#s121

Karkat’s pretty close to snapping himself, which would be an understandable reaction to the events of the last two minutes, let alone the last month. He doesn't deserve this.

Come to think of it, have we ever seen any incarnations of Karkat from beyond this point on the timeline? I don't think we have. That's understandable, I suppose - seeing a Karkat this traumatized would have given the game away.

CCG: GUESS I HAVE TO BRAVE IT FOR FEFERI'S SAKE. PAST cuttlefishCuller [PCC] 380 HOURS AGO responded to memo. PCC: For my sake? 38)

A ghost appears in chat.

This is just haunting, isn't it? Thanks to Trollian, Karkat can freely converse with his dead friends, but trying to save them will immediately doom the timeline. All he can do is dodge her confused questions, as her corpse lies not five feet from where he's standing.

Oh, the clown car is just full to the brim today, isn't it?

That’s what an angel looks like? I don’t know what the fuck us up with LOWAA, but I need to find out more.

PCA: are you busy PCA: you said youd try to make it to lowwaa soon wwell howw about it CCG: DUDE, ARE YOU AN IDIOT, YOU CAN PLAINLY SEE I AM FROM 300 FUCKING HOURS IN THE FUTURE, EVEN IF I WERE REMOTELY INTERESTED, WHICH TO THAT I SIMPLY SAY WHAT THE FUCK.

Methinks Eridan is just not a very observant person. The trolls have a lot of smart cookies on their team, but he's not one of them.

PCA: can you put in a wword wwith your past self maybe buggin him to make the trip wwhen he gets the chance CCG: WAIT, WERE YOU HITTING ON ME BACK THEN? CCG: *ARE* YOU HITTING ON ME? CCG: LIKE AN ACTUAL RED SOLICITATION, IS THAT WAS THIS WAS???

I honestly think Eridan might be a bigger problem than Vriska.

With Vriska, there’s always been a sense that she at least regrets what she does. That doesn’t stop her from doing it, but it does mean there’s a seed of remorse inside her that could, in time, bloom into actual character development.

Eridan, on the other hand, completely lacks even the most meager shred of introspection. Not only does he not understand why his behavior is wrong, he doesn't even recognize it as wrong. He was remorseless in his harassment of Feferi, he was remorseless when he attacked Sollux, and I guarantee he’ll be just as remorseless as a full-fledged murderer.

CCG: I THOUGHT YOU LOVED HER. PCA: wwho man wwhat are you talkin about CCG: AND ALSO… PCA: wwhat youre not makin sense CCG: I CAN'T CCG: I CAN'T EVEN TYPE HER NAME CCG: SHE WAS MY FRIEND CCG: SHE WAS MY REALLY GOOD FRIEND AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL TO DO NOW THAT SHE'S GONE.

... is it just me, or does it kind of sound like Gamzee's asking for help here?

Instead of directly threatening his friend, he's asking if Karkat will help him 'reconsider' - almost as though there's a piece of him that doesn't want to be trapped in a murderous rage, and it's trying to make itself heard.

Do I spot some ominous purple text in the corner?

I do.

Well, Terezi isn’t the worst person for Gamzee to run into on his rampage. A Seer like her will immediately understand that he's snapped - and she's no slouch in the combat department, either, so I don't think she'll be easy pickings.

Things might get dicey, however, if Gamzee pulls out the power he used against the Black King. We have no idea what that even looks like - but Terezi does, so she at least shouldn't be blindsided by it.

Anyway, what does our resident detective make of the dearly departed Tavros?

Before the full investigation is underway, a legislacerator will always have a chief suspect in mind. The one she will hold guilty until proven otherwise, a process customarily taking place after the execution.

That sounds about right for the Alternian ‘justice’ system. I’d ask what happens if a suspect is proven innocent after their execution, but that presupposes that Alternia even has a concept of 'proving someone innocent'.

In any case, a stopped clock is still right twice a day, and Terezi's corrupt methods have lead her to the correct culprit. What's her next move?

Above, you detect faint traces of what you reckon to be special stardust, such as the kind left behind by the flapping wings of a mischievous fairy.

I knew Terezi’s sense of smell was impressive, but I didn’t think she could go full bloodhound. She really is the most well-equipped troll for this new, more dangerous Veil.

And not far from that, you detect bright trails of white light. It smells... hopeful.

All three killers are in the vicinity, then.

... look at me, already calling Gamzee a killer. To our knowledge, he hasn't harmed anyone thus far - but I'm fully convinced he intends to, based purely on the strength of his most recent Pesterlogs.

CURRENT carcinoGeneticist [CCG] RIGHT NOW opened memo on board TEAM ADORABLOODTHIRSTY. […] CCG: THE BARD OF RAGE IS ON THE LOOSE.

Bard of Rage, eh?

I don't see how it matches his Land, but it's becoming abundantly clear that it does match him. It probably means that the murderous frenzy he's about to unleash is aspect-enhanced, just like Eridan's Hope Wand.

This, I'm fairly sure, is the first time we've ever heard of Rage. We have no idea how Gamzee weaponizes his Title - nor what boons it might grant him, now that he's fully embraced its Aspect. His powers are a complete unknown, and a Rage attack could take many forms.

CCG: HE'S COMPLETELY SNAPPED, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU FURTHER AHEAD ON THE TIMELINE, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU HOW DANGEROUS HE IS. CCG: REMEMBER WHAT HE DID TO THE BLACK KING.

We didn't know there was something off about Gamzee, but the trolls did.

His power was only hidden from us, as we laughed at the funny dancing clown, completely unaware of what was under the surface. Who would suspect the juggalo parody of being dangerous?

CCG: NOBODY COULD EXPLAIN IT, AND THEN HE JUST WENT BACK TO SPACING OUT FOR THE REST OF THE BATTLE. CCG: I MEAN SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT. CCG: I DON'T EVEN THINK THE KING COULD FUCKING BELIEVE IT, FRANKLY. CCG: DID ANYONE'S ATTACK DO AS MUCH DAMAGE? I DON'T THINK SO.

His power is definitely applicable in combat, then. This is just a guess, but maybe he can store and release his repressed emotional energy?

Perhaps there was a moment where all of Gamzee’s latent Rage was released at once - and for one awful second, it was aimed directly at the King.

CCG: I DON'T EVEN THINK VRISKA'S DID, ALTHOUGH IT'S HARD TO SAY SINCE THAT WAS THE KNOCKOUT BLOW.

Typical. That girl's a born kill-stealer.

CCG: I GUESS WE THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE A SECRET JOKE POWER OR SOMETHING?

Well, there’s no reason it couldn't be. The problem is, joke abilities are often extremely effective when used strategically. Do you really want to face someone who’s using their meme powers competently?

PTC: nOw wHaT ThE MoThEr fUcK WiLl i bE SuPpOsEd tO Do? PTC: i'M nOt FoLlOwInG. CCG: PAST GAMZEE, GOD DAMN IT. CCG: I AM TRYING TO WARN PEOPLE OF YOUR MURDEROUS FUTURE SELF. CCG: THIS PRACTICALLY DOESN'T EVEN HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU. CCG: NOW GO BACK TO GROPING YOUR HORNS AND BEING DISTRACTED BY COLORS YOU USELESS FUCK.