#Alucar arc

[knavestrolls]

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[alacarhelsng]

A New Lease on Life

His hands felt like a collection of cramping muscles by the time he stepped away from the keyboard. The pain radiating up his arm as he did his best to massage the aching muscles did absolutely nothing to help his rising temper. Why was he even helping this piss-poor collection of mid and high-bloods. It would have been easier to watch the fallout and make deals with the carrion feeders that would inevitably show up afterwards. Of course then he wouldn't have the best life broker in his pocket, which he was willing to do almost anything for. Even risk the chance of the sun rising while he traveled just so he can be there before the "not a rainbow drinker" returned. Today was already off to a wonderful start.

6 hours later and he found himself sitting against a stone wall, hiding from the blistering death of the sun in shade that was hardly habitable. Harvey had come to check on him when he first arrived, having sprinted a good distance to avoid incineration and left a heaving panting mess because of it. He was offered something cool to drink and never addressed again which was more than fine by Alucar, even if all it left him to talk to was a dead girl. The body of said girl being held somewhere nearby presumably but her wrecked carcass was of little concern to him. What peaked his interest was the spirit that was gliding about leaving behind threads of ethereal force that he could and would pull on when the time came. To most people she would register as maybe a draft at most. Some would be able to see her as the wraith she was but he was different. What he saw was her, wraith and the threads of life that held her in this world. Threads of many colors clung to her and drifted away into ephemeral wisps of glitter. Most of the strands that clung to her where pitch and scarlet leaving him to believe that bringing her back would be a terrible mistake. Though on the off chance that he was making an unfair assumption....

"You know, your quads are going through a lot for you. They are even willing to make a deal with the devil all for your sake, isn't that heartwarming?" The way she focused on him was somewhat surprising, it was almost as if she had knew he could see her this whole time.

"I only have one quad and he's not here. What are you talking about, deal with the devil? What are you doing?"

"OH? Vladir is a drunken mess, Harvey is barely keeping up with niceties and Bea is killing someone just for you. I must have made an assumption."

"Oh Vladdy...Poor man's lost without me. Killing for me isn't new, though it's new that it'd be Harv's moirail. Why?"

"That has to do with the first question you asked, you see they made a deal with the Devil. And I am that devil."

"Devil this, devil that. You've got a big ego don't you, little man?"

"When you come from nothing and Ego is a lot to have, though I suppose you know a lot about egos. Seeing as yours put you here in the first place."

"My ego isn't what put me here, that'd be a bullet. At least pretend to know the story, dick."

"Oh dear, I seem to have upset the dead assassin, tell me. How did you fuck up that badly?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, little red?"

"Not at all little miss botched, I was simply being polite to the dead."

"If that's your polite, I fear for any of your quads."

"I suppose you would know how to treat your quads with the only one being a drunken mess because of you? A token role model you must be."

"Must be nice to think you can control your quads even after death."

"Must be nice to hide behind your failure by being dead."

"Everyone dies eventually. That's how life works."

"Then you have a poor grasp of life."

"Oh good you're insane. You could have saved us both this conversation if you started with that."

"I may be insane but you'll soon understand what I meant and I hope you don't condemn your friends for their actions."

"Yeah I'm not talking to you anymore." Which was fine by him, she was beginning to get under his skin. His first instinct about bringing back the bratty assassin was probably correct and he was gonna regret it, but he was gonna to make her suffer on the way back just as much.

Fittingly he began here the heavy footfalls of the beast that kept Bea's company. And just like that his body had been delivered to him.

"Here's your body, you better follow through."

"I will I will." He dismissed her with a wave of the hand and made his way over to the body that was still warm from being outside, or having been recently alive. It didn't matter as much as the rapidly degrading strands of life that were melting away from this woman's body. If it had none the transfer would be risky at best and final at worst. This was acceptable, even if it wouldn't hurt as much as he would have like still....

His hand snapped out and grasped ahold of seemingly nothing. To his eyes though, now a full burning red that engulfed them from tip to tip, he was grasping onto the phantom threads connected to the aggravating specter. She cried out first in shock and then rage and violence as he began to drag her towards the corpse. The shriek, as he began cutting into her very soul with her own thread of life, intensified until even Bea and Harvey could hear the unholy sound reverbing throughout the cave. The threads ate into Alucar's hands causing gashes and cuts to appear as if on their own and the pain that shot through him wasn't much better. Though the smile on his face was, as the ghost had so nicely described, insane while he dragged the struggling spirit closing and closing bit by bit until finally the cave was silent.

