The Vessel Redeemed

Isola affiliated Pure Vessel/Hollow Knight from Hollow Knight. This guy's mere existence is spoilers so shoo if you don't want them. Residence: Fibonacci, 162

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

Huh. They’ve been resting ever since they got back from whatever place was the fantasy world.

They have no idea what’s going on. Time to just putter about near the large hole in the center and wander aimlessly.

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

lightbursted‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

@lightbursted

Hollow focuses, and they heal a few wounds while a few explosions of pure light nearby protect them from being hit. They’ll need a few moments to regain some Soul sooner than later– They may not be affected by normal measurements of stamina, but if they’re out of magic Hollow is going to be in for a slog.

Something interesting catches their attention, though. It’s light, but– not Fathers, not the Radiance. Who the heck is burning that brightly?

A glance reveals a small furry thing. With a large black feathered thing behind them. Hollow void-dashes forwards, a shadow flitting from place to place on the combat field.

They materialize above the small light-being, raising their free hand to fire off a series of light nails that impale the beast and send it falling to the ground. 

Hollow then carefully snags the small furry thing in one hand and dashes off to a safer area– behind a few lines of NPC swordsmen charging ahead. 

The Vessel places the small being down and nods, before pulling out their phone to type. are you alright small higher being i think you should be much more careful on the battlefield everyone here is going for broke i think the term is it would be irritating to die would it not

The next few seconds flashed by like a blur - Ori saw the buglike figure they were hoping to help disappear into a cloud of darkness, and then someone’s presence was overshadowing them; they were caught off guard by the stalking beast behind them, they gasped in surprise and pressed against Hollow’s leg with the hope that whatever those sounds of slashing were, they weren’t heading for them. They were scooped up by something and even though they had no idea who or what, they were clinging to it.

The spirit guardian opened their eyes after a moment after, wrapping their hands around Hollow’s sharp fingers(despite the strange tingling the contact earned them). It take them a moment to process that they were being carried to safety, so they look up to Hollow with enormous, gleaming eyes and stare at them.

And the stare didn’t end even when Ori slowly slid off Hollow’s hand. They tested their legs with a gentle bounce, craned their head back to look at the vessel’s mask, and then the- … oh.

Ori furrowed their brows and squinted at the device, reaching up to gently hold the sides of it with their fingers but not taking it away from Hollow. They’ve seen these things before … and they recognised the language, if only the gist of it.

“Asari neya, e liuphrara!” they assured Hollow they were fine with a gleaming smile. Moving a hoof back, the surrounding air surged towards them and encapsulated them in a harsh feathered glow, then being released as Ori’s form lunged high into the air-

-and landed nicely on Hollow’s shoulder. The spirit guardian clung to the vessel’s cloak, head tilting at the better look they got of their mask. “Ah … thank! You!” their handle of the common language was shaky still, but they hoped the excitement overshadowed that a little.

“Unui … aru?” they leaned forward, asking if Hollow was alright as well, pointing to their own face - was that crack running along the vessel’s face recent … ?

Good. The little probable God was safe. Oh? It seems they’ve also decided to stay on their shoulder for now. Hollow is not going to complain. It’s kinda nice to have them there, a soothing light.

Oh, he’s worried about the crack on their mask! Hollow gives a silent chuckle, before typing out another message for Ori.

that crack is old little one got it before being dragged to this city cost of containing a wrathful god within my body i dont think it will ever completely heal but it is solid and does not bother me any more

Hollow rises back up to their full height, taking a quick look around the battlefield. Ah.... they need some more soul, or they’ll break soon. They know they have... issues getting themselves back together after they separate into Shell and Shade

little one do you have a way of returning to life after taking sufficient damage if not you are welcome to stay with me as i do i couldnt call myself a knight if i let a child like you perish

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

perpetualquestions‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

@perpetualquestions

Hollow is back, with their full powers and form. Oh, how they missed this…! To finally be able to fight, as they want to, for themselves, for their own morals– for their own reasons!

