Hello, I'm very sorry that this chapter is so late. I'm trying my best to stick to a schedule, but it's tough, since I'm working on a couple major projects at once and since my motivation to continue this fanfic is starting to wane. I will finish it, of course, because I finish what I start. But I'm worn out, by life and by projects and everything, and though I really want to stick to a schedule as best I can, it might not happen.
The next chapter won't come out until next Friday at the earliest, due to Christmas. I hope you all have a lovely Christmas/Boxing Day/Kwanzaa/winter solstice/Festivus!
Technically speaking, it's never morning in space. Terezi's more than used to that by now. Since it's black out all the time, it's only morning when you feel like it. The concept of passing days becomes more or less irrelevant when you don't have a clock or a sun to watch rise. And, while this rocket is equipped with digital timekeeping devices, the concept of when to wake up is still subjective. It's not like anyone has to go anywhere.
That said, it's not very polite of Kanaya to wake up so early. Especially if she's going to immediately ask Terezi for a drink.
"(GO B4CK TO SL33P)" Terezi whispers in a harsh hiss.
"(Im Thirsty)" she responds, giving her a gentle prod in the side.
Terezi sighs heavily and ignores her temporary cocoonmate. Kanaya isn't going to give up so easily, unfortunately. She prods her again. "(Please)"
Terezi rolls over onto her back, pulls the headcushion out from under both of their heads, and covers her head and neck with it.
"(Oh Come On What Do You Want From Me In Return)"
"(4LL 1 W4NT 1S FOR YOU TO GO TH3 FORK TO SL33P)"
Kanaya lets out a long, frustrated sigh. "(Please Dont Make Me Use Force)"
Terezi ignores her. Eventually, Kanaya rips the headcushion out of her grasp. Terezi snatches it back, and the two tussle with it for a minute.
Kanaya's eyes glow yellow. She bares her fangs in an uncharacteristically unnerving grin. "(Better That My Prey Wants To Struggle)"
Terezi freezes in fear, then relents. It's best not to start a conflict, she figures. She rolls onto her side and brushes the hair away from her neck. "(OK4Y F1N3)"
Without hesitation, Kanaya sinks her fangs into Terezi's carotid artery. Terezi lets out a small yelp of pain. After half a minute, Kanaya pulls away, wiping the wound clean with the sleeve of her shirt. "(Sorry About That)" she says in a rather not-sorry tone.
Terezi just groans and rolls back onto her stomach in response. She lies there for a while, unable to fall back asleep.
Kanaya can be a real pain in the neck sometimes.
The cocoons are not intended to be used by more than one person at a time. But, since there are only four of them and five people who need to use them, they have to share. Dave and Karkat typically share a cocoon, but sometimes they don't feel like it.
Terezi doesn't mind bunking with Kanaya on occasion. It's certainly better than sleeping on the floor or the couch or sharing a cocoon with Roxy, space-hog extraordinaire. Kanaya doesn't move around much at night. Actually, she doesn't move at all. It's almost unsettling seeing her lying on her back like a corpse at night. Terezi wonders if Rose ever thought it was weird.
Come to think of it, she kind of misses Rose. Terezi is grateful that (Vriska) let her chat with the alternate version of her for a couple of minutes the other day. She misses her sarcasm and her refreshing sanity. (Well, relatively speaking.)
She hopes that Dirk hasn't done too much harm to her.
"(1 HOP3 ROS3 1S 4LL R1GHT, WH3R3V3R SH3 1S)" Terezi mutters, half to herself.
Then she remembers that whatever sorrow she feels regarding Rose, Kanaya probably feels it a hundred times as strongly.
Sure enough, the taller troll bites back a sudden sob. "(So Do I)" she manages.
"(I Was… Trying Not To Think About Her… To Stop The Pain… So Thanks A Lot)" Kanaya struggles to smile.
