Captchalogued Memories Part 1

"The Heir is dead, we have no breath."

---

"John? John, bro, is that you?"

"Hi Dave!"

"Holy shit. It worked."  Dave ran forward and hugged the boy tightly. "Fuck, John, I missed you."

"Missed me?" He asked, "I don't get it, Dave?"

The blond started laughing quietly, "Of course you don't." He stepped back from John. "You're not him." He turned away and stared down at a card in his hand, "I should have known this was a dumb idea from the start. I'm a fucking moron."

A hand rested on Dave's shoulder, "Dave?"

"Get away from me!" he turned and swiped John's hand away. "Don't touch me!"

"D-Dave?!" John backed away terror beginning to show in his eyes. "Dave what's wrong? Dave?"

"Stop saying my name!" He cursed himself for reacting like this. He glanced away from the card and focused on John. "Listen to me. You are not John; you are an experiment that should never have happened." He held up the card. "This is you. You are nothing but data stored in this card."

"I…I don't, Dave? Is that a Captchalogue Card?" He stepped forward a bit and examined the card up close. "Dave…is that, me?"

He looked away, "Yes," he said ashamed. "I've been experimenting with ways to bring you back ever since you died."

"I died?" He stumbled backwards falling over his own legs. "Dave? Tell me this is a joke, that I'm the butt end of a huge prank." He looked up at Dave's familiar shades. "Please. Please tell me this is a prank. You got me, haha good one." But as he babbled away he realized that this was all truth. Dave wasn't joking around. He stood on trembling legs and found a mirror. His face looked exactly how he remembered, except for his eyes. "Oh god." His hand shot up to his face. He pulled on his bottom eyelid. They were blue, still blue, but there was a thick neon green ring around both of his irises. He turned back to Dave, the mirror showed himself at thirteen, not a bit older. The Dave in front of him wasn't thirteen; he was older now at least eighteen. His legs gave out again and he fell to the floor.

He trembled and held himself tightly, "Oh god, oh god, oh god." Dave stepped forward and knelt in front of him. "Dave…oh god. I'm, I'm not…" He buried his face in his hands and curled up tightly.

"I know, you're not John. I'm sorry." He held the card up and re-captchalogued him. "I'm so sorry."

Dave had been working tirelessly to find a way to bring John back ever since the boy died in the game. He had ceased interactions with his friends and most of the world. There had to be a way. But as he stared down at the card in his hand he began to regret everything he ever did. "This wasn't the answer. Making a copy of John won't bring him back dumbass." He tossed the card on the counter of his makeshift lab and walked up stairs.

---

"Hi Dave!"

That cheerful greeting still bugged the Strider no matter how many times he heard it. "Sup."

"How was your day? Was school fun? What about work? I cleaned the rooms, I hope that was ok. I don't have much else to do."

"Would you shut up? You're giving me a headache."

"S-Sorry."

Dave stared at the boy on his couch, he couldn't bring himself to destroy the card, it felt too much like murder. Even though the being in front of him wasn't technically alive and never needs to eat or drink. He wasn't really alive, so did it even count as murder? He had no idea. "You don't have to clean my house, you're not my maid."

"I know that. I just honestly don't have anything to do." He watched Dave shrug off his coat and kick off his shoes. "You don't let me on the computer or near a phone-"

"That's because you'd just hop on pesterchum, we've been through this. You can't contact the others."

"I-I know that! I wouldn't. I'm just bored. Also, I've seen how busy you are, so I figured I'd do some of the chores, since you don't have time anymore. Which is kinda ironic if you think about it, since you used to be the Knight of-"

"Shut up!" Dave yelled suddenly. "Do not mention that game in my presence, ever. Understand?"

"Y-Yes…Sorry Dave. I'll be more careful." He turned away from Dave and stared back at the T.V. Dave had told him that three years had passed since they beat Sburb. But the topic was a sore subject for his friend and John could never get him to talk about it. His own memories stopped abruptly when they met the trolls. At least he remembered them. John leaned back and sighed, he didn't want to think about having anymore holes in his already limited memory. A hand rested on John's head, he looked up, "Dave?"

