Vriska spent a vast majority of her nights hopping rooftops. It wasn't easy being a thief, first you have to find a place you haven't robbed already (which is getting harder after ever rob) You have to sneak in without being caught, watch for security systems, grab the goods and get out. But it wasn't like Vriska took a hobby of stealing; she much preferred a hunt for something cool. Not to mention with Meenah out shanking every other rich kid for cash, most of the goods in this town were already taken.
She jumped off the building she was on, landing hard on her feet on a botanist's roof top. Shaking the quick pain out of her legs she walked toward the abnormally large greenhouse that surprisingly fit on the small roof. It was warmer than she expected when she walking in. It didn't bother her, it was pretty cold outside, and the couch under the highway where she slept didn't exactly have the best heating.
Meenah occasionally offered a place to sleep at her condo (stolen for her ex-boyfriend) but sleeping in something stolen in plain sight wasn't her idea of being sly with the cops. She considered paying rent for a small apartment with the Benjamin's she stole from elderly women's wallets, but once again showing up out of nowhere, paying for something all in cash and being out all night would blink bright red on the DEA's radar, and Vriska wasn't some amateur drug dealer.
She didn't really pay attention to the bazillion and three plants that hung from the walls and tables, she was just looking for a place to sit. She found a bench in the back, holding a few small shrubs, which she didn't waste a single fuck pushing to make room for her. She unwrapped the orange scarf around her neck and pulled off her blue fingerless mittens, rubbing her hands together to make them warm. It was mid-April but still pretty chilly at night. April was a bitch month, but she liked it.
A lot of things happened to her in April of past years, she found out about the thieves, her sister moved out of the house, not to mention she met John. Also Vriska could be a bitch too; she and the month have a lot in common. It was actually her and Johns anniversary a few days ago, which just so happened to be Johns birthday. It wasn't like they were dating, not really, but that was the day they first met. She was pretty sure John didn't really remember when they met; she wasn't really sure why she remembered herself. Probably because John was the only guy that continuously stayed the same, and didn't turn into a fag or something.
She even kissed him, which she let him think was for his birthday, but really did it for herself. If she was the only one keeping track of how they met, then she should at least get some compensation for it. But it wasn't like she wouldn't do it again; she would probably do it right now if she didn't want to feel like she was leading him on. She might like him, but she wasn't into relationships. What she likes is her and john's situation right now, mutual liking but open to anyone.
Vriska pulled out her iPhone. She took a moment to admire the beautiful gold case that she "borrowed" a while back before checking recent messages. She had two, one from Meenah and one from Terezi. She looked at Meenahs first.
Just got my hands on a mad stash of cash. Oh my cod I'm still counting it now. Oh and Aranea is over at my place tonight. She says sup'.
Vriska rolled her eyes, not responding and thumbing over to Terezis message.
Hey can you come over to the my place, I want to talk to you.
She sighed responding with a quick I'll be there and got up. Pulling her gloves back on and rewrapping her scarf, she puts the ridiculous shrubs back in their place before exiting the green house and climbing down the fire escape. She had known Terezi since birth practically. They brought hell to their elementary school playground and that's how they got the name scourge sisters. In Junior high some idiot splashed chemicals in her eyes which blinded her. She then had to go to a different special learning school. Ironically Aranea, Vriskas sister had studied to become and eye surgeon and was able to put Terezi through treatment.
But because of some dumbass clown Terezi has been going through shit nonstop and because Terezi is running out of people to turn too Vriska has become her "numero uno" life consultant, wither Vriska is in or not.
She stopping by a local gas station and bought a couple packs of nicotine patches before walking to Terezi's place. It was a small joint house apartment located toward the edge of town. Latula lived in the house/apartment next door while Terezi lived on the right. It was a quiet neighborhood so nobody really questioned her when she made late night visits to see Terezi. It was a pretty nice walk too; you could see every star in the sky. Vriska strolled up to Terezi's door and knocked 5 times to let Terezi know it was her. She waited for a couple seconds but there was no answer. She jiggled the doorknob to find that it was open surprisingly.
