Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Calming MePhone down turned out to be easy enough.

"Fear is a normal reaction."

"Crying is not a sign of weakness."

"You did your best."

"No one is mad at you anymore."

MePhone got up off the ground and looked up at MePad, shaking off his tears. His eyes were still sad, but a faint smile began to appear on his face. He folded his hands in front of him out of habit and nodded gratefully. Yet, his gaze was directed somewhere to the side, trying to avoid direct eye contact with MePad.

"Thank you very much..." MePhone thanked him. Instead of keeping his fingers locked together, he fiddled with them nervously. He clearly wanted to do something.

"No need to thank me, MePhone, it's just my job."

"No, you..." He got nervous, "you didn't even get angry when you came to calm me down..."

MePad didn't quite understand that statement. "Was I supposed to?"

"Well, Mr. Cobs would've been angry," at the mention of Cobs, a cheerful note came through in MePhone's voice. "He doesn't like it when I cry."

Is his thought process attached to him that tightly?

"Hey..." MePhone glanced awkwardly into MePad's eyes before averting them again. His fingers intertwined nervously. "Can I hug you?"

The thing he said left MePad slightly stunned.

MePhone's question was irrational. He had already made physical contact with him without asking permission, so what was the point of asking him now?

"What?" MePad's voice was steady enough.

Upon hearing his reply, MePhone immediately waved his hands in front of him in panic. "No, no, I'm sorry I..."

"I am not angry, I just don't understand why you're asking," MePad clarified, softening his tone. ItIt was necessary to stabilize MePhone's condition right now. "When you take my hand, you are not asking my permission to do so."

"I... had to?" MePhone's eyebrows raised and genuine confusion appeared on his face.

"That is for you to know."

"Uh..." MePhone hesitated putting a finger to his lips in confusion. "No, it's just that, you know, taking your hand is a job duty thing. And hugging is, well..." His gaze flickered. "Well Mr. Cobs says you can't hug without permission and..."

Referencing him again. MePad felt annoyed and disgusted.

He had thought, that by stepping out of Cobs' immediate territory, and leaving MePhone with no direct contact with him, MePhone's fixation on him would be diminished at least a bit.

He couldn't let MePhone have everything come down to him all the time.

"You can hug me."

"I can?!" MePhone's eyes widened and he twitched in surprise. "Just like that?! Do you really mean it? Oh, Mr. Co—"

Again.

Without further words, MePad smoothly raised his hands and pulled MePhone closer.  His hands closed around MePhone's slightly shrunken and trembling shoulders. MePad held him. MePhone was slightly warm due to the active work of his internal components.

This tactile sensation was unusual. The last time MePhone had hugged him was after his memories were restored. That had been quite a long time ago.

As the trembling in MePhone's body began to gradually subside, his arms wrapped around MePad in return. His fingers hooked into his clothes. MePhone pressed himself against him and tucked his screen tightly into the fabric. It was as if he wanted to press himself against MePad as hard as he could.

There were no tears or nose sniffles from MePhone, only artificial breathing, returning to a normal rhythm. The panic had been successfully controlled.

MePad felt a slight sense of satisfaction from the task accomplished, but then a more unpleasant feeling followed.

A stinging pity for this updated and ruined version of MePhone, which continued to cling to Cobs and everything he said or did, seeking comfort in it. And even if this version of MePhone was somehow more stable than the previous one, it was far more vulnerable.

The same sense of injustice for him as MePad had for The Contestants began to grow inside.

Why should fully formed individuals always have to be part of something created by someone else? Why don't they feel they can be more? Why can't they be allowed to be something more?

MePhone needed to be saved too, that was an objective truth.

They returned to the lounge on foot. This decision was made so that MePhone could fully calm down and put his thoughts in order. MePad rather wanted to stall for time, as well as observe MePhone's mannerisms without other people around for a little longer.

MePhone's hand held his once again. This time, however, his grip was more tenacious. He probably wanted to hold MePad's hand now more for his own reassurance than for the fulfillment of his duties.

As they drew closer, MePad couldn't help but give Floor credit. The sound of panic and loss that was present there earlier had been replaced by a heavy tension. No one was screaming, sobbing, or thrashing around. The Contestants were still as nervous as before, but now they were just talking to each other, clearly waiting for MePhone to arrive. The important thing was that their affective state was gone.

On the way, MePad asked MePhone to be kinder to them. He explained, that they were scared and discouraged. He saw MePhone nod with a quiet hum, but knowing him, MePad really couldn't be sure of anything. He could only hope that his words would be taken into account.

Floor's groundy figure formed in front of them. The smile on his face was clearly made more out of politeness than anything else. It was evident that he was getting tired.

"Oh, there you two are," his voice sounded a little off , but more concerned than aggressive. "MePhone, you good?"

Smiling, MePhone dropped to one knee to be level with Floor. "Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry."

MePad's gaze shifted to The Contestants. Looking at their confusion, knowing that they knew nothing at all about what was going on, he couldn't stop feeling guilty.

"I am glad to see The Contestants appear to be feeling better," he said without taking his eyes off them.

Floor raised a little higher and looked in the same direction. MePad noticed his lips tighten.

"Right... They were actually quite harsh with me." Floor looked away. He was clearly a bit uncomfortable. "Or rather, with me helping you two and apparently someone named Mr. Corn."

"Mr. Cobs!" MePhone cheerfully put in his word.

"Oh, yeah, him too."

Suddenly, MePhone looked around as if searching for something, and his eyes widened.

"Wait, where are MeTags?" He tried not to give away the worry in his voice.

"I told 'em to sit down and rest. Some refused to talk to me because of these two..."

MePad was sure that the list of some definitely included Knife, Suitcase, and Test Tube. Probably Fan as well.

Either way, that was fair enough.

"And where are they supposed to be now?" MePhone asked.

"In the lounge, as..."

Without listening to Floor, he immediately straightened up and ran into the lounge building, no longer trying to keep himself cool.

Such behavior on MePhone's part was expected. After all, MeTags were Cobs' property, and he couldn't let anything happen to them. Both because they belonged to Cobs, and because Cobs had entrusted them to him, which definitely meant a lot to MePhone. Maybe something else as well.

Having no other options, MePad had already headed into the building after him, but only when he approached the doors, MePhone's, holding the hands of two MeTags, returned back.

"Oh..." MePhone walked over to Floor, who didn't even have time to move from his spot. MePad followed him back. "Floor, please, be careful with them! I vouch for them," his tone was serious.

MePad wasn't sure if MePhone meant to scold him the way Cobs would have. He hoped he was wrong.

Without waiting for a response from Floor, MePhone turned to MeTags and folded his arms across his chest.

"After me and MePad, Toilet and Floor should be the priority, and after the two of them," MePhone pointed his finger at The Contestants crowding not far from them, "The Contestants."

MePhone's voice was still serious, but there was still that innocent naivety in it.

MePad couldn't help but compare him to Cobs.

Cobs would have obviously found a shorter way to put it. Perhaps he wouldn't even use words. He wouldn't have used the pointing intonation in his speech, he would have simply given instructions. MePad didn't know how MeTags were set up, so he could only guess. Since MePhone clearly knew what he was doing, Cobs must have explained to him how to work with them.

"Please, let's work hard today! I'm counting on you!" MePhone said with a smile. His face showed that he was excited.

MePad's gaze relaxed slightly.

Neither the old MePhone nor Cobs would have been so polite to them, but seeing that MePhone had that same desire to run the show was good.

He turned toward MePad and Floor, who had been quietly watching him the whole time.

Judging by his cheerful mood, he was ready to get to work.

"Anyway!" MePhone clapped his hands confidently. "MePad, can you please teleport everyone to the Contestant Grounds?"

"I—"

"Wait!" Floor interrupted him, forming out of the ground right in front of MePhone. "Hey, MePhone..."

"Yes?" He leaned in, slightly turning his hands to the side. "Do you have any questions?" MePhone's eyebrows rose in anticipation.

MePad tensed.

On the one hand, it was an extremely convenient moment for him to have a quick talk with The Contestants while MePhone was distracted. But on the other hand, it was still very important for him to start understanding Floor and his attitude toward MePhone.

No, he should stay here for now. Although this opportunity seems good, he should wait to make the first move. Everything will come down to MePhone anyway, as he is the key to everything that is going on.

If he can understand Floor better, he will have another approach to MePhone.

He will talk to The Contestants, but now is not the right time.

"Are ya sure you're... fine? I kept hearing everyone say you're not yourself, so I wondered, and you really are acting a little weird." There was genuine concern in Floor's voice. He hesitated periodically, apparently trying to choose the least harsh words possible.

