=> [MINI META ORP] Great Eggspectations

[Hivestuck]

A steady breeze flitted through the scarce foliage found at the base of Busthind Mountain. The earth was dry and cracked, but a few resilient trees sprouted erratically, offering some shelter from the desert sand whipping at your face. You were somewhere untouched to the northwest of Chittentown, where Busthind met the desert. Hearty foliage cracked at your feet, scattered between the large boulders and jutting rocks sprinkled off the mountain top. It's far from any beaten path, bordering the edges of no Troll's land- why had you been summoned here, of all places?

Two nights after the chaotic events at the Phoenix Inititive's base, you had found a letter tucked away near the entrance of your current place of stay. There were no questions about who it was sent from, the tattered writing and frank wording were undoubtedly those of the Initiative. The message was even shorter and more to the point than your previous summons; 'Please gather at the following coordinates for a vital meeting regarding the Organization. Your attendance is humbly appreciated, and strongly recommended, as paramount information that each of you should find pivotal is to be shared. We hope to see you there,'Another set of numbers, along with a date and time scrawled along the bottom in hurried writing. Even if it had been safe to print such things, the letter would still have offered no further explanation.  

[melona-pan]

As the group of attendees assembled at the coordinates, Byakko Mawiya watched from a short distance, peering from behind a wall of stone as she patiently waited for the group to collect. She gatherered her composure, her words; wingbeasts fluttered in the pit of her stomach as she rehearsed what she hoped to be an impactful speech. Would everyone from that night show up? How would everyone react? While her normally resolute determination was shattered, she'd be damned before she ever let it on. There was a job to be done.

Once it had seemed everyone who would be there was present, Byakko tore herself from her hiding place, shrugging the weight of her kanabo's strap into a more comfortable position. She strode over to the group purposely, forcing one foot down in front of the other with increasingly firm stomps. Her vision focused into nothingness as she narrowed her eyes past the Initiative member's faces, feigning her usually fierce stare. She would save reading their expressions for later, lest they broke what little confidence Akko had managed to scrape up before she spoke.

"Thank you for coming," while her voice was still powerful, unwavering, it seemed to have lost some of it's previous fervour. "The events from the other night were... traumatic, to say the least. I'm sure many of you have questions and concerns. I'll do my best to address the things you'd like to say, but first, I'd like to show you something." Byakko turned and gestured, looking off in the direction where she had appeared from. "Please, follow me."

The group trailed behind Byakko as she led them around a collection of rocks, into a dipping chasm that was chiseled into the side of Busthind. They plunged into damp darkness, but before long, the familiar flicker of candle light met their strained vision. As Byakko led the group deeper into the cave, you swear you could hear deep, heavy breathing echoing from its depths. Maybe it was just the wind? Byakko offered no words as she led her members further, further, following the melted candles on the cavern wall.

A cave broke into view, mouth of the tunnel opening into a larger cavern. What was nestled in the centre surely would have thrown off even the most temperate of trolls. Byakko needn't say anything.

A mother grub lusus, impressive in both size and appearance, lulled it's horned head over to glance suspiciously at the trolls. Noting Byakko's presence, she let out a massive huff, turning her attention back down to fiddle with a few freshly laid eggs. The eggs, varying every spectrum of the caste except tyrian purple, lay scattered about the rebel brooding cavern. There were purss and mews, hisses and squeaks from the newly hatched grubs that were speckled among them, left to their own devices as the jadeblooded lusus loomed above.

"I realize that you've been through dark times. We all have." Akko hesitantly began once more, turning to the group. This time, she slowly met their faces. Her brows were furrowed, expression genuinely softened as she gestured behind her at the baby trolls. "Things seem bleak. Pointless. But this is the direct efforts of your work. These children are the fruits of your labour- the mother grub hatched from the matriorb you retrieved that first battle with Aendal all those sweeps ago. These wrigglers," she gestured to a pile of purring grubs, both cool and warm blooded alike. A nervous smile played at her lips, but she swallowed it back. "Are provided for. They live here in harmony. Play together, eat and sleep together. Fight together," she admittedly added, glancing over at a pair of screeching yellowblooded wrigglers in tangles with one another. "When they are old enough, we will help them find lusi to protect them, and homes. I don't intend to force anyone to stay, just like I wouldn't with you. Until then... we protect them. Care for them. Show them a kindness where their blood colour matters naught, prepare them for the harsh cruelties of the outside world and better equip them to deal with it. Teach them better." She paused, drawing in a shaky breath. Her mouth was pasty, her body vibrated with a nervousness that was new to her.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it once again. Despite everything, all of our setbacks, given the decimation of the Queen's forces this is still the most opportune moment for something to be done. For the ruling system to be challenged- we cannot squander it. We cannot forsake the sacrifices of those before us."

"This is a momentous turn of events for the Initiative." Byakko craned her neck up to share a glance with the mother grub before turning her stare back to the others. "The anguish you may feel is justified. I just hope you feel some solace knowing what change you've actually made. Knowing you have made a difference, and will continue to do so in the lives of others, as long as this brooding cavern remains sacred." Errade knew about the cavern, all the parted others had. It would be safe, for now. "Together, we can raise a new generation above what is considered the social quo."

Byakko's final words echoed in the vast cavern, initially met only by the soft coos and hissing of the wrigglers behind her. She stood, holding her breath, trying to get a read on the Initiative members before her. Nerves choked at her throat. Would they be as receptive as she had hoped? Her stern gaze returned, whatever vague joy she had expressed while glancing at the babies dissipating as she waited for someone, anyone, to respond.  

[kamileunaire]

After the harrowing ending to their week-long investigation in the rebel tunnels, it had been easy to look forward to going back home again. Just as he had in the past, Zeffer had grown weary with their sandy surroundings, and even more so with the sometimes cramped underground living quarters. It was easier to focus on such trivial things; he could not think of the battle or its outcome without his pumprate rising considerably. Doubts and worries had begun to sink in, but his body was battered, and it was too hard to deal with the stress. He allowed his mind to blank out for long stretches at a time, reminiscing on more pleasant thoughts that made their journey pass by more quickly. The hardest part, by far, had been splitting up from Byakko. He'd tried to convince her to leave with them, but she had been staunch in her decision. There were things to do, important tasks to be taken care of, and after a short exchange, he'd left it at that.

