“Now That I’m Free… Who Am I Really?”

500 notes on this post by this time tomorrow and I'll fill in for @bell-beast-official

500 notes on this post by this time tomorrow and I'll fill in for @bell-beast-official

500 notes on this post by this time tomorrow and I'll fill in for @bell-beast-official

A lost, lost bug wandered long to find here. She speaks in a voice that knows of strings, for was she once on them as well? “A puppet?” She approaches, tone quiet. The only sounds that can be made out is her lack of breath and her claws tapping on the floor, but there was no hostility in her gaze. Only… was it, Pity? Antenne dropped gracefully behind her head, and scratches covered joints, scars long there from an event long in the past, but still relevant in the way she holds herself, like a performer with stage fright, or string fright.

"You are a creature of a sort I have never before seen. Who are you? Are you a threat or not?" The escalion asks cautiously.

Histarte relaxed, her tense muscles untensing as she decided there was no threat. "I see; I've no intentions of provoking you. And... I... Don't know what a Karner Blue Butterfly is," She admitted, "So I'm unlikely to have seen them... I can relate to the desire to find your own kind, though." She looked down, her gaze growing distant briefly, before clearing once more. "And there I go, forgetting to introduce myself again; my apologies. I am Histarte."

“Ah, the Citadel. I admire the architecture, but the choices it has made not something I would have myself. I seem to have lost the way to my home, either that or the Citadel has ruined it from its wonderful silken and high in tree-line state.” She shuffled from one foot to the other. “And thank you for not thinking I delusional, even if I had said it myself.”

“Well, I suppose that it is a given that it is gone, regarding how long I was on strings.”

"Ah, Forge Daughter. Yes, I found her in the Deep Docks at some point. I commissioned my pin from her." Silver picked up her pin and showed it to Histarte. "I do have some goals.." She was about to explain that one of her goals was to reproduce to make sure her species didn't go extinct but that that was a second to survival for her and finding her home, or what was left of it as well was not something you would say to someone you just recently meet. "...Well, one to survive. And the second is to live long enough to find a world where I can settle down and carry on the memory of my daughter."

"Oh!" Histarte said brightly. "But of course! I should've recognized her craftsmanship. Or, well, probably not; I only have one example." She took out the darts that the Forge Daughter made for her. "She created these for me. Enhanced them from the form they once had. Even engraved Verdania's symbol within the handles. Truly beautiful craftsmanship..." She paused as the conversation moved on. "I see, well, we can help each other survive..." She paused again, as if... not quite sure how to respond to the rest. "I... I cannot relate to the loss of a child. I have never had a child. I... I want to, though. Someday. When the world is safer... And it's truly okay; no apologies necessary."

“Right. Me too, when the world is safer, and I can honor Melody’s memory properly without danger.” She agreed. Silver’s wings twitched in the silence. Her antennae swished in the wind. “Could you… take me to Verdania? No pressure of course, I’d just… like to see hour homeland, restored or… not. Sorry if that triggered anything.” Silver apologized quickly. “I just wonder sometimes. If I can find it, I might bring you to my home, if you are okay with that.”

Histarte blinked. "I... I would be willing to take you to Verdania, perhaps. Maybe having company would make seeing what's left of my homeland less... devastating." She paused. "And of course, if you find it, you are welcome to bring me to your home. If you're comfortable with that." Her gaze darted to the pin, briefly, and she wondered if she could perhaps ask Silver to instruct her in how a pin is used, but decided that could wait a bit. That thought reminded her of a slight desire she had to ask Forge Daughter to teach her how to craft, but she hadn't wanted to make that request quite yet. Didn't Forge Daughter craft for religious regions? Would it be blasphemy to ask her to teach Histarte? Histarte didn't know, and wasn't sure she was willing to try and find out just yet. "And, oh, it's okay! I am... reasonably comfortable. I am not the most socially elegant bug either; I wasn't before Verdania's destruction, and the lack of social interaction I've experienced since has not improved my abilities. I forgive any social mistake you make; I am sure I am making plenty of them myself."

“Er, yes yes. Sorry about that, I still feel the need to apologize for my inaccuracies.” Silver stuttered. “So, Verdania. Uh, could you lead the way?” She coughed in embarrassment. Silver thought about everything she was doing wrong and all of the things she said that could have been disrespectful, things that could get her strings tightened—No. She’s out of that mess, she has a different mess to deal with. One that doesn’t involve her forced to perform and be polite all the time. This was her life now. “…I, uh, don’t seem to have a map, nor sense of direction. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

"It is perfectly fine that you have no sense of direction. Well... It's unfortunate," Histarte corrected herself, "But it's fine for this moment. I have been told in the past that my sense of direction is as good as that of two bugs combined, so I think I have enough for the both of us." With that, Histarte started walking along, slowly, so as to allow Silver to keep up. She could've zipped and darted through the caves with speeds that few could match, but she did not, knowing that Silver may not be able to keep up.

Silver walked up beside her, easily matching her slow pace. She looked down at the shorter bug, admiring the way she held herself, like a warrior. "Say, you're a fighter, right? Do you suppose you could teach me your stature? Some still say I fight like l'm dancing and therefore my attacks have less bite in them." She explained. She spun the bead on her pin again, clearly self-conscious about her fighting stance. "I have managed to stay alive well so far, but it's not ideal." Silver's wings fluttered a bit, as if remembering a dance that she no longer did.

Histarte looked up at the bug beside her. "Oh, yes, I am a fighter! And teaching you my... stature?" She blinked. "I believe you may have used the wrong word. 'Stature' refers to height or other form of body size; 'stance,' I believe, is the word you're looking for." She smiled. "And yes, I think I could teach you a thing or two about some of my stances. I will say, certain aspects of my fighting style, I don't think I could teach you. The way I fly, for instance, I probably can't. But other aspects should be more than manageable."

“Yes yes, sorry, stance is what I meant. I must have forgotten the meaning of some words while on my strings. I don’t seem to strike as fast as I did as well…” Silver looked away for a second, “But yeah, aspects of your style. Like your swiftness, since Butterfly wings don’t work the same as Verdan wings.” She rubbed her neck with her palm. Some of the darkness of it had been rubbed away by what it looks like… strings. Little tiny string scrapes jetting across in a circle around her neck. Now that she looked, Histarte could notice those lines on her elbows, wrists, waist, and knees.

Histarte nodded in understanding, but seeing the lines and hearing Silver say "on my strings" distracted her thoughts. On my strings, Histarte thought, trying to understand what that meant. Is that some strange form of figurative language, or... I don't know. She ultimately decided she would ask. "Alright, yes, that makes sense. And yes, I can try to teach you, perhaps after we reach Verdania?" She continued walking, but then added, "Say, you said... 'while on my strings.' Do you... What did you mean by that?" She paused. "You don't have to elaborate if you do not wish to."

"Oh. Sorry for bring that up, I just accidentally bring that up in conversation." Silver apologized. "Well, I was... a slave of sorts, at one point. Forced to dance with no way to free myself from the strings like held me like a puppet. That is how I earned my title, The Eternal Dancer." Silver explained. "i was eventually freed, of course, but my dance still integrates itself into my moves." Silver gestured to the lines on her neck, "These are where the strings connected, they rubbed my shell down a lot."

(This is a long one, hence the read more. If it's too long, here's the TL;DR: Histarte is so horrified by what the experience must've been like that she's at a loss for words for a while, and what she eventually says feels... insufficient)

“…It’s okay. It was my fault, really. Trusting people to spare me after I watched them kill my lover, and being naive enough to run from my home in fear of being controlled in the first place.” Silver went silent. She could still hear the scream of her husband and daughter from that fated night. They echoed in her mind whenever she started to get attached to someone.