As he listened to his words, MePhone's smile faded. When Floor finished, MePhone squatted down and folded his arms in front of him.

He and Floor looked at each other dejectedly.

"I said that I lost my memories, right?"

"Yeah, you did, but..."

"There, you see?” MePhone narrowed his eyes. It was clear that he didn't want to argue or prove anything to someone he considered a friend. "And that behavior on the show was just an act. I understand that it's probably hard for you as well, but please accept me for who I am now, okay?"

They looked at each other silently.

There was no doubt that MePhone was happy. He may have faced problems and misunderstandings from others now, but overall, the smile never left his face for long. He was full of enthusiasm that kept propelling him forward to fulfill his desire to host a reality show. Even though he knew he had already done it in the past, it had no real meaning to him. For MePhone, it wasn't himself anyway.

And now he wanted to transfer his energy and joy to Floor. Someone, who was just as cheerful and easygoing. However, he couldn't take that desire for lighthearted fun so casually. Certainly not after learning that he and his friends were created to be part of a game and never anything more.

Floor looked down. "Are... Are you saying that everything that happened on the show doesn't matter now?" The tone of his voice made it clear that he wanted to be wrong.

"Of course not!" MePhone hastened to reassure him. Smiling, he placed a hand on Floor's shoulder. "I mean, it was everything to you and the others, but we'll create many more new memories and stories."

He grinned encouragingly, to which Floor did the same to him in return. However, sadness and some disappointment were still visible.

"Alright," MePhone said rising as Floor disappeared back into the ground. "Now it's for sure."

His gaze came to The Contestants for a second, then shifted to MePad. MePhone's face showed his determination and anticipation.

"MePad, teleport us all to the Contestant Grounds please! It's time to begin!"

The magenta glow disappeared, and all twenty people, including MeTags, were transferred to the large, open clearing, where MePhone used to conduct the challenges. Floor appeared from the ground beside him.

If it weren't for the presence of the apple trees, MePad might have thought this was the only place left untouched by Cobs' vision.

The Contestants shrieked in surprise at the sudden teleportation.

"Great, now what?" Knife sighed unhappily.

Fan frowned and folded his arms. "Are we seriously going to do challenges again as if nothing happened?"

Their gazes were directed toward MePhone, who stepped in front of the crowd. He held his hands behind his back like Cobs always did. MePhone definitely wanted to emulate his nonchalant smug look as well, but he didn't have the self-control to do so.

Some time ago, that very look was exactly what made him lose it.

"Greetings and salutations! I am your host, MePhone 4, and this is Inanimate Insanity season four. A new beginning for the beloved franchise! This season will see the introduced earlier selected Contestants, will be facing off, thus beginning a new era for the show!"

MePhone's gaze was directed above where The Contestants themselves were standing. It was clear that even his words weren't addressed to them. This was only a scripted part.

"Selected?" Paintbrush asked, tilting their head in repulsion. "Selected by who?"

The grin on MePhone's face grew stronger.

"Selected by our new producer, the creator of me and many other great technologies, and, of course, the CEO of Meeple — Steve Cobs!"

MePhone spread his arms triumphantly, and a large, thin monitor materialized behind him, displaying Cobs' portrait. Making some gesture to MeTags, he stepped back so as not to block it, and MePad did the same, but from the opposite side. Then, MeTags stepped around the portrait screen, got down on one knee, and clapped their hands.

This was clearly some part that MePhone had been told to do, as his speech sounded too confident, and MeTags just wouldn't act that way. There was such a sense of falseness in this introduction.

The Contestants shivered.

While most of tensed visibly due to the pressuring stare, Test Tube was the only one who stared back. Her gaze conveyed hatred and contempt.

Glancing at the others, who caught MePad's eyes was Suitcase. She was trembling. She clasped her eyes shut and, trying to calm down, folded in on herself, rubbing her bare upper arms.

Fear of Cobs was a natural thing for The Contestants. Knife and Suitcase, being the ones who had to fight him face to face, were able to go against their own instincts and overcome them. Although it was as unnatural for them as leaving the show was for Marshmallow. And now, even having overcome it in the past, being created again, they were once again subject to their mindsets.

"So," MePhone broke the silence, "before we begin, there's something I need to do."

He removed the screen, causing an audible sigh of relief, and stepped closer to The Contestants.

Knife put a hand on Suitcase's shoulder to let her know she was safe now. She flinched, but when she saw Knife, she sighed in relief and smiled weakly.

"Are you all okay?" MePhone asked, noticing her reaction. "You've had some time to catch your breath, so I really hope you're all feeling okay at the moment!"

"Okay?!" Nickel looked at him angrily. MePhone turned around and shrugged his shoulders in surprise. "Such indifference is too much even for you. How do you expect us to be okay leaving more than half of all our friends dead?!"

Test Tube glanced at Microphone and Taco. "Cobs really has a taste problem, since he decided that out of everyone else, a good choice would be to put a murderer with us."

"What was he guided by anyway?" Fan supported the general indignation.

"Wait—wait—wait!" MePhone said loudly, trying to interrupt the general rumbling.

He stepped back a bit so that he could see all The Contestants in front of him again.

"Please, no need to yell, it won't get you anywhere!" MePhone definitely wanted to sound demanding and confident, but the final result sounded more like a plea. It made sense, especially considering his reaction to being yelled at.

"I know there's a lot you don't understand, but let's go over it again! It is not as tricky as you think!" An uplifting smile appeared on his face, which, however, had no effect. "It's just a new season, but with a different direction! And when you're eliminated, you will be able to meet up again with those who aren't participating!"

"Meet where?" OJ asked in a depressed voice. He had looked the most unemotional all this time, almost like Blueberry. This was most likely due to his deep emotional turmoil from losing his loved ones, as well as the hotel.

MePhone folded his hands behind his back again and smirked enigmatically. "One thing at a time! You'll see everything!"

This answer made MePad worried.

Throughout the entire preparation process, neither MePhone nor Cobs had said anything about where The Contestants would go after getting eliminated. Apparently, Cobs had simply talked it over without MePad, so as not to make him unnecessarily wary.

Seeing no place on the island where, in theory, The eliminated Contestants could be sent, MePad accordingly decided that Cobs would just delete them. Whether that was the way MePhone did it, or the way Cobs had done it not so long ago, MePad wasn't sure, hoping for the first option.

However, since MePhone was talking about a meeting, it was clearly more than just a simple deletion.

"As for Mr. Cobs' choice, these are all organizational matters I can't tell you about," MePhone smiled awkwardly and looked away.

"He made you sign an NDA?!" Fan asked fearfully.

MePhone left his question unanswered.

"Back to the topic," he said, looking at The Contestants determinedly.

MePad noticed an increasing green glow on his screen. A second later, and with a bright flash, sleek, rubber bracelets with glass screens appeared on the wrist of each of The Contestants.

Meeple Watches.

MePad's tension was rising. What other details was he not being told? And why did The Contestants need these watches in the first place? For promotional purposes?

"What appeared on your wrist is a Meeple Watch! It—" Nickel interrupted him.

"We know it can tell time!" He said with annoyance, furiously fiddling with the strap. "Balloon already—"

"Please stop interrupting me!" MePhone's voice dropped to something resembling a pitiful and helpless squeak. "At this rate, we'll never get started..." He added frustratedly.

After waiting a few seconds, and hearing no further objections, MePhone returned to his imitation of Cobs. Though The Contestants were silent, the hatred combined with fear was well conveyed on their faces.

"So! Meeple Watch can do what your other devices can't because it's on your wrist. When you wear it, you get meaningful health insights, a fitness partner that measures all the ways you move, a connection to the people you care about most, and advanced safety features." The tone of his voice was smooth. It was one of the parts he had memorized. "Also, in your case, you can always look up the information you need regarding the show. Who are still competing, where they are, their teams, and the map of the island. The functions of the device are unlimited for you, but..." MePhone's gaze shifted and he fell silent.

Of course, as soon as The Contestants got their watches, the first thing they tried to do was get rid of them. Not just take it off, but rip it off or chew on it too. MePad didn't understand these behaviors at first, but it was only after he took a closer look that he noticed the reason. The strap had no buckle. The monolithic rubber just fit tightly against the skin, and MePhone had made it so that it wouldn't stretch like a natural material, so simply swiping the watch off the hand was impossible.

"Please don't try to take it off like that, you'll only ruin it!" MePhone said, looking at Knife, who was trying to cut the rubber.

"Thanks, but I don't need anyone tracking where I am," Knife snickered through his teeth. He continued his attempts to rip the rubber, but only left light marks on it. "And the heartbeat? That's just creepy!"

"It's not creepy, it's for taking care of your own health!"

