Her Shattered Mind Chapter 55: Battle On The Stage
The second that Marcy struck her scythe down, a loud clang echoed in the air. Her blade bounced off of Recon-Bot's tail and the feedback forced Marcy to step away. Recon-Bot shook its tail and stepped towards Marcy.
"What did you hope to achieve with that?" Recon-Bot took a slow step towards Marcy. "What made you think you could decommission me? That is up to the Core to decide."
Marcy growled, clutching her scythe closer to herself. "You think I care about that? I don't care how long it takes. I will cut you down into pieces!"
Recon-Bot's voice distorted. "Don't be so foolish, child."
Marcy tried to respond, but her words were overshadowed by the swing of her blade, its crackling of energy being louder than anything in her immediate vicinity. The sharp edge managed to make contact with Recon-Bot, giving off a loud shriek of metal. It trailed along the frobot's handless limb, creating a long gash.
Recon-Bot took a few steps back and raised its arm to examine the new injury. It stayed silent for a moment before it turned to face Marcy. There was a small flash of red that pulsated in its eyes, then it went back to normal, lowering its arm back down.
"There's more where that came from!" Marcy lifted her fire scythe, the tip glinting in the light. "You saw how easily this weapon cut that part of you! If you don't want to lose that arm, you WILL leave!"
Marcy didn't expect this to work. She wasn't surprised when Recon-Bot sort of laughed in its own weird way. The laughter was robotic with a brief radio-like edge. It was fakest sounding laugh she had ever heard. It was quickly replaced with the sparks of exposed electricity.
"Young Auratus, if this is the path you choose, I am regretful I am forced to do this."
Marcy watched with narrowed eyes as Recon-Bot adopted a four-legged stance. With its body lower to the ground and a set of energy jaws replaced its original, it began to look more like the extinct animal it was based on. A prionosuchus, if she remembered right. The amphibians' version of a crocodile, no wonder King Andrias chose this for a reconnaissance robot.
Marcy squeezed the handle of her scythe as Recon-Bot now began to move. No longer pausing to speak, it charged her like a gator and snapped its jaws at her legs. Marcy swung her scythe down, missing Recon-Bot as it swung its elongated head to the side.
A moment later, it came back, a guttural growl rumbling in its body as it tried to bite again. The sounds that came off of its slamming jaws reminded Marcy of a side-scrolling game. She couldn't quite remember it at the moment, but...
Using the sound as a cue, Marcy managed to dodge another attack. The teeth were close enough that she could feel their energy pulsating off of her skin, causing her heart to skip a beat. Marcy quickly swung her scythe against the side of Recon-Bot's head to give her time to jump away. The force of the impact caused Recon-Bot to skid back, its claws scraping along the ground. It shook its head, its energy jaws flickering for a second, then it let out a roar.
Marcy met that roar the best she could, uncaring of how cringy it might sound later. She made her move before Recon-Bot could do anything. She leapt into the air and brought her scythe forward, the orange blow dancing off of the frobot's metal body. In seconds, the heated blade sliced deep into metal.
"Rrrraaaaggghh!"
Recon-Bot staggered back, its feet tripping over each other. It turned to look at the fresh new damage to its body. Unlike the other blows, this one had cut deep into its chest, where its CPU resided. A black viscous material that fed this CPU began to drip like a truck leaking oil.
Recon-Bot put its hand against the injury and pulled back to see what was essentially its blood coming out. After a moment, it closed its hand tightly and it disappeared into a compartment. The sudden bright colors weren't lost on Marcy as Recon-Bot aimed at her again. She tightened up her leg muscles as she prepared to take action.
Seconds later, there was an explosion of bright colors followed by a barrage of small but sharp pieces of metal with smoke trails behind them. Marcy waited until they were a certain distance away before she struck them down with her scythe. She couldn't help but give a small proud smile as she watched the bullets melting in contact with the fiery blade.
But Marcy couldn't celebrate for long. In her distraction, she had failed to notice Recon-Bot barreling towards her. Before she had time to react, it slammed against her and knocked her to the ground. Marcy quickly grabbed Recon-Bot's energy jaws before they could close around her. She gritted her teeth as she held its jaws shut and pushed back.
Eventually, Recon-Bot released her and backed off. It watched her intently, a crocodilian-like bellow trembling within its body, tail swishing from side to side. It stayed like this for what felt like hours as Marcy refused to take her eyes off of it. All around her, she could hear her own heartbeat pounding, echoing off of everything.
