Alternate Battle for Dream Island

ABFDI 10c: Babies Cry

"The 11th contest is a crying contest."

The remaining contestants would suddenly find themselves inside giant containers, with one for each team. "Fill your tubs as high as you can with tears." The Announcer continued. "Go."

Despite the fact that that challenge was, well, *incredibly* weird by any stretch of the imagination, most of the contestants chose to just push through it and start crying, or at least try to. They were all extremely invested in this competition by this point, in the possibility of winning Dream Island, in the chance of *finally* getting some permanent peace and quiet. Of course, there's also the other motivator of wanting to do better than the other teams; that's a thing too.

"Wha-huh?" Firey was flabbergasted. "No way!" "Whot is it?" Bubble asked. "Isn't it obvious?" The flame turned to her. "Crying? Tears? Water is my *poison*!" "Oh, soirry." Bubble replied. "Bubbles don't have broins, so Oi couldn't easily make the connection." Meanwhile, Pin was trying her hardest to shed a tear or two; part of being a leader involves knowing how to feign emotion, as every sane person knows. However, she'd end up getting distracted upon seeing Tennis Ball standing in a corner, not even *trying* to cry. "TB, what're you doing?" Pin asked. "Why aren't you crying?" "Oh, I've already tried plenty." TB replied. "I just did it while looking way so you guys didn't have to see it." Pin glared at him. "TB..." "It doesn't matter, anyway." The big ball continued. "Not a single lacrimal fluid droplet has emerged from my ocular organs in 2,763 years." The thumbtack blinked. "What." "I can't cry." Tennis Ball sighed while explaining it curtly. "I've tried."

As for the Squashy Grapes, Leafy, Match, and Ice Cube have been making good progress in filling their tub; if one could call a few droplets here and there a success. "Hey, why isn't Teardrop, like, crying as well?" Match would point out. "You're usually, like, incredibly productive and such. What gives?" "Maybe she just isn't in the mood." Leafy remarked. "I mean, I know from experience that there's some that *just* don't want to cry; they think it's too much emotion." "Oh, like, Coiny?" Match replied. "Uh... I don't follow?" Leafy shrugged. "Oh. Well, like, I've been spying on the Namers for quite a while now." Match explained. "You know, to, like, see how they're doing." "...How am I *just* now knowing about this?" Leafy asked. "Okay, you can't, like, blame me for that." Match interjected. "You're usually fully asleep by the time I, like, get going." She'd quickly move the conversation on. "So, like, I've seen Coiny thinking to himself on most nights, and he ends up, like, crying to himself; every time, it's because he thinks that we, like, forgot-"

Teardrop would suddenly seize Match by the arm and have her turn to her, then with her other hand, she'd point to just below her eyes. "What? TD, you can't, like, blame me for pointing out your shortcomings." "I think she wants you to look over there." Leafy remarked, leaning in to get a closer look. "I see..." She'd squint. "Oh!" "Hm?" Match raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course you can't see her crying!" Leafy exclaimed. "She's *Teardrop*, she's literally made out of tears! I guess any time she *does* manage to cry, it just gets absorbed into her!" "Absorbed into her?" Match tilted her head. "How does that, like, work? Do you have any idea, TD?" Teardrop, of course, remained silent.

Over on Another Name, Pencil was trying very, *very* hard to cry, almost becoming hysterical. But things just weren't working out. Coiny has been faring much better, but nobody cares about that. "Eraser, you're not crying?" Pen asked. "Crying is for *wimps*!" The manly one declared. "Well, sure." Pen shrugged. "But, well, it's part of the challenge; I'm sure everyone would understand." "No, I don't think *you* understand." Eraser interjected. "You can't show weakness, period! Full stop! All these other contestants, they'll make sure you never hear the end of it! They'll hold it over you until the day you die!" Pen frowned. "You're taking this a *bit* too seriously, bud." Eraser then snapped his fingers. "I got it!" He'd exclaim. "Let's just grab Ice Cube and melt her; that speaker box didn't say there were any rules against nabbing and killing other contestants, right?" "Are you *crazy*?" Pen exclaimed. "We shouldn't do that!" "And why's that, hm?" Eraser folded his arms. "Have you grown into a wimp yourself?" "Uh..." Pen scratched his head. "She's on another team; how do you expect to get her here?" "Well, it's as easy as..." The eraser then proceeded to jump as high as he could, just about hanging onto the lip of the tub, then proceeded to struggle with climbing over.