Alice stared at Tony and... didn't recognize him.
"Wait... Tony? Is that your name?" she asked.
Tony looked up, his eyes widening.
"You... don't remember me?"
Alice looked away, guilt flickering across her face.
"No... I'm sorry. I don't."
The words hit harder than Tony expected.
Inside his mind, Pink immediately burst into dramatic sobs.
See?! This is all your fault!! We could've been married by now!!
Tony didn't answer.
For the first time, Pink noticed how deeply he'd been hurt.
Before she could say anything else, another calm voice echoed gently through their shared mind.
There, there... Don't be so hard on yourself. Look at her. She's thinking. She wants to say something else.
Tony blinked.
Alice took a slow breath before looking back up at him.
"But..." she said softly, offering him a small smile, "I'd really like to get to know you."
Tony's eyes lit up.
Inside his head, Pink completely lost it.
OH MY GOSH!! SHE'S NOTICING US!! DON'T YOU DARE RUIN THIS!!
Tony winced.
Or I swear I'll force-feed us that disgusting cereal with the dried fruit in it!!
Tony physically shuddered.
"...Please don't."
He looked back at Alice, smiling awkwardly.
"Y-Yeah...we-... I'd like that."
Alice smiled back.
"...You almost said 'we.'"
Tony froze.
"I... did?"
Before he could recover, a soft poof echoed through the courtyard.
His hair instantly turned bright pink, twisting itself into familiar twin tails.
His posture straightened.
His eyes sparkled.
A huge grin spread across his face.
"Because I'm here too!!" Pink declared proudly. "And we both absolutely adore you!!"
Alice's cheeks turned bright red.
"W-Wait..." she stammered. "There really is... another person in there?"
Pink puffed out her chest proudly.
"Of course there is! I'm him too... just different!"
Alice blinked.
"...That's not a lot to go on."
Pink immediately looked embarrassed.
"O-Oh..."
She rubbed the back of her neck.
"Um..."
She's asking about me...
Her face became impossibly red.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Taking a deep breath, Pink proudly announced,
"I'm his subconscious!"
Silence.
Maya's grin slowly faded.
Suki folded her arms, quietly thinking.
Grey girl blinked once.
Even Pigeon Chad tilted his head in thoughtful confusion.
Tony suddenly seized control back.
"...WAIT, WHAT?!"
Pink blinked.
"Huh?"
"You can't just TELL people that!!"
Pink tilted her head.
"...Why not?"
Tony stared at the sky in complete defeat.
"...I'm surrounded by idiots."
Pink gasped dramatically.
"You take that back! I'm adorable!"