BONUS: 13 Years Later
- - tackyGroove [TG] began pestering gambleTricks [GT] at 11:26 - -
TG: hey
TG: what kind of heavy junk you pull yesterday?
GT: :B Wouldn't you just like to know :D
TG: i would
TG: thats y i asked u chump
GT: Maybe I'll tell you, but then maybe I'll ask for you to not type like your from the seventies. :B
TG: what
TG: u jellin
TG: thats all
TG: u jellin so bad your turnin green in the face egbert
GT: Why is it every time I talk to you, I end up with a wall of red text?
TG: because red is dope
TG: blue is so
TG: egberty
GT: Its 'dope' alright :B
TG: u gunna tell me what ringin loot u got or what
GT: Nope! Like I said, you're going to have to wait until we go to the island :D
TG: its another magic set
TG: i know its another magic set
TG: its always a magic set
GT: It is totally not a magic set! D:
TG: sure egbert
TG: i bet 10 cool points that it is a magic set
TG: this is 10 hole CP egbert
TG: putting it on the line for you
TG: rnt i a great
GT: I got a book ok! Its not a magic set. I don't even know what a magic set is! Is that some sort of set of items you use to perform magic or something?
TG: chillax
TG: but seriously
TG: ol man egbert cant splerge on more then a bogue book
TG: lame
GT: OMG D: Ok, your right. It's a magic book… about new card tricks. Ok?
TG: did it come with anything
GT: A deck of cards. These cards are really cool! They have Colonel Sassacre's logo, right on the back of the cards! These are real magic cards!
TG: if it came with something
TG: then its a magic set
TG: even if its just cards.
TG: magic the gathering kind of magic
TG: or everyday
TG: completely fake magic
GT: Magic isn't fake!
TG: lame
TG: as your older cousin
TG: its my duty to make you cool
TG: strider cool
TG: got that
TG: and magic aint cool
TG: the beat is tho
TG: tunes are tubular
TG: can u dig it
TG: r u taking notes?
TG: jegus egbert
TG: i will quiz u on this next week
"Casey? Casey are you busy?"
A young girl jumped. She whirled around in her computer chair, sending her shaggy black hair flying into her face, tangling with her glasses, as the door opened, and a middle aged man entered, holding a briefcase.
"Uh, no, Dad." Casey smiled, "Just talking to Dove."
"Oh? How is she?"
"Apparently she's 'tubular'." Casey smirked,
Dad laughed, "Well can you ask her if Uncle Jake is home? I need to call him, you know, now that we know the due date for your new baby brother, we know when we can go for that family vacation at Uncle Jake's island."
"We were just talking about that actually." Casey smiled,
"Oh good." Dad nodded, "And remember, Cas! Read that book I got you, you've got to prank those Striders good. Show em a piece of their own business!"
Casey grinned, "Yes! Dove won't know what hit her!"
"That's my girl!" Dad laughed.
Casey turned back to the monitor… as she was expecting, there was already a wall of red text…
Even though Dove was still typing, Casey decided to interrupt her.
GT: Dad wants to know if Uncle Jake is home
TG: oh now you talk to me
TG: i thought we were pals eggy
TG: but i guess wrong
TG: bffs dont ignore each other
TG: even to talk to their folks
GT: OH MY GOD DOVE! Shush up for one minute
TG: be still eggy
TG: big sissy is giving u a lecture
TG: ur still taking notes
TG: u better be
TG: still gunna quiz ya
GT: Is your Dad home or not?
TG: cha
GT: Thank you. Now if you don't mind, I need to catch up on my reading. Got to have a lot of cool card tricks learned before we all meet up at the island.
TG: if life were a game
TG: and we had to choose a weapon
TG: y do i have the feeling ur weapon would be cards
GT: Because cards are awesome!
TG: nope
TG: cards are lame
TG: magic is lame
TG: ur lame
TG: end of story
TG: class dismissed
TG: get out before i thro a desk at you
TG: pop quiz tomorrow.
GT: ok ok!
TG: fail on the test
TG: that is 20CP taken off your cool ectoladder
GT: Awe! Come on Dove, it took me a long time to work up those points!
TG: nope
TG: but
TG: i will brb
TG: my puppet senses are tingling
TG: catch u on the flipside eggy!
