Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Why are you so… upset? It was only, uh… a few hours?” 
Airy twirled one of the wires, trying to distract himself. The computer didn’t show the time in a way that helped him understand, but he was only out for a short time. Two days at most, if he counted recovering. 
He listened closely to what Scenty said. Her voice, quiet underneath the various sounds of wind and rain. He was extra careful when it rained, not wanting it to ever repeat. 
Ever.

He remembered to listen to Scenty, but only halfway through her little rant. 
“–months! We’ve been here since… since February, right?” She sounded unsure, but still continued. “And you said nothing during that time. It’s been months!” 
They're all so small down there.
Airy spoke up after a few seconds, “...Uh, well… it’s… still 2006, so all… all is good?” He knew all wasn't good, but he didn't have any other way to word it. He didn't admit it, but it was hard to word other things sometimes. He also couldn't understand why they were so upset about dying and staying here, when they knew that death wasn't as concrete as it seemed. 
He also only assumed it’s been around three years since he came to this place. Maybe it was less, he never was good with time. Or, at least, he only remembers being poor with time. He would return, but he doesn’t have any reason to.  
Scenty was quiet, thinking carefully about her response, but he didn’t know why for a while. He didn’t know why, but soon he started to guess the reason why, and all he wanted now was something to confirm it wasn’t true. 
Scenty, however, didn’t care about what he wanted to hear.

“It’s… not 2006, Airy,” she said.
“Huh, well… is it 2005? 2007? It couldn’t have been too long, sooo… I think it’s 2006,” Airy said this as confidently as he could, almost like if he believed in it, then it would be real. 
“It’s… at the very least 2013.”

They were just lying, now. He never thought of himself as too gullible, so he sighed, speaking into the microphone once more.  
“No, it’s not.” Because that would make no sense. He was at least not terrible at understanding the time. He knew it was 2006. He was certain. 
But Scenty continued. She continued to say, hesitantly, that it was, indeed, 2013. Maybe late in the year, as well, what with Airy's disappearance.

The stunned silence from him said more than any of his words.

“I’m going to… take a walk outside, okay? I’ll be… back soon.” Sometimes he was happy that he didn’t always express how utterly devastated he was. At least, he thought he kept a good act on, but his voice shook and trembled in a way that the contestants, who have gotten used to his voice by now, found unfamiliar. Then again, they haven't seen him for months.
In short, they simply knew. Airy drew out a long “Byeee…” as he slowly edged away from his seat, walking out into the forest. It was pretty late by now, but he could just use himself as a light source if need be.

He was scared, to be honest, when he saw someone out in the forest, with the light of a small computer illuminating a rudimentary silhouette. He couldn’t figure out who it was in the dark, and when he managed to light himself up, he then saw nothing. No blurry shape, just… nothing. 
The knowledge of how long he’s been out here only made his mind wander even more. The thought of himself seeing things in the dark, the thought of himself having lost more than he could ever imagine.

Needless to say, he had no qualms about rushing back to his little cabin and quickly trying to go to sleep. Before he did, however, he glanced at the little carvings he had littering the back of the cabin. 
He had no reason to, but he slowly picked up the most unfinished one, or maybe it was the oldest one, or just the crudest one. It was an animal of which he had forgotten to carve a tail on, and he placed it next to where he would face as he rested.

The stress of what he had learned and what he had seen were getting to him, that was all.

In truth, he knew that One would end eventually. He was going to fall again, and it would take too much time for him to find this place again. His mind continued to wander around as he laid on the bed, eye open wide. He didn't get much sleep that night, and his balance wasn't the best when he crawled out of his bed.

It only ended accidentally in his eyes, and he still couldn’t grasp why his contestants were so upset.

He never expected it to end today, as he worked on planning his next challenge, as he sat on his seat, taking in the warm wisps of sunlight. 
He never expected it to end like this, as he turned around in his seat, seeing Backpack once again. But this time, in front of him, this time, not as a contestant.  
This time, able to hurt him, wanting to hurt him. 
He spoke the same as he always did, not able to truly betray what he was feeling. Not able to describe it even in his mind. “Hi…?” 

His hand slipped off the button for his microphone as he was pushed. For a second, he almost did think it would end violently. He almost did think it was going to end suddenly, like he thought it did before. He got up quickly, trying to not give himself enough time to think about this at the moment. Something was happening, something that had never happened before.

Backpack, yelling at his face with words he could barely focus on. He knew he was upset, but why? He couldn’t even stop it if he wanted to, since – 
“There’s… six more eliminations left…?” 
“Are you braindead? Send everyone back–” Backpack punctuated his words by pointing at the Plane– “Right now!”

Eventually, the argument cooled off. Eventually, everything was fine. Eventually, he managed to strike a deal with Backpack, reasoning to him in the reed-filled swamp about when to send every one of the contestants home.

But 'eventually' wouldn't cut it for his deadline.

Tomorrow.

That was his deadline.

Airy could never really follow through on any of his preset deadlines, at least for around as long as he could remember. But, and this was selfish of him, his cassette player was at stake. So he impulsively agreed, even if ONE was his life’s work.
He had to bring the contestants back to their world.

And then… He could always restart it with another group of contestants, right? Maybe with ones that were close to this season’s cast, as they all played really well. Backpack wouldn’t have to know.

Airy sighed, happily. That was the plan. It would all work out in the end. He’d be happy, Backpack would be happy, what’s not to love? He only wanted people to be happy. He continued collecting reeds, humming a song to himself.

Soon he wouldn’t have to try and remember it.

The campfire crackled. It was nice and warm, and illuminated the area better than he ever could. Airy sat on half of a log, hands resting on his button, with Backpack sitting on the other half, as… far away from him as he could get. 
Airy continued from where he last left off, trying to stop his words from dragging on, “So, yeah… I hope you all have… fun. On… Earth.” 
Backpack paused for a second, “…What about you?”
“Huh?”
“What are you going to do after this?”
“I’m… staying, Backpack.” Airy watched as Backpack shifted in place after hearing his name. Ah.  
Backpack gestured, frustrated, “You said it yourself. This place is small, there’s barely anything to do.” He paused a little, trying to emphasise what Airy would do when bored. “You know how that computer works, couldn’t you… engineer a way to come with us?” 
“…ONE’s my… life’s work.” 
“It’s… look, it's ruined lives more than it saved them, Airy. Come on, don’t you have a family? Or someone that missed you?”
Airy froze, staring directly at Backpack. “It’s…” Airy muttered under his breath, “It’s… getting late. You should… rest.” 
Airy stood up from the campfire, and walked away.

He climbed up the stone and gravel, up the natural pathway that winded towards the peak of the waterfall. The further away from the dying fire he went, the darker it became. He started a fire inside of him to illuminate the area, with some embers licking the air around him as they escaped from the hole in his bulb. It was still very, very dark.
No matter what he tried, his eyes could never get accustomed to the dark properly. It didn’t matter, as he was a portable light source, but it still made him anxious whenever he tread along unfamiliar ground. At least by now he knew the route to almost anywhere off by heart.

The rushing of the river grew closer, and looking at what little ground he could see, he could tell he was near the bridge. 
A distant voice called out, “Airy?” 
Airy slipped after hearing it, stumbling over a little bit. It wasn’t anything dangerous, however. He couldn’t have moved far. 
After hearing the voice again, he could confirm it was Backpack, but… Why?

He continued walking, the reeds by the pond were comforting, and a brief visit would be good for his mind. He took a step over what he assumed was the bridge, and his foot landed in the rushing water. If he was treading carefully, he could have recovered from the misstep, but he was walking. 

He didn’t even know it was water until his own momentum betrayed him and carried him into the river. 

He almost immediately plummeted down the waterfall. It was pitch black, with the water burning his eyes and putting out his fire. He couldn’t tell where he was, but at some point he began to sink slowly .
He kicked and flailed underwater, as the metal weighed him down more and more, filling into his open bulb. 
He tried to shout out for help, but that just caused more water to flood him.

Eventually, the disturbances in the water became nothing more than sensations to him. He was so tired, and he couldn’t help but give up trying to fight against the rushing water. He was stuck on the bottom of the basin– or wherever he was, at the dead of night, with no chance of survival. 
Airy closed his eye, and he barely felt the water move quickly, suddenly, not like a wave but…

Airy opened his eye, gasping. He was on his side, in a makeshift bed. His makeshift bed. His breaths were shallow, and he kept on coughing with every second breath. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness for a while, and the sun was now shining through the wooden logs.
Airy slowly clambered up, reeds falling off of him. He was still so tired, but… He was alive.

Walking along the grass, he could see no sign of Backpack. Strange… Airy moved the vine curtains of the cave, before he heard something. Stepping inside, he stumbled, kicking a rock, and alerting the figure on the chair to his presence.
Backpack smiled, holding the microphone before he looked at Airy, “Yeah, and I… great.” He frowned after seeing Airy, which hurt. After all he did for him?
Airy coughed, before pointing at the computer, “What are you… doing?” 
“Talking to them. Like a normal person does. You should try it someday.”
“You… figured out how to use the computer?”
“Well, not yet , but I still wanted to see my friends, and I need to let them know that you’re going to fix this for us.”

Airy looked off to the side, still confused, still lost.
“You saved me… Why is that? You sounded like you hated me.”
“I… I literally need you in order to get us out of here.” Backpack shivered, his breaths were faster than last time, and Airy saw him brush off some droplets of water obsessively. “I'd do anything for them to be alright again.”
“But… You talked to me.”

