(Five minutes into the future.)
You are now Bec Noir. Once again, you are inside your cluttered office. Your time was spent typing up a paper that listed who got what positions for marching band. The last thing that you had to do was call Mr. John Egbert to inform and congratulate him on his new drum major position. You pick up your office phone. What will you do?
(Dial number and wait.)
You are now John Egbert. Your cellular device is ringing…what will you do?
(Answer phone.)
Good choice, you responsible young in. You answer with great excitement and realized that you were speaking to someone who introduced himself as Mr. Noir. Pondering your mind, you suddenly remember that this is the marching band instructor and he told you that you were the new drum major. You were stoked. This had to be the best moment of your life. Okay, second best moment, because making out with Dave was golden and that deserved the first position. After hanging up, you share the news with Karkat, Gamzee, and Dave, who all seemed proud of you and excited. After that, Karkat changed the subject.
"So, about Bec," Karkat began.
"What about him?" Gamzee asked.
"Are we still going to prank him and how will we prank him?"
You decided to butt in.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" you asked. "After all, he is going to be my marching band instructor."
"Oh, come on, John," Dave said to you. "It's all in good fun."
"If you say so," you responded.
"Of course it is…a good idea," Karkat added as he turned to Gamzee. "As I said, how are we pranking him?"
"We scare the motherfucking shit out of him, that's how," Gamzee said.
The guy is so laid back about everything.
"…and how do we do that?" Karkat asked.
"Bucket of Faygo!" Gamzee said as he smiled and pulled a bucket out from behind his back.
Karkat blushed and tried to shove the bucket away.
"You brought that obscene object here?!" Karkat exclaimed. "Why, Gamzee, why?"
At this point, Karkat was red in the face with what appeared to be embarrassment. You and Dave stop walking to watch Karkat make a scene. It was rather stunning, eye-catching, and hilarious. Some of the other troll students gathered from walking about to watch. Some giggled while others reacted the same way Karkat was reacting.
"Gamzee, you better not fill that thing!" Karkat yelled.
Karkat was half-crying on his knees and repetitively punching Gamzee in the stomach. You wonder what his deal is.
"We are only going to fill it with Faygo, best friend," Gamzee said as he clunked the bucket on Karkat's head. "But, best friend, you fulfill everything in my life, even my buckets. You can fill them all!"
Karkat gritted his teeth and took Gamzee by the arm, pushing through the crowd, and half-dragged him behind the music department building. Cool, where you needed to go if you and your friends were going to prank Bec. So close!
"A bucket, Gamzee?" asked Karkat. "…and you joke about it? Are you the only one who feels no shame?"
You were confused and decided to ask.
"What's wrong with buckets-?"
"Shut the fuck up, John!" Karkat raged.
"Okay."
Gamzee ignored Karkat's fit and unscrewed the lid to the bottle of Faygo he had and began to pour its contents into the bucket. Gamzee watched intently and then Karkat turned back around to face Gamzee.
"Gamzee!" Karkat exclaimed.
"Shush, Karkat. I'm filling the bucket."
Karkat did a facepalm.
"You are so weird, Gamzee. Exactly why are we best friends again?"
Gamzee ignored Karkat's last comment and gave him the empty Faygo bottle to hold. Karkat looked through the opening as if it were a microscope. He quickly lost interest and followed you, Dave, and Gamzee inside the back door to the music department building, which was left propped open by a doorstop.
"How is this going to work?" Dave asked.
You and your friends walk down the hallway. Not many lights were on. It was obvious that this was not supposed to be an "opened up" building at the moment. After all, few lights were on and several of the doors were locked and windows black. You knew Bec's office was the one at the end of the hall as that was one of the details that he gave to you over the phone.
"How does this work?" Gamzee repeated. "Dave, I put the bucket in a certain position on top of Bec's door and then I knock. When he comes to the door and opens it up, the bucket will fall and then he gets a Faygo shower. Then we bust the hell out of here."
"Sounds sweet and legit," Dave added. "Cool."
"Remember last time we did this prank?" Karkat asked Gamzee. "It was terrible and we used a Tupperware container, not a bucket! Jeez, I still don't understand you…"
"Oh, come on," Gamzee said.
You reach the end of the hall.
"This is definitely going to go better than last time, best friend," Gamzee said to Karkat.
"If you insist," Karkat stated.