"So you're trying to tell us that this information is not being sent to the corporation?" Test Tube cut in with a sarcastic question.

Turning to her, MePhone only blinked in confusion. "Why are you talking about it like it's a bad thing?" The sincere bewilderment in his voice sounded mocking.

"So you're not even denying it?" She frowned and folded her arms across her chest.

"H-Hey!" MePhone waved his hands in an offended manner. "Cabby also collects information about you!" Judging by his voice, this was just a desperate shot at random. He just needed to say something to defend himself.

Hearing her name, Cabby sighed and joined the conversation. "I collected, and I've already apologized for that! And I have it limited to personal interest, when in the case of your company, though," she pointed her finger at the tag with the Meeple logo on MePhone's chest, "we're talking about a who-ole other scale."

MePhone pursed his lips angrily and was about to reply, but Silver Spoon was ahead of him.

"You've already given us these rags," he pinched the fabric of his t-shirt sleeves with disgust, "and now this rubber clamp?"

"It's a replica of the SE version because it's the most affordable one! It's for marketing purposes!" Exclaimed MePhone with indignation. "And it's not the strap that matters, it's the functionality!"

Fan huffed sharply. "Oh, functionality? Really?" A clear sarcasm could be heard in his voice. "Can't I make calls and share my location with my phone?" He raised his hand with his watch, and stared at it in disgust.

"Phone!" Test Tube exclaimed the second Fan finished.

She took an abrupt step toward MePhone, and he, slightly shuddering with fear, glanced at the MeTags.

"Where is the phone?" Her tone was flat and serious.

"What?" MePhone quickly asked in a quiet voice.

Test Tube's eyebrows didn't move as she looked at him demandingly.

"The phone I made for Fan, the one with my logo on it. It wasn't supposed to... No, it couldn't disappear."

Suddenly, Microphone joined her.

"Exactly, Test Tube! You're right!" She ran up to her with rounded eyes, holding confused Taco by her hand.

MePhone took a step back. Now, they were both looking down at him.

"Where's Soap's phone?! That pink MePhone!" Microphone was nervous.

"Ah-ha..." He chuckled tightly and looked away again, apparently trying to figure out if he needed MeTags help or not. MePhone scratched the back of his head playfully. "Yea-ah, I did found them while I was working on the island..."

"Do you have them?!" Microphone cried hopefully.

Startled, he began to gibber. "Well, I asked Mr. Cobs what I should do with them, and he said to give them to him— B-But!" He waved his arms, trying to ward them off. "Please don't you worry! You have these Meeple Watches now, don't you?! They're so-o much better than those outdated phones!"

"You—!!!" Test Tube's shout expressed her rage and contempt. She swung her hand up sharply for a punch, and MePhone had already pressed his head into his shoulders, covering his face with his hands.

Test Tube's hand froze in midair. Fan managed to walk over and softly grab her wrist.

Turning to him, she pressed her lips together, then closed her eyes, and sighed heavily.

It was clear to MePad that they both shared the same feelings right now. Grief over loss and anger at the injustice of events beyond their control. However, while Test Tube, as the direct creator, had that yearning expressed in fury and a desire to recover what had been lost as quickly as possible, Fan only felt sorrow.

His facial expression, which only a couple minutes ago had shown his desire to stand his ground, now expressed only sadness and acceptance of his own helplessness.

Test Tube slowly lowered her hand and Fan unclenched his fingers. Her heavy gaze moved from his face to MePhone, who had just begun to remove his hands, which he had put out in self-defense.

"Where's B/bot?" She asked softly.

Hearing that name/word, MePhone froze and opened his mouth slightly in surprise. Test Tube and Fan stared at him expectantly.

It wasn't until a few seconds later that he responded.

"I... don't know...?"

"I see," Test Tube replied in a calm voice in which MePad could clearly hear the grief of an even greater loss.

She and Fan walked back, which Microphone then did as well, not letting go of Taco's hand.

MePad had no knowledge of who/what B/bot was. Perhaps it was someone/something created by Test Tube and/or Fan, or just meant a lot to the two of them, made while he was away. He would need to ask MePhone about that.

After the conflict between Test Tube and MePhone, there was a tense silence.

MePhone was clearly too embarrassed to return to the original scenario like that, so he just looked around nervously, shifting from foot to foot. MePad noticed him glancing at him with his side-eye, clearly implying that he needed his help, but MePad pretended not to notice. Floor, who had been nearby, was already in the ground by then.

The Contestants, meanwhile, were fiddling with their new device. Some were trying to take it off, and some had already figured out how to turn it on and were looking at what it could do. Some were simply not interested in it.

Of everyone present, only Clover had a smile on her face. It was her voice that broke the silence.

"Maybe this thing isn't so bad?” She said cautiously, spinning the Digital Crown. "If we all have a map of the island, no one will get lost. And knowing the others' locations, no one will be lonely." She tried to give a supportive smile to the rest of The Contestants, but her action was mostly ignored.

Not surprisingly, Lightbulb smiled back at her and expressed support.

"Yeah, let's think about it the bright way!" She looked at the others. "It may not be that nice in general, but it's nice for now that we have this gizmo." Beginning to yank the rubber strap, Lightbulb chuckled. "It's like it always holds me!”

Paintbrush, who was standing next to her, cut her off in a wary voice. "That sounds more disturbing than good, don't you think so?” Up to this point, they had also been trying to figure out their watches.

Ignoring the remark, Lightbulb moved closer to them and held out her hand, showing Paintbrush the screen of her watch. "Painty, did ya know that my tempo is 140?"

"What?" Their confused gaze darted between Lightbulb and the watch screen.

Taking advantage of this slight distraction, MePhone decided that now was the time for him to take things in the necessary direction. MePad realized this from the slight smirk that returned to his face.

"Alright everyone, you can check your Meeple Watch later." His voice came out a little louder than necessary, apparently trying to drown out any residual tension and show his own confidence. "Now it's time for your first challenge!" He clapped his hands in enthusiasm.

Judging by the looks on The Contestants' faces, no one shared his desire to get to the action as soon as possible. They expressed skepticism and outright dislike.

Baseball, however, ventured to speak.

"But... what about the teams?"

MePad glanced at him and noticed how he was involuntarily rubbing his wrist. Apparently, the watch strap was too tight.

"Are you going to determine them random again?" Cabby asked scornfully.

"Exactly, Baseball!" MePhone replied excitedly, not answering her question. "This challenge will determine the two team captains! And as for the lineup," he turned to Cabby with a smug look on his face, "the teams are not randomly determined!"

MePad didn't understand what MePhone meant by that. Based on what he had said before, MePad had expected it to be like the first season, when the winners of the first challenge were allowed to choose their own teams. Judging by the reactions of The Contestants, they came to the same conclusion.

"Determined?" Cabby asked in surprised. "You mean you've already chosen their lineup?!"

Shrugging his shoulders, MePhone immediately covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes widening in fear. So his words about the teams were something he said without thinking. It was something he shouldn't have said in front of The Contestants.

Cabby's alarmed voice had the corresponding effect on the rest of The Contestants. They looked at each other sharply, clearly imagining the worst options in their heads.

"Determined?" Lightbulb exclaimed frustratedly. "Oh darn, and what if my former fellow Lights and I are on different teams?"

"I don't want to be on the same team as any wimps!" Trophy snorted softly.

With a forced smile, MePhone gave a fake laugh. "What? Did I say determined?! I meant—"

"Yes, that's what you said." Returned to his senses, Fan interrupted him. "MePhone, you're terrible at lying, you know that?" He said calmly, crossing his arms.

MePhone helplessly averted his gaze.

"U-u-ugh..." He stretched out, unable to come up with a proper argument.

Fan was absolutely right. MePhone's program didn't even involve lying, because he just didn't need it. Cobs needed MePhone to be loyal and obedient, always speaking his thoughts and intentions without unnecessary filters. And if MePhone could still control his words in that way or another when talking with someone else, lying was something he really just couldn't do.

"A-Anyway!" Narrowing his eyes, MePhone put his hands behind his back, trying to look confident again.

His screen glowed with a green glow and, with a bright flash, a large round ball pit materialized in front of The Contestants. Perfectly white with a large Meeple logo in the middle, it was filled with white plastic balls.

"Your first challenge is ball searching!" MePhone proclaimed, lifting his gaze from the pool to The Contestants. "There are only two balls in this ball pit with the Meeple logo on them. The two Contestants who find them will win and get to pick this season's teams!" He uttered, after which the smile on his face became more enigmatic. "And, to make the challenge not so easy, no balls should touch the ground!"

Immediately after MePhone finished introducing the challenge, Paintbrush raised their hand.