As always, he was happy to have a friend in Muerte. His own first aid was sloppy at best, so to be tended to by someone who knew what they were doing was nothing short of life-saving. He had sat patiently as the greenblood stitched up his gouges, and disinfected and bandaged the worst of his wounds with neat medical precision. Aprife had received similar attention, and then they had finally left the base astride Arcus' back. The journey to the Fronds had been a blur for Zeffer, with the exception of the quick stop they'd made in NHC to collect Aprife's lusus. The city was a bustling, tempting place, full of shimmering distractions and the comfort of Aprife's cozy hivestem, but they had come to the collective decision that it wouldn't do to leave Muerte to crawl back on his own. After adding Bumblesuckle to the party, they'd made the last leg of the trip quickly and quietly.

Seeing the soft pink glow of the forest and the reflection of the twin moons on the lake had been nothing short of cathartic. The little forest town seemed unchanged, and it helped to soothe Zeffer's turbulent emotions. Believing that the lull in activity would last longer, Zeffer had quickly taken to lounging, relaxing, and enjoying his matesprit's company. When they were together, it was plenty easy to find ways to distract themselves, and after everything that had occurred, Zeffer liked to think that they deserved the break. It was on the second night away from the base, when they'd been in the midst of planning a quick visit to Tete, that the summons had come.

It hadn't been a long journey at all, but one that had been made with tense uncertainty. Going back to the desert so soon was a bother in itself to the blueblood, who had begrudgingly donned his goggles and swallowed the nerves he felt over the prospect of meeting with the other Initiative members again (if some of them even came at all). Their outbursts had made it clear what they probably thought of his actions, but the simple fact was that their expectations had been too high. Zeffer found himself continuously trying to shake the thoughts from his head, to focus on the now. There was no use debating it with himself anymore; what was done was done, and he would deal with the repercussions as they came. Much happier was the promise of seeing Akko again, though it was bittersweet at best. The dissenters had dealt the young rebel leader a low blow, and even though he'd been hasty in carrying out the traitor's death, their words had been like a cutting rejection of the justice that had been served. What more was it that they wanted? He'd been able to sense the pain that it caused his blackcrush, and as much as he hated the desert, there was no way he wouldn't heed the summons and show her the support she deserved. After arriving in Chittentown, they headed northward, blazing a trail over the cooling desert sand.


---


There hadn't been many trolls milling about on their arrival, which had been something of a relief. Zeffer had remained draped over Arcus' back until Akko made her entrance, and only then had he slid down with a tired, vague grin on his face. She was still alive, and that was a relief. He had been tempted to greet her in the usual irreverent manner, but he stowed it for later, for once not wishing to be a distraction. Zeffer honestly could not fathom why she had summoned them all again so soon, and exchanged a curious glance with Aprife as she made her initial explanation. Had they relocated the base, perhaps, or made some other important discovery? As she lead them in, it was growing harder and harder to keep his mouth shut, and he reached to weave his fingers with Aprife's squeezing quietly, and glancing quickly at the others who had gathered. It seemed no one had really had the opportunity to socialize before Byakko's appearance, and for that he was glad.

His attention on the group didn't last long. The cavern was very similar to the one in which they'd spent the previous week, and he couldn't help but huff softly as the candles finally came into view, casting their familiar glow on the deep red sediment of the cave walls. The rhythmic sound of the airflow went unnoticed by the blueblood, who was expecting the passage to open up into some sort of impressive new rebel base. What they were met with instead was enough to make his pump biscuit drop.

With his breath hitching in his throat, Zeffer beheld the scene with a mixture of awe, disbelief, and a tiny dash of fear, as the mother grub turned to regard the group. His bile sack flipped, and all at once, his hands had grown clammy and wet with sweat. Even as Byakko started to speak again, it was hard to tear his eyes away from the creature, though he found his gaze drawn even more quickly down to the tiny beings nestled beneath her in a pile on the floor. Wrigglers. Zeffer willed himself to focus, tried to chase away the sudden light-headed wooziness that threatened to overcome him. Byakko's explanation made everything clear, and he brought a shaking hand up to his face, biscuit pounding, caught in a sudden whirl of emotions. He was sure a handful of people remembered that night, and to know that this was the outcome of that horrible experience...it made the memory just a bit less bitter.

Sucking in a breath, Zeffer sheepishly bit back the dampness building in the corners of his eyes, reaching quickly to wipe at them, sniffling. His biscuit was still jack hammering in his chest, but at the sound of the hissing youngsters behind Akko, he couldn't banish the tiny smile that grew across his lips. "I'm with you, Byakko." He added his response, low and quick, to her final statement. His wavering voice betrayed him; he was overjoyed at the revelation, but also secretly horrified. The implications of what was to come were staggering, and he couldn't begin to fathom how they would go about raising the young trolls. As much as he doubted his own abilities, he knew Akko could take on the challenge...but were the others within the Initiative really equipped for such a task? Only time would tell, Zeffer supposed...  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Stryke spent the first night sleeping almost exclusively before the weary feeling of dissonance let up on his thinkpan. His own turmoil didn't take front seat to treating his lusus's injuries. Still, the bandages around him no longer contained yellow hued blood, which Ryk was greatful for. After both parties had rested, the pair begin to feel more at ease back in their house away from home. Life in the desert town seemed to settle back into its usual routine, and while he hadn't physically grown the implications of what had transpired had forever shaped the yellowblood. Be it for better or worse he could not say in full, all he knew was he would remain loyal unless something drastic happened which disowned this notion. Not that he could fathom what it would be; after gazing into the abyss and having it stare back he'd remained. That surely would have to be good enough, at least for now.

One evening when exiting his hive, he was surprised to find yet another summons. Having awakened from his long slumber, the kid’s hands shakily grasped the paper as he studied it just as intently as he had the first. He flipped it over, half hoping to find more information but found nothing further to shed light on the matter. Frowning, he made sure to feed both himself and parent, pack water and when the time came he set out of his journey. The pair traveled northwest of town as the coordinates dictated. Stryke's slender fingers clutched at his rucksack with a near white knuckle death grip. What could it be? He'd barely had enough time to pull himself together, let alone be ready to perform some unseen task. Yet if it was a chance to be beside those trolls that remained whom believed in their cause, he had to show the respect the situation deserved to all parties involved.

