File 3: Sudden Happenings
After a few moments of cool down, he opened his eyes and realized that he hadn't even bothered trying to chew his gum. It was oddly enough the strangest thing to first pop into his head after an emotional melt down. It just sat there in the back of his mouth, a stick of flavor just waiting to be chewed. And so, began to chew it and that sort of helped calm him. He also dug through his bag and pulled out his yo-yo... the gift his dad got him.
He stared at it for a moment before standing up and thoughtfully giving it a few spins... He used to play with these all the time when he was little! Maybe that was one of the reasons his dad had given it to him. It was a really nice red yo-yo and the string wasn't tangled or anything like the ones he used to have. Finding small enjoyment and peace in his own belongings and something nostalgically familiar, he began swinging it around and practicing various tricks.
Terezi takes her time searching for a sink, figuring she should let Chris get a hold of himself. After a moment, she remembers the unwrapped gum still in her hand. She pops it into her mouth and begins to chew, quickly enraptured by small stick of substance which had quickly gone from crumbly to chewy. Her sharp troll teeth had to gnash at the air to get it to work properly. After a minute of this, she swallowed, surprised by the strange and unpleasant feeling going down her throat. How were you supposed to eat this stuff? Who would /want/ to? Eventually she ends up at one of the rooms used as a kitchen, grabs a cup, fills it, and begins walking back.
Chris had his headphones on and now was jamming to songs by Daydream Dragons while gaining enough velocity and speed with the yo-yo so that he could actually have it spinning up in the air at the end of its little string for quite some time before neatly rolling back up and landing in his palm. All those strange classes as a kid learning how to do this stuff had really paid off.
Terezi moved back into the room to find Chris standing, and a red blur spinning through the air. It took a minute for her to identify his yoyo, at which point her eyebrows rose. Wow. He was good. She just smelled the movement for a bit, before announcing her arrival. "YOUR W4T3R H4S 4RR1V3D, M4J3STY." She walked up to Chris.
Music was practically blearing through his ears and he was too focused on his yo-yo practice to really notice her yet... The red blur spun through the air, around his head, rolled across the ground and then obediently back into his hand at the tug of his string. It was rather amazing what one might learn at two yo-yo camps over several summers as a kid.
Terezi, noticing he was immersed, moved in towards Chris. "H3Y-" She started to talk, but was cut off by an accidental yoyo to the nose. She dropped the water cup. "OWWWW!" She made a whining sound and covered her nose with both hands, but a line of teal blood was still visible, dripping onto the floor.
Yo-yo stopped whizzing and Chris flew into automatic concern and apologetic mode. He bends down to pick up the cup and then sets that hurriedly aside as he frantically searches for something to stop the... well he was pretty sure she was bleeding by all human terms, all the while he was apologizing and his eyes were wide with worry and he just ran around in a panic at not knowing what to do, "I'm sorryTerezi Ididn'tseeyouthere! I'msosorry! Gah, Iamsuchanidiot! Sorrysorrysorrysorry!" finds a towel and hesitantly tries to help her
Terezi straightens her back. "H4! 4S 1F SOM3TH1NG SO M1NOR COULD STOP M3! 1 4M- OUCH!" She snatches the towel, running off and leaving a teal trail behind her. "1 4M GO1NG TO CL34N UP 4T TH3 S1NK!"
Chris stares hopelessly after her, his hand still raised a bit in apology before he let it fall slowly... Then he glared at his yoyo in his other hand as if it was all the yo-yo's fault that this had happened...
Terezi cleans up, then, unable to stop the bleeding, shrugs an stuffs tissues up her nose. She comes back to a dejected looking Chris. She comes up behind him and slings an arm around his shoulders. "TH4T W4S SOM3 PR3TTY 1MPR3SS1V3 WORK TH3R3. 1F 1 C4N F33L TH3 ST1NG, YOU'R3 DO1NG SOM3 TH1NG R1GHT. W3'LL H4V3 TO TR41N UP YOUR R3FL3X3S, THOUGH. C4N'T H4V3 YOU G3TT1NG 4LL TH3 W4Y TO TH3 N3W UN1V3RS3 4N DY1NG 4S SOON 4S W3 4RR1V3."
He didn't even bother with reminding her of personal space because he felt so bad for hurting her... Not even the compliment really could cheer him up at the moment, but he blinked and then asked nervously, curiosity getting the better of him and pulling him out of his slump, "Wait... why would I die as soon as we arrived? O_o...Are we going somewhere dangerous?" he had a feeling that he had just escaped the frying pan (his world exploding) and was falling slowly into the fire...
