Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hornet couldn’t sleep.

Despite having lived her entire life knowing that the darkness was safe, a hiding spot from the monsters and something to be embraced, this darkness brought her anything but comfort. With a groan, she sat up and rubbed her face beneath her mask, almost flinching at the still-unfamiliar feelings it brought. Her new body, as if enjoying testing her patience, decided at that time to make a low, grumbling noise, and the former bug grunted in annoyance at the sound of her stomach demanding food.

With a dismissive curse, Hornet reached over and flicked on the lamp next to her, taking a few tries despite Deuwie showing her how to do so earlier. Warm yellow light flooded the room and she narrowed her eyes, before sitting there in silence as she once more looked down at herself.

This…form of hers. This new, human, fleshy form. It was wrong in too many ways to count. The color, the size, the temperature, the hair (oh god, why was there so much hair), the softness, just…everything.

She hated this so much. 

And there was no easy way to fix it, assuming there was a way at all. With a cold chill passing over her at that thought, Hornet got to her feet, groaning as she stretched out her lanky, mammalian limbs. At the moment she was wearing a pair of “pajamas” that Deuwie had taken from his father’s closet, and while she had to admit they were comfy, they were still too unfamiliar for her to be happy with them.

What had her life come to…

It all started when she went to bed the previous night and just woke up like this in the middle of the woods, surrounded by Ghost, Quirrel, and Hollow, all of them now spotting new, alien skins of meat and blood, only recognizable by their masks. After the general freak out had passed (it took an hour alone to just get semi-used to breathing with her mouth) and the group collectively agreed, much to her dismay, they were not dreaming, they set out to find Deuwie, thankfully running into him as he was heading to the cave to meet them. 

It was incredible, just how different the forest looked at such a height. Granted, she had seen it before plenty when riding on top of Deuwie’s hat, but now she was even taller than he was. Unfortunately, none of them, especially not Hornet, were in any mood to appreciate the natural beauty of the woods. After a long and agonizing conversation, where they learned Deuwie’s father was out on work and would be back in a few days, it was decided they would stay at the boy’s home and try to “make the most of their situation” until Nate returned and helped them.

Granted, Hornet had no idea how the elder human would actually assist them, but it was better than sitting there panicking with no plan. Once home, Deuwie had hastily whipped them up some dinner and then gave them a place to rest. Hollow and Quirrel took a guest bed. Ghost “bunked” with Deuwie. And Hornet? Deuwie had offered her his father’s place of rest, but she did not want to risk angering him by taking over his berth. Instead, she slept on the couch, draped in spare pillows and blankets as the others settled down to rest.

She hoped they were having better luck than her.

Quirrel had probably fallen asleep the second he hit the sheets. Ghost and Hollow…well, after Ghost defeated the Radiance and Hollow was brought back to them, they took quite well for the opportunity to sleep. Apparently, the “perfect vessel” had never been truly perfect in the end. In all likelihood they were snoozing just fine. Wyrm knows she caught the little Ghost sleeping in the oddest places in Hallownest before. 

With a jolt, Hornet growled as her stomach gurgled again. Gods, she wasn’t even allowed to think without this body ruining it. She figured that she had to eat something if she wanted this to stop, and sighed deeply. The former insect walked over to the kitchen, flicking on a light after slapping the wall a few times. That was something else to get used to: humans could not see in the dark as well as them. Hornet had taken a close look at her new, colorful eyes in the mirror earlier, and while she had to admit they were strangely beautiful, it only took a single glance to know that she wasn’t going to find it easy to adjust. 

Once in the kitchen, though, she opened Deuwie’s pantry and searched it for anything that might appeal to her, or, really, looked even partly edible. Various bags and cans of human delicacies littered the shelves, but it was only then that Hornet realized she didn’t know what could be eaten raw, and what had to be cooked. Heck, she couldn’t even read the language on the containers. Deuwie had been very insistent that they not try to use the stove or any other such devices without him around, for fear they’d burn down the house. 

The only other option was the fridge and freezer, but Hornet did not want to eat something that was still cold. Then she remembered, on one of Deuwie’s visits, when he had pulled out a can of “peanuts”, opened it, and just started chowing down. After a cursory look around, she found the exact same can was on the shelf to her right. With a hearty sigh, Hornet grabbed the thing, sat down at the kitchen table, opened it with a miniscule amount of effort, and…completely froze at the last moment, the memories of dinner flooding into the front of her mind, alongside her gag reflex. The well-dressed peanut on the can seemed to stare back at her, as if mocking her for her failed efforts. 

“Dammit…” She muttered, burying her face in her hands. She couldn’t do this. She remembered all too well how eating had felt earlier. Even in a different body, the urge to vomit was still one and the same, and Hornet had come a hairsbreadth away from puking her guts out after only a few bites. She had learned well enough by now how to manipulate her mouth, but anything beyond that was too much. “Godsdammit!” She swore. “Why can’t I-”

“Hornet?”

“GAH! Who…Deuwie?”

Indeed, it was Deuwie. The child was rubbing one of his eyes as he stared at her from the hallway, dressed in pajamas with little “astronauts and spaceships” plastered all over them. He yawned loudly and entered the kitchen, staring at the peanut can. “Are you okay? I heard you talking to yourself.”

“…I am fine. I was just…hungry. I apologize if I woke you.” She admitted, chastising herself for not being quiet. Clearly, she overestimated just how deep humans could sleep.

“Oh! It’s okay.” He said, putting on his signature smile as he rubbed the back of his head. “I’ll admit I’m having a little trouble sleeping myself.  You, uh, did eat the stuff I gave you earlier, right? You kinda ate by yourself…”

“Yes.” She replied, which was a complete lie. Deuwie had given them all a plate full of fruit, vegetables, and a generous portion of…some kind of meat. Hornet had taken off to eat alone outside, got through a few bites of the cooked flesh, and then promptly stopped before discretely handing off the rest to Quirrel later. The food slipping between her teeth, moving down her gullet…the alien feelings of consumption as a human were all far too disgusting to bear for any longer than a few seconds. Somehow, Ghost and Hollow, who never even had mouths to begin with, were better at eating than her. Perhaps because they had nothing to compare it to…

Then there was Quirrel, who cleaned his plate, everyone’s leftovers, and asked for seconds, much to Deuwie’s joy. 

At least someone was enjoying themselves.

But Hornet didn’t. She couldn’t. Her body was not like most bugs, and she did not need nourishment on a regular basis. But now she inhabited a form that not only did, but constantly, and loudly, reminded her to stuff her face. That was another thing about this fleshy mass to despise (a list that had reached a shocking length). Squelching. Groaning. Even the occasional crack. So many damn noises she had no way of controlling. 

“I was just interested in what other foods you had in your pantry. That is all.” She said, gesturing towards the can, which Deuwie perked up at the sight at. 

“Ooh, they’re my favorite. Can I have some?” 

“It’s…your food, Deuwie. I’m not going to say no.”

“Hehe, true.” He said, before licking his lips as he reached out, grabbed a whole handful, and casually ate them. Hornet felt a pang of jealousy as she watched the boy accomplish something she could barely even manage, turning away and grasping one of her arms. “Mm. Nothing like a midnight snack.” He said. “You enjoying them?”

“No, not really.”

“Mmph? Why naht?” He asked, his mouth full of the crunchy legumes, and Hornet frowned at just how easily he swallowed them. “Do they make you feel bad? Oh crud, do you think you might have a peanut allergy? I didn’t even think of that! I was worried you guys could-”

“I haven’t even tried any because I know I’ll hate it.” She said, raising her hand. “I don’t like eating in this body. The feeling of it is too uncomfortable.”

“Huh? Uncomfortable? Eating is…uncomfortable for you?” Deuwie asked, tilting his head. He supposed that made sense, considering the vast differences between human and bug jaws. Granted, he had never seen the inside of Hornet’s mouth, but if his insect knowledge was anything to go by, it was as far from a human one as you could get. “Why didn’t you tell me before? I’d have helped!” 

“I did not wish to worry you with further troubles. Besides, I do not think there is much anyone could do to help with this issue.” Hornet said. “It has been less than a day since our change, after all. None of us are used to it. Least of all me.”

“…Well, that’s okay!”

“It’s not-”

“Sure, it hasn’t been long, but I’d be more concerned if you guys didn’t act at least a little strange about it.”

"Dewi-”

“And hey, being human isn’t all bad!”

“Dewi.”

“I’m sure you’ll get used to it eventually-”

“I don’t WANT to get used to it! Being human is disgusting!”

The boy flinched away from her at this harsh tone, and Hornet was immediately hit with a sense of guilt for raising her voice like that. The two stared at each other for a few moments, before she sighed and slumped over on the table. That had been too much. Deuwie, for all his kindness, probably didn’t appreciate Hornet taking every opportunity to insult the bodies his species inhabited. She knew she wouldn’t enjoy it if Deuwie transformed into a bug, and constantly whined about how tiny and weak his new form was. 

“...I’m sorry.” She almost whispered. “It’s not you, Dewi, I promise. It’s this…me. I can’t eat because the feeling is revolting to me. I can’t sleep because it keeps moving and making noises that I can’t control. I can barely even think. It’s taking everything I have to not go crazy right now.” She took a deep breath. “We’re all dealing with a lot. But I’m not angry at you, Dewi. I’m only…stressed. I don’t know how this happened or if we can change back, and I’m practically going into palpitations over what might occur if we’re stuck like this for-”

“Hey, hey, it’s alright!” Dewi said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, although he had to reach quite a bit to make it up there. “I don’t know what palpatines are, but I promise that won’t happen to you. I get it. I’m sure if I woke up as a bug one day, I’d be going a lot crazier than you guys are.” He giggled, before his smile faded and his hand fell away. “I’m…worried as well. I don’t know what’s happening either, but I promise we’ll all get through it together, alright?”

“...Alright.” Hornet said with a nod, and Dewi beamed again. It always astounded Hornet just how quickly the child could shift gears. 

“Awesome! So, uhhh…since you’re still hungry, want me to fix you a snack? Something you’ll enjoy more?” He offered, and Hornet, although she still detested the act of eating, couldn’t say no to that face. 

“Very well.” She said, before hastily adding, “But no solid food, please. Do humans have any drinks that can provide adequate nutrition? I don’t like…chewing…” She mumbled, gritting her teeth and then cringing at the feeling of them grinding together. Dewi thought about this for a moment, before nodding.

“Yeah! I can make you a health smoothie! Sometimes my dad eats one when he’s in a hurry to go to work. They taste…pretty bad, but no chewing required!”

“Perfect. One…two of those, please.” Hornet requested, and Dewi happily got to work, pulling out various ingredients, a frankly terrifying machine that grinded up said ingredients at a blinding pace, and hummed some tunes to himself as he worked. Hornet took the moment to stare out the window, the faint noises of crickets and the other creatures of the darkness coming through the glass. Night. Day. What a truly peculiar cycle. She was secretly overjoyed that the light hanging overhead was not a constant presence, although of course humans, and therefore Dewi, had to be most active when it was.

It wasn’t just their bodies they had to get used to. It was the entire damn world. The heat. The weather. The “sun”. Night and day. New types of vegetation. For the moment they had essentially huddled up inside Deuwie’s house, not wanting to risk anyone spotting them and asking who they were. Apparently, this civilization was coordinated and connected enough that new humans had to go through dozens of steps to settle down someplace - something that Hornet found both impressive and incredibly unnecessary. 

Humans…

After Deuwie arrived and began bringing various trinkets and books on his visits, Dirtmouth had gone through a bit of a “human craze”, so to speak. Even Hornet had gotten swept up in the excitement of learning about this new, gigantic species that lived far away and had created Kingdoms of their own. While many, including her, were hesitant to get involved after learning how humans treated insects (she shuddered recalling the day a hesitant Deuwie had told them about pest-control companies), they figured there was little harm in sharing knowledge with the child.

No physical harm, at least. Some of the facts Deuwie had taught them were world-shattering at best. A civilization that totaled over eight billion individuals? Thousands of different cultures and languages? Wars that made the fall of Hallownest look like a tiny squabble? 

It was too much to take in. When Deuwie had gotten to talking about planets and stars and the sheer scale of their solar system, Hornet had quietly excused herself from the room and had to hold in her vomit for the rest of the night. Never before had she felt so ignorant of their world, so…tiny.

…

Well, she wasn’t tiny anymore…

At the revelation of this irony, Hornet let out an unwitting laugh, and Deuwie couldn’t help but whirl around to look at her in surprise. However, a moment later he smiled again, and walked over to the table with two green, sludge-esque smoothies. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, just…” She waved her hand and glanced at the drinks. “I used to be so scared of your world. I still am. But the gods seem intent on making me part of it no matter what, more than I had ever dreamed.”

“The…gods?”

“What else could have the power to turn us into creatures a hundred times our size?”

Deuwie didn’t reply to that, merely shrugging and gesturing at the smoothies. “W-well, anyway. Here ya go! There’s plenty of veggies and other little things in there. You probably couldn’t live on these forever, but for now, it’s a full-course meal in one little glass.” He then shifted back and forth, setting it down in front of her. “Do, uh, you want me to look away? I know how special your masks are to you guys.”

“It is…alright. This face isn’t my real one.” Hornet said, who was frankly too tired (and hungry) to care. The little glasses in question were practically pitchers, and the green goo inside of them did not look appealing in the slightest. But if she wouldn’t have to chew it…

Hornet’s stupid human stomach groaned again and her mind was made up. She grabbed one of the things, flipped her mask up, and began to drink, small dribbles of the stuff leaking from her mouth. As Deuwie had claimed, it did not taste good, but some of the stuff she ate while in Hallownest was ten times worse. 

The taste had never been the issue. 

She still trembled at the feeling of the liquid flowing down her throat, but good god, it was so much better than having to use her teeth. Within a minute the entire pitcher was gone, and she slammed it down on the table and licked her lips. Deuwie was staring at her, his mouth agape, before nervously chuckling. 

“Wow, you were…really hungry, huh?”

“Incredibly so. This body would not stop reminding me of that fact. But I will slow down with the next one.” Hornet said, taking the other pitcher and sipping it. “I also admit I lied earlier. I…did not eat much of my dinner. I apologize for wasting food like that. At the least, I do not wish to discredit a human’s hunt by throwing out the meat…”

“Well, Quirrel will clean it all up, so no worries.” Deuwie said, before he coughed. “But, uh, I doubt that the steak I gave you guys was from a hunt.”

“Truly? When I asked, you mentioned it was the flesh of a slain animal.” Hornet pointed out, remembering how Deuwie had had to assure them that no, he was not serving them human meat, after Quirrel had asked for some godforsaken reason. “Was the meat given…willingly, somehow?”

“I doubt that. But no, it’s a cow, so it’s just from a farm.”

“...What do you mean? I thought a farm was a place to grow crops.”

“Well, Humans use them for that too. But we also use them to raise herds of animals to kill and…eat.” Deuwie, looking uncomfortable with his own answer. Hornet, meanwhile, was taken aback at this info. In the old days, eating other bugs in Hallownest was reserved solely for the upper class, who paid hunters to go out, kill wild beasts, and bring their corpses back to serve up in high-quality, expensive dinners. Of course, after the fall, everyone just ate anything they could get their hands on. But neither time period had included such a thing as “animal farming”. At the least, Hornet supposed it was an ingenious idea. With how much larger the humans’ civilization was, it made sense that they’d required bigger and more effective food sources. 

She only prayed that they didn’t fall like Hallownest did. 

Damn it all, why did the gods have to curse her so? Why must they constantly test her like this? First she had to witness the end of Hallownest as the corruption spread and the city fell, everything and everyone she knew turning into mindless monsters. Then discovering the truth of how it came to pass, how it all came to pass, and knowing that she couldn’t do anything to stop it: that fell to a Vessel. And when the Vessel finally succeeded with the help of their new friend, and just as she was starting to settle into a familiar and welcoming life in the slowly growing Dirtmouth, misfortune had once again struck and now she was like this. Would she be stuck like this forever? Forced to live a human life, never able to return back home? Could she even-

“H-Hornet?”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“You’re crying…”

“I’m…what?” She said, before reaching up and feeling her face, gasping at the sensation of tiny drops of water coming from her eyes. She knew what it was, had seen Deuwie tearing up more than once, but to actually experience it…

Hornet sniffed and wiped at her eyes, before doing the same with her nose when she felt something coming out of that as well. Why did humans have to leak so many Wyrmforsaken fluids?! Was this body just a big bag of liquid with a few layers of skin?

Something to ask Deuwie later, she supposed. After she reassured him now. Already she felt guilty for causing him to worry. 

“I am okay.” She said, gingerly taking the tissue Deuwie had grabbed for her. “It is only as I told you before. I am worried. I am…” She shrunk a little and hugged herself. “I am scared. In Hallownest, even during the most chaotic of times, I always knew what was expected of me. What had to happen. But now I am lost in a maze with no way out. I am sorry for forcing you to deal with us, but-”

“You don’t have to apologize. Not in the slightest. It’s like I told you before.” He said, grasping one of her hands. “Whatever happens next, I’ll be right next to you guys the whole way. I’m not gonna abandon you, and you don’t even have to ask for my help.” He grinned from ear to ear, showing off his pearly whites. “You guys have already made this summer the best time of my life. Everything you’ve shown me down there, and agreed to learn about…the most I can do is repay your trust by helping you now!”

“That is…very mature of you, Deuwie.”

“Huh? Really? Do I not usually act like that?”

“Would you be surprised if I said yes?”

The two stared at each other for a moment, before Deuwie giggled again, and Hornet couldn’t help herself from doing the same afterwards. The two didn’t laugh for long, but after everything, it felt good to just let it out. Hornet let out a few final chuckles and then looked at the other pitcher, now half empty. She grabbed it and chugged the rest, before standing up. 

“Thank you for that, Deuwie. I think I want to keep this good mood while I try to sleep again.” She said, and the boy nodded before placing both pitchers in the sink. 

“Makes sense. And thank you for talking with me about all that. Like I said, I know you’re going through a lot, but the others and I are here for ya! I’m sure Quirrel or Hollow wouldn’t mind listening either, if there’s anything you need to get off your chest.”

“I’m sure they wouldn’t.” Hornet agreed with a nod, flipping her mask back down. She had almost completely forgotten she wasn’t wearing the thing during most of that. Not that she blamed Deuwie for not pointing it out. She was sure the face of one of his own kind was far more preferable to a featureless one. “Goodnight then, Deuwie. I’ll see you in the morning. Thank you…for your hospitality.”

“It’s the least I can do.” He said with a nod, before yawning again. “Agh…okay, g’night, Hornet. Sweet dreams!”

Then, the child left, and Hornet was once again alone. She stood there, staring into the hallway, before flicking off the kitchen light as she climbed back onto the couch. The woman rested the back of her head on the pillows and tugged the blanket up to her shoulder, now feeling much better with some food in her belly. Post-meal drowsiness thankfully began to hit her as she settled in, and Hornet didn’t fight it in the slightest, happily embracing sleep as darkness overcame her vision. 

***

When Hornet woke up the next morning, she had dreamed it all been a dream, and now that she was awake, the former bug wished she was still there.

Alas, reality seemed all too eager to dash her hopes entirely, and as her mind came back to the waking realm, she casually flexed her body and discovered it was the same one from yesterday. Head covered with hair. Full-body clothes made of nice but strange fabrics. Ten toes. Ten fingers. A mouth with a tongue and teeth instead of mandibles. 

She was still human. 

Cursing under her breath, Hornet flipped over onto her back, blinking the drowsiness away. That was another thing to get used to, adding to a list a mile long. Humans had something called “eyelids”, and if they did not blink periodically then their vision might be damaged. It was just one more issue to remember on top of everything else…although thankfully, by the end of the day yesterday, Hornet had gotten used to it enough that she was doing it automatically. 

It didn’t change the fact that the sun was shining through the windows right onto her face, though, and she reflexively grabbed one of the pillows, covering her eyes with it. Ironically, despite how hard she found it to fall asleep last night, she wanted nothing more than to go back to bed, and at this rate was willing to…to…

Wait. 

That smell…that smell! 

With a gasp, Hornet sat up as an absolutely divine scent reached her nostrils, sniffing a few times to ensure her sleep-addled brain was not deceiving her. She looked towards the kitchen and saw her fellow insects-turned-humans sitting around the table, with Deuwie next to the stove, cooking something that smelled delicious.

Oh. 

Of course.

The smell was human food, food she was too grossed out by to eat, and her joy faded in an instant. Alongside that, her awakening did not go unnoticed by the others, where she saw Quirrel and Hollow sitting at the table, although Ghost was nowhere to be found. The two of them still had their masks on, albeit tilted up slightly to expose their mouths. 

“Good morning, Hornet!” Quirrel said cheerfully, waving at her. “How did you sleep?”

“I slept…fine. Dreamed this had all been just a dream.” She said, resigning herself to the waking world as she stood and ambled her way to the kitchen. 

“Ah, you as well?” He replied with a chuckle, although there was a hint of lethargy in his tone. Deuwie didn’t reply, but he did turn and wave as well, seeming to be quite focused on what he was making. Hornet responded with one in kind, and somehow the boy’s grin grew even wider. Hollow, meanwhile, began to hastily write something on the notepad he had been given. Although he and Ghost could technically speak now, neither of them were used enough to having mouths, much less human mouths, to do so. Thus, Deuwie had given him a pen and paper to talk with. Granted, the boy couldn’t read their Kingdom’s script, so it was far from perfect, but at least the insects in the house could communicate with each other. 

“I am glad to see you rested.” Hollow wrote, before tilting his head at the sight of her head. “What happened to your hair?”

“I cut it. After you went to bed, I took my nail and sliced most of it off.” She replied, reaching up and feeling the soft, strange human fur, already knowing she didn’t do a good job of getting rid of it. “I couldn’t handle the greasy mess and stringy little hairs hanging in my face. I figured this was the easiest solution.”

“We gotta get you guys to a barber...” Deuwie chimed in jokingly, turning off the stove as whatever he was cooking finished. “Just, uh, next time please don’t put your spear, I mean, nail, so close to your face. I promise, human skin is not as durable as you think!” He said nervously. “If any of you guys want a haircut, I can take a pair of scissors and try my best.”

“I appreciate that, Deuwie. Frankly, I believe I am due for that myself.” Quirrel said, and Hollow nodded in agreement. “As…interesting as hair is, I would not mind less of it being present. Even Ghost seem to pull on it in annoyance yesterday, more than once.”

“Speaking of which, where are they? Still asleep?” Hornet asked.

“Mm-hm. I tried to wake them up, but they just tugged the blankets over their head.” Deuwie said, as he pulled out some plates from the cabinet. “Guess whatever they’re dreaming about, it’s nice enough that they don’t wanna leave…”

'Considering how the little Ghost was created, I somehow doubt any of their dreams are pleasant.’ Hornet thought, although she didn’t dare say it outloud. Deuwie knew fragments of their collective pasts and what happened to Hallownest, but Hornet and the others had kept the more frightening and, truthfully, adult-oriented details to themselves. The fall of their Kingdom was a horrific, bloody affair no matter how one spun it, and everyone had agreed to hide the full story from the boy until he was mature enough to handle it. 

Wait, had Deuwie ever told them how long it took humans to become adults? She didn’t think he had-

“Alright, breakfast is done!” He announced, knocking Hornet out of her thoughts as he presented them with three plates full of cooked meat, brightly colored fruit, and a handful of strange, white circles with bulbous yellow centers. Hornet tried not to flinch at the things resemblance to an infection bulb, and if it had been orange, she might’ve crushed it on instinct. “So, you got some bacon, some fruit, annnnd fried eggs! The yellow stuff is the yolk, and the white stuff is kinda just extra. Still tasty, though!”

Nobody moved.

“...Eggs?” Quirrel asked, rapping his fingers nervously against the table. “What, ah, creature are these eggs from?”

“Chickens. They’re small birds that can’t fly, but they’re super tasty!” Deuwie said. “Do you guys not eat eggs? I thought that would be a thing down there, considering, uh, bugs.” He gestured his hand wildly, and if Hornet wasn’t used to him she might have thought he was being offensive. “Sorry, I can get you something else if you don’t want it. I can try and make some pancakes, but my dad only ever taught me how to make eggs and bacon because it’s my favorite…ohmygosh, Hornet! I’m sorry, I completely forgot! W-wait a sec, lemme make a smoothie for you-”

“Deuwie, Deuwie it is alright. It is simply not what we are used to. That is all.” Quirrel said, holding up a hand. “After all, if humans consume it regularly I am sure it cannot be too bad.”

With that, Quirrel picked up his fork and began eating, focusing on the fruit first in a likely attempt to prepare himself for the rest. Hollow paused before following his example, although he cut everything he ate into tiny pieces first, taking slow, deliberate chews of his food. They were trying. They really were. But Hornet was not ignorant of the metaphorical masks they were putting on. Quirrel was doing his best to be cheerful for everyone’s sake, but she could tell by his tone that he was just as worried and repulsed by his new body as she was. Hollow was harder to read, but she could see him trembling with each bite, or just periodically as his transformed frame did who knows what. Ghost…well, they actually seemed well-adjusted, somehow, but only when their benefactor was in the room. Other than that, they were like Hollow. Constantly shaking, shifting, and sweating.

Even Deuwie was putting on a front, the human now looking at her as if judging if she still wanted her liquid meal. He was acting much more mature than usual, making less jokes and always being there to help. But Hornet could tell the poor kid was exhausted. His father still wouldn’t be home for a few more days, and it was obvious that Deuwie was scared about what might happen before he came back. He was doing well, but Hornet was worried he might try to push himself too far. 

All for their sake. 

Then there was Hornet. Poor Hornet who couldn’t make it through a few bites without puking, and couldn’t sleep unless her body literally forced her to from exhaustion. Is that what she was just going to be for the rest of the week? Heck, the rest of her life, depending on how long this lasted? Someone who was a constant burden to her new companions and friends?

Screw it. 

Shaking her head at the boy, Hornet grabbed her fork, speared one of the pieces of orange fruit, and crammed it into her mouth. It was good. No, it was one of the tastiest things she ever had in her life. But it felt oh so disgusting…and Hornet just did her best to ignore this. Instead of simply powering through, she decided to take a sip of her water glass with each bite, letting her chew the food without it constantly touching her tongue. It was still revolting, but it made it a smidgen easier, which was all she needed to keep it down. 

Deuwie looked pleasantly surprised at this development and fixed a plate for himself, before sitting next to Quirrel as the two started to talk. And that is how breakfast went. The child and former scholar spoke at length as they ate, Hollow devoured tiny bites and got through one bit at a time, and Hornet used her water technique that she was sure looked silly, but if it worked, it worked. She was still a human, still a giant, terrifying beast, but sitting at this table, eating with the others…it felt good. It felt right. 

Maybe things wouldn’t be easy from now on, and maybe they would be stuck like this for weeks, perhaps months. But at the least, Hornet knew that the others weren’t going to just give up and groan about it endlessly, so neither should she. 

Whatever happened next, she was comforted by the fact that she’d have them to help her get through it, and she’d make sure that they had her as well.

Chapter Text

After breakfast, Deuwie had spent most of the afternoon setting something up, but whatever that “something” was, Hornet had no clue, as the boy had said he wanted it to be a surprise.

She did know it involved a lot of paper, judging by the amount that came out of the large machine Deuwie had called a computer. Human technology was just as alien as it was startling. She remembered when the child had turned on the television yesterday, and she had nearly grabbed her nail and sliced it in half after the image of a large, predatory flesh-beast had appeared on screen, roaring at them. 

Yes, Deuwie claimed it wasn’t magical, but seeing as Hornet barely understood a word of the actual explanation, (something about signals and satellites) that’s just what she was personally going with. Regardless, the TV was also where the four of them were sitting in front of now, Quirrel leaning back in a large armchair while the others sat on the couch. They were watching a program called “How it’s Made”, and this particular episode was going into the manufacturing of, fittingly, nails, which in this world seemed exclusive to construction. Hornet and Quirrel couldn’t help but admire the vast and complex system the humans had created, all to produce enormous quantities of a single object. Deuwie’s species were masters at crafting, if nothing else. The nailmasters back home would be losing their minds if they caught even a glimpse of this.

Then the commercials came and everything turned back to confusion. Hornet could understand their purpose as advertisements, but some of them were just plain nonsensical. One featured a can with arms beating another into the dirt, and apparently this was to convince humans to buy the winning product? Hornet had scoffed when Deuwie explained the reality to her. If the little cans did not fight each other in real life, then Hornet saw no reason to purchase them. The commercial after that one included an ad for something called dog food, which was nutrition for large, four-legged, furry beasts that humans seemed to use as companions. 

After a quick but terrifying conversation with Deuwie where they learned that yes, he did have a dog, but no, it was not here, Hornet tuned out watching TV altogether until the actual show came back. Wyrm knows she was already confused enough about human culture, bodies, and just…everything related to them. She didn’t need that feeling to be increased a hundredfold.

However, if the commercials did do anything, it was confirmed once and for all that the humans were not Gods. Higher beings, perhaps, but certainly not deities. No divine entity would make something so irritatingly pointless. 

Hornet then wondered if the humans had Gods of their own, stewed on that for a bit, and then came back to life when the show returned. However, only a few minutes into watching the screen went black. Deuwie then walked in front of them, remote in hand and almost shaking from excitement. 

“Alright, it’s ready! Follow me, guys!” He said, before darting into the basement, not even giving them time to get up. The group exchanged glances, and Quirrel was the first to rise, chuckling. Ghost and Hollow followed after, with the former putting a bit of a spring in their step. Hornet was the last to leave, staring at her reflection in the now empty black screen before heading downstairs. The interior of the underground room was dimly lit at best and filthy at worst. Apparently, Deuwie’s family had been using it exclusively as a storage space, if the piles of boxes scattered around were anything to go by.

But in the middle of it all was a small clearing, where there were four desks assembled in two rows of two. They may not have closely resembled the ones in Hallownest, but Hornet had spent enough hours learning in the White Palace (with the best teachers in the Kingdom, of course) to recognize a desk when she saw one. Suddenly, she knew what was about to happen, and actually grinned at the thought. However it ended, this was sure to be entertaining.

“Take a seat and we can begin!” Deuwie said, standing next to a box that had a large stack of paper on it. Hornet chose a desk in the back alongside Hollow, while Quirrel and Ghost predictably sat in the front. Deuwie clapped his hands together and began to speak once more, almost sounding like a proper teacher. “So, these desks were owned by my Aunt, who used them to try and homeschool her own kids. According to my dad, that didn’t, ah, end very well, so they just stuffed them down here. Which means it’s perfectly fine for us to use them! So now we can begin a class that I call, “How to be Human”! Let’s start off by, uhh…”

Deuwie paused and then grabbed a paper to his right, opened his mouth again, only for a nervous laugh to escape it. “Wait, uh, wrong paper! L-lemme find the right one.” The boy then picked up the whole stack and began flipping through it, and Hornet felt a pang of second-hand embarrassment as she realized Deuwie hadn’t planned this out as well as she thought. 

She was sure pretending to be a teacher as a child was fun…while playing with other children, at least. Unfortunately, poor Deuwie was finding out that actually acting as an educator, even one as casual as this, was not always a “make it up as you go along” role. No doubt he had imagined this scenario in his head a hundred times since this morning, but now that it was actually here…

“Deuwie…” Quirrel started, noticing the same thing Hornet had. “Are you alright? If you’d like we can postpone this and do it another time-” 

“No no, it’s okay! I just, uhm…agh, okay. I’m sorry, guys.” He said, clearly embarrassed as he sat down. “I was so excited to do this and spent so long setting everything up that I completely forgot to actually think of a starting point. I have no clue where to begin…” He gestured towards the pile of paper. “If you want, you can come back later so I can try to set something up, but it might take a while-”

Suddenly, Hollow furiously tapped his fingers against the desk, before writing something down and showing it off to Hornet. She hummed at his words, before relaying them. “Mm. Hollow says that this is fine. We have all we need right here, after all. This is the perfect opportunity to ask all the questions we were too afraid to ask before.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ah, I see what he means.” Quirrel said, nodding along. “Remember yesterday, when we admittedly overwhelmed you with questions once we made it back to the house, and you told us to save them for later? With all this setup you have in that stack, I’d say you have a great opportunity to properly teach. After all, educating is not just the instructor relaying facts and the students taking notes. A major factor is the curiosity and desire to learn, and I believe I speak for all of us when I say we’re eager to know more about how to properly function in this body.”

“Huh…huh! Yeah, that’s true! That could work! I’m pretty sure I know where everything is in here, after all. I just can’t figure out a good starting point.” Deuwie said, taking the stack of paper and separating it across the table. “So you guys could just ask me anything you want, and we’d go from there! Like, Quirrel, what was that question I asked you yesterday? Before I, uh, told you guys to slow down a bit?”

“I asked what this…expanding in my chest was. Which I imagine is a perfect place to begin.” He said, settling in for what Hornet hoped was an informative QNA session. She did have her own queries she’d like answered, after all. “We don’t breathe the same way as you, Deuwie, using our mouths and noses. We intake air through small holes throughout our body, rather than a few large ones. And when we breathe now…I can feel something in my torso puffing up like a Fungoon. What is that?”

“Oh, those are lungs! Guess it’s time for anatomy class. And I have just the thing.” Deuwie said, before reaching behind the desk and pulling out a large, cross-section model of the human body, displaying the inside of the skull as well as several internal organs, most of which were labeled. Hornet was happy to see some she recognized, albeit shaped differently, such as the stomach and brain, but there were others that were completely alien to her, namely the lungs Deuwie was going on about. She looked down at her chest and breathed in, touching her torso as she tried to imagine the two large, fleshy sacs expanding and contracting with each huff of air. Was that what that was? 

“So, the lungs,” The boy started, pointing to them. “They’re responsible for our breathing! When you breathe in, they blow up, and when you breathe out, they shrink! All there is to it, really.”

Hollow scribbled something, and Hornet leaned over before translating. “He says that sounds incredibly inefficient, which I must agree with. Your entire breathing apparatus, our current breathing apparatus, is supported mainly by a thin tube connected to the same one food goes down? What if we choke on something?!”

“Then you need to dislodge it before you suffocate, of course!” Deuwie said, way too cheerfully, before clearing his throat. “Okay, yeah, the human body doesn't have a perfect design. But just keep doing what you’ve been doing, chew your food carefully, and I promise you’ll do fine! Alright?”

“…Very well.” Hornet said, swallowing deeply. They had just started and already Deuwie had put the fear of Wyrm in them with his knowledge. Frankly, Hornet wasn’t sure if she wanted to know just how much more of a mess her new body was. But then Ghost wrote something down before raising their hand eagerly, and she reminded herself why she was sitting at this desk. 

She had to be here. For their sake. 

“Hm. Little Ghost is asking what that white stuff around our lungs and brain is. Which, admittedly, I am curious about as well.” Quirrel said, pointing at the model’s skull.

“Wait, you guys…? Oh, right! I can’t believe I forgot insects don’t even have bones. Always crazy to think about.” Deuwie said. “Okay, bones! Besides the brain and heart, quite possibly the most important part of our anatomy! I think I might have something that would work better, though. Gimme a sec!”

Deuwie then ran off into the basement, and returned a minute later carrying something so strange looking that Hornet couldn’t stop herself from blurting out, “What is that?!” 

The “that” in question was a tall, thin, white…thing that was vaguely humanoid in shape. It had empty holes for eyes, long arms and legs common with the species, and was very smooth. Hornet recognized the “plastic” material it was made of, but beyond that she didn’t know what to make of it. Although, it seemed like…like…

Wait. 

The white bars on the thing’s chest…it matched the ones on the model body. And those teeth. Those were unquestionably human teeth. The exact same she had. 

Oh no.

Don’t tell her that-

“This is a skeleton! Every human has it inside them, including you guys!” Dewi said cheerfully, and the room tensed up as everyone came to terms with the fact that this thing was in them. Quirrel was the first to speak, slowly getting up and approaching the model, which was held in place by a stand.

“This is…in our bodies?” He asked, reaching out and stroking the skeleton carefully. “I…why? What does it do for us? I can tell you that we don’t have anything like it. I’ve never seen something similar in all my travels.”

“It’s here to support us, I guess? As well as protect our organs, which is the job of the ribs.” Deuwie said, pointing at that general area. “The skull, too! Fun fact, the human skull is one of the hardest things in nature. I think. I read it all on this website, and it’s been a while so it might not-”

Save for Quirrel, no one was paying attention to what Deuwie was saying anymore. Hollow held out his hand, flexing his fingers over and over as if grasping the fact that super-tough, little white objects were underneath all that meat and muscle. Ghost was gently knocking their fist against their head, as if testing their skull’s supposed durability. And Hornet? She was just sitting still, trying to ignore the cold feeling once again crawling up her back. 

This body was never going to run out of ways to creep her out. 

“-and the tiniest bone in your body is in our ears, and one of the hardest is the femur in our legs!” Deuwie continued, knocking Hornet out of her thoughts as she looked up to see the boy now reading off a piece of paper. The woman cleared her throat, getting everyone’s attention and she leaned forward and clasped her hands together. This class was an intriguing idea, but she had to get him to move to another topic instead of one that made the group feel even more uncomfortable in their own skins. And the first thing that popped into her head was that moment many weeks ago, when Deuwie had first tried to act as their teacher.

“I have a question of my own, Deuwie, although it’s not about anatomy.” She said, “Early on, you taught us about the world we live on and our place in…outer space, was it? I left shortly after that conversation began. I apologize now for doing that, as I simply wasn’t feeling well. If it's alright with the others, I was wondering if we could go back to that. I know Deuwie probably already told you everything, but-”

“No, actually. After you left, I said we should stop so nobody else would feel…unwell.” Quirrel said, knowing exactly what had happened as he shot Hornet a sympathetic look. “We didn’t actually get past the part you did. Which means…” He faced the front again. “…Do you still have the materials from that time, Deuwie? I think we are more prepared to learn about them now.”

“I think so. Let’s see if…yeah, here we go!” The boy replied, pulling out a few sheets of paper. “I’ll admit I was kinda disappointed when you guys stopped it there, since space is so cool and so much fun to talk about! I guarantee you’ll love it!” He said, before clapping his hands together as he showed them all a model of the solar system, consisting little more of a big orange circle surrounded by smaller, multi-colored ones. He pointed at the third planet, covered in a pretty mixture of green and blue. “So, this is the planet that we’re on now! It’s called Earth…well, humans call it Earth, anyway. I don’t know if you have your own name for it.”

“We do not. I was aware of other Kingdoms in the “cave system”, but the surface was an entirely new concept to me. I, and the rest of our kind, likely, were only introduced to it the day we met.” Hornet said. “If humans call it Earth, then it is Earth. I’d say this world is far more yours than ours, after all.” She admitted, which was an uncomfortable but undeniable fact. Considering how much larger, more complex, and widespread human civilization was compared to theirs, it would almost be offensive to consider Earth as the property of Hallownest.

‘This is the humans’ world.’ She thought. ‘We just live in a tiny, insignificant, itty-bitty portion of it.’

“Good point. Earth is it, then!” Deuwie agreed with a nod. “So, planets are these huuuuge balls of rock and dust in space that orbit even bigger balls of, like, fire and stuff called stars! The star we’re orbiting around is called the sun. It’s the bright light in the sky. It’s really far away, but we’re still able to see it because of how giant it is. So don’t worry, it’s not dangerous to you!” He paused and then bit his lip. “Unless you stay outside too long. Then you can get a sunburn. Oh, and it can also cause forest fires? And my dad said it can give you  some kind of cancer…you know, let’s just stop there. But I promise that the sun isn’t some big deadly laser. I know you guys aren’t…fond of it.”

Hornet had to concede that this was true. Heck, even more so now after what Deuwie had just told them. She didn’t know what cancer or sunburns were, but she didn’t need to. Deuwie had given her all she needed to never want to go out in that blinding light ever again. Ghost, meanwhile, raised their hand, writing something down and showing it off.

“Hm. They’re asking just how big the planets and this sun is.” Quirrel translated. “The sun cannot be…too much bigger than Earth, can it?” He asked, clearly perturbed, just like the rest of them, of how unimaginably huge the universe around them truly was. 

“Uhhh…” Deuwie said, eyes darting to the right, and Hornet instantly got a bad feeling. So much for the class strictly being entertaining. “It’s bigger. It’s way bigger. I think something like…a million Earths could fit inside the sun? And the Earth itself is, like, 200 million square miles large.” He explained, clearly just listing off facts he learned in school. “You guys remember how long a mile is, yeah? I told you on one of my visits…”

Indeed they did, and that sick feeling Hornet felt back during the original space talk had returned with a vengeance. The eggs and bacon Deuwie gave them for breakfast was churning in her stomach, and she shifted uncomfortably. 

She would not run away this time. 

It didn’t matter how tiny or insignificant they were, even as humans. The size of their home planet, never mind the sun and stars, though terrifying, would not deter her. After all, Deuwie and the other humans seemed to function just fine being aware of this. She could do the same. As for the others…

Ghost, as always, appeared unbothered, although beneath their mask Hornet could their eyes widen as they reflexively glanced towards the ceiling. More than any of them, save perhaps Hollow, the little one did their best to stay out of the sunlight, even while indoors. Hornet had no idea what happened in the dream realm to cause such a fear, but as usual she decided it would be unwise to press for details. 

Hollow and Quirrel, meanwhile, were both staring blankly at the drawing of the solar system Deuwie had given them, before the latter sucked in a breath and began speaking, returning to his seat. 

“How…fascinating! It seems the world is much bigger than we assumed. But…perhaps we should move to another topic again. I think, for now, you have given us plenty to stew over.” Quirrel recommended, and everyone quietly agreed. There was a pause of a few seconds when the group thought about what questions they wanted answered, before Hollow raised his hand, pointed at his arm, and then pointed at the model before writing something down. Hornet leaned over, nodding her head at his query, which was something she wondered herself but figured was rude to ask about directly. “He’s asking why human skin and hair come in different shades.”

“Oh, that. I…may not be the best person to answer that. That’s actually something I hadn’t looked up…” Deuwie said, biting his lower lip, which Hornet understood. Bugs in Hallownest came in all sorts of hues, whether for natural camouflage or for reasons she herself didn’t understand. Because of this, all of them were quite accustomed to shells coming in all sorts of colors, but human skin and bug chitin were two entirely different things…and thus, the diversity in shade almost certainly happened for two different reasons. 

Speaking of differences, there was a fair amount of them just among their small grouping. Hornet’s eyes were much thinner than everyone else’s and her (formerly long) hair was white as paper. This half-matched with both Ghost and Hollow, who also had hair nearly as white as their masks, but unlike Hornet this extended to their skin too; pale facades that she guessed, even among humans, weren’t common for the species. Deuwie’s fur was brown and his body was mostly a light pink similar to the models, but there was a noticeable tan there as well. As for Quirrel, his skin was darker than anyone else’s and his hair was jet black with a few graying strands here and there. She wondered what the process for that during their transformation was…had it just been randomized?

“So…” Deuwie continued. “I have no clue how the differences in eye shape work, but my dad told me once that skin color depends on where you live. People living in more southern and hotter areas have darker skin, and ones living more to the north are lighter. I think…” He explained, before coughing. “B-but it’s okay either way! Honestly, I think it’s really cool that humans look so different. I know it’s the same for you guys, too. Bugs are like, a hundred times more diverse than humans are. You’re not gonna see someone walking down the street with green, blue, or purple markings, that’s for sure.”

Quirrel chuckled at this, no doubt picturing someone with such a look. “A shame. But, interesting nonetheless. When your father returns, perhaps we can ask him. I just hope that such differences have not caused any strife in human society.”

“Uhhhh…M-moving on. Let’s talk about, uh, water, since that is a huge part of human culture! Plus, it might rain soon, so you should know about all that.” Deuwie said awkwardly, which more than answered that question. He was now looking at a picture of what seemed to be clouds, with water droplets falling from them. “So, how do you use water in Hallownest? Just for drinking and bathing, or other things too?”

“It serves many purposes. Drinking and bathing as you said, but also as a method of relaxation through baths and springs. They used to be quite popular with Hallownest’s elite.” Hornet said. “Nowadays most of the springs still around are unused due to how difficult it is to reach them, but…” She leaned back and felt her cheeks warming for some reason. “…Even I admit I enjoy taking a warm soak every now and then. It is a good distraction during a long journey.”

Judging by the chorus of nods, everyone shared this sentiment, which only seemed to make Deuwie happier. “Warm soaks, huh? Hmm, I wonder if…” He put a hand to his chin, before breaking out into a Cheshire Cat-esque smirk. “Okay, I have an idea for something we could do tomorrow! I could take you guys to the town pool! Humans can’t breathe underwater or anything like that, but we do love a nice swim. My dad and I always like to go to the pool together while we’re here, so there are a couple of his bathing suits you guys could use. Ghost could borrow one of mine, and-”

“Ah, Deuwie…” Quirrel began, speaking softly. “By “town pool”, I assume you mean a public area? As in, a place that will be filled with other humans? I do not believe that would be a wise idea.”

“Y-yeah. And I know that I said it’s best if we stay indoors, but I plan for us to go during a time where there won’t be many people there, on a weekday, plus it’s, well, the pool. Everyone will be too busy swimming and doing their own thing to pay attention to us.” He grinned widely again, but Hornet could tell it was forced. 

In an instant, she could tell what he was trying to do, and although the sentiment was appreciated…

“I agree with Quirrel, for more than one reason.” She said. “I do not feel comfortable wearing your father’s clothes all the time, nor will I be surrounded by throngs of unfamiliar humans, even if they pay little attention to us…which I doubt will be the case.” She glanced over at Ghost and Hollow, their various scars poking out from underneath their masks. Even if the white hair was somehow normal, there was no way all those old wounds wouldn’t get every set of eyes pointed their way. “…We do not know how to “act” human. It won’t be long before we draw attention even if there aren’t many people there.”

“Exactly.” Quirrel said, once more reading off of Hollow’s sheet. “It’s an interesting idea, but there are too many risks. We’re not used enough to your world to be out there. Not yet.”

“O-oh, yeah. I guess I didn’t think of that…” Deuwie mumbled, looking embarrassed. “Oog. I-I’m sorry.” He said again, now sitting down. “I-I just…want to do something fun with you guys that isn’t sitting in the house all day long. I asked about water because I was curious, but when you mentioned the hot spring, I thought about the pool, got all excited, and…and…” He sighed and slumped over, and Hornet felt her heart break just a little at seeing the usually optimistic child looking so depressed. “…I wish there was more I could do for you all. I did think of all that stuff, the problems with the pool, but I just hoped we could somehow make it work. Even this class was just set up on a whim because I was thrilled at the idea of doing something together, and it fell apart instantly…”

It was at this moment that Ghost began frantically writing something down, and Quirrel cleared his throat, getting Deuwie’s attention as he translated. “It didn’t fall apart, and it wasn’t pointless, either.” He started. “This new body and world is so strange to me. Remember that first day, when you captured me in a jar? I was terrified of you at first. But then I saw you getting all excited over a “magic talking bug” and I started to trust you. Same thing here. The human world is strange and scary, but you’re doing a great job showing us that it doesn’t have to be just that. It doesn’t matter if the idea isn’t a good one. What’s important is that you care enough about us to come up with it in the first place.”

“Agreed.” Hornet chimed in. “Believe me, I understand your excitement, and admit that being cooped up in the house all day isn’t thrilling. Taking it slow is the best option, and although we can’t go in public, I am sure we can come up with something to do eventually. Not being around humans doesn’t exclude all our options, does it?”

“Heh, you’re right. It doesn’t.” Deuwie said, smiling once again. “So, any other questions? We still have a lot of free time.”

Hollow stuck a hand up, before writing down, “Why do you even have hair to begin with, if it’s mostly only on your head?”

“Ooh, I can actually answer this one! I remember my teacher talking about that last Spring.” Deuwie said, switching right back into being an excited educator. The question itself, Hornet thought, was a rather good one. The strangeness (and grossness) of the hair aside, she felt like it didn’t make sense. Why have hair if it only covered one part of your body that, according to their skeleton talk, was amply armored anyway? The rest was just a layer of fine, almost see-through strings that still left the skin visible and exposed. “So, I’m sure you noticed, but humans have the ability to do something called sweat, which is when liquid appears on our skin to cool us down when it’s really hot. However, hair acts as another barrier against the sun, protecting our heads from it. I think it also keeps our brains warm when it’s really cold, although I don’t know how much help that is.”

Deuwie then grabbed another sheet of paper, which showed an image of a hairy, two-legged animal that was uncannily human in shape, but looked like some twisted, corrupted form of one. “This is a chimpanzee. A long time ago, humans used to have fur across our entire bodies like these things, and then we evolved out of it.”

“Across your entire body? How long did that take?” Quirrel asked, staring down at his own arms like he was imagining them fully covered in hair.

“Uh. Hundreds of thousands of years. Evolution is reeeeeeally slow. But we have fossil records and stuff that let us know how long everything took.” Deuwie replied, and once more Hornet’s mind broke. Human knowledge operated on such a timescale? The history of Hallownest that she knew scarcely went back a thousand years, and yet the humans had formed a timeline of over a hundred thousand? What kind of kingdoms had risen and fallen in such a lengthy span? Was there even anyone alive today, mortal, higher being, or God, that still remembered them? 

“Just…” She started involuntarily. “How far back into the past can you see? How old even is the world we live in?”

“Earth is about 4 and a half billion years old! Which isn’t even close to the age of the entire universe.” Deuwie said, and that was followed by the longest silence of all.

“I see.” Hornet said after what might have been a full minute, nodding calmly. Strangely, this information didn’t disturb her as much as everything else. Perhaps because a hundred thousand was just as unimaginably large as 4.5 billion to her. Despite the vast difference in scale, her brain barely saw any difference to those numbers. Or maybe she was just in shock. Either way, she had to add some levity to this. Who knows how the others were taking it. “When Quirrel recommended we move to simpler topics, I do not believe this is what he meant…” She said, forcing a chuckle.

“Oh. Sorry. I, uh, did it again, didn’t I? Telling you too much at once?” Deuwie asked, leaning back against the table.

“It is hardly your fault.” Quirrel said, translating for Hollow. “You cannot be blamed for teaching us things that are common knowledge among your people. We accepted your invitation to be taught like this. If we were truly uncomfortable and wished to leave, we would let you know.”

“Indeed. Once more, I admit this is…a lot.” Hornet pointed out. “However, as significant as much of this information is, I do find myself enjoying this class you have set up for us. If it was a normal educator, I am sure I would have left. But you’re making it bearable, Deuwie. The way you speak about these subjects provide a nice layer of light-heartedness to it all.”

“Really?!” Deuwie said, stars in his eyes just like when he first met Ghost. “That’s great! I mean, from the start that’s been my main goal, after all. I want you guys to learn, of course, but I also want you to enjoy yourselves, too. As long as you are, I’m happy.” 

“And your happiness rubs off on us, so it’s a win for us all.” Quirrel pointed out, before coughing. “That said. I think you’ve given us quite a bit of information to stew over, so how about…we all ask one quick question each, and then call it a day for the class? I know I certainly have much to write about, once we are able to return to Hallownest.”

“Alright! I can’t promise they’ll be quick answers, but I’ll do the best I can!” Deuwie said. “Uhh, Hollow! You go first.”

Hollow looked startled at being called on, just like a real student in class. Still, after a moment of thinking he wrote his query, which roughly translated to, “Do humans have kings of their own?”

“Yup! Humans are split into almost two hundred different nations across the planets, which I suppose you guys could call Kingdoms.” Deuwie replied, which, considering the size of the planet, was actually less than what Hornet expected. “A few still have Kings of their own, but most others have Presidents or Prime ministers. People who are elected by other people voting for them to be in power.”

“Voting for your rulers?” Quirrel said, mouth wide. “Does that mean, if everyone voted for it, even someone like you or me could take absolute power in your society?”

“Not…really. I know there are a lot of rules and guidelines, and you have to be pretty popular to make everyone like you. My dad doesn’t like me watching news like that yet, but I know human elections are really messy.” Deuwie said. “Should I, uh, count that as your one question?”

“Oh, no. Apologies. Mine actually is about the moon. During our first talk, you made an offhand comment about how humans have been to the moon, and came back. So, what was it like up there?” He asked, remaining ever the explorer.

“It was…full of rocks. And dust. And more rocks…it’s mostly just a big ball of rock. Sorry.” 

“Oh.” The former bug mumbled, clearly disappointed, before he perked up again. “Well, that is still an impressive feat, yes? Something to be proud of?”

“Absolutely! I think it took like, hundreds of thousands of people working together just to send three up there. Probably the greatest example of human exploration ever.” Deuwie said, which seemed to appease Quirrel as the man beamed. No doubt he was already wondering if he could take a trip himself. “Hornet, you’re next. What’s your question?”

“Do humans have weapons like ours?” She asked. “I know you use nails for construction, but is there a similar tool you use for combat? You mentioned humans having wars amongst each other as well, but you did not go into great detail about them.” 

“That’s mostly because I just don’t know a lot about human wars. I asked about it in school, and it’s just another one of those things that “You’ll learn when you’re older”.” He said with a pout, before nodding. “But yeah! They may be outdated, but humans have tons of weapons like the ones you use. I’d say swords or spears are the most similar. There's also bow and arrows, big hammers, maces, throwing knives, crossbows, all sorts of stuff! I don’t have any pictures, but I can show you some tomorrow.”

“I’d appreciate that, yes.” Hornet said. A part of her wanted to ask what kinds of weapons humans had invented to make their “swords and spears” obsolete, but Hornet had already used her one question, so she stayed her tongue. (Plus she had a feeling it would be another world-shattering revelation, and she could only take so much.)

Finally, it was Ghost’s turn, and Quirrel read their question with an amused snort. “How are human babies made?”

“Ughhhhhh…” Deuwie said, leaning his head back. “I’ve asked my dad this like a dozen times, but he said he’d teach me when I’m a teenager. Plus, he said if I tried to look it up online, he’d know and ground me. Sorry. It’s something that I’m not sure about, and I don’t wanna risk getting in trouble. Although, I do know that humans don’t lay eggs like bugs do. They just, like, come out? That’s all dad told me about it…”

As interesting as the fact that humans did not lay eggs was, Hornet had to stifle a giggle at Deuwie’s reaction to the questions. It seemed that even between cultures as different as humanities and Hallownests, some things never changed. She recalled asking her mother similar questions, only to be rebuked with the same, “you’ll learn when you’re older” excuse. Considering the sheer awkwardness of the eventual Talk they had, perhaps it was for the best that Deuwie wasn’t aware of his kind's reproductive methods.

“So then...” She said. “As Quirrel mentioned, I’d say that is a good ending point. Unless there is anything else you’d like to tell us?”

“Yeah, actually. I think I have an idea for something we could do tomorrow!” Deuwie said. “I know the pool idea is a bust, and I know you guys told me it’s okay, but I still think that we all need some time outside. So, how about instead of a pool day, we all go through a nice walk in the woods? There are like a dozen different trails, and at this time of year I’d say about half of those almost never get visitors. It’d be perfect!”

“A nature walk, hmm? With no chance of unfamiliar humans appearing?” Quirrel said, now smiling again. “I must say, I am intrigued by this idea. Although is there a risk of that “cancer” or “sunburns” you mentioned earlier?” He asked, which Hornet was glad he pointed out so she didn’t have to. 

“Well, when I asked my dad that same thing, he said cancer only happens if you’re put in the sun for like, forever. As for sunburns, I’ve had plenty of those. They’re nothing serious, but your skin turns red and it burns real bad.” He explained, and Hornet couldn’t help but wonder why this species was so ill-suited to its natural environment. “But don’t worry! I have a sun spray that can prevent that. You’ll just have to rub it into your skin. Along with some bug…uh, actually, let’s cross that bridge tomorrow.” 

Besides the vagueness of that ending statement, Hornet had to admit it sounded like a nice plan. She knew that at this rate, she’d go crazy cooped up in here. A nice walk outside, even in an unfamiliar world, would be a perfect opportunity for everyone to clear their heads. 

With a soft chuckle, she then looked down at the desk and smiled as the others got up to go back upstairs. Although this entire experience was confusing and even frightening at times, with Deuwie leading them she had to admit…

…it had been a lot of fun. 

Chapter Text

“That one is an oak tree! You can see a big nest on the top! I think it’s a crow's nest, because if you look at the sticks they’re - OH! Look up look up! There’s a hawk right overhead! That’s a bird that has eyes like ten times better than human ones, and it can spot prey from like a hundred feet in the air, and while visiting a zoo a few years ago one ate right out of my hand! They’re my favorite bird besides parrots, cause’ they can talk and the videos I’ve seen of them are super cute and-”

This had been going on for a good twenty minutes now, and to almost anyone it would have been the most annoying prattle on Earth. 

It was so endearing to this group, however, that they collectively agreed to just let Deuwie get it out of his system, and the boy hadn’t stopped talking for more than ten seconds since they stepped outside. 

