Alternia's New Order

Chapter 4

The Central Empire was pretty fucking impressive. You had no idea Alternia was capable of creating something like this. You're making your way to the new government hub, which is about a mile into the city. You have never seen so many trolls in one place. The paths were full of them. Everyone looked like they had somewhere important to be, and non paid much mind to what was going on around them. You keep a tight hold on Terezi's hand. The way she was curiously sniffing at everything made you think she'd run off and get lost in an instant if you let go.

The government hub was pretty easy to find. It was a huge structure, as tall as Terezi's tree, even. There were four stone columns around the front entrance. A large set of blue double doors marked your path to a new life. You gulp, stopping at the bottom of steps leading up to the doors.

You turn to Terezi, who is staring blankly at the steps. She blinks a few times and squeezes your hand, as if trying to reassure you that this is the right thing. You sigh and kiss her cheek quickly. You've got a bad feeling about all of this. Terezi turns to you, a small smirk on her face.

"Don't go getting all mushy on me, Karkles. This is gonna be a synch" she tells you. You roll your eyes, but can't help smiling a bit. "That's putting it lightly. This isn't a fucking game 'Rezi" you retort. She only chuckles, and you can feel heat rising in your cheeks. She was in the right mindset, just like you had agreed.

Terezi always knew how to get to you in the best of ways. You always shrug it off as just another lovable thing about her, but, in this case, it meant a lot more. "Sorry" you mumble after a short silence. She's cackling again, that infuriatingly adorable cackle that drives your thinkpan wild.

"Don't worry, Karkat. We are quite the team after all. We can take anything these imperial assholes throw at us." You laugh a little at her enthusiasm. It is, evidentially, contagious. "Of course" you say. With that, you make your way up the steps and into the building.

The doors opened into an enormous room. The ceilings were at least twenty feet high. A pure white marble floor stretched out in front of you. It is not as crowded as the streets, though there is still a good number of trolls mulling about. At the far end of the room you see a row of help windows. Turning to the left side of the room. There is a drone. Shit. It is standing there behind a small wooden podium near the wall. There are two doors, one on either side of it. Your bloodpusher stops cold when you read the words on the podium. "Slave Registration".

"This way" you tell Terezi, pulling her along with you. There is a short line to reach the drone. "Next" the mechanical voice orders. You gulp and step forward, releasing your matesprits hand.

"Name" the drone demands. "Karkat Vantas" you respond, trying to make the shaking in your voice less obvious. Suddenly, there is a sharp pain in your neck. You hiss slightly and notice the drone retract a small pricking device. That sneaky bastard. After a few seconds, it speaks again.

"Karkat Vantas. Male. Mutant blood." There is a short pause, as if it were still processing the new information. "To the right" the drone tells you. You nod slowly and walk to the door on your right. As you go, you glance back at Terezi. She is completely stone faced. The drone calls for the next troll, and you make your way down a long hall.

Eventually you come into another small room. There is another hall at the other end of the room, and what looks like a garbage shoot on the right wall. Another troll is in there, a male with bright green goggles and long pointed horns. He is sitting behind a table to the left of the door.

"Come in" he says, his voice stern and somewhat bored. You walk over to the table, which is staked with dull clothes. The troll glances up at you and gestures to the chute on the opposite wall. "All of your possessions go down there."

What the fuck? They were taking your things from you. How stupid. If you weren't so nervous, you probably would have retorted the order. Instead, you obey. You walk over to the chute, and drop in both of the bags you have been carrying. The troll looks over to you. "Weapons?"

You sigh and pull your sickle out of your strife specibus, dumping it as well. "Clothes too" he tells you. Well this just got even more humiliating. Why would they want all of your things? It's not like you had anything very valuable. Non the less, you do as you're told.

You strip down and toss your clothes into the chute. The male picks up a stack of clothes from the table and tosses it at you. You quickly put them on. The shirt is a dull grey with long sleeves. It is a little big on you, but you were in no position to complain. The pants were slightly darker in shade.

After making a mark on some sort of sheet, the troll points towards the door. "Go on" he tells you. Silently, you obey. Another dark hallway later, you find yourself in an open courtyard. There is a tall fence around the land, one gate for entrance and exit. There are at least two hundred other trolls in rags. They are all standing in rows.

Other trolls, acting as guards, are scattered about. One stands at the doorway you've just come through. He grabs you by the arm as you come out, not speaking and not even looking at you. It was almost like he was one of the drones, emotionless and stuck in routine. He takes you a few steps to a device resembling a transportalizor. You are pushed onto the device, biting your lip to keep yourself from making any sort of smart remark. The device emits a sort of beam, scanning your body. It makes a small dinging noise and the guard nods. He takes your arm again and walks you to one of the lines, tossing you amongst the other male trolls.

You sit next to another troll, only glancing around at the others. The building you came out of is in view. There are two doors, including the one you came through. The other must have been where the left door at the entrance lead. A minute later, another troll emerges from that door. It is Terezi.

She is dressed in a long sleeved white blouse and a long grey skirt the rested just above the ground. She was barefoot, same as you, and her glasses were gone. You see a guard lead her to the same scanning device you had used. The beam scans her body. However, there is not a ding. Instead a loud beep is emitted. Your eyes widen. Oh shit. You have no idea what happened.

The guard comes up to her, grabbing her arm harshly and getting in her face. A low growl escapes from your throat at this sight. They are talking, but you are too far away to hear what they're saying. You see the guard take her hand and pull. What the hell was he doing to your matesprit?

Terezi puts her head down and is pushed into a different line. She sits and you can see her pretty clearly. She had an expression on her face that told you she was trying not to cry, and staring blankly down into her hands.

This was not going to be as much of a synch as you two had hoped for.