Discord
You think for a long time.
You get tired of thinking.
"I don't want to go out.
Not yet. It's bright outside. I don't like bright light.
We can play the game until it's dark."
It tilts its head.
"The game?"
You tilt your head with it.
"Port of Intrigue.
We'll play together."
"I will, will I?" It chuckles.
"Well..." You quickly have to readjust as it pulls itself up from the covers, getting out of bed.
You slide along the floor after it, rising up to be nearly as tall as the hare.
"You didn't finish."
"Well."
It rubs its face as it heads for the restroom.
"I've got to shower first, so you can play on your own until I finish."
"No."
It stops, looking over at you.
"No?"
You fight off the strange, prickly sensation that's all over you.
"...I don't want to be alone. I'll wait."
"Hatch, you are Not getting into the shower with me."
"I can wait over by the sink.
Is that fine?"
The hare places its arm against its other.
"...You won't look?"
"At what?"
"Me. Naked. In the shower."
"No, I don't care about that."
It sighs, retrieving some clean clothes from the dresser next to the restroom.
"We can try it.
I do need to find some privacy somehow, though."
"I'm better than privacy."
"Mhm. How so?"
"I'm your shadow."
It smiles.
"I Did actually have one of those Before you showed up."
"I'm a better shadow."
"You say that," It shuts the drawer. "But my last shadow didn't wake me up playing video games."
"Yes. You overslept." "I was definitely trying to."
Violet steps into the restroom.
You try to follow, only for it to stop you.
"I need to at least take off my clothes first.
That, and you said you don't like bright light.
So, I have to get it ready."
"...OK."
"Okay. I'll be quick."
It steps into the restroom.
You wait outside.
That sensation is back.
Pinpricks all over.
And motion, along with them.
Like tumbling through rose bushes.
No.
The motion is faster somehow.
Sharp
but all over.
Moving too fast.
Like boiling water.
"You can come in now."
You shoot under the door as if from a slingshot,
forcing yourself to stop before the shower,
pivoting over by the sink instead.
You cling to the sink itself, as you gradually settle.
The light is red.
"I hope you don't mind it.
I have quite a few colored lightbulbs in the closet.
Red is probably the dimmest normal one that I have."
The red light makes you feel strange,
but you can't make sense of why.
You shrug it off.
"Red is fine."
"Good."
The water starts up.
"So..."
"So."
"I'm assuming you have a lot of questions."
"Yes, Violet."
"Well, let's hear it."
You debate what to ask first.
"...Food."
The hare rubs its muzzle with a small sigh.
"This again...
Hatch, you don't need to be insistent about me eating.
I do eventually, and I eat enough.
I know you worry about me, but it's unnecessary, really."
Your eyes blink.
"Was talking about myself, Violet.
Do I eat?"
"...Oh.
Sorry about that.
The last time you were awake, you were always checking whether or not I was eating,
and making sure that I did so regularly.
It was difficult to keep up with, but you'd get so worried...
At any rate: No.
I've never seen you eat, so I assume you don't.
If I had to guess, considering you're attached to me,
you get whatever you need from me.
So, I suppose I eat for the both of us."
"That's very sad."
"It's really a lot of trouble, honestly.
Be glad you don't have to."
"Sad." You melodramatically slump, even though it can't see you.
"Nooooo."
"Sad."
The hare chuckles.
You want to try anyway.
You search around the sink.
Through the cabinets.
You find a bottle of mouthwash.
"...What are you doing out there?"
You pause.
Violet must be able to feel you moving.
You feel it moving, too, after all. It's washing its face.
Maybe it doesn't quite have the dexterity to identify what you're doing.
Just the general feeling of motion.
"Breaking absolutely Everything," you finally answer.
" . . .
...No you're not."
"No I'm not.
I'm only looking at your things, Violet," you say,
while unscrewing the top from the mouthwash.
"I need something to do.
No worrying."
"Alright..."
You form an open jaw on yourself.
You pour in a little of the mouthwash.
It makes no sound as it passes into you.
You taste nothing.
But, you can feel it somewhere within you.
As if a pocket had formed to put it in.
It fizzes within you in a way you don't like.
Without thinking too much,
you eject it from your jaws in a spitting motion.
It runs down the sink's drain.
That wasn't eating, really.
You know this.
You don't eat, then.
But...
You experimentally grab a little container of floss,
and 'eat' it.
Once more, you taste nothing,
but you feel a pocket form to put it in.
You can store things within you;
a fascinating discovery.
You remove the floss and place everything back in the cabinet,
leaving it all alone now.
"Hatch?"
"Yes."
"Questions?"
