Chapters "Hey, where should we set up our tent?" Rogue asks.
All three look around them and walk a bit further from the camping site until they find a suitable spot and set up their tent. After setting up their tent, Rogue and White go back to the camping site to grab some food, leaving Berry alone as she has decided to take a nap on her hammock she has set up as well.
Several hours have passed, Berry is still napping soundly. Not even a mosquito bothers her. She's having a nice nap under the tree leaves, covered from the blinding sunlight.
After a wonderful nap, Berry wakes up and looks around her. She's very surprised as to what she finds herself in. Not because a snake is on her chest, not because a bear is inspecting the tent, but because…
She finds herself in a cave, deep underground.
After waking up from her nap, Berry finds herself lying on the floor in a cave deep underground. She's scared and confused as to how she suddenly got there in the first place. Holding herself from panicking, Berry inspects herself and her belongings, luckily she still has her equipment: knife, match, rope, and a whistle (for some reason). The only thing she doesn't have is her bag because she left it in the tent before taking her nap.
"Where am I?" Berry asks herself.
The cave she finds herself in is illuminated with glowing amber crystals. Berry looks around and finds nothing except a tunnel that leads to somewhere. Having no choice, Berry walks into the tunnel and keeps following the path, the crystals from the previous room can be found in the tunnel illuminating the path.
As Berry keeps walking further in the tunnel, she finds some kind of plant along the path she walks, some are even growing on the wall. She grows confused because of it.
"Are these grass? How? This tunnel isn't even lit with sunlight," Berry says as she keeps walking.
Her curiosity is then turned to a nearby glowing crystal, from which then she makes two theories:
The crystal may provide the light the plant needs.
The plant receives nutrients from another source, possibly from another plant, which makes the plant she inspects to be parasitic.
Berry inspects the crystal a little more, it is bright enough to illuminate a good part of the tunnel but when she touches it, apparently it's not even warm, it just glows.
"But that's not something to think about right now! " Berry reminds herself to prioritize her life over a plant she just found underground that is somehow able to live without sunlight.
Berry travels further down the tunnel until eventually she exits the tunnel and finds a magnificent waterfall with a streaming river at the bottom. She also finds more similar plants she found back in the tunnel. Berry feels amazed by the whole room as it is also illuminated with crystals but this time they are bigger in size and glow a blue light.
Berry explores the waterfall room and tries the water from the streaming river.
"I think it's fine, " Berry thinks.
Berry drinks more of the water. As her canteen is left in the bag in the tent, Berry must be careful and remember the way back to the waterfall in case she gets thirsty. Although she also needs to worry about food, she's underground and there's nothing edible, the grass doesn't seem to be edible, probably.
After drinking, Berry continues her search for the cave exit or something else she doesn't even know or expect. Berry also grabs a sharp rock to mark the way back to the waterfall.
However, even though she has marked the way back, Berry has gone so far that going back to the waterfall is going to take quite some time.
Berry is lost.
Berry travels deeper and deeper into the cave with only guessing which way is which. She does find a few water resources but she still doesn't have any food and any sign of exit or help isn't anywhere near.
As Berry travels more, she's curious as to why the walls around her are getting greener, perhaps moss? The environment is also moist as if the air contains water droplets.
However.
Berry doesn't feel alone.
She feels that something is stalking her the moment she steps her hooves at these mossy tunnels. She keeps her guard up to prepare for what's to come.
The anxiety grows more and more until unconsciously, Berry walks to a bump and trips. And the first thing she sees is a giant bug resembling a cross between mantis and beetle with glowing orange eyes. The bug roars and charges at her.
Berry screams loudly. She picks herself up and runs and flies away, trying to flee from the giant monstrosity bug that sees her as dinner.
Berry keeps running away, going from one tunnel to a room to another tunnel, another room, a hole, and eventually, dead end. Berry is now trapped , and worse, the giant bug can still fit.
Only equipped with her knife, Berry stands her ground and fends off the bug from eating her, but due to its size Berry has a hard time fighting it. She stabs the leg of that beast but that only results in her getting knocked on the wall and making her lose consciousness.
"Very well, then. I understand," the ghost says, "I brought tea for you. Here, let me help," she then adjusts Berry's position so she can drink the tea.
"Haaa…" Berry tries to speak but her attempts confuse the ghost.
"Ha?"
Berry keeps mumbling until finally, she can speak out a little.
"Hey…" Berry whispers.
"Oh!" the ghost gets closer to Berry.
"How...did...I...get..here?"
"Hmmm…"
The ghost recalls how Berry got there, but all she can remember is that the bee brought her, followed by the bunny, while she was doing something on the bottom floor. But she cuts her story for a while to point out their name. The bunny is Maggie, the pink creature is Zinnia, the bee is Pep, and the ghost herself is Phanta.
