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One of the best parts of the room BAGGED shared with each other were all the inventions. Thanks to having both Basketball and Tennis Ball, helpful inventions littered every corner of the room. Bottle had popcorn machines installed just because she asked, an insta-bake oven was installed over the regular one, even a whole room was added just to produce music. The TV (no, not the teammate) they had featured an ultimate gaming setup, with consoles all the way back to the NES and as recent as the Nintendo Switch.
And, of course, one of the most popular inventions: a treadmill. But this was no normal treadmill. The treadmill was unique, as it measured about everything you could ask for in a treadmill. And, it could even go up to 25 miles per hour. Tennis Ball and Basketball figured no one would ever actually break that barrier, so they didn't bother to put anything above that. They quickly learned that maybe they should put speeds faster than that.
It had been only a week since installing the treadmill that the event happened. Pen, Bottle, and TV were all watching Needle run on it, accelerating it faster and faster. She was keeping up easily, which was great. But, Pen had come over to actually use it, Bottle and TV just wanted to watch.
Impatient and frustrated, Pen asked, "So, when am I getting a turn on the treadmill?"
"She told me she was going to get off when she wasn't able to keep up!" Bottle chimed in.
"Of course," Pen muttered.
Needle seemed focused, but as she pressed the "speed-up" button, she was getting more fed up, "Why won't this thing go faster?!"
"Because-" Tennis Ball popped his head up from behind the couch- "We set the max speed to 25 miles per hour! Though I was insistent to Basketball using kilometers would have been better..."
No one said anything for a moment, before a fizzling crackle could be heard, with Pen concerned, "Uh... is it supposed to make that sound?"
"No, it sho-"
An explosion so harsh it reverberated throughout the entire hotel suddenly happened, leaving almost everyone (except Tennis Ball, who was protected by the couch, and Basketball, who happened to not be in the room) dead. Even Death P.A.C.T. Yet Again, who were on the roof, felt it, running downstairs in an instant. BAGGED's room was in shambles, smoke rising from the once existent treadmill, explosion marks across the floor and walls.
N - E - E - D - L - E
Tumbling out of the recovery center, Needle groaned. Her entire body ached, a dull pain coursing through every inch of her body. Considering mere minutes ago she was blown to smithereens, the fact a dull pain was all she felt was actually rather good. She could hear the sounds of someone skipping away in the distance, most likely Bottle. Tennis Ball stood above her, manning the recovery center itself.
Looking to her side, Pen laid there, seemingly also caught in the blast. He didn't look too keen on getting up, but that was fine. Needle reached her hand out to Pen, who accepted it. The two of them pulled each other up, lovingly looking at each other.
"I'm sorry," Needle apologized.
Pen smiled, "There's no need. You didn't know you'd explode the treadmill."
"I guess that is true," Needle leaned a little into Pen, "I'm sorry you didn't get a turn."
"It's fine," Pen leaned in as well, "We could always race each other."
Needle chuckled, her breath warm on Pen's face, "Of course we could..."
"Can you two lovebirds stop flirting in front of the recovery center? I still have to recover TV!" Tennis Ball broke the atmosphere of the moment, not just because of what he needed to do, but he was also a little jealous.
Pen and Needle both groaned loudly, but walked away holding hands, awkwardly in silence.