Highly unpleasant early on. And later, but it was worse then. I didn't know anything about who I was, and how/why I was so unlike the others I met. I was very afraid and angry much of the time, and encounters with bugs wandering the wastes made it worse. They're quite matter-of-fact about it. It's been a long time, and they can't begrudge either their past self or many of the others who found them alarming.

Mostly. There were a few stabbings that still feel well-deserved in hindsight.

Their claws run over their Shade Wings. Forget the alates; the wings of a god-king would sell significantly higher than the discarded ones of potential termite royalty. They'd best make sure Sly never learns of that little business.

No. But it was horrifying. I was curious, though I couldn't have ignored it even if I hadn't been.
-Have you heard of/seen fireworks?