First Entrance

[bloodyvirgo]

After a particularly interesting arrival, Kanaya arrives at the back door with her sleeping friend still in her arms. It takes a moment of shifting and juggling around, but eventually the troll manages to coax the door open and takes a step inside-

Only to take a hasty step back with a muttered curse she's picked up from Karkat.

"Oh" she says,

Comments

[crabbycustomer]

Karkat hits the ground with a startled, flailing squawk. "WHAT THE FUCK, MARYAM!"

"FIRST YOU KNOCK ME OUT WITH YOUR BULLSHIT SYLPH POWERS AND THEN YOU DRAG ME IN HERE AND WAKE ME UP BY DROPPING ME ON THE GROUND LIKE A MATERNAL FEATHERY ASSHOLE DROPPING STRIPS OF CHOLERBEAR INTO THE PEEPING MAWS OF HER HATCHLINGS, PUBLIC HUMILIATION AND GRIEVIOUS HEAD INJURY!"

"HELP ME THE HELL UP."

[crabbycustomer]

Karkat looks awkward again. "OKAY, WELL, FIRST, THAT IS A RIDICULOUS USAGE OF THE WORD SAFE BUT I GUESS, AND SECOND, THERE IS MORE. YOU WILL LIKE THIS ONE EVEN LESS I SUSPECT..."

Here it goes.

"VRISKA... FINALLY DID IT. SHE KILLED TAVROS, AND NOW TEREZI IS TRYING TO HUNT HER DOWN AND CARRY OUT HER DUMB ROLEPLAYING JUSTICE. I AM NOT SURE WHICH ONE OF THEM IS MORE LIKELY TO GET KILLED, BUT I DOUBT EITHER OF THEM KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER TWO MANIACS, SO IT IS JUST... TERRIBLE."

"I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO TEREZI FOR A SECOND BUT SHE SAID SHE SAW A BRIGHT LIGHT AND CUT OFF. IT COULD BE ERIDAN'S WAND OR VRISKA'S DUMB FAIRY SPARKLES OR..."

Or even Jack's teleport.

[bloodyvirgo]

Kanaya lets out a weary sigh, delicately pinching the bridge of her nose with one hand.

"Vriska
I Do Not Know What I Am Going To Do with Her"

[crabbycustomer]

"I WOULD LIKE TO PUNCH HER HARD IN THE FACE, IF I GET A VOTE, WHICH I DO, BECAUSE SHE IS MY PROBLEM NOW." He sighs and runs his hands through his hair again, leaving it worse than he found it. "I MEAN, I THINK WE ALL EXPECTED HER TO KILL TAVROS SOONER OR LATER, THE TWO OF THEM WERE COMPLETELY BROKEN PEOPLE IN MUTUAL AND COMPLEMENTARY WAYS AND IT WAS NEVER GOING TO END ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT JEGUS THE TIMING. FOR SOMEONE WITH ALL THE LUCK SHE SURE CAN CHOOSE HER MOMENTS TO SHIT THE FUCKING COCOON."

"IT IS LIKE SOMEONE SENT OUT A UNIVERSAL GO CRAZY AND/OR DIE SIGNAL. AND I AM INCLUDING MYSELF IN THAT ANALYSIS, I AM HOLDING ONTO SANITY BY THE TIP OF ONE TALON AT THIS POINT."

He sighs and lets his head fall forward. "ANYWAY... I HAVE TO GO BACK AND DEAL WITH THAT SOON. I DON'T HAVE ANY BIG HOPES OF BEING ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING WITH TWO BLIND PEOPLE AND THE POWER TO STOP NOSEBLEEDS BUT... I CAN'T HIDE FOREVER."

[bloodyvirgo]

It's a hesitant gesture, but carefully she reaches to card her fingers gently througn his hair.

"I Hold The Utmost Faith In You Karkat
You Will Do Everything Within Your Power To Protect Those Who Are Left"

[crabbycustomer]

"YEAH OBVIOUSLY THAT IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO," he says, deflating slightly. It is a measure of his weariness, though, that he allows her to create some semblance of order in his setae without more than a token papping at her hands with his his.

"WHEN I AM GONE I NEED YOU TO LOOK OUT FOR NEPETA, SHE IS... NEPETA, AND ALL THESE HUMANS HAVE NO FUCKING COMPREHENSION OF HOW TO HANDLE TROLLS. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY THE FUCK I AM SAYING THIS, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOURSELF FROM BUGGING AND FUSSING AND MEDDLING."

[bloodyvirgo]

She allows herself a soft laugh, fingers still working at his mess of hair.

