If I had my shit together, I probably could've made a special Halloween chapter. If I wasn't unbearably lazy, then I could've at least published this on Halloween so I could say "happy Halloween", but, well... Things happen.

Lotsa Dave in this chapter. That was unintentional, I try to juggle between all the characters as much as possible, but oh well.


John stood frozen at the entrance to school. What the hell was he doing there? That's not where he was supposed to be. And why was he alone? Jade should be here. Dave should be here. So should Rose. And Karkat. Kanaya and Sollux and Aradia and Terezi at the very fucking least. Why was he alone in front here? What was wrong with him? Why the fuck did he ever think this would be good for him?

He couldn't breathe. His eyes were fixed on a point in the distance, but saw nothing but horror and blood. His heart pounded, and his mind swirled-

"Early morning space out?" A girl asked him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

John started, making her laugh. He smiled sheepishly. "Hi Grace."

"I swear, I see you here every morning. But you should really get to class; the bell rang three minutes ago."

"Oh shit!"

She laughed again and turned away, calling over her shoulder, "See you at lunch John."

John swallowed heavily and hurried off to his first period.

The morning was long and agonizing. He couldn't pay attention to the droning of his teachers, not even the ones he normally liked. All he could think about was yesterday, it's strangeness, the faces of his closest friends he hadn't seen for months. Compared to that this... normalcy was obscene. He couldn't take it. None of these people would understand; none of them could understand. As much as the game was awful, John was only realizing that normal life was a thousand times worse.

No one seemed to notice how removed John felt. A normally talkative student, he sat silently through his classes, not once raising his hand. Even though he felt uprooted and stretched and weird, school still moved like clockwork. First, second, nutrition, third, fourth, lunch.

He wandered in a daze to where he ate lunch every day. He sat clumsily on the ground, staring at his hands and not bothering to open his lunch bag. His friends all flocked around him like fish to food, and they laughed and talked around him, throwing words at him without waiting for a response. He saw everything as though from far away, and suddenly realized the meaninglessness of their shallow prattle.

"John? Hello, John?" A boy named Evan waved his hand at John.

"Oh, sorry, what?" John responded, forcing himself out of his stupor. He affixed a smile so that he wouldn't seem upset or anything. Even though he kinda was.

"I just asked if you were feeling better."

"From what?"

"Weren't you sick yesterday?"

"What?"

"You didn't come to school."

The day flashed through his mind like a guilty secret. "Oh, yeah, I feel much better now." Lies.

"Well that's good; but you seem kinda tired, maybe you should go to bed early tonight."

"Yeah..."

Lunch ended and before he knew it he was in fifth, sixth, standing in front of his locker after school, staring at the handle as though it were a foreign thing.

"John?"

He jumped, then turned around.

"Um, I just wanted to ask you of you were okay."

It was Lyon. And goddamn had Egbert been hard to track down that day. After all, Lyon wasn't the school friend. Sure they went to the same school, but his purpose was served as a next door neighbor friend. He had no friggin' idea where John went during school hours.

John shook himself mentally. He had to act happy and well adjusted. Just tired. "Oh, yeah I'm-" He couldn't finish it. He was left stuttering over 'I'm' like a broken record.

Shit. Fuck. That's not what Lyon thought would happen. "Ah, you don't have to answer... If, um..."

Tears welled in John's eyes. He couldn't take another second of standing here with this... Stranger.

He ran away.

He ran to the front of the school where Karkat stood awkwardly and grabbed him, breaking into a sob that he cried out on Karkat's shoulder.

...

Dave hated school. He motherfucking hated it. And that's not just a bullshit teenage angst thing; he really truly just hated the fuck out of school. The teachers, the students, the bells and the stupid school spirit assemblies.

Everything. Everything was horrible.

He sighed and shifted his backpack slightly, looking up at the monstrous thing before screwing up his courage and entering. It was worse than he'd prepared for.

Classes were agonizingly slow.

In first period History, the teacher prattled on about some ancient war between the Fucktards and the Asswipes, or whatever they were called. Dave sat uncomfortably, irritability and anger sliding around in his chest, their prickly skin rubbing against his heart. The teacher asked him who the Assyrians were.

"Like I give a fuck."

"Excuse me?"

"I said 'like I give a fuck'."

The teacher eyed him sternly. "You'll serve detention here at lunch. Now, Premila M., could you answer...?"

Third period PE wasn't much better.

"Strider! Come to the front of the class and demonstrate a push up."

He heard someone laugh, and another person mutter something. He was notorious for being the class fuck up, for being the slowest and the least coordinated. In actuality, he was probably the opposite of those things, but being terrible ensured that you wouldn't get caught up in all the politics o the better students.

