Looking for answers [Private]

The best activity for a rest-deprived person such as him, would be to sleep in their recuperacoon. Which he didn't. Because this was a mission he had to take care of by himself.

A few days after seeing the jade blood covered in blood, and AFTER sleeping last night out of his recuperacoon and having those dreadful daymares, and basically doing everything that he shouldn't do ever, he deemed it necessary to go exploring some caves soon. Yes, exploring, something he actually dreaded and everything that it implied, included... camping. His number one enemy activity and something he wished had never been invented. He had sworn that he would never ever again go to a place which lacked gas or plumbing or electricity, but oh, how the tables had turned.

If he had to endure a few scraped knees for the sake of the visions to stop, then so be it.

Of course he wasn't going to camp today, no. But he was looking for the particular location he saw in a dream, trying to think more about progressing and less about how stupid he was following something that appeared to him in a dream just because he was worried about some trolls he just happened to bump into one day. But it'd be foolish of him to ignore so many coincidences.

He slipped trying to reach a taller point. "Fuck!" He swore as he rolled his way down a small hill, dirt, dried leaves and rocks getting stuck in his clothes and hair. He groaned softly, and slowly, opened his eyes... encountering feet. Alarmed, he looked up, and then decided he'd rather stay in the floor.

A highblood stood in front of him.

A really, really, HIGHblood.

You all right there little man?

It was not every day a wriggler fell out of nowhere at your feet. You were just about to go out for a walk when this fella fell.

You bend down to help him up. You are wearing your paint today but consern shines threw your eyes.

Where's your lusus little guy? Your hive nearby?

You look around as you would pick him up. Half expecting a pissed off lusus to come charging your way.

If you had engaged your brain a little bit you would have relised that this guy was not a wriggler. You freeken giant.

Six to seven feet of pure muscle stood in front of him. Goddamit this man was not only purple royalty on earth, and huge enough to probably crush bones like they were made of glass. He was also older and... apparently also worried? Sick worried, like Fathenix would be whenever other lowbloods used Rubedo as their personal toy and practiced their mind-control on him. He used to burst into flames to scare them away.

Maybe because he had yet to see his blood color?

"I'm ok." He answered, smiling a bit to reassure him. Juggalo paint now more intimidating than ever before. "And, uhm. Maybe I should clarify that I am not a--!"

His immediate reaction to being picked up was to cling to his shirt because what in the everloving fuck just happened, he was at the level of a flower before and now this beefsack lifted him what now felt very much like 10 feet on air. It was less, but still, he wasn't even this tall before!

He let go of his shirt shortly after. Why did he keep meeting weird trolls like him whenever he decided to step away from his home? "... I'm not a wriggler. I'm actually 8 sweeps old, sir."

Awww shit. This little guy was cute up close. You look him over as he talked. He had a few scrapes and cuts on him... Oh he wasn't a wriggler.

Ah... Shit. Sorry about that shorty.

You crouch a bit so that he could safely hop outta your grip.

You took quite the fall, you been  around these paths before?

You are curious. You wipe the blood from one of his scratches absently on your pants. It was such a nice red color. Something in the back of your head made a note of the hue and to hunt some red blooded beasts later.

I got some bandages inside. You'd attract every mountain carnivore around with all the red you are leaking.

You pat his head. Not really meaning to treat him like a little kid but he was just so short and tinny and cute.

Why was he being treated like a fawn? If he made a mental list of all the people he had been meeting nonstop these past days, each one turned out weirder than the last one. No, scratch that, the jade blood who could actually stand the sun was still in first place (he was still slightly jealous of that), but besides him, the chain kept being loyal to the rule.

"I really haven't. It's my first time" He opted to confess, because he wouldn't dare lying to someone who was THAT prone to violent fits. Either way, Rubedo wasn't really sure about the bandages. Of course he didn't want to be eaten, but going alone to the cave of this guy who knew he was a burgundy blood... the rustiests of burgundy, too...

