Chapter 9: Mental Strength

Edit: some continuity fixes & gloss up

Sadness approached The Vault. As she looked up, she shuddered slightly. The Vault was where Riley kept all her deepest secrets, and given their emergency state, Sadness wasn't sure if the mind workers would open up for her. Nonetheless, she began walking up the steps. No matter her apprehension, Ennui was right. If any mind worker picked up a manual, this would be an easy place to store it for safekeeping.

Getting to the top step, Sadness took a moment to wipe her head. A part of her wondered how she managed to sweat since she was an emotion. But then again, she did cry a lot, so she must have some kind of fluid inside her even if she was an energy being. Then Sadness made her way towards the front doors. However, as she got closer, Sadness noticed someone already there who was pounding on the gates.

*Boom, Boom, Boom*

But it seemed nothing was getting in. Heck, Sadness couldn't even tell if there was someone on the other side to respond. Sadness cautiously made her way forward. "Um, excuse me?"

The being jumped back in surprise. Looking up, Sadness noticed that it was a guy, but he was bright pink, with scruffy looking hair, a big nose, and wearing a very snug grey hoodie. He shrunk back. A surprising action considering he was at least three times taller than Sadness.

Sadness very slowly began approaching him. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." The being shrunk back even more, but found himself against a pillar. "It's alright. What's your name, big fella?"

The pink man just looked down, seemingly ashamed or uneasy with being near Sadness.

Sadness smiled hesitantly. "Well, you don't have to say it right away. But whenever you're ready, I'm here." The being looked at Sadness, still shifty eyed, but finally pulling a paper out of his pockets and handing it to her. Sadness quickly looked at it. "My name is…Embarrassment?" She looked up at Embarrassment, who just looked down, seemingly bashful. Sadness handed back the paper. "Well, nice to meet you. Are you one of the other emotions from downstairs?" Embarrassment nodded quickly. "What are you doing at the Vault?"

Embarrassment slowly mimed something with his hands. Sadness watched. "You overheard us talking earlier." Nodding, Embarrassment then pointed to the door. " And wanted to look in the Vault for something to help?" Another nod. "But nobody's answering?" Embarrassment looked despondent, sitting down with a thump. Sadness walked up to hold his hand, but he jerked back before she could reach him. "It's alright. I know another way." Embarrassment looked at Sadness with surprise, but shrugged in confusion. Sadness gave a little smile. "I read a manual on this. The Vault has front gates for big things being kept a secret, but also a back door for memory orbs that might need to be held. We can go check over there for any mind workers." Sadness began walking off, so Embarrassment quietly followed behind her as they walked to the backside of the Vault.

The backside was just as grey as the front, but there was a little service entrance for mind workers in the middle. Sadness walked up to the door, and knocked. No answer. She knocked again. Still nothing. Sadness now frowned. "What's going on in there? We need to see if they have a missing mind manual!" She looked back at Embarrassment. "I had to come here to look! I can't leave without checking."

Embarrassment looked sad hearing Sadness, so he looked up at the building but then pointed with emphasis. Sadness followed his finger, and saw what looked like a window. She looked back at him. "I can't climb that far."

Embarrassment knelt down, and offered out his hand. Sadness looked him in the eyes. "You want to try?" He nodded. So, Sadness stepped onto his hand. Gently, he walked up to the side of the building. First they tried stretching up to the window, but they were still a few feet short. Embarrassment looked at Sadness in his hands, and gave her a serious glance. Seeing what he was thinking, Sadness just asked, "You sure?" Embarrassment nodded. He took a few steps back, leaning back his hand, and then, Sadness was tossed straight up into the window, breaking through it, and landing on the other side. Slowly picking herself up, Sadness called up to the window. "Thank you, Embarrassment! Get to Dream Productions to wait with Ennui. I don't know how to get to the back door from here." She didn't hear any reply, so Sadness dusted off her sweater, and looked around.

With a hanging label that said 'Friend secrets', there were several locked vault doors, but a couple open ones as well. Frowning, Sadness called out, "Is anyone here? Hello? I need help finding something!" It echoed through the area, but nobody answered. Sadness felt an overwhelming grief. Some hot tears formed under her eyes, and she slumped down along the side of a wall. "I don't understand. Why aren't there more mind workers in here? There should at least be a few guards. Are they by the front trying to keep people out?" Frustrated, she took off her glasses, polishing them on her sweater, then briefly wiping her eyes. "Come on Sadness. Nobody else is going to help you if you stay here."

Hearing herself, Sadness wanted nothing more than to fall down in despair on her face again. However, then she sniffed, and just from the extra breath, she felt herself calm down a little. "Joy wouldn't stop. She's working so hard to find Riley. And Joy was so sad after we lost our girl." Sadness slowly rose to her feet, her eyes narrowing in determination. "And I'm going to work just as hard to find the Advanced Console Operations manual. No more crying until I'm done here." She took a few steps forward. "Even if I have to wander around every hall in this vault, I'm going to find someone to see if they have our manual." And then, Sadness began jogging off through the corridors, looking left and right for someone to talk to.

