// TW \\

MANIPULATION

SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

———

The cool breeze blew over the soft green grass of the field. Bush leaves swayed in the wind, and colourful birds of all different types chirped happily in the clouds above. Flowers decorated the nearby hills and reached for the setting Sun above. The young child resting in a bed of tall grass as it swayed in the wind groaned, lifting their head from the green beneath them.

Their eyes drifted to the surrounding earth. Strangely, it felt so much better then is did before. They perceived everything so much... Clearer now. They stumbled up from the ground, and felt the grass beneath their feet, and watched it squish down underneath their body.

The child flinched and lifted their foot to witness the foot shaped indent they made in the vegetation beneath them. "What...?" They said, puzzled at this revelation.

They proceed to take another step, an indent inlayed in the grass once more, a real, physical foot causing it to be. They flinched and gasped, giggling quietly and doing a little spin, looking down at themself as their ribbons swayed, and their wings fluttered with joy. Their excitement intensified and they cheered with glee running through the field carefree.

They kept on running and running, happily playing in the field of grass, until they tripped and tumbled over something that was lying on the ground. They landed face first with a mouth full of grass and grumbled as they glared back at what they had tripped over. They were surprised to see Test Tube!

Bot nervously glared at her, and stood up fidgeting with their hands.

Test Tube stirred and sat up from the grass, rubbing her back... "Gosh... My everything hurts..." She huffed. Test Tube looked down at herself and was surprised to find she was kind of different? She was more decorated than before— kind bubbling a little too... She felt for her [A.R.E.P.] and froze.

Where was it?! It was gone— oh no no no no...! She searched her scarf and patted herself down along with the nearby grass until a hand landed on the head of another. She flinched and pulled her arm back— only to be met with Bot's gaze from below.

She stared in shock.

Bot gave a little wave, and smiled shyly. What if Test Tube though they were defective because they were no longer a program? No—no... She wouldn't think that surely...

Test Tube picked them up, and stood up instantly. She checked over Bot, and poked at their antennae, which twinkle and sparkle as she touched them. Test Tube flinched dropping Bot.

Bot yelped, and flailed as they fell, their wings picking up and fluttering their wings sparkled as they hovered just above the ground. "—O-Oh! Oh jeez!" They flip themselves right side up, and sigh with relief, flying back up to Test Tube's height nervously.

Test Tube's eyes were fixed on them the entire time, astounded at the thing she saw before her. They were like... a fairy. They felt so alive before when they were a simple hologram—but now? They were real...! They were right here in front of her. How was this possible?! How did they—?!

Bot continued to hover nervously staring back at Test Tube as she stood in shocked silence. "Uhm...?"

Test Tube flinched and snapped out of her shocked trance. She stepped back and composed herself. "S-sorry... I was just—Uh—surprised! Ahah!" She gave a nervous smile.

Bot returned the smile, their antennae then perked as they did a little flip in the air. "I can fly around and REALLY touch things now!" They chimed with a excited grin.

Test Tube giggled and nodded in response. "Just don't go too far okay? I'm not sure where we are... It could be unsafe." The Vial warned, then looking around at the rolling hills of the surrounding field.

"I don't have access to any internet— But I think that's mostly because uh—I'm not...Connected to it..." Bot shrugged.

"Perhaps we've been transported to another location..." Test Tube crossed her arms as she thought out loud to herself.

"Where ever we are, it sure is pretty!" They exclaimed, flying down and landing in the grass. They were pretty small, but that didn't stop them from running ahead.

Test Tube continued to ponder their situation for a moment longer, until, she noticed Bot running off. "Bot! Geez—I told you not to go running off!" She huffed, jogging after them.

Bot stopped at the top of a hill, and looked down in the distance. A nervous and horrified look on their face, as they recoil from what they were witnessing in that moment.

Test Tube ran up after them, and stopped to breathe for a moment. The Vial then turned her gaze up to where the little fairy was looking, and froze too. Destroyed trees... Black ooze... smoke...She looked between Bot and the sight before them.

