The moonlight blanketed over the slumbering Earth below.

A peaceful night in Yoyle City.

Where, at first, the songs of the breeze would keep silence at bay- but tonight, screams pierced through the air, shattering the peaceful illusion of the city.

Ever since the recoveries were made for those who had died, there was a quiet hope that they would be able to get through their haunting past together. They wanted to try and get through it together, with the others offering as much support as they could. But their hopeful outlook on them shattered on that first night- their screams disturbing everyone's peaceful slumbers.

And while some could simply shrug it off, tossing and turning until their exhaustion tuned the screams of terror from their minds, others were too worried to try and ignore the cries that echoed beyond the walls.

Some needed help- beyond their own.

Unfortunately, they refused to listen.

The screams of the team that she had gotten to know reverberated around the walls of Book's bedroom. From Pencil's, to Bubble's- Match's to Ruby's- each shriek and wail prevented her from getting the rest she needed.

These past two weeks had been unimaginably difficult. From their recoveries, to the readjustment of living once more, the shadows of their past still continued to roam freely through the city.

Book swore, she could see Needle by the abandoned museum- and the two scientists respectfully standing by Golfball's underground factory. What was once their normal, now plaguing their exhausted minds as they began to tread through the waters of recovery.

When they had emerged from the lab, Pencil decided that the best plan of action would be to find a new house to live in. She didn't specify why- but the Freesmarters knew that Match wouldn't have the fortitude to try and set foot into their beloved clubhouse again.

Nobody objected. Even if the house they chose was, in their eyes, so ten years ago.

The first steps into a new house should carry the hopes of a fresh start, a positive outlook on the future of one's own life. But with the Freesmarters, their steps signified the beginning of a nightmare, one that they would never be able to wake up from.

Such as tonight. Book used to wake up the way they did- screaming, kicking, even punching the wall in her sleep- but with time, she taught herself to swallow that fear, keeping her screams locked within the chamber of her petrified heart.

Getting used to the screams didn't take too long, but tonight?

Tonight was different.

Her heart was throbbing within her chest, slamming back and forth against her pages with her repressed emotions being locked within. She could push against it- she shut herself up many times before. It shouldn't be any different now.

But life- life. How could it be so unfair?

She sacrificed it all in order to keep the others safe.

She gave it her all to try and keep their spirits from falling into the grasp of darkness.

She was there for everyone- she shared their fears, even cradling the extra weight of their pains so they could have a moment to breathe.

But it had all been for nothing. Seeing as to how she was brushed aside twice, Book couldn't help but let the volcano of rage seethe within her.

It wasn't fair.

They all had someone. Someone that they could lean on, no matter what.

There was someone there to listen to them.

Her?

She had nothing.

She had no one. And she didn't know why.

What did she do?

What could she do?

How could she finally escape the crater of loneliness that sunk deeper and deeper into the Earth below?

She still had such a hope.

A hope that blazed in the deepest parts of her spine, tucked away neatly in the plethora of pages she had within her.

A hope that Ruby would have stayed with her.

But such an illusion served as a painful reminder for her- a reminder of what would have never been, back then, and towards the future.

For the first time in weeks, Book's wails joined the chorus of agony from the Freesmarter's home.

Knocking on the door, Pen crossed his arms, letting his feet kick at the snow on the steps. He had promised that he would help him with Pencil tonight- and with her screams being heard in the distance, he knew that he didn't have much time to waste.

"Tree," he called, "Come on!"

Inside, Tree was getting everything he needed. He knew that he needed to help- in any way that he could. After seeing the damage that had been caused by that thumbtack, he began to realize the terrors that were behind death.

Now? He wanted to prevent it- as best as he could. And helping the others was how he would start.

Tree makes gentle work of draping the blankets over Bottle. Her sleepy giggles fill his heart with such sweetness, as his hands would brush against the cheek of his lover. The cries from the far distance filled his veins with an icy shock- but being here with his dearest, was enough to melt that concern into comfort.

Bottle lifted herself from the bed, that contagious smile of hers telling him enough. The sheets that he had neatly tucked over her, slid down her body, and Tree shook his head with a soft sigh, pressing a kiss onto her forehead.

"Come back to sleep," the woman smiled, exhaustion below that familiar glimmer in her eyes, "It's really late..."

"I'm going to help Pen- remember?" Tree uttered, carefully wrapping a new blanket around her.

"But- it's dark..."

"I promised him I'd help with his sister- those screams are my cue, dear."

"Aww..."

"Hey." He carefully cradled her hands, placing a gentle kiss on the back of them. "I won't be gone for long. I want to do my best and help a little more- especially with the others. You understand, don't you..?"

"Unfortunately... but it's gonna get lonely here.." She pouted, clutching the blanket close. "I know you really want to help... but I'm worried you'll ignore your own needs..."

