Lifes not fair, is it love??

And thrown in a field of dahlia

Marigolds bloom from your skin 

But monkshood grow in your lungs and walls

It was dark for a long time.

Time doubled and over lapped in a spiralling intoxicating pressure of panic, panic, let him out, out, please I cant breathe I can't, I can't-

Vector could feel Hue desperately trying to wriggle and snag his attention, but everything was so quiet, yet so, so unbearably loud, and everything was wrong, and horrible and no, no, no! His skin felt like it was crawling and he wanted to tear everything off because it was too itchy and sitting on his skin like sandpaper and his mind was spinning and spinning and spinning like he was on a spiral and he wanted out, off, stop! His blood roared and hissed and crackled, and his brain was thrown through a hoop back and back and back further-

They didn't know they could, a childish argument it was. Small squeaking voices of upsetness and Vector was upset to tears, yelling that they didn’t want to be a princess because they were pretty and pink! Alex made a shrill angered sound, and slammed his foot down, making a sharp gesture as he angrily yelled at Vector for making his sister cry, and before Vector could yell back, there was a wet pop.

And then silence. 

And then there were screams, and crying and pain, red hot, ow, ow their sorry! Make it stop, it burned, it burned!!!!!

Vector screamed, and then his hair was being tugged and pulled and he coiled up tightly, and screamed again-

“Shit! V, hey, hey, no don't look at them-” soft pale skin, paler than the moon, bright eyes of blue and odd, unique purple hair. 

Vector wailed at the memory, wanting him here, with them, to hold them and protect them because everything is so fucking wrong and nothing was right,

“Just breathe. In, and out. You only need to breathe Vector.”

Breathe. Breathe. Just. Breathe. Vector's breathing was the only thing that could be heard for a while, whooping inhales and ragged sobbed-filled exhales, his face a messy stream of sticky tears and snot. Hue was next to his head, patting his forehead with their tiny paws. He sniffed, calming, and then there was a whirl of gears, and HANDS WERE ON HIM- 

Vector screamed, and thrashed like he got electrocuted, and shoved, snatching up Hue and pushing them somewhere, hide them, he couldn't lose them- into the first hollow in the wall he could find, booting the Being, Beast???? Thing in the face as hard as he could, signing one word Hue knew- ‘Stay!’

CRACK

Vector's scream went from terrified to pained, bolts of dull aching pain just below their rib cage racing through his body. Vector wheezed, pained huffs, and fell limp, praying that not moving would mean they- whoever they were, wouldn't hurt him again. He could see Hue hidden out of reach in the crack in the wall, shuffling in worry, and Vector coughed on lack of air, tears and pain, offering them a shaky smile, and pulled his arms in, discreetly signing once more, ‘Stay.’ He prayed this Being didn’t know sign. 

Vector jolted as someone grabbed his ankles and dragged him, and he didn't fight it. They were armed, and Vector couldn’t fight back. He remained as still as possible, although every movement caused his body to protest painfully, more tears forming from his glazed blood-muddy brown eyes and leaving a small trail of droplets behind, and he watched as the room he was in was sealed off, trapping Hue inside. Now I'm really alone…. He thought miserably, and exhaled a whimper when breathing hurt too much. 

The halls all looked the same, and his panic made his head throb and chest ache, focus spinning, so he squeezed his eyes shut, and focused on breathing. After what felt too quick to be possible, the dragging stopped. “Did you kill him?” came a familiar voice, dry and slightly annoyed. Very familiar. Vector knew his species was known for their violent ‘self defence’. But he had never experienced it before. Before the one that probably had been dragging him could answer, Vector flicked himself over and bolted up right, teeth bared in a furious howl of anger.

THACK

Vector crumpled to the floor as his headache seemed to triple, making a hoarse sound of pain as he held his head. “Huh,” Doc mused. “He’s got some fire. Good. 058, pin him,” The hands were back, and it was worse, they hoisted him off the floor like he was a sack of mineral chunks, and he was tossed over what might have been a shoulder-? Vector managed a low moan of pain, whining pitifully as he pushed weakly at the back of the Being, disoriented. He was placed rather roughly on something made of metal, and Vector's head hit it rather firmly, making him cry out in pain, and then the hands pinned him down, and he started yelling, shouting, struggling weakly.

“Shhh, shh you're okay, your okay, now don't cry, that's not needed,” cold hands softly rested on the sides of his head, and Vector was so delirious on panic, he sobbed out in relief, the heat of rushing blood reducing, cooling his head ache. “Deep breaths now, crying is going to do nothing. This is still happening whether you want it or not, so it's better if you accept that, okay?” Vector made an ugly sobbing sound, and he went to shakily sign, but found his arms to be locked in place by something cold and thick around his wrists. “Shhhh, you're okay. Your okay.” 

Vector was not okay. This was very, VERY bad. But he couldnt fight it- literally, pinned down to a stupidly cold table, and he whined like a kicked puppy, and then something was over his mouth and nose. He made a strangled sound, blinking at the ceiling. Everything was swaying, and the air smelt suspiciously of mulbolaberries. Oooh… Vector realised slowly. I'm being drugged…. 

Hmmmgh… that's bad too. He mused groggily, not noticing Doc looming over, something shiny and sharp in hand. 

… 

…

Vector woke to the sensation of pain.

Dull, throbbing- but still pain. 

Hue was there, running frantic circles of distress, ever so often slapping their tiny paws in the cold, cold, tiles. Vector opened his eyes, and everything looked weird, and bad, and how???? Something was wrong, something was different. Something had changed. 

He felt tears start to fall again, but he made no sound, nor did he move. It reminded him of the sensation after getting his top surgery, the oddness of having something that was a part of him change. The joy and relief that came with that experience was definitely not there now. His skin felt tight, pulled and stretched thin in a way that was definitely not good. He focused on his shaky breathing, his mind still floaty and quiet from the drugs, noting silently that his chest felt weirdly numb.

And there was a pop. Vector gasped, and writhed under the pain his body was suddenly dropped into, like a million flares against his skin, making a choked shout. 

He was changing. 

His body burned with a thousand needles, he could feel it, pin pricks across the skin of his jaw. Squeezing his eyes shut, pretending the pitter-patter of Hue frantic feet was rain. Rain was a blessing from where he was from. His eyes snapped open, a wheezing gasp escaping him as the pain attacked his neck. He was sure he was going to die.