Shinatose Izana

The possible friendly gauna, Tsumugi Shiraui, turned out to be a chimera; a gauna-human hybrid, or at least that is how Kunato explained it when he introduced her to all acting pilots and pilot cadets after the battle. It seemed that after failing as a combat pilot, he'd taken over his family's company and had somehow developed the chimera as well as a new form of the artificial kabi Sidonia needed so badly to have a fighting chance against the gauna.

The meeting to introduce her had gone as well as one might expect, fear was a hard thing to overcome, and just as Nagate and Izana had entered, someone had thrown a pipe at the garde-sized* humanoid and chants of "Get ride of the gauna!" had begun, as well as shouts of the infamous mad scientist Ochiai's corrupt experiments and the great disaster they caused a century before.

Amidst the growing unease of the crowd, the chimera--Izana had a hard time thinking of it by a name--had spotted Nagate and had addressed him directly, which had mollified the mob somewhat. The peace, such as it was, didn't last very long as the chimera grew agitated when she saw Nagate's wounds, worried he'd gained them when he had protected her during the combat.

The meeting had ended quickly after, which was likely for the best. A creature so large being so agitated in an enclosed space with small and fragile humans could not have ended well.

Now, a day later, Nagate had decided to visit the chimera because he was worried she was lonely. Izana, being a good friend had come along, though they had their doubts. First, that Kunato would allow them entry to Kunato Industries' labs, presumably where the chimera now lived, and whether the chimera had such things to worry about as being lonely.

Izana was wrong all both accounts. Kunato, in an unusual show of benevolence, had allowed them entry...which Izana quickly regretted. The lab was odd. Not the sterile environments of her grandmother's domain, but more like field labs that had been overgrown with simple organisms, like molds or lichens. The air felt humid and musky, and was clogged with enough motes, Izana wished they'd thought to bring face masks.

Seeing beyond a few meters was proving a challenge as well and both Nagate and Izana were startled when the chimera suddenly appeared and enthusiastically greeted them. The walkway they'd entered on proved to be above a cavity of some kind and they were at chest level with the hybrid, which was way too close for Izana's comfort. Both Nagate and Izana fell back, Izana instinctively pushing themself back away from the giant creature. It continued talking but Izana couldn't focus on the words, fighting their fear as they were.

Then the strangest thing happened. A shape appeared and Izana almost burst into giggles for it was nearly penis shaped. 

"Please, call me Tsumugi," the shape said. The shape it turned out was a sort of probe the chimera could form, though Izana couldn't fathom why it would wish to do such a thing. Perhaps so that it may speak to humans on a level more to their scale? "I am over-joyed you came to visit me, Tanikaze-san! I was just thinking how I'd like to learn more about humans."

Nagate smiled and replied, "Please, call me Nagate. And this is Izana." 

The probe turned to face Izana and they bowed quickly before the giggles could escape them. Tsumigi's enthusiasm reminded Izana so much of the Honoko sisters when they'd first come to the academy. It was almost child-like.

"It is a pleasure to met you, Izana-san." Tsumugi turned back to Nagate, and tapped its two feelers together. "Umm...umm...May I touch you?"

"Touch me? I don't really mind, but..." was as far as Nagate got before a dozen more feelers sprouted along Tsumugi's probe and picked him up into the air and running along his body.

Izana could feel a hysteria bubbling within them, which burst as Tsumugi then picked them up into the air for the same treatment she was still giving Nagate.

"Put me down!" Izana yelled and was promptly let go, though only after Tsumugi had lowered them closer to the walkway. "It was good you asked Nagate, but you didn't ask my permission." Tsumugi bowed the head of her probe, clearly shamed. "I am not angry at you. I understand your enthusiasm got the better of you, but you must strive to be better!"

"I will Izana-san, and please forgive me. May I touch you?"

Izana didn't see that they had a choice. How else was Tsumugi to learn of humans of they didn't offer to help?

*About 16-18 meters