Terezi didn't know what to do. Her fight or flight response was in full action. Karkat ran off with Nepeta, and the rest of them were trying to get their act together. It only seemed appropriate that the party would come to an end there, so Terezi called her mom. Amazingly, she actually answered the personal phone after a few rings.
"Terezi, what's up?"
"Can you come get me? The party's ending early."
"You sound distressed, is something wrong?"
"Yeah, Karkat just got a call and, uh… Mr. Vantas has been shot."
"WHAT. I'll be right there." Terezi slid her phone back into her pocket, and she glanced over to where Jade and Dave were standing, all three of them in equal shock. Dave looped one arm around Terezi's shoulder and the other around Jade's, and the three of them had a very small group hug. They were all pretty close with Karkat, and all three of them knew how great a person Solomon was, so the hug was actually pretty good consolation in the moment. What else were they supposed to do? Terezi only broke off when her mom arrived, and even then, Dave walked with her to the car.
"Dave, do you need a ride home?" Terezi asked.
"Nah, Dirk and Jake are on their way to get us," he muttered. Terezi hugged him again before climbing into the passenger seat. She could already tell that her mom was absolutely pissed about the whole situation. She'd been an avid follower of Solomon and his teachings for years; that was the whole reason Terezi and Karkat were such lifelong friends. And when Terezi got in the car, her mother was already on the phone with the police agency and cursing up a storm.
"Fucking of course it was Candace. Think about it- she already knows that we're on her case." Terezi winced. Her mother wasn't always a lawyer; she used to be a detective with the police, and apart from murder investigations, she'd been investigating allegations against the Peixes Corporation for literal years. Of course there was never hard evidence or anything. Candace Peixes wasn't a fool. But apparently this was fishy. "Solomon has spoken out against her for as long as I've known him. Do you know what she fucking does when someone gets in her way? She takes them out. Or has someone else take her out. No! I'm just saying, it's worth looking into. I can't stand to see that witch run the town the way she fucking does. Fine. I'll prove it myself." Rebecca sighed as she clicked the car phone off. "Sorry you had to hear that, 'Rezi." Terezi didn't say anything. She was just wondering if it could be true, and if Feferi knew, if that were the case. Really, Terezi sort of felt bad for Feferi sometimes, knowing her mom was going to push her into running this huge corporation that, at the least, did some morally questionable things that Feferi certainly wouldn't agree with, but at the same time, didn't this also give Feferi the opportunity to change things? It was all a lot to think about; if Terezi and her friends would just keep following this cycle that their parents got them into, or if they could actually change things.
As soon as they got home, Rebecca left again and Terezi was alone, being suffocated by silence. She wondered if Latula knew; she was pretty good friends with Kankri- by which, Terezi meant that Kankri used to have a massive crush on Latula that never went anywhere, but they still got along- and there was no way of knowing if Kankri had told anyone.
gallowsCalibrator [GC1] began pestering gamergrlCredz [GC2]
GC1: Hey so
GC1: I dunno if you heard, but
GC1: Mr. Vantas got shot today and I think he's in the hospital
GC2: Wait what
GC1: We were all at Aradia's birthday party and Karkat got a phone call from Ms. Leijon
GC1: And he said 'my dad just got shot'.
GC2: Oh shit
GC1: I dunno if Kankri wants all you guys to know
GC1: But I am not totally okay about it
GC2: Okay I won't tell anyone
GC1: By which you mean you'll only tell Mituna
GC2: …
GC1: I just don't want it to get back to Karkat and Kankri that we're spreading rumors
GC2: I get it
GC2: Do you want me to come home?
