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It's not fair that Zam and Hannah are yelling at her and attacking her; she's just as confused as they are! The server lagging isn't their fault! ....Well, it's not her fault this time. Okay, maybe if Squiddo wasn't hacking they wouldn't have developed this reputation, nor would their fellow Lifestealers harbor this much resentment for them, but Squiddo knows as much as anyone else does about why the server is so laggy at the moment!
It's okay. She's away from them now, and she's safe, and it'll all, be, okay. They hardly even got the chance to finish that thought, before they are stricken with pain. Zam followed her!?
Squiddo's not even sure what they're saying, it feels more like they're just begging her to leave them alone. She's fighting Zam, but she's not fighting well, because everything feels so much more distant and her coordination is so shit. They know what's happening, it's obvious to them that they're regressing, but there's no way to communicate that mid-fight, especially when Zam is barely even listening to them in the first place. It's fine though, she manages to scramble away and bloody hell, it's not fine! Everything in their body hurts so, so much, and they just want to be comforted!
So, Squiddo looks for Ash. She knows that he's somewhere on Lifesteal, because she sees him on the tab list, but she doesn't know where exactly he is on the server. Ash has to be here somewhere; he has to be! Squiddo just want to be held, and told that they're okay, but of course, the only person that they think would do that when so many others hate them is Ash and they can't flipping find him. She checks her and Ash's normal meeting spot and she searches peace island and she just keeps looking aimlessly and she's stating to feel like it's hopeless.
<You whisper to Ashswag> where r u?
For a few frustrating moments, the lack of a response pricks their eyes with tears, but eventually, they're given coords.
~
Squiddo was quick to rush into Ash's arms, she barely even makes out the worried expression on his face before she's asked, "Woah, what happened!?"
"Everyone, everyone's being meanies, and I just, I really needed you, but then... then, I couldn't find you!" They continue to grab at his shirt, and push their nose further into his shoulder as if scared that their caregiver would let go.
"Well... I'm glad you found me." Ash swayed both of them slightly while humming nothing in particular in an attempt to get her to calm down. Thankfully, it seems to be working.
When Squiddo's sobs stop being audible and their shaking subsides, they lean back just the littlest bit. "Uppies?" Her voice sounds coated in sadness, and she's still sniffling.
"Of course, kid." He picks them up in more of a bridal style than how you'd hold a child, but they're too tired from crying to really care. Squiddo slips her thumb into her mouth for extra comfort as she starts to drift off. They hear a vague warning that Ash is taking them both home before a rush of cold air messes up their hair in a manner that makes them giggle.
Despite all the ickyness of the day, Squiddo gets to end up safely resting in her caregiver's arms. :)