This is the next part of Epic the Arc here on the blog! Warning for slight gore/blood and death if those things bother you!
Find the drabble parts that precede this here in order: 1, 2, 3 !
I appreciate everyone's support through me making this and patience with it getting posted! Animatics are still new to me as far as making them myself goes, but a little gay hubris will get you anywhere. With any luck there will be at least one more animatic for this arc, but that won't come until far later!
“Xennaa. We don’t have the ability to just take anyone in, you know this.” Beatrix repeats for what seems like the millionth time. She’s been trying to convince her friend of this for what feels like it’s been ages. The sun is coming up and they’d started this argument when the moons had just begun to rise themselves.
“This isn’t just anyone! And don’t we have a duty to those who came from this cavern once upon a time?” Xennaa’s same argument repeats, albeit worded slightly differently. “Besides, it’s not like it’s just another grub.” “That doesn’t make it better. In fact you do recognize how that’s worse right? You don’t even know what this troll does for work! You’ve never even met them before!”
“No but I’ve met Harvey.” “Yes, I know you’ve met Harvey. You sing his praises regularly. If he wasn’t already in a red I’d assume that’s what you were after.”
“I would never want to split them. It’s true love that they’ve got there. I’m jealous, I want my own perfect red like that. Or a pink.”
“You have someone who would love to be pink with you.”
“She doesn’t understand me. She wants me to go back to being the perfect little grub raiser and designer. That’s not who I am. Not anymore. There’s so much more out in the world for me to do and connect with.”
“You aren’t connecting with shit. You never leave the cavern. You only even met Harvey when he came by with a lusii delivery.”
“You know what I mean. Besides this isn’t the point. I can feel it.”
“You can.. Feel it? Feel what exactly Xens?”
“Their desperation. I need to help them. Need to bring them home.”
“This is not their home.”
“It could be.”
“You are not bringing some stranger in here and risking the grubs! What about the-” She lowers her voice, glancing at the cavern’s opening they’re by. “-mutants? What if they’re just trying to get in here to cull them?”
“They’re not. I know.”
“How can you know? Xens, please! You. Do. Not. know. This. Troll.”
“I know their caste.”
“Oh that makes it all better. Surely with their blood color in mind we know everything we need to about them!”
“They’re a violet.”
“A- a VIOLET?! You want to bring a violet here? Are you fucking insane?”
“Bea-”
“Don’t you Bea me! Do you understand that they’re one of the most dangerous castes? Next you’ll tell me you’ve got an indigo believer lined up.”
“Actually-”
“You’re fucking with me. Tell me you’re fucking with me.”
“Well there was this nice clown who wants to visit and see the mothergrub-”
“Absolutely not.”
“Bea we can’t keep the mother locked up like some big secret forever.”
“That is literally our job actually. Literally what we’re here for. Are you trying to bring the drones on us?”
“The empress wouldn’t dare send them here.”
“You think the empress who earned the name the Daunting won’t send the drones here to wipe us off the map if she finds out we’ve been getting mutants out of here? Letting fuschias survive?”
“You’re being over dramatic.”
“I very much am not.”
“Besides, that’s not what this is about.”
“Yeah, what this is about is that you’re insane. You’re going to get us both killed.”
“You could take them.”
“Did you ever think whether or not I wanted to do so?”
“I trust you.”
“Xens..”
“And I have to do this. I’m leaving now-”
“Give me the address.”
“What?”
“Give me the address. You’ve never left these caverns but I have. I know what’s out there. You’re better off here watching the grubs.”
“I knew you had a heart in there.”
“Yeah sure let’s call it that. I’ll scope them out. If-..” Beatrx ran her hand through her hair and sighed. “If they really do need help, I’ll bring them back. We don’t have much but it’s safer than out there.”
“Thank you Bea! Here’s the address I got from the pestertroll message. I hope they’re still there.”
“Do you even know what I’m looking for? Like any description at all?”
“They’re a violet?” “Great. Love a where’s waldo where I don’t even know waldo’s name.”
“It’s a new adventure!” “It’s a disaster. Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll message you the moment I’m on the way back.”
“Good luck!”
“Yeah. Thanks. Know that I’ll never do this again, your bleeding heart be damned.”
“Thank you.”
Beatrx nodded, holstering her pistol and taking one last glance at the inner caverns. They’d have to be okay without her for a short while. On the bright side at least she’d done a perimeter hunt this week, so there shouldn’t be any stray lusii nearby wishing for an easy meal. She rolls her head, stretching out her neck and then her arms and legs. The location is deep in the city so it’s going to be a bit of a run for her.