His head was petted. He had no option. So he'd die earlier today? "Oh, thanks, but I really don't want to intrude your business. Are you sure it would be alright for you, sir?"

It's no big deal.

You would shrug.

I keep a bit of extra in case I wander across someone who's been hurt on the paths. Most trolls around here are friendly enough, tho there are some real assholes feather up the mountain... The remains of some  ancient laughssasin cult.

That you were originally supposed to be leading. But he has absolutely no reason to know that. You haven't even told everything you remember to your new morail yet.

So what brings you up here shorty? Names Aarush by the way.

You start leading the way into the cave mouth that his the enterence to your hive.

So, in resume, he had been received by a kind juggalo with a painted face who very conveniently talked to him about a laughssasin cult which was coincidentally enough situated further up the mountain he seemed to be wandering around. Rubedo was clever, but he highly doubted anyone with two fingers of common sense would be all that happy to receive that much information. Yeah, he was practically dead now, his only regret was not getting to know how the sun looked like. Maybe he'd use that for his final wish.

But he had come to terms with his imminent death way too many sweeps ago for it to care anymore, so he merely smiled. "My name is Rubedo. Rubedo Promet. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Aarush." And he politely inclined his head.

He didn't seem THAT older, but he was still higher in the hemospectrum. And with this, Rubedo followed him inside. "Thank you for your kindness" He said in a chipper tone, because really, it was pretty much hopeless by now, better go down with a little bit of irony.

"I was just looking for a specific cave. Someone hid a riddle of sorts for me inside." He mentioned, which wasn't really a lie, but not the full truth. Because, let's be honest, he still had no fucking clue what he was looking for in the first place.

You would hold the door open to your hive for him.

Rubedo I'll remember that. You don't have to call me mister. We aren't in any place that anyone would give a fuck.

You chuckle a bit. You have always had a nice laugh. There was something just good in the sound.

You hold open the door to your hive for him. Your hive was not like most highbloods in the fact that they were large and often very decorated. You kept it simple. After entering the main room the first thing someone would notice would be the slightly worn and stained large overstuffed leather couch. It was big, looked very comfortable and could withstand Aarush sleeping on it and smearing his make up all over it. There were a couple of chairs that matched the couch in the main room as well. Off to the side was a little, what looked line a type of shrine to some rather jovial looking fugues dancing and playing instraments across a small tile mosaic. Surrounding that were different religious artifacts made of metal. Including a golden bowl and knife. There were different artifacts on the shelf. All take. From the ruins of ancient hives that had been buried In the caves or resurfaced in the city by adventurers. To the other side of the hive was a kitchen and eating area. The kitchen looked like the usual kitchen one would find in a highbloods hive and it was separated from the eating area by a hand painted  devider decorated with a geometric design of all the colors in the hemeospectrum. Above the table on the walk was a strange crablike shell with claws and too many spikes. It was white and had designs painted on it in the same purple that decorated most of the hive with accents in gold and red. Near the back of the hive was a dimly lit hallway that lead to more rooms with closed doors.

Just make your self comfy where ever you like. I'ma grab those bandages.

You hear him mention the cave and you think a bout that as you get the cloth and ointment.

Mm... There's a few caves with ancient old paintings on the inside. I could show you the ones that are near by after I clean ya up.

You go to the sink and get a bowl and fill it with water before adding one of the ointments and then the bandages to sterilize them. You know there are probably better ways, but this was how you were taught to clean up a cut.

It actually looked like a nice place, according to non-murdderous standards. It certainly wasn't spot clean (and the couch, ew, no. Rubedo didn't consider himself a maniac of pulchritude but all that smeared facepaint on his belongings was something that wouldn't happen anytime soon) but it was enough to clean a wound.

He went straight for the chairs and sat down on one. No gross couch for now, thanks.

"That would be really helpful. I'm a bit new around this area, so I'd appreciate a little help." He eyed the knife on display. If things got really ugly he could escape, he guessed. Praise whoever for knifekind.