- - tackyGroove [TG] ceased pestering gambleTricks [GT] at 12:03 - -
GT: Puppet senses? Geez Dove, you're so weird!
...
Sometimes… Casey wondered if that girl just likes to talk. She rolled her eyes and put her Pesterchum on idle, before walking downstairs.
"Dad!" She called, "Dove says Uncle Jake is home!"
"Thank you!" Dad called from his office.
Casey shrugged, and went back upstairs to go read her new book about Colonel Sassacre Approved 1001 New Card Tricks.
… … …
John heard Casey call down to him. He smiled and picked up the phone, dialling his uncle's number. It rang twice before Jake finally answered the phone.
"Hello, Jake here."
"Hey Uncle Jake." John smiled, leaning back in his chair.
"John!" Jake cheered, "So great to hear from you! How's the family?"
"Casey's doing good. Got spoiled for her birthday yesterday."
"So I heard."
"We found out Vriska's due date, and its June twelfth." John stated, "So we thought that we should give Vriska some time to recover from the birth, and give the baby some time to adjust, before we head to the island. That, and Casey and Dove will be on summer break soon, so why not go in the summer?"
"Sounds like a plan!"
There was a loud crash.
"What was that?" John asked,
"That would be Dirk and Dove." Jake sighed,
"Are they going at it again?" John asked,
"Yeah. Even though I keep telling Dirk that he's in his fifties now, and he's strifing against a thirteen year old…he's going to get himself hurt one of these days."
"Or Dove will beat him." John laughed,
"Oh I've warned him about that." Jake laughed, "Dove isn't stupid. Its been years since he's been able to sneak up on her. And its become a daily war in the house in the mornings. I remember a time when Dirk was not a morning person… now basically, whoever gets up first, gets the drop on the other."
"The drop?" John asked,
"If Dove gets up before Dirk… its usually Dirk and I that get pummelled by stuffed animals in the morning… if it's the other way around, its Dove getting pummelled by puppets… all in all… I feel trapped in a sea of plush."
John laughed, "Sounds noisy over there!"
"Oh it is. Usually, one of their failed plush-attacks will end up with them strifing." Jake laughed, "I always have my video camera ready for when that happens, because I told Dirk, the day Dove beats him in a strife, I want to be there to record it."
"It will happen." John laughed,
"Oh it will." Jake agreed, "He isn't getting any younger."
There was a pause before Jake said, "I think Dirk missed it though. He used to strife with Dave all the time…"
John nodded, forgetting he could not see him, "Its good for him."
"Yes." Jake laughed, "Though I think if she tells him that 'irony is lame' one more time, something will get broken."
"She's all about 'retro', right?" John asked,
"Always." Jake replied, "We updated Jade's grave, I'll bring pictures."
"That would be nice." John said.
… … …
Jake leaned back in his chair with a sigh, just thinking about the past.
So much had changed. He went from a single businessman, to married with three kids just-like-that. Though one had passed away, and one lived in the USA, it still didn't change the fact that he was getting old.
So was Dirk, but as he looked out the window and into the courtyard to see him locking swords with a thirteen year old… he could not tell.
The two whirled around, and Jake smiled when he saw Dove's face. She was beaming a large smile as she parried Dirk's attack. Her…bazaar haircut - one she said she based off a 2006 video game about Disney and Final Fantasy or something like that - whipped behind her, her bangs swirling over her shades.
While she was…an eccentric girl - she was at least moderately brought up. She did not like the taste of alcohol, and preferred orange juice to anything, and had to his knowledge, never done drugs. She even participated in a school event against them. Which he was happy about. He would he happy if those things never came into his life again.
She was a good girl. Loud, and hyper. But a good girl.
"How is Casey?" He asked.
"Casey is doing great!" John reported, "She got in a little trouble at school from some pranks, but she more then makes up for it with a straight A average."
"Sounds good." Jake smiled, adjusting the video camera to follow his husband and his daughter as the two of them strifed.
"We went down to Houston during spring break, to visit Vriska's parents." John said, "We cleaned up the Strider graves, and took pictures as well."
"Thank you! I've got to see them! Oh!" Jake gasped, leaning forward in his chair again, "That reminds me! We got a strange package in the mail the other day, addressed from someone claiming to be Dave's biological sister."
"Oh?" John asked.
