Eyes | Amphibia

Chapter 26

TW: This chapter contains violence and fighting. Proceed at your own risk.

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"Lost?" Sasha frowned. "No, Marcy, we're your friends, and we're here to get you out of this place. Do you remember us?"
Marcy's smile fell as her eyes scanned over the three, furrowing her brows as she tried with everything in her to recall who they were. She could've sworn she knew them from somewhere, but she couldn't quite place it. "No, I'm sorry... I don't think I know you guys." She eventually replied, although she didn't sound very sure of herself. Their voices, their faces... why were they so familiar?
"Marcy! It's me, Anne!" The brunette cried, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "A-And that's Sasha, and this is Anise! You have to remember! We're your best friends!"
To say Marcy was confused was an understatement. Why was this 'Anne' getting so emotional? And how could these people be her best friends if she'd never met them before?
"Hmm... well, I mean, you guys kinda look like these people back at the castle," she pointed at Sasha and Anne, "but their names are—"
Then, it hit her.
These people sounded exactly like the rogues Aldrich had told her about.
Her countenance suddenly morphed into something more cold, and she took a couple steps back. "No, I know what's going on here. My grandfather warned me about people like you. I won't go with you, you good-for-nothing vagabonds!"
"Huh?" Anise's eyes widened. "Marcy, what are you on about?"
"Come on, don't you remember Amphibia? The Core? Anything?!" Anne begged, her voice shaking with desperation.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Marcy hissed as she reached down to grab the hilt of her sword from where it was in its sheathe. "Stay back! I-I'm not afraid to use this thing!"
With narrowed eyes, Sasha stepped forward. "Marcy, you have to listen to us! You're being possessed by an evil force who wiped your memory to hold you here against your will! None of this is real, it's just a front to distract you from the truth! Please, come with—"
The blonde gasped as Marcy suddenly swung her sword at her, unbridled enmity in her eyes. Thankfully, Sasha was able to jump out of the way in time.
"Y-You're lying!" Marcy seethed, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. "This is my home, and I'd rather die protecting it than go with you!"
Sasha's heart was beating rapidly, and she looked back at Anne and Anise with panic in her eyes. "Guys, what do we do?! She's not listening!"
Anne and Anise glanced at each other, clearly sharing Sasha's sense of alarm.
"I-I don't know!" Anise replied. "Maybe just keep saying things that might jog her memory? I don't think there's anything else we can do!"
Anise's words seemed to give Anne an idea. She stepped forward, looking at Marcy with eyes full of longing. "Marcy, do you remember when you found out your dad was getting a new job out of state? Do you remember being so scared of moving away that you and Sasha made me steal that music box that got us transported to Amphibia? Do you remember when you became the chief ranger of the Newtopian Knight Guard, and worked directly for the king?"
The anger in Marcy's eyes flickered to misery for a moment, but only for a moment. She shook her head and held her sword up defensively with trembling arms. "No! Stop making stuff up to get me to believe you! You're just trying to mess with my head!"
Marcy's words were discouraging, but Anne continued. Sasha and Anise watched her with apprehension in their eyes. "Do you remember when I found you in Newtopia and we had that sleepover? It was so much fun, despite that creepy crypt we found. A-And do you remember when you saved Sprig from those giant barbariants that were surrounding Newtopia? You were amazing!" Anne wanted to smile at the fond memories of Marcy, but this situation was too dire to focus on them. "Come on, you have to remember!"
With bared teeth, Marcy glared at Anne. "You'd better stop this, I-I'm warning you!" Despite her hostility, Anne could've sworn she noticed tears starting to well up in Marcy's eyes.
"Anne, it's not working! You have to dig deeper!" Sasha called out.
Anne glanced down at the ground. Sasha was right. She knew what she had to do.
It would be painful to remember for all of them, but if this didn't work, then nothing would.
With a deep breath, she fixed her eyes back onto the dark-haired girl. "Do you remember when we brought the music box to King Andrias after charging all the stones, thinking he'd help us get home, when really he only wanted the box to conquer other worlds? Remember when he tricked you, and told you that he'd take us with him to the new worlds? Remember when you lied to us about it? Remember when we were trying to escape Amphibia and Andrias... Andrias stabbed you?" The reminder of that horrible time caused both Anne and Sasha to cringe, and Anise's eyes to widen with horror. She had already been made aware of everything that happened in Amphibia by Sasha and Anne, but it was still painful to hear.
