Cherubplay

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"Well, jam shouldn't be too hard, I don't think! Can all up and concoct some of that pretty easy in Tulgey, or anywhere we could get berries. We could have all sorts of different types, too! There's plenty of different types, after all...in fact..." he paused for suspense. "That's kinda like the cake I'm thinkin' of makin' when we get to Rial. It's got some berries, though it's not jam on it. But it's berries and chocolate!" the purple whispered, like a secret he wasn't supposed to tell. "Kinda ruining the surprise...and if you didn't I'd still think you were the cutest ever, and pretty fantastic, and all around wonderful." Murmuring the sweet words, he hugged Tavros around the shoulders and gave him another small kiss.

Eridan smiled at her bracelet twirling, grinning and turning away a little at the cold accusation. Looking back, he took her hand, bringing it to his lips to place a small kiss there. "How very gracious of you," he hummed, resting their entwined hands between them.

2014-10-06 03:04:12
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The kind words made his cheeks bloom in a dark blush, and he hid his face against Gamzee's chest, giggling. "Aw, 'Zee. You always know what to say to get me all embarrassed," Idly, Tavros wondered if they'd always have that spark to their relationship, that characteristic that made their matespritship so enjoyable. He certainly hoped so.

She shrugged, "I can manage some kindness every once in a while," Vriska stated simply before leaning over to kiss his lips, "But do not get used to it! I am just feeling particularly generous."

2014-10-06 22:47:43
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Gamzee grinned, positively beaming at his matesprit. He liked when he could make Tavros blush like this, not because he liked embarrassing the brownblood, but he did like complimenting him and spoiling him quite a lot. And whenever Tavros blushed and giggled like that he knew he'd done a good job.

The seadweller was pleasantly surprised at the kiss, returning it softly. "Okay, I'll try not to," he murmured, smiling fondly and feeling a bit lighter all over.

A few moments later after they'd all gone back to idle chatter or comfortable silence the door to the train car they were in slid open, and a few trolls strolled in, looking for open seats. One pair of them, highbloods based on their nice clothes, caught sight of their party and lingered on the original matesprits. They muttered, one seeming quite nervous even through the other's reassurances, and they were quick to move on. They'd dropped a newspaper in front of Karkat's seat, and didn't remember it when they left, muttering about how 'frightening being in close proximity was even if...' but then the conversation cut off as they moved into the next car.

Karkat glanced back at them, looking at the matesprits behind him. "That was fucking weird..." Curiousity peaked, he set his book down to skim the paper they'd left.

2014-10-06 23:08:04
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After spending so long in Starnette, and having generally been the brunt of disgust and murmuring, Tavros didn't find their behavior to be that strange. He only seemed to consider it in more depth when Karkat noted that it was weird, and only then did Tavros notice the newspaper, "Hm? Whatever do you mean? People talk about us all the time, that was nothing new.."

"He does have a point," Kanaya interjected, "This would not be the first occurrence."

2014-10-06 23:14:14
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"I meant the fear thing...." Karkat bit out. People haven't really been afraid and run away from you before... usually they come up and chat, try and talk to you instead of heading for the hills, right?" The cherry blood was reading quickly and started getting angrier looking as he went. "This is preposterous! How are they still trying to sell this shit? It's like... some passive aggressive attempt at vilifying you and simultaneously making you seem totally misguided with your choices..." Karkat slapped a hand down on the paper, "In epic poetic fashion."

2014-10-06 23:19:48
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It dawned on him then that they weren't talking about Gamzee but Tavros. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure what to make of this new development - he was frightening? He was frightening? But he was a short, petite little thing, he was a pacifist and wouldn't resort to violence unless it was the only route he could conjure up, what had he ever done to be scary?

Now Tavros was worried; he had never wanted anyone to be afraid of him, he had just wanted to help and get every one on equal ground. "That is ludicrous," He croaked out, "I am not...I am not frightening," He muttered, but even as he said it, Tavros felt himself falter. He could see where he was intimidating, to an extent, if only on the basis of the highness of his blood, but not /scary./

"Of course not," Vriska said quickly, "Not in the slightest."