"Yes, a card said she tracked us down using a P.I, in order to give us some items that she said used to belong to him." Jake reported,
"What items?" John asked,
"A pair of aviator sunglasses, an old-fashioned radio, and a long scarf." Jake listed off, "All of which, Dove stole the moment we opened them."
"Yeah. Thought as much." John laughed, "You probably got her on the 'old fashioned' part."
"Yup!" Jake laughed, "The shades caused a strife between Dirk and Dove though, when Dirk said the shades were 'Ironic' and she said that they were not, and that they were 'Retro'."
John let out a loud laugh on the other side of the phone, "That's awesome!"
"Well, sorry to let you go, John," Jake stated, "But it looks like they are slowing down now. I need to make sure I get the end of the strife recorded, encase Dove beats Dirk."
"If she does, send it to me." John laughed.
"I will." Jake grinned, "Good bye John."
"Bye Uncle Jake!"
He hung up the phone, and went outside to record his two favourite blondes.
… … …
Dove sighed as she flopped down in her computer chair, her tapered 'Namine-style' hair falling over one of her shoulders, her bangs dropping over the corners of her aviators.
Casey was still away, but there was Mr. Purple she could talk to…
- - tackyGroove [TG] began pestering tacticalTruncheon [TT] at 1:28 - -
TG: i just got my ass handed to me by my dad again
TT: Did you try the method I told you last time?
TG: nah
TG: man i forgot
TG: heat of the moment
TG: catch my drift
TT: The solution to your problem is uncomplicated. You just lack the intelligence to actually go through with the most straightforward of instructions.
TG: whoa man
TG: just whoa
TG: bogus
TG: lay off the thesorus
TT: Thesaurus
TG: wuteves
TG: anyway lalonde
TG: talk to egbert today
TT: If by 'egbert' you by chance indicate Casey Egbert, and by 'lalonde' you mean myself, then no. I have not. I have not articulated with Casey since her birthday yesterday.
TG: chillax man
TG: i keep forgetting i am talking to none other then rick lalonde master tactician
TG: all bow down before his mighty brain
TT: Indeed.
TG: that was sarcasm dude
TG: you are lame
TT: Now it is my turn to ask a question. Have you had a chance to talk to Vantas today?
TG: ventus
TG: no
TG: dude peaced out
TG: anyway
TG: i just wanted to saw thank you for sending that package
TG: ill let the king know i got his shades
TG: and he aint ever getting em back
TG: these retro babies r mine
TG: k
TG: looks like egbert is back online
TG: im going to tell her about the shades.
TG: ttyl
TT: Talk to you later, Strider.
- - tackyGroove [TG] ceased pestering tacticalTruncheon [TT] at 1:43 - -
- - tackyGroove [TG] began pestering gambleTricks [GT] at 1:44 - -
TG: hey
GT: You are so going to get it when we meet at the island :D
GT: This book is full of cool tricks!
TG: oh god
TG: no
TG: just no
TG: no tricks
TG: tricks are just as lame as magic
GT: Your lame!
TG: no
TG: im rad
TG: rad to the max
TG: awesome possum rad
GT: I get it. You are pretty awesome :D
TG: now ur learning
TG: guess what i got
GT: What?
TG: i got the kings old shades
TG: the one from back when he lived in our world
TG: boss aviators man
TG: total boo ya
GT: Oh god Dove… your not going on about the Dream World again, are you? You know that's not real.
TG: how do you know
TG: how would you possibly know since you wont let yourself go
GT: Because, a world that exists in our dreams is silly. There is no logic behind it…
TG: if mr brains believe in it y cant u
GT: Rick believes in the Dream World? I'm calling bull! Good try Strider, but you can't fool me that easily. You can't trick the Princess of Tricks, go back to listening to your disco, and leave the practical jokes to me.
TG: this aint a joke.
TG: gee
TG: usually gold dreamers are more easy to convince then u r
TG: ok
TG: if u dont believe me
TG: then do me a fav
GT: What?
TG: at least try
TG: try to believe.
TG: before you go to bed tonight
TG: think about the dream world
TG: think about it
TG: and pray to go there
TG: ur the princess of tricks right
TG: trick urself into believing
TG: trust me
TG: u will love it in the dream world
TG: u and i r both princesses there
TG: my Bro and ur aunt are the king and queen
TG: we could chill there
TG: u can meet lalonde for the first time
TG: and we can easily convince vantas to come to
GT: I don't think so. He's a stubborn old goat.
