Chapter 12

The Time is Near

Happy Tree Town, 3 months later

"Flippy, I have performed a full scan over the southeast side of the town. Current observations reveal no noticeable situations in the area. How's the southwest side, over?"

"Clear, over!"

"Affirmative. Moving current position to east-side of the town to perform a scan of the area. Record your observations of your position and proceed to the west-side of town to initiate a 15-minute scan. Proceed with caution, out."

"Affirmative, out!"

The Stranger placed the walkie-talkie back to the side pocket of his backpack and neatly tucked it in, easily accessible and to allow clear audio to be transmitted. The Stranger stretched his body as he took in a large sum of oxygen through a tired yawn, the early morning wakeup not doing any favors for his lack of energy.

He placed his hands in his coat pockets and tensed up his body, the cold weather causing him to shiver slightly. Winter had finally covered over the entirety of Happy Tree Town. The significant drop in temperature was followed with a blanket of snow, covering up the streets with white sheets of soft material, and the tops of buildings covered with ice. The cloudy sky prevented the sun to ever shine through, and the leaves on the trees were now absent, leaving an appearance of death which created a dark and depressing atmosphere that didn't fit well with the comfortable snow throughout the town.

The Stranger's clothes remained the same after all the months of fighting and injuries. His leather jacket, now completely tattered and covered with stiches, was still dawned onto his body, along with his pair of jeans given by Flaky, which were now starting to wear away. He did change his look for the seasonal weather, now wearing a pair of brown boots to tread through the snow and a black wool-cap to cover his head. The backpack was still the same blue bag from the many months back.

The Stranger's body was also not in mint condition anymore. His face, while partially healed, was covered with bruises and scars from the past beatings, and the stiches on his body were still attached. The deep wounds from the darts, which entered his hand, stomach and knee, still showed their stich marks, his wounds never willing to completely recover.

But they were only minor inconveniences, and did not hinder his plan to keep fighting. In fact, he took the scars as trophies, signs of victories over the mad man's many schemes and situations he had constantly thrown onto him, and failed miserably with each attempt. The Stranger was taking the belief that he was a foe to the mad man to never be taken lightly, and had the proof to show it.

The Stranger moved forward slowly to the eastside of town, walking heavily through the rough patches of snow under his feet and keeping a watchful eye around his environment. As he continued his patrol, he took note of his brief response with Flippy just a short time ago, thinking deeply of his new partner in the fight.

After the intervention in Happy Tree Woods, the Stranger told Flippy the truth about the world he lived in, similar to Flaky. Just like her, Flippy was initially reluctant at first, but soon enough came to terms and accepted the Stranger's speech, effectively making him the second Tree Friend to know and accept what the world he resided in was like.

Once he knew the truth, the Stranger saw Flippy more than just another member who knew the truth, but a valuable asset to the fight. With military training under his belt, Flippy had knowledge and abilities that surpassed even the Stranger, and, with the aid of his skills, could prove beneficial in the fight outside of his home.

With proper negotiations, Flippy agreed with the Stranger and became a secondary field agent for him, taking different roles and patrolling in opposite locations during work, covering more ground than ever before. He was also useful when handling major situations that required more than one group of hands, and was effective at carrying out orders.

The Stranger did worry initially, wondering if Evil could still come back after the near fatal intervention. There were occasions in which Flippy fought himself and almost went haywire, but, since that day, he has never once transformed into Evil, and not a single innocent person has died by his hands. Now, instead of killing people, he was now protecting people, just what his job was intended to be from the beginning.

Having Flippy as an ally instead as a threat became a major victory for the Stranger. Not only did he save another unique Tree Friend, another innocent human being trapped in the world like everyone else, he had also taken total control over the mad man's most powerful weapon. With Flippy on his side, and now two people protecting the town, the Stranger was now unstoppable in his quest to take down the mad man and free himself and everyone else. Soon he would finally win and the game will be all over.

The Stranger made it to the east-side district of the town, and observed the area from his current position on the sidewalk. His current observation showed many miniature shops and stores, and the nearby plaza he dreadfully visited once was located here. Looking at the outside of the stores, there were plenty of convincing sales going on, as shown on pasted signs on the windows.

But, despite being the best time to buy, the area, and most of Happy Tree Town itself, was practically dead, with minimal activity on the outside. Due to the cold weather (and possibly due to the early morning period), most Tree Friends decided to stay indoors for most of the hours in the day, 'hibernating' in the sense. This was a thought that made the Stranger feel both relieved and concerned. While staying indoors was possibly the safest method of surviving, it also created difficulty of knowing when danger was to strike. Thus, the search must continue.

The Stranger moved inward to the center of the district, examining every lit building and outside activity as he kept his patrol. He only noticed a small quantity of Tree Friends actively walking outside, normally in family groups, and most vehicles were kept in park as the snow made driving too difficult or dangerous to attempt; a wise decision.

He then noticed a heavy amount of activity occurring at a small coffee shop, especially inside the building. The Stranger shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, realizing that this was probably the best place to have started his search in the first place, when taking current weather and time conditions into play. He then let out another heavy yawn, his body almost ready to shut down after the minimal hours of sleep he was only able to obtain. How Flippy managed to wake up and fight the day with little amounts of sleep was beyond him.

Looking back and forth at his current position, the Stranger took the small window of opportunity to take a nice, warm break during his patrol, and perhaps order a drink to perk up his mind, at least to a state where he could actually stand and think. He jogged across the road and entered the shop in an instant, and took note of the occupants in the store.

If the store wasn't making business before, it sure was making business now. Nearly every table, booth, and stool was occupied either by one person or a couple, happily drinking their warm cups of coffee. The Stranger let out a warm sigh, the inside of the building warming him to a temperature that even his fur coat could not achieve. He proceeded to take his wool cap off and place it in the inside pocket of his coat, keeping it safe from leaving him.

The Stranger looked up to take note of any notable Tree Friends. Observing today's active Tree Friends, this store seemed to be managed by Pop, with his son Cub absent presently, possibly back home with a babysitter. One of the waitresses happened to be Lammy, who kept the murdering pickle inside her front pouch of her apron. The Stranger cringed at the thought of the pickle coming alive again, and kept his guard up if that situation was to occur.

