AN: I'm sorry that there have been no updates lately, exams and studying has taken out a huge chunk out of my time D: Have this as some consolation, I guess.
AU in the beta universe with no Sburb and HIC has taken over
It was dark.
And it was cold. Very, very cold. Rose Lalonde was shivering despite her warm purple sweater - one that she knitted by herself and the very one she was so proud of.
The rain was coming down quickly, nearly threatening to destroy her neat black umbrella. Water droplets landed on the cement path quickly, splashing the woman's shoes with dirty water. Rose looked over the busy road, but she still did not see a taxi.
A few months ago, she would have taken her car to get back home, or asked her brother to give her a ride. But ever since the owner of the Betty Crocker company found out about her book...
Rose Lalonde was an author. She was well-known for her story, The Complacency of the Learned. Rose had written it such that it insulted Betty Crocker - also known as the Condense - and her ways, as well as to let the world be reminded of the life before Her Imperious Condescension's rule. Her brother had done the same through his movies (which Rose had found, as Dave himself had said, unbelievably shitty), and SkaiaNet was out to overthrow the Betty Crocker company.
Dave Strider-Lalonde had gone into hiding a year ago. Rumours said that he still lived in either Hollywood or Texas (no one was quite sure), but Rose did not believe them.
Plus, she had no way of contacting him now, and she was desperately trying to keep herself alive. She had fled from the U.S six months ago, and was now in the streets of London, friendless and alone. She was now living on some of the money she had brought with her, as well as her earnings from the random articles and stories she was sending to the local newspaper under the alias Rosa R. Red.
That was a pun. Sadly, not many people noticed the pen name.
The two had not contacted each other since Dave had disappeared. Rose had decided that not having a phone was safer - about Dave she did not know.
Rose was almost giving up on getting a taxi and was about to just walk back to her rented apartment when she finally saw the yellow cab through the rain, which was coming down stronger than ever. She immediately waved it down, and felt a sense of satisfaction when she saw that the cab was free of any passengers.
When she got in, the first thing she noticed was not the blue fluffy dice swinging to and fro, and she decided that she did not see the weird figurine of a colourful hammer (was that a smiley face on the yellow ball thing?). The first thing (or rather, person) she noticed was the driver.
He had blue eyes, blue as the sea, and black hair that reminded her of a crow (A crow? Get your shit together, she thought). His black glasses and blue checkered shirt just made his buckteeth look dorky and (in her opinion) he looked too young to work as a taxi driver. Maybe he was around her age? Yes, he was. The name on his card (which was on the front window in one of those envelope sticky things) said "John Egbert" and he was 25, just a year younger.
"Where to, miss?" John asked, his mischievous-looking face was lit up with a certain happiness which made the taxi's interior brighter.
"220B Baker Street, please."
John grinned (Rose was suddenly afraid that he would start speeding down the road right away) and let his foot off the brake pedal, starting to drive at a relatively normal speed.
Driving through the rain, Rose was lost in remembering her old life when the sound of John's cheerful voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
Rose started and glanced at the driver, but he seemed like he was speaking to someone else on his phone. Rose noticed that he had bright green earpieces with a white diamond logo, a trademark of SkaiaNet. Blue rhinestones studded the wire. She shook her head and was about to go back to staring out the window when suddenly she heard something that made her start paying attention to the conversation John was having.
Did she just hear the name Strider?
Rose kept a calm façade on her face, but inside she was ready to take down any necessary information she heard when needed.
"Dave, no! Where did you even get that idea?!"
The woman suddenly sat up straighter and her violet eyes widened slightly, before she went back to her former look.
"Dave freaking Strider, I swear to the twelve Gods that if you even call me that one more time..." John was whispering now, as if he didn't want his passenger knowing what he was saying. It was, of course, useless. Having had a mother who held plenty of noisy parties was ,for once, a benefit.
"Oh. Uh, sorry. I kind of forgot that I'm not supposed to say your name out loud... stop rapping, you asshat! I wonder how my sister even stands you at all! ...I did not need to know that. That's disgusting." Here John made a disgusted face as he stopped the car at a red light. "Okay, got that. STOP RAPPING, THE RAPS AREN'T EVEN THAT GREAT! Yeah, yeah. Bye."
John ended the call and gave a low groan as he pulled the earpieces out and shoved it into his pocket, before giving Rose an apologetic look.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. My friend is kind of... irritating at times, you know," John said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck and turning the car down the left fork in the road.
"It's okay," Rose gave a small smile, causing John to exhale and relax.
Now, Rose had heard a lot. Dave Strider? Rapping? Not wanting his full name being said in public?
The woman crossed and uncrossed her legs a few times, then turned to face John.
"You were talking to a friend?" She asked politely.
