Chapter Text
Pain starts in the sky, whether taunting you out of reach or burning brightly into your grasp.
June 10, 20XX
“Boss… I need a ride-“
For someone so reliable, she also makes the strangest choices outside of work… What can you do though from a lady of many superstitions, albeit they are usually correct though in the same way someone would get the answer using the wrong method. Blakefly Medical wasn’t all that far of a place, it’s a health center after all, and you can’t place it somewhere far away for the most obvious reasons of convenience. Despite this, previously shady yet effective fortuneteller- now consultant, Buling, found herself stuck without her motorbike because of a case of ‘bad meridians’ being too dangerous to drive it. So what would be the most logical conclusion? Leaving your motorbike and deciding that walking and to work on foot. After all, can’t risk crashing if you’re not riding it! Unfortunately though, that decision is starting to look like the one way road to giving yourself a sprain having to run all the way back here for an emergency.
Sighing in amusement and slight disappointment, I bring the phone back up to my ear before conceding to our new hires request “I’ll get Aalto to pick you up.”
A giggle followed by a relieved “Thank you lah~” comes as the reply.
“I’m just as thankful to know you won’t pulling something like this again… unless you want Shore to either chew you out, might even demote you from technician to janitor.”
You could practically hear the way she jumps at the mention as the chairwoman’s name “Aiya Boss, I’m losing as it is! Spare me the talk and I can get some spirits to clean up the hassle on those fans crowding up the hallway. What do you think?” Her bargain wasn’t being accepted anytime soon though.
Sitting up from the desk and rolling up the article on Vorensk under my arm, I begin to walk out my office to our most recent patient and decide continue on with a message that’d ensure I don’t owe any sort of mystic favors in the future “Rowdy Fans of Miss Molchalin are the least of my concern, my real concerns are how you even found out about that from where you are and whether you’ll be on time today despite it still being your first week, Bu~”
A gawk gasp out from the other side “Boss, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that fans will crowd around where they know their idol will be. And if I’m late, I can just blame A.A~”
I could hear the smugness on her face, it didn’t bother me so much from all the patients and people I’ve had to treat all these years, so I curtly add “It also doesn’t take a genius to know walking here on foot is only something you’d do if there was marathon going on…”
A conceding huff is all I need to hear to know she’s lost her spark, but that doesn’t cut the conversation short as she decides to change the topic “Wait… Is my bike still there?”
“It is, but Encore put stickers everywhere, even on the exhausts.”
“Aiya… Well I can appreciate the extra decoration! Speaking of her, how is she holding up?”
”Quite well after you made that stuffed bear of hers start talking. She never gets enough of it and pulls the cord any chance she gets without bothering anybody.
Giggling at her ingenuousness, the young technician muses to herself of her work bringing a child happiness and now comes to a conclusion “Hey, maybe that’s why she put stickers everywhere on my bike? Might just be a thank-you gift from her."
”Take it as you want to interpret it, because I still have work to get to. Recently, there’s been power outages and some of us lost our files because of it, so get to that when you can.” Reporting to her, her duties for this morning as I waited for the elevator to come up.
A confident smile grows on the girl's face from the other end “Yea yea~ I gotchu Boss! Also tell Aalto to buy me some tea while he’s on the way here-“
The ding of the elevator arrives, beeping out the last part of her sentence, rushing in, I leave an apology over the phone “Sorry, you might have to buy that yourself, I have an important client to get to.” Said in as hasty of a voice as I could muster as I still had to wait for the elevator doors to close, just like how am waiting for this conversation with her to close as well… Not that I mind talking to her, I just prefer to be as clear minded as one can be when for heading for somewhere as important as the ER.
"Take care, Bu. Text me once you've been picked up." Finally hanging up with the ding of the elevator and the tap of the end call button syncing up as I make my way to emergency. Hopefully without any hiccups like a certain someone...
‘Boss has ended voice call 7 seconds ago’
And that’s how I got here! Stranded in the streets without my bike and totally dehydrated from trying to sprint back to the institute. Note to self, this body was made for software engineering and web design! Not running back to back from Lantern street to Novabelle Avenue… Thankfully now though, I can rest easy on this bench knowing double A’s coming to pick me up.
Fuyoh~ Bubu, you really gotta start knowing when to take the high road on a bad hand… Because here I am paying more than I have to for a ride and something to cool off. Not mention, the whole cities a wreck after that meteor came swooping down. My phone has been blaring with news over it day by day, whether it’s on Lady Molchalin or how bad the aftershocks were bouncing stuff around. Asides from my usual contacts of Boss and Miss Shore, they were pretty empty nowadays all things considered. Back then, I remember never seeing it go below 99+ notifications. Now though? It’s like a ghost town- got nobody calling except if it’s tech issues or kids wanting their fortune’s told. Back then I used to scam hand out fortunes to anybody with some wordplay. Usually I was right but in unexpected ways, some monkey’s paw if you will~ That didn’t set well with costumers though, so most of those texts were.... less than friendly-
A new notification pings “ I’m here! Big Bro Aalto’s coming to the rescue! Just right around…” the text ending off in ellipsis before a loud vroom of a bike blows leaves in my face and the continuations of text his comes out from the sunglass wearing smoke head’s mouth “…the corner~”
"Ey~ I haven't seen you make entrance like since Shore's last birthday."