And they are loving it. For the first time, they feel joy in fighting! Joy in protecting those who can’t protect themselves! Joy in using their skills in unique was that were not standard to Hallownest!

Case in point, their current decision. Hollow had been ‘Storing’ a large amount of swords in their body. Seeing that curious metal-lady they like in peril, Hollow just. Opens up part of their body to their Void storage, and promptly use tendrils of void to fling out several of those swords at an incredible speed towards the moss-covered tree things that were trying to step on her.

Hollow dashes in, picks up the little humanoid, and dashes to one of the ‘medic’ areas one of the kingdoms set up. Curiosity is placed down on the ground, and Hollow types out a quick are you alright

Danger? What danger? Curiousity hadn’t noticed any danger with her game, immersed in watching people’s reactions to suddenly being portaled away from battle. Especially when they didn’t seem to know what to do with the portal afterwards, poking at it and inevitably burning themselves in the attempt.

Regardless, she did notice when the other robot had leapt in front of her, destroying the tree creatures that didn’t know how to watch where they were going. And… whoa. Did he have a portal in him? That had been awesome!

“YeahI’mfinebuthowdidyoudothat?!” War? Who cared about some war or battle when she had to find out this Black Mesa technology that Aperture definitely had to steal. “Can you do it again?!”

youre in the middle of a battlefield but youre more interested in my own abilities than not getting stepped on by walking trees you are a very strange metal person as for the swords being flung i took them from various enemies and stored them inside myself then i flung them out at maximum force by using the void i am made from as spring propulsion i can store a lot of blades inside of my being especially since my powers are currently completely restored

To give a small visual explanation, part of Hollow’s torso goes a little bit goopy, and shadowy tendrils wrapped around the handles and hand-guards of various blades emerge from it, pausing for a second before retreating back inside.

And then a blade is launched from their back at a clawed demon thing that was going for one of the medics, pinning it to a nearby white cliff face.

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

@lightbursted

Hollow focuses, and they heal a few wounds while a few explosions of pure light nearby protect them from being hit. They’ll need a few moments to regain some Soul sooner than later-- They may not be affected by normal measurements of stamina, but if they’re out of magic Hollow is going to be in for a slog.

Something interesting catches their attention, though. It’s light, but-- not Fathers, not the Radiance. Who the heck is burning that brightly?

A glance reveals a small furry thing. With a large black feathered thing behind them. Hollow void-dashes forwards, a shadow flitting from place to place on the combat field.

They materialize above the small light-being, raising their free hand to fire off a series of light nails that impale the beast and send it falling to the ground. 

Hollow then carefully snags the small furry thing in one hand and dashes off to a safer area-- behind a few lines of NPC swordsmen charging ahead. 

The Vessel places the small being down and nods, before pulling out their phone to type. are you alright small higher being i think you should be much more careful on the battlefield everyone here is going for broke i think the term is it would be irritating to die would it not

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

@hallowknighted

Ghost has most certainly seen Shades before. But, well, it was their own. Or their siblings, in the Void. Not... Hollow’s.

It seems that Hollow’s Shade is where they kept all their emotions. All their anger, their wrath, their fury at their fate and the world.

To put it bluntly, Hollow’s Shade is going on a rampage. A rampage that’s tearing swathes of foes into chunks. Shade Hollow swoops down, finding a possessed suit of armor. Within a second the head has been torn off and the rest of the metal has been rendered into scraps.

And there goes a few goblin things, being impaled with shadowy lances.

Where’s Hollow’s shell? Somehow blundering through the battlefield unharmed, despite tripping all over the place. It appears this bumbling might be on purpose, as quite a few of the trips and stumbles result in various foes taking each other out thanks to friendly fire.

Hollow’s Shade screams, a scream so full of pressure it might as well be audible. Hollow’s Shade is not going to be slowing down anytime soon, and doesn’t care for avoiding collateral damage. So if a flung body half nearly lands on Ghost? Whoops. Eh, no big deal.

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

@perpetualquestions

Hollow is back, with their full powers and form. Oh, how they missed this...! To finally be able to fight, as they want to, for themselves, for their own morals-- for their own reasons!

