(AN: Did I forget that OJ is in III? Yes. Will I change the story? No.)
Lightbulb was sitting on the edge of the water with her legs dangling in the air, watching the bubbles float up to the top of the surface. The two boys were lying in the grassy area next to her. They were talking animatedly, talking about the day's adventure. She rolled her eyes. She wished that she could join the conversation, but she was too nervous to talk to anyone yet.
The only thing she wanted to do was hide under a blanket and pretend like everything was okay. She sighed softly and closed her eyes, pretending that everything was alright.
"Hey, Lightbulb." Lightbulb hummed in reply and opened her eyes. "Can you help me look for another treasure chest?" The twins grinned mischievously. "Sure, but first, let's make sure that we won't get eaten by a giant squid." She joked. The twins laughed loudly. "You're funny, Lightbulb." "I know." She smirked.
The only thing she wanted to do was hide under a blanket and pretend like everything was okay. She sighed softly and closed her eyes, pretending that everything was alright.
"Hey, Lightbulb." Lightbulb hummed in reply and opened her eyes. "Can you help me look for another treasure chest?" The twins grinned mischievously. "Sure, but first, let's make sure that we won't get eaten by a giant squid." She joked. The twins laughed loudly. "You're funny, Lightbulb." "I know." She smirked.
The twins continued to chat happily, playing pirates. Lightbulb kept her eyes open the whole time, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. After a while, the left head, Mascara Cherry, noticed her suspicious behavior. He glanced at her warily and asked, "Why are you so quiet?" She blinked twice and glanced at him. "Huh? Oh, uh She trailed off before shrugging nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it." She lied. He didn't buy it, but he didn't call her out either. She took advantage of his distraction and quickly dashed away before he even realized what was happening.
Mascara Cherry sighed deeply. He turned towards the other brother, Cocktail Cherry, glancing at him nervously. "Do you guys think something is wrong?" He whispered. Cocktail Cherry shook his head. "No, I don't. Why would something be wrong?" He questioned. Mascara Cherry frowned. "It's just...you know...there's something weird about Lightbulb lately...."
Cocktail Cherry raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? Well, it can't hurt to check, huh?" "Yeah, I guess..." He mumbled. "But what if we don't find anything? "Then we'll leave her alone until she wants to tell us what's bothering her."
They walked back to where Lightbulb was, stopping when they noticed that she hadn't moved from her spot. "Lightbulb?" She looked up to see the brothers standing before her. She sighed, standing up. "What is it?" "Nothing, just checking up on you." Mascara Cherry commented. She shrugged. "Whatever." She muttered. She was simply tired. and maybe a little bit of looming dread. But that was it. She couldn't explain it.
"Well, whatever." She said. "Let's go." She said suddenly, walking briskly towards the exit. "Hey, wait up!" Mascara Cherry exclaimed. "Where are we going now?" Cocktail Cherry asked. "I need to take you two back to the hotel. It's getting late." She replied. The twins nodded eagerly and hurried after her.
When they reached the hotel they ran inside. Everyone was mostly milling about, talking amongst each other. Some of the people sat at a table near the bar drinking beer and talking in hushed voices, some others sat in groups talking quietly amongst each other. It was surprisingly domestic. She walked into the lobby and headed for the couch, flopping down The two boys followed, plopping down beside her and immediately starting to bicker about what movie they should start watching.
She listened to their arguments, occasionally saying a comment or two. Eventually, she got bored and wandered over to the bar. She ordered a drink and sat down on one of the couches. She sipped the glass of soda that the bartender handed her slowly, enjoying its sweet flavor. She stared ahead blankly, not listening to the argument between the twins.
"Hey, Lightbulb!" A voice called to her. She glanced over at the OJ, who smiled kindly at her. She returned the smile and waved slightly. She didn't say anything. OJ frowned at her lack of response and sat next to her on the couch. "Are you alright?" She asked curiously.
Lightbulb nodded slowly, taking another sip of her drink. "I'm fine." She replied vaguely. He cocked an eyebrow. "You seem a little distracted today."
"How observant of you, OJ." She retorted dryly. He chuckled lightly. "Well, I've known you long enough to know that you usually don't act this distracted unless there's something on your mind. So what's up?" "Nothing." She replied quickly. OJ shrugged. "Did you three at least have fun? I mean, you brought them back alive. What did you guys do while you were out?" She looked up. "We went up the creek and found a waterfall. Then we played pirates." She replied nonchalantly. OJ nodded. "Sounds like fun." She looked up. "They found a pretty cool cavern. Lotsa gems. And weird statues. Like, real creepy ones." She neglected to mention the underground cathedral. OJ smiled. "Sounds like my kind of stuff. He stated casually.