Backpack stood up from his chair, facing Airy.
“Airy,” Backpack muttered, “I want you out of here so you don’t ruin anyone else’s lives. There’s a world outside of ONE… Now, please. Take us back.” Backpack's voice was then twinged with the same ferocity as the contestants on the plane, as they tried to pull out the plug every few hours. But… why?
Airy stepped back. Ah. It was selfish to think that Backpack would actually talk to him for any reason. But the truth is… 
Airy spoke, softly, careful to not upset Backpack, “I… don’t know how to bring you home.”
He’s lying. He’s never tried it, but he knows it’s possible, at least he knows he could do it. And if he couldn't, he could easily make a way. He just… had no reason to go home. 
“Can’t you reverse engineer it? You have an interdimensional machine right there,” Backpack responded, almost immediately. Either he was incredibly determined, or he immediately saw through Airy’s lies.
“Yeaahhh… I’ll… try,” Airy sighed.

Airy sat on the chair, and faced the computer. He hesitated for one– for many seconds, even as Backpack cleared his throat a few times. Eventually, Airy gave in before Backpack could raise his voice.
Every time he entered a line of code, one of the contestants disappeared. Backpack stood there, waiting. By the time they all were gone, Airy… stopped.

Backpack winced, “What are you waiting for?” 
“I… don’t know where I need to go.” 
“Airy, just pick a spot! What made you think it mattered!?” This confused Airy more. It mattered so much where he ended up! He didn't want to die again, after all! He just needed a safe spot with a computer.…
“I don’t want to leave this, Backpack!” Airy's finger scraped against the edge of the table in that same scratching motion.
“For the last time, Airy,” Backpack stepped close to Airy, too close, pressing his finger on Airy's face, almost tracing the broken glass in a way that shook him to his very core. "My name is not Back—”

Airy pushed Backpack away. Both of his arms and even the edge of his nearest leg were used to push Backpack far enough away that, as the latter stumbled and fell onto the cave's sharp, unstable ground. But Backpack only groaned from the shove, he didn't scream out in pain from fragile glass being shattered. He didn't feel his own mind rend apart and… and…
Even still, Airy felt… guilty of what he just did. Before either of them could do anything else, Airy frantically pasted the command to send Backpack back, even as he raised his voice and shouted at Airy, asking what he was doing.

And then, in an instant, Backpack was gone, sent to the place on Earth he last visited. It was quick and easy, and the computer seemed to treat it like he was simply eliminated again.
Airy sat in thought. He was alone again. That was expected, but… 

He could do whatever he wanted now. He could start Season Three immediately. 
He could make it better than Season Two ever was.
But he was unsure if they’d be as good as this group was. They were made for one another, it just felt right. Hm.

He had an idea. The worst idea, but an idea nonetheless. And so, he impulsively followed through with it. If it worked for Backpack, it would work for him. And he'd love to visit… He got to work immediately, taking minutes at a time to recognise what some of his old code used to do. He was running out of time, though, because if he got there and Backpack was gone…

He brushed the thought of how he wouldn't survive out there away, and just set everything up. Trial and error, trial and error…
He first registered the loose pebble he found lying around, and it proceeded to disappear in the next command. It probably works now, and Airy slowly unregistered every contestant, so that when he gets back to start the next competition, he doesn't bring those ones in. At least, not accidentally. He was only thinking of the deliberates in his fervent chase for something unique, something different.
His last action was to move his location a bit away from Backpack's, so that if he was standing there still, Airy didn't appear on top of him. A hundredth of a thousandth of whatever unit of measurement this computer used horizontally would be okay, right?

He was ready now, and took a deep breath in before doing something that, ten years ago, he wanted to do more than anything. He didn't want to go back there alone, but if he followed them…

Bryce sighed, “It's over, right?”
Liam looked out into the horizon. He was still out there. He had no way to stop whatever future plans Airy had. Was what he did enough? “Yeah,” Liam finally responded, mind still racing with thoughts of Airy tormenting new people, along with the joy still of finally seeing Bryce. It hadn't even been a day, but knowing that he was forced back into the competition… Liam was a coward, but if he wasn't, he would go up to Bryce right now and say how much he missed him, how much he was torn apart with how Bryce could have been hurt in there just like Liam was.
Bryce never heard any of this, though, and he just spoke up, asking an actually important question. “Do you have Texty?” 
Liam checked his main compartment. Sure enough, Texty was in there, if on low battery. They were all ready for the long road ahead. They'd have to pick up a charger on the way again, but at least everyone was, for the first time in a while, all fine. Now it was time to find–

A crash was heard directly above them, but also slightly to the right.

Someone seemingly fell from the sky, onto the roof, and then rolled down onto the floor. They groaned in pain, before the two rushed over to help the figure. 
Bryce was confused, but… Liam immediately recognised the figure. When he did, he just stood there, almost wishing that this person got himself hurt in some way. Bryce was instead just apologising for being nearby and not helping sooner, trying to help them up.

Liam shouted first as Bryce stumbled over his words, stepping back and dragging Bryce away, “Airy?!” He was exasperated. Out of any universe, any place he could have thought of, he chose this one?
“That’s what he looked like?” Bryce muttered to himself, shocked by the absurdity. He glanced at Liam a few times, before stepping back again.

Airy got up, to Liam’s dismay, and blinked with his one remaining eye. He smiled at them, like the sadist he was, knowing that what he did was horrendous, and pretending to be a friend.
“Yeaaahhh… Hi, guys…”
Liam pinched the fabric between his eyes, “I told you to go to your home, not follow me!” He almost waved his arms around as he spoke. He was just beyond exasperated.
Airy winced, “Yeahhh… I kind of… forgot… my home. So I thought, uh… why not find out what you guys do on Earth?”

Unbelievable, Liam thought. Airy always had to find a way to worm himself back into their lives. 
But he didn't have the computer now, did he? 
Liam glanced at Airy once again. He was ever so slightly shorter compared to back on the other world. Either that, or his eyes were deceiving him in the darkness. Maybe, just maybe, it was just him seeing Airy as something smaller, something powerless and pathetic.
Not that he wasn't pathetic before.

Liam nudged Bryce, “Come on, let’s go.”

And the two walked off, hopefully without Airy following. They still could, however, hear faint footsteps trailing behind them at all times, and Airy's lid was clearly visible in his peripheral vision. He caught Bryce also catching a few glances at Airy, although significantly more than Liam did. He would be confused about this situation, too, if he hadn't grasped the absurdity of… Airy's everything.
“So… where are you… going?” Airy asked.
Liam groaned, “Away from you, first of all.”
Airy was unbothered, and continued, almost smiling as Liam spoke to him, “And then…?” He spoke as if he thought of this situation as a game, maybe like one of his very own sick, twisted games. Maybe he was planning on hurting them again.
Liam snapped, “Would you quit it?! You’ve hurt us enough, Airy. Even without whatever power that computer gave you, you’re still a… an omen for us. Leave us alone." He couldn't really hurt him in public, even if he really wanted to, so all he could do was mutter a faint "please".

Airy continued following close behind, with a single, shadowed eye meeting Liam’s whenever he turned around.
He was, to put it lightly, still terrifying, even when he was powerless.

Chapter Text

Snap out of it.
Airy was walking along with the two, barely paying attention. All he knew was to follow them, really. It was early in the morning now, and the sky was as clear as glass, with no visible clouds. He walked in a daze, one that, for some unknown reason upset him to the core of his being. Where was his fight?
The stress must be from the noise. 
The city was louder than Airy could have imagined. Each vehicle’s interlocking machinery grinded against his ears in a deafening cacophony that never stopped. Not to mention the people talking, chatting, arguing around every corner. People yelling on their phones, people swearing to cars driving too close, cars blaring the loudest, most ear-grating music ever. It was hell, being on Earth.
But still, he followed. He’d spend some time with them, and see what made them be such good contestants… Not to mention, the last one eliminated should get their prize, right?

Airy bumped into Backpack. He stopped, for some… reason, and Backpack stared at a figure in the distance. 
Backpack called out, “Owen?” 
The figure ran across the street to the group, making a car screech as it stopped. That sound haunted Airy more than anything else. The nail waved at Backpack, almost hugging him. “Liam! There you are, you haven’t been answering any of my calls!” 
“Yeah, about that…” Backpack turned to face Soda Bottle, with a forlorn look. Soda Bottle only nodded. “We have to talk about… a lot of things.”
“…Sure. You wanna crash at my place for this?” 
“Yeah. That’d be nice.” 
They didn't really pay attention to Airy during the brief conversation, and Airy lagged behind as the group followed Owen. Is this how people talk?

Owen’s place was small, all things considered, but that was a good thing for Airy. Less new spaces to remember, albeit making it a bit claustrophobic.
Still, Backpack and Owen talked on and on about the plane, as he plugged a charger into a powerpoint. They had a laptop all this time? Backpack talked more often than Soda Bottle, but the two smiled at each other as they tried to explain the hardships they faced because of One, because of… Airy.
“Wait,” Owen turned to face Airy, “You… let him follow you, even after all of that?” He kept his smile, but it was forced as he glared at Airy.
“The alternative was letting him have free reign over other people’s lives.” 
“Mmmh… Ugh,” Owen groaned, finding himself unable to continue the topic of Airy, “What are you going to do, now? It’s over, after all.”
Backpack turned to face Soda Bottle, “We’re… probably going to find Scenty. One of the other contestants.”
“Well, how are you going to do that?” Owen tilted his face in thought, while also fiddling with something aimlessly. 
Soda Bottle groaned, “We don't really know yet. I'm sure we'll think of something.” 
Owen nodded, before tossing a pair of keys towards the group. “Take my car, then.”
Liam sputtered, “What about you!? You need to drive, too, don’t you?” 
“Eh, I have a bike now. I can just use that. Hope you and Bryce have a smooth ride.”
Backpack nodded, as Airy watched from the sides. Owen was very kind. He’d make a great contestant.

“Wait, you… bought a bike?” 
“Nah, yours just wasn't being used, what with you being held in another world for… half a year.” Owen frowned as he said that, before quickly smiling to lighten the mood up again. Airy noticed this, however, as he was watching from the corner of the room, waiting for any chance to speak without ruining everything. 
“You missed me that much?” Backpack's tone changed to a lighter one, but Airy couldn't be sure. Everything sounded nice, but he couldn't see Backpack's face from his angle. 

