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The sky had bled out its bright blue.
What remained was a slow-spreading bruise of violet, deepening by the second, as if the day itself had been struck and left to darken. Milky, distant, white stars have begun to prick through the surface.
Night had settled over Goiky, and the challenge had come to an end.
Leafy forced herself to hold her smile in place, thin and taut like a threat pulled too tight, as the remaining contestants headed off in different directions.
Well, half of them, anyway. TB had drifted off with mechanical indifference, with Needle trailing behind him, frustration clinging to her like static.
Book was dead, and Coiny-
Coiny was nowhere to be seen.
Leafy watched the retreating figures of the two until they became nothing more than interruptions against the horizon. She let out a sigh, the only contrast to where silence has rushed to fill in the gap.
She tipped her head back, taking note of the fact that there was no indication of the daytime anymore. Without even a sunset to warm her up, night has fallen. And without a single new friend made, Leafy was once again, alone.
She really tried her best to make friends this time. She even stretched the stupid challenge thin like taffy, just to steal moments between the rules. Forcing smiles and conversations as if it was merely a transaction rather than something real. Given all her time to these objects who she thought she knew.
But timing is a cruel prospect.
This was probably done at the worst time, given it was the precipice before the final 3. None of them had wanted to really hang out with her, only focusing on the game. And Pin, who she thought warmed up to her earlier, had cooled back into something distant, unreachable, back to square one. Not to mention Firey..
Leafy shut her eyes, the thought cutting itself off before it could fully form. It's best not to think about him completely, and focus on her job as a host for the future.
After all, Leafy was a terrible host this episode. She'd only wanted to be a friend instead.
But everyone else was pretty clear that friendship with her was the last thing she wanted. Still, the fact that Coiny and Needle, even though it was for a challenge, treated her better than Firey, who claimed he was her true friend?
That stung like crazy.
And she had this gut feeling that Firey was only pretending to forget her, especially after she got recovered. If only she could prove it, too. But how would she accomplish that if he never even addressed her existence?
And with what help? She had no other friends.
Leafy found a place to sit, a popular patch of grass showcasing the Goiky waterfall, and decided to spend the night counting all the votes.
Something objective. Measurable. Safe.
TB was immune this time around. Leafy had hoped it was Needle. She at least seemed like she sort of enjoyed her company. Even though Leafy knew that it had been strategy dressed up as kindness, calculated down to the smallest gesture, her sweetness made it easier for Leafy to be delusional.
Illusion was easier to hold than emptiness.
TB did win the challenge, but he barely bothered to really care or treat Leafy well at all, and as soon as he figured out her true intentions, it was pretty much over. Book was just way too meek to even be at this stage of what was possibly the most gruelling season she's seen.
And then there was Coiny.
The grass beneath her fingers bent and pierced between them, anchoring her in place as his name resurfaced.
Leafy figured that Coiny would have the least dislikes this elimination. Out of all of them, Coiny probably treated Leafy the best.
He'd been different. Not softer, no, Coiny was never soft. But deliberate. Attentive in a way that felt almost dangerous.
He was the most considerate, the most caring, and really thought of what Leafy would enjoy and appreciate. He noticed things. He adjusted. He gave the most to her, and for her.
The issue? He was also the clearest about where he stood.
He made it obvious that his intentions were to win the challenge. He really went to all lengths to win. Unfortunately for him, it had eventually backfired when his striking comment became the last straw for Needle. And he has been missing since.
Leafy swallowed. Coiny. He really did treat her well, better than the others. She really wished he was genuine about that treatment. Especially since Leafy knew how he was when genuine. She's seen how he is with Pin. Before, while the abandoned leaf watched the two soar off into the sunset from below, she thought she felt initially envious that Pin had a different friend other than her. But now, Leafy realised that she was truly just jealous of Pin herself.
--
"Coiny, Needle, we have to stop this!"
TB's shrill voice pierced through Leafy's ears.
"This challenge will never end, because Leafy has a million flags!"
Leafy almost felt like the world stopped still then, glancing over at Needle, who's face remained blank.
She'd been found out, and her plans to make new friends were officially cut short. She knew that nobody really cared, but now she was forced to give up completely and just continue the challenge as it is. Why did she even bother? Now everyone is going to go back to treating her like a complete burden. Maybe that's what she deserves. Nobody would bother with her after this. TB was already really pissed at the circumstances, so who knows how-
"What's the problem?"
