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Spamton has worked with Tenna for awhile now. And during his time here, he has taken notice of the many quirks on how Tv World is run.
One particular odd quirk he's noticed, is that in all his time here, he's never seen a single magnet around. Not even on the breakroom fridge.
And so today, Spamton had a misson. He secretly carried in his pocket a magnet. It was a yellow star shaped one that he bought on his way here for a cheap price.
From his time in Cyber City, he's heard of what these things can do to a crt. That they can make a pretty warping effect on their screen, though he's not too sure how exactly it effects Tenna?
His best assumption is it might make him feel a bit loopy. And from how he's never seen a single magnet anywhere within Tv World, he's lead to believe this is true, and that this is a thing Tenna is embarrassed by!
Perfect for a little prank to pull! He can picture it now.
He'll show the magnet, and get to see the cute look on Tenna's face as he becomes all flustered that Spamton figured out his little secret.
He held a cheeky smirk at the thought, though quickly switches it out for a more friendly and unsuspecting one as he walks into Tenna's room.
"Hey Tens! Nice show tonight, you really knocked their socks off!"
Tenna was in the middle of taking his suit off, upon Spamton's entrance he turns and beams "Aww you really think so? Thank you!! But hey- I couldn't have done it without you! "
"Aw shucks, you're just saying that. But hey sure- I'll take some of the credit!" Spamton playfully jokes, gaining a laugh from Tenna "And since we did so good, I say we deserve to party a little!"
"Ooh- good idea! I think I still have half a bottle of wine left from last time!" Tenna chimes, already walking towards the fridge to grab it
Now was Spamton's chance to spring out his little prank "I'd be up for some drinks. But wouldn't you rather try something like this?"
Spamton pulls out the magnet and holds it up, presenting it in his hand as he waited for Tenna to notice.
Tenna held the wine bottle in his hand as he turns to see what he was talking about. When he does, the bottle was dropped, glass shattered and the red liquid spilled all over the floor.
Spamton flinched at the noise "Whoa-Jesus Tens, butterfingers much?-" his jovial attitude towards the accident drops when he notices his expression.
It's not the funny flustered look he was trying to stir from him. No...his face expressed pure terror. He was shaking, staring fearfully at Spamton and not making a sound other than heavy breathing.
Tenna's hand was frozen in the air like he was still holding the bottle, as if he didn't notice he dropped it nor the mess that happened right next to him.
"Tenna..? Are you-"
Spamton takes a step forward, causing Tenna to snap out of his frozen disposition "no- NO DON'T!" he shouts as he slams himself back against the fridge. The impact was made with such force, that a loud thud resounded from fridge's metallic exterior. If it hurt, he gave no indication that it did.
Instead he seemed more distracted with getting away from Spamton, by sliding himself off the fridge and onto the wall, and keeping himself firmly pressed against it as he side stepped away from the concerned addison. Who was very puzzled by his distress.
"Tenna? Tenna what are you doing- what happened?-" he took a few more steps forward, dropping the hand to his side and at this point forgetting about the magnet he still held within it. It was a mere afterthought as he wracked his brain on what could've caused this 180 behavior.
But Tenna didn't forget about it. He shook his head as he cried out "NO! Don't- don't put it back on please! Please don't I-I-I'll- I'll-"
He backed himself into a corner, now feeling trapped he started to shrink down. His lips quivered as tears trickled down his face. "I'll be quiet I swear..!" he squeaked out, covering his face with his hands as he slid down the wall, falling onto his rear.
Spamton wanted to move in and comfort the other, but felt he was just doing more damage the closer he got.
He quickly looked around, then at himself up and down, left and right for the cause of Tenna's distress, until it finally hit him.
"Is- is it this?" He waves the magnet in his hand.
Tenna shrinks down more, he was half the size of Spamton at this point. He further cowered himself into the corner as he pathetically whimpers out "Please don't... I won't do it again please.."
That confirmed it for Spamton "No I'm not- I-I wasn't gonna put it on you! I thought- Look- look I'm throwing it away!" He moves to throw it into a nearby trash can
"See? It's gone!" He says with a strained smile, desperately trying to make things better for Tenna. But Tenna didn't move from his spot. He didn't even look up and see him throw it away, he just sat there, softly sobbing to himself.
Spamton hurries back to him, sitting and moving in to hug the smaller tv. "Tenna it's gone. I'm sorry, it's gone now." He said as he held the other, and ever so gently swayed him, in attempts to help calm him down. He felt small hands shakily grasp onto him, it was a least a sign this wasn't unwanted, so he continued.
As more time passed, Tenna slowly grew in size, eventually getting back to his full height. Making Spamton be the smaller one in his grasp instead.
"I'm okay..." he meekly spoke up.
"Yeah?" Spamton pulled away to look up at him, his screen had dried tears decorating the surface.
Tenna kept his gaze to the ground, feeling ashamed that Spamton witnessed his earlier outburst.
"Yeah...sorry."
"No- no don't apologize- I'm sorry!" Spamton says, immediately pivoting the blame onto himself
"I'm sorry Tens, I didn't mean to scare you. It was supposed to be a harmless prank. I'd show it to you, and then maybe you'd get mad and scold me for bringing it in here....I didn't think you'd...." he remorsefully explains, trailing off at the end
"I know, I know you didn't mean to..." Tenna says, rubbing the back of his neck, and cracking a small smile as he gives a half hearted chuckle "...In hindsight, you wouldn't know about the ban."