"Congratulations!" Alucar spoke in a much too cheery tone, typing a phantom bow onto her chest. "Welcome to your new lease on life."

@knavestrolls

[knavestrolls]

Awry

“There are seven more calls from today.” Syhren leans over her desk, offering the other troll the now rather hefty stack of manila folders.

“Something about this time of year..” Vladir muses, taking the folders far too slowly and not even getting them a glance.

“You think winter brings out the blood-thirsty?” She turns her back to him, something that’s come much easier with sweeps, and opens the filing cabinet behind her. There’s more of those folders here- organized by time, name, and service. True to his musing, there does seem to be more within the winter areas. Syhren rolls her eyes and pulls out the file from yesterday, deciding to keep this knowledge to herself. “I’ll have to run out on this one today. I hear there’s a carnival in town. I want to visit it after.”

“Fun. I’ll skip it.”

“You always do.”

“I’ve seen enough clowns in my life. Now I have you and that’s enough.”

“Excuse me?”

“A small little clownfish, all to myself.”

“One day your matesprit is going to call me to get you and I’ll take that job happily.”

“You’d miss me too much. Besides, who would play your silly little games with you? Your moirail- oh wait. My bad.”

“That was low, even for you.” Despite her words, she doesn’t appear to be hurt by his. She slides her folder into her briefcase and dons her newest beret. There’s something exciting in looking cute, even if the target will never see her. Just to be petty, she hits him with the briefcase by ‘accident’ on her way out of the office. It’s just past nightfall and the moons shine so sweetly off the silver of her case.

Syhren travels as most people who don’t want to be tracked do- by foot. Right until she’s within range, then she buys a taxi and pays cash-in-hand to avoid any trail. This is far from her first hit, but the adrenaline builds up all the same. Her ride brings her to the other side of the bustling city and lets her out in an empty alleyway. It’s filthy there, with pieces of things she’d rather not ponder. She’s quick to leave that alley, jumping up to the first windowsill she can reach.

It takes several jumps but soon enough she’s on an outlooking roof- there’s a higher option if this fails her but it seems fine enough. Syhren opens the briefcase to take out a soft cloth, laying it down against the hard surface of the cement. She pats herself down, dusting herself of anything she may have picked up on the way up, before laying down flat against the cloth. The cloth can always be washed but it’s much easier to keep everything packed up nicely if only one side gets particularly dirty. After laying down she pulls out the folder, double checking her target, before taking out the most important- and her favorite- piece from her briefcase. A sniper rifle. The rifle is beautiful to her, long with a deep purple shine that matches her own. The sight is a garish red that stands out and there’s a small charm of a milkbeast that hangs off the stock. Waiting for the shot doesn’t take long at all. The target is predictable with a schedule that she scoped out herself. All it takes is a deep breath and a pulled trigger. Flawless, as always. Or it should be.

The shot itself is fine. One directly through the temple, between and just above the eyes. A smooth shot that has no problem continuing past her target, embedding itself in the wall now stained with teal blood. All of that is fine. What she wasn’t prepared for was the psionics that followed. The target didn’t have any but apparently their companion did. Before she can put the rifle away it blows up in her hands. There’s a loud ringing and then she can’t hear anything, eyes fuzzy with a mixture of blood, sweat, and tears. Syhren’s not sure if she’s in pain, she can’t feel anything. What she does know is that there’s far more purple than she’s comfortable seeing. She reaches over to her phone, knowing it’s her last hope. At least the psionic doesn’t seem to realize she’d survived the initial blast. Only one hand responds to her and she can only manage a few words before it falls limp and all goes dark.

Retail ai ton. Hurt. Hell.

[knavestrolls]

There’s pain in her forehead she can’t attribute to anything she knows. Or really, nothing she has she can attribute to anything she knows. Syhren is taller than she’s ever been, and more dissociated with her body than she ever wanted to be. Though, could she even call this prison her body? She may be tied to it eternally, but she had no choice in this. Speaking of choices, there was one made as soon as she could get the screaming to stop. Beatrx and Harvey? Syhren would never speak to them again- and if she had anything to do with it, neither would her Vladdy. 

