Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Wyrms are said to be gigantic bugs capable of foresight. Exactly how far into the future they could see is a mystery, along with how big they were. It is possible that they may have been the size of the Giants of legends but personally I don’t think so. It’s pretty surprising how little information there is on these Wyrms. I think I may be one of the few who have even heard of them.”

Leif hummed in thought, tapping the page in the book he was reading.

“Something on your mind?” Kabbu asked from his place on his bed.

“Is reading that book really interesting?” Vi asked as she tossed her Beemerang in the air.

“Of course it’s interesting,” Leif answered. “This book talks about bugs known as Wyrms, and it seems few even know of their existence.”

Kabbu tilted his head. “Wyrms? Like the Tidal Wyrm we fought?”

“No, giant bugs capable of foresight.”

“Foresight...that’s the power to see the future right?” Vi asked, her interest now piqued. “Like the fortune teller in the Golden Settlement.”

Kabbu grumbled about the future not being set in stone while Leif nodded.

Vi rolled over on her bed to face Leif. “So are these Wyrms real or are they, like, myths? Like the Giants.”

“Who can say,” Leif replied. “There is little information as we said. Personally, we feel that they may have been real once. We thought the Roaches all died out and yet some still lived in the Dead Lands, so it’s possible that some may be around.”

Vi jumped down from her bed and walked over to Leif excitedly. “You think they might’ve hid some treasure too?! The Roaches hid the Everlasting Sapling, so maybe these Wyrms might’ve hid an awesome treasure too!”

Leif huffed in amusement at her excitement. “They could have. We would have to find more information on them first before going off on a search.”

“Before anything though,” Kabbu started. “We should go pay a visit to Professor Honeycomb. You wanted to see how Chompy is doing right, Leif?”

Leif brightened up at the mention of Chompy and quickly stood up, power walking out the door.

“Yes! Let us go, then! It has been a while since we have been witness to Chompy’s cuteness.”

“And there he goes,” Vi said, rolling her eyes. “He should know that I’m the cutest by now.”

Kabbu laughed as he heard her grumble, “But I guess Chompy is pretty cute.”

“Let’s go then,” he said, trailing after the excited moth.

Team Snakemouth headed for the Ant Mines within the Ant Palace, greeting the guards and Team Maki on the way.

“Team Snakemouth,” Maki greeted them. “Where are you heading off to?”

“The Bee Kingdom,” Kabbu said. “We’re going to visit Professor Honeycomb to check up on how Chompy is doing.”

“Ah, the little Chomper.” Maki recalled them being followed by a little Chomper wearing a ribbon. “If you don’t mind, while you’re there, could you visit the Wasp Kingdom for me? The Queen has asked me to check up on Queen Vanessa, but Kina and Yin have fallen ill so I can’t exactly leave them be…”

“Do we get a rewa--ow!”

Vi whined as Kabbu delivered a light whack to her head.

“Of course, Sir Maki! It would be our pleasure. Besides, it’d be nice to see Queen Vanessa and see how the Wasp Kingdom is coming along. I hope Kina and Yin feel better soon!”

“You have my gratitude, Kabbu,” Maki said, lowering his head slightly in thanks. “Then, have a safe trip.”

The team bid farewell to Maki and continued on their way to Defiant Root with Vi grumbling that they should get a reward for picking up Maki’s errand and Kabbu telling her that help is its own reward. Once arriving at the sandy town, they made their way to the Bee Kingdom, Leif eagerly leading the charge into Professor Honeycomb’s lab to see his beloved Chompy (their beloved Chompy, Kabbu had to add. Vi would begrudgingly agree). After a while of Leif cooing over Chompy and Kabbu and Vi going over Chompy’s data results with Honeycomb, they started to make their way to the Wasp Kingdom. Vi and Kabbu had to quite literally drag Leif away from Chompy.

“I wonder how the Wasp Kingdom is doing,” Vi wondered. “Well, with Queen Vanessa finally back on the throne, I’m sure things are going fine.”

“I’ve heard that they’re going to open up most of the kingdom soon,” Kabbu said.

“Then they’re close to finishing up the mess the Usurper made,” Leif mused. “That would be good. We would like to see the Wasp Kingdom when it’s being properly run. After all, the last time we were there it wasn’t for sightseeing.”

They emerged from the Far Grasslands tunnel and headed into the Wasp Kingdom. Unfortunately, Queen Vanessa was busy inspecting the kingdom so it would take a while for her to return. The team opted to walk around the Far Grasslands for a moment while they waited for her to be done.

“Say, about those Wyrms from before,” Vi started. “What kind of treasure do you think they would’ve had?”

“Hm, we’re not sure, but we would say that their foresight was the best treasure they could’ve had,” Leif answered.

“Could they really see into the future…?” Kabbu wondered.

“Hey, the fortune teller’s powers are real!” Vi exclaimed, turning to them and walking backwards. “He told us the location of a Crystal Berry after all, so I say that foresight is real!”

“Ah, Vi, you’re going to trip--”

Kabbu’s warning came too late and Vi tripped over a rock. She tried to steady herself with her wings but the trip was too sudden and it only made her become more unbalanced as she fell down a nearby drop.

“Wai--WHA--WHAT’S THIIIIIIIiiiisss…?!”

“Vi?!”

Kabbu and Leif went to chase after her, only for Leif to trip over the very same rock, causing him to bump into Kabbu and sending them both rolling down the small drop. Their screams echoed in the grasslands until they faded out entirely.

“WAAAAAAAAAHHHHhhhhhh….!!”

Chapter Text

“Owwww…”

Vi groaned as she sat up, gingerly flapping her wings before wincing in pain as she realized that fall messed them up quite a bit.

“Ugh...where am I…?”

She looked around, only to find that she had ended up somewhere rather dark and somewhat windy. Speaking of the wind, it was carrying a sound and she looked up.

“...aaaaAAAAAAHHH!!”

“Wha--”

Leif and Kabbu landed right on top of her, crushing her beneath their weight.

“I-IT HUUUURTS!! GET OFF ME!!”

“V-Vi?! S-Sorry!!”

“K-Kabbu...you’re crushing us…!!”

“L-Leif!! Just wait a second!!”

Kabbu tried to scramble off his friends, tripping over his and their limbs before finally untangling himself from them.

“Owww...can't you be more careful about where you’re landing?!” Vi cried.

Leif winced as he sat up.  “We couldn’t exactly do that…”

“I’m so sorry, Vi, Leif!” Kabbu cried. “Are you okay?”

“Obviously not,” Vi shot back before sighing. “Sorry. It’s fine, Kabbu. I’ll live. It was an accident.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it,” Leif said. “With that said…”

Team Snakemouth took in the dark and windy surroundings.

“Where are we?” Leif asked.

“I don’t know…” Kabbu answered. “But I assume we might be somewhere in the Far Grasslands? Or at least under it…?”

“What, like the Far Grasslands underground?” Vi asked.

“Perhaps,” Leif said, looking up. “However, we can’t see what we fell from. Could it be that we fell very far?”

“If that’s so, I’m surprised we haven’t broken anything,” Kabbu noted. “Or at least I haven’t.”

“My wings are busted up so I can’t fly us out,” Vi said, tenderly flapping them to show that they were injured.

“And we doubt we could climb out,” Leif added.

“So then…” Kabbu looked in front of them. “No other way but forward?”

Vi crossed her arms. “I guess.”

“We could wait here,” Leif suggested. “We did request an audience with Queen Vanessa, so if we don’t return in time, the Wasps will take notice and probably come looking for us.”

“But would they really find the place we fell from?” Vi asked. “It was pretty hidden…”

“Hmm…” Kabbu agreed that the Wasps would most likely take notice of their late arrival, but it was also true that they most likely wouldn’t find where they fell from. “Perhaps we should venture further for now, and if we don’t find anything, we can come back here and wait for rescuers.”

He looked around and found some pebbles to make a mark on a nearby rock.

“This mark will show us that this is where we fell. It seems like it’s a relatively straight path from here to whatever is further in, but just in case.”

“We see,” Leif said. “We agree on your idea, Kabbu. It sounds like a good plan.”

“Yeah, it would be boring waiting here anyways,” Vi said, grinning. “Even though I’m sore all over, this could be fun! Exploring an unknown area of the Far Grasslands! That’s what being an explorer is all about!”

Kabbu and Leif smiled at that. That’s right. That’s what being an explorer is all about! Adventures and the mysterious unknown are waiting just in front of them!

“We’re injured though, so we should be careful,” Kabbu warned. “Luckily, we still have some food we got from Crisbee when we were visiting Professor Honeycomb.”

He opened his bag only to see that the food had been squished by the fall.

“....Even if they are kind of squished.”

“They’ll taste fine,” Vi reassured. “Crisbee’s cooking is so good that a little squishing won’t mess up the taste.”

“Should we move on then?” Leif asked, pointing to that path in front of them.

“Yeah!” Vi exclaimed, taking the lead.

The team wandered through the windy area, curiously looking around. It looked like they were underground as Kabbu had speculated. Leif speculated that the wind may be coming from where they had fallen.

