"How's your leg now?"
Golf Ball silently turned towards her two former teammates, a slight smile cracking through her usually tough and bossy persona.
"It's okay I guess..." She murmured to 8-Ball, her vision slowly shifting to Grassy who was standing next to him, before turning back to the barren red wall on her left.
"Yay! Grassy's always helpful!" The innocent piece of grass raised his arms in the air, giving a childlike smile to the both of them as his grass blades swished around excitedly.
"Guess you are this time, aren't you Grassy?" Golf Ball smiled slightly, uncomfortably moving her injured leg as she tried to adjust to her new cast.
Golf Ball's eyes darted across the room, her head slightly aching as she got back on her feet for the first time since her violent altercation with Fries. Her body wobbled, her legs shaking and quivering as she attempted to walk.
"O-Okay, I can do this..." She trembled, quivering as she began to take her first step forward.
"You're so smart, I know you can manage GB!"
That voice. That familiar voice...
Him...
Golf Ball's eyes widened, a tear dripping down her face as she felt a wave of shock through her body thinking about him once more. She let out a shriek, her legs shaking before suddenly bending, causing her to tumble onto the ground in a loud thud.
"Maybe you need to practise walking..." 8-Ball sighed, shaking his head as Grassy frowned.
...
...
HOPEFUL - CHAPTER 14.
3 HOURS BEFORE.
The lavish hotel was fairly silent this morning. Of course, as a sparsely populated town in middle of nowhere, Rosemead shall always be quiet during the morning. But today... was different. The silence deafened, especially in the foodhall. Just the dull scratching of forks and clanking of plates so oddly quiet you could use the time to think about your life choices.
"Think I will..." A familiar lightbulb sighed, leaning her cheek onto her palm as she fiddled with the spoon in her other hand.
Ever since their gameshow had abruptly cancelled by MePhone 4, Lightbulb had found herself with no other choice but to stay at a hotel for the time being, and for now, this had almost became like a second home to her.
She yawned, taking in the depressing silence as she slouched onto the table. Suddenly, though, a loud scream broke their long streak of ambience.
"GET OFF ME!" A blue and blood-covered lightswitch yelled as loud as possible as she was being dragged through the hotel by police.
"Keep dreaming." They coldly uttered to her as she let out a worried cry.
"I DIDN'T ANYTHING I SWEAR, S-SHE AMBUSHED US!" Liy cried out, her eyes glistening with tears as she tried her best to wriggle free of the somewhat strong hold of the police officers.
"Oh yeah Liy? Explain the 'L-I" written on the wall with blood then." Another cop snapped as Liy began to look around the hall.
"SHE'S RIGHT FUCKING THERE! I REMEMBER HER!" Liy yelled, locking eyes with the unsuspecting Lightbulb as she turned to them with a worried look on her face.
The police officers stopped, shooting Liy a dark stare before dropping her on the ground and running towards Lightbulb who froze in fear.
"GET ON THE GROUND!" One of the cops yelled, pouncing onto Lightbulb before the two toppled onto the ground.
"W-What do you mean! I'm just trying to eat my food!" Lightbulb worriedly said on the spot, covering her face with her hands as the cop pulled out a machine gun right before her.
"HANDS UP!" The cop automatically replied, also pulling out handcuffs as Lightbulb reluctantly obliged.
"Y-You can just recover her, can't you?!" She stammered before receiving a firm punch on the cheek.
"Doesn't nullify your crime or your charge."
Liy smirked, slowly tiptoeing away from the scene before sprinting up the stairs and into the lift as fast as possible.
...
"Well, I heard Makeup Brush died... So let's recover her!" The glittering pink hairbrush smiled joyfully, eyeing the shining coin before placing it into the slot, watching as the Public Recovery Centre came to life.
"Woah... so shiny..." She awed, watching as the colourful lights of the recovery centre began to switch on.
She placed her hand onto the keyboard, typing her friend's name with a smile before clicking the large green 'RECOVER' button on the left side of the keyboard.
She walked back, watching as the machine got to work at reviving her late friend.
But suddenly, something clicked in the machine, something... fatal.
The machine let out a loud, ear-bleeding screech, the lights on the machine flashing a bright red as Hairbrush fearfully walked back.
"Fine, fine! You can have her back!" A weird voice note played on the recovery centre as Hairbrush froze in fear.
"W-Wha..." She uttered, dumbfounded as the machine began to splash and spray blood all over her face.
She shrieked loudly, covering her face as the machine began to soak her in an obscene amount of blood.
"I... don't feel... good..." She gagged at the sight, holding a hand to her mouth as she dizzily toppled onto to the ground.
...
"...That... girl..."
...
"...Liy?"
________________________________
PRESENT.
"Now Foldy..." Pillow smiled, eyeing her knife as she began to walk up to her.
Foldy's eyes widened, letting out a shaky gasp as she got back up on her feet and walked back.
"DON'T YOU DO ANYTHING TO HER!" Pencil yelled loudly, jumping onto Pillow in a quick attempt to disarm her, though she was quickly punched back onto the ground.
"STOP, STOP!" Foldy screeched, shakily continuing to walk back until she violently hit the floor.
She let out a tired yet painful grunt, fearfully shutting her eyes as Pillow's knife came closer and closer to her face.
"Finally, I'm gonna get rid of another one of those stupid Free Foodies!" Pillow boasted in a laugh, "Never liked your pathetic team anyway!"
Foldy closed her eyes, her body trembling as she began to prepare for her demise.
"I'm sorry Stapy, I was so horrible..." She uttered, tears pouring down her face as she continued.
"I loved you so much... and I didn't even realise until you left my side..."
"I'm sorry Marker, I should've protected you..."
"You're my second best friend, after all..."
"And..." Foldy continued as she looked up at Pillow, cracking a slight smile.
"I'm sorry to you Pillow, I'm just sorry and nothing else..."
Pillow cackled, disregarding her already unnecessary apology as she came closer, and closer, until suddenly...
She's back.
"OW!" Foldy let out a shriek as the knife landed onto her, violently grazing down her face before falling on the floor.
"Liy? Oh Liy! You can't keep hiding forever!"
She clutched onto the pink sunhat as it cast a dark shadow over her grim and angered expression.
"What? Is she still hiding in that gross cubicle, as usual?!"
"..."
Liy hesitated a little, drops of sweat trickling down herself as she tried to hold herself together.
"She hid in there to cry, awww!"
They laugh, laughed, and keep laughing.
"Oh look, she has a little diary! Who wants me to read from the start?"
"Of course! I've always wanted to know how that UGLY, SNOOPING LITTLE BITCH... hah, became how she was..."
"N-No... stop..."
Her frail voice remained ignored, echoing through the walls of the empty girls' bathroom as she let out a worried gasp.
"Ahem... 'Dear Diary,' Awww, she thinks she's in a cute little series or something! What, you think that the world is all sparkles and rainbows and that your precious little Stapy's gonna say how much he loves you under a blossom tree? HAHAH!"
"Oh wow... my boyfriend too? Jealousy, jealousy, HUH? WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ANYWAYS?!"
