Great. More blood that needed to be mopped up off the floor. Sighing softly, the victor of this most recent strife collapsed onto her couch. How many more lives were these people willing to give up before they learned that she was not going to die that easily? Apparently as many as it took to kill her. Groaning, she rolled onto her side, laying her trident down next to the couch to try and get a bit more sleep when a noise nearly scared her out of her skin. Looking for the offending noise, she found her husktop making a second noise. Two people were trying to talk to her, in the middle of the day, no less. Another sigh slipped past her lips as she rose to her feet, walking over to the desk her husktop was on to check who needed her attention so badly. What she found were two trolltags that she did not recognize. Pulling up the first one, she answered rather cautiously.

-mirthfulMessegner [MM] began trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]-

MM: HEY THERE LITTLE EMPRESS.
MM: how the fuck are you doing this fine motherfucking day?
MM: I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE FAKE CONDESCE.
MM: your time is up.
-mirthfulMessenger [MM] ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]-

Well… That didn't bode well. She didn't know why that gave her chills, but part of it sounded so familiar. Like an old friend that she hadn't heard from in quite some time. Keeping that log up, she clicked on the second, wondering if this one was going to be just as worrisome.

-flambergeTyrant [FT] began trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]-

FT: / have no /dea /f th/s /s the r/ght tro\\tag, but /f th/s /s Fefer/ Pe/xes, / have urgent news for you.
FT: P\ease answer me.
CC: w)(o is t)(is?
FT: Just an /d/ot who's stumb\ed onto someth/ng b/gger than h/m.
FT: There are two th/ngs you need to know.
FT: F/rst, Er/dan Ampora /s a\/ve.
FT: Second, there /s someth/ng very strange go/ng on w/th the Subjuggu\ators.
FT: /'m not sure how many of them are /n on /t, but there seems to be a rebe\\/on /n the p/pe\/nes.
CC: O)( cod scram it. T)(at's all I need.
CC: At least Eridan is alive.
CC: W)(at else can you tell me?
CC: Anyfin would be s)(ellpful.
FT: Er/dan /s not current\y /n stab\e cond/t/on.
FT: / am do/ng my best to rev/ve h/m as we speak.
FT: / have to go now, others need me.
FT: Best of \uck.
-flambergeTyrant [FT] ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]-

Something else that was worrisome. Lovely. That was all she needed right now. She needed some help tracking down whoever sent these, but the only person she knew she could trust was probably asleep. Still, if there was one thing she knew, it was that her hacker never slept if he could help it. Pulling up his trolltag, she typed out a quick message, hoping against hope that he would answer.

-cuttlefishCuller [CC] began trolling twinArmageddons [TA]-

CC: Sollux, I need a favor and I kinda need it now.
CC: Please be )(ere
TA: yo what2 up
TA: ii mean iim not u2ually on thii2 account much anymore
TA: ii wa2 really ju2t on two 2nag a couple of old pe2terlog2
TA: 2o what do you need
CC: I need you to track down a couple of trolltags for me.
CC: T)(ey just contacted me.
CC: mirthfulMessenger and flambergeTyrant
CC: Can you track t)(em down?
TA: yeah ju2t giive me a 2econd or two
TA: okay iive got MM down
TA: 2ome 2ubjuggulator on 2ome backwater world
TA: 2ay2 on iit2 artiicle iit2 mo2tly purple and blue blood2
TA: FT ii2 beiing more of a biitch two track down
TA: iit 2ay2 iit2 an alterniian account but iit had a huge dii2pariity iin logiin tiime2
TA: a couple of 2weep2 have pa22ed 2iince the la2t tiime iit wa2 onliine
TA: not countiing twoniight of cour2e
CC: T)(ank you.
TA: hold up
CC: 38?
TA: there2 an encryptiion iin hii2 data
TA: iim goiing two actually have two hack 2omethiing worthwhiile twoniight
CC: Sea w)(at you can find.
TA: wiill do

She left Trollian up as she leaned back. It was going to take a few minutes at minimum for Sollux to do what he did best. In the meantime, she had a question she needed an answer to. "—EQUIUS!" Her voice carried easily through the silent room and into the hallway. When there was no answer, she moved outside her respiteblock to find him slumped against the wall with a few corpses lying a bit farther away. Above him was a small trail of blue where he had hit the wall and slid down. Rushing to his side, she tried to shake him awake. "Equius! Equius, come on, wake up!"