"I'm, sorry." He apologized quickly. "This is still very weird to me. No, beyond weird. This is fucking insane. It's not your fault though, you didn't anything." He removed his hand and walked into the kitchen to grab something microwavable to eat. He could still see John on the couch, resting his head on his knees. "Strider what the hell are you doing?" He didn't have an answer for himself. He didn't know why he didn't just leave the boy inside the Captchalogue Card. Keep him there and put him in a file cabinet somewhere and forget.

Now he has this thing, it's John, but it's not John, and it's living in his house. It greets him at the door and smiles and bounces around like a happy idiot. Just like he used to. It makes sense though; he did create him using John as a base. It's like having a thirteen year old clone of him. That's what he's like in reality, a clone, not John. He was determined to keep thinking that way as well.

The microwave beeped and Dave pulled the leftover Asian food from the machine. He sat down on the same couch as John, but didn't glance over at him. "What's on the T.V?"

"Nothing really." He tossed Dave the remote. "Watch what you want." He pulled his legs in closer and made every attempt to not look at Dave. He knew his friend was still agitated. He was also aware that his presence alone can make him uncomfortable. John never wanted that, ever. "Should I leave?" He asked not looking over. His eyes were trained on the television watching vaguely as advertisements flashed across the screen.

"No it's cool. You can stay," the Strider responded. John didn't move, it didn't even look like he was breathing, which for all Dave knew, he didn't have to.

An eerie silence settled down on the two. "Y-you know, I think I'm going to go after all. I'll just go stare at the wall of my room or something. Heh heh." He went to get up but found his arm firmly in Dave's grasp. "D-Dave?" he asked as he was suddenly pulled back down on the couch and moved closer to the blond.

"You're not going anywhere." He released the boys arm and kept staring at the television. "You may not be my John, but you do have your own conscience and awareness. You're not going to be forced to live tiptoeing around me your whole existence."

John sat awkwardly next to Dave. Nothing made much sense to him. He knew that Dave was bothered by the fact that he was even, as he put, "existing" not "living" it just confused the boy even more when he wanted him around. He thought maybe Dave was coming around and wanted his company more. "Hey Dave, you never did say how your day was."

He grumbled and gave a few one word answers. "So, uh, Dave, what do you want to do after this?"

"I'm going to go to my lab; you're doing to do whatever the hell you want." He paused, "That isn't going outside, on the computer, or on the phone."

John sighed and nodded. "Sounds good. I'll be quiet now, you are busy eating." He slumped back against the couch and pulled his legs up again. 'I'm not his friend, who am I trying to kid?' Eventually Dave did get up and leave, going straight to his lab, just like he said. John flipped the T.V to a different input and grabbed for an Xbox controller. Videogames were better than watching the wall.

---

Your name is John Egbert and…wait that's not really true. Well, yeah your name is technically John Egbert, but that's not who you are.  That title is reserved for a boy who died years ago in a game. You're nothing but an imitation. Dave has told you this over and over. He makes sure you know that you are not, and never will be, John Egbert.

You are currently stationed in Dave's room. Occasionally Dave desires your company when he sleeps. He's never done anything sexual to you, he's your creator, and in your mind anyways, a friend. There are times where he can't handle you. He often puts you back in your card and you wait there for days, sometimes weeks until he lets you back out.

It's fine. Everything's fine. You're ok with it. He doesn't mean harm, and being inside your Capchalogue Card doesn't hurt you or anything. Sometimes it's unexpected, but other times he tells you. You're not a person after all, just data, so who are you to complain? It's not your business what Dave Strider does. You just wish maybe he'd start to see you. The real you. It has been almost a half a year since you were first created.