"Shush, Karkat," Gamzee whispered. "We are right outside of his door and he can probably hear us."
"Oh, sorry," Karkat said.
Bec's door was propped open only a couple of inches and held open by a doorstop. You watch Gamzee as he placed the bucket on top of the door. About to knock, he stops when you start to talk.
"Wait, Gamzee!" you whispered loudly.
"Yes?"
"Are you sure that you know what you're doing?" you asked.
"Sure," Gamzee replied. "I'm a motherfucking expert."
(A minute into the past.)
You are now Bec Noir. Just now, you heard some students outside your office talking about pranks. As a well-informed professor, you know that "bucket of Faygo" is the most-used prank around at this campus. You also heard something being placed on top of your door. What will you do?
(Examine the situation carefully.)
You tip-toe to your door and look up. Through the few inches your door was propped open you can tell that someone placed a bucket above your door. Students can be so freakin' stupid sometimes. Didn't they know that you are smarter than this? You want to shed a new light on the situation. Let's mess with them.
(Quickly pull the door inward to close it.)
You pull the door in so that it closes. The culprits could have a taste of their own medicine for a change. Deep down, you think that college students are hilarious, but you tend not to show them that you think so. A lesson to pranksters…nobody should ever fuck with you. Not ever.
(A couple of seconds into the future.)
You are now Karkat Vantas and you are cussing up a storm because you have a bucket on your head and you are dripping with Faygo. God, you never wanted to be up close and personal with a bucket like this. Ever. It is stuck on your head, so feel twice the pain and rage and you were wildly flipping your shit. Gamzee, Dave, and John were laughing at you hysterically. What will you do?
(Become pissed off.)
You are now extremely pissed off…
"Gamzee!" you exclaim in a bucket-muffled voice. "You were the closest to the door, why didn't it fall on you?"
"I don't have a motherfucking clue," Gamzee laughed.
"Don't giggle at me you ass-fuck!" you raged. "Help me get this off!"
"I'll help," Dave offered right away before Gamzee could reply.
After Dave pulled a few times on the handle, the bucket popped off and it landed on the floor. You pick it up off the floor and chucked it at Gamzee who was still laughing.
"I'm so sorry, Karkat," John giggled. "But you are so angry it is so kawaii…"
"Shut the fuck up!"
(Inside the office.)
You are now Bec Noir. You opened your door wide to see the commotion. There were two humans and two trolls outside of your office. One of the trolls seemed extremely heated and was angrily chucking a bucket at the other troll's face. What an odd bunch. They ceased their activity and noticed your presence. The dark-haired human boy must be John Egbert. After all, there are only two humans going to this school. What will you do?
(Introduce yourself to John.)
"I am Bec Noir," you said as you approached John. "You can call me Bec, Jack, professor. Whatever. You have my permission."
You are now John Egbert and you shake Bec's outstretched hand.
"You must be excited for our first marching practice tomorrow," Bec said.
"That I am!" you exclaimed. "Four am, right?"
"Correct. Right at the early time."
Bec turns to Gamzee, Karkat, and Dave.
"These must be your friends," Bec began. "How lovely."
Bec turns to Dave.
"Blonde child, you must be Dave," Bec said in awe. "The only other human student at this school."
"Right, that's me!" Dave replied. "I am not a child, though."
"The one that wears sunglasses indoors when the hall isn't well-lit, how interesting," Bec continued on. "I could call you kiddo, but you are so grown up."
Dave says nothing.
"Not that walking in the darkness is a terrible thing," Bec said. "You're different…special."
Dave seemed a bit uncomfortable and Bec turned to Karkat and Gamzee. Karkat kicked the bucket a few feet away.
"Who are you two?" Bec asked.
"I'm Gamzee," Gamzee said. "This is my best friend, Karkat," he said as he gave Karkat a noogie.
"Don't touch me," Karkat said through gritted teeth.
"Ah, I see," Bec said. "Nice meeting you all. I hate to be rude, but I am quite busy today. I will see you tomorrow at practice, John."
Bec disappears back into his office. You and your friends leave the building.
"Bec seems kind of cool," Gamzee admitted. "He doesn't seem to mind that we attempted to pull a prank on him. It was like he just blew it off."
"Yeah," Karkat stated. He had the bucket in his hands and peered at it in disgust.
