Chapter Text
Comatose.
Stelle's eyes opened, vision hazy. A stinging sensation ringing throughout her body, it was like she was on fire. Burning alive. Her head pounding repeatedly, eyes darting around the room, each breath she took more laboured and shaky.
She couldn't move. It was like she was paralysed, completely frozen from head to toe - although she could still see, her movements were limited to frantic blinks, her eyes bouncing around in their sockets.
It was as if she was in a form of sleep paralysis, her body unmoving with her mind sharp. But this was no dream - the pain that rang throughout her body was proof of that. She was knocked out cold for hours on end to wake up. Frozen.
Squelch.
A wet noise filled her ears, along with another wave of unbearable pain. She looked down, her eyes widening at the sight - a parasitic limb attached right at her abdomen it's razor like proboscis going around in rings as it feasted on her stomach. She could clearly see the leech-like parasite's body grow in size with every contraction it made, her blood seeping out from the sides of its mouth, pooling onto her sheets.
The scene was gory, she could see her own intestines hanging out from a pre-bitten hole on her stomach, her organ dripping with her own blood her lower half painted with red.
No wonder she couldn't move. Her blood was drained nearly to completion - her being awake was a miracle, but she would either be dead soon or pass out for severe blood loss.
Everything went dark.
Stelle tried to move, but was met with the same feeling of paralysis as before. Her body felt heavy, like every muscle was screaming at her. She couldn't lift her head, couldn't even wiggle her fingers. She could barely even blink, her eyelashes fluttering against the harsh lights of the infirmary.
Her eyes darted about, trying to make sense of the fuzzy shapes around her. The room seemed to spin around her, the voices and noises sounding muffled, like she was underwater. Her brain was so frazzled, even the simplest of thoughts seemed to elude her.
Her eyes moved quickly around the infirmary, taking in the surroundings. She was no longer in her room, but instead on a flat hospital gurney, a pair of soft white linens covering her below the waist. A few medical staff - IPC nurses, she noted - were in the room, and she could hear their voices raised in concern and confusion, although their words were difficult to make out through her haze of semi-consciousness and pain. The air in the infirmary was heavy with tension, and she could feel all eyes on her as she slowly returned to consciousness.
"What..." Stelle muttered, her throat dry and her voice barely above a whisper. She attempted to push herself up, but her arms trembled, unable to support her weight. She winced in pain, a sharp jolt running through her abdomen.
"Hey, careful!" A masculine voice cut through the air, firm but with an underlying hint of concern. "You shouldn't be moving so much, you're still weak."
Stelle's eyes flickered in the direction of the voice, making out the faint outline of someone standing over her. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the light, he began to come into focus - tall, broad-shouldered, with brown hair white streaks peaking out at the front.
Welt Yang, she realized. The train's resident oldtimer and pseudo-mechanic. His serious expression softened as he met her gaze, his eyes scanning her face with a mixture of concern and relief.
"How do you feel?" Welt asked gently, placing a cool hand against her forehead, checking her temperature.
Stelle turned her head towards the owner of the voice, looking around the room eyes landing on Dan Heng, whose sharp gaze seemed to assess the situation. He was standing next to her bed, arms crossed and expression taut. To his side was Pom Pom, their face etched with worry and confusion.
The nurses stood at the edges of the room, hovering closely as they waited for further instructions. One by one, Stelle recognized the other voices in the room - March 7th, Welt Yang, and Himeko.
Stelle tried to speak, her throat raw as she struggled to form words. She wanted to ask what had happened, what was going on, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper.
Welt, sensing her struggle, leaned closer, his voice dropping to a softer tone. "Don't try to talk if you can't, just rest."
Dan Heng, who had been studying the readings on the medical monitors, spoke up. His voice was measured and controlled, as usual.
"According to the readings, her vitals are stable. Though her heart rate's a bit elevated."
March 7th, ever the worrywart, stepped closer, gently taking Stelle's hand in hers and giving it a light squeeze.
"You scared us there, Stelle. Out cold for hours..." she said, her voice laced with worry. Her usually cheerful demeanor was replaced by a visible relief at seeing her friend awake.
"We found you in your room, unconscious. You almost gave us a heart attack." March said shaking her head.
Himeko who had been standing in the background, quietly watching, finally spoke, her eyes studying Stelle closely. Himeko stepped closer to the bed, her red eyes fixated on Stelle. Her expression was cool and composed, but there was a flicker of concern in her gaze as she observed the young Trailblazer.
