#damnitvantas

[deterministpalindrome]

♠ (damnitvantas) ♤ ❖ (uh, pick one? Any one)

Send me a ♠ for what my character thinks of yours in three words

trustable, bristly, Vantas

Send me a ♤ for what I think of YOU in three words

an excellent friend *fingerguns*

Send me a ❖ for my character’s personal thoughts about yours

Let’s go with damnitvantas so my lazy ass will only have one tag total. After that blowup, Pal’s settled down into accepting his existence, especially where his clade is concerned. He doesn’t consider them friends per say, more people who tolerate the other for mutual benefits, and occasionally are entertaining to the other. If they talked more, they could go down the path of Troll Friendship, hitting such notable spots as “would miss if they died” and “would do favors for,” but they aren’t there yet. All in all, a positive, if detached, view.

[pocketgoddess]

@damnitvantas started following pocketgoddess

and a good evening ta ye there lad

[flippinoptimist]

> Velius and Karkat : Talk

       flippinoptimist i still kind of caused the stuff that happened to me i mean it wouldnt have happened if i didnt show up        flippinoptimist or if id known how to look human imposing        damnitvantas Kid, that's not your fault. I should have actually come with you when you came here. I wouldn't have been able to warn you about much.        flippinoptimist It kind of is my fault.        damnitvantas Nah.

       flippinoptimist I don't need a bodyguard or a supervisor, I can handle myself.        damnitvantas Not what I meant.        flippinoptimist aight        damnitvantas I meant there was shit about this world I didn't really prep you for.        damnitvantas If you'd been prepared you would have been fine. Going in blind gets people hurt.        flippinoptimist guess that's fair i mean its naut your responsibility to prep dudes but like i get it        flippinoptimist Sorry, i got an ask like a second after i said things at you and it got me riled up for a second.        flippinoptimist sorry i didnt like do research or w/e i woulda needed to do to naut do the thing        damnitvantas I know it isn't but I have a dumb urge to keep people safe. ...Which was what I was doing when I yelled at you. And I shouldn't have, but I didn't have a lot of other options.        damnitvantas What pissed you off?        flippinoptimist theres an anon ask game thing aboat telling the truth and i got one that dug up some old shit thats ovver now earth probably is safer w/o me in it, but im just as safe either way.        damnitvantas I saw They hit me with it too, but damn son And no, I actually enjoy you. You've got a good heart.        flippinoptimist liking someone doesnt have anyfin to do w/ whether theyre safe to have around or naut        damnitvantas Don't like. Pull away from here just because I'm a dumb ass. Yeah about that        damnitvantas I was a contract killer for an evil organization called Dei Malleus from the day I left the marines from 'retirement' until this past Christmas I was a high ranking officer. And told people where to go and who to kill. Mostly. Granted sometimes people are dicks and I can't do shit about that. I only did it because I wanted to kill my father. Because I fucking hate him. And when I did I couldn't leave , because I'd met my husband And if I left. Or sajd anything. We'd be slaughtered. They demoted me because I didn't tell them about the dumb bullshit about my dad and prince shit A week before we argued        damnitvantas And I hadn't slept for three days because they were running me ragged in hopes of fuck up and get to keep damien to themselves He was bound to them. A spiritual slave. I want to kill all of them. But my best friend did something fucking stupid and were free but I'm terrified they'll find a way to bind him again And that's why I didn't tell you anything Because I couldnt And it's why I said the terrible things Because it was the only way I could come up with that would keep everyone safe But now at least I can crush so.eones skull with my boot if they try to hurt you.        damnitvantas Which probably isn't reassuring.        flippinoptimist damien mentioned some of that im glad youre free you couldnt get in fights w/o their say so?        damnitvantas Had nothing to do with who I could fight Had more to do with who I had to kill.        flippinoptimist so if i got mugged youd be on the mugger side?        damnitvantas And I knew if you showed up, since you caught someone's eye....I just. Fucking knew I'd get stuck with it. And I didn't want that to happen to you. Mugged as in some dumbass on the street? No I could intervene. Granted if you were both kindred they wouldn't really care though.        flippinoptimist so you were worried about the group decidin i needed to go and gettin stuck w/ the short straw yourself        damnitvantas Considering they were working me like a horse yeah I knew it'd fall to me. I was worried that they would decide you need to be dead at all That was the concern and main drive.        flippinoptimist i remain optimistic about my chances, but, thanks im gonna do the school thing, pal wants me to stay on e-classes as much as possible so i am        damnitvantas Well yeah but I was panicking and overworked ...I am sorry. Hey do what works for you, man. I didn't want to take away something you enjoyed and I feel like a dick for it. :( And there are a lot of great online courses you can get at our uni and a bunch of others.        flippinoptimist ... thanks, man.  apology accepted, here at least. im still doin visa paperwork oughta sign up for classes soon i think Today at 4:38 PM        damnitvantas Thank you. I suck at feelings. And talking about myself. A lot        damnitvantas So thank you. If you need help with either let me know.        flippinoptimist i will        damnitvantas ...have you heard from fang? ....are we still friends?        flippinoptimist hes doin good at his job w/ carlotta, got him signed up as follower do you wanna be friends?        damnitvantas I'm really glad to hear that, honestly. She's been riding my ass about him, but at least he's safe. And yes? Yes very much.        flippinoptimist were you after him because of them? id be okay w/ friends        damnitvantas Yeah. I had to clean up the 'leftovers' It was part of my punishment/demotion.        flippinoptimist extra glad i could stop you then        damnitvantas It could have gotten me killed if anyone ratted on me showing him what to do.        flippinoptimist are there many others left?        damnitvantas Yeah, so am I, dude. I need to like. Give you lots of food and other things for that. ...I food at people I like.        flippinoptimist me bein there was a good enough excuse for your bosses?        damnitvantas Yeah, it was. Can't have innocent civilians And at the time you were still classified as 'human'. I think there's a handful, I have to find them but ah. They're terrified of me.        flippinoptimist yeah fang might havve an easier time could try and get dudes in touch w/ carlotta        flippinoptimist you wanna make good w/ them?        damnitvantas I guess I should. I still think there's a couple of scumbags but. Ugh. My compass is skewed, you know? I m  not good at being a civilian        flippinoptimist i think evverybodys is skewed im bad at keepin my hands outta things takes practice        flippinoptimist think carlotta will take care of the vampire kids if you toss them her way since the trust in you is low atm        damnitvantas Pfff. It's okay. No mine's still pretty fucked up like. Me and Dam have been talking about it and DM really does get in your head. But yeah, she probably would. I can't really tell her like. Who I was, or what's happened. That's culpability and all that shit, she'd have to turn me in for even knowing half the things I've done.        flippinoptimist yeah but you can say "fuck it fine im naut killin vamps anymore, but they dont trust me, so here" or go with the "do you want me alone in a room w/ them, or do you want me to send them to you" way        damnitvantas Proooobably the second one would elicit less questions. I'm already having to argue with all those twits when I actually go to court for them Which i might add is skull searingly boring. Holy shit how can someone still be mad about something from the 1800s        flippinoptimist lol sometimes anger sticks around        damnitvantas So I've noticed I'm still here so it's saying something Wow I am so maudlin tonight dude I'm sorry        flippinoptimist its a weird night i thought about it and ive decided were okay, though im still a little sad aboat how shit went        damnitvantas ....Sad like how? Like. What could I do better?        flippinoptimist sad about visitin gettin weird, sad pals mad i think you coulda found other excuses for us naut to show up there, esp. in private message but in the end its over and doesnt matter now, and school is cool and your planet is cool and dm can die in a fire        damnitvantas Yeah I prolly could have but I was really freaking out.        flippinoptimist maybe freak out less        damnitvantas And that doesn't excuse it but dude i was in a fuckall tough situation I literally couldn't explain.        flippinoptimist speaking of fires i know a black market that occasionally has alternian nukes so if you wanna fuck up some assholes days hardcore let me know        damnitvantas Omg        flippinoptimist those are probably never the right solution, but they can be a fun one to think about sometimes.        damnitvantas For real. It's bigger than just new york.        flippinoptimist overkill is v. calming.        damnitvantas It's world wide, man. Yeah it can be. Ngl I think about beating some of them bloody sometimes.        flippinoptimist that reminds me theres a gross thing i wanna test someday thx for the reminder        damnitvantas ...What was that?        flippinoptimist kismesis made a thing, i wanna use the thing in a way it wasnt intended im p shore itll be a lot like throwin a badguy/megafauna in a microwave        damnitvantas Ahahahaha Nice awful probably but also nice        flippinoptimist its supposed to make it rain or earthquake but im p shore he wasnt specific enough when he was puttin it together maybe itll make it crazy, idk        damnitvantas :?        flippinoptimist sorry doesnt matter just gonna do some magic science        damnitvantas Aight, sorry I was curious.        