A Pale Affair   von Oogie-Boogie
             (Humans have only one Quadrant but trolls have many)
================================================================================
                             Kapitel 1: Secretive
                             --------------------


Prologue/Chapter 1: Secretive 

Kanaya didn’t feel good about this after all. 
Going around in such a secretive manner, having such a big secret.... It made
her uncomfortable but she had a need, a giant need.

Miss Maryam wore a kerchief, a brown overcoat, black jeans and sunglasses as she
was walking through the inner-city.
Not to hide her identity as a troll or a rainbow drinker from other humans.
After the death of Lord English, Alternia, Beforus, the Earth that was created
through the Scratch and the Earth of Rose and her friends came back along with
their respective universes.
After she  and her Troll friends dethroned the Condesce and Feferi took over the
reign of Alternia it became peaceful. Thanks to the technology they got through
Sburb, certain Godtier abilities and ingenious new appearifying technology it
became easy for the trolls to reach the universe of their human friends.
The rest of humanity took the existence of trolls and aliens in general
surprisingly well.
The Carapacians and the Planets of every Sburb Session also appeared in their
respective universes with their moons now.

Kanaya was pretty happy about being united with Rose again. Now that the
apocalypse and the end of all existence wasn't on their list of worries anymore,
she was having a wonderful time. 
She had still worries, but without ultimate doom on the horizon, everything else
seems to be that much easier. 

But she didn’t consider that trolls have needs that humans are not able to
fulfil for them. Special needs.
Soon she reached her destination, a little apartment-building. She rang a
certain bell and got entrance. Looking around, scared that someone followed her,
she hushed into the building, up the stairs. She searched for a certain door
number and knocked nervously at the door.
“It is open, come in.”
Kanaya slipped into the apartment and looked the door behind her as fast as
possible.
“You aren’t a spy, dealing with dangerous espionage, you know?”
Kanaya looked at the person who greeted her.
“You should consider that I am in a situation that warrants a lot of certitude
so that I can feel safe and secure with the activities I’m planning with
you.”
Vriska rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Your fear of Rose is silly Fussyfangs.
Do you really think she followed you here? She probably thinks you’re out
buying some trashy Rainbowdrinker or Vampire novel.”
“Those novels are not trash”, Kanaya said, defending her reading material of
choice, “those stories are intricate tales of beings that are coerced to life
a live that is outside the social norm. Not lead by malice but necessity and the
will to survive the cruel world in which they were born.”
“You never killed people because you needed blood”, Vriska countered. “Now
come down here, and let us start.”
Vriska didn’t wait for a reaction. She took Kanaya’s arm, let herself fall
backwards with her and she landed besides the Spider-Troll.
“Let us begin you beautiful creature of the day.”


Note: So, what do you think? Every kind of feedback and constructive criticism
is appreciated.



                              Kapitel 2: Thoughts
                              -------------------


Sometimes you really don’t have much to do. Sometimes you are not tired but
you don't have the motivation for anything.
Rose felt like this at the moment. She sat on the couch, incredibly bored and
unmotivated. She wished she was sleepy; being sleepy, at least, gave you
something to do.
She tried to watch TV, but it didn’t help, so she switched it off again.
But the more she thought about fighting the boredom her mind wandered towards
Kanaya.
Something was not right with Kanaya lately, but she hadn’t registered it
instantly. Now that she thought about it, something odd was going on with her
beloved matesprit.

She registered it yesterday, as Kanaya was feeding the cats. It was very subtle,
but Rose took notice. Little motions and the way Kanaya talked were slightly
different.
The Seer of Light hoped that her psychological studies let her read a little
deeper into the behaviour of the Rainbow Drinker.
She pushed some hair from her eyesight and sighed. She began to play with her
fingers, feeling her own skin, and started to really observe her fingers in
order to distract herself.
It worked for a little while and then she remembered she could use her fingers
to knit something, doing something more productive to divert her attention.
She got her needles and started to knit. She didn't know what she wanted, and
hoped that what she produced made sense in the end.

//Kanaya seemed as if she was missing something. Something important to her. But
what could it be?//
Rose thought about everyone her first great love knew. //Her lusus maybe? No,
she came back like my mother. Did she have an argument with her, maybe? I
didn’t have the opportunity to meet her yet. Maybe I should ask Kanaya about
that one day.//
Rose's head became clearer. //Is it the fact that people on earth look at her
funny? She is a lesbian alien vampire. You don’t see those every day. Okay,
not everybody on the streets knows about the vampire part, let alone the lesbian
thing... Thinking about it, it is a stereotype for female vampires to be
lesbians, if I recall correctly. But it would be really stupid of me to call her
out on it. Especially since I don’t have a problem with it.//
Knit, knit, knitting. 
Gears turning in her head, coming up with thoughtful theories. Some theories
more thoughtful than others. 

//Troll period maybe? She never told me if trolls have a period. Or something
similar. I should really read that troll biology book Karkat gave me. Is she
thinking about moving to Earth? No, I think she would have told me about that.
Does she want me to move to her house? Well, I would consider it. Traveling
between Earth and Alternia is no problem. Does she dislike the fashion line this
year? No, probably not, that's rather silly, she isn’t like that. Maybe the
sun isn’t intense enough?//

Idea after idea was discarded like a wet piece of firewood and she knitted
faster and faster. After some time the young sorceress sighed and gave it up.
//I need more evidence of some kind before I think up more weird ideas. There is
no reason to suspect her of doing something audacious.//



                        Kapitel 3: Cuddling and talking
                        -------------------------------


Tangled limbs, two bodies pressed together, a deep embrace and the beautiful
warmth of being with somebody who loves you.
Kanaya didn’t expect to feel that. She didn’t expect that Vriska would be
this courteous for a change. 
“Oh, that was incredible, Fussyfangs.”
Well, as courteous as someone like Vriska could be.
“Vriska, I requested that you do not call me Fussyfangs anymore.”
“C’mon, it is a great nickname and you didn’t complain about it so much in
the past.”
“You said yourself that you changed”, the jadeblood said, remembering the
assertion Vriska had made about herself.
Vriska sighed, annoyed. “Okay, Okay, Jeez, Fu... Kanaya you are still
fussy.”
“And you still sound arrogant.”
“As arrogant as in the past or at least less arrogant?”
Kanya had to admit that Vriska really didn’t sound so arrogant anymore. “Yes
Vriska, your arrogance level has diminished.”
“Thank you... I hoped that I would manage that.”

