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Coiny held Leafy above himself as he ran down into the Earth, the dirt and rocks feeling warmer as he descended. Needle was right behind him, quickly getting closer. “Give her here, that leaf is mine!” she shouted as she managed to catch up with him, grabbing Leafy out of his hands. Coiny looked at Needle in shock before glaring at her, sprinting a bit faster just so he could body slam her and take Leafy out of her hands. “Augh!” Needle screamed, stumbling to the side as she lost balance. Coiny held a smug expression on his face as he continued running downwards, saying, “Nope! That flag is for me!”
Soon, they’d reached the point of lava, but everyone here was metallic to some extent and could survive the intense heat. Even Leafy, as she’d eaten a yoyleberry prior to this. Needle looked at Coiny angrily, grabbing a small chunk of lava before throwing it at Coiny, “Stay out of my way!!!” “Woah!” Coiny exclaimed as he was thrown off balance, falling flat (how does that even work, they’re vertical???) against the lava. Needle continued running, holding Leafy out of the lava’s harm, just in case the yoylemetal couldn’t protect her. However, Coiny came back just to kick Needle in the face and have her halfway submerged through the lava, her legs flailing a bit from the impact. “Give ‘er here, Needle!”
Coiny continued running, holding Leafy with one hand confidently as he lectured Needle, “Remember, a win for me is a win for all of WOAH Bunch! We gotta keep the Bunch alive!” This doesn’t seem to amuse Needle though, in fact, having the opposite effect. She quickly pulled her head out of the lava, trying to come back from the earlier attack. “I am not A WOAH BUNCHER!!!” she yelled, her fury evident as she harshly shoved Coiny into the lava, grabbing Leafy once more.
Coiny rolled through the lava, unable to stop. ‘How could she?! Didn’t Needle see how important it was for the Bunch to wi-’
Coiny’s thoughts were interrupted as he collided with something. ‘OW!!’ He turned to look at the object in annoyance only for his face to fall once he saw what he clashed into. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight of Pin in such a horrifying situation. It was just like..
It was just like when he tried to save her before.
He had listened to her. He’d done everything she’d asked. He’d gone to the depths of whatever fiery pits he’d seen just to bring her back. And he failed. And here they were, Coiny staring at Pin’s lifeless body. She had practically reverted. She lost her mech suit. She lost her face. He’d managed to be her saving grace once, helping her get back on what should’ve been her feet only to fail her again. He couldn’t even win the challenge for her.
‘Look at her. She’s back to square one. You were the only true WOAH Buncher left, and you still failed her. You’ve lost the challenge and now she has to suffer all over again because of you.’
Coiny trembled slightly, looking at Pin as tears failed to form in his eyes. He could’ve saved her. He could’ve won the challenge for her. He could’ve been someone worth being proud of in her eyes. And he failed. His arm shook as he hesitantly reached out for her, waiting for an embrace that wouldn’t arrive. He slowly wrapped his arms around her corpse, hugging her tight like wishing for her suffering to stop and for her to revert back to her old self would do anything.
He really couldn’t do anything right, huh?