"I have a question!" They exclaimed. MePhone looked at Paintbrush in surprise with his eyebrows rising. Apparently, he hadn't expected to hear any feedback on his idea so soon. "So what if the two people who found the balls were on the same team?" Paintbrush's voice was wary.

Baseball picked up on their attitude. "And can it be that someone finds both balls at the same time? What then?"

"Yeah, MePhone. Seriously, you can do much better than that." Fan joined in the criticism.

Lost, MePhone could only shift his gaze from one speaker to another. His mouth was slightly open, but he remained silent, unable to come up with proper answers.

Suddenly, the ground next to Fan shuddered, and Floor appeared in front of him. He glared at him angrily, and then turned his gaze to the rest of The Contestants.

"Don't be so hard on him, lads!" He began to defend MePhone. "He doesn't remember many things! Consider it his first time!"

MePad wondered why he was only standing up for MePhone now. Maybe Floor was actually in agreement with The Contestants and wanted to see MePhone's reaction?

Hearing the support, MePhone smiled awkwardly. His gaze, however, was still as lost.

"Right, thank you Floor!" He thanked him uncertainly, trying not to look at The Contestants. "As for your questions..." Hesitating, MePhone put a finger to his lips. "I suppose if that happens, the-en... we'll just do the challenge one more ti-ime...?" He finished with a questioning tone, making it clear that he himself doubted whether he could do that.

The reaction to his suggestion was not enthusiastic.

"Are you kidding?" Fan snapped contemptuously.

"Chop-chop, the clock is ticking!" MePhone shouted as quickly as he could and then created a large screen in front of him, identical to the one that had previously shown Cobs' portrait.

It now showed the progress of the challenge: two images of the required balls, with the corresponding checkboxes below them, currently blank.

MePad noticed him sighing with relief. The smile, however, didn’t leave his face.

They decided to move away, so as not to attract unnecessary attention from The Contestants. MeTags, though, didn’t follow them. To MePad's corresponding question, MePhone said that it was to ensure that no one would try to leave the Contestant Grounds.

Those words made him tense. MePhone had never done anything to prevent them from escaping before.

Even after Marshmallow left, he didn't change the organizational aspect of the challenges. The absence of anything like that in the last contest, which Taco interfered with, confirms that he didn't do so in the third season either. And now, as MePad suggested, now that tracking their location through the watch is already a possibility, Cobs has decided to use MeTags as another means of controlling The Contstantns in addition to that.

It was only why Cobs would put so much unnecessary control over them on MePhone, was a thing MePad didn't understand.

Left alone, The Contestants froze in indecision. They looked at each other questioningly, and then looked at the challenge setup: a pool full of balls and a screen. They stared at it as if they were afraid to approach it. None of them seemed interested in participating anyway.

"We're not going to take this seriously, are we?" Test Tube shifted her gaze from the pool to the other Contestants.

Some of those standing next to her nodded slightly.

"Speaking for myself, I'll pass," Fan said in a weary tone. He looked at the ball pit again, and his eyebrows immediately furrowed. "This isn't even a challenge, it's some kind of a joke!" Throwing up his hands, he exclaimed.

Blueberry softly echoed the general negative mood.

"What's the point of doing anything at all..."

It was the first time MePad had actually heard his voice. It was low and devoid of energy.

MePhone didn't think much of a character who should express sadness and apathy.

"Though, usually I disagree with his attitude, I can't say otherwise," Cabby folded her arms on her chest and looked away sadly.

The Contestants continued to exchange depressed and unsure looks.

It seemed to MePad that some of them might have wanted to start searching for the balls, but because of the general negative mood about what was going on, they were hesitant to do so. They probably didn't even want to do it because they wanted to compete, but only to do something to distract themselves.

Suddenly, Trophy stepped forward and looked incredulously at the others.

"Well, I don't know. And what if you're just saying all these sad things here in order to make everyone lose motivation and then win yourselves?"

Upon hearing this, Fan and Test Tube's eyes widened in surprise. Fan opened his mouth to reply but couldn't find the right words. He was stunned by Trophy's statement.

Most of the others had a face of sincere misunderstanding.

"T-Trophy, you..." Suitcase said quietly yet seriously. She clearly wanted to reason with Trophy, but as soon as he turned to her, Suitcase flinched at how harsh his gaze was.

Knife, standing next to her, sighed heavily and looked at Trophy with disdain.

"Keep it quiet, would you? Don't talk about things you don't understand."

Trophy turned his eyes from Suitcase to him, before raising an eyebrow questioningly in annoyance.

"Don't understand? What?" He rolled his eyes dismissively. "Just because you were a finalist, don't think you can teach me."

"No one's going to teach you," Knife replied irritably, "I'm just saying that right now you're being not a jock, but an idiot."

"Yeah, right," Trophy chuckled under his breath, "such an idiot that I'm going to start working on the challenge right now and stop yapping."

He said, and then walked toward the ball pit, accompanied by judgmental looks from the other Contestants. He sat down on the ground, and, without enthusiasm, began to sort through the balls.

MePhone, meanwhile, had a bright smile on his face, which wasn't surprising.

Knife shook his head disapprovingly, expressing his feeling that this wasn't going to end well for Trophy.

He turned cautiously toward Suitcase, who looked just as frightened and lost.

"Suitcase?" Knife addressed her softly, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Did you... want to say something?"

She nodded slightly, and then, hunching her shoulders, looked at him questioningly. Letting go of her, Knife raised his eyebrows expectantly, but Suitcase didn't say anything. She pressed her lips together and nodded forward – farther away from where The Contestants were, but not directly to where the pool was placed. It seemed she wanted her words to be heard by most, but she was too embarrassed.

With a serious face, Knife nodded in support and smiled weakly.

Suitcase smiled back at him sadly, before taking a deep breath and turning forward, once again looking at the pool and Trophy.

"We..." She began, stepping forward and drawing the attention of The Contestants. "We've done nothing but compete in MePhone's challenges all our lives." Her voice was confident. "And... now he expects us to... give in to our nature and keep competing? That we'll just do what he thinks we should do?"

Suitcase's voice was sad yet aggressively confident. She knew what she was talking about, even though she clearly didn't like it. What she said, indeed, was a sad statement of fact. And, judging by her questioning tone, she clearly wanted to encourage others to think about resistance.

MePad himself took her words sadly, for they applied to him as well.

He was behaving the way MePhone thought he should. Like a Meeple device, he was subservient to Cobs.

Watching the reactions of The Contestants, whom Suitcase was addressing, MePad noticed the confidence appearing on their faces.

Indeed, for by sharing the sadness with others, it becomes less dreadful.

The only one who clearly didn't want to listen to her right now was Nickel.

Turning aside, he sighed heavily.

"Of course, that's all fair enough, but uh..." Nickel faltered, then glanced at Baseball before meeting eyes with Suitcase. "I just need a distraction right now."

"What?..." She asked, confused.

Her brows were noticeably tense with anger.

She and Nickel were on pretty bad terms, and Suitcase was probably considering the possibility that he was disagreeing with her just to be contrary.

"Yeah..." Baseball awkwardly voiced his support. "Whether it's because of our nature or not, let's not force anyone to do, or, well, not do anything. We're all lost right now, and we don't know how to proceed." He glanced at the others, and then walked with Nickel towards the ball pit.

Suitcase recoiled, apparently feeling guilty, but before she could respond, Paintbrush stepped forward.

"Excuse me?!" They shouted, and the tips of their hair smoldered slightly. "Are you two being serious?!"

Nickel accelerated irritably, and Paintbrush clearly wanted to follow him and Baseball, but then Lightbulb gently grabbed their hand. They turned around questioningly, and she let them go, awkwardly looking away.

"Well, yes, I understand that point of view, I do," Lightbulb said in a muffled voice, scattering her hands lightly, "but... what else are we supposed to do anyway?" Her voice was uncertain, tinged with melancholy.

In explaining her position to Paintbrush, she was, in fact, addressing everyone. Lightbulb was a person who always wanted to get into action, whether she had a full-fledged plan or not. Having met with little response to her emotional support, she definitely had a desire to participate, just to help her comrades in some way.

Receiving a confused look from Paintbrush, Lightbulb faded away.

"Come on!" Test Tube exclaimed, frustrated. "We've already decided it!"

Cabby corrected her. "We didn't decide, we just formulated, remember?" Her voice was soft, as she tried to avoid conflict.

"Yeah, take it easy, Test Tube," Fan joined in, wanting to reassure her. "We just established that we're not going to compete in anything and that we're going to figure out what to do." Here, the details of the challenge seemed to pop back into his mind and he frowned, sighing heavily. "And honestly," he waved his hand in the direction of the ball pit, "with a challenge like this, it's just embarrassing to compete. Like, seriously, it'd be better if we were jumping off the cliff again. It would at least be a new experience for some of us."

