you? It's all mostly like this, the only people I can really tolerate in the news business are still conservative just sliiiiigtly less than the rest. I would love to make a name for myself and get outta this town but that takes time and money that I don't have until everything is paid off." She then pulled up to a small drive-through burger place. "This place has the best drive-through burgers in town. Do you... eat meat?"

She nods "As we developed to become human-sized, we do need larger quantities of food, we evolved to be omnivores. I'll have a cheeseburger." She grins "As for the news stuff, I know there is a small station in the town where our program is based out of."

"Yeah, I've worked with them a few times. They are the ones who are doing my interview with the queen tomorrow. I had alerted them beforehand and they thought it would be a really good story for the program's health. Given I'm one of the 'sick' and my sister is a major success story of the program already." Lucina then pulled up to the ordering area getting food and drink for both of them before pulling up to the window. After a few minutes of waiting two burgers with two sodas were handed into the car Lucina putting them on Celica's lap before driving off. "So... how much do you know about what's going on with me? I noticed unlike the... majority of the people I've talked to you've been rather... chatty and open about your opinions."

Celica smiled "Well, off and on I've been on guard duty for Marcy, and she has lots of nice things to say about her 'super cool sister'. I know you are a reporter, and I learned today that you have apiphobia. I know I'm supposed to be your escort and all with what happened, but you are pretty, and I figure that I can just do my best to make you feel more at ease." She smiles kindly "That and...well I haven't really gotten too much attention outside of my guard duty, so getting to talk with someone else feels nice."

Lucina blushed as she pulled onto the highway heading back towards the office where she had parked earlier that morning. "I find it very... flattering that you find me attractive Celcy but..." She shuddered a bit nervously. "I don't really know how to feel about it. Especially as a prisoner currently." She chuckled a bit trying to look away and hide the fact her cheeks were bright pink.

Celica smiled brightly "Yeah...sorry about the prisoner thing, but I mean, we can make that as comfortable as possible. And you are very attractive, any who can't see it are dumbasses." She buzzes happily, hearing a meow in the back. "See, Amy agrees with me, such a beautiful cat too." She looks at the carrier and smiles "I'm sorry if I am asking a lot of questions, I just am really curious."

Lucina reached over grabbing Celica's burger and shoving it in the bee's mouth. Wanting the bee to stop being so damn cute in her general direction. "Enjoy your food! I need to focus on the road! YES, THAT IS ALL!" She then very quietly drove them the rest of the way to the breeding programs office. Her face was bright pink even after they had parked. Grabbing her own cheeseburger and starting to eat it. Curling into the opposite side of the car from Celica intimidated by how openly flirty the bee was able to be.

Celica giggled and munched down her burger. Once they are parked and she is finished, the bee leans in and buzzes happily. "Seriously though, you are cute, have wonderful eyes, and have a fiery side, anyone should be happy to date you."

"Well, humans aren't really attracted to any of those things... except for the cute comment." Lucina reached into the back grabbing her kitten's carrier before looking at Celica. "Let's get back to your hive. I'll text about the interview to the group on the way there." Despite her attempts to hide it, she was becoming more and more overwhelmed by Celica's affection. Happy at least to have that foggy feeling from earlier out of her head as they headed back down the path towards the hive.

Celica smiled and carried the cat food, making sure to toss their garbage from their takeout in a trash bin at the building. As much as the foggy feeling is gone, there still was a nice almost flowery scent around Celica. "So, what do you do for fun in your free time? I go and play some of the board games we have picked up since coming to show ourselves."

"I write a lot. Mostly about people or places that I've seen, I value my connections to the people around me immensely. All the notebooks you saw in my house were filled with pages about different people with different skills that I've either met in college or met through someone else. I find it's a very interesting way to spend my time." Lucina giggled a bit before looking down at her kitten. "Then of course I spend all my free time loving on Amy when she wants it, but I will admit... slowing down with board games sometimes might be... nice." The doors were yet again left open. The dent where Lucina shot it and broke through now patched up with new harder wax.

The guards nod "The door was just fixed, we were about to close up." They smile as Celica leads the way in, the doors being closed, cutting off the cooler nighttime air. Celica sighs happily "Home sweet home...since I have to watch you, I can either bring you to a guest room or my quarters. Whichever you prefer."

"Probably a guest room for now... I'll admit I'm not used to sharing my room with anyone so I'd just like a little privacy at the end of the night to feed Amy and rest up." Lucina smiled softly, the sweet smell now far more noticeable without her tears and gunk blocking her nose off from them. "This place does smell incredibly nice though."

Celica nodded and led Lucina into a side area and opened a door that was in a honeycomb shape. Inside was a simple yet clean room. "Alright, the bed here uses a thick and soft wax with a honey core to facilitate a nice weight distribution. This right here is a bathroom. It took a while to figure out modern plumbing, but we got it installed. The water is fed from an underground spring and heated along the pipes. And as for food, we eat in a communal area where we eat honey, but I'll talk to some of the girls who are looking at cooking to see about getting you some other foods. Also, this guest room is in the same wing as my room, it is across the hall if you need me...just keep in mind that the guards probably won't let you wander off without me."