He took a few steps forward and carefully looked around to find any empty seats, or at least a spot by a Tree Friend that would happily accept his company. The Stranger then stood concerned and slightly angered as, at the far end of the building, sitting alone at a small booth, was a red porcupine huddled up in a thick brown jacket, sipping at her coffee in short intervals.

Confused why Flaky happened to be outside the house and breaking his orders to stay safe there, the Stranger proceeded to walk toward the end of the café and stand tall behind her. He reached his right index finger out and, with a slight tap, instantly grabbed her attention, almost making her spill her drink.

Flaky only sat in shock briefly before realizing it was the Stranger, and stood up to give the Stranger a tight hug while dawning a cheerful smile. The Stranger returned the hug, but did not dawned a smile of his own, still slightly angered why she was here.

Flaky brought her arms away from the Stranger and gestured her hand to sit on the opposite end of the table. "Sit!" She said in a happy tone. Flaky appeared to be more joyous than ever, especially in recent times. Perhaps with the collapse of Evil and the constant protection of two strong men patrolling the town kept her spirits up, and made her fear the world a little less. This made the Stranger feel somewhat better, but was still concerned of her safety.

He went over to the opposite side of the booth and gently sat down the same time as Flaky, placing his backpack by the end of the booth and watched her grab her coffee once more while pulling out a pack sugar from the counter basket, ripping it open carefully to pour it in her drink. As she went for her drink, the Stranger snapped his fingers to grab Lammy's attention nearby, handling an order for another customer.

She walked over to the Stranger and smiled at him as she brought out her notepad. The Stranger held out his finger to gesture a '1.' "One cup to go, please." Lammy nodded her head and wrote the order on the notepad, and went off back to the counters where Pop stood handling out orders by the stools upfront.

The Stranger turned his head to face Flaky once more, who was looking at the Stranger happily as she took a small sip of her coffee, curious as to why the Stranger decided to show up.

Her happy thoughts would be teared down as the Stranger spoke with a strict tone. "Flaky, what are you doing outside the house?" Flaky's eyes opened as she placed the cup back on the table. She attempted to speak up before being interrupted by the Stranger. "Flaky, you know it's too dangerous to be out here, especially during this time of season where ice could fall down to kill you or other disasters."

Flaky shook her head and tried to speak before being interrupted once more by the Stranger. "Worse, you're out here alone. You know it's not safe to go out alone when danger is still lurking around. If you were going outside, Flaky, you should have told me before leaving the house." She made another attempt to speak before Lammy came back with the Stranger's coffee, handing it too him with a smile as the Stranger nodded his head in thanks.

The Stranger took a sip of his drink, which perked up the energy in his body significantly, and looked over to see an angered Flaky, ignoring her coffee this time around. The Stranger closed his eyes and shook his head, placing the cup back down on the table. "Flaky, all I am doing is looking out for what's best for you. I'm trying to protect you, and the best way to protect you is to stay back at the house until I get back."

Flaky flung her left arm to the side, pointing at the other Tree Friends who sat peacefully at their tables. She then pointed back to the Stranger, still holding her angered expression. "Their safe to be out here because both me and Flippy are out here; they don't have to worry because we're up and about doing the work. But we also can't keep our eyes on everyone, so we have to watch briefly before going on to the next. The moment we leave, there is a chance something could happen, and if you're here outside in the town, we can't watch you forever, and something bad could happen."

The Stranger took a sip of his drink and looked at the many Tree Friends in the room. "Besides, most of these Tree Friends are generics, not the unique ones like you or Flippy. They are just pointless characters in the background with no real person actually controlling them, like an artificial intelligence of some sort. If they die, nothing drastic is going to occur. It's the Tree Friends like you, who stand out, that needs protecting since you're real people, completely separate from them."

Flaky took a sip of her own coffee and placed it down while shaking her head. She made an angry grunt sound as she pointed to herself, staring at the Stranger with angered and disappointing eyes that made the Stranger feel uncomfortable. "Flaky, I know you have the ability to take care of yourself, more than ever after your long time of survival. But it's my job to protect you, and the only way I can truly do that is have you stay back home."

The Stranger sat and watch Flaky place her head on her right hand, her elbow keeping it up in the air and rested against it. He was saddened by the sight of her disappointment in him, his constant worrying making her feel like a child. The Stranger hated doing this to her, as he did have a choice to let her make her decisions, which is what he wanted her and everyone else have the right to do.

And yet, after months of being with her, he still could not keep himself from treating her as a young child, overprotecting her every time danger was bound to strike. He just couldn't bear to see something tragic happen to her, and only wanted to keep her safe from the dangers that happened around him.

It was the reason why he had to keep her secluded, and still, at this moment in time, regretted doing it every day. He cared for her too much, and hated the sight of her happiness turn into anger and disappointment for him.

The worrying thoughts would be placed on hold as the walkie-talkie started making chattering noises, alerting both the Stranger and Flaky. The Stranger quickly reached over to the backpack and pulled out the radio, turning it to the correct station and activating the voice command. "Flippy, is something wrong?"

"Emergency! Fire! West-side; need assistance!" As Flippy yelled into the radio, the Stranger could hear screaming and a roaring fire picking up, consuming a house in flames.

The Stranger and Flaky's eyes widen in horror at the news, a dangerous situation occurring this very moment. The Stranger quickly nodded his head and spoke calmly to avoid grabbing the attention of the people in the building. "Alright, I'm on my way! Do all you can to pull out any of the people currently outside and place them a safe distance away from the house!"

The Stranger turned off the walkie-talkie and placed it back in the side pocket of the backpack. He jumped to his feet quickly and placed the backpack over his shoulders, keeping it tight to his body.

Taking one more sip of his coffee before placing it back down, he stared back to a frighten Flaky. He spoke with a stern voice. "Flaky, go back to the house now and stay there until I get back! We'll discuss this later." Flaky nodded her head, taking the commanding order both with acceptance and anger, being told what to do once more.

The Stranger quickly and carefully navigated through the crowd of people inside the café and exited the building, standing on the sidewalk once more. He placed the wool cap back on his head as he faced right and noticed a large smoke trail moving upward into the sky, showing that the fire was spreading at a rapid rate. The Stranger nodded with determination and made a mad dash on the sidewalk, proceeding towards the burning building which currently only Flippy was managing.

