Chapter Text
Pin set her things down on the marble counter. As a result of her actions in the past, she wanted to become a better person. She tried so hard to save her image in the public eye; she held doors open, she offered to help with errands, hell, she even tried to strike up casual conversation with those she had hurt. Nothing worked, and it boiled her to bits. She recalled her conversation with Coiny a couple of days ago.
…
“I just don’t understand! I’m doing so much for them, why won’t they like me?” Pin paced around the bedroom she shared with Coiny. While house-hunting in Yoyle City, everyone refused to room with Pin. She was either too bossy or too ruthless, and no one wanted to deal with that kind of behavior every time they stepped into their home. Coiny was reluctant too, but he didn’t want to abandon her. They were best friends, after all. At the time, he had forgiven her for betraying him in BFDIA, but he was skeptical on how she viewed him as a friend. Ever since they started sharing a room, Pin had proven to him that she cared about their friendship, so they were on better terms now. No one else seemed to have made up with Pin in the same way Coiny had though.
He looked at his best friend, disappointed.
“Pin, you can’t just bribe them into forgiving you. It’s not that simple. You have to change before you can even consider other people’s opinion on you changing.”
Pin stared in disbelief. She had to change? How was she going to do that? Why should she do that?
“I don’t need to change.”
“You shredded Book alive,” Coiny deadpanned. Pin continued to stare, her brows furrowing.
Coiny sighed. He knew this was going to be tough for her. He adored her drive, her motivation, her willingness to do anything she put her mind to, but even he could admit that she was far from perfect. He didn’t want to give up on her though.
“Okay, you don’t have to change every aspect of your personality per se, you just need to get off your high horse. You’re not the only person in the world you know.”
“Are you calling me selfish?” Pin’s voice climbed up an octave, growing louder. What was he saying?
“No no no!” Coiny assured her. He loved this girl to death, but he hated that he had to walk around eggshells with her. He paused for a moment, coming up with a way to delicately express his thoughts. “I just think you should pick up on a hobby, like maybe hiking or archery. Just something that’ll ground you. I think it’ll help you calm down a bit and see things from a different light. Is there anything you like to do in your free time?”
Pin put a hand on her chin, contemplating. “Well, I do like baking. Do you think that’ll work?”
“It’s perfect!”
…
So here Pin was, in the community kitchen. An assortment of ingredients were piled up front of her - eggs, flour, milk, and more.
She started with the flour as she pondered over Coiny’s advice. Pin didn’t like how he made it seem like she was the problem, but if everyone else hated her, then she just might’ve been the one in the wrong. Constantly. And it hurt her ego, a lot. After spending all these years as a leader, she still was not able to gain the respect she desperately wanted. But maybe that’s because she didn’t deserve it.
She didn’t really understand how baking would help her become a better person, but if it was going to make everyone like her more, she figured it was worth a shot.
She cracked an egg against her bowl. Her body tingled, tension leaving her body. It was as if cracking the egg allowed her to let out some pent up frustration within her, which she had oh so much of. The egg sat on the flour, its bright yellow yoke contrasting with the flour’s white powder. “Maybe I can get people to want to be my friend by baking for them! Once they taste my delicious food, they’ll want to come back for more, making them like me more!” Pin realized, proud of her revelation. That was until she heard an obnoxious laugh coming from the kitchen's entrance. She recognized it almost instantly.
“You seriously think people will like you more all because of a couple of cupcakes? You’re hilarious!” Pencil couldn’t help but cackle at her logic.
Pin’s white exterior transformed into her previous red tint, unable to mask her embarrassment and anger. “Whatever, at least I’m trying to get better!” Assuming Pencil would leave her alone, Pin shifted her focus back to her baking. She precisely measured the milk, just half a cup, then proceeded to spill it into her bowl, with it leaving a smooth path through the air. It was strange - she was performing such basic tasks, but it calmed her down. She felt as if she were on ground level, much different from how she usually felt. Her typical state of mind consisted of her feeling on top of the world, and if she even dared to step down from her platform, she’d be an immediate failure. She didn’t feel like a failure today though. She felt at ease. Life felt so much slower, and she felt her heartbeat relaxing.
Things finally clicked. In order to become a better person, she needed to calm herself down, and she needed to take advantage of the fact that there was so much more to life than being a leader. Especially a leader that no one liked. She couldn’t become better to others until she became better to herself. Pin could feel the irritation immediately leaving her body, and she felt satisfied at this newfound growth she was experiencing. Maybe Coiny was right.
“That’s cute, but how exactly is baking going to help you ‘get better’?” Pencil walked over and dipped her finger in Pin’s bowl. She took a taste and gagged.
“OMG, like, EW! This tastes like garbage.”
Pin rolled her eyes. “It’s nowhere near done, just leave me alone. Shouldn’t you be with your alliance anyway?”
Pencil sucked in air through her teeth. “I was, but Ruby ran out of gumdrops, and apparently that’s ‘the worst thing to happen ever’.” Pencil made air quotes. She was undeniably annoyed, which Pin somewhat understood. She herself would have jumped off of the Yoyle Needy if she had to deal with that constantly. She didn’t understand what Pencil’s problem was though.
“I thought you guys were friends? I’d expect you to have a more… positive attitude towards this, even if it’s an inconvenience.”
“Yeah, well they can be a bit much sometimes. Match is too needy, Ruby is very childish, and Ice Cube is, well, Ice Cube .” Pencil looked absolutely disgusted at her last remark. “Besides,” Pencil inched closer to Pin, placing a finger on her nose. “I’d rather spend time with my favorite outcast.”
Pin’s blood rushed, a volcano erupting through her veins while her face burned up from the lack of distance between herself and her former rival.
“I’ve never seen that color red on you before.”
Pin violently slapped Pencil’s finger and pushed herself away, her brain practically melting. “I- I am not an outcast! You’re just saying that to make yourself feel better about the fact that you don’t even like your own friends! You’re nothing but a poser!”
Pin’s breathing grew heavy as she awaited a response from Pencil. She didn’t get one. Instead, she received a look of satisfaction from the writing utensil. Why was Pencil happy?
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Pin asked, exhaustion in her voice. She hadn’t blown up like that on anyone in a while.
Pencil slowly began clapping, leaving Pin confused.
“What are you-,”
“Great performance Pin!” she mocked, pacing around the girl in front of her, once again only leaving inches between each other. “I especially like the part where you insulted me to my face. Hooray for personal growth!”
Oh. Maybe Pin shouldn’t have said that. “Pencil, I’m-”
“Enough,” Pencil put a finger on Pin’s lips, shutting her up immediately. “I don’t need public enemy number 1 telling me about how I feel about my own friends.” Pencil walked past the thumbtack and rummaged through the cabinet, grabbed a couple bags of gumdrops, and snickered. “Have fun getting people to like you.” Pencil walked off, leaving Pin feeling less confident than before. She had a long way to go.