"Anyways, 'I wish everyone here could die, EXPLODE INTO BITS! Well... except Stapy, I think he's too cute to just go like that...'"
"SHE... WROTE THAT?! HAH!"
"Awwwh... and to think all psychopaths didn't have a heart! Maybe this one here has a heart for the love of her life Stapy!"
"Shut up..."
Their laughs echo through the room, their contaminating, sickening giggles... Well, that's until they came to an abrupt pause.
"...What?"
"I SAID SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU ASSHOLES!"
Foldy walked up to the cubicle door, a dark expression growing on her face as her smirk quickly disappeared.
"You're one to talk, aren't you? CRAZY GIRL!" She screamed, throwing Liy's diary right into the sink behind her before kicking her foot as hard as she could onto the door of her cubicle.
Liy stayed silent, sighing with quick regret as she glumly dug her head into her arms.
"CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY GIRL! YOU BITCH! GO CURL UP INTO A BALL AND CRY AND WRITE THOSE STUPID DIARY ENTRIES ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE YOUR LIFE IS AND HOW YOUR FUCKING PARENTS DON'T EVEN LOVE YOU! HOW YOU'RE JUST A STUPID MISTAKE AND WASN'T EVEN MEANT TO BE HERE FROM THE START! AND HOW YOU TRIED TO HIT ON STAPY BECAUSE OF HOW LONELY YOUR ASS IS! I DON'T CARE, BUT DON'T YOU DARE CHAT THAT LOAD OF SHIT BACK TO ME YOU LOSER FREAK!"
Foldy bit her lip for a second, slowly regretting half of the words she blurted out as she walked back. But she paused, her heart thumping as her mind started to cloud.
"Yet none of the people in your life love you either, that's why you're doing this..." Liy muttered quietly under her waterfall of crybaby tears so no one could hear.
"Say it with me Makeup Brush, wake this weirdo up from her delusions!"
Foldy began to kick on the door once more, her friend soon doing the same as the frame began to shake.
"CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL!"
Liy began to tear up, her sobs becoming louder and louder as they continued.
"Awww... is she crying?" Makeup Brush laughed, fishing the diary out of the sink before grossly flinging it over the door of Liy's cubicle like a piece of gum stuck to her finger.
"O-OW!" Liy tearfully shrieked as the soaking book violently knocked onto her head.
"CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL!CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL! CRAZY GIRL!"
...
Liy blinked, shaking her head as she flashed back to reality. Pillow slowly turned to her, a slightly guilty looking showing up on her face as she walked towards her.
"L-Liy... I can-"
"WHAT THE HELL DID I TELL YOU, HUH?! YOU IGNORANT BITCH!" Liy yelled in her face, grabbing onto her wrist before snatching the sharp knife off her hands.
Without a second thought, she pushed Pillow onto the ground, a dark and soulless look in her eyes as she held the knife up to her face.
"Give me one... just one... ONE REASON... WHY I SHOULDN'T FUCKING END YOU IN FRONT OF ALL OF THEM! GO ON!" She continued to scream loudly, the shocked and speechless Pillow staying silent as she began to fearfully shake.
"Liy... w-what the fuck are you doing? WHAT ABOUT THE PLAN!" She screeched in a whisper, tears filling her eyes as Liy lifted the knife up higher.
Liy simply smiled, her eye twitching as she began to stab Pillow without a second thought.
"Liy... WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Pen yelled fearfully, putting a hand to his mouth as Liy simply continued to destroy Pillow in front of them all, her face splattered and soaking wet with blood as a pool of it started to form around the others.
"Fine... I admit I was wrong... but so are you, and soon your little plan will come crashing down!" Pillow weakly uttered her final message with a smirk, wiping the blood off her face as Liy paused.
"Do you know who the person behind the speaker is guys? The one who's been tormenting you and trapping you in this hotel? HUH? IT'S-"
Liy let out a shrill scream, smacking Pillow's face hard with her palm as she slammed the knife into her arm, ending it once and for all for her.
She got back up on her feet, looking Foldy deeply in her eyes as she fearfully backed away.
"What, no thank you?!" Liy scoffed somewhat pathetically as she walked closer to Foldy, her wide and bloodshot eyes looking into her traumatised and fearful ones.
"Crazy girl." She whispered with a wink as Foldy stayed silent and unsurprised, knowing full well why she said that...
But she simply nodded, her eyes dampening with tears as Liy trodded back to her room with a large grin on her face before slamming the door so loudly that the entire hallway shook.
"What... the hell? I'm gonna go." Pencil gagged, holding her mouth as if she was going to throw up as she made her way back to her room, Pen silently following.
Foldy stayed silent, her eyes worriedly looking around the hallway which they seemed to be trapped in forever, and ever.
She turned her vision to the floor, her mouth still wide open with shock as she tried her best to recollect everything that had just occurred.
"L-Liy..." She shakily uttered in disbelief as she lifted her frail body up from the ground and got back on her feet.
"Are you... the... one who is... behind... all of this...?"
"I wouldn't really believe a thing that scoundrel Pillow said honestly, despite Liy being utterly strange as she is." A sudden voice behind Foldy replied with a shrug.
"Lollipop? Were... YOU WATCHING THE WHOLE TIME WITHOUT DOING A SINGLE THING?!" Foldy yelled angrily before being quickly shushed.
"Ugh, no! I just... didn't know what to do..." Lollipop replied, a little embarrassed as she turned to the side and back.
"Then what are you doing out here when it's dangerous!" Foldy irritatedly snapped as Lollipop rolled her eyes.
"Because I heard screaming, duh? And what were YOU doing outside for yourself?!" She gave Foldy a once over as she went silent.
"I was-"
"Yknow what, whatever! I have no one to talk to, so come along will you!" Lollipop interrupted, grabbing onto Foldy as she dragged her into the room.
Foldy stayed silent, looking around the slightly cluttered room before noticing Teardrop, who was silently solving a Rubik's cube while laying tiredly on her bed.
"Y-You have Teardrop, though...?"
"Didn't you just hear what I said? I have no one to TALK to, y'know, TALK!" Lollipop shouted angrily as she looked back at TD, who didn't seem to even care enough to look her way.
"I... don't even really know you though, no offence o-or anything... I should get going!" Foldy awkwardly interjected, walking back towards the door.
"WAIT! Why don't we come up with... an escape plan?" Lollipop quickly replied as Foldy paused to turn to her.
"Okay, fine..."
________________________________
"I'm very hopeful. I'm hopeful. Hopeful. Hopeful. So hopeful... hahah... hah..."
Blood trickled down her face, her eyes bloodshot as tears began to fill the inner corners.
"They all know... know... know... they all know don't they... I know they know... they know I know... know... know... they know..."
What the fuck are you taking about?
"They know... know... know..."
Snap the fuck out of it you psycho! What the hell is wrong with you?!
"THEY ALL KNOW, THEY KNOW GOSH DAMNIT! THAT FUCKING USELESS PILLOW WENT AGAINST EVERYTHING! THEY. ALL. KNOW!" Liy yelled, slamming her hands onto her face before letting out a bloodcurdling scream so loud that the furniture around the room began to shake and topple.
