Chapter Text
Even all this time has passed, the loops kept going, and as promised it would be by no other than her. Lumi was getting tired of being burnt to death, respawning, getting hit by orange spikes, firewalls, swelling orange blocks etc., then being led to her delusions at the end of that same exact world, level, and time, and getting literally crushed at the end. It wasn't even painful anymore. At this point it was literally tiring, if not annoying.
It sucked not being able to remember anything from each loop, otherwise she would've been out of that hell place ages ago. The Reset would be an exception but whenever she finds an escape, The Reset would be complete by then. Time was limited. But of course, she didn't want to admit it, because that would be embarrassing herself in front of The Dead Friend in The Reset, and especially if she was told she was watched by another ominous purple cat.
Who knows if they would be watching all the way through their conversation, it wasn't very guaranteed considering how they managed to STALK her since she created the place. At least from Lumi's point of view. She wasn't very sure yet, but it was probably somewhat incorrect. The first loop she didn't get along with The Dead Friend so much because she kept saying to get out, which didn't convince Lumi that much, and made her mad (uh oh). After all, she was close to the end of World 9, just a level backward. She went past the obstacles, then thinking about her abilities, the gift from her friends. Red cat. Blue cat. Where was Green? It was better not to question it.
She slid through the once coloured room, now turned grey, dull as ever the same time Lumi can already feel her sanity decreasing as her face disappears. She was sick of being aware of it.
Anyway, she kept that in her head until it was finally time to do it again.
World 9, Room 10.
The world was silent.
Last loop when she questioned The Purple One and their relations with her to The Dead Friend, and she pretty much avoided the question, nonetheless. Now to get that one thing done...
Lumi rolled her body right, making her way to yeet the exit door again. Noticing the atmosphere turn red before dialogue of herself hits but something strook her right before she was motivated to see TDF once again to bombard her with questions that would probably lead into even more questions than answers. She tried hard for this moment, am I right?
The thought took over her, what happened if she went backwards?
The sense of being watched lasted since she got here in this labyrinth of her own making, now being at its peak than ever now that there aren't any obstacles nearby. It was as if they were behind her.
Lumi shuddered at the thought, but her curiosity didn't go.
The cat made a move, heading left giving on the lengthy dark grey platform she was rolling on. Eventually at first, she didn't see anything unusual as the cat's not-so-light-blue eyes meant to be paid attention to the corners of the platform, getting the thought of flying off it and respawning again. That intrusive thought was only interrupted when Lumi looked up slightly, seeing a glowing presence that illuminated a shade of purple. Her eyes darted to the purple "thing" floating, and the realisation hit her the same way as her friends being "fixed". (And so, it did as a real event, not a metaphorical one.)
Guess who it was.
She was right...
The Purple One gave no answer. Just watching the deranged cat stare at their soul while Lumi does the same for a good few moments, while Lumi thought to go back.
Why was he here?
The Purple One gave no answer. No matter how they tried to convince Lumi to feel some sort of emotion to help get her out, it wasn't working. That stupid "^w^" face is rather not the case though. She needed to feel REAL emotions. The Companion was a good example of their "failed" attempts, though unaware or not even caring that it can feel pain too. They thought it would be nice to keep the grey square in for some of the levels if needed, but it wasn't guaranteed Lumi would meet it the same exact worlds she was in the last loop, which was sad for Lumi because she kind of depended on it. It was its only 'true' friend that was there right after the cat's friends were "fixed".
If only she knew...
That glitch was an accident. And they were sorry. Now, they had no other option than to watch. It was too late to return her friends back, but they also didn't want her to go back there too early as an attempt to save her from corrupting like they did. In Lumi's eyes it maybe wasn't that obvious because she is consumed by the delusion of her own... I guess they needed to work harder. The first step was, how? She well knowingly didn't want to listen to anyone let alone them, and either way the way back was difficult.
They already lost hope.
Their unnoticeable thoughts were distracted by Lumi attempting to interact with them, from constant jumping to turning into liquid mid-air to get a reaction.
The Purple One gave... no answer. Just simply floating, watching with no face. When will she realise that they are her friend? That wasn't the topic for now.
Lumi eventually gave up knowing that their reactions won't be so valuable to her satisfaction, so she continued her usual business on that level. That exit door was really all she needed, but her insanity consumed her knocking the door thinking it would be better this way if she stayed. (Though at first it was mainly an accident, too late to make up for it now...)
As the helpless cat walked, she stared at the door glowing white. Light was at the end of the tunnel, but in her scarred mind, it would take more than just checkpoints and orange obstacles to reach there.
And so, it was knocked away, into the endless oblivion of red, possibly spinning for eternity. Meanwhile the other side of her head, as much as it hurt to watch, she has to witness it over and over and over again. She didn't even care at this point.
After a few minutes of thinking about her life decisions, Lumi released the checkpoint, and it flew straight above her to the ceiling.
"Everything is so much better in here..."
Maybe it needed a little more time to convince TDF... Maybe...
If only her friends were here with Lumi... If only she understood what was going on with them.
The ceiling covered in spikes fell on her and she was crushed.