INTRO

AT: hEY, tHANK YOU FOR DECIDING TO READ THIS!,,, }:D

AT: tHIS IS CHAPTER, uH, tWO,

AT: oNCE AGAIN, i SUPPORT WAY TOO MANY PAIRINGS, aND i MAY, uH, sWITCH BETWEEN THEM (dEPENDING ON HOW LONG THIS, uH, fANFICTION LASTS, aT LEAST,)

AT: iT WON'T BE, uH, *cONSTANT* CHANGE, THOUGH,,,

AT: aS YOU MAY OR, uH, mAY NOT REMEMBER, i LEFT OFF WITH, uH, nEPETA LEAVING kARKAT'S HIVE AFTER, uH, tEREZI CAME OVER, aND kARKAT, uH, yELLED AT nEPETA,

AT: sORRY FOR THE, uH, rEALLY LATE UPDATE,,, i HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY LATELY,,, pLUS, tHE PROGRAM i USE TO, uH, wRITE THIS IN DELETED MOST OF IT WHEN i WAS ALMOST, uH, dONE!,,, }:(

AT: aLSO, pLEASE SEND ME ANY, rEVIEWS, aDVICE, oR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS!

AT: uH, tHANK YOU! }:D

Wrapped Up In A Shipping Wall

Chapter 2

- Karkat's Point of View -

"...Okay, Karkles, that was M34N." Terezi told Karkat as they listened to Nepeta leaving with a slight sniffle, "Y'know, Nepeta is actually pretty nice, especially when she's roleplaying."

"Yeah, I'm an asshole. Anything else to report that's new?" Karkat grumbled, then asked cautiously, "Pyrope, why are you here?"

"To give you something," Terezi giggled, and in a serious tone she added, "Karkles, we haven't spent 4NY time together since I learned how to SM3LL and T4ST3 things, and I couldn't help but feel that you felt... unneeded. You used to be eager to help me when I was helpless, but now..." She shrugged, "You sorta ignore me, hehe... I think you like leading people and feeling needed."

"That's fucking preposterous." He retorted angrily, although he did realize the shitty truth of it. He did like feeling needed. "Besides, I chat with you all the gogdamn time, Terezi."

Terezi shrugged, knowing that she'd never win an argument with the grumpy troll. "Whatever. At least let me give you this, okay?" Karkat suddenly noticed the red scalemate tied to her cane. She carefully untied the rope - her and her gogdamn rope obsession! - and tossed the scalemate to him. He caught it and studied it warily; it had red scales - a shade of red almost identical to his blood colour - whose fabric glistened in the dim light, jet black spines running down its back, and skin-grey eyes. The eyes seemed to pierce into him, studying his every move, and Karkat quickly looked away, asking angrily, "Terezi... What the fuck is this?"

"It's you, Karkles! Hehehe, see? Let me explain..." She reached over and grabbed the scalemate's nose, "His scales are candy red, like your blood!" She moved her hand over to the button eyes, tapping them with a finger, and added, "But he hides the color of his scales with his angry eyes, just like you hide your color with your text!" She grabbed one of the black spines, and finished with, "And these are black spikes, just like your hair! Hehehe. His name is JUDG3 C4NDYSC4L3S." She pronounced the scalemate's name proudly and loudly, as if boasting to the world. Then she let go of the spike and turned her head in Karkat's direction expectantly. "Well? What do you think, Karkles?"

"What do I think? I think... that this is complete bullshit!" Karkat suddenly threw the scalemate at the wall, growling, "Just because you know my fucking blood colour doesn't mean that you can tease me about it, asshole! And it doesn't mean you can blackmail me either!" His hands were trembling slightly, and Terezi blinked with confusion.

"Whoa, WH4T? Karkat, I'm not teasing you OR blackmailing you. Silly leader." She chuckled and shook her head. "I know you're a mutant and that it's important that word doesn't get out. We're practically B3ST friends; I wouldn't tell anyone."

When Karkat grumbled in disbelief, she promptly shuffled over to the scalemate and picked it up. "...1 OBJ3CT TO TH4T GRUMBL1NG!" She threw Judge Candyscales at him, then left, but not before stopping next to him, licking his cheek, and closing the door behind her while saying "Look after Judge Candyscales for me!" with a cackle. Karkat was left alone with Pounce de Leon, grumbling under his breath in disgust while rubbing his bright-red cheek angrily.

Once he was sure that the blind troll was gone, he hesitantly picked up Judge Candyscales. Nothing had changed about it; its grey gaze still pierced into him. Karkat strode over to the couch and sank down onto it next to Nepeta's lusus, bringing his craptop and Judge Candyscales onto his lap. He felt terribly guilty, so he was very relieved when he saw that Nepeta had left him a message. He quickly clicked on her name.

arsenicCatnip [AC] began trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]

AC: :33 *ac pouncegr33ts karkitty* hello karcat!

AC: :33 i just was wondering if pounce de leon is doing okay. has crabdad come back yet? when can i pick pounce de leon up?