Kanaya was baffled. As she took Vriska's proposal she didn’t thought it would
work so well, especially their first time. She even doubted its sincerity, but
the way Vriska said it sounded so true to her.
She came here to fulfill her need, but also in order to see whether Vriska was
serious or not.
“Since when is what others think about you important to you?”
“Since I'm trying to forget my old self for a new self. My old self sucks. It
sucks horribly.”
“All of your old self?”
“Well, probably not, if it was absolute shit I wouldn’t even try what I'm
trying at the moment with you, right?”
“Yes... Without at least a little bit of good will you would be a real monster
without anything decent about you.”

Vriska leaned her head onto Kanaya's head. Kanaya stroked through Vriska's hair
and gave her a soft pat. She drove her nose over the neck of the young spider.
“Being somebody who is stronger than anyone else has a terrible price attached
to it”, Vriska said with a slight sad tone in her voice. 
Kanaya hummed a soft answer.
“I hated it so much... So much.... And I didn’t have the courage to speak to
any troll about it.... Not even you. Only John was the exception.”
“Did you really think I would have turned on you for that?”
“Paranoia was a big part of my life”, Vriska told her friend. “I had to be
paranoid to survive.”
“I was rather safe and sound in the desert, far away from all the danger.”
Kanaya remembered her old life. “Not even other jadebloods bothered me. My
blood caste is not so bloodthirsty in comparison to most others.”

They lay in silence for several more minutes, enjoying the embrace and each
other's company.
“I have to go soon," Kanaya said. 
“Because of Rose? She isn’t your lusus. Not all of your life is about
her.”
“Yes, but she could become suspicious of me doing something behind her back,
something forbidden.”
“Tell her you’re cuddling with a good friend. No reason for secrecy.”
“She is still a human from birth and upbringing. She couldn’t understand my
need. Couldn’t understand why I’m doing it.”
“Jeez Kanaya, if it is so troubling for you, you should reconsider your
relationship with her.”
“Never!”, Kanaya said with more force than intended. “Oh, sorry.”
“No, no it is your right to be angry at me for doubting your love for her.”

Kanaya stared slightly in disbelief at Vriska. 
She made it harder and harder to leave her.
Kanaya had secretly hoped that Vriska would still be egoistical and only think
about herself. She was still a bit gruff but not so hostile anymore.
She had hoped that Vriska was still that impossible person that wasn’t able to
detect true affection if you smashed it into her face.
She had hoped so much that Vriska would be terrible at this, would be doing or
saying inappropriate things, would be egoistical, harmful or rough.
But she wasn’t. Or did Kanaya fall again for this psychotic mess that was
Vriska Serket?

“Sorry to disappoint you for the moment but I really have to go.”
“Do we meet again?”
Kanaya thought about it. “I think... Yes.”
“Can you come to me?”
“No, here again please.”
“I made such a nice pile at my place. It is made out of soft stuff, not broken
sharp shards, extra for you.”
“I was always well informed about your toughness, but even I can't believe
that you could sleep on broken glass.”
“The trick is to lay right and develop calluses in the right places. Also you
have a good weapon in case somebody stands over you in your pile and tries to
kill you.”
“Didn’t you sleep in your Recuperacoon?”
“Yes, there were also weapons stored, just in case.”
“How often were you attacked in your hive?”
“Next time, okay?”
“Okay.”
Vriska embraced Kanaya one last time and Kanaya embraced back. She felt guilty
about what she had done but she felt better than before in general.



      Kapitel 4: Alien Vampire and Horrorterror Wizard have quality time
      ------------------------------------------------------------------


“How was your day Kanaya?”
Kanaya, who lay with her head on Rose’s lap, opened her eyes. “Satisfying,
my love.”
“You look way more relaxed than before.”
“I did something I wanted do to for a considerable amount of time.”
“Will you divulge this secret to me, my dear?”
“No, sorry. I can’t tell you about it. Trolls still have some secrets we
have to keep to ourselves at the moment.”
“Your plans to take over earth and enslave humanity?”
“Karkat meant once that humanity would be useless as slaves. Too easy to break
and way too emotional. Well, he said I should tell this fabricated story to
anyone who asked me about the subject.”
“Is he still paranoid?”
“He was paranoid for a great amount of time in his life. It is not easy to
drop all your old mannerisms.”
“I thought he calmed down after everybody found out about his blood
colour?”
“A little. But now he has to avoid worshipers of the Signless. They are pretty
persistent in their view of seeing the reincarnation of their messiah in
Karkat.”
“What about Kankri?”
“He was very happy about the prospect to debate the matter with the
worshipers. After a few minutes they left him.”
“They seem to be pretty smart.”
“In certain cases, certainly.”