Anger looked with surprise at the next obstacle some distance in front of their group. "That trench-coat wearing stranger we saw in San Francisco?"

"Kidnapping is a serious danger," exclaimed Fear. "He looked suspicious!"

Anger looked back at Fear. "First of all, he looks cool rather than scary. Second, it's not like we've ever seen him again. You really got so spooked that he's here in the lower levels?"

"Oh yeah!"

Anger sighed in annoyance. "Well, you're our Fear. I'll cause a distraction and you two run past him."

Harry looked at Anger in surprise. "And you're going to do that…how?"

Anger gave a little grin. "If he's so dangerous, then he'll try going after me. As soon as he moves, you two get to the other side. I'll follow after I drive him off."

Fear looked at Anger incredulous. "That's the dumbest plan I've ever heard."

Anger scowled. "Well, do you have any better ideas?"

Fear drummed his fingers briefly, then reached into his pack, and pulled out a soda can. "Once you get his attention, spill this behind you, can and all. He'll slip and give you time to get away." Seeing Anger's annoyed expression, Fear added, "And you can give him a black eye on the way."

Anger smirked at the thought, and finally nodded. He grabbed the can, and braced himself. "Okay, here we GO!" He charged out of their hiding spot, running straight towards the giant. "Come and get me you shady stranger!" he called as a battle cry.

The tall being turned, and began storming after Anger. Seeing their opening, Fear and Harry ran across the stone plane as fast as they could, heading downhill all the while. Anger saw the two others disappear down the hill, and smiled. "Well, showtime." He pulled the tab on the can, opening it up, and began dumping it behind himself. While the stranger slightly slipped, he was still coming. So, Anger then tossed the can. It landed right where the stranger's foot was going, and just like Fear predicted, he slipped, falling with a splat.

Grinning in triumph, Anger turned himself around and ran up to his face. "You're a phantom sir. And you will never trouble Riley again!" Delivering a punch directly to his face, Anger then jumped off the unconscious stranger, and ran after the other two.

After moving around 4 other fears on their way down, the travelers needed to catch their breaths. Fear, Harry and Anger all took a moment to slump against a particularly large rock shaped like a textbook. Harry in particular seemed winded.

"How…How much farther do we have to go?"

Fear peeked out past where they were. While there was still a great deal of darkness, he did notice something in the distance. A glint of what looked like gold and steel. "I think I see the gate. We're getting closer."

Anger gave a sigh of relief. "Ha! And Disgust thought we might need her help to get around down here."

Fear then gave a nervous chuckle. "Well, we also have a couple branching tunnels coming up too."

Anger immediately grumbled at the news. "How can you see the gate if there's tunnels?"

Fear shrugged. "I think I see the top of it past the tunnels."

Anger sighed. "This place stinks. It's like both of our worst nightmares. Yours quite literally, and me for how annoying all this stuff is."

Fear shrugged. "I don't make the rules, Anger. We're getting there, but we're getting towards even scarier stuff."

Harry glanced beyond the rock himself, and then winced. "Speaking of, look at who's in our way."

All three sets of eyeballs peered past the side of their rock. And walking in from the darkness, they saw another giant person coming. But this was someone VERY familiar to them from the last few days.

"Tracy!" Anger's head immediately started smoking. He looked back at Fear. "You know, I'm actually glad we ran into her. Now I can finally give that no good, arrogant cow exactly what she deserves!"

Fear didn't like the sound of that. "Anger…"

Anger gave Fear a glare. "Don't tell me you want to defend that bully from a good punch in the nose."

Harry stepped between the two emotions before Anger could do something out of hand to Tracy OR Fear. "This isn't what we came here to do. We're supposed to get to Riley, not reshape her subconscious constantly."

Anger's scowl only deepened. "I can't let what she did to us all this week go unpunished. It's not fair how she made everyone think Riley's crazy!"

Fear and Harry looked at each other, then back to Anger. Fear VERY cautiously replied, "We had to be careful how to tell our class about us, because I didn't want anyone to go mad from the revelation. And we're still on the clock Anger." Seeing his confusion, Fear explained. "When Joy and I passed through Imagination Land, I saw her stream of consciousness going down. That means she's losing her ability to think. We don't have time to confront every fear she has."

Anger crossed his arms with a huff. Then a mischievous smile came on his face. "Well if we're in such a rush, how about we take a different tact? We walk out there and go directly past Tracy. If she ignores us, no harm no foul. If she confronts us, then we'll all show her that Riley's never been alone in her mind. And no bully is ever stronger than all of us together."