After what seemed like hours of excruciating back-and-forth, they were finally on the move again. Walking outside, they spotted the car they’d be using to get to Scenty. It was modest, with a desaturated blue paint, slightly black tinted windows and a cramped interior.
Airy immediately opened the driver’s door, as Backpack almost beckoned him to stop. 
“Hey, hey– Airy, no– no! You’re not driving!”
The strangest thing was, Airy was sure that he picked the passenger side. He froze in place, as the other two clambered in.

By the time they all properly got in the car, Airy had no choice but to sit in the back seat. Soda Bottle would drive, and Backpack would sit next to him. It was the plan they both agreed on, as if they had this situation happen before. 
And after more waves of goodbye to Owen, the group finally started their long drive. The low rumbling of the car was pleasant when he was inside it, and Airy relaxed, sprawled against the seats. 
He could hear the sounds of a text to speech voice coming from Backpack’s laptop, but when he asked about it, they just said it was some automated alarm.

Then, dozens of minutes later, Airy spoke up. 
“Oh, forgot… my seatbelt…” 
Soda Bottle’s breath was kicked out of him, “You… forgot it?”
“…Yeah.” 
Soda Bottle glanced at Airy, before muttering, “You could get yourself killed doing that, you know.”
Airy could only nod. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about, but… so did Airy.

The sun was high in the sky by now, and Soda Bottle noticed something he didn’t like. 
“Crap… Your Owen friend didn’t leave us much gas to work with.” 
Airy, at this point, was half-asleep, and watching the scenery go by. They were going out in the country, now, away from the more populated city. This meant less interruptions, but it soon got boring. Semi-frequent road signs were helpful, though, as he got to lazily read whatever they said. It felt so normal, in this specific situation, that he could almost forget everything that had ever happened. He got to think of himself as a person, on a road trip with his friends.
Still, the landscape and monotony got boring again soon, and he greatly appreciated seeing something completely new. That being a petrol station in the middle of nowhere.

Walking in, Airy first noticed how cold the place was. It was unlike the ambient heat of the outside, and Airy almost shivered. Backpack followed along to watch over Airy as Soda Bottle refueled the car.
Airy recognised none of the brands, and kept walking along until he grabbed a small bottle of water. It was so cold, and Airy almost dropped it out of fright. Backpack glared at Airy as he did this, taking the bottle to the cashier for them to scan.

“That’ll be…” the cashier stopped himself, looking at Airy. He looked concerned? Airy wasn’t good at reading these expressions. The cashier was a lanky flashlight, with a large dent near the mouth and many smaller cracks and marks along his body. He kept glancing back at Airy, as he tried to continue scanning the few things Backpack and Airy collectively picked out.
Backpack waited for Soda Bottle, as he tried to break through the silence, “Yeah… he’s not from here.” Airy didn't get that statement, though. None of them were from here, since they were travelling.
The flashlight stammered, before giving up. “No… I… It’s probably nothing.”
Soda Bottle finally entered the building, holding his wallet. As he paid for the gas, Airy turned to look at the cashier.
He didn’t recognise him.
“Hey,” the cashier said, pointing at Airy's broken glass, “You sure this guy doesn’t need medical attention?”
What did that mean? Airy shook his head, nonetheless. He wanted to go back to the car, now.
“It’s an old wound,” Backpack responded a bit too quickly. “The glass has adjusted to… you know.”
The flashlight breathed in uneasily, his breath sounding almost like hissing. “Alright. Sure. That's how it works, now, yeah.”
Airy could definitely pick up the sarcasm there, but he really was just too tired to care by now. He just wanted to go back in the car and sit for another couple of hours.

They got back in the car soon after, and drove off. A sinking feeling was growing inside Airy, however. He was planning for season three, but… He had no way back.
He clenched a fist and held on to his seatbelt, the water bottle lying down next to him. He'll find a way. He wanted it to happen, he wanted to continue the only thing he had to strive for.

Clouds formed above them, as the sun began to set. It was dark, and the sky was a brilliant orange near the edges.
Airy paid no mind, until the door he was resting on opened, leaving Airy to almost fall out of the car.
“Hey,” Soda Bottle said, bluntly, “We found a place to sleep.” 
Airy followed along with Soda Bottle, barely processing each step he made. By the time they reached their room, he just stood there. There were only two beds, the decision was obvious.
…Airy would just sleep on the floor, propped up by his deflector. Even still, it didn't take long for him to sleep.

Airy then woke up, what seemed like a while later. It’s raining, and the moonlight could be seen as it rippled out the window. It felt like around a week ago to him when he fell down the waterfall, thinking that he was about to lose everything for another time. He was safe now, but the rain kept pouring on in his mind.
And it kept pouring on in his mind. And it kept pouring… 
He got up, walking over to the balcony and sitting down against the wall. The rumbles of thunder in the distance were peaceful, but he couldn't help but flinch every time a droplet of rain hit the ground near him. He made sure to walk only on the dry places, staying underneath the roof of the balcony. It was a strange sensation, walking around on his own in a world he didn't plan on staying in. Still, the feeling of pretending to be a person other than Airy was enjoyable, and he took in the moment, stepping more and more away from the shelter of the roof. At some point, he was fully underneath nothing but the sky, rain pitter-pattering down on his shade. It was cold, but it was endearingly cold, and the repetitive sounds of rain hitting roofs and metal and the floor around him, mixed with the semi-frequent sounds of thunder, did nothing but help him stay entranced, stay lost in the moment.

It wasn't like the waterfall, or like the wet floor in the cave. This time, it was safe. The grass under his feet as he left the shelter was cold and wet, it felt just like how it was in the forest but also it felt so different. It felt like he was there for hours, at peace and at home. He reminded himself just how terrifying rough, wet terrain was, and he reminded himself that he wasn't meant for this. That, at this point, he couldn't go home.

And then he was dragged back under the shade, back with his feet on the solid floor, pulled from his little moment of peace.
“Airy? What are you doing?” Backpack huffed, tugging Airy by the handle for emphasis.
“Huh?” Airy felt a pang of fear. Did he do something bad? Did he forget more about this world than he thought? “What do you mean…? I was just… looking outside…”
“Airy. Look at yourself. You're a living lightning rod… I don't want you to be hit by a bolt and…” Backpack's expression shifted to a more solemn one, but Airy couldn't understand why he would do that. Should Airy pretend to understand?
Eventually, Airy just nodded and let Backpack lead him back inside. “Uh, sorry…?” He wasn't excited about sleeping on the floor, but he didn't say anything about that. “You didn't… want me to die?”
“It's fine.” Backpack was quiet, before continuing as if his stressed remark was too nice for him. “And, look, Airy. I don't want anybody to die like that, and I just don't want you dead… ever. We both know what you did the last time you died, right?”
Oh. Okay. Airy didn't say anything, resting back down and covering himself with the single blanket he got to have for the night. Even still, he pretended that this means they were friends. Even if it really just confirmed the opposite.

He was parched, though, and got up in the middle of the night once more. He walked up to the edge of the room, where his only possession – a water bottle – was. For a second, a wave of familiarity hit him like a truck, but then it went away, leaving it confused, dazed and…
“Airy…” Backpack muttered, probably already half-asleep. “Don't go outside, not without us… alright?”
Airy nodded, almost completely ignoring the details of what Backpack was saying as he picked up his water bottle. “I'm just… drinking…” he whispered a bit too loudly, before adding “water.” H
The drink was room temperature by now, and slightly unpleasant, but he had been through worse. By the time he turned back to his place on the floor, he noticed that Liam and Bryce were hugging each other, both curled up tight as if they didn't want to let the other go.

That left a bed free for him, a bed that would allow him some comfort in this unfamiliar world.
He grabbed his blanket, and took his deflector off as quietly as possible, before taking the pillow from the bed. He searched for paper, for anything to write with, and found none of either. He wanted to write a note, saying that he just took a pillow and didn't do anything bad, but he gave up ultimately and started curling up on his spot on the floor… Without his deflector, if something hard enough even fell on him…
He didn't know how safe this place was. What if a part of the ceiling fell off? He couldn't help but stifle a whine as he tried not to disturb his friends.

His worries melted away as he eventually went to sleep.

Scenty crumpled down. She watched everyone disappear almost simultaneously, and yet she remained for what felt like the longest second in the universe.
What did that mean? She didn’t know for sure when– 
A switch was flicked, and a light turned on. Even still, she knew that this was different from before. This wasn't an overbearing sun relentlessly shining down on her, it was a small, empty room.
“Amelia?”

She didn't know that name.

It took a few hours after that, but Scenty decided that she was going to get her life together. She had to.
She was, however, rather shocked to learn that one of her neighbours had moved out, replaced with someone else.
During the seven month… downtime, a strange character had decided to move in.
He was also a candle, although not one protected by glass, with warped and distorted wax around one side of his body. One eye was shut tight and his shoulder was ruined. He didn’t like talking to Amelia, and ignored her when she tried to introduce herself. 
He often drove through the streets, towards the nearest bar, on what Garrett said was a near-daily basis. He was definitely... troubled, or a chronic alcoholic. Or both.
But… she had no place to judge people for not being normal. She’s barely normal herself.

Scenty looked up, as someone entered the building. The sun was setting, but it was a few minutes until the place closed, so she stayed. It was good to get into the habit of being a member of society again.
She smiled brightly, her eyes meeting the visitor’s, “Are you here for a yoga class? It’s pretty late but I'm sure we can book…”
The figure stumbled across the room, slowly blinking with his one remaining eye. He smelled of cheap alcohol. 
Her neighbour groaned, “Heyyy…” he stopped, glancing at her name tag, “Amelia… What are you doing here?” he continued, swaying as he leaned on the counter. He was considerably taller than her, and eclipsed the ceiling light.

