Settings: Chaos Castle
Karma bent over Vara's body, Ludwig scratching at his head furiously. Reema stood, awed, staring at Vara. Nothing else seemed to matter at the moment; Karma and Reema seemed the most truly upset.
"We... We failed her..." Reema commented dramatically as she sat down in the grass, staring at Vara in shock.
“She's... She's...." Karma fumbled for the words. Though they were right there, she failed to say them.
“She's dead." Ludwig put it out in the open, sinking to his knees as he then looked to Wreckless and Shot. They were unmoving, but so was Vara.
“What does... What is... death... like...?" Reema's voice faltered, fading in a sense as she then crawled over to Vara's limp body. ”Nothingness... Darkness.... But light... Disembodied... Lost!" She continued to state words as she then looked to Karma. ”I failed."
”As did I," Karma stated flatly as she felt Vara's pulse upon her neck- nothingness began to show itself to her in every meaning possible. No pulse, eyes shut, no vocal or physical movements. ”We failed Teela."
”I failed Teela."
”We all failed her in a sense... And Venoma, as well, I do believe," Ludwig clarified, trying to shed some light upon the situation but not finding any way to do such a thing. They then began to pick Vara's cold body off of the ground, Karma leading them towards the forest, just in case anyone was around. It mattered not, however, but they would have to keep Vara until Teela returned. What, and this frightened Karma more than either of the three, would Teela's reaction be?!
_
Teela shot up as though she had been activated by a spring of sorts. A smile instantly blossomed upon her face as she saw the shadows of the lab, not her mind, saw tinkering noises of machinery, not things of the unknown. She also saw Venoma's face looking at her in a puzzled and curious manner. She grinned even wider, Kamek standing over her, soon chuckling in an almost happy manner. She played with the dice she had still been caressing in her paw, splaying between her fingers.
“You should be all right," Kamek clarified as Teela nodded. A few smiles and nods were enough for Venoma- she was all right. Instantly, Teela jumped off of the table and her knees buckled in sleepiness for a moment, her eyes growing dizzy momentarily but then clearing magically.
“I- I'm ookkkkk!!!" she squealed in absolute delight as she then danced around the room in a sort of odd manner. ”I'm noooottt ddeeeaadddd!" Of course it was silly, and for sure she knew, but to be back in "reality", to be back in a world she knew and adored? It was enough for her, enough to bring that glistening and glazing smile out for a test drive. No pain whatsoever- every muscle moved smoothly, every fiber and ligament moving as it should, and nothing burned horribly. Her eyes felt as though they were in her head and not on fire, her arms and legs stretched easily and did not feel as though they would collapse beneath her and leave her stranded. Venoma smiled in return, but soon Teela resumed her seriousness.
“Now..." Kamek paused, watching Teela come back to the lab bed and sit herself on it comfortably. ”Where are the others?"
”They're at this... place... Vara was kidnapped. The girl? My sister? Vara? These men came and knabbed her," Venoma rambled as Teela nodded in agreement.
“But..." A look of thoughts balanced in her. ”We can handle it." She wanted no more help. Teela couldn't bear to tell him everything they were going through, as she herself didn't know too much. All she knew was that it was trouble, and perhaps she didn't understand the concept fully herself. It was a bit hard to swallow the idea that someone had come from the future and ended up with a cloned sister, as well as hard to swallow the idea that your best friend was somehow in danger but you couldn't place how, and also hard to swallow there was something sinister previously occurring within your head. Why take the time to explain all of it when she could merely go end the problem, as Teela then figured they had Vara already. She was sure nothing terrible had happened, and was truthfully lying to herself with false hope. Were they ok? She didn't know. What really was going on? She didn't know for sure exactly with crystal clear facts. In her book, it was all a problem. In her book, she needed to get Vara back, get Venoma home, and protect Karma from whatever feeling she had that the hybrid was in danger anyway! It had started out so simple and had grown from there...
