New Arrival

[thekidsare0kay]

Who: Sollux Captor and ANYONE!
Where: By the coral
When: Today
Format: Starting in prose but I'm happy to follow your lead
Status: Open as Sollux' gaping ocular sockets

He was killing himself. He could feel it in the intense pain that exploded across his think pan like someone was jabbing two culling forks through his eye sockets and then wiggling them around inside his brain.

He was sure he had killed himself. He sort of hoped he had killed himself, because living with that kind of damage was going to suck serious hoofbeast testicles.

And then he'd expected to hopefully find himself safe and sound in the bubbles, where he could spend eternity reliving the few good moments he'd had in his short life and leave the universe-saving and misery to someone else. What he hadn't expected was a whole lot of water, and confusion and a lot of voices, none of which were familiar. It sounded like he'd suddenly landed himself in the middle of a city.

Frightened and confused, he pushed himself up, coughing up a lungful of sea water and yellow blood, and felt around helplessly, searching for something, anything familiar. "Hello?" he called out, but not too loud. Karkat, Kanaya, Terezi and Gamzee had been right there. Why wasn't anyone saying anything to him?

"What happened?"

Comments

[thekidsare0kay]

When a towel is pushed into his hands, he smiles gratefully and begins wiping away some of the water and blood from his face. "Well, I'm dead," he says wryly. "I don't think I can get any worse."

[bestestfurrend]

"...oh." She sat down on the ground abruptly - she supposed she shouldn't be surprised, but she always hated finding out just how few of them survived. "I'm sorry. I am too. Well, back in the Veil at least. We're not dead here! So we can still die so I think we really should get someone to take a look at you before you lose any more blood..."

[thekidsare0kay]

He frowned in confusion, groping out until he found her and curling his fingers in her jacket. Wasn't this the dream bubbles? "I know you are... Gamzee subjugglated you. But I'm confused. Aren't we in the Furthest Ring or whatever? That's what Aradia said."

[bestestfurrend]

She moved closer to him, resting her hand on his arm so he'd know where she was, patting him a couple of times. "Nuh uh, that must be where you were back there, but this is somewhere else completely! It's called Vatheon. A lot of us were grubnapped here, even those of us who are supposed to be dead. Me and Equius and Tavros...Feferi too. We don't know why we're here really, or how to leave, but we don't really want to leave anyway, it's a nice place. Lots nicer than the game or Alternia." She laughed a little. "But that wouldn't be furry difficult, would it?"

[thekidsare0kay]

"Oh," he said, startled. "Man, I really thought I was actually dead for good that time. Fuck." He appreciated her pats, and shifted a bit closer. He didn't really know Nepeta that well, but she'd always seemed nice, despite her thing for Equius. "I was trying to tow the asteroid to the Green Sun. Blew my brainpan out of my auricular ports."

[bestestfurrend]

"...but at least this is better than being dead, right? Well, I didn't think so at first either when I'd just arrived, so I understand. But Karkat is here too, nearly all of us are actually, and even some of our humans. It's nice being able to spend time together without needing to fight for our lives!"

She'd rather like to give him a hug about now, he just seemed so miserable, but from the little she knew Sollux he was prone to moodswings and always often rather touchy so she kept to simple comforting pats for now. "You were trying to...oh. Oww." She winced in sympathy - no wonder he looked like hell.

[thekidsare0kay]

"Yeah, it's better than being dead, except that just means that the death part is still in my future." He frowns. "Though I guess that's pretty much the same for everyone."

He's okay with pats, though a hug wouldn't be terrible, just awkward. He shrugs faintly. "So what happens, now? If I get a vote, I could really use a nap, my thinkpan is killing me - metaphorically, I mean."

[bestestfurrend]

"I think I'd already died when they got me here...or I was close to it. I don't know. But I know what you mean..." She shrugged, frowning, forgetting for a moment that he wouldn't be able to see her doing that. "A little extra time is better than none at all, at least if it's made up of good times! And we're trying to find a way to make staying here purrmanent."

"You can nap for as long as you like! I'm not sure if we can find you a recuperacoon but the kinds humans use are pretty comfy too - and it's mostly humans living here, by the way. And now we find you a hive! Or you can stay with one of us at first I guess, that would probably be better, but it's up to you. Maybe you should stay with Signless and Mister Psii, they're good at looking after people and they'd probably want...ohhh. Oh, that's right, I haven't told you about them yet." The uncertainty was audible in her tone - would he even believe her about them?

[thekidsare0kay]

"Really? Well, that'd be better than hanging around on that horrible asteroid, that's for sure." He rubs his forehead. "I suck at living with people, but maybe sticking with someone would be a good idea until I get used to the no eyes thing." He frowns faintly. "Who?"

[bestestfurrend]

Pat, pat, pat. He just looked so tired, it reminded her how weary she'd been when arriving here at first. "The hives are pretty big here, so you'll have your own space without being bothered even if you're sharing. I'm living with Tavros...I don't think he'd mind you staying for a little if there's nowhere else you'd prefer?"

Her hand faltered, just resting on his arm instead. She'd better leave out the part about Psiioniic having been a Helmsman, at the very least. But as for the rest... "There are adult trolls here too. Our ancestors! Signless is Karkat's. And Mister Psii...he's yours. He's really nice, Sollux, I think you'd like to meet him. And I know Signless will want to meet you."

[thekidsare0kay]

Sollux contemplated with mild horror the possibility of living with Nepeta and Tavros. "Uh...I wouldn't want to impose or anything. You two are living together?"

