Chapter Text
MePhone had woken up that morning to people yelling in the hallways and outside his door. He nearly dropped his light that Two had given him when he shot up. He quickly grabbed it, then stuck it back on his bedside table. "What is going on out here?" MePhone yelled, opening his door to see Tennisball screaming.
"Look at the sky!" Tennisball replied, quickly, then ran downstairs. MePhone shuffled towards his window, nearly tripping, then opened the curtains. Outside, the large gaping rip in the sky has expanded by an inch, and shot lightning off in different directions, one shot down a tree. The sky is black and inky, with what appears to be in dripping down from the sky as well, with no starting point in view. "What happened?!" MePhone cried.
MePhone ran downstairs, to see Four handing small green orbs of light to Two's contestants. "What's going on here?"
"Two is the only one capable of protecting us," Four said, "and all he's doing is moping around all day!"
"At least I talked to you!" Two cried. "I would like that back eventually!"
Four floated out of Two's room and led everyone outside. "Quick! Shield!" Four cried. Two's contestants urged their borrowed power to create a shield large enough to protect them from lightning. It bounced off the green bubble, destroying the two colored tree. MePhone ran outside. There is no sun, and no light, and Liy's switch didn't even work. The only form of light in that area was from MePhone's illuminated screen, even so, it still wasn't much. Lightning struck the ground, just as Four pulled everyone back inside the hotel. The grass died, along with the trees.
"We need a distraction for these three," Tree said, pointing behind him at Bottle, Grassy and Marker, anxiously looking out the window.
"How about Cake at Stake?" TV asked.
"Really?" Tree asked.
Snowball and Tree were the final two. MePhone and and Grassy shared a look of concern. Snowball had his eyes closed tightly. "Next safe is..." TV said, "Grassy. Snowball is eliminated."
"NOOOO!" Snowball cried, on his knees, throwing his fists into the air, TV playing a similar scene on his screen.
"Grassy?" Grassy asked, concern in his voice.
"It's okay, Grassy, stay strong," Snowball said, patting Grassy's head.
"Snowball, wait!" MePhone cried. MePhone ran over to him as well. "Snowball, you can't leave like this."
"Sorry, dude," Snowball said. "That's the way it goes."
"What about co-host or something?" MePhone tried. Snowball laughed. "Me? Co-host? Pfft, as if!" He pat MePhone's back. "You're strong, man! I like that! Keep it up!"
Four sent Snowball to the elimination area, along with TV, who gave them a battle royale contest before he left. "A...battle royale?" MePhone muttered.
MePhone ran outside, mostly to get away from the contest. "What?" Tennisball cried. "The Fourse!" He took off running. "Fourse?" MePhone asked.
"Why did he think that tying it up will be good for that thing?" Golfball asked.
"What's happening?" MePhone asked.
"I don't know," Black Hole replied, worry in his voice. "I can't hold this back anymore. It just started...freaking out!"
A bolt of lightning shot out and struck MePhone. "MePhone!" Golfball and Black Hole cried in unison.
He could barely see. When he could, all he could see was the vague figures of Golfball and probably Black Hole. He put his hands on his head to calm his glitching. Nothing seemed to work. He continued glitching. "MePhone! Hold on!" Golfball cried, her voice was slightly muffled, and quiet. MePhone could barely focus.
MePhone's screen turned black, after a quick screen of his face, red, with x's for eyes. He tried to keep himself standing, but, ultimately, failing and falling to the ground, powered down. His power switch flipped off. "MePhone!" Golfball and Black Hole cried in unison.
"What happened to him?" Black Hole asked.
"I think he just powered down," Golfball cried, running over to him. "Help me get him inside!"
"But the rift..." Black Hole started.
"Forget the rift! It's too late for that!" Golfball cried. Black Hole went back and forth between Golfball and the rift a couple of times before he sighed dejectedly, then helped Golfball carry MePhone inside. Black Hole simply put MePhone, balanced on Golfball's head, who then carried him inside and placed him on the couch in the lobby.
"Oh, my, what happened to MePhone?" Tree asked.
"He got struck by the lightning rift," Golfball explained. "Mind flipping him over? I gotta make sure he's still in one piece."
Tree flipped over MePhone, then popped open his back panel. Golfball jumped up on the couch, scanned his parts inside, then turned to Tree. "He seems fine," she said, a little perplexed. "Maybe it's some magic lightning?"
"Well, Two has magic powers, and so does Four, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if something like that had happened," Tree explained. Golfball closed his back panel, tree turned him back around, and Golfball jumped down from the couch, back onto the ground, and flipped his power switch.
The logo on his back appeared on his face, in white, against his black screen. It stayed there for a bit before his face reappeared. "Ugh," he moaned, putting his hand on his head. "What happened?"
"You got struck by rift lightning," Tree explained.
"It managed to power you down," Golfball added. "I just turned you back on."
MePhone's face glitched for a moment before reappearing. "That might be a side effect," Golfball said.
