Your name is Dave Strider and this is uncool in the worst way. You don't really know what you expected but certainly not this. Rejection. It stung worse than the injuries you received when laid open by your Bro's sword.

Look before you end it all, before you close your eyes for the last time. Your painted wings are fading..

No matter how much it stung, you kept your trademark poker face to mask the raging disruption inside. "Yeah, okay. It's cool, bro. Know you don't swing that way, just thought it should be laid out on the table."

I can feel you falling away, no longer the lost. No longer the lame. I can see you starting to break.

Deciding that its in your best interest to leave your best bro alone after telling him how you felt for him, you do just that.

Your name is Dave Strider and you now hate your life. John has rejected your feelings for him which you would probably find humorous and ironic were you not serious about it. You don't want to go home and face Bro, knowing he would just challenge you to a Strife when you weren't up for it. You just wanted to be alone. So, avoiding going anywhere that people knew you, you did the most illogical thing ever that you would ever do. You decided to run, run with only what you had in your pockets. You didn't have a specific place to go, you didn't even care. Wandering around to collect yourself would be enough. Assuming some ironic bullshit didn't come along to fuck you up, or something.

Some time later, you find yourself in a bad part of town. A real bad part of town, very few came here and made it out again unscathed. And with your pretty face, that could be a problem.

Paranoia suddenly kicks in, chilling you right down to your core and rocking your very soul.

You don't recall much, just that there was a nasty smelling cloth over your nose and mouth.

Try as you might to avoid breathing in the toxic chemicals. Failing, your world goes black and your body grows heavy.

Your name is John Egbert and you have just watched your best bro, Dave, leave so suddenly.

You want to stop him but you know it won't do much good. Dave is stubborn as hell, so you let him go.

Your shock, when you hear he's missing, is groundbreaking. You don't know what you expected, but certainly not for Dave to turn up missing. What was worse, it was starting to turn dark and thunder crashed in the distance so you knew long foretold storms were beginning to settle in over the town like a thick blanket.

Your name is Dave Strider and you are just waking up. It's dark, cold, and wet. You hated each of these factors and with them combined, you were downright unfuckinghappy.

What else could you do though but look around. It is only then you have feeling return to your body, there's pain and it burns. Acrid smoke feels your lungs, suffocating and unwanted. You would cough, but giving your captors that satisfaction. Even though you're choking on the smoke and the bile you feel rising, you refrain with all your might. With all Bro taught you to be.

It's only several minutes before you hear cackling in the gloom and darkness. It's bone-chilling, and it scares you. But you keep your poker face, you're bound to a bed, but not gagged thankfully. Your clothes are torn and you suddenly realize that, damn this cowardly ass to hell. "You open your mouth to speak, only to discover your throat is raw. Like you've been screaming for hours. But you know better, it must be from the drugs used on you.

As the creature who made the creepy laughter drew close, it's dirty fingers traveling up your leg in the dim lighting of the place, or maybe it's your shades obstructing the light, you can't help but cringe a little.

You want to tell this creep to fuck off, but your voice isn't strong enough and you can't even begin to hope he'll listen. Not with the position they have you in, not when you're so vulnerable.

Your name is Dave Strider and fuck do your ribs hurt. You're no longer trapped, but you're too weak to move. Too tired, too cold. The ground feels sticky beneath you, semi-warm but that warmth was being washed away by the cold rain pelting the ground and your aching body.

Sirens. You can vaguely hear sirens in the background, people walking, dogs barking. But those sounds are muffled, you can't tell if they're close by or far away.

Bro...John...

I'm sorry...

You close your eyes and curl your broken body up as well as you could. You can't feel the protests of your body anymore, nor its frantic signals that tell you to relax and uncurl so you're not in such an awkward position.

You don't care anymore, you're no longer the free spirit you were before now. You won't see your friends faces again you don't think, but you can imagine their shock and horror. Bro...how would he even react? You don't know, but its interesting to ponder..