His eyebrows go up as she describes his ancestor. "Wow, you mean that stupid ancestor legend is true?"

[bestestfurrend]

Nepeta giggled - don't think she didn't notice that expression of dismay! "You wouldn't be, but we'll find you somewhere else if you purrfer. And yes, we are! We're matesprits now, but we were living together before that too."

Her voice was full of excitement - it sounded like he believed her, which was what she'd mainly been worrying about, and it was a subject she was fond of after all. "It is! We were all really surprised! And there's lots of them here...there's the Demoness, who's Aradia's ancestor, Lysunder, who's Tavros', Mindfang...well, you've heard Vriska go on and on about her befur, I'm sure, and Dualscar, who's Eridan's. Equius lives with his, Darkleer, and Gamzee stays with them too. Gamzee's ancestor is here as well...but he's rather scary and I'd stay away from him if I were you. And mine was here! She was so nice, but she left before I got a chance to get to know her properly, and Kanaya's too."

[thekidsare0kay]

"Wow...congratulations." Have an expression of shock, instead. "Good for you guys. And I am definitely not living with the two of you. I'm sure it's gooey and disgusting."

He nodded as she went on, deluging him with a lot of information all at once and he tried to keep up. "What's my ancestor called? Master Psii?"

[bestestfurrend]

"Heehee, thank you!" And she did indeed sound just like a young troll in the giddy excited flush of her first matespritship. "And it's nooot, we spend most of our time playing, and making costumes and plushies, and having tea parties! It's fun."

Albeit not Sollux's idea of fun, most likely. "Nuh uh, Mister Psii is just what I call him, because Signless calls him Psii for short! They're best friends. He's called the Psiioniic!"

[thekidsare0kay]

"That's what I said!" Definitely not his idea of fun.

"Does he have powers like mine?" he asked, blinking curiously.

[bestestfurrend]

Nepeta just burst out giggling, shaking her head at him. His loss if he didn't want to join in! "He does! Just like yours. And he doesn't mind coming to tea parties with me," she added pointedly. "Last time he made everything float around!"

[thekidsare0kay]

He sighed heavily. "I never said that I wouldn't have a tea party with you, okay? I just can only take so much cute, happy, and lame roleplaying. But I really do appreciate your help."

He patted her arm. "Can we go back to your hive or somewhere, now?"

[bestestfurrend]

"I know! I'm only teasing! You don't have to if you don't want to." She got to her feet, reaching down to help him stand up. It had to be horribly disorienting, having lost his sight that way - perhaps that's why he was thanking her, something she hadn't quite expected, evidenced by the slight surprise in her voice when she answered him. "You're welcome, Sollux. Of course I'd help, you're a friend!"

She nodded her agreement to his plan, then remembered she needed to reply out loud. "Okay! My hive is this way, I'll take you there, and then you can contact everyone and decide where you want to stay. And have a good nap in the meantime."

[thekidsare0kay]

Yeah, thanking people wasn't really common for Sollux, but right now he was feeling very alone and confused, and Nepeta at least he could trust. He struggled to his feet as best he could with her help, and then leaned on her.

"Yeah, okay, that sounds good. Especially the nap part."

[bestestfurrend]

Nepeta slipped beneath his arm as well as she could, intending to take as much of his weight on her shoulders as was necessary. She was too short to actually attempt to carry him, and anyway she didn't know if he'd let her even if she tried.

"Then the nap can come furst! And then a snack, and then contacting the others. Okay, so I'm going to go slowly and you just lean on me, all right?"

[thekidsare0kay]

He was okay with leaning on her. Being carried was probably far too embarrassing, though it was shocking that he had any dignity left at all, considering his current state.

"I'm okay, let's just go..."

[bestestfurrend]

Other conversations set aside for now, Nepeta concentrated on leading him carefully through the city, pointing out steps and pavements and potholes, anything that might make him stumble, describing the surroundings so that he'd have at least a vague idea of the places they were going through. It still seemed a long time until they finally got to the hive, and Nepeta was rather relieved once she shouldered the door open and had him safely inside.

"Here we are! Oops, careful..." Yes, just let her lead you around this random pile of plushies in the hallway, Sollux. "Do you want to use the ablution trap? You're a bit messy." When the water-hating kitty troll asks if you want a bath, you know that a serious mess has to be involved.

[thekidsare0kay]

It was even longer to Sollux, and he was so grateful when they finally reached the hive. He was so tired. But at the offer, he nodded quickly. "Yes, yes please. Ablution trap, then sleep."

[bestestfurrend]

"It's just here...a few more steps...okay, here we are. You can sit down if you want and I'll go get you some more towels and some of Tavros' clothes, they should fit you. We'll try and clean yours later." She nodded to herself, trying to think of what else she needed to do.

"And I'll get the spare human recuperacoon ready for you," since currently it was doubling as the scene where Tiger Beetle saved Pupa Pan from the pirates, or the one where Pupa Pan saved Tiger Beetle from the pirates, depending on whether Tavros or Nepeta was in charge of the story. "Do you need me to mix the water in the trap for you? Or..." Wait. Oh dear. Was he going to need help with taking a bath too? Nepeta hadn't thought that far ahead.

[thekidsare0kay]

Sollux sank down onto the load gaper and pulled off Feferi's goggles, setting them aside gently on the counter. He glanced in Nepeta's general direction and grimaced.

"Okay, thanks. I'll just...handle the ablution by myself while you do that. And you can just leave the spare clothes inside the door."

Getting naked in front of Nepeta? Hell no.