open | the lake

[f8tal]

Who: Vriska & Anyone
Where: The lake
When: Afternoon, July 11th
Style: Action or prose, doesn't matter.
Status: Open!

Despite having been kicked out of her house with Feferi, Vriska didn't let this new reality dampen her efforts to ruin Eridan's week at the request of Darkleer. In fact she found it to have been the highlight of her week- just plain bullying brought a smile to her face. Of course it didn't warm her heart, but it was satisfying to see the seadwelling troll suffer for what he said about Lysunder. A part of her wondered if all of these pranks would be considered as her blackflirting with the fool and she hoped desperately not. Honestly, she just platonically hated the idiot and seeing him suffer was nice. There wasn't anything black about it.

That all aside Vriska had relocated herself up on the island in one of the abandoned houses, finding the mess and clutter inside reminiscent of her old hive before the game. After throwing her stuff in one of the rooms she left to head for the lake. The sun was still up in the sky, but the temperature was dropping as night approached and she found this to be the best time to be out. It was natural for highbloods to be more inclined towards cooler temperatures and Vriska was no exception. So when she felt like visiting the lake for a swim the cold water felt better to her than water heated by the midday sun. She pulled off her shirt and jeans, leaving her in only her skivvies before wading out into the water. Maybe she could catch a fish again like she did when she was stuck as a mermaid for a week. She was never one for seafood, but catching her food was rewarding enough to not completely steer her away from the idea.

Comments

[devwocean]

When Dualscar wanted a swim, he usually went for the open ocean, even after the traumatic experience where he lost a leg. But he had recently discovered the lake, and had been visiting it from time to time, as well.

Today he arrived to find someone swimming in it already, noticing the splashing even as he waded into the water. Curious, he swam closer, only to call out in surprise when he first caught sight of the girl's horns.

"Spinneret?"

[aim_exorable]

Darkleer never quite dealt with grief well. Back on Alternia, it often meant throwing himself into his work- often the Empire's work when it was still his to do, robots when nothing else was available. Here in Vatheon, it means taking more hours on at the bookshop and throwing himself even more into his mechanics and engineering than he usually would on a good day.

Unfortunately, the children didn't quite support that kind of lifestyle nowadays. There were the worried glances and the hints to get out of his room. Today, they've actually managed to succeed, and that is how Darkleer finds himself wandering the island. Dural flies somewhere above him, but he's not truly paying attention to her. He mostly focuses on just walking through the plantlife, occasionally stopping when he sees an animal past the greenery. Each time always makes his heart twist.

When he stumbles across the lake, he pauses at seeing that familiar figure- familiar in more ways than one, really. There's a brief pause before he decides to call out to her. "How is the water?"

[f8tal]

She was about to lunge for a fish when she heard a voice and nearly stumbled forward. Spinning around, not even bothering to cover her chest (modesty never became her), a frown pulls at her lips.

"Dualscar." He mistook her for Mindfang, not that Vriska could blame him. Even with her shorter hair now they were still somewhat similar in appearance. Somewhat. She turned away again to try and find the fish that escaped her.

[f8tal]

She was only up to her thighs in water when he called out to her. Looking back over to him, posture casual and modesty levels at zero, she shrugged.

"Dirty and full of smelly fish. What do you think it's like?"

[420]

[Gamzee is an ocean lover. Grow up by a sea and a simple lake just doesn't measure up. But sacrifices must be made in the life of a caring mama lusus like he is, and if his goose man wants to hang about a lake and scare the ducks some and eat everything in sight, well, then off to the lake it is.

Once they are close enough to smell water, Milo charges ahead with a load of loud honking, --the kinda honking that always brings a smile to gamzee's face cause man, honking just rocks-- splashing into the water. Gamzee still follows at a more sedated pace, his hands tucked in his pockets. He doesn't even notice Vriska at first, just glancing out over the lake with a content smile. But who does notices her is one very curious loud goose, swimming closer to her.

Good luck catching any fish now, Vriska.]

[devwocean]

Oh. Dualscar realizes his mistake, this time, when he gets a better look at her. His eyes flick down to the naked torso, then up at her face. Even at the youngest he had known her, Spinneret wasn't this young.

"Ah, Vvriska, I mean. My mistake. Wwhat are you doin'?"

[aim_exorable]

Fortunately, he's used to scandalizing actions by ceruleanbloods. At least ones like Vriska.

"I was asking more about the temperature. The fish part is not particularly surprising."

[f8tal]

She didn't look back at him when he questioned her. With nothing to show, chest-wise, Vriska found no shame in swimming with little on. Who even cared?

A spear broken in half in hand she tried to stab at a fish, but missed. "Fishing! What does it look like I'm doing?"

[f8tal]

Life is easier when you don't care about walking around half-nude outside.

"Well it's perfectly fine for me! I doubt anyone else would agree with me, though." It was pretty chilly for anyone who preferred warmer waters, but Vriska liked it just like this.

[aim_exorable]

"Hmm, a few might." Highbloods do better in chilly waters anyway, although warmer ones can feel divine. Settling down at the shore of the lake, he just sits there and watches her.