“It’s pretty dark here,” Vi said. “Guess no one would bother putting up lights here since no one even knew this place existed.”

Leif stopped in his tracks, causing her to bump into him.

“Hey! What gives?” she grumbled.

“....Lights.”

Kabbu blinked. “What?”

Leif pointed to what appeared to be a street lamp in the distance.

“A lamp.”

“What?!”

Vi and Kabbu looked to where he was pointing and saw that there really was a street lamp.

Kabbu stared at it wide-eyed. “Wait...if there’s a lamp here then that means…”

“There are bugs living here…?” Vi finished for him.

They looked at each other, surprised and mystified at the implications a mere street lamp has given them. The possibility of a town completely unknown to them reminded them of when they had found the Roach Village in the Dead Lands. Bugs living in a place they never expected…

“Could it be another village inhabited by Roaches…?” Kabbu wondered.

“And would they be unaware of what has been happening outside in Bugaria…?” Leif mused.

“Well, no way to find out except looking for it!” Vi concluded. “Let’s go!”

“Carefully,” Kabbu added. “If it comes down to a fight, we’re at a disadvantage.”

Leif nodded in agreement, eyeing Vi. “We’ll be careful, right?”

Vi blushed in embarrassment. “Hey, why are you looking at me like that?! I’ll be careful!”

The team pressed on with Vi grumbling that Kabbu and Leif were being mean to her. Kabbu pat her head in reassurance while Leif smiled in amusement. After a few minutes of walking and climbing, they were greeted by a new face in the form of a small, white, somewhat spiky little bug. It didn’t attack them and it didn’t seem able to talk so they concluded that it must be a lesser bug. It wasn’t one they had ever seen, so Kabbu made a note of it in their Bestiary. Leif commented that it was cute and that he would love to keep it as a pet, but Vi shot him down, saying that they already had Chompy. While that bug hadn’t attacked them, another one did. This one was some sort of fly with rather sharp mandibles, but Vi was able to knock it out of the air with her Beemerang and Kabbu made quick work of it.

“There’s a lot of places where you have to climb here, huh?” Vi observed. “It would be easier if I could fly.”

“I wonder how long until we find the village,” Kabbu wondered. “We’ve been walking for a while.”

“Maybe it's not too fa--”

Leif was cut off by something whizzing through the air and landing right in front of him, causing him to let out a startled shout and stumble back into Vi and Kabbu.

“Leif!” Kabbu cried as he caught him. “Are you alright?!”

“W-We’re fine,” Leif stuttered.

“W-Who’s there?!” Vi shouted. “That was uncalled for!”

“That should be my question,” a voice answered back.

The object, which turned out to be a very sharp needle with a thread of silk tied through its eye, was pulled back into its owner’s hands. A bug with two horns and clad in a red cloak appeared from the darkness, wielding her needle threateningly. Her glare seemed to pierce them right through.

“Who are you?”

Chapter Text

Kabbu, although shaken by Leif’s close call, stood in front of his friends to shield them from their sudden attacker. She looked different than any other bug, he noted.

“We mean no harm, miss,” he started carefully. “Please lower your weapon.”

“Hmph, a likely story,” she shot back. “No doubt you’ve come here to pillage the kingdom like many others before you.”

“W-We’re really not here to hurt anyone!” Vi cried. “ We just fell down some hole and wound up here!”

“We saw the street lamp and figured there might be a village nearby,” Leif said. “We hoped we could rest there and heal our injuries.”

The girl glared at them for what felt like an eternity before finally lowering her needle.

“.....Fine. I’ll lead you to town, but if you do anything funny…”

She raised her needle again, getting the message across to them.

“We swear we won’t do anything,” Kabbu swore. “It truly was an accident that led us here.”

The girl eyed their injuries before sighing.

“....I suppose you may be telling the truth. Come.”

She started walking and the three hurried to catch up to her.

“So, um…” Vi started after a moment of silent walking. “What’s your name? I’m Vi!”

“I’m Kabbu. Thank you for helping us.”

“I’m Leif. It’s nice to meet you.”

“....Hornet,” the bug, now known as Hornet, answered.

“Hornet...? You don’t look like--” Vi was cut off by Kabbu putting his hand over her mouth.

“Ssh! We shouldn’t anger her,” he whispered furiously, eyeing the glint that appeared in Hornet’s eye as she figured what Vi was going to say.

Hornet narrowed her eyes slightly before sighing. “I’m only a hornet in name. I’m a spider.”

The team’s eyes widened. A spider?!

The word brought bad memories to their minds, especially Leif’s, but they were also shocked. Spiders were one of the bugs that hadn’t gained sentience after the Day of Awakening, but could it be that some actually did gain sentience?

“O-Oh, I see!” Vi answered nervously.

Hornet shook her head before coming to a stop, and pointing to a cluster of lights below them.

“There’s our destination: Dirtmouth. You can get your injuries patched up there. Once we go through King’s Pass, we’ll be there. I trust you’ll be able to jump down from here? Or do you need help?”

“We’ll be fine,” Leif said.

“Then follow me.”

Hornet started jumping down a few platforms, waiting every so often for them to catch up with her. She guided them through what they supposed was King’s Pass, cutting down the lesser bugs Hornet called Vengeflies and Crawlids that got in their way. After a while of walking and climbing, they finally came to a large doorway with a platform and a ladder attached to it.

“We’re almost there,” Hornet announced. “We just need to climb down this ladder.”

“Thank goodness,” Vi sighed in relief. “I was really starting to feel it.”

“Yes, after that fall, the exhaustion is kicking in quickly,” Kabbu said tiredly.

Leif nodded. “We’ll finally be able to rest.”

“Just behave yourselves,” Hornet said, going down the ladder. “I usually don’t trust strangers easily, but...I’ve been working on that.”

“We’re grateful that you’ve given us your trust, Hornet,” Kabbu thanked her as they descended.

“I don’t trust you completely,” Hornet replied. “Only a little bit because you’re injured.”

“That’s all we could ask for,” Leif said.

Once they finally landed on the ground, Hornet guided them into town. They passed a couple of red tents where they could hear music coming from inside before arriving into the main plaza. It was a small town from the looks of it, but there were a few bugs going to and fro on the streets. Said bugs either stopped and looked at them curiously or glanced at them questioningly before going on their way. An elderly bug sitting on a bench greeted them once they got close enough.

“Oh, Hornet! You’ve finished your patrol already? Oh?”

The elderly bug gave Team Snakemouth a curious look.

“Who are these three? Travelers?”

“This is Vi, Kabbu and Leif.” Hornet pointed to them respectively, and they all greeted the elderly bug. “They claim they fell down a hole and injured themselves in the process.”

“My, that sounds awful!” the elderly bug cried. “I do hope that you feel better soon. Do you need any medical supplies?”

“I have enough, don’t worry about it, Elderbug.”

The now named Elderbug nodded. “Alright then. But if you need any extras, just give me a call.”

“I will, thank you.”

Hornet corralled them away from Elderbug and into a house.

“Sit down,” she said, pointing to the table and opening up a cabinet.

“Thank you, Hornet,” Kabbu said, sitting down.

“Who was that?” Vi asked.

“Elderbug,” Hornet answered, coming back with a medical kit. “He’s the elder of the town.”

“There doesn’t seem to be many bugs in this town,” Leif noted.

Hornet didn’t answer him, opting to open the box and start tending to their wounds.

Vi tilted her head when she pulled out blue bandages. “Why’s it blue?”

“It’s soaked in Lifeblood. It’ll make the healing faster,” Hornet replied as she started to wrap Kabbu’s wounds.

“Lifeblood…?” Kabbu asked. “I’ve never heard of such a thing before.”

Hornet eyed him before moving on to Leif. “Is that so.”

“...You mentioned this place being a kingdom,” Leif started. “What is it called?”

“....Hallownest,” Hornet said after a moment before moving on to Vi. “I’m going to wrap your wings. I know they’re delicate so tell me if it hurts.”

“Gotcha!”

Hornet carefully wrapped up Vi’s wings before closing the medical kit and putting it away. She started heading out the door before stopping and turning to them.

“I’m going to go get some food. Stay here and don’t do anything funny. If I find that you’ve been looking through our stuff…”

The point of her needle glinted in the light, once again getting her message across.

“We won’t touch anything, we promise,” Kabbu promised.

Hornet huffed in response before leaving. The team breathed a sigh of relief once she was gone.

“...That was really scary!” Vi cried. “Did you see her eyes? She would’ve killed us on the spot if we even looked at her funny!”

“She’s definitely suspicious of us,” Kabbu mused. “She did say she did not trust others easily.”

“We wonder if something happened,” Leif said. “This town gives off a strange air, and to top it off, Hornet said she was a spider…not to mention we have never heard of this ‘Hallownest Kingdom’.”

Kabbu hummed. “I’ve never heard of it either, nor of spiders gaining sentience.”

“Could it be that only some kinds of spiders gained sentience?” Vi suggested.