After an intense sprint half-across the entire town, the Stranger made it to the west-side district, and stood at the corner of an intersection, which gave him a clear view of the burning house and the surrounding area. He could see a large crowd of people screaming in horror as the house was being consumed by the burning flames, destroying the foundations of the house by the second.

As the Stranger made his way across the street and towards the panicking crowd, he noticed Flippy doing his best to control the situation by pushing back the observing citizens as far away from the fire as possible, speaking loudly to grab their attention. Behind him was a lone firetruck currently being managed by Cuddles and Toothy dressed in firefighter uniforms, doing their best with the attached hose to simmer down the flames with little success.

The Stranger pushed himself through the screaming crowd of people at a frantic pace, doing his best to make it to the situation before it gets out of control and beyond repair. After a rough fight through the people, he stood in the front yard of the house next to Flippy, still busy pushing back the citizens. As Flippy did his job, the Stranger stared at the house with terror filling his mind.

It was Pop and Cub's house, and with Pop staying at the coffee shop just across town, than no doubt Cub was inside the house, possibly alongside another Tree Friend, and were about to be sent to their horrific deaths. There wasn't much time before the house was bound to collapse completely, and their deaths would be recorded.

The Stranger moved over to Flippy and grabbed him by the shoulder, getting his attention as he continued to shove his hands outward to push back the citizens. "Flippy, how many people are inside?!" Flippy gestured his right hand by holding up two fingers, signaling two people were still inside. Cub had to be one of them.

The Stranger looked back over to see Cuddles and Toothy grabbing the gear on the side of the firetruck to prepare a breach entry, hopefully grab the innocent Tree Friends inside before the imminent collapse of the building. There was no chance they would pull off a rescue mission by themselves, it was just a guaranteed thought. Thinking carefully of what to do, the Stranger came up with a suicidal plan that was their only chance of saving them.

He nudged Flippy on the shoulder once more to get his attention and pointed his right index finger to Cuddles and Toothy. "Flippy, we got to move inside now if we want to get those two out! Let's go!" The Stranger beckoned Flippy to follow, which he nodded quickly and followed pursuit.

Cuddles and Toothy were beginning to dawn their entry gear, including a gas mask and oxygen tank to breathe through the hazardous chemicals that were covering the house. As they slowly equipped the gear, the Stranger and Flippy both grabbed an individual, surprising the two by their sudden appearance and violent attack.

The Stranger held onto Cuddles and began to remove the gear currently attached. "Toothy, Cuddles, you are relieved of duty. Let us take care of this and stay outside with the hose and continue hitting the house with as much water as you can!" The two only stared in confusion as, in only a matter of seconds, were stripped clean of their uniforms and gear and left to their naked forms… though it didn't matter with the patches of fur covering every part of them.

Flippy gestured his hands to signal Toothy and Cuddles to back away, which they did while staring back, completely in shock by the sudden attack by two random people. The Stranger removed his backpack and other unnecessary apparel to dawn the important pieces of the firefighter uniform, including the oxygen tank and mask. Flippy did the same on his own part, though in quicker time with the less clothing he originally had.

The two strapped the uniforms tight to each other, making sure it was ready to move. Toothy and Cuddles made their way into the firetruck and began working on the hose once more, performing once again a futile attempt to remove the fire, though it did give Flippy and the Stranger additional time.

With the gear all attached and ready to go, the Stranger gave a determined nod to Flippy and began making a brisk jog to the front door. "Let's stack up to the front door. We're going to perform a breach and clear method of action here. Once inside, you search the ground floor while I take the second floor. Find any survivors on the ground and escort them out the building. Make sure they don't breathe in the smoke; stay low to the ground and make sure they keep enough oxygen. This building is going to collapse any minute, so keep your head up!" Flippy listened to every detailed instruction with full attention, not letting his ears trail off.

They made their way to the front door, both able to feel the hot burning temperature of the flames from the inside. The Stranger and Flippy checked to make sure their masks were tight to their face and nodded their heads to signal they were ready to carry out the plan.

Standing on the left side of the door, the Stranger hugged the wall and spoke clearly. "3, 2, 1, BREACH!" He gestured his hand to Flippy, who moved from his side of the door to kick the hinges of the door, busting it down and completely destroying it.

Upon the destruction of the door, a large bellow of black smoke instantly came out, covering up their masks with ash and dust. They kept their hands up and slowly entered the house, carefully looking around as they saw the raging fire consume every household object inside the building.

They stood side to side as they walked through the entrance of the house. The Stranger grabbed onto Flippy's shoulder and got straight next to him, speaking loudly as the loud flames continued to spread. "Alright, check the bottom floor, especially the kitchen and living room! Keep low, move fast! I'm going up to look for Cub!" Flippy nodded his head and the two split up to cover more ground.

The Stranger moved across the burning floor while keeping his body low to the ground, squinting his eyes through the thick mask and dark smoke to find his way through the house. He quickly found the stairs leading to the second floor, and didn't hesitate to make his ascent. He kept his steps light, making sure not to put too much pressure on the floor to keep himself from falling through.

As the Stranger went up, Flippy stayed on the ground floor, slowly moving across the floor while looking for the second survivor. He was practically crawling on the floor, keeping his head below the smoke to catch a tiny glimpse of any Tree Friends in the house. The fire was spreading rapidly, and multiple times he had to change his route as the fire moved across the floor.

Through the loud crackles of embers flying in the air, Flippy perked up his ears as he could hear a small whelp, a tiny voice calling out to him. He looked over to the corner of the house and saw the entrance to the kitchen, which appeared to be consumed the most by flames, making it the possible source of the fire.

Without second thought, Flippy navigated through the living room and the falling debris and made it to the small rectangular kitchen. He looked around quickly, trying his best to find the source of the cry for help through the dense smoke.

Flippy heard the cry once more and looked over at the end of the kitchen to catch a small glimpse of a blue Tree Friend, stuck underneath a burnt piece of building material. He pushed away the table in front of him and knelt down to the Tree Friend trapped underneath the pieces of rubble.

It was Petunia, who was far from being in good condition. Her fur was charred black, and her eyes half-shut as her body was shutting down from the lack of oxygen entering her lungs. She reached out her hand, silently asking for assistance as she was passing away.

Flippy looked over to see the heavy material on her, and used the strength that was fueled by the adrenaline in his body to forcefully remove the rubble, taking off plenty of weight that was crushing the dying skunk's body. Flippy then went back for Petunia and wrapped her right arm around his back and over his shoulders, slowly picking her up to her feet.