He furrowed his brows, extremely bothered by this, "What does the newspaper say, Karkat?"

2014-10-06 23:32:32
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"Well, it isn't exactly a direct accusation, as you could guess.... Here, read this bullshit, look at those fucking illustrations!" Karkat turned in his seat and handed him the paper.

There were two different pictures, and two short poems under each. The title on the top of the page proclaimed it to be a sort of progress report on the journey of the new Alice, which would be run as there were updates. It looked like they were trying to set it up in a poor imitation of a child's book, as if making a story out of the mission already.

The first picture was of a troll, who could have been Tavros in his Alice dress except they were more feminine, with a skirt shorter than his own bordering on the risque. The figure had a hand to it's mouth, apparently in shock as some dark hairy creature that looked semi-bipedal loomed out of some trees. The second picture had the same Alice figure, with the same hulking figure and a few others: one similar to a shark and a couple others which were supposed to be caricatures of a rainbow drinker and a spidery sort of troll, also scantily clad and fearsome as the other two. They were all in front of the queen who seemed to be radiating light as she handed some scroll or other to 'Alice'. There was no indication of either Sollux or Karkat in the pictures or words.

The verses read, one under each picture:

'This is the story of a brownblood who fell through a hole,

From Alternia transported a kind-hearted soul.

Initial confusion gave way to fear,

When what but a monster did suddenly appear,

In front of his eyes a hulking great beast,

Upon the lives of others did it grotesquely feast.

But the little brownblood, with nary a start,

Used magical ability to tame the beast's heart.

This is our Alice, who's traveled the land,

Through dangerous forests and across wild sand.

Braving the elements and monsters alike,

On a long and journeous hike ,

Meeting a multitude and calming all,

So our fair queen did perchance call,

Upon the kind copper and his strange troop,

A mission to give the eclectic group.'

"See? So obviously you tame monsters and can manipulate them to your will. And they're deifying the fucking queen, and make you all look ridiculous. By calling you a 'kind-hearted soul' they're mocking you too, like you don't know any better. ...by not including us they're probably trying to make you out to just be a group of misfits. I wouldn't be surprised if these are circulating in all the mixed towns like this because they can get away with it there." Karkat was furious.

2014-10-06 23:51:29
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So this was how he was portrayed - some kind of dim-witted, scantily clad troll bending to the Queen's every whim and wish. Tavros was less upset about his incorrect figure and more concerned about the ones of his friends and matesprit. His darling lover, convulsed into some kind of hulking creature; his dearest friends, displayed like they had loose morals with visages of monsters. He wasn't quite angry, more like hurt; who could say this about him and his friends. No, they were more than friends at this point, they were his family, the only people he had ever known that fully accepted him, from his head to his toes.

What made it so much worse was the format. It was as if his mission, everything they all stood for, was some kind of child's game they could poke fun of. Tavros felt a wave of nausea sweep over him and he suddenly thought of their trip back to Starnette; did people really think so lowly of them all because of some stupid newspaper?

He set down the newspaper, mouth a tight line. Tavros was not angry at all, now that he reflected on it, but he was deeply upset to know that this was circulating around so steadily, and that people were readily believing it. He wondered if the people in Rial wanted to see a freakshow in addition to hear them speak.

"I don't...I cannot..." Tavros helplessly fumbled for words, trying to formulate what he was thinking, but his throat felt constricted and his eyes stung with tears that weren't going to fall. Finally, he squeaked pathetically, "Why would anyone do this?" It was worse than outright slander; he could deal with the angered remarks and blatant hemophobia just fine, but this crossed a line he hadn't even known he had. "We h-have never done anything to hurt anyone, and yet...God," His face landed in his hands pitifully, "I can only imagine, what other things have been published about us all."

2014-10-07 00:21:26
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Gamzee pulled Tavros into his side, kissing the top of his head compassionately. He looked over the images in the paper, and snorted at the first one, muttering at it, "'Beast of Tulgey', well, they're not terribly original. Heard that one before..."

