Relearning to Breath chapter 28
Book 2
(Special note! There will be some updating to earlier chapters. I've picked up a beta who has offered their services, they already got the first 6 chapters done so I just gotta review changes and cut and paste. It'll take me a little bit to get them all done. So be patient with me. Most the loads will likely go up over the weekend when I'm not trying to finish my chapters.)
Give Me That Old Chucklevoodoo
000
Karkat came down from upstairs. Hope was, better, he guessed. But she needed real help and he did not know what to do. Currently she was curled on her bed loaded with enough pain killers to tranquilize a whale. She said she'd come down once the pain eased up a little.
He brought her single bag down with him and just hoped if they had to run she was down in the living room with the others rather than someone having to go up after her.
He felt like he didn't know anything at the moment. He was beginning to feel panicked frankly. Wanting to curl up in a corner and just cry for a bit, that actually sounded like a very good idea.
But then he would be useless to Hope, which would likely upset Gamzee whenever the fuck he got back, and Jade would rightly just shoot him.
So he managed to keep himself together. Barely.
When he reached the ground floor Tavros came over the back of the couch and gave him a huge hug. He thought at first that the child wanted comfort, and then slowly realized that it was Tavros comforting him.
He grinned "You are going to make a great Moirail for someone." He told the pupa who gave him a big grin. But, Karkat felt better. It was hard to feel too down with that sweet smile staring up at one.
Karkat just hoped that nothing would destroy that smile. If anything, Karkat sore that the first subspecimen of troll or human who dared to destroy that smile would die painfully at the end of his blades. He would not make it quick either!
He released the boy and went over to were the stuff was sitting behind the couch, picking up his lap top he found only a couple messages. One from Sollux giving him a heads up that he hadn't yet gotten the real people who caused this mess but he had found a bit of missing footage that was at the perfect time for the bomb to have been placed in the hive. The other message was from John, stating that Kanaya and Lucy had gotten into the archives and they would report anything they found there. From a side message it seemed that Lucy was about to have a fit over the state of the so called 'order' in the archives.
He had a feeling that when she was done he was going to have to fight the Archive Keeper to be able to keep her himself. Fight he would to, she was much too valuable to him to let her go without hanging on tooth and claw. She kept his coffee cup full, gave him notes of creative uses of his own curses to rehash with the higher ups when they were being utter douche bags, she stalked people he needed things from. And so long as she was kept in a clean environment she was loyal and reliable. There had been a couple times he'd had to send her home because she actually felt so needed at work that she would work herself to serious hurt for him.
He didn't think he deserved that much loyalty, but he appreciated it. He knew that in that office he had a few people who had his back. Lucy being the little growling pawbeast humans called a bulldog, not much to look at, but damn if it didn't have a bite! Then there was John, Karkat sighed staring at the messages on his screen. John was one of those people that if not for his good humor and inability to see badness in anyone as far as he could tell, would make a perfect black romance. Other than for some reason one just, inexplicably, stopped hating him.
Which still annoyed the shit out of the troll. At the same time John seemed to have something going with a troll down at Trillians. Karkat saw a picture and shuddered. Of all the old gang to have lived it had to be her. Of course it was her. The tenacious creature would live just to spike the world. Karkat almost felt sorry for John. Vriska Serket. He was surprise she hadn't already ended up in some human prison or running a gang or something like that. Instead she seemed to be hanging out with a dorky human and drinking herself silly at a troll night club.
Karkat was just as glad that none of them recognized each other. The last meeting had not been any form of friendly. She had attempted to kill Tavros Nitram. Gamzee had not taken that very well.
The only reason the other troll even survived was because she abscond as fast as she could and managed to escape. None of them saw her after that. Although thinking back it was likely that point was when Gamzee and Tavros formed their relationship. They'd all been kids still, hardly more than 7 or 8 at the time. Karkat corrected himself for human 'years' which were a lot shorter than a troll's 'sweep'. So, 14 to 16 human years then.
Karkat rubbed his face. He made a random comment back to John, something appropriately insultive and congratulatory. Mainly so he wouldn't show just how freaked out he was feeling inside. Nothing was going how it should. They had entered worst case scenario and to add to that HE was right at ground zero.
He was feeling about as panicked as he did when he was first told of his promotion at the office.