“Ah, I see you've got the others managing well? I guess I needn't interfere, then, hm? Just a band of Goombas, no?" Kamek chuckled his senile-like way, grinning from cheek to cheek. Neither Venoma nor Teela returned it, however.
”Y-You could say that," Venoma replied as Teela then nodded.
“So we need to get back there," Teela urged as Venoma nodded.
“Good heavens, children, you are going to, how?"
”The way we came." Teela was rushing, though she was going to attempt to leave through the door.
“And that was…?" Kamek inquired.
“T-Teleportation..." Teela then slammed her foot on the ground. ”I can't anymore..." She looked apologetically to Venoma.
”I can, though," Venoma replied, smiling as Teela made a gesture that tried to provoke the thought that she was stupid.
“Well then hurry.
”But you're definately not skilled enough..." Teela then remembered, Venoma shrugging.
“You've got energy, I've got energy. Enough, then, would you say? If we can use that Protosyatha bond to get powers and share thoughts, we can use it to share energy. An eye for an eye, a leg for a leg." Though Teela didn't think he’d used the phrase correctly, he did have a point.
“We could give it a try. And it should be easier, as you won't be carrying me." Teela then placed a paw on his shoulder, Venoma closing his eyes and trying to muster up the energy. Teela shut her eyes, attempting to court his energy to the place.
“Picture the place... Picture that castle, the forest..." Teela directed, Venoma nodding. Teela provoked the image within his head, Kamek watching as the partnership made him smile. He could view the light and dark blue energy emanating from Teela and Venoma. After a few moments, they vanished from sight. It may have taken longer, but it worked nonetheless. Teela, Venoma, and the Dice of Fate were gone... Kamek's silent good luck with them.
_
Settings: The open "plane" bordering the edge of Chaos Castle's forest
As the sun went down Teela's pain had seemingly gone with it. Venoma smiled in glee, happy to have gotten them both here without resulting in some sort of freak accident. Teela's energy had helped him greatly, if not allowing them to in the first place. From what Venoma assumed, she was giving energy to him, not teleporting him. From what he also knew, as it was quite clear, Teela couldn't teleport anymore. Perhaps her powers were the cause of this mess, then.
“Venoma." Her voice was clear, cutting through the air and into his brain. It was relieving, it was hope, her voice made the his hair stand up on end. He liked that, and the way her voice was commanding in a benevolent way really was something to hear. ”It's too quiet... I don't... like it." And the way her doubt swelled made him feel it himself; the sudden stagger of emotion and hope. It was almost frightened in a sense.
“Let's not count our chickens before they hatch." It was almost too hard to say something positive with the negativity and loss of hope bleeding from Teela.
With a nod, Teela began one way as Venoma followed. They began to, in an almost reclusive manner, call for Karma, Vara, and even Ludwig. It wasn't quite reclusive, as it was loud, but in their minds it seemed reclusive, silent, as though something were dragging their words down into the depths of hopelessness. Something was wrong, and both of them noticed the way it conspicuously bled from even the ground... all the sorrow suddenly welling up here. Something was definitely wrong, and it was then that Teela stumbled upon the bodies of two men, Wreckless and Shot, clearly, but to her the names mattered not.
“Oh my dear God..." Teela stared, realization dawning upon her. They were certainly dead- a cold wave of disgust washed over her as she looked to the ground. Blood was spattered here and there, though she didn't know it had been Reema's and even some of Vara's in one area. Venoma stood awkwardly behind her, staring as his mouth gaped. Another thought finally hit Teela- this wasn't just a rescue mission. This had been a battle, and she wondered who the winners had been. This wasn't just protect Karma and leave- it was much, much more. Though exactly what, she couldn't quite classify... yet.