Karkat plops the bucket on Gamzee's head and he laughs.
"You cease to amaze me, best friend," Gamzee laughed. "You are dripping of Faygo, but I guess we shall smell like strawberries together."
"I need to shower," Karkat said. "I'm dripping with Faygo. Speaking of which, we just wasted a bunch. Like two liters full."
"Heh," Gamzee laughed.
"Sorry I got ticked at you," Karkat apologized. "I just lose my temper sometimes. I'm over it."
"You motherfucking serious, best friend?" Gamzee asked.
"Really," Karkat said.
"You are covered in soda and smell like strawberries, but I could really care less," Gamzee said.
He gave Karkat a hug. Best friends in the best moment.
"I love you, too, Gamzee," Karkat said as he hugged Gamzee back.
Wondering about what happened an hour ago, you wonder if Karkat ever made out with Gamzee. It would be weird. Mental images of that are things that you probably shouldn't be thinking about, but too late. Anyways…you believe that Gamzee's and Karkat's friendship is quite touching. You are not at all jealous because you have Dave. He was your love mate and best friend: a two in one. Nobody could ever beat that. At the same time, you didn't tell Karkat and Gamzee about your relationship with Dave, yet alone anyone else. So, it was a secret. You want that to change…soon.
"Hey, Karkat, you got me full of Faygo," Gamzee laughed.
Five hours later, you were sitting in your dorm room going through your stuff to make sure that you had everything that you need. Everything was perfect. You wonder where Karkat, Gamzee, and Dave are, but in a way you were glad to have a bit of time to yourself for a change. Not that there is anything wrong with your friends…you just treasure your "alone-time." You put your stuff in the organizer in your closet and proceed towards the window. The campus is indeed beautiful at night. You sit on the windowsill and dangle your legs out the window. The breeze outside was quite pleasant. What a view! Better cool air than your shitty college air conditioner that was probably over a hundred years old. It has only been two days and things were going well. Your life was looking quite better. It is a whole new beginning…for everyone. College shall be awesome. The door to your dorm room opens. You turn to look and Dave walks in.
"Dave!" you exclaim.
"Hey John," Dave said as he approached you and petted your shoulder. "Come with me."
"Huh?" you said as you turned around, not so sure if you had heard correctly.
"Just come with me," Dave said.
Dave grabs a folded blanket from the bed and walks to the door.
"Where are we going?" you asked and you got off the windowsill.
"It's a surprise," Dave said.
"Oh, I like surprises!" you exclaimed.
Dave shushes you.
"This is only going to work if you are quiet, okay?"
"Okay," you said.
You nod and were curious and confused at the same time. Once you and Dave leave the room, the halls were empty. Dave led you inside a closet at the end of the hall and closes the door behind you. Everything is pitch-black.
"Um, Dave? What are we doing? Is this allowed?"
No answer.
"Dave?"
"Shh, John, it's okay," Dave whispered as he tried to comfort you.
Dave pulled out his cell phone as a light and pointed it to a metal square shape on the wall. He opened a latch and he swung it open. It was an air vent. He climbed inside.
"Come with me," Dave urged.
"I'm claustrophobic," you explained.
"It's okay, it will only be for a few seconds," Dave said as he reached out and took your hand.
You were a bit uncomfortable with this, but followed. Truly, you are very claustrophobic, but having Dave with you made the feeling go away for some reason. Both of you climbed a ladder inside the crawlspace-like area and found yourself on the roof. You were astonished.
"Dave, how did you know about this?"
"It's a bit complicated, but as things go, quiet people learn the most, right?" Dave asked.
"True, you're brilliant!"
The bird's-eye view was nice. Everything was lit up in the night. The sky was starry and lit up.
"It's beautiful," you said in awe.
"I'm glad that you like it," Dave said as he put his arm around you. "I think it is a nice place up here, for us."
"I really like it, but we should stop hiding our relationship, Dave," you began as you sat on the ground. "We need to come out."
Dave sits on the ground next to you. He wraps his blanket around you and then himself and you sit on Dave's lap and lean up against him.
"I understand," he said.
"I do have a bit of a problem," you began to say.
"Which is?" Dave asked.
"It's Karkat," you said.
"What about him?" asked Dave.
"When I took him into his room to talk to him privately, he kissed me," you confessed.
"Why?" asked Dave.
