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Post by faultylogic on Mar 22, 2010 0:19:42 GMT -5
People yelling, machines breaking down, tempers flaring, each one trying to outdo the other in terms of noise, yet they're all unknowingly working together in some form of sadistic harmony. People actively try to avoid places like this, lest they slowly go insane from prolong exposure. So it comes to no surprise to Isaac when he found her dozing off in the hangar.
He took a step back and resealed the cockpit to the Petite before telling one of the mechanic, dangerously waving around his wrench, to leave off maintenance to the mobile suit until later. Once done, the mechanic return to his mad whirling dervish dance with his steel partner while Isaac decided to return back to the bridge. Even though it was his choice to leave her back on the hangar, he couldn't help but feel a bit lonely on his way back. After all, while it was rare to not see her on the bridge, it was even rarer to finally see her fall asleep. Correction, it was even rarer to see her like a normal person. He shrugged off that last thought as he stepped through the door of the bridge. The crew routinely gave their salute as Isaac made his way to the vice-captain seat.
"Did you find her, Izzy?"
Even without turning to look, he already knew who said those words. "Yes, she's asleep in the mobile suit. And don't call me that, we're still on duty."
A small female frame darted across his vision, followed by strands of long black hair. Her slender face ended up only a few inches from his. "Oh, if you want, I have tons of other name to call you, but those will have to wait til later." She twirled around until she was leaning over his shoulder. "Besides, the captain is finally asleep." She leans in even closer to his ear and whispers, "And you know what they say, when the cat is away..."
Isaac knew he was completely powerless against her, but he also didn't like to be teased like this when he's on duty. Thoughts of the many ways he planned to punish her flashed across his mind, but he quickly removed them from his head. Except for one, in which he decided to save for later... "Ensign Mao, while we are technically not a military ship, and don't have a proper hierarchy and procedure, we are still professionals. As such, I expect you to stop with your vulgar advances." He silently mouthed off 'for now'.
Smiling mischievously, she replied with a proper salute before returning back to her station. "So, shall we send someone down to wake up the captain?"
The line was spoken with so much sarcasm, it was hard for anyone in the room to miss it. But even so, they are professionals, and he replied it with as much tact of a professional as he could. "Stop joking around, we don't need another casualty around here."
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Post by faultylogic on Mar 22, 2010 19:44:28 GMT -5
People yelling, machines breaking down, tempers flaring, each one trying to outdo the other in terms of noise, yet they're all unknowingly working together in some form of sadistic harmony. Roslyn pressed her face into the palm of her hand as she realizes that she's dreaming. How else could she even think up such a horribly cheesy line. It was pitch black, but it was her dream and if she wills it, the lights will come on. Except it didn't... She realizes this is one of those dreams.
Fine, let's see what horrible nightmare my mind will dredge up this time.
She now realizes she lying on a bed, and if she's correct, the switch to the lights should be right around...
-click-
The room blazed up into an inferno, flames roaring around her, devouring everything. It slowly started to gather into one spot, coagulating into some bizzare form. As if alive, it turned toward her and opens its maw, revealing an infinite amount of teeth, spiraling toward its center, endlessly grinding the broken bodies and faces of very familiar people. Instead of the usual horrific roar, it lets out cries of anguish and sorrow. A moment later, a loud crack is heard as the monster is slammed hard against the wall while Roslyn was mercilessly pounding its head against the wall with her bare hands.
Around the fifth time the monster hits its head, it burst apart, igniting everything next to it, including Roslyn. The walls shattered into a thousand pieces of glass, then reformed into a giant mirror. In its reflection, it showed Roslyn on fire, with her flesh slowly melting away, revealing the pearly white bone beneath, which eventually turned into a dark charcoal color. The reflection of the skeletal Roslyn walked closer, it's arm reaching out, while endlessly crying out in pain. Roslyn took a step forward and head-butted her skeleton counterpart. If it had eyes, it would've been knocked out of its socket from the impact. It staggered a few steps back, but Roslyn grabbed its neck and head-butted again. Like the wall, it shattered into pieces and the entire room was suddenly in darkness once again.
Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned, only to stare at herself. Her doppelganger smiled back at her, before raising the gun in its hand and pointed at Roslyn. The smile turned into a grin, revealing the sharp pointed teeth, as it twisted its arm into an awkward angle and pointed the gun at its own head. Except it was now Roslyn that was pointing a gun at her own head, and without a warning, she pulled the trigger. The bullet barely grazed her forehead, a minor wound compared to the knife that was stabbed into her firing hand. Roslyn pulled back her left hand, with it, the knife as well. Regaining control of her right hand, she disgusting threw down her weapons and screamed at the darkness.
