Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Monk : She/He
Survivor : They/It/He
Brave [Parent One] : He/Him
Soft [Parent Two] : They/Them
-

The pale yellow slugcat crouched on the platform with their family. But there was one sibling who wasn't there, the pale yellow slugcat's younger brother.

It was hard to hear over the pounding raindrops, which were sharply increasing in sound and density. Fat water drops and thunder pounding out the desperate, howling words of her father. He screamed into the abyss which the pale sibling fell into, tears dribbling from his eyes as he gripped to the grass. "Survivor!"

"Brave," the other parent said quietly, something which the yellow sibling barely heard. The voice was soft, trembling, as well as their feeble paws. "We need to get to a shelter, we can search in the morning, please, I..."

"Papa?" the other, the youngest sibling's voice trembled. They couldn't quite understand what happened, being young. "Where is big brother?"

"I'll go after him." The yellow slugcat's voice shouted, blinking. They were the oldest of the pups his parent's had. Those two needed to stick together to care for the youngest. Though she stood strong beside the fractured family, there were still nerves.

"Monk, you can't!" Brave blinked in terror, voice feeble. He shook his head at the oldest of his pups. "I can't lose you both. I can't do it."

"You'll see me again, I promise." Monk turned to look at his parents and her littlest sibling. They'd keep them back if they waited longer. But Monk couldn't just leave their brother. They could never do that. It hurt to disobey the wish, and it hurt to know the pain it caused. "I promise on every day I live, every night I sleep."

And that was true, forever and ever. It was true as Monk jumped from the platform into the whirlpool his brother disappeared into. It was true as she paddled under the water. It was true as the current drew the pale little yellow slugcat through the labyrinths of waterlogged pipes, and was true as Monk lost consciousness.

-

Monk’s eyes opened, blurry and slowly focusing into the dark. His fur was soaking, body half submerged. Almost right away, water dribbled from her mouth, and she began violently coughing up water.

How did I even survive…? Monk’s mind raced as she wiped her mouth. More importantly, how was he going to find his brother? Water pretty much would wipe any scent traces, so that’d be difficult. How long had Monk even been out?

The yellow slugcat stood up shakily, stepping hesitantly forward. It was too quiet for comfort. No snapping of lizard jaws, hissing of lizard infighting. No swooping wings of vultures. Just barely audible buzzing, probably bugs or old machines. Slowly and hesitantly, the slugcat crawled through the tunnels and pipes, reaching an odd room.

A symbol glowed, seemingly projected. Monk stepped closer to investigate, as all seemed safe in the area so far without threat. The slugcat brushed one paw against the structure, but couldn’t touch that symbol. It just lay there. And such a loud, startling noise crashed into Monk’s ears.

WHIRRRRRRRRR… click, click, click.

Warm water streamed down from the ceiling, raining on like a waterfall. It was surreal. Monk hadn't experienced gates like this before. She shut her eyes, drawing her arms over her head. At least this rain was safer than others, he supposed. The water stopped, leaving a damp slugcat behind, or more importantly, a confused one. Monk waited for something to happen again.

WHIRRRRRRRRR… click, click, click.

The structure opened to reveal another side to the room, which Monk carefully stepped into. Swiftly, much faster than they had opened, they shut behind Monk. He had no time to ponder that, no idea when rain would come, and no idea where Survivor was. That was scarier than stupid gates and doors that rained warm water onto you.

She ran forward, air rushing to her lungs even though breath came harder than usual from her panic. He splashed through puddles and ran, sniffing to search for his brother. There was something faint, but who to say it's them. And before the slugcat knew it, he was climbing into the fresh air, out of the pipes and mazes. He took in a deep breath, yelling out to her brother hopefully. “Survivor!”

Nothing. No voice echoed back, still all too quiet. She felt tears threaten her eyes, stepping off the pole and hesitantly grabbing a pupa plant which hung from a nearby platform. He began to eat, even if he felt sick to her stomach, she needed to. The slugcat grabbed the few remaining, enough to fill his stomach.

A little yellow thing blinked at Monk, accented in purple, projecting something familiar to her. A slugcat, a picture of one. It was white, like survivor, but so many slugcats were. Survivor was the only thing rushing through her mind though, not any other possibility. His little sibling.

And follow it, the little yellow slugcat did. Monk ran, as fast as her legs could take her after the strange little eye-thing. Followed until it hid. And left her standing there blinking his eyes. Before he could question why, the ground shook. The ground shook again, and again, gaining intensity each time. Drops of water leaked into the room Monk stood in, rain. But it was harder than in the expanse Monk grew up within.