“L-Look..." Venoma pointed to the ground, a trail of blood starting and then fading. As if on instinct, Teela got down on her hands and knees to get the scent. It was definitely blood, ripping up into her nostrils as she recoiled slightly, the sickening scent making her stomach lurch like a dog recoiling from a cat scratch to the nose. Venoma watched as she began to crawl along the grass, following the still fresh and horrid scent of the coursing substance that had once flowed through some unfortunate creature's veins. ”You can smell it still?" Venoma eyed Teela in an almost wary disgusted way.
“Yes... I'm a Yoshi, Yosho boy. I'm not an alligator like you." Her words were muffled due to being so close to the ground. ”My nose is large for a reason. Like my brain," she complimented herself, chuckling though getting another whif of the scent. She was getting used to it by now, however, as it wasn't like she had never smelled such a substance before. The smell of rotting corpses was much worse, or so Teela figured. Not like she had ever had contact with one before, yet at least, but she had read many books describing such things.
As she neared the forest, she took note that it got weaker in some areas, the scent that is, and grew stronger at other points. It was as though the corpse from which it came had been carried at some points and had been let down for a moment at others, like other people were carrying it and had stopped to take a rest... She realized this with unease. Venoma was a bit clueless, still following as Teela neared the ground here and there.
“Can you smell anything better than my pet Poochie? Well, mine is sort of a mixed breed, but in general?" Venoma asked, a completely digressive statement as Teela paused, looking up to him.
“I don't know. I'll research it at another point... Or you can." She then stood up, right outside the borders of the forest. ”KARMAAAA?!”Her voice broke that feeling of being held back, her lungs filling with air as she screamed the name again. It echoed, she pausing to listen for a reply.
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The words broke the silence between them, Ludwig jumping as Karma swerved around, almost dropping Vara's arms. The air itself seemed cold, silent, just as Vara now was. Karma's breath got caught in her throat, setting Vara's lifeless corpse upon the ground gently as though she were afraid it would shatter into a million pieces.
“TEEEEELLLLAAAA?! IS THAT YOU?!" Reema was the first to reply as Karma took another breath, calling out “OVER HERE!” They both knew she wouldn't be too pleased, and all Ludwig could manage was a lifeless-seeming gaze. He had never expected something so serious such as this...
“KARMA?!" The voice grew nearer as the three seemed to brace themselves. A moment or two later, a smiling face emerged from the trees. Venoma followed, his look freezing much faster than Teela's did. As soon as he rounded the corner, he saw that which he least expected in a sense. Teela's eyes gaped, her mouth falling open as Venoma didn't move.
“W-what... Happened? Those other bodies... were your doing?" Teela choked and forced the words out, Karma still attempting to speak but failing.
“Yeah, we fought them." Reema spoke, refusing to look at Teela as she could only manage to avert her gaze to Vara.” We won... but... that other guy sat up and... s-shot her. Teela... I failed you... I'm sorry...."
”I-I-I..." Karma choked as Teela shook her head.
“No. I shouldn't... It's not your guys’ fault... I mean... I mean... It is... Y-Y-You ttrieddd!" Tears spurred up into Teela's eyes. It was something an outsider couldn't understand- it wasn't as though any of them even knew Vara or Venoma too well. It was perhaps the feeling of knowing you’d failed. But for certain, more than anything else, the proof that brought the realization into reality that you were scared! That was what really had Teela going now. The proof that this was serious, the proof that she wasn't just on a rescue mission. This wasn't some game, it was a realistic nightmare that Teela herself had a feeling was only going to get much worse. She had the proof right here, and these emotions were not some game. The worry, panic, and sheer fear was nothing to be taken lightly. An outsider could understand that, though.
“Teela..." Karma managed her name without staggering. Her thoughts, however, were faltering all over. ”It's... gonna be ok... It will be... Calm down..."
”I know... I c-c-can't get anything done without... W-without... T-thhiiinnnkiiinggg...." She wailed, slamming her fists upon the ground, Karma not recoiling even an inch. She put an arm around Karma, Teela putting her own head in her hands.