Flippy made sure to stay low as the smoke continued to pick up in density. He looked over once more to see the front door entrance far away from his position, and made his way through the kitchen while carrying the limp body of Petunia. She rested her body onto Flippy as she barely had any strength to move, using only what little she had to stay alive.

Flippy frantically moved through the living room as the foundations above him began to fall down, falling in pieces and causing major damage to the house, slowly bringing it to its ultimate destruction. He stayed low and moved fast, dragging Petunia with him carefully.

After a short and dangerous escape through the living room, Flippy successfully exited the burning house, Petunia still being carried over his shoulder. As he exited the house, breathing heavily in a state of panic and exhaustion, he looked up to see the observing Tree Friends cheering at the sight of another innocent person being saved from death.

Flippy smiled widely and with pride as he carried Petunia over to the firetruck far away from the house. As Toothy and Cuddles continued their best to keep the fire from spreading, Flippy lowered Petunia's body on the ground, setting her body to lie gently on the soft grassy ground.

He removed his mask and dropped the oxygen tank from his back, removing the excess weight from his body and getting a huge sum of relief as the pressure on his bones were removed. Flippy brought himself back to attention shortly after, and went to the firetruck to grab an emergency medical kit, and brought it over to a weak and burnt Petunia to begin basic operations to keep her body stable.

He laid the box beside her and opened it up quickly, grabbing the essential remedies and tools to begin a proper operation. As he started the usual procedures to stabilize Petunia until paramedics arrive to the scene, Flippy realized a terrible situation: the Stranger was still inside the building.

He looked over to the entrance of the building, and watched in horror as it slowly began to fall and break apart, the Stranger and Cub still placed inside its burning walls.

The Stranger climbed up the stairs carefully and with ease as he made his ascent to the second floor. Making it to the top floor, he looked left to see a long hallway, noticing multiple doors that led to a variety of the rooms. Cub was inside one of them.

He continued to keep his body low to the ground as he kept his hand up, doing his best to see through the fire and smoke. The Stranger stopped briefly as he heard the floor beneath him make a creaking noise, and looked at his feet instantly. He didn't notice any cracks, but the sound worried him to a point that fear was starting to halt his attempt to rescue Cub.

The Stranger shook the thought off and kept his mind positive to save the child at all costs. He looked back up again and carefully walked across the floor, keeping his ears up to hear Cub… if he was still alive.

He stood by one door, and was unable to hear any sound of the sort. He moved to the next door, and was met with the same result. The Stranger was beginning to think that Cub had already met his dreadful demise, and was now in a better place for at least the remaining time of the day.

The Stranger's plan to rescue Cub would still be in effect, though, as standing at the last door at the end of the hallway gave him a near silent sound of a child screaming in horror. The Stranger's eyes opened widely and his body tensed up, knowing that Cub was still alive but only for a short time if the two continued to stay in the collapsing house.

Nodding his head in determination, he stood straight in front of the door and busted it down with his right foot, giving him access to Cub's room. It wasn't hard to find Cub as he sat in the corner of the room crying in fear, his young mind unable to comprehend the situation or find a way to save himself.

The Stranger moved quickly over to Cub and dropped to his knee to meet the young boy, who looked up to see the scary sight of a strange man wearing a dark mask. Cub began to cry louder and hug himself tighter to the wall as the Stranger went forward to gently grasp Cub's shoulders.

The Stranger spoke softly to calm down Cub. "Cub, it's okay, it's me! I'm going to get you out of here; you'll meet your dad and everything will be fine. Just stay quiet and try to stay calm for me, okay?" Cub stopped crying as he heard the Stranger's voice, and gave a short nod after a brief thought of the situation.

Smiling at his acceptance for help, the Stranger leaned forward and grabbed tightly to Cub, bringing him up to him and hugging him tightly to his chest, doing his best to make sure he would not breathe in the toxic smoke in the room. He made a swift about face and made his way back to the door, ready to head back downstairs and make it out the building alive.

The situation would turn out only for the worse, though, as his entrance was met with a sudden collapse of the foundation above the hallway, a large sum of burning rubble blocking his path outside. The Stranger jumped back, his heart pounding as he frantically looked around the room. "SHIT! What the hell do I do now?!"

The Stranger looked around in fear as he tried his best to find another exit, such as a window, though none could be found. There was no proper exit he could use, nothing as of now that he could easily walk through to exit the room. But perhaps… he could make his own exit.

He took note before that directly next to this room stood Pop's room, separated only by a thin and weak drywall that was beginning to degrade in strength due to the increasing fire. Making it his only plan, the Stranger walked over to the right side of the room and placed Cub gently on the floor beneath him, laying him flat to avoid breathing the smoke in the air.

Staring at the wall with dedicated examination, the Stranger lightly punched the thin wall to feel for a weak spot, and was able to find a soft area that easily crack from the small force of his fist. Nodding his head as he found a weak point in the wall, he took a few deep breaths and tensed up his body to build up as much strength as possible.

After a short prayer and a buildup of strength, the Stranger rammed the wall with his body, creating a major crack in the wall while chipping away a huge chunk of the cheap material. He repeated the motion a second time, breaking down even more material that was giving him a clear access to the next room.

With one more ramming with his body, the Stranger smashed down the wall and made it to the other room, a thin layer of destruction separating each room. The Stranger quickly ran back for Cub and picked him up once more, holding him tightly to his chest as he brought him out of his room. He squeezed through the small opening of the hole he made and entered the other room, making no intentions to stop moving.

The Stranger proceeded to exit the room and make his way towards the stairs, as he moved, he looked up to see a large crack crawling across the roof, a sign showing it was bound to collapse any second, which would fall directly upon them. The Stranger's eyes widen and began to hyperventilate in fear as he increased his pace to exit the building alive with Cub.

He made his way down the stairs as the roof began to break and fall apart. The foundation above them started to fall, hitting the bottom floor with burning debris that crushed the furniture in the house. The Stranger made a mad dash down the stairs and could see a clear view of the front door, wide open for a quick exit.

He ran across the floor jumping over the falling debris in front of him as the room behind him came to a total collapse, bringing out a large bellow of smoke and flames spreading outward. In just a few brief seconds while in a state of horror, the Stranger escaped the burning building with Cub in his arms, and tripped on his feet as he exited the door while the house behind him collapsed.

