Cherubplay

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Sollux snorted in laughter, moving to stand so that he could grab the newspaper, "If this is as aggressive as he gets, I'm sure I can handle him."

Tavros had been observing them all with curious, wide eyes, a smile plastered onto his face. He was naturally inclined to silence, and found it easier to just watch and listen than talk. Glancing up when he heard someone approaching, he saw Kanaya, darkened jade crescents beneath her eyes and her hair styled as per usual but it seemed that it was starting to grow out some. She yawned, fangs clearly displayed as she rubbed at her eyes, offering a wave to the rest as she sluggishly moved to pour herself a mug of coffee, "G'morning, all."

"My wiles? Aye, I may have to look into that side, could come in handy," She winked, laughing as she laid on her side and pulled the covers around her comfortably. "I was not aware I was cute, though. I always thought I was a bit too rough and tumble for that. Anyway," Vriska closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the comfort of the bed and the warmth of the blankets, "I never realized how much exercise I got up while in the Screechlands, or even on little schemes and whatnot. I used to run and spar and box, but now? With all these uppity tightwads? I'd be surprised if they didn't faint at just hearing the word 'violence.' "

2014-09-28 03:15:40
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Kanaya received 'good mornings' from both Karkat and Gamzee, but the purple soon descended into more scratchy writings and the occasional bite of breakfast. "Kanaya, you should try a honey cake, Karkat made them," he did manage to say, "they're very good."

"Gamzee! Stop boasting of my abilities, you'll make me look bad... they're not that good Kanaya, but they're passable breakfast." Karkat was blushing a bit from the praise, happy for it but having to complain as was his way.

"... you'd think more people would be fainting if that were the case, with how often they say it," Eridan quipped. "And of course you're cute sometimes, though other words do suit you better, my dear," he gave her an eskimo kiss as they faced each other now. "I do think my swimming muscles will need quite a bit of exercise after this... I haven't had a good swim in /ages/. I'll have to test myself by racing your boat."

2014-09-28 03:29:46
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"Ah, the talented chef says they're good, that says quite a bit about this honey cake," Kanaya fixed herself a plate and sat down, crossing her legs elegantly underneath her long skirt as she took a bite. "My, your adjectives are off, good sir! I do not think 'good' or 'passable' begins to describe this cake," She grinned, "You never know how much you love delectable cooking until you are stranded in a city without it."

Vriska reached up, pinching at his cheek as a punishment, "It is not a boat, it is a ship!" She corrected, looking as though her pride had been hit with such an insult, "Any old fool can man a boat, it takes real skill to maintain a /ship./ And I can only wonder how fast my darling Arachnae can go now," Her brows furrowed, a hand splayed on her chest in sadness, "It is probably covered in barnacles by now!"

2014-09-28 03:37:41
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"Ohforgoodnesssake," Karkat huffs, quickly taking his empty plate and any other empty dishes to the kitchen, retreating lest he receive more compliments. Gamzee just smiled. "Do you think your friend Borina would be willing to sell somethings we bake in her shop so we can raise money for the orphanage? I'm not sure if we openly boast who made everything many people will be interested in buying, even if it's for a good cause."

"All the better for me then, I may win!" he laughed lightly. "I'll clean them off after I trounce your beauty in one race, then. Just to bolster my ailing pride in my swimming abilities," smiling he looked at her fondly. "It will be nice for the both of us to get back to our ocean home. I do so miss it."

2014-09-28 03:51:08
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Borina probably wouldn't be openly opposed to anything with a good goal in mind, and Kanaya nodded, "Oh, sure. I bet she would be delighted. Though," She laughed excitedly, "It would make my day if one of those nasty yellowblooded policetrolls ate something you baked!"

"I miss using my tea magic!" She whined, "I love swirling tea around and plopping sugar cubes this way and that, and not using my magic feels like something is lost. As desolate and monochrome the Screechlands were, I do miss them a bit."

2014-09-28 04:00:14
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"Well, if you can think of any other ways we could spread them around, maybe that could happen... just have to make sure not to tell them before they've finished eating, just to see the look on their fuckin' faces," Gamzee giggled. "Though that might not go so well if they get too mad..." he paused for a bite of breakfast and a sip of tea. "It would be easier if we could all up and be open about it."

"The beaches are magnificent... and fresh sea food... I miss them too." He closed his eyes for a bit, letting his mind and body relax. "Do you think we should get up or not bother for a while?" He sighed, content in their current position but really fine with whatever she wanted.

2014-09-28 04:13:12
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"Look on the bright side. It is good to sell here, " Kanaya brought her mug to her lips, taking a long sip as she leaned back in her seat comfortably, "Starnette is horrible overpriced, so your own charges can be ridiculous and no one will know the difference."

