Chapter Text
CURRENT gallowsCallibrator [GC] RIGHT NOW opened memo on board TEAM ADORABLOODTHIRSTY 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO.
CGC: J3GUS D1D W3 R34LLY N4M3 TH3 BO4RD TH4T
CGC: P4ST US 4R3 FUCK1NG 1D1OTS
CGC: BUT UH
CGC: 4NYW4Y
CGC: TH1S 1S 4 M3SS4G3 FOR WHO3V3R G3TS 1T F1RST 1 GU3SS
CGC: ROS3 1S 4SL33P 4G41N 4ND 1 DON’T TH1NK SH3S GO1NG TO W4K3 UP ON H3R OWN
CGC: 1 DONT KNOW WH4T TO DO BUT 1 WONT G1V3 UP ON H3R SO
CGC: 1M GO1NG TO DO TH3 S4M3
CGC: 4ND TRY TO F1ND H3R
CGC: TH3R3S 4 GOOD CH4NC3 1 WONT B3 W4K1NG UP 4G41N 1F TH1S DO3SNT WORK
CGC: DONT KNOW HOW 1 KNOW TH4T BUT 1 DO
CGC: 4ND SO YOU KNOW
CGC: 1M OK4Y W1TH TH4T
CGC: 1 DONT KNOW HOW TO D3SC1B3 1T BUT 4T TH1S PO1NT 1T F33LS L1K3 MY SURV1V4L WOULD B3 M34N1NGL3SS 1F SH3 D1DNT SURV1V3 TOO
CGC: (TO D4V3 AND K4N4Y4 1TS NOT L1K3 TH4T SO DONT WORRY)
CGC: 1VE T4K3N 4LL TH3 LOCKS OFF TH3 DOOR SO 1F YOU DONT H34R FROM M3 4G41N
CGC: 1F SOM3TH1NG GO3S WRONG
CGC: YOU C4N COM3 G3T US
CGC: OR WH4T3V3RS L3FT OF US 1 GU3SS
CGC: SOLLUX 4ND D4V3
CGC: 1 H4V3 NOTH1NG TO S4Y 3XC3PT TH4T 1M SORRY
CGC: HOP3FULLY 1LL S33 YOU BOTH SOON AND TH3N YOU C4N Y3LL 4T ME FOR DO1NG TH1S FOR 4S LONG 4S YOU W4NT
CGC: BUT 1 H4V3 TO DO 1T
CGC: TRUTH B3 TOLD 1M SC4R3D TO FUCKING D34TH OF WH4T 1M 4BOUT TO DO R1GHT NOW
CGC: BUT 1 C4NT B4CK DOWN
CGC: SO
CGC: BY3 1 GU3SS
CGC: 1 R34LLY 4M SORRY BUT
CGC: FUCK
CGC: 1
CGC: 1M GONN4 GO NOW
CGC: S33 YOU 1N TH3 MORN1NG, 3V3RYON3
CGC: PROB4BLY
CURRENT turntechGodhead RIGHT NOW responded to memo.
CTG: terezi, please
CTG: dont
CGC banned CTG from responding to memo.
***
The first thing you notice when you wake is that you are breathing. This seems extremely important, although for a second you’re not sure why it would be. When you remember, you sit bolt upright.
Laying only a couple feet from you are a pair of small grey bodies, close together with limp hands touching. Red and teal blood coats the ground, and their clothes. You feel the heat drain from your cheeks and scramble to your feet, backing up.
“Yeah, seeing your own corpse is a trip like that.”
You turn around. A white-eyed Vriska is surveying the bodies with her arms crossed.
“You cannot be real.” You say, as soon as you can think to say anything.
“Well, yeah, dipshit. What, did you think you were going to go to sleep and wake up in reality? We got no red pills here, sister. Or blue ones. Just some good old-fashioned hallucinations brought on by guilt. Would’ve thought you’d be used to this by now.”
“I’m hallucinating?” You ask.
“In so many words. Look, I could explain to you where you are and what it means and why you’re here and shit all day, but I’m pretty sure you would rather I cut to the chase, right? Time is of the essence right now, in case you didn’t notice.”
“Tell me what the chase is and we’ll see.” You reply.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Not terribly!”
“You’re supposed to face your inner demons!” She declares, doing a dramatic flourish with her hands. “Confront your past! Destroy what’s holding you back and move on to a brighter tomorrow! All of that ridiculously cheesy shit. But, if you ask me, that’s done to death. I would know, right? So I was thinking we could play a more interesting game.”
“And what would that be?” You ask.
Before you can blink, let alone move, Vriska has crossed the distance between the two of you and pinned you to the ground. She has a sword and she’s drawn it and got it pointed at your throat and you cannot move.
She draws in close and whispers in your ear. “You remember FLARP, don’t you?”
You feel around on the ground by your hand for your cane but then you realize that you haven’t carried a cane in years, and it’s not there.
She draws an arm back and socks you in the jaw. Your head rings and your vision blurs and you are very grateful that her arm isn’t made of metal in this hallucination.
