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Ghost was tired. They could feel the core-deep exhaustion in every fiber of their shade as they allowed themself to drift downward, following their siblings. They’d done it. They’d freed their tortured sibling and killed the Radiance, breaking the hold she had and releasing Hollownest from her curse once and for all. They deserved to rest. They….what was that?
A new sensation brushed against their awareness, pulling their attention from their desire to rest and drawing their descent to a stop. It was coming from the lingering connection they had with their shell. Curious, they reached back towards the feeling, wanting to know what it was.
Grief. Strong, overwhelming grief slammed into their being, strong enough that it had them staggering despite it being filtered along the stretched-thin bond between their shade and shell. Someone near their discarded shell was grieving fiercely. Ghost tried to reach back further to see who it was, or what was wrong, but all they could get were they emotions.
Rage came next, swift and hot, but it faded just as quickly, swamped in the swell of grief once more. If Ghost had been able to they would have frowned. Someone was upset, and badly so, very close to their shell.
Hesitation filtered through them and they looked down to find that several of their siblings had slowed to a stop and were peering up at them in confusion.
Come. Rest. Why stop? Sleep!
The echoing sensation of their not-quite-voices were like a balm to their soul and they allowed themself to sink a little farther. Would it be so bad if they went with them? The person back there should be fine, right? It wasn't Ghost's job to fix that problem. They'd already fixed a bunch of people's problems. They wanted to rest. To not have to worry about being lonely again. They'd earned th-.
The emotions above them shifted, causing them to look up once more, coming to a complete stop as something like horror sunk into their veins. The grief above them had faded slightly, sinking into the background, but what had replaced it was far, far worse. It took them a brief moment to parse through everything they were getting, but what they found had them moving upward slightly in worry.
A sickly combination of defeat, loneliness, and resignation all wrapped and woven with that lingering grief. They knew that combination. They'd felt something similar when they'd fallen from the cliff in the abyss all those years ago. But back then they'd still held onto a fierce desire to push through. A determination. Whoever this was had none of that spark. Instead, Ghost was getting a sinking realization that the person had just...given up. On what, they weren't sure, but if they were near Ghost's shell then they were in or near the Black Egg. That wasn't a safe place to be giving up on anything!
Sibling? Why go? Come back! Rest!
The call of the others drew their gaze back down once again, but they didn't stop.
Not yet. They called back, sad, but decided. Someone in trouble. You go. Rest. Will come, someday.
There was a chorus of uncertainty in response, but Ghost sent them a wave of reassurance and love. They'd return to the Void eventually, but not yet. They were still needed up there. Eventually their siblings relented, turning away to sink into the Sea below them. But when they turned to continue upwards once more, they were startled to find they weren't alone. There, just above them and a little to the side, was the shade of their largest sibling. The one others had called the Pure Vessel. Confused, they sent their larger sibling a feeling of question. Out of all their siblings, this one deserved rest the most.
I feel it too. Their larger sibling's not-voice was more formal, forming full words instead of sensations and meanings. Someone up there needs help.
Not rest? They tried again, uncertain. You hurt. Rest help. Their sibling hesitated for several moments and Ghost caught their uncertainty as well. Not uncertainty on whether to stay or go, but on how to explain.
I failed. They other vessel eventually explained. I couldn't keep the Radiance contained. People were hurt. I don't know how badly, but I know they were. I couldn't help them. I want to help this one.
You helped plenty! Ghost disagreed with a frantic shake of their head. Held long time! Too much for anyone. Don't need to do more!
Maybe... Their sibling didn't sound convinced. But I want to.
Oh. How could Ghost say no to that? During their travels they'd learned how their larger sibling had been raised to be hollow, not to feel or want anything. If they wanted to go help, then that was....good. Probably.
Ghost huffed out what counted as a sigh in this form and nodded in acceptance before starting upward. Soon the two of them were side by side as the Void Sea faded behind them, along with the quiet hum of their slumbering siblings. Not gone, but put to the background as the sensations of the living world became more prevalent. The feelings they had been getting from near their shell got stronger they higher they went and they couldn't help but wonder who it was that was feeling so strongly by their and their sibling's shells. Hornet had said-Hornet! Something like ice sank into their being, colder than the void even was. Hornet had jumped into their fight despite saying that she couldn't get involved. Hornet had been there when they rushed into their sibling's dream to deal with the Radiance. Was she ok? Was she hurt? Was that why someone was feeling like this?
