Preview for a formally Nameless Fic...
Special Thanks to cutieapplepie for the name
One-Sided
Karkat was pissed. He had just logged out of Trollian, as his conversation with John was going nowhere fast. In seventy-two hours, John and Jade would arrive on their meteor, and the plan can be put into motion. The plan to help the kids of this new session heavily relied on Johnâs arrival at this point. Aranea had made that clear. The success of this plan was something that was guaranteed when the two ecto-siblings arrived. Jadeâs powers would especially prove useful.
The twelve dead trolls from a Pre-Scratched version of his universe had concocted a plan that seemed bulletproof. The end result would be a new world for all of them. That was rather nice to know. A new world with new rules; he could live with that. In fact, he welcomed the idea, as it would allow him to live without fear of being ridiculed due to his blood color. His mutant candy red blood would not be a problem, and that was enough for him.
There was one thing that worried him however. Aranea had said that the end result of their efforts might not be the exact ones they were looking for. She said that there would undoubtedly be side-effects of this abnormal method of creating a universe. When he has confronted her about it earlier, she told him that strange changes would occur. The one that was guaranteed was the change in lifespan of all trolls. According to her, the Hemospectrum will not matter anymore, and as a result, all trolls will share a similar lifespan to that of a humanâs.
Then there was the bigger concern. Aranea had told him that it was completely possible that all the trolls in existence will either die or be turned into humans. Both of those possibilities scared Karkat, but he wasnât sure which one was scarier. If all the trolls died, then it would mean that he and his friends wouldnât see much purpose in winning this game.
Being human both bothered him and didnât bother him. It bothered him that he will have to adjust to a new way of living. Yet the promise of life after this game was something he could live with. The only thing that separated Trolls and Humans as a race was the skin color, ideology, horns, teeth, and blood colors, and maybe some internal shit.
Never the less, life for the two of them didnât seem that different, even if their taste in entertainment was complete shit. Not to mention how they handled their romance. Itâs only a single quadrant. While that was convenient, it was still stupid. It limited the possibilities or relationships, which was something that Karkat hated. Well, it was better than dying.
He often wondered what life would be like if he were a human. He figured itâd be a lot simpler than his current life, but he wondered how he would have turned out. Would he still face the constant fear of rejection he always felt when he was around other people? Would there still be something that would make him âdifferentâ to the masses, like his mutant blood? He didnât quite know for sure, but one thing was for certain. No matter how he looked at it, life as a human was far more appealing than being dead.
Other things began to fill his mind. Questions about life as a human entered his mind. This time he was thinking on a grander scheme of things, rather than his own wellbeing. How would this human life thing affect him and his Pre-Scratch âdescendentâ? Would it make his descendent his âfatherâ, or possibly his âbrotherâ? Would it be the same for his friends? What of their lusus? Would they take the âparentalâ role, or would they cease to exist? He had no idea. He kind of wished he did, but also wished he didnât.
It was fear that made him think like this. He frowned, biting his lip slightly. He was the leader of their little group, and he had been through far worse. So why was he afraid? He remembered a quote, albeit a paraphrased version, from one of the best known Alternian directors, Troll Hitchcock.
âManâs greatest fear is what is behind a closed door.â
Those words couldnât be more accurate, he thought. When a door is closed, you never know whatâs behind it. Even if you have been through the door before, something new might be behind it, and that new thing could be frightening. The fear of the unknown is something all living things share.
His thoughts briefly shifted to that of the humans he had the displeasure of working with. He also thought of the new humans that had arisen from the session created by the Scratch. He wondered how the universe would format itself in regards to them. Questions from earlier popped into his mind again. Parental/Roles came into question in his mind. God, why does he give a shit about these stupid humans?
He gives that last question a bit of thought. While the miserable creatures made him loathe how they had lived. No Hemospectrum, no worries of being outcasts due to blood color. No burdens of finding five people who would give you the time of day to fill the requirements for quadrants. No threat of death upon failure to supply reproductive fluids. It sickened him.
Yet, he couldnât imagine never meeting them. Sure, while he detested their life styles, they werenât all that bad. Perhaps he had warmed up to them? He shook his head, as if to shake away that thought. It didnât really matter anyway. He had to work with them to finish what the Pre-Scratch trolls had started. He had to lead them to the end of this miserable game.