The Stranger laid on the ground breathing heavily, too weak to stand up. As he laid on the ground, he could hear the loud cheering on the nearby Tree Friends watching the fire and now collapsed house. He closed his eyes and smiled at his successful escape, and looked over briefly to see a weak Cub that survived along with him.

Through the ash-covered screen of his mask, the Stranger could see a green hand reaching out to him. He grabbed it weakly and was pull up to his feet, his body being held up tight by two strong green hands that held onto his shoulders with a strong grip. His mask was removed and the Stranger got a clear view of a smiling Flippy, nodding his head at the successful rescue.

The Stranger smiled back as he looked down to Cub, and slowly bent over to pick him up once more. He gently handed him to Flippy, who carried him over to Petunia, which Cuddles and Toothy were now watching over while continuing their basic medical operations to keep her body stable. From his viewpoint of the situation, with Flippy handling Cub, the two Tree Friends trapped inside the house are going to be fine and well. It was another successfully avoided situation.

The Stranger let out a relieved sigh and removed the heavy gear that was attached to his body. He dropped the gear where he stood, not caring if it broke once it hit the ground; he just needed to relax. He walked forward a few steps, making his way to the sidewalk that was now beginning to be empty of standing Tree Friends, and sat down on the concrete to rest his body.

He shook his head as he took deep breaths, his mind still being active from the situation he just survived. The Stranger attempted to avoid any thinking as he only wished to rest from the intense work he encountered, though he couldn't help but keep the thought that the day was far from over, which only agitated him greatly.

Some of the stress would be shut off as Flippy came over to sit down next to the Stranger, having the same idea to relax for the short time they currently had. Flippy placed his right hand on the Stranger's left shoulder, and shook him in a victorious spirit of another successful team rescue mission. The Stranger looked over to see a smiling Flippy, and returned the smile with a nod.

They sat still, taking short and silent breaths as paramedics finally arrived to the seen (none of them unique, so worrying about a total mishap was not needed), taking off the tension of the situation as they carried Petunia and Cub over to the ambulances, which would deliver them to a safe hospital for a full recovery.

They watched the vehicles drive off with their sirens active, and looked over to notice Toothy and Cuddles placing the equipment back to their original locations and enter the firetruck, activating its siren and driving off to return to base for further operations if needed.

After everyone had gone, the Stranger looked down to see the time was now 11:00 A.M. One major situation removed, and the day wasn't even half-over. Letting out a stressful sign, the Stranger nudged Flippy's shoulder with his elbow, grabbing his attention as he was looking around observing the now peaceful scenery.

The Stranger pointed his finger to the north and spoke with a sarcastic tone. "So… want to start patrolling the north district now? I hear trouble likes to start around this part of the day?" The Stranger chuckled as Flippy made an agitated sigh before shrugging his shoulders, knowing that there is no point in arguing what their job entails.

With a short nod, the two stood back up and walked over to equip their previous gear, and went back out to the town to continue their work.

Sitting. Sitting and waiting. For the entirety of the day, all she did was sit and wait alone inside her house. It was tiresome, boring, and only angered her how she was being treated like this after seven whole months being alive. Throughout all the struggles she has survived through such a short time, it would be somewhat reasonable and clear she could take care of herself now, and yet she was still being kept confined to the interiors of her own home.

Flaky was laying on her back on top of the white sofa in the living room, looking at the grandfather clock to observe the passage of time. The clock rang to signal it was now 8:00 P.M., the Stranger and Flippy now bound to be on their way to her house. To keep her mind occupied, she stared blankly at the ceiling fan above her. Her eyes followed the spinning wooden blades that went in a circular motion, and did this while feeling agitated about the current situation she was placed in.

Flaky was always willing to listen to what the Stranger was going to say. Seeing the dangers and troubles he had face, the many times he risked his life for a good cause, it all made him seem to be a trustful and reasonable person to follow. He knew the dangers that lurked in the world more than any other Tree Friend, including her, so it was clear that if he said danger was inbound, it was coming.

But sometimes she felt it could just be blown beyond proportion. The Stranger, while doing it just to keep everyone safe, seemed to worry about the tiniest of details and turn them into DEFCON 1-style dangers. His original intentions were that, if people live longer in this world, they should be more willing to care and protect themselves more efficiently. If that were the case, than Flaky would be the smartest Tree Friend who could easily take care of herself by now.

Which is something she thought of every day. Flaky was originally a timid and shy girl who was indeed scared of plenty of things in the world. But now she viewed herself as an independent woman who is more than capable of doing anything on her own without someone looking over her shoulder every second of the day. This is why she didn't bother to tell the Stranger she would go out to town, as he would only control her and say no.

And that thought itself sounded hypocritical in a way. The Stranger refused to be controlled by the mad man and believed no one in this world should be controlled as the type of person they should be or what they should do. Yet the Stranger performs that same control onto her… and, from her point of view, only her.

Flaky did not want to doubt the Stranger's goals or actions as he was only doing it to help others, which he has proven to always do for the many months he has lived with her. But sometimes it seemed he could go too far, especially around her. There was no point in questioning him why, as he would refuse to say, so it was best just to let him do his work until the final day he could take all of them home.

Her deep thoughts would be shattered as multiple knocks on Flaky's front door was heard. She jumped slightly at the sudden sound of the knock, and looked over to view the front door, hearing the same amount of knocks in faster intervals.

"Flaky, it's us! You home? You okay? You alive in there?!"

Flaky rolled her eyes and shook her head at the Stranger's last question, which seemed completely idiotic even for him to say. She got up to her feet and walked to the door, aiming for the small locks which were removed in an instant. With the final lock removed, she opened the door to see two friendly faces dawning warm smiles while slowly dying from the sheer cold of the outside.

The Stranger and Flippy stood outside in the freezing cold, the two chattering their teeth and trembling their bodies as they kept their hands in their coat pockets. Flaky stood in front of the doorway, looking at the two with a short grin as she watched them stand in the cold.

The two males were confused why Flaky refused to let them enter the warm feeling of the inside of her home. The Stranger stepped forward to face Flaky. "Um, Flaky, can you move out of the way so we don't die from hypothermia?" She continued to look at the two with the same grin, not moving an inch from her spot.

