Here you go, part two. Deeper and deeper into the mystery. And more and more rudeness from Vitriol.
Disclaimer: As before, I own what I own, which isn't much, but almost everything else belongs to NeoPets.com. Not me. Them. They own it all but some names.
Note: For all those who didn't "get" the joke-thing I put into the first chapter (And the entire story): "Oil of Vitriol" is one of the names for sulfuric acid. Hence the first chapter title. Also, Vitriol herself. Vitriolic Diatribe is a scary sounding, rather anarchist-sounding name, you must admit. But it's pretty much a parody of itself. The "Vitriolic" part is fine. That means "acidic" and works for her. But the "Diatribe" part doesn't work. It means "tirade" or "rant". A lot of sound and fury that is in the end equal parts hot air and BS (Which should tell you how I feel about anarchists in general)
By: Gabriel
Part two: Diatribe of Idiots
"She did WHAT?" Cheke fumed openly, clenching her paisley fists. Ori and Mel had been home barely an hour, and had made the mistake of spilling everything to Cheke, Aqua and Sky, who had been dragged away form her room when the others learned there had been trouble. Fortunately, Gabriel was off buying groceries for the week, otherwise there would have been a killing. And Gabriel would have been frozen.
"All because she didn't like the way we looked." Mel shook her head sadly and sipped at her strongberry tea.
"Sounds more likely that she was looking for someone weak to harass because she has a lot of pointless rage at amorphous concepts and ideas and you two were likely targets." Sky, having sufficiently recovered from her earlier state of excitement, was her old self again.
"I don't understand, what could someone have against our society? From what I can tell it is the finest in the land." Aqua hugged her Angelpuss, Uriel, tightly to her, not minding that he got fur over her dress. Because it was finally one in Angelpuss White.
"She's a faultfinder. What's worse, she's a chaotic one. Doesn't matter how small or unsubstantiated. If there's a flaw, she sees it and whines about it unendingly. Rather than make change she makes noise and hopes someone will listen. Just an attention seeker who wants you to think she's deep." Cheke spat after her speech, narrowly missing her Floud, Kafziel.
"Can we just forget about this? It's hard enough that it happened. But to drag it out..." Mel started.
"We can't just forget about it. She hurt you. No matter how minor, or how stupid the reason or the person, I can't let anyone hurt you." Ori snuggled Mel warmly, giving her cheek a kiss.
"I think it's time we all talked to these little idiots. I've got a few choice words for them, most of which would land me in the freezing area for quite some time." Cheke cracked her knuckles and adjusted her ascot.
"Now now, my sisters, let us allow cooler heads to prevail." Sky said mildly. "Violence won't solve anything. Besides, from what you say, this Nitro is a rather... large individual. And not in a good way." Not even Mel could help but snicker at that statement. "Which means force would be rather counterproductive."
"Sky is quite right. Let's be diplomatic about this. Get some negotiations started." Aqua said, releasing Uriel to flap his way back to her room. "But if things go sour let's declare war and strike them hard."
"Alright... Let's go back out there. Don't worry, Mel. They won't get ya with me around." Cheke smiled at Mel and swung her fist out hard, then brought her other one up in a swift uppercut.
"It's ok, Mel. Trust me." Ori held Mel tightly to her as she rose from the couch. Mel rose up with her, holding tightly to her girlfriend.
With great determination the LaVedier girls set out for Neopia central, Cheke leading them with Aqua and Sky behind her. Ori and Mel brought up the rear, Ori whispering softly into one of Mel's long ears. People parted before them, clearing a path to an already clear area. Vitriol and her group were still there, laughing at people who walked fearfully past and insulting everything about them from their clothing to their looks. Except for Lethe. Lethe took no part in anything, except to nod and say something agreeable when Vitriol asked her a question. When anyone else asked something she remained quiet, seeming willing to speak only to Vitriol.
"Hey! Which of you jerks is Vitriol?" Cheke called, though from Ori and Mel's description she knew quite well who it was.
"That would be me. Just who would you be, your boot-licking society clone?" Vitriol replied, sneering at Cheke.
"Cheke LaVedier! Ori's sister."
"And I am Aqua."
"And I'm Sky. We're the LaVedier girls and I can tell you, you really screwed up."
"Oh really? Tell me, how exactly did I do that?"
"Because you hurt my sister's girlfriend. And that hurt her. Nobody hurts one of us and gets away with it." Cheke snarled, her usual fun-loving demeanor vanishing completely as she stared with hate at Vitriol.
"Oh boo-hoo. So I messed with a little mall-dwelling bitch. That's not so bad. I'm just expression my dislike of their type."
"I'm afraid you can't to that. You see, the law states that speaking is fine but contact is not." Sky maintained a level head, to contrast with Cheke's seething anger.
"Your laws maybe. But I really don't have any. Sorry."
