First Person
A sob was jammed in my throat.
Did it really have to come to this?
A bow to Scar's head with him at my feet, Stress standing barely ten blocks away, tears streaking down her face as she begged for me to just stop.
"I-I can't."
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
'I'm sorry.'
Stress tried to take a step forward, to reach out as she choked out through her tears "You can, please. Please! I'm begging you-"
I lashed out, panic coursing through me. "Get back! I-I can't let him hurt you to-" A voice came from the side, and my eyes snapped to the left as my hands shook. "Who is 'him'. We can't help you if you don't tell us." X was standing there, Etho and EX standing behind him, all unarmed.
"I-I-I-" My body jerked as red became obvious around me. Almost holographic, red strings dangled in the air.
I was the only one who could see them. He had complete control over everything now, except for my speech.
I couldn't stop him. A terrified whimper came from me, and Stress's eyes widened. I could see the reflection of the strings in her eyes. She could see them. "...Oh my god. Is-is he using..."
I opened my mouth to response, and I felt my fingers loosen on the bow. I let out a desperate "No! Don't kill-" The arrow was released, and it flew.
A horrible squelch sounded as the arrow embedded itself in Scars neck, and Etho let out a choked noise of dismay. I started sobbing, he had no control of that. "I-I-Scar..."
Completely different from my voice and my sobbing, my body grabbed another arrow and pointed the bow at Stress's chest. Before it could fire another arrow, Ex slammed into me and we barreled to the ground, the arrow flying past Stress's shoulder as she let out a surprised screech.
We wrestled on the ground, and Etho jumped into the fight, slamming me onto my stomach as Ex struggled to tie my hands together. I lashed against him-well, I wasn't, but my body was-as I yelled out "Stop me! Stop me, now!"
Finally, I was pinned down, and tied up. Time blurred after that.
Scar was suddenly gone.
Iskall hauled me to my feet, dragging me away to the shopping district where the old unused medbay was.
I was comatose. I didn't feel anything, I didn't hear anything people where saying. The strings where limp, but they where still there.
I was a unused puppet, gathering dust as my puppeteer waited for a new set.
Then, the strings faded. My muscles ached and hurt as I lay on a cot, the area silent.
I finally slept.
And, just as fast as I fell asleep, I awoke.
For a long moment, I lay still. Then, I moved. It was slow, and I moved like I hadn't used my body for a year. I hadn't, actually. I managed to sit up, closing my eyes for a moment while collecting myself.
Then, I took a moment, looking around. I was underground, and voices outside of my room where talking about something completely mundane-More specifically, flower gardens.
I started shaking as I recalled the events of the last time I was truly awake. "Scar..." I covered my mouth as a sob left me, and the voices went silent. Then, someone came jogging down the hall and shoved the door open.
I ignored them, burying my face in my hands. Very softly, a hand was rested on my shoulder and quietly, the hermit in front of me said "Doc?..Doc, it's not your fault." I just pulled away as I shook my head "I... I let him..."
Bdubs forced me to look him in the eyes, shaking his own head "Doc, you didn't have a choice. Joe figured out what happened, you didn't have a fucking choice."
I let out a choked sob and managed to say "I-I should have tried harder to stop him.." Bdubs just pulled me into a hug, softly murmuring "You couldn't stop him Doc.. You had no control..."
Behind him, Joe walked in. He looked so tired, bags under his eyes and a sad glow seeming to come off of him. His aura was also tired, clearly used to nearly the extent of what it had. Floating next to him was one of his many books, blue particles coming off of it. Galactic words floated around it, and Joe opened his mouth to say something as he lifted his eyes from his book.
"Is he awake-Oh!"
The book flew to the bookshelf and put itself away as Joe hurried over, summoning a glass of water, but once he saw how distressed I was he set it down on a coaster that had levitated over from the table and it went back to the table. Bdubs hushed him with a wave of his hand, mouthing something to Joe.
Joe's eyes widened and he nodded, rushing out of the room. "Doc.. It's okay.. Scars alive.. He-he isn't mad.." I stiffened, my crying slowly calming down as I registered what Bdubs was saying "Wh...what?"
"He's alive. Joe's grabbing him now, just... just be ready, okay?" I tried to say something, but I was cut off by Scar coming in.. In a wheelchair.
I gasped softly, and Scar froze for a second before realizing I was practically tearing myself to bits because oh my god i paralyzed him the arrow paralyzed him- and he practically zoomed forward, Bdubs stepping out of the way.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug, but I pulled away, sobbing quietly "I-I-"
"Doc, Doc look at me-Stop it! It isn't your fucking fault!" "But-" "Can it, it's not your fucking fault and it never will be."
Scar had his hands on my shoulders and was forcing me to look him in the eyes.
"It wasn't your fault."
---
Hm.
Not sure how I feel about this one.
1001=Oneshot