TAKEOVER!: CONTINUED

CHAPTER 29: Stitches

Blockhead ran toward the door, but was stopped by Pico, who grabbed his strings and held them close. "What happened!? Why are you running!? You could get caught!", he stammered. "CONSCIENCE! LET ME GO, HE'S HERE! TH-THEY GOT HIM!! HE'S HURT, PLEEEAASSE!!", Blockhead sobbed in devastation and dismay. His mind was racing and he was frantically struggling to break free. He fell to his knees as Pico released him, realizing he may hurt him.

Salad Fingers and ENA awoke, hearing the noise and yelling. "Wh-what's happened...? Blockhead, you'd said something about Co-Conscience... is that right?", Salad Fingers groggily questioned. Blockhead nodded, crying and shaking. ENA narrowed their eye. "That means there's no time to lose... he's already been transformed if he's been heard screaming. Every time we hear a scream, we gain too much hope. We have to stop attempting to save them before it happens, because it's not possible... They're acting with more speed and haste", ENA grimly decided. Pico nodded. The four were about to head out when Captain stumbled toward them.

"I he-e-eard everything... I'm going", Captain stated. "No... no, you're too vulnerable.. Captain, if you're caught-- look at yourself! Just... please...", Pico worriedly replied. "I don't give a fu-u-uck, I'm coming with you! You woke me up, now you have to deal wi-i-ith me. I'm. Going", Captain demanded. "You two stop..! Captain, you're af-afraid, aren't you..? You're scared to be the only one awake here, ri-right? It would be hard to defend yourself if somebody su-suddenly burst in an-a-and started to attack, right?", Salad Fingers pressed as Captain got uncomfortable. He hated it when people realized he was scared. He tried to always keep a brave face. "Uhh... N-no... I'm just worried-- no, scared-- NO--.... okay... I'm fucking terrified, okay? I-I-I can barely move on my own... I've never been through shit like this! I'm a worthless bucket of rust and spa-a-arks... I sound like a radio, for fuck's sa-a-ake!! I'M A MONSTER!!", Captain stated, his voice growing weaker as he began to cry. The other three stared in shock as the black, oily substance ran down his face. Blockhead took on a disheartened and saddened look. "Captain...? You-you're crying...! But.. you never cry!", he mentioned, his eyes glimmering as tears began to choke him. Captain kneeled in front of him. "You don't have to top your own mi-i-ind, kid... I'm still learning to trust others with my tho-ou-oughts... it's only human to cry, kid... I thought it was weak for a long time, but after staying with you for years, and here for weeks... I've had to learn the hard way. It's only human", Captain tried to explain, still sobbing. Hearing this, Blockhead ran over to Captain and sobbed uncontrollably. All the fear and dismay he'd been keeping inside him tore him apart. Captain held onto him, consoling him and trying to calm him down. "I-I'm scared, too... Wh-why did they do this *HIC!* to us!? Why are we s-so *HIC!* hurt? I... I DON'T WANNA BE A PUPPET ANYMOORREE!!!", he cried loudly as Captain stood up and held on tightly. The other three stared in dismay and empathy, but then the cry echoed again. ENA tracked the sound.

"THERE!", they pointed to the left before opening the door and letting them out. They quickly and silently rushed down the corridors, using the shadows to their advantage. Eventually, they stopped as ENA skidded to a halt mid-air. They slowly turned to a metal door with a scratched-up label and one of Blockhead's drawings;

The label read 'Conscience', and the drawing was of him. It was stolen from his own home.

Pico slowly opened the door.

A small shadow ran straight into a corner, hiding itself.

"Hello..? Conscience, are you there? W-we're here to help you..!", Pico called.

"Pi-Pico...?", a whispery voice quietly echoed from the corner. Yellow button eyes revealed themselves from the drowning darkness. The other four slowly entered upon hearing him. "Please.... help me...! I-I'm scared! They turned me into a... a doll! Please, just get me out of here!", he quietly sobbed as he stumbled out of the shadowy darkness, slowly revealing himself and triggering the group to gasp. "Oh, my God...", Pico whispered. "Oh, you poor little th-thing! Such a ruthless, mo-monstrous act...", Salad Fingers whispered. "You're so small..! You... Oh, nononono... I'm so sorry..", ENA added in dismay. "Conscience! OH, GOD, CONSCIENCE!!", Blockhead leapt out of Captain's grasp and ran to Conscience. "BLOCKHEAD!? YOU'RE ALIVE! OH, GOD, HANG ON, KID!!", he responded in tears. The two ran to each other, Conscience stumbling before they met. They held on to each other tightly, sobbing and uncontrollably shaking. "I'm so sorry!! I'm so sorry!!", Blockhead cried in devastation. Conscience simply held on, shaking and crying. ENA picked both of them up and consoled them out of instinct. Conscience's breathing calmed and slowed down, and he opened his eyes to see ENA's face as they were simply petting his head. "H-huh? What are you doing...?", He shakily asked, his eyes still glimmering. "You're very soft... I found that you were frightened, so I tried to help. Sincerest apologies, kind sir..", They stated as they lifted their hand. Conscience instantly grabbed their hand and put it back on his head. Blockhead looked on in confusion as even ENA reacted in shock to the sudden and unusual action. Salad Fingers walked over to them and tilted his head in amazement. "Poor thing... trauma af-affected him hard. He's very... childlike...", Salad Fingers stated. Conscience released ENA's hand and shivered. Blockhead watched him visibly calm down while ENA pet him with a concerned and disturbed look. She turned her head to Salad Fingers, then Pico, who shook his head in dismay. "That's trauma alright... severe trauma", Pico stated. "Not just that... these are completely unnatural. He can't control them. This is an alteration of the mind caused by that horrible curse", ENA stated in horror and devastation. Salad Fingers stared at the ragdoll in horror as he realized they were right.

The five silently walked out.