Histarte's mouth fell open in shock. She found herself unable to form words. "I..." She swallowed. "No apologies are necessary." She paused. "I am truly, truly sorry that happened to you..." Histarte paused for a moment. "I... Am haunted by cowardice," she ultimately confessed. "I spent my entire life defending the borders of my kingdom loyally, from when I was very small. And when the Citadel threatened us, I intended to do as I had always done and defend my kingdom. When... When my people made a deal... That they had hoped would see us spared, I was relieved. And then when the Citadel ultimately dishonored their deal, and I woke up one day to the scent of smoke and the screams of my kin... I ran." "I ran, and then I hid. I did not fight like the warrior I am. I fled like a lesser, lower creature. Like prey." Histarte paused for a long moment before saying, "I tell myself there's nothing I could've done to save Verdania. I tell myself that the only thing that would've happened had I stayed is that I would be dead, and thus there'd be nothing left of Verdania. I tell myself that as long as I live, Verdania lives in some form, too. This is what I tell myself so I can rest my head at night. And every day, I wake up, and I acknowledge that it's a lie." Histarte took a deep, shaky breath. "And I could say far, far more. I shall not. Thank... Thank you. For allowing me to confess." She was silent for a long moment. "I will gladly do what I can to teach you to fight. And I will gladly take you to what remains of Verdania, so we can witness it together. If you still want those things."

“Yes, I… I’d like that.” Silver went silent as well. “You didn’t deserve any of that either. That… that’s horrible. Having everything you have ever known massacred, even with everything that has happened, I cannot imagine losing the only image of hope in my mind that there is someone out there like me. And having to live with the guilt of cowardice is horrible. Feeling like you were powerless is something I am also familiar with…” She hesitated, then put a reassuring hand on Histarte’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for that. My words also don’t seem enough. I’ve come face to face and have been disadvantaged by liars too, both killed people we love.” She fidgeted with the bead again, and this time Histarte saw what it said. Morpho, Silver, Melody. Morpho must be her lover, or, late lover.

Histarte swallowed. "Don't worry... Not being alone is... helping." She paused. "Right. Um. Anyway... We aren't far from Verdania. We should soon be passing through the town known as Greymoor; the entrance to Verdania is east of that." She started walking, feeling less alone than she had in what may well have been literal ages. Or perhaps not as long. Time had long lost meaning to Histarte.

(Alright!)

“No no, you’re fine. Emotions don’t mean you’re weak.” Silver flew quickly on buzzing blue wings toward her. “I’m sure if I saw a hint of a silken structure in the trees I would react the same way. So, this place used to be green? I wouldn’t be able to tell… it’s just grey now.” Silver looked around at the barren landscape around them. She thought about the residents, the bugs who live—or lived—here. Bug who might have had families, friends. If this is what it was now, what had happened to those bugs?

"... Thank you," Histarte said, softly, gratefully. "And yes, this place used to be green. So, so much green, of all different shades. And now it's just..." She sighed. She pulled out a container made of animal skin, apparently filled with water, and poured some on the clover sprouts she found. "And I swear, it shall be green once more." She refused to allow anything else.

Silver smiled, “Definitely ready-er than I was when I left the Silk Parapet.” She had hopped into the air when the rocks came tumbling as well, and she flew with her head a bit down as if scared of hitting the roof of something.

Histarte paused for a while. "I... I am as ready as I shall ever be." She heard what Silver muttered, and saw the bead nearly come off, and suddenly said, "I have seven hundred seventy (770) rosaries, if you need those to pay for that."

“No worries. I can keep up.” Silver sidestepped one of the corpses. She looked back at it for a long moment. Her mind flashed back to Morpho’s body, to Melody’s words to her.

Histarte noticed Silver's gags, but attributed it to the disgusting smell of rotting flesh.

“I’d wish to do the same.” She followed Histarte up into the tunnels. It didn’t get better. “…You made the right decision. Without you alive right now, this would be the only thing to ever identify this place. I’m sure it was beautiful in its prime…” Silver looked around at the charred buildings and ashen ground. Silver put a hand on her shoulder. “…You certainly made a better decision than me when you decided to leave, if that makes you feel any better. With your decision, the memory of this place lives on. With my decision, I might be the only one who remembers Morpho, or my father, or mother, and it’s my fault.”

Histarte swallowed. "I... I'm sure whatever happened, it was not your fault," She said. "I... And no, I don't feel this is my fault. I... I did. I wondered if there was anything I could have done, had I stayed, but I see now that any defense I could have tried to mount... It would've been almost certainly guaranteed to fail." She sighed.

“I understand your sadness. My dear Morpho was murdered for his brilliant blue wings. Bugs buy those, knowing they came from someone else, someone who once lived… Melody, she was killed just to kill, just to make me feel pain. This place, it was killed by petty cruelty. Why must everyone be so angry all the time…?” Silver kneeled down and picked up a charred piece of wood where the engraving T+Y could still be made out. She didn’t know these people, but she recognized that this was the sign of love, and it hurt her heart even more.

Histarte listened, silent, while Silver shared her tale. She placed a hand on... well, the other bug was far too tall for Histarte to place a hand on her shoulder, but she grabbed Silver's hand, gently.

“Yes, I do. I’d like to forget the moves that I’ve been integrated into my shell. And eventually, when I’m strong enough, I might be able to take revenge. But maybe that’s stupid.” Silver said, “ I’m still not ready to forgive the War Faction yet though. And… Maybe I could help you with restoring this land? Back im the Silk Parapet, my family were gardeners. Although I didn’t pay attention much, I do know some things that might help.”

Histarte nodded. "I... Thank you. Your help in nursing these lands back to health would be greatly appreciated. And I will teach you how to fight." Histarte looked around.

“…Thank you. I don’t think you really need to atone either. You ran from your home because otherwise you would’ve died. It’s brave to try to escape, not cowardly. I know you think you’re a coward for not defending them, but it’s the Citadel. What could you do? Looking at the weapons and bodies of these bugs, warriors much stronger than you died here.” Silver looked over at a body and shuddered, “In escaping, you’re able to preserve the memory of this place.”

Histarte seemed to deflate. "... You're..." She sighed. "I know you're right, yet I still don't feel it," She said, having no other way to put it. "Yet I still want to help Verdania bloom once more, and so I appreciate your help."

“…Yes, let’s do that.” Silver agreed. “I’m… sorry, if I made you feel invalid. I tend to just say whatever I think but I don’t always end up praising it correctly.” She thoughts over took her again.

(Oh shoot, you're right, uh, another user made a little art of her? And I have a shitty sketch because I'm a mediocre artist :( I can try to take a picture of it and send it??? It'll be low quality, though. I imagine her as like a regular Escalion, but less hunched over, and a bit taller, and leaner. Like, maybe a bit shorter than Hornet. I realize that's not very descriptive; I'm sorry :( )

Silver frowned at her rambling. “I… I do want to leave, but not just because the ground is covered in ash. It seems to make you uncomfortable being here, so I was agreeing with your suggestion- never mind, forget it.” She held Histarte’s hand tightly, but not enough that it made it hurt. She followed Histarte—well, rather walked beside her—as they left and ventured back towards the entrance back to Greymoor.

(Yes, sure, timeskip! I'll go ahead and @ you on the post with the art someone made, and here's a photo of the art I made, though it's.... not a great photo. I am using a laptop webcam, so like, yeah:

Silver jumped into action, but it was not quick and sharp. It was more like ballet, as if she just gracefully hopped into position. Her pin crossed her heart as defence. She jabbed forward into the neck and her arm landed straight with surprising softness. The point had pricked the neck, and she drove it through, twisted, and elevated her arm to float up and rip the head from the rest of the body. She stepped back and looked at the head on the floor.

Histarte nodded sagely as she saw Silver's moves. "I see... Yes, I see the problem. Well, it's not a problem, per se; just... sub-optimal," She explained. "You're deadly enough, but you could be deadlier." She paused as she thought of how to explain it.

Silver helped her repair the dummy. She leaned down handed the pin to Histarte. “I’m sure you’ll do fine. Just… don’t lose the bead, okay?”

