Dear Mic's Diary,

I'm really conflicted. I've already gone so far down this path, and I know I'll succeed. As long as I'm on the offensive, nothing will stop me. But what Knife said...bothered me. Who's this Pickle person? I have a feeling whatever happened between him and Taco wasn't good. But I have no reason to not trust Taco. She's my friend. Knife is just biased...I think.

And I guess he has a right to be? But Taco is a better person now, I don't know why he doesn't see that. I just wish I wasn't stuck in this position. It'd be so much easier if-

Microphone paused. There were footsteps behind her. She shut her diary and whipped around. Knife was behind her.

"Are you trying to peek in my diary!?"

"Wh- No. Stop freaking out."

Microphone turned in her seat to fully face Knife, her arms secure around her diary. Knife stood straight, and his blade glinted in the sunlight. His arms were crossed, and his face was slightly shadowed, but she could still recognize his sharp eyes that pierced her heart, and his slight uneven frown that was admittedly really cute-

'Dang it, Mic! Focus!'

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Microphone asked. A small hope rose in her chest. "Oh! Did you-"

"No."

Her shoulders slumped. So much for that.

"I just noticed you were absent."

"Oh, so you're stalking me?" Microphone felt the cringe as soon as the words left her mouth. "Bad joke. Sorry."

Knife sighed. Probably reminded him of Cheesy.

"I just wanted to talk to you again. About this whole...Taco situation."

Microphone placed her diary in her lap, with her hands folded on the cover. "I- Well, okay..." she mumbled and pressed her lips together, her eyes on the grass. Taco was probably listening. She had to look as inconspicuous as possible.

"Taco is using you-"

"This again?"

"Let. Me finish," Knife gritted his teeth. Microphone nodded rapidly. "She's never told you what happened in season one, right?"

"No- But I know what she did! And I'm telling you, she's changing- I'm seeing it for myself!"

Knife's expression didn't change. "You don't know the whole story. Throughout the whole season, she allied herself with a friend of mine, Pickle. They were like two peas in a pod, until she revealed her true self. She used him to further her position in the game. She never cared for him in the first place."

"Mic, end the conversation."

Microphone drew a sharp breath. Both from Knife's revelation and Taco's sudden voice.

'She acted like this in the mine, too.'

"Pickle was heartbroken." Knife took a few steps closer to Microphone. "And Taco is as every bit manipulative and conniving as she was then. Whatever she said or promised, she will betray you."

"End it!"

"Trust me," Microphone whispered, and turned down her gain. Knife furrowed his brows.

The pieces were coming together. Honestly, Microphone surprised herself with how easily she connected the dots. Taco was obviously talking about Pickle when she reached for that portal. She doesn't like talking about what happened because it hurts her, too.

Which left Microphone with a conclusion she believed beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"I know that Taco regrets what she did; she just doesn't want to admit it," she said. "Taco is my friend, and she won't betray me."

Knife sighed. "She's really got you going, doesn't she. I don't want you to get hurt like Pickle did. Don't say I didn't warn ya."

Microphone's heart fluttered. Did he really just say that? Did he really mean it?

"I mean- If you really don't want to hurt me, join...join me!" she burst without restriction, "because...I don't want to be against you. And we'll be unstoppable!" Microphone held her breath, anxious for his response.

Knife took a while to say anything.

Eventually, he huffed.

"I'll win this game on my own terms," he said. "And if we're to face each other in the final two, I won't hold back. Don't go getting yourself eliminated."

Knife turned away from a deflated Microphone. He looked over his shoulder.

"Be careful, Mic."

"Yeah..." Microphone muttered.

'The final two, huh?'

"Hey!"

Knife turned his head.

Microphone smirked. "I won't hold back, either."