A/N: Alright, second part! :3
Headmistress Feferi: Be Excited ===+
"Welcome, new students!" The surrounding trolls and humans turned to find the speaker with the peppy, youthful voice.
An adult troll dressed in colorful pink robes and a tiara entered the room. Her horns arced straight up and slightly to the sides. Her black hair was the longest most of the students had ever seen, trailing down onto the floor. It looked like it could swallow a troll whole—like some of her employed army of hairdressers would be found in it weeks later eating bits of their hairbrushes to survive. On her head rested a gold tiara, marked with a very rare symbol in purple-pink. She was a sea dweller, with wine-purple fins on her cheeks, obviously of very high blood. Despite her age she wore pink goggles over her eyes, as if she were going to the beach after classes. In her hand she carried an elaborate golden trident with a decorative purple line curling around the middle.
"I am Feferi Peixes, the Witch of Life, and I am the Headmistress of Skaia University. But you may call me Madame. Should you guppies graduate, you too will earn a title of your very own." She giggled at her own fish pun. "We have nothing but the highest hopes for-" she added the words "some of" under her breath. "…you." Madame Peixes finished with monstrous grin. "This will be so exciting!"
"Oh! Ah!" Vriska looked confused as the Witch gasped at her. "You must be the Mayor's daughter. Miss Serket, correct?" She walked closer and gave the girl a once-over. "How tragically beautiful." She murmured, clutching her trusty trident. "And you must be-" she grinned and turned to the troll who stood next to Vriska.
"I'm her sibling, Karkat Vantas." Karkat said as Feferi stumbled backwards in shock. "I'm…" he swallowed. "I'm beautifully tragic, I guess."
"Ah, yes. Whale I'm shore you're very bright…"
"Bright?" John mumbled over to the side. He had slid off the pile when the pretty sea dweller Headmistress had come. "He practically glows." John snickered. Karkat tried to pretend that he hadn't heard that, or the other students returning the laughter.
Suddenly the boy remembered something. "Um, Miss Madame Lady? Do you know where I might find my private hivesuite in Prospit dormitories?"
The reaction was immediate. All of the remaining student body broke out in an uproar. Why didn't they all get private hivesuites? What made him so special? Who was this douchebag?
"Oh!" John exclaimed, turning to face the crowd. "You guys can all come over to my place whenever you want, as long as we can be friends! That's the only rule." He said, grinning. Everyone was appeased.
Karkat watched, getting more and more annoyed as John was given compliments on how Good he was. "I am not!" And then a laugh. Yes you are, oh no I'm not you sillies! Bluh bluh, huge dork.
"Did you have a question?" Feferi asked, pink eyes blinking.
"Yes ma'am, my name is John Egbert, from LOWAS, the Land of Wind and Shade?" Oh please. Karkat wanted to scoff. Like the Headmistress of Oz's finest university wouldn't know what the acronym of a Land stood for?
Seeing that the Headmistress recognized the name, John continued. "I've applied to your Aspect seminar, and it is a huge and valued personal interest of mine," he moved closer to Feferi. "Y'know, to study and stuff. With you."
Karkat stifled a groan. That suck-up.
"I think you may have read my essay, Typheus's Snore: The Breeze Flows Through All." The boy wiggled his fingers for effect.
"Oh yes…" Judging by her frown, the Empress had indeed seen that essay. "However," she raised one dignified finger in John's direction. "I do not teach my seminar every semester, unless I find a true pearl in an oyster, that is, someone spe-shell."
"Whale...egg-sactly." John said, trying to endear himself to the nice lady with floundering puns. The smile, complete with overbite, served as a fin-ishing touch.
"Madame Peixes," Karkat spoke, interrupting John before he could say something else stupid. "Vriska and I haven't found our rooms yet either."
"Oh, your father alerted me ahead of tide about your sister's…condition," came the quick response and smile. "I've always had an interest in care-based culling, so we struck an agreement. We thought it would be best for her to room near the offishes, ehm, offices, so that I can assist her whenever needed."
Karkat felt his breath hitch in his throat. "But that's always been my job-"
Feferi tilted her head. "He didn't mention you." she said, face quizzical. It was a good thing that the mutant troll had had extensive practice hiding his emotions behind a poker face. Questions and anger fought a violent and bloody battle inside him as he tried to protest.
Off to the side, John watched the Headmistress lose interest in him. "You know, I don't think she even read my essay, guys," he pouted to his friends.
"Bummer, dude," said a blond young man in red clothes. His hands rested casually in his pockets. He nodded to rap music through earbuds that were connected to his sunglasses. The logo of a well-known technology business flashed over the lenses. Overall, he came off as entirely… cool. So cool in fact that the glaciers all gave up, said 'nope, fuck this man', and ollied out via spontaneous evaporation. Global warming, motherfuckers.
