I barely ask something to people, maybe due fear of a bad reaction. But I wanted to request (I read the rules), if you could do a one shot (Hope to not get it wrong) with the reader who has THK as guardian, with that I mean like that whenever the reader needs him, THK shows up to help them. Hope it is clear enough! qwq”
“Ah yes! And I forgot to add, in the one-shot, can the reader just get attacked and end up in critical conditions? (This is the continuation of my other Ask)”
Don’t worry, you didn’t break any rules and I got really inspired since THK teleportation really lends itself to this kinda thing. With this both being the longest fic I’ve ever written (My usual is about 600 words, this is over 2,500 words!) and graphic depictions of violence (no blood since bugs don’t really have blood like us) I’m putting it under a read more.
You had always had the habit of picking off more than you could chew for the sake of adventure. You always had thrown yourself into danger headfirst and gained your fair share of scars and scratches on your shell as a result. You had lost the way home long ago as a result. That was okay though, you never really planned on going back anyway, choosing instead to follow the rumors and tales from kingdom to kingdom and delve deep into what other thought too scary to explore. It never had been for riches but just to see what was down there.
When you heard of Hollownest it was almost too good to be true. An ancient kingdom with a poorly understood history surrounded in an eternal cloudy night, a watchful defender fighting against all those who may pillage the ruins, an ancient infection bringing the old citizens back from the dead as nothing but husks to attack the living, even a coliseum could be found for those wishing for that type of challenge.
After gathering every scrap of knowledge about it and listening to every rumor you collected your few things and set off to explore every corner of the tragic kingdom. You know the dangers, the risks, the chance of falling to the infection yourself or dying at the hands of an ancient husk, but you had heard of great danger before and wouldn’t back down now.
The defender wasn’t there. You had heard much of her deadly needle and use of spider silk thread but you hadn’t encountered her when you entered the small town of Dirtmouth. The sun shined above, neither the cloudy weather nor the constant night of rumors before.
An old bug greeted you and you couldn’t help but ask of such things. Apparently, a month before you came the night lifted for the first time he had ever seen, the dead finally laid down to their eternal rest and the sickness that was spread through the kingdom had died away. The defender, who he had met only a few times and knew her by the name Hornet, finally let go of her need to protect the whole of Hollownest to care for her own kingdom of Deepnest now that the infection was gone.
It felt like the universe was out to get you and for the first time not because it tried to kill you in some stupid way. Such a large portion of the rumors were wrong, not out of misinformation but simply because of your terrible luck and timing. Despite that, you still bought a map of the first area you would enter and climbed down that old chain into the crossroads.
The way was covered in long-dead vines that crumbled to dusk the moment you poked them. The occasional corpse of a husk could be seen on the old paths, massive holes, and gashes in their shell that no one could survive. Their broken bodies were hollow and clearly ancient with how worn thin their shells were. The thought that if you had just come earlier you could see such a thing lift itself up and attack you was a slight comfort. As much as you enjoyed danger, seeing each body so mutilated made you glad you wouldn’t have to worry about them getting up again and again.
The only thing that walked around was the occasional tiktik or crawlid. Seemingly only the local fauna was unaffected by the infection you. Though the engorged corpses of gruzzers and vengeflies you later came across told you it may be that the little bugs may not have been the only ones to survive the infection but instead just the only ones to survive it leaving.
You were thankful to come across the warm hot spring, able to wash the dirt and feelings of such a creepy atmosphere from your shell before leaving to the next area. It turns out though that you weren’t the only one who had such a thought. A lone bug taller than any you have seen before laid in the hot waters. They used only one hand to wash and groom their ragged cloak.
They looked for a moment at your arrival but then turned back to their task. You simply laid your things on the ground beside the water’s edge and got to work cleaning and grooming your own shell.
You hadn’t meant to stare at the bug but with them being the only other you couldn’t help but take the occasional glance back at them. You couldn’t help but notice that they only used their right hand to clean it. You thought it strange till they lifted their cloak to reveal and the tapered stump where their other arm would have been. You wanted to ask questions and learn more about the stranger but not only was it rude to bother someone while they groomed but you doubted they would feel uncomfortable for a random stranger to walk up and ask a bunch of questions because they looked strange.
You continued and quickly rubbed the dirt off your joints and shell. You were ready to get up and leave when you noticed the stranger had moved to clean their face now. They struggled to clean the horn on their left side. You begin to gather your things and put on your backpack but couldn’t help but see them bending over, stretching and contorting their body and yet still the tip of their horn was just out of reach. Their horns both had visible dirt on down to the first branch off, likely from knocking into and scraping against the lower hang ceiling of some parts of the kingdom. It almost hurt to see and while you wanted to help them would they even feel comfortable with you touching them?
“If you allow me I could help clean your horns.” You offered quickly before you lost confidence. They turned to you but said nothing. You guessed they were considering your offer. They gave a slow nod and then leaned down so their face was just above the water. You shed the backpack and waded in close to help them.
“If you want me to stop at any time than do tell me.” You dipped your hand into the water before grooming their horns just as you would their own shell. Being so much closer you could see how badly scratched their shell was. The large crack in their head looked like it should just pop off, a deep black goo glistening in the crack. Maybe a type of glue to keep it together while the crack healed?
The dirt came off and easily and without thinking you moved down to clean the next section of their horns. Their whole face was kinda horn and they didn’t seem bothered by it so you didn’t stop. Cleaning the base of the horns.
The water wet the crack in their shell and the black began to liquefy and drip into the water and stain it black. Was this what they bled? You let go of their horns and moved to fetch something from your backpack.