flippinoptimist did i show you surprise coins        damnitvantas I still gotta come by to poke at your weird deadite things though don't I. ...No?        flippinoptimist yeah - sorry the doorway oughta be set up now, its hidden behind one of the tent walls, all you gotta do is plug it into the outlet thats right next to it surprise coins are a magic thing, i gave jake one        damnitvantas Ooooh        flippinoptimist i put the emotion "surprise" into it, and now whenever you sense it the surprise leaks out        damnitvantas Cool! That. Is really novel and kind of cute.        flippinoptimist no matter how many times youve seen it, or how specifically you already know what it is.  surprise. i like them i havve most of a pound of surprise opals        damnitvantas Pfffff        flippinoptimist that had surprise put into them while they were forming over a geologic timescale so im p shore those are permanent as shit        damnitvantas Huh. You should put it into the hilt of a sword or knife. Could give you one hell of an advantage...if you can like. Ignore the surprise bit.        flippinoptimist yeah i made myself immune but i was thinkin of like an eyepatch or tiara w/ a little remote controlled cover so it opens up and startles people whenevver you trigger the thing        damnitvantas Hum, that'd be interesting too What about on grieves with the same effect? Like. Something something tony stark repulsor palm thing But startlement        flippinoptimist that sounds cool gotta keep it from brushin up against your fingers or leg or w/e though        damnitvantas Snicker        flippinoptimist otherwise you like, facepalm and scare the shit outta your face because WOW THE THINGS THERE        damnitvantas HAHAHAHA Could you imagine        flippinoptimist i dropped some on the floor in my forge it was so dumb i had to reach behind shit to pick them up        damnitvantas One hell of a way to wake yourself up if you're sleepy Hahahaha poor bastard        flippinoptimist naut now but later ill send you some surprise opals let me know if you manage anyfin cool w/ em i like to call them "surprises" but i guess it sounds dumb when i do or like unclear        damnitvantas No that's pretty specific, I think. And an amusing pun. :) I'd love to putz around with them dude, I'll see how different supressants work on it.        flippinoptimist id be curious cause those would make them usable if you found one        damnitvantas Hum. Yeah, you could stick em in a curse box. That and we could see how magic stacks up against...your worlds? Magic? Or whatever it is. I've been kind of curious        flippinoptimist i dont know how it stacks up either im just callin it magic cause ive got no betta explanation for wtf cause im p shore it aint psychic, we can do some shit that is def naut psychic        damnitvantas Yeah psychic powers are usually more putting your finger to your temple Dr. Xavier shit        flippinoptimist pshoo pshoo eye lasers + mind shit cheap travel options, etc        damnitvantas Pfffhaha :? Travel options?        flippinoptimist naut so much on the oh hey how hard is the magic circle thing telekinesis = flight        damnitvantas Oooh Well, it is and isn't Have you ever watched Harry potter and the one time he used the Floo network?        flippinoptimist is that the thing where he poofs in chimneys        damnitvantas Yes! And the lesson to learn is focusing on where you're going        flippinoptimist okay that makes sense, and ivve done some of that w dreamshit        flippinoptimist how specific do you gotta know where youre goin        damnitvantas Yeah, it can get wierd quick.        flippinoptimist that sounds like fun adventure to me        damnitvantas Like. You're better off knowing the specific coordinates knowing. Thinking of landmarks is okay? But you're more likely to land somewhere similar rather than where exactly you want to go.        flippinoptimist good way to find new places, but yeah        damnitvantas Eheh, yeah that's a way of putting it. I landed in like. A chippendales once because both of them had lime lights above a bar        flippinoptimist on the stage?        damnitvantas Oh my god no        damnitvantas I do not belong on that stage On a barstool asking for a beer I may have been already drunk At the time        flippinoptimist pff ivve only been drunk a couple times my pan works best when i dont fuck it up more than it already is though        damnitvantas Fair enough I don't get any neat mindy powers, just a good ol bunch of rocks between my ears :))        damnitvantas And your ...pan? Is not fucked up. You're a good dude.        flippinoptimist man you dont know what i mean when i say my pans fucked its naut like a personal judgement, its naut that i think i suck, im just a nutter i do my best anyway        damnitvantas Nah I don't, but I get the doing your best thing. If its any consolation you're doing pretty damn good?        flippinoptimist thanks, dude.  im naut shore you know how well or badly im doin, but i appreciate the thought        damnitvantas :) Dealing with stupidass brain shit sucks and should not be a thing.  Is what I'm saying. Those problems can also be thrown in the fire with DM We can give them a grand shove off and fuck yourself party finale        damnitvantas with sparklers and everything        flippinoptimist hm.  i guess i nevver thought about it as my brain bein a dick to me and naut just who i am.  though i should. i havve no idea why naut shore, fuck brain shit.        damnitvantas I named my brain Ted. And tell him to go fuck himself when he's doing shit like 'quick there's ieds in your kids dropped lunchbag duck and cover!!!' It's part of your brain, yeah, but like. It isn't the whole and total part of who you are.        flippinoptimist my shits weird cause i had to drop a lot of who i am so id like name my brain my hatchname, and that would be fucked up and stupid        damnitvantas How so?        damnitvantas If I can ask.        flippinoptimist we talked about how personal rights were naut a big thing right        damnitvantas Iii, think so. On your planet?        flippinoptimist yeah        damnitvantas Yeah I def. remember that, which is a sack of horse shit        flippinoptimist i got hunted down for havvin bad opinions and was gonna havve to fake my death, ended up w/ a new name and appearance, and i was gonna havve to stop doing all of the stuf that got me hunted down which was 90+% of what i did w/ my time i kind of forgot to change back when it stopped mattering and now its been 4ish years if im doin math right 2-4        damnitvantas Oh, damn...        flippinoptimist i have no sense of time        damnitvantas Is that why the Tony guy was going on about Al? Your kismesis I'ma get this right someday        flippinoptimist yeah you got the quad right i used to be al now i ??? al its a work in progress        damnitvantas I feel that.        flippinoptimist i guess i am al it just makes my pan itch to think about it        damnitvantas Which do you prefer?        flippinoptimist im okay w/ vel, ill let you know if it changes trolls pick adult titles when they get old enough and i know what mines gonna be        damnitvantas Aight, I'm good with that. Oooh what is it?        flippinoptimist the Terrible        damnitvantas I shouldn't want to grin at that right        flippinoptimist i do im p shore it fits        flippinoptimist i stole it from human history        damnitvantas So wait is it still going to be Velius the Terrible? And I figured, it reminds me of good ole Ivan.        flippinoptimist nah, roll titles just replace the wwhole thing.  itll just be Terrible B)        damnitvantas Dork Sorry tumblr is being a sack of cocks and not telling me when i have a notif        flippinoptimist yeah im laggin hard        damnitvantas grumbles at it irritably Ah yes tumblr A functioning website. :/ What else is new tbh.        flippinoptimist i hope they make like ads and posters and shit for it evventually that literally say that its a great tagline        damnitvantas Snrt At least it'd be truthful Which is rare nowadays apparently        flippinoptimist how do humans advertise        damnitvantas Advertise like? Commercials and shit? On tv, on the radio, in newspapers, banners on websites, popups stuff like that        flippinoptimist why wouldnt they use "a functioning website"        damnitvantas Because it friggin doesn't, like ever. I don't know what they have against a well made program but damn do they I think the person that came up with the interface is the same guy that came up with CD case wrappers. Just angry at the world and wants to see it burn.        flippinoptimist the theory i heard is that they like aesthetic bloggers and hate people that talk        damnitvantas But people that talk literally take up a majority of their user base That's hardly ideal and who wants a website where you just trade pictures? That's so boring.        flippinoptimist yeah it is what if everyone has like two sideblogs that are just pictures though that makes it look like the talky blogs arent the main focus cause theres wice as many picture blogs        damnitvantas Hum, I dunno I never rreally did a sideblog thing I mean I have one but that's for innefectual screaming in spanish        flippinoptimist i dont have one i used to have a tag for when shit bothered me but i stopped usin it        damnitvantas Fair enough I barely use the one i hav e so it's kind of pointless but there looming like a vulture that took a big dump on your car an d is laughing about it Additionally what was the thing so I can know when stuff is bugging you if you use it in the future?        flippinoptimist i probably should make one so i can comment on like other peoples posts on them oh #taggin this shit i dont use it anymore though, naut recently so its mostly hearts and pancakes and old        damnitvantas I get you ...but now i want pancakes        flippinoptimist man i havvent had those in forevver you should make fancy pancakes wanna know how you do art ?        damnitvantas Wait what? Like shaped pancakes? dude I love those        flippinoptimist yeah but theres a trick to it so you can draw realistic shit and they hold complicated shapes        flippinoptimist put the batter in a squeezy bottle like for mustard, then draw the outlines.  after theyre done and have browned/darkened some, you can fill in areas w/ solid color, and its okay to go over the lines because the lines will be in front of the stuff youre doin you can havve multiple bottles for different colors if you wanna food color        flippinoptimist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceOo8H8q6DU        flippinoptimist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVACaKGq0ek        damnitvantas SCREAMS Ohhh my god why do they keep doing amazing things with food'??? Also I literally got distracted by someone making rainbow heart shape hidden surprise cookies but holy shit /holy shit/ I need all of these things        flippinoptimist havve fun w/ it food should be fun just, dont link me to heart-shaped food or pancakes w/o warnin me        damnitvantas :? Sure dude, i wasn't gonna link I was just explaining why i got quiet for a sec Have you convinced Jake to do extreme ironing yet I feel like the both of you could make a winning team        flippinoptimist we were talkin aboat it but then he shot his hand so its rescheduled

