unhollowed | A Hollow Knight Catchall

Where they emerged, half blinded and stumbling into the sheer light of the surface, they didn't know. The flood of brilliance however, was terrifying. Unable to locate the entrance back to those cool, quiet, empty tunnels, they found other places to hide instead, until the panic faded.

It wasn't her though, was it. Bright, but the sound of that booming, all encompassing voice was absent. The call of animals they knew not the names of, the rustling of leaves in the wind. Not silent, not like the tomb of a kingdom they'd accidentally escaped from, but no less unwelcome. If anything, they found after a time, the noise became calming.

The novelty of life a memory of times long past.

It wasn't until noon had passed that they would creep out from whatever cave they'd found that would fit them, dragging their weapon behind them, before utilizing it as a makeshift cane. They'd almost be taller than a few of the younger trees here, and they'd be forced to walk stooped and hunched, not a terribly difficult thing to do though, considering their current injured state.

They didn't even make it very far from that cave before they chose to rest again, having followed the sound of a flock of chatty sparrows to an old, large oak tree. It was there that they chose again to slowly sink to the ground, back propped against the wood, wondering at the sky above them and the sound of birds, the feeling of cool, fresh air on their face.

They really never even noticed when they lost consciousness, slipping into some state similar to sleep as the sparrows, once fled, returned to perch upon their horns. They'd not be disturbed by it, by all appearances dead to the world.

Tugging along a picnic basket and...what seemed like several books, Belle had found the company of the outdoors in the nearby forest much more welcoming than the townspeople. They'd still eyed her, talked behind her back, while all she did was...prefer her books over much anything else.
A few moments into the walk, she'd been distracted by the chirruping of the many different birds, the chatter of a squirrel. She'd actually, closed her book.

She deposits the book into her picnic basket, just in wonder at all the different creatures who seemed just as curious as she was. A brave little squirrel approached the back of her heels, climbing up the back of her skirt with intent of sneaking into her basket.

"Hello, you." Busted. She doesn't stop walking, taking the little fella with her, as he's rummaging around in her basket. "Just save some for me, or it'll be a very short picnic."

She continues along, turning around in wonder, walking backwards for a moment until she bumps into something (someone?) quite unusual. The sparrows scatter, chittering and chirping at her presence.

"Oh---!" What a strange....tree?

They never heard her coming. Exhaustion ran too deeply, they could have slept through almost anything at this point.

Almost anything, except being run into by a being a bit more substantial than a little sparrow. The birds scatter, and they jerk awake. As tall as they were, even while sitting they could look down upon the strange creature before them. Not that they did so for long, their reaction time and instincts a bit too well honed for that.

The sudden, frantic scramble to get up the tree was a spectacle indeed, their weapon used as a clumsy, but efficient enough climbing tool as they clambered with only one arm upwards into the branches, taking themselves all the higher above their new, unidentifiable company. Not a sound from them, despite all the obvious panic, other than the rattle of branches and the faint clink of broken chains, their nail gouging long slashes in the trunk until they were sure they were high enough.

Not really a good hiding place though, but hey.

Out of range.

It's a startling sound, and Belle backs up, away from the 'tree'. She nearly trips, and the squirrel friend leaps from the basket, out of harm's way himself. They both seemed to be....quite terrified of each other.

After a beat, she notices his hesitance, and Belle stops backing away. The...creature didn't seem threatening, despite his appearance outwardly. But it was nothing like she'd ever seen before in her whole life.

"H-Hello?"

Whatever it was, they look...ethereal. Up in the tree they couldn't get at her, or so she thought. She gingerly peers up into it, and presses her lip into a line.

"A-Are you alright? I'm sorry I startled you."

There, perched up on the highest, thickest branch that could handle their weight, they stared down at her, nail clutched in their only hand, the tip of it buried in the wood, as they took a moment to make heads or tails of the being they stared down at.

No claws nor mandibles, no wings, no carapace to protect her. A soft, pink, small thing, though far more elegant looking than a grub. What bug was she? No tribe they'd heard tell of or seen looked anything like her.

She spoke, and their head tilted faintly. An apology. For startling them. They seemed to mull over this, the tattered remains of long ago rusted and rotted chainmail and cloak gently clinking with every move and soft draft of wind. The only sound they'd actually make.

Slowly, they'd move, if only to lean forward from their perch and peer at her. Their face unmoving, the head would appear more like a mask than anything real or organic, the question was asked through their body language alone as they sank their weapon into the tree before releasing it, to point at her with one long, sharp finger.

What are you?

"What?" she replies, not exactly sure what they're asking.

"I'm...me?" she asks, unsure. They're still so strange looking, she can't make heads or tails of them.

"Are you hurt?"

It's going to be hard, to ask questions without words. They waver on the branch, not keen on that answer. 'Me' wasn't a type of bug after all, did she not know what she was? ... Not so alien a concept to them, really.

Hurt though. They weren't sure if they liked the idea of that being obvious. Their hand pulled back, to rest upon their chest, balance still perfect on the branch despite their unwieldy size.

Yes.

Their attention shifted back, the head cocked. Apparently, they weren't sure why anyone would be concerned.

That's the thing; Belle doesn't know she's alien to anything. In fact, the concept of alien? Was beyond comprehension at present. Maybe fantastical? Maybe a faerie? Maybe a fantasy?

Still, she looks...concerned. She asked if they were hurt, mostly on her account. She was worried that she'd stepped on them, or hurt them in some way, but...

"Can...Can I help you? Will you be alright? Goodness, I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean to."

A Hollow Knight Catchall

4 Belle

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SORRY im distracted

IT OKAY

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