We'll meet again.
A homestuck fanfic, written by socialPraiah.
A tale of long forgotten Friendship.
It all started on a particular dawn...in the brooding caverns every single troll crawls out of. Amid the heated atmosphere and comforting muck, deep within the darkness nestled into a corner closest too the Mother Grub where all High blood's are birthed. A single violet egg, convulsed with the twitches of new life. A grub had awakened, it was time. As soon as it had torn through the soft lining of its home and weakly crawled out, eyes adjusting to the darkness within minutes. It found itself to be entirely alone, not that this was unusual but every grub when first hatched it lonely is it not?
Aha! hark to the left of this small creature another movement was detected, from a much darker space a larger being seemed to slither out of its own casing. But lo? What is this? Perhaps this being was mutated. For its eyes were black but ringed with red, spiraling horns coming forth from the top of its head. But this knowledge to the violet grub was lost, squeaking at its new found friend. But its fins finally decided to flap out the sudden movement startling the both of them.
But as soon as the indigo grub decided to roll back onto its stomach and not play dead, they crawled shakily toward one another. So very afraid but curious. The indigo grub moved just a little bit closer, nudging the smaller grub with one of its horns. This particular being was always a bit saddened since it was so much bigger than all the other creatures hatching around them. But the sea dwelling grub reacted well, nudging it back. They seemed to be fast friends already. The companionship was welcomed given instinctual behaviors were already beginning to take over.
The sea dweller already bore witness to the power which the other possessed upon getting knocked over onto its back in a particularly fun bout of playing. But it did not last for long since a few other grubs had also hatched and were associating. The best match however appeared to be them considering their soon to be found castes. So they waited no further in proceeding onward when they came across a curious sight, a navy blooded grub was creeping around a teal who regarded it with a grin. A yellow pestering an olive, and a vaguely orange shaded grub with strange ridges upon its back and overly long horns was poking at what would grow up to be a cerulean blood. While an maroon watched them curiously.
This is when the violet grub noticed something peculiar about his friend, besides it being much larger than them. It was watching, carefully for any signs of weakness. A look of ravenous hunger was coming to creep into those red ringed eyes. But they moved on seeing this group to be fine, but soon enough the indigo's hunger was sedated.
For they had come across a dark blue egg, which had only partially been split open. Upon further investigation, and tearing at the soft material found that the grub within had either been a still hatched or had drowned.
It was eagerly torn apart by the duo.
Body and even egg sac devoured and with full food sacs even after a little bit longer of playing hide and go seek. Which the indigo grub was surprisingly good at, they went forth towards the place known as the trial caverns. Where they would be inspected by matured jade bloods and let along too find a lusus which would accept them as their own.
With this came a period of greater sadness, for they did not want to separate. Call it premonition or simply a gut feeling but they felt as though they shouldn't part ways. Wanting to stay and simply crawl about in the wonderful stony humid darkness forever. But with a saddened nudge to his friend the sea dwelling spawn squeaked a good bye and skittered on towards its respective trial cavern. Recognizing its own coloration, as did the indigo after making sure its own had vanished into that place.
And thus with a snarl the sea dweller and the tyrant faced their respective trials, being picked up and poked occasionally by a long line of jade bloods. Being forced to crawl over various obstacles which were passed with varying degrees of ease. They were obviously well bred. After being blessed by The Great Matriarch of the caverns, each bore a mark of their caste upon them. Then justly released to go and find a lusus which would protect and take care of them.
The ocean born found a sea horse, though with grave apprehension they came too one another. A feeling of Dread.
The Tyrant met a great beast with the head of goat but hind quarters of a great sea beast.
A feeling of Loneliness
But behind all those others, a mutant and a fushia soon trailed...
And so a great deal of time passed.
Just as he had thought, with the time passing of four sweeps something terrible happened. His lusus, no longer the steely calm guardian he had known for so long since those days now forgotten and hid away in the deep recesses of an aging mind. Attacked him in a most brutal manner, pitching the juvenile troll against a bed of stone. This would never be forgotten for after a lengthy series of jabs and jaws snapping down hoping to catch the much smaller being in its fangs to end it. Thinking it was defective perhaps?
No, it had seen the future of what this grub would become. What it would do.
But its mission was futile for this violet blood was born to do this. A sharp blade in hand he launched himself toward the beast stabbing it deep in one of its eyes. Tearing the metal out and repeating the action until said monster was unable to continue combat. Nothing but a pile of violet goo and torn sinew. Leaving its charge with one gash deep across its chest and two lighter across the face. But this was not the end of its trouble due to the fact that one lash had caught it just right and rendered its left eye useless. The young violet blood's grip upon his knife was so tight it made his skin turn a near white color.
