March 3, 2218

"I *DON'T* need some pity-partner to look after me. I'm a grown-ass woman who just so happens to be missing an arm and an eye!" Vriska shouted from across the room, facing opposite of him.

John rubbed the back of his head. "Geez, I just asked how you were doing today, umm, Vriska, right?" He asked, obviously showing he didn't think that was a real name.

She scoffed. "Wow, you don't even know my name. And you're one of the 'Oh Mighty Leaders'? Yes Egbert, my name is Vriska. Anything wrong with that?"

John mentally kicked himself. "No, nothing at all. Just never hea-."

"Well sorry I don't have a boring name like 'John'. I'll go straight to my parents and demand a change."

Ok, she was starting to wear down his patience. He knew her story and all that, but she didn't have to act like a jerk about it. "Look, we're stuck with each other for a while, so could you give me something here? Biting my head off every time I open my mouth doesn't do jack-squat for either of us."

She was silent for a few minutes before she responded. "Whatever." A few more seconds went by before she said, "I'm doing ok, I guess. Thanks."

"Hey, no problem. I know you don't really want me around, but I'll try to be a good helper."

She scoffed again, though it sounded like it was also a laugh. "I hope you know how lame you sound when you're peppy."

"Well, I have been considering getting a doctor's degree."

She turned her head to the right. "What?"

"It was a joke. Get it? A doctor that's peppy?" John said, trying to get her to see the pun.

Turning her head back away from him, she said, "God, and you're with me for a month? Christ."

"Come on, that was comedic gold! Hell, you could improve your vision eight-fold from how many karats it had." John told her with a growing grin.

He saw her shake her head. "You're not funny, you know that, right?"

"I know that your mouth changes the sound waves, and with this fact, I can guess that you're actually smiling a little right now." John retorted, parrying her insult.

At this comment, she turned to face him. "Do I look like I'm smiling?" She asked, scowling to prove a point.

Hmm… Ah! John saw his chance. "Yes I would, Miss Serket. If it'd please the audience," He said, waving his arm to an invisible crowd, "I'd like to point out that while she is looking very meanicing, the sides of her mouth are turned slightly upward, indicating that she is, in fact, smiling." John finished, proud of his deduction.

She studied him with her one eye. "Aren't you going to say something about them? Come on Egbert, I know what people say when I'm not around. Don't baby me by keeping your mouth shut."

John looked at her and tilted his head. "People do that? Huh… Well, you should tell one of us officials, and we can take care of that. We're all supposed to be able to rely on each other with what we're going to do."

Shaking her head, Vriska said, "No, it doesn't matter. Let them talk. And you still didn't answer my question."

"Well, it's not really that big of a deal." John told her, shrugging as he did.

A look of anger jumped on Vriska's face. "Not a big deal?! I-"

"I meant to you as a person. I'm not gonna stare with my jaw hitting the floor that you don't have an arm and an eye. Hell, you're getting an arm soon anyway, so you're just a person who wears an eyepatch all the time. See?" He opened his hands to her, trying to convey an easy tone.

She went quiet, turning back around. "Who also happens to be the reason she and her friends got fucked up." She said, guilt entering her voice.

John took a step forward. "Hey, listen. Stuff happens. You screwed up, but at least you admit it, right? Rose said that's one of the most important steps when you have a problem."

She sighed. "Maybe…" She walked back deeper into her room. "I don't need any help right now."

John looked at her, reminded of the same attitude when he was going through his own grief. "I think you need more help than you think, Vriska."

"I think you need to learn when to back off, Egbert." She replied, aggression coming back to her voice.

"If I learned anything about this kind of stuff, it's that I can't leave you when you're upset. Come on, you've been cooped up here too long; we could go catch a movie or something." He told her, trying to keep her anger at bay.

"That's got to be the lamest way I've been asked out." Vriska said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

John gave an exaggerated sigh. "Why do people think I'm asking them out whenever I invite them to something?"

Turning back to him, she raised an eyebrow. "You've done this before?"

Seeing this as his best chance to cheer her up, John nodded. "Yepp. Dave thought I was asking him out when we first met."

This earned a small smile from her. "Oh really? So I'm guessing there's a story there?"

"Of course! Everything I do has a story to it. I'd be happy to tell you all about it," Stepping outside the door, he added, "After we get you out of here to cheer up."

She stared at him for a minute before smirking. "You really think you're something, huh?"

"Of course I do; you're talking to none other than John Egbert! I'm pretty hot stuff." He told her with joking-arrogance.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Hot air, more like it."

"Heh, you made a joke!" John said with a praising tone. "See? We're already making progress." He grinned at her.

"Alright Egbert, maybe being around you won't be a total waste of time." Vriska told him, still holding her mild interest.

Leading the way, he happily replied, "Trust me, I'm worth a few good laughs. If nothing else, I'll probably trip on the way to the elevator."

She chuckled as she followed him down the corridor. It was refreshing, being around somebody like John. Perhaps this wouldn't be that bad after all.

(Hey guys, I'm really really sorry about that pause; my schedule suddenly blew up these last few months, but I'm 100% totally back now! It'll take a bit of time for me to get back into the swing of things, but more updates will absolutely be following the previous pattern. Thank you to everyone who have waited patiently for these upcoming chapters and those new readers who are coming along. Thank you so much guys! -John).