Flippy pushed on the Stranger lightly, asking him through expression to find some way to get inside now. The Stranger looked at Flaky and examined her face, noticing a hint of anger still there. He sighed in disbelief. "Flaky, is this about that moment at the coffee shop? Come on, Flaky, I was doing it only for your safety. I couldn't watch you outside so it was best you just stay at home for the day. It couldn't have been too bad… right?" Flaky's grin dropped and kept her stare on him.

The Stranger looked over to see Flippy, who gestured his hand to say something now as his face began to freeze from the cold. The Stranger faced Flaky again and noticed her anger to him once more. He didn't like the sight and knew what he did today obviously was not the wisest move, and was regretting it right now; if he stopped and didn't tell her to go home, he would be inside in the warmth right now.

He took a deep breath and gave looked at Flaky with a saddened expression. "Look, Flaky, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to treat you like a child or make you feel bad about yourself. I know you are capable of caring for yourself alone and that I shouldn't be watching your every move. I was just trying to look out for you, and I'm sorry that I disrespected you in such a way. Can you forgive me and let me and Flippy inside so we don't have to turn into ice blocks like Cro-Marmot… and actually die?"

Flaky stared at the Stranger briefly, somewhat enjoying his begging expression as he and Flippy stood watching. She rolled her eyes with a smile and beckoned the two to enter her warm home, though she gestured to wipe and remove their boots to prevent bringing in dirt to her perfectly clean floor.

The two males smiled widely as they ran into the home, shutting the door behind them as they soaked in the warmth of the home. They proceeded to take their boots off and placed them in the corner of the house, standing them up straight and orderly. The Stranger took his own leather coat off and hanged it on the nearby rack, though Flippy continued to wear his BDU jacket despite being indoors.

Now standing inside the warmth of the home and feeling quite comfortable from the removal of his heavy jacket, the Stranger watched Flippy walk forward and stand next to Flaky, who stood with her arms and hands behind her. Flippy turned around and stood next to Flaky, both looking directly at the Stranger with curious eyes.

The Stranger kept his attention on Flippy, who waved his hand sideways to gesture to him to speak. He knew what he wanted him to say; they discussed it to themselves frequently before this moment, and they both knew that, by now, it was time to reveal it. The Stranger nodded his head and looked at Flaky with a determined look.

Flaky tilted her head slightly as she watched the Stranger move up to her and place his right hand on her left shoulder. The Stranger nodded his head and spoke with a strong voice. "Flaky… it's time."

Flaky was confused at first. Time? Time for what? She ran multiple ideas in her head, and came to the absolute conclusion that he was speaking about the one moment which they waited a long time to carry out. Her eyes widen as they followed the Stranger, who made his way to the kitchen table while beckoning the two Tree Friends. "Come on, we have to discuss this now."

Flippy followed in pursuit after the command was given, and was briefly followed by Flaky, who moved at a much slower pace. She didn't know what to make of the situation. She knew what they were going to discuss about, but she was in shock now the day has finally come. Flaky tried to prepare herself for the incoming day, but yet failed to do so. And now that day was here, which they must both now decide how they will carry it out.

The Stranger sat on his usual side of the table while Flaky sat on her side. Flippy grabbed a chair and placed it on the side, sitting between the Stranger and Flaky. They all looked at each other silently, all knowing what was to be discussed but not having any idea on how to discuss it.

The Stranger cleared his throat to grab their attention and decided to speak first. "I think it is perfectly clear what we are about to discuss. What is about to be said at this table is going to be a defining moment on how this fight progresses. At the end of this meeting, we will have come to a complete decision and make our final preparations for the following morning."

He leaned in closer and brought his arms and hands to rest of the table in front of him. "Guys… I think it is about time we do our best and finally tell the Tree Friends about what we know of this world. The mad man, the death mechanics, what we really are, everything. It is time that they know the truth. After being here for nine months, I have seen enough clear evidence and action of this world and how it truly works, something that only us three know of right now. And after a three month streak of survival thanks to me and Flippy, there might be a chance they may listen to us."

Flippy and Flaky nodded their heads as they listened. "When I first made the attempt, it failed miserably as none of them got to live and survive a dangerous situation. They believed the world was perfect and was indeed their own. The way the mad man designed their thinking, how yours started out as, was made to not accept such a tragic truth because they were forced to forget everything upon death. This kept their memories and common though from progressing or be put into use as they would never have the chance or need to use it. Thus, the reason they ignored me the first time.

"But perhaps now, after living for so long without death, they might be more agreeable with what I have to say, about the truth of the world and know about the mad man who controls this world and the way we live." The Stranger looked down briefly and stared back at Flippy and Flaky. "You two listened and accepted the truth because of a situation that was obvious and proved my case. Flaky, you were willing to believe because I showed you proof of how the memory system works, and, while a little concerned, agreed with me. Flippy, you believed me the day I told you after I removed Evil from your system and gave you the lecture about this world and the mad man who has purposely designed you the way you are, and accepted that truth and joined the fight with me."

"The other Tree Friends, though, may not be so easy. You two were easily acceptable to the truth because of the type of people you are and the situations you survived and faced. These guys are just going to be told straight out, with no situation occurring in front of them to show for it. They survived long enough where their minds should be more acceptable, but there is still the probable chance that they may still disagree, and send us back to square one. When we tell them the truth, they will either accept it or decline it, and our entire hope to escape is bounded to the concept of them accepting it."

The Stranger took another long pause before speaking calmly once more. "Now… if they do accept, which is what we want, what happens afterwards I am uncertain of. The original idea is that, if the people in their character form break out of their current mind set and completely agree this world is only virtual, this entire reality will break and send us home. If that doesn't happen, then the idea of them knowing what is bound to happen will prevent the mad man from controlling their lives, leaving him with nothing and thus no point but to finally let us go."

He looked down and rested his head on his left hand, which was held up by his elbow on the table. "But even still… there might be a chance he may decline it all together and just accept it and watch us. Or perhaps nothing will happen at all and all of this work would be worth nothing. I don't know what will happen when we tell them, or what will happen if they accept the truth. But after all the work we've been through, the time we have waited to carry this out, I don't think there is any other moment we can wait for or to do. We've done all we can on our part, and it's time to take our stance and finish this fight."