"Dave, don't be so flippant. John, my advice would be to inquire further with our dear Headmistress." A girl who greatly resembled the coolkid interjected. Her light blonde hair and skin matched Dave so well that they could have been mistaken for siblings. A lavender headband that matched her skirt kept her short hair in order. "If your sister were here, I am certain that she would accede the notion with a charming 'hoo hoo' of joviality."
"You really think so, Rose?" asked John. "I should ask?" Rose reiterated. Yes, he should. John spent a few moments in thought and then turned back to the Headmistress, raising his hand to signal that he had a question.
"Excuse me!" Piped Feferi, putting her arm around a very shocked Karkat. "Would anybody like to volunteer to share with Karcrab Vantas?" At the mention of the mutant troll, the rest of the student body backed away as if repelled.
"Um, Madame Peixes?" John said, stepping forward.
"Excellent, Mr. Egbert," said a delighted Feferi. She scooted Karkat forward with her arm. For once the troll's face was not able to mask the utter revulsion, confusion, and horror that he felt. "How very Good of you," the Headmistress complimented a bewildered John.
"Say thank you Mr. Vantas. I'm sure you two will be the best of hivemates!" Feferi chirped as she dragged the two boys closer by the arms. They began to blurt out complaints and creative swear words before they were even within two feet of each other.
"Everyone retire to your dormitories: Prospit on the right, Derse on the left." Feferi called as she swooped behind a shocked Vriska and began forcefully escorting her away.
"Wait! Karkat what the hell is going on?"
"Madame Peixes you don't understand!"
"Pretty pink miss sea dweller ma'am!"
Suddenly no one understood anything. All of the students scattered. Some obeyed Feferi's commands and fled to either the yellow or purple hall. John's friends tried to understand what had happened and attempted to force their way through the crowd to him, Karkat yelled, and the lusii who were pushing carts and other menial tasks got confused and added to the clamor with shrieks, hisses, clicks, and roars. It was a huge screaming mess. Literally.
Karkat: Flip the fuck out ===+
Suddenly Karkat let out a huge bellow and slammed his school bag to the ground with a bang. He clenched his fists, took in a large breath, and then opened his mouth to emit the single loudest cuss word the students had ever heard. One hate-filled syllable echoed on for longer than any ordinary person could scream. The students gasped as they felt an enormous magical force rampage its way through the room. The confusion and clamor died, only to be replaced by a heavy feeling of anger that permeated the common room. Some of the weaker students fell to their knees. Even Feferi gave a startled glub and was forced to let go of the young lady who she was holding.
Vriska herself hollered and shrieked as her robotic left arm jerked around as if possessed, slapping and punching Feferi until it was finally free. Even then it continued to move around with a power and speed that not even a troll could naturally manage. Finally Karkat's voice came to an end, and the arm stopped. Breathing hard from effort, the red troll walked over to his sister under the scared looks of the others and grabbed her by the shoulders possessively, moving them a few steps away from the Headmistress.
Feferi and the students recovered as the strange feeling fled, but the sea dweller could only blink at the two siblings in astonishment.
"…How did he do that?" Muttered John from where he had faceplanted onto the floor next to a group of humans that had hunched together,
"Karkat…" Vriska looked over her shoulder at her brother. He didn't answer. His hands were trembling. He had just royally screwed up. Again. Grayish-red eyes traced with fear glanced back at Vriska. That had been a Vast Expletive. "You promised you'd never do that again!" She cried and wrenched herself out of his grip.
"I-I'm sorry," Karkat said to Feferi and the crowd. Vriska tentatively cradled her arm and gave it a horrified look, already turning the situation to her advantage. "I just…once in a while I…lose control or some shit…" Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Now they thought that he was not onlya freak, but a dangerous freak! He was going to be chased out of school on his first day.
"What?" Feferi found her voice. She gave a short laugh. "Never apologize for a powerful gift like that!" Was she…smiling?
She swooped over to Karkat in a pink blur and pulled him aside. Her fuchsia eyes glittered. "Have you ever thought of studying sorcery?"
He blinked back at her. Sorcery was a very strong and esteemed branch of what the world considered Aspects. People believed that there were two main powers at work in the world: Wickedness and Goodness. Throughout their lives, people were taught to promote Good and shun Wickedness in thoughts and actions, doing their best to create a happy world of harmony. Humans had practically always done this, but when the previously war-like Trolls decided to inhabit the planet, they had been…converted in a way.
