Once Again

Chapter Twenty-Five - Electric Heart

Hello you younglings (can I call the younger ones younglings ...?) I am here to advise you: this story is now rated mature, especially as the next few get really bad. If you are a younger reader, I would advise you stop reading. If you want to keep going, go ahead, by all means, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Dedicated to Chewbecca17 for still reading and sticking with me even though it's darker and not the kind of things she usually reads. My best friend is awesome! By the way, if any of you ever feel like you can't or don't want to keep going, just stop. I won't be hunting you down or anything, I don't know, I get it. This wasn't supposed to be mature, but ...

Electric Heart

"Listen, Isaac. That is your name, right?" She chuckled as Echo flinched and ducked his head. He watched each crimson drop from his fingers fall onto the white sheets, bright against the pure color.

"My name is Echo," he mumbled. "Call me Echo."

"I will call you whatever I want, and right now, I want to call you by your real name. Isaac." She straightened up, Her voice flipping to Luna's computerized chorus again. There was a hostile tone to Her voice today that hadn't been there before. "As I was saying, I have something for you to do today."

"I'll never do anything for you," he hissed under his breath, his voice shaking. He hated how scared he sounded, like a lost, timid little boy. He sounded like Braken, and he hated it.

"Maybe not now, but in time, you'll do everything I ask." She giggled and lashed out, Her palm slamming into his forehead and pinning him back against the wall.

He yelped and cringed at the new burst of pain, and he could feel a dull headache pounding behind his eyes. Something occurred to him - a thought that made him really question what She was doing. Why was he fighting Her? "You said you were going to take over Solar, right?" he said, and then caught his breath as Her knife poked at his soft stomach.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Why?"

In response to his question, She pushed both Her hand and Her knife harder against him. The tip of Her jagged blade began to cut into him, drawing blood and making him gasp in pain. He didn't dare move, fearing he'd dig the knife deeper and seriously wound himself.

"Why, you ask?" She said softly, the dozens of voices ranging in emotion from angry to amused. "Because with that out of the way, I'd have control. I'd take out Stella easily."

"You want power?" Echo said, his voice rising in pitch as he fought to control his fear. A plan was forming in his head, and he didn't want to ruin it before it began. "That's it?"

She paused. "My Host wants me out. Once I take Stella, I won't need Her anymore."

"Host? Is that like H-ack -" Echo choked out as She dug Her knife deeper, slowly beginning to penetrate his stomach, driving Her serrated knife into his gut. The burning agony began to spread across his body, just like before.

"Yes," Luna said through Her mouth,  the corners of Her lips tipping upward into a dark smile . "See? I knew you were clever."

Echo let the tears fall, pressing himself into the wall to try and avoid the pain. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a choking sound that gargled in the back of his throat. The agony consumed his every thought, bringing up the surge of matter-ripping power, and he fought to contain it. He couldn't forget his plan. He couldn't ruin it now. "A-are you g-gonna kill -"

"Kill him?" Luna laughed. "Of course. Now about my request -"

"Wai-wait." Echo squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, his chained hands struggling to grip his bleeding stomach. "I'll - I'll help you. Willingly. J-just ple-please take it out."