However, for whatever reason, it grated on his nerves that day. He came to the front and snarled, "How many do I have to do?"

"For that attitude, you're gonna do as many as you can until you drop."

He got in the position, and feeling the strength in his arms that came from swinging an insanely heavy katana day in and day fucking out, the anger in his heart that came from massive douchebags who act superior to a GOD, he began.

A half hour later the class was chanting. "132! 133! 134!"

The teacher had finally gotten over her shock only to reenter it with every five more he did.

Dave's face was purple and streamed sweat. He knew he would pay for this big time for the next week, but if it meant he could wipe the smug grins off those kids, he would do it. He would do anything.

The bell rang, and he fell on the ground to the applause of the crowd of kids that joined to watch.

"138 pushups." The teacher said. "Strider, what happened? Yesterday you did five pull ups!"

"Has it... Ever occurred... To you that... I might've... Been... Faking?" He gasped out.

...

Dad got a weird call from a girl who said she wanted to talk to John, so naturally he sent out Karkat to get him.

Why? Who knows. This isn't just a strange non sequitur by the author. No one (but dad) literally knows why he sent Karkat, a strange unknown boy to fetch his dear, dear, son when he could've just as easily. Seriously.

Oh wait, I forgot: Dad wanted to bake a cake for his guests, whoever they may be.

...

Karkat had enough trouble reaching the school. He didn't know shit about how the Earth worked, let alone this warped version. Needless to say, by the time he got to the school, most of the students had already fled the establishment. He stood for a moment, hovering awkwardly by the entrance, debating whether it was worth the effort to find Egbert rather than have John look for him himself.

He didn't have more than a minute of this before John answered his conundrum by barreling at him at top speed.

"John! What the-"

John threw his arms around Karkat and threw his head on his shoulder and cried. Deep, heart wrenching sobs that stained Karkat's shirt and made everyone nearby stop and openly stare.

"Uh, shhh, it's okay, it's okay..." Karkat said, hugging him back because it only seemed right.

"I can't! I can't do this anymore!" He choked out.

"Well, I guess, you don't have to. If you can't do it anymore then... Stop."

John cried even harder, though it was hard to tell if it was out of pain or relief. Or both.

Now people were really starting to stare.

Karkat carefully steered John away, consoling him and muttering comforting things as he gently guided John back home.

Unfortunately, there were two Dads sitting across from each other and a very uncomfortable Jane waiting for them at home.

...

Rose had to go to school. She didn't like it, nor did she have any care over her grades, but she had to keep pretending that things were normal, despite the fact that one of her not-so-human friends had been found out. Even though Mom knew she somehow got into contact with aliens. Even though everything was anything but normal.

She stood warily at the entrance of the school, students swarming around her and the massive doors looming up into the sky. Oh god this was a horrible idea.

She narrowed her eyes and braced herself, taking a deep breath. She plunged in, joining the throng pushing through the hallways.

Classes sprung at her like test questions, launched fast but answered slow. First period: Math. Slogging through utterly mundane proofs and equations. Second period: English. A class for learning everything we already know. Third period: History. A bunch of dusty old relics of remnants of a civilization long past. True, Rose usually liked history, but today just wasn't her day.

Then lunch break.

The spooky goth doesn't really attract many friends, so Rose generally sat alone. Today, however, and almost-friend tentatively sat next to her with a shy hello and a skirting glance from beneath her eyelids.

Rose found her sufficiently adorable, and accepted her presence. Indeed, she even began a conversation with the girl.

"Hello Caroline. I don't usually sit here with you."

"Oh, yeah, um, sorry. I like to, uh, sit with you, but, well, I'm kind of... Shy." She said, blushing and biting her lip.

Dearsweetmotherfuckingjegus. "Why do I have the pleasure of your company today?"

She blushed even more fiercely. "Oh, um, no reason, really..."

Rose took pity on the child. She saw a crossroad for her, one end with disaster and the other with with a pleasant surprise. "When you go to your next class, take the longer route."

"What?"

"When you walk to your next class, go the longer way around. You won't regret it."

"Oh, um, okay." Oh my god, Rose was psychic! She just became TWENTY. MILLION. TIMES. COOLER! Caroline felt he heart pound even harder before she managed to calm herself down some. No, Rose was probably not psychic, because that is impossible. Then how would she know that Caroline had a long path and a short path to her next class? Maybe... Rose watched her! Like she watches Rose! Oh shoot that sounded creepy. She doesn't really watch Rose, per se, more like... Like... Um, watching. Shit.

"Well, I better start getting to class."

"What do you, um, the bell hasn't, rung..."