“Who knows,” Leif answered. “As much as we would like to ask, with Hornet being on guard, it would probably be hard to ask our questions.”

The door suddenly opened, startling the three out of their thoughts. Even more startling was the voice they suddenly heard in their heads.

“I’m home! Huh?”

A small bug with two slim horns, a pale mask and a blue-gray cloak stood in the doorway. They tilted their head, a hand on where there should have been a mouth.

“Who are you?”

Chapter Text

The small bug stared at them curiously as they walked up to them. They tilted their head at seeing the bandages and pointed to them.

“Hurt?” they asked.

“U-Uh, y-yeah,” Vi answered. “We fell down a hole and Hornet found us and patched us up.”

The small bug seemed to light up at her answer. “Really?! Hornet is being nice! Getting better at it!”

“How are we hearing this voice…?” Kabbu whispered to Leif.

“We...we think it may be telepathy,” Leif whispered back. “We read about it in a book once. It’s like hearing the thoughts of others, the voice of the mind or something like that.”

“I’m Ghost!” the small bug introduced themself. “Who are you?”

“Oh, I’m Vi!”

“My name is Kabbu.”

“We are Leif.”

“Vi, Kabbu, Leif!” Ghost exclaimed. “Nice to meet you! Never seen you before. New?”

“We’re explorers from the Ant Kingdom in Bugaria,” Kabbu explained. “We fell down a hole in the Far Grasslands and landed a ways away from here.”

Ghost tilted their head. “Ant Kingdom? Bugaria? Far Grasslands? Where’s that?”

“Erm…” Kabbu struggled to explain.

“They’re above ground,” Leif said, figuring it might be easier to go with that explanation.

However, it served to only confuse Ghost more. “Above ground? This is the surface though.”

“Uh…”

The three weren’t sure what to say. Ghost didn’t know about Bugaria and its kingdoms and locations. It may be the same for the bugs of Dirtmouth and Hallownest. This was reminding them of the Roach Village in the Dead Lands except for the fact that at least the Roaches knew about Bugaria through rumors. Here, it seemed that Bugaria was entirely unknown to these bugs.

“Bugaria’s like...way above here!” Vi tried to explain. “It looks like it’s in an even higher place than what you call the surface, Ghost.”

“Huh…” Ghost put a hand on their face. “I didn’t know there was a place higher than the surface…”

“Say, Ghost. Could you tell us about Hallownest?” Kabbu asked. “We would have asked Hornet, but it seems like she won’t answer our questions. Judging from that, if you could just tell us some basic things, that would be great. And we can tell you about Bugaria in exchange!"

“I can tell you about Hallownest!” Ghost said.

They took the weapon-which the team just noticed and noted its sharpness-they were carrying on their back and put it against the wall before jumping into a chair.

“The kingdom of Hallownest is underground,” Ghost started. “You can get there through the well in town. It’s an old kingdom, but things are getting back on track now! There’s a lot of places down there like the Forgotten Crossroads, Greenpath and the City of Tears! Ah, the City of Tears is the capital, by the way. Oh, but if you go exploring, you should be careful of Deepnest. You shouldn’t go there unless you’re a really good fighter. It’s dangerous! But since things are calming down, it might get a little safer with time.”

The team listened intently to Ghost’s explanation. Those were places that they had never heard of before.

“If you don’t mind us asking, what is the kingdom calming down from?” Leif asked. “And who is your ruler?”

“Um, well…” Ghost hesitated to answer. “A lot of things happened and we don’t have a ruler. Well, no. There is but there hasn't been a coronation ceremony yet. There really isn’t much to rule over after Hallownest fell though. It’s just the bugs in Dirtmouth and a few other bugs.”

Team Snakemouth glanced at each other. A fallen kingdom? Was the ruler corrupt? Did they just do whatever they pleased, hurting their citizens for their greed? Just what happened in Hallownest? Vi thought back to Elderbug and wondered if he was basically the leader now since Hallownest no longer had one.

“Could you tell us what happened in this kingdom?” Kabbu asked.

“I could, but...Hornet might get mad at me. Hmmmmm….”

Ghost crossed their arms, mulling over whether or not it was worth it to face Hornet’s wrath for telling these new bugs their story.

“If she’s gonna get mad at you, you don’t have to tell us,” Vi said.

“Hmmmmmm…..no, it’s okay,” Ghost finally said, coming to a decision. “It’s just kinda weird because I thought a lot of people knew what happened through rumors and stuff.”

“We’re from a far away place and have never heard of Hallownest before,” Kabbu said.

“We didn’t even know it existed,” Leif added.

“That’s true. You’re from that Bugaria place. I’ve never heard of it before either. Cornifer's never told me about it before. Not to mention...”

Ghost turned to Leif, tilting their head as they stared at him in what felt like awe.

“You’re a living moth. I’ve only ever seen one other living moth and she lives in the Resting Grounds.”

Leif looked taken aback. “What do you mean 'living moth'…?”

“I thought the Seer was the last moth.”

“T...The last moth…?” Leif asked shakily.

Ghost nodded. “The Moth Tribe all but died out here in Hallownest after the Infection.”

Ghost pulled something out of their cloak. It was an item with a handle and a circle with an intricate pattern on it.

“After the Radiance had gone into a furious rage, she spread the Infection that brought Hallownest to ruin.”

Chapter Text

Queen Vanessa II returned to the throne room, taking a seat on the throne as she looked through a pile of papers in her hands. The rebuilding of her kingdom was going well, especially with the help of the other kingdoms of Bugaria. Soon, the Wasp Kingdom will be open to the public once more, clean, colorful and full of life.

“My Queen.”

A Wasp Soldier came in and knelt before her.

“What is it, my loyal soldier?”

“Team Snakemouth came in earlier to request an audience with you. They were sent in Sir Maki’s place to see how things were going.”

Vanessa smiled at the mention of Team Snakemouth. She adored and respected the exploration team. They were a big help in stopping the Wasp King and saving her and all of Bugaria. Truly, they were heroes to be respected.

“Is that so? Send them in.”

“Yes, my Queen.”

The Wasp Soldier left the room and Vanessa returned to looking over the papers while she waited.

...And waited.

She had finished reading the last paper when the same Wasp Soldier entered once more, looking troubled.

“What is taking so long?” she asked.

“My Queen…” the Wasp Soldier hesitated. “Team Snakemouth had decided to walk around the Far Grasslands while they awaited your return, but...we couldn’t find them anywhere.”

Vanessa handed over the papers to another Wasp Soldier before standing up.

“Are you certain you couldn’t find them?”

“Y-Yes! We looked everywhere, but there was no trace of them! Perhaps they forgot their meeting with you and left? If so, how rude of them!”

“Don’t say that,” she warned him. “ Team Snakemouth wouldn’t do something so disrespectful.”

“I-I apologize, my Queen!” the Wasp Soldier cried, kneeling down on one knee.

“This is worrying…” Vanessa said, crossing her arms. “...Send a messenger to the Ant Kingdom at once. In the meantime, keep looking for them. Leave no stone unturned!”

“As you command, my Queen!”

The Wasp Soldier left, leaving Vanessa to her thoughts.

“Team Snakemouth...there’s no way they would forget about our meeting,” she said to herself.

Certainly, the three weren’t ones to forget something so important. Vi, while rough and straightforward in asking for a reward, would always get the job done. And if by some slim chance they did forget, Kabbu was always there to remind them of their mission. Leif, along with Kabbu, would also make sure to keep the team on track, making sure that they didn’t cause any unnecessary trouble. Even if he did sometimes lean towards Vi’s straightforward “Beemerang to the face” policy.

Vanessa paced around, feeling like she was waiting for forever when the doors to the throne room opened. What she wasn’t expecting was seeing the Ant Queen, Elizant II herself being escorted by a Wasp Trooper and Maki.

“Elizant…!”

“Vanessa,” Elizant greeted her. “Once I received your message, I could not just stay in my palace. Vi, Kabbu and Leif are my precious knights. I couldn't just sit and do nothing. Have they truly disappeared?”

“Without a trace,” Vanessa answered. “My people have been searching the grasslands since the first report and they still haven’t found them.”

“For a team as strong as them to have disappeared…I fear something dire may have happened to them,” Elizant said, worry clear in her voice.

“I truly apologize, my Queen, Queen Vanessa...” Maki said, kneeling before them. “Had I not asked them to take on my errand, this wouldn’t have happened…!”

“Do not apologize, Maki,” Elizant said. “You had to take care of Kina and Yin. You couldn’t have known that this would happen.”

“Indeed,” Vanessa agreed. “This was something out of your control.”

“...You are too kind, my Queen, Queen Vanessa.”

“We will try to keep rumors from spreading,” Vanessa started. “However, with how famous they are, the word may get around quickly.”

“Yes, many will take note of their absence,” Elizant added. “They are not ones to be beaten so easily, so people will worry that something dire may have happened.”

“Should people panic, we will do our best to calm them,” Maki offered. “People might worry that something bad happened, but they also know that Team Snakemouth tends to have some wild adventures. They may initially assume that one of them may have taken them off the beaten path on a crazy quest chain.”