Coiny's voice not only cut through TB's look of indignation, but also through Leafy's own thoughts. She looked down to face him, eyes widening. He grinned at TB, clearly unfazed, as if he had no idea why that even mattered.
"I'll just take Leafy to a million places!"
Needle cheered out her agreement, clearly convinced, but truth be told, Leafy barely heard her. She was utterly shocked. He was willing to put in that much effort? For someone like her?
TB clearly didn't like the answer. He glared at Coiny, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing from him.
"Don't you realise how long that'd take-"
"Don't YOU realise how satisfying that'd be?" Coiny immediately countered, still with that casual tone. As if it was first nature to go all the way beyond the scope of fairness for someone he apparently detested.
For a couple moments after that, Leafy was barely there, only slightly feeling the weight of Needle's arms carrying her. She shook off the numbness. It didn't matter. It didn't matter that it was the first time Leafy was treated like she mattered. Sure, maybe his care could've been a little misguided. But she felt something different then. Something more like real gratitude rather than her usual delusions crafting something that was never there. Maybe that's because she knew that, even if she was only seen for the challenge, it was better than being seen as nothing as all.
Illusion was easier to hold than emptiness.
--
Leafy curled in on herself, arms wrapped tight around her knees. Was that a little taste of what friendship could have been for her? Her and Pin were truly similar. Made mistakes, shunned by most. The difference? Pin had one loyal friend. Despite her mistakes, after everything, Pin had someone who stayed. Chose her. Leafy didn't.
Pin struck gold. Even though she had been the one to wound first, Coiny had circled back, finding the guts to apologise. Yes, he had retaliated, but he immediately returned. And stayed.
Through every fracture, every misstep, every version of Pin that might have driven someone else away, he stayed. Loyal in a way that felt almost stubborn. Gentle in places nobody expected from someone labelled a trickster, a jerk, a spark waiting to burn.
Meanwhile, all Leafy had was a ghost.
Firey lingered in her life the way smoke clings to fabric: faint, suffocating, impossible to wash out completely. He had filled her world once, loud and warm and undeniable… and now he existed only in contradictions.
He lied to her, was hypocritical with promises that collapsed in on themselves, and left her to be alone and hated by everyone. Every time she even tried talking to him, he ignored her. Even though it was he himself who bawled about how he preferred her over Dream Island.
The thought came uninvited. What if it had been different? What would it have been like if Coiny was her friend instead?
Would she have been held with that same quiet certainty Pin carried so effortlessly even at her worst? Would she also have someone by her side, choosing her, again and again, completely and unconditionally, even when the rest of the world hated her?
Would she have had a different fate completely?
Her thoughts spiralled, pulling her in deeper. Someone who stayed when the world turned its back on her. Someone who didn't flinch at her worst. Someone who would go to the centre of the Earth if she merely asked. The kind of devotion she craved, yet only ever seen from a distance.
Instead of Coiny's kindness to her being measured, edged with intention, a performance for the game, it would've been the real deal. Like what he gave Pin.
The ache in her chest came sharp and sudden, blooming in her chest like something cracking open. She let out a quiet breath, although it trembled on the way out.
Why couldn't you have been a little like him, Firey? The thought slipped through her before she could stop it, fragile and bitter all at once. And why wasn't I enough for that?
She had always thought that Coiny was the asshole. Loud, abrasive, reckless in the way he had treated everyone.
And Firey? The chill, sweet, airhead. But now, he had become shapeless, slipping through her fingers no matter how tightly she tried to hold on.
On the other hand, Coiny has begun to solidify. Mature. Sure, he still had his moments, shown pretty clearly by Needle's outburst earlier. But gone was the sarcastic, Firey slapper who had nothing better to do with his life. Now, he was someone who's truly begun to transform, in both personality and actions, and in a way most might not notice.
Aimless sparks had formed direction. Coiny has become a leader, and a genius strategist, while also being the anchor for those who want to take to the front. He's adaptable, honest, straightforward, and ruthlessly strong, but as soon as the game ends, he offers a hand to the ones he knocked down. Even his rough edges has been worn into something almost deliberate. What had once become cruelty had reshaped itself into wit, an almost jokester persona that many of the others enjoy. All his negatives from back then... He's morphed those traits in a positive way.
