Welp might as well post this thing too. Time for the Formalities. Homestuck is owned byAndrew Hussie, and I don't have a beta to read this over for me so there might be a few mistakes. You have been warned.
Chapter 1
It was October 6th the night my troubles all started. Well, it might of been the 9th but that doesn't matter. All you fuckers need to know is that it was a very late Monday night, and by no means was I tucked in my bed with a good Lisa Kleypas novel, ready for a somewhat decent night before the horror terror called school tomorrow. No, Instead I was being dragged all the way out of town by a few asswipes to some seedy as hell apartments. Why you ask? Because if there's anything I've learned it's that life is cruel children, and for some reason seems to favor the stupid and disown the unfortunate. So we the unfortunate have to give life a big fuck you when we want something and get it ourselves.
Now I think here is the part I tell you all about who I am and why I do what I do, but the hell do I know I've never really had one of these "recounting the past" bullshit moments. I've also been told I ramble so I could be drawing this out longer then needed. An unfortunate side effect of this tale. No wait, you know what. Lets just start it like this.
"OUCH!? The fuck Sollux?! I'm awake you despicable assfucking excuse of a human being!" Karkat screamed bolting awake his arms wrapping around his now pounding head.
A pair of snickers could be heard from the front seat, his annoyance for the situation quickly doubled by a searing brightness flashing across his face. "Good morning th'leeping beauty. Did you enjoy your carriage ride to the ball?"
Rubbing his eyes Karkat moved to shield his gaze to from the sudden brightness. "Why yes it was truly amazing how jealous all the other ladies shall be. Now will you assholes stop shining that damned light at my face?!"
At the sound of a flashlight clicking off the truck was once again shrouded in darkness. An apologetic cough could be heard from next to him drawing his attention away from the front seat. "I, um.. I'm sorry Karkat I... I tried to stop them..."
After blinking a few more times the scrawny form of Tavros Nitram could be made out. Tavros reflexively shrugged back trying to hide in the layers of a button up flannel probably three sizes too large. "I really did try Karkat.." He murmured his brown doe eyes shifting to the side to avoid contact.
"Calm down Tavros it's not you I'm pissed at," Karkat sighed squirming in his best attempt to sit up properly in the cramped space. It was almost upsetting how quick Tavros was to assume the blame was directed to him. When in reality it was mostly just.. "It was these fuckers in the front seat!" Karkat said kicking the seat in front of him.
"Hey! Wow, calm your tits bro." Red eyes flashed in warning as their owner turning from the driver seat to face Karkat in back. "If I fuck up bros truck, he's gunna fuck up my face." Running a hand through grimy blonde locks, Dave made an apparent attempt to pull together his cool.
Taking note on his friends tense behavior Karkat couldn't help but wonder if the Strider's Bro had gotten behind on bills again. Leaning back into his seat Karkat further inspected Dave, a feeling a relief mildly apparent as the young Strider's shoulders relaxed and his lips fell back to their usual smirk. "Now treat Lolonda with respect."
"Lolonda?" Sollux played along seeming more at ease with a joking Dave.
"Oh yeah, I guess I never told you guys," Dave spoke a tired grin slightly growing. "you know Bro's thing for Roses mom a while back?"
Pulling a roll of garbage bags from the glove box Sollux shrugged and responded, "Yeah, who doeth'nt? No offen'th to your bro or Roth'th mom but it wa'th pretty creepy."
"Well lets just say to him this car will always hold more then the memory of her... And I guess a bit of them both in between the back."
The sudden chill that ran down Karkats spine was definitely Not of fascination, and judging from the way Tavros slightly paled Karkat decided it was time to move things along. "Okay not that, that wasn't terribly fascinating Strider but I think we would like to get the fuck out of here now."
Sollux chuckled at their reaction. Of course HE wasn't the one in the back seat now was he? "Oh calm down KK we're ju'th waiting for GZ to th'ow up."
Rolling his eyes Katkat attempted to speed this process along. "Yeah well knowing that high as fuck ignoramus he probably already wandered inside forgetting to wait up."
Well that got their attention. "Oh hell no." Dave spoke opening his door and jumping out. "That ass promised we'd go together and split the loot!"
"Ugh, finally." Karkat muttered sliding out from the back. "It's not like we'd of waited for to long ether. Honestly, I'm curious. How much longer would you guys of waited?"
"Probably five minutes," Sollux responded helping Tavros clime out of the back.