Urgency added speed to their ascent and their sibling matched their speed with barely a questioning feeling. What they found when they finally broke through the surface inside the Black Egg would have stolen their breath away if they could breathe in this form. As it was it felt like what passed as their heart was shattering at the sight in front of them. Beside them, they could feel a similar reaction coming from their larger sibling, but they couldn't pay them much attention. Not now.
There, on the ground near the center of the Black Egg, was Hornet. She looked relatively unharmed outside of some scuffing and a small crack along one of her horns, but she was curled up on the ground, wrapping herself around what could only be their and their siblings shells. Shells that should have been broken, but appeared to have been painstakingly stitched together with Hornet’s signature pale silk. How long had they been gone that she'd had time to do that for both shells? Theirs appeared to have been just in two pieces, but their sibling's had been in several. Even the almost-broken cracks were stitched together on both masks.
That wasn't the worse part though. No, the worse part was the sinking realization that the emotions they'd been feeling had been coming from Hornet herself. Their sister, someone who always seemed so steady and sure, was now a broken mess on the ground. She'd given up. But why?! She and Hollownest had finally been free! She would have been able to move forward and enjoy her life! She-…Ghost floated closer, taking in the tear streaks in the dust and dirt that coated her mask as well as the ones she held. She had been crying. Probably crying for a long time, if they were to wager a guess, and the tears must have fallen on their and their sibling's masks as well.
"-...should have seen this coming." Hornet's voice was quiet, barely audible even in the silence of the Egg. She didn't seem to notice as they and their sibling drifted closer. Instead she seemed to be talking to their shells, one hand moving to lightly stroke against one of them and then the other as she continued. "You did good, Little Ghost...sorry I yelled at you...and for attacking you before. I never was very good at being a sister. Or family at all, I guess. I don't blame you for leaving. You either, Holly. You both deserve some rest..." The grief swelled then, but it was fading, leaving just a tired loneliness behind. Actually, even that was fading. Worry gnawed at Ghost's mind. They weren't sure why, but that didn't seem good. Something was very wrong.
"Would it be so bad if I rested to?" Hornet's voice was even quieter somehow, sending a thrill of wrong, wrong, wrong! through their shade. "I'm so tired..."
It hit them then, harder than one of Radiance's blasts ever could. Hornet's breathing was far, far too shallow. Too slow. She was hurt! Or...oh. Oh no. Her words from before the fight filtered back to them now, a warning that she couldn't join them in the fight because the Egg would drain her if she entered. They’d been surprised when she'd come inside anyways, launching herself into the fight to help them in that crucial moment so they could break into their sibling-Holly?-'s dream. With everything going on they had no way to know how much time had passed since then. Time where the Egg slowly drained her of vitality. The Egg was killing her! And from the looks of it she was planning to let it!
Terror unlike anything they'd felt before gripped them, but they couldn't let it take hold. Hornet needed action. She needed out of this place. And the only way to make that happen was for them to get back in their shell and move her. Though she might be a bit big for them to—They turned towards their sibling, but before they could finish the thought their larger sibling was already swirling down and into their patched-together shell. Shoving their fear down, Ghost forced themself to examine their own shell long enough to make sure it would hold them before following their sibling's example.
Being inside their shell again after nearly leaving it behind for good was odd, but Ghost didn't allow themself to focus on that as they pushed themself up. Their sibling was already getting to their feet, shakily scooping up their fading sister in their remaining arm and earning a confused murmur from the woman.
Out of egg! Ghost told them quickly, pointing towards the entrance. Their sibling took a moment to readjust Hornet so she was more settled in their grip before doing as instructed. Ghost was glad that their time with all their siblings near the Void Sea seemed to have healed the horrid holes their sibling put in their own body. They didn’t want to think about how this would have gone if they had still been injured like that. But as it was they managed to make their way out of the Egg with little difficulty with Ghost only breaking away from a short moment to collect the three discarded weapons and drag them out with them.