Yet, he still had that trait where he expected those he showed loyalty to, to give him loyalty right back. Hm. This entire notion felt sort of.. familiar to Leafy, but she can't pinpoint how.
She let out a cough, letting her sentimental thoughts go. She needed to get a move on and focus on counting the votes. Then, she can go to sleep.
Leafy began to shift through the papers in her hands, counting each vote on each paper. She was curious about how this voting process worked, ever since BFDI began years ago, and now she finally knew.
Leafy took out her notepad and begun taking note of each name that came up as a dislike.
Count. Mark. Count. Mark.
As she got through about halfway of the votes, her thoughts have subconsciously started to wonder who was eliminated this time. Well, as long as it's not Needle, it should be alrigh-
She paused, hands halting, as realisation dawned over her about the content of the votes. She frowned, eyes flicking back over her filled notepad, checking over and over again, almost like an endless double take. A slow, creeping, unease curled in her stomach.
No way.
After a moment, she continued counting, but her pace has slowed, stomach churning with discomfort. Each slip felt heavier than the last, carrying more than ink, but rather something inevitable, something waiting for her at the end of the pile. And with each slip read, her eyes widened further, with her mouth parting in shock. This can't be. No way this is the case. It was the last thing Leafy has expected out of these votes.
The final slip fell into place, cutting the invisible thread of denial leafy held since she'd begun.
Letting out a fractured breath, Leafy set the papers down, and blinked. She glanced up at the sky, completely dotted with bright stars and the full moon. Sighing, she rested her hands to her side and pursed her lips. She was definitely not going to sleep now. Oh boy.
--
It was time. And Leafy was ready. Or at least, she hoped she looked ready.
She stood in front of the cake and stake lobby, smile already in place. Polished, practiced, perfect.
Behind her, the TV screen flickered to life, casting soft pulses of light around her surroundings.
It's been a couple of months since that night she counted the votes. In those months, she made sure to refine her smile until it no longer trembled. Tangling her voice with a bright exposition. Filing away every crack, every flicker of something real about her until there was nothing to catch on. She was nice. She was happy. She was unaware of how everyone else hated her.
Things had shifted between these past months.
Tennis Ball remained his changed self: sharpened into something colder. His smirk lingered way too long now, edged with something unpleasant as it flicked towards Needle and Book. He barely acknowledged Golf Ball anymore, brushing part her existence as if she were nothing more than background noise. Even the other eliminated contestants weren't spared.
Needle was restless, agitated constantly. She was only getting more and more frustrated at every little thing, and Leafy was beginning to think that whatever she had poured into that last challenge had hollowed her out.
Book would often comfort her, but Leafy, being the master of noticing the details, always took note of the times she'd secretly purse her lips and rapidly tap her fingers on her chin, as though there was something weighing on her mind.
And Coiny was still missing.
Leafy thought he would've appeared by now.
She was aware of the last time he was isolated, which was when Pin betrayed him, but everyone else knew his whereabouts. This time, nobody did, and only Needle had asked. It's funny. He used to be the most popular guy around, but she guessed Pin's notoriety had dragged his reputation down too.
Leafy fixed smile twitched slightly, as a cruel thought slithered up into her mind.
If only Firey was willing to do the same for Leafy. Lucky Pin.
She blinked. Wait. Pin has been missing too. When Leafy really through about it, the last time she even saw Pin was when she zoomed past her and Coiny during the challenge, dismissing him as she ran.
Leafy remembered noticing Coiny flinch ever so slightly at her reaction, his face crumpling for less than a second before snapping back into something careless. Unbothered. Nonchalant. And now they were both missing. Why's that-
"Uhm, Leafy?" a meek voice cut between her thoughts.
Leafy blinked, immediately ushered back into reality.
Book stood in front of her, fiddling with her fingers tentatively. Behind her, Needle raised her eyebrow, impatience flickering across her expression.
"We've, uhm, been waiting for you to start for a while now." Book murmured softly. "Do you... Need any help?"
Oh right, the cake at stake. Oh wait, the cake at stake!
Leafy's smile widened instantly, slipping back into place like it had never faltered.