"Yes."
There's something you've been wanting to ask, anyway.
"Am I something recurring?
You're acting very casually."
"You've been with me for, maybe... seven or eight weeks, at this point.
So, yes.
Sometimes you end up sleeping for a while,
and you come back different, without many memories of the last time you were here."
"How many times?"
"This is the third time you've woken up.
You slept much longer last time."
"How long?"
"About a week and a half, if I remember correctly.
...What do You remember?
In general, I suppose."
You think.
You close your eyes.
Rain.
Drops in a puddle.
Ripples on the surface.
You remember the smell of it most.
Wet earth.
You like it.
It reminds you of Violet.
Wet fur.
Standing in the rain.
It holds its arms out.
Breathing in
out.
You feel the deep breath.
You breathe together.
You feel it smiling.
You smile, too.
It's saying something.
Talking to you.
You don't remember what it's saying.
You don't remember what you said back.
It's nice
when it looks at you.
The light is on.
It isn't too bright in your memory.
You're with Violet
watching its television.
Something is playing on it.
You don't know what.
You hear it laugh.
It tries to stop itself.
You watch its paw half-cover its muzzle.
It can't help it, busting out laughing;
a slight wheeze as it leans forward.
You aren't watching the television anymore.
You watch the hare double over giggling.
You feel
so warm.
You smile.
You laugh with it.
You're grinning, even now.
Oh,
you like when it laughs.
You like when it smiles.
You like to help it smile.
You like to make it laugh.
You say "Thank you"
but your voice is wrong.
You drift along your memories.
Red.
There's red, here.
A flash
a spark
you watch it
cascade across
the one before you
You flinch
You try to move
yellow
orange
Red.
A flash
a spark
you stop moving.
It feels terrible.
Another-
"Hatch?"
Your eyes open.
"Part of you is
...holding my leg.
Did something happen?"
No matter what
you don't want to tell it.
It'd only worry.
You don't want that.
"I pinched my--"
A lie.
You don't want to lie to it.
What can you say instead?
"...Not really.
I'm still over here.
Nothing to worry about."
" . . .
Alright."
Its muscles are more tense.
It can tell, can't it?
It'll worry regardless.
"I tried some mouthwash."
"You what?"
"I don't like mouthwash."
It laughs, just a little bit.
"Neither do I."
It's more relaxed now, as far as you can tell.
You relax, too.
"So?"
"So?"
"What did you remember?"
"...You."
"Oh.
Well, I hope that isn't bad."
"It was nice."
You feel it turn its head to the side,
sinking down gently as its shoulders raise.
It's smiling
just a little.
It's embarrassed.
"...Anything else?"
You quickly search your memory.
"We watched a lot of movies."
"Yes, we did.
You loved them.
That was after the first time you woke up."
"...Seems boring."
"Really? I like them."
" . . .
They're not awful.
But, they're very... long."
"Video games tend to be longer, you know."
"No. You can stop anytime."
Other things are still on your mind.
"Whatever happened to me seems
inconvenient.
I'm not worried.
But why am I like this?"
"I'm... not really sure about that."
"What am I?"
"...I don't have any idea."
"Why can't I remember anything?"
"Well.
You-
You... change, every time you sleep. I think.
Your personality, and even some of your mannerisms, all seem very different.
Some things stay the same, but not all that much.
I don't... know why.
I'm sorry, Hatch."
You droop across the countertop,
thinking too much.
"What happened while I was gone, Violet?"
Violet sighs.
"A lot of nothing, if I'm honest.
It's only been a few days.
I mostly worked.
I went out grocery shopping yesterday.
Watched some videos on my computer.
...You-
Last time you were awake - the second time -
You liked to read a lot, so we'd gotten a library card for me.
So... I still had the books you'd been reading when you... fell asleep.
I went and took them back so they wouldn't be overdue.
I wasn't sure if you would want to; I didn't think you would."
The hare is standing still in the shower.
"The,
er,
first time, you were awake, when you wanted to watch movies a lot?
We started on a series that you really enjoyed.
We were going to do the last of it when you fell asleep.
When you woke up, I was ready to watch with you,
but you had no idea what I was talking about.
You didn't remember, so we never finished it.
. . .
None of that is a problem, for the record."
It says this,
but it seems down.
"My only point is that-
Well.
That's why I turned the books back in.
...That was about all I did while you were asleep."
"We could
start it over."
"Hm?"
"The movies."
"Oh."
"If you like them,
then I'll watch with you."
It smiles.
"...I'd like that, at some point.
Maybe not tonight."
"No, not tonight.
..Port instead."
"Yes, the Port."