Rose fondled the ears of the shining Rainbow Drinker who sighed happily in
return.
“So, other than Karkat's disregard of humanity, what was bothering you?”
“Private matters, my love.”
“Nothing Troll related? Come on, you can talk about everything with me.”
“I know, but it isn’t important. Nothing you have to worry about.”
Rose nodded. Everybody needed their own secrets, and needed to be able to solve
at least part of their own problems. 
But Rose didn’t like that for some reason.
Her feelings told her that Kanaya was very nervous for some reason. Her
knowledge about psychology helped too. Something was eating Kanaya up. Maybe
some serious stuff, at least from the perspective of the troll lady.
“You can talk to me about everything.”
“I know, Rose. But don’t you think I could burden you too much with all the
sorrows I might have accumulated?”
“You’re right... But if it is too much, talk to me. Or anyone else you
trust. ”
Kanaya smiled, suddenly very happy, as she heard that answer. “Thank you.”
“But I would be happy if you told me first. You can trust me.”
Kanayas sudden happiness abated a bit. “Yes... Yes I can.”



Note: Proofread by Shaula. I thank you again.



                           Kapitel 5: More Pile-Talk
                           -------------------------


Chapter 5: More Pile-Talk


“He said that I couldn’t do that. My chances were too low to make it. Then I
rolled a high enough number and he accused me of cheating.”
“I suppose you didn’t?”
“Yes, Karkat is such a bad GM. He has still a lot to learn. My luck is not
something I would waste on a harmless game.”
“Did Terezi, Tavros and Aradia have something to say about this?”
“Terezi said that Karkat was too biased in his role, Tavros was busy working
on his character background and didn’t catch what was going on and Aradia was
telephoning somebody in the afterlife. Guy named Howard Carter I think.”
“She talks to people from the afterlife?”
“She said it is not so bad after a while and the dead have really interesting
stuff to say.”

Kanaya was elated to hear that Vriska was started to getting along with her old
friends. Vriska already told her that Terezi had a nervous breakdown while
apologising to her.
Vriska was more than perplexed because of this. She never expected somebody
could feel bad about killing her.
Kanaya had seen how depressed Terezi was about the whole thing, so she wasn’t
surprised in the slightest.
But Eridan...

“Vriska?”
“Yes, Kanaya?”
“I... I want to talk about Eridan now.”
“What? Did he bother you again?”
“It is because of... what I did to him.”
“You mean the time you chainsawed him in half because he destroyed the
Matriorb in a fit of extreme idiocy.”
“Also because he murdered Feferi and almost me.”
“You had a better reason to hurt him than I had with other people.”
“Yes, but I don’t feel guilty about it. Even to this day.”
Vriska bursted out into a loud laugh.
“Are you serious? He destroyed the Matriorb, the only hope for the survival of
the troll race.”
“It was undeniably a detestable and dumb thing to do”, Kanaya said
seriously. ”But... Am I not a monster for not feeling remorse for killing
somebody, even if that person did horrendous bad things?” 
“I think you get a pass in certain cases. But the fact that feeling innocent
makes you feel bad is some sort of bad conscience, don’t you think?”
“Maybe... But it is a devious route. No life should be taken easily.”
“Your luck”, Vriska snorted scorning. “I had to learn to take it easy to
commit multiple wholesale murders to survive.”
“I’m, I’m sorry...”, Kanaya said, ashamed, avoiding Vriska's angry
eyes.
“You don’t have to be...”, Vriska assured her, regaining her composure
really fast. “I really liked the way you could live but I never envied you for
it.”

Kanaya took Vriskas hands and put them onto her pump, caressing the tough skin
of the cerulean. Vriskas eyes softened and caressed Kanayas hand in response.
“I feel better... Much better now.”
“On earth or with me?”, asked Kanaya.
“Both.”
Kanaya smiled and Vriska smiled back. It was a lovely smile with no malicious
intent, one only few people ever would see.

“I have to go soon. I have a appointment with Rose and her mother.”
“Wedding Preparations?”, Vriska asked, pretending to be smug.
“Indeed, we still need a Pirate Captain to marry us. Would you like to
undertake this appointment Vriska?” “Can we attack a enemy ship full of evil
shrimps while fighting in the current of a vortex while you two marry?”
“No.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Would be difficult to find a good vortex this time of
year.”

Kanaya arose from the her lying position and Vriska looked at her. 
“Next week, same time?”
“Can we drop some appointments Vriska? I’m afraid that Rose could become
suspicious.”
“This game becomes tiring for me, Kanaya. I want to see you anytime. We both
have our needs.”
Vriska embraced her friend from behind and snuggled her head into the back of
the Alternian vampire. “Please, Kanaya.”
“I.... Let me see about this.”
“You have to talk to Rose about this, you know that. I want to come to your
home to do it with you.”
“Even if Rose allows it we shouldn’t...”
“Come on Kanaya, it isn’t a big deal!”
“For trolls probably not, but for humans it certainly is.”
“Wherefrom will you know that? I think many of them are rather casual in that
regard.” 
“Vriska...” Kanaya softly patted the head of the spider-troll. “We will
see each other again. I promise.”


===============================================================================

Note: This one was proof-read again by Shaula.



                   Kapitel 6: Car-dealings, Spider-dealings
                   ----------------------------------------


Rose waited together with her mother by the car dealership. It was a sunny and
clear Friday and Mom Lalonde was in good spirits. Being dead for some time
brought interesting changes. One of them was, that she hardly ever drank
anymore.
Rose was also much nicer to her mom these days, which unquestionably helped her
mood.
“Kanaya is a little late. Strange, she is never late.”
Her mother shrugged with her shoulders and seemed to be content about waiting
for her. Rose was also okay with that. Exceptions prove the rule after all.
A minute later they saw Kanaya, running in their direction. 
“Hi, Kanaya.”
“I have to excuse myself for my dilatory behaviour Rose and Miss Lalonde. I
was delayed.”
“No harm done. Let us go.”

