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loaflovesdoodling · 4 months

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Pleiades pleaded, as the Dollmaker's dagger dug deeper and deeper into his back, cutting right through his yellowish-colored flesh, golden blood spewing out, he had no way of fighting back, and stabs to the pancreas wouldn't have been enough to shut his cries up anymore.

Leaving him absolutely motionless.

The warrior could feel costant hits on his vertebrae, like a hammer on a nail, it was terrifying, disturbing. painful. His consciousness started fading away. All he could do... was look back.....

...and scream his heart out.

A.F.T.E.R.M.A.T.H.

Finishing her job, she fleed the scene, forgetting her dagger deep inside his back. It was now 2AM. Pleiades coughed, grunted, making a strong effort to roll over on the cold, wet grass. He wanted to spend his final moments of consciousness facing the stars. His only sisters at the moment.

He knew he couldn't die. But he was still scared. Limbo was near. He didn't want to go to sleep. Especially for that long. He tried to inbreathe sharply, but was cut off by violent coughs. He didn't have the energy to even cry. The warrior kept his eyes open, and finally stopped struggling.

"He art not replying... he art not reachable... Just what hast thou gotten thyself into, mine brother..?!" Dero muttered to himself, scurrying across the dirt and rocks. His five eyes curved, expressing concern and frustration. His mouth partially covered by his grey-ish neck fur that now messily stuck out his cape.

Pleiades should've been back from the bar an hour earlier. His phone wasn't available and nobody who was still awake had heard from him. The dim light of the first quarter shone upon the forest, attributing to it a feeling of gloom and dread. It felt like a circle of darkness that only condensed and reduced the already miniscule amount of air. It was obscure, claustrophobic, haunting.

"PLEIADES! WHERE ART THOU, MINE FRIEND?! PLEIADES!!"

The Dark Matter called out loudly.

Still, no response, until he came across peculiar footsteps leading to a trail of golden blood. And he knew exactly who that belonged to.

Running in that same direction, he found himself even deeper inside the forest. Scurrying along, he again yelled: "PLEIADES?? I HATH BEEN LOOKING FOR THEE FOR SO LONG!! WHY ART THOU NOT RESPONDING TO MY CALLS?!" and, again, no answer. His worry only grew with the overwhelming suspense and quiet, that was so long as the moment he picked up on the putrid odor of flesh and venous and arterial fluids. He followed the scent, and finally saw Pleiades.

There lied on the earth Pleiades. Motionless. Cut up and down by the sharp blade that now emerged from his stomach. His eyes open, gazing into the nothingness. His chest flat, not a puff of air leaving his nostrils or mouth.

Dero's eyelids grew apart in shock. He gulped, then shakily exhaled, stuttering as he hurried to his injured sibling:

"..h-how....... wh...at..?"

"P...Pleiades, can you hear me.. ? ..PLEIADES..?!"

"nonononononononono.... no... NO!! Please, please hang in there... STAY STRONG..!! PLEASE..."

"just... just... please just..."

he fumbled with his words, as he bit into the knight's torn cape and lifted him over his shoulder, now noticing the handle of the seemingly familiar dagger on the other side of him, buried far inside his spine; the Dark Matter hicked in frustration and worry:

"just give me a sign... please.."

it was then that, as he cradled him, out of Pleiades came a wispy breath, and there he knew. He was still alive.

"Hang in there, mine brother. Hang in there." he whispered, before hurrying out of the forest, following the same path he used to reach it.

It was another night of work at Cookie Country's Medical Center, as Henri fixed his gloves and face mask, making his way across the white-tiled hospital corridors. Just then, he stumbled across Casipan, who was pushing a medical cart to another room. They looked at eachother for just a second, before Henri acknowledged:

"Do you need help with that? I wouldn't mind performing an extra operation tonight."

"Ah, uh, no, thank you! I was actually just putting these back."

"Oh! Alright! Tell you what, I'll go get us both something refreshing to drink, I was gonna buy another water bottle anyway."

"You're way too kind. Here, let me pa--"

"Nonono, I insist!"

"Fine, but I owe you one."

"Haha, now don't be ridiculous. I'll be back in just a minute."

"Sure."

Casipan joked:

"I swear, more than just a water bottle, we'd need some coffee! It's such a quiet night here today that I might just fall asleep!"

to which Henri replied by chuckling. Until--

"HELP!!!! SOMEONE HELP!!!! PLEASE, WE REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE!!!!!!!!!"

Dero cried in a muffled voice, barging into the hospital's hall, still carrying Pleiades.

Henri and Casipan looked at eachother with concern and determination and nodded, before hurrying towards the sound.

"Good Void...." Casipan froze upon discovering the source of panic, as Henri immediately ran past him to help, making him follow along.