The Old Age trolls had learned to use their psychic gifts for the greater Good, and in moderation. In return the humans had helped to practically cure the chronic nightmares that plagued their dreams and made them so cranky. This had been a long, long time ago. The rest of the troll species was focused on other far-off planets and galaxies. Oz was just a suitable planet for an outpost to live on due to overpopulation. Therefore, those trolls that had made Oz their permanent home had lived undisturbed with the humans and these ideals for hundreds of years. Or sweeps.
There were many different types of Aspects: Breath, Time, Mind, and Space just to name a few. Sorcery was the root of all the forces and required dedicated and strong wielders. As a result, people took pride in those users and they were held in high regard. Of course, some people still stubbornly insisted that there was no such thing as 'magic', and that it all could be boiled down to simple science instead. But no one really believed them.
Taking Karkat's dumbstruck silence as a yes, Feferi clapped. "Then I shell tutor you personally and take no one else!" On the other side of the room, John gave a sharp yelp. But the Witch of Life was already fawning over her new find.
Many sweeps I have waited,
For a gift like yours to swim up,
Why I predict the Wwizard could make you,
His loyal, dear-to-heart chum!
My dear young troll,
I'll contact the man at once,
Tell him of you in advance,
With a talent like yours, Crabsnack, there's,
A most de-fin-ish chance
She giggled excitedly at her bounty of sea puns like a little girl. Karkat listened intently, eyes growing slowly wider at the wonders she was describing to him.
If you work as you should,
You'll be making Good
"M-Madame I wanted to talk to you about-" John spoke from behind her.
"Not now my dear cuttlefish." Feferi shooed him away with her hands before picking up her trident. She walked elegantly away, black lips hiding a shark-toothed grin. What a for-tuna-te catch that had swum right into her net…
John watched her go with a confused expression. He slowly lowered his hand. Now he had to room with a troll, and a red one, of all things!
"…Maybe this will make me a better person or something." He said. A pause. Then the most dopey, dorky smile imaginable spread across his face. He left to go find his friends, still displaying the most annoying grin of all time.
Karkat: Disregard John Egbert. Acquire big dreams instead. ===+
The common room was all cleared out. Karkat stood alone, a red shadow in the middle of the floor. He couldn't believe it. His aural sponges must be damaged. His think pan must be rusted. He was hallucinating, he was dreaming, he was kidding himself-
He could meet the Wizard of Oz.
…Did that really just happen?
Have I actually understood?
This curse that I've tried to suppress or hide,
Is a talent that could,
Help me meet the wizard!
Everyone knew about the wizard. He was almost a figure of legend—the number one celebrity, the top man in charge of Aspects, with a great influence on politics and pretty much everything else imaginable. No one knew or remembered when or how he had appeared in Oz, but he had been famous ever since the oldest troll could remember. He was mysterious, a powerful wielder of his chosen Aspect, and admired by both humans and trolls. It was rumored that he had knowledge of the most incredible things and was in possession of the profoundest of technologies. He made incredible inventions. Some cults even swore that he could perform miracles. Oz wasn't itself without its wizard. And that person might be interested in what Karkat could offer him…
"If I make Good…" He just had to work hard and prove himself. Not a problem; he could handle it. This was his chance to prove himself to everyone. He could make up for everything. He could show them that he wasn't just a freakish mutant, that he did have a heart and cared. He could even make his father proud. With a furious determination, Karkat grabbed his school bag and set off toward Prospit dormitories. Fuck if he was gonna say no. "So I'll make…Good."
When I meet the wizard,
Once I prove I'm a good catch,
Oh, then I'll meet the wizard,
What I've waited for since…since I hatched!
And with all his wizard wisdom,
By my looks he won't be blinded,
Do you think the wizard is dumb?
Or like humans, so closed-minded? Fuck no!
He'll say to me 'I see who you truly are,'
'A troll on whom I can rely.'
And that's how we'll begin, the wizard and I,
Karkat's dreams of meeting the wizard followed him all through his days at school. People still moved out of his way when he tromped through the halls, and burning sneers were to be expected, along with the usual fear or scorn. But what did Karkat care? It was all worth it. He had a dream and a goal. All those other nooksuckers could shut the fuck up and watch. Thoughts like that kept him going through classes, studying, and John Egg-head.
But Karkat supposed he could allow himself to snarl at idiots once in a while. He had a reputation to uphold after all.
Once I'm with the wizard,
My whole life will change,
'Cause once you're with the wizard,
No one thinks you're strange!