He shook his head again, and decided heâd do something instead of sitting here. He wanted to blow a bit of steam anyway. He thought for a moment to go see his matesprit, one Terezi Pyrope. He frowned again, quite a bit more bitter looking then before. Thanks to his conversation with John earlier, he had forgotten one important detail. Terezi and he were in a rocky position with their relationship. All thanks to that human boy who wore a smug looking poker face. Dave Strider.
Ever since they had started interacting with the humans, he could tell Terezi had her mind wrapped around the human male. The way she looked at him on her computer⊠it sickened him. She had once given him that look of admiration. They had become matesprits as a result of that admiration. That once mutual admiration that they had shared⊠now it was one sided, as it had been before they had met. The only difference was that it wasnât her admiring him. Rather, it was him admiring her, and he hated it.
He had tried to play to any lingering feelings for him she may have had. He had tried to make her jealous. He had mentioned how he would love to see Nepeta or Jade. He had wanted to make her feel the sting in her heart that he felt in his. Yet it wasnât working. All it was doing was separating them even further. He acted as if she was past news, and she took as him moving on. At least, that what it seemed like. One thing kept hopeful. She hadnât âdumpedâ him yet. At least, she had not told him she had. He clung to this hope desperately. He didnât want them to split. He had tried to get Dave to at least share her with him, but Dave had told him on countless occasions to let her choose who she wanted.
The fact that she had yet to confront him about this recent development was getting on his nerves. He had to know, and he had to know now! It was eating away at his mind, and he couldnât stand it. He rose from his sitting position, and powered down his crab top. He left his room, and made his way to Tereziâs room. He hoped that she was in there, as it would make this whole thing a hell of a lot easier. They could talk it out, alone.
~~~~~
Jade Harley sat in her room, on her computer. She was currently in the middle of a conversation with Dave. They hadnât talked in a long while, and she wanted to see how he was doing. Thankfully, the ship she was on was close enough to their destination that they could talk with the others, hence why she was currently talking with Dave. She was rather giddy when she found him online. It wasnât any kind of secret that she had a bit of a crush on Dave. Well, it was noticeable to people like John and Davesprite. Hell, she found it kind of awkward to be around Davesprite at times, as he was essentially Dave.
Never the less, it wasnât the same Dave she knew. Davesprite was a Dave from another timeline, and not the boy she was crushing on, despite the similarities. Come to think of it, didnât her sprite-self like Davesprite? She figured that this had a hand in her crush on Dave. Not that a reason for it really mattered.
She decided to see if it was worth it to see if she had a chance with him. So she thought for a moment how to ask him. She shrugged a few minutes later, deciding that it didnât really matter how, so she decided to just ask him if he liked anybody. She figured it was something that she should ask, seeing as she wanted to prepare herself for any joy or disappointment that would soon follow her arrival on the meteor.
GG: so dave
GG: do you like anybody right now?
TG: hmm?
GG: well, do you?
TG: i guess you could say i do
TG: i hardly think it matters who at this point though
TG: seeing as we are kind of in the middle of some huge ass game
TG: and if we dont help the new kids with their session
TG: it would be as if all of this shit was meaningless
TG: and that would be fucking depressing
GG: true :(
GG: but look on the bright side
GG: it isnt completely hopeless
GG:Â :)
TG: what do you mean?
GG: well, maybe when this is all over, the person you like and you could give it a shot!
TG: i guess that is true
TG: though i am planning on getting with her today
GG:Â :O
GG: you are?
TG: yeah
TG: im asking her if we can talk in person right now
Jade felt her heart thump. Was he asking her if they could talk in person when she got there? She sure hoped so. She really hoped that was the case. She was about to ask him if she was asking her, when his next few messages appeared, making her heart sink.
TG: alright
TG: she agreed
Jade swallowed hard as she typed her reply. Was this seriously happening?
GG: she did?
TG: yeah
TG: she did
GG: so who is the lucky girl?
Jade stared at the screen as she hit the enter key. She hoped to see her name pop up, but knew that was impossible. She hadnât been asked. So it had to be someone else. She knew it couldnât be Rose, as they were ecto-siblings. So it had to be one of the girl trolls. The question was⊠who was it?
TG: terezi
GG: ohâŠ
She managed to type, as tears began to pour from her eyes. He had just confirmed one of her fears. He was romantically interested in an alien. He liked a troll! This⊠this was just not right!
