A/N

This is my favorite chapter I have written, I hope I portrayed Vriska alright. This is the foggy train chapter. That's all you need to know.

Disclaimer: I, once again, am still not Andrew Hussie, nor have I magically gained the rights to Homestuck. Also I don't own Nancy Drew which is a thing I mentioned in this chapter.

Chapter 4

Your name is Karkat Vantas, you've just woken up, it's gloomy as fuck outside and a number you've never seen in your life keeps texting you.

hEY, THIS IS tAVROS, sOLLUX GAVE ME YOUR NUMBER,

aNYWAY, WE CAN HANG OUT, AT THE PARK TODAY, IF YOU DON'T MIND,

yOU'LL GET TO MEET MY GIRLFRIEND, vRISKA,

yOU DON'T HAVE TO COME, IF YOU DON'T WANT, IT WAS JUST A SUGGESTION,,,

You slip on your crocs and a pair of sweatpants and head out without so much as eating breakfast or combing your hair (which is about as messy as Gamzee's at the moment). The air outside is a tolerable temperature and incredibly humid, as it's super foggy and super cloudy. It makes everything look a little mysterious and pretty beautiful, actually.

When you're finished walking the single block to the park, you find only Tavros and a girl that can't be anyone other than Vriska occupying both swings. Sollux, Gamzee, Dave, Terezi, and John are nowhere to be seen.

"Hey," you say, with a light wave, seating yourself on the ground. "Where's everyone else?"

"Let's seeeeeeee," Vriska says, drawing out the "ee" waaaaaaaay toooooooo loooooooong. "Sollux has a migraine, John is finally getting braces, Dave and Terezi are probably together, and I have absolutely no clue where Gamzee is. Anyway, you're Karkat, riiiiiiiight? Tavros was just telling me about you! Weren't you, Tavros?"

She nudges him with her elbow. "Uh, yes, I was indeed doing that," he replies.

"So you're new to this town, huh?" She begins. "And you haven't gotten stabbed yet? Nice."

You tense up visibly.

"Relax, it was a joke!" She laughs. Her laugh is sort of like a cackle and you don't like her already. "You're supposed to laugh."

Tavros giggles a bit, but you remain bitter. "I'm not so sure I appreciate all this joking about stabbing," you spit out the word like it's poisonous.

"Lighten uuuuuuuup, jeez!" Vriska says. This drawn-out word thing is getting a little annoying.

"Yeah, uh, Karkat," Tavros says. You're about to call him out for taking her side but she's his girlfriend and he's kinda supposed to do that. "It's just a joke."

"Moving on," Vriska says, taking a small and graceful leap off the swing. "What d'ya say we walk the railroad tracks? I've never had the chance to follow them too far and if my sources are right there's a river to the west."

"That sounds like a great, uh, idea!" Tavros says, and you notice he's saying "uh" quite a bit more than usual. Perhaps he does that when he's nervous, or something?

Vriska looks at you expectantly with cold cerulean eyes. "Sure, why not? Might be nice," you say. "Isn't it illegal or something though?"

"Teeeeeeeechnically, yes," Vriska says, walking towards the broken-down wire fence separating the park from the railroad. "But the police are too preoccupied with convenience-store robberies and fleeing drug dealers to care about three teens walking down to the river near some train tracks."

You're not so sure that's true; wouldn't it make more sense for police to just be roaming everywhere on high alert instead of having their forces centered all in a couple places where bigger things were happening? Either way you're still a bit hesitant as she jumps the fence, helps Tavros over, and looks at you, expecting you to climb over as well.

Skeptically, you place one foot in the wires and let out a light gasp as it gives more than you expect it to. Placing your hand firmly on the top, you hoist yourself over, and stumble when you hit the ground on the other side. Vriska gives you a little push on the shoulder to help steady yourself.

The tracks are surrounded by tall grass and plants and you really hope you don't get ticks. You realize that today was probably not the best day to wear crocs, but notice Tavros is wearing sandals and socks so you don't feel as stupid. You both sort of follow Vriska onto the train tracks, and she walks down the very center of them in a direction you're just going to assume is west.

Over the next half hour or so, you three continue walking, occasionally making conversation. During this time you learn that Sollux frequently gets migraines, Terezi is blind and by extend has a weird, rare form of synesthesia, and Dave's bro is completely obsessed and runs a businesses based off puppet porn. You kind of regret asking about that last thing.

"Hey, you hear that?" Vriska says suddenly, leaping off the tracks, grabbing both you and Tavros by your arms, and pulling you a safe distance away. "There's a train coming!"

"Whoa, really," Tavros says, trying to determine what direction it's coming from. You roll your eyes; you can't hear a train.

"Psyche!" Vriska exclaims, laughing and giving Tavros what is meant to be a playful punch on the shoulder but actually kinda looks like it hurt.

"That, uh, wasn't very funny," Tavros says, frowning. Vriska completely ignores him and continues walking.

During the next twenty minutes, you continue walking and talking. You find out that Vriska is absolutely infatuated with the number eight for whatever reason and Tavros wants a nose ring but is afraid to ask his weird uncle. You know, because his uncle is weird.

Eventually you all find a river, which is actually more of a stream. It's gotten noticeably more humid and frogs croak in the background, and what with all the fog and the clouds, it's looking like a scene straight out of a Nancy Drew book. The railroad crosses the river on a small bridge and you all walk out onto it despite how dangerous it could be if a train were to come.

"This is really beautiful," Tavros observes.

"Yeah, it is," Vriska says, suddenly grabbing a fistful of his shirt and forcefully kissing him. You stand there awkwardly.

"Sorry about, uh, that," Tavros says after she pulls away, looking a little flustered. You shrug.

Abruptly you can all hear a train coming, and unfortunately you're all still standing on the bridge. You jump off, landing in deeper water, where as Vriska pushes Tavros off the tracks before jumping herself. Poor Tavros lands on his back in the shallow area.

The train passes, and you glance at Vriska. "Is Tavros alright?"

"I'm sure he's fiiiiiiiine," she says, standing up, half of her hair and body sopping wet, much like you. "Right, Tavros?"

He doesn't respond. Vriska turns around and runs to him with you following close on her heels.

"...Tavros?"

He's just lying there, bronze eyes wide and staring at the sky.

"Uhhhh," he says. "Guys..."

"You're not okay, are you?" You say. He shakes his head.

"No, no I am not," he says. "My legs, uh, feel like they're not there, if that makes any sense."

Shit.