"O-oh sorry! Just spacing out!" She let out a light laugh. "No worries, I got it! I am a season finalist after all, so I've seen how these things go!"
She pulled out her notes, and the TV hummed, screen blinking rhythmically coupled with a little tune. If it weren't for the circumstances, she would've asked around about the name of the song. It was quite nice, actually.
"Alright guys! So we've had around 41,385 votes this time around!" Leafy called out, doing her best to keep her voice level. She glanced at Book and Needle, who's expressions appeared nervous. She smiled wider.
"So uh, let's start with who won the-"
"Leafy." Needle's voice cut clean through hers. "What about Coiny?"
A uncomfortable silence, heavy and tense. Needle shifted slightly, fiddling with her fingers.
"I mean, shouldn't he be here?" she continued, quieter now. "He's been gone for months, and I.." She paused. "I'm starting to get worried."
Leafy's smile stayed in place.
That's funny. She was the one who kicked him into the lava in the first place. He did say something stupid but, still.
"Well," she began smoothly, "he's missed cake at stake before so surely-"
"But we knew where he was before!"
Needle's voice raised, cracking upward. Realising her outburst, she bit her lip.
"Now we don't. And- And I feel like it might be my fault. I've been wanting to talk to him for a while, especially if I'm gone next- and-"
"Look. Needle."
Leafy cut in, voice sweet, but a fraction tighter. "It should be fine. There's no need to worry."
She couldn't help but interject, forcing her smile to stretch out further until her cheeks hurt. She really didn't like this. She needed this to end.
Tennis Ball scoffed. "It's fine, everyone knows he's safe, anyway. He usually is."
"That's not the point!" Needle snapped. "He's my friend and I care about him! I know he's made dumb mistakes, but so have I and-" she looked down, crossing her arms protectively.
"I-I just-"
"Besides TB," a quiet yet suddenly firm voice broke in. "At least Coiny survives these eliminations fair and square."
TB flinched, gasping in shock. "ExCUSE ME?"
Everyone turned to look at the usually mild Book, who seemed surprised by her own outburst. Leafy guessed everyone was sort of done with TB at this point. Everyone was also aware about the BFDIA 19 scandal he's had, where fraudulence guaranteed his safety over Fries.
Leafy clasped her hands together loudly, trying to grab everyone's attention. It did.
"Guys! Do you want to carry on or not? Chop, chop, the final challenge starts soon!"
Needle sighed. Book looked away.
Leafy couldn't help but frown despite herself. She had also been missing, and nobody had cared. She decided to ignore the little twinge of pain she felt.
"So first up, we have the prize! Let's see who gets it."
She turned to the TV, and everyone's eyes followed the display behind her. After a couple of seconds, the light flickered to show a result.
"Looks like Book has won the prize this time!"
Needle's eyes widened. "What? After everything I've done?" her voice rose, splintering.
"You're kidding, right?" Her eyebrows furrowed in anger.
Book swiveled to face her, clearly shocked at her reaction
"W-what? Why is it such a big deal?" her voice shook, clearly wounded.
"You barely did ANYTHING last time! How was it that you received way more likes than Coiny and I? What about me? I gave up EVERYTHING! I did EVERYTHING I possibly could to win! Did nobody see that? Will I always be just an extension of someone else? Why YOU? What did you do last episode that could warrant-"
"What I did?" Book's voice was quiet, yet sharp this time. "What I DID?"
Her eyes were beginning to fill up with tears as she glared at her.
"I tried to SAVE you. I went through my trauma AGAIN, just to try and stop you from getting sabotaged. I was trying to help YOU win!"
Needle took a step closer to Book. "See, that's just the thing here, Book. Being nice gets you nowhere. Caring about your rivals gets you nowhere! How many times have you been UFE now? Every time, you've been safe! And to no merit of yours! Every time, you do pathetically at challenges, people pity you, and then wow, you're still here! That's not how we should be at THIS point of the game! It isn't fair, Book, it really isn't!"
Book didn't respond, but she was clearly hurt. Tears streamed down her face as she shook in front everyone else.
Leafy felt frozen in time. Why was this so familiar? Something about this, the desperation, the Imbalance. She felt this sensation with Coiny earlier, and now it's happening with Book. Why?
Her grip tightened. No. Not now.