[flippinoptimist]

[Private]

you guys seem to havve like this weird new stalker problem goin on w/ the “fuck off” dude, an i am sorry to hear about it

havve you considered murder as a solution?

[cervidamnit]

Breaking news: Vantas is awful and I’m going to hex him.

[flippinoptimist]

> Vel and Karkat : Chat

       damnitvantas Thank you for being reasonable.        flippinoptimist reasonable takes teamwork        flippinoptimist thanks for ignoring my cheering section i havvent quite got to the point where i smack them w/ rolled paper but its temptin        damnitvantas Eh. It's not worth it.        flippinoptimist basically

       damnitvantas They don't know things about this world, I'm so not on board with explaining things to strangers on the internet. Shrugs. Thank you though, Dam's been struggling a lot.        flippinoptimist w/ anger shit or        damnitvantas Well sure that's part of it. I'd rather he talk about him, yk?        damnitvantas Come over for tea, y'all can get your chat on.        flippinoptimist yeah alright        damnitvantas ...I don't know if he means the apartment or the stupid castle though.        damnitvantas Shrugs, you guys figure it out. Sorry if I've been brusque.        flippinoptimist i still dont get what your guys' personal shit has to do w/ the timeline bein dangerous or naut dangerous or w/e, but i guess maybe ill figure it out        damnitvantas Regardless of personal things this isn't always the best place.        flippinoptimist your world has books about how magic works everywhere else ive seen, magic is just this inevitable thing that people learn by guesswork if at all        damnitvantas We've got a lot of crap going on right now, like. Vamp gangs going apshit, hunters on a tear bc someone killed their leader and burnt him, uh, I'm trying to think of other things        flippinoptimist good reasons to be cautious        damnitvantas Yep And just in general dangerous kindred and humans, which are pretty frequent. Caution is fine by me.        flippinoptimist everywhere is dangerous. like, ill admit, i wasnt takin it seariously at first. i am now.        damnitvantas Thank you        damnitvantas I did over react but I didn't know how else to keep people from getting fucked up. And I kinda have the same reaction Dam does, I'd feel like it was my fault. Even if it wasn't. I dunno, I guess it's a dumb dad/human/not really i never was one/thing        flippinoptimist im still workin on the naut fuckin up other guys thing, but i think ivve got the "lookin moderately scary" thing worked out now, to make them less interested in startin the fights they will lose.        damnitvantas Snickering at you How tall are you, dude?        flippinoptimist also : i would like to appologize for breakin out the bat that one time.        damnitvantas I'm like. Five foot five and a half. I had no idea what the hell it was honestly        flippinoptimist like, fivve ten on a good day        damnitvantas I thought it was cool        flippinoptimist whale i just explained to dam what it is        damnitvantas Nod nod        flippinoptimist it is cool, and its a sign i was takin the fight serious        damnitvantas I got the gist when i saw it on dash.        flippinoptimist ok        damnitvantas You all right?        flippinoptimist why?        damnitvantas Gestures? Cos you're nice? And should not be sad. I'm terrible at friending.        flippinoptimist i think im mostly confused        damnitvantas Why?        flippinoptimist if i knew that i probably wouldnt be confused im naut shroe why you stopped bein mad        damnitvantas Well yeah. I wasn't mad, really. Frustrated people weren't listening maybe.        flippinoptimist listening is important sometides        damnitvantas Yeah, yeah it is I'm not great at it myself        flippinoptimist thank you, for tryin        damnitvantas Sighs. I'm sorry kiddo, I didn't mean to stir shit up. :(        flippinoptimist i didnt either        damnitvantas It's okay dude. Aight but ngl our icons look like they're looking at each other while they talk And it's kind of making me laugh These are the stupid observations my brain has.        flippinoptimist mine does that too, its why i have fish puns on autocorrect on trollian soetimes in the middle of talkin aboat serious shit i reread a thing and somefin like "shrimpathy" pops up and it makes me like 90% less violent / searious        damnitvantas Snrt Sorry my thing didn't notify me you said something ...Computer Doo dad diddly W/e ...Also shrimpathy is adorable wtf.        flippinoptimist it happens i used to fishquirk a lot more than i do now        damnitvantas How come you don't anymore? Or do it less.        flippinoptimist i got used to letting the autoquirk do it, and then stopped usin trollian mostly, and kinda forgot aquatic shit is a lot smaller part of my life now too which is silly since im aquatic now but w/e        damnitvantas Velius Furoze and the life aquatic.        flippinoptimist my dad was aquatic, and i was obsessed w/ princesses for a while an theyre aquatic, but then i almost died and gave up and met pal and now life is a lot betta an less fishy        damnitvantas Pesterchum is a huge pain in the ass most of the time, honestly        flippinoptimist somefin like yeah kinda, but i met a lot of cool dudes on it        damnitvantas Well holy shit I'm glad he helped then.        flippinoptimist i am all the fish i evver needed who knew        flippinoptimist also i got skype so my glasses have phone reception in your univverse via internet        damnitvantas Sweet Okay if you're all the fish you ever need please Do not make sushi of yourself        flippinoptimist hahahaha no i dont eat corpses although i used to have mine i still have the captcha code for it but it takes a crazy amount of grist to copy player bits and also i dont havve any of the game machines that let you copy items anymore        damnitvantas Okay good Though there's plenty of species here that do Well fuck, you'll have to get a three d printer.        flippinoptimist my species does, but somebody did a thing and now its gross        damnitvantas Who did the thing?        flippinoptimist so i dont kismesis it was before we were sane        damnitvantas Gotcha aight i'm passing out, i'll ttyl        flippinoptimist night

[flippinoptimist]

> Before the Blowup

WIR: "--fuckin kickass!"  Velius was still his bright chirpy cheerful self, even with the healing cuts on his face, and even with the slightly more subdued wardrobe than usual.  He'd gone with black jeans and a gently-used black leather jacket, zipped shut.  The one nod to color would be his fancy pink silk slippers, unless Fang had pointed out No, in which case he might have invested in a pair of low black boots.

WIR: Sure, he had technicolor hair, and the leather gloves had fingers, but he was looking significantly less out there than usual.

TDG: Fang would personally take him to go buy the boots when he saw those pink slippers. "An shes sendin ma a gift too, for christmas, theres gonna be a fancy dance and everything-" He chattered away cheerfully.

WIR: Velius has never once worn shoes other than the pink slippers while here, and might have related that those were actually the only shoes he had.   His assessment of the boots was 'heavy, but alright'.

WIR: "--double fuck yeah, congrats dude!  Don't forget to like -- netwwork at the holiday party an shit, that's a thing, right?"

TDG: "Yeah but shit if I know how to do somethin like that- I know its important, cause in a hundred years I'm gonna be kickin myself over not doin stuff now, but fuck if I know what that shits supposed to be-"

They were approaching the eatery at the campus, where a curly haired tall man built like a brick wall with wings was chattering away with a much smaller man in shades. "- I know you want me to stay in old boy but you know why I can't."

WIR: "Dunno, dude, all I can figure is like, make friends, make good impressions, learn evvery name you can.  Wwrite em down if you gotta."

-EJ: "Yeah, and I know why you shouldn't, too. You're a target and there's not one godsdamned thing I can do." Karkat looks a bit, paler. Darker under the eyes. He's been running ragged between finishing up exams and doing shitwork for DM since they'd demoted him. His guess is they're trying to wear him down so he makes mistakes. At least that's what he told Jake. He's downing one coffee and already reaching for a second waiting for him in a cup carrier.

TDG: "I cant very well do anything about that, I became a target the moment I was transfigured, and you know that." Jake clicked his tongue at Karkat.

As they got up close to the table and Fang actually saw who was sitting at it he went pale and stopped walking. "I uh- you know I think theres somethin I forgot to do" sloowly start walking backwards.

WIR: "Uh..."  Vel blinked at the gradually disappearing bodyguard, turning his head to watch the retreat.  ....Hunh.  ".....Catch... you later!"

TDG: "yeah - yeah just um, give me a call or- just not maybe ..  I'll be around, you know." he was babbling a little and he knew it.

Jake looked up at the voices and frowned, rising, his wings spread a little, an embarrassed flush crossing his cheeks. "- Is that your vampire friend? I say old boy theres no need to-"

Yep he was getting the heck out of there, he misted.

WIR: ...Yep.

WIR: Vel waved to where the vampire was a second ago, then stuck his hands in his pockets and started for the table.

WIR: He can figure out Fang later.  Right now, he can cover the...abrupt escape.

TDG: Jake sat back down and dropped his face into one hand.

-EJ: Kar got a good look of the dissappearing vamp, sighing and resting his hand on his palm. "Wings might have been a bit much for someone who's damned, fluffy."

Pat pat his shoulder, then waving over at Vel. He knew why Fang took off, and he doesn't blame him. ....Ugh he feels bad.

Head duck and shoot off messages.

DV: Fang?

DV: Kid are you all right? He wasn't going to hurt you.

DV: ...I wouldn't let him. Or anyone else. Get somewhere quiet and comfortable for you, breathe.

DV: Do you have somewhere like that?

WIR: "Hi!  I havve come here alone, to talk with you, by myself.  Howws it goin."  Vel sat down at the table with the subtlety of a brick.

TDG: He left his face in his hand. "..Splended evening, really. I terribly love it when people run away at the sight of me." Although to be honest the fellow did have good reason to think he might still be miffed at the attempt to break a few of jake's bones in order to persuade him to join their little martial force.

FD: the bloody shit he wasn't

FD: I got places, dont worry none.

FD: I aint gon bother you

-EJ: "Yeah. It's either his ugly mug or my handsome face, so."

-EJ: Kar interjects, though it's hard not to want to laugh a little bit at Vel's subltely. Of which there was none.

DV: He's my friend. DV: And you're not bothering me. DV: Be safe.

WIR: "Good thing," he ran with the sarcasm, pretending not to get it.

WIR: "Otherwwise it'd get awkward."

WIR: Perky straightforward smile.

TDG: FD: Figures you'd be friends

"Bloodly bugger you are." He complained.

-EJ: DV: Yep. DV: He was newly turned too, you know. At the time. He had no idea that'd happen to you.

-EJ: "One would hope one's buggery wouldn't be bloody. Anyway, Vel. I got the talismans up and working, and the aura one for you. Though I don't know if it's going to be perfect." ~~~~::: | Removed 18::] WIR: This message has been removed.

-EJ: Rub a hand over the tired face.

WIR: "Yeah, that's the wworst kind, two outta ten, do not reccomend.  -but yeah!  Those sound good, wwanna see the loot and pick out some trades?"  He reached into the ugly canvas bag of the day, pulling out a small roll of plush black cloth.

WIR: "Honestly anyfins probably betta than nothin."

TDG: FD: I'd be dead if I hadnt fucked off

Jake grimaced at both of them finally looking up. "You know what I mean, good golly."

-EJ: "Sure, sure." He lays out his, several anti-possession talismans made from the skulls of psychopomps, made to repel the spirits of the dead and demons, encrusted with various precious stones to aid in spiritual strength and grounding. The aura suppression one had an armadillo head, malachite, and saphire.

Snicker and gently rib Jake. " I know."

-EJ: DV: Today or then?

-EJ: *dillo skull

WIR: Velius unrolled the cloth, revealing most of the skeleton of a crow, almost fully opalized into dark red gemstone.  Including the fully intact skull.  There were also other fossilized items -- from twigs to snail shells -- and a few rough, uncut opals in various bright colors.

WIR: He'd gone on a roadkill hunt with Fang a few days previous, looking for dead animals, but he hasn't explained why.

WIR: This crow had died to a housecat somewhere in a manhattan alleyway.

WIR: ..but it was opal //now//.

TDG: FD: then

He swatted him lightly with a wing and leaned forward with advid curiousity to look at the talismans. Some of those bits and pieces were damned hard to get your hands on.- but he was almost immediately distracted by the opals. "Good god."

TDG: FD: I wouldnt doubt now either

-EJ: Kar chirps in awe at the gatherings, holy /shit/ this would definately make up for what he spent on the ingredients. ...He did not mean to chirp.

Cough. It was totally a cough. Look at his coughing.

"A lot of the stuff I needed is ah. Well. Hard to come by for lots of reasons, but, I think the crow skeleton, some of the fossils, especially the snail shell, and like. two of the roughcuts should do it."

He just wants one of them he can get that cut for Damien for christmas...

-EJ: DV: Yeah to then, nah to now.

WIR: Velius couldn't suppress his own chirp and shitty little grin.  Apparently, their reactions were both satisfying and hilarious.

WIR: "Sure," he agreed easily.  "...I don't know if they'll havve anything weird goin on magically, since they're from.. wwell, you know, elsewhere, but they ought to be alright."

WIR: Velius got out a cardboard container that looked suspiciously like it had originally been designed for cheap pizza joint breadsticks, but had apparently been enhanced on the inside with more of the plush black fabric.  He set it down, then gestured between it and the main black cloth.  "Wwhich charm is which?"

TDG: FD: the fuck not

"Those are absolutely lovely, gracious." He was just busy admiring the opals dont mind him.

WIR: Some of the roughcuts were bigger than others.  The smallest ones were probably fragments -- paperthin flakes, or breadcrumb-style crumbles -- but the top end were the size of ice cubes.