As promised the day before, the five of them were currently walking through the woods, sticking to a decently safe hiking path that was still well out of the way, to lessen the risk of running into other humans. At Deuwie’s insistence, though, none of the group were armed, and Hornet felt exposed, stuck outside without her nail slung to her back. That said, he did claim the only predators in these woods avoided his kind anyway, and although he was certainly…eccentric at the best of times, she had no reason to doubt his word. 

Speaking of predators, the various critters that had crossed their path so far were interesting at worst and entrancing at best. Deuwie hadn’t hesitated in pointing them out and exploding with a few paragraphs-worth of facts about each one, so at the least they weren’t in the dark when it came to information.

The first one that they saw was something called a fox, a beautifully fluffy, orange and white creature that saw the group and then dashed away. Then a skunk, which Deuwie had shrieked at the sight of as he told everyone to back. Hornet assumed the tiny animal was going to strike at them, but no, he explained after it had left, it would just spray them with something that smelled horrid. Then birds, a badger, and even a deer in the distance, which all of them marveled at the size of.  Deuwie had told them that humans were far from Earth’s largest creature, but it was still something to see one of those animals in-person. 

Something it also showed Hornet was just how…soft the surface was. In Hallownest, even without the infection, in “the wild” you’d be lucky to stumble upon an animal that wouldn’t try to make you a meal on sight. Constantly on guard, always looking around corners, the beasts of their home were forever aggressive and hungry for their fellow insects. But up here? Everything either ran away from them, or froze and then ran. Not once had they been attacked, even by the creatures Deuwie claimed ate meat. Only now did she understand why the boy said they should leave their weapons back at the house: they truly were not needed, and the only threat these creatures posed were non-lethal at best.

Once she realized this, Hornet found herself enjoying the walk much more. The tension in her shoulders relaxed and she stopped looking over her shoulder at every little sound. Soon, the singing of birds and rustling of tiny flesh-beasts in the undergrowth just became background noise, and she took a deep and steady breath as a smile came to her face. 

There was, however, still one problem with the abundance of life around them. Hornet would die of embarrassment if she ever admitted it, and it doubled as perhaps the most ironic moment in her entire life.

Before setting off, Deuwie had insisted that, alongside the sun spray, all of them be covered with a layer of “bug spray”, which he said was necessary as otherwise they would quickly be assaulted by leagues of curious, biting insects, one species of which apparently hungered for human blood. Despite how unsettling that sounded, Hornet and Hollow had refused the protection, as she was not comfortable being covered with a foul-smelling mist designed to repel and kill her own species. Ghost and Quirrel had taken to it, albeit begrudgingly, but alongside Deuwie they were clearly enjoying the walk far more than she was.

She was really starting to regret not trusting the boy’s word with this.

Barely thirty seconds outside and she had instinctively smacked a small, frail creature that had latched on to her hand, cringing in disgust when a small splattering of her own blood exploded with it. Since then, this had repeated a good five times, and that was not even getting into the other arthropods that were perpetually swarming around her. Flies. Bees. Gnats. Even an actual hornet or two. It seemed that the bugs of Deuwie’s world held little fear of the giants that walked among them, and saw nothing wrong with bothering them at every opportunity.

The entire situation left poor Hornet feeling rather uneasy with herself, because it didn’t take long for her to start thinking the same way about these mindless insects as humans did: annoying little pests that should be swatted. The first time she called them as such under her breath, Hornet had froze, shocked at how easily the insult had slipped out. She herself used to be one of those “pests”, after all, and although Deuwie said that his species would not handle a colony of sentient bugs the same way they did with mindless ones, Hornet was still perturbed at just how “human” she had become on this walk alone. It got to the point where-

WHACK

“OW! Dammit…” She cursed, after running right into a large tree branch. She held her thankfully intact nose as spikes of pain crawled up her face, the others turning around to make sure she was alright. 

“Hornet? You okay?” Deuwie called out, walking over. “Oh, jeez, did you run into that tree? Are you bleeding? I have a few tissues in my bag-”

“I am alright. It’s just a bit of pain. I have endured worse.” She replied, holding up a hand. Her eyes then fell on Deuwie’s backpack, and as she felt another fly land on her neck, its little feet crawling across her already sweaty skin, she sighed as she realized what she had to do. “Do you still have that can of…bug spray?” 

“Yeah, of course. D-do you want some?”

“Please.”

The worried look Deuwie gave her did not go unnoticed, but he still dug around in his pockets and held out the can, which she almost snatched from him. Hornet quickly began to cover herself with a cloud of the stuff, gagging at the foul smell. But, it did seem to do the trick, as that fly beat a hasty retreat, as did the other tiny creatures flying close to her. In barely thirty seconds the tiny beasts of the forest had retreated from her presence, and Hollow followed shortly after, gingerly taking the spray and covering himself with it. 

“...Sorry you have to use that.” Deuwie said, placing the can back in his bag. “I know how scary it must be, considering, y’know…” He gestured vaguely, and Hornet rolled her eyes in amusement. “…But I can already see some spots where you were bitten by mosquitoes, so I just hope-”

“No need to apologize, little one.” Hornet said. “I understand that this spray was created to repel bugs that are mere animals, not the ones of Hallownest. I suppose a part of me was just worried there would still be enough of our original forms left, buried under all this, that it might harm us.” She explained, which wasn’t even a lie. The discovery that they were fully human, with not even a hint of their original bug nature remaining, was not a comforting one. “I have killed many flies, bees, and other insects before. It is just…unnerving to know that humans have devised methods to eradicate entire colonies at once with nothing but a mere spray.”

“Yeaaaaah, it’s a pretty messy topic.” Deuwie said, rubbing the back of his head. “But hey, at least you’re good now! No more mosquito bites or bee stings. Just watch out for the ones you already got. In a day or so they’ll really start itching, but don’t worry! I got a cream for that back at the house.”

The human child then moved back to his place at the front of their group, side by side with Ghost as Quirrel tagged along next to them, eagerly absorbing all the nature facts their benefactor was spouting off. Hollow was further behind, walking slowly with a slight limp, but still managed to keep up, seeming to prefer the ambiance of the forest to Deuwie’s voice. As for Hornet? Well, she was still at the very back. She had insisted on placing herself there so as to defend themselves from any rear attack, a sentiment that, while kind, was quickly becoming pointless. 

Not that she was annoyed about it. The softness of the humans’ world, although unexpected, was not at all unpleasant. After a life of fear, hardships, and surviving in an apocalyptic environment that was once her former home, one that allowed her to just relax and enjoy herself was greatly appreciated. She still disliked being human and wished to return to Hallownest as soon as possible…but she was starting to see the cons and pros of being stuck in this form. The soft (and fluffy) beds, confusing but convenient technology, the security of the home and even the outside…there were many things about this society to be envious of. Perhaps when they returned to their natural forms, they could try and implement some changes in Dirtmouth to make it more-

"Ah! There’s someone coming!” Deuwie, and Hornet became as still as a statue, stopping as if she had run into a brick wall. “E-everyone act natural! Just move over and let them pass!” 

“What does act natural mean for hu-” Quirrel started to say, before they picked up the sound of the person approaching, and he fell silent. Hornet narrowed her eyes as the person came into view, the only human she had ever seen besides Deuwie and his father. (And themselves, she supposed.) The person in question seemed to be running towards them, and judging by their bodies similar appearance to her own, they were female. She wore nothing but a pair of shorts and a loose-fitting white garment, with a layer of glistening sweat hanging on her skin.

‘It’s alright. She’s just exercising. Going for a jog through the woods the same way I’ve seen the Fool - I mean, Tiso, doing around Dirtmouth. She’s not a threat. Just stand still and let her pass. It’ll be fine.’ She thought, moving to the side to do just that. 

Alas, as it happened, fate decided that things would not be so simple. The mystery woman passed Deuwie without issue, the boy waving at her as she returned the gesture. However, as she began to run by the former bugs, her pace slowed and her expression morphed into one of confusion. Instantly, Hornet’s heart rate spiked. Was something wrong in the way they were standing? Should they wave as well? Hollow seemed to have followed her thought pattern, lifting his hand and shaking it back and forth, although this time the jogger didn’t return it in kind. Rather, by the time she passed Hornet, the human had stopped in place, now staring at them with suspicion. Why was she still here?! Why hadn’t she-?

Oh. 

The masks.

They were all wearing their masks. 

Of course they’d look weird! Hornet only knew a handful of facts about what was considered normal in human society, but judging by how protective Deuwie’s father was of his child, four masked, clearly nervous adults hanging out in the woods with a single child was…not a great look. The woman opened her mouth, and Hornet tensed as she prepared herself for a reaction-

“Guys, come on!” Deuwie suddenly whined, stomping his feet. “I know it's annoying I made you dress up like those movie characters, but you said you’d be willing to hang out with me today! Like, uh, dad!” He then pointed at Quirrel of all people in a not-at-all inconspicuous manner. “Tell your friends what you said earlier. That you promised you’d do this play I wrote with me.”

“Uh, uh, uh…y-yes!” Quirrel said, clearing his throat. “You heard Deu - my son, guys. You all agreed to wear the silly little outfits. He’s been l-looking forward to this for a while! So let’s go.” 

The man then began walking forward as Deuwie did the same, and Hornet hastily turned around with them, hoping that their little display would be enough to convince the woman nothing was amiss. Over her shoulder, Hornet could still feel the human’s gaze burning into her backs, before finally, finally, they heard the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps as she left. Simultaneously, everyone breathed a massive sigh of relief, and Hornet casually ripped off her mask, staring down at the thing.

She still wasn’t used to the sight of it; the human equivalent of someone skinning your face and showing it to you. The plastic, white faceplate, held to her head only by a pair of string, had never felt so heavy on her neck. “Maybe…” Quirrel started, reaching up and feeling his own. “Maybe we should take these off? If another human passes by, it will garner questions.”

“We can’t. Some of us here don’t exactly look normal underneath them, either.” Hornet said, nodding towards Ghost and Hollow as she slipped it back on. She had not yet seen their full, unmasked faces, but she didn’t need to. Numerous scars poked out of their clothing, and she could only imagine what the damage looked like behind the helm. “Just keep them on for now. If another human approaches, try and hide your face.”

Deuwie, who had remained strangely silent throughout this, agreed with a simple nod. He was looking over at the silent pair as well, likely wondering what Hornet meant with her motion. She knew it was probably inevitable that he’d see their faces, she just hoped it wouldn’t be so soon...and under these kinds of circumstances. 

“Well…” The boy started, his smile slowly returning. “No reason to stop now! It’s just one jogger, and we shouldn’t see any more. The clearing we’re heading to is all but abandoned this time of year. C’mon!” He waved them on, and once more the group continued, still appreciating the natural beauty of the woods, but this time much more cautiously. 

Once they made it to the clearing, however…

Hornet stopped as she felt her breath catch in her throat. She had never truly been one to stop and admire incredible sights, but even she had to admit that there was a certain level of charm to what lay before her. In the far distance, a large waterfall hung over the entire forest, creating a rainbow and a cloud of mist that was visible even from hundreds of meters away. In the middle of the clearing was a collection of large, colorful, painted stones, several of them sporting drawings of animals, humans, and even an insect or two, with a small stream running nearby. Deuwie ran over and took a seat on one of the rocks, and slowly the others began to do the same, with Hornet jumping up on a taller one and letting her legs hang down.

“Ahh, that’s always a nice walk.” He said, laying down on his back. “At peak visitor season, this little area can get packed. The rocks are a community project thing. Every year they slowly paint them until they’re completely filled up, throw a party, and then wash off the drawings before starting the cycle again. It’s a lot of fun.” He giggled and then pointed to a small drawing of…Hornet? No, that was definitely her. Red cloak, white horned mask, large nail, and beside her was Ghost, Hollow, Quirrel, Tiso, Cornifer…all the bugs of Dirtmouth, with Deuwie himself standing over them. “I made that one only a few days after I met you guys. Pretty good likeness, no?”

“It’s…very well done, yes.” Quirrel said, staring at the portrait Deuwie had made of him, as if just remembering what his original body looked like. Hornet was stuck in a similar trance, her eyes switching between her fleshy arms and legs, and her pitch black, true body, which seemed almost twig-like in comparison. She hoped she could return to that soon, small as it was. Just like with the beds and safe habitats, there were advantages to being trapped in a human’s enormous form…but it also meant she could never return home. 

Actually, now that she thought of it…

“Deuwie.” Hornet said. “I just remembered. Did you go to Dirtmouth and inform them of our situation? We’ve already been gone for a few days, and I’m sure the people there are getting worried. I do not want them to send out search parties to the surface if they can’t find us.”

“I…didn’t. Oh crud, I totally forgot!” Deuwie said, sitting up in a panic. “Okay, stay here. I know the way to the caves, so I’ll run there really quick and then-”

“Deuwie.” Quirrel said, raising his voice for perhaps the first time as he shot Hornet a “seriously?” look. “Calm…down. Remember, we are on this walk to relax. Myself and the others have gone away for longer than days at a time, after all. There is no need to panic. You can simply inform them later.”

“Right…right…sorry.” The boy said sheepishly, before looking back at the stones. “Okay, uhm, back to it, then!” Deuwie then opened his bag and pulled out a few tiny cans of paint, along with some brushes. “I was thinking that alongside this hike, you guys could paint something of your own! I have a few different colors here, and there’s still plenty of space on the rock for you to make something! What do you think?”

“Well, Ghost says it sounds like fun.” Quirrel replied, sneaking a look at their written message. “But, ah, you said that it would be erased in less than a year's time anyway?”

“Yeah, yeah, but don’t worry! I can take tons of photos. My dad has one of those old cameras that can print out stuff, so I can give you physical copies of your art, too.” Deuwie said. “If you want it, of course. I don’t know if you guys enjoy this kind of thing, I just figured it could be a fun activity for us to do together.”

“I admit I am no great painter. It is not a skill I ever thought I should master. That said…” Hornet murmured, before her expression softened at the sight of Deuwie’s drawing of her. “…I will be glad to take part in this.”

“Awesome! Okay, okay, here’s your brushes…” Deuwie said excitedly, passing them out, before he took out a good ten plastic paint bottles from his pack. “Annnd here’s our colors! Just choose whatever ones you want. I also recommend dunking your brush in the stream if you wanna use a different one, otherwise it might come out looking kinda sloppy.”

“Hmm.” Quirrel hummed, turning the object over a few times, before chuckling as he tossed it in the air and caught it. “It has been many years since I tried art. I used to do it in my free time, as a scholar, but I eventually quit. I found I was not that good at it…or at least, not improving as fast as I hoped. But, it is as Hornet said. Perhaps this activity will renew my passion!”

Hollow did the same as Quirrel, only he examined the thing in his hand like he wasn’t sure how to handle it. Hornet felt a pang of sympathy as she watched the former vessel turn back to the rocks. From birth, Hollow had been taught he had one job and one job only, one single reason to even be alive. A proper education and fun activities like art certainly didn’t factor into his childhood. Still, judging by the determined look in his eyes, he was more than willing to give it a try…which was all Deuwie was asking for, really.

As the paint cans were opened and everyone wet their brushes in the water, Hornet stewed over what she would create. A drawing of herself felt a little egotistical (plus there was already one up there), and she did not want to make a portrait of her human form, either. Eventually, however, the former insect smiled as an idea came to mind, and she stuck her brush in a can of grey paint and began.

Each member of the group focused on their creations at their own pace. Deuwie and Ghost were moving fast, splattering tiny droplets of paint on the ground as they worked together on something. Hollow was painting the same way he ate: slow, steady, and one brush stroke at a time. Quirrel was stalling even more than he was, however, performing a single stroke, thinking about his next move for a few seconds, and then going again. Hornet just tried to keep herself busy, not going too fast nor too slow. She wanted to get all the details right, of course, but for the most part her memory was perfect, and she trusted herself to do a good job.

Once all was said and done, the newly crowned artists stepped back from their creations, finishing almost simultaneously. (Well, except for Quirrel, who took about ten more minutes. But that was fine.) Deuwie gathered the group together, before clapping his hands together. “Okay! Seems we’re all done with what we made, so let’s go see them one by one! First, Ghost and I worked together on a little something, so I hope you guys like it!”

He then led them over to their combined illustration, and upon seeing it, Hornet’s first reaction was bewilderment. It was a drawing of the two of them, albeit dressed in a total lack of garments apart from Ghost’s mask and a pair of colorful shorts they both wore. Deuwie was jumping off the end of what looked like…a blue plank of wood? Into a body of water…and Ghost was already in said water, or more specifically, under it, diving deep into the murky depths. It took her a moment to wonder what the heck she was looking at, until Hornet recalled the conversation from yesterday. Oh. This must be-

“So, we made a picture of us at the pool together! It was Ghost’s idea.” Deuwie said proudly, ignoring just how long it took his friend to mime what he wanted to draw. “We figured that even if the pool idea isn’t a possibility, we could at least try and imagine what it’d be like! What do you think?”

“Ah, the liveliness of youth…” Quirrel said with a faraway look. “It’s a very sweet painting, Deuwie. Well done, both of you. I know we cannot go to a public pool, but is there any way we could…acquire our own?”

“We’d have to ask my dad when he gets back, and he would probably only be willing to buy a small one. But maybe!” Deuwie said excitedly, while Hornet moved her gaze from the painting to the other artist, who stood beaming at everyone’s attention. It was very peculiar, just how quickly they had latched onto Deuwie’s friendship. They had shown evidence of emotions before, yes, but after the human child appeared, he was like he had unlocked something deep within the former vessel. Something that, by design, should not have been, but persisted anyway. 

Whatever the case, Hornet was glad for it. After everything Ghost had been through, they deserved to just have friends and be happy, especially at a time like this. Speaking of Vessels, though, next was Hollow, who displayed a painting of…oh. Well, this would require an explanation. 

“Whoa, who is that? They have such a cool crown!” Deuwie said, moving close and admiring the Hollow’s artwork of the Pale King himself. Hollow did not seem either proud or disappointed with his creation, and a moment later he wrote a message on his pad. “He was just the first thing that came to mind, so I didn’t fight it.” Hornet supposed it made sense, but it was still surreal to see such an accurate recreation of her father. Although the lines were sloppy, the overall design had all the correct details and left nothing to the imagination.

“The Pale King. The former ruler of Hallownest. Currently…” Quirrel began to say, before trailing off. “Missing? Dead? In hiding? I don’t know for sure.”

“Don’t look at me. I'm not even confident in my own theories.” Hornet said, before someone could point out who her dad was. Deuwie would undoubtedly have many questions, and she did not want to have that conversation with him. Not yet. “Anyway, Quirrel, would you like to show off your work?”

“Ah, yes. It is a sight that I am sure many of you will be familiar with.” He said, before taking them all over to a painting of something that, among the former insects, was instantly recognizable. 

The Blue Lake. 

More than once, after a grueling fight, Hornet had calmed her nerves by sitting next to the sparkling water, listening to the sounds of the caverns and the faint waves hitting the shore. She wished that, one day, she could see it again, although Quirrel’s drawing was admittedly quite close to the real thing. Just from a glance she could tell he was the best artist among the five of them. His drawing looked like an actual, polished painting rather than a quick sketch, and Hornet felt herself taking an unconscious step forward, eager to absorb the details. “As I said, I have not practiced in many years, so my skills may be rusty.”

“Rusty? Quirrel, this is amazing!” Deuwie said. “You could become, like, a professional painter with these skills! I’ve seen things hanging up in museums that aren’t half this good!”

“O-oh! Truly?” He said, before turning to the others. “Is it that well-made?”

Both Ghost and Hollow nodded, the former giving him a “thumbs-up”, while Hornet took another step closer. “It is. With skills like these, you could have been employed by my - by the Pale King himself. You mentioned you did it in your free time? Who was your teacher?”

“Monomon. All she did was give me a few tips, and I improved mostly by myself after I showed her some of my works. But I stopped when things in Hallownest started to become more dire.” He said, unable to hide the smile in his voice at all this praise. “Deuwie, when we get back, perhaps you could provide me with a canvas? If my skill remains as you all say it has, I’d like to try again.”

“Totally! We have a few things in the basement that could work.” He said, before they all turned to the final member of the group. “Last but not least…what did you make, Hornet?”

Hornet hummed as she led them to her creation, and Quirrel gasped lightly at the portrayal of another one of Hallownest’s most well-known figures. “Is that…?”

“My mother, Herrah.” Hornet said with a nod. “She gave all of herself to seal away the Radiance, and died so that it could finally be stopped.” She explained, trying not to stare right at Hollow and Ghost, both of whom bowed slightly at the sight of the painting. “I miss her, deeply…but her memory is always a comfort in painful times.”

“That’s…your mom? Wow, she was beautiful!” Deuwie said, and Hornet reared back in surprise before chuckling. 

“Thank you, Deuwie. Yes, she was. I did not show it often, but I cared for her a great deal, just as she cared for me. None of us would be here today if not for the sacrifice of her and the other Dreamers.” She sighed. “Regardless, I only hope this picture does her some justice. I did the best I could.”

“I think you did great. I gotta save all of these.” Deuwie said, pulling out a phone. “Dad told me I should only use this for emergencies, but there's no way I’m not taking pictures of what you guys made.” The boy then slowly circled around the rocks, snapping multiple photos of each painting. Yet another example of human technology that Hornet scarcely understood, yet if it could somehow save this portrait of her mother for all time, even after it had been painted over, then how it worked didn’t matter to her at all. Only that it did. 

Once Deuwie was done, he stepped back and giggled, admiring the newly decorated rocks. “There! I’ll come back later with the old camera to make some physical copies, but for now that’ll be fine.” He then placed his hands on his hips, before turning back to the rest of the group. “Thanks for coming out and doing this with me, guys. Even after everything that happened after I, uh, discovered you, this is the most fun I’ve had all summer.”

“The pleasure is ours, Deuwie. All the memories that these portraits brought back…it was nice to relive some of them.” Hornet said, before she casually wiped her hand across the back of her neck and flinched at the sticky layer of sweat that had settled there. Scratch that, there was a layer everywhere. She had just been so invested in this little art session that she hadn’t noticed. “Uh…would it be too much to ask that we head back and bath ourselves?” She asked. “I understand the “why” of sweating, but I do not enjoy the constant leaking of this body.”

“Oh. Yeah. I’m feeling a bit dirty myself…but that’s okay! We have a shower and a tub back home, so two of you can wash up at a time. You can take more of my dad’s pajamas to wear from the hamper, and just leave your old ones outside the door. I’ll send them through the washing machine, good as new!” Deuwie said, and with that, the group took one last look at their creations before departing. 

Thankfully, with the newly applied bug spray and lack of any more humans showing up, the journey back to the house was very uneventful, and before long they re-entered the residence, Hornet kicking off her boots as she breathed in the crisp, air-conditioned atmosphere of the home. 

“Alright, I already showed you guys how to use the shower and stuff, so I’ll, uh, let you decide who goes first amongst yourselves.”Deuwie said with a chuckle. “I’m going back out, however. Quirrel, you said I could go to Hallownest and tell them what’s up later today, so I’m doing that now. Don’t wanna go out again and get sweaty twice in one day, y’know?”

“Very well. Good luck, then. And make sure to inform them that we are well, and any help on their end would be very appreciated.” The elder bug replied, and Deuwie gave him a beaming smile. He quickly headed over to the kitchen, grabbed something from the inside the fridge, and then headed back outside. The four transformed humans looked at each other, until Hornet broke the silence by turning and almost speed-walking away. 

“I am using the tub first.” She announced, leaving no room for argument. Before anyone could say anything she grabbed a pair of PJ’s out of the hamper Deuwie had set out, and then entered the bathroom, locking it behind her. 

A nice, long bath sounded like the perfect way to end the day.

***

Deuwie hummed loudly to himself as he walked towards the cave that held Hallownest, the journey now as familiar to him as the layout of his own home. He was glad that today’s walk turned out so well. True, there was one close call with that jogger, but for the most part, it had been a perfect afternoon. Everyone got the chance to express themselves, he and Ghost had fun working together, Quirrel seemed to have a renewed passion in art, and even Hollow and Hornet enjoyed the experience. It was hard to see at times, but he had spotted the smiles beneath their masks.

Of course, his own smile faded just a tiny bit as he thought of his destination, and what might happen once there. The residents of Dirtmouth would probably be happy to see him, but once he explained what was going on? It was hard to tell. Would they blame him? Would they get angry? Deuwie gulped as these possibilities forced themselves into his mind, before chuckling nervously.

“Maybe I should’ve brought one of the others with me…” He mumbled, but no, that was a horrible idea. Seeing another human pop up alongside him would send them into a panic. Lord knows they already had a proper freak out when he brought his dad that one time. And if they were worried about what happened to the others…then just one, familiar face would be the way to go.

He hoped.

Either way, though, he was almost to the cave, so there was no turning back now. The human child flicked on his head lamp as he headed inside, the dark, wet walls no longer being the slightest bit frightening to him. Carefully scaling down the ladder his father had installed for him (good lord, did that take a lot of convincing), he grinned widely as he spotted the lights of the town. Everything seemed okay, but Deuwie still took it slow, steadily approaching the small mound of rocks and peering over it. 

As usual, there were a few bugs milling about in the streets, and as always, Elderbug was one of them, standing in his usual spot. It did not take long until someone spotted him, and a few shouts of surprise (and joy, much to his relief) were heard as the citizens pointed up. Deuwie took this as his cue to enter, carefully stepping over the rocks and into the town proper. Deciding Elderbug would be the best person to confide in, the boy approached the ancient insect, before kneeling down.

“Hey, first off, sorry I’ve been gone for so long.” He said, just before Elderbug was about to speak his own introductions. “As I’m sure you can guess, there's a lot going on, and you…may not believe me at first.”

“It is good to see you again, child. And yes, I assume you mean the strange disappearance of four of our most prominent residents.” He replied, taking a seat on a nearby bench. “I’ll admit, many of us, including myself, were worried something had happened to them, or to you. I am glad to see that is not the case.” He then paused. “…Is it?”

“Oh boy. Yeah, you could say that. Okay, soo…” He started, before grinning sheepishly. “All four of them turned into humans and I found them in the woods outside my house, and now they’re living there because my dad’s away for a few days. They’re all really worried, and I am too, and I’m scared that we can’t change them back to normal. Hornet says that a God did this to them, but I don’t know what kind of God would-”

“Pardon me, but…” Elderbug said, getting to his feet and sounding genuinely shocked for perhaps the first time. “Did you just say that Hornet, Hollow, Ghost, and Quirrel…all transformed into humans like yourself? And are now living in your house?”

“…Mm-hm.”

“Well, that is…something.” Elderbug mumbled, unsure of what else to say. “I’ll admit, many of us had our theories, but none of them were anything close to that. We figured that they were staying with you, but not because they had no choice.”

"Not me.” A voice to the right said, and Deuwie sighed as he spotted Zote there, quite possibly the only bug he hadn’t really taken a liking to. “I was confident the beast had finally turned on us and ate them. It would have been the perfect chance to prove my fighting prowess.”

"Uhhh…right. I’m just gonna ignore that one for now.” Deuwie said, more than used to the wannabe warrior's antics at this point. “Look, I know how unbelievable it sounds, but that’s just the situation. The four of them are stuck as humans, and we’re waiting for my dad to get back. I don’t suppose anyone in Dirtmouth might know a way to fix this…? Or what could have caused it?”

Elderbug thought for a moment, before shaking his head. “I’m afraid not. After you left the first day, Quirrel combed through the remains of the archives for any information there might be on your kind. Besides a few rumors about unnatural lights beyond the Wastes, he found nothing, and no magic I’ve heard of could have the ability to produce such a dramatic transformation.” He explained. “That said, I will ask around. There are many hidden places and people in Hallownest, several of whom can use magic. I will ensure that if they have heard of such a curse before, we will relay it to you.”

“Great! Thank you so much, Elderbug. I’ll return in a few days, then. Annnnd…” Deuwie pulled out a bowl of fruit sealed in a tupperware container, the sweet scent of which drew a few bugs out of their homes. “I got a gift for you all! Everyone’s favorites.”

“Mm, thank you child. Those peaches you gifted on your last visit were truly delicious.” Elderbug replied, now grinning somewhat as he approached the bowl and took in the sweet scent.

“Hehe, glad you liked it! I promise there's more than a few slices in there.” Deuwie said, before standing up and once more towering over the tiny city. “I should get back, though. I’m sorry this visit is so short, and I can’t tell you more, but, well, I…don’t wanna leave them alone for too long. They’re having a hard time adjusting.”

“I can imagine. I mean no offense, child, but when I first saw you I assumed you were some sort of mutated, malformed grub. I can only wonder what it is like to live as a human compared to a bug.”

“Well, you can ask them when you come back!” Deuwie said, heading back towards the mountain. “I’ll be back tomorrow! Just make sure to ask everyone if they might know something.”

“We will.”

“I won’t.” Zote said. “Tell Hornet I am here! I wish to duel her in her new, revolting human body.”

“Uh-huh. I totally will.” The boy replied, as he vanished over the mountains. Elderbug watched the young mammal go, before sighing as he limped towards the fruit bowl given to them. Insects turning into humans? Ancient magic? Ever since Deuwie had arrived, their little town had changed in so many ways. Some he was grateful for, some he wasn’t. 

But one thing was clear: life would never be the same again, and if what happened to Hornet and the others was anything to go by, even the very Gods were working to make sure that fact stayed a reality. 

Chapter Text

So far, today had been shaping up to be, in Hornet’s eyes, a simple, “easy” day, for which she was incredibly grateful. 

From the moment she woke up, everyone had collectively agreed that they needed some time where nothing crazy happened, with no mind-melting revelations about humans, Earth, or anything else. The former bug was currently digging into a bowl of cereal, which she had to admit was so tasty she was tempted to chew more than necessary. The others were off doing their own thing. Quirrel was in the basement, working on his newly found passion in art, Ghost and Deuwie were playing a game of something called Checkers (judging by the sounds, Deuwie hadn’t won a single round yet), and Hollow was watching TV, his eyes tracing the “cartoons” their benefactor had put on for him. Hornet was half-tempted to join him, although one look at the flashing colors and loud noises coming from the machine had thoroughly put her off the idea.

Truthfully, with everyone busy, Hornet just didn’t know what to do with herself. She couldn’t go outside without Deuwie’s supervision, she couldn’t read the language any of the books around the house were written in, and she didn’t want to interrupt anyone’s activities, either. As shocked as she was to admit it, she was bored. Bored and still stuck in the form of a giant, gross flesh-beast…although, she was getting more used to it, as Deuwie had promised. Her eating and sleeping habits had improved, and she no longer shivered at every strange noise or squelching feeling her body produced without her consent. There were still more than a few habits she knew she’d never fully get the hang of, but for now, it seemed that adapting to living as a human was becoming more and more a possibility…

Good Wyrm, did she need a distraction from her thoughts.

The idea that they may be forced to live as humans for months or even years had haunted them all for the past few days, and Hornet was now aware that Deuwie’s father, although well off, did not have the funds required to support all of them indefinitely. Either they’d need to find a source of miracle cash…or Hornet and the others would have to get a job. 

In the human world.

Almost gagging at the idea, the former insect stood and headed towards Deuwie’s room, figuring that even if she couldn’t read traditional texts, she could at least try to follow along with the story of those “comic books” the boy had shown them. The little Ghost had taken an immediate liking to the illustrated stories, and if she wasn’t mistaken, then she had heard Deuwie reading one to Ghost before the two of them went to bed. As intriguing (adorable) as that idea was, Hornet did not want to be read to like a grub. She entered the child's bedroom and quietly examined the vast amount of human toys and knicknacks littering the area, before her eyes settled on Deuwie’s bookshelf, filled to the brim with all sorts of comics, graphic novels, and if she wasn’t mistaken, books about insects, if the pictures on the spines were anything to go by.

Tempting as it was to grab one of those, Hornet knew they would most likely be educational tomes, and thus indecipherable to her. So, comics it was. She walked over to the shelf and grabbed the first one she saw, which had an image of a human wearing some sort of red costume with white eyepieces on it. With what was unmistakable a white web shooting out of his wrist, and further webs decorating the clothes. Was he supposed to be dressed as some sort of…spider, like herself? Shrugging her shoulders (and feeling admittedly intrigued by this one), she took the volume and then left to go sit in the “recliner”, only hoping that there wasn’t too much talking involved.

***

Twenty minutes after beginning to read, Hornet emitted a defeated huff as she closed the cover, as almost none of it had made sense to her. She understood some portions - the main character was some sort of costumed defender, villains attacked to steal money and he had to stop them, he did not have good luck when it came to love, at least with the female characters of the comic, and at the end of the day he would web up the bad guys and they’d be taken away by the authorities. Simple, predictable, repeating story. But any of the true underlying plot and narrative themes were lost in translation for her. 

Oh, and apparently human cities were gigantic. Even comparing the City of Tears to the size of your average bug, the scale of the metropolis the comic took place in was staggering. Hornet wondered if it was just a purely fictional creation, or based on an actual place. If the latter was true, then once again she found herself impressed at what the humans’ had created. Building things bigger and more complex than whatever came before just seemed to be their métier.

All that aside, while the drawings were nice, Hornet couldn’t find it in herself to enjoy the book. She set it on a small table to the right and sat there, staring blankly at the ceiling, until she felt a shadow loom over there. A very tall shadow. 

“Hollow…?” She asked, having expected Deuwie or Quirrel rather than the stoic, tranquil warrior, who was looking down at her with an unreadable expression. “Is something the matter?”

“Nothing.” He wrote. “I was simply wondering if you would like to join me on the couch to watch television. I noticed you were not enjoying that comic, so I’d be willing, if you wish, to find something you’d want to watch.”

As usual, Hollow’s style of writing was blunt and to the point, and although Hornet found herself smiling at the gesture, she shook her head. “That is nice of you, but I am alright. I know you enjoy those cartoons Deuwie put on, so I wouldn’t want to take that away from you.”

At the mention of the animated programs, Hollow almost seemed to flush red, before shaking his head. “It is alright. Truly. That show has ended.” He replied. “Additonally, I would be happy watching most anything on that box. You are my sister, Hornet, the last of my siblings besides Ghost, and I do not wish to see you feeling unwell. I know you are pushing yourself, just like the rest of us, so you should get a chance to enjoy the little things in life.”

Hornet let out an unwitting chuckle at Hollow’s usage of “little things”, finding it deeply ironic. That said, she had to admit he had a point. The day before had been the one she found herself to have enjoyed the most, and all she had done was go out in the woods, paint some pictures, and then take a relaxing bath. As much as she was used to a life full of constant danger and perpetual tension, a simple, quiet lifestyle like that…she found herself appreciating it quite a bit, even while stuck as a human.

Plus, watching something pointless but entertaining on TV sounded like the perfect way to distract herself, and keep her thoughts from drifting to places that she’d rather not go. With a simple nod, Hornet got to her feet, much to Hollow’s visible joy. The two of them drifted over to the couch and sat side by side, although Hollow let out a soft groaning noise as he placed his legs up on the table. Her two siblings still couldn’t speak properly, but they were comfortable enough with their new mouths (and vocal cords), that they could now make soft sounds of agreement or displeasure. Deuwie was trying to teach them how to say “yes” and “no”, but it was a work in progress. 

Of course, a major concern among them all was that even if they did teach the two of them to talk, it would all be rendered pointless once they became insects again…assuming that they found a way to change back. Deuwie’s short visit to Dirtmouth yesterday hadn’t yielded any results, but Hornet hoped that-

“Stop it.” She whispered, so faintly her brother didn’t even hear it. She was doing it again. Overthinking things when she should be relaxing. She was supposed to be watching something fun on TV, right? She had to cast all other thoughts out of her mind and just. Do. That. As if sensing her desire to get it started, Hollow grabbed the remote, switched the machine on, and thus began their great channel-surf. 

Program after program, show after show, Hornet’s confusion grew by the second, as some of the things they were switching past were…totally incomprehensible, even with a “humans are weird and make weird things, give ‘em a chance” mindset. 

One channel seemed to be a timed game of some sort, where participants traversed through a water-soaked obstacle course. Although it was clear that the platforms and other objects were padded, Hornet still winced at the sight of one unlucky man taking a red glove to the face. She motioned for Hollow to switch it to something else, and the cycle began again. Until, finally, they came across a show both of them liked. It was a hunting program involving a man named Jeremy, who went around the world trying to find and catch Earth’s “deadliest freshwater fishes”. 

Now here was something Hornet could enjoy. 

Not only entertaining, but decently educational as well. She leaned back against the couch as Hollow set the remote down, and for many minutes the two of them watched, with Hornet even making a bet on if Jeremy would catch something called a “Stingray” or not. (He did, although to her disappointment it was not as large as she hoped.)

Sadly, however, all good things must come to a close, and soon that show ended and was replaced by something bewildering involving dogs. Hornet sighed and stretched her own legs across the table, before glancing at her sibling. “Do you know if there are any TV shows without commercials? As much as I liked that last one, the constant interruptions are…ruining it for me.”

Hollow thought for a moment, before nodding. “I asked Deuwie the same thing, and he said there are. We have to find something called a “movie”. The show version of a fictionalized story, I believe, just without commercials.”

“Hm. Sounds good. The only question is how do we find one? Shall I go and ask him?”

Hollow shook his head, much to Hornet’s surprise. The next words he wrote were almost hesitant, with the pen leaving deeper marks in the paper than usual. “No. I wish for us to manage this by ourselves. Mayhaps we cannot read the language, but if we are going to be stuck in this form for a while, then we should only ask for help when we are truly lost. Besides, there should be little harm in trying ourselves, no?”

“I hope so. Let’s just pray that one of those remote buttons doesn’t cause the TV to explode.” Hornet said jokingly, although considering how crazy some of those programs were, she wouldn’t put it past the human to actually install a button like that. Regardless, the channel surfing began again, the pair flipping through commercials and random shows, before they happened upon a black screen with white text, and dramatic music playing over it. It was still indecipherable to them, but at least it looked promising. 

“One of those days we need to get Deuwie to teach us how to read…ennglesh, I believe he called it.” Hornet said. “I know he already has his hands full, and I hate running to him for answers and piling further stress on the boy, but it’s as you mentioned. If we’re trapped in these forms for the long haul, then there are some things that need to happen.”

“I know. Perhaps once his father returns, he can teach us. But until then, let’s just focus on what we’ve chosen. Even if it’s not one of those movies that Deuwie was talking about, it looks interesting to me.” Hollow replied, which Hornet couldn’t help but agree with. It had a very different start than any of the shows, that’s for sure. No lengthy opening sequences with wacky or catchy theme songs. No characters explaining what’s happening right off the bat as an introduction. No game shows, no snarky jokes, nothing. All in all, it was shaping up to be an intriguing watch. Especially since the film had a much more grainy and shaky effect than any of the shows. If Hornet had to guess, this one was made a long time ago. 

The movie started off slow, showing a small human city dominated by a “nuclear plant”, which by all accounts was a place where humans generated the electricity they used to power their homes, vehicles, everything. Hornet understood only a little of how it all worked, these strange but fascinating lights that ran on mini bolts of lighting rather than simple lumaflies, but she didn’t need to. After watching a few shows, Hornet realized that few humans knew how everything in their society worked, the same way almost none of the Nobles in old Hallownest knew how the Geo that gave them their power was mined and carved. They simply took what was given to them, without asking questions.

Hornet knew there was a lesson for her in there somewhere. She just didn’t want to figure it out.

Speaking of lessons, though, the movie sure seemed eager to impart one. The residents of the town held meetings on how the nuclear plant was dangerous and should be shut down, and the town’s Mayor (for some reason Hornet took an instant dislike to her) protested that it brought in a lot of revenue, and for the sake of money, it should be kept open. 

As anyone could predict, things went wrong. Hornet jumped as the plant exploded in the middle of the night for no discernible reason, showering strange, orange goo all over the town for no discernible reason. However, what happened next made the woman’s skin crawl, as when the human residents inspected the damage and touched the stuff, their eyes glowed, their veins turned a bright light orange, and they began to shamble around endlessly, attacking any other humans on sight.

Despite how cheesy the special effects were, to the point that even Hollow could tell this was a cheap production, Hornet had to admit that the “zombies” as the other characters called them, were a frightening thing to behold, if only because they reminded her of the infection. The glowing eyes that shined with a color, that same damn color, she knew to be wrong, the extreme aggression towards anything that wasn’t like them, and the way that normal injuries didn’t put them down: you had to destroy everything that person used to be to successfully kill them. 

She wasn’t scared of this. She wasn’t. It was all just a bad reminder of what her life used to be. The infection was gone, and this movie was just some story. That’s all there was to it. 

However, the longer the horror continued, the more Hornet felt herself growing uneased. It reached its peak when one of the characters had to bash in a zombie’s skull with a large red cylinder, accompanied by some delightful cracking and squelching sounds, and-

-A little mining bug ran towards her, screeching and holding their pickaxe high, grotesque lines of orange running throughout their body. They’re dead, they’re already dead, you have to kill them, she reminded herself, but even so Hornet hesitated for half a second, and felt the weapon scraping her-

She grabbed the remote and switched the TV off, taking deep, heaving breaths as Hollow looked at her in surprise. Gods, what was wrong with her? Stuff like this had happened before, with nightmares and flashbacks of particularly messy moments in Hallownest, but was she truly sent back there just by watching a movie? Had she become so used to her new lifestyle now that the infection was gone that she was growing soft?

Hornet didn’t want to know the answer to that question, and she had no intention of finding out.

“I…need some air.” She muttered, and then without another word, she stood up, slipped on her boots, and exited the house, not even bothering to change out of the pajamas she was wearing.

***

“Ah, come on! That’s ten-zero for you.” Deuwie said with a groan, scratching the top of his head as he stared down at the board. He and Ghost were currently playing games of checkers, and his newly transformed friend had beaten him quite soundly each time. No, scratch that, Ghost was crushing him. Despite having just learned the rules, they already proved to be an expert at the game, and most matches didn’t last longer than a few minutes. Eventually, Deuwie sat back and sighed, throwing his hands up in the air.

“Alright. I give up. I don’t think I’m gonna beat you anytime this year…” He chuckled, before tapping his chin. “Soo, what other games could we play? Chess is boring, and I kinda forgot a few rules. Most of the other board games we have here are either missing pieces or are too weird, even for me. We could see what the others are up to, but I know Quirrel is painting and Hollow and Hornet are watching TV, so I’d feel if we bothered them then-”

Ghost then raised their hand, before suddenly pointing at Deuwie’s shirt. 

“Huh? My shirt? What about it?”

Ghost began to mime some sort of explanation to him, but it became clear real quick that that wasn’t going to work, so instead they grabbed their pad and began drawing something. Once done, Deuwie leaned in to see a picture of the two of them standing side by side, only Ghost’s blank shirt was now similar to Deuwie’s, which had the design of a cartoon character on the front of it.

“Oooh! You want a shirt like mine! With cool pictures on it!”

Ghost beamed and nodded eagerly. 

“Okay! There’s a lot of shirts you can choose from, but it’s okay if you need to take your time!” Deuwie said, jumping to his feet. “I can lay them out and then start preparing dinner for every-”

That was as far as the boy got before Ghost took his hand and happily dragged him into the bedroom. There, the tiny human headed straight for Deuwie’s closet, rummaging around through his shirts before the boy giggled and gently pulled them back. “Hey, hey, slow down there! I know you’re excited, but I said I’d get some for you.” He pointed out, and Ghost signed a little “I’m sorry” signal that the two of them had come up with yesterday, before politely hanging back. 

The human child smiled as he started to pull out various t-shirts, before grabbing a pair and showing it off. “Alright! Do you want the one with the wolves on it, orrrr the one with the colorful Stick figure gang?” He asked. Ghost looked between them for a moment, before shaking their head and placing a big fat “no” on either. 

And thus began the epic game of “What does Ghost want to wear?”, with Deuwie nearly going through his entire wardrobe in the press. However, even though his friend refused most of them, Deuwie could still tell which ones they liked more. The ones with animals were a definite like, while more abstract ones with fictional characters were always a dislike. At the least, the boy knew what kind of topics Ghost enjoyed, and soon he switched to just bringing out the animal outfits.

“Okay, there aren’t many left. Here are two of the last ones.” Deuwie said, holding up what was in fact the final pair. “So if you don’t like either than maybe-”

That was all Deuwie had time to say before Ghost jolted to their feet, staring intently at the shirt with a picture of a rhinoceros beetle on it. Deuwie swore that he could see stars in their eyes, and like they were in a trance, the little warrior walked forward and gently took hold of the fabric as if it was a newborn babe.

“Oh, like that one?” Deuwie asked, and Ghost nodded so hard the boy was worried they’d hurt their neck. “Heh. Should’ve guessed. And alright! Beetle shirt it is, then. Just put it on, and I’ll wait outside to-”

Once again, Ghost had begun acting before Deuwie had finished speaking, moving to remove their shirt and mask without even waiting for him to leave the room. 

“Heheh, wait a sec, Ghost! I know you’re excited, but just…just…”

Then he saw it.

All of it.

Deuwie’s voice died in his throat as he caught his first glimpse of Ghost’s bare back, the boy’s eyes now transfixed in horror with what he saw. Almost every single inch of the former insect's body was, to put it politely, horrendously scared. As an eleven year old boy, up to that point Deuwie had seen scars as cool, badass reminders of past injuries. It meant someone was a warrior, a person to be respected, and many times he had seen movies starring ripped, experienced protagonists with a facial scar or two as a reminder that they had seen some action. Just something that made someone look cooler.

But there was nothing “cool” about this at all. 

Most of the scars were fresh enough that Deuwie could guess, at least partially, as to what happened. There were a few in the shape of giant mandibles, showing where great beasts had tried to make a meal out of his buddy. There were remnants from nail slashes and stabs, as well as melty, reddish areas that looked like places where boiling water or acid had splashed. Of course, knowing what caused all this hurt didn’t make it any better, and when Ghost turned around, wondering why Deuwie had ceased talking? 

Their face.

Oh god, their face. The human child choked a little at the sight of his bug friend's brutalized visage. Even after that peek at their back, it was so much worse than what Deuwie had expected. The most noticeable wound was a giant, angry mark that moved all the way from the front of their head to the back, like someone had taken an ax to Ghost’s skull. Deuwie knew what that one was right off the bat - the results of the splitting mask, no doubt - but the rest were still just as bad. Their lips were split, and just like the view from behind most of their skin was pockmarked by little cuts and bruises. What kind of life had Ghost led for it to get this bad? Deuwie knew they were some kind of fighter, but he never imagined this…

“G-ghost…” He mumbled, gulping deeply. “Are you…how are you even…” Deuwie then shook his head, before taking a step forward. “D-do you want me to leave the room while you change? I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable-”

At this, Ghost shook their head frantically, giving the boy a warm smile. They mouthed the word “uncomfortable” and then shook again, making it clear that, whatever Deuwie thought, this was okay with them. Even if it meant seeing…all of that. Clearly, Ghost did not care about their scars, or at the least, they didn’t care if Deuwie saw them. But as nice as this was, the boy still wasn’t okay himself with seeing this, feeling like he had intruded on something private even if Ghost didn’t think the same.

“I, um…” He started, before gulping and taking a step backwards. “I-I need to go start dinner! Keep checking out the shirts!”

With that, he dashed out of the room, only catching a bewildered expression on Ghost’s face before he exited, gently closing the door behind him. Deuwie groaned and rubbed his face, before glancing out the window. It was a grey day, full of clouds that couldn’t decide whether they would rain or not and a gentle mist hanging over the world.  

Perfect.

“I need some air…”

***

Hornet groaned as she casually sat down on the first patch of grass she saw, the moisture from the morning dew soaking through her pajamas and creating a feeling that was incredibly unnerving. However, at the moment her mind was so clouded she barely even noticed it. The movie had struck deeper at her than she even realized, and it was taking everything she had to not go grab her nail, half-expecting to be attacked at any moment.

What was wrong with her…she shouldn’t be acting like this! 

She was a warrior, was she not? She had faced down beasts far greater than those weird nuclear zombies, and they weren’t even real! Yet here she was, running scared, unable to handle it because a few paltry memories overwhelmed her. The woman growled and took off her mask, letting it fall to the ground. Hornet was no idiot. She knew full well what this was. Warrior-insects suffering from trauma, haunting memories, and recurring nightmares were a well-observed phenomenon among Hallownest’s medical community. Even the Five Knights had suffered from it to a degree. She knew that, really, it was nothing to be ashamed of.

However, she had never experienced it in a body like this, where handling both her memories and the discomforting feelings of her human form at once were nigh-impossible. 

Plus, was the mental damage all those past battles had inflicted on her really this bad? It’s not like she froze up seeing the infected near the end, after all. If anything, she was even more stoic and calm. So why had…?

Wait.

Someone was approaching.

At the sound of footsteps hitting the wet grass, Hornet turned and relaxed as she saw Deuwie there, hands stuffed in his pockets and heading right towards her. Judging by the disturbed look on his face, he came out here for the same reason she did: as an excuse to get away from it all.

“H-hey, Hornet. Didn’t expect to see you out here, too.” He whispered with a chuckle, although there was no humor behind it. He took a seat next to the former insect, just as unbothered by the wet grass as she was. “You, uh, doing okay?”

“…No.” She admitted, seeing little reason to lie at this point. “No, I am not.”

“Oh! Uh…sorry to hear that…” Deuwie said, surprised with her bluntness (and truthfulness). “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“…I don’t know.” Hornet said, laying on her back and staring at the clouds. “It was - Hollow and I. We were watching one of those “movies” you talked about. Something about zombies and nuclear power and humans turning into orange, glowing monsters.” She muttered, the words just spilling out of her. “It unnerved me, to say the least. I did not wish to disturb myself further, so I came out here. That is all.”

“Huh. I think I know what movie you’re talking about. I tried to watch it one time, but my dad said I couldn’t until I was older.” Deuwie replied. “But that’s okay. Everyone gets scared of movies from time to time. Even my grandpa doesn’t like them, and he’s older than any of you!” He pointed out. “I don’t think that’s anything to be ashamed of…especially since, y’know, that was your first ever movie.”

“But it should be. For me. The things I’ve seen and confronted in Hallownest, the creatures I’ve fought without fear, relying on nothing but my own strength…” She scoffed. “The relativity of size aside, the zombies in that movie would be nothing but bothersome pests compared to the beasts of Deepnest. I shouldn’t be scared of something like that, but I am. And it wasn’t even real! It’s just a story humans thought up for entertainment!” She shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. “Perhaps my experiences down there left more scars than I thought…”

Deuwie remained silent, unsure how to respond to this. He wanted to comfort her, of course, but he just didn’t know how. The boy was afraid he might make things worse if he said the wrong thing, since nothing was coming to mind besides a repeat of their “it’ll all be okay” conversation a while back. Eventually, the silence was broken by Hornet herself, who glanced over at the child and narrowed her eyes. 

“Wait, what are you out here for, Deuwie? Is everything okay in there?”

“Um, I guess. It’s just funny that you mentioned scars, since that’s why I left too.” Deuwie started, rubbing the back of his head. “Ghost wanted a shirt like mine, with pictures on it, y’know? So we went to my room, picked something out, and then they took their clothes off right in front of me. But…” He wet his lips and sighed. “…They were so scarred. I know those are just marks showing where people got hurt in the past, and I know Ghost fought a bunch of monsters in Hallownest, but I never expected…that.” 

He then looked over at Hornet, and for a moment she wasn’t sure if he was about to start crying. “You guys said you’d tell me the full story of what happened down there when I was older, but I’m getting kinda tired of hearing that from everyone. Is it okay if you just tell me now?” Deuwie whimpered. “I wanna know what happened to Ghost to make them look like that.”

“It’s not quite my story to tell. I don’t have all the details.” Hornet replied, before staring into the boy’s eyes and exhaling softly. “But knowing Ghost, they would not mind, and frankly, I do not wish to hide this truth for years from you. You deserve to know what happened down there, after all you have done for us, and all you have witnessed.” She then turned towards Deuwie and began speaking slowly, figuring out the best way to tell the story as she went along. “It all began many years ago, when a tribe of moths lived in what would become Hallownest…”

It was then that Hornet went into a more detailed, but still somewhat sanitized, version of the story. The history of the Radiance and the Moth tribe. The rise of her father and the Kingdom of Hallownest. The rediscovery of the Golden Statue, and the Infection that resulted as a part of the Moth God’s bottomless rage. Then…the fall of their home. Hollow and Ghost’s lives as Vessels. She left some details out, of course. Such as the fact that thousands of innocent children had been killed in an attempt to make a perfect vessel, or that so many bugs had died in the end that it was practically a genocide. Things that she knew Deuwie couldn’t handle, or she simply didn’t want to discuss.

Once the entire tale was told, the boy was left staring at her in shock, before glancing down at the ground, his hands and fingers twisting together. “So…” He started, his voice shaking. “That Moth thing I saw. On the first day, that Ghost stopped…that was the Radiance? The evil God of light thing?”

“Yes. Ghost drew it out of the Dream Realm to slay it once and for all.”

“…Huh. Doesn’t sound like a God, honestly. More like a demon.” Deuwie muttered, and although Hornet didn’t recognize the word, the child’s tone made it perfectly clear what he meant. “But then, the movie you watched, with the zombies-”

“All it did was bring up a lot of bad memories.” Hornet said, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Was watching it a bad idea? Yes, in hindsight. But I could not have known beforehand what it would contain. It was only by mere coincidence that the infected humans were orange just like those in Hallownest.”

“I-I guess so. Wait, that day…” Deuwie suddenly gasped and stood up, placing a hand to his chest. “I breathed in a big cloud of that orange stuff! D-does that mean I might turn into a zombie? Could I be infected?!”

“Deuwie, Deuwie, it is alright. I promise you are not.” Hornet said quickly, grabbing his wrist and gently pulling him back down to the grass. “This infection is not like a normal plague. It needs the Radiance to thrive and grow, and since it’s dead, it's impossible for it to turn anything to its side now. Additionally, it designed its pestilence to affect insects.” She pointed out, as he sat back down beside her. “I doubt a mammal would be susceptible. So it is okay, Deuwie. You are not infected. No one ever will be again.”

“O-okay.” He mumbled. The expression on his face was a mix of shock and contemplation, and Hornet wondered if telling him all that, in this manner, was a mistake. Before she could ruminate further on it, though, he abruptly stood up again, patting blades of grass off his jeans. “I-I think I should go start making dinner. You guys have given me a lot to think about, and I think keeping myself busy is what I need right now.”

“Dinner? The sun is still high in the sky…”

“W-well, I’m making it for five people, so it takes a while! Especially since I’m just reading instructions from a cookbook. Plus I need to start early to get working on the laundry, and I have to buy food for the rest of the week tomorrow, since my dad won’t be coming home for a few more days.”

“Deuwie, you don’t need to-”

“I do.” He said, and Hornet reared back at just how forceful the boy’s tone was. “I do. I…I have to.” He then took a deep breath. “S-see you at dinner!”

With that, Deuwie ran off, and Hornet was left staring at him as he entered the house. She wasn’t a fool, of course. She could tell he was doing it again. Trying to take care of all of their needs at once, and distract his own anxiety with work…which in the end, just made his fears worse. Just like her own fears with that movie, coming out here to avoid the vision of what might happen to…to…

Oh.

Now she understood. 

That movie sparking her memories…it wasn’t her encounters with the infected that she was afraid of. It was her fear that it might come back to spread itself anew, and just like in that film, eventually reach the humans and consume them as well. What she saw in her mind hadn’t been her memories coming back to haunt her. 

It was a vision of what might be.

It wouldn’t happen, of course. What she told Deuwie was an irrefutable fact. The Radiance was dead and gone, and without any statues or trinkets left to remember it by, in only a few generations only dust, echoes, and whispered words would remain of the former God of Light. But it was like the boy said. Fear didn’t have to make sense. She had lived almost her entire life in a constant state of weariness, and now…and now…

The thing she feared more than anything was having to go back to that life now that she had this. 

***

When Deuwie woke the next morning, he was stuck still stewing over everything that happened the day before involving Ghost and Hornet, the memories burrowing into his brain like a tumor. Even putting aside the scars and the story of Hallownest, what came after wasn’t much better. Dinner had gone okay, but there was a certain feeling of awkwardness hanging over their heads as they ate. Predictably, most of the group went to bed early, as all of them were too tired to do anything else once they finished eating. More than anything, he wanted them all to just be happy…but he could barely even do that himself with how lousy today had been. 

In fact, Deuwie was so distracted by this thought that he didn’t even realize something was wrong until he moved to pull away his blankets with a soft groan.

Only for that groan to come out as a faint “BZZZZZ” noise, causing the boy to shoot up, eyes darting left and right as he saw he was no longer in his bed, but rather…on the floor of the living room? What the heck was he doing here? And wait, why was everything so huge?! The furniture and even the strands of the carpet were towering over him, and the ceiling looked as tall and faraway as the peak of Everest. What was going on?!