"Wow Sollux... That's actually pretty generous coming from you," Karkat said stretching his old faded gray sweater going up exposing his stomach in the process.
"Yeah I gueth your right, maybe I ju'th have a th'oft th'pot for brain dead idiot'th. Heh, xplain'th a lot about our friend'thip doesn't it KK?" Sollux said tossing him a garbage bag.
Giving Sollux a half assed glare Karkat turned to face the building. "Okay you guys know the rules. We give each room five minutes any and all canned goods still unexpired goes in one bag and we split it equally. We don't want to reenact the honey incident, right Sollux?"
"Ye'th th'ir." Sollux responded with an eye roll.
"Good. Now does everyone have a trash- yes Dave why are you raising your hand like a fucking idiot?"
"Well Mr. Vantas sir I'm sure me and all the other kiddies here are wondering since this place looks a lot older then what we normally go for- I mean really when was this place ever open the fifties?- what do we do if shit goes down. You know, satanic hauntings, rotten floor boards, dead animal bodies, perverted hobos, creepy doll collection, drug dealers, a dead body you know. The shit that might just be considered annoying if not slightly dangerous."
Scoffing Karkat tossed the trash bag onto his shoulder and approached the old building. "Well then we do what we always do. We get the hell out."
You know one of these days I really should listen to my own advice.
The building was old, musty and oddly, yet not oddly enough reeked of blue cheese. Over all it wasn't as bad as they thought it'd be. Upon entering the building Dave was the first to loudly announce "well this place is depressing," and In a way he was right.
On the inside the place seemed to have the soft bluish tint of moon light through dust covered windows. As Sollux moved his flashlight around to get a better look it appeared as if everyone who had once lived here had vanished only to be replaced with shadows of what once was. This was normal fro the area of course but, oh the irony.
They decided to check the main floor first. Skipping a large door with locks they headed to the actually apartments. The first couple of rooms were pretty empty till they came upon a room that seemed to be in a similar state to the lobby of someone who had once been but just vanished. It was a two bedroom and looked like it had been a well used temporary Home. Sollux took the kitchen, Tavros the bathroom, and Dave the the master bedroom. Leaving Karkat with the smaller bedroom. Opening the door with a sigh Karkat was almost surprised at what her saw.
Feeling slightly unnerved in the room he tried his best not to focus on the room to much and just search to find anything that could be considered useful. After a while of finding nothing he gave up with a sigh and let his eyes finally observe the room for what it was. A little girls room.
"Damn it all..." Karkat spoke with a sigh. "This is why I wanted a break from the houses..." Observing the the pink, dusted bed spread he willed himself to not notice how small the outfit laid out on the bed was. "This personal shit." Turning his gaze to look around some more he saw something that caught his eye.
Sitting in the corner of the room was an old dust covered tea set. Sitting only a few feet away from it was a small rag doll laying face down on the ground. Frowning at the sight Karkat walked over and picked up the doll. Turning it around in his hand he could almost imagine a small girl playing here and having tea parties with the cat eared doll and anyone else in the building willing to play. The doll had olive green button eyes and seemed to be happy that it was found..
"Are you gunna take the doll or are you forgeting your own rule'th KK? No wai'thing time."
"Jesus Christ!?" Jumping slightly Karkat turned to see Sollux standing in the hallway. "Give me some warning next time you puss festering douche! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
Shrugging Sollux leaned against the door frame. "The kitchen was a buth't. Only exth'pired food. I think Tav found some old med'th and shampoo. Dave al'tho pocketed th'ome watche'th to pawn later, th'o are we moving on or what?"
Waving his hand dismissively Karkat turned the doll over in his hand again. "Yeah okay, You guys move on I'll be out in a sec."
"Whatever KK, do what you want, but if I were you I'd hurry up. Or do you WANT your dad to know you th'neaked out again?" Sollux spoke, leaving the room.
Feeling his grip slightly tighten around the doll at Sollux's words he found himself once more staring at the green buttons. "Sorry I can't take you with me. I'm a bit old for dolls..." setting the doll down on the small chair at the tea party set he quickly ran out of the room. "Hey you assholes! Wait up!"
Right before exiting the apartment itself Karkat froze as he felt something brush against his leg. It felt like a... Cat? Yeah it was totally just some old cat who wandered into the building nothing more just a stupid ca-
Play..
... Okay, what the fuck was that?.. Karkat moved to turn but stopped himself at the feel some someone.. Something?.. staring at him.
