Disclaimer: I don't own Aliens or Predators.

Details: One little Facehugger inspired me in my AvP: Extinction game. It always did stuff differently from the other Facehuggers, from other Xenos for that matter...That's how I could always tell it apart. It spent most of the time just chilling in a bunch of plants where I liked keeping the eggs hidden. Took me a while to notice it...

Being born different isn't that hard. It just happens. I lay curled, upside down in my egg, waiting for the signs that would determine my hatching. During that time, I started to think. I'm not sure if this is something others like me do. I know instinctively what my role of life is. Find a Host and impregnate it, that's all there is, and to try to change that would be useless. But I don't want to believe that my one life purpose is just to mate mindlessly with the first thing that crosses my path. I have a brain, and awareness; I have thoughts and cunning, even if that cunning is just to be used to sneak up on Hosts as efficiently as possible...

I like to think that I have potential, even if my instincts tell me not to bother planning a future.

I sense movement from behind myself; the egg has opened and light from the outside world filters in. The first scent of the outside seep inside and I feel the brush of fresh air against my skin. I want more of this, more novelty to explore and I flail my legs, trying to position myself upright so I could get out. It took a moment to orientate my legs and get them moving properly and I clumsily climb up onto the rim of my egg like the newborn I am. I sit atop my egg, my attention taken by movement...

A Drone had set a host before us. Us? I barely even glanced around to realize that more of my kind have emerged from their eggs as well. I'm not too sure how to feel about my mind automatically labelling the word 'us'. What about 'me'? Does my individuality not matter?

Leap.

I hesitate for a second, something I quickly learned that normal Facehuggers will never do. I know instinctively what my fate would've been after I mated and I realized that I don't want to end my life so early. I just hatched and that sample of novelty that I took of the outside world when my egg opened, I want more of that. I want to see what life really had to offer for me. But thankfully, it looks like I don't have to make that sacrifice. Another of my hatched siblings makes the leap and attaches itself.

I feel my legs relax. The leaping instinct has dulled...for the moment. But I know it'll come back and that my entire existence will be spent trying to ignore it. I wonder, should I disregard it long enough, if that instinct will fade to nothingness. Perhaps I just need to hold out for a while and it'll get easier. I walk off my egg, -it falls to its side as I do so-, and I take a moment to examine my surroundings. I notice the entire clutch of eggs is hidden in plants, out of sight of even the most determined intruders. My fellow Facehuggers wander off into the open, Warriors immediately surrounding them for protection. We're very precious, and my family isn't taking any risks with us.

I didn't want to leave too far from my egg. I feel safer here, amongst the leaves of vegetation covering my vulnerable body. There's plenty to explore here and I take the time to climb up into the vegetation, pushing passed the foliage. The plants itch a bit as they scrape against my skin, but it's a new sensation I welcome. I reach out a leg and poke at a brown leaf, watching it crumble and fall. It's fascinating to me, especially when I pick up movement. There's a very small critter scurrying across the foliage and I notice I don't feel the urge to latch on and mate with it. It's way too small to be a suitable Host and I have no idea how I would even begin to mate with something so miniscule; is its mouth even big enough to deposit my seed?

I watch its movements for a while; not stalking, just observing. When I stay still long enough, the bold creature walks right up to me, and a strange sensation tickles me when the creature shuffles against my skin. It's covered in strange hairs and I shift a bit so I can touch it with a leg. But at my movement, it scurries off and I give chase instinctively. Although I have no interest in mating with it, my instinct to chase was strong and I had no problems with indulging in it since it's not harmful.

But just as I catch up, a long creature lunges out from the vegetation and clamps down on the small critter. A Chestburster. I slow to a stop and watch as the youngster rips my toy apart. I'm a little upset, but I know this little one needs food to grow. Without a sound, I head back towards my egg, where I fold my legs comfortably against my sides and wrap my tail around myself.

I sit and wait, watching the activities of the Hive. I see some of the other Facehuggers start to move away from the group, towards the outskirts of the Hive; perhaps I'm not the only one with a thirst for adventure? But they don't get to explore too far before a Drone quickly puts a stop to that, grabbing them by their tails and carrying them kicking and flailing back to their spot. I wonder why they discourage us from wandering off to explore, but I suppose the world beyond the nest is just too dangerous...

