Chapter Text
None of the trio knew their way around the waterways. None of them ever had any reason to be down there. Quirrel had been searching for his reason for returning, taking in the sights on the way, and figured there was nothing in the waterways that he could be looking for. It was just a sewer, after all. What would he find but local pests? Sheo had found his place a while back. Similarly, the Nailsmith had his hut to the west of most of the city. What would any of them really do in the waterways, anyways?
Well, other than dealing with pests. Flukes were practically everywhere down here. The group had to slice through the thick darkness and then there would be more flukes just passed it. As they sliced through one group of void, they found themselves at a very familiar section of the waterways. They had gone in a circle, and yet somehow the mass of smokey void before them had rebinded. If they wanted to get through again, they’d have to hack back through it. They made a decision to head out of the sewer. No use in slashing through the blockages if they didn’t know where they were going, after all.
Sheo and the Nailsmith broke each of the entwined tendrils making up the last of the void barriers and the group climbed out, only for Quirrel to find himself face to face with the Hollow Knight themself.
Hollow backed away from the sewer. They did not expect to go looking for a bench and find another bug in the meantime. Out of reflex, Hornet drew her needle, holding it off to one side and was about to attack when she felt Hollow’s hand just barely on her shoulder. She glanced back and up towards them before recognizing the bug in front of her. That’s the bug from the Howling Cliffs, a week or two ago. She paused.
“Why were you and your group in the sewers?” she asked. Sheo started.
“We’ve bee--” “Not you,” interrupted Hornet, “I want to hear it from the simple bug.”
“Ah. Well, we were searching for a friend of mine. They were last seen going into the sewer, so we hoped to find them down there. The problem is that the paths go in circles, and there’s black tentacles everywhere that block our paths.” Quirrel explained, Hornet perking up a little at the paths part, while the other bug (If he didn’t know better, Quirrel would say that this is the Hollow Knight) shuddered some at the mention of black tentacles.
“I’m sure I could find the way through,” Hornet offered, sheathing her needle, “Climb back down so I can come with.” The bug beside her hesitated, but followed them down the ladder.