With a great deal of trepidation, Deuwie glanced down at his body, only to scream as he saw a striped, exposed, chubby, and fuzzy form instead of his pajamas and normal human skin. It wasn’t just how he looked, either. Everything felt wrong. His mouth was a strange combination of mandibles and a proboscis that he found impossible to manipulate. His antennae were flicking back and forth like branches in the wind and his wings fluttered helplessly, smacking against the ground and his own body. He couldn’t even stand on his own two feet! What the heck was going on?! Had he been transformed into a bug just like the others had changed into humans? 

‘Help! Help! Someone help me!’ He tried to scream, but all that resulted were more strange buzzing sounds. Deuwie felt the urge to cry as he once again tried and failed to stand up, before an Earth-shattering BOOM resounded around him, and he froze before turning to see Ghost there, in human form, looking around in what was clearly confusion. 

Deuwie had to strain his neck (did he even have one anymore?) just to see his friend’s face, and he was frozen in both fear and awe of just how enormous the former insect was compared to him. Was…was this what his friends had seen, every time he showed up to Dirtmouth? He knew he was a giant compared to them, but Ghost felt like a walking mountain! Deuwie was left trembling in terror on the ground just by being in their presence, unable to even summon the courage to breathe. 

Was he truly this terrifying to the average town resident?

Whatever the case, Ghost sure didn’t see him, and continued walking forward before glancing back and forth again. Even louder footsteps came from behind them, and Deuwie gasped as Hornet showed up, looming over his little, finger-sized frame like he was, well, a bug. 

“Have you found Deuwie?” She asked, and Ghost shook their head. “That’s a shame. I hoped he would still be in the house, but…we should’ve expected this. He’s run away from us. Honestly, though, it’s not like this is any kind of surprise. He’s just a child, after all. He can’t handle any sort of responsibility at that age.” She sighed. “We were fools for thinking otherwise. He probably just wanted to get rid of us…and to think that he called us his “friends”.”

‘W-what? NO! I care about you guys! All of you! I wanted to help! You are my friends! I never lied about that!’ He sobbed, but the feeling of despair inside him only increased as Quirrel came into the room next, nodding his head. 

“Indeed. I had hoped he would come up for a solution for our problem, but what could we expect? He’s just one little kid.” He pointed out. “He doesn’t know anything. Even when it comes to the human world, he’s helpless. Heck, all those dumb activities he had us do, over and over. It was more annoying and childish than anything else. A part of me is almost relieved.”

‘R-relieved? N-no. That’s a lie! You guys don’t think that! I know you don’t!’ Deuwie whimpered, but alongside their thundering voices, his tiny little buzzes were just background noise. Even Ghost, the first one of the bugs he met, the first to accept him, a person he would even call his best friend, shared this sentiment, placing their hands on their hips and nodding in agreement. They then walked towards the front door, and he covered his face and screamed as their gigantic foot raised up and came down on-

“AHHHH!” 

With a jolt, Deuwie flailed around in his bed, the nightmare he had been trapped in ending in the worst possible way. The boy threw his blankets off him and sat there, gasping for air and staring at his wall. A faint rustling sound beside him drew his attention, and Deuwie turned to see Ghost, sitting on the floor bed he had made for them, staring up at the human child sleepily with an expression that clearly read, “Are you okay?”

…What the heck was he even supposed to say to that? “Yes, I’m fine, I just had a dream where you all belittled me and then you stepped on me after I turned into a bug”? That wouldn’t go over well. With a sigh, a reassuring nod, and a single mumble of “nightmares”, Deuwie hopped out of bed, left the room, and headed into the kitchen, slapping the wall as he frantically flicked on the light. He dragged himself to the sink and splashed some water on his face, the cold liquid knocking him out of the last remnants of his nightmare. It also meant his pajamas were partially soaked, but he didn’t care. Wearily wiping his face off with a hand towel, he sat down at the table, feeling like he had aged thirty years over the course of that dream.

‘He’s just a child, after all. He can’t handle any sort of responsibility at that age.’

‘He doesn’t know anything. Even when it comes to the human world, he’s helpless.’

‘A part of me is almost relieved.’

“Ugh. Shut up…” He mumbled, running his hands through his hair. Knowing all that had just been a nightmare made him feel a little better, but even if it wasn’t the real Hornet and Quirrel saying those things, their imaginary words still stung. He had plenty of similar thoughts himself, after all. Constantly wondering if what he was doing wasn’t good enough, or if the activities he came up with were actually helping his friends cope with their situation. There were just so many things he needed to do for them, after all, even in the span of a single day.

Speaking of which…

Deuwie then got up and walked over to the counter, before opening a drawer to reveal a wrinkled piece of paper. On the day after his friends had turned into humans, the boy had written a list of everything that he might have to do that day and the coming days to assist them with their new bodies and lives. Unfortunately, what he thought would be an easy task became much harder than he thought, because even as just hours passed that list kept getting longer, and he felt himself slump over as he read over the thing again.

-Buy more food, shampoo, and soap with emergency cash given to you by dad.

-Wash everyone’s clothes to make sure that they don’t run out of things to wear.

-Wash the sheets and couch cushions before Dad gets back.

-Keep your friends entertained and come up with fun activities to ensure that they don’t become all sad again.

-Find something to do that’ll just be between you and Ghost. (More Board games?)

-Do regular chores (vacuuming, dishes, dusting,) on top of all this.

-Take out the trash and recycling.

-Visit Dirtmouth daily to see if they have any news on how to undo this. 

-Try and teach Hollow and Ghost how to speak. 

-Try and teach everyone how to read and write English.

-Take in the mail and sort through it to ensure that there’s nothing super important.

-Keep up with your summer reading list and various assignments given to you by teachers last Spring.

-Make sure to-

“Deuwie?”

“GAH! What…oh, hey, Hornet.” The boy said, looking to the right as he saw the woman standing over him, half-hidden by the darkness and thankfully no longer the size of a skyscraper. Guilty as he felt for waking her, after the talk the two of them had today, he was glad that Hornet had been the one he woke up. She’d understand what he was feeling more than any of them. He relaxed and turned back to his list, feeling another pang of anxiety as he realized just how lengthy the dang thing was. “I know, I know. It’s late. I’m sorry. I just had a bad dream, and I was trying to distract myself with this.”

“What is it?”

“It’s…a list.” Deuwie replied, trying and failing to hide the piece of paper. Hornet sighed and gave him a look, and with how tired he already was, the human child knew he wasn’t going to win this battle. He casually slid it towards her, sitting back down and laying his head against the table. “A list of everything I have to do tomorrow and…after that. I know it’s kind of embarrassing to keep track of this all by writing it down, but I’m having trouble. I figured this would make it easier.” He mumbled. 

Hornet silently grabbed it and looked it over, her stomach dropping further the more she read. And this wasn’t even the full thing. How much stress and responsibility had this poor kid been placing on himself for their sake? Hornet knew he was pushing himself, and she had seen a hint of it when they were outside earlier, but this was just…

No. This wouldn’t do. Not at all. Deuwie was their benefactor, but he was not their problem-solver, either. 

She had to stop this before the kid tore himself apart. 

“Deuwie, I don’t believe this is healthy…”

“What, the list? Of course it is! It’s helping me keep track of-”

“No, this. Placing all these burdens on your shoulders. You’re still a child, you know. You shouldn’t have to deal with so many problems.” 

“Well, maybe…but I’m the only one who knows how to do a lot of them. Cooking, cleaning, teaching, all of it! I don’t wanna be mean, but it’s just easier for me to do all that than showing you guys how. It’s…it’s the right thing to do.”

“Why…?”

“Because…uhm.” He started to say, before Deuwie hugged himself and shivered. “I-I have to do it. I have to. It’s my fault.”

“What?” She gasped, recalling he had said the exact same thing earlier.

“It’s my fault!” He blurted out, and instantly Hornet could tell he had been keeping that one in for far too long. “That you guys are humans. That you’re stuck as something you’re not. I-if I hadn’t gone in the cave that day…” Deuwie shook his head, and the former insect felt her heart break as tears started to appear in the boy’s eyes. “I have to do this for you guys. I have to take charge. I-if I don’t, then-”

“Then nothing. Look at me, Deuwie. Look at me. It is not your fault, understand? It. Is. Not. Nobody here blames you or holds you accountable for all of that.” Hornet said, leaning forward and placing a hand on his shoulder. “You didn’t know this would happen, and neither did we. Something did this to us, but I guarantee it wasn’t you, alright?”

“B-but-”

Without another word, Hornet did the unthinkable, pulling him close and drawing Deuwie into a hug. He froze as he felt her embrace him, before stifling a sob as he frantically hugged her back, two simple motions that completely washed away any doubts brought on by the nightmare, the list, and every other issue that had popped up over the last few days. Hornet had surprised even herself with that move, but right now, that didn’t matter. The only thing that did was making sure Deuwie was okay. “I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” He whined. “I didn’t mean to-”

“Shh, it’s alright.” She said, in a comforting tone that she didn’t even know she had in her. “Deuwie, please. Let us help. First thing tomorrow, we’ll make breakfast for you. You can instruct us from the sidelines if you wish, but other than that, just sit at the table and wait for us to be done. And then, we’ll split up that list however we can. You don’t have to do this alone, and you won’t. I promise.” She whispered. “I know you’re scared. I am as well. But I’m telling you now what you told us. We’ll all get through this together. Okay?”

“…Okay.” He sniffled, nodding his head. The two remained like that for a while, before Hornet smiled and gently pulled back, waiting until Deuwie was ready to do the same.

“Good.” She replied. “Now, let’s get you to bed, yes? I’m sure Ghost is wondering where you are.”

“Mmmmkay.” He replied, before rubbing his eyes on his sleeve. Hornet took the child by the hand and led him to the bedroom, where Ghost was asleep on the floor bed, limbs splayed out like a starfish and mouth hanging open. The boy immediately felt bad for having avoided his friend all afternoon, all for something that wasn’t even Ghost’s fault! First thing tomorrow he would wake up and explain the situation, even if it wasn’t easy. 

Especially if it wasn’t. 

If there was anything Deuwie had learned the past few days, the most important conversations were never simple ones. He sighed and casually climbed into bed, Hornet’s silhouette now outlined by the light of the hallway. The two glanced at each other, shared an understanding, comforting look, and then the human child pulled the covers up to his chin.

“Goodnight, Hornet…”

“Goodnight, Deuwie.” She said, before closing the door. Once that was done, Hornet switched off the kitchen light as well, before heading to her customary place on the couch. While the first night had been a challenge, to say the least, after a few more days of practice she now had little trouble sleeping in this form. Hornet lay down on the cushions and stared blankly at the ceiling, thinking about that list Deuwie had made. There were certainly a few things on there she was sure she could do, even if it wasn’t very well. She’d have to ask him to explain some of them in the morning…but no more. She had made a promise to help, and she intended to keep it.

But one thing was certain. 

Deuwie had, so far, done an excellent job of ensuring that none of them were forced to get through this trial alone, and Hornet knew that starting tomorrow, they’d all work together to make sure he didn’t have to, either. 

Chapter Text

4 days.

Just 4 more days until Deuwie’s father returned from his work trip, and Hornet knew that, although all of them were using this as some sort of deadline, his presence would change things around here very little. She did not think him heartless enough to forcefully kick them out (it’s not like they had anywhere else to stay), nor would their daily boredom and constant waiting differ, either. Two days before Deuwie had gone to Hallownest and informed them of their little situation, and the day after, he returned to see if anything had been uncovered.

Of course, there was no news to report. It would likely take weeks of searching for the denizens of Dirtmouth to find anything useful, assuming there was anything down there at all. Hell, At this point Hornet wasn’t even sure what they should be looking for. Information on humans? Ancient magic spells? Strange tales of transformation? Plus, even if they did find one or all of those things…there was no guarantee they’d be able to do anything about it. Hornet knew more than a few bugs skilled at magic, but none of them were powerful enough to cast a spell like this. Which meant, even if they did find some centuries-old ritual that could change them back, they might not be able to use it.

All in all, their overall situation was the same as it had been on day one: a complete and utter mess.

That said…

The tension and anxiety that had formed initially had certainly dissipated. Hornet had woken up everyone early and told them what happened the night before with Deuwie and his list, and after a brief discussion, they all agreed to help out with the abundance of chores he had made for himself. Of course, there were some they couldn’t do no matter what, (Hornet was both impressed and disturbed the boy had set himself on single-handedly teaching them all to read and write English) but that was hardly a problem. At breakfast they all had a group talk, and thanks to the dialogue he and Hornet had the night before, Deuwie was amenable to the idea. Most of the house chores, such as vacuuming, dusting, washing dishes, and cleaning laundry would be passed off to the former insects, while their benefactor would strictly handle anything that happened outside. 

Namely, grocery shopping, which is what he was doing right now. 

The child had left about a half hour ago with a pocket full of cash given to him by his father, and at the moment the gang was waiting for him to return, lounging about on the couch and recliner as they watched some pointless reality television. This time, it was a show about who could construct the best looking “cake” for a table full of judges, which Hornet found quite irritating since even after completing their tasty-looking creations, the chefs were not allowed to have a bite themselves. And judging by the expression on Hollow’s face, she wasn’t alone in sharing this sentiment. Next to Quirrel, the former vessel had taken to eating the most out of any of them, and he particularly enjoyed human sweets and confectioneries…such as cake. 

When Hornet scoffed and Hollow grumbled at the sight of one of the giant pastries falling over, Quirrel sensed the mood changing and moved to change the channel, before Ghost raised their hand and began scribbling something down. “No more TV.” They wrote. “I don’t think we’ll all agree on something to watch. I wanna try those video games Deuwie talked about! Remember? He showed us how to turn the “console” on a few days ago.”

“Video games…?” Hornet echoed, her eyes turning towards the white block sitting under the television. Ah, yes. Yet another piece of human technology that she had trouble grasping the existence of. If the way Deuwie talked about it was anything to go by, these “video games” seemed to be exceptionally popular among his species, despite the fact that they seemed to provide no pragmatic use beyond entertainment. Hornet was never one to indulge in such games unless she could benefit from it, but then again, the way that Ghost was already jumping out of their seat, and Hollow and Quirrel’s renewed attention…

…maybe one game wouldn’t hurt?

***

“Don’t you dare throw that Blue Shell at me, Quirrel!”

“You reap what you sow, Hornet! I wouldn’t have the blue shell if you hadn’t knocked me to tenth place with the red one!”

“Irrelevant. No, nonono - AGHHHH!” Hornet yelled, as her character exploded into a ball of fire. Quirrel laughed heartily as his own racer sped past his opponents, right past the finish line. She groaned loudly and tossed the control to Ghost, who caught it one-handed. “That was a cheap move.”

“You were the one who picked out this map. Don’t complain about it now!” 

“Yes, yes…” Hornet said, her frustration vanishing as a tight smile returned to her face. In less than an hour the woman had gone from seeing Deuwie’s games as something pointless to becoming personally invested in them. The strategy, the attack methods, the possibility of failure with no real consequences…no wonder humans had so many of these things. It was a little hard to play without being able to read English, but thankfully the colorful characters didn’t seem to speak the language either. That had been her eighth game, but still she found herself itching to continue playing. “By the way, what time is it? How long did Deuwie say he’d be gone?”

“About an hour or so, I believe.” Quirrel replied, completely enamored with the screen as Hollow and Ghost began to face off. Good lord. The little vessel looked less determined when they had prepared to face their infected sibling. This game was doing wonders for them all. No wonder Deuwie was so eager to show it to them. 

Speaking of the boy, though, it had been much longer than an hour since he had left the house. Two hours, perhaps, or maybe an hour and a half, judging by the position of the sun in the sky. Far longer than he said the trip to the store would take. The woman got to her feet and slowly made her way over to the window, staring out into the world. Night was starting to fall and the sun was slowly vanishing over the horizon, painting the sky a beautiful mix of orange and purple that reflected against the clouds. Various muffled insect chirps and bird songs made their way through the glass, the critters of the forest settling down for the night as the one automatic streetlight close to the house clicked on.

And Deuwie still hadn’t returned.

Had something happened to him? The possibility gnawed at Hornet’s brain, and she shifted uneasily. The human world seemed safe enough, but she was no fool. Even in Hallownest’s old days, long before the fall, the alleyways of the City of Tears were still pockmarked by gangs of thieves, con-artists, and just general creeps, always on the lookout to prey on any bugs foolish enough to enter the darkest parts of the Kingdom. Of course, Hornet also knew that the town had to be safe, if Deuwie’s father trusted his son enough to go and buy food himself, but…still. She couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling in her gut, and her worried stance did not go unnoticed by the others.

“Hey, are you alright…?” Quirrel asked, turning away from Hollow and Ghost, who were having a very fierce competition. “Is it because you lost? It is only a game, Hornet, I did not mean to-”

“No, no, it’s not that. The game was, admittedly, quite a lot of fun.” She replied, waving this off. “My concerns lie elsewhere.”

“With Deuwie?”

“Who else?” She sighed. “He said he would be back in an hour, but it has been far longer than that, and what especially worries me is that we don’t even have a way of checking up on him. He showed us how to use that “phone”, but only the emergency number…which we can’t rely on for obvious reasons.” She walked back over to the couch and sat down. “I hope it is nothing more than simple paranoia. But after our talk last night, and what has happened the past few days, I suppose I am…overly anxious about his safety.”

Quirrel thought about this for a while, rapping his fingers against the arms of the recliner, before stretching out. “Well, firstly, I am happy that you are so concerned with his welfare, and I am sure he would be too. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t becoming a little paranoid myself. But secondly…but what do you think we should do about it? You said it yourself. We don’t know how to reach him, and it’s not like we can follow him into town, either. Sadly, I don’t see any other option than just continuing to wait for him…”

The last few bits of that Hornet hadn’t heard in the slightest, the woman focusing on Quirrel’s second option. “Follow him into town”. On paper, it sounded like a very bad idea that could very easily go wrong. As much as she loathed to admit it, Hornet was still unnerved by just the thought of being around a bunch of unfamiliar humans. Perhaps she was one now, but that didn’t change the fact that they were still, technically, gigantic flesh-beasts who all hated insects with a passion. The idea of being surrounded by people who wished for her kind to be exterminated, just for the crime of “being a pest”…it made her grit her teeth and shudder.

Of course, in practice…

If she told someone she was a bug, they’d likely assume she was a loon and just walk away slowly, and it’s not like they would ever assume that anyway. Her face, while carrying some scars, was not damaged to a ridiculous degree, and should draw no more than a few curious glances if she went unmasked. Additionally, if the clothes of the people on TV were anything to go by, the woman could simply remove her cloak and keep her pants and shirt, and that should be enough of an outfit to do away with any suspicion. Truly, the only thing keeping her from going into town to look for Deuwie was her own lack of human social skills, and fear of the giants that…that…

No.

They were not giants. Not anymore. She had faced down enormous beasts in Deepnest many times. Never once did she back down or give up on a fight. And now that she had become a beast herself, she was suddenly going to abandon that attitude? All because of a silly thing like fear? Screw that. If Deuwie was in trouble, then she had to help him. Maybe he had told them not to follow him into town, but Hornet didn’t like to take chances. She didn’t like this. She gulped and turned around, heading for her boots-

“I know that look.”

“…What?” She asked, turning back to Quirrel.

“The look on your face. We have been human for less than a week, but I’ve seen that expression more than once. You’re about to do something without thinking twice about it.” He said. “And I can guess what that is.”

“Then you should also know why it’s necessary.” She said, as Hollow and Ghost paused their game to stare.  “Deuwie is missing at this point. That is irrefutable. You know him. Even after the talk we all had this morning about getting him to calm down and take it easy, he would sprint all the way home if it meant making it on time and keeping his promise to us.” Hornet pointed out. “There is a genuine reason to be concerned.”

“I know. Which is why…” He groaned and stood up. “…I am not going to stop you. I’m not coming with, as someone has to stay here and tell Deuwie what happened if he does return while you’re out, but I won’t try and hold you back, either.” Quirrel flipped up his mask and gave her a soft look, his wrinkled features creasing. “But do you think you’re prepared to go out there by yourself?”

“You just said you weren’t going to stop me.”

“I’m not. I’m only making sure you’re ready.” He replied. “Humans still scare me. I know they still scare you as well. And going out there? Into town? They’ll be everywhere. I’m asking if you’re sure you can handle all that. You can’t bring your nail or mask, after all. Those will only draw attention.”

“I know. I am not happy about that…” She said, looking at the umbrella stand where all of their nails were stored together. “…But it is unavoidable. However, even in this body, if I run into an aggressive human I am confident enough in my self-defense skills to fight them off.”

“If that happens, I’d recommend just running. Starting a fight will bring the authorities on your head. But if there is no other option…” He sighed deeply. “…Just try not to kill them.”

“I will do my best. I…” Hornet then glanced down at her chest, thinking of Deuwie's lessons and the model of the human body, full of soft, vulnerable organs. “…am not sure how much damage a human can take before perishing. Considering the total lack of natural defenses, besides bones, I assume less than us. Comparatively, of course.” She took a deep breath. “In any case, if I engage in a fight, I will aim mostly to break their limbs rather than their chest or head.”

“Good. Stick to brightly-lit streets, is my recommendation, and hopefully you’ll be fine.” Quirrel said. They stared at each other for a minute, before he laughed timidly. “Gods, you’re really doing this, aren’t you?”

“Yes. It has now been a good two and a half hours, I’d estimate. Something has gone wrong, and I intend to find out what. I cannot wait here.” She said, before placing a hand on his shoulder. Physical contact of any kind tended to unnerve her, but she needed her friends to have faith in themselves at a time like this. More than ever. “I trust in you, all of you, to keep things in order until I return. I will not come back until I have found Deuwie. That is a promise.”

“One I don’t think you’d ever break. But also, don’t hesitate to just…ask around if you can’t find him. Perhaps, ah, you can masquerade as a mother looking for her son?”

Hornet snorted at this, unable to hide the tiny laugh that Quirrel’s little suggestion resulted in. Despite how long she had lived, a proper maternal role was not one she ever imagined herself fitting into. “I will consider it.” She then slipped on her boots, took off her cloak and mask, and glanced down at herself one last time. She looked…okay, she supposed, which would have to be good enough. Glancing back at the rest of the group, she saw Ghost and Hollow staring at her, the former clearly wishing they could come with. Sharing only a nod between them, the woman then grasped the door handle and opened it, the faint breeze that came in feeling as powerful as the gusts of a hurricane.

“Good luck.” Quirrel said, wringing his hands together. “And be safe! If it gets too overwhelming, don’t hesitate to come back. O-oh, and remember to draw a mental map so you don’t get lost! Also, make sure to-”

“I will. Thank you, Quirrel.” She said softly, gazing outside for a few more minutes as she willed herself to take the first step onto the porch. 

And with that, the former insect vanished into the night, keeping her head high and her eyes and ears open.

***

The neighborhood that Deuwie lived in was quiet, pretty, and quaint. The houses surrounding her on both sides of the street were greatly mixed, and she couldn’t help but stare at a few of them, intrigued by the sheer differences in design, color, and size. Some had many windows, while others had little at all. A few had big porches similar to Deuwie’s, but most had only stairs or a walkway leading up to the door. There were driveways and garages, flat roofs and slanted ones, grass lawns and gravel, all sorts of things that she had only learned the words for a few days before. One thing was clear: humans certainly enjoyed variety. Although many were similar in terms of shape, no two houses were the same. 

Hornet was happy for it, though. It’d make it easier to find her way back, and she could use some of the more outlandish ones as mental markers. But in the meantime, Hornet realized that she didn’t even know which direction to go. Deuwie had told them they lived in a neighborhood that bordered a small town, but which way she had to head to get there was completely unknown to her. She did hear a strange, looping siren-esque (some kind of freaky human music?) in the distance, though, so for now, Hornet just hoped that was the correct direction and started walking, her boots slapping the sidewalk as she kept an eye out for anything suspicious.

It did not take long for the natives to notice her, either.

Only five minutes in, the woman came to a halt as she spotted someone heading her way, and she refreshed herself on the human body as they steadily moved closer. Facial hair, a short mane, and broad shoulders, so likely a male. Young, but not a child, either. An adult. He wasn’t running, so it was unlikely he was exercising. A relaxed smile on his face. No one else near him…except for one of those “dog” things. Hornet tensed up as she spotted a rather large example of the humans’ canine companions walking alongside the man, sniffing at every patch of grass and panting wildly. It was held to his hand by a leash, so she assumed he could control it, but…pet or no, the thing was still an animal. Best not to test it.

‘Act normal.’ She reminded herself, continuing to walk forward. ‘You are not a bug. You are not a warrior far from home. You are a human. An ordinary human heading into town. That is all. Play the role.’ 

As the man got closer, close enough for her to see the finer details of his face, his grin got ever so wider and he lifted his hand in the same waving gesture that the jogger had done. Hornet quickly did the same, shaking her hand back and forth and giving off her best impression of a warm smile. Her lips began to curve downwards as she saw the dog wag its tail and head towards her, but thankfully its owner tugged gently on the leash, leading it away. 

‘Keep walking. You did fine. Everything is okay.’ She thought, as the two passed one another. However, the moment she did, Hornet stopped in place as she realized something: the sirens had stopped. 

The damn sirens had stopped. 

And she had been so distracted by the interaction just now that she no longer recalled which direction it came from! Now what was she supposed to do? Just keep going and pray for the best?! Wander aimlessly, getting more and more lost, all the while Deuwie could-

No.

There was…one thing she could do.

Hastily turning around, Hornet opened her mouth and called out, the man with the dog barely twenty feet behind her.

“Hey! You!” She shouted, and she flinched as he turned and his gaze was set back on her. All of a sudden, Hornet’s mind went blank, the woman cursing herself for doing such a thing without thinking about what she actually planned to say. He was walking back over to her now, so if she didn’t-

“Uh, yes?” The man asked, sounding both curious and somewhat offended at being referred to as just “you”. Hornet wracked her mind, trying to think of something to say, but no words could leave her tongue. 

“Hey, are you okay?”

‘Speak, fool. SPEAK.’ 

“Uh, yes…could you point me towards the…grocery store? I just arrived here, visiting family, and I do not know which way to go.” She said. It took everything she had to keep nervous trembles out of her voice, and Hornet hoped that sounded legit. It wasn’t even fear this time: she just had no idea how to handle herself in a social situation as casual as this. Talking with an unknown human was just the cherry on top. 

“Oh! Uh, sure.” He said, before pointing down the road. “Just head that way, take a right, a left, and then another right. That’ll take you right into town, and then it’s a straight shot down Main Street.” He explained. “By the way, are you alright, ma’am? You sound anxious…”

“Yes, I’m just tired. Thank you for your assistance.” She said quickly, before turning around and speed-walking away. As rude as that probably was, Hornet was just happy to have gotten the directions she needed, and relaxed once more as she heard the dog barking and dragging its owner far away from her. 

Gods, it was just like Quirrel had asked. Was she truly prepared for this? If she was going to find Deuwie, then it was likely she would have to interact with a few more humans after this one. Why did this have to be so confusing?! Why did humans have to act so similar to bugs at times, yet look so different? 

Wait…

That was the issue, right there. 

This entire time, besides Deuwie, Hornet hadn’t seen humans as normal people. They were giants, they were flesh-beasts, they were mass killers of insects, all sorts of titles that would greatly offend anyone with a sense of dignity. And yet, despite all of the destruction they were capable of, the humans she had seen…

Nate was just a father concerned about his son.

That jogger was only exercising.

The man with the dog was simply taking his beloved pet out on a walk, and had happily helped her when she requested directions. 

All this time, she had been treating humans as something to be feared, to not be trusted, to be avoided under any circumstances. And as an insect, those rules made sense. It was unwise to get too involved with a world like that, where too much attention could lead to the devastation of everything you’ve known. 

But she was human herself now.

Which meant she should be treating them the exact same way she treated the bugs back home. Not as beasts, or giants, or potential threats, or creepy fleshy things with too many fluids…but just as people, living their lives one day at a time, like everyone in Dirtmouth. 

With this thought driving her forward, Hornet took a deep breath and continued, following the man’s directions to the letter. Twice she passed other humans on her way into town, the first time being a couple holding hands, and the other being another child, riding some sort of strange metal contraption with two wheels. Both times she waved confidently, and both times they all waved back. Once she got into town and was surrounded by throngs of people, she wouldn’t do the same unless they did it first, but until then, even repeating a simple gesture boosted her confidence in interacting with more of the mammals. 

“Deuwie, you better bring home some delicious food for all this…” She muttered, although it was (mostly) in jest. She had almost forgotten the main reason why she was out here to begin with. Hornet wondered: should she start asking passersby if they had seen the boy? It might not be a bad idea, but then again, she couldn’t discard the idea that some people in town might know Deuwie personally, and therefore, know what his father, mother, and other family members looked like, which meant the excuse she was planning to use would only draw suspicion on herself. 

‘Just wait until you get to the store, and then ask the people working there if they’ve seen him. I am sure they will be too absorbed in their jobs to care.’ She thought, before moving ahead. With one more turn, Hornet looked up reflexively as she saw the town come into view, full of structures with even more variety than the houses. Some she recognized from Deuwie’s photos, such as the theater, a book store, and a pharmacy. Others, she could guess the purpose of simply by what was being displayed in the windows. But about half were as mysterious to her as humans in general. 

Speaking of humans, Quirrel had once again proven himself right. Despite the late hour, they were everywhere. Milling about in the street, chatting with each other on the sidewalk, shopping, loitering, eating, and just…living. Hornet gave herself a moment to take it all in, the sheer mass of humanity so close making her shift uncomfortably.

‘You can do this. Remember. They’re not “flesh beasts”. They’re just people like you. Most are too invested in their own interests to pay attention. Keep that in mind and you’ll be fine. Just start walking.’ She thought, and like a robot following commands her legs eased her forward into the town…although only a few steps in she slowed her pace down quite a bit. The senses that she had spent the last few days getting used to were overwhelming her, as each building she passed brought with it new smells, noises, and plenty of strange sights. 

The former insect did her best to be distracted by none of this, however, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of Deuwie. She scanned the crowds in front of her, as well as those packed inside restaurants or stores. All of a sudden Hornet was very glad that humans were so fond of having giant windows on everything, as it meant she could search a location without actually having to go inside. 

On the way to the supermarket, though, she did pass something so strange that she couldn’t help but stop and stare. On the other side of the street there was a large park, full of families playing together and dogs chasing objects thrown by their owners. But what really interested her were the plants. Several bushes, all far taller than her, were carved into intricate shapes. Some resembled people, others looked like animals or objects. Hornet couldn’t help but admire the work for a moment, using the naturally growing wildlife and turning it into art. 

…When she got back, she would have to explain what she saw to Quirrel. Once they returned to Dirtmouth, he’d likely try to carve up every plant in his path. Wyrm knows they needed an excuse to pull up some old roots blocking the Kingdom’s paths.  

After this, though, Hornet continued on her way,  quietly observing every single person she passed. Twenty minutes went by and she still hadn’t made it to the store, but things were going well. Even though it had been less than a half hour since she entered town, was far more used to humans now, and for a moment Hornet was struck with a small sense of pride at how well she was adjusting.  

Then she smelled it.

The woman stopped dead in her tracks as a scent that was all too familiar to her forced its way into her nostrils, nearly causing her eyes to tear up: the smell of smoke. A lot of smoke. This was not the aroma of someone roasting meat over a fire, either. She had been in the kitchen enough times while Deuwie was cooking to recognize that scent. 

No, this was something else. Something wrong. In the blink of an eye, all of her nerves were screaming at her, the woman’s anxiety growing by the second for a reason she wasn’t even sure of herself. And she wasn’t the only one. The people around her began to look up, sniffing the air and glancing around in concern. 

That sealed it. Before Hornet even realized what she was doing, she had begun running. Her boots slapped the pavement as she sprinted down Main Street, people just managing to get out of her way as she moved her legs as fast as they could go. The dog walker had said the grocery store was a “straight shot”. How far away was it, though? A mile? Two miles? Possibly more? Human stamina was impressive, but Hornet could already feel herself getting tired. She couldn’t-

Then she spotted the crowd, the smell of smoke became ten times stronger, and her heart sunk. Putting in a last burst of speed, the former insect ran into the mass of people just standing about on the sidewalk, and Hornet had to resist the urge to just shove them past her. Instead, she carefully made her way through the crowd, bumping shoulders and brushing past onlookers. Even with her newly acquired outlook, being so close to so many humans would normally make her skin crawl, but right now she didn’t care in the slightest. Of course, there was no reason to assume the smoke smell was related to Deuwie’s disappearance. No reason at-

That was her last thought before she turned the corner and choked on air. 

The grocery store, just barely recognizable from a picture Deuwie had shown them when he gave the group pictures of the town, was now nothing but a burned down, gutted mess. The entire thing was a ruin of black char and grey ash, huge parts of the store still smoking as men in brown coats atop great red trucks sprayed water into the remains of the business. 

“No…nonono…” She muttered. Had Deuwie been in there when the fire started? How did it even start? No, he was fine. He had to be. There was no way he could possibly be…be…

Hornet found herself rushing forward towards the store, before a rough hand on her shoulder grabbed her and yanked her back. She growled and snatched the wrist of the limb reflexively, moving to flip whoever touched her over, before-

“Whoa, ma’am, stop! What do you think you’re doing?” 

Hornet turned and found herself eye to eye with one of the humans in the big coats, the same ones trying to put an end to the inferno. Part of her wanted to shove him over and keep running, but with the last bit of restraint she had, Hornet took a deep breath and reminded herself where she was, what she was, and why she was here. Right now she needed all the help she could get.

“I need to go in there. I’m looking for someone. Let go of me.” She said, shrugging off his hand. “I apologize for that, but I must-”

"Ma’am, please, stop. You can’t go in there. There’s nothing left, anyway.” He said. “Let the professionals handle this. You said you’re looking for someone? Who? We can try and-”

“My…my son. My son.” She repeated, her mind still moving at a million miles a second as she glanced frantically between the store and this human. “I - he went to the store, but he hasn’t come back. I was worried, I didn’t know that…” She furiously bit her lip, torn between maintaining her persona as Deuwie’s mother, and just rushing right past this man to go and find him. “His name is Deuwie. Have you seen him? He has brown hair, a yellow shirt, and was-”

“H-Hornet?”

The woman froze and then looked behind her at the sound of the familiar, childish voice, turning to see their benefactor standing there. He was not burned, or even singed for that matter. In fact, apart from some untied shoelaces, he was completely fine. Deuwie was staring at her with a shocked expression, eyes moving up and down like he wasn’t sure if Hornet was real. Relief flooded into her like a tidal wave as she saw that he was safe, and she quickly began walking over to him, barely even glancing at the firefighter as she took hold of Deuwie’s hand and began leading him away.

“Hornet, what are you doing-”

“Not here. Let’s go.” She said quickly. The boy didn’t protest as she led him away from the crowd, although he still seemed stunned that she was even out here to begin with. Moving as covertly as possible, Hornet moved away from the mob, searching for a proper, private place where the two of them could talk. It seemed like a foolish idea given how many people were standing around on the sidewalk, until she remembered one restaurant from earlier, almost empty but playing plenty of loud music. She began to head back, and although Deuwie didn’t try to take his hand away, he was clearly wrestling with whether he should or not.

“Hornet-”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” She replied softly, knowing just how many questions he must have. “Just wait. We should find a place where no one can overhear us.”

Thankfully, Deuwie saw the wisdom in this statement and stayed silent, and after a few minutes of walking, the two of them arrived at the restaurant, which had big pictures of circular, white and brown human foodstuffs in the windows. Pushing open the door (and resisting the urge to inhale the scent of the cuisine) Hornet led Deuwie over to a small table, where the two of them sat down. Their seats were far away from the only other patrons, and the music would muffle their conversation anyway. Perfect. A brief and very awkward silence then ensued, before both began talking at the same time.

“Deuwie, are you-”

“I didn’t mean to make you guys-”

“...”

“...’

“...I’ll go first.” Hornet said with a sigh, slumping back in her chair. “I know I disobeyed your request to stay in the house. I apologize for that. However, you were gone for so long, and it was getting dark, that the rest of us were starting to become worried that something was wrong. When I saw that burning store, I thought that you…” She explained, before shaking her head. “I only came out to find you and make sure you were alright. I promise that is all. And…you are well, yes? You did not get caught in that fire?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. The store had already burned down by the time I got there. I was never inside.” Deuwie said, hugging himself. “Ugh, okay. I’m sure you’re wondering what happened, so I’ll just tell you. I went to the store, and when I got there, it was already gone. I, um, don’t know how or why all that started, and I was worried if I asked, someone would ask me where my parents were. So I went to a smaller supermarket on the other side of town, but I forgot it was Sunday and the place was closed. I was planning to go back and try to find another place to get food, and that’s when I spotted you talking with a firefighter. And that’s…pretty much it.” He said, spoken in the same speedy, difficult-to-understand tone the boy always had whenever he rambled about something. Hornet understood enough, however, and nodded.

“I am just glad you are unharmed.” She said, wringing her fingers together. “My turn, then. Truthfully, there is not much to it besides what I have already mentioned. You were gone for far longer than you told us you would be, we were worried, and I left to find you while the others stayed home in case you came back while I was out.” The woman then raised a hand as Deuwie opened his mouth. “And please do not apologize for being gone for so long. I understand you just lost track of time, and tried to do the best you could.”

“Y-yeah. Something like that. Thankfully, I don’t think anyone was hurt in the fire, either. I didn’t see any ambulances. I think it was just some freak accident.”

“I’m happy to hear there were no casualties. As for freak accidents…yes. Far too many of those as of late.” Hornet said with a chuckle, waggling her fingers at him.

“I…” Deuwie started, before breaking out into a grin. “Did you just try to make a joke?”

“What? I do have a sense of humor.” She said defensively, as the boy giggled again. She smiled in return, although her expression quickly returned to a serious one. “Again, I know I-”

“No, don’t you say you're sorry for leaving. I should have come home and told you guys what happened after I got to the store.” Deuwie said. “We could’ve figured something out, and I shouldn't have left you in the dark like that. That’s my fault, and I know you guys were probably worried sick about me.”

“More than you even realize.” Hornet said. “As I mentioned before, I am simply happy that you are okay. However, yes. In the future, if something similar happens again, please tell us if you have to stay out longer. It was…quite concerning when you did not come back.”

“I will. But in return, you gotta make sure not to just leave like that, either. When I saw you, I was pretty scared too. I thought something had gone wrong.” Deuwie said, and Hornet nodded with a “that’s fair” gesture. “Buuuut, now that you’re out…how did it go? You didn’t run into anyone weird, did you?”

“I’m sure the “weird person” in all my encounters was myself.” She replied, leaning back as the chair creaked. “That said, it was a very interesting experience. Seeing how humans are, the lives you built even in a small town like this…” The woman hummed as she stared out the window. “Surprised as I am to admit it, it is not so dissimilar to what life was like before, in the City of Tears. Restaurants, shops, and just people milling about, filling in the time.” She explained. “It was strange. Our two civilizations are much more alike than I realized. Or…no, I knew that already, after everything you have told us. I simply didn’t accept it until I saw for myself.”

“…Uh…that’s a good thing, right?”

“Overall? Yes.” Hornet said, understanding why Deuwie would be worried. After all, just the day before she told him how Hallownest had fallen under a massive apocalyptic infection. Telling him that that same civilization was similar to his own probably wasn’t comforting, if anything. “It makes understanding your kind much easier. There are still many differences, of course, even beyond the physical ones, but not enough that I found myself becoming distressed or confused. At least not to a ridiculous degree.”

“Hehe. That’s good to hear. Heck, maybe I should’ve taken you guys into town a long time ago!” He said, beaming at her. “It’s also cool to know that your way of life and ours are pretty alike. Maybe on the way back you can point out stuff like that. Things that are the same”

“I will do my best.” Hornet said, before her stomach audibly grumbled, and like whales communicating with each other, Deuwie’s did as well. They both stared at one another before the child descended into giggles. 

“All of a sudden, I’m really glad you dragged us into a pizza place. Honestly, this is perfect. We can just get something here and take it back for everyone to enjoy.” He said, before biting his lip. “Okay, one last time. I know you told me not to, but I’m sorry I vanished like that and didn’t come back. I promise I won’t do it in the future. I was just scared we wouldn’t be able to eat anything tonight.”

“And I am sorry that I left and came into town. I promise I won’t do it again unless you already know about it. It was…reckless. I was just worried about your wellbeing.” Hornet said, playing along, before she reached forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. “All better now?”

“Yeah. I’m just happy everything turned out okay.” Deuwie said, before pausing. “I mean, that store still burned down, but nobody was hurt. So I guess-”

“Let’s…just focus on the food.”

“Right, right.” He agreed, and after five minutes of discussion, the two settled on a pie which they believed would satisfy everyone in the group. Once Deuwie got to the specifics of ordering, Hornet looked around, the restaurant was still mostly empty. 

“Do we wait for someone to come to us? We have already been here a while…”

“Nah. This is the kind of place where we just go up and order.” Deuwie said, jerking a thumb at the counter, where she could see two humans scrolling mindlessly on their phones. It was likely neither of them had even noticed their arrival. The boy then dug around in his pocket before pulling out a wallet with dinosaur stickers on it, and handed Hornet a thin, green piece of paper with a “50” and a shockingly detailed image of a man with a beard on it. “Here. I know it’s, uh, not gonna be easy, but you should probably be the one to pay and stuff. It might look weird if I was doing everything and you only hung back. Just repeat the order and then give this to them when they ask for payment.”

“…Very well. I suppose it is good practice, if anything. And this is hardly the first time I have paid for food. It cannot be too different.” Hornet said, standing and making her way to the counter. She already knew that human money consisted of both coins and paper bills, but it was still baffling to her now that she had seen one of the flimsy little sheets for herself. This is what humans decided to create their cash out of it? It was so fragile! A simple gesture could allow her to crush or tear it into pieces. Of course, that aside, she could also see how the size and thinness would allow for easier storage…and in all likelihood, it was easier to mass-produce these than carving up bits of metal to make coins. 

…Still didn’t make it any less weird. 

“Humans…” She said with a sigh, although for once it was more out of amusement. Hornet then walked over to the counter, where one of the workers looked up at her with bored disdain. She cleared her throat and began to speak, rattling off the order like an orator. “Hello. I’d like an extra large pizza that’s one fifth meat-lovers, one fifth plain cheese, one fifth mushrooms and olives, and two fifths with everything except for pineapples and anchovies.”

“…Kay, ‘den.” The worker said, lazily sliding off the counter and heading into the back. He jerked his head at his coworker, who walked up and put the order in. “That’ll be $22.57. Would you like it for here or to go?”

“Here. And to go, please.” Hornet replied, almost thrusting the bill in her face. She looked at it in surprise, before taking the slip and inserting it into the register. Hornet couldn’t help but peek into the machine as it slid open, revealing a small well full of all sorts of money. The woman collected a handful of bills and silver coins before handing it back to Hornet, who panicked at the last moment. “I…keep it.”

“Really? Huh, thank you.” The worker said, looking overjoyed, before literally stuffing the remains of the 50 bill into her pocket. Hornet then gingerly sat back down at the table, and Deuwie gave her a smile.

“You did great! I mean, even I wouldn’t have left such a large tip at the end there, but it was nice of you.” He said. 

“I am glad to hear that. How long does it take for this pizza to be made?”

“Uh, no more than ten minutes? Then we can just carry it back. Hopefully it’ll still be warm.” Deuwie replied, and with that, the two of them sat in silence as they waited for their meal to be finished. Hornet turned her gaze towards one of the massive windows and began people watching, and Deuwie, not wanting to interrupt her, started counting the amount of dogs he saw. The boy got to a whopping 37 by the time a bell at the front rang, and then he got up and went to the counter. Hornet heard a faint “thank you” before he came over with a bag filled with a massive box. “Alright! Let’s head back. I can barely wait. This smells so tasty!”

The former insect had to agree with that, inhaling the scent of the box and nearly licking her lips at the delectable aromas tucked within. Now that she had (mostly) gotten over the most discomforting feelings of eating, Hornet was happy she could sit back and actually enjoy the flavor of human cuisine. There was no getting around the facts: their food was delicious. Even simple meals would’ve been considered top-class, exclusive dining back in the old days of Hallownest, and she was sure this pizza was no different. The pair hastily left the shop, eager to get home. She did her best to point out various differences and similarities on the way back between Earth and Hallownest, but for the most part that idea had been abandoned, the two of them driven solely by their hunger.

Until she passed one particular store and the woman froze in place. 

Despite the lack of readable language, the illustrations in the windows left no question as to what this place was. One was of a boot crushing a cockroach, and another had a man holding a machine pumping out swathes of gas, suffocating a small mound of ants below. How had she missed this the first time around…?

“Pest control…” She muttered, as Deuwie stopped and winced when he saw what she was looking at. She already knew full well about the existence of places like this. The boy had told them about it once before, in a conversation that had taken an unfortunate turn. An entire building, dedicated solely to exterminating insects. Hornet felt ill just looking up at the place, wondering how many-

“Oh for Wyrm’s sake, stop it.” She mumbled to herself, quickly shutting down the path her brain was taking her on. That was it. She knew that at the end of the day, no matter what paranoid thoughts her mind came up with, what Deuwie said had been right. A place like this…it wasn’t made to kill them. It was made to deal with the same bugs that flew into the house and got all over the food, the same bugs that swarmed and bit her while on that nature walk, and the same kind of bugs that she herself slew while traversing through Hallownest. 

The mindless beasts, which couldn’t think or talk or act. 

It was creepy, sure, but there was nothing wrong with a place like this, and she had to trust their benefactors, and the humans around her in general, that if Hallownest was discovered by the world, that their encounters would just be as friendly as Deuwie’s. With her walk into town, the humans had shown themselves to be a capable, (mostly) civilized species…and all Hornet wanted to do was hang onto that viewpoint. A thing like this shouldn’t cause her to cut herself off from their world entirely. 

Not when there was so much more to it.

“Hornet?” Deuwie asked, walking over. “Are you okay?”

“…Yes. I was only thinking.” She said, before staring him right in the eyes. “I don’t blame you, just to be clear. Or any of the humans around us. For a place like this. I accept its necessity, as much as the capabilities of the workers inside unnerve me. I only…wish to understand all this better.”

“Then…I’ll do my best to help you. I can’t speak much for a place like this, but whatever you want to know, I’ll try to fill in the blanks.” He replied, signature smile slowly returning. “And I think a perfect way to do that is to have a nice pizza night with everyone.”

Getting the message, Hornet snorted and nodded in agreement. “Yes, we should get back. I can only imagine how many rounds of that game the others have played by now.”

With that out of the way, the rest of the journey back to the house was uneventful, as with the sun now gone and the sky dark and full of stars, the streets of the neighborhood were essentially abandoned aside from an occasional passing car. The house was a very welcome sight to the two of them, and one could almost taste the relief in the air as the two humans walked through the front door, the others immediately getting up to greet them.

“Oh, thank goodness. You’re both alright. We were worried another one of us would have to….” Quirrel said, walking over and pausing as he smelled the sweet aroma of the pizza. The former bug was practically drooling within seconds. “...What is that?”

“Pizza! One of my favorite foods.” Deuwie said, holding the box above his head for everyone to see. “Uh, okay. So what happened was the grocery store burned down before I got there, when Hornet came to find me we went to a pizza place instead, annnnnd I got us all this! There’s enough for everyone to have two slices.” He said proudly, before Hornet nudged him with her elbow. “Oh, and no one was hurt in the fire. It was fine. Sorry…I took so long.”

Hollow reared back and wrote hastily on his pad, and Quirrel grimaced and nodded in agreement. “...It is alright, as long as you are unharmed. And as relieved as we are that everyone else is okay, he brings up a good point. With the store gone, does this mean we will have to survive mainly on pizza until your father returns?” 

“Oh, no! I forgot to mention. There’s another store that was just closed today. It’s smaller, but I can go there tomorrow. And…I should have enough money left over to buy everything everyone needs.” Deuwie said, knowing that there was no way he’d be able to keep one of the others from following him there. Oh, well. He’d cross that bridge when it came to it. “But what have you guys been doing? Hornet mentioned you were playing games…”

“Ah, yes. We were busy competing in rounds of this racing simulator.” Quirrel replied, gesturing towards the TV, where the group had just finished a race in Moo-Moo Meadows. 

“Ooh, Mario Kart! That’s one of my favorites. Is it okay if I join? Maybe we can all play together while we eat…” 

“Ghost says they like the sound of that. And I will admit that I wish to play again.” Hornet replied, after quickly reading the message the little one wrote. She was busy pouring herself a large glass of water to go with dinner, as her usual method of eating hadn’t changed from breakfast on their second day. Collectively, she and Deuwie got out a number of plates, and began serving the slices to the waiting group. It took all of five seconds for them to start pigging out, with Quirrel in particular savoring every single bite. Hornet fixed herself a slice of the “meat-lovers” as they booted the game back up, Deuwie and Ghost going first while the others watched and ate.

Only a few weeks ago, a scene like this would’ve been impossible for her to envision, and that was putting aside their newfound humanity. 

The Radiance was still in control, the infection was ravaging their home, and Hornet herself? She was still that stolid, standoffish warrior, unwilling to interact with anyone for more than moments at a time. And now she was here. Eating pizza and playing video games with a group of bugs that, less than a month ago, she considered to be nuisances. 

She wondered who was to blame for such a change in her psyche. Was it Deuwie and the endless curiosity the human brought with him? Or perhaps Ghost and Hollow, as she could finally see her two siblings being released from their curse as Vessels. Perhaps even Quirrel played a part, what with his scholarly remarks that encouraged her to learn new things. 

Hornet didn’t know for sure what caused her to open up so dramatically. But one thing was for certain: she greatly preferred it this way. This…this was the life she wanted to live. Not as a human, no, but one where she could actually have friends, people she could trust and rely on, and for once, be optimistic about what the future might bring.

It felt right.

So, with a satisfied huff, Hornet sat on the couch with her food, watching Deuwie and Ghost play alongside the others as she began to chow down. And for once, she didn’t feel the slightest bit disgusted as she ate.

***

For the tenth time that hour, Lemm sighed as he looked back and forth, feeling more isolated and bored than he had in weeks. Granted, most days that was perfectly fine. The relic keeper was not a “people person”, and if you didn’t have official trading or historical business to do with him, then the door was right there, friend. However, with how quiet it had been recently, even the antisocial insect found himself getting lonely. 

Most days, either the little Ghost would come back to exchange some random trinket they found, or someone else would come by to try and strike up a conversation and be chased off. It wasn’t always ideal, but it was predictable, and Lemm prides himself on being a creature of habit. A habit that, recently, had been thrown off. Along with everything else in Hallownest, if the rumors travelers told him were true. 

Apparently, some great “flesh beast” the size of Greenpath had arrived in Dirtmouth, revealed itself to be a friendly eleven-year-old boy, and was now visiting periodically. It called itself a “heu-man”, something Lemm had never heard about even with the literal mountain of old tablets and scrolls he had. The physical details were far more alarming. Strange, colorful eyes. A shaggy mane that covered its head. A mouth filled with odd white blocks and daggers called “teeth”. More and more he heard of this creature, but not once did he even venture up there to see it for himself. After all, the human was a new development, and seemed to come from a land far outside Hallownest. He rather doubted it would assist him in acquiring more artifacts. 

A sudden bump from the hallway threw Lemm out of his thoughts, and he looked up, expecting the see the little Ghost running in with another artifact and their wallet already in hand-

-only to instead see a former mining bug, which was surprising, to say the least. He had thought their lot had all been taken by the infection. 

“Hello!” She said cheerfully, walking up to the counter with a brown sac. “I was told that you give people money in exchange for shiny things!”

“I give Geo in exchange for valuable relics. But yes, if you have any, I will take a look.” Lemm said, trying not to show how desperate for interaction he was. “What do you have, then?”

“Some silverware!” The little bug said loudly, just…upending her sac onto his counter, resulting in said forks, spoons, and knives clattering everywhere. Lemm bit back yet another sigh. This was a common sight. Bugs came to him thinking that just because these trinkets were important in the old days, that must mean he’d be willing to fork over his entire wallet for them. He reached down and picked up one of the spoons, before handing it back to her. 

“I can’t take this.”

“Hmm? Why not?”

“It’s worthless.” He said bluntly. “I already have a lot of cutlery, in much better condition than what you have here. I won’t pay for it.”

“Oh.” She mumbled, looking down before reaching deep into the sac. “Uh, how about this, then?” The miner then pulled out some horn-looking thing. “I found it while chipping away at some crystals! It amplifies your voice! Here, look!” She then placed her mouth at the end of the object and began singing, and Lemm winced as the windows began to rattle as her song reverberated throughout the shop. Amplified indeed…

“Alright, alright, stop before you break something!” Lemm said, taking the horn from her. He hummed as he turned the thing over in his hands, appraising it. Not bad, truly. It was old, perhaps a hundred, a hundred and fifty years, and as her demonstration just showed, still worked perfectly. The thing was cast out of metal with a silver finish, and was covered in various decorative carvings. Why hadn’t she brought this out first…?

He scoffed. Miners. Still, though, this was something worth paying for. At the least, he didn’t have anything like it yet.

“I’ll give you two hundred and fifty Geo for it.” He said, and the little bug nearly fainted.

“Two hundred and-! Deal! Dealdealdeal!” She said, holding out her hand. “It would take me months of working to get that much pay in the old days!”

“I know.” He said, gingerly shaking her hand. Lemm walked over to one of his shelves and gently set the horn on it, before digging around under the counter as he placed the right amount of money into a small bag. Once he had handed it over, the big squeed with delight, jumping up and down.

“Thank you! I don’t even know what to spend this on, but thank you!” She said, before darting out of the shop. 

“WAIT! You left your silverware…here…” Lemm mumbled, groaning as he heard the elevator take her out of earshot. Oh, well. He could just store them with the rest of the undesirables. And the exchange hadn’t been a complete waste. The relic keeper turned around and looked once more at the horn, silently appreciating the delicate carvings on its surface. It probably wasn’t that important an item, to be truthful, but Lemm had never seen anything like it before, so he had to have it. He could go over his scrolls later and try to find any mention of it. As for the silverware still dirtying up his counter…

He huffed and then scooped the entire mess into his arms, before retreating into the deepest part of his shop. Past the rooms full of scrolls and art, past the section with nothing but old figurines and fractured statues. He went down a slippery set of stone stairs to the cellar, where he kept all the relics that he wanted to keep but couldn’t find a good reason to display…or just things he found when he was young and stupid. Lighting a torch on the wall, Lemm stopped as the massive basement revealed itself, an enormous space full of piles of all sorts of junk. 

Overlooking the vast collection of random items, Lemm chuckled at the naivety of his younger self. In those days, he didn’t know what was actual, valuable relics, and what was just random garbage you could find anywhere. Thus, he took it all, and, admittedly, he had been putting off separating the junk from the Geo for quite some time. It was the one thing he procrastinated with, and he’d rather leave his shop for Dirtmouth than have to…

To…

“Actually, you know what…” He muttered, before moving back to the stairs and grabbing a few bags he had placed behind them. The first thing to go was the silverware, which he dumped inside the dusty container.

Given how slow business was right now, it was the perfect opportunity to finally get rid of some of this eyesore. He had no doubt that miner would be his last customer for a while, and good lord, if he couldn’t summon up the willpower to clear this mess, then what kind of relic keeper would he be? A sloppy one, at any rate.

“May as well get it over with…” He mumbled, and thus began the great sorting. It took hours just to make any kind of visible progress on the pile, and by the end of the day, Lemm estimated only one tenth of what he had here was even somewhat of value. The rest had been piled in the hallway, where he would properly dispose of it later. It was incredibly embarrassing, just how much garbage he had thought were precious items. 

However, just as the bug was ready to call it a day and go to bed, he hummed as he spotted a large, thin tablet, carved out of solid rock. Just from looking at it, Lemm could tell that this thing was old. Older than the Kingdom, older than the Moths, perhaps even further back than that. After one quick glance, it became obvious why he threw it down here too: the language it was written in was completely incomprehensible! Even for someone like him, who spent hours deciphering ancient tongues, he had no idea where to even start with this mess. But, perhaps it would make a nice decoration in his collection. In a dark, dirty corner of it. Lemm stood up and hefted the tablet, preparing to throw it under his arm, before-

CLUNK

-something attached to the back fell off. He hummed and turned it over, and gasped at what he saw. 

There was more writing there. And part of a larger image. What had fallen off was some sort of plaster seal, purposefully hiding the back of the tablet. Intrigued, Lemm rushed upstairs and brought the thing into the light of his shop, placing it gently on the counter. After getting the proper tools (never left home without ‘em!) he began to carefully peel off the rest of the plaster. It took only one look for him to know that it had not been placed there accidentally, which only made him more interested in uncovering the mystery. Who would try to cover up such ancient history? And why? 

