Summary:
Humanstuck AU.
Though it wasn't long ago that Karkat was a student himself. After something happens to him, something he won't talk about, he loses motivation to pursue the big time and instead gets offered a position to teach at a rather esteemed dance school. So enter John who isn't all that driven, but rather has a huge amount of excess talent and just coasts can see the potential, and starts to really push John in particular so that he can become something great. What will happen when Karkat gets involved, how will John take to this, and what is Skaia?
Ships will include, but are not limited to:
Johnkat (Main ship)
Rosemary
Spacetime
Pale Catfish (Feferi/Nepeta)
Aradia/Equius
Spacetime
Ex-Karezi
The Red of Dance
Chapter 1
"HURRY UP! I'M NOT PAID TO WATCH YOU GRUBSNIFFERS SIT AROUND!"
The scurry of feet was quickly heard all around as the dancers got into position. Everyone fell silent when their instructor came down from the balcony, their eyes following him as he made his way to a particular dancer that was taking his sweet time in the corner. "Egbert," He said quietly, which made every other dancers' breath hitch, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Getting a drink," the man- apparently named Egbert- replied, taking a big swig from his water bottle.
"Are you enjoying it?" Egbert nodded, wiping his mouth. In one swift move, the grouchy instructor snatched the water bottle and poured it on his pupil's head.
"Karkat, what's the big idea?" the now wet student asked, getting angry,
"THAT'S MR. VANTAS TO YOU JOHN EGBERT!" Karkat screamed, throwing the empty plastic container at John, "NOW GET OVER THERE WITH THE OTHERS!"
Karkat Vantas wasn't like any other dancing instructor. Some say he's too young and that he doesn't have the skill to be a dance instructor, but they couldn't be more wrong. Karkat Vantas was always a dancer since childhood. Taking private dancing lessons, he had advanced quickly; quicker than any of the others. So quickly, in fact, this gifted child was pushed into competitions and a shot at professional dancing.
He was ready, he was going, but something changed; something he wouldn't ever speak of. Now Karkat, at the impressive age of 21, is just a teacher but at a rather esteemed dance school: Prospit's Dance for the Gifted. This special day, April 13, was the tryouts for Prospit and just about everyone was nervous; everyone except a certain dancer.
"As you all know," Karkat said in a presenting voice that seemed to come so easily, "today are tryouts for Prospit's Dance for the Gifted. To get in, you need to show not only pure talent, but also hard work and dedication. We'll go alphabetically. There are six available spots and nine of you. That means you had better impress me if you want those spots." Karkat walked back up to the balcony and took a seat in his chair, picking up a clipboard as he did so. Looking at the roster, he sighed, "Ampora, you better have a good reason for being here. I kicked you out last year; don't think I won't do it again."
"I promise, Mr. VVantas, I'll do better this year. I need to get in." His accent made the instructor cringe,
"Alright, go ahead and try." Karkat crossed his name off anyways.
Watching Eridan Ampora dance was the equivalent of watching a pig slaughtered. Everyone either looked away or started laughing when this dancer started the music and did his routine. Only when Karkat whistled did he stop. "Ampora, get out of my dance studio," He told, sighing and looking for the next
"B-but," Eridan started to protest,
"Go!" Eridan did as told and left the building. "Egbert, you've screwed up once today, don't screw up now."
A pretty confident John Egbert strode over to the CD player that was on the ground and turned it on. Taking his place in front of the mirror, he looked nowhere except into his own eyes. A deep breath and music started the dancer's routine. The moment he started dancing, everyone was mesmerized. Bending in ways no one had seen, moving to a beat no one would have guessed he could've matched, and not to mention the freedom and delight he showed while dancing, John obviously had not only pure talent, but skill. Once done, he was out of breath and sweaty, but also happy and at peace with how he had done. Only when everyone started clapping, did he remember what he was doing.
