Inside Out reImagined

The Purpose of Joy

"So. What's wrong?" Sadness asked, hoping that once the conversation moved, Disgust, too, could move on.

They, instead, spat out: "What's wrong? Everything! I mean, yeah, Joy the harbinger of misery is no more, but instead of her we have this... this... child! And you aren't exactly doing us a favor by entertaining her!"

"It just... felt natural." Sadness spoke, trying her best to explain her point of view. "I don't know why, but I just felt the need... to be a mother to the child."

"Do you even realize what it takes to be a mother?" Disgust shouted out, taking Sadness aback. "For one, even though we're growing up and fast, everyone is still treating Riley like a child, and that, I think, says plenty about each and every emotion! And that's not even considering the fact that before we become a mother, we'd have to—"

"I absolutely do!" Sadness interrupted, before Disgust could say anything inappropriate.

Coming from Sadness, an interruption like that was perhaps the worst insult to Disgust's very being imaginable. "Sadness!" they shouted out. "This isn't anything like you! Where did you even learn this backtalk?"

"I don't know. Places." Sadness dismissively spoke, being far more confident about herself, in the face of virtually everything but the old Joy. "If you don't want that, I can stop..."

"No, it's okay! I just..." In a blink, Disgust went through an incomprehensible mixture of feelings, trying their best to understand how the puzzle pieces fit together. It wasn't a matter that directly concerned them, and therefore, no phenomenal, tremendous change was going to occur, but nevertheless, things needed to fall into place.

"Take as much time as you need." Sadness calmly suggested, patiently waiting for Disgust to figure it all out.

In the end, though, it finally made sense to them: if Sadness and Joy had both changed like that, it was because they had learned to serve Riley better, and if Disgust complained about it, then perhaps, they were the inconsiderate one.

"You know what? You're right." they began. "After all, we all wanted for Joy to change, and now she has, and you have, and I'm berating you both for it, even though I should know better... I'm sorry, okay? Let's just forget it happened and... we'll pull through. We will pull through, right?" Disgust asked, trying to show the smallest glimmer of hope.

"You can count on that, and it will be alright." Sadness answered, finally being able to get her thoughts as a leader straight. "Emotions might be able to change, but a certain part of them stays the same. I stand by what I told Joy; she's the childish glee and innocence, and has always been. Likewise, I'm still the comfort and the crying shoulder, and have always been. I understand you, I understand all the emotions... now you just need to understand me, you get me?"

"I do." Disgust shed a tear at Sadness's words. "As for Joy, I guess it's nothing that can't wait until tomorrow, and I'm tired anyway and need my beauty sleep... good night, then?"

"Good night." Sadness waved as she watched Disgust leave for their room, before returning to her own matter: the unfinished fairy tale. It was coming to a close, after all, and Joy would be delighted to learn how it ended — but not as much as when she could finally figure out what it meant.

Upon re-entering Joy's room, though, Sadness found her quivering in the bathtub, holding onto one of its edges and even biting it. She had still heard Disgust's spiel, and though she didn't understand a lot, she understood the only thing that she needed, in her own childish way: they were still on about the messy-haired tall lady.