Something pink had just ran directly into the dark alleyway, and Bee was fairly certain that same pink blur was what had been following them all day. 

It didn’t matter though. The only thing that she cared about was knowing it wasn’t a SELECTION. Instead it looked like fabric, a dress maybe? 

Bee no longer was fearful of whatever or whoever it was. Afterall, anything was better than that red box of death. She had no idea why they were practically stalking them on their date, or if it was safe for her to confront them, but she had already given up her body to the invisible force so there was no turning back now.

Maybe her choice was wrong… What if this pink somehow was a hint that it would lead to the bad ending SELECTION again? Had she been too impulsive in choosing to leave Maddi behind and run off into an isolated alleyway alone?!

‘Clink, clink, swish!’ Various cans, bags, and papers scattered to the ground. Bee’s body turned the corner just as the debris came crashing down from a large trash bin in the otherwise empty alley. Taking five steps forward her body, still not within her control, disappeared into the dark passage. 

⬡⬡⬡

Pure white nails like fluffy clouds were gripped around a cellphone, steadily holding upright as the owner took slow and quiet steps behind the silver haired beauty. 

Maddi was following quietly behind Bee her the moment she left her side to head towards the alley. Her phone was instantly pulled out, and with a quick ‘tap, tap’ of her fingers the Halo Network was opened.

It was time for another secret livestream.

//AHHH!! We are spoiled today with so many streams!! 

//spoiled? ? ? the lives 2day r so short of our queen! I ask 4 quality not quantity 2 the stream gods PLZZZ

//Stop complaining. You must be new here.

//Where is our queen going? Is she pretending to be an alleycat??

//CAN OUR QUEEN MEOW FOR THE AUDIENCE??????? ? ? (+5 blessings) (+1 cat ear accessory)

//oh ~~ you are onto something! (+1 cat tail accessory)

//I thank the users who have blessed us with this cute sight 

//**nosebleeds onto the screen**

//AHH the tail swishes with each step i cannot (+25 blessings)

The eyes on the live had joined almost as soon as Maddi started the stream. Plush lips formed an arc while watching the viewer purchased cat ears and fluffy tail twitching and swaying on the screen as though they were truly attached to the girl in the video. 

It was no wonder that Halo could charge such high prices for stream accessories, the quality of their AR filters was extremely authentic. So much so that Maddi made a mental note to order some similar white cat ears later as a physical gift for her little alleycat. 

The viewer count continued to climb, all the eyes were bewitched by their queen Bee. To Maddi they were simply sad souls who would never fulfill their wish of meeting their idol in person. 

Only she could have her in reality.

Strangely however, she enjoyed being able to somewhat “share” Bee in this manner. It’s only right for everyone to love Bee. They should all want her, be entrapped by her, and crave her perfection. 

Bee was Maddi’s favorite, and she wanted to make sure everyone else felt the same. 

To accomplish this she had become that guiding light for Bee; providing her anything and everything in the world. Of course, this would include the adoration of these small ants in the chat. Each comment was in awe of Bee’s beauty, each wishing to gain a drop of her honey-like sweetness for themselves.

So long as they stayed in their place on the screen Maddi would allow it. 

So long as none of these worshippers stepped out of line again. As long as they knew they had no chance with what was hers, then everything would be fine this time. 

Remembering the past her thumb had unconsciously moved towards the ‘end stream’ option.

Thumb locked in place, hovering a millimeter above the screen, Maddi took a few deep breaths.

 “They can keep watching.” Muttering to herself, she decided that she would allow the stream to go on. 

Everything was fine now. Bee was living in her home. Bee had gone out on a date with her today. Bee hadn’t even brought up the stream once since then. It was as though she had really forgotten about the viewer.

How sad they must be to not be recognized by their queen. Maddi snickered to herself, thinking that these flies on the wall have no chance. They could never be as devout as her, they could never give their everything, and she would continue to make sure it stayed that way.

⬡⬡⬡

Maddi and the Halo stream continued to follow behind Bee as she turned the corner ahead disappearing from their sight. 

Stepping into the darkness, Bee had left the brightly lit shops behind. She could only follow the SELECTION and its desires and focus on the path ahead.

Uncaring of her surroundings she remained oblivious to the girl behind her. The invisible hands continued to propel her body forward, deeper, and deeper into the cramped and littered space.

