☆ Control ☆ (COMPLETED)

152: Tell me what the hell am I good for.

The group barely escaped the burning building, injured mentally and physically from the tradegy had just occurred. Everything was a mess, Basketball barely processed what had happened since she had missed it all, but.. she gained a pretty good idea as she watched in horror as Liy and Coiny lowered Snowball to the ground, him laying limp.

"....N..No.. NO!" She screamed, startling a few before she ran to his side. She tried to shake him with her foot desperately. "Sn-..Snowball?! Are you okay?! What.. what happened to him-?!" She shouted, tears in her eyes as she turned to Liy and Coiny. Coiny held his arm, looking to the side with guilt.

".. Y-.. You were taken control of.. Basketball. He tried to help you but, straight after he.. was controlled too and stabbed himself in.. the chest." He whispered, hating to be the one to tell her. Coiny winced as he was hugged by Firey from behind, a little surprised at the sudden warmth but hugged him back, squeezing his eyes shut. Firey was obviously glad he was okay.

".I..Is he dead..? Is he dead?!" She needed to know, Liy not sure.

"I-I... I'm sorry, I-I don't know! W.. We couldn't tell-" she winced as Basketball cut her off.

"H.. How could I be so stupid?!" She fell to her knees, squeezing her eyes shut as tears formed in them, stinging her eyes. "...H.. How could I let this happen.." her words were shakey, and soon faded into sobs. She couldn't lose him, and she was terrified to know who else they had lost. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, overwhelmed by guilt and regret.

"I...It's not YOUR fault, Basketball..-" Liy tried to be a help and comfort her, but Basketball was too stressed.

"Yes it IS! Why did I think I could redeem Rs?! I-It wasn't worth this.." she wept, breaking off into a sob. Liy awkwardly watched, not sure how to deal with the situation.. she wished she did.

"I'm..I'm sorry.." Liy muttered. Basketball only continued to cry.

"T-Tree! What happened-?" Blackhole floated back down in a hurry once hearing Baeketball scream, startled by the sight of the building in flames, coming to a steady hault. "..Wh.. What the.." he scanned over it.. oh no..

"..Pen is dead." Tree blankly said, staring at the building emptily. His arms were limp beside him, watching the building burn to the ground, the entire thing in flames.

"..Wh.. what?"

Tree didn't say anymore, his eyes glued to the burning structure. No thoughts entered his mind.. Blackhole took a gander at the remaining group.. and.. Pen was nowhere to be seen. He suddenly didn't feel too good, his gaze drifting back to the building with hurt.

".. Guys- where is Anchor?" Shampoo croaked, forced to sit down on the ground due to his burned leg. Firey turned to him, noticing his injury and letting go of Coiny. "Sh-Shampoo! What happened-? D-Did you get caught in the explosion-?" Firey exclaimed, kneeling to him immediately.

"..I did. Please- WHERE is Anchor.." He repeated, staring at Firey with plead. He looked hopeless... like he already knew the answer. Firey went to open his mouth to speak, but he couldn't..he just looked back into the building. "B-But he survived the forest fire! H-He would've been able to survive that fire, right?"

"U-Unless he got CRUSHED!" Shampoo put his head in his hand.. he already lost Tape in the explosion. No.. he couldn't do it. He couldn't be the ONLY debuter alive. He squeezed his eyes shut and hoped for all of this to go away, but the throbbing on his leg only persisted. Firey didn't know what to say, reaching out to him weakly.

"A-Anchor!!" Golfball yelled into the direction of the building, but her words fell flat over the sound of the flames. "..I.. I hadn't noticed- I'm terribly sorry-" she turned to Shampoo with a sympathetic expression. "..B-But- Firey is right, he is metal.. the explosion nor fire shouldn't have killed him."