Lightbulb nodded. She crossed her legs over, playing with her bracelets. She took another sip of her drink, hoping to drown her feelings of unease. OJ glanced around and noticed the bottle that was resting right next to Lightbulb's feet. "Hey, Lightbulb, are those all yours?" He pointed towards the empty bottles laying by the side of the couch. She glanced down at the two red bottles and nodded. "Yep," she said casually. "They're mine." OJ squinted his eyes at her suspiciously. "Why do you have all these?"
"Drinking. Duh." Lightbulb stated as if it were obvious. OJ narrowed his eyes further. He studied Lightbulb. She had a strange look in her eye. "You don't need any more than that right?" She snickered. "Of course not, silly." She took another sip, watching him carefully. "Besides, why wouldn't I need more?" "I dunno. It seems like you're running low." Lightbulb chuckled and shook her head. "Nah, not that low." She lied. She didn't want to bother him with that.
"Alright." He stood and walked away from her, leaving her alone. She frowned to herself. "Hey Pickle, Can I get a Coke and Rum? Please?" She requested. Pickle, the bartender, nodded in return. "Coming right up!" She smiled to herself and leaned against the couch, relaxing. She sighed happily and closed her eyes, letting the music and chatter of the room wash over her.
She didn't notice when the drinks came. She was too deep in thought. She wasn't really thinking about anything else. Her thoughts floated to the paintings. Was she forgetting something important? Was it because of the painting? Maybe she was losing her memories. She shook her head. That couldn't be possible. She remembered everything that happened before she went down to the caves.
She grabbed the drink and downed it in one gulp, then set the glass down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She ordered more alcohol, downing each drink. She lived here, anyways. She knew how to handle her alcohol. "Lightbulb, Stop." Pickle piped up. She ignored him and continued drinking. "Dude, You've had enough to drink. I'm cutting you off."
"Nooo!" She whined. "Pickle, please~" She groaned. She looked over at him with pleading eyes. He raised an eyebrow at her. "No. I'm stupid, but not THAT stupid. Puppy-dog eyes don't work on me. He informed her. She pouted. "But-" "No, Lightbulb." He interrupted. "You can drink, but only once in a while." She glared at him and scoffed. "That doesn't make sense, you idiot!" He gave her a stern look. "Look, Lightbulb, I am not telling you again! I'm not about to get blamed if you get liver poisoning. I've already served you four drinks, and you had two beers from the cooler, and you still haven't stopped."
Lightbulb pouted and drank another sip of her drink, glaring at him. She felt her face burn. He was right. "Fineeee, okay." She grumbled and slumped back onto the couch. She was starting to feel dizzy. Her head was spinning and her vision was blurry. Maybe she could use one more shot. She finished the rest of the beer and pushed it aside. She picked up her drink, staring intently into the amber liquid. She put the drink to her lips but hesitated before taking it into her mouth. She lowered the glass, staring at her reflection in it.
Her curled hair was disheveled, and her mascara was smudged along with the bottom of her eye. Her lipstick was gone. She could see faint pink smudges beneath her eyes, which looked swollen. She sighed and pulled her bangs from her eyes. There were dark circles underneath her eyes. They looked so much darker than normal.
She buried her face in her hands. She probably looked like an alcoholic mess. God, this sucks! She sighed deeply. Maybe she just needed some air. She stood up slowly, wobbling slightly, her balance almost completely lost. She took a step forward but stopped, her legs refusing to move. She stumbled back towards where she sat and collapsed back onto the couch. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and rested her head on her knees, burying her face in them.
She felt so many emotions. Giddy, Sad Angry, Frustrated, Nervous, Happy. All conflicting together. She just wanted things to go back to the way they used to be. She missed her family. She missed her friends and the feeling of belonging to someone. She missed everything. But most of all, despite being surrounded by people, she felt lonely. Lonely for no reason.
It's not fair. The words rang through her head. It's not fair to you and it isn't fair to them. You'll never fit in with everyone else, you'll always be different. You're a cyborg. Not fully human. No matter how hard you try, it just won't happen. You're an abomination. You're damaged goods. She quickly wiped her eyes, sniffling as she wiped her nose with the sleeve of her sweater.
