A/N: I RIIIIISE. You know considering how late i update this, I sometimes feel like I'm competing with Silksong. Lmao. Also presenting the plot point that I really wanted to get through but then things happened. Enjoy ya'll!
"Greetings My Lady, I am Siesta and I am here to assist the Humans of Tristain with the clean up of Tarbes." The Insect Guard gave a bow towards the Noble that she was sure was one of the more important ones and as such was also one that she needed to approach... probably.
She raised her head after a few moments, she noticed the slight annoyed frown in her pink eyes as she did so, and tried not to stare back awkwardly at the Pink Haired Noble. Her gaze shifted down to the surprising sight of the Vessels at her feet, both of them mimicking the Noble's pose, both of their stubby hands at their 'hips'.
"Do I…" She started, those eyes narrowing as she leaned forward slightly "Do I know you?"
Siesta was surprised at the words said to her, the Insect's eyes tried to glance away but decided that doing that would insult her and answered "Umm, I don't think so. I believe this is the first time we've met."
The Insect herself was confused at such a question. As far as she was aware no Noble really moved to travel towards Tarbes, especially not with how close they were to Hallow Nest. Nobles tended to avoid Insects in general, and vice versa. Not counting outliers like her Uncle that was brave enough to try and run an inn, of all things, directly in Tristain.
"No," the statement from the Noble shook her for a bit, and the Insect couldn't help but gulp just a bit nervously. Even more so as she crossed her arms, an action that the two Vessels copied "Somehow I can't help but feel like I've seen your…" she paused, and her face relaxed only for her to raise an eyebrow "Face?" She said, seemingly asking if that was the right word to choose.
Siesta didn't really want to confirm or deny.
The Noble shrugged "Seriously, are you sure we haven't met? You look really familiar."
'Oh no, was this it?' Siesta heard of some of the Insects that went out of Hallow Nest and returned, complaining about how the Humans weren't exactly complete allies with them. The Nobles most of all.
Some of her relatives in Albion, she prayed to the Wyrm that they were still safe.
She shrunk back as she seem to stare at her even harder "I-I am fairly c-certain." She stammered, gripping her Nail just a little bit tighter, hoping that it didn't come out as a sign of aggression. Why did she have to approach the ONE Noble that apparently recognized her from… wherever she had apparently seen her. "I haven't really left Tarbes or Hallow Nest," She tried to explain "So I doubt we've met, My Lady unless you've been here before."
Her worry spiked a bit when the Noble placed a hand on her forehead and her frown deepened "Not at Tarbes no". She shook her head, and mumbled out "It was at Dirtmouth wasn't it?"
That caused Siesta to jump a bit. Moreso in surprise at a Human, a Noble no less had actually went to Dirtmouth, and managed to remember the place. As far she remembered, the only times that a Human had gone there was the Tristain Palace Messenger a while back.
Was she part of the convoy before? She certainly didn't look like any of the male humans that were with her.
But before Siesta could ask, the Noble spoke up.
"No, what am I saying," She shook her head and lowered her hand "I've never been there," her eyes met with hers once more "I apologise, I must've been mistaken then."
Siesta shivered on the spot, but shakily she nodded "I-I see My Lady, it is all fine." She stammered out as she allowed herself to relax her grip on her weapon.
There was a pause between the two, the Noble was still looking right at her with a confused look on her face, while Siesta didn't really know what else to do.
"U-Umm…" The Insect mumbled out as she tried to figure out what else to say. Her gaze then fell onto the two Vessels at her side and tried to reach for that "I-I see that you have adopted some Vessels, my Lady." Truthfully she never really understood or really cared much for the Vessels, not that she hated them, but seeing quiet and mostly silent children was rather eerie for the Insect.
She never understood how her grandmother managed to date one in her youth, and it was something that she thought about occasionally.
The Noble raised an eyebrow and glanced at the two at her side before her gaze turned back towards the Insect "Yeah? What about it?"
