The Alternian Exchange Program Chapter 2, a homestuck fanfic

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The Alternian Exchange Program: Chapter 2

BE KARKAT VANTAS -

Karkat was leaning against his window sill, peeking through the blinds. He squinted against the sun that reflected off the four wheeled metal things, cars, that humans drove. He hated being out during the day. Trolls were normally nocturnal because the sun shone much brighter in Alternia and most of the trolls couldn't stand it.

He touched the cold glass and pulled away after a moment, shivering. He still didn't understand how it could be so cold when the sun was out, but he knew he hated it.

He dropped the blinds back in place and rubbed his eyes. He just wanted to go home, but maybe Kankri was right. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to go back now that they didn't have their father to protect them anymore. Tears welled in Karkat's eyes again and he quickly wiped them away, growling. He hated crying. He hated being weak. He looked down at the bright red tears on his palm and flung them off. He hated that stupid color. Why couldn't he have a normal blood color? Then he could be normal…and he wouldn't have to hide who he really was. He wouldn't have to be protected and his father wouldn't have died.

A loud buzz pulled Karkat from his thoughts and he looked at his phone. His eyes widened and he smiled a bit as he saw who it was.

terminallyCapricious began trolling carcinoGeneticist

TC: KaRbRoOoOoOo

TC: hEy

TC: hOnK :o)

CG: WHAT THE EVER LIVING FUCK DO YOU WANT?

TC: nOtHiN mUcH bRo

TC: JuSt WaNtEd To SeE iF yOu WeRe AlL uP aNd MoVeD iN yEt

TC: hOnK hOnK

TC: :o)

CG: NOT YET. ZAHHAK'S COMING OVER IN LIKE HALF AN HOUR TO HELP KANKRI WITH THE FUCKING FURNITURE

CG: WANNA MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL AND HELP OUT?

TC: sUrE bRo WhEn ShOuLd I cOmE oVeR

CG: WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SAY?

CG: LIKE HALF A HOUR

CG: OR SOONER

CG: I DON'T REALLY GIVE A FLYING RATS ASS

TC: wHaT's ThE mAtTeR bRo

CG: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

TC: yOu SoUnD aLl Up AnD uPsEt AbOuT sOmEtHin'

TC: dOeS mY mOrIaL uP aNd NeEd A feElInGs JaM, kArBrO

CG: WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU THINK THAT?

CG: MAYBE I'M JUST TIRED CAUSE I HAD TO HELP MY FUCKASS BROTHER MOVE INTO A STUPID HUMAN HIVE IN A STUPID HUMAN NEIGHBORHOOD

CG: EVER THINK OF THAT?!

TC: oH

CG: OH WHAT?

TC: sO iT wAs A mOtHeR fUcKiNg HuMaN wHo MeSsEd My BrO uP

TC: Im On My WaY

CG: WHAT

CG: NO!

CG: GAMZEE

terminallyCapricious ceased trolling carcinoGeneticist

Karkat threw his phone down and groaned. He didn't really mind his morial coming over. In fact, he probably needed him. But it was just another headache to deal with.

The stalker across the street would probably be spying again, and Gamzee coming would just give him another thing to stare at. Plus, he'd probably end up bringing his creepy-ass older brother, Kurloz. The guy dressed like a skeleton and didn't talk. He just sat in the corner and stared at everyone without making a sound. Karkat had only heard him speak once and that was just to mumble something to his matesprit, Meulin.

On top of all that, Kankri would give him hell because he didn't like the Makara's in the first place. He thought that Gamzee would turn out to be a bad influence, or so he said. Karkat thought he was just scared of what the highbloods would do if they found out what the Vantas's blood color was. Karkat groaned again and threw an arm over his face.

Sometimes he really hated his life.

He trudged downstairs, not wanting Kankri to answer the door when Gamzee got here.

The doorbell rang, causing Karkat to jump. That was fast. Gamzee would usually take much longer, getting distracted by animals and shiny things.

"WOULD YOU MIND GETTING THAT, KARKAT?" Kankri yelled from the back of the hive.

Karkat rolled his eyes and opened the door, scowling.

His scowl deepened when he saw that it was not his morial, but instead the stalker human, standing at his doorstep and holding a plate of cookies.

Karkat was tempted to slam the door in the kids face, but decided he'd rather not get lectured today…again.

He looked the kid over once. Well, he couldn't really call him a kid, considering he was an inch taller than Karkat. He looked terrified, with his hands trembling and his eyes darting around.

He had pale, pinkish skin, like all humans, but his was smooth and almost unblemished. He had huge blue eyes that were hidden behind a pair of large glasses. Not hipster glasses, like Eriden wore, but nerdy glasses. He had slightly bucked teeth that poked out from lips that were trying to force themselves into a smile. A shock of black hair fell into his face and covered his eyes a little.

