tentacletrainer | Chapter 11; Video/Filtered Video to Karkat

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Chapter 11; Video/Filtered Video to Karkat

[[The feed flicks on to a view of four Pokemon. The first three are likely familiar to anyone who knows their trainer.

An all-too-cool Wooper, who currently seems rather put out and a little scratched up.
A primping and preening Pidgey, who seems quite proud of itself.
And a rather irritated looking Eevee, ruffled somewhat and glaring in the aforementioned Wooper's direction.
The fourth Pokemon, sitting quietly and watching the three with interest, is a Mareep.

From off camera comes the voice to confirm that yes, this is indeed Rose's team.]]

I am pleased to say we are finally making progress in level. Surprisingly, Dave has been putting forth a great deal of effort into his training. I am unsure as to why, but not complaining.

Woop!

That was a compliment. You should accept it as such.

Pilcrow, the Pidgey you see before you, has also gained a few levels of her own. Guillemot has earned the most, however. I am highly proud of her. I also have a new addition, of whom I have just caught. Halos the Mareep. He is quite the energetic one, and I am sure he will make an excellent addition to my team.

[[And now you get a view of the girl, who looks like she's recovering from a cold.]]

I have doubts of challenging the gym here before we leave, but I suppose that is not my duty as a breeder anyway, is it?

[[For everyone else, the feed ends here. However, Karkat gets one soon after.]]

[Filtered to Karkat]

...Karkat. Would I be able to ask a favor of you? It concerns living arrangements, as I have been unable to work for the past week due to both my illness and the incident with Dave, and therefor can no longer afford room and board.

Of course I intend to find work as soon as possible, but until then I have no where to stay...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, while he can be completely irritating, he is also one of the few I have found that doesn't leave me with a bad taste in my mouth simply from associating myself with them.

Beyond this, he has many desirable qualities.

[[A thoughtful pause.]]

Or qualities I suppose I, myself, find desirable. He also may not be the best out there, but I had not said he was. Simply that, when considering those of our race who manage to redeem themselves, he is one that stands out most. Dave and Jade follow.

Ugh. Completely the wrong way around. It's--I dunno, because Dave's hard to place, but you're a fuckton more redeemable than John. Jade's better than him, too. So spare me your weird taste in guys.

[[Have a snort at such a suggestion. Her? Having the possibility of being more redeemable than any of them? Hogwash.]]

I'm flattered you somehow came to such conclusion.

And it is not so much taste as it is the qualities he possesses. Dave and Jade are wonderful - I would not trade them for anyone in the world, truly - however John simply possesses traits I find more attractive. While Dave's intelligence is a refreshing strife nearly every time we talk, John's is a quieter, more easily appreciated one as it is displayed in very different ways. And while Jade has a certain aspect of innocence that draws you in - she very much needs looking out for. Despite how smart she is, she can be too trusting - John's naivety is enjoyable, in that he has common sense and yet still can be so clueless with such simple matters.

Bluh. If you're trying to help me like him more, you're going about it the wrong way. If anything you're just making me remember what I hate about him, and that is not what I fucking need.

I actually am not, simply justifying why I like him, as you were questioning such a thing.

[[Is that a fond smile? It is, though she hasn't really noticed it yet.]]

[Karkat notices. He accordingly makes a disgusted face.]

Why... why do you like all the parts of him I can't stand? You seriously do have the weirdest taste in guys.

I am unsure. Perhaps they are not weird, simply different? I appreciate intelligence, even more so when it surprises me. The thought he puts into his pranks and jokes - as ridiculous and silly they may be - is nothing short of focused and concentrating. And really, they are quite clever in nature. Not to mention the fact that he astounds me with how much he can figure out on his own once you've given him the foundation.

Why do you find such a trait so deplorable?

No. No. He's not intelligent; he's stupid. The first conversation I ever had with him--

[Suddenly a hint of color rises to his cheeks, which he tries (with little success) to will away.]

The brainless nooksucker couldn't even figure out that no, I was not his friend, and no, I did not ever want to be, and he could not possibly have been more off about how I felt.

I mean, maybe it's good now that he's so fucking dense he can never figure it out, but it was just frustrating beyond fucking words then.

