You look down beneath you and he looks different than you had ever imagined. His hat has fallen off and his shades are disheveled. The sword sticking through his shoulder is pinning him down and there's blood pouring from the wound.
Your name is Dave Strider and your brother is dead.
Suddenly, you hear a cough. It's faint but you drop to your knees. You put a hand to his neck but can't feel a pulse. He coughs again and a drop of blood lands on your face. "Bro!"" you shout a couple times, your voice cracking and you know the look he'd be giving you right now if he could hear you. "Bro, can you hear me?"
Another cough, louder and sputtering this time. You turn to your friends, "He's still alive!" you shout and they look confused. "i'm' fucking serious! What do I do!?" you look at the sword and can't decide whether it's best to remove it or not.
You grip it with one hand when you feel a presence behind you. The mail lady that was always with the mayor placed a hand on your shoulder. You stood back as she lifted him off the ground, leaving the sword in. His shades fell off and you grabbed them before standing. You watched his eyes open very, very slowly. He parted his lips and spoke.
"I'm sorry…"
The mail lady stared at you and somehow you knew she wanted to help. She turned and carried him away, you squeezed his shades in your hand, and you never saw him again.
"You can't just fucking jump away the whole time!"
"Fuck you that's the pink fuckers best move!"
"No like seriously hit me or something - fuck - Karkat!"
You sighed as your character was shot off the screen and and couldn't bare to look at Karkat's face of joy as the little Kirby danced on the screen under a winner banner.
The new world you had created was incredible. You played video games whenever you want, apple juice was basically free when you're a god, and all your friends had survived. It a great life you lived. One of pure and simple joys. Nothing to worry about. Just days full of goofing off with your friends and - mail?
You looked at the door to the house you shared with John and Karkat, and saw an envelope slip underneath. You put down the controller and made your way over to door. You picked up the envelope and ripped it open. Inside was just a post it note. It read: "He's alive."
"What kinda cryptic shit…?" You turned to Karkat and waved the note at him, "You know what this means?"
"Fuck no. Why would I know what it means, I don't know the answer to every fucking mystical sticky note that slides into our hive, Dave!"
"All I needed was a 'no.'" you grumble to yourself and you drop the papers onto the table. "Alright, game time, and you can't fucking use Kirby this time unless you actually fight."
Karkat ignored you as he chose Kirby and clicked start. You sighed as you were just about to choose when another envelope fluttered into the room. You got up to get it and could hear Karkat yelling about something. You opened it to find another a post it note. This one had an address. A familiar one. One you knew way too well. "I'll be back," you tossed over your shoulder at Karkat and ignored his protests as you left.
By now you were old enough to drive, but you were still pretty fond of flying. You stuffed the note into your pocket and jumped into the air.
The address was familiar but not one you knew how to get to, especially not in this new universe. You truthfully didn't know it even existed here. You flew for about an hour and boy were your arms tired when you finally landed. ((Thats a joke))
You stared up at the apartment building in front of you. You had almost forgotten. What it looked like without lava surrounding it.
You found the stares and began to climb before remembering flying was still a thing. You shot up the stairs and stopped in front of a very familiar door. It was strange that even on a new planet that apartment complex smelled the same the door to your old place still had the same chipped paint on the door and weird stains in the hall. You almost went to reach for your keys when you remembered you lost those forever ago.
You looked down at a familiar, empty flower pot and lifted it to retrieve the key that was always there. It felt nostalgic.
Suddenly, as you slid the key in, you felt your body brace for impact. Your instincts went into hyperdrive and you actually tried to reach for your trusty sword. You didn't have any need to carry it these days so you just unlocked the door and slid inside very slowly.
You planted your back against the wall so every square inch was in view and you were ready for the oncoming strife. That's when you noticed the room was completely empty. You let your guard down and felt silly. "Hello?" you called, unsure why you took the advice of a mystery persons sticky note. You took a step further inside when you saw a figure in the hallway.
"It's you…!" you said as you looked at the smiling mail lady. She turned and took a step back into the hallway. You quickly followed her. "Did you want me here?" she said nothing and continued down the hall. "Yo, are you listening?" she stopped at a doorway and gestured you inside.
You stepped inside what used to be your brothers room. It didn't look anything like that now though. There was a hospital bed and lots of monitors and equipment. the blankets on the bed were wrinkled as if someone had just gotten up. "What is this? Whats going on?" You stared at her before another figure caught your eye. You slowly turned to look and immediately recognized the large body. Even with the blue gown on and bedhead and shade-less face there could be no doubt.
"Bro?"