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“Megido, detach yourself from lame-o Captor over there for a second. I need to talk to you.”
Aradia pulls her arm out of Sollux’s arm, but not before giving him a pat on the shoulder and whispering something in his ear. Sollux grins. Of course they don’t take this seriously, no one here really does except for her. There is a secret weapon to find that will finally give her a recognition that is long overdue.
Vriska clears her throat dramatically and waves her hand. “Any time soon would be nice. Unless, you know, you want to be obliterated. Oh, wait, Aradia, you get off on that, don’t you?”
Aradia approaches Vriska with a careless shrug. “Maybe.”
With a disgusted face, Vriska turns back toward the group they have acquired, much smaller than when they first began. One by one, more of them would chicken out or depart on separate adventures that were much less important. Vriska has been kind to even consider they be a part of her history-making ensemble.
“Talk or something, everyone, I’ll be back!”
Aradia follows silently as Vriska leads her to a nearby cave. Every now and then, she checks to make sure Aradia is still there, and every time, Aradia stares right through her with that stupid, shit-eating grin. How it’s possible for a troll that died and exploded to be so goddamn happy, well, it’s beyond her.
Vriska stops at the cave and turns around to face Aradia. “Okay, so, spill.”
Aradia tilts her head slightly. “Spill what?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb. This is your thing, your whole theme or whatever.” Vriska waits for a response, but Aradia doesn’t answer. “Death, the dream bubbles! You should be able to navigate this place better than any of us. Don’t you have some kind of creepy insight to give, or are you just going to stay in the back with Captor and fake like you don’t know anything?”
“So, you’re pulling me aside because you want insight. Correct?”
Vriska nods, exasperated. “Duh, did you not hear me the first time?”
“That’s all you had to say,” she continues with a shrug. “Why’s it so important to you anyway?”
“You get all fucking giddy about dying but you have no interest in treasure?” Vriska says, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms. “The word should be enough, but if you’re so stupid that I have to explain it to you, then fine. God.” She takes a deep breath. “It’s something no one else has even bothered to find, so obviously that leaves me to find it. And everyone will be thanking me for once, because I’ll have what it takes to beat that angry skull guy.”
“But what if they don’t thank you?” Aradia asks, still smiling.
“Then everyone is just as much of an idiot as I thought they were to begin with. Is it too much to ask for a little appreciation? Of course you don’t care, you’re off in your own world doing whatever the fuck you do.”
“What if the treasure isn’t what you’re looking for? What if you have this all wrong?” There is absolutely no hint of concern in Aradia’s voice. If anything, she sounds chipper about the idea.
Vriska gives her a long look. “Those are the most moronic questions I’ve ever heard in my life! Of course it’s what I’m looking for! I’m the one who figured out how the paths work, and you didn’t.”
Aradia’s grin widens. “There’s no need to get upset, Vriska.”
“I’m not fucking upset! You’re just being annoying. Like always!”
“I’m just saying there’s no way to really know what you’re going to find. No matter how confident you are.”
Vriska groans loudly, glaring daggers in Aradia’s direction. “Really? Are you seriously giving me that right now?” She waves her hand in Aradia’s face.
Aradia, smirking now, moves her hand out of the way. “Is this making you upset?”
Vriska shoves her in response. “Don’t touch me.”
There’s a rage building up inside of her, now, and she is done, she swears she’s done. Aradia thinks she has this all figured out? Well, maybe what she has figured out is how to be a little shit 24/7. Aradia grabs a handful of Vriska’s hair as Vriska starts to walk off.
“What, like this?”
Vriska growls, spinning around and pushing Aradia against the wall of the cave with a good deal of force. Aradia, completely relaxed, smiles at Vriska.
“Will you stop fucking smiling?”
Aradia pokes Vriska in the mouth, and Vriska yanks her face away. “No, but maybe you should try it sometime.”
Aradia tries again, and Vriska attempts to bite at her finger. “You’re such a wiggler!”
Vriska is caught completely off guard when Aradia’s lips smash against hers, cerulean coloring her cheeks in confusion. Vriska pushes Aradia against the wall, grabbing her hair now as she kisses back, starting to sink her teeth into Aradia’s lower lip.
Aradia shoves her so hard that she stumbles backwards a few steps, providing enough room for the burgundy-blooded troll to walk out of the cave.
Shocked and flustered, Vriska starts to chase after her, but stops as Aradia keeps walking. “This isn’t over!”
“I hope not!”
She gives her a wave with the back of her hand and leaves Vriska standing alone in an incredulous fury.