A Tier Walk Away

by Catchinggates

In the brand new world, John has awoken with the issue that there is this now scary black smoke lingering behind him. It is starting to get him depressed as he finds himself slowly falling down depression. This is the story of how John fails or succeeds at fighting off this cursed smoke and what it means to fight depression. (Indefinite hiatus)

2. Chapter 2

Author Notes: Italic is for inner thoughts and board messages and bold will tend to be the smoke I suppose. It's also dawning to me that because I have no direction in this story...I take so much time describing detail. I do hope you get to like it though. u\\\u Thank you.

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John awoke in the darkness wondering why there was a burnt smell in the air. He was really in a daze and wondered why he hadn't left the kitchen light on. He always left the kitchen light on for when he was in need of the snacks at random hours. So to be in full darkness confused him as he got himself upright. He yawned slightly when he realized his jaw hurt for some reason. His body was actually burning as he realized that he wasn't in his bed and this wake up wasn't the average sort of wake up.

What hit him first was the stinging he felt all around his body. His right hand felt his knees and his legs as he felt that his skin burnt very bitterly to the touch. He was wondering what the fuck had happened when images of what occurred started to slowly fill in the gaps.

"Ahhhh. Oh yeahhhh...the bullshit. The bullshit I went through today...that wasn't a dream? Wasn't it? Aw."

John got up stretching while he slowly dragged himself towards the light switch. He turned it on to only see nothing turned on. He looked up at the ceiling and squinted. The small cheap chandelier was not there and as he stared longer, he noticed the light bulbs were cracked.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh. Great another thing to fix...other than myself? I really need some pain killers and toothpaste. I remember reading in a medical book in elementary school about survival skills. Apply toothpaste if burned. Hah. Never thought I'd need to use it at home. Always imagined maybe using such knowledge if I ever got lost in a forest or something."

John gingerly went to the kitchen and also flicked on the light. Nothing turned on. He swiveled around as he quickly went up the stairs while holding the railing and flicked on the hallway switch.

The light turned on.

"At last! Something works in hereeeeeeee. OMG. OMG. What am I even looking at?"

John steadily stared at his downstairs as he saw many things overturned. He did manage to find the chandelier which was poking out of the fireplace's mouth. Stacks of DVD's were flung about and he couldn't even look at the glass table anymore. That had been his dad's favorite and his eye twinges as he wondered how he was even going to explain this.

"Fucckkkkkkkkkk," John whined.

John decided to fix himself before starting to clean this mass destruction as he led himself into the bathroom. The light worked thankfully and thankfully the bathroom had been shut when that whole tornado scenario happened. He sighed in relief as he inspected the small bathroom. Perhaps it's compact size was what saved it from all the bullshit. He was so glad. As he turned on the faucet he realized that there was a lot of things actually going on his body. His hair was disheveled and smears of soot ran across his face. There was a slight cut on his cheek and lips as he wondered how that even got there. It didn't bleed that much so with a splash of water to his face and soap, he began to wash himself. After drying his face he opened the top of the toothpaste and squeezed slowly all over his arms and legs. His cheeks also got singed as he applied some there as well in slow circular motions. After finishing he couldn't help but crack a smile.

"I look so BADDD. If I knew this wasn't remedial, I swear this would be the type of silly shenanigans I'd be up to anyways. Just because~ Though the minty feeling is helping. I wonder if there is going to be a mark...or if my skin will peel? That's going to suck...everything sucks. Do I even need to explain anything to anyone then? That seems like it's just going to cause so much unnecessary meddling. Actually...why do I want to be alone? Don't I like everyone?"

John became still as he gingerly patted the towel on his hair...his concentration became lost as his eyes became a bit dull. He must had been lost in thought for 10 minutes when he realized that he was hungry. His stomach slightly mumbled taking him out of his stupor.

"Wah? Oh."