This though was ten times worse, because the lives of those he cared for most were on the line as well as the hope of his people. He glanced from where he'd been sitting this whole time by the stairway. He could see Feferi's growing mass of hair. The curls refusing to stay in any form of order, even if Jade had attempted to tame the locks until they were long enough to be able to seriously braid.
The news was reduced to distant shots and texted news feeds. No one could get close to the hive. Most of the rescue teams had been driven away, human or troll. But admittedly the indigos were also still hunting the ruins for survivors and doing a fair job at it.
But the humans had sent in military that surrounded the area, in part to keep the curious away, but they were also antagonizing the situation. Already several scuffles had broken out. There were reports of one missing soldier from the scene. No confirmed deaths, but that was just a matter of time. Then it would turn into a blood bath.
Karkat and those helping him were finding time running out and very fast at that.
He paused as there was a new message on his screen.
Karkat. Run!
He paused looking at the handle. Then he blinked his contact darkened eyes "Oh fucking CRAP!" He slammed the laptop closed and shoved it into the back "We gotta move. NOW!" he shouted.
"What happened?" Jade said.
"I just got a warning from Lucy. Grab your stuff." Ana and Tavros dashed past Karkat up the stairs, the two were going to bring down Hope. So he went to the front door.
Karkat had a brief moment of shock. Before he could touch the door it was completely blasted off its hinges, knocking him back into the sofa. The kids screamed behind him and he shoved at something ontop of him.
Realising it was something white. Moving fast he managed to get his feet out from under Sirius' still form.
He looked up and saw Ana at the top of the stair. Clubs in her hands and her eyes very wide with a horror written a crossed her features. Then as the first of the attackers tried to come into the house the little troll practictly flew down the stairs and right through the broken bit of wall and bowling herself into the attackers.
Karkat had a brief moment to recognize that the attackers all wore black. It was impossible to tell species or pick out much detail. Karkat didn't register any horns either. In the end it didn't matter as little Ana went screaming into the group. Next to Karkat Sirius lifted his head and shook it. The troll felt a vague sense of relief. At least the lusus was well, though the green blood on its fur was evedent it was still hurt.
"The back, head for the back!" Karkat waved at Jade who had been getting her gun ready and was taking aim. She gave a brief nod and started herding the children to the back of the house, the exit through the kitchen.
Karkat helped the Lusus to its feet and for a moment he stared into the others eyes. He felt the rage in that gaze and he gave a nod "I'm with you." He said and the lusus turned. Arching back its head it gave a howl that felt like it rocked the ground. Karkat was startled by the shear amounts of phsycic energy that came off this creature.
Seriously, just who was this lusus when it had still been a troll?
They both charged out together into the fighters, keeping them focused so that the children could escape out the back way. Sirius came upon Ana and stood over her, the little girl covered in minor injuries and a couple downed bodies. She had been kneeling on the ground hissing up at one of her attackers.
Who only had a chance to look up before he got his head literately bit off by the lusus. Red blood spilling onto the ground.
Human? Karkat thought and then stared at one of the bodies that Ana had bashed into a pulp, he lifted the hood and was staring down into the face of a troll.
OK! Now Karkat was officially confused.
But he had no time to dwell on what was going on as he had to spin, his curved blades cutting into the flesh of a new attacker and with a turn he hooked his other blade around the knee and pulled, sending the larger foe to the ground. With another deft turn he neatly slit the individual's throat. Karkat felt a sort of calm take him. Now that he was engaged in the fight all the passions and rage just sort of left him for the moment. Leaving him coolly analytical and clear headed. It was just him and his opponent.
Karkat dropped one of his sickle blades and as his opponent came at him he grabbed their arm, twisted around with their movement and his curved blade hooked around the neck and with another twist his brought his target to the ground with a long gash through his throat. Continuing the motion Karkat dropped that blade, picked back up his other and hooking that around the arm of a knife fighter coming in at him he pulled the arm down and with a flip brought down his foot hard into the other man's skull.
He could hear gun shot, but so far none had come his way. Karkat glanced up to see that most of the attackers were withdrawing. Ana had brought her clubs down onto the skull of one attacker and Sirius was standing there, eyes blazing like miniature green suns.
"Around back!" he shouted as he realized were the gunfire he heard was coming from.
Ana gave a howl and the little troll went up the side of the house as if it was a climbing wall and was over the roof. Sirius with a deft leep went after her. Karkat darted through the house and out the back door.