The three women entered the car-dealership. “I will inspect the car I selected
via Internet”, Rose said. “Kanaya?”
Kanaya didn't react immediately. She appeared distant for some reason.
“Yes, I want to look at some of the others.”
“Do you want to drive someday too?”
“Maybe. It seems that humans are loving this.”
“Didn’t you use cars on Alternia? Or hover cars or something like that?”
“No, we hadn’t much of a infrastructure or a big networks for roads and
rails. Feferi is working on one, but she insists on eco-sensitive vehicles.
Meenah said she wants to use monster trucks.”
“How is the discussion about this going to proceed?”
“Mostly through insults and excitement about eco-friendliness.”
“Do they the debate on television?”
“Sometimes. But both still have problems with the urge to kill all other
fuchsia-bloods.
“Exact time?”
“15:00, Channel Summoner.”
Rose made a mental note. This thing sounded especially hilarious to her. 

Kanaya looked at some of the cars while Rose and her mother talked with one of
the saleswomen about the price. 
Cars were like fashionable clothing in her eyes to some degree. People searched
for one for themselves that they liked, found good to drive, and found suitable
for their needs, and even modified them if they wished it.
Some even built their own cars, probably a little bit more expensive than making
your own clothes but they did.
//Fashion is universal. It doesn’t limit itself to clothing. Many things are
alike to some degree.//
But she was unsure about learning to drive cars at this moment. 

Kanaya looked over to Rose who followed the saleswoman into her office. She
waved at her and Kanaya waved back. She would wait until the two would come
back.
“Finally, they are gone now.”
Kanaya whirled around and suppressed a her surprise. It was Vriska standing
before her. She grinned her favourite grin, a grin that emitted smug charm and
the wish to punch the grinning person into her face.
She fell in love with that grin in the past, but not anymore. Now she only
wanted to care for that girl that still has a lot of issues and a lot of guilt
in her. She didn’t know that she really could have that kind of feelings for
somebody, and of all people it had to be her.
But at the moment she wasn’t very happy to see her.
“Are you out of your mind Vriska? This is a really bad moment to encounter
me.”
“Pff!”, was Vriska’s annoyed reaction. “I want to go out with you,
fussyfangs. The time in the apartment is nice, but it is the same every time. I
want to do more with you.”
“Can we talk about that in a time in which Rose is not being being
approximately close to us please?”
“No, Kanaya I understand your paranoia but we have to face this. Too much
secretiveness can only bring misfortune.” 
“I don’t want to lose Rose.... Do you remember that I told you how Dave
reacted when he found out that Terezi was in a caliginous relationship with
Gamzee?”
“She was red for Dave, she was black for Gamzee, and he threw an Eridan
because of it. Being jealous of her other quadrants, he was such an idiot. That
concept of monogamy is so stupid.”
“Humans don’t think the same way we do,” Kanaya reminded the spider-troll.
“Only one quadrant with them and nothing more.”
Vriska sighed in annoyance. “Okay, Dave may be a idiot but Rose is different,
isn’t she?”
“Well, I never saw her wearing sunglasses or trying to come off as cool all
the time.”
“You see? Maybe she isn’t as uptight as Dave.”
“Still, I...” 

Vriska ran away, into one of the trunks of the cars and hid in it. Kanaya
wondered what this was about until she was tapped on the shoulder.
“Kanaya?”
Kanaya turned around and saw into Rose’s face.
“Finished already?”
“Yes. I was really sure about my car and what I wanted with it. Also we were
able negotiate a better price than either mom or I anticipated.”
“Sounds like you had a lot of luck.”
“Yes. We have to fill out some paperwork and then we can drive away with my
new car. It is already in the parking lot. You can wait there for us.”
“With pleasure Rose.”

Rose vanished again and Vriska reemerged from the trunk. “My luck that I
sensed her.”
“With your spider sense?”
“Yes, I also have to get Aunt May to the hospital”
“Then go soon.”
“I will.”
Silence.
“But seriously,” Vriska said. “I saw the door of the office opening. I
thought I wouldn’t make it or did you think Rose saw me.”
“I don’t think she saw you but I thought you wanted to confront her.”
“Not as long you are not on board with it Kanaya.”
Kanaya smiled. “Thank you.”
“Please don’t mention that to everyone else.”
“Still being afraid of seen as a more soft, tempered and less thuggish
person?” “A little. Being mean is too much a part of my character. If I give
that up too fast I will only be a shell of my former self.”
“Overdramatic again?”
Vriska smiled.
“Also part of myself. Talk with Rose, okay?”
“I will Vriska, I will. I promise you.



Nachwort: I thank you Shaula. All your beta-reading is a big help.



                              Kapitel 7: Analysis
                              -------------------


Analysis

(Proofread by Shaula)


Rose was suspicious of Kanaya. Something wasn’t right, but it didn’t feel
like a fling.
//She can have her secrets. I mean, I chat with Nyarlathotep every week over
pesterchum but it doesn’t seem to be something like that.//
But what else could it be? Rose was surfing through the net looking around.
Sites for lawnmowers, petitions for the reintroduction of slavery, conspiracy
theories, the weather and a bizarre site about carpets.
//Is she taking drugs? How do our human drugs affect trolls? I heard some trolls
could swallow LSD like bonbons and nothing happens to them.//
Rose thought about other options.
//Or did she maybe enjoys something that is harmless but, in her eyes,
embarrassing? But what could it be? Maybe working as a mechanic?//
She shook her head after thinking this possibility over and thought it to be
rubbish. But on the other hand Kanaya would be able to clean herself really good
afterwards. 