Silence filled the place. Needle looked away, sighing.
"Look. I'm not trying to be mean. It's just- not fair. You have this advantage, and Coiny is like, loved by everyone, there's no way he's going. S-so where does that leave me?" her voice shook. "After everything I've done, it will all be to waste. It's definitely me going this time around. And I- I wanted to be top three, at least. I just-"
"Needle, not to burst open your monologue, but this is the prize section, not the elimination," Leafy's voice rung out despite herself. "Let's calm down, shall we?"
The pair turned to face her, surprisingly sombre.
Book clutched her arm. "You know, Needle," she whispered. "We both know the vote will be between us two. I'm on the same boat. By your logic, you should be attacking Coiny too for his popularity, along with my pity. Especially since he's definitely safe. But you won't do that. Not in front of everyone."
She took a shaky breath. "Because you care about him. But you don't care about me."
Needle didn't respond. Leafy decided this was a good time to continue. "Okay! Book, spin for your prize!"
Book reluctantly sledged over to the prize wheel and spun. She received seeds. "I know I'm lucky when it comes to eliminations," she muttered, holding the seeds. "But I'm unlucky everywhere else."
Leafy sighed. Here came the part she was dreading. "Alright so, uh, now the dislikes. First safe is..."
The TV took a couple of seconds to display the results. Before long, the screen showed hues of blue and green. Book was first safe.
Book winced. Needle clutched her mouth and closed her eyes, holding back a sob. "It's over," she murmured. "I'm out. I was so close!"
"I-i'm sorry."
"It was really between both of us and I- I- Why-" Needle struggled to form words, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"I wish I got out a long time ago, why now? I was so close, I have nothing to go back to and-"
"Now let's reveal the final votes" Leafy forced out the projection of her voice. "Let's go TV! Let's GO!"
"I-I'm not ready for this! I can do better! Why..."
The TV took even longer this time to display the votes. Needle closed her eyes, as if unwilling to look anymore. She began taking steps back away from the podium. TB rolled his eyes, clearly bored. Book turned to face Needle.
"I- I will do my best to avenge you-"
"I don't need you to!" Needle's voice was shrill. "I just, I'm my own person, Book. Just- please-"
"That's not what i mea-"
She was cut off by a momentous sound coming from the TV.
TB glanced at the display and immediately recoiled in shock. "Wait- WHAT?" His eyes were big and wide, and his jaw dropped.
The pair immediately turned around to face the TV. Leafy sighed.
What the results showed was not Needle. A big splash of orange confronted the group.
4th Place. Eliminated: Coiny.
Needle's mouth fell open, as she slowly collapsed to the ground. Her hands clasped her mouth.
"That- That can't be right," Book breathed out. "He's a fan favourite, everyone thought he'd win. He was going to win."
Leafy shared her sentiments, but she forced herself to respond.
"Yeah, well, not anymore, I guess! Once Coiny comes back, he will have to join the WTF."
The words tasted wrong against her mouth.
The eliminated contestants were silent from shock, glancing at each other as if disbelieving. Even Fries had an eyebrow raised.
TB pursed his lips, deep in thought.
"Well, there goes my only real competition. I got this in the bag, now!" he said lightly. Nobody responded.
Leafy had a feeling his drastic change would prove his words to become untrue, but she decided to let the matter go. All she wanted to do was run away now. "Well, oh well! Now for the next challenge..we.."
--
It's been around 6 months since that incident now. As Leafy had predicted, Tennis Ball was out next, after Book's immunity. However, he seemed to have reformed in some way, through some heavenly intervention like scheme. Leafy didn't understand, but she understood.
Meanwhile, Coiny did in fact, reappear, but in some sort of twisted rage that had Book injured but ultimately bagging the win. Now it was down to the final vote between the two girls, and Leafy wasn't hosting.
She was done. Utterly, done.
Her mind swirled with the events that had transpired within the last 20 minutes, as she covered her body with her bent legs. Bubble. She now knew the truth, as did Flower. Leafy glanced as her nice list perched behind her, the lone icons of every contestant appearing in colours as harsh as Bubble's betrayed gaze.
She sighed.
Yeah, maybe stealing Dream Island wasn't the best decision, but as long as her situation remains unchanged, so does her thoughts. She doesn't exactly regret anything, because what was the point of regret? This was her right!