"What in the heck is that...?!" Test Tube muttered beneath her breath, as she narrowed her eyes with worry.

"I'm not sure... We should probably go check it out...! What if someone is hurt?!" Bot whined, taking a step forwards to go see.

Test Tube scooped them up. "No! You're not going there on your own! I won't have anyone in my care get injured... we will go together." Test Tube said with certainty.

Bot nodded and flew up to sit atop Test Tube's head, careful not go fall in.

Test Tube cautiously walked towards the edge of the forest. The tree line wasn't as ragged as what laid behind it. The trees, as they got closer to the damage site, were destroyed and covered in liquid shadow and blood. Test Tube recoiled, and placed a hand over her face to try and shield herself from the smell.

"Bot cover your eyes okay?" She whispered as she kept approaching the primarily effected area.

Bot scowled and looked down at Test Tube, "I'm not a baby!" They combat angrily.

"Bot Vial close your damn eyes this instant!" Test Tube hissed in retaliation giving the soul piercing face of a mother's judgement.

Bot flinched and did as they were told. They weren't happy about it though.

Test Tube peaked around tree after tree, trying to find what caused the area to be trashed and destroyed. She eventually laid her eyes upon a crater. She hid behind the tree and glared down into it— noticing who was laying within it...

It was Fan...!

She gasped and ran over, sliding down into the crater and dropping to her knees to examine Fan with haste. He seemed to be unconscious. The Shadow that covered his body had spread more than it did previously. Markings littered his face, those beneath the Ooze glowed a bright red. Fan also had a singular horn, accompanied by a larger scarf and sharper teeth. Test Tube shook Fan.

"Fan?! Fan! Wake up!" She shouted with worry. "Fan come on!" She echoed, shaking him harder, hoping her attempts would wake the injured boy.

Fan jolted awake. His head jolted around and he flinched away fro Test Tube. He glared at her for a moment, but, slowly eased up at the sight of her, and the one on her head.

"Can I look now?" Bot asked with a pouty face, their hands covering their closed eyes.

"Yes... yes you can, Bot..." Test Tube muttered, reaching out a hand to help Fan from the ground.

Fan took it and looked at the surrounding forest. "Where... Are we?" He asked, his gaze shifting from tree to tree.

"I was hoping you would know. You seemed to be pretty excited to get here..." She crossed her arms looking at Fan with skepticism.

The boy stumbled, nearly tripping, knees threatening to buckle from the soreness. "I uh... No... I don't know." He replied with a nervous chuckle.

Test Tube grumbled, and helped Fan towards the edge of the crater. The two of them climbed up, Bot sat upon The rim of the Vial.

Fan glanced up at Bot, and his eyes widened. "Is that...?" He pointed up at them with his free hand.

"—Bot? Yeah...! Ahah..." Test Tube answered, as she ushered Fan out of the destroyed section of the forest. Grass and dried leaves crunching and crinkling beneath their feet. Fan's wings dragged against the ground leaving a small indentation in the collection of dried plants bellow.

Bot looked down at Fan with a smile and gave a tiny wave.

Fan waved back, staring at them intensely. His eyes locked with theirs for a prolonged period of time. Bot glared back with unease. And glanced away uncomfortably.

Test Tube nudged Fan with narrow eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked with a nervous edge to her voice, she tried to sound worried though.

Fan flinched and turned his eyes down to the Vial before him, and nodded. "O-oh uh... Yeah... Sorry...!" He muttered. "Just kinda shocked I guess." He shrugged painfully, wincing in the process.

Bot looked at the sky overhead as it began to darken. "It's getting dark." They pointed out.

Test Tube looked up in suit. She noticed the darker shades and nodded. "Yeah... we should find a place to rest..." Test Tube huffed as she continued forward.

Bot's eyes narrowed, and they flew up from Test Tube's head, and scouted the area from above the trees. "Hm..." they look over the many coloured trees and saw the incredible formations of mountains and vegetation in the surrounding area. They were amazed at the sights, the field they were in now behind them. They continued to peer across the thicket, until they spotted a large mushroom that would be fit to rest beneath.