What... are you-
"WHY DON'T I JUST GET THEM ALL AT ONCE..." Her mood quickly swung, a villainous grin growing on her face as she eyed the top drawer full of different weapons.
That would defeat the whole purpose of this, Liy. Your revenge...?
"Well what the fuck do you suggest I do then, HUH?"
I dunno?!
"Well... you're meant to be my backbone here, aren't you?! Y'know... THE ONLY THING HOLDING ME BACK FROM SLAUGHTERING THEM ALL AT ONCE! So... if you have nothing for me, I'M AFRAID THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO FUCKING HAPPEN!"
Oh, how you're so misguided. One day you'll realise what a grave mistake has come upon you.
"Stop yapping and come up with A FUCKING PLAN!" Liy snapped loudly, holding onto her throbbing head as her mind began to shroud into an unnavigable pit of darkness. One so thick and laced with secrets. One so strong that nothing you do could ever help you out. One... only Liy understood herself.
Well, why don't you... hm... fish... monster?
"WAIT! THAT'S ACTUALLY GENIUS!" Liy exclaimed, her eyes glowing as her brand new plan came to fruition.
What can I say? I'm just-
"Shut up. Let's just get on with it."
...
...
________________________________
"Sometimes I feel glad that I never went to that hotel." A usually cheerful voice admitted, her body slowly swinging as she looked down to her friend.
"Why?" Her friend replied, a bit curious as to why.
Bell stayed silent for a second, her heart thumping at the thought of what they could possibly be doing or seeing.
"They're all radio-silent."
All their phones have stopped working. None of the texts send. All the calls go to voicemail. No communication.
"It's like they've never even existed in the first place."
"What if they're dead?" Eggy interjected before quickly pausing.
"WHAT?! DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT MAN!" Bell snapped in a shout, tears trickling down her face as she sniffled
Eggy stammered nervously, backing away as the emotional Bell began to burst into tears.
"NO, NO, NO, NO! WHAT A LUDICROUS THOUGHT! WE CAN JUST RECOVER THEM! COME, JUST COME!"
"W-Wha?!"
"FUCKING COME!" Bell screamed loudly before speeding towards the recovery centre that was conveniently placed in the middle of the grasslands.
"What are you doing?! THEY'RE ALIVE! IT WAS JUST AN ASSUMPTION-"
"No, no, just... SHUT UP AND RECOVER THEM!" Bell continued to shout as Eggy rolled her eyes, walking towards the recovery centre as she looked towards the keyboard.
"Who do I recover first then?!" Eggy rolled her eyes.
"Hm... try Fries!" Bell smiled as Eggy began to type his name into the keyboard, nervously sweating as she cranked the lever.
She nervously watched as the recovery centre got to work, the lights flashing and the machine making approval sounds as the metal flap opened.
And what came out?
A limbless, faceless replica.
"W-What... I don't get it... I DON'T GET IT! GIVE HIM BACK! GIVE HIM BACK!" Bell cried, staring at the lifeless box of chips as Eggy typed his name in once again.
"FRIES HAS RECENTLY BEEN RECOVERED ALREADY," An automatic voice said to the two.
"TRY AGAIN...."
Bell and Eggy stayed eerily silent, watching as the machine began to glitch out and malfunction.
"....never! Now get lost and don't think about ever recovering that rascal EVER AGAIN!"
Eggy and Bell shivered, exchanging worried glances as they nervously moved back.
"Why does... that sound like..."
"Liy..." Bell added in a silent mutter, her eyes widening in shock as she began to go shaky.
Her eyes looked back towards the lifeless body that the recovery centre produced, fearfully hyperventilating as she moved back a little.
"Bell, I don't get it... what's... h-happening?"
"I could recognise that damn voice of hers from a mile away..."
...
...
..
.
____________________________
Match sat quietly on her bed, yawning tiredly as she looked towards the ground and began to slowly zone out.
...
Wow, looks like your best friend left you again!
"No she didn't... she saw that I was upset!"
Wouldn't be too sure about that Match... she always does this doesn't she! And she left her bestest friend in the world... for a boy!!
"H-He's not just 'a boy', they're friends! I don't know what you're trying to say but-"
Has Pencil ever left you for that reason?
"...I dunno...?"
Exactly.
She just simply doesn't like you anymore does she? Unless you start talking again, she'll just lose interest in staying your friend! You wouldn't like that would you?
"I wouldn't, but like-"
THEN DO SOMETHING! LIE UP A FUCKING STORM SO SHE'LL BE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO YOU INSTEAD OF STUPID LOVE INTEREST OF HERS!!
"HE'S NOT-"
Face it Match. You're an ugly disgrace of a person who deserves nothing but eternal hell. You're a suck up to me and to everyone else, AND NO ONE FUCKING CARES ABOUT Y-
"Match!" Pencil smiled as she flung the door open.
"STOP, JUST SHUT UP!!" Match screamed, still in her murky thoughts as she violently grabbed onto her face.
"M-Match, are you okay? We can talk!" Pen offered with a smile, reaching his arm out to help her before being pushed back.
YOU FUCKING DISGUSTING BITCH! THEY'RE. GONNA. KNOW.
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! I HATE YOU! I FUCKING HATE YOU SO MUCH! I HATE YOUR VOICE! I WISH YOU NEVER EVER FUCKING EXISTED, BOTH OF YOU! UGLY, DISGUSTING FREAKS!"
"...What?" Pencil uttered in shock, her eyes filling with tears as Match began to woozily rub her head.
"Wha... I, when did you get here?" Match blinked as she snapped back to reality, rubbing her eyes before looking at the two clearer.
Pencil stayed silent, her face pale with shock as she stepped away from Match.
"What did I do? Why are you looking at me like that you guys?!" Match yelled, tears filling her eyes as Pencil's cold stare began to tug her heartstrings.
"How can I be friends with you...?" Pencil uttered silently as she wiped the tears that were quickly pouring down her face.
"I don't know what you're saying! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"
"Just say you hate me already and get going!" Pencil tearfully and ironically smiled before turning her vision towards the ground.
Match stayed silent, blinking in confusion as she tried to remember if she said anything.
"My memory's a bit... hazy," She admitted, putting a hand to her aching head as a tear dropped down from her eye.
"Who even are you?!" Pencil yelled angrily, yanking Match's arm before violently shaking it.
"WHO ARE YOU, JUST TELL-"
"Pencil just calm down! Just um... give her space?" Pen said worriedly, pulling her away from Match.
"No.... no, NO! SHE ALWAYS ACTS LIKE THIS! IF THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG JUST SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!" Pencil barked loudly, her eyes filling with tears again as Match let out a fearful gasp.
Match looked back at her, still confused as can be, but she got the hint anyways. She wiped her tears, furrowing her eyebrows as she got back on her feet and walked out without looking back at the two for a second.
She was simply done.
Done with pretending everything was okay when it wasn't. Done with Pencil. Done with them all.
Done with everything.
Done with the lies...?
________________________________
"The very next morning, our remaining contestants woke up feeling very drowsy and tired. Yet, amidst the tiredness and fatigue, a sparkle of motivation glinted in their eyes... One, so strong, so mighty... Something deep in their subconscious guided them towards the shining light, and into their treacherous new journey, where they would come face to face with the new and old..."
