The days after the encounter with the bully were a blur to Red. He had never experienced anything like it—standing up for himself, speaking out loud. The feeling lingered, though, long after the bully had retreated.

Inside his mind, the emotions were more lively than ever.

Joy was practically sparkling with excitement. "Did you see that? We did it! We spoke! We stood up for ourselves!"

Sadness watched from the console, smiling softly. "It's okay to feel proud of that."

But Fear was still a little shaken. "It was... scary. I don't think I want to do that again anytime soon."

Red had to admit, he still felt the ghost of fear haunting him. The bully's taunts, the way his body had trembled. But something had changed. He had spoken. He had finally said the words.

The next night, as Red sat perched on the castle walls, the air was thick with silence. His wings, still a little stiff from the injury, rested at his sides. The stars twinkled in the distance, and for the first time in ages, Brooklyn felt like he could breathe.

Inside his mind, Disgust sighed. "It'ssoquiet tonight. I can't stand it."

Joy beamed. "It's the quiet after a storm, and I think it'swonderful."

Sadness chuckled. "It's a peace we've earned."

Red nodded to himself, though his mind was far from quiet.

The events of the past days were still fresh in his thoughts. His injury, the bully, the confrontation... and, of course, his first words. He had spoken—reallyspoken.

But something still lingered.

A part of him still feared what might happen if he spoke more. What if he wasn't ready? What if his voice betrayed him, broke when he needed it most?

Inside, Fear flinched. "What if we can't speak again? What if it was a fluke? What if we're mute forever?"

Sadness offered quiet comfort. "It wasn't a fluke. You did it."

Red smiled at his words, his thoughts slowly clearing. He had done it. Hehadspoken.

But more than that, he felt... different.

Joy cheered. "I think we're ready for the next step!"

And so, Red stood. He took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs. His wings fluttered slightly, but he didn't fold them this time. He didn't try to hide.

He was ready to speak again.

Olive and Blue found him on the walls soon after. They were in the middle of some new project, talking excitedly about their plans for their next adventure. As they spotted Red, Blue waved enthusiastically.

"You alright, Red?"

Red nodded, his throat tight.

Inside, Fear whined. "Are we sure? Are we really sure we can do this?"

But Joy encouraged. "You've got this. Just say what's on your mind."

Red cleared his throat and then, slowly, with a gentle and steady voice, he spoke.

"Yeah. I'm okay."

His words were soft but clear. It felt like a weight lifted from his chest as the words flowed out, making him breathe slightly more steadily from being able to.

Olive's eyes widened in surprise. Blue stopped mid-sentence, his eyes flicking between Red and Olive.

"You—" Olive began, his voice filled with awe. "You spoke again."

Red smiled, though it was a little shaky. "Yeah. I did."

Inside, Joy was bouncing with excitement. "See? Youdidit!"

Sadness added, "It's okay to take it slow. You don't have to rush."

Red's wings fluttered nervously. "It's just... I've never reallytalkedbefore. Not like this. Not to anyone other than myself. Since... I always get afraid of others thinking I'm not good enough or worth being around because I speak."

Blue smiled warmly, feeling sympathy for the red gargoyle. "Well, we're glad to hear you. You're not alone anymore, brother."

Olive nodded, his voice gentle. "Yeah. You're part of our team now. No more hiding."

Red's heart swelled with emotion as he looked at his two friends. It felt strange—he had never thought he'd get to this point. He had been so silent for so long. But now, in the presence of his friends, he could speak. And it felt good.

Fear still stirred in the background. "What if we mess up?" He whimpered, his ears lowering from the thought.

But Joy laughed brightly. "We won't! We've made it this far."

Red stepped closer to his friends, his wings outstretched with newfound confidence. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For helping me find my voice."

Olive smiled, and Blue clapped a massive hand on Red's shoulder. "We've got you, Red. Always."

Red couldn't help but grin. He had finally found his voice—and it felt like the beginning of something new.