I own nothing relating to any series, including Homestuck or the items referenced in this fanfiction.

Doing Things Right

Chapter 1

John woke up like he had for the past year, with an annoying headache. They never lasted long after he woke up but they made sure he woke up and would stay awake. It was all because of that dream of his. The one that started over twice. He kept a dream journal and filled it with details about his dreams. The first time he was only able to write down what happened from the fourth dream on, as they seemed to be connected. He didn't really think about it until Rose suggested it, however.

On the second time through, he wrote down the details and gave Rose an update, who was surprised - it happened very rarely and usually only when a birthday came around - that the dreams had restarted and inspired him to write down any details he missed. Once he had done that and the dreams started over the second time, he sent the journal to Rose, who then made her own copy and sent back the original.

Upon hearing that the game he was in, Sburb, was actually coming out, John had a bit of a panic attack, only for Rose to help calm him down. Now that she had, he was looking forward to playing. If the dreams were anything like the actual game, they'd have a head start to it and, if the dreams were some sort of premonition, they could change things for the better.

It would all start today. His birthday was here and, if the dreams were right, he, Rose and Dave (and Daves Bro/Genetic Dad) would get Sburb today. Dave would use his bro's copy and Jade would get Daves copy. That is, if things were the same as the dreams.

He rolled out of bed and moved to start his computer up. While he allowed it to do that, he went to the bathroom to take a shower, one much needed after the dreams. They always acted like nightmares and his nightmares made him sweat more than usual. His beddings were fine but he smelled terrible!

After using the toiletries, cleaning himself and brushing his teeth, he went back to his room, sat in his surprisingly plush computer chair and turned towards the computer. It was later in the day for Rose and she woke up 'bright and early' every day, so she was obviously awake. She wasn't on Pesterchum at the moment but he sent her a message anyway, hoping she'd respond soon enough. As minor as it seemed, this was still going away from the direction from the dreams, meaning that, if the dreams were of the future, he already started changing it. But he doubted that it matter. He was trying to change the future after all, to keep the terrible fate from happening.

- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 08:21 -

EB: hey Rose, its John.

EB: duh, right. you already know that. i mean, who else with this handle would message you?

EB: anyway, just message me when you get this. we need to talk.

EB: you know about what, of course. we've been talking about this for about a year.

EB: i'll leave pesterchum up and grab Dads pda so i know when you message and can message you on the move.

EB: oh god, Dad's already baking a cake. i can smell it.

- ectoBiologist [EB] is now an idle chum. -

John sighed and decided to get it out of the way. He had to go outside anyway, might as well encounter his Dad too.

John sighed again and made his way out of his room and down the stairs. Since the cake was already baking, his Dad was either in his study or in the living room, doing who knows what. Some sort of Dad stuff, that was for sure.

John peered around the living room and, finding naught but a large present (one likely to be a one-to-one scale armless harlequin doll), he walked into the living room and moved to the study. The present would come later. Hopefully Dad had listened to his advice and had not gotten him the doll. He knew that John did like him - John had taken advice from future dream Rose and told his Dad about his utter contempt about the lousy jesters - but jokes were a family thing, from Nanna to him to John and, while John appreciated a good joke, harlequins were just terrible.

John walked into the study and looked around. Still not spotting his father, oddly enough, he walked in, grabbed the captchalogue card off the desk and captchalogued it. It had to be done before he was able to use it to expand his deck by one card, giving him five total. Next he grabbed the PDA, closed out the Serious Business app his Dad used and installed Pesterchum.

Since his Dad wasn't in the study, he must've been in the kitchen. He scampered into the kitchen and had his arms up and ready for when the strife started… only to be disappointed to see his Dad wasn't there. He looked out the window and wriggled his nose. The car was still there. That meant he was either in his room or in the bathroom. His package and the first half of the game, however, was on the counter, like in his dream, so he grabbed those and made his way back up the stairs.

He didn't hear the shower going, nor was the sink running, so his dad wasn't in there. He was about to knock on the door to his Dad's room when the PDA went off. A Pesterchum alert rang out, so he scooted back from the door and answered.

- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 08:39 -

TT: Hello John. Nice to see you up early.

EB: hardy har har. you know i don't sleep late anymore.

TT: Sorry. I forgot what today means. Happy Birthday, by the way.

TT: Are events going as you dreamed?

EB: so far, yeah. i haven't opened the present yet but it is the size of the harlequin.

EB: or close to it.

TT: Are you doing as the dream showed you or are you changing things?

EB: i mean, i'm trying to change things.

EB: i don't know if this'll make a doomed timeline like future Dave, not Davesprite, explained what happens when things don't go the determined path.

TT: We can only hope for the best, John. You want to make sure the events in your dreams don't come true and, as far as I can tell, you'll do almost anything to make sure they don't happen.

TT: From what I've read, you're in the right. Just don't go too far, John. We… I don't want you sacrificing yourself to have the rest of us beat the game. It wouldn't be worth your life.

EB: … thanks Rose. i promise that, if i do go too far, i'll allow you to beat every version of me up as hard as you possibly could.