Elizant giggled at the thought of Vi, Kabbu and Leif going off on a strange adventure for a quest.

“That’s true, hopefully that’s what people will think of first,” she said. “In the meantime, we will help with the search. Hopefully they’ll just return the second we do with some funny story and an apology for making us worry.”

Vanessa smiled. “Indeed. They really should apologize for making us worry! Their story had better be funny enough to make up for it!”

With the mood lightened despite the situation, the two Queens got to work organizing a search party for the beloved Team Snakemouth.

Little did they know that Vi, Kabbu and Leif would bring yet another legend to light.

Chapter Text

Vi, Kabbu and Leif stared at Ghost and the trinket they placed on the table.

“...What do you mean by ‘Infection’?” Leif asked quietly.

“And who is this Radiance?” Kabbu added.

“Just what on earth happened?” Vi asked.

“A lot happened,” Ghost replied. “This place was home to many higher beings. The Radiance was one such being. She was the goddess of dreams and light. The Moth Tribe was said to be her people and they worshipped her and her light. However, another higher being came to this land and established what would become the kingdom of Hallownest. That higher being was the Pale Wyrm, who died and was reborn as the Pale King in order to lead his people.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Vi cut in. “Pale Wyrm ? As in, those Wyrms that are huge and capable of foresight?! Those Wyrms?! And there is more than one goddess?!”

“We read about the Wyrms in a book before coming here,” Leif said. “To think they were real and there are more goddesses...”

“But you said that this Wyrm died and was reborn. Is that possible?” Kabbu asked.

“Yeah, it’s possible for higher beings,” Ghost answered. “The Pale Wyrm was reborn into the Pale King so that he could match the bugs’ size and rule over them in his new form. He became king and the queen was the White Lady, another higher being with rule over plants and life.”

“So then why did the Radiance get mad?” Leif asked.

“The Moth Tribe started to worship the Pale King instead of her. His light was much stronger than hers and he gave them knowledge as well. You see, the Moth Tribe never really questioned the Radiance. They worshipped her blindly. She was actually a pretty mean goddess with a thirst for power and worship. She wanted everyone to worship her and her only, so when the Pale King came along and people started to question their faith, she got really mad. It was only small at first, but then there was a full Infection spreading across Hallownest. It was an infection of dreams, burning those infected and turning them into walking husks.”

The team shivered at that, instantly remembering the zombie bugs in the Snakemouth Lab. Leif clenched his fists and Kabbu and Vi put a hand on his shoulders, offering their silent support.

“Do you want to step out?” Kabbu asked softly.

“No...we’re fine,” Leif quietly replied.

“Are you sure?” Vi asked gently. “We can just give you a rundown of it.”

“It’s okay, really,” Leif reassured them.

Ghost tilted their head. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything’s fine,” Leif told them. “Sorry for interrupting. You can continue.”

Ghost nodded. “Alright. After the Infection became a problem, the Pale King tried everything he could to stop it. At this point, the Moth Tribe was all but decimated by the Radiance’s Infection, so he couldn’t get their help. No matter what he did, the Pale King couldn’t stop the Infection from destroying his kingdom. Until he finally found a solution. He would create a Vessel to seal the Radiance away and therefore stop the Infection from spreading. Since it was an infection of dreams, a Vessel would be able to stop the Infection. However, it didn’t work and the Infection started to spread again after a period of time. It wasn’t until I arrived in Hallownest that the Infection and the Radiance was finally put to a stop.”

They grabbed the trinket on the table and, to Team Snakemouth’s surprise, it lit up with an ethereal glow.

“This is a weapon called the Dream Nail. It was created by the Moth Tribe and is able to cut through the veil of dreams. With this, I can enter the dream realm where the Radiance resided. By destroying her, I was able to stop the Infection.”

Ghost put down the Dream Nail and the glowing blade faded away.

“And that’s what happened in Hallownest!” they said cheerfully.

Team Snakemouth stared at them in silence.

It was a lot to take in and they couldn’t quite process everything so quickly. Not only that, the walking husks part really hit close to home for Leif so it was hard for him to really let it sink it. There was more than one goddess, there was a kingdom called Hallownest that they had never heard of and it had gone through a very horrifying plague that brought it to ruin. And even when the Pale King found a solution, that solution proved to be faulty and the Infection spread once more with a vengeance. Vi held her head in her hands, laying it down on the table.

“That’s….really a lot to take in,” she said. "So you can, like...enter someone's dreams? What the heck...? I didn't think that was possible!"

Leif stayed silent, looking down at his hands.

“....I had no idea that such a thing took place below Bugaria,” Kabbu whispered. “It’s...saddening. I had only thought that Venus was the only goddess, but…to think there were other gods.”

Compared to Venus’ kindness and generosity, the Radiance sounded like a despicable goddess, much like the Wasp King himself. A being who only wanted power and to rule with fear was not fit to rule a kingdom or worthy of worship. They learned that during their journey for the Everlasting Sapling and have seen what happens to those unworthy.

“Well, things are over now,” Ghost said. “With the Infection no longer threatening Hallownest, the bugs left behind can finally live in peace. Especially my sister and sibling.”

“You’re a hero, Ghost,” Vi said, finally looking up. “You stopped that Radiance, huh? It must’ve been hard. We beat up some baddies too, so we’re both heroes who saved the world!”

“You’re heroes too?” Ghost asked excitedly.

“Sure are!” Vi said confidently. “We beat up this guy called the Wasp King who was gonna terrorize all of Bugaria!”

“Whoooaaa!”

Kabbu and Leif smiled as Vi successfully lifted the mood with her story. It was a blessing to have her on their team.Whether it was in the Snakemouth Lab or the Wild Swamplands or even here, she knew just what to say to lift up someone’s spirit.

“That’s just like Vi,” Leif said.

“Indeed. She knows how to make people smile,” Kabbu agreed. “That’s the best thing about her.”

Just then, Vi’s stomach growled and she blushed in embarrassment as they all laughed.

“S-Stop laughing!” she yelled. “I haven’t eaten since we left the Ant Kingdom!”

“Right, Hornet left to get some food but we do have the food we brought from Crisbee’s. Even if it’s squished.”

Kabbu opened his bag and brought out a box full of Crisbee Donuts. The box was squished and so were the donuts, but the sweet smell was still very appetizing.

“Oooohh…” Ghost looked at the box with interest. “I’ve never seen this kind of food before!”

“What?!” Vi cried, her hands on her face in shock. “You’ve never seen a donut before?! That’s just a crime! Have you never had any sweets?!”

“Only some honey from the Hive,” Ghost admitted. “I’ve heard about candy and sweets before, but I’ve never had anything like it.”

Vi blinked. “There’s a hive here?”

“Yeah. But the bees are hostile and there’s no queen. You’re the first friendly bee!”

“O-Oh, is that so?” Vi puffed out her chest proudly. “Well, thank you! Here try a Crisbee Donut! It’s the sweetest thing ever and it’s the best!”

Vi took a squished donut and held it out to Ghost, who was about to take it when the door opened.

“What exactly are you trying to feed my sibling.”

Chapter Text

Something whizzed through the air and pierced the donut that was in Vi’s hand straight through the hole and pinned it to the wall. It turned out to be Hornet’s needle that pierced both the donut and the wall.

“H-Hey!” Vi yelled. “Y-You can’t just do that!”

“Hornet!” Ghost scolded their sister. “You can’t be doing things like that anymore! Remember what I said about being friendly?!”

“Ghost, you can’t take food from strangers,” Hornet argued back. “What if it’s poisoned? I haven’t seen anything like it before.”

“It’s not poison, it’s a donut,” Vi explained. “You’ve never seen a donut either?”

Hornet glared at her and Vi shook a little but managed to stay her ground.

“A-A donut is a sweet, you know! One of the best things ever! It’s like cake but denser!”

“It truly isn’t poisoned,” Kabbu backed her up. “It’s a little squished, but it’s clean. It’s made by a bee named Crisbee, and is the sweetest thing you’ll ever taste.”

He held out the box full of donuts for Hornet to see, the sweet smell making Vi’s stomach growl again. Hornet stared at them, unmoving.

“...I’ve seen sweets before, but nothing like this.”

“Duh, this is a Crisbee original!” Vi said. “Only he can make them, but other bugs have been starting to recreate them. They’ll never be as good as Crisbee’s donuts though!”

Leif grabbed a donut and started to munch on it, showing Hornet that it wasn’t poisoned.

“They're good,” he said. “We can eat them with what you brought along. They’ll be our dessert.”

Hornet stared at him warily before putting a bag on the table. She took a donut, glared at it as though it was her worst enemy, and took a cautious bite. The three waited for her reaction, but unfortunately for them, she only hummed and ate the rest of the donut.

“Does that mean it was good…?” Vi whispered. “She ate the whole thing…”

“Well…perhaps so?” Kabbu said uncertainly.

“She didn’t throw it out at least…” Leif whispered.

“Don’t worry,” Ghost whispered. "That hum means it’s good! Delicious even!”