The crimson troll threw himself into his studies. He had always gotten good grades (it was one of the few things he could do right) but now they really soared. Just barely making it wouldn't keep him in Madame Peixes's goggles, no, or help him to the Ruby Cityhub. He read small mountains of books, practiced everything that his professors assigned, and always attempted extra credit.
He developed a knack for the Sicklekind strife specibus. Anybody who was anybody in a position of power or knowledge, like graduates-to-be, all became experienced with a certain weapon or tool that they would use as a specibus. Karkat could see that the others were suspicious of him and his sharp new toy, but tried his best to continue ignoring it. It just made him work harder.
No father is not proud of you,
No sister acts ashamed,
Everybody has to love you,
When by thewWizard you're acclaimed,
Meanwhile Vriska was doing very well. Karkat would never admit it, but he loved his stupid bitchy sister very much. He was a stupid sapsponge that way, dammit, caring about people much more than he should. They both still talked together out of familial bonds and habit, but her hivesuit with the Empress was far away from his. Slowly, they had begun to form their own lives separate from each other.
She was making friends quickly, forming connections with the teachers and the janitors (she had all-time access to the lost-and-found now—free items for her to "borrow"). And even those who she didn't talk to knew her as "that poor crippled girl". They regarded her with pity and usually offered to carry her bags to her next class out of the Good of their hearts. She thanked them with a needle-point smile and accepted.
And this gift or curse I've got inside,
Maybe at last I'll know why,
When we are side-by-side,
The wizard and I,
Karkat reached a pause in his desktop studying and went to go return a textbook to his schoolbag. It was late in the evening and the air was still and full of dreams. Karkat found himself thinking about the future again. Such silly fantasies. Yet the troll allowed his mind to wander off in a familiar direction…
And one day he'll say to me 'Karkat,'
'A troll who is so superior,'
'Shouldn't someone whose so Good inside,'
'Have a matching exterior?'
Karkat felt his heart begin to pound with excitement at the thought. What would the wizard sound like? Distinguished? Confident? …Fatherly?
'And since folks here are neverending,'
'In being so very condescending ,'
'Would it be alright by you,'
'If I… normalize you?'
Karkat smiled. He drummed his long-nailed fingers on the study desk. There was something that he would never admit to anyone else: he often wondered if there were a cure for his mutated coloration. Hell, if anyone could do it, the wizard could. Fuck, he shouldn't giggle! Egbert was finally asleep. But yes, once he met the wizard he would definitely say something like…
And of course that's not too important to me,
'Yeah I guess, why not?' I'll reply,
Oh what a pair we'll be,
The Wizard and I
The unused pencil fell from his other hand with a clatter. Studying suddenly didn't seem so important. Why work his nubby horns to the figurative bone, when he could see the end results so clearly in his mind right now? It was such a nice feeling, to take a moment to pretend.
Unlimited,
My future is unlimited,
And I've just had a vision almost like a prophecy, I know,
Once, his catlike mother had told him about a strange ability of his ancestor's. Jegus was prone to flashbacks, sudden memories from the past. Sometimes even pasts that he swore weren't his, of places and people filled with weird and outlandish things that he didn't understand. He called them annoying and unsettling. It was a very unique quirk, even for a Seer. Karkat had never gotten those flashes, to Jegus's disappointment and maybe (Karkat thought) relief. Less ties to show the he was connected to his father. But he still had a damn good imagination.
"…It sounds crazy as a fuckton of highbloods at a carnival," Karkat mumbled to himself, "And yup, the vision's hazy as shit. But one day I'm sure they'll be..." He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. But it wasn't the ceiling that he saw. His red-tinged eyes searched beyond the limits of the roof and sailed on through the stars.
A celebration throughout Oz,
That's all to do…with ME!
He could picture it so clearly. It was glorious! A chorus of voices rang throughout the Lands, starting with a rumble and spreading far and wide. The people laughed and hugged and shouted together in a joint celebration of happiness. There was no hate, not for blood color or anything. Trolls and humans alike rushed from their houses to add to the rumpus. It was a celebration of Good. Humans and trolls alike stood together and were elated at the sight of two figures, their idols, standing side by side.
And I'll stand there with the wizard,
Feeling things I've never felt,
Like pure love, admiration, and respect! So much joy that he could burst!
And though I'd never show it,
I'd be so happy I could…melt!
And so it will be for the rest of my life,
I'll want nothing else 'till I die,
It was wonderful.
Held in such high esteem,
When people see me they will scream,
Not out of fear, not then, but with elation! They would have to do that, wouldn't they?
For half of Oz's favorite team!
His little red heart soared.
The Wizard…
And I!
Afterword: To clarify, only people that really know him or have met him spell/say the wwizard's name with two "w"s. :)