With a soft groan, he began to stir, blurry eyes opening slowly to take in his surroundings. Looking up to meet her gaze, he did his best to ask if she was alright, to which she quickly responded with an insistence that they worry about him first. After a few minutes, he was aware enough to speak clearly. "Your Condescension, I must insist that we ensure your safety first"

An exasperated sigh followed those words. "I'm fin, Equius. I'm naut t)(e one w)(o got t)(eir )(ead bassed into a wall."

"I am sure it did more damage to the wall, and I am also sure that one managed to get past me"

Another sigh. "W)(ale yes, one did. But I took care of it. Are you s)(ore you're alrig)(t?"

"Nothing about my condition prevents me from continuing my duties"

"T)(at's naut w)(at I asked, Equius. Are you alrig)(t?"

"Asking me repeatedly will not change my answer, I am not in any amount of pain or injury that %eeds my ability to function normally therefore I shall not leave my post"

It was clear that his stubborn streak was going to outmatch hers for the moment. With a reluctant nod, she rose to her feet. "Fin. I'll stop asking." Flashing a small smile to him, she walked back into her respiteblock, leaving the door open this time. Just as she went to sit down, Trollian alerted her to a message. Sollux had done his job.

TA: holy ball2
TA: ff you arent goiing two beliieve thii2 2hiit
CC: W)(at did you find?
TA: there ii2 a whole web of iintriicate 2hiit wiith thii2 FT guy
TA: multiiple proxy 2erver2
TA: fake 2tartiing poiint2
TA: the work2
CC: Sounds pike c)(umone doesn't want to be found.
TA: no 2hiit
TA: iif ii wa2nt 2o ape2hiit banana2 at computer2 and hackiing and 2hiit
TA: ii would never have gotten pa2t a lot of thii2 2hiit
TA: there were even a few trap2 iinvolved
TA: viiru2e2 coded iin 2o that anyone tryiing two fiind him would wiind up dii2abliing theiir own computer
CC:W)(ale.
CC: So w)(at can you tell me aboat )(im?
TA: ba2ed on 2ome iinfo ii miight have iillegally
TA: liiberated
TA: from the legii2lacerator2
CC: I'll overlook t)(at t)(is time. W)(at is it?
TA: mo2t of hii2 acce22 poiint2 werent on alterniia
TA: he really diidnt u2e iit for a whiile
TA: but mo2t of hii2 chatlog2 were made from computer2 on world2 a22ociiated wiith a criime lord of note
TA: he ha2 two have 2omeone near my level of 2kiill iin hii2 employ
CC: Do you have a name?
TA: only what the legii2lacerator2 diid
CC: Roquen?
TA: ye2
CC: T)(at's t)(e same man w)(o )(as Eridan.
CC: W)(y would )(e kidnap )(im for leverage and t)(en try to be all c)(ummy wit)( me?
TA: ii wiill 2ay thii2
TA: that la2t logiin wa2 2loppy
TA: one of the world2 ii have already narrowed iit down two
TA: iit2 the one iim on
TA: and a new2 broadca2t on iin the other room 2eem2 two have 2ome iintere2tiing thiing2 two 2ay
CC: )(ang on.

Moving away from the computer again for a brief moment, Feferi flipped on her TV, scanning for the news. It wasn't long until she found it, her jaw dropping open at what she heard. A terrorist attack on Adversina…? Going back to her computer, she replied to Sollux.