"Of Course I Will Look After Her Karkat
And I Will Not Allow Any Humans To Offend Us"

[crabbycustomer]

"ONE THING SHE COULD USE IS SOME WARM CLOTHES, SHE HAS DECIDED TO LIVE UP IN A CAVE OUTSIDE AND IT IS GOING TO GET AS COLD AS THE NOOK OF THE DEMONESS OUT THERE BEFORE LONG."

Subject change: successful. "SHE HAS AN ALCHEMITER OUT THERE TOO, IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE OR REFORGE FROM THE AETHENEUM. BUT YOU WILL PROBABLY BE MORE COMFORTABLE TAKING A BLOCK UPSTAIRS."

[bloodyvirgo]

"Karkat" she says, amusement evident in her voice. "Are You Encouraging Me To Design Clothing"

[crabbycustomer]

"I AM ENCOURAGING YOU TO APPLY YOUR TWISTED GENIUS TO A PRACTICAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDS A PRACTICAL SOLUTION, NAMELY THAT OUR TEAMMATE IS LITERALLY TOO DUMB TO COME IN OUT OF THE COLD, RATHER THAN SQUANDERING IT ON FRIVOLOUS COSTUME ROTATION."

"BESIDES, AND RETURNING TO THE TOPIC OF THE IMPOSSIBILITY WE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING IN, LIFE HERE IS FRANKLY PRETTY BORING. IT IS KIND OF LIKE ALTERNIA IN THAT YOU ARE FREE TO WHATEVER THE HELL YOU FEEL LIKE, BUT SURVIVAL WILL NOT OCCUPY ANYWHERE NEAR THE SAME FRACTION OF YOUR TIME. IN FACT, PRETTY MUCH NONE OF IT. YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH TAKING SURVIVING FOR GRANTED AROUND HERE MOST OF THE TIME."

"IT'S PRETTY HARD TO GET USED TO. BUT ONCE YOU DO YOU WILL HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR FRONDS."

[bloodyvirgo]

"It Should Be Noted That Nepeta Is Accustomed To Living In The Wilderness So You Can Not Overly Fault Her For That

I Believe I Could Learn To Enjoy Myself Here
The Absence Of Shamblers And Musclebeasts Is Already A Point In Favour Of This Place

Would You Like Me To Make You A Winter Set Of Clothing As Well"

[crabbycustomer]

"NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE NECESSARY, I AM NOT A FUCKING MASOCHIST LIKE SOME PEOPLE I COULD NAME."

"I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ELSE TO TELL YOU--OH."

More awkward.

"OKAY I HAVE A PIECE OF INFORMATION TO PASS ON TO YOU BUT THERE ARE TWO THINGS I NEED TO MAKE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT BEFORE WE PROCEED, SO KEEP A FIRM GRIP ON ANY EMOTIONAL HOOFBEASTS YOU MIGHT BE PREPARED TO ENGAGE ON THE TOPIC."

[bloodyvirgo]

"Consider My Emotional Hoofbeasts Firmly Under Control
What Is It Karkat"

[crabbycustomer]

"OKAY, THE FIRST THING IS JUST A REMINDER ABOUT KEEPING A TIGHT AND JUDICIOUS LID ON ANY INFORMATION YOU HAVE GAINED SINCE YOU HAVE COME HERE, OR REALLY SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A CHANCE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THIS PERSON, BECAUSE OF TIMELINES. CREATING DOOMED TIMELINES BY CHANGING YOUR OWN FUTURE DIDN'T STOP BEING A THING, OR ANYTHING."

"I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT AND WON'T TRY TO DO ANYTHING STUPID BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE LESS CAUTIOUS AND I AM COUNTING ON YOU TO REMAIN LEVEL-HEADED AND CAUTIOUS TO A FAULT EVEN WHILE SADDLED UP ON THE AFOREMENTIONED."

"THE SECOND POINT IS THE QUESTION OF A WORD, I AM WONDERING IF IN YOUR MULTICULTURAL SHARING JAMS WITH THE ROSE HUMAN YOU HAVE COME ACROSS A SPECIFIC EARTH HUMAN WORD. HOMOSEXUAL."

[bloodyvirgo]

"I Assure You Karkat
I Will Endeavour To Use The Utmost Discretion While Talking To-"

She cuts off, blinking.

"Rose Is Here"

[crabbycustomer]

"GOD.

DAMN IT."

"YOU HOLD THOSE FUCKING HORSES THIS INSTANT, MARYAM. HOLD THEM GOOD."