GG: why her?
TG: huh?
GG: why do you like her?
TG: oh
TG: well
TG: i guess because she is simply the only real awesome troll around here
GG: but shes an alien!
TG: so?
GG: so? doesnt that make it and impossible relationship?
TG: well you have a point there
TG: but thats hardly a problem
GG: how is that not a problem!?
TG: jade
TG: chill
TG: once we end all of this
TG: she will most likely become human
Jade stared at that last sentence in disbelief. She would most likely become human? Did that mean that all of the trolls could become humans? Her mind briefly thought of what Tavros and Karkat would look like as humans.
GG: wait a minute!
GG: does that mean karkat and tavros will become humans too?
TG: yeah
TG: since the dead trolls will come back and shit
TG: they will all become humans
TG: if all of the mindfuckery involved goes as planned
GG: dead trolls?
TG: yeah
TG: more than half of them are dead
TG: well according to tz anyway
GG: so karkat and tavros are dead?
GG:Â :(
TG: no
TG: well tavros is
TG: and as much as I hate it
TG: vantas is alive
GG: so i still have to deal with karkat?
TG: yup
TG: dont worry
TG: you get used to it
GG: i doubt that
TG: i dont blame you
TG: it is a little farfetched
GG: i guess I have to take your word for it
TG: yeah
TG: anyway I have to go
TG: im meeting tz at her room in five
TG: nice talking to you jade
GG: yeahâŠ
GG: nice talking with you too! :)
TG: see ya in three days
GG: yeah :)
GG: bye :)
turntechGodhead [TG] has ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]
Jade got off of her computer, tears in her eyes. The dog ears on her head drooped a little too. She was legitimately sad. While she had never told him how she felt about him, she was sure he would reject her now. He was clearly infatuated with that troll girl. Well, that was okay! At least, thatâs what she told herself.
As her tears were drying up, she flopped down onto her bed and decided she needed a nap. She was depressed, for obvious reasons. She fell asleep, hoping that a visit to a dream bubble would lift her spirits.
~~~~~
Terezi Pyrope was currently perplexed. The reason for this was due to the fact her feelings were in a messy jumble. She never really had this problem before. Before she met Dave Strider, she had a nice flushed relationship with Karkat, and life was simple. Before she had killed Vriska, they had a strange, almost black relationship. She didnât really have her pale or ashen quadrants filled, but hey, she didnât really care.
Life was simple back then, and her emotions werenât in their current turmoil. She could compare meeting Dave to lighting up some fireworks, intending only to see a light show. Yet, instead of a light show, she felt she was a firework herself, Dave being the match that lit her fuse. She didnât really understand why she thought like this for a while. She had decided at one point to make him her moirail, as she didnât want to ruin her relationship with Karkat.
Much to Karkatâs chagrin, however, she started hanging out with Dave more and more. She simply found his attitude, his smell, and his overall existence to be something awesome. He had filled her senses with red, her favorite of colors.
She had at this point had known that her initial pale feelings for Dave were growing. The nature of which they grew was something unexpected, something that shouldnât have happened at all. Something that would make her ears ring and her head hurt from all of Karkatâs ramblings. Her feeling for Dave had become flushed. Not only that, but they burned brighter than her flushed feelings for Karkat. He was seriously getting on her nerves with his constant complaints about how she spends more time with Dave then with him. She had expected him to be a bit more mature about it.
She slowly but surely began to move on from Karkat, but never had the guts to tell him she was âdumpingâ him. She really didnât want to hurt his feelings. Well, that and she was kind of scared he might do something stupid. Their judgement was a bit clouded due to the lack of sopor slime. Karkat was on edge, since he was lacking sleep, and it really did a number on him, and everybody around him. He was a hell of a lot more cranky about things, and ranted far too much. It didnât help that he also had a homicidal clown for a moirail at his disposal.
She knew that at some point she would have to figure this out. Karkat would most likely eventually confront her about their current relationship status, and she would have to tell him. She silently wished that Dave could be here to help her with that. She sighed, deciding that she would work on the current comic Dave and her had been talking about.
They had been working on this little series of comics every few days. In the past two plus years they had worked on it, they had gotten at least 200 pages done. It was simple, seeing as they were relatively easy to make.