"Ugh, thanks, guys," MePhone said.
"Can you stand?" Golfball asked.
Tree helped MePhone off the couch, then helped him stand. He let go of MePhone. MePhone's legs shook, so he balanced himself on the couch. "Yeah, I'll be fine," he replied.
"Good," Golfball said. "I'd recommend staying out of the way. It's kind of wild in here."
"Yeah, I got it," MePhone said, sitting back down. Golfball and Tree ran off.
There was a long bit of nothingness for...MePhone doesn't know how long. MePhone hid on that couch for a while, and time started blurring together. He forgot what time he got there, and he was too scared to see what time it currently was.
He started to hear yelling in the hallways. He didn't want to move. He didn't want to see what was happening. But something deep down inside of him told him to check it out. He, unwillingly, stood up to explore what the sound was. He followed it up a flight of stairs, since the elevator was broken, again, and to the third floor. Here, in the hallway, littering the ground, are the bodies of the failed debuters, a few of them running from Liy, including Price Tag.
"Oh, sorry, MePhone!" Price Tag cried, after bumping into him. He moved aside, and she continued running towards the stairs. MePhone stared at Liy. "Liy! What are you doing?"
She didn't reply, but instead, started moving towards MePhone, slowly. MePhone took a step backwards. "Liy! Answer me!" She still said nothing. She kept approaching MePhone, pinning him against the wall. He held his hands up defensively, expecting something. Nothing came.
He opened his eye to find Liy, shattered in front of him, lying on the ground. "What?" he cried. He looked around to see nothing, or anyone, in the hallway. What just happened? Did she just die? Or was there something else? Something he didn't see? Well, he did hear something. He heard footsteps, fast footsteps, and an lot of stomping sounds. Maybe something with that happened? She didn't fall down the stairs. So...what was it?
MePhone stood in silence for a moment. What is happening? Is this because of the sky? Or the rift? Why have all the contestants gone crazy? Is it for Two's power? The power Four borrowed from him? Why does everyone want it? Why are they all fighting each other?
MePhone slowly walked back downstairs. What is even going on anymore? Why isn't Two or Four stopping any of this? Where's X? Why isn't he stopping it? This is all too much. It's like...war. A never ending war. A war for...power.
It's like Cobs. Cobs tricked MePhone to create his show, just so he can come back later and take his power. It was a war of life, death, and power. All Cobs ever wanted was power. So, of course he'd come back to take it. Of course he'd start a war. That's what this is. A war of power.
"No, wait, please!" Book cried.
"Hand it over!" Pencil yelled.
"Pencil, what's come over you?" Book asked.
"Give it!" Pencil yelled again, ignoring her.
"No!" Book cried.
"Then, I'll make you," Pencil said, rather gruffly. Pencil carried Book in the air, over her head, using some of Two's borrowed power. "Pencil, wait, don't do this!" Book cried. "This isn't like you!"
"Yes, it is," Pencil growled. She pulled book apart with Two's borrowed power, Book's papers scattering on the ground.
"Pencil!" MePhone gasped. "What are you doing?"
"Stay out of this, MePhone!" Pencil yelled, turning around. Her limbs are glowing a bright green. "Wha..." MePhone muttered.
"I said, stay out of this!" She threw MePhone into the wall with Two's borrowed power.
"Where did you-?" MePhone asked.
"Why are you here, MePhone?" Pencil asked, her voice gruff again. "Why are you even here? Why did you show your face? Why did you bother us?"
"'Bother?'" MePhone asked.
"That's right!" Pencil yelled. "You have your own place, your own home, why did you come here?"
"I-I wasn't-" MePhone tried.
"No excuses!" Pencil yelled. "I want the truth!"
"Pencil, what happened to you?" MePhone asked.
"Me?" she cried, pointing at herself. She started walking closer to MePhone. "What happened to me? What happened to you? Look at you!"
"Me?" he asked.
"Yeah, you!" Pencil cried, pointing at him. She clenched her fists. "You have a home, you have a family, you even have your own show! But you left it, and came and bothered us with your problems! Now Two's depressed, and not doing anything and it's your fault I'm like this!"
"W-what?" MePhone asked, backed against the wall.
"You want to know why I'm like this, MePhone? Hm?" Pencil asked, putting a hand to her heart.
This yelling. It can't be. No, it...it can't be. "You made me this way!" she yelled.
"You made me this way, 4," Cob's said, pointing the MeKnife at MePhone. "You turned me into this. If you don't like it, you can comply and walk with me. Otherwise, you'll see everything you love...go away."
"No! Wait!" MePhone cried, putting his hands in front of himself. Pencil stopped walking, but she didn't stop yelling at him. She only continued, with a louder intensity.
Cobs walked closer to MePhone, pointing the knife at him. "You have one more chance, 4," he said, a small smirk on his face. "One more chance to come with me. We can end this all right here if you'd only listen."
