CHAPTER XVI: TOGETHER, WE'RE AMAZING

I was running – running through the grass stalks back in the direction of the colony. After mulling the situation over a bit last night, I decided that I had to go back and help them. They were family, after all, and my guilt had been growing ever since for the past few days.

Family are friends... but friends are also family.

I knew I would have to return – at least briefly – to the circus bugs and sort out the problems later, but I decided the first problem to fix was the hornets. I knew that the circus bugs were a part of me now, and I couldn't leave them behind.

I didn't know how I would defeat the hornets. There was the rock trap, but I couldn't do that on my own – I'd need at least half a dozen insects to do it with. Maybe I could find some beetles to help, but it'd be difficult with hornets everywhere.

And, saying we did get rid of the hornets, and I explained the whole story to my fellow beetles, would they forgive me for deserting them? If they didn't... the thought made me shudder. I'd try to avoid the explanation until the hornets were defeated... if they were defeated.

I was almost at the beetle colony – a few more minutes and I would be there. I'd have to be careful when I got there, for I was sure that hornets were on the prowl everywhere, and, unfortunately, we hadn't a chance without superior numbers. That was what the rock trap was for – to cut their number enough to fend off what remained.

Then, without warning, as I was so focused on getting closer to the colony, I ran into someone very solid.

I rebounded off the figure, landing about a centimetre away. Getting up, I turned to face the person.

'Sorry about that,' said both the person and I. 'I was –'

We both froze. Could this be? But it was. It was Rosie.

No, wait a moment! It wasn't Rosie! It was Cora! I couldn't believe it! I made the same mistake – twice! And what's worse – it was with the beetle I had known my whole life. Rosie must really be in me – if you know what I mean – for me to make this mistake with Cora, and not with Rosie.

'Dim?' uttered Cora; as though she didn't believe her eyes were correct. 'Is that you?'

I nodded up and down once, a slow, metallic-like nod. Her facial surprise matched my own shock too. How... was I going to escape from this? How would she react to the fact that I had deserted them all previously?

'You escaped from the hornet's nest!' she cheered, hugging me again. I realized, in an instant, that the rest of the colony didn't know I had deserted them... yet. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to tell them.

How'd you do it?' she asked. This made me freeze – what was I supposed to say?

'Well –' I began.

'Never mind,' she interrupted. 'Tell me later. We gotta get to the rock-trap!'

'Yeah...' I agreed. Maybe – just maybe – this would work, and we could do everything without getting caught and – more importantly – without anyone finding out about me having deserted them earlier.

Cora and I were sheltering within some bushes near the main colony clearing, right next to the swamp. We were only a few inches from the entrance to the virtually-hidden rock-trap, and yet we were as far away as possible from actually getting inside. There were only a couple of hornets nearby (a dozen at most), and yet that was still too many. It suddenly dawned on me that, despite the many encounters, I had never actually fought a hornet, while the circus bugs had...

Why, though? Why couldn't I get Rosie out of my head? Maybe it was because I kept looking at Cora... No, even when I looked away, she kept popping into my brain. But why?

'Got any ideas?' whispered Cora to me. While her dialogue brought me back to my senses, it didn't let loose any brainwaves in my head.

'No,' I whispered. 'Wait until the coast is clear...'

Cora sighed, and looked behind us. She then turned back around to face me very slowly.

'Dim...' she half-uttered, half-mouthed. She looked very white and shocked.

Already having a vague idea of what was behind us, I slowly turned around. There stood four hornets, fully clad in battle armor. At the front was the Chief Hornet. So she had escaped...

We both turned to face them. They didn't move – we didn't move. We were both waiting for the other to make the first move. We all knew that, for the first attack, it was usually better to let your opponent try to tackle you then for you to try to tackle them. However, none of the hornets moved. They were far too clever for that. Hand-to-hand combat was the way of a drone hornet's life – they fought each other, they attacked other insects, and they even killed us coleopterans.

I chuckled, albeit nervously.

Maula was lounging around in the former room of the King and Queen, inside the colony tunnels. She was sitting on the King himself, resting her legs on the Queen's back, much like you might rest your legs on a coffee table. Sipping a bead of water, she thought about Dim...

She knew his weakness – he couldn't leave his family behind. He was bound to come back sooner or later, which is why she thought it was a waste of time looking for him. Amber had only stumbled upon him by accident – Maula had just sent her back to the hornet's nest with the order of calling more squadrons over here, in case rebellion loomed in the puny coleopterans. Despite failing to retrieve Dim, Maula had congratulated Amber on her mission, and had even offered her a break from her countless assignments. However, she had refused – Amber was that loyal to her. If she was a royal, Amber would have been next in line for the throne. As it stands, Palpatine could stand in until they got someone real to do the job.