By Wyrm, he was going to find out, and with a final CLUNK, the plaster came off in one massive piece, and he slid it to the side. The back of the tablet was full of more unfamiliar, strange writing, incomprehensible even to him. 

The image, though…

“Oh my…” He hummed. What had the travelers been saying? Flesh-beasts with strange mouths and lanky limbs? A head covered with fur? And was that a tiny scribble of an insect next to the primary drawing, showing off its massive size? 

“…what secrets do you hold?”

Chapter Text

Clang!

Cling!

CLANG!

At that last hit, Hornet grunted and jumped back, her feet almost slipping on the grass as she quickly took up a defensive position. Ghost did one in turn, although the little warrior could not help but smile as they saw how far they managed to push her. The woman shuddered, feeling tiny bolts of electricity traveling up her hands, and she fought to keep a proper grip. 

One thing was clear: even in this new body, the former Vessel’s skills hadn’t waned in the slightest.

At the moment, the two of them were sparring with their nails in Deuwie’s backyard, while Hollow watched as a sort of referee. With the total lack of a timetable on how long they might be stuck in their new forms, Hornet did not want to take the risk that they might become rusty with their nails in the meantime. Thus, she had approached Ghost and Hollow, asking if they would like to practice with her. The latter declined, stating that he didn’t feel confident enough in his human body, but the former had gladly taken to the challenge. Twenty minutes later, they were here, sweat soaking through their clothes as they both panted from exhaustion. 

There were several risks, of course, and neither Hornet nor Ghost were ignorant of the danger involved, even in just a training exercise. Unlike how they were in their old bodies, Humans could not jump over three times their own height, smack solid stone hard enough to shatter walls, or take hits that threw them across the room without at least breaking several bones. If one put aside the difference in size, the flesh beasts’ natural abilities were laughable compared to their own. Thanks to this, Hornet knew that unlike their previous battles, even this sparring session had to be undertaken with a great deal of caution. One misplaced slash could slice her open like a knife through butter, and with Deuwie out of the house, they’d have no one to turn to for help besides the people in town. Thus, they didn’t aim for the neck or head, they didn’t strike with all their might, and they never threw a hit that they weren’t sure they could stop in time.

That said, neither were making it easy for their partner, either. 

Speaking of the boy, though (and the town), at the moment he and Quirrel were both heading to the smaller grocery store on the other end of the city, given the…incident that occurred yesterday at the main supermarket. The elder insect had insisted on coming with him, wanting to see human civilization in person rather than just witnessing it on TV all day long. It had been over an hour since they left, which Hornet took as a good sign: Quirrel was definitely enjoying himself. She just hoped he wouldn’t cause too much of a scene. Wyrm knows he would probably get overexcited and run up to some poor stranger to bombard them with questions. 

In any case, until they got back, the three were left by themselves…and nobody wanted that time to go to waste.

Still breathing heavily, Hornet took a moment to adjust her grip, readying for a charge as Ghost shifted their stance. Her sibling was a masterful fighter even as a human, abandoning one style and adopting a new one in the blink of an eye. They were unpredictable, calm, and although she was stronger than them like this, they made up for it through sheer swiftness.  

‘Think. Think. If I sweep low and try to hit their legs, they’ll follow up and smack my arms to make me drop my nail. That’s how they won the last round. But if I go for anything higher up, they’ll just parry or dodge it easily. How can I win this…?’ She thought, slowly moving in a semicircle around her sparring partner. 

Three rounds they had gone, and three times Hornet had lost. Due to the fact that they couldn’t really hit each other without risking serious injury or blood loss, it was a bit loose as to what counted as victory. That said, her opponent had gotten her nail out of her hand and flat on her back all three times, which in any fight would be certain death. Every time she thought she had Ghost’s moveset down, they ended up surprising her. Even without the power of Soul Magic, the little warrior was as ferocious as ever. 

‘…I got no ideas. None that won’t cause us to start gushing blood, anyway.’ She thought, forced to concede. ‘I’ll just trust everything to my body to make the right move. Annnd…’ She waited a few moments longer, until Ghost looked to the right as they heard a hawk screeching. ‘NOW!’

With that, Hornet slung her nail out to wrap around Ghost’s legs, but just her weapon reached them, the former vessel leaped in the air and then stomped on the very tip of her blade, burying it in the dirt. Hornet cursed, already knowing she had lost, and before she could yank the tip loose Ghost was on top of her. In the span of three seconds they smacked the blade out of her hand, jumped, and planted their knee right in her gut. Hornet let out an “OOF” as she fell to the ground, that last hit having knocked the wind out of her. She lay there, wheezing, before a shadow fell on her face. Ghost loomed over her like an enemy about to deal the finishing blow, before they smiled and offered their hand.

“Ugh. Time and time again, you prove yourself the better fighter, little Ghost…” Hornet said, taking the offered hand as she got to her feet. She straightened her back out with an audible CRACK, before looking down at the victor. Aside from a few tiny scratches and bruises, they were completely unharmed. Meanwhile, she had more than a couple cuts on her arms and legs, along with that gut hit, which she’d probably be feeling for a few days. There wasn’t any bleeding, thankfully, which was really the best either of them could hope for. “Hollow? Are you sure you don’t want to join us in a quick match?”

“I am alright.” He wrote. “After seeing that, I am certain I could not beat any of you. Perhaps in my old form, yes, but my bad leg in this body is even more of a hindrance now.”

“...Very well. You have my sympathies.” Hornet said with a nod. It was true. Hollow always walked with a noticeable limp, but he was able to hide it quite well as an insect, or at least power through it. As a human, however, it seems whatever injury that caused his constant hobble was even more taxing in this new, bone-filled form. She only hoped that that leg was not broken outright.

All that said, Hornet felt quite satisfied with their training session. Ghost had now beaten her soundly four times in total, yes, but considering their past it would be surprising if she managed to land even a single victory. Plus, losing (in a practice match, anyway) just meant you had room to improve. The tiny fighter already seemed to be a master of using their new body for combat, and she wondered if they had been training in secret with it…

Whatever the case, Ghost then stretched out and started writing on their pad, sticking their nail into the dirt. “I’m going to go inside and get some lunch. There’s still a little food we have left that we can use. Wanna join me?”

“Later, perhaps. With how sweaty I am, I’d rather shower before eating. I recommend you do as well.” She said, in the same tone as a mother telling their unruly children to wash up. “I believe I will wait until Deuwie and Quirrel return with more foodstuffs to have my meal. In the meantime, there is…something else I wish to do out here first. Something I’ve been putting off for too long.” 

Hornet then looked towards the forest ominously, and it took all of five seconds for her companions to realize what she meant. 

“You wish to go to Dirtmouth?” Hollow asked. “What brought this on? You know that is a bad idea. Deuwie and his father are the only humans they recognize. If you show up suddenly, it would be chaos.”

“I know. I haven’t forgotten any of this. I plan to observe from afar, nothing more. I only…” She paused and then sighed. This hadn’t come out of nowhere, as much as her training partners clearly thought so. Since the very start she had been thinking about going to see the small town while stuck like this, and as risky of an idea as it was, Hornet had been away from her home for far too long. She had to check in and make sure everything was okay. Even if only for a moment. “…I just want to see it for myself, if that makes sense. Embarrassing as it is to admit it, I’ve seen myself as the protector of what remains of Hallownest for a long time, so to be away for days at a time just doesn’t feel right. I don’t think-”

Hornet then felt a small tug on her arm, and looked down to see Ghost shaking their head. “You don’t need an explanation.” They wrote. “I miss home everyday. More than you know. If you wanna go visit and look at it from a distance, then we’re not going to stop you.” The little human then pursed their lips and started writing again, this time underlining their words. “But only from afar. Everyone there has been through enough in the past few weeks, and the news about what happened to us is just something else to add to the list. I don’t want them to be scared.”

“I know, I know. I will give the town a wide berth, I promise you that.” She said. “But if you miss home, you know you can come with me. We can check in on Dirtmouth together,if you want. As much as a “guardian of Hallownest” I see myself as, you’re the protector of that town. Or at least they refer to you as such.”

“It’s tempting. But later, after our friends return. I will admit. Without Deuwie here to help me along, I’m not sure if I can see Dirtmouth like that. Like this.”

Hornet hummed softly, fully understanding what they meant. After almost a week of being human, it shocked her just how easy it was to forget that they were still a hundred times their normal size. It was only when they went outside, and spotted the various critters crawling in the grass and flying back and forth, did she remember how massive she was compared to before. Additionally, it was an open secret that Ghost, despite how well they seemed to adjust to their new body, only performed adequately when Deuwie was in the room. His presence was like a security blanket, one that calmed the small warrior down and made it easier to just…take it all in. Without him here, though…

Well, they could still fight and eat and do everything they did before, but having to see their home in such an alien light probably wasn’t something they were prepared for. 

“Very well. Then I will see the two of you soon. If Deuwie returns while I am out, please just tell him the truth. As long as I am not going into town, or entering Dirtmouth proper, I am sure there is no issue with a simple walk through the woods.”

‘I hope.’

“Okay. Just come back soon! If you don’t, I’ll make sure to use alllll the hot water while I’m in the tub.”

Now that gave her a reason to start moving, although Hornet chuckled before turning around as she headed into the forest, Hollow giving her one last worried look as Ghost waved goodbye. It was surreal at the best of times, the way they acted. One moment they were a terrifying force of nature that could slice through hordes of enemies with more ferocity than any of the Five Knights. Then the next moment they could say things like that and act like a mischievous child. It was amusing, but also rather tragic. It showed that underneath all those shadows, dark magic, and buried emotions, there was a happy child inside of Ghost’s shell. One that had been, of course, purposefully suppressed by her Father in a hopeless attempt to cleanse the infection. 

She shuddered as she imagined what might have happened, if Ghost had entered Hollow’s eternal jail before the storm blew by and Deuwie captured them. Would they have beaten the imprisoned warrior and taken the infection into themselves? Or would the Radiance have won, eliminating the only remaining threat to its power with a single swing of the nail? 

Hornet wasn’t sure. All she did know was that, even if it had led them to this, she was very glad for the events of that day and that Deuwie was there to help put an end to her once and for all. After all, even if they had absorbed the infection, it would just start the cycle all over. And with Ghost being the last vessel left, there’d be nothing to stop the Radiance once it escaped again. 

In retrospect, it was crazy that the arrival of a giant, alien child that destroyed several houses in Dirtmoth led to what was probably the best outcome for the whole crisis, under the circumstances. Hornet huffed in silent amusement at this thought, before looking forward into the woods. Having ridden on Deuwie’s hat in and out of the cave many times, the woman knew the way there almost by heart. Past the tall tree with the strange heart carving. Take a left at the big thorny bush with the berries Deuwie wasn’t allowed to eat but wanted to. (“They look so juicy, though!”) And finally, keep heading straight when you see the willow tree that has a nice amount of shade. In less than ten minutes, Hornet saw the cave that led to her home. Before, it had been impossibly intimidating. A massive gate separating their two worlds, a barrier between the surface and Hallownest that seemed terrifying to pass through. But now…?

Now she actually had to duck to make it through safely. 

Alongside that, Hornet realized a bit too late that she didn’t have one of those head lamps Deuwie always carried with him, but that was fine. She simply held her nail out and started to slowly scrape it along the wall, using the feeling of metal against rock to find her way. Step by step, the light from outside began to fade, giving her just enough illumination that she was able to spot the ladder leading down towards her home. She gulped, heart pounding in her ears, and then began the slow descent into the dark. With the light from the sun now fully receded from view, Hornet was left in almost pitch-black darkness by the time her boots hit the ground. She grit her teeth and looked back and forth, before spotting a dim glow in the distance. Faint, blue, and consisting of nothing but small dots.

Dirtmouth.

With a steadying breath, the woman carefully made her way forward, not wanting to risk tripping on a rock and causing an earthquake for her fellow insects. Closer and closer she crept to the small mountain that separated the town from the rest of the cave, and ever so carefully, she peeked over, careful to use a section far away from the one Deuwie did. 

She saw it, then. 

She saw it all. The people, the streets, the homes…everything she had been so used to for decades was still the same, but just so…tiny.

This is how Deuwie saw them, whenever he visited? True, she was taller than him now, but still! She knew how big he was, she knew what she’d find, and yet, Dirtmouth still seemed so much smaller than she expected it to be. After going into town and seeing the sheer scale of even a minor human settlement…it truly began to sink in here just how miniscule all of Hallownest was compared to the rest of the world. Hornet’s eyes traced every single person and building she saw, trying and failing to take in the minute details she did when she was still, well, normal-sized. It was like she was blind now to the finer details of her home, and the former insect stared for a few more moments before slinking back out of sight.

It hadn’t been a mistake coming here. It hadn’t. But Hornet wasn’t ready - no, she’d never have been ready - for just how surreal it was to see Dirtmouth from this perspective. It was not one she liked, that’s for sure. All that said, however, she was happy that things seemed to be going well. The citizens were still interacting in the streets, the Stag station was open and ready for business, and Elderbug was in his customary spot, chatting with Sly, the enigmatic little thing. Even Zote acting like his usual self was a welcome sight (okay, maybe not that far), and all in all, things looked well in the thriving community. 

Hornet got up and decided to take one last peek at the town, scanning the streets for anything strange, before she spotted something that made her eyes bug out. Lemm was there, the old relic keeper talking with Cornifer about a stone tablet he was holding. Hornet reflexively scowled at the sight of him. She had tolerated the grave robber’s constant antics, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed watching him pick through homes and the clothes of the dead, always in search of another trinket to add to his collection. 

Then again…

The fact that he was here in the first place was odd. Normally he preferred to stay in the safety of his shop, letting others come to him, and even then he had a very antisocial attitude. She remembered the first time they interacted, when he tried to convince her to sell her nail to him. When she refused, Lemm had told her to “get out, then”. 

It had taken everything she had not to smack him out the window for that one. 

Anyway, the fact that he was willing to come to the surface to begin with meant something was either very wrong in the city of tears, or he had found something so spectacular he simply had to show someone. Driven solely by curiosity, Hornet creeped closer along the mountains, trying to get a better look at what Lemm was holding. Damn these human eyes. They were bigger than her original body was, and yet somehow they had worse vision?! She sneered and leaned in, now as close as she could get without moving into Dirtmouth proper. 

Her eyes still focused on the tablet, Hornet gasped as she finally heard a few snippets of their conversation. Cornifer mentioned “the child”, and Lemm rebuked him with something about “heu-mans”, before asking where he could find more of “carvings like this”. Were they talking about Deuwie? Did that rock have something to do with humans? Now fully engrossed in whatever was happening, Hornet tried to tilt her head, moving herself to a better listening position…

…only for her hand to slip at the last second, resulting in a few small rocks tumbling down the hill into the town. Which, from their perspective, were several giant boulders roaring down the mountain and then smashing into a lamppost, obliterating it. Simultaneously, everyone in town froze, before turning and looking up at Hornet. She didn’t even have a chance to open her mouth before the screams began, several citizens pointing and then running away at the sight of the unfamiliar giant. 

“AHHH!”

“MONSTER!”

“THE HUMANS HAVE COME TO KILL US ALL!”

“WHERE IS DEUWIE?!”

“WYRM, IT’S HIDEOUS!”

“Hey, wait, don’t-” Hornet tried to say, but her softened voice was sickly drowned out by the yells of panic. She tried to raise her hands and speak again, but considering how quickly the town was descending into chaos, it was clear she wouldn’t get far. Letting out a low growl, Hornet stood up, now towering over them all, and raised her voice as high as it could go.

“Everyone shut up and STOP SCREAMING!” She roared, and like a switch had been flipped, the noise ceased instantly. However, one look at the citizens was enough to know this was done out of terror, no doubt fearful the flesh beast would snack on them if they didn’t obey this order. Hornet sighed and facepalmed, before raising her hands in a calming gesture. “Calm…down. I’m not here to hurt any of you. It’s me. It’s Hornet. Remember? Deuwie told you what happened to us, yes?”

“H-Hornet?” Cornifer mumbled, one of the few who hadn’t immediately moved to run away. “Is that truly you? You’re almost bigger than Deuwie’s father! None of us expected…”

“Me to be this large? Yes, it was far more surprising to us, trust me.” She said, remembering the day when Deuwie had explained a few facts about humans, early on. After he had told them that human females were usually shorter than the males, it was a shock, to say the least, when she discovered that among their group she was the biggest alongside Hollow. (Not that she was complaining. Hornet would’ve been incandescent if she had turned out even shorter than Ghost.) “I’m sorry for dropping in like that and frightening everyone. Believe me, I came here only to watch from afar, nothing more. I…merely felt a sense of longing.” She explained. “But, after watching for a bit, I see there is something that has grabbed your attention. Lem-”

“HORNET!” A voice screeched, and she looked down and groaned as she saw Zote there, waving his little stick at her. Of course. Deuwie had said he wanted to duel her… “So, you have come to finally face your greatest challenge and fight me! In this new body of yours, perhaps you can stand a chance. Get down here and battle! You always refused to face me before, no doubt because of my superior skills! Come and fight, coward!”

Despite the insults, Hornet couldn’t help but purse her lips in amusement at the display. Somehow, even though she was now over a hundred times his size, Zote felt just as tiny as before. Unable to resist the urge to ignore him (and, sadly, having to also ignore the urge to flick him over the horizon) the woman promptly stepped over the rocky barrier separating her from the town, careful to avoid crushing any houses. Zote’s voice died in his throat as she kneeled down, grabbed his flimsy nail, and plucked it out of his grasp like she was picking a grape. Hornet then tossed it into the darkness behind her, leaving her greatest challenge gaping up in shock and fury. 

“I win.”

“H-how dare you!” He sputtered. “That nail was carved from only the most pure and powerful substances in the land! I demand that you-”

“Anyway.” Hornet said, looking at where Lemm was standing, now holding his tablet like a shield and staring up at her in horror. Right…he had never been here for one of Deuwie’s visits. This was the first time he had even seen a human. She would have to be careful. “Lemm. That tablet. I heard you showing it to Cornifer and mentioning humans. Would I be…correct in assuming you’ve found something that might help us?”

“I, ah, I…” He muttered, before nodding. “P-perhaps? I found it while cleaning out my collection of relics. It’s old, perhaps the oldest thing I have in there, so even for me the language is incomprehensible. That said, there is an image of what I believed to be a human, and after seeing you now…I can say without a doubt it’s meant to be some manner of flesh beast.”

“...Let me see it.” Hornet said, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. He found something. He actually found something. Which meant a step in the right direction so that all this bothersome transformation magic could be undone. She reached over and offered her palm for Lemm to place it in, and the relic keeper nearly fell over as a limb the size of his shop was suddenly thrusted into his face. He carefully placed it on one of her fingers, and Hornet squinted her eyes to get a better look as he gasped. 

“B-be careful! It’s delicate!”

“I will.” She sighed, holding it close to a lamppost. Lemm hadn’t been kidding. The text was unlike any she had seen before, and probably dated back a good thousand years. The picture, however, was unmistakably a human being. It showed a picture of one of the primates, dressed in little more than clothes made of plants, standing over a type of insect that Hornet had only seen in the most dangerous parts of Deepnest. Long bodies with dozens of grasping, little limbs. The picture appeared to be a simple size comparison more than anything else, and the drawing of the human was rather…sloppy (and got several details wrong), but there was no doubt in her mind. She handed the thing back to Lemm, before gulping deeply. “Where…where did you find this?”

“I-I don’t remember. It was years ago! And this tablet was in my trash pile.” He said, and Hornet cursed fervently. “I’ve searched my entire collection. There’s nothing else like it or with the same language. Unless we can find some kind of translator, then we’re stuck. That’s why I came up here. I was hoping someone would know what it said.”

“Dammit.” Hornet grumbled, grinding her heels into the dirt. “Much as I hate to say it, all those stolen scrolls in your shop mean you’re probably the best language scholar left in the Kingdom. If you can’t make it out, then…we might never know what it says. I can’t think of anyone else who would know how to read this.”

“That may not be…entirely true. Trying to translate it like that is not the only option.” Cornifer chimed in, walking over to them. “There are a few people still in this Kingdom who know magic, yes? I always keep a record of notable individuals on my maps. Perhaps we can ask around and enquire to see if they can use their abilities to learn what it says!”

“That…is not a bad idea.” Hornet admitted, feeling the spark of hope in her heart reignite. “Alright. Then go search for these people. See if you can find anyone who might be able to help. I don’t care how much Geo or graverobbed artifacts-”

“Hey!”

“Oh, quiet. I don’t care how much they want in exchange. I will give it all to them if they can translate the tablet and help us back into insects. That is a promise.” She said, before standing up again, ignoring the strain in her knees with a groan. “I don’t suppose you already have a few people in mind?”

“I might. I’ll have to double check what I wrote. And this is assuming they haven’t been taken by the infection.” Cornifer replied. “That said, I will check everywhere. I won’t let you down.”

“Thank you. Lemm, you’re going with him.”

“What? But-”

“You are. Once again, I loathe to admit it, but all your years of stealing from the dead probably make you more familiar with Hallownest’s layout than most people here. You’re helping him.” Hornet said, and Lemm paused before nodding in resignation. The relic keeper hated the fact that he was being pushed around like this, but even before, it wasn’t a good idea to say no to any of Hornet’s requests. And now that she was big enough to bite him in two?

Yeah.

“Very well.” He muttered, before turning to head over to the stag station. 

“Good. Good luck then, Cornifer. If something comes of this, I - we will be in your debt. As for everyone else…” She looked at the rest of Dirtmouth, who had all been watching with a sense of curiosity, but mostly nervousness. “I will return in a few hours with Deuwie and the other residents who have been…forcibly changed. We will stay behind the mountain until Cornifer and Lemm return. That is all. Take care of yourselves.” 

With that, Hornet stretched herself out and left, not giving anyone else the time to talk. Zote yelled at her to keep trying to fight him, Elderbug raised his hand like he wanted to speak, before lowering it again, and Sly and the other Nailmasters were staring at her now gargantuan weapon in awe. But none of it mattered. She had to get back and tell the others what she found as soon as possible. 

For once, they might have a hope that they could be turned back to normal.

***

“So you just remove the flower and… suck on the fluid left over?”

“Yup! Well, not the flower portion, but you have to take out this little stem thing first.” 

“I see…” Quirrel mused, watching closely as Deuwie did just that. What was supposed to be an ordinary walk across town had quickly turned into half an educational session, half a “just do whatever Quirrel finds interesting” moment, and the thirty minutes it should have taken them to get to the store had been extended to over twice that. Not that either of them minded. The boy was always eager to share new things with his friends, and Quirrel was overjoyed at the opportunity to learn about the human world in such a close-up fashion. At the moment, the two of them were in the middle of a park, Deuwie showing the former bug how to get the tasty bit out of a honeysuckle. 

“There, you see?” He said, as he sucked the nectar right from the flower. “My dad says I shouldn’t eat too much of them at once, but it’s fun to just sit back and snack on a bush or two!”

“It does smell rather appealing.” The scholar admitted, plucking one of the flowers and repeating the same motions Deuwie had made. He braced himself as he stuck the tiny green stem into his mouth, before smiling. “Mm. This is good! It reminds me a lot of the honey produced by the Hive. Quite difficult to obtain, but oh so worth it.”

“Honey, huh? We should get some of that once we make it to the store, then! I’ll buy a jar.” Deuwie said as he stood up, taking a handful of the flowers with him. Their journey to the local mini-mart had already taken up an hour of their time, and they hadn’t even made it there! Although Deuwie wasn’t bothered in the slightest (and Hornet reassured him before the journey that it was fine if it took a while), every step of the way involved Quirrel becoming captivated with some new or strange facet of human life, requiring them to stop for a few minutes to check it out. So far, they had gone inside a pet store, a bakery, a computer shop, and even a laser tag parlor. There was also an incident where Quirrel walked into the road and almost got hit by a car (twice), and all of a sudden Deuwie was very thankful that Hornet had decided to stay out of the street during her little excursion.

Regardless, he was having a fun time just showing Quirrel all the delights the human world had to offer. Most people who looked at them likely just assumed that it was a kid and their grandpa hanging out, which was just fine by Deuwie. He began walking as Quirrel got to work on tasting his fifth honeysuckle, not wanting him to pick the whole bush clean.

“I think we’re almost to the store.” He said. “Trust me, if you find this stuff cool, then the mini-mart will be a hundred times more interesting to you. They have so many neat displays! They make these big can sculptures, and one time they had a giant vampire bat made of oreos, and there was another time that they put all the ice cream half-off! That was a good day. I convinced my dad to buy this big gallon-sized box of the stuff. Then…I threw up later after eating too much ice-cream, but it was worth it!”

“…I thought you said this was a small store.” Quirrel said, getting the message as the two of them continued to walk. “The way you speak about it makes it sound as if it’s larger than the one that caught fire.”

“Nah, it’s just a lot more fun. I asked my dad, and he said something about “family owned businesses vs. corporations” that I didn’t understand a lot of.” Deuwie replied. “I guess the people at the smaller store just like it a lot more? Uh, they’re certainly smiling more. The people who worked at the big ones didn’t smile a lot…”

“Sounds familiar.” Quirrel said, recalling the prospering days of Hallownest. Although human businesses (like everything else they made) seemed to be more complex than their insect counterparts, there were plenty of large shops and other sources of revenue run directly by the Crown or noble families in the City of Tears. More often than not these places had a gloomy atmosphere. You could almost taste the despair of the overworked employees slaving away there. Just one of the reasons why Quirrel always preferred the much smaller ones. They all had a certain charm. “I have a question, though. It is three days until your father returns, yes? How much food will you need to buy to sustain us during that time? I am only curious how much we will have to carry back with us.”

“Hopefully not a lot. We spent a lot of money on that pizza last night, so I’m really just hoping to buy a bunch of stuff for sandwiches and breakfast meals. Nothing too crazy.” Deuwie replied, before grinning. “And ice cream. And cake. Ooh, and cookies! I wanna see what-”

“Alright, alright.” Quirrel said with a chuckle, patting the boy on the head. “Let’s get there first and see what they have before making plans to purchase their entire candy stock.”

“Candy! I didn’t even think of that. We should get a couple chocolate bars too.”

As Deuwie began to prattle on about his favorite sugary treats, Quirrel took a moment to again observe the streets and sidewalks of the human town. Last night, after just before they went to bed, he had practically grilled Hornet on what it had been like, and she mumbled a few things before flopping onto the sofa and falling asleep instantly. While many aspects of the primates’ civilization had not been a surprise, thanks to what Deuwie had already told them, it had certainly not prepared him for just how colorful everything could be. 

Even before the fall, in Hallownest colors like purple and blue were valued highly as both dyes and paints, and getting a length of fabric fully decorated by either hue could cost you a fair bit of Geo. But whatever method the humans had of obtaining these colors seemed to be far more efficient than theirs. The metal machines they used to travel, the clothes, the buildings, the statues…everywhere he looked, he could see every color imaginable. Even though Dirtmouth was growing, if you looked outside you’d see little more than black and gray streets, devoid of anything that one might consider excessive. The humans certainly didn’t seem to care about that. 

Not for the first time, Quirrel found himself wondering how bad a permanent life up here would truly be.

There was certainly a lot of appeal, as much as there were drawbacks. The food. The safety. The interconnection of civilization. The mass of information, the new lands to explore, the entertainment, the travel, the art, the technology. There were so many aspects of human civilization to be envious of, that as much as he wished to become an insect again, there was a tiny, hidden part of himself that wondered if it would actually be as bad as it seemed. After all, by the time Deuwie showed up, life back in Hallownest didn’t have much left to offer him. He had explored everything he knew of, and with Monomon finally gone, what else was there? Up here, there was so much more to see. So much more to do. Potential for a new purpose. A new life, outside of the tiny, eternally dark bounds of the cavern. 

And yet…

Quirrel knew it could never be. He did have a purpose down there, after all. With the infection gone and the town growing, he had many reasons to stay. Like all the times before, the thought of living as a human permanently vanished as soon as it had come. Perhaps if it had happened the day after his encounter with Ghost at the Blue Lake, he might’ve been tempted to stay. But now? He could not abandon his friends to go traipsing across the Earth, exploring its bounds for as long as his body allowed. They needed him. Dirtmouth needed him. Despite how impossible it seemed, Cornifer, Sly, Ghost, Hollow, heck, even Hornet, had clearly come to see his presence as a warm one. He was not going to throw that away. 

Plus, he knew he would never get used to how hot this body was. He did his best not to show it, but good lord, as a human it felt like he had a permanent fever.

With that thought causing a small chuckle, Deuwie turned around, the mini-mart now in sight and thankfully still open.

“What’s so funny?”

“Me.” He replied. “Well, perhaps that is not so accurate. I just…I think I’ve fallen for your world. Just a little.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I’ll tell you after we become insects again. I’d rather not discuss it and risk doing something stupid based purely on my emotions.” He said with a shrug. “I do have one question, though. Have humans explored all of this world?”

“Uh, I think so! We have satellites, and they can, like, take pictures of everything on Earth! I do know we haven’t explored a lot of the ocean, though.” Deuwie said. “Kinda hard too since it’s mostly just empty water.”

“The ocean? As in, the massive lake that can be thousands of feet deep at points?”

“Yup!”

Struck with a pang of primal terror at such the thought of such a deep body of water, Quirrel grimaced. “I think I shall pass. But thank you for helping me with my decision.”

“Hm? What decision?”

“Later. Part of that funny thing I just mentioned.”

“O…kay?” The boy mumbled, but his smile came back only seconds later. “Anyway, let’s get to the store! I wanna see if they have any snacks on sale.”

Without further question, the human child began jogging the rest of the way, and Quirrel huffed as he pushed his old bones to their limits, struggling to keep up. As if the Gods themselves had a sense of humor, this simple run, barely consisting of thirty feet, only added more fuel to the “don’t abandon Hallownest to go exploring Earth, idiot” fire. He certainly couldn’t be a good explorer with stamina as bad as this. How old was he even supposed to be as a human…? If the wrinkles showed age, he had certainly passed people far more elderly than him!

Thankfully, his stamina held out just long enough for him to make it to the store, and as Deuwie moved inside Quirrel couldn’t help but stand in the doorway, marveling at the sheer volume of food lined up in front of him. He thought the boy’s pantry had been overdoing it, and even though this was a store, the simplicity, convenience, and just the sheer amount of goods in here amazed him. It was far simpler than getting food in the days of the Pale King, that’s for sure! 

A single shelf could feed all of Dirtmouth for years… 

Deuwie already had a basket in his hand, humming as he collected a few loaves of bread, jars of peanut butter, jelly, honey, and other small items that would keep them fed for the next couple days. Quirrel decided to do the same, perusing the shelves as he looked for anything that seemed appetizing. While ignorant of the language, most of the food items were thankfully either see-through or displayed an image of themselves on their containers, which made it far easier to decide what he wanted. After grabbing a bag of some red crunchy things, a box of thin brown sticks, and a bottle of liquid that looked suspiciously like the waters of the Blue Lake, Quirrel began to search for Deuwie, before a “hello” from behind scared the living daylights out of him, his choices falling to the floor.

“Whoa. Sorry, man! Didn’t mean to frighten you!” 

High-pitched. Female. Adult. Close, but not close enough to touch. The former insect gleaned all of these details before he even turned around, and once he did, he quirked an eyebrow as he saw a young woman there, dressed in simple clothes that had the same logo that was above the store. An employee, then. For just a moment, the primal fear of being confronted by a giant, alien creature struck him, before Quirrel straightened himself and was reminded that he was actually taller than this person now. 

‘Act human. Play the role. Remember what you are now and that they’re just people, not flesh beasts.’ He thought, recalling all the things Hornet had told him to do before he left. 

“Ah, it is okay.” He said nervously, leaning over to pick up his items. “I was simply looking for…nevermind. Apologies, I am new here, and visiting my grandson.” He jerked a thumb at Deuwie, who was currently pressing his face against the glass in the frozen foods section. “I am not fully accustomed to the language. I can speak, but not read it.”

“A newcomer, eh? Love to see it!” The girl replied, chuckling. “Where are you from, then? Wait, let me guess…Southeast Asia? Maybe near Indonesia?”

“Uh, ahem, no. A bit closer than that. It is actually near here. I was just not taught a lot about englessh until now.” He said, wincing internally at what he was sure was a butchering of the word. “I simply did not have the opportunity.”

“I understand. There are a lotta people in this town who can’t read or write the language. Heck, I have trouble myself sometimes.” She said. “Good choices you got, though. Much as I hate to say it, that fire yesterday has been great for business. It’s a tragedy, of course, but good lord, at this rate our paychecks are gonna be twice what they are now.”

“Careful. Someone might think you set the fire yourself.” Quirrel jested.

“Oh, they already do! We got a few people coming in asking if we had anything to go with it. After all, besides a few convenience stores, we’re the only place in town where people can buy food in bulk now.”

“…Are there no farms up her - I mean, in town where you can buy crops?” He asked, tilting his head. Back in Hallownest, it was not uncommon to be able to buy produce directly from the farmers themselves, who sat outside all day with massive wagons full of goods, offering them to anyone who passed by at rock-bottom prices. “Where I come from, that is a very common thing.”

“Farms? Haha! Definitely not here. I think the closest farm is like, twenty miles away. And it’s not one with those endless fields of corn. Just something small with some cows and pigs.” She explained. “But what’s that like? Do farmers just…put up big signs advertising their businesses?”

“Heh. That was one method they used.” Quirrel said, a sense of nostalgia flowing through him. His memory was still spotty at times, but there were some things he could recall, simply because they were important, or just particularly amusing. “It was not uncommon for competition between them to be fierce. They spread rumors of spoiled crops, threatened one another, and even resorted to beating their rivals in the streets. I was almost caught up in one brawl.”

“…Wow. That sounds pretty brutal.” She muttered. “Sorry, uh, you had to go through that?”

“It is alright. Frankly, their bickering was our version of entertainment. One time, one of them tried to grab a lamp post to smash it on the other's head. Those poor Lumaflies…” He chuckled, before freezing as he realized what he just said.

“Lumaflies? What are those?”

“It’s, ah, a type of insect where I come from.” Quirrel said hastily. “I doubt you would know anything about them. They’re only native to where I come from, but they give off tremendous amounts of light. We use them to brighten our streets at night.”

“Huh. That’s…kinda cool?” She said, not quite sure if she should believe him or not. “Well, anyway, I have to get back to work. So, good luck! And if you ever have any questions about the food, let me know.”

“I will. Thank you.” He said with a small bow, before sighing in relief as she retreated. That had been…mildly terrifying, he had to admit. But all things considered, it went pretty well. Even that one slip-up at the end was resolved very quickly. Feeling more than satisfied with what he had, Quirrel walked over to Deuwie, who was still loitering in front of the ice cream. He wondered how the humans kept temperatures inside that box so low…it would be an incredible thing to have back at Dirtmouth. Food stores could last for years on end.  

“Will…that not melt on our walk back?”

“Yeah, but we can just stick it back in the freezer we have at home. It’ll, uh, freeze again. I think.” Deuwie said, not even turning around. “Which one do you think everyone will like more? Chocolate or vanilla?”

“Definitely chocolate. That slice of cake you shared with us was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten. And I know Hollow would love more of anything like it. He practically went into a trance.” Quirrel said.

“Alright, chocolate it is!” Deuwie said, opening the door and pulling out a few pints. He then dropped them in the basket with the other foodstuffs, and in there Quirrel could see a great deal of bread and other sandwich products, along with a few boxes of pre-sliced fruit. All for the best, he supposed. One of the things they had discussed yesterday morning was that Deuwie didn’t have to go all out on their meals, and they were perfectly fine with eating simple food (the boy had sheepishly admitted he had been reading off cookbooks this whole time). While Quirrel would miss the taste of some of the things they had before now, that hardly mattered if it meant their benefactor was still pushing himself too far. Besides, even “plain” human food was still far tastier than most meals back home. One look at the inside of the basket proved that. 

The honey in particular looked delicious, and quite similar to the kind he had gotten from the Hive. A golden yellow, syrupy liquid, and Quirrel licked his lips as he thought of being able to…to…

Wait. 

There was…honey. Honey, just…in a glass jar. It didn’t just look similar. It looked exactly like the kind he had from the Hive. Which could only mean-

“Deuwie.” He said, just before they walked to the counter. “This honey. Where do humans acquire it? In Hallownest, only the Hive, a tribe of bees, usually have access to it. Or at least they are the only ones who can make it. Are humans able to create honey by themselves as well?”

“Oh. Uhhhh…” The child looked away, and instantly Quirrel knew where this was going. “Okay, so, you know how I told you that humans have farms where we raise animals for meat, milk, eggs, and other stuff? Welllll…there are also places kinda like farms where we raise bees for the honey they make.”

“You raise bees for honey?” He asked nervously, shifting back and forth as he recalled the rather graphic details of the farm talk. “Do you…also slaughter them for consumption like other animals?”

“N-no! At least, I don’t think so. I’ve never eaten a bee. Or any bug, really.” Deuwie said, before immediately devolving into rambling. “Also, don’t worry! Bees, uh, Bees don't have brains up here like you guys! They're kinda dumb! Well, not THAT dumb. They're actually pretty smart- But, uh, but they're not like you guys! And they like humans! We protect them and then we, uh, harvest their honey…” He mumbled. “...B-but we don’t hurt them to do it! We got these big hives that look like boxes. They’re super safe, and I heard some bees actually learn to trust their caretakers! I read this funny post online that said-”

“Alright, alright, I believe you, Deuwie.” He said. “I will say that, even if they are “dumb bees”, the idea of bugs being farmed like that is unnerving to me. But if you say that they can trust their caretakers…” Quirrel took a deep breath. “...Then I have no reason to assume that’s a lie. The conditions some of those animals at the pet store lived in were better than what we have at the house.”

“Hehe. Yeah, true. As long as something is cute enough, at least.”

“Do humans not consider insects “cute”?”

“I mean…” Deuwie mumbled, before shrugging sheepishly. “I sure do. But do you guys see humans as cute?”

“...Point taken.” Quirrel admitted. With that, the two went to the counter and, as they discussed before leaving, Quirrel was given the money with the proper instructions to hand it over. The experience was more nerve-racking than he thought it’d be, and once he was given a handful of bags to carry the food in, he almost completely forgot to take the spare change. Once all was said and done, though, with a happy wave to the shopkeeper the two of them left, Quirrel carrying three of the bags while the boy did his best to handle two. 

“I assume there will be no stopping on the way home this time.” He said, already moving forward. 

“Yeah. Don’t want the ice cream to melt. Or the fruit to go bad. Or…other things.” Deuwie sighed. “I wish we could take a bus, but the schedule is so weird to me. But…” He then glanced down at his bag full of ice cream, the ice on the container already melting. “We should hurry back!”

With that, the two of them began to speedwalk through town, and Quirrel was thankful that the boy had been willing to answer all his questions on the way here, because otherwise he might not be able to resist even in a situation like this. The humans built such fascinating things that the former insect couldn’t help but want to know more, even if their civilization was obsessed with killing bugs. His scholarly side had come out in full force with the discoveries that came with the surface, and now he had a chance to study something that nobody in Hallownest even knew about. 

Although, not for the first time, Quirrel wondered how true that was. Could it really be possible that nobody was aware of this land and the race of giants that dwelled there, capable of making contraptions that felt a hundred times more complicated than their own? None of the dreamers? The Queen? Had even the King been ignorant? They had to have known in some fashion, yes? The entrance to the cave was far, but not impassable!

He hummed as the two of them stopped at a crosswalk, brow furrowed. Perhaps the solution was simpler than it seemed. Anyone who did make it to the surface simply never returned. After all, it’s not like humans were the only danger insects faced up here. Birds, other bugs, carnivorous plants…the threats increased the further one looked. It was likely many warriors and explorers had made it here…only to be snatched up by some predator they had no way of knowing about.

Shuddering at this thought, Quirrel continued right behind Deuwie. With the speed they were going at, it only took them about fifteen minutes to make it back to the neighborhood, although by that point both of them were wheezing, sweaty, and just about ready to collapse.

“How…much further?”

“Only a minute or so. Keep going! My gym teacher says to just look at what's in front of you if you’re tired!” Deuwie replied, turning a corner and sighing blissfully as the house came into view. Putting on one last burst of speed, both of them ran indoors, Quirrel literally flopping his entire upper body onto the cool kitchen table after he placed the bags onto it. Never had he been so grateful for the air conditioning. “I think I shall stay indoors the rest of the day…”

“Same here.” Deuwie said, collapsing right next to him after hastily placing the groceries away. “I have a few more video games I can show you…you wanna know how to play LEGO games?”

“I don’t know what those are, but yes, I-”

“I hate to interrupt, as I see how tired you are from your journey…but there’s something we need to discuss. And unfortunately, it involves going back out.”

Both of them slowly turned around to see Hornet, Hollow, and Ghost sitting on the living room couch, all three of them lacking their masks. Both Vessels wore what was clearly a hopeful expression, while Hornet’s false face was in her hands, the woman cradling it like a security blanket. “First, though, how was your journey? No trouble?” 

“…No trouble. It was educational, if nothing else.” Quirrel said, curious at the sight. He slowly stood up, old bones audibly cracking as he did so, before sitting in the recliner. Over the course of the past week, the armchair had officially become “Quirrel’s seat”. “What is going on?”

“Maybe something. Maybe nothing. But it’s news.” Hornet said, taking a deep breath. “I went to Hallownest while you two were gone.”

“Wait, what?” Deuwie said, tilting his head. “But you told me it’d be best if only I went for-”

“I know, I’m sorry. I…I just had to see. Ashamed as I am to admit it, I felt a bit homesick. That is all.” Hornet said, which nobody could fault her for. “I only planned to watch from afar, I promise. But…I spotted Lemm, the relic keeper, carrying something and talking with Cornifer. It’s an ancient tablet that has an image of a human on it.” 

Quirrel gasped, snapping his head up, and Deuwie’s eyes bulged out as big as dinner plates. “A…human? Wait, so bugs in Hallownest do know about us?”

“Yes. A long, long time ago, they did. However, the problem is that the rest of the tablet is nothing but text, and this thing is so old nobody is quite sure what it says.” Hornet explained. “I sent Lemm along with Cornifer to search for anyone that might know anything, but…I doubt they will have any luck. There is no one I can think of, at least, that would have more expertise than the two of them.”

There was a solemn, stunned silence that followed this statement, everyone shifting uncomfortably, before Ghost gasped and raised their hand, before writing something down so quickly it was almost illegible. “I might know someone who could help!”

“What? You do? Who?”

At this, the tiny warrior paused, and actually looked nervous as they slowly wrote out their next thoughts.

“You guys may not like it.”

***

“So one last time, let me make sure I’m understanding this correctly.” Hornet said, as the group slowly made their way back through the forest, heading right towards Hallownest. “You’re friends with an old Moth of all things that calls herself the Seer, and this person gave you that dream nail to allow you to defeat the Radiance.”

A nod.

“This person vanished into some…flash of light, but you believe that with the infection gone, there’s a chance they might have been returned to life.”

Another nod.

“And, now, you hope that they can use their magic to somehow translate that tablet that Lemm found?”

Ghost threw their hands up in the air, clearly exasperated, before writing on their pad. “Yes, I think so. I understand why you might not trust her, but she truly wanted to help me back then, and I trust her. If she’s still around somehow, then I doubt she’ll refuse to assist us with this.”

“…Alright. Of course, all this is assuming she is still alive. If she’s not, then…” Hornet trailed off into an uncomfortable silence, which lasted the group the rest of the way to the cave. They all knew what it meant: they might be stuck as humans forever. Even though the tablet was a major discovery, it was useless to them if they didn’t know what the cursed thing said. For the first time in years, Hornet wished her fool of a father was still alive. The mistakes that he made were too many to count…but if anyone would know something about all this, it’d be him. 

As the cave came into view, Deuwie cleared his throat, before turning around. “Okay, uh, I know you said you already went today, but I think it’s for the best if most of you guys hang back.” He pointed out. “I don’t want them to feel trapped or anything.” 

“A fair point.” Quirrel replied, switching on the headlight Deuwie had given them all as they entered the cavern. “What is the plan, by the way, Hornet? I know we are all excited by the possibility of returning to normal, but you mentioned it has only been a few hours since you sent Lemm and Cornifer off. What if they aren’t back…?”

“Because it shouldn’t take them more than a few hours to search every part of Hallownest. With the Stagways and their preexisting knowledge of the Kingdom, I have no doubt those two can cover ground faster than you think.” She said. “Plus, all we truly need to do is find someone that’s willing to go to the Resting Grounds and check if the Seer is there.”

“And…if not?”

“Then nothing. We do what we’ve been doing up until now. Wait and hope for the best.” She said softly, the rock and dirt floor of the cave crunching beneath their feet. Stewing on that thought, the five of them slowly descended the ladder, and Hornet heard a number of gasps behind her as Quirrel and her siblings went through the same “our home is so tiny now” process she did. As discussed, Deuwie was the only one to approach, and thankfully there wasn’t a chorus of screams and cries for help as he poked his head over the mountains and began talking. Hornet couldn’t quite make out what was being said, but his tone sounded happy and hopeful.

After a few minutes, he looked behind him and locked eyes with the woman, before waving them over. The former insect took a deep breath and stepped forward, once again looming over Dirtmouth. The residents all shrank back at the sight of two flesh beasts looking down at their town, but thankfully stayed calm. Cornifer and Lemm were already back, but the expression on the former’s face told her all she needed to know. 

“Alright. Give me the bad news. What is it?”

“We couldn’t find anyone.” Lemm said bluntly. “We even searched parts of Deepnest, and there’s not a single person we found who knows anything about this tablet. It’s a complete mystery.” He sat down on a bench, groaning. “We may need to go through the Wastes and try to find another Kingdom to see if they have anything. But that will take a long time, and I’m not leaving my shop to go on some wild hunt anyway.”

“You may not have to.” Hornet said, nervously wetting her lips. “Ghost recalled someone who might be able to help. A Moth who calls herself the Seer. She lives…lived…in the Resting Grounds.”

“…Of course. The Resting Grounds!” Cornifer said with a chuckle. “It’s the one part of Hallownest we didn’t check! We didn’t think anyone lived in that place. After all, who would choose to make their residence in a graveyard?”

“Someone who doesn’t want to be found.” Hornet said bitterly, before huffing. “Anyway. Ghost said that they vanished when the infection began to take over the Crossroads, but they believe she might have come back now that it’s gone. Go check if she’s still there. If she isn’t, just…come back and tell us. We’ll make plans to journey to another Kingdom, then. I’ll do it myself if I have to…”

“Very well. But what if she is there?”

“What do you think?” Hornet asked, rolling her eyes. “Tell her what’s happening, and bring. Her. Here.”

***

“I will admit. When I was released from the hold of the Radiance and given one last chance at life, I did not expect you to come seeking me for help again, little warrior.” 

Ghost rubbed the back of their head as the Seer looked them up and down, humming curiously at the sight of the five humans. For the first time, Deuwie met an insect that hadn’t been frozen with fear, shock, or awe at his size. In fact, once Cornifer and Lemm had managed to find her and bring her to Dirtmouth, the Seer met them without any trace of surprise. She had (reluctantly) allowed herself to be lifted into the air after stepping on the boy's hands, and now they were back behind the mountains, all five humans staring down at the ancient insect who didn’t seem the slightest bit scared of them.

Hornet, personally, took this as a good sign. As reluctant as she was to trust the Moth, she had, apparently, given Ghost the Nail that allowed them to defeat the Radiance once and for all. If not for her, her friend might be stuck in that damn Temple right alongside Hollow. Or worse. 

It was also by pure luck that she was still alive. Just like Ghost had claimed, the Seer had vanished from this realm once the infection had hit its peak, but it seemed that with the death of her former God, she had been allowed to return to the land of the living. What that said for the rest of the Moth Tribe was unknown, and it wasn’t clear if she was happy or irritated about this, as for once Hornet struggled to read a bug’s expression. 

This was the first Moth she had met. 

Up close, anyway.

“Ghost says they are sorry.” Quirrel chimed in, reading the message on the little one’s pad. “But we would not request your help unless it was an emergency. And, well, I’m sure you can guess what the issue is.”

“Really? Someone may have to enlighten me.” She said with a chuckle. “Yes, that map keeper informed me of what’s going on, and I must say, this is quite the sight. Transformation magic of this kind was unknown even in my tribe’s history. I have heard rumors of conquerors from far off lands, who had the ability to mutate themselves into great and terrible beasts, but until now, it was just that. Rumors. And I have never heard a tale of it happening to someone unwilling.” She chuckled. “Even in my old age, it feels good to still learn.”

“Before we continue, I have a question.” Hornet said, taking a step toward her. The Seer was carefully balancing herself on Deuwie’s hands, and she had been very vocal to him about not dropping her. “You don’t seem the slightest bit shocked to see us like this. Every single insect I know, when they first met Deuwie, spent a good ten minutes looking him over. Because back then he was just that alien to us and we couldn’t help but stare. But you haven’t done anything of the sort. Did you…know about the existence of humans? Before now?”

“That would make things so much simpler.” The Seer replied with a sigh. “But no. Believe me, I am as shocked as the rest of you! I am simply better at hiding it.” She then huffed. “All that said, I do not feel comfortable staying outside the Resting Grounds for extended periods of time. May I see this tablet you all spoke of?”

“Yes. Here.” Hornet said, offering her the object. She refused to part with the thing after Lemm had given it back to her, not wanting what might be their only chance at returning to normal to be broken by a strange bump on the Stagways. The Seer took it with a healthy amount of curiosity, humming and turning it over.

“Mm. Yes. You certainly weren’t lying about its age. I have never seen this dialect before. The image is clearly meant to portray what you are now, but…” She made a strange clicking noise. “…It seems more of a scientific drawing than anything else.”

“You’re suggesting this might be a scholar’s report on humanity?” Quirrel asked. 

“Perhaps, perhaps not. There’s no way to tell without knowing what it says. However, you were all correct to come to me.” She looked up at the five of them, eyes flitting back and forth. “My tribe could use Soul Magic, obviously, but we did not use it in the same manner as everything else. Our enchantments focused solely on the relationship between this realm and the dreaming, the material and immaterial…the direct translation of something, and its underlying thoughts.”

“Meaning?” Hornet mumbled, clutching her nail so tightly her knuckles were a pale white. Although for once, it was out of excitement. 

“Meaning, that through the use of my tribe’s magic, the same I used in your dream nail, Ghost, I can decipher this text. Not directly, like that Relic Keeper does, but I can see the message it is trying to convey, rather than a straightforward answer.” She explained. “I don’t know how long I can do it for, but if there’s any magic left in this decrepit shell of mine, this is what it’s meant to do.” She said, before closing her eyes, holding out a hand, and humming deeply. Deuwie gasped as the little moth began to glow, and with a shriek that seemed to come from the Heavens, and a flash of light, The Seer reopened her eyes, now glowing a brilliant white. Almost greedily, she inspected the tablet, her grip so tight it left small grooves in its stone. Everyone held their breath in anticipation, before the woman began giggling and shaking like an excited child.

“Ahh…Yes, I see now.” The Seer hummed, her antenna flicking back and forth. “Fascinating! Most fascinating!”

“What is it? What have you found?” Hornet asked, unable to hide the anticipation in her voice.

“The answer to what you’ve been seeking. Well, mostly everything.” She replied, before chuckling as her eyes returned to normal. She looked up at Deuwie, and if he didn’t know better he’d say she was grinning. “My my, child of man. It appears you are truly not the first human to enter Hallownest! Although, it seems you are the first friendly one.”

“First…friendly one? And wait, so there were other humans here before me?” Deuwie asked. “When?”

“According to this, hundreds, no, thousands of years ago! Long before any of our first ancestors were born, and perhaps even before the most ancient ruins in Deepnest were around.” The Seer replied. “This log contains a poem…ahem. Let’s see if…yes, here we are. Beware the towering giants three, for their habit is laughter and crushing glee. Bodies crafted of flesh and bone, come from a land never yet known. Retreated they did, back to their home, but return they might, to burn and roam. So a spell we must craft, careful and clever, their link to their size is a trait we must sever. If the beasts return, no longer giants will they be, but as big as us, so they may be tossed in the sea.”

Hornet gasped as the Seer reached the end of this, the meaning of the words hitting her instantly. Quirrel’s face indicated he came to the same revelation, and the two exchanged stunned glances. 

“A…spell? Wait, I still don’t understand. What are they saying?” Deuwie mumbled, repeating some of the rhymes under his breath. 

“It seems, child…” The Seer said. “Many millennia ago, a trio of humans came to whatever Kingdom inhabited this land, caused great death and destruction, and left. The people here decided to create a spell so that if they ever came back, they’d be turned into insects so that they could be restrained and executed.” She explained, before almost bouncing up and down with glee. “Fascianting! Purely fascinating!” The moth repeated. “Imagine what ancient and powerful magic they had back then! To have the ability to forcefully change a human into such a small form…even their weakest magic users would be like Gods to ours!”

“But that’s not what happened.” Quirrel pointed out. “The spell didn’t work, it-”

“Yes yes, but that can be explained just as well. I believe…” She said, waving him off. “…Magic is a tricky thing. I may not know the exact specifics of how this transformation curse works, but assuming it functions the same as other magic? Old spells like that can be damaged, changed, or canceled, by all sorts of factors. Between the existence of the Radiance and the Infection, the Pale King and his Dreamers, and just the general passing of time, this spell meant to affect humans must have gotten helplessly tangled in the raw explosion of forbidden and arcane magicks used in the last few hundred years. So instead of changing a human into a bug…it malfunctioned, and changed the bugs that were closest to Deuwie into humans!” 

“...”

“...”

“...So that’s it?” Hornet asked, grinding the bottom of her nail into the dirt. “That is why we are like this now? Because of some ancient humans causing a ruckus and my Father’s foolish machinations?”

“That is a very compressed summary. But in essence, yes!” The Seer said. “Isn’t this amazing?! I haven’t felt this excited in eons! To know even a fraction of what these people were capable of…it actually makes me feel like a grub again, still interested in knowing all I could!”

“Hold on.” Deuwie said, whose brain still seemed busy taking all this in. “Does that mean if the spell had worked correctly, I’d have been turned into a bug? Like, the second I crossed the cave entrance?!”

“Well, maybe not at that exact moment…but soon after, to be sure! The presence of your flesh and blood must have been the catalyst for the spell's awakening. It just took a bit longer to wake up than usual, and of course, latched on to the wrong creatures.” She said, before sighing. “Now, before you ask, no, there are no instructions here on how to reverse it. I should say now that it’s possible there simply isn’t a way. Considering their reason for crafting this spell, its makers obviously would not be interested in undoing its effects. And I’d have no idea where to start…”

“S-so that’s it, then?” Hornet asked, throat trembling and heart thumping in her ears. “W-we’re stuck as humans forever?”

“I…” The Seer began to say, looking up at the five giants staring down at her. Hornet looked anguished, Quirrel was biting his lip, his eyes begging for her to give them some good news, Hollow and Ghost were about the same, although the latter was gently clutching to the former for support…and Deuwie? He actually had tears in his eyes at the thought of his friends never returning to normal. 

Obviously, there was a lot of fun to be had with his bug buddies as humans, but the Seer knew that the child, perhaps more than any of them, wished for the denizens of Hallownest to return to their natural states. After all, if he didn’t, what kind of friend would he be? The Moth took a deep breath and stared them all dead in the eyes, before shaking her head. “I don’t know.” She said honestly. “If there is a way, I will find it, I promise you. Remember, little Ghost, when I told you how we didn’t deserve to be remembered? If finding this spell and returning you to normal is a possible path of redemption, then I will do everything in my power to take it.”

“If you can return us to normal, I promise you, we will forever be in your debt, no matter what past crimes you or your tribe have committed.” Hornet said, doing her best to keep her voice steady, before her gaze returned to Lemm. “Relic Keeper. As you know, I have always disliked your constant grave-robbing, but now it is more necessary than ever. Work alongside the Seer and find everything you can about this ancient civilization and their magic. I don’t care what you have to dig up to do it.” 

“Uh. Y-yes, of course. I’ll see what I can find.” Lemm said nervously, before hastily jumping off Deuwie’s hand and retreating back into Dirtmouth. Normally they’d make a snarky comment, and Hornet was grateful that they saw the severity of the situation. (Or perhaps Lemm was just clever enough not to be a smart aleck while surrounded by five desperate, not-in-the-mood-for-jokes gargantuan beings. Either or.)

“Good. As for you…” She turned back to the Seer. “Thank you for your help so far. Just do whatever you can for us. Please.”

“I will, I will. Do not worry.” She said, before staring at the ground. “Now, if you would please put me down, child. I have endured this great height for far too long!”