Fear again twitched in terror. But looking at Anger with his fists clenched, Fear steadied himself, dusting off his houndstooth. "Alright. But once we get to the tunnels, we call in for directions. ESPECIALLY if things go bad." He looked over to Harry. "You in?"

Harry swallowed, but also did his best to stand himself upright. "If I would die for Riley, then I would fight for her too."

Anger stepped out first, walking casually forward. Fear and Harry were right behind, though carrying themselves with much more tension. At first, nothing happened. However, when they were about ¾ of the way to the 3 split tunnels, a great big THUMP sounded. And before they could properly react, the three were scooped up by this giant Tracy's hands. Raising them up into eyesight.

"Well, well. If it isn't the emotions. And look! Riley's imaginary boyfriend is here too! How lame."

Fear and Harry started squirming, but both tried to give a stern glare despite the circumstances. Anger though was just resting in her hands. Not moving. Not even bursting into flames oddly enough. He was just staring this Tracy dead in the eyes.

'Tracy' continued. "You all thought you could just…walk on past me without any consequences? Don't you know that Riley's afraid that I'm right?"

"No. No! You're wrong. We're real, and Riley could never-" Fear protested strongly.

"Oh yes. Normal girls don't hear voices in their head. Normal girls don't talk with their emotions. Normal girls don't have mood swings or get tired or distracted. And I've only gotten stronger the more times Riley sees me. Taking control of the console? Freaking out? Yelling at others? What makes you think she doesn't suspect I was right all along?"

"Stop this," demanded Harry. "We're here. We're real. You know we're real because you're holding us."

'Tracy' scoffed. "It doesn't matter what you all say or where we are. Riley is haunted by me, and she can't let me go. And Fear? Surely you must know you're the cause of this too. Riley couldn't be afraid if she didn't have you after all."

Fear stopped struggling. His eyes were wide. His lip quivering. "She's right. I did this. Even if I protested we were real, Riley wouldn't be afraid if it wasn't for me. I wanted to keep her safe, but how could I protect her from OUR consequences? Why did it all get so complicated? What do we do? We're caught, and Riley's going to die, and it's going to be all my-"

"Are you done?"

Everyone turned to look at Anger. He almost looked bored.

"Uh, aren't you supposed to be screaming right now Anger?" 'Tracy' asked in confusion.

Anger began to darkly grin. "Oh I have my nervous moments for sure, but I'm a fighter. And at the end of the day, you're not scary."

The being brought Anger closer to her face. "Were you listening to me at all?"

Anger began to smoke. "Oh I heard you. But I don't think you understand. Fear might be freaked out by everything you've said. But to me, you're not even threatening." His head started glowing. "Without you, we never would have a new Friendship Island with Ann. You've helped Riley even when you didn't mean to. In the end Tracy, all you'll ever be is an annoyance. A no good jerk who doesn't understand everything good Riley now has in her life. And that also includes Us!" Anger began pushing on the thumb, tilting his head forward, looking at Harry and Fear. The two in her other hand also got serious expressions on their faces, and began pushing on their thumb. " You've never treated us fairly. And I promise that when we get out of here, you'll get exactly what you deserve. Now, LET! US! GO! AAAGGGHHH!" Anger's head exploded in fire again. And the flames were close enough that it singed Tracy's cheek. In surprise, and thanks to her thumbs now being in an awkward position, all three of the travelers were dropped.

"RUN!" screamed Harry as soon as they got up. And the three sprinted for the tunnels.

"You'll PAY for that," came Tracy's voice behind them.

Fear immediately grabbed for his radio. "This is Fear! We're nearing some tunnels in the subconscious. We need to know which tunnel to take."

"Ugh, give me a-"

"We're being chased! WE need to know it NOW ENNUI!" Fear screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Alright, alright," came the annoyed voice of emotion on the other end. The tunnels got closer and closer. There was still silence. They were closing in on the space. Fear looked like he was about to sprint for the tunnel on the left; heck with the consequences. But as he was about to go in, a voice came through. "Center. Take the center tunnel. It'll lead Straight to the barrier between the Subconscious and the Unconscious. Over." And the group leapt for the middle tunnel, narrowly avoiding fists grasping for them again. They slid down the semi-slippery tunnel for a bit, and were running away as soon as they could stand again.

Anger looked over to Fear. The purple nerve was shaking like a leaf as they hurried down the tunnel. "Well, that didn't go as planned." Fear didn't say anything. Just moving forward without another word. Anger gave Fear a more sympathetic glance. "You…gonna be alright for the rest of our trip, Fear?"

Fear didn't answer at first. For a good 15 seconds, there was silence in the tunnel. Then Fear quietly said, "Nothing matters until we find Riley. Then we can deal with what comes next."