Rose stared at the Google. She typed “what is wrong with Kanaya” in but it
didn’t give her any answers.
//The biggest search engine can’t give me the answer I seek.//
She had a hunch. //Maybe not directly.//
Rose typed in psychology terms she knew of. She made a quick refresh course
about everything she knew about psychology.
//I should hasten my schoolwork a little. I want to study as soon as
possible.//

She reread articles about behaviourism, psychology, necessities of people,
influence of events in the past and many more. The Seer of Light went from one
idea to another and discarded the more unlikely ones. She theorized and thought,
analyzed and accounted.
“The Quadrants...”, she whispered to herself. “Our views are different on
that matter. Would she think I despise her should she have a kismesis?” Rose
didn’t know the answer herself at the moment.
//Could I stand her having a kismesis?//
As far as she understood it a kismesis was a person who trolls hate but also
respect.
Some kind of hatelove, it can have violence in it, but too much and an
auspistice was needed.
//If that's what this is, who would be the most likely auspistice for the two?
Karkat? And who is the most likely receiver of her hate?//
She thought about possible candidates. Eridan was the most likely because of
certain reasons.
//Destroying the last matriorb was one of the dumbest and most evil things any
troll could have done. But I doubt that Kanaya respects him enough, to be honest
nobody seems to respect him those days. He has a lot of hard work before him to
make up this one huge mistake.//
He was writing the human kids these days because they were still willing to talk
to him and he scaled down on the flirtations. He probably didn’t want to risk
alienating the few people who are still willing to talk to him.
Not even to herself and she would be a great kismesis for him in certain
aspects. She believed in magic and he did not, she liked to help, he did not in
the past, she liked psychology, he was a psychological wreck, she loved Kanaya,
he killed Kanaya once.
But it seemed to go badly if “murder of a good friend” is part of a
kismesissitude.

//Vriska? I’m not sure about Kanaya's feeling for her. She didn’t mentioned
her often while we were on the meteor. But to be honest she didn’t want to
talk about the dead trolls that much either, even the ones she liked. The
memories were probably too painful. Oh, so much material for psychoanalysis...
No, focus, focus on ONE problem at a time.//

Rose thought about all the trolls she knew. Tavros was a candidate in the
loosest sense because he managed to get Vriskas red attention before Kanaya
could, though unwittingly. Also Kanaya had never seemed to despise Tavros as far
as Rose could tell.
Sollux was unlikely and the same went for Nepeta, Terezi was sometimes strenuous
but not hateable, Equius is odd at best and his former belief in the
hemospectrum was sometimes aggravating but never bad enough to completely hate
him.
Gamzee was a strong contender for anybody. He worked actively for Lord English
and killed Equius and Nepeta and despite being insane at the time he never
showed regret over it. But he wasn’t very good in the black quadrant if his
relationship with Terezi was any indication. Also he faced a lifelong
imprisonment for his crimes.
He was a lucky guy to be apprehended in Germany, one of the countries that
abolished the death sentence.
Eridan was still a good candidate too to a degree but there would be too much
hate, no respect. He destroyed the matriorb, killed Kanaya and Feferi. Who could
respect somebody like that? Somebody who thought too much about himself and not
enough about others.
Feferi was also rather unlikely.

But in the end she couldn’t say for sure which troll was black for whom and
which of them would be interested in Kanaya as a kismesis and vice versa.
//Well, even if she already has something serious and black going on with one of
them it would be appreciated if she tells me about this considering I’m red
with her.// 
She thought that but she wasn't sure if she would react negatively in reality.


===============================================================================



Nachwort:
Es tut mir leid wenn ich wieder vergessen habe ein Kapitel hochzuladen.
Das hochladen vergesse ich ständig.^^"



                           Kapitel 8: Quadrant-Talk
                           ------------------------


Kanaya lay on the sofa with Rose again, cuddling.
Dave was also there. He was reading a magazine, ignoring the two in his living
room. 
“How was your day, Dave?”
“Nothing interesting. Dirk talked to me about moving to France.”
“Why?”
“Something about equal terms marriage possibilities. He knows that it is also
legal to marry in all the states now but France and Europe are more tolerant
towards homosexuality in general.”
“Sounds good, can we accompany you both?”
“If you two pay your own tickets, sure, no problem, I will ask Dirk about
this.”
“What about Dirk’s brother?”
“Dirks bro still has to shoot “Sweet Bro & Hella Jeff meet the Avengers”.
That will be the shit, I know it.”
“Indeed. I was impressed that the other “Sweet Bro & Hella Jeff” won so
many Oscars. In which categories did your brother from another universe win the
awards again?”
“Every single one. The academy awards changed a lot since the resurrection of
earth.”

Dave lived now with Dirk and his Bro. They came to that conclusion because they
thought together nobody could contain their sense of irony and they would be
invincible. 
“Invincible against what, you fuckheads?”, Karkat asked Dave one day.
“Which idiot would have a reason to attack three other idiots with long sharp
swords?”
“The Anti-Irony equation, the greatest threat for all irony.”
“Great, I will gladly lead it to you three dumbasses. Maybe it can punch some
sense into your irony-crusted stupid fuckheads. The idea of you four forming a
team is too much to bear for the poor fucking multiverse!”
“Yeah, we will be the justice league but any of us needs more superpowers also
three female members to balance this out. We need three cool ironic dames.”
“How about the fucking Golden Girls?”
“We thought about that but three of them are already dead and necromancy is a
big hassle. We could be sued for grave robbery and that would be a real mood
killer.” 
“Shit, I really wanted to meet Bea Arthur”, Karkat said half-sarcastically.
“Chill out dude, we can do a séance if that is what you want.”
“I could get Aradia for that fantastical fucked up idea but she is more
interested in summoning Vincent Price. A guy named Tim Burton requested
that.”

The three got along well, even if they had rather big disputes about irony
sometimes.
“I can’t wait to see the movie," Kanaya said. “It may look very stupid but
somehow I’m still impressed by those exceptional movies in a difficult to way
to define.”