Their arrival while slow going was met with a tired smile to those gathered before being replaced with the boy’s usual serious frown-lined expression. While mentally exhausted, he wore his emotional mask tightly keeping a stubborn set to his jaw. No one needed to know he'd decided on the way here.

His gaze swept over those gathered, before shuffling along once they were lead inside the mountain. Stryke felt his breath hitch in his chest, was this perhaps some new base? While reasonable, he was struck by the air temperature as they traveled further inside the cavern. While it felt much like the one he'd spent the week in gathering information, something told him there was something very different about this scene. He could hear breathing of all things?! This realization sped his blood pusher up several notches, but he did not panic in full. Stryke trusted Byakko not to lead him straight into the maw of some great wingedflamingbeast...or worse.

For a heartbeat of a moment, he felt the color drain from his face as he was met not with the sight of a new meeting room, or perhaps some sort of gathering hall but a massive horned creature tending a most curious of objects. His ocular orbs did not decieve him, the lusii was tending to eggs, and occasionally...yes wigglers as Byakko's words confirmed. Yet this was no ordinary lusus, she was a mother grub of all things. The source of all troll life. Stryke marveled at the impressive sight of the creature, awe struck.

After a few moments of studying her it was the little coos, hisses and squeaks that struck him next making his eyes water with delight. Gasping softly, he covered his mouth as he took in this information. As much as he hated to admit it, the sight was utterly tender and a rush of joy and hope he hadn't felt in several weeks left him feeling elated. They were tinier even than himself, and played and tussled with childish delight in their various mannerisms.

Fear and terror however squeezed at him as he tuned into their leaders words. It occurred to him, it was almost unheard of for there to be a mother grub outside the control of the military. Wriggler's of different hues, appearances and demeanor littered the make-shift brooding cavern.These children were free to grow and learn as all those born into this life truly deserved. Letting out a slow breath, he decided it was not worth the distress he felt and instead choose to enjoy the moment for what it was. Besides, the tealblood didn't need doubt when it was already so clearly painted on her face from time to time as she cast her gaze upon those faces present. He wished to show support in the face of adversity no matter how much trepidation was involved.

While hesitant, Stryke carefully stepped forward just a bit from those assembled. While the gruff look from the nurturing lusii made him almost not want to speak, he inclined his head to Akko in greeting. He looked up as Zeffer spoke, and noted Aprife at his side, and their greenblooded friend Muerte whom he still didn't know what to think of. They received each their own single nod of acknowledgement from the little yellowblood as a form of greeting. After a thoughtful look on the youngsters face before he smiled faintly at the massive mohawk of a hulking troll. As much as he'd been frightened of him initially, his opinion on the adult had changed since that first night in the meeting room.

"aye, as am i." Even if this revelation was laced with mixed emotions on his end, his resolve was unwavering. He stood up a little straighter to his full height for what little difference it made as opposed to him slouching. Following his speaking up, the yellowblood was glad for SkinkDad's hiss of agreement and short nod of resonance with the statement.  

[saedusk]

Far too short, but certainly sweet, that's what his time with Zeffer had been. If only they could've held onto it a while longer, rested, completely recovered. After all that had happened, it was a well deserved break, one where he could momentarily forget the unfortunate turn their original good intentions had apparently taken. Escapes from reality grew rarer with each passing sweep, but that didn't stop Aprife from enjoying what solace he had. At least until duty called once again, as it always did and always would.

When the letter came, he couldn't say he was horribly surprised, even if he griped internally, wishing for a little more time. Byakko wouldn't summon them again so soon without significant reason, he was sure of that not only for their own sakes, but because he was positive she would need a respite, as well. Whatever this was, there was no way they could say no. Support was due and support would be given, both to their friend and to the Initiative he called home. Maybe she thought mending the rift between the remaining members couldn't wait too long? If so, he had to agree, and he could only hope their distraught fellow phoenixes found it in them to make this impromptu meeting. If that wasn't her intention, he'd find out what it was soon enough.

Returning to the desert was as quiet as leaving had been, the sober atmosphere kept Aprife from joking too much or getting unnecessarily boisterous, especially when re-recruiting Muerte had somehow worked out. Having the greenblood with them again, traveling towards an Initiative meeting, felt almost like a dream, it was difficult to understand. Aprife had been so sure they'd be rejected, but he supposed whatever reasons Tete had were his own. For now, at least, he felt no great push to force their companion into anything.

It felt like no time at all—it was like blinking and realizing something had suddenly, inexplicably changed—before they found themselves being lead deep into Busthind, to reaches and revelations unknown. Funny, the yellowblood could barely remember arriving outside much less anything beyond feeling relief that Akko appeared alright, though not quite her usual self. A gentle touch, his matesprit's fingers entwined with his had brought him back, and he'd offered a reassuring squeeze of his own. Things would be alright, soon they'd see what their leader had to show them.

Answers to his questions swirled in his think pan, flooding into focus when they finally came upon the mother grub and her brood, a vast number of eggs and the occasional hatchling. The sounds he'd heard before now simply hadn't been enough of a clue to alert him to this reality, but a pressure was building against his chest as he listened to Byakko's speech. It was one of many, but Aprife was certain he'd never felt as fully stirred as he did now. Her words were backdropped by the gentle, unmistakably innocent cooing of helpless, unsoiled existence.

The desert, the downfall of Aendal, it all rushed back like it wasn't just a memory, but something happening right before his eyes. That had been the first experience to truly open his eyes to the real Alternia, to what lay beyond his world of gossip and games. Each subsequent stint with the rebellion had made things clearer and clearer until he could no longer avoid what was in front of him. Aprife liked to consider himself a realist, always had, and yet he'd lived in a world of half-truths and make believe. That was no longer the case, at least not where it mattered. Even if they never saw true change in their lifetimes, he was willing to try. It felt far too empty to imagine stopping now.

Still, he'd almost forgotten they'd even recovered the matriorb that night. It wasn't something that was ever discussed, the fate of their prize, what would become of it if it happened to hatch. Subconsciously, he marked it as unimportant, stopped worrying about it. Now it was slapping him in the face as the great lusus lifted her head to view them only a moment before returning her attention to what truly mattered to her.

A brooding cavern, a mother grub, how was it possible? Aprife had always believed that regardless of their actions and how much they accomplished, he'd never see truly deep-rooted social change in his lifetime. He'd help lay the foundation, but that was it, that was all he'd be able to do. Now, though, now he felt inspired. If they could influence the development of a new generation, even if only a small percentage of it, they could instill change at a rate much faster than he imagined they would. It still wouldn't be the end all, but it would be something, something significant. Ah, he'd known Byakko's intent in calling them here had to have real meaning. This only proved him right.