MePad tensed up.

Fan was apparently talking about the third season. MePhone said he was paying homage to the first season in it, but MePad didn't know it was that serious. He must have really needed a break after everything that happened, if he was going to recreate that challenge.

Knife and Suitcase looked at Fan in surprise.

"He made you jump off the cliff again?" Knife raised an eyebrow. "And you're surprised by that?" He asked sarcastically, shifting his gaze to the pool.

"No, it was different!" Fan replied grudgingly. "At least he added some new conditions back then, and this is just... something-that's-being-the-first-thing-that-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-a-challenge-to-choose-team-captains."

None of The Contestants argued with that statement. MePad himself, really couldn't disagree with it.

"Speaking of teams," Cabby began in a slightly thoughtful tone, "did you also find it strange that he had determined them in advance?"

"Knowing MePhone, he'd make them random again," Suitcase said softly in a melancholy tone. "He hates any additional work."

Her remark was indeed a fair one, but unfortunately, she didn't know the real situation.

Test Tube gave her a serious look. "This time, we're talking less about MePhone and more about Cobs."

"That's true," Suitcase turned toward her, "but we don't know how much—"

"I'm sorry but...!" Clover's ringing voice interrupted her, drawing everyone's attention. Seeing the others' gazes, she folded her hands in front of her, embarrassed. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but can we just go over who is he to us again?"

"Yes, please," Silver Spoon backed her up. "Newcomers like us can't get a word in edgewise because of your chatter."

"And some are just lucky enough not to be involved in all this..." OJ, who hadn't participated in the discussion until now, quietly inserted.

The reaction of The Contestants seemed unexpected to MePad.

Since Silver Spoon had put so much emphasis on the fact that they were newcomers in season three, it meant that it was, indeed, the season, in which MePhone had managed to avoid unnecessary attention from Cobs. Just as he had planned.

But hadn't MePhone explained the full situation to the last survivors in the hotel back then?

MePad also considered that The Contestants had probably exchanged their knowledge with each other then back near the lounge, or maybe somehow even earlier. Those who weren't alive in the hotel at that moment were not at all surprised that everything was generated by MePhone, which led MePad to draw these conclusions.

Could Cobs have told MePhone to do something with some of The Contestants' memories?

"Didn't we explain everything back then in the afterlife?" Knife looked at Clover, slightly irritated.

MePad didn't understand what he meant by the afterlife. No one seemed surprised by the wording, so it was clearly something they all knew.

The first thing MePad thought of was some theoretical space where The Contestants had ended up after being deleted by Cobs, but that was purely technically impossible.

Still, there might be some validity to that thought.

"Mmm, maybe we did it," Lightbulb said hesitantly, "but I don't think everyone felt good back then." She placed her palms on the top of her head and smiled guiltily. "I'm not good at remembering when there's a headache."

A few approving nods followed in Lightbulb's direction, and Knife sighed, recognizing the validity of her words.

"Right," Paintbrush smiled slightly, "I think it'd be good to summarize everything."

She smiled back at them before shifting her gaze to Clover, who looked slightly embarrassed. Lightbulb gave her a supportive wink, extending her index fingers, to which she nodded gratefully, smiling.

"What's the point of that if not all of those present are interested in it." Test Tube pessimistically voiced her opinion on the idea.

The actions of Baseball, Nickel and Trophy had clearly hurt her.

"Well, we can at least do it for those who are still aiming to do something," replied Cabby, looking away.

Fan apparently felt solidarity with Cabby's words and looked at Test Tube. He was well aware of the hopelessness of their situation right now, right as she was, but he wasn't opposed to doing something about it, even if it wasn't rational.

Closing her eyes, Test Tube pressed her lips together and nodded. From the looks of it, she felt a little guilty.

"Alright," Suitcase looked around at all The Contestants nearby, wanting to make sure that everyone, or at least most of them, were listening to her. "One more time, then," she said, clearing her throat. "Cobs is an evil and powerful man who created MePhone fourteen years ago. Because of his abuse, MePhone escaped from him with MePad and erased his memories. Then he created us and started the reality show. Later, at some point—"

"I'm sorry Suitcase, but your recap is very imprecise," Fan interrupted her in an impatient voice. "I-I know that you're omitting the details to be as concise as possible, but..." Realizing the irritated and judgmental looks directed at him, he snorted, then continued. "But how could you forget about the Prime Shimmers?"

"Who?" She asked.

"The aliens, Suitcase, the aliens! The Egg!"

"Oh, right, MePhone's MeLife technology is powered by an alien infant that Cobs stole," she said quickly without enthusiasm, looking away.

Clover, OJ, and Silver Spoon's eyes widened in surprise.

"H-How did you keep quiet about this?!" exclaimed Silver in bewilderment.

"I guess I... never got the opportunity," Fan replied softly with an awkward smile.

There were no other comments, so after a few seconds, Suitcase continued.

"So, later, at some point when MePhone was close to ending the show, Cobs showed up and started murdering all of us."

She finished her story, but Knife picked up the narrative.

"It ended with me and Suitcase going off to fight Cobs. Some people died, and some other people were told by MePhone that he created all of us.

"I can't believe we're talking about it like this now..." Shivering, Paintbrush said to themselves under their breath.

"Then Toilet turned off the device that everything MeLife had created depended on, or something like that, and we all ended up in the afterlife." Knife finished and folded his arms across his chest.

Hearing his words, MePad realized that his idea was correct and felt a little relieved.

Now that he knew The Contestants didn't cease to exist after being removed, the rules of the situation were completely different. The remaining Contestants aren't dead, they just somehow exist in the afterlife.

• Learning about the afterlife.

Perhaps it's some sort of storage for everything removed in the MeLife system. That's probably also where all the landscape that MePhone had created for the island went, which he had recently been able to restore.

He would have to find out how it worked.

The Contestants, on the other hand, were melancholically silent. None of them wanted to remember the traumatic events that had happened to them a few weeks ago.

Maybe because of the story told by Suitcase and Knife, some would have a better understanding of the situation, but for most of those present, it was just bringing back horrible memories.

"...What a story," Clover said faintly.

Since she was the one who had caused this, it would have been odd if she had remained silent.

For the next few seconds, everyone stood immersed in their own thoughts.

"Can I say something?..." Microphone asked awkwardly, looking at the others.

Her words were unexpected for both The Contestants and MePad. She hadn't participated in any discussions before, and had only been a support for Taco, for which MePad was extremely grateful.

She was met with a few unfriendly looks, but no one raised any objections, so Microphone continued.

"Doesn't... what MePhone told us today contradict this?"

The silence in response made her shrink back. Apparently, being ignored and possibly judged subconsciously was a greater fear for her than receiving direct negativity.

"If I'm being honest, I'm not sure about it either," Cabby replied. Hearing her voice, Microphone noticeably calmed down. "When he talked about the show being scripted, he sounded like he was stating something obvious, but that goes against the way he's presented us with the truth of our creation back then, doesn't it?"

"Why do you think his words can be trusted?" Fan turned to them. A slight panic could be heard in his voice. "We... We've all seen how he acted before, right? MePhone doesn't..." He faltered, then waved his hands in frustration. "MePhone doesn't act like that! It's obvious he said that because Cobs made him, didn't he?!"

Fan's logic wasn't very clear to MePad. Fan had just been rather harsh about MePhone and his actions, but now he was clearly starting to speak in his defense.

What was more likely, was that Fan's nature as a character just went against his current mindset. He was an admirer of MePhone's work, and by extension, of MePhone himself. Perhaps Fan's desire to justify is expressed solely in relation to the image of MePhone in his mind, and not to the one who is now here with them.

Either way, MePad was glad that a version of events closer to the truth was starting to form.

"But Fan," Suitcase tilted her head and looked at him uncertainly. "After saying that he created all of us..." She hesitated, closing her eyes for a few seconds, but then she managed to gather her thoughts and continue. "How can we be sure of anything he tells us?"

He wanted to answer, but Cabby stepped in for him.

"It's a reasonable question, but the way he was acting back then at the hotel..."

Test Tube looked seriously at Cabby, Fan, and Microphone.

"I can understand that point of view, but Suitcase is right," Test Tube said, looking in her direction. "If he created us the way we are, with such attitudes and such a mindset that we would spend our entire lives simply not asking ourselves wrong questions, then how can we be sure that we simply couldn't not believe him in that moment?"

"And MePhone's terrible at lying, you said it yourself" Knife added, looking at Fan with narrowed eyes.

"So what?" Fan turned on him irritably. "I mean, that's... That's not even MePhone at all!"

