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Flik walked with a spring in his step as he walked his way to the city to find tough warrior bugs, he was so glad princess atta trusted him and the cheering he heard from the rest of the colony after he announced his plan was so nice he was so glad they didn't all hate him, Hopper was standing in the large tree above the ant hill near a small hole that funneled down to the ants 'courtroom' he had heard the whole thing sending the troublesome ant out of the colony, that ant was trouble if the other ants started standing up like they did it would destroy everything hopper worked for, the ant had to be removed. With that in mind hopper flew off and saw flik cross the dried up river, smartly using a dandelion seed to float over before crashing into a rock, he waited until the ant was far out of sight of any ants that may have been watching flik leave.

Flik was walking along happily when suddenly he was shoved forward, he turned on the ground and gasped in fear

"Hopper!! No no why are you here" flik yelled trying to crawl back away from the grasshopper, hopper smirked and stalked forward towards the frightened ant you would almost not believe It was the same ant that nearly destroyed everything hopper worked for,

"What are you doing out here ant, shouldn't you be gathering food for our offering" hopper smirked at the fear stricken ant who rambled and mumbled to reply, hopper reached out then as quick as lightning hopper had grabbed flik by the antenna and flew off, flik curled in on himself in pain before trying to claw and punch the grass hoppers hands off his antenna.

"No no no no please put me down"!! Flik pleaded then his eyes widen in horror seeing them approaching a strange large hat that he could see other grasshoppers around, hopper flew over the hat to a soda can that was half buried in the sand, hopper hoved over the cans opening and dropped flik to the bottom, flik groaned in pain as he landed on the hard surface, he looked up and hopper covered the opening leaving flik alone in the dark and stuffy heat,

"Im sorry princess atta..." how could flik get help when he himself was now a prisoner all he wanted to do was help and now...now He was trapped

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Hopper went back inside after dropping the ant in the can and took some grain from the bar before going to his own private section, soon his dumb brother walked in

"Hey hopper where have you been you took off for a while" molt asked and then kept rambling before hopper shoved him out and groaned in annoyance, great now he was getting a headache, now what to do with that ant, he sat and ate his grain slowly while thinking, then he smirked evilly, it shouldn't take to much to break that ants spirit, he might even be able to make it a slave,

A display to the other ants of what happens when you mess with the grasshoppers, what better show of dominance then one if their own broken, silent and obeying, for a start he will leave the ant in there for a few days with the heat it won't take long for the ant to get dehydrated and hungry,

Flik wasn't sure how long he had been waiting in this place, it was dark and stuffy making it difficult to breath, he found himself coughing multiple times from the stuffy air, he was starting to feel hungry and was in dire need of water how long was hopper going to leave him here? Was he going to die here? Was princess atta worried about him? He knew dot would dot was a sweet kid he knew she would be sad if flik didn't return, a noise above him made him look up,

Unknown to flik he had been locked up for five days, hopper gathered a small leaf bowl and pur a dew into it and another small ball with grain crumbs in it, he flew to the can and opened it, when he looked down and smirked in satisfaction at seeing the ant curled up in a ball panting and sweating heavily, maybe he should punch a few small holes just so the ant doesn't suffocate, hopper flew in a landed in front of the ant,

"So little ant, flik was it? How ya feeling" hopper said in a sarcastic kindness, flik barely managed a glare at him,

"Take me back to the colony hopper" flik spat at him chasing hopper to glare, he showed flik the bowl of water and food causing flik to reach out and try to grab them but hopper moved them out of reach before tipping them over, slipping the water and food onto the ground flik stared in horror at the now drying water and small scraps of food, he glanced up at hopper,

"Disrepectfull ants don't get to eat or drink maybe you'll remember that in a few days" hopper sneered before flying back out of the can and closing it over, he went a got his knife and punchered a few small holes in the top of the can, inside flik picked at the crumbs and dipped them into the drying puddles of water hopping to get some kind of moisture from it,

Flik curled back into a ball and cried he WAS going to die here alone and in the dark with none of his colony knowing what happened to him.