Scenty sighed, “I… work here... I think you should leave–” 
She was interrupted halfway through her sentence, as he grinned like he won the conversation, “Mate, mate…” he slurred, “My car’s busted, it’s at the mechanic… Say, you know where I live, could you… give me a ride back home? I may have made a few enemies…"
Scenty blinked, “I am not giving you my car.” She's lucky she even has one, still!
He leaned further on the counter, yawning, “Then why don’t you drive me there…?” 
Scenty turned away from the candle, before sighing. He was persistent, and she couldn’t bring herself to be any stricter.
She called Garrett, already thrilled to be back in society.

The ride was pretty quiet, with only the radio playing.
The neighbour spoke up, though, gesturing to said radio, “...I know this.”
Scenty turned down the volume to hear him better, “Yeah?” 
“Beatles… Yeah. Amelia’s your name, right?”
Amelia froze, parking the car before breathing heavily, the streetlight shining down through the window, hitting her eye. 
Was Amelia… her? It seemed so far away, now. She has been trying to keep her chin up for a while now, but… She feels like any minute now, she’d crack under the pressure. Any minute and she'd reveal herself as the fraud that lived as Amelia but then died as Amelia, leaving whatever she was now as the only faint reminder that there used to be a person.
“Yeah,” Scenty winced, not believing a word she was saying, “It… is. What’s your name?”
He, too, hesitated. It was late, but the look on his face made it seem like he was thinking heavily about it. 
“Lucius,” he finally responded, “That's all.”
Scenty nodded, as she continued the drive. He didn’t seem to be from here, with a name like that and a slight accent. She’d think about it later.
Turning the radio’s volume up, she could faintly hear Lucius singing along. At least he found peace here.
“Nothing’s gonna change my world… Nothing’s gonna change my world…”

Scenty crashed onto the bed when she was able to go home. Today was long, and she only wanted to rest.
She wondered how the… how the others were doing. They all are back home, but is that even better? She barely had a life, but at least she had one. At least one of her friends held on to her memory. The other most likely weren't as lucky. The thought of Moldy lying down against the giant log, unmoving with a single watery eye staring at the sun... Would she have to experience that same fate here? Would this world even allow it?

It was dark in her little room. She still wasn't used to it being like this, to being able to hide away from the sun.

Nothing’s gonna change my world…

Liam and Bryce woke up earlier than Airy did. Liam first, especially, as his dreams were full of the worries he tries to ignore during the day. At least… at least with Bryce close, they were easier to ignore at night. He opened the blinds to let the light into the room, before looking down at the floor next to him.
Airy was still alive. This was… either disappointing or relieving.
It was both, that's what Liam decided on.

He was sleeping in such a horrendous position, pillow barely near his head and instead closer down to his arms. He was even still holding it close to himself, as if he didn't want to ever let it go, his mouth half-open and his eye shut tight. The grime and foliage that stuck to him still remained.

Airy's lid thing was also off of him, propped up against the wall next to him, although one of his legs was tangled with the handle. His glass head was on full display, and the void on the right side of his face was even worse than Liam first saw. Liam whistled at the still-tired Bryce, calling him over.
“Didn't run off,” Liam called out, still trying to be a little quiet.
Bryce moved over, glancing down at the sleeping… there was no word to describe Airy, not even 'person'. “He also took the… lid off.” Even he had hesitation in his voice over what that was.
“I knew it was uncomfortable sleeping like that, but he didn't do it before! He kept the lid on before he decided he would be struck by lightning,” Liam ranted. “Why would he do that? Why did he switch after going outside? Does it mean something?!” Liam asked these questions not to Bryce, but to a potential higher power that, after giving him these answers, would make it all clear why Airy did any of this. At the same, the graphic lack of glass on one side of his head spelled an answer.

A third voice spoke quietly from below, coughing a little at the end. “Couldn't sleep…”
Liam almost yelped as he hopped back from Airy, his fabric rustling as he almost bumped into Bryce. “Okay, that's… that's an answer. Okay.” He was admittedly so shocked from how potentially good at hiding Airy was. He didn't even know how long Airy was awake for, or if he heard everything.

Bryce sighed, tapping Liam's handles playfully to bring him back to reality as he glanced at the rest of the room. “Alright, let's clean up and then get back on the road.”
“Alright”, “Uh… okay…” Liam and Airy said at the same time.

Before they started, the three stopped to have the most awkward breakfast of their lives.
“So…” Airy poked at the egg with a fork. The way he was holding it was almost as jarring as the fact that he was holding it the wrong way, the prongs facing his face instead of the meal. “You… eat food.”
“Everyone eats food,” Bryce interjected before Liam could open his mouth. “It came free with your fuckin'… digestive system.”
“Oh. Right.” Airy still didn't eat much, just kind of staring like a wild, frightened animal, barely making small talk. “I… think I'm finished.”
He said that right after taking the smallest bite out of the burnt crust of the fried egg.

Liam turned around a few times, trying to be subtle about it. Everything was over, right? But he still felt on edge. Stationary objects looked too much like people watching him, and when they all were actually finished and went outside, he swore that the grass looked sharper, more geometric, when he's not looking at it. He still thought Airy's voice came from above him sometimes, and not beside him.
He left Hell and took a souvenir.

Liam looks out into the distance. They left another city and were making good time. Keeping Texty closed to preserve as much power in between breaks as possible – against their protests – Liam sighed a breath of relief. The fact that everything was going so well almost made him forget Airy was still there, in the back seat, staring back at him every time he glanced at the mirror.
They were soon going to find her.
The car passes near a billboard, which stayed in their view for a long time, letting them soak up its details.
It was Airy. Or, someone that looked like Airy. With a different lid shape, and ornate accessories. The metal looked almost like gold, but just a little bit off, and they were adorned with a haunted stare and what seemed to be a cigarette in one hand. They were unsettling. The whole thing, however, was worn down and it wouldn't do any good to have a billboard out in the outskirts of a city. In fact, another part of it was being torn off by the wind, the back faded by the sun.

Liam just had to ask, he just had to speak up, as he turned to Airy. “Do you know this person?” 
Airy was silent for an uncomfortably long time. That was a quirk of his, since he just had to be… stranger than strange. But now this was just getting concerning.
“No,” Airy finally responded.

Even after the confirmation that the guy wasn't related to him, Liam and Bryce still exchanged worried glances.

Chapter Text

He could see the pain, a bright flash of light in one eye, and then nothing.
“Nghh— Ackgh… mmnhg…”
He had slipped, skidded onto the wet stone floor. And in a stroke of bad luck, he managed to pierce his head on a sharp stone formation. Still, adrenaline flowed through him, a sense of self preservation. He needed to get out of here. He needed to survive.

Airy walked out of the cave. He couldn’t see out of one eye, the pain was too great. He limped forward as the rain poured on, clutching the broken glass, trying to keep it together. The grass was wet, and would be slippery, but he didn’t trip and fall. He’s been walking this path for ten years now. He was walking on it, for…
Instead, while he thought he was still walking, his limbs crumpled and he collapsed.

He opened his one eye, some more glass had fallen off by the time he regained consciousness. The sun was burning him alive. He tried to move his arm, but it wouldn’t… cooperate.
He closed his one eye.

He spent what seemed like an eternity fluttering in and out of awakeness, as he wasted away. Sometimes he managed to get an arm to hold the rest of his body up for just a second. Other times he just stared at what was directly in front of him. The… the light was painful to him. He was wasting away, and his mind could only repeat that.
What unified these moments was an omnipresent sense of hunger, of thirst and of the humming pain from the injury. He could not starve to death but the discomfort was there, waiting for him. This was unnatural, nobody was supposed to be like this.
However, in the moment, he barely knew what was happening. The world went on without him and leaves fell on him and grass grew on him without a care for his immobile, delirious state.
He knew he was not dead, but this was not better, his thoughts hummed to him, not in words but in something else

Airy woke up to his one eye covered in foliage. Plants and ferns and little tiny mosses crawled up his arms and settled in each nook and cranny, although he couldn’t actually describe what they were or what they were doing at the moment. The sun peeked through each leaf like a mosaic of greenery.
He moved his arms. They were… less of a burden to move, less unpredictable, less alien. He still had to tear the plants away from him, but he could coordinate himself. 

...He wasn’t going to die like this. 
Propping himself up, he crawled, the grass underneath him revealed to be dead and dark. He continued slowly moving towards the nearby wall of fallen trees and logs. It was safe there, that’s all he knew or needed to know.
He’d figure the rest out later. Until then, he moved his hands around, trying to remember how each part moved. 
It was mesmerising.

Airy pointed at something on the board. The building was loud.
Soda Bottle turned to look at him, “Do you want that?”
He was split in two. Airy stuttered, “Yes– wait… no– wait… yes, no… no. Actually, yes.” 
Soda Bottle groaned, before turning to the cashier, “He’d like the McFlurry, too.” 
“Wait…” Airy still, however, continued trying to confirm what he wanted, if anything at all. It was so hard sometimes, as if he was approaching every decision like it was brand new, with no prior knowledge of what he should pick.
Soda Bottle pocketed his wallet, “Airy, I already paid.”
Still, Airy looked at his hands. Was he bad at being a person? It didn't matter to him much, he thought, but it feels so painful.
By the time they got their food, Airy was still battling his decision. Did he want this? It was nice, albeit cold, but it wasn’t worth the hassle.

Airy took a sip once more as music played. It was very cold, still, but the dessert was beginning to melt. Music was playing on the radio, and Backpack and Soda Bottle were talking as loud as ever.

