Chapter Text
Vessels did not really ‘wake’. In order for a bug to truly ‘wake’ they must first truly ‘sleep’, which was not something vessels did.
Nonetheless, Buck found themself coming to consciousness that morning in a state peaceful enough that perhaps they could label it as such. In fact, it was peaceful enough that, for just a moment, they considered spending the whole day in their nest, but only a moment!
After all, Greenpath Friend had said they would give them another lesson in “moth weaving” today, and Music Friend was going to teach them more about healing without magic! It was going to be a busy day.
Who knows? Maybe they’ll even check on Brave Sibling’s adventures!
Buck, invigorated by today’s plans, sprung from their nest of old pillows and torn cloth and started collecting what they’d need for the day. Grabbing their mantis claws, two spools of weaver silk, a lifeblood tonic, a couple simple keys, their lumafly lantern, and all four of their charms to stuff in their void, they trot over to the shiny-disk-window-thing they nicked from some empty noblebug’s house to tie their bells on their horns.
The bells were a gift from Music Friend that he had picked up during his travels. Buck really liked the sound of them jingling... even if they tended to give their position away sometimes.
Securing the two bells, they nod to the disk, the bells chiming gently, and grabbed their claw blade before climbing down from the Queen’s Station’s rafters.
Landing just before the entrance the Fog Canyon, they take a second to look around.
That pill bug that Brave Sibling is friends with hasn’t come back since that one time, and Brave Sibling is the only other bug that passes through here - friendly or otherwise.
Really, the Queen’s Station seemed to be the safest place in Hallownest! Buck sometimes wondered if the echoes of the Station’s past had something to do with why the infected hadn’t come into it yet. Music Friend said it’s possible, that places that have those echoes are “Soul-Soaked”, a kind of sacred ground that make bugs feel either at peace or unsettled, though their instincts will urge them to stay clear regardless of which. Apparently the temple Biggest Sibling was trapped in is Soul-Soaked and that’s why the infected stay clear of it, instincts that linger even in their corpses.
They were lucky that as a being primarily of void they had different instincts! Not that, that would have stopped them from making this gem of a hideout their home - Willoh was proof enough of how easily instincts can be overcome - but they probably would have been annoying, Buck might not have been able to truly enjoy the station bells! What a horrible thought...
Thoughts... those things they weren’t supposed to have. They’d never quite decided how they feel about the concept of living as an automaton, other than it’s not something that happened so they.. try not to think about it...
Even if... should they focus enough on the void, they can hear Biggest Sibling’s cries of pain...
Nope! Bad thoughts! They ‘woke up’ feeling good today and are not going to let their dumb thoughts ruin it!
Swiftly turning around they march themselves into the Canyon, letting the gentle pink colours and thick atmosphere soothe their traitorous mind, popping a few bubbles and silently giggling.
Fog Canyon really was one of their favourite places in the kingdom, so serene and gentle, as long as you were in return.
Unlike the rest of the inhabited lands of the fallen kingdom, nothing here wanted to hurt you, if you got hurt it was do to nothing but your own carelessness. Charged lumaflies stuck to their swarms, oomas and uomas floated about their business, and the acid ponds and lakes minded their own bubbles thank you very much! It’s not their fault you got in the way.
Making their way up to Greenpath at a sedate pace, popping any safe bubbles as they passed, Buck thought about the other safest place in Hallownest; Dirtmouth.
Their sibling seemed to like it, another testament to their bravery in Buck’s mind, to be so often surrounded by that many bugs! Not to mention that thing... Music Friend called it “The Sky.”
Buck shivered, no thank you! That weird reverse void sea made of air freaked them right out! How could you ever be sure you wouldn’t fall in? The void sea at least had a dock! Truly, their sibling was the bravest of the brave. The other residents were normal bugs, having never seen the sea they probably didn’t think you could fall in, but Buck was no fool, nothing so vast could have no secrets and they weren’t going to be lured into a false sense of security.
... Greenpath Friend thought their fears were silly.
Climbing up into Greenpath, they stuck their mantis claws into the wall and climbed their way onto the ceiling. They had wondered at first why their sibling only took one mantis claw, when one would certainly not hold their weight and two could let them crawl more efficiently, but then they saw them in action. As always, their sibling proved they knew what they were doing, who needed to crawl on ceilings when you could jump like that?
Buck could appreciate their dexterity, though they themself preferred stealth over speed, you don’t need to outmaneuver your enemies if they never know you’re there in the first place, right?
Brave Sibling rarely seemed to have trouble with those either, there were a few that had them chasing after their wayward shade, (and how strong willed and determined their sibling must be to find the strength to put themself back together after losing it!), but Brave Sibling never gave up! Buck wished they were like Brave Sibling.
A startled flock of maskflies fly away after they land. Aside from a few gulka and the occasional squit, travelling on ceilings really was the safest route, especially since vessels seemed to have near unlimited stamina. That probably wouldn’t be the case if they were injured or sick (if they can even get sick), but Music Friend saved Buck from Greenpath Friend’s “experiments” on the subject. Buck is pretty sure they were joking about testing that - they would never hurt Buck after all - but Music Friend said he wouldn’t put it passed them to advise Buck to “discover their abilities” instead of healing next time they were injured.
Hopping up onto the platform leading to Greenpath Friend’s grove, they wondered what happened to “not letting their thoughts ruin their morning”.