Chapter Text
Jade closed her eyes and nodded her head. She needed to go see John.
Terezi could handle herself talking to Rose; she was strong, and it was obvious that the two of them were simply having a catch up about things. What could there possibly be to worry about?
Jade chuckled and shook her head. Of course, how foolish would it be to check in on someone who didn’t need it? John obviously needed her attention. After all, there was much more concern for his wellbeing, especially after the prior day’s affairs.
A pit formed in her stomach as she thought about her brother more—she couldn’t help but feel that something was happening. Her slowly reforming awareness told her that John needed her help. But with what?
The sensation kept growing until she tensed up and began to fly faster. Every muscle in her body released wave after wave of energy, pushing her to get to John’s remote home as fast as she could.
Sparks of green energy surrounded her more and more as she focused. Her body begged to use her former Green Sun powers—yet they felt far out of reach. She desperately wished to control them once again. The ability to teleport would do her wonders.
However, such abilities were impossible to reobtain. She would have to live without them.
Before she knew it, Jade closed in on her brother’s residence. Despite being just a day prior, it’d felt like an eternity since she’d been there. Though she wondered if such a sensation was simply the result of the nature of the visit rather than the temporal aspect of it all.
The dog girl touched down, her tail wagging anxiously as she approached the front door. As she lifted her left hand to knock, she couldn’t help but feel as if she was syncing up motions with someone else. It was as if paradox space had created two identical outcomes happening in two entirely separate places.
Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock.
No response.
Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock.
Nothing.
Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock.
JADE: jooohn!!!
JADE: its me jade!!!!
She kept knocking.
JADE: i messaged you earlier to follow up about yesterday!
JADE: sorry it took me a bit!
JADE: you dont have to be afraid!
JADE: im here to talk in person!
JADE: i just wanna help!!!
Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock.
Despite everything… there was no response.
JADE: JOOOOOHN!!!!!
Jade yelled at full volume through the door, trying to get her brother’s attention. Unfortunately, such words fell upon deaf ears.
JADE: JOOOOOOOOOOHNNN!!!!!!!!
Desperation violently cascaded from her scream. Her mind slowly but surely drew itself to uncomfortable conclusions that she couldn’t bring herself to accept. Did he…
JADE: NO!!!
Jade banged on the door with both hands, tears streaming down her face.
JADE: JOOOOHN!!!!
JADE: PLEASEEEE
JADE: OPEN THE DOOR!!!
JADE: I NEED TO KNOW YOURE OK
Her thoughts grew more and more extreme with each passing moment. It was like every moment from the last couple of days locked into place to create a truly awful image in her mind. John Egbert, perceived pedophile and chronic noncommunicator, simply couldn’t bear the burden of righting the wrongs in his life. And so he decided to…
JADE: thats not true!!!!!
Jade laid her hands flat on the door and brought her cheek to the surface; she closed her eyes and tried to remove the barrier, the wall that obscured her knowledge. She just needed to dissolve it.
Her hands began to glow a bright green, slowly enveloping the door with light. Before she knew it, the barrier began to shrink in size, eroding the lack of clarity in her mind. Her awareness returned, as the other side of the door became more and more obvious.
When the entry way had finally cleared, there was nothing of note for her to see. It was simply just her brother’s living room. However, such a mundane sight did not have the calming effect that one would expect—in fact, it would only serve to contribute to the ire that plagued Jade’s mind’s eye.
Without a moment to waste, Jade ran through the house, inspecting every room.
JADE: jooooooohnnn!!!!!!!!!
She howled her brother’s name over and over, praying to everything that she would find him safe and sound in one of the rooms. Maybe then they could talk.
Each door felt like opening a brand new box, awaiting the reality that hid behind it. These obscured voids took shape into mundane images of a suburban home, dusty and unexplored. The obvious had become true. They became relevant. They became important.
They were canon.
Jade finally stopped at her brother’s bedroom—the final door left to open.
Jade’s hand reached out towards the knob, pressure building around her as if the atmosphere of Earth C had altered completely. A black void appeared around her, leaving just her and the door to face off in a battle of wits. It was a guessing game as to the contents of the space.
The question became: could Jade figure it out?
What was behind her brother’s bedroom door? Was it what she was expecting? Or was it what she hoped? Was it mundane or was it horrifying?
All she had to do was.
Open.
The.
Box.
Jade gripped the handle as hard as she could, violently shaking at the thought of what would bear her eyes. What was she about to see? Was it something she was supposed to see? There was only one way to find out.
She swung the door open and ran inside with closed eyes, praying that her renewed sight would reveal a pleasant picture. Slowly, her eyelids part, letting the rays of light from the bedroom window bounce across the objects of the room and enter her irises. The picture revealed itself to her.
Mundanity.
And no John.
JADE: wha-
JADE: huh???
Jade frantically looked around the room, inspecting under the covers of her brother’s bed, behind different posters, behind the door, and even under the desk. Nothing of note could be gleaned from the space. It was as if her own hopes and desires had backfired. That in not wanting to see John hanging upon rope, she’d manifested a bedroom without him at all.