Terezi gives her an affectionate nudge. "(1M PR4CT1C4LLY TH3 P4TRON S41NT OF FORK1NG UP 3MOT1ON4L SCH1ST)"
"(But Youre Right… I Should Worry About Her And Allow Myself To Miss Her… I Just Dont Want To Be Reminded Of How I Failed Her I Guess)"
"(YOU H4V3NT F41L3D 4T 4 GODD4MP TH1NG)"
"(I Know But I Still Feel Like I Have)"
A minty-green tear drips from Kanaya's eye. Terezi feels a strong pang of sympathy for her friend. She pulls her into a tight, sharp hug. Kanaya stiffens and pushes her away.
"(WH4TS TH3 PROBL3M?)"
"(Dont Try And Comfort Me)" Kanaya curls up into a ball. "(I Ought To Be The One Providing Comfort Not The Recipient)"
"(TH4TS BULLSCH1ST)" Terezi props herself up on one elbow to get a better look at her friend's face.
"(You Shouldnt Be Worried About Me When You Have Your Own Problems With Which To Concern Yourself
"(Your Problems Are Bigger Than Mine So I Dont Know What Im Complaining About
"(You Have To Worry About Retrieving (Vriska) From A Completely Different Timeline While I Only Have To Worry About Retrieving Rose From A Spaceship Which Were Pursuing As We Speak
"(So Dont Belittle Your Worries For My Sake Because Thats My Duty)"
Kanaya sniffles and wipes away the tears that are now streaming down her cheeks.
"(K4N4Y4 LOOK 4T M3)" Terezi puts her free hand on her shoulder. Kanaya tilts her head back.
"(N3V3R 1N MY L1F3 D1D 1 TH1NK 1D 3V3R H34R SUCH 4 LO4D OF UTT3R MUSCL3B34ST 3XCR3M3NT COM3 OUT OF YOUR MOUTH
"(BY NO M34NS SHOULD YOU B3 HOLD1NG YOURS3LF TO SUCH 4 R1D1CULOUSLY H1GH ST4ND4RD, 3SP3C14LLY S1NC3 YOU R3FUS3 TO HOLD US TO 1T
"(4ND 1 KNOW 1 TRULY 4M WORR13D 4BOUT (VR1SK4), BUT TH4T DO3SNT M34N 1M GONN4 1GNOR3 4NOTH3R FR13ND 1N N33D
"(SO DONT TRY TO C4RRY TH3S3 WORR13S 4LL ON YOUR OWN, 4ND L3T US H3LP W1TH TH4T, 1N TH3 S4M3 W4Y TH4T YOUR3 H3LP1NG 4LL OF US)"
Kanaya has turned to face Terezi. Her expression exudes grief mixed with gratitude.
"(Youre Nicer To Me Than I Deserve)"
Terezi pulls her into a hug. This time, Kanaya doesn't try to escape.
"(WH4T YOU D3S3RV3 1S H4PP1N3SS, 4ND TO B3 W1TH ROS3 4G41N)"
Kanaya starts to cry. Through her sobs, she manages to say, "(I Miss Her… Im Sorry I Know You Miss (Vriska) But I Just… I Miss Rose So Much…)"
Terezi thinks about how much she misses (Vriska), but she focuses instead on how Kanaya needs her right now.
Then again, Kanaya needs to understand that it's okay to comfort as well as be comforted, that it's okay to do both at once.
But before Terezi can puzzle out a way to properly express this sentiment, she finds that Kanaya has fallen asleep. She figures she may as well think about it tomorrow morning, however soon that may be. She closes her eyes.
Jane runs her fingers across Jake's cold, lifeless face. She's grieving, but it doesn't show. She keeps it sealed up within her. She can't show any weakness, not even in private. You never know where paparazzi may lurk.
Speaking of which, this news is sure to spread all over the media like wildfire. Television has already been wondering where the heck Dirk and Jake got off to, why they haven't been to the studio in five weeks. Some people are afraid to look into it too much; after all, as they say, mortals ought not to meddle in the affairs of their superiors. But others are far more nosy, more nosy than Jane would like.
The bodies of deceased god-tiers don't decay, so Jane has no idea how long Jake lay in the hanger of his mansion, a sharp-edged hole through his heart. He could have been there for four minutes or four weeks.
She does, however, have some notion as to who may have committed such a heinous crime. When she entered Jake's house, using the spare key under the welcome mat, she found a lot of rubble. And among the rubble, she found a trace of jade-green blood.
