With lines of nutritious fluid connected to Kadyn's body, she finally began to look a bit more lively than the corpse she used to be a few days ago. Though she was finally anchored in reality, out of those cycles of coma and illusion, she nonetheless looked as good as vegetative. Despite Dane staying by her side for hours on end, Kadyn maintained an empty, glassy look in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Dane injected himself with another dose of the drug Cogitatio created, feeding the demon threatening to break his mind with another meal. Immediately following the first injection, Dane proceeded to shoot RDX into his facial flesh, which served to fight the hallucinogenic effects by inducing extreme pain. However, as Dane glanced at himself in the mirror, he couldn't help but notice the decay in his skin. RDX might help fight the drug's effects, but it will eventually cause necrosis of the nerves often in contact with the compound. How long before Dane has to switch to another area of his body once his face can no longer feel? How long does he have before he uses up all the nerves in his body? How long does the man have before he is lost to the poison that was slowly killing him?
Dane pushed the dreadful thoughts to the back of his mind. He knew, deep in his soul, that feeling sorry for himself would not advance things. He chose this path. From the day he decided to follow in his father's footsteps, he had condemned himself to this fate. By now, it's too late for regrets and tears. Wiping the sweat dripping from his forehead, Dane struggled for a moment before the pain slowly dissolved against the drug's effects.
[Dane] - "Ain't ya gonna say somethin'? At least a thank you would be nice, considering what I did to get to ya. "
Said Dane bitterly as he pulled up his sleeve to hide his needle-bruised arm.
There was a moment of silence as Kadyn's glassy eyes darted at Dane before falling back down.
[Kadyn] - "I realized something, looking at both of us. "
It was the first time Kadyn had talked since Dane started nursing her back to health a few days ago. Though it wasn't the answer or silence that Dane was expecting, he was nonetheless immediately snapped to attention.
[Dane] - "Whatch'a mean? "
Responded Dane with a puzzled stare.
[Kadyn] - "You know how the oath of a doctor is to keep the patient alive for as long as possible? How seriously cruel that is... You, I, both people tortured beyond belief, broken to our core, yet there is always a reason or a goal that keeps us alive. We are like dying patients, with no hope in sight, but hour after hour, the doctor would inject us with drugs and medications that keep us alive... "
Said Kadyn in a pained voice.
The memory of Kadyn's dream burned inside her mind like a painful scar. All that could've been or what should've been, all burning before Kadyn in a pile of fire.
[Kadyn] - "... No matter if we want to, or not. No matter if it hurts, or if it dehumanizes us in ways that shouldn't be possible. You can't fight the chemical that floods your system to keep you alive just another day, hour or minute. You can't move, fight or scream; you can just watch and wonder when it will truly end. "
Said Kadyn through gritted teeth.
Even Dane was taken aback by the raw and accurate depiction of him and her by Kadyn. There was a level of clarity in Kadyn's mind that shouldn't be possible for someone recently out of a coma, yet there she was, describing the curse that afflicted the two of them in ways Dane couldn't imagine.
[Kadyn] - "I live because I made a promise to someone I love, but what drives you to ruin yourself for someone who's this unrelated to you!? Why did you have to drag me back to this hell? "
Screamed Kadyn with anger.
Her chains rattled as Dane looked down in disappointment in reaction to her words. Seeing how she had let her frustration take over her judgment, Kadyn readjusted herself and took a deep breath.
[Kadyn] - "Whatever are your reasons, I still owe you my thanks. I just feel like I can only bring pain when I'm alive. You clearly went through some hell to get here, and I simply feel like my mere survival has ruined another life. You barely knew me, yet you risked everything to save me. "
Dane chuckled at the irony described by Kadyn before raising his head up once again.
[Dane] - "The feeling's mutual here. My existence has caused no less sufferin' than yours, yet I was saved by a total stranger as well. Why? Cause McCree had a moment of good conscience and told her to break me out of mah prison cell. Men, tainted by darkness, choosing to help those in need. We cause sufferin', not because we are monsters, and we prove this by going out of our way to do good deeds. "
Dane approached Kadyn and changed an empty bottle of supplement for a new one.
[Dane] - "I saved ya, not because of a reason, but because I refuse to be a silent accomplice to the calamity and tragedy that plagues my existence. "
Said Dane in a sincere voice.
