Chapter Text
“Ah, the land of Bugaria. A peaceful, prosperous place where many adventurous bugs gather. Although, it wasn’t always that way. Many moons ago, a young queen visited these lands for reasons lost to time. She established the Ant Kingdom’s first settlement with the help of her daughters and ant servants. Her people were happy, and her kingdom flourished… And yet, the Queen’s dreams were still not fulfilled. For she had learned of an ancient people, who safeguarded a treasure of unbelievable power. The Everlasting Sapling! A plant that gave unending youth and strength to any who ate even a single one of its leaves! She searched, and searched… and searched…
Alas, she never found it.
She entrusted her dream to the princess, before falling into a hard-earned sleep. Determined to succeed where her mother had not, the new Queen rallied the people together under her cause. She opened the doors of her kingdom to bugs of all shapes and kinds, attracting ambitious and skilled adventurers! Her decree was loud and clear: “Find me the Everlasting Sapling, and you shall know wealth like no other bug has!” With this, the Explorer’s Association was founded, its many members searching the land for clues and treasure. Even to this day, the sapling has not been found. But every bug dreams of one day claiming it for themselves…”
“... Or at least, those were the stories I was told in my land. Despite many unfortunate incidents, tales of your people helped me keep my adventuring spirit alive.” Said Kabbu. a green-and-gray beetle with a long, sword-like horn atop his head.
“Rest assured, Kabbu. They are not mere legends, but real history. This Explorers’ Association, and all the explorers who risk their wings for glory, are proof of that.” Said Maki, a brown and red mantis wearing gray and white armor, and carrying a teal sword.
“Then, Sir Maki, would you consider my earlier offer?” Questioned Kabbu, with neither him nor Maki noticing the small bee walking past them, and looking at the building’s leaf-made quest board.
“Kabbu, I respect your passion. But I take missions of the highest danger. An unproven warrior is unfit to accompany my team.” Maki said, as in the background, the small bee from earlier and a blue beetle with a small, dagger-like horn atop his head argued behind them.
“Unproven?! Maki, I’ve bested many hardships in the highlands!” Kabbu said, still hanging onto hope that he could join an exploration team.
“Or so you say. It is true your knowledge of our culture and passion for exploration are as true as my blade’s edge. But, I would ask you not to press the issue. This is not the place to cause a scene.” Maki said, once again dashing Kabbu’s hopes of joining an exploration team.
Then, a scene was made as the small bee shouted at the top of her lungs.
“WHAT?! Care to say that AGAIN?!”
Kabbu and Maki turned to look at the scene, as they finally noticed the argument happening behind them.
“As I said, we cannot allow children to explore! Much less Snakemouth Den, especially with all these reports of strange smoke and explosions happening there!” The Blue Beetle said, frustrated with the Bee’s attitude. “I'M NOT A KID” The Bee shouted, despite her height being not much taller than an average kid.
“... So much for that,” Maki said, before turning to Kabbu. “Would you accompany me, Kabbu? It is my duty to investigate.” Kabbu, surprised at this request, said “Well, if you insist.”
Maki swiftly walked over to the scene along with Kabbu, while two ants in armor gossiped about this from a table on the other side of the building, which was constructed with bright green grass chunks making up the walls and ceiling and a floor made out of dried weed stems. Maki reached the two who were arguing first and interrupted them as Kabbu caught up. “Eetl, Bee, lower your voices. What is the matter?”
The Bee whirled around and told Maki “This guy’s calling me a kid! He says I can’t explore”
The Blue Beetle, whose name is Eetl, said “Shouting isn’t going to change the rules, you child!”
The Bee, turning around to once again direct her anger towards Eetl, said “Shut it. It’s not about age, It’s about skill! I’m Vi, the greatest explorer the Hive has ever seen! I’m not some random bee!”
Kabbu, knowing the culture of the Hive and bees in general, said “An explorer bee?”
Vi now turned to Kabbu, clearly offended, and said “Yeah. Got a problem? Saying bees can’t explore? Expected HONEY and PAINT?!”
“I didn’t say that, but…”
Maki then interrupted Kabbu, saying “Silence, please. This guild of ours is no place for petty squabbles.”
Eetl, now able to explain himself knowing he would not get into a massive argument, then said “Look, I can’t just give a permit to some bee. Much less without a partner, especially considering the strange things that have happened near and in Snakemouth on top of the natural risks of exploring… Teams should be a duo of explorers anyways, you know?”