Siesta tried to stop her gaze from shifting away "It-It is simply rare for humans to also adopt Vessels," She stumbled out her words "N-Not that it is a bad thing of course!"
"They're my Familiars," The Noble stated "I didn't choose to adopt them, they were chosen for me when I summoned them."
"Oh." Siesta was surprised at the information, briefly she wondered if there was a chance for her to be summoned by a mage to also be a Familiar as well.
It was a rather… scandalous thought.
Of course that thought was cut short when a Captain came up to her. She was quick to salute and was about to say that she was performing her duties.
Only to shrink back at the bark telling her that she had, somehow, found the wrong Human for the purpose of the village clean up.
[Scene]
Louise could not help but watch in bemusement at the sight of the Insect being led away by their superior. At least she figured that they were the superior, especially after they made the one that had been talking to her apologise profusely over her mistake.
Even as she was leaving, Louise could not help but watch the figure of the Insect with a confused look on her face.
She tapped her crossed arms with her fingers "I swear; she looks extremely familiar. In fact, I feel like I should know her." She spoke up to no one in particular.
The name 'Siesta' wasn't ringing any bells, but the shape of the Insect seemed like it should have caused her to recall memories of a dusty town, a fungal forest, and, most concerning of all, a bedroom lit up with a faint source of light.
But no matter how much she wracked her head, no clear memory came to her.
Instead she turned her head to face Bug.
The Void Vessel itself was staring quite intently, or emptily she could never figure out unless she asked, at the retreating figure of the Insect. The moment she stared at it, the Void Vessel seemed to notice and turned towards her.
"Hey Bug," She called out to it "Do you recognize that Insect?" She gestured at the general direction of the Insect "Because some part of me swears that she's someone that I should recognize, but I know for certain that I've never met an Insect long enough to 'know them' before all of this." She clicked her tongue "I'm just scared that this is going to be another situation where your memory is mixing with mine again."
She shuddered as she remembered the time when, out of nowhere, she recalled herself trudging through a sewer covered in maggots and seeing a massive one hanging from the ceiling. She was lucky that throwing up was almost impossible for her, because she would've lost whatever was in her stomach when that particular memory of her Familiar suddenly shoved itself in her head.
The Void Vessel looked at her for a moment longer, before it shook its head.
NO
It turned to look at the Insect again.
A FAMILIAR FIGURE, BUT A DIFFERENT NAME.
"Oh?" Louise couldn't help but feel curious "So you do recognize her then? Or else, something that looks like her then?"
The skull head of her Familiar nodded.
YES
She smirked "Well don't hide it from me, tell me about them. Were they a friend of yours?"
There was a pause, before Bug turned to her. Partially she was also aware of Sib turning to face her as well, well it was also due to a spot on her thigh suddenly losing all heat.
FRIEND?
What Is That?
For a moment she was thinking that they were messing around with her.
Before she recalled how exactly their lives were like, and she quickly figured that having 'friends' probably wasn't something a 'Pure Vessel' needed to have.
She sighed "You know, other Insects that you care about and they care about you? Sort of like how me and the Princess are like, and…" she paused and let out a confused "Huh, and also kind of like how me and Kirche have been lately, along with Tabitha of course." She looked at the two of them "You know… friends? Sort of like how you two and Flame get along."
FRIEND…
There was pause from Bug, and the lack of a cold spot on her thigh told her that Sib also pulled away.
HER NAME WAS BRETTA.
Bug responded.
"A girl?"
Bug paused and then nodded.
YES.
Louise snickered as she thought her Familiar being close to a girl or whatever an Insect equivalent was "I didn't think you'd be friends with a girl. What was she like?"
SHE LOOKED LIKE SIESTA, BUT ROUNDER.
Inwardly Louise wondered if she should scold her Familiar for bluntly stating that a girl that it knew was fat and that such a thing was rude.
She dismissed that thought, as she knew that telling her Familiar this would prompt it to ask why it would be rude and then it would just be a whole other thing. She kept quiet and let the Void Vessel continue.