Your name is Jade Harley and you have been notified that Dave is missing. As his friend, you take Bec and go searching. You search with the local police, your grandfather having been one of their own for many years and now that he lead the force. There was little to nothing stopping you from searching. They can't say you're impeding an investigation, Dave is your friend and you are concerned.

Hours pass and the rain grows heavier, but you keep searching. All your hard work may seem for naught right now but it was about to pay off. Bec barked and took off, you following after your faithful companion. He is sniffing at what appears to be a pile of torn clothes, but at closer inspection, you discover that it's Dave. You gasp and are at his side in a heartbeat, reaching down to cup his dirty face and lifted it. "Dave...Dave?" Brushing his pale locks from his face, you realize he's. cold. "No, no no. Dave stay with me.."
You stop to yell that you found him and scream for an ambulance.

It wasn't long before you and Bec are in the vehicle with Dave's cold and almost lifeless body. He'd been attacked and stabbed multiple times along with signs of being raped repeatedly. You play with his wet hair, your tears sliding down your face silently.

Your name is Bro Strider, alternatively known as Dirk, but you prefer Bro. You are frantic, your almost son/little brother has gone missing and you are having what others would call a mid-life crisis.

Roxy and Rose have come, witnessing your stoic facade crumble to pieces. You normally would send them away, but you can't bring yourself to. You, for once, need their support to keep yourself together.

You, Bro Strider, have never been so stressed out in your life. Not since you found Dave in a crater. Odd as that was, his arrival was a blessing in disguise, his departure, if dead, would definitely be a curse.

You don't know if you could stomach such a thing, the mere thought makes you sick. Makes your insides squirm and twist and churn. You hate this feeling, this anxiousness and uncontrolled worry.

It wasn't until the phone rang that you realized you had been pacing back and forth, you jumped about six feet into the air like a jumpy cat.

Snatching the phone from your pocket, you flipped it open and answered with an exasperated tone. "Hello?" You listened attentively, nodding an murmuring in hushed tones for responses.

Your face probably paled about three shades due to the news you had just received, your features grim as your hand tightened on the device. With a final nod and confirmation, you hang up.

Your name is Bro Strider and you've just received news that your little brother is at the hospital but is in critical condition. The doctor seems doubtful that he'll make it, you can't risk losing him.

Immediately you left for the hospital, not giving an explanation to the girls. They followed silently, falling into step behind you.
You barely stopped at the right places, practically throwing your car into park when you were in a spot.

You run up to the doors, girls in tow. Upon reaching the front desk, you breathe. "Dave Strider." It wasn't long before you're escorted to his room, left alone once there. Jade was there, sitting by his side and holding one of his mangled hands.

"Dave," you hiss upon seeing his sorry state.

Your name is Dave Strider and you're somewhere warm, you no longer ache and you can't remember seeing the place you're at. It's white and feels rather welcoming. Like you've been welcomed home for the first time on your life. Like you've been away forever and you've just returned, the white wrapping its arms around you like your brother would after a long day of school.

For the first time, you can open your eyes and see without your sorrow. Without the suffering and pain, the burdens you carried all your life.

'Welcome home, Dave.' A warm voice echoed, allowing a sense of security to pass through you.

Your name is Bro Strider and you reach your brother's bedside just moments before he flatlined. Your hand brushes through his pale blonde locks, "oh Dave..." You usher Jade from her seat and bury your face into your brothers stomach. You wrap your arms around him, hearing the room empty.

You are Dave Strider and you are dead, you have no doubt about it now. You're comfortable and safe, but do you want that? You're not sure, it seems too simple to you. You were born a fighter and you're not a quitter.

A familiar voice to you speaks, "oh Dave..."

You look around, looking for the source of the voice. Rising to your feet, you decide to investigate.

Where the voice is coming from, you don't really know but you will find it.

Your name is Bro Strider and you're crying, crying over the tragic loss of your little brother. You feel as though all meaning in your pristinely strict life has just been severed, torn away.