One moment, she could be the silliest woman on the planet, but in the other- oh, Bottle knew when everything meant business. Tree was someone who she held nearest and dearest to her- and she'd be damned if she'd let anyone walk all over him.

But Tree, oh Tree- he would notice the fire in her eyes, and immediately take her in for a gentle embrace, letting every ounce of love and care melt its way into her. Her roots of care seeped into his garden, sprouting rosebuds of love as he tried to comfort her.

He cleared his throat, and before he knew it, he began to sing.

"Let's go in the garden,

You'll find something waiting,

Right there where you left it, lying upside down..."

The warmth of his voice, filling Bottle's mind with the honey of his smooth melodies. She could feel that twinge of worry being lulled- oh, she knew his tricks- but she couldn't help but sink into his warmth, taking in the song.

"When you finally find it, you'll see how it's faded,

The underside is lighter when you turn it around,"

Pen's bothered voice faded as Tree's song blanketed over the world around them. No wails, no nightmares- just the two of them, enveloping one another into their enamored world.

"Everything stays, right where you left it

Everything stays, But it still changes

Ever so slightly, daily and nightly

In little ways, when everything stays..."

Quiet. No words came from the two- instead, a gentle hush that carried the weight of reassurance towards one another. Tree would carefully pull away, letting his hand cradle her cheek.

"I know you're worried, but I'll be okay." He smiled, nuzzling the side of her face. "How's about this- I help Pen tonight, and I rest with you tomorrow. I take a break from helping the others for a bit- and, we could even take those walks together."

"I thought those were your walks?"

Well. She wasn't wrong- after being cooped up in darkness for so long, Tree needed a plethora of sunlight to maintain himself. He would often let Bottle join him, but after she had nearly shattered herself after balancing on a stone....

"They are- but, I don't want to leave you here- we promised we'd spend more time with each other, after all..."

"Aww, but we already are!"

Tree smiled. There weren't enough words to describe the love he had for this woman; she was practically the sun that illuminated his quiet life. With every moment that passed, and every kiss that they shared, countless galaxies sparked into life, emitting the glow of their stars of care and passion into the worlds that they have created.

It was so much- and Tree was so blessed to be a part of her life, and to have her be within his.

"I'll be back before you know it, okay? I love you."

"Dawww- I love you too, Tree!"

Waving, Tree would make his way out of the room, letting Bottle snuggle back into the sheets below, the moonlight shimmering with its lullabies as it shimmered against her surface. 

The aura of the stars was once a sight that comforted Fries.

Well- not comforted- moreso, it served as a gentle reminder of the passing day, bringing the quiet reminder of a fresh, new day. The chill of the night kept the pesky critters of his potato garden at bay, and he would make sure to do a final check on their progress, before he called it a night.

This was all a nightly routine of his, before a new garden overtook Yoyle City.

One that would never leave his mind- no matter how many hours he spent working outside, or taking care of his family within the comfort of his home.

Day after day, he would move in silence. As the night fell, the sight of that damned garden plagued his exhausted mind, and in those moments where the rays of the moon guided him into the eternal universe of slumber, that face- her face- would send him right back to consciousness, where his racing heart and shivering body would welcome him. And if it wasn't his own nightmares that woke him, it was the screams of those he once knew- in worst cases, the damned screams of his own family.

Conflicts of this would pile up, one after the other. The first nights were the hardest, with Gelatin unable to hear the sound of his closest friend. His voice, which once soothed him and sparked an endless joy to glow within him, was now muted by the vivid memory of the fence protruding his own chest.

Well- it was between that, or the way Pin waved goodbye, as he fell from the roof that now stood over him, but either or had the same outcome: screaming. The only cohesive words that came from Gelatin's wails were Fries' name, and Fries's name only.

Puffball, on the other hand, was a case that would bring Fries to the edge of his breaking point. There was now way he could ever admit it- this was his LOVER for tater's sake. And no matter what happened, Fries would never find himself bothered by the woman who carried his heart.

But the way her screams snapped him from the silence of the night always shook him to his deepest core.

Since the day they had all returned, she hadn't flown once. In fact- she refused to lift herself into the dangers of open air once more, as her death had been so sudden, that the faith of the world around her plummeted into nothing. During the day, when Fries let her settle within his carton, he could hear her hushed pleas, begging him to stay alert of his surroundings.

From his sons' screams, to his wife's terrified whispers, it was all a harsh reminder of the broken reality that was created by the daugh- no, the stranger, that he wished he knew. A multitude of demons clung onto his line of sight, poisoning his mind with the sights of his past that would never leave- no matter how hard he tried to hide them away.

Puffball's body. Gelatin's body.

They are here now.

Their lifeless eyes.

They are safe.

Are they, now?

No. None of that.

He took it upon himself to keep them safe. After all, he had lost them; on the same day, in the same hour, after he let himself get carried away by the world around him. It was a mistake that cost them their precious lives, and he swore, with all of his tatered heart, that this would never happen again.