"This is not going well. Why don't we try a different approach?" Aqua suggested, whispering to her sisters.
"I'm game. What do you have in mind?" Cheke asked, keeping a wary eye on Vitriol and company.
"Let's try and converse with the others individually. We might get a better bead on this person and figure out just what makes her so... unbalanced." Aqua looked over the three members of Vitriol's gang. Not a pleasant suggestion, but she made it anyway.
"Sure. I'll take Captain Steroid over there and find out just why he's doing the following." Cheke huffed, glancing over Nitro. Not exactly the best thing to do but better than nothing.
"I'd like to know a bit more about the one who doesn't seem to do anything but be a yes-woman. A very corporate fixture for such an anti-corporate group." Sky looked Lethe over curiously. A mystery wrapped in an enigma indeed...
"Guess I'm left with the lightless wonder. I hope he doesn't try to angst at me." Aqua looked disgustedly at Absinthe. An unsavory notion, associating with him. But for the sake of her dear sister, sacrifices have to be made. "Well then ladies, let us go..."
"So, you're Vitriol's hired goon, hmm? What's she paying you, tiny? Magic beans and golden eggs?" Cheke didn't feel like subtlety. She could do it. She just didn't think it would be very effective on Nitro.
"Sure, laugh at me all you want. You're nothing but a faceless cog in the machine of the oppressive society."
"I get it now. She's been feeding you all her lawless, anti-establishment tirades and making sure you go back for seconds and thirds."
"She had to tell me nothing. This is all I have ever known. I just didn't have any way to do anything about it until I met Vitriol. She gave me a way to express all these things and to be effective in getting the revenge on society that I want."
"You're functioning awfully well in a group for a man who hates groups."
"I hate the big organizations that force all the little people to be slaves and do things like obeying their every whim and paying taxes."
"The truth is emerging..." Cheke mused, seeing things much more clearly. "So... What? You want to destroy all of society?"
"Crush the oppressive establishment!"
"Right... And after that, when you all are partying, overdosing on drugs and killing each other, the people you've made miserable are supposed to do what exactly? Pick up the pieces and forget that they lived any other way besides unhappy and ruined?"
"That's not how things will be! We will free every one. And then they can start really living. Without laws to hold them back."
"Looting and shooting, right? Everybody watches out for number one." Cheke chuckled softly. "From Monarchy to tyranny to aristocracy to oligarchy to democracy to anarchy and back to monarchy." She recalled the passage from a book her father had given everyone. By some Italian guy. Called it "The Prince" or something. Very handy. "The strongest one will lead the rest. A king is the last thing you want, but it's a king you'll end up with."
"No! Our new world will be perfect because we will all lead ourselves. That's real freedom. You're just too much of a drone to see it. Like that Lethe girl. She just follows Vitriol and organizes stuff. She's too in-line to be here but Vitriol finds her useful. So I can't say anything. Little..." He grumbled and trailed off, shaking one huge fist.
"Dissention in the ranks. And one messed up mental state." Cheke muttered to herself, walking slowly away from the ranting, shouting Nitro.
"So... That's a rather interesting coloration for someone who doesn't belong to anyone. Did your old owner do that?" Aqua was totally lost about how to approach a conversation with the bohemian goth.
"I belong to myself. This look was given to me by the person who taught me that life is all darkness and sorrow, and that we have nothing to look forward to but pain and death."
"Oh you must be fun at parties. You couldn't possibly be this bad from being in the pound. I came from the pound and I turned out fine."
"That is because you were probably groomed to be some little princess. A prisoner of your golden cage and all your rules and pretensions. I was born and bred in darkness. My first companion was like this, and taught me the ways of the dark. I learned the truth. That society was run by dupes and fools who believed that the light was good. I was taught that I had to reject what they taught and make up whatever I wanted, without considering how it would affect the faceless drones. And then I was left on my own. Suddenly it was all so clear to me. He had been right. Everything was true. So I escaped from the pound and lived on my own as an artist, telling everyone who would listen about the truth of pain and shadow. But the only one who listened was Vitriol."
"How pathetic can you get? You get emotionally scarred by your owner, escape before a better one can help you and start tagging along with the first person who gives you the time of day."
"You'll see, one day you'll be faced with the truth of darkness. You'll turn away from light and embrace the sorrow that will flood you."
"I'll meet the dark one day..." Aqua said wistfully, eyes shining. "And I shall embrace it. And the light within will glow brighter."
"Another delusional drone. Go and drown yourself in the cottony fluff of your blissful ignorance and denial of what is true in the universe."
"I... really don't think so. I'm gonna go home after this, take a long bath, put on my favorite robe and read something. That's my reality."
