Chespin and the Chillers: Part 1
I'm backed up against a wall, trapped in an icy cave. Bearing down on me are the nightmarish visages of Cryogonal, Kyurem, and Dewott. Each of them are covered in frost and icicles, and look absolutely furious. I reach into my bag for something, anything to help me escape, but I find nothing. “W-Wooper, do something!!” I look to my side, but Wooper isn't there. In a panic, I look back up and to my horror, Wooper is with the enemies! I feel faint, my legs feeling as if they're made of lead. All four of them inhale, each firing an Ice Beam directly at me.
It's over.
I let out a horrific scream as I'm frozen solid.
I jolt awake, my heart racing a million miles an hour. Gasping for air, my eyes begin to adjust to the light. It was just a terrible nightmare. I put a hand to my chest, which is unusually sore, as though the pain I felt in the dream happened for real.
I look over at Wooper, who still sleeps soundly. He'd never do that, right? ...No, never! Not on my life! As if to deny what I saw in my nightmare, I hug Wooper tightly, pulling the blankets over us as I try to calm down. Letting out a shaky breath, I turn my head upward, spotting someone white and winged floating near the ceiling of the room, looking down at Wooper and I. As our eyes lock, I feel my face heat up.
Oh no.
“S-sorry, I-I'll u-umm...j-just be go-going...” Toge looks away from me as he floats down towards the door.
This is extremely embarrassing, but...it's not like he didn't already know. “...Wait. Shut the door, I have to ask you some questions.”
“O-okay...” Toge does just that, sitting on the other side of the blanket afterwards. “S-so...I'm r-r-really sorry about D-Dewott...h-he hates Po-pokemon...only cares about h-himself and I...”
“Ugh, I could tell that much, he tried to kill me! Me AND Wooper!” I don't stop hugging Wooper, the fear and panic from the nightmare stronger than any embarrassment I might be feeling right now.
“Y-you're not m-mad at me, a-are you?” Toge looks down, a sad frown on his face. “I-I mean...because of s-someone who used to b-be my fr-friend, you got h-hurt real ba-badly...”
I shake my head. “You saved both of us. Protected us from even worse harm. Prevented me from being...f-frozen...” I shudder, the horrific scene from the nightmare once again renewed in my mind.
Toge lets out an audible sigh of relief. “I-I just had to p-protect Team Cozy.”
“But why were you friends with him in the first place?! Some psychopath like that, he's nothing like you!”
Toge takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “W-we knew each other in the h-human world. We didn't become f-friends until we were here. All we had w-was each other, and we were so close that...he's why I e-evolved...B-but he always liked to pick fights, and I'd h-have to stop him from going t-too far...”
“All you had was him...I know the feeling.” I glance down at Wooper. “All I had was Wooper when I woke up here. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met him. But we never felt the need to pick fights with others!”
“D-Dewott...sees Pokemon as nothing but mindless m-monsters...He only cares about me and...f-finding a way home...”
“Figures...What's he gonna do if he finds out there IS no way back?”
Toge shakes his head. “He'd still look. E-even if you proved for certain it was impossible, h-he'd keep looking.”
Wooper stirs awake in my arms. Picking his head up, he sees Toge. “Oh, mornin' Toge!”
Guess that's my cue to get up as well. Rising to my feet, I turn around, my back pointed towards Toge. “So...how does my sliced-up back look?”
“N-not a single sign it was ever h-harmed!” Toge's voice is one of shared relief and guilt.
“Not even a single scar?” I let out a sigh of relief. “That sunlight's better first aid than any doctor, let me tell you. But...” I feel the worry creeping back. “I wouldn't have gotten so hurt if I was better at fighting. Maybe I'm not cut out for this after all...”
“Ch-chespin...Sometimes missions go b-badly...You gotta u-u-umm...u-use them to g-g-get better?”
I shake my head. “Better? It was a 3-on-1 fight and I still lost, and on top of that, it...brought my nightmares back.”
Toge looks around nervously, struggling to find the words. “I-I...y-you gotta u-uhh...y-y'know...like u-ummm...oh screw this.”
Toge quickly rubs his hand through his feathers. Without warning, he tosses a strange dust directly into my face! “Enough of that talk! Team Cozy ain't gonna stop because of one bad mission! You're gonna CRUSH the next bad guy you see!”
