The first beetle gripped the corner of the paper in his mandibles and slowly pulled it back.

Hello, there, li’l friend.

So is that a paper as in a newspaper, book or something like that? Is this Taylor using her bugs for utility purposes while reading?

Two more moved to the edges of the folds and held them firm.  The fourth and largest of the four beetles ran its head left and right along the paper until it was firmly creased.  Each of the four changed positions and repeated the steps at a different point.

Hmm. Sound more like folding the paper than turning a page.

“That’s really creepy to watch,” Charlotte said, from where she sat at the kitchen table.

Hehe, yeah, I can imagine.

In an odd way, this line is making me think more about Charlotte’s role in the story. She’s one who now works with Taylor, and knows her secret, but doesn’t have powers or as much of a personal stake in things as the other Undersiders, and she’s clearly willing to speak frankly to Taylor at this point.

That might make her someone who can act as a person on the sidelines who Taylor will be able to trust. Someone whom Taylor may eventually be willing to confide in at times when she can’t do so to Lisa or the other Undersiders. Someone who can and will call Taylor out on some of her more bullshitty moments without being – except through reluctant employment – a villain. Lisa has fulfilled those roles up until now, but Lisa a) has a mildly villainous perspective, and b) now has her own things to do when the Undersiders aren’t out fighting. Charlotte, on another hand, will be staying close to Taylor while Taylor is at the Hive and ruling her territory.

Sierra, meanwhile… I’m not sure yet. And hey, I might be completely off the mark re: Charlotte, too.

Plague 12.1

Plague, huh? Massively deadly, making things worse in a city already hurt by a natural catastrophe, spreading fear and suffering… sounds about right for an Arc I expect to be dominated by the Slaughterhouse Nine as they begin testing their nominees and possibly terrorizing civilians.

Howdy, everybody, and welcome to Arc 12! …or is it I who should be welcomed to Arc 12? I guess so, though I do think there are some of you who read alongside me.

Anyway, welcome nonetheless! If not to Arc 12, then back to the liveblog!

So, what are we in for today?

I assume Wildbow’s had his fill of alternate POVs for some time, and we’re following Taylor in the Arc proper, not having another Arc like Sentinel (besides, the Arc 11 Interludes were practically one of those) just yet.

(If my speculations about the story’s overall structure are correct, we probably won’t get another one of those before the next majorly climactic Arc, like how Sentinel came after Extermination).

So what happens to Taylor in 12.1? It’s possible that we’ll see the Undersiders getting together to discuss Alec’s trouble with the Slaughterhouse Nine. I don’t think he sees it as their problem, but unlike Rachel, I don’t think he’s stubborn or stupid enough to not ask for help when it’s like this. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s neglected to tell the others things, especially regarding his family.

It’s also possible we’ll hold off on the Slaughterhouse’s influence for this chapter and instead explore some other side of how Taylor is doing now, such as how she’s adjusting to having staff and a claimed territory and feeling a bit better about things than she did in 11.1. Maybe we could even run into Danny again, though that seems a bit too much like a repeat of 11.1 at this point.

Without further ado, let’s leap into it and find out!