Some troll must have snuck in here and killed him. Jane needs to figure out who did it and why.
She's no detective, though. But she does know someone whom she thinks can help. That someone should arrive any minute now.
"You don't ever call me anymore," says Nannasprite as she floats through the wall.
Jane jumps. "Goodness! You couldn't have floated in through the door?"
"I could have, but you left it open for me, so where's the jest in that?" Nannasprite grins. "Now, why have you only thought to ring me now, when you need me, instead of at any point over the past six months, when I would have loved to hear from you?"
Jane's lips go thin as she feels her Prankster's Gambit take a blow. She has no response because she has no excuse. Instead, she changes the subject. "Nanna, I need your help in sleuthing out the murderer of poor Jake here."
Nannasprite acknowledges the change in subject by providing one of her own. "By golly, it's so neat in here!"
Jane doesn't want to acknowledge this new subject change, but she does want to address Nannasprite's reason for saying the word "neat" with the same distaste with which most others would say "messy". So she defensively asks, "And what do you mean by that?"
"I mean that a young lady such as yourself ought to have a bit of disorder in her life! Not everything ought to be perfect, after all!"
"That certainly doesn't mean we can't give it the old college try."
"Of course not! But not everything can be controlled."
Jane doesn't want to engage in passive-aggressive warfare with her genetic duplicate slash grandmother slash great-great-grandmother. So she wrenches the subject back to Jake. "But can you at least help me smooth out this one wrinkle by helping me find the identity of dear Jake's assailant?" After a moment, she adds, "I promise to call you more frequently from now on."
Nannasprite answers, "With your present attitude, I'd almost rather you didn't call! But of course I'll help you! After all, I do care about you, though I wonder if you still feel the same way about me!"
Jane's Prankster's Gambit takes a sizable blow. She has to close her eyes and use her deep breathing exercises in order to remain calm. Four counts in, seven counts out.
She's quite put off by this show of complete and utter honesty. After all, Jane's a politician now, as well as a business executive. Frankness is not something which is bandied about in those areas. She must admit to herself that she finds it a bit refreshing.
Nannasprite hovers around Jake's body, peering at it carefully through her spectacles. "So! Tell me what you know about your love's passing!"
Jane is perturbed by Nannasprite calling Jake her love. After all, it's not like Jake ever seemed to return the sentiment. Nonetheless, she tells her about the broken ceiling and the jade blood.
Nannasprite nods sagely and asks, "Do you believe the killer is the person who left behind the bloodstain?"
"Of course! How could it not be?"
"So you believe that whatever entity broke the roof was the same one which left behind the bloodstain and also killed Jake?"
"For certain!"
Nannasprite adjusts her spectacles. "Do you know the difference between correlation and causation?"
"Um…" Jane needs to stop and think. Nannasprite's right: just because two events occurred in the same location and during the same five-week period doesn't mean that they occurred during the same event and for the same reason. In other words, whomever smashed in the ceiling might be a different person from whomever left behind the blood, who might himself be different from whomever killed Jake.
"I take it you have heard of it," Nannasprite remarks.
Jane is exasperated now, and it shows. Nannasprite is making too much sense. Not being in the right is annoying. And her Prankster's Gambit continues to slide downwards.
"I have. So, what do you suggest I do about that?"
"I suggest you speak with someone whom you know has been to Jake's home recently. Maybe one of his paramours will know? Maybe Dirk will?"
Jane clenches her fists until her knuckles go white. Her Prankster's Gambit slips down another couple notches.
"No, I don't believe that will be necessary."
"Are you sure?" asks Nannasprite. "I'm sure that Dirk would be able to help you out, just as he helped you attain your political status! Plus, aren't you both united by your love for Jake? So, wouldn't it be fitting for the two of you to work together to avenge his death?"
Jane freezes as her Prankster's Gambit finally bottoms out. Right now, she can only think of Dirk as a rival for Jake's affection, and a successful one, at that. Sure, she was always friends with him, and he was always friendly towards her, but what if that all changed? What if Dirk found out that Jane had tried to seduce his former boyfriend? He had been acting oddly when last she spoke to him, after all.