My nose tickles as I accidentally inhale some of the odd powder. Seconds later, I feel my fear melt away, being replaced with...happiness and eagerness? I raise up my fist, letting it crackle with electricity. “Yeah! I just gotta punch, whip, and blast 'em even harder next time!”
Wooper hops up and down. “That's the spirit, Chespin!”
I open the door, waving for Wooper to follow me as I walk out into the guild hall.
I venture towards the mission board, my sudden good mood vanishing once I see the Pokemon in front of the board. I see a Delibird pinning new requests to the board, a white Vulpix in a hat and vest hanging around nearby, and Sneasel looking over the missions. All of them have one thing in common.
“Th-they're all ice...” I mutter under my breath, my fear rising as I remember how I was nearly frozen solid the other day. I look over at Wooper. “Even you can...” As I look back at the group, the Vulpix breathes out a small puff of icy air.
I let out a short scream at the sight, causing everybody to turn around and face me. Each of them make some sort of comment towards me.
“You okay, hon?”
“Somethin' wrong, Chespin?”
“What's going on?”
I take a few steps back, my heart racing. “Ch-chillers...n-no...”
Wooper nudges me with his tail. “It's okay, Chespin, they're all good, rememb-”
I flee out the front door as fast as my legs will carry me, wanting nothing to do with any of them at all.
I run until I enter the garden. Sweet, sweet sanctuary! I lie in my usual spot, taking in the sunlight as I try to calm my nerves, closing my eyes tightly. No matter what happens, no matter what manner of horrific things befall me, the sun is always there to help me! I bask in the light, much like I have the past several days when I had to recover from...the attack...Nope, even the sunlight isn't working well enough!
A familiar voice from nearby snaps me out of it, causing me to gasp. “Hey, what's gotten into you, Chespin?”
Looking over, I spot Sneasel, with Wooper alongside her. I jump up, vines at the ready. “W-what do you want?! Y-you're one of...THEM!”
Wooper rapidly shakes his head. “Chespin, no! Sneasel's good, remember? She helped you several times already!”
Sneasel taps her side with a claw. “Relax, I ain't gonna fight you. Unless you ask for a sparring session, that is.”
Booker peers over the edge of Sneasel's head. “We're your friends, remember?”
I take a very deep breath, retracting my vines. Sitting down on the grass, I look down. “I'm sorry, It's just...whenever ice shows up, bad things always follow. And the other day I was...” I clench my eyes shut, trying not to think too hard about it. “N-nearly frozen solid, nearly killed.”
“I've had a lot of close calls myself, just gotta push past it.” Sneasel slowly walks towards me. “I know you're terrified of ice, but we have to get you over it once and for all. And I know somethin' that might help.”
“Wha-?”
Sneasel continues. “It's a little idea Booker taught me. 'Exposure therapy', he calls it.”
My breath catches in my throat as I hear those words. “Y-you wouldn't dare...”
Booker calls out. “Just trust her, it'll be okay!”
Wooper offers his encouragement as well. “Once you're past your fear, think of all the bad guys we can take on!”
Sneasel nods. “Here's what'll happen, Chespin. I'm gonna form an Ice Shard, right? And you're gonna hold it. No getting hurt, no fighting, just hold it for a little bit. Think you can manage that?”
Just hold it? “...Yeah. I can do that.”
“Now we're gettin' somewhere.” Sneasel holds her claws together, a small ice crystal forming between them. She gently places it on the grass in front of me, stepping back.
I look down at the Ice Shard. That's strange...I don't feel the same intense fear as I do when I see something like the icy laser from the other day. I pick it up, its coolness sending a shiver up my spine. I turn it over in my hands, taking care not to poke myself with its jagged edges. I sit silently for a short time, watching it melt before my eyes.
“See? It ain't that bad, Chespin.” Sneasel reaches a hand down to me, helping me stand back up. “So, what do you say?”
“I dunno...it's like the fear is only for less...physical ice, if that makes sense?” I tap the back of my head. “Like this 'armor' can stand up to stuff like your shards, but not to icy 'energy?'” Continuing, I say, “Simply put, your shards don't freeze things solid like the horrible things I've fought. It's just...like a cold rock instead of some magic beam.”
“So you ain't afraid of my Ice Shards? NOW you're making progress!”