Once he was finished with the dessert, he put it in the cup holder and grabbed the laptop. Curiously opening it a crack, he saw the password screen and was a little bit dejected. And even more curious when the password auto-filled, and also automatically clicked the ‘reveal’ button. “I know it’s you” typed the computer.
Airy almost spoke a response out loud, but he didn’t want to sound insane. He erased the first response, typing in a simple question. “who am  i ?”
“Airy I know what you did,” a pause, “don’t lie”
“ok”
“Why do you want this computer?”
“sorry”
“Why?”
“i was look ing sorry” He accidentally pressed enter, and watched the computer navigate back to the password screen after watching his message fail the check.
“I can’t do things like whatever computer you had could”
“i know i just   wanted to look dont tell”

The reveal password button was turned off, his message was erased and the correct password was typed in. The volume slider was set to its lowest, and a text document opened up. The computer typed faster than Airy could even before his injury, “Why shouldn’t I tell them”
“they alReady don’t like me”
“And you hurt them as well”
Airy was going to respond, he was going to say something about that, but his focus was shifted when he saw a small notification. He typed in his response quicker, making sure his keypresses couldn’t be heard under the music. “low battery ?”
“I know. You better be doing something important if you’re using this”
Airy typed slower again, his hands exhausted already. “do you know where  my home is ?” 
“No” 
“ok can i see  it”

Over time, keeping the laptop out of the view of Liam’s glances, he and the computer looked at photos of forests. Exchanging questions like “who are  you” and answers such as “Texty”, they talked for quite some time as Airy continued to reminisce over his old home.

Texty was this? At least… at least they were nicer.
It wasn’t the home he was looking for, or even his old home, but the photos of forests were nostalgic. He was overwhelmed from the radio and the talking, but now it was manageable. He felt comfortable for once.

“I need you to stop my battery is too low”
“ok texty” There was only quiet from them both as he slowly closed the laptop lid, but then he scrawled another message. “will you be  gone forEver or”
“Just until I can charge”
“ok”
He shut the lid down, moving the laptop to where it was before.

The sun was now beginning to set, and they were reaching the edge of Oregon. Once again, they went to rest at a small motel, this time with three beds. It was more cramped than the last one, but it was still a place to rest at. 
Airy was the first one to fall asleep. He was thinking about both homes a little too much.

It was around midnight, and Liam could not sleep. He wanted to, he tried to, but… He couldn’t wait. He couldn’t wait for the morning, for them to see Scenty and to see that she is okay. 
He’d take a walk, making sure to tell Soda Bottle beforehand, this time. A walk would tire him out enough to go back to bed.
Stepping outside after checking that Airy was definitely asleep, he was met with a cold breeze. It was windy, and the more north you went the colder it got. Soon it'd probably be unbearable. The stars in the sky were beautiful, though, and he kept on walking. He mostly went in circles, as to not get lost.
Sometimes a few cars moved by, highlighting things that the darkness enveloped.
He was just paranoid, jumpy, but sometimes he could spot a figure watching him, as if he was being hunted.

A bit later in the walk, he saw that person again. The general shape was like Airy's, but something was different, something was wrong. Liam sped up his walk, almost running at times before he bumped into a person he could barely see, almost knocking them over.
The sound of a copper lid hitting some pole made it obvious who it was.
“Oh… there… you are…” Airy spoke up, smiling a little. He stumbled over his words at the start, as if he was shocked from being pushed so close to the ground.
“Airy,” Liam swore under his breath before continuing. “What are you doing outside?”
“I… missed you, and… you were outside… I didn't want you to be–”

Liam raised his hand to shush Airy, groaning as Airy just looked at him like that. He was lying, he didn't miss Liam, but God, was it convincing.
“Did you have to stalk me?” Liam tried his hardest not to raise his voice. “I know you were watching me for ages!– Forget it, let's just… go back inside.”
“I… wasn't…” Airy said, lying through his teeth in that same monotonous, apathetic voice. Liam didn't have the time to argue with him, though, and just clicked to get Airy's attention as the two walked back.

Chapter Text

Bryce started the drive, the next morning. The sun had barely crawled into the horizon, and it was closer to night than morning, still. Bryce glanced at the back seat, clicking his fingers for Airy’s attention, “Were you sneaking up on Liam again?” 
Liam had told him about last night, about how Airy was just… watching him, denying that he did. This guy was a hassle to deal with, even now.

Airy, however, didn’t respond, most of his face shadowed by his lid, but the remaining eye was barely visible, staring back. Creepy, Bryce thought to himself. Airy was silent most of the time, but every time he spoke… It was still the very same voice that echoed through the Plane. 
Airy, nonetheless, was a brick wall, and Bryce didn’t expect a response. 
Not that Bryce cared much. Pretending Airy didn't exist was often fine enough.

They’ve been driving for a while now, the sun high in the sky. They were all tired, but they were at the final stretch. Half a day of driving at best, and they’d finally be there. 
Still, they were growing tired, and had nothing to eat since yesterday. Bryce decided to drive near a small bakery, off in a town that barely scratched against the horizon. Parking against the side of a tiny road, Bryce cracked the window down a notch. They decided to leave Airy in the car, to prevent him from walking off to… wherever.
It’d be quick, and they’d charge Texty while they were at it.

Bryce looked out at the bakery window, watching Airy writhe around in the car's back seat, “Why don’t we leave him?”
Liam sighed, “Look, he’ll get himself killed, and it could take a day or it could take a year, but he’d get right back to starting ONE. Maybe not with us, but nobody, and I mean nobody should deal with that.”
“You’re… you’re right. And we’d also look pretty bad if we dropped him off on the side of the road, or let a stranger take him… Liam, we should be done with this!”
“Airy is harmless on Earth, right? We just have to watch over him.”  
“That sounds fun.” Bryce watched Texty charge. “Babysitting someone who wants to play dolls with people using godlike powers… Literally the only bright side is that–” Bryce caught himself before he let anything slip. “Ah, nothing.”
Oh. Oh, no.

“What?” Liam smiled, one side of his mouth doing that thing it did when he was starting to catch onto something. Bryce didn't mind, nor would he change it for anything else, but right now isn't ideal–!
“It's just…” Bryce stammered. He should not be letting out his feelings, especially not to someone that knew him. He was a man, God damnit. “Well, you know, there's something nice about knowing I'm safe with you again, and…”
Liam blinked. “What.”
“What?!” Bryce stammered back, glancing around. It felt like the whole place was looking at him now.
"Is that why you bought him food?" Texty spoke out loud, before Bryce gently slammed their lid closed again.
“You are not supposed to talk in public!” Bryce barked, before sighing. “And no, it's because someone doesn't have any money.”
“Bryce…” Liam laughed, looking up at him with a different smile. One that Bryce missed during his time back on the Plane. “You're the one that drove us here.”

“Well okay–! Maybe I am, okay? You deserve a treat, especially after all this…” Bryce hummed for a second, before he started thinking more about the Plane. “I think we should actually get going, I– I don't want her waiting.” Bryce was still so, so worried for Scenty. The way the two desperately clung onto each other's arms after Airy showed them smugly how they couldn't leave on their own. It was also a good way to get out of the conversation.
Liam got out of his seat, nodding. They’ve spent too much time there. Bryce could be a bit sappy when they reach their destination, but for now? He just had to get there without trying to look at Liam's different expressions and smiling himself. 
He could hide being happy that his friend is safe a little.

By the time they reached the car, however, someone was in the front seat.
“Airy,” Bryce groaned, tapping Airy’s lid, “Did you try to drive off without us?” 
Airy winced, not making eye contact, “No… I was just… figuring out how it worked.” 
Liam blinked, moving next to Bryce, “Have you never driven a car before?” Not knowing much about Airy made this a fair assumption.
Airy didn’t respond once more, his hands hovering around the driver’s wheel. He was unsure, and it could be seen in his every movement.
Airy’s breaths were short, as he turned towards the two in a sudden, terrified motion, “Get… get me out of this.” 

Liam squinted, confused. They shouldn’t be worried for Airy. 
“What do you mean?” Bryce muttered, trying to get a look at Airy. 
Airy, however, tried to use his lid to shield their eyes, as he spoke faster, “I can’t– I can’t be here, I need to be home… I…” 
Liam glanced at Bryce, his face showing nothing but dread. “Where’s home, Airy?”
There were a few answers to that question, but none of them really were good right now.
“I… I don’t know. Not here… with the Plane? I don’t know! It’s going too fast, okay? I don't want this to happen again!” Airy almost shouted, clutching at the wheel, every few seconds turning to look beyond the windscreen to see if something was there. He didn't even sound like himself, then, instead sounding like… an actual person, possessed by fear.

Liam and Bryce stepped away from the front doors, allowing Airy to slowly, painfully, clamber out. There were tears visible in his one eye, before his lid again shadowed his face. He carefully crawled into the back seat, fidgeting with the seatbelts and tapping, scratching against the leather. Specifically the seams. He always did that, but now it only helped him look like a deer in the headlights.

One thing was as clear as day to Liam and Bryce.
He wanted to go back to that world, to ONE, and he may have a method to do just that. 
There was no more discussion about whether to leave him or not, they’d have to watch him. Closely.

Chapter Text

Scenty clicked her tongue, blinking. She was back to her old life, yes, but… was she really there? 
She felt like a spectator, following and nodding and smiling along with what Garrett said, but deep down she knew one thing. 
She wasn’t Amelia. The nametag at her work was alien to her. 
It was a Sunday, and she spent most of it at her house, which miraculously went mostly untouched. All the food, however, was spoiled, and was thrown out weeks after she disappeared.
She never understood why Garrett thought she'd come back. Even she didn't. 
She hasn’t eaten in months, she had no need to, and she could stretch that time for a day or two more, but she needed to get food. Walking across streets she remembered but didn’t remember why… It was an uncanny feeling and one she’d maybe like to avoid… for now.