"No, I don't wish to do so."
"Then again, you could always resurrect Jake and have him tell you himself what happened. Couldn't you?"
Jane suddenly remembers that resurrecting Jake is something that she can do. Just as suddenly, she realises that she doesn't want to. After all, it's clear that Jake felt more strongly for Dirk than he ever did for her. And does she really want to live with her mistake?
So Jane slowly shakes her head no and condemns her dearest friend to eternal rest.
Nannasprite shrugs, a difficult task to perform with one fake arm, and says, "It doesn't seem like I can help you much anymore. Well, just remember that I only have your best interests in mind."
Her gaze falls upon the juju, still resting conspicuously upon the mantel.
"Oh, and that lollipop whatchamacallit, you ought to keep that precious thing someplace safe! Perhaps I can take care of it for you?"
Jane is too ticked off to want more than for Nannasprite to get off her back. Anyway, she would trust her sort-of double with the juju. Nannasprite has her best interests in mind, right?
"Yes, you have my permission to do with the juju what you please."
Nannasprite uses a beam of telekinetic energy to lift the juju from the mantel. She then waves goodbye and leaves, passing through the open doorway this time.
It takes several hours for Jane to realise that she willingly rescinded ownership of the juju to Nannasprite.
The resulting ear-splitting scream is heard as far away as Calliope's home, where they and Nannasprite discuss what to do with the suckered sucker.
Terezi: H3Y 1S 1T TOMORROW Y3T FOR YOU
(Vriska): Yup, seven in the morning as a matter of fact.
Terezi: OH D1D 1 W4K3 YOU UP
(Vriska): Yeah, 8ut it's no 8ig deal. I'd rather wake up to a text from you than to, well, just a8out anything else.
Terezi: 1 M34N 1 C4N W41T 4NOTH3R D4Y 4ND L3T YOU SL33P 1N
(Vriska): That wouldn't 8e fair to you, though, I don't think. You get the short end of the stick as it is, what with you w8ing a week for a day to pass here.
Terezi: T1M3 SH3N4N1G4NS SUCK B1G T1M3, 3ND OF STORY
(Vriska): Agreed.
Terezi: SO HOWS 3V3RYTH1NG GO1NG ON OLD FOLKS W4R PL4N3T
(Vriska): Same as yesterday, I assume; all the old folks are warring it up as usual.
Terezi: HOWS TH3 W4R
(Vriska): 8est as I can tell, it's a stalem8. 8oth sides are really well-prepared.
Terezi: W4R SUCKS
(Vriska): It sure does.
Terezi: H4V3 ROS3 4ND K4N4Y4 F1GUR3D 4NYTH1NG OUT 4BOUT WH3TH3R OR NOT 1NT3RD1M3NS1ON4L TR4V3L 1S POSS1BL3 FROM YOUR LOC4T1ON
(Vriska): They haven't said. They've 8oth 8een super 8usy.
Terezi: L1K3 1 S41D…
(Vriska): War sucks.
(Vriska): I wanna get the fork off this dum8 planet.
Terezi: 1 G3T TH4T
Terezi: 1T FORK1NG SUCK3D B31NG STUCK ON 4 M3T3OR W1TH TH3 S4M3 S3V3N OR 31GHT P3OPL3 D4Y 1N 4ND D4Y OUT
Terezi: BUT 4T L34ST TH3R3 W4S MOR3 SP4C3 TO RO4M 4ROUND 1N
Terezi: 4ND TH3R3 W4S 4 SP3C1F13D 3ND D4T3 TO OUR TR14LS
Terezi: SO 1T W4S 4 M3TR1C FORKTON MOR3 B34R4BL3 TH4N TH1S FORK1NG ROCK3T TR1P
(Vriska): Also, I was there on the meteor. So that must've helped.
Terezi: GOOD PO1NT
Terezi: BUT B31NG ON TH1S SH1P, 1TS L1K3 B31NG STUCK 1N 4 CLOS3T W1TH TH3 S4M3 FOUR P3OPL3
Terezi: 4ND YOU DONT KNOW WH3N TH3 CLOS3TS GONN4 OP3N UP 4ND L3T YOU 4LL OUT
(Vriska): That sounds reeeeeeeeally sucky.
