Chapter Text
The Ramblers were an odd folk, human-like, sort of like Mumriks, two-tailed, great with words, and were generally very rooted into tradition. This is the tale of one such Rambler, the Blue Rambler.
But, one might ask, why is the Blue Rambler called the Blue Rambler? Was it their hair, their eyes, their thoughts? What could it be?
And the answer to that would be: their color coding.
For, you see, Ramblers were assigned colors very young. Upon birth, they were garbed in brown, but once their personalities started to show, Ramblers were then made to wear only one color for their time on this Earth. This color was decided by the parents and the elders, not the child. The child likely wouldn't remember wearing brown once! And there were only a few colors one could wear! No browns, tans, peaches, blacks, whites or grays, and you only got to wear the one color! Even if you did become important enough to get a specific shade nobody else alive would have, it would still be the color of your life, only darker or lighter or shinier.
Some were certainly fine with this, but others were not.
So we begin our story with the Blue Rambler, sitting near the docks with their friend, the Red Rambler. Both are near the same age, though they looked rather different. Blue's hair was a the color of a slightly burnt gingerbread loaf, and Red's was quite longer and lighter. Blue wore their favorite blue translucent silk scarf, a warm sweater, and comfortable legwear, all blue, while Red didn't even pay attention to what they wore anymore, as they were growing to despise the color red.
Blue had invited Red here because they had something important to say, but just didn't know how to say it.
"I wish things were different," Red said to Blue. "I'm quite fed up with... life in general. Trying to not keep desiring change, trying to not just..." They sighed.
"...I- I don't want to- to bother you more but... I've decided I'm moving." Blue said, changing the subject bluntly and toiling about it.
"Of all the times." Red stared expressionlessly at Blue. "Never change, Blue." They turned their head away, looking toward the docks. "So... where are you going?" Red tried to mask their disappointment. They wanted Blue there more than anything, but it was the time they were allowed to venture out and leave. Red guessed Blue might be tired of this silly old village too.
Blue began looking straight toward the docks too. "North of a valley. A nice valley, I've heard. They call it Moominvalley, perhaps because... Well, I don't know."
"Well. Good luck. Don't expect me to see you off." Red got up, leaving.
The two Ramblers' relationship had been rocky for a while. Red had been different than they used to be, and Blue was clueless as to what to do.
"I'll send you a postcard!"
The next morning, Blue began their trek, quietly stepping through the barely-melted snow of the woods.