So I should be writing in my current projects but instead I got hit with ravening plot weasels based off of this headcanon here.
So, Earth has been recently conquered by the Alternian Empire which is headed by a Fucshia Signless known as His Imperious Comprehension. (imagine a similar story line to a red! Signless, but he’s fucshia and eventually overcame Her Imperious Condescension and enacted various changes to the empire slowly.) This is still not a good thing because trolls, still warlike, and still imperialists. But it is also not a bad thing, though bad enough that there are still various rebellions all over the place.
Fuschia! Karkat and Fuschia! Feferi are the youngest of His Imperious Comprehension’s Heirs and have gotten along weirdly well since they were grubs. So they are assigned together as Viceroys of the newly conquered Earth. Their first major task is putting down the major rebel organizations, which are headed by the Beta Guardians. (Grandma Egbert and her son, Jason, Dirk Strider, Roxy Lalonde and Jake Harley.)
These leaders of the rebellion have been working together for sweeps since the the conquest and are a very tough shell to crack! Karkat handles directly hunting down cells and preventing attacks and bombings. Feferi handles spin and diplomacy, talking up the benefits of being part of the empire. (Both are trying to build infrastructure the rebels are actively trying to destroy, which is frustrating.)
Karkat eventually breaks the Guardians’ various organizations, and public opinion has swayed against the rebel leaders because of a number of attacks that took out bits of infrastructure and killed a lot of innocent people. The Beta Guardians are all imprisoned. To make it very clear to the Betas how much they lost, Feferi and Karkat take the Kids as slaves.
The Kids are about six (years) at the time, and pretty much terrified of Feferi and Karkat. This does not noticeably stop them from trying to run away, trying to hide, or actively attacking Karkat, Feferi, and their servants. Karkat and Feferi think this is adorable, the servants are much less amused. The Viceroys set up schoolfeeding for the Kids, and figure out who gets which kids. Karkat gets Jade and Dave, Feferi gets Rose and John. Kids become less afraid, or at least, less visibly afraid. Their only job at this point is learning, little errands, and obeying the servants, who give them chores.
There is no way to put a positive spin on slavery! Various polities and news feeds actively censure the Viceroys, which they are entirely allowed to do, under imperial law. Various polities and newsfeeds are told that Kids are not being harmed, and won’t be, and that they’ll be of service to the empire, more specifically, to two Heirs of the Empire which is an honor they are obviously worthy of, since they are as intelligent and brave as their genetic relations. (Film clips of Jade arguing with Karkat, John jumping off of some stupidly high place, and getting scolded by Feferi, Rose playing cat’s cradle and tying Feferi’s hands together. Dave “sparring” with Karkat with wooden sword and sickle.) Various polities and newsfeeds are still Concerned and would like proof, but of course, don’t get it.
There are attempts to rescue either the Kids or the Beta Guardians, who are still imprisoned, and being slowly leveraged into working for the Empire. (The leverage is their kids, and a slow process of “no we aren’t brainwashing you except maybe a little if it will get you to at least consider serving the Empire.”)
As the Kids get older, they get more important jobs, and a lot more schoolfeeding on various subjects. They are being trained to be personal attendants, but are also allowed to explore whatever subjects interest them, on top of political science, humanities, music and so on. The four of them play music together at social events hosted by the Viceroys from the time they’re nine. They also do a few public performances that end up being popular.
At seven (sweeps) The kids start performing their duties as personal attendants. This includes being valets, hairdressers and makeup artists, bath attendants and keeping track of social and work calendars, accompanying their master/mistress while they exercise or train or on social events and keeping them entertained. The Kids are very nervous about all of the above.
(The Guardians are various levels of terrified about all of the above.)
