Meanwhile, Riley's parents were trying to escape from the crowd of weeping and smiling first responders indiscriminately killing everyone, including each other, in an attempt to destroy whatever they saw through contagious blood-red-and-purple eyes.

"Ma'am! Sir! Get inside, ge-! No, it's-!"

They barely dodged the bullets that plowed through the slashing paramedics, finishing several. Up ahead, the first two officers were barely holding onto their sanity, fighting through their comrades towards them.

"What's the code word?!"

They stared at each other, then at the twitchy and grinning officers forcing their guns away from the civilians.

"You're real! Thank heavens! Follow us, we'll get you to our only working car!"

Keeping the couple sandwiched between them, they worked their way through the warzone as things escalated. A couple of times they came close to getting killed, but through an unfortunate sacrifice, the trio got inside and escaped.

The horror show hit the morning news, with dozens dead and wounded. The video showed forced entry, concussion grenades, tear gas, burning houses, and bloody knives. School was canceled and Riley's parents reached, the horror's background retold with an undercurrent of insanity and disbelief.

Meanwhile, at Ann's house, the duo sat in mere stunned disbelief at the story Joy and Riley told them, Ann finding her voice first.

"… So, let me get this straight… Anger was trying to show the best way how to permanently damage your hand, accidentally smashing the thing that's the source of the 'little voice' you sometimes hear, which isn't you but you, her emotions."

They nodded as Anger rolled his eyes and pounded a fist into his palm.

"That led to the six of you trying to find a way to reveal yourselves so Riley wouldn't be considered schizophrenic, only for things to turn upside down and inside out to the extent that you fought to get away from those who were gonna forcefully sedate you."

They nodded again, with Jordan finally interjecting.

"A-and none of them were harmed? J-just nightmares, right?"

They shook their heads, then nodded.

"G-good, just checking."

Ann's mom presently came out with breakfast for the trio, commenting that Riley's parents were looking for her but she'd kept quiet, as everyone had requested.

"I saw what you escaped and figured you needed more time with your friends. It was hell on Earth…"

Their faces turned white seeing the pictures on their phones, with a green Anger and bone-white Fear backing from the Console and Riley's mental state almost spiraling into a breakdown. Only the presence of Joy and her friends helped her stay balanced as she hugged the Emotion.

"Riley."

Her grip on Joy increased.

"Riley?"

Her shuddering breaths were interrupted by sobs.

"Riley."

She gently slipped from the hug after a bit and cupped her face in her hands, Joy's face also wet with tears.

"What did you do?"

"K-k-kil-!"

"No. No, my child."

Both pairs of eyes widened a bit at the accidental title she had given them.

"What did you, you directly?"

Her heart almost exploded at the ghost of a grin that appeared on Riley.

"What did you do?"

She nervously gulped while gathering her thoughts.

"I… I… I-."

"W-w-we just ignited their anger and fear."

That was Fear and Anger, Joy nodding at the statement.

"Of course, I added a mere spark of a boost, but again, just like with you, it was up to them, and them alone, to react how they did."

Disgust spoke up.

"It's true, Riley. Remember that while we Emotions give input Inside on what we see and hear, in the end, it's up to you, and everyone else, how to react Outside."

Taking a few deep breaths, she nodded then dove into the hug again, Ann quickly joining. After an eye roll, Joy invited a hesitating Jordan to join, which he did. Inside, the Emotions, including a slightly nervous Joy, stared at each other, doubtful whether or not they knew the true limit of their influence Outside.

After delivering breakfast, Ann's mom resumed watching the news, only to be interrupted by a knock. Looking through the peephole, she jolted back and nervously opened it, inviting the disarmed police officers accompanied by a couple of therapists and Riley's human mom.

"Greetings, Miss. We're here for Ms. Riley Andersen."

As the group thought of a song to practice, Joy jolted while lightly playing the accordion, her whole body tensing with a slow gulp as the other Emotions reacted simultaneously.

"My… First mom's here with the police and… A-a-and therapists."

Sadness spoke up.

"Maybe it would be better to go with them. Th-."

What came out of Fear's mouth shocked the whole group as he dropped his saxophone, which vanished in his color.

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!? The only reason for them being here would be to trap her in a mental asylum! And if movies and history have taught us anything, people are either terrified of the unknown or try using it for power and or harm!"

Fear disappeared Inside and began manipulating the Console.

"While I know she wouldn't have brought them here to harm us, we can't trust any of them! Let's get out of here!"

A red fist reached over and grabbed Fear, shoving him toward the back of HQ as Disgust joined Anger and a blue fire danced around the Console.

"Forget that Fear. I can't be running for the rest of my life."