WAS QUIET, ALWAYS LOOKING AWAY. NEVER REALLY TALKED AND ALWAYS LOOKED RED.
Louise somehow could imagine what her Familiar was talking about. The image of the Insect that had just left, being used in her mind to represent this 'Bretta'.
FOUND HER IN THE FUNGAL WASTES.
The Noble shuddered as she could feel the damp moss under her feet, even with her shoes and stockings. Trudging along until she saw a lone Insect muttering to herself.
WAS ALONE.
The Insect made sounds, sounds that she could not understand. Walking towards her, she could see that her eyes were clouded and colored in a bright orange looking around her in fear.
She blinked and looked at her Familiar "Wait, so you rescued her from this Fungal Waste area?"
Bug tilted its head.
I SUPPOSE SO. I JUST WALKED TO A NON-HOSTILE INSECT
Louise felt the area where Sib was holding her thigh pinch slightly.
Careless…
She ignored the statement from the other Void Vessel, instead fully focusing on her Familiar "I mean, even still it looks like you did save them."
After all, what else could explain her walking up to a frightened and terrified young 'lady' and seemingly showing her the way.
She saw how her eyes that were shrouded in orange darting around in panic, looked upon her with… reverence.
She spoke, thanking her for saving her. Thanking her for reaching out to someone that was consistently ignored. Her eyes looked up at her, and within the reverence was something else…
And at that point Louise couldn't help but gape at her Familiar "Oh my goodness, the poor girl was smitten with you because you saved her."
Once more the memories flooded her brains, as if to confirm her thoughts.
The sight of a 'blushing' Insect as her Familiar walked past her on a bench.
The way she shied away from It whenever It decided to sit on that same bench.
How the 'Bretta' in the memories would try to reach out for her Familiar only for It to just leave.
"And you being what you are, you didn't even care!"
Bug stared back at her even harder.
SHOULD I HAVE CARED?
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose "Well… not if you wanted to be the 'Pure Vessel'," She bit out that last word, remembering how much she wanted to have words with this 'Pale King' when she got the chance to see him "But still, that poor girl is still probably pining for you."
Then she paused and sighed "And considering what happened, I doubt she'll learn what happened to you before you died and got summoned as my Familiar."
Is Something Like This Important?
Sib's voice cut through her thoughts, and she couldn't help but turn to it slightly annoyed "I doubt either of you care, considering that neither of you are girls…" She paused at that and scrunched up her face. "At least, I don't think you two are girls."
All she got in response to that were two empty and silent stares.
"Even if she is an Insect, I guess I just feel sorry for her…" She shook her head "Listen to what I'm saying, finding common ground with an Insect just because my Familiar probably broke her heart." She chuckled slightly and turned towards It with a pretend look of anger "You could've at least done something with her, Bug."
Once again those eyes looked into hers, and Louise wondered in her mind what truly went through the head of her Familiar.
I USED TO WATCH HER SLEEP SOMETHINGS.
And immediately her thoughts came to a smashing halt as those words were projected into her head.
She was lucky she wasn't walking, because she felt halfway certain that if she was, she'd face planted onto the ground at that exact moment.
"You used to do what?!"
She stared at her Familiar in sheer incredulity at the statement it gave, wondering if that was real. And unfortunately for Louise, it was proven to be all too real, when she could feel her Familiar shoving yet another Memory into her mind.
The sight of a sleeping Insect lying on a bed inside of a room that had to be her bedroom was unnerving enough.
But what pushed it even further was, as she looked around, she saw that the room with drawings of her Familiar in the room, in addition to what looked like a stuffed toy of it sitting atop of a dresser.
Seemingly confirming that she was indeed standing in that Insect's room, and as she stared down at the 'sleeping' form of the Insect. Louise couldn't help but notice how the Insect was fidgeting and squirming in its sleep.
Oh founder, her Familiar stared at someone as they slept and did it enough times that she caught it and had to pretend to stay asleep.
"Bug that's wrong!" She quickly scolded her Familiar "That's very wrong, especially to do to a girl like that!"