MePhone started shaking. Why is he doing this? Why can't he move? If only he'd move, then Cobs would end this all and no one has to get hurt. His legs won't cooperate. His eyes won't open. It's like the gravity around him is keeping him down. He can't move. His body refuses.
"Suit yourself," Cobs said. He thrust the MeKnife at MePhone. He heard a large crack sound, but he didn't stop moving. He still shook. Was he...was he okay? Did Cobs miss and hit the ground? Or, when he opens his eyes, will he see the knife protruding out of his body, sparking as his life leaves?
MePhone was scared, but he opened his eyes nonetheless. The MeKnife. It stood motionless, floating in front of him. Both he and Cobs gasped, Cobs stepping backwards. A figure appeared in front of MePhone, then fell to his knees. MePad. MePad blocked the knife from hitting MePhone. MePad...sacrificed himself. "MePad! MePad, no!"
"This ends now, MePhone," Pencil said.
"Pencil, no!" Fanny cried. She jumped in front of MePhone, shaking against the wall, his eyes sealed shut, hands on his head.
Pencil fired a beam at Fanny. Fanny yelled in pain, then exploded. "One down, one to go," Pencil said.
"Pencil!" Winner cried. "What are you doing?"
"Ending this, once and for all!" Pencil replied.
"Look at him!" Winner cried, growing a hand and pointing it at MePhone. "Why are you going to hurt him? He didn't do anything to you!"
"Yes he did!" Pencil cried. "He's the reason I'm like this!" She shot a beam at Winner as well, who also cried out in pain and exploded. "MePhone!" Pencil cried. "MePhone, look at me!"
"MePhone, MePhone, MePhone," Cobs said. "Why are you like this? You're such a good kid. Take my hand, come with me now." MePhone opened his eyes and looked at Cobs. He has one hand extended, the other, behind his back. No, he knows what Cobs is playing here. Once he accepts Cobs' hand, he'll stab him with the MeKnife in his hand. That's all he ever does. Cobs is a backstabber. He's the worst kind of backstabber. He's a monster. A monster who made MePhone the way he is...broken. A monster who breaks everything he touches.
MePhone closed his eyes again. "4, are you really not going to come with me?" Cobs asked. "We could do so much together, we could BE so much together. You want to throw it all away?" MePhone didn't answer. "4, don't be like this. Don't turn me into a monster."
"But...but that's what you are!" MePhone yelled. He clenched his fists. "That's all you are, and that's all you ever will be! That's why I'm like this! That's why I'm broken!"
"4, are you calling me a-" Cobs started, a look of disappointment on his face.
"Yes!" MePhone yelled. He stomped his foot, closing his eyes tightly. "Yes! I am! And I'm not scared to say it! I'll say it again and again if I have to! I'm not scared of you, Cobs!"
"Cobs?" Pencil asked. "Who's Cobs?"
"So, try all you want, Cobs!" MePhone yelled. "You can kill me if you'd like! I am NOT like you! I am not like you, and I never will be! So...so kill me if you have to!"
"Alright," Pencil said. She held up her hand, her palm turning green. "If you insist."
Wait, what did he just do? Why did he say that? Of course Cobs will kill him. All he wants is the power he has. He'll do anything to get it, even if it involves death. He already killed his contestants with MePhone X. He already killed MePad. Of course he'll kill MePhone. He isn't scared of death.
Cobs lifted him into the air, above the cliff. "Say goodbye, 4," Cobs said.
"Wait! Wait! No, don't do this! Please!" MePhone begged. His voice was shaky and tears started to swell in his eyes. "Please, wait! Don't kill me!"
"Too late," Pencil said. She started to fire a beam of Two's borrowed power at MePhone.
"Pencil!" Four yelled. "Put him down! Now!" Pencil stopped firing her beam, MePhone falling to the ground, steaming. "Pencil, what have you done?" Four cried.
"What I should've," Pencil said. "And I'll finish you too."
"Pencil! Look at yourself!" Four cried. "This isn't the Pencil I know!"
Pencil balled her fists. She stopped. That look in Four's eyes. Sadness, but yet, there's a small glimmer of hope. It's almost like they're pleading.
Pencil loosened her fists. "Pencil, look around at the mess you made!" Four demanded. "I'm disappointed in you!" Four gave her another short look before he turned outside. He stared at the sky, then floated towards the roof.
Pencil scanned the room around her. Destruction, as far as she can see. What has she done?
She looked at MePhone, steaming on the ground. His screen flashed blue for a moment before turning to black again. Oh no, MePhone. Did she kill him? She put her hands on her head. What has she done? This is her fault. All of it. She has to do something to make it right.
First...she should help MePhone. Yeah, help him. She used Two's power to lift him into the ventilation system. Grassy knelt on the floor, his hands on his head, shivering. She frowned. Maybe things are worse than she thought. If she had Four's power...maybe...maybe she could fix all of this.
She pushed MePhone next to Grassy. He fell over a little, blue flashed on his screen again, then died once more. She frowned. She can fix this. She has to.
