The sun shined brighter than usual today.
It wasn’t so long ago since Aubrey met Kim. Kim saw the state Aubrey was in, just the sight of her would make anyone drown in depression. Kim took the leap and became friends with Aubrey. Thanks to that, Aubrey made plenty of new friends. Thus, the hooligans were formed. They were all hanging out together at the old hideout around the lake. Aubrey’s pink hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing a yellow sweater. She stood up to make an announcement.
“E-Everyone…I have an announcement to make.” Aubrey shyly stated as everyone looks at her direction.
“T-Thank you all! For always sticking together. I couldn’t ask for…for better friends.” Aubrey mustered up all her courage to finish her speech. The hooligans looked at each other and started laughing.
“Of course we’d never leave you behind, Aubrey!” Shouted Kim while leaning on Vance.
“How could a knight such as myself leave a beautiful princess to the wolves!” The Maverick said confidently.
The rest were laughing and cheering in agreement. Aubrey was so happy, she finally found people to be her friends…wait a moment. Why does this feel so nostalgic to her?
…oh right…that’s because…
Aubrey realized she had one more thing to do before she could truly “move on” from this sorrow. But before that, she decided to enjoy herself with her friends.
After spending the day with the hooligans, they waved each other goodbye. Aubrey and Kim walked together for a bit before reaching Aubrey’s house.
“You okay, Aubrey? You look a bit serious right now.” Kim said in concern while Aubrey just shook her head.
“I’m just happy to finally have a group to call family.” Aubrey responded with a light smile. Kim hugged Aubrey and chuckled.
“Better get used to it! A bunch of rowdy kids like us won’t make your life boring anytime soon!” Kim smiled while Aubrey just laughed at her silly remarks. They waved each other goodbye while Aubrey walks back into her house.
The smell, the broken grass bottles and the filthy woman sitting on the couch. Aubrey ignored the dirty sight and makes her way to her room.
She had one coping mechanism…that world, that dream. However, she knew after today, she would finally stop using that world. She finally has friends…friends to rely on.
Not like those traitors who left her. Not like them.
Aubrey got into her bed and closed her eyes…
Once she opens them, she finds herself in an endless, vast world of white. She looks around to see “her” in front of her. A small monochromatic little girl who looked exactly like her when she was young.
Mizuno.
“Thank you for all you’ve done for me, but it’s time for me to move on. I won’t be needing this world anymore.” Aubrey told her as Mizuno just stood still.
“I finally have friends…friends who actually care about me. We…I mean “I” don’t need to despair anymore.” The little monochrome girl started to open her mouth.
“Stop kidding yourself. You’re running away again, aren’t you.” Mizuno coldly stated as Aubrey backs away a bit.
“You’re a hypocrite…didn’t you hate Kel for doing the same thing, or did you already forget about him? Like everyone else.” Mizuno kept going as Aubrey covered her ears.
“Shut up…SHUT UP! What do you know! The pain I’ve suffered…no one was there for me, do you honestly expect me to-“ before Aubrey could finish, she dodges a bat swing from Mizuno. Inches away from her cheek, Aubrey jumps back and dreams up her nailed bat.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Those excuses of yours will only make yourself look more desperate.” Mizuno said as she readies her bat. Aubrey grits her teeth and charges at Mizuno. They swung at each other, aiming at each other’s torso or head. They dodged and swing, went back and forth. Hits landed on both sides, bruises started to form from the blows.
“KEL ABANDONED US FOR NEW FRIENDS! HOW COULD HE!?”
“If you just reached out, Kel would’ve welcomed you with open arms. He might be a moron, but he’s a good friend.”
“WHY WASN’T HERO THERE WHEN WE CRIED! WASN’T HE THE OLDEST?”
“Hero lost the love of his life. Didn’t you feel the same when you felt like you lost a sister?”
“THAT CREEP BASIL! AFTER WHAT HE DID TO THE PHOTO ALBUM THAT HELD OUR PRECIOUS MEMORIES! DO YOU EXPECT ME TO JUST FORGIVE THE CRAP HE HAS DONE!”
“Basil wouldn’t do anything that cruel without a good reason…maybe if we took the time to understand why he did it, then we could understand him, forgive him.