He didn't seem as shocked as you expected.
"I am not so sure why. It was super weird and I am afraid that if Karkat really does have feelings for me and he finds out about our relationship, he'll get angry."
Dave turns to you and nods.
"Who cares what he thinks?" Dave asked. "It's his problem."
"True, I guess," you agreed.
"I understand what you are getting at, but the sooner we tell him, the better," Dave said.
"My thoughts exactly, but I'm just a bit nervous as to how he will react," you explained.
"I know," Dave said. "Karkat is a bit weird."
"He is in his own way," you began to say. "Deep down, he does feel terrible about whatever he and Gamzee did to you."
"Really?" Dave asked.
"Really."
"I know he feels bad," Dave began. "Karkat can be terrible at apologizing. He was a bit-standoffish when he talked to him."
"I think he is like that because he feels bad," you explained.
"That's understandable, and I do give him credit and I forgive him," Dave said.
You were glad to be with Dave. He was one of the very few people that understood you. At first, he thought that you were no fun and a bit odd, but he accepted you for your differences. Very few people do that for you. Dave was so caring, even with his mysterious side as he wallowed behind his shades. In a way, you didn't really like how he hides himself, but you are getting over it. You like nearly everything about him.
"So, did Karkat give you any slightest reason as to why he kissed you?" Dave asked.
"Well, come to remember, he did say that he loved me," you remembered and admitted.
"Wow," Dave said.
He seemed breathless and you look up at him.
"When I talked to Karkat and Gamzee today," you began. "I told them about your true eye color and stuff for you. There isn't anything to worry about. They won't shun you and they actually understand you a bit better."
"Thanks for doing that for me, but could you do me a favor?" Dave asked.
"Anything," you said.
"Can you allow me to take care of my own problems next time? I mean, I gave you permission, but I should learn to take care of myself and talk about my own problems. I'm such a wuss…"
"Dave, no, you aren't," you said. "Don't say that about yourself."
"It is a bit true though," Dave continued.
"Whatever you say, Dave, but I think differently."
You turn around on Dave's lap and remove Dave's shades. He knew what you were thinking…yes, keep those things off. Dave sighed.
"Do you know what time it is, Dave?" you asked.
"Late enough," Dave responded. "What makes you ask?"
"I have to be up and at marching practice at 4am, remember?" you said.
"Holy shit, that is early," Dave said. "I recall now."
"I should really go to bed," you said.
"You don't need to. You have marching band practice and we have two classes that are only forty-five minutes long apiece," Dave said. "What do you need sleep for, anyways?"
You stared up at Dave for a long time. He really wanted to be with you tonight; even if that means that you have to stay up later. You would do this just for Dave, because you love him. Saying "no" to Dave Strider was nearly impossible. Yet you could say no to anything and everything else if you really wanted to, but to Dave? Nope. You look Dave straight in the eyes.
"I will stay up with you, Dave," you said. "Just us…together," you whispered into his ear.
Everything was going along perfectly. You turn around on Dave's lap to face him and he leans forward and touches his forehead to yours. This moment is so perfect you wish someone could play some epic music to fit this moment. You tilt your head sideways and begin to make out with Dave and you drape your arms over Dave's shoulders and hold him close. He put his arms around you and pulled you close in return. You could never get enough of him. When with Dave, you always felt safe and secure. Both of you stop kissing for a moment. Dave looks up.
"What's wrong, Dave?" you asked.
"I thought I heard something…"
"What could have it been?" you asked.
"No clue."
A gust of wind came from above as something lands on your head. Dave notices the object and carefully picks it up and holds it between two fingers. It was a black feather and Dave's eyes widen.
"Shit!"
"Dave is something wrong?" you asked as you get off of Dave's lap, noticing he was freaking out.
No answer, just a blank vacant look.
"Dave?" you repeated.
"It's him," Dave said without looking in a different direction as his jaw dropped.
"Who and what?"
"He's prototyped," Dave continued.
"Dave, what the hell are who talking about? Who?"
"Bec is in his other form…"
You said nothing.
"He is in our presence," Dave continued.
Another gust of wind swept across the roof as a large black winged figure landed on the roof. It wasn't quite wolf or human. It laughed and it highly resembled Bec. Gee those teachers into the arts are so strange.
"Surprise, it's me!" Bec said as he drew a sword.