They eagerly took a donut and started eating it. By the way they ate, the three could tell that Ghost found it utterly delicious.

“I was able to get some Tiktik eggs. We’ll be cooking these,” Hornet said, taking out the contents of the bag.

“I’ll go get Hollow then!” Ghost finished their donut and hopped off their chair, making their way to the door. “Be nice, okay, Hornet?”

Hornet huffed in response and they left.

Kabbu tilted his head. “Hollow?”

“Our other sibling,” Hornet replied, going over to the stove and lighting it up. “They’re out taking a stroll.”

“So you and Ghost are siblings, huh?” Vi commented, propping an elbow on the table. “I can see the resemblance.”

“….Um, Hornet?” Kabbu started again.

“What?”

“Ghost already told us about Hallownest and what happened, but do you think you could tell us more?”

Hornet stopped mid-egg cracking before sighing, a slight growl in her sigh.

“That idiot...I’m going to smack them. What did they tell you?”

Kabbu explained what Ghost had told them while Hornet continued to cook. She set down several plates of eggs and some vegetables on the table once he was done.

“...I see,” she finally said.

“So you truly don’t have a ruler yet?” Leif asked.

“No, they have not taken the throne yet as Ghost has explained,” Hornet answered. “We have been rebuilding though. For the few bugs that still call this kingdom home.”

“Could we take a look around? I-If it’s alright that is,” she quickly added at Hornet’s stare.

“In that case I will guide you,” Hornet said.

“And so will we!”

Ghost’s voice came into their minds even before the door opened.

“Oh, came back just in time,” they said, eyeing the freshly cooked food. “Let’s eat, Hollow! Introduce new friends to you!”

Ghost trotted inside and gestured to another outside. Vi let out a choked yelp while Kabbu and Leif stared wide-eyed as the newcomer stepped inside, having to bend under the doorway to get in. This new bug was tall and looked very similar to Hornet and Ghost and their cloak looked like it was patched up a few times. Like their siblings, they carried a weapon and it was larger than Vi, Kabbu and Leif combined.

“....Hello,” a new voice greeted them shyly. It was Hollow’s voice and it was much softer than Ghost’s energetic voice. “I’m Hollow. It’s nice to meet you. Ghost told me we had visitors.”

“More telepathy…” Leif mumbled.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Hollow!” Kabbu greeted them happily to put them at ease. “My name is Kabbu.”

“And I’m Vi!” Vi followed.

“We’re Leif,” Leif finished.

“...Hello, Kabbu, Vi, Leif.”

“Welcome home, Hollow.” Hornet gestured to the table. “I made eggs and vegetables, so eat up.”

Hollow nodded and took a seat on the floor next to the table while Ghost took the chair they previously occupied before leaving. The house was the biggest in town, but the ceiling was still too low for Hollow to sit on a chair lest their horns scrape the ceiling. Vi, who was sitting next to Hollow, gaped at them.

“...You’re so tall!” she blurted out. “That’s amazing!”

Hollow jumped a bit at the sudden exclamation and looked at her in surprise.

“Oh...thank you?”

“Enough chit chat, eat,” Hornet said, taking a seat.

“After we’re done eating, we’ll guide you around the kingdom!” Ghost told them. “And maybe you can tell us about that Bugaria place you’re from!”

“We can tell you a bit about it right now,” Leif said.

Hornet continued eating, but she kept an ear on the conversation while Hollow stared at them in curiosity as they ate.

“Bugaria is comprised of several kingdoms,” Kabbu started to explain. “We’re from the Ant Kingdom ruled by Queen Elizant II. Vi is originally from the Bee Kingdom ruled by Queen Bianca. There is also the Termite Kingdom ruled by King Hector IV and Queen Layra II. Lastly, there is the Wasp Kingdom ruled by Queen Vanessa II. Incidentally, we were supposed to meet with Queen Vanessa before we fell here.”

“Who exactly are you to be meeting with royalty?” Hornet asked.

“We’re Team Snakemouth!” Vi answered. “We’re explorers that are a part of the Explorer’s Association created by Queen Elizant. We explore for treasure and unknown places and take on requests from clients.”

“We have also been recently knighted by the Queen,” Leif added. “So we also take orders directly from her.”

“Oooohh…” Ghost had already finished their food, and had been listening with fascination.

“Much like with Hallownest, a lot has happened in Bugaria,” Kabbu said. “There was an incident that nearly destroyed Bugaria.”

“Which was the Wasp King I told Ghost about earlier,” Vi said, puffing out her chest in pride. “We stopped him!”

“They’re heroes!” Ghost exclaimed.

“Heroes…” Hollow looked at them in awe.

“Heroes, huh?” Hornet didn’t look convinced.

“We can tell you the whole story if you want,” Leif offered.

“Please!” Ghost begged.

Hollow shuffled for a moment before nodding. They were still a little uncomfortable with these new bugs, but they were really friendly so it put them at ease a little bit.

“Please.”

Hornet studied them before propping up her elbows on the table, one hand on top of the other.

“....Let’s hear it.”

Chapter Text

“Have you ever heard of the Everlasting Sapling?” Kabbu asked.

“I haven’t,” Hornet replied.

“Me neither!” Ghost said.

“Or me,” Hollow said.

“It’s a sapling that was said to grant eternal youth and power!” Vi explained. “It was a sacred treasure hidden away by the Roaches.”

“The Roaches had an advanced civilization, but one day they all disappeared, leaving behind remnants of their civilization and legends of the Everlasting Sapling,” Leif added.

“Eternal youth and power...hmph.” Hornet huffed, obviously already having some sort of problem with the Everlasting Sapling.

“Queen Elizant established the Explorer’s Association after inheriting her mother’s dream of finding the sapling,” Kabbu said. “The explorers were tasked with finding the ancient artifacts that were said to lead to the sapling.”

“Which we found,” Vi bragged, puffing out her chest in pride. “We went through a lot to get them, you know! We’re actually named after the place where we found the first artifact, which was Snakemouth Den!”

“Ooohh, that’s so cool!” Ghost exclaimed, bouncing in their seat.

Hollow looked at them in admiration. “Wow...so you found all the artifacts?”

“We did,” Leif said. “There were three in total. The Ancient Mask, the Ancient Tablet and the Ancient Key.”

“The key was split in half though, so we had to go find the other half in the Sand Castle,” Kabbu said. “It was a hidden castle created by the Roaches that lay dormant in the Lost Sands.”

Vi crossed her arms. “Every time we were this close to an artifact, we always had to fight something. They just couldn’t make it easy for us! First it was the spider in Snakemouth Den, then Goddess Venus’ trial, then the Mecha Drone B-33 and then the Watcher. We went through so much!”

Hornet perked up at the mention of a goddess. “Goddess Venus, you say?”

“Ah.” Vi put her hands over her mouth. “Oops.”

Leif put a hand on his forehead. “Vi…”

“Well...it should be okay, I think,” Kabbu said, trying to reassure them. “Ghost has already informed us of the existence of other gods and goddesses. It should be okay to let them know about Venus.”

“Was it supposed to be a secret?” Hollow asked.

“Yeah, Venus asked us to keep her existence a secret,” Leif replied. “Only Aria knows she exists.”

“Aria is an acolyte of Venus,” Kabbu explained. “So only she gets to see Venus in person. Well, we were also granted that privilege. Venus has helped us a lot in our journey to find the Everlasting Sapling. She’s very nice and generous!”

Hornet shifted and put a hand on her cheek. “Nice and generous, huh?”

The Radiance was anything but kind and generous, so it was a bit of a shock to hear of a goddess like that. Well, the White Lady was also a very kind person but…

Hornet stopped her thoughts there. No need to brood.

“Anyways, go on.”

Leif cleared his throat. “We think we’ve gone a bit off track. After we found the other half of the Ancient Key, the Wasp Kingdom invaded the Ant Kingdom.”

“Before finding the sapling, the Ant and Wasp Kingdoms had tense relations with each other so it was only a matter of time before something like that happened,” Kabbu said, looking a bit sad.

“However, Queen Vanessa was not on the throne at this moment,” Leif said. “She had been usurped by the Wasp King, who had taken control of the Wasps through some sort of magic.”

“He came into town and messed everything up!” Vi declared angrily. “He even took the Ancient Key when he invaded, so we went to the Wasp Kingdom to get it back only to find out we’d been tricked and he invaded a second time while we were away! He took all the artifacts then!”

“We chased him all the way to the Giant’s Lair, no bug’s land,” Kabbu said gravely.

Ghost tilted their head. “The Giant’s Lair?”

“It’s a place where Giants were once said to reside,” explained Leif. “There were many remnants of what may have been of the Giants’ making. There were huge machines that could produce ice and fire.”

Vi shivered and held herself. “It’s a really scary place! There are things called the Dead Landers in there and they’re really tough. It’s best to run away if you run into them. Not to mention the giant eyes in there! We don’t even know what those are! It’s a wonder that the Wasp King got through there.”

