[img]https://i.imgur.com/ehwnPZQ.png[/img] [b]Time: Afternoon[/b] [b]Location: Adirondack Mountains, New York.[/b] - The forest was alive. From the towering pine to the smaller, humbler birch, from the moose to the black bear to the gray fox. Everything teemed with life, lurking in every hole and nest, or hiding away in the trees on quick wings. The sun was high in the sky, casting its light down into the dark wilderness and, farther away, the hundred-something humble villages and towns that Mandate knew called the Adirondack Park home. And with a raging fist, one of those humble trees found its trunk exploding as Mandate shouted her frustration. Because no matter where Mandate looked in that light, she could not find what she was looking for. All she had learned, over the course of her three day hunt, was [i]what[/i] to call the things around her, which had so haunted her with their strange familiarity. [color=LightPink]"Stupid PINE!"[/color] the towering golem bellowed, barely heard over the thunderous crash as the tree toppled into its fellow flora, then to the forest floor. The beautiful wildlife that had enchanted her so much only a few days ago was probably in full flight, but she didn't care; it could only distract her for so long. She wanted [i]answers[/i]. Her foot lashed out, smashing into the tree's stump and spraying its remains in all directions, kicking up dirt and dust that only clouded her vision more. The forest was alive, and she was determined to kill some of it to vent her frustration and let it know her disapproval. There were towns and villages that she could have struck her way through, but that was too much attention, too much trouble. Huffing, the golem's clawed hand swiped out to tear through another [i]stupid hiding tree's stupid trunk[/i] as her thoughts ran wild. Somewhere in the dark woods and- perhaps- among the towering mountains were the answers she was looking for. Whether in the deep forest or somewhere high in the peaks, she could not recall, but she knew it was somewhere in [i]here[/i], hidden away from the villages and towns that were scattered through the Adirondack Park- at its outskirts. She could guess why. The answers to her cloudy memories, clarity and peace of mind for her raging thoughts. Proof that her past was dead, and that she had killed it and buried it in the rubble. But the mountains were massive, and they stretched farther than two people could ever hope to search on foot in three days, even with the help of magical instruments. Mara had seemed like the answer to her problems, with her resourcefulness and trinkets, and so she'd recruited the goblin into her hunt. That hadn't panned out, but the golem wasn't really mad at the goblin herself. She had tried her best. She was mad at nature, that conspired to hide things from her. She was mad at her own impatience, her scatter-brained uncertainty, the way her thoughts clawed in from the darkness with the possibility that she would never, ever find her birthplace, that she would wander the wilderness for months before she found any sign of it, if she wanted to avoid the people. She was angry for a lot of reasons. It was too much to think about, and when she had too much to think about, she began to lose focus. She began to grow uncertain, and distracted. And when she was distracted, she turned inwards. She paused, shoulders sagging as she stared down at the torn up dirt and wood, leaves and wood chips cascading down onto her from where they had taken flight from her rage. For a moment, the silent shock of her short-lived rampage overtook the forest, and she was left with the sun cascading through drifting leaves and across her silvery form, alone with her thoughts. [color=LightPink][i]I miss Miss Ambassador.[/i][/color] "Oi, Mandate!" The golem's head snapped up, towards where Mara was seated upon a large rock. Mandate found herself impressed; the goblin was quite far away, so her voice must have been powerful indeed. Her hand waved up as high as it could over her short body, inviting her over. She accepted the invitation with a final backwards glance at her own destruction, sighing loudly-the actual noise for once, rather than simply saying the word. The distraction would be good. Mara eyed her as she approached with trudging steps, taking her in with a long look and scooting back further up her perch. "Ya seem frustrated, Mandate." she remarked. Was it that- well, yes, it was obvious. Huffing, the golem in question turned around, falling heavily-with a slight bump to her weight for emphasis- against the forest floor, pulling her legs up to herself and wrapping her massive arms around them. Imitation of posture she had seen before, it made her feel slightly better. [color=LightPink]"We haven't found anything, Mara! Nothing at all! I know it was in these mountains somewhere, I just know it."[/color] she whined, expressing her thoughts as the goblin slid down to sit beside her, keeping some distance for some reason. Adjusting her rather hefty glasses, the lanky goblin checked her watch once more. "I know the feelin', Mandate. Much as I hate to say it after how long we've been digging around, it doesn't look like this is going to pan out." She held up her watch for emphasis, tapping it with a gnarled finger, as she cast a sympathetic look Mandate's way. The golem could not squint, but her dimly-glowing crimson 'pupil' focused upon the little device nonetheless. Oh, that's right. [color=LightPink]"You're going home soon. And I'm going to get back to Miss Ambassador."[/color] Mandate felt herself sagging once more, some of the tension that did not physically exist leaving her posture. She was ambivalent, but not because she wasn't excited to see her favorite human companion again. She was going to be abandoning the hunt, without any answers or evidence to show for it. And that meant, one day, she'd probably have to ask Miss Ambassador for help instead; Mara was okay company, but her trinkets hadn't been enough to track down her origin. Either it was too far away, a fault of Mandate's memory, or it was [i]hidden[/i], in which case a more powerful sort of magic would probably be needed anyway. Mandate didn't know much about magic, but she knew that power mattered. And Miss Ambassador, she was very powerful. She could help, Mandate knew, if the golem found it in herself to share her past. She had only told Mara what she needed to know, and there she wasn't particularly concerned; the goblin was small and weak, and Mandate was not vulnerable to her. Physically, or emotionally. It was different with Miss Ambassador. Mandate squirmed, realized she had gone too long without responding further to the goblin's observation, and hummed. [color=LightPink]"I guess you're right, Mara. We should probably get ready to go home."[/color] she admitted softly. Mara's strange face softened as she reached up, brushing dust and dirt off of Mandate's arm, then settling her hand upon the clean patch. "It'll be fine, Mandate. You got all the time in the world, right? Whatever you're after, I figure it can't hide from you forever, eh?" she offered optimistically, patting Mandate's silvery arm. The golem straightened up, considering the goblin's little pep talk, and nodded slowly. "[color=LightPink]I guess I do, huh? Thanks, Mara."[/color] Indeed, she had all the time she could possibly need. And when she was ready, she had a powerful friend who she was sure would be able to help her, and together they would finally bury her past for good. Only when she was ready, of course. "Right, I'll get in contact with the Ambassador." Mara stood, brushing herself off. Nodding to her companion, a thought occurred to the golem. [color=LightPink]"... I should wash off before we meet them, though."[/color]