Our findings were fascinating. Indeed, the anthers of the flower contained a natural sedative that binds to its pollen and spreads through the air. Pushpin was over the moon to discover three new species of beetle that aided in this process and relied on the decaying matter of both the plant and the husks to survive. Their presence suggested this suicidal ritual had been going on for generations, long enough for the beetles to adapt decaying synthetic proteins into their detritivore diet.
The real breakthrough came when we processed tissue from a false king. We found traces of a strange hormone, which we managed to synthesize into a steroid with medicinal promise within a few months. Trials were carried out on two volunteers: a bestial suffering from an autoimmune disease, and a hominid plagued by severe acid reflux. Both had exhausted conventional treatment. The results were astonishing. Their conditions improved rapidly– the hominid wept with relief when he realized he could once again enjoy roux-based stews and alligator gumbo without his throat burning.
The bestial test subject with the autoimmune disease saw similar levels of recovery. However, he began to show strange side effects.
There was a new sense of unease in our work environment– something that really rattled the lab technicians when the subject was present. Even the snippiest lab techs began to sober up around him. Some who were more well-acquainted with him even offered acts of service. We screened the staff for this abnormal behavior as sort of an internal investigation, and found that most began to admit that they found the subject “extremely authoritative" despite his attitude and mannerisms not changing. What these labs techs all had in common was that they were bestial as well.
The subject himself also grew in size. Muscle growth is typical for use of steroids to treat illnesses, but his object began to grow in size as well, a side effect that has never been observed before in middle-aged adults.
It all clicked together for me. Everyone had their suspicions, but Warhammer’s interview was still fresh in my mind. I proposed that the hormone may be exclusive to these bestial objects that experience gigantism. I also proposed that maybe, they release this as a pheromone in some way, and that it affects the mannerisms of other objects.