GC1: I…
GC1: Dunno
GC1: Mom thinks it was Candace
GC1: And she left
GC2: I'll head back
GC1: Thanks Tules
gallowsCalibrator [GC1] ceased pestering gamegrlCredz [GC2]
Even when Latula came back, things were still quiet. The girls weren't really sure what to do with themselves. Latula tried messaging Kankri to see how things were going, and he didn't respond, so Terezi tried messaging Karkat, and he didn't respond, either. There was no news all weekend, and Terezi was beginning to seriously worry. If there was some sort of good news, Karkat would have said something by then, right? Or maybe he was just ignoring his phone. Terezi couldn't say she'd blame him for that. Still, the silence was very alarming, and it was only broken on Sunday, by Dave, of all people, initiating a group chat between the 4 people most likely to never be in a group chat together. Terezi got the notification and immediately told Nora to keep her updated on the messages. This was one group chat she didn't want to miss out on.
turntechGodhead [TG] opened memo on board: vantas leijon maryam protection squad
TG: hey so
TG: yall are the ones closest to karkles nep and kan respectively
TG: i figured if you guys hear anything we can keep each other up to date
TG: so we all know how to support them
TG: even though kar isnt talking to me right now
gallowsCalibrator [GC] responded to memo
GC: I haven't heard anything.
GC: I think Kar is staying at the hospital until they let his dad out.
TG: hmmm
tentacleTherapist [TT] responded to memo
TT: Nothing from Kanaya yet, either.
centaursTesticle [CT] responded to memo
CT: I messaged Nepeta.
CT: She seemed very alarmed but they have Solomon with the doctors.
TT: Did she say anything about anyone's emotional state?
CT: She said
CT: AC: everyone is sad and scared and i am too and there's nothing we can do about it!
TG: valid
GC: Okay well, if anyone gets an update, let us know.
The memo remained open, and Terezi tried to put it out of her mind, but it was only more alarming when Karkat continued to ignore her messages. It was Monday; she'd been left on silence since Friday afternoon. That only gave her more frightening thoughts, and maybe it was selfish, but she really wished he'd just say something! The memo picked back up again on Monday morning, during first period, and Terezi had to excuse herself from class to listen to the messages.
TT: Kanaya said there hasn't been any news.
TG: no news is good news
TT: Theoretically, yes.
TT: But she's still a bit…
TT: Out of it.
CT: As is Nepeta.
CT: I suggest we be delicate about the topic.
TT: A wise choice indeed, Equius.
GC: You guys haven't seen Karkat around, have you?
TG: he wasnt in class this morning
TG: wouldnt surprise me if he didnt show up at all
TG: i mean
TG: you said he was staying at the hospital until his dad gets released so maybe hes still there
GC: That's what's worrying me; it's been three days.
GC: He's not answering my messages.
TG: come on dude his dad is in the hospital
GC: Yeah, I'm just…
GC: Worried.
TT: We all are.
Terezi hated that they were right; she was making these worries about herself, and not about Karkat. There was a good reason he wasn't answering; it wasn't as if he was explicitly trying to ignore her. She just wanted to know that he was okay; that Solomon was okay. Not knowing was so stress-inducing. Not knowing was unbearable. The only thing that was worse than not knowing was getting the news that Terezi was about to get. Once again, a group memo popped up, and once again, Terezi couldn't leave herself out of the loop. Not on this one.
carcinoGeneticist [CG] opened memo on board: FUCK
CG: Hey everyone.
CG: So…
CG: Bad news.
CG: My dad… he…
CG: Didn't make it.
cuttlefishCuller [CC] responded to memo
CC: Karkat, I'm so sorry!
turntechGodhead [TG] responded to memo
TG: fucking blows dude
CG: Don't be sarcastic, Strider.
TG: im not
TG: it may shock you to know that i am in fact
TG: capable of sincerity
TG: give me the benefit of the doubt dude
TG: instead of hopping all over me the minute i open my mouth
TG: all up in my business like youre trying to hop on my dick
CG: GROSS, fuck off.
TG: nah man the fuck is on
TG: your sympathy fuck i mean
TG: looking for one?
twinArmageddons [TA] responded to memo
TA: wouldn't put it past him
TG: haha nice one man
Terezi shook her head. Why were they like this? Was it a boy thing, or a Dave thing? Honestly, both were equally possible.
CG: You FUCKERS!
CG: Stop ganging up on me, it's seriously not cool.
CG: I'm having an honest to God crisis.
arachnidsGrip [AG] responded to memo
AG: Honestly, Karkat, when aren't you having a crisis?
CG: UUUUUGH forget it.
