Two

[chainsawspistice]

[The growl of a chainsaw works its way out of Luministi Greens East and around the town square, escalating from a purr to a roar and back again as zombie encounters are quickly taken care of. But as time passes, the chainsaw is audibly put to more and more use until it's buzzing away full-time. The curious might observe an unusual mob of zombies honing in on the sound with Kanaya trying to hack her way out of the epicenter.

She's not too distracted to make a broadcast with her CAT, though:]

So -- ambiguous half-statements from Proctor aside -- does anyone know the reason behind the sudden influx of undead broods? And has anyone devised a way -- to reverse the situation? Though any kind of improvement -- would be just as welcome.

[After a while, the drone of the chainsaw will stop for one reason or another. Scratched up, tired, and showered in zombie bits, Kanaya trudges back to Luministi Greens East with a haul of food, unbothered by the zombies. She doesn't know why, but she's not complaining.]

[Cue the next day, and Luke's door will be getting one knock... and then another.]

Comments

[video]

[terezi_pyrope]

[oh hello the sound of her friend hacking up some undead, and gross you taste bad here and smell. In fact, she'll be scrunching up her face now and saying:]

... You smell. Maybe the first thing you should do is take a nice good and long shower!

And no, I haven't found a way. Although I kind of find all of this undead stuff gross, lame, and dumb...

[video]

[chainsawspistice]

[ohai response. Kanaya reverts her chainsaw to a tube of lipstick so they can have a clear chat. At the same time, she glances around to make sure the coast is clear for now.]

An ablution sounds lovely. I never expected this volume of traffic when I left my hive.

[Pause.] Would you like anything from the stores while I'm outside? I may as well maximize my usefulness here. Especially since these hordes appear to roam at night as well as day.

[video]

[terezi_pyrope]

[You're lucky you taste-smell like dead things too much for her to tell if you happened to have bleed in some way. Or maybe not, considering...well there's nothing to be done about that now.]

Which is why I urge you to get into one as soon as possible...after you get me some red candy! Hehehe˜

Some steak and some milk too. The latter's supposed to help you grow taller, right?

[video]

[chainsawspistice]

[A few minor scraped here and there, but nothing serious yet.]

If the amount of milk Equius consumes is any indication of its effects, then perhaps. Are you not finding your vertical development satisfactory?

[Making a detour to the grocery store, then.]

[video]

[terezi_pyrope]

[Dum dum duuum!!!]

How could you reach such a prepmasture conclusion, Kanaya? It's absolutely scandalous, implying such a thing!

[a giggle here and there.]

But, really, you're doing me a favor! So, thanks!

[video]

[chainsawspistice]

You're welcome. I know travel has become especially difficult lately. Have you been outside?

[video]

[terezi_pyrope]

[a pause and a frown soon after.]

Yes, I have! It went about as much you could expect...not fun in the slightest.

[sigh.]

Well, hopefully this is somehow over soon. It certainly is placing a thorn in some good investigation.

[chainsawspistice]

Maybe that's the plan. [How nefarious.] To be honest, I don't know how much investigation there is left to carry out.

[terezi_pyrope]

Laaaame!

[look at this face. this is the face of a sour grapes would-be legislacerator.]

I'd say a lot less than we had in the beginning, but still a good amount. We don't exactly know where the enemy is and what exactly their motives are. We don't certainly know what their plan is, beyond what they seem to be indicating the desire to kill us. We only know of one of their names, the foul Resarci, and we certainly have no idea to stop this zombie raid.

I suspect they're not going to come out of the wood works until their plan is finally ready to really be carried out. Our contacts who were working against them and possibly knew something were taken care of, so we're left completely in the dark.

[chainsawspistice]

[While Terezi is recapping, Kanaya strolls into the market and grabs the requested items, dispatching of the couple of zombies milling about inside and beating it out of there before more zombies come to investigate the noise. The nice thing about all of this is that the storekeepers aren't around to charge her.]

I doubt we would be captured with the express purpose of being murdered. If, as they say, we are being filmed as a means of entertainment, then it may be that this flood of undead is simply an artificial catalyst for various styles of conflict.

[terezi_pyrope]

[it's like pirate country. you take what you want whenever you want and no one can stop you!!]

Alright, point. It makes me wonder about the volume of the people who are even watching this, if they are.

Which all reminds me of the fact we have no control over this.

[she gets up and starts heading downstairs.]

[chainsawspistice]

[The lack of control doesn't bother Kanaya too much, so she makes no comment on that. The matriorb is always on her mind, though. She'd just like to get it planted.]

Assuming this is true, then the more popular we are, the more the audience will want to see us. If the broadcasters are willing to capitalize on that fact, then it may become an asset or detriment, depending on the measures taken.

[terezi_pyrope]

[one day she hopes to be as simple minded as you, kanaya.]

Well, I'm afraid we might be in some serious trouble then! You know how popular we trolls are--we're simply irresistable. It's a curse, hehehe~

[action]

[luke_triton]

[Someone.

Someone's...knocking.

SOMEONE IS KNOCKING and it makes Luke shrink back against the wall of the pantry he's hiding in. It seemed perfect at the time - food, nice dark corners, enough room to curl up with a blanket and read this very interesting strange book, and a quick three sprinted steps to the toilet when necessary.

And. Only one door.

Now, the knocking is coming from the front door, and the pantry doesn't face it. So hopefully...well. Maybe it's someone looking for him who is not a scary moaning person.

He slowly edges out of the food closet and starts to peek around the corner at the door...but holds out a hand mirror instead. He can see it from there.]

[action]

[chainsawspistice]

[She waits at the door undisturbed by the stray zombie or two limping by, coughing into her sleeve just once. If you asked her why she decided to visit Luke, she would say that she was just concerned. If you asked her why it had to be at this particular moment, even when she looked a bit sick and felt even sicker, she would have to say it was purely an impulse.

She stands there dumbly for about half a minute before knocking again and calling out in something more like a loud mumble:]

Luke?

[action]

[luke_triton]

[Oh. Wait, he knows that voice. It's Kanaya, right? It was kind of quiet but he's also pretty far from the door and maybe she doesn't want to get their attention.

Very slowly, with his bag over one shoulder and, of all things, his flashlight in hand, he sidles over to the door and cracks it open.]

What?

[chainsawspistice]

[She leans over and squints at him through the crack. Her nocturnal vision isn't doing much to help her make out his face.]

You weren't answerer...ing your transmission device.

[luke_triton]

Would you? They're out there and they might hear me!

[You'll notice he still hasn't opened the door very far.]

...You were worried about me?

[chainsawspistice]

[She wouldn't take it too personally even on a good day.]

You seemed like you'd huave trouble in this type of sitchation. [Squint. Hand to temple.] ... Nooffense.

[luke_triton]

You sound funny. [Concern and suspicion mix equally in his frown.] Are you sick?

[chainsawspistice]

Um... Tired? May... be. [Starting to sweat a bit. This is taking an unexpected amount of concentration.]

[luke_triton]

U-Uh...you look sort of warm too. Are any of those...things out there?

[chainsawspistice]

[She looks to her left. A zombie stares back from around the corner.]

Yyyes.

[luke_triton]

Then...I don't really want to open the door. ...But are you okay? Out there by yourself.

[chainsawspistice]

...

Tt'be compleely honest... No.

[She felt decent coming over, but since Luke opened the door...]