It giggles.
The water turns off.
It dries itself with a towel.
"I never actually beat that, you know.
I've made a few save files,
but I'd always get stuck."
"I'll beat it."
"Mhm?"
"We can.
...but mostly me."
It points at you from around the corner as it exits the shower,
still keeping next to the shower to hide itself.
"I'm holding you to that."
"Yes."
"If you don't beat it,
you owe me."
"You're naked."
"And?
So are you."
"You smell like wet rabbit."
"I don't!
I'm a hare."
"Prove it."
"Oh, make me."
You do your best to cackle evilly.
It just snickers at you,
rounding the corner fully clothed.
"...I'm evil."
"Very evil."
"I'm scary."
"You drank mouthwash."
"No." You tap at its snout with a tendril.
"No." It only laughs.
You follow it out of the restroom,
zipping around the corner as you stand up tall again.
"Food."
"Mm?"
"If you can eat, you should have some.
You forget.
Or you don't like it.
I used to remind you."
"Oh, but--"
It sighs, shaking its head.
"Well.
I didn't eat much all day."
"Food."
"Yes, yes.
I'll make something, but I want to watch you play while I eat."
You shake its paw with a tendril.
"Deal."
It jumps,
but laughs.
"Fine, fine,
go get it started."
You swoop your way around to the TV,
excited.
"I think you're stuck."
"No."
"See? I told you."
"No."
"You're stuck in the same spot I always get to."
"No."
"You aaare." It taps one of your tendrils.
You wiggle. "...Maybe."
The hare, with a clean plate in its lap,
looks at the clock behind it.
"Oh, we should definitely break."
You turn to see.
It's 8:44 PM.
"We really lost track of time."
It hadn't felt very long to you.
Violet stands and stretches.
You do the same, mirroring the motions.
"Well.
You wanted to go out."
"Yes."
It takes a peek out the bottom of the window.
"Oh, it's pitch black outside.
Perfect.
...Looks like it might storm later."
It turns back to you.
"Are you okay with possibly getting rained on?"
You remember.
"Yes, Violet."
"Okay."
Its smile is warm.
"Let me just grab my keys."
It walks towards the little stand by the door,
where its wallet, keys, and many keychains sit.
You rush there instead,
conjuring a maw
with sharp-looking teeth
and
CHOMP!
You eat all of them in front of the hare.
It stares at you,
eyes Wide.
You nonchalantly pull the keys out of yourself,
jingling them.
"Kidding."
It shakes its head, laughing it off.
Experimentally,
Violet takes your keys,
and reaches into you.
It fishes around, which feels odd but not unpleasant;
eventually finding and retrieving its wallet.
"You really had me worried there.
So you can just... hide things?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's fun." It pockets its wallet.
It unlocks its door, and peeks out into the minuscule apartment hallway.
Somehow, you know to wait.
It waves you on, and you follow,
blending into its shadow to keep a low profile.
"When did you figure that out?"
"Mouthwash."
"Oh, I see."
The hare locks its door,
then drops the keys in your direction.
There's a light plunk noise,
like a stone dropping in water,
as the keys as stored in you once more.
"Fun."
It continues down the stairs.
Soon enough, you exit the apartment building together.
Thunder booms in the distance.
Soft, grey and black clouds paint the sky.
A few raindrops fall on the both of you.
Violet extends its arms to its sides,
feeling the rain.
You feel yourself mirror it,
through its shadow.
"Ready?" it whispers.
"Yes."
"Where do you want to go?"
" . . .
...Anywhere."
The hare smiles.
"Let's start with the park."
"Yes, Violet.
That sounds nice."
It starts walking,
and quickly rounds the corner into the alley behind its apartment building.
"Less people this way," it whispers. "So we can talk more."
"...Thank you."
"Mm? For what?"
"Just thank you."
"...It's no issue.
I'm happy to spend time with you."
It looks up at the clouds,
taking its time walking.
"Truth be told,
...when you showed up,
it was-
Well.
It was difficult, in some ways;
it was new.
But.
I had... mostly been alone.
And it was very nice
to have company."
It smiles back at you.
You smile, too.
You have no idea if it can tell.
You hope it can.
You believe it can.
"...How did we meet?"
It rubs its arm.
"It's... really a long story."
"Yes."
Its eyes look along the pavement
along the wall.
"...Can I tell you when we get to the park?" It asks.
"It'll give me more time
to
remember everything."
You're immediately worried.
But,
you don't want to pry.
"Yes."
"Good. We'll talk then."
It hops over a puddle.
You reflect across its surface.
"So."
"So."
It turns a corner in the alley.