“W-WHERE WAS SUNNY! HE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME WHEN I NEEDED SOMEONE TO TALK IT! WHY WASN’T HE THERE FOR ME THIS TIME! HUH!?
Mizuno froze in place.
The grip of her hand holding the bat got tighter. She couldn’t believe what she just heard.
She was enraged.
“Sunny lost his sister. They were so happy together, nothing could match their love for each other. He lost his sister and you’re here asking why he didn’t run to your side? After he would always spend time with you for your pointless whines.”
Mizuno’s eyes were lit up like flames.
“You have the audacity to say that…after all he has done for you.” Mizuno stomps on the floor and screams.
“WHERE WERE YOU HUH! WHY DIDN’T YOU REACH OUT TO HIM! THE PAIN HE’S FEELING RIGHT NOW! HE WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE FOR US BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN HE NEEDED SOMEONE THE MOST!”
Aubrey took a step back, those words hurt more than the blows from Mizuno’s bat. Not just because it’s true, but because she knew about the possibility all this time.
Aubrey didn’t want to admit it but, she always knew everyone had their reasons for leaving each other. The pain they all felt, maybe she should’ve reached out. If she truly cared about everyone, then maybe-
Aubrey’s thoughts were interrupted, she blocks Mizuno’s bat with her own, they both struggled as their bats clashed.
“You sound like a brat. You’re not the center of attention. You don’t even care about your friends, do you? As long as anyone gives you any form of attention, you’ll gladly open your arms for it.”
“N-No…that’s not…”
“Sunny was probably the biggest sucker. All that time wasted so he could feed that ego of ours. Sunny…what a fool.”
“Shut up…”
“That little crush of his, anyone could figure out he had feelings for us. That probably made you super happy. Finally, someone to give you attention 24/7, what a complete loser.
“Shut up.”
“I bet you never even loved him back. After all, the only person we actually cared about was his sister. Now that she’s gone…now that Sunny won’t give us attention anymore, they’re…”
“They’re worthless to us now.”
“SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! SHUT THE HELL UP!”
Aubrey overpowers Mizuno, she launches Mizuno’s bat to the air.
She’s wide open. One clean swing to end it all. It’s over. “IT’S OVER!” Aubrey swings her bat, but a purple flash gets in front of the swing.
“Mizun-“
A purple body flies a distance away from them. Mizuno’s eyes widened and runs to the body.
“Sunny!” Mizuno holds Dream Sunny’s hand. Half his face was ripped apart, the nails torn his flesh.
“M-Mizuno…are you alright?…”
“Forget about me! You’re-“
“It’s okay…as long as you’re okay…this is fine. I would hate to see…see you disappear.”
“Sunny…”
“Mizuno…I…Iov-“ before Sunny could finish, he fades away. Mizuno stood up and didn’t move.
Aubrey was shaking.
“I didn’t mean to…I-I…”
Mizuno turns around, her eyes were more empty than usual. She starts walking towards Aubrey, defenseless.
“I can’t lose…everyone is waiting for me. Sunny was about to…to confess his feelings, after all this time. He finally found the courage to say it…yet he still couldn’t.”
Mizuno starts speed walking.
“If I win…he’ll come back. He can finally confess.”
Mizuno starts running.
“I will win. I will save him.”
Mizuno starts sprinting.
“I WILL BE WITH EVERYONE AGAIN!”
Aubrey can’t take it anymore. Aubrey lost it. She screams.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
Moments later, she finds herself bashing Mizuno’s brains out. Aubrey kept swinging until it was nothing but white meat left. Even when there was no head, it spoke.
“As long as you still care…you’ll never let go of your true feelings…”
Aubrey drops her bat and falls on her knees. She starts to cry, she was finally free, right?”
Aubrey wakes up, she had tears in her eyes. She sits up and looks around her room. It’s morning, looks like she won’t be having those dreams anymore…finally she’s free.
She might be free of the dreams, but she’s still a prisoner to her true feelings.
“Goodbye Hero.”
Hero please, help me.
“Goodbye Kel.”
Kel, annoy me already.
“Goodbye Basil.”
Basil…help me understand you.
“Goodbye…Sunny…”
Sunny please…save me.
Sunny’s eyes open immediately, he sits up from his bed. He heard someone…calling him.
…….
Maybe it was just in his head.