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Hopper didn't return for three days and when he did flik was desperate for water and escape, hopper was delighted at the near dying ant he flew and landed in front of the ant,

"So how's my 'guest' feeling today" hopper grinned as flik looked up but didn't say anything, no snark remake this time, hopper put the bowl of water down as flik went to grab it hopper put his foot against the ants for head and pushed him back

"Ah ah not until I say so" hopper hissed as flik looked up in near tears, hopper waited a few extra minutes before removing his foot the ant didn't move and hopper grinned in satisfaction

"Now you can drink" hopper told him and flik grabbed the bowl drinking the water quickly, as flik was putting the bowl down hopper lashed out with his knife cutting flicks cheek and making him tumble backwards,

"Just so you remember who the boss is around here ant" hopper sneered before leaving the ant alone again,

Flik whispered and now wished he had saved some of the water, he looked down at the lead bowl that had been left and carefully unfolded it and put it against his cheek it's the closest he had to a bandage at the moment he looked at his blood that now covered his hand, he had to stay strong and survive whatever hopper throws at him, for the colony, for princess atta

Back at the ant hill princess atta was over seeing the food getting taking to the offering, ants here and there were collapsing from the over working, but what else was she to do there was limited time to gather as much food as they can before the grasshoppers showed up,

"Mom! Atta!" Both atta and her mother turned and saw dot coming towards them,

"When's flik coming back he's been gone for days" the younger princess whinned while atta just grimaced, she had sent flik away days ago to as he thought 'go get help' in reality it was to get rid of him so they could do their job,

"Flik has gone to go get help for us as your sister allowed him to right atta" the queen told her youngest daughter before looking to atta,

"Dot I...I had to send him away, his silly inventions ruin everything and we cant have any acckdents this time" atta told her sister then regretted it at her mother's disapproving look and the tears welling up in dots eyes,

"F-flik doesn't ruin anything y-you just never give him a chance, has so nice to me and he's my friend your a meanie atta" dot cried before running off inside the ant hill,

"Atta what you did was selfish you never send a ant away over some mistakes, sure he is a bit...inventive but he has only had the colony best interest at heart and he IS apart of this colony, this is not how a queen treats her colony" the queen sternly told her daughter before walking to the ant hill to go after dot leaving atta sighing in disappointment at herself

Flik had multiple cuts and bruises from him 'speaking out if turn' as hopper put it, he was weak from lack of food and water, he threw himself against the wall as hopper flew back into the can, hopper reached out and grabbed flik by the throat flik squirmed and struggled as hopper flew out of the can.

Flik gasped as he was finally outside, it was night and the air was clean and fresh as flik tried to take as many breaths of the cool air as he could with hoppers hand around his throat before hopper threw him in the air and caught him up his foot holding him above the water, flik gasped and struggled his throat to hoarse to scream anymore as hopper dunked him headfirst into the water and kept him there,

Flik was struggling and squirming he needed air! He was going to drown! Suddenly hopper pulled him out of the water as he coughed and sputtered the water out of his lung before hopper started shaking him,

"You smelled you stupid ant" hopper sneered as the coughing ant before throwing him back into his prison,
Flik layed on the floor cold and shaking gasping for air

"Wh...why won't you just...kill me" flik gasped as he spoke his throat was scratchy and dry, hopper grinned down at the ant,

"Well if I did that there would be no fun in it" hopper laughed before covering the opening and leaving the ant back in the dark

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Princess atta sighed as she look to her younger sister dot, it has been nearly two weeks since she sent flik away and now she was starting to regret it, what was she thinking letting flik leave like that! Sending him away by himself in the dangerous world! There was a reason they had a deal with hopper

As atta was hating herself she was approached by her mother,

"Atta dear I know you didn't mean to do this, I know the other council members thought of it first, I'm sorry I we shard on you" her mother patted her shoulder atta shrugged,

"But mother I'm the one who sent him away and if he doesn't come back it's all my fault" atta trembled as she spoke before heading back to keep watch over the other ants hoping and praying flik comes back,

Flik had wet leaves covering as many bruises and cuts as possible, hopper has been relentless in the punishments from every time flik argued or talked before he's ment to, he barely moved as he heard the sound of hopper flying in,