Such a founded worry for her brother’s wellbeing resulted in an even more complex issue that was the whereabouts of the reclusive man. The bounds of the box expanded beyond the confines of a simple suburban home to that of the entire world. The contents were no longer the simple act of deciding what would happen within expected outcomes—but now a web of near infinite possibilities.
It would take a true Witch of Space to control the circumstances in a way that would result in a desired outcome. If only there was a lead?
Jade slowed her breathing and approached the window, huffing and puffing from the frantic movements of her painful search. She opened it and took in the fresh air, attempting to calm down.
JADE: its ok…
JADE: ill
JADE: ill find him
JADE: i just need to…
JADE: i just need to
JADE: open the box
When the window finally clicked from opening all the way, something snapped within her mind. Her vision filled with the image of an imposing JPEG artifacted Statue of Liberty towering over the quaint town of creatures. It was like a goddess of freedom bearing down on the people, ensuring that breaking away from the confines of the valley would be impossible.
The only escape would be to take arms against her majesty and free one’s self from the mortal coils that constricted them. Face the problem head on and plunge into the unknown, letting fate decide the outcome and truly be free.
Jade’s eyes widened in horror.
Atop the statue was a small speck, one she could only slightly make out as something unrelated to the lady’s construction. There was something there… more accurately, someone.
JADE: nonononono
Jade ran out of the room and towards the front door; upon reaching the outside, she stared upwards at the artifacted liberty upon the mountain. She could've sworn contempt was written on the statue's stoic face as Lady Liberty stared daggers into her. Judging her. Mocking her.
She eventually saw the speck upon the crown of the liberty begin to fall off the front, leaving a streak of blue wind in its wake. It was painfully obvious what was happening before Jade’s eyes.
JADE: NO!
She stood tense, unsure what to do next. She was too far to make it by just flying, but waiting any longer would result in any chance of changing the future going from unlikely to zero.
JADE: john…
Jade blubbered, tears streaming down her face.
JADE: joooohn…
She desperately wanted to do something, but what that was eluded her entirely. The immediate thought was to save her brother, but how could she close such a large distance in such a short span of time? The mathematics behind it would require her to move at speeds that would be only feasible with her Green Sun powers—If only she had a Green Sun to draw from.
Jade clenched her fists, staring at the blue wind drawing a clear line from the top of the statue to indicate the progress of her brother’s demise. Her teeth grit, practically grinding against one another, chiselling away at the enamel.
She forced her eyes shut, tears cascading from her eyes; her body had practically become a nuclear bomb of anxiety that threatened to explode at any moment. In her personal darkness, she imagined several ways in which she saw her brother crash into the ground and other outcomes in which she swooped in to save him. Unfortunately, there were no paths to the desired results that weren’t outright fantasy.
In her mind, she didn’t just need to open the box to see what happened next—she needed to shape the box itself. Within her mind she needed to go beyond the realms of reality, imagine exactly what was to happen; she had to distort the space around her and change it to reflect her desires. That was her ultimate purpose after all, wasn’t it?
In her focus, a green glow radiated from her hands, sparks of green lightning flashed around her. Thoughts of what she needed most became reality as she felt a familiar energy fill her body. An old friend had returned.
Suddenly, everything clicked.
The tenseness in the air vanished entirely. No longer did Jade feel decision anxiety or worries of future outcomes. The truth had revealed itself to her.
John felt the air wrap around his body, comfortably forming a blanket that enveloped him during his descent. For the first time in his life he truly felt free. No longer did the bounds of reality that he’d shackled himself to bind him.
He couldn’t help but crack a serene smile. Finally, it was all going to be over.
The ground grew closer and closer with each passing moment, the objects on the mountainous terrain increased in size to make the inevitable feel just that more real. When he knew that it was finally his moment to move on, he closed his eyes and awaited the last spark of feeling before it’d all be over.
However, the moment continued. The seconds before impact turned into a minute, several minutes even. The inevitable had extended itself into infinity as anxiety returned to the heir’s consciousness.
Upon opening his eyes, he saw a familiar face looking down at him. He could see his own reflection in her glasses. The girl’s mouth maintained that of a calm smile with her signature two teeth sticking out. He saw sparkles in her eyes as if to signify the emotions of relief one may feel when saving their loved one from a suicide attempt.
JOHN: jade…?
JADE: john…
Jade’s smile faded into an expression of concern as they slowly reached the ground. She’d held her brother in her arms, clinging onto him for dear life. She didn’t quite understand what she’d done to save him, but that didn’t matter.
John was safe.
Upon touching the ground, Jade set down John and let him get his bearings. John placed his hand on his forehead and felt a rush of emotions return to him. His voice shook as the former apathy and acceptance that he’d fostered during his fall shattered into pure manic energy.
JOHN: oh my fucking god.
JADE: john… :(
He looked up at the statue, moisture forming in his eyes. Memories flashed through his brain as he tried to recall what led him to such an extreme conclusion. However, nothing could surface in the sea of emotions that now enveloped his mind.