Vi, desperate to get a permit, said “I’m worth like… four bees, okay?!”
Kabbu then had an idea. “Hey, Vi”
“What do you want?” Vi said, clearly unhappy with her current situation.
“Why don’t we join forces?” Kabbu said, “We both wish for a permit, yet lack a companion.”
“What, do I look that desperate? I don’t even know you!”
“I have a promise I must keep, and for that, I must explore,” Kabbu said, a determined fire in his eyes. “How bad could it be?”
Vi internally weighed her options, before saying “Well… It can’t be worse than having to stay put. Deal.”
Eetl was flabbergasted at this. “Wait, you two are just crazy! You wouldn’t last a second at Snakemouth normally, much less with all of the recent… everything!” He said concerned.
Vi turned to him and said, “I’ll prove you wrong!”
Before Eetl could retort, Maki stepped in and said. “No. You are both, most likely, mere novices, ruled by your strong emotions… I have no doubt that if you left for Snakemouth today, you would return inside a bag.”
“Sir Maki, although you outrank me in spades, you shouldn’t underestimate me.” Kabbu said, before reluctantly adding “I… went through quite a bit to get here.”
“Yeah! Bugs like you that look down on others are annoying!” Vi butted in.
Maki looked at the two and said “Very well. I shall test your resolve. Though, not in the usual way.”
“Test us, huh? Who named you king of this joint?” Questioned Vi, as Kabbu posed his own question.
“What do you mean by ‘Not in the usual way’, Sir Maki?” Eetl looked at Maki with concern, ready to voice his own questions.
“I mean, you will be going on a quest,” Maki said, “I will be observing you two as you do so.”
“What kind of quest?” Said Kabbu, while Vi said “A quest? Will we get to beat something up?” with far too much enthusiasm.
“People have reported some strange creatures coming very close to the Ant Kingdom.” Maki began to explain. “These creatures have not shown any hostility, however their presence is causing some panic among the people. You will go investigate what these creatures are doing, and put a stop to anything villainous they may have planned.”
“So all I have to do is beat up a few things and I can get my explorer permit? Sweet!” Vi said happily.
“I humbly accept this quest, Sir Maki.” Said Kabbu, determined to fulfill his promise and help Vi with her quest.
“Very well then. We shall head out now.” Maki said, before swiftly walking outside of the building.
“Uh… So I’m Vi, I guess. From the hive on the giant wooden thing near the desert.” Said Vi rather awkwardly.
“Oh! I’m Kabbu. I moved in just one moon ago, from the Highlands.” Kabbu replied. “Cool.” “Indeed”. The two stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before Kabbu said “Uh, shall we go meet with Maki outside?”
“Right! Yeah! Let’s go right away!” The new duo walked out of the building, and as they stepped out of the door Eetl said to himself “I hope you know what you’re doing, Maki.”
Vi and Kabbu hopped down the large mushrooms that made the steps that led up to the exploration building, which was as green on the outside as it was on the inside. They saw Maki standing next to a yellow glowing crystal, and approached him.
“Vi, Kabbu, I have something to show you before you begin your quest,” Maki said, as several ants with mining equipment worked behind him, attempting to remove a large rock from the road.
“This is an Ancient Crystal, correct?” Kabbu questioned.
“Indeed,” said Maki, before drawing his blade. “While many can be found in the wilderness, the Queen has placed many of these for travelers and explorers to use on their journeys. They store the records of anyone, as long as you hit them with something. This one is yellow, so it can heal your wounds.”
Vi spoke up, doubt clear in her voice. “You expect me to believe that? All of that awesome stuff for hitting a rock?”
Maki looked at Vi and said “You still have much yet to learn. Observe.”
Maki swung his blade at the crystal, and Vi, Kabbu, and Maki saw images flash within the crystal, indicating that it had recorded their adventure, and felt a wave of comfort and relief wash over them, indicating that it had healed them.
“W-Woah! It really works! These must sell for a fortune!”
Maki returned his blade to its resting spot and said “All you will get from one of these crystals is jail time. The Ant Queen is the only one who can authorize the placement of Ancient Crystals. They are also far too heavy for a single bug to carry.”
Vi crossed her arms and grumbled, “There goes that idea…”
“Still, their properties are amazing! Let’s use them whenever we can, Vi.” Kabbu said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah, sure. Let’s get this quest done with so I can get my permit.” Vi grumbled.
“I presume you two know how to fight, yes?”
Asked Maki. Both Vi and Kabbu responded with “Yes”, with Kabbu adding “Sir Maki” to his response.
