Melodramatic Bullshit

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling centaursTesticle [CT]
CG: EQUIUS.
CG: GODDAMMIT I TOLD YOU TO KEEP IN TOUCH.
CT: karkat!

Her enthusiastic and almost expected response hurt him in the ears, almost physically, even though it was written text. He had been trying to contact someone else: it had been a good half an hour since their last talk, and as the leader of the group, Karkat should have been kept up to date about matters. It had been too silent to his liking, lately. Sollux still had not woken up either.

CG: FUCK, NEPETA, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
CG: GIVE THE GLASSES BACK TO EQUIUS.
CG: WHAT'S HE UP TO?
CG: I TOLD HIM TO DEAL WITH GAMZEE.
CT: hes dead.
CG: WAIT.
CG: WHAT.

That struck him badly somewhere deep in his stomach. It was difficult to grasp air, and he asked her confirmation several times.

CG: OH GOD NOT HIM TOO.
CG: JEGUS.
CG: THIS IS BAD. I TOLD HIM TO DO THAT. I PUT HIM IN DEATH.
CG: I DON'T THINK I CAN HANDLE THIS BULLSHIT.
CT: it was gamzee
CT: i saw it happen! it was awful! it
CT: i couldnt do anything
CT: he just he just took my claw and
CT: clawed himself then hurt me
CT: bad
CT: im scared
CT: karkat help me

He had never been particularly fond of either troll. Equius was an asshole, even more than Karkat himself, and Nepeta just otherwise insufferable and had singled him out for her retarded affections to boot. For some reason. He never really knew why. But he felt as awful about this as he had written to her: he was directly responsible for sending Equius to death, and for hurting Nepeta.

There was no way he would let her die.

CG: ALL RIGHT JUST TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE
CG: I'M GONNA COME AND PICK YOU UP

She had stopped with the smilies, and the cat puns, entirely: he knew that Nepeta would never stop with that stuff, even less likely than the other trolls, and they all took their writing style very seriously. Not to mention the roleplaying, or the lack of it right now. She gave him instructions to reach her, and he ran. He left Sollux to Terezi's care, told Nepeta to hide until he came in, or run if one of the rampaging trolls found her regardless. He kept the line open while he went.

CT: we gotta talk
CG: YES THAT'S GOOD JUST KEEP TALKING
CG: DON'T GO SILENT ON ME EVEN FOR A SEC
CT: something i always wanted to say to you
CT: karkat
CG: OH JEGUS NO
CT: ANYTHING BUT THAT PLEASE
CT: but i
CG: NO LOOK
CG: I KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT IS AND I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT NOW
CG: WE GOT MORE IMPORTANT SHIT TO HANDLE
CG: IF YOU REALLY HAVE TO YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT IT LATER

He had his sickle ready. He cut a few railings to jump down some floors, bypassing almost a mile of travel and teleporting and shit. He tried to calm her down on the way, the best he could:

CG: ITS ALL RIGHT IM GONNA COME FOR YOU
CG: WHERE ARE YOU DID YOU HIDE
CT: went back to ducts
CT: with his body
CG: OH GOD WHY
CG: HES DEAD THERES NOTHING YOU CAN DO
CG: JUST DITCH HIM
CT: no!
CT: gamzee was gonna use him for paint
CT: i wont let him!
CG: JEGUS WHATEVER
CG: WHY DIDNT HE KILL YOU?
CT: i ran away
CT: i think he found someone else
CT: vriska i think
CG: OH GREAT NOTHING OF VALUE WILL BE LOST
CG: WAIT
CG: YOU RAN AWAY WITH EQUIUSS BODY
CT: yeah
CG: DUDE FUCK

Every inch of her body was hurt. The adrenaline boost of seeing the death of her moirail had long since left Nepeta, leaving behind nothing but a whole lot of pain. Her wrist was broken, her nose was a mess, she had lost a lot of blood, there were many puncture wounds and a broken foot and bruises and her head hurt and... she could barely keep writing for Karkat, but she did so anyway so that she wouldn't make him worry any more.

CG: OKAY JUST KEEP WRITING ABOUT ANYTHING
CG: ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT
CG: OR THE OTHER THING YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN
CT: i dunno what else to say
CT: im scared
CT: eq always helped me in that
CT: it wasnt just me keeping him in check
CT: it was also him keeping me safe and not afraid of anything
CT: was never afraid when he was around
CG: HE LIVED LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD
CG: AND YOU WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A JUNGLE
CT: yeah but it was enough to have him on trollian
CT: it was all good
CT: i just talked to him when i had had a nightmare or something had tried to ambush me
CT: and everything was good again
CT: fine
CT: and now hes dead

There was still a horrible lump in her throat. She would have cried, except no more tears came out. So she settled curling up there in the vent, wearing Equius's broken glasses. There was a clatter somewhere outside, and a honk: it was dark in there. Normally she wasn't afraid of the dark but...

