Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shashou grinned wide, watching the horde of spider bots march out last-minute preparations. He was watching so intently, that he tripped over a wire and fell on his face.

He snarled under his breath. Spider silk was perfectly capable of carrying electricity, but nooo… The half-bribed, half-threatened human insisted on his own supplies.

There was a snicker from behind him. “Careful,” Goliath advised, helping him up.

“Thanks,” Shashou deadpanned, frowning in embarrassment. He didn’t let it last. Even the human’s clutter wouldn’t ruin this. The hordes of mechanical spiders were proof; They were taking back the surface world.

They entered the room holding the mech when Shashou stopped.

It took a moment to process- The tech guy, his back to them and tapping at a device on his arm. Wasn’t his hair black before? It was green now, and his skin was purple. Sticking out of his back were metal limbs in a shoddy imitation of a spider’s.

“What, did you fall on one of the bots?” Shashou asked venomously.

The scientist turned around with a flicker of the disgust and fear he had before, then he smiled, leaning smugly on the machine. “Actually, the queen decided to promote me.”

“Yeah, right. Where is she?”

“Waiting for me to finish the inspection of the mech.”

Shashou clenched his fists. They were not this desperate. They were not. “Listen you four-eyed fraud, we have been working on this plan for years. You don’t get to jump in as one of us now!”

“Funny. The plan only worked once you got my help.”

“That’s it, you-” Syntax flexed out his metal arms unnaturally as Shashou reared back his fist. Just then, his coat snagged onto his chin and his feet lifted off the ground. Syntax’s smugness caved to puzzlement as they were both suddenly dangling in one hand by Goliath.

“Let’s not keep the queen waiting, guys.” He set them apart and shot a web at the ceiling. Shashou adjusted his coat and did the same, pleased to see the intruder struggle to figure out his silk.

Chapter Text

“Heh, some defense.” Shashou offered his binoculars to Goliath as the alliance of the Monkey Kid and fire prince landed down in the heavenly realm. Red Son tried frantically to shake the dragon girl’s teeth from his hand. Finding it fruitless, he slung her over his shoulder and jumped ship as proudly as he could.

Goliath chuckled. “Remember when the king would lift you and Spindrax like that when you weren’t paying attention?”

“Yeah, that was him, wasn’t it?” Shashou remarked quietly. He could feel Goliath’s thoughtful eyes on him, which put his hair on edge. “They’ll be pleased once we’re through with this,” he added.

“Yeah.” Goliath smiled sadly. “I think they would be.”

Shashou split off to meet the pig and human. A thoroughly unfair fight later, he was chasing after them toward the ship.

The two leaped and Shashou jumped after before his breath was nearly hoisted from his lungs. He growled in frustration at Goliath. “What are you doing?! I could have made it!”

“Aw, sure you could, buddy.”

Just then, the Monkey Boy leaped straight overhead and the ship shot off.

“See? He made it!” Shashou exclaimed. He hopped down, glaring at the smoke trail. “The queen ain't gonna be happy about this.”

He glanced up when Goliath tapped his shoulder. There was a deep snarl from behind them and two shadows blocked out the sun. Two giant stone dogs from the palace.

“Uh- Nice doggies?” Goliath tried.

They both shrieked as the dogs dove. One pinned Goliath onto his back while the other grabbed Shashou and flung him into the air. Shashou threw a line of silk down on its snout before he fell. It just snapped loose and snapped down on the front of his coat. Shashou grasped its fangs, his limbs shaking with effort as the dog’s cold, snorting breath stunk up the air.

There was a crack and a whimper. Goliath broke free behind him.

“Quick, draw up the portal!” Shashou bellowed, trying to kick the dog in the eye. Instead, Goliath grabbed the back of his coat and yanked, leaving the dog with filthy fur in his teeth.

Without losing a second, Goliath slung him over his shoulder and ran for a safe spot to make a portal.

“Come on, I could have made it!” Shashou shouted, shooting another web to slow down the dogs.

“Sure you could!” Goliath shouted, not letting go and not slowing down.

Chapter Text

“Do I weigh anything to you?” Syntax asked as Goliath lifted him onto his shoulders.

“Not really,” Goliath shrugged with a good-natured smile.