“Very well then, let us set off,” Maki said, leading Vi and Kabbu away from the strangely dry grass near the Explorers Association and into the green forest of the Ant Kingdom Outskirts.
“Do we have everything we need?” Said Pete, a scrawny light-skinned human teenager wearing brown shorts, a space-themed button-up shirt tucked into the shorts, a pair of glasses on his head, green socks, brown sneakers with a blue stripe, a backpack, and a bowl cut with blonde hair color.
Max, a dark-skinned teenager wearing a yellow tank top that says WOAH with a tiki-style illustration of three figures dancing in front of a volcano, a black and yellow backpack, ripped and faded jeans, white socks, black and red sneakers, and brown hair in a flat top replied “All good over here”.
Hoops, a tan teenager with dark brown hair in a side ponytail held up by a yellow scrunchie, a white t-shirt with a pink cat with shades skateboarding, pink and white dolphin shorts, a plaid multicolor backpack, white socks with blue stripes, and white basketball shoes replied: “Same here.”
Willow, a very dark-skinned teenager with spiky black hair, equally black eyeliner, and lipstick, a green undershirt with a black t-shirt with a rainbow dagger stabbing a cloud on it, ripped purple leggings, high-top black-and-white sneakers that cover her socks, a pink-and-teal backpack. Unlike the rest, she has several accessories: an alien pin, studded bracelets, and way too many safety pins. She replied “All set.”
“Well, if we’re all ready, shall we get going?” Pete asked the group.
“Yeah! Let’s go!” Hoops said enthusiastically.
“I just hope we don’t encounter any more of those angry seeds,” Max said.
“If everyone else is ready, I’m ready,” Willow said. None of them noticed the Bee, Beetle, and Mantis hiding behind one of the many grass blades that surrounded the small clearing that held the Mysterious Machine.
“These creatures match the descriptions from the reports,” Maki whispered to Vi and Kabbu.
“So Sir Maki, how should we proceed?” Kabbu whispered to Maki.
“I am here only to observe you two. You must come up with a plan by yourselves.” Maki whispered back.
“I say we rush in and beat 'em up!” Vi whispered loudly.
“Vi, we can’t just assault them for no reason. I say we use diplomacy for this one, as they are clearly sentient.” Kabbu retorted.
“Boo, you’re no fun.”
Kabbu sighed and whispered “Let’s walk out and talk to them. If they use violence, then we can beat them up. Ok, Vi?”
“Alright, but don’t expect me to be all chummy with them.” Kabbu breathed in, steeling himself, before saying to Vi “Follow me.”
The two walked out from their hiding spot and approached the strange group. Once they were close enough, Kabbu spoke up, saying “Greetings, travelers!”
The entire group quickly turned to look at Kabbu, with two of them visibly surprised, one looking scared out of his mind, and the final one not showing any real change in expression.
“Did that beetle just TALK?!” Pete nearly screamed.
“So you’re not the only one that heard that… great.” Max said, very concerned, before adding “Heh, not even a week in and we’ve already gone crazy.”
“It was only a matter of time,” Willow said grimly.
“Hello, strange Beetle! I’m Hoops!” Hoops said, changing from surprised to her normal, confident self in an instant.
“Er… Hello Hoops.” Kabbu said awkwardly, before responding to Pete’s question. “Is… talking something Beetles don’t do normally where you are from?”
“Not unless some mad scientist has altered every single Beetle in the country while we’ve been here,” Max said, while Pete was at a loss for words.
“Uh… well, we have been getting reports of creatures that look a lot like you causing minor public disturbances, and we have been told to stop you from causing more disturbances.”
Pete looked absolutely stunned and said, “We’ve been doing what?!”
While Willow said “We didn’t even know societies existed here and we’ve already committed crimes. Nice.”
“Hey, can we hurry this up please?” Vi interrupted. “I wanna get my explorer’s license already.”
“Now Vi, you can’t rush negotiations,” Kabbu said calmly. “Yeah, but you CAN rush beating them up!” Vi retorted impatiently, pulling out her Beemerang.
“Vi, we can’t ju-” Kabbu was then interrupted by Hoops, who said, “Oh, you wanna fight then?”
“Yeah, I do!” Vi said, entering a battle stance. Pete spoke up, trying to lower tensions.
“Hoops, I’m not sure this is a good idea…” Hoops ignored Pete and pulled out a pebblet spear and a weevil shield. “Well, a fight is gonna be what you get then!”