"W3LL 1T'S NOT L1K3 W3 KNOW WH4T 1T'S GO1NG TO B3 L1K3 TH3R3! OUR TROLLG4M3 S3SS1ON W4S NORM4L, 4ND TH3 HUM4N ON3 W4S NULL, BUT TH1S ON3 1S 4 VO1D S3SS1ON. W3 DON'T R34LLY KNOW WH4T TO 3XP3CT. 4LSO, 4 HORR1FY1NG D3MON 1S CH4S1NG TH3 M3T3OR 4ND OUGHT TO C4TCH UP W1TH US 4S SOON 4S W3 G3T TH3R3. SO YOU'D B3TT3R TR41N UP!" She pats his back then releases him.
Chris's eye twitched, "A... horrifying demon?" then he looks at her, frowning slightly, "Do I have to fight? Can't we hide or... get along somehow?"
"NOT R34LLY. H3 L1K3S D3STROY1NG TH1NS W4Y TOO MUCH. H3 4LR34DY K1LL3D MOST OF US 4T L34ST ONC3."
And now he is very VERY confused... "...You guys died at least once? How is that even possible?" then he sighed, "Never mind. My existence and your existence and everything around me already makes me question the impossible so coming back to life? Why not. " shrugs "I bet the demon is undefeatable as well right? Unlimited lives?"
"NOP3! ONLY G4M3 PL4Y3RS G3T 3XTR4S." The toothy grin turns even more vicious. "W3 SHOULD B3 4BL3 TO K1LL H1M, 1N TH3ORY. 1T WOULD JUST B3 V3RY, V3RY D1FF1CULT. W1TH TH3 POW3R OF TH3 GR33N SUN, H3 C4N CONTROL 4LL OF SP4C3, B3 4NYWH3R3 H3 W4NTS TO, 4ND 1S N34RLY OMN1SC13NT. 4ND H3'S NOT 3V3N TH3 B1G B4D GUY!"
There was only silence as his response... then he went to the couch and plopped face down into the cushions, "Nothing makes seeeeeennnnnssseeee!" then he lays there for a while, mumbling nonsense and wishing to go back to the life he had where things were simpler... a LOT simpler. "If he were able to be anywhere he wanted to, couldn't he just wipe us out right now? And if he isn't even the main bad guy then who is? And if that guy is strong then what chance to we have at beating the main bad guy? What the heck is the point? Survival of course but living on the run all the time? Gaaaaah!" rambles off more questions into the pillow.
Terezi plops down onto the couch. "H3H3H3H3H3H3H3H. DON'T WORRY SO MUCH! W3'R3 1N TH3 OUT3R R1NG R1GHT NOW. 1T'S OUTS1D3 OF 4NY UN1V3RS3, 4ND TH3 GR33N SUN'S POW3R DO3SN'T R34CH. TH3 ONLY POW3R OUT H3R3 1S TH3 HORRORT3RRORS, TH3 D4RK GODS. TH3Y'R3 N3UTR4L THOUGH, 4ND TH3Y N33D OUT H3LP, SO W3'R3 F1N3. NO N33D TO WORRY 4BOUT TH3 B1G B4D 31TH3R. W3'V3 GOT HUNDR3DS OF 4LL13S 1N TH3 4FT3RLIF3 WORK1NG ON 4 PL4N TO T4K3 H1M OUT."
Chris stops mumbling for a moment to look up at her with a completely hopeless look "..." and then his head goes back into the pillows, "Oooooookaaaaaay..." then is silent as his mind tries to make sense of everything.
"YOU'R3 OV3R R34CT1NG! 4 TRU3 W4RR1OR W1LL ROLL W1TH WH4T L1F3 G1V3S H1M, CHR1S!" She declared as she wagged a finger in his direction.
He peeked up at her, "...Are you scolding me for thinking? Isn't it wiser to understand things before they go into battle and get killed?" his logic... but thinking too much sometimes leaves no room for really getting anything done.
"NO, NO!" She shakes her hands in the air. "TH1NK, STR4T3G1Z3, PL4N! YOUR BR41N 1S YOUR GR34T3ST W34PON; 1 WOULD KNOW, MY G4M3 T1TL3 1S TH3 S33R OF M1ND. BUT YOU C4N'T DW3LL ON TH1NGS, 1S TH3 PO1NT. YOU H4V3 TO MOV3 ON 4ND L34RN TO S1MPLY L1V3 W1TH YOUR LOSS 4ND CONFUS1ON. W3'V3 4LL H4D TO D34L W1TH 1T, 1 SUPPOS3. BUT 1N 4 PL4C3 L1K3 TH1S, W1TH NOT MUCH COMP4NY 4ND 4 WHOL3 LOT OF T1M3, YOU'LL GO 1NS4N3 1F YOU C4N'T B34R TH3 TRUTH."