Monk dove into the nearest small space, backing into a corner. It was something more familiar, a shelter. It closed behind the yellow slugcat, locking out the trembles of the earth and the intense rainfall.

And she tried her best to sleep it away.

Chapter Text

Artificer : He/She/It
Five Pebbles : He/It

Approximately ten or so cycles later from Monk’s arrival in the facility grounds.
-

Artificer sat at the top of his throne. Soft, dusty, bright light illuminated the explosive slugcat’s features. Matted coat, ragged scars, all soft and harsh. Its mask lay beside it. It was chillingly peaceful.

But that was a ruling of fear and pain. Artificer yawned, propping herself up with a stretch. He grabbed his mask, previously that of the chieftain. That scavenger was but a lowly servant now, but that was less than a thing to think about. Sofanthiel, the ID drone rose beside her, its red eye unblinking as always.

A familiar voice droned, coming a bit closer. “Citizen? You reside here, no?”

The slugcat climbed down the throne swiftly, lifting the chieftain's mask to her face. One of Five Pebbles’s overseers, little and teal, as they always were, projected his voice. She leaned towards it, nodding slightly.

One of her guards lifted a spear, about to dispatch the eye. Artificer turned, staring down the elite and letting out a sharp hiss. Her voice was gravel, and filled with anger. “Don’t. You. Dare. I will not stop to hesitate before I kill you if you dispatch his overseers.”

“Of course, my greatest apologies!” The scavenger’s voice trembled as did the pitiful creature’s arms, even below an elite’s mask, Artificer knew fear when he saw it. The slugcat nodded to the scavenger curtly, almost with a scowl before she turned her gaze back to the overseer

“A little thing like you. A…slug-thing has been seen, but it didn’t leave my facility. It roams closer. With intention.” The overseer continued to say back what the iterator did. He seemed indifferent, but Five Pebbles had been giving the citizen little tasks after they began to rule the Metropolis. He paused. “I ask you, please remove it if it gets too close. I do not care about the method. I am already damaged enough from my own mistake. I don’t need it causing damage to my memory arrays.”

“Helpless god,” Artificer chuffed, face turning into a small smile. The words said towards the iterator were heard, but not understood. She reached towards the overseer, which darted away with a suspicious look. The explosive slugcat let out a small breath before giving the eye a swift nod. “I’ll do it. You know I will though.”

“You, get some of my guard.” Artificer barked at the elite who was still trembling by his side. The scavenger saluted, scampering off clumsily through the dusty throne room. Pathetic thing, not like she needed to kill a well-trained elite. Other scavengers are normal, the slugcat could kill them as needed, but trained elites are more useful alive.

The shaky elite returned with 5 more, less nervous elites. That was more than fine, so she dismissed the shaky one to recover and the others flanked her on the way down from the throne room to the interior and exterior of Five Pebbles. Ambush the other slugcat, or, remove the slugcat, as Five Pebbles requested.

Chapter Text

Monk was rightfully, fucking terrified. And he preferred not to swear. He’d just made it through the crypts of the old citadel, past terrifying scissor birds. And sightings of the guiding seer had been far fewer.

The little yellow thing had guided her to a broken machine. Little white glow bugs floated around its head, and it made noises. Ones that sounded terribly sad. He didn’t understand the dusty blue thing, but the overseer pointed and gestured to follow again. It projected the little glow flies, which was a bit confusing.

But it led with a slugcat before, maybe if Monk got the machine more glow bugs, the seer would take it to Survivor? That was… his best guess. So following down into the dark, lit up by the seer. Spiders had skittered towards and away from the slugcat. It was mostly fine until Monk began having nightmares.

Every cycle he dreamt he left the shelter, climbing up to a long, flat expanse of land. It was still as dark as the rest, but snapping and stomping could be heard. Then there's a sharp pain snapping around Monk’s body. Scissor bird dreams, Monk had begun to call them. Because it was always a scissor bird which snapped her up into the jaws of death.

He’d made it past for real now, almost as if those dreams helped her truly figure out how to get past the terrifying monsters.

Monk bit into a pupa plant, holding a grapple worm tightly in her other paw. She hated the sticky squishy creature. They felt weird. But it was the only real way to move around the far platforms. Monk didn’t want to plunge into the darkness below again, where spiders and scissor birds crawled.