You don't realize that the doctor is watching you now, that your brothers heart is faintly beating again and growing stronger once more.

Your name is John Egbert and you feel terrible, you have forced your best bro to run away and practically commit suicide. It wasn't until recently that you heard of Dave going missing and being found, you don't know more than that.

How could you have been so cold to him? You knew that he would probably take it badly yet you did nothing to stop him from leaving like he did, the awkwardness of the situation was too much to bear.

Going to the hospital now seems bad, but not going seems worse. Indecision grips at your heart, tugging the strings violently. Before you chicken out, you go to the hospital, taking the car because you know your father won't mind.

== be Dave:

You are now Dave Strider, you're furiously searching for a way back. You've heard the call of angels and as alluring as that is, the call of your guardian. Your brother and father figure. There's a desperate need now, an urge and desire to see him. Even if its just one last time, you need to make him understand that you're okay.

What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?
What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up that you're okay?

Dave: == fight

You are Dave Strider, not was. You refuse to lay down and die, your brother needs you. Your friends need you just as you need them, and you do not plan to disappoint. You are not a failure, you were trained to be a survivor. A legend, a fighter. You will live to die another day.

== Be John

You are now John Egbert and you have arrived at your best bro's room, finding a broken down Bro and in uncharacteristically silent Roxy and Rose, a crying Jade and her faithful canine companion.

A chill rolls through you as you realize you are too late, that he's gone. He wasn't strong enough and you had tossed him out into the cold, emotionally. Dave was always the strong, stoic character of the group and now he was gone. And it was your fault, the guilt you felt was crushing as that realization came crashing down on you.

You had forced him to death's welcoming arms, who knew what hell he experienced before he found peace. Your subconscious could barely manage to register that with everything that had occurred.

Rose had found her way over to you and wrapped her arms around you, as did Jade. The horror on your face must have been quite obvious and excruciating to look at. You let yourself break down, crying into your friends' shoulders. You're not bothered by the hair pets you receive, the hushed murmurs of comfort or attempts at comfort.

== Be Dave:

You are Dave Strider and you can feel a weight against your starch and dull sounds of whimpers. Your stomach hurts like hell, you can't stop a groan that rises from your throat. The sounds gains the attention of your guardian, his head snapping up immediately. "Dave..?" He asks, another low, guttural sound escaping your throat. Your heart rate grows a bit stronger, the machine indicating that.

This excites your brother, as he bolts to find the doctor.

You are Dave and you're a lucky son of a bitch, stubborn and lucky. The doctors are working hard to revive your state of health rather quickly. They seem rather optimistic about your survival, your determination is a key factor to you pulling through.

Your name is Bro Strider and you as well as the others from the room, leaving you all stuck on the hall though you were ushered quickly to the waiting room. You're pacing back and forth, working on walking a hole into the floor. You would walk yourself into exhaustion if no one stopped you and no one seemed like they were going to.

Hours passed before you heard anything, the doctor who had been in charge of Dave's well being' came out and walked up to you. "Mr. Strider?" He asked, studying him. "Yes? How is he doc?" The doctor nodded and began to explain how Dave's condition was and how it was precariously hanging in the balance.

You nod and ask if you can't go in to see him, the doctor reluctantly agrees but limits the number to just one at a time.

As Dave's guardian, it is assumed that you are to go first to visit Dave and speak to him. You follow the doctor to the room though you know the way well enough to find it by yourself, the room number clear in your mind. Dave seemed pale, paler than normal. Paler than you've ever seen him, it worries you greatly.

Brushing your hand through his hair, he stirred and opened his eyes tiredly to look at you. "Bro.." He called weakly to you.

== Be Dave:

You are Dave Strider once more, you're extremely sore despite the sedatives in your system. Your chest hurts most, though whether its physical pain or seeing your brother's face again, you're not sure. All you know is that you're glad he's here and that you're able to see him, especially after everything.