I shake my head. “I was afraid of them that one time we sparred, but I know what they can do, so...no. The fright comes from...the pain of getting hit by freezing winds and icy blasts, the fear of being frozen solid.”
Sneasel continues. “Y'know, when you put it like that, I think I get it. Tell me...What was it like, that first time you got hit by ice?”
I shudder as I remember the incident. “I had never truly fought anything before it. Someone was attacking Wooper and I...tackled him out of the way to protect him. Every inch of my body screamed out in agony, the pain worse than anything I had ever felt in my life. Then Wooper got hit and...there was nothing but pain and terror.”
“Ch-Chespin! You're tearing up!” I look up at Booker, concern written all over his face.
I wipe my eyes dry. “Sorry about that, it's just...I had nightmares about that moment for months. I thought I was past it, but the last mission I went on, well...you know what happened. Brought the nightmare back, but even worse.”
Sneasel brings a claw up to her chin, thinking. “With all of that, it's no wonder your fear is so strong. But that's why you gotta fight through it! Sometimes, the fear of pain is worse than the pain itself, you get me?”
“I guess, but...I'm gonna need more than just a pep talk for this.”
“Y'know, I agree.” Sneasel turns towards the guild. “I'm gonna tell the others to try helping you out with this, 'kay?”
My eyes go wide at Sneasel's words. “W-wait! You can't...”
“The guild's all one big team, right? Teammates help each other out.”
“Nobody's gonna tease you for it, Chespin.” Booker peers over Sneasel's head once more. “Nobody gives me a hard time for not being able to fly. I'm learning, and it's been real scary...but I refuse to let a bad experience keep me from one day mastering it. You shouldn't let your fears keep Wooper from helping you with his own icy powers!”
I let out a sigh. “I just hope it isn't too bad...Thanks for the help, guys.”
Sneasel shoots me a small smirk. “Don't mention it. Always glad to help someone grow stronger.”
Wooper and I spend a little more time in the garden before heading back inside. Several guild members eye us up as we walk in, no doubt already aware of what's going on. It isn't long before I hear a regretfully familiar voice. “Hey Chespin, c'mere!”
I cringe as I spot the source of the voice. Cyndaquil. “Oh great...What do you want?”
“Hey, I hear you've got some trouble with the cold! Y'know, I could help warm you up~”
I let out a groan of pure disgust. “Is there ANYBODY you don't try to hit on?!”
Cyndaquil shrugs. “Hey, you miss a hundred percent of the shots you don't take.”
“...Do you have any real advice about ice or are you just trying to see how long you can talk before I choke you out with my vines?”
“Ohoho, don't threaten me with a good time~!” I spot a blush forming on the degenerate's face. “Ice ain't that bad, you can rub ice cubes on a girl or yourself t-”
“OKAY, I'm not putting up with this!” I grab Wooper, running out of the guild.
Once outside, I set Wooper down. It isn't long before Wooper says something. “He's weird, but he gave me an idea. Why don't we get some ice cream?”
“...Wait, ice cream exists in this world?”
“Why wouldn't it? So, you want to get some?”
Trying not to think about how it's frozen, I say, “...You're lucky I like sweets.”
“C'mon, it's this way!”
I follow Wooper down the streets and bridges of Capim Town. The roads bustle with activity, with Pokemon everywhere I look. Shops and cafes adorn the rooftops, with tables set outside for diners. Wooper picks up the pace, forcing me to run after him. He runs down a few more bridges before coming to a stop at a stairwell, which descends into one of the trees. “In here!”
The stairs lower into a packed dining room. A strange chill hangs in the air, not unlike a building with the AC blowing full blast. The room is decorated with snowflakes carved into the walls, paintings depicting snowy forests, and a soft light-blue carpet. I spot a Tangela standing on the other end of the tiered counter. As we approach a lower spot of the counter, the Tangela greets us. “Good afternoon, what'll it be?”
It's been so long since I've had ice cream. “Um...Cotton candy ice cream, please.”
“...What's cotton candy?”
Damn, there goes that idea. “Got any rainbow sherbet?”
“Never heard of that flavor before in my life.” The Tangela gives me a confused look.
“Uhh...mint chip? Rocky road? Pistachio?”
The Tangela only looks more confused as I rattle off flavors. Before he can open his mouth, Wooper saves me from my hopeless ordering. “We'll get two caramel swirls, please!”
