TW: GUNS, and Implied SA.

(Implied SA in the PAST, nothing creepy in the present)

———

"C-come on Taco! I-I got you..." She cried as she held the brutally injured girl into her arms. "It's going to be okay..."

"...!?" Her eyes were filled with fear and panic. But Microphone's arms were welcoming, and loving in a sense. They gave a feeling to her she hadn't felt since she was a child. Though she knew they weren't the living she'd wanted... The care was enough to ease her for a fleeting moment.

"What have they done to you...?!" Microphone clutched the gun in her hand, noticing the fear in her eyes. The abnormal and raw fear response she didn't even know she could have. She was always so brave back on the show... "This is completely inhumane...!" She muttered shakily in disbelief to how much they had torn apart her already broken soul.

"QUICK! STOP HER! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!"

Microphone clutched the smaller girl even tighter as she bolted down the clean white hall only decorated by the blood on the floor. And turned a sharp corner.......She held up the gun to anyone she saw in her path and...

BANG!

"What a... Weird dream..."

Microphone lifted her head off the patch of grass she had been lying in. She rubbed her eyes and her back slightly, it ached from laying on the hard ground rather than her bed. She heard a soft groan and looked over towards the sound "Taco...?"

Taco was lying against the tree. Blood starting to soak through the bandages now... "Mic...?"

God... Microphone sighed and stood up groggily. Taco was bleeding too much... If she didn't get help soon, then...She could die. Microphone breathed in shakily and picked Taco up.

"M-mic...? What are you doing?" Taco asked as she felt it was Microphone by grazing her hand over her on and off button, but not pressing it. As she could not see due to the bandages that still were over her eyes.

"Taking a risk." Microphone answered in a quiet voice. "We're going to the hotel."

"Wh—WHAT?!" Taco yelled, and then coughed up more blood. "YOU CANT THEY WILL KILL ME!" She struggled to get out of Microphones's arms.

Microphone didn't let her go as she continued walking. "If I don't take you the blood loss will first!"

"MICROPHONE, PLEASE DON'T!" Taco spat as she struggled still. An angry cry as she kicked and squirmed.

"TACO. Please... Worst comes to worse, I'll run out with you okay...?!" Microphone reassured, trying too keep a grip on Taco. Which was more difficult than it seemed.

Taco betrayed a whine, "What about you...? Th-they... Could be after you next—! I..." she trailed off, a frown of worry evident.

Microphone sighed, "It's... It's okay. I got this." In full truth, she really hadn't known what she was doing in the slightest. As most teens were, she was just trying things... and hoped that they would work.

Taco huffed to herself, hugging her own small body. She then sat in her arms and looked away... or at least turned her head away. "Fine..." her voice croaked in defeat.

The taller girl hummed in acknowledgment. Microphone continued towards the hotel. She was looking at the ground. And took a deep breath in. "Everything will be fine..." she told herself. But suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks when a DRAGON stuck its head in her face. "G—GAH?!!!! WHAT THE FUCK?!" She screamed and stumbled back. Clicking the power button on her chest as she did.

Taco flinched. "What?! What is it?!" flinching back and moving to lift the bandages.

"D—D-DRAGON... THERES A FUCKING DRAGON???" Microphone squealed, gritting her teeth with intimidation.

Taco froze, amber hand stationary, "I'm sorry. What. There's a WHAT."

"Hey Microphone! And—!" Lightbulb widened and stared at Taco for a second. Blinking and realizing who was in Microphone's arms. "WEE WOO WEE WOO! WE GOT A CRIMINAL! CRIM-IN-AL!!!" Lightbulb yelled, pointing at Taco with a scowl.

"L—LIGHTBULB, PLEASE!" Microphone huffed. "She's HURT! C-Cut her some slack!" Microphone quivered, still cowering away from Baxter.

Lightbulb got up super close and squinted at Taco. Before shrugging it off. "Yeah... Seems fair." She put her hands on her hips.

"T-thanks... u-uh..." Microphone inspected the scene in front of her more closely. "What's with the dragon...? And th-the uh... wings...?" She asked with a nervous look, smiling to hide her clear lack of confidence.

"Oh. So... I tried to eat a Pokémon card with steroids and got powers. Oh! And Baxter is a Cragon." Lightbulb shrugged with a completely neutral face. Her language childish. But, this was Lightbulb. Not much could be expected from her.

