Chapter Text
The golden walls of the Citadel shook violently. The Cogwork Statues had finished singing their deafening tune.
The threefold melody had rung out from their speakers, making Hornet wince at the sheer volume. She would have appreciated a warning immensely.
Soon enough another loud noise assaulted her ears, causing her to cringe, as the statues sunk into the ground. They scrapped against the walls and filled the room with the grating sound of metal scraping against metal.
She massaged her temples, already feeling a migraine settling in. How she did not go deaf eluded her.
Then as suddenly as they began, the noises stopped and silence filled the room.
She let out a long sigh of relief, grateful that the noise had stopped.
Part of her hoped that she did not develop hearing problems in the future.
She had found herself woefully unprepared. Through no fault of her own, nobody had warned her just how loud Pharloom could be.
It was… unexpected.
Though, in hindsight, she should have suspected as much, especially after her encounter with that red fool in the fuzzy cloak. Her eyes were still sensitive to bright flashes because of him.
She looked up at the massive birdcage elevator that stood in front of her, its tiny door hanging open.
All that showmanship for That!?
Truly this kingdom was maddening.
Still, she could not let herself go mad.
If she did not go mad while spending hundreds of Rosaries on a bench then she sure as hell was not going mad, now.
She made towards the elevator, carefully stepping over the remains of those broken Cogwork Dancers. She noted how they bore a striking resemblance to that verdant prince she disliked.
This Citadel had bad tastes. she thought, as she made her way past them.
She boarded the birdcage elevator and made her way upwards, towards the peak of the citadel.
The ride itself was uneventful, though the peace was welcomed by Hornet. It was certainly more peaceful than the journey to actually reach this point was, still she was not foolish enough to believe this peace would last any longer than this lift ride. She had far too many experiences with this kingdom to ever believe that.
She had no doubt the Pale Monarch would be awaiting her arrival. It was obvious, really, considering all the effort they went through just to capture and bring her here.
Hornet understood that, she was fully ready for that confrontation.
What she was not ready for was crossing paths with the White Knight once again, part of her dreading their reunion. She dreaded seeing her, not because she was afraid, but because she could not stand that foolish child. Her shrilly laugh alone made Hornet cringe in frustration.
She then exhaled calmly and figured she’d at least enjoy the peaceful ascent while it lasted. Hoping this lift would not fail her like the one in the underworks had.
The peaceful ascent did not last long however. The lift reached its apex, stopping at what seemed to be a platform of sorts, Its entire surface covered in luscious pale roses.
Hornet steeled herself and took a step onto the flower field. Taking the time to scout it.
Her first impressions of it were that it was… odd.
The entire field was surrounded by drop offs, all leading into a pit filled with scalding hot steam coming from vents.
Hornet made a mental note of them, resolving to steer clear of them at all cost. The last thing she desired was a repeat of her battle with that enigmatic Phantom, her shell still singed from the steam.
Despite the presence of the steam vents, the air was clean, Somehow remaining unpolluted by the smog.
Even the breeze that kicked up was refreshing.
The pale roses seemed to agree as they swayed gently in the wind, their loose petals carried away by the breeze.
Hornet found this place peaceful, beautiful, a rarity in pharloom no doubt.
Yet, the faint rustling of flowers drew her attention. She turned and saw the White Knight rising from the flower bed. Hornet sighed deeply, just once she would have liked peace.
The White Knight, Lace, drew her pin confidently.
“What a surprise! The little spider has finally reached the peak of this crumbling Citadel.” She mocked, bringing her hand to her mouth in a mock giggle.
“Honestly, I am slightly surprised, Spider. I’d have sooner thought you would have fled this kingdom than actually scale it. Yet here you are!” She exclaims “How adorably stubborn of you.”
Hornet sighs sharply, mentally preparing herself to deal with Lace.
“Child, I have no desire to listen to your ramblings, frankly they irritate me.” She said, honestly.
“Ramblings!?!” Lace shouted, offended. “I do not 'ramble!' I am merely trying to save you, little morsel.
To deny my mother your silken strength. To spare you the fate of being so utterly crushed and humiliated by a fathomless being.” Lace huffs, and then composes herself. “Honestly, spider. The nerve! Is that any way to talk to your savior?”
“I do not need a 'savior', fool child.” Hornet snaps, her voice clipped. Her savior? Who the hell did this girl think she was?
Lace cocked an eyebrow at that
“Still after all this time you remain so stubbornly optimistic.” She says, voice peaked with intrigue.
“You must surely be mad, little spider. The way you remain so *hopeful*, even after such a long and torturous climb.”