"Casi, don't worry about this, I'll handle it. Just please go get me a stretcher." the creature nodded before running to the hallway once again.

"You were very brave, Dero. You were very brave--... Please take a deep breath now..." The doctor empathically encouraged, as the Dark Matter inhaled and exhaled rapidly from worry.

"...He will make it. I'm sure he will. Pleiades is a very strong man. He will make it."

"..I...shan..'t......'ve..... all..ow..e..d.......h...im....to....g..o.....d..ri..nk.....alo..ne....." he blurted out in-between each intake of air. Henri placed a hand on his cheek and rubbed its thumb on his face in a fatherly manner, before repeating, once again:

"He will make it."

Casipan reached the three of them with a stretcher before him. Henri quickly thanked him, before setting Ades onto the ground, crossing the unconscious warrior's four hands.

The medic adjusted the sheets and unfastened the straps, before bending the stretcher's metal legs and pushing it down to the floor. On the count of three they both lifted Pleiades and secured him on the hard mattress, then mounting the legs and wheels once again, before rushing to the ER, while Henri looked back at Dero one last time.

He could only sit (im)patiently in the waiting room as the hospital staff made calls to everyone else. Most of them couldn't reply. It was an ungodly hour, after all. Call after call, Dero's only thoughts were of how that could've happened, and why. Part of him was worrying about Dolly, too, but he knew she was safe at his sweet fiancé's house.

The hospital felt so quiet, he could've sworn he could hear the time ticking by with triggering low speed. The air was getting tense.

Ten minutes felt like an hour. Twenty felt like five. It was so maddening he eventually lost track of time, until, a while later, Twilight showed up, panting, as if they just ran a marathon.

"WHERE. IS. HE."

Dero looked over with his head down and his spine curved, completely ashamed. Despite how much he tried, the only thing he could force out of his mouth were mumbles and messy stutters.

Twilight looked at him with a defeated expression, before taking a seat and leaning on him.

"what even happened..? Why..?!"

"I'm sorry I hath not been there for him."

"I-It's not your fault, I just..... I don't have any words.."

"He'll be okay......... I know he will..........." Dero tried to convince himself, trying to drown out all those horrible thoughts.

"I hope so....... I really hope so, Dero."

They waited.

It was 3:37AM when Selene unexpectedly entered the hospital with a look of concern and confusion, walking slowly across the main hall until she spotted her two other relatives, then running in their direction.

"SELENE?! You should be asleep!!! What has gotten into you?!?" Twilight Knight rebuked, worried and dumbfounded.

"Well, I could say the same thing about you!! I don't even know why I came here!! Blossom just started crying in the other room and I went to check her out. Apparently she has a bad feeling something happened, and then I just... saw you were both here, and I decided to reach out to you. And, before you ask, you forgot to turn off your location." She explained as a worried and tired Blossom sat over her head, being only slightly hidden by the silvery fuzz of her antennae, but just enough that they had only noticed her now that she was being mentioned.

"Poor thing...." Dero whispered, then walking closer to the girls and kneeling down, offering Blossom his head, on which she climbed.

It was then that Selene had noticed the stains of golden blood on Dero's cape, freezing in shock then and there. Twilight checked in on her:

"Selene? Selene, are you okay??"

"Hello???"

They waved their hand in front of her face, before flicking their fingers and sternly calling:

"SELENE!!!"

And that yell was sufficient to remind her of how Farron used to catch her attention, except, it was usually followed by a slap or hit. She braced herself, but... the slap never came. Instead, a few gentle pats on the head.

"Everything alright, sis?" TK whispered soothingly.

".. mmyeah, yeah.... it's all good...."

"You sure?"

"..yeah..."

And, just then, they looked at her, before hugging her tight, and explaining.

"Pleiades got attacked. He was really badly hurt and.... unresponsive."

Her heart sank. Did she hear that right? Blossom started crying even more, inconsolable. Dero tried to soothe her like a father would with his baby, but, to mostly no avail. Selene almost started tearing up, mumbling:

"..bu..t..... I... th..ought.....A..des.......was............ I-I..thou..ght..... "

She always knew him as a strong and invincible man, so how could've this..?

The clock ticked. It was 3:46AM when, finally, the door to the ER was opened. They all ran torwards Casipan, the only doctor that came out of that room in that moment, sprinting across the hallway.

"Mister Casipan!"

"I'm sorry, Selene. It's a matter of mere seconds here and it could all be over."

He apologized, quickly walking past them.

The coldness in his tone suddenly reminded Twilight of how their mother used to treat them. They knew Casipan meant no harm, but, instinctively, they placed themselves before Selene, shielding her. She squeezed her brother's hand. They scuffed and backed down, wrapping her once again in a comforting embrace.

Dolly woke up feeling strangely lonely.