And they are loving it. For the first time, they feel joy in fighting! Joy in protecting those who can’t protect themselves! Joy in using their skills in unique was that were not standard to Hallownest!

Case in point, their current decision. Hollow had been ‘Storing’ a large amount of swords in their body. Seeing that curious metal-lady they like in peril, Hollow just. Opens up part of their body to their Void storage, and promptly use tendrils of void to fling out several of those swords at an incredible speed towards the moss-covered tree things that were trying to step on her.

Hollow dashes in, picks up the little humanoid, and dashes to one of the ‘medic’ areas one of the kingdoms set up. Curiosity is placed down on the ground, and Hollow types out a quick are you alright

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

perpetualquestions‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

“Hn… Sure! Want to talk more… anyways. Will loose this skill, once this event… is over. Might as well get the talking out of my systems now.”

Hollow is going to carefully slice off a bit of a random plant and look at it, eventually placing the leaf in their mouth and trying to swallow it. Hm. This tastes bad.

“So… what you want ask first?”

“Why are you eating lakebed plants?” It seemed like as good a place to start as any. Here they were, strange creatures in an elaborate underwater conversation, and they wanted to just eat a leaf? “Have you never eaten before? Did it taste good?”

“Never ate before. Didn’t have the means or need to. I ate the plant as I think I’m a bit hungry. It did not taste good. It tastes how a wet rock looks.”

And yet Hollow keeps eating it. Got to eat something, apparently.

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

((Gotta do stuff over here. If anyone wants a Raid Thread with full power, true-form Hollow, please like this post. No caps, OP buggo is OP buggo.))

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

Hollow pauses from their incessant training to glare at the eyes in the sky above. And raise their nail to point at them threateningly.

Every night they fight their mist shadow. Every night they win. Every night they get more adjusted to this form. Every night they train it to need less and less. 

...Old habits die hard. Hollow eats what they need, sleeps what they need, but nothing more. 

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

Oh it’s Father’s day? Well....

The Pale King will get one (1) small honey candy from them. And a bag of flaming manure as well.

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

maskedarchivist‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

Hollow was holding a bag of doughnuts. Mainly because they were curious what they tasted like. They had Consumed one before, yes, but as they’ve been learning Eating is far different from Consuming.

They’re giving the bag a mild glare as they’re not sure how to pick these fragile pastries up when they’re not the best at managing these hands made of flesh and blood.

Hearing Quirrel’s voice is a welcome distraction. Hollow glances up, and upon seeing him they smile. “Hn…. Quirrel! I’m… saying your name right, yes?”

They hope they’re saying it right. Speaking is so tricky– words that look one way are pronounced another, and they’ve never understood silent letters.

“Oh– want doughnut? Bought… a lot. Not sure if I can eat them all. Don’t know if I’ll like them, either.”

He startles at their voice - he wasn’t expecting it. But he smiles, to show it’s not an unwelcome thing.

“You are. Not to worry, my friend. And it’s kind of you to share your food with me - I’ll gladly take you up on the offer.”

He’s getting better with eating, but traveling habits are too ingrained in him for him to turn down an offer of food. He had noted that Hollow had been staring at them as if they were a confusing puzzle rather than edible food of some description, though…

He takes a donut and tears it in half, offering one of the halves to Hollow.

“Here. Would this be easier for you to manage?”

“...Would be! Thank you, Quirrel.” Hollow takes their half, and promptly shoves the entire segment in their mouth before slowly chewing. It seems that Hollow doesn’t know about the art of taking bites off of food to make consumption easier.

Hollow soon swallows their pastry half, and a large grin spreads on their face. “Hnn. Good! It’s... nice. Think flavor is... sweetness? Feels like the descriptions of sweet I’ve read.”

They pick up another doughnut, and tear it in half before shoving another half into their mouth. Hollow resumes speaking once they’re done. “So many things are new to me. Yes, this land might be in strife, but... new things! Stuff.... to learn!”