AC: :33 oh, and, sorry if this sounds nosey, but what was terezi doing at your hive? h33h33

AC: :33 also

AC: :33 if that kiss was meant as an apology or whatefur, i accept your apology! i would nefur not accept your apology, youre my furiend!

AC: :33 im really sorry about your head by the way :(( how is it f33ling? i shouldnt have done that in our larp! :((

AC: :33 and id just like to tell you that you purrobably shouldnt tell terezi that you kissed me :(( i know it was an apology, but i think she f33ls red fur you, so

AC: :33 i guess youre not on, so im going to go! bye :33

CG: WAIT LEIJON. I'M ONLINE YOU DUMBASS.

AC: :33 oh! karkitty! :33

CG: YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT SHITTY ACCIDENT.

CG: MY HEAD'S FUCKING FINE.

AC: :33 oh! good :DD

CG: YEAH.

CG: I DIDN'T TELL THAT BLIND ASSHOLE ABOUT ME KISSING YOU, EITHER.

AC: :33 ok

AC: :33 thats good

CG: YEP.

CG: ALSO I'M GLAD THAT YOU ACCEPTED MY SHITTY WAY OF APOLOGIZING TO PEOPLE.

CG: I HOPE YOU DIDN'T TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY THOUGH, LEIJON.

AC: :33 :?

CG: I'M FUCKING SORRY, BUT I DON'T FEEL RED FOR YOU.

CG: BUT YOU MUST ALREADY KNOW THIS FROM YOUR SHITTY SHIPPING WALL, RIGHT?

AC: :33 oh... yeah

AC: :33 dont worry i didnt take it the wrong way! silly karcat, h33h33 :33

CG: OH. OKAY, GOOD.

Despite Nepeta's cheery reassurance on the matter, Karkat could tell that she felt red for him - and he could tell that he felt a little red for her, too. Wait, what was he talking about? Flushing? What bullshit! He certainly wasn't fucking talking about that. He felt his head spin with confusion - was it possible to flush for more than one troll? Wait! What did he just say? He wasn't talking about that bullshit, that was for sure. And Terezi... feeling red for him? What that fuck was that supposed to mean? No one felt red for a bastard like him; he was probably imagining that shit. He felt his face turn a bright, "candy"-red colour at his self-conflict, and he grumbled swear-filled insults at himself under his breath.

CG: AND NO, CRABDAD HASN'T COME HOME. THAT SLOW BASTARD. AND PYROPE JUST WANTED TO ASK ME ABOUT SOMETHING. IT WASN'T REALLY ANY IMPORTANT SHIT.

AC: :33 oh

AC: :33 ok, well, i unfurtunately have to go now! message me when crabdad refurns!

AC: :33 ill talk to you later karkitty! :DD

CG: RIGHT.

CG: BYE LEIJON.

arsenicCatnip [AC] ceased trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling arsenicCatnip [AC]

- Tavros' Point of View -

Tavros wheeled himself around his hive. His lusus, Tinkerbull, flew steadily behind him, making cheerful sounds every now and then. 'Where the, uh, heck is that movie?...' Tavros wondered as he searched, then suddenly heard the cracking sound of a dvd underneath him. Oh. There. Gingerly, he rolled his wheelchair backwards and peered at the Pupa Pan movie with horror and dismay. His favorite movie, the one that was always there for him, his inspiration... Gone? He felt tears well up in his eyes, but suddenly heard a voice in his head.

"Tavros Nitram..." The voice was soothing, yet it sounded strict, firm, and brave.

"Uhh... Rufio?" Tavros suddenly felt a thousand times better at the sound of his imaginary friend.

"Yes, it's me... I know a way to help you get your dvd back."

"Really?" Tavros' eyes lit up.

"Yes. Check your screen, you dumbass!" The comforting tone suddenly turned to a snappy, all too familiar one...

"...Uh, you sound an awful lot like Vriska at the moment, so, uh..."

"...Shit. Just check your messages, okay?" Yep, the voice definitely belonged to Vriska. He sighed; he was rather, uh, sick of her mind controlling powers. Now she could control what Rufio said, too?... Rather reluctantly, he rolled his wheelchair over to his computer, Tinkerbull trailing after him, and clicked on Vriska's name.

arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling adiosToreador

AG: Helloooooooo, Tavros. ::::D

AG: …...Tavros?
AG: Pupa, stop flying around in the clouds or whatever you're doing, and get over here dum8ass! Aughhhhhhhh.

AT: uH, hELLO, vRISKA,,,

AG: Finally!

AT: i DO REALIZE, tHAT CONSIDERING YOUR BLOOD COLOR AND ALL, yOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT, tO UH, mIND CONTROL ME, bUT,,,

AT: pLEASE REFRAIN FROM CONTROLLING, uH, rUFIO,,,

AG: …...Do we really have to go through this everyyyyyyyy time you 8ring up this Rufio shit?

AG: He's not real!