CC: A terrorist attack?
TA: ye2
TA: ii can 2ee the 2moke from here
CC: You're on Adversina?
CC: W) (appened?
CC: Nomoby else seams to know.
TA: my problem ii2 that ii cant know anythiing no one el2e know2
CC: Someone )(as to somew)(ere.
CC: Are all of you okay?
TA: were fiine
TA: dont worry about u2
CC: I'm going to worry aboat you until I can sea you again wit)(out worrying aboat one of us getting s)(ot in t)(e back.
TA: hold up
TA: 2omeone ii2 tryiing two contact me
TA: 2ecure 2erver two
TA: one moment
-twinArmageddons [TA]'s computer disconnected-

Looking between her computer screen and the television, she could hardly keep everything from boiling over in her own mind. The answers she had received had only succeeded in raising more questions than they answered. Thinking back to everything Sollux had said, she did her best to put the pieces together in some logical way. The conclusion she came to was not a very pleasant one. Though before she could think much longer on it, her husktop pinged again. Sollux was back.

-twinArmageddons [TA]'s computer reconnected-
TA: wow
TA: ii thiink ii can an2wer one of your que2tiion2 from earliier
CC: W)(ic)( one? I )(ad several.
TA: why he kiidnapped ed but now want2 two be friiend2
CC: O)(?
TA: a2 iit turn2 out he happen2 two own thii2 world
TA: any attack on iit ii2 functiionally an attack on hiim
TA: 2ome iinfo ii found onliine before my iinternet cut out 2ay2 there were more than one group2 iinvolved iin the attack
TA: the local cavalreaper2 are beiing e2peciially tiight liipped
TA: but there wa2 2ome iinfo two be found
CC: Tell me w)(at you can.
TA: one of the two group2 iinvolved wa2 made up of 2ubjuggulator2 and viictiim2 of chucklevoodoo2
TA: the other wa2 tryiing two get riid of the fir2t
TA: by force
CC: w)(ale s)(it.
TA: exactly my reactiion
CC: And t)(e former group seams s)(ellbent on krilling me.
CC: Lovely.
TA: waiit what
CC: MM gave me a warning. )(ere.
-cuttlefishCuller [CC] sent file anottert)( -
CC: T)(at's w)(at t)(ey told me.
TA: 2hort but 2weet
TA: they certaiinly got theiir poiint acro22
CC: No kidding.
CC: But t)(e way it was worded sounds so familiar.
TA: kiinda
CC: I just don't know if it was )(im or naut.
TA: hiim
TA: who ii2 hiim
CC: Gamzee
TA: 2hiit you dont thiink he2 really part of thii2
TA: do you
CC: I )(ave no idea.
CC: But given w)(at I got, I'm not discounting t)(e possibility.
TA: ff
TA: you really dont 2ound liike your2elf
CC: Do I naut?
CC: )(ow so?
TA: liike that
TA: you never 2ound 2o
TA: formal ii gue22
CC: I guess it comes wit)( having to deal wit)( )(ig)(blooded morons.
CC: S)(orey.
CC: It's just second nature by now.
TA: ii gue22
TA: hey iit mu2t be daytiime or 2o over there
TA: why dont you try and 2leep
TA: me and my new friiend FT wiill try and get 2ome more an2wer2
CC: I make no promises aboat sleep, but I'll try.
CC: Be careful, Sollux
TA: careful ii2 for lo2er2 who arent ape2hiit banana2 at thii2 2hiit
-twinArmageddons [TA] ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller [CC]-

Sighing softly, She closed her husktop, rising to her feet and falling onto her couch with a thump. Her hand ran along the shaft of her trident, grimacing at the slight tackiness of the still drying blood. Closing her eyes, she did her best to try and sleep through the nightmares. A few hours later, she got up again, having only barely gotten any sleep. Going to the throne room with Equius in tow, she wasn't expecting anything to happen.

Imagine her surprise when she saw an old friend walk into the throne room. Sitting up a bit straighter, she opened her mouth to speak, but faltered. As much as he looked like her old friend, he wasn't acting like himself. "Gamzee?"

