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“Sir, you’re going to want to see this.”
Vic’s quiet rant to Agent was cut off hearing the callout. One of the members of the security team waved him over to the cameras. There was a silent look of ‘this better be good, or else’ to the uniformed stick before he looked towards the screens.
The frustration that had been bubbling below dissipated slightly as a now familiar group of sticks exited a recently arrived delivery truck. Watching in some disbelief as his target was practically handed to him on a silver platter.
“Was the driver aware of our latest post?” Vic asked the guard.
“No, sir.”
“Give him a raise anyway.”
Vic saw movement from the corner of his vision. Hearing Primal give a small snort of derision. “How stupid are they?”
Paying no attention to the comment, Vic instead turned to Agent. Pointing to the screen, directly at Yellow, and gave a low, “Get him. Now.”
Agent merely nodded, departing the next moment without another word. Unneeding to ask where to put the new intruders. He’d been doing this job for long enough to know what had to be done next. Arriving to the lot, Agent was not pleased with the current state.
Red and Green had taken down a few of the guards that had come to arrest the group. Yellow and Blue, it seemed, were trying to keep a distance away from everyone.
Agane passed by the fallen guards with a quite, “Pathetic” before addressing the intruders. Closest being those who had thrown punches. Clearly, still ready to fight.
Drawing his staff, Agent twirled it before addressing the group. “It would be in your best interest to come along, quietly.”
“Where’s Orange.” Red replied, fists raised high.
“You are not allowed access to that information. Surrender quietly, this will be your easiest outcome.”
“Easy on this!”
Letting out a heavy sign, Agent paid no mind to how Red and Green charged at him. The former even puts on a show with a rather interesting yell. Increasing the length of his staff, he took down Red first, side stepping Green’s hits to deliver his own direct blow. Paying no mind to the groans of pain, increasing the line stroke instead. Casually knocking the two directly into the hold of the guards.
“Now, with that out of the way…” Agent turned to the remaining two, “How do you two-”
Yellow rushed forward, face twisted in anger, only to be halted by two further guards that seemed to come from nowhere. “Let me go! Fight me without your stupid stick!”
Finding his companion captured, Blue started to run to Yellow’s side. Only to freeze when Agent blocked his path. Who didn’t falter when Blue now glared at him. He was getting annoyed as well at this point.
“Are you going to fight me as well? I would assume you’d know better at this point.”
Apparently, none of them were that bright.
Blue could only take a single step forward before being knocked aside. The desperate cry of “Blue!” from the still conscious and fighting Yellow only added fuel to Agent’s growing frustration. With the other still held back by the guard, Agent had full reign to take this bitter feeling out on the stumbling Blue.
Even with how tight his actions were, Agent’s moves were still smooth as he tossed the staff in the air, just to summon the Lasso tool. Wrapping it around Blue’s throat to throw him against the side of the truck. The same one the gang had arrived in. Not allowing Blue a moment of peace, Agent easily caught the staff once more to slam the other stick back into the truck.
“Blue!” Yellow’s cries sounded desperate, the stick watching with fear as the other stumbled before collapsing to the ground. “No, let me go! Blue, please, get up!”
He struggled against the hold, attention turning to Agent as he walked closer. “Let me go! What did you do to Orange! What-”
“Take him to Box 2,” Agent said quickly. Doing his best to ignore Yellow’s screams. “The rest will be placed in the lower subsections.”
“Don’t ignore me!” Yellow snapped, “What are you-”
Yellow’s cries were cut off once more, this time by a nub grabbed his throat. Arms held back by the guards while being pulled forward towards Agent by the hold.
“It will do you well to remain silent until you’re asking to speak. Save yourself some pain…and spare me a headache.”
Finally released, Yellow could only cough as he gasped for air. Still struggling, albeit weakly, to try and get back to his fallen friends. Letting out a panicked whine as he watched the others be taken away. “N-No… No…what are y-you doing?”
Yellow winced as the bright sun was replaced with rather harsh fluorescent lights. Taking a few moments to take a few more deep breaths before looking around. There were numerous stick figures rushing around, all gray and dressed in crisp, white lab coats, working on items that Yellow didn’t recognize. Brief moments of hope rose when attention was pulled towards the small group. Only for it to fizzle out when they turned away just as quickly. None seemed bothered by what was happening.
