"No..." I whispered, covering my mouth in horror. "No, no, please no."

I rushed up to the ghost, ignoring the captain's laughter and waving my hand in front of him. "Ben?! Eighty-Eight! Can you hear me?! BEN!" I cried, getting more and more frantic.

But he didn't look at me. It was like I wasn't even there.

He just emptily looked up, staring at that crown.

"N-no..." I whispered, slowly turning my gaze from the boo to the lady. 

What did she do to him?

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" I cried, rage coursing through my veins.

"Me? I just-" She started, when the ship suddenly jerked. It certainly didn't feel natural. It almost felt like someone took a large fist and punched the large boat in the side. The captain quickly whirled around, worry flashing in her cold black eyes.

"What the-" She started, when she felt a stinging sensation swipe past her shoulder.

She winced and turned to face me.

And there I was, standing in front of the boo and holding my left hand up. A small projectile danced above my fingertips, but that was not what I was looking at.

I had my eyes narrowed at her.

I felt my rage turn to power. 

I was going to kill her. 

I was going to kill her for what she did to Ben. I was going to kill her for what she did to the rest of those boos too. Is that what they all were? Just lost children who got caught?!

"Kid, what are you-" She started, when I flicked my wrist, sending the projectile that was just bouncing around my hand at her, hitting her crown off. I watched as it clattered to the floor. 

She immediately went down to reach for it, but before I could let her grab ahold of it, I formed an execution box right in front of her, setting off explosions inside. However, she somehow was able to dodge and scramble out of the way.

Even so, I could tell she was getting frustrated. She was breaking a sweat and I had barely moved at all. I flicked my wrist again, sending more projectiles at her, hitting her square on in the face, breaking her mask in half, and causing one part to fall to the floor. She tumbled backward upon impact, landing on the ground.

She didn't get up this time, but I could tell she was still breathing. 

I took a step closer. Time to finish this.

I had never felt so strong. I had never felt so much like a One.

I was going to kill her.

I felt powerful, I felt unstoppable, I felt-

A gentle hand on my shoulder.

"One..." You whispered.

I froze.

"One... don't lose yourself," You begged, gently pulling me back.

I blinked a few times, then turned my head to look at you. Sure enough, it was you. 

You were safe.

"Two?" I whispered.

"Yes, it's me," You breathed. "I'm okay. We're okay... Let's just please go before anyone else gets hurt."

I frowned, then shook my head, looking over at the boo. At Ben. The little ghost had floated over to the crown that I knocked off the lady's head, then gently picked it up, holding it as if it was a rare artifact he had discovered.

"But..." I muttered, watching as the little boo took the crown, then vanished. 

He just disappeared. I had no idea where he even went.

He was just... gone.

You followed my gaze towards the empty space, then let out a shaky breath. 

"It's not your fault," You promised.

You lied. I know you lied, because it was my fault. He cried out for me. He asked me to save him! But I didn't. I just sat there and did nothing.

Ben had been through so much and it was all for nothing. Everything he ever did... it was all for nothing. There was no reward at the end of the journey for him. There was just nothing. 

He'd never get a happy ending. He was just a scared little kid who'd never get a happy ending. He didn't even get to die and find peace in the Overthere. He was doomed to a life on this ship forever. Doomed to suffer for all eternity.

I couldn't help but get teary. He looked so afraid. So helpless. He trusted me to protect him, and I failed. I failed him, just as I failed Blumiere.

I've failed everyone.

I felt as the tears slowly started to well up in my eyes. I couldn't stop them anymore. I slowly lowered my face into my hands and cried.

I cried for Ben. I cried for Blumiere. I cried for all the children in this world who would never get their happy endings. All the children who had only ever known suffering and fear.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to any of them. 

I was supposed to be a hero. I was supposed to bring the sun back. But how can I do that if I can't even save one helpless child? 

There were so many people all over the world who could never be saved, no matter how hard I try.

Every friend I swear to protect only ends up getting hurt.

It would be so much easier to just erase everything and start over. 

Start over in a world where the sun would shine. This place... it was broken far beyond repair. There was too much wrong with it for it to be fixed.

Ben deserved a world where he didn't have to be afraid all the time. A world where he didn't feel the need to stay silent. I want children to live in a place where they don't have to grow up afraid. Where they can just be kids and enjoy the sun on their faces.

I want that more than anything. I want a home. A home where everyone can feel safe. A world where no one has to suffer the way Ben suffered. Where no one has to be neglected and manipulated the way Blumiere was. 

In a perfect world, Six wouldn't have dropped me. In a perfect world, Ben would smile and be at ease. In a perfect world, there would be no fear. I would make sure of it.

I began to cry harder and harder, the reality of the world finally hitting me. There was no saving this place. There was no saving anyone in a place like this. There was nothing I could do. I could have all the power in the world, and still be powerless at the same time. The only way out was to start over.

You suddenly pulled me into a hug, gently rubbing my back. "Shh..." you whispered. "It's going to be okay. I promise."

Liar, liar, liar!

How could you say something like that?!

I sobbed harder, not because you were lying to me, but because you truly believed that things would be okay. How could you be so ignorant? How could I have been so ignorant?! Nothing about this place was and ever will be okay!