Anger didn't reply to that statement. Only scurrying to keep up with the taller emotion while Harry trailed behind, keeping an eye behind them in case anything came into the tunnel. "Almost there," Anger mused to himself. "We're almost to Riley."

Joy did a small skid as she finally reached the base of the hill, and the entrance to the Forest of Hidden Influences. The funny thing about this forest was how despite it being right near a bright city, nothing seemed to penetrate its shadowy depths. Reaching the edge of the forest, Joy peered in. It was dark, and tangled. And she noticed a few odd memory orbs lying around. Most of them were colored, but she picked up one near herself, she noticed it was grey. This orb fragment featured an image of baby Riley shrinking under her covers. Seemingly scared of the dark.

Joy shivered looking at the image. "Ooh, no wonder we got so scared of the stairs to the basement. We've been secretly influenced all this time." Joy then looked out into the forest, trying her hardest to catch a glimpse of Riley's form. Unfortunately, she didn't see anything right away. "Hidden influences indeed. Why isn't the Unconscious a little more straightforward like Imagination Land?" Nonetheless, Joy began climbing into the brambles at the entrance, and began walking into the forest.

It was a tangle to be sure. Every so often, she'd have to switch directions to move towards a more open path. Sometimes she passed a vine with a memory fragment on it. Sometimes she'd walk by full orbs. The creepiest part was just how quiet the entire forest was. "For being such a dangerous spot, this forest seems pretty clear," Joy mused to herself. That was about when she stepped on what felt like a pine cone. "Ow!" But after bending down, Joy realized it was another memory piece. This one has part of an image of Riley knocking her first bowl of broccoli into the air. "Oh. Totally forgot about this one. I bet Disgust would love to make this the centerpiece of her room if she got a chance." Joy chuckled to herself thinking of Disgust's smug reaction. Then she noticed how the memory was completely grey. "Not that it could be remembered," she then mumbled, stepping to the side and continuing forward.

Joy then saw something silvery on the path ahead. She quickly moved up, and found a soul memory right there on the pathway. "What is-" Joy began speaking. But she quickly stopped when she heard the voice coming from it.

"There's nothing I have out there that I can't have in here."

Joy swallowed deep. She rewound the memory again, but there wasn't anything before Riley's declaration before everything went haywire. Joy then noticed the memory was silvery white like all soul memories, but also red and blue. "Blue? Riley was…sad when she said this?" Joy hugged the memory briefly. "I'm sorry Riley. We can talk about this as soon as I find you." Then Joy realized something. "Wait, how did this memory get here? Sadness tried to send Riley's memories to long term before we left headquarters. Unless…"

Joy hurried forward down the dirt path, coming up over a crest in the forest, and then gasped. It was part of the old Headquarters Building. Collapsed by the side of what looked like a lake.

"It broke apart?" Joy sat down in shock. Seeing her home like this…it wasn't a good feeling at all. She never felt closer to Riley than she did right now as she began to understand what it meant to never be able to go home like Riley did when she left Minnesota. She briefly swallowed. "Joy…" Joy pivoted her head. "I know mom! I just….give me a minute, okay?" Joy took a few deep breaths. Then Joy put the memory she was holding down, and dragged herself to the side again. "It'll be okay, Joy. You'll build a new home once we fix this." Joy walked back, and had a pleading look in her eyes. "But it still hurts! This hurts so much! That was MY home for twelve years." Joy swallowed, and then screamed out something she finally realized. "And I can't do this anymore!" She glared at the air. "You helped when we needed to try a new slide, or make up with Meg in 3rd grade, or begin the first day of middle school. But this hurts as much as when we lost Bing Bong! I had to go on then, and I have to go on now, but you aren't enough anymore. I need someone REAL to be here for me. Not just someone I've created!"

She sniffed. Then dragged herself to her feet again. "I can't…I can't rely on you anymore Mom. And maybe I'll never have the family I want." She took one more deep breath, and looked away from where she almost imagined her mom was, gazing out over the lake. "But I'm not going to lose the family I already have. And I know Riley's here somewhere. I just have to-" Out of the corner of her eye, Joy saw a glimmer. She turned towards it on instinct, and then suddenly, she saw it. On the far right side of the lake. What looked like a glimmer of white light was barely visible from where she was standing, but Joy could tell. Joy knew exactly who she saw. "Look…for the light."

I have a poll up on my profile about the Inside Out universe. It's no joke to say that this poll WILL influence how Proper Communication will end. So please feel free to vote on your perspective. It will remain open until we get near the end of the story, at which point the results will be incorporated.

Happy New Year everyone. This started as a personal desire to see a story I really enjoyed come to some kind of satisfying conclusion. I never expected others to come alongside the journey, but I appreciate every comment you leave.\

I promise the next chapter will be much quicker to come out.