gregoriah adjusted his tie as emerson stood by the exit door, smoking a blunt of a normal cigar "sooo you got a fancy business meetin' boss?"

"yep! and good thing it's today too- I'd HATE to go to that family reunion."

"hm, guess I don't have to hide your body if you do kill yourself after all." he took another hit as gregoriah turned around only for his face to drop slightly "dude. Are you smoking again???"

"yeah? and?"

"man- not inside the place-! not silly! go outside at least!" emerson sighed and walked out, mumbling "right.."

gregoriah huffed and dusted himself as he smiled at the suit he'd brought out the first time in what felt like forever. he'd spent the week stressing out over this interview. crying to the phone on emerson and contemplating even living. but after some pep talk and watching corny motivational youtube videos; he felt readier than ever. And besides; he had to keep reminding himself that this meeting is probably better than having to meet clover again of all things...

he looked over to the mirror and the panel that controlled his silly wonderland of a play place, feeling proud over how far he'd come. seeing all those players having fun that he couldn't ever dream of as a kid, it warmed his heart...but one of them looked so familiar..betty? was it? didn't she drown and die that one time?...honestly it'd been so long that all the players soon start to blend in with eachother, gregoriah stayed deep in his thoughts for a while all until he heard a few knocks on the main entrance of the door. he quickly jumped and ran over to press the button, allowing the metal contraptions to slide over to let his special guest in.

a sickly pale woman with pink hair sporting two pigtails. a light blue suit and a flowy skirt underneath, her heels clicked against the hardwood floor, then to the fuzzy, vintage carpet as he smiled wide at the sight of gregoriah

"well hello there. gregoriah right?" she spoke in her usual high-pitched yet pleasing tone.

"Yep!! thats me!! anddd you are-?"

"stat." he held her gloved hand out "call me stat."

gregoriah confidently took her hand and shook it. "nice to meet you."

"yes, a pleasure" he semi-repeated as she walked in, gregoriah closed the door behind them as she looked around the little 'office space' of gregoriah's. "vintage. fitting."

"yeah haha, I always found it endearing when I was young-" he tried to add, unsure if he was yapping too much or if this is exactly the path he had to take as stat looked out the window, seeing all the clumsy and skilled players race to the end of the playplace, the laughter and screams and other such noises echoed beyond. creating a fun atmosphere.

"seems like your business is doing  great here.. I'm impressed that this has gone up for 400 years!"

"ah- so you DO know!?"

"of course I do, everyone in the lobby has been whispering about your little silly palace for months now." she semi-lied turning to gregoriah "tell me gregoriah; are you proud? do you FEEL proud?"

gregoriah effortlessly answered the question "why of course I do! I mean it wasn't easy- Buttt I did make it in the end sooo" he gave out a big goofy smile as stat's remained the same, unnerving one.

"why is that so?"

"..yeah?" he said "I mean- what else do I say-?" he gave a light hearted yet awkward chuckle as he cleared his throat "anywayssss you said you had an offer for me?" he reminded her "remember? when we talked over the phone 'n stuff?" 

stat perked up "oh right! I was going to offer buying abouttt....18 percent of your stocks and assets, in turn we'll promote your business on the lobby."

gregoriah tried to contain his excitement as he smiled wider "really!? you mean it??"

"yep, I'll get the documents in our next meeting, I just needed your approval first on the idea."

"well, yeah sure!! that'd be great!! amazing even...maybe...even silly-tastic?" he snapped his fingers and chuckled as stat managed to tug her smile to appear wider. "hm..I like your sense of humor.." gregoriah felt comforted at those words as he relaxed his body a little. Seeing stat watch over the window panel again, gregoriah didn't exactly know what to do now though, was the meeting over? does he have to negotiate more?? he stood there awkwardly for a moment before flaring up a small talk. "heh- seems like ya like the view a lot?"

"...fascinating." she muttered, completely ignoring gregoriahs comment "all those people. coming and going. breathing and dying. the cycle must continue after all, and yet here they are, living their oh so short lives."

gregoriah furrowed his eyebrows on stat's commentary as she continued "don't you ever get that amazing feeling seeing your project flourish and gain life? because I sure have. but you must remember gregoriah. you must also think about the time where that blooming flower will wilt and decay. and everything you've ever loved will be gone. it'll die. leaving YOU to rot." he peered over to the entrance of the elevator, the elevator in general, feeling a sense of familiarity, a complex feeling seeing this thing she'd known for far too long..

her words, strange and off putting, sort of struck gregoriah in his heart, or rather, a nerve

everything you've ever loved will be gone. it'll die. leaving YOU to rot.

he wanted to comment on the significance of this little speech before she turned and perked "well it was a pleasure to get to negotiate with you gregoriah, perhaps you can show me what these buttons can do in our next meeting, I have quite the tight schedule unfortunately" she chuckled and gregoriah followed pursuit albeit awkwardly "now then i must be off. I hope the rest of  your day will be....silly-tastic" she winked as she quickly walked off, pressing the button and walking out of the office before gregoriah could utter a goodbye in person "ah- SEE YOU LATER!!" he yelled out, running to close the doors yet again as he let out as tense sigh.

"everything good there?" emerson said as he peered through the door, purposefully hiding as to not have interrupted the special meeting 

"yeah.." gregoriah replied as he sunk onto the floor, sliding down the wall behind his back

"what was THAT about" he asked, walking inside "her little..speech or whatever."

"..I don't know really.." he mumbled "it's whatever though- maybe she's just...sentimental? or- whatever people call fancy people" he rolled his eyes "we got work to do anyways.."

"right...my shift's about to start again" he groaned

gregoriah soon felt a vibration in his pocket; his phone buzzed. he pulled it out to see a message from his mother whom he'd recently re-added into his contact this week after years of avoiding her. just because he was tired of having to wait days for letters and such; he furrowed his eyebrows and read the text

Just wanted to let you know that the family meetup had to be delayed because of your aunt Caroline's cancer appointment. so you can come next week!

oh yeah how was that meeting?

"...boss? buddy?" emerson said concerningly as he saw the expression etched on gregoriahs face "what's up?"

"yeah I need to kill myself alright."