———

Lightbulb waved her hand, the memory then dissolved away suddenly... That likely was enough. She'd only just gotten to the part where Suitcase had died, but it wasn't something she wanted to watch any longer. she'd blinked a few times, and hugged her knees. Trying to ignore the collection of horrified looks from the others surrounding. She felt ashamed... She shouldn't have shown them a thing. Her gaze drifted up to them finally with a troubled and slightly angered expression.

A finger was jabbed, piercing the cold air and pointing to the teens. "Y-you didn't see any of that..." She huffed in a stern voice, which sent chills down the spines of those who had heard it. Of course, they already had a chill. Lightbulb had made it worse.

Knife didn't dare utter a word. He just glared at where the memory had appeared from. And pinched his brows as if he'd expected something more—Villainous. Pickle blinked, he knew Taco's life had sucked... But he didn't think it was that bad. He held his head low after the vision ended with Suitcase's death. Hours had passed, and yet it felt like years. Microphone had nothing to say... She just... Felt wrong. Fanny and Cake were both horrified, especially Fanny. She... Hadn't expected Taco to be... Telling the truth. Clover didn't dare even watch. She ran away the moment it started, seeing it as invasive and uncouth. She instead was further off, gathering move firewood. Trophy felt a sense of pity... Or at least... Somewhat. Zero was asleep, in Taco's wing. And hadn't seen anything, their face was nuzzled between the base of Taco's wing and her shell. Six was absolutely appalled, and not by Taco... They clenched their fist and their blade arm shook with rage.

Knife finally snapped out of his shocked state. And scowled. Jerking his head away stubbornly. He flinched as Microphone was walking past him. She glared down at the fire, then Lightbulb, then Taco. "That... Explains a lot I guess..." she murmured, "B—B...but she still—s-slaughtered an entire village of people..."

Lightbulb stood, though not at Microphone's height, she was close. "It wasn't exactly her fault. She was under some sort of Influence." Lightbulb argued.

Knife cut in, "Murder....sh..shouldn't have been a d-default response regardless." He grumbled, Pickle nodded slightly in agreement. Knife was sort of right.

Lightbulb shook her head, "No. something was very clearly wrong... I don't think she knew they were people. Her memory was perfect, yes? Yet from the point that we heard those voices... The memory became less vivid and more.......Distorted. I think she was hallucinating."

Knife hadn't even considered that, sure, Taco mentioned that she was protecting Mic, and supposedly her dead parents... But he assumed that she was lying. After all, people don't just start hallucinating out of the blue. Who could conjure a hallucinatory experience? If it even was someone. "She's... Still...—"

"I don't see the wrong she's done... She's just getting by." Lightbulb narrowed her gaze, and Knife lurched back in response, "You guys keep saying she's a "bad person" yet, you all keep invoking such behaviours. I mean, if I was forced to stay on an Island alone in a forest, or be murdered by a hotel full of people—I think I'd become a bit aggressive too." Lightbulb scoffed, as if she'd been offended. Which she was.

Knife couldn't think of a valid argument that wouldn't make him look worse.

Microphone felt her heart drop to her stomach. She wished she had some way too—combat that. Yet, she was also part of the problem. She'd never exactly participated in the 'Kill on sight' rule. Yet... She hadn't tried to stop it either. She felt so unsure about everything, her feelings about Taco were up in the air.

"She is not the enemy..." Six growled through their teeth, "She was blamed for what she'd never done. She was painted as the enemy! She is... Like..." Six trailed, then hugging themself, "I understand... What that is like..."

"What?" Pickle raised a brow. Six growled at him, pointing their blade at him. Pickle flinched back. "When were you a part of this conversation—?"

"—YOU SHUT IT! Infuriating mortal... Your kind is DISGUSTING. You kill what you CANNOT UNDERSTAND. And you SUPPRESS that which you CANNOT CONTROL! That is all you are! And all you do!" They spat, snapping forwards harshly.

Lightbulb scowled and pulled them back with a light spear, fazing sideways. Holding Six back against the tree behind them. "I believe that you... erm, shouldn't do that..." She uttered threateningly. Not wanting Six to attack anyone. They were acting so aggressively... On edge.

Six only rumbled in response.

