<h4>Chapter 229: Minor Panic</h4>
As Kat watched the scene in front of her, the world slowed. She would never learn if this was a matter of the dream realm, or if she had instinctively thrown demonic energy into her mind to watch in horror. Or if it was simply her brain going intoplete overdrive as it tried to contemte, every second of the crushing scene in front of her.
As Kat stared at Minor she watched Minor fall. It was unbearable slow and distinctly inhuman. Instead of bending at the knees and copsing as if she had fainted or her knees had given out… instead, Minor cracked.
It started slow at first. Thick lines glowing with a soft red glow slowly snaked their way around Minor''s knees. To Kat''s surprise and horror this wasn''t just visible over her outfit, but included it as well. When the cracks reached around halfway a sickening crack was heard and the circle waspleted.
Minor''s feet and upper body seemed to disagree as to which direction they wanted to go. Separating at the crack her feet fell forward, and her body fell back. Kat tried to push herself to her limits, move forward, catch Minor, do anything at all, but her limbs were locked in ce by the scene transition that even now had yet toplete.
As Minor''s upper body fell towards the ground, more cracks started to form. Starting this time from the hands instead, they spiderwebbed out from the centre of her palms. Endless sounds of cracking echoed out one after another, as Minor''s hands became riddled with more cracks then veins
Once they''d taken over Minor''s hands, they made their way up her arms and outfit once again. Threerge cracks, spreading over the top. As the cracks widened and sheared the red light beneath leaked out more and more, revealing a strange fiery insides that were nheless frozen in time.
It was at this point Minor had collided with the floor, and Kat had taken her first step forward. She was just barely able to move at all, and was straining against everything she could to try and get to Minor as fast as possible with no effort spared. She wrenched her energy away from her core sending it into her legs with as much force as possible, aplishing less then if she''d sent a calmer stream, but this was the panicked movements of a desperate demon who knew no better.
When Minor hit the ground. No new cracks appeared immediately. There was only the heavy thud of a body hitting the floor. Any relief Kat may have felt at that moment was short lived though, as in one single moment and a huge tearing sound, a massive series of cracks appeared all at once.
It looked like a ss statue of Minor had been punched in the shoulder and then the cracks had spiralled from there. Large, cracks pulsing with red lights covered nearly every remaining surface on Minor''s body and clothing.
As they reached up to her face they continued without fail. Splitting her features with rifts of fire and glowing faintly like everywhere else. The only sce Kat could find, is that even with the cracks that separated pieces of Minor''s eyes, Kat could still see the parts moving, as if they had all been connected.
Once again, Kat''s hope was crushed though, when a loud shattering sound rang out. Widening her eyes and trying to drink in every detail, Kat realised the problem. Minor''s left ear hadpleted snapped off, with that eery red glow emanating from the base of the chipped piece and presumably from the join.
This was followed by another series of cracks reaching into Minor''s tails. As soon as they reached halfway up said tails though, they halted. Stopped for seemingly no reason, but in a clear line despite the numerous cracks that riddled them.
Kat skidded to a halt, scraping her knees and quickly regenerating as she went. Digging herself into the ground to stop from barrelling into the girl now possible literally made of ss. The world still refused to speed up as Kat looked Minor over.
*What the hell do I do! This isn''t supposed to happen! Minor! Why*!
Kat didn''t have time in her slowed world to shed any tears, or choke them back. Her mind was running through as many options as she could possibly think of for what she should do. *Pick her up? Leave her? Coat her in fire? Look away? Put her together? Is she ok? Is this my fault? Could I have done something better? Is it this scene instead? Did we get separated, and this isn''t the real Minor just a part of the scene?*
*No, I can''t think that. This Minor has to be real, or even if it''s not I need to do everything in my power to make sure that she survives. I can just barely see her eyes moving. I can see her pupil contracting as I panic, it''s extremely slow but I can see it even with the cracks*
*And what do I do about her tails? They seem to be in the best shape. But does that mean I should stay as far away from them as possible or do I instead need to start whatever I''m doing there.*
*Seriously! What can I possibly do? I wasn''t taught how to perform first aid on someone made out of crystal… wait no, that isn''t right. Think Kat, what was Minor made of…* Kat quickly cycled through her memories as best she could to remember Minor''s thoughts on herself.
*Memories. Minor thinks that this body in front of me is herrgest repository of memories. But how the hell do I fix that? It isn''t as if the memories are really destroyed or damaged, it''s the container…*
*And even if it was the memories that needed to be fixed, it''s not like Minor is unconscious and I can go into her dreams. We are already in a dream!*
*Of course, that likely means I should use a bit of dream logic to heal her… but how can I do that. Minor is the one that has the twisting perspective trick! I can''t do it, I don''t even know how, or if it''s possible for me, and I really don''t want to test it as Minor falls apart*
*But what else can I do? Should I just wait? Will Minor need to literally pull herself together? If that''s the case is it safe to stay here? I haven''t even considered the surroundings.* Kat tried to tear her eyes away from Minor to try and survey the surroundings, but they still hadn''t entirely finished crystallising into a scene.
The ground was paved stone, and the walls seemed to be a strange golden brown, with a blue ceiling but it was clear that the details were missing. Dammit fine. I can do this… right?
As Kat was panicking she saw Minor slowing begin the process of letting out a shuddering breath. Her chest was going down just slightly as the milliseconds inched past. *Ok, she''s still breathing even with her chest in fucking pieces.*
*That''s something to be endlessly thankful for. I don''t know for how long though. Everything points to Minor being much better off than she should be considering I can see her glowing insides, frozen red fire and all…*
*But that doesn''t mean she''s well… I should do something. I have to do something. I just don''t know what could possibly improve the situation… some things like the cracks can''t even be just forced together…*
*Like look at her hands. They are still in one piece despite the fracture. It''s only her feet and ear that have broken off really, so I''m not sure if I should touch anything else. Her eye is split into pieces, but those pieces are still very much attached to her head at least…*
*Dammit I just don''t know. Enuko! This sort of thing is important. Why couldn''t you have told me anything about this. Is this how we are going to find Major as well? Shattered and in pieces?*
* Bad Kat, getting distracted. Worry about Major and Enukoter. Focus. Focus on Minor. Ok, what else can I do other than moving her and putting her back together. I have my fire of course, but even though I trust it not to hurt Minor in normal circumstances*
*These are not normal circumstances, and I doubt I have magically acquired healing powers for others. There is my aura… but I really don''t see what calming Minor down can possibly do for me…*
*Then again that''s at least a step isn''t it? With my aura, if Minor needs to put herself back together without me she will be able to think more clearly. And if there was ever a time to use it without asking now sure as hell would be that time. *
*The only issue is that it sometimes causes drowsiness. Minor CANNOT fall asleep now. That could be the end of things, regardless of what I want.*