A few days later, Astral and Yuma still didn't find each other. They always passed each other, but they were always separate.

Astral's light had been dimming all the time, and now, he was hardly getting chased. After being burned by an explosion and scared out of his wits by more crazy people out for his blood, the fact the other crazies not chasing him hardly seemed relevant.

Astral made it to another hole in the floor. He got on his hands and knees and tried to crawl through. One of his hands slipped, though, and he ended up tumbling down and down until he made it to the bottom with a splash.

He sat up, coughing and shivering. When he saw that he was in sewage, his eyes widened. His breathing quickened, and his heart pounded faster.

And he finally broke down. After days of holding in his emotions, he let it out.

Astral got up shakily, still crying. He knew that he had to keep going, but he could hardly bring himself to move. Somehow, he still went forward. He crawled through the pipe and emerged out the other side.

~.~.~

Yuma grabbed a battery and placed it in his pocket. He watched out for the fat man all the while.

Fatty Fat Fat, he called him.

It was amusing.

Yuma huffed in frustration. Why can't I find him? Yuma thought bitterly.

~.~.~

Astral's hands shook as he placed his hands on the second and last valve. He expected Tubbo to come up at any moment. He rushed out as soon as he turned the valve.

"Down the ladder," Astral encouraged himself. "All I need to do is get to the ladder!"

He felt a hand on his arm, and he was yanked back. He turned back and saw Fatty McFat's ugly face. Astral's eyes widened. His free hand ran arbitrarily along the wall until he found a loose pipe. He tore the pipe off and smashed it against Tubbo's head. Fatty blinked and let go of Astral, but he didn't go down.

Astral backed away from the fat monster. He raised the pipe and smashed it down again. He brought it up again and smashed it down again and again and again until...

Blood was on his hands. Astral yelped and dropped the bloody pipe. On the floor was Fatty McFat. Dead. His head was crushed in.

"I killed... I killed him...." Astral stammered, shocked still. "I killed someone... I killed..." Astral sank to the ground, trembling.

Even if Tubbo was trying to kill him, the kill shocked Astral. He looked down at his hands again, and he felt Dark's amusement.

"Well, looks like you won't be needing me anymore. I guess I can melt into your consciousness until later," he purred.

Astral got up numly and floated over to the ladder going down.

~.~.~

For probably the millionth time, Yuma checked the hole in the ground that Fatty Fat Fat chased him in the game. He had never bothered to turn the valves because if they weren't turned, Astral hadn't been there.

Maybe this time would be different.

The first place Yuma looked was across from the pipe where they had to crawl through. The first thing he noticed was Fatty's body covered in blood.

"How did this happen?" Yuma mumbled to himself.

He walked closer and inspected the body. A thin yet sturdy pipe laid next to him. It was covered in blood, but there was no signs of fingerprints.

That was odd.

Yuma looked over to the ladder that went down to the female and male. words. Surprisingly, there was no water in the way. Someone must have drained the water, and that someone must have been Astral!

"Finally!" Yuma grinned and rushed to the ladder, climbing down swiftly.

~.~.~

Astral was trying to keep a calm mind, but that was impossible with all the crazy people chasing him. The only consolation he had was that he was faster than them by flying. He could keep a far lead from them. Other than that, there was nothing.

Astral knocked down the door, and it was a dead end. All there was was an elevator that wasn't down at his floor and a few cabinets. Nothing that he could hide in.

"D-dead end...?" Astral shivered and looked behind him. The crazy people smashed down the door and ran after him.

Astral yelped and searched fruitlessly for a way out. That was when a voice called from up. The elevator came down, and Astral swiftly climbed in. He sat in the corner, breathing deeply to calm himself, but he didn't even have time for that. As soon as the elevator stopped, a creepy-looking man waited.

"You made the right choice here, buddy," he said before knocking his fist into Astral's head.

Astral blacked out in fear.

~.~.~

Yuma walked in the direction of the male ward, knowing that the female ward was blocked.

See? Hours of playing Outlast paid off!

Yuma raised the camera and turned on the night vision. He continued on as silently as he could mostly out of habit. He was used to treading lightly in the game, but it seemed that he wouldn't have to worry about Fatty Fat Fat.

Wait! After this part is the part with the crazy doctor! Oh man, I have to get to Astral quickly!!

Yuma picked up his pace to a run. The water was seeking his socks, but he didn't care. Now, Akari was a different story, but he didn't have time to worry about that.

First Astral, second escape. That was the plan. Work on one thing at a time.