“You know what I wonder?” She says, and you can hear loud and clear despite the ringing because, classic Vriska, she’s screaming. “I wonder how the hell you thought this could end up differently. I mean, you of all people, right? Sure, the whole actually stabbing me in the back thing felt pretty dramatic and conclusive at the time, I’ll give you that. But then you just kept looking for me, like jeez, can’t a psychotic ex-girlfriend get some space when she’s trying to raise an undead army? Sooner or later this was bound to end with a throwdown, when you’re carrying on like that.”
You reach an arm up and knock the sword away from your throat, rolling in the opposite direction. It scrapes as you escape, but it’s not bad, so you scramble to your feet.
“Actually, I was pretty sure that this ended when we closed the furthest ring up with you in it!” You retort. “But I guess I could never have been so lucky, at least not where you’re concerned.”
“Touché. You know, as long as we’re on the subject, why did you keep looking for me, anyway? What the hell were you expecting to get out of that encounter?”
You shrug. “Closure, I guess? I suppose I just wanted to say sorry.”
Her jaw drops. “Sorry.” She says. “Huh. Well, if that’s the case.”
Too quickly for you to react, Vriska reaches into her pocket and removes eight blue dice. She throws them to the ground and they begin to glow: eight eights.
Suddenly, a thick rough rope falls down around your neck and tugs you backwards and up, knocking the air out of you, making you choke. Your hands go to your throat and you claw at the noose, trying to loosen it, to get free, but you can’t. You are hanging from a gallows and she is staring up at you with her white eyes and not a hint of remorse or even anger, and you can’t breathe and you hear something in your neck go crack without really feeling it.
“If you’re so sorry, then why the hell did you kill me?” She screams, and through your blurry vision you see her start to cry.
But you’re not ready to die yet.
You close your eyes, let go of the noose, and think hard. Something solid and cold and familiar materializes in your right hand. You reach over with your left hand and you rip the cane in two, dropping the half from your left hand and swinging your right over your head in a wide arch. The rope comes apart, and you fall to the wooden platform in a pile, and all you want to do is collapse and rest but instead you roll forward, jump off the gallows and barrel straight at her with sword in hand. You use one free hand to grab her by the shoulder and the both of you go tumbling across the ground, grappling at each other. She tries to knock your blade away and you almost lose your grip, because you’re so tired and you still can’t really breathe, but you don’t let her. Instead you take the sword in your left hand and you pin her arm down with your right, and you dig the blade into her shoulder. The metal cuts through muscle and bone and sinew with a ripping sound, and she screams so loud that you’re almost completely deafened.
You scramble to your feet and point the sword at her throat. For a long moment, you stand there panting without saying anything.
“What are you waiting for?” She asks. “Do it. You didn’t hesitate this much last time.”
“I’m not sorry I killed you, Vriska.” You say. “I knew what I was doing, and I didn’t have a choice, and unlike you I only apologize when I mean it, and I’m not sorry. But I’m sorry it came to that. I’m sorry because if you had listened to me for once in your fucking life, maybe it wouldn’t have had to happen that way. We could have been friends again. You could’ve come with us. But that didn’t happen, and you didn’t survive, and I am not fucking sorry because it wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t my fault, it was you, and I’m not ready to die from guilt over something that wasn’t my fault. I’m not sorry for killing you, Vriska. I’m not sorry at all.”
For the next several seconds, you’re both silent. Then, inexplicably, she smiles.
“So let go.” She says.
Through tears, you smile back. You slit her throat.
The meteor, gallows, and your and Karkat’s bodies disappear. You are left in a void of white. You look around, and when you turn back at the ground, Vriska’s corpse is gone too. You reach up to your neck and find no cut from the sword, nor bruise from the rope.
There’s a noise behind you and you spin around, still on high alert. A door has appeared out of the nothingness, dark green and ornate. Standing in front of it is Gamzee Makara, shirtless and dripping with purple blood from several small wounds. He has a club in one hand and handcuffs in the other, and both of them are stained with teal.
“Hey there little sister.” He says. “Long time no see.”
You walk right up to him and stick your sword into his bare chest. He seems so surprised by this that it takes him a moment to fall to his knees.
“I’m done, Gamzee.” You say. “That’s it. I’m done.”
He stares at you for a second, his expression still a mask of shock. “Well, motherfuck.” He says, and falls to the ground in a heap.
You yank the sword from his chest one-handed, and you open the door.
***
The first thing you notice is an overwhelming taste of lime. You don’t use your nose and tongue to see any more, but this green is way too intense not to stir some old sensations. It’s so excessive that have no idea where the fuck you are or what is going on for a couple of seconds before it registers that you know both of the people in here.
“Holy crap, Rose, really?” You demand.
Rose jumps in her seat and drops her teacup. It falls to the floor and shatters, the shards immediately becoming enveloped in green lightning and disappearing into thin air. Within a second, an identical replacement cup, already filled, appears in her hand.
“Terezi?” She asks, gaping at you. “Are you… real?”