"Racist much?" Trophy huffed, crossing his arms. Not bothering to look at Six, Pickle more of. An apologetic look on his face. He then hugged his knees before looking to Lightbulb once more. "Who... Uh... Is this. You know more about 'em then we do. Clearly..." Trophy then pointed to Six.

Lightbulb sighed, "As I said before—a demon." She paused, "I don't know much about them, since I'm not from this world. I've only ever really encountered the little ones. That—and uh... Political corruption. And controlling dictatorships." She huffed, chuckling bitterly. Six scoffed at being called a demon.

"Jeez... Who woulda' guessed you had a knack for politics?" He joked, leaning back against the tree behind him. It didn't feel as cold—but the bark was damp.

Lightbulb shook her head, "Yeah, I wouldn't say that..." She laughed a bit. Then releasing Six. Who'd calmed down. She sat upright and flinched at a groan from behind her. Lightbulb's head turned to meet Taco's eyes. She'd been regenerating still... It seemed painful. But, she'd also seemed better. "Ah, you're awake...!" She looked away nervously, then glaring at everyone to keep their mouths shut. And tight.

Taco whined and sat up, everything ached. And her eyes felt heavy, blurry too. Like the world was a slurry of colours and sound. She gazed down as Zero shifted and perked up from sleep. They backed away from Taco and allowed her to sit. And scotch back against the tree behind her—well... Stump. The tree was broken in half from the weight of the snow. Taco gave a wary look to everyone. They were all staring. She felt a sense of unease and hugged herself shakily... Her body pained. Finally she had began to perceive things around her.

Lightbulb looked back again, and went towards her carefully. "Hey, it's fine. Nobodies gonna tie ya' up again. No worries... Ahahah..." Lightbulb reassured, poorly. Of course.

Of course, Taco didn't feel so reassured. "Wh...what?" She blinked, her voice still raspy and strained. It felt dried out from the cold. "H-how...d.....did we...?"

"I kinda carried you? Through the uh... Storm." Lightbulb explained. She then glanced back at everyone, hearing Knife about to cut in. And glared at him again. A stare which could've killed. She then looked away. Her gaze softened for Taco. "We've all been worried sick!"

Taco didn't believe that for a damn second. Not one. "Y-y....you don..t need t-to lie..." She murmured. Her voice cracked and her face had a expectant tint. As if she knew she was to be scolded.

Lightbulb choked, and hunched into her cloak on her shoulders. "Well... I was worried. And your little friend was too...?" She shrugged. A slight rustle came from her cloak, and the star pendant gently clinked against her glass. Making a small, yet, oddly comforting sound.

"Wh-y...?"

"Well... Uhm... For one you're SUPER important! And for two—uh. You're a person? And I care about people? And for three! Uhm! You—well..." She didn't know all too much about Taco. So this would be difficult, "I guess you—... Uhm..." she paused, "Remind me. Of... Someone." She shrugged. Not entirely a lie. Taco kinda reminded her of—... Well. Her.

Taco couldn't find any signs of fallacy. She eased up and looked away. "I-I'm....S-sorry..." her voice hushed, barely audible from the wind in the distance and the whispers of the leaves overhead.

"For?" Lightbulb asked, her face puzzled. As far as she was concerned, Taco did little to no wrong.

"...Everyth—t-thing...?" She whimpered, a few tears stung her eyes, but she repressed them. The surfaces glazed over with tears. She'd not wanted to make them pity her because she'd cry.

Lightbulb laughed, "You don't need to say sorry. You were hurt, and you tried to protect yourself. I understand." Lightbulb held out a hand, as if to ask Taco to join them around the fire. Zero gently tugged at Taco's wing in an attempt to drag her over. Taco took a shy and shaky breath before she finally clambered over, looking small. As soon as she sat, Zero insisted that they sat in her lap. Which Taco tried to say no—and push them away—but Zero wouldn't budge. It's not that Taco didn't want Zero in her lap. It's just... She didn't understand why.

Kids were strange. Then again—She was a kid too. And strange.

Six sighed, "They're insistent at times. It drove our parent insane..." They glared at Zero. Who seemed content.

Taco was confused as to why Six all of the sudden had not wanted her dead? But just shrunk down and nervously placed her hands down in the cold leaves. Trying not to look in the eyes of those around. But stole a few nervous glances to... Someone.

