Chapter 9
Reading the Journal
I quickly wrapped up my conversation and opened up the book. It read,
To those who are reading this,
I welcome You to mY journal. This is a recording of mY travels with mY friend Devlin, otherwise known as the Objector. I sincerelY hope You come to this with an open mind. I shall tell You of what it's like being the second lowest blood on all of Alternia. The absolute lowest is quicklY becoming so rare that few know that it even exists. Apart from that however, our journeY begins.
It was a shakY start with Devlin, I did not trust him at first. He was a Juggalo, I was lower than a peasant. I thought he would exterminate me on sight. He introduced himself as 'Devlin Orthel'.
I paused for a moment, looking back over the curvy scrawl. 'Orthel? But that's Weylin's last name!' My eyebrows flew into my bangs that hung in front of my forehead.
What are you talking about? Are you reading that book? Duneblitz asked me.
'Yes, I am Duneblitz. I'm reading about someone named 'Devlin Orthel'.' I responded.
Devlin was friendlY at first, a bit too nice for me. I warmed up to him as he explained himself. He said that he was kicked out and was now hiding from the other high-bloods that wanted to kill him. I found that we had that in common and we traveled the Wastelands together. To keep our identities secret from high-bloods we called each other by titles that we gave ourselves. I told him to call me 'The Forsaken', he told me to call him 'The Objector'. We became great friends and trusted each other.
He alwaYs wore a black trenchcoat, a proud top hat, shiny black shoes, neat black jeans, and a black shirt with a Capricorn sYmbol. His somewhat long hair was swept back underneath his top hat. But he knew how to get through to me. When we first met, he knew I was scared. He showed that he wasn't a threat. He doesn't know it but, he knows how to make someone laugh and smile. He has prominent features that are usually covered in a white powder. Through his top hat poked two horns that looked like the Grand Subjugglator's. As for me… Well… I suppose I could give a description. Oh, nevermind, Objector saYs that he will.
The text then changed to a prominent, easy to read, neat, and pointed text as the Objector took over.
i am taking over temporarily to provide an accurate representation of Forsaken. SHE DOESN'T REALLY KNOW JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE LOOKS. either way, she wears a tattered dark cloak with a hood, torn jeans, long-sleeved shirt, and no shoes. UNFORTUNATELY SHE ONLY LOOKS AT HOW HER CLOTHING LOOKS LIKE. however she has a delicate beauty that comes with the facial expressions that she has. SHE KNOWS HOW TO CHEER SOMEONE UP. she knows how to deliver the truth gently, her eyes always as soft as silk, although I don't know if she knows what that feels like. FORSAKEN IS AN AMAZING TROLL. even more amazing, if I dare say, the Signless himself. NOT ONLY THAT BUT SHE ALWAYS LOOKS AT THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS. only people who make the effort to be her friend know this. I MADE THE EFFORT AND SUCCEEDED. her hair is in a low braid that nearly drags the sands of this desert. HER HORNS ARE ALSO SOMETHING RARE. her left horn leans towards the right and her right leans the same way, curling at the top.
I put the journal down, 'Woah…. Was this made in the Ancestors' times? Does that mean that she's mY Ancestor? That mY Ancestor isn't the Signless? Instead there was a troll named the Forsaken? Could the Objector be the Ancestor of Orthel?'
The Signless isn't your ancestor? Duneblitz asked.
'No, he isn't. That explains quite a bit.' I responded.
"hElLoOoOo? sArOnA? yOu iN tHeRe?" Orthel waved his hand in front of my face.
"Eh? Oh, Yeah. I'm here. SorrY, were You trYing to talk to me?" I asked Orthel.
"yEaH. i tHiNk wE sHoUlD gEt gOiNg sOoN." Orthel replied.
"I have to tell You something." I paused momentarily. "This book…. It's from the Ancestors' time! It's about two other Ancestors! I think theY maY be ours!" I smiled widely.