Sssstttt … A familiar rattling hiss of a lizard about to pounce. Monk nearly froze, she couldn’t see it, but it was there. Instinct took in as the little yellow slugcat dove into another corner, something seeming more and more like a routine to crawl away from any danger she faced. She grabbed a piece of sharpened rebar, it was dull, but enough to spear a lizard’s skin.

There wasn’t a need for that though. A sharp pang reached Monk’s ears, ringing into his skull. It only hurt for a moment. The lizard - now revealed to be a white, -had a real spear in its neck, now just spare crumpled remains of old things Monk had grabbed. Its skin was flickering colors as it struggled to keep camouflage. Near perfectly, that spear had shot into its neck. Though this didn’t matter, as whatever made that bang had burned away some of the creature's flesh, leaving it in a terrible state.

Monk swore she saw the thing twitch before going limp. It could have killed her, she had no idea the lizard was even there. That could have been me. Was the terrifying thought pounding in the little slugcat’s head. If he hadn’t moved, he’d be dead. Either from that spear, or the lizard’s jaws. (edited)

“Finally,” A ragged voice muttered, footsteps thumping down on the ground heavily. Monk could see what it was from her pitiful hiding spot. A messy scarlet beast, wearing a heavily decorated mask. The voice was full of gravel, as if damaged, but that tone of satisfaction was heard beneath that single word. “...I haven’t seen a lizard in a cycle.”

A robot floated next to what Monk now understood was a slugcat. It was terribly hard to tell, with a body littered with scars and such messy fur. A mess of a slugcat, but a slugcat no less.

Well they could still be dangerous. That wasn’t out of the question. The scarred slugcat dug into the flesh of the lizard, ravenously ripping away its skin and gulping down meat as if they hadn’t eaten in days. That was the chance. As the slugcat feasted, Monk slinked up, crawling over the spot he hid, and into another narrow passage.

It was the same as other shelters, bedded with soft moss inside. It reminded Monk of home. Home was where Monk was trying to go, but she needed to help the machine to learn about the other slugcat it pointed to. Monk scrunched his face up as he thought of all the possibilities here.

Until physically yanked out of those thoughts. Claws dug into the slugcat’s scruff.

“You.” The scarlet slugcat hissed, a flair of recognition, even though the two had never met before. Its face twisted into a smile. The left side did, the rest of it was a bit crooked, obscured by the larger scar which looked as if it burnt its face off. “You’re the one he wanted me to get rid of.”

Chapter Text

Artificer : He/She/It
Monk : She/He

-

The shelter closed behind the two entangled bodies. Artificer gripped tightly onto the other slugcat’s scruff. It was silent besides that faint hum and the two creature’s breathing. Artificer blinked her one eye. He… left his spear in that lizard’s neck. No weapon besides teeth and claws, but it found itself not wanting to maul the slugcat or tear it apart.

That was for scavengers. Beasts under her rules. Not those of his own kind.

“Please let me go.” That little voice came from the small yellow slugcat, who was shaking just off the ground in Artificer’s grip. Artificer hesitantly let the thing go. He couldn’t escape now that the shelter was closed.

“I can’t… dispose of you now that I left my weapon outside,” Artificer muttered, looking away with a side eye. She sat uncomfortably next to the smaller yellow slugcat. He looked up at her, with curious eyes. How is she to sit next to someone she’d been asked to get rid of? He growled, face wrinkling into a scowl at the other slugcat. “Don’t look at me like that.”

They stared at each other wordlessly for a moment.

“My title is The Monk, what’s yours?” He smiled, whole-heartedly, if not a bit awkward and nervous. How do you smile at a time like this? Is it because The Artificer couldn’t kill him?

“My name has been many things, and creatures don't dare to say it.” Artificer hissed back in slight annoyance. It felt embarrassing to sit next to a creature she was supposed to be getting rid of, especially one who didn’t beg for their life like a pathetic scavenger. “I am referred to simply as Chieftain, or Artificer. Or both in either order.”

“And… could I maybe persuade you not to kill me? Nevermind… fuck, that was stupid.” Monk muttered the second sentence below his breath, but Artificer caught it. She may be hard of hearing from her time with using explosives, but she was still far from deaf at this point.

“Give me one reason.” Artificer answered.

-

A single reason. Was she threatening him?

“Well, I…” Monk mumbled.

“Spit it out!” Artificer hissed back.

Monk took in a deep breath, ending in a shaky sigh. It seemed like all the words he built up had melted away the moment he needed them. She looked up at the crimson slugcat, beginning her story. “Well, I’m the oldest sibling of my parent’s children. One day, we were making our way to a shelter when the rain started. We swore it couldn’t have been by the time rain would fall.”

