Inspired by this art by @shepscapades
Its short, but I couldn’t think of much ^^’
What even happened? Etho takes a moment to rack his memory to remember breaking a red code, running to his friend- owner?- and making sure he took the brunt of the explosion. What he didn’t expect was how bad the repercussions were. He stood there for a moment before a warning popped up, then another, and a few more as he fell to the ground.
[Thirium low, replenish soon. 3 hours left. Audio processor damaged, files corrupted. Arm, shoulder, and face damaged. Stress levels high, 81%. Optical repair is required. Low power mode enabled. ]
His whole body felt like it hurt. Felt like? He wasn’t supposed to feel- or at least be able to process what pain feels like. He broke out of his code. He was instructed to mine, thats it. Not help the other from dying unless called for. He wasn’t told to do anything but mine. He disobeyed. He deviated. He’s a deviant.
No- no no no! He can’t be! What does that mean for him? Will X replace him? He doesn’t want replaced- is BDubs okay? What if theres more mobs and all he’s doing is bleeding out! Why is he so worried? He’ll come back.
But its not the same. BDubs will be different. He won’t have the same memories and feelings and experiences. Both of them will have to start over. BDubs hates starting over on anything. What if he gives up? What if he comes back and BDubs tells him off, leaving him behind? What if he doesn’t come back? What if Etho doesn’t come back?
He doesn’t want to die. He wants to live. He wants to be alive. He wants to get up and tell BDubs to shut his loud mouth, taking them back to the surface and pretending it never happened. He doesn’t want X to find out. Will X find out? Does X already know? What if he does! Oh god, Etho is done for. He doesn’t want to die.
How long has it been? Not long.
He shifts just a bit to look a bit better at his companion. The poor man is gripping his hair, mumbling and trying not to cry.
How Etho wishes he could get up and hug him. Hug him and tell him he’s okay, he’ll listen next time.
[Stress level lowered, 75%]
Does he feel less stressed by imagining happy moments? That makes him smile a bit, soon imagining hearing the other laugh again. Its not often he saw the other comfortable, but he remembers rare chances. He remembers Grian and Scar telling him about the weird way Mumbo works around doing tasks. Or even Pearl showing off how she dressed Impulse. Talking to other hermits made BDubs smile, knowing his emotions could be told and his mannerisms were understood.
[Stress level lowered, 69%]
He thought of more, but soon felt his body being picked up. He felt labored breathing a a bit of cold wind, like the person was running. He couldn’t help but try to find his pulse.
[Heart rate exceeding normal levels]
Poor friend, Etho forgetting who was with him. Their name slipped his mind and their face now a blur. Why was he forgetting? It upset him for some unknown reason, he should remember. Why doesn’t he remember? He has to! If he forgets things he’ll be shut down.
He doesn’t want shut down. It’s inevitable at this point. He deviated. He stopped mining to kill a creeper. He feels pain. He feels sad. He feels scared. Scared. So fucking scared. He doesn’t want to forget. He doesn’t want to die. He doesn’t want to be shut down. But he did wrong. Its going to happen. All he can do is pray to RA9 that they can save his ass. Save him. Keep him alive. Keep him with BDubs. Keep him safe. Keep them both safe. Safe and happy.
[Stress level heightened, 80%]
All he can do is wait. Save power. So he goes fully limp against the other and waits. Waits and hopes.