“Help…” Yellow breathed out, taking a few deep breaths to belt out, “Help! Help, you can’t think this is normal! Please, help! My friend have been kidnapped, please-”
One of the guards shifted their hold on him, Yellow wincing as a hand was slapped over his mouth. Feeling as if something had been glued down over his lips. Yellow’s cries of help became nothing more than muffled desperate pleas.
“Thank you,” Agent huffed, “We should have done that before…”
Voice now rendered mute, Yellow doubled his efforts to break free. Attempting to dig his heels into the ground, pulling his arms, twisting and turning his body, noting that their progress had been halted with how much he was squirming.
“S-Sir, the prisoner is-” The guard let out a pained grunt as Yellow was able to land a blow to their stomach.
Take the opportunity, Yellow threw a punch to guard #2. Very pleased with the rather sickening crunch, he was able to fully pull away. It was a very brief moment of victory, as Yellow could only stumble out a few steps away when he felt something wrap around him. Arms instantly trapped at his side.
Yellow’s muffled cry of surprise was cut off as he was sharply pulled forward. Hitting the ground hard. Momentarily stunned, Yellow couldn't fight back when an uncomfortably familiar nub wrapped around his throat once more. Legs weakly kicking in an attempt to fight Agent off.
“You are becoming an annoyance,” Agent hissed out, “You should count yourself lucky that my boss wants you alive.”
Yellow had spots popping in his vision, legs now twitching instead of the furious kicks they had been before. It was as his vision began to become blurry, a fog of black creeping in, Yellow heard a call of, “Enough!”
With his mouth still covered, all Yellow could do was breath harshing through his nose. Chest heaving, tears flowing, as he squirmed on the cold floor.
Yellow’s suffering was ignored as Agent turned to Vic, who was stalking closer with the rest following close after.
“Apology, sir, he was becoming…a handful.” Agent answered.
“Then you tie him up and drag him the rest of the way.” Vic replied.
“Of…course…”
Yellow twitched as he felt hand on him once more. Letting out a small groan of protest as his legs were bound up. Head flopping uselessly as he was picked up. Blurred vision pulling towards Vic as he joined Agent.
“Is that…Chosen One?” Yellow’s thoughts were slow as he attempted to focus on the stick staring him down, “No… No… The…color is wrong. How many Hollow Heads are there?”
They were moving again. Yellow carried by Agent with Vic by his side. The two guards were easily replaced by the Mercenaries. Ballista quickened his pace to get a better look at Yellow, snickering at the bruises around the stick’s throat.
“Got a little hot under the collar there, Agent?”
Agent gave no reply to that.
Yellow felt his panic grow once more as the group arrived at a pure white box with a large control panel in front of it. He was smoothly passed over to Vic as Agent went to the controls. The box opened as Vic walked closer, closing just as quickly behind, leaving them in a room with nothing. Nothing inside, unable to see outside. It was just a room filled with white light.
Yellow blinked slowly and the previously empty room now had a table and a single chair. Which he was placed in. Any thoughts of fleeing were quickly forgotten when Yellow realized he really had no way out. Further, he was being swiftly tied to the chair. Vic taking his time to get the job done right.
“If it makes you feel any better, I was hoping for a quiet time getting you here.” Vic said gently. Letting out a sigh as he stood back up, he tilted Yellow’s head up and placed a free nub at the corner of the stick’s mouth. “Now, deep breath. This will hurt.”
Yellow couldn’t hold back a yelp as a piece of black whatever had been placed around his mouth was ripped away. Pulling away from the other’s hold to rub the sore skin against whatever he could to try and alleviate the pain. Wincing with a nub gently rubbed against the cheek he wasn’t working on. Doing his best to move away and glared at Vic.
“Don’t touch me.”
Vic moved away at that, hands raised in silent compliance. “Alright…fair enough.”
Yellow wiggled himself, trying to find some weak point. Shoulders dropped, quickly realizing he was truly stuck, and he turned back to the other. “Who are you?”