Upon hearing Dane's reason, Kadyn couldn't help but smile as his words reminded her of something.
[Kadyn] - "You did what you did out of principle, right? "
[Dane] - "Ya could understand it that way. "
A bittersweet smile appeared on Kadyn's face as she remembered Mike's parting words as he went to fight Sniper.
[Kadyn] - "Heh... Mike, too, did what he did out of principle. "
Said Kadyn as an idea slowly formed inside her mind.
Gradually, life came back inside her glowing green eyes as she unchained a piece of regret tied to her heart.
[Kadyn] - "I used to blame him, a little, for leaving me behind like this. However, now, I understand that I was bloody selfish. I always acted as if his world revolved around me, just as I pictured my world as revolving around him. "
Said Kadyn as she pressed her hands on the crystal on her chest lovingly.
[Kadyn] - "He is a good man, and I misunderstood him. He was wise enough to understand that the world is more than just the girl who gripped him by the heart. As for me, I also need to learn that making him my whole world isn't the right way to live. This bloody world is full of different people, and I can't succeed if I only spend my life in this echo chamber. "
Inside the crystal, as Mike heard Kadyn's words, he couldn't help but smile like a proud mentor. Meanwhile, after hearing what she said, Dane also felt a sense of hope refill his broken soul. With a gentle pat on her shoulder, Dane comforted Kadyn with a gentle smile.
[Dane] - "I'm glad to hear that. At least you'd make our escape attempt easier with this attitude. "
[Kadyn] - "Hah, yeah. I might not have a reason to be optimistic, but I'll be out of my own principle. No point in acting like an emotional asshole with you."
Suddenly, inside the crystal, Mike could see the window above the campfire beginning to crack before it completely broke apart.
[Dane] - "I'm going to walk around and see what kind of plan we can formulate for our escape. As for you, just play along and cooperate. "
Said Dane as he stepped away from Kadyn and put on his helmet.
[Kadyn] - "Cooperating is what I've been doing since always. "
Said Kadyn as she leaned against the wall.
[Mike] - "Then keep up the good work. "
Kadyn suddenly jumped in her chains as she saw Mike leaning beside her. However, she immediately realized that he was still a ghost as she could still see right through his body.
[Kadyn] - "What the bloody hell are you? "
Yelled Kadyn as she recoiled in fear and confusion.
[Mike] - "Ya know, it just feels so good to finally walk around, unbound from that little cramped campfire. "
Said Mike as he stretched his arms.
[Kadyn] - "Campfire? Wait, I remember, we were at that campfire for a while after we left that dream. So it was all real, and not just imaginary? "
[Mike] - "Clarification, the dream WAS imaginary, before you start to try stabbing me and calling me a bastard. However, I'm real. "
Said Mike casually as he walked around.
Kadyn looked down in embarrassment as she remembered her insane outburst.
[Kadyn] - "So I stabbed you and insulted you for real then. "
Said Kadyn in a worried voice.
[Mike] - "Yep, I want to file for divorce, ya ungrateful Lemon. "
Said Mike in a firm voice as he turned to face Kadyn.
The words shocked Kadyn as if someone had suddenly ripped her heart out of her chest.
[Kadyn] - "No! Mike, this is not what I wanted to do! I thought we had reconciled after that thing. I was not myself, you knew it! "
Said Kadyn as she tried to reach for Mike, but her chain kept her just out of reach.
[Mike] - "I was still assaulted by my own wife, threatening to bloody end me. I suffered emotional and physical injuries that have left permanent scars for the rest of my life. "
Said Mike as he raised his chin and crossed his arms.
Just as Kadyn was about to drop to her knees to beg and cry, she suddenly noticed the grin on Mike's face. Immediately, she understood that he was simply playing with her.
[Kadyn] - "Ah, screw you, Mike! I was wondering why you'd speak like a fucking victim at a bloody lawsuit. "
Exclaimed Kadyn while pouting in anger.
Mike burst out laughing before coming into Kadyn's reach and landing a ghostly kiss on her lips.
[Mike] - "Seriously, you should know better. When did I ever blame you for things out of your control? "
Kadyn crossed her arms, still frustrated at the prank Mike just played on her.
