#misery log

[09:04] AG: *Tavros having disappeared yet again, Vriska heads back over to the shared cottage, partly because she doesn't want to be cooped up in a cottage by herself again, and partly to just check up on everyone else since it's been god knows how long since she's seen any of them. plus, she has some new to share. lets herself in, hoping that at least SOMEONE in their small group was awake at this hour, con

[09:04] AG: sidering all everyone seems to do in this place lately is sleep*

[09:06] TG: *Dave has been playing Tetris on his phone for what seems like forever, but might have only been ten minutes. It feels like the last few- days? weeks? months?- have been spent sleeping for twenty hours a day, because getting up just to sit in the shower for an hour and then try to ignore the terrifyingly depressing blob denizens was just not worth it. He looks up at the sound of the door open, and

[09:06] TG: raises his eyebrows in faint surprise. When was the last time he saw Vriska, again? It doesn't really matter.*

[09:06] TG: hey

[09:12] AG: *can't stop herself from pulling a little frown. she looks around the room quickly, hoping that maybe, just maybe, someone else, ANYONE else was awake, too. but no, it's just this guy. lets out a quiet huff* Hi. *she perks up some when she glance at the phone, thinking that maybe he was talking to someone on it, and she moves over a little closer* What are you doing?

[09:12] TG: *He shows her the screen.*

[09:13] TG: playing tetris

[09:17] AG: Oh. *huffs again, this time a little more audible* Have you 8een a8le to talk to anyone?

[09:17] TG: no

[09:17] TG: i havent tried in a while though

[09:17] TG: have you

[09:18] AG: Yeah. Terezi has, too.

[09:19] TG: *He sits straight up, actually interested for the first time.*

[09:19] TG: who did you talk to

[09:20] AG: *crosses her arms, looking away to the floor* Eridan. 8ut just 8riefly.

[09:23] TG: how was it

[09:23] TG: where is he

[09:23] TG: is everyone ok

[09:25] AG: *makes a face* It was........fine. And he doesn't know where he is, or where everyone else is. I don't think he's in the same place as us, though. 8ut I do know he's with some other people, 8ut I didn't think to ask who.

[09:27] TG: ok

[09:27] TG: *He taps his fingers on the edge of the bed, considering that for a minute.*

[09:27] TG: i could try hitting someone up on pesterchum again

[09:27] TG: i mean who knows what kind of otherworldly bullshit is going on here

[09:28] TG: we could be on someones fucked up shadow playground

[09:28] TG: like

[09:28] TG: running through some kind of perverted voodoo emotionally wrecking version of the game

[09:30] AG: *looks back up with a raised eyebrow and waits a second, making sure he was done before she opened her mouth to speak* I don't fucking know dude. May8e you're right. *shrugs and nods towards his phone* You can try, I guess.

[09:32] TG: *He opens Pesterchum hesitantly and scrolls through his contacts to see who's online.*

[09:32] TG: do you know who terezi talked to

[09:33] TG: *No one is online, to his dismay.*

[09:33] AG: She talked to Karkat. *frowns again, recalling the conversation that Terezi let her read*

[09:35] TG: *This is the second time he's nearly jumped out of his skin in the past few minutes.*

[09:35] TG: what did he say

[09:45] AG: Not a whole lot. He was too 8usy freaking out to say a whole lot, which is normal. *laughs a little, but glances over to wherever Terezi is in the room* 8ut something happened to Sollux I guess. And that's really freaking her out.

[09:50] TG: what happened to him

[09:50] TG: where are they

[09:50] TG: is it the same place as eridan

[09:50] TG: or us

[09:58] AG: ohmygod. *mumbles under her breath, turning back to look at him with her hands up like whoa dude* Wow ok, one: I don't know. Two: I don't know. And three: I don't know!!!!!!!! *sighs and lowers her voice some* I don't know if he's dead, 8ut I think Terezi thinks he is. 8ut-*rubs her eyes* That's not the only possi8ility for why Karkat was freaking out.

[10:00] TG: what do you mean

[10:03] AG: Well........It sounded more to me like Soullux /did/ something, not something happened to him, from the way Karkat was flipping out.

[10:03] TG: *He stares at her.*

[10:03] TG: what would sollux have done

[10:04] TG: *Then he sees the phone notification, flips out, and nearly drops his phone.*

[10:04] AG: *was just about to answer him, but she snaps her mouth shut and stares at him* Wow.

