Police Officer Karkat Vantas walks through the streets of Skaia. The early morning fog only dampens his already shitty day in this spit size of a town. A school bus full of snot nose little shits goes past him with the brats pointing and laughing at the sixteen-sweep-old police officer.

Karkat grabs a cigarette from the inside of his jacket; usually he tries to avoid smoking when he gets close to work because of that fucking law prohibiting it, but he really needs a smoke right now.

He brings the cigarette and the gray lighter close to his face, and as he finally gets the damn thing to light after a thousand shitty attempts; a car comes and splashes water onto him. The human driving the car, a male, pulls to the side to apologize to Karkat, but quickly leaves when Karkat threw a million death threats at him.

Karkat hurried along to his department while lighting a new cigarette. He used his back to push open the door and hurried inside trying to hide his cigarette from the fussy receptionist.

"I see that Mr. Vantas." A calm soothing voice said. "You know as well as I do that smoking is prohibited in government buildings."

Karkat pulls the cigarette from out of his mouth, "Hey Kanaya," he sighs. "Can't you let me through and make an exception for once? I've had a really fucking shitty day."

The jade-blooded receptionist smiles at the officer and straightens her blouse, "Why Mr. Vantas how could you possibly have a horrifying day when it's not even noon? Your day has only just begun!"

"Cut the crap Kanaya, you know what I mean." He gives her his most intimidating look.

She remains unfazed, "Now you know Mr. Vantas that you can't affect me with your interrogating cop routine. Besides, the Chief would never let you smoke in his building." She begins to twiddle with her green pen watching the cop.

Karkat sticks the cigarette back into his mouth, "Fine! I'll just avoid the beef-head all day. Do I look like I really give a fuck?"

Kanaya's smile disappears and she sighs, "Mr. Vantas I really do wish that you wouldn't use such crude language quite so often, you know that the Chief doesn't like it at all."

Karkat throws his hands up, "What did I just fucking say? I don't want or plan to meet my thick-skull of a boss."

The receptionist finally looses all of her patience, "Mr. Vantas! You do not have a choice in these matters today because the Chief wants to see you in his office right now!"

Karkat groans and smashes his hand on his face, "Damn it! Fuck fine then, I'll go talk to him." He starts to leave, but Kanaya has other plans.

"Mr. Vantas, are you forgetting something?" She sticks out the palm of her hand patiently.

The aggravated office gives up and hands her the cigarette from out of his mouth. He plans on smoking later anyways.

Karkat goes up to his pathetic desk and dumps his worn out briefcase over it; a slight creak is made by the desk itself. There is only one other worker in the room who wakes up from his nap startled by the creak.

"Wha-?"

Karkat then decided to give the sleep deprived officer a warm-hearted wake up call, "Wake up asshole. It's seven am."

"Fuck, did I sleep in the building again?" the lisp-y officer asked.

"Yeah Captor, I don't know how the Chief lets you do that all the fucking time."

Officer Sollux Captor chuckles to himself, "Well maybe that's because I do all the paper work when I stay the night."

Karkat huffed, "I think it's because you're a hobo."

Both officers then proceed to flip each other off.

Kanaya then decides to walk in on them, "Mr. Vantas and Mr. Captor, please refrain from such actions during working hours." Both male trolls glared each other down instead. "Mr. Vantas," the called for officer looks at the receptionist, "The Chief will see you now."

Karkat groans to himself complaining that he did not want to spend his day like this, but Kanaya is relentless. So instead the officer gives one final flip of the bird to his co-worker, but Kanaya grabs him saying that they can't waste anymore time.

The fussy receptionist shoves Karkat into the Chief's office. The sweaty Chief is currently occupied with some documents on his desk. Karkat makes a short knock-knock on the door frame to call the Chief's attention.

"Ahh Mr. Vantas, I've been expecting you for quite some time now."

Said officer makes a nervous laugh, "Heh, hey Chief. Why did you call me in so early?"

The Police Chief Equius Zahhak settled his papers on his desk, "Please Mr. Vantas, would you take a seat?" He gestures to the chair across from him.

Karkat sits down carefully; he knows that a few of the lazy bum officers have been getting laid off due to budget cuts. Karkat has been preparing his defense speech for quite some time in case Zahhak would attempt to give him the axe.