It was uplifting, but also overwhelming. The idea of helping to care for them was such a foreign one, though he was willing to try, to search for lusii in the very least. Realizing they'd have to protect these defenseless creatures might have been even more mind-boggling than that, there were many things that could destroy this fragile dream of theirs, but whatever it took, he was sure they could do it. If nothing else, he was charged to try. This was their greatest chance, an opening revealed to them when things had seemed so suddenly lost. They simply couldn't squander it.

"I agree with the others, of course." It felt a bit redundant to say so, but he meant it, that much was obvious from the grin on his face. Bumbs, who'd been nestled on his shoulder the entire time, finally flitted to life, fluttering away to settle with Arcus instead. It was then Aprife took a moment to consider Stryke beyond the simple silent greeting he'd returned earlier. Recently more and more young children had been joining their cause and the older yellowblood found his resilience commendable. Color Aprife pleasantly surprised, and well, if they played their cards right, even more strong recruits would be aiding them soon enough.  

[quite uneventful]

It had taken Vremea a lot of deliberation of whether or not she should've gone.

It had been two days after the mess— Two days she was left wallowing in insecurity, a feeling of fright she hadn't known sure she had bubbling in her since she'd come back from the tunnels. She had given up so much for that group... Her cracked innocence had been shattered early on at the death of the Jadeblood, and lived through seeing her morail shot to pieces. Her eyes drooped. Funnily enough... Vremea didn't want to leave the Initiative. She still felt a connection between her and them, a connection she thought had been severed by the swing of Errade's ax. So when Odette arrived from her tantrum and they helped each other calm down, Vremea felt happier. She knew that no matter what... She would still have Odette.

By the time the summons came, Vremea was able to move with limited ability. She was thankful for Kursha— she would've died trying to arrive to her hive all alone. Athene had disappeared god knew where, and Odette had arrived the next day. She didn't have the energy to worry about where, yet, but... She was safe. That was all that mattered. Reading over the summons again, she slid a hand through her hair. So soon? She had barely enough time for her wounds to heal... Maybe it was something urgent? Looking over to her lusus, Yakmom shuffled up to her and nudged her shoulder lightly. Her custodian seemed to be feeling a lot better than before... It looked like she was trying to tell her not to be so hard on them. They were in a rough time. Her hand slid into Yakmom's floofy head fluff, thankful she had cleaned her up recently. With a soft stare into the wise lusi's eyes, Vremea felt her blood pusher relax. Just... Just this last time. She was too curious as to what it might've been.

Odette had refused to go at first. It had taken a lot of convincing and finally, dragging, until they arrived there to realize there weren't that many trolls left. Yakmom decided to accompany them so as to take care of Vremea, just in case something happened to her. She didn't have Athene around to help sew her outfit back to its usual glory, so instead she wore another one, similar to her teenage clothes, and continued to use her pole as a walking stick. As they arrived to the meeting and the doors behind her closed, Vremea's pump biscuit became more rapid at the sight of a few trolls before sliding to the side. There didn't seem to be a sign of danger... Vremea continued to listen silently until they started to be pulled away. Maybe it was a mass burial, for those who were killed? Just the thought made her pump biscuit squeeze. Holding firm onto Odette, the yellowblood followed the group, lagging behind slightly and gulping slightly. The air felt heavy with tension, almost as if there was something there, watching...

Wait. Something was there. Vremea definitely knew the difference between breathing and death, and... What she heard wasn't the wind. It was a small squealing. As the cave grew larger, the yellowblood stopped in her tracks, her bloodpusher pounding madly. She squeezed Odette's hand, eyes locked firmly onto the wigglers infront of the group. The scene struck a chord in her, and even Yakmom stayed behind to watch her charge slowly walk toward the grublings and shudder in realization. The matriorb they'd received that day. A tear slid down her face and the yellowblood's teeth clenched, listening to the leader speak. She felt silent tears slide down her cheeks as she continued to stare at the wigglers, refusing to look at the leader just yet. The wigglers gave her such joy, such happiness... Vremea didn't know it was possible something so innocent and important could be born from her efforts. With a trembling hand, Vremea squeezed her walking stick, taking shaky breaths as she listened to Byakko. This was overwhelming. To take care of wigglers... Look over them, treat them and have them treated as... Well, what they were. Trolls. Not for their blood color, but for themselves. They wouldn't suffer through discrimination. They would be treated right, and they would be taught the right way to live.

They were hope.

Vremea squeezed her eyes shut, sinking to the ground from mental exhaustion as Byakko said her final words to the Initiative. Those words rang deep in her soul. Yakmom shuffled over to her, watching the wigglers with a soft expression on her face, grunting a little. With a small, teary-eyed smile, the yellowblood looked over to Byakko and squeezed her hand into a fist, placed over her pump biscuit. "I am sorry." She said softly, eyes locked to hers, looking over to the yellowblooded trolls screeching and fighting with eachother— "I... I will stand with you too." It still took some concentration to speak, but she managed to get that out with minimal effort. Tossing a glance to Odette, she couldn't help but wonder if her redblooded morail would join her. Maybe, amongst their violence and roughness, they could teach them them better. Odette... She couldn't do it without Odette. Odette was her partner, her closest friend. And as she stood to look directly at her, the yellowblood smiled brightly through the tears. This was something they helped do. Something they helped save. The only good thing that came from that wretched battle.

And Vremea wasn't going to let it go.

 

[seekingCylem]

Rasali wasn’t sure how much time had passed between her last summons from the Initiative and this one. The first thing she did after arriving home was fall into her recuperacoon, clothes and all. Kappadad didn’t question Rasali’s state. He seemed to have a good enough idea of what happened based on Rasali’s disposition alone. It was a victory, but at a great cost. Rasali refused to believe it wasn’t worth it. Errade was a monster. The traitors were exposed and dealt with. Perhaps things could have been carried out more… tactfully, but in the end, the corruption was gone and that was what mattered the most in the end.

Rasali took a few deep breaths and poured over the letter from the Initiative… From Byakko, most likely. There wasn’t much more to gather from multiple readings, but Rasali had been trying regardless. She absently wrung spring water out of her hair. She was already beginning to feel far less relaxed after her bath. Perhaps this meeting would go well, though. It might be a chance at a clean slate.

