[sylvanSpider]

Aren could see the disbelief on the smaller one's face and his brown eyes assessed him briefly before he gave a brief shrug and a nod, “I was four when it happened, but I been out once or twice with my older bro a few years back. Those paths are all closed now and he didn't show me any of the new ones. We stuck close to the walls, so we were never in any serious danger, but I got to see actual living trees, so that was cool.” The morning air was brisk and crisp, and Aren was thankful that he'd thought to wear a hoodie. It was amazing that the two others were out here in their fitness gear, but then, they were active and obviously weren't bothered with the temperature.

Aren's eyebrows perked up with the good news. He wasn't expecting a “yes” when he'd asked. It was a shot in the dark, but apparently his being a good shot extended past firearms. “Wait. Really?” he asked. He knew the storage room; it was one of the few isolated parts of the apartment complex, just as the roof was. Apparently it was the perfect meeting spot. A smile almost graced his lips, but it was subdued, like it was an act that didn't come natural to him. “I'll be there.”

Aren turned to leave and immediately made his way for his apartment, packing a bag. Enough clothes for two days, some rations he'd saved up, plastic baggies for samples, and some throw away medical masks he'd pilfered from the medical unit when feigning a cough. They'd be of the utmost importance if he got to do what he actually wanted to. Samples. He wanted to see the fungus up close and personal. He'd seen pictures, of course, but none on the microscopic level – he wasn't even sure if there were any at this point – and he needed to see the hymenium. That, he thought, was where he would find the answers he sought.

Lucky for him, he also happened to be in possession of a microscope – also pilfered – and he'd be able to study. The hard part just sort of fell out of the sky for him. Someone to take him out of the city was almost too good to be true, and if the rumors were right about the redhead, he was the ideal guide. Aren's bag was packed. His microscope was staying home (he didn't want to risk the lens being broken) and dashed to the storage closet.

“It looks like I made it,” he said, seeing the ginger already at his post, “I'm Aren, by the way.”