TT: I hope the alternate timeline versions of you agree to that as well.

TT: What are you going to change?

EB: what i prototype, to start. Jack went crazy earlier than he usually does because of the harlequin doll i used to prototype the first time around. i'm using the bunny this time. your bunny, not Daves. Thanks for getting that done ahead of time, by the way.

EB: Jade said she didn't have a choice in the matter, so we'll have to expect the minions being insanely strong after she enters.

EB: you know going off a dream is crazy, right? i mean, what if it's nothing like what I dreamed? what if everything i'm trying to prevent wouldn't have happened in the first place? what if everything still happens but i manage to change things enough to where everything's worse?

TT: John, calm down. Yes, a lot of things can go wrong but if you focus on changing everything for the worse, then that is what will happen. Focus on the positive and that's what'll come to fruition.

TT: I think it's wise to use the bunny rather than the doll. It won't make those silly outfits you say the Prospitians are wearing when you see them. Since Jack despised the outfit enough to kill the Black Queen over it, it might give us more time in the game.

EB: have i ever told you how much i love your advice? it seriously helps me calm down. quick question Rose. is it raining there? hard enough to cause a power outage?

TT: Yes, it is. As per the advice of your dreams, I went back to Jaspers grave and made my way to the laboratory and got the hub so we can stay connected.

TT: I have Jaspers body, as well, so I can prototype him when Dave connects with me. The doll is downstairs but I've been pondering whether or not to use the doll, since it has a princess outfit, or to use one of my mothers wizard idols.

EB: i don't see why you can't. go ahead and do it. we're trying to make sure things don't happen the same as my dream anyway. this'll be one way to make sure of that.

TT: Smart thinking, John. I'll grab one of the wizards after we get you in the session.

TT: That can come later, however. Go enjoy your birthday some before we start. Eat some cake, get your presents. And try to save that doll for me. I want to see what I can do with it, without alchemizing.

EB: alright, see you soon Rose.

EB: oh! and work on making my room big enough to fit all the items. make some support pillars on the ground outside to hold the room up or something. i don't want to freak my Dad out needlessly. i know he shrugs it off in my dream but it might not actually happen.

TT: Alright. Enjoy your birthday. We'll get started at three o'clock.

- ectoBiologist [EB] is now an idle chum. -

- tentacleTherapist[TT] is now an idle chum. -

John looked up from the PDA and looked at his Dad's door. It was cracked open slightly and he could hear the shower running. He must've slipped by while he was distracted by Rose.

He re-captchalogued the PDA and moved forward to knock on the door. On the lack of answer, he pushed the door open and slipped in. He slipped in, hopefully unnoticed and moved to the presents in the corner of the room. Sneakily captchaloguing them, he quickly ran back to his room and unwrapped them. He knew what they we of-... one was different. Huh. He still had the Array Fetch Modus, the cards and the control deck, as well as the suit and shoes from the biggest box, but the fruit gushers had changed to a joke book. Not a normal one, either. It looked handwritten. In his Dads handwriting no less. John couldn't help but smile. His Dad remember his other contempt. The contempt of Betty Crocker.

He used the Array Modus on his captchalogue deck, allowing him to use any card from any slot. It might be a bit difficult to weaponize but weaponizing it was only useful against the lower tier enemies, like imps, or the ones that didn't have a pair of arms, which were very few. He could, of course, gather the other moduses… modi… whatever and select one of the other two to weaponize his modus with before or during combat. It wouldn't be a terrible idea, especially while he was still low tier on the Echeladder.

He was just setting it all up when Dave messaged him, much earlier than he had in the dream.

- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 08:44 -

TG: hey so what sort of sweet loot did you rake in today

EB: nothing much. i got a suit and dress shoes, an array fetch modus and a joke book. i'm also going to watch little monsters with my dad in a bit, after we get some cake. the applejuice scene was so funny.

TG: man i want some apple juice

EB: promise you wont freak out when i tell you something?

TG: i mean i suppose

TG: whats up

EB: check your closet

TG: uhh

TG: alright

EB: find it yet?

TG: yeah howd you know there was apple juice in my closet john

EB: not important. before you take a drink, can you captchalogue it and look on the back for a code?

TG: sure

TG: AjtR12Zz or AjtR13Zz

TG: whyd you want this code

EB: for later use. you get the betas yet?

TG: yeah i got two copies already

TG: but i dont care im not going to play it or anything the game sounds boring

TG: did you see how it got slammed in game bro?

EB: game bro is a joke and we both know it.

TG: yeah

EB: besides, you should play with me, rose and jade. it'll be fun, i promise.

TG: whoa jade is playing too

EB: she will, yeah.

TG: man if i dont play rose and her will pester me all day

TG: i guess im in ill start downloading it soon

EB: don't!

TG: wait what

EB: err, i mean. just wait a bit. i'm not ready to play yet. i want to spend some time with my dad first.

TG: alright no big deal

EB: i'll talk to you later dave, i need to get some things.

TG: later john

- turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB]. -

John smirked and quickly jotted down the code for the apple juice in a note app on the PDA. Dave would want it later on and a full bottle was better than a half one.