"Your condition was critical when we found you," Himeko stated, her voice steady. "You were in shock. Your vitals were erratic and your body... was covered in wounds."
Stelle's eyes widened at Himeko's words, confusion and shock washing over her. Wounds? What kind of wounds? Was that why she was paralyzed?
Welt leaned back, his expression grave as he let out a long sigh. He looked over at Himeko, a silent exchange passing between them. The air in the room was heavy, the tension palpable.
"We managed to stabilize her, but..." Welt paused, his gaze shifting towards Stelle. "There were traces of Stellaron energy within her system. Her body was going into shock, like something was trying to pull her apart from the inside."
March 7th, still holding Stelle's hand, let out a gasp. Welt's expression hardened, the concern on his face deepening. Even Dan Heng's composure seemed to falter for a moment, his eyebrows knitting together ever so slightly, a sign of hidden perturbation on his usually expressionless face.
"Wounds? What kind of wounds, Himeko?" Dan Heng asked, his tone laced with urgency.
Himeko sighed, her gaze flicking over Stelle's paralyzed form, her eyes pausing on her abdomen - concealed by the linens.
"They were... bite marks. But not any ordinary bites," Himeko said quietly, her eyes fixated on Stelle's abdomen. "They were deep and... unnatural. It's like something tried to tear through her skin."
Stelle's eyes widened once more, her mind struggling to wrap around the words. Bite marks? Something tried to tear her apart? But what?
Welt's face contorted, a mixture of anger and disbelief written on his features. March 7th's grip on Stelle's hand tightened a fraction, her eyes locked on the linens covering Stelle's abdomen.
Dan Heng's jaw tightened, his body going taut. The room fell silent, save for the soft whirring of the medical monitors, the only source of sound. The nurses in the room exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions reflecting the same disbelief and concern.
Himeko's gaze was still fixated on Stelle's abdomen, her gaze unwavering. "Welt, Dan Heng, May I speak to you in private?" she said, her voice low and serious. The two men nodded wordlessly, their eyes lingering on Stelle for a moment before following Himeko out of the room, leaving March 7th alone with Stelle.
The door closed softly behind Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng, leaving Stelle and March 7th alone in the infirmary. Pom Pom had quietly disappeared somewhere, leaving only the two of them in the suddenly quiet room.
March 7th let out a shaky breath, finally breaking the silence. She slowly pulled up a chair, sitting down next to Stelle's bed. Her grip on Stelle's hand was tight, as if she was holding on for dear life.
"Stelle..." she started, her voice a shaky whisper. "What happened to you?"
Stelle wanted to respond, to say something, anything. But her vocal chords refused to cooperate, her speech still a hoarse whisper. She swallowed hard, her throat dry. Despite the fear and confusion coursing through her, she tried to give March a reassuring smile, her eyes flicking down to their joined hands. It was all she could manage.
Words were stuck in Stelle's throat. Her mind was a muddled mess, confusion and shock mixing around inside her head. She wanted to say something, to explain things to March 7th - but the only sound that came out was a raspy breath.
March 7th seemed to understand her friend's struggle and continued in a softer, reassuring tone.
"Hush... It's okay If you can't speak. Don't strain yourself. Just... nod or shake your head. Can you do that for me?"
Stelle nodded weakly, the movement barely perceptible. She tried to keep her expression neutral, even as the fear and confusion continued to swirl inside her. But her eyes, wide and uncertain, betrayed her inner turmoil.
March 7th, however, continued to hold her hand, her thumb running soothing circles over her knuckles.
"Okay... okay. They're probably going to ask a lot of questions later, but for now... I just want to understand what happened. Okay?"
Stelle managed another small nod, waiting for her friend's next question.
The scene was... strange. Like a hazy dream, as if it wasn't entirely real. She remembers falling through a dark void. A voice echoed through the void, but she couldn't remember its words clearly, only the tone and the feeling of dread that came along with it. She tried to focus on the memory, her brow furrowing in concentration, but it slipped away like smoke through her fingers.
A sharp, stabbing pain came out of nowhere. She couldn't tell where it came from, the memory was too vague, but the sensation was stark and clear in her mind.
Stelle's expression darkened, her mouth set in a thin line. She tried to force the memory to come into focus, willing herself to remember more, but the memory seemed to slip further and further away.
Stelle tried to communicate this to March 7th, her gaze flicking between March's face and their joined hands. She gave a small shake of her head, a silent 'no', her expression apologetic.
March's face fell, disappointment clear on her features. But she quickly tried to school her expression, not wanting to upset Stelle further.