John's face quickly became hot and red and he cleared his throat while adjusting the glasses that sat upon his face. He made his way back to the lineup and partially hid behind a girl that looked a lot like him. "Egbert, see me after class," Karkat said, making a mark on his clipboard. All the compliments were hushed with those five words.
"Mr. Vantas, I think John did exceptionally well and I do believe it would be quite unfair to reprimand him."
"Maryam, I didn't ask you; Egbert, see me after class; Harley you're up."
One by one, the five of the seven dancers left preformed their own show. Each got their own little mark on the clipboard. "Serket, get out."
"But, you didn't even seeeeeeee my routiiiiiiiine!" She complained, crossing her arms as she dragged her words out in annoyance.
"And I don't need to. Dancing requires working with others and you obviously can't do that. Get out."
"Fine, whatever! I'll just go travel to Derse. You'll regret this!" And with that, she left.
Karkat rolled his eyes and crossed the dancer's name off, moving onto the next one after. "Zahhak, you're last. Go ahead and try to impress me." The girl that wore a blue, tattered cat hat squeezed the last dancer's hand and he gave her a reassuring smile. They acted as if they were siblings or really good friends.
Taking his stand, Equius started dancing but after a few steps, he tripped and fell- creating a rather large sized hole in the floor. The cat girl ran to Equius' side and Karkat face palmed. "It is okay Nepeta, I am well," Equius said, standing up and picking up his now broken sunglasses, cringing. "I will see you once your class gets out. Mr. Vantas, do send me the bill." With that, Equius ran out of the building.
"Everyone here has made it. Harley, Egbert, Lalonde, Maryam, Pexies, and Leijon, that is. You can all go home now," Karkat said, sighing and coming down from the balcony to inspect the damage to the floor, "I expect each and every one of you to be here tomorrow, no later than 8, and yes, I mean 8 in the morning."
As if the final bell for school had rang, everyone dispersed and left the building, leaving John, Jade, and Karkat standing there. "Jade, I'll see you at home."
"You sure?" The girl asked, getting a nod in reply,
"If I'm going to get yelled at, I'd rather be the only one who hears it."
"Well… Alright, see you at home." Jade nodded and left the building, glancing back as she did so. John took a deep breath and walked over to where Karkat was.
"You wanted to see me? Karka- I mean- Mr. Vantas?" John asked, crossing his arms in annoyance.
"Hm?" Karkat hummed in reply, looking up from the hole in the floor, "Oh yeah. I wanted to comment on your routine,"
"Oh? Comment how?" John adjusted his glasses again and looked Karkat in the eyes,
"It was pretty sloppy, didn't quite fit the song, and I can see a lot of room for improvement bu-"
"Sloppy? Improvement? Mr. Vantas, I don't think you understand how hard I worked on that routine. It spent me weeks just to come up with it and then weeks more to practice it! You can even ask Jade if you don't believe me!" By now John was not only getting upset, but also angry. Though he was naturally a dancer, he had worked hard on his routine.
"Egbert! You didn't let me finish!" Karkat yelled, getting angry himself. He took a deep breath and looked at the hole again, "I was saying that it was sloppy, didn't fit the song, and how you can improve but, I can see something in you that I don't see in a lot of students. I see something in you I haven't seen in a while but I also see that it's slipping away. I see passion, talent, and potential."
"What are you saying?" John asked, now confused,
"I'm saying you need to either be in this completely or not at all because with you have a shot! You have a shot to becoming something great and something that isn't…" Karkat motioned to the hole, "isn't this- a complete disaster."
"Are you saying I'm on the verge of becoming a disaster?"
"For goodness sake Egbert, I'm telling you to stop goofing off!"
"Is this because I'm the only guy in the group?"
"I… It… FUCK IT!"
Karkat took his clipboard and threw it across the room. "IF YOU WANT TO LET TALENT SLIP AWAY AND BE USELESS, FINE BY ME! ALL I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS HELP!" He screamed, storming off to leave an angry, confused, and hurt John Egbert to do the same, but in the different direction.
Just a little side story I'm working on.