Ana and Sirius came down from above like raging death. Jade had set up a bit of a barricade and she, Eric and Eridan were held up there firing out into the attackers. Feferi stood over Hope holding her spear in one hand, her Harpoon gun resting on her shoulder. The little troll's eyes were flat and dangerous. Hope for the moment seemed alright, though she had a gash in her arm and was grinning dangerously. She held Tavros tightly.
"What happened?" Karkat said as he came out.
"They were ready to ambush us. Someone hit Tav and tried to put a bag over him and Hope nearly took the guy's head off... It was so cool!" Feferi explained to Karkat suddenly looking disturbingly bubbly, "Then Eric and Eridan started to fire and this one guy just EXPLODED!" she made a 'poof' motion.
Ye-ah… Karkat decided not to go there and just thanked the other girl for her, explanation. He went up beside Jade who was calmly reloading. "How many?"
"They are starting to retreat." Jade told him "There are just a few left." She glanced up "But I think between Ana and Sirius they won't last much longer." She set her gun down and reached over stroking back Eridan's hair the other boy looking up at her and then sitting back. Eric shouldered his crossbow and watched as Ana and Sirius took care of the remaining attackers.
"We're going to have to move. We should head down near the river. Eridan's Lusus will likely want to be closer to the boy as it is and Feferi and Eridan can always escape into the water and likely be gone before anyone can get to them." Karkat said and Jade nodded. She knew the games that the children had developed involving hiding in the water. If the children wanted to disappear around the river, it was unlikely anyone would find them.
The field cleared, Ana half collapsed, all her rage spent. Sirius got down and the child climbed up onto his back. Seemingly passing out draped over his shoulders. The large Lusus limped over to the group. He went to Hope, the two seemed to talk a moment and then the human put Tavros up behind Ana. The boy seemed to react but she shushed him and he settled again snuggling up to the girl who took a breath and must have really gone to sleep.
Karkat felt no pity for the children, in the old days this sort of battle was fairly normal, even at a young age. One did battle to live. And they had an edge, working together as they were. Even without the adults they would survive. So long as they had their early care with their lusus they would be fine. Trolls had been doing so for sweeps before they came to earth.
But he was proud of how well they managed. Even if Ana went a little ballistic. She seemed to have calmed down quicker than he recalled Gamzee doing. Or could just be because she was younger, and had less energy to put into sustaining that much rage.
Or maybe it was because she had a powerful psychic lusus who could calm her as well.
He really wasn't sure really. In the end he decided it really didn't fucking matter much either way. She was under control whether it was with help or not.
For now though, they had to leave. Their guards were all pretty much dead. A couple was coming back into view and looked disturbed at how tactical a strike this had been. "Are you all that is fucking left?" Karkat asked them.
One female nodded "I got knocked out in the first run, and he chased them on their retreat, but we're all that's left." She said and rubbed her face "That was a ruthless strike."
Karkat nodded "We're heading for the river. The kids are more familiar with it and we can hide there."
The other two looked at each other and then gave a shrug "Right." The male said and he put away his weapons. "Lead the way" since it seemed Karkat had the ideas the other two decided to fall into line with him.
This would have been so much easier if they had done that to start with!
Karkat flung a couple bags at the two remaining trolls. They could carry the extras. He needed to be able to get to his laptop and Jade had the most reliable shot. Hope was already carrying three bags. Her's, Tavros' and the food bag.
So the other two carried the remaining bags except Karkat's. He carried his own. Keeping one of his sickles on his belt he carried the other. They headed for the river. On the way he pulled out his cell phone and dialed up Lucy.
He needed to know how she knew there was an attack coming, and why didn't she call him instead leaving a message?
The phone rang then an automated message came on saying that the caller could not be reached. He frowned at his phone. His bars were full. Why wasn't it going through? So he shot off a text to her massager and sent another to the Grand Highblood telling him they were moving. Not to were, in case it was intercepted, but that the house had been compromised. OH and he owed them a new door after this.
000
The Grand Highblood, stared at his phone. The small thing was obsean in his large hands, but his growing frown and growl made several around him stop and stare.
Then begin to discreately back up as they realized that the highblood was beginging to seep darkness. Raw power melding together into a vortex that struck into the worst primal fearsof those watching. Other indigos around him recognized the chucklevoodoos singing their songs off the Highblood and began to gather.
