Hello everyone! I'm so sorry it has taken me forever to upd8te. I had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad this summer! But that also meant I was cr8zy busy and was slow to write up this chapter. Thank you everyone for the wonderful and supportive comments, they really mean a gr8t deal to me ::::::::)

As usual this story is B8sed on Salihombox's AU and their cannons for Vriska, John, Mindfang, and The Summoner. I don't own any of these.

I definitely don't own Homestuck, though apparently I'm just the same with hi8tuses.

On the research vessel

There was one member of the crew that stayed away from the excitement of the Marquise being brought aboard, but in the quiet hours now approached the spider's tank with a morbid curiosity. The two men guarding the tank looked on with apprehension as the spider watched her new visitor arrive. Though the Summoner had gained a very special place in the spider's heart for some reason, this newcomer had always been one of odd fascination to the her though no one understood it. And then there was the day it was decided for Mindfang to leave.

Flashback

She was the mom, she was everyone's mom really and she treated all who knew her with a motherly affection. The Delorosa had adopted and raised Signless as her own, going on to fully support his dream of opening the aquarium, following his ambition with great pride. As part of the many duties she carried out each day her personal favorite was greeting the aquarium residents each morning before they opened; it was a task not required of her but one that she always took care to do.

The Delorosa glided down the hall saying good morning to the various creatures with a smile as she went when before rounding the corner to the Freshwater Wing.

"Good morning Marquise," she greeted short nod before moving on, "let's be on our best behavior today."

"Good morning."

Delorosa was stopped short at the greeting, the voice was not from the air but from inside her own head, yet it was so clear it was as if someone was speaking directly into her ear. She turned, as usual the spider was in her nest towards the back of the tank, watching her visitor with wrapped interest.

Delorosa shook her head in confusion, " you didn't-"

"I did, I said good morning."

Delorosa took a step back, some of their residents were odder than others, little Feferi being the first of many such creatures.

But the talking was new.

"How?"

The spider shook her head, "I am of many different talents my dear. I never spoke before because living here is all so new, I've been adjusting."

"We had to bring you here, the tribes were banding together, they would have killed you; that is if your little stunt didn't finish you off."

There was a dark chuckle, "what can I say? I've always believed that when you do something start it with gr8t purpose, then finish off with a bang."

The words formed in the Delorosa's mind like printed font, taking up too much space for her own thoughts to have breathing room. Something wasn't right, she knew it... She just couldn't think of what.

The spider grave a great yawn, "but it's boring here. There are no good adventures to t8ke part of, no daring escap8des. I'll lose my reput8tion."

"I- I should think this wouldn't be wholly terrible. Your reputation hardly had anything good about it."

The Marquise roared with laughter, the Delorosa could hear it and the sound sent shivers of fear down her spine; no something was very wrong. She turned to leave, she needed to find someone, anyone-

"W8t."

She stopped mid step.

The spider narrowed her eyes, "come closer."

"I-"

"Please."

Delorosa was certain something was very wrong but she wasn't even aware of taking a slow, tentative step towards the tank.

Elsewhere in the aquarium

The Handmaid usually didn't like being told what to do, so when she was told that no you weren't aloud to "teach the Sharks a lesson for being mouthy," naturally she didn't listen. However when an animal protection officer showed up about said sharks well...

"Care to explain this?" She asked slamming several photos on the table. They were of said sharks, one of which sported a particular foot-shaped bruise from a well aimed roundhouse kick.

"What those?" The Handmaid said with a dramatic shrug of her shoulders. "Oh I have know idea, they could have come from anywhere."

The officer adjusted her glasses and gave a look as sharp as a knife to the animal trainer. They called her Redglare, which was well suited to the striking red lenses of the glasses she wore. She dressed in a mix of teal and cherry red and carried with her a red cane with a dragon's head as the handle; if she was blind Handmaid couldn't tell as she walked and moved with such confidence it was almost unnerving. At her feet there calmly sat of all things an albino komodo dragon (how did she even get that thing, weren't they supposed to be endangered?)

Redglare had a reputation for her persistent nature and despite still being relatively new at her position she had already separated herself from other animal protection officers as being tough to deal with. Handmaid knew, this time, she was in a lot of trouble.

"Yes you're right," Redglare agreed, "they could have come from anywhere. For example they could have come from anyone with the same shoe size as you and the same angle of toes as you, have the same level of martial arts training as you, and work at the same aquarium on the exact same day of this incident as you."

"Well I-"

"I think you need to choose your next words very carefully."

Beads of sweat broke out on the Handmaid's forehead, it was going to be hard to get out of this one.

"Well, you see I-"

"Wait."

Both dragon and its mistress turned their heads looking down the long hallway behind them. To Handmaid's surprise Redglare actually began to sniff the air then looked down at the creature.

"Pyralspite, go find it."

The dragon ran off with incredible speed for something with such short legs. Redglare grabbed Handmaid's arm and dragged her off giving chase to the reptile.

"Where are we going?"

"Something's not right come on!" Redglare shouted as she dragged the animal trainer down the halls of the aquarium; several employees took notice and followed after them.

"What's the problem?" Came a lisping voice to the Handmaid's right. She looked over her shoulder to see the Psiioniic, with lab coat on his shoulders and clipboard in hand; the Signless right behind him.

She shook her head, "no idea but something's up. Besides," she grinned, "it gets me off the hook."

They turned down the hallway reserved for the freshwater tanks; a drop of pure cold dread hit Handmaid's heart, there was only one resident down this hall that would be causing trouble.

They skidded to a halt at the foot of the spider tank where there sat an angry komodo dragon clawing at the glass in furry.

Above the tank the grate lid had been lifted open, Delorosa standing dangerously close to the platform's edge. They all stared up at her in silence, then looked inside the tank where the diving bell spider had emerged from her nest, a look of pure glee on her face.