You bring the bowl over as well as a clean cloth and another bowl. You pour a little bit of the ointment filled water in the other bowl and dunk the cloth into it. You kneel down near the chair.

It's no big deal. Now where did ya get cut up? Have to clean it before we can wrap it up.

You wait for him to show you and give his consent before even touching him.

He knew his mind was giving up on him when he found himself thinking "Wow, he had an accent to his speech". In conditions like those, planning and executing a successful escape was a narrow bet, not to mention an impossible one. The guy was tallet, bulkier, and stronger, so he might as well give up already.

"It's tiny scratches from the rocks." He explained as he pointed some spots in his legs and arms, the ones he knew could be weak points. Was the ointment medicine? He'd be able to escape. Was it poison? Have a merciful death.

He regretted giving his name.

"How deep are the caves around here, if I may ask?" He politely questioned. May he come out alive, at least he'd wish to see how many days of camping torture he'd have to endure.

Fuck camping.

You take some soaked bandage and cut a peace off with a knife you had to go get from the kitchen. You had just cleaned your throwing knives but one of them would work for this. You use some of the soaked bandage to clean away the blood.

They are not that bad. Some of them go on all the way to the summit, but those are pretty easy to spot. Just look for the assholes with clubs.
You could say some pretty choice things about your ex-cult.

But I'd keep clear of them if I were you. Most trolls around here don't really care much if you walk around, there's only so many paths and they all cross hivespace with each other. Tho mine is the last hive before you get into the Cult's territory.

He wasn't cut too bad the cleaning water should take care of any bacteria and such and help with healing. You wrap a soaked bandage around them anyways and then follow it up with some dry.

Sorry with all the bandages. One of the neighbors has a pretty vicious lusus who's a bit territorial at the moment, blood just get it going.

So it was dangerous, then. He guessed so far, since this was a cult area and he said there were "paintings on the wall", so pretty much no space should be free of club-handling juggalos. He vaguely found disconfort in the treating of his wounds, he wasn't exactly though and he didn't heal fast at all, but his head was busy in the clouds, worried about something else: Was it all worth it? Was it worth going to a dangerous place?

Blue, tyrian and jade blood painted a bit "yes, it is" in his mind.

But this was a dangerous place. Whatever could be hidden in there? What if the cure was worse than the illness? He had only had one nightmare so far and he was already feeling dizzy.

"Thank you. I don't mind at all" Rubedo replied, looking at the bandages that covered his arms. He was no doctor and couldn't tell if the bandages were good or bad, but he didn't care if he could keep going. "And I understand all of what you said... but, I believe something more important than my life depends on me going onwards."

How much was rust blood worth? Exactly. He had to be the one going there because, right now, he was the one with nothing to lose.

You really set on going shorty?

You frown a bit, you had just planed on going out hunting. But you just wouldn't feel right leaving this rust blood out among the wolves so to speak.

I can show you the caves that are around my hive first. The sun will be starting to come up before we can get to the ones up the mountain a bit. You're more then welcome to crash here when that happens...

He had a purpose that was sure. It was in his eyes. He wasn't about to be talked out of anything. And you didn't think he would settle for hiking back to the hive for the day ether. You stand and crack your neck before dumping the bowls into the sink.

I got some camping equipment that's meant for the terrain around here and day gear. I'll grab it. I think I have a set of day gear left over from my wriggler days that might fit.

"Shorty". Fine. He was a rustblood, and he was weak and apparently also very small. And he knew it, in fact, he was wondering if maybe there weren't other people more apt for this quest than him... Wait. Maybe if he talked?

Not to him, though, he barely knew him. And as much as he wanted to get into the caves, Rubedo was a wary and careful troll (as long as it didn't come to exploring or anything like that, because then he would slip with the tiniest rock in his way) who knew better than to stay at the older purpleblood's hive. He'd much rather return to his own place, trace a plan, and then go back there.