When she walked in things were thrown askew all over with piles of tissues and trash in the corners. There was a light glowing from the hallway. The further she walked into the house the louder she heard Terezi. When she turned the corner she found her curled over the toilet clutching her stomach. Vriska didn't say a word, just walked over and held back her hair until she got it all out of her system.
"Withdrawals again?" Vriska asked combing her fingers through Terezi's hair. She nodded as Vriska took a hair tie from around her wrist and tied her hair back. Terezi sat back wiping her mouth with the sleeve of one of her old sweaters. Vriska popped open the box of patches and rolled up the sleeve she didn't wipe on. Putting on a couple, she set the rest on the sink and walked Terezi to her bedroom.
"Sorry," she mumbled "It's just been on and off, but they are going away.."
"It's okay boo. Drugs are some tough shit to get off of. Now why did you call me down here?" Vriska perched on the edge of terezis bed.
"I went and saw Karkat today." She hung her head.
"oh no…" Vriska knew this routine. Terezi sees Karkat, he slams the door in her face, she goes through depression and Vriska has to help her out. "I thought that I told you not to see Karkat for a while."
"I know what you said, it's just that Gamzee keeps mocking me with it and i…"
"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute, Gamzee?" Terezi looked away. "What the fuck are you doing still talking to him?" Gamzee was the shit that put Terezi in the mess she was in. He ruined the relationship she had with Karkat, got her on all sorts of crazy things and dumped her, literally, on the side of the highway.
"I'm not, well, I'm trying not to talk to him, it's just he keeps finding ways to get into my house or follows me on the street or just crazy stupid stuff."
"It's not crazy stupid stuff, it's called crazy stupid stalker! Terezi have you told Latula that he keeps doing this?" Vriska was tired of this bullshit clown from the second she saw his shitty makeup. He was stirring up all sorts of trouble now a days and he is lucky he hasn't gotten his punk ass thrown in the slammer.
"It's not like we can do anything, calling the cops would get us all thrown in jail, besides I hear the Investigator Sleuth is kicking it up a notch."
"Where the hell did you hear that from? I heard he was promoted outside the city like 3 months ago… that's not the point…" Vriska shook her head, passing off the cop thing as just another excuse. "When was the last time you saw him?" She wouldn't respond so Vriska leaned in closer to her face. "Terezi answer me."
"I found him yesterday asleep on my couch."
"You have got to be joking." Terezi shook her head and Vriska grunted. She pulled her wallet out from her back pocket and pulled out a couple twenties. "Get Latula to take you to a home depot or lowes or I really don't give a shit and put a solid five locks on the front door." She nodded to the front of the house. "Only keep one set of keys for yourself and give the second set to Latula. Tell her to keep those keys inside her house in a fucking safe for all I care." She put her hand on Terezi's shoulder.
"I'll go take care of the clown."
"Vriska, this is all really nice, but I don't think you can just talk to him. He'll just come and bother me again."
"Then what is it you want me to do?"
"Nothing involving him, thanks for the cash, ill slap a couple locks on that door and handle the situation as best as I can." Terezi gave a weak smile and which Vriska nodded in respect.
"Scourge?" Vriska took off her left hand glove, revealing scourge tattooed across her knuckles, Terezi held up a fist with the corresponding tattoo and the both pounded them.
"For life." Terezi grinned her old toothy grin before walking Vriska to the door. "Want to stay the night, I can clean the couch a bit?"
"Naw, I'm not sleeping on the same spot that asshole slept." She winked at her "Take care, see you around!" she said before turning and walking down the dark street. She heard Terezi's door shut and lock behind her which she heaved a breath of relief. At least she was locked her door this time.
Even for as tired as she was, the night was young and the moon was full, she wasn't going to waste her time sleeping. She walked a couple blocks down to the familiar neon lights of downtown. Her favorite gothic bar The Spinneret was always open late so she casually strolled in and sat at the bar, ordering her usual ginger ale. She wasn't exactly a big fan of alcohol. It never sat right in her stomach and constantly gave her heart burn, but the bar tender was kind of cute and reminded her of John in a way.
"Jake, make me another rounf..shoot, round!" she heard a very drunk voice call from close. The bartender carefully set down Vriskas drink before cleaning up the familiar faces' rounds right next to her.