"wOaH, mIrAcLeS…." Orthel was clearly sopered. I glanced up at him and saw an empty two-liter of Faygo sitting next to him. His clown make-up looked as if it were freshly applied. He had straightened up since he went on that killing spree with those Goblins.
'I wonder if that memo is still going….' I absently thought, 'MaYbe theY know about the Objector and the Forsaken…' I pulled out my combooker yet again and it was indeed still going.
(Future Me)FIF: Come ON!
FIF: Has anYone heard of the term, GET OUT?!
(?)FGT: Come now, there's no reason to shout.
FIF: ENGLISH I SWEAR I WILL TEAR yOU TO SHREDS WHEN I MEET yOU IN PERSON!
FGT: Should I leave before conditions worsen?
FIF: STOP MAKING ME RHyME!
(Current Me)CIF: Is this a bad time?
(Future Karkat)CG: WHAT THE EVERLIVING FUCK WAS THAT EXPLOSION?!
(?): back off, he's mine!
FIF: Oh Yeah?!
FIF: English, get off. Now.
FIF: OkaY, with that out of the waY, it's not at all a bad time.
(Future Orthel)FRM: or is it?
FIF: *sigh*
FIF: I'm just about fed up with this memo.
FRM: come on sarona!
FRM: I'M JUST MESSING WITH YA!
FIF: SorrY Orthel, I'm not in the mood.
(Future Fi)FFI: - well, Mr. Orthel, maybe we should reate another memo and go to that memo.
FIF: That's what I've been trYing to tell You all Ferena!
FFI: - sorry Ms. Sarona, i'll reate another memo right now.
Kankri: 6ack t9 trigger warnings already?
FIF: SorrY Kankri, I'll trY mY best next time. #apologetic
Kankri: it's quite alright sar9na, after all, every9ne has their mistakes and this is clearly 9ne 9f y9urs. #9ffensive. h9wever, y9u admitted it and i will n9t h9ld it against y9u. we can still 6e friends, just try harder next time. I h9pe y9u all take sar9na as y9ur r9ll-m9del t9day and reflect 9n h9w y9u c9uld impr9ve y9ur trigger-warnings.
FIF: Alright, Fi, are You back with that memo name?
FFI: - yes Ms. Sarona, i was just looking for an opening. the name is uttlefish entral!
FIF: Thanks Fi, You reallY helped out.
FFI: - no problem Ms. Sarona, i owe it to you after all!
FIF: OkaY, theY're all gone now Past Me.
FIF: I wonder where the slightly less Future Sarona is.
CIF: I dunno.
FIF: We were supposed to meet at this time to propose something.
CIF: What would that be?
FIF: We need all three people here in order to do it….
FIF: I'll pester You when she shows up, until then, keep reading the journal.
'She's never been wrong before, I'll keep reading. I wonder what she means by pestering. That's a bad thing isn't it?' I thought to myself and opened the journal again.
OkaY, I think Objector is going a bit overboard… Either waY, the point is that we began an adventure together across the deserts to change Alternia. We hoped to meet the Signless to join his group. We still haven't, but with him traveling and hardlY ever stopping, it is to be expected. We have been following the cities and towns that he has been in. We think that he is traveling east along the desert trail. EventuallY, he will come upon the bigger cities. I am afraid that he maY be captured, what's stopping the Condesce from putting him out of the picture? In fact, the Condesce would want to put him out of the picture. He's creating a rebellion that could rise up against her and cause a problem. Objector saYs I should stop worrYing about it and the Condesce would just see it as a game, not a threat. I suppose he's right, it still doesn't ease mY nerves.
Getting back on topic, I'm probablY boring You to death. I imagine that hardlY anYone will remember what has taken place in this daY and age. I hope to record who, why, where, and what is going on. I will head each major troll below by caste.
His Honorable TYrannY:
His Honorable Tyranny? I've never heard about him….