"Flik do you know why your here" the grasshopper smirked as flik slowly glanced up,

"Y-you kidnapped me..." Flik answered carefully before curling up inspecting to be hit, he was surprised when he only heard a deep chuckle from him,

"No your here because the princess tricked you, she sent you away to die and I simply saved you" hopper said in a mocking gentle voice flik looked up in confusion,

"Y-your wrong....Princess atta wouldn't do that to me.." Flik said before getting kicked in the gut,

"I'm not wrong flik I'm never wrong, now think ant why would the princess send you out alone away from the protection of the colony where you could easily die from bigger bugs and birds with no way to protect yourself" hopper told him matter of factly, flik glanced up and hopper smirked at the small seed of doubt he had put in his head,

"And the fact that the princess is blaming you for puttting them in the mess their in well of course the princess would send you away" hopper continued

"B-but I did cause the mess...It's my fault the food fell off the offering stone e-everyone went in the ant hill and i was alone I put the food on the offering stone and accidently knocked it" flik mumbled, hopper stood over him

"No no, if princess atta had made sure that EVERY one of her subjects was in the ant hill then you wouldn't have made a mistake, but instead she left you alone to face us or even worse get attacked she didn't care what happened to you" hopper told him making sure his words entered the ants brain,

"B-but she wouldn't?.." flik mumbled looking at the ground hopper grinned seeing the seeds of doubting working in fliks mind

"And yet here you are, instead of being with your colony" hopper grinned before leaving the ant to his own thoughts,

It couldn't be true flik thought thinking of what hopper had said, no it was just a trick to get into flicks head but it won't work not on him! He knew princess atta didn't send him out to die! But....He had made a big mess of the offering stone,

'What did you do' flik remembered the malice and hate that had been in the princesses voice and the way the council members had looked at him during his trial, the way the ants looked at him when the grasshoppers left, the way they cheered when he left them

Flik covered his mouth tears starting to spill from his eyes, oh god they weren't cheering FOR him they were cheering because he was LEAVING maybe...maybe they did all hate him...maybe atta did send him out to die....

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Flik had been trapped in the can for weeks, it was nearly time for the rain not that flik could tell, he had given up on being rescued, he was going to die here on the floor tired and deyhdrated from weeping all night, it wasn't possible! Princess atta wouldn't send him to die! She COULDNT! He was apart of the colony! Flik started crying again even if tears wouldn't fall,

Hopper was standing outside listening to the weeping of the ant, he decided tonwaot a while before entering the pension and landed back in front of the ant

"How ya feeling now dirt" hopper was satisfied and the broken look on the ants face,

"I have to say it's sad to see just a obedient ant thrown away from its colony, how about you join our 'colony' if course you'd have to do everything we say" hopper grinned as the ant looked up in confusion

"Well a hard working ant like you shouldn't go to waste, I think you'd be a great slave" hopper continued as flik just looked at him blankly,

"You could even join us as we go to get the food, say hi to your 'princess'" hopper was very satisfied with the slightly bitter look flik had when be spoke of the princess, flik slowly stood up his legs nearly giving out from being so weak, hopper grabbed the ant by his throat again before flying out of the can it made hopper smirk that the ant didn't struggle even when hopper squeezed his throat,

When hopper landed and walked into the grasshoppers hide away everyone went silent when they saw the ant, they recognised him as the ant that stood up to hopper and where shocked that he was here that hopper had brought him here,

"Guys meet our new worker flik, thrown out by his colony he will be joining us as a servant, need anything ask the ant also don't kill him, if he causes trouble report it to me" hopper announced as flik stared at the ground sheepishly, the grasshoppers snickered but allowed it as hopper walked off to his brother moot whispering something to him before leaving to his own area,

Molt had a big grin as he stepped to the ant,

"Hi there flik hopper has told me I have to keep an eye on you make sure you do good work, now how about you yet grain for everyone, you can carry enough right" molt laughed as he pushed the ant then noticing the cuts and bruises over his body,

Flik nodded as he approached the bar, he gathered all the grain he could carry and then walked around handing it out to the grasshoppers who jeered and pushed him around as he went, flik didn't talk back or say anything he'd just pick up the grain again and continue his work,