These meager spots of hopefulness were enough to tide Rasali over. She finished her laundry and packed her things.


Rasali couldn’t say she was thrilled to be back in another cave system. She continuously peered down at her coordinates as she walked through the tunnels to be sure she was at the right location—and that this excursion was real and not some kind of exhaustion dream. Eventually she met with the others gathered together in a loose group within the caverns. Byakko joined them soon enough. The group was lead further into the darkness.

Rasali breathed audibly as the mother grub’s form rose up among the stalagmites. She’d seen pictures. Every troll knew what this was. To see a mother grub in person however, the source of all trolls… Rasali was certain she was dreaming, or at least involved in some kind of hoax. She looked around to the other trolls, trying to deduce if they were seeing the same thing she was.

Rasali had been too distracted from the enormity of the situation, both literally and figuratively, to notice the wigglers until they were brought to her attention. Rasali felt herself pale. She had just come away from the most visceral battle of her life. These wigglers were so fragile. The thought of a community raised separated from the cruelty of the empire seemed too perfect to be real, but the Phoenix Initiative had the makings of that right in front of them.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only thing that was real. Images of the battle pounded at Rasali’s thinkpan, giving her a headache. She didn’t want these children to go through what she did. She also didn’t want them to fall prey to self-serving beasts like the traitors or the highblooded royalists. It was too late to do anything, really. These children were hatched and alive with no other defenses. It was up to Rasali and the other Initiative members, what few remained, to care for these grubs. They were an example.

”There’s no other option.” Rasali announced. She nodded sharply, hoping her resolve would mask the tremors she was feeling build in her legs. This was too much, but she’d have to bear it. She had too much blood on her hands to back down now when she had the chance to do something truly, indisputably good.  

[Melancholies]

Muerte was so, so tired.

The last few nights were nothing short of hazy blurs. After the battle, Muerte had eventually regrouped with the rest of the Initiative, holding true to his promise to the blueblood and his matesprit. The two were both pretty beat up—Zeffer, especially—but Muerte had no cause to worry. That b*****d was like a roach; nothing would kill him. Given the fact he'd lived this long was testament to that. Not that he would have worried anyway; no other living being was really deserving of his worry. Muerte had more important things to focus his energy on.

By the time he returned to his hive, he was elated in that exhausted sort of relieved way. He slept for the majority of the time away from the rebel base, face stinging every time he woke up. It was better to forget about the mark that marred his skin through the cover of dreams anyway. He had eventually tended to it, though every time he found his reflection in the environment he still found a face he did not recognize staring back. He remembered himself with a perfect face and lively, though ornery eyes. Whatever was looking back was a stranger; dead, dull, damaged.

It was scabbed, now. A bright green contusion graced the line of the healing wound, and Muerte found his face stiff from his adamant refusal to move it. Probably what hurt the most was where the gash met his lips—such a sensitive area—and the doctor found himself slacking when it came to talking or eating. Any sort of movement was painful. Every ounce of pain reminded him of the source. Thinking about the source made him realize he had been hit, his dodges sloppy, his tactics too reckless. He had learned his lesson, but what a difficult one it was to take from.

Part of him wondered if learning from it even meant anything in the end.

Because he had still be slighted, wronged, broken. The cut would heal, yes, but the slice on his psyche would not. Just as the greenblood felt himself sinking into a quiet,—unusual—despair, the letter came to him.

Immediately, he wanted to rip it. He wanted to burn it. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. Part of him damned them—how dare they request his time again. He wasn't a part of the initiative, never would be. His time was done and spent and used up. He had seen this experience through as he said, and now it was his time to break away. Oddly enough, the letter remained intact, albeit forgotten among the papers on his desk.

When Zeffer and Aprife showed up at his hive, he sighed. He should have known better.

He gave little resistance to their offer to travel together.

Fortunately for Muerte, where they traveled was not the goddamn desert. Unfortunately, however, it was still a ******** wasteland in its own right, and the doctor felt disgruntled and agitated as they traversed the sparse mountains to their destination. Delving into a cavern did much the same for him. Muerte was tired of caves; he did not want to journey into one so soon, less the shadows play tricks on his weary mind, less he see Errade's face taunting him from beyond, or hear his lusus screams echoing down the corridors of his mind.

Luckily, the deep breathing was not from an abomination, but from something far more extraordinary.

Muerte had been silent the entire trip, too done to even want to quip or snark or complain. Now his eyes were wide—sparking—lips slightly parted in awe. A mother grub? These complete moronic imbeciles somehow had their hands on a mother grub? His pupils followed the grubs as they tussled around, wiggling and hissing and purring... a mother grub? It seemed hard to believe—was his mind playing tricks on him? There was no way this could be real; though when Muerte glanced around at all the other trolls gathered, their expressions the same spectrum of shellshocked, reality began to creep in.

Quickly, he composed himself.

His excitement ebbed when Byakko addressed the group, though it didn't dwindle completely. Still, Muerte was not necessarily intent on the Initiative's ideals, nor was he particularly keen on being tasked with, well, raising—he looked to the scuffling yellowblooded grubs—them. Muerte was no lusus, and he wasn't even sure if it would be possible to locate a lusus for every troll here... these weren't the brooding caverns, that's for damn sure. Would any of the ones who grew up here actually flourish in the rest of the war-torn world? He supposed only time would tell. Might make for a good social experiment, anyway.

Ultimately his excitement did not stem from the wrigglers, but the mother grub herself. How many trolls were graced with the opportunity to lay eyes on such a beast? Not many, not unless you were jadeblooded, and even then... there certainly weren't many jadebloods in the world, now were there? Briefly, he wondered why so many other members of the group looked as emotional as they did; Zeffer and Aprife seemed absolutely struck, while another yellowblood—he recognized her from before, her and the redblood that cursed their leader and bolted; so they were back? Figures they would be so fickle.

Of course, Muerte could never know about the incident with Aendel as he was never present, but his thoughts remained quizzical on his observations. Strange.

He couldn't be sure this would all work out in their favor, anyway, but turning his attention away from the trolls he looked once more to the huffy lusus. This moment still seemed so pivotal for them. His thoughts rang true as heard the trolls, one by one, affirm their loyalty to their leader and their cause. For the tiniest, most brief of moments, Muerte wondered what it felt like, being so interwoven with so many others, sharing that same goal... belonging came to mind. How quaint.

