Chapter Text
Falling.
Falling and the deafening crack in her legs were the only things she could recall before everything went dark.
Bandaid fluttered her eyes open, and was immediately met with the familiar scent and aroma of her tent, just to be hit with intense waves of pain throughout her body. Bandaid let out a choked cry, and tears quickly pricked at her eyes. Looking down at her lying form to her best ability, Bandaid whimpered as she assessed the damage based on what she was feeling. Something must have cushioned her fall or caught her. Bandaid pushed the thin fabric blanket off her upper half and lifted her shirt. Faint red marks and several punctures dotted within, Bandaid could only guess that, of all things, what had caught her was thorned vines.
She shakily sighed, shoving her shirt back down as Bandaid looked off to the side. Another nauseating wave of pain swept through her legs as she adjusted herself in bed. Bandaid bit the inside of her cheek before letting out another cry. She had never experienced so much pain before, not like this, not when she was so sheltered by her sibling Starwheel. Feeling regretful, along with the utter agony in her legs, Bandaid began to sob. She should've stayed back at camp, doing her work, but no. Bandaid wanted to fly, which had cost her the ability to walk. Her legs were broken; there was no doubt about it. Bandaid doesn't have to be medically experienced to know that, not when she's feeling it.
The tent flap opened, and two inphernals shuffled in. Another medic walked in, guided by Starwheel. He looked down at Bandaid, who shifted uncomfortably. She was ashamed. Gunner had gotten lost, and now Bandaid was severely injured, and it was her fault.
"Star.. I'm-.. I'm so sorry!" Bandaid wailed out, tears practically flowing in unsteady streams with how much she sobbed. The other medic quickly found their place beside Bandaid and steadied her, shushing her.
Starwheel walked up to the side of her bed, and with a sigh, he spoke. "I ain't goin' to say that it's okay, it isn't. My vulture has gone; the camp is worried sick, and *I* was worried sick. I almost lost ya, Bandaid. Ya just can't be takin' a joyride without any precautions or trainin', things like this happen, people die."
"Yer.. lucky, Bandaid. Gods.. I wouldn't know what I'd do if ya didn't make it.. I was so- ..so scared knowing you could die at any moment in my arms..."
Starwheel backed off, looking away from his sibling. He was upset, but Starwheel should've known that she would want to explore; he just didn't expect that Bandaid would be so reckless, leaving without a word.
Bandaid listened with a pale face, mortified and feeling guilty beyond measure that she had caused such stress. She didn't mean to; that wasn't Bandaid's intention in any way. Stammering, she profusely apologized to both the medic and Starwheel. "I'm s-sorry! I swear, I-I didn't think anythin' would happen..!" She cried, her lip quivering.
The medic held out their hand in front of Starwheel, silently telling him to wear off. Bandaid was reasonably stressed out, which wasn't helping, considering her current state. Without a word, Starwheel pried himself away, understanding where the medic was coming from. Bandaid needed healing, not berating. He left Bandaid alone as expected to, settling back into his tent.
Bandaid spent the next two months lying in bed, healing, getting visitors, hearing stories, and then doing her physical therapy. Though her days got lonelier, Starwheel hadn't been visiting her as much, instead choosing to work around the camp. Bandaid couldn't do anything about it, watching him haul crates or sacks of supplies from her tent. Nobody seemed to be able to convince Starwheel to continue checking up on his sibling, either that, or they hadn't tried. At least, that's what Bandaid believed, and she didn't pry for answers.
The camp had been quiet lately, so, inevitably, something was going to turn up.
A pair of Wranglers dropped in on their Oziphrages and unmounted them. One of them hoisted an inphernal over their shoulder, who struggled, cursed, and yelled. He was dropped on the cracked ground, hogtied, and surrounded. Grappling Hook was first to assess the situation, and others followed them.
One glance was enough to tell.
Church of the True Eye.