It takes her longer than she’d like to get used to walking in this new body. Harvey hovers around her like he’s trying to help but she’s had enough of his type of ‘help’. A blessing in disguise that Beatrx doesn’t even attempt, too busy arguing with the bastard that tied her to this body. There’s absolutely no way to describe the way that looking at her own dead body makes her feel. Syhren does her best to ignore every awful urge and just take her phone off her dead body. Surprisingly, it’s still got a little juice left. -beautifulFatality began trolling businessMan- [bF]: Vladir, something awful has happened. [bM]: How did you get this account? [bF]: Back closet, three rows down, you keep a set of earrings you’ve been too nervous to give to Harvey for the last three sweeps for Quadrant’s day. [bF]: You hide them in a briefcase that’s literally so empty it rattles with the box in there. [bM]: Sy? [bM]: I thought you said you were above haunting technology. [bF]: It’s so much worse than that. [bF]: Do you know what your matesprit has done to me? [bF]: I’m 2 feet taller than I’ve ever been. [bM]: No… [bM]: Harv wouldn’t- he knows what that means are you.. [bF]: Harvey apparently would to save his fucking moirail. [bF]: He had some deal with the bastard who did this to me. [bF]: I don’t even know what they’re doing with my actual body- I grabbed my phone from it and now they’re taking it away. [bF]: Come grab me. [bF]: I refuse to be around these assholes anymore. [bF]: I don’t even know what this means for me. [bM]: Is the necromancer still around? [bF]: Yeah. He’s talking to the fucking jade about something, I’m not listening to them. [bM]: I’m on my way. [bM]: I’ll talk to that bastard. [bM]: He’s the only one who knows what this means for you. [bM]: I’ll still be here for you through this. [bM]: Anything you need, name it. [bM]: I don’t care if it crosses quads. [bM]: You’re the most important person to me right now. [bM]: <3<

[bF]: <3< -businessMan is now offline!- Syhren let the phone fall. It was a burner and would erase its contents at the end of today anyways. Vlad was on his way, she just had to wait for him. Just had to convince him that this was her now. She went to pull at her hair as she’d always done when anxious, but this girl’s hair wasn’t long enough for it. Again her brain was absolutely shredded trying to put the two facts together. Who was this poor girl? What happened to her? What had she done to deserve this treatment? Was her own soul still around? Would Syhren have to fight another soul for control of an undead body she’d never wanted?

“Sy, you’re screamin’ again sweetheart.” Harvey’s voice had never been more grating. “I don’t ever want to hear your voice again.” She said firmly, nearly gagging around each word once she heard the new voice she had. It was deeper than hers had been, rougher. Almost as if it had barely ever been used. Syhren ignored Harvey’s further attempts to talk to her, moving closer and closer to the mouth of the caverns, careful not to squash any grubs. The grubs hadn’t done anything wrong just because one of their jades decided to do something so insane and against the laws of the world. She stayed at the mouth of the cavern until Vlad showed up with the other jade who’d introduced herself before Syhren had died. Died the first time? Would there be another death for her in the future? The mental spiral started again and she could do little but pull at the short hair that should have been longer. Who knows how long she was like that before Vladir gently pulled her hands away and guided her into a vehicle. “Did you know you have a tail?” He said, lightheardly and clearly teasing. It only took trying to sit down in the vehicle as she normally would to prove him right. A small tuft of fur made it impossible to sit anything but forward. “Just take me home. I’m tired, Vladdy.”

[knavestrolls]

Wrong Number

(Toyhou.se Link for easier reading!)

“Xennaa. We don’t have the ability to just take anyone in, you know this.” Beatrix repeats for what seems like the millionth time. She’s been trying to convince her friend of this for what feels like it’s been ages. The sun is coming up and they’d started this argument when the moons had just begun to rise themselves.

“This isn’t just anyone! And don’t we have a duty to those who came from this cavern once upon a time?” Xennaa’s same argument repeats, albeit worded slightly differently. “Besides, it’s not like it’s just another grub.” “That doesn’t make it better. In fact you do recognize how that’s worse right? You don’t even know what this troll does for work! You’ve never even met them before!”

“No but I’ve met Harvey.” “Yes, I know you’ve met Harvey. You sing his praises regularly. If he wasn’t already in a red I’d assume that’s what you were after.”

“I would never want to split them. It’s true love that they’ve got there. I’m jealous, I want my own perfect red like that. Or a pink.”

