exsilium | Second Blood

Second Blood

[Today you have something different: Rather than a face peering into the camera, you have a full body view of a young woman standing to the left of the shot, with her right hand on her hip. Said hand glows bright white, like the rest of her body. If you haven't seen her before, she's probably a pretty surprising sort of freak to see when you turn on the communicator.

The center and right part of the shot are occupied by the wall, to which she's attached an off-white poster, landscape orientation, with the following written on it in large letters of bright green marker.

* As Your Potential Leader A Complete Stranger In All Senses
* Proposal To Further Factionalize Already Fractured Population
* Plans Will Only Be Revealed When Or Rather If Any Group Is Gathered
* Initiative Is Our First Enemy Rather Than The United Earth
* Conflict With Other Armies Also A Welcome Possibility

It's attached to the wall with a piece of clear tape on each corners and one in the middle of each long side as well. Close examination will note that it appears there is a second identically-sized piece of paper hidden under it.]

Hello, Transports. I'm Kanaya Maryam. Apart from those who saw my arbitrary self-introduction, you probably don't recognize me as anything but an alien interloper of an age you judge as inappropriate. Even though you have absolutely no reason to trust me, I'm going to ask you to do exactly that, because Exsilium has a terrible leadership problem.

[She's pointing to the second bullet now.] Lots of Transports have been trying to create an army out of members of Exsilium's already perfectly fine existing army. This hasn't worked up until now, but I am somehow absolutely certain that when I do this it's going to be totally different.

[Third bullet:] My plans are so fantastic that they have to be kept confidential and will only be revealed to members of the army once it forms - whom, by the way, I will accept and reject at my discretion even though my goal is to unite Exsilium.

Oh, and did I mention - [fourth bullet] - that I want to overthrow the Initiative first, even though we're fighting the United Earth. Because that's my intention, to fight the people who brought us together and control whether we even stay or leave, let alone go back in time.

And by the way, all the other armies that have already been forming - they're getting in the way of my plan, so we're also going to fight you if you go against us.

[Both her hands return to her hips as she stares at with her head cocked and her lips stretched thin.] Tell me, Exsilium, do you think that sounds like a good plan for anyone to execute? Especially if she's an alien, an undead, a "teenager" [finger quotes], or the like? Or would you advise me to stick with the perfectly good hundreds-strong army that we already have, and take it up with the administrators of the Initiative if I really insisted upon doing something. Perhaps would you go so far as to say that I sound... stupid? If so, that's good, because I have some appalling news for you, which I've just delivered wrapped in your planet's particularly loathsome form of verbal irony.

[In a sudden, too-quick motion, she reaches up with both hands to rip off the poster and reveal the paper underneath it, filled up entirely with these four words:

This Is Stupid
Stop

She neatly folds the old poster three times and throws it away in a waste receptacle off screen, and then stands up straight to address the camera again.]

It does sound stupid, because it is, and so do you. Stop.

[The video ends.]

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[He trusts Gamzee; more than trust, there's no part of him that really thinks Gamzee and Kanaya could work pale. Gamzee has
been obviously after his diamond for ages, anyway. But the thought still bothers him, a lot, even if only out of guilt that he wasn't there. For Kanaya to be mad at him over this just isn't fair at all, and he can't help but be upset.]

Fuck you! Seriously, this is not me being charmingly irascible, this is me pissed off, Kanaya. If you can really say that shit about me and mean it, then you don't fucking know me at all, you don't.

I'm sorry to show up and inconvenience you by existing and having opinions related to my own moirail's physical well-being! Do you actually think I'd blame you for anything you did approximating any quadrant when I wasn't there and we weren't even together? Do you actually think I'd mind anything either of you did for the sake of either of your continued sanity?

You must think I'm a huge petty piece of shit, and I'm not, not in this respect, I'm just glad both of you are okay because presumably you are my friends!