"Your perception is rather skewed. Just like Nitro and Lethe. You fail to see that all the world is a lie and all experience is pain. Only Vitriol understands. But that Lethe girl is poisoning her. She knows nothing of darkness. She acts just like the people we are against. But Vitriol leans on her like a crutch. Someday she will have to walk on her own, and then the final obstacle will be removed."
"And let us all hope that day... never comes." Aqua said, walking away from Absinthe with a shiver of disgust and fear.
"You seem like a reasonable, level-headed sort. I like that. It makes discussion and negotiations much easier. I'm certain my sister will envy me because they had to deal with more... questionable persons." Sky talked comfortably with Lethe. She had a very together and stable air about her.
"I do apologize in advance for my companions. They're rather single-minded. I cannot blame them, however. They have all had traumas, and have scars that cannot heal. Their dedication is admirable, in that respect."
"Even Vitriol?" Sky questioned.
Lethe stiffened a little bit, either caught off guard or slightly angered by the question. "Vitriol has some... personality quirks that sometimes flare up. Fortunately I keep her on track and help her to organize her day to minimize the troubles."
"I see..." Sky looked thoughtful for a moment. "When did you join this motley little crew of bohemians, vagabonds and wayfarers?"
"I've been with Vitriol since before she met the others. In fact, I met her a while ago, when we were both homeless pets looking for a way to survive. We found each other to be mutually beneficial to each other. I got her organized and things took off."
"So... You believe in all of the things that Vitriol tells everyone?"
"I believe... I believe in Vitriol." Lethe paused for a moment. "Or whatever she chooses to call herself."
"I understand." Sky whispered, walking away from Lethe. She understood it all perfectly.
"Remind me to never again talk to anyone who looks like a walking wall." Cheke stated, rubbing her forehead. "According to the jolly red giant over there, Vitriol understands all of his ideas about the freedom of people and the lies of society. But he also says that Lethe is too in-line to be a part of them. But since Vitriol finds her useful he suffers her presence."
"According to the master of darkness, Vitriol understands HIM and his hatred of all people who believe in light and happiness, saying that he was taught that life is pain and misery. He has a problem with Lethe as well. He thinks that she is Vitriol's crutch, and was implying that if she is gone that everything will be perfect for them."
"Lethe was very forthcoming with her information. She has known Vitriol for a long while. They were both homeless pets who needed each other. So Lethe helped Vitriol get organized and more or less mobile and for that she has been rewarded with Vitriol's favor. But Lethe doesn't need her favor, her tirades or her new world. All Lethe needs is Vitriol."
"You mean she's..?" Mel looked over at Lethe, who was speaking softly to Vitriol. Her hands were hovering just inches from Vitriol's back, so ready to stroke and comfort her. Just waiting for the chance...
"She pines. And it seems she does so in vain. Well, I think it's time to confront the ringmaster of this circus. Aqua, will you please do the honors? You're so much better at this than any of us." Sky bowed a little and allowed Aqua to lead them to face Vitriol.
"Back for more? Or has talking with my companions convinced you to renounce your world?"
"You should be ashamed of yourself." Aqua stated loudly. "Leading on all of these people for your own gains. Telling them what they want to hear and letting them believe in nonsense just so you can feel big. Someday it'll all come crashing down around you and on that day everyone will breathe a sigh of relief, not because the world was ridden of a few nuts, but because we got rid of insensitive, completely thoughtless pets." Aqua ended with a flourish of her gloved hands and a sharp nod to Vitriol.
"Well, a very pretty speech. That means nothing. I do believe in all that I say. And all that they say. Before, I just believed in conspiracies against Neopians, perpetrated by shadowy individuals so that we would all obey. Then I found out there was so much more to it, and that there was a solution. Break down the societal machine and make a better one. And so I shall."
"This started so simply. A simple moment of inconsiderateness. Must it explode like this?" Mel asked, looking sadly at Vitriol.
"It must, drone. It's the only way to spread the word. We're coming to take the likes of you down." Vitriol spat at Mel, hitting her on the right leg of her shorts.
"Hey! No one does that to my sweetheart! Come here! I'll kill you for that!" Cheke and Aqua restrained Ori, who was trying to swing her fists. Her teeth were bared and she was snapping when she wasn't speaking, trying to look as fierce as she could.
"Ha! What a pathetic sight. I think I will take you up on that offer, just to humiliate you. In one month's time I will meet you in the Battledome. Best get ready. Because I plan to crush you, to prove that I have the strength I need." With that she turned up her nose and walked away, her group following.
Lethe was the last in line and she turned to look at the sisters before leaving. She sadly eyed Ori and Mel, who were hugging each other tightly. A tear formed at the corner of her eye. "She does, you know. She has all the strength she needs to do anything. Everything. Everything, except what I'd like her to do." With that, she ran off after the others.
"Be strong. No one can be a fool forever." Sky said quietly before turning to converse with her sisters.