I was brought back to life by MePhone. I felt my body materialize as I came back to the realm of the living. My golden, tough body was back. And the memories were gone. I silently celebrated in my brain, when MePhone had started talking to me.
"Hey, how'd you die? I thought OJ had better security than that."
"Oh...I-uh...was just out on a walk. I- I had run into Taco."
"Heh. I hope that disgrace is gone soon."
"MePhone! I got her!" Knife yelled out, running back to him.
He explained how he had killed "Taco" to him.
"Attention all contestants!" MePhone said through the loudspeaker.
"Knife has won immunity! Voting is tomorrow night! That is all."
I walked back inside Hotel OJ, wanting to go back to my room and think about what had just happened. But before I left, I said something.
"Thanks for reviving me, MePhone."
He was surprised by this. He didn't expect anyone to thank him for reviving them, much less me. He just stood there and stared at me as the doors closed, and I went to my room. I went to my door, only to find that it was locked. I remembered that Cheesy had a routine today. He was my roommate. Unless I could somehow pick the lock, I was stuck out here until his show ended. I walked back downstairs to get a snack, but the noise of a door unlocking startled me. I looked back and saw it was my door, swinging open. I guess Cheesy's show was called off. I stood there and stared at the door. No one walked out. I cautiously crept closer, slightly afraid of what was in my room. I turned and looked inside. The lights were off. I walked in, going to lay on my bed, but the lights came back on. And I saw Taco standing next to the switch. I was dumbfounded. How had she gotten into my room, much less gotten close to the Hotel? It didn't look like she had any weapons with her. She held a teapot in one hand, and 2 cups with the other. She offered me one. I took it. We just stood there, staring at eachother, drinking our tea. Until I finally said something.
"Why are you back?" I asked her.
"Shh..." she said, quietly.
"Shut the door. I don't want to be caught, especially when I'm presumed dead."
So I went and locked the door. She had set up 2 chairs for us to sit in. I don't know how she got them, how they were set up so fast, and so quietly. We sat down. Than, she spoke.
"You know why I'm here. I may have broken everyone's trust in me, but I don't. Just take it."
Taco handed me a 50 dollar bill. I was surprised she kept her promise.
"Hey, you didn't have to do this. So why?"
"Well...we're not so different, you and I. Both outcasts, hated by all. Everyone wants us dead. I've been watching you, Trophy. And you've been having an identity crisis too. Together, maybe we can fix that."
Wow. That was a lot. I hadn't compared myself to anyone else before. Well, not my real self.
"Why were you watching me specifically?"
"I kept tabs on all the newcomers. You just happened to be more...interesting than the others. Except...her...of course..."
I knew she was talking about Microphone. I had kept that memory somehow. Why had she teamed up with that loudmouth? I didn't hate her, but she just...wasn't very interesting to me. I felt like she was only known for her partnering with Taco. That must not be a good thing to be remembered by. Maybe, when they saw her, they thought: "Hey, look! It's that annoying freak who teamed up with the worst object on the planet!"
Yikes. For a second there, I actually thought that she had it worse than me. But I remembered that they still hated me, even if they had hated someone else more.
Then something else caught my mind. Why couldn't she have just done this outside? She could easily risk being captured here! But, I guess all evil masterminds do this kind of stuff.
"Well, I also came here for another reason." Knew it.
"I can't just let you get away with knowing about those things. So, I have a proposition for you. We team up. Split all pur earnings 50/50. If Mic had won, I would keep my word if she held on tight to that briefcase. So, what do you say?"
She held out her hand towards me, wanting me to shake it and seal the deal. I couldn't team up with her. That'll ruin me! They'll cast me out, just like her. But she would probably do worse if I said no...
"I...need some time to think."
"Well, I'll be gone by the time that comedy failure finishes up. So you'd better think quick."
I would've said something, but I didn't want her to pull put that gun again. I actually thought Cheesy's jokes were okay. So, I got up and walked down to the kitchen to think. Taco locked the door behind me.
"Knock twice when you want to come back in." She whispered to me. The kitchen was warm. I liked it. Paper was standing there, washing dishes.
"O-oh...hey Trophy." I still somehow managed to startle him, even when I got here slowly. I sat down at the table, and just did nothing. I was thinking about Taco's offer. It was either get hunted down by the most dangerous object here, or risk being cast out like that object.
Well, a chance of bad things happening was better than a guarantee that bad things would happen. I didn't want Taco after me. But I didn't want everyone else after me either. Those weird transformy masks intrigued be though. With them, I could be whoever I wanted, whenever. I wouldn't have to keep being the jock. I was convinced. I got up from the table and climbed the stairs to get back to my room. I knocked on the door twice, and it opened, Taco hiding behind it. Once she saw that it was me, she shut the door.
"Well?"
"I accept your offer."
"Great. Meet me back in the forest tonight. Same place. We've got work to do. Oh! Business calls elsewhere. See ya."
Taco went out of the open window and climbed her way down the building and ran back into the depths of the Perilous Forest.
I didn't expect her to be my coworker, but hey, stuff happens. So I layed down on my bed, and thought. What were we going to do? The riches didn't really faze me. It was the masks. I took a nap, and thought about being someone else the entire time.
I didn't know how much time had passed. I jolted awake and looked at the clock. 8:57. I needed to go. So I ran downstairs, grabbed my scarf, and headed for the Perilous Forest to start working with my new associate.