Once outside Ghost kept them moving until they left the Egg behind, and then the entire temple. Only then did they gesture for their sibling to sit on the ground. They would prefer to get to a bench-preferably the one in Dirtmouth-or a hot springs, but with the condition their two siblings were in that didn't seem doable yet. At least the pulsing globs of infection were gone.
Once their sibling was seated and had Hornet repositioned to be settled in their lap, Ghost took a seat next to them and leaned against their side, reaching out a hand to take one of Hornet's as they did so. Her breathing was already getting better, but she still seemed fairly out of it, not responding to their presence beyond the small, confused noise she’d made when being picked up. She hadn't said anything since her quiet words before they took their shells back either. They were still worried, desperately so, but they weren't sure what to do to fix this. This wasn't something they could fight, nor was it as simple as sitting with her after releasing her mother from the dream. Ghost was at a loss. All they could do was wait, and while waiting wasn’t something they were very good at they’d do their best. For Hornet.
While they waited they allowed their mind to wander, trying to figure out what exactly had happened since they’d taken down the Radiance. Everything had seemed so simple at first. They’d finished what they’d set out to do so it was time to rest, but looking back now that didn’t make any sense. They hadn’t originally left the Abyss to try and get rid of the Radiance. They had just wanted out, wanted to experience the world. And what it a world they’d found. There were so many amazing places out there. Amazing people. What really didn’t make sense though was how none of that came to mind when they’d been planning to go to rest. They hadn’t thought of Hornet, or their teacher, or the people of Dirtmouth. Hadn’t thought about the things they still wanted to do now that the Infection wasn’t threatening everything they cared about. The Void had to have been clouding their mind. They couldn’t think of any other reason why they’d had been so willing to leave it all behind without a second thought. Thinking about it now they couldn’t help but feel guiltily grateful for Hornet’s reaction to their loss. They hated that she’d been hurt by it, but the strength of her emotions had been enough to snap them free of the fog and draw them back. She had saved them from making what would have been a horrible mistake. They’d have to do something to thank her eventually. And to make up for the harm they’d done in that absent state.
"Wha...Holly?" Ghost jerked, their head whipping around to stare at her as Hornet’s confused mumble broke the silence of the cavern. "How...?" A slight squeeze of their hand made her mask turn towards him as well. "And Little Ghost...? Am I dead?" Ghost shook their head frantically, swallowing back the horror that thought brought. Above them, their larger sibling shook their head as well before leaning down to gently bump their mask against hers.
"You...came back?" she sounded lost, but Ghost nodded. They had. Of course they had. "Why?"
Ghost frowned slightly and sat up so they could point their free hand at her in response. At the same time their sibling leaned forward slightly, pressing their mask more firmly against Hornet's own pale one.
"For me? Why?" Hornet's voice was stronger now, no longer reminiscent of the weakly fading words from inside the egg. Ghost was grateful for it, though her confusion made their core ache.
'Hornet. Sister. Sad.' They told her, using the hand motions she'd taught them not that long ago. They hesitated for a brief moment before continuing, adding on a sigh they'd had to ask around the residents of Hollownest to figure out. 'Love you.'
“I—“ Hornet faltered and Ghost hurried to their feet in alarm as they realized she was crying again. What was wrong?! Was it not ok for them to say that? They hadn’t meant to upset her!
Peace. Their larger sibling’s not-voice was fond and soothing. Those are happy tears.
Happy tears? Ghost’s shoulders dropped slightly, tension leaking out of them. They hadn’t known people could cry from being happy. That was…good then? They didn’t want her to cry, but they did want her to be happy. So they’d take it, they supposed.
”I love you too, Little Ghost” Hornet finally managed, voice choked and wet as she tugged on their joined hands. They followed without resistance, clambering up to curl into the space created between her and their larger sibling’s chest and snuggling close as her arm came up to wrap around them instead of hold their hand. “I love you both so much.”
Their big sibling couldn’t respond verbally, not in a way Hornet would understand, but Ghost could feel their content joy as they shifted to nuzzle their head against the side of hers.
They’d have to move soon; make their way away from this cursed place and find somewhere they could recover from the ordeal the had gone through and let Hornet regain her lost strength. But for now they were fine right where they were. Safe and together. Finally.