Sometimes, she almost forgets all about ONE. It was just an event to her, one that happened and one that left, one that she won and one that was over. Other times, however, she chokes on tears and the agony slowly wells up inside her. Out of everyone in the world, why did it have to be her? Why couldn’t it have been anyone else, maybe someone deserving of the torment? Why did Airy create this show?
Again, it doesn’t matter, she tells herself. It’s over and she’s home and she won so why is she so upset–
Scenty woefully cackled to herself, her hands pushing against her fragile, fragile glass. She didn’t even get the wish for anything she wanted. 
She then groaned, looking at the mirror. Maybe she did need a meal. That was her wish.

Scenty searches through the small grocery aisle. She was looking for something, a basic snack, yet she just couldn’t find them. 
However, she blinked, turning to look at a small box. It wasn’t the one she was looking for, but she remembered that the sunflower seeds were next to them. She remembered. She remembered. She remembered! She almost could jump in the air, her eyes blurry with newborn tears. She remembered something so small, so… so Amelia-like? 
Picking up the box of seeds, she waltzed towards the checkout. She could pick up the pieces of Amelia’s life like little sunflower seeds, and maybe accurately pretend to be her one day. 
There was hope.

Bryce closed the car door, breathing in the fresh sunset air. They were finally here. Liam, still, glanced at Texty to make sure. 
Yakima, Washington. 
They, again, left Airy in the car for now, as they scouted ahead for Scenty. Bryce was sure he locked the car, so Airy couldn’t go anywhere. It was a bit of an irrational worry, and if Airy could leave, he’d most likely stalk the two like a shadow. 
As for them, they spent no time loitering. A yoga studio was their first stop…

A tired object lingered inside the building, “Hey, man. Are you here for Yoga? We’re closed today.”
“No, we were just looking for a…” Liam trailed off, looking at Bryce. They forgot her name already. 
“A small blue candle, smells nice, about this tall,” Bryce then crouched, holding his hand slightly above the ground before getting up, “We’re her… friends.”
The stranger blinked, before grinning, “That sounds pretty shady, you know. Why do you need her?” 
Liam sheepishly grinned, looking at the database frantically as Bryce continued, “We’re her friends. We… haven’t seen her in a while, and want to know if she’s okay.” 
“I’ll call her. If she doesn’t know you, could you, uh… Leave her alone?” 
“We can talk in person, to– uh… Amelia!” Amelia, that’s her name.
Bryce shook his head, “It won't matter, she'll know us.”

Amelia didn’t want to leave the house and come see them, and so, they’d have to come to her.
Liam stepped over cracked concrete and up to a small house. Climbing small steps, he reached the door and proceeded to ring the doorbell.
Amelia was her name, and yet Liam tripped over his words and defaulted to saying… “Scenty?”

The car was unlocked. Airy didn’t fiddle with the doors until what seemed like an eternity later, though.
They were going to see Scenty, that’s all… He didn't need to come over just then. He didn't need to… 
…But Airy should get something for Scenty. She was deliberately eliminated last, but only because with how things were, she wouldn't be voted out.
Yawning, Airy got up from the back seat and slowly edged out of the car.
It was rather hidden, and nobody would have a reason to steal it if they didn't know it existed.
He, however, did have a reason to borrow a small wallet on the floor of the car. Funding for his reward. His reward for Scenty. Who won the show. 

So he went on the move. 
The icon he used for the database article of Scenty was incredibly professional. Maybe she’d like to pursue that interest a bit more?

Airy smiled, placing down a small item on the counter, “Hello…” 
The cashier grimaced, “Jesus, you look beat up. You want me to call someone?” 
“I… haven’t been beaten up, though.”
“…Alright. You’re just… buying that?” 
“Yeaaah…”
“That’ll be–”
Airy, however, lunged forward to pay before the price could be listed. He knew what it cost already, right? Why would he need to hear it again?

…At least, he thought he did, before the cashier added on the tax. 

Scenty wasn’t quick to open the door.
It took some convincing, some counting to herself, but she managed to let herself open the door, letting the two in. She was happy they were here, but at the same time they were a reminder of...
Scenty turned to Backpack, “…How did you deal with Airy?”
Backpack chuckled, “I… still don’t know.” 
“…Do you think everyone else is alright, then?”
Soda Bottle– Bryce nodded, “Yeah. We’re all home.”
Scenty sighed peacefully, before holding up a packet, rattling it to get their attention, “…Want some sunflower seeds–” 
A knock was again heard on the door.

Scenty smiled, walking towards the door. A third visitor? Moldy? Perhaps someone from the other groups?
“Hi!” Scenty’s face changed slowly, unable to visually recognise the figure. A large lid cast a dark shadow over their face.
They waved nonchalantly, “Heyy… Scen… ty.”
Scenty froze. The voice. 
Scenty’s voice dripped with venom, “You.” 
Airy smiled, his tone unchanging, “I… got... you something—” 

He was then slammed against the wall, dropping whatever he was holding behind him, his lid harmlessly clanking against the solid wall.
Scenty blinked as she held up a fist, perhaps subconsciously, “What was it, Airy? Was it an apology? Are you paying for everyone’s therapy, now?”
Bryce grabbed Scenty’s arm, “Don’t!” 
Scenty’s face was betrayed, “What?”
“Don’t kill him... He'll just go back to hosting ONE. We need him here.” 
Airy had ruined her life. Airy had taken away whatever hopes and dreams she had before ONE, not like she'd remember. Airy was a smug murderer who didn't care about if anything bad happens to his 'contestants', only if it entertains him.

Scenty looked back at Airy, her grip tightening as she looked at the frightened, gasping figure. He didn't even fight back, his eye half-closed as if he didn't understand why she was doing this.
“…And you brought him to me?” she said.

Airy was following them.
That was fine. It was fine!
He was apparently harmless, but his presence was still… indescribably bad. Still, she agreed that they all could rest here, as it was getting closer and closer to nighttime. Bryce had moved the car over to the outside of her home, but his wallet was still missing.

“Scenty,” Airy spoke suddenly, as he approached from the shadows. 
Scenty almost let out a yelp as she was caught off guard, until she groaned, “What…?” 
“I still… have that prize.”
“…What prize?” 
“For… winning ONE? Can you… open it now?” He looked up at her with that same emotionless look, but maybe if she squinted she could see a hint of something.
Airy handed her a small item, wrapped in discarded newspaper. The sentiment was… kind, but at the same time it could only be a sick reminder of what he’s done. 
Scenty declined, pushing it away, keeping a tone in her voice that would hopefully not upset Airy, lest he… does whatever he's capable of, “Keep it. It’s... it’s for you, now.”
“But it’s for you? As a prize?”
“…Yes, Airy. But now it’s yours.” 
“Sorry, I–” Airy's voice showed a flinch of emotion for a split second. “I’ll… get you… a better prize tomorrow, then…” Airy then spoke in that same flat tone as before, yet quieter. It was almost pitiful, but it showed that there was a shadow of a person in there. Only a shadow of a person.
“No! You don’t have to do that!”   

Airy solemnly nodded as he ignored what she said, before he began to unwrap his prize. It was a small camera. He then walked away before peeking at her several more times, waiting for her to change her mind. 
She never did, instead her hand clasped against the edge of a table. He was stressful to talk to.
But he wasn’t malicious, he seemed to want the best.
Why, then? Why would he do what he did?

She asked this same question to Bryce and Backpack when Airy was out of sight, roaming the small building.

“I’m not… sure,” Backpack murmured as he looked around Scenty’s house. It was messy, and there were still cobwebs everywhere. She’ll get to it soon. She might get to it now. “He hasn’t done anything bad, but at the same time, he’s… Airy.”  
Bryce shook his head. “He’s called us Backpack and Soda Bottle, and he’s called you Scenty!” 
“Well… Yeah. I guess.” Scenty looked down at the two, before getting up and sweeping the cobwebs, still talking. “I think I’m fine with that, though… It doesn’t bother me. Amelia does more, now, actually…” 
Scenty turned around to the two, their mouths agape in almost the same way.  
“…Backpack, Bryce?” Scenty said, before realising her mistake. He probably doesn't want to be called that, though.

Backpack flinched as she expected, before he spoke up. “It’s Liam, actually… Are– Are you sure you want to be called Scenty. After everything that name has–” 
“Yes, Liam, I am. Is that all, though?” Scenty didn’t mean to sound hostile, but she still feels like she snapped at the group, judging from their expressions. Even if she was only being a little blunt. “Sorry, It’s just… Airy, you know?” 
“Yeah,” the two said at the same time. Clearly nobody enjoyed the situation.

Liam, however, sheepishly continued, “By the– By the way, I’m pretty sure that both me and Bryce agree that, uh, if we didn’t kind of need to, we’d just ignore Airy and all stay together. I miss you guys so much when I… don’t get to see you…”
Bryce interrupted Liam as he trailed off. “Liam, what are you… Scenty, uh, it’s just because of ONE, we’re just desperate for–”
“I know,” Scenty brushed some more cobwebs away. “I feel the same way. I can’t talk to anyone that I knew before about ONE because it was so different, so hard to explain. We all experienced the same thing, right? That's why we feel that.” 
“Yeah, definitely.” 
“Exactly,” Scenty hummed as she got rid of the last visible cobwebs, but she still brushed some more. “It’s just, we’ve all been ruined by this same person, who is now probably trying to drink my tap water and give me a present every day. I’ll have to see him every day and it’s just…”

“Huh? Every day?” Bryce said. 
Scenty blinked. She felt like her heart almost stopped. “You’re not… staying?”
“Maybe not for all of time,” Bryce responded, before pausing. He was trying to say something, but he most likely couldn't word it. “But for as long as possible… Yeah, I think.” 
Liam, however, continued where Bryce left off, as if he was trying to one-up the last interruption. “He will not survive if he lives away from you, now that he knows where you are."