Flippy and Flaky looked at each other for a short time before giving each other a quick nod, and looked back towards the Stranger. The Stranger took a deep breath and sat himself up straight again. "So… here is how I think we should tell them. Flippy, Flaky, while I prepare myself to say what I have to say, you go out and spread the word to EVERY Tree Friend, both unique and generic, that an important announcement is going to be made at the base of the giant tree in the center of Happy Tree Town. Yell it out, whisper it in people's ears, plaster it to walls and windows, anything; just get that word out so we can get the people to know. Mainly, though, I need the unique Tree Friends like you to be there, that's a must, as they are the real people stuck in this world, not a generic clone."

"Once we get the entire town to meet at the base of the tree, say 4:00 P.M., I will stand at the very base of the tree and be in clear view of the participants of the announcement. Hopefully the turnout will be large, as we are going to need as many people to hear this as we can. As I stand up at the base of the tree, readying myself to speak, I want you two to stand by my side and be my aides here. You two know the truth, and thus are witnesses to it. You two are going to be very valuable in trying to convince the people that what I say is right, so I request your assistance during the chat, clear?"

Flippy and Flaky nodded without second thought. The Stranger made a small smile as he returned with a nod of his own. "Good. Once we get the word out and the truth is told, everything else goes on faith. We have to believe they will accept it, and, in the end, we will all go home by the end of the day. This is finally it, people. In about twenty-four hours, we will either stay inside this hellhole for the rest of our lives, or get to experience our real lives in the real world like we should. The freedom of our lives will be decided by what happens tomorrow, so we just have to hope it will turn in our favor in the end."

The Stranger, Flippy, and Flaky all sat at the table staring at one another, all of them still in shock that they were really going to go through with the plan. It was mostly relying on faith than anything else, but it is all they have to work with. Tomorrow really was a day a judgement; they will either stay where they are now, or go to their real homes. It was a thought that was both exciting and scary; they really could just end up being sent back to their dreadful lives of false reality and death, forever stuck with the thought that they are people living a false life. But positivity was needed if they wanted to get through this.

All three of them stood up simultaneously, and the Stranger gave a quick nod to Flippy. "I recommend resting up now, Flippy. We got a busy day tomorrow, and I need you in your best shape for this." Flippy gave the Stranger a brief salute and a swift nod, and proceeded to move out of the house. Before doing so, he gave a warm hug to Flaky, who happily accepted it, and picked up his boots, dawning them and keeping them tight to his feet before finally leaving the house.

Flaky turned around to see the Stranger walking up towards her, holding his backpack by the handle in his left hand. He stood tall over Flaky, and looked into her crimson eyes with a smile on his face. He leaned forward and gave Flaky a surprise tight hug, holding her tight to his body. Flaky chuckled lightly and returned the hug, holding the Stranger tightly as he did the same to her.

As he stayed in their close position together, the Stranger spoke softly to Flaky. "Flaky, whatever happens tomorrow, be it good or bad, I just want to say thank you for your support. I really could not make it all this way without your kind and spiritual work. You've been a great friend to me, Flaky, and I couldn't ask anything more from you."

They held each other tightly for a short time then broke their grip, letting go of their bodies and standing still with a warm smile on both their faces. Flaky's cheeks were a little red from the kind compliment, which the Stranger noticed, making him feel a little bit more happy to see her blush. They both nodded their heads and the Stranger headed upstairs to his room to rest.

As the Stranger made his way upstairs, Flaky stood and watch, still holding onto that smile that she could not get rid of from his compliment. It will go away soon, however, as a thought came to her head that was not discussed at the table. She crossed her arms across her body and widen her eyes as she started to think in detail of this horrific thought.

If they did indeed succeed in escaping the virtual world tomorrow, what exactly will happen upon their exits? Is there a chance they could die when the world breaks? Could they end up being sent only to another virtual world? Or, worse, they will forget everything in the world, including all the memories they shared together inside the world? Every moment she has experienced in the world, there could be a chance that they will disappear upon the exit of their world.

And that would include all the memories she shared with the Stranger. Any memorable moment she had with him, the times of him being there or the work he has done, will be forgotten forever, never able to share them again. And what if they do exit the world, with their memories intact or not; will the Stranger still like the real her on the outside? For all she knows, she could be an entirely different person, or look horrendous, which the Stranger may be appalled by. He knows this Flaky, not the real one.

It was a terrible thought that made the idea of a perfect escape only a dream. If they stay, they live in a terrible and tragic world of death in false lives. If they exit, they experience life as it was meant to be, but may forget all the memories they shared and the people they lived with for so long, thus sending them out to an unknown world alone. Nothing was going to be perfect no matter what the turnout was.

Flaky shed a few tears at the thought before wiping them away, trying to keep her mind positive that everything will turn out for the better in the end. She had to think happy thoughts if she wanted to escape with her sanity intact. She was going to be her real self again, and would soon enjoy the real world like she should.

Keeping that thought in her head, she went for the living room and kitchen lights, switching them off to turn out the ceiling lights, sending the house to complete darkness. Once the lights were out, Flaky went upstairs and entered her own room, and slept with happy thoughts or returning home.

The Stranger found himself walking in an open white plane of existence, with no sign of life in the proximity of his position. The land was dead silent, the only sound emitted was the sound of his footsteps hitting what appeared to be solid floor beneath him. The sound echoed throughout the world, scaring the Stranger slightly at how long the echo lasted.

He brought himself to a complete halt and looked around, trying to find anything of importance that could tell him where he was. "Hello?! Is anyone here?" His words repeatedly echoed throughout the empty plane, and grabbed no attention from anyone… or anything.

The Stranger stood up straight until he felt a small tremble beneath his feet. He looked down confused as he felt the floor shake again. He kept his eyes at the floor as every second the trembles got worse, picking up in intensity to the point that the Stranger felled down to his rear. He hit the ground hard and could feel what was possibly an earthquake happening underneath his position, getting stronger as his body bounced on the floor.

He then heard a deep rumbling sound, like an angered voice beginning to erupt into a dark scream. The Stranger covered his ears as a sudden loud voice started to shout across the world.

STRANGER!

The voice was instantly recognizable to the Stranger. It was the mad man, entering his dreams once more to taunt him. The Stranger shook his head and got up to his feet, getting his bearings after the sudden earthquake almost making him feel sick.