Stop that, she told herself. Don't let them hear you crying. You're better than this. You've been better than this. Why are you acting this way now? It's not fair.
"Oi, are you alright?" She heard Pickle ask. Her eyes widened slightly and she looked up. He was standing over her worriedly, a concerned look on his face. "Yeah. I just need some fresh air." She replied hoarsely. He nodded understandingly. "Okay then. Come find me when you're ready." She smiled gratefully at him and nodded in reply. He walked out, closing the door behind him softly.
She laid back on the couch, trying to relax. She stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes, before finally deciding to get up and walk outside. She stretched as she walked to the front door, and opening it. She stepped outside.
The moon was high, casting its silver light on the ground. The trees glowed softly in the moonlight. A cold wind blew gently, rustling the leaves and making her shiver involuntarily.
She shut the door behind her quietly, making sure it didn't slam. She looked around. It was quiet. She breathed in sharply. The silence felt deafening. She looked around at the forest surrounding her. There wasn't a single creature in sight. Everything looked dead silent. It reminded her of the times she was alone when there was nothing around except for her and the machines she was hooked up to. She shivered slightly.
She felt nauseous suddenly. A wave of nausea washed over her. She clenched her stomach, turning her back towards the direction of the apartment. She gripped her skirt tightly, breathing heavily She bent down, resting her hands on her knees. She tried to regulate her breathing, but the pain seemed to intensify. Her whole body was shaking.
After a couple of minutes, she finally managed to calm down. She stood up straight, placing her shaky hands over her trembling lips. Maybe she had one too many drinks. Yeah, it must be that. She turned around and began walking.
"Hey." Someone called from behind her. She turned around and saw Oj standing near the door of the bar, looking at her concerned. "Is there any reason you aren't inside?" He asked in concern. She shrugged. "Just needed some fresh air." her words slurred as her knees knocked against each other. She clutched her stomach. "Maybe I shouldn't have had so much." She mumbled to herself. He frowned at her. "Come inside. You shouldn't be wandering outside at night. Go throw up in the bathroom if you need to and go to bed."
She nodded. "Thank you. I'll be fine." She said softly as she turned and headed back towards the building. She entered the lobby and made her way to the elevator. She pushed the button for the second floor and waited for it to come. When it did, she pressed the 'close' button. She sighed and leaned against the wall of the elevator.
The doors opened and she stepped out. She walked to her room, and opening the door. She entered and locked the door behind her, leaning against it. She slid down until she was sitting on the floor. She held her stomach, wincing slightly. She pulled her knees close to her chest, hugging her legs.
Why did this happen? She wondered. She should have been happy. She was living the dream. She was finally free. She was finally accepted. Yet, why was she so miserable? Why did she feel so hollow and empty? Why was she so angry and frustrated all the time? Why did she feel so broken? How long will she stay like this? How long before she becomes a lifeless shell who does whatever is requested of her?
She felt warm bile rising in her throat, and she forced herself to swallow it down. She was drinking to have fun, not cry and look like a wet cat If anything, she was just thirsty. That's all. She rubbed her forehead wearily, feeling her headache returning. She was sick and tired of dealing with these feelings. She grabbed the plastic water bottle full of alcohol in her minifridge. She uncapped the bottle and gulped the contents down in one go. She closed her eyes as she swallowed it down. She sighed, opening her eyes to look down at the bottle in disgust.
"Well... At least I can't taste it anymore." She thought. She placed the bottle on the counter. She opened the fridge, rummaging through it. She pulled out the leftover ramen noodles from last night and tossed them into the microwave. She watched as the microwave started to heat the box. She grabbed the package from the counter and ripped open the box. She scooped some noodles into her mouth, chewing slowly. She swallowed. She felt slightly better. She poured some water into a glass and took a sip. She placed the glass down on the small desk. She flopped down on the bed. She stared at the ceiling, thinking.
What exactly do I want? She pondered. Is there even an answer to that question? She shook her head. What would anyone even want? She knew what she wanted. She wanted her partner's back. She wanted to be with them. She wanted to be happy again. She wanted it so bad. But she also hated herself for it. She hated herself for feeling this way. She hated that she had become this way.
She sighed. She drank when she was depressed. and she felt very depressed. She had such a good day, and yet she felt awful. "I'm going to kill myself if I keep doing this." She muttered to herself. She ran a hand through her hair nervously. She didn't know how to handle this. She got up and went back downstairs. And then she blacked out.