John realized where he was and wondered how he lost track of time. He knew it wasn't normal but he tried to act as if it didn't happen. He regained his optimism as he cheerfully said to himself, "WELL OKAY THEN! I'm going to...eat something! Ah, I hope the refrigerator is still upright?" John turned off the light as he walked to the storage space in the middle of the hallway. He opened it and was relieved that nothing really fell out or came out of place. He took a spare light bulb box and opened it. In his hands was such a beautiful unbroken thing. It sort of made him cry. He decided he'd float down for the rest of the way until he got into the kitchen. He saw how the light bulbs above were cracked as he untwisted them. He took 3 out as he let them all fall to the floor. The kitchen was already mess and adding more really wouldn't even make a difference. So he put in 1 light bulb just to check it out. He floated towards the switch and alas light filled the room temporarily.

John gave a victory smile as he found pride in the little things. Had he been truly logical about everything and how much he'd have to clean, he'd break down and cry. That was what in sense the smoke wanted but John wouldn't give in.

He chuckled as he began to scan the kitchen.

"Yep. Dad is going to kill me. His glorious office space has now been trashed. It's a good thing he loves me. Though I guess this will be the first place to clean... maybe if I clean it enough he won't notice."

John silently thought that how could no one NOT notice but he was trying to be chipper now. As he found the broom he swept the floor in singsong movement. He hummed Dirty Pop from Nsync as he swept more vigorously. He felt more pain with each movement but he saw that either way, sitting or moving burning and stinging sensations wouldn't stop. So fuck it.

"All thatttttt matterssss is that you RECOGNIZE it's allllll ABOUTTTT R-RESPECCCCTTTTT~"

"YOUR BODY STARTS TO ROCKKKKKK YOU CAN'T STOPPPPPPPP."

John stopped his awful singing while sweeping the last remnants of broken things into a corner at the right furthest point in the room. There he opened the cracked window and with his windy powers slowly brought the trash upwards and out the window. When that was done, he magiked the sponge that was lying ontop of the refrigerator now towards him. He felt it to see if it was wet and it was somewhat moist so he bent down and took the little bits that hadn't left the floor. He floated towards the sink, flicked on the U like faucet and wrung the sponge. It was then that an idea occurred to him.

"I never did that before...but I have nothing to lose. After I'm done cleaning the walls I'm getting some string cheese. Rewards are awesome."

He tried like the avatar air bending, to bend the water flowing out of the faucet. With his hands he picked up the falling water as he directed it towards the walls. It didn't really turn out how he imagined. He had imagined the water flowing slower and more to his liking. But as things actually happened, the water sort of jet then away from him in a hose like manner. He splashed fiercely the walls as he couldn't really care anymore. Puddles of water emerged quickly as it flooded the floor. He moved around to get all the soot off the walls as he turned on the faucet more on. It shot away from him faster as the soot began to unlatch itself from the white walls. John noticed he'd have to sponge the wall to really get it off. But at least for now, the water was making the soot more malleable.

With that he turned off the faucet and the last bits of water spurted outwards towards the floor. He was somewhat wet now but as the bullshit meter rose every hour, John just felt numb to all of it. He had gone through bigger things in the last universe so if this was a bad day then he could only say internally, "Bring it."

Though he did notice that he was slightly trembling once he was done. With that note, he air opened the refrigerators door open and looked at it. A lot of things had been moved around and John could only sigh more exasperatedly. He decided to forget about this and took the string cheese. He peeled the plastic off as he took quick bites into the stick.

After finishing it he felt much better and smiled weakly. He really was starting to feel something sick in his gut but he said he'd have to at least finish cleaning this ONE room.

After getting tons of towels from the cabinet near the bathroom and coming back down, he began to layer the towels on the floor until the floor was papered with towels. Then he painstakingly began to clean the wall with a sponge in each hand. There was a bucket next to him as he would wring both sponges at the same time. After an hour or so of work he was finally done with the messier part of this cleaning.

He swiped off some sweat from his forehead, due to the intense cleaning and the new coming fever he was rearing.