Berry makes little nods. But before she continues, Phanta asks the pony's name, "Uhm, what's your name?"
"Berry. Syl -"
"Berry, alright."
Back to the story, Phanta and Zinnia were then told to take care of Berry and Maggie until Pep returns. Pep also told Maggie to rest himself because he's injured.
Silence…
"I-it's better to just wait for you to recover, I'll take care of you," Phanta says, followed by Berry giving her little nods.
After finishing talking with Berry, Phanta wakes up Maggie and Zinnia and rests next to Berry's couch.
"Thanks, Phanta," Maggie says as he reaches for the teacup. "Ouhhh, my leg."
"What's wrong?" Zinnia asks after she takes a sip.
"That giant bug, it was a beast. Got my leg good."
"My gosh."
Maggie continues to complain about how the bug got him and Pep down.
"Calm down! Tell us exactly what happened and slowly, please?" Zinnia says.
Maggie sighs, "Fine. I'll tell you." He then takes a sip.
"Ah. So, as you know, me and Pep were going to the town to look for herbal plants and some food. As we traveled, we entered a mossy system where you can find moss everywhere and the air is moist. The area there is a perfect spot for moss to grow. There was nothing to concern about until we heard screamings coming from our rights. There was a little debate between us but we took the risk and rushed to the place where the screaming was as fast as we could.
The screamings were followed by loud roars that traveled through the tunnels as we ran. We kept running and running and as we arrived, we saw someone got thrown onto a wall and a giant bug was after them, I assumed they lost consciousness. Of course that someone is that purple horse over there."
"Her name is Berry," Phanta says to Maggie.
"Okay. Pep quickly told me to grab Berry while he distracts the bug. He then quickly flew to the bug and stabbed it in its abdomen. It screams out another loud roar that was really deafening my ears. I kept dodging the bug's attacks but as I ran to her, I got knocked by Pep because he was thrown to me. Clever.
We got up quickly and I continued to go for Berry, but that bug swung it's claw and hit my left leg, luckily it was just the blunt side. It had like this...insect that...whatever. I didn't know what happened to that bug but Pep managed to like stun it. I only thought of myself and the purple horse
Pep flew to me and asked if I'm okay, it hurts but I could still run. So he told me to go ahead first and he'll be following me. So I ran away first and hoped that they would get out alive. I got away and took a rest. I kept waiting, and they're back!"
Maggie curls up a little and looks like sobbing as feels so grateful. Zinnia pets him and calms his feelings down.
"Take another sip? Your tea is getting cold," Zinnia says. Maggie then sips quite a lot since the tea is colder.
After sipping quite the amount, Maggie looks at his leg that has been hit. The mark is still red but not as red as it was before. It kinda blends in with his black fur.
"I guess it healed a little bit ," he thinks. Maggie continues to rest along with everyone else.
Phanta also continues to take care of Berry and Maggie with Zinnia helping her.
Lord, Your humble servant pleads Your protection as I'm going through difficult times. And I plead You Your help to the deeds that I shall do ." Pep finishes his prayer and continues his walk to the town.
The path is longer but surely safer. It also looks more stone-made than the mossy system with the cave plants and glowing crystals. There are several abandoned belongings that either fell or because the owner died with it. Mostly because they fell. Sometimes Pep comes across structures such as houses and statues. All of them are, of course, made from cave stone. In some of these houses are bugs that are also trying to survive, just like Pep and "the otherworldly".
"The otherworldly", that's what the bugs in this world call the victims of the unnatural phenomenon where they are brought from their world into their world for an unknown reason. The High Monks don't even know why or how but they speculate this is the doing from a being with great abilities.
As Pep approaches the town entrance, he travels on the rooftops as the infected bugs roam the streets. You see, most bugs all across the kingdom of Hallownest have their mind taken over because of a powerful being called The Radiance. Due to her tribe turning against her in the far past, she has spread the infection all across the Kingdom of Hallownest.
Now traveling along the rooftops, Pep makes his way to the herbal shop he usually comes to. But as he finds out, the infected bugs are rioting at the shop as the owner and his family are screaming for help. Pep quickly flies and gets rid of the bugs using his spear. It was a bit rough since there were a lot of them.
After clearing the infected, Pep checks on the shop owner and his family, fortunately they're okay, just some of their properties are damaged.
"It's alright, at least we're saved, thanks to you."
"Yeah, The Lord protects. Oh, and about your properties..," Pep says as he looks outside. "I can help you to repair them."
"My Lord! You're too generous! I'm sure you have a more important business."
"Oh, talking about that...yeah, I do need something."
"What is it?"
Suddenly, the owner's family interrupts their discussion.