(JEEZ! Okay, Forge Daughter is taller than I thought, damn! And yes, Silver must've been bending over or like, crouching to put her hand on Histarte's shoulder, this is crazy)

Silver took the pin again and got into position. This time, she pushed the pin forward into the neck with the palm of her hand on the bead. She retracted fast and did it again through the chest. Once it was pierced through the chest, she tried to mimic the speed of Histarte and ripped sideways, then pulled back. It was less graceful, and it wasn’t snappy. It was a little clumsy, but it worked. “There, did I do good?”

("Imagining a tiny little bug threatening a really tall one," so the plot of the entirety of the first Hollow Knight game? LMAO)

Silver smiled, “Thank you, Histarte.” Her antennae wagged back and forth as if they were a dog’s tail.

"You are a creature of a sort I have never before seen. Who are you? Are you a threat or not?" The escalion asks cautiously.

Histarte relaxed, her tense muscles untensing as she decided there was no threat. "I see; I've no intentions of provoking you. And... I... Don't know what a Karner Blue Butterfly is," She admitted, "So I'm unlikely to have seen them... I can relate to the desire to find your own kind, though." She looked down, her gaze growing distant briefly, before clearing once more. "And there I go, forgetting to introduce myself again; my apologies. I am Histarte."

“Ah, the Citadel. I admire the architecture, but the choices it has made not something I would have myself. I seem to have lost the way to my home, either that or the Citadel has ruined it from its wonderful silken and high in tree-line state.” She shuffled from one foot to the other. “And thank you for not thinking I delusional, even if I had said it myself.”

“Well, I suppose that it is a given that it is gone, regarding how long I was on strings.”

"Ah, Forge Daughter. Yes, I found her in the Deep Docks at some point. I commissioned my pin from her." Silver picked up her pin and showed it to Histarte. "I do have some goals.." She was about to explain that one of her goals was to reproduce to make sure her species didn't go extinct but that that was a second to survival for her and finding her home, or what was left of it as well was not something you would say to someone you just recently meet. "...Well, one to survive. And the second is to live long enough to find a world where I can settle down and carry on the memory of my daughter."

"Oh!" Histarte said brightly. "But of course! I should've recognized her craftsmanship. Or, well, probably not; I only have one example." She took out the darts that the Forge Daughter made for her. "She created these for me. Enhanced them from the form they once had. Even engraved Verdania's symbol within the handles. Truly beautiful craftsmanship..." She paused as the conversation moved on. "I see, well, we can help each other survive..." She paused again, as if... not quite sure how to respond to the rest. "I... I cannot relate to the loss of a child. I have never had a child. I... I want to, though. Someday. When the world is safer... And it's truly okay; no apologies necessary."

“Right. Me too, when the world is safer, and I can honor Melody’s memory properly without danger.” She agreed. Silver’s wings twitched in the silence. Her antennae swished in the wind. “Could you… take me to Verdania? No pressure of course, I’d just… like to see hour homeland, restored or… not. Sorry if that triggered anything.” Silver apologized quickly. “I just wonder sometimes. If I can find it, I might bring you to my home, if you are okay with that.”

Histarte blinked. "I... I would be willing to take you to Verdania, perhaps. Maybe having company would make seeing what's left of my homeland less... devastating." She paused. "And of course, if you find it, you are welcome to bring me to your home. If you're comfortable with that." Her gaze darted to the pin, briefly, and she wondered if she could perhaps ask Silver to instruct her in how a pin is used, but decided that could wait a bit. That thought reminded her of a slight desire she had to ask Forge Daughter to teach her how to craft, but she hadn't wanted to make that request quite yet. Didn't Forge Daughter craft for religious regions? Would it be blasphemy to ask her to teach Histarte? Histarte didn't know, and wasn't sure she was willing to try and find out just yet. "And, oh, it's okay! I am... reasonably comfortable. I am not the most socially elegant bug either; I wasn't before Verdania's destruction, and the lack of social interaction I've experienced since has not improved my abilities. I forgive any social mistake you make; I am sure I am making plenty of them myself."

“Er, yes yes. Sorry about that, I still feel the need to apologize for my inaccuracies.” Silver stuttered. “So, Verdania. Uh, could you lead the way?” She coughed in embarrassment. Silver thought about everything she was doing wrong and all of the things she said that could have been disrespectful, things that could get her strings tightened—No. She’s out of that mess, she has a different mess to deal with. One that doesn’t involve her forced to perform and be polite all the time. This was her life now. “…I, uh, don’t seem to have a map, nor sense of direction. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

"It is perfectly fine that you have no sense of direction. Well... It's unfortunate," Histarte corrected herself, "But it's fine for this moment. I have been told in the past that my sense of direction is as good as that of two bugs combined, so I think I have enough for the both of us." With that, Histarte started walking along, slowly, so as to allow Silver to keep up. She could've zipped and darted through the caves with speeds that few could match, but she did not, knowing that Silver may not be able to keep up.

Silver walked up beside her, easily matching her slow pace. She looked down at the shorter bug, admiring the way she held herself, like a warrior. "Say, you're a fighter, right? Do you suppose you could teach me your stature? Some still say I fight like l'm dancing and therefore my attacks have less bite in them." She explained. She spun the bead on her pin again, clearly self-conscious about her fighting stance. "I have managed to stay alive well so far, but it's not ideal." Silver's wings fluttered a bit, as if remembering a dance that she no longer did.

Histarte looked up at the bug beside her. "Oh, yes, I am a fighter! And teaching you my... stature?" She blinked. "I believe you may have used the wrong word. 'Stature' refers to height or other form of body size; 'stance,' I believe, is the word you're looking for." She smiled. "And yes, I think I could teach you a thing or two about some of my stances. I will say, certain aspects of my fighting style, I don't think I could teach you. The way I fly, for instance, I probably can't. But other aspects should be more than manageable."

“Yes yes, sorry, stance is what I meant. I must have forgotten the meaning of some words while on my strings. I don’t seem to strike as fast as I did as well…” Silver looked away for a second, “But yeah, aspects of your style. Like your swiftness, since Butterfly wings don’t work the same as Verdan wings.” She rubbed her neck with her palm. Some of the darkness of it had been rubbed away by what it looks like… strings. Little tiny string scrapes jetting across in a circle around her neck. Now that she looked, Histarte could notice those lines on her elbows, wrists, waist, and knees.

Histarte nodded in understanding, but seeing the lines and hearing Silver say "on my strings" distracted her thoughts. On my strings, Histarte thought, trying to understand what that meant. Is that some strange form of figurative language, or... I don't know. She ultimately decided she would ask. "Alright, yes, that makes sense. And yes, I can try to teach you, perhaps after we reach Verdania?" She continued walking, but then added, "Say, you said... 'while on my strings.' Do you... What did you mean by that?" She paused. "You don't have to elaborate if you do not wish to."

"Oh. Sorry for bring that up, I just accidentally bring that up in conversation." Silver apologized. "Well, I was... a slave of sorts, at one point. Forced to dance with no way to free myself from the strings like held me like a puppet. That is how I earned my title, The Eternal Dancer." Silver explained. "i was eventually freed, of course, but my dance still integrates itself into my moves." Silver gestured to the lines on her neck, "These are where the strings connected, they rubbed my shell down a lot."

(This is a long one, hence the read more. If it's too long, here's the TL;DR: Histarte is so horrified by what the experience must've been like that she's at a loss for words for a while, and what she eventually says feels... insufficient)

“…It’s okay. It was my fault, really. Trusting people to spare me after I watched them kill my lover, and being naive enough to run from my home in fear of being controlled in the first place.” Silver went silent. She could still hear the scream of her husband and daughter from that fated night. They echoed in her mind whenever she started to get attached to someone.