“My brother, younger, middle of us. He fell. I went after him, into a whirlpool. But I can’t find him anywhere. When I made it into the outskirts of this place, a little yellow eye guide told me where to go.” Monk said, mumbling off but trying to keep his words as strong as he could. “It took me to a dusty blue machine, and it wants more glow-bugs for the machine. Then it will tell me where the other slug cat went,”

She turned her head to look at him. Artificer stared at him, rage seeming to melt away for a moment. It sighed. “Well, fuck is right.”

“What?”

“I can’t kill you but I can’t exactly tell him why.” Artificer shrugged, seeming a lot more relaxed than previous. Her little robot flickered beside her. She scratched at the scarred section of her face, absent-mindedly picking at her teeth. “Like, how am I supposed to talk to him? I can’t, and then he’ll be mad at me, even though I’m doing something he probably WOULD want.”

“Who is he?!” Monk exclaimed with worry.

“Go to bed, I need rest before the cycle is over to think about this.”

Chapter Text

Monk was tired and confused. His head had kept him up with tormenting thoughts. She glanced over to a softly sleeping Artificer as the shelter opened. The crimson, scarred slugcat kept sleeping. She was so peaceful when sleeping… not as angry. Even if she was angry, it was hard to tell. Monk’s eyes blurred and unblurred as they focused.

“Earth to Monk?” Artificer chuffed, staring at the starry-eyed slugcat with her own degree of sleep still seeping off of him.

“Yes. Sorry. Just thinking.” Monk grumbled.

“Yeah. Anyway, I’ll take you up the structure to get neurons for the Moon. It won’t take long with me here, plus I can ask my guards to bring supplies.” Artificer scratched at his scar, again, then down its face to its matted fur.

“Neurons? Moon?”

Artificer sighed, letting out a breath before taking another. She wasn’t incredible with explanations. “Blue machine’s name is Looks to the Moon. Moon for short. Glow bugs are neurons, they carry iterators, processes, thoughts, memories? I don’t know too much. Just what Five Pebbles has said.”

Monk stared at Artificer, and Artificer stared back.

“Let’s just get moving.” Monk said.

“Yeah, was… gonna say that.” Artificer nodded.

The two crawled out of the shelter, Artificer grabbing her spear from the ground, if it was her even, she didn't know. Monk grabbed another pupa plant from the ceiling where few of them grew.

“Herbivore?” Artificer asked, glancing as the yellow slugcat began eating more of the stuff. He, obviously, was not. She glanced at the berries for a second, then back to Monk.

“By choice, but yes. Why are you looking at me like that? Pupa plants are the closest I could ever get to a true plant.”

“Just, is that why you are so …” Artificer paused, waving one of its clawed hands around in a circular motion. “Small?”

“No, I’m bigger than my brother!” Monk snorted, turning to face the explosive scarlet slugcat. He couldn’t keep a stern face though, beginning to snort and laugh. “Then, how about…why are you so big and tall?”

Artificer snorted, wrinkling his nose. “Genetics. Now, let’s stop dawdling before it begins to rain. I don’t want to deal with that and you. Get up on my back.”

“Excuse me?”

“Void below.” Artificer let out a breath, scruffing Monk again and firmly planting the slugcat into his back fur. He grumbled out something Monk couldn’t hear before taking another deep breath and letting out an explanation. “I can move faster than you, it’s quite frankly easier to carry you, and you’ll be much more useful.”

“Fuck. Okay.” Monk grumbled, digging her claws into the other’s back fur.

…And they set off.

Chapter Text

Artificer glided through the air with explosive jumps, remnants of destroyed materials from his boosts caking his feet with dust and the rest of her fur. It was no wonder she was so matted and dirty all the time. She swung onto a high platform with a spear. “You alright?”

“I think I’m dying.” Monk’s grumbled, claws lodged deep into Artificer’s fur and she felt incredibly nauseous from the increased fast movement of Artificer’s boosts. Compared to Monk’s on-ground walking and swinging with a grapple worm, it was a huge leap in speed.

“Right, give me a moment…” Artificer nodded, turning its head forward. He sent one final explosive boost to his tail, grabbing onto the next platform and crawling into a pipe to a small space between the old structure. It turned and nodded.

Monk coughed, hacking up bits of dust, ash, and fur, that had made it into the slugcat’s lungs. She rubbed her eyes and shook her claws out of Artificer’s matted coat. “Sorry- by the vultures. Bleugh. It’s like rocks are in my lungs.”