“Hey, i-it's... gonna be ok..." Ludwig neared her, expecting Karma to look up and snarl at her, though Karma didn't, and so even Ludwig walked over and kneeled down beside Teela, patting her back hesitantly. No one else seemed as affected, as perhaps they were still lost in the dream-like state that this isn't happening. Couldn't face reality... But it seemed as Teela was making them regardless. Tears of an innocent don't go ignored, no matter who they're from.
Venoma went to his sister's body and kneeled down, placing a cold claw gently upon her hair, feeling its orange stranded tangles as he then felt her scalp. She was cold, and he couldn't say a word. Couldn't say a word to Teela, and couldn't even say a single syllable within his own mind. He recollected the day he had been thrown here possibly a little more than a week now, remembered how he had been thrown into the Magikoopa's lab. They had attacked him, causing their own place to burn down.
He recalled landing upon the cloning sequence, remembering seeing how they spoke of their "sage", and even thought Venoma himself was a “warning from the heavens”. When he woke up, the flames were gone, and he was lying next to a look-a-like of himself, though only female. She didn't know much of what had happened herself, though she knew his name and knew her own; Vara. She claimed to be his sister, and though Venoma was a bit “whacked” ae awoke, he knew he didn't have a sister. Though after a bit of pondering, as well as looking at the work that hadn’t been burned, he finally concluded she was definitely some sort of clone and definitely took on the name of a sage, even acted as though she were right out of a book of some sorts. Venoma had felt some sort of sense to protect her, to keep her, to make sure she was happy. She had grown to be his sister- Venoma even acted as though he'd known her all his life- after only a time period of two days. It was as though being with her was normal. He told her about his wretched home life that even Teela didn't know... Yet.
Vara had been one who understood him, had been a sister to him. Venoma felt close to her, and took a lot, though definitely not all, of the naivety out of her nature. They helped each other; she was sort of a mirror upon himself to show who he really was, and he was her guardian in a sense, her friend, her brother. And now she had gone, now he had failed... No one could even possibly begin all the memories that circled within his head. All of the emotions... Even the drama?
As Teela sat upon the ground, she let the dice slip from her hands and onto the ground without a thought. She then bent to pick them up, sniffling as she then paused, staring blankly at the dice.
“U-uhhggn..." She sniffled again, wiping her eyes and then her nose.
“C-C-Come again?" Venoma paid her a thought, though not looking at her. The words were now caught in his throat but escaping none-the-less.
“Ugh... T-The dice!" She then abruptly threw them at Vara's body as Karma and Ludwig backed away from her, staring, thinking for a moment before finally putting two and two together. Reema just hoped they wouldn't have to fight anything else. If anything, she perhaps saw that Teela didn't notice the damage they'd already taken.
"WHAT NOW?!" the feathered-tiger beast boomed through the smoke and dark clouds that faded as its shape emerged. It wasn't quite as dramatic as before, and it seemed more bored now.
“I-I-I..." Teela tried to spit it out as she thought for a moment. ”D-D-Do yyoou havee a-any sort of rules?!"
”Indeed I do, whiny one," it mocked Teela, Reema scowling at that, but Teela taking no note and not exactly caring. ”What is it you are thinking to ask?"
”What are your restrictions to death?" Teela looked up, hope glimmering within her eyes.
“I cannot associate with the dead. I'm not quite- ok, maybe I am- but I'm not THAT much of a miracle worker. I can't defy the laws of physics in that matter, at least not without corrupting anything... And I don't think you'd like to take that chance, as I cannot insure results."
”WE'LL TAKE IT!!" Venoma blurted as Teela shook her head.
“No... I will take no chances.... I won't. I want to insure... I want this to... end... to... R-REWIND!" The word popped within her head as though someone had shot it into her and big neon lights now flew around. She pondered for what seemed forever, though truthfully only a mere half a second, and grinned an almost psychotic grin. ”I want to rewind it..." And the others looked at each other in confusion. What was she talking about?