Now, here they were. The screams of the people he competed with, filling the night sky, with the winds of winter carrying the somber reminders of the path they must trek through.

Thankfully, Fries's family were not a part of this chaos; Gelatin was, from what he knew, fast asleep in his room. Puffball was on the bed that they shared together, her quiet breaths serving as a reminder of her living, beating heart.

Sighing, he held his face in his hands, letting his eyes gaze upon the thousands of scars that were scattered in the canvas of the sky. Each one held a different story; a different soul, or perhaps, a different wish, granted by an object on this very planet, and its aura was enough to tell whether its wish had been completed, or if it needed to be held- for it wasn't the right time.

Wasn't the right time.

He never understood how it couldn't have been the right time. He was a man who was down-to-earth, his head far from the clouds, with his priorities set and straight. When something needed to get done, he was on the case- he could never sit around and let others take over.

Jokes? Absolutely not. There was a time and a place for such silliness, and it was never around him. Life was never a game to him, but instead, it was a challenge, where he had to compete to get to where he wished to be. Laziness? Don't get him started.

Fries came to accept this long ago. Yet, as time went on, he couldn't help but find himself surrounded by objects who didn't take it all as seriously as he did. From silly, to insane- he had to learn how to endure it, without losing his mind in the process. And he hated to admit it, but he was starting to... enjoy it?

He couldn't. He knew he couldn't, but he did. And look at where that got him.

Glancing down at the scars on his wrists, he carefully adjusted his hands- wincing at every crack from the chronic pain (damned pain never went away), trying to get this tension out of himself. He didn't notice that a familiar ball of pink fluff was carefully sitting herself up, blinking the sleepiness out of her eyes as she realized that his warmth was no longer beside her.

Puffball wasn't sure where he was- but the moonlight guided her eyes to him, her heart now beating with a little more ease at the realization.

He didn't leave. Not at all- he was still there.

But this was still... unlike him.

"Fries..?" Her harmonic voice showered through the silence of the room, catching his attention.

"Puff..?" Fries frowned, walking back towards the bed in which his lover resided. "Is everything okay?"

"I thought you left... what were you doing..?"

"Couldn't sleep. It was just the screaming again."

"Is Gelatin okay..?"

"Still asleep, thankfully. Must be the Freesmarters again..."

"Fries... come back to bed, you look exhausted."

"I might take a walk."

"At night..?"

"What? Is that a problem?"

Puffball gave him a look. Yes, she did just wake up- her mind was still trapped in that haze and she still needed to wake herself up- but Fries's stubbornness never failed to make her frustrated.

"Fries," she pleaded, "Come back to bed."

"No- I'm fine."

"Are you??"

"Just said so."

"I can't fly to you right now. But I can tell, without seeing you, that you're lying."

Silence. She could tell Fries was holding back from responding- she couldn't hold it against him. When her heart realized that he was the one, she knew that she would embrace every part of him- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And as she found herself seeing more and more of him, she realized just how beautiful the ugly was. Having the capacity to feel and embrace one's own emotions, were what made every single one of them, object beings. With every laugh, there was a cry- and without one, there would never be the other.

Yet, she quickly noticed a lack of the negative. Not anger, of course. She always noticed how Fries would argue with the others. But sadness...?

The first time she had seen him cry, was on the day of their recovery. Even then- he would refuse to mention, or at least, acknowledge it.

It worried her to death.

"I'm worried about you, Fries." She began, letting her voice ease off of the frustration. "You've been acting off ever since-"

"I've been taking care of you two." Fries interrupted, glaring at the sky.

"And we appreciate it, I promise you. But you had to carry EVERYTHING since day one, and we- I-.. I haven't been there to help you. You lasted longer than the others, I can't imagine what you had to endure!"

That alone made Fries turn to face her. She was expecting him to be frustrated- to try and turn it all around to focus on herself and Gelatin- but her heart dropped when she noticed the tears in his eyes, the stars reflecting off of them.

"..What I went through.. It.. doesn't matter." He uttered, fighting the cry that swelled in his throat. "I lost both of you, and because of that, I-."

Quickly, Puffball cut him off. "I know you're hurting too!"

"That doesn't-"

"It DOES. You are here for EVERY SINGLE object- you were the one who made sure they all had a place to stay?! And for us?! Not only are you caring for Gelatin- but you're having to deal with his troubles, as well as mine!

"You deserve a chance to ask for help, Fries! It doesn't make you any less of who you are now! And if I have to be the one to help- so be it! But please,

"If you keep ignoring this, it could spiral into something so much worse. I'm still terrified of everything that happened- and- I-.." gritting her teeth, she could feel the tears flooding her vision, "..I'm scared that, if this keeps going on- I'll lose you too."

No words were needed from there. Walking back to the bed, Fries would immediately embrace the woman, tears glistening down his tired face as the softness of her fuzz kept his sobs at bay.

