Turned down at the gates of heaven, and yet a spark of hope was held within. Coming off of the talk with the lady in Tunnel M, Audland had sought to make his way to wherever Master Astraea might be. Audland didn't want to go to back to the coliseum in Orion. He didn't want to stay in Polaris either, given the people he was trying to avoid. Orion was the better choice.

Finding Astraea might be a difficult task regardless. Audland had no idea how to predict where the Master should be. He didn't even know the Master had existed until that fateful day. Did the guy only come when there were crowds? Events? Gladiatorial combats?

Audland would work himself into a desperate tizzy as he walked through the tunnel from Polaris to Orion, wracking his brain for ways to attract that kind of attention by himself. Damn that spark of hope to hell. He didn't want to do ANY of this. But it wouldn't go away. It just wouldn't leave him. He had to see this through, whatever this was.

Astraea was picking his way delicately between Polaris and Orion. It was unclear his purpose, his mood, his thoughts; he was simply present, though upon spotting Audland he did pause.

An inclination of his head accompanied perhaps some flicker of distant recognition in his ruby eyes, and though he was about to continue on, something about the Valkhound gave him pause. Body language, perhaps. As though it was recognizable that this one was searching for him.

He stayed motionless, silent, for just a beat. To give Audland time, if he so wished it, to introduce himself--or whatever Audland wished.

@Audland

What Audland hadn't known was that the deer tended to appear when he was needed most.

(And that none had desperately needed him in a while...)

Audland nearly collided with Astraea, he was too deep in his own head. But he stopped just a moment short, upon realizing first that someone was there, and then whom it was. Audland would stare in silence at Astraea for a moment, wide-eyed. His thought dome wiped clean. And then, after a brief system reboot, the thoughts would come flooding back to him.

"You—You're the guy-!" Audland pointed at Astraea as if the deer wouldn't know who he meant. "The one who knew what 'homosexual' means!"

Perhaps there was a bit too much child-like wonder in that reaction for a valkhound who could no longer be considered fresh and new, but that was just the kind of awe that homosexuality inspired.

"Ahem-" Audland would put down his pointed finger and forcibly relax. "I- I've been lookin' for ya. I need uhm... some advice."

The placid expression twisted. "...Is that what I am known for?" he asked, somehow twinning miserable hilarity with disdain. It was mild, though--controlled--as was the soft exhale that sifted through his flared nostrils. "I would prefer to be referred to as Master Astraea." Best to nip this form of address in the bud at once.

The Master, millennia old and enduring indignity after indignity, struggled to recompose himself. Surely... Audland had meant no insult. He closed his eyes, and reopened them without any trace of anger. "I see. What sort of advice?" he asked, once more with his usual elegant composure.

@Audland

"Master Astraea. 'Pologies." It felt weird to deem someone worth apologizing to out of hand, just because of the aura they exuded. I mean, for all Audland knew, this guy could just be some regular Gembound that hatched from a chrysalis a long time ago and just paraded around some lofty title because no one had bothered to tell them no. But, looking at the composure and the sureness of this person... no. In a cave where real Masters exist with numerous valkhounds to serve them, it was unlikely that someone falsely claiming to be one could've gotten on that long.

It was humiliating, but Audland humbled himself. Purely because the agony of the remaining unknown bothered him so much more than this moment of weakness. Isn't that a crazy thing to realize?

"Well, 's more of just a question. So... Do... Can creatures like me..." He trailed off, then refocused. This was hard to get out. "Can monsters love?" The way those words lingered in the air made him want to projectile vomit. "Like- Like how's that work?" Excellent deflection you blue tie-dye nincompoop.

Audland's initial question--so delicate, with so many potential intricacies attached--threatened so many things in the Master for a moment. A touch of softness, maybe; bitterness, most definitely, but... barely had he started to part his lips to respond that Audland amended his question with something that almost, nearly, made the ancient creature laugh.

He found himself having to compose himself for the second time in thirty seconds.

He then cleared his throat softly, tipping his chin up just a little in an almost playful (but still perfectly superior) stare.

"Are you asking about the emotional capacity of Valkhounds, or are you asking after instructions as to the... physical mechanics of it?" It was best to clarify.

He doubted someone wanting sex ed basics would appreciate a philosophical meandering... or vice versa.

@Audland