"Yeah! He's actually a really old friend of mine," John replied immediately, smiling.
"I could tell. You actually shocked me a little when you shouted at him."
"Oh! Sorry about -"
"No, no. It's fine. He raps?" Rose interrupted John, she was getting a little more excited at the fact that this person, of all people, knew her brother personally. Maybe (maybe!) John knew where Dave was?
"Yes, he does. He even raps in the middle of conversations! It's not even that good, I don't care if it's an 'ironic' thing or not."
"His name? I think I know this person as well. He sounds familiar."
John hesitated.
"I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have asked," Rose said kindly.
"What? Sorry, I was just trying to remember his nickname. He really doesn't like people knowing his real name," John rambled. "He calls himself Knight T? I have no idea what it's even supposed to mean!"
Rose had a feeling that she knew. If this fellow was her brother, then the "Knight" would have come from his internet friend and "T" stood for time, which Dave always used to complain about having the lack of it.
Oh, the irony.
Rose felt herself grinning. Trying to keep a straight face, she asked, "May I take a guess on who this person is?"
"Sure! Why not?"
"First, let me describe the person I am about to name. He has a step-sister around his age. He also had an older brother and sister. This person wears shades, likes photography, and has a... problem with crows."
As Rose was talking, she noticed that at each point she brought up, John was looking more surprised and definitely was a lot more uncomfortable.
"I would say that I am right on all counts "
"U-uh, yeah, I-I'm sorry, b-but I think there's an important meeting with the manager that I should go to and Icouldcallinanothertaxi-"
"John, if you are thinking that I am a Betty Crocker fan, you are wrong. I am the childhood friend of SkaiaNet's owner and a great supporter of hers," Rose cut in, sure that she knew who John's friend was.
"O - oh! That's great, but a dangerous thing to say," John looked more relieved now. "I could be a spy, you know!" He grinned at Rose, mischief in his eyes.
"Considering you have SkaiaNet's limited edition earpieces and mobile phone, I really don't think so," Rose smiled. "Now that you know that we are on the same side, can I guess this person's name?"
"Y-yeah, I think so! You must know him pretty well!"
"Dave Strider. Of course I know him well."
"Correct!" John looked shocked. "But, uh, how do you know him? You must be really smart if you just randomly guessed it!"
"Remember his step-sister? She went into hiding as well."
Silence. Rose was hoping that she did not make a terrible mistake by revealing who she was, but she was sure that John would not tell the authorities where she was hiding. But there was a high possibility that he could be a spy...
"Wait. Oh my God."
Rose rolled her eyes at the long pause after his impromptu speech.
"You're Rose Lalonde?"
Rose smiled again, but stayed quiet. She found John's attitude amusing.
"TentacleTherapist?!"
Wait, what? How did he know her former chumhandle?
"Rose! I'm ectoBiologist! Or ghostlyTrickster, you know, the blue text guy!"
Oh.
Okay.
Rose froze for a moment. What were the chances of her meeting yet another online friend from her childhood? And one who knew her brother absurdly well in real life now?
"Oh. That is... a shock," the woman said, raising both of her eyebrows but quickly returning to her usual expression of calmness. "I thought you lived in the United States."
"Well, I used to, but once I was eighteen I moved out and came here! You know, I don't really think the U.S appreciates their comedians!" John was practically bouncing in his seat with excitement.
"And yet, here you are."
"Hey! This is just a part-time job!"
The both of them jokingly glared at each other for a while before bursting out in laughter.
The taxi stopped outside the building.
Rose noticed that the rain had lightened.
"We're here, Miss!" John grinned. "Fifteen bucks for the ride!"
Rose rolled her eyes, then took out her purse and paid the fare.
"Wait, hold on a sec," John said hurriedly, before Rose got out of the car. Rummaging around in the backpack beside his feet, he got out a blue notebook and ripped out a small piece of paper. Then, he took a pen from behind his ear (Wait, it wasn't there before, Rose thought) and quickly wrote down a few numbers.
"In case you need a taxi some other time, or something," John laughed, handing Rose the piece of paper. Then, in a more serious and a softer tone, John added, "Dave kind of wants to see you again, I could help the both of you meet in a more... secret place."
"Oh, thank you" Rose took the paper and folded it up, putting it in her purse. "Nice trick with the pen, by the way."
"That was the easiest trick in the book!" John chirped.
"And probably the only one you can do," Rose smirked.
"Hey! Not funny!"
Rose got out of the taxi, smiling. John mouthed a "bye" and waved before two men, a black-haired one in a trench coat and a blonde, ran to the taxi and quickly got in. The one in the trench coat said an address quickly, then the taxi drove off.
Rose Lalonde walked to the building she now called home, a smile on her face.