He was skinny, but not scrawny, and Karkat got the feeling this kid had gotten beat up a lot.

He was kind of cute, actually-No! Karkat narrowed his eyes as he forced that train to thought from his mind. He would not find a human cute, he hated them!

"So," he finally sneered at the kid. "The human finally decides to get a close up look at the trolls."

The human flinched. "I-I'm sorry about that," he mumbled.

"Oh, no it's fine," Karkat said sarcastically. "I just love being stared at like I'm a fucking zoo animal. Go on. Go back to your pathetic human hive and spy on all of us through your little glass square. I assure, we all love it-" He was cut off by a hand clamping over his mouth.

Kankri dragged him backwards a little so he could be seen more clearly. Karkat growled and glared at his brother as the older troll stuck out his hand to the human.

"I'm very sorry about my brother's behavior. I've tried to tell him not to attempt to trigger every person he meets, but it seems to be his nature. I believe what he is trying to say is that he did not much appreciate being watched. I am sure that you meant no harm by the act, you were simply curious. However, I to would like to ask that you refrain from looking in on us in such a manner. If you are curious, you need only talk to us. I assure you, we do not bite."

The human gave a small nod as Kankri continued.

"And, oh, where are my manners? My name is Kankri Vantas and this is my younger brother Karkat. We will be attending the local high school. I will be in the junior class and Karkat will be in the freshman class."

The human's eyes widened. "I'm John Egbert. I'm a freshman, too."

"What a coincidence," Kankri exclaimed. "Well, if you wouldn't mind, perhaps I could trouble you to help my baby brother to learn his way around your school?"

John nodded hesitantly. "Sure. I've moved around a bit myself. It's hard to start a new school in the middle of the year."

Karkat suddenly licked Kankri's palm, causing the older to pull away with a girly screech. "I don't want a stalker to show me around the school!"

"KARKAT! That's incredibly rude, even for you!"

"Well, he's the one who decided to spy on us!"

"Um," John said, causing both brothers to turn on him. He took a step back, coughed and continued. "I'm really sorry about that. I guess I wouldn't like being stared at either. I'm sorry." His eyes shifted down to his feet.

Karkat blushed the smallest bit. Damn this human for being cute. "Fine," he grumbled. "Just don't fucking do it again."

John straightened and perked up a bit, smiling a buck-toothed smile. "Thanks! I really can show you around the school if you'd like."

"Why the fuck not," Karkat muttered, hiding his red face with his hoodie.

"Great! I'll meet you here on Monday!"

Karkat didn't even verbalize an answer this time. Then he looked up and saw Gamzee walking up the sidewalk. "Hey!" he called, causing John to jump and look over his shoulder. At that point Gamzee was right behind him. Karkat saw a flash of fear in John's blue eyes.

Suddenly, John shoved the cookie tray into Kankri's hands. "My dad made these for you. Welcome to the neighborhood. Gotta go!" Then he ran away, avoiding Gamzee as much as he could.

"What did I do?" the juggalo said, giving a small honk.

BE JOHN EGBERT -

John gulped as the troll glared at him. His hands trembled under the loathing gaze and he tried to look everywhere but the troll. Now that he was close up the troll, it was hard not to stare.

The troll's eyes were black aside from the yellow outside and his eyebrows were down in an angry 'v'. His mouth was pulled into a scowl with a few of those sharp teeth poking over his bottom lip. His gray skin seemed like it would be tough, but was still smooth aside from a scar that traced his jaw from his ear to his chin. It was thin and slightly raised, only a shade lighter than the rest of his face. Pointy ears were slightly folded down like an angry cat and were barely visible at the moment. His horns were visible though. They were mostly yellow, with some orange coloring that disappeared into the black hair that hung in his face.

"So," the troll sneered. "The human finally decides to get a close up look at the trolls."

John flinched. "I-I'm sorry about that," he stuttered.

The troll's glare deepened as he spoke again. John wondered if all of the trolls were this loud and angry. A gray hand suddenly covered the troll's mouth and dragged him backwards.

The older troll from before appeared from behind him and stuck out the hand that wasn't silencing the younger.

John's eyes widened. So he had been right. He wondered what the year would be like with these trolls at his school. "I'm John Egbert. I'm a freshman too!"

"What a coincidence!" Kankri said and went on to suggest that John could show Karkat around the school. Man, he was kind of annoying actually. John would rather talk to the angry one.

He didn't really mind the idea of showing Karkat around though. It might give him the chance to patch things up and he could maybe even make a friend! He doubted many people would take kindly to the new students and he could understand the feeling. When he was younger, him and his father moved around a lot for some reason, so John was often forced to attend several schools during the course of each year. They'd moved here when John was nine and John had met his friends last fall. He knew how hard it was to start over when you didn't know anyone.

