Fantasy Vs Reality | The Withering

7: Switch

Putting yourself in another's shoes is said to grant you wisdom... but be careful to tread lightly. It is not wise to linger for long.

~~

Coal felt a stabbing pain in his head as he felt someone shaking him aggressively. He groaned and forced himself to sit up as he look up to stare into nurse Lynx's eyes.

"What the fuck, Lynx?" Coal hissed, "I'm supposed to wake up slow and gently, thanks to you I've got this- uegh! stabbing migraine..." Coal gripped his head as pain shot through his neck. It pulsed through his head all the way to the tip of his ears. He squinted his eyes shut and groaned as he heard Lynx quietly apologize before handing him some pills and a glass of water. 

He took the pills and water and within moments the pain in his head was already fading, but it didn't go away completely. Frowning, Coal scooted to the edge of the bed as Lynx began to badger him with questions.

"Did it work? What was the doctor anticipating from this test? Do you remember anything fascinating from the scan?"

Ah yes, Coal had forgotten that only a select few of the crew only knew what was really going on. That someone had possessed Storm a month ago only to get thrown back into... wherever they went. Hava... was that what they had called themselves? Like he would believe it anyways. 

He ignored the questions that Lynx threw at him and staggered out of the room, forcing the door to slide open. He went down the hallway, his head spinning aggressively. His scars throbbed all over his body and he hugged himself as he stopped to lean up against the wall.

At least Lynx didn't follow after him.

He eventually came to his room and fell onto his bed. He wished he could be like the other crew members again, only having to care about keeping the ship running so they can get to their next destination. He longed for being oblivious, but alas, he had an entire galaxy... perhaps the universe, to help save. Oh yes, it still needed saving. 

Jacob told him plenty of times that because "Hava" returned to her universe, things would be fine. But Coal knew better. He was tuning in to several different news outposts, and there was talk all over the Empires that planets were still exploding. It was just a matter of time before things got worse and reached the Council of the Neon Empire.

Other than planet exploding business, the crew had more pressing matters to attend to. Moments after this "Hava" had disappeared, one of the previously vacant rooms had a brown-colored cat appear seemingly out of thin air. She was alive, but her body, mind, and soul were all dormant. Her eyes had been open when Coal first found her, and he couldn't shake the... the emptiness in her eyes.

When he brought her to Jacob, the doctor had done a face scan but nothing came up in the Neon Empires records. It seemed like she never existed, either that or she was a refugee or a stowaway from another Empire... but something didn't settle right. Coal specifically remembered the crew trying to bring her to the Moon Empire as well, but their records were vacant of her as well. 

In Coal's opinion, they were dealing with some sort of transient or illegal. He didn't trust her, although he didn't understand why she didn't respond to anything. It appeared that she had fallen into some kind of coma similar to Storm's... speaking of...

Coal forced himself upright and stumbled out of his room. He padded a ways before knocking on his beloved's room. Within a moment, a soft voice reached his ears, sweet like honey.

"Who is it?"

"Coal." he responded, his voice cracking.

Storm's door opened up and her bright, emerald green eyes found themselves staring deep into his own yellow ones, "Aren't you supposed to be in your... dream still?"

Coal shook his head silently. She ushered him inside without hesitation. 

Once the door was closed she sat him down, "You look like shit Coal, what happened?"

"Well, the test worked... I think." Coal said in a low voice, "But Lynx shook me awake and it jerked me out a bit too fast." He grabbed his head, it ached still.

"I completely know that feeling." Storm said, understanding, "Do you... remember anything? Did you see anyone?"

Coal thought hard. What did he see? "I think I... I remember seeing... a closet?" he nodded after a moment, "Yeah it was a weird little closet. I called out for this 'Hava' and she responded but her voice was muffled. I think she was inside the closet?" 

Coal grunted when his head stung even more. He squinted his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as Storm tried to comfort him, "Have you gone to Jacob yet?"

"Shit." Coal hissed, he had forgotten about that. He just wanted a nap to get rid of this stupid headache.

"C'mon then," Storm responded, lifting him up gently, "Here, I'll help you get back to him."

"M'kay..." Coal grumbled, "But I don't want Lynx in the room, or anywhere near me."

"You understand restraining orders wouldn't work because her quarters are stationed right beside yours right?" Storm asked, she was fighting away a smile.

The smile was contagious. Coal smiled too.

They arrived back in the Med Bay and Jacob stood up immediately. He looked angered. Here comes the beaver, Coal thought, coming to chew me up one side and down the other for leaving.

"Where in Hava's name did you go? Lynx said you woke up and stomped off!" Jacob growled, crossing him arms.

"More like she forced me awake." Coal grumbled, "Look, let's just keep this strictly business alright? I fucking ache."

"Watch your language Coal, Ember is here." Storm said softly.

"Oh! I don't mind, honest!" Ember said, leaning up against the wall behind Jacob. She waved at Coal, "Hey! Glad to see you're awake and... well enough, all things considered."

"Are we ready to enter phase two of this experiment?" Jacob asked Coal, slightly concerned, "Are you up for it? If not then we can-"

"I'm fine, let's just get this over with yeah? I'm ready, let's just hope it works." Coal stood up trying his best to ward away the pain in his head with sheer mental force. Gritting his teeth until his jaw hurt, Coal moved away from Storm, "Let's do this."

Coal was taken into the back room where few people go other than Jacob. It was just him and Jacob now. The red panda closed the door behind them both and turned around sighing, "Right, I'll need you to lie here." He gestured towards an odd looking bed.

It was soft and squishy inside when Coal sat down inside it, but there was a strange, transparent lid that Jacob put down. He called for Ember and she rushed in. Coal could barely hear their voices.

"Keep an eye on him in case something goes wrong okay? I'll send in Lynx if we are successful." Jacob turned and looked at Coal through the pod, "Just relax and ease into it okay? I'm going to try and use the brain scanner on you again like before to tap you into- err, the 'other side.'"

Coal nodded, Ember watched with concerned eyes. Coal tried to comfort her with a smile as he eased into the pillow. He stared at the ceiling through the pod. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, thinking of the house... 

The house he first visited when he got trapped there... looking for a way to save Storm...

"Hava..." he called out once again. He never felt more tired...