[Joy & Sadness] That moment when you want to say 'please stop invoking Murphy's Law...'

[isadrag]

Joy may not have actually asked 'what could happen' when they got that new console installed, but if there was one thing they all had learned by that point, it was that if something can go wrong, it's probably going to.

That's what they were for though, right? To help Riley through any troubles she went through in her life.

Unfortunately, it's something completely different when the trouble is history repeating itself - this time, however, Sadness wakes up one morning to find herself... not in her room. Not even in Headquarters. ... And nowhere in the Mind World. Instead, she was lying on something rather soft, and green, and leafy...

Grass. She was lying on grass. But grass didn't exist in the Mind World! She slowly tried to sit herself up, if only to try and see where she was... and saw a building in front of her. With multiple kids staring at her from in front of it.

The sign read something about a Middle School.

School. In the human world. With actual people staring at her. Staring down at her hands, they were still blue... and she was still wearing her sweater... but she was human-sized too?

Whatever the kids were thinking, they started covering their mouths and giggling, which caused Sadness to back away a little, putting her hands together and lowering her head a bit. They thought she looked funny, didn't they? Oh, this is bad... This is so, so bad...

Was this really a dream? Or was it reality? Were any of the others here? What was going on...?

Comments

[letssaveourgirl]

See? Sadness is perfect for this! Joy just smiles.

"You don't want to rush into that anyway," she says with a nod. "It'll be great."

[isadrag]

Sadness nods as well. "Just because it's hard to make friends now... doesn't mean it'll always be hard." She thinks for a moment. "Hey, since we're all new... how about we be friends...?" That would help, right? Perry seemed nice, and Sadness wanted to help her... and they wanted to make friends...

[letssaveourgirl]

"You want to be friends with me?" Perry asks, blinking and nudging her glasses back up her nose. "... okay."

It's clear that she can't quite believe that it's that easy.

Joy's smile is so big when she looks at him. "Well, of course! We're all friends now!"

[isadrag]

Sadness couldn't help smiling, too. Part of her almost couldn't believe it was that easy, either, but she hoped this would help make Perry happy, too.

And hey, now that they're friends, the day is really starting to look up! ...A little.

[letssaveourgirl]

Of course, the logistics of being friends are a little trickier to work out. But that's not usually the job of the emotions. Joy is feeling good, though, as they head off to their afternoon classes. "This is a great day, isn't it, Sadness?"

[isadrag]

"It's alright..." which, from her smile, seems to indicate she means it's great. "I didn't think we'd be able to make a new friend so quickly..." What she does in terms of comforting someone else is a strange instinct for her, but of course, now she doesn't question acting on it.

Three classes left, and while before she was feeling her usual sad self... Sadness couldn't help feeling a bit more motivated because of this.

[letssaveourgirl]

Then it's already worthwhile, isn't it?

So, what's next?

English! Reading and writing! All right!

[isadrag]

Now this is a subject Sadness can enjoy. She really likes reading, and there's a constant smile on her face as they read the story of the week. She finishes a bit faster than the others and decides to read the next story, not realizing they were about to swap to a different assignment.

[letssaveourgirl]

They're given a worksheet to fill out about the reading and Joy goes about doing that earnestly. It's not quite are rewarding as math, but it's interesting for sure.

[isadrag]

It takes a comment from the teacher for Sadness to realize they need to work on the paper. With a small sigh, she does so as well. At least they're answering questions about the reading, which she enjoyed. And even after they finished and class was ending, Sadness could be found still reading another story. She might be zoned out a little.

[letssaveourgirl]

"Sadness," Joy whispers, touching her shoulder. "We need to go to the next class." She smiles a little though. "Are you enjoying it?"

[isadrag]

It takes her a second to notice, but she snaps out of it. "Huh?" She looks over to Joy, putting the book down. "Oh... is it time...?" She looks back at the page she was on, and tries to remember. Maybe she can keep reading later. "Yeah... it's a pretty good story..." Some turmoil and stress and sad feelings... but she has a feeling it'll turn out okay.

She takes her book and stands up out of her seat. "Um... what class is next...?"

[letssaveourgirl]

"Um ... Science," Joy says, walking with Sadness. "I'm not sure what that will be, though."

[isadrag]

"Oh, maybe it's that 'Physical Science' class Riley was taking..." Though she wasn't sure what they'd learn, either. She couldn't remember the lessons right off...

As the school day was getting closer and closer to its end though, Sadness couldn't help wondering what they'd do after it...

[letssaveourgirl]

That's the question, isn't it? Do they go back to Riley's? (How they even get there is beyond Joy at the moment.) They don't even get a chance to see Perry again before everyone goes rushing for the exits at the end of the days.

"Um," Joy murmurs. "Let's just ... walk for a while," she decides. Maybe something will occur to them. Or reveal itself.

[isadrag]

Sadness is kinda... well, sad they don't get to see Perry again before they get out of school. But at Joy's suggestion, Sadness nods and takes her friend's hand. "Okay... how about we go to the park...?" That's a great place to sit and talk or think for a while, right...?

[letssaveourgirl]

"That's a great idea, Sadness!" Giving her friend's hand a squeeze, Joy walks with her in that general direction. "Parks are nice. Maybe we'll figure out what to do when we're there."

[isadrag]

"Yeah... they're quiet, and peaceful..." Which makes it easier to think. Plus, after all the craziness of running around to classes, being able to sit, slow down and talk sounds pretty good to Sadness right about now.

[letssaveourgirl]

It does to Joy too because really, she doesn't have any idea of what they should do now. Where they should go. Are they expected to sleep? Where?

Sitting on a bench, though, under a tree with a friend makes things seem less scary, though.

[isadrag]

It certainly helps Sadness feel less scared. For a while, after they sit, she says nothing and things remain silent. It feels kinda nice to have a moment of silence, to think a little. Eventually though, she does speak, turning to Joy.

"School was kinda fun, wasn't it?" Maybe an odd thing for her to say, but Joy likely would know what she meant by it.

[letssaveourgirl]

"It was!" Joy can't but agree. Really, everyone was very nice, all things considered. "... I guess we'll be going back tomorrow."

[isadrag]

"Yeah..." So many unanswered questions remain. Questions neither of them can reasonably answer. "But at least... whatever happens, we'll do it as a team. Together. Right?"

As for where they were supposed to go... they can figure that out in a few minutes. For the moment she just wants to sit here. She can't help feeling content, just a little, even under the weight of all the issues right now. And it's because Joy is there with her, who she considers her best friend. Unlike the incident with getting lost in the Mind World, they have even less to go on here... but she feels like even if the answers were to never come, she could feel safe because Joy is here with her. And she hopes her friend feels the same way.

[letssaveourgirl]

That's exactly it. Joy squeezes Sadness's hand. If there is something they have both learned, it is that they are much better as team than on their own.

Sadness is right. And it's nice to sit here and just revel in that.

[isadrag]

Squeezing her friend's hand back, Sadness contemplates their situation. Even though she feels safe, the questions they were needing to answer soon, such as where they would sleep, begins to weigh heavier and heavier on her mind. After a little bit, she ends up leaning on her friend, mostly because the last thing she wanted to do was roll forward off of the bench onto her face. As optimistic as Joy was, Sadness couldn't keep that up for very long in any situation.

awww, ahahah

[letssaveourgirl]

"Right," Joy decides. "There's no use sitting and being afraid. That's not who we are!" Quite literally; that's Fear!

She slips from the bench and tugs Sadness to her feet (not her face) and looks around. "Let's find Riley's house."