"It's alright," March 7th assured her, her grip on Stelle's hand tightening gently. "Don't force yourself. We'll figure it out."
She paused, taking a deep breath, a thousand questions dancing on the tip of her tongue. But instead, she decided to focus on the present. On the only evidence they had at hand - the wounds on Stelle's abdomen.
She stared for a moment, her gaze fixed on Stelle's expression. The young Trailblazer looked... different. There was a weariness in her eyes that hadn't been there before, a sort of silent fear that was hard to pinpoint.
There was a moment of silence, the room once again filled only with the soft beeping of the monitors. March's eyes flicked towards the closed door, as if expecting Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng to return any minute now.
Stelle's gaze followed March's glance towards the door, her heart skipping a beat. She could hear muffled voices coming from outside, the low tones of the three discussing something. She longed to know what they were saying, what they were discussing behind that door.
She felt... vulnerable in this state. Paralyzed and weakened, her body exposed under the linens. She struggled against her paralysis again, frustrated with her immobility. The pain had subsided somewhat, but her mind was clearer than before, the fog of shock starting to slowly lift.
Before she could dwell on this any further, the creaking of the door snapped her attention back to the present. Himeko, Welt, and Dan Heng re-entered the room, closing the door softly behind them.
Himeko's expression was carefully neutral, her eyes assessing Stelle with a clinical precision. Welt and Dan Heng seemed somber, their faces lined with concern. They exchanged a quick glance, as if having an unspoken conversation, before turning their attention back to Stelle and March.
Welt, ever the diplomat, was the first to break the silence.
"How is she?" he asked, his voice measured but tinged with concern.
March shrugged, her eyes flickering from Stelle to the three of them and back.
"Still... out of it. She can't move," she said, "And her voice is barely above a whisper. But she's conscious, and she can understand what we're saying."
Himeko's eyes remained fixed on Stelle, studying her intently. Her expression was calculating, as if she was trying to piece together a puzzle.She then spoke up, her voice firm but controlled. There was a seriousness to her tone that hadn't been there before.
"Stelle,"
She began, her eyes locked with her. "We need to ask you some questions, and we need you to answer honestly. Do you understand?"
Stelle managed a small nod in response. She had known this was coming. She shifted her gaze from one companion to the other, her mind racing. What did they want to know? Which questions were they going to ask? How was she supposed to answer, paralyzed and incapacitated like this?
She tried to clear her throat again, her voice a raspy whisper as she spoke.
"I'll... try."
Welt and Dan Heng exchanged another glance, seemingly satisfied with her response. Himeko took a step forward, her gaze still fixed on Stelle.
"Good," she said, her voice even and professional. "We need you to concentrate and answer to the best of your ability. We're only trying to figure out what happened."
She paused, her gaze unwavering. The air in the room was thick with anticipation, Himeko's gaze almost like a physical weight.
"Let's start with the simplest question. Do you remember anything before you lost consciousness?"
Stelle tried again, her mind grasping at any detail it could find. Images, sensations, impressions... there were so many fragmented memories floating through her mind, but none were fully formed. It was like trying to remember a dream right after waking up. The more she focused on them, the more they slipped away.
She closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her voice was a low, raspy whisper as she spoke.
"It's all... hazy," she managed. "I can't... I can't remember clearly. Pieces... everything is pieces.. the only thing I... felt was pain," she whispered.
"I remember... pain. A sharp, burning pain... in my stomach."
Welt's gaze flickered down to Stelle's stomach at her words, his expression almost somber. March fidgeted nervously, her hand still gripping Stelle's, her eyes on the bandages that wrapped around her friend's abdomen.
There was a long pause, the room deathly silent as they all processed the information. Himeko was the one to finally speak up. Her voice was quiet, but her eyes were steely as she looked at Stelle.
"You said you felt pain... in your stomach. Can you show us where, exactly? Gently press your fingers there."
Stelle's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat at Himeko's request. The implication of her words was clear. Himeko wanted her to touch her own abdomen. To feel the injury again.
She could see March's eyes widen as well, her grip on Stelle's hand tightening slightly. Her expression was a mix of fear and concern.
"B-But she's injured!" March quipped, swiveling her head to face Himeko wide eyed, worry plastered all over her face. Dan Heng placed his hand on her shoulder giving her a reassuring look, placing his trust in Himeko successfully managing to get March to calm down just enough to continue on.
Stelle took a trembling breath. She knew she didn't have a choice. Slowly, she raised her free hand, her fingers hovering over her abdomen. She knew what she was going to find. She swallowed hard, bracing herself.
