Aaaaannddd...I'm back! Sorry for the extensive wait on this chapter. I thought that maybe since it's summer, writing would go faster, but it really hasn't. I've been busy and struggling with depression and all that shit, but that's actually kind of normal for me, especially towards the end of summer like this. I start school in like, a week! That's crazy! Hopefully I'll be able to continue writing then though.
Anyways! I want to thank you all for OVER 11 THOUSAND VIEWS ON THIS! Like, omg. That's. A fucking. LOT.
Also, you may have noticed that in the first chapter, I had dedicated this "to my awesome friend Sam! :D" Yeah well in 10 days, she'll have been my matesprit for 5 months. She's awesome and also writes fanfiction and goes by anonymousGuac on here and you should go read her (heartbreaking) story. She's wonderful :)
Anyways I know that you came here for fanfic, so I give you fanfic. ;) Important shit happens here.
"So how come you're here if you're dead? Is that even allowed?" Terezi asks you.
"Technically no, but YOLO," you answer for the irony. A few snickers are heard around the circle, and John smacks you on the head with his hand. You chuckle, adjusting your shades that had gone askew by the hit.
"We could probably get in serious trouble for being here and revealing ourselves to you, actually. We weren't really planning on it...," John trailed off, looking to you. You deftly finished his sentence for him.
"But a certain Lalonde changed that for us."
Said Lalonde chuckles behind her hand, and retorts, "Boys, if I wasn't 100% positive that this would bring to you no harm, I would've have forced you to come out." Rose made direct eye contact with you, even through your shades, and added emphasis to the words 'come out'.
"Speaking of," she continued, "It's pretty difficult to ignore the obvious heart with your initials etched into the sidewalk."
You ignore the smirk Rose gives you, and instead say, "What of it?"
"Oh, I just didn't realize you two were official," she said.
John's face reddens and he tries to change the subject. "It's not a big deal, Rose. Anyways, we have to take our leave soon, but we'll totally visit later!"
"Do you have to leave so soon?" Jade asks, looking sort of disappointed.
"Well like Dave said, we aren't allowed to be here. We're actually expected back up in..Heaven. I have to go on trial for something, so I can't miss it, or something really bad could happen!"
Trial? John never told you anything about a trial. Either way, you play along.
"Yeah, little man's gotta get his shit together. But like he said, we'll visit. 'n fact, why don't we get together for Karkitten's birthday?" you suggest. That would be the perfect time to get everyone together again.
"What the fuck, Dave? You know I don't like attention like that! There's no need to celebrate the stupid abomination that is my life," Karkat resists, while the rest of the group disagrees with him and agrees that he should have a party.
"C'mon Karkles, it'll be fun! We can have a party in the park by the pond, it'll be great!" Terezi tells Karkat, positively grinning.
"I fucking hate you all."
You simply chuckle, patting Karkat on the head as you stand up, taking John's hand and helping him up as well.
"So it's settled, we'll get together on the 12th. See ya then," you tell everyone, ready to take your leave with John. John grins at everyone and exchanges goodbyes. Rose gives you a look that you kind of don't trust.
"Yes, we'll be seeing you then, 'coolkid'."
You brush her comment off and let loose the time bubble as soon as you and John disappear. In a flash, you leave Earth, and are back in the cloudy kingdom of Heaven. You question John immediately about what he was talking about earlier.
"What is this 'trial' you mentioned?"
"Oh, uh..." John looks away, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well you see, since I failed, I have to be demoted from Archangel Heir of Breath to just a...regular angel, or something like that. I don't really know. That's what the trial is for."
"Oh..." is pretty much all you can answer. "Well how do you get promoted again?"
"I don't really know. I guess I'll find out today. By the way, I forgot to tell you earlier..but you're needed at the trial. Just because you're the 'victim' of my failure. Um, and I think you'll be getting an archangel mission too, since you're 16..."
"Wow, okay. Let's go to this trial thing then. Sounds pretty important," you say.
"Yeah, it kind of is!" John tells you. He then takes your hand and drags you off to some quarters that you're unfamiliar with. After all, you've only been in this place for a few days, you haven't had much time to figure out your way around.
John suddenly shooshes you, even though you weren't making noise, and then leads you through a large, ornate door. And into the trial room. And fuck if it isn't the most terrifying place you've ever been in.
On one side of the room, there is a large desk and podium, much like where a Judge would sit in a court. Next to it is much like a witness' stand. But unlike a court, there are no seats in front, and only one large bench, probably for a jury. That isn't the scary part.
The scary part is the other side of the room. There is some kind of teleportation device, a lethal looking chamber, and a lot of chains and weapons. Not to mention the faint blood stains on the ground below the chains. You shudder, trying not to imagine what it all is for.