Then glowing lines began to run along Recon-Bot's tail, forming circuitry-style markings. They reached the tip, then began to glow even brighter at designated spots on the back. Marcy's eyes widened as she realized what was happening and she was quick to block Recon-Bot's attack with a tail now sporting more razor sharp edges.
Recon-Bot didn't give up. It struck at her again and again. Each time, Marcy managed to dodge the attack. But she knew she couldn't keep this up for long. This sentiment turned out to be true when she felt a flash of pain on her thigh where the tip of an energy blade pricked her. She pressed her hand to stifle the shallow bleeding.
"I am regretful in needing to do this. Things would have better for you if you had just cooperated." Recon-Bot moved slowly towards Marcy. "However, it is not necessary for me to return you to the Core in one piece."
Marcy froze, her heart giving a sharp tug in her chest. "You had just told me..."
Recon-Bot nodded. "That is correct. My priority is to bring you back unharmed. But the Core had assured me that it can put you back together should things become...unmanageable."
Marcy stuttered, "F-Fix...? Wh...?"
Recon-Bot nodded, tilting its head. "The Core excels when it comes to fixing things. Even if I lop off a leg, it will bring you back." It stepped closer. "It will always bring you back."
Marcy struggled to form words, her mind reeling, the ground beneath her becoming unsteady. Countless scenarios of what exactly this frobot meant swept through her head. Not one of them imbued her with any hope.
And for the first time since this fight started, she stepped away from the frobot.
"You were not aware?" Recon-Bot paused its movements, studying Marcy's face. "It would seem the Core left you in the dark about this. Or maybe it did tell you and you misunderstood it." Recon-Bot lifted its head higher. "Even King Andrias knew."
Marcy shivered at the mention of the king's name. She swallowed thickly, her body convulsing momentarily in a retch, and she tried to ignore the foul taste on her tongue. With another step backwards, she managed to find her voice, albeit shaky and lacking its previous confidence.
"Wh-What did he know...? What did the C-Core...?" Marcy wasn't sure if she wanted to finish the question.
Not that she needed to.
But she still managed to force out another question.
"What do you mean by 'put me back together'?"
Recon-Bot made a sound that reminded Marcy of a distorted electronic chuckle. It motioned a paw towards Marcy and said, "You are wearing that, still you don't know?"
Marcy glanced down at her body suit. She had almost forgotten she was wearing it. She'd been so fueled by adrenaline that its weight hadn't crossed her mind. Now it began to pull her to the ground and she wobbled on her feet. She sucked in a few deep breaths as she tried to steady herself.
"...but you are missing your helmet."
Marcy shot her head up, wide eyes landing on the frobot. "My helmet...?"
Recon-Bot said, "You are supposed to wear it and the suit together. That is how the Core intended it to be done. It allows it to more completely run its power through you, make you stronger."
Run its power through...
Marcy nearly vomited.
Recon-Bot cocked its head the other way when Marcy's knee momentarily buckled. "Why is that a problem for you? I do not believe you didn't know. The signs were there."
As Marcy's world began to spin, what Recon-Bot said next nearly shattered through what mind she'd managed to build up.
"Why do you think you could understand the Core through the helmet?"
Marcy's eyes shot wide open and everything around her came crashing down. Her heart filled with rock solid ice, counterpointed by the deep burning sharpness that plagued her stomach. She looked left and right as she tried to calm herself down. But nothing she tried was working.
Was this what the Core had been planning all along? All that time it spent caring for her, was that ruse about this? What would've happened if she wasn't rescued?
...or was this frobot lying to her? She hadn't known King Andrias, or the Core for that matter, to program such a behavior. But she couldn't exactly rule out that possibility. For all she knew, this frobot was just trying to scare her so she'd be easier to...
Before Marcy could finish that thought, Recon-Bot made another attempt to grab her. She felt the thing's claws whoosh by her as it barely missed her. With a brief burst of energy, she swung her scythe upwards, feeling it wobble in her hands as it clanged against Recon-Bot's glowing spikes.
"You are a stronger fighter than I had been told. Impressive. I see King Andrias's training wasn't all for nothing."
Marcy gritted her teeth and hissed, readying herself to charge at Recon-Bot.
"However that will not be enough to deter me. I am only doing what I've been told to do and I will not fail." Recon-Bot said. "I have wasted too much time interrogating that useless purple amphibian."