That is more optimism than intelligence, Karkat, and why did you find that so frustrating?

Beyond the fact that optimism itself is frustrating on it's own, it sounds like this runs a slight be deeper than that...

[[What once was fond is now a curious look.]]

Because. I was telling him I hated him and everything!

[Grabbing a couch pillow to bury his face in again.]

Well, I am unsure as to.....

[[Pause.]]

Karkat. When you say you were informing him of your hate, you are referring to caliginous hate, aren't you? Your tone and the way you are hiding at least are leaning towards that reasoning.

Edited 2011-03-04 11:08 (UTC)

[Hey Rose?]

[Have a pillow to the face.]

[[Squeak! What is this?! In retaliation, here is a purple kitty hat thrown into yours, as she has no pillow for a counter attack.]]

[There]

[is a kitty hat]

[in his face]

[and it is purple.]

[Karkat grabs it, smacks it down against the couch, and turns away. His knees pull up onto the couch, his arms then wrapping around his legs; his face buries against them.]

Okay, fine. It was this totally stupid hate at first sight sort of deal except over text and still, I really couldn't fucking stand him, but he didn't hate me at all! Not even a little! And then the whole stupid "I'm not a homosexual" deal and just--

[He tries to curl up tighter.]

Supposedly back in the Veil, I ended up trolling him backwards through time. That had to be why.

[[~~Note to self: Purple kitty hat to the face tactic equals admittance of past hate-crushes. Further investigation into the use of this hat may be needed.~~

As she listens, she leans forward to retrieve her hat and return it to it's proper place on her head, watching him curl. Smiling, she chuckles.]]

Yes, that would likely be why.

[[As usual, a hand settles on his back in assurance as she speaks.]]

I realize that must have been embarrassing to admit, but it was also very brave of you to admit it as well. I'm impressed, Karkat.

There is nothing wrong with puppy-hate, I am sure. Everyone likely does it at some point in their life. Even with humans, there are those people whom you just know you will hate, even before you have spoken a word to them. This of course does not translate to a possible kismesissitude for us, but it still happens.

Edited 2011-03-04 11:24 (UTC)

At least John doesn't remember the conversation, thanks to time shenanigans.

[Sigh. He still shakes of her hand, though.]

I just--

I told you before how much trouble I had with blackrom, right? How I never thought I'd find someone I could hate that much when my standards are so high. But then, he was just--so incredibly detestable I could hardly fucking stand it, and then I just--admitted it right off the fucking bat like a dumbass before I even got the chance to see if he hated me. Which of course he didn't. And even if he did, it would never be that way.

Don't get me wrong; I'm glad I have Dave now. And at least I didn't jump on that one until I knew he actually hated me, even if that had its own problems.

Still, with John, I just jumped headfirst into humiliation, like taking a swan dive off the highest diving board at the local slime pool in a frilly pink bikini with everyone watching. That sort of feeling.

As I said, it happens. One does not learn from mistakes if they never make them. And if they never make them, they are often living in fear of doing so and never experiencing new things.

The positive side of this is that you did learn, and therefor things went...well. As smooth as could be expected with falling caliginous for a human.

[Grunt.]

I guess so.

But... yeah. That's why I'm trying to learn to like him.

That is certainly a good reason to try. It may take time, but I am sure if you continue persevering, you'll reach a point where it's purely platonic. And remember not to push yourself into completely liking him, rather than allowing yourself to hate him as well. That will likely only spur your hatred for him further.

Rose? I hate everyone anyway. Everyone. But there's apparently something future me found likable about him, and he's not as bad as he used to be, so. [Huff.] Just... gotta give it time.

Though I envy that asshole, because he got to deal with John when he wasn't constantly being all... 'but we're buddies!' and shit. He had to be more likable then.

[[A tilt of her head.]]

If you would like, I could talk to him about being 'buddies' with you. He may be insistent upon it, but I am sure he would listen if I conversed with him about it.

It would help make him more tolerable.

Then I will do so at the earliest convenience.

[[Tentatively she leans back against him.]]

I am sure I will get a chance to soon. There is rarely a day where I do not at least say hello to him.

[He peers at her over his shoulder.]

You really do like him, don't you?

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