"... You mean... Your crab..." Microphone asked skeptically, shocked at how nonchalant the other girl was being.

"Yep!" Lightbulb smiled, giving a firm and proud nod.

Microphone shook her head and walked past Lightbulb. "I'm not gonna question it..." Microphone mumbled as she silently tried not to panic. She hunched down into her shoulders as she felt the warm breath of Baxter over her shoulder. Taco exhaled in relief as she successfully passed her first encounter with a hotel resident without being obliterated into thousands of bloody pieces. She hadn't even realized she had been holding her breath.

Microphone walked right up to the doors of the hotel lobby only to see a room that was practically empty, except Knife and Pickle playing games on the couch, and— Paper dragging two... Dead bodies. "O-oh! Microphone you're back!" Paper cheered, trying not to draw attention to the bodies. Of course it had been far too late.

"Do I need to ask...?" Microphone looked a bit concerned. "Mephone isn't around! How did that happen—?"

"Long story... I'm sure they're fine wherever they are and— ..." Paper froze at the sight of the smaller sixteen year old girl. "IS THAT— TACO?!" Paper squeaked, startled.

Knife nearly choked on his pop in the background, and Pickle dropped his controller completely. Knife looked over with an outraged face and moved to step towards the three of them. But Pickle grabbed his wrist and whispered angrily to him.

"SHHH...! Not so loud! Something really bad happened!" Microphone frowned, Paper was drawing a lot of unwanted attention.

"What—?! WHY?! HOW???!" Paper clutched the sides of his head. "We can't let OJ see her!" Paper hadn't exactly approved of the kill on sight rule... He just wanted everyone to be safe. Including Taco.

"I know that—!" Mic whined as she held Taco in a position where she was more hidden. "What do I do?!"

"Bring her to your room! Uh... Test Tube can't really see her because..." Paper muttered, Test Tube and Microphone shared a room after all. He conveyed to her dead body and baring teeth and sucking in a hiss of air as he looked for words.

"She's dead." Microphone sighed. "A-and Soap too...?!" Microphone's eyes had looked to her friend.

"There's no time to explain!!! J-just go! Go!!!" Paper shooed Microphone towards the stairs. Looking towards the distant room he'd been heading to after withdrawing a shaken hand back down to drag the bodies once again.

Microphone quickly ran towards the stairs, and froze at the way Knife and Pickle were staring at her. 'I'm sorry' she mouthed, and ran up the stairs. Trying not to look back.

Knife looked at Pickle. Who looked... Hurt? Angry? "Dude, are you oka—?"

"I need a minute..." He hissed. Which wasn't like him. Pickle stood up and left. Holding his head in his hands, he was clearly distraught.

Knife sighed and clenched his fists. "Damn it Mic!" He grunted, as he got up off the couch and stormed up the stairs. Of course he'd go after her.

Paper cleaned up the bodies and slid down a wall into a sitting position clutching the side of his head. This was more stressful than running the complaints desk...

He couldn't even imagine what the future had in store.

———

Fan stormed into the dining and threw himself onto a chair. He gripped the sides of his arms. Usually he was never this mad. He saw OJ sitting with a glass of wine in hand. "What are you doing..." Fan asked in a grumpy tone, slumping in his chair. Clearly upset...

"Drinking until I can't stand up straight..." OJ answered jokingly in a slurred voice. "Why are you so mad..."

"Nickel turned into whatever the heck Lightbulb and Balloon went through! AND KILLED TEST TUBE! And Soap I guess..." Fan leaned on his hand.

"WHAT?! ON PURPOSE?!" OJ asked as he sat up straight again, he nearly fell off the chair in the process. A scowl and taken aback expression erupted onto his face.

"I don't fucking care at this point..." Fan grumbled.

OJ kind of flinched at Fan swearing. He hated swearing. "All of this WeiRd... Power-Wings-dragon crap is pisSing me ofF..." OJ huffed angrily.

"YEAH. ITS PISSING ME OFF TOO... WHY CANT EVERYTHING JUST BE NORMAL...?!" Fan whined, tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. "Gosh... I don't think I can take much more of this... not after the Shimmers..." He placed his hands on his knees and gripped them tightly. Scared. Almost wanting to cry.