Suddenly, MePad heard a tired sigh beside him.

"I'll go talk to them," MePhone said, looking at The Contestants.

MePad was so focused on watching them that he had completely forgotten to keep an eye on MePhone and his behavior.

The feeling of guilt caused a feeling of uneasiness inside. He could have picked up on a lot of important details, but he had so easily missed them.

"Does it bother you that they're not proceeding with the challenge?" MePad asked him calmly.

"Of course it does!" MePhone turned to him and splayed his hands indignantly. "It's obvious that Mr. Cobs is already going to be disappointed because I performed that poorly, but the fact that things are going so slowly is just downright bad."

He did his best to show his displeasure with The Contestants, but it was clear to MePad that he wasn't angry right now, but worry.

"You don't need to worry Sir, I'm sure they will get to it sooner or later."

"Exactly, MePad, later! As long as only these three are involved, the challenge just won't go anywhere."

"Would you like me to talk to them myself?" MePad suggested carefully.

This was his chance to talk to The Contestants. His chance to tell them the truth.

He could tell them the truth about the situation and ask them to enter the competition for their own safety.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll do it myself." MePhone's gaze became determined. "Don't worry, I'll be kind to them."

Not wanting to discuss his idea further with MePad, he folded his hands behind his back and quickly headed toward The Contestants.

Although MePad's idea couldn't come to realization, his chance was still not lost.

Now that MePhone was leaving him out of his sight, he would have a chance to talk to Floor in private.

After waiting for MePhone to approach The Contestants and start begging for the compliance with his conditions, MePad looked around. Floor was always nearby, yet always out of reach.

"Floor?" He asked quietly, looking down. "Floor, could we please talk?"

A few seconds passed, after which the ground at MePad's feet distorted and Floor formed beside him. His gaze was not displeased, but rather wary.

"Uh?" He raised an eyebrow, baffled. "Uh, sorry, mate, but could we do this after the challenge?"

MePad could clearly see that Floor wasn't really interested in talking, so he decided to be direct.

"I apologize, but I won't be able to discuss this in front of MePhone. It directly concerns him and it's very important."

Pursing his lips, Floor glanced in MePhone's direction. Apparently, he was worried about him.

"Well, if you say it's important," he said hesitantly, still looking at MePhone.

"Thank you," MePad nodded gratefully. He began with a polite question. "Do you see that MePhone is acting in a manner that is out of character for him?"

"Why do you ask? Of course I do. I mean, he said himself that he lost his memory and all."

Floor must truly believe MePhone's story, since he mentions it even when he is not around.

"Even if he has forgotten many things, the sudden change in his behavior is caused by a modification in his emotion emulator." Upon hearing MePad's words, he furrowed his brows in confusion. "I am not aware of how much you know, but Cobs is the man MePhone escaped from years ago, taking me with him. Right now, Cobs has him under　control and—" Floor interrupted him.

"What?" His voice sounded like he didn't understand at all what MePad was talking about. "No, I've heard about Cobs, about MePhone running away from him, but MePhone himself said it was all staged and everything's fine, didn't he?"

MePad was worried, but gave no outward signs of it.

"MePhone doesn't know what he's saying," he replied in the same even tone. Floor's eyes widened. "My goal is to save The Contestants, including you, since you were also created by MeLife."

• Fully explain the situation to Floor when MePhone is busy/distracted.

"Save?" Perplexed, he repeated. "I don't need to be saved! And no one here needs to be saved!"

Floor's reaction was far worse than MePad would have guessed.

He really didn't think that anyone other than MePhone would genuinely believe that story about an error and memory loss, but as it turned out, Floor did. He was worried about MePhone, yet he believed the first explanation he was told?

"Save?" Came the voice of MePhone, who was approaching. "Who are you going to save here?"

MePad was already prepared for the worst. Floor clearly wasn't in the mood to cooperate with him, as he responded so harshly to his words, so there was a chance he was about to tell MePad's words to MePhone.

"We—" MePad began, but Floor's voice drowned him out.

"We thought it'd be nice to save some time and to spend more of it together," he said quickly, turning back to MePhone. "You know, so MePad and I could get to know each other better."

His voice clearly betrayed the worry, but MePhone didn't seem to notice it.

Regardless, the fact that Floor didn't tell MePhone the gist of their conversation was an indication that he didn't want any possible problems for MePad. Perhaps if MePad gave him evidence, he could convince him.

"Oh, that's a good idea!" MePhone smiled and looked at both of them. "I'm glad you two are getting along. To be honest, I was a bit afraid there might be a rivalry between you two, like MePad already had with Toilet."

MePad knew it would be better to keep quiet, but he corrected him. "It wasn't a rivalry." There was a slight irritation in his tone that was much more inside.

MePhone smiled awkwardly and looked away guiltily.

"I'd like to meet him soon, to be honest," Floor said, ignoring MePad’s words.

"Oh!" MePhone enthused. "Mr. Cobs says that..."

Hearing Cobs mentioned, MePad decided not to listen further.

Focusing his attention on The Contestants, he saw that MePhone's entreaties had worked. All of them were now standing next to the ball pit.

"I'm not going to do this drudgery on my own!" Trophy said wryly, glaring at Nickel. MePad realized he had missed the beginning of the dialogue. Apparently, Trophy wanted someone to search for the balls for him.

"This just feels like insanity..." Baseball rested his elbow on the edge of the pool and placed his palm on his forehead. He looked at the balls with exhaustion and hatred. "How are we even supposed to know which balls we've checked and which ones we haven't?"

His comment was extremely fair.

"We're not participating," Test Tube uttered coldly, glaring at Trophy and Nickel.

Fan supported her with a nod, and then the two of them moved away from the pool, and took a seat on the grass.

"Yeah," Cabby moved closer to them, while addressing the rest of The Contestants, "we're going to try to determine the teams’ lineup."

With those words, she opened the bag and lockers of her wheelchair and began to search through them for the necessary files.

MePad mentally wished them luck.

"This is certainly more interesting than sorting through balls," Paintbrush said in a doomed voice, looking at the three of them.

They shifted their gaze to the pool and grumbled.

"Dang," Lightbulb puffed up her cheeks resentfully. "Isn't the whole point of a ball pit is to jump in?"

"Well, I don't see anyone stopping you from doing it." Silver Spoon stood beside the two of them. "Be a dear, let me know if you find something." He told her nonchalantly.

Lightbulb thought about his words for a second, then grinned and looked back at Paintbrush and Silver Spoon. He smiled smugly back.

"O-Okay!" She said happily and then climbed over the edge and plopped into the ball pit.

Paintbrush looked at Silver distrustfully.

"You want her to look for the ball for you?" They asked without much interest.

Silver Spoon spread his hands innocently. "Just don't want to lose an extra winning opportunity."

"Winning?" Suitcase asked, standing a little way from the pool. Her voice sounded more lost than surprised. "Is this really... what you're thinking about right now?"

He frowned and stepped closer to her.

"Listen, opinion leader," he turned to Suitcase, looking down at her, "I'm not the only one here who isn't too keen on finding enigmatic masterminds. I'm bitter about the loss as well, but if I can keep myself busy with something and it will give me a chance to get ahead, it would be foolish of me to refuse."

"Silver are you... serious?!..." She looked at him with rounded eyes.

Apparently, confronting someone again about their opinion was scary for her after the failed conversation with Trophy.

"I'm sorry, Suitcase, but there's truth to what he said." Clover joined their conversation. "It's very hard for us who weren't directly involved in all of this to know what we can do." Her voice sounded guilty. She clearly didn't want to upset Suitcase, but staying silent didn't seem right to her either.

"B-But..."

"Let's go, Clover, you will come in handy." Ignoring Suitcase, Silver Spoon headed to the other side of the ball pit. Clover awkwardly followed him.

Left alone, Suitcase shrank back and lowered her head in frustration. She had once again failed to fully defend her position in the conflict and felt bad about it.

Even as one of the ones who had gone the furthest, she really remained as sensitive as she was.

Suitcase glanced at the pool, on different sides of which were the participating Contestants. Seeing Knife, she headed toward him.

He waved at her in greeting, and Suitcase did the same in return.

"Was I too pushy?" She asked softly in a suppressed voice.

Knife shrugged. "Just ignore him. He's definitely someone like Trophy, who doesn't seem to care about the others." He said, glancing at Silver Spoon.

He was standing next to Clover, who was going through the balls with a smile. Silver Spoon himself, however, only watched and occasionally made comments.

"Maybe..." Suitcase sank down on the ground next to Knife.

She watched him going over the balls in the pool and was slightly surprised.