“That, I can do.” I fork over some cash, the employee sticking it into a drawer. “Coming right up, don't go anywhere.”
Wooper and I stand around, waiting. I can hear the clattering of dishes and silverware coming from the kitchen area. It isn't long before I hear a howling wind echo from the adjacent room, accompanied by a shiver-inducing breeze that forces a frightened gasp out of me. My quills stand on end as I take a deep breath, trying not to think about it.
Wooper whispers “Chespin, relax...They're just chilling the ice cream.”
“I know, but...”
I don't get a chance to finish my sentence before the Tangela walks back out, two dishes of ice cream held in their vines. I grab them in my own vines, thanking the worker before finding the two of us a table.
I sit down, grumbling to myself as I pick up my spoon. “None of the flavors I want even exist here, Wooper!”
“Oh! Do they have a lot of flavors in the h-” Wooper looks around, remembering how packed it is. Lowering his voice and leaning in, he says “Do humans have a lot of ice cream flavors?”
“If you can think of it, humans have made it an ice cream flavor. Even stuff you wouldn't ever think of. Just my luck none of my usual orders are possible.”
I scoop up some ice cream, taking my first bite. The caramel mixes well with the vanilla ice cream, creating a very sweet, but not overpowering, flavor. I still wish it was one of my preferred flavors, but I'm more thankful that ice cream still exists in the first place.
I reach a vine over, helping Wooper out with his own order. The two of us don't say much as we eat, Wooper savoring the dessert while I try to forget about what'll happen the next time someone in the guild tries to “help” me.
Partway through my dish, a sharp pain slams into me! I clutch my head, gasping out in shock. “A-agh!”
“Chespin! Are you okay?!” Wooper's concern is evident.
The pain fades a little as I rub my forehead. “I'm an idiot. Ugh...brain freeze...ain't any different than it was as a human.”
“Oh!” Wooper lowers his voice, leaning in. “What do humans do when they get it?”
As the brain freeze subsides, I respond with “This.”
I continue eating the rest of my ice cream.
Once we finish, I return our dishes to the counter. As Tangela comes to collect them, a thought comes to my mind.
“Hey...How do you deal with it? Working in a place with um...someone blowing ice all day long? Aren't you afraid they'll...freeze you?”
The Tangela shakes his head...at least I think so. It's hard to tell. “Not at all. Sometimes I may get a little bit of a chill on my vines, but my coworker knows what he's doing.”
“But what if he accidentally gets you? What then?”
“Not a chance, he's extra careful whenever I'm around.”
Wooper nudges me. “Hear that? You just gotta trust me on this whole ice thing, okay?”
I'm still not fully convinced. “Umm...Let's just head back to the guild for now.”
The next morning, Wooper and I head off to check the mission boards. Just as we enter the entry hall, the guildmaster stops us.
“G'morning, Chespin. I've got a little task I want you to take care of today~”
Already I don't like where this is headed. “And that is...?
The flamboyantly-dressed cat speaks further. “Well, y'see, I know about your little...issue. And between you and me, I'm a little suspicious about one guild member in particular. You know Kiyo, right? I want you two to go into Waterfall Cave and just...grab me a few crystals, kyukyu~”
Wait a second... “'You two?' What about Wooper?”
“Oh, he doesn't need to go wi-”
I cut him off. “No. There's not a chance in hell Wooper's staying behind in that case.”
“Fine, fine, have it your way~”
Wooper and I look around, spotting the white Vulpix wearing the same brown hat and vest from yesterday. Well, this is gonna be awkward. Approaching him, I say, “Hey uh...You're Kiyo, right? We're going on a mission to Waterfall Cave, and the Guildmaster says you're to accompany us. Alone.”
“Oh. You're the guy who freaked out yesterday.” Kiyo shoots me an annoyed look, standing up. “Whatever. Let's just get this over with.”
The three of us leave the guild, making the short trek across the plains to Waterfall Cave. I hang back a little, never letting Kiyo leave my line of sight. Neither of us say a word to one another, but both of us have an unspoken agreement.
Finish the mission ASAP.
Wooper breaks the uncomfortable silence. “So...What're you good at?”
Kiyo looks off to the side. “Fighting. And harmonica.”
Of course a chiller would enjoy fighting. I stare daggers into the back of Kiyo's head as Wooper asks another question. “What's with the vest?”
