Valus stared after the retreating form of Cee for a moment, eyes curious, though she didn't comment. There was hesitation, before she glanced back at Maka, silent again, before walking on towards their destination. These two were a curiosity to be sure, though the colorful female behind her wasn't of enough interest to Valus, for her to actually bring any more words to attention, as she led the way towards the theatre. Though the two did share something in commen. The recognization of pain as a type of pleasure. However, the highblood had a feeling that their individual reason for that, was unique to themselves. The walk itself was rather short, Valus holding her head high despite the cold, as she climbed the small series of steps towards the theatre, and slipped through the double doors.

Immediately inside, outside of the doors to the auditorium itself, Tansis was waiting, bouncing eagerly on the balls of her feet as she saw the two female's enter. She all but danced forward to meet them, as the chill outside wind briefly penetrated the warmth. "There you two are! I've been waiting for what feels like forever!"

"Jarren is at the gym I presume?"

Tansis gave a nod to the Informer, smile pulling at her lips as she glanced from one to the other, before a small frown came on her face. "Awwww, where's Cee?"

"Apparently she forgot something, and will be joining us in a short amount of time." Valus sighed, crossing her arms in her own form or resignation at now having to wait for two certain trolls to arrive. "Tansis why don't you and Maka wait in the theatre. I'll ask Cee to accompany you if she arrives before Gamzee does. If there's a flip and he shows up before her, then it'll give me an opportunity to speak with him before we introduce him."

Tansis looked up to the rainbow troll with a smile, "Is that alright with you Miss Maaaaka?"

"I have no arguments"

Valus' gaze followed after the two she-trolls, as they passed through one of the several doors into the auditorium. Time passed, and the curved highblood was left alone to her thoughts, staring patiently at the doors that one walked through to enter the building. Waiting... and waiting... and waiting. Before a familiar set of long twisting horns came into view, climbing up the stairs and pushing through the glass doors. His eyes were on other things as he entered, but when they rested on Valus he jumped, a loud honk escaping his throat, before laughter bubbled from his lips.

"Man sis! You scared a motherfucking honk right out of my word hole."

Valus didn't respond, face expressionless as she waited for the male to come towards her all smiles and... why wasn't he wearing a shirt? "Gamzee Makara, why in the name of known universe, are you not wearing a shirt?"

Said Gamzee Makara blinked at Valus for a long minute, before looking down at himself, upper body bared to the world. There were even goosebumps on his arms and shoulders from where he had been exposed to the cold. Silence. Before, "Woah, guess my mind was taking sweet naps when I left. I was kind of under open door wonder, how the ice wind's intimate touches felt so fucking close."

Valus couldn't help it, she face-palmed.

After she had a moment to gather her thoughts, and irritations together, the highblooded female unbuttoned her own coat, slipping it silently off of her shoulders, before holding it out to Gamzee. The likes of which, just sort of stared at her for a moment. "Put it on, we have a new potential ally and her moirail here, and I would prefer it if your were marginally presentable whenever you are introduced."

Gamzee stared at her for a few seconds more, before he shrugged,"Sure thing sis," then accepted the coat, slipped it on, and buttoned up the warm article of clothing without any more argument than that, shoving his hands in the pockets with a amused smile when the task was complete. "I got my see that you're the only motherfucker present. That mean we're having talk time before social time?"

When Valus nodded, the indigo blood gave a small yawn, walking over to one wall and leaning against it, adjusting until he was comfortable. When everything was situated and Valus had walked over to stand in front of him, he smiled and gave a nod to indicate that he was ready.

A slow in take of breath was his only warning.

"As you did not specify to what extent you have learned of the things I have discovered, I am currently operating under the assumption that you know everything. Just to be sure, however, that we are on the same level of understanding, I shall be specific as to what precisely I know. First, I know that Karkat's blood color is a... neon red as Tansis said. I am also aware of what that blood color means. Gamzee, do you understand precisely how big of an impact Vantas' bloodline is? Do you remember what the Sufferer did! He was able to unite the lowbloods, gain both their influence, and loyalty, and turn them against us! He alone started a war, until our ancestors were able to find the cretin and put an end to him. Even then, do you remember how long Signless lived even though his shackles were set to boiling temperature on the imperial flogging jut? Do not forget the role the Grand Highblood played in his demise as well. It was he that issued the final sentence! With the support of the Condesce and her sea dwellers at that. Despite that, his blasphemous words still reached out, and even to this day, though they do it in secret, the elder highbloods are still finding followers of his speech!"

Gamzee stayed silent through all of this, watching as the female before him began to pace. He kept that lazy smile in place, but the look in his eyes was different. Made his face just look... off.

"So I pray you can understand my displeasure at finding out your intentions for continuing a pale relationship with the male. Given, in particular, to the very connection you have by your bloodlines. And the choice you yourself have made." She stepped closer then, voice going low so that it passed as a whisper only the two of them could hear, "I know you remember the tome the Grand Highblood left for you, what he wrote there. The Sufferer told his followers before he passed, that another Signless would come. He did not say his descendant, did not say his bloodline would continue. He said specifical another Signless would come. Another one who would bare intentions of over throwing the highbloods and demolishing the hemospectrum."