There are nights, similar to this one where Dave requests you to stay with him. You wait patiently on his bed for him to emerge. When he does you slip under the covers and he joins you. Immediately you move closer to him and allow him to slide his arms around you and bury his face in your hair, or neck. He whispers things to you. He tells you he loves you, and always has loved you. He makes sure to tell you to not listen, and understand that these words aren't actually for you, they're for John. You know this. But night after night you listen to him say your name, you hear him confess over and over to you, but not to you. It's hard and you feel awful, like crying, if you could.

You don't need to eat, or drink; you don't have real blood or tears. You're pretty sure breathing is something that you don't need to do either. You like to think of yourself as being alive, but you share nothing in common with an actual living being. You don't even age. The purpose of your life remains a mystery, everything about you seems pointless. But, you figure seeing Dave smile once or twice before he realizes it's you and not John is worth it. You can make him happy, you can make his heart less heavy, that alone is enough to make your odd, non-human eyes open every morning. To know that your presence might make your friend all you need.

But one day, that changes. Your life finally begins to have its own meaning.

---

"Goddamn it Strider! Open the fucking door!" There was a loud banging coming from the front door. John was seated on the couch but his head whipped around at the noise. "It's not like I'm here because I care or anything. You haven't been talking to any of us, and some of your friends are getting worried. They sent me to make sure you hadn't died." There was a silence as both the yelling and pounding ceased. John looked around for Dave; he wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Dave if you don't open this damn door I'm going to break it down!"  However the door wasn't locked, all the troll on the other side had to do was turn the knob. Which he did check and figure out on his own. "Dave, I'm coming it!" He called loudly and turned the handle.

Just then Dave emerged from the basement. "Fucking hell Karkat don't you take one step into my house!"

"I'll do whatever the hell I want Strider," he burst in snarling, "you have worried your friends to death! Are you happy you asshole?"

"Hi Karkat!"

The troll froze. His ears went back and his eyes grew wide. Slowly he turned in the direction of John. "J-John? John is that you? Holy fuck."

Before he could say anything else the boy was gone. "Karkat forget you saw anything. Turn around and go back. I'm fine."

"Go back?" Suddenly Dave had a pissed off troll on him. "Go back? You want me to leave after seeing that? After hearing him? No way in hell." He snarled and pinned Dave against the wall. "You're going to tell me exactly why John Egbert was on your couch." He pressed a little harder against Dave, "and if you don't, I'm going to rip your throat out."

"Chill out Vantas." Dave said coolly, staring into angry crimson eyes. He had forgotten how strong trolls were, and how strongly Karkat had felt about John. "Put me down and we'll talk about this." The troll growled showing all his teeth. He said something in his native language that made Dave's skin crawl just hearing it. "Yeah, yeah you're a big tough guy alien, I get it. Stop hissing at me like an overgrown cat and set me down."

Karkat snarled and was so close to snapping. But he didn't, he put Dave down and demanded, "What was that?"

"First off it wasn't John."

"Bullshi-"

"Vantas! Shut up! It wasn't John. It was this." He pulled out John's Captchalogue Card. Dave watched the troll's eyes go wide. "It was a simple reconstruction of data preserved in this card. What you saw wasn't John, merely a projection of him."

"A…copy?" He backed up stunned. "But…but he said my name, he knew who I was."

"It has some memories that John had. Which makes sense; I used multiple parts of John's timeline in creating it. But it's not the John we know. So you can stop growling now."

Karkat stared in disbelief at Dave. "I can't believe you made a copy of John. Were you that desperate?"

"Yes. Yes I was, but it's none of your goddamn business so you can go home now. You can tell everyone I'm fine, just leave me the hell alone."

The troll stood firm. "Can I talk to him?"

"It won't do you much good. It's not John." He saw the look in Karkat's eyes, he wasn't going anywhere. "Fine, whatever, talk to it. Don't come crying to me when you're disappointed." He led Karkat to his guest bedroom, John's bedroom. "I'll leave you two alone, if you need me I'll be in the living room trying to forget you exist."

Before Karkat could even blink John appeared in front of him in a flash of light. The boy turned around and gave the troll a smile, "Hi, Karkat-" Karkat rushed John and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I missed you so much," he whispered to John, he wasn't sure if his voice could even go above the soft murmur it was at.