Eridan came over to look over at the article. "Wow, they gave you a lot of hair. Did you get a haircut before we met?" Gamzee giggled a little. "At least they got my gills right. But look at that, I've got a dorsal fin! Dang, when did I get rid of that Vris?" He gently took the paper and handed it to Vriska. "An absolute shame they forgot your hat!" Joking about the pictures made both the purples feel a little better about their monstrous depictions. It was pretty obvious the artist had never seen a seadweller in their life, as it was really just a shark with legs and arms and some pants.

"They made you look like a saber-toothed cat, Kanaya..." Gamzee snickered, trying not to laugh at the whole thing. Sure it was terribly insulting and kind of hurt to be thought of that way, but when they were actually seen in person they didn't look anything like the pictures. It was kind of completely ridiculous. But then again he was almost completely desensitized to being insulted indirectly, much more worried about being physically attacked which had happened on a number of occasions.

Karkat had been quiet for a while. "I wouldn't really worry about any unmixed cities seeing these, especially mid- and low- cities. They've got the same colors so they'll know. Undlegire had plenty of blues, right? And from what I've heard they've become at least accepting if not fond of Kanaya. And Rial? Hell, you think they'll believe a word when they've got purples which I'm gonna go ahead and fucking assume look nothing like this hairball? C'mon, this is obviously a terrible last ditch ploy at making it look as if you're working for the queen, and to make it look as if you've betrayed her later on or something. And if people in these towns are too afraid to come up and talk to you, they won't ever learn how fucking wrong they are, right? But seriously, once they see how normal we all are, I don't really think they could keep such ridiculous views without something seriously wrong with their thinkpans."

2014-10-07 00:47:30
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"How the everliving /fuck/ am I supposed to be the 'Mad Hatter' if they forgot my hat to begin with?" For emphasis, she tugged off her hat and plopped it on Tavros's head, hoping that their good spirits would help cheer him up, "What a load of bullshit, if you're going to slander me, at least do it right, aye, fellows?"

Kanaya laughed, finding the inaccuracies to be humorous, even if Sollux was, frankly, infuriated, "I second that notion, Hatter. My fangs may be accurate, to an extent, but I am highly agitated that my clothing is scarcely up to par with what I normally don." Tavros brightened fractionally at their jests, finding their strength so admirable. Had he been alone, he probably would have fallen into tears. Curling up against Gamzee's side, he nodded to Karkat's words and rubbed at his eyes.

"I am sorry, I should not get so emotional," He said at last, "It just upsets me that, someone could do something like that about the people I care about the most. You all are the only family, I have ever had..."

2014-10-07 00:57:57
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Eridan found himself overcome with sentiment and hugged Tavros quickly before sitting back in his seat. "I'm so glad we're family, then, even if we get crazy things written about us in their propaganda. Just imagine, if you hadn't shown up in our lives, Vriska and I may never have realized how much better we fit in a matespritship."

"And without you I'd still be reading that same pulp novella instead of this quality stuff right here," Karkat waved his book a bit. "If that doesn't make me feel familial I dunno what does. Even if I'm terribly disappointed that I didn't get to be included in our family portrait," he pointed at the paper. "So go ahead and get emotional. These fuckers are trying to tear you down and make you seem like you've done nothing here, and I think you've done a hell of a lot for us."

Tavros's matesprit cuddled him close. "Mhmm. Don't matter none that they make us look ridiculous. We all know the truth, and they'll learn eventually. Already you've changed some minds in Starnette. Can't be forgetting all those trolls that think you're doing the right thing. Can't get bogged down in this negative bullshit."

2014-10-07 01:17:16
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Tavros wiped at his eyes, though more tears just occupied the space on his cheeks, and he sniffled, giving a small nod as he did so. He had never thought about what he had done for others - to him, it was a give and take relationship, something families just did anyway. He achieved more growth in the short amount of time he had been with everyone than in all his sweeps of living.