Luckily he catches her on what she had said earlier, the smallest of smiles on his face as he poked her shoulder with his free hand, "...You said we could take our time because we have four years on this freakin' astroid."
"TWO MY FR13ND, TWO. TH4TT W4S 4 V3RB4L SL1P UP 4ND SH4LL NOT H4PP3N 4G41N. BUT Y3S, 1T DO3S S33M TH4T W3'LL B3 TR4V3L1NG QU1T3 4 WH1L3 ST1LL. YOU'V3 GOT 4LL TH3 T1M3 1N TH3 WORLD." She sighs, but then seems to perk up. "1'M GL4D YOU C4M3 4LONG, R34LLY." Grins. "TH1S 1S TH3 MOST FUN 1'V3 H4D 4LL Y34R!"
Chris gives up. It's impossible to hide a smile from a person who sees by the use of other senses... he ends up grinning and giving up on depression, putting his own feelings aside. She was right in a way. Nothing would get done if he moped the entire time... and he might as well enjoy just still being alive. "Yeah, I'm glad that I'm not just a bunch of particles floating through space from what's left of a destroyed planet either. Living really is preferable. X3" now he is teasing her... he really is pushing his gloominess in the corner.
Arm punch. "TH4T'S TH3 SP1R1T!"
He smiles, rubbing the arm she punched him on a bit with his opposite hand, "Yyyup... I just wish that spirit didn't hurt so much."
"H4H4H4H4H4H4HH4, F33L TH3 SP1R1T!" She starts rapidly play punching him.
…Oh great, he walked right into that one! He raised his hands as protection and tried stopping her fists while laughing now, her humor contagious, "Alright, alright! I feel it! XD"
"3XC3LL3NT! 1 HOP3 YOU R3M3MB3R TH4T F33L1NG, MY PUP1L, L34ST 1 H4V3 TO R3M1ND YOU." She drops down onto the couch, and sits.
He sits next to her, chuckling a bit from the after effect of the laughter earlier and then looks over at her for a moment, chewing his gum ponderously as he thought- more optimistically this time- about what had happened thus far... until he notices that his gum is tasting funny... "Hey Terezi? Do you have a garbage or something I can spit my gum out into? It sort of lost its flavor."
"..." She stares at him for a moment, and even though she can't really see it seems like her eyes are looking right at him. "YOU... SP1T 1T OUT?"
"Yeah, it tastes horrible if you swallow it!" He said as he nodded and then blinked at her, noticing something. A slow grin spread across his face, "Wait... you didn't swallow it... did you? X3"
She looks as though she is trying to explain to him a very serious matter. "CHR1S, WH3N TH1NGS GO 1NTO TH1S MOUTH, TH3Y 4R3 SW4LLOW3D, NO QU3ST1ONS 4SK3D."
But Chris didn't let the matter drop and continued teasing, "But gum is only chewed to keep hunger at bay and satisfy your taste buds! If you swallow it..." haunting voice that is almost completely dead serious,"You will die SLOWLY and paaaaaaiiiinnnfulllyyyy~! ^U^"
"H4! 4S 1F YOUR HUM4N PO1SON COULD K1LL M3!" But then she looked worried. "SO... WH4T SHOULD 1 DO?"
Chris thought she looked too worried and decided to cut the joke short before she got hurt. He chuckled, "Gotcha. It won't kill you. Probably won't even really affect you at all, the worst you could get is indigestion because you basically ate a piece of chewable plastic... I think..." He pauses and scratches his chin, "... You know, I actualy have no idea what gum is made out of."
She relaxes visibly. "TH4T'S 4LL R1GHT TH3N, 1 34T QU3ST1ON4BL3 TH1NGS 4LL TH3 T1M3."
Chris raises an eyebrow but doesn't push it... and then gets out his red yo-yo again and starts playing with it absentmindedly, "So... I think that, well... before my little pity party there, we were going to do something but I can't remember-"
"HMM..." Terezi looks thoughtful. After a moment she gives up and collapses against the couch cushions. "NOP3, 1 DON'T R3M3MB3R!"
"..." the yo-yo goes out, a red blur, and then comes back to his hand, another red blur, and then it goes out... and comes back in... and then out... and comes back in... and then out... and comes back in... and then-
Voices begin to echo from the hallway.
"I TOLD YOU, HE WANTS TO BE LEFT ALONE, CAN'T YOU BE FREAKING CONSIDERATE FOR FIVE FREAKING MINUTES, THAT IS ALL THAT I ASK."
"no can do karkles. ive gotta see whats up. you cannot drop, hey, just so you know, theres some other human who's also alive from your universe, on me and not expect me to check things out."