John replied back allowing the troll to hold his face close to his chest, "I missed you too, Karkat."

Karkat's voice caught in his throat, so instead he just hugged John tighter. The boy he had in his arms looked about thirteen, around the age he would have been when he played the game that took his life. He breathed in, his nose picking up scents he hadn't smelled in years; ones he thought were lost forever. "You have no idea how much this means to me." He said quietly, "It's like you're back."

John leaned on Karkat, letting his weight fall on the stronger troll. He could hear Karkat crying quietly. His reaction was so different from Dave's. "Karkat…" Memories flooded his brain, all of them about the quivering troll who held his body so tight. "Karkat…" Eventually Karkat pulled away and stared down at John, the human looked back up at him, Karkat noticed the green ring around John's irises and his breath involuntarily caught a bit.

Egbert looked away ashamed, "S-Sorry, they've been like that since…you know, Dave…" he whispered, "made me." That idea still seemed so crazy and foreign to him. "I know they're not quite what you remember."

The troll put a careful hand his face, "It's fine, John." He rested his forehead on John's, "There's nothing wrong with your eyes." He watched the boy smile and couldn't stop himself from smiling back. This was John, this was the dorky, adorable, kid from his memories, and he was back and standing right in front of him.

"I'm glad you're here Karkat. It's been, rather lonely with just Dave." John could hear the troll start to make a rumbling sound deep in his chest. "Heh, heh."

He smirked, "Well, as you can tell, I'm rather glad you're here as well."

"It's like we never parted," You say slowly, "for me, it's like I went on a vacation or something, and now I'm home. But…" His smile faded. "Home has significantly less friends than it used to."  

Karkat had John sit next to him on the bed, "How much do you remember?"

"I…I remember meeting you. I know you're a really good friend; we'd do anything for each other. I remember that we came up with a plan to beat Lord English. That's about it. It just, abruptly ends." He flopped backwards. "And my memories aren't perfect either. I have rather large holes in my childhood. Stuff I shouldn't forget, birthdays, classmates, sometimes my dad's face. It sucks." Karkat fell beside him. "I'm ok with it I guess. It just makes me feel hollow inside. I already get told enough from Dave that I'm not John, and I'll never be John, and now my own brain is doing it too." He sighed and rolled over turning his back to Karkat. "Sorry, that was depressing."

"John?" He sat up and watched the boy beside him carefully.

"You don't have to call me that."

Karkat placed a hand on John's shoulder and rolled him back over. He gave a small warning growl. "You are John Egbert. Dave can suck my bulge." He stared down into John's eyes, so different, yet still the same. He bent down and nuzzled his neck very gently, "You know my name, you remember when we met, and you're still John. You'll always be my friend."

John couldn't stop himself from giggling, "I forgot how affectionate trolls were." He reached up and ran a hand through Karkat's hair, his fingers running over a nubby horn. "Karkat, thank you. You have no idea how confusing this is for me."

"I can't even begin to imagine." He let John sit up and they scooted so their backs were against the wall. "So, can I ask what it's like?"

"Being data?" John laughed harshly, "Sure, there's not much to say. After the initial shock wore off, I honestly can't tell the difference between my life now and before I died. I have most of John's feelings and emotions, to me, I'm him. But to Dave, and probably to the rest of the world, I'm a cheap imitation. I don't need to eat, or drink, or use the bathroom. Breathing feels natural, but I don't think I need to do that either, or sleep. I can be stored in a Captchalogue Card. The only thing that makes me feel alive is the fact that I have a heartbeat."

John felt Karkat's hand on his chest. "Heh, look at that, you do. A heartbeat is all I need."

"God, you're such a good friend." He put his hand over Karkat's and squeezed. "Y-You'll visit again, right? This won't be the last time I'll see you is it?"

"Of course not, I'll come back as much as I can. I promise."

"Thank you Karkat." His eyes shifted to the door, "Dave's here."