"Y-you all are so sweet, thank you," He managed through his tears, finally getting himself together and managing a weak, though happy, smile, "I do not know where I would be, or what I would be like, without each and every one of you."

Tavros could only imagine how bleak his life would have been had he not been transported into Wonderland - he would still be working in the royal family's gardens, and even if he did enjoy the work, it was still laborious and his pay was not equal to the amount of work he put in. "I will try not to be so negative, when things like this arise."

2014-10-07 19:57:28
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Gamzee pulled a kerchief from a pocket, handing it to Tavros with a little encouraging smile as Karkat started talking again. "Fuck, go ahead and be negative, it's a negative fucking world we live in. Anyways, it puts some things in perspective. I look at it this way: expect everything to go wrong while working against it and then be pleasantly surprised when it doesn't turn out that way. Much better than being optimistic all the time and being constantly disappointed."

"And it really is horrible, it just helps to joke about it," Eridan put in. "It really is very disturbing, especially if you've never seen such imagery before...I'm going to guess they didn't do caricatures like this in Alternia?" He was actually quite interested to know. They had not talked about Alternia as much and Eridan was a little curious.

"I think I'll frame it." Gamzee muttered, looking at the paper again. "Not everyday you get your face in the paper, huh?" he grinned, goofy as ever.

2014-10-07 23:33:04
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"No, never! A large percentage of the lowbloods could not read, so the newspaper was mainly just words. In fact," He took the kerchief with a word of thanks, dabbing at his eyes, "I was illiterate until I was, I estimate, six or seven sweeps."

"Really!" Vriska looked shocked, unable to imagine a world that just made words out to be squiggles that were meaningless. She could not see herself in that position where she never read anything, where her entire vocabulary was based on vernacular, "How ever did your vocabulary expand?"

"My lusus taught me everything, but reading was never quite at the top of the list. I never knew much in terms of schooling but I know plenty about nature and agriculture and spirituality." Tavros.smiled sheepishly. "I am not an academic man, but I think, uh, I am much more philosophical."

Kanaya pulled Vriska's hat off Tavros's hair and ruffled his hair while simultaneously placing the hat on Vriska's head, "But that makes the two of you, that being yourself and Karkat, perfect for complementing each other. Pessimism and optimism, logics and idealism. The meshing of the two vastly opposite concepts creates a delicate balance ideal for this journey of ours." She grinned, "It would not be unlike the Fates, would it?"

2014-10-08 00:05:21
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"I think it might be /exactly/ the fates, honestly. Or more likely one named White Rabbit," Karkat grumbled, though he wasn't angry at all. More thankful than anything, seeing as he was the whole reason he was out in the open air.

The mention of the fates reminded Gamzee of something. He looked around the train car, and determined they were pretty much alone. "Tavros, I forgot to ask if you wanted to know about the twelve gods? They came up in the coffee shop, and I couldn't tell you then 'cause most everything about them got burned, but now there's not much worry about telling you what I know about them, I don't think, since no one else is around..."

2014-10-08 00:46:38
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Sollux, who had been silent up until then remarked, "People still know about the twelve gods? I was pretty sure all of that stuff was wiped from the public memory."

"Apparently not," Vriska hummed, more interested than she let on, "Let loose the knowledge, Makara."

Tavros nodded, remembering how intrigued he had been at the time and having to stifle that thirst for new knowledge just because they were in a more public setting, "Please do! There is much about them that I wish to know, and if any of it parallels anything, uh, in Alternia."

2014-10-08 00:51:24
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"Ha, I only do 'cause of my guardian, and the Bibliosaurus..." he got extremely quiet at that, leaning forward a little. "She hid some books, you see, and taught me from 'em." He sat straight again. "So I know a little."

Sitting up, he gathered his thoughts before continuing on his narrative. "The twelve gods were creators of each of the different kinds of trolls, and presided over the lands they inhabited. All the gods got along, though there may have been some bickering they were all family in the end, and all their troll children equal.... you see why they banned this shit... each of the gods controlled different aspects as well... elements of sorts." Gamzee glanced around, making sure everyone was understanding suitably.