[10:05] TG: karkats online

[10:05] TG: *typing like mad*

[10:06] AG: Whoa shit, really?! *tries to look at his screen* What's he saying?

[10:07] TG: *He rolls over onto the bed so she can't really see the computer screen, just in case Karkat has some secrets to share.*

[10:07] TG: uh hes just insulting me as usual

[10:09] AG: *SCOFFS, but she still tries her best to look at the screen anyway* Oh yeah? Ask him a8out Soullx. W8 NO, ask him where he is first, that's more important!

[10:11] TG: ok i asked him where he was and now hes just mad

[10:11] AG: *nods* Sounds a8out right.

[10:11] TG: *His brow is furrowed. Dave is very confused. And possibly a little upset. Although you couldn't tell from looking at him.*

[10:11] TG: no i mean

[10:11] TG: not like usual karkat mad

[10:12] TG: *He looks up at Vriska.*

[10:12] TG: time could be passing differently for them

[10:12] TG: oh my god

[10:12] TG: it could have been twenty years or something

[10:12] TG: i have no idea where or when we are

[10:12] TG: i dont even know how long weve been here

[10:12] TG: ive totally lost track of time

[10:13] AG: Whaaaaaaaat. What the fuck are you talking a8out. Do I need to slap you so you can start talking sense again like in the movies?

[10:15] TG: no that doesnt work it just makes you a jerk

[10:15] AG: *shrugs* So?

[10:18] TG: we are doing business right now

[10:18] TG: save the abuse for later

[10:18] TG: if you ever want to hear from the outside world again

[10:18] TG: *he dangles the phone in front of her.*

[10:19] AG: *rolls her eyes* Fiiiiiiiine. *glances at the phone* What's he saying now? ........*tries to snatch it from him so she can just look herself*

[10:21] TG: *He snatches it away just in time and rolls over so his back is to her.* hold on grabby pants

[10:22] TG: *He's typing furiously, scowling at the phone screen and holding it real close to his face.*

[10:22] TG: karkats lost it

[10:23] AG: *huffs, really bummed that she can't look at the phone* Why, what makes you say THAT?

[10:24] TG: i dont know he just has okay

[10:24] TG: why are you so fucking nosy

[10:24] TG: you already got to talk to your boyfriend

[10:25] AG: So???????? And I'm 8eing /nosy/ 8ecause I want to know what's fucking going on in this place!

[10:26] TG: karkat isnt even in this place

[10:26] TG: *he tosses his phone to the side and slides off the bed, looking around.*

[10:27] AG: *blinks, slightly (but only slightly, she swears) worried* What's wrong?

[10:28] TG: nothing

[10:28] TG: i mean everything obviously as usual

[10:28] TG: we need to get out of here already

[10:28] TG: why is everyone sleeping

[10:29] AG: *eyes him suspiciously, but then he brings her back to the reason why she came here in the first place* ........A8out that.

[10:29] TG: what

[10:29] TG: *He whips around to stare at her.*

[10:29] TG: do you know something

[10:29] TG: wheres rachel

[10:29] TG: dont even ask

[10:29] TG: just

[10:30] TG: whats up

[10:32] AG: ................................Riiiiiiiight. I found some ships the last time I was out. Now I don't know a8out you, 8ut I have no qualms a8out stealing one of these said ships. *shrugs* I don't know if it'll get us out of here, 8ut I'm willing to try it.

[10:32] TG: the only condition is that we dont talk to any of those fuckin blob people

[10:33] AG: I am one hundred percent ok with that condition.

[10:34] TG: perfect

[10:34] AG: I have one condition though, too.

[10:35] TG: what is it

[10:36] AG: If we DO steal one of these ships, you have to refer to me as Captain Serket, whether you like it or not.

[10:37] TG: *he looks at her with those indecipherable shades and flat pixellated line for a mouth.*

[10:37] TG: .........................

[10:37] TG: *then, quietly.*

[10:37] TG: aye aye capn

[10:38] AG: *nods like das right* Good, I'm glad we can agree on these terms.

[10:44] TG: all right now we have to wake these fucks up

[10:44] TG: wheres tav

[10:46] AG: *makes a "idunno" noise* I heard him go out a while ago, 8ut I was half asleep and didn't ask him where he was going........I should go see if he's 8ack yet.