Hornet and Hollow looked concerned and they glanced over at Ghost. They have seen Ghost’s form as the Lord of Shades and they were truly a giant being. Were these so-called Giants as big as the Lord of Shades? Or were they as big as Wyrms?

“Have these Dead Landers left this Giant’s Lair?” Hornet asked.

Kabbu shook his head. “They haven’t, and it’s a wonder that they haven’t. Either way, we’re grateful that they’ve never left the Giant’s Lair.”

“As we travelled through the Giant’s Lair, we came across a village of Roaches. We had thought them long gone, but some of them survived and they were the protectors of the Everlasting Sapling,” Leif continued. “The Wasp King was too powerful for them to stop though.”

“It took a bit of convincing, but eventually they let us into the area where the sapling was,” Vi said. “Everything was on fire thanks to that machine Leif mentioned earlier and we put out the flames. When we finally put out the flames, we were able to catch up to the Wasp King!”

“It was a tough battle,” Kabbu recalled. “And when we finally found the sapling, it turned out that it had withered over time. Only one leaf remained on its branches.”

Hornet huffed. “So much for it being everlasting then. Nothing is truly eternal, just like Hallownest.”

“So what happened?” Hollow asked. “If it withered, did that mean its power was no more?”

“Oh, there was power alright,” Leif answered. “We could feel the magic it radiated even though it was withered. The last leaf still contained the sapling’s power and when the Wasp King ate it, he became as powerful as the legends foretold.”

“He kept on healing himself every time we brought him down!” Vi cried in frustration. “But he couldn’t keep regenerating forever and after one more beatdown, he lost control of the sapling’s power and turned into a tree. A tree!”

“....He turned into a tree,” Hornet bluntly stated.

“A tree?” Ghost and Hollow repeated.

“Yes,” Kabbu replied. “Like Vi said, he lost control of the sapling’s power. He was most likely unworthy of it and so couldn’t control its power. We’re not sure if that was the reason, but it’s the most likely one.”

Vi shrugged. “We’ll never really know for sure since the sapling was destroyed.”

“It was for the best,” Leif said. “No one will be tempted by its power anymore. The chapter of the Everlasting Sapling has closed and a new one has started for everyone in Bugaria.”

“And that’s the story of how we beat up the Wasp King!” Vi finished.

“Ooooohhh!”

Ghost and Hollow clapped while Hornet stared at the Bugaria bugs.

It’s too detailed to be a lie…but then again, it could have been a prepared story...

She eyed the three bugs before glancing at her siblings. If Vi, Kabbu and Leif brought any sort of danger with them, she had no doubt that she, Ghost and Hollow could fight it off. The sound of an accordion caught her attention and she glanced out the window. Grimm and his troupe were also here which made Dirtmouth even more safe from danger.

Still...it really is too detailed to be a lie…

Hornet sighed and shook her head, turning back to Team Snakemouth.

“I see. I had my doubts about you, but now I choose to believe you. It seems that there really is a world out there we had no idea about.”

Chapter Text

The exploration team sighed in relief at Hornet’s words. They’ve finally earned her trust.

“Thank you for believing us, Hornet. You have no idea how much that means to us,” Kabbu said, bowing his head.

Hornet started clearing up the empty plates with Hollow and Ghost helping.

“I know of other kingdoms, so that helps me believe your story even if I’ve never heard of this Bugaria before.”

“I’d really want to see what this other surface is like!” Ghost exclaimed.

“I’d like to meet Goddess Venus,” Hollow said shyly. “She sounds very nice…”

Hollow didn’t have many good experiences with goddesses, but from the way Kabbu described her, they were reminded of their mother, the White Lady: kind and gentle. It would be nice to feel that from a goddess again.

“I’m sure she’d let you meet her,” Vi assured them. “She’d probably want to hear all about these other gods and goddesses.”

“We can ask her for you,” Leif suggested. “Or she might know about you the second you step foot into Bugaria.”

“How so?” Hollow asked.

“Her roots spread far and wide,” Kabbu explained. “She can hear about you through them.”

Hornet stopped cleaning up. “...Roots?”

“Yeah, she’s a plant goddess,” Vi explained. “She watches over the Golden Settlement as the goddess of good harvest!”

The three siblings shared a look with each other. Venus’ resemblance to the White Lady just became more similar. It was uncanny, but also rather reassuring. It was something all three of them were familiar with and would most likely help them be more comfortable meeting Venus.

“I can’t wait to meet her!” Ghost said excitedly. “But first let’s show you around Hallownest and introduce you to everybody!”

“Ghost, we have to wash the dishes first,” Hornet said sternly.

But Ghost was already pulling Team Snakemouth out of the house.

“Don’t worry about it! We’ll get to them later!” they said.

“Hey, get back here--” Hornet sighed as they left. Hollow gave her a sympathetic look.

“We’ll wash them when we get back,” they said. “Why don’t we show them around first?”

Hornet sighed again, putting the dishes in the sink and covering them with water. “I suppose we might as well. Honestly, Ghost just wants to procrastinate on the chores.”

Hollow laughed and followed her as she left the house.

As they entered the plaza, Ghost was already introducing the team to Elderbug before moving on to the red tents of the Grimm Troupe. Vi, Kabbu and Leif looked up at the rather menacing tents, sharing a worried glance with each other.

“Um…” Vi started nervously. “I thought this when we first entered town but…these tents are really creepy.”

“It’s, uh, er...it’s an interesting design choice,” Kabbu said, trying to be nice.

“It’s creepy, Kabbu,” Leif reiterated. “And the music coming from inside doesn’t help.”

Kabbu winced. “Ngh, well…”

“Don’t worry!” Ghost reassured them. “They look scary, the troupe is really nice.”

“They have helped us many times,” Hollow said as they and Hornet caught up to them.

“Hmph, they’re too flashy if you ask me,” Hornet replied. “But they are dependable.”

“They might even be able to help you find your way back home,” Ghost told them. “They’ve travelled to many places, so wherever you fell from, they might know where to find it.”

Team Snakemouth looked relieved at getting some help finding their way back.

“I’ve marked our path from where we fell from, so it would be a big help if they could help us find the hole we fell from,” Kabbu said.

“That said, the tents are still creepy,” Vi bluntly stated.

Ghost led the group inside, with Team Snakemouth nervously stepping inside. Vi hid behind Kabbu, who took the lead, while also clutching onto one of Leif’s wings. Further into the tent, they saw a masked bug playing an accordion, the source of the music.

“Mrmm?”

The bug took notice of their presence and stopped playing.

“Ghost, Hollow, Hornet,” he greeted. “What brings you here?”

“We’re showing Vi, Kabbu and Leif around,” Ghost answered, gesturing to said bugs. “And hopefully get them back home!”

“U-Um, hello,” Vi stuttered. “I’m Vi.”

Kabbu inclined his head. “I’m Kabbu. It’s nice to meet you.”

“We are Leif,” Leif introduced himself.

The masked bug tilted his head, humming thoughtfully before introducing himself. Somehow, the team felt as if he was observing them despite the fact he had a mask on.

“Brumm. A pleasure.”

“I found them in the Howling Cliffs. They’re from a place called Bugaria,” Hornet said. “Have you heard of it?”

Brumm hummed once more. “Mrmm...out of all the places we have visited, I don’t think we’ve heard of it.”

“Is that so…”

For even the Grimm Troupe to not have heard of it, it must be a very far place where the troupe has never travelled nor been summoned to.

“Perhaps the Master will know of it.” Brumm gestured further into the tent. “He’s further inside, preparing for the show later on.”

Ghost perked up at the mention of the Troupe Master, and started to push the team further inside. Hollow had to stop them before they fell over from their enthusiastic pushing. They arrived at the tent’s stage, but unlike what Brumm had told them, it was empty.

“....No one’s here,” Vi commented.

Right as she said that, there was a drum roll accompanied by Brumm’s accordion, with red spotlights moving around before concentrating on one point in front of them. In a burst of red smoke, a tall bug had teleported in, startling Team Snakemouth. Hornet sighed and shook her head, grumbling that she was right about the troupe being flashy. Ghost and Hollow clapped at the theatrical entrance.

“....So we do have some interesting guests,” he said, scarlet eyes honing in on the startled bugs.

“H-How did you do that?!” Vi cried.

“Magic?!” Kabbu yelled.

“Most likely,” Leif said, trying to calm himself down. “Or just a trick of the eyes.”

The tall bug laughed, amused at their reactions, and bowed to them.

“Well met, my friends. Well met. I am Grimm, master of this troupe. The whispers of the townsfolk have reached my ears about new bugs coming into town. Including your talk with Brumm.”

Grimm straightened up, giving the team a jack o’ lantern smile.

“And what interesting bugs you are, Vi, Kabbu, Leif.”

“Grimm is a god,” Ghost explained. “He’s been all over the world with his troupe. So maybe he knows about your home!”

Team Snakemouth’s eyes widened. This bug was a god?! They would never have expected a troupe master to be a god.

“Wait, a god?!” Kabbu exclaimed.

Grimm chuckled and bowed again. “At your service.”

“A god of what…?” Leif asked.

“Nightmares.”

