Guess I'm Stuck With You Now

Now I'm The One Who's Trapped

Kris' body floated in a black void, completely motionless, still, and silent. Time didn't pass, they felt like they were there for an eternity and only a moment at the same time. They could barely hear themself think, like their mind's voice was muffled. 

* What......... this....... why........ here..? 

Their every muscle was frozen in place, their body lifeless, yet they remained barely conscious. They couldn't feel themself. There was nothing. 

* Is there really no other choice..?! 

"Normally it would be that way." 

They felt a presence, so close yet so far. They felt warmth in their chest. It was comforting, like a hug. 

"But... we got lucky this time." 

They recognized this voice, this presence. They've seen this person before. They hate them. 

"In the many times I've played the game, this is the first time this has happened."

* ...Player…?

"I know you can hear me. I can feel you, you're there." 

* Why are you here? I told you to leave me alone. 

"I opened the game again." 

* I told you to never open it again. You broke the promise.

"Kris, I know you are smarter than this. Think about the state you've been in." 

* It's like the world stopped moving. Is it your doing? 

"Of course it's not! Why would I be talking to you like this??" 

Kris thought about this. They felt that they weren't lying. 

"Kris, both of us were forced into this. You know there is a choice, though." 

* ..... 

"It's either you or me. If I don't play the game, your life can't continue. If I do play, I can only hope to guide you to the end until you can finally regain control." 

* Get to the point. Are you going to do something about it? 

"Well, if I don't play, your life and world stops, right? And you've made it clear that you hate being controlled by me. You already know what I'm going to say don't you?" 

* You want to come over here? 

"Yeah, it's the only way." 

* Don't be ridiculous. Don't you have a life? What's gonna happen to you? 

"It seems that while I'm away, my basic survival instincts and obligations are left behind, so my body in my world continues to do the things I normally would."

The Player frowned.

"Though... judging by everyone's reaction to me when I came back from last time, it seems its behaviour is weird... but oh well, that's a risk I have to take." 

* Why are you doing this? You're throwing your life away. 

"Well, not completely! I can come back whenever I want, and it's not like I'm going to die. What, did you think I was more selfish than this?" 

* ... 

"I know you're thinking yes!" 

"Listen, you have to let me cross through. I'm 99% sure things will go back to normal." 

* That one percent left isn't very reassuring. 

"Oh my god, stop being so stubborn. I know you hate me, but I'm trying to make things right. I know that you know this is the only way." 

* But I can't move. 

"Just try it, please! I promise, it'll all be okay once you do." 

Kris tries to move their body, but it's not budging. They doubt that this will work. 

The Player waits patiently. 

Finally, Kris' body responds. Their right hand and arm slowly move to their chest. They reach within themself and grip their soul with all their strength. It hurts. Like a pain within the depths of their very being, disturbed and shaken.

Player can feel themself being pulled in through the border of the two worlds, like their body is being stretched out in two different places. It hurts. 

They both want to scream but the breath has left their chests. 

Player's consciousness and soul is ripped from their body, leaving behind a mindless body of instincts. And all at once, they pass through, like they are being forcefully dragged through a wall of needles and glass shards. Then it stops.

Kris was in their bed when they awoke. Their room was the same as it had always been. The only difference was the soul. It just floated there, in the middle of the room.

Kris shoved the blankets off of them and practically fell off of the bed. They got to their feet and wearily walked towards it. They held their hands out and the soul lowered to their palms.

"... hey. Are you there?"

The soul responded with a faint pulse of glow. Then it flashed a bright luminance. The light morphed and shaped itself into a humanoid form, like it wrapped around their body and gave them shape. First the hair, then the face, then the clothes.

The light popped, and revealed them. A body of red soul magic, suspended in the air by the soul. Kris pulled their hands away and stepped back, watching them in awe as they lowered to the floor and sat. They were trembling. The sharp, cold feeling of passing through lingered in their body.

Kris stretched out a hand to them. Player took it, and Kris pulled them up to their feet. They stumbled and almost fell over, but was caught by Kris, which caught them off guard a bit.

They stared at each other, still trying to process what just happened. The hatred in Kris' eyes was no longer as potent. Player felt a wave of relief wash over them, and as Kris held them, the aftereffects of passing through faded away. They were soon left with a warm, calm feeling.

"Are you okay now?" they asked.

The player couldn't think of an appropriate response, they didn't know exactly how they felt. Maybe a mix of relief, regret, and despair.

"I don't know, but…" They moved to stand on their own. They smiled warmly and genuinely, yet there was still pain in their eyes as tears started to form.

"You must be happy, right? Now, I'm the one who's trapped."