Author's Note: Hehe, I'm back. I'll update over here until it reached chapter 22 since that's where the latest chapter is at on AO3. Maybe once a week?

Enjoy!

After the king is well tired from adjusting the plan because the mysterious voice told him to (more like mocking him but whatever), he'll need to consult Lurien the watcher with the change of plan. He is the one to oversee the new construction of the city building and architects after all. However, the real reason for going there is the infection problem. It just... cannot disappear! That's just... worrying.

He'll have to see it with his own eyes.

A day worth of time has been used to appease their sister, Hornet. Time has become meaningless as the three children do what children do... drawing! Pure had a hard time expressing any kind of emotions in fear of the king, so he didn't join in the activity. Though he helps Hornet by adding glitters and cute little buttons to her drawing.

Ghost, however, is a rebel. They do not care about the consequences. Nothing will stand in their way from the goal. Be it a bug, infected bug, important figure, troupe leader, or even GODs. They ain't stopping.

And no king will stop them from making ART! Nailmaster Sheo would be proud.

At the end of the day, the king was given a drawing from Hornet since he wasn't a stick-in-the-mud this time. A pure beam of sunshine radiates from her as the king hesitantly grabs the paper as he looks for anything out of place.

He has the right to be paranoid. This is a mischievous child raised by Herrah of all bugs.

Turns out he was worried for nothing. It was just a drawing, but it's a drawing of him and all the other three queens surrounding the small Hornet. She seems to be holding up a cool-looking needle. Too big for her size, but that doesn't matter much for the scribbled Hornet. They look so happy in the drawing and glitters everywhere thanks to Pure.

"I... it's very lovely, thank you." He picked Hornet up in his arms as she nodded her head happily. Her father accepted her gift!

The two vessels stood by each other and Ghost... they have a second thought about giving the drawing to their... father. Pure turned to look at his sibling with a tilt of his head, questioning in the hollow eyes.

Are you not... going to give... drawing to dad? It was a surprise to Ghost that their sibling could communicate with them now. They thought that it would take some time for Pure to voice out their thoughts...

Quickly getting over the surprise, Ghost shakes their head and hides the drawing under their cloak for safekeeping. The void is a mysterious thing.

No.

The telepathic message got through. One simple word, but it's enough to stop Pure from asking more.

It's okay if they can't give this drawing to their parents. It's not a big deal.

The Radiance patted the vessel back to comfort the little being. She could sense the discomfort from within their minds and it's enough to get her out even with... the other vessel next to them.

"It's alright, little one," She said to the child. 'One day the king would appreciate the drawing too just like with Hornet', she wanted to say that. She really does, but now just isn't the right time. If he thought that they were not pure... then into the Abyss they go and she wasn't sure if she could survive under that darkness.

The thought gives her the creeps.

Soon, the king returned Hornet back to Herrah, and the two bid each other goodbye. She also got the same drawing that the king got too and she's very proud of her daughter. Maybe with the new 'brothers' in the palace, bringing Hornet here wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all.

"See you soon, Pale King." The queen of Deepnest said before turning around and out of the palace with a slam of the door. This time a little less loud from when she first came.

A few days after the queen's visit, our little vessels got a hang of the weapons and are now allowed to bring the metal nail with them. The radiance is still sour that the knight didn't pick the orange one, but I mean who could blame them? It looks like an orange pudding.

Droplets of rain fell on top of the vessel's mask as they walked behind the king on his royal merry way to meet the watcher.

Ghost thought that it was unfair that the king had servants holding out an umbrella for him while his two 'hollow' children walked in the rain. What would the bugs think?

Don't worry, brother. It's alright.

Oh yes. During the free time they have together in their room, they practice their telepathic communication to strengthen their bond and mind. Luckily, the Radiance part of Ghost's mind was mentally blocked by a wall of dreams created by the moth god herself.

Pure had no idea that Ghost was sharing a mind with their father's supposed enemy and nothing is going to change that anytime soon.

I guess so.

The puddle splashed from under their tiny feet as the water kept pouring down from above. The city in its prime time looks as breathtaking as the one from the future, but there's a rush of excitement as they look around themselves.

Bugs walking, talking with their friends. Conversing with one another in front of a restaurant. Some are buying from the market stalls set around the city of tears, haggling to get the price as low as they can go, and just being alive ! It's just... wonderful.

"This is... so lively" The moth mumbled in her mind as she too, looked around and drank in the atmosphere of the city. The water fell right through her as if she didn't exist, but she could faintly feel the coolness of the water on her golden feathers.

The king didn't even look behind to see if the vessels were there behind him. They're supposed to follow commands to every single letter. Only that he didn't take into account for the vessel we came to know as "the knight"

Pure tries to call his brother back, but it proves to be fruitless as Ghost is... well... Ghost.

I'll meet you guys later! Don't worry, Pure.

Are you crazy, brother? The- the KING-

The vessel went off with a wave as they left Pure to deal with the king. For a vessel who's supposed to be emotionless, he's darn good at making an unimpressed look at his wild brother that went off to go...somewhere.

You better came back before the king noticed!

Then the communication between them got cut off as Ghost went further away. Huh, so there is a distance limit.

Good to know.

The vessel wearing a nice pure white cloak walked along the stone path with an invisible moth above their head. The city bugs didn't bat the child at any glance as they're busy with their city things. Only some noticed and they made way for the prince.

The pearly white cloak is a status to only the royal family and you better not make them mad. They could up the taxes if they wanted to!

"Wait, stop. I sense something familiar nearby," She said to the vessel as they slowed down on their walk.

Where? What?

Ghost stopped their walking and turned around in a circle. They're in front of a cafe with tables outside. Bugs sitting and chilling under the patio table with an umbrella on it? Wow, this is very ahead of their times.

Though at one particular table, there's a lone bug reading a newspaper blocking his face. In his hand, there's a cup of warm cocoa. The bug took a sip of the drink with a content sigh before lowering it down on the table along with the newspaper...

"Oh for godsake-"

Is that Grimm!?

The vessel quickly made a bee-line towards the bug and pulled on his dark cloak with a tug. Radiance tried to stop the knight, but it's oh so too late.

"Hmm? Who dares disturb my- oh, it's you?" He turns to look at the one tugging to get his attention. With a confused expression, he plops the knight on the opposite chair from him with the extra chair free on the right.

"My my. What do we have here." He folded his newspaper down and looked at the vessel with all of his attention.

"I never thought to see you here again, little friend. I can sense the old flames within you..." Grimm hummed as the vessel shuffled in their seat. The Radiance came out to sit on the extra seat and his head instantly snaps to where she is.

"Sister!? What are you doing here?" He almost lurched back from his seats while the knight and the moth turned to look at each other.

"You can see me? Wait, of course you can. Though you look different", She said with a taunt while Grimm rolled his eyes. Ah, siblings.

"Unlike you, I have the means to walk among the mortals," The troupe master gestured to himself before turning to look at the small knight, ignoring the puffing glowing moth.

The knight pointed at Grimm before making some weird gestures that don't make sense to normal bugs, but for Grimm? Oh yes, he understands.

"Why am I here? Interesting question, my friend. Curiously, the sand of time burns and is born anew. I lurched back to this point in time from the call of the flames," He sips the warm cocoa again as the knight nods their head.

"What does that mean?" The moth goddess squints at her nightmare counterpart as he lazily turns to look at her transparent form.

"The same as the two of you, from the looks of it."