"Is that all you got? What's next, a mangle corpse of him as he strangles me?"
A very familiar voice spoke behind her. "Don't be ridiculous, I would never allow myself to look anything less than perfection, even if it's just a dream."
Wide-eyed in surprise, she turned around, only to be greeted by the sight of Isaac and Mao in the most obscene and vulgar scene she has ever seen.
Roslyn opened her eyes in shock, without any delay, she pressed the release to the cockpit and lurched out. Despite not having eaten anything for half the day, she hurled out the contents of her stomach onto the floor. She looked around and realize it was late and almost everyone in the hangar has turned in for the night. She got up onto her feet and nearly sprinted toward the bridge. When she got there, Isaac got up to greet her, only to be knocked back down with one swift punch. Before he could react to what just happened, Roslyn grabbed him by his collar and screamed, "Go and give me twenty laps around the ship."
Isaac began to protest and was about to ask why he was being punished when she interrupted him yet again with a sneer. "It's for the disgusting thing that you're about to do."
"Wha---" Then it suddenly hit him, the look of guilt spread across his face as his eyes dart between his captain and Mao. "But-, why-, how did you kn..." He suddenly shuts up, gets up and ran out of the room.
Roslyn straightened her uniform before striding over to her seat and sat down. She leaned into it while she looked around the room, returning any gazes at her with her own. The rest of the bridge crew suddenly returning back to their duty. She was about to sigh when she heard Mao's voice behind her. "Should've made it fifty laps, he's more open to ideas when he's tired." Roslyn then realize she forgot her gun back at the hanger.
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Post by faultylogic on Mar 23, 2010 22:37:02 GMT -5
The noise was starting to get unbearable as her headache was getting worse. She nearly stumbled a few times, but was able to stay on her feet. Whether it was for good or for ill, there was no one to help her nor to see her fall. She looked up and realize she was finally there and knocked on the door. Before she got to the third knock, she fell to her knees and wretch out the contents in her gut. The foul taste of bland whiskey and leftover Moo Goo Gaipan flooded her mouth and she felt like throwing up again, except there was nothing left to throw up. She felt a momentary breeze and looked up, staring at the face of a bored looking woman. Shaking her head, she lifted Roslyn onto her feet and dragged her inside the room.
The room was a nightmare, filth everywhere, unwashed cloths all over the place, spilled liquid on the floor. It's everything you imagine the infirmary to be. The other woman cleared away some of the trash from one of the bed and helped Roslyn onto it. She then wet a random cloth lying around with some water and placed it on her head. Despite the constant glare from Roslyn, the other woman stood next to her, looking right back.
"Fine" hissed out Roslyn, "I'll take your god-damn examination. Would you just-"
A -click- later, loud music flooded the insulated room and Roslyn's headache started to ease up. The music started to overtake the noises in her head. She peeked over to her right and saw Gwen now sitting in her chair, clipboard in hand. She sighs. "Fine, go on, ask your stupid questions."
"Name?"
Roslyn was regretting her decision already but replied nevertheless. "Roslyn O'Hara"
"Age?"
"You know this already!"
"Age?" She repeated.
"27"
"Feeling any pain or discomfort?"
"Why no, I'm feeling so good, I don't need to come to see you, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GODDAMN NIGHT WHILE THROWING UP IN FRONT OF YOUR DOOR!"
"Feeling any pain or discomfort?"
Roslyn stared angrily at the doctor while she looked bored back at her. After a long moment of silence between the two, Roslyn replied calmly, "I have a very painful headache and have been feeling uneasy."
"And what did I write on this clipboard?"
"I know you can read th-"Roslyn stopped herself, threw the cloth on her head away and was angrily getting up to leave. She felt someone's grip on her wrist and was thrown back onto the bed. She tried resisting, but there was no point, Gwen was the one that taught her Judo. She felt her arms locked into place and she was helpless.
"Stop resisting already, it's going to hurt you alot more in the end."
"Then what else can I do?" She screamed.
"For one thing, you can let me help you. Then maybe you can stop relying on loud noises to drown out the voices in your head."
Roslyn tried struggling a few more times, not that she had a chance to escape, but there was nothing else she could do. After a while, she just went limped and barely whisper out. "Please, don't do this. Otherwise, I'll start remembering..."
