[A/N] This is going to be a new Cave Story story. I have decided to take a little break from writing "The Splintering," because I am on a bit of a writer's block, but I think this oughta be pretty good. This is set after the best ending, so I can disclose Quote's name. Also, this is going to be set with the same premise as another story I read once. Apparently, you are allowed to do that. I forget the name of both the story and the writer, but there aren't that many Cave Story stories on this website, so it shouldn't be too hard to find it. [End of A/N]

So, without further ado…

Betrayal

Quote was feeling disgustingly horrible inside, as if a critter had found its way in and was trying to chew its way out. It was about four months after him and Curly Brace, his best friend, had saved the floating island in the sky from a horrible evil, and this was still chewing him with guilt. He had kept it a secret, because Curly wasn't there, but to get at the Doctor and kill him, he had to, in turn, also kill three of the four kids that Curly had taken in during the time before they had met. He didn't know where the fourth was, but the first three were enraged by the red flowers and were acting as the guards to the Doctor. He had to kill them, and it was eating him alive.

But, he knew, he had to screw up his courage and tell Curly.

This seemed like a perfect time, Curly was just sitting on a cliff, watching the sunset. He took a deep breath and sat beside her.

"Curly?" said Quote.

"Huh. It speaks," Curly joked, as Quote did not talk much.

"I have a question for you," Quote said nervously.

"Sure," she said. "What would it be?"

She turned toward him, and he suddenly found himself unable to say it, unable to cause that innocent face an ounce of pain.

"Wow…" he said. "This is really hard…"

"C'mon, Quote, you can tell me anything," Curly said.

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath." "Here goes…"

"Do you love me?"

Curly seemed to be a bit taken aback by this, but nevertheless, she said, "Yeah, Quote, of course I do. You and Balrog are my best friends, of course I love you."

"Well," said Quote, "would you still love me if I did something… bad?"

"Of course, Quote!" Curly exclaimed. "We are the best of friends. That's what the Iron Bond represents."

Alright, now that that part is over… thought Quote. Now for the hard part…

"C-Curly, I-I have… something to t-tell you…" stammered Quote.

"Sure, but what's wrong?" Curly seemed to sense Quote's nervousness, and felt a bit worried.

Without warning, he suddenly burst into tears.

"Whoa! Quote!" Curly exclaimed. "C'mon, it can't be that bad. You can tell me anything."

"N-not th-this…" Quote sobbed.

"Please, Quote, stop crying," said Curly. "You know that I start crying when you do, and it never feels good. Just please, please tell me."

"OK…" Quote sniffed.

A new wave of tears suddenly just flowed out of him.

"OK," Curly said. "One bit at a time, OK, Quote?"

"A-alright," Quote said. "H-here goes…"

"Right before I had to fight the Doctor…"

"Uh-huh?" said Curly.

"I-I… I-I…"

"C'mon, Quote, spit it out. It can't be that hard to say," said Curly.

"I-I saw your kids…"

Curly seemed a bit taken aback by this. She had, Quote knew, always thought that when Misery teleported her to the Labyrinth, she killed her kids. Apparently, this wasn't true.

"A-and… how were they?" Curly asked, fearing the worst.

"There were only th-three of them there…" Quote sniffed. "A-and… and…"

"And?" Curly said cautiously."

"They were enraged by the red flowers, and… a-and…"

"I k-killed them…"

"What?" Curly said.

"Come on, C-Curly, it was hard enough the first time. D-don't make me s-say it again…"

It was a warrior's instinct that kept him alive; Curly suddenly reached for her machine gun and started firing it at Quote. He ducked.

"Curly!" Quote said, shocked. He had never seen her like this, trying to hurt him, since they had first met.

"Y-you… Y-you…" Curly seethed. "You killed my kids…"

Quote knew that she was protective of her kids, but never knew that this could happen.

"Curly! Please!" Quote said. "Don't do this!"

"I… will… kill… you…" Curly said, almost mechanically. "You… killed… my… kids… I… will… kill… you…"

Quote, seeing where this would go, ran away, constantly shouting refrains of telling Curly not to do this as she fired her machine gun. Curly, unable to find him, stalked through the woods surrounding the new house, trying to find Quote and destroy him.

Quote, meantime, was running back to the house, to grab his most powerful weapon, the Spur. He didn't want to do this, but it might be the only way to get Curly to come to her senses. He went out through the woods, looking for her, while charging his weapon to the absolute maximum.

Hearing a noise, he turned around to see Curly coming out of a bush. He raised his weapon, as she raised hers. After several seconds of a face-off that felt like hours, Quote realized he just couldn't bring himself to shoot her. They had been through so much together, and he lowered his weapon.

He realized something inside himself, and he raised his gun again, but this time pointing it at himself. He saw Curly's eyes widen, heard her scream "No!" and saw a flash of white light, and all was black.

He woke up.

That, in itself, sent a jolt of surprise through the robot.

The first thing he saw was Curly's face, no longer angry, but worried. He suddenly felt shame, shame about that selfish act in a desperate attempt to calm her.

The next thing he saw was that he was back in the house, on his bed.

He tried to sit up, but it sent a wave of dizziness through him.

"No," said Curly. "Lay down."

"But…" Quote mumbled. "I thought you were going to kill me. Heck, I thought I was going to kill me."

"No." Curly murmured nervously. "I should be sorry. It was just… I don't know. It was just a shock, and anger. I really shouldn't have done that, and…"

Before she could finish, Quote surprised her with a hug.

"But…"

"No. I forgive you. It wasn't really your fault."

"Alright," Curly said.

After that, he could hear her whisper in his ear…

"Don't ever do that to me again."

[A/N] Huh? So? What did you think? R&R, favourite, etc., you know the drill. [End of A/N]