Author Note:

Hello again! Wow. The popularity for this story is INCREDIBLE! I can not express how much we love it!

Sadly, after chapter 7 depending on what happens we might have a short hiatus/pause of chapters we are working on this story but as school nears its end the amount of work we have to do appears to have no end. Nothing much we can say about this other than it sucks.

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Chapter Six: Defend!

== Sollux: Wake

Sollux wakes up, his vision blurry and warped, he groans and rolls his head so it is against the back of the chair. He goes to hold his head in pain but is stopped by the cuffs connecting him to the chair. A tear rolls down his bloodsplattered cheek. He can hear arguing out in the hall, but the door on the side is opened reverting his attention from the voices to the one now saying his name.

"Soooooooolluuuuuuuux! Are we going to behave now? Or will I have to get out the knives again?" Vriska's voice plays each letter, making them sound childish.

"Vrithka I thwear- pleathe, thtop, I didn't help him get out, I thwear! Pleathe, pleathe thtop." She stops in front of a table her back to him. Her shoulders shake slightly and she sighs.

"Why. Won't. You. Just. ADMIT IT?!" her voice rings through the room as she picks up a knife and turns to him. "I'M SO SICK OF YOUR UNCOOPERATIVE BEHAVIOR!"

"Vrithka… Pleathe," he begs, looking up at her.

She takes a deep breath and looks at the knife. "Let's try this one more time."

== Feferi: Look for Sollux.

Feferi walks down the hall to the prison cells.

"Seallux?" she calls, turning the corner into the cell where Karkat and Sollux are supposedly being kept. "Seallux?" she looks into the cell, it is empty. Worry fells her eyes and she looks around. "Oh my cod..." She stands in silence for a minute or so before a scream pierces the air. Her eyes grow wide and she runs down the hall, stumbling to the door where the screaming is coming from behind.

"WHY WON'T YOU ADMIT IT?!" A voice echoes from inside. Feferi puts her ear to the door listening.

"Pleathe… Pleathe thtop..." The voice is small and quiet and she can barely make it out.

"Seallux?" she mutters, putting her hand on the doorknob mustering her strength before pushing it open. "What's going on..?" she asks. Vriska stands over Sollux, knife in hand.

"Feferi... Turn around and close the door. Now." Vriska says, glaring at her. Feferi takes a couple of steps in.

"No," Feferi refuses grabbing her trident.

"Excuse me?" Vriska moves the knife, anger bubbling inside of her.

"I said no." Feferi puts her hands on her hips staring Vriska down.

Vriska grinds her teeth. "Feferi. Get. Out."

[s] == Eridan: Throw a tantrum.

"How could she do this to me?!" the highblood demands, pacing the conference room. "I hawen't done anyfin wrong!"

"Uh… Eridan, you might want to calm down, maybe?" Tavros suggests. "You'll get over her, uh… Right?"

Eridan shoots him a nasty look.

"Sorry…"

"Don't say you're fuckin sorry!" Eridan shouts, slamming his hands down on the table in front of Tavros. "Sorry wwon't change anyfin!" he screams.

Tavros bites his lip and shrinks back, nodding.

"Stop shrimpin back from me!" Eridan's frustration is rising to a point of him being willing to blame anyone, his eyes are watering a light purple. "Wwhy does eweryone fuckin hate me?!"

"I-I don't know," Tavros mutters nervously. "I don't hate you, though."

"Don't lie to me!" Eridan screams, backhanding him with all his strength. A line of brown streaks down his cheek from Eridan's ring. "You're the same as eweryone else! You all hate me!"

Tavros bites his lip, pulling his face back up to make eye contact again. "I-I'm sorry."

"Stop sayin that!" Eridan sobs. "Eweryone says they're fuckin sorry, but they wwon't do anyfin to help!" He leans back away from Tavros and runs his hands through his hair. "They're just wwords!"

"Then… What would you like..?" Tavros asks tentatively.

Eridan glares at him through blood-shot eyes. "I wwant… I wwant someone to care. I wwant them to showw that they lowe me," he mutters. "No one lowes me, though."