WIR: Not too many of the ice cube sized ones.

-EJ: Yep Kar is gon blush a lil and busily look at the opals. Nope he does not make cute sounds not one fucking bit. (Yes he does.) (he talks to raccoons)

"Eh, I'll vet them before I try using them in anything. Opals are good for lots of shit. And I can always sell them as a cursed item if I can't get them to channel properly, idiots pay high prices for that shit."

Tap the crow, owl, raven, and eagle skulls, two of each, "These are the anti-possession charms."

Tap-tap the armadillo skull, "This is the aura charm. I based it off the one I gave my husband, it's worked wonderfully for him."

Raise a brow to Jake. "Oh darling, do you want a cool rock~" Karkat.

DV: Because I told him about who you are and the circumstances behind your ah. Recruiting attempt.

DV: And I fucking told him not to.

WIR: Velius sees nothing wrong or unusual with a human chirping.  He spends too much time around Pal.  He reached out to gently lift the armadillo skull, very delicately testing the way the pieces were secured to eachother.  "I'll assume that bein rough an tumble with the bits, like, crackin the skulls, would fuck them up proper?"

-EJ: "Yup, you can encase it in resin or something, if you need to. That won't hurt anything." Or whatever wierd alien shit he did.

WIR: "I might do some a that..."

TDG: "They're gosh darned pretty bits, but I dont appreciate your tone old fellow." he scoffed softly at Karkat.

WIR: Velius spent a few seconds considering the armadillo skull closely, trying to detect anything about it -- even focusing his internal eye on it, to see if he could sense any of what its magic was supposed to do.. ...but, this timeline's style of magic was really, really not his deal.  Enchanted items weren't, either.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained -- he slipped the charm on over his neck, and considered it from that vantage for a moment.

-EJ: "The rough and tumble or the resin? Can I say please avoid the former. Is that a thing I can request."

Chuckle at Jake. "How am I supposed to express appreciation for my TA and coffee getter?"

WIR: "Resin," he confirmed.

-EJ: He might see a faint aura, maybe some sparkly bits because it's sorta kinda like. An aura glamour. Thing. It's wierd magic

WIR: Yeah, big puffy colors!  sure, that was .. probably, a thing?  It kinda fit, he thought.

WIR: "... Cool shit."  He offered a grin to Jake the fearsome.  "--wanna help me test if this shit makes me safe to look at?"

TDG: He winced at the suggestion  and took off his bandana. "Lets give it a go, if I go a bit round the bend you'll know why."

WIR: "... Might wwanna start facin another direction.  If you can't turn all the wway towards me, we know somefin's wrong."

TDG: "I'll just open it slow old boy" he assured him and started to carefully squint at him through his third eye.

WIR: Velius was... a fairly ordinary teenager.  Curious, interested.  Possibly mundane.  One of his necklaces was doing something magical to him, its aura wrapped and entwined him, but he seemed comfortable with it.  The simple totemic coin choker also had a ..vague tie to him of some sort, but it was weak and flimsy, barely visible.

WIR: The aura-masking charm hid itself well.

TDG: His eye opened all the way and he let out a soft relieved breath, blinking with all three eyes a bit and squinting a little then closing it. "..Absolutely ruins my depth perception, but you look fine old boy, your necklace there sure is something though."

WIR: "Yeah?  Thanks for checkin.  What kind of somethin?"

WIR: Velius started helping to transfer the opalized crow skeleton into the breadstick / gem box.

TDG: "Its sort of wrapped around and tangled up in you. I dont believe I've ever seen any such thing before"

WIR: Velius gave a sheepish halfsmile.  "..Sparks gavve me a thing to help me blend in some."

TDG: "In any case you aren't going to drive someone mad any longer, its just going to look like you're wearing a strange magical amulet"

WIR: "Wwhich is important," he nodded firmly.  "Thanks for testin --"  He gave a wry little grin.  "--you wwant one oa the little ones?"  He nodded to the ..shiny shiny sparklies.

TDG: ..he looked at the sparkly gemstones. ... he carefully picked a small one up. ".. I could have it set for my gentleman for christmas."

-EJ: "Fucking adorable.. . and I'm doing the same for dam." They're both really dorky for their mates. "And you should practice keeping that one open more often." Firm worry face.

-EJ: Somewhere in the distance a Very Small and Very Angry woman stomps towards the student cafe. She absolutely has legitimate reason to be here there's a conference later.

WIR: "Merry christmas," Vel gave a little grin.

WIR: Huh, angry lady, peripheral vision.  The dork pushed his sunglasses up a bit, and finished putting the rest of the crow skeleton into the box -- now all that was left was...whatever other stuff Karkat had wanted.  --oh, yeah, snail shell!  He transferred that over.

WIR: "Friend of mine thought people here wouldn't be into shiny crap.  He is full a shit."

TDG: "I dislike feeling woozy and there are a number of things in this city which do not like to be looked at" Everyone knows the real reason is you think its unattractive, Jake

"Thank you, Velius old boy, its lovely - and he absolutely is, thats bollux, everyone loves shiny things"

WIR: "Yeah!  I like evveryfin though so sometides its hard to tell if everybody else is gonna be into it."

-EJ: "Jake I swear to god I'm going to keep telling you you look very ha---"

And there we have it. "KRESHNIK VANTAS." She only calls him Kreshnik when she's annoyed at him, and it's clear she wanted him to know she was coming.

Kar stops mid-sentence, blinking with an open mouth and a finger up, before muttering, "Shit. Put those away." She might bitch about the illegal psychopomp skulls...

Carlotta's smile is sharp as daggers, her eyes narrowed as she makes her way to the table they were at. Not particularly imposing at 5'2 by height, but she makes it up in her personality. The way she moved was regal and still hinted at an underlying viciousness. "How /delightful/ I caught you here, /dear./ I thought I'd stop by so we could chat."

This is not an option, even though Kar is leaning his head in his hand and groaning. Please no. "Fuck I do to win your lovely company, ~your majesty~"

WIR: Velius turned his head, thoughtfully captchaloguing the remaining charms.  He didn't bother pretending he was stuffing them into his bag, into thin air they went.  "Kreshnik?" He chirped curiously.

-EJ: "Karkat." Irritated noises.

TDG: Jake blinked a little disjointedly with three eyes at the imposing approaching undead lady, and tied his bandana back around his forehead. No third eye here, hahahahaha, eheh. ha. "Good lord, old boy, no wonder you changed it."

WIR: "My name used to be Al,"

-EJ: "I never changed it. My name is karkat." That was what the orphanage named him anyway, they couldn't read his dad's calligraphy. His voice has that quiet growing anger to it as Carlotta approaches, shooing Vel out of the way.

"I thought I'd never find you, Kreshnik. It's been so /difficult/ to get ahold of you. I can only imagine why."

Kar's face colors and his ears go flat back. This fucking. She knows. "I couldn't tell you."

Literally.

"Christmas is a busy time, Carlotta. Why are you here."

She laughs lightly, bridging her hands on the table. "Oh I just was coming by for a seminar tonight, It's just absolutely smashing to meet your friends."

Hairy eyeball is directed at Jake, too. She can smellll his magic. Karkat looks like he's going to explode.

TDG: Jake gave her a sunny smile. "I'd offer to kiss your hand, madame, but I'm rather afraid that would be rude of me, considering. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintence, I'm afraid Karkat has been a bit of a blaggard and I dont for the life of me know who you might be though." It honestly didnt matter that he actually did know the name of Karkat's betrothed, he was quite happy to help.

-EJ: She's not his Betrothed!!! Internal Dhampir screaming. Carlotta smiles brightly, raising a brow. "Oh I like your manners better, Mr...?"

Karkat just bares his fangs in a grimace, "Carlotta D'Orsay. Vampire pain in the ass. Look if you want to talk we can do it somewhere else."

Why must he be so stubborn. She flutters her eyelashes and coos out "Oh how could you talk to your betrothed like that~"

Choke. :I= "Oh knock it the fuck off I'm already married and don't want the cookies you're selling, what do you /want/."

Her growl is so low it's practically sub sonic, "Oh, Kreshnik. I wanted to discuss a few of your...extra curricular. Hobbies."

TDG: "Jacob, madame." he  rose to his feet to give her a bow, wings spreading a little to balance him. "preternatural biologist and teaching assistant."

WIR: Velius didn't shoo well, but he'd happily sidle a few inches aside.  This would leave his arm on Carlotta's shoulders, but hey!  We're all buddies!

WIR: The tone of the conversation was setting his smile in a rather fixed way though, and Carlotta was rapidly losing points.

WIR: "Betrothed?  Wow, that sounds complicated!"

-EJ: "Oh I do declare, Jacob. I do prefer to address people by their last names, if you don't mind." A delicate looking hand takes Vel's arm off of her shoulder, with a polite smile marking it's passing. "Apologies, I don't often like to be touched." That's a lie she just doesn't want Vel touching her. He gives off Wrong.

"It was arranged by our fathers quite some time ago, clearly Karkat isn't quite enamoured with...any. Of his father's plans. But to be honest neither am I. I do take issue with certain dissappearances though."

Kar is the thinnest stretched wire, eyes narrowing as the hand on the table clenches into a fist. "How about we talk somewhere else."

TDG: "Rather a bit formal, and I'll spare you the lecture about giving up your name to a stranger, madame, I'm certain you already know it." a dimpled smile. It was just good habit not to give your full name to people, considering how much power names have when you give them away.

WIR: Velius was a teenage boy with bright hair and mostly black leather clothes, and he had the worst way of smiling sometimes.  He didn't object to the hand removal.  "Nah, I get that."

-EJ: "That I do, Mr. English. A delight. And you are, young sir?"

She snorts at Karkat, rolling her eyes. Who does he think she is? There's no cat out of the bag by innuendo.

"I'm perfectly comfortable discussing matters here, Kreshnik. Where else could we possibly go?"

Kar growls about his classroom, his temper is already flaring.

TDG: He gave her his winning smile. "Do you always make it a habit to read up on dear Karkat's associates?" He glanced at his fuming friend. "I dare say old boy, you ought to take a few breaths else you might do something you'll regret a good deal, we're all friends here."

WIR: "Velius," he answered.  "Velius Furoze.  Pleasure, I'm sure."  The boy with the slim smile extended a hand in her direction, moved it up and down as if it was being shaken, and dropped it again, to rest on the table next to the black pseudovelvet.

