"Are you sure you want to do that? I'm fine with it, but having a newly-born contestant might be a bit.. problematic." It's a familiar voice, but at the same time, it isn't.

The feeling of warmth and the scent of the ocean permeates through V-Pet as they recollect their memories -- this is all they have.

"I think it would be interesting.." This voice -- who's is it?

"Oh- that's.. That's a lot of money! It'd be perfect.. Ah.. I'll accept, then. Let me know when your successor is ready for pick-up!" That first voice speaks again.

And then... that's it. There's nothing else to remember.

V-Pet's visual sensors come on, and they stare in awe at what's before them. They're sitting on a yacht, gazing out at the sea; the sun is rising over the horizon, looking as if it might engulf the mainland that's slowly shrinking into the distance.

They admire at the waves for what feels like hours - there is nothing else but them and the sea - when someone taps on their shoulder.

"You good?"

V-Pet turns and looks at the person next to them, seeming to gaze right through him. Ticket gives them a blank stare for a moment before waving his arm in front of V-Pet's face.

"Y-Yes, I'm good," V-Pet says. That voice -- that second voice, the one in their memory -- that voice.. is theirs?

"Oh, okay." Ticket sits down next to V-Pet, looking out at the ocean. "You looked like you were having a moment."

"..Oh, okay." They copy his words, not really sure of what else to say. Despite the fact that they only have one memory, they somehow already know what Ticket means by 'a moment'.. They think about this for a second before deciding they do not care.

Ticket leans back, checking his watch - it's 7:45 AM. "It's loud inside, so I decided to come out here."

They sit in silence. The waves are mesmerizing to V-Pet, and Ticket has nothing more to say.

"..." Ticket clears his throat. "...It's nice to not immediately be recognized for once. Please don't tell anyone I said that."

"Recognized? For what?" V-Pet turns to get a better view of Ticket.

"I-" Ticket turns to look at V-Pet, surprised. After a moment, he looks away, back at the sea. "Nothing."

V-Pet quietly nods, noticing that Ticket is smiling.

A door behind them opens, and Glitter Bomb peers out. "Hey, TicketTalksToons! Could you give me some more tips?"

Ticket straightens his face back into a blank stare and turns around. "Sure," he says, and stands up. Before walking away, he digs in his backpack and hands a granola bar to V-Pet, then returns inside.

The door shuts, and V-Pet goes back to staring out at the sea.

It doesn’t take long for someone new to approach, though. Someone’s hand hovers above V-Pet’s shoulder for a moment, before she pulls it back, choosing to just clear her throat.

They turn around and immediately thrust the granola bar into Haunted Game Cartridge’s hands. She jumps back, shocked. “H-How did you know I was going to ask for that..?”

“I did??”

HGC blinks. “..Okay,” she says, and scuttles back to her corner of the ship - one cast in shadow by the pink-blue flag hoisted high above.

V-Pet watches as HGC opens the granola bar and shoves it in her mouth as if she hasn’t eaten in days. They smile to nobody in particular.

The door opens again, and a dark purple card with a thin pink line going across their body steps out. HGC crumples her granola bar wrapper into a ball and throws it at Major, whose only reaction is a sudden look of sadness in their eyes as they stand in the doorway for a moment, then decide to go back inside.

An aquarium-like lamp throws the door open, bubbling loudly at HGC. She glares at him, and after he realizes won’t get any other response from her, Aquarilamp slips back inside.

“It’s crazy how people act nowadays, isn’t it?”

V-Pet turns to look at whoever’s next to them, but finds nobody at first. They look down at the empty chair, only to find someone sitting there.

Period sighs. “I joined this competition so I could make the world a better place for small fry like me.. I wish I could just snap and have it happen now. Hey, what’d you join for?”

V-Pet responds almost immediately, knowing that they know nothing. “I didn’t.”

“Eh?” Period shifts slightly, as if tilting her head in confusion.

“I don’t remember joining." They say it perfectly normally, as if it doesn't worry them at all.

“Did you bang your head? ..Well, you look fine to me, actually.. How many fingers am I holding up?”

V-Pet squints, unable to see Period’s hands, or even her face.

“Hah! That was a joke, but I appreciate the attempt. Maybe we can talk to the host about you once we arrive..” Period rotates as if looking around. "Hm.. I'll go talk to the others and see if they know anything, okay? You can wait here."

"Okay," V-Pet says, watching as Period hops off her seat and heads inside. They look over to HGC, who's looking off into the distance; having nothing else to do, they stand up and walk over, standing directly in front of her.

HGC looks up at them. "What do you want," she hisses, then stumbles over her words- "Sorry, that was a bit harsh. What do you want?" She fidgets with the label on her body, picking at a corner.

V-Pet stares at her for a moment. "I don't know," they say cheerfully. "Can I sit with you?"

HGC looks away. "Uh.. No. I don't.. make friends." She sighs. "Maybe you should go talk to someone who des- someone else."

"..Okay!" V-Pet turns to walk away when they notice someone talking to the flag waving above. They decide to go join, using a nearby step-stool and jumping up onto the roof.

"No, I do not think anything here is suspicious.." Red Sun is 'sitting' next to the flag, talking to it; he looks over to V-Pet and waves with one of his carats. "Hello! I am glad to see you are finally awake, V-Pet."

They give Red Sun the same vacant smile they've given to everyone else.

"..Oh, that is your name. V-Pet. I was asked to watch over you."

"Oh.. Hi!" V-Pet sits down next to him. "I was wondering who I was.. Where am I?"

Red Sun looks behind him, then back to V-Pet. "You are currently heading to Flip Island, where we will compete in a game show! It should not be that long until we arrive."

The flag suddenly comes off its pole, floating closer to V-Pet and standing in front of them. It returns to its pole after a moment, and V-Pet waves at it.

"Would you like to catch up on everything? I have been talking to Gradienty here to pass the time, since everybody else seems afraid of us." Red Sun extends a carat and shakes V-Pet's hand.

"Sure," V-Pet says.