The Power of Two

Episode 11: A New Stage of the Game

Black Hole wasn't the type to feel anger or frustration, but he would be lying if he said that he wasn't a little upset.

Two's show was not turning out to be the experience he had been hoping for. In an ideal world, he was still with Death P.A.C.T., preventing death. He was joking around with Pie, Tree, and Liy, or helping Remote keep Bottle alive. He missed it and hadn't realized how meaningful those connections were until they were gone. Even if that wasn't a problem, he'd been forced to sit out multiple challenges already.

Seeing Pie and Pillow get eliminated was when it really started to sting. Being separated was one thing, but their being eliminated was another. For the first couple of challenges, it felt like all he had was Remote. Then Remote confided in him about her dreams for the Green Team, and Black Hole's intentions changed.

Remote wanted the team to work together, and Remote was his friend, so what she wanted became what he wanted.

However, it was easier said than done, and Black Hole was beginning to worry, especially since another one of them would soon be stone.

He didn't like any of the options. Remote was his closest friend still in the game, and even though they were never close on D.E.A.T.H. Pact, Black Hole still felt a fondness for Pen that he couldn't shake, and he certainly didn't want to see the guy petrified. Barf Bag and Puffball were good people who he respected, and Grassy and Basketball pretty much needed each other, so seeing either of them go would make everyone else's lives harder.

That left Winner, and as difficult as the fluff had been, Black Hole didn't want to see them go either. They were standoffish, sure, but they were clearly troubled. Whatever hang–up they had with Loser, Black Hole just hoped that they could find some kind of peace.

"Do you, like, need something?" BH asked the person standing behind him, "You've been standing there for a bit now."

"You could see me?" a surprised Barf Bag said, "I was super quiet, how did you see me walk up?"

"I'm a black hole, Barf Bag," he said, "I don't really have eyes like you do, but I can see everything around me, all at once."

"Oh," Barf Bag mumbled, taking in his words, "That...sounds awful," she said honestly.

Black Hole would have shrugged if he was able to, "It's not too bad when you don't know anything else." he said mystically. "Now, did you need something?"

"Not really," she responded, taking a seat next to him, "I just...I feel bad about Remote, I guess,"

"You feel bad?" BH repeated, "Why's that?"

Barf Bag sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, "The whole thing about getting along as a team and everything; I feel bad about it."

"I don't think you really need to feel too bad about it," Black Hole said, "you're just not close with anyone on the team, there isn't anything inherently wrong with that, you know?" he explained.

"I know," she sighed, "I just feel bad for Remote. I don't want her to think that the Green Team can't function as an actual team. We can, we've won challenges,"

"Remote is..." BH hesitated, trying to choose his words carefully, "she cares a lot. She wants everyone to get along, and she wants to feel like she's helping. She just wants to feel like she's needed as a person, and not some tool to throw out."

"Does she...feel like that often?" Barf Bag hazarded to ask, "A tool?"

"Probably not always," BH said before correcting himself, "Or maybe she does, I hope she doesn't. She's always been more than that."