The world that the game had dropped all the players in was a compromise. Trolls blood turned the same candy red as Karkat's and the humans, and their skin paled to the average complexions of the human race. Since the humans had won-their traits were the most dominant in the new world. No horns, no lusus, no buckets. Best of all-no real recollection of the game. Vague memories of a time in their childhood none could really understand and the feeling they had known people they had never met were always lurking in the back of their minds-but the machinations of the game left them blissfully ignorant of the grosser details of their time in the game.
For Vriska though-it all left a bitter taste in her mouth. Nineteen by the human standards-sweeps she had to remember, did not exist here-and hopelessly bored with her life she knew there was something more to playing a mean game of blackjack and having the best roll of the dice no matter what. There had to be more than her stupid general studies major in college. There had to be more than going out every Friday night and nerding it out with her friends. There had to be.
"Oh yeah Vriska-That sounds great! I can get all the Nic Cage movies I got together!"
She frowned into her coffee cup and had to fight the irritated groan building in the back of her throat. The stupid game had fried any memories she'd had of their exploits in the game. She remembered making God Tier, the moment of cleansing and then...nothing. None of the things that had happened before or after that. Never mind that SGRUB and SBURB were now RPG games for children to buy and pretend they were the heroes set to save their worlds from destruction.
It made her sick to see some of her classmates play those games. It made her sick to her stomach to think they got enjoyment from that twisted joke of fate.
"Vriska?"
Oh, Kanaya was talking to her again. Vriska looked up at her friend, a remnant of a past she couldn't quite remember and thought not for the first time that the universe had been kind to her. Her skin was a light sort of vanilla mocha, dark enough to be considered tanner than usual, but light enough to pass as normal. Vriska had gotten landed with freckles bridged across her nose and pale skin that was ridiculously easy to get sunburn. At least she was pretty enough. But still-Kanaya had gotten all the luck there.
"Sorry Kanaya, what were you saying again?" Vriska apologized, twisting the cup on the table to distract herself, "Something about meeting someone you thought you knew...?" she mused.
Kanaya nodded and Vriska could see a muted, calm sort of excitement in the fashion designer, "A girl. I'm certain I've met her before Vriska," she assured, her voice quiet and sure as she leaned forward.
Vriska smirked, "What's her name Fussyfangs?" the nickname, a vestige of the game neither of you bothered to correct or change made Kanaya's cheeks bloom roses.
"Rose. Rose Lalonde."
Vriska blinked and opened her mouth to say something and then closed it. She frowned in thought, "That name...sounds oddly familiar," she agreed, "Like...I've heard of someone with that name before," she wracked her brain for an answer, and the only thing she could remember was the term Hero of Light.
You've put us heroes of light in a precarious situation Joooooooohn.
She blinked, shaking her head to clear her mind of the voice of her thirteen year old self. A memory from the game? That was rare-and one so lucid...Vriska leaned forward, "Is this Lalonde chick...is she from the game?" she whispered low as she could.
Kanaya nodded gravely, "I think. I think...before we became this-I was her guide," she pursed her lips and nodded, "She recollects my name as well. It's a strange sensation of déjà vu Vriska," she admitted in a voice just as low. "I...do believe she was the one I felt flushed for," Vriska watched the flush grow on Kanaya's cheeks and not for the first time felt disgusted at the red color that had replaced the pretty jade that used to be there.