It’s a short walk in the forest before she comes to her clearing. It’s quiet, but in a good peaceful way. There’s still faint sounds of existence in the distance but nothing overwhelming. Good. Beatrix whistles and a large white cat nearly knocks her down. She barely holds herself up before throwing herself onto it’s back- and just like that they’re off.
The nice thing about being up while the sun rises is that there’s no one around. So few trolls can handle the sun’s harsh rays so it’s a no brainer they’d sleep now but Beatrx has always felt the most alive under it’s warmth. That’s when it hits her that she’ll need to hurry up. A violet under the sun? If they were even still there they wouldn’t last long. It feels like only moments but she’s sure it was around half an hour before she finds herself in the dead of the city, jumping from roof to roof. It doesn’t look like anyone is there- until her eyes catch what she thought was just a stain. There’s a woman there, under all that violet and scraps of metal. This must be her destination.
“Hello? Are you.. Uh.. Are you okay?” Her voice shakes a bit, trying not to gag on the heavy smell of the blood. There’s no response. Maybe she really was too late. She’d have to break the news to Xennaa- but then the body moves. Not much, but enough that it scares her and immediately her instincts have her draw and aim her gun. Their skin is burning, and the smell combined with the blood is only getting worse. It’s almost making her hungry. “I’m going to touch you.”
Beatrx manages to get the violet on her lusus and tries to shade the body on the way back as much as possible. As they make their way she tries to catalog the injuries. There’s a large laceration on the troll’s forehead, from just above the right eyebrow to somewhere deep in the hairline. Their left horn is torn in two. There’s a- well, the best descriptor she can think of is ‘hole’- there’s a hole in the right side of their chest deep enough to see some bone. The least worrying is a small piece of metal lodged in their right leg. They don’t have a lot at the cavern, but they have enough that with any luck they can get this troll stable enough to go get some actual help.
“Xennaa- grab the kit. As quick as you can! And contact Harvey.” She yells into the cavern as they arrive.
“Why? What do I need to say to him??” Xennaa calls back, having yet to see their guest.
The caverns aren’t made for comfort. They’re not really made for much besides the perpetuation of the species and even that’s a stretch. Regardless, there’s no good place to lay the violet down. Instead the woman gets rested upon Abba’s side while they struggle to contain the bleeding. Harvey hasn’t answered and it’s almost night again. With any luck they’ll get an answer soon but Beatrx knows the outcome now. Xennaa wouldn’t believe it if she told her, but there’s only one result here. There’s so much seadweller blood in the dirt- if an inspection were to happen they’d both be taken away. Everything about this is dangerous. Everything is risking every single life here.
And yet all Beatrx can do is pull the fabric tighter against the nameless woman’s chest. It’s already ruined with blood and stiff, probably sticking to the troll’s skin from it having dried, but there’s nothing else she can do. The horn was easy to handle, quick and simple first aid. The head wound wasn’t as bad as it seemed- those kinds of wounds always were more dramatic than they really were but.. This gore was beyond their capabilities. Between her and Xennaa, they didn’t know any doctors themselves. They were in the business of getting mutants out, but once they were out it was up to those they’d been handed to. Now she regrets not being more involved. She’d reached out to the few trolls she did have on trollian- no one was awake. Or they didn’t know what to do.
Trisin had blocked her. Beatrx has no idea why but when the message asking for help with a hurt violet had been read, she’d gotten blocked instantly. She didn’t have Harvey or Harvey’s red, that was up to Xennaa. Asking Rimmer- as a fleet officer- was just asking to be culled. Velosi had told Beatrx she couldn’t get involved right now, something about how she’d barely just escaped legal action herself. There wasn’t anyone else she knew- she never felt a need to socialize before now. Everything in her life was about here in the caverns and now it was all being jeopardized by some violet woman.
“Uhm.” A violet woman who apparently was in a state to talk. That had to be good right?
“Don’t move-” Beatrx tried to keep her voice calm but she knew it was more of a command than anything else.
“Yeah I’m not ta-” The violet sputtered and more blood joined the floor stains. “I’m not taking that from some stranger in a cavern trying to kill me thanks. I’m getting out of here.”
“I’m trying to save you! You-”
“That’s what they all say- but I can feel the burn on my right arm. You..”
“Saved your ass from the sun.”
“Sure, I’ll believe a fucking rainbow drinker!” “A- what?”
“A rainbow drinker! You’ve got me in some dank cave, my blood’s everywhere, you’re so pale and can take the sun! You’re a fucking drinker and you’re here to finish me off!”
“Holy shit you’re fucking insane. You messaged us!”
“What? No I didn’t.”
“You messaged Xens! I left the caverns and the grubs to go save your ass and have spent the last who knows how many fucking hours trying to keep you from bleeding out on my grounds! I never wanted this! But Xens cares for everyone and couldn’t just ignore a message asking for help from someone she didn’t even know.”
