Okay, so Canis wasn't as bad as Serendipity initially thought.
She'd been wary of the bones at first, just... laying around everywhere she looked. She was wary of the bone fortresses and the fact that they were made of bones. Surely there must have been a better use for them? It seemed... disrespectful, somehow, that they were either cast to be strange structures or to just lie there potentially getting crushed.
Frequently, but politely, Siren apologized to the ones she'd passed by, the ones she actually scuffed with a calloused foot, and the ones she found that had been broken and shattered with age.
What she was quite interested in was with something that reminded her of the walls of tunnel J. Another wall.
Much like tunnel J, she had no idea what these things were meant to be depicting, if they were monsters or other gembounds or just stories, but it didn't stop her from taking a fascination with them. For hours she'd wandered up and down the path, occasionally pausing to meticulously draw her fingers along where the stone had been carved into.
She wondered how old they were, who put them there. Why they did. If they were just bored and doodling, or if it were some great message meant to be interpreted. In the long run, she realised, it likely didn't matter. But that didn't stop her from staring at them with wide-eyed awe.
Her small fingers traced along the next carving she came to, a series of figures breaking another out of a stone-- or perhaps just worshipping the breaking-out figure. Or maybe fighting him, Serendipity considered.
But considering was too much for a child's mind. No, she had to ask, absolutely anyone in the world. "HEY DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THIS IS?" She squawked shrilly into Canis, very clearly expectantly awaiting an answer.
"That," came a rich, silky voice from behind Siren, "would be me."
The horned and hooded figure of the Collector paced over, leaning down to peer more closely at the ancient-looking carvings. He then turned, offering a hand out--clawed, furred palm-up--to the child. "I am The Collector. And you are unique, among the creatures of this cave... you have hands, I see. Place yours in mine, and clasp, and I shall show you a greeting that only the special few can manage."
@Siren
Serendipity blinked with a start, spinning around. She had to crane her neck back to actually look up at the thing, and it didn't seem like it would lower itself to get to her level, like Dread would. Not that it was any less amazing to see someone who'd been drawn on a wall.
Her mouth formed a perfect 'O' as a hand-- like hers! --was extended. Obediently, she set her tiny hand in the Collector's palm and held on, half-expecting to be dragged away from where she stood. "Sirendippity," she mispronounced. "You're shaped like me?"
This was an important point. To her, at least-- this thing had hands, and presumably two legs, and a straight back and horns and glowing eyes. He was even wearing clothes, like she did. "How come hands are special?" She asked, wide-eyed.
The Collector clasped furred fingers over the child's own; he then administered a simple, light handshake before releasing her. "There, a handshake--a greeting among those given such a gift. Most of those in the caves are stuck on four limbs--fighters, hunters, simple brutes and beasts. Those with hands are given them for more... elevated tasks," he went on, leaning back and waving one hand about vaguely. "Not to say we are better than the others... Never, of course..." (and his tone was that of someone who meant exactly that they were better than the others)--"but paws and claws are for rending and sneaking. Hooves are for running and kicking. Hands are for delicate works of a superior civilization: writing. Carving. Painting. Creating. You are destined for great things, Sirendippity."
Or, of course, holding more advanced weapons of brutal intent, but that was quite beside the point.
@Siren
A handshake. Siren liked this, and as soon as the Collector began gently shaking her hand she offered a shake of her own-- far less dignified, taking the furry claw on a bit of a ride before she finally let go, grinning from ear-to-ear, her cheeks caving into dimples.
Although she listened, she didn't quite understand what he was insinuating. "Why would anyone be better than someone else?" She asked, though she was very quickly moving on.
"I can create!" The child said, very proudly. "Or-- I'm learning to! I'm gonna fix stuff that's laying around in the tunnels and I'm gonna learn how to make more, and how to make shinies and stuff."
For a moment, she eyed up the Collector. "What do you do? Did you carve these?"
"Because while others fight, flee, and die, we have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on this world. To create wondrous works, and improve the caves as a whole. It makes one of you worth a dozen of them," he explained, solemnly.
"You know, I have a... an associate who is often called the Blacksmith. The last I knew he was in Fornax, though he travels; he looks much like me, in fact. Perhaps he might teach you a thing or two." While the Collector rarely sent anyone to the Blacksmith, this one might actually be worth something in that regard. Oh, they were often at odds, but some vague part of him was pleased to think that his "brother" might find this one. He would, the Collector knew, be quite delighted with her.
"As for myself, it is in the name, my dear. I collect things. Magical items, ancient armor, powerful weapons, talismans. I uncover the old magics on them, repair and enchant them, and distribute them to the worthy. As for that--no, I did not make it. It does, however, depict me--held captive by those jealous of my power."
@Siren
"The Blacksmith!" Serendipity chirped cheerfully, still grinning. "I know one of those. He has a forge and a melter-- but he calls it a smelter for some reason --and he's teaching me how to repair things. He, uh," the child fumbled around her tunic before taking out the dagger, freshly repaired-- shiny, with a new wooden hilt --and showed it to the Collector, holding it by the blade so that she didn't accidentally stab anyone. "I can find the Blacksmith, but I dunno where Fornax is. I gotta find the Thing with Yellow Horns, too, 'cause it can put dye onto my skin, I think? And there's a cool dragon with cool markings and I want cool markings too."
She considered the first part for a good few moments, however, squinting thoughtfully, her baby brain working. She did like the thought of changing the caves forever, and leaving an impression, and making everyone happy. She did like feeling happy, and others should too, surely. "I'm gonna be the best creating-person," she vowed very solemnly.
She didn't need nearly as much time to consider the last part, however. "Can I help you collect things?" She asked with shiny eyes, hopping from foot to foot. "I can find a lot of things! I found stuff in tunnels and I keep them in a den and they're all shiny now. Uhh-- how come people were jealous of your power?"
"Never do work for free," the Collector advised in response. "Long ago, there were factions of Gembound who fought between themselves for dominion over the various caves. Now, as I have said, I give powerful items to the worthy--I can get anyone whatever they wish--for a price. Some groups did not like other groups--ones they imagined to be their enemies--armed with such power." His hands spread out to either side, a sort of "what can you do?" gesture. "Eventually, they used one of my own devices against me, trapping me within its enchantments."
@Siren
Siren nodded thoughtfully, storing this information away for later use. Never do work for free. She could work for shinies or something, if she was going to create. She looked over to the wall as she listened to the Collector speak, one goat-like ear flicking.
At least everyone seemed to be friends, now?
Though, more importantly-- "I wanna be worthy!" She piped up immediately, looking back up towards to the Collector. "What do I gotta do to be worthy? Does it involve hands?"
To this very last part, however, she glanced sceptically at the Collector. "But if it was one of your devices shouldn't you have known how to get out of it? Or like, put in some kinda-- I dunno, safety measure? That only you knew about?"
"They were very clever about it," was all he said on that.
"To be worthy? Create things better than the rest. There are relics, of course, that would allow one to create more wondrous items, more powerful ones--or you could bring me things that you create, and I could--for a price, of course--imbue them with magic. But everything has a price, and sometimes, that price is quite steep. Many of the relics are lost in dangerous locations; their prior owners grew too arrogant with their power. When you offered, for example, to help me collect--there is one place I dare not go, with many things I could make use of, indeed. Things that you, too, could make use of, I think."
@Siren