[Kadyn] - "You are the worst! The first thing you do as a bloody ghost is to play me like this! Just you wait, once my ability projects you hard enough for me to grab your spectral ass... Ooooh, you'll be begging for mercy! "
Said Kadyn as she waved her finger in the air at Mike.
[Mike] - "I wonder what kind of shit would make me, out of all people, beg for mercy. "
Said Mike, unfazed by Kadyn's threats.
[Kadyn] - "Well... I... I... I'll completely ignore what you tell me, and we'll have our first babies whether you like it or not. It'll mess up your plans, and knowing your dumbass, you will not run away from fatherhood, out of principle. "
Said Kadyn, somewhat proud of herself for what she managed to say.
[Mike] - "I'll rate that threat; cute out of ten. "
Said Mike as he leaned toward Kadyn tauntingly.
[Kadyn] - "Aaargh! You! Just... Just carry me to bed every night as a punishment. "
Said Kadyn as she blushed and looked away.
[Mike] - "Sigh... Don't get your hopes up, Lemon. Don't forget, no matter how your ability grows, I'm still dead. My soul is trapped in your ability, but my physical body is forever lost. "
Kadyn looked down and ruminated on these words that instantly crushed her hopes until she suddenly, confusingly looked up at Mike.
[Kadyn] - "Wait! How did you manifest? Like I always thought, you were not real, but you suddenly just popped out of nowhere. "
[Mike] - "It's because you finally learned to let go. You grew as a person earlier by realizing that the world is more than just the hopes and dreams tied to a single person. All this time, you lived and hoped based only on all the things relating to me, a dead person. You robbed yourself of your potential and self, all because you couldn't let it go. "
Said Mike as he sat before Kadyn.
[Kadyn] - "I don't get it. I was myself all this time. How was I limiting myself by being myself already? "
Asked Kadyn as she sat down on the floor beside Mike.
[Mike] - "How should I put this? If you revolve all your person around a dream forever lost, a part of you would be stuck in the past, meaning you live in the present only as half the person you are meant to be. There is always an invisible boulder dragging half of your body down as you walk. Earlier, you let go of that boulder and walked out of the shadow that you stood in. "
[Kadyn] - "I did? "
Said Kadyn, confusion still visible across her face.
Mike rubbed his lips and thought for a second to come up with an explanation that would make Kadyn better understand her situation.
[Mike] - "Ok, so tell me, do you want to get out of here? "
[Kadyn] - "Yeah, I guess. I mean, Dane looks horrible; he must've suffered so much to help me escape. It would be quite trashy of me to decline him. "
[Mike] - "There, you are thinking, living and acting in a way that has exactly nothing to do with me or your lost dreams. All your decisions so far, including your rejection of that dream where you had everything you ever wanted, signify that you are no longer bound by your past. You realized that your reality is the present, and your world is more than just me and those lost dreams. "
Said Mike as he tried to tap Kadyn on the nose, only for his finger to phase through her.
Suddenly, Kadyn's face shone alongside her realization.
[Kadyn] - "Oh, I get it! By taking those first steps, my ability evolved alongside my mind. "
Said Kadyn excitedly.
[Mike] - "Exactly, you have now accepted me as a part of your life, instead of a part of yourself as a person... "
Kadyn immediately followed up before Mike could finish his sentence.
[Kadyn] - "...Because letting go of the past doesn't mean I will forget everything. I still love you and still long for your companionship. I understand it now. "
Said Kadyn as she began to smile.
With a smile, Mike pointed his finger approvingly at Kadyn while giving her a wink. Kadyn instinctively reached forward and hugged Mike's ghost in her arms, even though his body phased right through her.
[Kadyn] - "Hahaha! You lovely prick, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. You're right, fuck those lost dreams and painful memories. I'd rather go make memories instead. "
Said Kadyn while wiping away tears of happiness.
The pain in her heart melted away with every moment as Kadyn let go of all the scars that slowed her down for years. The relief, meanwhile, felt like nothing she had ever experienced. In her joy, Kadyn could feel a thousand tons of boulder lifting off her shoulder as she let go of all her convictions. Mike, meanwhile, couldn't be happier as well, seeing his wife smile so naturally for the first time since his death.