Terezi: YOU H4V3 NO 1D34
Terezi: 1 SW34R, 3V3N K4N4Y4S G3TT1NG ON MY N3RV3S
Terezi: 1V3 GOT NO 1D34 HOW TH3 R3ST OF TH3 P34NUT G4LL3RY 1S M4N4G1NG TH1S
Karkat: (*CRUNCH*)
Terezi: (K4RK4T)
Karkat: (WHAT?)
Terezi: (STOP CH3W1NG SO LOUDLY)
Karkat: (NO, SHUT UP.)
(Vriska): Just ignore him.
Terezi: 1M TRY1NG!
Karkat: (*CRUNCH*)
Terezi: (W1LL YOU STOP TH4T)
Karkat: ("W!LL YOU STOP TH$T")
Karkat: (AND NO, I WILL NOT "STOP TH$T")
Karkat: (I'M TRYING TO EAT MY FORKING LUNCH!)
Terezi: (YOUR3 NOT 3V3N DO1NG MY VO1C3 R1GHT)
(Vriska): Shoosh.
Terezi: DONT SHOOSH M3!
Karkat: (I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.)
Terezi: (NO, NOT YOU)
(Vriska): C'moooooooon, Tez, he's just eating. You can't 8lame him for chewing.
Terezi: SHUT UP
(Vriska): I'm not going to 8e quiet until you take a few deep 8reaths.
Terezi: NO
(Vriska): Please, Tez.
Terezi: 3RRRRGH
(Vriska): C'mon, ignore him. Focus on the 8reath.
Terezi: S11111111GH
(Vriska): Thaaaaaaaat's it. Just 8reathe.
Terezi: :|
(Vriska): Theeeeeeeere you go.
Terezi: HMPH
Karkat: (WHAT THE HAIL?)
Karkat: (DID... DID YOU JUST PHONE JAM WITH VRISKA?)
Terezi: (1 D1DNT…)
Karkat: (EURGH, DON'T GET PACIFIED WHILE I'M EATING!)
Terezi: (W41T NO 1TS NOT)
Karkat: (I'M LEAVING.)
Terezi: 8|
(Vriska): …..
Terezi: W3LL PROB4BLY LOOK B4CK ON TH1S 1N 4 SW33P OR SO 4ND L4UGH 4BOUT 1T
Terezi: BUT 1T 1S *NOT* FUNNY R1GHT NOW
(Vriska): Fork, are we even still moirails?
(Vriska): We've 8een separ8ed for God knows how long, so, uh…..
Terezi: 1 M34N 1F YOU W4NT W3 C4N K33P UP TH3 OLD MO1R41LL3G14NC3
Terezi: LONG D1ST4NC3 R3L4T1ONSH1PS 4R3NT 34SY, THOUGH
(Vriska): Yeah, I know.
(Vriska): And while I WILL get 8ack to you, if I can, I mean, not that I won't, 8ut considering the situ8ion, you know-
Terezi: 1 G3T 1T
(Vriska): I, uh,
(Vriska): ::::\
(Vriska): mmmmmmmmay8e we shouldn't 8e moirails?
Terezi: W41T WH4T
Terezi: WH4T TH3 FORK 4R3 YOU T4LK1NG 4BOUT
(Vriska): …..
Terezi: D:
Terezi: 1 THOUGHT
Terezi: 1 THOUGHT YOU WOULD W4NT TO B3 1N QU4DR4NTS W1TH M3
(Vriska): No no no no no no no no, it's not that. Not in the slightest.
(Vriska): I just think…..
(Vriska): We should reevalu8 what sort of quadrant we'd want or need?
(Vriska): And I think it'd 8e hard to do that with all this distance 8etween us.
Terezi: 4H
Terezi: 1 S33
Terezi: TH4TS UND3RST4ND4BL3
(Vriska): I'm gr8ful that you think so.
Terezi: 1LL H4V3 TO TH1NK 4BOUT 1T FOR SUR3
(Vriska): I'll do the same.