Marcy gave pause, her eyes growing wide for a moment. Still keeping her scythe in position, she spoke in caution. "...what do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. Found a purple amphibian on a farmer's land and spoke with her." Recon-Bot moved its tail to one side. "She had nothing of use, so I moved on." Recon-Bot stepped towards Marcy. "Then I found you."
Marcy's mind focused on what Recon-Bot had previously said. The way it said it 'spoke' with this amphibian, there was nothing that could convince her that this had been anything but unpleasant. Her eyes trailed to Recon-Bot's tail blades and stifled a shudder. There was nothing on those weapons now. It wasn't hard to imagine them coated in blood.
She found it difficult to get her focus off of this purple amphibian. She doubted she even knew her or seen her before, but a part of her still believed she should do something. What had Recon-Bot done to this amphibian and did it even let her go?
For a moment, Marcy imagined a purple-skinned amphibian at her feet, bleeding from a long gash, the crimson fluid dripping from her own scythe. Marcy bit her tongue to avoid screaming and she staggered back. Then she shook her head and glared at Recon-Bot.
It didn't matter at the moment who that mysterious person was. Right now, she needed to keep her attention on Recon-Bot. She took a defensive stance, readying her scythe in front of her. She planted her feet firmly to the ground and motioned for Recon-Bot to get closer.
"Come on, you piece of scrap metal!" Marcy taunted. "You want me? Well, come get me if you dare!"
Recon-Bot let out a squeaking roar and bounded towards Marcy. She narrowed her eyes and gripped her scythe tightly. Then when Recon-Bot was close enough, she struck down.
sss
"We can't just leave them!" Sprig cried out. "They need help! We have to...!"
Hop Pop shouted, "We're not abandoni...!"
"Then why are we running AWAY from them?!" Sprig frantically motioned in one direction. "They're over THERE!"
Joining Sprig's side, Polly waved her arms about wildly in the air. "We can't just leave them there with that robot! We need to do something!"
Hop Pop shook his head, doing his best to try and stay calm. He understood why his grandchildren so desperately wanted to help. But he couldn't allow them to. He already had a couple of children who were likely to get badly hurt from this. He couldn't risk more to be harmed, especially his own grandchildren.
"Do you think I wanted to leave them behind? There was nothing I could do then! Or Grime!" Hop Pop paused to point at Polly and Sprig. "And definitely not you two! That thing isn't just your run-of-the-mill ornery snail! I ain't risking you two being targeted!"
"But what about..." Sprig started to say.
"We will take care of that." Grime walked over, wearing some leather armor and holding a sword. "Rest assured, I will make sure that all three of the girls make it back alive."
"And you two will be staying here with me." Hop Pop said. "I know you two will try and sneak off."
Polly folded her arms and kicked at the ground. "And here I thought the day I got my legs would be a fantastic one..."
"Look, we'll have a proper celebration about that soon." Hop Pop let out a small sigh. "Just stay with me until this is all over, okay?"
Sprig and Polly both looked disappointed and frustrated. Hop Pop couldn't blame them. Their friends were out there being attacked and they wanted so desperately to help them. Hop Pop commended what his grandkids managed to accomplish before, but it would take only one slip up for them to...disappear.
...just like their parents.
Just like his...
Hop Pop managed to shake the thought out of his mind and he quickly cleared his throat. "Anyway, while Grime's out there, how about we sit on the couch and talk? Maybe that will help you two calm down?"
Sprig gritted his jaws. "But Anne's out there an...!"
"I know, I know. But she's a tough girl, as are her friends. And Grime..."
Hop Pop looked over to find Grime was already walking out the door.
"He's a tough toad. If anything happened to Anne or her friends, you can bet he will make sure that nasty old robot pays the price."
It seemed apparent that these words didn't do much to calm the two children. A part of Hop Pop did feel a pang of guilt. But he just couldn't allow them to risk their lives. He refused to let his grandchildren die. They were the last remnants of his own kid.
As he and his grandkids sat on the couch, a heavy silence followed. Neither Sprig nor Polly would look at him. Hop Pop fidgeted as he struggled to find something to talk about.
This hadn't played out the way he had hoped.
But he needed to stick with this. Everything would be just fine without these two risking their lives out there. Grime would make sure things are taken care of. Anne, Sasha, and Marcy were stronger than they appeared. Together, they would be able to defeat whatever that thing was.
...right?
sss
When Grime arrived at the stage, he was greeted with the sight of splintered wood, shattered instruments, and a choir of screams and roars. Bright glows of red, orange, and green flashed in his eyes and he stumbled back a few steps. He shook his head and looked back, hovering a hand over his eyes and his brow raised.