“You have someone who would love to be pink with you.”

“She doesn’t understand me. She wants me to go back to being the perfect little grub raiser and designer. That’s not who I am. Not anymore. There’s so much more out in the world for me to do and connect with.”

“You aren’t connecting with shit. You never leave the cavern. You only even met Harvey when he came by with a lusii delivery.”

“You know what I mean. Besides this isn’t the point. I can feel it.”

“You can.. Feel it? Feel what exactly Xens?”

“Their desperation. I need to help them. Need to bring them home.”

“This is not their home.”

“It could be.”

“You are not bringing some stranger in here and risking the grubs! What about the-” She lowers her voice, glancing at the cavern’s opening they’re by. “-mutants? What if they’re just trying to get in here to cull them?”

“They’re not. I know.”

“How can you know? Xens, please! You. Do. Not. know. This. Troll.”

“I know their caste.”

“Oh that makes it all better. Surely with their blood color in mind we know everything we need to about them!”

“They’re a violet.”

“A- a VIOLET?! You want to bring a violet here? Are you fucking insane?”

“Bea-”

“Don’t you Bea me! Do you understand that they’re one of the most dangerous castes? Next you’ll tell me you’ve got an indigo believer lined up.”

“Actually-”

“You’re fucking with me. Tell me you’re fucking with me.”

“Well there was this nice clown who wants to visit and see the mothergrub-”

“Absolutely not.”

“Bea we can’t keep the mother locked up like some big secret forever.”

“That is literally our job actually. Literally what we’re here for. Are you trying to bring the drones on us?”

“The empress wouldn’t dare send them here.”

“You think the empress who earned the name the Daunting won’t send the drones here to wipe us off the map if she finds out we’ve been getting mutants out of here? Letting fuschias survive?”

“You’re being over dramatic.”

“I very much am not.”

“Besides, that’s not what this is about.”

“Yeah, what this is about is that you’re insane. You’re going to get us both killed.”

“You could take them.”

“Did you ever think whether or not I wanted to do so?”

“I trust you.”

“Xens..”

“And I have to do this. I’m leaving now-”

“Give me the address.”

“What?”

“Give me the address. You’ve never left these caverns but I have. I know what’s out there. You’re better off here watching the grubs.”

“I knew you had a heart in there.”

“Yeah sure let’s call it that. I’ll scope them out. If-..” Beatrx ran her hand through her hair and sighed. “If they really do need help, I’ll bring them back. We don’t have much but it’s safer than out there.”

“Thank you Bea! Here’s the address I got from the pestertroll message. I hope they’re still there.”

“Do you even know what I’m looking for? Like any description at all?”

“They’re a violet?” “Great. Love a where’s waldo where I don’t even know waldo’s name.”

“It’s a new adventure!” “It’s a disaster. Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll message you the moment I’m on the way back.”

“Good luck!”

“Yeah. Thanks. Know that I’ll never do this again, your bleeding heart be damned.”

“Thank you.”

Beatrx nodded, holstering her pistol and taking one last glance at the inner caverns. They’d have to be okay without her for a short while. On the bright side at least she’d done a perimeter hunt this week, so there shouldn’t be any stray lusii nearby wishing for an easy meal. She rolls her head, stretching out her neck and then her arms and legs. The location is deep in the city so it’s going to be a bit of a run for her.

It’s a short walk in the forest before she comes to her clearing. It’s quiet, but in a good peaceful way. There’s still faint sounds of existence in the distance but nothing overwhelming. Good. Beatrix whistles and a large white cat nearly knocks her down. She barely holds herself up before throwing herself onto it’s back- and just like that they’re off.

The nice thing about being up while the sun rises is that there’s no one around. So few trolls can handle the sun’s harsh rays so it’s a no brainer they’d sleep now but Beatrx has always felt the most alive under it’s warmth. That’s when it hits her that she’ll need to hurry up. A violet under the sun? If they were even still there they wouldn’t last long. It feels like only moments but she’s sure it was around half an hour before she finds herself in the dead of the city, jumping from roof to roof. It doesn’t look like anyone is there- until her eyes catch what she thought was just a stain. There’s a woman there, under all that violet and scraps of metal. This must be her destination.