He didn't want to admit it- but with everything that happened... he couldn't ignore it anymore. It ate away at his mind for so long, and he had only held back to avoid being vulnerable. After all- Life spared nobody. It would find a way to make him regret it.

But just by the look on his face, Puffball could tell that he got the message. He knew that now, the path of healing would be a path that they would face together. No matter what, they would be there for each other, and they would never lose each other, ever again.

What eased Puffball's worries more, was when she saw Fries bury his face into her head, a tiny smile curving on his face.

"You always find a way to make me feel uncivilized," Fries chuckled, letting his hands sink beneath her pink fuzz, "Can't we talk about life..."

With every touch, he could feel their souls brushing against one another, the collision creating an explosion of stars which would carry the dreams that they shared, together. Countless rings encapsulated their planet of love, laying the paths of their union to, perhaps, the joyful promises that the future held.

He found himself melting. It flustered him- hell, in the beginning, it angered him- for he wasn't supposed to fall in love. That's how life was supposed to be, wasn't it?

But as he lost himself in her multicolored eyes, he could feel the tension in his body dissipating. All of his anger, his regrets and frustrations would vanish, cleansing him with the waterfall of love that showered upon him, every time her eyes met his. The millions of thoughts that raced in his mind would begin to come to a stop, and his heart would beat with a loving melody, a tempo that unionizes with the beats of her own.

Love was weird. But Fries found himself head over heels, so long ago- and maybe, just maybe, he could try to step back, and embrace the journey that led him here.

The journey that led to her.

His Puffball.

Giggling, Puffball leaned in, pressing her soft lips against his cheek.

"What's there to say...? Life's right here, next to me..."

You'd think they'd be used to the screaming by now.

Two weeks. Two whole weeks, and their sleep has been continuously interrupted by the screams of the recovered. It didn't help that they were all close together- they wanted to try and make them feel like a community.

Instead, they were a choir, singing the operas of tortured souls.

Lollipop felt a twinge of guilt as she realized how annoyed she was getting. Sitting up, she groaned sleepily, trying to let her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room. The moonlight poured from the crack of the curtains, carrying the screams of those outside- and this made her sigh out of pure annoyance.

They had forgotten to close the window.

Hey, don't blame Lollipop. It was her who asked if they could keep it open (just a smidge, as she said). The houses themselves were strangely warm, with their heating systems (somehow) functioning. There was no way to turn it off, and the poor woman was growing snappier as the air was stuffy and humid, bringing out a different side to the woman.

Thankfully, Taco had no objections. She was used to the heat, but when she noticed the sudden change in Lollipop's character, she immediately suggested that they open the windows, in order to let the humidity out, and bring that comforting chill in.

She quickly learned to regret that decision now. Albeit- Taco was a heavy sleeper, but the screams usually had the lollipop tossing and turning, struggling to get any second of rest.

Quietly, Lollipop heaved herself from the bed. She trudged over, carefully brushing the curtains to the side in order to shut the window for the night, but that's when she saw it.

Well- more like, saw him.

She knew that their new neighbors had a thing for gardening. It was the first thing Lollipop noticed- that area of freshly dug dirt, weeds snaking around every bump and curve, and old plants, withering away from the cold. The fence had a fresh sheet of snow blanketing over it- with one of the stakes being stained with a deep red and green stain.

That was just the first day. After that, Lollipop could only catch glimpses of a carton of fries, immediately working away at the garden. Strangely enough, the first thing he did was take down the fence- if it were her, personally, she would've started by dealing with those damned weeds.

Now, two ghostly posts stood in the exposed yard. There was still a plethora of work to be done, but she quickly learned that their new neighbors were the ones who were freshly recovered.

Brushing past it, her eyes fell upon that green guy- that gelatin- who was silently leaning out of his window, his eyes locked onto the night sky. Clouds lazily drifted over the stars and the moon, occasionally blocking the beams of light that they'd offer.

How strange. Usually, she'd be hearing screams coming from their house, but tonight, there was nothing of the sort. Lollipop puckered her lips, deep in her thoughts as she tried to remember the recovery of that gelatin guy, but when his eyes were locked onto hers, she immediately straightened herself out.

They saw each other. No doubt about it.

Sympathy dawned on Lollipop's face, before she lifted her hand, giving it a slight wave. Gelatin would do the same- except, a twinge of hesitancy as he watched himself lift his hand up. It was a slow wave that he gave, and the moonlight reflected the harsh scar that painted his wrist.

So many questions, ones she desperately wanted to find the answers to. What did he have to endure?

And why did she care so much?

Sure as hell wasn't for anything romantic. The idea of being with a man made Lollipop cringe, every. Single. Time.

There was something that called to her- an urge to care, to still be the woman she was, but guide him through the troubles that clouded his visions. A... familiar feeling, perhaps?