Suddenly he threw back his head and raged.
A god damn TRAP! This whole thing, destroying the hive, and so many precious lives, was a distraction so that they could strike against other targets.
And three of them were on his phone.
The Archives, his bar and the Empress. He got word from some human girl working under Karkat that the Archives were under attack. From Sollux that they were currently trapped in the bar, and from Karkat that they had managed to thwart the attack and were currently moving to safety.
Holding up a hand all eyes turned to the looming giant "My Brothers! MY SISTERS! A motherfucking tragedy has occurred. THIS WAS ALL A FUCKING DISTRACTION!" growls came from the crowd as his juggelos and subjuggulators began to gather. He pointed out a group "YOU! Get to my bar, I want nothing to happen to what is MINE. That includes THOSE IN IT! GOT IT FUCKERS?" they nodded. "GO!" he roared and the group trotted off. sudden shouts or 'woop' filled the air and their trollish voices echoed the sound, and their own rising chucklevoodoos, reacting to the Grand Highblood's, warped the sound eerily. They were over the human's army before they could react the primal horror they were giving off made many cower away from them.
"The rest of you" he indicated a larger portion "The Archives motherfucking blocks from here are under attack. GET YOU ASSES OVER THERE!" and they did not even hesitate. A mass of purple, black and bloody rainbows charged.
By this point, someone just decided to order the tanks moved out of the way. There were a few remaining.
He reached out and put a hand on Gamzee's shoulder his rumbling voice quieter "Your home was attacked. I need you to take a few men and get caught up to them. Got it?" he asked the other. Who's eyes took on a strange look, Gamzee was a little too close to completely loosing it, so sending him back to his Moirail and mate would likely be the better option at the moment. Gamzee didn't even nod, just bared his teeth and went trotting off. The Highblood waved a couple more after him. He looked at those remaining with him "We guard the hive, and keep searching for motherfuckers still alive." He told them.
Nods and the trolls went back to work.
This was turning into a mess. Humans getting involved, well meaning or not, in this case they had to back off. Or there was going to be an even greater loss of life.
It was time he went to edugate a few idiots in the…subtleties, of troll diplomacy.
His grin grew very wide as he started to the line of tanks and military men, then paused and moved to the side, crouching down. He saw a human, tried up and looking a great deal put upon. Someone had decided to stuff him 'out of sight' by some rubble.
"Now just how the motherfucking did you end up all in here motherfucker?" he asked crouching down to his heals, arms resting on his knees and finding his good humor returning.
The man was the palest human he'd ever seen aside from that DJ he hired now and then.
"Just let me go, that crazy bitch put me here."
"Hardly informative." The Highblood tilted his head and rested the side of his face on the curled back of his hand. Knuckles rubbing the underside of his jaw.
The man actually blushed "Look, I was doing my job! I was told to stand there. This chick comes over and started getting in my face. Then she started doing like this weird thing… So I hit her in the face. I fucking warned her first!"
With a brow raised he began to get an idea. The weird thing was likely a weaker form of the chucklevoodoos. He'd have to find out which juggelatte managed to start controlling hers. That was a great gift to be able to harness. He rumbled a bit and the man looked up at him uneasy. With a wide grin he leaned forward and reached up, stealing the shades the man wore. Which made him blink painfully. Aw so the glasses had a reason then. Those pretty ruby eyes staring back at him. But out of morbid curiosity he turned up his chuckles and was greeted with a sight that made him laugh. Oh-ho! So there were other humans who had the same odd reaction that Unique did. Were instead of hitting their fear, it hit them in, other , ways. So, the young man had a rather unintentionally positive reaction to the troll and she likely decided to keep him. If she defeated him, that was her choice, at least by old laws. She just better have gotten his name then. He reached out and his nails tore through the rope binding the young man. "Get yourself under control." He advised him "You are going to take me to your leaders."
The young man got his glasses back and put them on, "A Strider ain't nothing but always in control." He said.
The Highblood chuckled. He liked this kid.
000
NOTES: *nothing but the repeated sound of forehead hitting desk*
Most notes at the tumblr. New images and stories too. Relearning2breath and stillbreathiing
I go now…
Oh, anyone have an invite to Ao3 around? I'm thinking of making a move. I'll still finish this story here on FFnet. But I can put chapter art on my stories at the other one!