A feeling of Cold Fury.
The indigo grub had not fared much better for upon the same day of it turning four sweeps. Its lusus nuzzled him once, and vanished into the ocean never to be seen again. Leaving the young subjuggulator alone in an empty hive, surrounded by its own despair and grief. He sat out on the coast sickly sipping upon a fresh bottle of faygo, a juggling club in hand just in case one of the evil creatures he had been told about comes up from the sea to destroy him. They drowned trolls and like his own kind The Capricorn ate their flesh to continue growing.
His own memories of that one grub which he once frolicked with also locked away to await use later. He was supposed to go to the Vast Communal Hive, to become one with the vast legion. But despite his size, noble breeding heralded by the pattern of stripes present on his clothing, strength and sheer ferocity which had been tested over the sweeps as well already having killed at least a hundred young trolls like himself to stay alive. He soon gave up knowing it was no use, so he stood and looked to the west with tears in his red ringed eyes.
A feeling of Sorrow.
And so they continued to grow, another three sweeps passing and with it. Changes with it various agonies, emotion quarreling with reason, Insanity and war.
With new age, came great things. For the young violet blood was soon enlisted into a fantastic court close to The Current Empress, under the guiding strengths of another violet blood who was deemed Varamynk Ampora The Damned Soul of Abishra. A region close to where he himself hailed.
They got along wonderfully, with training and more than a few sparring sessions. It was soon found that this young one had a knack of killing, anything whether it be Lusii or troll. He was deemed then by his mentor Icantheon Ampora. But the title which he was bestowed would soon haunt him for the rest of his existence, not knowing then what it did now. He was.
The Orphaned.
The misfortune seemed to trickle down to all, for his forgotten friend in black arrived upon the tides of blood when Subjuggulators went out to destroy all those who were astray upon their path. He came and with him, a blizzard which caused all the Elder's too come from the shadowy abyss in which they ruled to inspect this child. A Miracle he was soon dubbed, and eagerly accepted into their clan. And taken to the greatest of their race Majyorai Makara The Poisoned One. The Current Grand Highblood, who greeted the other troll though young was almost half as tall as he. With the kindness expected of a Maerium, which was a special relationship in Capricorn culture, so the young one was adopted and named Malasana Makara. Named after one of their most influential gods.
So thus he was raised by his Maerium, feeling his sorrows lifted by the presence of a being larger than him. But gentle where his lusus had always been rough or distant. So kind, going as far as allowing his adopted wriggler sleep in the same nest as him, to hold the young one when ever a particularly horrible nightmare woke him. They soon noted with his progress and talent that Malasana would have a great chance of inheriting the throne after his Maerium.
But his name translated too.
The Wrathful One.
With more time, a true battle sprang up. Just in time for the most important times of their lives to pass on and quickly be forgotten in the sands of time.
This day, he inherited a great rifle. The Leviathan's Fang for his mentor now lay dead at his feet, his heart aching but his eyes did not leak for he knew that would be seen as a weakness. They had been so dear to one another, going far enough to eat and talk for hours on end about anything that sparked interest. But his final test had been to take the life of the one who seemed to love him in the way that his lusus never did.
He faced the current empress, nine sweeps old. His fangs grit tightly together in scowl, understanding his title now. He was now The Orphaner of both common folk and...himself.
Fury came like a crashing wave.
On the very same day Malasana faced his own trial.
The night before everything had been perfect, his ascension was being celebrated by his people. They danced, sang and were merry. His maerium knowing what this meant did not prepare his student, but instead made it seem as though everything was fine. Faygo, fresh meat and mirthful behavior were abound. By this age, the age of Somat Malasana stood taller than his Maerium, and was much more powerful it clearly showed. Having earned decoration of every kind as a hunter and philosopher alike. That evening when he nuzzled the aging high blood, he did not realize it would be the last time.
On the next morrow with the breaching of sun, they took to the outside. Malasana was curious, finding too be out at this time must mean something big must be happening, he was faced with his own Maerium a glint of amusement mixed with fear in the other troll's eyes. He was told, they would fight for the throne as it had always been. Giving an elder a chance despite its Satoya's prowess to remain leader for a duration longer.
But all knew the odds were in Malasana's favor, for with his age a new adaptation came forth. The flesh upon his hands was starting to wear away, revealing dark indigo bone beneath. Already it poked out from beneath his claws causing him some pain. But he did not care, for seconds later they were locked, snarling powerfully. Their chucklevoodoo's and brawn clashing hard. They were exceptionally powerful on both ends. But soon enough Majyorai made a terrible mistake, he got knocked backwards far enough for Malasana to duck down in his rage and bite deep into the other subjuggulator's jugular effectively tearing his throat out.
