28 // [audio]

[shadowdive]

[The feed starts out with a bit of static, but it wears off soon enough with Vanitas talking.]

Out of Mt. Mortar, starting now.

[Off to the side, his tone goes sour.] Now, you're learning how to freaking swim, and we're taking the other route next time. You got that?

I don't see what the bulge fondling deal was. We made it out just fine!

You're learning how to swim. Deal with it.

So, essentially, what we have here is you not wanting to confront your fears so you're more or less attempting to force me to do what doesn't come fucking naturally to anyone indigo on down?

Don't know what you're talking about, and I'm not looking for a lesson this time. While you're here, you're human, and humans can freaking swim.

You don't know what I'm talking about... How about I shove you the merry fuck back in there and sit my Lapras in front of the goddamn exit? What then?

[There's dead silence for a moment, before the sound of a fist hitting a face. Yeahh. The network gets a few audio cues that tell of a fistfight going down, before the gear is dropped and it cuts out.]

Comments

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

Betting I know who did the hitting.

[Sigh, Vanitas, so much violence. Probably only knows that sound because of him, too]

[audio]

[shadowdive]

You say that like he didn't fight back.

[Hi lightstuff.]

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

There wouldn't be retaliation if somebody didn't start it first, right?

[audio]

[shadowdive]

He deserved it.

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

It sounds like he's trying to help you though.

[audio]

[shadowdive]

He's not helping me. He was adamant about going through Mt Mortar. [YOU KNOW MY FEELS ABOUT THAT PLACE.] So now he's going to learn to swim, so he won't feel like he has to go in there again.

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

There weren't any incidents though, right? Was it any fun traveling with a friend?

[He will find some silver lining, just you wait]

[audio]

[shadowdive]

.... No, there weren't any incidents. I don't know the other two guys all that well but Karkat is kind of normal. [For him. So, aggressive and mouthy.]

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

[He'll take that as "Karkat's a friend, I just won't say so"]

Then it wasn't all bad, was it?

[audio]

[shadowdive]

No. Just in the stupid mountain. [HATES DAT MOUNTAIN, LIGHTSTUFF.]

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

It's good to make some positive memories, it gives the bad ones less power.

[And he knows that's his fault, but the mountain didn't target him, darkstuff]

[audio]

[shadowdive]

Memories don't give power, they only give motivation. [Grumblegrumblegrumble. The mountain is totally alive and it totally targeted you.]

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

I can't say I agree. The memories in my heart make a difference to me.

Besides, it's like that night you stopped by. I remembered something bad that happened, and that affected me.

[audio]

[usedshooshpap]

Betting you'd be right.

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

Sorry. Vanitas is uh...

[Just about everything he isn't, which means he's not the gentle sort]

Are you okay?

[audio]

[usedshooshpap]

He's like 2, I know.

[ snorts. ]

Besides. He throws a punch like a wounded musclebeast.

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

[He has no idea what that is, but it sounds funny]

He used to give me a pretty good wallop back home, but I guess that just means you're tough.

[audio]

[usedshooshpap]

Gee, I would never have figured he'd be the type to throw punches around like the fat man does presents on Christmas Day...

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

[It takes him a few moments to figure out fat man equals Santa]

It was almost like a job, really.

[audio]

[usedshooshpap]

So... You're from his world? He's talked about that shit hole minimally.

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

A wh...

[What kind of language is this? Oh his virgin ears]

I don't think he's got many good memories of home.

[audio]

[papshooshing]

[ oops. KARKAT IS GOING TO CORRUPT YOUR TONGUES, BOYS. ]

I am starting to gather that. Does nothing GOOD ever happen to anybody?

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

There's a lot of good in the worlds, it's just that...well...

Don't tell Vanitas I'm saying this but Xehanort's most of the problem. And he's the one who trained Vanitas. The guy's cruel.

[audio]

[usedshooshpap]

Even though he can hear what you're saying at this very moment?

From what information I have cleaned, the guy is clearly a neglectful asshat.

[audio]

[ex_aeroga402]

He's probably not listening for me, at least not right now.

And...I'm not sure what kind of hat that is, but if I'm guessing right, I think you have the idea. When he was my Master, he just about got me killed.