“Nightmares?!” Vi screamed.

Oh, by Elizant’s crown, they were talking face to face with a god of nightmares. Kabbu certainly didn’t have a good relationship with nightmares - not that anyone did - after his run in with the Beast in the Wild Swamplands. Neither did Leif, with his dreams of the Snakemouth Lab. Still it was wise for them to show reverence.

“As well as fire and rebirth,” Grimm added.

“Y-You’re not going to curse us with nightmares are you?!” Vi whimpered, apparently too shaken to show reverence.

“Of course not!” Grimm said, offended. “Although your reactions are understandable, I am not a wicked god at all. Ah, the troubles of being the god of nightmares...”

“Erm, please excuse our rudeness, God of Nightmares,” Kabbu tried to apologize. “We didn’t mean to offend you. We, uh, don’t particularly like nightmares.”

“Just call me Grimm. And there’s no need to apologize, my friend. I understand that many, if not all, bugs don’t like nightmares. Still, the balance must be kept, just like light and darkness. Where there are dreams, there are nightmares.”

“Then, Grimm, if you would hear our request, would you be able to help us in finding our way back?” Leif asked. “Kabbu has marked the spot where we fell if that’s any help.”

“Mm, as I have heard. Certainly, if there’s a way in then there’s a way out,” Grimm stated. “Very well. I’ll have my kin investigate.”

Grimm snapped and at once, a small, floating masked bug carrying a lantern appeared.

“Investigate the way back to Bugaria, if you please. The path should be marked for you in the Howling Cliffs.”

“At once, Master.”

The floating bug bowed their head, leaving as quickly as they came.

“A kingdom unknown even to me,” Grimm mused, smiling. “Now that is an unexpected twist. I’m eager to see what this Bugaria is like.”

And perhaps there would be flames of a fallen kingdom for him to collect. Not that he was in any rush to do so, but it would be nice to clean things up to let new life bloom in the kingdom’s place.

“Well, Goddess Venus resides in the Golden Hills,” Kabbu divulged.

“Oho, a goddess, eh?”

There wasn’t just a new kingdom he wasn’t familiar with, but a new higher being as well. Grimm wondered how interaction with Bugaria would affect Hallownest. He glanced over to Ghost, who tilted their head.

It would probably be a good experience for the young monarch, he thought. They and their siblings will be able to see the world beyond Hallownest.

“With Grimm helping out, let’s go into Hallownest now!” Ghost chirped. “I can’t wait to show you Greenpath and the City of Tears and the Queen’s Gardens and and…”

They continued to list the locations they wanted to show the Bugaria bugs, which was basically all of Hallownest with the exception of the Abyss, the Ancient Basin and Deepnest. Grimm waved as Ghost pushed the group out of the tents, with Vi, Kabbu and Leif expressing their thanks for Grimm’s help.

Ghost, Hollow and Hornet have starred in many triumphs and tragedies, this he knows. Perhaps with the appearance of Team Snakemouth, they’ll be able to star in more happier stories.

Chapter Text

hey all! just wanted to say that this fic will be on a bit of a hiatus x'D im pretty sure all of you have figured this was the case considering how long it's been, but just to be sure i made this author's note. i also put "no cost too great/there are costs too great" on a bit of a hiatus too before i finished it. the reason back then is the same now: my hyperfixation has moved on x'D also i have school so. i'll definitely continue this fic though! but for now, it's on hold x'D i'll be back on it soon hopefully! until then, take care! xD

Chapter Text

Ghost led the group to the Stag Station, ringing the bell to call for the Old Stag. Soon, the large stag appeared in the station, grunting as he came to a halt.

“Hello, little one. Where to–oh? It seems we have some new faces here.”

“Yeah, this is Vi, Kabbu and Leif! They’re from a place called Bugaria!” Ghost introduced the three.

Kabbu looked at the Old Stag in awe. He had never seen a beetle quite like the Old Stag, even in the North.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir!” Kabbu greeted him excitedly. “I didn’t know that there were beetles like you here!”

The Old Stag huffed in amusement. “And it has been a long time since I have seen such a lively beetle aside from the newly born Stag. Most of the ones I have seen had been, well…walking husks.”

“This is the Old Stag!” Ghost introduced the old beetle. “The Stagways are tunnels that run through Hallownest, and the Stags are the ones who transport people.”

“Though now there are only two left,” Hornet said as she climbed into the saddle.

Kabbu’s excitement turned into sadness. “O-Only two…?”

The Old Stag smiled in reassurance. “I had once thought myself to be the last, but it was not so. Not with the little one having recently been born. Though it may only be the two of us, knowing that my kin live on is a joy in and of itself.”

“Good sir…” Kabbu whispered.

“Just like the moths…” Leif muttered.

Once again, Hallownest’s dire situation was made clear to Team Snakemouth. However, they could see that this kingdom and its bugs were healing. It brought them some comfort knowing that.

Ghost hopped into the saddle, followed by Hollow. They gestured over to the Bugarians.

“C’mon!” Ghost called to them. “We’ll take you to the Resting Grounds first. I need to introduce you to the Seer!”

Lief fidgeted with his hands. He couldn’t begin to imagine what the Seer would feel if she saw him, another moth. Like the old stag, thinking that you were the last of your kin was saddening, but maybe like him, the Seer would be overjoyed knowing that she wasn’t the last after all. However she felt, he only hoped that he could bring her more comfort in the fact that there were even more moths out in the world, not just him and her.

“Mm. Let us be on our way then,” the stag rumbled, preparing to set off.

The ride was a little bumpy, but the Old Stag made sure that his passengers had as smooth a ride as possible. He had been doing this for an age after all.

“Resting Grounds Station,” he called, coming to a stop at the platform.

The group hopped off the saddle and thanked the stag before leaving the station. Ghost took the lead and gestured to the area.

“This is the Resting Grounds. As you can guess, this is where bugs rest in peace. The Seer lives here, tending to them.”

The sound of a distant song echoed in the caverns, causing Team Snakemouth to look up.

“Someone is singing…?” Leif whispered.

“It’s the Seer,” Hornet answered. “Come, we’ll take you to her.”

The team was led to a house that had a cozy feeling and with dreamcatchers hanging on the ceiling. Ghost went inside, announcing their arrival in a cheerful and excited voice.

“Hello, Seer! Come, come! There’s some bugs you have to meet!!”

A warm laugh answered them. “I’m coming, little Ghost. Who have you brought to me today?”

A curtain was parted and out came an older purple moth holding a tray with a teapot and teacup. The second she saw who was inside, however, she dropped the tray with a soft gasp. Ghost hurriedly ran to catch the tray and managed to keep everything intact.

“Oh…” The Seer began to shake, tears prickling the corner of her eyes as she took in the only other moth in the room. “A-Are you…”

Leif rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Um, hello there, Seer. Our name is Leif and Ghost has told us about…well…the situation.”

From the Seer’s reaction, Leif and the rest of the team could tell that she had not seen another moth in a long, long time. Leif walked over and the Seer gently took his hand in both of hers, tears freely streaming down her face.

“You’re real…” she whispered. “You’re…you–”

The Seer sobbed, gripping Leif’s hand just a little tighter, who in turn did the same.

“We have been told of the situation,” he repeated quietly. “And I must tell you that there are many more of us out there.”

The Seer’s eyes widened and she looked like she couldn’t believe the news that he had passed on to her.

“More?” she asked. “Oh, ohh…light above, there are more…!”

She took a shaky breath, trying to compose herself in order to take everything in. She gestured to the tea tray and table.

“Please forgive me, young one. For a long time, I had considered myself to be the last of the Moth Tribe. Come, sit down and have some tea. Ghost, be a dear and grab more cups for the guests please.”

Ghost nodded and everyone took a seat at the table as they brought out more cups. Team Snakemouth explained their situation to the Seer and Leif told her how there were more moths up on the surface above Hallownest. Knowing that there were many more moths out there had the Seer crying tears of joy.

“To think that there are so many more moths out there in the world…” The Seer wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. “I’m so glad to hear that. It’s the best news I’ve ever received in a long, long time.”

“Will you come with us to Bugaria?” Leif asked. “We can introduce you to our family and show you around the Ant Kingdom.”

The Seer sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “Child, it has been a long time since I have left the Resting Grounds, much less Hallownest. I am afraid that…I’m not quite ready for such a thing. Not yet.”

Leif wilted at her answer. In the short time he’s gotten to know her, he’d already accepted her as if she were his own grandmother.

“However…”

The blue moth perked up at the word.

“I must think about this more. I have thought of myself to be the last for a long time now, and to know that more of my kin yet live is news that I must take in slowly. Please, come back later and I will have an answer for you.”

~~

There was a group of Grimmkin floating around the area that Team Snakemouth had pointed out to them. They busily investigated the area, lighting up the place with their lanterns and looking for where their mysterious guests had come from.

A flash of scarlet embers alerted them to the arrival of their master, and one of them flew up to him.

“Master Grimm,” they greeted.

“Is this the area?” Grimm asked.

