halfbrokenwings | 005 [Open- backdated to a day after the tower exploration]

005 [Open- backdated to a day after the tower exploration]

The first sensation she registered was a growing burning sensation in the middle of her back. It was uncomfortable and quite quickly growing unbearable. Eyes opened and she scrambled to a sitting position. She did not know why she was in the room, or even who she was, but she knew that something was wrong with her wings. Instincts made her unfurl them to ease the hurt, like an eagle spreading his in a stretch before a flight.

What came unexpected was the sudden explosion of pain from her left shoulder. There was the sound of bone grinding on bone and a scream tore it's way from her throat. Between one second and the next she very briefly lost consciousness and ended up on her side. Her wings were bound in some contraption and something was wrong with at least one of them. She didn't know why. Tears of pain clouded her vision and she clawed at the buckles of the bloodstained harness that bound her body and wings. The bone in her shoulder resettled at an unnatural angle and caused more pain-filled whimpers.

Frantically she yanked at the straps around her body, crying out occasionally. She fought like a wild animal that was caught in a trap- against a contraption she didn't understand but with the driving force to be gone and away from the thing that was causing her so much pain.

[[_{ooc: She died ...if so inclined you'll hear a scream throughout the barracks and possibly right outside of her window.}]]

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Sollux was still exhausted and sore after the trip to the tower, but he refused to stay in bed and rest like he should. Partly it was due to the guilt over the mess the whole expedition had become...most of them got out, but was what they got really worth it? Was Isabella's death worth it?

It took him a few moments to pause in his wanderings of the barracks' halls after she screamed. He didn't realize it wasn't just another voice in his head at first, or a memory brought up by his thoughts.

He doesn't actually know where her room is, but he was on the third floor and following the cries wasn't that hard. He pauses outside of her room, taking a moment to make sure that's where the noises originated, then knocks lightly.

"I...Isabella?"

Though the knock was light, it was still unexpected and her body jerked at both sound and voice. She does not know the voice, and does not know the word spoken. Hearing it though, was like tugging on the end of a ribbon that lead to something else. She found at the end of that ribbon that she too, had language.

She struggled with the pain and also with the only word that made any sense, "R-redu!"

[_"h-help!"]

Sollux has no idea what that word is, but she sounds like she's in trouble. He tests the door and, finding it unlocked, enters quickly.

"What's wrong?!"

Boy that was a stupid question. She just came back from the dead, he can probably guess what's wrong...but she seems to be struggling against the harness on her back. He moves around to try and help her get it off. She had that on before, but maybe it got turned wrong and fucked up her wings or something.

She squeaks between the whimpers when the door opens. There was no recognition on her face when Sollux enters. But the words that come out of the pointy toothed, grey skinned and horned boy make her stare- almost like she she should know what they meant.

"Repu'n!" She thinks she almost has this contraption figured out, but she can't seem to get the cloth out from under the metal that holds it tight. Buckles the memory came back, along with more words."Ry'xze!"

[_{"Help me!" "Hurts!"}]

Sollux moves quickly, undoing the buckles and removing the harness before tossing it aside. "There. That's better, right?"

He moves around to face her, obviously looking her over, somewhere between concerned and relieved.

Sollux moves to help her and she watches him with very wide eyes. As soon as the harness is off she sits up and both wings move of their own accords. The right wing stretches out- something is clearly wrong with it to her but it is pittance compared with her left. Involuntarily she bites down on her bottom lip as another scream threatens when she attempts to move the crippled wing. Something is broken in that appendage or dislocated in such a way that it feels like it is. It's better then not to move it and she breathes a sigh of relief at figuring this out.

Again, she heard that language somewhere. It hovered on the edge of her consciousness and he looked so concerned. "Zril'qu roy. Umm, mo'n qlop roy? Priz riuuelem? Pro ixe roy?"

[_{"Thank you. Umm, Do I know you? What happened?! Who are you?"}]

Sollux winches as she cries out. "S-shit, did I do something wrong? I didn't hurt you more did I?"

Fuck, of course he must have. What was he thinking fiddling with that harness, it was clearly built for something he'd never even seen before. Why would he know how to take it off without causing more trouble?
Man he was just fucking her up left and right here. Sollux sighs and takes a step back.

"...Why are you talking like that?"

A look of concentration crosses her face, she does know the language! "Umm, I know don't?"

It sounds as uncertain as the other words had when they were first spoken. She has such a look on her face, brows furrowed together. Where, who, why, what- so many questions were begging to be asked.

"...What?"