"Was there anythi--"
Violet chokes.
A hand around its neck
as it's shoved into the wall.
You move to-
Something bright is pressed into its side.
Flash.
S p a r k.
You see nothing.
THUD.
A rough impact against metal.
You hear doors close.
Your many eyes open.
You hear Violet groan,
and you snap awake,
rushing to its side.
"Violet!"
"Shhh..."
It puts a shaky finger to its muzzle.
You quiet down.
The both of you are in the back of a moving vehicle,
based on how the floor and walls shake together.
The space is small,
but highly reinforced; the entire interior black and silver
with what you guess is steel.
A truck?
No, a van.
The hare lifts its shirt, wincing.
The fur along its left side has been singed.
Burnt.
You want to yell.
It drops its shirt,
leaning against the back of the van.
You spot something around its neck.
A grey, hard plastic collar.
There's a green light on the front.
Violet looks at the ceiling.
It seems a little out of it.
"...thought it might...
...Matilde... I should've...
...stupid, stupid..."
You move to hold its shoulder.
"I'm here.
We
We can get out.
I know how."
Your tendrils wrap around Violet.
The light on its collar turns yellow.
"Don't."
The light turns orange.
You ignore it,
attempting to pull it into yourself.
Red.
A flash.
A spark.
A zap runs through the both of you,
forcing you to stop what you're doing.
Violet falls to the floor.
Its muscles spasm as you retract into its shadow again.
"Sorry!
Sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry."
"Not... your fault."
Violet looks down at you.
It shakes its head.
"Hatch."
You've never seen the look it gives you.
"...yes?"
"I have to do something.
It's the only way
any good comes out of this."
" . . . "
It reaches into its pocket,
pulling out its wallet
and dropping it quickly into you.
The light near-instantly goes from green to yellow to orange
then back down to green.
It sits back,
and takes a breath.
reaching down to touch its shadow - you.
"I experimented some
while you were asleep."
It pats you.
Then,
grabs hold of you.
"Forgive me."
It pulls.
Its shadow stretches out.
The collar light turns yellow.
Something feels wrong.
Everything feels wrong.
Violet strains,
pulling harder, and harder.
It hurts.
Orange.
You feel like you're being ripped in half.
One last pull, and-
Green.
You detach from Violet,
forming into a small, black sphere in its paw.
You feel sore,
all over.
The hare's fur is gradually draining of pigment.
It pants heavily, and coughs,
as its fur becomes white like snow.
You try to reach up to it,
but it's hard to move at all.
It coughs again,
harder this time,
leaning over as
it coughs blood onto the floor.
You can't seem to speak.
You can't scream.
The hare wheezes
as it pulls itself over to the back doors of the van.
It lifts you up.
Looking you over one last time.
Blood runs down its muzzle.
" B e . . . s a f e . "
It smiles.
With all its strength,
it shoves you against the crack between the doors.
Your body rapidly contorts,
stretching once more
until-
You explode out of the van into countless ribbons of shadow,
flipping about in the air
before falling gently into a pile on the wet pavement.
You try to get move, to get your bearings,
but you feel weak
and you're tangled up in yourself.
You can see the van driving down the road.
You curse this terrible form.
You need something else.
Something solid.
Something fast.
You need to Move.
Before you know it,
you're standing.
You're running.
You look at yourself.
You look like Violet.
You stumble.
You don't care.
You can see the van
far, far ahead.
You will yourself to run faster.
Rain splashes behind your feet as the storm picks up.
You can hardly see.
The van takes a turn.
Which street?
Which street?
You squint.
The world upends itself
as you fall hard
sliding across the slick concrete.
You throw yourself back upright,
only for your legs to give out.
You wheeze.
You can't run anymore.
The van is gone.
Violet
is gone.
You're walking.
You don't really remember when you got up.
You've traced your way back to the park,
spotting the alley across the street,
and Violet's apartment.
You walk
You're in the apartment building.
Standing in front of Violet's door.
Staring.
You pull its keys out of yourself,
unlocking the door.
You stumble in.
You push the door shut.
You collapse into a wet heap on the floor,
keys jingling as they tumble across the carpet.
You lie still.
A soft sound draws your many eyes to the door.
A piece of paper has been pushed under.
You
force yourself to stand up,
and retrieve it.
It's a handwritten note.
I'm not sure how you are what you are, but
they're going to come back for you, and this
is the first place they'll look. You need to
leave ASAP. Grab some things and go. Find
someplace safe. I'm not sticking around.
If you make it out of this, I might find you
later, but expect nothing. Go now.
You look at the time.
It's 11:29 PM.