“Your pale monarch does not frighten me, child.” Hornet says, with resolve.
“Hm? Is that truly it or maybe it’s something more?” Lace leans closer “Perhaps… you actually enjoy suffering?” Lace said suggestively.
“I am no masochist! I simply do not falter under such circumstances.”
Hornet said, firmly.
“That is *truly* heartbreaking, spider. Such a poor tortured soul you are. Such a Poor. Little. Morsel.” Lace said in mock pity.
“Silence! Do not pretend to pity me, brat!” Hornet snaps.
Lace flinches slightly at the sudden outburst before letting out a shrilly laugh.
“Oh, I apologize, did I strike a nerve?” She giggles, delighted at her reaction.
Hornet composes herself, slightly flustered at how easily she gave in to a taunt.
“This kingdom has not broken me, child. I have endured its cruelty often, yet never once has it come close to breaking me.” Hornet said, her voice firm “To show me pity for it would be an insult.”
Lace laughs loudly “An insult?” She tilts her head in amusement. “Honestly, Spider, deceit does not suit you.”
“I am not-“
“But you are!” Lace interjects “Pretending your ascent has not left you frail, how foolish.” She says, amused.
“I am no child that needs to pretend.” Hornet says, her patience thinning “But if you remain keen on that idea, then allow me to show you just how ‘frail’ this kingdom has truly made me” Hornet raised her Needle and pointed it at Lace “Now, draw your Pin and cease your prattle.”
“How impatient and rude!” Lace scoffs “That eager to cut me down, spider?”
“I admit the thought does have allure.” Hornet says calmly, not a hint of dishonesty.
“Jests, spider?” Lace chuckles “You don’t seem the type.” She muses “Although, I suppose that your encounter with our poor disgraced chef was quite the jest itself.” She quips
Hornet froze for a second “Pardon?”
Lace smiles “That’s right, little morsel, I have know of your ‘rearing’ mishap”
She teases, leaning on her pin. “You must have been quite the comfy undergarment.” she laughs her shrilly laugh.
Hornet’s posture stiffened, shame creeping up her face. How the hell did this girl know that?
“How are you aware of such things?” She glares at Lace.
Lace laughs “Don’t asks such foolish questions, spider.” Lace teases “Not when you already know the answer.”
Hornet remains silent as the realization dawns on her
“You *stalked* me.” Hornet accuses, glaring at Lace
“Of course I shadowed you, watching spiders squirm is truly entertaining.” Lace muses
“My ascent was no *play* meant to entertain.” Hornet says, firmly “If you have truly shadowed me then you would have seen it was survival, nothing more.”
Lace laughs loudly
“‘Nothing more?’” Lace echoes “What about your encounter with the chef, spider?”
“That was but one singular moment of shame!” Hornet snaps, before composing herself.
Lace loved how easy it was to get under Hornet’s shell. Hornet, for all her apparent sternness, was very easy to frustrate, and Lace knew exactly what buttons to push to make that happen.
“Playing the fool now, spider? How unbecoming.” Lace teased “Do you not recall the flowers in the Hunter’s path? Or that savage beastly fly in the lush fields? Or all of the Bilelands?”
Hornet felt her stomach drop.
“How long have you-“
“Since you first arrived, little morsel!” Lace answered cheerfully.
“I saw it all, spider.” Lace mocks “That defeated stance when that bench in the Bilelands crumbled beneath you, or those times you’ve reached a bench machine and nearly sobbed when you had no Rosaries to unlock it, and even that time you fell into that vile maggot water!” Lace smiles sadistically “Yet none of those will surpass the sight of you, pinned under our disgraced chef’s rear, being crushed by their- what was it the pilgrims called it?- cake!” Lace cackles
Hornet remained silent, she was tired, upset, humiliated, and done with Lace’s mockery.
“Enough.” Hornet ordered, her voice firm. Her wounded pride raging.
“Raise. Your. Pin. *Child*.” Hornet said coldly, it was personal now.
Had Lace not been cackling, she would have noticed the atmosphere becoming charged. Hornet was no longer fighting for necessity, she was fighting for pride, and Lace would soon regret that.
“If you insist, little morsel.” Lace croaked, as she wobbly raised her pin, catching her breath as the last of the laughter faded.
Lace straightened and raised her pin at Hornet, sadistic excitement bubbling up inside her.
“Truly, little morsel, even after all this time, you are still so… delicious…” her voice died in her throat as she saw what Hornet was doing.
From her cloak emerged dozens of cogwork bugs with wings that Lace did not recognize.