Flik spent all day working, getting grain for the grasshoppers, getting them water, cleaning their mess, collecting their darts as well as allowing them to push, kick and punch him as much as they want,

When evening came molt took flik by the arm and took him into hoppers area,

"So how did our little worker do" hopper grinned at the new bruises and exhausted look on the ants face

"He actually did very well hopper, no arguing or anything and everyone had a blast" molt grinned happy that his brother had given him such a job, hopper then shooed his brother out and pointed to a dug out hole in a corner of the floor connected to the wall,

"That's where you sleep ant" hopper sneered before waving his hand letting flik go to the hole and curl up to fall asleep,

Back at the ant hill the queen was walking through checking on each ant making sure they were sleeping soundly, she paused sadly in front of flicks room, it had designs of inventions sprawled around as if he was coming back to finish them any minute, the queen loved all her subjects even ones that mess up sometimes,

Flik caused trouble sometimes but he was a good kid with a good heart and a contagious laugh, he was also high spirited and nothing could keep him down, she liked his spunk and was so thankful that he had at least tried helping dot when hopper had her,

"I hope your safe dear flik and that you come back to us soon" the queen sighed before continuing with her walk,

Flik was glad when hopper let him properly treat his injuries saying 'our little servant shouldnt get brought down by infections' at least now flik wasn't trapped in the dark waiting in fear, hopper even let flik go outside to bathe as long as one of the grasshopper mostly molt watch over him,

"H-hey hopper I had a i-idea...to like build pipes around so it's easier to deviled grain to the grassho-" flik was standing in hoppers private area by himself had started telling hopper about his new idea when he was suddenly tackled by the grasshopper, hoppers hand went around his throat and they were flying outside back to the can

"N-no please" flik gasped in horror seeing the dark prison and floating just above the hole, flik was near to tears as he stared at the darkness below him, hopper flew into the can and pinned flik to the floor crushing his throat in his hand

"You listen here ant! Any idea of yours is stupid it's others ideas that got you kicked out in the first place now I don't want to hear anymore of your dumb ideas again understand or I'll put you back in here" hopper growled as flik nodded his head quickly

"Y-yes hopper...No more ideas I unders-understand" flik coughed out as he struggled to breath, hopper relaxed his grip before he flew out and took flik back to his area and threw him in his sleeping hole,

"Now sleep and be quiet I don't want to hear another word from you unless your spoken to first" hopper growled at the ant before stalking away,

Flik curled up in his bed shaking and covering his mouth to not make a sound.

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Dot sat pouting on a twig near the ant hill, it was nearly time for the grasshoppers to come back and flik still hadn't returned she was sick of those two boys her so called 'friends' telling her he's dead! Flik was her best friend! He always had time for her and didn't care if she couldn't fly or was short,

"Hey dot.." princess atta said as she sat next to dot who just crossed her arms in anger,

"I know your mad at me...I should never have sent flik away it was selfish of me to do so" atta said softly dot stood and walked away

"I'm not forgiving you until flik comes back..." Dot said as she walked away not caring at her sisters depressed expression.

Flik was doing his grain routine for the grasshoppers who sat outside and such, he wasn't allowed to speak to the grasshoppers or to the mosquitos that worked as well, why they were here he didn't know, how did hopper get then to work for them, heck the grasshoppers even used them as darts, he had seen some of them giving him sad looks when he had to pull them free from the dart bored or when he got kicked and pushed around,

"Your like vice president, he'd listen to you" flik overheard one of the grasshoppers say to molt, by the sounds of it they were trying to trick him into saying something they want to hopper, he watched molt walk and fly off to where hopper was getting a massage,

"Then the genius gets punished and not us" flik heard the other grasshopper of the group say as they laughed, flik just shook his head don't they realize molt will just tell hopper who's idea it was the dummies, suddenly flik was pushed forward straight into the bar

"Stop standing around like a idiot ant"! One of the grasshoppers said walking around him, right flik has work to do, he stood and continued his work around the place,

Hopper soon flew and stood behind the bar, he turned to flik throwing some trays the mosquitos use to carry the grain,

