Neutral paces their room, small ribbons of sunlight stubbornly forcing themselves through Neutral's tightly shut windows.
A pile of mail sits, unopened, on their desk. Where is Neutral? The letters ask, from concerned passengers and drivers alike. Have they left the Intergalactic Bus Driver Union? Did they die, like Shitty?
Neutral walked towards the slim well-worn cot that they had been using as a bed, a world-weary sigh escaping as they sat down.
Mental health is a very real thing, for human passengers and Eldritch/Cryptid/Otherworldly Bus Drivers alike. And folx, despite their best efforts Neutrals mental health has been suffering.
Suddenly, the dimly lit room became encompassed in an almost blinding light, as a multi eyed being with wings covered in flame appeared.
"E..Erika?" Neutral croaked "What are you..."
"BE NOT AFRAID," the Erika interjected. "YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR A MIGHTY AND MOST NOBLE MISSION."
Neutral looked at Erika with a mix of confusion and exasperation.
"Me?" Neutral sighed. "I don't know Erika, why not @goodbusdriver or even @eldritch-bus-driver they've gotta be more worthy of whatever this mission is than I am."
"THIS IS A MISSION ONLY YOU CAN COMPLETE, DEAR DRIVER."
Neutral rolled their eyes. "Fiiiiiine, what exactly are you trying to get me to do."
"DEAREST DRIVER OF THE NEUTRAL VARIETY, YOU HAVE BARRED YOURSELF AWAY FROM ALL THOSE WHO LOVE YOU AS YOU SIT LOCKED IN THIS PIT OF DESPAIR!!!"
"IT IS A PIT OF DESPAIR AND WE SHALL AID YOU IN BECOMING FREE OF IT, AND THAT IS THE FIRST STEP IN YOUR QUEST!"
"... Okay so you want me to leave my room and what? Just drive again? I can't, Erika, I just can't! Nothing has felt the same since Shitty died* and I don't even think I'm cut out to be a driver."
"THAT IS EXACT REASON WE HAVE CHOSEN YOU, DEAR ONE. YOU ARE NO LONGER BOUND TO YOUR CURRENT MORTAL FORM."
"....Erika I thought we talked about day drinking."
"I AM AN OTHERWORLDLY DIETY!!! I CAN HAVE A MIMOSA IF I WANT TO!"
Neutral shook their head, chuckling sadly.
"ENOUGH!" Erika exclaimed, fire shooting off their flaming wings and singeing Neutral's hair. "YOU MUST LEVEL UP, NEUTRAL. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU IF YOU NEED US."
"Level... Up? I'm a bus driver, not a video game."
"WE'LL BE HERE IF YOU NEED US..." And with that Erika faded away, and in her place was a gold encrusted pistol.
Natural picked up the pistol, confused. They did not have time to focus on Erika's impromptu and rather confusing visit however, because just then they heard a familiar HONNNKKK
"@justthebus you came for me!!!"
HONNNKKK "Hurry up, we're robbing a Baskin Robbins!"
"GET THE GUNS LET'S GO!!"
"...I guess that explains the pistol," Neutral said. And with that, they tucked the pistol into their belt and rushed aboard.
"All right, Passengers," They said with a hesitant smile, "Who wants ice cream?"
**Hey everyone, passengers and drivers alike, I know I've been AFK lately. I recently lost a good friend to suicide, and life has kind of been all the place. I promise I'm here, and I'm still happy to drive the bus. But sometimes life happens and unfortunately I don't have an Erika to help bust me out of the slump so all I ask for is your patience.
vaporwave
theartofmadeline
andulkaphoto
snowghoul
turnnoffyourmind
jbbartram-illu
baratheonpilled
origamiaround
