Sad to say, I actually had this all written out before I finished the update for "Coming to Terms." Oh, well. Not so happy with this one, but I haven't ever really gotten a chance to explore Latula's character before, so it was rather difficult for me to put myself in her headspace. Still, I imagine that she adores Terezi, so... yeah.

Many thanks to Toaneo07 Ver2.0, SmileyFacesSmile, TH4TON3GUY (I hope you had a happy birthday, and sorry about the delay!), and FanficFinatic2 for your reviews to the last act. I just know that as the story picks up speed, I will get more readers, but I love you guys right now!


Neophyte Redglare

Latula Pyrope straightened her glasses, a deep pride welling in her chest as she carefully looked over her reflection. The square-framed red-tinted glasses were an affectation adopted to appease (well, more to comfort) her sister Terezi, who wore her pointed red glasses to disguise her blindness, but her attire—that of a Judicate legislacerator—was new, a mark of her imminent graduation from the ranks of the Neophytes. She'd been working at this for four sweeps now, ever since she was nine and a half—putting her at among the youngest of her peers—and today, in mere hours, all her hard work would pay off.

But this promotion would be made all the more special because today, The Princess would attend the ceremony as well. The Young Highblood was also rumored to be attending as The Princess's escort, but Latula regarded that news with nothing but dread. She knew of The Soporite's reputation—everyone did. Seeing him, even in the company of The Princess, would be an ordeal. But that was the only aspect of today she had any reservations about.

Terezi, on the other hand... She either hadn't heard (laughable—there was very little she didn't hear or smell or taste or feel due to their lusus's instruction) about The Soporite's presence or simply didn't care that he would be there. She was just excited to be around all the graduating legislacerators and ask them questions, something Latula wished she wouldn't do, but short of confining Terezi to their hive with Pyralspite, there was nothing she could do to prevent it (and she certainly wasn't going to force Terezi to miss this event). And maybe it was for the best—after all, it was Terezi's goal to follow in her footsteps as a legislacerator. Normally, her blindness would disqualify her from nearly everything (normally, it would be reason enough for Terezi to be culled), but she navigated to well due to Pyralspite's teaching that she didn't appear to outsiders to be blind. The only way the know she was blind was to actually see her eyes, something Terezi never allowed, at least in public. Her red glasses stayed firmly on her face all the time. She knew well enough that her disability would get her culled, but she refused to let to hold her back.

In many ways, Terezi was the person Latula admired the most. She knew she was in danger, but it didn't stop her from having goals, and the fact that she wanted to be what Latula was now was just an added bonus.

"We have to leave soon," she called over her shoulder to Terezi, who was lying on her stomach poking at Pyralspite with her white cane. She only used it in the hive, the only concession she would make to her blindness. "I'd like to be there before The Princess and The Soporite. Are you almost ready?"

"I'm ready now!" Terezi announced, jumping to her feet and instinctively brushing off her black pants. She had either felt or smelled the dust on her clothing.

Latula blinked, stunned. "But that's what you always wear! The Princess and The Young Highblood are going to be there!"

Terezi cocked her head to the side for a moment. "It's comfortable."

"You have to wear something else." It was too simple—black pants and a black shirt with their sign in the same color as their teal blood—and everyone else there would be dressed much more nicely. The graduates would all be wearing the attire of the Judicate legislacerators, of course, but everyone observing would be dressed to impress, and the last thing Latula wanted was for Terezi to draw undue attention to herself. It was fine if she stood out because of any intelligence she displayed, but even the tiniest bit of negative attention could be damning. If The Princess was anything like Her Imperious Condescension, she wouldn't hesitate to cull a blind girl on the spot.

And The Soporite... Latula shuddered internally. She couldn't even imagine what kind of destruction might result from his presence. It would no doubt be a fiasco if anything set him off. It had only been three and a half sweeps or so since what the lowbloods referred to in hushed tones as The Incident, but despite the small number of actual witnesses, just about everyone knew the details. The Young Highblood was violently unstable, just like his sister. No one would be safe with him on the loose.