Later, while Kanaya was in the bathroom, Rose leaned over to her brother.
“Dave, would you have problems If I ask you something personal and maybe
hurtful?”
Dave looked to Rose. “Say it out loud. I can deal with it.”
“Why couldn’t you live with the idea of Terezi having a Kismesis?”
“Oh, you know, the fact they screamed too loud while it was Gamzee's turn, his
horns scattered the floor every morning and I didn’t like the idea of
polygamy.”
“But it was clearly different. She loved you, she hated him.”
Dave sighed a little. “I could have lived with her having a moirail but this
hate-relationship stuff was too much for me to bear. I mean.... Please, I
don’t want to talk about it.”
“I understand your problem very well. Maybe a little too well.”
Dave raised an eyebrow. “What is going on? I have a guess but I don’t want
to say it out loud because I will probably be wrong and the explanation is more
ridiculous than the assumed truth in the end.”
“You are probably right with your assumption: I suspect that Kanaya has a
Kismesis.”
“I see, but why are you sharing this information with me?”
“Because you are the best at controlling your features and voice. Or in other
words your poker face is pretty good. Also I trust you.”
“Thank you for those correct compliments but I’m not the best guy in regards
to Kismesisstude.”
“I want to accept the idea that Kanaya has a hate-based relationship with
somebody that is even of a sexual nature. The question is if I can actually do
it?”
“Can you?”
“I don’t know. I fear the answer I could have in the end.”
“Then don’t do it. Don’t bother with it.”
“This is impossible. It is not possible for me to ignore this possibility. I
have to look into it, no matter the outcome.”

After Kanaya came back, the two stayed only for a short while before going home
again.
“I want to thank you for this meal Dave. I appreciate your cooking skill.”
“No, problem Kanaya. I’m really happy that you two survived this. I feared
the mercury in the meal could be deadly for trolls.” 
“It was very palatable.”
“And I'll phone you later sis.”
“With pleasure bro.”

As the two lovebirds were on their way back through a transportalizers in
Dave’s apartment, which brought them back to their home in an instant, Kanaya
asked: “I have a question of a extraordinarily personal matter to ask you.”
Rose didn’t look Kanaya in the face. “What is it?”
“Is Dave a moirail to you?”
“I know that moirails are similar to siblings in some way. But the idea of
having a platonic relationship with my brother is which is in a sense romantic
feels wrong to me.”
“Because it the word “romance” is connected to it?”
“This is true. Having a romance with a relative is looked down upon in our
society.”
“Why is this so?” Kanaya asked. interested.
“Because incestuous relationships can produce disabled children.”
“Being disabled was not a bad thing in our old society. As long as you were
able to contribute, you would be accepted.“
“Yes, but producing somebody disabled on purpose can be pretty mean for the
disabled child. I would never say that somebody disabled doesn’t have the
right to live of course.”
“I wouldn’t think that you had an different opinion on this, my dear Rose.
But Moirallegiance can’t produce descendants in any way.”
“Still it would be pretty strange for me and for Dave probably too. We will
stay friends and also brother and sister. No quadrant for us.”

Kanaya understood but she asked herself if Rose would ever contemplate a
Moirallegiance with somebody else. 
Kismesisstude was a whole different affair for humans and something that
didn’t work for them most of the time.
Still, Kanaya didn’t have the courage to tell Rose about her meetings with
Vriska.

===============================================================================



                             Kapitel 9: Kismesis?
                             --------------------


Rose was alone in her room. Kanaya was on a meeting with other trolls from the
jade-caste and they were arranging that trolls with other blood colours would be
allowed to care for the virgin mothergrubs and the troll grubs amongst other
things. The decision to slowly disband the caste-system was not fast enough for
some trolls who were enslaved by it but disbanding the entire system on the spot
would only bring great chaos with it. Trolls from the other castes yearned for
work in profession they weren’t allowed to enter in the past.
Also Feferi’s aim to reform the Alternian system into one that’s more like
the Beforian had to be rejected after the flaws of that system were pointed out
to her.
// She always had the best in mind for everyone. People with power should never
abuse said power and try to do the best for the people under them. But turning
all the low bloods into wards of the state and never giving them the freedom to
be independent was also a bad idea. Their lives may be shorter but that didn't
mean that the high bloods would be suited best for caring for them until they
die.// 

Rose tried to distract herself with those thoughts but it lead her again and
again back to Kanaya. What was her secret activity? If it really was a kismesis
then Rose was worried. What if the kismesis was as bad being a black-partner as
Gamzee once was? Or if her black partner was in some way better than herself and
she Kanaya would rather stay with that person than with her. The idea of only
being the red lover and she living together with her black lover was not a nice
one in her head. 
Rose had never considered the possibility that Kanaya would prefer to live with
one of her other quadrants one day.
//One of the quadrants will draw the short stick. But Kanaya always liked the
red quadrant the most, at least this is what I thought. Her feelings about
quadrants could still change.//

Rose decided against drama, against waiting and against not saying anything. She
would confront her red flushed love and her kismesis, moirail or the caliginous
couple she was auspistice of.


================================================================================



                              Kapitel 10: Busted!
                              -------------------



===============================================================================

Chapter 10:  Busted!



“I should go.”
“Are you serious? We started only five minutes ago.”
Kanaya looked nervously around. “My conscience isn’t pure. I belied Rose
about the duration of the Jade-Blood meeting.”
“Oh, never thought you had that in you, fussyfangs.”
“Vriska...”
“You are right, fussyfangs isn’t appropriate anymore, lyingfangs.”
“Vriska!”
“How about fibfangs?”
Kanaya gave Vriska a cold look. Vriska laughed. 
“What is your problem my pale diamond?”
Kanaya continued her cold look.
“Kanaya, it was only a joke!”
Kanaya’s look was still cold.
“Please Kanaya… I’m sorry.”
Still cold.
“Kanaya not that look please, I hate it. You looked at me like this on the
meteor. I hated it.”
“Really?”
Vriska searched for the right words. She searched for a way that wouldn't let
her look weak. But in the end honesty won through.
“I like you very much and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you
again.”
Kanaya smiled. Her eyes became warm again. “I’m very fortunate to hearken
those words.”
“Yeah, yeah…”, sighed Vriska. “Same for me.”
Kanaya patted her friend on her right cheek. “Good troll, best moirail.”
Vriska hissed playfully followed by a little purr. 

