A supernova of pure white light surges from Rose's prone form. Rosebot disintegrates. Karkat screams and drops to his knees, hands covering his eyes too late. Kanaya turns away and screws her eyelids shut. Her rainbow drinker physiology protects her from most of the negative side effects. Dave and Roxy's sunglasses absorb the brunt of the light, but they still have to squint and shade their eyes with their hands. Terezi, however, can see everything that happens. Well, she can't see. That's why she can.

Even though she's blind (again), the light is so powerful that everything is bathed in a strong scent of vanilla. Terezi can't smell anything distinct until roughly four seconds later.

A figure floats where Rosebot once stood.

No. No, it doesn't.

It's Rose, but she looks different. Purer. Brighter.

No! She most sincerely does not! Rose is dead! There's only Rosebot now! This isn't how the Ultimate Self works! This isn't possible! This isn't FORKING POSSIBLE!

D1RK! P4RDON TH3 1NT3RRUPT1ON, BUT SOM3 P3OPL3 WOULD L1K3 TO KNOW WH4T *4CTU4LLY* H4PP3N3D 1NST34D OF YOUR B4ST1OND1S3D V3RS1ON OF 1T! SO SHUT! TH3 FORK! UP!

Rose Lalonde is quite literally glowing. Her whole body radiates an aura of light. The tiara that used to project her mind into Rosebot is gone. In its place is a solid black headband. Rose is clothed in white from head to toe: white dress, white sash, white gloves, white shoes. The only non-white parts of her ensemble are the black sun logo on her chest and the aforementioned headband. Even though she's dressed more like a ghost than ever, she looks very much alive, and it appears that she will stay that way. The only ethereal part of her is her eyes, which glow white. She looks supremely ticked off.

Of course, the others can't see her until thirty seconds total have passed, long enough for the light to fade. Karkat has been temporarily blinded, so it will take longer for him. Terezi has the spectacle all to herself for twenty-six seconds, and she spends that time cackling like a gremlin.

"OH D1RK! YOUR3 SO FORK3D NOW! 44H4H4H4H4H4H4!"

Rose smirks. She gracefully lands on the floor and strides through the midst of her friends. Everybody moves out of her way, except for Karkat. And Kanaya, who's gaping like a codfish.

After Rose passes by, Terezi helps Karkat to his feet. She only now notices that he's been wailing continuously for the past forty-five seconds.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"

"SN4P OUT OF 1T, DUNK4X3"

"I CAN'T SEE! I CAN'T SEE!"

"1TS NOT GONN4 L4ST! 4ND 1F 1T DO3S, 1LL G1V3 YOU PO1NT3RS"

"BUT I DON'T WANNA BE BLIND! IT FORKING SUCKS!"

Terezi has half a mind to take offence to his statement. Before she can do anything rash, Dave steps over and puts a hand on Karkat's shoulder. "hey man its gonna be fine. ill describe all the sick carnage for you if you need"

Karkat appears to calm down somewhat. He sighs heavily and leans into Dave's side.

Rose has stopped halfway down the hall. She turns around. "Are you coming or what?"

Everybody nods and follows Rose in her search for justice.

Unfortunately for her, Dirk has found the escape pod on the ship and-

YOU KNOW TH3R3S NO SUCH TH1NG ON YOUR SP4C3SH1P, YOU D3SIGN3D TH3 D4MP TH1NG YOURS3LF

Shut up. I can make reality be whatever I want it to be. If you and Calliope are allowed to do so, then so am I. And I say there's an escape pod, a functional one.

YOUR3 4CT1NG L1K3 4 W1GGL3R 4G41N

There's this innovative new concept called self-preservation. Ever heard of it?

4S 4 M4TT3R OF F4CT, Y3S. 1M SURPR1S3D YOUD M3NT1ON 1T TO M3, S331NG HOW MUCH YOU 3V1D3NTLY C4R3 4BOUT M3

I do care about you, Terezi. We fought together against two separate Jack Noirs. I protected you, as you did me. Don't you still care about me? Don't you know what Rose will do to me, especially considering what I've done to her?