So it was imperative that everything appeared as high-end as possible. That included changing Terezi out of her everyday clothes and into something a little more appropriate for this event.

It took a bit of cajoling, but using the reasoning skills borne of her legislacerator training, Latula was able to talk Terezi into changing her clothes. The pants were traded for teal silk trousers, and though she wasn't a legislacerator yet, she wore a red silk shirt with their sign embroidered on it in teal as well. Red—bright, candy-red, anyway—was considered to be a mark of the legislacerators, but Latula figured it was okay because of the red glasses and the fact that Terezi was Latula's younger sister.

Terezi absolutely refused to budge on the comfortable shoes she wore, though, and Latula decided that would be an acceptable sacrifice.


By the time they arrived (they deigned to leave Pyralspite at home since she was fairly sizable for a lusus and would take up a lot of room), the amphitheater where the ceremony would take place was nearly filled—and there, in the middle of the cluster of people, surrounded by a ring of Defenders, was The Princess and The Young Highblood. The two highbloods were arm in arm, and Latula could understand why they would want to present a united front. Their sisters—The Condesce and The Grand Highblood—were the ruling team, but it was clear that The Princess wanted it known that she and The Soporite had reached some sort of agreement as well.

Or maybe it was more than that. The Princess was smiling like Her Imperious Condescension, but the feel was different. It seemed more genuine, like she was honestly pleased to be there. She chatted comfortably with people in the crowd from just beyond the circle of Defenders, as close to the edge as possible, and even The Young Highblood seemed... calm. He certainly didn't look sane—there was a wild look in his eye that Latula suspected came from some combination of the near-royalty of his blood and his sopor pies—but his posture bespoke a quiet in his bearing that was damn near pacified. Perhaps The Princess and The Young Highblood had struck up some sort of moirallegiance? It would be in keeping with their older sisters—the favored rumor was that The Condesce and The Grand Highblood were kismeses. That the younger two would have a romantic attachment as well seemed only natural.

"Come on," Terezi whined, tugging at Latula's wrist. She could hear the crowd, Latula was certain. "The highbloods are here." She grinned. "I can smell them," she added at a whisper to avoid drawing attention to herself. "There's a distinctly fruity smell to the air above the lowblood rust and midblood breeze."

Latula chuckled in spite of herself, rolling her eyes in a pleased sort of exasperation. Terezi had a habit of classifying blood smells—the dark red blood of the peasantry was her favorite. She claimed that it almost smelled royal, but there was a metallic tang to it that affirmed just how low it really was. "Yes, they're here. I was hoping to introduce us to them before the ceremony, but it looks like we'll have to wait," she added. She chewed on her lip and glanced around. The crowd was swelling by the minute—even people who couldn't possibly be here for the legislacerator graduation had arrived to see The Princess. Latula couldn't bring herself to think that anyone was here for The Soporite.

This might be the only chance most of these people had to see The Princess at all—the lowbloods' lives were much shorter than the upper castes, and some of them probably wouldn't live to see The Princess ascend to the throne. Some rulers saw five or six generations of lowbloods die before they, too, succumbed to death. So it wasn't surprising that the lowbloods would do anything for a glimpse of the next fuchsia blood in line.

Latula had another reason for wanting to meet The Princess, though, especially after she saw how approachable The Princess appeared. Even though it would be dangerous work, she wanted to be assigned to direct service for The Grand Highblood. It was true that The Grand Highblood was insane, and it was also true that the service would most likely end her life much sooner than it would end otherwise, but it was a prestigious assignment, one that would nearly guarantee Terezi would be accepted to become a legislacerator herself—provided she stayed alive long enough to apply. Talent was passed on through the blood, and if Latula was as gifted a legislacerator as she seemed, then Terezi would be just as good, or maybe even better.