Breathing in and out, Riley's skin temporarily took on a slightly greenish-red tinge as her clothing transformed into something vampiric and royal. Her long cape was a mixture of each Emotion, an additional thin blue line in the center golden-yellow band. Her stylish gloves and high heels were red and yellow, the latter on top. Her loose, form-fitting dress was mostly yellow and blue with the other colors in a swirling pattern. Topping it off, her crown had small copies of her Core Memories atop each spike, while she held a hockey stick in her left hand.

"Hopefully, it's not too-."

"It's perfect, Disgust."

Coming to stand next to her child, Joy laid a hand on Riley's left shoulder with an encouraging smirk she mirrored.

"Come on, my daughter. Show them what you can do."

A sharp intake of breath and a soft sob shattered the moment, Miss. Andersen standing at the entrance to the house with a hand on her mouth.

"H-h-have we b-b-been such awful parents for you to throw us away f-f-for your own Emotion?!"

The look of anger on Riley's face warred with fear and sadness.

"W-w-well, w-w-."

Joy stepped in front of her, offering Riley her right hand that she tightly seized.

"When her flesh-and-blood parents didn't try to fully understand their child-,"

Anger appeared opposite Joy.

"When they invade her privacy-!"

Disgust appeared next to Joy.

"When they FUCKING LIE IN ORDER TO GET HER INTO AN INSANE ASYLUM-!"

Sadness was the next to appear.

"W-when they merely offer platitudes to deal with bullying, a-and never actually try to g-get to the heart of the issue-."

Fear appeared right in front of the kneeling and shaking female, his anger as clear as day.

"How. Could. She. Not?"

Drawing on inner strength, she stood, took a deep breath, and brought up each point.

"As my husband had told me you said, Joy, we'd tried our best, but it wasn't enough. N-now… W-when was she going to tell us?"

Anger was about to speak up but wordlessly let Joy take over with a permissive glance.

"I was thinking of suggesting for her to tell you guys after that argument. The only reason I didn't was because a certain pair of mindless humans decided to call 911, deceive their daughter, and drug her!"

Wait, Riley thought to her, were you?

YES, my daughter, I was.

Quickly wiping away tears of joy while lightly giggling at the pun, she kept herself as close to her mother as possible and out of the human's sight.

"T-t-that was only because her screams of horror inside of her locked room, and how you, her Emotions, had caused her to-!"

The room's temperature dramatically rose with Anger and Joy's heads bursting into flame.

"WE DIDN'T 'CAUSE HER TO' DO ANYTHING, you thoughtless bitch."

Anger continued.

"Me, Riley, and Disgust were in complete sync at the moment when we screamed at you and your husband, which was why she spoke in the third person."

"And the voice calling for Fear in sync with my now-daughter? Me, Joy. I have always had her back and the best intentions for her, e-even w-when they h-horribly b-backfired."

The squeeze of her daughter's hand quickly dispelled the sadness as Miss. Andersen took this in.

"O-okay. Granted, we shouldn't have gone for the nuclear option and waited until Riley had voluntarily come out, but-."

Almost all of the Emotions snarled simultaneously, while Sadness was heartbroken.

"What?"

"W-what was that about 'platitudes'? W-we-."

Joy's tone was unchanged, the blue flames slowly spreading.

"You kept on telling her over the last few weeks how creative it was for her to visualize her emotions as distinct people, which was great.

And then…

And then, and then…

And…

Then…

'You should make more golden Orbs to defend yourself against those girls' words.'

'Don't be afraid to use your other emotions but keep them hidden.'

'Why isn't Family in the center, or even larger?'; and the sheer mountain of other shit that I re-fucking-fuse to repeat."

Her only response was to open and close her mouth, her own Emotions lurching for a strong rebuttal.

"WELL!? Don't you have anything… To say?"

"W-we-."

A subdued and level voice cut through the charged atmosphere.

"Out."

Her sobbing returned in full force.

"No, ple-."

"Out."

She fell to her knees and begged.

Joy's daughter was unmoved even as tears silently slipped down her cheeks, her mother's flames protectively swirling around her.

"One last time, Ms. Andersen. Out."

Looking helplessly at her other Emotions, she wordlessly begged, but to no avail. The whole time, Riley's friends stayed out of it by hiding behind the vehicles in the garage's other half, awkwardly listening to the whole situation.

"Jordan? Ann? I-I know you're nearby! I know you're listening!

Please… Please give me my daughter back!"

They froze at the mention of their names as their Emotions began arguing about how to support their friend. Half suggested that merely staying silent would make it clear for her; the other half said that physically standing with Riley would drive the point home. Unbeknownst to the group as a whole, Riley and her Emotions were already aware and were thus proud of them.

After an agonizing minute and a half passed, she forced herself to her feet and staggered down the hallway, the disbelieving police quickly helping her along as she let loose a wail of loss. As she was forced out, Riley fell into Joy's arms, who was now her size. Looking into each other's eyes, they embraced and cried, everyone else there joining them in a comforting hug.