Gwen finally let go of her arms and got off of her. "Then remember. The past can't hurt you any-"
Roslyn is trembling now. "No, it does hurt. From the first time it happened and every time I try to focus, I feel it. The heat from the explosion, the sound of the gun, the moment the metal pierces the flesh and then the pain." She cringes in pain. "Everything he saw, hear, felt, at that moment, I felt it." Her eyes filled with tears and her voices comes out hoarser and hoarser. "His death became my death, and I can see it, feel it, live it, even now." She looks up at Gwen pleadingly. "So tell me doctor, when the past not only hurts, but can kill you, why should I try to remember it?" With those last words, she tipped over the side of the bed but was caught in time by Gwen. She held Roslyn in her arms before turning up the volume of the music. She leaned in and whisper to the unconscious Roslyn the only thing she can say.
"Because you must."
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Post by faultylogic on Mar 24, 2010 22:05:49 GMT -5
It was cold, dark and quiet, and under normal circumstances, Roslyn would be in pain and being forcing her way out. But not today. After that incident with Gwen, she realized she made a big mistake and have been avoiding her. What was once her source of pain is now her salvation. Avoiding the crowd made her headache worse but also meant it would be harder for Gwen to find her. She managed to evade her for a full day, but there was only so many places one can hide when you're actually trying to hide. So it didn't surprise her to see Gwen waiting outside of her petite mobile suit. They stared at each other silently in the empty hangar.
Roslyn would be the one to blink. "I shouldn't have told you anything." She got out of the mobile suit and pushed a path through Gwen. The sound of footsteps echoed behind her.
"I'm the doctor, I would've known eventually."
More footsteps later, it would be Gwen's turn to break the silence. "Fine, I won't talk about that. Can I at least finish up the physical?" Roslyn paused and glared at her, but the doctor was unfazed. "Or if you want, I can declare you unfit for duty and force you into my care."
Roslyn scoffs. "As if that mattered to my crew, everyone knows I'm unfit for duty."
"Except this time they have the legal right to shoot you if you resist."
They exchanged glares once more before Roslyn looks away dejected. "Fine, but it's going to be busy these next few days, so I won't be able..." The sound of instruments clinking made her stop and she realize Gwen bought her medical tools with her. "I can't win this, can I?"
"You never had a chance. No need to take off your shirt, just unbutton and untuck it."
Roslyn shakes her head in disbelief, but she complies nevertheless. She felt foreign hands touch her skin, but held her place and said nothing. She felt her shirt being lifted up and soon felt the cold touch of the stethoscope on her back. After a moment of the doctor scribbling something on the clipboard and reapplying the stethoscope, Gwen finally commented. "Want to tell me where you got these scars?"
Without another word, Roslyn pushed her away and hisses out, "This examination is over." But she barely took a step before Gwen grabbed her from behind, pushed against her knees and nearly slammed her against the nearby wall. She was pinned once again. "Let go of me! God-damnit to hell, Gwen, why can't you just leave me alone!"
She felt more pressure being applied to her back. "That wasn't what I asked. I said, where did you get these scars."
"You know where. Everyone knows where. The whole damn world knows where. Why are hell are you asking me?"
"I said tell me!"
After what felt like an eternity, Roslyn finally stopped struggling and was peering out of the corner of her eyes, gazing at her captor with hatred. Finally, she whispers through her clenched teeth. "Three times..."
As if interviewing a criminal, Gwen pressed further. "Three times what?"
"Shot." Silence... After a moment, Roslyn was visibly shaken and shivering, but she still continued, her voice sounding weaker as she does so. "I woken up after the first time I died." She cringed at the word. "I couldn't take it, they were armed and stronger, but I couldn't let the people that killed me once get away. I waited and attacked, a struggle, and I was pushed away. Then..." She struggled to continue but only silence... There was nothing more to say.
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Post by faultylogic on Mar 25, 2010 22:13:46 GMT -5
Roslyn was shivering, the room was far from cold, but she was shivering. She wanted the day to be over already, have everything just simply disappear, but life is cruel, and has shown many times to have a twisted sense of humor. She lifted her head slightly and saw that Gwen was still there, looking right back at her.
She wanted to tell her to go away, to summon whatever last vestige of her courage and just yell at her, but she's too tired, too weak. She has nothing left to rely on. She hoarsely whispered out, "Why? Why are you doing this to me?"
"I'm not doing anything to you."
"Liar."
Even in this grim situation, Gwen still managed to smirk. "I'm not. Just because I asked, doesn't mean you had to answer. It's your past, your memories, nothing I can do or say can stop you from remembering or saying what happened." She looked at her pitifully. "In the end, you wanted to tell me, all I'm doing is listening."
