Entanglement

[Flamebird]

What sort of mental illness was manipulating Yvonne’s head? What was this madness? Why did she come back? What was driving her to help this wretch survive another pathetic day? What was this insanity that made her cling to her back as if her life force was bound to hers? Why did she stay? Did Yvonne not see her for the animal she was?

Felicity was not used to this. How should she respond?

Most people she knew could not handle her – or simply did not care. Her own country of origin scoffed or plotted murder against her. She was an unplanned, unwanted child of an unfortunate, unwilling mother who instantly turned her back on the product of shame. Her uncle, and her cousin, they brought her up – only to die the most tragic of deaths. Her alchemy teacher, who gifted her her berserk powers, was slowly unwinding as a psychopath. Her older sister figure and teacher became the Executioner of the Wicked, wanted in all but few countries for the crimes she committed against other criminals. Her sister, her mentor, then turned to abuse her…

A select few people ever gave her this… this… was this pity? Compassion? Love? It had been so long between the pockets of time she was lucky enough to feel loved, she almost forgot what it was like. Now, only her older brother figure Nevin gave her this real, vulnerable consideration. Even then, her unrealistic, warped insecurities on whether or not he truly cared – or just saw her as a cool science project – clanged like gongs in her head. They were irrational, but with a history like Felicity’s were these fears uncalled for? Yvonne was one of the select few. What vile action was this? What form of bond was this?

Felicity tried to push her away, but Yvonne did not move. She threw her temper tantrums and had her fits. Yvonne stood firm. Felicity hurdled outcries and screams her way. Yvonne did not budge. She was not nearly as physically strong as Felicity, but through sheer willpower and mental might she wrestled Felicity down, exhausted her. Yvonne finally won. Out of breath, out of energy, out of power, Felicity took quick, heavy breaths as Yvonne defiantly wrapped her wound. Regardless of the pain, regardless of anything and anyone… Yvonne stayed.

After long last, a chilled, relieving silence took over the room.

As Yvonne tightened the bandages, Felicity remembered her words, echoing through her mind. In a faint, timid whisper, the child warned her in remorseful tears. Her lisp came back as the drained girl shivered, “You haven’t seen any-ing near -e monst'a inside ’a me. I assure you… You hav'n’t seen ‘e wo'st of…”

Her vision was splotched with black spots as the girl silently sobbed, “You have no idea what you' get'n into… hewping me…”

…

“But fank- fa- ... thank you. So much..."

The last of her energy crashed through the floor. Combined with her physical, mental, and emotional stress, she was finally finished off. As Yvonne finished helping in the binding of her physical wound – and the start of the much deeper one beneath – she lost consciousness. Lost within the entanglement of all these emotions, difficulties, and obstacles, she was beaten. Her loaded eyes fell shut, locked down.