The series was called âCool-Kid and Blind-Girlâ. Not the most creative name, but Dave had said it worked, due to its âironic meaningâ, whatever that had meant. She had no problems with the name, so it didnât really matter to her what they had called it. She simply enjoyed making it. She and Dave had shared both the drawing and writing credits, taking turns for every panel. This had gone over well, since they DID have access to two different universes. That, and thanks to their technology, they could post these comics in the past of both universes.
The cool thing was that they both had a huge following in both worlds. Hell, in the Post-Scratch Universe, it became the basis for a movie trilogy. All thanks to the fact that Post-Scratch Dave was open to having an alternate version of him post comics on his website, as he could turn a profit from them. Dave saw this as an ironic development, since he initially hated having stories being written for him. He had told Terezi that he made her the sole exception to that rule. She smiled at that.
As she was about to work on the comic, she received a message on Trollian. Someone was pestering her. She figured it was Karkat, but decided to check regardless. She smiled her usual shark like grin when she found out it was Dave, and not Karkat. Karkat was the last person she wanted to talk to at the moment after all.
turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC]
TG: tz
TG: can we talk?
GC: SUR3!
GC: WH4T 1S 1T? >:?
TG: well
TG: i would rather talk about this in person
GC: OH?
TG: yeah
GC: OK WH3R3 SHOULD W3 M33T UP?
TG: one of our rooms would be the best
TG: for the sake of privacy and shit
GC: SOUNDS GOOD
GC: BUT WHOS3 ROOM? M1N3?
GC: OR YOURS >;]
TG: well i think yours would be best
TG: considering vantas will most likely barge into mine at somepoint today
TG: seeing as that asshole cant get enough of me
GC: H3H3H3
GC: SUR3, YOU W4NN4 DO TH1S NOW?
TG: yeah ill be over in a few minutes
GC: 4LR1GHT, S33 YOU SOON COOLK1D >:D
turntechGodhead [TG] has ceased pestering gallowsCalibator [GC]
GC: <3
gallowsCalibrator [GC] has ceased trolling turntechGodhead [TG]
Terezi smiled as she sent that last message. She knew that Dave would most likely not see it until later, but hey, it was the thought that counted⊠even if that saying is usually related to gifts and stuff. Then again, itâs not like that really mattered to her right now. She re-opened the window containing the comic she was working on, and decided to work on it while she waited for the coolkid she was flushed for to arrive.
~~~~~
Dave Strider yawned a little bit. He was, for the lack of a better term, bored. The past few days were incredibly boring, as the group was preparing for John and Jadeâs arrival. Speaking of Jade, he was currently in the process of talking to her. She was clearly in her usual bubbly mood, which was great. He feared that she may have lost that trait due to the time isolated with John.
He, being the cool and living embodiment of awesome that he is, knew Jade had a crush on him. It was obvious. He knew simply because she seemed quite cheerful when they had started their conversation. It was at this moment he received a question from jade he expected would be asked at some point. She was rather obvious with her crush, and this question helped solidify that fact.
GG: so dave
GG: do you like anybody right now?
TG: hmm?
GG: well, do you?
Dave thought for a moment about how he could tell her without hurting her feelings. He had to be a bit sensitive about this sort of thing. Though he knew that tears were unavoidable for Jade.
TG: i guess you could say i do
TG: i hardly think it matters who at this point though
TG: seeing as we are kind of in the middle of some huge ass game
TG: and if we dont help the new kids with their session
TG: it would be as if all of this shit was meaningless
TG: and that would be fucking depressing
GG: true :(
GG: but look on the bright side
GG: it isnt completely hopeless
GG:Â :)
Dave looked that message, a confused expression on his face. Was she trying to encourage him the person he liked how he really feels?
TG: what do you mean?
GG: well, maybe when this is all over, the person you like and you could give it a shot!
TG: i guess that is true
TG: though i am planning on getting with her today
GG:Â :O
GG: you are?
Dave chuckled at her expression. He figured she had thought he was going to ask her out or something right now. Sadly, that wasnât the case. Sure, she was cute, but he had his red eyes on somebody else, that somebody being Terezi Pyrope. He began thinking. Should he try and talk this out with Terezi right now? It seemed like the smart thing to do. Well, better now than later.