The doorknob turned and Dave stepped inside. "Ok, I think that's enough." Karkat hugged John one more time before reluctantly getting up and shuffling past Dave.

"I'll be back."

"I'd be surprised if you didn't."

The troll paused long enough to shoot a glare at the Strider. Then he was gone, leaving John and Dave alone in the room. "Thank you for letting me see him." John spoke up.

"It would have been a hassle to deny him. He's a pain in the ass that way." Dave watched John nod and stand quietly walking from the room. "You know it has to be like this. You know you have to stay a secret."

John turned sadly around, "Yeah, I know." He threw on a well-rehearsed smile and replied, "I'm ok with that too. I have you, and I have Karkat. My two best bros, who could ask for more?"

Dave watched him leave he clenched his fist in anger and frustration. "Fuck."

The days drifted by, there was no sign of Karkat. The boy would sit in the living room, eyes trained on the door, waiting to hear the troll. But soon John began to give up hope; he began to believe that maybe Dave was right, that he was nothing but a string of code; and that no person in their right mind would befriend a line of coding housed in a card.  "I told you I was right." Dave said one night, after observing John wait by the door for another day in a row. "While I had high hopes for Vantas, I knew he'd see you for what you are. After his mind cleared he probably came to his senses."

"No." He mutters. "No that's not true. Karkat cares!" John turned to face Dave. "Just like I know you care! Dave, you do." Curling into himself he repeated, "You care, you have to."

"I don't have to anything." He stood and rested a hand on John's head. "Just give up on him. The faster you accept the facts the easier it will be."

"Then why not just lock me in that card forever then? Why even bother torturing me like this?" John lifted his head and stared at Dave. "What's the point? If you truly don't care for me, then it means I have no friends, no family, no life." His knees met his face again. "Just do it! Lock me away, please!"

Dave looked at the boy on his couch, the pitiful thing that was crying dry tears and finally raised the card. "Fine." And with that John was nothing more than a memory again. One Dave tried to forget, he always knew it was wrong. He had always known that this John would unavoidably end up back where he came from. Dave tried not thinking about it, he placed the card in a file cabinet, just like he had originally planned. But just like he had also predicted, once he was used to having it around, it was hard to go without. Nights became terrible, sleeping impossible. There was nowhere to run from the nightmares.

He ended up grabbing the card once more. There was a period of prolonged silence as Dave stared into the card, at the stupid smiling face on the front, and the multicolored coding on the back. Then he climbed the stairs to his room. "John," He said releasing the boy once more.

"Dave? What? I don't understand…"

"Just climb in the bed."

John nodded and didn't argue. Soft covers greeted his face and Dave moved right beside him, wrapping his arms around him tightly. The boy realized that the only thing he was good for was providing relief from Dave's nightmares. Once again, he decided that it wasn't all bad. He'd spend his days in a coma within the card, and the nights were passed watching the moon cross the sky through Dave's window.

Dave awoke to sudden loud pounding on his door. "What the hell?" he grabbed for his shades and pulled the covers off.

A strong voice emanated from the entryway. "You grubfucking, nooksniffing, bulgelicking, asshole! You better open this door right now or I swear I will break it down and shove the splinters up your ass!"

There was a groggy voice that sounded beside Dave, "K-Karkat?" Before John was even fully awake Dave locked him away in the card.

"I do not want to deal with this bullshit." He found pants and a suitable shirt and confronted the angry troll at the door. "Shut the hell up Vantas, your screeching is going to wake up the neighbors."

"What neighbors you dick? You live in the middle of fucking nowhere!" Karkat waited impatiently outside. "Just open the damn door already."

On the other side Dave took his time. He spoke a bit smugly. "About time you showed up. You know he gave up hope on you."

"Why would he do that?" Karkat asked, a bit shocked.

"Obviously because no one could befriend a projection of data. He's convinced you forgot about him."

Karkat growled loudly from the other side of the door. "I would never forget about John. I could never leave him alone, ever."

"Then explain why it took you two months to come back?"

