3/5

For the longest time, the sound of gently crashing waves to the shore was all Icky could hear as he gazed up at the Moon. First Quarter, but it didn't ease his tension. He could feel it in his very being, deep in the confines of his viney body, nestled in his healthy supply of spillits. Sleep was becoming harder and harder to come by, all because of what he'd been told from what seemed so long ago.

Yet, the thoughts wouldn't recede, not in the least bit.

As much as I hate to admit it, He thought to himself, growing more somber by the passing moment, I'm starting to see what he meant. It hurts so much... No, it's just my lack of sleep, is all. Exhaustion and stress, yes. Making me... Delusional in what others perceive me. They couldn't possibly...

His thoughts trailed off there, his gourd only frowning further from the denial. Icky had been in deep enough thoughts to not have sensed a presence, so he was surprised for the first time when he heard the most casual and upbeat of footsteps, with a bit of a whistling tune, from not far off. It seemed strangely on cue, but that was also impossible.

The scent of artificial lemon was all Icky needed to know as the newcomer soon was nearby him, but kept stood up while Icky was sat in the sand.

"Heya," Taffy greeted him with the same casualness as before, "Mind if I join?" Before Icky could give an answer, Taffy decided to seat himself next to the poltergeist, bringing a leg to his chest while resting an arm upon his knee. His other leg sprawled in front of him while his arm gave some support. After all this, Taffy sighed a bit, looking up at the sky before them. Clear, starry.

"I can't sleep," He initially said to Icky, but after a pause added, "That's not an invitation to do what we did a few nights ago. Unless ya wanna." When his response was just a headshake, Taffy frowned a bit, before brightening up once more. "But hey, good news is I'm almost off the hook! Ya know what that means!"

"Yes, you get free reign over Claymodo's exploration," Icky nodded this time, though his reply was quiet in tone. Taffy just seemed to laugh it off, oblivious to Icky's current emotions.

"Man, it'll be so GREAT!" Taffy began, his excitement starting to show itself on a higher level. "We can finally hang out and stuff, without all the others havin' to be around! I mean really, ya have it so easy, Icky; ya get to go wherever ya want, do whatever ya want, and no one freaks out over it! All like 'OH NO WHERE'D HE GO WHAT IF HE GETS A PAPERCUT OR SOMETHING'." He paused once again, frowning a second time. "I just wanna be treated like everyone else, all equal and fizz. But instead, I'm treated like a child. It's unfair..."

While Icky decided to not interrupt, Taffy soon chuckled a bit to himself, starting up again. "It's actually kinda funny. A long time ago, I would've been scared silly to do much more than just exist to everyone else. But now, that whole idea's been pushed onto them; they're scared that their fragile ol' Taffy'll get hurt. But I ain't some fragile lil' thing who can't defend somebody. I'm better than that now! ... I just wish they could realize that, too."

"Maybe it's because Icky is more mature..." Icky finally mused, though more to himself than anything. Although Taffy didn't catch the words, he caught that Icky tried to speak. This caused him to turn his gaze away from the starry sky, changing direction to the poltergeist next to him.

"Excuse me?" He simply asked, his tone genuinely asking, though Icky only shook his head again.

"Nothing," He spoke, leaving it at that with more silence. From here on, however, Taffy couldn't help but unleash his curiosity, now seeming to notice that Icky appeared a bit... Off.

"Ya know..." He began once again after the silence, "Ya do seem a bit out of it. Actin' a bit strange, even. I just... I didn't wanna say somethin' immediately, 'cause I... I thought it might've just been some personal business, and if ya wanted me to know, ya would've told me by now. I realize that a 'Is somethin' up' every now and then woulda helped, but..."

Icky could hear the way Taffy was speaking to him, sensing how much it held hesitation, and some slight guilt. Despite it, however, Icky's heart burned with rage, although he didn't allow it to show through. Yet, his next words made it hard to hide.