They wave around the other half. “Like eating! It’s much different from my normal Consuming! You can savor ea----” And they’ve bit their tongue from talking too quickly. Hollow’s just gonna whine for a bit.

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

perpetualquestions‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

“Mmmm. Think instinct… teaches from when you’re young. I only just got the skill to speak. While I know how to word, I don’t have the years of practice most beings do. It’s…. like doing something when you only have the theory, not the experience of actually doing the thing.”

A shrug. “Like… walking. If you only know the… theory, then walking would be hard. I think.”

“I only knew the theory. I figured it out.” Granted, it had taken a good bit of trial and error, but instinct and practice eventually guided the way. She wasn’t Black Mesa, though. Of course those bots would take longer to learn everything.

“I can ask a lot of questions like normal and help you practice?” She was going to do it anyways, but she could make it seem like she was just helping out.

“Hn... Sure! Want to talk more... anyways. Will loose this skill, once this event... is over. Might as well get the talking out of my systems now.”

Hollow is going to carefully slice off a bit of a random plant and look at it, eventually placing the leaf in their mouth and trying to swallow it. Hm. This tastes bad.

“So... what you want ask first?”

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

fatelessbard‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

Being alive is scary, huh? That does make sense. There’s so many things that can end a life, even one manufactured as theirs. And yet, living is… well, incredible. Choices, the people you meet, the actions you take– all of them are kinda fascinating.

Oh– they can use a leaf to hold water? That makes sense, yes! They’ll… find one on the ground, though, as they’d probably tear it off the plant it’d be attached to and they don’t want to do that. Good, now they have a leaf full of water. 

Most of it spills, but it is easier to drink it this way.

“Mrrhhh hh hh.” It seems Hollow had attempted to laugh. But, well, they’ve never heard that noise before, so they’ve improvised. “Possi-bly outside this forest. Fate seems… to keep us all apart, for some reason. I’m theoretically the oldest, Sibling-Ghost is younger and smaller. Sister-Hornet technically half-sister. Same father. Youngest… physically. Mentally oldest.”

They reach a hand over and lightly pat Kiwi’s head. “I thank you for reassuring me. I think that I needed that.”

A smile spreads on Kiwi’s face after the pat, extremely pleased their pep talk of sorts worked. They’re so used to people saying what they have had holes or they were too optimistic… this big goat-friend–err.. bug-friend– was turning out to be a nice person to talk to about this stuff. Their expression softens as they take in the rest that’s been unfolded to them. This place really does have a way to make someone feel lonely even when you get to meet someone again, huh? They’d only been around a short while but it seems everyone feels… 

Disconnected.

It hit a bit close to home for them.

“ Fate’s… interesting. I think. ” They look into the water, reflecting a slight twinge of wistfulness right back at them, “ People say it guides you and we’re all supposed to do things according to it… that stuff happens just because of it… but, I think– sometimes fate needs a big ol’ kick in the keister. ” They huff, this is a very strong statement to make in their eyes, in all honesty.

“ I don’t think it’s fair that you guys keep getting separated. Or that we’re all forced to do this stuff. Whether it’s fate or not… It’s kind of rude! You guys seem to have gone through a lot to see each other!! It just… makes me just wanna fix all this stuff faster!! ”

Kiwi’s comments gets an honest laugh out of Hollow. A booming bark of sound. “I agree! Fate... fate is stupid sometimes. Was my Fate to be a living cage to a god. Didn’t say how good a cage. I failed.”

They smile. “But... siblings saved me! Defied their fates to save me from mine! Sibling-Ghost... abandoned. Considered worthless. Left to die. Sister-Hornet only exists... as part of a deal to strengthen my Job. They made something... from nothing! It’s why I want to protect them. To make them happy. I feel... I owe them.”

They lean back, looking up at the sky. “Want to repay the debt towards them. Want to act on the ‘honorary’ role father gave me. I want to be an actual knight! Doing good, recklessly!”

Hollow is really excited about this. Sure, they might have only started thinking for themselves recently, but they’ll be damned if they aren’t sure of their goals.