“Shut up for a second.”

“Wh-”

Artificer clamped a clawed paw over Monk’s mouth, looking back with fear. Fear that she hated to show and fear she hated to have. He shot a deathly glare at the yellow slugcat. He used his free arm to point to a monster. The rot.

“What the fuck is that?” Monk mumbled nervously.

“A disease,” Artificer growled, grabbing a small rock from the corner of the pipe. It threw the piece of rubble, hitting another pipe square in the metal. A loud, ringing sound. The rot twitched, crawling towards the noise with disgusting squelching noises, the cores on its body spasming.

The tainted mass crawled away from the two.

“Let's continue.” Artificer trembled, grabbing Monk by the arm.

Monk stared at the scarlet slugcat. Artificer never trembled, faltered, really, except that first night the two met. He blinked, astounded. “Artificer, please- talk to me about what that was. What’s happening? Why are you even helping me?”

“...It’s a long story,” Artificer mumbled, pulling Monk onto his back again. This time without protest, though it was a loss- now that the yellow slugcat was so curious. He began to the next few platforms, knowing a shelter was close.

“I have time, we have time,” Monk answered to that, glaring down at his claws sunk into the scarlet slugcat’s fur- wishing she could see the expression of Artificer as the two soared among the structures towards whatever way Artificer took them.

“You can get off now, I’ll tell you a bit about it. Nothing better to do.” Artificer sighed, scratching at her matted fur before stopping at the shelter’s opening. The two slugcats crawled into the shelter, one that was small and cramped. The two sat shoulder to shoulder.

“It all started when I met a red, scarred, slugcat. No- probably farther back… hm… whatever, I’ll start there.” Artificer’s ragged voice spoke after a few moments.

Chapter Text

Artificer coasted down Five Pebbles’s exterior, leaping around quickly. The pearls from his crown clinked rhythmically, a windchime on his chaotic way. She rolled across the platform's ground, pausing to catch her breath as her body sparked from using her ability.

A white lizard hissed, slightly startled- but not complaining about its prey, tongue striking around Artificer’s midsection. Artificer snarled at the beast, though its facial expression twisted into a slight grin. These stupid creatures never learned.
He always won.

He sent another explosive pop through his tail, making the lizard lose its grip on the explosive slugcat’s body. It lunged towards the creature, biting into the lizard’s skin with vigor, tearing away flesh until the thing had bled out.

It was too easy. Too easy to win. He huffed, licking blood from around his muzzle.

“Can I have some of that, if you aren’t going to tear it limb from limb?” A tired voice spoke, slowly climbing up next to the white lizard and Artificer. Another slugcat, one with a tired eye, the other had been scarred shut and something was wrong with it.

“Sure. I can maul more of my subjects if I need to,” Artificer answered casually, eyeing the other slugcat up and down, fur bristling. She lifted off her crown mask, with a nod to the other.

The other stared at her wordlessly, using one clawed hand to shovel leftovers into it’s mouth. The other was bandaged and completely gone, a bag in its place for function. The bag glowed green from an object within.

Odd.

“So what are you doing in my territory?”

“I wasn’t aware it belonged to anyone, but I’m on a mission. I don’t have much time.” The red slugcat answered, picking up a piece of sharp rebar after he finished taking his fill from the lizard.

“I can help.” Artificer blurted. “Artificer, by the way.”

Dumb words. She hadn’t seen someone else in so long, let alone someone so similar to herself. Red in color. Heavily scarred. Scavengers wouldn’t like either of them with the ruins.

“Excuse me? Void- never mind. Just take me up the wall.” Hunter blinked in confusion, placing the spear on her back, looping through something Artificer couldn’t see. “My name is Hunter.”

She put her crown mask back on. “Then let’s go.”

Hunter followed Artificer past the white lizard’s half-eaten corpse, slithering up poles and other unknown dangers. Artificer smiled to herself.

-

Hunter followed the scarlet slugcat up the wall, the fur on their back bristling. Hunter hadn’t seen another slugcat in ages, besides… never mind. He can’t think about that now. It clutched the green neuron.

She couldn’t trust those of her species.

Especially when she was on such an important quest to help the gods.

Pain pulsed through it’s back. No Significant Harassment could’ve fixed this. Hunter’s face twisted into a grimace, pausing on the platform they climbed up. Artificer turned with a puzzled look.

“Who put leeches in your meal?” Artificer spoke indifferently, her one eye shined under her mask- staring directly at Hunter’s one eye. The two stared at each other for a moment.

“No one,” Hunter answered with a neutral tone.