Lucina gave a thumbs up before putting the carrier down and opening it up. Letting Amy hop out and start to wander around and sniff at the room. "I'm gonna need to fashion her a litter box given we couldn't take that with us... but that's about all we will need." She smiled softly growing to actually enjoy the bees company throughout the day. "As for wandering around... I don't really have any reason to without someone with me." She walked over to her bed sitting down as she could feel it give in to her weight almost like a water bed. "Just... if you see any of my sisters' guards tell her I'm sorry."

Celica nodded and smiled "Give me a minute, I'll go find something to use as a litter box, a few of the others who moved in brought their cats too." She closed the door and Lucina would hear some buzzing on the other side.

As she heard this she raised an eyebrow walking over to the door and pushing her ear against it. Unable to tell if it was just Celica flying away or if there were other people here to see her. As she leaned against the door Lucina watched Amy walk around the room. Starting to claw at the walls and bed frame. "And you clearly like your new... scratching room..." She chuckled a bit, one eye glancing back at the door.

The door cracked open quietly, a bee poking in, obviously a lower-ranked guard. "You hurt Marcy...you could have hurt our chances at fixing everything." The guard growled out, slipping into the room.

Lucina looked at the bee backing into the room... only to have Amy zip between the pair's feet and out of the room. "And now YOU let my kitten loose in a massive hive. I have no idea how to navigate." She frowned, looking the bee square in the eyes. "Just... move aside I need to go catch her."

The bee growls out "No, you need to hurt for what you have done!" She gets close "Your cat will be fine, I can't say the same for you." She clenches her fists "You brought a firearm in here...after what happened last month...just imagining what else could have happened infuriates me!"

Lucina waved her hands taking a few steps back. "Look I'm not looking for another fight. I had a trauma episode. I fucked up and hurt my sister. I feel guilty for that... but I have to warn you that if you lay a single finger on me I'm gonna kick your ass." She hardened her expression. "You also probably have... 3 minutes maximum before Celica gets back here and I don't think a punk like you would wanna mess with her. I just really don't wanna disappoint her by attacking you either."

The guard goes to raise her fist...only to freeze as a cough is heard behind her. "Excuse me, but last I checked this isn't your post, and Lucina is not your responsibility." Celica is standing there, holding a litter box in one arm, and Amy cuddled up to her in the other. "Now then, leave here, Lucina is sorry it happened, a lot of stresses happened all at once, and if I catch you here without express permission and without me, I swear you will be put on outer patrol for the whole winter season." The guard squeaks and runs out of the room. "Lucy are you ok?"

Lucina sighed her shoulders deflating as she went back over to sit on the bed. "I've been worse... surprisingly." She chuckled a bit before looking up at Celica with weak eyes. "Can you stay with me and Amy tonight... seeing... that. Has me a bit worried that other people who are mad will come and attack me in my sleep." She looked down blushing a bit at her request and her admission of her own fear.

Celica smiled and nodded "Of course Lucy...you don't mind me calling you that right?" She closes the door with her foot and places the box down by where she notices some scratching spots. Next, she comes over to sit on the bed and hug Lucina close, rubbing her back. "The last attempt to break in by a pharmaceutical agent...they brought guns and killed several of our guards, and threatened Robin in order to get Marcy's work...I had to stop them."

Lucina frowned looking down and leaning into Celica's side. "You know you should have had Marcy tell me about this. I could have reported on it! Publicized a medical attack on an endangered minority! She didn't even mention it in the letters she would send..." She wrapped her arms around the bee's side nuzzling in slightly. "It hurts to have had my sister lie to me so much... when I would have been there to help the next morning! I wouldn't have brought my gun. I only even have that because you've SEEN where I live it's a bit of a necessity..."

"I'm sorry...we had a full lockdown for a while after that. I remember Marcy just saying she needed you here. She might have been waiting to talk about it given how...big what she was discussing was going to end up being. Unfortunately, I can't read minds, so I don't know when she was planning to tell you herself." She rubs Lucina's back a little bit. "I'm sure the Edel will have more information that you can ask during the interview."

"Y-yeah... let's just get to sleep." Lucina took her jacket off and slipped out of her top before patting on the bed and having Amy hop up to lay at the feet of the bed. "Tomorrow will be easier hopefully... maybe Marcy will agree to see me..." She scooted into the corner of the bed that was pressed against the wall before patting the area beside her while looking up at Celica.

Celica smiled "I'm sure she will, she may have not handled things the best on her end, but I know she loves and cares about you." She smiles "We can check in the morning, if she wants to maybe we can have breakfast with her, does that sound good?"

"Sure..." Lucina then grabbed and pulled Celica to lay on the bed next to her. Pressing herself into the bee's back before cuddling in to let the fluff warm her. "Now it's time to sleep..." She yawned a bit, her arms locking down around Celica and then quickly falling asleep due to the exhaustion.

