A/N: Just a little food for thought: I didn't write that whole thing a few chapters ago about my SI hugging the cutouts just for kicks. There's a very good reason; I wonder if you can guess it?

"Ugh," I groan again as I drag my battered body through the corridors. "I wish healing potions existed in real life. That way I could just gulp one down and poof! All better."

"I said I was sorry."

"I know, and I forgive you, but that doesn't get rid of the bruises."

"Hi again!"

"I wish I brought a first aid kit..."

"Why didn't you?"

"Uh, ... hey."

"I don't know! I tried to be prepared when I left my house. I brought food, drinks, a toothbrush, and even a portable expanding plunger, but for some reason it never crossed my mind to bring a first aid kit!"

"Why would you need a-"

"HEY!"

Both Taker and I whirl towards the source of the shout, to see a familiar ghost girl floating in the next room. She must've been trying to get our attention for a while because she looked pretty annoyed. Have you ever thought an expression looked bad and good on someone at the same time before? I was having that exact experience. The look on Spooky's face was bad because it made her less cute, good because I was the one who caused it (with Taker's help) and that was oober satisfying.

"Oh, hi!" I said, smiling in what I hoped was an innocent manner. I knew that it was highly likely at this point that Spooky knew I was up to something, but it couldn't hurt to keep up the act just in case she didn't. "Sorry about that, I thought you were one of the voices in my head. They're starting to sound a lot like you, or is it you who sounds like them? Hmmm... but anyway, what's up?"

"I came to... congratulate you on making it this far, especiallyconsideringwho'sbeenfollowingyouthiswholetime." Even though she said it under her breath, Taker and I both clearly heard what she said. Taker's expression could kill an entire forest, and as for me... well, can't focus on that right now.

"So," she continues, in her bubblegum quicksand tone (not sure which one of us is more sickly sweet at this point.) "I'm going to give you: this." She pushes a prettily wrapped present from behind her back. INstinctively I start getting excited but stop myself just in time because this is not a loving gift from a friend or loved one; it could very well be a deadly trap. "Enjoy!" She singsonged, floating away.

I can't look at the box without being overcome with Present Fever and thus being unable to think straight, So i focus on my companion instead. He's floating up and down in the air in a slow rhythmic way, probably trying to calm himself down. "What do you think?" I ask quietly, "Should I open it?"

"She likes to prolong her victims' deaths," He exclaimed, still sounding a bit pissed off. "With them expecting it. So I doubt whatever is in there will be deadly. Harmful, however? ... I cannot promise that."

That didn't comfort me that much, but soon my curiosity got the best of me. And I tore open that gift like a dog with a newspaper. Underneath the wrapping paper was, surprisingly, a box. Inside the box was...

"A piece of paper." I moan in disappointment. I know I should just be relieved that it's not anything deadly, but it's a present for donkey's sake! Everyone knows that it's common human decency to put something at least a little interesting beneath all those pretty colors.

"Perhaps there is something on the piece of paper?" Taker points out, only a little patronizingly.

I slap my forehead. "Pfft! Yeah! Duh! I'll check."

I'd only be really happy if the paper said something like:

Hey Zoe,

Sorry about all the crap I put you and everybody else through. I'll stop this right now and let you go. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me someday.

But of course, I knew that that was most certainly not to be. But I figured that hey, I might as well check anyway.

Look behind you.

"You have got to be kidding me," I moan, but know that I'll never live with myself unless I know what's going to happen. So I take a deep breath, brace myself, and...

"Ugh, I should have expected this to happen." I grumble as I gaze upon the horde of cutouts that just appeared before me. But I face it with a slight smile. I straighten my back and stretch my arms; I've got a lot of work ahead of me.

Noticing my posture, Taker's eyes actually seem to widen a bit. "Oh no," he groans, sounding more pitiful than he'd ever had before, maybe even in his entire life. He knows what's coming. "You had better not be considering what I believe you are considering."

I spread my arms and approach the nearest cutout.

"No! Please reconsider this... human."

That actually made me pause. That's something I never thought I'd be called in my life, outside of if I chose to participate in fantasy or sci-fi role play. "Wha?"

"I don't know your name."

I turn to face him. "Wait a second, just hold up. Are you seriously telling me that after all this time of us traveling together and me writing notes, you never once looked at a single one of them? Not even the very bottom where I signed? Because I've written my first name on every freaking one. And you not once considred..." I trailed off, thoroughly flabbergasted.

"I don't make it a habit of reading people's notes."

"And yet you stare at me while I sleep?" It's really hard not to laugh now. "The heck kinda logic is that?"

"My logic."

"...It's Zoe."

"What?"

"My name. It's Zoe."

"Well Zoe, I would highly recommend you rethink your actions."

...

... ...

... ... ...

"...Okay I did, and I still wanna hug the cutouts."

"Noooooo!"

And the hugathon begins.

A/N: Yeah, I think it's more than obvious by now that I like my dialogue only segments.

Originally I was going to add Specimen 7's encounter into this chapter I really was, but it's going to lead into something a little serious for our protags, so I figured I might as well just upload something light-hearted first and focus entirely on it on the next chapter. Also I want to start uploading more frequently and since school has now started for me I'll need to make chapters shorter, a little similar to how they were in the beginning, to make that work. Hope you guys don't mind.