Her thoughts continued, but a familiar voice soon called to her.

"Lolli..." Taco murmured, shifting underneath the covers as she sleepily reached for the empty spot beside her.

That's her cue. She carefully shut the window, grabbing the curtains to close them once more before she looked over.

Just as quickly as he appeared, he had left.

"Piiin!"

"Yes, Coiny?"

"Where are you going?! We promised Fries we'd meet him by the canal!"

"Don't worry about me, now. Besides- I won't be long!"

"Aw, boo! Can't it wait until later? We can head down together!"

"I cant."

"Pin- cmoon... your co-captain needs ya here..."

"I can't, Coiny."

"Why?"

"..Because i'm not here."

"..what..?"

"..I'm not ok, Coiny.. I can't kiss you...I can't kiss you... because I'm not here."

"No... Pin..-"

"I know you killed yourself... you took that trowel out of my hands, and plunged it right through your heart... my.. you didn't think I could try and do it myself, did you.."

"Pin.."

"..I was hurt, Coiny.. I tried to fight it... I really did... but.. Nobody.. Nobody tried to help me..."

"PIN!"

"And you were so afraid of being alone.."

Grab her- no- no, DON'T GO! PIN!!

"...that you made yourself turn away."

The damned pillowcase greeted Coiny's sight, as his eyes snapped open from the slumber he had slipped into. Tears had formed into a puddle on the side, with his cheeks glimmering from the light outside.

Again. It happened again. When could the night give him a break?

He'd much rather have the screams than this.

Speaking of- he could hear them coming from outside. Now that he had left his old house, Firey and Leafy were quick to welcome him with open arms, letting him stay in the house that they chose together.

They couldn't imagine how he was feeling- so there was no way in Goiky they'd leave him on his own.

Reaching towards the lamp on the bedside table, Coiny watched as the darkness fled from the light that filled its path. The room itself wasn't anything too fancy, just enough to call it home, but it served as a painful reminder, every time he woke up.

He wasn't back home. Pin wasn't next to him.

The past had died- and the future had him by his limbs, yanking him away from the blissful memories that soothed his aching heart.

He knew he shouldn't. Everyone was telling him that he shouldn't- the damage she had caused was beyond irreversible, so much so that it was permanently etched into their object forms. But, even with this, Coiny couldn't help it.

He missed Pin.

Because unlike the others, the memory of who she once was clashed against the reveal of who she became to be. The two had clicked instantly, spending their days as a pair as they would find their ways to beat life's challenges together.

Watching her bloom and grow as a person was something indescribably beautiful to him. Sure, the two of them were their own object, each having varying flaws and fears- but the fact that they could develop and face these fears together, was so touching to him- and it all had shattered, when he walked into that garden.

He shouldn't.

But he does.

The tears couldn't stop. Shivering, he swung his legs to the edge of the bed, clutching his aching chest as he tried to catch his breath. He failed to notice how hard he was sobbing, and unfortunately, the footsteps approaching his door didn't.

When Firey's face emerged on the other side, he expected the usual teasing to begin. It's what he was used to- the rivalry the two had never seemed to have a break, even when they tried to call it off. It was like an undying flame, forever flickering through the winds that tried to keep it at bay.

"Didn't expect to hear screaming from this room." Firey chuckled under his breath, walking towards the bed.

"Sorry." Was all Coiny could mutter, his eyes falling away from the flame. He didn't have the energy to try and fight- he barely had the energy to answer him.

There was no need to try, though. Firey could already tell. "You don't have to be."

"I do."

"Coiny- trust me. We can hear the Freesmarters from here. In fact- we can hear EVERYONE from here. You don't have to hide it, because you guys came back from something brutal. Do you want to talk?"

Oh, how he wished he didn't have to hide it now. He shot the guy a glance, his lips pressed together tightly, as if the truth would burst from him- similarly to a balloon.

But the longer he gazed into Firey's orange pupils (clashing with his now metal body), he couldn't help but feel a sense of ease. It was not only a reminder of the nightmare that was far from over, but pushing aside the rivalry between them, he felt a sense of trust.

An aura so comforting, he couldn't tell if it was from the grief, or just from Firey himself. The two had spent ages of their lives together, bickering and fighting like actual two year olds. Despite this- they always found themselves together.

No matter how much he denied it, he realized now that they had also grown as objects, together.

...

Maybe he would understand.

Could he?

Wouldn't Firey freak out if he mentioned what he's feeling? Telling him how his heart still ached from the missing piece of its puzzle, a piece that he had grown to adore and love so deeply, that he couldn't find any fragment of peace, knowing that she's gone?

He had died first- died by her hands, as she shoved the poor guy from the cage he was imprisoned in. He was the first to go, and it was clear that the nightmares that haunted the others (including Coiny himself), were not plaguing Firey's mind.

