So that update... This isn't technically an AU yet, but the way Homestuck's going, it's getting there. Ah well, I was always gonna work around the updates as best I can and if it ends up an AU, it'll be an awesome one!
She'd won this battle. But the war was far from over.
The first thing she did was check to see if Terezi was alright. Well, alive anyway. She doubted any of them were alright after the death of Karkat. He had kept mostly to himself over their time on the meteor, but he was still Kanaya's friend, and she loved him. And now he was gone.
With everything that had happened to Terezi lately, Kanaya feared Karkat's death would be more than she could handle. But Terezi was stronger than she looked. And for now, she was alive. That was all Kanaya could ask for.
It was then that they both heard the rumbling noise. Turning, Kanaya saw Her Condescension in the sky, destroying everything in her path. They were next. Kanaya didn't have time to think. Using her drinker speed, she pushed Terezi out of the way of the beam, but she wasn't fast enough to save herself. Psionic energy engulfed her. "I'm sorry, Rose," she thought, and then she was gone.
Jade remembered going grimbark, and fighting Jake's hope state.
Jake remembered jumping in front of a sword to save Jane's life.
Jane remembered everything she'd done under the influence of the Condesce.
Locking Jake up. Threatening him.
Killing him.
Oh god. He wouldn't meet her eye. He must hate her for what she did! And everything that came before it, it was her fault they became tricksters. It was she who had yelled at him for being an ignorant asshole, when she was the one who had said no when he asked her if she loved him. How could she ever expect him to forgive her? How could she forgive herself?
Jake was grateful that Jane was asleep when they died. He didn't know how she would react if she knew he'd killed himself trying to save her. And then he failed anyway! He let her die. And after everything he'd done... He'd ignored her for five months, except to torment her with his and Dirk's relationship. How could he not have seen he was hurting her feelings? And it was her birthday, on top of everything. She must hate him!
Jade wasn't proud of her time spent Grimbark. But Jade was, and forever would be, an optimist. She was gonna try to help fix things, in whatever way she could. The afterlife might actually be fun!
The afterlife was not fun. It had taken Jade forever to get the whole story out of Dave, and once she did, she was furious.
"Why would you do that? I wasn't in any danger! I was already dead!"
Dave's face remained impassive, as always.
"If I got you back to Jane, she could have revived you."
"But you know you can't beat Jack! None of us can! And there were two of him! What were you hoping to gain? Are you that desperate to be a hero, you had to die as one?"
Dave's mouth opened slightly.
"I'm not a hero."
"Tell that to the game next time. Preferably before you go and die a heroic death."
Jade sighed. "Still... I'm glad you're here," she said with a small smile.
Kanaya had always been quick to figure things out. When she woke up in the void, she knew she was either dead or asleep. All she had to do was follow the memories to something she recognized. Walking down the narrow path, Kanaya didn't pay much attention to where she was going. Their meteor had landed, yes. She and Karkat had been separated from the others, and transported to LoFaF. What had separated them? Who had appeared on the meteor? The other space player. Grimbark Jade. They had been in the forest. Jane had killed Karkat, then brought him back to life. She'd been given a task, which she'd ignored. And then they saw her. The Condesce, in her battleship. And Gamzee...
Gamzee had been attacking Terezi. He'd almost killed her, and then-
Kanaya remembered.
Looking up with now blank eyes, she saw a stage forming in front of her. Shadows took shape into people, and then she was standing in the middle of her friends.
"Kanaya!" Karkat shouted, running over to her. "What happened? Was it Gamzee? Did he get you too? Is Terezi okay?"
"Karkat, calm down!" Kanaya replied, grabbing his arms to keep him from barreling into her. "Terezi's fine, as far as I know. Despite everything, she's strong, you know she is. She'll pull through." She paused. "I took care of Gamzee. No, it was the Condesce who killed me. She destroyed everything with her stolen psionics."
Karkat was silent for a moment.
"Did you kill him?"
This made Kanaya angrier.
"Karkat, you can't possibly feel sympathy for him? Think of everyone he killed! You included! And what about what he did to Terezi?"
"I know, I know, just... He was a terrible moirail, but he was still my moirail. At least for a long time anyway. So even though he deserved it... I don't think I actually wanted him to die. ...Hey, are you okay?" Karkat asked, noticing her sullen mood for the first time.
"No."