Terezi scoffed. "Not likely. Let's go!"

"Wait—" Before Latula could protest further, Terezi was off, her shorter-than average stature helping her bob through the crowds. She must have been able to smell her way through, because she didn't stumble or smack into anyone once, and it was all Latula could do to keep up, hoping she wasn't disgracing herself by chasing after her sister.

By the time she caught up, Terezi was mere feet from the highbloods, her back to them with one row of people between them and The Princess. "We're here," she announced with a grin.

"Don't do that again!" Latula snapped in an undertone. "We could have gotten in trouble!"

"I didn't hear anyone complaining. We kept our heads down and kept moving—at least I did—so I don't think anyone else noticed."

Latula wanted to throttle her, but she had to admit that Terezi was right. No one seemed upset, and they'd actually accomplished the goal of making it to the highbloods. Now the next step was hers.

She gently pushed past the one person who stood between her and The Princess and said, dropping to a deep bow, "Princess, it is an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine, I'm shore. No need to bow, either. Who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

Latula straightened up, relieved to see The Princess still smiling like all she wanted in the world was to talk to her. "For the next few minutes, I'm Neophyte Redglare, but very shortly, I'll be Judicate Redglare, Princess."

"I thought there was a reason you were dressed like that! It seems this event is for you, then. My congratulations."

"Thank you very much, Princess. And allow me to introduce you to my sister," she added, reaching behind her and pulling Terezi forward. "She doesn't have a title yet, but she's hoping to follow me as a legislacerator."

"What a fin goal! How old are you, fish?" The Princess asked, addressing Terezi now.

"Six and a half. Princess," she added after Latula subtly elbowed her in the side.

"So young! But clearly, very driven. I saw how you wove through the mob just to get here," The Princess added with a laugh.

Latula felt herself blushing teal. "You saw that?"

"Oh, yes, very impressive. I think the legislacerators would be only gifted to have you among their ranks, young one. When the next batch of students is selected, I'll be sure you're on the list. Sister to Judicate Redglare," The Princess said. She seemed to be trying to remember that information, and Latula was stunned. That was so easy—getting Terezi into the legislacerators would be a snap with The Princess's endorsement. "What name would you pick?"

"I like Redglare," Terezi said. "I think I would keep it. There could be two Redglares at once, right?"

"There very well could. In fact, I would love to see that," The Princess said.

Latula was touched. She hadn't even thought to ask Terezi what she might call herself, and knowing that Terezi planned to style herself after Latula was more than she dreamed. She fought the urge to embrace Terezi right then and there, reminding herself that decorum must be preserved. Instead, she bowed again. "Many thanks to you, Princess. I can't express my gratitude."

"It will be thanks enough to see your sister at the top of her class," The Princess said. "But with you to guide her, I have no doubt that she will flourish."

Momentarily, a horn sounded, and the crowd began to find their way to their seats. Turning to Terezi, Latula said, "I'll help you find a place to sit and then stay there until after the ceremony. I'll come get you."

"Okay." She turned to The Princess, bowed, and said, "It was a great honor to meet you!"

"And an honor to meet you as well," The Princess replied, half-bowing.

Latula bowed again and quickly led Terezi away.

"The Young Highblood smelled... tainted," the younger Pyrope said once they were out of earshot.

"They don't call him The Soporite for nothing," Latula mumbled. "That was probably the sopor pies he eats."

"He didn't say anything, either."

"And be grateful for that. Nothing worthwhile ever comes out of that one's mouth." She gently pushed Terezi into a seat off to the side but near the front. "Stay right here. I'll be back."

"Good luck!" Terezi called after her.

It wasn't until after the ceremony, when she and Terezi were on their way back to their hive, that Latula realized she hadn't gotten to ask for the assignment to The Grand Highblood's service, and by then it was too late.


It's not obvious yet, but there's a bit of a time lapse between each chapter and a fairly sizable one between the first and second chapters. This will become more obvious with the next chapter...