Histarte's mouth fell open in shock. She found herself unable to form words. "I..." She swallowed. "No apologies are necessary." She paused. "I am truly, truly sorry that happened to you..." Histarte paused for a moment. "I... Am haunted by cowardice," she ultimately confessed. "I spent my entire life defending the borders of my kingdom loyally, from when I was very small. And when the Citadel threatened us, I intended to do as I had always done and defend my kingdom. When... When my people made a deal... That they had hoped would see us spared, I was relieved. And then when the Citadel ultimately dishonored their deal, and I woke up one day to the scent of smoke and the screams of my kin... I ran." "I ran, and then I hid. I did not fight like the warrior I am. I fled like a lesser, lower creature. Like prey." Histarte paused for a long moment before saying, "I tell myself there's nothing I could've done to save Verdania. I tell myself that the only thing that would've happened had I stayed is that I would be dead, and thus there'd be nothing left of Verdania. I tell myself that as long as I live, Verdania lives in some form, too. This is what I tell myself so I can rest my head at night. And every day, I wake up, and I acknowledge that it's a lie." Histarte took a deep, shaky breath. "And I could say far, far more. I shall not. Thank... Thank you. For allowing me to confess." She was silent for a long moment. "I will gladly do what I can to teach you to fight. And I will gladly take you to what remains of Verdania, so we can witness it together. If you still want those things."

“Yes, I… I’d like that.” Silver went silent as well. “You didn’t deserve any of that either. That… that’s horrible. Having everything you have ever known massacred, even with everything that has happened, I cannot imagine losing the only image of hope in my mind that there is someone out there like me. And having to live with the guilt of cowardice is horrible. Feeling like you were powerless is something I am also familiar with…” She hesitated, then put a reassuring hand on Histarte’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for that. My words also don’t seem enough. I’ve come face to face and have been disadvantaged by liars too, both killed people we love.” She fidgeted with the bead again, and this time Histarte saw what it said. Morpho, Silver, Melody. Morpho must be her lover, or, late lover.

Histarte swallowed. "Don't worry... Not being alone is... helping." She paused. "Right. Um. Anyway... We aren't far from Verdania. We should soon be passing through the town known as Greymoor; the entrance to Verdania is east of that." She started walking, feeling less alone than she had in what may well have been literal ages. Or perhaps not as long. Time had long lost meaning to Histarte.

(Alright!)

“No no, you’re fine. Emotions don’t mean you’re weak.” Silver flew quickly on buzzing blue wings toward her. “I’m sure if I saw a hint of a silken structure in the trees I would react the same way. So, this place used to be green? I wouldn’t be able to tell… it’s just grey now.” Silver looked around at the barren landscape around them. She thought about the residents, the bugs who live—or lived—here. Bug who might have had families, friends. If this is what it was now, what had happened to those bugs?

"... Thank you," Histarte said, softly, gratefully. "And yes, this place used to be green. So, so much green, of all different shades. And now it's just..." She sighed. She pulled out a container made of animal skin, apparently filled with water, and poured some on the clover sprouts she found. "And I swear, it shall be green once more." She refused to allow anything else.

Silver smiled, “Definitely ready-er than I was when I left the Silk Parapet.” She had hopped into the air when the rocks came tumbling as well, and she flew with her head a bit down as if scared of hitting the roof of something.

Histarte paused for a while. "I... I am as ready as I shall ever be." She heard what Silver muttered, and saw the bead nearly come off, and suddenly said, "I have seven hundred seventy (770) rosaries, if you need those to pay for that."

“No worries. I can keep up.” Silver sidestepped one of the corpses. She looked back at it for a long moment. Her mind flashed back to Morpho’s body, to Melody’s words to her.

Histarte noticed Silver's gags, but attributed it to the disgusting smell of rotting flesh.

“I’d wish to do the same.” She followed Histarte up into the tunnels. It didn’t get better. “…You made the right decision. Without you alive right now, this would be the only thing to ever identify this place. I’m sure it was beautiful in its prime…” Silver looked around at the charred buildings and ashen ground. Silver put a hand on her shoulder. “…You certainly made a better decision than me when you decided to leave, if that makes you feel any better. With your decision, the memory of this place lives on. With my decision, I might be the only one who remembers Morpho, or my father, or mother, and it’s my fault.”

Histarte swallowed. "I... I'm sure whatever happened, it was not your fault," She said. "I... And no, I don't feel this is my fault. I... I did. I wondered if there was anything I could have done, had I stayed, but I see now that any defense I could have tried to mount... It would've been almost certainly guaranteed to fail." She sighed.

“I understand your sadness. My dear Morpho was murdered for his brilliant blue wings. Bugs buy those, knowing they came from someone else, someone who once lived… Melody, she was killed just to kill, just to make me feel pain. This place, it was killed by petty cruelty. Why must everyone be so angry all the time…?” Silver kneeled down and picked up a charred piece of wood where the engraving T+Y could still be made out. She didn’t know these people, but she recognized that this was the sign of love, and it hurt her heart even more.

Histarte listened, silent, while Silver shared her tale. She placed a hand on... well, the other bug was far too tall for Histarte to place a hand on her shoulder, but she grabbed Silver's hand, gently.

“Yes, I do. I’d like to forget the moves that I’ve been integrated into my shell. And eventually, when I’m strong enough, I might be able to take revenge. But maybe that’s stupid.” Silver said, “ I’m still not ready to forgive the War Faction yet though. And… Maybe I could help you with restoring this land? Back im the Silk Parapet, my family were gardeners. Although I didn’t pay attention much, I do know some things that might help.”

Histarte nodded. "I... Thank you. Your help in nursing these lands back to health would be greatly appreciated. And I will teach you how to fight." Histarte looked around.

“…Thank you. I don’t think you really need to atone either. You ran from your home because otherwise you would’ve died. It’s brave to try to escape, not cowardly. I know you think you’re a coward for not defending them, but it’s the Citadel. What could you do? Looking at the weapons and bodies of these bugs, warriors much stronger than you died here.” Silver looked over at a body and shuddered, “In escaping, you’re able to preserve the memory of this place.”

Histarte seemed to deflate. "... You're..." She sighed. "I know you're right, yet I still don't feel it," She said, having no other way to put it. "Yet I still want to help Verdania bloom once more, and so I appreciate your help."

“…Yes, let’s do that.” Silver agreed. “I’m… sorry, if I made you feel invalid. I tend to just say whatever I think but I don’t always end up praising it correctly.” She thoughts over took her again.

(Oh shoot, you're right, uh, another user made a little art of her? And I have a shitty sketch because I'm a mediocre artist :( I can try to take a picture of it and send it??? It'll be low quality, though. I imagine her as like a regular Escalion, but less hunched over, and a bit taller, and leaner. Like, maybe a bit shorter than Hornet. I realize that's not very descriptive; I'm sorry :( )

Silver frowned at her rambling. “I… I do want to leave, but not just because the ground is covered in ash. It seems to make you uncomfortable being here, so I was agreeing with your suggestion- never mind, forget it.” She held Histarte’s hand tightly, but not enough that it made it hurt. She followed Histarte—well, rather walked beside her—as they left and ventured back towards the entrance back to Greymoor.

(Yes, sure, timeskip! I'll go ahead and @ you on the post with the art someone made, and here's a photo of the art I made, though it's.... not a great photo. I am using a laptop webcam, so like, yeah:

Silver jumped into action, but it was not quick and sharp. It was more like ballet, as if she just gracefully hopped into position. Her pin crossed her heart as defence. She jabbed forward into the neck and her arm landed straight with surprising softness. The point had pricked the neck, and she drove it through, twisted, and elevated her arm to float up and rip the head from the rest of the body. She stepped back and looked at the head on the floor.

Histarte nodded sagely as she saw Silver's moves. "I see... Yes, I see the problem. Well, it's not a problem, per se; just... sub-optimal," She explained. "You're deadly enough, but you could be deadlier." She paused as she thought of how to explain it.

