Bug Story

	So, everyone else gets something cool. Fred got to fly, Sid could shapeshift, and Teresa could teleport. What do I get? I’m the god damn Aquaman of bugs. Great. Well, guess I can make the most of it. I suppose there is some QoL here. No need to worry about mosquito bites or bee stings anymore. Ticks, bed bugs, and most other parasites are a worry of the past as well. Don’t even have to deal with getting spooked by a fly buzzing right by my ear. That’s…most of what I did for the first couple weeks. Then I realized that bugs do some pretty cool shit.
	Ants were my first major breakthrough. Happened to spot an anthill while I was on hold for a locksmith. I had been on hold for a few minutes, so I decided to try my luck with an all-natural lockpick. I marched the ants right up my tire, onto the door, and into the lock…and to my surprise, clicked the thing open with ease. After that, ants became my best friends, nearly. Lockpicking, finding things, even just fetching the remote or a drink from the fridge. My house looked a little run-down by now, but no big deal. I was never one for appearances anyways.
	Bees were the next bug I capitalized on, especially once a hive settled in near my front porch. I’ve always been terrible with directions, and GPS systems don’t always work perfectly, especially when the connection is poor. Bees, however, don’t need a Wi-Fi connection to find their hive. I never leave home without at least one or two with me now, and I even managed to get a little garden going with their help. Never been much for veggies, admittedly, but it’s better than nothing.
	It was around that time when I realized how good this power was…especially when there are insects like fire ants or wasps at my disposal. I realized it just in time, too, because I was walking through an alley the next day when I got jumped by a robber. While I stalled for time and pretended to play along, I managed to catch wind of a hornet nest nearby…and sicced ‘em on the poor sap. Oh, the look on his face was golden when he heard that buzzing behind him. It was hard to hold back my chuckles, admittedly. Though, it was also around that time my glasses stopped working as well as they should…I actually started going without them after a certain point.
	As I continued to toy with my powers, I realized that controlling insects was just the beginning. What’s scarier than a colony of fire ants coming at you? A colony of fire ants that can actually breath fire. Helped save on my heating bill as well, which was nice. Speaking of ants, I managed to give them super strength as well. Came quite in handy when I ran out of gas in the woods. Had those fellas push me all the way to the next gas station. I even got the queen to come along, to help out with my ever- growing colony at home. I’ve gotten pretty good at picking up on where these guys live now, too. Almost like I have a sixth sense for them or something.
	Bees again came next, this time with a little bit of lightning. There’s my power bill taken care of, and my garden looks better than ever. I couldn’t quite use them to fly, unfortunately, but given the fact that I SWEAR I saw a pair of antennae on my head last time I looked in the mirror, that might not be a problem for long…
	Bees, ants, and other insects are nice, but you know what’s even better? Arachnids. Spiders seemed like a good starting point, and they were! No longer did I have to worry about those eight-legged terrors devouring my family in the night, and in fact I could put them to work for me as well. While I won’t be web-slinging any time soon, sadly, I can still put some of the bigger boys to work keeping other pests like rats away, and it never hurts to have a black widow in your pocket in the more dangerous parts of town. Not that I go to town much anymore, it’s far too bright and noisy…in fact, most parts of the world felt that way anymore, outside of my house. I had moved to a cabin in the woods at this point, mostly because my old landlord was complaining about all the bugs. I felt more at peace out there, and it’s not like anyone took me seriously.
	I had gotten quite a few jokes over the few weeks I spent learning my powers, and I had just about had enough at this point. I shook my antennae one last time as I looked in the mirror, my enhanced eyes taking in every last detail as my spiders and silkworms wrapped me up in a cocoon. No longer was I a simple man with his bugs and spiders. I was now the Plaguebringer, and all I wanted was a slice of paradise for my creepy crawlie comrades…no matter the cost.
	I bided my time in my cocoon, growing stronger both in my own appearance, and in my powers of control. I soon added rats, mice, and other rodents to my repertoire of species at my disposal, through trial and error alone. I developed acidic and venomous fangs, and a pair of sinister hornet wings. My eyes become compound, my antennae growing longer and more sensitive. A pair of devastating mandibles finished the look, as well as a black, hard carapace and exoskeleton. As I emerged from my cocoon, so did the cicadas around my target…the perfect time to strike.
	I emerged from the forest on a wave of ants, the buzzing of bees and beetles deafening as I swarmed the city I once called home. Friend, foe, and stranger alike were infested as I took over the town, spreading disease and disaster through the streets as I took back what nature so rightfully deserved. Once my rampage was finished, I sent out a swarm of super-powered termites to turn the steel jungle into a much more natural one, creating homes for my loyal followers, and my new base of operations. Those that disrespected nature knew now to live in fear, for the Plaguebringer would know…and he would strike in due time, as his web of control grew across the countryside.