The speaker let out a giggle, laughing as she held the mic closer.
"If you liked that story, then make sure to stay alive to hear more! Anyways, it's wakey-wakey time!"
...
"Gosh I hate her." A familiar leaf grumbled, an angry expression growing on her face as she got up from her bed.
"Why are you so angry? I think this hotel is very cool! The bed is comfy, the corridors are very sleek and cool, and the chandeliers are so swingy!" Firey giggled, rolling around his bed childishly before getting up on his two feet again.
"Oh you haven't seen jack shit!" Leafy snapped before yawning tiredly, holding her head as she sat back down on her bed.
"Who do we even, um, share this room with anyway?" She continued, calmer.
"Oh, hmm... I remember now! The angry hateful thing and the joyful thing!"
"The what now." Leafy uttered, completely stunned at how oddly he described his two other roommates.
Leafy sighed, glancing to the side only to see Fanny and Bottle walking towards the door.
"Oh, now I remember! Hey guys!" She smiled exaggeratedly, giving them an overly friendly wave before being rudely ignored.
"You don't need to fake your kindness Leafy, everyone can already see who you are!" Bottle shrugged with a grin as Leafy let out a gasp.
"Wha-"
"Yeah, I HATE LIARS! LET'S GO BOTTLE!" Fanny added in a hateful shout before the two left.
Leafy's smile quickly faded, her frown dropping onto the floor as tears began to water and trickle down her face. She held a hand to her arm, holding up a smile once more even though she felt herself breaking into pieces on the inside.
"That's what you get for being nice, right?" Leafy uttered with an ironic grin, wiping the petty tears off her damp face before turning to Firey, who was shrouded with guilt and sadness.
"M-Maybe you're just... making them uncomfortable?" Firey blurted out nervously as he came over to comfort her.
"It's um... fine, I'll just... yeah, urm... leave!" Leafy stammered, still holding up a smile as she began to walk away from him.
"Leafy, wait! Don't go yet!" He cried out, following behind her as she slowly turned back to him.
"It's okay... I'm okay! Just don't worry!"
"But-"
"DON'T. FUCKING. ANNOY. ME!" Leafy yelled, her smile fading before slamming the door right in Firey's face.
He let out a disappointed sigh, his eyebrows sadly slanting as he watched the door abruptly close.
"She will never change... will she?"
...
She always did this... every single day. She always thought that everyone cared about her so she always acted perfect and nice and always, ALWAYS wanted to make everyone her friend, even if she knew it was impossible to. She never wants to speak to anyone, she never wants to let anyone know how she feels, she never ever lets anyone know what's behind the mask.
She thinks that if she ever stops holding up a smile, that everyone would hate her forever... like... last time...
I hate to say this, but GOSH, she is self-centred. She thinks that everyone cares about her, that everyone looks at her, that everyone thinks about her. While I'm just left in the dark.
Leafy always wants everyone to accept her kindness, and it hurts her a lot when they don't. She doesn't realise that not everyone wants to be her friend, and she's always taking that to heart.
She can change her personality in the blink of an eye and gets extremely upset and angry at even the slightest disapproval or protest against her.
I just don't know why she has to do it with me too, I mean, we're best friends after all! If she doesn't want to be true to anyone she should still be comfortable enough to reveal her true personality with me!
I'm her best friend... right?
____________________________
"No you're not!"
Another day, another one of that speaker's heartless challenges. It was like a routine for the ones who remained. Survive, sleep, repeat. Describing it as draining would simply be an understatement.
"Anyways, I have a surprise for you all! Can you guess?" The speaker teased at them, giggling a little as the contestants remained silent, except for Puffball who was still dazily rocking back and forth.
"...M-Maybe I shouldn't have drank that super yummy drink... HULP-" Puffball gagged, her stomach churning uncomfortably before she suddenly retched loudly, following along with a painful cough.
"EW! GROSS!" Pin whined as the bubbling rainbow regurgitated substance splatted onto her head, dripping down her face before hitting the ground.
Puffball blinked in embarrassment and slight shock, staying silent as Pin shot her the death stare of a lifetime.
"You okay Pin?" Needle smiled as she wrapped her arm around Pin for comfort, despite the fact that she felt like throwing up for herself.
"PUFFBALL YOU DISGUSTING BITCH!" Pin screamed loudly, tears filling her eyes as she immediately span around to face PB who was completely frozen with embarrassment.
"Just leave it be Pin!" Needle tugged her softly by the arm as she dragged her forward and away from the mess of a state Puffball was in.
The hall went silent after that, the slight noise of Pin's disgusted cries being heard as the speaker powered back on again.
"There's only gonna be one room for you guys to get through today, since I'm so nice! Some of your are gonna be coming face to face with an old foe, and the newbies, well, you aren't...? I dunno... Anyways, GO!"
The remaining contestants walked forward, worried looks on their faces as they braced themselves for what they were about to see through that door.
"Probably gonna be something weird as usual..." Pencil shrugged as she turned to her friend, who had a worried look on his face.
"I dunno, something tells me that this is gonna be more deadly than ever before!" Pen shivered as the two walked through the door. He fearfully squinted his eyes, preparing to be ambushed by someone or something.
Pencil looked around the eerily empty hallway, a bit confused as to why there was nothing. Just cabinets, plant pots, a long rug, the usual in a hotel...
That was until she heard an eerie and loud crack on the ceiling which immediately caused her to freeze.
She watched fearfully as the ceiling began to crumble, the crack becoming larger, and larger...
"The Goiky Myths state that in dark, lonely depths of the canal, the Fish Monster roams. It was allegedly only ever seen once about a year and a half ago around the shore. The only people known to have seen it is Ruby & Fries, nobody else... But... little did they know... it may pay them a visit again..." The speaker read out, the rustling of paper being heard as they let out a nervous laugh.
"FISH MONSTER?!" Pencil yelled in shock, walking back before the monster violently crashed its way through the ceiling and down to everyone.
It was in fact the infamous monster from the Goiky Myths. Like everyone remembered, it was a disgusting green creature, loose skin sagging down from its scaly face, and large, black eyes which shined like marbles.
"E-EVERYONE STAY CALM!" Golf Ball yelled, still wanting to take lead after all this time.
"JUST RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"
"SHIT!" Pen yelped, running back before accidentally crashing into a familiar someone.
He blinked, turning around just to see Match glaring right back at him, her eyes wide and filled with tears.
"O-Oh, sorry Match! I-"
"It's okay! I forgive you!" She affirmed with an extremely exaggerated grin before walking away from him and over to Pencil.
"Hey..." Match uttered to Pencil, her smile still being held up as Pencil silently looked towards her.
"I'm sorry... I just..."
"What?" Pencil replied quietly, still hurt from her words.
Match held back for a second, her heart thumping loudly in her chest as she began to hyperventilate.
Lie... Lie... Just lie... it's okay... you've been doing it for so long... they'll understand...
She nervously bit her lip, looking to the side before looking back at Pencil who stayed eager for a response.