“I have some bandages. If you allow me to I can bandage your wound so nothing can get in it.” They gave a nod and you two moved out of the water so you could bandage them. You had to cover their eye but since the crack extends to it you figured their sight was limited at best from that eye anyway.
“Okay all done.” You stepped back as they stood. Even with their hunch, they towered over you as they likely did everyone. They gave a slow nod in, what you assumed to be, thanks before retrieving their cracked nail and leaving.
It was a strange encounter but you shrugged it off to continue.
The area you entered into was very different and much more lively. The mushrooms themselves were alive, some passively walking around while other smaller ones would run away as fast as their little legs could carry them. A few even attacks but it was a simple task dodge their roll or spear them through with your own nail. The occasional husk you wondered if the fungus covering their shell permanently brought them down or the infection did.
You learned as you wandered through that there was also a tribe of mantises that weren’t fond of outsiders. You did your best to avoid them but there was only so much you can do when a group decided to hunt you down.
Three warriors stood on the ground while two of their youth flew above. The moved to try and surround you and it became increasingly apparent that you wouldn’t escape without a couple scratches.
When the first lunges at your front you jumped backward and to the side and avoided it. One of the two flying above lunged down with what you guessed was a stinger to attack. You ducked down but could still feel them dig deep and cut into your backpack. As you stood to your food rations that had rested on to of everything spilled out onto the floor. While you wanted to grab it you barely had time to process what was happening before the next mantis lunged forward and attacked. You raised your nail and deflected the strike but the ones that had just ruined your food turned to attack again and landed a hard blow to your side that knocked you to the ground.
You attempted to try and rise quickly but another attack set you sprawling on your back and your nail too far to reach. Your raised your arm to block another attack and while it did prevent the strike from hitting you head it still dug deep enough that it broke through your shell, digging deep into the flesh beneath. You saw a blur come straight at you and instinctively turned your head and curled up. Pain exploded in the side of your face as another gash was torn into you. You attempted to scoot away but another strike to your back by one of the older of the group not only cut your backpack in half but left a large scratch in the chitin beneath.
You only had a moment to notice dull light spots coming from the ground. Something large and black flashed before quickly dashed into the ground. The moment it touched the small spots burst into large glowing pillars. One flying mantis screeched as the pillars of light tore through it. The light dissipated as quickly as it had appeared and you could hear the body his the ground.
Things came to a halt as all the attention was brought to the figure standing between you and the remaining four mantises. It was the bug you had helped.
The mantises leaned down preparing to attack all at once and they lend down with their nail held behind them ready to strike.
You heard three strikes of nail meeting claw as everyone struck at the same time. The initial wide swing deflected the three attacks but the quickly swung again and again.
You saw one mantis fall to the ground, a gash that was so large it almost cut them in half while another’s claw was sent flying through the air.
The one youth attempted an attack from behind but the large bug evaded it with ease before slashing the thing in half mid-air.
They held their hand above their head with their nail pointed downwards. The only unharmed mantis leaned back before attacking them. A loud clash rang through the air before they cut the mantis down.
They knelt down with their nail pointed forward and dashed at the now one-armed mantis; spearing them through. They pulled their nail back and the final mantis collapsed onto the ground.
They turned to you and for a moment you scrambled to stand and run. They stopped and you noticed they weren’t in a battle stance anymore.
”Are you…” you struggled to process what just happened. It was all so fast if it wasn’t for the corpses of the mantises you would easily believe it hadn’t happened at all.
They had specifically teleported above you just now though. They hadn’t been anywhere around before that.
”Did you come just to protect me?” you almost felt silly asking it but they nodded.
You attempted to push yourself up but wince as pressure was but on your injured arm. You stood shakily, knees still weak and still slightly in shock from your injuries. Your backpack fell completely off your shoulders, the contents spilling onto the ground and in pieces. You let out a sigh and began to attempt to gather it, the wound in the side of your throbbing as you knelt down.
It hurt to use your injured arm so you did your best to do it one-handed. You couldn’t carry everything you had brought in just your arms since the backpack was useless now so you only took the few essential things you had brought, mainly bandages and money.
The tall bug stepped in front of you, their own nail clipped to their side and yours held out to you. With your good arm, you clipped it to your own sheath strap. You grabbed you things in one arm and looked up at them.
“I know you just saved me but could you show me the way back to Dirtmouth? I don’t know the way and I can’t really defend myself with this arm and carry myself.” They nodded and pointed the way they were going before they began to walk.
You followed behind, wounds throbbing and awkwardly trying to think of a proper way to thank them for saving your life. Even more for taking you back. They hadn’t even said a word.
“You’ve never said anything before. Are you able to speak?” They shook their head no. Guess you would have to ask them to write their name down sometime. Hopefully, they could read at least. This meant you couldn’t ask why they saved you.
“So will I be able to rely on you saving me again next time I throw myself into the next idiotic situation?” Your tone was joking but they still nodded to you again. “Seriously? Do you just try and save anyone in danger you see?” They shook their head and you were confused.
Why would they save you like that?
“Did you save me because I helped in your grooming and bandaged you?” they nodded and you were at a loss for words.
“I… Thank you. I don’t know how I could repay you for something like this.” They shook their head and you scoffed lightly at that. “I don’t care if you think I don’t need to repay you, I’m going to find a way to thank you in more than words for saving me and being willing to protect me in the future.”
When they lead you to the stagstations you knew it wouldn’t feel good to ride that while injured as you were. There wasn’t much of a choice so you’d just have to hold onto your stuff and try not to shake about too much.
