Mutated Ectoplasm

23. Splitting Images

Hey everybody! Hope you all appreciate this next chapter.

This ones a little more disconnected from the main story, but there's still some stuff in the background about it. Also, I'm kinda doing a thing with this new ghost coming up. I'm kinda combining two of the ghosts into one for this and any Danny Phantom fans will most likely recognize who I combined. Homestucks will probably get this character down pat too.

Anyway, I'll see you all at the end of the chapter!

Karkat figured that he had a lot of balls in the air right now. Not only was he going to school, but he was moonlighting as a superhero, trying to investigate a possible supervillain, and maybe trying to work out powers he still didn't fully understand. He even played part time rehabilitator if working with the Serkets counted as that.

So to say the least, he wasn't looking forward to his math test today.

Karkat grumbled as he sorted out today's books in the kitchen, moving them around before throwing them in there. He did have time to study for it, but the Box Ghost kept coming back out of the Ghost Zone, bring ectopuses out with him. It wasn't difficult to take him down, but that didn't mean the chase wasn't annoying.

He'd have to find a way to make him calm down at some point. Maybe learn his real name too.

At least the hours of wakefulness did give him time to talk to Horuss about the "accessories." They were done flip flopping on naming them and they stuck with that since they only activated when ghosts were wearing them.

Zahhak had made some progress on studying them since the incident with Johnny and Kitty. Said that whoever made them had a lot of skill and used plenty of tech based in the Ghost Zone. Borderline nanobot stuff. Horuss even said it looked familiar, which probably meant he'd find out who was supplying this 'hairy human' that the biker ghosts who was supplying them.

That was admittedly the thing that freaked Karkat out the most, honestly. He wasn't against the idea of giving ghosts way to blend in, but this guy obviously didn't give a shit who he gave it to. Johnny and Kitty were absolute shit heads with their powers, yet the guy decided to give them a way to do whatever they wanted, all while under the radar?

Just what was the game here?

Well, he'd have to save that for later. Terezi was supposed to give him the update on the Oberon situation. Plus, again, he had a test to stay awake through.

He was just about to leave when Spades walked in, mumbling something as he immediately went to the coffee maker. The man waved him down before the boy could leave, eye opening up blearily.

"Don't bother. I got an email from your school and apparently they canceled today." Spades turned on the coffee pot before slumping into his seat. "Besides, it's a mess out there. I wouldn't go outside yet if I were you."

"The hell are you talking about?" Karkat grabbed his own phone, dazed as he opened up his email. Turns out his dad was right since he apparently got it half an hour ago. He must've not noticed due to lack of sleep. "Why'd they cancel? Is this about the presentation?"

"Kinda. National press finally decided to double down on the whole town. Teachers are dealing with a lot people asking how they'll teach the kids about this." Spades took the pot of coffee off the maker, taking a sip before cringing. "Plus, there's protesters outside. Might want to stay inside for now."

"I'm sorry, protesting?" Karkat dropped his bag, moving to the window. He cracked open the blinds before jerking back. "Jesus Christ."

And there certainly were pictures of him about, mostly on signs of some very angry people. Some were accompanied by Christian bible verses and other holy books, a few people with crude drawings of his father as the devil, and other very unflattering things. The only ones that stood out where people carrying large camera's, most likely members of the press.