Rewind Please Ch 3

turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB]

TG: hey
TG: hey
TG: john
TG: damn it youre asleep arent you
TG: come on
TG: wake up john

Cracking your eyes open at the noise, you groan and reach over to grab the goggles. Still only half awake, you reply quickly.

EB: what?
TG: the matrix has you.
It takes you a moment, but somewhere in the back of your mind you manage to connect the reference.

EB: very funny dave.
TG: bros alive

Wait, why would this be news? Isn't his brother always alive? Since when has Dave been Captain Obvious? After a second your brain clicks on and you get it. Bro is alive, but in the game he got stabbed through the chest by a huge dog human demon thing with wings. Your dad was in a similar position back then, but he's fine now.

EB: my dad too
EB: was bro waiting for you?
TG: no thats now how things work around here
TG: didnt see him till i woke up
TG: he just handed me a plane ticket and told me to pack my shit
EB: what? where are you going?
TG: ticket says that we land in seatac tomorrow morning
EB: you're coming to washington?
TG: no were going to the seatac in alaska

A message from Rose flashes and you tell Dave to hold on for a second before switching chats.

TT: I've been informed that I'm going to be moving to Washington.
EB: you too? dave just told me the same thing!
EB: let me guess, sea-tac tomorrow morning?
TT: exactly.
TT: I'm not surprised that they're bringing us together, though I don't understand why we're all going to Washington instead of to my house, which is much more out of the way.
EB: yeah, that's sorta confusing.
TT: Have you talked to Jade?
EB: not yet.
TT: You should check up on her, she's been uncharacteristically inactive. I'm slightly worried about her, but I have to pack up the Hubtopband for the trip.
EB: okay, i'll do that.
TT: I will see you tomorrow, I suppose.
EB: bye, have a safe trip!

ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]

Before chatting with Jade, you look at your chumroll. None of the trolls are online still, but Dave is and you decide to finish up there.

TG: jesus man leave me hanging
EB: sorry, i was talking to rose. she's coming to washington too.
TG: well then i should go pack for my first real world meeting with my ectosib
EB: haha, alright dave!
EB: see you tomorrow!

turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB]

With that chat closed, you finally check on Jade. You haven't even closed the chat with her from however long ago that quick chat was.

EB: jade, are you there still?
GG: yeah, sorry. just packing!
EB: are you coming to washington too?
GG: i dont know, some guys with a plane just showed up and said that they were going to fly me to some place called sea-tac.
GG: ill be there by tomorrow morning, wherever it is!
EB: sea-tac is an airport in washington.
EB: rose and dave are going to be there tomorrow morning too!
GG: cool!
EB: i guess i'll be waiting for you there!
EB: wait, couldn't you just teleport yourself over here?
GG: yeah i guess, but i've always wanted to fly in an airplane!
EB: okay, see you tomorrow then!
GG: bye!

gardenGnostic [GG] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB]

With that finished, you hurry to find your father. You bet that he knows about this, but you want to make sure you're there to pick them up.

"Dad, Rose and Jade and Dave are all flying into Sea-Tac tomorrow morning, can we go pick them up?" you shout, stumbling over your own feet as you try to rush down the stairs and through the living room.
"I was already planning on it, son. Mr. Strider, Mrs. Lalonde, and I all decided that it was best that you kids be together."

"So we're going to be there when they land?" you ask to check.

"Yes, which happens to be at four o'clock tomorrow morning." He tries to hide the annoyance in his voice, but it's clearly there and instantly forgiven.

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice the sky. All of the colors of sunrise are bright behind the dark purple clouds. An enormous sun is on the horizon, blessing the world with morning light. It's a sunrise that you never thought you would get to see again.

"The sky is beautiful," you mutter, walking towards the front window.

"Yes, I agree," your dad says, following you. "I love the sunsets here."

Sunsets?

"How long was I asleep?" you demand, turning to face him.

"Probably a little over a day. You should go shower up, son. Three years without a proper shower does not treat one well," your dad tells you before disappearing into the kitchen.

You agree with your dad, noticing with a bit of a smile that he seems more relaxed. As you bound back up the stairs, you think idly to yourself. It wasn't really three years without a shower, that would have been disgusting. What it was, in all actuality, was three years without hot water. This meant that showers weren't a fun thing; they were just a quick rubdown to keep life bearable. With that said, you opt for a full-out bath. It takes a few minutes, but soon enough you're sinking into the warm water. The heat envelopes you and you allow yourself to forget everything for just a moment, closing your eyes and breathing in the steam.

At almost the exact moment that you open your eyes, you realize that you forgot to exchange your Serious Business Goggles for your real glasses. The Pesterchum logo pops up, alerting you that a chum has decided to pester you. Again. You begin to take them off, but pause for a moment. The fear that someone is trying with their last dying breath to contact you is still pressed into your very being. With a sigh and a roll of your eyes, you open the window.

turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB]

TG: hey man you heard from the trolls?
EB: no, why?
TG: their handles arent active
EB: of course not, they're not logged on.
TG: no i mean they arent active
TG: i tried to send a simple hello to tz and got rejected
TG: sorry sir this chumhandle doesnt exist
TG: i dont know why the fuck you have it
TG: but theres nobody there to answer you
EB: what?
EB: how is that possible?
TG: i dont think theyre alive man
EB: they have to be alive.
EB: i mean, we're alive.
EB: they have to be!
TG: getting pissed wont make it so
TG: sorry egbert
TG: oh shit
EB: what?
TG: this is daves brother you need to leave him alone now hes supposed to be packing and if you talk to him again hell be in a choke hold until his head falls off
EB: oh okay bye then!

ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering turntechGodhead [TG]

They are not dead, you refuse to believe that. You consider messaging Karkat, just to prove that Dave is wrong. Instead you set your phone down, sinking further into the bath. Closing your eyes, you let your mind drift to your friends. If the pattern follows, they should all be alive again. Vriska will be okay, just like she was all those years ago. Karkat won't be in charge of the whole group anymore, maybe he'll be happy. Maybe he'll be at least a bit less grumpy. Yes, that's exactly how it will be.
You're only kidding yourself with this string of thoughts. It would be an outright lie to say that you are oblivious to the violence of the troll planet. Part of you, the rational part of you that hides under your facade of smiles, wonders if they were killed. That isn't something that you'd like to assume. With a heavy sigh, you pull yourself out of the bath. After so many years stuck in constant motion, being so still feels wrong to you. Pulling a towel around your waist and grabbing your phone, you walk quickly back to your room out of habit. Davesprite made it a regular joke to freak you out after a shower, when you were least expecting it, but you realize with a pang of sadness that Davesprite probably doesn't exist anymore.

reflectedSpecter [RS] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB]

RS: john what is even going on

Okay, maybe he does.