"Ma told me mine was the sea goat, and she was in between two so combined them. And we made snow representations of them to thank for winter solstice when the snow was heaviest... there's a lot of stories about them, dunno how elaborate you want me to go..." he glanced around at all of them.

2014-10-08 01:05:58
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That explained why Borina and everyone else in the West found each other to be equals, more or less. They still believed in the twelve gods, and while the written word had long since been burned away, they still had oratory culture and traditions they followed.

The jadeblood nodded in understanding - Borina did not talk much about her religion, so it was nice to hear some clarifying things. "Could you go in depth some with their names, perhaps the elements they represent?" She questioned, "I am hoping that it will allow me to understand the West more - it is still such a vastly different region than here in the East."

"Oh, that would be good," Tavros agreed, "I think we may have to travel that way, at some point, and understanding the culture will be vital to making a suitable first impression."

2014-10-08 01:12:22
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"Alright, I suppose I'll go in order, lowest to highest on our spectrum..." It took him a little while to organize his thoughts, but started on a long list soon enough. "The Giant Squid is Life, Seahorse for Hope, Sea goat for Rage, Centaur for Void, Spider for Light, Dragon for Mind, Virgo for Space, Lion for Heart, Biclops for Doom, Bull for Breath, Ram for Time, and Crab for Blood... of course there are multiple translations, like sometimes Virgo is known as the Virgin, and Sea goat is also called Capricorn... like, they've got titles and names, it just depends on who is reading or interpreting. And sometimes the Biclops is actually the Twins..."

"Oh, Borina mentioned that Virgo character, I think, when I was in her shop. I suppose they're prayed to for different reasons, huh?" Karkat interjected.

"Yea, exactly. And each troll has theirs by color, or a combination of the two... like my guardian made the Sphinx, that was a mix of Virgo and the Lion, because she was a real dark green color that wasn't quite jade or olive."

2014-10-08 01:28:03
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"Ah, that makes sense," Kanaya shuffled a hand through her hair, "And Borina praying to Virgo may also have something to do with Virgo being her patron. She and I share that aspect. "

Tavros tapped at his chin again, staring off into space for a few seconds before he faded back into the conversation, "Are all of these gods represented by constellations? Back in Alternia, a lot of what you are describing was in a cult, uh, called the Babylonian Circle. There were also twelve main ones - The Worker, The Steer, for which I was named after, The Doubles, The Crayfish, The Cat, The Maiden, The Dragon, The Scorpion, The Archer, The MerGoat, The Water Creator and The Flying Fish. There was one other, named The Serpent Holder. Are the twelve gods divided into, four categories?" He looked excited, "The Alternian ones are, for the four elements. Perhaps it is the same here? This is so exciting," He beamed, "To learn so much about another world, in another universe that is still so vastly different but eerily similar to mine!"

2014-10-08 01:44:14
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"Those do sound similar... wouldn't doubt they mean similar things to all of that... And yeah, there are star patterns in the sky for each of 'em. I suppose they're pretty interestin', but besides for bein' friends all the time I don't think there's much else unsavory to anyone about them. I wonder... hmm. If they're just in the west now, do older trolls around here know about them or has it been only a western thing for too long for most to remember?" Gamzee thought for a while, caught in thought. "Did anyone look up where Rial is? Is it anywhere's close to the west, I honestly can't tell hide nor hair from any old map... better at landmarks." Gamzee mostly wondered that from Tavros's premonition of dour times returning to Starnette and then his assumption of visiting the west. Perhaps they would have to go after Rial between that and a return to Starnette?.