Vriska tugged the covers over her head, groaning, "If I could stay in bed all day, I would." She liked to move about and put her energy to good use, but after their long night last night, Vriska was keen on doing next to nothing.

2014-09-28 04:30:36
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"Look on the bright side. It is good to sell here, " Kanaya brought her mug to her lips, taking a long sip as she leaned back in her seat comfortably, "Starnette is horrible overpriced, so your own charges can be ridiculous and no one will know the difference."

Vriska tugged the covers over her head, groaning, "If I could stay in bed all day, I would." She liked to move about and put her energy to good use, but after their long night last night, Vriska was keen on doing next to nothing.

2014-09-28 04:30:36
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Gamzee grinned at that. "Yea, that's true. We can raise money faster that way... Do Starnettians like some sorts of desserts more than others? Like chocolate or fruit or a type like, cake or muffins, better than other types?" He wanted to attract as much business as possible to help out, really taking it pretty damn seriously.

"Okay, that sounds fine to me... want to cuddle?" He wondered if Vriska liked being the big spoon. Since she didn't like being delicate, he figured she might appreciate it, and he didn't mind either way. If she wanted to he would turn his back to her so she could do that.

2014-09-28 04:39:02
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Kanaya tapped her chin with her index finger thoughtfully, taking a bite of her honey cake before she answered. "Starnetians are fond of cakes. Any type of cake, honestly. Fruit cakes, cupcakes, pudding cakes, the whole scale. If you say it is a cake, they are likely to consume it without much hesitation." She shrugged a shoulder, "You may want to dress it up a bit, though. The outlandish favor the flamboyant, after all."

Vriska looked contemplative before she finally nodded, making a motion for him to turn his back to her. She hated seeming fragile or vulnerable, and even though Eridan had seen her that way a number of times, if she could avoid it, she would. As she moved, though, she winced, peering down at her pinky, "...Perhaps I should let Gamzee take a look-see."

2014-09-28 14:15:32
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"Like fancy decorations? ...maybe I could try making those flowery things Tavros and I saw decorating some of the goods in the bakery..." he mused. If decorating the cakes a bit garishly was the hardest thing that wasn't much of a problem. "What is a pudding cake?" the purple asked curiously, looking up at Kanaya. That didn't seem to make sense to him... how could pudding, which was rather more liquid than solid in his understanding, be a cake? Maybe it got stuck in the middle? Oh, he'd have to try mixing things like that...

"Oh, yes. Wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable while snuggling," Eridan said, getting up instead of just turning about. Feeling quite affectionate this morning, he gave her a quick peck as she got up, walking companionably with her out into the living room and dining room where the others were.

2014-09-28 14:44:08
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She supposed pudding cake was more a Starnetians thing, considering all these high bloods had more time on their hands than they knew what to do with. "Oh, you know, it is a square cake with a dollop of pudding in the middle of each slice. We haven't the tools for them here, though, but you will need plenty of tools for decorations and whatnot anyway." Kanaya smiled, "I think you will like mixing together the different flavors of puddings with flavors of cake. We ought to find you the separator so that all the square pieces come out accordingly. It is what they use for brownies so you do not have to cut them all willy-nilly."

Tavros wondered, idly, what pudding was like, but he mostly wanted to see if they could make more cake balls like they ate in Tulgey City. He piped up curiously, "Do you think we could create cake balls, as well?"

Vriska followed out after him, almost forgetting that they were even matesprits. She was so comfortable around him that their change in quadrant still seemed so far off and distant, almost like it had never happened. "Good morning lads and lass," She greeted, "Gamzee, how's your medical knowledge? D'you think you could fix a boxer's break?"

2014-09-28 15:07:48
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The purple had been about to respond to Tavros when Vriska asked him a question. He looked confused for a minute, boxer's breaks had nothing to do with cake... Oh, her knuckle, that was right, he realized a minute later. "Sure, let me get my supplies..." he wandered off to the respiteblock and got his bag to bring back, returning quickly.

"You should sit somewhere comfortable... it's not gonna be fuckin' pleasant," he said, looking at her finger and getting out supplies. "Gonna have to set it, since it wiggles out of place, then keep it that way for a couple perigees at least, if not a month or more just for safety. ...here, eat this mushroom, dulls pain and helps heal faster." He gave her one of the small variety that Tavros had seen in the back of the purple's house in Tulgey.

He turned back to Tavros while Vriska was settling somewhere. "I think we could make some of those wicked cake balls if we had the right tools," he looked over at Kanaya, "but I don't wanna spend too much on tools, kinda all up and defeats the purpose, doesn't it?"

2014-09-28 15:24:43
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"Thanks, lad, it's starting to give me a lot of fucking trouble," Vriska inspected her knuckle as she moved to sit down at the table after grabbing a mug for coffee. She ate the mushroom slowly along with her coffee, wondering what the talk about tools was about as Sollux soon returned from grabbing the newspaper.