AT: jUST DON'T, pLEASE,,,,

AG: Whatever! I didn't come to talk a8out this dum8 Rufio shit, so like I was a8out to s8y...

AG: I have a plan!

AT: ,,,,

AT: wHAT KIND OF, pLAN?

AG: It'll 8e a... cure for my 8oredom, and a cure for your stupid Pupa Pan dvd loss!

AG: What do you s8y?

AT: ,,,yOU STILL HAVEN'T, eXACTLY EXPLAINED THIS, uH, pLAN TO ME YET, vRISKA,,,

AG: It involves someone who has a secret t8ste for romance comedies, who just might have a Pupa Pan dvd! It also involves Terezi and Nepeta.
AG: What do you s8y?

AT: wHAT'S THE PLAN, vRISKA? cAN'T YOU JUST, uH, tELL ME?

AG: Of course, once you agree to do it! 8y the w8y this is mostly to help you out, so you'd 8etter 8e reallyyyyyyyy gr8ful!
AT: uHH,,, oKAY?,,,

AG: 8ut it's also not for that. :::;)

AT: ,,,,

AG: What? ::::/

AT: uHH,,, nOTHING, wANNA MEET BY THE, uH, oLD LARP PLACE, i GUESS?,,,

AT: tHEN YOU CAN, tELL ME THE PLAN, aND i'LL DECIDE WHETHER I WANT TO,

AT: uH, dO IT OR NOT,,,

AG: Ok8y, 8ut you'd 8etter actually 8e there!

AT: rIGHT,

AG: See you, Tavros! Hahahaha. 8y the w8y, dress as Pupa Pan!

AT: uH, bYE i GUESS vRISKA,,,

AT: aND WHAT? uH, oKAY,

arachnidsGrip [AG] ceased trolling adiosToreador

Tavros wondered why Vriska had told him the last part, but he shrugged his shoulders and put on his green Pupa Pan suit; lastly he put on his hat, which never seemed to stay on as much as he wanted it to because of his long horns. It seemed a bit silly to change his shoes and pants, since he couldn't move his legs or feet, but he liked the effect of being fully dressed like his hero.

"I guess I'm, going to see Vriska then, Tinkerbull... Uh, wish me luck!" Tavros smiled his reassuring, uneven smile at his lusus, then rolled out of his hive. Uh, where was the old LARP place again?... Oh, right! It was by that cliff where he... He shook his head to clear those thoughts. No, that was the past! Did Vriska know that he was more likely to go to the cliff? Probably. Suddenly he felt a tingling, yet burning sensation in his head.

It was like he had a headache. Tavros gasped in dismay; Vriska was mind controlling him! Wait, she wasn't leading him towards the cliff... She was leading him away from it. Surprise filled his face as his arms wheeled his wheelchair on their own accord, towards a forest area that was a pretty good distance away from the cliff from which he was mind controlled to jump off of. Vriska waited there, leaning against a tree and tapping her foot impatiently. Her face lit up with a grin when she saw Tavros, and she released her grip once he was next to her.

"Hello, Pupa." Vriska chuckled.

"Uh, hi Vriska..." Tavros shifted his upper body uncomfortably under her piercing, eight-fold glare, and added, "Okay, so, uh, what's the plan?..."

"It depennnnnnnnds on whether you agree to do it or not."

"But you said-" Tavros protested before he was cut off.

"I didn't exactly agree, I just said 'Okay.'" Vriska pointed out slyly.

"But, Vris-"

"Listen up, Pupa. I'll tell you the plan if you agree to do it. Deal?"

"...Fine, I, uh, guess..." Tavros agreed reluctantly, knowing that Vriska would probably force him to agree otherwise, and also being secretly curious about this plan.

"Great!" Vriska immediately seemed to cheer up immensely, "Okay, soooooooo. First of all, this plan involves plundering, like a pirate."

"But, Pupa Pan's enemies are, uh, pira-"

"Augh, would you just listen?" Vriska groaned with frustration.

"I guess..."

"Good," Vriska dragged her foot on the dusty ground, attempting to draw a magic 8 ball, then continued, "Okay, so, we'll visit Karkat's hive, first. We'll look around for your stupid Pupa Pan dvd, right? This will all be at night, by the way."

Tavros didn't reply, and wrinkled up his nose instead; he didn't like this plan.

"And theeeeeeeen we'll go to Nepeta's hive to grab some paints-"

"Uhh, why?"

"Because! Just listen up! Okay then we'll go to Terezi's hive, for... something. And lastly we'll go to Nepeta's house and make a deal with her!"

"Don't you think that's a bit, uh, low after we stole something from her?..."

"Not really."

"What's the deal we're going to make with her?"

"It's secret, okay?" Vriska blew her bangs out of her face and avoided meeting Tavros' puzzled gaze.

"Uh... Okay, I guess we'll do it..." Tavros hesitantly reached out to shake Vriska's hand, adding, "But I have every right to quit if I want to. Uh, deal?..."

Vriska grinned in relief, shaking his hand. "Deal!"