But It's Advantageous To Watch A Sleeping Target.
Sib's Voice spawned a flash of a memory of her staring at some sleeping Insect before it vanished, and she flinched at it, knowing what this particular Void Vessel loved to do.
"It's still wrong." She retorted, glaring at the Four Horned Void Vessel "It's creepy and you shouldn't do it!"
BUT WE WATCH YOU SLEEP ALL THE TIME MASTER.
She slumped over and gave a withering look towards Bug, saying nothing as she seemingly waited for It to continue with something else like 'It was a joke Master!' or something like that.
The two of them stared at her for a few more moments, which dispelled that thought.
"That's different," She sighed "I'm your Master, so you watching me isn't any weird than if a cat or dog did so."
She saw their heads tilt at the words, and she opted to ignore the obvious questions in their minds.
"But this is a manner of you staring at a girl as she slept," she jabbed a finger at Bug's direction "A girl that, I remind you, fancied you at some point."
The two Void Vessels looked at each other, and then back to her.
IS IT THAT IMPORTANT?
Bug's voice cut into her thoughts.
She pinched the bridge of her nose at that and withheld a groan "Well not anymore, especially after you…" She stopped herself and looked down at the Void Vessel.
Her mouth pulled into a line.
"Hey hey, what's going on here?" A familiar voice cheerily called out.
Louise turned to see Kirche approaching them with a tired but a smile on her face.
Her eyes glanced down at the two Void Vessels and then back towards her "It's nothing."
"Really?" Kirche's smile turned into a smirk "Because from what I saw walking here, you were giving the two of them a good 'ol tongue lashing."
"Oh that." Louise stared at them with an unimpressed look on her face "It was nothing, just them being weird again." She shook her head "Anyways, forget about them for a moment. Are you doing okay Kirche?"
The Germanian raised her bandaged arm, now only really covering her hand, and waggled her fingers at her direction "I'm fine Louise," She lowered her hand and gave a little shrug "It was just a bit of battlefield adrenaline wearing off is all. We all go through something like that."
"Really?" Louise crossed her arms and smirked at her direction "You falling down right in front me is normal huh?"
"Oh Louise, what're you implying?" The Germanian batted her eyelashes "That I'm falling for you?"
"Hardly," Louise retorted. "Maybe you need some extra exercise, since all you have is those pieces of fat on your chest, maybe you can burn them off."
"Oh they just help me to cushion my fall," Kirche pointed a finger at the pink haired girl "Not like you, you'd fall smack onto the ground full force."
As the two continued to trade their insults, both Bug and Sib looked between the two and then at each other.
The two of them recalled how their master had seen this other Human as her friend, and briefly recalled how the Salamander that followed the other Human would treat them the same.
[Scene]
Eventually the two of them started to just walk around the village as the Palace Guards and Insects were finishing their initial clean up.
Kirche had said that she and Guiche were resting in the same tent for a while. She apparently woke up earlier, while the blonde mage was still in there groaning about his 'Montmorency'.
At the thought of the Water mage, Louise couldn't help but think about her. Her eyes glanced over to Bug, the miniscule crack had long since vanished. But the image of it was still vivid in her head.
Some part of her didn't really want to excuse or forgive her, afterall what kind of Mage would simply be okay with another Mage insulting, let alone harming, their Familiar.
But another part of her was, admittedly, so curious about WHY she had decided to scream that Bug was some kind of monster. Sure it was pretty spooky in the right lighting, but she wouldn't exactly consider Bug some kind of Monster.
The way Montmorency had screamed the moment she touched Bug, it made it seem like her Familiar was going to kill her.
It was frankly an unfounded fear, especially for Montmorency, considering that she wasn't even aware of Bug's capabilities at that point besides what it showed at the Familiar Exhibition.
She wanted to know why she seemed so… afraid of it.
ARE YOU OKAY MASTER?
Bug's voice echoed in her head, causing her to look down at the Void Vessel.