“I’m pretty sure I am, yeah!” You say. “Last I checked, anyway. But seriously? Your brain crawls off into some corner to live out the last few hours of your existence and it decides to come here? With this asshole? I guess I’ve got no room to talk, considering where I just came from! But damn, you picked a hell of a place to die.”
“I didn’t really pick it,” she says, “just sort of woke up here. But why are you here? Please tell me you’re still alive.”
“I’m here to rescue you, idiot.” You say. “And yes, I’m still alive. So are you, though I’m not sure for how much longer either of those things is going to stay true if we don’t get our butts in gear.”
She smiles softly. “I’m flattered to be sought after by such a dashing knight, milady. But please, take your leave. I do not desire rescue, I’m afraid.”
You shake your head. “Yeah but Rose, the thing is I don’t actually give a shit what you desire! You’re coming with me, and you’re not dying here, not today, preferably not ever. So get the fuck up before I make you.”
“Really, Terezi, can’t anyone just let me die in peace?” She asks.
“In about 50 years, I’ll consider it!” You say. “Right now, no fucking way.”
“If I may interject?”
You turn to the source of the sound and realize that the giant cue-ball is talking.
“Yeah, no actually.” You say.
“Although it is lovely to see you here, Terezi, I can’t help but question what you think you’re going to achieve by helping her.” He says, ignoring your comment. “After all, even if you get her to wake up, what then? She’ll still be thinking about it. She’ll inevitably lapse back into self-destruction anyway. She always does.”
“Beg to disagree on that, Scratch.” You reply.
“Oh? And why’s that?”
“Because I’m not sure where the fuck we are, exactly, but I’m pretty sure that’s not really you talking. That’s Rose. And I never trusted you about anything, and I trust her to make her own decisions right now about as far as I can throw her, so I guess it doesn’t matter either way! Seriously, though, I’m not leaving without her, nor am I compromising on any of this, so let’s just skip the existential conversation and go, can’t we please?”
There is another crashing sound and you flinch. Rose is holding onto parts of the handle of her cup, but it’s shattered again, and her hand is bleeding. Her whole body is shaking and there are tears streaming down her face. You suspect it’s not because of the injury.
“I’m so tired, Terezi.” She whispers.
You sigh and drop your sword to the floor, then walk over and grip her face in both hands, locking eyes with her. “I’m tired too, Rose.” You say quietly. “I’m so, so tired. And I’m sorry. But you’ve got to wake up anyway.”
“He’s right, though.” She insists. “He’s right, I can’t – I can’t do this, not in the long term, I never could, so why bother? If I’m just going to be back here in another two years, why?”
“You won’t be.” You shake your head. “Why would you wanna come back to hang out with this asshole?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do! But it doesn’t matter. You have to get up, Rose. I promise, it’ll be okay. But first, you have to get up. I know it’s hard, I know you’re tired, I know it’s not fair at all, but you have to get up.”
“Why?” She asks.
It takes you a minute to think up your answer, and in that minute, you could swear time starts to slow down. Scratch is silent, Rose is crying, and you are acutely aware that if you say the wrong thing, if you hesitate too long, if you fuck up in the least, then you might lose her. For everyone. Forever.
“Rose, you remember everything I told you? About Kanaya, and Dave, and Roxy, and remembering how much they love you, how much you love them?”
“Yes.”
“Forget that.” You say. “For the most part. Just, forget that. If you’re going to stand a chance, then want to live because you want to live. Anything else is superfluous. You told me that you didn’t want to die. So prove it to me. Wake up.”
“Don’t listen to her, Rose. She’s a foolish girl. Haven’t you learned anything? She’s just as much a mess as you. How do you expect her to help?”
“Scratch, if you say one more word I will pick up that sword and slice you into little puppet pieces.”
He falls silent. You lock eyes with Rose, and she looks up at you like you’re Obi Wan Kenobi and her last hope, and you pray that the right words come out of her mouth soon.
After what feels like an eternity, she turns to the doctor and speaks. “Scratch. Leave.” She says.
He stands and makes a small bow. “As you wish. Of course, you know I’ll never go completely.”
“I don’t really give a shit.” She says. “Leave. I don’t want you here.”
He inclines his bulbous head in a gesture approximating a nod, and the scene, including him, vanishes in a flare of electric green lightning.
Rose turns back to you and smiles a little, and although she’s still crying, it is the happiest expression you’ve seen on her face in two weeks. “I’m sorry, Terezi.” She says. “This was… selfish of me, I know.”
“Shut up.” You say. “We’ll talk about it later. I’m tired right now.”
She laughs, and it occurs to you that you have started to find that endearing. “Okay.”
***
You awake in the living room of Rose’s house and are surprised – pleasantly – to feel arms around you. You open your eyes and the first thing you see are two cherry red eyes, no shades to protect them or conceal the tears.
“Coolkid.” You whisper. “Long time no see.”
Dave lets out a small sob. “Fuck, Terezi.” He says, and then grabs you so close and buries his face in your neck. Over his shoulder, you can see Rose crying with her arms thrown around Roxy’s neck, and you smile.