JADE: its ok…
Jade hugged him.
JADE: it
JADE: its ok… im here…
JADE: im here john…
JADE: im here…
She struggled to produce any form of response other than small impulsive repetitions of typical and shallow phrases. She meant well, but not much would help the suicidal boy that rested in her arms.
JOHN: jade…
John buried his face into his sister’s shoulder, muffling his voice.
JADE: john…
Jade squeezed him as hard as she could, clinging onto him for dear life.
JOHN: im sorry…
Jade shook him from side to side.
JADE: no!!!
JADE: dont be sorry!!!
JADE: please god dont be sorry!
John lifted his head and saw waterfalls of tears upon his sister’s face.
JOHN: but i-
JADE: NO!
JOHN: jade i fucked up…
JADE: i know!!!!
JADE: but i fucked up too!
JADE: i just…
JADE: it doesnt matter!
John shook his head and sighed.
JOHN: the stuff with vriska
JOHN: all this drama
JOHN: it’s my fault.
JOHN: i should’ve told terezi…
JOHN: i should’ve fucking told everyone!
JOHN: even worse i shouldn’t have eaten that fucking pie!!!!
JOHN: i should’ve fought lord english and made things right!
JADE: john…
JOHN: our dreams are important, jade!
JOHN: and i was the one who gave up…
JOHN: i’m sorry…
Jade clung to her brother and shook her head.
JADE: john…
JADE: its ok
JADE: we make mistakes…
JADE: i cant imagine how it felt
She paused.
JADE: no… i know how you feel
JADE: i know exactly how you feel…
JADE: but im here for you
JADE: im not gonna let you suffer alone
JOHN: i deserve it.
JOHN: i ruined our lives jade.
JOHN: i chose wrong…
JADE: john…
JOHN: if only i’d made the right choice…
JADE: john no…
JOHN: i should’ve just trusted rose!
JOHN: i fucked up everything!
JOHN: we’re stuck dealing with the consequences because of me!
JADE: john.
JOHN: this universe is doomed to die of irrelevance as more of my shitty decisions continue to hurt everyone and everything!
JADE: john!
JOHN: i tried to kill myself just now which would’ve made everything worse!
JADE: JOHN!
JOHN: it’s all my fault…
Jade pushed her brother in front of her. Holding him just by her right hand, she raised her left and hit him with a powerful slap.
JADE: shut up!!!!
JADE: do you really think all of this shit is your fault?
JADE: hurting terezi? making everyone think youre a fucking pedophile? not dealing with some vague notion of “canon”?
JADE: you arent the center of the universe!
JADE: you think everything is some binary choice!
JOHN: i-
JADE: rose is right about you!
JADE: you just let fucking everything get to you and blame yourself for these passive ass choices you made!
JADE: then you get all upset because you picked wrong!
JADE: what? are you gonna say that the binary choice of whether or not committing to killing yourself was your fault? that you shouldve chosen to fly and not have me save you?
JOHN: jade-
JADE: well guess what!!!!!!
JADE: sometimes these choices dont fucking matter!!!!!
JADE: getting stuck in this place of self loathing cuz of some shitty binary choice gets you nowhere!!!!
JADE: IF I THOUGHT LIKE YOU ID HAVE ALREADY KILLED MYSELF!!!!!!
Her words echoed into the empty mountain range. The air grew thin around the siblings as realization fell upon the both of them; it was as if lucidity had finally returned to the irrational pair.
John stood with wide eyes, processing his sister’s aggressive statements.
JOHN: im…
JOHN: im sorry…
Jade let go of her brother and stepped backwards, looking at her shaking hands, mortified at what she’d said.
JADE: j-john…
JADE: im…
She clenched her fists and turned around—she attempted to keep herself calm, but emotions welled up inside her that her weakened state was unable to constrain.
JADE: fuck!!!!
JADE: im such a fucking asshole!!!!
Jade kicked up dirt on the ground and screamed.
JOHN: jade no-
Jade turned back around to see her brother; she breathed heavily as she saw John weakly looking at her.
JADE: im sorry
JADE: i
JADE: i shouldnt have said any of that
John slightly smiled.
JOHN: i mean
JOHN: i kinda deserved it.
JADE: no you dont!!!
JOHN: no, i mean i’ve just had my head up my own ass.
JOHN: and i call karkat dense sometimes haha.
JADE: still doesnt mean i shouldve said it… :(
JOHN: it’s fine.
JOHN: you were right
JOHN: i need to figure my shit out…
John took a deep breath as his smile widened.
JOHN: i was gonna visit jake if you wanna join me!
JOHN: i think all of this was a wakeup call…
JOHN: maybe just going to see a friend would go a long way!
JOHN: well, at least it’s better than laying in bed all day lol.
Jade looked at her brother, stunned. Mere moments ago, he was a sobbing wreck, ready to end it all and act like he was atoning for his sins. Now, it was like the John she’d known all those years ago had returned just a little bit. She couldn’t help but smile back.
JADE: yeah…
JADE: thats a good idea
JADE: lets do it! :D