“Hello? Are you.. Uh.. Are you okay?” Her voice shakes a bit, trying not to gag on the heavy smell of the blood. There’s no response. Maybe she really was too late. She’d have to break the news to Xennaa- but then the body moves. Not much, but enough that it scares her and immediately her instincts have her draw and aim her gun. Their skin is burning, and the smell combined with the blood is only getting worse. It’s almost making her hungry. “I’m going to touch you.”

Beatrx manages to get the violet on her lusus and tries to shade the body on the way back as much as possible. As they make their way she tries to catalog the injuries. There’s a large laceration on the troll’s forehead, from just above the right eyebrow to somewhere deep in the hairline. Their left horn is torn in two. There’s a- well, the best descriptor she can think of is ‘hole’- there’s a hole in the right side of their chest deep enough to see some bone. The least worrying is a small piece of metal lodged in their right leg. They don’t have a lot at the cavern, but they have enough that with any luck they can get this troll stable enough to go get some actual help.

“Xennaa- grab the kit. As quick as you can! And contact Harvey.” She yells into the cavern as they arrive.

“Why? What do I need to say to him??” Xennaa calls back, having yet to see their guest.

“He knows a doctor doesn’t he? We’ll need one.”

[knavestrolls]

Tombstone

[Google Doc for easier reading!]

The caverns aren’t made for comfort. They’re not really made for much besides the perpetuation of the species and even that’s a stretch. Regardless, there’s no good place to lay the violet down. Instead the woman gets rested upon Abba’s side while they struggle to contain the bleeding. Harvey hasn’t answered and it’s almost night again. With any luck they’ll get an answer soon but Beatrx knows the outcome now. Xennaa wouldn’t believe it if she told her, but there’s only one result here. There’s so much seadweller blood in the dirt- if an inspection were to happen they’d both be taken away. Everything about this is dangerous. Everything is risking every single life here.

And yet all Beatrx can do is pull the fabric tighter against the nameless woman’s chest. It’s already ruined with blood and stiff, probably sticking to the troll’s skin from it having dried, but there’s nothing else she can do. The horn was easy to handle, quick and simple first aid. The head wound wasn’t as bad as it seemed- those kinds of wounds always were more dramatic than they really were but.. This gore was beyond their capabilities. Between her and Xennaa, they didn’t know any doctors themselves. They were in the business of getting mutants out, but once they were out it was up to those they’d been handed to. Now she regrets not being more involved. She’d reached out to the few trolls she did have on trollian- no one was awake. Or they didn’t know what to do.

Trisin had blocked her. Beatrx has no idea why but when the message asking for help with a hurt violet had been read, she’d gotten blocked instantly. She didn’t have Harvey or Harvey’s red, that was up to Xennaa. Asking Rimmer- as a fleet officer- was just asking to be culled. Velosi had told Beatrx she couldn’t get involved right now, something about how she’d barely just escaped legal action herself. There wasn’t anyone else she knew- she never felt a need to socialize before now. Everything in her life was about here in the caverns and now it was all being jeopardized by some violet woman.

“Uhm.” A violet woman who apparently was in a state to talk. That had to be good right?

“Don’t move-” Beatrx tried to keep her voice calm but she knew it was more of a command than anything else.

“Yeah I’m not ta-” The violet sputtered and more blood joined the floor stains. “I’m not taking that from some stranger in a cavern trying to kill me thanks. I’m getting out of here.”

“I’m trying to save you! You-”

“That’s what they all say- but I can feel the burn on my right arm. You..”

“Saved your ass from the sun.”

“Sure, I’ll believe a fucking rainbow drinker!” “A- what?”

“A rainbow drinker! You’ve got me in some dank cave, my blood’s everywhere, you’re so pale and can take the sun! You’re a fucking drinker and you’re here to finish me off!”

“Holy shit you’re fucking insane. You messaged us!”

“What? No I didn’t.”

“You messaged Xens! I left the caverns and the grubs to go save your ass and have spent the last who knows how many fucking hours trying to keep you from bleeding out on my grounds! I never wanted this! But Xens cares for everyone and couldn’t just ignore a message asking for help from someone she didn’t even know.”

“Who’s Xens?”

“I’m Xens!” Xennaa interrupted, her voice a much more welcoming sound. “Or Xennaa. Harvs just messaged Bea, he thinks this might be Sy.”

“Who’s Sy?” Bea asked, moving away from the violet and covering her eyes with her hand.