He instantly recognized Marcy, donning that old armor of hers just like she said she wanted to. There was some noticeable slowness to her movements, but otherwise she was swift on her feet and quick to dish out blows. She practically danced around the frobot as she blocked most of its attacks. He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration; rarely did he ever see someone this young fight so well.
Though in Marcy's case, the reason for that was...less than ideal.
The frobot was equipped with wicked-looking blades and its translucent jaws, barely covering the torn circuits underneath, were armed with rows of sharp teeth. It struck out at Marcy like a wild animal, snapping and slashing at every turn. Marcy counted with a few kicks to the head and slamming that fiery scythe of hers against it. The frobot bore multiple dents and cuts, a few of them leaking black fluid.
Grime stared at this spectacle for a few moments before he shook his head. As much as he wanted to keep watching, there was something else he needed to tend to first. He climbed up on the stage and took a look around.
He gasped and widened his eyes before rushing over to where Sasha and Anne lay. He stopped a few feet from them, his one good eye scanning their bodies to take note of their injuries.
Sasha had a nasty cut on her neck, but upon closer inspection, it didn't appear to be too deep. The gash along her back was a different story. Grime shuddered to think of what Sasha felt when she was dealt something so horrific. How it had stopped bleeding, he had no idea.
Anne also had a deep cut, this time on her leg near her ankle. A flashback manifested in Grime's mind as he recalled Marcy's injury. The similarities were...unsettling. When he gazed closer, he realized this was worse than what happened to Marcy. The ankle had been broken.
Grime leaned back and looked at the two children, his mind swirling with thoughts. His body began to tremble and he snarled as he whipped around to where the frobot currently was. He would personally rip that thing apart with his own claws.
But first, he needed to get Anne and Sasha out of here. They needed to see a doctor. Now.
Grime turned his attention to Anne. Her injuries, while still bad, weren't as serious. It would be easier to move her first. Casting a solemn glance at Sasha, Grime bent down and pulled Anne up from the ground. He looked over at the fight going on, making sure that frobot hadn't spotted them. Then he began to move away from the stage and towards an empty shed.
Behind him, the battle continued. He couldn't tell who was winning at this point. The clattering sounds of howls and crashes did little to give away how the fight was playing out. He hoped that Marcy would be able to hold on long enough for him to get Sasha and Anne to safety. He planned on joining the fight after...
Grime froze in place when a loud scream pierced through the air. Despite the urgency, he still found himself looking over his shoulder. His eyes bulged open as he saw a twirl of orange, green, and red lights spinning together high above the ground. He spotted a few sparks of light where he guessed Marcy and the frobot were striking each other. Grime gawked at this before he shook his head and continued running.
He approached the shed, which sat abandoned several feet away from the town square. It had been recently built by a couple of villagers with the intent of imprisoning Marcy in it. The mayor found out about it and ordered their 'project' to be shut down. That had been several weeks ago and the shed was never fully torn down. For once, Grime was glad that the shed was still here.
He pulled Anne inside of it and placed her down, making sure her body leaned against the wall. He took a few moments to adjust her position so that she wouldn't be easily spotted by the frobot. Once he was certain she was out of sight, he ran back to Sasha.
His expression twisted further into worry as he got a second look at her injury. He bent down onto one knee and laid his hand on her side, careful to avoid the gash. His eyes trailed from where it began and ended, then he looked down at where the blood had spilled. His heart gave a sharp pull downwards in his chest.
At least the cut didn't look like it damaged the spine, but only a doctor could be sure of that. For now, he would need to be very careful and keep Sasha steady as he carried her.
Moving slower than he had with Anne, he carefully pushed his hands underneath Sasha's body. It was a challenge avoiding the gash, but after some maneuvering, he was able to accomplish it. With Sasha now in his arms, he made his way towards the shed for a second time.
"...nghh..."
A pang shot through Grime's heart.
"G-Grimesy...?" Sasha's voice was weak and strained. "...wh-what's...?"
Grime nearly stopped in his tracks and he nearly avoided tripping over one of his feet. A screech behind him served as a reminder that he needed to keep going. He looked down at Sasha for a second before pulling her closer, each breath coming out as a desperate pant.
"Shush now, you need to stay quiet." Grime said in a firm but gentle tone. "I will explain everything later."