[10:47] TG: ok go check on him while i try and wake these dumb shits up

[10:48] AG: *can't help but crack a smirk at that* Alright, I'll 8e right 8ack, and hopfully with another dum8 shit to add to the list. *makes her way towards the door*

[10:50] TG: ok *starts nudging people*

[08:32] TG: *Dave awakes to the sounds of his companions breathing, and nothing else. He slides out of bed, careful not to wake the others, and pulls on his sneakers. Then he walks outside and shuts the door behind him quietly.*

[08:34] TM: [No one noticed you shift and leave. When you step outside, the town is about as alive as it had been yesterday, sans the tears of the grieving townsperson who lost their loved one. There are shops open. The path to the inlet lies east. There are people about.]

[08:38] TG: *After a minute of looking around, he begins to walk towards the water. There isn't anything he particularly wants to buy right now, since he hasn't reached that level of boredom yet and he doesn't even know if he can take anything with him back through the wormhole. He doesn't particularly want to talk to the strange pink blob people, either, if he can avoid it. They're unnerving, and he can't sh

[08:38] TG: ake the idea that they might have been trolls or humans once. He does not want to become an inarticulate Teletubby fetus.*

[08:42] TM: [There is a pair of people by the water, but they carry on with their business and let you be. There is one less rowboat than there was yesterday. There are fine ships docked. The water is smooth, and blue. You think that one of the people looks older than the smaller one at its side. They are on the edge of a dock.]

[08:48] TG: *Dave scans the boats, then trots down to the two people uncertainly, intending to see a man (blob?) about a horse (boat).*

[08:48] TG: yo

[08:53] TM: [The two do not answer you. You hear vague whispers you partially understand -- "Safe." "Sorry." There may be another person who will further down the coast.]

[08:54] TG: *He watches them for another minute to see if they'll look up. He's curious- he didn't think they could speak.*

[08:55] TM: [They do not look up. You can't pick apart any more of their words.]

[08:56] TG: *Damn it. He continues along the shore (docks? beach? coast), feeling more and more creeped out by the second. He's tempted to just fly, but doesn't want to fall victim to Super God Tier Level Despair.*

[08:58] TM: [It is a smooth sanded beach with neat little docks. After he gets to a certain point, he will hear a whimpring wail from behind him. A thud. Childish tears.]

[08:59] TG: *He turns around, concerned. Has a blob child been injured?*

[09:01] TM: [Yes. The younger blob is crumpled on her knees on the dock. The older one is walking away, a speed in his cool step strangely familiar to you before he is too far away to catch up with. The child has fallen in her attempts to run after him.]

[09:01] TG: oh man

[09:02] TG: *His gaze lingers on the older one for a long moment before he walks over to the kid.*

[09:02] TG: what a dick

[09:02] TG: are you okay

[09:02] TG: do you speak english

[09:02] TM: [The girl curls up and cries into her hands. You feel like you have heard this sound before.]

[09:02] TG: ok well i guess thats irrelevant

[09:02] TG: apparently crying is universal

[09:03] TM: he-- hes leavin me all alone i dont know why--

[09:03] TM: [The blob speaks.]

[09:03] TM: [She has a young voice.]

[09:03] TM: [So young.]

[09:03] TG: *He's starting to feel queasy. He licks his lips nervously and crouches down next to the blob child.*

[09:03] TG: its uh

[09:04] TG: probably not your fault

[09:04] TG: i dont even know who he is but he looked pretty busy or something

[09:04] TG: dont you have a mom

[09:04] TG: should i get on the walmart intercom

[09:04] TG: mrs blob we have a present for you

[09:04] TM: [The child shakes her head.]

[09:05] TM: im-- im alone--

[09:05] TM: [She hiccups into what looks like a scarf around her neck. You cannot be sure.]

[09:08] TG: *Dave doesn't really have anything to say to that. It sucks to be alone, but it's nothing to cry about. Plenty of people are alone. It would be pretty weak and selfish to cry over that when there are children starving in Africa. However, it doesn't seem right to tell that to a kid. They might not even have Africa here. It would be totally lost on her.*

[09:08] TG: that sucks

[09:09] TG: but you gotta buck up

[09:09] TG: aint nothing to be done about it

[09:09] TG: you dont want to be an annoying brat so

[09:09] TG: *Wow, that was harsh.*

[09:09] TG: i mean you could do better

[09:09] TG: by yourself

[09:09] TG: anyway

[09:10] TM: [The child is clearly quite young, Dave. She freezes, and her hands tremble as she tries to stop crying. The effort is fractured. Her voice is small as she speaks, increasingly familiar to you.]