"how the motherfuck are you doing?" He was swaying for side to side, snapping into place before leaning to the other side. His paint was different. Rather than the usual white around everything except his mouth and eyes, there was now black that too the place of the blank patches, and someon his nose as well. He was different, no doubt about that.

She wasn't sure what to say except the truth. "I've been better. )(ow are you, Gamzee? It's been a w)(ale."

He gave a rather theatrical bow, grinning broadly. "I, GAMZEE MAKARA, YOUR HUMBLE SUBJECT. come to you bearing a message from the high subjuggulator himself."

"Is t)(at so…? W)(at does )(e fis)( to say to me t) (e culled not come and tell me )(ims)(ellf?" This didn't feel right.

"THOUGH IT PAINS ME TO BRING THIS MESSAGE TO YOU. i fear i must bring you a motherfucking declaration of war."

Yep. This was bad. "A Declaration of War? W)(y?"

"HIS MIGHTY MOTHERFUCKING MIRTHFUL SELF DOES NOT FEEL YOU HAVE EARNED YOUR PLACE. your condescension."

Oh wonderful. "Well pike it oar naut, I am T)(e Condescension now."

"IS THAT MOTHERFUCKING SO? well im afraid my mission is not to dispute that, just to send you a message."

"You would fig)(t your own frond, Gamzee?"

"NOW DID I MOTHERFUCKING SAY THAT?"

"It's )(eavily implied. Unless you want to kelp me out )(ere? I don't want to fig)(t anyone."

"the fights coming to you, little condesce." With that said, he turned on his heel and headed for the door.

A few of the guards barred the door, saying something along the lines of how dare he turn his back on The Condescension, but Feferi raised a shaky hand. "Don't…! Let )(im go. It's alrig)(t. Just… Let )(im go."

The grin on Gamzee's face turned sinister as he glared down the guard. "YOU MOTHERFUCKING HEARD HER. get out of my motherfucking way. UNLESS YOU WANT THIS. to get messy." The guard moved aside quickly, letting him saunter out.

The moment the door closed, Feferi lowered her head into her hands. She was shaking, and her heart was beating out of her chest. She glanced up at Equius to see if there was any visible reaction, which, to no surprise, there wasn't. Dismissing everyone else, she leaned against her friend's arm, needing the comfort at the moment. Another few minutes and her hands were steady enough to contact someone on Trollian. He'd know what was going on, she hoped. He was Gamzee's Moirail, last she had heard, anyway.