Scenty walked closer to Liam and Bryce, who were still on the couch. “Could you both… stand up?” Scenty requested. 
As the two stood up, she pulled them towards herself, bringing them in for a hug, almost trying to squeeze the life out of her friends.
She was a little too short to hold them both as well as she'd like, but they held her. They were together. 
They were finally together again.
She never wanted this moment to end. Breathing in and smelling the actual outside world on them. Nothing as artificial as the Plane. It was real, and she could pretend she was always here. She could pretend that it's always been this way, that these were her best friends, and not just some almost-strangers that went to her for reasons she still didn't understand. 
Maybe they did really just need someone who also went through ONE.

“Oh!” Liam broke out of the hug, rummaging through his main compartment. “Would you like to meet Texty?” 
Scenty took in a deep breath. They were the one who replaced Scenty’s spot in–   
She smiled after her sigh. She was ready to mostly put all of that behind her. Everything besides Airy and her name, at least. “…Sure, actually.”

Texty was… nice. They had a personality and were nice to finally talk to, at least outside of the mind-numbing stress of ONE. Their actual body raised more questions than answers, but Scenty didn't hesitate to ask them.
Things were a bit better.

It's been a while since she saw Airy, but later she could see the guy peeking out from corners to look at the group.

Chapter Text

 11:57 AM, December 24th.

Hunter snatched his phone from the bedside table. He couldn’t sleep. He felt bad, he and Aaron hadn’t talked in ages. A week at most, but still… After their argument, Aaron didn’t want to spend Christmas Eve with him. Or… probably the next few ones, now. He didn't blame him.
He was a dick to him, that was true, and he’d apologise in person, but he’ll first just check on him for now. See how... How Aaron was doing. What he said was pretty heavy, especially to someone who trusted and loved him so much.
He called Aaron's phone, but nobody picked up. Airy never liked talking on the phone, and barely listened along at times, but he tried again. 
And again. 

12:01 AM, December 25th.

He’d just leave a text. 
“heyyy airy!! it’s around midnight here, and i realised it’s now xmas (or really really late xmas where you are!)” Hunter sent the message. It stayed unread.  
He continued, “soz for being a cunt last time we talked. BTW you don’t have to answer my calls right now i know you’re working but… give me a call,” he quickly replaced the word call with a phone emoji, he felt it helped the flow of his sentences while typing, “soon ok? not forcing or anything. i know you like time out when we get pissed at each other.” 
Unread. Hopefully he wasn’t sleeping on the road, like the night owl he was.

It was scary to think about that. To think about Aaron losing sleep over what he said, over what it implied. Hunter was angry, though, he couldn't think straight, he just– he just… didn't say all of it in the heat of the moment, focusing on winning the argument rather than explaining something so new to Aaron.

12:05 AM.

Hunter was worried, he shouldn’t be. It’s happened many times before, and he just needed some space. Especially now. But Hunter just had to be the protective big brother, watching over every move his little Airy made.
“Airy??” Send. “Aaron what’s wrong” Send. “Are you OK? Please read my messages.” Send.

It should be midday over there, right?

12:06 AM.

He put his phone down, staring up at the ceiling. He was impatient, that’s all. The phone, perhaps a few seconds later, buzzed with a notification. Thank god, he was alright—
The number was... Aaron's work. He often asked them how he was faring, but this time they contacted him first…

“Is this Hunter Lanthorne?” 

Hunter's hands shook as he held the phone. He could barely type out his questions, but deep down, he probably knew what was going on. He almost choked out the beginnings of a sob. 
It didn't happen again.

12:13 AM.

He was gone. His little Airy was gone, along with someone else in the crash, but mostly him! He was gone and it was just like that, instantly dead and… there was no changing it. Hunter curled up in the hotel’s bed, biting down on a clump of the bedsheets and letting out a muffled scream. 
He was the only person in the room, but suddenly he felt even more alone, thinking about ways he could have changed it.

12:18 AM.

He stopped screaming just then, instead just thinking to himself over what had happened in the first place.

They said it was probably deliberate – or at least proof of him being reckless while driving – as he didn’t bother to steer in time, but Hunter didn’t believe that. He could’ve underslept, he could’ve been overworked, he could’ve… followed in his footsteps… Even if it was deliberate, Hunter wouldn't ever believe it. It would eat him up inside. 
Hunter could’ve been there. If he was a better brother, he might’ve managed to convince him to not drive at that time, or not tell him about… that…
But he didn't do that and so he wasn't a better brother. He wasn’t even a brother anymore, or a son. He really had nobody to turn to, to scream and cry towards. His little Airy didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to die the same terrible way they both did. 

Opening up his phone once more, he navigated to his emails. A small film studio had contacted him for a small acting job, and his previous response declined the offer, saying he was looking to be often close to his brother, just in case. But now? He’ll try and take the job. He had nothing to lose.

It was morning, and the sunlight pooling in from a window had woken him up. Airy had slept on a corner where the walls and the floor met. It was uncomfortable, but he didn’t feel like moving.
He wanted to be on Earth, didn’t he? He wanted to get a good look at ideas for the next season, but now all he wanted to do was go home.  
It was a sickening feeling, having no access to the computer.

The front door was open, and most of the group was outside, talking. The words were muffled and what he could hear was unimportant filler. 
Still, he walked closer.
Scenty muttered to herself, “Hmm… Lucy’s not here today. Bummer.” 
The second voice was most likely… Backpack, that was his name, “Who’s Lucy?” 
“Oh! He’s one of my neighbours. Doesn’t like to talk, but sometimes I hear him play the piano.”
“Huh…” Backpack hummed.

Airy walked outside. Scenty was the first to welcome him, the smile on her face fading as she remembered who she was looking at, “Hey… Airy.”
“I’m going tooo... get something," Airy said, not even greeting her back.
Scenty spoke again, her tone light and soft as if she was beckoning an animal. “What are you getting, Airy?”
“I’ll… see.” 
Soda Bottle cleared his throat, “Is… Is that my wallet?” 
“Yeahh…?” 
“Airy. Did you seriously take my wallet?” 
“Yeahhh,” Airy winced, breathing in the silence. “I’m going to… go, now.” Airy blinked, before walking out into the distance. Nobody stopped him, for some reason that he never focused on. Perhaps it was easier to let him wander off than try and come to an agreement over insignificant things.
Whatever the case, it meant he wouldn’t be watched.

Lucius heard most of it.
A cacophony of anger at Amelia’s place. Someone was fighting there. Perhaps she had owed some money, or perhaps… 
The muffled topic of a sibling came up often through the walls. She didn’t often talk about family, so maybe… 

It didn’t concern him, really, as they weren’t after him, and that’s what mattered. 
Yet the topic stayed in his mind like a plague, as he walked into an aisle to get some groceries. He didn’t like wasting money on too many material possessions, but food was important. 

His focus was interrupted when he saw a distinct figure roaming the halls. It didn’t have a noticeable limp, but they seemed to walk slowly, with a lack of focus in anything but his expression. 
A lantern, of copper or maybe bronze. Half of his glass bulb was sh—

The sound of glass breaking echoed throughout the vehicle.

Shattered, the edges slightly smooth, as if it was from an old, albeit untreated wound.
The figure soon walked out of view from the aisle, but Lucius followed. A mix of morbid curiosity and a sense of familiarity had befallen him, and he set out to satiate both. 
The lantern was explicitly younger than Lucius, but he could tell that from a glance. Not because of any information, but as a hunch. What he could see was that there was mild amounts of wear and tear nearly everywhere on the metal.  
He could not relate, as his own material was malleable and easy to reform, but he didn’t usually see urban objects with such deterioration, even if it’s only scratches.

However, after a point of trailing through the aisles with the lantern, he soon came to realise that this person was going in an erratic, unpredictable, circle. 
Lucius sped up his pace, overtaking the mysterious figure before confronting them, “Hey, excuse me, mate… Are you alright? You seem to be lost.”
“Hhhuh…? I’m fine…” The lantern both seemed to nod and shake his head as he continued walking. Their voice was monotone, reflecting a distance from everything around them. 
Lucius, however, didn’t let up, and continued to talk, “You’re walking in a circle. Are you looking for something?”
“…Yeeah? It’s somewhere, thoughh…” 
“Can you describe it for me? I’ll… help.”
“Uh… oookay. Where are the… reeds?” Oh, this guy was really lost.
Lucius winced, “As in the plant? They don’t have any here. Why’d you need them?” 
The lantern’s expression changed slightly, as if that was common knowledge. “Uh… Bedding.” 
“Why… Why not a mattress, with some blankets? Less work, and not to mention it’s more comfortable?” 
“I don’t… want that.”
“Well, there’s really no reeds, so how about we sit and talk?” 
The lantern, however, adamantly shook their head, almost stumbling as he did so. After another second of silence, they walked off, as Lucius stayed and watched. 

The chance of survival was incredibly slim, and yet he was here. He managed to pry some shards of glass out and clamber out of the car door, only sustaining a major dent and some smaller wounds. The other vehicle was ruined, and smoke was in the air. 

Chandler turned to the bashed windscreen of his car, the entire front of it almost crumpled up like a can of soda. 
Jutting out from it in unpredictable angles were beams of glass, fragile and half-broken, and a giant lid. 
Lisa. 

So, in an impulsive decision, Lucius held the small amounts of groceries he did buy in one bag, and ran after the lantern.

Chris held up and shook his poster, eyes darting to his phone. He already had enough problems on his slate, getting that guy over would be a nightmare.
But he deserved to know, and Chris had to tell him. Chris had to tell him that something's changed, that he's back. He doesn't know what that guy would do, though…

Eventually he gave up and picked up the phone. Hunter picked up on the other side quickly, despite it being rather late over there.
“What…?” Hunter groaned, actually pretty tired for what it's worth.
Chris spoke quietly, voice shaking. “Promise you won't get pissed?”
“Oh boy, sure. Whatever. What is it, though?”

“Aaron's alive, and I saw him.”