Truly, the kitchen was on it's hopeful way to looking how it did before the shitstorm happened. John only now had to put things back in order and throw the broken things away. As he moved the table back upwards and applied strong cleaners where the burning marks were still persisting he mumbled, "Dad is totally going to forgive me. Even, I'm forgiving me for all this bullshit. I really should have known sooner that the smoke was more than what it seemed. It really did make me scared but I never wanted to show it...I mean...I've seen such scarier things like my dungeon monster and other things. I just couldn't think...that it could actually take action by itself. How did I even sleep after now knowing that? HOW AM I EVEN GOING TO SLEEP AFTER KNOWING THIS? I COULD DIE! It could stab me or set my bed on fire. AHHHHHHHHHHH. AHHHHHHHHHH. I really need to tell someone...but would they even be able to do anything? Maybe Rose can do some counter curse or something. Though...who gave it to me in the first place? What does it even want...from me? What does it even want?'

John steadied his stare at his hands as he looked a the bruises and burning. He really was in danger of dying. This black thing apparently could magic fire from nothingness and John would blow it out. But what happened was that the air was mixed with gas. Would the smoke thing recreate a situation like this again? And what if that did it with the friends that weren't God Tier? Oh god.

John paled as he really was understanding the immensity of what could happen with this black thing. John took a peak back as he saw the smoke lingering there. John stuck out his tongue as he quickly looked away.

So it's still there... Ugh...I only looked at it for a second and I feel like I'm going to vomit. Too many times today. I can't look at it too much. Ugghhhhhh. I guess...if I stay away from anyone who isn't a God Tier that is okay. I'll have to consult the God Tier's first. They won't die if something happens...well they can...but dammit. I don't want anyone to die...

Why don't you just die then?

John stilled as he heard the smoke's talk. What made John upset was that it was his voice but much more harsher coming at him in his brain. He really wanted to stop hearing this ASAP.

John: Stop it! Leave me alone! Though I feel like you're still going to linger like the fucking stalker that you are...

Smoke: I don't believe that can happen. You must die before I go.

John: Haha, so funny. Like legit can't stop crying about it. I can't really die even if you do manage to kill me...or me...if I manage to kill myself. You'll still lose.

Smoke: ...

John: Ah, I see. Can't manage a comeback then? Good. I think I like you silent anyways.

Smoke: You will die.

John: No I won't.

Smoke: You'll see.

John looked extra pissed and with that shook his head. He got himself up as he turned his whole self around. He didn't see the smoke then and was happy he didn't. He really didn't want to deal with that anymore today. He'd have other days to deal with this.

John looked for the clock after he noticed that we was staring at a nail and the wall. The clock must have been flown around. He walked around until he found it lyring behind the refrigorator. How it got there he couldn't care. He was struggling to reach for it when he realized, duhhhh magic powers? He blew on it a little as it unstuck itself and fell out of place. John could take it then. He brought it back towards him when he realized that it was all broken. The glass encasing it was cracked horrible and the wood encasing it was bent.

However, John found it amazing that the clock was still ticking.

"Amazing. Dad depot does SELL sturdy things... though I always thought they put that adjective in to sell more things."

John saw in the dim lighting the clock say, "3:04 am."

"Kay... Ah...I really should sleep then. Though before I do. Make sure the Bunsen burners are really off. Good. And I should find the door. It really would be awful if anyone came over and saw the door not even there. They'd be all panicked and stuff. WHERE is the flashlight when you need it. Actually? Didn't Karkat give me a spare crab flashlight recently to captchalog?"

John checked his sylladex as he swiped over the files. Lo and behold after a couple of swipes there was the handy flashlight.

"Shit. I needed you before. AHHHH. Anyways!"

He clicked on it as it appeared in his hands. He pressed the button in the middle as it shone a radiant light. With that he walked out the kitchen and towards the outside. It was fairly dark as he wondered where the fuck the door could actually be. John saw across this large lake that the lights of Jade, Dave, and Rose's house were on.

"So they arrived home...that's good. I guess they can't see the state of my house right now in the darkness. Though they'll be pretty much laughing at me when they see the shit it is in the morning...or maybe they won't be laughing? Awww."

