And I'm back! So, I guess people are reading this (thanks to the one person who began following the story :D)! Now, without further ado, let's begin!
Gabby came running up to us. "I am so sorry I took so long," she said.
"It's cool. He's in there, but the nurses won't let us in," Alyssa said.
"Alright. Come on, I'll be able to change that." Gabby led us back inside the infirmary, and one of the nurses stopped us.
"We are much too busy to have visitors," she said, trying to push us out. "Please, come back when your friend has recovered."
Gabby stood in front of her. "Thank you, but we really need to see our friend. If we don't, well, I don't know what could happen. So it'd be best if you just let us in, okay?"
The nurse blinked, then furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, if only for a few minutes," she muttered, walking away.
Gabby smiled and high fived Alyssa. We found John again and he was now awake. "I thought you guys were forced to leave."
"We don't listen that well," I saiud, a smile forming on my lips. Casey ran up to John and hugged him.
"It's okay Casey, I'm alright," he said, picking her up and sitting her down on the cot.
"I thought you died," she muttered.
"Well I didn't. And I'll be ready to give Jack Noir the beating of his life in a few days."
"I do apologize to interrupt this, but I do not think you're in any condition to fight," Kanaya said. "Even if it was a few days. John, you look deathly pale." Kanaya was right. John's skin was almost as white as Kanaya's, and she was glowing. And I had a sneaking suspicion that John's chipper attitude was something akin to an act.
"She's right John. Why don't you let us kick Jack Noir's ass for you?" Jade said.
"Yeah! Fuck him!" Casey yelled.
John looked at her. "Where did you learn to say that?" he asked.
"Who do you think?" Kanaya asked.
"Alright, I don't think you're going to have Karkat babysit for you anymore. Maybe Vriska." Kanaya stifled a laugh, and John took the hint. "Actually, Kanaya can watch you."
I took Casey and asked, "How are you feeling."
"Honestly? Like someone took a sword and plunged it through my back."
"Yes, that would be suspected," I said. "Karkat is gathering everyone so we can make a plan. I'll come back here and tell you everything."
"Sounds like a plan," he said. "As flattered as I am that you would sneak in here just to see me, I think you should leave. Bye Rose."
"Bye John," I replied, kissing his forehead. We had to practically drag Casey away. Kanaya brought us to the meeting hall. PM and the other dreamers, from Derse and Prospit, were gathered.
"Hey, where's Egbert?" Dave asked.
"He got hurt," I said. "Now, I know how to save Underland." Everyone stopped talking. "These two girls are Alyssa and Gabby. They are from my world. We affect Underland and the three of us are causing conflict because we all exist in a place meant to change to one mind."
"Wait a minute," Jane said. "You're saying that Underland can be altered by someone's mind?" I nodded.
"Tho that would mean more than one mind would be like a data overload," Sollux said.
"Which could mean Caliborn and Jack Noir are infestations of glitches in Underland that are caused by this overload," Calliope said.
"Yeah," Alyssa said. "Me and Gabby are fuck-ups. We know."
"So how do we save Underland?" Aranea asked.
"Well. Either Alyssa and Gabby or I have to die," I answered.
"What the fuck?" Alyssa asked. Gabby only put her head down. "No no no. See, I think you're all fucking with me. I'm still a teenager, I can't die!"
"I knew this would happen," Gabby muttered.
"You knew?" Alyssa asked, her voice squeaking.
"I always knew that we would have to sacrifice ourselves to save Underland. I knew we were going to do this eventually."
Alyssa yelled unrecognizable words, then groaned and fell down to her knees. "Wait. You two have to die? We can arrange that," Vriska said.
"Hold on a second, we can't just kill them," Jane said. "That's murder!"
"Technically it's only sacrifice," Meenah said. She had her trident in hand. She grinned, exposing shark-like teeth, and said, "I'll do the honors."
Alyssa took a defensive stance. "Try me, bitch." But her fists were tense, and her knees shaking violently. She knew she didn't stand a chance.
"Everybody shut the fuck up!" Karkat yelled. He made his way through the crowd and stood beside me. "Alright, Alyssa and Gabby have to die. That is already fucking established. But we aren't going to fucking kill them!"
"Wwhy the fuck not, Kar?" Eridan whined.
"Because we are leaving this to them! It's hard enough that they have to sacrifice themselves, and we aren't going to act like fucking savages."
"You guys realize that us dying will only stop the disruptions in Underland. This doesn't mean that Jack Noir will cease to exist," Gabby explained. "You will have to fight him after we die."
"We understand," I said.
"Good. Come on Alyssa. We have to leave now." Alyssa looked as though she wanted to say something, but Gabby shook her head. Alyssa sighed, and they left.
"Poor kids," Dave said. "Where'd you even figure this stuff out?"
"I found a book in the library," I answered.
Dirk faced everyone. "I told you guys we should have looked there first! But no, that would be too obvious!"
"Calm down," I said. "We still have to fight and John is hurt. Noir is extremely powerful, yes. But so is PM. And we will be helping her."
"But that would be dangerously stupid," Terezi said. "Noir is semi-omnipotent. No matter what we do, he'll always be a few steps ahead."
"But we have a trump card," Roxy said. She winked at me, then said, "Noir cares about Jade. He won't hurt her."
"But he won't let me hurt him," Jade said. "He never tried to harm me in any way, and would deflect my attacks instead."
I caught on to what Roxy was saying. "But PM can keep up with Noir. She might be able to trap him into getting killed. Only if it was you. Anyone else, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill them."
"Leave the poor girl alone," Dave said. "We still have some time to plan. And you just gave Jade a shit ton of responsibility."
We stopped talking about the upcoming battle. I decided that I had to talk to Gabby and Alyssa one last time before they, well, commit suicide. I found them outside of Prospit, near a cliff. Alyssa was standing next to the edge looking down. Gabby was sitting on a rock.
"I've always been afraid of heights," Alyssa muttered as she realized I was there.
"How are you going to do it?" I asked. Gabby shrugged.
"I'm jumping," Alyssa said. "Figure I'm going out in a way that makes me look courageous, like I actually did something."
"You are doing something very courageous. Both of you are. In the end, you two have truly saved Underland."
"Can you leave?" Alyssa asked. "I just don't want you around when we do kill ourselves." After a moment, she added, "Not to sound cruel, cold, or rude."
I nodded and walked away. As I left, I felt a tear run down my cheek. Those poor girls. Those poor young girls.
Woah. I killed myself in the story. Weird. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the slightly dark turn this took. What is in store now that they must fight Noir? Wait until next weekend to find out! Please leave all comments in the reviews, as those would be greatly appreciated.
Alright, I'm out.