Bee’s body slipped out from under her as she stepped onto a piece of paper that had fluttered to the ground. Nearly slipping into the trash below, she was a beat late in realizing she had regained control.

Golden eyes glowed in the darkness, like a cat searching for its prey. They darted towards the bin in the alley searching for the pink mass. This was the only object around, and if someone were here they would have to be hiding behind it.

No one was there.

But why would the SELECTION have given me the option to come here then? Bee felt that she was missing something. While annoying, the choices she made had always had a purpose. In her experience it would never lead her randomly without reason.

So what did this choice lead to then?

Sharpened eyes continued to scan the alley for any clues, unaware of the footsteps growing louder behind her. 

Pale legs crouched down and Bee began to pick up some of the assorted trash that had fallen to the ground. Moving her foot to the side she picked up the paper she had nearly slipped on to take a look.

The dirt now on her hands had left them feeling dry and in need of some lotion, luckily for Bee as she pulled the paper up from under her shoe she felt something wet. 

Crimson was blending into the gray dust on her fingers, and even in this dark passageway she knew what it was by the faint metallic smell alone. Frightened by this she instinctively dropped the paper back to the ground. 

Fluttering back down it landed among its friends. The ground was littered in the same scattered pages. It appeared to be a promotional ad that featured a cute and lively model. 

Pink hair, pink clothes, a bubbly-pink atmosphere. 

Bee was stunned as she stared at these pages covered in pink. Had she really just followed a worker into an alley where they were throwing out the flyers intended to be passed out to people nearby?

What a waste of time!

She hastily grabbed one of the more clean papers on the ground to wipe her hands with, and proceeded to then pick up the mess that was left for her. Seeing the flyers on the ground she felt bad leaving the forgotten photos scattered among the trash. 

They should be disposed of properly, not like this…

Still staring down at the pink photos, Bee stumbled backwards in shock as soon as she stood up. Maddi had already stopped the livestream at some point, her phone tucked back in her shorts pocket. In Bee’s eyes she was the sweet and innocent girl who just now had reached out to prevent her from tumbling backwards. 

Seeing the garbage in her kitten's paws, Maddi pulled them away and placed them directly into the bin. Bee felt strange as she watched Maddi toss the flyers, she wondered if she maybe should have kept one for herself. 

Could they have been important? Is that why I was led here?

Clean hands clasped around Bee’s hands that were still covered in unknown filth. Not wanting to get Maddi dirty she tensed up and tried to pull her fingers back, but the grip around them tightened. Unable to pry her hands away, her fingers curled up in shame at their current appearance.

No words were said between the two girls, and in the dim light of the alley Maddi gently wiped down each finger until the sky blue nail polish was shining in the dark. 

Realizing that she was done Bee once again tried to pull back, but the vice grip on her pulled her closer. Soft lips grazed her now clean fingers, it was a gentle kiss full of worry. 

“You need to take better care of yourself. What if you had been hurt?” Maddi’s doe eyes pleadingly looked at Bee. The gray irises resembled stormy clouds, as if a rainstorm would start at any moment.

Incapable of giving a verbal reply, all Bee could do was close the physical gap between the two of them, asking for forgiveness by snuggling her head into Maddi’s clavicle.

Stroking the long silver ponytail, Maddi’s fingers twirled the ends of the silky hair. Deep breaths crashed into Bee’s ear, “We should really get out of this dirty alley. We still have our appointment.” Bee’s body shivered from the sensation, which to the other girl felt like a nod in agreement to her words.

In response, Maddi patted Bee’s back, the featherlight touch was like an itch through the thick yellow sweater. Shyly looking into Maddi’s eyes, the smile Bee received was blinding. 

These kind gestures were too much for her right now. 

Just how could I be so lucky to have Maddi by my side?

Each time Maddi showered her in love, the guilt in her heart would grow. All she wanted to do was come clean, to tell her about the memory loss. If her golden light didn’t want to stay by her side after learning the truth… If she felt that she was no longer the same Bee that she knew in the past…

She would accept it.

Deceiving her like this was too painful. Each time she looked into those pure eyes she felt like a thorn was cutting into her heart. Wrapping around each ventricle, growing tighter and tighter. 

Bee opened her mouth to try once again to come clean, but the words were lodged in her throat. The SELECTION yet again wouldn’t allow her to speak, and she again gave up.

Two sets of hands were intertwined as they headed out of the alleyway and back to their original destination.