*Okay, that's a lot of information to take in, and more than a little of it sounds fairly relevant, but the main one is--* Alternia? Then you are a troll? *And not one of the ones she knows. Well, given the rest of the message, that was obvious.
Her voice sounds eerily familiar though. Kanaya can't quite place it.*
And furthermore, you are actually interested in the quality of your appearance?
Memory tells me that yes, I am a troll but my current appearance seems to suggest otherwise. I am unsure of what I am exactly and what caused this change in me. [there is a small laugh] Yes, it's rather odd to be a troll and concerned about appearances, isn't it?
Oh, um, that's actually normal. Well, one would be exceptionally hard-pressed to describe it as normal in the common sense which ordinarily precludes awaking in wholly alien hiveclusters on worlds which ought to be naught but cosmic rubble, to be fair, but it is normal given the circumstances. That is to say, all of us trolls have initially appeared here in the form of humans.
And in case that were not clear, the creatures that look similar to us but lacking horns, gray skin and a host of other external features are called humans.
But relevant discussion tangent aside, I will confess that it is extremely odd to encounter another troll who concerns themselves with matters aesthetic and fashionable. Insofar as it hasn't happened yet in all of my six sweeps. I feel as though I ought to be celebrating something.
Humans. [she tries the word out for herself] Is there a clear reasoning behind why we have been turned into humans and brought to this new place? For all purposes I should be dead, not a different species. Although I guess I am lucky to have been saved. It is odd not having horns or grey skin. This body seems rather weak and easily damaged. [To test it she digs her nails into the palm of her hand] Yes, very weak, but that isn't the most curious thing. My blood color is... how can this be. [she's quiet for a moment as she studies her new blood] Is any of this body my own? My hair seems to be the same, as well as my general shape but other than that it seems entirely different.
Only six sweeps, you are young then. I am more than double that and I can assure you that in all my time alive I have never met a being who was as interested in appearances as I.
None, other than that they seem to be the species indigenous to this hivecluster, and indeed to the planet on which we are now located - if we are indeed on an actual planet and not in a strange extratemporal dimension, which cannot be fully discounted. And yes, all of your observations regarding humanity are entirely correct.
I do not know whether any part of our transformed bodies remains our own, though myself as well as all of my other comrades did somewhat resemble our troll selves while in human form. It's possible that it is merely a transformation, or it is possible that it is an entirely new form intentionally designed to mimic our prior appearance for some unknown purpose.
...but as you may learn, humans have no hemospectrum as do we trolls. Their blood is uniformly a single color, a bright confection-like red that is, to the best of my knowledge, unheard of in trollkind. *That was close. Can't slip up what Karkat trusts in you.*So you are an adult troll? And you were not enlisted in Her Imperial Condescension's armies for
( ... )
I see. So you've observed no particular benefits by being in this body in a new location? I assume the area is softer, or even kinder, than Alternia as they have not developed any kind of thick, defensive skin. Definitely not a warrior race.
[she sounds startled yet proud] There is no hemospectrum? That is wonderful, a world full of equals then. His goal was reached then, that is the greatest news I've received since my arrival here. I would like to live in this world that does not have a caste system based on blood color. To have this be the universal blood color, an honor.
I was not enlisted, no. While my status would have prevented me from being enlisted, I gave that up. But even then I was not to join. There were more important things to be done, and it seems in this world we have succeeded.
Earth and human society are unquestionably far less harsh and potentially lethal than that of our world and our kind, as a general rule. That part is actually fairly pleasant. However, Mayfield itself is an abberation, possessing increased levels of danger belied by its harmless appearance.
*Okay, she definitely wasn't expecting that reaction from an adult troll, especially not since this woman seems to attach some particular significance to this blood color. But how could that be possible? Karkat's the only one. So now when she speaks there's a note of uncertainty in her tone.* "His" goal? What, precisely, do you mean by that? It's a peculiar thing for an adult troll to say, you realize.
Several weeks ago there was an epidemic which turned many denizens of the hivecluster into shambling undead similar to those which plague the Alternian day. Many of my acquaintances were adversely affected.
On the positive side of matters, death does not seem to be permanent here, as odd as that may seem.
...the Signless? I know many stories, but that particular one isn't known to me. What is it about?