"I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO MYSELF OKAY! NO ONE CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND BUT ME!" Match fibbed loudly, tears pouring down her face as she yelled her tainted heart out.
She then paused, looking back up to Pencil who was seemingly distracted by something else, her eyes glued up to the monster on the ceiling and was rapidly approaching the two.
"M-Match... MATCH LOOK OUT!" Pencil screamed, her body shaking with fear as Match turned around just to see a creature, just centimetres away, staring right back at her.
It's eyes gleamed an evil red and it had its mouth wide open, teeth sharp, shining and yellow as if it was preparing for its very next meal.
"I-"
But before Match could utter single thing, before she could possibly run or shout... the monster closed its mouth on her with a loud, bewildering chomp as its teeth began to drip with blood.
Pencil stayed silent, helplessly watching as the monster continued to destroy her best friend right before her eyes before it finally backed away, leaving half-a-match laying on the ground in a pool of blood.
"No... no, no, no..." Pencil held her face, trembling as tears began to soak her palms.
She shut her eyes, letting out an ear-piercingly shrill scream before sobbing loudly and running off as fast as she possibly could, leaving Pen and the others behind.
"Haah... w-was that the bite of '87...?" Firey nervously laughed before receiving a sharp and painful slap on the face by Pen.
"You were never funny anyways Firey..." Fanny hissed at him, rolling her eyes as she and the others began to walk past him.
The rest of the contestants stayed silent, too nervous to say a thing as they simply continued to walk on. That was until one of them had an idea.
"Bomby." Pen turned to him with a soulless stare as he walked towards him.
"I have an idea okay. Thank me later."
"What?"
Before Bomby could say anything, Pen quickly lifted him up from the floor, running towards Firey and lighting his fuse.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Bomby screamed in his high pitched voice, looking into Pen's blank and empty eyes, the only thing lighting them being the fire that was slowly engulfing his fuse.
Pen blinked, smiling before throwing Bomby right into the fish monster, watching as the large creature exploded into flames before falling down to the floor.
"Booyah." He grinned, watching the monster wince and groan in defeat before going silent once and for all.
The rest watched in horror, gasps and whispers being heard as Pen simply walked past them all and straight to the exit before him, that large wooden door that some never lived to see...
____________________________
Until now, I've only ever came clean to one person.
In the days of Post-BFDIA. I had no one to ever talk to but him. We were all trapped in a box and there was nothing to really do except watch videos on TV.
Me and him were always sat in the sidelines and we'd always talk about life because there was nothing better to do. Even his own friends were too busy fighting over who got to watch TV for five minutes.
One day though, everything just slipped out of my mouth. And the look on his face was never what I expected. I thought he'd be horrified of me, I thought that he'd never want to come near me ever again.
But he just smiled. And told me that it was okay.
It was okay... right?
...r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠i̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅǧ̷̡̟̲̹̩̱͉̮̭͇͚̮̖̟̽̓͊̔̓̕ḥ̸̨̧̗̮̖̽̂̓̀̍̋͋́̅̃͘͜͝t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅ?
...
I leaned my body against the thick metal walls as I sat down, an empty look on my face as I let out a rickety sigh.
"You okay there? You look tired y'know?" A familiar voice laughed.
I turned to him, a smile cracking on my somber face as he giggled. I don't know why, but I felt so comfortable around him. More than I ever do with Pencil... which is surprising.
Pen... I don't know why, but he's so friendly. I seriously thought this loser box would be a living hell, considering I dodged my elimination for like the entire episode until that stupid orange hunk of metal caught me and immediately sent me back. I seriously thought that everyone would laugh at me, pick me apart. I guess the only hellish thing about this was when Puffball almost lit everyone on fire as she was thrown in. Good thing we had Teardrop, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to write anything like I am now.
"I'm okay... I guess..." I responded quietly, tapping my feet on the ground as I tried my best to pass the uncertain amount of time I was gonna be stuck in here.
"You sure? You're eerily quiet, not like how you were in Season 1, hm?"
"Don't pry." I responded a bit defensively, adding a laugh so he wouldn't think of getting away from me like everyone else usually does.
"I'm not, I'm not!" He laughed as he continued. "I just wanna know if you're okay, because we're friends right Match?"
I looked towards him, my eyes widening as he uttered that word out of his mouth with such feeling that my stomach began to churn with excitement and nervousness at the same time.
"Okay then, I'm perfectly fine!" I grinned, jokingly crossing my arms and closing my eyes before we both burst out laughing.
"Whatever you say!" Pen shrugged before looking upwards, his thumb and index finger resting on his chin as he began to think about something.
He then lifted his other hand to his face, counting on his fingers before pausing and blinking in confusion.
"Drat, I lost count man!" He grumbled as he turned back to me, a perplexed look on his face.
"Of what?" I replied out of curiosity as he scratched his head.
"Of how many episodes you were in BFDIA! I'm confuzzled..."
"Confuzzled?" I raised an eyebrow to that unfamiliar word.
"Confused, and puzzled... confuzzled! Don't you know?"
"No? I don't know what kind of slang you kids use!" I joked.
"Hey... you're only 3 months older than me!" He replied, a little embarrassed but still trying to laugh it off.
"Just look okay!" I switched back to the main subject, grabbing his hand as he looked at me in confusion.
"What are you-"
"One, two, three..." I counted, tapping on each of his fingers before reaching the fifth.
"See, five episodes and then I was eliminated! Not that hard!" I smiled as he gave me a look that was confused and shocked at the same time.
"But you didn't go out straight away?!" He replied in surprise.
"Still in the same episode though!" I laughed, trying to make him feel a little less confused and more comfortable.
"Oh!"
I went silent after that, awkwardly looking around before leaning my head against the metal wall and closing my eyes. My mind shrouded in darkness, the layers and layers of pain being blanketed by the thin and dark cloak of my lies. I just wish... it wasn't like this... I wish I could just smile for a good reason.
I felt a tear trickle down my cold face, my body uncomfortably tensing up as my breaths began to go shaky.
Don't make it obvious... you know they'll rip you apart like nothing.
"I... know..." I uttered under my rickety breath, hands on my face as my heart started to pump faster and faster.
"Match!" Pen exclaimed, tapping on my shoulder multiple times as I lifted my sorry self back up to face him.
"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I weakly uttered, tears pouring down my face as he pulled me into a hug.
"What's wrong? You can tell me anything y'know, we're friends!"
"I-I... I can't... I lie too much, I'll just ruin everyone with my useless feelings, with my useless self... you all always get annoyed when I say anything because I'm just rude and horrible!" I cried, still covering my face with my soaking hands as I continued to sniffle quietly.
"No you're not! Your feelings are valid too, and I'm never annoyed!" Pen exclaimed, continuing to smile.
I knew that he just wanted to make me feel better. I knew that he would never understand the scale of my feelings.
"I-I know, but-"
"You're amazing, brave, courageous, a bit cheeky at times but you're one of my coolest friends ok? Don't ever let anyone or anything tell you otherwise Match!"