"Haha right- mental note: Do not aim a confetti gun in the same direction as a butterfly enclosure… those poor catterpillars..."
"Ah c’mon, Lah! Just pulling your leg~ I'll be earning a scolding from Shore today as well probably."
"Hey, I'm sure you'll receive some leniency when you decided to spend hours last shift making Encore that talking doll. I mean, Shore even gave you a raise for it right?"
"She did- Oh and by the way, about what Encore did... Is my bike actually-"
"Yep!" said the whiteheaded nurse as he tossed her an extra helmet.
"Aww~ Well I'll make sure to drop her a visit once we get there."
"If that's the case, let's not keep that little princess waiting! Hop on~"
"Oiya? Sure we won't crash or something because of that?"
"Oh please, do a fortune telling right now. I'm feeling as lucky as leprechaun right now."
Pulling a small wooden cup and some dice from her dufflebag, the young fortune teller shakes the dice about until the nurse says-
"Stop! And let the results speak for themselves~"
"... your total comes to around... 13!"
"Lucky #13, Baby~ Told ya it'd be good!" Said the white-headed nurse as he shot finger guns her way.
The technician cringed slightly before clarifying "13 can interpreted as adding up to 4, and 4 means... great misfortune."
And then the sound of glass shattering can be heard mentally from the back of the veteran nurse's head as he realizes that 13 might not be a lucky number in all places...
"Welp... it's not stopping us though right?"
"Eh, when I'm around, it probably won't. I've been working real hard to ensure that good karma only flows my way for the rest of the week~"
"Oh okay Ms. good vibes in the air. Now grab on tight, make sure all your meridians are in order or whatever... because were on a quest to see a princess!"
June XX, 20XX
Beep.... Beep...
Such sound was reminescent of my phone ringing with notifications from my family all around. All of them asking what time I'd be arriving, what I wanted for lunch, and how long I'd be staying. Truth be told, I wasn't going to stay for long. It was hard to since I had so many more plans scheduled for the following week, whether it would be another rehearsal, interview, or party.
Life was like... fiction. I was living it up with a story you'd see from all those superstar tales. A girl from countryside hitting it big in the artist industry and is prompted to live it in the city. Focusing on her work and not having time for those around her.
Of course though, that's an exaggeration. I had plenty time of time on my hands to at the very least spend a few days at my old village, it's not like I was working myself to the bone and taking any interviews I was asked for. My time was for me, my music, and those dear to me. People are free to leave their reviews online for me to scroll through and either for me to ignore or jot down a few notes on.
After all, not everyone was out to get me. That mindset is the one that leaves many who start climbing heights like these to be lonely hikers, scared at any hint of criticism and continuing to follow a crude path... As for me? I could not stand being alone. Go and say what you like, but I cannot fathom the idea of how no one else to bounce around off of.
Never once has any of my pieces been truly created by myself. It was the ripples that people left on me that shaped how I created them... and therefore made them the assistants that help weave my lyrics. Everyone's input had some effect on what I wrote, whether because I followed it or ignored it.
The suggestions of those in my life up until now appeared like phantasms that rose into view as the sunset in the walkway distance.
Aeschylus said to stick to something that makes the people you love happy. Triss said write by the heart and go with the flow. Melissa said write in the moment and what you view your life to be like. All of it was advise, I already knew but had never really taken to heart until they said it...
When being taught something, it might be better having someone else say the lesson for you than reading it out to yourself... You need reviewers to give their own vision, for as far as our eyes can see, we sometimes just see forests for the trees. People are meant to socialize and the scars that isolation leaves on people shows how awful it is to be alone. There are scars that some are too afraid to re-open and let truly heal, and some that take them as a form of pride and continue their lonely path.
What's frightening yet real, can be that it is a choice to be alone. That we are proving to be independent and that we can continue without the help of others. And we can... and that isn't a bad thing... but it is shortsighted. Most often, it is path you'll eventually realize sooner or later, the help of someone else is not only convenient for you but also for them.
Yet the true fright is when-
"Phrolova!"
A shout breaks my thoughts as I realize I*m finally done walking the long and quiet path back home.
"Triss, Melissa~ Good to see you both."
"Oh please, it's better to see you! We haven't seen you in forever~" said the little girl walking with her arms out for a hug.
"It was just two weeks..." I respond while reciprocating the offer.
"Oh just wait until she starts saying stuff like 'it was just a few months', Triss. That way you can really jab at her for it~" spoke the girl's caretaker, winking at me whilst I roll my eyes knowing she is never going to let this down like usual.