CG: Why did I think I could talk to you assholes?
ectoBiologist [EB] responded to memo
EB: guys, come on
EB: karkat just lost someone important to him.
EB: i don't think it's the time for dick jokes
TG: what are you like his boyfriend or something?
EB: dave, no.
EB: i'm not…
EB: i'm straight, dave.
TG: sure
TG: youre about as straight as i am
TG: but sure
CG: Egbert, PLEASE. I DON'T need your fucking help.
CG: Strider, SHUT UP.
AG: Soooooooo
AG: What exactly was the point of this group chat?
AG: Half of us aren't even online right now.
TA: man i wish i wasn't
CG: I was trying to get to that.
CG: I could honestly really use some moral support right now.
CG: So you're all invited to the funeral.
CG: Not that any of you will actually show up.
CG: Now leave me alone.
carcinoGeneticist [CG] is now an idle chum!
Terezi furrowed her brow. The whole interaction felt off. But aside from that… she just couldn't believe Solomon was gone. Like, really, actually gone. No, this had to be some kind of elaborate prank. But… Karkat didn't pull pranks, he thought they were "childish". Even so, he wouldn't lie about something this serious. Terezi didn't know what to think, or do, except hope it wasn't real. But it was real, and Terezi had to face the truth of it when she and Latula went to the funeral. It was so… weird to wrap her head around. Solomon had been like a second father to her growing up, and even more so after her dad left them. Terezi felt herself tearing up as Dessie gave her eulogy. "Solomon Vantas was… one of the kindest, greatest people I ever had the pleasure of meeting. He was so inspirational to me, so influential to the word; how he was just… always trying to help whoever he could, always trying to make peace or find a diplomatic way around a problem- that was all he wanted to be. A diplomat. He wanted to make a better future for his kids, for my kids… Solomon was…" Her voice cracked. She was about to lose it. "…my best friend, and my first love. When we met in high school, I knew I'd found someone I could confide in. Someone I knew I wanted in my life. He had such an idealistic concept of what the world could be. And… oh, the way he lit up when we talked about how we could improve the world, leave our mark… and then we fell in love… and then… both left for different colleges. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to find him again, but I was. I swore I'd never lose him again. And yet, here we are. Solomon Vantas was… a great man, who did great things, and I will not let that be in vain. He may be gone, but the impact that he's had will be with us forever." Terezi hung her head low. She almost wished she'd had some opportunity to say goodbye to her dad. But no. He was just gone one day, years ago. At least Karkat knew his dad loved him. He didn't choose to abandon them. But… then, at least she knew her dad was out there somewhere. After another moment, Kankri took Dessie's spot at the podium.
"My father was an ambitious, idealistic man. He was always trying to do something to help someone, and help this town. Someone I always admired, and from this day on I will be taking up his cause and do my best to be as he was. Thank you for everything, Dad." Somehow, this wasn't quite as moving as Dessie's speech, but Latula seemed to only notice just then that Terezi was getting a little… upset, and put her arm around Terezi's shoulder. Terezi leaned into her sister.
"Tules, do you ever wonder how things would be different if Dad had, like… cared about us?"
"What? He did."
"But he left. He doesn't even pay his fucking child support. I just... this sucks," Terezi muttered. "This whole thing sucks. Our dad bailed on us, and now the guy I've looked up to for the last four years as a sort of father figure is dead. I can't… ca…" And then Terezi just started crying, pulling herself further into Latula, who just wrapped her arms around and hugged her.
"I know, Ter. I know." Terezi just let Latula console her for a bit, and when everyone started moving around and heading to the Vantas-Leijon's for the reception, Latula and Terezi left. Terezi was definitely not emotionally stable enough to keep thinking about Solomon. Even though Terezi knew it was in her own best interest to not go, she couldn't help but feel guilty. Karkat had explicitly asked for some moral support; he was the one whose actual dad died, after all, and Terezi couldn't even give him that because she was too busy feeling bad for herself, and if that didn't make her a shitty friend, she wasn't sure what would be considered a shitty friend. Somehow trying to make herself feel better only made Terezi feel worse.