"Go wash these outside" flik nodded and quickly went outside, Hopper sent one of the mosquitos out with him, odd usually he sends one of the grasshoppers maybe they were having some meeting,

Inside hopper stood before his grasshoppers

"Guys...order another round cause we're staying here, what was I thinking going back to ant island I mean we just got here and we already have enough food why go back" this caused cheers from them all hopper noticed the three who had tricked molt give each other big grins,

"Although that ant we have did stand up to me" he said in a sarcastic questioning tone

"Yea but you took care of him, so who cares their puny ants" one of them said as they all laughed hopper threw a grain at them each as they laughed them drowned them in grain as everyone went silent,

"We can't let them think they can stand up to us, we have to show that we still control them, take flik back and prove what happens to those that disobey, that's why we need to go back"! Hopper glared at them as they all stared in shock, at that moment flik came back with the clean trays, Hopper jumped off the grain pile

"Mosquitos clean up this accident grain spillage, flik it's time to go get the food and your coming with us" flik barely looked up as hopper towed above him, Hopper motioned two grasshoppers over they grabbed one of fliks arms each before they all flew off towards ant island.

"What are we going to do it's not enough"! Princess atta panicked as fog had started to roll in, it was time the grasshoppers would be here soon and they couldn't give up anymore food

"Hopper won't accept this" atta panicked then went silent as a sound was heard. Footsteps, the ants at the offering went silent and shook in fear as out of the fog grasshoppers walked forward suddenly a angry roar was heard from behind them as they turned they saw hopper flying above them holding the offering leaf

"I give you ants a second chance and this is all I get"?! Hopper yelled furious and threw the lead to the side,

"Have you been playing all summer" hopper growled in rage

"No no we...we ran out of time please" princess atta pleaded,

"Well guess what you just lost" hopper smirked as the grasshoppers started rounding up the ants before they could run away.

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Hopper watched as the ants were gathered and locked up except for the queen and atta he smirked as he stood before them, he glanced around,

"Now princess this is odd but it seems your a ant short" hopper asked sarcasticly it was entertaining seeing atta suck in a terrified breath,

"N-no we're all h-here" atta didn't want hopper to know they sent flik away,  she paled at the dark smile on hoppers face,

"So everyone in your colony is here Everyone ant that you care about right? The entire coloney" hopper pushed walking to stand in front of atta, she stared up terrified but nodded

"Y-yes hopper" atta whispered,

"So...you really did send me out to die" a hoarse voice whispered from behind some of the smirking grasshoppers, atta paled, the queen covered her mouth and the ants gasped as two grasshoppers moved aside and they saw flik, bruised with cuts over him a bent antenna and a black eye walked forward to stand just beside hopper,

"F-flik...What happened to you...How...How are you with the grasshoppers" atta asked in horror and wonder, flik looked up glaring as best he could with a black eye,

"You....you sent me away...lied to me..you sent me out to get eaten for what...because I made a mistake...Hopper saved me atta saved me from what could have been death..." Flik coughed from speaking more then he has for a while staring at the ground,

"You see princess atta I took a ant you deemed so worthless you sent him unprotected into a dangerous world and brought him back a obedient ant he shouldn't give you anymore trouble, you should be happy" hopper said with a laugh as the ants just stared in horror, dot ran out of her mother's grip and wrapped her arms around fliks legs,

"Flik no..."Dot cried she looked up at her friend, flik just stared back before putting his hands on her shoulder and gently pushing her off,

"Go set up a place for us to relax and eat" hopper ordered giving flik a swift kick to the gut, princess atta gasped in horror as flik stumbled to the ground, dot whimpered for her friend as she watched him stand and walk off to do his job,

"See princess obedient and not even a single complaint you should be happy now" hopper smiled at the horror stricken look on their faces, it didn't talk flik long to great a semi circle table with lights, leaves over it and attended food from the fallen offering,

"Now the rest of you ants go gather the rest of the food we're not leaving until we get every scrape of food"! Hopper shouted the grasshoppers let the ants go and forced them to start collecting, hopper sat at the table flik made he made the queen sit next to thumper, he put flik on his other side and forced the princess to sit next to flik and molt on her other side, dot and the other children where kept locked up with grasshoppers watching guard of them

Princess atta looked at her friend,

"Flik..." she whispered but he didn't even flinch at the sound of her voice he just stared straight ahead, he only moved when hopper demanded more food, flik only responded to hopper or even molts voice he refused to even look at princess atta or the queen.