“Oh, sorry.” Deuwie said, leaning down and gently placing the seer on the ground. She brushed herself off as she placed the stone tablet under her arm, before nodding. “Please come back tomorrow, then. With how excited I am right now, I promise neither me nor that relic keeper will stop working through the night. If there’s any more remnants of this civilization like the tablet, we will find it. After all you have done to free this land of the Radiance, and after all I have done…it is the least I can do before I truly leave this world.”

“Good. Deuwie and I shall return soon. In that case, let us depart.” Hornet said, almost too quickly, before turning and leaving without another word. The others watched her go, and then slowly followed the woman out of the cave. (Although Ghost did wave merrily to the Seer before going.) The single person remaining was the only true human among them, and Deuwie kneeled down close to the moth, ignoring the urge to hug himself. “Do…do you really think it’s impossible?” He asked softly. “That they’ll never be insects again?”

“I don’t know, young one.” The Seer said, after a moment of thought. “If the original spell could make humans into bugs, then theoretically, all we have to do is find out how that worked and perform it on them. But this tablet contains no such knowledge on the “how”, and who knows if anything else remains. Thinking about it, I may know a place we can go, but it's a gamble. We’ll have to see tomorrow.” She took a deep breath. “You are greatly worried for your friends, yes?”

“Of course I am.” Deuwie said. “They - they’re adjusting, slowly, but there’s no way they can stay human forever, and my dad just doesn’t have the money to house them for the rest of their lives. I mean, what would they even do? Get a job? Go to college? Fall in love? They can’t do any of that! Not like this. Not after just…appearing out of nowhere. There’d be too many questions.” He sniffled and pulled his legs to his chest. “I just want things to go back to normal.”

“Then we shall do everything in our power to ensure it does. In the meantime-”

A sudden screech of rage erupted from outside, which both of them instantly knew to be Hornets.

“-comfort them as best you can, child. This may be our first time meeting, but based on the stories I have heard, I have faith in you.”

“T-thanks. I’ll do what I can. G-good luck!” Deuwie said, giving the Seer a little bow before he quickly left the cave. There, he found Hornet striking at a tree angrily with her nail, turning the plant into a mess of splinters and broken bark. Quirrel was looking on worriedly, while Hollow and Ghost were unsuccessfully trying to hold their sibling back. Even from there, even with the mask, Deuwie could see the tears running from her eyes, and Hornet’s angered shouts now sounded more like sobs than anything else. 

“Hornet! Hornet!” He yelled, running over and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Stop, please stop! It’s…” 

What was he about to say? That it was okay? 

“...just please stop. D-don’t do this to yourself.”

After a few more weak swings, Hornet gasped and let her weapon hit the Earth, before collapsing to her knees. The others kneeled down with her, and Quirrel came over as well, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I can’t! I can’t! I can’t…be stuck like this…” She cried. “Oh Wyrm, why did this…why did this have to happen…?”

Deuwie’s heart nearly shattered at the sound of her voice, a pained whimper which he thought he’d never hear coming from Hornet, the proud warrior bug who was always ready for a challenge, and never backed down in the middle of a crisis. But it seemed that even she had her limits. The former insect continued to whine to herself, which was followed by a stream of cursing so intense and Deuwie knew if his father had heard her say that around him, she’d be kicked out of the house immediately. 

Thankfully, though, letting her get it all out of her system seemed to do the trick, and soon the flow of tears seemed to peter out. Hornet weakly shrugged the others off and then leaned back against the tree, holding herself tight. “I don’t know…who I blame more right now. The ancient humans who caused all this to begin with, or those fools who couldn’t even get their spell right!” She hissed, and even though he knew he had nothing to do with this, he still felt a little guilty. It was his species that had wreaked so much havoc, his species that led to the creation of the spell that was ruining his friends lives.

“I’m sor-”

“Don’t apologize. Please don't think you are responsible for this.” Hornet said, looking up at him. “It is as we told you before. We don’t blame you, Deuwie. None of us do. I’m only…tired. So, so tired…” She mumbled, before standing again, using her nail as a makeshift cane. “Can we please go back to the house? I’d like to eat and get some rest. I don’t know. Something to just distract myself.”

The expressions on the faces of the others showed that they shared this sentiment, and even if they didn’t have a breakdown on the level of Hornet’s, it was plain to see that they were also in great distress from what they had learned. Hollow was glancing down at his hand periodically, likely wondering if he’d be stuck with it forever. Ghost was sticking closer to Deuwie than usual, itching for the familiar comfort of their friend. And Quirrel was just shifting back and forth, until it evolved into full-blown pacing. 

“Alright.” Deuwie whispered, quickly taking Ghost’s hand and squeezing it tight, which the scarred human returned in kind. “Let’s go home, guys.”

Chapter Text

Hornet was running.

What from, she wasn’t even sure. 

All she knew is that every single one of her instincts were sending her danger signals, and that the only smart course of action was to flee as fast as possible. All around her were houses smashed into dust, innocent bugs lying crushed inside of giant footprints, and the faint smell of smoke as great fires raged in the distance. The most horrifying part, however, were the sounds. Or rather, the lack of any. Besides the crackle of the flames and the wind blowing dust in her face, there was nothing. No screams or cries for help. No great roars from unknown beasts. Whatever she was running from made no noise as it chased her.

And the further she ran, the more distorted the world became. 

The ruins of homes faded into nothing but piles of rocks and broken splinters, and it did not take long until the fires faded over the horizon, leaving the insect warrior in a realm of complete darkness. All she heard now was the sound of her own labored breathing, which was like thunder in her ears. Had she escaped the creature pursuing her? She had to have, yes? It was the only way to-

CRUNCH

With a yelp, Hornet stopped and skidded against the ground, instinctively turning her gaze downwards as she felt something break beneath her feet. She cried out in horror upon seeing the shattered masks of her siblings and Quirrel there, clear as day despite the darkness surrounding her. Trembling, she leaned down and grabbed Ghost’s, the thing split in half just like it had been when they finished off the Radiance. 

“What…what is this?!” She cried, looking around as she searched for the source of this insanity. “Show yourself, monster! Come out and face me!”

When this declaration received no response, she grabbed all the pieces and cradled them to her chest, continuing to run. But it only took Hornet half a minute until she gasped and collapsed to the ground, the mask shards scattering in front of her like broken glass. Her stamina was spent. She wheezed, willing herself to get up, but her legs refused to obey her commands. She reached out for her nail, trying to gain some kind of handhold to force herself to her feet, but instead made contact with a rough, soft, cylindrical object. Hornet froze as she looked up and saw…the tuft of a carpet?

A human carpet.

It took a moment, but her eyes slowly adjusted to the newfound light, and she saw that she was now…inside Deuwie’s house? Only this time, she had been reverted back to her small size. The memories came back like a flood, and Hornet grasped her head. Right…she had been transformed into a human with the others, Deuwie came and found them, they had been living with him…

Was this some sort of strange dream, then? Or had the spell that changed them been reversed? She growled to herself, before looking up and spotting the living room table, which now seemed like a castle in comparison to her. First step: get up high and gain her bearings. She took a deep breath and began to walk towards her goal…

…Until she heard a loud, Earth-shattering BOOM from right behind her, which repeated itself only a second later. Hornet froze and turned to see a human approaching, just as giant and alien as they had been at the start, and after a split second of hesitation she leveled her nail at the beast, trying not to show her terror. It wasn’t Deuwie. That much was clear. It wasn’t Nate, either, as although Hornet only met him a handful of times, this human shoulders were not broad enough for it to be him. No, this was something else. They stepped into the light, and she gasped as she caught sight of…of…

…herself?

No, it was her. The same face she saw in the mirror that day they all transformed into mammals, the face that she woke up with every morning, slowly becoming accustomed to it. It frowned as it looked down at her, and for a moment, Hornet’s mind was too scrambled to even think right.

“What…what madness is this?!” She spat, aiming her nail at her human self, no matter how puny it was in comparison. “This…this must be a dream. I know that for certain now. Some foolish creation my mind made after what happened yesterday-”

“This is no dream, little one.” It said, and Hornet growled at being referred to like that, especially by some thing using her own voice like a mockery. “This is nothing more than the truth you’re refusing to face.”

“And what truth would that be?”

“That this is who you are now.”

A cold chill passed over the insect’s body at these words, her grip tightening. The meaning was not lost on her, and neither was the implication. “No.” She growled. “You - this - that is not me! This is!” Hornet quickly gestured towards herself. “Whatever you are is just the form I was forced into. It’s not what I am. Not truly.”

“But is is. You know, deep down, that the “you” you see yourself as is no more. And it will never be again, either.” The beast replied, sounding almost amused at her attempts to refute it. “That tablet is a lost cause. The Seer is wise, but knows nothing. There is no greater purpose or grand mission to be completed in exchange for being turned back. It is just another part of a world corrupted by Gods, the same as the Radiance's infection or your father’s attempts at creating Vessels. Something that once done, can never be taken away.”

“The Radiance and her infection were destroyed. Two of my Father’s Vessel’s remain. Don’t act like-”

“And how many bugs of Hallownest and Vessels died to accomplish this, that can never be resurrected? Can we truly claim to have won, given how many we lost?”

“…It doesn’t matter. This is still nothing but a dream!” She lifted her nail and huffed. “I’m going to prick myself with this and wake myself. There’s no point in talking with some ridiculous representation of-”

“NO.” The thing snarled, and Hornet froze as a massive hand reached down and grabbed her, much quicker than something so large should be able to. She wheezed and choked on air as the beast squeezed her in-between its fingers, her useless nail dropping to the ground. Even the slightest extra bit of pressure and she’d be crushed. “You’re trying to escape because you know it’s true.” It said, lifting her up to its face. “Because you’re scared, like a little grub. Scared that I’m right. Scared that you can never return to what you once were!”

Hornet didn’t respond, trying with all her might to get out of the giant’s grip. She had nothing to say to that, since, after all, it was true. She was terrified of what her life might be from this point on. Staying human forever…it wasn’t something she even wanted to think about. And yet, since yesterday it was the only thing that occupied her thoughts. 

“What’s wrong? Too frightened to reply?” It snarled, before baring its teeth at her. “I am Hornet now. You’re just an inferior, former version of us that can’t let go of the past. Something that needs to be crushed like the puny, little bug it is.”

“S-shut up.” She rasped. “I-I’m not you. T-this isn’t us! We’re not human!” 

But how true was that anymore? 

The beast sighed and shook its head, before moving her even closer. She was only a few inches away from its nose. “Clearly, no amount of talking will make you see the truth. You must find it out for yourself, then. And the first step is getting rid of how you see yourself now…permanently.”

“W-what are you-” Hornet began to say, before she gasped as the thing opened its mouth and began to guide her towards it. Struck with a sense of primal terror at the sight of the widening jaws, she screamed and began thrashing desperately, trying to do anything to avoid a fate like this. “No! No, DON’T! PLEASE!”

“This is the only way to make you see.” It mumbled, loosening its grip on her and holding her high, angling her right above its giant maw. “When you accept the truth, you’ll be thankful for it.”

“NO! STOP! YOU’RE WRONG!” She cried, now holding onto the beast’s fingers as it tried to shake her off. She tried with all her might to hang on, but eventually, one final flick made her lose her grip. Hornet felt herself falling, falling…and with a SPLAT, she shrieked as she landed on the monster’s tongue, and her world was cast into darkness as its teeth slammed shut right on her elbow-

“AHHHHH!”

-and then she woke. 

The woman flailed and fell off the sofa as she was given the rudest awakening of her life, hitting the floor with a loud THUD. Immediately, Hornet grasped her arm to ensure it was still there, still able to feel those giant teeth crunching down on it like a twig. The relief that flowed through her as she saw the limb still human, but unharmed, was beyond compare. After a few more seconds of checking herself over, she groaned and flopped back onto the carpet, uncaring of the aches in her back and legs from the fall. 

“Goddammit…what kind of dream was that?” Hornet muttered. Her body was covered in sweat, her clothes were muggy and sticking to her, and despite the morning sun shining through the windows, it didn’t feel like she had gotten a good night's sleep. Rather, Hornet felt like she had been run over by a truck, and was left to lay there in the street. Only a few seconds later she heard the sound of rapid footsteps, and she blearily looked up to see Hallow approaching, before he gasped at the sight of his sibling splayed out on the floor. He rushed over to help her up, and Hornet just barely lifted her arm as he grabbed it and pulled her to her feet. 

“Are you okay? I heard you scream. What’s going on?” He wrote, his handwriting scribbly and near-illegible. “Are you injured?”

“I’m sure I’ll have a few bruises in an hour or so, but I am alright.” She replied, sitting back down on the couch. Hornet let her body sink deep into the cushions, fighting off the urge to get more rest. There was no way she wanted to risk returning to that nightmare. “I only had a few bad dreams. Nothing of importance.”

“Hornet, we live in the same house, both right now and in Hallownest. I have never heard you scream like that before upon waking.” Hollow said, tapping his pen on the symbol for “never”. “If you do not wish to discuss it, I understand. But I need to know if you are truly doing okay or not.”

Hornet stewed on this for a moment, before letting loose an unwilling sigh. She supposed there was no harm in sharing the events of her nightmare with her sibling. After all, she’d much rather get the hard part over with now, then cause Hollow to worry over her all day long. So, with a deep breath, Hornet began to speak, her steady voice being betrayed by her uneven tone.

“I was…running.” She started. “I was in Hallownest, I believe. Dirtmouth. All the houses, all the people…everything was just gone, and I could see fires in the distance. Something was chasing me, but I didn’t know what it was. At first, anyway.” Hornet gritted her teeth, and Hollow’s concerned look only grew in severity. “I kept going, until I found myself trapped in darkness. Then I saw…” The woman took a deep breath, and felt her arms wrapping around herself unconsciously. “…I saw your masks. All of your masks. Just lying there on the ground, broken into pieces.”

“We were dead?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t see any bodies. Not much of the dream made any sense. And I haven’t even gotten to the worst part.” She replied. “After that, I found myself inside the house. Only I was small again. I mean, I was back to normal.”

“Sounds like a pleasant dream in the end, then.” Hollow wrote with a soft smile, and Hornet could tell he was just trying his best to liven up the mood. 

“I only wish it had stayed that simple.” She said with a small chuckle. “But what happened next…” Hornet shuddered and looked up, imagining the giant, malicious version of herself towering over them all. “I saw myself. My human self. Just standing there. It…told me things. Told me that I was going to be stuck like this forever, that I would never be an insect again, that we’d all be forced to live in the human realm for the rest of our days.” She grumbled. “Nothing new, honestly. Just what I’ve been worrying about for the past few days. Especially since yesterday.”

“You are not alone in that, if it’s any solace.”

“It is. But I doubt any of us haven’t thought the same thing. Even Deuwie is having those fears.” She said. “Heck, he told me he had a nightmare a few days ago about turning into a bug, and Ghost stepped on him. I suppose our subconscious minds are more similar than it seems…”

Hollow reared back at this, unsure how to reply. “I do hope his nightmares are not affecting him too much. The thought of him becoming distressed because of them is a troubling one. But you said your minds are similar? Did your dream end with her-” He stopped and then scribbled that word out, and a small part of Hornet had to appreciate it. “-Did your dream end with it stepping on you?”

“No. What she did was worse.” She said. “Eventually, I figured out it was a dream, and was going to wake myself up. Before I could, it grabbed me, and…and…it ate me.”

“It did what now?”

“Ate me. Dangled me over its mouth and dropped me in. That’s why I woke up screaming.” Hornet raised her hand and rubbed her elbow, still half-expecting to find marks there in the shape of giant teeth. “The last thing I felt was its tongue beneath me and its teeth closing around my arm. Even though it was a dream, I swear I could feel my limbs being crushed. Then again…” She leaned back against the cushions, eyes half-lidded. “If history has taught us anything, dreams are never as harmless as they seem.”

“I don’t disagree. But I believe this one is harmless, albeit terrifying.” Hollow responded. “I sincerely doubt there’s two versions of you inside your head, a human half and a big half, vying for control. I know what I am telling you must seem obvious, but I just wish to make you feel better.” He paused and let loose a small sigh. “I apologize if I am not doing that well at it. I still have trouble understanding people’s feelings, not to mention my own. Especially when it comes to putting them into words.”

“You’re…doing fine. I appreciate the effort, if nothing else.” Hornet said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “But I know. The Radiance was one thing, but this dream was just that. Nothing but a nightmare using my own thoughts against me. Because that’s what they were, as I told you. Everything she said was nothing I haven’t worried about before. These new bodies…” She held out her hands and stared at them, the soft flesh and tiny hairs still so alien, and yet, not nearly as discomforting as they used to be. “…I don’t know what I’ll do, what we will do, if we are truly stuck in them forever.”

“I suppose the first step will be for Ghost and I to learn how to speak, and everyone to take English lessons.” Hollow said, his hands shaking as he wrote. Her sibling held his emotions so close to his chest, that sometimes Hollow’s handwriting was the only true way to discern his feelings. “I have only met Deuwie’s sire a couple of times, and yet, he does not seem like the type to toss four people in need out of his home. I am sure he will take care of us for as long as he can.”

“Yes, but how long is that, is the question.” Hornet said. “Deuwie mentioned that his parents live separately, and during the Summer, his father and the job he holds provides all of the money for this household. I know next to nothing about human economics or prices, but I am sure that four more humans living here out of nowhere will put a strain on his finances. We all saw what trying to take care of us did to poor Deuwie with that list of his. Throw his father into the mix and things get worse than they are now.”

“You truly think so?” 

“I’m not sure. I do have a tendency to assume the worst, I’ll say that much.” Hornet admitted. “And the worst case scenario is that we have to pose as people who have been humans their entire lives and try to get jobs to raise cash.”

Hollow thought about this for a moment, tapping his pen against his paper. Unlike herself, who rarely wore the mask indoors now, most of his expression was still hidden behind his own. But, his eyes told her more than enough. He was disturbed but also…intrigued by this idea? Certainly more than she was, anyway.

“I think I would want a job working with hair.”

“What? Why?” She asked, instinctively reaching up to grasp at the stringy layer of fur. It was no secret that she had despised the mess since day one, and Hornet only wished for a tool that would allow her to remove all of it.

“I like how it moves back and forth. It’s rather beautiful, don’t you think? And it feels soft. That is nice as well.” He wrote. “I know you don’t share these opinions with me, and I don’t blame you for that. But I do believe that if I had to have any job in the humans’ world, that is one I would feel happiest in.”

Hornet lowered her head, deep in thought as she mused over her sibling’s words. In retrospect, she should have seen this coming. Although Hollow had seemed just as disgusted by his hair as the rest of them did, he was also the only one not to try and cut it. He easily had the longest mane of anyone in the house, reaching down to his shoulders and even a little beyond that. Considering how he said he “liked how it moved”…Hornet could see why he’d want it to stay that length. 

Whatever made him happy, she supposed…

“What about you?” He asked. “I know, again, that it is a disturbing thought, but if you had to get a job in the human world, what would you want?”

“From what I’ve seen?” She replied, unable to hide a snort. “I have no idea. There are a few professions we watched on the television that I might find somewhat exciting, like the man who hunted fish all over the world. But I don’t think I’d feel comfortable traveling across the Earth for years on end. If I wanted a job, I’d want it to be…close to home.” The woman glanced out the window, leaving no question as to what that meant. “So something in town, I suppose.”

“Well, you did go into town a few days ago.” Hollow pointed out. “Was there anything  that caught your eye during that? Or something you could see yourself doing?”

“Not…particularly.” Hornet said, pursing her lips. Most of the jobs she had seen during that little trip had been food service or working at counters. One that required interacting with a large number of humans on a daily basis. And Hornet did not want a job like that. Not to mention there were more tempting ones along them. The “firefighters”, as Deuwie called them, might be one possibility. Protecting people from blazes sparked a certain kind of allure, for a reason she wasn’t quite sure of. The boy also mentioned at an earlier point that the giant park they lived near was actually some sort of “nature preserve” and had rangers that regularly perused the wilderness, making sure everything was in order. That would allow her to stay close to Hallownest, and stay away from humans at most hours of the day. A good combination.

Of course, as Hollow just pointed out, simply making these sort of plans to begin with was a task that left her feeling uneasy. It was like they had given up hope on ever returning to insect form. But what else was there to do? As humans, they had no magic, and they were too big to explore Hallownest, obviously. The only thing they could do now was wait, plan, and hope that the others back home could find something of use.

“Okay.” She said. “Changing topics. How long was I asleep? The sun seems far too high for it to still be early morning.”

“It’s almost noon. You’ve been sleeping for a while, and none of the others wanted to wake you up.” Hollow said. “Quirrel is working on an art project in the basement, Ghost and Deuwie are playing some sort of game outside, and I’m here. I was merely trying to read one of those comic books until you woke up.” He then pointed to the coffee table, and Hornet smiled as she saw the exact same graphic novel she had tried to read a few days before. “I should note, once you have breakfast, Quirrel wants to see you in the basement for something.”

“Hm? Why? I hope he realizes I don’t have any art tips to give him.” 

“I am not sure. All I know is that Ghost and Deuwie have already been called down, and each of them were there for an hour. Speaking of which.” He then stood up and stretched his arm out. “He said he wanted to see me as well. So, I suppose, just come down when I return.”

“Very well. See you soon. And…thank you for the talk.” Hornet said, starting to get an idea as to what was going on. She watched Hollow retreat down the basement steps, and then she was left alone. Faintly, she could hear the sounds of Deuwie laughing from outside, as well as a strange bouncing noise every few seconds, but she supposed she could check on them later. If the two of them were having fun, then there was no reason to interrupt. So, with a loud groan, Hornet got to her feet and trudged over to the kitchen, pulling out a box of cereal and mindlessly pouring it into a bowl. She barely even winced at the loud CRUNCH in her ears as she began eating, nor did she feel overly disgusted as she carefully chewed the tiny bits of food. 

That damn nightmare version of herself had been right about one thing: the act of eating didn’t bother her anymore. Day by day, she was adapting to this body even quicker than she thought she would. She wondered how much of it she was actually just used to now, and how much was a mental process.

Just one more question she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer to. 

She tore into her meal, pouring enough milk into the mixture that it sloshed over the edge of the bowl. Well. There was something about human food that she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to. Just what they ate instead of how it felt. Back in Hallownest, eating was a once-in-blue-moon kind of situation for Hornet, and when it happened she typically feasted on whatever edible plants she had managed to find, or if she couldn’t find any of those, the roasted limbs of a slain beast. But never in her life had she ever eaten anything like “milk”, which Deuwie claimed had been “squeezed out of some big animal called a cow!” The stuff was tasty, sure, but it didn’t make it any less gross. It comforted her, at least, to know that the milk was actually used to feed the creature’s young, and it wasn’t just some random…fluid that the humans decided they wanted.

The more she learned about human delicacies, the more she wondered if the entire species was collectively insane, and just hid it very well. One night Ghost had found a bottle of some thick, red liquid in the fridge, and decided to sprinkle it on their sandwich. What followed was her poor sibling hacking, coughing, and crying for twenty minutes straight as their benefactor explained that it was “hot sauce”, meant to spice up human food and make it more “exciting”. Hornet had no idea what was supposed to be exciting about that, and promptly threw the bottle away before it could do more harm. When Ghost first tried the stuff, she thought they had been poisoned. But no. It was just the humans being nuts again. 

She supposed with a civilization that large, and with so many individuals, there was bound to be some that would enjoy even the strangest and most exotic of flavors. But not her. Hornet was satisfied with her cereal and sandwiches, thank you very much. Perhaps not the most varied meals in the world, but if it worked, it worked. 

She was sure Deuwie would not appreciate her outlook on his species' sanity, so for now, she kept those thoughts to herself. Of course, while eccentric, the boy did seem the furthest thing from crazy. He didn’t like the hot sauce, nor did he want to eat any of the other spices or strange sauces littering the fridge and pantry. 

Maybe humans just turned deranged towards food once they became adults. No, wait, no psychotic person could create food as tasty as that pizza. Every topping on it had been exquisitely delicious. Perhaps it was only some of the population, then…?

“For Wyrm’s sake, why can’t you just make sense…” She mumbled, lifting her bowl and noisily drinking the remainders of her milk. It was yet another reason why she feared staying in the human world for all time. It wasn’t just the fears of getting a job or having to go back home…she was worried she would never even understand the race that she was now a part of. The way they usually acted was similar to the bugs back home, but at the same time, some of it was just so confusing! Perhaps mammalian brains just “thought” differently compared to bugs? 

If so, then what did that mean for them?

When you accept the truth, you’ll be thankful for it.

“Never.” She growled towards no one in particular. “I don’t care if it takes a hundred years. I’ll never stop searching for a way to change us back.”

“I’m very glad to hear that.” A voice to her left said, and she turned to see Quirrel standing there, hands clasped together. Hornet’s face flushed as red as a tomato, and she looked away. How much of that display had he seen? “Are you alright? Hollow told me about the nightmare you had.”

“I am fine. Only thinking about what we have become.” She said, carrying her empty bowl over to the sink and washing it out. “I’m sure Hollow also told you about the talk he and I had. The possibility of…living as humans forever. I am anxious about that. Nothing more. My dreams are taking my worst thoughts and broadcasting them right back in my face, as per usual.” She groaned and shoved the dish into the washer. “And just when I got used to sleeping in this body…”

“I know. I wish there was more I could do for you. But for now…” Quirrel hummed. “Let’s talk in the basement. I wish to show you what I’ve been working on.”

“I will say my curiosity has been piqued. It’s come to my attention that you're working on something special.” Hornet said, as the two of them headed downstairs. The smell of fresh paint washed away any aftertaste the cereal had, and as Hornet walked down she gasped upon seeing what had to be a dozen canvas littering the ground, all with numerous paint splotches covering them. Quirrel chuckled nervously at the mess, carefully moving a few aside to make a clearer path. 

“Deuwie found an entire stash of these things down here. I suppose one of his family members has an interest in art. I’ve used most of them to catch-up on my skills.” He said, leading Hornet deeper inside. “After what happened yesterday, I figured everyone could use something to cheer them up, so I’ve been working on…these.”

He then stepped aside and presented his creations, and for a moment, Hornet was frozen with awe at what she saw. From that single painting of the Blue Lake, she knew Quirrel was a skilled artist. But if these were anything to go by, he really had been rusty that day. 

It was them. Or more specifically, portraits of their insect selves, each depiction taking up an entire canvas. Hollows, just recently completed, still hung on the easel, while three others were gently placed on the floor, depicting Ghost and himself, along with one of Deuwie. The details were stunning, and for a moment Hornet wondered if she was staring at a couple of photographs. Their benefactor's portrait was a little bit sloppier, but still exquisite, and considering that this painting was the first time Quirrel had ever drawn a human…

“These…these are…”

“Yes. After yesterday, when it became clear that our path to becoming ourselves again is likely a fifty/fifty shot, at best, I figured it would be wise to make these before we forgot who we were.” He said, looking over his work with a solemn air.  “As you mentioned upstairs, the possibility of staying human forever is very real. Thus, these paintings. At the least, if we cannot become bugs again, then at least we’ll have these to remember that part of ourselves by.”

“…incredible.”

“Huh?”

“These are incredible.” Hornet said, leaning forward and inspecting the details. “You’ve completed all three of these today? How? I imagine Deuwie is the only human you’ve ever painted, and yet you portrayed him perfectly!”

“I just applied the lessons Monomon taught me. Little more to it than that.” He said humbly. “Truthfully, it’s far easier when you know exactly what you wish to make. Your siblings wanted simple pictures of themselves, nothing more. Deuwie wanted one where…” They both looked down, and it was only then that Hornet noticed the picture of the boy included herself and the others as well, perched on his shoulders. “…well, you know how he is. Frankly, that request was too adorable to deny.” Quirrel chuckled. “As for myself, it took a while, but I settled on what Ghost and Hollow did. I figure there’s no reason to try and make it grandiose.”

“And now it’s my turn, then?”

“Yes. You’re the only one I haven’t done.” Quirrel said, taking the previous canvas off the easel and placing a blank one on it. “So, the only question is…any special requests?”

“...Honestly? No, I don’t think so. As tempting as it is to ask for a painting of myself doing something specific, I think the others had the best idea.” She said, looking over at the rest, all of which were just simple, full-body images, staring straight at the “camera”. “That said, there is one additional detail you could add that I wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Could you…” She said, hesitating as she considered her options. No weird poses, that’s for sure, and as cute as Deuwie’s idea was, she didn’t wish to include anyone but herself in this, since that would defeat the point. Although…the backgrounds of the other four were either black or white, with no additional details. That was something she could work with. “Could you add a background for me?”

“Oh! Of course. It will take much longer, but I can do it.” Quirrel said, as he walked over to a small box on the floor and grabbed a few more paint jars. “What would you like it to be of?”

“The inside of my - our house.” She said. “Hollow, Ghost, and I all share a place back in Dirtmouth. Over time, they changed the interior by placing all sorts of items and other “personalized” things inside. Originally, I was annoyed at having to see all the knickknacks littering the floor and shelves, although…” She smiled. “…I admit that eventually, I contributed to them. And it made it feel more like a proper home for us than just some box we lived in.”

“That’s very sweet. I would be honored to paint that.” Quirrel said, giving her a “I didn’t know you could be this sentimental” look. 

“Yes, well, don’t go screaming it from the rooftops.” She said. “Anyway, since staying human forever means we can never go back home, I figure it would be best to include that in the background. At least then we’ll still be able to remember everything we collected in Hallownest and saw fit to take home.”

“Should I get your siblings to help with this, then?”

“No. I remember everything they brought inside. Mostly because I’ve tripped over most of it in the past.” Hornet chuckled. “But this is alright, then?”

“Of course! I’m not going to say no to a request like that. I’m sure the others will love it as well.” Quirrel said, as he stretched his arms and fingers with a few loud CRACKS. “I’ll get working on the painting of you, first, and then add in the background once that’s done. Would you like to stay for the whole time?”

“I do, if you don’t mind. I wish to see the master at work, so to speak.”

“I still think calling myself a master is pushing it…but very well! Just try not to make any sudden noises. Ghost kicked an empty box while waiting and it caused my hand to slip. I had to cover the mistake up by changing their posture.”

With that, Quirrel began working, and Hornet found herself captivated as she watched him gently drag the brush along the blank canvas, thinking hard about every single movement. He seemed to favor working from the ground up, first creating an impression made of her feet, and once that was done, focusing on her cloak and arms. Hornet figured that she was likely the easiest out of all them to draw. Her body was, to put it politely, little more than a collection of thin black limbs and a single red cloak. She did not imagine it would take Quirrel much effort to capture those.

Well, she didn’t at first. 

The further up he got, the more the woman leaned forward, as once he began working on her clothes the masterpiece revealed itself. Every single crease, wrinkle, and gentle mark on her robe was captured in meticulous detail, and for a moment Hornet was convinced she could just reach out and grab it. The nail she held was even more perfect, Quirrel managing to flawlessly engrave a near-photographic image of her weapon onto the canvas. He even included the small dent that it had from when she fought a Mantis Lord! How had he even noticed that?

Soon, he made it to her mask, and from that point on it seemed to be smooth sailing. Simple black lines, empty black holes, a deep white background, and he was done. Hornet found herself standing up and approaching, eyes tracing the painting of herself. This was her. This is who she was. Not the giant form she was stuck in now, or that monstrous thing she encountered in her nightmare.

This was who Hornet was, no matter what body she found herself trapped in.

“Is it adequate?” Quirrel asked, shifting back and forth as he prepared himself for criticism. 

“It’s…ahem.” She started, clearing her throat as her voice cracked just a bit. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Of course! I am glad to hear I managed so well. Now, here is the more hands-on part. You’ll have to guide me to what lies inside your home so I know what to include.”

“Very well. I don’t remember everything, but I’ll do my best. I know enough for the others to recognize it on sight, anyway.” She said. With that, the two of them started to work together on completing the background, with Hornet chiming in every now and then. Truthfully, considering how identical every home in Dirtmouth was, all Quirrel really had to do was paint the interior of a normal one, and then simply add in a few things. Hornet did her best to recall everything she had ever tripped on or added to the home herself, and soon the painting was littered with all sorts of strange but endearing trinkets the three of them had collected over the past few weeks. 

All of Ghost’s charms took up an entire wall, while their nails hung perfectly and polished on the opposite one, and there were a few shelves stacked to the brim with all sorts of random things. The finishing touch were their beds (Ghost and Hollow had two floor beds, while Hornet took a hammock), and once that was completed, the two of them stepped back to admire the finished work.

“…It’s beautiful." Hornet whispered. “The others are going to love this.”

“I do hope so. But for now, we must let it dry.” Quirrel said, carefully taking it off the easel and setting it on the floor with the others. They took a moment to look over all five artworks, spread out before them. Staring down at them, Hornet was struck with a pang of melancholy. If things didn’t go well, if the Seer and the others didn’t find any way of turning them back, then those paintings might be the only thing that lasted of their true, original forms. The only evidence besides memories of what they once were. Quirrel’s face showed he was having similar thoughts, and a second later she felt his hand on her shoulder. Instinct normally would’ve compelled her to smack it off, but instead she simply reached up and grasped it, grateful for the attempt at comfort. 

“We should head upstairs.” She said. “I’m sure the others will want to see the completed works.”

“Indeed. Perhaps later today we can try to find proper places to hang them up.”

“You really think Deuwie’s father will be okay with us doing that?”

“If the rest of the house is anything to go by, I do not think he would mind too much. There are already paintings hanging in a few places. There is even one in the bathroom.” Quirrel said. “If he is sympathetic to our plight, I am sure he will understand the importance of this art to us.”

“I only hope so. I do not wish to be more of a burden here than we already are.”

“Deuwie does not think we are a burden, Hornet. Don’t think of yourself like that.”

“I know. But I can’t help it, after seeing what he did to himself for us the first few days.” She said, leaning against the wall. “I am glad he is better now, but…well…you all saw that list. Even if we can’t read the dang thing, there were a good two dozen chores he made for himself on it. I am not sure how he could even keep track of them all during the day.”

“Neither I. But he is better now, as you just said. I say we should focus on that and nothing else.” Quirrel replied, glancing back down at his work. “Even if we stay human forever, I did not intend for these paintings to be some eternal, painful remainder of what we lost. I only wish for them to be comforting, the same way it is nice to relive a pleasant memory. We should be looking forward and trying to make the best of what we have.” He explained. “Whether we will truly succeed at that…who knows. But I believe that, with how quickly we are adapting to our bodies and human civilization, that even in the worst case scenario there is a future for us up here. We just have to be very careful carving it out for ourselves.”

Despite not being nearly as optimistic as her friend, a part of Hornet had to admire his positivity. A few days before, between rounds of playing that “Mario Kart” game, Quirrel had confessed to her that a part of him, albeit a small one, actually wanted to stay in the human world and live here for the rest of his days. At first, she was aghast at the idea that he’d wish for such a thing, but as the night continued and everyone went to bed happy, full of pizza and worn out from playing, she began to see what he was getting at. The surface was frightening and confusing in more ways than she could count, and yet, there were still appeals to it. Things that, even if they were forced to get jobs and never return home, could make it bearable. 

Quirrel, she supposed, just saw the pros as more worth it than any cons. 

He was an explorer and scholar by nature, after all. The urge to run free and investigate every part of Earth must be overwhelming for him. And if they returned to normal, unless Deuwie’s father was willing to join him on this journey, then any dreams he had of seeing everything this planet had to offer would be dead in the ground.

“...I suppose you are right.” She finally said. “But I am sticking true to what I mentioned upstairs. I am not going to give up on finding a way to change us back. I know a part of you enjoys the idea of living among the humans, but-”

“Yes, yes. Remember, I said only a small part of me wanted that! It’s not something I’ll ever be deadset on.” Quirrel said, his cheeks turning pink. “I know the issues that come with it. You and I might be able to create a stable life for ourselves, but as for your siblings…”

“Yes. Neither of us are the biggest concern. Ghost and Hollow cannot even speak, and that is not mentioning the amount of attention their scars will bring. Their mere presence will unnerve most humans, I am sure, so getting a job may be impossible for them.” Hornet pointed out. “I doubt they will have an easy time building a life up here without years and years of preparation. Years that I believe we do not have.”

“Perhaps we should begin closely studying human money, their economy, and…whatever job market they have. From what I have seen, it is not too dissimilar to Hollownest’s collection of shops and services.” Quirrel suggested nervously. “It may prove invaluable to us in the future.”

“…It may.” Hornet said softly, and that conversation came to a swift end, the two of them standing in silence before they heard a shout of joy from outside. “Deuwie and Ghost are playing a game, yes? What do you say we join them?”

“Heh. I am not sure if this old body is up to it, but I will do my best.” Quirrel said, perking up immediately. The two began to head upstairs, the bouncing noises and yelling from the backyard growing louder. “I think I will present all the paintings during dinner tonight, and then we could find a good place for them in the house. The living room, for example, has a lot of empty wall space.”

“Just don’t try to attach them to the wall without knowing what you’re doing. I doubt Nate would appreciate us jamming nails into the plaster without warning.” Hornet pointed out, carefully slipping on her boots. “That said, I will look forward to it. I can already hear Deuwie squeeing at the sight of them.”

“Hah! He does do that. It’s always adorable, though.” Quirrel agreed, as the pair opened the door and headed outside. There, they came upon an odd scene. Ghost and Deuwie seemed to be fighting for control over a small, black and white ball, kicking it between themselves as Hollow watched on the sidelines. On either side of the backyard were small posts stuck into the ground, a small barrier of empty space between them. 

“Come on, Ghost, don’t be a ball hog!” The boy said joyfully, trying and failing to get the odd sphere away from her sibling. It was then that he noticed the newcomers, and Deuwie gasped before running up to them, covered in dirt, grass, and sweat. “Eeeee, I was hoping you guys would come out! Wanna play with us? There’s enough to form teams of two, now!”

“…I would not be against it. What are you doing though?” Hornet asked, reaching out and patting his head, as if the human child was a puppy. 

“We’re playing soccer!” Deuwie said. “It’s a game where you have to score goals by kicking the ball between those two posts. You can’t use your hands or arms to move it, but anything else is okay, even your head! Hollow said he can’t play because of his leg, but that’s fine! He’s acting as our referee.”

A loud, high-pitched keening noise suddenly rang out, and Hornet flinched as she looked over and saw her sibling pressing some strange orange object to his lips.

“He also, uh, really likes the whistle I gave him.” Deuwie chuckled. “Anyway, you guys wanna play?”

“I would. I’ll be on Deuwie's team. Quirrel, you’re with Ghost.” Hornet said. She figured that having both herself and the former Vessel on the same team would be a bit unfair, so to speak. Quirrel smirked as he moved to take his place by the Ghost’s side, before stopping just before he left. 

“I’m surprised you're so eager to participate in this.” He whispered. “The old you would have called this game a “frivolous waste of time” or something along those lines.”

“What can I say? Times change, and we all need a distraction right now.” Hornet said. “Don’t mistake my stoic nature for an apathetic one. I care about all of you…and if things like this will help us get by, then why not take part? It’ll be good for me as well.”

“Glad to hear it. Good luck, then.” Quirrel said, seeming almost…proud of the way she was acting? Hornet merely huffed and went over to Deuwie, who was nearly jumping up and down in excitement. He looked over at Hollow, gave him a thumbs up, and as the whistle once again sounded, the game was on. Since Ghost still had the ball, they quickly moved to the side, kicking it far and carefully following it. Hornet ran towards her sibling in a dash, kicking up small bits of grass as she got close and moved to extract the ball from their grasp. Ghost saw it coming and kicked the ball backwards with their heel, right towards Quirrel.

“Deuwie! Get it!” She shouted, and the child made to move, heading towards the elder warrior as he looked down at the sphere in confusion, as if unsure what to do with it. But Hornet could tell it was a ruse. The moment Deuwie got close, Quirrel kicked the ball right between the boy’s legs, before darting to the side and heading right back towards it. And that is how the game went. Hornet, Ghost, and Quirrel played a game of what was essentially hot potato, Deuwie chased after it constantly and only took hold of the ball a few times (not that he minded, he was laughing and whooping the entire game), and Hollow took any opportunity he had to blow his whistle. 

Despite what happened yesterday, and the flood of hopeless thoughts invading her mind today, Hornet found herself having fun. She could tell from just one look everyone around her was enjoying  themselves, and even Hollow seemed ecstatic to stand by and ref the game. For a moment, albeit brief, the woman was filled with a sense of relief. Quirrel was right, after all. Normally, she wouldn’t bother to participate in something like this. She’d simply come up with an excuse to say no and then leave to go do something pragmatic. But now she was here, playing soccer with the others, feeling elated every time she managed to get the ball. 

And for once, Hornet wasn’t doing it just to cheer the others up and make them feel better. She was doing it for her own happiness, because after so many years of refusing games and fighting nonstop, the former insect found she could now truly enjoy something meant only for fun. 

***

Cornifer had to admit, while he had traveled many a time with companions while creating his maps, the party he found himself with now was easily the most odd he ever had the pleasure of being with. 

The Relic Keeper, infamous for never leaving his shop, had begrudgingly come with them, if only because the Princess of Hallownest (now giant-sized) had ordered him too. He still remembered the day that Lemm came up from the Stagways, and it took him a while to realize that no, this wasn’t a dream. He excitedly showed the tablet he carried to Cornifer, almost interrogating him if he had seen something similar before, and it took all of five seconds for the map maker to realize the similarities between the image carved there, and the humans that had recently become another part of life in Dirtmouth. Lemm was a grumpy, if helpful partner, and thankfully his complaints had…mostly died down after the first hour of travel.

The other one he was with was even more unexpected, to say the least. Walking at the front of the group, and moving remarkable fast for one so old and with such short legs, the mysterious Moth that only called herself “The Seer” was leading them to an unknown destination, and Cornifer couldn’t help but feel for the poor Stag that was forced to carry all three of them down here. The trio was currently in the waterways, and as usual, Lemm made sure his issues with this journey were known by all.

At the moment, they were crawling through what could only be described as horrendously smelling piles of muck, and the Relic Keeper groaned and coughed with each step, looking ahead of him where Cornifer and the Seer walked on without the slightest hint of disgust.

“Ugh…revolting!” He gagged, as he stepped in a large pile of mush with a loud SPLAT. “Okay, that’s it. Stop. Stop right now!” 

His two companions turned to look at him, the Moth sighing deeply. “What is it, graverobber? Time is of the essence.”

“Stop calling me that! And the only thing “of the essence” to me is knowing where we are headed! I haven’t ever gone this way, you know. The smell always kept me back.” He grumbled. “Where even are we?”

“The Royal Waterways!” Cornifer said cheerfully. “I had a devil of a time mapping it, but eventually I-”

“The Royal Waterways? The ROYAL WATERWAYS?!” Lemm spat, as Cornier jerked back. The Relic keeper glanced down at the ground in horror, right where his foot had landed in brown mush. “Then all these piles of muck are actually-”

“Yes, and I’m surprised it took you that long to figure it out.” The Seer said, shaking her head. “I am not pleased with this route, either. But the only other way I know would take us through the Mantises Territory. And I am not on good enough terms with them to pass through without issue.”

“Then where are we going?!” He replied. “What part of this Kingdom is possibly so important that we have to crawl through a godforsaken sewer?!”

“Where do you think?” She said with a chuckle. “The White Palace, of course.”

Lemm’s anger died on his lips when he heard these words, and even Cornifer gasped. “The White Palace?” He said softly. “Even I have never fully mapped its ruins. I only observed from afar. Whenever I got close enough…” He shuddered like a cold wind had passed through. “…It was as if there was some sort of invisible barrier in front of me. I was…terrified of something lying ahead. I just didn’t know what. I never made it further than the very edge of the Grounds.”

“Yes, that little spell the King placed on his territory.” The Seer said, saying the word with a sneer. “My guess is that anyone who isn’t a member of the Royal Family, a very high-ranking noble, or a palace guard is affected. Luckily, with the Little Ghost having taken back the King’s Brand, I say the way is now clear and the spell is broken.” She explained. “I could sense that brand on them, even when they were human. Powerful, old magic…and in their hands, perhaps it will be used correctly.”

“I…you…” Lemm started, still flabbergasted at the knowledge of where they were headed, nevermind all that talk about the Brand. “How do you know so much about Hallownest? I wasn’t aware of that spell! I’ve heard stories from travelers, ones that attempted to get to the Palace before. Like Cornifer said, get too close, and…” He gulped and shook some of the muck off his foot. “…I thought there was just some great beast beyond, guarding the grounds. Nothing more than that.”

“For one thing, I don’t know. It’s just a theory.” She replied, shrugging. “I will be honest with you two. Everyone acts as if I am omniscient. I am not. Far from it. I am just very old, and very good at assuming things. I don’t even know for sure if what we’re looking for will still be there.”

“And what are we looking for? When we first set off, you just said, “follow me” and led us here.” Cornifer asked. “Believe me, I am excited for the opportunity to observe the Palace Grounds, but what could be there that will help us? Some magic artifact?”

“I can wager a guess.” Lemm said, stepping forward as his eyes narrowed. “For years, there were rumors among Relic Keepers that the King held a collection of his own. More vast and valuable than any other in the land, containing objects from Kingdoms thousands of years past, and lands far, far away from this one…” He sucked in a breath, speaking of this with a sense of reverence. “That is what you are hoping to find, isn’t it? But it was just gossip back in the day! And one with no proof, at that…”

“You are right, it is just gossip. But this supposed collection is not why we are heading to the Palace.” She said, sounding like a parent annoyed with her children for believing silly rumors. “My tribe kept records of the days when that giant eyesore was built down here. We remember how long it took, and we remember what it was built on top of. Why do you think, out of every hidden location in Hallownest, that the King decided to make his home there?”

“Because it…was far away from anything else?” Lemm guessed. “We all know how much of a recluse the King was. I assume he built it deep underground to keep out anyone wanting to try and sneak a glance at him from afar.”

“Well, that too.” The Seer admitted. “But as I said, we have our records, and I have kept and looked through them all. Several of my ancestors were workers who helped make that palace to begin with, and although they were forbidden to speak of their work, nobody said anything about writing about it.” She said with a chuckle. “They speak of ruins that the palace was built on top of, so as to hide its existence from the ignorant citizens. To be exact…a library.”

“A library?”

“Yes. The only remains of a civilization older than ours, older than mine, older than anything else here! Built specifically to preserve all the knowledge of a collapsing Kingdom. Unfortunately, going by the accounts I read, the Library had fallen into great disrepair by the time construction began, and most of the stone tablets inside were lost. Most being the key word here. Judging by the description of the writing on those tablets, I believe the one in your shop-”

“Not a shop. I don’t sell by collection to any fool who comes by and-”

“-And the ones in that library are from the same bugs. Assuming they were even bugs at all.” She said, before turning to face both of them. “That is the plan. Besides the Gates, the Palace vanished when the King did, which means so did any potential magic seals on that Library. We can simply go inside, find the entrance, and see if any of the tablets left down there have what we want.”

“What if they don’t?” Cornifer asked, who had been fervently writing down every detail of this conversation.

“...Then I go back home, and so do you two. That is the only idea I have.” The Seer said softly. “And we have to break the news to our human friends that they are stuck like that. Forever.”

The Seer let that little thought get stewed on for a bit by her two companions, and, rather hastily, the trio continued venturing into the dark. As they left the Royal Waterways behind and entered the Ancient Basin, Cornifer fell a chill passing through his shell. He had only scarcely mapped this region of Hallownest. It had been rife with the infected way back when, and even now, it had a naturally creepy atmosphere that made him want to turn around and just leave. Lemm didn’t seem to be faring any better, as for once he wasn’t scouting out the ground and other dark corners for relics, but only watching his back. He hid it well, but the mapmaker could see it clear as day: his companion was terrified. 

“How much further?” Lemm asked, as they passed by an old tram. “As I said, I’ve never been here before. I always felt the risks were greater than the rewards.”

“You mean you didn’t want to crawl through sewage. Which I don’t blame you for. But not far. It’s just down there…” Cornifer said, as they came upon a large hole. With great cautiousness, they began their descent, dropping onto the soft ground below as the entrance to a massive chamber appeared in front of them. This was it. The very edge of the Palace Grounds. Even the Seer seemed to hesitate as they gazed at the way forward, before she huffed and moved ahead.

“Let’s get it over with.” She said. “I made them a promise back in Dirtmouth, and despite how much I loathe having to venture outside of the Resting Grounds for this long, I intend to keep it. Besides, with the Infection gone, there’s nothing alive down here. Nothing that will bother us anyway.”

“That’s what I’m worried about…perhaps other predators have moved in in the meantime.” Lemm mumbled, although he (begrudgingly) followed after her. After a short but terrifying walk through pitch-black darkness, the three of them all sucked in a breath as they were presented with the White Palace, the crown jewel of Hollownest, the seat of the Royal family…what remained of it. As the Seer said, only the front gate of the former castle remained, and even that was crumbling to pieces. Cornifer could see the corpse of a former Kingsmould in front of the entrance, dead for so long it almost looked mummified.

“What a waste…” Lemm said, as the trio slowly approached. “All that history, all those relics, and one day it just up and vanishes. What even happened to this place? I see no ruins beyond those gates. Only rock and stone.”

“Perhaps if we find the King down there, you can ask him.” The Seer said. “There will always be questions that we can never know the answer to. I fear that most queries about the King, this palace, and everything in-between fit into that category. Truthfully, I think it doesn’t matter at this point. Was he a fool? A misguided bug? A cruel tyrant? I’m not sure. I could only watch from afar. And yet…” She took a deep breath. “…I can’t find it in myself to care about the truth.”

“…I saw him once. The Pale King, I mean.” Lemm said, and his two companions stopped like a leash had yanked them back. “It was one of those days when the constant rain had picked up and nobody dared to venture outside. I was looking out the window, down at the statue of the Hollow Knight, and I saw…him. Just standing there, staring up at it. He stayed there for a few minutes, and then he just vanished into a tunnel. Nothing more than that.”

“That doesn’t make sense for multiple reasons.” Cornifer said. “How could you even be sure-”

“Because he looked exactly like all those old statues of him look. The crown with the seven spikes. The long silver cloak. It was all the same. No one would dare dress exactly like the King unless they were him. He was shorter than I expected, but…I’m positive it was him.” Lemm explained, his voice taking on a much gentler tone. “Also, it was like what we should be feeling now, if the little Ghost did not have the King’s brand in their possession. When I saw him…” He paused, taking a moment to compose himself. “…I was frozen in fear. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, no matter how hard I tried. When he finally left, I fell to the floor, gasping for air. That feeling, from back then? It was the exact same feeling back when the protection spell around the Palace was in place. You freeze and just…feel the urge to run, but can’t.”

“Well…even if all that’s true, it still doesn’t make sense!” Cornifer said. “Where were his bodyguards? His attendants? His escorts? Even if he is King, there’s no way he could just leave the Palace by himself!”

“Of course he could.” The Seer chimed in. “He could simply order them to stay, and they’d have no choice but to obey.”

“...I suppose you’re not wrong there. Still, why would he go to that statue? Surely there must be more grandiose sculptures of his own child in the White Palace, no?”

The Moth laughed at this, a deep, booming set of barks that echoed through the cave. “Would you want to be reminded of that everyday? In your own home?”

“...”

“Exactly. Now, pay attention.” She said, before stopping. “We’re here.”

The two of them looked up at this proclamation, and Cornifer gasped as he saw the gates of the Palace looming in front of them. It was…a lot smaller up close, admittedly. A lot less grandiose, as well. The shining white stone the Palace had originally been carved with was now cracking, grey, and looked more akin to a corpse than anything else. Beyond the Gates lay exactly what they expected: no sign of the grand residence that once stood here. Just an empty, rocky field, and hopefully, the entrance to the library that the Seer had mentioned. 

Speaking of which, she hummed almost in disapproval before walking through, and the two bugs followed, nervously inching past the body of the (hopefully dead) Kingsmould. Once they entered the field, she began looking back and forth, tapping her chin.

“The records my ancestors made mentioned that, above the library, the King carved his sigil into the stone, so that if they ever did need to access the library for whatever reason, they’d at least know where it lay. Keep your eyes on the ground. The sigil is probably faded, so make note of anything that doesn’t appear natural.”

“None of this is natural.” Lemm said, his usual grumpy tone taking on a solemn one as he looked at all the rocks and roots. “Once, while exploring the City, I came upon a room filled to the brim with corpses. The air…the feeling of death in the air…it’s the exact same here.” He explained. “I don’t know what happened to the King and everyone in the palace. But I think it’s safe to say none of them survived.”

“At least they didn’t come back as infected.” Cornifer said. “I never encountered a diseased bug dressed as a Palace attendant in all my years. They must have just vanished along with it…”

“How kind of the King, to take his servants with him when he fled.” The Seer snorted, before holding up a lantern that just seemed to have…formed from the darkness of her cloak. “Now start looking. I’m not getting any younger.”

“None of us are very young…” Lemm muttered, but he obeyed her request and began pacing the area, searching for any abnormalities in the rock. As much as it annoyed him to be dragged down here, he was having trouble hiding his excitement at the idea of an ancient, hidden library. The thought of the knowledge and relics that must be stored within made him actually feel young again, eager and happy to go out and search for hidden things. He only wished he knew about all that nonsense with the King’s Brand earlier. He could have saved so much time!

After what felt like an hour of searching, though, he was starting to lose hope. Most likely, even with the Palace gone, the entrance to the archive was buried deep underground, and none of them were fit enough to start shoveling through the dirt. Perhaps they could drag Ogrim down here for help. As much as that fool disgusted him with his constant digging through Wyrm knows what, Lemm had no doubt he was strong enough to-

“I think I…yes! I FOUND IT!” Cornifer suddenly called out, and the relic keeper breathed a sigh of relief at having been spared the possibility of talking to the dung beetle. The two others rushed over as fast as their little legs could carry them, where they saw the very edge of a carving in the ground, the rest having worn away. “How lucky. A few more months, perhaps, and the last of this engraving would be gone.”

“Yes, good job. Now, how do we get inside?” Lemm asked. “Is there some sort of lock or key we need to find?”

“Nothing so rambunctious.” The Seer said, kneeling down. “If the records the workers left are accurate, then all we need to do…is this.” She then approached the edge of the carving, placed her hands on it, and before either of them could ask what the heck she was doing, a brief flash of light erupted from the Moth’s hands. Both Lemm and Cornifer flinched back as a huge section of the floor instantly swung open, the ancient hinges that held the door in place creaking and threatening to break. With a truly absurd amount of dust (and noise) the entrance to the library was revealed. A giant, perfectly circular hole now lay in front of them, and the Seer looked at them with an almost smug expression. “It can only be accessed by soul magic. Doesn’t matter what kind, as long as it’s there. All I needed to do was bring a bit out, and…” She gestured towards the door. “…the results speak for themselves.”

“That sounds like an impractical method of access, at best.” Lemm grumbled. “By the time of the Kingdom’s fall, the number of…unsavory individuals who could use soul magic had reached the hundreds.” 

“Yes, well, I imagine at the start, only a trusted handful could. By the time its use spread and grew to more and more people, it’s likely the King forgot this was even here.” She replied. “Anyway, it’s only a short drop to the bottom. The best way down is to jump.”

The Seer didn’t hesitate to then do just that, leaping off the edge of the hole and into the darkness below. Lemm leaned forward and winced as she vanished from sight, before Cornifer hummed and shrugged his shoulders. “See you on the other side!” He said, leaping in after her. The relic keeper sighed before following them, bracing himself for the hit. After a short but terrifying fall his feet touched the…surprisingly soft ground. Dusty as all hell, for sure, but not as bad as he thought. A sudden flare of light erupted next to him as the Seer relit her lantern, and she made a strange, almost giggle-esque noise as they all looked up to see a gigantic shelf, packed to the brim with more of the tablets like the one Lemm had. Immediately, a sense of exhilaration flowed through him at the vast display of relics that lay before his eyes, until he remembered that, oh yeah, he couldn’t read these either. Only the Seer could do that…maybe once all this was over, he could ask her to teach him some magic that would-

“Stop gawking, my friends, and start searching.” She ordered. “First things first, look for any tablets that have images of humans or anything similar on them. I’ll do what I can to translate those. After that…we move on and see what we can do. I don’t know how much magic I have left in me, so we need to be careful with this.”

“Right. I only hope the words haven’t faded away like the King’s sigil has.” Cornifer said, before he began, and Lemm sighed as he got to work also. It took all of five seconds for them to recognize a pattern. Every single tablet had a single image and then a wall of text, but much to the group’s frustration none of them were what they were looking for. They found carvings of plants, roots, old locations, buildings, more of those hundred-legged creatures that they assumed were the creators of these things…but not a single carving resembled Deuwie or any of the little human objects he had shown them. It was dead end after dead end, and the library was only so large. The trio did not fail to notice that much of the archive was in a state of disrepair as well: some of the shelves had collapsed, destroying the records within, and others were just empty. Presumably the tablets there were taken by the King for whatever reason…and they vanished when the Palace did. 