John moped a little bit at the thought as he realized he should send an alert message to let his friends now that the house is fine and so is he. He'd do that after he'd find the door. So he flew around darting like bee. The light shimmered over the grass as he found other things instead. He found a red pan that probably flew out during the tornado. He captchalogged it. He also found the popcorn maker and a whisk laying lazily on the grass. He captchalogged them as well. After flying around for 30 minutes or so, he realized he wouldn't be finding the door right now. So he raised the give up flag and sluggishly floated back home. He found some chalk on the living room floor as he got an idea.

John promptly came back outside the entrance and scribbled in chalk next to the door, "I'm Fine. Don't worry. Had House problems. Will Explain."

John finished with scribbling the "n" as he felt rather proud of himself. Sure he'd have to clean this as well in due time. But if someone came over while he was sleeping, he'd definitely want no one panicking.

After recalling all the hard work everyone was putting in, his fuckery really didn't need to impose on anyone. John lazily left the chalk on the grass as he floated finally back to his room. He hadn't gone back to it and was somewhat distressed. Was it a mess like the rest of his house? Should he even dare checking his dad's room? John felt escalating dread as he came nearer and nearer his room door.

If he didn't know any better he thought he was hearing the "Sealed Door" song from the game called Chrono Trigger.

Kinda wished it was a sealed door now... o_ooooooo

With a gentle turn to the right he held the doorknob and slowly pushed it opened. The door creaked open quietly as he studied what he could see in the darkness. His room unfortunately had both windows open...as he noted magazines and school stationary cluttered on the floor.

"Shit."

John stepped in flicking on the light. It turned on as he really saw that his room wasn't in that bad of shape. The movie posters had for the most part stayed. Just one looked ripped in half. Had John been the nerd he was before the game he was sure he'd cry. As he looked onwards at it, he only felt a small pang in his heart.

"I can...fix that with tape...probably..."

John walked in to then see the biggest surprise.

It was his computer. His computer was now on the floor and broken. John definitely found himself screaming as he rushed towards it.

Had this been a movie scene, John would definitely be the lover running into the arms of his dying beloved. John's lip was quivering as he tried to turn the computer upright.

Maybe it was just the screen that was busted? That hopefully everything still worked?

John prayed intensely as he turned on the monitor button. Thankfully the gods seemed to still like him somewhat as the screen flickered on. John cried happily as he hugged his computer. He turned on the power then next and it hummed on.

John wanted to kiss his computer for being so badass and strong as shit but he stopped as he realized..."Kissing a broken screen was probably dumb. Cut lips and stuff."

John laughed as he realized the computer automatically loaded the last page he was on. John stared through the broken screen as he saw he had a lot of unanswered messages. Apparently everyone messaged him or something. John could only begin to wonder as what he would say. He decided to click on the blinking chum that sent the most messages which was Karkat.

John opened the chat.

Karkat: JOHN, DAVE AND I HAVE SOME TIME OFF TONITE. COME OVER DAVE'S PLACE AROUND 8 IF YOU WANT TO JOIN IN. WHICH I WOULD SCREAM TO YOU, YOU SHOULD, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING A PRETTY AWFUL GAME ON HIS XBOX ABOUT BASKETBALL AND TERRORS. LIKE REALLY WHO THE FUCK EVEN CAME UP WITH YOUR GAMES IN YOUR WORLD? WERE THEY ALL RETARED? ANYWAYS IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY AWFUL WITH JUST US DWEEBS. SO I NEED YOU TO COME ALONG AND EXPLAIN TO ME HOW I CAN BEAT DAVE WITH THE THING CALLED DUNKS. APPARENTLY YOU GET 20 POINTS EXTRA WHEN YOU DO IT AND DAVE WILL BE CREAMING ME IF I DON'T MASTER SUCH A MOVE. SO GET OVER HERE. ALSO WE HAVE PIZZA. AND NO BAKED GOODS. SO YOU ARE IN THE CLEAR. GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE LOSER. THAT IS ALL.

John rolled his eyes as he understood what game Dave and him were playing. Dave was just awfully awesome at it and even to John it would be a hard time. John chuckled as he realized Karkat didn't know what dunk meant. Then again there were always still bridges in the common knowledge that still needed to be filled between what the trolls knew and what humans knew.