"Ah, thanks a lot, but... I'm actually just going to look at some caves and then go back to my place. I've been here since twilight, either way, so once I'm done I'll head home again. But I'd be glad if you pointed me out the caves that are the most interesting to you. I'll make sure to come prepared when I find 'The One' I'm looking for"

Alright then...

You take a map from a shelf and spread it across the table. You have to thank Ducita for this again.

Well... We are roughly around here.

You place your finger on a spot on the map that had been neatly labeled 'Aarush's territory' hand had been colored purple.

The first cave I recamend is known as the Blue cave around here. Lots of paintings done with different shades of blue and greens, just to lump them together...

You drag your finger down the map in a way that followed the mountain trail. The cave in question would be neatly labeled as well.

... The second cave isn't on this map, it's attached to the Blue cave and is much larger. You just have to hug a wall and walk back into the cave. It musts been some troll's hive space ages ago. You can see marks left by the tools if you look close enough to the walls...

You move your finger again as you talk and point to a spot just behind the Blue Cave, giving a rough distance underground.

I can give ya a copy of this map and a more detailed one of The Blue cave. I'd defenly just stick to those two if you just want to make a day trip, just to look around. There shoulden't be creachers or trolls in it this time of year. But it dosent hurt to keep ya strife deck close.

You look at him as you sit back on to the couch giving him time to look over the map if he wanted.

"Now we are talking" Rubedo thought inwardly as his eyes followed Aarush's finger wherever he pointed at. A map was exactly what he needed to navigate himself around the caves! Being no adventurer, knowing these kind of things gave him a great advantage since they were telling him where to go and where NOT to go. He'd just need to learn how to read them, and being the fast learner he was, he was sure he'd get it quick enough to plan an expedition. Well, no, "expedition" made it sound way too professional, and given how he rolled of a hill so easily, he wasn't really shaped for that just now. But he was getting closer to an answer, and that was better than nothing.

And again. Thank whoever for inventing knifekind. It's going to help you a lot, you guess.

"Thank you so much for your help and your understanding of the situation" he began as an opening statement, because just accepting the maps would be incredibly rude. "These maps should indeed aid me for the day. I'm curious, though, where would you find these? It doesn't seem like the kind of area a regular troll would chart."

You chuckle a bit at his statement. Yep he was right considering that not many trolls would want to chart the mountain considering the dangers.

My Morail, Ducita... She loves to chart things... I have some copies if you want... There are plenty of people who lose the path and end up where they don't want to be, maps help prevent that.

You chuckle again as you get up to get the copies. You keep them in the shelf with a bunch of different books.

If you don't mind me asking... Why are you so keen to see the caves? It's not like they are a tourist destination.

Did you ask him this already? You don't remember. Oh well. Hopefully he just thinks you are forgetful and not take offense.

So this big guy has a moirail? Makes sense for him to be friends with someone brave enough to come here, the middle of nowhere, for the only sake of charting maps. He himself needed a bigger intervention before he considered coming here. But the possible end of the world was a big enough reason, in his personal opinion.

Speaking of which: should he tell him? His head was screaming him not to do it and maybe it was right, maybe it would be a better idea to go to the caves, inspect them a little and try and ask for a way to contact Ducita for future reference (he had no sense of adventure after all, if anyone out there was crazy enough to jump into the first life threatening situation that knocked on their doors, then so be it, but he wanted his death to be more well planned than that). He decided to just leave it alone and, if he was ever right, then he'd mention it. He really, really wanted this all to be fake. Never before had he wished so hard for one of his dreams to be not true.

"I am looking for something special, I kind of need to see if it's there. I'm sorry I can't tell you much more"

It's cool shorty... I can give you her handle if you want. Just tell her I gave it to you. She may charge ya a bit for any mapping... Not sure how much she charges these days. Maybe she can help you find what you are looking for. She's a pretty good treasure hunter.

You pull out a few books out trying to find the right one that held the right copies.

Mmm... Here ya are...

You remove the map from the protective sleeves and hand it to him.