Interesting. It seems that this place has it's own problems then. You likened what happened to those creatures which we would find on Alternia, do you think that somehow our world, and I'm assuming there are other people with other worlds here so their worlds as well, have some kind of influence?
The fact I am alive and well proves to me that death is not permanent here, so I can forgive the absurdity of the situation.
[she frowns a bit] Signless is not a story. It may seem like a kind of legend but he was a real troll, one who believed that we could be a peaceful society not dictated by the hemospectrum. He had many followers and many enemies. I abandoned my role as caretaker to the Mother Grub in order to raise him.
*Oh, uh. That is actually a very pertinent question, not that she's going to admit it, and Kanaya makes a surprised noise for a moment before mastering herself.* I... think our world and our kind may have had some discrete influence on this place, yes. It is difficult to say.
*She goes quiet as the woman starts relating her tale, only to interject in surprise.* You are an attendant of the Mother Grub - er, were? And why was the young wiggler not raised by a proper lusus?
Oh? Why ever not? If he truly passed the trials of the caverns then I can't imagine what reason could possibly be sufficient for a lusus to pass him over.
In the world we live in, one with such a strict caste system, one outside of that system would never be accepted by society. He was to be culled immediately, buy something stopped me from letting that happen. When I laid eyes on that grub something changed in me, I suddenly felt hope. I knew it to be my destiny to raise him.
Her voice sounds eerily familiar though. Kanaya can't quite place it.*
And furthermore, you are actually interested in the quality of your appearance?
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And in case that were not clear, the creatures that look similar to us but lacking horns, gray skin and a host of other external features are called humans.
But relevant discussion tangent aside, I will confess that it is extremely odd to encounter another troll who concerns themselves with matters aesthetic and fashionable. Insofar as it hasn't happened yet in all of my six sweeps. I feel as though I ought to be celebrating something.
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Only six sweeps, you are young then. I am more than double that and I can assure you that in all my time alive I have never met a being who was as interested in appearances as I.
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I do not know whether any part of our transformed bodies remains our own, though myself as well as all of my other comrades did somewhat resemble our troll selves while in human form. It's possible that it is merely a transformation, or it is possible that it is an entirely new form intentionally designed to mimic our prior appearance for some unknown purpose.
...but as you may learn, humans have no hemospectrum as do we trolls. Their blood is uniformly a single color, a bright confection-like red that is, to the best of my knowledge, unheard of in trollkind. *That was close. Can't slip up what Karkat trusts in you.*So you are an adult troll? And you were not enlisted in Her Imperial Condescension's armies for ( ... )
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[she sounds startled yet proud] There is no hemospectrum? That is wonderful, a world full of equals then. His goal was reached then, that is the greatest news I've received since my arrival here. I would like to live in this world that does not have a caste system based on blood color. To have this be the universal blood color, an honor.
I was not enlisted, no. While my status would have prevented me from being enlisted, I gave that up. But even then I was not to join. There were more important things to be done, and it seems in this world we have succeeded.
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*Okay, she definitely wasn't expecting that reaction from an adult troll, especially not since this woman seems to attach some particular significance to this blood color. But how could that be possible? Karkat's the only one. So now when she speaks there's a note of uncertainty in her tone.* "His" goal? What, precisely, do you mean by that? It's a peculiar thing for an adult troll to say, you realize.
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[she hesitates] You have never heard of The Signless, have you?
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On the positive side of matters, death does not seem to be permanent here, as odd as that may seem.
...the Signless? I know many stories, but that particular one isn't known to me. What is it about?
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The fact I am alive and well proves to me that death is not permanent here, so I can forgive the absurdity of the situation.
[she frowns a bit] Signless is not a story. It may seem like a kind of legend but he was a real troll, one who believed that we could be a peaceful society not dictated by the hemospectrum. He had many followers and many enemies. I abandoned my role as caretaker to the Mother Grub in order to raise him.
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*She goes quiet as the woman starts relating her tale, only to interject in surprise.* You are an attendant of the Mother Grub - er, were? And why was the young wiggler not raised by a proper lusus?
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[She makes a disapproving hmn sound] No lusus would take one such as him.
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The poor thing...
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What do you mean?
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