"You're making assumptions Sis." Gamzee finally spoke, "Karkat hasn't got in the mention any intention like that. Besides, if he did get such a thought in his think pan. Would it really be so grumption?"

Valus gave a look as if he had slapped her. "Of course it would! Gamzee, there is a reason why we are separated by blood color. A reason why some have been born of higher rank! Highblood's are powerful, but we are not invincible. If we didn't have this system, this level of power, who's to say they would not try to kill us all! Our ability to instill fear, and insecurity, is how we have stayed alive. If one's numbers are enough, even the most powerful of adversaries... even the most powerful of highbloods," and she looked directly into Gamzee's eyes then, "Will fall. Allow me to simplify this further. If the Signless rises again, and is successful this time in amassing the lowbloods to his cause, then it will be you, the Grand Highblood, heir to command over all highbloods, Lord Subjuggulator and ruling alliance to the Empress and her sea dwellers, who will fall."

Gamzee was silent.

"This relationship-red, pale, I don't care! It needs to stop. I hardly think you need to worry about his safety, no highblood here will harm him for fear of slighting you. And once our education here has ended, you will no longer have the leisure of worrying over him, as it will be time for you to take your place."

A long silence. "Well Valus, that's not your motherfucking choice to make. Who I fill in what quadrant, that's for my pan to decide. I'm not leaving Karkat's shadow until I've got no choice in my hands. That's all I'm getting my speak on about that matter," and when Valus parted her lips to object, Gamzee released an animalistic snarl, "You're not my damn moirail Valus Sevest, and unless shit performs a metamorphosis, you've got no motherfucking right to the thoughts leaving trails in my brain." Silence followed, the sudden harsh words echoing down the empty hall that passed in front of the auditorium doors. "Is that all you wanted to get floated from your think pan?" His voice was quieter, more controlled, as he watched Valus with unblinking eyes.

The female pressed her lips tight, straightening up further, before she spoke again, "I was curious when you asked me to look at the names of any new students coming in. After you went on your rage, I used my sources to hack into your computer and read the logs containing the conversation with this person, this TenaciousObsession."


It only took about five minutes, thank gog. The layer of flour over the kitchen wasn't all that thick and it really only took a quick whiping down with a rag to get it all off. He also put the dirty dishes in the sink and did some other things that required cleaning, and by the end of it all, he felt like a fucking maid or something. Seriously. He was a moirail, his only duty was to make sure Gamzee didn't go fucking crazy not act like his matesprit and clean this pigstye up. Jegus christ, sleeping in the same recuporacoon, much less the same room, dancing with him. Fuck this was so stupid, he felt his face heating up again just remembering the most recent events concerning Gamzee. Honestly he wasn't sure why he even liked being around Gamzee, normally someone like that would make him want to bash his head against the wall, still did here and there.

He forced himself to stop cleaning, mentally berating himself for doing something like that, and instead went into the bathroom, taking a very quick, only minutes long shower to get all of the sopor slime out of his hair and then moving into his room to get new clothes, just a pair of black cargo pants and a simple T-shirt. He only dried off his hair enough for it to not drip water everywhere, and then figured he might as well go and see if Equius was on his way or not. So, barefoot and all, he moved towards the door, only to stop, seeing it open on it's own.

He thought, for just a split second, that a draft must have come down the hallway and pushed the door open, oh gog how he would have preferred it had been that. But no, there was someone standing there, toothy grin plastered all over her face, white eyes glaring him down, making every muscle in his body tense up, freeze.

His own eyes went wide, his skin becoming a much more ashen tone of grey than normal, his heart nearly stopping in his chest, giving various awkward thuds against his ribcage, as if it had to remember how to beat correctly. His pupils shrank, becoming tiny pinpoints in a sea of red and yellow. Oh gog, oh gog oh gog oh gog.

A thousand images flashed through his vision, blood, sweat, screaming, pain.

He was on his stomach, face pushed into the ground as a knife slid through the flesh of his arms, grating large chunks of meat from his body, tossing them to the side as if they were broken toys, and there was red, red red red, red and black, everywhere he looked. Blood and Darkness and Pain and Screaming.

He began to hyperventilate, taking a step backwards as that figure came towards him, his arms and legs feeling as if they were made of jelly.

He was kneeling now, arms forced behind him and up above his head, the skin on his wrists melted and fused together, forming their own knot to keep him tied, his legs crumbled beneath him, crooked and bruised. SHE smiled from above, leaning forward on her sludge hammer as she opened her mouth to say something, but then, just like before, the image was gone.

The girl was in front of him now, she had backed him up against the wall, hands reaching out, and plucking the shades off his face, revealing his terrified eyes. He felt his stomach lurch, he wanted to throw up, he wanted to die, to crawl, to writhe, anything to get away from her.

Cee smiled, tossing the sunglasses to the side as that sickening grin spread itself over her cheeks.

"It's been such a long time, hasn't it, Karkat?"