At least- he could assume so. For the past two weeks, he could hear Firey desperately comforting Leafy, who, like the others, had awoken as a screaming mess. These episodes varied, with some of them ending in mere seconds, and others lasting for hours. There was a night where she was violently clawing at a pillow, and Firey desperately tried to call her from the night terror she was having.

Yet, the weeks went by, and these episodes began to diminish more and more. Leafy assured them that she was a-ok, but those panic attacks of hers said otherwise.

Even with this, would Firey still offer a lending hand..?

"Hey, dummy. I'm not a mind reader here."

Crap, Coiny winced. He looked back up at him, finding himself in the path of those blazing eyes, once more.

"I... I think I need to be honest here."

"About what?" Firey questioned, leaning back.

"About- everything.."

"Well, I'm here aren't I? Do your thing."

There was a silence that hung over the two, with the faint cries lingering from the outside. The words that Coiny wanted to say contorted around his doubts and fears, tangling themselves into the tightest knots that clogged his mind from processing anything.

And what if he gets mad?

I miss her.

You could get in trouble.

I miss her.

They could banish you from the city.

I miss her.

Is it worth risking your reputation over this???

....

"Firey.." Coiny croaked, the floodgates now swinging open as the tears began to flood his vision. It immediately caught Firey's attention, and he sat up, worriedly placing a hand on his back.

"Woah- Coiny... what's going on..?"

"..I know I shouldn't. Please believe me when I say that, I know I shouldn't be feeling this way. With everything that happened- everyone deserves to be angry. Hell, I deserve to be angry! The nightmare I had to endure, watching all of you die, one by one- it's never going to leave! And I'm furious by it!"

The words spilled like a flood, ripping through the city of his emotions and tainting the waters with every emotion he tried to repress. Grimacing, Coiny clenched the bed sheets beneath him, his voice now beginning to warble as his cries snapped his few strings of stability.

"But... even with this anger, I feel so sad. Sad that I didn't notice it sooner. I knew Pen was right- if I had managed to snap out of myself, I could've made an effort to stop it."

"Coiny.."

"Whats worse, is that I can't feel angry anymore." Coiny's voice fell into a hush. "Instead- I'm left with this... emptiness. It sticks with me, and no matter what I try to do, it never goes away. Every night, I pray that I can at least get a dream where this massacre never happened- but.. the only thing that I can see is her...

"My Pin.

"And I... I can't hold it back anymore, Firey. I'm sorry. But... I miss her."

Anger. Guilt. Sadness. Relief. The emotions flashed through Coiny's aching soul as his body twitched, the sobs escaping his throat before he could realize it.

Carrying the consequences of before was nothing short of agonizing- but he and Pin had grown so close to one another, to a point where Coiny believed that he was hers, and she was his. They were twin flames- everything about them fit perfectly into the equation of their relationship.

Now, here he was. His partner in crime, his right hand woman, his W.O.A.H Bunch captain one year strong...

Gone.

To his surprise, he could feel Firey's arm wrapping around his shivering body. It wasn't much, but the gesture alone made Coiny sob even harder, leaning against his metal body as the pain crashed like waves against him.

He felt guilty for feeling this way.

But it hurt.

And this pain made him drown, dragging him deeper into the sea of grief, never to see the surface of hope ever again.

The two would stay this way for a while, with Firey holding Coiny, and Coiny sobbing his little copper heart out. Words weren't a necessity, that is, until Coiny lifted himself away, his eyebrows furrowing together from the headache that was beginning to develop.

Firey could immediately note this, helping him adjust. "Coiny- here, I can get you some water..."

"Everyone tells me that I need to move on," Coiny wiped his eyes, shivering from the emotions that crashed against his soul, ".. But I can't."

"Coiny.." Firey tried to reach for him, but the coin turned his shoulder, shamefully burying his face into the palms of his hands.

"I miss her, Firey." He sobbed. "I miss her so much.."

"I know. I could hear you the first time..."

"I just... I feel guilty... for feeling this way..."

Guilty. The word rang in the back of Firey's mind, as he let his mind drift into the memories of the past.

There was a part of him that didn't want to console him- in fact, he wanted to slap him, just to knock some sense into that tiny brain of his! Here he was, crying over someone who was nothing short of a snake, someone who killed him, as well as everyone she knew and loved, for some stupid garden.

But the more that he thought, the more he began to realize how similar the two were.

When the hang glider had crashed- Firey stood by and watched as the others chased Leafy away. He remembered how, when they had hit the ground, he wasn't sure if he should stay or flee with her- but the decision that he had made, continued to haunt him, even to this day.

He could never forget the way Leafy's eyes looked that day, when she realized that he wasn't coming with her.

What Pin had done is far beyond stealing some dumb island- but those pains, the aching sensation of losing the one you had loved for so long- Firey realized now that fighting wouldn't do him any good.