“Vic, you may call me Vic. You’re…Yellow, correct?”
“What are you doing with Orange?”
“Going to ignore my question? Alright. Orange interfered with the apprehension of a fugitive.”
“Fugitive…Chosen One? What did he do? Who even are you people? Do you just attack and kidnap people at random! Let me go! You absolute psychos, where are my friends!”
Vic said nothing, merely crossed his arms to watch as Yellow struggled. After a few moments, he started to pull out folders and placed them on the table. Waiting until Yellow tired himself out before starting again.
“Chose One has a few crimes held over his head. Past transgressions that he needs to pay for.”
“What? Like what?”
“Nothing that concerns you-”
“He asked for help from Orange because he said he was being attacked. You attacked him and tell me I don’t need to know why!” Yellow leaned back as Vic got really close, attempting to keep his glare hard.
“I find it interesting that his accomplices aren’t aware of his past transgressions.”
“Accomp- I’m not! We’re not, we just… I’m not really sure what we are..”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying…”
Vic gave a shake of his head as he pulled away. Yellow closely watched as he moved back to the stack of folders. Flipping open the top one, rather casually, and slowly went through the contents.
“Did you hear me? I’m not lying, Chosen just appeared in our home one day because a virus was attacking us and-”
“Where is Alan?”
Yellow fell quite fast, trying to keep his face neutral as Vic stared him down. “...Who?”
“Don’t play coy, where’s Alan?”
“I don’t-”
Vic gave a soft but deep laugh, letting out a sigh of disappointment as he shook his head. Acting as if he was talking with a dismissive teenager and not in a hostage situation. “Yellow, I need you to cooperate. Where is he?”
“I don’t know who that is.”
Another shake of his head, Vic picked up the top photo and placed it gently down in front of Yellow. One that showed Alan’s cursor being constructed in the sky, above a lake that had a shiver of discomfort traveling up the bounded stick.
Yellow shifted nervously, attention still on the photo. HIs first question of ‘How did you get this?’ was swallowed back down. Instead, he weakly forced out, “I…don’t know what that is… Giant cursor in the sky? What…What games have you been playing?”
Vic walked back around, pile of photos still in hand, never breaking eye contact as he encroached on Yellow’s space. Who was focusing on the photo in front.
“Has anyone ever told you,” Vic whispered, “that you’re a terrible liar? You wear your emotions so openly.”
“I’m not lying. I don’t know what that is or who Alan is. You’re wasting your ti-” Yellow flinched as another photo was slammed down, covering up the other. This time, he was staring down at himself. The rest of the gang barely peeked out from behind the counsel that Yellow had been using.
Vic gently tapped the printed version of Yellow, leaning closer. “Now, this is you, isn’t it? You seem pretty invested with what’s going on. Especially for someone who doesn’t know.”
“...I…was in the area. We all were. That doesn’t mean that I know him.” Yellow quickly got out.
“If that was the case, wouldn’t you have, I don’t know…run away? This situation looks pretty intense. If you’re not involved, why stay? Why watch?”
“I…don’t know-”
“Unless you knew your friend was in danger.”
Yellow swallowed weakly, attempting to turn his head away. Only for the back of it being grabbed and forced to look back. Digging his feet into the ground trying to break free. “L-Let go!”
“You summoned him, didn’t you,” Vic hissed dangerously, “You brought him here. How did you bring Alan here.”
“Let me go!”
“How did you get Alan here!”
“Why would I tell you! Why do you care!” Yellow felt off balance when Vic suddenly moved away. Head falling back slightly as there was no longer that continuous pressure. But he recovered quickly to glare at Vic, whose back was facing him.
“You hunted Chosen, captured him and Orange, when all he’d done was stop a virus from attacking us. He wanted help to get away from your…your crew of whatever those sticks are. Had your guard dogs hunted and hurt my friends, and I have no reason to trust you. I don’t know who you are and every fiber of my being is screaming at me to get away from you. So, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not letting you anywhere near my friends.”
Yellow’s glare faltered when Vic’s stance became more tense. Watching closely as the other went back to the wall they had passed through moments before. Giving some kind of weird gesture, no doubt to those waiting outside.