-EJ: Carlotta shrugs, noting the smile and the bristly way they react to her. Good. She knows who they are now, they're leverage. Good natured smiling! She's sweet as can be. Collecting her hands into a folded position, bright red eyes settle on Jake. "Of course I keep track of brilliant young Kindred! I've seen some of your work and I'[m rather impressed. Old habits, I suppose. "

Karkat spits on the ground and stands, he needs to walk a few feet away to breathe.

WIR: Velius decides to take a moment, to gently pluck some of the gemstones away from her arms' reach, and start rolling up the cloth to put it away for now.

TDG: Guiless bright green eyes smile into hers. "Have you! I've only got a couple of minor publications, I cant say many people have ever expressed that much interest in my career, although I suppose you might mean my rather vocal presence at the rallies?"

-EJ: Aw. No more shinies. "Kreshnik. Come now I can't have the prince walking away. I merely wished to express that the lost ones need to find the fold."

So she did know. Of course. Yay conflicting interests from two different sides. It's a wonder he doesn't have a meltdown. "Sheep get taken down by wolves all the time, sister." His voice is about as even as a boiling pot.

"As for you, Mr. English, I do say I rather enjoyed that as well~ I'd love for you to come down to the centers we run for self defense classes, I think it would do quite a few of the newly turned a world of good, don't you?"

Kar side-eyes Vel, he can only imagine what he thinks at this particular moment.

TDG: He settled and put his chin in his hand, considering her thoughtfully. " A bit of work on the side, or are you suggesting some charity? I'm quite happy to help the newly kindred, especially to gain control of the changes they've undergone."

-EJ: "We could certainly accomodate either, honestly. If you find it suitable."

Karkat is literally just. God damn that woman she can wiggle her way into everything. He's tired and too tired to properly argue, so eventually he sits back down adjacent from Carlotta, directly between Jake and Vel. This is a good spot to sit. Less murder occurs this way.

"I take it Fang made a good impression, then?"

TDG: "I would have to invest in some gloves if I'm to work with the damned." he noted.

-EJ: "It would truly be appreciated. Kreshnik, yes, quite a bit. I'm sure you know him Mr. English. The young man with a handprint."

She's got that glare working again, So tiny and full of anger.

-EJ: "Mr. Furoze, do you go to university here?"

TDG: "Ah yes, I do hope hes stopped going after people with bats." he murmured.

WIR: Velius had been keeping an impressively neutral air, for him, arms settled on the table edge.

WIR: "I've been looking at it.  Just a tourist for now, though."

WIR: He glanced to Jake.  "He's been doin a lot better, actually."

-EJ: "It's surprising what desparation and poor instruction would do to someone, Mr. English. So I see, Mr. Furoze. I can't quite pinpoint your accent, honestly. I'm usually quite good at it."

She looks pointedly at Kar, "He needs instruction, and I have hired him as per your request, he seems rather interested in vehicles. Do you intend to shirk your duties as master of the bloodline forever?"

Karkat is seething on the inside. It was easier when he was on the road and stabbing vampires. What is this new bullshit.

"Get off your high horse and wake up to the fact I'm /not a vampire./"

She sighs at him, drumming her fingers on the table. "I'm quite aware of your habits and opinons Mr. Vantas. I'm hoping to change them eventually."

Dying bat noises.

TDG: He gave Vel a geniune smile. "I'm glad to hear, fellows who are able to better themselves ought to see some reward for it. I'm not terribly interested in harrassing or hurting anyone who isn't doing any harm themselves." he grimaced. "The touch damage is a gosh darned nasty surprise. I rather didnt need to suddenly have to refuse handshakes unless I know a blokes species for certain."

WIR: "I get that a lot.  What makes Karkat the master of the bloodline, if he doesn't wwanna be?"

-EJ: "His father's death makes the bloodline default to him. There are a few other candidates but I see the most potential in Mr. Vantas."

Grumble grumble. Stabbed his dad and all he got was this shitty bloodline.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going to the meetings what more do you want."

Of course that makes ehr perk up more.

"Well, for one a face for people to see and relate to. Two stop doing what I know you're doing. It's not terribly hard."

-EJ: "I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. English, the transition to any species can be quite difficult. Hence I was asking if you'd be willing to contribute to the center. I think your expertise and, well to be blunt, chipper attitude, could do wonders for some of our other kindred bretheren."

-EJ: Such a chipper wiggle worm to get people to do what she wants.

TDG: He grinned at her eyes bright. "Well good gracious I certainly could take on a position, it would have to fit around my coursework of course. - is the little place with the glamour yours?"

-EJ: ...Wait a minute. "Mr. Furoze, were you the one that interceeded on Mr. Dilwicky's behalf? I owe you thanks, I wouldn't have a lovely new mechanic otherwise."

-EJ: Kar nods assent to Jake's question. "Yeah, that's hers. There's a couple of them throughout the city, from what I remember on the back of the card."

TDG: "It was rather instrumental in me learning to move properly again, I'd certainly be overjoyed to work with that organization."

WIR: Velius leaned on one elbow, shifting slightly to the side.  Still neutral, but less... Aggressively so.  "And without you, he wouldn't havve that new job he's excited about."

WIR: "...  Dude's got potential."

-EJ: "!!! Is that so? I'd love to have a testimonial from you for our website sometime, if you'd like?" Let's face it Jake is a lot more personable than Karkat and a good face for the organization.

"We would really appreciate it, regardless. I'll send you the phone number of my coordinator. And yes! He does. Mr. Stratham will be tutoring him so he can get his various certifications, but I certainly did like his enthusiasm. He's a bit like a very excited marshmallow."

Kar just raises an eyebrow, she's way too good at getting people on her side. Which is why she's a politician. "I don't think many vampires really want to see my Face, Lotta."

TDG: "If you're prepared for being somewhat put upon by the jewish sects if you put me out there at all, I'd be willing to give it a go- you dont think a nephil might dissuade some of your associates?" he was cheerful. This fit in with his plans perfectly, she would fast track some efforts. "- and let me know if you do need a good lawyer, for anything at all."

WIR: Velius wasn't fond of her yet, exactly, but he also wasn't a knife's edge away from wanting to poke a hole in her.  Baby steps.  ".. Real glad to hear that, miss.  Though I probably wwould'vve used a different word."

-EJ: "Oh? We do have some of the best, but I'm always willing to listen to reccomendations! And, well. I don't think many would be terribly offended and to be honest we /are/ trying to move beyond old and baseless hatreds. So I'd say yes, we'd like it quite a bit."

She shifts, smiling more at Vel. "Probably, but he's a very sweet young man. I'm glad I have the opportunity to have met him. I wonder if there is something I could repay you with?"

"As for you, Mr. Vantas. If you stopped with the Bella Lugosi mysteriousness and quit acting like the boogie man in the shadows perhaps you would have more success in being relateable." Huf.

TDG: "But then he would have to abandon the 90s blade runner mystique." Jake objected mildly while he turned over the rest of what she'd said in his mind.

WIR: "... He is, that.  I'm glad he has a second chance.  Or, like.  A first one.  Just treat him good."  He glanced between Carlotta and Karkat.  "... I think we'll be lucky if Karkat cools his jets, seems kinda early to wworry about his aesthetic."

WIR: "Like, insteada bein this high strung," he held up a hand around eyebrow level, "like a chihuahua in low orbit, maybe more like.."  he lowered it to chin level.  "--like this, like one on a plane."

-EJ: "I literally hate all of you."

He's trying not to laugh tho, fuck you Vel. Carlotta is laughing behind her hand because that was a damn good metaphor.

"I'm sure the world can do without one more bladerunner, Mr. English. The trenchcoat and dark glasses factories will just have to suffer."

"AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaafuckyoooouuu"

Agressively drink coffee. S o much of it.

"I think Karkat always runs a bit hot, honestly."

Ru fuckin serious Carlotta. Did you just make a Dhampir pun. Do u wanna fite.

WIR: ..okay, getting /Karkat/ to crack a smile at that one was a definite victory.  Velius allowed himself a tiny smirk, adjusting his giant purple sunglasses.

TDG: "One can only hope" What he was saying that to he left up in the air, but he was grinning. "Although you should see him in the mornings before his coffee, Its the lowest level of non 'cool' achievable."

-EJ: "I've been betrayed, what the hell is this shit. Et tu. Et tu motherfucker."

Carlotta is smiling like the Innocent Flower she is. Clever woman. "Oh I could only imagine, Mr. English. He must be a right boor."

"I'm an asshole, you just get to see it in all my natural glory."

WIR: "Evverybody can be," the strange teen opined.

TDG: "I say, I object, I'm absolutely always tip top." he insisted.

WIR: ..amused, disbelieving little grin.

-EJ: "Shut up I've seen you with a hangover you're a grumpy prick."

-EJ: Carlotta is far too entertained by this.

TDG: He sat his hand over his heart. "I sit here, me a pure and devine being, acused of this-"

WIR: ..tiny dimples, demure smile.

-EJ: "I agree with Mr. Furoze, everyone can be, some of us are more talented at it than others."

Soft huffing. "You come to my school, under my eatery roof..."

TDG: "I always do say it rather depends on who you would rather be, and I quite frankly would much rather be happy than a misirable lump." sunshiney smile.

WIR: "I'vve been workin on that for a while," Velius admitted.

TDG: "And look how well you're doing!"

WIR: ... He couldn't help snorting into his hand.

-EJ: "I so did not choose to be a tiny miserable dickhat."

TDG: "Well goodness gracious Karkat, why ever do you do it then?"

WIR: "... A dickhat wwould be pretty miserable if it wwas too small,"

-EJ: "It's my natural state, it is the default, its how i live and breathe i am the night why do you /question meeeee/"

TDG: "..I recall the tiny adorable bat meme.."

-EJ: "I'm nOT ADorable."

TDG: "You are /quite/"

-EJ: PUFF. UP.

-EJ: "I will /fight/ you."

TDG: "Jolly good! Right here?"

WIR: "I'll wwatch,"

-EJ: "I'll smack all the chipper out of your dumb face"

TDG: "I rather dont believe you can reach it from down there old boy"

-EJ: "I'm closer to hell and I got freinds on the other side"

TDG: ... He spread one wing and considered it, then Karkat. ".. The point remains"

-EJ: Carlotta is just. This idiot. How is she supposed to turn him into a useful figurehead.

-EJ: "Never I will climb the mountain."

TDG: "I believe in you" he insisted.

-EJ: "Mr. Furoze I think I'm going to expire if I try not to laugh any longer..."

WIR: "I'd just go wwith it, honestly, life's a lot easier if you do now an again."

-EJ: "Should we be taping a long montage shoot of me training to beat you down"

TDG: "Do you believe it would help?" he grinned

-EJ: She's just going to cackle. Quietly. This is probably the happiest she's seen Karkat. In som---okay ever.