"Look there goes a wild rogue." She muttered taking a sip of her drink. Roxy swayed looking at her before giddily waving and closing the distance. The bartender, Jake, set down a large glass of water, eyeing Roxy, who in return was eyeing the drink she didn't order.
"That one hell of a drink I tell you, you can barely taste anything but it does a shit load to your body." Vriska referred to the water. Roxy eyed it nervously before shrugging her shoulders and gulping it down. Vriska winked at Jake who nodded in appreciation before attending to others.
"Whazzup Vris?" Roxy asked, slamming down the rest of her water and calling for more.
"Just thieving around, what brings you to the sprinrette?"
"The bar that I usually…" She stopped for a second to take a couple sips of her refilled glass of water. "go to kicked me out."
"Why is that?" Vriska asked with a smile on her lips, resisting a laugh.
"They said I was stealing drinks out of no where! Like really? Who does that? I paid them every cent." She mumbled a couple in audible things after that she couldn't make out. "Hey Vris, le' me tell you somethin'" Roxy wrapped her arm around Vriskas shoulders and pulled her closer, Vriska uncomfortably trying to pull away.
"So word on the street is that the popo be on our behinds." Roxy sloppily whispered into Vriskas ear, drool dibbling at the tip. She shuddered, violently pulling away causing Roxy to almost fall out of her chair.
"Next time say it, don't spray it Lalonde." She suddenly didn't want to drink her drink and she slammed her payment on the table.
"Hey I'm just lookin out for a fellow friend." Roxy continued to drink her water
"We aren't friends, and I'm not sure why anybody is saying that! The police have died down since sleuth left town!" Vriska grunted turning towards the door and walking away.
"Hey, you know what doesn' make sense? This drink! It tastes like water! I mean…" Vriska didn't hear the end of her sentence because she was already outside. She shoved her fists in her pockets and speed walked down the street toward the boonies of town where her couch was. She should probably stop by Meenahs to drop off her money in their treasure vault but she would rather avoid another lecture from her sister about sleeping underneath a highway.
Vriska was so hung up on getting anywhere besides near Roxy she almost tripped over a large lump on the side of the street.
"What the hell?" She looked down to see the last person on earth she ever wanted to trip on. Gamzee Makara laid in a heeping slump right in front of her, faygo in one hand, the other hand clutched in a fist. "Look what dope I ran into." She grumbled kicking his body, which it only jiggled. She scoffed looking down at how unnaturally passed out he was. He grumbled inaudibly, probably dreaming about his cheap ass make-up.
Vriska squatted down near him to look closer, which she immediately regretting; the douche smelt like old goat cheese. At one point she felt sorry for the dude, I mean his father was never at home very long and at 13 the kid got a notice at his door saying that ol' pappy is dead. I'm sure if that wasn't enough to drive him crazy, being adopted by his surprisingly young mute uncle would have done the trick. Vriska may understand what happened, but she can't stand what he became.
He squirmed and Vriska watched something roll out of his closed hands. Looking closer she say it was a key chain, and looking even closer she saw a key labeled Terezi on it.
"Oh ho ho, isn't it my lucky day." Vriska whispered trying not to laugh out loud as she picked the keys up. "I'll be taking these with me." She lightly papped him on the nose snickering and stepped over him, continuing on walking down the street. Vriska couldn't help but snicker the whole way to her new destination, despite some of the looks people gave her. Now that she had the keys, she had to get rid of them in the most aggression pleasing manner, and she knew when she was close to the place because could smell the pollution from a mile away.
"What a treasure chest." She wrinkled her nose looking down at the small murky river. Popping the keys out of her pocket she tore off a key, one at a time, and threw them into running water, watching them glisten once before being sucked into the mud. She even made a game out of them, seeing which keys would make a larger splash, but that grew boring very quickly. She yawned throwing the final key and key ring into the water.
"I think I'll treat myself with a drink." Vriska threw her head up and laughed; very pleased with her work and thinking she'll try the spinrette one more time.
Thank you all for reading once again! I kind of felt relieved when writing this chapter since the last one was kind of sad. The next one is going to be from Calliope's perspective! So I might have that out soon, keep thy eyes peeled! Favorite/follow/leave reviews! And until next time, toodles!