After that, Vic just paced.
Yellow nervously watching.
Both parties remained silent.
The quiet was broken when the door snapped open once more. A new guard walked in, carrying a briefcase that was immediately handed over to Vic. Yellow mentally berates himself for allowing his curiosity overruling his need to get out as the door closed faster than he expected. He quickly leaned back, glare firmly back in place, trying to appear that he isn’t that curious as Vic returned to the table.
Vic didn’t really pay Yellow attention. His form was still tense as he put the case on the table, focus shifting to whatever was resting in said item.
“I suppose…he would keep his past to himself. Makes the new more pliable.” Vic eventually spoke, tone soft and even. One that severely contrasted with his tight posture.
Yellow tensed further when Vic pulled out a rather complicated looking visor. It had far more details than Yellow had ever seen before.
Just like everything else in this world.
He couldn’t help but flinch when Vic’s attention came back to him. Leaning as far back as he could as the gray stick slowly moved around the table to stand before the other. Yellow tilted his head away from the encroaching nub. Letting out a noise of discomfort when the bottom of his face was tightly gripped. Forced to look back at Vic, who leaned closer.
“Haven’t you ever wondered what came before you? Before your little family. Even Orange, your caretaker, seems to be so in the dark.”
Yellow held back a shiver at how cold Vic sounded. “I…”
“I mean, why would you question it?” Vic gently laughed, sounding very wrong, “You got a cozy little desktop, with so many others surrounding you, caring for you, even getting to go on little adventures. All the while, you have your precious creator to pamper you.”
Yellow whimpered as the grip on him tightened. “Alan is-”
“A God…and you are nothing more than a play thing to him. Just ones that Alan seems to like more.”
“Shut up! What do you even know about Alan, why do you care!”
“I know far more than you ever could” Vic replied back coolly.
“Then why don’t you enlighten me, if you’re so right.” Yellow growled out.
“...I thought you would never ask.”
Letting out a yelp as the chair was suddenly turned around to face the back of the box, Yellow focused quickly as a screen appeared from nowhere. Eyes turning away from it as Vic stood next to it. There was a brief moment of worry when the gray stick let out a shaky breath. But Yellow pushed past that worry as Vic slipped the vision on.
The previously blank screen now held the repeating visual of the same screen. A depiction that shifted when Vic looked back to Yellow. The tied up stick able to see how terrible and terrified he looked. Throat splotted with bruises, legs and arms supporting a few cuts and bruises as well, his entire form seeming to be shaking.
Guess Yellow wasn’t masking his emotions as well as he’d thought.
Yellow wasn’t able to reflect on that for too long. Vic tapping the screen, playback controls appearing at the bottom. The rewind button pushed multiple times until all that could be seen was a blur of color. Swirls and smudges of nothing substantial. Just as Yellow started to question what he was supposed to be watching, Vic paused the screen.
It no longer depicted the room they were in. Instead, Yellow saw a familiar, if not younger face of Alan. Frozen in place with a wide, excited smile stretching across it.
“My full name…if Victim.” Victim said slowly.
Yellow felt something twist in his stomach.
“Named so by the very being who created you. Don’t look so surprised. How common do you think it is for there to be Hollow Headed Sticks?”
Yellow turned back to the screen as the image unfroze. Catching on quickly that he was watching from Victim’s perspective. A burning, sickening feeling weighing down his stomach as he was forced to watch as the recorded gray stick was bombarded with so many attacks. Explosions that were barely avoided, sharp weapons that he had to duck and run from, boulders and other heavy blunt objects doing the best they could to squish Victim. All the while, the gray stick seemed to only flee and avoid the attacks as best he could.
But there would eventually be a slip up. The screen cutting to black, only to have a few seconds of reprieve before the nightmare began again.
“Did you know that ‘dying’ on the desktops means nothing?” Victim suddenly spoke up, voice unnervingly calm and even.
Yellow gripped the edge of the chair.
“I’m not sure how it’s done now… But I had to be drawn back in. Every. Single. Time. Purposefully drawn back into the living Hell by a being who saw me as nothing more than a play thing. Every time producing a new, terrible , experience.”