You need a plan.
You get tired of thinking.
"I don't want to go out.
Not yet. It's bright outside. I don't like bright light.
We can play the game until it's dark."
It tilts its head.
"The game?"
You tilt your head with it.
"Port of Intrigue.
We'll play together."
"I will, will I?" It chuckles.
"Well..." You quickly have to readjust as it pulls itself up from the covers, getting out of bed.
You slide along the floor after it, rising up to be nearly as tall as the hare.
"You didn't finish."
"Well."
It rubs its face as it heads for the restroom.
"I've got to shower first, so you can play on your own until I finish."
"No."
It stops, looking over at you.
"No?"
You fight off the strange, prickly sensation that's all over you.
"...I don't want to be alone. I'll wait."
"Hatch, you are Not getting into the shower with me."
"I can wait over by the sink.
Is that fine?"
The hare places its arm against its other.
"...You won't look?"
"At what?"
"Me. Naked. In the shower."
"No, I don't care about that."
It sighs, retrieving some clean clothes from the dresser next to the restroom.
"We can try it.
I do need to find some privacy somehow, though."
"I'm better than privacy."
"Mhm. How so?"
"I'm your shadow."
It smiles.
"I Did actually have one of those Before you showed up."
"I'm a better shadow."
"You say that," It shuts the drawer. "But my last shadow didn't wake me up playing video games."
"Yes. You overslept." "I was definitely trying to."
Violet steps into the restroom.
You try to follow, only for it to stop you.
"I need to at least take off my clothes first.
That, and you said you don't like bright light.
So, I have to get it ready."
"...OK."
"Okay. I'll be quick."
It steps into the restroom.
You wait outside.
That sensation is back.
Pinpricks all over.
And motion, along with them.
Like tumbling through rose bushes.
No.
The motion is faster somehow.
Sharp
but all over.
Moving too fast.
Like boiling water.
"You can come in now."
You shoot under the door as if from a slingshot,
forcing yourself to stop before the shower,
pivoting over by the sink instead.
You cling to the sink itself, as you gradually settle.
The light is red.
"I hope you don't mind it.
I have quite a few colored lightbulbs in the closet.
Red is probably the dimmest normal one that I have."
The red light makes you feel strange,
but you can't make sense of why.
You shrug it off.
"Red is fine."
"Good."
The water starts up.
"So..."
"So."
"I'm assuming you have a lot of questions."
"Yes, Violet."
"Well, let's hear it."
You debate what to ask first.
"...Food."
The hare rubs its muzzle with a small sigh.
"This again...
Hatch, you don't need to be insistent about me eating.
I do eventually, and I eat enough.
I know you worry about me, but it's unnecessary, really."
Your eyes blink.
"Was talking about myself, Violet.
Do I eat?"
"...Oh.
Sorry about that.
The last time you were awake, you were always checking whether or not I was eating,
and making sure that I did so regularly.
It was difficult to keep up with, but you'd get so worried...
At any rate: No.
I've never seen you eat, so I assume you don't.
If I had to guess, considering you're attached to me,
you get whatever you need from me.
So, I suppose I eat for the both of us."
"That's very sad."
"It's really a lot of trouble, honestly.
Be glad you don't have to."
"Sad." You melodramatically slump, even though it can't see you.
"Nooooo."
"Sad."
The hare chuckles.
You want to try anyway.
You search around the sink.
Through the cabinets.
You find a bottle of mouthwash.
"...What are you doing out there?"
You pause.
Violet must be able to feel you moving.
You feel it moving, too, after all. It's washing its face.
Maybe it doesn't quite have the dexterity to identify what you're doing.
Just the general feeling of motion.
"Breaking absolutely Everything," you finally answer.
" . . .
...No you're not."
"No I'm not.
I'm only looking at your things, Violet," you say,
while unscrewing the top from the mouthwash.
"I need something to do.
No worrying."
"Alright..."
You form an open jaw on yourself.
You pour in a little of the mouthwash.
It makes no sound as it passes into you.
You taste nothing.
But, you can feel it somewhere within you.
As if a pocket had formed to put it in.
It fizzes within you in a way you don't like.
Without thinking too much,
you eject it from your jaws in a spitting motion.
It runs down the sink's drain.
That wasn't eating, really.
You know this.
You don't eat, then.
But...
You experimentally grab a little container of floss,
and 'eat' it.
Once more, you taste nothing,
but you feel a pocket form to put it in.
You can store things within you;
a fascinating discovery.
You remove the floss and place everything back in the cabinet,
leaving it all alone now.
"Hatch?"
"Yes."
"Questions?"
"Yes."