Rose stood up. "What do you mean?" She smiled and the bell rang out in the background. "Of course it has."

And she walked away.

Caroline could barely contain the fangirl screaming she wanted to do.

...

Dirk was out. He'd gone to the store, trying to seem helpful to his older alternate self. Roxy knew that although he'd never admit it, he was the smallest bit intimidated by Bro. Ironic, isn't it?

In Dirk's absence, she caught up with Calliope more, talking about nonsense and generally having a good time. But every nonsense conversation always has to lead to some kind of retarded action, especially if you've had a few drinks to reuniting and friendship.

So naturally after exclaiming how funny and awesome they each were and they'd thoroughly discussed... Well, everything there was to discuss, the conversation turned to the First Guardian.

"I mean, Im sutrprised he's a human; usually theure an animal or someting."

"lol I kno! When I saw him, at frist I swere (fuck *swore) he wasn't the first guaurdiun."

"Heey, if he coudl turn people into trols, maybee he could makeme a troll!"

"omg that would be fuckin awesome."

"Leys do it right noe! I bet we cold be innout real fast!"

"Yesss!"

Ha, those girls. They think they could do anything. Good thing they don't have any money or anything, so they won't be able to-

"Hey! Csllie! I found thiorty dollars!"

Shit. Well, it's not like Bro won't catch them-

"Lets sneak oute before the adult dork (*dirk shit sorry) gets home!"

Well fuck.

Nice going Bro. Why did you thing that leaving two girls alone with thirty dollars lying around a good thing?

...

Four months ago...

Dave paced his room. He couldn't sit, he couldn't concentrate, he couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat. He'd been like this for three days, just walking back and forth over and over until Bro would grab him and force something into him. Dave couldn't stop. He was afraid, terrified that if he stopped, he would forget, he would turn into another person who would do dumb things and ignore his friends.

Dave might not've been a hero, but he wasn't a bastard.

After a week had passed and there was no change in Dave's condition, Bro forced his way into the room and grabbed Dave.

"We need to talk."

"Can I say no, or should I say fuck no?" Dave growled.

"You haven't slept for six days straight."

"I'm never going to sleep again, and it's none of your damn business why."

"Dave-"

"Fuck off!"

"Dave. No."

"If I tell you to fuck off, I want you to go the fuck out of my room!"

Bro's grip tightened slightly, and he lowered his head to look Dave in the eye. "Dave, what's wrong?"

"You're what's wrong."

"Tell me."

Dave was seething. He couldn't remember ever being this angry. He wasn't even certain why he was angry.

And then nothing. Nothing happened. Dave woke up the next day and realized that for the first time in a while that he had slept the whole night.

Well, at least that's all Dave remembers. He seemed to have forgotten screaming "Go away!" then suddenly appearing in weird pajamas and floating with a sword pulled from nowhere.

Maybe it was a good thing Dave forgot that. Bro stopped pestering him.

...

Present day

Lunch detention. Two of the most dreaded and beautiful words Dave has ever heard. He won't have to find somewhere to sit for lunch, nor will he have to talk to people or have people talk to him. Nothing but blissful silence.

Passing period, on the other hand, was painful. People stopped to turn and look at him, calling out to him and asking for a reenactment of the PE incident. Stupid lousy goddamn temper. Got in the way of all rational decisions.

The silence was punctuated by shuffling and ruffling papers. Dave felt his chest and arms throb with every beat of his heart. He leaned back and closed his eyes, trying to dull the pain with sleep. But then the awful, horrible bell rang, and it was time to return to class.

Not just any class either, but the worst one.

Physical science.

...

Kanaya hissed as she revved her chainsaw, her fury only barely held back by Mom's presence, and Sollux flickered with ghostly light. Aradia was the only one who hadn't moved.

Gamzee stood there, his eyes half-open, his mouth cocked slightly in some semblance of a smile. He was holding a beat up boy with glasses hanging broken off his face.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Kanaya snarled, stepping forward before Mom pushed her back.

"Who are you?" Mom asked.

"Gamzee, the murderous juggalo bastard." Sollux managed through a clenched jaw.

"Gamzee, what are you doing here?" Aradia asked.

"i found this motherfucker." He muttered quietly.

"What?"

"I MOTHERFUCKING FOUND THIS MOTHERFUCKER. and i wanted to return him."

"What else have you done here?" Aradia asked warily.

"He's obviously never done anything good!" Kanaya growled.

"I bet he was looking for Terezi."

"Get out of the way!" Kanaya said to Mom.

"Not until I know the full situation." She said warily, while stoically holding her ground against the murderous troll-turned-human-weilding-a-chainsaw.

"Gamzee, will you give us Jake?" Aradia asked.