Muerte Perist was, however, his own troll first and foremost.

But look at this opportunity. His eyes gleamed. Letting this chance pass him up would be so terribly foolish. In the same breath, all this talk of bettering Alternia, of raising these wrigglers, of equality... could he really be bothered? His gaze settled on a rusty colored grub, mewling pathetically. His eye twitched.

"Quite." His voice was a little unsure, though it did not waver it definitely came out as a quiet, musing rasp.

"I suppose," his words were slow, careful, deliberate, "...That every cause is is need of a exceptional doctor." It was, dare he say, perhaps the most important thing to have someone to stitch up the injured fools. folding his arms, Muerte threw a weary glance in Byakko's direction, though her affirmed the meaning behind his words with a tiny nod. Though they hadn't actually met, and he didn't like the idea of being under management, he had to concede to her presence and power, just a little. It was nothing more than a tiny show of respect, however minuscule. Muerte did not necessarily respect others, but he supposed his civility and willingness to cooperate could be interpreted as such.  

[saedusk]

Voices rose from all across the dim cavern, signaling even more agreement from the small crowd. Even from that other yellowblood... Ah, he thought for a while she might leave them. Looks like something had changed her mind; this chance to take such a large step certainly seemed like a would-be culprit. The greenblood with the flip-flopped horns had it right, there were very few options that wouldn't mean turning their backs on these defenseless hatchlings.

Realistically, Aprife hadn't expected to hear Muerte to be among those who spoke. Their companion had been resigned enough to coming with them, not that he seemed overly enthusiastic about it, but he was sure that would be the end of it. If he meant to keep the greenblood in their organization, he'd have to keep up the recruitment, visit him often, convince him this life could provide the means to experiment like he never could've dreamed. Aprife was certainly prepared to continue the salesman routine, he saw untapped potential in him.

Surprise, surprise, though, the good doctor actually had a thing or two to say. It was something that didn't sound particularly snarky, either.

Ah, well, this- Aprife had to fight to keep the smile from his face. It might not be completely accurate to say he'd won, for a while he'd have to be cautious of Muerte's motives, but this was definitely not the outcome he'd expected. No, it was much better, he planned on staying. The fact that after such a turbulent start he meant to remain with the Initiative without fight was astonishing, but pleasant. If only he'd caught that gleam in the greenblood's eye, he might have a better grasp on just why he'd chosen to stay. As it were, this was just fine.

"Glad to have you," he muttered, voice low enough that he wasn't sure anyone too far from his person would hear it. "Looking forward to your..." Aprife had never been one for puns, not really. They were entertaining enough, but not his shtick. This one really slapped him right in the face, though, there was no way he could pass up the opportunity. "...egg-ceptional work."  

[zeflamigo]

The journey to the rebel coordinates made Odette think. Alone, she was fierce in her decision to separate from the Initiative. It would be a good move on her part, she assured herself. She could live the rest of her short life comfortably in the company of her little featherbeast and her friends. The only problem being that save for one, all of her friends were rebels. And this was precisely what got her thinking.

Working for the rebellion had taken a lot from her. Her lusus, certainly, was the worst thing she had to lose. She had lost her life, twice even. If it hadn't been for Vremea, well... She wouldn't be standing beside her today, if it wasn't for her moirail. Vremea wouldn't be alive either if it weren't for the discovery of Odette's powers, way back when the girls first fought Aendal. She would always be there for the yellowblood, through thick and thin.

And who did she have to thank for meeting said yellowblood? The rebel initiative, of course. Here, Odette had been thinking that the cause had taken everything from her when in reality it had given her something even greater. It had given her Vremea Everai, her moirail, and the light of her life. Her, Athene, and Milieu. All three gave Odette a reason to stay. A reason to be thankful. A reason to fight.

A twinge of sadness pulled at the pit of Odette's neck. How could she have been so selfish? She had to apologize. Byakko didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. She hadn’t brought this pain on her intentionally. No, Odette was just the kind of troll that found troubles everywhere she went. She’d just have to accept it at some point. But as long as her friends were there beside her, that made things better, right?

Odette was silent in the cavern. She wanted to approach the leader. She wanted to pull her aside and make her apologies. Saying it in front of the group seemed insincere. But speaking out when it wasn’t her turn would be rude. On top of that, she doubted the other trolls would trust her alone with the leader. She was at a loss for what to do.

The sight of the wrigglers only amplified her emotions. Odette tried to hold back her tears. She tried to be strong. Here was new life. It was hope. It was the new beginning that Odette had begged for before. She did her best to keep her sobbing quiet, watching the wrigglers through teary eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” She said, repeating the words under her breath. Her head rang with pain, emotions causing a stir in her. She hadn’t felt this blissful in a long, long time. Here was something beautiful, something momentous, and something that she helped to create. “I’m so sorry for my behavior. I was emotional… and impatient,” She choked out the words, looking at Byakko. She held onto Vremea’s arm for support. She swallowed hard, wanting her words to be heard unclouded. “You’ve shown me hope. And I’ll do everything in my power to protect it.” She tightened her grip on Vremea. She knew the yellowblood felt the same. Hopefully their small numbers would be enough to protect them.  

[grayseasons]

Athene had nearly not come again.

The night of that devastating battle, Athene had left long after the other girls had done, tightly clutching the scarf that had served to push her through the rest of the night. She'd gone back to NHC, to her hive, completely disregarding the fact she'd been staying with Vremea and Odette. For awhile she'd just sat in the upstairs part of her shop, staring at the object in her hands. A troll, a troll who should have by all means led a perfectly reasonable life, had died to save her thanks to a small thing she'd done so long ago. She hadn't even known his name, just his face, just a slight part of his voice. It wasn't right, it wasn't right at all and even with the one responsible she felt slightly hollow inside. Was it worth the fight anymore, if this was the outcome? She didn't know, she didn't know at all.

Two days had been long enough for her to lay around and wonder if she should go back, if she should bother doing anything. She had bothered enough to clean herself up, to set her nose and get the blood off of her skin, but beyond that and cleaning the scarf, little was done. Sleep hadn't come easy to her either, the image of that night replaying constantly in her mind. The rebellion was so small now, so reduced, it would have been easy to just keep on with her shop and pretend like it hadn't happened.