“Vlad’s black! You know how Harvs’ red has that black they have a whole little detective agency thing together? Apparently she’s been missing.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not right fucking here! Who are you? Where am I?” The woman’s voice rings loudly- echoing off the rock walls. She’ll wake the damn grubs and then this will all be another horrible incident.

“You’re in the Tombstone caverns, bleak name I know but it came before us. I’m Xennaa, a jade who works here. That’s Beatrx, she also takes care of the grubs here! You messaged me, I think by mistake. I message Harvey, he’s a ni- Well there’s a lot of Harveys. Harvey Chavez? I messaged him, he’s a nice rancher who gives this cavern lusii deliveries and-”

“I know Harvey.” The woman sighs, a violent and wet thing. “I’m Syhren. Sorry, it’s been a really rough night.”

Beatrx stands up, leaving the two to talk from there. Socializing still isn’t her thing and she’s a bit shaken from the accusation. Mostly because she wonders if it’s true. Xennaa can’t handle the sun like she can but isn’t it a fairly common jade trait? She may love meat but she’s never had a craving for blood before. Plus her skin doesn’t glow! Isn’t a rainbow drinker’s skin supposed to glow? It’s nonsense. She’s just worked up from this whole day. A nice nap will put her right and now that Harvey’s responded it’s out of her hands. A doctor will come and take this violet away. The caverns will be safe. Xennaa will be safe. She’ll have time to try to figure out what’s going on with Trisin. 

Of course, that’s not how it goes. All it takes is four steps out of the cavern before she hears it. The coughs get progressively more wet and worse. Beatrx is dashing back in, cursing herself for relaxing. The noise stops as she comes to stand over Xennaa who’s holding Syhren in her lap. There’s no noise from the violet at all. No stutter, no more indignance, no shaky breaths. Xennaa is gently shaking the poor thing and Beatrx feels like pulling out her hair. She never should have gone to help. This is going to drag them all to the fleet’s justice- the tainted justice that won’t care they tried to help. Slowly she removes Syhren from Xennaa’s hands, undeterred by how cold she is. It’s not much of a change, seadwellers always felt like a winter’s night. There’s no shovels in the caverns. Harvey’s the only one who knows the next inspection date.

Fuck.

[knavestrolls]

Scorpion or Frog?

{Toyhouse Link}

>[vaqueroVanquished began trolling starApocalypse!]&lt;

VV: Hey. SA: whAt~☆ VV: We need to chat. SA: this About thAt mAnipulAtor~☆ VV: Yeah. SA: we don’t need him~☆ VV: About that, I think we do. VV: We’re knee deep in musclebeast shit here, Bea. SA: you’re not~☆ VV: Tu mess es mi mess. SA: pick A lAnguAge~☆ VV: Never. VV: Listen, if this guy really does have a way to start digging us out of this shit. VV: It’s gotta be worth a try. VV: I can’t keep them delayed forever. SA: if he cAn’t then whAT~☆ SA: or whAt if he’s just here to report us~☆ SA: don’t you think vlAdir hAd a good reAson to wArn us~☆ VV: My buttercup’s all messed up. VV: Got ‘imself hogtied trying to lasso the moon. VV: He’s not thinking the straightest. SA: no shit~☆ VV: Hey watch your fucking language. VV: This shit is serious. SA: my mistAke~☆ SA: whAt does this guy wAnt in return~☆ SA: if we do let him help whAt does he gAin~☆ VV: Let me worry about that. VV: It won’t be your debt to pay but mine. SA: would vlAdir Agree~☆ VV: If it’ll save you, I don’t care. SA: you’ll pAy for this deArly~☆ SA: whAt if you lose vlAdir~☆ VV: I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens. VV: But I’ve done all I can for my honeysuckle. VV: Let me help you now. VV: By letting this guy help us. VV: We’ll figure it out together, regardless of what happens. SA: if he reports us~☆ SA: i’ll murder him before they get us~☆ SA: At leAst thAt wAy i cAn forgive myself for Agreeing~☆ VV: Desperate times, desperate measures. SA: xennAA stAys out of this~☆ SA: i’m sending her to the rAnch~☆ VV: Vlad and Xens can keep each other company. SA: you’re coming in person~☆ VV: Yeah. VV: I ain’t letting you go through this alone. VV: And I don’t trust this knave yet. VV: We’re just out of options. SA: if this goes wrong~☆ SA: i just wAnt to sAy~☆ VV: Yeah, yeah you told me so I know. SA: not thAt~☆ VV: Really? VV: Well call me a shriekin goat the way you surprised me. SA: nevermind~☆ SA: i’ll tell you if we get out of this hell~☆ VV: Promise? SA: Absolutely not~☆ VV: Oh you’re sweet on me, Bea. VV: Send Xens. VV: I’ll leave to you when she gets here. SA: whAt Are you going to tell vlAdir~☆ VV: Not the fuckin’ truth that’s for sure. SA: do you hAve Any plAn to keep him from following you~☆ VV: Yeah, Xens. VV: Obviously. SA: you’re An idiot~☆ SA: tell him i need A hAnd~☆ VV: You think he’ll believe that you. VV: That Ms Ain’t Ever Need Help. VV: Needs a hand? SA: point~☆ SA: tell him i’m hAving a mentAl breAkdown~☆ VV: Aren’t you? SA: not the point, hArvey~☆ VV: Fine. SA: i’ll tell him the truth At the end~☆ SA: i promise~☆ VV: I should do it. SA: no, you reAlly shouldn’t~☆ SA: if this goes wrong i’ll tAke the fAll~☆ SA: sAy you didn’t know i’d Agreed~☆ SA: And by the time you got here it wAs too lAte to stop it~☆ VV: Fuck. VV: Just send Xens, I’m not having this talk.