"You would never understand Pen..." I muttered, "I've realised that everything and everyone in my life is a lie... you're a lie, Pencil is a lie, Bubble and Ruby are lies too... all of the friendships I've had are a lie. And I continue to lie to myself and everyone every single day of my shitty life because I'm scared okay?! I'm just scared that it'll happen again...!"
"...Scared of what to happen?"
"Of everyone to come and tear me down... of everyone to break me into pieces like GB did before! I don't even know the meaning of love or friendship or anything Pen! I don't! I FUCKING DON'T!"
He stayed silent, his eyes widening in shock as I continued.
"Me and GB used to be best friends, and she was the only one who remembers me as my real self! The only one who hasn't been lied to... by my stupid, STUPID SELF..."
"Match, I don't know what to say... I-"
"EVEN PENCIL DOESN'T KNOW FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" I shouted, continuing to cry as he pulled me into a tighter hug. I bet he could just feel how fast my heart was thumping...
"Because every day I continue to hide behind a facade that grows and grows, and if I ever told Pencil she'd be afraid of some psychopath like me!"
"You've told me Match, and I'm not afraid of you whatsoever... in fact, I'm happy I got to know more about you, so I can help you feel better about yourself!" Pen exclaimed as I wiped my tears, looking up to see that uplifting smile on his face.
"But, I-"
"It's okay Match..." He smiled as my eyes began to water once more.
"I wish... I just wish I could believe in myself as much as you do Pen!" I admitted, my eyes glistening with tears as he simply continued to hold up that smile of his. I don't know how he does it... how he stays hopeful all the time...
Hopeful...
"It takes time Match, it really does! And trust me, I'd know. But if you have just a tiny slither of hope in your heart like I do for you, you can get there! And you can make a huge difference!"
I went silent, taking in his words as I wiped the tears off my eyes. I looked around the TLC as a means to calm myself down, despite the metal walls being as barren and as colourless as can be.
"Pen has a girlfriend!!!" Blocky suddenly shouted out of nowhere, laughing as everyone else in there began to gawp and giggle alongside him.
"Dude, what's wrong with you?" Pen snapped, genuinely angry at his friend before looking back at me with a smile, his eye slightly twitching as he turned back.
Blocky stayed silent, blinking before turning back to TV who was sitting in the corner.
He grabbed the small remote that came along with TV, sitting down before switching it on and scrolling through channels before quietly watching like nothing ever happened in the first place.
I backed away from him a little, my mind still trying to process everything I had just blurted out to him in a matter of minutes.
I just wish. I had the confidence to tell Pencil...
Maybe I could tell her when I get freed? When BFDIA is over...?
I wish.
But I gotta stay hopeful, like Pen said.
If I can...
________________________________
"Wow... yeah Match, l-let's play Spongy-Cake together!"
Turmoil.
"This is so much fun... yaay..." Pencil forced a smile, tears trickling down her face as she played the game by herself. Her sidekick Match, nowhere to be seen...
"Hey Match... wouldn't it be weird if the very first and very last spoken words of BFDI were the same...?"
Pencil blinked, nodding her head somewhat manically before speaking.
"I agree... very... very... weird..." Pencil blinked, rubbing her weary head as she wiped the tears off of her face.
"Isn't it so fun to just sit down and have talks like this Matchie? Like, like, like, LIKE THIS... YES!! Ahahahahah.... HAH."
"O-Oh, what's that Match? Hoy, Hoy I agree! Spongy is so totally gross! Like... so... gross..."
"I'm tired..." Pencil yawned, rubbing her eyes as she paced back and forth.
"No, like no! I need to fill in for the both us! Right Match and Me?"
"Hoy, hoy! I love this show!"
"Love... this... show... hah... ahah..."
"Ick, Snowball's... o-on our team? What the flake...!!!" Pencil manically laughed, holding her face as her frown began to transform into one of a psychotic and deranged smirk.
"I totally agree... B-Book... bleh... B-BOOK! Ice... Ugly... I-Icy, Ice Cube! S-Such traitors... traitors... t-trai...tors... yummy..."
"Match, stop hiding from me!" Pencil continued to giggle, a twisted look on her face as she continued to speak.
"I know you're in the TLC somewhere!"
"...The only one making me l-lose my Pencilanity.... is totally, like, stupid Book!"
If anything, you're only making yourself go insane. Book has no involvement in your problems anymore. You excluded her anyways.
"Haah.... FUCK YOU ALL!" She screamed, slamming her fist onto the metal bed frame before bursting out into laughter.
"I-I'm just JK kidding Match!"
The door handle rattled, pressing down before opening, the person coming through locking it behind them before coming in.
"I hereby demote you to a... erm! A BEMB! Bemb... er??? BEMB!!"
"P-Pencil, are you okay?!" Pen stammered worriedly as she slowly turned to him, her lips twisted into a large grin as her eyes remained wide and bloodshot, damp and slowly drying tears in the outer corners.
"Pen! Lookin' cute as always!" Pencil exclaimed, her eye twitching as she held her face, letting out a frail cry before looking back at him with an extremely exaggerated grin.
"What?"
"Huh? Wha...? I'm just JK kidding Match!" She blinked, forcing out a laugh as she clapped.
"Super... hilare... right Matchie?"
"I-I'm not Match! Just wake up Pencil, THIS ISN'T HEALTHY!" Pen cried, shaking her arm as if to shake reality back into her blurred mind.
"Match gave me a pick up line just for you! Wanna hear it?"
"Snap out of it! PLEASE!"
"Now that I've seen you, life without you is like a broken pencil...pointless! Get it? Cause it's me? Pencil! Hoy, Hoy!"
Pen stared in shock, tears filling his eyes as Pencil got uncomfortably closer to him.
"If you were a vegetable, you'd be a cute-cumber!" She uttered with a smile, wrapping her arms around him before bringing her face closer.
"PENCIL STOP IT!" Pen yelled, pushing her to the ground without hesitation.
"W-Wha...? You didn't like my pick up lines? But Match said that I should tell you-"
"MATCH ISN'T HERE ANYMORE, OKAY?! Please... I JUST WANT YOU BACK PENCIL, YOU'RE NOT YOU RIGHT NOW!" He yelled, his eyes watering with tears as he watched Pencil silently get back on her feet.
"What d-do you mean?! Match is here... She's here, AND SHE'S HERE TO STAY!" Pencil yelled back as she got on her feet, her body trembling as she turned to face him.
"Pencil... SHE'S FUCKING DEAD!"
"NO SHE'S NOT!"
Pencil angrily tapped her feet, a look of disbelief on her face as she stopped to think for a second.
"C-Can you not see her?"
"...Are you hallucinating?! SHE GOT EATEN BY THE DAMN MONSTER!" Pen screamed so loudly that he felt his voice go hoarse.
Pen looked into her doubtful eyes, watching as she went silent with nothing but shock and disbelief.
"Monster... monster, monster, monster..."
Suddenly, she began to close her eyes, tears pouring down her face as she let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"MONSTER? MONSTER! I KNOW WHO THAT DAMN MONSTER IS, I'M GONNA FUCKING FIND HER IF ITS THE LAST THING I DO!" Pencil growled, running towards the door as she forcefully pulled at the handle to open it.