Despite this, she slowly shifted in her bed, trying to adjust herself. With a shaky exhale, she reached a trembling hand down to her stomach. Her fingers hovered over the bandaged area for a moment before slowly, gently, making contact with the spot.
An intense shock of pain shot through her body as her fingers made contact with her stomach. The intensity was so strong that Stelle couldn't help but let out a low, strangled gasp, her body tensing up, almost as if trying to shrink away from her own touch.
The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was a burning, stabbing, aching pain, all at once, as if her stomach was on fire. Her eyes were clenched shut, her teeth gritted. She could feel beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead, the pain was overwhelming.
March, Welt, and Dan Heng all watched in a mixture of shock and horror as Stelle's body convulsed in pain at her own touch. March's grip on her hand tightened even more, her hand shaking along with Stelle's. Welt's face was expressionless, but there was a fire in his eyes, a mixture of anger and something she couldn't quite name.
Dan Heng was the one to speak up, his voice low and steady, despite the tension in the room.
"Himeko," he said, his eyes flicking towards her. "What do you think?"
Himeko's eyes flicked back to Stelle, a flicker of concern passing over her features. She reached out, her fingers gently taking hold of Stelle's wrist, and lifted the young woman's hand off her abdomen.
She didn't answer Dan Heng immediately. Her eyes scanned Stelle's face, studying her expression, the beads of sweat on her forehead, her clenched teeth. Her gaze then flicked down to her abdomen - the bandages wrapped around it, concealing whatever was underneath.
Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet, but firm.
"I think... we need to assess the damage."
Welt's brows furrowed at Himeko's statement, his eyes flicking up to meet hers.
"You're suggesting we remove the bandages?" he asked, already knowing the answer. "To look at her injury..."
Dan Heng nodded in agreement, his features schooled into a mask of professionalism, although his eyes betrayed his concern. March, on the other hand, looked both scared and angry, her grip on Stelle's hand almost painful.
Himeko nodded in reply to Welt's question, her expression unwavering.
"It's the only way to know the full extent of her injury," she stated, her tone leaving no room for disagreement. "We need to assess the damage before we can talk about any kind of treatment."
She then looked at March, whose grip on Stelle's hand was almost white-knuckled. Her voice softened slightly.
"March... I need you to step away for a moment."
March looked up at Himeko, her eyes wide and scared. She shook her head vehemently, not letting go of Stelle's hand.
"No." She said, her voice firm. "I'm not leaving her. I'm not going anywhere."
Welt and Dan Heng exchanged a look. Dan Heng stepped forward, placing a hand on March's shoulder once again.
"March," he said quietly. "You need to step out for a moment. We need to do a clinical assessment. This is for Stelle's own good."
March resisted, her eyes wide in protest. She opened her mouth to say something, probably to protest, but Himeko cut her off with a firm look.
Reluctantly, March let go of Stelle's hand, her hands clenching into fists at her side. She stepped away from the bed, her eyes never leaving Stelle.
The air in the room seemed to grow thicker as they watched March step away from the bed. Stelle could feel the loss of her friend's touch deeply.
Welt moved towards the table where various supplies were neatly laid out. He picked up a pair of scissors and turned towards Himeko.
"Let's do this," he said, handing her the scissors.
Himeko nodded, her eyes firmly fixed on Stelle. She approached the side of the bed, scissors in hand. Himeko's expression was clinical, her movements precise as she prepared to remove the bandages.
She reached out, her fingers gently grasping the edge of the bandage. She looked up at Stelle's face, gauging her reactions.
"This might be painful," she warned, her voice calm but firm. "But I need you to stay calm, and try not to move, okay?"
As the last layer of bandages peeled back, the three others in the room visibly stiffened upon seeing the true extent of Stelle's injury. It was worse than anything they could have prepared themselves for.
What was revealed was a grotesque wound upon Stelle's abdomen. A large, dark mass was embedded into her stomach region, pulsating a sickly greyish-black color. Around the edges of the wound, the skin was ragged and torn, as if something had been forced into her abdomen.
The sight was gory, and it took them a moment to collect themselves.
Welt's face paled, his eyes widening.
"By the stars..." he mumbled under his breath, an expression of horror etched on his face.
Dan Heng's jaw dropped, his eyes fixed on the incision. A grim look fell upon his features. Himeko, on the other hand, remained composed, albeit a bit paler as she continued to uncover the injury.
"It's an infection..." Dan Heng murmured.