Within a few seconds, the old grand high blood lay dead. Barely even convulsing as the last of his sweet blood trickled down onto the hard earth. Malasana crouched down, touching his Maerium one last time before dipping his near bone claws into the blood and drawing the sigil of victory over his face paint. A talisman, a ceremonial hoofbeast skull blessed by the god which they believed he was and a whole horde of followers awarded. The last thing to keep his sorrows away lost.
His people cheered for their god, the red rings in his eyes had taken over most of the pain filled indigo which once stayed there.
Madness rose with Hellish Red.
So with not even a perigree after this, a rebellion in a small place called Arkilay broke out...And with it, came The Betrayed and Hateful.
This is when they met, two lost tormented souls. Their paths converged and with their youth still locked away. Their eyes met, and all pain was temporarily forgotten. They had been formally introduced and left too their own devices in a wide room to effectively accomadate Malasana's well...Bulk. But now they sat on the floor, cross legged from one another. An Armored sea dweller and a grand subjuggulator highly decorated and wearing thick cloth of stripes, polka dots and bone-like stitching.
"Hi..." The violet blood said, feeling like a wriggler in the presence of this massive figure. But they seem to have recognized each other right off.
"Hello." Malasana replied, tilting his fluffy haired head to the side. "Have we met?"
" 'm knot shore, havve wwe?" Icantheon nervously replied, he was not scared just...Excited. A feeling which had been locked away so long ago awakened with grubhood joy spilling out. "I tank wwe havve..."
That was all it took and they were best friends again, later on when they were called out to meet the people of Arkilay. The servant soon told their current charge to document the fact that the sea dweller had been sitting in the subjuggulator's lap and was reading out loud to him. Some sort of old story about two grubs who were foolish and wandered away from their lusii and were eaten by a witch.
Then they were out to the battle field.
Faced with mortar, torches hand to hand combat and enraged trolls who tried to break down the Empire. It would not be so so long as they stood.
It was over in less than three days.
But this allowed for them to bond ever further when one was injured or there was a break in fire that let them sleep.
On the first day Malasana learned of Icantheon's blind spot, them having discovered a very deep crater in which to rest in during their pursuit of the enemy had laid down to rest. But the indigo blood had placed his hand on the seadweller's left shoulder causing him to flinch and nearly claw the Subjuggulator's hand...He said nothing of it, and they went to bed in silence.
But it was interrupted by the sea dweller whom by this time had been dubbed Dualscar by the current Empress. Who was squirming around unable to get comfortable, this was soon solved by the Capricorn who was used to frigid temperatures. Beckoned him to crawl on over, which reluctantly he did. Despite this, the red eyed being adopted the Orphaner into his arms to trap in what little heat two frigid bloods would produce. But...with this transpiring. Icantheon was happy and actually got kind of warm considering the other had a tendency to wear fur out.
The other two passed with much of the same, but they grew close with every evening they slept together until the enemy was dead. But even when they returned in glory to the Empire to feed properly and to rest well after another slew of accolades had been bestowed upon the both of them for their bravery and duo handed taking down of a large rebellion.
Icantheon was dubbed The Most Honorable Orphaner of Arkilay.
Malasana The Most Divine Eliminator of Rabble.
All was well, they remained in Arkilay for another sweep and grew close ever still. Under the kind hand of this current but aging Empress, their relationship was allowed to flourish unimpeded. Despite the height difference and totally different upbringings, Icantheon taught Malasana how to dance properly unlike they did out in the frigid lands of his home. And in turn the subjuggulator instructed him on the ways of his kind and his various Messiahs. Naturally himself included.
Soon enough though, affection got the better of them and they ended up pailing. In the darkest recesses of the palace like building awarded along with heaps of wealth and servants. Icantheon at this time needed all of these things. Malasana did not for he already had a whole race of trolls who served him with their very lives. And more gold than you could shake a stick at.
Neither of them minded at the time, it seemed like the perfect form of unison. Though Icantheon found himself on his back for this ordeal not that he cared being slightly more concerned with the squirming nightmare shoved so far into his nook he would have bet you anything he felt it writhing against his internal organs. Oh well at least Malasana seemed happy.
They had a full blown matespritship until the day they were fated to split up once again. The Orphaner was needed in court, The Tyrant back home to lead his kind. His people pined to see their wonderful messiah in time for the "Bringing of Dark" ceremony when the night sky cleared ever further to allow their star gazing.
They parted with misery in their hearts once more, Icantheon bestowed upon his love one last hug as they said their good byes. Before heading in opposite directions...
The last thing Malasana said to him was.
"Worry not, I promise you. Good byes are never forever. We'll meet again. Some clouded night."