Your name is Tavros Nitram and Karkat is braver then you'll ever be. He bared his weakness to this room, like you never could.
You almost told them. Almost told them the one thing you could never tell anyone, ever, but you didn't. Instead, you say,
"What now?"
And Vriska gives you a look that is very nearly impressed and Feferi straightens, the moment shattered, once again every bit the empress she is. Karkat isn't a king anymore, isn't a soldier, he's a short, serious troll in an ill-fitting sweater.
And he says, "I don't know."
Vriska snorts.
"Words of wisdom from our prodigious leader, everyone." The blueblood gives an ugly smile when Terezi jams her elbow back into her ribs.
Eridan stands up to speak. "I think we should gather a militant force and charge the building at once. We can put a stop to the problem before it has the chance to be a problem."
Karkat looks uncomfortable, eyes rooted to the floor.
"Sit down, asshole." Sollux lisps, stretching an arm fragile as bird bones. "KK said there were thousands of them. No military on this whole planet would be enough to deal with that." He glances at Vriska.
"What we need is information."
Vriska nods. "Karkat and Terezi can handle getting information from inside their little school. Sollux can… do what Sollux does." She waves vaguely towards Kanaya's husktop.
Karkat starts to nod, then scowls. "How do you know Terezi's holed up with me? How do you even know it's a school?"
Vriska shrugs. "Okay, maybe I could help find out about this school of yours too."
Aradia is quiet, looking at you, measuring you. Kanaya looks uncomfortable.
"I could provide housing for anyone that doesn't have it. I'm afraid my current skillet is less then adequate for the situation."
Aradia raised an eyebrow, eyes a tube of makeup Kanaya's got in her hand.
Karkat sits down, wedging himself in next to Terezi.
"Well. Thanks everyone for coming, but Terezi and I should probably get back. There aren't really rules about leaving the building but they already don't like me and-" He stops, glances at his hands and you notice how battered he is.
There's a scratch on his cheek, the scab hidden with concealer. There's blood under his nails and bags under his eyes. He looks like he hasn't slept in years.
"I'll message you if we think of anything else. Is there something you need before you go?" Kanaya half-rises from the couch but Karkat waves her off.
"No, We'll be okay. Come on, Terezi."
Terezi swats one of Vriska's hands away, smirks, stands, and steps right on the toe of Vriska's boot.
Vriska says nothing, just shoves Terezi away and looks Karkat in the eye. "See you around, o fearless leader."
Karkat sighs and grabs Terezi's hand and pulls her away. They trek into the desert, blowing sand quickly hiding them from view.
Your name is Karkat Vantas and it looks like someone's put together a welcome party for you.
"Vantas." There is a troll standing in the shade cast by the academy, scowling next to his lusus. Behind him are five or six others, and you recognize the four founders of the institute among them.
"Yes, sir?"
"Where were you and Pyrope? And where are you coming back from?"
Terezi cut in, grinning too wide and saying, sickly-sweet, "Just getting some air, sir."
One of the founders steps up, thin and caffeinated. She looks a lot like Sollux.
"How dumb do you think we are?"
"Pretty smart, Ma'am." You step back on Terezi's heel and pray she shuts up for just a second. "Terezi was lying."
You feel her tense for a moment, knee digging into your legs.
"We went up to the city to see if there were any mutants hiding out there. Sometimes they have a hard time finding the institute, as you know, and we just wanted to help out. If we're going to do what you say we are, we're going to need allies."
The thin troll looks like she's fighting for words for a moment, then says "Good idea, Vantas. But next time, if you'd tell us first, we could send people with you to help."
"Sorry, Ma'am. We weren't thinking."
Terezi stiffens, pride wounded, and you grab her hand, digging your nails into her palm. Shut up.
"I'll go to my room now, Ma'am. I'd like to wash up a bit, but I can write up a report later."
"Very good, Vantas."
Your name is Terezi Pyrope, and the trolls didn't believe a word of what you said. They were exchanging looks and snickering and the troll you were talking to was almost laughing at you.
They might not know what you're doing, but they know you're doing something. And they don't like it.
Your palmhusk rattles.
Sender Unknown
Pyrope,
The Vantas kid means well. But he's Naïve. You're smart. You know that we know that there's something else going on here. You leave this building again without our permission and you're not getting back in. I like you. I like Vantas. But you break the rules again, you lie to us again, and you're not coming within sight of this institute every again.
You smirk. Send a message back.
[CG] I'm blind :/
Sender Unknown
You know what I mean, Pyrope. You are not to leave this building until we order you to do so or you are never going anywhere again. We've worked hard for this place and we will now have it ruined by two kids playing hooky. Leave again and you die.
[GC] Point made. There's not much out there anyway.
You name is Terezi Pyrope, and someone out there has it in for you. The air smells like pepper spray and smoke and you suspect that whatever order there is in your life is about to go down the tubes.
Bring it on.