It wasn't long before the food was gathered and some grasshoppers had put it on the leaf and took it back to their hideout, Hopper stood and walked to stand in front of the now locked up ants,

"Flik, bring her here" hopper ordered staring at the ants who looked in confusion, flik stood and went to the queen,

"Flik what's going on, what did hopper do to you" it pained her to see flik one of her ants in such a sad state, there was no spark in his eyes, no smile on his face, he looked like flik but he wasn't him anymore, flik took her hand and helped her stand before taking her to hopper who grabbed her arm in a tight grip,

"Now go hold the princess" hopper told him as flik bowed in submission before turning to princess atta and making her stand, flik stood behind her and used string given to him by a grasshopper to tie her wings together and then he held her arms behind her back

"Flik what are you doing let me go"! Atta shouted as she tried to free herself

"Sorry 'princess' but hoppers the boss" flik mumbled to her causing atta to stand still she then looked and saw hopper make her mother lay on the ground as he put his foot on her head

"And let this be a reminder to you ants, ideas are very dangerous and stupid things, you are to serve us"! Hopper yelled as he added pressure, primcess atta started struggiling but flik held her tightly she turned to look at him, to convince him to let her go but stopped as she saw the blank sad look as he looked away from what was happening, Hopper added more pressure until the queen was squished and died, the ants cried and screamed, atta cried the most falling to the knees the only movement flik would allow,

"Release" hopper said as he walked to flik and atta, flik untied princess attas wings and let go of her arms moving to stand by hopper,

"Now princess, tell me will you take him, I fixed him for you and everything" hopper said putting his hand around fliks throat, atta looked and flik before glancing at the ants, the other council members were shaking their heads, dot was in tears but she nodded,

Princess atta looked at hopper and flik before nodded and held her arms out, Hopper smirked and pushed flik forward into attas arms, she wrapped her arms around fliks still and bruised body, he didn't respond to her hugs not even a flinch when she added pressure to his injuries,

Hopper and the rest of his gang flew away and the ants were free

"Why did you accept him, he did nothing when hopper took the queen" the council questioned her glaring at flik, the ants were circled around them some glaring at flik while other just looked sad 

"You CONVINCED me it would be fine to send flik out on his own and look what happened I did what my mother would have wanted she would have wanted him back"! Atta shouted she turned and saw dot as now holding fliks limp hand as he started at the ground

"Maybe...maybe we could bring him back" atta said hopefully, doctor flora stood forward

"I'll see what I can do princess" flora gently room flik by the arm and lead him to the ant hill.

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Flik sat in the clinic while Doctor flora walked around getting multiple bandages and tools needed to deal with his cuts and injuries from his time spent with hopper.

"This is gonna hurt Flik" Flora said quietly while she carefully ripped off the leaves Flik had stuck over his cuts, flora felt saddens when Flik barely even flinched as he started to bleed again.

Shaking her head Flora quickly used water to wash and clean the injured before wrapping them in proper bandages.

She tossed the blood soaked leaves away in disgust.

"There...do you feel better Flik dear"? Flora gently placed a hand on Flik's shoulder before he smacked it away turning to her giving her a dark look.

"I'm.fine..." Flik mumbled before slowly standing and walking out if the clinic, he barely got one foot out of the room before Doctor Flora grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Flick I haven't cleared you yet, I've helped your physical injuries but I need to supervise you for mental damage" Flora sat before sitting him back down on the bed, Flik didn't answer her except for shrugging her arm off him after he was sat down.

Flik just stared at the floor thinking, he couldn't stand hearing the fake concern in the doctor's voice, after all Flora is on the council. The same one that helped send him away, he remembered her refusing and arguing when it was brought up for Flik to work with her, The way she also shook her hands and was quick to rush him to leave when he suggested staying a little while to help the clean up.

Why was she suddenly concerned for his health now?