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

hailnewfresh‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

“No, no, I want to talk! I was made to have no voice, no way to call out. Speaking is something I was never to do. So I want to savor it while I can!” Hollow is bouncing on their hooved feet in excitement.

Ah, the bodies. Time to get the bodies. “Mmm, yes. River. It’s behind that house. I can smell it.” Smell is a really weird sense. They don’t know if they have it in their true form, but either way it’s really amplified at the moment.

Hollow grabs the decapitated body by the ankle, and snags the head with their other hand. They’ll just drag the body to the water before flinging both bits in.

“Mm. That’s that dealt with. Fresh… I have a… question. How do you eat?”

Beasts were heavier than he thought. Or, again, it was likely he just wasn’t used to this weak, shitty body. Regardless, seeing how easily Hollow dragged his share of the load just made him more frustrated and determined to keep up, and eventually, both corpses were floating gently downstream.

Wading out of the dirty water, wrinkling his nose at how his clothes stuck to his skin, he flicked his eyes up to watch Hollow as they both settled back more comfortably by the riverside. How weird to see someone he knew here, being so different and yet so familiar, that a simple romp at some dumb fancy art exhibit already made him feel more comfortable around a total fucking stranger.

The sudden question made him blink. “How do I eat?” What kind of a fucking question was that? Granted, he found out chewing was a thing humans actually needed to do as of recently, so… Maybe Hollow, who had no mouth and couldn’t scream before the change, just wasn’t used to it either? “I put food in my mouth and swallow. Why?”

“Mn. Never had to eat before. Didn’t need to. Could live without food, or water. Now I have to eat. ‘S new.”

Hollow is going to settle down a nearby bench and pull out their half of the food they have. And then stare at it for a while, before finally raising it to their mouth and taking a small bite.

Whoa.

So this is taste...! It’s... powerful. Wait. Swallow. Um.... move the food to the back of the throat, first?

There may be an awkward choking noise, but Hollow manages to swallow the small mouthful of food.

“...’S hard. But.... Taste is nice.”

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

perpetualquestions‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

“Yes! I can talk now! I can’t talk too quickly, as it seems I have a tendency to bite my tongue, oth–” Hollow has bit their tongue. Give them a moment to whine a bit in frustration.

“…I keep biting my tongue. It’s frustrating. How do you deal with this, Curiosity?” Hollow, still with no definition of personal space, has leaned into the former android’s space and unintentionally glares into her eyes.

There was no incinerator for them to throw her in? Then whatever, personal space was no big deal to her, either. At least they didn’t have the Lunatic’s look in their eyes that promised immediate danger.

“I just do. Can you not figure it out? Isn’t instinct supposed to teach you?” She didn’t know how to explain it. It was just a thing she did! Maybe it was her shapeshifting that was allowing her to learn to easily? She didn’t know.

“Mmmm. Think instinct... teaches from when you’re young. I only just got the skill to speak. While I know how to word, I don’t have the years of practice most beings do. It’s.... like doing something when you only have the theory, not the experience of actually doing the thing.”

A shrug. “Like... walking. If you only know the... theory, then walking would be hard. I think.”

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

maskedarchivist‌:

@notquitepurevessel

Truth be told, he’s a little worried about the Hollow Knight. It’s not usually in his nature to worry and fuss overmuch, but in a world at war…

Well. He’s sure the vessel can handle themselves in combat, but it probably wouldn’t hurt for them to see a familiar face…well, for a given value of familiar face. (He wonders how he’s going to recognise them, if they’ve changed the way he has. Actually, he wonders how they’re going to recognise him.)

Still, there’s nothing to do but forge ahead and do what he can. So he proceeds into what he’s painfully aware would be considered hostile territory, attempting to look as friendly and peaceable as possible (which, fortunately, isn’t that much of an effort). He dodges particularly grouchy guards, and because it’s in his nature to be helpful, he runs a few errands and helps a few people before moving on in case that’s viewed as suspicious, too.