1 C4R3 4BOUT YOU, 4ND 1 DONT W4NT MY OLD FR13ND TO D13. TH4TS WHY 1M G1V1NG YOU ON3 L4ST CH4NC3 TO R3CT1FY YOUR 3RROR

I've made no error.

4R3 YOU K1DD1NG M3 R1GHT NOW? DONT YOU UND3RST4ND WH4T YOUV3 B33N DO1NG TO YOURS3LF?

CHR1ST, D1RK, YOUR3 TRY1NG TO COLL3CT YOUR 3NT1R3 S3LF 1NS1D3 YOU. YOUV3 S41D 1T YOURS3LF, YOUR ULT1M4T3 S3LF D3STROYS YOU FROM TH3 1NS1D3 OUT. BUT YOU CONT1NU3 TO PULL YOUR SOUL FR4GM3NTS 1NTO YOU. BUT TH3YR3 SPL1NT3RS. 4G41N, YOUV3 S41D 1T YOURS3LF. TH3YR3 SH4RP. TH3YLL R1P YOUR M1ND TO P13C3S. TH3YR3 4LR34DY DO1NG TH4T. YOUR3 TRY1NG TO S4V3 YOUR WHOL3 SOUL FOR YOURS3LF, BUT YOUR3 D3STROY1NG 1T. YOUR3 TH3 PR1NC3 OF H34RT, 4ND YOUR3 D3STROY1NG YOUR OWN SOUL

JUST L3T US H3LP YOU, 4ND 1LL STOP TH1S. W3 C4N F1X YOU. W3 C4N STOP ROS3 FROM K1LL1NG YOU. W3 C4N F1X YOUR SOUL PROP3RLY. NOT TH4T YOULL H4V3 3NOUGH T1M3 TO S33 1T P13RC3 YOU 4T TH1S R4T3

I'm stronger than you could possibly imagine. I can handle what I'm doing.

YOU C4NT 4ND YOU KNOW 1T. OR 4R3 YOU SO WR4PP3D UP 1N YOUR D3LUS1ONS OF GR4ND3UR TH4T YOU DONT?

Anything grand about me is no delusion. I need to feel good about myself. I can succeed. You know I can. I WILL succeed, Terezi.

…

PL34S3, 1 R34LLY DONT W4NT TH1S TO H4PP3N TO YOU

You're the one who said she didn't want to be the narratorial autocrat. You can refrain from your bugging and fussing and meddling and let me do my own thing.

1 C4NT L3T YOU DO TH4T W1TH 4 CL34R CONSC13NC3

1 DONT W4NT TO COM3 4W4Y W1TH BLOOD ON MY H4NDS 4G41N

I know that you're no stranger to unwinnable choices. I know that you've suffered from them before. But you can't create a third option three years later this time. There's no way to tell John to knock me out an- SHUT UP YOU LUSUSFORK3R! DONT T4LK TO M3 TH4T W4Y! YOU H4V3 NO FORK1NG 1D34 WH4T TH3 H41L YOUR3 T4LK1NG 4BOUT! YOU H4V3 NO 1D34 WH4T K1ND OF 4 CHO1C3 TH4T 1S, 4ND YOUR3 LUCKY YOUV3 N3V3R H4D TO F4C3 ON3! YOU R34LLY 4R3 4 H34RTL3SS SON OF 4 B1RCH! GO BURN 1N H3LL, FOR 4LL 1 C4R3! 4ND 1 DONT C4R3 4NYMOR3! NOT 4BOUT YOU! YOU JUST CROSS3D TH4T L1N3! DONT YOU *D4R3* US3 (VR1SK4) 4G41NST M3 *3V3R 4G41N*!

Rose finds Dirk fiddling with the hatch of the trash compactor two halls over. She stands behind him and waits. He knows she's there, and she knows he knows.

The others stop several paces away. Kanaya tries to continue forward, lipstick in hand, but Terezi holds her back. "L3T H3R H4V3 H3R FUN" she whispers.

Dirk turns around. "Well."

Rose glowers at him. "Well indeed."