Knife grunted annoyedly. "So what? We just accept her? Is that it? No repercussions for her actions?!" He asked in outrage.

Lightbulb rubbed her eyelids. Pissed Knife was so insistent on this whole vigilante thing. "Calm down would ya? She didn't mean to hurt anyone! And—I never said you had to accept her! Or like her! Let alone like doing this! You just need to TOLERATE her—and this... Whole thing. I guess..."

Knife growled, "You cant just act like she's done NOTHING wrong!" Knife shouted with the rumble in his throat, grasping at his wounded abdomen. A static pain in his side. "I'm not going to just let her get away with her wrongdoing." A sense of shame in his voice could be heard. As if he was too stubborn to admit he'd been wrong—or partially wrong.

Lightbulb grumbled, "Your feelings might be hurt, but it's not SHE who did it. We need to find the REAL enemy." She countered, a cold face to match the chilled air.

"How can you be so—eurgh... G-god Damn ss...sure, huh?! What if you're wrong?!" He spat back, which ended in him coughing. His wound ached. It had hurt... A seeping stabbing pain. A sense of burning. His face contorted from his scowl to a look of discomfort.

Lightbulb rubbed her temples, "I just— KNOW! Okay?! Stop—QUESTIONING me! I know she's good. So just DROP this and leave Taco alone." Lightbulb retorted, the leaves beneath her crinkled as she jolted upright. Her brows pinched with annoyance to his brutish stubbornness

Knife eased his winced and scowled in it's stead. "I'm not going to sit around and let her hurt more people—!"

Lightbulb stood up angrily, clenching her fists. "IM DONE WITH YOU!" She snapped, which made Knife recoil, since he's never heard Lightbulb strain her voice in such a way. "YOU STUBBORN BASTARD! YOU KNOW—THIS IS WHY PEOPLE SHUN YOU. WHY YOU'RE—YOU'RE OUTCASTED! YOU'RE BLINDED BY YOUR TWISTED AND STUBBORN DELUSION! You don't LISTEN to ANYONE. You don't TRY and see things from the eyes of SOMEONE ELSE. YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOURSELF, AND PICKLE! You say you care about all these other people! You do— BUT YOU DON'T SHOW FOR IT! IM SICK AND TIRED OF BEING BELITTLED, OR SCREAMED AT, OR FIGHTING—WHEN THE SOLUTION TO THE DAMN PROBLEM IS BEING WAVED IN FRONT OF YOUR FUCKIN' FACE LIKE A NEON FLAG! SO YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH, AND ADMIT YOU'RE WRONG ONE. DAMN. TIME. BROTHER!" She bellowed through gritted teeth and teary eyes. A sense of anger and sadness she'd not felt in a long while. Her heart pounded with rage and adrenaline. Acting out of her own usual sense of self and laid back personality. Her heart poured out into that as if she'd been dying to say it. She then faltered as Knife seemed to want to cry himself.

Knife choked, trying not to cry. He had a pained voice. A near whine as he slowly uttered an; "S—Sorry..."

Her gaze softened and she stepped back. Leaves crunched beneath her feet as she sank back into her heels. She felt in the wrong for saying that. Not knowing his true intentions were actually stubbornness or genuine concern. "I-... I mean... Knife..." She whispered softly. Correcting her falsehood, knowing he was not her brother, "I-I'm sorry—..." she blinked out a few more tears. She hugged herself, and slumped down, burying her head into her knees. She wanted to sob and wail. But decided it would be too much for those surrounding. So she just pouted instead.

Knife sat there, never would he have thought—even for a single moment—that Lightbulb would raise her voice in such a way. He could feel the pain in her voice as she strained her words. Every sentence like a dagger to his gut. He'd caused someone to feel that through his own words and actions. He wished his head was on right—it still wasn't—it wouldn't be for a while likely. Either that or he'd need his medication. But, he didn't think he'd need it. How stupid could he have been?

A few beats of silence was shared between the group.

Clover soon arrived once again, however, a bundle of dry sticks within her grasp. She propped some of them up on the fire. And sat back, looking about. "it sure got quiet when I came over, did something happen?" Her eyes drifted from each sorrowful face then to the boy who spoke up soon after her.