[09:10] TM: im an annoyin brat is that why they left me

[09:11] TG: no no no no no

[09:11] TG: shit

[09:11] TG: thats not what i meant

[09:11] TG: i dont know your life yo

[09:11] TG: i mean youre just a snotnosed kid

[09:12] TM: thas what it sounded like

[09:12] TG: ok well not everything is exactly what it sounds like

[09:12] TG: you cant take everything at face value

[09:13] TM: [You're confusing the child. She can't think straight. What is she supposed to do? She's been abandoned and a stranger is telling her to suck it up? Maybe she should. But she doesn't want to be alone.]

[09:13] TM: they just didnt want me

[09:14] TM: what do

[09:14] TG: *Dave cannot adopt a child right now. Rose would disapprove. Whenever she gets back. He stares at the kid.*

[09:14] TM: what do you mean id do better by myself

[09:14] TM: how am i sposed to

[09:14] TM: i

[09:15] TG: you just have to figure it out

[09:15] TG: i mean

[09:15] TG: you know how to get around right

[09:15] TG: use the microwave

[09:15] TG: order pizza

[09:15] TG: do the dishes whatever

[09:15] TG: dont kids do that anyway

[09:16] TG: you dont need someone hovering over your shoulder

[09:16] TM: is

[09:16] TM: is that rly all i need to do

[09:16] TG: uh

[09:17] TM: [The child looks at him, silent and waiting for help. Guidance. You feel like you've seen eyes on a person like this before, though they are simply an aura.]

[09:25] TG: *He scrunches up his nose, growing quite angry at the responsibility this stranger has shoved upon him. What is he, Peter fuckin Pan taking in the Lost Boys? On the other hand, the kid's wide, painful stare is getting to him. (When did it acquire eyes? Does it have eyes? He doesn't know, but they make him want to break a mirror, seven years of bad luck be damned.) A part of him wants to take it wi

[09:25] TG: th him and buy it candy and take it to the movies, but it won't grow strong that way. Kids have to learn responsibility one way or another. That's exactly how he learned. If it grows up soft, it won't be able to fend for itself later, when it's left alone for real and doesn't have that cute kid face to help it out. (And a tiny voice that he does he very desperate best to stomp back into the dirt w

[09:25] TG: hines that it's kind of unfair that this blob kid should have some hero to rescue it like this is a Disney movie or something. Besides, he's not a hero.*

[09:25] TG: *He's beginning to feel like the universe is really fucking with him.*

[09:27] TM: [You did not give the child time to really let the abandonment sink in. She has stopped crying, though, and simply sits in front of you, her hands on the ground.]

[09:27] TM: maybe ur right

[09:27] TG: about what

[09:27] TM: everything

[09:28] TM: i gotta suck it up thats all i can do right

[09:28] TG: yeah

[09:28] TG: i mean

[09:28] TM: its not like theyre gona come back for me

[09:28] TG: you could run after him if you want

[09:28] TG: and say sorry i guess

[09:28] TG: dunno how well thats gonna work out for you

[09:29] TG: you kind of all look the same to me so

[09:29] TG: i wouldnt be able to tell the difference

[09:29] TM: i should say sorry?

[09:29] TG: what

[09:29] TG: didnt you do something

[09:30] TM: [The child hunches a fraction.] i didnt think so he just said he hadda go

[09:30] TM: u thinnk i did something?

[09:30] TM: is this rly my fault did i maek him hate me

[09:30] TG: *Dave is feeling very cornered. Is he emotionally traumatizing a child?*

[09:30] TM: [Yes.]

[09:30] TG: *Shit.*

[09:30] TG: shit

[09:30] TG: i dont know like im not dr phil or anything

[09:31] TG: i dont know what happened

[09:31] TG: you two looked pretty cozy before

[09:31] TM: me neither

[09:31] TM: [She really doesn't know. She's so lost.]

[09:31] TG: maybe you could ask him where the hell hes going thats so important

[09:32] TM: i did

[09:32] TM: he woudlnt tell me

[09:32] TG: *He's torn between calling the man a stupid asshole and defending him with probably empty excuses (but they might be true?)*

[09:33] TG: why does everyone have to be enigmatic as fuck all the time

[09:34] TM: [The child whimpers. What the heckie does enigmatic mean to a small child?]

[09:34] TM: what am i sposed to do now

[09:35] TG: what do you usually do around this time

[09:35] TM: go hhome

[09:35] TG: do you know how to get home

[09:36] TM: [The child looks confused and sniffs loudly. She probably does know. Her head is just so clouded.]