"Sure. I've moved around a bit myself. It's hard to start a new school in the middle of the year."

A smile stretched across Kankri's face, then it turned to disgust as he leapt away from his brother, shaking his hand and screeching like a girl.

"I don't want a stalker to show me around the school!" Karkat growled, fixing John with a disgusted look.

The two brothers started fighting, yelling at each other. "Um," John said, not fully expecting them to hear him. They both went silent and turned on him, Karkat glaring and Kankri's lip trembling with rage at his brother.

John apologized the best he could. When he thought about it, he knew that he wouldn't like being stared at either. He didn't even know why he thought it was a good idea in the first place. The trolls had emotions, they weren't some kind of animals, and John felt really guilty about it.

He heard Karkat sigh. The trolls arms crossed and he looked away. "Fine. Just don't fucking do it again." John had to wonder whether that acceptance was to avoid another lengthy speech from Kankri.

John smiled at the two trolls. "Thanks! I really can show you around the school if you'd like."

He noticed Karkat's cheeks darken with a tinge of red and wondered if he was blushing. The troll quickly pulled up his hood, not-so-subtly hiding his face. "Why the fuck not?"

John giggled silently at the blush. It made Karkat look kind of cute, actually. Not that John was homosexual, which he wasn't, but he just sort of noticed it. In a bro way. He shook the thoughts from his mind. "Great! I'll meet you here on Monday!"

Karkat didn't even answer him this time, but instead looked over John's shoulder. His face brightened and he yelled, "Hey!" causing John to jump.

He spun around and stiffened in fear as he saw the troll towering over him. He was at least six feet, if not more, and his horns only added to his height. They were slightly curved like goat horns and went to sharp tips. Large fangs poked out of his mouth and white paint covered most of his face. His eyes were half closed and his pupils were huge like he was high on something. A lazy smile spread across the trolls face as he looked down at John. He was wearing only a t-shirt, despite the fact that it was winter, and polka-dotted pants. His hair was absolutely insane, as if he had stuck his finger into an electrical socket. John shoved his tray of cookies into Kankri's hands and told them goodbye before running off.

He felt a little guilty for being rude again, but his nerves were shot for the day from dealing with bullies and angry trolls. He would try to make it up to the taller troll next time.

BE KARKAT VANTAS -

Karkat watched as John ran away. Stupid human. He shook his head again and grabbed Gamzee's arm. "Idiot!" he growled. "You're going to freeze to death if you walk around in just a t-shirt!"

"I'll be fine, Karbro," Gamzee said in his gruff voice. His glazed eyes shifted to Kankri, who had his arms crossed and a look of disapproval carved into his face. "Hey, Kanbro!"

"Hello, Gamzee," Kankri greeted stiffly. "I would love to stay and chat, but there is quite a bit of work still to be done. Do try to stay out of trouble, you two." With that, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.

Karkat rolled his eyes at the false politeness, but Gamzee was smiling like an imbecile. Probably because Kankri usually ignored him and hurt his feelings. He dragged his morial to his room and sat him on the floor. He grabbed blankets for the both of them before sitting down beside Gamzee.

Gamzee was the first to talk. "So, was that the mother fucker who made my best friend mad?"

Karkat sighed and lay down. "Yeah. He's an annoying human who lives across the street. He was staring at me and Kankri while we were moving in. Through FUCKING BINOCULARS! As if it wasn't bad enough that I had to FUCKING MOVE HERE, but the second I get here, some FUCKASS DECIDES TO STARE AT ME LIKE I'M IN A FUCKING ZOO!"

He felt Gamzee's hand against his cheek, papping Karkat as he shooshed him. "Just calm down, brother. You seemed okay with the mother fucker just a minute ago."

Karkat groaned as his cheeks heated up again. "So? That doesn't mean any fucking thing!"

Gamzee stared at him.

"WHAT?" Karkat snapped.

"Karbro, are you blushing?" he said with a small smirk.

Karkat touched his face. "N-NO! Just shut the fuck up!"

He forced the blush away and glanced at Gamzee again.

"So," Karkat said, grasping for something to change the subject. "How are things with Tavros?" He smirked as Gamzee's face darkened with an indigo blush that Karkat could see even through the face paint.

"You still haven't talked to him?" Karkat said in disbelief. Gamzee had been going on and on about his flush crush for at least half a sweep now!

Gamzee shook his head and began talking about the little Taurus again. Karkat breathed a sigh of relief. This was a conversation he could handle.

Kori: Okay so this chapter was mainly a filler chapter with some plot. The next few will be the same. Character intro, some plot and filler. I hope you enjoyed. Review please!