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The battle was long and fierce. Abed had announced a school-wide game of "Hot Lava" as a going away present for Troy, the prize? Abed's comic book that was worth $50,000. It was to no one's surprise that the dysfunctional school immediately erupted into a post-apocalyptic environment, everyone was determined to win. People pushed into lava, friendships betrayed, unlikely alliances created, but it wasn't over yet.
.
"You can't outrun your emotions!" Britta screamed, chasing the dynamic duo. Luckily, they had gained "The Orb" from Shirley's Island to help with their escape. Hickey's machine roared as it rushed to catch up to Troy and Abed. Britta courageously jumped on the orb, "Aah! I had a dream like this, but it was sexual!" Troy mindlessly exclaimed. Britta, focused on helping them in her own odd way, "I will force you two to grieve properly even if it kills us all!".
"Go away Britta!" Abed yelled, trying get Britta off of their orb. Troy and Abed succeeded in doing so, rolling their selves down a stairway into the basement.
"Yay!"
"Ow!"
"Yay!"
"Ow!"
"Ow!"
"...Sorry about our butts touching."
.
"The Orb" had completely deflated forcing Troy and Abed to latch onto the metal shelves so they can continue moving, "Okay, we'll go into the vents, they'll never find us there." Abed analyzed his surroundings, looking for the best possible option for him and his best friend.
"I say we take a stand here."
"I mean, someone's got to win sometime." Troy reminded Abed.
"Not if we never kill each other. Then we can play forever." said Abed, trying his best to convince Troy.
"Right." his other half agreed almost immediately, "Wait." but then realized "Abed, the floor can't be lava forever."
"The game's got to end." it hurt him a bit to say that, but it was true. Troy watched Abed pause for a brief moment, looking down at the pretend lava floor.
"It's not a game for me, Troy. I'm seeing real lava because you're leaving. It's embarrassing, and I don't want to be crazy, but I am crazy, so... I made a game that made you and everyone else see what I see." Abed gave a short monologue, one that could be put in a romantic drama. Troy looked down as well, seeing the dangerous bubbling lava of what used to be his school's floor. "I don't want it to be there either, I swear. I want you to be able to leave, but I don't think the lava goes away until you stop leaving." his gaze never leaving Troy's, "So the only way I can help you is by giving up my chance to be one person?" Troy felt conflicted. But before the two could further process what was happening, the basement door bursts open with Britta and Hickey screaming as they slid down the stairs on a bookshelf.
"You guys ready for closure?" Britta, still determined to therapize them. "Of your caskets?" Hickey added.
"Guys, stop, okay? The lava's real to Abed. It's not a game to him." Troy declared, letting everyone know what his boyfriend was feeling.
"Oh, no." it was finally clear to Britta why Abed had been acting like this.
"You know what I think? I think he's used to getting his own way. I think he's never met me." hell-bent on winning for his son's gay wedding, Hickey caused the shelves to fall in a domino-like way. Abed quickly grabbed on something from the ceiling to avoid falling in the lava, "Abed! Abed..." Troy was frantic with worry. In an attempt to avenge Abed, Britta pushed Hickey off of the bookshelf and onto the lava floor fake killing him. "Unbelievable. When this game is over, I'm gonna shove you back." Hickey left defeated. "Abed, give me your other hand!" Troy reached his hand out to Abed, wanting to save him. In return, Abed could only give his comic book to Troy. "It's down to us. You or Britta will be the winner."
"I'm not leaving, okay? Just... I promise." Troy was thinking of anything to make Abed safe, "Just... the floor's not lava now. Just give me your hand." he was desperate to not let Abed fake die. "I don't think the lava's here because you're leaving. I think it's here because I won't let go." Abed couldn't hold on anymore, "Sorry." physically and emotionally. "Abed." Troy cried out, still trying to grab him. "Bye." Abed closed his eyes. "Abed. Abed!" Troy doing his best to call out to Abed, "Abed!" but it was too late, his best friend had let go. "Abed! Abed!" anyone could've heard the distress in Troy's tone. Abed's body was falling in slow-motion, but he was unable to do anything. Just as Abed was about to sink into the fake lava, Britta leapt forward with the deflated orb in hand. She face-planted on the floor as Abed laid on the orb, still alive.
"Abed!" Troy jumped onto the deflated orb and hugged him tightly straight away, "Dude you almost fake died. Don't ever do that again." Abed gave a solemn smile as Troy was sniffling. "He wasn't really gonna die." Britta interjected. Due to the rule of no talking to the dead, the two ignored Britta.
"Troy, I think I might be able to let you go now."
"W-what to do you mean?"
"It's selfish of me to ask you to stay, this is your chance to get out of our unhealthy co-dependence. You deserve to be your own person." Abed placed his hand on Troy's shoulder, keeping himself together for Troy. "I don't know." Troy looked down, nervous. Abed cocked his head to the side in confusion. "I haven't been completely honest. I'm really scared to go on my trip." his head fell onto Abed's chest. "I want to stay." Abed raised his brow, pulling Troy off of him. "Abed, I'll stay! Not just for you but also me, for us!" Troy face had brightened up, like he just successfully infiltrated Christmas. "But Troy-" before he could finish, they were interrupted by Britta "Oh! You can clone him!" both Troy and Abed's eyes widened.
"I can clone myself! A-and clone me can go on the trip, I could stay!"
"It isn't just about tha-"
"I know Abed. But all I actually wanted was the money, I can become a man here too you know? I can move out so we won't be around each other so much, and that way we can still see each other."
"...Cool. Cool cool cool."
The two shared each other's gaze, satisfied with the outcome of this bizarre adventure.
"Jeez get a room you two." oh Britta.
.
After saying goodbye to Troy, rest of the study group went back to their study room. And there was Troy and Abed, sitting in their seat.
"Did I start day-drinking? You guys can see him too, right?"
"Oh my."
"Troy! A-aren't you supposed to be on your trip?"
"It's all thanks to Britta. She gave us the idea to clone Troy."
"Yeah, now I can get Pierce's money without working for it!"
"Hm. I support it."
"Jeff! That isn't right Troy... But I'm glad you're staying!"
"Mhm, I also cloned myself and snuck him in the boat so clone Troy wouldn't miss me."
"Aww!"
"Yeah, totally healthy you guys. You know if you had just talked in the beginning instead of putting the school in total chaos, all of this could've been avoided."
Everyone groans.