Chapter Text

The cueball collided with the rest, causing the balls to ricochet off of each other. When the chaos calmed down, Aaron winced. None of them fell into any pocket, let alone his.  
Twirling the cue stick, Aaron glanced up at his opponent. A glass bottle with a cocky smirk. 
“You’re new to this, aren’t you?” 
“No,” Aaron murmured, careful not to raise his voice, even when he wanted to fight this guy.
The bottle leaned on his cue stick, “You are, aren't you! Or, at least compared to me.”
Aaron watched as his opponent aimed at the cueball, before—

—before he could do anything else, he immediately tried to hold on tight to the wheel, trying harder and harder to swerve. It wasn’t going to end like this. He was going to try and make it, to not leave this world with such a sour note. He leaned to the side as he turned the wheel harder and harder, pushing his arms to the limit.
The vehicle refused to turn, though, and as he barrelled towards the car, the momentum launched him forwards towards the driver’s wheel and what he saw next he couldn't put into words.

The vines were cleanly cut, and Aaron slowly walked into the entrance, looking out for any inhabitant. 
There was nothing but a computer setup, lodged against the unstable, rocky ground. It looked clean, and out of place compared to the natural cave. 
What looked even more out of place were the several planets that rested in the air, with nothing pulling them up or down.  
He winced, looking back at the entrance. 
He shouldn’t be here.

“Sorry, uh… sorry… but before the challenge starts, I’ll have to actually… get the rocks, sorry.” 
Aaron stepped outside, breathing in the fresh forest air. The only people in this area were him and those on the planet, and he couldn’t help but drown in the loneliness.
He was exhausted, too exhausted to think about what specific rock to pick. He’d just grab the first five. Walking on the wet grass, he reached the waterfall. The crashing of the water kept him alert, but he still needed the rest soon. After this challenge. 
Clutching the rocks close to himself, he walked back and put them on a neat pile next to the planet. Picking up the first one, he yawned. Aaron was forgetting something. 
As he held the first rock, his hand slipped. The rock crashed onto the planet, the soft ground breaking apart as the rock crashed into the planet, the soft ground breaking apart as the rock crashed into the planet, the soft contestants breaking apart into what looked like little fragments of themselves as the rock crashed into the planet as the rock was dropped onto the planet as softly and carelessly as possible, yet still causing carnage that Aaron couldn’t solve. He dropped the rock. 
He dropped it. 
After a minute of being frozen in place, he spoke up, voice trembling. “…Are you still—”

Scratch, scratch… 
Scratch, scratch…  
Aaron held the knife shakily. 

He had woken up earlier than he should’ve. It was raining, and the peaceful pattering of droplets soon became a coalescence of noise that he couldn’t quite sleep through. 
Not with… what happened still racing in his mind. 
It left a sour taste in his mouth, but he was unsure if it was guilt, or if it was, indeed, just the lack of sleep. His mind wandered, still. 
If he went to that place when he died, then they would have to, as well. Or maybe they didn’t. He didn’t know which was worse. 
What he did know was how messed up it was to begin with.

He kept on scratching with the knife. It was made out of copper, although it was rough and green, with the original colour only visible in a crevice or two. 
He found it a few days ago, as he wandered without purpose. There wasn’t much to do here, so he tried fishing things out from the water. The knife was dull, but it still – barely – worked. 
A knife, cut vines, cut logs… 
Someone was here before him… or he was just grasping for straws… was it grasping at straws? He didn’t really know…  
He doesn’t really know how clearly he’s thinking as his mind buzzes through topics as he continues the almost-mindless task. 
…and he can’t look back at the vines or logs, as they’ve been moved. Maybe if he had known earlier… 
…He would kill to have a friend. But he wouldn’t– He shouldn’t. He would most likely just take them away from their home, for no reason… Wasn’t he just thinking about that? 
He doesn’t like the thought of what he did, but the loneliness gets unbearable. 
And then what, what if he did it again? What would he say? The same thing he said before? 
He sometimes wonders where she went. The one who flipped through the radio with him. Did she ever find her way back? Should he have stayed with her? 
He should at least have said goodbye.

Scratch, scratch… 
Scratch. 
“…Oh,” Aaron mumbled to himself, looking at what he had done.
Aaron held up the chunk of wood closer to him, his face twisting into a frown. 
The underside of the chunk had four protrusions that jutted out at erratic angles, and on the other side, around the end, another protrusion was visible, with two ears. 
He had tried to make a dog.
He had forgotten to keep the tail.

He put the ‘dog’ next to some more uncarved chunks of wood, resting them all against the back of his little temporary home. There, they could get a nice view of the rushing water, or maybe even the trees.
He liked taking care of small things, although sometimes he messes up, like how he–

He really doesn’t want to go back to sleep, to lie still and be subject to constant reminders of a simple accident. 
Maybe if he knew better, maybe if he looked harder… then he, at the very least, wouldn’t be alone. 
Aaron stepped around in a circle on the wet grass. The rain pittered along his lid, the sounds reverberating around his head. 
He was just stalling for time, just to keep his mind from wandering, but… 

As he looked up towards the night sky, he wished he could at least see the stars from here.

Aaron’s hands fished around in the sand.  
He hasn’t eaten in a while, but he also hasn’t starved.

He was looking for rocks, he guessed. He had one in his hand already, one that he scratched often, but more wouldn’t hurt. 
He really was just looking for anything to keep his mind off of– 
Scratch, scratch, scratch…   
He couldn’t fully stop himself from thinking about what he’s done, but at least he could focus on something else. Even if it did feel painful to hold one of the many rocks that could have potentially killed them. It wasn't this one, at least.
But it could've been.

It was calm here. Everything was alright here. He kept on thinking these simplistic thoughts, scratching at anything with an edge. It did feel calm after a while.
At least, until he jumped back from the sand.

The underwater sand broke away so similarly to the ground on the planet, and when he brushed his hand across it– and while distracted, he couldn’t really bother to double-check– he could only see those 'Contestants' crushed and buried and crushed and–
He ran from the water.
It took a few minutes to move from how he was standing, staring down into the water as if something else would happen. But nothing did, and the silence was unbearable

Aaron didn’t go down to the water for a while, instead finding himself walking across the forest, trying to explore this world. There were signs of someone being here before, so he went out to look for society. He didn’t like the quiet, but at least he passed with his cassette player. Which he left at the cave, sadly. He didn't want to go back there, not so soon. Not with the memory fresh in his head.
He headed east, or what he assumed was east– He headed left from the waterfall, that was all. 
The sun was high in the sky.

At some point, he didn’t remember what he saw.  
He walked past trees and more trees, across a little creek, and over a strangely large rock, but every time he tried to recall what happened after these sparse memories, there was nothing.  All he knows is that he was walking.  He often zoned out like this back home, but never when trying to explore. Never now.

He approached the waterfall from the right – but then again, he could just be misremembering which direction he came from.
Or he could just have gotten lost. There wasn't anything to see out there, he guesses.
The sun was setting, hours before it should have.  

He had a headache after his walk.

His head then hurt throughout the next day, and he was having trouble remembering any minor events, which then led to him not remembering how he got inside the cave or in the middle of the forest, which led to him blinking at the sky, looking up from his makeshift bed of grass.  
His eyes were half-open, barely shielding him from the glare of the sun. He tried to move his arm once to shield his eyes, but he couldn't get himself to. Every time he lost focus, he swore the sun’s place in the sky changed with each blink. It rose and fell faster than it could ever have. 
Whatever thoughts he had on this were also forgotten.

One time during this, he opened his eyes to a night sky. There still weren’t any stars, but this time he couldn’t remember what he felt about it.
Before, he thought the lack of stars was depressing, but now… 
Nothing. 
He just looked at the sky like he always did, sprawled across the ground as everything happened around him.

Needless to say, he was glad when his head cleared after a few days, even though nothing happened during his break. He just needed some time to rest. After all, the stress of the accident was…   
A bit too much sometimes.  
He didn’t mean it, and even now he felt sick looking at the cave.

He didn't try to go back out there, though. 

Airy gently dipped the water into his handmade bowl. He had no need for food or drink here, but he still wouldn’t mind using the water for something. The water quickly spilled out of the gaps in the bowl, so he was quick. 
Tossing the water into his face, he spat and coughed. It washed him, though, and that was enough. He had a lot to do today. 
There was some water stuck in the cave, for starters. If it rained again, the computer might actually get drenched. Grabbing some moss, he hesitantly went back into the cave.

The rock was still on the planet. He didn’t know if… they were still underneath the rock, nor would he want to know. He pushed the planet to the far edge of the cave, before leaving and returning with the clump of moss he left on a sunny rock. Squeezing it, water dripped out from his hand. He tapped the moss against the water. He tried to dry the moss in the sunlight for a few hours beforehand, but it was still damp. Mostly because Airy didn’t actually… expect it to rain again last night. It did not absorb water that well, but it got the job done. A little bit.

He tossed the waterlogged moss into the water, huffing after realising how long it took for the water to lower enough for it to not be anxiety inducing. 
He had no idea why he’d even protect the computer. If he got tired of the isolation, then surely he could just die and try somewhere else. He didn’t need to bring people out there.

He’s not sure if he wants to die. Every time he crosses the bridge, for example, he gets a little too frightened, a little too hesitant. He liked it here. It was calm, it was peaceful, he didn’t mind it! And this is all hypothetical, of course. The isolation wasn’t getting to him, even as the days blurred together. People have survived worse, it’s only been… three years? It’s only been three years. 

It’s only been…

No matter how long he thinks he’s been here for, no time really can describe it. He’s been forgetting most of what was back home, so maybe it was just… better here. Maybe these were just things he ought to forget?

He went into the cave, holding a damp clump of moss. It had rained last night, and the water level inside the cave was actually concerning him. Luckily, the water level was lower than he expected.