"Karkat, what are you doing? You should be inside cleaning, you know it's highly disrespectful to think you can simply leave whenever you want, especially when you could be risking your first job-"
"Kankri, shut the fuck up! I was only out for a minute dumbass, chill the fuck out" Karkat looked up at his older brother momentarily, as if he had been pleading to stay. Ahead of him had been an ocean with a ship too far ahead to tell if it was coming closer or further. It made him think of Meenah's ship actually. She had been well known around town, mostly for her dangerous reputation and thievery though she was rich in gold and jewels, which the poor community had been to take to add to their treasury. Karkat though had been in a state of envy towards her though. It was not for the money though the sense of adventure and danger it was like out in the seas. Not that he wasn't already in danger. He wanted to be a captain.
"...we should go inside now, don't worry brother, it will be closing soon anyways. Kankri rested his hand on Karkat's shoulder and led him back inside.
They had worked at a simple inn. Karkat working as a dish-boy and Kankri as one of the servants. Despite the town's low funds, it had been well known for its variety of meats. Large farms had raised healthy cows, pigs, chickens, and even turkeys and duck. The town often traded with two nearby towns for other things such as tools, clothing, and other things the town didn't have enough of.
Because of that, the food served inside was . Karkat sometimes got to get the chefs to make him something small before or after work, or he'd actually pay a little if he had the money. Again, with the town's low economy, trolls with jobs didn't get payed well, especially low wage jobs. Not only that but the taxes were terrible. Another reason why they'd want capricious trolls like the fearsome Meenah to stick around.
Though as late night came, the place was about ready to close. Karkat headed to the back to finish up his job though it seemed like of the the chefs had taken up to doing them
"What the fuck are you doing?" Karkat asked lowly, he was not mad or anything though that had been his duty.
"Can it, thought you left early so I decided to do em for ya."
"Mph, whatever, I'll be leaving I guess."
Going back into the main entrance, he saw his older brother talking with a departing customer, A olive-blood by the looks of it. He'll come when he's done... He went outside which had a simple cobble path and similar surrounding buildings and a few wandering trolls, all mostly lowbloods. Him being a mutant wasn't the luckiest thing to have though it was pretty easy to hide, when you're young that is. Though his brother, also a mutant, had already came of age,, he's the one who has it hard, Despite the town mostly being made up of lowbloods, there were multiple highbloods as well. The majority of them came from mainland, where most royalty are found. So just because of the reason of Kankri's red eyes, they had too hide.
They would go to work in the afternoon, where they could blend into the crowd, and they left late at night, where they could hide in the shadows.
"Hey Kk" Karkat flinched in surprise, turning around slowly to see Sollux.
"What are you doing out so late eh?" Karkat said, looking around warily. Sollux only chuckled
"I'm hurt, you don't even remember that I work night-shift" he said, sniffling.
"Since when did you work night-shift?"
"Well okay fine, I'm not actually working though Aradia did ask me to come meet her at the docks, want to come?" Sollux asked, a friendly smile on is face. Karkat had not even known him for very long, though right away they had come to know each other as best friends, well, Karkat's only friend but lets not get specific.
"Well my brother...uh I guess I'll come, though not for long okay?" Sollux grinned, grabbing Karkat's hand.
"Alright you're going to going to be so fucking excited" He pulled Karkat along, looking just a little too excited to be truthful.
After a moment of speed walking, they made it to the docks. A ship was there and it had been decorated in lights. A few other trolls his age and younger had been gathered around though he only recognized a few. Karkat finally realized that this was no ordinary ship, it was actually Meenah's, daughter of )(IC herself. One of the most fiercest and powerful pirates out there, Karkat's favorite at that. She waved from her ship, sailing closer and closer until finally coming to a he knew it, she was getting off the ship.
"Hey kids" She said, grinning with her shark-like teeth. Her crew stood on the ship, each one fierce looking though they seemed to be smiling. The young trolls stood in awe, some cheering while others cowering behind someone they seemed to have trusted. "Saw the flyer in the toy shop eh? Well glad to see ya! Now, would any of you chumps wanna join my crew?" She seemed to be acting a little friendlier than he had seen her before, though considering the fact that some of the trolls were scared, it was a good strategy to use.
One of the first trolls to step forward was...a cerulean-blood? These were pretty rare though they were definitely around.
"Ay! Now what's your name hm?" Meenah asked, crouching down to her height.
"I'm Vriska...!" She said, a little more timid at first though confident.
"Vriska was it? Hm well come on in!"
A few more trolls begin to aboard, while others running off though Karkat remained by Sollux's side, still holding hands. "Where's Aradia?" Karkat asked quietly, looking around through the small crowd.
"I didn't see her yet...but are you going to leave?"
"Are you?" Karkat asked back, holding Sollux's hand always adored Meenah though he couldn't just leave his brother behind without at least letting him know. Besides, it all seemed a little suspicious, like abduction in some way.
Sollux opened his mouth part way but closed it right away, suddenly waving. Turning around, Karkat saw that Aradia had finally came to view...She was boarding the ship. "C'mon Kk" Sollux said, running up towards Aradia. Karkat looked towards the town, completely torn between is brother and his best friend. Why did things always have to be one of the other? How much would this actually impact his pathetic life? With a sigh he began walking forwards. The few who had decided to come along were already on board while the majority gone. Meenah grinned, stepping beside Karkat, her hand pressing on his back, leading towards her ship.
"That's all boys! Get ready to set sail, gonna be a long trip" Meenah said, shouting up to the nearby crewmates. After climbing up the little bridge, two other men pulled it back up, hastily tossing it to the side. "Guess I should be gettin' the rest of ye names am I right? C'mon, don't be shy, don't even think of wastin' my time got it?"
Karkat caught a few names, the ones who said them loud enough and not simply a mutter. There had been Vriska, Aradia, and Sollux of course, though some new ones had been one belonging to a skinny boy who went by the name "Tavros" and yet another small individual "Nepeta". No one other than Sollux and Aradia and been familiar to him though so they might as well have been strangers- well, they WERE strangers. Just then, the ship began to move. He was a bit surprised at first though quickly got used to the feeling. "Tavros" though on the other hand seemed to be getting a little sick.
"Well then! It was nice gettin' antiquated though mama gotta get herself some sleep!" Meenah yawned and stretched exaggeratedly before walking off to her room, pointing off some crew member to direct the new trolls, such as Karkat, to where they would be staying.
Karkat couldn't tell if this had been the right choice to make, but hey! At least he can be with his Best bro! One would definitely love being pressured into doing something you don't want to do, especially if it involves abandoning ones only family member. Boy, what a great friend he is.