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Striderlicious - Bro Strider — Description
The rain was falling like watery bullets on the ground in a seemingly endless fashion. There were gray clouds in the sky. The occasional rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning shattered the monotonous pattern of the precipitation. A hooded figure braved the cold and walked slowly. They had an eerie aura about them. All of the people around this strange person made it a point to rush away. She felt tears stinging at her brown eyes. They didn't know, did they? She couldn't expect them to, really. They weren't aware of all of the suffering and loss she'd survived just so they could go about their daily routines. She hung her head and paused, just thinking how broken she was because of everything she'd gone through. Thinking of all of her suffering made her go back to the day when she came to the realization that the world was corrupt.
When she was seven years old Momma and Daddy had said that they loved her very much but the marriage wasn't 'working out' and they were going to divorce. Daddy left her. She cried and begged for him to stay but he didn't even though she pleaded with all of her heart. He didn't understand just how important he was to her. Why did he have to go? After that Momma had started hitting her and Elizabeth. Eventually it got worse and progressed into being locked in the basement and beaten whenever she needed something to take her anger out on. She had no idea how her mother had done this without arousing suspicion from anyone since both she and her sister were not attending school or leaving the house at all. Still, every night without fail Lizzie would sing her to sleep with her broken voice. Josephine survived all of the bleeding and torture just to hear that one hint of beauty in the otherwise completely morbid darkness. Then she vanished. Lizzie was gone. Her only companion. The one who brought that little bit of light had left her all alone. She wasn't sure how long she was without her. It seemed like an eternity, but she had decided that it had probably been about a week by now.
Finally one day she was woken up by a great commotion in the earliest hours of the morning. She heard footsteps on the floor above her and a lot of shouting. Someone was speaking to her but everything sounded fuzzy. Daddy? Whoever it was picked her up and held her tight. She took in a deep breath and just from the scent knew her father. She hugged him even though it hurt her broken form and listened as he told her that everything would be alright.
"The paramedics are going to make you all better, okay?"He murmured gently, biting back tears.
"Okay..."She whispered, trusting him and feeling safe again. A medical worker gently laid her down on a gurney and prepared to give her an IV. She had a phobia of needles, and struggled slightly, but finally managed to calm herself and accept it.
"Where's Lizzie? Is she okay?"She asked quietly.
"She's fine, Joey. Apparently your...mother...thought she was dead and left her somewhere outside of town. She woke up and was dying of starvation and blood loss, but was too scared to seek help. They found her hiding about a mile from her initial stranding point. She told them where you were and how much you needed help. Lizzie saved your life."He was glad to have good news for her. If her sister had died, he wasn't sure if he would've had the heart to tell her.
She smiled slightly and drifted into unconsciousness. She'd be okay. This was how it should be.
Her mother was imprisoned shortly after. The sentence was twenty five years, and getting over it was a bit difficult but eventually she learned to deal with the fact that Momma had abused her and was being punished. For five years after that, she lived with Daddy in peace. All was well until she turned twelve. It turns out that Lizzie was to be her legal guardian once she was of an adult age. So she had to leave her father and live with her instead. She was extremely depressed for a while, but she wasn't banned from seeing him or anything and with time became used to it.
After a year of living with her sister came the Kids and Trolls. They were an interesting group for sure. She formed her own opinion of each of them and made sure they knew exactly what she thought. Eventually, though, she'd picked her favorites, there being four of them: Karkat, Gamzee, John, and Jade. She acted like she hated him, but they had something like a sibling rivalry that she couldn't see herself without. Gamzee was to her what the trolls called a 'moirail'. They shared the same zodiac, as well. She was actually able to get a lot of advice from him, and he made a good listener, even if he wasn't exactly listening. John was just...John. She got along with him well and found herself secretly adoring him. They had competitions in playing piano and just general foolishness. As for Jade, she didn't see how one could dislike her. She was so sweet and gentle to all of those that she came across. She was a friend she'd hate to lose. But time was coming short. Their adventuring, battling and bonding was going to have to come to an end soon. This was it. After so long of fighting for the same goal and striving just to survive, it was time for the Trolls to leave. She couldn't believe it. All of it was over. They had saved the universe and how was she being repaid? By never being recognized for it and losing her best friends. How fair. She brushed away tears and tried to remain strong.
"Bye, Karkat. We'll still talk sometimes, right?"She asked hopefully, hugging him even though he probably didn't want her to.
"WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY."He mumbled, struggling only slightly. It was obvious that he was at least a little bit sad.
"See you around, Gamzee."Joey let go of Karkat and stuck out her fist towards her moirail.
"CoMe oN SiS Im LeAvInG We cAn hUg tHiS OnCe"He scolded her slightly, probably for the last time and was trying to get it out of his system.
She smiled a little and practically tackled him."I'M GONNA MISS YOU, MAN!"She cried, probably strangling him a bit. After a couple of minutes she let go.
"CaLm dOwN NoW"He chided, shaking a finger at her.
"So bosssyyyy."She rolled her eyes. She bid them all farewell and didn't even watch their departure.
She cried the pieces of her shattered heart that night, and for a couple of days. Eventually she realized that she had to act better than this and stop pitying herself.
So here she was, now twenty three years old and still living in the same area. She had her own home now of course, and a bachelor's degree in creative writing.
"JOSEPHINE!"She heard footsteps coming up behind her.
"Yeah?"The voice was all too familiar.
"What're you doing out the cold?!"John spazzed out like he was fearing for her life.
"Nothing, why?"She replied.
"Remember, today's the anniversary of when we completed our mission? Jade, Dave and Rose are back at your house...Piper let them in. She and I came out to find you since you weren't answering you're phone and we were worried."He explained.
So that's why she was thinking of all of her memories."It is, isn't it? Hm..seems like it was only yesterday, not ten years ago..."
"I know how you feel. But hey, ten years of this and the six of us are still companions. And I still love you."He took her hand in his and smiled, trying to make sure that she wasn't still feeling sad.
"Love you too,"She murmured gently.
Ten years ago she had made six best friends. Ten years ago she'd lost two of them. And most importantly, ten years ago, they'd saved the universe. They were the saviors of humanity and no one knew it, but it was okay. They still had each other and someday they'd again see their lost companions. All of the suffering had led up to now, this moment in the rain exchanging 'I love yous' with John Egbert. Really, she wouldn't change any of it, not one bit. She closed her eyes and breathed it in, because soon this would also just be a memory.