“Yes, this is the marked location.” The Grimmkin pointed to the mark Kabbu had made.

Grimm hummed and put a hand on his chin, walking forward.

“They said they fell here so there must be an opening around here somewhere.”

“Yes, we flew up as far as we could, but we could see no such opening. It is possible that it may be further up,” another Grimmkin answered.

Grimm looked up. The area that Team Snakemouth had found themselves in was a small open clearing with a cave wall.

“Further up, hm? Then I shall personally investigate.”

“M-Master, please! Let us bring a Grimmkin Master for such a thing!” the Grimmkin insisted.

“Nonsense, my dear kin. What kind of master would I be if I let everyone else do all the work?”

Grimm had already started climbing. His nimbleness allowed him to climb up faster and higher than the Grimmkin could fly. He took note of the height that the Grimmking Novices could reach and continued upward. It was a long climb and he was surprised that Team Snakemouth had survived with naught but a few scratches. They were tough bugs indeed. Just as Grimm decided to take a break from climbing and head back down, a prick of light caught his eye and he squinted.

“Ah…at long last the entrance reveals itself to me. Hm, this truly is a long way down. Simply climbing back up would not do.”

Grimm stared at the light for a moment longer before descending. That light was the start of the next page of the story that had started from that fateful fall.

They should make sure they prepare adequately for a spectacular entrance.

Chapter Text

“These honey cakes are really good!” Vi exclaimed, taking a bite of the honey cake in her hands.

Before they left the Seer’s home, the older moth had given them some honey cakes for them to snack on during their tour of Hallownest. They were currently en route to King’s Station.

“Is the honey from that hive you told us about?” Kabbu asked. “I thought the bees were hostile?”

“Yeah, but I swiped some during my adventure,” Ghost proudly proclaimed. “Also, Hornet is the only one who can enter the Hive without getting attacked, so she gets honey for us from time to time. It’ll be possible to get more once the bees settle down and find a new queen.”

The Bugarians looked at Hornet, the question on their faces clearly visible.

“The late Queen Vespa was like a second mother to me,” she answered.

Kabbu was flustered, obviously thinking their curiosity hit a nerve. “O-Oh, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean…”

Hornet glanced at him before sighing. “It’s in the past now. There’s no need for apologies.”

“Where are we going next?” Leif asked, hoping to change the topic.

“We’re gonna go to the City of Tears!” said Ghost.

Leif tilted his head. “Why is it called that? Such a melancholy name doesn’t seem to suit the capital of a kingdom.”

“There’s a lake above the city,” Hornet explains. “The water falls through the cracks in the ceiling so it’s constantly raining there, hence the name.”

Vi furrowed her brows, confused. “Who’d build their capital city underneath a lake? Weren’t they afraid the whole ceiling would just go ka-boom and all the water would flood the city?”

“...The rain was something the Pale King enjoyed,” Hollow quietly answered. “The sound and smell of it was soothing.”

Hornet and Ghost glanced at them, a hidden, unnamed emotion in their eyes. Hornet let out a quiet sigh. After all this time, Hollow still longed for and missed their father. As much as she hated to admit it, Hornet did as well. She envied Ghost for the fact that they had never spent time with their father. It made their feelings less complicated to deal with is what she thought. The Pale King’s actions were awful, but Hollow and Hornet knew that he was someone who cared very much for his people and tried his hardest to protect the kingdom from the Radiance’s wrath.

“The ceiling was reinforced both physically and magically so that it wouldn’t go ‘ka-boom’, as you’ve put it,” she said. “The Pale King made sure that the water from the lake wouldn’t flood the city. The reinforcements have weakened over time due to neglect, but they’re still strong enough to prevent the lake from flooding the city.”

Vi tilted her head. “Hmm, is that so?”

Somehow, the Bugarians felt there was something deep behind Hollow’s words, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on it. Whatever it was, they felt that it was something that they weren’t able to ask, so they decided not to pursue it.

“Won’t we need umbrellas? Kabbu asked.

“Don’t worry! There are umbrellas at King’s Station!” Ghost reassured them.

Soon, the sound of rain could be heard as they reached King’s Station and they thanked the Old Stag before heading out. Unlike when Ghost was exploring Hallownest, the station was currently in the midst of construction. The water that had flooded the station was almost gone and the crumbling paths were being fixed up.

“After Hallownest fell, there wasn’t anyone around to maintain the area, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to fix the places that will be used the most,” Hornet explained.

“There aren’t a lot of us left, but it’s still nice to have nice and tidy places,” Hollow said.

As they approached the exit, Ghost grabbed umbrellas for all of them, with one big umbrella having been made specially for Hollow. The blues and grays of the city greeted them, the sound of the falling rain giving the empty city a melancholic air.

“Whoa…” Vi breathed.

“It’s beautiful, but…” Kabbu trailed off.

“It feels sad and…empty,” Leif finished for him. “The name ‘City of Tears’ is fitting.”

“Heh, I guess it’s got that connotation too,” Hornet agreed.

“There isn’t anyone around here anymore,” Ghost said. “Like I said earlier, there’s only a few of us here. It’s really only the Mantis Tribe and the bugs in Dirtmouth, with a few others scattered here and there.”

“The city is beautiful, but there’s no bugs to fill it,” Hollow said quietly.

“Back in the day, the city was lively. There were many bugs going to and fro,” Hornet recounted, closing her eyes. “Now, there is nothing left but the sound of the rain.”

The Bugarians looked around as they walked, Hornet’s words conjuring an image of the city in its prime in their minds. Bugs holding umbrellas, walking and talking, bugs running through the rain to get to their destination, little grubs running around and laughing, the shops all lit up with a warm glow, inviting customers in. Was it that, just faintly, they could hear the echoes of a song?

Kabbu looked up at the rain. “It must have been a beautiful sight.”

“It was,” Hollow said.

Soon, they came up to a fountain that had four statues. Three of them had different masks on them, but what surprised the Bugarians was the statue that looked like Hollow. Vi noticed a plaque at the base of the fountain, but couldn’t read what it said.

“What does this say?” she asked.

Without looking, Hornet responded.

“Memorial to the Hollow Knight. In the Black Vault far above. Through its sacrifice Hallownest lasts eternal.”

Hollow looked away, rubbing their shoulder anxiously. No matter how many times they see this fountain, it always stirred up feelings of guilt within them. They didn’t deserve this memorial. They failed Hallownest. Ghost looked up at them, placing their hand in their sibling’s own and sending a wave of comfort through the void. Hollow closed their hand around Ghost’s gratefully.

“A memorial?” Leif asked. “Is this knight a hero to the kingdom?”

He didn’t bring up the fact that the statue looked like Hollow, not wanting to tread on dangerous waters.

“...The memorial isn’t anything special,” Hornet whispered. “We’re getting ready to demolish it and replace it with a different statue.”

Leif held his hands up, taking a step back. “Alright, we will stop asking.”

“Sorry…this is a delicate topic. It’s not something we can talk about so easily,” Ghost said quietly.

Sensing the importance in Ghost’s words, Kabbu put a hand over Vi’s mouth, knowing that she might blurt out the first thing on her mind. The bee glared at him before resigning to her fate.

“We understand. May we see the rest of the city?” he asked, turning the topic away from the fountain.

“Yeah! We’ll show you around!”

Hollow looked grateful as Ghost took the lead, leading them away from the fountain and into the other parts of the city. They were introduced to a grumpy bug named Lemm, who introduced himself as a relic seeker. He was interested in hearing that they came from a kingdom he hadn’t heard of and asked them a few questions before shooing them out of his store. Vi called him a “rude old guy” and Ghost laughed, saying that he was a nice guy inside. Soon, they went to a place called the Pleasure House which had a hot spring inside. The warm water soothed their injured bodies and minds. Leif couldn’t take it for long however, thanks to his ice magic.

“Shall we head back to Dirtmouth?” Hornet suggested after their hot spring soak.

“Already?” Vi whined.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Kabbu said. “The hot spring helped our injuries a lot, but we should go and get some proper rest.”

“Indeed,” Leif agreed. “We would also like to see if Grimm has found a way back to Bugaria. Surely Queen Vanessa has started looking for us. We ought to get back as soon as possible.”

“Oh, if he has, then maybe we can go check out Bugaria, too!” Ghost said excitedly. “I’d love to explore a new place! Right, Hollow, Hornet?”

Hollow fidgeted a little. They lived their whole life devoted to Hallownest and it’s the only place they’ve ever known. The prospect of a new place they had never heard of before was both unnerving and exciting. Perhaps…this could be a good thing for them.

Hornet crossed her arms, a little apprehensive at the thought. Ghost was the only one among the siblings who had left the kingdom, and even then they couldn’t remember much of their time outside Hallownest. Should they leave the only home they’ve ever known and see a new, unknown land? Though Team Snakemouth claimed that Bugaria was at peace now, the thought of the unknown still struck Hornet’s survival instincts.

But…

She glanced at her siblings, sensing Ghost’s excitement and Hollow’s cautious hope.

“....I suppose. We’ll discuss it if Grimm has discovered anything.”