☆ Control ☆ (COMPLETED)

111: This could be a problem.

"3..2..1.. pull!!" Firey yelled into the air and cried out in strain as he and Shampoo used all of their combined power to try and lift Stapy from the cliff, having struggled because of how heavy he was and how they were both disadvantaged because of their lack of one arm each. Stapy groaned as they were close to pulling him up onto the edge, looking down at the cliff fearfully as some of it crumbled and fell towards the rocks, holding onto the rope that the pair was lifting him with for his life.

They had climbed up the cliff this morning after finding it, and since that rope had been there for ages Firey had an idea. He and Shampoo were the first to go up the cliff and since Stapy couldn't climb very well they used the rope to hoist him up. They threw it down and Stapy grabbed it, and now they were almost done lifting him to the very top. Firey definitely wouldn't have wanted to be Stapy because he would have been terrified of the height, knowing he would have to trust the others with his life.

"D-Don't look down-" Shampoo advised Stapy in a struggle, but that was too late for that. Stapy tried to ignore the impending height and looked up at the two, not letting go for the life of him, struggling to hold up his own weight.

"We've almost got it!-" Firey shouted and squeezed his eyes shut, whining as he tugged the rope forward. Shampoo jerked foward too and the pair was able to yank Stapy forward onto the cliff, finally getting him over. Stapy let go and pulled himself away from the edge in relief by the grass, relived to feel safe. "Thank goodness! You did it!" He looked back at the two, who were panting.

"W-We did it-" Shampoo heaved, putting his hand on his knee. Firey huffed, calming down quicker than Shampoo. "Yeah. It's no big deal. Can't believe we're finally back up here! It's been so fucking long.." he exhaled, relived.

Shampoo and Stapy had had a lot of time to interact after they had been introduced to each other. Stapy and Shampoo were both equally unsure of each other but not openly. After Shampoo heard of the unfortunate news about Fries it.. stung, but he didn't know him very well so didn't feel as emotional as Firey did.

Firey also mentioned Coiny to Shampoo, which he hadn't done so before. He explained how he needed to help him and was gonna get support from Fries but.. now he couldn't. Shampoo was shocked Two would stoop to that level but.. also wasn't. He agreed though .. Coiny was salvagble so they needed to find some way to help him.. he wasn't like Leafy or Liy.

But they were safe now.. back at the main forest where they could head back to their base. Firey was quite happy to be in a trio again, and was looking forward to the other two getting along, he didn't see why they wouldn't apart from their trust issues. Firey looked over at Shampoo, who was still trying to catch his breath. "You good?"

"G-Give me a moment-" he huffed, breathless. He clearly wasn't much of an athlete.. but Firey didn't mind him being weak. He was the strong one in the group anyways, because it obviously wasn't Stapy. Though he was happy to have Stapy back.. he didn't realise how much of an impactful bond he had made with him until he was gone.

Though.. that was the case with Shampoo too. He was happy to have these friends around him.. it made him feel safe, and more secure. Stapy looked up at the sky, squinting and shielding his eyes from the sun, despite the freezing weather. "Hm, it's gonna be evening soon. Will we have enough time to get back to that base?" Stapy wondered out loud.

Firey pondered this, tapping his cheek in thought. "Huh.." he noticed when he talked he could see his breath in the air.. that was how cold it was. He couldn't risk them getting lost in the dark and having to sleep out in the open in this weather.. it would be better to try and find their shelter to have at least some shelter. "We'll probably have enough time if we hurry. You ready Shampoo?" Firey turned back to him.