"G-Gri..." Sasha stiffened and a shaky groan quivered along her lips. "...wh-why...hurt so bad..."
"You're injured. Please, don't speak. I'm going to take care of you. I promise."
Sasha continued trying to talk for the next several moments. Grime tried to get her to stop talking, but it seemed like every attempt only made Sasha want to try harder. The more awake and alert she got, the more she became aware of her wound. Her voice rapidly became laced with pain and fear and with what strength she had, she clutched onto Grime.
Eventually Sasha did go quiet, but it was not for the reason Grime had hoped. Her body, which had been shivering in his arms, had gone limp. The light breaths from her partially open mouth was the only thing that reassured him that she was still alive.
When he arrived back at the shed, he pulled Sasha over and carefully laid her next to Anne. He adjusted them a little, glancing around a few times to make sure they wouldn't be easily seen. Then he straightened up and took a step back. He stared at the two girls briefly before he moved the door part-way closed. Pressing his hand firmly against the hilt of his sword, Grime slowly turned his head back at the stage.
With the girls now safe, he could attend to this...other matter.
Grime did not hesitate to pull out his sword.
sss
A yowl ripped from Marcy's mouth as Recon-Bot struck her at her side. Her body twisted around and she was able to land a kick against Recon-Bot's chest. In a flurry of green and orange, Marcy spun around to force the frobot to let go of her. She then raised her scythe as high as she could and swung it at the frobot.
The attack missed, Recon-Bot's small jets adjusting to push it out of the way in time. Marcy cursed under her breath, her dangling feet tucking upwards to her body to prepare for another lunge. With a flash of bright orange and the scrape of metal, she felt a pang of satisfaction when she could hear the blade finally getting another cut in Recon-Bot's armor.
Marcy hardly paid attention to being airborne. It didn't even register in her head. As the ground and sky rotated around her like she was on a ride, she focused on tearing out Recon-Bot's motherboard. She could almost see it under its ripped chest courtesy of her scythe.
A series of twisted garbles and sparks were what remained of Recon-Bot's voice.
Serenity.
She hated having to listen to its voice and the things it said.
Too bad that didn't slow down Recon-Bot's attacks. If anything, slicing its throat open only made it more vicious and wild. Each move screamed desperation, as though it was using the last of its energy to prove it was a good soldier.
Marcy knew she couldn't feel too overconfident just now. She couldn't lose sight of how her own energy would be completely drained as well. As the world literally spun around her, she launched herself forward and swung her scythe towards Recon-Bot's head, hoping to finish this once and for all.
Recon-Bot snagged it with its arm and began to shove it back towards Marcy. The motion was so sudden, Marcy hesitated before pushing back. The blade had gotten close enough to lightly singe the skin of her unprotected head. With her teeth clenched, Marcy shoved Recon-Bot as hard as she could. It let out a sizzled grunt and tried to say something, its words once again nothing more than sparks of loose electricity.
Marcy was about to try to attack again until she felt nothing in her hands. She glanced down and turned her head left and right. Recon-Bot must've knocked it out of her hand when it...
...and that was the moment Marcy realized she was high up in the air.
For a second, she froze, her heart pounding, her head spinning. She couldn't comprehend how she had gotten up here. Everything had happened so fast and she'd been so focused on fighting Recon-Bot, she hadn't even noticed they weren't on the ground anymore.
But her scythe now was. She could see a faint glow far beneath her feet. She hoped it didn't hit anyone when it landed.
A sudden blur of metal covered her vision and she gasped as sharp claws pressed around her skull. She let out a sharp yelp as Recon-Bot squeezed firmly, its red eyes watching her with cold, indifferent calculation. Her eyes widening, Marcy began to twist and squirm, clawing at Recon-bot's hand.
More electronic static spat from its ruined voice box. She guessed it was a taunt or a declaration of success. Whichever it was, Marcy did not care. She continued to twist and jerk about, trying to kick at the frobot. It responded by driving the tips of its claws against her scalp. She let out a gasp and let her arms fall by her sides.
For several long moments, Marcy and Recon-Bot just stared at each other. The world slowed down, the clouds stopped moving, and even the nearby forest had fallen silent. Recon-Bot looked at Marcy as though examining its prize. It continued to ramble despite its words not being discernible anymore.
Just then...
Screech!
Recon-Bot went completely still, its robotic eyes flashing surprise for what was likely the first time. It stared at Marcy, then slowly turned its gaze to focus on something just below its head.