But when she got the message, the summons, her thoughts invariably drifted to Vremea and Odette, Milieu. The girls she'd met in the name of the cause, her friends whom she cared deeply about. They were worth it for the rebellion, for the idea of equality and something she should fight for. Already they'd done so much for her, so much she could never repay. She felt oddly guilty just thinking about them, thinking about the trolls she'd killed and how they'd never hurt anyone. But Athene, Athene would hurt trolls a million times over just to protect those girls. She respected them enough to begrudgingly get up, to try and attend this final meeting because if nothing else, it was probably what they'd do. If not for them, then for the redblood at least, whom's scarf she had wrapped around her neck now.

Not turning back on the whole journey had been hard, but Athene had kept going. She had to, she had to, if only because she would grant this one last time before leaving, if at all. But it had been worth it, when Athene saw the children playing. The group that had been saved, even if small, the fruit of everything that happened. Athene could only feel faintly ashamed at thinking of leaving, because good had been done, even if small. Her breath was caught in her throat as she just watched, tears forming in her eyes and she brushed them away with the back of her hand. This, this was something she could stand for.

"I will stand with you also." She said quietly, watching the children for a few moments longer. But there was something else that needed to be said and she looked away to find Vremea and Odette, spotting the pair quickly. Apologies were in order to them too and as she made her way over she swallowed thickly, hoping they would forgive her, if anything at all.

Tapping gently on Vremea's arms, she quietly said "I am sorry for my actions on the past night I was.." She swallowed, trying to find words before finishing "I was not in the right state of mind. I hope you can forgive me. You too, Odette." She addressed the pair, looking down and fiddling with her hands before fixing her eyes on the children. Her gloves weren't with her, as of most of her outfit. It was still in the suitcase at Vremea's, her spare clothing packed away there and the outfit she'd worn here still unwashed. She was just in pants and a shirt she had, luckily having a pair of boots to wear and her scarf. She felt bare almost, nervous and jumpy but she tried to appear some part composed at least.
 

[melona-pan]

The remaining Initiative member's overwhelming astonishment was not lost on Byakko. It was quite the mouthful to digest, a momentous undertaking, and the looming responsibility was engulfing even for the veteran rebel. The unguarded cavern was a tugging reminder of how little was left after Errade's blight, save the survivors who stood in awe. They had all been through so much, Byakko could only hope that this would give them renewed fortitude. The sting of Errade's betrayal was poignant, tensions between them were festering, and the group before her stirred with various impassioned reactions. Her nerves continued to coil and thrash as she steadily focused on each individual. Akko's expression remained steeled, as unlike the others, she previously had the luxury to brace herself for this moment.

Byakko had been unsure who would heed her summons, aside from her friends, let alone how many would recommit their pledges of allegiance to the Phoenix Initiative. Her fears were quelled as they each began to speak up in turn- voicing their support. A warm feeling washed over her, flooding with relief, although the tightly coiling anxiety in her gut persisted.

It was easiest to turn her attention on her friends first, and to her solace they were among the first to speak. Their unwavering support didn't come as much of a surprise, but her gaze still softened as Zeffer and Aprife voiced their loyalty. She knew she could count on their devotion, through thick or thin. Akko didn't feel like words were needed.

As Stryke spoke her vision flitted down to the youngest present- something gripped at her. Ultimately, he wasn't that much older than the wrigglers cooing and hissing in the backdrop. She swallowed at his resolve, giving the yellowblood a firm nod of appreciation. "Thank you." She likewise nodded at Rasali, thankful to hear the greenblood speak up. Her teammate had grown on her during their time spent together investigating at the base, and Byakko was grateful to see that Rasali seemed to be unshakably committed.

The greenblood Aprife and Zeffer had brought along- ahh, he was a doctor? Her friends had failed to mention that, Byakko thought dryly, and her vision globes lit up as they met Muerte's. His help would surely be invaluable.

The mutant cast her vision down to Vremea, clenching her jaw as she silently watched the yellowblood weep at her knees. "Of course you are forgiven- I offer my apologies as well," Akko finally gathered the strength to raise her voice above the mewing of the wrigglers, also looking to address Odette as Vremmy rose to her side. At some point her vision locked on Athene, and she gave the greenblood another nod. She was humbled and eternally grateful that at least on some level, they could all see lookstub to lookstub when it came to the future of the wrigglers. The moirails hadn't abandoned the Initiative after all, and Byakko herself felt rejuvenated to see their loyalties rekindled. "Hasty decisions were made. Your opinions shouldn't have been disregarded. You two have been pillars of this Initiative since your help was first enlisted, whether you realized it or not. You are valued." Byakko glanced back over to Zeffer and Aprife to address the pair as well. They had both been around equally as long as the girls, present that battle for the matriorb with Aendal. "Without you four, none of this would have ever been possible. For that, the Initiative- no, we- are forever indebted to you." She gestured passionately behind herself at the mothergrub and her nest. To what they all believed to be hope.

Byakko's hand lingered to point at a nearby stalagmite, smooth top littered neatly with small bird-like pins. "Please take one. A token, a symbol of this group's reborn bond. Something to tie us together." She already held one of the knuckle sized emblems in her other palm, twisting it between her fingers as she offered them one of their own. It was befitting, she thought, to have a new symbol with their new purpose.

Byakko's reverie was broken as mothergrub unexpectedly let out a low hiss, undirected at the rebels. A greenblooded wriggler had crawled its way over to the group unheeded, curious over the growing noise and excitement, toppling over Byakko's foot as it squawked up at the older trolls. With a flickering smile the mutant bent down to pluck the squirming grub from the ground, taking a moment to inspect the writhing baby troll. Akko rigidly pressed her cracked lips together before turning her attention back to speak to the others. "Make no mistake," Her uneasy words were as stiff as her movements as she earnestly looked at the rebels; those who knew her might have recognized that she had begun to grapple with her nerves once more. "We can not coddle these wrigglers. Preparing them for the harsh realities of Alternia is much easier said than done... I'm sure you all realize the weight that holds, but accept it regardless. I can not thank you all enough for your recommitted vows. In return I oath to try my best to work with you, to bring the Phoenix Initiative back to it's original path, to rise it even beyond that."