"My fucking life! Heaven forbid I actual do something with myself. I can't afford to sit on my ass all day in grief like you can. Some people have school and work and duties to attend to. I meant to come sooner, I really did. So open the damn door."

Dave sighed and unlatched the locks and let the troll in.

"Where is he?" he growled.

Dave pulled the card out. "Knock yourself out."

Karkat snatched the card releasing John without a moment's hesitation. John looked around dazed and confused before the troll grabbed his arm and dragged him into the spare room. Once alone John started to come around. "K-K-Karkat? I thought…no way. I thought…"

"I know." Karkat hugged him again, "I'm sorry, suddenly I became busy, it was out of my control."

"I thought you didn't want to see me again." John pushed Karkat away, "I thought you forgot about me! I thought you lied to me!" He said angrily. "I thought you didn't care!"

Karkat wrapped his arms around John again, ignoring the struggling, punching, kicking boy. "I promised. I promised I'd come back." John froze, "I wouldn't lie John, you're my friend, and I would never abandon you." He gripped him harder, "It was a horrible thing, what I did to you. It won't happen again. Even if I have to personally tell my boss to fuck off." Karkat let John go slowly, "Do you forgive me?"

He was still mad, but he saw the troll's expression, a mix of worry, sadness, he looked just himself. "Of course Karkat, just don't scare me like that again."

Relief flooded through Karkat, "Thank god, I thought I ruined this forever." He laughed a bit and collapsed on the bed. "I seriously thought that this would be the end to our friendship."

"Well I'm glad it's not." John sat next to his friend. The troll had shut his eyes and let out a weary sigh. "Are you seriously going to sleep? It's like nine in the morning."

"Shut up, I didn't sleep last night. Just, tell me what you've been up to."

So John did, he explained everything that happened. Granted, not much was left to tell, he'd been unconscious for most of it. He unloaded his feelings onto Karkat, grateful to finally have someone care enough to listen. Karkat was so different from Dave. The troll saw him as a person, as something with a mind and life of its own. It was so refreshing.  Eventually Karkat did fall asleep. He sat with his knees pulled up to his chest and gently stroked Karkat's hair.

He could remember everything about Karkat. He was the only person that had absolutely no holes or gaps. John could recall every pesterlog, every conversation, and all their time together. He could also remember Karkat's feelings. He smiled at the boy curled up on his bed. Karkat said he loved him. He confessed a few days before the void in his memories began. Unfortunately, he knew John had rejected him. But looking back he began to have his own thoughts and feelings on the issue.

But…there was something in him that feared Karkat as well. 'What if I grow close to you, and you reject me?' He traced the round colored parts of his small horn. 'I guess I'd feel just like you did.' He realized that, given the time, he could probably love Karkat, but would Karkat still love him? It was a question the boy was too frightened of to ask the answer for.

John didn't know if he was he was falling for the troll, he just knew that Karkat was nice, and cared about him. He sat and watched him sleep; quietly humming a tune he had forgotten. It was sad and sweet and flowed from his lips almost as easily as speaking. It must have been important to him. It took all his will not to break down again; he promised himself he was done doing that. His situation couldn't be changed; the only thing it would accomplish is making him depressed. In fact, he shouldn't be depressed; he has someone now, someone who wouldn't leave him.

He smiled, 'someone who sees me. I think I'm ok with that.' The boy waited until the troll shifted and opened his crimson eyes, 'were they always red?' he couldn't remember. Karkat yawned and sat up. "Hi Karkat, have a nice nap?" He laughed and smiled at the other.

"Y-Yeah, actually. It was very peaceful. I completely forgot I wasn't in sopor, I'm glad I didn't do anything weird." He paused, "Sorry I fell asleep, I know you were talking."

"You didn't miss anything, it's ok."

"That's good, I thought you'd be a little mad or something," a small smile formed on his lips, "guess that was a dumb idea."

"As long as you don't forget me, I doubt I could be mad at you."

"And I doubt I could ever forget you."

John hugged him again, smiling, because he knew that was true.