>[vaqueroVaquished is offline!]&lt;

The hive is never silent. That’s to be expected of a ranch, with so many animals there’s rarely ever a truely silent moment. But the hive right now was still in a horrible way. Vladir laid asleep still on the pile of furs they’d made hours earlier. There was no sound of his lusus trampling around inside, no sound of the herd moving, and there was a lump in the bottom of his throat. Beatrx agreeing was great and all, but she had a very good point about how this would go down if it went wrong. One wrong step and they’d both be fugitives. Let alone… Harvey turns to look at his matesprit, watching the way he breathes. There’s a chance it could be the last time he sees him. Or worse, the last time he sees him at peace. There’s a real chance that Vladir will break up with him once he hears what Harvey’s done but there’s no other choice. Beatrx was in trouble, he couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. He sighs, running his hand through his hair. Whatever the outcome, it was too late to turn back now. Gently, he goes to wake the rustblood with a light shake. “Up and at ‘em beautiful.” Harvey’s voice was purposefully quiet, knowing that there was probably still a terrible hangover. That was it’s own fight he’d yet to win.

“Harvey? Wha’s going on?” Oh and how wonderful Vladir’s voice sounded when deepened by sleep. It takes a minute to remind himself he may not have to miss that sound before he speaks again.

“Xens is coming over. I need you to keep an eye on her- honestly I think you could both use some time together.”

“I’m not doing her yoga shit.”

“I’m not askin’ that of you sugar.”

“Why does she need me anyways? I can go to my own hive so you can spend time with her.”

“Because Bea needs me. She’s having some kind of full melt down.”

“Which means Xennaa can’t be around to see it. Got it. Give me a minute to wake up, I’ll make uh. Fuck, what time is it?”

“Just barely nightfall honeycheeks.”

“I’ll make us breakfast. You got your palmhusk?”

“Of course. I’ll keep it on me.”

“Javelina dad’s been fed?”

“He can feed himself.”

“Tell that to him.”

“Hey..”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Stop feeling guilty about needing to help your totally not a moirail moirail.”

“But-"

“I’ll entertain Xennaa. You take care of the big guns. You’ve got this.”

“...Thank you, Vladir.”

“It’s weirder when you call me by name at this point.” Vladir joked before stepping in to give Harvey a kiss. It was short, sweet, and to the point. Made Harvey wonder if that sort of chaste kiss would be their last. Maybe he was just being over dramatic. “Go on, get going before things get worse.” Trust was a double edged sword and Harvey could feel it slicing him as he made his way out and to the caverns.

[knavestrolls]

sO Harvey, thIngs ArE stArtIng tO lOOk vEry bAd, And i cAn hElp yOUr frEInds bUt i'll nEEd hElp. cAn yOU cOnvIncE Beatrx tO AllOw mE tO hElp?

That's a big ask there, fella. I know she doesn't take none to kindly to strangers in her business. I'll do my best but I can't promise no great returns. Ain't a lot that'll change a strong mind like hers. Even when she's wrong.

