Fantasy Vs Reality | The Withering

9: Restoration and Destruction

As one grows more confident, the other falls apart at the seams... balance is key.

~~

Her mind and body floated separately for a long while. She desperately tried to will her mind to reconnect with her body, but it fought her. Her body was unfamiliar, deemed unsafe, unwilling to work... it was too different.

Still she continued, pressing, urging, willing herself... and she could feel herself slowly getting closer. She had to trick herself. Just like back in the good old days-

-there were no good old days.

The darkness surrounding her mind and vision began to change as she felt the first tiny connection with her body and mind. Her nose twitched, she felt it. Pretty soon, she could hear.

Then she gained the ability to wiggle her fingers and toes. Within minutes she took in a huge, deep breath and felt the almost artificial fresh air fill her body and invigorate her. The last strands of her mind were snapped in place and her eyes found themselves behind a pair of eyelids. 

She had woken up to something like this before... but where? When?

She didn't even have a name, but she would figure that out eventually. Her mouth opened and she yawned. She heard voices around her, one in particular sounded horribly familiar.

"Can you hear me? Stor- err, Hava?"

"What... what is a Hava?" she asked in a weak voice.

"Dear Hava you are awake!" the familiar voice said, "It worked!"

She felt hands grab her shoulders softly and she opened her eyes groggily. She found herself looking into the brown eyes of what appeared to be a red panda. He was peering at her over his glasses.

"Tell me child, do you remember anything? Where were you? What was it like?" the questions kept coming.

"Wait wait... stop wait." she said slowly, "I... I don't know where I am." She studied herself, "Or what I am."

The red panda's eyes widened and then he seemed upset, was it something she said? She heard him curse under his breath, "I knew we should have waited!"

"Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head, "Did I do something to upset you?"

The panda turned and shook his head, "No no, it's okay child it's not you. Dear Hava you don't remember anything... do you? Not even from before-"

"Before?" she asked.

At this point the panda ran a hand down his face, "We have so much work to do... okay." He sat down on a bed beside her and stared at her intently, "First things first, we need to know what to call you."

"Call me?"

"Sweet Hava above... okay, a name. Something you can respond to when someone is talking to you?"

"Oh yes, I'm sorry I didn't realize-"

"It's okay, now umm... let's list some names," the panda sifted through his coat for a moment before pulling out a digital clipboard, "How do..." he scribbled some words down, "these look? Anything?"

The nameless feline grabbed the clipboard and read through the names. Some of them felt meaningless, others had a strange feeling surrounding them. One was Jessie and it rang through her skull echoing in her mind over and over. Scared, she refused to use that name despite the temptation.

The one below it however... Kay...

"That one." she pointed at it. 

"Kay?" the panda asked, "It suits you."

He took the clipboard and tucked it back into his coat. Then he looked to his patient, "Alright Kay, you now have a name. I am Jacob."

Jacob... the feline who's name was now Kay, thought, I've heard that name before... haven't I?

Kay smiled and nodded, "Nice to meet you err Jacob. I... you're the doctor in this uhh place... right?"

Jacob nodded, "And you are on a spaceship in the middle of Neonian Territory."

"Neo- what?"

"Later." Jacob said irritably, "You're like a newborn kitten, but you know how to read and talk. You're a strange one."

After a moment of silence, the doctor asked, "You can walk... right?"

Kay wiggled her toes and watched them curiously. Then she bent her knees, testing them out, "I feel strange, but I think so?"

She sat at the edge of the bed and stared at the white floor. She slid off, gasped, and shivered.

"Is something wrong?" Jacob asked urgently, offering her support, "What happened? Are you alright? Talk to me-"

"It's alright," Kay giggled slightly, "the floor just startled me. I wasn't expecting it to be so umm... cold."

*       *       *

Kay and Jacob slowly made their way throughout the ship. Kay was astounded at the size of it. The hallways seemed to bend and curve into forever. Eventually they made it to an elevator. They stepped inside and Jacob pressed a few buttons and the doors slide closed in a fancy fashion.

She remembered things looking a little run down before-

-before what?

She must've been looking around strangely because Jacob asked, "Are you... sure you don't remember anything?"

Kay scratched her head slightly, "I don't... I don't know. Everything seems so... welcoming. Like... like home."

Jacob opened his mouth to respond but the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Kay found herself staring at a pair of figures. Two were very tall and dog-like, and there appeared to be a massive rabbit, a smaller rabbit, a robot and a tiger in the room as well.

They all turned and looked. The brown colored dog was the first to respond, "Sweet lord above! Jacob how did you manage-"

"It's a long story... trust me." Jacob said, waving a hand at him, "Have you seen Coal, Marcus?"

The dog now deemed as Marcus looked around and shrugged, "I haven't seen him since before the Test. He might be in his chambers."

"Alright well, we'll leave him be for now-" Jacob noticed the pale look in Kay's eyes, "What... what's wrong? Speak to me."

"Coal..." she whispered, "That's the name I called out to when I first awoke..."

Jacob looked up to Marcus, who shrugged. Then Jacob shook his head, "She doesn't remember anything Captain."

Marcus' eyes widened, "Oh."

"Coal might be a way to help jog her memory." came the icy voice of the white dog.

"Good idea, Orion!" Marcus said, "Go then, take her to Coal and see if she... well, remembers I guess. I have things I need to get done here. Elva? Send a message to Mo, Spike, and Chloe to get everything set up for full speed to Outpost Number Seven in Sector T..."

Before Kay could hear anymore, she was dragged back to the elevator and they were heading back the way they came. 

As they walked through the hallways, Kay began to gain confidence. Jacob slowly lifted his support he gave her and she was walking all by herself by the time they reached the door to Coal's room.

Jacob knocked, but no one answered. Confused, he knocked again and called out, "Coal, are you in there?"

Both Kay and Jacob heard a crash. Worried, Jacob opened the door and gasped.

Coal was in there alright, but from the looks of it, he wasn't well at all. Kay covered her mouth as she watched him as he was leaning against his sink. He was coughing and shaking violently. Red stuff was dripping freely from his mouth. 

Jacob rushed to him and the moment he reached Coal, the smokey grey cat collapsed to the ground in a violent fit. As Jacob tried to restrain the massive cat, he called out to Kay, "I need help! Get someone! Quickly!"