Tennis Ball was hard at work. He always was.
Truth be told, deep down in his heart, he didn't *really* want to be; it is the innate nature of every living being to exist in a world where they don't have to do anything, where they can just rest, relax, and recuperate until the end of time. Well, at least until the end of their life. But the universe was a cruel, fickle thing. They were all forced to play along with whatever tomfoolery and nonsense it had in mind (or not; at the end of the day, it's just a random assortment of particles dictated by laws somehow codified into the fabric of reality), and at times things can get *very* nonsensical indeed. Outside of his own wants and needs, TB also had to contend with his teammates, all the other teams, the machinations of the host, as well as *others* that could be lurking behind the scenes. And that's not even mentioning all the other things going on that go far, *far* beyond the Battle for Dream Island, all occurring in scales beyond what they could possibly comprehend. The sun and moon continue along their arc in the sky. The Earth continues to spin along its axis, and within it, vast amounts of rock and metal are moved unfathomably slowly, barely perceptible to even those that are aware, and yet prone to snapping at any given moment. The wind blows, resulting in the formation of large-scale structures that can send harsh rain and harsher storms. Natural and cosmic disasters threaten to uproot their very way of life at any time, not caring one bit about what they thought about the whole situation, and *especially* without them even knowing about it.
Point is, there was a lot to occupy them, and Tennis Ball knew that *very* well. While it would be nice to sit still and enjoy life every once in a while, he knew that each and every moment he spent staying still was a second he could never get back, a second where all the other forces of the cosmos could do as they pleased, unceasing, uncaring. A second where all the other contestants, all naive and clueless, just keep doing whatever it is they want to do, regardless of whether or not it harms them in the long run. A second where all sorts of unknowns continue their work unimpeded, uninvestigated, able to do whatever it is they do without any of them being any wiser. Having spent so, so, *so* many years looking through all the data, reading through all the textbooks, digging up all the artifacts, and investigating all the curiosities, TB knew that he just couldn't afford to take a break, even for just a little moment. *Especially* since he knew the significance and magnitude of his work, *doubly* so now that he was essentially all alone in his studies. If he was to let things go at this critical moment, this vital point in time, it could very easily become harmful. Fatal. *Catastrophic*. If he decided to stop things while being *very* aware about the consequences, he would be committing such an unspeakable, heinous crime. It just wouldn't do. It just wouldn't do at all.
And so, he worked.
The Battle for Dream Island: The Power of Two had reached a new stage in the game. Tennis Ball had been split up from his one and only, the single partner he could rely on, the one he worked with for all these years. Things continued to lurk behind the scenes, causing all sorts of troubles and mysteries that further plagued their minds. He *had* to keep on working, now more than ever. He had to make the most out of his new team, he had to get them going in a better direction. He *had* to if any of them wanted a shot at winning that eponymous power, if they wanted to stand *any* chance against all the other teams eyeing the victory. Already, things were beginning to work against them, making clear the necessity of this vital mission. The team lost their *very* first challenge, and as a result they just... lost their powerhouse. Just like that. Needle could've done so much for their team, and now she's
"Uh... Hey."
The sudden new voice would snap TB out of it, derailing his train of thought. Quickly turning his head (well, his entire body) to see who it is, he'd *very* quickly find who it was: Basketball, one of his brand-new teammates, one that was assigned to him through basically random chance. Not a single moment goes by without him thinking about that fateful Team Swap. Not a single moment goes by without him thinking about *that* detail. Two very explicitly stated that *they* were the ones to make the new teams, to draw the new lines on the sand. In a competition where very, *very* little was actually up to them (if one really thought about it), the contestants would have sole authority over who they would be forced to cooperate with in the future. But these new arrangements were definitely *not* the result of pure volition, of the groups naturally sorting themselves out. In one moment, they were just getting ready to make their choice; in the very next, they would find that the decision was made for them. It was very clear, very easy to see that this was not the way things were supposed to go. It was not the way things were supposed to go at *all*. So, that naturally begs the question: why *did* it happen in such a way? What, or *who* caused them to be split up in *this* way?