The Black Blood, I'm not sure if this should be on top though. There is a rebellion against the Black Bloods saying that it's so rare that it's a mutation. Some saY it should be on the bottom. He is an enormous troll, he has six horns total, his smallest horns being bigger than any of us trolls. Though, I'm not sure about Objector; he's reallY tall. Even I don't know much about him, he is verY mYsterious.
Black blood? Could this blood be extinct? They might be lower than even a candy-red blood. I think Terezi actually mentioned him once or twice. Well, black blood might not be lower than a candy-red blood, perhaps just above. Why didn't Terezi mention that His Honorable Tyranny was a black blood?
I must've looked very surprised and confused, because before I know it, it was gone. I blinked a few times before looking up. I saw Orthel standing there with the journal in his hands.
"Orthel! I was reading that!" I was slightly upset that my reading material had gotten taken away.
"iT wAs oBvIoUsLy mAkInG yOu uPsEt." Orthel replied with seriousness.
"But… You took it awaY…" I tried to protest but Orthel gave me a look that said 'There is no way I'm giving you this book.' I sighed in defeat and asked a question instead. "Orthel, have You ever heard of something called a 'Black blood'?"
"i hAvE. tHoUgH i dOn'T kNoW mUcH aBoUt iT." Orthel replied, surprising me.
"ReallY? Will You tell me what You know?" I asked him.
"hIs mOsT hOnOrAbLe tYrAnNy wAs oNe oF tHe oNlY tRoLlS wHo aCtUaLlY hAd fAiR tRiAlS. oNe oF mY fAvOrItE FLARPiNg cAmPaIgNs iS aBoUt hIm. hE wAs aLiVe aRoUnD tHe sIgNlEsS' tImE. hE wAs eNoRmOuS tRoLl tHaT hAd sEvErAl tRoLlS wHo sErVeD hIm. tHoSe tRoLls wErE cAlLeD 'Jugglanaughts'." Orthel told me. "sHoRtLy aFtEr hE wAs sLaIn bY mInDfAnG, bLaCk bLoOdS wErE cOnSiDeReD mUtAnTs."
"No waY! I thought red bloods were the onlY mutants!" I spoke my thoughts.
"nOpE." Orthel shook his head. "bLaCk bLoOdS wErE a hIgHeR pRiOrItY tO eXtErMiNaTe. bUt tHaT dOeSn'T mAtTeR nOw, dOeS iT?" He shrugged and smiled.
'Is that faYgo some kind of super soper?' I looked at the bottle to see it had a silver cap. On the side I saw some hastily written words. 'do not drink this unless you are Weylin Orthel. THERE IS A CHANCE YOU MIGHT DIE IF YOU'RE NOT ME. thank you.' 'Wait…. yOU COULD DIE IF yOU DRANK THAT?!' I yelled mentally making Duneblitz cringe. 'SorrY Duneblitz….' I looked apologetically at her.
That was really loud. But he could die from drinking that? Duneblitz looked over at the soper that Orthel had from his side.
"Orthel…. Could that soper kill You?" I asked him urgently.
"wAh? oH. tHiS sTuFf? nAh. iT wOuLdN't cUlL mE. iT cOuLd hArM tRoLlS tHaT aReN't mE bUt i'Ll bE fInE." He took another swig of the dangerously soporous substance. I decided not to question his logic. My think-pan might not be able to comprehend the science behind it. "wHeRe dO yOu gEt aLl tHoSe wEiRd wOrDs?" Orthel asked me.
"Wha? What weird words?" I asked him.
"i sAy 'cUlL' aNd yOu sAy…. wHaT wAs iT? 'kRiLl'?" He waved the bottle around a bit.
"Cull? What does that mean?" I asked, I was unfamiliar with the word.
"hOw dO yOu nOt kNoW tHe wOrD cUlL?" He shot back.
"Trollian isn't my first language." I looked away and clutched my sleeve.
"wHaT iS?" He asked.