Silver helped her repair the dummy. She leaned down handed the pin to Histarte. “I’m sure you’ll do fine. Just… don’t lose the bead, okay?”

(JEEZ! Okay, Forge Daughter is taller than I thought, damn! And yes, Silver must've been bending over or like, crouching to put her hand on Histarte's shoulder, this is crazy)

Silver took the pin again and got into position. This time, she pushed the pin forward into the neck with the palm of her hand on the bead. She retracted fast and did it again through the chest. Once it was pierced through the chest, she tried to mimic the speed of Histarte and ripped sideways, then pulled back. It was less graceful, and it wasn’t snappy. It was a little clumsy, but it worked. “There, did I do good?”

("Imagining a tiny little bug threatening a really tall one," so the plot of the entirety of the first Hollow Knight game? LMAO)

Silver smiled, “Thank you, Histarte.” Her antennae wagged back and forth as if they were a dog’s tail.

"You are a creature of a sort I have never before seen. Who are you? Are you a threat or not?" The escalion asks cautiously.

Histarte relaxed, her tense muscles untensing as she decided there was no threat. "I see; I've no intentions of provoking you. And... I... Don't know what a Karner Blue Butterfly is," She admitted, "So I'm unlikely to have seen them... I can relate to the desire to find your own kind, though." She looked down, her gaze growing distant briefly, before clearing once more. "And there I go, forgetting to introduce myself again; my apologies. I am Histarte."

“Ah, the Citadel. I admire the architecture, but the choices it has made not something I would have myself. I seem to have lost the way to my home, either that or the Citadel has ruined it from its wonderful silken and high in tree-line state.” She shuffled from one foot to the other. “And thank you for not thinking I delusional, even if I had said it myself.”

“Well, I suppose that it is a given that it is gone, regarding how long I was on strings.”

"Ah, Forge Daughter. Yes, I found her in the Deep Docks at some point. I commissioned my pin from her." Silver picked up her pin and showed it to Histarte. "I do have some goals.." She was about to explain that one of her goals was to reproduce to make sure her species didn't go extinct but that that was a second to survival for her and finding her home, or what was left of it as well was not something you would say to someone you just recently meet. "...Well, one to survive. And the second is to live long enough to find a world where I can settle down and carry on the memory of my daughter."

"Oh!" Histarte said brightly. "But of course! I should've recognized her craftsmanship. Or, well, probably not; I only have one example." She took out the darts that the Forge Daughter made for her. "She created these for me. Enhanced them from the form they once had. Even engraved Verdania's symbol within the handles. Truly beautiful craftsmanship..." She paused as the conversation moved on. "I see, well, we can help each other survive..." She paused again, as if... not quite sure how to respond to the rest. "I... I cannot relate to the loss of a child. I have never had a child. I... I want to, though. Someday. When the world is safer... And it's truly okay; no apologies necessary."

“Right. Me too, when the world is safer, and I can honor Melody’s memory properly without danger.” She agreed. Silver’s wings twitched in the silence. Her antennae swished in the wind. “Could you… take me to Verdania? No pressure of course, I’d just… like to see hour homeland, restored or… not. Sorry if that triggered anything.” Silver apologized quickly. “I just wonder sometimes. If I can find it, I might bring you to my home, if you are okay with that.”

Histarte blinked. "I... I would be willing to take you to Verdania, perhaps. Maybe having company would make seeing what's left of my homeland less... devastating." She paused. "And of course, if you find it, you are welcome to bring me to your home. If you're comfortable with that." Her gaze darted to the pin, briefly, and she wondered if she could perhaps ask Silver to instruct her in how a pin is used, but decided that could wait a bit. That thought reminded her of a slight desire she had to ask Forge Daughter to teach her how to craft, but she hadn't wanted to make that request quite yet. Didn't Forge Daughter craft for religious regions? Would it be blasphemy to ask her to teach Histarte? Histarte didn't know, and wasn't sure she was willing to try and find out just yet. "And, oh, it's okay! I am... reasonably comfortable. I am not the most socially elegant bug either; I wasn't before Verdania's destruction, and the lack of social interaction I've experienced since has not improved my abilities. I forgive any social mistake you make; I am sure I am making plenty of them myself."

“Er, yes yes. Sorry about that, I still feel the need to apologize for my inaccuracies.” Silver stuttered. “So, Verdania. Uh, could you lead the way?” She coughed in embarrassment. Silver thought about everything she was doing wrong and all of the things she said that could have been disrespectful, things that could get her strings tightened—No. She’s out of that mess, she has a different mess to deal with. One that doesn’t involve her forced to perform and be polite all the time. This was her life now. “…I, uh, don’t seem to have a map, nor sense of direction. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

"It is perfectly fine that you have no sense of direction. Well... It's unfortunate," Histarte corrected herself, "But it's fine for this moment. I have been told in the past that my sense of direction is as good as that of two bugs combined, so I think I have enough for the both of us." With that, Histarte started walking along, slowly, so as to allow Silver to keep up. She could've zipped and darted through the caves with speeds that few could match, but she did not, knowing that Silver may not be able to keep up.

Silver walked up beside her, easily matching her slow pace. She looked down at the shorter bug, admiring the way she held herself, like a warrior. "Say, you're a fighter, right? Do you suppose you could teach me your stature? Some still say I fight like l'm dancing and therefore my attacks have less bite in them." She explained. She spun the bead on her pin again, clearly self-conscious about her fighting stance. "I have managed to stay alive well so far, but it's not ideal." Silver's wings fluttered a bit, as if remembering a dance that she no longer did.

Histarte looked up at the bug beside her. "Oh, yes, I am a fighter! And teaching you my... stature?" She blinked. "I believe you may have used the wrong word. 'Stature' refers to height or other form of body size; 'stance,' I believe, is the word you're looking for." She smiled. "And yes, I think I could teach you a thing or two about some of my stances. I will say, certain aspects of my fighting style, I don't think I could teach you. The way I fly, for instance, I probably can't. But other aspects should be more than manageable."

“Yes yes, sorry, stance is what I meant. I must have forgotten the meaning of some words while on my strings. I don’t seem to strike as fast as I did as well…” Silver looked away for a second, “But yeah, aspects of your style. Like your swiftness, since Butterfly wings don’t work the same as Verdan wings.” She rubbed her neck with her palm. Some of the darkness of it had been rubbed away by what it looks like… strings. Little tiny string scrapes jetting across in a circle around her neck. Now that she looked, Histarte could notice those lines on her elbows, wrists, waist, and knees.

Histarte nodded in understanding, but seeing the lines and hearing Silver say "on my strings" distracted her thoughts. On my strings, Histarte thought, trying to understand what that meant. Is that some strange form of figurative language, or... I don't know. She ultimately decided she would ask. "Alright, yes, that makes sense. And yes, I can try to teach you, perhaps after we reach Verdania?" She continued walking, but then added, "Say, you said... 'while on my strings.' Do you... What did you mean by that?" She paused. "You don't have to elaborate if you do not wish to."

"Oh. Sorry for bring that up, I just accidentally bring that up in conversation." Silver apologized. "Well, I was... a slave of sorts, at one point. Forced to dance with no way to free myself from the strings like held me like a puppet. That is how I earned my title, The Eternal Dancer." Silver explained. "i was eventually freed, of course, but my dance still integrates itself into my moves." Silver gestured to the lines on her neck, "These are where the strings connected, they rubbed my shell down a lot."

(This is a long one, hence the read more. If it's too long, here's the TL;DR: Histarte is so horrified by what the experience must've been like that she's at a loss for words for a while, and what she eventually says feels... insufficient)

“…It’s okay. It was my fault, really. Trusting people to spare me after I watched them kill my lover, and being naive enough to run from my home in fear of being controlled in the first place.” Silver went silent. She could still hear the scream of her husband and daughter from that fated night. They echoed in her mind whenever she started to get attached to someone.