John stopped laughing as he realized he was getting a headache. He rubbed his cheek when he realized that toothpaste smudged all over it.

"Wait I still had that on?" John noticed he was still damp after blasting what seemed a waterfall in his kitchen. He really needed to change clothes. John didn't want to challenge the smoke in the shower so he'd shower later on today.

John picked himself off the floor and took off his damp clothes. He changed into a new set of boxers and a long hoodie. When the hoodie's made contact with his burnt skin he ached.

"Tsk. Ahhhhhh."

John stopped midway wondering if he should even go further. His skin was screaming pain as he quickly took it off and threw it across the room. He huffed as if he had beaten some monster even though it was just his plain emerald green hoodie which really had not done anything wrong except exist.

John looked at himself as he saw the toothpaste peppered all over his skin. It really looked likehe just got in a tub of toothpaste and had a jolly ol time except that was stupid and he knew how stupid he now looked.

Sighhhhhh*

He took to wipe it off with the tissues he had lying around. After taking it off he examined his arms and legs. They looked pretty bad. Luckily the skin didn't bubble and just looked permanently pink. He was surprised that his arm hair had burnt off. He really was so close to dying that time. It was lucky he zapped 1 second or so away from being truly engulfed. That thought scared John as he stopped looking at himself. He was aching all over and couldn't pinpoint where to begin. He was slightly upset when he realized that Jane's powers of heal wouldn't work.

Her powers could only heal mortal wounds and things like this would remain there. John looked at the ceiling sort of pissed since he knew that was such bullshit and at least healing powers should cover all the basic necessities. Then again if that actually had been, Jane would have healed herself quickly when she was coming down with the flu.

"Damn," John whispered.

In a way, his body hurt more than being stabbed through the chest. At least being stabbed was one concentration of pain. But this pain was all over now as his blood throbbed more forcefully.

John decided to just switch into another T-shirt instead and carefully as to not irritate even further his burns.

He was then wearing a yellow shirt with a duck eyes and beak on it. This was the softest shirt he had as well as the most ironic. So with that he went back to the computer and decided to answer Karkat.

John: hey! sorry about answering so lateee. i had...some things to damage control over here. hahahahaha...

um...anyways thanks for the invite. i'm sure i would have gone but...things happened. bluhhh. hopefully you got to beating Dave this time? dunk feature happens when you hold down r button and press "a" twice fast with finally the b button. it's a little hectic the first time you do it, but definitely keep at it. and um...just don't come over right now. like i'm actually going to say please. please don't come over right now. you can tell Dave that he can since he's god tier. and no i'm not being biased right now...i just...have something's to deal with the god tier people right now...yeah...anyways i do hope to see you soon! bye Karkat

John clicked enter as he saw his message pop up on the board. John saw the other blinking chum popup as he saw it was Dave who messaged next. He clicked the tab open.

Dave: Yo my ultimate homeslice. We are having a get together tonight so that's the deal. Come over at 8pm standard whatever time we really are existing in, and make yourself at home. Sorry for not seeing you in like two weeks. Really, Vriska and Kanaya make you work hard. But the trolls are doing a pretty good part in ordering us around. Seriously, we need to regain out backbones and say HUMANS ON TOP. or something. But for the most part I like what I'm doing with Dirk and Jake. We're like controlling the fertility of the soil since the soil is still shit at growing things. I mean, at least we got the water levels down but all that salt water fucked everything. Really. You were tonked out when we doing that but things are steadily getting better. More green is growing and that means better ecosystem. I'm hoping we can grow apple trees though... you see we regrettably don't have apple seeds! Like what is that? Am I going to have to live a life of never seeing another apple juice filled cup appear before me ever again? Such a thing cannot continue to still be. So I'm also at the lab trying to find the right code for apple. It's really hard actually John. Like you wouldn't believe. Maybe you can help me out when you're done Vking. I'm not up for vacation time yet though you really wouldn't understand how jealous we are for you vacationing right now. You and Gamzee HAD to land the last blows huh? Sigh* Ah Karkat is pestering me about the oven turning off. Pizza is getting READDDDYYYYYYY. Plus we have nachos. Jade made them! And they are pretty good. I'm glad that at least someone had the decency of learning to make their own versions of our old treasures of food before everything went extinct. Like I wish I had a kitkat bar...It's too sad john. It's just too sad. Anyways, you're not answeringggggggg...and all your lights are offf...did you go somewhere? Or did you go to sleep like the weenie you are? Nahhh I say. Nahhh. Get over when you can or at least answer. Totes not cool leaving a bro hanging John. We've discussed this. No we haven't but we should if you stop answering sometimes for no reason at all. Bye.