Play with me..?
Reaching for the door knob Karkats eyes unconsciously clenched shut. Probably from the "if I can't see it then it's not there" reflex. He was just freaking himself out, that's all. "Calm down, you've done this shit a thousand times.. It's just... A cat."
Please.. Don't go...
Even with his eyes closed he could practically feel the intense gaze... Of the cat of course. He could almost imagine the eyes right behind him... Big... Wide... Olive green... Wait.
Just play with me...
A sudden thought rushed through his mind that sent shivers running down his spine. Olive buttons.
Furever.
Eyes snapping open he threw the door open a loud screech escaped his mouth as he ran into the hallway. He had made it three strides into the hallway when the door closed behind him with a loud slam. Two more strides later he found himself full speed crashing into someone. His hands flew up in defense only for one of his arms to be grabbed in the process. "HOLY FUCKING JEGUS?!"
"Wow, okay calm down there my little motherfucker. What's all up and going on here?"
His eyes snapped open at the familiarity of the voice. Glancing up at the tall figure looming over him a small part of him calmed down at the sight of the familiar juggalo.
"GZ is that you?!" Turning his head to the side Karkat saw Sollux and the rest of his group heading towards them.
"Well praise the mirthful messiahs, Hey there Sol Bro! How are you motherfuckers this fine evening?" Gamzee spoke with a lazy smile wrapping an arm around Karkat.
Slowly and skeptically Sollux approached Gamzee, his arms now crossed. "GZ when the hell did you get here?"
A lazy smile spread itself across his face. "Ah you know I'm not quite sure. All I know is that when I arrived I saw you motherfuckers hadn't got here yet so I just thought I'd all up and wait for you guys inside."
"Then why didn't we th'ee you when we came in?" Sollux asked skeptically.
"Well you know how it goes." Gamzee said his eyes spacing out as if remembering via flashback. "I came in and noticed this picture of this one motherfucker who looked an awful lot like some motherfucker I feel like I should know hanging in the lobby. Then next thing I know I see the truck outside and of course I'm wondering where you motherfuckers scrambled off to and I get an arm full of trembling KarBro."
"Oh yeah speaking of trembling Karkat." Dave spoke up turning his gaze away from Gamzee. "Yo, Karkat are you okay? We heard you make that one noise. You know when your not quite screaming but it still means your freaking the fuck out?"
"Uh, yeah are you okay Karkat?" Tavros asked his face full of worry.
Feeling slightly agitated by their concern Karkat pushed Gamzee's lanky arm off of him. "Yeah I'm fine."
"Are you sure dude?" Dave asked raising an eyebrow. "You invoked the name of Jegus."
Rolling his eyes Karkat suppressed the urge to scoff at himself for using Dave's stupid word in his time of panic. The very thought of it made him want to go back and slap his past self for the slip up. "Just fucking dandy Strider."
In response Dave's crimson eyes seemed to burn into his own scarlet one as if to say 'I want an honest response Vantas.'
Seeing no way of getting out of Dave's concerned glare Karkat let out a tense breath he didn't know he had been holding and waved his hand dismissively. "No really, I'm fine guys. I just got the shit scared out of me by some cat in that last apartment."
"Huh?... Cat?.." Tavros said his brows furrowing in confusion. "Um, Karkat I'm kind of allergic to cats.. I'm uh.. Pretty sure I would of noticed a cat in there."
"Well maybe it came in after you guys left." Karkat suggested crossing his arms.
"But... Um, Karkat we shut the door after we left." Tavros stated.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Karkat asked his eyes narrowing.
"Wha?! N- no, I-"
"Good. Then it was a cat. Now come on. It's 11:45 and we haven't even gotten to the upstairs yet."
Okay I said in my bio that i still had a bunch of stuff I was going to post and like my other homestuck fic Remember The Knight I already have the first few chapters for this one already written up. Heck this ones actually older then RTK so I have no idea why I posted this one after RTK. Also I'm not going to lie, though I had fun coming up with the main plot of this story the main reason it came about was because i just wanted to write Vantascest. Even if it's just slightly there. All my other stories with the Vantases in it mostly gives them a brotherly relationship so i wanted to challenge myself and try to mix things up.
Well anyway, thank you for reading this. I'm probably going to update this tomorrow or Monday. Feel free to follow and leave reviews with what you think, constructive criticism, or just random facts about birds.