Roslyn was grinding her teeth and managed to hiss disapprovingly at her.
Gwen wrapped her arms around her chest. "Don't look at me that way. Of all the people you could've went to for help, you came to me. The one you've been avoiding ever since I came on board." She leaned in and place a reassuring hand on Roslyn's shoulder. "Just a bit more, and then it's over." Roslyn tried to shake the hand off, but it was a half-hearted attempt at best. She really did just want this to be over, but it's this last step that was the hardest. The one that she felt the most guilt about. But it must be done, all journeys must come to end and so must this story.
"After..." She hesitated as the memories came flooding back. She looked over at Gwen and took one last breath, and continued. "After I was shot, I went into shock. I was dying and the man was coming to finish me off. Then, I heard a familiar voice and before I knew it, he leap on top of me and took the knife that was meant for me." She paused and looked at Gwen. "He was a good man, he didn't have to do that. He would've survived."
"What kind of doctor would he be, had he given up and didn't try to save your life?"
Roslyn couldn't help but smile weakly. "Yeah, that's the man he is, despite being a little rough around the edges." The smile slowly disappeared and she was solemn again. "After he was stabbed, they bought us to the cargo hold, thinking we were going to die soon... They were going to flush our corpses out with the others they found." She clenched her fist in anger. "But we were not dead, or at least the doctor wasn't. That bastard use the knife in his gut to remove the bullets out of my back and wasted his good vodka from his canteen to disinfect my wounds. That tough son of a bitch really is one tough son of a bitch. And he saved my life, but..." She bit the lower end of her lip, trying her hardest to continue. "But in the end, because he was trying to save me, his own wound gotten worse. I was barely conscious myself, but even still, as he lied there dying, his insides bleeding out of his wound, he still gave me words of encouragement. All I could do at the moment was whimper and be useless."
They both stayed silent, a brief moment of silence as respect to the fallen doctor. After that, Gwen asked, "So, how did you escape?"
"How else? There was some escape pods that needed to be repaired and the crew was lazy and never brought them back to their original places. We weren't the cleanliest of people so the pirates thought the escape pods were junk. When they finally sucked the stuff in the cargo hold out into space, I was inside the pod and drifted away to safety, hidden with the piles of real junk." She heard Gwen gasped but reassured her. "Don't worry, by then, everyone in the cargo hold was dead already." She looks up, her face completely drained of energy. "So tell me, why in hell would I want to tell you this? Why would I want to tell people that I died twice and caused the death of one of my closest friend? Tell me, Gwen, TELL ME!"
Gwen shakes her head, "I don't know. I really don't know." She placed her fingers on her mouth, deep in thought. A sudden flash of curiosity filled her eyes and she asked, "What are you whispering under your breath?"
Roslyn looks a bit confused, "What? I'm not whis-" When she realizes Gwen was being serious, she shut her mouth and notice her lips were moving. Then it hit her. "Oh, that. Those are the last words the doctor told me before he..." Guilt caught the last of her words in her throat and she didn't finish her sentence.
"Can I hear it?"
"Why would..., I don't care, I just want it to be over. But I was barely conscious at the time." She closed her eyes and slowly recited the doctor's last words. "Don't feel sorry for me, I chose this for myself. How can I let you die just so I can live? Be strong, and live your lives to the fullest, that's all I ask. Go now. And goodbye." She took a deep breath and slowly open her eyes. "There, are you happy now? I've told you everything, so please, don't ask-"
"What did he meant by 'lives'?"
Roslyn was caught off-guard by her words. "What do you mean by that?"
"That's what I would like to know. You said that his final words are 'live your lives to the fullest'. Why did he say lives and not life?"
"Who cares? I probably misspoke, it's not as if there was someone el-" Her voice caught in her throat as something clicked in her mind. As if someone finally turned on the lights in her mind, she fully remembers what happened that day. What the doctor had told her while he was operating on her. She wanted to continue, but words aren't coming out of her mouth. Her vision was starting to get blurry, she was scared, but she also felt something she has not felt in a long time. Joy. She felt Gwen come over and wipe the tears from her eyes and she was finally able to continue, words coming out in between sobs. "Was in office with him. Attacked. Stop her. Knocked her out. Brought her to cargo hold. Placed in pod. Then went looking for others." She held onto Gwen for support and realizes the truth. "Someone else aboard the ship is still alive and also escaped." Yes, the horrible, twisted and humorous truth. "Maria is alive and I've left her all alone!"
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