"I'll get back to you," he says as he goes to the back.
Pep sighs as he sits next to a window, keeping eyes on the streets in case more infected comes invading at the house. After a while, the owner returns to Pep.
"What was that?" Pep asks.
"Nothing, just family things. No need to worry about it. So, what do you need?"
"I need some herbs for medicine."
"Ah. Running low on medicine, don't you?"
"In fact, I have none."
The owner is stunned a bit after hearing that, "A-ah, alright." He continues to get more herbs and packs them up in one package.
"How much is it?"
"I'll charge you less since you -"
"No, I want full payment."
"Wha- but you've saved us!"
Pep hands the whole 680 geos on the owner's hand, stuttering him.
"Thank you…"
"I hope that covers the property damage too. Well, I'll get going, see you later. The Lord protects."
"The Lord protects."
Pep walks out the herbal shop and makes sure no infected is around the house at the moment. Then he takes the same rooftop route.
On the way, Pep encounters an aggressive flying sentry. Pep tries to get away but the sentry keeps catching up at him, leaving him no choice but to fight. Pep flies to the cave ceiling and charges at the sentry with the spear pointed at high speed. But the sentry somehow deflects the attack and throws Pep out of control and charges to finish him off.
As the sentry gets close to him, Pep throws a rock at the sentry's eye, knocking him, then striking him down with his spear. With the battle won, Pep continues his way home.
Uncountable hours later, Berry regains her consciousness. She looks around and discovers that she's in some kind of cottage. Although the interior of the cottage looks small, it feels quite cozy. It has all the furniture, shelves, even couches, which she's currently resting on one. There's also stairs that lead to the bottom floor or basement.
Berry looks across the room and sees two other creatures, a bunny wearing a black and red hoodie and a small pink four-legged creature. Both of them are sleeping next to each other.
Berry tries to move but her body is still aching from the chase and her mind is still a bit spinny. Berry grunts to try to get attention from someone.
"Okay, I'm coming!" a voice comes from downstairs. There's another someone then.
The voice is followed shortly by a purple ghost-looking creature coming up with a tray with three cups on it. She puts a cup on the table next to Berry and then puts the other cups on the table in the middle of the room.
After putting down the cups, the purple ghost turns around to Berry and checks her condition.
"Are you feeling okay?"
Berry's aching body makes her unable to speak properly, thus she can only mumble out words or do little nods. Luckily the ghost understands her feelings.
After fighting with the sentry, Pep arrives at the shack and finds out that the others are doing well, he's relieved of that.
After a few days have passed, Maggie and Berry have healed and they decide to do some activity outside. Maggie juggles a small rock around while practicing his kicking moves, Zinnia tries to focus to fire an energy ball, Berry and Phanta are stretching, and Pep is practicing close-combat moves.
When they're resting, Pep tells them to pack up because they will be moving out.
"Pack up? But we're well hidden here," Zinnia says.
"We are but we barely got anything. So I say we need to move," Pep replies.
"You know there are infected bugs out there and they could attack us anytime! And even if we can fight we'd be tired and they'll overwhelm us!" Zinnia says again, this time she gets worried and more aggressive.
Pep turns away and ponders about the dangers in their way, "You're right, you're absolutely right. But.…" Pep takes a deep breath. "I have to face infected bugs every time I go to get supply. Just to remind you, last time we went for the food we got chased by sentries!"
"That's why we should just buy plants and grow them here!"
"The soil is not suitable."
"Get it then!"
Before the situation gets heated, Phanta stops them from arguing more and calms Zinnia down. But even after that, Zinnia still stands her opinion.
"You better clear your mind and let Pep decide, Nia," Phanta says.
"Argh!" Zinnia shouts angrily as she enters the shack and tries to forget the argument she and Pep started.
After the argument is over and Zinnia is resting her mind, Pep, Berry, Maggie, and Phanta return to the discussion of moving out.
"What she said is right," Maggie says, "If we move out of this place those bugs will attack us and we will be having a hard time fending off. There's just too many of them."
"I know, I know, I know," Pep says as he tries to convince the others to agree with him. "There's this town I know that is safe from the infection. I heard that only the mayor lives there."
"Only the mayor lives there?" Maggie asks.
"Yes, and the only entries are the Stag Station or the well. Those two are our only options for getting there with the Stag Station being the most likely.
"What's a Stag Station?" Berry asks, followed by Maggie and Phanta giving Pep the questioning look.
"Uhhh…you'll see later," Pep replies as he can't figure out the answer without making them confused. "Ah, I must go now. You better pack up now and see Zinnia. I'll get us a transport."
With that said, Berry, Maggie, and Phanta go back inside the shack as Pep leaves to Greenpath to find them a stag to move them out.