Victim paused the feedback, right back on Alan’s face. Yellow felt sick seeing how…happy his creator looked.
His chest felt heavy.
Why wasn’t Victim moving away from this?
Why weren’t they moving forward?
Why…Why did Yellow have to keep looking?
“I have no doubt, if I had not escaped when I had, I would still be trapped there…”
“A-Alan-” Yellow’s throat was tight. He attempted to clear the pressure away before trying again. “Alan’s not like that.”
“Oh sure,” Victim hissed out, “I’m sure he changed. I’m sure some organic being can now see digital creatures as being alive and free thinking. That we have feelings . Ones that he created-”
“He does! I…I’m sorry this happened to you, but-” Yellow’s words were cut off as his throat was closed again. Not by fear, but by another nub. Pain grew as he was lifted up by this contact.
“You probably get to fight back, don’t you?” Victim growled out, “I saw what your friend, Orange, can do. Create with that pencil tool of his. You have your little buddies and your little skills to keep you safe. I had nothing .”
The darkness was encroaching on Yellow’s vision once more.
“Sir, I would recommend that you let go.” Agent’s voice called out.
Yellow gasped for the rush of air back into his lungs. Head falling back as the world spun around him. He wasn’t given time to rest as he was forced back up. Forced to look back at the screen.
There was a silent thanks that the memories were moving once more. Now showing Victim hiding behind the drawing program, building a rather clumsy-built rocket and grabbing every tool that he could reach.
“I found freedom,” Victim said softly, “I had to fight for it. I had to trick Alan into thinking he had me fully trapped.”
Yellow watches with some fascination as the rocket was able to break free from Alan’s PC. The flight being less than graceful. Victim running into, through, and around multiple websites. Traveling through the backend of the internet. Yellow occasionally catches bits of floating data and coding.
At some point, the rocket had connected to an uploading file. Flowing past said website and further into the deeper parts of the internet. Yellow seeing a familiar dome before the rocket was pushed past it. Suddenly engulfed in a heavy amount of fog, running into a windmill before coming to a quick halt as a tree interrupted his path.
Victim on screen started to frantically look around. Movements jerky and clearly still in a state of high adrenaline as he clambered out of the severely destroyed rocket. Yellow unable to hold back his own jump of surprise when another figure seemed to appear out of nowhere from the fog. Same female figure stopping in their progress before approaching slower.
For the first time since this whole ordeal started, Victim let out a small noise of pain. Moving away from Yellow to quickly stop the replay. Arms shaking as he lifted his nub up to touch the screen where the woman stood frozen.
“Mitsi… My beautiful Mitsi… She was the one who saved me from my darkness. Showed me what it meant to live, not just survive.”
The feedback started to jump around from moment to moment. Victim not moving away or looking back at Yellow. His focus on his memories.
“We built a life together, a wonderful life. I had a family, friends, people I could rely on. People who didn’t care when I would fall quiet, lost in…in it all. They praised me for my skills. Not knowing what I had to go through to get them, but they didn’t care. Mitsi…”
Yellow swallowed weakly hearing Victim’s voice catch in his throat.
Both silent.
Left to their thoughts for a moment.
“I only became the stick I am today because of her. She…She was my world. She was my everything . I owe so much to her…”
“What happened?” Yellow’s question fell from his mouth before he could really think about what he was saying.
The relaxed atmosphere disappeared almost instantly. Victim’s nub clenched into a fist as his head hung. Taking a deep breath, he moved the memories forward, stopping when they reached the events of some kind of party.
“We made a company. This company. We were celebrating our 4 year anniversary… It was my last happy memory… I was with Mitsi, talking, dancing…laughing. One moment she was there, and then the next…”
Yellow let out a gasp as Mitsi’s form suddenly disappeared in a burst of green light. A few colored particles floating to the ground. There was no time to recover from this shock when another party member disappeared in the same way. Yellow watched in horror as almost the entirety of the party started to just pop.
“The website their consciousness had first downloaded into was being attacked.” said Victim, moving the memory forward enough. To the point where a younger version of Agent came rushing into a small room, looking exhausted and panicked.