"Crustacean. I was raised awaY from societY for reasons I'm sure You can guess." I said. "The onlY contact I had from mY fourth sweep is a troll named Khaann who lived on a nearby mountain…. Heh… He was a laugh. He had a trollian but insisted on exchanging letters on arrows." I rambled on, thinking of those times.
Shouldn't we get going soon? It seems counter-productive to just sit around talking. Duneblitz thought impatiently.
'Alright. We'll get going soon. I promise.' I sighed.
"wHaT's uP sIs?" Orthel looked at me.
"Duneblitz wants to get going soon. I personallY think that talking and exchanging information is beneficial to survival." I shook my head. "Oh well. We can talk while searching for the next portal." I stood up, having finished my meal. I then collected the dishes and captchalogued them. As I turned around to the tent and Orthel stood up to help, my eyes wandered to the hill that once held the rising sun. I saw two sprites. Against my will, a book slammed into my head. "Ow!" I shouted holding my head and glaring at the offending book. I knew one of them, that being it was my sprite but the other was a goat. "Orthel! Look!" I pointed up to the hill. His eyes wandered lazily to the hill and once he saw the lusi, his gaze sharpened. We both took off to greet them, completely leaving Duneblitz in the dust.
What just happened? Duneblitz asked.
'They're our lusi!' I thought with joy.
"goatmom!" Orthel shouted.
"Crabmom!" I shouted running up to her. I warmly embraced the warm shell as she hugged me. I heard Orthel talking with Goatmom beside me.
"Hey, it's been a while…. How've you been holding up?" Crabmom asked me in her language.
"Good…. I'm so glad you're back!" I responded in the language she had taught me, which came much easier than trollian. My accent disappeared as I spoke my first language.
"I see you still know my language, I'm glad for that!" She gave me a smile.
"Who could forget?" I laughed.
"Well, trolls can easily forget a language over three sweeps." She responded.
"hey sarona, we gotta get goin'. GOATMOM JUST TOLD ME WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO FIND THE NEXT PORTAL." Orthel said hesitantly. It took me a minute to comprehend, then I responded.
"True. Let's get going." I sighed.
"what?" Orthel blinked. Oh. I spoke crustacean. I cleared my throat.
"I said, 'True. Let's get going.' sorrY." I told him. I then turned to Crabmom. "Will You come with us?" I asked Crabmom. She nodded and then a look of realization dawned upon her. She quickly took out a medallion and handed it to me.
"This will allow you to summon me wherever you are." I put the medallion around my neck and it looked as if he had another medallion that his lusus gave him.
"AlrightY then. Where to?" I asked Orthel.
"goatmom told me that we need to help a city just over the hill to the north. IT ISN'T FAR FROM HERE. we should definitely be there by nightfall since it's late morning." Orthel explained.
"OkaY, nightfall? That's a bit far, not too far though. DaYlight's burning. We should get going." I started to head north, using the sun's position to pinpoint where north would be. Orthel tapped my shoulder and I turned around. "What?" I asked, confused. He simply pointed down the hill. I looked and I realized the camp was still set up. "Oh. Right." I resisted the urge to face-palm. We went back and packed up camp quickly. 'Duneblitz, it's not too late if You decide that You don't want to join us.'
Okay, but I already said that I was staying with you. The small white pegasus shook her head. I nodded and we headed off to continue our journey.
A/N: Okay, totally inexcusable. I was horribly late and I apologize for that. For those who want an explanation, it will be listed.
Friday: Very busy, I could barely get to my computer.
Saturday(The day it was supposed to be out): Even busier and I didn't even catch a glimpse of my computer.
Sunday: Internet went down.
This Morning: 1, I'm in school. Middle School to be precise. I have to get to class on time. 2. The internet was still down.
So yeah. Still, what's listed above are just excuses. In the future I will try to be more on for sticking around!
To cannibalisticReaper: I'm really sorry about it being late. I honestly thought that I would be able to get it out on Friday.