“Maybe I should call Rose.”
“To say her that everything is going fine?”
“Yes, maybe I will feel better when I have done that.”
“Okay, but after that we will continue okay? All this effort shouldn’t go to
waste.”
Kanaya nodded and started to contact Rose on her smartphone.
They heard a ringing sound from the other side of the door.

//It is like in so many stories: You forgot to turn off your Handy and if you
try to be sneaky it has to ring. Okay, maybe they will think it belongs to
somebody else?//
She heard noises from the room, noises that sounded like polite panic. Few
people could make such noises, very few.
//All right, time to face the truth. How should my entrance look? Knocking
cautious? Knocking with force? Blasting the door down? Go out and flying through
the window? Blowing a hole into the wall?// She decided to do something really
unusual.
“Hello? Anyone in here?”
“By no means, nobody is in here. Go away or I will call my Legislace… What?
Ehm, I mean the human police of course! A normal human police officer with
normal guns who will kill people with black skin without reason if they are in
the LAPD.”

Rose recognised the voice of Vriska. She tried to mask her voice and it wasn’t
bad but she heard Vriska forth. “Please open the door or I will consider
breaking the entrance down and I’m not a fan of such a clichéd maneuver.”
She didn’t get an answer so she produced her tome of eldritch lore for an
unlocking-spell. //Let’s see…. “Master spell of unlocking”, developed by
Jillian Valetina, grand-mistress of the grimdark magic. That should do the
trick.//
Rose spoke the ancient words in an unspoken dialect that could drive normal
people insane, luckily for her, most of the people she knew weren’t normal, in
a positive sense.
The grimdark magic opened the door and she entered, filled with fear about what
she might have to behold. 

The next few seconds were in slow motion for Kanaya. It was a very strange
sentiment being in slow motion. Everything was certain, so much clearer now and
this made the situation much worse. She had a multitude of options, one was to
jump out of the window, another one was to try and hide under the pile, another
option was to chainsaw her way through the floor to the level below.
She decided to turn into a leather-wing-beast and try to fly away.

A bat flew into the hair of Rose and was caught in it. Panicked, the bat tried
to free herself but rash movements didn’t help here.
“Hey, calm down, that hurts, please, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Vriska wasn’t noticed by Rose. With a little luck she could slip out without
the Seer noticing her. And having luck was her speciality. Rose was distracted
with Kanaya, so she could slip through the window. She sneaked quickly towards
the window and opened it.
“You stay here!”, Rose demanded with a firm voice while grabbing the bat.
“And you will also stay Vriska.”
“I’m not Vriska, I’m a fan troll.” Vriska claimed. ”I was doing a lame
troll role-playing here, even if trolls aren’t that interesting.”
“The grass of the aliens always looks more interesting. Stop this charade,
I’m not a fool.“
“Maybe you are not. What do you want?”
Rose hold the panicked bat with a stern grip before her. She was very careful
not to harm Kanaya.
“Please transform back.”
The bat tried to play dumb and still tried to get away but without hurting
Rose.
“Okay, I always wanted a bat as a pet. You will have a great time with
Jaspers.”
The Kanaya-bat sighed. She transformed back and Kanaya appeared before Rose.

“So then, let us talk about…”, started Rose as Kanaya fell to her knees
and started to cry. Rose was taken by surprise, she didn’t know how to respond
to this. “What is the problem here?”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”
“I…”
“Please, don’t leave me!”
“I will not, but please explain…”
“I needed it, I didn’t know that I ever would really need it but now I
know!”
“Well, if you explain it that way…”
“I… please, don’t be like Dave, please!“
“If you would let me talk I could…”
“I… please I simply had to fill the diamond!”
“I understand that and…. wait, diamond?”

Vriska said: “Stop, both of you!”
Rose looked up to Vriska. Did she just…
“Calm down Kanaya, please calm down.”
“Vriska…”
“Calm down, yes?”
“I can’t, Rose I, this is, she will, I… I….”
“Calm down my diamond, okay? Jegus, you take this crap still too
seriously.”
What was Vriska saying? Rose didn’t understand anything anymore. Kanaya
started to calm down a little, but was still sobbing. “Rose, please… don’t
conduct it like Dave did. Please.”
“I will not be ironic about this.”
“I wasn't referring towards that part of his being more about the factoid that
he couldn't accept the idea that every troll has multiple partners in different
quadrants.”
“Would you please so kindly and let me say something before you jump to
conclusions?”
Kanaya nodded and became silent, kneeling before Rose.
Rose smiled and requested: “Please, don’t kneel before me.“

Kanaya inhaled and exhaled a few times. She was not a person known to freak out
that easily, rather the opposite. She calculated her next move very carefully.
”Rose, I…”
“Let me talk with her, my diamond. I will explain this to her.”
Kanaya and Rose turned together to Vriska.
“Excuse me?”, the two said simultaneously. 
“Yes, I'm your moirail and I have to do moirail stuff now! That includes
talking with your other quadrants.”
“I never heard about that.”
“Oh, it has to be done should your moirail act like one of those trolls in
distress in your dumb rainbow drinker novels.”
“I don’t do that.”
“Right, you are still too rational for that.” Vriska acknowledged. “Still,
I’m more level-headed than you right now. So let me handle this, I will talk
with her about this shit.“
“Are you sure about this?”
“I am.”