The float back down. "Let's go over there...! There's a nice Mushroom we can use as shelter." Bot informed with a grin.

Test Tube gave a nod and began to make her way towards the direction Bot pointed in. Fan stumbled alongside Test Tube. As they arrive at the mushroom, Test Tube helped Fan up against it, and they both collapsed against the base. Bot landed, stumbling to the ground, and looked about for a moment at the surrounding flowers and other plants.

Test Tube hugged her knees and watched Bot closely, making sure they didn't go too far, or hurt themself.

Fan also watched. "So... How did they... uh... Become real?" He asked, raising a brow.

"I'm not sure... I just... Woke up, and they were there." Test Tube responded blankly as she thought about it, "I'm not even sure they know how they got like this..." she sighed.

Fan hummed briefly in response.

Bot collected various flowers and picked them, tying them together to make flower crowns. They also braided pretty vines into it for uniqueness.

Test Tube chuckled at the adorable sight. She then flinched as her stomach began to claw at her insides. She clutched it as it begged for sustenance.

"Hungry?" Fan raised a brow, his face blank.

"Golly... Yeah, I didn't even notice..." She whined in response, she stood up, and looked around for nearby things that could be possibly eaten— That wasn't fungi. Her eyes landed in berry bush a couple yards away.

Fan watched Test Tube walk towards it. And return with a leaf. She plopped back down next to Fan staring at the leaf.

"You're going to.....Eat the leaf rather than the berry?" Fan questioned with a face of disgust and confusion.

"What?! No!" She sighed, rolling her eyes, "I'm going to crush up the leaf and put it against my wrist. For about— I think fifteen minutes or so..." She explained in response, as if his question was dumb.

Fan looked at the leaf, then back at Test Tube. "Why?" He pushed.

"Because if it stings, itches, or burns its poison. But if it doesn't, it's likely safe to eat." She answered as she crushed and ripped the leaf apart and placed the green mush on her wrist.

"I didn't know that was a thing?" His eyes narrowed, as he tried to seem invested in the science-y conversation.

"It doesn't work every time... But it's better than nothing..." She explained with an unsure tone, as she waited with her wrist face up on her lap.

"You're that desperate?" Fan asked with a disappointed expression, as he raised a brow.

"I'm not going to just go buck wild! Gosh... I'm going to eat them slowly over time if no reaction occurs. That way, if there are side effects that weren't immediately present, it will take longer to represent. That way in the meantime, we can find other sources of food..." She moved her free hand in a circular motion as she spoke.

Fan nodded and went back to staring. No longer looking in Test Tube's direction.

Test Tube continued to wait, watching the sky above grow darker. Stars became more visible as time progressed, and was overall much prettier. She looked back down at her wrist after waiting, and hadn't noticed any change. She took a breath and stood, picking a bunch of the berries, and placed them into her bag. Test Tube stood up straight and made her way back over to Fan, promptly sitting down in the grass next to him, and folding her hands in her lap.

Fan remained quiet, staring at Bot as the made their third crown out of a plethora of different types of floral vegetation and leaves. "Why did you decide to... Finish them? Or at least... Y'know..." Fan asked blankly staring.

Test Tube flinched and turned her head to Fan, who didn't do the same in turn. She thought for a moment, and looked back at Bot. "I... I guess I at first didn't want all of my—... Our hard work to go to waist." Test Tube explained, pulling her knees to her chest shortly after before continuing, "Perhaps after some time... I realized they were more than something then just a creation." She muttered, her voice quiet, yet certain.

"Do you... See yourself as a parent...?" Fan asked, continuing to stare at the child in the bushes.

Test Tube didn't answer at first. She awkwardly bit her lip as she thought about it, before finally speaking up again, "Morally... I suppose I am." She answered, a bit unsure. "Though I'm afraid I'll fail them as a guardian..."

