Work Text:
Pound waves goodbye at Tape Measure to look for Fireball.
He walks into the room with Fireball.
He’s not sure what to say. He’s barely talked to him ever since… that. An immense amount of guilt filled his body. He didn’t even get to say any words to him when he got eliminated. He had messed up, again.
That’s all he ever did. Ever since the incident with Princess Hat using Beer Keg… when he listened to Glitchy of all people! He regretted everything.
“Fireball…” He began, but no other words came out.
“Look, Pound… you’re scared, and I get that.” Fireball begins to say. “But I’m here for you…!”
“And what happened last time you said that?” Pound says, a bitter expression on his face.
Fireball flinches, the harshness in his voice being nothing like he had ever heard before. “Pound, look, I’m sorry. It’s just- it’s like we’re nothing, now! I understand why you’re scared, but I need you to finally tell me why! It’s not like everyone’s going to start hating you just because they find out we’re together…”
“Look, it’s…” Memories of his home flash in his mind. It scared him. Thinking of the consequences of what could happen back there if he and Fireball were to tell everyone. “...it’s complicated.”
“You can’t just keep saying that! You need to give me an actual answer here!” Fireball yells, an angry look on his face.
“Fireball… it’s…” Pound finally sighs. “My parents-” Before he could finally answer the question Fireball has been wanting an answer for for so long, a loud blaring sound cuts off his words. “I… Fireball? Y-You heard that too, right?” He asks.
“Pound…?” Fireball looks at him, confused.
Pound sees it. It was over for him, and he knew it. There was no escape. He backed away in fear.
Seeing his fearful expression, Fireball runs up to him. “Pound!”
The phone-like object would continue to approach him. “No-! Stay back!”
Fireball feels a pang in his heart as he hears his words. “I-I…”
“Please! Please n-no!” Pound’s yelling brings Fireball back to reality.
Instantly, he focuses all his attention on Pound, wrapping his arms around him. “Pound, tell me what you’re seeing!”
Pound instantly feels an immense amount of comfort, the warmth of Fireball’s body helping him calm down. Breathing heavily, he’d begin to describe the figure. “I-It’s… a phone? A-And…” As it approached him, he’d finally realize. It’s too late now. There was no point in trying to save himself.
“And…? And what?! Pound!” Fireball yells.
Pound smiles softly at Fireball. “Fireball…” Before he could get out his last three words, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, as his surroundings instantly morphed into an endless, bright, blue void. Looking around, he’d see two other figures. Familiar figures.
Glitchy and Yearbook.
As he hesitantly walked up to the two, a word would flash in his mind.
Manipulated.