Maula looked over at Palpatine, who was sitting on the ground an inch away. He had been sitting there for all the time he had been in here. He was a coward, Maula knew that much – and yet, she wondered why he wasn't very enthusiastic about taking over this beetle colony. He had been completely supportive when they had been discussing it, but he had rarely said a word when she had actually commenced the invasion. It was as though he hadn't really realized what this invasion would contain, despite her explaining, time and time again, that it was merely proving species superiority, but if they didn't do it like this, the beetles would just ignore it.

'Want a beetle to sit on?' she asked him in a kind way, as though she actually cared about him at all.

Palpatine shook his head, as though he hadn't even heard her offer.

The four hornets dragged Cora and I inside the room that had previously been the property of the King and Queen. Pulling me through the door – in the process, scraping me against the earth-lined edges (the main wall being made of solid bedrock) – they brought me inside, Cora right behind me. We were truly stuck now.

I saw Maula sitting on the King, with her feet resting on the Queen. Palpatine was sitting on the ground an inch away, as though he had been told to stand in the corner because he had been naughty at school. This... was it.

Looking up, Maula noticed that I was here. Her bemused expression was immediately replaced with one of giddy happiness, as though she was a small child promised a large bag of sweets. Lifting her legs off the Queen, and standing up from the King's semi-crushed shell plates, she walked around them to me. The hornets let go of us and stepped back, still close enough to prevent any method of escape.

It was only as Maula approached that I noticed her entire body was draped in exactly the same black-and-red color scheme I had seen in that nightmare only three days ago. But now it was much worse, as it was actually real. I couldn't help but feel complete, total fear. She was even worse than a Nazi...

She didn't say anything at first – she just continued to stare at me – you'd almost think she couldn't believe what her four eyes were telling her. The pupil of one of them rolled itself and the other followed suit, almost like a chain of falling dominoes. Eventually, she moved.

She let out an evil laugh of victory, instantly reminding me that she was the most evil insect to ever grace the surface of our galaxy. I was doomed...

'So...' I said, trying to look brave, but the effect was ruined; I was shaking all over.

'Gotcha,' she smirked. I didn't know what she had in store for me, but something told me that it wasn't death... yet. Then again, there are plenty of worse ways of destroying an insect...

'Do your worst,' I said to her, in the same state of half-brave, half-fear. She let out another laugh of evil, and started pacing around me. It was then that she noticed Cora.

'Who's this?'

'We found them together,' stated the Chief Hornet. She still said it as though she was robotic, as though the hornet's code forbid showing any signs of a personality to the enemy. But she must have a personality to speak...

'Well done, Amber,' said Maula, looking very proud of her. So the Chief Hornet's name was Amber...

Maula turned to look at Cora, who shrank back, Maula appeared to be contemplating for a few seconds. Eventually, I decided to break the silence.

'Go home,' I ordered, still shaking with fear, but I was getting better at hiding it – she didn't seem to notice.

'Why?' said Maula pacing back and forth between Cora and I. 'I'd hate to be responsible for deserting a fellow insect... wouldn't you agree?'

I suddenly realized what Maula was trying to do. But I wouldn't let her succeed at it.

'That's not gonna work Maula,' I said, almost yelling at her. 'I've put it behind me.' That was a total lie, of course, but I prayed Maula would fall for it.

'But what about your girlfriend here,' said Maula, coming up to Cora and giving her an evil grin, 'has SHE put it behind?'

Cora looked completely confused. 'Dim, what's she talking about?'

'Ah,' smiled Maula coming back to me, 'so you haven't told her...

Well, now's your chance to tell her,' she said, walking back to Cora again. As she finished, she walked aside.

'Tell her who is responsible for you never coming to us.'

At these words, Cora stared at me, as though she had only just realized there was a gap in her version of the events.

Looking at Cora, it was almost as though all the hornets watching weren't there anymore. Nothing else mattered right now – we were the only ones here, in a way.

Somehow, I couldn't lie to Cora. I took a deep breath and walked forward a few paces.

'Me,' I said shortly.

Cora eyes stretched really wide. She walked forward until we were looking right at each other.

'No...' she mouthed slowly, as though denying it would make it untrue. 'Tell me it's not true...'

Not willing to see her facial reaction, I looked down. Yet again, I couldn't lie to her.

'It's true...'

'You see!' yelled Maula, instantly bringing my attention back to her. Maula looked at Cora while gesturing to me.

'He never cared about any of you. He only cared about HIMSELF.'

Cora turned back to me. Her face was not one of pity and shock; it was of shock and distaste.

'I despise you,' spar Cora, turning away from me. I shook again, not from fear, but from despising myself. Maula was right – I had deserted them. Not on purpose, but I had deserted them nonetheless.

'Take them away – solitary confinement,' said Maula. The hornets came forward, re-grabbed us, and marched us out of the room. As they took us through the tunnels, Cora glared at me. I sobbed small, quiet tears.