“Who’s Xens?”
“I’m Xens!” Xennaa interrupted, her voice a much more welcoming sound. “Or Xennaa. Harvs just messaged Bea, he thinks this might be Sy.”
“Who’s Sy?” Bea asked, moving away from the violet and covering her eyes with her hand.
“Vlad’s black! You know how Harvs’ red has that black they have a whole little detective agency thing together? Apparently she’s been missing.”
“Stop talking about me like I’m not right fucking here! Who are you? Where am I?” The woman’s voice rings loudly- echoing off the rock walls. She’ll wake the damn grubs and then this will all be another horrible incident.
“You’re in the Tombstone caverns, bleak name I know but it came before us. I’m Xennaa, a jade who works here. That’s Beatrx, she also takes care of the grubs here! You messaged me, I think by mistake. I message Harvey, he’s a ni- Well there’s a lot of Harveys. Harvey Chavez? I messaged him, he’s a nice rancher who gives this cavern lusii deliveries and-”
“I know Harvey.” The woman sighs, a violent and wet thing. “I’m Syhren. Sorry, it’s been a really rough night.”
Beatrx stands up, leaving the two to talk from there. Socializing still isn’t her thing and she’s a bit shaken from the accusation. Mostly because she wonders if it’s true. Xennaa can’t handle the sun like she can but isn’t it a fairly common jade trait? She may love meat but she’s never had a craving for blood before. Plus her skin doesn’t glow! Isn’t a rainbow drinker’s skin supposed to glow? It’s nonsense. She’s just worked up from this whole day. A nice nap will put her right and now that Harvey’s responded it’s out of her hands. A doctor will come and take this violet away. The caverns will be safe. Xennaa will be safe. She’ll have time to try to figure out what’s going on with Trisin.
Of course, that’s not how it goes. All it takes is four steps out of the cavern before she hears it. The coughs get progressively more wet and worse. Beatrx is dashing back in, cursing herself for relaxing. The noise stops as she comes to stand over Xennaa who’s holding Syhren in her lap. There’s no noise from the violet at all. No stutter, no more indignance, no shaky breaths. Xennaa is gently shaking the poor thing and Beatrx feels like pulling out her hair. She never should have gone to help. This is going to drag them all to the fleet’s justice- the tainted justice that won’t care they tried to help. Slowly she removes Syhren from Xennaa’s hands, undeterred by how cold she is. It’s not much of a change, seadwellers always felt like a winter’s night. There’s no shovels in the caverns. Harvey’s the only one who knows the next inspection date.
SO hErE's thE dEAl Harvey, yOU nEEd A nOt dEAd frIEnd, And I nEEd A bOdy, dO yOU thInk yOU cAn cOnvIncE OUr mUtUAl frIEnd Vlad to get A frEsh OnE?
you must ActuAlly be insAne ~☆
do you know how hArd it would be to get vlAd in on this ~☆
he'd rAther cut ties with hArvey here and now ~☆
if we're doing this, we're not bringing him into it ~☆
i ~☆
ugh ~☆
i'll get you A body ~☆
it'll tAke me hAlf the dAy ~☆
youd better mAke good on your promises ~☆
or i'll hAve two fresh bodies ~☆
>[vaqueroVanquished began trolling starApocalypse!]<
VV: Hey.
SA: whAt~☆
VV: We need to chat.
SA: this About thAt mAnipulAtor~☆
VV: Yeah.
SA: we don’t need him~☆
VV: About that, I think we do.
VV: We’re knee deep in musclebeast shit here, Bea.
SA: you’re not~☆
VV: Tu mess es mi mess.
SA: pick A lAnguAge~☆
VV: Never.
VV: Listen, if this guy really does have a way to start digging us out of this shit.
VV: It’s gotta be worth a try.
VV: I can’t keep them delayed forever.
SA: if he cAn’t then whAT~☆
SA: or whAt if he’s just here to report us~☆
SA: don’t you think vlAdir hAd a good reAson to wArn us~☆
VV: My buttercup’s all messed up.
VV: Got ‘imself hogtied trying to lasso the moon.
VV: He’s not thinking the straightest.
SA: no shit~☆
VV: Hey watch your fucking language.
VV: This shit is serious.
SA: my mistAke~☆
SA: whAt does this guy wAnt in return~☆
SA: if we do let him help whAt does he gAin~☆
VV: Let me worry about that.
VV: It won’t be your debt to pay but mine.
SA: would vlAdir Agree~☆
VV: If it’ll save you, I don’t care.
SA: you’ll pAy for this deArly~☆
SA: whAt if you lose vlAdir~☆
VV: I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens.