"Flik"? Flik glanced up, oh she was talking to him? not sure how long but apparently she noticed he wasn't listening to her, That look of concern on her face made him want to vomit.

"Could you stop that" Flik muttered causing flora to look confused.

"stop what Flik"Flora asked confused, she had just been asking some standard questions when she had noticed Flik was far away in his own mind. Flik looked up at her keeping eye contact as he slowly lifted his arm and pointed at her face.

"That! that look of concern and worry and PITY! I hate it! especially from you" Flik muttered bitterly causing Flora to flinch and take a step back from Flik, before quickly muttering something about getting him some food and rushing out of the room.

Standing just outside the door the now Queen Atta had heard everything as she watched flora rush out of the room before peaking in, Flik was still sat in the same spot staring down at the floor. She had been trying to talk herself into stepping into the room and talking to him but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

What could she even say to him? could she even look at him in the eyes? and say what? 'I'm sorry for sending you out unprotected which led you to being captured and tortured by our greatest enemy' Yea that was sure to go well, With a defeated sigh Atta turned and walked away cross with herself.

Flik's antenna twitched as he heard the sound of fleeing footsteps, so someone had been outside the whole time? if he really thought about it he could imagine it might have been Atta, but Flik didn't like thinking as much as he used to.

It was a ten minute wait until Flora came back into the room carrying a bowl of mushed up grape, Flik wondered where she even got it, the grasshoppers took all the food.

"we managed to save some by hiding it away"Flora asked seeing the confused look on Flik's face. Flora carefully held the bowl out to Flik who stared at it like it was evil before reaching for it. He hesitated when he held the bowl in his hands before ditching the spoon flora gave him and just used his hand to bring the food to his mouth, one small bite at a time.

Flora watched with a frown as soon Flik pushed the bowl back into her hands, he had barely eaten any of it, three mouthful's at most.

"flik there's still plenty here don't you want to eat more"? Flora held the bowl out again only to pull away when Flik flinched away from her with a glare.

"no, go give it to someone else, I'm not worth wasting food on" Flik answered her bitterly turning away from her and the bowl. Flora frowned, she wanted to try and get flik to eat more but pushing him or forcing him might just hurt him more then he already was.

So flora put the bowl to the side and instead held out a glass of water to Flik, This Flik snatched quickly gulping it down quickly. Flora took the now empty glass from him, leaving him to himself Flora wandered around the room packing some things into secure boxes or places. She couldn't let Flik have any possible way to hurt himself or anyone else.

"ok Flik I'm going to be locking this door alright"? Flora asked ready to head out for the night, Flik still sat on the bed not acknowledging her, With a sigh Flora left the room locking it behind her. she and the other healers would be checking on him through the night in shifts but right now she needed to sleep and think on what to do next.

Inside the room Flik heard the door lock, he was used to being locked away so it didn't bother him. in fact the large room and the bed he sat on was what bothered him. After waiting to make sure Flora was really gone Flik stood and went over to one of the corner's of the room before he started to dig.

It didn't take long for Flik to dig out a hole in the floor, big enough for him to curl up in, with a smile of relief Flik curled up in the familiar cold ground before drifting off to sleep.

It would only be an hour later when Flik would be awoken by the sound of the door opening, almost automatically Flik scrambled onto his feet, Hopper would be furious! Flik Stood quickly keeping his head lowered in a bow as the footsteps came closer.

"flik....why are you sleeping in the floor"? A quiet voice made Flik glance up, The female ant in front of him was smaller then him with large brown eyes and light freckles on her face.

"....that's where I sleep, Hooper ordered so" Flik shrugged glancing around, that's right he was back at the ant hill,In the hospital area, which meant the girl in front of him was probably one of the nurses coming to check on him.

"hmm...well if you're more comfortable with the hole then I wont force you to change" Flik looked at her confused while she just smiled softly. she went over and grabbed one of the blankets before holding it out to him.

"but if you get cold please at least cover yourself with this, we wouldn't want you to get sick" The girl smiled and held out the fluffy blanket, Flik stared at it before grabbing it and putting it next to the hole.

With a satisfied smile, the girl looked at her clipboard before writing something.