Rage boiled up inside her, but Leafy immediately took a breath. No. Anger can't be shown, unless she wanted another reunion with Evil Leafy, like what happened with Bubble. It took Leafy a lot of strength to subdue that incident.
So instead of anger, sadness took pursuit. Her throat clogged up, as tears began blurring her vision, the far-away, bright stars becoming cloudy, and the dark hues of the night sky fading into a washed up purple.
Leafy would've probably begun quietly sobbing, if it weren't for the sudden snap behind her.
The sound brought Leafy out her thoughts and into attention, as she turned. There stood Coiny, holding a yellow tomato. Next to him, a twig branch was broken in half. He smiled sheepishly, but his expression became almost guarded when he realised it was her.
"Oh, uhm, hey, Leafy."
Leafy stared back. "What are you doing, Coiny? You're supposed to be in the WTF right now."
Coiny glanced at the yellow tomato, before straightening up. "Oh, Pin just wanted a yellow tomato, and I had a uhm, secret stash of those back at the lighthouse, so I thought I'd grab one quickly for her."
Of course, Pin gets someone doing anything at her will despite her mistakes, and someone who would help fix the root of the cause as well.
What did Leafy get?
She scoffed, bitterness seeping through her senses like rotten Yoyleberries.
"Right, of course you would. You're like a yes-man for her."
Coiny's hesitant smile dropped immediately, his eyebrows furrowed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked casually, an odd edge to his tone.
"No, no, nothing at all."
"Yeah well, I'm not sure if you exactly have the right to comment about other people's relationships, do you?"
A low blow. Leafy winced. That stung. "Whatever. You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
At this, Leafy's eyes widened, stunned. She froze, as Coiny made his way closer to her, sitting down. He kept a respectable distance, but his eyes never left hers. She took in the way his expression held hostility, yet something else as well. Something close to determination. Leafy shook her head, disbelieving what she heard.
"I don't get it. What?"
"Try me. Why did you do it?" He looked up into the sky. "Why did you go that far to steal Dream Island?"
Leafy couldn't respond. Coiny let out a sigh. "I mean, yeah, Firey is a jerk, but you knew that going in that he's a loser!"
"He's my best friend." Leafy hated the way her voice trembled when she said this, cracking slightly. "He..he was my best friend."
Coiny's expression softened ever so slightly, looking down into the patch of grass beneath him.
"Keep going."
"He hurt me.. He used me, he pretended like I meant something to him, even after what I did, only to fool me again and again!" Leafy's voice broke out in loud, agonising chunks, as tears began pricking her vision once more. She trembled.
"I was the only one excluded! He even let you onto the island! You're his enemy! I was his best friend, and he excluded me because of what? I was crying out in agony as I died? And then he saved me from getting killed, only to ignore me for three whole years! And I know he's only pretending to forget me because let's face it, I know him better than he ever bothered to!"
She was full on sobbing now. "And- And everyone continues to love him, and he's clearly replaced me with Gelatin, acting as if I never existed. How could he? How could he do that to me? Was I never a friend to him? Was I only an alliance? I don't know anymore."
She let out a staggered breath. "So no, I feel no regret for what I did. Not after what he did to me. He doesn't deserve Dream Island, so I won't give it to him. And you can't make me."
For a while, there was no response and the only thing clouding Leafy's mind were her bottled thoughts pouring through and her cries ringing against her ears. She coughed after a sob got stuck against her through, and quietened down.
"Leafy."
She slowly turned to look at Coiny. His eyes were fixed on her, soft, almost kind. That can't be. Leafy has outwardly told him that she regretted nothing. When Bubble heard that she wouldn't give it back, she turned her back on her. Coiny should be doing the same right? He should be calling her an awful person who should be far, far below the nice list.
"Yeah, I get it Coiny, ok? I know I'm detestable, and nobody will get it becau-"
"Honestly, I understand completely how you feel."
Leafy's senses still. Eyes widening, she gawked at Coiny, who sheepishly smiled.
"You… understand..?" Her voice came out as a slow, weak, wheeze. Almost drifting like the midnight wind breezing against the pair. "What…?"
He nodded in response, tilting his head up to the sky.