He looked up and made childish grin. "So… you here to just call it quits now and end this pathetic game once and for all? You ready to admit defeat and take us home?"

Stranger, I have done everything I could to be reasonable with you. I have tried on multiple occasions through these challenges that what you are doing is worthless, that you should stop this madness right now and forget it all. And yet every time you disobey and go off to take control of MY world. I have tried to be easy with you, Stranger, but I guess it was a futile attempt to even think of being generous with you.

The Stranger chuckled as he brought his hands to his side. "Easy? Generous? What, so the tower falling down, Flippy killing everyone, and the constant nightmares you gave me, that was all being 'generous and easy?' If that's the case, you are really shitty at trying to show it."

Stranger, this is my world, MY creation. Everything you see inside here is mine, and you have been taking it away from me day by day, ruining everything that I have ever designed or work for.

"Well if you hate me from doing it, why didn't you try to do something to stop me?"

I HAVE, and yet every time you go off and fight back, not taking the obvious hint you should stop. I have tried to stop you from moving forward and yet to ignore it. You're just a pathetic rebel for a lost cause.

"I think I have been fighting a very noble cause. I think, right now, all this anger from you, is because I have been beating you. I'm winning this game right now and you know it. You just don't want to accept defeat because, once I tell them the truth, I will be victorious in stopping you and your precious world and we will finally escape, leaving you with nothing."

Stranger, through the past nine months that you have lived in this world, all I have wanted from you is to be a kind and loyal participant in my world, to just live and follow instructions like everyone else. None of this fighting or violence didn't have to exist, but you had to go off and bring it upon yourself. I did not want this day to come, but I guess you leave me with no choice, Stranger.

"Oh yeah, really? Well, what can you possibly do now to stop me?"

I can't let you proceed any further with your fight, Stranger; my life here is valuable to me, and I can't let it take it away from me. I have to stop you. Thus, I will give you one last warning, in hopes that you will have some sense in your tiny brain of yours before you go off and do something we will both regret.

The Stranger dropped his arms from his side and continued to stare up to the sky. "And what is that?"

You will avoid telling the Tree Friends and all the people here about the truth. You will NOT go to the base of the tree and admit it all. You are being ordered, as of now, to forget this fight, stop what you are doing, and leave this life of a 'hero' to return back to your original state. This fight ends right now, Stranger, and if you refuse to call it off before tomorrow, I will be forced to unleash all of my power to destroy you and this world. You have seen only my light creations, situations that I do just for short entertainment. But, if you continue this fight, I will show you what a god like me could really do.

The Stranger laughed at the word 'god' in the mad man's sentence. "You know, I like it how you call yourself a 'god,' when really, all you are is just a lonely old man sitting behind a computer to pass time because he is just bored. You're no god, just another pathetic asshole who thinks he is almighty and powerful because he is playing some stupid game."

There was a short break of pure silence, just like before the mad man's appearance. The Stranger waited patiently at his position, looking around the white plane of existence for any particular event to occur, a sign that the mad man was still there.

He then noticed the ground beneath him was shaking again, this time the same strength and intensity of the previous earthquake. The Stranger was dropped to his hands and knees as the trembling ground continue to shake the entire world, making it entirely impossible to attempt to stand.

The Stranger then looked up in horror as the world around him changed for the worse. The ground he laid on was turning into dark soil and burning ash. The environment around him changed into destroyed buildings that were set ablaze, and dead Tree Friends pierced with arrows and their limbs detached from their bodies blanketed the ground. The sky above him turned into dark-brown circular clouds that made the sound of thunder, sounding off a loud bang throughout the world.

The rumbling beneath him continued to shake violently as death and destruction continued to appear around him. Blood began to fill the soil underneath him, and the flames from the buildings were spreading around the ground in front of him. The Stranger was trapped in a land filled with torture and despair.

Amidst the painful screams of Tree Friends that emitted in the distance, he looked over while on his hands in knees to see a giant shadow of a man, taking heavy steps that shook the ground. The Stranger's eyes widen as he gasped at the sound of the evil voice coming from the giant walking towards him.

You still think this entire world is just a game?! That all of this was just some little fun event that I thought of playing with you?! You still believe that I am just some crazed psycho who is just bored? You want me to show you what kind of god I am, what kind of powers I truly have? Okay, Stranger; let me show you THE KIND OF GOD I CAN BE!

The giant took one more heavy step in front of the Stranger, the force of his foot hitting the ground causing the Stranger to jump upward briefly before falling back down of his rear. He sat up and look directly in the sky above him, observing the giant's head that stared back down to him.

Lightning struck the guy above him, and the Stranger was able to achieve a dreadful sight of the giant's face. It was the shape of a crazed looking man, looking down at him with dirty teeth with a smile that struck horror into the nerves of the Stranger. The giant kept his eyes on the Stranger as an object began to form within his left hand.

The Stranger slowly crawled backwards while sitting on his rear as he observed the object being summoned from his left hand. Upon complete construction, the object appeared to be a long burning blade, sharp enough to cut through flesh and bone with ease. He watched in fear as the giant slowly raised the blade in the air, forming a tight grip on the black handle.

The Stranger raised his right hand in the air as he shook his body and head in fear, whimpering with fear and crying out for help as the giant made a deep and dark evil laugh as he watched the Stranger below him yell in agony.

With a tight grip on the handle, the giant swung the sharp burning blade down to the ground, aiming for the tiny body of the Stranger.

The blade striking his body instantly woke the Stranger in a cold sweat, gasping loudly for air as his body trembled with fear. His eyes frantically looked around to observe his environment, noticing he was once again in the safety and comfort of his room… at least for the time being.

The Stranger hugged himself as he rocked back and forth, still breathing heavily as he looked out the window to notice it was still the middle of the night. There was still plenty of time before he would actually announce to the people the truth, and would be wise to go to sleep to get as much energy as he could for the event.

But after having the terrible vision, he could not bring himself to go back to sleep. The sight of the giant monster was scarier than the sight of Evil, and he had him up to his own face in a fight. This creature was a terrible and horrific monster that he had never faced before, something that looked unbeatable in any situation.

But what sacred the Stranger the most about this creature, what brought horror to him more than anything in the world he lived in.

Is that this monster was a human. The monster he saw was an evil god capable of mass destruction and murder.

The monster he saw was, undoubtedly, the mad man.