The departure of a friend. 

      Or, I can't handle change. 

"You will pay for this, I promise you." 

Niki's eyes burned with rage directed at Schlatt as she struggled against her handcuffs, trying to pull them apart. 

"That's an awful lot of sass from someone whose hands are tied behind her back." Schlatt sneered at her, stepping closer towards her. He leaned forward, grinning. "I think I like you better that way. You look funny." 

Niki spat on him, sending a spitball like pure venom onto his face. "Go to hell." 

Quackity looked down, biting his lip to keep from laughing out loud. Schlatt's face had turned beet red in anger as the spit slowly slid down his face. A vein strained on his forehead as he brought the sleeve of his suit up to his face stiffly, wiping it with an angry motion. He spun on his heel after a moment of consideration, his tone harboring roped in anger. 

"You just won't listen, will you? I've tried so many times to warn you about that dictator, that fool that used to rule this country. He was tearing this great nation down from the inside, yet you still fall for every single little trick-"  

"Don't you dare speak of Wilbur Soot like that!" Niki strained against Punz's hold angrily. "Don't you dare even speak his name!" 

"Ah, Niki." Schlatt watched her as she thrashed around like a caged animal. "Love blinds you. Listen to me." He lowered himself down to her level, staring her directly in the eye with what looked like genuine concern. "Love is a horrible, fickle thing. It messes with your mind and weighs you down from your true greatness. Trust me, I know." 

She gritted her teeth, hardening her stare. "Bring them back, now." 

Schlatt sighed, shaking his head in disappointment as he stood up. "You want to believe I'm the bad guy here. But I'm trying to help you. Love is great until it breaks you. You'll learn that soon enough." 

He turned his back to her, standing up straighter. "I have no choice but to arrest you. You're a danger to the nation, just like that dictator. Who knows what damage you could do if you aren't locked up." 

"W-what?" Fear and desperation were laced in Niki's voice. "You- you can't to that!!" 

"Oh, but I can." 

Another crashing wave of guilt hit Quackity's stomach. Niki was probably the kindest soul he had ever met, and the thought of her wasting away in a cell, a sweet bird unable to fly, made Quackity's heart ache. 

She didn't deserve this. 

Do something. 

I-I can't. 

What can't you do Quackity?

I-I can't stand up. For Niki. For George. For myself.  

Who says you can't?

He glanced at the tight handcuffs on Niki's slim wrists. He thought of Niki's tinkling voice floating through hard iron bars. As Schlatt continued to monologue, he found himself inching closer behind her. 

Sometimes

He felt the rough rope that binded together her hands meet his fingers. He slipped his one sharp arrow, the one weapon that he carried around with him, out of his pocket. Her soft brown eyes widened as she spotted him. 

You have to be a little brave. 

The cold arrow tip sliced through the sweet girl's bonds. 

"Run." 

His whisper floated through the air as the ropes fell uselessly at his feet. 

Niki didn't hesitate. 

She whipped around, blonde hair flying behind her, and leaped off the balcony. Shouts and screams of outrage erupted as she rolled gracefully as she landed, taking off like the wind. Quackity watched as she turned back one last time, raising her fist courageously as hair fell into her eyes that were gleaming with triumph. 

"Mark my words, Mr. JSchlatt, you won't get away with this!" 

And then she was gone, like a bird taking flight. Quackity looked down as Schlatt shouted at Punz, shaking him by his collar. 

I'm still afraid. 

A small smile crept to his lips and he tightened his hand on his arrow. 

But at least I was a little brave. 

And a little brave can go a long way. 

---

HBomb's hand clenched around his small wicker basket, walking a little faster. Link tripped behind him, trying to keep up with his frantic pace. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

Something was off. Well, things had been sort of off ever since H joined the server. It seemed like one big whirlwind, honestly. But Niki and Eret seemed nice. And... Quackity? H didn't know anymore. Niki had obviously been anti-Schlatt as well as Eret, but H didn't want any trouble. He had come here to escape from his past, from his nightmares, from the war- He shuddered. 

He just wanted friends and his dog. No trouble, just friends and dog. 

He looked down into his basket filled with various cooking supplies for Niki's bakery. She had gone from such a happy girl that has hugged him when he had joined, to a devastated, hardened warrior. 

