Stranded in Paradise; Welcome Home [An II Au]

Twin Complex

1 month ago...

-Drip! Drip! Drip...-

Yin-Yang watched as the rocks skipped along the river's stream, digging his teeth into the wood of their covering. Just days ago, this river was used to snuff out the life of Lifering, yet no one would know at the time. No one...except Clover, The Floor and...

"Hey...Yin...Yang...ster.."

Cabby.

Yin-Yang nearly jumped, looking up at the file cabinet as she wheeled up next to the duo. The gravel around them made it hard for her to trudge through, but she managed with the strength she had. It was quiet between the three as Cabby's eyes laid on the river, then back at the quarrel. Neither of them looked very happy with their predicament, and admittedly, Cabby wasn't in the best mood either. Having lost her files...having almost died...it really wasn't the best time for her. But at the same time, she was thankful they didn't find Lifering's body...yet.

"So uhh...that...covering suiting you...? No..?" Cabby seemed to try and make conversation as best she could, but it was clear that the two weren't very interested in talking. At least, until they saw something drifting in the river. Cabby's eyes widened when she recognized it too, and her smile dropped. A small piece of soggy paper, stuck to a branch near the riverside and fighting against the current. Yin-Yang began to get up to inspect it before Cabby stopped him, her face having turned into a solemn frown.

"There's...nothing left of them." She said as she opened up her drawer, revealing that it was neatly empty except for one single file. Yin-Yang peered into the drawer before backing up. "...I came down here to see if there was anything left of my files to salvage...but it's been practically days since I came down to this river and nearly drowned...I...don't think there's much left to even be saved. Those files were my memories...documents of everything I would ever know in life...and with them gone, I...I don't know who I am anymore."

Yin-Yang looked down at the river again in silence, seemingly having an internal conversation with each other as the water passed them by. After a bit of pondering, Yin-Yang tapped on Cabby's shoulder and began to write something in the dirt near the river.

"It doesn't matter how much you remember or forget. You're still you. -Yin"

Cabby stared at the writing on the ground for a moment. Taking it in. Thinking more about it. Then, she smiled and looked over at the Chinese symbol. "...I'm...hoping when all this is over...I'll be able to make new memories...with all of you..."

Yin smiled behind the covering and held Cabby's hand.

"...Thank you, Yin. You too, Yang." Cabby said.

...

...

Present Day

Test Tube was rummaging around through her hotel room a bit. Her face showed a box between confusion and desperation as she dug through the drawers, as if she was looking for something. Fan noticed this behavior from outside the doorway, and he poked his head in to see what all the commotion was about. "Uhh, Test Tube?" Fan said.

"WAH!" She yelled and turned around to look at Fan. "Oh...golly, don't scare me like that! I've just been...looking for something. You didn't take Cabby's file back, did you?"

"Huh? No, I...gave it to you!"

"Yes, I know, but I can't find it now. I remember setting it in my drawer last night and now it's not here! I was planning on reading it today..."

"Well, I haven't even entered your room today, so I really don't know what else to say..."

"...Maybe someone else knows where it went. I'll go ask around." Test Tube passed by Fan and left the room quickly. Fan's eyebrows scrunched up as he watched her depart, a bit of concern on his face. He went over to the drawer and peeked inside, confirming that it was indeed not in there as he initially thought.

"It's...really not in there?"

He had to ponder it for a bit.

Something connected.

"You didn't have to do such a thing, Yang! Hey, it was the only way to keep you from crying and pissing yourself every night." Yin-Yang said as they glanced down at the cornflower blue file in their hands, standing right in front of the drawer that separated theirs and the Cherries' beds.

"Be careful with it! It's all we have left of her...don't you think I know that?? I'm being as gentle as I can take! Don't think I'm not thinking about your feelings! I just...want it to be taken care of, is all...yeah. I get it."

Yin pulled open the drawer to set the file inside, until...

"I KNEW IT!" Fan yelled and pointed at the duo, who quickly whipped their heads back in surprise. "F-Fan, listen...we can explain this all...I'm not explaining anything! You're on your own!"

"How could you take that file? Test Tube wanted to read it! It's all we have left of Cabby! You can't just steal it!"

"And what about us, huh?! You think Cabby was special just to YOU?! Even I cried about her and I don't cry about ANYTHING! Fan, we're sorry...but...this really is all we have left of Cabby...I-...I just can't stop thinking about her! How we couldn't save her! How NONE of us could save her! We...can't forgive ourselves!"

"Look, I understand you're grieving, but stealing the last piece of someone's legacy isn't right. Please, just...give it back to me, and-"

Fan reached for the file and held it in one of his hands, before Yang suddenly tried to pull it back.

"IT WAS NEVER EVEN YOUR'S OR STUPID TEST TUBE'S TO BEGIN WITH! Yang! Stop! What are you doing?!"

Fan tugged on the file again, "But she gave it to TEST TUBE!"

"Who CARES?!" Yang yelled as he tugged on the file this time. The two just went at it, strengthening their grips on the file as they tried to pry it out of one or the other's hand. All the while, Yin was trying to stop Yang every chance he got to speak.

"YANG, FAN! PLEASE! YOU'RE GONNA-"

RIIIIIIIP!