"PENCIL, WAIT!" Pen called out loudly before being ignored, watching in silence as Pencil walked into the corridor.
After a minute of straight silence, the noise of shouting and arguing could be heard, echoing through the room as the shouts only became louder.
"Pencil..." he muttered, opening the door and hastily exiting before worriedly looking through the hallway only to find her engaged in a heated argument with none other than... Golf Ball...
...
This is going exactly as planned.
"STOP BLAMING ME FOR YOUR LOSS PENCIL! GET OVER IT, JUST GET OVER IT! REMEMBER WHEN MATCH WAS IN THE TLC?" Golf Ball shouted defensively, grunting as she tried her best to wriggle out of Pencil's painful grip.
"ITS NOT LIKE WHEN SHE WAS IN THE TLC, YOU STUPID IDIOT! SHE'S GONE! SHE CAN'T COME BACK!" Pencil snapped, grabbing tightly onto her small and fragile body as she began to violently shake it.
"O-OW! STOP, PLEASE! I GET HOW YOU FEEL OKAY? I LOST TB TOO! I DID, I REALLY DID, JUST PUT ME DOWN PLEASE!!" Golf Ball cried, tears filling her eyes as Pencil grunted and threw her against the hard wall.
"SHUT UP, LIKE, JUST SHUT UP! ITS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU WANTED EVERYONE TO FOLLOW YOUR STUPID PLAN AND MATCH TRIED TO FOLLOW ALONG!"
"SHE DIDNT HAVE TO FOLLOW MY PLAN! I-, I DIDN'T EVEN MAKE A PLAN!" GB yelled back loudly, beginning to cry.
"WELL WHAT WOULD SHE DO GOLF BALL? ITS HER AGAINST THE WORLD." Pencil was so close to smacking GB. Her everlasting grief for her best friend Match was masked by rage, and deceit, and a horrid mixture of lies, and it hurt more than anything. She didn't want her best friend to go. It hurts to lose someone so close to you, to watch them get taken right before your very eyes...
"WHY ARE YOU LYING PENCIL?" GB cried out, her breaths going rickety and fast as her small body began to shake and tremble.
"WHA- NO I'M NOT!" She snapped angrily.
The loud arguing of the two attracted some unwanted attention and soon people started to come over and watch.
"WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF? HUH?!"
GB was so scared. She didn't cause Match's death, she knew deep down. She already lost TB, to the monster...
She didn't want to be blamed for this. She didn't want anxiety, she didn't want to be worried again. Like last time.
"YOU KNOW GB, I WISH IT WOULD'VE GOTTEN RID OF YOU ALL THOSE YEARS AGO IN YOYLE CITY, THEN YOU'D BE GONE FOREVER!"
A loud gasp could be heard, the contestants watching the argument going silent as GB began to sob silently. GB didn't ever want to be reminded of Yoyle City, or it... She felt tears stream down her face. This wasn't fair. Why is everyone always ganging up on her? It happened in BFB, BFDIA, BFDI..., she hadn't ever let go of it, and now it was all happening again...
That thing... the shadow... shadow... shadow...
"Kill me then." Golf Ball uttered silently, a soft smile forming on her face as she looked up to Pencil, who fearfully backed away.
"What...?"
"Stab me. Destroy me. Rip me apart into bloody pieces. I don't wanna be here anymore. I don't have TB, so what's the point of me?" Golf Ball continued to stare into Pencil, her face blank and her eyes so dark and lifeless.
"Stop it you freak!" Pencil shivered.
"You all always enjoyed doing that anyways, SO WHY WON'T YOU DO IT NOW HUH, WHY, WHY?!" Golf Ball immediately switched, screaming loudly to Pencil as she got back up on her two feet.
"Go on, go on, go on, GO ON, FUCKING GO ON!"
"I... I- I DON'T GET IT!" Pencil cried, holding her face as tears began to pour out of her once fierce eyes.
"See... See, SEE, SEE, SEE, SEE!" Golf Ball exclaimed, an angered look on her face as she watched Pencil break down and fall on her knees.
"YOUR WORDS ARE YOUR ONLY WEAPON! Other than that, you're just as plain and as emotional as they can be... aren't you Pence Pence?" She continued as her attitude began to change, mocking the life out of Pencil as she continued to sob relentlessly on the ground.
"Match felt that way too. People like you always picked her apart, that's why she lied all the time."
Pencil went silent for a moment, wiping her face as she stopped to look at the now overly confident Golf Ball.
"What?"
"Okay, let's just take this somewhere else shall we?" Pen laughed nervously, grabbing onto the two conflicted girls before taking them to an empty bedroom, locking the door behind him before turning back to face the two.
"Pen, tell me what she means... Why's she saying all of this? This shit!"
"Shit? That's how you made me feel like, you overly selfish assertive bitch." Golf Ball rolled her eyes as she gave the girl an extremely rude once over.
"Shut up!" Pencil snapped, wiping the tears off her face and acting like she never even cried to start with.
"She's just mad because I used reverse psychology on her, don't act like you weren't crying a minute ago, imbecile!" GB obnoxiously laughed before being shushed by Pen.
"L-Let's just um... talk? Resolve?" Pen nervously laughed as the two turned to him with disgruntled looks on their faces, as if he was the one who inflicted all this chaos on them to start with.
"What the fuck am I meant to resolve with this arrogant bitch?! SHE KILLED MATCH!!" Pencil yelled angrily, her eyes glowing with angry tears as Pen could feel a raging flame ignite within her.
"Pencil... she died in front of y-"
"Even if I did, I bet it did Match a favour anyways! I would rather die than live a liar who has to battle with two different identities every waking moment of my life while trying my best to shut the voice up in my head which basically controls my every move," Golf Ball added with a bit of a yawn, rubbing her eyes before looking back up to the two who started at her in disbelief.
Pencil held a hand to her mouth, tears soaking her face as she began to shake her head in utter disbelief.
"W-Wait... is that why she argued with me all the time?!" She cried, her heart thumping as she began to doubt everything she ever knew about her mysterious late friend.
"Golf Ball, how the hell do you even know this about her?!" Pen added in shock as Golf Ball began to continue.
"We were once very best friends..." she sighed, a frown growing on her face as she looked to the side.
"I knew how her true self was like, how she acted, talked, presented herself. And yes Pencil, it was drastically different to the Match that YOU knew."
Pencil's eyes widened, her mouth dropping to the floor as she began to go utterly speechless.
"She was so very insecure of herself, always shy and had her head down. She wouldn't even look you in the eye properly unless it was for something super important. It was like she was an everlasting outsider. A spectator, an outcast even! She would just refuse to speak. Not like the Match you all knew, who was sassy, straightforward, dimwitted. Match was actually really intelligent, probably more than me even, I just think she was scared to show you two and everyone else her true self, her smarts, her skills, all because of some stupid insecurity... AND THAT BROKE HER APART!"
"But, how-"
"I know what you'll say. I haven't even talked to her since before Season 0*, but if you've known someone for so long that you have already grasped a clear hold of what their personality was like... well..."