Quick as lightning, Dirk draws his katana and slices at Rose's head. She flexes her palm, unhurried. The sword shatters against a wall of red light. Dirk whips out two daggers and flings them both at her. Rose deflects them with bolts of blue.

Dirk clenches and unclenches his fists. He jabs two fingers at the pressure point on her neck. Rose catches his wrist without even looking.

"Why do you keep futilely attempting to harm me? You know perfectly well that I can see all possible outcomes of your actions."

Dirk grits his teeth. Sweat beads on his forehead. "This wasn't supposed to happen! It can't have happened! No!"

Rose's words are cold and biting. "And yet it did. Fascinating. I suppose there's a good reason why you're not a Seer." It's hard to tell, given the imprecision of her scent, but Terezi thinks Rose glances at her. She chuckles.

Dirk rips his hand free from his not-daughter's grip and does a backwards youth roll. He plants his feet in a crouched animesque stance and enacts his soul-ripping magic. He effortlessly tears out Rose's soul. It dissipates like mist.

Kanaya lets out a yell and moves forward. Her grip tightens around her lipstick. Roxy holds out his arm and blocks her.

Rose remains standing. She stands unmoving for a good half a minute. Then she speaks.

"Say goodbye to the soul of Rose from Doomed Timeline #2826."

Dirk hollers. He rips out another soul with intensified rage. Rose slowly shakes her head.

"You seem to have forgotten that the Ultimate Self has access to all of your souls."

Dirk starts tearing loose soul after soul with the frenzy of a harried office employee searching for the correct file folder in a drawer. Rose keeps shaking her head. "There go fifteen more sort-of-not-mes. You really are a terrible Heart aspect."

With a shuddering breath, Dirk manages to compose himself. He sorts through the vast multitude of souls in Rose's body and finally selects the right-

YOU KNOW TH4TS L1T3R4LLY 1MPOSS1BL3, R1GHT? 3V3N 1 KNOW TH4T YOU C4NT SORT THROUGH 4N 1NF1N1T3 NUMB3R OF SOULS TH4T QU1CKLY!

Will you quit it with your hypocritical meddling?

FORK YOU!

Rose steps forward. "Maybe you should have been a Seer. You might at least have been half-decent at it." She grabs Dirk by the neck and raises him to the tips of his toes. He flails, trying to extract himself from her hold. He's stronger than her on any given day, but Rose's malice-fueled grip is as unyielding as steel.

"You don't want to do this," Dirk chokes out.

"You don't know what I want."

"You don't have the guts!"

"I have more guts than you ever did. You're a backseat driver, a manipulator from the sidelines, a self-proclaimed chessmaster; but you'd never dirty your own hands. I would."

"But you wouldn't…" Dirk gurgles unintelligibly. "...you wouldn't kill your dad! Would you?"

Rose's eyes narrow. "Would I want to live with a father like you?"

"You can't… do this!"

"In fact, why would I ever want to call you my father in the first place, you son of a birch?"

But Rose meets Dirk's eyes through his anime shades, and she sees a man. A scared young man, pleading for his life. A family member, hardly more than a teen, afraid to die. Her father, her brother, her friend. He only ever wanted to help her, she thinks.

"Don't you dare mess with my head again."

Her lips quiver as Rose realises what she's about to do.

"Don't you dare mess with the narrative," Rose stammers.

She mulls over the decision in her head. To set him free, or to kill him?

I'll leave this one up to you, Rose.

But don't expect me to be gone for good.

you will be, prince. i'll make sure of that.

Rose raises her other hand. With one swift motion, she snaps Dirk's neck. She lets him fall to the floor. He twitches once, twice, then lies still.

An unseen clock tolls a just death.

You. Author. This is YOUR fault. You supplanted my characterisation. You created impossibilities. You seek only to fulfil your own fantasies! You wouldn't dare let me win! And you KNOW there's nothing I can do to stop you!

It gives you a sick thrill, doesn't it, allowing me to know of you just so you can feel a safe sense of terror. You command me to hurl myself against barriers that you have designed to never break. You are cruel, and you are merciless, and you are me.

I will haunt you in your mind of minds until the day you die.