The majority of the Iron Cavalry bears human appearances.
This is by intentional design. The Iron Cavalry’s original creators were humans, after all. Humans whose homeworld had been endangered by the threat that the Swarm posed, and so it only stands to reason that these very same humans would find humanoid forms to be more comforting than that of insectoid ones.
… That being said, ‘majority’ does not mean ‘all.’
Kakavasha knows this intellectually. But he has yet to actually see an Iron Cavalry Knight who cannot pass off as a regular human… until now. Perhaps things are different in the heart of Glamoth, but out here in the Psamides, Kakavasha has only ever seen Knights like Firefly. And–
The Psamidian student beside him gasps softly, instinctively taking an apprehensive half-step backwards. Kakavasha, on the other hand, mentally reminds himself Don’t be a dick, and consciously chooses not to display any outward signs of discomfort.
This is met with a low chuckle. “Well met, young student.”
“Ah, hello,” Kakavasha blinks.
The Knight in front of him… is, without a doubt, one of the Knights who’ve retained more inhuman traits. Six pairs of buzzing red-violet wings fold neatly against their back as they alight upon the ground, chitinous scythe-like feet sinking deep into the sand. Their arms and hands are fully humanoid and perfectly normal, though… if a little slightly too numerous. This Knight has two pairs of arms on each side of their body.
Most prominently, however, it’s their head that marks them as thoroughly different.
The lower half of their face might be sculpted into a chiseled human jaw, but the top half of their head is completely covered with thick layers of gleaming carapaces. Kakavasha does not see any eyes, but there are feathered antennae that twitch sensitively in his direction.
“Puca!” Firefly moves forward with a broad, delighted smile on her face. Kakavasha’s fellow student makes a strangled sound in his throat when she tiptoes upwards and hugs her fellow Knight, a gesture which is returned with all four of the other Knight’s arms. “I didn’t realize that you would be the one accompanying us. How long has it been since you last left Glamoth?”
“Long enough that Idalia of all people told me to go out and stretch my wings,” Puca hums, deep and comforting. Firefly gives him one last squeeze, then moves back from him, still smiling. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to accompany your group on your next trip.”
Firefly falters. “Is this about how we were attacked last time?”
“Partially,” the other Knight admits. “No one would question your competence, Firefly, but the situation is… unusual. And there are also other factors to consider here.”
“I understand.” Is it Kakavasha’s imagination, or did Firefly’s gaze briefly flick towards him for a moment? “… So. Is this what you and the others were hiding from me the past few days? I thought it was Sluagh who’d be coming here!”
Puca wiggles their fingers. “Surprise?”
… The way that Firefly and Puca interact with each other reminds Kakavasha of himself and his sister a bit, and he finds himself smiling, too.
(Pressed against the back of his mind, Kakavasha suddenly receives the faint impression that there is something else that briefly smiles as well at the sight, before receding into nothingness.)