There's something you've been wanting to ask, anyway.
"Am I something recurring?
You're acting very casually."
"You've been with me for, maybe... seven or eight weeks, at this point.
So, yes.
Sometimes you end up sleeping for a while,
and you come back different, without many memories of the last time you were here."
"How many times?"
"This is the third time you've woken up.
You slept much longer last time."
"How long?"
"About a week and a half, if I remember correctly.
...What do You remember?
In general, I suppose."
You think.
You close your eyes.
Rain.
Drops in a puddle.
Ripples on the surface.
You remember the smell of it most.
Wet earth.
You like it.
It reminds you of Violet.
Wet fur.
Standing in the rain.
It holds its arms out.
Breathing in
out.
You feel the deep breath.
You breathe together.
You feel it smiling.
You smile, too.
It's saying something.
Talking to you.
You don't remember what it's saying.
You don't remember what you said back.
It's nice
when it looks at you.
The light is on.
It isn't too bright in your memory.
You're with Violet
watching its television.
Something is playing on it.
You don't know what.
You hear it laugh.
It tries to stop itself.
You watch its paw half-cover its muzzle.
It can't help it, busting out laughing;
a slight wheeze as it leans forward.
You aren't watching the television anymore.
You watch the hare double over giggling.
You feel
so warm.
You smile.
You laugh with it.
You're grinning, even now.
Oh,
you like when it laughs.
You like when it smiles.
You like to help it smile.
You like to make it laugh.
You say "Thank you"
but your voice is wrong.
You drift along your memories.
Red.
There's red, here.
A flash
a spark
you watch it
cascade across
the one before you
You flinch
You try to move
yellow
orange
Red.
A flash
a spark
you stop moving.
It feels terrible.
Another-
"Hatch?"
Your eyes open.
"Part of you is
...holding my leg.
Did something happen?"
No matter what
you don't want to tell it.
It'd only worry.
You don't want that.
"I pinched my--"
A lie.
You don't want to lie to it.
What can you say instead?
"...Not really.
I'm still over here.
Nothing to worry about."
" . . .
Alright."
Its muscles are more tense.
It can tell, can't it?
It'll worry regardless.
"I tried some mouthwash."
"You what?"
"I don't like mouthwash."
It laughs, just a little bit.
"Neither do I."
It's more relaxed now, as far as you can tell.
You relax, too.
"So?"
"So?"
"What did you remember?"
"...You."
"Oh.
Well, I hope that isn't bad."
"It was nice."
You feel it turn its head to the side,
sinking down gently as its shoulders raise.
It's smiling
just a little.
It's embarrassed.
"...Anything else?"
You quickly search your memory.
"We watched a lot of movies."
"Yes, we did.
You loved them.
That was after the first time you woke up."
"...Seems boring."
"Really? I like them."
" . . .
They're not awful.
But, they're very... long."
"Video games tend to be longer, you know."
"No. You can stop anytime."
Other things are still on your mind.
"Whatever happened to me seems
inconvenient.
I'm not worried.
But why am I like this?"
"I'm... not really sure about that."
"What am I?"
"...I don't have any idea."
"Why can't I remember anything?"
"Well.
You-
You... change, every time you sleep. I think.
Your personality, and even some of your mannerisms, all seem very different.
Some things stay the same, but not all that much.
I don't... know why.
I'm sorry, Hatch."
You droop across the countertop,
thinking too much.
"What happened while I was gone, Violet?"
Violet sighs.
"A lot of nothing, if I'm honest.
It's only been a few days.
I mostly worked.
I went out grocery shopping yesterday.
Watched some videos on my computer.
...You-
Last time you were awake - the second time -
You liked to read a lot, so we'd gotten a library card for me.
So... I still had the books you'd been reading when you... fell asleep.
I went and took them back so they wouldn't be overdue.
I wasn't sure if you would want to; I didn't think you would."
The hare is standing still in the shower.
"The,
er,
first time, you were awake, when you wanted to watch movies a lot?
We started on a series that you really enjoyed.
We were going to do the last of it when you fell asleep.
When you woke up, I was ready to watch with you,
but you had no idea what I was talking about.
You didn't remember, so we never finished it.
. . .
None of that is a problem, for the record."
It says this,
but it seems down.
"My only point is that-
Well.
That's why I turned the books back in.
...That was about all I did while you were asleep."
"We could
start it over."
"Hm?"
"The movies."
"Oh."
"If you like them,
then I'll watch with you."
It smiles.
"...I'd like that, at some point.
Maybe not tonight."
"No, not tonight.
..Port instead."
"Yes, the Port."
It giggles.