"Coiny," he began, gently helping the coin wipe his tears, "While I do get why you're feeling this way, you shouldn't have to hide this pain from us- from me."

"But... but she-"

"I know what she did to me. And, if I'm honest- I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive her. But out of everyone here... you knew Pin the most. In fact, when you two met, you both became inseparable! There was nothing that could stop you guys from facing the world."

"I-... what are you t-trying to-"

"Listen. That guilt you're feeling- I felt it once. Maybe not as bad as this- but it was still there. And after everything that happened, you have to understand that patching things up is going to be impossible. Especially since she had hurt the others. But- this is someone you lost."

Coiny lifted his head. "Lost..?"

"Well. Yeah, she's dead. But not only did you lose her physically... you lost the Pin you once loved." Firey couldn't help but scoff, his eyes rolling slightly. "We could all see the way your eyes would glow when you were with her. Yet, when you realized what she had done- that gleam in your eyes had long vanished.

"She was everything to you. And the fact that she did something like this, made you realize that it was too good to be true."

Sobs. Coiny covered his face, crumbling as Firey carefully held him close.

"This sadness shouldn't be something you hide. You have to let it run its course- otherwise... man- things could get ugly, real fast."

"H-How am I supposed to let it run its course- if... the others won't... agree..?" Shuddering, Coiny struggled to get a proper breath of air, sobs breaking through his aching airways.

Firey thought for a moment. "...Well- we can try and get you to express this sadness in a different way. You know- coping skills..!"

"Coping skills..?"

Nodding, Firey would lift Coiny from his arms, holding his shoulders gently as he locked himself into those copper-colored eyes of his.

"When Leafy and I were... uh... apart... I tried to hide the guilt I felt for so long. It took so much out of me- and even worse, it was starting to make me crack, right as BFDIA was going strong. I realized that if I kept trying to ignore the way that I felt, then I... would have done something stupid."

"Sounds like the Firey I know..."

"LIKE I WAS SAYING. I realized that hiding that guilt and sadness was practically killing me- so... I started to write."

"Write?"

"As in- write letters. Whenever I had the chance, I would write letters to Leafy- as if she were there, listening to the words that I put on paper."

Giving his shoulders a gentle squeeze, Firey would then get up, walking over to a small desk on the other side of the room. Coiny watched, with his tear-stained face, as Firey would rummage through the desk, the soft clinking and banging echoing through the silence before he closed it once more.

He knew that these homes were left untouched. They had just what they needed, and right now, Firey was thankful that they had enough to last in the room that they had lent to Coiny.

With his hands behind his back, Firey walked back towards him, letting him stare up with an expression that read of both, hope, as well as "what the hell are you doing".

"I know- this might sound really cheesy, but, if something like this could help me..."

Firey held his hands out, both of them cradling a blank notebook, a pencil, and a pen.

"...Maybe it could help you, too."

I awoke to the sound of the voice.

"Rise and shine, dear! We've got work to do!"

I hope she couldn't read my mind. Carefully, I got myself off of the bed, making sure to not wake-

"Aren't you excited? Oh, I'm telling you- it all gets better from here!"

It doesn't. I know it doesn't.

I left our room, quietly shutting the door before I made my way through the halls. I had to check three times to make sure everything was in its place- there was no room to try and mess up.

"The yoylite- do you have it?"

'Right here.' I carefully lift the two halves. They glowed at night- sometimes, during the day too- and every time I held it, I could feel a little calmer.

"Wonderful!~"

Why did she have to use that singing tone of hers...

Besides- taking it was anything but wonderful. I didn't want it all to be this way- everyone was still on edge, and I know that this missing stone would make it worse, especially in the state that it's in.

I was told that breaking it into two wouldn't change a thing. But I thought of Golfball; I could practically feel her anger. She's just a force to be reckoned with, even with how short she was.

I grabbed the car keys, and in that instant, we were off. I watched as our house vanished behind me, following the rest of the houses in the city. And soon, we were here.

I remember it all. The Freesmart Supervan.

Unlike the yoylite, I knew it'd be easier to snatch the keys. And with the others separating the glue from the engine, she came to find that it was now in working order.

Unfortunately.

Getting into the van, I watched my step, not wanting to leave anything out of the ordinary. It was clear that the van was used after everything, with tire marks staining the ground surrounding it. She told me that it'd be hard to link it back- after all, it was just another path in that maze of marks.

I turned the key, and the hum of the engine filled my mind. Just a simple drive at night. Nothing more.

Don't think of it as anything else.

"What- no music?"

'Do you want us to get caught.'

"Wow- smart, too! I knew you'd be a good fit..."

Hearing that made me shudder.

I wish I was dead. I really wish something could knock me dead, right on the spot. 

But... nothing would. 

"Need me to go over everything one more time...?"

...

"I'll take it as a yes! Once you're at the edge of the city, park the van and get to looking! I'll tell you which one would work best- my garden needs a LOT of saving after those monsters burned it all down.