An arrow, sticking right through its neck.
Marcy panted heavily as Recon-Bot turned its eyes back to her. A smile curled along her lips as she lifted her arm, the armor having been readjusted to reveal she still had an arrow left in its slot.
"Gotcha, bitch."
For a second, the whole of Recon-Bot's body shook. Marcy flinched as some specks hit her in the face. Then just as quickly as it started, Recon-Bot went completely still. Its eyes went dark and the sound of something whirring down filled the air. Marcy's smile stretched into a full on grin.
But she was no fool. Recon-Bot wasn't dead, not yet. Its motherboard was still in place. She needed to take advantage of its temporary outage before it...
Blinding red light caused Marcy to yelp and raise her arm to shield her eyes. She sucked breath through gritted teeth as she struggled to see what was happening. A loud thunk accompanied a heavy piece of metal slamming into her. Marcy's lungs were cleared of oxygen and her vision became a swirling torrent of colors and shapes. The next thing she knew, she was spiraling downwards.
Marcy's heart raced and her head echoed with frantic thoughts as she fought to free herself from Recon-Bot. Her hands slipped and banged against the metal, the frobot's claws hooking to her armor, and her face was slashed by the bladed tail.
All the while, the spinning ground below her continued to get closer and closer.
An unsettling calm began to wash over Marcy. It was as if her body and mind decided there was no fighting this fate. If she had to die to stop Recon-Bot, then so be it.
And with that going through her head, Marcy grabbed the arrow stuck in Recon-Bot's neck and yanked it out. Then with the hardest thrust she's ever managed to pull off, she jammed it straight into its chest.
A loud electronic screech spilled forth and sparks of electricity shot in all directions. Smoke pillowed out from the frobot's damaged chest. A small explosion and a blast of hit sent Marcy spiraling back away in one direction and Recon-Bot in the other.
Marcy watched with a solemn yet satisfied smirk as Recon-Bot's body continued to be ripped apart, the pieces falling down like mechanical rain. Satisfied with what she managed to do, Marcy closed her eyes and waited.
....
...but she didn't die.
sss
The very next thing Marcy had become aware of was a bright light. She gritted her teeth and seethed, turning her head away. She quickly regretted that act when pain shot across her face, prompting her to try and grab at it.
A hand gripped her arm before she could do so.
"No, you need to stop moving. You will only make it worse."
Marcy groaned as she tried to open her eyes, only for the light to stop her. She tried to place the voice, but she couldn't recognize it. When she tried to speak, her voice dissolved into painful coughs.
"Hey, shhh now. You are in no condition to talk." A hand waved in front of Marcy's face. "You took quite the hit to your throat. Just rest easy now."
Marcy groaned and closed her eyes for a moment. She blinked slowly as her fuzzy vision began to correct itself. The double images began to waver and come back together. Even after several seconds, her eyes still couldn't see much distinctive shapes. She was struck with too much grogginess to really care. She shut her eyes again and this time kept them closed.
Beside her, whoever was in the room with her was moving about. She felt light taps on her skin, something moving along her waist, and the pressure of something wrapped on her. A hand pushed under her head and lifted it slightly, quickly replaced with something soft that acted as a cushion for her head. A pillow, perhaps?
She tried to remember what had happened. Her mind echoed various and randomized thoughts, none of them connecting together. It was like her brain was caught in the middle of trying to recover from something. The more she tried to think about it, the more her head hurt.
A few small flashes caught her attention. Glimpses of a concert, singing, a crowd cheering...
...then nothing.
The moment she attempted to recall what happened after the music stopped, her whole body was wracked in electrically sharp pain. She gritted her teeth and let out whimpers, her hands gripping onto whatever this thing was that she was in. She thought she could hear someone talking, but she couldn't concentrate.
That same hand pulled her head up again. This time, she was sat up and the room spun. Something cold pressed to her lips, tilted slightly towards her mouth. Bitter-tasting liquid poured inside so fast, she swallowed before she could spit it out. She coughed and wheezed as whoever this was patted her back. Then she was laid back down.
The voice was apologetic. "I'm sorry about the taste. But it will help with the pain. Just give it some time to kick in."
Marcy groaned and began to take in deep breaths. Her fingers still dug into...something as she tried to will the pain away. She occasionally spat out remnants of the foul-tasting liquid. Only a few moments passed and it already felt like hours. She wondered if this stuff would really work or not.