CT: i think theres someone here
CG: GOD
CG: IF THEY FIND YOU RUN
CG: LEAVE THE BODY IF YOU HAVE TO
CG: JUST RUN
CT: okay
CG: IM ALMOST THERE JUST HANG ON FOR A WHILE

All these cloning vats and spawning pools... the broken wires and pipes and wandering monsters... they had never bothered him before. But now there were three lunatics wandering the hallways, each of whom could outclass him with ease.

He did not feel comfortable with this. If he met anyone that wanted to kill him, they could: he probably couldn't even flee. He was trying to be a hero, and it might cost him his life. But it was still better than leaving Nepeta there all alone: he could pick her up and leave, just run, and everything would be okay. Everything would be fine.

CG: EVERYTHINGLL BE FINE
CG: ITLL BE OKAY NEPETA I PROMISE
CT: it wont
CT: equius is still dead
CT: and you
CT: you wont
CG: SORRY
CT: but
CG: LOOK I TOLD YOU
CG: WE TALK ABOUT THIS LATER
CT: the honks
CG: I HEAR THEM TOO
CG: JUST TRY AND IGNORE THEM EVERYTHINGLL BE OKAY
CT: karkat
CG: NO DONT SAY IT

She wanted to. She wanted to tell him so bad, even if he knew it already. She felt like she could die at any moment... there was a strange smell around now, somewhat hopeful, yet bitter. And the honking, always, from every direction... it sounded so wrong. The metal against her was cold, the air around her even colder, she could not move a muscle.

CG: ALMOST THERE NOW
CG: JUST WAIT A BIT
CT: okay
caligulasAquarium [CA] began trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]
CA: hey kar
CG: OH GODDAMMIT
CG: IM NOT IN THE MOOD GO AWAY
CA: dude wwhat the fuck youre all hostile to me for some reason
CG: OH WOW REAL SURPRISE
CG: YOU KILLED TWO OF MY FRIENDS YEAH SURE WHY WOULD I EVER HATE YOU
CA: okay fine but listen
CG: NO FUCK YOU
CG: IM IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING
CA: somethin
CA: hopeful
CG: OH GOD NO
CA: tryin to savve a friend
CG: NO
CG: FUCK YOU
CA: before shes murdered by something
CG: IF YOU TOUCH HER

His chest hurt, from pain and fatigue and simple platonic anger and hate. He tried to force his feet to go faster, but could not: he would have hoped to have a pair of Vriska's rocket boots right now

CA: you dont knoww wwhere i am and i dont knoww wwhere you are
CA: could be im real far and youre real close
CG: SHUT UP
CG: JUST SHUT UP
CG: DONT TOUCH HER
CA: real hopeful right i mean you could still savve her probably if youre quick
CG: FUCK YOU I WILL

The voices were coming closer now, as did the smell. There was something faintly glowing outside: then it was blocked by a large shadow, and Nepeta saw something through the grate, looking straight at her...

She tried to clamber away, but her body failed. She could not muster the strength to move. "L-leave me alone!", she told him, tearfully, seeing him quite clearly with her night vision... the scarf, the fins, the wand in his raising hand... he ignored what she said. "K-karkat!"

She typed furiously: even the injured hand was doing it now, the burning pain all too real for her, yet completely ignored. There was no answer. Only a bright flash from her light, followed by a brief powerful heat, then back to cold and darkness.

CA: i dont think she has much wwill to livve anymore really
CA: i should knoww im the prince of hope i knoww a lot about howw much people wwant or not wwant to livve
CG: FUCK YOU YOURE WRONG
CG: SHES THE LIVELIEST TROLL I EVER SAW
CG: SHE WONT GIVE UP
CA: oh but she already did she lost her moirail and her flushed feelins are onesided
CG: SHUT UP
CA: nothin left to livve for shell die if youre not quick enough
CG: JUST
CG: SHUT UP
carcinoGeneticist [CG] has blocked caligulasAquarium [CA]

He was nearly there now. Just a little bit further... Karkat went back to Nepeta, having ignored her in favour of Eridan for a while there. There was a wall of messages there, waiting for him, that made his stomach twist.

CT: karkat
CT: you still there
CT: you almost here now right
CT: please come pick me up
CT: karkat i think they found me
CT: i cannot run
CT: karkat im flushed for you
CT: i know you told me to not say it but
CT: please answer
CT: karkat
CT: please where are you
CT: you told me it was just a crush but
CG: IM FLUSHED FOR YOU TOO
CG: NEPETA PLEASE RUN ILL FIND YOU
CG: PLEASE
CG: I WONT LET YOU DIE

He never really felt anything for her, to be sure. She was incredibly annoying, obnoxious, he hated her roleplaying, he hated how she would get physical, he hated her taste in movies... truly, he didn't know at all why she felt this way towards him, and he never really cared either. But if it meant saving her life... god, he had changed a lot. The past him would never have done this kind of shit: no wonder he hated that asshole so bad.

There was no answer, though. There was only a little drip, and a wet feeling, as something landed on his forehead from above. There was an air duct right above him, leaking something green...