"I don't get it though, I don't, I REALLY DON'T!" Pencil sobbed, wiping her tears as she continued to question the authenticity of their whole friendship from start to end.
"Why would she never tell me? WHY, WHY! I COULD'VE HELPED HER!"
"Because she was scared of what you'd think of h-"
"I WOULDN'T THINK ANYTHING THOUGH! SHE'S MY BEST FUCKING FRIEND, GOSH!" Pencil irritably screamed, continuing to cry as she slammed her fist against the wall in anger and slight shock.
"She kinda... told me..." Pen admitted, looking to the side in guilt as she continued.
"Before you..."
"No... no, no, no, no she didn't... no..." Pencil incredulously muttered , holding her face as her body began to go numb with shock.
"She loved you Pencil, I swear on it! She always saw you as her best friend!" Pen insisted, grabbing onto her arm in a weak attempt to convince her only to be pushed away after.
"If she really wanted to protect me why would she keep this much of a secret from me..." She muttered quietly, her hands trembling as she struggled to keep herself together.
"I-"
"Did I even... have a friendship with her?!"
"...Sure you did, I-"
"Even I can tell she really wanted to be your friend, Pencil." Golf Ball added solemnly with a slight nod.
"She lied because it was the only way she felt she could get closer to you, to be your friend... she was just so afraid that if you know how she was really like behind her mask, you would immediately drop her."
Pencil sat there, letting out gasps of disbelief as she held a weary hand to her mouth.
"I-I... I wouldn't drop her.... She w-was... lying...?" She stammered, utterly stunned as she continued to silently cry.
"B-Bubble wasn't scared to be herself... Ruby wasn't either,.., Book and Icy weren't afraid, so why was Match?!"
The other two stayed silent, unable to forge a clear answer as Pencil only grew more and more confused than ever before.
"I'm so stupid... NOW SHE'S GONE FOR GOOD!"
"Hey, I mean at least at least you're still alive? You can keep Match's spirit alive!" Pen encouraged her with a nervous smile before receiving the most confused glare he'd ever seen in his life.
"She... what?! You confuse me Pen, gosh. I'm just gonna... go I guess..." Pencil sighed, shaking her head as she wiped her damp face clean.
"Wai-"
"I mean it Pen, no following me okay?!" Pencil snapped, looking him in the eye as he gave her a reluctant nod.
And with that, she closed the door, leaving Pen and GB still inside the somewhat abandoned bedroom.
"You should follow her." Golf Ball added as Pen nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. Yeah I should." He muttered, shooting GB a thumbs up as he walked towards the door.
...
Pencil stayed silent, putting a hand to her throbbing headache as she felt her vision go fuzzy.
"Where's my bedroom again..." She murmured, blinking her swollen eyes as she walked forward. Her heart quickly pumped, her hands going shaky with worry as she began to feel the sensation she was dreading her entire life.
Loneliness.
Pencil sighed, too tired to cry. She just wanted to-
"AGH!" She suddenly yelped as she felt an unfamiliar liquid splash onto her, its strong and contaminating smell beginning to sting at her eyes as she let out a painful scream.
"W-WHAT IS THIS! WHO IS THIS?!" She continued to scream, rubbing her eyes at rapid speeds as she blindly walked forward to find the person who would do this.
"Okay, whatever Leafy! Spoiled bitch!" Another voice hissed as Pencil continued to walk forward, the loud door slam causing her to let out a soft shriek as she just kept continuing to blindly walk.
"Erm, why are you getting close to me Pencil?" The voice continued to speak as Pencil let out a painful groan, her left arm over the both of her eyes as her right arm stretched out to feel for the person in front, her palm going extremely warm as she got closer.
"Pencil! You okay?" Pen questioned, walking out the door with an unknowing grin as he looked for his friend.
"Huh... why is it so warm..." Pencil uttered, still seeing black as she took a step forward, her body shaking as she quickly began to lose balance.
She slipped, her fingers barely gliding on the person before her as she fell to the floor, letting out a painful scream as she began to feel a deathly hot sensation travel up her spine.
"W-WHAT'S THIS?!" Pencil screamed, her voice going raspy as she felt the pain of a thousand spears right into her limbs. To put it simply, she was burning.
She let out a blood-curdling scream, slamming her blazing fist on the ground as the sound of cracking and burning wood only began to intensify.
"PENCIL!" Pen screamed on the top of his lungs, his eyes widening in shock as he ran over to the flame that engulfed his only remaining friend in this hellhole.
"I-I'LL JUST... BURN UP YOUR FUCKING HOTEL BITCH!" Pencil wheezed out, crawling forward amidst the flames as she continued to slam and kick at the floor like a flopping fish on the pavement.
She continued, letting out shrill screams and quiet whimpers of pain as she continued to slam.
Live.
Just live.
...
FUCK, PLEASE?!
"The hotel is fireproof." The speaker straightforwardly admitted with a laugh as they mercilessly watched Pencil burn in a pit of flames.
"PEN... P...LEASE... S...UR...VIVE..." Pencil gasped out, her eyes so wide they looked like they were gonna pop out of their sockets. She began to go silent, her body slowly charring and breaking apart amidst the hell of flames as the open and pouring wounds on her arms and legs began to leak out, creating a dark red pool on the ground that was slowly mixing in with the fire.
"Fuck, fuck... FUCK, WHAT THE FUCK?! WHERE'S FUCKING TEARDROP!" Pen yelled distraughtly, anxiously holding onto his cap as he ran over to each and every door he could get to in the hallway, banging the doors open with violent kicks and forceful punches.
But alas... it was hopeless.
She was gone.
Both of them.
But what hurt the most...
"I never got to tell her... that I..."
...
16/42 left.
_________________
Chapter 14 comes to a close now, how was that? 😋
Word Count: 10,692
Definitions
*Season 0 - Total Firey Island
~
Anyways make sure to have a great day, and as usual... one more scene left ;)
Dean, out!
_________________
"So I, um... what's your escape plan thing?" Foldy questioned, looking at Lollipop skeptically as her eyes glowed with a motivation.
"Okay, so..." She smiled excitedly, clearing her throat as she continued. Teardrop sighed, shaking her head as she simply turned her vision back to the Rubik's cube that she had been occupied with for the past few days.
"What I told you that I've actually found a way to recover?!" Lollipop added, an excited grin growing on her face as Foldy gasped in shock. Teardrop simply facepalmed.
"Wait, so-"
"Hold your horses girl!" Lollipop snapped, rolling her eyes as Foldy scoffed.
"I barely even said anything..."
"We're only gonna be able to recover one person, though,"
Foldy stayed silent for a second, turning her vision to the barren red walls next to the door as she began to think.
"Why don't we recover Stapy then?" Foldy smiled, swinging her feet as she felt her excitement levels go up at the sheer thought of him.
"Eh, whatever. But we do it tomorrow, okay?" Lollipop affirmed as Foldy gave her an extremely enthusiastic nod.
"Right!"
"Anyways, whatever goodnight." Lollipop muttered as she climbed up to the top bunk.
"Stapy... Stapy..." Foldy grinned as she tucked herself into the blankets, turning her head as she began to giggle quietly.
FIN.