From the height, Syntax grabbed the remains of a spider bot. “So- How do I explain this- The venom fueled these fuses here,” he said, finding a seat on the twice-wrecked mech and pointing around the broken device. “That fueled the mixture that went into their self-repairing functions. I thought we could skip those while we’re under this time crunch, but we still need their dexterity if we want to reprogram the AI with enough time for them to start duplicating themselves to fix the main fuses and interlocking crankshafts… If we do that, we should be able to finish- soon.”

Syntax looked down at Goliath again, expecting a sharp remark to get to the point he literally just got to. But the giant just looked puzzled.

“Um, how about you gather the spider bots, and unlatch the underplates to gather whatever venom’s left,” Syntax proposed.

“Will do.”

“But- Goliath?” Syntax asked as he started. “Just between us- Is there a place the spiders have to go to if- for whatever reason- this… doesn’t work?”

“Not really. Too many enemies, especially now.”

Syntax frowned. “I’ve worked on tighter deadlines,” he joked half-heartedly.

Goliath actually chuckled. “Sorry your introduction to the clan had to be so…”

“Sudden?”

“Yeah, sudden.”

“It’s… okay.” It was nice to hear, with the queen refusing to answer his questions and Shashou bitterly taking every opportunity to remind Syntax he was an outsider. “I like it down here. I get to work on some impressive projects,” he added, gesturing one hand to the mech as the other poked about the ruins of a control panel.

Goliath didn't reply. With the sewer’s echo, silence was heavy.

“And,” Syntax added, “I might be able to build remote-control devices to glean supplies from the surface. We’ll be fine once this is all sorted out, I’m sure.”

“You’re sure you’ll be okay staying out of the sunlight?”

“Oh, sunlight’s overrated.”

Goliath laughed again, more heartily. “You know, I’m glad you stuck around this long.”

A warmth spread through Syntax’s chest, which altogether distracted from his work. “Thanks.”

They didn’t exchange much after that, except for when Syntax had to ask for another boost.

Chapter Text

Syntax really missed his glasses. Was he gaining on the Monkey Boy or just going in circles? He wasn’t used to this area of the sewers, and it was all blending into dark walls, murky floors, and the ghostly echoes of his hurried breath. He jumped when a shadow skidded around the corner, then recognized Goliath.

“Syntax! Any sign of him?”

“No, no. Any sign of the queen?”

“I’m not sure.”

Syntax started to tap at his watch, but Goliath brushed it down, a strangely intense look in his eyes. “Listen, I need you to find whatever supplies you think we need.” He gestured Syntax quickly over to a ladder half-rusted off the wall, leading out of the lair’s bounds. “I’ll find Hunts and the queen and we’ll regroup. Make sure you know where everyone’s trackers are, but don’t wait for us.”

“What? What do you mean? If we’re making a stand here, I’m helping.”

“I’m sorry, but this is a spider’s job. It’s my job.” Without waiting for an argument, he picked Syntax up under his arms and hoisted him to where the ladder was whole. “Remember how not to leave footprints! We’ll meet up with you!”

Syntax didn’t want to shout and give away their position, so he climbed. The rust scratched at his hands. At the edges of his senses, the city was waking up. More acutely, there was whispering below.

“There’s just not enough material-” he muttered, pulling out his watch again. “Not enough time!”

Chapter Text

The forest outside the Silk Cave was wrapped in night, but alive with the buzzing of insects and birds. Goliath humored himself to think they knew the spider clan was on the prowl.

“Mother?” he asked, stepping into the private armory. “We’re ready.”

The anticipation in the cave only strengthened his pride at seeing the crown princess, tallest and darkest of her sisters, in full leather armor. “Everyone accounted for?” she asked.

“Everyone’s accounted for.” Goliath hesitated a moment. “Do you think there’s a chance we’ll find Spindrax and the others?”

Her posture fell slightly. “No, probably not.” She turned toward him. “But we will be able to avenge them. And the supplies in this village will last us a long time."

She checked the moon’s position, its dim light sharpening in her eyes. But they softened for a moment, turning to her son. “You and your brothers were hand-picked for tonight. Don’t be afraid. Just trust your training.”

He smiled. “I will, mom.”

She fastened the ties to her armor. “No. While we’re on the attack, I’m your commander first.”

Goliath squared his shoulders proudly. “Yes, ma’am!”

He kept to the front of the battalion, just behind the princess. As they crept through the forest, closer to the human village, the buzzing of insects steadily quieted. They were a small force, much to Shashou’s chagrin at being left behind. Goliath’s eyes quickly adjusted to the dark and his feet to the uneven ground. The spiders were in their element.