Usually, she would go to Dollmaker's room and wake her up for consolation, but, for some strange reason, it felt dangerous to do so tonight.

From under the pillow came out Alden, her guardian angel. With a soft and empathetic tone, he warned her:

"Dolly."

"Oh! Mister Alden!"

"I fear something... really bad happened to Pleiades.."

"Oh no..! Did he accidentally swap lunch with a stranger, and eat cabbage, and have an allergic reaction? Mister Pleiades doesn't like cabbage..."

"No, no... it's something far worse than that, sweet child.... I admire your innocence.."

"Did he stub his toe?"

"He got hurt.. that's certain...."

"Oh no! Is he okay?"

"I'm sorry for saying this... he's not okay. I don't know how much time will pass until you see him again."

The Doll got silent. Looking down. Pleiades was hurt?? Maybe that's why she felt lonely.

No.

Dolly doesn't want to be lonely.

Dolly wants to see Mister Pleiades again.

She's not going to be alone. Not again.

She immediately started rummaging through her toybox, looking for something, anything that could help. Until she found it.

A plushie Pleiades had gifted her for Christmas: it was in the shape of a cow, a baby pink color with yellow and blue splotches on it. Inspecting it closely, she found exactly what she needed.

A string of blue turquoise hair, trapped inside one of the two black button eyes. She carefully pried it free, before placing it on her bed as a working surface and taking out her crochet hooks. Now she would have her brother by her side for at least a little longer.

3:49AM. Twilight was hugging Selene tightly, as Blossom Slept, tucked inside Dero's cape collar, with dried tears on her cheeks. He simply shielded the small Waddle Dee with his head as a sign of comfort. Then he suggested to the other two, whispering: "why doth thou not head outside a few minutes for some fresh air while I wait? It could take thy mind off things, I'm sure."

"You're not coming?" asked the older moth.

"Afraid not. I would prefer to wait here anyway, just in case. Besides, she art resting so peacefully...." he replied, looking down at Blossom.

"Y'know... you remind me of how she would be with Ades. She's only slept so soundly with him...." Selene noticed.

"He.... he's going to be okay........... he would not leave her.. or us.." he replied.

"Alright... let's go, Selene." interrupted Twilight, guiding her to the hospital's parking lot.

"Full moon."

"It's.. haunting." they clenched their fists.

"The stars are so luminous, too...." Selene shuddered, recalling the night in which she ran away from the Mapop clan. The moon shone bright, the stars did too. It was all too familiar. Twilight put a hand on her back, patting it as comfort. They needed to be strong for the others, now that Ades wasn't there. They would have been the one to 'suck it up', and they didn't know if they could do it.

4AM. Dulciana sat on his bed. Trying to hold his hand as best as she could while the surgery carried on. Her heart was beating so fast. She wanted to cry. It was so painful seeing him like this. The ghost leaned forward and kissed his forehead, reassuring him, although unconscious, that she would've been there until he'd be back home safe and sound. And now she wouldn't ever leave his side. Not for one minute. Not for one second.

"I love you, StarBright."

4:10.

4:12.

4:15AM.

Henri finally opened the doors to the emergency room, Dero called the others.

The doctor sighed, before delivering the news:

"Sir Pleiades is not waking up."

their hearts were about to be crushed, imagining the worst, but he continued:

"We checked his pulse. His heart is still functioning perfectly fine."

"Although. His time of redevelopment is uncertain and therefore undetermined. We'll just have to pray he awakens as soon as possible."

Henri then reminded himself:

"This is the weapon we found stuck inside his torso. the cuts on his body all seem to match the length and width of its blade." he handed over the Seam Ripper.

"If you have any idea to who this might belong, your help would be greatly appreciated." he looked at Dero, who now appeared shocked and guilty.

"When could we visit him..?"

"Tomorrow. We still ought to move him to a safer, more comfortable and hygienic room. I suggest you all head back home to rest. I'll call you as soon as I can." he gave the usual fatherly smile, and so they silently walked back.

"Do not worry. He won't be alone. I'll be right beside him."

7:40AM. Fylass woke up. The chimera took a big stretch, before sleepily rubbing their eyes and checking their phone on their nightstand, and noticing they had a voicemail that was not yet read. Upon listening, the words they heard made them drop their phone on the floor.

"Hey Fy. How are you doing? Listen, this might really upset you. But Pleiades was brought to us tonight. He was fatally wounded, and... agh..... he's... he's in a coma."

Dero belongs to @monsterhatdoodles

Dollmaker and Dolly belong to @ilikesillythingswooo

Twilight Knight belongs to @that-fanperson-meg

Casipan and Selene belong to @moon-mage

Henri and Fylass belong to @george228732

Sir Pleiades and Blossom Dee belong to me :))