But what the fuck am I supposed to do here, you can't say this is good for him, and you can't say what's good for him isn't my business. Just because I wasn't there doesn't mean I have to sit back and be second stringed instrument to you when it comes to my own moirail. You can't say that it's unreasonable for me to care whether there's anything between you or whether you still want him or whether you're trying to substitute for him what should be with me or use him for what he isn't available for anymore!

And fuck, I don't want anything to happen to you either! I'd give you my own blood if you wanted it before it would come to that, and you should know that. But instead you're going to tell me to shut the fuck up and mind my own business about this? How the hell is that fair?

SHUT! MOTHERFUCKING! UP!

[He's up on his feet, roaring out the words. He quickly yanks at Kanaya's horn, hard, but his gesture to Karkat is an awkward pat on the mouth. Maybe it was a shushing motion in his head, but it didn't translate to action.

For a moment he trembles, glancing between them, but when he straightens, there's strength in his gaze, and a purpose he's never had. He knows what to do. He rounds on Kanaya first, not even angry, but cold and almost admonishing.]

You weren't motherfucking alone, my bitchiest of sisters. You had him. So he up and was made gone. So he up and left you all like he was gone out to sea and you not having the fins and gills to get your follow on. Had that motherfucker all to your motherfucking self for a while.

[He doesn't know what he reveals with that; can't-won't go deep enough to realize. His voice goes soft-sweet, but full of poison.]

Gamzee's a stupid motherfucker. Can't even see shit what's in front of his lame ass clown face. Right? That's what you were full with thinking. Won't get no understanding even if he does.

Guess what, bitchsis? I've always motherfucking seen. Out of my pan on sopor didn't do nothing to my lookstubs. And now I got all what's left of me to remember.

So now he won't give at you the time of motherfucking night. And now you motherfucking got beat into your pan what it's being like.

[The satisfaction when he turns to Karkat, awkwardly close and with gentle touches, is palpable.]

You're here now. You're being here and I won't let no motherfucker tear at us away. But the chainsaw bitch don't got no troll to care, like you're being full up for me. Not one to give her what for; what she motherfucking needs.

We need to keep our sister bitch. Not going to be letting her leave. You can be getting your pan with making that shit go down. You can be picking out that way.

[The trust and confidence that Karkat will find some way shines through brightly.]

[The moment he is mentioned Kanaya's mood sinks into the basement, clearly legible on her much less brightly glowing face. It instantly subdues her, and the slap she gives to Gamzee's hand on her horn only has enough life in it to disqualify any suspicion of its being a pap. There is no time to put on the elaborate show for her conciliatory constant-but-second-best. She couldn't do a trapeze act right now if she tried.]

You know it wasn't exactly like that for me. Pumpbiscuits, though all equally mysterious, are far from interchangable. You learned that first, didn't you? That's Gamzee for you. Flashstepping leaps and bounds ahead of his hemoinferiors. Who cannot even metaphorically or literally swim.

[As which she of course qualifies. Gutterblood. Not a word she can use around Karkat of course - she's not about to bring up that his blood is an unacceptable alternative. She has tasted such (human) blood before, rich with rust and iron. It brings back memories. Mostly not good ones. All ones she wouldn't want to associate with Karkat. And he is such a little ball of anger and love. Just looking at him she thinks that the slightest prick could actually make him deflate. Or just cry. He passed out when she was giving Tavros a perfectly routine double amputation, for Christ's sake.

She reaches for her tablet, abandoned on the empty part of the couch beside her, like a lifeline, though not looking at it yet, only tapping the power button that turns the monitor back on.]

I guess I have gotten a little irrationally emotional. What else is new. It might be for the best should I leave the both of you alone. I'm getting the impression I haven't been doing that as much as I ought.

[...and her tablet buzzes and flashes for several seconds like a phone announcing a windfall of new notifications. She gives it a withering, pessimistic look.]

Maybe deal with more comments on that stupid post I made. I do have to lie in my metaphorical cocoon, if not a literal one anymore.