John was somewhat imaging Dave and Karkat eat the delicious pizza and nachos before him. He swept away newly forming tears as he wondered why he hadn't participated in such a wonderful night. He might be depressed somewhat but he still wouldn't pass up a night of pizza and nachos. That he still had the stomach for.

John answered:

John: heyyyyy Dave! I'm really sorry i didn't get to see this before. i was...a bit preoccupied by some other stuff. i actually need to talk with you about something. i mean...i wanted to talk with you about this before...but...i don't know...lately i'm just kind of depressed and it's over silly things too! i just feel...out of place like...i don't belong in time or anywhere anymore...your john died and you and everyone died from my timeline...so...i guess...i'm still hung up ...about that. I'm...sorry. but i wanted to get this off my chest! and wow do I feel better already! kind of. actually i'm in a lot of pain right now and no not the metaphorical pain. but legit actual pain. tons of shit happened today. i can't even begin. but if you'd like, only you and rose and jade and to all the other god tiers can come over. i'm...dealing with something...that i'm not sure...with how TO DEAL? anyways! can you come over at 10 am or something? I'm sure i'll be up by that time since i don't think i can sleep through my pain actually. ugghhhhhhhhh. but don't come over now! just later...in the morning. you'll see what i mean by that. goodnight Dave. and yeah...even if you did come these past 2 weeks, i don't think you would have wanted to talk with me. i didn't even want to talk with me. yeah. soooooo night.

John looked at his paragraph through the cracks before he hit send. He was really tempted to delete certain parts like the part about not feeling at home and out of place but he kept it there. After hitting enter again he decided to message Rose. She had sent a message as well as he read it. It was rather short thankfully because John was beginning to nod off.

Rose: John.

Rose: John.

Rose: John.

Rose: John? John I need to talk to you. Since this is the 4th message I've sent to you it seems as if you're hung up on something? Short story, I need you to take a day off your vacation and meet with me and Roxy. We're having some issue with your dungeon monster. Your world is pretty alright for the most part and everyone else's world is alright as well. It's in the 2nd orbit of this new earth solar system. Just lately, your dungeon monster has been acting up. Perhaps you can talk with it and understand what is the cause for its agitation? It's been scaring all the lizard people and the fireflies flew away towards Jade's world. They are being eaten by the frogs so it's a bit of a hassle actually. A very big hassle. For the most part Roxy's been voiding the frogs and placing them into other locations. It's already been the 2nd day and things will probably get worse. So if you can meet me at my place at 12? That would be the best. Roxy is staying over and she's been wanting to see you too. So really it would be a good thing if you showed up. And if you don't, I will track you down myself and pick you up and fly you to your world. Sorry if that is coming across a little mean but if you'd see my face...you'd understand. John, ...I also hope you are well...sorry for not visiting so much.

...

Rose: ... So I'll see you...tomorrow? Get back to me when you're free.

John answered briskly.

John: whoaaaaa, you'd pick me up and drag me to my world if you had to? don't worry. i can zap us there instead. less flying mileage. and weren't those portal things working? couldn't we use that instead? also I'm sorry to hear that. my monster really is a bothersome one? wondered who picked and gave me that one? so bothersome. and i wouldn't mind...this would take off my mind off of some things...that are bothering me. i actually messaged Dave about the matter? i need to talk to you both and probably Jade too. i'd bring in the other God Tier's as well but that's even a bigger meeting than i really want to make right now. you said Roxy is there too? well, she can be invited too. say hi to her for me. and okay, i'll be at your house at 12! actually...when you wake up in the morning and look out your window...don't be alarmed. my house...just went through...some...

