ChromaTober | 2023 FMS Writing Challenge

-| Day 18: Voice |-

Sorry this one's so late guys, I got sick, but I'm feeling a bit better so I'm finally getting to this. To make up for it, this one's pretty long :>

AU: Return of the Fallen

Context: Professor Red continues to be haunted by his brother :)

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[3rd Person POV]

The Professor's hands shook as he made adjustments to the blueprint from his previous machine that involved spirits, trying to figure out a way to stabilize it better.

Seer was with him, taking advantage of his incorporeal body in order to look around better. He had never been inside the Professor's lab because of the Core somehow repelling him before, but it strangely had no effect now. He talked with the Professor as he worked.

"And because of the Core, neither of them should be able to get in here, much like how I couldn't get near the lab before becoming more tangible." Seer says, who had been assuring the Professor that Colle and Sabre couldn't intrude. "We should be safe as long as we stay in its range."

Professor Red was silent, and Seer notices that he stopped making adjustments to the blueprint, just staring straight ahead. The old communication relay next to him, which had lay untouched for years, was powered on and emitted a static noise. Seer floated down from his view of the lab and hovered next to him.

"Goggles? You okay?" He asked.

After a minute, the Professor sighs and puts down his pencil.

"I... don't know." He muttered quietly. "This... situation is proving to be difficult. For more than one reason."

Seer, with a knowing and solemn look, places a hand on the Professor's shoulder. The cold and mist-like feeling of his hand made the Professor look up at him.

"You don't want to risk destroying them, do you? You want to find a way to either calm their spirits or bring them back."

The Professor gives a slow nod.

"I've messed up pretty badly with both of them. Horribly. I... I want to fix it however I can."

The Professor hesitates for a moment before continuing.

"Would... would it be selfish to bring them back, if I can?"

"Why would it be selfish?" Seer asks, confused. "Wouldn't they want to come back if they were in the right mind?"

"Oh, right, you wouldn't know... you only became aware recently." The Professor mumbles. "After you- Sorry, Void took over you and the whole thing with the Darkness started, Colle became... really upset. Everything was falling apart around him, things were getting more and more tense, he was forced to watch many of his friends die, and... he had to see my mental decline. I didn't realize it then because my mind was so clouded, but... the entire world became the very thing he was trying to escape at the kingdom. Probably even worse than it. I realize now that he felt life itself had let him down... and the last thing that happened before he died was him having to see people make choices for him. Decide what would happen to him without any say in it himself."

"Oh... I see..." Seer says quietly, trying not to let the tears pricking his eyes become visible. "And... this 'Sabre' person? What about him?"

"Sabre was... to be honest, kind of doomed from the start." Professor Red continues. "People thought ill of him just because of his appearance... his differences. Pretty sure that many let their fear of the events that went on blind them from common sense. Sabre had many horrible things happen to him, and he wasn't even here for that long. He always put others over himself and gave everything he could, even at the cost of his own health and safety, but... it was never enough for them."