"So, you're finally asking Icky?" It was almost a growl, one that made Taffy cringe a bit. Even though it made him draw back slightly, he wasn't about to scoot away or get up to leave.

"I...!" Taffy tried to start, but his words failed him for a few moments. "Icky, if somethins buggin' ya, ya can tell me anythin'. I just..." Icky simply sneered this time, rising from his sitting posture and floating over to elsewhere - where High was sleeping with the others. Taffy immediately got up and followed after him, worry beginning to cloud over him.

"Icky seems to understand now," Icky was musing, not caring if Taffy was following him, "None of these castaways care whether Icky was undead, or deceased!" He paused with an abrupt turn toward the candy ClayFighter behind him. "And you, Taffy, are the worst offender. Whatever happened to the Taffy who cared so deeply for more than simply himself?" Icky sharply turned back, now approaching High entirely, lightly shaking him awake.

"Come, High," Icky lightly spoke to him, his tone calmer but still contained that agitated undertone, "This isn't a safe place, anymore. From now on, we live in the Mansion." High was barely considered conscious, so he didn't quite understand the context of Icky's sentences. Instead, he lightly agreed, rising to his fingertips and proceeding to follow Icky out to the jungle's interior. All the while, Taffy couldn't keep from following the two of them.

"Icky, c'mon!" He nearly exclaimed at this point, his worrisome emotions beginning to reach their peak. "I'm still right here! Please, Icky..." He paused again, trying to keep himself as calm as possible, even if it was failing. "Just tell me what's the matter. Or if I said somethin' wrong. Anythin'!" As they reached the vast border to the jungle, Icky looked back at Taffy one last time, his expression holding disgust and contempt.

"Stay away from us," Was all he said in reply, taking High by the index finger and darting the both of them deep inside. Taffy, meanwhile, was stunned out of his mind, full of confusion and worry, wishing he knew how he screwed up so badly that Icky would abandon all trust in him and the rest of the crew.

He looked back at the others, who were still deeply asleep, before turning again to the jungle's exterior. He hesitated for the longest time, taking step forwards but retreating nigh immediately. Eventually, he took a deep breath, and after one last moment, he leaped between the trees, giving chase at long last.

The poltergeist and the hand may've not had too much trouble, but Taffy had to work in order to weave his way around the ground, pushing back branches and leaves and Wonka knew what else just to keep up with them. Eventually however, he paused as their destination was shown at last - Muddville Mansion. From there, Taffy stood, panting a bit as he looked on from behind the fencing to the Ghastly Graveyard.

This REALLY ain't like him, He thought to himself, determination rooting in his core, He must be losin' his mind over SOMETHIN', and I gotta know what! If only to just... Help him feel better. Just as Taffy let himself into the graveyard in front of him, it's then when he saw the front doors of the mansion open, revealing only Icky from the other side.

"High, please stay inside," He spoke to High, who seemed to be within the walls of the mansion as well, but out of Taffy's sight. Turning sharply to Taffy now, Icky left the mansion, the doors closing shut behind him. His gourd showed a scowl as he eyed the candy ClayFighter nearby. He rose his voice as he spoke out to him, "Is this a game to you? This vengeance, this attainment of a prize, this new-found glory?"

Taffy walked over to Icky, his face changing, the expression stuck between confusion and worry. "Icky," He pleaded this time, his voice turned low in volume, "Please just tell me what's goin' on." Taffy couldn't help but jump when he heard a sudden, loud thunderclap, it being nearby enough to have shaken the earth he stood on. His gaze turned skyward for a few moments, seeing how the stars and Moon above began to get blotted out by dark, unfriendly storm clouds.

Icky must be doin' this, He thought to himself again, only getting more concern for the one before him, If he's manipulatin' weather like this, then that means... His thoughts paused for a moment, before he found a realization. He's REALLY gone off the deep end...! As if giving more signs of this idea, he heard Icky let out a chuckle, one of a freaky fashion. Looking back over at him, the look of utter disdain just wouldn't leave Icky's face.

