Zene Oneshots

The Battlefield

Bloodshed. Screams. Explosions. Chaos. Gunfire.

Traumatic memories and sounds flooded Gene's consciousness, blurred depictions against pure blackness that seemed infinite. He couldn't feel his limbs, or put the images in any order that he would know to be accurate. The last thing he did remember was a bomb dropping off in the distance, and the blinding explosion that followed. The image of his skeletal arms through the flesh, a horrific effect of the explosion, was seared into his brain. It would reoccur every time he closed his eyes.

Was he dead?

As he wondered about that thought, he could hear a distant voice. It slowly got louder, or maybe it was getting closer. Dimmed whiteness slowly overran the darkness, the images of memories being swept away like water going down a drain.

He shot up like a mousetrap, his breathing as fast as he could run. His eyes darted around, taking in his situation and location. It looked like some sort of infirmary... a hospital, maybe?

"Oh, thank the Divines!" Aphmau cried, tears falling down her face as she clasped Gene's hand in her own. "You're alive!"

"W... What happened...?" Gene managed to say, his throat feeling dry and his words slurred.

"We thought we lost you to the Corruption." She explained, feeling Gene's forehead. "You don't have a fever... that's good."

"Where's... where's Zane..?" He coughed out, trying to sit up more.

"Gene, it's best that you are fully healed before moving." She stated, pushing him back down. "Just look at your injuries!"

Gene looked at his hands, seeing the bloody bandages wrapped around them. There were so many that he couldn't see a single part of his skin. Maybe the bandages were white ones, but it would be hard to tell with all the blood that had soaked into them. There were more bandages wrapped around his arms and torso, going down his legs and feet. By the Divines, what happened to him?

"Aph... where is he..." He demanded in a !much harsher tone, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Gene..." She trailed off, a sigh leaving her mouth as she looked at the other beds.

"Aphmau, we need you over here, quick!" Lucinda yelled out, grabbing her healing staff.

Aphmau leapt up and hurried over to another room, one that Gene couldn't see but knew was there. He could hear a beeping sound, and the cries of agony that had haunted his memories. Was that... crying?

When Aphmau came back, he had a few questions for her. He wanted answers, and wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Aphmau, my eyes feel... wrong.." Gene told her, closing his eyes. "They feel so familiar, yet wrong..."

"That's because your eyes were taken out." She explained, wrapping a fresh set of bandages around his hand. "They were damaged too much when we got your body, so we had to perform a transplant."

"Then... who's eyes do I have?" He asked slowly, opening them to peer at her.

"Dante's.." She was slower with this response, a bit hesitant really. "He was the only person willing."

"Did he get new eyes?" He asked, but realized the answer before she had even said it.

"I'm afraid not. If we had any spare pairs, we would have used one of them for you.." She sighed, shaking her head. "He can't see, but he's good at telling whenever someone is around."

"Reminds me of back when we were just little shrimps." He smiled a bit, thinking back to the memory. "He always knew when I was behind him..."

"Gene... can you walk?" She asked suddenly, setting his hand down onto the bed.