You get the feeling that's an understatement. But stay strong, little Alucar. I'm sure your moment is coming yet.

[knavestrolls]

A wrong number but a sunrise comes anyways.

[knavestrolls]

Just a sketch for awry

[knavestrolls]

Oh lOvEly Xennaa, hOw dO yOU hElp yOUr frIEnds whEn thEy ArE strEssEd Or In trOUblE?

>You hear a light giggle, apparently she liked that adjective for her.

well i always start with y∞ga rec∞mmedati∞ns, and breathing techniques,, but when all else fails, spending time with the grubs is g∞∞d f∞r every tr∞ll,,,, makes y∞u remember h∞w hard life was then,, and h∞w much simpler it was, ∞therwise, i ask what they need and h∞w i can help,, y∞u can't help s∞me∞ne wh∞ w∞n't take help after all,, >It seems she's become gloomy. Xennaa is no longer available for asks

[knavestrolls]

hEllO AgAIn Harvey, yOU AskEd mE whAt i wOUld gEt OUt Of thIs, i wOUld gEt a vEry cOmpEtEnt Ally, Isn't yOUr mOrAI's hAppInEss wOrth mAkIng a nEw frIEnd?

She's not quite my moirail, she just ain't not my moirail either. I ain't worried none 'bout her happiness right now, that can wait a good minute til this all done past. It's her life that's hanging looser than an ill tied lasso. They got a week to get that violet outta there and clean it all up nice. Drones won't care that Syhren reached out to 'em, only that two jades got a highblood dead on 'em. So if you can get 'em outta this sticky situation then.. Fuck, I'd owe you one so I guess I'd hafta do whatcha needed.

[knavestrolls]

It dOEsn't sO mUch mAttEr whO gEts thE bOdy, jUst mAkE sUrE It's frEsh And sOmEthIng yOU Or AnyOnE thAt cArEs dOEsn't mInd lOOkIng At

yeAh, yeAh ~☆ you'll get your dAmned body ~☆ hAlf A dAy ~☆

[knavestrolls]

SO hErE's thE dEAl Harvey, yOU nEEd A nOt dEAd frIEnd, And I nEEd A bOdy, dO yOU thInk yOU cAn cOnvIncE OUr mUtUAl frIEnd Vlad to get A frEsh OnE?

you must ActuAlly be insAne ~☆ do you know how hArd it would be to get vlAd in on this ~☆ he'd rAther cut ties with hArvey here and now ~☆ if we're doing this, we're not bringing him into it ~☆ i ~☆ ugh ~☆ i'll get you A body ~☆ it'll tAke me hAlf the dAy ~☆ youd better mAke good on your promises ~☆ or i'll hAve two fresh bodies ~☆

[knavestrolls]

hEy Harvey, i nOtIcEd thAt sOmEOnE clOsE tO yOU Is hUrtIng vEry bAdly, wOUldn't It bE nIcE tO mAkE thAt pErsOn fEEL bEttEr?

I'm gonna be honest with you, sir. Vlad already done warned me 'bout you, and what you really want. Lucky for you he ain't my only one close. Bea's the closest thing I got to a moirail, and inspection's bearin' down over 'em right now. So you'll hafta tell me what it is you want in turn. I know where her body is, and I know there's been some hauntin's happenin' round there. You ain't tellin' my cherry pie we ever talked, got it?

[knavestrolls]

dEAr Vladir, whAt wOUld yOU dO If i sAId yOU cOUld hAvE hEr bAck?

>For a long time, Vladir simply stares yet again. This time he seems a bit more aware, a little less inebriated. The silence drags on. The quirk of this new troll is unfamiliar, but the suggestion is not new to him. Vladir does work in death, after all.

Fuck you.

>He takes a long breath in before shaking his head.

I don't need some necromancer bringing back some butchered version of her. Do you even know where she's fucking buried? I don't. Besides she worked giving Longer Life Insurance, do you even know what that shit means? It means people like you endanger our business.. Endangered, I guess. Now I'm a leech on a ranch. Fuck. >His anger seems to be the only thing keeping him from crying. Vladir's emotions are wildly out of control, and he has no moirail to engage with him. As your local narrator, might I suggest adjusting your sales pitch? Maybe someone else might be more receptive to the idea....