Cake bit his lip, "Nothing that can be solved, really." He shrugged, leaning against Fanny. Fanny still pondering what she'd seen during that memory. Her eyes lidded and her face ponderously shifting to guilt. Cake frowned at the girl's clear discomfort and dismay.

Clover nodded slightly. She seemed unsure. She picked up a dry leaf and fiddled with it. "Sorry for uh...Leaving..." Microphone then out a hand on her shoulder, which nearly made her jump. Her body tensed and her head snapped to the taller girl.

"Don't worry about it." Microphone wished she'd done the same. But at the same time... She felt... Relieved she'd seen that. As much as she felt horribly guilty. And hurt, still. "It was the mature thing to do." She nodded reassuringly. Her smile dim, and her eyes soft. And caring. Of course, she had to force her smile, but not the softness on her face.

Clover smiled at her, and went back to fiddling with the leaf. A slight crinkle every time her hand drifted across its long dead veins.

Microphone sighed and caught Taco looking at her. Taco flinched and looked away, pretending that she wasn't looking. Of course, the damage had been done. Microphone knew she had something to say. Yet, she hadn't wanted to hear it. She had not been ready. Not then anyway. Taco noted that from her silence and similar body language as to not show Taco she noticed. Though Taco could tell.

Taco turned her head the other way to look off into the forest, rather than at Lightbulb who'd been crying still, and jumped as Six was right in her face. Glaring. Six had narrow eyes and studied her. Taco felt anxious by this.

Taco swallowed her unease and opened her mouth to speak. Wanting to make something of herself besides the... Demon who slaughtered innocent lives. Even if it wasn't her fault. She'd still had blamed herself. "Uh...Uhm...? C-can I help yo-u...?" Her voice croaked in a whisper. Six huffed, a guttural clicking made Taco's lettuce stand up. Goosebumps formed on her arms.

"Zero likes you. I don't know why... But they do. So you better be careful with them, yeah? You hear me?!" They growled, nearly snapping at Taco with pointed teeth. She lurched back, hunching down around Zero. A protectiveness in there expression and tone. As if to ward Taco off from harming the kid. Taco had no intentions of doing that of course.

Zero then growled, clicking back at Six. Who then growled in turn. Their stare off turned into Six looking offended and growling louder. Their face looking as if they'd gotten into a childish argument. Six then staggered back, their blade dragging and scraping in the dirt as they leaned their injured form against it. "Curses! Curse you... Stupid kid!" They grumbled, "I'm trying to protect you! Don't you see?! She may not be the enemy, but I should caution her... For our sake!"

Zero grumbled, a rumble in their throat, emanated from the mouth which was supposedly hidden beneath their cloak.

Six scoffed, "Don't you—! Why are you being so reckless?! You never do this! You've never DONE this! Damn you!" They gritted, a bald slashed the frosted air, making it his.

Taco nervously cautioned herself to speak a few words, "You c..can—Speak...? T-...to... Uhm..." She asked softly.

Six paused and looked to Taco for a minute, lowering their blade to their side. "Hmph... Well I suppose... Why, has Zero not spoken with you at all?" They waved it's blade around carelessly. A confused angered look on their troubled face. "Maybe they don't like you."

Taco felt her heart drop. And her stomach. In fact—every part of her. A feeling of a bitterness in her face. Despite Six's sarcastic nature, she felt hurt by that. Zero retorted by growling like something akin small dog. Which made Taco flinch.

Six flinched and covered their ears, growling back. "I'M SORRY! ARGH!" They screamed, drawing attention. They then crawled back on all fours. Skillfully. Primal like. And sat near a tree. Upset.

Taco's nerves were shot dead as Zero clung to her. Looking apologetically into her self doubting eyes. She eased and patted them on the head unsurely. As if she was scared to upset them. Zero seemed to ease up after that, and as Taco tried to pull her hand away—Zero grabbed it, and placed it back on their own head. Sitting back down in her lap. Snuggled up in their own cloak. Taco blinked, shocked they'd done that—But continued to pay their head. It was comforting. It made her heart feel warm.

She didn't understand why Zero liked her so much.

Kids were strange. Really strange.

But... Maybe it wasn't so bad.

———