A small Author's note to introduce the second act of this story of mine.

I seemed to have gained a few readers for this just as I was about to think that no one was really interested in the idea. I was always a loyal fan to this Pixar film, ever since it came out. I do remember seeing the teaser for it in theaters back in 1998. It's a very vague memory, but I remember. :) So, hello everyone and welcome to an experiment fanfic that is titled Find Your Wings and so far you all have been reading the origin of our two grasshopper brothers. A specific carnivorous hornet happened to have pissed one of them off. Oh my... what can come from this? As far as we know about Hopper as a character is that he's pretty intellectual despite not being physically adequate to defend himself from other more vicious insects.

As for the reason why he may have taken advantage of the ants could be because of some kind of reassurance and power of course. But why? Grasshoppers are prey most of the time, to birds, spiders and so forth. They're not a very threatening species, in a physical sense. They are rarely a problem unless they swarm at you and eat your crops which was what happened to our poor ant colony, quite literally, to begin with. Hopper is obviously a survivor... and he was probably in great need (Ant serve Grasshoppers) for the ant's help at some point. So, he had to earn their services at first.

"If you can't keep your end of the bargain, then I can't guarantee your safety. And there are insects out there that will take advantage of you."

My goodness... In that line alone, we know that the ants have known him for a time and had a pact that could have been made out of trust. That we don't know for sure. So what happened? To me, Hopper came off as unstable as a villain and he was always my favorite. He seemed very paranoid and a recluse, by personality. I can't imagine how life was to him to make him so nasty. We know him as a leader, a motivator, a threat and he has the intellect to be so. He has seen a lot.

But then, I had an idea of what could have been. Other than what the film gave us, what could have saved him, in a sense, from that looming insanity that prompted him to result to kill a Queen Ant? I have a feeling that he wasn't always a tyrant, but a tragic creature who suffered the worst that the world could offer a small grasshopper. That was when the idea of the Hummingbirds came in... who simply helped two grasshoppers as long as they did no harm. Hummers are tiny birds, but vicious sometimes. Grasshoppers make up half their size, if not bigger. So I wondered about it. Instead of being alone and having a gang of idiots serve him, what if he and his brother were given a much bigger chance? Hopper is still very gruff and he is just as mean, if he so chooses, but his heart isn't as stony and black as it was in the film's plot. As you've read, he was truly loved by someone which left a mark on him. That happened to have set up a different path. That terrible negativity that he abused the ants with is now aimed at the hornets, who... in my opinion... have made a deadly mistake.

So I'm going to see where this path leads. :') This idea alone went through changes over a long time. And I finally came on a plot that fits just right! I am very excited to show you all! Please, do enjoy more!

~ The Imaginative Light

Hopper's Narrative
I was curious now as to what was going through their heads at the moment. I scaled this tree for the time being so that they didn't have to look at me. Not only was our stinging friends on my mind, I was deeply panicked. Not for them but Molt was still lost somewhere… Probably hurt. If only these ants would let me to ask them. All I know that he came this direction. It sure took some time. As if I didn't have enough guilt, I could only really hope that he was okay. I tread along this branch as I looked down at the small clearing below me. I was high in the tree, so hopefully they couldn't see me. I felt some pain, but it was hardly an issue compared to my worries. Too much loss for me to deal with. I definitely likened it to one of those deadly stings.

I stayed by a leaf as I watched them gather safely inside their hill, that looked like it was tucked beside the tree itself. I wondered what they were thinking. Above all, they were scared. I didn't blame them for that. Even though this place was hit with the heat pretty badly, I could imagine how beautiful it could get here. This wasn't no bush yet it was beside a river… which kind of reminded me of home with the birds. As fond as those memories were, they hurt more than anything.

Molt's POV
Strong, spirited and nosy (as it was usual), Molt witnessed an awful lot of chaos not that long ago. The tunnels went darker when the main doorway was blocked off. The ants were yelling, running and barking orders to each other, but he actually proved himself of how much help he could offer by running to the education burrow. That was where many little ants were brought to and kept safe during these raids. They were not okay with the fact that a grasshopper just happened to come in. To them, he was big and strong when he shoved a rock in front of the entrance to keep whatever was out there from coming inside. These young all ran to the back of the burrowed tunnel and hugged each other as he backed up, listening to screams above. Horrified when he heard a set of those terribly sharp wings, the same ones he heard when Flitter was attacked, Molt tried to suppress a horrified gasp. The youth behind all began to snivel and shake, rendering him to look at them. Their terror in their eyes instantly tugged at his heart. Slowly, he shushed them to keep them calm.

"It'll be okay, it will…"

"They came back." cried one little girl. "Mommy's up there."

