Chapter 74 - Hosts

After explaining to Annie and Ema, Prime also shared with them about his powers. Of course, he omitted the part about the last power he used at the Xavier Mansion. He didn't even know what it was, so he couldn't be sure about the nature of that power. Moreover, Prime had doubts whether another symbiote besides him could use it.

So, Prime focused on the main aspect: the ability to change physical composition, something that practically any symbiote would possess. Annie and Ema listened attentively to the conversation, nodding along with Prime's words. Among the two, Ema seemed to be the most excited.

"So, am I going to have a new friend?" asked Ema, her face revealing anticipation.

Prime was a little surprised since that wouldn't normally be the question someone would ask after hearing everything he had explained. In summary, Prime explained to both that, like him, it's likely that new symbiotes would also be born with their own personalities and desires. However, in theory, these characteristics would be shaped according to the personalities and actions of their hosts.

"Can I ask a question?" Sara asked, raising her hand.

"Sure" Prime responded with a smile.

"…These new symbiotes... could they harm us, me and Ema, in any way?" asked Annie, her expression becoming notably more serious.

After Annie's words, the place fell silent again. Of course, it's not like Prime wasn't expecting this kind of question when making the proposal he made. The issue was that Prime didn't have a definite answer to that question; there was only one thing he could say at that moment.

"I... honestly don't know, but regardless of what happens, you two can be sure that I will always prioritize your safety. I promise that nothing bad will happen to you" Prime replied, his face displaying determination in his words.

"Okay, we both accept. Please take good care of us in the future" Annie replied, a small smile forming on her face.

Prime could swear it was the first time he saw Annie smile. From Prime's point of view, she didn't seem to be the type of person who expressed her emotions much, or at least that was the initial impression he had of her.

"I understand. Thank you for trusting me" Prime replied, letting out a light laugh.

Sara, who was observing the whole situation from the side, noticed that the atmosphere of the room was getting a bit mushy, which honestly made her feel a little uncomfortable.

"So... what exactly do Ema and I need to do now?" Annie asked, continuing the conversation.

Upon hearing Annie's words, Prime turned his gaze to Sara, who simply nodded. Then, Prime stood up and extended his hand, leaving it exposed. His arm then transformed, taking on a white hue, surprising everyone in the room. Of course, Sara's reasons for surprise were different from Ema's and Annie's.

"Why is it white? And since when can you do something like this?" Sara asked, surprised, with an expression on her face.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Even though I can transform, I still remain practically a normal human even after the transformation. Also, I have no idea why it's white" Prime replied, shrugging.

Ema and Annie kept their eyes fixed on Prime's transformed hand. Both couldn't help but think about how incredible their new father really was. Moreover, they were getting used to the idea that their father was an alien.

With a smile on his lips as he watched the two girls, Prime turned his attention to what needed to be done. Using his powers, he channeled the sensation of his power, the Living Abyss, starting to shape what would be his first offspring. He wasn't sure how it worked; Prime had no idea exactly how the symbiote that was with Drake had been created.

At the moment, all Prime could do was create them in his image and likeness, shaping them according to his vision. Soon, a form began to materialize, resembling small spheres: one yellow with red details, and the other purple with hints of blue. Of course, Prime had already implanted weaknesses in the cells of both symbionts, as a precaution for possible future eventualities.

"What is this?" Ema inquired.

Prime, observing them, realized that both were relatively cautious. Well, he couldn't blame them; it was normal to be cautious about something never seen before. In fact, Prime found it amazing that both were still there. In Prime's mind, the two girls would run to their rooms as soon as they saw the little symbionts in his hand.

"I wouldn't exactly call them that, but I guess you could say they're my children, right? Anyway, both will be part of you from now on. For now, they are dormant, but they will awaken when they feel ready. I made it this way so they can learn from you. This will probably prevent... extreme cases" Prime said, rolling his eyes to the side.

"Extreme? What do you mean?" Annie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Putting that aside" Prime spoke hastily. "Bring your hands closer. These kids need to bond with both of you, but you can relax. I promise it won't hurt... much" he said with a smile.

Annie noticed that her father was clearly withholding something, but she decided to let it slide. Soon after, her eyes fixated on the orbs spinning in his hand. Annie wasn't sure how safe it was, but for some reason, she didn't think her father would be the type of person to hurt them.

Taking a deep breath, Annie slowly brought her hand closer to the orbs. As her hand reached a certain distance, the orb suddenly turned into a viscous substance and leaped onto Annie's arm before disappearing. Annie was surprised by the turn of events, but strangely, she didn't feel any different.

"What just happened?" Annie asked, her voice laden with confusion.

"Congratulations. Now you have your own symbiont" Prime said with a smirk. "Although it's dormant for now, I believe in no time you'll be able to communicate with it... or her. I'm still not sure how that would work, as symbionts theoretically don't have a defined gender"

After uttering those words, Prime turned his gaze to the last person remaining: Ema. She was looking at Annie, surprised, but also with a touch of excitement.

"I, I, now it's my turn!" exclaimed Ema in an excited tone, hopping around as she realized her father was watching her.

"Of course, here you go" Prime said as he approached the sphere to Ema.

Just as it happened with Annie, the sphere jumped toward Ema and then disappeared. With that, the preparations were complete. All Prime needed to do was to observe them in the following days to ensure everything was going well.

"So... now we're like you?" Annie asked, alternating her gaze between Sara and Prime.

Prime didn't exactly understand the reason for the question, but given what he knew so far about Annie, she probably still didn't feel completely part of the family. However, in a strange way, being similar to him and Sara probably had given her some of that security.

"We can say so, but I didn't give you both this power because I considered you as me or as Sara. I gave you this power because I want both of you to stay safe. I sincerely hope you won't need to use it, but if you do, it will keep you safe" Prime said as he placed his hand on Annie and Ema's heads.

"Becoming the mom of the year" commented Sara, who was behind Prime, with a mocking tone.

Turning around, Prime noticed Sara looking at him with a smile on her face. He just raised one of his eyebrows in response to Sara's words.

"Wouldn't that be you?" Prime began. "I mean, clearly you're a woman and I'm a man, you know" he said, as an ironic smile appeared on his face.

Prime enjoyed the rest of the evening with his now expanding family. Of course, he couldn't foresee that not everything would go as planned. As the saying goes, when you plant a seed, it's naive to think that one day it won't become a tree.