It was dark. That’s as far as he could tell... Marron put his hands in front of him and tried to feel for something to hold onto, afraid he would trip... Why was it so dark? He couldn’t see an inch in front of his nose. He gingerly took a step forward, keeping his arms stretched out in front of him, his hands groping at the inky blackness for something... anything...He took another step...then another...when would this end? Marron shivered as a sudden breath of cold air swept over him. It was so cold...his skin felt strange...he couldn’t feel the edge of his kimono sweeping against his ankles as he walked...no fabric from his baggy sleeves rested upon his outstretched arms...the sash that was normally wrapped securely around his middle was absent as well...why was he not wearing clothes? His knees locked together and his arms wrapped themselves instinctively around his bare chest...his heart was beating like a jackhammer against his ribs and oddly enough, he could hear it...it was all around him... His breathing had shifted into harsh panting and every breath resonated in his ears. His shivering had intensified and tremors raced up and down his slender body...it was so cold and dark...he was frightened. “Where am I?” he whimpered, his voice echoed in an eerie melody, bouncing off walls that didn’t exist, “Brother...Tira...Gateau...someone help me, please...” Marron rubbed his arms as the air grew steadily colder. His heartbeat quickened with fear, “I’m so scared...” he breathed, not daring to move from the spot he’d firmly planted his feet on...”Somebody HELP ME!” He finally cried. All of a sudden, he wished he hadn’t...he yelped in surprise as something grabbed his ankle. As he tried to yank out of the grasp of whatever was holding him, something seized his arm. “No! Let go of me! Please!! Let me GO!!!” But soon he was held fast by many of the...things? He had no clue what they were, but their grip was cold, like ice. His breaths came in rasps as the air suddenly grew thick...he couldn’t breathe...he coughed frantically, trying to get air to his pleading lungs. Marron thought he could faintly hear familiar voices around him...saying things like
“Oh god, he’s not breathing,” and “Uh oh, he’s gonna hurl again...”
One voice, louder than the others seemed to be shouting into his ear, “Breathe, Marron, just breathe!” He wanted to cry out that he couldn’t, but he lacked enough breath to do so. Then, all of a sudden, something was blocking his windpipe all together... He felt a fire inside of him, burning him, creeping up his throat and licking at his insides. It was as if the Phoenix herself was trapped within him and was forcing her way out...
“Get the bucket, quick!”
“EEEEUUUUUGHH!!!” Marron moaned as the burning sensation erupted in his mouth, and as soon as it had come, it left...
“Ooops, too late...”
Marron’s eyes flickered open and he momentarily shut them again as the sun’s rays stung them cruelly. A dull ache throbbed in the back of his head, his stomach felt fluttery and a foul taste clung to the inside of his mouth. He was terribly thirsty, but lacked the strength to request a drink. Recognition swam into his head...he was lying on his side, cradled by something that he could tell was not a chair, but otherwise, he was clue less to what it was. He felt a coarse material all around him and concluded that he was wrapped in a blanket and no longer clothed in his traditional white silk kimono. He clutched at the blanket for warmth as he listened to the voices around him...
“I’ll go get you a towel, Gateau.”
“Yeah, man, I won’t recommend wearing those pants ever again.”
“I still can’t believe he actually drank it...I mean, him of all people...it just doesn’t seem right.”
“Yeah but what surprises me is not what’s gone into that body, but what’s come out of it...in all my life, I’ve never seen anyone throw up that much!”
“Yep,” Marron heard a familiar deep and oddly comforting voice by his ear, and then felt calloused fingertips stroking his hair, “poor guy. Your brother is one sick puppy, I’ll tell you that much.”
Marron felt a nausea blanket his stomach and his chest heaved.
“Uh oh, he’s gonna do it again...” Strong hands shifted Marron’s body so that he was sitting hunched over. He choked on the horrid taste of his own bile as he vomited again. Someone patted him gently on the back as he coughed and sputtered. When he was able to breathe again, the same strong hands pulled him back into a more relaxed position. He decided to try opening his eyes once more... The world was dim and blurry, but from Marron’s vantage point, he could see a pair of kind blue eyes looking down at him and he realized he must be lying in his warrior team mate’s lap.
“Gateau...” he whispered vaguely just before unconsciousness claimed him again.
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