2014-10-08 02:00:59
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An expert of geography, Sollux chimed in, "Rial is west in comparison to Starnette but it is probably not like the western side of Wonderland in terms of the population, since many land dwelling violets and blues settled in those western port cities to be nearer to the sea dwelling violets," He made a mental note to get a map at some point. "It is closer to the Sun Sea, at any rate." When he was met by a confused stare by Tavros, he took hold of Kanaya's sketchpad and graphite, drawing a rough picture, "Wonderland is shaped much like a crescent or the letter U. On this side of the Sun Sea," He pointed, "You have the West division. And on the other, the East division, where we are. Rial is west of Starnette because it's a port city and is nestled right by the sea. If Rial is in good standing with the West and those cities, you could probably take a ship over into the Western division."

This quick drawing made things much easier for Tavros to understand, and he watched attentively as Sollux drew, approximately, where the Screechlands were and Undlegire and the In Between, as well as Tulgey City.

"I will find you a much better map soon," He promised, "But this should make things cleared for you, Alice."

"Thank you," Smiling, Tavros took hold of the map and looked it over again, marveling at how far they had come, but also how different Wonderland was than his thoughts. "This is plenty different from the map given to me. Mine only shows the places in which I was originally supposed to go and those riddles, nothing else."

2014-10-08 02:25:14
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Gamzee and Karkat looked over the map with interest. Karkat knew some geography, but it was always good to brush up. Gamzee, however, didn't have much of a mind for maps, as he'd stated, and thought the illustration facinating. Just to see the comparison of where he'd lived and where all the other places they'd visited were in relation to each other was interesting. He'd gone farther than he'd ever expected! It did make him wonder where his family was from, though. He knew they'd moved once, but from where?

"Oh good, look at all that ocean...." Eridan mused, glancing at the map. He was hopeful that they kept it nice and clean, so he could swim to his heart's content. Otherwise he may just have to find passage out to the center of the Sun Sea so he could go swimming if they were in Rial long enough.

The scenery started to change outside, with more trees and more waterlogged lands from small streams and the occasional small lake. The snow was still around, though not as deep in this area.

2014-10-08 02:46:17
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Vriska peered over the map, finding if very much like the ones she had seen for sailing. She had never been to Rial, though, and had mostly stayed on the coast of the Screechlands, the curve of the crescent. The Screechlands were closer to the West than she had originally thought, though - was that how they were divided?

"I am so excited," Tavros clapped his hands, "We had so much fun on the beach, uh, in the Screechlands and all the wildlife was intriguing. I wonder how different, it is, in Rial." Did they have starfish like they did in the Screechlands? Was their sand white? Could Tavros color the landscape with his hands? There were plenty of questions, and as they chugged on in the train, he saw the world become devoid of snow and occupied by sand.

He stared in wonder, fascinated by the golden hue to the sand and the pale blue rocks that sparkled slightly. It was a touch too cold in Rial for palm trees, but it had all manner of tall grasses and gulls. The cobblestone of Starnette and Undlegire was switched for sturdy wood that he saw came from forests flanking Rial farther away on its outskirts, the houses and buildings made from tri-colored sandstone and concrete painted pastel pinks and blues and yellows. Tavros fell in love with Rial the moment he saw the scenery, the clear water shimmering on the horizon and the sun climbing higher to cascade shiny rays upon the city and its individuals.

"Wow," He breathed, noticing that the city lacked a high wall, "This is Rial."

2014-10-08 06:42:00
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"...it's so bright," was Gamzee's first reaction as he gazed out the train window with Tavros. It was just as different as the other cities they had visited, with it's much lighter pastel color scheme. He found himself wanting to check out their forest, just for a vague feeling of home. Trees... he never thought he'd miss them but after being surrounded by them for sweeps he supposed he was acclimated to their presence.

Eridan practically pressed his nose to the glass, gazing a the pristine waters and how clear they looked. "Vriska /look/ at how clean it is. And different shores than the screechlands! What pretty rocks..." He was tempted to just jump in as soon as they vacated the train.

The mutant, though having least experience with cities by far, thought that this was preferable to Starnette. It seemed much calmer, and the lack of an outward wall bespoke peace and of not having to worry about invaders. And of course that was comforting. The people were probably as peaceful as their own purple, he figured. At least he could hope that was the case.

2014-10-08 06:56:52