She knew manipulation too well.
It had shaped her since childhood, pressed into every decision, hidden behind every offer of safety. She had run from it for years, but no matter where she went—someone always tried to control her.
She had hoped the Dream SMP would be different.
That belief shattered the moment she used her abilities.
Power leaked from her fingertips, warping the battlefield into something beyond human. The second it happened, the looks in their eyes shifted—no longer just curiosity, no longer just kindness.
It was interest.
Now she was running again—not from the Eggpire, who had taken her in, but from the very people she had trusted.
She makes the mistake of thinking she’s safe with BadBoyHalo and his followers.
Bad was thoughtful, measured, always reassuring.
"You don’t have to fight anymore," he told her. "You’ve spent too long running—this is where you stop."
She should have argued.
"You’ll see in time," he said, smiling. "You don’t have to keep looking over your shoulder."
Antfrost was calm, steady, always careful with his words.
"You carry too much fear," he murmured one night, sitting across from her. "You always brace for betrayal before it happens."
She hesitated. "It happens a lot."
"Not here," Antfrost assured her. "Not to family."
She wanted to trust that.
Wanted to believe it.
But belief had failed her before.
Ponk was easygoing, always pulling her in, always giving her a reason to stay.
"Why do you always look ready to run?" he asked one day, nudging her playfully. "Relax—you’ve got people looking out for you now."
She smiled, shaking her head. "Just not used to it."
"You’ll get used to it," Ponk grinned. "That’s kinda the point."
She laughed.
It wasn’t until later that she realized he never gave her another option.
Puffy was warm, steady, always safe.
"You don’t have to be strong all the time," she told her one afternoon. "Let people help you."
She hesitated. "I don’t need help."
"You don’t have to," Puffy said gently. "But that’s the difference—you can now."
She hated how easy that sounded.
She didn’t feel safe, not entirely.
But she wanted to.
She didn’t fully trust them.
But she needed to.
Because what was the alternative?
"Why is this locked?"
Bad barely glanced up. "It’s just a precaution."
Her pulse hammered.
"Then why am I not allowed to leave?"
Antfrost sighed. "What would you even do out there? They’re waiting for you."
She froze.
"We’re protecting you," Bad corrected, stepping forward.
Too close.
Her stomach dropped.
She wanted to trust them.
She needed to trust them.
But she wasn’t safe here.
And now, she knew that for sure.