And when it did finally begin to work, Marcy didn't register the exact passage of time. She couldn't remember if the effects had been gradual or if they'd appeared quicker. None of that mattered to her right now as her body's tension melted away and a sigh of relief replaced her pained whimpers.
Her eyes opened to a still blurry but now clearer view of the world around her. The first thing she saw was a frog wearing what looked like a doctor's uniform. He stood next to her, his worried look shifting to relief.
"Oh thank goodness! You had me worried there for a sec!" The doctor said as he motioned to a small bowl set nearby. "This stuff's been passed down the family. Tastes like the worst thing ever, but boy does it work wonders."
Marcy couldn't argue with that, even if the aftertaste still lingered on her tongue.
The doctor reached over and pressed the back of his hand on her forehead. He hummed as he moved his hand a few times, then pulled it back. "You still got a slight fever. You're going to need more rest." He turned towards the door. "I'll get you some water. I'm sure you're thirsty after being out for so long."
Marcy's eyes widened and she reached out. "W-Wait! I... Ngh...!" Marcy gripped her head as it throbbed with lingering pain.
The doctor turned back to her, his brow furrowed. "I told you to take it easy. The medicine does help, but it'll be moot if you insist on moving around too much."
"I'm...s-sorry... I-I just w-want..." Marcy let out a small groan, pressing her head further against the pillow. She looked up at the ceiling, paying little attention to the doctor walking out of the room.
The way that doctor said 'so long'... What did he mean by that? The whole concert incident only just occurred...hadn't it...?
Marcy's eyes quickly shifted as the doctor returned, a small glass of water in his hand. He took position beside her and carefully lifted her upright enough for her to drink. Marcy never felt such cool refreshing relief soothe her throat so fast. She could've sworn she lost at least an hour to sheer tranquility.
When Marcy was finished, the doctor put the cup away. Then he turned back to her, Marcy noticed that his smile was now edged with a hint of sadness. Something tugged against her heart as she licked her lips nervously.
The doctor sat in a chair and scooted closer. He bent his body forwards, his hands clasping together, fidgeting with his fingers. He lowered his head and looked away for a moment, his facial expression constantly shifting. Then he looked back at Marcy and asked a simple question.
"Do you know what day it is?"
A sharp pain in her chest caused Marcy to flinch. "It's... Ugh..." She shut her eyes tightly for a moment. "The night of the concert... I think...?"
When she looked back at the doctor, her breath was sucked from her lungs.
The doctor shook his head. "You've been out for five days."
Marcy felt as though the world around her shattered. She struggled to speak, her efforts becoming increasingly strained. Her body trembled even as she tried to warm herself up with her arms. She closed her eyes and focused on steadying her breaths. After a long exhale, her fear-filled voice managed to make itself heard.
"Wh-Wh-What h-happened....?"
The doctor narrowed his eyes. "After the concert ended, a frobot crashed onto the stage and attacked."
"A... A frobot...?" King Andrias's face flashed in front of Marcy's eyes for a second. "Are you sure?"
The doctor nodded. "Given the fight that ensued, it's a given that you wouldn't remember it that well. But yes, a frobot. One that had a long snout and..."
As the doctor continued to explain, Marcy's head began to play that night's events. They came in mental flashes, the order indiscernible, and duration unpredictable. Images kept popping in her head, showing her visions of pain, of metal clashing, of her struggling with a frobot, of her friends on the ground and...
...the frobot...
Recon-Bot...
It had...
Oh no...
"Anne! Sasha!" Marcy practically shot up, her heart exploding into a million beats. "Where are they?! I need to get to them! I...!"
Marcy's body swayed to the rhythm of the room spinning. She rapidly blinked and slumped back into the bed. She held her head and gritted her teeth as her brain began to reorient her sense of space. She expected another reprimand from the doctor. This time, it didn't come.
"Your worry is valid. All three of you were not in the greatest shapes when you were brought in. I wish there could've been a way to stop the frobot attack before...." The doctor paused, noting the look on Marcy's face. He coughed to clear his throat and continued, "Anyway, your friends are being treated as well. They're in their own rooms getting some rest."
"When can I see them?" Marcy tried to sound as urgent as possible. "I...I just need to see for myself that they're okay."
The doctor shook his head, looking at her sympathetically. "You will need to wait. None of you are good to walk yet." The doctor paused, then gently added, "But I can reassure you that your friends will ultimately be fine."
"I..." Marcy lowered her hand, her fingers curling against her palm. Unable to think of a retort, she spoke in a soft exhale, "Fine, okay..."