"That it does," She admitted, "I do not know how much the tools run for, dear, but they normally come in sets which would make them a might cheaper than trying to buy items individually." She turned to Vriska, head tilted, "Goodness. Your knuckle is broken, not just fractured?"

"This is nothing," Vriska dismissed, boasting some, "I once broke three ribs while out defending my ship from other pirates." And nearly drowned, but she didn't include that tidbit.

2014-09-28 15:50:48
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"...I think we should try out just regular cake first, then if that takes of we can try other things if it ends up looking like it will be worth it." Gamzee set up what he'd need on the table: a couple splint pieces and quite a bit of binding. Taking Vriska's injured hand gently he looked to her to make sure she was ready before starting. "Gonna hurt like hell, so hold on to something if you need..." He had to shift and make sure the bones were aligned, straightening them out quickly to alleviate the time she had to endure. Then it was just keeping it still while he padded and bound it up, using the splints to keep it in place and aligned before wrapping it up snugly. "If it's too tight tell me and we can loosen it some." Eridan watched the proceedings with interest and concern.

2014-09-28 16:02:19
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Vriska had always prided herself in being one of the toughest trolls out there and a nearly unbeatable opponent. But it seemed the broken pinky knuckle was getting the upper hand in this fight. She gripped the seat of her chair, stiffening rigidly when she felt the severed knuckle set and Vriska gasped in pain, "/Ow,/ holy Mother Grub, that is something else!" She peered down at her hand, seeing the bindings around it and figured the worst was over.

Tavros had winced when she called out in pain and he stood near her, patting her back comfortingly, "Are you alright?" Sollux took a quick glance at her hand, shaking his head in disbelief, "Sure hope that wasn't your dominant hand."

Vriska flexed her fingers experimentally, glad that, at least now, her knuckle wasn't popping every time she moved. "Well...it probably would have been worse had I not eaten that mushroom, so I'm fine. Thanks, Makara," She sent a playful glare in Sollux's direction, "And I can manage just great without the full abilities of my right hand, thank you!"

2014-09-28 16:54:34
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"No problem." Gamzee packed up the extra supplies once he was done, taking his bag back to his room.

"Well, that looks better at least, without it moving around on you... does it feel any better now it's back where it's supposed to be?" Eridan asked. He then busied himself getting her some coffee, and getting her some breakfast of honey cake. He brought portions of both for himself as well. "We've got two chef's now since you've been gone. Kanaya was right; Karkat takes to what he reads apparently."

"Don't you start too!" Karkat complained from the kitchen. He'd been experimenting with something, and had just popped the tray of what he hoped would be some interesting cupcakes in the oven. He came out and glared at them with a bowl he was mixing frosting in.

Gamzee came back out and stole a taste of the frosting. "Oh, is that coffee? That's a great idea, we could try that with different teas... any good suggestions?" he asked Eridan and Vriska as Karkat blushed and glared more at the compliment.

2014-09-28 17:15:59
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The blueblood thanked him kindly, taking a bite of the honey cake and looking thoughtful about potential suggestions as Sollux remarked incredulously, "Agh, fucking Parliament!"

Kanaya, amused, questioned him, "Whatever is the matter, dear?"

"Get this," He slapped a hand against the newspaper, reading, " 'Due to the high underground crime rate, Parliament has issued an emergency call-back of the Knights from their training sessions out in the Field Lots just twenty miles outside Starnette. Calaki Yinkai, Head Parliamentary Judge, urges the Queen to protect the coveted Alice and friends from any and all attacks. His formal statement is as follows: 'We know not of the intensity of these underground groups, and with the danger in Undlegire, the risks have become much too great. Parliament moves for Her Highness, the Red Queen, to take our most precious companions inside the palace for further protection while the Knights investigate.' " His eyes crackled, "This is bullshit! They're trying to hound us up like sheep!"

"This is a trap by all means," Vriska growled, similarly upset, "And they put this in the paper before consulting us, those pricks!"

Tavros furrowed his brows, "It almost seems that they are attempting to look good simply for the public if a previous hypothesis is true." That being that HUED and the royals were working together, "Keep us in the confines, of the palace while they off us like common criminals."

2014-09-28 18:10:03
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"Do you think we should try and leave the city? Go to Rial? Though that still might be a trap... We could stay here and let them round us up, not get anything done and potentially die. Try to hide somewhere else in the city, and who knows what would happen then. Or we could try and leave, also potentially all die in the process of that if we're not captured, and if we actually make it out about the same thing happens. So... which do we all prefer?" Karkat huffed.

Gamzee just shrugged. What could they do? Anything they did carried risks... It was really upsetting that they were so threatened by them they couldn't do anything. It was starting to make even him a bit grouchy.