[And he does deflate, or at least release his anger. Partially due to Gamzee's intervention, as the touch calms him down and reminds him he's an idiot to act jealous when his moirail is here telling him he doesn't want anyone else. Partially because he can't disagree with Gamzee telling him they have to take care of Kanaya. He cares about her, honestly considers her one of his best friends, and shouldn't need Gamzee to tell him he can't push her aside. Besides, Gamzee's accusations are just clear enough to get something of a picture of the state of affairs.

And then there is her unspoken rejection of his own offer of blood. He can't say he wasn't expecting it. The fear his blood wouldn't be good enough is why he waited so long to suggest it. But it is sort of a gut punch, it hurts, and it is enough to knock all the fight out of him. If he doesn't have anything worth offering, how the hell can he offer anyone else? And how the hell can he deny her the non disgusting mutant blood, the enviable highblood blood, that is being freely offered?]

Kanaya, wait.

I didn't mean it, I know you aren't up to anything nefarious here. Maybe I'm just being selfish.

[Gamzee drapes himself around Karkat, but uses one long arm to reach out and keep Kanaya from leaving. He's probably putting a little too much weight on the shorter troll, but he never was good at those things.]

Naw, Karkat, you're being all looking out for the care of me. Makes my pumpbuscuit get all gooshy.

But maybe you're being all a little too motherfucking strict down at us. Bitch got to be getting her fangs down in a troll sometimes.

[He pauses for a few moments, looking at Kanaya.]

Got to thinking, you'd be all up leadering out for her a new mealcolumn. So's she's not always sucking at this motherfucker so often. Better for every troll about in here.

[Not icon keywords. Not icon keywords. Not keywords not keywords not keywords not keywords--! (The very touch of her glowing hands #triggers him which is the #punch in the gut #he #forgets he gave #HER)

With both hands she tugs her tablet into her lap and sets about to writing the text thread with Painwheel.]

I can cut down in the interim. [If she doesn't want to operate on entirely full cylinders.] It's not as if... as if we're being sent on a mission properly any time soon anyway, given the way our schedules have been working out. [And considering she has no idea how to broach this topic with Equius - because if she doesn't want trouble she breaches this matter with him before Nepeta. Even though if she wants amenability that order is reversed.]

[He doesn't really mind Gamzee's weight, even though it unbalances him a little. But he does curl his lip a little bitterly at the suggestion.]

Right, I'll ask over the network, and they'll all ask why I don't volunteer myself. Oh wait.

I don't want Kanaya starving herself, all I ask is that we not open up new scabs all over you.

But you motherfucking did, and the stone cold bitch got up and picky in here. They won't be getting no snapping on at you for what bitchsis did.

And we can be down with not opening no new places up for me to bleed at.

[And he considers it mostly settled now, but the position feels nice, so he rests his cheek on Karkat's head contentedly.]

[She raises an eyebrow at that.]

New scabs? Karkat. You would not have even needed to ask for that. I may be by some accounts a creature of brightness and sin, but I am also a creature of habit. [See? See how many times she has been biting him in the same areas over and over.]

Well...keep it clean, at least. Let me put antiseptic on it when you finish.

We can be doing that for you, Bro. All you had to do was be asking at us.

[He's so relieved that this is solved. No more problems, right?]

There's decent antiseptic on Earth? You learn something new every day.

It has to be better than nothing.

I'm trusting you on this one, but if anything goes wrong, your clown snack privileges will be revoked.

No things will be going down bad. Motherfucking cross my pumpbiscuit.

Of course.

[She mimes making a cross with her nail over his pumpbiscuit. ...at least Karkat will probably assume she is miming it.]

Fine.

[Throwing his hands up]

Let the snacking commence, I am giving up all responsibility for this. But I'll see if I can't talk someone else into contributing.

[And that's that. All settled and everything motherfucking peachy. Gamzee pats Karkat's head once, and gives him a squeeze. Then gives Kanaya a growl that sounds almost playful.]

Wasn't being so motherfucking hard to sort out.

Almost enough to make you wonder why the three of us don't hang out together more.

[She's trying to sound almost playful but barely manages to not sound actively bitter.]

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Second Blood

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