Cora and I were locked in a small underground room, with the entrance sealed by a boulder that, despite fruitless efforts, had refused to budge. She was isolating herself from me by sulking in a corner of the room. When I hadn't been looking, I was pretty sure I had heard the occasional sound of a tear or two from her direction.

That was weird... I thought I'd heard some weird noise. I looked around, but there was nothing except the figure of Cora over in the corner.

There it was again – I know where it'd come from this time: it was from the rock-wall, just an inch away. Jogging over to it, I listened closely. It sounded as though someone was trying to break the wall from the other side – but that couldn't be. These tunnels went almost as deep as an anthill, so we were at least a few feet underground.

But, then again, I didn't know which room I was in – it was small, with nothing really in it, only a radius of 3 inches at most – so it could be near the surface, but even if it was, how would anyone break through the solid rock?

My thoughts were interrupted as a portion of the wall suddenly collapsed. Jumping backwards as a cloud of dust expanded upon me, Cora also diverted her attention from solid rock and looked at the dust.

Back-stepping to avoid getting dust in my eyes, I watched as it slowly vanished. Ordinarily, I would have been astonished to realize that the tunnels extended halfway around the swamp, as we could see the hornet's nest in the distance. But I barely noticed, as my attention was diverted to the figures just outside the hole.

There stood the circus bugs; Heimlich, Slim, Francis and Manny – but in particular, Rosie.

My mouth dropped open slightly. How could this be? How could they be here? And why?

'Dim!' exclaimed Rosie. 'We found you!'

'Wuw!' gasped Heimlich, looking over at Cora, who was watching from a distance with a look that suggested she didn't care, but I knew otherwise. 'U turned urself ento a beetl, Rosie!'

Rosie snapped, getting a look of slight annoyance. She tapped Heimlich on the shoulder, catching his line of sight. He looked down, slightly ashamed of himself.

'Surry,' he mumbled, 'but u luk like –'

'Each other,' said Rosie and Cora, at exactly the same time. Both looked very surprised to see the other even exist, let alone speak with exactly the same voice. They stared at each other, as though not really believing it.

'How'd you find me?' I asked, bringing attention back to myself. Rosie looked a bit squeamish at those words.

'Um...' she began, 'I heard you talking last night outside the tent...' My eyes widened at shock at these words. How much had Rosie heard?

'The tent –' interrupted Cora, completely confused.

'I-It-It's a long story,' I said hurriedly.

'We're here to help,' stated Francis, punching the fist of his right hand into the palm of his left.

'The rock-trap can't work,' I mumbled, looking down. I could tell all the circus bugs were watching, but it was questionable if Cora was. I let of a sigh of depression.

'I can't do anything right,' I said, more to myself then to the others, but they responded.

'De fire,' said Heimlich. This brought murmurs of assent from the others.

'Yes m'boy,' said Manny in his posh accent, 'thanks to you, we can continue living our lives!'

'And thanks to you, Francis finally lost to a GIRL,' said Slim. Francis nudged him, but then turned his attention back to me.

'Commander Francis, at your service,' stated Francis, sounding more like an army general then anything.

'We believe en u, u have tu too,' said Heimlich.

Rosie now stepped forwards, almost blocking everyone else out, even Cora.

Rosie held out a hand and smiled, obviously wanting me to take it to show that I was ready.

I stared at the group of them all for a few seconds, before I turned away. I couldn't do it... I wasn't going to face failure again, like I had my whole life.

The seconds passed, where I just contemplated what to do. The circus bugs would get in huge trouble if any hornet saw. I should probably tell them to get out of here quickly, for their own safety...

I turned around... and saw that Rosie was webbing up a small pebble with her spider web. Tightening it, she held it out on the palm of her hand, so that I could see it. I looked at it, vaguely wondering what she was doing.

'If you're dim today,' said Rosie, looking at me with a determined expression, 'what are you tomorrow?'

Looking at the web-bound pebble Rosie was holding, it dawned on me what she was doing. Despite the fact that it was almost night time, I could have sworn that sunlight, of a sort, was shining in on us. I looked up to Rosie and broke into a smile.

'Thanks... best friend.'

Rosie's smile stretched ever wider again. Dropping the pebble, she held out her hand again. I lifted one of my feet, and shook it (in a way) with her hand.

Letting go of Rosie, I looked up to the others.

'All right,' I said, putting out one foot, 'who's with me?'

Almost instantly, Rosie put her hand in on top of my foot, grinning to me. Francis chuckled, before hovering just above the ground, and putting in one of his hands.

At almost exactly the same time, Heimlich and Slim also put in a hand each. Manny also added in a hand of his.

Then, as one, we raised our hands, letting out a cheer. I chanced half a glance at Cora, but she had re-retorted to sulking in the corner again.

'Yeah,' glowered Francis, his face full of determination that nothing could shatter.

'I've got a bone to pick with your hornet friend,' he said, still hovering above the ground.

Approximate Chapter Running Time: 01:05-01:12