"Signless, radio the Summoner over here for backup," The Psiioniic ordered. Signless did not respond, he found himself frozen in terror at the thought of what could happen next.

And then it did.

The Delorosa had an odd, blank look on her face. Almost as if she was caught in a daydream, or sleep walking. This expression did not change as she stepped off the ledge and fell into the tank.

The spider was quick.

Four sets of feet went tearing back down the hall to the nearest backstage door, up the stairs and to the platform over the tank in less than a minute. Mindfang had already dragged her victim to the bottom of her tank and back into the nest. Signless didn't waste a second but dove into the water below, Handmaid had the sense to scream for backup into her radio before diving in after him.

The first thing the Handmaid thought of was that she was glad it was a freshwater tank so she could see well underwater. The second thing she thought of was that none of them had air tanks, and the spider had countless air bubbles around the tank at her disposal. Handmaid tried to stick her head in one only for it to disappear with a soft, underwater pop; apparently there was a certain trick to it.

They found the spider waiting for them in her nest, Delorosa unconscious but at least trapped in the air bubble web. Mindfang grinned showing off her fangs, she had wanted a little entertainment and ended up with a party. Handmaid frowned, her lungs already beginning burn from lack of oxygen. This was bad, the spider was fast, strong, and completely in her element. She knew in the back of her mind that if something didn't happen now then at least one of them would not be leaving the tank.

But then something happened.

There was a flash of red, the officer had dove down to the bottom of the tank with a speed that could even match the spider's. Redglare gave a quick twist of her cane's handle and unsheathed a thin blade to be hidden inside. With sword in one hand and wooden sheath in the other Redglare slashed and stabbed at the enraged spider, forcing her away from her nest so Signless and Handmaid could make a grab for Delorosa.

Yanking her free of the web, the two swam as fast as they could hulling Delorosa back to the surface. The spider roared with rage, the water of the tank vibrating in response to the sound waves. Mindfang attempted to lunge past Redglare only to receive a swift slash of metal and the smell of her own blood drift into the water. She was so stunned by the act of someone actually managing to strike her that she almost didn't notice the officer making a swim for it as well.

Almost.

Redglare managed to stick her head in a bubble for a precious gulp of air before she felt the spider's grip on her ankle, yanking her back into the now ruined mess of her web. Redglare reached around, smashing her fist into the spider's stomach. The creature grimace then reached out to claw the officer only to have the tip of her cane smash into the spider's chin. As one hand retracted another two reached out, pinning Redglare's arms to her sides. Redglare struggled and kicked, the shredded spider's silk from the web that once was falling down around and onto them. The spider gave a sudden grin and with her two free hands reached out and took the ends of silk strands that had now coiled around Redglare's shoulders and neck, and gave a sharp tug.

Redglare the silk tighten around her neck like a noose, she couldn't believe it; she was going to die from either drowning or choking now. The spider pulled tighter and the officer could see spots begin to dance before her eyes, she had to do something and quick.

There was a sound like thunder as something splashed down into the tank, the spider looked up and Redglare kicked at her captor with all the strength she had left. Surprised, the spider let go. Knocking the officer's glasses off in the movement revealing a pair of bright red eyes that stared at her with all the fire and fury that she imagined a dragon could give.

Redglare pushed free from the spider and pushed her face into another bubble a gasp of air before it popped forcing her to accidentally take in a mouthful of water as well. For a moment she panicked before someone forced a breathing apparatus into her mouth and she took several grateful gulps of air.

The Summoner quickly unstrapped his air tank and shoved it into Redglare's arms, turning to face the spider in the same movement. Mindfang was thrown off by her new guest but quickly recovered with a coy smile that sent shivers down the Summoner's spine but he held his ground.

"I wanted to say hello, I wanted mother to stay." She whispered in his thoughts.

"No."

"Or you could stay."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"The dragon woman… kill her."

"N-."

The Summoner felt the odd sensation of his limbs going numb while his own thoughts we being quietly moved to the back of his head, she had snuck in without him even realizing it. But before he could even turn around to face the officer a red cane whipped over his shoulder and smacked Mindfang upside the head, stunning the spider. Summoner felt his thoughts clear and feeling return to his limbs. The two of them made a swim for it, he refused to glance behind knowing full well the spider would have already withdrawn to another web, smiling up at them with all the satisfaction of a well fed cat. It didn't matter the outcome, she had gotten what she wanted.

They broke the surface of the water and swam to the platform, the Handmaid hulling them both out with one quick jerk. Behind her the Psiioniic was giving Delorosa CPR. They all anxiously watched as Psiioniic pumped her chest up and down before finally Delorosa began to cough up a lungful of water and gasp for air.

"Mom!" Signless shouted before scooping the woman up into his arms sobbing hysterically, the Pssiioniic trying to pull him off so the poor woman could breath. Summoner sighed with relief and glanced over at the officer next to him. He had heard Handmaid's call for help over the radio but but was actually the officer's dragon that had lead him to the tank in time, for that he was grateful. The woman was gasping for air herself, one hand rubbing the bruise that was already forming around her neck. She looked at him with red eyes that seared right through him.

"She," Redglare gasped, pointing back to the tank below. "She has got to go."

So she did.

End Flashback

But now after so long she was coming back. The Delorosa stood as tall and proud as ever before the spider and the two regarded each other with equal fascination and dread at the thoughts of what was to come. Mindfang had hated captivity, but she hated being bored even more and back on her river she had been beginning to get so. Perhaps her days as a river queen were over but that didn't mean she was going to change for a more quiet lifestyle and though Delorosa had recently begun to hand off her scepter to others the queen of the aquarium was not about to take what had happened lying down.

Whatever happened next, it was going to be interesting nonetheless.