WIR: "..hey, so, is it rude to ask what your deal is?  Like, I know you're like vampire princess or somefin."  Velius may as well talk quietly with the interloper while the daring duo has their dramatic conflict.

-EJ: Karkat gets up from the table to bat bat bat Jake's head like a cat. He's literally ten sometimes.

-EJ: Carlotta grins easily, watching the show, chin in hand. "Not at all, Mr. Furoze. I have reporters doing it all the time. I'm a princess, yes. It means I have an obligation as a political figure to attend to the well being of my people and all kindred kind. Its my goal to have kindred have equal footing with humans, here." Shes used to explaining her motives, it seems.

WIR: "Cool.  Sounds positivve.  Sucks that shit isn't there yet."  He leaned back slightly in his seat, finishing rolling up the shinies, and tucking them in his bag (re: sylladex).  The breadstick box of opal crow bones and snail shell was probably still out.

-EJ: "As they say, it is what it is. If i hqve any say it wont be for long. How in heavens name did you get fossilized crow bones,Mr. Furoze?" She's curiously eyeing them from her vantage point. Kar circles  purposely.

WIR: "I like opals a lot.  Pretty good at gettin my hands on them."

TDG: Jake raised his wings up over his head  and poked Karkat in the belly a couple of times. "Oy now, thats a bit of unfair, I'm sitting down. - coincidently madame, I'd very much like that myself-"

He still wondered if she really knew what she thought she knew. He'd always been very very careful as a hunter, one of the best, so how..

-EJ: "I know that's how I can reach, it's my secret strategy." Oof, wings. That didn't even hit him that hard. Kar needed a cig anyway, he lights it away from the rest of them for politeness' sake.

Carlotta hums, raising a brow. " Are you a pirate, then, Mr. Furoze?"

The best way to get information is to let them think you know. Hence she didn't have to confirm Karkat was killing off the remainders of Bardhyl's line. Much like she doesn't have to work hard to know Jake was the one who took down Fang and his friends.

"I rather think it's quite about time, Mr. English. Karkat, can I expect you at Wednesday's meeting?"

Wave her off with a nod.

WIR: The boy laughed outright at the question, shaking his head.  "Nah.  Just a nerd that travvels a lot."

TDG: "too right-" he produced a piece of paper and scribbled his number on it, offering it to the lady. "do be in touch about that position."

-EJ: "Mhmm. So I see, Mr. Furoze. I may pester you for your opal finding services later, hm?"

She accepts it, dialing into her phone with practiced grace, handing the paper back do Jake for disposal. "I'll message you about it after the seminar, dear. I do think I need to skedaddle for that, it's getting late."

Carlotta is like a moving statue, sometimes, all refined movements, smiling sweetly at the group. "Perhaps another time, then. Have a good night, gentlemen."

Kar waves her off, murmuring he'd see her on Wednesday.

WIR:  "Sure.  Havve a nice night, miss D'orsay."

TDG: Jake stood to give her another florish of a bow. " Do enjoy it!"

-EJ: And she's gone. Kar's back to rubbing his temples after he sits down again, slow roll of the shoulders. "So that happened."

WIR: Velius watched her go, not losing sight.

WIR: That was a dangerous human and he did not know what he thought about that just yet.  ... She reminded him of other princesses he'd known.

WIR: "Kinda.  You wanna pick out shiny rocks?"

TDG: "she seems fairly nice to me, terribly sharp lady, and public too! Good gracious, it means her records clean." he was cheerful.

WIR: "A bit pushy," was all Vel said.

TDG: "Not without reason, I'd imagine."

-EJ: "Are you trying to distract me with shiny things." Cos it'll work.

WIR: "Naut shore if we were finished with them yet is all."

-EJ: Kar shrugs, reaching for the third cup of coffee. He should be able to hear color soon.

-EJ: "She's a damn good politician, you remember the push she did in the summer, Jake. And yeah I could stand a few of the smaller stones for Dam, if you don't mind..."

TDG: "Was that her?" he was curious.

-EJ: "Yeah, a lot of it. She organized rallies and all sorts of shit. didn't you read the news?"

TDG: "-Oh! Well goodness I was at the rallies." he tsked at him.

TDG: "I'm not terribly up on whos who old boy"

WIR: "Probably a good person to know, then.  Depending."  He produced and unrolled the black cloth again.

TDG: "I'd rather think so." he beamed.

-EJ: "Hmph. Well, she was in there, and read the news you nard it's good for your brain. I was stuck home for most of it."

His face is neutral but he's such a liar liar pants on fire.

"Yeah. Depending is a good word for it. She's good at what she does. And I'm sure all of the knowledge of who's who will bleed to you because I will bitch about it. Loudly, and possibly nursing a beer."

Oooh and ahh over a pretty uncut opal, look how nice that would be for his husband...

TDG: "I'm certainly always willing to listen old boy, which is rather a good thing, considering- Ah, wait, I do believe I saw her once before now that I think on it.." right around the time the faeries tried to kill karkat.

WIR: "Everything's interesting."

TDG: "I've just never been terribly interested in politics beyond a few salient issues."

-EJ: "Told you. She gets around, so to speak." Those little pricks.

"Yeah, sometimes. I personally would very much like to not be interesting at all."

Point point to the two medium sized ones, can he have those?

"And gee i wonder why, Jake."

TDG: "Well I do get quite caught up in my own interests."

-EJ: "Neeeeerrrdd alert."

WIR: Velius waved it off.  He got some magic charms, and they were neat -- Kar can have them.

TDG: "I say old boy how is your collection of sappy romances doing these nights?"

WIR: Velius gave a small wry smile.

-EJ: :D "Thanks, I know Dam's going to love these set for earrings....And oh my god shut up. Shut your entire face,t hat face needs to shut itself entirely."

Huffing!!! :I ...He loved his trashy romance novels so much...

TDG: He laughed, joyously.

-EJ: He's getting such a grumping at.

TDG: "Do tell your friend I dont mean him any harm, would you?" Jake finally asked Velius.

WIR: He glanced Jakewards.  ".. Yeah?  You're sure?"

TDG: "I'm certain." He nodded. "Sometimes second chances are a godsend."

WIR: "Couldn't agree more."

-EJ: "Mm. Yeah. He's good." Implicit I'll take care of him in the not stabbed way inserted here.

WIR: "... though they can be hard to trust sometimes."

WIR: "I'll tell him, though."

TDG: "Hes not obliged to have anything to do with me, but the fellow shouldn't need to fear me." he shook his head.

WIR: ".. Thanks, man."  The notion earned Jake a little respect, even though he couldn't be completely sure if he should trust it.

-EJ: Karkat pat pats Jakes arm with a small smile. Lookit them dimples. Frick.

"Fang'll be fine. We'll have Carlotta to deal with if anything happens. And she's terrifying."

WIR: Little smile.

TDG: "She does seem to be quite capable to handle just about anything"

WIR: "I noticed she wwas ... curious.  About how his wweek had gone."

TDG: "Either shes quite invested, or it was a talking point to get you more at ease with her"

WIR: "Seemed like he wwas why she wwas here,"

TDG: He dimpled. "Then I suppose shes quite invested, or using him as a leverage tool."

TDG: "I'm a tad bit jaded, sorry old boy"

TDG: "I'm glad the fellows being taken care of"

-EJ: "There's the seminar, too. And hell if I know what that woman wants." He already knows fang's a leverage tool, it's why he started going to meetings at all.

WIR: "That's a kind of invvested."

TDG: "it certainly is." he allowed.

-EJ: "Shit's so invested she should be a bank in Sweden."

WIR: "Funny that she thought I wwas a pirate."

TDG: "We dont actually have too many of those here, it was likely a joke." he explained.

WIR: "More common wwhere I'm from, then."

TDG: "Is it? Are you?" he looked interested.

WIR: "/I'm/ naut, but I know one online."

WIR: "..of course, like, demonstrations like you guys wwere talkin about would be considered active rebellion, so the line might be lowwer."

TDG: "Thats delightful, what are they like? Are they blaggards?" cheerful bright curiousity. "Is it! the people have a voice and they must speak old boy."

WIR: "Fun parties,"

WIR: That was a good way to summarize Sparks, Vriska, and Nadaya, right?

TDG: ..completely puzzled questioning look.

WIR: ".. It really, really vvaries dude."

TDG: "Ah, well then, fair enough I suppose!"

WIR: "..but, they all know what they like, an how to get it fast, wwhich makes for interestin advventures."

TDG: "a fairly good trait I would think, I do love adventure! .. on the legal side of it of course, hunting grizzlies for instance."

WIR: "Vvisitin here is the most advventure I'vve had in a wwhile."

TDG: "- done anything terribly interesting?" he tilted his head.

WIR: "Besides meet Fang?"  Wry halfsmile.  "..been absorbin a lot of culture, an makin to-do an to-get lists.  Tryin things to see if they'll discourage more dudes from tryin to pick on me."

TDG: "I'm certain you can give them what for if any blaggards set upon you." he encouraged him.

WIR: "I know that, but I need to get better at naut hurting them if they try.  Or, you know, makin them naut try."

TDG: He snorted at that and waved a hand. "Thats a bit of a trick isn't it? Sleep spells are rather a favorite of mine, although you've of course not heard that"

WIR: "I'm sure."  He wondered if he'd hypothetically seen one before.  ... Probably.  "Most of wwhat I'vve got is a bit...dubious, so I stick to mundane shit.  Simpler, easier."

-EJ: "I fear the day you discover extreme sports, Jake ." pictured: Karkat screaming while latched onto Jake while jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. "And I dunno being a swashbuckler like the pirates of Penzance wouldn't be so bad."

-EJ: "Also what's dubious." Squinting at the vel

WIR: "--oh, oh, extreme ironing!  Discovver that one first,"  Bright cheerful grin.

WIR: And then .. a grimace, and a nose-wrinkle, and a sidelong glance at Karkat.  "I havve game powers, but they're all like.  Brain shit.  Wwhich, morally speakin, is useless in a fight."

TDG: "..Extreme.. ironing?" he questioned, giving Velius the most confused look he could muster up. "I rather say extreme sports sounds right up my alley but I cant for the life of me imagine what extreme ironing might be."

WIR: "It's like normal extreme sports, but with the satisfaction of a wwell-pressed shirt," he quoted their motto with resuming cheer.  "--image search it sometime!  Dudes on mountain tops, in the middle of scalin a cliff face, skydivin, ridin hings -- wwhile ironin a shirt."

TDG: "..I am intruiged and now wish to try this."