From that day on John gained another constant in his life. It came in the form of an angry grey skinned troll that would appear at the door at least three times a week. Things were gradually getting better, even Dave was getting better. There were some moments, just like before where he'd be put in the Captchalogue Card but they were becoming less frequent.

There was something weighing on John's mind though. It was something that had bugging him for days. "Hey Dave…" John started asking one morning.

"What? What could you possibly want immediately after waking up?"

"I…I've been have these really weird dreams, and I thought-"

Dave interrupted him, "You're data, you can't dream."

"But I've-"

"You don't have dreams. It's that simple." He got up and stretched. "I need you to come down to the lab with me today."

"What? Really?" John asked a bit in disbelief. "You never want me down there." Dave just motioned for him to follow. Once in the basement John was instructed to sit at a table and wait. "What are you doing?"

"Just, sit there." He sighed, unable to keep anything from John. "Ok, I'm tweaking the coding on the back of your card." John's eyes widened in fear. "Don't worry, you'll be ok. In fact you can come over and see what I'm doing." He heard the boy slip out of the chair and follow. "Here, all these letters and numbers are you. This is everything you are, it's very complex, in fact, it's the most complex set of coding I've ever seen for a Captchalogue Card item. I've been going through all this trying to make sense of it, and I've figured some things out."

"What kind of things?" His voice still showed hints of nervousness. He fidgeted and looked at Dave.

"Your age for starters. I think I can gradually age you up, that way you at least match most of your memories." His fingers moved across the keyboard rapidly, "I'm pretty sure I can change a lot things, but I don't want to mess up, so for now we'll just do your age."

"H-How much will I change?" The idea of suddenly growing a foot was a bit overwhelming.

"I'm only going to try two years. I'm hoping it's not too much of a jump."  Dave turned away from the computer long enough to toss a new set of clothes to John. "You'll probably grow out of what you're wearing. I'm almost done with the adjustments, we can start soon."

John nodded and gulped his throat already dry. The clothes were loose, and he was quivering, fear was an understatement. "Dave are you sure we need to do this? I mean, I can just stay thirteen forever…"

"No, it's weird enough not having to feed you, and besides, if someone did find out about you they would find it extremely odd that you do not age. We don't need more questions than necessary." John nodded again and closed his eyes when Dave said the changes were made. Dave slid John's card back into the machine and hovered his finger over the enter key. "On the count of three," Even Dave was unsure whether or not the idea would work. He hoped it would, he didn't want to deform him or anything. "Three,"

John's mind was racing, 'Oh god, what if this doesn't work and I get hurt?'

"Two,"

'Or I end up horribly mutated…or worse deleted…'

"One!"

'I hope Karkat would be ok,'

Dave pressed the key and watched as light enveloped John, when Dave looked back he noticed the boy was no longer standing in the room with him. "Fuck, shit!" he whirled around to the computer and looked over his work. "No this isn't right, he shouldn't have disappeared. It wasn't supposed to work like that!" His hands sped across the keyboard, eyes trained on the screen, looking for any mistakes. He found none. "This doesn't make any fucking sense." He pulled the card from the slot and looked at it, "Sorry John, I guess I fucked up." That's when his eyes caught something, the card itself. The picture on the front was different. "I didn't fuck up!" He immediately released John, much to his relief the boy appeared like normal in front of him. "That you in there?"

"Dave? Did it work?"

The other boy smirked, "go see for yourself."

John bolted to the nearest mirror, "Whoa, Dave, shit, it did!" His eyes still had the neon green in them, but he had figured that wouldn't go away. He was taller, and more filled out. He face looked more mature too, even though he was still obviously a kid. "I feel great, Dave it worked." His voice was a bit deeper too, "Heh, I even sound different!"

There was pounding from upstairs, "Great, now go answer the door before that crazy troll does break my door down."

John nodded and ran eagerly up the stairs to greet his friend. "Wait, wait, wait, I forgot something!" He came running back down the stairs and hugged Dave, "thanks!" he spun around and went to meet Karkat.