The group set off, Kairi and Sora trailing behind the others. They walked in silence for a few moments before Sora put his arms behind his head, a familiar position, appearing to be deep in thought.
"So, Kairi, what do you think about these "warrior" bugs?" he began. By the tone he used with the word 'warrior', Kairi knew he suspected the same thing she had.
"I think they're a perfectly sweet bunch. They're all awfully friendly, aren't they?" she replied, avoiding a direct answer. Sora looked her in the eye.
"Not that. I'm not questioning their innocence, just who they are. Honestly, Kairi, they don't look like warriors to me," Sora stated. "And that makes me worried." Kairi knew there was no avoiding the topic now. She let her head hang slightly to the ground and sighed.
"They're not warriors, Sora," she began. "They're circus bugs. The spider told me so, but she didn't want anyone to know. But it would only be right for you to know what we're getting ourselves into. I don't know how tough these grasshoppers are, but it seems like we're going to have our work cut out for us." She saw the shock on Sora's face, but pressed on. "But it's okay, Sora. They're a really dedicated group, and I'm sure they could be helpful if we showed them a thing or two— " Sora opened his mouth to reply before being cut off by an enthusiastic Flik.
"We're here!" he cried from the front of the pack. Sora and Kairi looked up to see the ant colony looming before them. They emerged from the grassy tangles to witness an enormous clearing of sandy soil. A high mound of dirt lay on its eastern side, its shape similar to that of a volcano. Sora looked up, and witnessed the great tree he had spotted the other day. Up close, the tree was impossibly large, standing taller than any mountain peak.
The area was saturated with the scurrying of ants, all cookie cutter images of each other, moving this way and that and creating their own light blue sea, all of them seeming to have a designated job. There was so much activity to take in it was dizzying. Sora's jaw dropped open in awe as he took in the sheer number of them. There were hundreds upon hundreds of humanoid ants, all of them nearly identical in appearance. Sora noticed that most of the ants carried seemingly massive seeds and fruits on their fragile backs, dragging them hastily to a pedestal supported by a series of smaller rocks piled underneath it. The top of the pedestal was a large rock resting precariously on smaller ones. A fresh, vibrant leaf was laid on top of it, and a torn blade of grass served as a ramp to reach the top of the pedestal. Ants sped up and down the ramp, relinquishing their seeds and fruits to an accumulating mountain of food.
"Wow..,." Donald said in awe. Sora made his way to Flik, not taking his eyes off of the pedestal.
"Flik, what are they doing?" Sora asked.
"They're harvesting, Sora. Unfortunately, none of this food is for us. It's the food to replace the supply I knocked into the water. They wouldn't be working so hard if it wasn't for me. Normally we would have already fed the grasshoppers, and this food would be our winter supply. But now..." Flik sighed, looking up into the great tree. Its leaves were bronzing, turning into a brilliant array of golds, reds, and oranges. A single, fire red leaf loosened from a branch far above and fell, drifting lazily through the air. "I don't know if we'll be able to feed the grasshoppers and still have enough time to gather food for ourselves before winter comes. We shouldn't have to feed the grasshoppers in the first place. They've never protected us; we've always managed to take care of ourselves. That's why I've brought you all here. To help me free my colony." Flik balled his hands into fists, determination in his eyes. Sora felt a pang of sorrow for the working ants. He greatly admired Flik's nobility, his determination to right what he has done wrong.
Flik turned to the group of anxious bugs behind him. "Ready everyone? Let's go." Flik marched the hesitant bugs into the throng of commotion. One by one, pairs of ant eyes turned on the strange group, watching them with a mixture of confusion and fear. Heads turned, activity ceased. A dull murmuring started amongst the pale blue ants, their combined voices turning into a dull roar. Sora watched ants emerge from the volcano-like structure to see what the cause of the commotion was. Ants gaped and chatted, turning to each other, their voices high with excitement. The ants came closer to the group, encircling them, gawking at the strange bugs. Sora felt the oppression of their bodies; the heat they generated together was incredible. Kairi looked from one pair of bright eyes to the next, almost wishing she had the comfort of her Keyblade. She felt something graze one of her wings, and turned to see an ant reaching out to her, wanting to feel the strange appendages. Kairi jumped back, moving closer to Sora.
"Sora, are they afraid of us? Or do they want to hurt us?" Kairi said in a low whisper.
"I don't know, Kairi. I really don't know," came Sora's low reply. Sora watched Flik waving his arms about wildly, trying to silence the ants so that he could speak. His pleas were drowned out by the roar of the colony's banter.
"SILENCE!" came a shrill voice, higher than all the others. "I demand silence at this moment!" Conversation stopped abruptly, and an eerie silence penetrated the area. The ants' heads turned uniformly to the mound of dirt, which Sora now realized to be the home of the colony. He watched as a short, hunched ant made her way to highest point of the mound. She was clearly aged; her face almost appeared to be sagging, and deep rivulets lined her cheeks and created circles under her eyes. Despite her weathered appearance, her bulging eyes shown with vigor. Atop her head sat an ornate pink flower, the petals drooping just enough to cast shade over her face.
"The Queen," Flik whispered to Sora and Kairi. Sora wondered if it would be appropriate to bow, but decided against it for fear of attracting more attention to himself.
"Now that I have your attention, what, may I ask, is the source of all of this fuss?" The ants pointed accusing fingers at Flik and his warrior bugs. The Queen's eyes lit at the sight of the strange group. Her eyes widened when she saw Flik.
"You! What was your name again?" the Queen asked.