“Cassie picked it out. It's got pockets, too.” Now that I stare him down, something about Kiyo seems...familiar. Am I just imagining things?
Wooper continues. “That hat's pretty neat! Can I try it on?”
Kiyo pauses for a moment before responding. “Fine.”
I wordlessly swipe the hat off of his head, placing it on Wooper. Wooper grins at me, saying, “How's it look on me?” I say nothing, merely nodding in approval.
“...Okay, that's enough, hand it over.” Kiyo grabs the hat off of Wooper's head, putting it back on. “So is the green dude usually this quiet?”
“Only around those I don't know.” I say bluntly.
It isn't much longer before we find the telltale waterfall, a sign posted outside which reads 'DANGER! Mystery Dungeon behind waterfall!' For how close this place is to Capim paired with how I remember seeing it in my past, I'm surprised it took this long for Wooper and I to actually pay it a visit. “So we just run real fast and jump through the waterfall, right?”
“You got it, Chespin!” Wooper pauses for a moment, realization dawning over him. “...Wait, how'd you know that?”
“Uhhh...I overheard one of the other guild members talk about this place once?” Phew, been a long time since I slipped up that badly.
Kiyo glances back at us, rushing towards the waterfall. As he leaps into the air, I see him hold his hat down as he dives through to the other side. Grabbing Wooper up in my vines, I take a running jump towards the dungeon, holding him close!
The two of us tumble across the cavern floor, coming to a stop near Kiyo. A little dazed and soaked but otherwise unharmed, I stand up, brushing myself off. “We're here.”
Kiyo shakes himself dry before saying “Let's hurry through this place and get those gems.”
The cave itself is dimly lit, though I can't tell where the light source is coming from. The three of us can, at the very least, see well enough to progress deeper. The cave twists and turns, and in one room, we see our first enemies, the sight of them causing me to gasp.
Woopers. Several of them. “No...”
“Chespin!” I look to my side, Wooper staring me in the eyes. “They're nothing more than the dungeon's defenses, they aren't real! They're not me!”
I turn my attention back to our enemies, but before I can do anything, Kiyo says, “Screw this, you're taking too long!” He inhales, firing an icy beam of energy at each of the enemy Woopers and forcing a loud scream of terror out of my mouth.
“What's your deal, green guy?”
I don't know when it happened, but I'm curled up on the ground in a defensive position. Standing back up, I try not to look at him as I say, “You KNOW what my deal is, and you STILL used that attack!”
“Ain't you supposed to be going through exposure therapy or somethin'? I'm not gonna stop blasting the enemies with ice.”
“Well, fine then, YOU lead the way!” I shoot my vines out, keeping them at the ready.
Kiyo sees this, saying, “What is this, your first dungeon? This place is easy, y'know.”
I stare him directly in the eyes. “I don't trust those who can shoot ice. I know what evil such a thing is capable of. If one of those were to miss or ricochet off a wall...” I shudder at the thought. “I have to be prepared.”
“So that's it, you don't trust me? You aren't gonna whip me with those things while my back's turned, are you?”
I shake my head. “You're still part of the Clover Guild, and I'm not about to attack a...fellow guildmate. Not unprompted, that is.”
“Guys, please don't fight!” Wooper sounds worried. “This place isn't very big, so let's just get through the rest of the cave, alright?”
Glaring back at Kiyo, our eyes meet. We exchange a knowing nod, Kiyo turning around to lead the way.
The three of us pick up the pace, most of us eager to get out of here. Keeping an eye out for enemies, I whip them with my vines before Kiyo can have a chance to shoot ice again. Thankfully, everything here seems extremely weak to such an attack, and most foes go down in a single blow.
Rounding one more corner, we see the far wall sparkling with gemstones. In the middle of it all is a large red jewel. “Good, we're here. Don't touch that big red one.”
Both of them give me a curious look. In unison, they say, “Why?”
Damn, caught slipping again! “Um...It might be a trap, just look at how obvious it is. We gotta grab the smaller jewels instead.”
“You're too paranoid, Chespin.” Kiyo looks back at the wall. “So what're we waiting for? Get the jewels and let's get outta here.” I nod, walking forward.
As I approach the wall, a shadow leaps out from behind a rock. “Heh, knew it was only a matter of time before some weak lookin' guys came in here.” Walking closer, I can begin to make out the figure.
