"That's it? That's all you have to say? You got arrested, and all you have to say is fuck?" Kankri asked, getting slightly louder.
"Shit Kankri, it's been a long day."
"What did you do!?"
"Nothing. I found a dead body."
Kankri didn't reply immediately, to Karkat's fortune. He was getting a bit of a headache. Then he said, "Do you need to talk about it?"
"No, I just need a nap. I didn't know the guy too well, and I think I expected as much." Doc Scratch was living on borrowed time. It was to be expected that someone would kill him, especially now that he had come out of the shadows ever so slightly.
"Are you sure?'
"Yeah, just quite hounding me about it." Kankri complied, and the ride home was silent. It had to be Calliope. Her account wasn't as secure as she thought. But why wasn't Karkat dead? Or Calliope, for that matter? Surely The Felt would rather kill one of their own members for being a snitch before chasing after an old man. And now there was the possibility of Karkat being marked for death. He had to move things along. It wasn't just a matter of his father's death, but now a matter of life and death.
When they got home, Kankri ran inside. Literally, he ran, which was quite an amazing feat. He was chubby from avoiding most forms of exercise (Karkat could respect that). When Karkat followed him, he understood why. Ms. Paint was sitting on the couch, Kankri whispering to her. "Hey," Karkat said. "I'm going to take a nap."
Ms. Paint didn't reply, but instead rushed to hug him. Karkat awkwardly returned the hug, then managed to escape to his room. He stripped of his clothes before sinking into his recuperacoon, almost immediately falling asleep.
Then he was back in the mansion. It was beautiful. Everything was fixed and glistening. Karkat was struggling to take everything in. He wasn't in the room, but in a dining area of sorts. There were what seemed to be hundreds of clocks. Green people, bearing a close resemblance to ugly carapaces, were chatting amongst themselves. Doc Scratch was with them, and two young trolls, with oddly undefinable features, were behind him. One boy, one girl, though the girl had a bright smile on her face. There was a black carapace woman, easily the tallest in the room. Karkat was in awe. Everything, everyone, looked so rich and beautiful in their own began to wander amongst the crowd, occasionally striking up a friendly chat, with a feeling of pure bliss. Everyone looked so calm, happy. Doc Scratch didn't look old or defeated.
Then the clocks, all together in a cacophonous chime. Karkat looked at the clock. It was midnight. Everyone in the room fell silent. The smiling girl from before was next to Karkat, making her way to hide behind him. Doc Scratch's face fell.
Another chime. All together. Everyone else began moving in towards Doc Scratch. By some miracle, they ignored Karkat and his new friend.
Another chime. The shadows in the room combined into one grotesque being against the wall, a being of darkness.
Chime. The being grabbed Doc Scratch's arm. The girl behind Karkat almost screamed, but Karkat covered her mouth.
Fifth chime. Everyone began beating Doc Scratch.
Sixth chime. He was battered, bloody, and surely would be bruised.
With every following chime, the shadow slammed Doc Scratch's head to the floor. It was strong. Terrifyingly strong. By the twelfth chime, the crowd evaporated. The girl behind Karkat was gone. He was left in the room, alone with Doc Scratch's body. The walls and floor looked like a mockery of the old tradition of Christmas. The green wallpaper and carpet was splattered with blood.
Blood.
Red blood.
His blood.
HIS BLOOD.
Karkat woke up.
He had to get in contact with Calliope. Now.