"Nothing we can do about it... How the hell do you do something about Elsa, angel, and Mr... Assassin?" OJ grumbled, a slurry of random insults. Childish at that. He had been drunk after all.

"More like Death... Literally death..." Fan complained, sounding slightly scared too.

"Of course..." OJ rubbed his temples, processing Fan's words.

"Hm..." Fan murmured unsurely and hunched down into his knees.

"Just... Great." OJ grumbled.

———

Balloon held Nickel as he sobbed.. They both cried. Neither of them wanted this. It was just... All bad. Stress, Death, and Hatred. Both of the Boy's face was wet with tears.

"How w-will I ever do anything now...? I..." Nickel sobbed.

"My exact thought for both of us..." Balloon sniffled and wiped his tears. "I hate this... Why us...? Why now...?!" He cried.

"This is all so fucked..." Nickel groaned as tear fell down his face. His whole life he wanted to be different. To be special. This isn't what he meant... Or... Maybe it was...? He... He didn't know anymore.

"I'm scared..." Balloon said softly.

"Me too..." Nickel replied as he snuggled himself closer. He was searching for comfort, and also trying to give it.

Balloon winced as his wings grew out again.

"Is this what you meant...?" Nickel asked.

"Wh-what...?" Balloon choked out.

"You said... 'You don't understand how being different can hurt someone...' is... Is this what you meant?" Nickel looked at Balloon, his eyes and body still burning, as he pulled his knees closer to himself.

"...In a sense..." Balloon answered.

"What do you mean?"

"I was more directing the person being hurt, as the one who's 'special.'" He mumbled in a uncomfortable tone. He crossed his legs uncomfortably and Pulled Nickel closer.

"Hurt in what way?" Nickel asked, as another bloody tear filled his eye.

"You don't want to know..." Balloon replied with a frown. He was growing incredibly uncomfortable with the conversation. "Are you feeling any better?" He asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Everything burns... I feel like I'm on fire..." Nickel groaned.

"I'm sorry..." Balloon frowned even more.

"Don't be... It's not something you could've controlled."

"I-I guess—"

CRASH

Balloon screamed and nearly dropped Nickel as a small, jet black inky—goo creature crashed through the window.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!" Balloon squealed.

The creature hissed, and lunged at Balloon. Nickel and Balloon dove away in different directions.

Balloon, who wasn't used to being so heavy, collapsed onto the floor, and wasn't able to jump across to Nickel's bed. And Nickel, rolled off the bed accidentally and onto the floor near the foot of the bed.

The creature screeched and lunged once again, the substance it was made of instantaneously wrapped around his wrists as he kicked and screamed, he was rendered immobile. He felt weak all of the sudden...

"BALLOON!" Nickel yelped as he ran over to try and help.

The substance spread slowly, eventually covering his ankles and nearly his mouth before—...

...

Nickel harshly kicked it. That part of the creature shrivelled up and released Balloon's arms as it Backed off. Balloon tried to pull his legs out, and Nickel stomped on the thing multiple times before the creature shrivelled up and died.

Both boys breathed heavily.

"What the name of god was that..." Nickel whispered in a horrified tone.

Balloon scrambled back over to Nickel and picked him up again. "Why—?! What was it doing?! Where did it come from?!" He cried as he held Nickel close, searching for some form of protection.

"I don't know!" Nickel replied nervously, in that same whispering voice.

"I-I don't... K-know what......" He trailed off, but Nickel nudged his shoulder.

He gave Balloon a soft expression. "We're in this together..." Nickel reminded. "Just like you said."

Balloon sighed and nodded slowly.

"Maybe lunch will ease our minds? L-let's just... stay in the corner of the table. So I won't... touch anyone on accident..." Nickel sighed.

"Yeah..." Balloon was silent. "But what about the others?" He asked, remembering what happened at breakfast last time.

"I... I don't know... Let's just... try to ignore them I guess..."

"I-Ill try..."

"Let's go..."

"Also uh... Can you carry me? I can't see and... I don't wanna kill someone again..." Nickel chuckled.

Balloon smiled a little and wiped his last few tears. "Ye-yeah... heheh..."

———

IF I SEE ONE MORE "Nicke" JOKE IN THE COMMENTS IM GONNA SNAP /Silly

ALSO. THOSE MONSTER THINGS ARE GONNA LOOK WAY CREEPIER IN THE FUTURE.

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