"Look, at first, I didn't. At all," he rubbed the back of his head. "Back then, I'd thought I wouldn't be able to get into the Island, given the winner being my mortal enemy. And then I did, against my wildest dreams, and I thought it was all well. Only to lose it all, because of you."
He glanced up. "And I was a jerk, y'know. Still am, really. I have a lot to learn. So I wasn't thinking about how you felt, only about me, and what I lost. I wasn't exactly good at thinking about anyone else, to be fair."
He looked at Leafy, something swirling in his eyes. "So I resented you. A lot. Until… we started this competition."
Leafy's eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"
"This competition… was the best experience of my life."
What?
Leafy had to laugh at this, in disbelief. "You're kidding, right? You've had continuously terrible experiences for the entire trajectory of BFDIA. And went through so much pain, only to barely miss making the finals."
Coiny chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that's true."
"So what makes this the best? Shouldn't it be the worst? I mean because of me this whole thing began and-"
"Leafy," Coiny cut her off by grabbing her arm. "Hey. Come back to me."
Even if his touch was gentle, Leafy flinched at this, shocked that he was initiating contact, rather than anyone recoiling from hers. His eyes were so honest, so open, not a hint of judgement or contempt. When he saw that she went quiet, he let go.
"I changed as an object because of BFDIA. I became someone that I'm starting to be proud of. Last time, I was… nothing. I was reduced to Firey, who ended up winning. I didn't add anything else. Nobody knew who I was, and even I didn't know what to think of myself."
He leaned back, arms stretching behind him as they supported his body. "But here, I became a leader. Made decisions. Actually showed the others who I am and what I can be. Because of you, I had the craziest time, doing all the challenges with everyone. I loved hanging out with the others, being loud, bold, more than just a snarky random who hated on the 'BFDI hero'."
He nudged her, grinning wildly. "And to be honest, I think that's when I started to let my grudge for you go. Even if I didn't understand your intentions and thought you fooled us all, I was still grateful that you gave me this opportunity. If it weren't for you, I would've remained the same. Become nothing. Remained stuck in the same place."
His smile became wistful then.
"And then, I met Pin. For the first time in my life, I had a best friend. I felt how awesome it was being around her, and how much it hurt seeing her suffer. I never had any close relationship like this before, I only knew how to hate. I started to cherish the time spent with her, no matter what it was. Through her best moments, through the moments where she was alone, even those times when she started losing herself, I wanted to be there for her, be her support. Show her that I was there, and will always give to her whatever she wanted."
He glanced at her, tilting his head. "Is that what you felt… with Firey? About him?"
Leafy was dumbfounded. Slowly, she nodded, still unsure about how to feel about this whole scenario. "I…yeah."
He laughed at that. "I never understood what you saw in that guy. But I guess I get it now."
He slowly leaned further and lied down, on his back, eyes fixed on the glittering sky above them. "And when Pin left me, back then, at the lighthouse, it shattered me. I thought I meant more to her than what she had showed me. To her, I was never a priority. I was never her friend, just an alliance she could throw away when she needed to."
Leafy couldn't believe what she was hearing. This sounded familiar. Too familiar. She felt a twinge of remorse thinking about how she used that incident against Coiny soon after it happened, simply for her own amusement. This whole time, he was feeling the same way as she did.
She thought that Pin and her were similar in many ways. But perhaps, she was blind in seeing that there could be someone more in range.
"I was so upset, that no matter how hard I tried to let it go, my emotions just… bottled over and I," he paused. "I- I went too far. I shouldn't have gotten her out when she needed the win. I regretted it. I didn't want her to be gone."
Leafy crossed her arms protectively over her chest as she looked at him. "Coiny… I-"
"Don't you feel it, too? The surge of regret after you let your emotions control you too much?"
Coiny cut her off, eyes shining as he gazed into her eyes. Leafy couldn't look away. "I can sense you do. I know you do. You just feel like you've gone too far, and can't turn back, so might as well continue on."
He shook his head, rising back up to face Leafy. His eyes never left hers.
"But don't do that Leafy. I swear, making it up is much better. A fresh start. I am on your side, but just like what I did was wrong, so was what you did."
Leafy stared at him, spellbound. Was this really the same object who was throwing a tantrum earlier in the day? The same one who acted silly and goofy around Pin the whole challenge? Now he seemed more sensible than her. That didn't sound right. Leafy is at the top of the nice list! She was the most sensible!