Kanaya looked to Vriska and then to Rose. For a moment she wanted to speak to
her but she trembled. The fear was too much for her.
“Do it then, without delay, please.”
Silence.
“I will go home, then. I wait there for you, Rose.”
“Yes my dear, we meet later.”

The alien vampire left the apartment both partly certain and partly uncertain.
She didn’t know why she trusted Vriska with this but she wanted to know if
Vriska really had changed. She wouldn’t screw this up on purpose only to have
more time with Kanaya.
She wouldn’t do that, right?

===============================================================================



                Kapitel 11: Her Red lover and her pale diamond
                ----------------------------------------------



===============================================================================


Rose looked Vriska in the eyes.
Vriska looked back, grinning her usual arrogant grin.
“Better take a seat, this mess could take a while to clear up.”
“Of course, where is a seat?”
“I have none. I only rented this apartment for feelings jams.”
“Is a good place for sitting never a place for a feelings jam?”
“Didn’t think about that.”
The two were silent for a few seconds.
“You and Kanaya are moirails again, right?”
“And the candidate receives one hundred points!”
“And what will I get for concluding another fact about you two?“
“A brand new car!”
“Not needed.”

Rose was frustrated but not with Vriska. She had so much vigorand determination
a few minutes ago but the situation changed substantially. She had anticipated a
black couple and not a pale one and she never would have guessed that Vriska
would be the one to clarify the situation. Vriska was grinning but she almost
always grinned. Showing her teeth, letting her look arrogant and confident. It
was a pretty efficient mask for Vriska.
The eldritch mage decided to sit down on the pile made of Jack Sparrow puppets.

Vriska still stood, the other options was sitting besides Rose, rather
unpractical in her mind.
“I love Kanaya” Vriska said.
“Excuse me?” 
“No drama, no misconceptions no fucking shenanigans: I love Kanaya.”
“Do you challenge me?” Rose had thoughts of her and Vriska battle for the
right to mate with Kanaya like animals. It was weird and for some reason a
little arousing. 
“Only if you also want to become her diamond.”
Rose needed a second before she understand. “You mean the pale Quadrant.”
“No, I meant her lawyer.”
“That job belongs to Terezi already.”
“She is everyone’s lawyer.”
“I’m in Kanayas pale quadrant but for real this time, no red crush on her
side. Pale, platonic, like two sisters.“
“Isn’t Terezi your sister?”
“Another sister, but a sister of a different kind.”
“I understand.”

Vriska wasn’t as hostile as Rose thought she would be. This confused her a
little but not enough to throw her of the tracks.
“This situation looks too easy for me.“
“Really?”
“This kind of situation is always a lot more complicated. Full of
misunderstanding, envy, and stupid decisions.”
“That is stupid! I don’t want drama, I only want time with my moirail. Is
that a problem for you?”
“No?”
“Do you see? Wasn’t that easy?”
“Well, there is one thing…”
Vriska sighed.
“Reaaaaaaaally?!?!?!?! I thought everything was okay!!!!!!!!”

That was more of the Vriska Rose had heard about. Vriska looked angrily towards
the young wizard.
“Okay, spit it out, Lalonde, what is your problem?!?!?!?!”
“Why does she need a moirail? She has me. She can talk with me about
anything.”
“Are you talking with her about everything and anything????????”
“Yes...” Rose said but with a unsure tone in her voice.
“Be honest with me Lalonde!!!!!!!!”
“Only when you calm down.”
“I.......!” The Spider-Troll stopped herself.
“I don’t tell Kanaya everything.”
“And she doesn’t tell you everything either. Why should she?”
Rose wanted to answer immediately but she waged that she shouldn't answer on the
spot. Instead, she answered: “You are right, but I wish she would trust me
more.”
“Everybody has their secrets, Lalonde. Do you know humans or trolls who could
live with everything about them is public?”
“Not really.”

The two were silent again.
After a while Rose said “I think I can accept that. To be honest I thought you
would be in her black quadrant now.”
“Not be a long shot!”, said Vriska. “Why did you think so Lalonde?”
“Because you two weren’t on good terms as far as I have heard.”
“That doesn’t mean automatically a black relationship or that the old one
can never be repaired.”
“No hate between you two?”
“I could explain to you what happened exactly but not without Kanaya’s
permission.”
“And you wouldn’t have a problem with it?”
“To be honest, I wouldn’t want to talk about everything, but who would?”
“Was there not at least some dislike?”
“She disliked me for trying to get red with Tavros but not with her. To be
honest that was one of my minor fuck ups in my opinion. I didn’t know that she
was red for me at that time.”
“So, she did forgive you for that?”
“Yes. She once said to me that she should have talked about her being in love
with me instead of hoping I would say her that I’m flushed for her. A terrible
tactic, an incredible stupid one.”
“And did you neglect her for…”
“Asshole! Don’t psycho-analyze me Lalonde! I already said enough! Don’t
use it against me Lalonde or you will regret it!”

The eldritch magician was taken aback. Suddenly aggressive again? Maybe Vriska
didn’t change too much after all? Maybe she suppressed her more abrasive side
too much?
She noticed that second that she was analyzing Vriska's psyche against her
wishes. Analyzing people was simply a reflex for Rose. She stopped and asked:
“I apologize. It is simply in my blood.”

Vriska calmed down herself. “Whatever. I don’t need a therapist, I have a
diamond for that. And I have to give her some therapeutic treating should you
decide to leave her only because she likes to cuddle with me from time to
time.”
The idea of Vriska as a therapist was a strange one admitted Rose to herself.
“I think I can accept her Moirallegiance with you Vriska.”
“Finaaaaaaaally, a clear decision.”
“I will go and tell Kanaya about the news.”

And so it was decided without unnecessary drama.


===============================================================================



This Chapter was Beta- and Proofread by Alder.




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