Finders Keepers [Hollow Knight]

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The last stag was much faster than Tiki expected. Digging her hands into the seat on his back, she was certain if she let go she would fly off into the caverns behind her.

Dust particles flew into her face and eyes as he skidded to a halt. He coughed hoarsely as she let herself down from him.

"Here we are. Mind your step."
Tiki's feet planted onto the stone platforms, adjusted her nail to her hip, turned and nodded at him. "Thank you," she said. The stag dipped his head at her respectfully. "I apologise I must only drop you at the storerooms, but it is the closest I can get you." Tiki waved a hand to brush off his apology, though appreciating his manners. "It's fine," she replied. "I'm sure I'll find my way."

The stag maneuvered himself to turn back to the empty catacombs. "If ever you need my services then just ring the bell. I'll be sure to come as quickly as I can. Safe travels, little one." He sped off as fast as he arrived. 'I'm not that little...' She thought bitterly. Did someone else ring the bell? What incredible hearing he must have.

Tiki strolled out of the station thinking to herself of the fallen kingdom. She wasn't one to care for details or buildings of any kind, but she could tell from the architecture of just the storerooms how full of life it once must have been. All the stories she was told of its greatness seemed like any other myth to her. Hallownest was nothing yet everything she expected it to be.

She found herself dropping from descending platforms, the husks of winged and lance sentries tried skewering her as the hovered above her. "Are they... stuck?" she wondered as her nail scraped far enough into the lance's belly, spilling their spitting orange remains below, falling to the ground with its weapon. "I can't imagine being forced to live on so... pathetically. So weak, even in death..."

Taking a small fall onto the flat ground again, Tiki found herself looking behind a magnificent window overlooking the capital as rain endlessly poured against it. But in front of the window was an iron bench, with a bug taller than herself sitting on it. A pillbug, it looked like, wearing what looked like a mask on its' head.

Slowly and quietly, Tiki drew her fluid-drenched nail and edged closer to the stranger. She wasn't about to risk her own life if it were a husk, and the satisfaction of a stealthy kill was too much to overcome.

As she was close enough to nearly strike, the bug on the bench turned around and quickly drew his nail, much sharper than her own. This bug was certainly too quick-witted to possibly be a husk she realised.

'Never mind that then...'

The pillbug lowered his nail and stood straighter as Tiki took a step back. "I don't wish to fight you," he said. "I... assume you don't want to either, by the looks of it at least." Tiki stared at the ground for a moment, finding it awkward to make eye contact. "No, I... I thought you were one of them. My mistake."

The pillbug gave a small sigh of relief and relaxed. "I understand. Don't worry," he assured as he put the end of his nail in a crack of the floor comfortably. "Though I wish our first meeting was less... intense... I'm Quirrel. It's nice to see another strong traveller here in Hallownest," he greeted warmly. Though Tiki couldn't explain how she somehow found his presence somehow comforting and peaceful. Safe, almost?

"Tiki. And, uh... I wouldn't exactly consider myself to be idly travelling..." She replied, scratching the back of her neck.  "Ah, but coming here at all would make you a traveller anyway, yes?" Quirrel looked out of the glass with a small smile on his face. "What brings you here then? You seem strong, and your shell looks quite hardened for an ant."