Chapter 9

Turns out that nightmares make a full day's rest completely useless. Karkat was exausted, and he felt worse off then he did yesterday. Signless and the rest, however, were very well rested and already planning out what would happen tonight. Karkat yawned as he shuffled a bit closer so he could hear them. "Do we have an approximate guess of how many will come tonight?" Signless asked to no one specifically. "It is always hard to tell, but I would assume more will attend than the amount we had last time." Rosa answered logically. What are they talking about? Attend what? Karkat continued listening quietly, hoping they would elaborate more on their own. "Yes, I suppose that's true. The crowds do tend to get bigger as we go don't they? But the space we have set will still be enough, right?" Signless inquired, receiving a brisk nod from Rosa. "I believe so. It is a fair amount of room." Signless nodded confidently. "Good." He suddenly looked back at Karkat, as if only just noticing his presence. His face flashed briefly with conviction, as if he had to quickly make a hard desicion, then he leaned over to Rosa and whispered something to her. She cast a quick jade glance at him, then muttered something that sounded like an agreement. Oh what now? Karkat groaned mentally. Why were they always whispering about him? Signless focused back on him and motioned him to follow. "Karkat, take a walk with me." Karkat followed his ancestor out of the small cave and into the forest, the thick of trees still looking as confusing to navagate as ever. But Signless led him easily to a small clearing where a bit of moonlight was able to breach the leaves and set a glow on the grass below. He sat down, and Karkat did the same, setting himself down at a comfortable distance. Signless looked directly at him in that way that made him uncomfortable. His eyes were just too... red? Despite what he wanted to believe, Karkat knew that wasn't the real reason. He really wasn't fully sure what the reason was himself. "Tell me Karkat," Signless spoke, averting him from his thoughts. "How did you end up lost in the middle of these woods?" The question wasn't accusatory, only simple curiosity. "Well..." Karkat knew he couldn't lie about this even if he tried, so he answered honestly. "I really don't know. I just sorta... woke up here." Signless nodded slowly, taking in his answer. "I see. Well, I can tell you definitely aren't from around here, even if your clothes weren't different." Karkat glanced akwardly at his sneakers, feeling slightly subconscious. "You've got this.. air about you. Almost as if you belong to a different time." Karkat tensed slightly, biting his lip. Does he know? Signless chuckled a bit, not noticing the reaction he had caused. "Of course, anyone could say that to someone of a younger generation." Karkat relaxed. "But now that also draws me to the symbol on your top." He stared at the gray markings with interest. "Most trolls have their symbol colored with their blood caste, yet yours is gray. Why is that?" Dammit, how do I answer that? Karkat knew he couldn't just up and say he was a mutant, whether he was in the presence of his ancestor or not. "I see no need to flash my blood color around like a name tag. It's stupid." He went with one of the answers he would tell his friends when they asked him why he typed in gray, hoping it would be enough. Signless looked at him with a new spark of curiosity lighting his eyes. "Interesting. So then you don't embrace the hemospectrum for what it is?" Karkar snorted. "No.It's a waste of everybody's time. Just cause your blood is purple or something doesn't make you better that someone who has yellow." He huffed, thinking of Sollux. "Besides, the troll with yellow blood is probably gonna be able to do way more shit than the purple guy because he's phsycic." Signless was clearly taking in every word Karkat said with great amusement. "Fasinating. Not many trolls share such a bold opinion. You are certainlly one-of-a-kind, Karkat. There's no denying that." He said with a slight laugh as he stood up- Karkat stood as well, glad that he didn't press on what his blood color actually was. "This was very enlightening, Karkat, thank you. We should do this again. Now come on, we need to get back.` Karkat followed Signless back to the cave, only to be struck with confusion as he set out to leave with Psii and Dis almost immediately upon arrival. When questioned as to where they were going, the only response he got was; "We're going to a meeting, maybe we'll bring you next time." Then they left. Rosa had apparently stayed behind to keep the cave safe, although Karkat knew that just meant wrigglersitting. The whole night they were gone Karkat spent in the cave wondering what this "meeting" actually was.