TG: u think he's bad
TG: try talking to his dad
TG: ol man vantas is even worse
TG: but anyway
TG: do me this one little fav
TG: and i promise u
TG: i will never bother u about it again
TG: promise me egbert
TG: promise me casey
TG: that tonight ull at least try to go to the dream world
GT: *DRAMATIC SIGH AND ROLLS HER EYES* Fine Dove, I promise you, tonight I will try and visit the Dream World.
TG: thank you
TG: you get those 20CP back
TG: plus an extra 10
TG: u have enough to scale up to the next level on ur cool ectoladder
TG: u have passed the lame rung
TG: and entered the less lame rung
TG: but
TG: ur boyfriend is now online
TG: so ill let u go talk to him
TG: and i will peace out
GT: *blushes* Rick is not my boyfriend!
TG: u r so madly crushing on lalonde
TG: i can tell
TG: but yeah
TG; if u make it to the dream world tonight
TG: ill talk to u then
TG: go talk to lalonde
TG: PEACE SISTA!
- - tackyGroove [TG] ceased pestering gambleTricks [GT] at 1:59 - -
Casey rolled her eyes, but could feel her face heating up, and knew she was blushing. Fine then! She will talk to Rick for awhile! But… only because he was a friend, and for no other reason besides that…
Time rolled by like it usually did, Mom got home shortly before dinner, and the three of them sat down and ate. Casey wondered what life would be like when she had a little brother?
Dove had been going on for years about visiting her 'Bro' in the Dream World, and Casey always ignored her. Maybe there was something wrong in Dove's head? She would not be surprised if in one of their strifes, Uncle Dirk accidentally damaged something in her head? Or maybe she has some medical problem that they don't know about because she was adopted?
But Rick was perfectly healthy… or so she could tell by talking with him. She liked Rick, he was always fun to talk to, and he always helped her on her homework. He was a lot more fun to talk to then that loud mouth Vantas, though she knew Dove and Vantas liked to spar all the time. There were times during memos where the two would start a heated debate over something silly…
Before Casey knew it, it was time for bed, and as her parents tucked her in and said their good-nights, she lay there wondering if the Dream World was even possible?
Casey knew about Dove's older brother, a guy who passed away before she was adopted into the family, and she knew about her aunt, a woman that had passed away before the was born as well. But the idea of them being dead, but still existing in the Dream World? That was silly. Dove was just messed in the head.
She loved her cousin, but Casey knew how eccentric she was.
There was no such thing as a 'Dream World'. There couldn't be…
…But… she did promise Dove that she would at least try.
Blushing, she snuggled in deeper into the covers. Ok… it couldn't be too hard right? Just lay here and pretend that when you fell asleep, you would wake up in a world of make believe… I mean, a real world that only existed in people's dreams…
She closed her eyes, and tried to picture what the Dream World was like. Dove told her it was a brilliant world of purple and gold, the two worlds having merged when Dove's Bro and Casey's Aunt became King and Queen.
She tried to imagine tall towers, streets laid out in gold and purple… strange chess-piece like men waiting for her to arrive…
It would be nice… to visit it actually.
"Please." She whispered, slipping into the warm embraces of sleep, "Let me go to the Dream World…"
END
So, that was the bonus chapter, closing things off. Probably not needed, but I felt like writing it XD
Dove is really fun to write XD I was throwing attributes from Dave and Jade into her character design, and the retro thing was based off a lesser character from my own comic. Casey was fun to write as well. I have the strongest urge to draw them now! And I probably will!
Thank you all, and I will probably write the next chapter of Broken Wings now - though first I am going to take a break and get something to eat.
If anyone here is also reading Broken Wings, I shall see you all soon! …Broken Wings chapters take a lot longer to write though, then Wrong's chapter were. Can't wait to see what I am going to write next!
I had a lot of fun writing this story… even though it was really depressive. And now that its over, I am sitting here like I do after beating a video game, or finishing a book… sitting here wondering, what now? XD
Fun Fact:
I spend most of this story writing it while suffering from Mono, and then later, a serious concussion, as well as suffering through two deaths.