I'm too tired from the walk over to think of something witty, so I tell Triss "Don't... I already have enough to prepare for while I'm here."
I try to hoist Triss up and carry her alongside me, though that doesn't last long as she struggles a bit and I take that as her asking me to put her down. "I won't, Phrolova~. But please stop treating me like a baby... I can handle walking on my own! Plus, frolicking is funner~."
"Ha... I suppose your right. Melissa has been feeding you well, huh? A growing girl you are." Letting out a sigh as I pat her head.
Melissa comments "Speaking of food, the whole village's got a feast prep just for ya'. Leah had some good sourdough and marinated lamb overnight when she heard how big of a hit your concert was over the radio."
"Right... it has been my best so far."
The caretaker rolled her eyes "Ah don't be modest~ All of em' are great! Now unpack and get dressed for a hearty meal, like we always have on days like these."
"Ha... Sure thing-"
"Look!" Said the young girl who turned up to try and look at her Caretaker's eye only to see something else of note.
Both me and Melissa blink before we both look up to see a bright red light getting brighter and brighter.
"A shooting star!"
"Haha... Triss I feel that's a little too... red for a star. What do you think, Phrol?"
"... I heard there was meteor storm back in May... but those didn't hit the surface of Solaris. Though, they did hit a handful of smaller satellites. Too small to truly cause anything disastrous though."
Melissa casted her gaze down and placed her hands on Triss' shoulders "Geez... Space is a scary place."
The younger voice pepped up "I wanna go there someday!"
"Triss?" Both me and Melissa claimed in cool confusion.
"What? It's so beautiful and vast! Dangerous, but isn't that Solaris as well?"
Her caretaker facepalmed "Oh Triss, sweetheart... let's get inside just incase…"
"Aw~ but the feast is starting! Are we seriously gonna cancel it over some bright light in the sky?"
"It can be saved for another day... oh and Phrolova-"
Pain.
Deafening, scorching, and suffocating pain courses throughout my entire body. I could see only for a moment as the skin of my eyelid burnt off, before I was blinded utterly from the expansive red tinged white filling throughout half my vision. Something dusty flew into my nostrils, going down violently through my airway as their course texture ripped at the speed they went. And then... I was out cold... before waking up in tears.
-you are forced to be alone.
The ruins of every thing that was once my origin, my home, was left as a crater filled with rubble and ashes. Smoke billowed out and suffocated my lungs that tried to express my desperation in horrid, choked cries.
"Tri..sh?... Mel... sha?
Until a sweet scent hit my nose. Like the smell of fat melting in a pan, whilst I continue to crawl forward crying out for anyone else.
Then, my dirt covered hand touched something leathery and the sweet smell was more pungent than ever, wafting alongside that with the scent of iron and rust…
Looking down…
What I saw was-
BEEP… BEEP…
The sound of the heart monitor cries out as all I can sense is it, the smell of antiseptics, and the sight of sterile white walls, and the cold air clinging to my wrapped skin.
I try to get up before a red-eyed nurse softly yet distantly says just from out my vision "Please stay in your bed Ms. Molchalin... You might re-open one of the stitches."
As she said that, I could feel a tightness in the form of a line across one of my arms and legs.
"I will inform another nurse to watch over you whilst I fetch Dr...." the last few words of hers fall on deaf ears as my mind starts clouding and aching with confusion and grief...
"It's irresponsible to leave a patient unattended so I'll stay for a bit, do you need anything before I go?"
Unattended? But there was someone else with me in this room... So many in fact. Their silhouttes were an indistinct blur to me as I could only see with one blurred eye. Though, I suppose if I could ask for it...
"I.. wan.. see... fam-m-mily... and...m-hy.. gem..."
My family, Mother, Aeschylus, Aunt Leah, Melissa, Caleres, Searle- All of them, their names clogging my dry throat as I try to call for them individually yet fail. And my gem... my violin that was handcrafted and strung just for me, the one I played during my soloist days, and that I dropped into the well that one day before a stranger dropped down to grab it. I Deludedly hoped in my heart that the medical attendant hears me for those two things and knows what they are...
"I'll try to see if I can get your family... I'll ask them on the details on what this... gem of yours is, Maam. Please take care by yourself whilst Nurse Aalto makes his way here before the Doctor does..."
By myself? But there were clearly other people in the room with us... Could she not see them? Before I could see ask, I could her the closing of the door... Leaving me behind with these apparitions.
Who are all of you?
What do you want?
Am I hallucinating?
Standard questions running haywire across my addled mind. Soon though, a smaller silhouette would peak from the blurred crowd around me, putting a tiny yet warm hand on my wrapped arm.
"You're not alone, Phrolova~" Spoke in the voice of a familiar girl who I was raised with like my very own little sister.
Thank you...
"-Triss..."