It looks very much like Sneasel back from the guild, but with a red crown and collar, along with even more 'feathers' and even sharper-looking claws.
The sight causes a jolt of fear to run through me. “Ch-chiller...” Here, of all places?!
The Weavile inhales deeply, and I know what to do. RUN!! I grab Wooper, cowering behind a rock as a wave of cold air rushes right past us. Despite being unharmed, I can't help but let out a terrified scream.
Once I finally regain my composure, I peek back out at Kiyo. Judging by his expression, the foe's attack didn't accomplish much. He shoots me another dirty look, saying, “What, gonna make me do all the wo-”
Kiyo is cut off, the Weavile rushing forward and taking a big slash at him! He tumbles across the rocky floor, his vest buttons clattering to the ground as the vest itself flies off of him, along with his hat. As Kiyo stands back up and grabs the hat, that's when it hits me.
“You...You're that outlaw on the wanted posters! I should have known...” Internally I'm beating myself up. How could I have been fooled even a little by such a disguise?
Fear runs across Kiyo's face. He opens his mouth, but no words come out.
Right now, I'm more worried about the Weavile. Fear evident in my voice, I yell, “Look, I don't know what you did to become an outlaw, but I don't care about that right now! Prove your loyalty to the guild and BEAT THAT STUPID GODDAMNED CHILLER DOWN!!”
Kiyo's mood shifts to one of mild amusement. “'Chiller?' Did you just make that up? Whatever, I've fought tougher foes. But you're helping.”
All three of us leap out in unison. I shoot my vines out at the Weavile, holding them in place. Kiyo leaps forward, frost coating his mouth as he lands a series of bites all over the enemy. Wooper leaps up into the air, slamming his tail down and causing the ground to erupt underneath them! The last of the Weavile's power fades as they slam down into the ground, knocked out.
Something inside of me snaps, and I run over to the downed foe. I punch and kick at them in a rage, screaming, “WHY ARE ALL OF YOU CHILLERS LIKE THIS?! WHERE DO YOU GET OFF TRYING TO ROB ADVENTURERS, TRYING TO FREEZE PEOPLE SOLID, TRYING TO HURT MY FRIENDS, TRYING TO BRING RUIN TO EVERYTHING??”
“Chespin, stop, they can't fight back anymore!” Wooper pushes me away from the Weavile with his tail.
“B-but...” I fall to the floor, crying. “Why am I always fighting such awful enemies?! I-I can't take it anymore...I could be frozen solid!”
The two wait for me to pull myself together. Standing back up, I wipe my eyes, looking at Kiyo. I take a deep breath, trying to put it past me. “...Thanks.”
“Sounds like some bad stuff happened with you and ice.” Kiyo says flatly.
“...Look.” I take a series of very deep, shaky breaths in an effort to calm myself further. “I know that you're an outlaw, but you fought that...THING.”
“And?”
“...You're okay. And I ain't about to go snitching on someone that helped me fight, especially against something like that. We'll keep our mouths shut.” I turn back, looking at my partner. “Right, Wooper?”
Wooper looks a little conflicted, but it soon passes.“Well...If that's what you want, I'm with you, Chespin! Who has to know?”
Kiyo lets out a sigh of relief. “Right.” His mood lightens considerably, and I can swear I see a faint smile. “Let's get those gems, then.
Our bags filled with small gems, we walk back to the guild hall as the sun sets. Nightfall comes just before we return to Capim, the lights lit by numerous torches. As we climb the stairs to the guild, I see a very-confused Smeargle standing outside, holding his paintbrush tail. I can hear him muttering to himself. “Hmm, how did it work again?”
Curious, I walk up to him. “Hey Ross, what are you trying to do?”
“Trying to see if what happened to me earlier was just a dream or not.” He waves his tail around randomly to no effect. “I was smoking with Santa, and then I was able to do something neat with this tail?”
“Something neat, huh? Well, I wonder what that i-”
Ross makes another series of swishing motions with his tail, the tip glowing a bright rainbow color. Before I can react, a colorful laser shoots out, an icy chill accompanying it as it barely misses me. I hear a bloodcurdling scream come from somewhere as my head grows light, my vision fading. Before everything goes dark, I hear a panicked “O-Oh no! I'm so so sorry! It was a complete accident, please forgive me!”