To him, that sounded just like Speckles (one of Flitter's) which brought him to become more determined. What could he say to comfort her? There was one thing he always did to help fledglings. He got low to the ground on one knee and gave them a smile.

"I know ya ain't used to seein' grasshoppers. Huh? Name's Molt."

"That's a funny name." spoke a little boy among the group of child ants.

"Yeah, yeah, because this!" Molt piped up and easily made a piece of his armor flake off. "It happens all the time." he chuckled before this one little girl curled in the corner caught his eye. "… hey. You okay?"

She was a light blue ant and her growing antennae curled slightly. She tried not to sob.

"My mommy and dad are outside…. Mr Molt, are they gonna take them away?"

"Aw, kid…" the poor locust grieved, stuck. "I … "

What could he say to comfort her? Suddenly, there came silence which got them all confused. What surprised Molt though was the fact that one of them hugged around his leg, out of fear. Protective, he lowered over the few as he overheard talking in the tunnels. That one word; grasshopper. That instantly gave him the hope that it was Hopper. It had to be…. When the rock that protected them all inside was moved, Molt helped move it back. A female worker and several other ants came in worrying over their children.

"Mom!" cried that one girl who was embraced in an instant.

"Is everyone all right!?"

"You stayed with them… Thank you so much, Molt." this mother praised.

"We-well, I-I …"

"It was another grasshopper, Molt." Dr Flora broke in, following the others. "You need to come with me. The Queen and the Princess wish to speak to you."

"U-uh, m-me…? Aw, I dunno, Flora, I—"

"This could be your brother," she said, taking his claw. "He saved the Princess. Molt, this is very important."

The entire colony was talking about it even as they were digging once more as another safety precaution was taken. It was sure that the day was done and no one was leaving the tunnels anytime soon. Grasshopper Number Two was what they labeled this newcomer. Molt followed the head nurse to the closed up council tunnel. There he was met with the Queen herself, an exhausted Princess Atta and three others. The last one being one of the kind workers who saved him from the heat, Flik.

"Molt. Welcome, dear." the Queen gave a tired smile. "It's good that you came."

Molt was not used to being looked up to so much. He hadn't met many ants, much less live with them. Everyone looked tired and scared. Atta was suggested to sit this time beside the Queen and the worker ant.

"Thanks, your Highness. I-I … aw gosh, what happened? Did anyone get…?"

"We lost five more and Thorny…" Atta replied. "I don't know how long we can go like this."

"W-we'll think of something, Princess." Flik sadly spoke. "If it wasn't for that grasshopper, I don't know what could have been done."

Molt looked on, worried with an egging question in mind.

"D-did… did this grasshopper… have a scar?" he asked, even though everyone looked at him.

They began to realize.

"That they did, my boy." Mr Soil spoke. "How do you know that?"

"… 'cause, 'cause my brother has-has a scar… over his right eye. He got hurt real bad by one o' them hornets, about a month ago. I think."

"So it is your brother." Dr Flora mused.

"He did have a scarred eye…" Flik added.

"Oh my gosh! He's alive! It's gotta be him! He's the only grasshopper I know who can fight a hornet. I thought I would never see him again!"

"Molt. Your brother just saved our lives." Atta uttered, wide eyed.

"We can't leave yet and risk more of the colony!" Cornelius brought up.

"B-but… but he wouldn't hurt me. I can go out and find him…" Molt spoke up, quite bravely in fact.

"We can't risk your life either, Molt." Atta replied.

"Lemme try, Princess. Please! I-I-I got a good feeling about this. I promise! Hop would never hurt me."

"He was last seen at the bank. Not sure where he flew off to though." Flik stood up. "He didn't seem like a threat to us but he sure was to that hornet."

Hopper's Narrative
I stayed in this tree and I believed that an hour had gone by. There was no sign of another swarm or any ants, for that matter. I paced along one of the branches, thinking of what to say and what else to do. Had no other conclusion then to defend this tree until who knew when. In a way, I had ownership of this place, when it came to winning a fight. It didn't just work in hummer society, but if an insect won any fight, they got right to the prize the loser wanted. In this case, it was this tree in particular. By the looks of things, these ants were the hornets free pickings. I wish I could have gotten to the others but I knew better than to follow them. It wasn't as though I had a stinger of my own. Not the kind that killed anyway. As it did work with the spider, I could do the same deal again with these ants. So if that damn Blade thought this colony was free for him to pick off of then maybe I could make a couple changes around here. This place was mine now and there were plenty more wins left in me. All this needed was a little bit of patience.

Although when I explored this tree's hollow, I happened to look down to see another grasshopper. That wasn't just any grasshopper. I paused, completely and utterly stupefied. As if nature wasn't any less damaging, there he was … as clear as day. An entire load of worry was suddenly flung off of my wings. The fact that he survived as well made a bit of pride rise up inside me. Like I had mentioned before, he wasn't dumb. Sensitive was the right word to suit him. Along with that joy, there soon came shock and some anger for that despicable little nymph I was always stuck with. I had told him to stay with Emerald. How in the hell did he end up all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?