Histarte's mouth fell open in shock. She found herself unable to form words. "I..." She swallowed. "No apologies are necessary." She paused. "I am truly, truly sorry that happened to you..." Histarte paused for a moment. "I... Am haunted by cowardice," she ultimately confessed. "I spent my entire life defending the borders of my kingdom loyally, from when I was very small. And when the Citadel threatened us, I intended to do as I had always done and defend my kingdom. When... When my people made a deal... That they had hoped would see us spared, I was relieved. And then when the Citadel ultimately dishonored their deal, and I woke up one day to the scent of smoke and the screams of my kin... I ran." "I ran, and then I hid. I did not fight like the warrior I am. I fled like a lesser, lower creature. Like prey." Histarte paused for a long moment before saying, "I tell myself there's nothing I could've done to save Verdania. I tell myself that the only thing that would've happened had I stayed is that I would be dead, and thus there'd be nothing left of Verdania. I tell myself that as long as I live, Verdania lives in some form, too. This is what I tell myself so I can rest my head at night. And every day, I wake up, and I acknowledge that it's a lie." Histarte took a deep, shaky breath. "And I could say far, far more. I shall not. Thank... Thank you. For allowing me to confess." She was silent for a long moment. "I will gladly do what I can to teach you to fight. And I will gladly take you to what remains of Verdania, so we can witness it together. If you still want those things."

“Yes, I… I’d like that.” Silver went silent as well. “You didn’t deserve any of that either. That… that’s horrible. Having everything you have ever known massacred, even with everything that has happened, I cannot imagine losing the only image of hope in my mind that there is someone out there like me. And having to live with the guilt of cowardice is horrible. Feeling like you were powerless is something I am also familiar with…” She hesitated, then put a reassuring hand on Histarte’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for that. My words also don’t seem enough. I’ve come face to face and have been disadvantaged by liars too, both killed people we love.” She fidgeted with the bead again, and this time Histarte saw what it said. Morpho, Silver, Melody. Morpho must be her lover, or, late lover.

Histarte swallowed. "Don't worry... Not being alone is... helping." She paused. "Right. Um. Anyway... We aren't far from Verdania. We should soon be passing through the town known as Greymoor; the entrance to Verdania is east of that." She started walking, feeling less alone than she had in what may well have been literal ages. Or perhaps not as long. Time had long lost meaning to Histarte.

(Alright!)

“No no, you’re fine. Emotions don’t mean you’re weak.” Silver flew quickly on buzzing blue wings toward her. “I’m sure if I saw a hint of a silken structure in the trees I would react the same way. So, this place used to be green? I wouldn’t be able to tell… it’s just grey now.” Silver looked around at the barren landscape around them. She thought about the residents, the bugs who live—or lived—here. Bug who might have had families, friends. If this is what it was now, what had happened to those bugs?

"... Thank you," Histarte said, softly, gratefully. "And yes, this place used to be green. So, so much green, of all different shades. And now it's just..." She sighed. She pulled out a container made of animal skin, apparently filled with water, and poured some on the clover sprouts she found. "And I swear, it shall be green once more." She refused to allow anything else.

Silver smiled, “Definitely ready-er than I was when I left the Silk Parapet.” She had hopped into the air when the rocks came tumbling as well, and she flew with her head a bit down as if scared of hitting the roof of something.

Histarte paused for a while. "I... I am as ready as I shall ever be." She heard what Silver muttered, and saw the bead nearly come off, and suddenly said, "I have seven hundred seventy (770) rosaries, if you need those to pay for that."

“No worries. I can keep up.” Silver sidestepped one of the corpses. She looked back at it for a long moment. Her mind flashed back to Morpho’s body, to Melody’s words to her.

Histarte noticed Silver's gags, but attributed it to the disgusting smell of rotting flesh.

“I’d wish to do the same.” She followed Histarte up into the tunnels. It didn’t get better. “…You made the right decision. Without you alive right now, this would be the only thing to ever identify this place. I’m sure it was beautiful in its prime…” Silver looked around at the charred buildings and ashen ground. Silver put a hand on her shoulder. “…You certainly made a better decision than me when you decided to leave, if that makes you feel any better. With your decision, the memory of this place lives on. With my decision, I might be the only one who remembers Morpho, or my father, or mother, and it’s my fault.”

Histarte swallowed. "I... I'm sure whatever happened, it was not your fault," She said. "I... And no, I don't feel this is my fault. I... I did. I wondered if there was anything I could have done, had I stayed, but I see now that any defense I could have tried to mount... It would've been almost certainly guaranteed to fail." She sighed.

“I understand your sadness. My dear Morpho was murdered for his brilliant blue wings. Bugs buy those, knowing they came from someone else, someone who once lived… Melody, she was killed just to kill, just to make me feel pain. This place, it was killed by petty cruelty. Why must everyone be so angry all the time…?” Silver kneeled down and picked up a charred piece of wood where the engraving T+Y could still be made out. She didn’t know these people, but she recognized that this was the sign of love, and it hurt her heart even more.

Histarte listened, silent, while Silver shared her tale. She placed a hand on... well, the other bug was far too tall for Histarte to place a hand on her shoulder, but she grabbed Silver's hand, gently.

“Yes, I do. I’d like to forget the moves that I’ve been integrated into my shell. And eventually, when I’m strong enough, I might be able to take revenge. But maybe that’s stupid.” Silver said, “ I’m still not ready to forgive the War Faction yet though. And… Maybe I could help you with restoring this land? Back im the Silk Parapet, my family were gardeners. Although I didn’t pay attention much, I do know some things that might help.”

Histarte nodded. "I... Thank you. Your help in nursing these lands back to health would be greatly appreciated. And I will teach you how to fight." Histarte looked around.

“…Thank you. I don’t think you really need to atone either. You ran from your home because otherwise you would’ve died. It’s brave to try to escape, not cowardly. I know you think you’re a coward for not defending them, but it’s the Citadel. What could you do? Looking at the weapons and bodies of these bugs, warriors much stronger than you died here.” Silver looked over at a body and shuddered, “In escaping, you’re able to preserve the memory of this place.”

Histarte seemed to deflate. "... You're..." She sighed. "I know you're right, yet I still don't feel it," She said, having no other way to put it. "Yet I still want to help Verdania bloom once more, and so I appreciate your help."

“…Yes, let’s do that.” Silver agreed. “I’m… sorry, if I made you feel invalid. I tend to just say whatever I think but I don’t always end up praising it correctly.” She thoughts over took her again.

(Oh shoot, you're right, uh, another user made a little art of her? And I have a shitty sketch because I'm a mediocre artist :( I can try to take a picture of it and send it??? It'll be low quality, though. I imagine her as like a regular Escalion, but less hunched over, and a bit taller, and leaner. Like, maybe a bit shorter than Hornet. I realize that's not very descriptive; I'm sorry :( )

Silver frowned at her rambling. “I… I do want to leave, but not just because the ground is covered in ash. It seems to make you uncomfortable being here, so I was agreeing with your suggestion- never mind, forget it.” She held Histarte’s hand tightly, but not enough that it made it hurt. She followed Histarte—well, rather walked beside her—as they left and ventured back towards the entrance back to Greymoor.

(Yes, sure, timeskip! I'll go ahead and @ you on the post with the art someone made, and here's a photo of the art I made, though it's.... not a great photo. I am using a laptop webcam, so like, yeah:

Silver jumped into action, but it was not quick and sharp. It was more like ballet, as if she just gracefully hopped into position. Her pin crossed her heart as defence. She jabbed forward into the neck and her arm landed straight with surprising softness. The point had pricked the neck, and she drove it through, twisted, and elevated her arm to float up and rip the head from the rest of the body. She stepped back and looked at the head on the floor.

Histarte nodded sagely as she saw Silver's moves. "I see... Yes, I see the problem. Well, it's not a problem, per se; just... sub-optimal," She explained. "You're deadly enough, but you could be deadlier." She paused as she thought of how to explain it.

