Fugitives

Welcome to Yoyleland

Yogurt Cup's P.O.V. (continued)

After what felt like hours, we finally arrive at our destination. I clumsily land on my back with a hard thud, but Leafy lands gracefully and silently on her feet. 

"Ow..." "Well, we're here!"

""Here?" What is this place even supposed to be? Where are we, Leafy?"

"We... are in Yoyleland. The place where I got the seeds to plant my personal yoyleberry bush back in Goiky. You remember that bush, right? The very first yoyleberry you ever ate came from there, and I showed you that bush when we first met."

I arise to my feet, dust myself off, and take a long, thorough look around at the vivid landscape.

 The dense trees around us look to be normal enough, with the only differences being the slightly redder hue of the bark and the slightly more blue hue of the trees' leaves. The thin, fluffy grass we are standing on, however, is completely different; it shines a vibrant shade of purple. The climate here appears to be warmer than back in Goiky, which surprisingly feels even more wonderful. The sky is tinted a light golden yellow, painted with thin, wispy clouds drifting slowly by. 

"Yeah, I believe so...", I murmur after a few minutes of silence, just barely loud enough for Leafy to overhear.

"I remember how excited and amazed you were trying that yoyleberry. The feeling of the metal overtaking your form feels so strangely satisfying, but it doesn't stay. When you've metallized yourself so many times , the pleasure seems to just disappear and it doesn't feel so satisfying anymore. I guess it just gradually... dissipates, you know?"

"...Yeah...", I dejectedly mumble.

"Huh? What's wrong, Yogurt Cup?"

"*sigh*... It's just that... I'm worried about what my new friends are gonna think of me for coming to Yoyleland with you. I didn't even want to go! And what're Snowball and all the rest of my friends gonna think about me? I mean, I just spontaneously left them because you suddenly turned PSYCHO and decided to drag me on some high-speed chase for something bad she did, and because of that, now we're both stuck in in this faraway random wilderness! Now we're probably going to die out here in this place, and I'll never get to see any of them again!..." 

"W-Well... now that you mention it, I feel really guilty about that..."

"Sorry? Sorry?! SORRY?!? Did you ever think, even for a second, about my friends' feelings, knowing that I left them? They'll HATE me, and I'll become an outcast, TOO! And as much as I love and care about you, Leafy, being my best friend, I can't afford to spend the rest of my life living like a fugitive!"

Having let out all my anger and frustration, I drop down to my knees, my hands covering my face, and I start to cry hysterically, having been reduced to an emotional wreck.

"...Well, then... I think I need to go. I've clearly only been a problem to you today, so I'll see myself out." Leafy turns on her heels and runs away as quickly as she can to the dense woods behind us.

"Where are you going, Leafy? You're gonna get yourself killed out there!"

"WHAT DO YOU CARE ANYMORE?! YOU'RE BETTER OFF WITHOUT ME, AREN'T YOU?!"

I try to attempt to run after Leafy, but it's too late and she quickly disappears into the dense forest. Now that Leafy is gone, I am left with no other choice but to fend for myself out in the Yoyleland wilderness. I wipe my tears away with the back of my palm and slowly set off wandering in the opposite direction of the forest Leafy went into. 

This is gonna be a real tough time.

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After a while of aimless wandering, I eventually find myself in a wide field with small green bushes growing a familiar round purple berry scattered throughout. The air carries a strong, bittersweet scent, similar to that of roses, around the area.

If these are yoyleberry bushes, then how did Leafy take one back to Goiky with her? Maybe she took some yoyleberries back to Goiky to plant and grow the bush herself? That's the only explanation I can see to be possible, as far as I'm concerned. I walk closer to the bushes and pluck myself several plump, ripe yoyleberries.

When I'm done, I eat one and stick the others in the yogurt on top of me, closing my eyes peacefully as I let the cold, light sensation of the yoylemetal overtake my body. I don't really know whether I would eat those again, knowing that I don't exactly enjoy the taste of my own blood. I dismiss the matter and turn around, heading in the opposite direction and towards the mysterious Yoylewoods, where Leafy ran off to. 

Whatever. If I want to eat one, I'll just wash them off if I find a water source... somewhere.

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Maybe this is partially my fault. Perhaps I shouldn't have given Leafy the vague, unclear idea to formulate this plan in the first place. All that stress on her lately has been eating away at her mental stability, of COURSE she'd think up a 'solution' so rash and unreasonably bizarre.

Sometime in the following days after BFDI ended, I told her to find a way to "escape" from the reality of her situation. But what more could I have done? I didn't want Leafy to continue to suffer in the dreadful circumstance she was in. Even if it was Leafy's own fault that she lost her temper from not liking Firey's 'lava ferris wheel' or whatever it was, bought Dream Island from Announcer and got it deleted as a result, I shouldn't have given her an unclear, general idea that would be likely to add volatility to the situation.

"You can't just block yourself from the outside world and expect to live like that for the rest of your life. You have to give yourself a way to 'escape' from the reality of this universe until your situation gets better." 

"*sigh*... I wonder how Leafy is doing. I probably shouldn't have been so harsh on her, because now she's really upset, and she's probably not gonna talk to me for a really long time. I know she screwed up bad, but everyone deserves a second chance... right?

Maybe I should go look for her and apologize, but Leafy is most likely still mad at me right now, and she probably won't wanna hear anything from me. 

"What do I do, what do I do?", I argue with myself as I wander through the dark forest, still coated in yoylemetal. I push past the thick bushes and vines as I continue my ever-futile search for Leafy, and I begin loudly calling her name.

" Leafy! Leafy? LEAFY?! Look, I'm sorry I was so harsh on you! I know I messed up when I yelled at you like that, but I really regret it! Even if it put us in danger, I forgive you for your mistakes, so can you please forgive me for mine? Please, I just want you to come back...", I desperately cry out, but to no avail; nobody responds to my calls.

I start to cry softly, stressed out and tired from my woes. I then look up through a small gap in the low-strung canopy, and just barely notice the position of the sun in the sky; about 3:00 in the afternoon. I sigh and continue on my way through the vast woodlands, only hoping to find Leafy sometime before the end of the day. I mean, I have a lot of time 'till night arrives... right?

Wow, no A.N for once, because I apparently can't think of something to say here. See you guys in the next chapter ;)

animatic_fanatic