"What are you doing, if I may ask?"

[f8tal]

[Before her life as a mutated seadweller Vriska hated any large body of water if she wasn't riding it on a ship. Yet during that horrible week the lake kind of... grew on her and it was hard now not to come over and wet her feet a little from time to time.

This time she justified her swimming with fishing, another thing she picked up while she was aquatic. Now just as she was about to spear a fish with her dagger a fucking goose came up from her side and honked loudly at her. She screeched, naturally.]

Fuck-!

[420]

[A screech loud enough to raise the dead! Also the braindead as demonstrated by the way Gamzee's head jerks up, his eyes blinking as he stares over the lake trying to find the source of the noise. Man, he hadn't even realized anyone was out there. He shuffles closer to the edge, finally spotting the-- ... is that vriska?]

Sis? That you?

[devwocean]

He'd seen this particular chest quite a few times, or one like it. And Mindfang's were a bit more to look at, anyway.

"Not vvery much like fishing," Dualscar said ironically, watching the fish swim away. "Fishin' usually invvolvves catchin' a fish or twwo."

[f8tal]

She didn't mind his company. If it was anyone else she would probably have a problem, but...

She nudged at the water with her broken spear. "Fishing, obviously! Duh."

[f8tal]

[She's waving at the goose to try and steer it away, moving out of the water herself. Seeing Gamzee at the shore just made her frown harder and point to the goose.]

Is that yours?!

[aim_exorable]

"Obviously. My mistake." A weak, dry smile. "How many have you caught so far?"

[f8tal]

"... None. But I just started so it doesn't count for anything!" She quickly added as she looked through the water for any sign of fishy life. This was easier when she caught them under water.

[aim_exorable]

So stubborn. Then again, for their race, that is a good thing. "I apologize for interrupting you then. Although, wheneve you decide to take a break of some sort, I would like to give you something. Please, however, take your time."

[f8tal]

"Huh?" She stopped looking for fish, now giving him her complete attention. "I can take a break now!" She was already making her way back to the shore before he could give her a reply.

[f8tal]

Mindfang should count herself lucky she wasn't 'blessed' with two literal mosquito bites as breasts.

"Shut up! I just started." She shoots him a nasty look. "I doubt you could do any better! Too prim and proper to get a little blood under your claws!"

[devwocean]

He rolled his eyes at the statement. Orphaner Dualscar, unable to get a little bloodied dispatching some dumb animals? She had got to be kidding.

"You can't be fuckin' serious. Let me givve you some assistance, wwiggler. Though you don't deservve it wwith that attitude."

And with that, he slipped under the water and vanished.

[aim_exorable]

Well he thought that might garner her attention. Darkleer stays where he is, letting her come to him. When she's close enough, he pulls something from his sylladex and cradles it in his palms as he holds it out to her.

It's a finely crafted, thick bracelet. The design is an intricate stylized spider, with thin webs on the bottom. Cerulean colored jewel-like things are placed here and there, mainly on the eyes for the creature and sprinkled across its back. Gently, he fiddles with its jaws and pulls out what appears to be a good lockpick before slipping it back in. Then, from the spinneret, he pulls out a wire of some sort.

"A lockpick and something to assist you into hacking into most computers, the bracelet itself being one as a matter of fact. Connect it, and a holographic screen should come up through the abdomen of the spider. I thought you would like it. Consider it my way of paying you back for the fine job you've done on Ampora." He doesn't quite chuckle, but his lips quirk upwards. "I've seen his complaints on the network."

[f8tal]

Whether it was true or not she liked to instigate others. She figured Dualscar wasn't some pansy (like Eridan), but jabbing at his sides was pretty fun.

Of course after he vanished under the water a small trickle of instinctual panic kicked in. Whoever thought it was safe to be in the same body of water as a potentially dangerous seadweller was wrong and probably very dead by now. She gripped her spear a little tighter, eyes scanning the water for any sign of him. She didn't want to come off as panicked as she felt, but it was a little difficult. Stupid seatrolls.

[devwocean]

Dualscar had no interest in pulling Vriska under the waves on this day, though. He swam deep into the lake and was gone several minutes, but suddenly broke the surface.

Under each arm he held a large lake trout, both dead with deep knife wounds that had spilled their entrails. Blood mixed with the water and ran down his shirt and his arms as he strode out of the deeps into the shallows, walking towards Vriska.

"That's howw you fuckin' fish. Wwant me to butcher them for you?"

[f8tal]

She sits down across from him, not bothering to fish her shirt out from behind a nearby rock, legs folded under her ungracefully. Her attention is fixated solely on the bracelet, watching him carefully as he operates it to understand how it worked.

When he finished she reached out for it, but not with the intention to snatch it away. No need to annoy an adult troll that could easily crush her head. "Wow, heh... This is pretty cool, not gonna lie! I'm sure I'll have a good use for it soon." She was smiling, although trying hard to make it look more like a smirk. "It wasn't a big deal, though. He deserved what he got."