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CALLIOPE: this Undertaking was really more aboUt intUition than intention.

CALLIOPE: mostly, i've been writing to decipher what i was seeing, for myself.

KARKAT: HMM?

CALLIOPE: not to say it wasn't a blast, this rare opportUnity for self indUlgence!

CALLIOPE: to infer and embellish so mUch heart-rending longing, i coUld barely contain myself.

CALLIOPE: does that coUnt as an intention, having a good time?

KARKAT: I AM NOT THE TROLL TO ASK THAT.

KARKAT: OTHER NOTES! YOUR TONE IS ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE, AND YOU'VE COMPLETELY IGNORED YOUR SETTING.

KARKAT: THAT I CAN LET SLIDE, THOUGH, SINCE TECHNICALLY JOHN SEEMS TO BE YOUR MAIN POV CHARACTER HERE. AND LIKE, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S NO WAY HE'D GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT ANY OF THAT ENOUGH TO PAY AN OUNCE OF ATTENTION TO IT.

KARKAT: ALSO, I DID LIKE HOW YOU HANDLED THE SEX SCENES.

KARKAT: YOU LOCKED IN ON SOME CLASSIC NOXIOUS BLACKROM TROPES THAT WERE ALL THE RAGE ON ALTERNIA, AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY SWEPT UNDER THE RUG BY EARTH C'S IDEOLOGICALLY WHITEWASHED POST-CASTE SOCIETY.

KARKAT: NASTY SHIT WITHOUT THE CULTURAL CONTEXT, BUT A CRITICAL THREAD IN THE GRAND TAPESTRY OF LOVE AND HATE.

KARKAT: THEY ALL MADE ME WANT TO KILL MYSELF, AND I RESPECT THAT.

CALLIOPE: well,

CALLIOPE: that's nice to hear.

CALLIOPE: i sUppose!

CALLIOPE: i can't in good conscience act like i was trying to *say* anything.

CALLIOPE: my focUs gravitated towards those specific dynamics probably becaUse they felt most comfortable... cUltUrally speaking.

CALLIOPE: anyway, this isn't what i was hoping to talk aboUt either.

KARKAT: OH, IS MY GRILLING RUBBING YOU THE WRONG WAY?

KARKAT: THIS IS NOTHING, YOU SHOULD SEE THE HARANGUING I PUT DAVE'S SCRIPTS THROUGH. AND HE HAS A WAY MORE SOPHISTICATED AND NUANCED VOICE THAN YOU, SORRY TO SAY.

CALLIOPE: well, yoU really didn't have to say that, bUt moving past it.

CALLIOPE: i gUess that i was jUst hoping that yoUr UniqUe perspective as both a knight of blood and a well-liked scholar of kinship coUld grant me some insight on how this all wraps Up!

KARKAT: WAIT, YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING? YOU DIDN'T THINK OF AN ENDING BEFORE SITTING DOWN TO DO ALL THIS?

CALLIOPE: at first i assUmed dave's escape was the ending, which i thoUght was lovely, bUt then things jUst kept happening and happening.

CALLIOPE: Urgh, this is so hard to explain...

CALLIOPE: it's all spiraled oUt of my hands.

CALLIOPE: karkat, what do i do?!?

KARKAT: I MEAN, YOU COULD CALL IT QUITS?

CALLIOPE: no!!!!!

KARKAT: WOAH!

KARKAT: SETTLE DOWN, CALLIOPE, IT'S A FUCKING PET PROJECT.

CALLIOPE: not to me, it's not!

KARKAT: OKAY, BUT CONSIDER: STORIES NEED ENDINGS!

KARKAT: WHO WANTS TO READ THIS SAD FREAK GARBAGE FOREVER?

CALLIOPE: I DO!!!

CALLIOPE: at the very least, i can't leave things stUck as they are.

CALLIOPE: but if it has to end... i don't want it to feel...

KARKAT: POINTLESS?

CALLIOPE: v.v

KARKAT: YEAH. I WON'T PRETEND I DON'T GET IT.

KARKAT: YOU HAVE DEFINITELY DUG YOURSELF A GIANT HOLE TO NEVER-ENDINGLY BULLSHIT INTO, BUT ...

KARKAT: IT WOULD BE SAD TO LEAVE THEM LIKE THIS.

CALLIOPE: exactly!!!!

CALLIOPE: see i knew yoU would get it!

CALLIOPE: i haven't even shown roxy because i was worried... but yoU seemed understanding.

KARKAT: YEAH, GOOD CALL.

KARKAT: YOU SHOULD PLAY THIS ONE CLOSE TO YOUR CHEST AND BASICALLY NOT SHOW IT TO ANYONE WHO ISN'T ME, EVER.

KARKAT: ESPECIALLY JADE.

CALLIOPE: ... so yoU're saying *yoU* want to keep reading it?

KARKAT: OBVIOUSLY.

KARKAT: GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT; I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT ALL THE WAYS THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST RANCOROUS TOMES I'VE EVER SET MY BULBS ON, BUT I COULD NEVER SAY THERE WASN'T LOVE IN IT.

KARKAT: A WEIRD LOVE, BUT... SINCERE.

KARKAT: HONESTLY, IT'S GOT MY PAN BUZZING.

CALLIOPE: see!

CALLIOPE: this is exactly why i came to yoU!!!

KARKAT: YEAH, YEAH, I GET IT, YOU LITTLE URCHIN; I'M HOPELESS.

KARKAT: THAT SAID, I'M NOT SURE WHERE TO START WITH THIS EITHER!

KARKAT: IT'S ALL ENDED UP KIND OF MESSY... I MEAN, I GUESS WE COULD DO SOME REWRITES, BUT...

CALLIOPE: retcons like that are a little amateurish, don't yoU think?

KARKAT: FOR SURE.