The water turns off.
It dries itself with a towel.
"I never actually beat that, you know.
I've made a few save files,
but I'd always get stuck."
"I'll beat it."
"Mhm?"
"We can.
...but mostly me."
It points at you from around the corner as it exits the shower,
still keeping next to the shower to hide itself.
"I'm holding you to that."
"Yes."
"If you don't beat it,
you owe me."
"You're naked."
"And?
So are you."
"You smell like wet rabbit."
"I don't!
I'm a hare."
"Prove it."
"Oh, make me."
You do your best to cackle evilly.
It just snickers at you,
rounding the corner fully clothed.
"...I'm evil."
"Very evil."
"I'm scary."
"You drank mouthwash."
"No." You tap at its snout with a tendril.
"No." It only laughs.
You follow it out of the restroom,
zipping around the corner as you stand up tall again.
"Food."
"Mm?"
"If you can eat, you should have some.
You forget.
Or you don't like it.
I used to remind you."
"Oh, but--"
It sighs, shaking its head.
"Well.
I didn't eat much all day."
"Food."
"Yes, yes.
I'll make something, but I want to watch you play while I eat."
You shake its paw with a tendril.
"Deal."
It jumps,
but laughs.
"Fine, fine,
go get it started."
You swoop your way around to the TV,
excited.
"I think you're stuck."
"No."
"See? I told you."
"No."
"You're stuck in the same spot I always get to."
"No."
"You aaare." It taps one of your tendrils.
You wiggle. "...Maybe."
The hare, with a clean plate in its lap,
looks at the clock behind it.
"Oh, we should definitely break."
You turn to see.
It's 8:44 PM.
"We really lost track of time."
It hadn't felt very long to you.
Violet stands and stretches.
You do the same, mirroring the motions.
"Well.
You wanted to go out."
"Yes."
It takes a peek out the bottom of the window.
"Oh, it's pitch black outside.
Perfect.
...Looks like it might storm later."
It turns back to you.
"Are you okay with possibly getting rained on?"
You remember.
"Yes, Violet."
"Okay."
Its smile is warm.
"Let me just grab my keys."
It walks towards the little stand by the door,
where its wallet, keys, and many keychains sit.
You rush there instead,
conjuring a maw
with sharp-looking teeth
and
CHOMP!
You eat all of them in front of the hare.
It stares at you,
eyes Wide.
You nonchalantly pull the keys out of yourself,
jingling them.
"Kidding."
It shakes its head, laughing it off.
Experimentally,
Violet takes your keys,
and reaches into you.
It fishes around, which feels odd but not unpleasant;
eventually finding and retrieving its wallet.
"You really had me worried there.
So you can just... hide things?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's fun." It pockets its wallet.
It unlocks its door, and peeks out into the minuscule apartment hallway.
Somehow, you know to wait.
It waves you on, and you follow,
blending into its shadow to keep a low profile.
"When did you figure that out?"
"Mouthwash."
"Oh, I see."
The hare locks its door,
then drops the keys in your direction.
There's a light plunk noise,
like a stone dropping in water,
as the keys as stored in you once more.
"Fun."
It continues down the stairs.
Soon enough, you exit the apartment building together.
Thunder booms in the distance.
Soft, grey and black clouds paint the sky.
A few raindrops fall on the both of you.
Violet extends its arms to its sides,
feeling the rain.
You feel yourself mirror it,
through its shadow.
"Ready?" it whispers.
"Yes."
"Where do you want to go?"
" . . .
...Anywhere."
The hare smiles.
"Let's start with the park."
"Yes, Violet.
That sounds nice."
It starts walking,
and quickly rounds the corner into the alley behind its apartment building.
"Less people this way," it whispers. "So we can talk more."
"...Thank you."
"Mm? For what?"
"Just thank you."
"...It's no issue.
I'm happy to spend time with you."
It looks up at the clouds,
taking its time walking.
"Truth be told,
...when you showed up,
it was-
Well.
It was difficult, in some ways;
it was new.
But.
I had... mostly been alone.
And it was very nice
to have company."
It smiles back at you.
You smile, too.
You have no idea if it can tell.
You hope it can.
You believe it can.
"...How did we meet?"
It rubs its arm.
"It's... really a long story."
"Yes."
Its eyes look along the pavement
along the wall.
"...Can I tell you when we get to the park?" It asks.
"It'll give me more time
to
remember everything."
You're immediately worried.
But,
you don't want to pry.
"Yes."
"Good. We'll talk then."
It hops over a puddle.
You reflect across its surface.
"So."
"So."
It turns a corner in the alley.