The screen flickered as the scene changed. One where Agent was sitting in a rather complicated chair that had been connected to a large computer with numerous cables and wires between the two items. Said stick wearing a far more clunkier version of the visor.
“Agent saw everything.”
The screen from the memory was soon showing a war zone on a site that Yellow couldn’t recognize. Either because he’d never seen it before or due to it being so damaged it had become unrecognizable. Numerous beings and creatures running past Agent as they attempted to flee the attack.
Yellow let out a small gasp when, among the chaos, he saw a familiar deep colored form running with two other sticks. “Purple?”
Attention was pulled away from the fleeing family, Agent from the past having no interest in Yellow’s friend. Clearly more worried about finding a way out of the chaos and destruction happening around him. As it was, it seemed impossible to do so. Each second passing brought further damage to those fleeing.
Agent’s quick movements came to a halt when there had been a flicker of movement from a familiar figure. The eyes they were looking through turned back to find Mitsi trapped under rubble.
“Run…” Yellow whispered out, unable to look away.
But clearly the past didn’t hear his plea as Agent had barely moved when Mitsi’s form was suddenly encased in fire. Said destruction landed with such force that Agent was pushed back from where the attack struck.
Then, as Agent’s vision cleared and the smoke dissipated, the vision shifted to the sky as someone descended, Yellow felt a weight of something terrible land heavily on him.
“Chosen?” Yellow squeaked out.
“It’s so good, fits so well together, don’t you think?” Victim pulled the visor off. Dropping it onto the table without a care as heavy clatter.
Yellow swallowed weakly, feeling as if his tongue had swollen, something sour crawling up his throat. “W-What do you mean?”
“I had thought, for the longest time, that it was just…random attack. Some stick getting their kicks out of destroying so much. It ate away at me for so long. Because random just meant I couldn't find a solution. I just couldn’t figure out why this had happened. Why…after everything was going so well… I just wanted to get this anger out of me!” Victim turned to punch the wall. Yellow twitching, the same wall going dark.
“But there was nothing to go with… They just disappeared and I was just left with the question of ‘why’.”
Going back to the table, Victim pulled out another photo and laid it before Yellow. One that showed Chose and Alan’s cursor next to each other. Hovering over the lake that rested below the PC’s entry point.
Another photo was plopped down. This time showing Chosen and the cursor fighting off together against the red blur that Yellow knew was Dark.
Then, the photo that started all of this was placed on top. The gang in the bunker, Yellow at the computer with the rest barely seen.
Yellow shook his head as he looked up at Victim. Who was blankly staring back. “It…It’s not what you think-”
“What would it be then, hmm? How would you describe this? Our creator would continue to create Hollow Headed Sticks, just to replace me, why wouldn’t he? Someone new to toy with after I made my escape. Maybe even give them a fighting change to make it just a bit more interesting. Apparently, giving them world destroying powers.”
“D-Dark…Dark Lord, h-he’s the one- He sent some kind of virus to Alan’s PC and-”
“Maybe said creator kept making Sticks to fight for entertainment…or to train. Train them to hunt down the stick that got away. Build up their ability to destroy anything in their path. Anything that would hurt others.” Victim leaned closer.
“I don’t- Alan’s changed! I’m not like that! O-Orange isn’t like that!”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yes! Orange can draw but he’s never done what Chosen can do! He can’t fly, or shoot fireballs, or have laser-”
“Laser vision? Green laser vision that’s powerful enough to make a crater the size of a baseball field?” Victim’s comment gave Yellow pause.
“...Why did you say it like that? What are you talking about?”
Instead of replying, Victim pulled out another folder. Another round of photos. Starting with Red being struck through by Dark. Yellow attempting to pull away and being brought back by a strong hold behind his head. Green was next, he remembered this, being held in Dark’s grasp as Yellow’s friend was struck. Then Blue…then…
“You all died…do you remember?” Victim asked softly.
Yellow shook his head. Not sure if it was to say he didn’t remember or if he just didn’t want to look at the photos anymore.
“You did… All fighting against another Hollow Head that was created by your dear Alan. A destructive tool that clearly saw you as nothing…”
“But…I’m back… W-We’re all back…” Yellow weakly argued back.
