Note: I'm sorry if I messed up anything about the trolls. But anyways, chapter 7! This was actually fun to write!

Portal 2 was up and running by the time Rose had woken up. She peered outside to see John, Jade and Dave chatting by the running Portal, and a third boy she'd never seen before talking to Dirk. The boy had black hair and an almost unnoticeable tan. He wore square-rimmed glasses like John's. Rose knew this was Jake, Jade's cousin and Jane's brother. She stepped outside to greet them.

"Hey Rose! Calliope's waiting for the Council to arrive." John told her cheerfully. "Have you met Jake?"

"Hello! Jolly good to meet you!" Jake smiled, extending his hand. Rose smiled back, shaking his hand. All of a sudden, Calliope gave a shout.

"Guys! Here come the Council!" The group turned in time to see the portal hum, glow softly, and then in a blink, twelve cloaked figures appeared. Perhaps not the ones they were expecting.

"EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP! THIS IS YOUR LEADER SPEAKING. I- oh." The short figure in the front pulled back his hood, revealing grey skin, yellow eyes, and two stumpy candy-corn horns protruding from a mass of chocolate brown hair. He seemed to glare at everyone. "Alright. We're here, nooksuckers. My name is Karkat, and I am the replacement for the Signless." His voice had a creak to it, like he had shouted too much.

"Replacement?" Calliope tsked. "We were told the Alternian Council was coming!" Karkat glared at her and opened his mouth when another troll nudged him aside.

"Karkat! Please don't be rude!" This troll pulled down her hood, and a mass of pink streaked hair toppled down. She had fins and goggles, but wore a thin gold headband. Her horns were curved outward, like a Pisces symbol. "I'm so sorry. My name is Feferi, by the way. I'm the replacement for the Condensation. Unfortunately, there's been more distressing matters on Alternia, so we were sent. I apologize for the mix-up."

Calliope just muttered angrily until John stepped up. "Well, there's no reason to mope, I guess. Having some backup is better than none, and if the Council is busy, we can respect that." John then smiled. "I don't believe we've introduced ourselves. I am John Egbert, the Heir to the Wind Kingdom. This is my sister Jade Harley, the Space Guardian on duty, my best bro Dave Strider, a Knight of the Time Kingdom, his sister Rose Lalonde, a Seer from the Light Kingdom, and..." He paused a minute. "I don't actually know the others, except for my cousin Jane Crocker, a Handmaiden from the Life Kingdom."

Feferi smiled. "Like I said, I am Feferi Peixes, the descendant or replacement of the Condensation. I, too, am a Life-Master, although I have not used my powers much. This grumpy troll here-" She nudged Karkat. "Is a Knight from Alternia's Blood Kingdom. He's the descendant of the Signless, my family's right hand man."

The rest of the trolls pulled back their hoods and introduced themselves, although Rose lost track quickly. One stood out in particular, a Space Guardian named Kanaya Maryam, the descendant of the Dolorosa. Rose though she sounded vaguely similar to the Space Guardian the Ringmaster was talking to. When they were finished introducing everyone, Rose walked over to Kanaya and offered to carry her bags.

"Greetings, Rose human." Kanaya smiled. "I wish this had not come up at such an unfortunate time, sorry to say. I was preparing for a guest to stay, a friend of a friend's. I am worried, though, because I have never met her, and so I could not tell her."

"I was sent to stay with a friend of a friend's." Rose informed her. "You must be the Ringmaster's Space troll friend."

"I am indeed!" Kanaya exclaimed. "You are the same Rose human from the Wonder-Festival?"

"Yes." Rose set down the bags she was carrying at the fifth tent. "It looks like you'll be staying with the one named Aradia Medigo."

"Aradia?" Kanaya smiled. "At least I can converse with her. Well... somewhat."

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"Aradia switches often between two different personalities. It's like life and death. Right now it's more of a 'death' phase."

"I see." Rose nodded. "Well, if you're an early riser, we could met for a cup of tea?"

"Of course. It was wonderful to meet you, Rose." Kanaya smiled again at her. "Have a good night."

"And you, too." Rose walked away, glad to have one person to converse easily with.