Instead of just picking up a ball and inspecting it, and then throwing it back, his actions involved an extra step. As it turned out, the plastic the balls were made of was soft enough that Knife marked each of the ones he checked with a scratch from his fingernail.

"What are you doing?" Suitcase asked awkwardly, watching the process. "Are you seriously wanna be a team captain?"

"I'm not saying that I'm interested," he said with a chuckle. "I just want to find one of the balls to reduce Trophy and Silver's chances of becoming ones."

"That sounds very noble," replied Suitcase with a smile. "But once you find one, you'll automatically become captain, won't you?"

"Maybe technically I will, but if it works out, I just want to define leadership with my teammates."

She nodded in understanding and continued to watch Knife's methodical actions.

MePad's observation passed from one Contestant to another.

All of them were engaged in some way. The only exceptions were Blueberry, Microphone, OJ, and Taco, who, judging by their demeanor, appeared to be not in the mood. However, while for Blueberry being depressed was a rather natural state due to his nature, OJ was having a hard time dealing with the loss of the hotel, and about Taco MePad was unsure.

Microphone, among all of them, was the only one who clearly wanted to do something.

She was sitting on the grass next to Taco, whom she was trying to bring to her senses.

"Don't you want to participate?" Microphone asked her timidly. "I know you're not feeling well, but maybe it would help you to distract?" Her voice sounded unsure, but warm.

Taco slowly turned to her and then glanced at MePad for a second.

He really felt bad about not being able to talk to her.

"Why...?" She asked weakly.

"Why what?"

"Why would I participate?" Taco frowned, and her voice became firmer. "Mic, I'm hated. It's still a miracle that you're talking to me, but it won't happen twice. They won't want me around." Sadly, she turned her eyes to the rest of The Contestants. "Not after everything I've done." She added quietly.

Microphone's hand rested gently on Taco's shoulder. "Hey, if it's because of what Test Tube said, don't worry about it. She says nonsense when she's emotional."

Taco looked up at her, and Microphone tried to cheer her up with a weak smile.

Unable to smile back, she sighed sorrowfully and looked down.

"You're probably right, but... still," her voice grew quieter, "it would be better if he actually recovered someone nicer than me."

Hearing her, Microphone immediately took her hands and pulled her closer.

"Don't say that!" She exclaimed decisively, firmly holding Taco. "Yes, you were wrong, so what?! And besides, now is the time when we all need to join forces and confront Cobs! Like it was back then at the hotel, remember? You said yourself you'd be happy to work together not in secret!"

Not expecting such decisiveness from Microphone, Taco slightly opened her mouth, wanting to say something in response. She didn't resist Microphone's grip at all, though, so she was clearly calming her down.

"There are newbies here," Microphone continued, still holding Taco's hands, "they have nothing to dislike you for."

"But they've probably already been told, don't you think?" Taco asked uncertainly. She clearly wanted to believe Microphone's words, but she couldn't. "And... Cabby has information on all of us. She definitely knows..."

Microphone took a deep breath and pulled her closer. "Taco, please. You're a good strategist. Yes, your plans may have had bad intentions before, but if you put your ideas in the right direction, the others will definitely be happy to work with you."

Taco thought about it, and they both looked at each other quietly for a while. After some time, she finally gave Microphone a weak, but sincere, smile.

"Thanks, Mic, I..." Taco hesitated slightly, but seeing the happiness on Microphone's face made her feel better. "I'll keep that in mind."

Releasing Taco's hands, Microphone and she looked at the ball pit and The Contestants around. More accurately, it was more Taco who looked at the ball pit, while Microphone looked at her happily.

Even as she did, MePad was relieved to see that Taco had returned to her senses.

"Well..." Taco began thoughtfully. "Considering that Test Tube, Fan, Cabby, Suitcase, OJ, and Blueberry aren't involved, and you and I are working together, we have a one in nine chance of success."

Seeing the familiar thoughtfulness in her eyes, Microphone perked up. "And what do you suggest?"

"Well, as I see it, Knife is already in the process of marking them, and since we don't have any additional equipment or nails as sharp as his, I suppose... " She bit her lip. "Just sorting."

"You think so?" Microphone tilted her head.

Turning around to face her, Taco smiled and chuckled slightly. "Well, you did say my strategies were good, didn't you?"

Microphone jokingly rolled her eyes, after which she and Taco proceeded to the pool.

Seeing that Taco was back in her usual frame of mind brought a small sense of reassurance to MePad.

Of course, he understands that The Contestants can take care of themselves, but probably because of the long separation from them, he wanted to give them help and support so much. They would work together to support each other. They would work together to find a way to solve their problems. They had always done that. And MePad is here to ensure that outside conditions don't interfere with that.

Time was passing, but there was still no significant on the challenge. Due to the size of the pool, it was difficult to guess how many balls even were inside of it.

When Knife asked if MePhone himself knew where the balls they all were looking for were, he said that their location was random and that he himself had no idea how long the search might last.

These words had a very negative effect on the emotional state of The Contestants. Their already low enthusiasm became even less.

Silver Spoon, who had only been watching Clover work this whole time, decided to involve Blueberry as well. He stood irritably over his motionless figure lying on the grass and looked down at him.

"Don't you want to help?" He asked, as if it were mandatory. "We third-season debutants must stick together."

Blueberry only blinked monotonously, not moving his gaze to him. "What's the use...?"

"Well," Silver Spoon smirked, "I'll take you on my team if you help with the search."

Clover, who was standing nearby and cheerfully going through the balls despite the unpleasant news, looked at him in confusion.

"Aren't the teams already..." Silver turned in her direction and threw an irritated glare at her. He clearly didn't want her to engage in his conversation with Blueberry, but to get back to work. Clover, however, was quiet for a bit and then, smiled. "Ahh, got it!"

She winked and went back to her previous activity, which, for some reason, did not bore her.

"What's the point, teams are already determined." Blueberry turned his head toward the pool. "It's all just doom that you have to accept, whether you're captain or not."

Losing his patience, Silver Spoon tsked and shook his head irritably. "Oh, botheration!" His voice became sharper. "We've already seen your true nature anyway, so spare us the theatrics. You won't be able to bluff anyone else." He leaned down, bringing his face close to Blueberry's, and grinned wryly. "And if you don't care this much, then why would you care if you help or not?"

With an abrupt movement, Silver Spoon grabbed Blueberry under his arms and lifted him off the ground. Blueberry himself didn't seem to mind, as he offered no resistance. He was only slightly surprised by what was happening.

"Since you're so small, then get in there and look inside." Silver said snarkily, pulling him towards the ball put.

"Whatever..." Blueberry muttered.

Standing up close to the edge, Silver Spoon rushed to lower him into the mass of colorless balls.

However, for some reason, although the balls moved around, Blueberry himself did not get in.

Silver Spoon was surprised and tried pushing down, but his body still wouldn't sink. It was as if something inside were getting in the way.

"What is in there?" Silver Spoon snorted. "Clover, do you see it?" He asked, not shifting his gaze to her, as his entire field of vision was now occupied by Blueberry.

She looked closely, and found that there was a strange yellow spot among the balls. "Ah, there's—"

The spot turned out to be Lightbulb's hair. She suddenly jumped out of the pool, scattering balls in all directions.

"Boo!!!" She exclaimed at the same moment, splashing her arms.

Silver Spoon shrieked in both surprise and perhaps fear, dropping Blueberry and covering his face. Blueberry landed silently next to Lightbulb.

One of the flying balls landed neatly in Clover's hands. She didn't seem particularly surprised by this, and quickly examined it.

On one side of the ball was a glowing image of a bitten apple.

"Oh, that's the right one," she said with a little smile.

Silver shifted his gaze to the ball and frowned. "S-Seriously? Only now?!"

One of the checkboxes on the screen became ticked, accompanied by a notification sound. For some reason, however, it was the left box that was checked.

"Aw, I guess I wasn't meant to be captaining again." Lightbulb said disappointedly, but judging by her smile, she really wasn't too worried about it.

"Like that was surprising." Nickel uttered as he watched what had happened. His gaze was directed at Clover and the ball in her hands.

Then, MePad noticed MePhone, who seemed to be glowing with happiness as he headed toward them. Seeing the progress of the challenge was definitely encouraging for him.

Clapping his hands, he walked over to Clover.

"Here comes the first captain! Congratulations to you, Clover! You're getting yourself immunity."

"Thanks," Clover turned her eyes from the screen to MePhone. "So, can I know who my future teammates are?"

"Uh..." He stammered, but surprisingly quickly managed to pull himself together again and put on a confident smile. "I'll announce the teams lineups when everyone's done with the challenge!"