"Yeah just thinking." She answered it's question and kept walking, honestly at a sort of a loss what to really do at this point.
"About what?" Kirche was the one to ask this time.
"Mainly about Montmorency," She sighed.
Kirche snorted "Still angry at her for hurting your Familiars?"
"No," Louise paused, before continuing "Actually yeah I am, I'm also just confused why."
"Does she need a reason," Kirche shrugged "I didn't need a reason to mess with you."
"Yeah…" Louise glared at the red head from the corner of her eye as she remembered the days when her anger was directed to her "Thanks for reminding me."
Their conversation was cut short by a rather shocking sight.
It was more Insect Guards, similar to Siesta yet somehow more heavily armoured. And they were carrying bodies with them, human bodies.
Albion Soldiers to be exact.
And they were seemingly presenting them to Princess Henrietta.
But that wasn't the most shocking thing. No that was the pile of humans that was placed directly infront of the princess, seemingly wrapped in a silver and white thread.
Almost like it was spider silk.
In front of that pile was an Insect dressed in Red.
It.
Louise blinked, no it wasn't an It. It was a she.
She… was rather short, but somehow the way she was standing made her remember-
Louise gasped when the massive white skull suddenly peeked through the doorway.
-When the Hollow Knight showed up.
Somehow it was stronger, but this time it wasn't the same calm.
Instead, the moment her eyes landed on the figure of the Insect in Red, immediately she felt a rush of emotion well up inside her.
The needle upon her back was familiar, as was the red dress as it flowed down until her 'knees'. The stark white skull, almost similar to Bug's and Sib's own, seem to itself glow in a faint but unmissable pale glow.
It took her a moment to realise that she was gawking at the Insect, and stopped herself. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think of why that was happening.
A thought that was cut short by the surprise sound of a slight growl next to her. Glancing to the right, she was surprised to see that Kirche had a slight snarl on her face, her eyes were scrunched up and her mouth pulled up enough that she could see some teeth.
And just like her, it seemed that even Kirche wasn't aware why she was suddenly feeling an influx of emotions, as the angry look on her face was quickly switched to confusion.
"That was…" Kirche's eyebrows furrowed.
"...Weird." Louise finished for her, looking just as confused.
The two of them looked at each other for a moment, before Louise became aware of something tugging her right arm. She looked down to see Bug staring up at her, pulling her hand with one of it's stumps and pointing at the Insect in Red with the other.
Surprisingly she couldn't hear anything from Bug, and instead watched it point at the Insect talking to the Princess in silence.
So she just merely watched as it seemed to keep pointing to the Insect.
After a moment, it seemed that Bug 'noticed' its silence.
MASTER, CAN WE TALK TO HER?
Louise smirked despite herself "Why, this another girl you charmed and you feel bad now?"
"That's a sentence I'd never thought I'd hear about your Familiar." Kirche snorted.
Louise smiled and then nodded at her Familiar "Sure, let's see if we can talk to her."
But when she and Bug moved to take step forward.
A sudden, and extremely harsh, jerk to her left arm pulled her from her feet and onto her butt. Pain flared up her body, almost causing her to scream but she managed to hold it in by merely hissing through her teeth.
Her head snapped to the arm that had been pulled, and at the Void Vessel that had pulled it.
"Sib!" Her voice matched the glare on her face as sh-
No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No
Only to flinch as her mind was bombarded by an onslaught of 'Nos'.
The Four Horned Void Vessel wasn't even staring at her as it slammed her head with those 'Nos'.
Instead it was staring at the Insect in Red…
And it was shaking.
"Sib," her anger was quickly replaced with concern. She released her grip on Bug, and quickly got onto her knees so that she could properly face the Void Vessel. While the hand that Sib was holding was still in it's grasp, she could at least hold it by the skull with her other hand "What's wrong?"
A moment later Bug turned around and approached its Sibling from the side
Sib snapped its head towards her.
Don't Go Near Her.
She saw Bug tilt its head.
She'll Kill You.