Press Start [homestuck] (on hold)

Chapter Three- Crux-Intruder!

Jez, huh? I liked it. Granted, I basically liked everything about her. My mouse hovered over the "start" button.  I eventually decided to just get over myself and get started. I pressed it. Instantly, a bunch of options came up on the screen. I clicked the one that seemed the most logical. "Activate Web-cam/ pointer app" I got a birds-eye changeable view of Jez's apartment. She used to live with her grandma here, but her grandma moved away. Her older brother visited sometimes, but she had lined things up so he wouldn't come by for a few weeks. Whoa. It really was messy in here. I'm guessing Jez was in the bathroom, but I am NOT a perv, so I just decided to wait for her to come out. I saw on my screen a few machines I needed to place somewhere in her apartment. I moused over an image of a gray, cylinder-like instrument, a Crux-Truder, that was marked priority, so I dragged it to the couch and placed it right on the floor in front of it. It solidified, becoming matter. Next, i was about to place a wide platform with several confusing-looking gadgets attached to it, an Alchemiter, when i was startled by a sudden noise from the door. A girl with glossy black hair and a dress with comic-book images all over it had burst into the room, looking around frantically. She suddenly tripped over a random book on the floor, a diary, and bumped into the Crux-Truder, knocking the lid off it.

Jez came out of the bathroom, dirty blonde hair flying around, and yelled, "Lilly! What are you doing here?!?"  

"Sorry!"Lilly acquiesced apologetically. "It's just, I had a really bad feeling and I thought I should come here straightaway." Her green eyes were wide with concern.

"Well, I appreciate the thought, I really do, but the game only works if you are at your place!" Jez sighed. "But oh, well, I suppose you can stay a while."

"Wait." I said through the Webcam speaker. Lilly seemed to notice the camera image for the first time."She's one of the players?" 

"Yeah. Got a problem with that, Mr. Computer Speaky Thingie?" She retorted.

"No, just clarifying."I said smoothly.

"Mkay. Good. Anyway, ahoy! I'm Lilly, fangirl extraordinaire! Who are you?"Lilly asked.

"Steven Hunter, also known as DesolateJayfeather. I'm Jez's server player, and I assume you're a friend of hers?"

"Yup." She said. "Sorry about breaking the thingie." 

"I think that was a part of the process anyway." Said Jez reassuringly. "You just sped up the process."

A loud beep sounded as i placed the alchemiter. A large blue number appeared in the air above the Crux-Truder. 4:13. It began counting down by seconds.

"Omg, its gonna s'plode!!" screamed Lilly. 

"No, it just means we have limited time to complete the process. " I said. "Calm down, no-one is s'ploding. Jez, grab something inanimate to prototype with. Lilly, grab the Cruxite outta the cylinder thing." Lilly obliged. It was a  pink swirly thing. "Now place it on the alchemiter." She did, and it became a pink cube. A blue orb appeared in the air. "That's the kernel sprite. Throw your item in, quick!" I yelled. Jez did so. It was a teddy bear with tan fur and a fancy top hat.

"Now we need a biotic factor to prototype."I directed.  The girls looked blankly at me. "Something living or dead!" I clarified, and Jez's face clouded. "I don't have anything like that, though."

I began to panic." We have 45 seconds left guys!!" I said urgently. Suddenly, Lilly's eyes shone with determination. "Wait, stop!" Yelled Jez. Lilly ignored her. She jumped into the Kernel sprite.