"In other news, the Masked Rogue may have struck again last night. Two grubs were found dead near a small café, and the apparent cause of death – as usual – is puncture and scratch wounds. There were no notes left at the scene of the crime. Sirika, what is your opinion on the situation?"

The journalist, who had dozed off in her chair, jerked up in her chair. "Wha-? Oh! Yeah. An abomination, it is. I can't believe the nerve…"

Meanwhile, the Rogue was sprawled out in an armchair at home, unimpressed with the journalist's incompetency. "May have"? Who else would have done it? Maybe that buffoon of a clown, but unless the police themselves were inept wrigglers, they would have long since figured out the culprit.

It was four in the morning, too early. The Masked Rogue decided to sleep a little before the sun rose; there was a lot to do tomorrow.

"Nepeta Leijon!"

Silence. Someone in the back row snickered. The teacher slammed her fist on the girl's desk. Nepeta nearly fell out of her seat.

"Miss Leijon, are you with us?"

"Yeah, I- I mean, sorry, miss!"

"I will not be accepting any tomfoolery in this classroom. Fall asleep again, and I will personally see to it that you repeat this grade."

"I'm very sorry, miss, I won't let it happen again. It's just – finals, I haven't been sleeping…"

Nepeta let her sentence trail off as the teacher slunk away. She glanced around, assessing the damage. Vriska Serket was giggling, not even caring to stop when Nepeta looked her in the eye. Karkat – oh, thank heaven, Karkat didn't notice, he'd been talking to the Makara kid the entire time. She sighed a breath of relief.

And then nearly fell out of her chair again. Karkat had turned to speak to her.

"Are you okay?" It was probably supposed to be a whisper, but Karkat was known for his inability to keep his voice down.

"I'm fine!" Nepeta shot back, hoping she didn't look too embarrassed. "Purr-fect, one might say!"

"Are you sure? That seemed uncomfortable."

"Yeah."

"Miss Leijon, Mister Vantas, is there something you would like to share with us?"

Nepeta actually did fall out of her chair this time. Karkat whipped around, his usual scowl back in place. "Miss, we were simply discussing how awful you are."

The teacher fixed Karkat with her evilest, steeliest glare. Karkat answered with a glare so furious Nepeta could hardly believe he wasn't burning a hole in the teacher's forehead.

"Mister Vantas. Go to the office. Now."

"No."

The class went silent. Nepeta climbed back into her chair, hoping not to attract any more attention.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no."

"Mister Vantas, you can get suspended for disobeying a teacher."

"I'm not leaving."

Sollux Captor gently tapped Karkat on the shoulder. "Hey KK, thith ith a bad idea."

The kid didn't even blink.

"Mister Vantas, I am giving you to the count of three to get out of this classroom, or I will carry you out myself."

"Try it." His voice trembled, just a little bit. Nepeta noticed red tears pooling at the edges of his eyes.

"One."

No reply.

"Two."

Nepeta was strongly contemplating getting up and stopping the teacher.

"Three."

All eyes were on the teacher as she silently picked the lowblood up, carried him out the door, and slammed the door behind her. Even the Serket girl was speechless.

The tutor, however, acted like nothing had happened. "Now, class, who can tell me about the Sufferer in Alternian society?"

Nepeta knew the answer, but couldn't bring herself to raise her hand. She was sure that outside the door, she could hear her classmate cry.