Dysphoria Extra Scenes

08: An Hour

Alternate Scene #2: An hour
So basically, this was always the plan for chapter 17, but I did some research into the accuracy of dying from exsanguination (blood loss), and it would take max like 15 minutes. But then you have to consider the carotid artery, which would kill someone in mere seconds. I look up the position of it, and theoretically if Quackity did get a pickaxe between the left side of his face, his carotid would've been severed. I then changed the chapter to Quackitys perspective. TLDR; medically accurate, Quackity would be dead in this version.
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"Hey, Tubbo, why are you wearing armor in L'manberg? I thought that was against the rules," Ghostbur observed, patting Friend on the head.

Tubbo looks down, almost like he forget he was wearing it. "There was an exception for today."

"You haven't changed Tubbo, have you?"

"No," Tubbo said firmly, but even you can tell the hint of uncertainty in his voice.

You sit down in one of the chairs in front of the stage, rubbing your sore shoulder from where Techno pushed you off.

You drown out everyone else's voices, only listening to the one in your head.

Were you in the wrong?

No, there was no way. Techno would've been killed today.

Killed for crimes he committed almost a year ago, under somewhat deserved reasons. It didn't matter anyway, he had been peacefully living his life out in the tundra, but they still went out of their way to drag him here and make him pay. Does that not make them the bad guys?

Sure, you helped kick out Tommy for the better of the country, but they were willing to kill Technoblade for the better of the country. What was next?

You could justify kicking out Tommy, at least, you tell yourself that. But you could never justify the murder of a man.

Nonetheless, someone's son, and older brother. It would appear to you in the simplest of ways, that power corrupts.

That was bluntly obvious. You watched it happen to your dad, to Wilbur, and finally Tubbo. It comes full circle, doesn't it?

All for the sake of a country.

A country that was far beyond repair at this point.

You grab your phone, checking the time. It had been an hour.

Where was Quackity?

You're on your feet in seconds, the worse coursing through your mind. Sure, he was in the wrong, but he was still someone you cared for, even if the mutual feeling was not received.

He wasn't someone you wanted to see dead just yet, but the odds weren't in his favor and you're trying to race against them.

You know exactly where he is, of course you do. Dream planned It down to the finest of detail, making sure it was executed to peak perfection.

Nothing gets out of hand, and everything goes his way.

The tunnel is dark when you arrive, you can't see anything and you use your phone as a flashlight.

"Quackity?"

No response.

You step further into the cave, a putrid smell invading your senses. You step into a puddle, but it's much thicker than the consistency of water.

You shine your flashlight on it, the dark crimson color staring back at you.

"Oh my god," You gasp, following the blood to the victim.

Quackity lays still, the entire left side of his face torn open. His teeth are exposed, flesh hanging off of him in spaghetti like strips. There's two distinct holes where a pickaxe had entered, one at the bottom of his chin, and the other above his eyebrow.

He's barely awake and when you notice that he even is, you pray he might be dead. It's a gruesome sight to see, and even more painful to think about how long he's been here.

You search your back pockets for a small glass bottle, thankful that Dream had given it to you before you departed.

The pink liquid sloshes around lazily in it and you stand up, backing away from Quackity.

"I'm sorry," You said quietly before throwing the point at his neck, listening to the glass shatter. Quackity makes a muffled sob as the liquid seeps into his skin, trying to stitch him back up.

Healing comes with a price.

Death can't be escaped easily.

The healing potions only go so far as to numb the pain, stop the bleeding and keep his heart alive. The rest is up to time.