"Do you remember when you got possessed by The Core the first time? Do you remember the mindscape it locked you in? Do you remember how it tricked you with a fantasy world in there, just like this one?"
At this point, Marcy's eyes were practically overflowing with tears, but they were also still burning with hatred. She aggressively swung her sword at Anne, who was just barely able to dodge the hit. "Stop! None of that is true!" She bellowed. "Y-You're just... you're just a sick liar!"
While Marcy was still denying everything, Anne had a feeling she was getting somewhere by the girl's tears. She held up her tennis racket and pushed back against Marcy's sword as she swung at her again, looking straight into her watery eyes.
"Do you remember when we got back from Amphibia and you started getting those terrible migraines? Do you remember when you shut yourself off from us because of them? You told us that you were fine and not to worry, b-but you were lying. Do you remember meeting Anise at your new school? Do you remember the Ultra Stone, and how The Core made you go behind our backs to charge it? Do you remember how we came to visit for your birthday, but The Core possessed you again? That's why we're here. We're here to save you!"
"Ugh!" Marcy tightly shut her eyes as she thrusted her sword forward, causing Anne to gasp and stumble back.
Once she had caught herself, Anne returned her gaze to Marcy. She held her tennis racket out in preparation for her to come at her again, but instead the dark-haired girl dropped her sword and fell to her knees with her head in her hands.
"..Marcy?..." Anne asked cautiously as she took a small step closer. She could hear the sound of faint cries coming from behind Marcy's palms.
Marcy slowly removed her hands at the sound of her name, revealing the tears that were streaming down her face. She glanced up at Anne, but almost immediately averted her gaze back down to the ground. Her entire body was trembling, and her eyes were wide with recollection.
"You guys... you..." Marcy sniveled, "you came back for me... after everything I did to you..."
Her jaws parting with shock, Anne glanced over her shoulder at Sasha and Anise, who were smiling with relief.
Marcy was remembering.
"Of course we came back for you, Marcy." Anne smiled as she dropped down beside Marcy, pulling her into a hug. "We never stopped caring about you."
Sasha and Anise were quick to join in on the hug. At this point, everyone was in tears. Despite the sound of their cries, there was silence for a while as they all took some time to treasure the warmth of the embrace and the relief of having Marcy back.
However, Marcy soon broke the silence. "I-I'm sorry, guys... I'm so sorry..." She cried. "I didn't want to do this, I really didn't... b-but whenever I tried to fight it, it would threaten—"
"Shhh, it's okay," Sasha whispered, "You can explain everything later."
"Yeah," added Anise, "For now, we're just happy to have you back."
Marcy shot appreciative glances at the two, but the guilt still seemed to be weighing on her. "I can't believe I let The Core trick me again," she muttered, her tone laced with resentment. "I'm so stupid."
"No, Marcy, you're not stupid. That thing wiped your memory. You were helpless to stop it. We know that." Anne assured her.
Anne's voice was so gentle, so comforting. Marcy didn't know how much she'd missed it until now. "Th... Thanks, Anne." She sniffled as she wiped her tears on her sleeve. "Well, we'd better—"
Before Marcy could finish her thought, she gasped as the forest around them began to fade. It wasn't long before they were surrounded by complete darkness, and Marcy had been stripped of her royal attire, leaving her in her regular black hoodie and gray sweatpants.
"Wh-What's happening?" Anise asked as they looked around with wide eyes. "Where'd everything go?!"
Anise, Anne, and Sasha all dispersed from the embrace to figure out what was going on. Marcy knew immediately, however, and it was only confirmed by the sudden feeling of overwhelming dread that washed over her at the sight of the collection of orange eyes glowing formidably in the distance.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A familiar robotic voice sounded, causing everyone to turn their attention to it. Their faces contorted with fear at the sight of it, and all Marcy could do was stare down at the ground in shame.
The Core was here, taking Darcy's shape, and behind the malicious smile it wore, it was angrier than ever.

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