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Maybe the exhaustion was really getting to you, maybe this eternal cycle of live, die, repeat was really getting to you. Maybe everything was getting to everyone.
People don't really talk anymore; conversations used to filled with quips and and chatter, and vein attempt to distract each other from the horrors of this world. Now the only discussions to be had related to planning which curses and enemies would be best to take. And even then it was sparse, with only few people adding contributions to the conversation.
As people drifted apart, slowly and gradually, it was beginning to get awfully lonely in the ever extending void, even amongst peers.
But, alas, despite being lonely, you were never truly alone. For your number one 'friend' was always just around the corner, ready to ambush you.
It was beyond a hassle at this point, and one that made you wish you just stopped running through these trials altogether. Maybe you could make peace with just sitting in the lobby for the rest of your existence? But no, the indominable human spirit strikes once again and, despite knowing what is to come, you still join others on their attempts to make it through the nullscape.
As the run progresses, and more enemies appear to hinder the group, and you all become all the more accursed, it is soon, inevitable, that Telefragger has to enter the nullscape with you.
Usually at this point, someone- anyone- would make a joke at your expense, regarding how much Telefragger likes to target you and you alone, but that didn't happen this time. A testimony to how much everyone seems to be drifting apart.
And just like clockwork, you find yourself facing the strange featureless creature, as you have been doing so often.
A small sigh is all you give it, as you resume the same song and dance you've had with it for so long now.
But even this was just exhausting at this point, another repetition in this long, unending cycle. It was a lot more tolerable before, when you- and everyone around you- had the motivation and belief that there was an end to the nullscape. Now it just feels like an arduous task, one that you have been so forced to endure, with the only reward for your efforts being a slim delay between the present and your next death. How could you not begin to cave under such pressure?
To make things worse, people were still dying anyway. It didn't matter if you were the only one to be harassed by Telefragger, if you kept its attention away from others, they still fall anyway. Some literally falling. You watch as a few bodies plummet down towards the Void, a familiar if disheartening sight.
"Sometimes, I don't know why we even try…" You grumble to yourself, stopping and staring down at the everlasting expanse below. And isn't it just tempting? To take a step forwards and fall to the Void yourself? You wouldn't have to keep running if you did.
It's not like this run was destined to go far anyway, expediting its end would be better for everyone involved.
So you take a single step forwards, over the edge, letting yourself fall forwards without care…
…And right into Telefragger's arms.
Curse this thing for teleporting in front of you right at that moment. A small 'hmph!' is all the noise that leaves your throat as you fall face first into its chest, and any further noises that you would have made (likely in protest for the position you were now in) were effectively silenced by the fact that you could no longer pull yourself away enough from Telefragger to be able to make a sound; it had its arms wound around your body in an instance, and from what you could remember from the time you were in a similar predicament, it was much tighter this time. That might have something to do with the fact that there was nothing beneath your feet.
Still, another similarity to last time was the simple fact that you were still alive.
'Any day now...' You think to yourself, not moving, still waiting for death to claim you, but you were painfully aware that that was unlikely to happen anytime soon. Telefragger was no longer teleporting, again, and this time you made an additional observation: where was all the other enemies when you most needed them? If you had a Husk, this would be over instantly, you could assume, but surely one of the other creatures that hunted you in the nullscape would come along and pick you off shortly? But no, the longer you hang there, with only Telefragger's arms and body stopping you for plummeting into the Void, the more you became aware of the fact that no one else was attacking you.
'Do they all know…? Do they all work together…? Like how Mart and Bell are clearly bff's…?' You think to yourself; the idea is a little panic inducing, the concept that as much as you and the other humans work together to try and escape, the enemies put before you can coordinate to try and stop you.
Or try and get Telefragger to get a hug, in this case.
If they weren't going to kill you anytime soon, what were you to do in the meantime? Just hang there uselessly, arms flopping by your sides like noodles?
Well, there was one thing you could think of trying, the only thing you could think to do right now. You… weren't sure you were going to like this…
With much hesitance, you slowly lift up your two arms, noting the way Telefragger's own arms seem to tense even further around you at the sudden movement. You hadn't squirmed or resisted this time, so it was to be expected that it would react with some apprehension to you moving all of a sudden.
You would so love to use your freedom to move your arms to try and push the creature off of you, but that effort would be in vain and you know it.
So you do the only thing you can think to try, the only thing that you have no clue what results would occur from you doing it.
You wrap your own arms around Telefragger's back, and return its embrace.
Heart hammers in your chest, but you don't stop, nor do you explode so there's that. Telefragger might explode though; there is a few seconds of no change after you start returning its affection, like its brain has stalled in the attempt to process what you are doing. But the moment it realises- the moment it realises that 'holy shit, they are actually hugging me back!'- it starts to vibrate, small at first, but quickly its vibrations become erratic and energised. To the point that you had the real hope that it would accidentally drop you. Of course that didn't happen; you wouldn't be so lucky.
Then it starts teleporting. A lot. How do you know if all you can see is the dark grey of its body? Because there is a rapid fire of the noise it makes whenever it does teleport. And a pit starts forming in your stomach, churning painfully, clearly not a fan of whatever quantum mechanics Telefragger uses to get around.
You were going to be sick. Like, right now!
You wake up with a start in the lobby, stomach churning painfully and a terrible taste on your tongue. Rolling on your side, you find the nearest edge and throw up over the side.
"That bad of a dream, huh?" Asks someone nearby.
"Urgh, you don't wanna know…" You grumble, whipping the remainder of the sick away from your mouth.
Thank goodness that was all just a dream! …That was all just a dream, right? Hard to tell sometimes in a place like this.
Definitely just a dream. You would never hug Telefragger. Ever.
"Anyway, some people are starting another run. You in?" The person asks, jabbing a thumb over in the direction of a small group of people, idly chattering amongst themselves.
"Yeah, yeah, just… give me a min." You respond, sitting up again.
Time to do it all again.