"This is obscene! We should all just leave, or find some way to move about the city undetected and hide out... we can't let those bastards have their way like this!" Eridan fumed. "Unless we truly don't need to stay here."

2014-09-28 18:22:52
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The brownblood could feel his stress levels skyrocket, and he rubbed at his temples. He did not like the idea of staying in the palace at all, and he knew they had to get out before the Knights returned. Still, it was so dangerous, and he did not think that leaving by train would be too safe; what if HUED was still around? But Rial was so far out, it was their only choice unless they went by foot or another stolen carriage, which Tavros was not sure they should do, either. He watched Sollux move into his respiteblock since he couldn't let any information get leaked.

"Thinks rationally, darlings. Tavros, sweetheart," Kanaya turned to him, her hands interlocked on the edge of the table, "What do you think we should do? Steer us in the right direction, yes?"

He bit his lower lip, speaking slowly, "Uh. Well. I do not think Starnette is going to be safe for us anymore. Undlegire is in relative chaos and they are starting to box us in. Rial, naturally, seems like the place with the lowest chance of total destruction. We should leave as soon, uh, as possible. Before the Knights return; the increased security will make it much too difficult to leave."

Vriska sipped her coffee, "Are we going by train?"

"Probably not," He confessed with a sheepish, strained smile, "But even going by foot or, if push comes to shove, another stolen carriage is dangerous. I just wish I could speak to the Rabbit one more time...His riddles, no matter how annoying, are still helpful."

2014-09-28 18:40:23
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"Maybe he'll pop up, he tends to when you don't expect him. He just popped into Borina's when we were talking, actually. Who knows, he could be arriving shortly." Karkat was a little exasperated, and left the room at the sound of the buzzer.

"Okay, but since he isn't here now... how do you all up and think we should get out if not by train or carriage or on foot? ... Hoofbeasts? If there weren't guards and if we weren't too far maybe you could call the Jabberwocky, but I don't all up and know if your communing works that way to begin with." Gamzee didn't know how else they could get out. "If we could figure out the tunnels and if they're not being patrolled maybe one of them leads out?"

Eridan couldn't think of much besides potential water ways, but it was unlikely that would really work, especially not for anyone but him. He concentrated on eating his breakfast instead.

2014-09-28 18:54:27
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"Perhaps we should take a train about halfway there and then go the rest of the way by foot?" It may shake anyone off their trail should they be followed, "I would not be able to call for Wocky, he is much too far for my current communing, uh, to be of any help." He figured their only choice was to begin out by train to Rial, "And what should we do about Sollux? He cannot possibly leave the city, with his bracelet. He has to call to get permission just to go to an orphanage!"

He rubbed at his temples, feeling a headache come on, "At any rate, I want us to start packing immediately. If I can get a word in from the Rabbit before then, that would be lovely, and I want to get at least a response from the princess before, we are out of town."

2014-09-28 19:05:08
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Gamzee goes to pack up both of their things, so Tavros can do whatever else he needs to do in the living room. He's already planning how much he needs to take, and what extras they should or shouldn't bring.

"Do we know anyone who knows the magic or could figure it out to get it off of him?" Eridan inquires. "Maybe the princess..."

Eridan is cut off by a tapping at the window, and a gentle coo. There's one of those ordinary pigeons sitting on the ledge, a note with that same black ribbon tied around it. It taps at the window pane again, looking at the copperblood.

2014-09-28 19:16:02
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He glanced up, hearing the coo and moving towards the window. Tavros unlatched the window and allowed the pigeon to come in after dusting some snow off his feet, smiling widely at the scroll, "Ah, brilliant! I wonder what she has written..." The pigeon cooed and fluttered onto one of Tavros's horns comfortably, perched there as he moved to sit down on the couch.

He undid the ribbon and placed it on his lap, opening the note and scanning his eyes over it.

Kanaya hummed, "My, if only everything worked that easily."

2014-09-28 19:25:25
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The princess had written that the palace was in some chaos, people even more paranoid about their positions than normal. She'd been under less surveillance to a degree, more guards about but less strict in where she went to. On the matter of the West she knew very little, she said, only some geography and culture and not much else. The popular opinion was that they were not as civilized as the East. Her ties to humans were pretty limited to the Rabbit, although she had looked at some things and apparently there were a few trolls living in human lands, though she didn't know what for. Sollux's house arrest she said was indefinite, but that she thought it was unfair. Also she'd heard about some plans to keep the group trapped from some minor sneaking around she was able to do, an had looked into the matter of the magic used, thinking that they should probably leave if they didn't want to get detained. She thought she would be able to get it off if they needed, as it was similar to most kinds of locking magic around the castle, and she had been at least trained in that. Her watchers had been fearful since she was little that she would be kidnapped, and so she knew how to undo locks, even magic ones.

2014-09-28 19:38:39