Sensing her disappointment, the doctor reached out and gently touched her shoulder. "It's only going to be a couple more days, I promise. You'll see them again soon. You can trust that they're getting the best treatment possible, as will you."
Marcy's body nearly jerked as her legs twitched, her muscles ready to spring into action. It was a struggle with her own brain to not try to jump out of the bed. Memories of the vertigo offered some deterrent, but the temptation hadn't left her. It felt as if her heart and brain were fighting against each other.
In the end, her brain won out. No matter how much she wanted to see Anne and Sasha, the doctor was right. She shouldn't walk like this, not when her balance was off-kilter. She didn't want to give them more reason to be worried about her.
Marcy looked over at the doctor, biting her lip. There was something she needed to ask him, even if she hated the answer.
"Can you tell me...what injuries my friends sustained? I...don't think I ever got a good look at them...before..." Marcy's voice trailed off, her gaze downcasting. "You say they'll be okay, but you almost seemed...hesitant."
The doctor's smile weakened and for a moment, it looked as if he was about to deny Marcy's claim. His brows narrowed and he clicked his tongue. "...I wanted to be more optimistic for you." He raised his hands up. "I wasn't lying to you, just to be clear. They will survive. It's just..."
Marcy stared at him intently. "It's just what?"
"Well..." The doctor looked away for a moment, fiddling his fingers, then turning back to her. "...It's about Sasha."
Marcy's heart gave a sharp tug.
The doctor continued, "With Anne, the worst injuries were the gash on her ankle, with the same ankle also being broken. She won't be able to walk for a while without crutches. But she will still be okay."
Marcy licked her lips and swallowed. "A-And Sasha?"
"...hers is more serious, I'm afraid. She has a big gash running down near the entirety of her spine. Thankfully her bones were not damaged, but we fear her recovery will take longer. That's a lot of potential scar tissue and too much movement early on could risk reopening the wound, even with stitches."
The doctor paused for a moment to let Marcy digest this information before he continued.
"And with the cut being so close to the spine, there's risk of infection in such a vital part of the body. It is essential that Sasha remain bedridden until the new tissue is strong enough to support the flexibility of her spine. I would also strongly recommend she go through therapy to stretch that new tissue to lessen the chance of rips."
"...oh g..." Marcy was glad she'd been sitting down. She started to kind of miss the healing chambers King Andrias used to provide. "W-Well... That's...not as bad as I thought, but..."
The doctor nodded. "Of course there's still reasons to worry. Things could still go wrong, but try not to focus on that too much." The doctor motioned to himself. "Leave that to me."
Marcy gave a slow nod of her head. "I'll try..."
That's all she could really do at this point.
Try.
For the next several seconds, Marcy just sat in the bed, looking down as she lightly rubbed the top of her hand. Piece by piece, more memories were returning to her, helping her come to grips with just how much could have gone so wrong. She hadn't even thought of any of the injuries she had received; even the cut on her face had stopped sending pain signals.
Knowing that she did manage to intervene before Recon-Bot could do more serious damage was encouraging enough, but it was still dampened by how close things could've taken a darker turn. Maybe if she hadn't argued with herself over whether or not to take the helmet, Anne and Sasha would've have been as hurt as they are. Maybe they could have even been...
Marcy stopped when she felt the doctor's hand on her shoulder again. She froze for a moment before side-eyeing him, fully expecting him to bring her more not-so-great news.
Instead, she was greeted with a small gentle smile. Marcy blinked, looking at the doctor up and down. He had just told her about her friends' conditions, yet now he was smiling again? What was there to smile for?
"There is some good news that came from this." Said the doctor. "Due to your bravery and heroics, Wartwood wants to throw a party in your honor."
Marcy's eyes grew big, her jaw going slack. "Wh-What...? They...?"
The doctor's smile widened. "I felt you deserved one more bit of good news. Many of the townsfolk here witnessed you risking your life to stop that nasty frobot and they want to thank you for it."
"I..." Marcy swallowed, her heart swelling and beating with emotion. "I don't know what to say..."
The doctor chuckled and lifted his hand from her shoulder. "You don't need to say anything. Just continue to rest and recover." He paused for a moment. "...thank you for saving Wartwood."
Marcy's lips ticked into a sideways smile as she let out a shaky chuckle, her mind and heart overwhelmed with a blend of emotions. With all the feelings that had grew and flashed through her body, she could only answer in one word, "...w-welcome."