As her words echoed off the cavern, Byakko took a few tentative steps foreward, glancing down at the cooing greenblood who until that point had been content chewing at her braid. It let out a shrill skree as Akko lightly tugged it away from the safety of her furs. The rebel leader approached the group of sobbing girls, hesitantly holding the wriggler out as a peace offering of sorts. The greenblood batted its buglike eyes, letting out a gurgled mew as if on cue. "All we can do is try. Together."

saedusk

Kamileunaire

Kimbley Kitty

quite uneventful

Quote:

At some point during the night, Byakko slips over to your side and presses a slip of paper into your palm. She mentions something about it having information on how to get into contact with her, and that she would like to speak with you further about your future position within the rebellion.
When you'd like to discuss/have your staff rp regarding your characters leadership, please PM the mule!

Each troll who posts in this orp pledging their allegiance gets a shiny new pin! yay~
mini meta orp/location threads will be open for the rest of the month.

 

[Green Minuet]

[+] Kursha Vidari

After departing from Vremea's hive, Kursha had elected to stay in Chittentown a few nights. The Initiative had been forced to split under urgent circumstances and their last moment together could be described as tense at best, with a faction of them threatening to leave forever. He had a feeling that Byakko would not let things end on such a sour note. She would at least want a dialogue between its remaining members.

It came as small surprise then, two nights after the battle, he discovered a hand-written note with familiar grey text slipped into his hotel room. Memorising the coordinates and the time, Kursha discarded the note. More accurately discarded the ashes thereof.

Come the date indicated on the message, Kursha found himself at the foot of Busthind. While it was a side of the mountain he was unacquainted with (he generally preferred the brisk climates and the rockier geography) it still felt nice to be some place a little closer to home. The air was cooler than Chittentown and looming spires of peak were a comforting reminder of a world he knew. Hugging the base of the mountain, where the ground was tougher, Kursha trekked in search of the meeting place. It did not take too long find. Just one troll was enough to stick out in this wasteland; a crowd was practically a beacon. He gave a cheerful wave to Vremea. He was glad to see that she had decided to return, though he could not say the same for her moirail.

When Byakko appeared, she was curt and to the point. Kursha watched her closely. He had only known her a little while but she seemed tenser now than before. Emotions were still running high since Errade's execution it seemed like. Flashing the rebel leader an encouraging grin, Kursha trailed after her, up around a rocky slope and down into the chasm.

After a while he noticed a breeze, curiously warm and curiously regular. A sort of apprehension filled him. His steps became lighter and he moved like a predator. That was no wind he was feeling. They were too far beneath the surface and anyway it was coming from the wrong direction. That meant either machinery or...

As they stepped into the cave, Kursha's breath left him. His eyes were wide. He had never seen one before but he recognised it immediately. Anyone would. A mother grub. Around her were dozens of eggs, a pointillist rainbow. At her immediate side was a mewling pile of grubs. The greenblood stared. They were... so small. It was hard to believe he had once been that tiny. He tilted his head, regarding them in fascination.

At some point, he realised Byakko was speaking again. He turned to the tealblood, expression rapt. His grin quickly returned. “Of course, Akko. We got your back,” he said when she finished. “Them too.” Lowering himself, so he was balancing on the balls of his feet, he tried to coax over a nearby grub. He did not want to risk getting too close to the mother grub. There was no telling how temperamental she might be in guarding her young.  

[zeflamigo]

Odette bit her lip, desperately trying to fight back her tears as Byakko held the greenblood out. With shaky hands she took the wriggler and held it close, allowing it to get comfortable against her feathered leotard. Odette looked down at the little creature, a piece of hair caught in its mouth.

Looking into it's tiny eyes, she felt her blood-pusher melt, knees almost collapsing underneath her. She did her best to quell her shaking, but the tears started to flow from her eyes and she could no longer hold them back. They couldn't coddle them, Byakko was right. But she could protect them, and she most certainly would.

She hugged the greenblood gently before offering it to Vremea and Athene. "Thank you," She said to Byakko, nodding slightly. She rubbed the tears out from under her eyes and composed herself, though her bittersweet, blissful smile remained. Making her way to the stalagmite, she picked up one of the pins and pinned it to herself, placing it proudly on her chest.  

[kamileunaire]

Zeffer snickered quietly as Aprife teased Muerte, pleased to see the both of them tossing their lot in with Akko, as they always had. It felt good to be together again, basking together in the light of their victory...but it wasn't all perfect. The smirk on his face might have remained there, were it not for the added voices of the girls who had verbally attacked himself and Akko at the end of the battle. His lip curled to show his sharp fangs as apologies were exchanged, and he glared daggers at the two as he strode up to collect the tiny, bird-shaped pin, eyes softening for Akko momentarily, before he turned on the feathery redblood and her moirail once again.

"Akko, you're just gonna let these bitches off after just a simple 'sorry'?" The blueblood scoffed, his mismatched eyes shimmering dangerously as he continued to show them his teeth. He knew Akko had suffered from their words, no doubt since the end of the battle, which had been days ago. She had been suffering it alone, and the thought sickened him. How could she swallow the pain and accept their apologies so easily? He couldn't find it in himself to be as forgiving as she was. "What the ******** were you two thinking? Did you honestly think that keeping her alive was an option? Were you two gonna volunteer to torture her for the information you seemed to want so badly? Guard her ******** jail cell afterwards, since you're so averse to killing?" He offered them an aggressive sneer as he tucked his pin away, watching the two with abject disgust. There was a lot that he wanted to say, to unload on them, but he kept his cool, venom dripping from his tone as he continued. "How do we even know that we can trust you? This isn't going to be a walk through a ******** flower field. You gonna threaten to desert every time this kind of grisly s**t goes down? You aren't the only ones who've suffered loss." He spat, glancing back to Akko to see if he'd gone too far yet. He had them where he wanted now, and he wasn't going to let them get away with shitting all over their leader the way they had. He would have his say, since it seemed that no one else was going to bring it up. In any other situation he might have let it slide, but the stakes were high, now, and he was protective of Akko, and their new spawn.

"If you're loyal to Byakko, are you gonna be loyal to the rest of us, too? Because to be honest, I don't trust either of you." He eyed the both of them separately, making a point to let his glare linger on the tiny greenblood in Odette's arms. He was especially sickened by that thought; they would no doubt attempt to spread their weak thinking to the new generation, and that wasn't something he would allow.

quite uneventful

Kimbley Kitty

melona-pan