Terezi: …
(Vriska): …..
Terezi: 1 M1SS YOU
(Vriska): You say that every time we chat.
Terezi: 1T DO3SNT STOP B31NG TRU3
(Vriska): I'd call you a hopeless romantic, 8ut we essentially just 8roke up.
Terezi: 1 H3S1T4T3 TO C4LL 1T TH4T
Terezi: W3 PUT OUR QU4DR4NTS ON P4US3 1S WH4T 1T 1S
Terezi: DU3 TO UNFOR3S334BL3 C1RCUMST4NC3S
(Vriska): That's an ironic line coming from you.
Terezi: …
Terezi: 1 DONT G3T 1T
(Vriska): Well,
Terezi: OH 1 G3T 1T NOW
Terezi: YOU M4D3 MY 1NNOC3NT ST4T3M3NT 1NTO 4 BL1ND JOK3
(Vriska): No, I meant 8ecause you're the Seer of Mind, you of all people would foresee what's to come.
Terezi: OH
Terezi: TH3 JOK3 H4S 4 DOUBL3 M34N1NG
(Vriska): 8OTH interpret8ions are correct!
Terezi: P3RH4PS
Terezi: 4CTU4LLY 1 JUST D3C1D3D TH4T YOUR3 WRONG
(Vriska): You can't say that, I just-
Terezi: NOP3 NOT GONN4 H34R 1T, YOUR3 WRONG 4ND TH4TS F1N4L
(Vriska): You can't do this! Su8jective interpret8ion can't 8e-
Terezi: OH SHUT UP
Terezi: 1 SW34R, YOU GOTT4 L34RN WH3N TO STOP S4Y1NG STUP1D SCH1ST
(Vriska): NOTHING I say is EVER stupid!
Terezi: F4LS3
Terezi: 3V3RYTH1NG YOU S4Y 1S STUP1D, DUNK4X3
Terezi: WOULD YOU L1K3 4 S3COND OP1N1ON?
(Vriska): I-
Terezi: (YO K4RK4T)
Karkat: (WHAT DO YOU WANT?)
Terezi: (1S 3V3RYTH1NG TH4T (VR1SK4) S4YS STUP1D?)
Karkat: (DUH, OF FORKING COURSE IT IS! YOU REALLY NEEDED ME TO VERIFY THAT FOR YOU?)
Terezi: (NO BUT TH4NKS 4NYW4Y)
Terezi: H3H3H3H3H3H3H3H3H3
(Vriska): Why don't YOU shut up for a change?
Terezi: SUR3 TH1NG (V)
Terezi: :]
-TEREZI PYROPE has left the call-
(Vriska): Oh, for FORK'S S8KE…..
"the prince is on his way."
"well be ready for him when he arrives"
"we sure as hail will be
"well be readier than an honours student prepping for the final exam
"sure maybe hell cram a bunch for it last minute
"but you cant say the dude doesnt have his facts down pat
"wrapped up tighter than a burrito at taco bell
"seriously tho metaphors aside never eat there the food tastes like actual vomit"
"does he ever shut up?"
"i dont know him that well so i dont have the final word on the matter
"but i sincerely doubt it"
"you would assume that reaching ultimate tier would make people behave more rationally, and yet it doesn't."
"are you calling me irrational? i would resent that more if it werent coming out of the mouth of a teenage version of my sort of ex wife whos being possessed by a green skull lord english clone thingy"
"the correct term for my species is cherub."
"you sure as hail dont look angelic"
"how would you know what an angel looks like dave? have you ever died? oh wait i just remembered"
"took the ironic words right out of my mouth
"i think were gonna get along just fine aradia
"too bad your yellow buddy didnt come along with us"
"that reminds me
"calliope i was wondering if we could return for him after this strife has ended?"
"sadly, we cannot. i'm sorry, maid, but the mage is now beyond our reach. he is in a timeline irrelevant to, and yet intertwined with, this one."
"then ill just have to find a way to retrieve him"
"im with you on that
"well get up to our armpits in weird time schist and fetch your friend out of inverse world"
"feel free to plot out your time shenanigans, but remember that we have a crisis to face which is far more immediate."