Silver helped her repair the dummy. She leaned down handed the pin to Histarte. “I’m sure you’ll do fine. Just… don’t lose the bead, okay?”

(JEEZ! Okay, Forge Daughter is taller than I thought, damn! And yes, Silver must've been bending over or like, crouching to put her hand on Histarte's shoulder, this is crazy)

Silver took the pin again and got into position. This time, she pushed the pin forward into the neck with the palm of her hand on the bead. She retracted fast and did it again through the chest. Once it was pierced through the chest, she tried to mimic the speed of Histarte and ripped sideways, then pulled back. It was less graceful, and it wasn’t snappy. It was a little clumsy, but it worked. “There, did I do good?”

"You are a creature of a sort I have never before seen. Who are you? Are you a threat or not?" The escalion asks cautiously.

Histarte relaxed, her tense muscles untensing as she decided there was no threat. "I see; I've no intentions of provoking you. And... I... Don't know what a Karner Blue Butterfly is," She admitted, "So I'm unlikely to have seen them... I can relate to the desire to find your own kind, though." She looked down, her gaze growing distant briefly, before clearing once more. "And there I go, forgetting to introduce myself again; my apologies. I am Histarte."

“Ah, the Citadel. I admire the architecture, but the choices it has made not something I would have myself. I seem to have lost the way to my home, either that or the Citadel has ruined it from its wonderful silken and high in tree-line state.” She shuffled from one foot to the other. “And thank you for not thinking I delusional, even if I had said it myself.”

“Well, I suppose that it is a given that it is gone, regarding how long I was on strings.”

"Ah, Forge Daughter. Yes, I found her in the Deep Docks at some point. I commissioned my pin from her." Silver picked up her pin and showed it to Histarte. "I do have some goals.." She was about to explain that one of her goals was to reproduce to make sure her species didn't go extinct but that that was a second to survival for her and finding her home, or what was left of it as well was not something you would say to someone you just recently meet. "...Well, one to survive. And the second is to live long enough to find a world where I can settle down and carry on the memory of my daughter."

"Oh!" Histarte said brightly. "But of course! I should've recognized her craftsmanship. Or, well, probably not; I only have one example." She took out the darts that the Forge Daughter made for her. "She created these for me. Enhanced them from the form they once had. Even engraved Verdania's symbol within the handles. Truly beautiful craftsmanship..." She paused as the conversation moved on. "I see, well, we can help each other survive..." She paused again, as if... not quite sure how to respond to the rest. "I... I cannot relate to the loss of a child. I have never had a child. I... I want to, though. Someday. When the world is safer... And it's truly okay; no apologies necessary."

“Right. Me too, when the world is safer, and I can honor Melody’s memory properly without danger.” She agreed. Silver’s wings twitched in the silence. Her antennae swished in the wind. “Could you… take me to Verdania? No pressure of course, I’d just… like to see hour homeland, restored or… not. Sorry if that triggered anything.” Silver apologized quickly. “I just wonder sometimes. If I can find it, I might bring you to my home, if you are okay with that.”

Histarte blinked. "I... I would be willing to take you to Verdania, perhaps. Maybe having company would make seeing what's left of my homeland less... devastating." She paused. "And of course, if you find it, you are welcome to bring me to your home. If you're comfortable with that." Her gaze darted to the pin, briefly, and she wondered if she could perhaps ask Silver to instruct her in how a pin is used, but decided that could wait a bit. That thought reminded her of a slight desire she had to ask Forge Daughter to teach her how to craft, but she hadn't wanted to make that request quite yet. Didn't Forge Daughter craft for religious regions? Would it be blasphemy to ask her to teach Histarte? Histarte didn't know, and wasn't sure she was willing to try and find out just yet. "And, oh, it's okay! I am... reasonably comfortable. I am not the most socially elegant bug either; I wasn't before Verdania's destruction, and the lack of social interaction I've experienced since has not improved my abilities. I forgive any social mistake you make; I am sure I am making plenty of them myself."

“Er, yes yes. Sorry about that, I still feel the need to apologize for my inaccuracies.” Silver stuttered. “So, Verdania. Uh, could you lead the way?” She coughed in embarrassment. Silver thought about everything she was doing wrong and all of the things she said that could have been disrespectful, things that could get her strings tightened—No. She’s out of that mess, she has a different mess to deal with. One that doesn’t involve her forced to perform and be polite all the time. This was her life now. “…I, uh, don’t seem to have a map, nor sense of direction. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

"It is perfectly fine that you have no sense of direction. Well... It's unfortunate," Histarte corrected herself, "But it's fine for this moment. I have been told in the past that my sense of direction is as good as that of two bugs combined, so I think I have enough for the both of us." With that, Histarte started walking along, slowly, so as to allow Silver to keep up. She could've zipped and darted through the caves with speeds that few could match, but she did not, knowing that Silver may not be able to keep up.

Silver walked up beside her, easily matching her slow pace. She looked down at the shorter bug, admiring the way she held herself, like a warrior. "Say, you're a fighter, right? Do you suppose you could teach me your stature? Some still say I fight like l'm dancing and therefore my attacks have less bite in them." She explained. She spun the bead on her pin again, clearly self-conscious about her fighting stance. "I have managed to stay alive well so far, but it's not ideal." Silver's wings fluttered a bit, as if remembering a dance that she no longer did.

Histarte looked up at the bug beside her. "Oh, yes, I am a fighter! And teaching you my... stature?" She blinked. "I believe you may have used the wrong word. 'Stature' refers to height or other form of body size; 'stance,' I believe, is the word you're looking for." She smiled. "And yes, I think I could teach you a thing or two about some of my stances. I will say, certain aspects of my fighting style, I don't think I could teach you. The way I fly, for instance, I probably can't. But other aspects should be more than manageable."

“Yes yes, sorry, stance is what I meant. I must have forgotten the meaning of some words while on my strings. I don’t seem to strike as fast as I did as well…” Silver looked away for a second, “But yeah, aspects of your style. Like your swiftness, since Butterfly wings don’t work the same as Verdan wings.” She rubbed her neck with her palm. Some of the darkness of it had been rubbed away by what it looks like… strings. Little tiny string scrapes jetting across in a circle around her neck. Now that she looked, Histarte could notice those lines on her elbows, wrists, waist, and knees.

Histarte nodded in understanding, but seeing the lines and hearing Silver say "on my strings" distracted her thoughts. On my strings, Histarte thought, trying to understand what that meant. Is that some strange form of figurative language, or... I don't know. She ultimately decided she would ask. "Alright, yes, that makes sense. And yes, I can try to teach you, perhaps after we reach Verdania?" She continued walking, but then added, "Say, you said... 'while on my strings.' Do you... What did you mean by that?" She paused. "You don't have to elaborate if you do not wish to."

"Oh. Sorry for bring that up, I just accidentally bring that up in conversation." Silver apologized. "Well, I was... a slave of sorts, at one point. Forced to dance with no way to free myself from the strings like held me like a puppet. That is how I earned my title, The Eternal Dancer." Silver explained. "i was eventually freed, of course, but my dance still integrates itself into my moves." Silver gestured to the lines on her neck, "These are where the strings connected, they rubbed my shell down a lot."

(This is a long one, hence the read more. If it's too long, here's the TL;DR: Histarte is so horrified by what the experience must've been like that she's at a loss for words for a while, and what she eventually says feels... insufficient)

“…It’s okay. It was my fault, really. Trusting people to spare me after I watched them kill my lover, and being naive enough to run from my home in fear of being controlled in the first place.” Silver went silent. She could still hear the scream of her husband and daughter from that fated night. They echoed in her mind whenever she started to get attached to someone.

