"He's such a dick, Cronus!"

"It runs in the Ampora line. Have you met our dad?"

Feferi sighed and snuggled into Cronus, who had given her his leather jacket for a temporary sort of comfort. "I thought he changed. He told me he was past all of that hemocaste bull."

"He was for a little bit," Cronus said. "Honestly, you did good getting him to grow up. Then he started going to meetings, and it all fucked with his head. It's easier for him to pretend he's doing the right thing."

"He could be doing the right thing if he told everyone what's going on in PA!"

"With Dickscar breathing down our necks nonstop, do you really think that's possible?" Feferi thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Exactly. I know Eridan is being a piece of shit. He'll get over it."

"How do you handle it?"

"Not too well," Cronus admitted. "You'll handle it better with your friends and double spy shit. I just pretend it's not real."

Feferi was silent. Cronus didn't have more to say, so they simply sat together. Feferi hadn't made it home. She simply sat by the river, watching boats traverse through the filthy waters. She called Sollux, who calmed her down. Cronus had been strolling down the river when he found her. Now they were on a bench, watching those ships float across the muddy water.

"You aren't a bad person, Cronus."

Cronus snorted. "Yeah, thanks. Wanna smoke?"

"That stuff kills you," Feferi replied.

Cronus shrugged and pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. "That's the point, sweetheart."

"I need to kill Mr. Nitram, don't I," Feferi said.

"You don't have to do anything," Cronus said. "You're a fucking princess. Say the fuckin word, anyone in that place will listen to you. Yeah, your mom probably set you up with this assignment, but do the mommy's girl thing and cry your way out of this."

"That sounds so weak," Feferi said. She would never get away with that. Her mother would take pride in her daughter murdering a rebellious lowblood. She'd be prouder if Feferi was killed in the attempt. For her to simply give up might as well be a death wish. "You know, Eridan probably was about to give me some perfect plan to murder Mr. Nitram."

"Say whatever you want about him, but he's brilliant," Cronus chuckled. "Maybe you should go home, get some rest."

"Yeah. I need to figure something out. I'm not smart enough for this."

"Weren't you the one who was able to recite nearly every genus of fish on this planet?"

"I still can," Feferi said with more than an air of pride. "Let's Aquatroll the crap out of this and kill him with dolphins."

"Love the spirit, Fef." Cronus stood up. "I'm gonna wander for a little bit. Walk on home, you can talk to me whenever."

Feferi watched as he left, and only realized that she still had his jacket after he had disappeared from sight. It smelled like salt and smoke, a slightly nauseating mix. Nonetheless, she wrapped it tighter around herself. The sun was starting to set. The hazy glow of the street lights were becoming more prominent. The stench of the water was overpowering, and Feferi was left between the horrible choice of smelling rancid waters or stuffing her nose in Cronus's jacket. She settled for the rancid waters, and began walking home.

She had been unable to touch bases with Karkat so far. That being said, all she could offer was the information that Mr. Nitram was a marked man. Karkat would be wholeheartedly against the murder of Mr. Nitram. It bore too many similarities to the way his father died.

Would the lives she would save by gaining intel from the PA outweigh murdering the father of a friend?

She would die trying to fight the Summoner. That was without question. She would reread his files during indecisive hours. A trained veteran.

She had to kill him.

She couldn't kill him.

She had do, for the good of her friends, and possibly the world.

She couldn't kill him, due to moral and physical reasons.

It would be a terrible betrayal, making her no different from her mother.

She grit her teeth and barged into her house, feeling empty and lost and confused. Her mother was at the table going over files. They ignored each other. She went up to her room and nearly slammed the door. She stopped herself, not wanting to draw attention to her distress. Ready to scream, she sent a text to Gamzee.

cuttlefishCuller [CC] began trolling terminallyCapricious [TC]!
CC: Gamzee I need )(elp please please PL-EAS-E ANSW-ER M-E.
TC: Oh ShIt SiS wHaTs ThE mAtTeR
CC: I )(ave to kill Mr. Nitram but I can't do t)(at to Tavros I can't!
TC: tHaTs SoMe HeAvY sHiT
TC: iTlL bE oKaY
CC: No it )(onestly won't be, if I back out I'll get in trouble. 38(
TC: tHeN i GuEsS yOu GoTtA gO aNd MoThErFuCkInG kIlL hIm
CC: T)(at would kill Tavros.
TC: DoNt GeT mE wRoNg I wAnNa LoOk OuT fOr My TaVbRo
TC: BuT tHeRe AiNt No WaY tHe SuMmOnEr WoUlD lIvE lOnG
TC: i HaVe A mOtHeRfUcKiNg PlAn

Feferi read through Gamzee's words, relief flooding through her as she was reassured that this could work.