The moment was over, and they continued. They reached a flat expanse of metal plane. A city stood dead and quiet in the background. Mist and dust drifted through the air like ghosts traversing the old streets.

“Give that.” Artificer snorted, snatching a spear from a small scavenger who cowered nearby. It was an elite, too. “This isn’t the post I assigned, Spire.”

“Sorry, my chieftain,” The scavenger, apparently named Spire yelped, claws trembling under the gaze of Artificer. Spines bristling still. Beady eyes through its mask trained on the scarred slugcat.

Hunter scoffed. “Oh. Scavenger’s benevolent leader.”

Artificer sent a nasty glare to Hunter, who rolled its eyes. “You do not rule a tribe, a species. You have no right to dictate against my leadership. You are a messenger.”

“My message is one of life, you have no message, but you are that of death.”

Chapter Text

Both Hunter and Artificer continued walking the structure. As they continued along the expanse, they were increasingly surrounded by swaths of scavengers. First spread out and then large groups. Mumbles of her hushed subjects reached Hunter’s ears.

“Is it true, what we’ve heard?”

“Nomads travel far to tell us of different slugcats.”

“But this one is–”

“SHUSH!” Artificer hissed, pausing to turn to the group. His eye searched the crowd with a nasty expression. Hunter wondered what she was thinking. Her voice rang loud and clear once more. “We have an important guest, please respect us and our time. We are visiting the high one.”

The hushed whispers continued after the order.

“The high one?” Hunter asked quizzically.

“My iterator,” Artificer mumbled. “Five Pebbles. I assume you needed him.”

Hunter glanced over as the two continued, now standing at a gate. Artificer turned herself to see the other as she talked. “...Correct. My iterator sent me, not for him though–for Looks to the Moon.”

“Moon. Moon. Moon.” Artificer paused, then sighed as the gate began to turn its locks and spun. The gate opened and they continued for a while. “I… know about her. Five Pebbles is talking about her constantly. I tried to visit once before, but it was cycles ago. Blocked.”

“You? Visit?” Hunter broke their steady exterior and giggled. He paused, shaking his head to look at the unamused slugcat. “Didn’t pin you as the sentimental type.”

As the gate opened, Artificer stomped past Hunter. “You hardly know me!”

“You act like a pup.”

“Do not!”

“Do so.”

“You are SO frustrating!” Artificer exclaimed, rolling her eye. He grabbed Hunter by the arm and began to tug him along and through the gate. Hunter protested for a moment before Artificer shot her a nasty glare. “I want to help you get through the low gravity segment…chill out.”

“Thank you,” Hunter spoke.

“...Welcome…” Artificer answered the words, using a boost to soar through the areas down into the low gravity chambers of Five Pebbles. The two slugcats clung to each other at the arm as they soared through the air. “Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Hunter sighed out the words, both red slugcats entering the chamber of Five Pebbles. The low gravity abruptly turned off, sending the slugcats to the chamber's floor. Pearls clattered around the two.

“I see you brought a friend, little ruffian.” A familiar voice droned from a little creature on its swiveling metal arm. The pink puppet turned, moving down towards the two. His eyes meet the Hunter’s glowing pouch. “...Now that is interesting.”

“What’s it saying?” Hunter turned to ask Artificer. “Also, I need that!”

Five Pebbles grabbed hold of the glow bug, one Artificer recognized. They were inside his internals and some parts of her city, though she paid them no mind because inspectors were protecting things viciously. They didn’t fill her belly any better than a pupa.

“I suppose they shall hear too.”

Hunter rose in the air, slowly, as Five Pebbles whirred and processed. A sharp pang met Artificer’s ears and Hunter dropped to the ground. Artificer managed to catch the scarred and sickly slugcat before they touched down. “Let’s see here.”

Five Pebbles paused, scanning the neuron. His eyes shone in recognition as he looked over the small thing. “Eleven... no sixteen! Sixteen slag reset keys. I've seen several before, but one or two will be useful.”

He paused.

“...However, it seems this delivery was not intended for me. Everything suggests it was tailored for the specific predicaments of a friend of mine.” His voice carried a hint of emotion Artificer recognized, though well hidden.

His voice trembled once before he shook his head. He dropped the neuron, which floated back to Hunter’s outstretched paw. “Her name is Looks to the Moon, and her state is considerably worse than mine. She's a short distance to the east of here - much shorter than customary. A circumstance that has led to some difficulties between us.”