You deserved a better world. This one eats nice people like you up and spits them out. Sooner or later, you were going to learn that the hard way.

Suddenly, I felt water at my feet. I sniffled and looked down to see ocean water rushing into the room. I frowned slightly as you jumped and pulled back. 

"Shoot, we have to go!" You exclaimed, grabbing my hand and turning to run. "Come on, One! We released the lifeboats. Mario's already on one-"

"No," I said, ripping my hand away from you. I was trembling, despite trying to stay steady.

You turned and frowned at me, for once looking terrified. "No?! What do you mean?! One, we have to-"

"No," I repeated, wiping tears away. "Two, I'm not going."

I couldn't handle losing another friend. Ben... Blumiere... everyone I grew close to would eventually leave me. That's why it's just better to be alone. It's better just to trust myself.

"What? But you have to! The ship's sinking!" You cried, reaching out for me, only for me to form an execution box around myself, separating the two of us.

"Go away, Two," I told you, my voice colder than I had ever heard it before. "Just leave."

"NO! Not without you!" You cried, banging your fists on the glass as if you were trying to shatter it. Your fingertips sparked with electricity, then you punched the wall, using your thunderhand to try to break me out.

Your attempts were useless, however. We both knew that you had to leave. You had to get on that lifeboat.

"Please!" You cried, giving up on trying to break the glass and leaning your forehead on it. "This isn't a funny joke."

It wasn't meant to be a joke. I was done joking. I was done being naive and dumb. I was done with the stupid number puns.

I turned my head away.

"Have you lost your mind, One?!" You cried out.

I frowned slightly, then stepped forward, leaning my forehead on the glass as well and pressing my hand to it. "No. For the first time, I think I'm finally thinking clearly."

"You're not though!" You cried, tears welling up in your usually bright sky-blue eyes. They looked more cloudy and foggy than before. 

I couldn't stand the sight of you crying, so I closed my eyes. I imagined that you were the version of yourself that I gave the flower to. The version of yourself who made me believe that things really were okay. The version of yourself that made me truly feel unafraid.

"Hey, shh..." I whispered. "It won't be so bad. I promise."

"LIAR!" You cried, hitting the glass again. "YOU'RE A LIAR, ONE! PLEASE!"

I didn't wince. I didn't move at all. I just stayed calm and quiet. Yes, it hurt to hear you sound so desperate and afraid, but my mind had been made up. I wasn't going with you.

"Just find your brother, Luigi," I whispered.

"Don't call me that!" You cried, sniffling and sobbing now. "You never call me that. Please, just come with me. I want you with me."

"Goodbye," I whispered, waving my hand and teleporting you out of my sight. 

I wasn't even aware that I could do that. But I didn't care. I didn't care that my powers were growing. I didn't care about anything.

That's a lie, I suppose. I knew I cared about some things. Like Blumiere and Ben. Like you and Mario.

But I couldn't afford to care anymore.

I carefully made the box surrounding me disappear, then walked through the rising water which was now to my knees, kneeling down by the lady and picking up a broken half of her white mask before casting her a glare.

"What have you done?" She whispered, her voice finally sounding as vile as she was. "You realize that sinking this ship will kill everyone on it, right?"

I nodded, attaching the broken half of the white mask to my belt next to the black half and shrugging.

"Good thing we're all monsters here."

Besides, she was wrong. Not everyone would die. 

The boos would be fine. After all, they were ghosts. It would be impossible for them to drown. The only ones worthy of living would be fine.

It's funny... the only people on this ship worthy of being alive are already dead. Well, them and you, of course. But you were going to escape with your brother. You were going to move forward as a two and do whatever you could to make the world a better place. I was sure of it. That was just the kind of person you were.

The world needs more of you. If only everyone out there was like you. Then perhaps this world could have been saved. Then perhaps we wouldn't need a reset button. 

But alas... there's too much hate in this world. There's too much fear. Too much darkness.

. . .

You teleported right to the lifeboat where Mario was waiting for you. He jumped a little, not expecting such an entrance, but then immediately hugged you.

"Oh thank Grambi, I was worried you got trapped or something! Did you find One? Ben?"

You didn't answer. Instead, you stayed silent for a moment, then broke down into loud sobs. Mario frowned and pulled back, taking a look at your face as tears quickly rolled down your cheeks.

"Luigi?" He asked. "W-what's wrong? Where are One and Ben?"

You didn't answer. You just continued to sob as the ship slowly began to sink.

"I-I failed," you whispered, your voice soft and airy. "I failed Mario. I-I couldn't save either of them."

"What?!" Mario exclaimed. "What are you saying? Luigi?"

You couldn't even form words anymore. You just hugged yourself and cried.

You continued to cry as Mario lowered the lifeboat into the water. 

You continued to cry as the boat began to drift away.

And you continued to cry when you saw the once massive ship slowly disappear into the water, being eaten away by the waves. 

You cried as you saw a small yellow dot, standing atop the upper decks, just staring out at you. You watched as it pulled out a small shining lighter, flicking on the flame and holding it up before disappearing beneath the waves.

You couldn't save me.