Location: City of Tears

Hornet was walking through the devastated areas of the City of Tears. The clinics were having a hard time keeping up with the patients from the giant's collateral damage. Whole city blocks were in ruin, mender bugs were working day and night to clear the rubble. It would not be uncommon for the menderbugs to find deceased among the wreckage, this cracked the usual joyfulness that mender bugs tended to display.

When news of the giant reached Deepnest, Herra burst into laughter at first. After all, how could a self proclaimed deity just let his largest city get wrecked by a single foe. Herra stopped laughing after hearing the description of the things rampage. Herra was many things, but she did not find joy in the suffering of those who didn't do anything to earn it, and the description of the giant and it's feats was cause for worry.

For as much as Herra believed the bugs of Hallownest to be soft, something that can cleave through whole groups of fully armed soldiers in a single swipe left much to worry about.

The Mantis Tribe had a…. slightly different reaction, they expressed interest in facing the thing in 'honourable' combat. They actually wanted to see if they could invite the giant over for a duel. Three of the four Mantis Lords shared this sentiment, with only one of them thinking that fighting something that wrecked a city by itself shouldn't be trifled with.

From what Hornet understood, the vast majority of the mantises thought that the description of the giant was over exaggerated. That its supposed invincibility was either just the tale getting more extravagant with every retelling, or the Hallownest sentries mistaking their lack of skill for their enemy being invincible.

When the White Lady got the news, she was devastated at the suffering and death the giant caused. She had servants loyal to her shipping medicinal herbs to the local clinics via the stagways. Of course, this was by no means reconciling with the Pale King, it was merely out of sympathy for the suffering.

The White Lady never did get over what the Pale King did to the vessels. Not only did they put sentient beings through much suffering, she also divulged to Hornet that she felt robbed out of the opportunity to raise children of her own, something that she always wanted. Unfortunately the Shade Lord wouldn't let any of the shades or vessels visit, as she was still complicit in the Pale King's crimes as far as he was concerned.

Hornet would visit the Abyss from time to time, Hollow and Ghost were always happy to see them. The Shade Lord himself was…. tolerant of her presence, seeming rather indifferent, though she got the impression that he preferred it when she wasn't there.

As for the hive, if Hornet recalled correctly, they simply were put on a higher level of alert. Nothing that wasn't normal for the hive to do when it felt threatened.

Hornet was enjoying the feeling of the rain falling on her mask. It was easy to space out in the never ending sounds of rain droplets hitting the ground. However she was here for a few reasons beyond enjoying the rain.

First she wanted to see the damage the giant had left in its wake, as well to visit the Abyss. Both to check up upon her half siblings, and to see if they knew anything about this giant. It would be nice to catch up with Hollow and Ghost, the others seemed to at least regard her somewhat positively. However, Hollow and Ghost seemed to actually genuinely show her affection, while they couldn't communicate they had developed sign language to speak.

Hornet was approaching King's Station, the general chaos of her surroundings appeared to keep attention off of her. She didn't care all that much, but it was nice to not have people gawking at the Princess of Deepnest just casually taking a stroll through the city.

Luckily the station wasn't closed down due to the giant, so Hornet was able to call for a stag. The stag beetle seemed a bit surprised as to the identity of its passenger.

"Princess Hornet, it is an honor" The stag said in a gruff voice.

Hornet leaned close to the stags ear, and whispered "Take me to Hidden Station"

The stag nodded in acknowledgement, and with that Hornet got on its back, and went off towards Hidden Station.

When the stag reached its destination, Hornet thanked it, and quickly began running across the palace grounds. Her swift feet carried her like the wind, and it wasn't long before she was at the hole that led to the Abyss. She jumped down, and landed gratefully on her feet. Hornet ran towards the Abyss door, and strained herself pulling the door open.

Once the crack in the door was large enough, she slipped in.

"Hollow! Ghost!" Hornet yelled out.

Ghost didn't take long to appear, jumping on the ledge, and giving her a running hug.

Hornet returned the hug, and pated Ghost on the shell.

"Where's Hollow" Asked Hornet.

Ghost simply pointed towards a pile of shade and vessels she didn't notice coming in. Looking closer, she could see Hollow at the bottom.

"Lord left Hollow in charge. Sibling's had to find a new place to nap" Ghost signed.

Hornet chuckled, it was pretty cute, even she had to admit that.

"I came down here wondering if you heard anything about a large red eyed metal figur-"

"You mean big sibling!"

"Excuse me, WHAT!" The yell echoed throughout the Abyss, awakening many of the shades and vessels who had been napping.

"Very confused though, took other sibling, threw explosives in Lord's face, ran away" Ghost signed.

Hornet didn't know how to process this new information. According to Ghost, she was related to that metal giant that wrecked the City of Tears, and now apparently throwing explosive in the Shade Lord's face. Hornet needed to lie down.