"Mmh..." Fan gave a slight nod, he thought of something her could ask, and winced as one came to mind, finally turning his head away from Bot, and to the forest opposite of Test Tube. "What about me? What am I to them? To... Us?" Fan asked.

Test Tube flinched at the thought that was placed into her head. She glanced at Fan, and then to Bot once more. Perhaps Fan should also be considered a parental figure to Bot... But... He wasn't the one to finish them. He barely even helped because of... What happened. She thought back to the damage and pain he had inflicted on others. Bot in her gaze as she remembered those horrid times. A defensive instinct took hold... Motherly fear crept into her mind, and she hugged her knees closer with fear in her eyes. She forgave Fan already... But... Did she truly trust him? Trust and forgiveness are two very different things. "I'm not sure..." She finally answered.

Fan continued to flare into the forest to the side, but his face shifted to a hurt scowl... Of course... He sighed as if this was an inconvenience to him, and tugged on his eyelids. "Maybe we should... Get some rest?" Fan suggested.

Test Tube nodded. "Yeah... That would be best—"

Bot ran over carrying two flower crowns, and wearing their own. "I made these for you!" Bot chimed, handing one to Test Tube, and then offered one to Fan.

Fan grabbed the crown, and stared at it for a moment... He took it, and placed it onto his scarf. His blank face evident on his face as he did so. When he looked back at Bot he smiled, his eyes however, were unchanging.

Bot stared back at Fan, their attention fading.

Test Tube fixed the crown atop her Vial, and then picked up Bot. "We need to get some rest now, okay?" She muttered, pulling them away from Fan.

Bot flinched, but gave a subtle nod.

Test Tube placed them down again, and let them find a place to rest. Test Tube then leaned up against the more inclined side of the mushroom's stem. She closed her eyes and relaxed.

Test Tube then flinched and her eyes shot open. She felt something beside her. Test Tube looked down next to her to see Bot cuddle up to her. She chuckled and wrapped an arm around the small child, feeling them nuzzled into her side.

"Sweet dreams... Bot..." Test Tube muttered, letting sleep drag her into it's soft embrace.

———

Nickel stepped out of the gateway into a cave next to Baseball. He looked around at the dark interior and shuddered. He didn't mind the dark usually, but always thought carving was for idiots with a death wish...

He never thought HE'D be the idiot.

Baseball chuckled awkwardly. "Wow guys, just another cave eh?" He shouted, his voice receiving only his own echo in response.

Nickel was about to respond, but suddenly feel a pain shoot through his entire body. He winced and stumbled back letting out a pained scream. Blood poured down from his eyes and symbols began to form on his face. His sweater shifted into a cloak, and his teeth became sharper... he coughed up blood and just barely kept himself from collapsing...

Baseball felt a little sore too, but not by much. He didn't change at all for the most part. It just seemed he was more evidently made of a leather material. And was less well kept.

Nickel groaned and regained his composure. For... the most part anyway.

Nickel thought that was strange. His sorrow filled face still evident as he looked behind them only to find there was no longer an archway. It had long disappeared, accompanied by any hope he had of seeing his brother again. Nickel whined and looked away from the lack of a gateway.

Baseball soon noticed the same problem, along with the fact nobody was here... Perhaps they were further ahead? Baseball sighed and looked over to Nickel.

"Maybe the others are further down?" Baseball gestures towards the dark tunnel.

Nickel gave a subtle nod, and stepped forwards, he summoned his glowing claws which emitted a purple light, and lit up the cave ahead.

Baseball didn't like the eerie silence, and decided to speak up. "Are you... Uh... Doing okay...?" Baseball asked cautiously.

Nickel took a shaky breath, and shook his head. He did his best to cease his sobbing, and god forbid he burst into tears in front of Baseball... Nickel bit down on his tongue to distract himself.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that..." Baseball muttered, and tried to think of something to add to his statement... Not really knowing what else to say. Something then hit him, making him flinch. Baseball felt bad about saying it, and it was a risky move... He knew it would be wrong... But... "I can't believe everyone just sat there and watched it happen... Even Balloon!"

