Branches of Time.

friendships nearing.

(june 26th, 9:35am)

Sat behind a tree nearby the spawn, Khaki turned around to face the Pedestal of Awesomeness, missing the time that she would see Marker up on there, happily sat, swinging his legs back and forth.

It's been two weeks, she thought to herself, walking over and kneeling down in front of it. I miss the old Marker... maybe he'll come back. Hopefully he'll be able to recover...

Khaki sighed, as the memories of the two of them flashed in her mind. When they would prank every marker they saw together, when she would scare Marker by just standing behind him, when they would laugh as they watched 'so-bad-it's-good' films, ectera...

Why did it all have to change?

"Hey, Khaki...!" she heard someone call out, as she stood up, looking over as to who it was. They stood at the top of the staircase, followed by three other markers - one of which stood very close to them.

"Oh, hi Monkey Hat..." Khaki replied, slowly going up those exact stairs, reaching the four markers up top. "Why are your other friends here?"

"Well... I figured you've felt rather lonely ever since Marker... y'know, stopped going outside, so I thought that maybe you could... get to know my friends?"

Khaki looked up at the three alongside Monkey Hat, taking in how they all looked and seemed to be.

The one closest to Monkey Hat - even clutching onto her arm - was a teal marker, with a dark turquoise cap that had light aqua leaf patterns on it, and a small leaf crown at the bottom of the cap too.

They seemed nice, but also rather shy at the same time... maybe even apprehensive about other markers? Then again, Khaki didn't recognise them, maybe they were new here!

The next one was a rather simple marker - like Khaki - but was vermillion instead, and carrying a sword with them. They seemed excited, maybe a bit too much... eh, Khaki could understand that.

The last marker was also rather simple as well, just a vibrant red cap with a flower to go along with it. They seemed graceful, and almost like they were rather intrigued...

"So... you were Marker's best friend?" she asked, holding onto the sword-holding marker's free hand, and dragging her along. "That's so cool!"

"Heh, I know. Who are you?"

"I'm Strawberry Marker - and this is Vermillion Marker!"

"Okay wow, I can introduce myself, you know!" Vermillion playfully called out, as Khaki laughed in reply. "Wait... Khaki, you liked that?"

"Yeah, I even used to say that a lot, to be honest...!" she confessed, giggling at the end. Khaki then turned to the teal one, who was still clutching onto Monkey Hat's arm. "And you?"

They looked at Khaki, before softening their grip a bit, and letting go on one hand. Now facing her directly, they sighed, seeming to now form a somewhat-genuine smile.

"I'm... Foliage..." she muttered, holding the arm she clutched onto Monkey Hat with using their other one, stepping forwards slightly. "N-Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, I haven't seen you around here, are you new?"

Silence. Foliage let go, held onto herself, as they began to shake - not that much, yet still noticeable. Khaki asked again, just a bit more harshly.

"I... I don't want to talk about i-it..." they mustered up, as Monkey Hat silently hugged her from behind, softly reassuring that they were safe now - and that he couldn't hurt her.