Oh god, that crocodile had done some real damage to her think pan, hadn't it? Sollux swallows, pushing down the traces of panic attempting to rise.

She was so very confused, and it was baffling. She tried to stand, but sat back down hard with a hiss. The movement caused the injured wing to pull and put weight on the wrong parts of it.

"I don't know!"

She was angry that she couldn't seem to remember -anything-. She didn't even know why her wings were all screwed up. They shouldn't be. Frustration colored every line in her body.

Sollux holds his hands up. He's not really sure what to do here, but since he figures he's responsible for whatever state she's in he thinks he should try to help.
Not that he knows how.

"Okay, okay, just stay there and try to calm down. Do you still hurt? Is there anything I can do?"

He's trying really hard not to let the panic that's still creeping up his spine show, but not doing the best of jobs. At least she seems a little more coherent.

Then the grey, horned person started talking.

She understood hurt, as a concept and nods enthusiastically. She points to her left wing. Why did it hurt so badly?

As for his last question, third time is a charm, " I don't know."

It was calmer if more plaintive.

Shit, was that all she could say? He groans, but looks at her wing.

"...It looks the same as always. Did you move it wrong or something?"

"The same?" She looks at him in equal parts of disbelief and curiosity, "You know me? It was always like this? "

A memory of wind came unbidden. She remembered flying, was it a dream then?

.........

"W-what do you mean 'you know me?' Of course I know you!"

.......

"Oh." She blinks. "But, I don't ... remember."

Sollux's face falls. She doesn't remember? What doesn't she remember, just him or her time in this place or what? Its probably better that she doesn't remember dying, but...

He takes a deep breath. "That's okay, the crocodile probably chewed on your sponge or something, but its alright. I'll help you if I can."

What she said made him sad. That was something she had not intended to do, not in the least. So he knew her and w-

"What?" Eyebrows almost meet in the middle of her face,"What is crocodile? Where is my sponge now?"

She had a sponge? It was so confusing! But, he was trying to help. She shakes her head to try and clear some thoughts and looks up to him, "You know me, yes? Who am I?"

Oh god, she didn't remember ANYTHING?! Sollux has no idea how to deal with that or if anyone could help.

He takes another deep breath. Don't panic here, that'd just make things worse.

"You're IB--Isabella. We're in a place called Holloway's Keep. We're kinda stuck here but its okay sometimes."

"IB Isabella." She tried what apparently was her name out. It still felt unfamiliar. She looked at him and tilted her head, "What are you called?"

The rest was completely beyond her. She had no idea what a 'Holloway Keep' was or what being stuck was since they could move around freely. More pressing matters were at hand of course when her back twinged as she shifted on the bed.

Clear images of seeing the ground below and buildings and trees under a partly cloudy sky flashed across her mind's eye, "Is the flying, not-real? A- " She searched for the word, " a m'xeic ? A dream?" If he knew her and her wings were always like this, was she so confused she was making things up? The sight was so very vivid though, if only she could stretch them out and leap into the sky-

"No, no, your name is just 'Isabella.'" God, why did he add that nickname? Nice fucking job thinking, Sollux, you were doing just great here.
"I'm Sollux, and...I don't really know. That woman threw you, but I don't know when or how your wing got that way. Its just been like that the whole time we've been here."

"Oh! Isabella is my name.Umm, What does IB mean? " That was an unfamiliar word and she has a lot of words in her head between the two languages. She offers a smile to him, his name was also as unknown as his face but, she was glad he was here, "Sollux, thank you."

There was a thinking pause. A headache was beginning to form between her eyes the more she heard," A woman threw me?" She grew quiet. She wracked her brain for more images, something she could use but it was blank, "H-how long have we been here?"

"Its just a nickname, forget about it."

He rubs his head. "Its kind of a long story, we can go over it later.
"We've been here a few p--" No, no, that wasn't the word. What was it the humans used? Well, he wasn't sure if she was some weird type of human, or angel or something else entirely. "A few moon cycles, I haven't really counted."

"Oh!" She had a nickname too! That's interesting to know.

So much more information. Yes, that certainly was a headache forming. "M-moon cycles, "Something tugged here, something important about it. "The moon..."

She trails off for a moment, calm and trying to capture what it was that was just out of reach.

"I don't think the amount of time we're here really matters. Our universes don't exhist so its not like we're missing anything."

Shit, wait, that could panic her.

"And I guess we don't really know if they are gone, the staff here just says the lord of the castle is keeping us here until he remakes them or some shit."

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005 [Open- backdated to a day after the tower exploration]

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