H had been helping her out by gathering supplies ever since she began not speaking to Fundy, one of her closest friends. He would mix the bowls while she paced around, muttering about how she couldn't bake with everything going on. 

But H had also liked Quackity. He was a funny guy, that was for certain. He made H truly laugh, which he didn't do often. He liked Quackity. 

He remembered the first day after Wilbur and Tommy fled (who seemed like very nice people, but NO he wasn't taking any sides-). He went to visit Niki and she was..... crying? It looked like it when he came in, but she was quick to look away. And H didn't know what to do. He didn't know if she needed comforting, or anything else. The only thing he could do was put on his apron and start baking. 

No trouble, no fights, no sides- 

Just baking. And friends. And dog. 

But he hadn't seen Niki at all since the announcement. Which was unusual, because Niki always visited him with some of her cookies. And Niki was never late. Unless she was with Wilbur. She talked about Wilbur a lot. And he knew that it was killing her that he was away. She said Wilbur was sweet, caring, gentle, and kind-

But no. He wasn't taking sides. 

H finally stopped when he heard Link whimper besides him. He panted, his little pink tongue sticking out in exasperation. 

"Sorry, buddy." H whispered, reaching down to rub the small dog's ears. "I'm just stressed right now. I'll go a little slower." 

H strode slower, shoes crunching into the sand as he stopped in front of Niki's bakery. He pushed aside the magenta curtain that covered the door, stepping inside. 

"Niki?" 

The curtain swung back, blocking off the light, making the tiny bakery feel like a cold cavern. That was odd. Usually the furnaces were on, casting a warm glow over everything. H took another step, his shoes clacking on the wooden floor. 

"Niki?" 

H turned into the kitchen, spotting a figure hunched over the table with his head in his hands. It was Eret, his hands in his light brown hair. H's eyes widened. 

"Eret?" 

"She's gone." His deep voice was filled with regret. "She flew away, H." 

"W-what?" 

H felt the wicker basket slip from his hands, falling to the floor with a thud. 

"She- she had no choice." Eret stood up, meeting H's shocked eyes. "Schlatt and Quackity did this, H. Do you see now? Do you see why we need to stop them? Do you see why you need to pick our side?" 

You need to choose a side. 

"H, choose us! Please. For Niki." 

"I-" 

Choose, H

H wanted to throw up. The bakery was too small- why was it too small- it was suffocating him. 

"Choose us, H!" 

Choose, choose, choose, choose. 

Bile rose in his throat. His chest constricted. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe- 

Choose, H. Choose now. 

The walls were getting closer. So H did the only thing he could. 

He ran. 

He ran away. 

Away from Eret. 

Away from choices. 

Away from everything. 

He didn't stop until he collapsed onto his knees, falling into the soft sand. The waves lapped at his pants, swirling around his bare ankles. Tears dropped down his face, collecting into his goatee. 

And now the part he hated the most. The flashbacks. He'd never truly escape them. He'd never escape them for the rest of his life. 

Blood, blood was on his hands. It was warm and slick. It wasn't his blood. 

No, no, no he thought that he had deleted it. He had made sure to delete it-

"H?" 

Fear was in his friend's brown eyes. And H's sword was in his gut. 

No, no, no. Not that memory. Anything but that memory. 

"Grape, Grape no-" 

H collapsed next to him, cradling him in his arms as he shuddered out skaky breaths. 

"No, no- I'm so sorry, Grape- I'm sorry-" 

He was on the battlefield again. That stupid battlefield. But H had to fight. Because he had choose a side. And Grape has choose a side too. But it wasn't his. 

"H- it's- it's ok. We- we were just on different sides of the same war." Grape coughed weakly, his voice hoarse, but he still looked at H with love in his eyes. "You're a great friend, H." 

"No, no- Grape, please don't go- please don't leave, Grape-" 

One heartbeat, and then 2. 

"Say goodbye to Straub for me." 

And one more. 

And then there was nothing at all. 

H choked out another sob, guilt filling up to his throat. He screamed, pounding his hand on the cold, wet sand, before he collapsed into sobs again. 

He felt Link's warm tongue lick the side of his face as he tried to console him. H accepted the little puppy, holding him close in his arms as he rocked back and forth. He took in a shaky breath, and let it out over and over again. His hand stroked Link's soft coat. 

Choose, H. 

Choose a side.