Mutated Ectoplasm

36. Social Experiments

Alright everyone, here's the next chapter. Things are picking up again, so the schedule isn't going to get disturbed anymore than it probably has, you can be sure of that.

I hope you enjoy what I have ready here. More story developing, some lore, and even possible foreshadowing if you squint. Either way, if you're satisfied with just the fight scenes, that's cool too.

Either way, enjoy the chapter!

Karkat wasn't going to pretend that this was going to be an easy fight. At least, if it led to that. Darkleer wasn't exactly making his intentions known right now.

The halfa watched the adult ghost carefully as he gave an impassive glare to all of the machines that failed to kill him. By all accounts, Dualscar was probably at the same age as this guy, meaning they could be at similar power levels. On the other hand, if Darkleer considered Dualscar his superior in power (falling in line what Horuss mentioned about him), then maybe he isn't as dangerous as he thinks.

Karkat took in a deep breath. He'd have to hope that Horuss finds him before anything actually started.

"So, mind explaining just what the fuck you're doing? If you're anything like Horuss, then I'd think random acts of destruction are pretty out of character for you." Karkat paused, thinking for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Then again, it doesn't seem like you two get along well, so maybe you're into that sort of thing after all."

"I wouldn't say that me and my son don't get along. We just have different sets of ideals, which I can respect." Darkleer legitimately didn't seem saddened by this, which was somehow worse than him just plain being angry. It certainly spoke a lot about the Zahhak's home life. "What he does is his own business. Though you are somewhat correct about this not exactly being random."

"Yeah, because shit can't be simple, can it?" Karkat adjusted himself midair, reclining into a relaxed position. He lazily floated around the man. "It has to be for some kind of grandiose bull crap that doesn't make sense until the last second. Except those plans were just half-baked and make little to no goddamn sense."

Darkleer raised an eyebrow, as amused as he's been from the start. "You do realize cursing doesn't make you sound more intimidating, correct?"

"Go fuck yourself." Karkat straightened out, tilting his head. The halfa was making it his goal to be a little shit. "What is this about then? Not a lot of people are willing to give me a good monologue. It's all just fighting for them."

"It is quite brutish, I suppose." Oh thank god, he was going for it. Horuss's rambling and Equis's grandiose actions started making sense as Darkleer seemed to prepare himself. "You remember that biker couple that you had to take down after they were predictably acting like hooligans?"

"Johnny and Kitty. Kinda hard to forget them when they throw an entire ass cinderblock through a school window." Yeah, Karkat was still bitter about that. And yes, he was going to continue cursing to tick the older ghost off. "Shadow was their smartest member by far."

"Agreed. I would congratulate you for trying to teach them a lesson, though it did catch the attention of one of my employers." Darkleer wasn't angry, but he did sound a little frustrated. "He wasn't exactly happy to know two of his dealers were sent back to the Infinite Realms."

"The human with big hair. Not gonna lie, I almost forgot about that asshole." It wasn't a lie. He was still curious about that mess, but it was put on the backburner thanks to the other crazy shit. "Which is weird, since I'm ninety percent sure you hate humans."

"I consider it more indifference than hate. For the most part, humans are not exactly on my radar. Ants if you will." Darkleer said it like it was a fact, though his face twisted. As if someone had shoved something disgusting into his mouth. "Though, weak as they are, some are clever. You'd be surprised to know that there are a lot more ghost powered artifacts out there. Some of them not made by us."