Two figures arrive, first Karkat, walking in backwards and keeping an eye on his companion, and the a pale and expressionless teenaged boy, clad in wide dark glasses. The face turns towards Chris, and there is a slight twitch to his features before they smooth back out.
"this him." He deadpans when he talks, obviously asking a question without any inflection in his voice showing it.
*Karkat's face looks exaggeratedly disgusted and sarcastic in comparison. " NO, THIS IS SOME OTHER RANDOM HUMAN YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT. WE'VE BEEN KIDNAPPING HORDES OF THEM WITHOUT TELLING YOU, AND GAMZEE WAS HIDING THEM IN THE BASEMENT."
"cool."
Chris stares back at the kid, studying him from the safe distance about two yo-yo lengths apart and still sitting on the couch... then he inclines his head in a quick, jerky way in greetings, "Hey... nice shades." ...Guy talk... wonderful. Don't even ask for the name first. It's all about sizing each other up first and in their minds they probably think that they are cooler than the other. X3
One corner of Dave's mouth turns up in the most barely noticeable way it possibly could. "nice yoyo. dave strider."
"Cool. I'm Chris... or Christopher." then he frowns... why did his last name elude him?
"nice to meet ya." He turns on his heel. "alright ive seen him. im out."
Terezi sticks out her tongue at Dave's back. "SPO1LSPORT! H4NG OUT W1TH US!"
"nah. ill go see what the mayors up to." Dave leaves.
Chris is... sort of shocked that the confrontation was over like that and he blinks into space... before turning to Terezi and asking in mild confusion, "That's a human?" waves a hand in the direction that Dave disappeared, "You sure?"
"H4H4H4H4H4, 4BSOLUT3LY POS1T1V3. H3 1S TH3 COOL3ST HUM4N, YOU JUST H4V3 TO G3T US3D TO H1M." she laughed.
"So... the paleness and the floating sort of way he walked was my imagination?" He raised an eyebrow.
But then he shakes his head, "Sorry, that was sort of rude. I meant to ask about the floating though, but maybe that's just how he walks. Anyways, I'm probably pale too."
"1 R34LLY DON'T KNOW WH4T W4S UP W1TH TH3 FLO4T1NG TH1NG. USU4LLY H3 JUST W4LKS L1K3 4 R3GUL4 P3RSON. H3 C4N FLY, BUT TH3R3 1SN'T R34LLY 4NY R34SON TO H3R3." Terezi said, sounding as if she were pondering the reason for his floating as well.
"Ah…" he said as he thought to himself that perhaps Dave was just showing off... then he stops and looks at her with his mouth open slightly, "He can fly?"
"Y34H, BUT TH4T'S NOT R34LLY 4 P4RT1CUL4RLY SP3C14L TH1NG."
Karkat now speaks up. Both of them had kind of forgotten about him.
"OH YEAH, EASY FOR YOU TO SAY." He turns to Chris. "YOU KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE JERKS GOT TO FLY IN SOME WAY? ROCKET CHAIRS AND ROCKET BOOTS AND WEIRD GOD/FAIRY POWERS. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. BUT. ME."
Terezi flaps a hand. "4H, G3T OV3R 1T K4RKL3S!" She cackled before the turned and talked to Chris, "D4V3 H4S 4LL SORTS OF OTH3R COOL POW3RS, MOSTLY TIM3 TR4V3L, S1NC3 H3'S TH3 KN1GHT OF T1M3."
"Oh. Right. Of course he would have that power. Makes complete sense." he has a bit of sarcasm in there but he sighs. He really had to learn a lot. Then he looks at Karkat, "Well you're not the only one who hasn't flown then. I haven't either."
"OH." He seems taken aback for a moment. "YEAH. SHOOT, YEAH, I GUESS YOU'RE RIGHT. HUH." He shifts awkwardly.
Terezi believes she sees the blooming of FR31NDSH1P! She is quite pleased with these developments.
"ANYWAYS, I'D BETTER GO FIND ROSE. HOPEFULLY SHE'LL HAVE SOME BASIC FREAKING COMMON CURTOSEY AND BE ABLE TO HANDLEE HER STUPID HUMAN CURIOSITY." He said as if trolls didn't have the innate feeling of curiosity bestowed upon them, "SO, LATER." And with that he stormed out of the room.
Chris grinned slightly, feeling just a tiny bit awkward from the whole sudden conversation and intrusion as he waved farewell to Karkat. Then he turned to Terezi, the smile still on his face. Even if he couldn't predict the future, with people like Karkat, Dave and Terezi, he had a feeling life for him would never get dull. Maybe it would help him move on as well and leave the past behind. Who knew? The future had a plethora of possibilities.