"well that's all I'm here for, I'll let you get back to sleep Flik" The girl waved before leaving shutting and locking the door behind her.

'we wouldn't want you to get sick'? that's what she said, Hooper was right, no one in this colony though for themselves, Flik glared at the door before going back to his hole.

if 'we' didn't want him to get sick then why send him out to get killed? He thought bitterly drifting off into another light sleep.

There was more nurses and other healers that came into the room through out the night, Ever time it woke flik up and it took all his might to keep himself still and not jump to attention, if he pretended to be asleep he wouldn't have to talk to them.

Morning came slowly after many interrupted attempts of sleep, Flik was already out of the hole and standing to attention when Flora came in.

"good morning Flik! I heard you had a peaceful night" Flora beamed, from all the other nurses she had heard he slept through the night only woken up once, flora's smile vanished a little when she saw how he looked, he didn't look like he had a good nights sleep at all.

"hm..."Flik hummed as a response not really paying attention to her.

"although...I heard you made yourself a bed...can I see" Flora had also been reported that Flik had dug a hole in the floor!. Flik stepped aside and flora frowned when she saw it, it didn't look big enough for flik to stretch out and really be comfortable.

"wouldn't the bed be more...comfortable" Flora started to ask only to be given a glare from Flik making Flora go silent. It might take a while for him to get used to the bed Flora wondered, she wasn't sure what to do, they never had this sort of situation before in the history of Ant Hill.

All flora knew was Flik was damaged, mostly mentally and it would take alot of work and patience to help him. She wasn't sure what to do, should she keep him in here? return him to his room? let him go outside? She felt he wasn't ready for going outside and dealing with the other ants, not yet.

So Flora gave flik his breakfast that he again didn't eat much off before asking him some simple question's about how he was feeling today, how he slept, what he was thinking about.

"what about your ideas? do you have any new brilliant inventions you want to make" Flora asked hopefully, the old flik would jump at the chance to ramble on about whatever crazy idea's he had to try and help the colony.

".....no...that's stupid" Flik muttered before sitting up a little straighter to lock eyes with Flora.

"besides you HATE my idea's they're stupid and useless remember and they never work, its dumb for me to think" Flik told her while Flora stared at him wide eyed, he sounded certain, so sure that what he said was the pure truth.

"did...did hopper tell you that" Flora asked only to regret it with how Flik stood up quickly looking around the room terrified.

"shut up! shut up Flora! Hopper will be furious if he hears us!! He HATES when I try to give him ideas! He'll put me in the can"! Flik was standing up looking around the room for any signs of the grasshopper.

"Flik please calm down, hopper isn't here"! Flora stood trying to get flik to sit back down and calm down.

"SHUT UP"! Flik yelled pushing Flora away from him. Flora stumbled back and landed on the floor just as some other ant's ran into the room. a few nurses and Queen Atta.

"Doctor Flora" Atta was at her side helping her stand before turning on flik.

"Flik what is wrong with you she is trying to help you"! Atta spat before covering her mouth with her hand, she didn't mean that!.

"Queen atta! do not talk to the patient like that! please leave"! one of the nurses named Lilly hissed at her before returning her attention to flik.

"shhh its ok its ok" Lilly whispered to the panicked flik, Flora and Atta quickly left the room leaving the two nurses alone with Flik.

"I-I'm so sorry Flora! I didn't mean to snap! I-I just saw you on the floor and-" Atta rambled on.

"Your highness its ok, I understand but you must also understand flik is in a very fragile state, yelling wont help, he didn't mean to push me" Flora whispered to her before looking back towards the room with sad eyes.

It felt like eternity until Lilly and Crystal the other nurse finally left the room slowly shutting the door behind them.

"ok he's calmed down, I think we should leave him alone for a little while, it seemed like he believed hopper was coming to punish him, send him to 'the can' he said I don't know what that could mean but we should be careful around the subject" Crystal told them getting a nod from Lilly. Atta sighed with relief.

"but Queen Atta I suggest you not going in there for a while, we don't know how Flik feels about you or any of the council members, I'm even surprised he;s been doing ok with Flora" Lilly added looking at them, with that the two nurses gave their goodbyes and walked away.