-cuttlefishCuller [CC] began trolling pariahSavant [PS]-

CC: )(ey.
CC: Please be )(ere.
CC: Please.
CC: I need to talk to you.
CC: cod scram it.
CC: W)(ere are you?
-cuttlefishCuller [CC] is now an idle troll!-
PS: I'M HERE, WHAT'S GOING ON?
CC:O)( t)(ank cod.
CC: I don't know w)(at to do.
CC: I've )(ad war declared on me.
PS: WAR?
PS: BY WHO?
CC: T)(e Subjuggulators.
CC: Gamzee just delivered t)(e message.
PS: GAMZEE?
PS: SERIOUSLY?
CC: Yes, seariously.
CC: But )(e was
CC: Different.
PS: SHIT.
PS: SHIT.
PS: FUCK.
PS: GAMZEE?
CC: For t)(e t)(ousant)( time, yes.
PS: SHIT.
CC: )(e was off t)(oug)(.
CC: I've never sean )(im act pike t)(at before.
PS: I HAVE.
CC: W)(en?
CC: W)(y?
PS: IT WAS AGES AGO.
PS: HE WAS ACTING STRANGE, TALKING CRAZY.
CC: Crazy?
PS:HE'D RUN OUT OF SOPOR.
PS: I TOLD HIM TO JUST GO OUT AND BUY SOME MORE
PS: BUT THEN HE STOPPED RESPONDING FOR A FEW NIGHTS.
PS: IT WAS
PS: SCARY.
CC: Well )(e may just be off it completely now.
CC: )(e's taken on t)(is w)(ole new persona.
CC: I'm still s)(aking.
CC: )(is speech was off.
CC: )(ars)( one second and t)(en completely calm t)(e next.
CC: And )(e told me t)(at t)(e )(ig)( Subjuggulator is declaring war on me.
CC: I don't know w)(at to do.
PS: HE MIGHT BE
PS: I DON'T KNOW
PS: IMMUNE TO IT NOW?
CC: I don't know.
CC: I'm just wondering w)(y )(e's fig)(ting against me.
CC: We were never t)(at close, but
PS: EVERYONE KNOWS HE WAS NEVER LIKE THAT.
CC: Yea)(.
CC: W)(at am I supposed to do?
CC: I can't fig)(t off t)(e subjuggulators.
CC: Even wit)( Equius by my side.
CC: We've already sean t) (e can't protect me from everyfin.
CC: )(e got )(urt yesterday.
CC: And I )(ad to protect mys)(ellf again.
PS: YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON GAINING SUPPORTERS.
PS: THAT'S ALL I CAN THINK OF.
CC: Easier said t)(an done.
PS: I KNOW, I KNOW.
PS: BUT IT'S YOUR BEST BET.
CC: Yea)(.
CC: I guess I just don't know w)(ere to start.
CC: I'm surrounded by wrigglers.
CC: I'm still on Alternia, remember?
PS: THEN START THERE.
CC: I guess.
CC: I'm s)(orey, I'm naut t)(inking straig)(t rig)(t now.
CC: I found out a few t)(ings recently t)(at I'm nau s)(ore )(ow to deal wit)(.
PS: THEN TALK TO ME
CC: W)(ale, T)(e guy w)(o )(as Eridan is trying to be my frond at t)(e moment.
CC: T)(e only reason I can t)(ink of is t)(e terrorist attack t) (appened recently.
CC: And I don't know if I will sea Eridan again.
CC: I now )(ave one of my fronds wit)( a w)(ole raft of otters our for my blood
CC: Combined wit)( everymoby else w)(o's been trying to krill me.
CC: And t)(e only person I )(ave near me I can trust is Equius.
CC: I'm falling apart at the seams and I don't know )(ow muc)( longer I can keep t)(is up.
CC: I know I made all t)(ese promises
CC: But I don't know if I can )(andle t)(is muc)( longer.
CC: It mig)(t just be easier if
PS: DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.
CC: S)(orey.
PS: JUST BECAUSE THINGS SEEM HARD OR IMPOSSIBLE DOESN'T MEAN IT'S TIME TO GIVE UP.
PS: LOTS OF PEOPLE DEPEND ON YOU, FEFERI, AND I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO LET THEM DOWN.
PS: AND I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO LET YOURSELF DOWN EITHER.
PS: HOW ABOUT YOURSHELLF SINCE YOU LIKE FISH PUNS, DOES THAT HELP YOU UNDERSTAND?
PS: YOU HAVE TO KEEP STRIVING TOWARD VICTORY, EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING IS FALLING DOWN AROUND YOUR EARS.
PS: I'M NO LEADER, AND EVEN I KNOW THAT MUCH.
PS: I GUESS IT'S TIME YOU FINALLY GOT THAT LESSON.
CC: I
CC: You're rig)(t.
CC: I'm s)(orey.
CC: I guess I'm just naut cut out to lead
CC: But I'll )(ave to find a way to fit t)(e mold some)(ow.
CC: T)(anks, Paria)(
PS: YOU'RE WELCOME, FUCKASS.
CC: 38)
PS: WHATEVER
CC: I'll keep you informed, okay?
CC: I'm going to sea w)(at I can do aboat getting c)(um kelp.
PS: YOU DO THAT.
CC: Sea ya!
-cuttlefishCuller [CC] ceased trolling pariahSavant [PS]-

Closing her husktop, she looked back up at Equius. "Would you feel comfortable accompanying me outside? I'm feeling a bit caged in."

"Of course"