"I'm not playin' around," Taffy spoke to him again, this time his voice more unsteady, "I really wanna know what's doin' this to ya." Unlike moments before, Icky didn't remain silent as he gave a sinister reply.

"You would like to know..." It was coupled with a scoff. Taffy took a few moments, then reached out to Icky, as bravely as he could. As rain began to abruptly pour from above, it was clear that Taffy's volume was still rather quiet, it almost being overpowered. Yet, he didn't let it stop him.

"We... We can talk this out," He said to Icky, his tone now in a begging manner. "We can fix this. Don't shut yerself away from everyone else just 'cause of somethin' ya think is true." He paused with a deep breath, the words he just spoke triggering another form of deja vu; it was the kind he wanted to try to ignore. "Whatever yer thinkin' 'bout the others, it's not... It's not like that!"

For a moment, it appeared that he may've finally gotten through to Icky, only to see him shake his head quickly, followed by his arm being smacked away. Since it wasn't held out strongly, it took a beating just from the action before. It caused Taffy to flinch and draw back, but he couldn't back down. Instead, he stepped forward more.

With a growl, Icky suddenly used his tail to seize Taffy, his grip around his body being rather tight, too tight. Taffy's immediate response was a yelp of surprise, followed by instinctive squirming as lightning began their rounds from afar, thunderclaps not long after.

"ICKY-!" Taffy tried to speak, but Icky quickly interrupted him, as if not hearing him at all.

"FILTHY LIAR!" Icky shrieked, his tone only that of pure anger. Afterwards, his tail threw Taffy harshly into the ground just below him. It caused Icky to rebound, jumping a few feet away from the impact site. While Taffy was dazed for a moment, he quickly got right back up, sighing to himself. He didn't seem harmed at all by the throw, but that was partially expected.

"So that's how ya wanna play, huh?" He spoke, his tone still soft, but determined once again. It was almost an unsaid understanding of what needed to be done. "Fine. Hurt me all ya want, just so I can understand why yer hurtin'!" With that, he sprang to Icky, only to be met with fists and tail; it was first one, then the other. Despite yelps and gasps of pain and new wounds forming on his body, Taffy didn't back down.

Soon spillits began to pop out of him, but he still didn't give in. Each time he was thrown or tossed away, once nearly landing on one of the fencing's sharp poles, all he'd do was rise to his feet again and come forward in a sprint.

"TELL ME, DAMMIT!" He cried out, even as Icky lifted him with his spooky powers and tossed him aside yet again, causing Taffy to crash against a large tombstone. Eventually, it got to the point where getting back up took more effort than normal.

Even with uneasy footsteps, he still approached Icky, although his pace was much more slowed than before. Even when the pain was growing unbearable, he forced himself to reach out to him, call out to him by name, look deep into his empty eyeholes.

That was, until Taffy found Icky's hands around his neck.

Icky had attacked him once again, ending it with a drop kick that sent Taffy tumbling to the ground. Not letting him the chance to recover and stand, Icky's arms swooped down, his hands gripping Taffy by the throat and pulling him up until he was standing on his knees. As the hands squeezed, Taffy's own grappled onto Icky's, trying to pull them off enough to breathe. Through it all, he heard Icky cackle, and it was completely out of nowhere.

"Icky could..." There was a brief pause, before he continued, "Icky could murder you, here and now. He could even make it look like you did it yourself...!" He stared down into Taffy's eyes, his face absolutely horrifying to a passerby, which was reflected in Taffy's returned gaze. Never before did he ever look this frightened, and with whatever breath he had left to use, he spoke to Icky.

"Yer... Yer scarin'... Me..." It was so quiet and hoarse, yet genuine to the core. As Icky felt Taffy's grip weakening, Icky's whole expression changed, something clicking in his mind. Voices in his mind from a memory, to be exact.

"Damn it, Taffy! What's it going to take to scare you?"

"Well... Ya almost had me there. But as soon as I saw ya, I wasn't scared of a darn thing. Familiar faces just kinda kill it for me."