"Was there anythi--"
Violet chokes.
A hand around its neck
as it's shoved into the wall.
You move to-
Something bright is pressed into its side.
Flash.
S p a r k.
You see nothing.
THUD.
A rough impact against metal.
You hear doors close.
Your many eyes open.
You hear Violet groan,
and you snap awake,
rushing to its side.
"Violet!"
"Shhh..."
It puts a shaky finger to its muzzle.
You quiet down.
The both of you are in the back of a moving vehicle,
based on how the floor and walls shake together.
The space is small,
but highly reinforced; the entire interior black and silver
with what you guess is steel.
A truck?
No, a van.
The hare lifts its shirt, wincing.
The fur along its left side has been singed.
Burnt.
You want to yell.
It drops its shirt,
leaning against the back of the van.
You spot something around its neck.
A grey, hard plastic collar.
There's a green light on the front.
Violet looks at the ceiling.
It seems a little out of it.
"...thought it might...
...Matilde... I should've...
...stupid, stupid..."
You move to hold its shoulder.
"I'm here.
We
We can get out.
I know how."
Your tendrils wrap around Violet.
The light on its collar turns yellow.
"Don't."
The light turns orange.
You ignore it,
attempting to pull it into yourself.
Red.
A flash.
A spark.
A zap runs through the both of you,
forcing you to stop what you're doing.
Violet falls to the floor.
Its muscles spasm as you retract into its shadow again.
"Sorry!
Sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry."
"Not... your fault."
Violet looks down at you.
It shakes its head.
"Hatch."
You've never seen the look it gives you.
"...yes?"
"I have to do something.
It's the only way
any good comes out of this."
" . . . "
It reaches into its pocket,
pulling out its wallet
and dropping it quickly into you.
The light near-instantly goes from green to yellow to orange
then back down to green.
It sits back,
and takes a breath.
reaching down to touch its shadow - you.
"I experimented some
while you were asleep."
It pats you.
Then,
grabs hold of you.
"Forgive me."
It pulls.
Its shadow stretches out.
The collar light turns yellow.
Something feels wrong.
Everything feels wrong.
Violet strains,
pulling harder, and harder.
It hurts.
Orange.
You feel like you're being ripped in half.
One last pull, and-
Green.
You detach from Violet,
forming into a small, black sphere in its paw.
You feel sore,
all over.
The hare's fur is gradually draining of pigment.
It pants heavily, and coughs,
as its fur becomes white like snow.
You try to reach up to it,
but it's hard to move at all.
It coughs again,
harder this time,
leaning over as
it coughs blood onto the floor.
You can't seem to speak.
You can't scream.
The hare wheezes
as it pulls itself over to the back doors of the van.
It lifts you up.
Looking you over one last time.
Blood runs down its muzzle.
" B e . . . s a f e . "
It smiles.
With all its strength,
it shoves you against the crack between the doors.
Your body rapidly contorts,
stretching once more
until-
You explode out of the van into countless ribbons of shadow,
flipping about in the air
before falling gently into a pile on the wet pavement.
You try to get move, to get your bearings,
but you feel weak
and you're tangled up in yourself.
You can see the van driving down the road.
You curse this terrible form.
You need something else.
Something solid.
Something fast.
You need to Move.
Before you know it,
you're standing.
You're running.
You look at yourself.
You look like Violet.
You stumble.
You don't care.
You can see the van
far, far ahead.
You will yourself to run faster.
Rain splashes behind your feet as the storm picks up.
You can hardly see.
The van takes a turn.
Which street?
Which street?
You squint.
The world upends itself
as you fall hard
sliding across the slick concrete.
You throw yourself back upright,
only for your legs to give out.
You wheeze.
You can't run anymore.
The van is gone.
Violet
is gone.
You're walking.
You don't really remember when you got up.
You've traced your way back to the park,
spotting the alley across the street,
and Violet's apartment.
You walk
You're in the apartment building.
Standing in front of Violet's door.
Staring.
You pull its keys out of yourself,
unlocking the door.
You stumble in.
You push the door shut.
You collapse into a wet heap on the floor,
keys jingling as they tumble across the carpet.
You lie still.
A soft sound draws your many eyes to the door.
A piece of paper has been pushed under.
You
force yourself to stand up,
and retrieve it.
It's a handwritten note.
I'm not sure how you are what you are, but
they're going to come back for you, and this
is the first place they'll look. You need to
leave ASAP. Grab some things and go. Find
someplace safe. I'm not sticking around.
If you make it out of this, I might find you
later, but expect nothing. Go now.
You look at the time.
It's 11:29 PM.
You need a plan.