Just do me a favor and check back in before ya leave... Technically ya are still around my territory, I'd feel like shit if something happened to ya. I'll be heading down that way if you don't check in by the end of tomorrow... Here...

You take a pen and write down your handle 'regretfulClown' on the edge of the map.

That's my handle. Don't hesitate to ring if something comes up.

You pause for a moment thinking if there was anything else the little rustblood might need to know about the caves.

So he was finally letting him go. At last. Good, because he was maybe a good foot taller than him, and strong, and he looked like he could rip his organs out. So it was probably for the best that he was getting away.

"Thank you! That would really be a great help!" He answered with a smile when he heard the offer of thehandle of his moirail, which was... Kind of amazing, actually, not only to think that a guy this big could ever get one, but also the mere fact of being able to contact someone who worked with charting, who knew the area and, to top it all, was close to the guy who owned the territory. It was almost too lucky, like someone was moving everything to make it all work... Maybe too lucky. Rubedo was wary. He was never this fortunate on anything, which made him suspicious of "the game". Something just wasn't adding up...

He earned the clown's handle. He nodded a bit and carefully keep it. "Thanks. I promise I'll be careful. And I would like to have her hanfle as well, I'm willing to pay her for her maps."

Alright, I'll just scribble it down here... terrorCharter... That's her. She might be a bit pissy at first... but as long as you have the money she'll loosen up a bit.

You sit back down on the couch.

You sure you don't want me to show ya the way? It would be no trouble.

You tilt your head to the side a bit as you rest it on your hand. Why would this guy come all the up here? You were becoming a little bit more curious about his motives. What would bring a rust blood so high up here, and one who was so very obviously not equipped for it. A slight frown would cross your face as you thought this over.

You sure you know what you are getting into?

Why were you so worried about this guy's safety anyways? He was just some random troll that showed up on your doorstep. Yeah... he was kinda small and tiny like a wiggler, but that couldn't be the only reason was it? You sigh and lean back against the couch. You really hope he knows a little bit about what he was doing up here.

Now he had her handle, along with a warning about her behavior apparently. He wrote it under Aarush's handle to ensure that he would add both of them later, well, after he had completed his schedule this day at least. He didn't have a lot of money, so he should request terrorCharter as few maps as he could, and for this he needed more information about the pertaining cave he needed to go to. Go and investigate the cave, then return to his hive at dawn, have another daymare and this time pay specially close attention to the cave aspect, then go to the library and investigate whatever was set loose with all the new information... maybe by then he'd have more than enough information to know (vaguely) which one was the cave of his interest, and if executed accordingly, he would be able to afford the maps he required. It was better than hitting random caves and hope for the best, which had been his original plan.

"No, it's ok. I can go on my own, I won't get too far. I'm not equipped for that anyway" He said, still smiling. The highblood was getting curious about his motives, and he couldn't blame him, he'd be too. Random intruder wandering around your territory "just because"? Yeah, right. Even if he didn't pose any threat at all. Rubedo had to think of a way to convince him that he was not, in fact, interested in his territory, but just and only the cave, and hopefully at the same time he wouldn't let him know anything. He rubbed his eye, tired.

Yes, why was he doing all of these again? Oh. Right. The end of Alternia.

"I know, but I also know it's worth it. It's one of those things that matter to you." He stood up, determined to keep looking around the caves. What would it matter a few cuts, bruises and blood? He knew he was worth nothing, and because of that, he was precisely the only one who could do the dangerous tasks, because nothing of value would be lost that way. Again, he saw jade blood for a moment. He tried to forget it. "I'll be fine. I promise I'll talk to you on trollian once I get home."

Alright then shorty.

You start to walk him to the door. You are most diffidently uneasy about all of this. You don't know what it is, but something is a bit unsettling about the small troll looking about places all alone up here. You shake the idea out of your head as you walk him to the door.

You wanta head down the mountain as soon as you exit the cave here. Just hang a right... Ya sure you don't need anything? Water? Some food?