"ah yes the strife"
"we will not actually be fighting."
"we what?"
"oh thats a relief"
"the upcoming strife is for the prince and the seers, not for us."
"then why the hail are we here"
"to give your short blind friend guidance."
"i would like to make a sarcastic comment about how you have called me short by transitive relation but i am interested in what you have to share"
"that makes one of us"
"please tone down your snark, knight. maid, do you remember our discussion about stories?"
Terezi finds Roxy sitting in the control room and talking to Jade.
"OH SO TH4TS WH3R3 YOUV3 B33N" she remarks.
Roxy starts. "aSDLFJJS" He takes a moment to compose himself. "ye whos asknig"
"NOBODY, 1 W4S JUST WOND3R1NG WH3R3 YOU GOT OFF TO"
"just sitting here n talknig n bein all chillax staring out at hte void of space u kno"
Terezi sits on top of the control panel, being careful not to accidentally press any buttons. "SH3S NOT GONN4 T4LK B4CK"
Roxy shrugs. "i konw, bt tbh its easier to chat w some1 whos not chatting back"
"TRU3 TH4T"
They both sit in silence for a minute or so.
"i rly kinda miss her"
"OH?"
"i mean shes still righ here bt its not liek she can talk or anythign. its so forknig weird having her so close and yet so far away"
Terezi thinks of (Vriska). "Y34H, 1 COMPL3T3LY UND3RST4ND"
"and talkin 2 her is almost comvorting"
Terezi just nods. Roxy's practically telling her the story of her life.
They both sit quietly for a while. Roxy gives Jade a scratch behind the ears.
"i wonder hows calliope doin"
"1 COULDNT T3LL YOU"
"n jane n jake… i hope hes better now"
"Y34H 1LL H4V3 TO 4POLOG1S3 FOR ST4BB1NG H1M WH3N W3 S33 H1M 4G41N"
Roxy sighs and runs a hand through his shortish hair.
"u know im not sure if i made the rigth decision… abt…"
He gestures to himself.
There's not much Terezi can say to help him out. It's not like she can relate to his plight. So she just stands up, crosses the room, and ruffles his hair.
"1TS NOT 4 B4D LOOK FOR YOU THOUGH"
"glad u think so"
"THOS3 WR4P4ROUND SH4D3S 4R3 3N PO1NT3" Terezi punctuates her statement by making an OK sign with her hand.
"well actually theyre round if u look at the naem"
It takes Terezi a moment to get the joke. "GOOD ON3"
Roxy thinks. "i guess… no marter who i am… im just gonna b me"
"TH4TS 4 GOOD PH1LOSOPHY"
They both sit and watch the stars drift by, wondering about what will happen when they reach their final destination, thinking that it can't come quickly enough.
Roxy breaks the silence. "i hope we can talk some senst in2 dirk"
"M3 TOO, THOUGH SOM3TH1NG T3LLS M3 H3S NOT GONN4 L1ST3N 34S1LY"
"i dnt wanna hafta fite him"
"N31TH3R DO 1"
"bt i guess we hafe 2"
"3SP3C14LLY 1F W3 W4NN4 G3T OUR FR13NDS B4CK"
"u think saving rose will hlep save jade?"
"W3LL 1F 4NYON3 KNOWS HOW TO F1GUR3 OUT WH4T TH3 H41L 1S WRONG W1TH SOM3TH1NG, 1TS ROS3"
"tru that
"i bet shes givnig dirk a hard time tho"
"SH3D B3TT3R B3"
Terezi thinks for a while before continuing. "YOU KNOW, 1 4LMOST W3NT W1TH D1RK ON H1S SH1P"
"y didnt u"
"CUZ 1 FOUND 4 LOOPHOL3
"BUT SOM3T1M3S 1 WOND3R WH4T WOULD B3 D1FF3R3NT 1F 1 H4D GON3 W1TH H1M"
"a lot"
"TRU3 TH4T"
Terezi worries about doomed timelines for a moment, then pushes the notion out of her head. She has to do the best she can with what she's given. So do all of them. And the first step is surviving this trip.