...

...

...

renovation thing. i'll talk to you about that while we go see what is up with the monster. and...when you see me...just...try not to worry. i'm okay. though saying this right now may actually ignite worry? really though don't. i'm a trooper. though i'm really in over my head. ahh. asjaljsajsjalksjasn, we'll talk about this...later. kay. thank you for messaging. so sorry about not answering sooner. bye rose.

John hung his head as he finished sending that message. The other tabs were still blinking but he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. It must be like 4 am or something he gathered. So with this he shut off the computer and floated softly towards his bed. His comforter was on the other side of the room but he really didn't care. As he sunk into his bed the burning ignited as he rolled around very gently. He took off his glasses as his blue eyes wore immense tiredness and pain. He was actually pretty surprised with how calm he was about everything. Truly he was being too considerate about all this bullshit. But he didn't want to find himself becoming depressed. He knew it was there. It just needed a budge to turn into something bigger. And he didn't want that. Depression made you do things you wouldn't normally do. John thought of his baby sitter. Patricia the red head with kind eyes. She never did smile but John always felt safe and calm with her. How could someone like her who had been trying to get back into college then suddenly pick one day to kill herself? John closed his eyelid's bitterly as he felt very sad. He never got to go to the funeral since dad didn't want to see him any sadder. Though looking now in retrospect, that would have at least shut the chapter on that book. Didn't help to think that everyone else was also dead from that time. Patricia just had a head start- was all.

John's thoughts lingered more on her sweet and sad face as he saw a memory. Little John was behind her as she was frying grilled cheese on the stove. And John now watched, how little him would happily bounce up and down in a dorky way while he blew at steam wafting in the air. Such simple times became such clear memories. Crystal clear, as he saw his little self giggle when Patricia set the done sandwiches on a plate and gave one to John. John would bite in quickly to only fan his mouth. That was probably the only times John remembered seeing Patricia smile. As she would quickly serve John a fresh cup of milk and say, "Not too quickly. Eat in small bites. That way the flavor can be honored by your mouth. Even flavor wishes to stay a little longer."

John suddenly had the urge for grilled cheese. Though he was feeling pretty hurt by the Bunsen burner's already. Didn't want to go back in the kitchen anytime soon. Out of pissed of reasons.

John knew where he should put his anger towards. Black smoke of hell or whatever. It was that which needed hating. John just couldn't understand how the smoke deflected all of John's anger. It was as if it were unfeeling. Cold and calculating...but John couldn't even begin to understand if it had a thought process. Though he knew for sure this smoke did want to hurt him. He didn't want to be hurt. Not anymore than what he already was. The smoke seemed to have won today on that front after John vaguely remember how he looked like when he saw himself in the bathroom mirror. Hair awry, cheeks and lips cut, bruises all over, baggy eyes and skinnier for the most part. It had only been a week since he last saw his dad and there already such a difference. It bothered him. It really did as John turned over to the other side of the bed. He didn't really want to turn off the light now. He'd leave it on. John felt a fever rising as he mentally slapped himself for not taking any painkillers or medicine in the end. He was too lazy to get up now. After all the cleaning and spinning around in the kitchen...and he never found that door...John then frowned. Losing the door actually bothered him. However, pondering about it would mean nothing at this hour so he decided to get to sleep. He didn't think he would be able to, after being in so much pain but he amazingly knocked out to sleep.

Back at Dave's place, his apartment was now only 2 floors. It looked as if the building itself had been sliced like a slice of cake and then put on grass. Though the way Rose did it, it looked pretty good. Dave even had flamingo like plastic sculptures lining up the entrance to his abode. It was pretty lame but also ironic. Karkat was already sleep in the other room as Dave woke up to take a whizz in the bathroom. He was about to head off to sleep when he decided to check his phone.

