Chapter Text
A splotchy colored bluish and tan pillbug ran over to another’s hanging hammock bunk, energetic as always, and shook the entire it vigorously.
“C!! Cas! CAssy! Cassy Casp! Casperrrr! CASPER!! Casper wake upppppp” The pillbug shouted as they continued to shake the bed, forcing the pillbug to wake up. The sight of ‘Casper’s’ eyes opening set the splotched pillbug to start speaking at a lightning pace “Mabroughtbacksomesortofweirdlookinantandiwannagobotherthem”
Casper blinked slowly as he tried to process the other pillbugs rambling, rubbing his eyes. “.....huh?” Understanding his sibling was already hard enough when just waking up, but them talking 10 words a second makes them… foreign, to say the least.
“..come again?” he yawned.
“W eeee” the pillbug drawled out their words in long sounds. “Havvve a newwwww buuuuug innn theeee caravaaaaan” They bapped casper repeatedly “Comeone comeon comeon!!! I wanna go meet them!”
Casper rolled his eyes and giggled a little at the bapping. He bapped back, saying his words just as slowly “Allllllriiiiight allllllriiiight IIIIII’mmmmmm uppppppp. Jeez Jynxed let me sleep in for once one of these days-!” He mumbled as he got out of bed, stretching and flicking his antennae, motioning for ‘Jynxed’ to lead the way.
With a big mischievous grin Jynxed ran to the next car of the caravan, opening the door and walking into the kitchen. They looked about before noticing the newcomer, sitting at a table and awkwardly sipping tea while they looked around, a blue satchel on the seat beside them.
Jynxed grinned, noticing the wings on the ants back.
“Psst, casp, wingsssss we could totally use them as a guinea pig for curio tests”
Casper looked the ant up and down, nodding with a mischievous glimmer in his eye.
“Yesssss… perhaps they could be of use for some more… particular curios.” he snickered, Dashmaster was the first charm to come to mind, but no, that’s too basic. Surely there was a better curio, and untested one, to use on the ant first, no?
Suddenly the ants' antennae swiveled and they turned towards the two “You aren-n-n't very q-quiet whisper-er-ers.” They muttered, and Jynxed felt themself freeze up.
“A-AHA- UhhhH you heard nothin’” Jynxed ran over and scooted into the Booth chair next to them, Grinning wide
“heyy so im Jynxeddd, the coolest Pillbug you’ll ever meet, and thats my lame brother casper” They snorted
Casper lightly punched Jynxed, rolling his eyes. “Don’t worry, they always get it mixed up. But yes, Casper’s the name. Curios are my game.” he said as he slightly gave the ant a performative bow.
Casper smiled as he looked at the ant, “So! You got a name?”
The ant crossed its arms, leaning against the table “Bb-based on your p-previous ‘secret’ c-c-conversation, I-I'd assume th-that's a bad th-thing to t-tell you two.”
Jynxed laughed “PPsshhhh whahaaat? Nooo no- here- I swear on my life that I won’t make fun of it.”
The ant looked them up and down before grumbling “O-Orchid. M-My name's Orchid.”
Jynxed froze. Trying to hold their word. But failed. “Isn’t that a girls name? But you’re a-”
In a flash Orchid had grabbed Jynxed front arm and squeezed it painfully
Jynxed could feel the firm grip, wincing in pain and tugging away “NEVERMIND-“
Orchid dropped the pillbugs arm after a moment of thought, letting Jynxed wince and clutch it, backing up. She had left a bruise.
she flashed Casper a glare next “And y-you?”
Jynxed rubbed their arm and leaned on Casper.
“Don’t mess with her man shes strong as fuck-” they whispered.
Casper stared blanky and scared at the ant… he took a deep breath, visibly trying to pick his next words very, very carefully, finally speaking slowly and carefully. “Itsss- it’s a goooooood name-”
“Good, I'm n-not gonna punch y-you.” Orchid huffed, and looked back to the tea she was drinking earlier before taking a sip
“A-anywho, nice mm-meeting you. Your p-par-arents are s-ssweet.. Offered to let m-me stay”
Jynxed gulped and whispered again
“Oh god we’re gonna die..”
she flashed them a look and the pillbug yelped before she turned back away
“I-I’m not gonna k-kill you.” She almost laughed at the thought “did-don’t mean to s-scare you… t-that b-ba-adly..”
Casper sighed a bit in relief, he didn’t have enough Miracle Matters for the both of them anyway.
then she continued to talk “S-So. wh-a-what- what were y-you p-plannnning on m-making mm-me”
the ant sighed and took another sip, clearing her throat and trying desperately to hold back the stuttering in her voice
“On making m-me do?”
Jynxed perked up and grinned “Casper and I have a lot to tell you about Curios.”
Orchid leaned over the table and looked at them both, antennae bouncing as she sipped the tea and smiled a bit “Alright. T-tell me then. M-maybe i-I’ll be I-interest-ted”
Casper smiled a little before revealing to the ant a small object. A blue circular object with a white mask-like face.
“Curios.” Casper began,
“They are the main things that I personally sell in our little traveling caravan.”
He beamed proudly as he went on, “Ma and Pa told you about us being travelling merchants, yeah?”
Orchid nodded “She said yo-ou each had a t-thi-ing y-you sell e-each-ch. Ye-eah?”
Jynxed nodded rapidly “Yeah! For example, I like to take on and sell items I get from creature bounties! M-ma doesnt think i should do any on my own yet tho..”
they laughed awkwardly and sheepishly smiled.
“Cassy here goes with me! Sometimes Sol- sometimes Zara- sometimes Felix- sometimes Dad- Tilly too but she's not great at it-” they shook their head “But it's a good way for Casp to test out his curios! However, we always need new ways of testing other than fighting”
Casper grinned, nodding along with Jynxed,
“Yep! Often we test out new Curios with small controlled experiments. See what they do, what their benefits and downsides are, and then decide if they’re worth selling to bugs!”
“And trust me,” Casper gave a sly grin, “I’ve got a good eye for the really good curios.” He sounded genuine, although his… look betrayed him.
The pillbug was covered in small scars on his body and legs, with his left eye a milky, blinded white.
“M-hm. a-alright.”
Orchid nodded as she listened, trying to think, before sipping more tea, grateful that the warmth helped her control her mouth a little easier.
“So you n-need a g-guinea pig.”
“Yep!” Jynxed chirped
“And I c-could die from these-?”
“Eh, not usually!”
Orchid thought for a bit, antenna twitching, before she sighed and shrugged
“Sure, s-sounds fun I guess. Not like I h-have much m-more t-to do.”
Jynxed pumped their fists and high fived Casper
“FUCK YEAH TEST SUBJECT!”
“HELL YEAH!!!” Casper practically flipped in the air, almost bouncing like a ball.
“SWEARING!” A loud yell could be heard and all three of the kids spooked, shrinking up
Orchid let out a yelp of fear at the shout from the pillbugs mother from the next room. Her antennae pinned and she flinched visibly “w-whoops”
Jynxed laughed nervously
“Y-yeahhh- hey- let’s all split before she finds us-“
And with that, the problematic trio ran off, onto their first adventure.