"Flik, my Queen," Flik stated politely. At this point, two more figures emerged from the colony to take their place beside the Queen. One was a slender, beautiful female tinted a lavender color and flaunting a smaller flower crown. She displayed two narrow wings, similar to Sora's. The other was a tiny, plump lavender ant, clearly an adolescent.
"Why do you return, Flik? You brought this burden upon our colony, and you have the audacity to return unannounced, with these strange bugs in tow? I do not believe these were the terms of your exile... " the Queen announced. The ants commenced their murmuring once more, this time with undertones of anger. There were shouts of "leave!" and "we're going to die because of you!" The Queen held up a hand to silence them. The female looked at Flik earnestly.
"But, my Queen, the royal council gave me permission to go seek warriors!" Flik exclaimed.
"Warriors?" the Queen questioned, pausing to think. "Ah yes, warriors." There was a sad look in her eyes. "My dear, that was merely a ruse to get you to leave. You have caused enough damage to our colony already. There is much work to be done, and we cannot risk having you in our presence..." Sora watched Flik deflate, his antennae sagging. Sora felt a pang of sympathy for the ant. Was this all for nothing? He wondered. "The grasshoppers are angry enough, and we'll be lucky if we survive—"
Flik perked up. "But that's why I'm here, your Majesty! Even if you didn't want me to, I went everywhere searching for warrior bugs, and here they are!" he stated, motioning to the nervous group of bugs behind him. "With their help, we can defeat the grasshoppers! We can be free!"
"Preposterous!" the Queen exclaimed. "You know the grasshoppers offer us protection. If we don't feed them, horrible things will happen to us. It is our way of
life—"
"No! It is their way of life. Without us, the grasshoppers are nothing. Without us, they have nothing. Ants were not meant to be slaves!" Flik shouted, his voice hot with indignation.
Again, conversation ensued among the colony. The lavender female leaned over to her mother. "Flik's right, mother. We can't keep living like this. If we don't fight the grasshoppers, we won't survive through the winter..." The Queen's expression softened noticeably.
"We know not how to fight, Atta, and I fear for the well-being of the colony..."
"But what about them, mother," Princess Atta stated, eyeing the odd group of bugs. "If they could show us, I know the colony will pull through. A few casualties is far better than losing the entire colony." The Queen looked into her daughter's hopeful eyes, and put a hand to her cool cheek.
"Your judgement is far better than mine, my dear Atta. Sometimes I wonder if I have lost my touch in my old age. But you, daughter, you will make a fine Queen one day. I will act on your opinion, and I sincerely hope we are making the best decision." Atta beamed at her mother's praise.
Sora and Kairi were tense, fearing the wrath of the ant colony. Instinctively, Kairi felt one of her hands wrap around Sora's. Flik desperately waited for the Queen's response, not willing to accept failure. The colony was much too important to him. He watched her speak to the Princess for what seemed liked ages. Finally, the queen held up a hand, silencing the mass of ants.
"Flik, are you confident that your "warrior bugs" can protect this colony? Will they be willing to protect it with their lives?"
Flik's attennae perked up. "My Queen, are you allowing my warriors to fight?"
"Answer the question, Flik," she replied. Flik turned to his group of bugs.
"We're right behind you, Flik," Sora stated. "Right guys?" Donald, Goofy, and Kairi nodded. Flik nodded, a small smile flickered across his features.
"Ay, my Queen. They are ready and willing to fight for this colony, even at the cost of death," Flik affirmed. At the sound of the word 'death' the caterpillar Heimlich visibly shuddered, sending waves through his bubbly composition. The Queen raised herself, straightening her back and enhancing her elegance.
"Then Flik, although you have disgraced your colony and our future seems dim, consider this an opportunity to right what you have done wrong. Let us hope that you and your warriors can do what you have claimed. Thereby, I grant you permission to stay here with your warriors, and to expunge the grasshoppers by whatever means necessary. Though I will assure that no one in this colony harms you and your friends, I cannot and will not force them to fight. That will be entirely your responsibility. With that, I take my leave of you," the Queen finished. She deflated back into her hunched posture, as if exhausted by the effort to exercise her vocal chords.
Silence fell over the colony like a wave. The ants returned their attention to the group, uncertain as to how they should react to them. The young female stepped forward. She directed her gaze toward Flik. "So what will it be? Will you fight for your colony's freedom? Will you forgive Flik, and welcome his warriors into our presence?"
A blue arm rose above the masses, unidentifiable from all the rest. He spoke up. "I will fight for the colony," he stated simply. His voice was followed by another, female this time.
"I will fight," she chimed in.
"As will I," came another. The voices became a roar as one by one, all of the adult ants pledged to fight for their colony. Sora smiled when he saw Flik's spirits rise.
"I will fight," said the ants. Their combined voices could be heard for great distances around. Flik smiled at the Princess standing on top of the ant hill. He mouthed the words 'thank-you'. Princess Atta smiled in return.
"Then we will be free from the grasshoppers. They will no longer control us. Our harvest will be ours alone. Never again will we have to share what is rightfully ours. We will be free, independent! We will be as great as nature intended us to be! Long live the colony of Ant Island!" Flik shouted. The ants applauded, cheered. They felt a great burden being lifted from them.
"Long live the colony! Down with the grasshoppers!" they chanted. "Long live the colony! Down with the grasshoppers!" Their voices were like thunder.
Kairi laughed at their ecstasy. "This is wonderful, Sora. With all of this support, maybe we'll have a chance after all." Sora smiled in return.
"Those were my thoughts exactly," Sora responded. One ant leaped onto the platform of food, and raised a kernel of grain above his head.
"Party!" it roared. The other ants approved with a cheer. They raced toward the food like a wave, pushing the group of warrior bugs into the throng. The celebration had begun.