Folie

Chapter 2: Panique

I stumbled back as I felt Taco lose consciousness and fall limp in my arms. I panicked, looking around frantically at the people surrounding us. I felt sick to my stomach. I didn't know how to handle this!
Out of nowhere, the last person I expected to react spoke.
"About time we got rid of that piece of shit." I turned my head towards the deep, satisfied voice, and spotted Pickle looking over the couch, his arms resting on the top.
"W-Excuse me?" I asked in shock and anger. Why would Pickle of all people say such a thing? Weren't him and Taco best friends a few years ago? I know they had their feud, and he constantly shot her dirty looks, but I didn't think he had hated her that much.
"Come on Microphone. Why do you even still hang out with her? She's a worthless excuse for a person who manipulates everyone else around her so she feels in control, because that's how immature and pathetic she is." He announced to the group. Nobody dared to object to him.
"Pickle. T-Taco may have been rude to you years ago, but she's a different person now! Why can't you give her another chance?" I shot back, holding Taco's limp body in my arms.
"So she'll manipulate me again? Not a chance." He argued, getting off the couch and walking towards me and Taco.
"Look at her! She's evil and she always will be. She can put on that facade and fool everyone else, but not me." He glared at Taco, who had curled herself up in her sleep.
"Are you really that naive Microphone?" Pickle growled, stepping closer to me in his anger.
"Pickle, are you serious? Look at her! She's in pain, and you have the heartlessness to react like this?" I cried, staring at Pickle in disbelief.
"She didn't exactly have a heart when she decided to betray me!" Pickle yelled, curling his hands into fists.
"That was years ago, can't you move on?" I replied, standing my ground.
Pickle stayed silent for a moment, his face contorting into pure, cold rage.
"You know what?" He growled. He walked up to me and I braced for him to scream in my face, but to my and everyone watching's shock, he punched an already unconscious and in pain Taco, and walked away.
"I can't." He said, before leaving the room.
I put Taco down onto the carpeted floor to assess her. Pickle had landed a blow to Taco's face, and blood was streaming down her nose.
"Taco! Oh no..." I muttered in a panic. I could only hope that Baseball arrived with OJ.
Suddenly, a loud voice yelled from behind the crowd.
"Microphone! Mic, what happened? I heard yelling and-" Soap had burst through the crowd and was brought face to face with the scene in front of her. Soap's eyes widened in horror, before she rushed over to Taco and whispered to me,
"What...what happened to her?"
"Pickle, he...." I trailed off, being unable to explain. I felt bad for Pickle, I couldn't imagine what Taco could've done to hurt him so bad, but...attacking her? When she was already unconscious due to pain? That was a low I have never seen anyone stoop to.
"...he attacked her." I finished, looking down at poor Taco. She looked in so much pain.
"Microphone! I'm so sorry! That stupid elevator was so slow!" OJ shouted, as the other hotel inhabitants parted to let him through.
"What happened to Taco? Baseball had said she fainted but he said nothing about her bleeding!" OJ said. Even OJ, Taco's former teammate and finalist rival, still had the heart to care for her, even though she had betrayed him in a way as well.
I shook those thoughts out of my head as OJ offered to guide me to the infirmary. I picked up Taco off the ground with ease, as she is pretty small and light, and followed OJ to the medics, where I laid Taco on a bed. She was still curled up in pain, her face bloody and wet. "She must've started to cry subconsciously after being hit" I realized, full of guilt.
Soap ran in soon after me, and began to start treating Taco.
"I can help if you need." I told Soap as she began to clean the blood off of Taco's face.
"Hmm..." Soap muttered to herself, thinking hard while cleaning up Taco.
"Do you mind putting these in the garbage?" Soap asked, handing me a bloody tissue. I flinch instinctively in disgust at the tissues, before quickly grabbing them by the tips, and rushing them into in the nearest trash can.
After that gross experience, I decided to just sit by Taco and silently comfort her. I reach for her hand and grasp it in my own.
I'm worried I hurt her, after all, I was the one who pulled her into that elevator which led to her hitting her head.
"Mic." Soap suddenly said, breaking the silence and looking over at me.
"What's up Soap?" I asked, trying to keep my cool. I squeezed Taco's hand a bit tighter in order to relax myself.
"I've been thinking, and Taco probably has a concussion."
I took a sharp breath in. I had a feeling it would be something like that, but the guilt was weighing on me too much.
"You're right...so she won't die?" I said, a weight beginning to lift off my shoulders, though not fully.
"She shouldn't. You can't let her hit her head again, and if I'm correct, she will most likely have other symptoms." Soap responded, finishing clearing up the blood. Soap slowly stood up and gave another glance at Taco.
"Well, I've done what I can do for now. You can stay here if you'd like, I have dinner to attend to." Soap walked over and gave me a hug, whispering in my ear, "She'll be alright, especially if you're with her." I gave her a smile in response, as she turned and walked out of the room.
A sad silence began to fill the room. It was just me and my thoughts. I looked over at Taco, who had been making small movements in her bed. I felt bad about her second blow from Pickle. If I hadn't been so busy arguing, I would've known what he was going to do, and blocked him. She doesn't deserve this, no matter how "evil" she is... I thought to myself, beginning to zone out.
After who knows how long, I felt a jerk on my hand. I blinked and looked over, Taco was slowly opening her eyes. I felt my eyes burn with happy tears.
"Taco! You're okay!" I lifted her into my arms and hugged her. I felt her squirming, but at that moment, I didn't care.
"M-Mic?" Taco whispered, her voice barely audible. "What happened? Pickle...Pickle said something to me..."
I froze. She heard some of Pickle's argument with me?
"He...he got angry for some reason. But it's alright." I reassured her, holding her tight in my arms.
"Mic? What is..." she pointed to herself as well as me. "This?"
My face heated up in embarrassment. I got so excited about Taco waking up that I wasn't thinking straight. I put her down on the bed carefully. As I set her down, I noticed her irritated face was a light pink as well.
"W-well then. What time is it?" Taco stammered, looking out the small window in the room and noticing the setting sun.
"I'd say almost time for dinner." I glanced at Taco, who still seemed a bit tired. "Do you think you're up for going to the dining hall?" I asked, not wanting to push her too hard. She had been unconscious for a while now.
"Of course. Let's go." She replied absently. Something seemed different, but I just brushed it off as a symptom of her concussion. I held her hand and walked next to her cautiously, afraid to somehow hurt her again. I gave her a sad smile, and she glanced back at me with a cold smirk, seemingly lacking of emotion, before turning into the dining hall, and I had no choice but to follow her.

✨1389 words✨
**AN: Damn, these keep getting longer. No matter, I'm enjoying myself, and that's all that I care about. Hope this is somewhat enjoyable so far, it's a bit all over the place and the pacing is a little weird, but there is a plot forming. Chapter 3 coming whenever I feel motivated (as soon as I can!).