WIR: "I'd come if you did," On the one hand, Jake was weird.  On the other, they had too much in common, and /extreme ironing buddy/.

TDG: "I do have an entire winters break!" he grinned. "I'm certain I could at least arrange to attempt to iron while sky diving."

WIR: Thoughtful little chirp.

WIR: Velius has never jumped out of an operational plane, that is true...

WIR: "..the hard part with skydivin is probably keepin it from flyin off, I think,"

TDG: "Whats life without a bit of challenge to it." He gave him a wild grin, he was serious. He ..might be an adrinaline junky.

WIR: Velius had not considered the possibility that Jake might be joking.  He was just as bad.  "Yeah!"

TDG: "I'll have to take a looksee whats available to book for it and what all we'll need, do you have a contact old boy? You said tumblr?"

WIR: "Tumblr, yeah -- let me know, okay?"

TDG: "I certainly will- I suppose it'll give me an excuse to log on."

WIR: "Could probably do some pretty good sky-ironin with just like, flight, too,"

TDG: "Not nearly as exciting." he demured.

WIR: "True."

-EJ: "You two idiots jump out of planes, I'm staying on the ground. Where I am not going to die....maybe." Hell no he's not gonna fly. :I

TDG: "You're a terrible spoil sport old boy, wheres your sense of adventure?"

-EJ: "On the ground." Stick tongue out at him. So mature.

WIR: "Can you do the mist trick?" Vel asked.

WIR: "..cause, like, if you can, technically fallin is not dangerous for you.  Right?"

-EJ: "Nope, no mist. I'm still half alive." That and he hasn't tried it. Something spooks him about using creepy fullblood powers.

WIR: "Well, okay, then naut jumpin outta planes makes sense."

TDG: "... can you fly old boy?" he asked vel, as things correlated in his mind.

WIR: The human-seeming boy shrugged and nodded.

WIR: "Like, it wwould be cheatin, but it's a nice backup plan."

TDG: He considered his wings. "Well my grandmother /has/ been trying to teach me."

TDG: "I cant imagine they wont look at me a bit oddly for it."

WIR: "Gettin the parachute on straight and like, keepin instincts from makin you go--"  he spread his arms wide, hands fanning as if they had feathers.  "--might be a little rough too."

TDG: "It would rather be wouldn't it?" he mused.

TDG: "I do like a challenge"

WIR: "--Oh!  Do you havve a phone?  There's a vvideo I havve to send you, it like -- shows how the board can work for skyronin,"

TDG: "I certainly do." he took his phone out of  the ubiquitous backpack under the table.

WIR: He's apparently decided that 'sky-roning' is the verb for this.

WIR: After acquiring the number and looking off into space through his sunglasses for a second, Jake would receive a text from Velius's skype.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MV7-tMrbiM

TDG: He broke out into a grin as the cheerful music started, intently watching the video. "Jolly good! I'll have to look that up- which one of us ought to do the ironing?"

WIR: "The parachute'll take up most of your backspace, so if you wwere the boarder, you could like, wrap them around you in the front -- so you doin the ironin wwould be the harder way," he grinned.

TDG: "You are quite selling me on the idea of ironing." he grinned.

WIR: Velius laughed at him.  "--there's other wweird sports out there though.  Ask me any time and I'll tell you about a new one, ironin is just my favvorite."

WIR: Jake's phone beeped again.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5TQSKmS3o

TDG: He played the video, paying attention for a bit then looking dissapointed. "I was rather hoping it was more like full sized battle chess."

WIR: "If you had enough dudes, you might be able to set somefin like that up," thoughtful noise.

TDG: "- it would be a rather good show if we did" his wings perked up expressively "each attempt to take another piece resulting in a round of boxing for dominance of the square."

WIR: "Sounds more like battle checkers, since like - the pieces aren't that different,"

TDG: "I disagree old boy- in checkers a piece is jumped, in chess they actually take the square"

-EJ: Karkat is content to listen to the nerds ramble for a bit, idly messaging damien. "Could they do team battle chess? I'll do the punching."

TDG: "I'd set you in the knights position old boy, so you could do the one two on a few blokes."

WIR: "Imagine if you put some big heavvy in like, a pawn, or one of the royals though -- they'd nevver get beat."

TDG: "They'd be a royal as soon as they reached the other side in any case- keeping in mind the other side will be thinking the same."

WIR: "Fairest wway to do it wwould probably be gather the dudes, then pick teams one by one, assignin board position on the fly."

TDG: "The more compedative way would be to allow them to build their teams themselves, we would have to set some rules as to unfair fighting tactics.."

WIR: "Wweight classes."

TDG: "- thats a thought, as well, it would make certain certain positions were properly apointed.."

WIR: A soft whistle -- Jake's phone beeped again.  http://combatchess.wikia.com/wiki/Human_Combat_Chess

TDG: "How even are you doing that old boy?" he thumbed at his phone.

WIR: "... Computer glasses.  Sorry."

TDG: "Ah! What a terribly interesting innovation- where do they put the electronics?- good gracious this is laid out nearly exactly as we were describing I wonder if they have anyone practicing it here-" scroll scroll

TDG: "- shoot it appears to be more theator than an actual todo"

TDG: Soft grump. "We'll jolly well have to organize a real one."

WIR: Velius took the glasses off, long enough to indicate slightly wider parts of the glasses frames, and the bridge piece.  "..Real small."

WIR: "Oughta be interestin if you get it goin.  I probably oughta not, I'm not real nice in a fight."

TDG: He stopped paying attention to his phone to lean over and curiously look at the glasses. "My goodness they would have to be wouldn't they? I cant even imagine how they managed that. - mores the pity, although I was thinking about making it fisticuffs only, and no cheap shots"

WIR: "Yeah, I'm tiny and I know it."  He shrugged.

WIR: "Cheap shots are a wway of life."

TDG: He laughed. "Fair enough, I suppose some of us can afford to be more chivalrous than others."

WIR: "It's actually kinda interestin in like -- mundane timelines, where its just humans.  Evverybody's got such an evven playin field, it's ridiculous."

TDG: "I actually have a terribly difficult time imagining an earth without magic." he shook his head. .. no he didn't, that was the ideal he worked toward for years of his life, a place with no magic, where everyone was safe from the monsters.. and now he thought of it as a place drained of life and spark.

WIR: "I havve a friend that livves in one, their big like, yelling sport is humans vs trolls instead a humans vs kindred though."

WIR: "..an there's one wwhere it's humans vvs mutants..."  soft thoughtful noise.

TDG: "..Its an abysmal thought that we always seem to see the need to set ourselves oppositional to someone" ourselves he said, but he was kindred..

WIR: "It's how people wwork.  I only know of one wweirdly idyllic timeline, and it's like -- freshly colonized, so shit just hasn't had time to brew yet."

WIR: "An even their little utopia is havvin troubles with their kindred."

TDG: "..oh?" he leaned forward, setting his phone aside and watching Velius curiously.

TDG: His eyes were large and a curious bright green colour that he would insist till he was blue in the face was a perfectly natural colour for eyes to be.

WIR: Velius saw nothing wrong with this, same as Karkat's eyes.  "Yeah, like -- they knew about humans, and trolls, and carapacians -- wwhich are like these little bug guys that are a little slow -- so when they were creatin a new universe for their species to repopulate, they decided why naut go all in, and make one where all three kinds are equal."

WIR: "...and unbeknownst to anybody, the planet they ended up on had fae on it."

WIR: "So now like, property disputes."

WIR: "And a /lot/ a stolen kids, apparently."

TDG: "..That sounds absurdly complecated- ah, yes" he looked embarrassed. "There are a number of fae who will steal unattended children, they're fairly famous for it."

WIR: "Well, univverse shit usually is.  Is there any good wway to like, make those guys back off?  Aside from havvin the bigger stick."

TDG: "Oh yes certainly." he dug under his shirt and put a finger over his lips "I do not have this of course but-" he showed an amulet made of a dried four leaf clover pressed between two  pieces of glass. "This is a glamour breaker, they are ridiculously easy to make, but for obvious reasons the fae get quite irate if you carry one on you. Other than that, let me think- salt of course will keep them out of any building, a line across the entry ways- if you carry a pocket full of nails they can be thrown and they will burn them but its quite unkind and they will never forget it.. there are charms involving a few things including the iron nails that you can bury in your yard for protection."

TDG: "Iron of any kind disrupts their magics."

WIR: "Do you know a like, good book to reccomend on all that?"

TDG: Oh no. Oh no hes asked him about books, watch that grin grow, excitment almost palpable. "- I can recommend any number of good volumes, although some of my favorites are quite rare and you'll need to go to a specialty store to obtain them, as the fae like to destroy the more useful ones but-" he began to rattle off titles.

TDG: Each suggestion was appended with some jolly commentary about what particularly each book had the best in it.

WIR: Velius tilted his head slightly, taking notes on his glasses.  After a while --  "... I'd probably trade you shinies if you could find me copies of these things, especially the glamour breakers."

TDG: He adjusted his glasses and considered Velius. "..Some of these books are /quite/ expensive- how did you say you came by your opals again?"

WIR: "I didn't, cause it doesn't make any sense without time travvel."

TDG: "..good gracious. do tell."

WIR: "Opals are some of the only gems that don't need like -- high heat or pressure to make.  All they take is a geologic amount of time, some wwater, and some really, Really fine-grain sand."

WIR: "So I made a machine, an me an a friend get together sometimes to practice.  We're gettin better!  I can do most colors, dark colors are harder, fossilization's simple."

WIR: "Inclusions, too."

-EJ: Karkat raises a brow, resting his chin on his hand. Two dorks discussing their favorite things is pretty cute. ...He's totally playing with the crow skull....

-EJ: "So...is it a time machine or."

WIR: "Nah.  My friend does that part.  The machine just adds in the wwater an sand at the right rates.  An I got other ones to get the sand just right."

WIR: "..basically a fancy terrarium for time travvellers that like shinies."

-EJ: "Huh. Well that's. Really interesting. There's people where you come from that manipulate time?"

-EJ: Mildly terrifying.

WIR: "Yeah.  Other game powwers."

WIR: "Sparks got a command line interface for reality."

TDG: He steepled his fingers and set his chin on his thumbs, pointer fingers pressed over his lips, and considered Velius for a while.

TDG: ".. if I give you skulls to opalize for me, you can?"

WIR: Cocky grin.

WIR: See, Jake's got it.

WIR: "A cat or somefin got that crow somewhere in manhattan a week or so back," he offered to Karkat.

WIR: "So it's like... legit from here, if that matters."