Lemm grumbled loudly at this thought, almost tossing the tablet he held to the ground in frustration. All this history that lay before him, and so much of it was useless to them. Under normal circumstances he’d be elated even without translation, but the lack of progress towards their goal was making him swell up in annoyance. He did not want to have to tell five giant, already pissed-off beings that they were out of luck. 

“Ooh, look at this.” He whispered. “Another one on plants! Thanks for nothing! Wow, what do we have here? An image of some ugly little beast with twenty eyes. Hornet won’t be happy! And now what? Ah, I see, a human being struck by lightning. What a lovely-”

…

Wait…

Lemm gasped as he looked back at the tablet he just set down, eyes widening when he realized what he held. The picture depicted a human, the exact same one that the carving he had in his shop showed. In front of it was a group of the hundred-legged bugs, and they seemed to be standing in some kind of…floor carving? A very intricate one. Three circles that were part of the carving were shooting little bolts of lighting at the humans, and if Lemm had to guess, this was the exact “turn bugs into humans” spell that the Seer had been talking about. 

“I…found it? I…” The relic keeper cleared his throat and laughed. “I found it! HEY! I think this is it!”

“Oh thank Wyrm. I don’t think my arms could take any more of this.” Cornifer said, groaning as he set down a stack of tablets. The Seer perked up as well, hurrying over to where Lemm stood. Collectively, all three of them peered down at the drawing, before the Moth made a soft thrumming sound and took it from him. “Well done.” She said wearily, as her hands began to glow and the others took a step back. “Now let’s see if you found what we’re looking for.” With that, the pair of bugs shielded their eyes and cried out as a brilliant flash of light lit up the entire library, the same shriek from before echoing through the cavern. But just like last time, it only lasted a moment, and then the Seer’s glowing eyes faded back to normal as she stared blankly at the thing.

“This…cannot be…"

“What? What is it?” Cornifer asked.

“If…this is true…” She muttered, her voice gravely low, and sounding more serious than either of her companions had ever heard her. “The bugs who created the spells. They used their own souls to power it. The souls of the ones who fell. But the ones who sacrificed themselves…they’re still aware of what’s happening from the dream realm and this one. They might be listening to us right now.”

“They’re still there…?” Lemm muttered, most of this magic and Soul history flying over his head. Even though he had seen plenty of it in his life, the specifics of these strange arts tended to allude him. “Wait, what about the spell itself? Can it be cast?”

“Oh, we can cast it. I know how to now. The only problem is that it won’t be as simple as saying a few words.” She said. “One of them will have to go into the Dream Realm and convince these bugs to change them back…and I don’t think their grudge against humans has faded in the slightest."

Chapter Text

Staring at the jar of honey that Deuwie had bought at the store yesterday, Hornet felt an overwhelming urge to pop off the lid and just chug the whole thing.

More than once she had visited the Hive during her time in Hallownest, either for diplomatic reasons, or to be taught how to use her weapon by Vespa. The bees were always happy to share some of the sweet, lovely-smelling nectar with her, a rare privilege even among the Kingdoms elite. The denizens of the Hive were very protective of the stuff, and only allowed a small amount of it to be traded or bought by specific and trusted merchants. Of course, being a member of the Royal family and a trainee directly under the Queen, Hornet ate for free. Sure, it also helped to improve relations between Queen Vespa and her Father, but, details.

All that said, Hornet hadn’t tasted a drop of the stuff since the infection began ravaging Hallownest, not trusting the nectar the newly deceased bees created from Wyrm knows what. All this made the jar in her hands look very tempting, and Hornet licked her lips as she took off the lid and sniffed it.

Well, if the urge was there before, it was nothing compared to now. 

Either the humans had gotten honey that was somehow even better than the best the Bees had to offer, or they added something to it that created a far more pleasant scent. Either way, Hornet had to resist sticking out her tongue and licking the entire thing clean right then and there. No. No. She had to be careful with this. The others would want some honey as well. She had to control herself. Perhaps only a spoonful…no, she couldn’t trust herself not to take a dozen spoonfuls after only promising one. So how…?

Her eyes then fell on the toaster and she knew what had to be done.

Placing the jar down (with great reluctance) the woman walked over to their bread and took a few slices, before plopping them into the slits at the top of the machine and setting it to cook. Deuwie had shown them how to operate the thing yesterday, as now that they were out of eggs and bacon, the only breakfast items they had were bread and cereal. And as tasty as the latter was, Hornet didn’t want to use up all the milk, either. So toast it was, with a very generous helping of honey spread on top, of course. 

Something else she had learned how to create the day before was coffee. If the boy's words were anything to go by, human adults drank the brown, steaming liquid like water, and Hornet’s curiosity couldn’t help but urge her onwards to try the stuff out. It was a bit bitter for her tastes, but the burst of energy it gave her was very appreciated. Which meant she was already on her second cup of the day, sipping from a “World’s Best Dad” mug as she stared blankly at the toaster, waiting for the bread to finish cooking.

It was moments like these where Hornet realized that, despite all their fears of living in the human world forever, a huge chunk of the issues that came with it was their own inability (and lack of want) to change or adapt. In barely a week's time, she had adjusted in ways she would’ve thought impossible on day one. Hornet had believed that Deuwie would be forced to make them meals for months…and now she was here, drinking coffee and waiting for her toast to be done like any ordinary human starting their day. On one hand, she was proud of herself for such rapid growth! On the other…

Audibly gritting her teeth, the former insect placed the mug on the counter and slumped to the floor, burying her face in her arms. They were barely even wearing their masks anymore, for Wyrm’s sake! It did not take the group long to learn that they were far more comfortable, on a physical level, with their faces exposed rather than hidden behind a flimsy piece of plastic. While her siblings still tended to wear them as if it was a part of their being, Quirrel and herself usually only slipped them on whenever they went outside - and even then, only when they weren’t going into town. She didn’t want to force herself to wear the dang thing if she didn’t have to, especially since, if this was a permanent condition, eventually Hornet would have to do away with it altogether.

At that rather grave thought, the toaster let out a loud DING and the two slices of bread popped out. The woman slapped a hand onto the counter above and pulled herself up, before carefully extracting her morning meal. After getting a knife and spreading what had to be a good tenth of the honey jar onto two slices of bread, she sat down at the table, periodically supping her caffeine-laced drink while taking slow bites of the toast. Another thing she thought would’ve taken her months to get used to: just eating in general. Day 1, she couldn’t get through a single chew without wanting to puke. Now she barely even thought of having a tongue and teeth as alien.

It was just normal.

“Good morning…” A tired voice to her right said, and she looked and saw Quirrel and Hollow there, the scholar sitting at the table while her sibling began getting out a couple of bowls. Hornet only shared a nod with them before returning her attention to her coffee mug. The former Vessel poured a bowl of cereal for himself and the elder warrior, before eating the stuff dry. “I don’t suppose we have any plans for today?”

“Not that I can think of. We’ll visit Hallownest to see if they have any news. Perhaps Deuwie will take one of us into town. But other than that, I have no idea what we will do.” She replied. “We can try to investigate that job market we talked about the day before. Go and see if anyone is hiring.”

“I…think it would be best to wait for Dewi’s father to return for that. I don’t believe-”

“I know. I was merely jesting. I’m sure that…wasn’t a very good attempt at a joke.” Hornet mumbled, chugging the rest of her coffee. “I apologize if my mood is sultry. Even after that soccer game yesterday, and the paintings you made of us, I am finding it difficult to find a sense of joy at the moment.”

“Well, don’t drown your thoughts in that stuff. Ghost drank three cups yesterday at lunch, and they spent the entire afternoon chasing deer in the forest, remember?” 

“Ugh. Yes…” Hornet replied. As amusing as that was to witness, she did feel a pang of sympathy for the poor creatures. It kind of reached its peak when the little warrior managed to tackle one of the deer by wrapping their arms around its neck. It was only by pure luck that they were not gored by its antlers, and for the first time since their transformation, Deuwie hadn’t been pleased when he discovered what their friend had been up to. It was surreal, watching the boy lecture her sibling like a disappointed parent. “I am pacing myself, do not worry. And I promise that if I do become too energetic, I won’t go chasing the wildlife all day long.”

“You don’t have to reassure me for that.” Quirrel said with a chuckle. “Speaking of which, Ghost and Deuwie are both still asleep. Judging by the whispers I heard from their room, they were both up late reading those comic books together. So, I figured that we should be the ones to check on Dirtmouth this morning. Hollow and I were planning on going after breakfast. Would you like to join us?” 

“I’d much rather stay here for now. Deuwie told me there is an all day marathon of that “River Monsters” show Hollow and I enjoyed, so I’d like to catch some of that.” Hornet said. Of course, the real reason was that she didn’t want to see the poor tree by the cave she had torn to pieces a few days before. Hornet was still embarrassed with herself for losing her temper like that, especially since she had been the only one. She’d much rather avoid that little reminder of her loss of composure for as long as possible. At least until the others came back with actual news that warranted a return. “Perhaps you can join me when you get back. I would be interested to see your thoughts on it, Quirrel.” 

“Really? What is it about?”

As Hollow raised their hand and began to enthusiastically write out an explanation, Hornet returned to her toast, savoring every bite of the honey-covered bread. Good Wyrm, it was delicious. It…it tasted like home. One of her homes, anyway. She remembered the days when she trained with Vespa, never letting up and always begging for more lessons, and after each session the Queen would give her a small container full of honey as thanks. She wasn’t that good at showing it, but Hornet could tell Vespa enjoyed their training as much as she did. Perhaps she just liked having someone who was enthusiastic about learning? Or maybe there was something else Hornet wasn’t seeing.

Regardless, every bite of the toast brought a fresh memory with it, the smell and constant buzzing of the Hive fresh in her ears. She missed Vespa. Her and so many others Hornet had lost over the years, too many to count. The ones who acted as her maternal figures, the guards and attendants of the White Palace who were always happy to see her (and slipped her candy despite her Father telling them to quit it), even some of the normal citizens she encountered who she formed a loose friendship with. All dead now. All gone. All except…

She looked up at Quirrel and Hollow, still talking with each other about the show they had watched. At that moment, Ghost and Deuwie chose to enter, both of them having a serious case of bedhead as they yawned simultaneously and made for the cereal. 

…Yeah.

Perhaps she had lost a lot along the way. And there were so many more she missed, or wished she had said some more fitting last words too. But her new companions more than filled that void. Her siblings to help guide her through the rebuilding of Hallownest, Deuwie to keep her spirits up with his constant optimism and eagerness to share, and even Quirrel provided someone to just…talk with on the same level. Despite how rarely she showed it, she had come to greatly appreciate his presence, point of view, and the way he spoke plainly.

As their benefactor sat down next to her and said something, Hornet perked up and turned towards him, shaking her head. “Sorry, what was that, Deuwie?”

“I was asking if you wanted to come with us to town today?” He asked, as Ghost took their seat next to the human and began loudly munching on their bowl of cereal. “Ghost and I figured that even if they wear a mask in town, as long as they stick with me and dress normally…no one’s gonna care. They look just like a kid, after all!” Deuwie explained. “You’ve gone into town, and Quirrel has as well…so I think it’s only fair Ghost gets a turn as well. They really want to see the pet store I told them about.”

As did Hornet, even if she’d never admit it. An entire building full of small, fluffy creatures that she could pet and cuddle to her heart's content? Yes, please. But…

“I’d love to, but unfortunately, the rest of us have already made plans. Quirrel and Hollow are going to go to Hallownest after breakfast, and I’d like to watch that show I started a few days ago, about that Jeremy human catching giant fish.” She explained. “Maybe another time, though? It does sound fun.”

“Huh. If my dad was here, he’d probably make a comment about TV rotting your mind…” Deuwie replied, before grinning. “…Good thing I disagree! That’s cool! I hope you enjoy it. We can always go later today or tomorrow. It’s open pretty late, and there’s no shortage of stuff around town to explore.”

“…Hollow has a question about your father, actually.” Quirrel blurted, reading off the former Vessel’s notepad. “He is slated to come back tomorrow, yes? What time should we expect him back here?”

“Umm, I think he said late in the afternoon? Just before dinner.” Deuwie replied. “You guys all remember the plan, right? We stay inside during that time, then once he pulls up, I go out and…explain what’s happening. I really don’t want him to freak out at the sight of you. He’ll think I’m in danger or something.”

“I wouldn’t exactly blame him. When we first met, I could tell he was terrified of us despite how small we were. And now that we’re as big as he is…” She chuckled. “Yes, we should stay out of sight. Although, now that you mention it, are any other of your family coming to stay here for the Summer? You told us your mother lives in another country, but your cousin and her parents come here occasionally…”

“No, it should be just us. My dad wouldn’t bring them here without letting me know first. My cousin and I…we don’t really like each other.” Deuwie mumbled, glaring at the table. 

“Hmm? Why not?” Quirrel asked, before narrowing his eyes. “She doesn’t bully you, does she…?”

“Nah, she’s just a big jerk!” He said, stuffing a giant spoonful of cereal into his mouth. “She hatsh everythinsgh thtash I enjosh an mumsnsh-”

“Deuwie. Breath.”

“Oh. Schorry.” The boy mumbled, before swallowing. “I was saying, she hates everything that I enjoy! She doesn’t like the shows I watch, the toys I play with, and worst of all, she hates bugs! I mean, you guys know that’s not uncommon for humans, but she’s such a coward about it! She sees a single fly and freaks out!” He explained. “I remember one time when we were staying here a few years back, and I found this awesome spider web in the basement. When I showed Sam, she smashed it all with a book!” The others winced as Deuwie began crushing little bits of cereal with his spoon. “She’s just so mean. It’s why if Sam comes here, she can never know about you guys. Never ever. Human or bug.”

“This cousin of your sounds like the perfect example of everything I used to fear about your species…” Hornet whispered, before shaking her head. “…But then again, you did mention she is an exception. Is she the same age as you?”

“Nah, she’s a few years older, and that’s the crazy part to me. Older people are supposed to be more mature and stuff, but she’s such a whiny baby when it comes to bugs! Even my dad is like that at times. It took me like six months to convince him to let me have an ant farm when I was eight. He was so scared they’d break out and get into the kitchen.” Deuwie said. “I mean, okay, they did do that, but that’s only because I forgot to close their box one night. It was totally fine otherwise.” He groaned and placed his forehead on the table. “That’s why I’m so excited to be friends with you guys. The other kids at school don’t like my hobby, but they don’t really care about it, either. You’re all…the only friends I’ve had who don’t make fun of me for it, and you’re bugs yourselves!"

“The irony does not escape us, no. But Deuwie…” Quirrel said, leaning forward. “Everything is alright at school, yes? The way you spoke of it just now makes it seem like you don’t have any friends there.”

“I do, I do, they just don’t want me looking for worms and showing it to them at recess.” He said. “There are a few bullies there, yeah, but they bully everyone. It’s no biggie.” 

“As long as you are content with it.” Hornet replied, as if she’d go to said school and scare off anyone harassing him. “Regardless, as dreadful as your other kin sounds, part of me is happy your father is coming here soon. It will allow us all to relax a bit, I believe.”

“Agreed. The first time we met he asked if there was anything he could do for me. I do not fully understand why, but it felt nice to be looked after in such a way.” Hollow wrote. “I only hope he is not too off-put by the scars that Ghost and I carry. I know that other humans missing limbs or carrying evidence of past wounds is not an uncommon thing, but I still do not wish to make him feel uncomfortable.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it.” Deuwie said, after Hornet translated. “My dad has this buddy who fought in a war that’s missing a leg. He’s really nice and sometimes they go and just hang out together. I think you missing an arm might make him like you even more.” He then chuckled, before pausing. “Wait, that sounds kinda weird…”

“It is alright. I understand what you were trying to say.” Hollow replied, giggling a little himself. “As long as he is satisfied with us staying here.” He then glanced over at the clock on the wall and hummed. “But, I am finished with my breakfast. Quirrel, are you ready to go to Hallownest now?”

“Indeed I am.” The scholar said, scarfing down the last few spoonfuls of cereal as the two of them stood. “We’ll be back soon. I pray they have some news, but I wouldn’t say get your hopes up. No matter how many times one has journeyed through it, searching all of Hallownest is a perilous task, even with the infection gone.”

“Not to mention that after this one showed up…” Hornet said, reaching over and ruffling Deuwie hair, making him giggle. “…We already searched the entire Kingdom for any signs of humans. Nothing. Actually, maybe we should have mentioned that the day before.”

“It’s fine. It’s always possible we missed something that they could find.” Quirrel pointed out. “There has to be something, I’m sure of it. If humans have been inhabiting these lands for thousands of years, then it’s possible they lived in parts of that cave before we did. There has to be some evidence there…deep underneath it all.”

“That Moth lady did mention there was one place she might be able to find answers. Didn’t say what it was, though.” Deuwie said. “So maybe they’ll actually come back with news? Just have to hope for the best.”

“That’s all we’ve been doing. But you’ve been a great help as well.” Ghost wrote. “We’ll see you later, guys. Good luck!”

“Thank you. See you soon.” Quirrel said with a bow, and then he and Hollow departed, almost forgetting their shoes in the process. There was a few seconds of silence only accompanied by the faint ticking of the wall clock, before Deuwie stood up, drinking the last of the milk straight from the bowl. 

“Mmm, that’s good. Okay! As fun as that fish show you wanna watch sounds, there’s something I should do first. Remember all those paintings we made on the rock in the woods? It’s gonna rain later today, so I figured I should get my dad’s old camera and get the physical ones before any of it can be washed off.” He explained. The child noisily dug around in a drawer and pulled out a small, boxy object, with a lanyard attached to the bottom. “There should be enough film to get a picture of everyone. But I’ll take an extra roll just in case. This thing is so much fun…” He then slipped on his shoes and trademark hat, before turning to them. “Either of you guys wanna come with? I figured Ghost and I could go into town after I got back, but if you want we could go right there after!”

“I am alright. I am not yet done with my coffee…and Ghost says they are not finished with their cereal.” She said, reading out the hastily written message. “Just make sure to come back inside if it starts raining, even if you aren’t done! I don’t like the idea of you being stuck out there in the cold. This body is so much more sensitive to temperatures.”

“Uh, got it! I will.” Deuwie said, waving to the two of them as he left. Hornet stared at the door for a moment, before turning towards her sibling as she heard a strange huffing noise coming from them. It took her a moment to realize that they were laughing. “What’s so humorous?”

“Oh, nothing. Just the way you acted towards Deuwie just now. It’s pretty funny considering your reaction to what Quirrel said a few days ago.” They replied, fully flipping up their mask now that the boy was gone. Hornet raised an eyebrow at the implications of this, before looking back to her toast. “I do hope he comes back soon, though. I have a much harder time eating, breathing, and just existing in this body with Deuwie in the room. He makes it all so much easier.”

“I haven’t failed to notice that. You’ve been doing an incredible job at adjusting to, well, this.” She said. “Far better than I have, anyway. Which begs the question…are you okay? I know it is a rather cliche query, but I realized that I haven't asked you anything of the sort since our transformation. As you mentioned, you are alright when Deuwie is nearby, but putting that aside, how are you feeling about all of this? You have not shared much of your thoughts, even with us.”

As Hornet expected, Ghost didn’t respond at first. They simply stared at their half-empty bowl, lost in thought as their eyes fluttered back and forth. Until, finally, the little warrior took a deep breath, their hand shaking but handwriting steady as they wrote out their thoughts.

“I don’t even know what “okay” means anymore. I’m scared. I have been since the beginning.” They replied. “I’ve always known what I was supposed to be. I was meant to be a Vessel with no thoughts, no feelings, and no voice. But just by journeying through Hallownest, I changed all of that. I began thinking for myself and feeling things that I thought were impossible. And now, with this pad, I can have a voice of my own as well.” They then sighed and bit their lip. “Then I got the King’s Brand, saved you all, got Hollow back, met Deuwie…it seemed so perfect. But now I’m like this. And I’m scared because I don’t know what to do next.”

As heartwarming as it was to hear Ghost recount their tale of fighting against their Father’s intentions for the Vessels, Hornet felt her heartstrings being pulled the other way as well. Before the little fighter had met her, Quirrel, Deuwie, and the rest of the bugs they would consider a friend, their life was nothing but constant battles and following orders from someone who wasn’t even alive anymore. And now, when the great enemy had finally been stopped and they could just live a life of their own…so much of it had been taken away, and they were thrust into an unfamiliar body and forced to live in a strange, alien world. 

It was a miracle that her sibling could keep it together to begin with. 

“It’s one reason why I’m so comfortable with this when Deuwie is in the room.” They continued. “He makes it seem so easy. Eating, talking, and just moving around in this weird bag of flesh, bones, and blood. I figure that since he can do it without any trouble, I can as well! And that tends to help. Until he leaves, and then it’s just me again.” Ghost huffed and ate a few more bites of cereal, shuddering with every swallow as if to enunciate the point. 

“A few days ago. When he first saw me without my mask on. The look on his face-” They paused and then grabbed the white piece of plastic, staring into the blank eyeholes solemnly. “-I can’t describe it. He looked at me like I was some kind of monster. Not for long, but it was there. I don’t want that. I don’t want my friend to look at me like that. I want to go back to the days when I could ride on his hat as we walked through the forest, when we waited in anticipation for his daily visit, and when he saw me as nothing but his “cool bug friend”. Not his cool human one.” 

Ghost’s entire body was trembling now, and Hornet instinctively reached out and placed a hand on their shoulder. They relaxed a little under her grip, leaning slightly into her touch. “That’s my feelings, Hornet. I don’t want to live like this. I’m trying to keep calm and happy for him and the rest of you, but I don’t wanna live in a world where the people look at me like some kind of freak and I’m stuck in a body I’ll never understand. Maybe up here I can use this pad to write, and there are a lot of other fun things as well, but I don’t see them as worth it. I just want things to go back to the way they were!”

Ghost underlined that last word a few times in quick succession, before sniffling. Hornet felt helpless as she saw this, her sibling displaying more emotion than she had ever seen before. She reached out and hugged them, the same way she had done to Deuwie only a few nights ago, and Ghost promptly dropped their pad and hugged her back, leaning their head against her chest.

“I’m…sorry.” She replied, not sure what else to say. When Deuwie had come to her for comfort, his issues were understandable, and from Hornet’s perspective, had an easy remedy. But Ghost was dealing with nothing but the same incurable issue they all were. What else was she supposed to say besides the same thing she told herself everyday? “I am here for you, Ghost, if you need me. No matter what happens, no matter if we stay human forever, I will not abandon any of you. That is a promise.”

Ghost’s only response was to hug her tighter, before pulling away after a minute or so. “Thank you.” They wrote on their pad. “I just really hope that-”

This is as far as they got before the front door slammed open, and both of them nearly jumped out of their seats as Quirrel burst inside, followed closely by a very out-of-breath Hollow.

“Seer…tablet…souls…found a way!”

“…What?”

“…One moment.” Quirrel wheezed, before stumbling over to the sink. There, he stuck his head directly under the faucet and drank what had to be a full quart of water, and once he was done, he turned towards the two, Hollow flopping on the couch with a large smile on his face. “The Seer…” He gasped. “We just visited Hallownest. The Seer, Cornifer, and Lemm, they were all there. They found something! There was this ancient Library that had been hidden under the White Palace that she knew about because some of her ancestors helped build the place, and in it they found a bunch of tablets belonging to the same culture as the original one, and one of the tablets had a bunch of information with-”

“Okay, stop, STOP!” Hornet yelled, raising her hands and taking a deep breath. “I cannot even express to you how excited I am at the mere idea that they found something that can change us back. However, if this conversation is truly as important as that, I think it would be wise to wait for Deuwie to return. And in the meantime…you can take those minutes to calm yourself. You look like you’re about to collapse, Quirrel.”

“…Right. Right.” He said, nodding as the scholar fell onto the couch right beside Hollow. “Wait, Deuwie left? Where is he?”

“He went to go take photos of the paintings we made on the rock.” Hornet replied. “It’s going to rain soon, so he thought he better do it now.”

“Ah. Very well…it is nice to know he is taking steps to ensure its survival.” Quirrel said, before going back to focusing on his breathing. From there, the tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife, everyone wanting to say something but deciding to follow Hornet’s request of waiting for the final member of their group. Hollow shifted on the couch, flipping his pen around in his hand. Once Quirrel stabilized his breathing, he stared anxiously out the window, likely counting the seconds until Deuwie’s return. Ghost was even more jittery than their sibling, clearly overjoyed at the idea that the wish they just told Hornet about might be granted…and she was sitting calmly, lost in thought about what the scholar had already managed to get out before she told him to wait.

An ancient Library beneath the White Palace? How had she not known about that? And why did nobody tell her? Not to mention, if this place contained information on humans of all things, who knows what other secrets it might hold. A part of Hornet was tempted to go down there and tell the Seer to translate every last tablet and figure out what else might be hiding among the shelves…

…but no. She had to be honest with herself here. Even putting aside the fact that it was cruel to try and force the old Moth to do such a thing, whatever this species was, they were capable of magic that could turn bugs into towering flesh beasts capable of great destruction, and humans into little creatures a hundred times smaller than them. Perhaps it was for the best that their secrets were left buried down there, where no one could use them. The last thing they needed was some lunatic trying to turn themselves into a human to become the next King of Hallownest. The population of Dirtmouth itself may be small, but she wasn’t a fool. She knew there were still plenty of bugs hidden away in places like the Colosseum or the darkest corners of the City of Tears. And now that the infection was gone, they’d all come out into the light, just waiting for the chance to claim a crown.

“Do you think it’s true?” Ghost wrote, Hornet turning at the sound of them writing. “Do you think there’s really a way for us to become bugs again?”

“I hope so.” She whispered, not wanting to disrupt the quiet atmosphere that had formed. “You mentioned this Seer gave you the Dream Nail, yes? The same one that allowed you to finish off the Radiance? I am not sure if I fully trust her or not, but if she says that she’s found a way to turn us back to how we were, then I see no reason not to believe her.”

“I think she’s just trying to make up for what she sees as past crimes.” Ghost replied. “She told me that she blames herself and the other Moths for not worshipping the Radiance and causing the Infection. I don’t think she ever hated it in the end. I think she saw herself as the problem.”

“Tragic as that is, it hardly matters. When we spoke to her last, she seemed quite satisfied with how everything played out.” Hornet said. “If she wishes to help, I am not going to refuse. The only other person I can think of who would be capable of such magic would be that troupe-master, Grimm, and who knows where they are now.”

Ghost flinched and rubbed the back of their head, before smiling sheepishly. “You met that guy? Sorry, it’s kinda my fault that he showed up with all his friends. All he wanted me to do was feed some weird baby thing red flames. And then I had to fight him a bunch. I still don’t get it.” They wrote. “I think they were connected to the Dream Realm too, through nightmares.”

“I am sure they were. Some of the writings in our Father’s Palace spoke of him and his little circus. I read about them during my schooling days.” Hornet sneered. “They’re surrounded by mystery and superstitions. Every time he shows up, it’s always after some horrific event has occurred. Whatever he and his cronies are, I’d say it’s unwise to trust them.” She took a deep breath. “That is to say, I don’t blame you for not knowing what they were. They told you to do something, you did it, and they left, which is probably the best outcome we could have hoped for. I only pray that is the last we see of them.”

Ghost was silent, tapping their pen against the paper, before breaking out into a small, impish grin. “I wonder how they’d react to Deuwie.”

“Probably try to recruit him into their troupe.” Hornet snorted. “At which point I would either tell Grimm to get out, or relieve him of his head.”

Ghost giggled a little, and leaned against Hornet. “It’s nice seeing you talk like that.”

“What, threatening murder?”

“No. Showing how much you care about all of us.”

“…Well, I do. There is no getting around that. After everything we have been through, it is only natural that I would come to regard you as my-”

“Just say we’re all best friends and you love us, Hornet.”

“I was going to say ‘friends!’” She huffed, turning away. “But very well. We’re all best friends, and I love you, Ghost. Happy?”

“Very much so.” They replied, clapping their hands together. “I made a lot of companions throughout Hallownest, you know. Some are still here. Some aren’t. And first meetings tended to go poorly in most cases.”

“I attacked you.” She said bluntly, before coughing. “Sorry for that, by the way. I was still stuck in a…different mindset. One that, looking back, seems almost embarrassing now.”

“It’s alright. You’re hardly the only one. Hollow attacked me too, obviously. Deuwie trapped me in a jar and tried to feed me apple slices. If I only trusted the people who left good first impressions, I wouldn’t have many friends at all.” Ghost wrote. “I’m just happy I still have so many left after everything that’s happened. Not just you guys, but the ones back at Dirtmouth. It’s one of the main reasons why I want to turn back. I can’t stand the idea of never seeing them again. I mean, I can, but it’s not the same.”

“I know what you mean…” Hornet said softly, leaning back against her chair. They stayed like that for a while, before Deuwie finally came back, camera in one hand with a small stack of photos in the other.

“Got it all!” He said happily. “I think I’m gonna pin these to a big board above my bed. I wanna wake up everyday and see…” The boy then noticed the way everyone had clearly been waiting for him, and chuckled tepidly. “Uh, everything okay? Did the trip to Dirtmouth go well?”

“Better than well. Although that might depend on your perspective.” Quirrel said. “Alright, everyone take a seat. I’ve calmed down enough.”

Hornet and Ghost stood and made their way over to the couch, while Deuwie did the same, and there all the child and all three siblings scrunched up together on the cushions as Quirrel leaned forward in his recliner. “So…the visit. The Seer, Cornifer, and Lemm all came back with news. They found a library under the ruins of White Palace that contained more tablets with the same language as the original. And there…they discovered one that had instructions on how to reverse whatever was done to us.”

Hornet knew it was coming, but it didn’t make it any less impactful, and instantly her heart began thumping in her ears. Deuwie let out a little gasp, now smiling from ear to ear. “They found a way to turn you back? That…that’s awesome! We can finally make things go back to normal.” He said, before Quirrel frowned and he did in turn. “You, uh, don’t look happy about it.”

“I am. But there’s a catch.” He said. “The Seer told us that the spell they created was one they made by sacrificing themselves. They used the souls…” He wet his lips and shuddered. “They used the souls of the bugs that the humans killed to power it. Souls that are still there in the Dream Realm. I’ll admit I don’t understand it all, but she believes that these souls play an active role in the spell, rather than passive. Instead of just being magic that activates like some kind of trap whenever a human comes in, those Souls first have to sense their presence, and then they strike.”

“...I’ve never heard of any kind of magic like that.” Hornet mumbled, thoroughly disturbed. The only thing that might come close was the magic the members of the Soul Sanctum used, but even they hadn’t been this elaborate. Those souls had been waiting for all this time, just for a human to come by…? Wait, then how come- “Hold on a second. Then why did the spell malfunction if its keepers are still aware? Why did they change us but not Deuwie?”

“...The Seer says she just doesn’t know. I asked her the same question.” Quirrel replied. “Maybe they’ve become shadows of themselves after waiting for so long? They could’ve been confused. That, or they’re not as “aware” as they seem.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“I can’t fault you for that. But I still don’t like it. There has to be something deeper here we’re not seeing…” She muttered, before glancing over at Deuwie. The young boy looked even more distressed by this bombshell than she did, no doubt horrified at the idea of such a mass sacrifice, all for a spell specifically meant to target his kind. She couldn’t even imagine what was going through his head, and the woman found herself reaching out and taking his hand. Deuwie wordlessly latched on, clinging to her arm. “Alright. Then what must be done to turn us back?”

“Nothing good.” Quirrel said. “First, the Seer says she needs a day or so to have the others create a sigil in the ground that she says will help…connect us to the Dream Realm, specifically whatever part these souls now reside in.”

“Why does she need a whole day?” 

“She needs to make it big enough for four humans to stand in…”

“...Ah.”

“Yeah. Anyway, so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow. Which is probably for the best, since it’ll give us time to figure out what to say. And this is the tricky part.” He said. “Undoing the spell will require more than making the sigil and manipulating magic. One of us, and it can only be one, will have to go into the Dream Realm and convince the Souls controlling the spell to change us back.”

“...”

“...”

“That shouldn’t be an issue, right?” Ghost asked. “You can just send me, and I’ll tell them that we were originally bugs, not humans, and that they should make us small again.”

“I only wish it was that simple. But the Seer repeated this next part to me several times.” Quirrel groaned. “The souls in the Dream Realm were joined together by their anger towards what killed them. Even if we were formerly insects, the fact that we are human now will cause them to be hostile. We will both have to convince them why, as humans, we should even be allowed to live, and also get them to change us back.” He explained. “Essentially, we are dealing with a collective mind that will despise us on sight that we must, somehow, turn to our side.”

“…In that case, the candidate should be-”

“I should do it.” Deuwie blurted out, and both Quirrel and Hornet began talking right after, their voices drowning out each others.

“Absolutely not-”

“That isn’t a good idea-”

“You are only a child, Deuwie, you shouldn’t have to-”

“They aren’t just disembodied voices, they’re more now, they’re dangerous-”

“You shouldn’t have to take responsibility for-”

“GUYS!” Deuwie yelled, raising his voice at them for perhaps the first time. “I know! I know I’m just a kid and I shouldn’t have to do this for you. But I still think I’m the best choice. Quirrel, you said that these guys don’t like humans, and that we have to convince them otherwise, yeah?”

“Somewhat, but it isn’t as simple as-”

“Then I think I can do it.” He said. “I mean, Hornet, on the first day, you told me multiple times that I shouldn’t come back to Dirtmouth. But I convinced you - I convinced all of you guys - to give humans a chance. And you did! You sat and listened, day after day, even after you became humans yourselves. You ate our food, played our games, went into town…I know you still see us as scary, but…not as badly as before, right?”

Utter silence. No one could dispute that. As Deuwie said, even Hornet, who had been the most Humanphobic from the start, had now come to greatly enjoy and appreciate parts of their life and culture. For better or worse, (mostly better) the child had truly changed all their outlooks on the species.

“…No. Not as badly as before.” She whispered.

“Then…that’s why I think I’m the best choice.” He said. “I changed your minds. Maybe I can do the same for these souls!”

“It’s more than changing their minds. You aren’t dealing with bugs who have something to lose.” Quirrel said. “You aren’t trying to get them to understand human culture or bodies or anything like what we’ve been learning. They won’t care about that. The Seer stated that the best we can hope for is getting them to back off, not change their ways entirely.”

“I should also point something out.” Hornet said. “When we were weary of encountering more humans, and I in particular did not wish to see you return, it was out of fear, Deuwie. Fear for what might happen to our home. The bugs who cast this spell? I’d reckon they are not driven by fear. If what the Seer said is accurate, they are filled with nothing but hate.”

“O-oh. M-meaning?”

“Meaning…” She started, before sighing. There was no reason to sugarcoat this. “The moment they determine you are human by birth, they will not bother listening to what you have to say. They will likely just kill you on the spot.”

The child instantly blanched at this, all the blood draining from his face. Deuwie struggled to form words for a moment, before gulping deeply. “C-can they really…?”

“The Radiance’s true form was restricted solely to the Dream Realm, and yet she spread the infection that ravaged all of Hallownest from there. We are talking about a mass of souls, driven by a thousand years of nothing but rage towards your kind.” Hornet said. “It would be unwise to assume anything they aren’t capable of.”

Deuwie lowered his head at this, before stepping back. Harsh as that was, it was necessary. If the boy didn’t truly understand the danger he’d be placing himself in, then Hornet knew he’d never stop insisting he was the right person for the job. He was already so mature for his age, but his childish naivety was still very much at play.

“…Which is why it should be me.” She then said, standing up. “As Deuwie mentioned, at the start, I distrusted humans more than any of you, and yet even I have grown out of that mindset. You are still frightening, yes, but…you are no longer monsters, or flesh-beasts, or anything of the sort in my eyes. I can use my own growth to get them to understand why we should be allowed to change back, and why humans are not as bad as they think.” Hornet explained, which was followed by a silent agreement among the group. Just like Deuwie’s claim of getting the bugs of Dirtmouth to think differently, this was something none of them could really form an argument against. “Of course, if any of you think you are a better option, then I am willing to discuss it. I do not want to take over without hearing from the rest of you first.”

“I think I could do a good job…but at the same time, I am aware of my weaknesses. After living up here for a week, I am biased towards humans and what they have made, as you know, Hornet.” Quirrel said. “I am sure I would slip and they would not appreciate what I am trying to say.”

“Noted. Hollow?”

Her sibling shook his head, writing on his pad in shaky handwriting. “I do not believe in myself to come up with a convincing argument. I am afraid I will fail to form the right words. This is assuming we can even “speak” in the Dream Realm to begin with.”

“True. And I am sure these bugs would not provide us with any luxuries.” Hornet mumbled. “Ghost?”

The little warrior thought about it, before sighing. “No. I’m like Hollow. I don’t think I’ll say the right things. Plus, without Deuwie there, I’m worried I’ll stumble or lose my nerve. I’m sure we’ll still be in “human form” while talking to them, if our luck is anything to go by.”

“It seems likely.” Quirrel said. “Then, Hornet…yes. It has to be you. Are you sure you can do it, though?”

“Of course not. But I’ll just have to try my best. Isn’t that what we’ve been doing, all this time?” She asked, sitting back down. None of them really had an answer for that, and Deuwie hummed before clapping his hands together. 

“S-soooo…that’s it, then?” He asked. “Tomorrow is all or nothing? You guys either become bugs again, or…”

“Stay human forever.” Hornet said, nodding solemnly. “But if all goes well, then that won’t happen. I will do everything I can, I promise. Whatever it takes, I’ll get them to make us all into insects again.”

Hornet then felt a little tug on her sleeve, and she looked down to see a message from Ghost, with a small smiley face at the end. 

“I believe in you.”

“…Heh. Thank you, young one.” She said, before straightening herself up. Alright. Time to add some levity to this. If Hornet was being honest, she was terrified by the idea of having to talk with ancient souls who likely wanted her dead and buried. But she was not going to let that fear consume her now. Not when they were so close. “And the day before your father returns, Deuwie. It would truly be something if we were turned back just before he entered the house…”

“…Hehe. Yeah. He’d never believe me. Well, he might when he sees Quirrel’s paintings.” Deuwie giggled. “So this is really it? It might be the last day that you guys are human?”

“Seems that way.” Quirrel agreed, catching onto Hornet’s “let’s make this fun for everyone instead of agitating” mood. “I assume you have something in mind to celebrate?”

“Hmm. I’m not sure. There aren’t many places around that we could get to before…” He muttered, before snapping his fingers. “Wait, I know something we could all do together! Go to the animal sanctuary in town!”

“Animal…sanctuary?” Hornet echoed. “Is that like a menagerie?”

“I…dunno what that is.” He said. “But basically, our town isn’t really big enough for a proper Zoo, but we do have this little place that’s a forest combined with a bunch of enclosures for different species. You’re not gonna see super exotic animals, but they have a lot of cool stuff. They even have a big elephant at the center!” 

“What’s an elephant?”

“It’s…wait, I should just show you guys there! You’ll be amazed!” Deuwie said, standing up. “And before you guys say that we can’t all go out together because of, well, Hollow’s scars…” He mumbled, before clearing his throat. “…I think I came up with a solution for that, even better than just pretending that Ghost is a kid with a mask like I said earlier! Quirrel, remember a few days ago, when we visited the store? We passed by that little booth where you could get your face painted?”

“Yes, I remember. The smell of paint was quite overwhelming. I’m surprised that they-” He began to say, before catching on to what Deuwie was saying. “Ah, I see. You’re suggesting that we-”

“Exactly! We could paint your faces!”

“Paint our faces?” Hollow asked, flipping his mask up and frowning. “What do you mean by that?”

“On our walk to the store.” Quirrel began. “I saw a father and his son pass by us with their faces painted, according to Deuwie, to look like animals. I believe he’s saying that we can do the same for you two, instead of simply slipping on your masks and hoping for the best. Disguise yourselves with various pigments that cover up your facial scars, and nobody will look twice at you if you pretend to be, well, a father and his child.”

Ghost and Hollow exchanged glances at this, before the former began to giggle at the idea. Even Hollow got in on it, chuckling silently to himself. It was truly a ridiculous solution. But, if it would allow him to finally go into town with the others, and see human civilization for himself…

Well, it was still a very frightening thought. But if Hornet and Quirrel could do it, he could too. He grabbed his pad, nodding as he wrote. “I think that could work. Something nice before tomorrow that will make us all feel better. But, I do have a question. What exactly are you going to paint our faces as? What animals are you thinking of?”

“Ah, wellllll...” Deuwie said, the boy vibrating with excitement that the two former Vessels had taken kindly to his idea. “I don’t have a lot of face paint left, since my dad only got it for me last Halloween, and then I used most of the rest for an Easter thing.” He explained. “I only have grey, white, blue, and green left over. Not many animals I can really do with those.” He then thought about it for a moment, before gasping. “Of course! I can draw your faces to resemble bugs! Those colors would be perfect to make you look like beetles!”

The silence that followed this statement was deafening, before Ghost slowly wrote out their next statement and smiled widely. “I’d like that a lot. You did say on our first encounter that you thought I was some kind of beetle.”

“Exactly! I thought it’d be cool. That way, even if you’re not wearing your masks, it still feels like you.” Deuwie replied. “So, um, is this an okay plan for everyone? I know it’s kinda sudden, and Ghost, it also interrupts our plans we already made, but like I said, I wanna bring everyone into town and do something with all of you. If it’s really your last day up here, we shouldn’t be spending it getting worried about tomorrow. We should all be celebrating!” 

“You’re right. There is much to revel over.” Hornet admitted. “That said, if someone does get suspicious, we should come up with an alibi as to who we are and why we are with you.”

“…You and I could pretend to be his parents? Ehm, adopted parents?” Quirrel suggested, only realizing a moment later that the boy looked nothing like either of them.

“…Very well. It would be the simplest option.” She said. Hornet then stood up and walked over to the window, staring up at the clouds. “If you are going to paint their faces so we can leave, I’d recommend doing it now. You did say it was going to rain today, yes?”

“Oh, jeez. Yeah, I totally forgot about that! But it should be fine! We have a few more hours.” Deuwie said, before waving over Hollow and Ghost. “Alright, guys. Just follow me to the basement and we can get started!”

While Hollow immediately made to move downstairs, Ghost visibly hesitated, before nodding at Quirrel as they wrote something on their pad.

“Hm. Hold on a moment, Deuwie…Ghost is asking if you’re prepared to see both of them without their masks on, considering their scars.” He said. “They say it’s fine if you aren’t, and they can try to apply the makeup themselves if so.”

“I…yeah, I think I am.” He said. “It was kinda scary to see them at first, but I don’t wanna be mean anymore. I know that you guys got into a lot of fights in the past, and the last thing I wanna do is make you feel bad about all of them. And I’ve already seen both your faces, so…” The child then nodded, before smiling again. “…I wanna do it.”

Ghost responded to this by whipping off their mask and giving Deuwie a warm smile, and although the boy’s grin faltered the smallest bit upon seeing his friends brutalized visage, it didn’t fade entirely, and together all three of them descended into the basement. Quirrel then got up and walked over to Hornet, staring out the window with her.

“You really think you’re up for this?” He asked. “Convincing those…things to turn us into insects again? I’ll say it now, but most of what I explained back there? It was just guessing and theories by the Seer and myself. There’s a lot we don’t know. We have no idea what we’re walking into, besides the fact that-”

“-they hate us, and I will have to quickly convince them not to murder us all on sight.” She said, turning away. “Yes, I am “up for this”. Am I fully confident in my abilities to get them to change? No, and I don’t think I will be by the time tomorrow comes, either. But what else can we do? Sending Deuwie is too risky, my siblings likely won’t be able to even talk to them, and you…”

“I’ll probably get off-track.” Quirrel agreed with a sigh. “I don’t think it’s just what we can say, though. It’s who we are. Maybe the old Kingdom is…no more, but if these souls have truly been watching all this time, they must have garnered some respect for you, no? I mean, you’re the Princess of Hallownest. Actually royalty right below the King himself. Perhaps that will endear you to them? Or at least convince them to hear you out.”

“Whatever works. However, I am not going to pull that card on them unless they bring it up first.” She said. “I am Princess of nothing now.”

“Nonsense. The people of Dirtmouth certainly see you as one.”

Hornet paused, before chuckling as she had a vision of herself sitting on a throne and staring down at the little town. Yes. Queen of Dirtmouth. Wouldn’t that be a lofty position…

“…Either way, I do not wish to be Queen. I mean, Princess. Ghost having the King’s Brand and myself being the protector of Hallownest is all it needs.” She said. “I am not eager to see a crown on anyone’s head so soon after the end of the Radiance.”

“Fair enough. I will do my best to assist you where I can. Before all this, I thought my life was over. Monomon was gone, I had explored all of Hallownest…it truly seemed like there was nothing left for me. But you all, and the existence of Deuwie’s world has certainly reinvigorated my spirit.” Quirrel said, with a joyful sigh. The two continued looking out into the wilderness together, before his brow furrowed. “…Wait, Ghost has the what-”

“AHH!” Deuwie suddenly cried, his voice echoing all the way upstairs. “Ghost, don’t drink the paint!”

“…Another time. Let’s ensure my siblings don’t poison themselves.” Hornet said, rushing downstairs. There she found Hollow sitting politely in a small chair, while Deuwie was pulling one of the paint vials away from his friend. Ghost almost looked disappointed at the prospect of not being able to chug the stuff, writing out a message to the two of them the moment they came down. 

“I just like how it smells. I thought it would taste good, too.”

“The Royal Jelly of the hive smells even sweeter than the honey, but if you drink it, you’ll start acting like larvae.” Hornet said flatly, before grinning. “…So there would be no real change with you, little one.”

Ghost huffed before turning back to Deuwie, clearly struggling with sitting still. Hollow’s face was already painted, and while the lines were uneven and not perfectly symmetrical across both sides of his face, they could still tell what he was supposed to be. He had a set of painted mandibles, compound eyes, and antenna. His face was gray with several green markings, and overall, he looked remarkably similar to one of the creatures Hornet had seen scuttling around The Crossroads. She wondered what type of beetle Deuwie had specifically wanted to draw…

“There ya go, Ghost! Just sit still for a sec.” Deuwie said, before pulling out a small brush and beginning. None of them missed the way that the boy spent a little extra time on the former Vessel’s scars, as if trying his best to cover them up. Once all was said and done, the second painting session having been (thankfully) uneventful, all the cicatrixes on their faces had been thoroughly covered up. If Hornet took a step back, she could barely even tell that they were there. Hollow’s drooping eye and Ghost’s mask mark were still visible…but just barely. Deuwie had certainly done better than any of them expected.

“Perfect!” He said. “Now everyone will just think that you came from a carnival or something. Or maybe even the Sanctuary itself. They have a booth there where you can get your face painted.”

Hornet took a moment to appraise her siblings, looking them up and down and comparing their appearance with the humans she saw on the street. From the neck down, they looked totally normal. None of them had worn the cloaks they woke up with in days, and dressed as they were now, in simple pants and shirts, they wouldn’t stand out at all. (Although it would be wise to have Ghost wear long sleeves and trousers.) As for the painted faces…well, she just hoped no one would look twice. As long as they played the role correctly, and Ghost held Hollow’s hand the whole time, Hornet had little doubt that any passerby would see them as anything more than a father and his child. 

“You both look good.” She said. “But are you okay with this? Going into town, and not just looking like that, but being around so many humans in general?”

“We’ll have to be, if we wanna explore this world and see what else it has to offer. Besides, I think as long as nobody tries to confront us directly, we’ll be fine.” Ghost wrote, a sentiment which Hollow shared, if his nodding was anything to go by. 

“Excellent.” She said, before looking towards the stairs. “So then…this is it? We’re all going out together?”

“I’m ready if you guys are!” Deuwie said, carefully putting the paint away. “Just wait outside for me. I’ll be up in a sec!”

The four former bugs followed the boy’s request and left the basement, slipping on their shoes and heading outside into the crisp, cool, morning air. Clouds were gathering in the sky, forecasting rain, but there was still enough sunlight shining through the gaps that Hornet was confident they’d have all the time they needed. Once Deuwie came out, still putting on one of his shoes, the group set off, moving into the human settlement as a whole for the first, and perhaps last time. 

***

The walk through town, despite there being more of them than during her previous visit, was even more nerve-racking for Hornet than it had been before. While they did have safety in numbers, the increase also meant that there was a greater chance that something could go wrong, as well. It had been decided that Hornet, Quirrel, and Deuwie, (the latter holding the woman’s hand) would walk in front, both masquerading as a normal family and doing their best to shield Ghost and Hollow from view. Nothing was perfect, of course, and the two still got plenty of stares. 

Thankfully, though, the boy’s plan had once again worked. Anyone glancing their way did so for only a second, before noticing their painted faces and moving on. One woman did approach with her daughter and ask where they got it done, and Quirrel stepped in and mentioned the Sanctuary, just as Hollow began to panic. That was an unsolvable issue: obviously, neither of the former Vessels could speak or write in English, so if they were approached by someone then it would be up to the others to save them. Luckily that didn’t happen often, and most passersby simply moved to the side to let the group pass. 

There was one odd moment when an older human turned to Hollow and “thanked him for his service”, whatever that meant. The one-armed warrior was so bewildered at being addressed that they could only slowly nod back, which seemed to placate the stranger. Besides this, however, the trip to the sanctuary was a simple, if incredibly intriguing affair. Hornet’s two siblings could barely hide their amazement at the human town, each passing car and restaurant blaring music drawing their gazes. The woman was sure they looked like a bunch or weirdos even without the physical irregularities…but as long as they made it through with no issues, she wasn’t about to complain.

That said, a part of her did feel for them. Her journey through town had been one full of tension, anxiety, and weariness for Deuwie, but on the way back, she had been able to enjoy it much more. Quirrel’s had been everything he ever wanted: just a lengthy walk where his questions were answered and his curiosity was satisfied. However, compared to theirs, Hollow and Ghost’s visit almost seemed rushed. They did not have time to stop and answer any questions that might have, due to the fears of getting caught in the rain later. Thus, they spedwalk through town, Deuwie leading the way as he occasionally (and quickly) pointed out little landmarks or areas of interest to them, clearly doing his best to “squeeze in” as much as possible before their time was up.

Assuming that the plan for tomorrow even worked. Hornet was still going over in her head what she was supposed to say to these creatures, these disembodied souls that would likely be willing to-

“No.” She whispered, so low no one else heard it. There she went again, missing the entire point of this. This outing was supposed to be a fun activity for them all, one last visit to the strange but fascinating society humans had built before they were, potentially, robbed of it forever, at least in the form needed to appreciate it the most. Hornet was doing no one any favors, especially herself, by worrying about this. She had to clear her head…and she knew the perfect method.

“Deuwie.”

“Hm? Yeah?”

“Tell me some animal facts.”

“Some…animal facts?”

“Yes. All of them.”

It was like Christmas had come. 

Hornet swore she could practically see stars erupting in the boy’s eyes as he gasped, and then without delay he began to rattle off enough knowledge about the beasts and bugs of Earth to fill a dictionary. The former insect allowed herself to become immersed in Deuwie’s lengthy explanations, finding it the perfect distraction from her thoughts. This little rant lasted them all the way to the Sanctuary, and it was only when they passed through the gates did Deuwie finally take a moment to breathe.

As the boy had promised, the area was…smaller than Hornet expected. It appeared to consist mainly of one large visitor center, as well as a few stone paths that led into a wooded area where she could hear many strange sounds in the distance. As they moved past the gates and into the visitor center, Hornet could see a large map in the center of the structure, and Deuwie ran over to it. 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here. I think I was nine.” He said. “But alright! So, most of the Sanctuary is pretty open, and there are a few fields with stuff like deer, bears, wolves, and other species from around here. The elephant is the only thing that isn’t native, and I think they rescued it from a circus.”

“Humans have circuses as well?” Quirrel asked. “What are those like?”

“I dunno. I’ve never been to one! All I know is that they use a lot of animals, rings, and…ugh, clowns.” He shuddered. “But you guys have circuses too?”

“In a manner of speaking. But they are not ones you’d want to visit.” Hornet mumbled, recalling Grimm and his little troupe of nightmares. “Anyway, what do you think we should visit first? Based on what you told us, the rain shouldn’t be starting for another hour and a half.”

“Hmm. I wanna see the wolves. They’re like dogs, only bigger and way cooler.” He said, before pointing to one of the many exits at the center. Deuwie almost ran towards it right after, and Hornet couldn’t help but snicker at his enthusiasm. Was this little trip for them or him? 

Either way, the woman did find herself becoming somewhat excited. So far, the fauna that she and the others encountered were simple, wild creatures, posing little threat to humans and their current forms. If the illustrations on the map were anything to go by, several of the animals kept here were docile herbivores, but there were also dangerous carnivores. A part of her was very intrigued by seeing the kind of predators that the surface had to offer, and after watching all those nature shows, it would be fun to see if the cameras accurately captured the ferocity of wild beasts.

As Deuwie had wanted, the first cage they went to were the wolves, but even before that the group found themselves compelled to stop and stare at the inside of the Sanctuary. All around them there were several different paths, composed entirely of grass and stone, splitting off into different directions. The smell in the air had changed to a much richer, more musky scent, the combined fragrances of a great number of animals permanently staining the air. Deuwie confidently walked down one of the paths like he came here every single day, and the others slowly followed, distracted by the combination of human ingenuity and the natural world.

Once they reached the first exhibit though, that curiosity skyrocketed as Hornet looked and spotted a group of creatures that, on first glance, resembled dogs, but as they got closer she realized they were a lot larger than any dog they had encountered thus far. The wolves were contained in a large, open field filled with trees and a few caves, and the only barrier between them was a metal fence and a small moat. 

“Here we are! Aren’t they so cute?” Deuwie asked, which was not the first thought that came to mind. “Fun fact, a super long time ago all dogs used to be wolves, but then we changed them to make them do specific things for us, like hunting or herding.”

“What? Truly?” Quirrel asked, and Deuwie confirmed this with an energetic nod. The scholar looked back at the small pack currently lounging about in their enclosure, clearly trying to come to terms with the fact that all the dogs they had seen on their journeys through town, small and large, were descended from beasts like this. “…How did you even do that?”

“Oh. Uh, I dunno!” Deuwie said. “But it’s super cool anyway, right?”

“It certainly poses a lot of questions.” Hornet mused, watching as her siblings moved to the edge of the fence, peering inside. Without their pads to communicate with, the two of them were now truly voiceless, but the woman was just glad that they seemed to be enjoying themselves with this. She could almost see sparkles in Ghost’s eyes as they looked inside. And she had to admit, the wolves did look quite fascinating. Especially with all that fur. Part of her just wanted to scale the fence and bury her face into one of their coats this very instant. 

That was one advantage to being human she’d miss, if they managed to change back. Their soft skin was much more sensitive than their original chitin forms, so fluffy things felt, well, fluffier. 

It almost made her want to sta-

‘Do not. Give up life. In Hallownest. Because you can pet things here. Good Wyrm, Hornet, control yourself.’ She thought, as the group moved onto the next exhibit, which much to Hornet’s surprise, had the cage going all the way to the top, fully enclosing whatever was inside. It was still quite large, but at the same time, notably smaller than the last one. Although any questions were quickly answered as Deuwie ran up and pointed at a multi-colored, feathered thing.

“Ooh, there’s a parrot! It’s that talking bird I was telling you guys about earlier. I hope it says something to us!”

“Talking…? That creature is sentient?”

“Well, no, it can just repeat sounds! But it’s super cool, right?”

“In Hallownest, there is a creature with a similar ability called a Nosk, although it mimics a person’s appearance rather than their voice. It uses this to lure unsuspecting prey to its den where it will then-”

Hornet winced as she suddenly felt Ghost’s elbow gently nudge her midsection, the little warrior staring up at her with a, “Dude, not the time” expression. She conceded with a sigh, before continuing. “…Nevermind. It is a very cool bird, Deuwie.”

“Yeah, it is. That’s something you could tell them tomorrow, though.” He said. “There may be a lot of scary things up here, but there’s plenty of wonders, too.”

“That…would be a good idea, yes.” Hornet agreed, bowing her head. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure how “the humans keep animals in cages to preserve them from the wild” would go over with these souls, but whatever worked, she supposed. After staring at the birds for a little while longer, the group moved on, and there the fence turned from simple chain-link to much larger, iron bars. It took them only a few seconds to find out why, and Hornet felt her heart pound in her throat as she saw a massive grizzly bear in the distance, standing on its hind legs as it tried to climb a tree. 