"SURE MOTHERFUCKING THING. but i want someone in return."

"We're not going to give you anyone asshole! Just give us the human and fuck off." Sollux said, black and white energy flowing in waves off his body.

"I WILL MOTHERFUCKING DO. what i motherfucking want. SO YOU GO THE MOTHERFUCK OFF. sewage blooded motherfucker."

Sollux could barely contain his rage. In the days he was human, he'd almost forgotten about the rage that was always there. And the hopelessness. The sense of doom and futility that clouded everything he did.

But it was mostly rage.

Gamzee didn't seem to react. He let out a breath and threw Jake down, then turned and left.

...

The First Guardian laughed at their approach. They must've seemed as though they were small, feeble children coping in a world to big and confusing for them. Which they were, but no one knows what the First Guardian thinks, not even the author.

He was not a cruel man, though he was not particularly charismatic either. He was not loyal nor the opposite. Those were others of his paradoxical kind.

He was wise.

And he'd been looking forward to this encounter for quite some time.

The cherub asked if she could be made troll. The guardian responded with a no, she couldn't be a troll; that would be impossible. His powers to turn people from one species to another had been temporarily lent from the Horrorterrors.

She didn't seem to understand. He fixed the chemical balance of her and her friend, and repeated his explanation. She understood this time. But she had one more question.

"Why?"

He smiled.

"My dear, you know players are forever interconnected, don't you?"

...

Jade made up her mind. She was going to be strong. She was going to be the big girl. She was going to straighten her shoulders, grab her gun, and get Jake. She was really, truly going to do it. Really. In, like, five minutes. Ten.

Okay, now.

...

NOW!

Three more minutes.

Okay, one.

Oh fer cryin' out loud, Jade get a move on!

... Just one more- No just go!

She took a deep breath and disappeared in a flash of green light.

...

When Bro and Dirk came home, they were surprised to find that Calliope and Roxy were missing. They were even more surprised to see Jade appear in a flash of green light.

Jade looked around before noticing Dirk and his alternate self.

"Where's Jake?" She asked.

"Who?" Bro said.

"I thought he was with you." Dirk responded.

She shook her head. "He was going to stay here for a little while. Is he with Jane?"

"He wouldn't approach her with a 30ft pole."

"What?"

"He's embarrassed at how he ignored her feelings."

Jade bit her lip. "From the sound of it, your team was full of a lot of drama, huh?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't even go there."

Jade laughed and disappeared, not pausing to notice that Dirk seemed to have no problem talking about the game like everyone else. She didn't notice that while she was with him, she didn't have a problem either.

"Who was that?" Bro asked, setting a bag down on the counter.

"That was Jade. Dave never talked about her?"

"He never really talked about anyone. The only person he's ever really mentioned was John."

"Huh. He's a bit of a drama queen, isn't he?"

Bro laughed.

...

Players who create themselves and each other are uniquely bound throughout all of paradox space. They will always inevitably meet at least once, usually more. They cannot run away from fate, for usually running leads straight into fate's arms.

The game was designed for children on the cusp of maturity to play it. Even the ones that loose or die will be accommodated for accordingly. This universe was made for them to heal, not to hide or forget. The First Guardian of this place saw that the purpose was not being served just as he predicted, so he appealed to the Horrorterrors of the Furthest Ring to grant him a few tools he would need. He gathered everyone to this place, so that they would be forced to remember, and so that as they were reminded their guardians would be there for them.

The process has begun.

Now that things are in motion that had merely sat stagnant previously, the First Guardian doesn't have anything else to do but watch.


An explanation of the kids' schools;

Dave's school starts later, so he gets out around 3:30 or so. His school has six periods each day with lunch after the third. Rose has a prestigious fancy-smancy school, so she starts early and gets out late with eight classes a day, nutrition after second, lunch after fourth. John's school has six classes (but a zero or seventh is an option) and it starts same time as Rose's but gets out 2:00.

Not entirely relevant, but I just wanted to say that.

So, time shenanigans. I've tried to keep these split plots as linear as possible, but... its kinda hard. Also, I'm introducing FLASHBACKS. I will write the approximate time of the flashback in bold on top, but I won't italicize the whole thing because reading that hurts my eyes, and the less inclined I am to read my own work, the worse it will be.

I apologize for a lousy depiction of: Calliope, Gamzee, Vriska, Roxy, Jake, and Terezi, possibly more to come as I re-read this. They're just such complex characters...

I wrote Gamzee as Sober!Gamzee because otherwise he would just be flailing around killing people with not even an introductory conflict, and that would mean no plot.

Also, I'm just realizing that I made Terezi too perky. I'll think of something for that.

I hope you liked it all the same...