[Kadyn] - "Hey, let's do this then. Will you walk beside me toward those thousand horizons, my dear husband? "
Said Kadyn as she reached her hand toward Mike.
[Mike] - "When did I ever refuse you? Let's walk and never look back, dear Lemon. "
Said Mike as he tried to grab Kadyn's hand, only to phase through it.
Though Mike was visibly annoyed by his current form, Kadyn couldn't help but chuckle at his predicament. Through the underground facility, her pure-hearted laughter contrasted the uncaring cruelty of the dungeon. Where hope was but a long-dead concept, even the distant echoes of Kadyn's joy sounded like the supernova of all hope, powerful and bright in its message and energy.
Meanwhile, as Dane scouted the facility like a lost child, he was suddenly ambushed at a turn by KD-554, who immediately pinned him against the wall with her hand. Since Dane was numbed by the effects of the drug still active in his system, he didn't act fearful or feel any of the pain caused by KD-554's assault.
[KD-554] - "Oh, Dane, what a pleasant surprise! It's truly... EXALTING to see an old friend around these empty places. "
[Dane] - "What do you wish of me, my master? "
Said Dane with an unflinching expression on his face.
[KD-554] - "Results! I assigned you as my butcher- yet all you did was nurse her back to health. So, care to explain what kind FUCKING bullshit are you trying to brew under my nose? Because I can smell the absolute rotten maggot-infested stink from here. "
Screamed KD-554 as her smile extended across her entire face, revealing jagged teeth.
Luckily for Dane, he was already prepared for when KD-554 would eventually question what he was doing.
[Dane] - "My master, you misunderstood my action. "
Said Dane as he fearlessly glanced into KD-554's burning red irises.
[KD-554] - "Oh! Enlighten me, then, my dear Butcher! "
Said KD-554 as her eyes glowed with murderous intent and her grip tightened around Dane's neck.
[Dane] - "There used to be an experiment with rats called 'hope'. When scientist Curt Richter left rats in a bucket to drown, they'd only last a few minutes. Yet, when he rescued them damn rats about to drown, dried them and fed them, before putting them back in the water, they'd last for upward of 60 hours. "
With an attitude mirroring a death wish, Dane leaned forward and almost touched KD-554's nose with his own, all the while staring intently into the red glow that was burning his eyes.
[Dane] - "KD-555 was almost broken, yet I'll nurse her back to health, and break her once again. Think of how much more pain you can inflict upon someone as they hold hope. She will try to swim as I drown her. Her eyes will shine with hope, yet only desperation awaits to snuff out that light. "
Said Dane maliciously, conjuring all the hate he had for KD-554 into his every word.
KD-554's pupils dilated with excitement as she understood Dane's vision.
[KD-554] - "Ah, I misjudged you, my dear Dane. I'm impressed because I'm rarely wrong. "
Said KD-554 as she dropped Dane from her grip.
As Dane caught his breath on the floor after being deprived of air by KD-554, she suddenly threw a bag against him. Judging by the weight and shape of the bag, Dane immediately knew there was someone inside.
[KD-554] - "Continue the good work, but I have another job for you. It's someone... or I'd say something you are familiar with. This miserable toy you had repaired for me broke down again. If you can fix her once, I'm sure you can fix her again. However, be quick, because my mood tends to be... unpredictable when I'm without my pacifier. "
Said KD-554 with madness oozing out of her voice irregularly.
Even though Dane tried to suppress his emotions, he couldn't help but feel a chill crawling up his skin as he remembered the tortured face of Ari the last time he saw her. Suddenly, KD-554 stabbed her arm into the wall before leaning down to face Dane.
[KD-554] - "You have two days to fix her up. If you can take more time than the deadline to fix her up, I will have to indulge in your prized KD-555. You wouldn't want that, wouldn't you? Because I plan on having a buffet. "
Said KD-554 before showing Dane a malicious smile.
Without solicitation, KD-554 abruptly slapped Dane in the face, her claws tearing large gaps in his flesh. As Dane barely began to realize that he had been attacked and that blood was dripping down his slashed face, KD-554 simply got up and shrugged her shoulders innocently before walking away.
[Dane] - "Fuuuck... "
Whispered Dane as he stared at the blood on the bag in his lap.
To be continued...