“I am not without responsibility for her situation. It would only be suiting that I aided in this... rescue mission. As other endeavors have proven futile, I'm not ashamed to admit I've become more invested in day-to-day matters.”

Another pause, then a scan.

“I will do what I can to assist you.”

Five Pebbles sighed, floating down closer.

“Unless you are aware, you are not well.”

Five Pebbles began lifting Hunter once again.

“I was not a medical facility even when the equipment was functioning, but I will attempt to do something to buy you a little time,” Five Pebbles admitted as he looked over the other red slugcat. “Even though you do not have much time, it is admirable what you choose to do with it.”

Another loud pang of noise rang in Artificer’s ears. Cysts on Hunter’s back shrunk slightly, but not much at all, ones Artificer had hardly noticed before.

It looked like…

Artificer’s thoughts were interrupted by Five Pebbles’s voice once again, the iterator floated back, looking down at both scarred slugcats. “Send my regards, both of you. I urge you to hurry.”
Hunter was sent down a lot more gently this time.

“Are you alright?” Artificer asked, hesitantly this time.

“Y-yeah,” Hunter coughed, shivering. The red slugcat nodded, though Artificer was now undeniably doubting it. Hunter shoved the green neuron back into her pouch, grabbing Artificer’s paw.

Five Pebbles stared down at the two, now having their bearings. He slowly adjusted his gravity once again and the slugcats left his chambers.

-

“We’ll rest before we head out.” Hunter let go of Artificer’s paw once the two had emerged from Five Pebbles’s internals and back to the gate. “It should be raining by now, so we need to rest before we head out anyway.”

“...Mhm. We can shelter there.” Artificer pointed to a small hole in the wall, a familiar symbol above it glowing.

Guilt panged through Hunter. They hardly knew how many cycles Five Pebbles had granted them now. She had not much left. Maybe fifteen, now with what had been healed, at most?

That was enough time to get home.

But… she couldn’t. They had to help Looks to the Moon.

Chapter Text

“What happened next?” Monk looked up intently at Artificer, mouthful of slime mold they’d found. They had continued up the underbelly of the large machine, slower and calmer this time as Artificer told the story.

“More another time, okay?” Artificer mumbled.

“Okay, I understand.” Monk answered earnestly, swallowing the rest of the nutrient rich glowing fungus. Artificer glanced down at Monk, offering a paw to the yellow slugcat. Monk took it, Artificer hoisting her up into the next structure. The two crawled forward in silence.

“Hunter…” Monk let out a short breath.

“What?” Artificer turned his head to look at Monk, confused.

“Well…” Monk struggled to answer for a moment, then sighed. The slugcat shrugged, waving one arm around in an awkward way. “I mean…they did end up helping Moon, right? She’s alive.”

Artificer turned her head, a snarl in her tone. “Another time, as I said.”

The two continued in an awkward silence, making it up to a platform.

“Monk.”

“What is it, Artificer?”

“Get behind me.”

Monk stumbled behind Artificer, hesitantly grabbing its back fur. Artificer bristled slightly, though he didn’t protest at all. Monk peaked around Artificer’s prickly frame, trying to see what she was looking at.

“Oh! A scavenger!” Monk smiled, trying to calm Artificer down. “Why are you so worried? My reputation should be quite high, based on my upbringing in the tr-”

Artificer grunted, rubbing the temples of her forehead in frustration. “I’ll need to talk to them, they’re one of my guards I set here. They were originally going to help dispose of you if I couldn’t do it myself.”

“Dispose of, I knew of, you mentioned,” Monk was at a loss, with too many questions and too little time. Words caught in her throat. “—but you with guards?”

“Shush! I’ll tell her, just cool your temper.” Artificer exclaimed, rolling her eye.

Artificer shook Monk off of his fur, jumping to another platform swiftly.

“Ey! Claw!” Artificer barked out the scruffy scavenger’s name, whose eyes widened and spines furling up before straightening out awkwardly.

“Chieftain!” Claw blinked her sharp eyes, narrowing them as her spines flattened to her bulky, furry frame. She slid her mask up her face, her antlers sticking out- but still hiding it from a possible encounter with lizards and other foes. “Did you achieve the metal god’s quest? I’m sure it will be greatly pleased-”

“Not exactly.” Artificer gritted her teeth. Explaining to his subjects that their war hungry mongrel-The Chieftain- has not completed a mission involving violence, would shock the crowd. He blinked down at Claw, who’s expression was unreadable from behind the mask.

“So, you need us?” Claw asked intently, drawing a spear from her sash.

