Author Topic: Stressed Wasps - Why did Shion not die?  (Read 14756 times)

Meopat

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Re: Stressed Wasps - Why did Shion not die?
« on: March 01, 2015, 02:03:36 am »
This is a chunk of info! I had to sit down properly to digest it all, but I agree! When I first read the manga/novels, I came up with the same conclusion too: that stress caused Shion's bee to hatch prematurely.

I think Shion primarily survived because he knew of the bee's existence. (After Yamase's death, Shion didn't rule out the possibility that he could also be a victim. He kept guard of his neck and even though he tried to reassure himself that it was just a blister, he knew, when the time came, that the source of his pain was because he had been host to a bee.) I imagine that if Nezumi had not cut the bee out of Shion, his body would not have had time to develop antibodies and counter the bee's venom. also, one must be impressed with Shion. I mean, if I saw a bee chew its way out of someone's neck, I would think that I'm crazy or that I'm seeing things. Shion, however, believed his own eyes and trusted his instincts.

I think, in Rou's body, a trace of the bee still remains. That's why he got a much more painful trade-off. (I mean, Shion got away with a snake-scar, loss of pigment in his hair, and also red eyes, but Rou lost two legs. If I remember correctly, he also has a scar and white hair too? Though I don't know if the white hair is from the bee.) I think Rou was chosen as a host by Elyurias and purposefully allowed to live by her will too. He had been personally acquainted with her, so it's possible she wanted to use him as a warning to the other researchers of No.6. (Like, a "don't mess with me. Or I'll take more than your legs next time" kind of message... which they totally ignored.)

Quote from: Ahiku
adrenaline could trigger the wasp’s hatching, giving the insect an impulse to come out of their hosts.

That would explain why during the city-wide panic, more bees hatched. Partially because Elyurias willed them to, but probably also because everyone was experiencing the "fight-or-flight" syndrome against this unknown illness, like, "Who is going to be next?!"

Quote from: Ahiku
Shion was taken captive and had a spectacular, daring escape together with Nezumi. Suddenly he was far away from No. 6, his mother and his familiar surroundings, just to experience the garbage dump of the city. He must have been extremely stressed and scared, and he was probably in mortal fear.

I actually don't know how much I'd agree with this.

I'm coming to help you. Nezumi's voice echoed in his ears. His heart grew calm. His legs trembled, though not from despair or fear, but rage. (Shion, Volume 1, Chapter 3 b)

―Will I see you soon, Nezumi?
"What's that?" Rashi turned around, and furrowed his brow.
"Are you smiling?"
(same place)

Even Rashi commented that Shion was rather calm for someone in his position...
Then later, after the explosions and daring escape, in the car,

"This isn't really my idea of 'enjoyable'," Shion muttered.
"Oh, really? The look on your face says you're enjoying this quite a bit."
(saaaaame)

Any normal person would panic. Shion was, instead, happy and seemingly content to be in Nezumi's presence.
Is this because the bee pacified his emotions?

I don't think the cause of Shion's stress was the escape from No.6 or the change in location. (Nezumi's presence soothed all his fears~)

I think, instead, it was the knowledge of the parasitic bee that stressed Shion out.
"Ah!" Shion brought a hand to his neck. He felt something faintly odd. On the base of his neck, there was a small part that felt numb. Shion felt the area with his fingers. There was a pea-sized blister growing, and it was itchy. He scratched it lightly. A chill wind blew through the centre of his body. Shion could feel his heart contract. (Shion, Volume 1, Chapter 4)

But now that I think about it, what caused the pea-sized blister to grow in the first place? Maybe it was just the pumping of adrenaline, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in Shion that triggered growth (as he ran, swam, and etc), but the stress inside him (as he figured that there was a bee chewing its way out of him) caused the bee to want to emerge but was ultimately unable to because it hadn't finished growing...

(??) Or something like that? Wow, this hurts my head. XD
Thank you for sharing this, Ahiku!! :D

I think I'm going to read up on listenforthelove's translation of the Perfect Guide's bee metamorphosis to try and make sense of Rou's, Shion's, and Fura's case scenarios. blaaaaaaarg. because I could have sworn the first thing that happens when a bee emerges is loss of teeth. but Shion kept all his teeth?? Thank goodness, but still. maaaybe it's because the pupa was underdeveloped? *googles*