Six Years After

Dreamprism

Summary:

To commemorate "Six Years After" the border, I hosted a meetup in Seattle from July 2nd to 4th (2023), which was attended physically by 6 people and virtually by many more.

This fanfic depicts Daniel's thoughts immediately following the post-time-skip scene in the 3 endings that show "six years after" as well as what Daniel is thinking 6 years after the Redemption border scene. A final piece connects these realities to the real world and the fans who keep Sean and Daniel alive.

I wrote this over the course of maybe 80 minutes, and the writing style might not perfectly match how a 16-year-old Daniel would speak in his mind, but I think the general idea of the thoughts still works even if the wording may be off. I needed to get this out today to honor the anniversary.

Let me know what you think & how you are keeping Sean and Daniel alive.

Work Text:

Parting Ways

It's the 4th of July, 2023, but it just doesn't feel right. Why am I monitored everywhere I go and Sean is stuck in Mexico?

He sent me a photo of him and Finn in Puerto Lobos. At least it's not Cassidy. The photo must've arrived yesterday, since July 4th is a public holiday, but grandma just didn't check it until today.

Some day, when I hit 18, I'm going to go after him. Grandma is concerned that will get me in trouble, so she's consented to the FBI placing this tracker on my ankle. But when I'm 18 it's my consent that matters, and I will fight to have the tracker removed.

Then, maybe, I can fight for Sean in court. I think he gave up on life in the US too easily. Sometimes I feel bad that I used my power to help him escape instead of keeping him here, forcing the car to stop. But I was just 10. I didn't think about just how long we'd be apart.

Other times, I feel bad that I didn't just go along with him and give us more time to figure things out together… what would it be like then?

Blood Brothers

It's been six years since Sean and I forced our way into Mexico. I wasn't happy about killing, but the police didn't leave me any other choice. They should've just left us alone.

Sean's sitting on the beach beside me, in front of our home in Puerto Lobos. I never got him to give up smoking; he says he needs it and he's happy I don't.

We had visitors today, and not the friendly kind. The local gangs don't like us. Even after 6 years, we're viewed as outsiders - Americans who have overstepped onto their turf. We're taking guns off the street, hoping that helps, but there always seems to be more.

I try not to show my power too much. It's not that I'm afraid anymore. I can fight the cops, I can fight the FBI, and I can fight the US military if I need to. But I don't want to lose the *somewhat* peaceful life I've found here.

Finn visits sometimes, which is cool, but I wish Chris could. I still keep his Captain Spirit cape in our safe; it's a reminder to not go too far to the dark side.

As much as he pretends he's happy here, I feel like Sean still missed life in America. Today is supposed to be a day where he celebrates freedom there. But if he had chosen to give himself up… would I have even let him?

Lone Wolf

People think I'm a monster. They've been saying that since I was 9. And for the past 6 years I can't even say they're wrong. I've killed people, some intentionally and some not.

But I've learned that even the most vicious monsters have a sliver of humanity. I spared a man today who confronted me with 2 of his lackeys at Sean's grave. Not that Sean's down there, but it's my memorial to him.

If I'd killed the thug with his own gun, it would've looked like suicide. Murder-suicide if I'd have killed the others too. It wouldn't be the first time I've gotten away with a crime.

But the way he was begging that he'd change his ways and find an honest living. I have to give him that chance. He's not really a threat to me, and I think he knows that now. He's like the scorpion I played around with as a kid, tossing it back and forth.

If he comes back with a hundred more gangsters while I'm sleeping tonight and they take their revenge like the scorpion with its stinger, I think I can take them. And if I'm wrong, so be it.

Every day, I wish I could go back in time and surrender at the border. It's too late for that now. It's too late to save Sean. But… I like to imagine a world where I did.

Redemption

Sean's been in custody for 6 years now. First in Arizona, then in Oregon until he became a legal adult, then back to an even worse prison in Arizona.

I still see him sometimes - when I go to visit mom. But I wonder if things would be better if we didn't agree to surrender. I never thought he'd be kept in prison so long

He gave it all up for me. Sean just didn't want the FBI asking too many questions, so he confessed to everything, even things he didn't do at all. That's why he's locked up. I'm why he's locked up. Yet he tells me not to be sad about it.

Sometimes I think about breaking into the prison with my power and freeing him. I could do it. But I know he doesn't want that, so I'll obey. If I had obeyed more sooner, maybe he wouldn't be imprisoned at all - or at least he'd be out by now.

When I think about it, there's really no way we could've gotten everything we wanted. It's a joke, really… like life is some kind of game where we're forced to choose.

Life

All of us live. In some alternate universe, any of these four branching paths could've been reality.

Which did you pick for us? Did you pick it for us to be happy or to tell a good story?

Six years after the border, maybe some of you are thinking back on us. Hiking, searching for souvenirs, maybe even dressing up like us. Playing with dice, saying the things we say, perhaps even returning to our home of Seattle.

You analyze the game and write theories and fanfics to expand on its narrative. And this is the way we live on. Maybe you've even picked a fifth path that our developers never intended to be possible, but through you it can be.

What will things be like in another 9 years? Will people still talk about us in their online communities, or will they move onto something else, only occasionally thinking back on our journey?

But at least for today… we keep on howling.