This was a bear?! It was enormous! Deuwie had already told them a fair bit about the large creatures and what they were capable of (“they can run as fast as a horse and they’re super cool and cute and I wish I could hug one but my dad says if I ever see a bear I should-”), but that certainly didn’t prepare her for witnessing the real thing. She approached the fence to get a closer look, and it didn’t take long for the beast to notice them and amble over.

“It’s…coming this way.” Quirrel said, looking down at its massive claws and gulping. “These bars are sturdy, yes?”

“Yeah. Plus, I don’t think these bears are dangerous. They’ve been around people for, like, their whole lives. I think they just want food.”

“…Food, you say? That bear has teeth as long as our fingers. Would I be correct in assuming these animals prey on humans?” Hornet asked, wishing she had her nail with her. She hated feeling so afraid in front of a wild beast of all things, but without her weapons, and trapped in a much weaker, more vulnerable body…it was hard not to be nervous. 

“Uh. Maybe? I know there’s a lot of animals that eat people, but I don’t like reading those stories. They’re scary.” Deuwie said. “Anyway, pretty cool, right? Bears are just so cute! I wish I could cuddle its fuzzy wittle face!”

At this point the bear was only a few feet away from them, its heavy breathing washing over the group as it looked back and forth. Despite how terrifying the large predator was, Hornet had to admit Deuwie was correct. In a strange way, when its mouth was closed this animal was adorable. And fluffy. Actually, the fluffiness was the main thing that appealed to her about it, and just like the wolves, she felt dismayed at the fact that she was unable to pet it. 

“Let’s, uh, move on.” Quirrel said, interrupting what looked to be a staring contest between Ghost and the beast. The five of them continued, the bear staring at them as they left, and the next exhibit contained an animal that the group had already seen before: deer. Only these ones were far more energetic, chasing each out and bounding about in their enclosure for some strange reason. 

“Ooh, awesome! They’re usually not this excited.” The boy said, running up to the fence to get a closer look. “One time, in the woods, a deer ate out of my hand! And it was even the kind with giant antlers!” He explained. “I mean, when I told my dad he freaked out and kinda grounded me for a bit, but it was worth it.”

“I can see why…the herbivores of your world certainly have no shortage of defense mechanisms.” Hornet said, eyeing the creature's large antlers. Just like the ones from the forest, if the deer was free of this cage then it could easily impale one of them without breaking a sweat. Hornet had seen the limits of how quickly her human body could run when she was searching for Deuwie, and it took one look to know this creature could go much, much faster. The antlered one seemed to be chasing one without, and when it finally caught up, the woman’s eyes widened as it mounted the smaller deer’s back.

“Huh? I’ve never seen them do that before.” Deuwie said. “What’s-”

“Time to see some other animals.” Hornet said, hastily slapping a hand over Deuwie’s eyes, before leading him away. The giggles from the rest of the group, especially her siblings, did not fail to escape her, nor did Deuwie’s complaints.

“Hey! You know, last time I was here, my dad did the same thing when I saw the bears climb on top of each other. What’s everyone hiding from me?”

“Just the beauty of life, young one. You’ll learn when you’re older.” Quirrel said.

“…Aw, man. Not you guys, too.” He pouted. After leading him away from the deer, however, it seemed the trip to the sanctuary was just about done…which also meant there was one last exhibit to go. The group turned a corner and stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of an absolutely massive creature, only held in place by a large wooden fence. There was no question as to what this beast was. This was the elephant the boy had told them about, but none of them had expected it to be this big. Even as humans, even compared to the previous animals, this thing was gigantic! And if they were still bugs?

Hornet gulped at the mere thought of it. No doubt some of them would have dropped dead from shock alone. 

As if sensing they had arrived, Deuwie carefully pried Hornet’s hand off and gasped, before running up to the fence. “Yes! We made it just in time!” He said, and like the bear before them, the elephant began slowly walking over to him, soon looming over the boy as its trunk descended towards his head.

“D-Deuwie! Be careful!” Hornet blurted out, rushing over. Was this thing trying to eat him?! She had to pull him back before-

-the elephant grabbed his hat and playfully held it above him. Deuwie giggled and reached for it, but like they were playing a game, the giant animal kept it just out of his reach. Hornet stopped and stared for a moment, before sighing in relief. Right…as terrifyingly large as it was, there's no way this creature would be kept behind such a pitiful fence if it snacked on visitors. She and the others composed themselves and meekly walked over, with Ghost getting the closest while Hollow chose to take a backseat.

“Come on! Don’t take my hat!” Deuwie said playfully, still trying to grab it. Eventually, the elephant planted it upside down back on his head, before it turned its gaze to the former insects. Hornet flinched as she felt the elephant focus on her, before it began walking away, quickly losing interest as another gaggle of people came by.

“Aww. Goodbye!” Deuwie called out, waving happily. He turned around to face the group, almost bouncing up and down. “Ahhh, that was so cool, right?! I heard that she sometimes grabs people’s hats and stuff, but I didn’t think it would happen to me!”

“It was…” Quirrel began, the words “mildly horrifying” just dangling on the edge of his lips. “…quite interesting. You mentioned that this is the largest creature on Earth, yes?”

“Yup! Well, on land, anyway. In the ocean, that’s a blue whale, and they’re soooo much bigger! But it’s my dream to see one one day!” 

“…Perhaps you will. But for now, I am more than satisfied with what I just witnessed.” Hornet said, as she saw the elephant approach the other group and steal one of their hats as well. Admittedly, as scary as all that was, there was a certain majesty to the creature as well that made her unable to take her eyes off it. Like watching a beautiful sunset, or a duel between two skilled fighters. “Why is it behind such a small fence compared to the other animals? It could charge right through this if it wanted.”

“I think it's just because she’s really friendly.” Deuwie said. “She hasn’t hurt anyone in the entire time she’s been here, and loves doing stuff like that with people. It’s honestly really cute, don’t you think?”

An animal as big as this was not something Hornet would ever consider “cute” (unless it had fur, of course), but she didn’t want to spoil Deuwie’s moment, either, so she simply smiled and then looked towards the skies, where dark clouds were quickly gathering. “I think it’s time for us to leave…” 

“Aw, really? But we-” Deuwie started to say, until he felt a raindrop hit his hand. Suddenly struck with the knowledge of how far from home they were, he gulped and nodded. “Uh, yeah. Maybe it is a good idea to head out. But you guys all had fun, right? I just wanted to show you all the animals that Earth has to offer.”

“I certainly did. Many of these creatures are fascinating. The flesh beasts that wandered into the cave before you came along certainly weren’t as striking as these.” Quirrel chimed in, and both Ghost and Hollow nodded vigorously. “While the elephant was definitely hypnotizing, I think my favorite were those wolves. They looked weird, yes, but the howling sounds they made were rather…I’m not sure how to put it into words…”

“Adorable! They were adorable.” Deuwie said. “It’s okay to admit you find stuff cute! Although you know, I always wondered if we looked weirder to you guys, with the bare skin, or if stuff with fur does, considering you, uh, don’t have either.”

“Definitely you.” Hornet said casually. “While not many, there are creatures in Hallownest with a thick layer of hair or fur covering their bodies. But I have never once encountered a creature that had fur, but only a thin, barely noticeable layer of it.” She explained. “Even after seeing all the creatures up here, humans are by far the strangest-”

A loud BOOM erupted above them, and like a group of cats all five of them jumped nearly a foot in the air at the sound of it. Hornet looked up to see the clouds had gotten much darker, and thunder slowly grumbled across the sky as the rain started to increase. All the animals around them retreated to their dens, and Deuwie laughed nervously. 

“M-maybe…maybe we should go a little bit faster?”

“Yes, I think that would be a good idea.” Quirrel said, and with that, they started to speed walk towards the exit, which turned into a jog as they left the Sanctuary behind and the rain began to wet their hair. At this point, Hornet had accepted that they were going to get soaked no matter what, but she certainly didn’t want the same for the others.

“S-stay away from tall trees and stuff! Lighting strikes the tallest thing it can find!” Deuwie said, as he tried to cover his face with his hat. As if the universe was listening to him, another loud CRACK erupted across the sky, and a bolt of electricity came down from the clouds and hit a building nearby. Hornet could swear her ears were left ringing from the impact, and she instinctively stepped closer to Deuwie as she grabbed his wrist.

‘That one was close.’ She thought, the rain now pouring so heavily she could barely see twenty feet ahead. She only hoped they weren’t struck by a car, because the group certainly wasn’t waiting at any crosswalks. By the time they made it back to the neighborhood, all of them moving as fast as they could (albeit slightly less so, so Hollow could keep up), they were thoroughly soaked to the bone, and with one last lighting strike hitting a tree nearby, the five of them burst into the house, standing in the foyer as a small torrent of water dripped into the floor.

“Ha…hehe…hahahahaha!” Deuwie laughed, taking his hat off and shaking his head like a wet dog. Quirrel was the first to start laughing alongside him, followed by her siblings in their silent giggles, and finally Hornet got in on it, as the sheer sight of them in all their waterlogged glory was certainly a humorous one. “Ahh, that was…so much fun. Scary, too. But still fun! I’ve never gotten trapped out in the rain like that.”

“I did not expect it to be so cold…” Quirrel said, now shivering. “I think it would be wise to change clothes and take a shower.”

“Agreed. Although for once, I will not be pushy to go first.” Hornet said. “You should all go before me.”

“Are you sure?” Dewi asked. “I know you like to use the tub and-”

“Which is exactly why I should go last. I know myself, and I know I will stay there a while.” She admitted. “I do not mind. But…do be quick.”

“Hm, alright! If you say so! I’ll go get some towels for you.” Deuwie said, before he ran over to the bathroom, calling to the others to be “careful not to get water all over the floor”. As he and Ghost were the first to use the showers, Hornet was left with Quirrel and her other sibling, both of whom stayed by the door as they dried themselves off. 

“Well. That was certainly an experience.” Quirrel said. “I will say, if this truly was our last day being human, I don’t mind how we spent it.”

“It’s only midday. I expect we’ll be playing plenty of games for the next few hours…” Hornet replied, staring as the rain poured just outside the window. Every now and then there was a brief flash of light and another BOOM as lightning struck nearby, and the former insect was reminded of that first night, the first storm, when they were swept from their home up into this world. The day that everything changed, in more ways than one. The discovery of the humans, the Radiance banished, the return of Hollow…it only seemed fitting that their final day up here would be accompanied by another squall. “…I’m worried, you know. Of what’ll happen tomorrow. I have several ideas, but I don’t know for sure what I’ll say to those souls.”

“…Those are not words I ever expected to come from you.” Quirrel said, shifting in place. Even Hollow looked surprised at his sister’s admission. “But I would be more concerned if you weren’t scared. It’s only natural, you know. Even after everything you’ve done, I imagine this is uncharted territory.”

“It is. But that is not the primary reason why I am concerned. It is because of what it means for the rest of you if I fail.” Hornet said. “And yes, I know being overly sentimental isn’t like me, either, but still. I have come to appreciate all your company, and I would be…displeased with myself if I was not able to return us to our original forms.”

“If that happens, I won’t blame you.” Quirrel said. “I would never be angry at you. After if, if you couldn’t do it, then I doubt any of us could. We all agreed that you’d be our speaker for a reason.”

“He is right.” Hollow wrote, having retrieved his pad from the table. “There would be no good reason, logical or emotional, to be cross with you if you fail to convince them. I am sure the others would feel the same way.” 

“…Thank you. Both of you.” Hornet said, before sitting down on the front mat. “So then. What should we do today once we have all washed up?”

“…I want to play more Mario Kart.”

“Of course.” She mumbled with a chuckle, happy that Quirrel brought it up so she didn’t have too. And with that, the three of them sat in silence, waiting for the others to be done, waiting for tomorrow and the event they knew would either return things to how they should be, or seal them up here forever. 

Chapter Text

For the first time since becoming human, Hornet found herself waking up from a truly restful sleep, free of nightmares, disturbances, or strange noises of any kind. Considering what the plan for later today was, she was grateful beyond words for the opportunity, and the woman almost found herself going back to sleep before the smell of something sweet from the kitchen caught her attention.

Right…potential last day of being human…no doubt Deuwie would want to make them something special for breakfast. She got up and stretched herself like a cat, her back cracking and creaking like an old chair in the process. Once standing, the former bug made her way to the kitchen, where she saw, surprisingly, her siblings and Deuwie at the table, while Quirrel was the one cooking at the counter, completely engrossed in his work as he stood in front of the oven.

“Good morning…” She said sleepily. “Did I miss anything?”

“Nope! Quirrel just said he wanted to give making breakfast a try, so we agreed to let him. I think he’s baking some kind of fruit dish!” Deuwie said, sitting between Ghost and Hollow. The latter was waiting patiently, slowly taking in the sweet scent of citrus in the air, while the former…was slumped over on the table, audibly snoring. Hornet huffed with amusement and took a seat, before glancing over at Quirrel, who was still so invested in his work he didn’t even seem to notice she had woken up. Judging by the number of banana peels and various brightly colored juices staining the counter, whatever he was doing over there would leave quite the mess for them to clean up.

Not that she minded in the moment, of course. The scent of the dish he was creating was good enough for Hornet to feel a tinge of excitement. She didn’t know if she trusted Quirrel’s cooking skills after less than a week of them being like this, but she supposed that he had to have watched Deuwie fixing them food enough times to get a proper handle on-

“Alright, it’s done!” He announced, walking over to the table with a couple of plates and showcasing his creation. Ghost rose out of their stupor like a zombie, eyes half lidded as they wiped drool from their lips. “How does it look?

…

Nevermind.

What Quirrel had made was so strange that for a moment, Hornet wasn’t even sure what she was looking at. It appeared to be a pancake at first glance, but on close inspection she realized it had strange ridges and grooves separating the different sections of it. The fruit added into the thing made it resemble a giant dried pile of multicolored vomit, and Hornet wondered if it would look better or worse coming back up. For a few moments, no one said a word, before Deuwie leaned in, the smile on his face replaced with a nervous frown. “Are those…waffles?”

“Yes! I saw one on a cooking show yesterday and I wanted to give it a go!” Quirrel replied. “I may have forgotten a few steps here and there, but I figured if I added fruit to the mixture, then it would all even out in the end. So, what do you think?”

“It looks like someone sliced up the main character of that cartoon Hollow watches and served him to me, well done.” Ghost wrote, never one for subtlety when it came to food. “That said, it does smell good, so I am willing to try it out.”

Quirrel visibly deflated at the little warrior’s scathing criticism, before clearing his throat. “Well, that is all I ask! This is only my first attempt, after all. If you don’t like it, then that is fine! I can just try again some other time…erm, probably.”

“Mm-hm...” Deuwie said, as he took his fork and knife, slicing the waffle into manageable pieces. After pouring a generous amount of syrup on the scholar’s creation, the boy cautiously stuck a piece in his mouth, and everyone held their breath as he slowly chewed the thing like it was made of asbestos. However, the moment he swallowed, their benefactor went in for more, this time taking a much larger piece. Quirrel beamed at this wordless praise, before giving the others a look that plainly said, “your turn”. Hornet sighed and did the same as Deuwie, nearly pouring a good tenth of the syrup bottle on her own portion. The second the first piece of waffle hit her tongue, though…

There were a lot of foods up here that the woman enjoyed. The pizza. The cake. A wide variety of fruits. Cereal. Milk, although she’d never admit it. But this…somehow, despite looking as appealing as a bowl of broken glass, was easily the most delicious thing she had ever eaten in her life. She didn’t know if Quirrel was some secret human food prodigy, or if it was just sheer luck that it was this good, but the only thing that mattered to her in that moment was getting more.  

The man in question looked incredibly proud of this fact, even a little smug, and he merely walked over to the counter and began cooking again, (correctly) predicting that people would want seconds. Once breakfast was officially done, everyone had eaten as much as their stomachs could hold, with Hornet and Hollow managing to stuff down three whole servings. If Quirrel had wished to make them a special meal for their last morning as humans, then he certainly succeeded. 

“That…was amazing.” Deuwie said, as they all put their plates away in the dishwasher. “You gotta tell me how you made them so I can tell my dad! I wanna eat these things every morning!”

“I will do my best, but I will admit that even I am not entirely sure what I did.” Quirrel said. “I just cooked it to what I believed was an acceptable level and sprinkled the fruit in periodically. I suppose there was just some combination in there that all worked out better than expected.”

“Better than expected is downplaying it. That was the best thing I’ve had since the change.” Hornet said, before walking back into the living room. There, all the paintings made yesterday hung on the wall opposite the tv, looming over the couch and recliner. After displaying the paintings at dinner (where Deuwie made the exact same high-pitched noise they predicted he would) and discussing putting them up around the house, the boy had run into the basement, where he pulled out a large box of “sticky” hooks that they could simply slap on the wall and use for the portraits. And now, they were here. Hopefully, forever displayed as a constant reminder of Deuwie’s friends, or if things went wrong…what they used to be, and where they came from.

“Anyway.” She started, tearing her eyes away from them. “I think I will get dressed and then we should head out. Is there anything any of you would like to do, before we go and see if the spell works?”

Silence. Deuwie shook his head, mouth still full of waffle. Quirrel did the same, although it was far more hesitantly. Clearly, the part of himself he told her about, the part that drew him towards this world rather than their own, was still in there somewhere. Hollow and Ghost didn’t react, but the look in their eyes through their masks said it all: they had been ready to leave these bodies since day one. With a nod, the woman gathered up her original clothes and then vanished into the bathroom, looking down at the red cloak, thick pants, and uncomfortable shirt she had been brought to the surface with. She had never worn the full outfit ever since taking it off the first day, and putting it back on made her feel like she was truly leaving all this behind. Hornet sighed and set the collection of clothes down on the toilet lid, before staring at herself in the mirror as the memories of everything that led to this moment came down on her like a torrent.

“Only pity for your cursed kind.”

“I’m impressed, little Ghost.”

“HALT, beast of flesh!”

“A god forgotten, perhaps.”

“Deuwie! Do not touch the infection!”

“Sigh…perhaps.”

“I don’t want to get used to it! Being human is disgusting!”

“We’ll all get through this together.”

“I don’t blame you, you know.”

“Thank you. Both of you.”

With a shaky hand, Hornet gently pressed her palm up against the mirror, shivering at the cold sensation of the reflective surface. Even if the spell worked, and the Seer managed to “connect” them with the Souls of the ones who had passed on, there was no guarantee she’d be able to do the job that was needed. The face she saw in the mirror…this alien face of meat, muscle, and bone that was so expressive and soft compared to her true one…well, her “true” one wouldn’t be that anymore, would it? She wouldn’t be a bug anymore. Not even in spirit.

She would live as a human, die as a human. 

Even putting aside the whole issue with getting a job and how to acquire that, Hornet could barely even begin to wonder how the rest of her life would go. Getting a proper education? What was schooling up here even like? What about learning how to drive one of those “cars” Deuwie told them about? It seemed to be a pretty important skill in this society. Then there were the social aspects. If she made friends with people, could she ever tell them about what she once was? Would they believe her or just call her crazy? Not to mention, what about having someone to spend the rest of her days with? Even with her standoffish nature and unnatural lifespan, Hornet had felt the urge to find a mate many times before. But she certainly couldn’t see herself falling in love with a human, male or female. Most likely, she’d only have the others as companions, and who knows what kind of lives they would live. Quirrel would probably do fine, but her siblings…

She couldn’t condemn them to a life spent of constant staring and hardship simply because of their scars. Because of something that couldn’t be changed. She had to do this. She had to succeed. Not just for herself, but for everyone else as well. Squinting at herself in the mirror, Hornet quickly removed her clothes and slipped on her original ones, the uncomfy material and make of them digging into her skin. But one had to do things properly, and she didn’t want to risk anything going wrong. Not when they were so close. 

With that, the woman left the bathroom to see the others standing there, all of them now wearing the same thing they had first appeared in, along with their masks. Hornet looked down as the Little Ghost walked up to her, offering her her plastic veil, which Hornet took graciously. She slipped it on, a piece of thin, wobbly material that was so flimsy and fragile, and yet now, felt firmer than ever, before nodding at the gathered group. 

“Let’s go.” She said simply, and without any further words being spoken, the five of them set out, turning to look at the house one last time before they entered the woods. 

***

When the group entered the cave, Hornet let herself relax as the cool, stale air washed over her. She had no doubt that if they became bugs again they’d come back up to the surface (albeit carried by Deuwie) but that was it, right then. The last time she would feel this humid, faint breeze on her skin, so soft and sensitive compared to her original body. Despite how much weaker she was while human, how easily she could meet her end, she would miss the feeling of things like blankets and warm water like this. While human, they felt so much better, like every nerve in her body had been made specifically to seek the most comforting thing possible.

She wondered if her siblings had things they would miss, too. Hollow…his hair, probably, and the food. Ghost? The television and everything it brought, for sure, but other than that, nothing came to mind. Except perhaps being as big as Deuwie for a change. They may have put on an act as much as she did, but Ghost’s happiness while playing with the boy had always been genuine. Of that there was no doubt. 

Still, her mind was set, and there was no turning back now. Together they walked towards the ladder that led towards Hallownest, descending it hastily. They felt like half a group of prisoners, awaiting their execution, and half a group of fallen gods, about to receive what they needed to return to their true, divine state. 

Hornet knew that whatever happened next would be one of the most important moments in her life, and her anxiety spiked as-

“Keep it together…” She whispered to herself, and less than a second later she felt Ghost’s hand wrap around hers, which was followed by Deuwie taking her other hand. Giving the two of them a soft “thank you”, they made their way into the darkness, before spotting a large, fiery red lamp brightening the dirt and rock Wastes just over the mountain around Dirtmouth. Besides the incredibly ominous lighting this provided, they could also see the Moth there, along with Lemm and Cornifer. It seemed, at the least, that the pair wanted to see the fruits of their labors ripening. 

“Good. You’re all here.” The Moth said. “Sorry about the lantern. The only light source we had that we were sure wouldn’t burn out was something that circus troupe left behind. Never met them myself, honestly, but apparently they caused quite a stir up here.”

“As long as it fits our purposes, I do not care. We have our own lights anyway.” Hornet said, reaching up and tapping her head lamp. She aimed it at the ground, inspecting the carved circle. It was very…twisted, to say the least. She was expecting something more neat, or at least symmetrical, but what the Seer had made was none of these things. Instead, there was a large circle in the middle, which branched out into an utter mess of random lines, like roots breaching the Earth. The slashes eventually connected to four other circles on the design, just big enough for them to stand in. “You’re sure this is all correct?”

“More or less.” She replied with a shrug. “It matches what I saw when I looked at the tablet. A vision of this spell with this design right at the center. Granted, they had carved it out of stone rather than dirt, but I am sure it hardly matters what material it is made of, as long as it’s accurate.”

“How does this symbol even work, exactly?” Quirrel asked. “As in, how does it provide extra power for the spell? I have rarely heard of sigils being used in Soul magic. Not like this, anyway.”

“The details on that were a bit loose, but whatever type of enchantments these creatures used, sigils were very important to them. It’s possible the symbol itself is nothing special; it’s simply the power of belief that it does do something.” She explained. “So have faith this will work! That might actually help us.”

“Very well. I assume we stand inside the circles?”

“Mm-hm. Child of man, you’re exempt. We don’t want you accidentally connecting yourself with the spell.” She said. “Considering what started all this, it would be unwise for these Souls to be aware that you’re here with them. Now, I assume that Hornet shall be doing the negotiating?”

“Correct.”

“Excellent. Then stand in that one.” The Seer replied, pointing to a circle that was, noticeably, more out of the way than the others. “The rest of you, pick and choose. I will go in the middle.”

With that, the former insects did as they were told, Hornet taking her spot as the rest carefully moved inside of the circles, taking caution not to disturb any of the lines drawn into the dirt. Deuwie watched nervously and fiddled with his hands, before taking a few steps forward. “H-hey. If this doesn’t work, and you guys can’t back into bugs, just know that my dad would never turn you guys away. We’ll…we’ll make sure everything is okay.”

“We know, Deuwie. None of us assume that your father is an unkind man. Thank you.” Hornet said. “Now, let’s-”

“Wait, one, uh, last, last thing.” Deuwie said, before stepping over to Ghost. The tiny warrior tilted their head in confusion as he got closer, before the boy moved in and hugged his friend tight. Ghost tensed up before relaxing just as quickly, placing their chin on the human child’s shoulder. “If the spell works, I won’t be able to hug you like this anymore…so I wanna do this before it happens. Just one last time for good luck.”

Upon hearing this, Ghost didn’t hesitate to hug Dewi back, and the pair remained that way for a few minutes, none of the others daring to interrupt as the two of them embraced each other. Finally, the boy pulled away, smiling goofily. “Okay. Okay.” He said softly, wiping a single tear away from his eye. “I’m ready.”

“Very well.” The Seer said, before clapping her hands together. “Now then, I assume the rest of you are adequately prepared. For one last time, I will let the old magic flow through me…”

The Moth then kneeled down and placed her hands on one of the carved lines, before it glowed brilliantly, and Hornet winced as she was flash banged by the sight. Like a river of liquid light, the gleam traveled from line to line, eventually coming to encircle them as more and more of the spell woke up. The woman looked back and forth as she swore she could hear unintelligible whispering from somewhere, too faint to make out but just loud enough to be distracting.  

‘Are those the Souls? Did we wake them up, too?’ She thought with a gulp. Her eyes continued to trace the path of the light as it filled the spell, holding her breath as it was fully completed…

…only to choke as she realized that Deuwie, unbeknownst to him, had stepped right on one of the lines during his final assurances. 

“Deuwie!” She called out. “Take a step bac-”

And that was the last thing she heard before a shriek echoed through the entire cavern and the world went white. With a scream of her own, Hornet felt her spirit being ripped from her physical form, and as if she was a puppet on strings, the warrior was yanked away from reality, and brought into a realm she wished to never see again.

***

What is it? 

One of them. A human. We should-

No, not one of them. Only in body, not soul. It is a Weaver. Little Spiderling. 

Not just Weaver. There is more there. There is Wyrm as well. How curious a union.

How has the world changed, that a Weaver and Wyrm would have a child? Their clashes used to topple Empires and raze cities to the ground.

What else has changed?

Hearing a great number of voices around her speaking at once, Hornet fearfully opened her eyes, expecting to see all her nightmares come to life in one large, horrible mishmash. This was supposed to be the Dream Realm, after all. A place she had greatly come to fear since the transformation. Except for yesterday, every night she had been treated with some new nightmare or strange vision, and after learning the truth of how they were changed, the woman couldn’t help but wonder if these things were behind it.

But no. When she finally mustered up the courage to look, all Hornet saw was a vast, empty expanse of grey darkness around her, and above her, a great deal of lights floating beyond, like a hundred thousand will o’ the wisps had descended upon the world.

It is awake. It is aware. It knows of us. It knows about us. Why has it come? 

The voices were unlike anything she had ever heard. It was as if a hundred different people were speaking at once, and yet, it was fully understandable, as if they were whispering softly right into her ear. She took a moment to look down at herself, and Hornet blanched as she saw that she was still human… but at the same time, a part of her was relieved. These things had identified her as Weaver and Wyrm. Which meant, at least on the spiritual plane, she was still an insect. They hadn’t taken that away from her…yet.

Do you not speak, little creature? Do you not have questions for us? Demands to make? Is that not why you have come, even trapped in that horrendous form? 

Does it even speak?

“It does.” She growled, finally turning her attention skyward, and the wisps swirled together like a school of fish. “The spell worked, then. You are correct. I know your story. I know who you all are. I am Hornet, the daughter of the Pale King and Herrah the Beast, Protector of the Kingdom of Hallownest, and I have come to-”

You know NOTHING!

Hornet flinched back at the sudden shouting of the spirits, who, rather than simple fish, had now started circling her like a group of sharks. “I…know enough. I know what happened to you, all those years ago. The Seer, a Moth who knows soul magic - she found your library, and the tablets it contained. We know about the humans who hurt you, and the spell you made to stop them. And now…” She gestured down at herself. “…as you can see, it didn’t work like you wanted it to.”

A loud, barking laugh erupted all around her, and Hornet found herself grumbling. Did they find all this amusing? Or was there something she wasn’t aware of? Whatever the case, her anger turned to further unease as their cackles turned hysterical, blanketed by sobs as well.

It worked fine it worked fine. We see nothing wrong with this. Why have you come here, little thing? To beg for the release of your friends and for yourself? 

“More than that. I am requesting that you do all that, and leave us be. Break your spell and dissolve whatever magical hold you still have on this land that causes it to reactivate.” She said. “That is all.”

That is all, she says, as if she were simply requesting a small trinket of us. But you lie you lie you came here for one more reason, didn’t you? You came here because you wanted to protect IT.

“It?” 

That human that thing that filthy foul beast you brought with you. We can see, we can see them all. It stepped on our carving and brought itself into the spell so we can see it and connect with it if we wish. 

“Connect with-” Hornet gasped, and she felt horrified as she realized exactly what they meant. “NO! Don’t you dare do anything to him. Or any of them! This is between us and us alone!”

How cute how cute you care for it. You care for some giant beast that doesn’t truly care for you how naive how foolish how utterly STUPID you are. You said you were a Protector of this Land? No wonder it fell to such a pathetic fate, taken by the Old Light.

Hornet had to admit: if there was one thing these spirits were good at, it was causing her to switch gears. Her fear vanished and the rage returned as they mocked Hallownest’s fate, and she nearly reached for her nail, wanting nothing more than to spear these things in whatever face she could find. 

“This…is not about Hallownest. Or the Infection.” She growled, fighting to control her emotions. It wasn’t just what they were saying about her home, but to hear them speak of Deuwie in such degrading terms struck a particular edge with her. “None of that matters anymore. This is about what you did to us. And don’t say that he doesn’t care for us. Deuwie has shown time and time again that we are just as important as-”

“Deuwie”. So that is its name. How strange a title for such a horrible being. Is that what you call it or did it name itself?

“He is just a child. His father named him, I believe.” Hornet growled. “And stop speaking about him like he’s an animal! He is not-”

They are MONSTERS! 

The voice suddenly began roaring at her, and once again Hornet took a step back as the Wisps flew high above her. This thing (or things?) was becoming more unstable by the second. Clearly, she had touched a nerve there. 

Murderers. Murderers. MURDERERS. They kill all they touch and laughed at our deaths as they trampled us beneath their feet. Yet you would defend one of their kind?!

“I would. Without question.” Hornet said. “And who are you to call humans monsters? You? The ones threatening a child for a crime committed thousands of years ago?” She spat. “I do not deny that humans can be vile, but so can we. It is a lesson that took me a while to learn, but I did. They are giants, yes, and beasts of flesh that we see as unnatural. But don’t associate the ones you encountered with the ones I have!”

Wrong. Wrongwrongwrong. They are all killers exterminators beasts animals mindless destructors kill them like they killed us. If you are willing to stand by the humans then you must be one. No malfunction no mistake no error in the spell we did this to you because of your FRIENDSHIP with that vile thing. Befriend a human and you are no better than a beast so you became one. All us all us YOU DESERVE IT. 

“No…error? Wait, you did this knowingly?!” Hornet said with a gasp, turning towards the skies with a hardened gaze. “So the Seer was incorrect! It truly wasn’t any sort of accident. The spell didn’t go wrong in the first place. You changed it on purpose! You made us into humans and then-”

Cast you out into hell into the surface into their filthy horrid domain where you BELONG. But you came back why why why so now we must teach you another lesson. We will take that boy that monstrous fleshling we will take it and change it into the weakest tiniest form of creature and do you know where we will drop it then?

“If you even so much as-”

The Abyss. 

“No.” Hornet whispered, barely able to hear herself. Just the idea of Deuwie, forcefully changed into a bug, then being cast into the most dangerous part of-

YES. We will make you listen to it scream as it is torn apart we will keep you here and make you watch for eternity alongside us that beautiful wonderful chorus as one of their kind meets a just end what they all deserve. It will be perfect. The three beasts the three defilers from back then they never returned but it doesn’t matter. They are back now so we must act and that is what we will do.

“That is a fool's errand.” Hornet growled, barely able to contain her anger at their eagerness for these plans. “The humans are far stronger than you realize. If you believe they will just ignore several of their kind vanishing down here, you are wrong. They will send an army to demolish this cave and everything living in it once they deem you to be a threat. Are you willing to cause so much death and chaos, just for your revenge?”

As long as one human dies we will be happy. We will expire forever from this world taking as many of them as we can with us. 

“…”

For a moment, Hornet was at a loss. This was going way too fast, and was already out of control. She wasn’t sure what she could say to placate them at this point, not to mention the fact that thanks to Deuwie taking one step too close, the poor kid was now trapped in the spell with them. These spirits could do anything they pleased with him, and they had made their intentions very clear. 

She had to be calm. She had to remember what Deuwie had told her. Show them that humans weren’t all bad, with memories of her own. No matter how long it took to convince them, it was the only thing she could do at this point. Anything to keep their minds off the idea of hurting him…

“You’re the ones that are mistaken.” She said. “I sympathize with your anger, and I do not mean to downplay or ignore what was done to you. You all were wronged, greatly. I have no doubt about that. But you are not correct about humans. Not only are the ones you encountered different from the ones I have, but it’s been over a thousand years. Their entire world has changed, I’m sure.” Hornet took a deep breath, keeping her voice steady. “In my time up there, I’ve seen much. I have walked through their towns, eaten their food, and lived life like any one of them, enriching myself with human entertainment and playing human games. Which means I can say that they do not kill all they touch. They are not all murderers and monsters. Again, I am sorry for what happened to your home. I’m not asking you to forgive who hurt you. Only to see the difference between us and them.”

And do they still kill us for fun? Do they still scream at the sight of us and then crush us beneath their feet?

“…What?”

When they first appeared. The trio of demons. When they first saw us they looked scared and reacted by squashing as many of us as they could. We could not understand why they were so terrified of us but it hardly mattered in the end. They reacted and their screams turned to laughter as they saw us running fleeing begging for them to stop. They did not. They kept going and going and going and going until thousands had been slain and half our civilization was in ruins.

“…Most humans seem to have an instinctive fear reaction to us. It is odd, and something they can’t seem to control.” Hornet admitted, trying not to show how disturbed she was by the story. Especially since it was the first time the wisps had said something calmly, instead of speaking with barely contained rage. “I cannot change that, any more than I can change what happened to you all. But I will say that not all of them are like this, either. There are humans up there that spend their entire lives studying and taking care of insects, and judging by how Deuwie is like now, he will be one of them. You are focusing your anger on the wrong-”

What exactly is your game here.

“…I don’t understand.”

You fully understand. At the beginning it was clear but now we are not so sure. Are you here to get us to turn your friends and yourself back into bugs or are you here to convince us why humans are this amazing magical species that can do no wrong? You have spent the last five minutes NOT convincing us why we should reverse our spell, but rather, why humans are so great.

“…”

Perhaps you prefer being stuck in this-

“NO.” Hornet growled, glaring at the Wisps, which were slowly inching closer. “I am only saying all those things to defend humanity to convince you why you shouldn’t harm Deuwie! You made your murderous intentions with him quite clear, so why wouldn’t I say anything I can to stop them?!” She spat. “You are mistaking affection for genuine fondness. I do not see humans as creatures superior to us in every way. They are capable of evil, as you well know. Even above ground I saw stores meant for…for…”

Hornet then paused, hoping the souls wouldn’t catch on to what she stopped herself from saying, but of course it wouldn’t be that easy. 

Go ahead. Finish your thoughts. Stores dedicated to WHAT, exactly?

“It doesn’t matter.”

Of course it does. Let us guess. Stores made solely for the extermination of bugs like us. Of bugs like YOU. 

“…Yes.” She said softly. There was no point in denying it. Staying silent would be as much of a confession as anything. “But the bugs up there are not like us. They cannot speak, or build civilizations, or think or act in ways sentient lifeforms can. They are just animals. Humans aren’t even aware that insects can form Kingdoms like Hallownest! When Deuwie’s father was brought here, he was shocked to know we existed.” Hornet pointed out. “If the humans found us now, they would mean us no harm. They are scholars first, not killers.”

And yet they found us. And killed us.

“…Yes, but-”

But nothing. This conversation is going in circles. We have spent the last fifteen hundred years stewing over what these beasts did to our home, and there is nothing you can say or do to us that will change our minds. If you will not listen to the truth, then we will SHOW you.

“What are you talking…about…wait! Stay back!” Hornet barked, as the Wisps flew down towards her like a swarm of piranhas. In the blink of an eye they were all that she could see, her vision now overcome with a glowing field of white, and the woman screamed as they took her and she felt her body being picked apart, one molecule at a time. 

***

When Hornet came to, disorienting by the feeling of her form being put back together like some monstrous, living puzzle, she instantly realized three things.

One: She was no longer human.

Two: She wasn’t back in her old body, either.

Three: This new form was just as disorienting and confusing as her mammalian one when she first woke in it. 

It was long, and spindly, and had way too many legs. She could feel all of them trying to move at once, flailing back and forth. It took five seconds for Hornet to realize that they had transformed her into one of them. The same bugs she saw on the carving, thin and with a good hundred or so appendages. Did they change her from a human into this to punish her? How could-

That was the last thing she thought before a wild screech tore her from her mind, and Hornet looked around to see a landscape filled with chaos. It was just like her dream from a few days ago, only this time she wasn’t alone. All around her were more of the creatures that she was now, running back and forth and screaming. Giant buildings loomed in the distance, made of architecture that Hornet had never seen before in either insect or human construction. Booming sounds occasionally thundered across the landscape, and all of a sudden Hornet knew exactly where she was.

These bastards had planted her in one of their memories. And now they were going to make her relive every single horror they did. She almost scoffed at this pathetic attempt. Seeing humans who had died over a thousand years ago acting like monsters wouldn’t change her mind about anything. 

But they didn’t know that. And they probably wouldn’t care even if they did.

With a grunt, Hornet did her best to get to her “feet”, after seeing the others around her do the same. The legs on her bottom half hooked into the ground, digging through dirt, while she tried to lift up her upper one like a cobra preparing to strike. After a few attempts she managed to make it work, but she was unable to control her legs delicately, having to move all of them in one go. 

‘Where. Where should I be going? What are they going to do to me…?’ She thought, trying to get her bearings as her antenna whipped back and forth. She assumed this nightmare would end with her death, and that as some sort of final “lesson”, the Wisps would craft a human from their memories to tear her to pieces. That said, she had no desire to see the destruction that had been brought onto their home firsthand. And as if these souls were listening to her thoughts, a massive shadow passed over her, and everyone around Hornet froze and gasped as one of the humans revealed itself, appearing more like a monster from myth than any sort of living being. In the light created by the fire consuming this city, she could barely make out their features. Their eyes were like two burning pits, a demonic gaze staring down at them all, and their mouth opened wide in a grin, a maw filled with…sharp fangs?

When she saw this, Hornet found herself more confused than scared. Sure, humans had a couple of pointy teeth, but certainly nothing like that! And she doubted that even over a thousand years, their mouths would change so dramatically? Why would they…

‘Ah. Right.’ She thought. ‘I’m not actually here. This is only a memory. These aren't real humans, either. This is just how these souls remember them as…terrifying monsters, and nothing more.’ 

With a guttural roar, the beast reached down and grabbed a random civilian, who screamed for his life as he was lifted up and bitten in half. Now Hornet felt a pang of utter terror course through her, as the thing licked its fingers clean and then turned its gaze downwards again.

‘I am not being eaten by a dream human again! Even if it gets me out of this!’ She thought, before willing her body to move as fast as it could. Unfortunately, having to manipulate so many limbs simultaneously created an incredible lack of balance, and Hornet barely made it a few feet before she fell on her face. Cursing wildly, the former human decided to just roll out of harm's way, aiming towards an alleyway to her left. The beast reached down and stuck its arm into the narrow street, fingers scraping at dirt as it tried to grab her. Hornet gagged as the thing roared in frustration, foul breath hitting her like in a wave of hot air. Every nightmare, every vision, every single bad dream she had about being stepped on or eaten by some monstrous human since Dewi arrived…she was reliving all of them right now, and it took everything Hornet had to not start hyperventilating at the sight. Thankfully, after a minute or so it gave up, groaning before turning away to find more snacks.

“A-alright…I get it!” She yelled, trying to ignore dealing with yet another unfamiliar mouth. “Let me out of this nightmare! I can see what was done to you! But even the way you envision humans are wrong! The proof is staring you in the face. When you first met me, did I look anything like the monster I just encountered?! You can’t even trust your own-”

CRACK

With the noise of stone splitting in half, the Wisps made their displeasure with Hornet quite clear as she looked up and gasped at the sight of the two buildings she had taken shelter between crumbling away. Glass from a window fell right out of the frame and smashed into pieces next to her, and the warrior knew she only had seconds until the entire thing collapsed to the ground. Knowing she had no choice, Hornet growled and rolled her body out of danger again, having to move right over the pile of shattered glass in the process. She cried out at the feeling of the shards piercing through her shell, but she fought through the pain and in only a few seconds, she was out in the open again. The sound of the two buildings caving in was deafening in her ears, and Hornet desperately tried to cover her eyes as a wave of dust consumed her.

“S-stop…you…stop this!” She demanded, coughing as her throat filled with tiny bits of debris. The dust clearing didn’t provide her with any sort of respite, the humans still causing destruction in the distance as the screams continued. Seeing all this, Hornet merely lay on her back, staring up at the sky. That was it. She had made her choice. She didn’t care how it happened; she was going to let herself perish in this fantasy and then return to their realm. Any fear she felt towards this Wisps for her own well being had been fully replaced by outrage. They shoved her into a Dreamer’s dream, forced her to relive this horror for their own benefit, and to top it all off, threatened Deuwie simply for the sake of cruelty. At this point they were obviously enjoying watching her suffer.

“Bastards.” She hissed. “Come and finish me off, then! You’ve made your point! I’m willing to talk again. Just let me out of…of…finally…”

With a tiny sigh of relief, Hornet closed her eyes as she saw a swarm of lights descending from the sky and coming right for her. The booming sounds stopped, the heat from the fire faded away into the neutral cold of the Dream Realm, and she felt her body being taken apart as the Wisps finally released her from this nightmare.

***

“Guh-!” 

The second that Hornet found herself back in human form, she fell to her knees, panting and gritting her teeth. Never had she been so happy to wake up to find herself in a human body, which, after that, felt as comforting as a warm blanket. 

“Are…you finished?” She growled. “What were you trying to prove with that? Any point you could have made was overshadowed by the fact that the humans in your memories don’t even resemble the real thing!”

However they look is not a concern to us. Everything they did is still what happened. Now you see the terror and devastation they brought to our home. What was in that dream was only a tiny fragment of the whole. It went on for what felt like days before they finally got bored and left. Leaving us to collect the shards of our dead and our home.

“I sincerely doubt they ate your people with a smile on their face.” Hornet sneered. “They wouldn’t go from terrified of you to happily snacking on random insects. And besides, you haven’t convinced me of anything. Just because a few humans can cause great harm is-”

The Wisps above her swirled again, before separating, and Hornet’s voice died in her throat as could see just how many there were. Thousands of the lights swarmed in the sky, so many she couldn’t even begin to count them. She had assumed hundreds had died in the chaos, at least, but this…

STILL?! You still do not see the truth of what humans are?! Even if you meet one that is kind, like you claim this “Dewi” is, it will one day give in to its base instincts and kill you! You told us yourself, after all. Humans have an instinctive reaction to fear bugs. Which means that eventually it will lose control and destroy what little remains of your Kingdom in a fit of pique. 

“No. He would not.” Hornet said, getting back to her feet. “You don’t know Deuwie. You don’t know humans. That is all I can say about it, because it is the truth. You don’t know how they’ve changed, and how kind they can be.”

You admitted that humans hate our kind. YOUR kind. 

“I did, and I do.”

You admit that, after what you have seen in your travels of their world, that they have an obsession with killing innocent insects! Entire businesses built around it!

“I do.”

You admit that-

“Yes, I do! Shut it, already!” She spat. “I deny none of these things. I have not witnessed it for myself, but I have seen much evidence of the cruelty and death that humans can bring on us. But I still do not agree with what you claim. You act as if their civilization, their whole way of life, is dedicated solely to killing everything that isn’t them. And if you will not see this falsehood for what it is…” She waited until one of the Wisps flew closer to her, and then Hornet reached out and snatched it. “Then I will show you!”

With that, Hornet took the flailing soul in her hands, feeling like it was made out of solid stone, and pressed it to her forehead as she drudged up every bit of soul magic she had. She knew that, as a human, she couldn’t do anything with the art, not to mention she rarely used it even before the transformation, but maybe, just maybe, she could connect to it while stuck in the Dream realm. With a loud humming noise, the woman began glowing white, and the Wisps screeched in unison, a chorus of screeches and writhing lights as she forced her own memories into their heads, the same way they had done with her.

The first time meeting Deuwie, and the excitement he showed. The encounters with friendly humans around town. The way Deuwie had shown vulnerability and sadness the night he broke down, so unlike the monster these things claimed him to be. The evening where they all played games together. All these and so much more she forced them to relive, using every last bit of magic she had in herself. 

Eventually, Hornet felt like she was going to pass out, and released the souls as she collapsed onto her back. They shuddered and twisted in midair, clearly overwhelmed by the sheer influx of information and images Hornet had forced into their minds. But she didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret. That was her last card to play, and she could only hope it would be enough. 

“You…had a short lived encounter with only three humans. I’ve had encounters with dozens.” She pointed out, groaning as she got back to her feet. “They are not monsters. They are not demons. They are not destroyers dedicated to spreading death whenever they go. They are…” She took a deep breath and then looked up, her expression almost kind. “…They are just people. Like you. Like me. Like the Weavers and the Wyrms and the Mantises and all the citizens of Hallownest. They can be good or evil, malevolent or kind, and you just had the misfortune of encountering only the bad.” 

…

“And…” She said, taking their silence as progress. “I believe Deuwie is an example of one of the best. Yes, he is only a child, and he can be naive. But he is caring, kind, and willing to put himself through an avalanche of stress and tasks to ensure his friends are comfortable. We would have never gotten used to being human if not for his efforts.” She explained. “I am sorry for what happened to you. Truly, I am. But if you try to hurt him or any of the others, then I will do whatever it takes to stop you, even if that means giving up my own life. That is a promise.”

You would go so far for a human child? One single, insignificant boy? They asked, sounding quite shaken by what had just been done to them. 

“I would. And I guarantee you that most of the bugs in Dirtmouth would give you the same answer.” Hornet said. “They have all come to adore him. To look forward to his visits and see what he shares with us. I believe he would endear himself even to you, if you allowed it.”

So you claim. But we must ask. What exactly is it that you want when it comes to the humans, if we change you back?

“…Elaborate.” 

What. Do you. Want. Do you want to be friends with them? Do you want to reveal your civilization to theirs? Do you want to live among them, even as a bug? Do you wish to take a human lover? Do you wish to stay far away and only have Deuwie and it’s father know of you? What. Do you. WANT.

“I want…I want…” Hornet began to say, letting the tension in her shoulders fade as her expression softened.

“I want to give them a chance.”

“…”

“…”

“…Are you-”

Heh…hahahahahahahaha-

“What about any of this is so amusing to you? That is my answer. I want to give them a chance to prove themselves. To be better than what you claim they are. And I want to be there to see it. How do you find that funny?”

How else? You, of course. We cannot understand you. Why you would give up so much for these humans. Even with your lofty explanations, we still cannot comprehend it. The memories you showed us could be fabricated and altered just like you claim ours are. But perhaps…

For the very first time, there was a pause in-between their words, and Hornet swallowed nervously at the silence.

…Perhaps we can make a deal.

“What…kind of deal? What do you want from me?”

We will leave the young human alone. We will change the two Vessels and the Elder warrior back into insects. But only on one condition. You care for humans so much. You defend this child and the destruction it brought to your home. If you wish to return your friends to their original forms, and for this Dewi to be spared, then all you must do is agree to be human forever.

Hornet’s mouth fell open at this ultimatum, the same fear that had slowly been consuming her over the past week returning like a tidal wave smashing against a beach. Staying human. Forever. Being stuck as a creature of flesh and blood for the rest of her days, never able to return home, never able to experience the joy of seeing Dirtmouth or any part of Hallownest being rejuvenated after all the calamities that had befallen it. Visions of her potential future flashed in her head, each image more discomforting than the last. Stuck alone in the house, and unable to find Quirrel or either of her siblings for any sort of comfort. Forced to work out in the human world, slowly learning to read and write English, all to get a job that she probably wouldn’t enjoy. Putting poor Deuwie and Nate through enormous amounts of stress as they tried to make her comfortable and acclimate her to the strangeness of Earth, all while juggling their own lives. Maybe one day she would eventually adjust, but until then it would be harsh, confusing, and lonely. For years on end.

Just like the life she had before. 

Just like the life she never wanted to return to. 

But if she said no?

It would mean Hollow and Ghost would live ostracized, spending years learning to speak only to be looked at by humans everywhere with disgust and fear thanks to their scars. 

It would mean Quirrel would stay a human, but likely never be able to afford the trips around the world he so desperately craved, forced to work simple jobs just to make ends meet. 

And most importantly, it would mean Deuwie, that kind, caring, alien boy who had helped them so much from the start, would die a horrible death in the Abyss. Terrified, alone, helpless, and torn to pieces in the dark, trapped in the form of a tiny insect. 

As a glimpse of his end flashed in her brain, Hornet took a deep breath, and she made up her mind. She couldn’t let that happen to him. To any of them. She hated this body, and the life she’d have to live up there, but if it meant the others would be able to live normally…

The way Hornet used to be, with her hatred of “weaklings” and constantly testing her sibling to see if they were ready, she might’ve actually taken a moment to consider the proposal, consider her options. But now?

Truthfully, she knew what her answer would be less than a second after the Wisp’s declaration. 

Hollow had made a sacrifice that cost them everything.

Ghost did as well, and would have died if not for Deuwie.

Now it was her turn. 

Nothing more, nothing less. 

“…I’ll do it.”

What was that?

“I’ll do it.” She growled. “I’ll stay human if you leave the boy alone and change the others back. I agree to your terms. Don’t harm him, and turn my siblings and Quirrel into bugs again. Do that, and I’ll stay human forever.”

…Well done.

“What?”

You proved your point. 

“What do you mean by-”

You deserve better than this. 

You deserve better than being one of them.

And before she could ask what that meant, Hornet screamed as she felt her body unraveling, and the last thing she felt before her vision faded to black was her human body shrinking, contorting, and crushing itself as it was turned back into a more familiar form.

***

For what felt like the hundredth time this past week, Hornet woke up feeling more tired than rested, reflexively raising a hand as she groaned and placed it to her head. 

However, the moment she made contact with herself, the insect warrior froze as, instead of a fleshy palm and sausage-esque fingers, she was met with the feeling of a much thinner, pitch-black limb, with four small claws at the end of it. Unable to believe what she was seeing, Hornet stood up, almost stumbling as the legs she had spent a whole week getting used to were no more, replaced with her original hind limbs. Her body was no longer fully hidden behind a complex ensemble of clothing, and now she wore nothing but a simple red cloak. Finally, her mask…no, her face. It was no longer a mask. She reached up and almost cried as she touched the smooth white plating that made up her head, actually able to feel it and know that things had truly returned to normal.

Bursting with excitement, Hornet looked around and nearly screamed with joy as she saw the others there, also returning to their true forms. Quirrel groaned as he shakily got up, while Ghost and Hollow shook their heads, before feeling their masks and bodies just like she had. She could see the wave of confusion, relief, and then happiness pass over them as well, and Ghost nearly began jumping up and down with joy as they realized that they were no longer human. Quirrel looked back and forth wildly, before his eyes settled on Hornet, and he laughed and began barreling towards her. 

“You did it!” He said, and before Hornet could say anything, the scholar trapped her in a tight hug, which was quickly joined by her siblings as they nearly smothered her. However, as annoying as all this sudden physical contact was, she couldn’t bring herself to complain about it. Instead, Hornet simply hugged them all back as best she could, and they stayed there for a few moments, one big group of bugs happy to be back, happy that everything had been made right. “What did you say to them?”

“I told them the truth, that’s all. They were quite pushy, but eventually, I think I got them to see reason.” Hornet replied, as the insects slowly disentangled from one another. “I’m not exactly sure why they changed me back in the end. I can say I didn’t get them to change their opinions. I think they just…wanted me to prove I was better than humans?”

“That…doesn’t sound very promising, actually. Rather concerning. But as long as it worked…” Quirrel said, before he paused as he looked down and realized they were standing on a table. “Hmm? We’re back at the house…? Did they do this?”

“We are?” Hornet said, so distracted by their return to their true bodies that she hadn’t even noticed where they were. Indeed, they had been returned to the house. They were all gathered on top of the kitchen table, and Hornet blanched as she realized how big everything around her was, compared to how she was used to seeing them. It was discomforting, to say the least. But if they had been taken back to the house, and if it wasn’t the Wisps who had done it, then that could only mean-

“Guys! You’re awake!” A booming voice to the right said, and Hornet took an involuntary step back at the sight of a very excited, very giant Deuwie running towards them, stopping at the edge of the table.

‘Right.’ She thought, huffing a bit. ‘I’m gonna have to get used to that all over again.’

Ghost, however, seemed to have gotten over it instantly, happily bouncing towards the boy. He jumped from Deuwie’s hand to his shoulder, and then to his head, where he nestled himself deep in the human’s hair. “Hehe, Ghost, careful! You know I’m ticklish!” Deuwie said, before looking down at the rest of them. “Thank goodness you’re all okay. After the spell worked, none of you were moving, so I panicked and took you back here. You’ve been out for a few hours.”

“A few hours? What was the reaction at Dirtmouth?”

“They were pretty excited, but they understood why I had to take you. Some of them were worried the spell might have only worked temporarily, so they wanted me to take you back here just in case.” He said, before smiling. “Doesn’t seem like it’s gonna wear off, though. The important thing is…it worked. You’re all back to normal!”

“Indeed. It is nice to finally be reunited with my old body.” Quirrel said, once again patting down all his limbs to ensure nothing was amiss. Hornet did the same, and almost took a deep breath on instinct before remembering, ‘oh, right, I don’t even breathe the same way anymore’. It wasn’t just the size. This was all going to take some getting used to. The irony of that did not escape her, and she merely expressed her thoughts with a silent huff. 

“What exactly did you see, though, Deuwie?” Quirrel asked. “I remember you stepped on one of the spell circles before everything went white. Did that change anything?”

“No, it was actually super weird. The world just turned white for me, too. But it only lasted a few seconds, then I woke back up in the cave and you were all bugs again. I don’t know why I woke up before you…but I’m just glad nothing went wrong!” He then glanced over at Hornet and grinned. “You did it, though! What did those souls say to you? Did you just tell them they made a mistake?”

“It was…more complicated than that.” Hornet replied, not about to tell Deuwie that they threatened to murder him and make her watch. She did not want to spoil the good mood they were all in. “They were aggressive, as I predicted. Downright hostile. But eventually, I got them to change us back. I don’t want to go into the details right now. Perhaps later.”

“Mmkay!” The boy said, accepting this without issue. “I…I’m just happy you’re all safe. This whole week I’ve been worrying about what might happen if you guys didn’t become bugs again, and what my dad and I would have to do, so I’m glad that we don’t have to deal with any of that. Hopefully things can just go back to normal.”

“I do as well. I look forward to returning home. I imagine there is a lot of cleaning that has to be done.” Quirrel chuckled. “Speaking of your father, though, when is he going to come back? You mentioned he would be arriving in the late afternoon, and…” He glanced out the window, where the sun was steadily moving westwards across the sky. “…well, it seems that time is now.”

“I’m not actually sure. For all I know he might be a few more hours, but we’ll just have to wait and-”

The boy was interrupted by the loud sound of a car engine outside, a noise that, after all the trips into town, the bugs instantly recognized. Hornet didn’t know what the odds were of them waking up at nearly the exact same time as Nate coming home, but clearly the Gods (or what was left of them) had a sense of humor. Everyone, including Deuwie, stiffened, before the Princess spoke up in a calm, reassuring tone.

“Alright, let’s-”

“He’s home? Now?” Deuwie blurted out, visibly panicking. “Dang it, I was planning to set something up like the lesson we did on day two! I wanted to take this slow and steady. Now he’s gonna come in and see the paintings and you guys and it’s gonna be all weird and I’m not gonna know what to say and-”

“Deuwie. DEUWIE! It is alright.” Hornet said, and the boy looked back at them, fidgeting with his hands. “Even if he questions you, you don’t have to tell him now, and when you do, we will be there for you, if you want us too. I am sure Nate will be willing to wait a while for a proper explanation. Long enough for you to set everything up. I can talk to him in the meanwhile.”

“As will I.” Quirrel said. “He did mention that he trusted us to keep an eye on you while you were gone. If anything, I’m sure he would like to speak with us just as much as you.”