Although something strange does happen: the Queen, Mother, stops laying and pulls herself free from the egg sack. Even in my short life, I know that something big is going on. Perhaps that's the reason we're no allowed to wander. As Mother heads off with a group of Warriors and PredAliens, a Drone proceeds in carrying off the last of the eggs to my hiding place and set them in a neat clutch.

The Drone ignores my presence, as if it has no idea I'm here, and places the last egg among the others before running off beyond the nest's borders.

Such bustle, so much restless activity from my Hive and I'm about to uncurl myself to seek a quieter refuge before movement nearby catches my attention. Yet another Drone carries another Host towards my fellows.

Leap.

Again, I fight down the urge and again another Facehugger attaches itself, spelling its own doom. I feel a wave of frustration and I know my instincts are starting to get angry at me. It reprimands me harshly for disregarding it, for ignoring my biological imperative, for betraying my Hive. Betraying? I don't feel I'm betraying my Hive; just because I want to make something of myself, in a way different than what nature prescribed for me, doesn't mean I'm betraying my family. I don't know what exactly I can do, what niche I can carve out for myself, but I'll think of something.

But even with these reassurances, it takes longer before the muscles in my legs relax.

And no sooner has that happened before I sense more movement. An intruder approaches, and the Warriors left behind to guard the nest grow visibly agitated. I sense the creature, hear its steps crunch onto the vegetation I'm residing in. I scuttle off a bit to avoid being crushed and I look up at the creature. It's very tall, as tall as the Warriors, standing completely upright on its hind legs. Its face is covered by a shiny metallic plate...

Such armor is useless, my instincts insist as I reflexively make measurements for its face. My legs bend and my tail coils.

No... No, I can't.

I will.

But I don't want too...

I will...

I want to live...

Resistance is so much harder this time and I had to force my tail to uncoil, my legs to straighten. It takes a lot of willpower to stay put and I reach out my tail and wrap it around a branch. I'll do anything to make sure I don't leap...

The creature doesn't seem to notice my struggles, thankfully, and it instead begins to attack my family. The Hive's protectors rush into action and loud roars and screeches fill the air. I feel instinct yelling at me to mate with this creature, and I refuse. I feel instinct grab hold of my legs and try to get me to jump; I countered by tightening the grip my tail had with the branch. My instinct retaliates by forcing my tail undone and all my willpower has me putting up my last means of defense.

Turning away from the stimulus, I hurry off as fast as I can in the opposite direction of the creature. I'm in the open for the very first time, but I'm in no situation to appreciate it as I throw myself into another clump of vegetation. I glance back just in time to see that the dangerous creature has been neutralized. Glancing back was a mistake however, and before I could stop myself, I scurry back out into the open towards the Host, my body eager to mate.

Another Facehugger thankfully beats me to it and sacrifices itself. I give a mental sigh of relief and I make my way back into my new clump of vegetation. I try to distract myself from the rage my instinct gives me by exploring my new hide-out. It's the same type of plant as the one the eggs are hidden in, and after a brief exploration, I find nothing new of interest within it and turn my attention back to the Hive.

It isn't long until the Queen returns with her horde of PredAliens, some carrying Hosts back. Not again... Luckily, my instincts don't even have time to activate as the remainder of my generation eagerly pounces, each claiming their own Host until the last one of the group finds the last Host and attaches itself.

Suddenly, as soon as that last Facehugger attaches itself, the Drones begin to gather around my previous 'home' and each grabs an egg. Yet more Drones grab the Hosts with the mating Facehuggers still attached, and then the entire Hive starts to move away. Mother takes the lead and they move and move until I can no longer sense them anymore.

I stayed put, at least for the moment. My family will be back, as I know they wouldn't leave me behind... right? Of course not; they're only heading off for some other big mission and they'll soon return when business is dealt with. Then I can talk to Mother about what I can possible do to help the Hive in a way that didn't involve mating myself to death. I wait for them for many hours, until the light begins to leave the sky...

Only when near complete darkness covers the land do I finally realize that the Hive is not coming back and I feel a twinge of panic.