VV: But I’ve done all I can for my honeysuckle.
VV: Let me help you now.
VV: By letting this guy help us.
VV: We’ll figure it out together, regardless of what happens.
SA: if he reports us~☆
SA: i’ll murder him before they get us~☆
SA: At leAst thAt wAy i cAn forgive myself for Agreeing~☆
VV: Desperate times, desperate measures.
SA: xennAA stAys out of this~☆
SA: i’m sending her to the rAnch~☆
VV: Vlad and Xens can keep each other company.
SA: you’re coming in person~☆
VV: Yeah.
VV: I ain’t letting you go through this alone.
VV: And I don’t trust this knave yet.
VV: We’re just out of options.
SA: if this goes wrong~☆
SA: i just wAnt to sAy~☆
VV: Yeah, yeah you told me so I know.
SA: not thAt~☆
VV: Really?
VV: Well call me a shriekin goat the way you surprised me.
SA: nevermind~☆
SA: i’ll tell you if we get out of this hell~☆
VV: Promise?
SA: Absolutely not~☆
VV: Oh you’re sweet on me, Bea.
VV: Send Xens.
VV: I’ll leave to you when she gets here.
SA: whAt Are you going to tell vlAdir~☆
VV: Not the fuckin’ truth that’s for sure.
SA: do you hAve Any plAn to keep him from following you~☆
VV: Yeah, Xens.
VV: Obviously.
SA: you’re An idiot~☆
SA: tell him i need A hAnd~☆
VV: You think he’ll believe that you.
VV: That Ms Ain’t Ever Need Help.
VV: Needs a hand?
SA: point~☆
SA: tell him i’m hAving a mentAl breAkdown~☆
VV: Aren’t you?
SA: not the point, hArvey~☆
VV: Fine.
SA: i’ll tell him the truth At the end~☆
SA: i promise~☆
VV: I should do it.
SA: no, you reAlly shouldn’t~☆
SA: if this goes wrong i’ll tAke the fAll~☆
SA: sAy you didn’t know i’d Agreed~☆
SA: And by the time you got here it wAs too lAte to stop it~☆
VV: Fuck.
VV: Just send Xens, I’m not having this talk.
>[vaqueroVaquished is offline!]<
The hive is never silent. That’s to be expected of a ranch, with so many animals there’s rarely ever a truely silent moment. But the hive right now was still in a horrible way. Vladir laid asleep still on the pile of furs they’d made hours earlier. There was no sound of his lusus trampling around inside, no sound of the herd moving, and there was a lump in the bottom of his throat. Beatrx agreeing was great and all, but she had a very good point about how this would go down if it went wrong. One wrong step and they’d both be fugitives. Let alone…
Harvey turns to look at his matesprit, watching the way he breathes. There’s a chance it could be the last time he sees him. Or worse, the last time he sees him at peace. There’s a real chance that Vladir will break up with him once he hears what Harvey’s done but there’s no other choice. Beatrx was in trouble, he couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. He sighs, running his hand through his hair. Whatever the outcome, it was too late to turn back now. Gently, he goes to wake the rustblood with a light shake.
“Up and at ‘em beautiful.” Harvey’s voice was purposefully quiet, knowing that there was probably still a terrible hangover. That was it’s own fight he’d yet to win.
“Harvey? Wha’s going on?” Oh and how wonderful Vladir’s voice sounded when deepened by sleep. It takes a minute to remind himself he may not have to miss that sound before he speaks again.
“Xens is coming over. I need you to keep an eye on her- honestly I think you could both use some time together.”
“I’m not doing her yoga shit.”
“I’m not askin’ that of you sugar.”
“Why does she need me anyways? I can go to my own hive so you can spend time with her.”
“Because Bea needs me. She’s having some kind of full melt down.”
“Which means Xennaa can’t be around to see it. Got it. Give me a minute to wake up, I’ll make uh. Fuck, what time is it?”
“Just barely nightfall honeycheeks.”
“I’ll make us breakfast. You got your palmhusk?”
“Of course. I’ll keep it on me.”
“Javelina dad’s been fed?”
“He can feed himself.”
“Tell that to him.”
“Hey..”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Stop feeling guilty about needing to help your totally not a moirail moirail.”
“But-"
“I’ll entertain Xennaa. You take care of the big guns. You’ve got this.”
“...Thank you, Vladir.”
“It’s weirder when you call me by name at this point.” Vladir joked before stepping in to give Harvey a kiss. It was short, sweet, and to the point. Made Harvey wonder if that sort of chaste kiss would be their last. Maybe he was just being over dramatic. “Go on, get going before things get worse.”
Trust was a double edged sword and Harvey could feel it slicing him as he made his way out and to the caverns.