They hovered around Hornet, buzzing gently. Hornet herself stared at Lace with what Lace could have sworn was malicious excitement, as she prepared more stuff underneath cloak.
From the few glimpses Lace caught, she could see all sorts of nasty, painful looking tools and toys, from electric spears, to sharp sawblades, to even more of those cogwork flies.
Lace’s giggling had grown more nervous, as she realized just how many cogflies were in the air, hovering around Hornet just waiting on her command. She nearly collapsed as they all turned to face her, simultaneously.
In the small moments of stillness before the painful storm began, she looked at Hornet and let out a meek “I’m sorry…”
Hornet was not moved.
The cogflies then swarmed towards Lace with deadly purpose, causing her to yelp as they honed in on her.
“Spider, wait!” She shouted as she tried swatting at them with her pin.
Hornet did not wait, however, instead she started throwing buzzsaws at Lace, her arms flinging them with fierce glee. She truly was the Pale King’s daughter.
Lace yelped as she barely parried a sawblade, only to get bonked on the side by a cogfly.
“Ow!” She cried, that really hurt.
She proceeded to parry a few more sawblades before getting rammed into by three cogflies, her pin flying out of her hand.
She looked around frantically and her pin was nowhere in sight. She was defenseless.
“Spider, wait!” She shouted once more "I- I did not mean what I said! I was merely teasing!” She whined, frantically running around the field, avoiding sharp objects and flies.
Hornet did not care, she was not listening to this, she was *dead set* on turning Lace into several smaller laces.
“Please! I already apologized!” Lace barked, trying to swat away cogflies with her claws. “Ow! Stop it!” She yelped as more flies bonked her.
“It is too late for apologies, child” Hornet said, voice unforgiving “You mocked me, took pleasure in insulting me, and you humiliated me.” She listed, voice oozing pettiness
“These are simply the *consequences* of your actions” she added, an unmistakable hint of pettiness in her voice.
Lace groan in frustration and panic and she ducked under more cogflies. The spider was being difficult.
It was obvious the spider wanted to see her ‘die fighting’, the relentless assault leaving her a cowering fleeing mess. She was fighting for her life.
“Spider, just wait!” She pleaded, gasping for breath from running so much.
“Wait?” Hornet repeats in disbelief “Your pathetic pleading does not move me, child” she said coldly
“What will move me is witnessing you getting buried under my cogflies”
“Now please, fall quickly.”
“Fall Quicky!?!” Lace gasped, appalled at the audacity of the spider.
Hornet, meanwhile, continued her relentless barrage of saws and flies.
Lace only continued to flee in response
“Damn it all!” She cursed “You are supposed to be honorable, spider!”
She grunted as she narrowly dodged a cogfly.
“We were supposed to cross blades! Test each other’s skill!”
“What is this! Stop!” She yelled in equal parts frustration and desperation.
“I am honorable, child.” Hornet says, annoyed “And I would have gladly dueled against you.”
“Yet, your mockery has wounded me.” Hornet said, pettily “And I find that unforgivable.”
“I was merely teasing you, spider!” Lace shouted, ducking to avoid cogflies. “Stop!” She whined.
Hornet did not stop, she continued to barrage her with sawblades, cogflies, and even voltvessels.
Lace, pinless, could not do much against the relentless assault. The voltvessels zapped her, the cogflies rammed her, and the sawblades barely missed her.
She was tired, beaten and surrounded.
She fell onto the ground, exhausted and beat.
“Whaagh!” She yelped “Stop it, you beast!” She shouted in desperation.
Sure, she may have fancied the idea dying, but not like this, this was humiliating. She could die any other way, but not like this!
Hornet saw Lace defeated and saw an opportunity to put this child out of her misery. She leapt into the air as a strings of glowing silk began to swirl around her.
Lace’s eyes widened, she recognized that dreaded thread storm. She had witnessed Hornet using it many times.
Hornet had used it to slice bugs into ribbons!
And now, Hornet was going to slice her into ribbons!
“Oh my silk!” Lace yelped, and, in an act of pure desperation, she lunged.
Past the sawblades.
Past the cogflies.
Past everything.
She ‘lunged’ directly at Hornet.
Hornet was, for the second time since she’s entered this kingdom, blind sighted. She did not expect a move so… foolish.
Hornet tried to react in time, but Lace had already collided with her in midair, interrupting her cast.
Her needle flew out of her claws from impact, the swirling silk that surrounded them no longer swirled around them, instead it swirled inwards, towards them.
And in a blinding white flash of light, the glowing silk wrapped around them and went taut.
Hornet felt herself falling to the ground, before her vision went dark.