“No- lay down. Tell the others as well.” Artificer growled, a demand, not a request. The crimson slugcat bristled, thinking of an excuse that would persuade even one of her smartest warriors and a member of her guard. “The god…requested this one, personally. If he needs them dispatched after-I will be content to do so. But tell the others that under no condition may they harm the other slugcat. If they do, consider them dead.”

Claw searched Artificer’s face before giving a slow nod. She pounced off of the platform onto a pole, climbing up and vanishing through a tunnel to send the message to the rest of the scavengers who were brought. Artificer turned his head, nodding to Monk.

The other slugcat crawled out of the pipe they hid within, parting the scrubby ferns with her paws. Monk jumped to the next platform where Artificer stood, wobbling slightly on the dirty slab. She breathed out sharply, sighing. He looks like he wants to say something.

Monk has the same weird look that Hunter used to have. The yellow slugcat reminded Artificer of him sometimes, endless questions, determined, nice to scavengers to the point she questioned her authority. It gave the red slugcat a familiar feeling in his chest that he hated.

“Do you think what you said will work?” Monk asked quietly, anxiety clear on her face. He shuffled his feet, eyes glancing sideways towards where Claw had left from.

“No matter how much my subjects disagree with me,” Artificer answered, voice strong. Her fur spiked up defensively, continuing, with a note of something she didn’t like within her voice. “...they follow my word. They know…what I’ve done.”

There was a moment of silence, waiting for the scavenger to return with news. Then, without prompting, Monk leaned against Artificer. Something foreign to her.

Artificer pulled away, bristling slightly. She leapt to the next platform, shaking more dust and soot out of her coat, coughing. He stood next to the pipe, tapping her claws against the floor, waiting for Claw.

Claw stuck her head out of the end of the pipe, looking at Artificer confidently, tilting her head. The dusty scavenger scratched herself, speaking with a matter-a-fact tone. “I talked to everyone, they are…understanding.”

Artificer looked to Monk behind him, the yellow slugcat’s eyes fixed on Claw. Claw tilted her head, recognition filling her eyes. Her spines furled up, clapping her clawed hands together. “Oh! You must be their family! News traveled to us of another slugcat who came through.”

“Yes I am!” Monk exclaimed in joy, leaping forward to the next platform, practically full of joy. Her eyes shone with hope, questions flooding from her mouth. “Are they okay? It’s been so long since I’ve seen my little sib…how did they look? They… they weren’t hurt right?”

“Slow down-slow down,” Claw yelped, looking a bit alarmed at the sudden assault of questions Monk had practically spat at them. The dusty scavenger picked at their fur, eyes wide. She mumbled out a response, not confirming or denying any question’s answer. “Come on- let’s go through the pipes here so we can rest in the nearest shelter. I’m sure by then we can get you some answers.”

“I can agree.” Artificer spoke up, throat rumbling. She was much too tired to deal with bumbling anxious scavengers or answer any of Monk’s questions herself-especially with her knowing nothing. He nudged Monk towards the pipe while Claw stepped back. He looked behind him, nudging the scavenger and slugcat forward more. No clue how long until the machine would begin sparking from water output. “Monk, follow Claw. I’ll be behind you.”

The three crawled through the tunnel, wordlessly. Their footsteps echoed along the passage. As Claw brought the slugcats through turns of the dirty pipes, popping out of the pipe after what felt like a cycle-long wait.

“Here, there’s a shelter.” Claw pointed one hand towards another platform across a few poles. A symbol scratched into a wall signalled where the next would be. “No idea who made that guide, it’s been there for so many cycles. But we might as well use these to find them.

As Monk and Artificer left the pipe, Claw crawled back into the passage. They began to leave-to find the others before Artificer began to speak to her. “Go tell the others who I assigned to go back to their posts. Tolls, outpost, stronghold, merchant- whatever or whoever came with you. I don’t think I’ll be needing any help.”

“Noted!” Claw shouted back before vanishing back into the passage.

“Right then.” Artificer nodded, turning to Monk. She offered her paw to the other slugcat, who took it. He began to step forward towards the edge. Getting across would require polls in between, which was easy enough. “Let’s get going.”

As the two entered the shelter, they curled up in respective corners. The door shut behind them- whirring, before silence and darkness inevitably overcame the two slugcats.

“Could you tell me more about Hunter?” Monk asked, a whisper. Artificer could faintly see their eyes glittering in the dark, looking into Artificer’s only eye.

“After I get some sleep.” Artificer mumbled back.

The two shortly began to sleep, eventually, after an unknown amount of time.