I scurry out into the open for the third time in my short life. Instinct takes hold of me, but it's not the one to leap, nor the one to chase. This one was different, fueled with fear and despair and it has me dashing to the very far edge of the webbing of the last Hive Node. However, I quickly get a hold of myself and I pause. It's hard to leave the only place I've ever known all by myself. I know that the world is very dangerous if that tall creature that attacked my Hive was anything to go by. What if I ran into another one? How will I defend myself? I won't last long outside the Hive Node's perimeter; if I head out into the unknown, I might die before reaching the rest of my family.

That's a risk I'll take. With tentative steps, I move out, away from the life supporting Node web. Away from my familiar bundle of vegetation. I feel like I'm just hatching again, leaving my comfortable egg to face the world. But whilst that novelty was one I wanted to explore, this is a much different sensation. The novelty is there, but it's laden with loneliness and the vulnerable feelings that come with it.

I try to escape this feeling by moving as fast as I can, my slender legs practically blurring with the movement. I have to catch up with my family; I have to find another Hive Node to recuperate, at the very least. I can feel my body using its energy reserves disturbingly fast and I realized this must be why the Drone didn't want us wandering off on our own accord; something about this place, this atmosphere, SOMETHING, was draining us of our strength with each step we take outside the protection of the Hive's nest.

I keep going, the feeling of vulnerability never leaving no matter how fast I run. Any enemy I come across could spell my end, and I have no idea what sort of dangers I should be on the look out for. Surely, that really tall creature isn't the only one that can bring about my doom. Not only that, but the weakness inching throughout my body is getting worse and I feel my legs beginning to shudder.

How much longer can I possibly go...?

I feel myself come to a complete stop, despite the grave situation. I sense something moving nearby, something just ahead. It must be my Hive!

But my elation comes crashing down when I see the creature, alone, small, and low to the ground. Not my family, but a potential Host... Again my tail starts to coil, and again I try to resist. I've come so far and if I can just ignore this creature and just keep going, I can find my Hive and live to fulfill my full potential... Just ignore it... Just... ignore...

I can't do this anymore...

And in that mere split-second of weakness, I feel that horrible instinct take complete hold of my body and I leap for the creature. I feel contact along my underside as my legs latch on tight and my tail reflexively winds tight around my victim's neck. It attempts to shake me off, its jaws clamped tight in an effort to resist my attempts to mate. I cling tight, my tail relentless in its grip. Suffocating, the creature finally opens its mouth to gasp for breath and I insert myself into it, releasing fast-acting anesthetic as I do so. It collapses, unconscious and I loosen my tail a bit to allow it breath, my airsacs helpfully keeping it alive.

It's all over and all my resisting was all for nothing... I think to myself. I tighten my legs' grip in disappointment. Might as well follow through with the mating since my body refuses to respond to my thoughts to let go, apparently siding with my now-triumphant instincts. I keep mating with it for the next several hours until I finish and deposit my seed deep down the creature's throat. The process felt nice, but there is no real pleasure here... There's no pleasure in failure...

My work done, my legs and tail finally relinquish their grip and I slide off the Host's face. I feel sick and I try to take a moment to recover, but no matter how long I wait, I never get better and only seem to get worse in fact. Pushing myself up onto my legs, it takes all my strength not to collapse. I slowly move off, but each step becomes smaller, more shaky and pain begins to rise from my weary muscles.

I'm exhausted. I'm weak. I can't even muster the strength needed to keep my tail from dragging on the rough ground behind me.

But I have to keep going. Maybe, if I can push passed this, I'll get better. I'll find a way around this, a way to avoid my fate. I don't want to die, there's so much that I wanted to do, so many things for me to learn and accomplish. I have to be that first Facehugger to make a difference with my life... I... I... I'm so tired. Finally, against my will, I lay myself down, my legs refusing to move and only twitching when I try to get them to carry me.

It's no use. No matter how hard you try, in the end, instinct will always win. It's a harsh lesson.

Most Facehuggers die on their backs...but not me...I'm different...

Always different...

Hopefully, I will live on in some small way...

The Facehugger's habits did live on in it's creation: A Runner.

In memory of that different little Facehugger.