"No way," she murmured, almost to herself. "I can't accept that."
For some moments, Coiny didn't move, his eyes fixed on her with an expression so intense, she thought she was going to evaporate. Then, he held his hand out for a fist bump. Confused, Leafy returned it, tilting her head. He grinned.
"Don't get me wrong, it was justified, believe me," he stated. "What you did. I mean, as the number one Firey hater, respect!"
He straightened up, raising an arm towards the sky. Leafy gazed up to watch his luminescent hand against the moon, as he continued.
"But if you want true peace, admit your fault anyway. Talk to him. If he's still being a jerk, talk to everyone else. At least show them your regret, like I did."
Unconvinced, Leafy let out a sigh. "it's a nice sentiment, but doing this means I lost."
"Then so be it."
Coiny tossed the yellow tomato between his hands. "I hate losing too. More than almost anything. Almost. But it's a worthy trade-off. I know that it sucks to do this. You're opening up all your mistakes when you don't want to. But it's worth it. It will be, completely worth it."
For a moment, Leafy didn't respond. Her thoughts twisted swirls and clouds in her mind, conflicting feelings churning through her senses. She glanced behind her, towards the nice list. Her eyes moved up before fixing on the icon at the very top of the list.
It wasn't hers. It was Coiny's.
Leafy's arms trembled. "What… what if nobody forgives me?"
Chuckling softly, Coiny wrapped an arm around her shoulder, startling Leafy. His touch warmed up her senses.
"Well, that's impossible! I'm right here, Leafster, and I forgive you."
Upon hearing this, Leafy's eyes welled up with tears again. "You… do?"
He smiled softly, wiping away a lone tear that had escaped from her left eye. "Yeah, I do. I get it, Leafy, I get you, even if Firey hurt you more than Pin hurt me. I think you'll have to wait for him to come around, but until then, try again in general. I don't mean your fake, happy-go-lucky persona! I mean show your true self to others. They'll accept you."
His smile widened, much brighter than the stars behind him. "I know I have."
Slowly, he got up, cradling the yellow tomato which Leafy had completely forgotten about. She shivered when his warmth left hers.
"Look, Leafy, we're friends. If you ever need to talk, I'm an option, yeah? About anything, even venting about Firey! I'll be sure to let you know how much he sucks."
Coiny slightly leaned down, his height meaning he didn't have to bend his legs to reach Leafy's eyes. The stars held no candle to the earnestness of his gaze. "It might take months for you to be happy, even years. You might take forever to find your way, but even if you had lost it completely, even if you come by the next day to stab me with a knife, I won’t hold it against you. I understand you, and I know you'll be okay soon. I can feel it!"
He turned around, making his way back to the WTF. "But I know you want to be liked again. By everyone. Maybe even by him. You know what to do. Let go of your pride, even for a little bit."
He waved. "See ya, Leafy. Don't forget, I'm on your side. Rooting for you!"
Leafy watched as the circular shape of Coiny became smaller and smaller until he entered the WTF. She watched the small dot sparkle around against the rectangles of the WTF, and the stars lighting up the sky, until her eyes could barely see anything anymore. Wiping her tears, she smiled to herself. After some moments, she got up and headed towards the nice list.
She placed a hand towards Coiny's icon at the top, thanking it with a wistful smile.
She sighed, before glancing at her own. She'd replaced it after the incident with Bubble, so it was still nice.
Still high, still good, still wrong.
She reached out, hand trembling. Something inside her was resisting, clinging, clawing begging her to stop.
If you do this, you lose.
Coiny's voice echoed against her mind.
Then so be it.
Leafy's fingers pressed against her icon, dragging it down. All the way to the bottom.
She expected her insides to fold in on themselves the moment she dropped her hand. But nothing changed. A cool, calm sensation filled her senses, her breaths slowing, her expression loosening. The world didn't end. Nothing changed. Everything changed.
Leafy let out a large exhale, and laughed. She fell back against the grass, gazing upon the now numerous stars above her. They didn't feel so distant anymore. She could perhaps reach for them someday.
She didn’t know if she spent minutes or hours, lying down, staring at the sky. But at one point, she had gotten up, turned, and started her journey towards someplace which was unknown to almost everyone.