“You did die…but not before Orange had a bit of fun, apparently.”
Yellow didn’t need the grip on the back of his head to remain in place anymore. Full attention on the photos that followed. Orange’s unmoving form littered with so many gashes and in a dent of the rock wall so deep, Yellow felt his heart breaking knowing how much pain the other was in.
Then…the crater was empty. The viruses suddenly destroyed and Dark getting his ass handed to him by…
“Orange? What…”
His friend was nothing more than a smear on the photo, moving so fast that he was only seen when landing a hit on Dark. Flying, throwing rocks, clearly unaffected by the hit landing against him. All the while, a green glow seemed to be admitting. Green energy. Leading to said eye lasers appearing to make the baseball field size crater Victim had commented on.
“So,” Victim placed nubs on either of Yellow’s shoulders, who barely twitched at the contact, “still believe that Alan has your best interest in mind? What else is Alan hiding from you? What else is Alan planning for this world?”
Even with his heart feeling heavy, Yellow still found the energy to shake his head. “...You’re wrong. I..I don’t know what this is-”
“ This is proof that Alan is just making weapons! Tools he can create and send out to destroy what stands in his way!”
“I’m sorry for what happened to you, I am. But this isn’t the Alan I know. Orange…Orange would have told us if he had powers. He’s not a weapon. Alan-”
“You can’t seriously look at this and believe that everything is fine .”
“I’m not! But I’m also saying you’re wrong! I can’t explain what this is, but everything that’s happened after…it’s wrong. You can’t just-”
“I’m doing what I have to, to keep myself and my people safe.”
“You don’t do that by just kidnapping people!”
“I will do what has to be done!”
“Alan’s not trying to hurt you! Please, just listen, I can’t help with your past that you and Alan had. But I promise you that he doesn’t want to hurt you!”
“Alan would do anything to see me suffer! That's what I was made for, that’s what he made me for! He would hate to think I’m doing so well, wanting to make sure everything I touch, I cherish, is burned to the ground!”
“He wouldn’t-” Yellow’s head was slammed down onto the table, pinned there as Victim towered over him.
“Is Orange just another plaything by Alan? Another piece to destroy? What of the rest of you? What are you all hiding from me? What are you even doing here!”
“P-Please…” Yellow squirmed weakly, “W-We’re just…Chosen helped with the virus-”
“Shut up! Do you really expect me to believe that any of you have good intentions! I was hopeful, I thought that if you saw my story, you’d understand. But anything built by that… person is clearly my enemy.”
Yellow squirmed as the pressure on his head increased, Victim leaning closer. “You and your little gang are lucky to be breathing right now. You’ve sided with a being who does nothing that destroys, and I need to bring him down.”
The picture of Yellow at the computer was practically shoved into his face.
“You did this, you brought the cursor here. How did you do it.”
Yellow bit his lip.
“How did you bring him here.”
Yellow let out a whimper.
“ How did you bring him here!”
“I’m not…” Yellow swallowed weakly, “I’m not going to-”
“How!”
“You’re not going to hurt him!”
“Tell me!”
“Leave Alan alone! Leave us alone! I’m not telling you anything!”
Victim let out a cry of rage as he threw Yellow, chair and all, practically across the room. Yellow collided hard on the wall, the screen fizzing out from the impact. Off kilter, the chair toppled over and crashed to the floor, Yellow left to rest there. Victim remained frozen where he stood. Breathing harshly as he glared down at the unmoving stick.
Turning sharply, Victim walked back towards the door, which snapped open the moment he got closer. The gray stick making his way directly to Agent. Who was the only stick who didn’t lean away from Victim’s clear wrath.
“Get him in a solitaire cell,” Victim growls out, “and black out any stimuli. Let’s see how long he can stay loyal when left to his own thoughts.”
Agent merely nodded, “Of course, sir.”
Yellow twitched as he was picked back up, finally freed from the chair, but not from the bindings around him. The markings around his body now a deep purple, no doubt matching the markings around his throat and his head. Even with how exhausted he was, Yellow still tried to fight back. Which only resulted in the bindings being tightened, his arms pulled back so far, the guards could easily direct him where to go.