Tavros looks down. "If… If someone made you feel loved…" He fidgets as Eridan looks questioningly at him. "Would… Would that make you feel better..? Would you maybe be nicer to everyone?"

"Taw… Are you offering..?" Eridan's expression softens. "Wwould you do that..? For me..?"

Tavros nods sheepishly. "Y-yes… You can do whatever you want with me, if it'll make you happy." He manages a shy smile up at Eridan.

Eridan grins. "Wwell, then…"

[s] == Kanaya: Express yourself.

Kanaya wanders down the hall, clearing her mind. So far, she has not taken a side, as far as anyone else knows. She refuses to take sides, which is undoubtedly the wisest course of action for her. She runs into Vriska, who is walking the opposite way and muttering something about "stupid fish" and "fucking highbloods."

"Vriska…" Kanaya greets.

"Kanaya!" Vriska halts, apparently previously oblivious to Kanaya's presence before. "When did you get here?"

"Moments ago," Kanaya answers, "Look, Vriska… I think we need to talk."

Vriska's smile falters. "Talk?" she repeats.

"Yes, about… My position on the matter at hand," she says tentatively.

Vriska grins again. "Decided to take my side, huh? Good choice."

Kanaya looks down. "No, I'm afraid not, actually," she mutters. "See, officially, I have no stand on the matter. But…"

"Unofficially?" Vriska offers, growing more uncomfortable.

Kanaya takes a deep breath. "I have no position one way or another. However, with the way you've been acting lately… I no longer think I am fit to be your moirail."

Vriska's mouth falls open slowly. "I… Kanaya…" Her eyes start to water. "But…"

"Please understand, Vriska, it's for the best, really," Kanaya begs.

"You're right," Vriska snorts. "I don't need you. You're too weak to be my moirail, anyway." Vriska storms down the hall, and Kanaya retains a brave face as she walks down the hall.

[s] == Gamzee: Comfort Tav.

Tavros rolls out of the conference room, his jacket askew and his forehead beaded with sweat, guilt and horror in his eyes.

"Hey, Tavbro," Gamzee calls, walking up to the lowblood.

Tavros flinches away from Gamzee, making the other troll frown, before he smiles weakly. "Hey…"

"You… Okay?" Gamzee asks.

Tavros nods. "Yeah, I'm fine…"

Gamzee tilts his head and touches Tavros' cheek, making him flinch again. "What the motherfuck happened?" he asks. "Tav, you're bleeding."

"Oh, that?" Tavros laughs weakly. "It's nothing, Gamzee. I'm okay."

"Tavbro…" Realizing that Tavros didn't wanna talk about it, Gamzee brushed his hand over his head and patted his shoulder. "Whatever you say, motherfucker." He smiles, and Tavros smiles back. "How about we slam some Faygo?"

"Sure, I'd like that," Tavros answers, and Gamzee hands him an unopened bottle. "Thanks."

== Feferi: Encounter Terezi

Terezi sits in the empty courtroom. The door opens slowly and Terezi can smell the faint drift of fuchsia blood in the air.

"Feferi?" she says tilting her head.

"Oh… Hey Terezi," she says quietly.

"What's wrong with you?" Terezi asks, cradling the soft white scalemate in her arms.

"Just some shit with Eridan and Vriska..." She trails off. "How are you doing?"

"WELL. So far, I don't know where the prisoners are! Nor when we are holding court! Not to mention, everyone's EXTREMELY grouchy!" Terezi sighs then sniffs the air. "Are you bleeding?"

"Oh. Uh… Yeah…" Feferi says, putting her hand to her face. "Just a little incident, I'm okay."

"Oh, um okay…" Terezi's speech trails off and the conversation quickly becomes extremely uncomfortable for the two of them.

"I… Uh should probably go… And like wash my face… If I find out when court will be held I will definitely tell you! If that helps at all," Feferi says swinging her foot self consciously.

"Yes it would…" Terezi directs her head down to the scalemate in her lap sniffing the red eyes.

"I'll uh… Just be off then… Um, bye?" Feferi reaches for the door handle and opens it cautiously.

"Bye Feferi!" Terezi says looking in the wrong direction. Feferi giggles softly slipping through the door into the hall.

End Note:

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