TDG: "Never mind that the lot of you are gods, the opalization is intruiging and useful.- we'll start with my basalisk skull and claws. I'd like the skull in white and the claws in black. That should cover my fees."

-EJ: "It might, I'll putz with em and see if magic reacts funny. I'm not going to stick them in something important till I can make sure."

WIR: "..dude, basilisk?  Cool.  I could show you some samples so you could pick which sand I used.  An like -- sometimes, bits just go wrong a little bit, so there might be sections that are slightly different colors, or that end up more stoney than gem-y.  ..That alright?  You can see like, a little piece here."  He pointed out a small place on the crow where the gem was poking out of more ordinary-looking stone.  ..still perfectly fossilized, but less shiny.

WIR: "I'd be curious how it reacts.  ..or if there's like, things that I could add to the machine that'd change how they work for that."

TDG: "It would be absolutely splended either way old boy." he grinned. "if Karkat can verify magical usefulness I make give you a number of smaller ones to use for grisgris.."

-EJ: "Mm. You should experiment with himalayan salt and other basics. Brick dust, black sand, groo dust, all good for keeping shit out. It'd be interesting any how."

TDG: "..if they could all be infused .." he made thoughtful sounds.

-EJ: "Could make a good charm for clearing auras or keeping evil energies and spirits away." Stir stir stir coffee idly.

WIR: "I'd havve to cut it up real fine to fit it in -- and it'd change the background color of the stone a lot, maybe make them opaque...  ...I'll poke at it though, definitely."

TDG: "I'll give you a raven skull and the components for a test run before you do the basalisk." he offered.

WIR: He chirped softly, before fishing around in his bag for a bit, and producing a small black opal.  It glinted in golds and greens, but it was murky, milky, and had a few large stoney imperfections inside.  "The sand this came from wwas black, if that means anyfin."

TDG: "bone becomes extremely frail over time, the primary concern over beauty is perminance" he explained.

WIR: "Opal has a surprisin amount of water still left in it -- a straight stone fossilization wwould probably store betta."

TDG: "- but theres still the beauty aspect" he laughed. "I admit I do want opal"

WIR: "Long as you don't plan to keep it somewwhere extremely hot, cold, or dry, it'll last forevver.  I'vve always liked these things.  ..but, yeah, I can do test runs.  Test run in exchange for like, a cheaper book?"

-EJ: "Hum, not a bad idea..."

TDG: He nodded. ".. I'll go ahead and begin getting the expensive ones, I'll have to make some calls, I'll keep a ledger of expenses so you know what you've gotten." He remembered to tuck his glamour breaker away. "..the breakers are easy but also a pain, especially this time of the year, with the delicate plants all dead. I'll have to buy premade."

TDG: You had to devote so many hours crawling around a field of clover looking for the rare four leafers.

WIR: "I'm mostly interested in how-to's for the glamor breakers."

TDG: "Ah! well then. .. you crawl around in a field of clover for hours harvesting the extremely rare four leafers, then you arrange them on the pages of a book and close it with something heavy on top of it for a matter of a few weeks- and then embed them into a pendent however your heart desires."

TDG: "a pouch full of rowen berries or pieces of ash tree will also work, but the clover grants fair luck against the spirits of mischief as well."

WIR: "I'll keep an eye out then."

WIR: "If there was a clover that was like -- absolutely huge, would it be able to covver like, a room with that shit?"

-EJ: "mmm. I dunno, I never tried it before."

TDG: "Do you mean to set it into the floor?" he tilted his head.

WIR: "Probably, yeah."

-EJ: "Interesting thought, why would you want to do that?"

TDG: "..if you are building a room I suggest putting a line of himalayan salt bricks all along the wall and through the door so that when its closed it completes the circuit."

WIR: "I babysit for a kid that livves in 'steal the babies' land."

WIR: "I'll keep that in mind, dude, thanks."

TDG: "They have the advantage of being quite attractive to look at, as well." he gave his head a shake, considering. "I will have to make some calls and lean on my favors- this is exciting I do love hunting up books."

-EJ: "I'd get the kid wearing iron things, bracelets, rings, stuff like that."

TDG: "Cold forged is best if you can find it." he offered.

WIR: "Shore will -- thanks, again."

-EJ: "Sorry, we're fonts of wierd information. And shennanigans."

TDG: Jake stood with a stretch pop. "I should darned well go get those components if we're going to do this, it shouldn't take me too long, with your leave old boy."

-EJ: "Yeah, yeah. I should probably get home, Gabe is going to want kisses before bed."

WIR: "Yeah, catch you later.  Thanks, guys!"

WIR: Velius rolled up the opals again.

WIR: "Don't forget your breadsticks," he gave Karkat a grin, and elbowed gently in the direction of the breadstick box full of crow opals.

TDG: "Any time." he grinned.

-EJ: Kar snickered, takin g the box and stickiing it in his backpack for later. "Thanks, kiddo. Have a safe trip back."

WIR: He waved, standing finally, and heading out, back the way he came.  .. He kept a curious eye out for Fang.

TDG: Fang sashayed up beside him as soon as he was far enough away from those guys, hands in his pockets idly.

-EJ: Kar pats Jake's shoulder, heading off to the transport bads.

TDG: Jake wandered himself off to head for a couple of hippy shops for a few things to hand off to Vel next time they met up.

WIR: "Hey, wwelcome back -- neat lady, Ms. D'orsay."

TDG: "I'm pert damned certain shes a fuckin saint." he set a hand over his heart.

WIR: "Yeah, she wwanted to yell at Karkat about you."

TDG: That was a delighted smile. "Yeah? I wasn't too far off, I saw her goin up after him."

WIR: It was nice that Fang had a scary friend now, whether she was legitimately looking after him /for him/ or not.  He gave a friendly little shoulder push.  "Kickass.  Smiley guy wanted me to tell you he had like, no hard feelings and wasn't planning on being a problem for you."

TDG: He snorted softly at that and rubbed at the scar on his arm. ".. his touch is fucking fire, and I had to heal that shit in real time like- it wouldnt fast heal the way other stuff does.." to be honest if he took enough blood he probably could have pushed it. probably.

WIR: Blood was problematic in its own ways -- at least, when the lovely lady from the red door wasn't on speed dial.

WIR: "Yeah, he said it took a while to get used to that.  Apparently he's learned naut to shake hands without askin dudes their species though."

TDG: He snorted and walked along, thinking to himself for a bit. ".. bloody damned well should.  I donno if I believe him, but thanks for sayin"

WIR: "Yeah, I haven't really gotten a handle on him yet either.  For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure none of the three are gonna try anythin you don't like in the immediate future."

TDG: He let out a breath. "At least theres that- so far shes a damned far sight better'n the boss ever was, to work for."

WIR: "Yeah?  Sweet.  She seems pretty interested in like, equality and shit."

TDG: "I'll be honest I dont even care much about her politics, just how I'm treated." he admitted. "fuck knows it'd be nice though.."

WIR: "Good combo.  For the record, if she asks about me, I don't care either way if you givve like blow-by-blows of the museum montage or whatever."  Fang didn't know anything too special.

TDG: "Huh, alright- didnt figure there was much of anything to tell." he shook his head.

WIR: "Probably naut, but I don't think she's sure what my deal is."

TDG: "Anything you want me to say specific like?"

WIR: "Nah.  She's your boss, dude, do whatevver."

TDG: "Good, cause I'm pretty shit at lying"

WIR: He grinned.  "And I am okay with that."

TDG: "Ha. Where to?"

WIR: "Let's stop by a charm shop on the wway to a circle,"  A short day, but a good one.  Fang would be paid for the time Vel was talking with the necromancer and company as well as the rest -- even though Fang wasn't visible, he was still around.

TDG: "Hm! sure, I can find you a place- sorry for bailin on you earlier.."

WIR: "Nah, it's weird shit, and you came back."

TDG: "Course I did I wasn't leaving you alone with them"

WIR: "And that's wwhy I like havvin you around, dude."

TDG: "..what cause I didnt fuck completely off?"

WIR: "Yeah.  You're solid, evven when shit gets a bit outta your range.    I shoulda realised he'd have smiles around anyways."

TDG: " its not your fault we've got history" he shrugged.

WIR: "Nobody's fault."

TDG: "Ha! Pretty sure its mine."

WIR: Little grin.  "You didn' know any betta at the time, an I bet for sure you wouldn't try it on him again."

TDG: "I sure as shit wont, do you know how rare angels get is though?" he shook his head.

WIR: "Probably decent street cred to havve a scar like that."

TDG: "-you think so?" he looked at him curiously.

WIR: "I don't know for sure, but you were in a fight with a dude whose touch /literally burns/, so like,"

TDG: "Ha, yeah I guess fuckin so, mostly seems to make the lady protective."

WIR: "Nothin too wrong with that."

TDG: "..Some of them are like that, 'parently. Youre supposed to take care of the new turned- it aint just for our sakes either cause like.. we can get really wild if we starve."

WIR: "Makes sense to me.  Sounds like old boss didn't care too much about trouble around here."

TDG: "Nah, he was doing a hostile take over- and fuck knows it could be he didn't have time, but I doubt it." he walked along with him quiet a moment then. "I've got nearly as much claim as Vantas to being head of the line. But hes more'n twice my age and actually knows what the shit hes doing and has a chance of surviving."

TDG: Vantas did not look anywhere near that old.

WIR: "Yeah?  I wondered.  A lot of that'll be different in a couple years though, and he doesn't wwant it."

TDG: "Yeah cause there aren't many of us left- an I dont really blame him, his old man had us all huntin his ass. Well not me specifically, but I knew shit."

WIR: "Rough shit."

TDG: "not a good place to be caught between." he shrugged.

WIR: "Yeah."  Being hunted like that was somehow foreign to Velius, and different from the ways he'd been hunted before.  Maybe it was having coordination and someone behind it.  "You and him getting along any betta, or still tense as shit?"

TDG: "..he seems to really wanna fix shit, which I dont understand at all. Maybe cause shes watching, maybe not."

WIR: "Somewhere between 'people are watchin now' and 'legit guilt trip', I think."

TDG: "huh. Wouldnt think anyone would feel guilty over me"

WIR: "Some dudes are soft touches if they get too close."

TDG: "Its a motherfuckin christmas miracle."

WIR: "Yeah!  Hell of a season for it," cheerful grin.

TDG: "Just call you nick or something." he shook his head but he was smiling. "c'mon shops this way"

WIR: The teen in the black leather grinned at him, stuck his hands in his pockets, and followed along.  Not the worst night.

[damnedbones]

Yiker gang.