2018-02-20: Vague Hope
- Cutscene: Vague Hope
- Cast: Gwen Whitlock
- Where: A Forest Somewhere in Krosse
- Date: 2/20/2018 .... ish
- Summary: After being left for dead in an alleyway, Gwen's forced to make a decision: just what would she give up, in order to live another day? The result is clear enough, but where her ARM's ability stops, it's her friends that ultimately save her. (Note: This cutscene takes place right after 'What Happened That Day'.)
"While away the last hours of you..."
The dirty cobblestones of the alleyway barely registered against her bare cheek as she lay there, warmed by the life spilling out the wound that pierced her chest and back.
"Struggle as you die, and recount every love you've ever had. In the end, when it is all and cold, you will know what no one else will."
The bleeding warmth of her body pooled briefly underneath her, fading into the numbness that seeped into her core, obscuring all but the blue-eyed man's soft voice.
"This mercy is the only worthy one left in this world.." His footsteps receded, leaving the young woman alone, as much a mercy as any other the killer could have provided in that moment. Her metal hand was still locked in its grasp of the medium of Rigdobrite, but she was beyond any Guardian's help, right now.
There was only her, and her thoughts.
In a fleeting burst of imagery in her mind's eye, Gwen saw an impossible view of the horizon, so high above the land that clouds curled against the imperceptible curve of the planet, briilliant rays cutting through the shock of air roaring past her falling body. It was a vision conjured by her own mind, so vivid it could be mistaken as a memory. And maybe, it was, in a way. It conjured every emotion, every drive, crystallizing down to one grand moment. It's just that Gwen was beyond the point of being able to decipher its meaning, or why her mind wandered to this scenery at this very moment.
The question was, what would she give to see that horizon again? Or any horizon. Any piece of sky. Anything. Anything. Just let her see it again.
Please.
----
So. It turned out that not dying, by whatever process Gwen's managed to stumble on, involved a whole lot of pain. The sort that involved the body trying to curl in on itself in some vain attempt at escape, the inert pieces of what was once a medium further crushed by a clenched hand. And then those terrible, precious gasps of air as a newborn heart started to beat in your chest. This, heaped upon the pain of having your chest pierced through with a sword and being left to die, made the fact that it was already beginning to fade from Gwen's memory a necessary sort of mercy.
New footsteps approached.
The redhead was beyond the ability to do much beyond register it in that twilight span of time, a certain familiarity with the nearing blurry silhouette in the distance bringing a small, weak slip of a smile to her lips.
All this dimmed as a different sort of darkness finally claimed her consciousness, and ultimately, her memory.
----
"So you're awake."
Gwen woke up to the critical gaze of Hanpan, peering over her face with a soaked sponge between his minute paws. "You've got a lot to answer for, showing up like that. If it weren't for your spiky-haired friend, you'd be dead now. Not only did he haul you over, he's been coming by and making sure Gulliver's been fat and happy while you've been out."
"Whoe.... Whar..." Whatever sentence Gwen wanted to ask struggled past what felt like wads of cotton in her mouth. She was in her wagon, from what she could tell, wrapped in a makeshift bed in the back, the canvas ceiling showing shadows of trees hanging overhead. A forest, or what passed for it on Ignas. They must still be in Krosse. "Hwow hlong..."
"Long enough for you to heal up from what should've been a fatal chest wound." As Gwen struggled to rise up, Hanpan hopped onto her stomach, twitching his whiskers in an accusatory manner, pressing the wet sponge against Gwen's mouth. "Nooope. You just need to stay horizontal, and forget about doing anything other than getting some food and water into your system. I'm in charge right now." Moisture from the sponge soothed the dryness on Gwen's lips and mouth. She relaxed, drawing on the water in the sponge until it needed to be replaced with another, something Hanpan already had handy.
Weakly, Gwen's hand felt for the space where her medium should have been on her vest, but there was no vest to be found. Just a torn shirt, and copious amounts of padding, most of it likely Hanpan's doing, with maybe some help from another source where the mouse's size and lack of strength would fail. The wind mouse made a squeak of annoyance as Gwen's fingers found the wrapping, and hopped on top of her hand.
"Later," he insisted. "And if you're looking for your medium, well. That's something we're gonna have to talk about. That and a few other things."
What happened? Gwen tried to think back, but found her memories a confusing blur. Something happened.
Hanpan observed this confusion on her face with a tilt of his head, his tail twitching in thought. "Just focus on healing, right now. We're all safe here, and this isn't my first time having to play nurse to a human. And babysitter to a horse. I'm sure your friend's out there too, somewhere."
Racing thoughts began to slow again, muddied by the call of sleep, its temporary reprieve over. Gwen grunted, struggling for some words, but only finding emotions. Fear at what she'd find in the dissipating fog of her memories, happiness, gratitude, and finally, dread at what consequences Hanpan was trying to hide from her. Happy tears began to collect on her face, her heavy eyelides drifting closed. "... Than...anke... y..."
She was fast asleep, leaving Hanpan again to the world of sleep. The wind mouse let out a sigh of a squeak, and nodded. "I'll pass on the message to your friend too, don't worry." His tail twitched again, wondering.
Maybe her friend will bring another donut for him, this time.