He had noticed Karkat was getting increasingly paranoid about Terezi and him. Seeing as the guy yells a shit ton already, he didnât want anything to do with his angrier side. He took this moment to open a chat client to pester Terezi.
TG: yeah
Dave then had to divide his attention between his conversations with Terezi and Jade. This was going to be fun.
turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC]
TG: tz
TG: can we talk?
Dave turned his attention back to his conversation with Jade. He didnât want to just stop talking to her out of the blue like that. It would make him a jackass. While he knew he could be one at times, he wouldnât be a jackass to a girl. That was something his brother had taught him. It had something to do with the Striders being gentleman or some shit.
TG: im asking her if we can talk in person right now
As he waited for Jadeâs reply, he got a reply from Terezi.
GC: SUR3!
GC: WH4T 1S 1T? >:?
TG: well
TG: i would rather talk about this in person
GC: OH?
TG: yeah
GC: OK WH3R3 SHOULD W3 M33T UP?
Dave thought about it for a second, while checking to see if Jade had replied. Strangely, she hadnât yet. Well, that was alright, she was probably in the middle of something, or had been called away from her computer for a minute by John.
TG: one of our rooms would be the best
TG: for the sake of privacy and shit
GC: SOUNDS GOOD
GC: BUT WHOS3 ROOM? M1N3?
GC: OR YOURS >;]
He thought for a moment, soon coming to the conclusion that it would be best to go to Tereziâs room. Karkat was more likely to come to his room, as he seemed to really enjoy bugging the living fuck out of him.
TG: well i think yours would be best
TG: considering vantas will most likely barge into mine at somepoint today
TG: seeing as that asshole cant get enough of me
GC: H3H3H3
GC: SUR3, YOU W4NN4 DO TH1S NOW?
TG: yeah ill be over in a few minutes
GC: 4LR1GHT, S33 YOU SOON COOLK1D >:D
turntechGodhead [TG] has ceased pestering gallowsCalibator [GC]
With that conversation over as quick as it was, he was able to return his attention back to his conversation with Jade. He wanted to end it quickly.
TG: she agreed
GG: she did?
TG: yeah
TG: she did
GG: so who is the lucky girl?
TG: terezi
For about a minute, Dave received no replies. He knew that she was slowly taking in the information, and probably beginning to cry. He knew that she was never particularly fond of the trolls. Never the less, he felt bad.
GG: why her?
TG: huh?
GG: why do you like her?
TG: oh
TG: well
TG: i guess because she is simply the only real awesome troll around here
GG: but shes an alien!
Daveâs brow furrowed at that particularly racist comment. He knew that she wasnât fond of them, and that they had tortured her as a child, but that was probably one of the more rude things he had seen her say.
TG: so?
GG: so? doesnt that make it and impossible relationship?
TG: well you have a point there
TG: but thats hardly a problem
GG: how is that not a problem!?
TG: jade
TG: chill
TG: once we end all of this
TG: she will most likely become human
Again, there was a brief pause, though this time it wasnât as long as it was before.
GG: wait a minute!
GG: does that mean karkat and tavros will become humans too?
TG: yeah
TG: since the dead trolls will come back and shit
TG: they will all become humans
TG: if all of the mindfuckery involved goes as planned
GG: dead trolls?
TG: yeah
TG: more than half of them are dead
TG: well according to tz anyway
GG: so karkat and tavros are dead?
GG:Â :(
TG: no
TG: well tavros is
TG: and as much as I hate it
TG: vantas is alive
GG: so i still have to deal with karkat?
TG: yup
TG: dont worry
TG: you get used to it
GG: i doubt that
TG: i dont blame you
TG: it is a little farfetched
GG: i guess I have to take your word for it
TG: yeah
TG: anyway I have to go
TG: im meeting tz at her room in five
TG: nice talking to you jade
GG: yeahâŠ
GG: nice talking with you too! :)
TG: see ya in three days
GG: yeah :)
GG: bye :)
turntechGodhead [TG] has ceased pestering gardenGnostic [GG]
With that, he got up and shut down his computer. He then began making his way to where Terezi was. He took a second to switch into something other than his God Tier outfit. He wanted her to not be distracted by the scent of the red he typically wore. He changed into a pair of black jeans and his red and white long-sleeved shirt. Once he had swapped outfits, he left his room, and made his way to Tereziâs room.
~~~~~