Celica soon fell asleep herself, though making sure she herself was facing the door. The night went by alright, just one peaking in at the pair as Celica opened an eye, seeing it was one of the hallway guards checking on her. In the morning, there was a small knock on the door and the same guard came in. "Captain, we have gotten some food from town based on what you told us about Lucy." She smiled as she woke up and nodded "Thank you, can you check on Marcy and see if she would like to have us as breakfast guests?" The bee nods and leaves.

Once the door was closed Lucina opened her eyes. Groaning slightly as she was still tired even after a full night's worth of sleep. "G... morning." She grumbled a bit sitting up before noticing a slightly tingly feeling on her neck. Then there was what she thought was her hair fluffed around her neck... until she touched it and screamed falling over into Celica's lap. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY NECK?!"

Celica turns around and tilts her head. "Lucy calm down and let me look." Once she was staying still, Celica starts looking her over carefully, poking the fuzz a bit. "Strange, this is almost like bee fluff...Maybe Marcy would know more as she is the one who has been studying our genetics and all...how do you feel aside from that, just look into my eyes and focus on how your body feels overall to you."

Lucina took a few deep breaths. The hazy feeling from the day before having returned overnight as she looked Celica in the eyes. "I feel like... kinda heavy? I feel like despite sleeping I've gained exactly 0 energy and now have to drag myself through an entire day." She felt the fluff before shuddering a bit at its sensitivity. "Can we get it off of meeee..."

Celica winces "I'm not sure, I'd like to have you see someone before we try and do anything too drastic, but if you really want it gone we can try shaving it, I leave the final choice up to you." She rubs the fluff "I do think it is cute, but I want you to be comfortable." Amy meows lightly and paws at the fluff playfully after padding up the bed.

Lucina smiled softly at Amy petting her kitten gently before getting out of the bed and putting her clothes back on from the day before. "I kinda feel like a jackass for forgetting to bring extra clothes of all things but here we are." She chuckled a bit, shaking her head before heading towards the door to the room. Clearly trying to ignore the neck fluff to the best of her ability. "And I'll wait for someone to check it before I shave... if you really do like it."

Celica smiled "alright, as for clothes, how about I give you something casual of mine. I'm not sure how awake you are, but I had one of my guards go to ask Marcy about having breakfast with us." She rubs Lucy's back. "I've got a couple of jackets and dresses that should fit you."

"Ok..." Lucina took a deep breath before opening the smaller door. Struggling slightly more because of how heavy her body felt in comparison to the weight. Once they were in the halls today was much more lively, everyone while still on guard whenever they would get near Lucina, were buzzing around and the bees flying in the very high ceilinged halls. "So... maybe just a dress and jacket combo?" She looked down as a few bees were pointing and staring at her interested in the new fluff around the woman's neck.

Celica smiled and led Lucina to her room, it was simple yet nice, filled with a closet, a few training dummies, and a simple vanity. There was a bookcase with several board games on it and a decently sized table. "Here is my room, now let me find you something." She pulls out a jacket, it seemed like a nice 'varsity' jacket, with a yellow and black striped symbol on the back. Next, she pulls out a sundress, it was a daisy yellow color. "Here, do you think this will work for you?"

Lucina looked over the clothes before taking them and slipping into the bathroom. "It's not really my style to be in a dress but maybe it will help people be less scared of me." She then closed the door taking a few minutes to swap between the outfits. Once she came back out the yellow and black patterns matched perfectly with her purple eyes and new neck fluff that was sitting right on the collar of the jacket. With her blond still messy hair flowing into it. "So... how does it look?"

Celica was staring with a blush across her cheeks. "Beautiful...I mean you look cool!" She looks to the side, cheeks still stained red. "It goes really well with you...if you don't mind me saying, Lucy."

Lucy chuckled a bit at her own blush matching Celica's. "Only if you don't mind me calling you Celcy." She then walked over taking Celcy's hand and leaning into her side. "Well, my good 'guard' why don't you lead us down to wherever breakfast is. I really hope this 'disguises' me from the more harsh looks. Wouldn't wanna ruin your reputation after all."

Celica giggles "Everyone will calm down soon enough." She squeezes Lucina's hand a bit "And I'm fine with you calling me that Lucy." She leads them outside, a guard coming down and motioning to them. "Marcy is feeling up to company for breakfast...if you two are still feeling up to it."

Lucina nodded and started walking down the halls with Celica. "Yes, please... I heard that she's transitioning right now because of the accident... so I was worried that I wouldn't see her for several days." They eventually arrived at one of the transition rooms. Nurse bees working with Mist and Marcy as the pair arrived. Seeing her sister still mostly humanoid but in one of the pools of honey-like substance made Lucina gulp pressing into Celica's side to almost hiding herself in shame.

Marcy looked over and smiled, gently raising a hand, slightly coated in a chitin-like substance as she waves them forward. "Hey sis...how are you doing?" She shifts a little, wincing as she moves her recovering shoulder. Celica leads Lucina in as the nurses back off to give them some space. Marcy sighs "Sis...I'm so sorry, I never meant for things to happen like that. I should have started smaller before building to that...I was not considerate to your personal trauma and fears."