“Wait, he did? Huh. That…actually explains a lot. Mostly why he was okay leaving me alone for so long.” Deuwie said, as the sound of a car door slamming, and Nate’s approaching footsteps was heard. “But alright. Thank you guys so, so much. I just…I just don’t want him to be disappointed or anything and make me stay indoors for the rest of the Summer.”

“Then we will say everything we can to make sure he doesn’t.” Hornet said, although she could only imagine Nate’s reaction to the whole “ancient human-hating souls” part. But, like everything else so far, they’d cross that bridge when it came to it, and a moment later the door unlocked as Nate stepped into the house, finally home after what felt like months to them all. 

“Deuwie! I’m back! Where are you? I bought a big book about bugs that I think you’ll…enjoy.” He said, stopping as he entered the kitchen, now staring directly at the insects huddled on the counter. “Uh. Hey, guys. Did everything go okay while I was gone? You usually don’t come inside the house…”

A part of Deuwie wanted to tell his dad everything the second he spotted him. All the craziness that had happened over the past week, the ancient magic spells, the adventures with his transformed friends, and everything they had learned about each other along the way…but it was like they said. All that could come later, when he was ready for it.

For now, he simply smiled, nodded, and then ran forward, embracing Nate in a tight hug, which the startled man returned a moment later. 

“...Yeah.” The boy said, his gaze turning back to the bugs. Even though they no longer had mouths like his, he could tell they were smiling too. 

“Everything went great.”

Chapter Text

“Bill, bill, tax, advertisement, scam…ugh, garbage!” Hornet said, sorting through her mail in the blink of an eye and quickly trashing the unmentionables. She tossed the various bills and taxes onto her kitchen counter and made a mental reminder to deal with them later: it was only the twentieth of that month, after all. She had plenty of time to pay everything on the thirty-first. Did she want to cut it so close? Course not. But having to pay money on things Hornet felt should be free was, really, the only necessity of staying human that she procrastinated on.

It had been nine years. 

Nine years since the Wisps had made their deal with her and changed her friends back into bugs, and kept her as a large, squishy human. Nine years since the day her life truly changed forever, and her old one as the Warrior Princess of Hallownest had been forcibly left behind. To say it took a lot of adjusting would be the understatement of the century, and more than once Hornet had actual breakdowns at being unable to adapt to some of the more…complex parts of human society.

She remembered the first time Nate had taken her driving. 

Even though she hadn’t even been the one behind the wheel, she almost caused them to crash on three separate occasions. 

All that said, she learned to drive eventually, along with everything else. Taxes, shopping, weather, property upkeep, getting a job, eating healthy, time management…everything that came with being human, Hornet had steadily learned over the years, helped along by Nate and Deuwie. The latter assisted her with understanding certain parts of their culture on a basic level, while the former filled in the gaps and actually taught her how things worked. Nine long years later, and the woman had a decent-paying profession, an apartment of her own, actual human  friends she occasionally hung out with, and several hobbies she had come to enjoy. 

That isn’t to say she forgot who she used to be, though. Not once had her decades of living as an insect ever faded from her mind, and she prayed they never would. 

As Hornet sat down on her couch and kicked her legs up, her gaze drifted over to her mask, nail, and red cloak, all hanging on the opposite wall in pristine condition. Every now and then she put them back on, just to see how it felt. So she could still, even the slightest bit…feel how she used to be. Before the flesh and blood and clothes and hair and everything that made her what she was now. After all these years, there wasn’t a single thing about this body that surprised her anymore, and Hornet was now as used to her mammalian form as her insect one.

Of course, in the mornings when she woke from her dreams, the dreams that she was back in Hallownest, still living with her siblings, nothing in the world could make her feel better. It had never escaped Hornet what she lost with the change, no matter how much she had to gain from it, either.

Speaking of gaining things, however, the woman’s mind drifted to her monetary standing as she glanced at the clock. It was almost time to go to work, and with a dull huff she got back up and dressed herself in casual clothes. A little less than half a decade ago, Hornet had nailed a position teaching a self-defense class, instructing the men and women of the world how to properly beat up assailants if they were confronted in dark alleyways. 

It could actually be a lot of fun at times, and Hornet never got tired of showing off her skills in front of doubters. Not to mention it kept her in shape. That was one thing that had been an unpleasant surprise: humans did not have a high tolerance when it came to gaining weight. In her first few weeks after the change, she had noticeably put on some pounds, and while she was happy to distract herself by working it off…good Wyrm, did she hate having to constantly watch everything she ate, calculating how much she would lose or gain on a daily basis.

Snatching up her keys and leaving her docile, the woman made her away downstairs, twirling her key ring around her finger as she whistled a tune she once heard in Deepnest. The doorman at the front desk nodded at her as she left, a simple gesture she returned, before Hornet headed out, climbing into her car as her whistling devolved into simple humming. She usually couldn’t keep going for more than a minute at a time, despite her best attempts. Then again, she was still a better whistler than most of her coworkers…which Hornet accepted with a small amount of pride. 

It surprised her, sometimes, how the littlest things up here could make her feel better about herself. 

When she first took the self-defense job, it took Hornet five minutes to learn that, much like the regular civilians of Hallownest, humans did not take any sort of martial arts classes as a requirement in their schooling. She knew how to use her limbs for battle better than ninety-nine percent of the people who walked through the door, and she hadn’t been in this body for even a decade! Even the humans who did know how to fight were usually lacking. 

One woman offered to take her down at the start of a session with some “sick karate moves”. Hornet subdued her with ease four times in a row before she finally gave up. And her moves were not sick at all.

The only people that were on her level were the other humans that worked there. Her interview for the job was a simple QNA, alongside her coworkers, Matt and June, trying to restrain her to see if she had what it took. Although both of them had beaten her soundly that day, Hornet had “shown enough promise” to be hired on the spot. Considering both humans claimed to be ex-military, the woman felt a certain kinship with them and they became fast friends. It always amused her to think about when her friends outside work asked how she met her other ones, and she responded that on their first meeting, they tackled her to the ground.

Frankly, Hornet enjoyed it. The practice matches between them to show off to the amateurs were her favorite part of the day. 

Glancing out the window, the former insect suddenly realized that she had been so lost in thought, she had already driven halfway there. With a bemused snort, she stepped on the gas, making it the rest of the way there with little issue. As she pulled into the parking lot and looked at the car’s clock, Hornet frowned when she saw that she was a good half-hour early. Either she had been driving like a maniac at ninety miles per hour for the first half of the journey, or her clock back home was broken. Either way, as much as she enjoyed her job, Hornet was not one to just hang around at the office if she didn’t need to, which meant…

“…Hope you don’t mind an early call, Dewi.” She said, pulling out her phone. It was customary, every single week, for Hornet to call either Dewi or Nate on FaceTime, giving them updates on what was going on in her life and how theirs was as well, even if said life was…pretty boring at the moment. Frankly, it was really just a way to keep the two humans assured that she was doing alright, as even after nearly a decade of living among their kind, there were still things Hornet got confused about and had to ask them for advice on. Heck, just last week she was left dumbfounded after listening to some strange song a person was playing in a car next to her, and when she questioned Dewi on it, he simply told her not to repeat a lot of those words in public.

Regardless, the former bug casually punched in Dewi’s number and waited for the boy to pick up, and a moment later he did just that, his face appearing way too close to the screen with a massive smile attached.

“Hel-”

“Hornet! Hey! Great to see you again!” He said, and she paused before grinning as well. Dewi’s excitable, infectious energy had never gone away, even though he was now an adult himself. “It’s been so long since I’ve talked to you. How have you been?”

“It’s been a week, Dewi.” She chuckled. “And I am alright. Working day by day, making money, keeping in touch with my friends. Nothing special. The only thing new to report is that I’ve been binge-watching a new show I found online.”

“Really? Neat! What’s it called?”

“I don’t know. I found it on a pirating website and it’s in Russian. It’s all subtitled but I still don’t know what the name of it is.”

Dewi paused before laughing a little at this, rolling his eyes in a very “oh, you” manner. “Just be careful online, yeah? I don’t want your computer to get infected with god knows what. Mostly because, uh, neither my dad nor I would know how to fix any of that.”

“I am being cautious. Don’t worry. I’ve installed…many protection programs on my laptop. I don’t want to take risks after what happened last time.”

The boy shuddered at this reminder, but kept his smile attached. “Yeah, let’s not. But that’s good to hear! Always nice to know that you’re keeping yourself entertained. And that you’re making more friends. Wanna tell me about them?”

“Perhaps another time. But how about you? How is college going for you? Still trying to get a degree in entomology?”

“Yeah. It’s a lot harder than I thought. There’s so many biochemistry, math, and organic chemistry classes I’m having to take. I’ve never studied this hard in my life!” He then tilted the camera to show off a large stack of textbooks and notes, which took up a good chunk of the room. “But I’m learning a ton about insects I didn’t know before, which is awesome! Did you know that when bombardier beetles shoot that super hot acid spray at stuff, it’s actually from them storing hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinones in separate chambers and combining them with enzymes in a reaction chamber-”

“I did not, no.” Hornet said with a laugh. Just like with his optimism, Dewi had never lost that rambling aspect of himself. “Sounds like fun, though. Perhaps one day I can take proper schooling of my own. It doesn’t matter what age you are, yes?”

“Mm-hm. There’s a guy in one of my classes who’s in his forties. You’d definitely be surrounded by a lot of younger people, but there’s no age limit.” Dewi said. “What…do you think you’d want to study?”

“Heh. That’s a lot of possibilities…” Hornet said, clasping her hands together and leaning her chin on them. “Maybe I would go into entomology as well. I could use a degree like that to try and find other insect Kingdoms out there. Then try and hide and protect them. That sort of thing.”

“Yeah…” Dewi said awkwardly, rubbing his arm. Despite how many years it had been since he and Nate had been introduced to Hallownest, everyone had agreed that humanity at large was just not ready to learn about the existence of a sentient, tiny, easily exploitable species that lived just beneath their feet. A part of Dewi wanted to believe that every encounter with them would be peaceful, but…something would go wrong eventually, and all it took was the humans causing a tiny accident to create total devastation for any Bug Kingdom. For now, they kept their secret in the cave, where it belonged. “…But that’s nice to hear! If you find any more, you have to tell me. A bunch of tablets in that old library mentioned other Kingdoms, after all. Who knows what’s out there now.”

“I promise you’ll be the first to learn of my discoveries, assuming I go down this path.” Hornet said. “In any case, I am content where I am now. I am well-paid, well-fed, well-entertained, and have enough human friends besides you and Nate to keep my social life alive. For the moment, I see no reason to change any of it.” She explained. “That’s not to say it will never happen. But I do not mind living a few more years like this.”

“Your choice. If you wanna stay there, I’m not going to try and dissuade you.” Dewi replied. “Speaking of Dad, he’s doing good. Him and his new girlfriend are gonna get married soon, I think. She’s…nice, and we’ve talked a bunch, but the first time I told her about my degree plans, she…uh…” 

Hornet snorted and gave him a tired smile. “Let me guess. She isn’t a fan of insects?”

“…Yeah. More the opposite, really.”

“Well, hardly a deal breaker with Nate. You’ve moved most of the insect stuff out of the house already, after all.” She said. “Regardless, if that is the case, then tell your Father that she can not know about Hallownest. Remember the destruction that your cousin caused when she wandered into the cave? She was supremely lucky nobody was killed then.” 

“Ugh. Yeah. At least Sam’s gotten better about all that.” Dewi replied, recalling the day that Sam followed him into Dirtmouth, their encounter with the Black Wyrm, and everything that came after. His cousin said she still had nightmares of the giant, gooey, black hand reaching out for her, snarling for flesh. “She’s doing good as well, though. I know she didn’t go into entomology like I wanted, but she took a few classes on it, at least! Although…I think it was mainly to see if any other bugs like the ones in Hallownest existed. I’m not sure why she expected that to be taught in a run-of-the-mill college course.”

“Curiosity got the better of her, which I understand.” Hornet said. She and Sam were not what one would call “friends” but the two of them had become far more cordial with each other. Hornet no longer threatened to throw Sam into trash cans, and Sam no longer aimed a bottle of bug spray at Hornet whenever she came close. The first time they met, and Sam learned who Hornet was and what she used to be, the girl had believed the insect warrior was some kind of “forest fairy” and wanted to “capture her to become famous”. Needless to say that plan ended with Sam upside down, hanging from a tree, having caught herself in her own trap. 

So yeah. But, again, things had gotten better, even after Sam was horrified to learn that Hornet used to be a literal bug, not a fae. 

That was an ugly day.

“Other than that, though, I don’t have a lot to talk about, either. Although…yesterday my dad did head to Hallownest to see how things were doing there.” Dewi said, and Hornet perked up. Nate’s trips to her former home were far more irregular than these calls, usually averaging the last week of the month. He didn’t do it often, due to not wanting his girlfriend to be suspicious of why he was heading into the woods so often, but the man still did his best to make time for them all.

“That is…good to hear.” Hornet said, drumming her fingers against her steering wheel. “How are they all?”

“Good, good. Dirtmouth’s growing again. They’ve expanded a good twenty feet into the wastes. Ghost found some magic that can push the constant wind and storms out there back a little, so now they can build more houses and shops. They need it, too, if what my dad said is accurate. It won’t be long before the population of the city reaches over a thousand.” Dewi explained. “The rest of Hallownest is…okay. Most new people still don’t wanna go down there after hearing about the infection, but all the original residents are doing their best to clean it up, one section at a time. Maybe one day it can be resettled in full, you know?”

“Sounds like a dream. But one I would do my best to support.” Hornet said, her only regret being that it would be impossible for her to see much of it. “Still, I am pleased to hear everyone is doing well. Has Quirrel published that giant tome on humans yet? He started it the day he changed back, and still hasn’t finished…”

“Hehe. That’s because every time he thinks he’s done, he learns something new about humanity that my dad tells him about. I think he’s trying to include everything in it. Which worries me, because I can only imagine how large it is at this point.” Dewi said, chuckling nervously. “But I hope he finishes soon too. It would be awesome for people down there to learn about us in a manner that isn’t totally terrifying.”

“Don’t I know it.” Hornet said. She laughed warmly, before taking a deep breath. “And…Ghost and Hollow? How are they?”

“They’re doing well.” Dewi said. “They miss you a lot, of course, but my dad says they’re still doing their best to look after the community. Neither are really taking up a leadership position, but I heard Ghost is putting the King’s Brand and all the authority it grants them to work. Turns out there’s a ton of secret little caves and doors in Hallownest that only the King had access to. They’re unlocking them all and putting it to good use.” He leaned back and gave Hornet a thumbs up. “So all’s okay on that front. Although…” 

“Yes?”

“…Hollow wants to know when you’ll be around to visit them next.”

“…Ah.” Hornet said softly. It had been almost three weeks since she last paid a trip to Hallownest. Truthfully, it was only a short drive and then a quick walk away from her: Hornet had never left the town that she first turned human in even after years. But it was easier to accept the idea that her home, her former home, was something far away and usually unreachable. While she was always happy to meet up with her siblings and friends when she stopped by, it never got easy to see them from a human’s perspective, forever reminding her of what she lost. 

Thus, while at the start she visited them almost every other day, after so long her siblings were lucky if she showed up over twice a month. It was just too difficult for her to see them like that, and every day that passed without Hornet going to say hi made her feel a little bit guiltier. 

“…Soon.” She finally said. “My next day off is tomorrow, so I can visit then. Can you let your father know I’ll be coming over? I would like to bring them some human food.”

Dewi nodded before giggling a bit. “You know you can just bring your own food instead of mooching off my dad, right?”

“Of course. But he is never one to say no to such a request…and I am not one to say no to an opportunity to save some money.”

“Speaking to the choir, there. I’m on a student's budget, and lemme tell you, that’s not fun.” Dewi said. He then looked around and frowned, before leaning in. “Dang it. Okay, my roommate is about to come back, so I should go now. But I promise to call you back later.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it, Dewi.” Hornet said softly. “Talk to you soon.”

“See ya!” The boy said, and with that, Hornet’s screen went dark as he hung up. She sighed and leaned back against her car seat, noticing that she still had a good ten minutes before work began. Well. Better than thirty, at least. So, with another hum, Hornet climbed out of her car and approached the front door, getting ready for another day of being hu-

CRASH

“AH! What’s happening?! Who’s…Ghost?” 

The sound of something large crashing to the floor knocked Hornet out of her (surprisingly pleasant) dream, and in the span of two seconds the insect warrior had leapt to her feet, grabbing her nail and aiming at the source of the disturbance…which in this case was her tiny sibling, lying face down in a pile of scrolls. 

“…”

“…”

“…Little Ghost, what are you doing?”

The tiny vessel hopped up and began gesturing wildly, and it took Hornet less than a minute to understand that they had been trying to climb up the walls and on the ceiling. She glanced upwards and sighed as she spotted a few handholds carved into the soft rock, before setting her nail on her back.

“Bad.” She said simply, pointing right in their face. “Ghost, you know this. It doesn’t matter how many times you try, you cannot climb our walls like Spider-Man does.”

Her sibling stomped their foot and looked away, clearly disagreeing.

“It’s true, and trying to make holes in the wall to climb with doesn’t make it better, either.” Hornet said. “I’m going out. I expect for you to patch the marks you made in our house by the time I get back. Besides, if I don’t tell you, Hollow will. Do you want that?”

Ghost paused before shaking their head, accepting defeat. Hornet nodded and patted the tiny bug on the head, before heading for the exit. “Good. I will see you soon. I am going to grab some breakfast…”

With that, Hornet pushed aside the cloth that functioned as their door, taking in the cool air and relaxing as she felt the breeze brush against her chitin. If she tried hard enough, and if the wind was blowing the right way, she could just smell the berry bushes that had been planted outside their cave. It must be a pretty blustery day, if the smell was this strong. Of course, there was another scent, much sweeter and more tempting, that caught her attention first. She turned to the right and began approaching the massive plate of fruit that Nate had left for them a few days before, the stuff now starting to rot after being set out for so long. However, as their taste buds were not nearly as sensitive as a humans, Hornet hardly noticed when “good” fruit went to “bad”. At least not for a week or so. She went up and sliced off a piece of cantaloupe with her nail, before sitting down at a bench as she began to nibble off chunks of it.

Alongside her, Dirtmouth was starting to wake up, various insects exiting their homes or tents and either milling about or making their way to the plate to grab their own breakfast. In the few months since Deuwie had left to go back to school, their town had grown by quite a bit, and a great number of travelers, survivors from the Infection, and even bugs that could be called tourists had settled here, either staying in formerly abandoned houses or creating their own. Hornet was happy to see it. The Kingdom would likely never grow to the same size it once was, but seeing Dirtmouth expand and become a proper community was a comforting reminder that they hadn’t lost everything. 

Of course, many of the newer bugs only stayed for the human food and other knickknacks that had been left lying around, but it’s not like she could blame them for that, either. Even putting aside the occasional fruit bowls that Nate gave them (at Deuwie’s insistence), the boy had left a couple of his own possessions in town for them to gawk and admire before he came back next summer. Notably, a toy car quite a few of them enjoyed pretending to drive in, a large model of a human building made of “Legos”, and a clock that periodically rang that they used to signal the start and end of each day. Although the last one ran out of battery a while ago, it was still a fascination for anyone coming to visit, and Hornet chuckled to herself every time she overheard travelers mention the magic devices that the “flesh-beasts” had left. 

She didn’t have the heart to tell them how it really worked, mostly because she knew they would never believe her.

That was something else everyone had quietly agreed on. Except for conversation strictly between “original” townsfolk, Hornets, Quirrel’s, and the Vessel’s little adventure as humans was considered a bit of a forbidden topic. Not only would travelers call them all insane if they heard of it, but considering that the four bugs were still mentally recovering from the event, it was decided to simply not mention it when in polite company. Of course, Hornet didn’t appreciate people acting like they were walking on eggshells around her, but a small part of her did appreciate them taking her well-being into consideration. She herself had adopted a, “it was cool at some points, but let’s please move on” mindset. Truthfully, she was fine with discussing it, but if everyone else wanted to move past it…she wasn’t going to stop them.

That certainly didn't mean they couldn’t talk about Deuwie to visitors, however. Every single bug that asked about the gossip of the “giant heu-man made of meat” was answered in full, as considering all the artifacts from the surface scattered around, none of the townsfolk saw any reason to lie to newcomers. Besides, even if they did, Nate’s occasional visits would put a swift end to any rumors, making them straight facts. All in all, things had certainly changed in their tiny home. Maybe daily chores, the perpetual lookout for dangerous creatures, and just plain boredom were still there, but Hornet knew their lives had been altered. For good. 

Hearing the sound of footsteps to her right, Hornet was torn out of her thoughts as she looked over and saw Quirrel there, holding a sizable piece of strawberry. He casually sat down to her and began eating, stretching out his limbs. “Good morning.” He groaned. “Cantaloupe again?”

“You know it is my favorite. Strawberries are too sweet, and watermelon is too…watery.” Hornet replied. Although the two of them were not what someone might call “best friends”, they certainly had grown much closer in the past few months. Besides her siblings, Quirrel was definitely Hornet’s closest companion, and the first person she went to when she wished to talk with someone. “Also, you’ve been eating those berries for a week straight. You’re one to talk.”

“Guilty as charged! I’m just having fun.” He said. “How did you sleep?”

“So-so.” She said. “I…had the dream again.”

“...Ah. What does that make it? Third time this month?”

“Fourth.”

“Huh. Last night was the fifth time for me.” Quirrel whispered. “I was an explorer again. I was researching this ancient temple lost in the jungle. Some human civilization from ten thousand years ago. I had a whole group of scientists with me, all of us studying and exploring for weeks on end, and…I woke up just as we uncovered some secret passage.” He sighed. “Still, if anything, they’re becoming less common. Last month, I had twenty dreams just like it.”

“True. I’m sure, in time, they will fade eventually. Still, it’s always disconcerting. Every time I wake up, I have to remind myself I’m not human anymore.” Hornet said. “At least they are never bad dreams. Always the same simple life, living in an apartment, chatting with my friends, seeing something that…I thought would have been my fate.”

“…I still have to find a way to properly thank you, for being willing to make that sacrifice for us.” Quirrel said. “I know the Wisps didn’t keep you as a human for whatever reason, but we should still-”

“The only “thanks” I need is knowing that Dewi, you, and my siblings are safe and sound. As I’ve already said many times before.” Hornet replied. “I don’t want a parade or flowers or statues built of me, Quirrel. Yes, I was willing to sacrifice everything back then, and yes, they didn’t follow through, but that changes nothing. I don’t want to be rewarded for a decision anyone who had sound judgement would have made at the same moment.”

“Fair enough.” He said, before chuckling. “Still going to get you something, though.”

“Ugh. Just don’t make it overly glamorous.” Hornet groaned, although she couldn’t help but sound entertained. Truthfully, a part of her was looking forward to what he came up with. After she had told them what exactly had transpired in the Dream Realm, and the deal with the Wisps she had agreed to, Ghost and Hollow had hugged her for a good ten minutes straight, and the only reason Quirrel hadn’t also was because the Vessels took up all the space. The fact that Hornet had been willing to give up so much for all of them tugged at their heartstrings like nothing else…and since then, the group had been closer than ever before. 

Nate had been informed as well, although for the moment, Dewi was left out of the loop at his father’s insistence. The man was thoroughly disturbed when he heard what the Wisps had threatened to do to his son, and was adamant the boy not be told until he was old enough to handle it. Hornet understood, of course. The thought of telling poor, innocent Dewi how close he came to death that day did not sit well with her. 

Back in the present, a few minutes of silence passed between the insects before Quirrel finished up his strawberry, sucking bright red juices off his claws. Once Hornet was done with her own meal, the two of them sat there, side by side, before the scholar leaned closer to her, keeping his voice low. 

“There was another sighting of them today, in the East side of the Wastes.”

Hornet instantly grumbled at this little bombshell, feeling her claws digging into her palms as she clenched them. Right. There was something that had almost slipped her mind, if only because she dearly wished it wasn’t a problem.

“How many?”

“About five or so. Two flying ones and three grounded.” Quirrel replied. “It’s the same as before. White masks, a gold symbol, and with bells strapped to their chests. I believe they left when they realized I spotted them. In quite a hurry, I should add.”

“Did they set anything up or just watch?” Hornet asked, shifting uncomfortably. The revelation that they were being spied on by the denizens of some unknown Kingdom was not a nice one, and it had left her wondering if they should be preparing for an invasion from…whoever they were. All she knew is that they liked bells. A lot. “Last time they tried to make some structure before we chased them off.”

“Just watched. And rather strangely, I should add.” Quirrel said. “They talked amongst each other for a while before doing it. I couldn’t make out anything they were saying, but judging by their body language, they were…praying.”

Hornet scoffed, feeling the urge to roll her eyes. “Fantastic. A group of unknown, religious bugs spying on us from the edge of our home that flee when approached. I’m sure only good things can come from this.” She said. “But in all seriousness, this only increases the possibility of an invasion. Perhaps they intend to launch some kind of Holy War against us.”

“For what reason, though?” Quirrel asked, shifting uncomfortably. “You don’t believe they are followers of the Radiance, do you? I can’t imagine they would take kindly to the bugs that murdered their God.”

“I don’t believe so, no. The only “followers” that thing had were either Moths or the infected. And given how the majority don’t have wings, and didn’t attack you on sight, I’d say it’s unlikely they’re either.” Hornet pointed out. “Overall, put everyone on high alert anyway. Go get Ogrim and any other fighters still lurking in Hallownest and tell them to relocate here, at least for the moment. If this religious group does decide to attack, we’ll need all our best warriors on the front lines, ready to defend the town. I will not let some foreign invasion destroy everything we have built. The people here have lost enough already…”

“With that, I couldn’t agree more.” Quirrel said. There was a brief silence between them, until he chuckled nervously. “I know this is a stretch, but…do you think we could ask Nate to assist us? If these bugs did show up trying to take over, I dare say they would flee at the very sight of him. Nevermind what their reaction would be if he actually fought back. Having a human on our side, even if just for intimidation, would make victory a certainty.”

“…The possibility did cross my mind.” Hornet admitted. “But it’s not feasible. If there’s an attack, we have no way of contacting Nate besides trekking all the way to the house, and like this it takes a good week to make it out of the cave alone, nevermind the forest and front lawn. He’d have to stay here twenty-four seven until the problem is dealt with, and I think we both know he would not take kindly to that suggestion.” She sighed. “Also, I am not sure if he would like the idea of having to fight our battles in the first place. Many humans kill bugs, obviously, and I’m sure Nate has slain many, but we are talking about the mindless, hungry types. From what I remember of human society, killing other sentient lifeforms, even in fiction, is usually shown as…not easy for them. If it comes right down to it, Nate might not be able to bring him to deal any fatal blows, even if it’s as simple as taking a step forward.”

“…And it would undoubtedly not take long for these invaders to figure that out.” Quirrel said, in a hushed tone. 

“Exactly. At which point they’d throw everything they had at him. Which brings me to my final point.” Hornet said. “Humans are fragile. A single, tiny cut is all that's needed for them to start bleeding. They’re much more sensitive to pain than we are, and can’t heal through magic or any unnatural means. A dozen bugs swarming Nate’s legs, stabbing him with nails or burning lanterns is all they’d need to bring him to the ground, and from there…” She shuddered. “…Well, I’m sure he could shake them off, but he might flail around and destroy the town in the process. And most importantly, I do not wish to see him hurt. So, as much of an advantage as it would give us, going to Nate is not an option. Not now, anyway. Next time he shows up, we don’t mention them to him. Besides, we could still use his help with that other project.”

“I suppose that’s all true.” Quirrel admitted, a tone of resignation in his voice. There was another silence between the two of them for a moment, before the scholar coughed. “Alright. Alright. After this, I’ll go looking in Hallownest for anyone that’ll be able to help us. I hope it doesn’t come down to any sort of war, but if they do have unkind intentions…you’re right. We will need everyone for this.”

It was not lost on Hornet that “everyone” for them was probably not even that much. That said, if there was some truly hostile Kingdom out there, planning to come in and take over what they saw as free space, she would fight to the bitter end to defend her home. No way, after everything, would a bunch of religious, bell-obsessed bugs break her. “Good.” She said, with an air of finality. “Any other news to report?”

“Yes, in fact. Lemm is currently doing his best to try and translate the tablets from that library. Using the information from the ones the Seer told us about, he thinks he’s getting an idea of the language system the ancient bugs used, and might be able to figure it out in a few months or so.” Quirrel said. “Which means soon, we’ll know every little secret and scrap of knowledge they wanted to save. Exhilarating, is it not?”

Hornet paused as she recalled her own experience with the Wisps, and just how close they had all come to suffering a rather unfortunate fate. She’d be more than happy to seal up that library and leave their knowledge to be lost to time, what with the way they threatened to murder Dewi with all the casualness of a person swatting a fly. But, even she couldn’t put aside the possibility that some of the information down there could be useful in rebuilding Hallownest, so she merely watched from the sidelines, neither helping nor directly impeding the investigation. 

“I suppose that is one word for it.” Hornet said with a nod. “Although I am curious. Have they found any more information on humans from back then? While I was negotiating with those spirits, they…showed me a few things, and truthfully, I am still curious whether their visions were  accurate or not.”

Quirrel shook his head, leaning back against the bench. “No, nothing yet. Even from what we can glean from the images on each tablet, there’s nothing more written about humans there.” He explained. “Which either means they wanted to forget the whole experience after it happened…or their civilization didn’t last long after they cast the spell.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if the second one was true. Those three humans killed thousands of them. That many deaths happening all would wreck any sort of economy or stable society they had, nevermind the destruction brought to homes and businesses.” Hornet said. “It’s entirely possible that after they created their spell, they just abandoned Hallownest to go somewhere else. If I was in their position, I might’ve done the same.”

“But…that would have made the spell pointless, no? I thought the whole crux of that was to change a human into a bug and then execute them.”

“They wouldn’t have needed to do that. Remember what I told you, about how the spirits threatened Deuwie?” Hornet pointed out. “Nobody needed to be here for any revenge against humans to be fulfilled…any wild beasts would have done the job just as well.”

“…I see your point.” Quirrel said with a tremble. “Well, other than all that, I can say there is nothing more to report. The townspeople are content, the new visitors are settling in well enough, and there’s enough food to go around. The fruit that Nate left us last time will be adequate for another week or so, and we’re thinking about which crops we should plant that the newcomers will enjoy most, but would also be the most efficient method of…of…do you hear that?”

“Do I hear…what.” Hornet began to say, before she stood up and looked over at the mountains to the left, the ones that separated Dirtmouth from the surface. The townsfolk, the ones who had been staying here for a while, paused and looked around in confusion, while the newcomers seemed much more frightened of the faint, rhythmic booming in the distance: their early warning signal that a human was approaching. Hornet gulped as her fingers twitched, her eyes darting over to the fruit bowl in the town square. It was still half full. Nate’s next “supply run” would not be for another week, at least. Why would he return now? There should be no reason for him to come back…

Assuming, of course, this was Nate at all. 

At the thought of them being found by an unfamiliar human, Hornet’s entire body tensed up, and she quickly turned to Quirrel. “Get everyone inside. Now. We may have a Code Titan.”

“W-what? Are you serious?”

“Do it.”

“Y-yes, of course.” Quirrel said, before he ran off and began shouting orders, while Hornet drew her nail and approached the mountains, just in case. After returning from their little surface journey, the group (admittedly inspired by a human spy movie they watched) had created several “code names” for various situations they might face in the coming days, so that everyone would immediately know what was happening without any lengthy explanation required. They had ones for floods, hostile invaders, the return of the infection, Grimm showing up and causing problems…

However, “Code Titan” meant one thing and one thing only, the very last situation that any of them wanted to deal with: Hostile human inbound. Prepare for total devastation and begin evacuating everyone into the wastes. The plan was essentially for Hornet and her siblings to hold them off for as long as possible while everyone escaped, and like clockwork, as the warrior approached the wall, the two vessels were right next to her, also stirred out of hiding by the approaching booms. 

“Get ready.” She told them, as she spotted the townsfolk fleeing indoors. The moment the human appeared and she spotted an unfamiliar face, she’d have to scream for everyone to run away and begin the evacuation. It wouldn’t exactly be subtle, but they didn’t have much of a choice right now. As the footsteps reached the edge of the mountain, Hornet’s grip on her nail tightened, and she prepared to fight for her life as a hand reached over…

…only to spot Nate’s nervous, smiling expression peering down at them all, and the Princess of Hallownest almost fell to her knees in relief.

“H-hey, guys.” He said, speaking in the same anxious tone he always did whenever he dealt with them alone. “Uh, sorry I just dropped in like this, but something came up, and it couldn’t wait.”

“It…is fine, Nate.” Hornet lied, as Ghost and Hollow sheathed their blades. She let out a loud whistling noise, which was their “false alarm” signal. Slowly, tentatively, the townsfolk exited their homes, either sagging with relief upon spotting Nate or gasping and stumbling back in horror. “You merely surprised us, that is all. We assumed you were…someone else.”

“Y-yeah, I can see that.” He said, guiltily watching everyone leave their hovels. “Do, uh, you wanna talk in private? I don’t have anything to bring you this time, so I don’t think there’s any reason for me to come over the wall.”

“Probably for the best right now.” Hornet admitted, before nodding. “Alright. Stay right there. We shall be up in a moment.” She gave her siblings a glance and they followed her lead, the three of them jumping, flipping, and hastily climbing up the cliff as they made it to the small platform that stood at the top of the border between the entrance to the human’s territory and their own. Quirrel, wheezing a little, appeared behind them a minute later, which Hornet was thankful for. Any discussion involving humans meant his presence was required, as in the last couple weeks, the scholar had greedily devoured every single bit of information he could squeeze out of Nate about the species. Even everything he saw during their journey had not been enough for his inquisitive mind, and he never stopped asking questions. 

Once all of the bugs had gathered, Nate sat down on the rocky floor of the cave, and even then he still towered over them like a living skyscraper. Unlike Dewi, the man instantly realized just how disconcerting his size was to the residents of Dirtmouth, and did his best to make himself as small as possible during his visits. 

Which only worked…so well.

“Alright.” He said. “So, normally it’d be another week or so before I came by, but, uh, Dewi called me earlier this morning, and told me that he wanted to talk to you all. He didn’t say why, but he just claimed it was important.” Nate then pulled out his phone and began tapping on it, Hornet now shifting uncomfortably at the idea of something unfortunate happening to the child. Was Dewi in trouble? Had he gotten hurt? She supposed it could just be a normal call, but ever since the boy had left to go back to school, this was the first time he had requested a call outside of their set schedule…

Still, despite her nervousness, the Warrior Princess could not help but find a bit of amusement in the irony of her situation. Just a short while ago she was dreaming of calling Dewi on FaceTime, and now it seemed that part of her dream was being dragged into reality. For a moment, Hornet wondered if she inherited the same prophetic visions her father had…before quickly brushing that thought off with a shudder. 

Having the ability to see the future, while useful in battle, had far too many drawbacks she’d rather not think about. 

In any case, once Nate called his son, it took a minute or so for him to answer…or rather, some unfamiliar human woman to answer. Who was this?! Had she harmed Dewi or taken him hostage?! What kind of sick-

“Hey, Elly.” Nate said. “It’s me again. Dewi said he wanted to talk to his friends, sooo…I’m here with them, if you can grab him.”

“Yeah, I can grab him, Nate. Don’t suppose you can finally show me these friends? He refuses to talk about them anytime I ask, y’know.” The woman asked, slightly peeved, and he shook his head. 

“You know he doesn’t want to. And I won’t either until he thinks it’s okay. They’re camera shy to strangers.”

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Fine. But one day you’re gonna have to tell me. I don’t like the idea of my son just…running around with people I don’t know. Lemme go get him.”

With that, the screen went dark as this new human set the phone down, and Hornet couldn’t help but hum curiously. Nate and this…person did not seem antagonistic to each other, and yet, their conversation (and tone, for that matter) was cordial at best. Just as she was about to question him, the man spoke up, sounding one part sheepish and the other part annoyed.

“Elly. My ex-wife.” He said. “Dewi lives with me in the Summer, but during the school year, she has him up in Canada. I’m sure you knew a bit about that already.”

“We were aware of his…living situation, yes.” Quirrel said. “Although, this is the first time we’ve ever seen her, much less heard her voice. Deuwie did not mention her often, so we thought it rude to ask.”

“Probably for the best. He’s a bit sensitive about all that.” Nate said. “He never talked about her, though? Not even while you guys were, uh, like us?”

“Not once.” Quirrel said. “All we knew is that his mother and you were estranged from one another. That was the extent of our knowledge.”

“Fair enough…that’s about as much as he knows, too. When we split up, we made sure that he wasn’t caught in the middle of any of the difficult parts.” Nate replied. A few moments of silence passed, before the phone screen brightened again as Dewi’s large, smiling face appeared.

“Alright…I got it mom…yeah, yeah, I know!” He said, responding to the woman’s unheard voice. Once that was done, however, the boy ran into his room, flopping onto the bed, and then got way too close to the screen, shaking excitedly as he spotted the bugs staring back at him. “Ahh! Hey, you guys! It feels like it’s been years since I saw you!”

“It’s only been a few weeks, but yes.” Hornet said with a chuckle, relaxing as the subject of the call finally showed himself. “Are you alright, Deuwie? Your father mentioned you had urgent business with us. Is everything alright in Can-e-dah?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. Don’t worry.” He said quickly, waving this off. “So how have you been lately?”

“…We’ve been well, for the most part. But are you truly okay? Nate said-”

“That’s good to hear! It’s always nice to know that-”

“Deuwie.” Hornet said, in her new (and already infamous), “young man, explain yourself” tone. “What’s happening? Why are you brushing our concerns off?”

“I…alright.” He mumbled. “Sorry, dad, and sorry to you guys too. There’s no real big emergency going on. I just read this book on bugs, and I…wanted to see you. That’s all. I know how busy you’ve all been lately, and I was scared you wouldn’t want to talk if it wasn’t important.”

Hornet relaxed upon hearing this, half annoyed, half relieved to hear that the child was just eager to speak with them, and that nothing had gone amiss. “Deuwie, busy or not, if you wish to talk with us, you know you don’t have to come up with any sort of excuse. We’d be happy to speak with you whenever you’d like.” She pointed out. “You caused a fair amount of distress among us. I was scared something bad had happened to you.”

“O-okay. I’m sorry.” 

“What are you sorry for?”

“I’m sorry for lying…I promise it won’t happen again.” 

“Good. We forgive you.” Hornet replied, before taking a moment to glance around her. Everyone, including Nate, was giving her the same amused look, and she hastily turned away. Hornet’s soft side was not something she liked to show often…especially in front of what was, essentially, every single person she could call a friend. “A-anyway. Yes. Everything here is well. Your father is making regular shipments of fruits and other human foodstuffs - thank you again, Nate - we’re busy rebuilding everything lost during the infection, and more travelers are coming everyday. Many of the townsfolk long to see you again, and await your return. I’m sure you will be happy to learn that you are missed.”

“Definitely! But I’m also kinda sad. Maybe…one day soon you can let me talk to them?” Dewi suggested, and Quirrel spoke first, saying what was on all of their minds. 

“Perhaps, child, but not anytime soon. Besides us four, everyone in Dirtmouth is convinced that all human electronics, especially things like this phone, are run by magic and various arcane arts. If they saw you speaking to them like this, they’d probably assume you were trapped inside the device and attempt to break you out.” He sighed. 

Dewi looked almost embarrassed to hear this, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, that makes sense. Every time I brought flashlights or any other sort of electronic thing, nobody would listen to me. Heck, even you guys thought it was all magic before you turned human.” He said. “But when we do think it’s a good time, I want the first person to be Elderbug. I think he’d be a good start…and unlike a few of the others, he’s calm enough to not try and break the screen to get me out.”

Ghost nodded along with this sentiment, as Hornet hummed in agreement. “True. He would likely be the best choice.” She said. “Besides that, how are things where you are, Dewi? Is school going well? No issues living with your mother again?”

“Nah, it’s all good! It’s super hard at times not to tell everyone about you guys and all the cool stuff that happened over the summer, but I manage.” He admitted. “A few people did find the drawings I made of you in my notebook, so I just had to lie and say they were from some cartoon. I only hope they believe me…”

“Even if they didn’t, I’m sure their first thought won’t be “these must be members of some new, sentient species of insect”. I’m sure we’re safe on that front.” Hornet said. She then glanced up at Nate, tilting her head to the side. “Speaking of drawings, are the paintings Quirrel made of us still hanging up? I…would understand if you wanted to take them down, since if someone came over-”

“No, no, I wouldn’t do that. They’re all still there. Although I have moved them from the living room to the main hallway.” Nate said, shaking his head. “And yeah, whenever people come over, it’s a challenge to explain what they’re even looking at, but I just tell them it’s a collection of artwork I got at a yard sale.” He explained. “Mostly, people are too impressed with the quality to find it odd. Although…I did have to put the one of Dewi in the upstairs hallway, where people wouldn’t see it. With you guys hanging out on his shoulders, there’d be too many questions. Still, I’m not gonna put them away. That’s a promise.”

Quirrel shrunk as he heard this, somewhat embarrassed at the praise. Even after all these months, he still acted humble when confronted with his supreme skill as an artist. “That is nice to hear.” He said. “I’ve been doing my best to maintain my artistic skills down here. Many pigments that humans have readily available, such as purple and blue, are far more difficult to acquire than you’d think. So, it is an uphill struggle, but one I am willing to power through.” He explained. “I was thinking of creating a series of portraits based on various things and people we saw around town. The pet store, the grocers, the Zoo, cars, passerby’s…anything I can think of, truly. It would be a good way to teach newcomers, and everyone else, about human civilization without ever encountering one.”

“Just don’t try to turn it into a little tourism project. The last thing we need is for your paintings to convince travelers to try and leave the caves, only to be snatched up by a bird.” Hornet pointed out. “…That said, I would be willing to assist you, if you wish. The pizza place Deuwie and I visited while up there would be an excellent addition.”

“I can give you some suggestions, too!” The boy himself chimed in. “There’s a laser tag parlor, a bowling alley, a hospital, and even a place where you can rent go-karts! I know we didn’t visit any of those places while you guys were up here, but I can show you some photos.” He suggested. “What are you planning to do with the paintings, though? Just hang them up and explain what they are to anyone who comes by?”

“Not exactly. Remember the class you made for us on the second day? It’ll be like that.” Quirrel said, much to Dewi’s visible delight. “Anyone who wishes to learn more about humans will be welcome to join us, free of charge. Sly wanted to take control and make anyone who wished to enter pay some Geo, but we put a swift end to that.” He explained. “Now he has the mandatory honor of being the first member of our class, at Hornet’s insistence.”

“Indeed. I’m sure he will love learning about the human financial system.” She said, and Nate visibly cringed at that. “Anyway, yes, that is the plan. Quirrel will create the visual aids so that people don’t create the wildest rumors about what your world looks like, and if required, I can help fill in the gaps. Normally, I wouldn’t be interested in this class, but we both see it as necessary with how many visitors there are to Hallownest now.” Hornet explained. “Also, I…may be a bit bored, and eager for something to distract myself with.”

As her siblings laughed silently behind her, Quirrel chuckled alongside them, his face dropping. “Yes, with the Radiance gone, and the main threat to our Kingdom vanquished, a part of me forgot just how little there is to do around here besides eating and talking with others. Thus, I think the class will be good for all of us.” He then glanced up at Nate, and the man huffed, knowing exactly what was about to be asked. “Will you-”

“Help you out if you ever need clarification with something? Yeah. Yeah, I will, although I can’t promise I’ll come by every day.” He said. “My girlfriend is going to visit in a few weeks, so I won’t be able to visit as much once she does. It’ll be too suspicious if I go out here with fruit and other stuff on a constant basis.” He shrugged. “I hope you guys understand. I’m just doing what I can to make sure nobody else finds you.”

“We understand, and thank you for your efforts so far.” Hornet said with a tiny nod, before turning back to Dewi. “Well, besides a few…unimportant happenings, that is most everything going on here. Other than school, anything new to report where you are?”

“Hmm. Not really. School is taking up most of my time, besides - oh! I forgot! Gimme a second.” He said, before placing the phone down as he ran off camera. There were faint bumping sounds offscreen for a minute or two, before Dewi returned, holding a child’s soccer uniform with a number “8” on it. “I joined the school soccer team and they gave me a little uniform! I really liked the time we all played a game together, so I figured I could try and do it for real! Doesn’t it look cool?”

“The colors seem a bit mismatched, if I am being honest.” Hornet said, before clearing her throat as she felt Ghost glaring at her from behind. “But yes. It is a very nice outfit. Are you having fun?”

“Yup! And making new friends while I’m at it. One of them even likes bugs just like me! He has this big ant farm at home. He said he’s gonna show me soon, and I’m super excited.” Dewi replied. “He also has, like, a whole library of bug books! His dad is some kind of ento…entam…”

“Entomologist, Deuwie.”

“Yeah, that! He’s…wait.” The boy then glanced down at Hornet with a look of shock, which was shared by everyone else. “How do you even know that?”

“I…heard it from Nate once.” She said, not wanting to admit that she got it from a dream. The man in question was staring down at her with a “No I didn’t” expression, which she returned with a “please play along” one. “But he studies insects, then? You must feel right at home.”

“Totally. Most of his books have a lot of weird words I don’t understand, but the pictures are so much more detailed than the books I have! They’re also, uh, really expensive, so I’m not allowed to read them by myself.” Dewi said sheepishly. “But I think he’s just happy that he found someone who likes the same stuff as his son. We’re totally best friends now.”

“That is very nice to hear.” Quirrel said happily. “Although, now that you mention books, there is something I forgot about that’s still happening here. The Seer is helping us and Lemm translate the texts still left in the King’s library. There’s hundreds of them in there.”

“The Seer…?” Nate mumbled, tilting his head. 

“The moth who cast the spell to turn us into bugs. I forgot we never told you her name...” Hornet said, and the adult human stiffened at this. When they first informed the man of the magic that first changed them into human beings, and Hornet’s journey into the Dream Realm so they could change back, Nate was, to pure it politely, absolutely horrified at the idea of a collective of lost Souls, held together by fifteen hundred years of rage towards his species. It had taken a lot of talking on their part to convince him to let his son back into the cave, and even then, the next few visits were supervised. Hornet couldn’t blame him, though. Even if the threat seemed to be gone, she had been just as disturbed as him to learn how close Dewi came to being turned into a bug like them.

“…Yes. Anyway, we’re making good progress!” Quirrel said, sensing the awkward atmosphere. “We’re learning a lot about their culture and language, as well as architecture, the plants and animals that were around back then, all sorts of things! Between reading about humanity and researching this ancient civilization with Lemm, I’ve certainly got my hands full. And I love every moment of it. Just being able to…well, act like a proper scholar again is making me feel quite youthful.”

“Aww, that’s nice. I wish you good luck with that, then. And please tell me if you discover anything cool! I want all the details.” Dewi said. “As for me, besides school and soccer…well, Aunt Dory and, ugh, Sam are staying here for the weekend. They were in town, and decided they may as well say hi.”

“Dory is there? I didn’t know about that. Why didn’t Elly mention this?” Nate mumbled, before shaking his head. “Well, how are things with them? They all doing well?”

“Ehhhh…” Dewi mumbled. “Aunt Dory took me out for milkshakes and we went to see a movie together, so that’s fun! But Sam is still as bad as ever. She saw some of the drawings I made of you guys and asked if I was still obsessed with “dumb bugs”.” He muttered. “I hate that she’s here. She ruins everything she’s a part of by doing nothing but complain.”

“Hey, hate is a strong word, Dewi.” Nate said, in what was easily the most “fatherly” tone of voice any of them had heard him use. 

“…Fine. I, uhhhhh…” Dewi said, before snapping his fingers. “I wish she would be dropped into a volcano so I’d never have to see her again!”

“That’s…worse, somehow, but fine. Just don’t say anything like to her face. You know most people are scared of bugs, Dewi. That’s not a part of her she can control.”

“I know, I know, it’s just annoying. Especially since I found someone here that likes insects just like I do!” The boy whined. “But…I’ll try not to let it bother me. But if she says anything to my face then I’ll say some things right back!”

“It will never fail to astound me how creatures as large as yourselves are so easily terrified of things as tiny as us…is what I would say, if I weren’t turned into you a few months ago.” Hornet chimed in. “Seeing my species from your perspective was enlightening, if incredibly disturbing. I still have nightmares about walking into inhabited spider webs or getting attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. As much as I wish it did, the feeling of dozens of tiny little limbs crawling on my skin will never leave me.”

“Hey, I told you guys to wear bug spray that day! Should’a trusted me.” Dewi chuckled.

“Quite. In any case, while I am glad to hear you made a new friend, the more I learn about your cousin, the more I wish to never meet her. The fact that your kin could be so unpleasant yet still related to you is…shocking.” She muttered. “What would her reaction even be, if she saw us and heard us talking? Would she still try to crush us anyway?”

“Mmmaybe? I’m not sure. I don’t know a lot about what Sam is interested in, because she’s such a jerk I don’t wanna get close. But she was watching a movie about fairies a few days ago. Maybe she’ll think you’re that?”

“The small, winged, humanoid creatures that cast spells and seem to be a slave race?”

“Uh. Yeah?”

Hornet made an appropriate noise of disgust and looked away, leaving her siblings and Quirrel giggling. “Let’s move on from this topic, yes?” She suggested, before humming as she glanced up at Nate. “…Hmm. Since you’re here, there is one last thing we could discuss. Quirrel, last week you mentioned recruiting outside help to assist us in rebuilding parts of the Kingdom, yes?”

“Ah, true.” The scholar replied, before also looking at Nate. “As you know, we are trying to remake and improve Hallownest after the calamity that befell it. We are building houses, accepting new travelers, and clearing the more dangerous areas of the nest of thieves and opportunists.” He explained. “However, a problem we are running into is lack of material. With the total collapse of the Kingdom’s infrastructure, especially the construction industry, we are forced to resort to tearing down old buildings to make new ones. It’s effective, but…it won’t last forever. Nate, we were hoping you could help us with this problem.”

“Me? You’re sure you’re asking the right guy?” He said. “I’m no construction worker, and obviously, I’m way too big to do anything besides what’s on the surface. How could I help?”

“You don’t need to build anything yourself. That is why we mentioned resources.” Hornet said. “Human towns and cities are…very impressive. You’re set up quite the intriguing system to create structures that, to us, are stacked impossibly high. And all of it relies on a steady flow of materials. We’re not asking you to make our houses. We’re asking you to give us things that will help us do it ourselves.”

“Oh.” He said, eyes widening a little. “Like…bricks? Wood? Gravel?”

“Anything you can think of, yes. Perhaps it will mean that many of the new edifices in Hallownest will look more “human” than intended, but if it gives people a place to live and learn…” She sighed. “…I can accept it. Nothing will be perfect, after all. Would you do this for us?”

“Uh, sure. I’ll have to do some shopping first, and I can probably use some bricks from the big pile we have in the garage.” He said, musing it over. “But yeah. I’ll help you guys out. Just please don’t ask me to start creating stuff with them. I don’t want to risk breaking any part of your home.”

“Trust me, we are far more worried about that possibility than you ever could be.” Quirrel said. “But…thank you, truly. I know that between the fruit bowls, these calls, and now this, we’re asking for much, but everything you’ve been doing means a great deal to us. We could not have made it this far without help from Dewi and yourself.” 

“…I’ll be honest, I was hesitant when you first asked me for assistance. But after hearing about all the stuff you guys have gone through the past couple years, and the way you made friends with Dewi and kept an eye on him…” Nate said, taking a deep breath. “…I’d feel bad if I didn’t help out. So trust me when I say it’s no big deal. It’s the least I can do for you.”

“Totally!” Dewi said. “The best parts of my summer was when I was here with you guys. Even during the, uh, not so fun moments, I never once regretted coming down to Dirtmouth and saying hi. Once I come back next year, if you still need help with stuff, just ask! I’ll be glad to do anything you need me to.” 

“I imagine we will. The list of tasks to be completed is easily in the hundreds.” Hornet said. 

“Dang, I’ll start right now, then.” Dewi joked, before leaning back. “But if you wanna keep talking, there’s also this new video game I’ve been playing recently, and it’s about-”

“Actually, Dewi…” Nate interjected, clearing his throat. “As nice as that sounds, looking at the time, I think I need to get some work done. And I don’t wanna leave my phone here, either, so we should probably wrap this up.”

“Agreed. There is much to do. Just earlier Hornet tasked me with a few things that I’d like to get started on. B-but do not worry!” Quirrel said quickly, as he saw Dewi’s face fall. “The next time Nate visits, I promise we can talk for longer. Is that alright?”

“Yeah, I guess so. And I probably shouldn’t take too long either. Mom’s already asking about you guys everyday...” Dewi admitted, looking towards the door. “If I talk to you guys for too long, my mom might be suspicious. But okay! I’ll talk to you guys soon.” He said. “Please stay safe! I can’t wait to see you all again. I promise when I come back next summer, I’ll bring all sorts of cool human things!”

“We certainly look forward to it.” Hornet said with a bow, as Ghost and Hollow waved behind her. “Goodbye, Dewi.”

“Bye! See you next time!” He said happily. And with that, the call ended, and Nate took a deep breath as he stood back up, back creaking like an old chair. 

“Okay…” He began. “Again, sorry for just dropping in. I honestly had no idea he just really wanted to speak with you. I’ll have to have a talk with him about that.”

“Don’t be too hard on him.” Quirrel suggested. “He’s just excited, which I can understand. I think he sees these little check-ups as his own way of “protecting us” from the outside world. Which, while probably unnecessary, is a nice sentiment.”

“If you say so.” Nate replied. “Alright, then. I’ll come back in a few days with the next fruit bowl, and I'll bring some wood and rocks and stuff to help you rebuild. But also, I need you all to make me a list of what materials you actually need after that. It’ll make this a whole lot easier.”

“Indeed. I will write that myself, then.” Hornet said. “Talk to you later, Nate. Again, thank you for your assistance with everything.”

“Always willing to help. Even if, I’ll be honest, you guys still freak me out.” He said with a nervous chuckle, before turning around. “But yeah. See you later.”

The man then departed from the cavern, Hornet and co watching him vanish up the ladder until it was just them again. Quirrel stretched his limbs out with a groan, before grasping the hilt of his nail. “Well, I should head down into the nest. Find Ogrim and any others that’ll be willing to help. We might need them soon.” 

Hollow perked up at this, and the scholar made an “ah” noise before nodding. “...That’s right, you weren’t with Ghost last night for my report. Would you like to help me? I’m sure Ogrim would like to see you, and I can explain on the way there.” 

The Vessel nodded eagerly, and with a quick wave to their other siblings, Hollow descended down the mountain with Quirrel, the latter now speaking about the latest revelations regarding the sightings in the Wastes. Hornet stared after them as they left, before hearing a soft “bonk” as she felt Ghost nudge one of their horns against hers. 

“…What is it?” She asked. “You want to go with them?”

Ghost shook their head, before making a few wild gestures that roughly translated to, “Wanna go see Unn”. 

“Unn? The god in Greenpath? Why?”

More gestures, and if Hornet sighed as she struggled to understand, forever cursing her father for not giving the Vessels a voice to speak with. 

“You want her to…bake us something for her?”

A silent huff, and Ghost shook their head before making a fighting stance. 

“Ah. You believe she will help us out if these foreign bugs ever decide to invade. With her Mosskin, no doubt?”

A happy, energetic nod from Ghost followed as Hornet finally got it right. These games of charades never ceased to annoy her, but at the same time, she always felt proud of herself when she got it right. Besides, when it came to her siblings, she wasn’t going to let a little thing like lack of voice keep her from talking to them. What kind of sister would she be, otherwise? 

“Very well. I will be down in a minute. Just…give me a moment alone, Ghost.”

The little Vessel paused when they heard this, but eventually accepted her request, hopping down the mountain and waiting by the entrance to the Stagways. Now that she was alone, Hornet allowed herself a moment of leisure. She glanced down at Dirtmouth and all of Hallownest, the sight of their growing town always being a comfort in these unpredictable times. Then, her gaze turned back to the ladder, the only thing truly separating their world, and the one out there, inhabited by alien giants that never ceased to confuse, terrify, and amaze her. 

A part of Hornet wondered how things would’ve turned out, if they had never been affected by the spell, and allowed a chance to interact with the human world firsthand. But she brushed this thought off. It didn’t matter what could have been. Only what they did now, and what she planned to do was continue to be the protector of this Kingdom. And if the humans she saw as friends wished to help, then she certainly wasn’t going to say no. The thought of what might happen if humanity at large discovered them still frightened her, but at the least, after all her experiences on the surface, she certainly understood the species a lot better…and the Warrior princess was confident that, although it would be messy, things wouldn’t end as badly as she once believed. 

So, with one last look at the ladder, Hornet jumped down to meet Ghost, readying herself for another journey.

The End