Scytodes, the spider to Goliath’s left, suddenly gasped as something tore up from the ground. The next second, Scytodes was thrashing in a stiff net. Yelling filled the air as human silhouettes erupted from the trees.

“Everyone off the ground!” the princess shouted, and they obeyed. Goliath leaped and grabbed onto a tree limb, eyes darting as nets snapped up all around.

The human below Scytodes darted back and forth, dodging angry shots of venom as he steadily advanced with a spear. Goliath jumped down, throwing the man into the ground. He grabbed Scytodes’ net. The knot held stubbornly, so he tore the tree branch loose.

The human shouted something and another figure came running. Goliath dropped Scytodes before a blade could land on his skin but didn’t leave him.

The princess shot a web down at an archer on the ground. She meant to fling him into the air, but three more came, grabbed the silk and held their ground. Behind her, another figure stealthily scaled up the tree. Goliath meant to shout to warn her, but she whipped around before he needed to. Moonlight cut between the trees- The figure was on two legs like a human, but thicker and covered with fur- A badger yokai.

The humans on the ground dropped the silk, the first drawing something from his belt. The princess had obvious advantage in the treetops, but before she could topple the badger, a winged monster swept out of the shadows and grabbed something the human tossed him.

Goliath’s heart froze. Most of the spiders' natural enemies had been splintered through the years- But they never considered the pieces might work together.

They threw a net over the princess and sent her crashing to the ground.

“Mom!” Goliath shouted as the men swarmed to her.

She staggered under the weight of more and more pulling down on the net. “Protect your brothers!” she shouted.

One of the soldiers reared back. A long, shadowed spear pointed down on the princess’ back. Goliath didn’t watch. He turned and lifted Scytodes, net and all.

Most of the spiders were down. He threw them over his back without counting.

The whole forest was screaming, the weight of his brothers pressing down on Goliath’s breath. His chest stung with the weight, but he raced through the thick of the forest. Leaves and branches lashed across his skin, the hot gasps of Scytodes and the others burning his neck. Goliath didn’t even notice the tears streaming down his face. He held tight to them and kept running.

Chapter Text

The queen was more cold and more tired than she’d ever been. But she sat awake, leaning in a pile of rubble and staring at the ceiling.

Shashou and Syntax busied themselves cleaning up, though they were stumbling with exhaustion. Goliath lay wrapped up in silk blankets, his breathing shallow. It had been about two hours since the mech was crushed and the four of them spilled out of the frozen furnace.

Her heart finally eased when, like the rest of them, his eyes opened slowly. He stirred and began to shiver.

Syntax and Shashou noticed in an instant and bolted to his side. They were all dressed in similar blankets.

“What… happened?” Goliath mumbled.

“Don't get up,” the queen ordered. She sighed, smoothing down her tattered skirt. “The little lady had us fueling the mech. I think she took the most from you, that’s why you took so long to wake up.”

“You wouldn’t believe it, Monkey Boy and his crew saved our hides!” Syntax explained.

“Only because the alternative was joining us,” Shashou muttered.

“Oh, come on, you were still asleep when they were talking!”

“So were you!”

“I got recordings from the spider bots!”

“Oh, shut it.”

“You just can’t admit humans were able to help us!”

“Are you still on that? Monkey boy wouldn’t have made it out in the first place if we weren’t dealing with Lady Bone!”

Goliath started to sit up to pull them apart from each other, but the queen beat him to it.

“Boys, I’ve got a splitting headache and bet you do too. If you don’t want to help your brother, you can go to bed.”

They stepped down.

“Hammocks are set up,” Shashou mumbled in apology.

“Good, good. Goliath, can you…” She stopped. He had already fallen back asleep. His skin was warm to the touch, so she just got to her feet. “Syntax, you carry his legs. Shashou, get his head.” The queen hooked her aching arms under Goliath’s middle. She counted to three and together, they lifted him from the ground and awkwardly set him into his makeshift hammock. It sank under his weight but held.

Shashou and Syntax sighed in relief.

“He’ll be okay,” Shashou said quietly.

Syntax nodded that he knew.

The boys were asleep as soon as they fell into their hammocks. Spider Queen lingered for a moment.

Softly as not to wake him, she brushed the black hair that marked their side of the family from his face. “Rest up, nephew,” she murmured. “You’ve earned it.”