"Once we find 'em? That trowel- oh, it's going to be your new best friend. Find a way to knock 'em out, and keep them quiet. Once you get them back in the van- well... we will go from there, my friend.

Hmf...

"Huh- and who taught you how to drive...?"

'Cars exist beyond here, you know...'

"Hey- I haven't left this place in AGES. I don't know the places you've been through! Unless you'd like to take me out sometime..."

'No.'

"Yeesh... tough crowd."

Quiet. She's finally quiet. Why can't she get it? I don't want to talk to her.

She is not my friend. Especially with what I had to do- because of her.

I turned into the road that led into the city, and when I look up, I see-

"HIM!!"

'What-'

"HIM. THATS THE ONE WE NEED. Why couldn't it cross my mind before- scratch the plan, HE'S the one we're going for!~"

'And how am I supposed to-'

"UGH. WATCH AND LEARN."

Suddenly, a numbness pricked in my fingertips, quickly spreading to the rest of my arms.

I lost control.

No- I shouldn't- these are MY hands! How-

Wait-

My foot slammed against the gas pedal, and the buildings around us sped by. I couldn't stop the scream that came out of my mouth;

I had no control.

No control.

And I watched as the tall object jump, scrambling to the side and barely avoiding the hull of the van.

Silence. Not even a scream- his panicked breaths being the first thing to return to me.

Why would she- how- She never told me she could DO THIS.

'NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! WHAT IS-'

"He saw you."

'What-'

"He saw you."

I could see his eyes. I wasn't sure if it was terror- or anger- but the shock of it all had him trembling, checking himself to make sure nothing was broken.

He knew.

He knew now, I-

No. I can't- this isn't who I was, I promise-

I can explain- I could! I know it now, I can try and-

"Remember our deal, now."

I couldn't-

"If my garden is not completed..."

The failed pact.

The threats.

She'd...

My blood ran cold, as I realized that there was no turning back. 

Not anymore. 

I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry, Tree.

He was starting to run.

I can't let him go.

Turn. Block. And go.

Get him out of the city.

Run in the other direction.

I know what it feels like.

That expression was once mine, too.

I know you'd never believe it- especially after what I'm doing now.

He knows he can't go in.

Running up the hill, the same hill that led to the mountain.

Nobody could hear it now.

I swerved the wheel, flooring it as hard as I could. Watching his body grow closer and closer in the blink of an eye, I listened as his body cracked violently from the impact.

A shower of leaves sprinkled around the van. I think the hit sent him tumbling over the roof of the van, since the blood was still there, slowly oozing down the cracked window. I had to check- but I was frozen.

Stuck.

I didn't want him to see me again.

The headlights of the van illuminated the path, the trees towering over the sky and blocking the moon from touching its ground.

Seems like it knew too. No light would dare to shine in a place like this.

He calls for someone. I can't make out what he had said, but I would shakily reach over, tilting the rear view mirror to see if he was where I thought he'd be.

Oh. 

There he stayed. Right where they had left him.

He stayed right on the path- his body, changed forever.

Should a body contort that way?

How is his leg twisted that way- how could it-

"Don't focus too much on that now. Think of it as... a dying rat."

'How could-'

"Look at him! His twitching, his shivering- the guy can barely keep his EYES open, hah!"

His arm was hanging by a chunk of his own flesh. The muscles- I could see them spasming, unable to reach the severed half. The bone had been broken off, bits of it scattered on the ground.

I had seen it all.

Over and over again.

But this...

"Come on- we've got a job to finish."

A job to finish.

The blood pooled on the ground below Tree.

A job to finish.

His femur protruded from his leg, small flakes of skin and shredded leaves dangling from the bone, which was now stained with blood and dirt.

A job to finish.

I think I can hear his wails.

My hands couldn't stop shaking. I grabbed the joystick, yanking it to the glowing 'R' mark, and stomped against the pedal with all my might.

I waited.

Until the sound of a shattering skull filled the air around me, blood and brain matter squelching against the rubber tires.

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valentines day!!! its my holiday. I love valentines day (lovecore RULES!!!!)

also. ICE WRITE CHAPTERS IN LESS THAN 4K WORDS CHALLENGE (INSTANTLY FAILED) (COPS CALLED) (SOMEONE DIED?!??!?!!) 

anyways hello there!! how is everyone today?

there was a blizzard that hit yesterday and I got the day off, so I actually had a chance to SLEEP IN. Shocking.

I also had time to adjust things to the story! That includes the death list- so far, #2 and #3 swapped! Hope y'all have room for dessert (no, its not a food object). 

I'm also trying to stick with a good release schedule. Doing this every other day is, something- I might try doing weekly or bi-weekly drops for now. It honestly depends on college. 

Anyways, I need to go celebrate Valentine's Day. Me and the bestie core (and the partner)!!!

bye!!

-ice