Minding the single sentry nearby, I had no care and began to fly down to where Molt was hovering to. He seemed to be endlessly looking around, through the grass and into the sky, which granted me the chance to sneak up on him. Once I landed atop a towering stone, Molt gasped and turned to me.

"Hop? Hop!" he cried as his eyes watered. "It's you! It's really you!"

I was very glad to see him too, but I just couldn't believe it. After all I did to keep my promise to him, he went and pulled off this shenanigans, without me knowing? My expression to him was a mix of anger and worry. I hopped down from the stone in a quick motion and he backed away, yet he didn't fly off.

"What are you doing out here, Molt?" I threw the question that had been bugging me since the first moment I saw him.

"Hoppy, Hop, it was an accident! I didn't mean it!"

"What are you doing out here!? First I thought you were some widow's lunch! Or some large bird's! Then a hornet's trophy! What did I say very clearly that morning!?" I rose my voice, quite roughly.

"Hopper… I…" Molt's words stuck. "I-I'm sorry… It was m-my fault, it was… I thought I smelled you nearby… and… I lost them."

I realized that my anger got too far ahead of me and I had to step back. Molt was hurt enough as it was. Just the fact that he was actually alive and breathing in front of my eyes was wonderful. I had to keep my distance. The fact that he cared…. My regret was already a torture. If he died… who knew what would go through my mind if that happened. Molt saw how worried I looked. Even he looked shocked at that. There was a river of emotions going through my mind that I wasn't paying attention. I gripped one of his arms, bringing him close. I never hugged and I never liked it but I called this one an exception. I couldn't count another horrible loss.

"Don't you ever do that to me again. You idiot."

Molt was ultimately surprised by this, but he let it happen. Having been scared too, he didn't question it. He laughed a little bit at the rather compassionate insult.

"Hopper, I'm really sorry. I-I thought I was done for…. But these ants, they helped me, Hop. They saved me."

"They saved you." I acknowledged, finally letting him go. There had to be a catch. I did not trust easily.

" … why?" I asked, eying him, feeling suspicious.

"I-I dunno, they just came. I passed out from the-the heat and they just helped me. Hopper, they're my friends! You can trust 'em…"

Little did I know that there was a little ant spy listening in on every single word we were saying. Still eying Molt, my antenna flicked as I sensed the eavesdropper before glancing to this one spot behind a blade of grass. It was that same worker who I saved along with the princess.

"Can I?" I simply replied before fully looking at the skittish worker. "You. Come here."

This worker named Flik timidly emerged, but showed a great deal of respect. Molt looked on confused before he felt the need to speak again.

"Th-this is Flik. He was one of the ones who helped me." Molt spoke.

"Also, this is the shivering worker who watched me crack a punch at a hornet." I added.

Flik chuckled at that. "About that…"

"That's okay. I'll just attribute that to this swarm problem." I said with a solemn glance to the hot sky.

That was the ultimate truth. There was no one else to blame but them. The important thing was that I had to earn this colony's trust somehow and this could be my way in. Flik stood tall, looking like he was gaining some confidence around me.

"You can take it easy, kid." I told him. "I have a feeling the rest of you are just as hopeless…"

"We don't mean to offend you. Really, really, we don't." Flik explained.

I gave a sigh before I took a couple steps closer to him. "You helped my brother, when he needed help. I know, for certain, that Molt can't lie to save his life."

Molt bit his lip, in silent agreement to that statement.

"Like I have said before… you have nothing to worry about, what's your name? Flik?"

"Yes, sir."

"So tell me why you did it." I then ordered. "We're just not used to sudden charity."

"He… he could have been a victim to those hornets, like the rest of us. A-and now, you tell me why you saved our Princess…." this ant grew bolder.

I rose my brow at him, quite impressed. Maybe he wasn't so hopeless.

"Touche. Seems fair enough. In all honesty, I had no idea she was your princess. But… I do feel that this needs to be a private conversation."

"Princess Atta! She-she's okay, right?" Molt asked, deeply worried.

"She's fine." Flik replied before looking back up to me. "Of course, she wouldn't be if it wasn't for you." he spoke with his eyes softening.

When I felt that Molt was about to speak, I gently waved him off, since the ant wasn't finished.

"… n-no one would do something like that for us ants. It's just… shocking."

"You're shocked?" I chuckled. "… I've spent weeks thinking he was gone." I said, letting some of that regret show. "… you have no idea what you all did for me."

"Who are you?" Flik asked.

"I'm Hopper."