[09:37] TM: i- i dont know i think i do but

[09:37] TM: can u help me find it?

[09:37] TG: *Dave is regretting even walking over here.* yeah sure

[09:37] TG: youre free now though

[09:37] TG: you know

[09:37] TG: you can do whatever you want

[09:38] TG: its not that bad

[09:38] TG: theres no one to tell you what to do

[09:38] TM: i wanna go home

[09:38] TG: *So unimpressed.*

[09:38] TG: ok ok

[09:38] TG: lead the way then

[09:39] TM: [It's all she has left. Of course she wants to go home. The child stands on wobbly knees, and reaches for your hand.]

[09:40] TG: *He takes its hand hesitantly.*

[09:40] TM: [You feel like you've held this tiny hand before. The child begins to walk, but tries to stick close to your side.]

[09:50] TG: *He's unnerved by the child's fear, and he's afraid for it. It's so small. Will it even be able to reach the stove? It might burn itself on the flame. It'll probably have to climb on the counters to reach the bowls, and then knock its head trying to open the cupboard. He knows that story. However, all of the mishaps of living alone pale in comparison to just the feeling of going to bed alone at ni

[09:50] TG: ght: the clock ticks, the fan hums, and your inhale, exhale is so loud it starts to sound like it's the breath of a monster, instead of just you. Dave knows the kid is going to cry tonight. She'll pull the covers over her head and burrow down deep so she can't see anything, and sob until every breath catches in her lungs and gasping for air is a herculean task. It will, however, muffle the silence

[09:50] TG: , and that's why she'll fall asleep under the covers instead of face the absence of another presence. He starts to feel his own breath hitch at the memory, so he turns his attention to looking around for other townspeople.*

[09:50] TG: if you see your uh

[09:50] TG: guardian

[09:50] TG: let me know ok

[09:51] TM: [The child walks a little steadier as they make their way through the village together. This presence with her is nice, she probably thinks. Her voice, however, is a small mutter.]

[09:52] TM: he isnt here

[09:52] TM: i know it

[09:54] TG: *Dave's curiosity shoves his empathy aside. His empathy is used to being repressed and goes without complaint.*

[09:54] TG: where would he go

[09:54] TM: anywehr not here

[09:56] TM: [You eventally near the cottages belonging to the villagers.]

[09:57] TG: *Disappointingly vague answer.*

[09:57] TG: do you live around here

[09:57] TM: [She doesn't know where he went, Dave. He abandoned her.]

[09:57] TM: yeh

[09:58] TG: do you remember what your house looks like or are we gonna play the memory game

[09:58] TM: [Her voice sounds a bit tired now. She probably remembers where she lives again. She has yet to release your hand as she leads you to a cottage, and stops in front of the closed door.]

[09:58] TM: this one

[09:58] TG: ok

[09:58] TG: *He tries the doorknob.*

[09:58] TM: [It opens. She doesn't move to step forward into the house yet, squeezing his hand a little.]

[10:00] TG: *He looks down at her kind of unhappily.*

[10:00] TG: do you need me to come in with you or something

[10:00] TM: no

[10:00] TM: i can do this by myself i think

[10:02] TM: [She does just stand there, though. Perhaps a moment of dread that suddenly looks more real to you than it has all day. She looks like a young Roxy for a split second as you look down at her, and see the pain on her face, but the determination to survive like you said she could.]

[10:02] TG: ok

[10:02] TG: *He holds her hand a little tighter, maybe imagining some alternate universe where he actually got to hold a kid's hand and not let it go at the door.*

[10:02] TG: *There isn't one, though.*

[10:03] TM: hey

[10:03] TM: whats ur name

[10:03] TG: dave

[10:03] TG: whats yours

[10:04] TM: [When she says her name, it comes out a murmuring sound like the rest of the townspeoples' speaking. Her next words are clear, though, as she (reluctantly) wiggles her little fingers free from your grasp, and look up at you.]

[10:04] TM: thanks dave

[10:04] TM: ill be ok

[10:05] TG: *He nods, a little confused and put off. He's trying to deny the probability that what just happened is supposed to be some kind of giant mindfuck.*

[10:05] TG: make sure to lock the door behind you

[10:06] TM: [She nods obediently, because she trusts him.]

[10:06] TM: ok

[10:06] TM: [And with that, she takes small steps inside to do as he said.]