[ Action || Quad || Tuesday Evening]

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[There is a troll in the quad, standing with his hands on his hips, glaring down at a couple of cats that have plunked themselves down at his feet. They stare expectantly back up at him, or rather, at the big black magpie on his head, while the largest, a chubby, bright orange tabby, meowing loudly and insistently]

No. This is ridiculous.

[the cat meows again, while the magpie smugly flutters its wings, and cocks its head to the side, a bit of blue ribbon with a bell tied to one end dangling from its beak]

I am not on his side, nor am I on yours. I am not on anyone's side. I am simply an innocent bystander caught in the crosshairs of this absurd conflict.

[The cat lets out an earsplitting yowl, and Equius just facepalms with a groan]

What is this? What am I doing? How is this what my life has become? I want my STRENGTH back!

Comments

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

Problem?

[Guessing by the spread of the grin on Zephyr's face, however, he's more here to watch than to... help out. Sorry, Equius.]

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

Does it look like I have a problem to you? [bares his teeth at the human, the magpie squawking and flapping its wings]

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[He points at the bird on his head.]

Just maybe. Unless you normally have a bird on your head?

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

Hmm, let us take a moment and ponder this quandary. Do I normally have a bird on my head? [He taps his chin thoughtfully, one hand resting on his hip] As that seems like an extremely silly thing, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that no, no I don't.

And I don't usually have an entourage of kittens, either.

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

Hey, don't look at me. Some places have some weird senses of style.

[He turns his attention to the cats and the guy's feet.]

You able to talk to animals or somethin'?

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

I find fashion to generally be a waste of time. I'd probably find it even more wasteful if it prominently featured obnoxious featherbeasts.

For the moment, it appears that I can. However, tis not normally my ability, so I'm rather horrid at it, and I cannot turn it off.

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

Well, if you can talk to them, can't you just... tell them to go away? Maybe throw out a couple death threats if you need to.

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[gives him a rather pointed look] Since when have cats listened to anyone? As for the bird, he's enjoying driving me crazy.

[Or maybe he doesn't mind as much as he wants people to think. Who knows?]

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

Riiiiight. [He gives Equius an amused look.] I dunno. You don't really seem to be tryin' hard enough.

[betwixttocks.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

[So someone veeeeeeeery familiar is walking your way, Equius. Who could it be?]

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[.....Equius freezes, staring at ...Aradia?... as she approaches. She looks so familiar, and yet not at the same time... so... alive.... ] You...

[betwixttocks.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

[Staring at him with that smile, like nothing in the world is fucking wrong. Approaching him she's still silent and reaches up to carefully take the bird off of his head. She doesn't trust her voice to match Aradia's if she talks, so silence it is.]

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[He's enthralled by her as she approaches, his breath hitching in his throat. She was here, alive and more beautiful than even his meticulously constructed robot could have been. He swallowed as she reached up, tilting his head towards her and unconsciously urging the bird to remain peaceful in her hand. His own comes up, hovering over her cheek as if he dared not touch her]

[betwixttocks.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

[She can either go deeper with this ruse or abscond now with minimal consequences. Tough choice.

If anything her smile grows wider (if a bit uncharacteristically so for her) and... is that a fang? Suddenly the magpie goes nuts in her hands and feathers go everywhere. Whoops?]

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[What the-] Ah, Aradia, allow me- [He reaches for the bird, intent on soothing it, but it flies off just as his hand touches hers. He watches it abscond, then turns back to her, biting the inside of his lip uncertainly.]

[He has no idea what to do now. He never expected to see her alive, and yet here she was before him, as radiant as the moons in their perigees. All he wants to do is... touch...]

[betwixttocks.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

[Mouth closed she runs a tongue over her exposed fang and the smile falters. This required concentration and her attention was slipping.

But there was no way she was backing out yet. Taking a step forward her arms go up to slowly wrap around his neck and pressing against him she pulls him into an embrace. Had she ever hugged another troll before? Not that she can remember.]

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[At first, Equius freezes, his breath catching in his throat. Aradia, she was, he'd never, and oh-!]

[he wrapped his arms around her with a sob, pressing his face into her hair and holding her tightly. And he could, without hurting her, it was the most wonderful thing he'd ever experienced. He shook in her arms, eyes shut tight in an effort to hold back tears] Oh, Aradia, I- You- [whimpers]

[ragesnake.livejournal.com]

[Hi I haven't threaded with you in far too long. Karkat wanders into the quad and stops, making a face. He is blissfully unaffected by this event because I am lacking in creativity, and just sort of... stares at the scene before him.]

...Zahhak.

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[Equius was starting to think Karkat had died. Sadly, this doesn't seem to be so, and he huffs as he turns to face Karkat, lips tightly pursed]

Vantas. Is there a problem?

[ragesnake.livejournal.com]

[Unfortunately no, Equius, Karkat is just a hermit and focused on classes also his mun is a wretched failure at activity whoops. He stares for a long while at Equius and frowns, shaking his head.]

Trying to figure out when you became Tavros. Aren't animals his thing? Animals and games for girls.

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[sighs, shaking his head and reaching up to try and wave the bird off. It flutters and squawks, drawing more meows from the cats, but refuses to leave. Ugh]

Unfortunately, approximately a week ago, Tavros and I appeared to have swapped our special abilities. So now the lowblood is running around, leaving a swath of destruction in his wake, and I'm stuck dealing with the local fauna. I can't turn it off, Karkat. You have no idea how annoying animals are.

[ragesnake.livejournal.com]

[His eyebrows raise slightly at the squawking bird.]

No I'm actually pretty sure I've got a good idea. [He shifts his weight.] Seems like that shit is going around, lately.

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

So I've noticed. And while I appreciate being able to handle things without fear of breaking them, I would much rather have my STRENGTH back and be rid of this foolishness. Unfortunately, there is not much I can do about it.

[He swats at the bird again, but nope, not going anywhere. It likes his head. It's comfortable up there. Sigh.]

[ragesnake.livejournal.com]

[Frowns at the bird and walks over, shooing at it. Bird, don't make him result to shooshpapping you.]

Can't say I'm envying you in the least. Not breaking shit is nice, but this is pretty much bullshit. Shoo, you fucking featherbrain.

[bentbowarcher.livejournal.com]

[Yeah, sure, it'll shoo for you, Karkat. But not without dropping a load on your face. Haha, take that, fuckass.]

[Naturally, Equius can't help but snicker] More like featherbeast excrement, wouldn't you say, Karkat?