Histarte's mouth fell open in shock. She found herself unable to form words. "I..." She swallowed. "No apologies are necessary." She paused. "I am truly, truly sorry that happened to you..." Histarte paused for a moment. "I... Am haunted by cowardice," she ultimately confessed. "I spent my entire life defending the borders of my kingdom loyally, from when I was very small. And when the Citadel threatened us, I intended to do as I had always done and defend my kingdom. When... When my people made a deal... That they had hoped would see us spared, I was relieved. And then when the Citadel ultimately dishonored their deal, and I woke up one day to the scent of smoke and the screams of my kin... I ran." "I ran, and then I hid. I did not fight like the warrior I am. I fled like a lesser, lower creature. Like prey." Histarte paused for a long moment before saying, "I tell myself there's nothing I could've done to save Verdania. I tell myself that the only thing that would've happened had I stayed is that I would be dead, and thus there'd be nothing left of Verdania. I tell myself that as long as I live, Verdania lives in some form, too. This is what I tell myself so I can rest my head at night. And every day, I wake up, and I acknowledge that it's a lie." Histarte took a deep, shaky breath. "And I could say far, far more. I shall not. Thank... Thank you. For allowing me to confess." She was silent for a long moment. "I will gladly do what I can to teach you to fight. And I will gladly take you to what remains of Verdania, so we can witness it together. If you still want those things."

“Yes, I… I’d like that.” Silver went silent as well. “You didn’t deserve any of that either. That… that’s horrible. Having everything you have ever known massacred, even with everything that has happened, I cannot imagine losing the only image of hope in my mind that there is someone out there like me. And having to live with the guilt of cowardice is horrible. Feeling like you were powerless is something I am also familiar with…” She hesitated, then put a reassuring hand on Histarte’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for that. My words also don’t seem enough. I’ve come face to face and have been disadvantaged by liars too, both killed people we love.” She fidgeted with the bead again, and this time Histarte saw what it said. Morpho, Silver, Melody. Morpho must be her lover, or, late lover.

Histarte swallowed. "Don't worry... Not being alone is... helping." She paused. "Right. Um. Anyway... We aren't far from Verdania. We should soon be passing through the town known as Greymoor; the entrance to Verdania is east of that." She started walking, feeling less alone than she had in what may well have been literal ages. Or perhaps not as long. Time had long lost meaning to Histarte.

(Alright!)

“No no, you’re fine. Emotions don’t mean you’re weak.” Silver flew quickly on buzzing blue wings toward her. “I’m sure if I saw a hint of a silken structure in the trees I would react the same way. So, this place used to be green? I wouldn’t be able to tell… it’s just grey now.” Silver looked around at the barren landscape around them. She thought about the residents, the bugs who live—or lived—here. Bug who might have had families, friends. If this is what it was now, what had happened to those bugs?

"... Thank you," Histarte said, softly, gratefully. "And yes, this place used to be green. So, so much green, of all different shades. And now it's just..." She sighed. She pulled out a container made of animal skin, apparently filled with water, and poured some on the clover sprouts she found. "And I swear, it shall be green once more." She refused to allow anything else.

Silver smiled, “Definitely ready-er than I was when I left the Silk Parapet.” She had hopped into the air when the rocks came tumbling as well, and she flew with her head a bit down as if scared of hitting the roof of something.

Histarte paused for a while. "I... I am as ready as I shall ever be." She heard what Silver muttered, and saw the bead nearly come off, and suddenly said, "I have seven hundred seventy (770) rosaries, if you need those to pay for that."

“No worries. I can keep up.” Silver sidestepped one of the corpses. She looked back at it for a long moment. Her mind flashed back to Morpho’s body, to Melody’s words to her.

Histarte noticed Silver's gags, but attributed it to the disgusting smell of rotting flesh.

“I’d wish to do the same.” She followed Histarte up into the tunnels. It didn’t get better. “…You made the right decision. Without you alive right now, this would be the only thing to ever identify this place. I’m sure it was beautiful in its prime…” Silver looked around at the charred buildings and ashen ground. Silver put a hand on her shoulder. “…You certainly made a better decision than me when you decided to leave, if that makes you feel any better. With your decision, the memory of this place lives on. With my decision, I might be the only one who remembers Morpho, or my father, or mother, and it’s my fault.”

Histarte swallowed. "I... I'm sure whatever happened, it was not your fault," She said. "I... And no, I don't feel this is my fault. I... I did. I wondered if there was anything I could have done, had I stayed, but I see now that any defense I could have tried to mount... It would've been almost certainly guaranteed to fail." She sighed.

“I understand your sadness. My dear Morpho was murdered for his brilliant blue wings. Bugs buy those, knowing they came from someone else, someone who once lived… Melody, she was killed just to kill, just to make me feel pain. This place, it was killed by petty cruelty. Why must everyone be so angry all the time…?” Silver kneeled down and picked up a charred piece of wood where the engraving T+Y could still be made out. She didn’t know these people, but she recognized that this was the sign of love, and it hurt her heart even more.

Histarte listened, silent, while Silver shared her tale. She placed a hand on... well, the other bug was far too tall for Histarte to place a hand on her shoulder, but she grabbed Silver's hand, gently.

“Yes, I do. I’d like to forget the moves that I’ve been integrated into my shell. And eventually, when I’m strong enough, I might be able to take revenge. But maybe that’s stupid.” Silver said, “ I’m still not ready to forgive the War Faction yet though. And… Maybe I could help you with restoring this land? Back im the Silk Parapet, my family were gardeners. Although I didn’t pay attention much, I do know some things that might help.”

Histarte nodded. "I... Thank you. Your help in nursing these lands back to health would be greatly appreciated. And I will teach you how to fight." Histarte looked around.

“…Thank you. I don’t think you really need to atone either. You ran from your home because otherwise you would’ve died. It’s brave to try to escape, not cowardly. I know you think you’re a coward for not defending them, but it’s the Citadel. What could you do? Looking at the weapons and bodies of these bugs, warriors much stronger than you died here.” Silver looked over at a body and shuddered, “In escaping, you’re able to preserve the memory of this place.”

Histarte seemed to deflate. "... You're..." She sighed. "I know you're right, yet I still don't feel it," She said, having no other way to put it. "Yet I still want to help Verdania bloom once more, and so I appreciate your help."

“…Yes, let’s do that.” Silver agreed. “I’m… sorry, if I made you feel invalid. I tend to just say whatever I think but I don’t always end up praising it correctly.” She thoughts over took her again.

(Oh shoot, you're right, uh, another user made a little art of her? And I have a shitty sketch because I'm a mediocre artist :( I can try to take a picture of it and send it??? It'll be low quality, though. I imagine her as like a regular Escalion, but less hunched over, and a bit taller, and leaner. Like, maybe a bit shorter than Hornet. I realize that's not very descriptive; I'm sorry :( )

Silver frowned at her rambling. “I… I do want to leave, but not just because the ground is covered in ash. It seems to make you uncomfortable being here, so I was agreeing with your suggestion- never mind, forget it.” She held Histarte’s hand tightly, but not enough that it made it hurt. She followed Histarte—well, rather walked beside her—as they left and ventured back towards the entrance back to Greymoor.

(Yes, sure, timeskip! I'll go ahead and @ you on the post with the art someone made, and here's a photo of the art I made, though it's.... not a great photo. I am using a laptop webcam, so like, yeah:

Silver jumped into action, but it was not quick and sharp. It was more like ballet, as if she just gracefully hopped into position. Her pin crossed her heart as defence. She jabbed forward into the neck and her arm landed straight with surprising softness. The point had pricked the neck, and she drove it through, twisted, and elevated her arm to float up and rip the head from the rest of the body. She stepped back and looked at the head on the floor.

Histarte nodded sagely as she saw Silver's moves. "I see... Yes, I see the problem. Well, it's not a problem, per se; just... sub-optimal," She explained. "You're deadly enough, but you could be deadlier." She paused as she thought of how to explain it.

Silver helped her repair the dummy. She leaned down handed the pin to Histarte. “I’m sure you’ll do fine. Just… don’t lose the bead, okay?”