Disclaimer: I don't own these characters
The rain was only a mere drizzle, common for late September days in Tacoma, Washington. It wasn't frigid, like it soon would become but was not a warm summer day like it had been just a few weeks before. It was an in-between day, and in-between days are the best days to start anything.
John was starting his first day in college. He was doing a program that allowed him to do duel enrollment at his high school and earn college credit. He had a plan and he told everyone about it. His plan was to graduate with an associate's degree, move on to get his bachelor's degree, earn his job as a choir teacher at some high school by the age of 20, for he was just 16, and earn his master's degree while teaching. That was what he was going to do and there was absolutely nothing standing in his way.
John had specifically arranged his schedule so as to have his first 3 classes in the morning back to back in order to just get them over with. He had specifically arranged his classes too and he got exactly what he wanted; English 101, History 146 and Spanish 121 (he had been taking French in high school but had decided Spanish would be more useful as a teacher). His last class was extra and only happened on Mondays and only at 7:00 at night. He was heading there now.
This was choir. The most wonderful place in the world. A place where differences were accepted and used for the benefit of everyone. One voice made a difference. Independence was key. Yet, although independence was necessary, all of the voices were required, for without them all there would be no choir. Yes. Choir was magnificent.
John stepped in the choir room. It seemed nobody knew where to be yet. That was most likely determined today. He took the closed empty seat.
A lady at the front began talking, "Good evening everyone!" there were a few muttered "good evenings" to her from the students. She was whom John assumed was the choir director was tall and wore a long black and jade dress. She had had long black hair and had black swirls tattooed up her arms that looked very interesting. She also had a piercing on her bottom lip and on her eyebrows. One probably wouldn't have guessed she was a teacher but she was a music teacher, what do you expect?
"My name is Porrim Maryam," she began "I am so pleased to have you all in my class. Clearly you are all quite dedicated to be here at this hour." John heard a "hmph" behind him when she said this.
"To start off I would like for you to write your full name and what you think you should sing on the clip board I'm passing around," she had the board to John as she said this. He knew exactly what he was, "John Egbert—Tenor" he wrote and passed it onto the girl sitting next to him. The director then began speaking again.
"Now that I've been formally introduced to you all, please call me Porrim. Mrs. Maryam is my mother," the class quietly chuckled. She then proceeded to inform them about all that was going to happen over the next quarter. Sometime into this John spaced out and overheard two classmates talking in the process.
"Fuck, I don't know," said a slightly high yet raspy male voice.
"Well, for starters" said a deepish voice that sounded all over the place, "You can write out your motherfucking name."
"I know that much, fuckass," the first said, "but what the fuck should I choose? I don't know what the fuck a bass is or a tenor…I haven't even heard of a fucking baritone—," his voice was getting louder.
"Ssshhh, it's all up and ok not to motherfucking have a clue. It is all cool. Get your motherfucking chill back on and write 'Karkat Vantas—Tenor" and it'll be good," said the second voice.
Karkat or at least who John assumed was "Karkat" picked up the pencil, "But…fuck! You put 'Baritone'—why the fuck would I put 'Tenor'?" he sounded frustrated again.
The unnamed one sighed, "Well…it's all in the pitch of the motherfucking voice. Ya' know how every motherfucker has a different voice? Some are low as fuck, they're the basses and some are high and medium and shit. For a male person, as your wicked self, you're kinda high pitched so you should all up and get your tenor on, while I, bein' middle-wise will get my baritone on! Does that make motherfucking sense?"
"Ugh, sorta…" said Karkat, "but now I have a fucking headache. Fuck…Fine whatever." John heard him write on the paper and pass it to the next, presumably irritated person.
After passing the clip board on, the two behind John were silent. Porrim continued informing them on the expectations, guidelines, assignments, music, etc. of her class until finally, at 9:00 p.m., dismissing them and telling them to grab their music on the way out.
John turned to talk to the guys behind him who were talking earlier, "Hi!" he said to them putting on the brightest smile he could muster.
The short one scowled, "Who the fuck are you?" he said, almost yelling.
The tall one chimed in, "Uh…what I think the motherfucker means," he gestured to the small one "is 'Hey motherfucker! What's your motherfucking name?"
"Um…" said John a bit scared by the smaller one's "hello", "I'm John, er, John Egbert."
The shorter one growled but the tall one smiled, "Well that's an all up and miraculous name, bro! The name's Gamzee Makara, and this here…" he was cut off.
"I can damn well introduce myself if I fucking want to! It's fucking Karkat!" Karkat yelled and looked everywhere except at John.
John looked the two over thoroughly at this awkward moment. Gamzee was very tall and skinny, he also had lots and lots of untamable hair. He was wearing what looked like polka-dot pajama pants and a black tee with an indigo…Capricorn? symbol on it. He was smiling lazily. Then he looked at Karkat. He was short, shorter than John. He was very pale, like he was sick and had messy black hair. He wore grey pants and black turtleneck with a grey…cancer symbol on it. Oh yeah! John thought, The zodiac!
"Are you guys wearing zodiac symbols on your shirts?" John asked excitedly because he thought this would start a nice conversation.
"Yeah, what's it to you?!" Karkat yelled and then in a huff he stormed off leaving John confused and his friend, Gamzee what looked like a mixture of being concerned with mild amusement.
"Sorry bro. He's not a motherfucking people person…you seem wicked, though," then he paused, deciding on what to say, "and I hope you don't let the lil' motherfucker get you down or nothing, he don't mean no harm…oh and uh have a wicked day bro! I gotta go find 'im."
John muttered an unintelligible "bye" while Gamzee walked off to find his friend. Wow. Karkat was pissed. He hoped it wasn't his fault but he didn't quite understand what he did if it was. Oh well, John thought to himself, I guess I'll try to talk to him on Monday. Gamzee was nice though!
He went outside to find his dad already there waiting for him, pipe, hat and all, "Hey dad!" John said. His dad, man did he love his dad! His dad, the man who could bake anything, told the best jokes in the world and even sometimes (not often) could out-prank him!
"Hey kid!" said his dad smiling at his kid, "What has you in such a good mood?"
They started driving how while John told his dad all about his day but for some reason he decided to leave out the part about Karkat and Gamzee, he didn't know why but he thought he shouldn't mention them to his dad.
When they arrived home John's dad told him to go to bed, he had already had dinner and it was a long day for him and plus, he had to go to school. John checked his phone first though, he knew he wasn't allowed to take his phone in his room or any electronics for that matter. Nobody had texted him, no huge surprise there. So he checked his pesterchum app, which was usually how he was contacted by his friends. He saw he had a new friend request. He opened it up. It read "terminallyCapricious". Hmmmm, he thought, I don't think I know anyone with that chum handle... he hesitated, Ugh why not? John pushed "accept", plugged in his phone and went to bed.