"Oh...John did answer. What took him so long?"

Dave opened the message board as he read quietly. Dave didn't have his glasses on as he stopped skimming midsentence. He reread the last paragraph or so to really understand what he was half reading.

"i don't know...lately i'm just kind of depressed and it's over silly things too! i just feel...out of place like...i don't belong in time or anywhere anymore...your john died and you and everyone died from my timeline...so...i guess...i'm still hung up ...about that. I'm...sorry"

Dave's eyebrow rose a little as he prodded to reading the rest of the paragraph. For the most part, John sounded pretty much the same. He couldn't help but feel unsettled. There was something off about the way John was typing. Like a...hesitation.

It's true Dave hadn't been the best bro lately since he was off doing tons of things. He and Karkat had been talking to each other more but only because they wanted to give John his space. When John woke up from his 2 month coma, it always did seem like John was a bit off. Like he was forcing himself or something. But Dave was sort of taking it personally and was just waiting for John to be the one and say forthright what was the matter. However, it finally did come though he didn't really expect it to be this.

It was true that there were now discrepancies in both their memories. Certain things he had bonded with the John of his timeline didn't rollover to this new John. Even though John had explained that technically he was the new Dave or something like this. John had been normal for the most part in the last universe. And Dave had been worried after the last explosion of defeating the final boss. He was the first one to get to John and when John didn't respond he was flipping many shits. Rose and others were able to come quickly and see that John's life wasn't in danger. Just, he didn't wake. Other's had finally come to see as well the outcome and most did celebrate the fact that everything was over now. That Calliborn had been killed and the Troll Queen. Everyone was injured and John only had slight cuts. So it really put everyone in a worry why he didn't wake up. Jade was the one in the group who had been shaking John more because she had issues with John sleeping. John had died on her on the ship towards this new universe. So to see John down again really was making her very very hysterical. Dave had to let go of John to hug her to stop. She stopped struggling and cried. It was a pretty tough emotional time. Everyone was beat and so Roxy was the one to open the door to our reward.

We all sort of expected that job to be done by John but as Terezi carried him, we were all just happy that the crap was over. We won. John...after he woke and literally screamed our ears off blabbering about a black thing hovering above us...and how there was NOTHING there... he never really looked at us the same. He still smiled that goofy smile whenever we saw him when we took our breaks. He waved us goodbye and smiled. If anything it is true he did was more quieter about things. And he was always the first to message you but now...well, at least he always answers his messages. He was...taking this vacation rather to himself...but wow. He felt like that? Come on dude, you got to place some more trust in us. After everything we've been through, jeez John. And what does he mean...he's in pain? Is he okay? Did he fall down the stairs or something? He would do that. He really oughta look more where he's a walkin. And why doesn't he want me to come over at night? Wait.

Dave was wearing his puppet shorts and scoop sleeveless red shirt. He got up and headed over his window. He opened the blinds just a little bit to see John's house. It looked...fine. His kitchen light and room light was on like usual. He really couldn't see anymore than that because it was so dark.

Dave almost wanted to float on over but as he slid the window open, it was kind of chilly. He closed it shut and decided to heed John's words of seeing him in the morning instead.

Dave crawled back into his queen size bed and put the cover softly on him. He set his phone down on the coffee desk next to him as he looked up at his dark ceiling.

"John...what is bugging you? Other than...feeling out of place? I too...feel out of place. But you're still my bro. Though I was too flabbergasted when we first met. Like I couldn't believe you were actually here. For the most part of our journey, I never even saw you... though we talked all the time. And even then, I never saw you. And even now I don't see you. Really, that has got to stop. I'll personally make that stop. We're being so stupid. John...hope you can get some sleep then...I'll see you. And I'll bring Karkat too. Even though you said to not? Hmmmmm."

Dave hummed as he felt the tiredness come brimming in. He'd surely...set John straight with the obvious facts that he is still his best bro. He would surely do that at 10 am and boy was 10 am coming in fast too. Dave still felt tired so he quickly tried sleeping and sleep did he get.

.