Nickel, not thinking much of what Baseball had said simply looking back on the situation, nodded tears stinging his eyes. He stepped further, doing the grounding tactic Balloon had told him about from earlier. He thought of two different aspects of his surroundings. Baseball's voice, and the texture of the stone beneath his feet. It helped keep his mind from spiralling... But as he did this he remember Balloon... and the look on his face when he left without him...

Without him...

Nickel stopped in his tracks. Did he just... Abandon Balloon?! Is THAT why he looked so hurt? Did he actually want Nickel with him, and he made a huge mistake by not going to see Balloon?! Nickel's breath trembled and he let a whimper of anxiety exit his lips.

Baseball noticed this, and also stopped, turning to face Nickel. "What's wrong...?" He questioned with a worried face.

"I left him..." Nickel muttered shakily... "Baseball I was wrong— He needed me! He NEEDED ME! HE NEEDED ME AND I LEFT HIM! I LE—!!!"

"—NICKEL!" Baseball yelled, trying to snap Nickel out of it.

Nickel flinched at the yell that came from his friend. His eyes flooded with tears... He just couldn't take it! He could've made the wrong choice...

He failed Earring...

He failed Balloon...

He failed his parents...

He failed EVERYONE...

He was a failure...

Nickel collapsed and curled up... shielding himself in his claws. He just cried... He couldn't take it... He can't. He couldn't and he WOULDN'T. He wanted to just give up... To have everything just END.

But he couldn't. He couldn't have it end. It just wasn't possible.

You cant kill death.

Death cannot die.

Nickel just cried, hiding from the world around him. As wallowed away in his own pitiful sorrow.

Baseball frowned and approached Nickel. "I'm... I'm sorry for yelling..." Baseball walked over, and sat beside Nickel. "I didn't mean it... I just wanted to help you."

Nickel whined in his curled up position. "I can't do anything right..." he whispered through his tears. His lip trembled as he spoke.

Baseball shook his head and spoke softly, "No! No... You do everything right! It's just everyone else that's in the wrong..."

"I cou—couldn't save Earring!" He cried out loud into himself. "I— I failed Balloon! I couldn't keep him safe!"

"Well right now you need to forget about them, and focus on keeping yourself safe... And, sane too." He replied, turning his gaze ahead. "We have no idea where we even are...! And it might be dangerous..."

"I'm so done with trying...!" He wailed "Who even cares at this point...?" Nickel sobbed, and curled up in his claws even more than he was prior.

"I do." Baseball responded in a soft comforting tone.

Nickel opened a small gap in his claws, and meekly looked up at the bigger boy next to him. "Do...You think Balloon hates me...?" He whispered.

Baseball looked away at that... He groaned quietly as he thought of a response. "It doesn't really matter what he thinks about you..." He answered.

"What...?" Nickel asked in a hushed tone.

"I mean... Personally I've always been wary of Balloon. Like— how you were when you were competing? If you're getting this worked up thinking about him— Maybe it's... a bit unhealthy...?" He suggested, his voice drawn out and nervous.

Nickel was already upset and vulnerable. His terrible mindset caused him to spiral in his own thoughts. Was he... Obsessing over this?! Was he obsessive?! Nickel flinched, removing the claw on his head and thinking deeper. Was his relationship with Balloon just an impulsive decision? A lustful desire or just a means of escapism rather than actual love?! He didn't know— god what if Balloon felt the same way about it?! What if Nickel's love was pure and true, but Balloon was the one using him for escapism on impulse?! Or what if he wasn't?! Heavens sake if they both were!

Baseball watched Nickel question things from next to him. Guilt and shame of his sins crawled up his spine as he watched Nickel spiral. He was so desperate for this that... He'd resort to anything at this point. As long as it didn't hurt Nickel in the process...! He... Wasn't hurting Nickel...

Right...?

———