Which was directly to the awaiting Agent. Yellow flinched weakly when the other lifted his chin up.
“Do you want to test your luck?” Agent asked.
“N-No.” Yellow whispered back.
“Then behave.”
It wasn’t clear what curdled in Yellow’s stomach: fear or embarrassment for surrendering.
The numerous twists and turns meant nothing to Yellow, unable to keep track with where they were going. Only pulling his head up when they entered a rather large room with single cells spotted around the area. One in the far back completely sealed off, seeming to be encased in thick steel.
The rest were empty.
It was quiet.
“Where are my friends?” Yellow asked.
Agent didn’t reply. Merely addressed the other guard as he gestured to the first cage. “In here. Lock down immediately.”
“Wa-Wait!” Yellow lifted his legs quickly, positioning them on either side of the cage opening. Pushing back as he desperately looks back to Agent. “Where are they! What happened to them? Please, you owe me that much!”
Not paying attention, the guard on his right hit Yellow’s corresponding leg. The other awkwardly bent back as Yellow was shoved all the way in. Bindings around his arms disappeared as he fell in. While Yellow recovered quickly, even with his legs in pain, it wasn’t fast enough to prevent the bars from being closed. Causing the stick to run full force into them.
Yellow gripped the bars, looking towards Agent. “Please! Please, just…please tell me they’re okay…”
Agent’s nub hovered over a large red button, looking back with a neutral face. Appearing uninterested by the situation. But Yellow could see a flicker of pity underneath the stoic features. “They’re okay…and will remain that way if they do as requested.”
“What-”
Yellow jumped back as heavy metal walls fell over the cage. Thankful that he’s moved back fast enough before his hands could be crushed.
It was dark now.
Yellow couldn’t see his own nubs in front of his face.
It was quiet.
Yellow could only hear his breathing.
His frantically beating heart.
The pain seemed to increase in strength as the darkness pressed around him.
As he stood there.
In the middle of the cell.
Alone.
Legs suddenly feeling weak, Yellow blindly reached out. Desperately grabbing on to the cell bars to help slowly lower himself to the ground. Unable to hold back the small cries of pains as he’s finally able to sit down.
Left with his thoughts.
His mind raced through everything he’d seen.
Was Alan not to be trusted? Yellow never had a reason to doubt his creator before, but…what Victim had been put through. Even the fact that a stick was named ‘Victim’. It didn’t really leave much for a possible misunderstanding.
But Alan wasn’t like that now…right? They fought, but Yellow never felt that his life was in danger. It was just…play fighting. Practice, something to keep their skills sharp. Something Orange encouraged the gang to do.
Orange…
There’s no way that Orange had done all of that. Those powers, those abilities…they allowed Orange to take Dark Lord down easily. That might also be why Yellow and the rest of them were even breathing still. But that doesn’t give pass to the fact that Orange had said nothing to them about this.
That either meant Victim was lying, which seemed unlikely at this point, or that Orange just didn’t remember. Looking back to when Chosen returned to ask for Orange’s help, the black stick kept pressuring for Orange to do…something. Maybe that’s what he was referring to? Those powers? Having Orange try using his laser beams again?
Even then, if Orange did have powers, he would have told the rest of them.
Right?
Orange wouldn’t keep something like that from them.
Right?
Was Orange…just another weapon?
Yellow shook his head. Gently, but firmly, slapping his cheeks. “No… No, we’re missing something. I’m missing something. What about Dark Lord? He has to be behind this in some way…right?”
But he saw Chosen. Saw him cause all that damage to the website, the being’s he killed. Did Alan really just make sticks to use them? Have them go out to destroy?
“No, no, no! He’s not like that! Alan likes us, he cares about us…I know he does.”
Does he?
“Yes he does!” Yellow groaned loudly. The sound seemed to reverberate in the small area. Body basically turned to jelly, that late outburst seeming to push out whatever energy he had left. Causing him to slip further down until he was laying on his side.
“Okay…I can’t do anything now. I have to wait. Just wait…and think.”
Letting out a huff, Yellow settled down. Getting as comfortable as he could to remain there for however long that was going to be.