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As the Valentine's thrill went on throughout the rest of the hotel, Pencil stayed moping in her room. It was a bit unusual for her, sure, but she had her reason. It would be no surprise to find out that, with the two of them stuck in the EXIT for years, Pencil and Match had grown even closer, and each passing day without each other was lonesome. It was once they were forced to work in the kitchen with Four and X that Pencil and Match started dating. Sometimes Pencil wonders what would have happened if Match replaced Liy. Match...
Ever since the storm, Pencil hadn't heard or seen Match. Although she had learned to live without her best friend, her girlfriend, it was Valentine's Day that stung her so painfully. The day meant for love, and yet Match wasn't there. Pencil had already texted at least 15 times, her girlfriend wasn't one to leave her phone uncharged. In fact... Match hadn't responded to a single text, hell, she hadn't read a single text, since the storm. Where was Match? Was she... even... okay?
Pencil hugged her pillow tight as she started to cry. She never knew if Match survived the storm. Where was Match? Where was her girlfriend who loved to call her Pence-Pence? The idea of Match being gone forever tugged at Pencil. Although she learned to live without Match, it still didn't mean it hurt for Match to be gone. Pencil decided to text something to Match, even if Match wouldn't read it.
"Hey Matchie. I know you haven't even read a message since the storm, but I Miss You. I love you."
Pencil just went back to crying into her pillow. It originally was just tears, but as it continued, she started to sob as well. What she would do to have Match back. Pencil had left a match on her desk, as they promised when they started to date that if one died for good, for the other to light fire to the object and recite Spongy Cake, a final omen goodbye. But that would be only for when they were ready to move on. Whether or not Match was dead, Pencil wasn't ready yet.
"Ugh, Marker, you can't hide forever!" Black Hole and Marker had decided to play Hide and Seek, and Marker was very good at hiding.
"Yes I ca-n!" Marker called back, before running to a new hiding spot, further and further away from the hotel.
Unbeknownst to either of them, Marker was headed straight for Match's current resting spot. She got blown very far away thanks to the storm, and had been slowly but surely trekking back to the hotel. However, she unfortunately had fallen ill, and was trying her best to recover. Her phone had broken in the storm, so she couldn't tell anyone she was okay.
"Nnn... Ow!" Match felt someone kick her from behind. She opened her eyes to see Marker... but something was different. He was green.
Marker faceplanted into the dirt, got up, and turned around to see a sick Match staring at him. "He-llo the-re!"
"Wh- (*cough*) why are you here?" Match asked, her voice weak.
"You don't sound ve-ry good."
"I, like, don't feel good..."
Black Hole finally caught up to Marker. "Wow Marker, I didn't expect you to be that good at hiding."
"Bla-ck Hole, I think we have more thing to wo-rry about." Marker points at Match, who's clearly unwell.
Without a spoken word, Black Hole led Marker, holding the sick Match, back to the hotel, where she could actually rest and get better.
Knock knock knock.
A series of knocks landed on the hotel door, prompting Grassy to open the door with a wholesome "Welcome! I'm Grassy!"
"He-y Grassy." Marker simply replied.
"No, it can't be!" Golf Ball cried out, "You have Match within your arms! She was blown away in the storm and never heard from again! TB, go get Pencil immediately! THIS IS URGENT!"
Tennis Ball rushed up the stairs to Pencil's room, where he knocked and heard crying on the other side. Pencil slowly got up, tear filled eyes and a pillow in her arms. She opened the door to see Tennis Ball, and laced with sadness, she asked, "Why are you here?"
"I know this is about to sound absurd, but Marker and Black Hole arrived at the hotel with Match a-"
Tennis Ball didn't get to finish his statement as Pencil dropped her pillow and ran down the stairs. Match. MATCH! She was alive! Match was alive! The rest of the contestants made a convenient path from the stairs to the entrance of the hotel where Marker was still holding Match.
"Match! You're alive! Y- You're actually alive!" Pencil's voice had such a happy tone to it, the widest smile she's ever had plastered over her face.
"Pence-pence... I made it..." Match weakly replied.
Pencil instantly took Match from Marker, taking her to a much better place to rest (even if that just was Pencil's room). Tennis Ball and Golf Ball made sure to bring supplies to help Match recover from the sickness, as Pencil couldn't help but be extremely happy. Although Pencil made sure to let Match rest plenty and recover, she still had one question.
"So, if you've been alive the entire time, why didn't you read any of my texts?" Pencil tried to not let her only anger at Match slip through.
"Pence-pence... My ph- (*cough*) phone broke..."
"Oh. Alright then. You get plenty of rest, love."
"I love you..."
"I love you too."