"Now Mr. Vantas, I suppose that you've noticed that our police force has been cutting back on its officers-"

Karkat interrupts, "Yeah! And if you think that for one second I'm going to let you fire me, then you have another thing coming! I'll fight-"

"Mr. Vantas!" The Chief raises his voice, "I did not call you in here to fire you. Please calm down."

Embarrassed, Karkat sits back in his seat, "Oh uh sorry Chief."

Chief Zahhak takes a deep breath, "As I was saying, due to the budget cuts I've had to cut officers who are inefficient to work our demanding jobs. You know, Mr. Vantas that you are exceptional at your job, and therefore I would not fire you." Chief Zahhak lowers his sunglasses to look Karkat in the eyes, "Despite your attitude. I hope you improve on it soon."

The Chief Police of Skaia goes back to his calm demeanor, "Now I've made a deal with the Capitol City's police force to have them give us one of their more efficient officers. This officer is to make up for the ones I've cut."

Karkat warily looks at his Chief, "So what does this have to do with me?"

"This officer is new on the force, a kid. The officer has never had any real field work, but the scores on the exam were so exceptional, that I'm allowing this trade up."

Karkat rises from his seat, "Or a trade down! Seriously sir? You hired some kid to replace our officers? Isn't that a gamble?"

"Sit down Mr. Vantas. This kid has better scores on the exam than you did. And I hired you despite your obvious flaws, and you've proven outstanding in your work. Now Mr. Vantas sit down!" Karkat sits back down in his seat.

"Now going back to what I was saying before," Chief Zahhak continues, "I can't just let this kid run the streets unattended, so I am assigning you to work with the kid."

Karkat slams his fist on the Chief's desk, "You're making me partner up with a snot-bag? I refuse!"

"Mr. Vantas, if you refuse then fill out a resignation!" Both trolls stare at each other until Karkat backs down.

"Alright I'll work with the kid, when is he coming over?"

The Chief straightens up his desk, "Soon, in less than an hour in fact. I suggest you get your desk organized. That is all Mr. Vantas, you are dismissed."

Karkat bitterly leaves the Chief's office and heads back to his desk were he slams his head on his desk. Sollux laughs at the pained officer, "Did you get the axe?"

Karkat groans, "No, the asshole is making me work with some kid from the Capitol. I'm fucking babysitting!"

A feminine voice interjects, "Watch the language Karkat, hehe." Karkat rubs his face and the voice continues, "You should be happy that someone is going to work with you, they can pick up your slack!"

Karkat looks at the female troll, "Shut the fuck up Terezi, I'm not in the mood."

Not an officer, Terezi Pyrope comes into the office. Instead she is a bounty hunter because when she was on the force she said it wasn't interesting enough for her. Terezi still visits the department in her free time though to torture the officers. "Watch the language Karkat, if Chief Stinky Sweats were to hear that language, then what would you do?"

"Swear till my fucking voice box dies from exhaustion. Now go away, I want to wallow in my anger alone." Both Terezi and Officer Captor leave together to the canteen to steal some early morning coffee.

Twenty minutes pass when Karkat is interrupted again by a different female voice, "Umm excuse me. Are you Officer Vantas?" Karkat raises his head to see a female sea troll standing above him. Based on her symbol, Karkat can see that she is a troll of highest blood. "Hi, Chief Zahhak said I should come to you."

Karkat decides to give the sea troll a good hazing to welcome her, "Oh this is just fucking great!" The sea troll flinches at the swear, "Not only am I partnering up with an inexperience kid, but also a high blood FEMALE troll! This is just fucking great!"

"Wha- What do you mean officer? I'm afraid I don't understand what's going on."

"Excuse me?" a voice interjects from the entrance, "Is a Mr. Vantas here?" Karkat looks toward the entrance. A female human that only appears to be in her early twenties is standing at the door. She waits patiently for Karkat to respond.

He responds, "Who the fuck are you?"

A little annoyed the female human answers, "I'm Jade Harley, your partner."

Karkat stares at her in disbelief, "But you're human!"

Jade signs and walks over to Karkat with her hand out, "And you're a troll, it's nice to meet you." Karkat stares at her hand not doing anything else.

"Excuse me!" The sea troll interrupts, "Is someone going to help me?"

Jade turns around leaving Karkat's glare and answers cheerily, "Of course, now who might you be?"

The sea troll puffs up her chest, "My name is Feferi Peixes, and I'm here because I have a theft case for you."