Objectively, this was a bad decision on MePhone's part. If he had announced the members of Clover's team, there would have been no reason to hold the challenge again in case one of them found the second ball.

On the other hand, it was clear that MePhone didn't want to take eight Contestants out of the game like that, especially since some of them weren't participating.

Happy, MePhone hurried back to MePad.

"Lightbulb, how did you...?" Paintbrush walked over to the side of the pool where Lightbulb was still sitting. She was going over the balls with Silver Spoon, who had started doing it on his own. Blueberry lay beside her, not taking part in the challenge.

"Ah, it just happened," she replied easily, "but I'll keep getting to the bottom!"

Making an another burst of balls, Lightbulb dived into the ball pit.

Silver hissed in annoyance, then turned his gaze to Paintbrush. He looked at them expectantly, probably hinting for them to join the search for him.

They gave Silver Spoon an angry look and headed in the other direction. To where Cabby, Fan, and Test Tube had set up.

"It's just impossible..." They mumbled quietly, sighing heavily. "Any progress in there, science team?"

The three of them were discussing something passionately, taking notes in the process. It was only when Paintbrush coughed to get their attention that Fan turned in their direction.

"Ah?" He raised his head at Paintbrush. "Science team, you said? You mean us? I like that name." Fan smiled slightly.

Test Tube corrected him. "In terms of our current activities, data analyst team would be a more accurate name, but that's fine too." She said, not looking away from a sheet of paper with some data on it.

"Alright, data analyst team, any progress in..." Paintbrush hesitated and looked at the multitude of files laid out on the grass. "You've been working on determining the lineup of the teams, right? Any success?"

Rising from the ground, Fan sighed sadly. "We have... theories. The only thing we're sure of right now is that Suitcase and Knife will be on different teams," he glanced at Cabby's respective files, which were now in Test Tube's hands. "It's obvious that he's not going to let former finalists work together."

It wasn't clear if by he, Fan meant MePhone or Cobs. Most likely both.

"Actually, now we're rather trying to figure out the reasoning behind our selection." Cabby turned to Paintbrush and Fan. "MePhone said we were chosen specifically by Cobs, right? We thought it was like with season three, when the viewers voted for the former Contestants they wanted to see again, but..." She shook her head, looking upset.

"This just can't be true," Test Tube picked up on her thought. "We don't have Yin-Yang, Balloon, or many others."

"Those two were among the most popular." Fan explained to puzzled Paintbrush.

"...I see," they said vaguely. "So you think this will help you understand the teams lineup logic?"

"Exactly!" He replied confidently.

Test Tube turned her head in their direction and looked at Paintbrush. "We've already thought of lineups that would include the most popular dynamics, but they've given us more questions than answers." She continued to explain their research.

Confused, Paintbrush furrowed their eyebrows. "What?"

"The character dynamics!" Fan explained once again. "Like, you and Lightbulb, me and Test Tube, Balloon and Nickel, and so on."

"We're basing this on Fan's knowledge, he knows what he's talking about." Cabby remarked.

"I guess?" Paintbrush said uncertainly, looking at the three of them. "I don't quite understand. You mean that a team consists of such dynamics?"

"Yeah!" Fan said with a smile, seeing that Paintbrush had caught their train of thought. "So, by that logic, for example, one of the teams could consist of me, Test Tube, Cabby, you, Lightbulb and Silver, and some two other people. We were leaning towards Taco and Microphone, but that didn't make sense, since then Suitcase and Knife would be on the same team." Lost in his thoughts, Fan began to babble. "And Knife isn't close to anyone here except for Microphone and Suitcase, so in that case, we'd have Suitcase and someone else on our team. We thought it might be Nickel, but putting Nickel and Baseball on two different teams would be weird, so..."

"Okay, okay! I get it." Paintbrush raised their hands to let Fan know they had heard enough. "I... will try to think of something too."

Smiling, he sat down on the ground again and focused on the notes. Apparently, they were going through all the more or less logical options for the team lineups.

Paintbrush moved back toward the pool, but then OJ hesitantly approached them.

Given his aloof demeanor before, something was clearly wrong.

"Paintbrush?" His voice sounded soft and depressed.

"Oh, uh..." They looked at him, unsure of how best to respond. "Hey, OJ. You don't look so good."

OJ frowned irritably. "What else did you expect me to look like?" He asked rhetorically, causing Paintbrush to look down in embarrassment. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something, and if it's possible, I'd like you to ask the others for the same thing."

"A-Alright?" They narrowed their eyes warily.

With a heavy sigh, OJ clenched his fingers. Apparently, he was worried about his request.

"Can you... vote for me?"

When they heard OJ's words, their eyes widened for a second. "You're not participating in the challenge, right?"

"No."

"And you're not afraid that..." Paintbrush didn't dare to finish, afraid to imagine the worst-case scenario.

"He did say that after the elimination, we'd meet up with those who aren't here, right?" His voice became more confident. "So... Paper must be there."

MePad wasn't sure if OJ really believed MePhone's strange words. He was probably just clinging to the only unlikely possibility.

Fan abruptly approached them, after hearing their conversation.

"Wait, what?!" He asked fearfully. "You want to leave now?"

"And none of you do?" OJ's voice was firm. "Of course you don't, you still have your closest friends around you. You're not freaking out about losing what you've lived for years."

He was talking about the Hotel OJ.

When he saw the lounge created by MePhone in its place, he looked extremely broken.

"Wait, OJ!" Paintbrush stepped forward.

In an attempt to calm him down, Fan also tried to intervene. "OJ! I-I understand you're stressed and all, we're all stressed, but if we want to win, we need to—"

"Stop pretending like you know what's going on," he said loudly, silencing Fan, "like you have a plan." OJ's desperate voice started to shake. "MePhone easily got rid of what was my prize, from what was my life. You think he won't get rid of you just as easily if you do something he doesn't like?"

"Wait!" Fan kept trying to talk to him. "I mean, we're not even sure if that's MePhone, and... OJ, stop!"

Tired and disappointed, he looked at them with a blank stare and stepped back. Apparently, deciding that asking someone else would be a better option.

Silently, Fan and Paintbrush watched him go, feeling helpless.

They were probably already thinking of going back to their previous activities when, once again, they've heard the notification sound.

The second ball had been found, and MePhone ran excitedly up to The Contestants, searching for the second captain.

"And we have our second contestant getting their immunity!" He announced cheerfully, approaching Suitcase, who was staring lost at the ball in her hands. It seemed as if she had no idea where she had gotten it from.

"Congratulations, Suitcase, you live up to your title as the favorite once again!"

She released the ball from her trembling hands and looked at MePhone, startled. "N-No I—!"

"Don't be shy!" He grinned, after which he snapped his fingers.

In the same second, the pool and the balls filling it disappeared, and the screen went dark.

The Contestants looked at MePhone, reluctant, anticipating, what he was going to do next.

Putting his hands behind his back, he glanced at them contentedly before nodding to MePad. As he understood, MePhone was about to make an announcement, which meant he needed to be nearby.

MePad teleported next to him, and after a few seconds, MeTags approached them both, and stood to the sides.

"So," MePhone coughed, "Thank you, for your efforts, you all did a very good job today!" Hearing him speak in corporate language was still very uncomfortable. MePad wasn't sure he could get used to it. "I'm glad to see your enthusiasm for action, because you're going to need a lot of it."

Feeling the negative stares, MePhone shrank under their pressure. He chuckled awkwardly and changed the subject.

"Anyway, now that we have the captains, I can announce the lineup of the teams."

After he said that, the screen went white and displayed the schematic icons of Suitcase and Clover. They were rounded and minimalist.

"Team Suitcase consists of: Baseball, Cabby, Fan, Lightbulb, Nickel, Paintbrush, Suitcase, and Test Tube."

As he spoke, smaller icons corresponding to The Contestants he had listed appeared on the screen, and they were positioned next to the Suitcase icon.

"Everyone else, welcome to Team Clover."

The icons of the remaining Contestants appeared next to the respective larger icon.

Judging by their reactions, definitely not everyone liked whose team they were on.

Fan's eyes widened and he immediately turned to Test Tube. "Wait, that theory..."

"Now," MePhone continued, trying not to pay attention.

"Right, the order!"  She exclaimed, grabbing her head.

Cabby looked at them in confusion, and Test Tube was about to explain it, but MePhone coughed loudly to call for silence, getting everyone's attention.

"So, since Clover and Suitcase are the team captains and have immunity for this time, one of these fourteen Contestants will have to leave the game." His smile widened. "Dear viewers!"

"What?!" OJ shouted in a trembling voice. His knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, covering his face with his hands.

"Vote for one of these Contestants to be eliminated! See you all next time on MeTV+, on Inanimate Insanity!"