John places a reassuring hand on your shoulder after catching your gaze. "Don't worry, I don't think those will come into play this time around!" he gives you a playful grin, but it doesn't shake the feeling of dread that the room gives you.
John casually guides you over to the witness' stand, telling you that it's where you need to sit for the trial. You feel really uneasy about it all.
John doesn't sit anywhere, and instead bites his lip nervously as he moves to stand over a panel in the corner of the room. As soon as he steps on it, he disappears.
"John!" you call out, confused. Where the fuck did he go?
Your question is answered as you hear a rattling above you, and you seen John in a cage attached to the ceiling.
"What are you doing up there?" you ask him.
"Well, I'm the one on trial. I'm supposed to be here," he tells you. He looks much too happy for the situation at hand. "I'll be let out as soon as the trial is over!"
You give John and uneasy nod. A few minutes pass, and a few very important looking angels enter the room, as well as who you know to be John's supervisor, and yours as well, apparently. They don't spare you as much as a second glance as they situate themselves. You glance up at John, who looks absolutely appalled. You wonder why.
"Order, order," the 'Judge' calls out, sounding bored. Things weren't even out of order? Whatever.
"Present the victim and the suspect."
Your supervisor stood up, gesturing first to you, then to John in the cage. "Here we have David Strider, victim to incident. That is Johnathon Egbert, suspect to the victim's death."
"What is the case?" The Judge asks. Damn, this sounds a lot like a murder trial to you.
"Johnathon was Guardian Angel to David. He did well in the beginnings of his mission, but things fell apart when David gave his life for Johnathon's. Johnathon claims his powers to be of no use to the situation at hand, and thus was not able to save David. David ended up here where he recovered, and suspect and victim alike resumed 'normal' lives here."
You scowl at the use of your name as 'David'. You hated that. But it seemed you had no say to what they addressed you as.
"Because of this, trial was opened for Johnathon to be bestowed upon his 'punishment' for failure."
At this sentence, you looked up to John, who had just a bit of fear in his face. So he was nervous about this after all.
"And as David so valiantly gave his life to save Johnathon," your supervisor continued, "He was immediately given Archangel Knight of Time rank. But he is of age, 16, and needs to receive a mission of his own. Not only this, but Johnathon needs to know how to work back his rank."
A few seconds of silence passed, and you felt the Judge's eyes studying you, and then John.
"This is quite the unique case, but I sense there is more to it than that," he says. You and John exchange fleeting looks of fear, and the Judge wears a knowing smirk on his face.
"I would like the jury to discuss their opinion on the matter, but of course, the overall decision is made by me. I presume the victim and suspect have no objections to the case, knowing it is in full the truth, and nothing but?"
You can tell this was a question towards John and yourself, so you nod. John does the same.
"I see. There is no argument to be made then. I have a situation in mind for the pair, but I must hear what the jury has to say."
You're not sure if you like how the Judge puts emphasis on 'pair', as if he knows what is going on between you and John. You simply let it slide, too caught up in what the jury is saying amongst themselves.
"I believe David should receive a special mission! He's so brave!"
"Johnathon is a failure, dead to angels. He was put to the job too young."
"He needs to be held back."
"Now now, he didn't choose his mission."
"Point still stands, he wasn't mature."
"Who says he isn't now?"
"Let him be a few years."
"And what of David?"
"I believe he should become a Head rank."
"But he's been but an angel for less than a week!"
"He's wise beyond his age."
Pfft. Wise. You snicker. You're glad the jury doesn't hear you do so. The talk continues for some time, and you start to feel uncomfortable, imagine John being even more so, cramped in a cage. Finally, the Judge calls order once again.
"Have you come to a decision?"
The obvious head member of the jury steps forward.
"We see no need for standard punishment to Johnathon, as David was the one who chose to sacrifice himself. And for that, we believe that in due time, he should be promoted as an Overseer of sorts to Angels, or even Archangels. Johnathon, we believe, should wait a few years or so to be put on another mission, as it can be clearly seen he isn't mature enough to handle such responsibility."
John pouts at that, folding his arms. You hold back a small laugh.
"I see," the Judge says. "I must agree with the idea that David is brave and would be useful to the higher ranks of authority, but I still believe he should start smaller, for now."
The whole of the jury nods in agreement.
"But," the Judge lets a few seconds of silence go before continuing.
"I do not believe that Johnathon is so immature that he cannot handle a mission. So, in order to gain his rank back, and to help start David off, since he is new, I would like Johnathon and David to go on a mission together. To watch over as Guardian Angels to someone. Together."
Yeah, there was no mistaking the way he said 'together' that time around.