It’s pure luck that his search doesn’t take more than a few days. These kingdoms are large and busy and somewhat confusing, and even a traveler like himself needs to get his bearings .

There are so many people with horns here. But he takes a guess based on body language and coloration, and hopes he’s right.

“My tall friend! You’re looking rather different now. Is that really you?”

At least his voice is still the same. That helps, probably.

Hollow was holding a bag of doughnuts. Mainly because they were curious what they tasted like. They had Consumed one before, yes, but as they’ve been learning Eating is far different from Consuming.

They’re giving the bag a mild glare as they’re not sure how to pick these fragile pastries up when they’re not the best at managing these hands made of flesh and blood.

Hearing Quirrel’s voice is a welcome distraction. Hollow glances up, and upon seeing him they smile. “Hn.... Quirrel! I’m... saying your name right, yes?”

They hope they’re saying it right. Speaking is so tricky-- words that look one way are pronounced another, and they’ve never understood silent letters.

“Oh-- want doughnut? Bought... a lot. Not sure if I can eat them all. Don’t know if I’ll like them, either.”

[notquitepurevessel-blog]

hailnewfresh‌:

notquitepurevessel‌:

“Mmmnnnh. Take half. I don’t know if I can eat much. Didn’t need to before… well. Here.” Hollow easily tears the package in half down the middle, and holds half of it out to Fresh.

Then the voice processes. “Wait– you were… in Spirale, yes? Voice is familiar.” A blink.

“…Oh! Pink circle-man who freed my horns the other day! Think your name was… Fresh? Well, listed as Fresh in phone? I’m Hollow, the large, mut–” And there they go, biting their tongue again. Give Hollow a moment to growl and recover.

“I’m the large, mute bug. The… bodies. Yes. Hn.”

Hollow gives the headless one a light prod with a hoof. “Umm… dump in nearest river? I think? Or find… trash heap. Think that would work.”

Sidling away from the corpses, he makes his way a little closer to the other, but far enough that a slash of that Nail wasn’t going to reach him. Or, at least he hoped it wouldn’t. 

Instinctively he reaches for the package as it’s tossed to him, nearly slapping out of the air before remembering himself and fumbling with holding on before it fell onto the ground out of the torn paper.

Holding it in both hands, the smell of cooked meat and delicious spices makes his stomach growl, and despite previous grievances towards what had happened and the uncertainty of his appetite, he bites down anyways. A little under-cooked as Beastkin do, but that didn’t bother him none now that he had something new to concentrate on.

“I what?” He almost didn’t hear the other until he heard his name being called, glancing up to stare at Hollow, tilting his head slightly at the… strange behavior.

“Oh!” After the weird little episode, Fresh straightened up a little. This was Hollow? They looked different! Well, he did too, but that was besides the point. “You can talk in this form,” he noted, looking impressed. Not so mute anymore, though from the way they spoke, it seemed they might not be used to it. “If you still got it, you can use your phone, or like. Paper or some shit if it’s too difficult.” 

That aside, he nodded vaguely. It was doubtful that anyone might take unkindly to death as the way of Beastkin was a seemingly violent one, but considering he was an outsider in this area, they might not take so kindly to the combination of death and intruder. “C’mon then… Let’s get it over with.” Packing what was left folded back up and slipped into his bag. Might’ve not been a smart move to eat before doing this. Too late now, he thought as he grabbed the legs of one of the beasts, wincing at the coarse fur pricking his hands, and started pulling. “The river sounds fine to me.”

“No, no, I want to talk! I was made to have no voice, no way to call out. Speaking is something I was never to do. So I want to savor it while I can!” Hollow is bouncing on their hooved feet in excitement.

Ah, the bodies. Time to get the bodies. “Mmm, yes. River. It’s behind that house. I can smell it.” Smell is a really weird sense. They don’t know if they have it in their true form, but either way it’s really amplified at the moment.

Hollow grabs the decapitated body by the ankle, and snags the head with their other hand. They’ll just drag the body to the water before flinging both bits in.

“Mm. That’s that dealt with. Fresh... I have a... question. How do you eat?”