I... Am I really acting in a such a way that he doesn't even recognize me anymore...? This is what it takes? It's inhumane, it's immoral, it's...! Horrifying...

Icky's hands immediately let go, causing Taffy to fall to the ground once again. Icky overheard him gasp and pant for air while he looked down at his sharp-clawed hands. What have I been doing? Is this really what it's come down to, murder? He's done nothing but reach out to me, never once fighting back or running away. And yet, he's punished with wounds... Would an actor really die for information? From his thoughts, his hands began to shiver, before he clenched them into fists. Once more, he looked upon Taffy, for the first time noticing something.

Even in his desperate-for-air position, Icky could clearly see a floaty, wisping orb of color in Taffy's upper torso area, where his heart was. The color was of the most saturated golden yellow one could possibly have, a most similar color from when the two first met - back then, it'd been a lighter, desaturated yellow. His view was obstructed slightly, by Taffy eventually trying to get to his feet; though of course with his squeaky pants, it was taking a lot longer than before. It was almost as if he was using all of his willpower just to stand.

All the while, Icky was physically in peak condition.

"D-Do... Whatever ya gotta do, to calm d-down," He suddenly spoke to Icky once more, grunting in his words as he fought to keep his balance, "Just tell me... What's b-botherin' ya so much..."

Despite his new demeanor, Icky soon found himself thinking, Taffy is still Taffy; he's the Taffy I met and knew, the one who cared, and still does... As the wisp in Taffy's torso flickered and moved about inside, Icky began to slip more into his thoughts. How have I never noticed until this very moment? Was I too blind to see the souls of others?

Regardless of the reason, Icky abruptly looked away, feeling tears beginning to form in his eyeholes. Without another word, he quickly floated over to the front doors, opening them up only to call out for High's assistance. It's here that the rain slowed to a stop, the noises of storm and thunder ceasing as well. The clouds flew away by wind, revealing the stars and Moon that was once hidden from view.

As High joined the two of them soon enough, it was clear by High's body language that he showed great concern for the heavily wounded Taffy, even if he was still so exhausted.

"Please, take him back to the wreckage site," Icky was telling him, his tone a lot more soft and calmer than before. "He can't... Taffy can't move around so well on his own... Which was all Icky's fault." He got the courage to look at Taffy, before bowing to him. "He apologizes for his behavior. It was inexcusable." To Icky's surprise, he saw Taffy's arm reach out to him, as softly as ever, even if it looked as if it took great effort to do such a simple action. Unlike before when Icky would've smacked it away, he chose to hold onto it with both of his own, tenderly as he lifted himself back up from his bow.

"Icky promises," He began again, a look of genuine care on his features, "He'll tell you of his issues sometime. He merely... Needs time to himself."

"But Icky-..." Taffy started, but trailed off as Icky let go of his hand gingerly. When Icky looked over and nodded to High, Taffy was put upon High's back of palm, starting to be carried away.

"You two can sort things out soon, okay?" High mused, though still drowsily, "Resting is pretty important right now..." Whether Icky heard Taffy's response to him remained questionable as he seemed to tune it out, silence becoming the only thing surrounding him.

For the first time in several days, Icky finally began to feel some signs of inner peace, as if the stress and tension was starting to ease away. High had been right, Taffy had been right, and things were going to be okay. That's how it should've felt, except...

Icky had the strangest feeling that he wasn't alone. As if it was a part of his supernatural senses, he could literally feel a pair of eyes staring upon him, watching his every move. Despite how he initially thought of it as more paranoia, he turned to face the direction from where it came from, growling into the unknown.

"Don't think that Icky cannot defeat you by himself!" He spoke out with vigor, "He doesn't need anyone to be his knight! Icky is not helpless!" Silence reigned in after his words, aside from a slight echo. A few moments passed before he called out again. "SHOW YOURSELF!" The bushes and branches began to shake and part, someone appearing out of them soon enough.

Bonker.