"They're banned?! Oh fuuuck..." He bemoans, feeling like a complete moron for not considering that sooner
"It's okay, you didn't know!" Tenna says as he picks up his gaze, the casualness at which he normally speaks to Spamton returning as he continues
"I'm so used to seeing you around, I forget you're not from here. So it completely slipped my mind that I should tell you about it! It's a...quiet ban afterall."
"Oh...." Spamton says with a small nod, thinking back on how this is true. He's never heard anyone mention so much as a whisper of this. Almost like it's a taboo subject no one wants to bring up...
"Aren't you going to ask me why?"
"...I was just going to assume that it's a... phobia..?" Spamton uncertainly guesses, not wanting pry further so Tenna doesn't feel obligated to answer.
"Kind of? But it wasn't always."
"You don't have to-"
"No it's okay. Most of the staff already knows anyway, I want you to know too." Tenna says, putting caring hand on Spamton's shoulder.
Over their time together Tenna has grown to trust Spamton, so much so he's becomes more comfortable with opening himself up to him. Both metaphorical, and literal when it comes to repairs. This was just another instance in which he wanted to let Spamton in on his life a bit more, by telling him the story behind the ban.
Spamton, feeling the trust Tenna is putting into him, gives a single nod. Giving Tenna the cue that he'll listen, and to continue if he desires.
And so he does.
"A few years ago, back before you started working with us....something happened...."
Tenna was in the waiting area of the doctor's office, idly tapping his foot on the ground as he read one of the magazines they had available.
He's here for a simple maintenance check, and he's very punctual of getting these done regularly. At least once every month. He doesn't want to risk a problem to arise unnoticed. He could wind up shutting down in the middle of his show!
Because he is very ontop of his upkeep, these check ups are usually done with very quickly. Most of the time is just spent on the waiting!
"Ant Tenna?"
"That's me!"
"The doctor is ready to see you."
"Gotcha!" Tenna says as he jumps up from his seat, already having the route to the room memorized from his many times here before.
Only this time when he walks in, he see's a different doctor from the one he always has.
He thinks that maybe he somehow made a mistake and got into the wrong room. He leans out the door to check the plaquard, but no, this is correct. As evidence even more by their response.
"Hello! Tenna, right? Come on in, take a seat!" They say, gesturing to the examination table
Tenna doesn't budge, warily keeping his place standing by the door "..Hi? Um- sorry, I'm just a bit confused... you're not my usual doctor."
"Oh they had a family emergency to take care of, so I'll be filling in for them! This shouldn't take long, it's just a simple maintenance check right?" They cheerfully say
Although the change was surprising, they seemed friendly enough. Plus they were right, it's only a check up, this will all be done in no time anyhow. "Ahm.. Right, yeah!" He says as he walks in and sits on the table
"I can see by your doctor's notes that you're very consistent with your up-keep!" The doctor says as they put aside the clipboard with the notes they mentioned
"Yep! I like to make sure everything is working well, I wouldn't wanna shutdown onstage afterall!"
The doctor gave an amused laugh at that "Of course not!"
Tenna finds himself pushing aside his initial doubts on the change, feeling more calm from seeing how kind the doctor was.
"Now then, let's get on with it shall we?"
It was all very routine.
Tenna chatted with the doctor the whole time, occasionally moving a limb or turning around when they went to the next step of the check up. He was so used to the process that he barely needed to be dictated through it.
They were at the final part of the examination, the doctor was looking inside a panel at the back of Tenna's head. So far, everything had being checked out and considered fine.
Until now, when they utter a quizzical "Oh.."
"Oh? Oh what..?" Tenna asked, feeling a twinge of concern from that word. He's never heard that before, did they find something wrong?
"Hm..it could be nothing..." The doctor closes the panel up "Hang on, let me test something."
Tenna looks on as the doctor goes for a drawer on the far side of the room, and takes something out of it.
When they go back to him, they hold up a pen infront of his face "Look at the pen please."
"..Okay?"
"Follow it, now turn your head this way." He does so, feeling nervous as his mind raced with possibilities at how this test was related to what the doctor might've seen.
Maybe they found something wrong with his wiring for sight? But he feels like he sees fine, I mean he's following the pen well, right?
"And now turn this way." He does, and right as he turns his head back to the doctor, he feels something hard suddenly get placed on his screen.
He instinctively flinches, not from pain, but surprise of a foreign object being placed on him. "What was-..?" Tenna finds himself unable to finish that question.
Ironically enough, it's from his inability to continue, that he answers himself. He recognizes the feeling of the thoughts in his head slowing down, and the bright raindow colors that begin to wash across his screen.
There is a magnet on him.
Why did the doctor just put a magnet on him?
"Iss... thistill 'part off.. th' test..?" He sluggishly asked, the magnet dulling his ability to register that he was in danger.
"It is, and you aced it. Congratulations Tenna, here's your prize." The doctor says, before Tenna felt a second thud of another magnet being placed on him.
He's only messed with magnets a handful of times in his life. He is aware of the effect they have on him. They're harmless enough, they just make him feel relaxed and easygoing, maybe even a bit loopy!
And one was plenty strong for him, so he's never tried to have two magnets on him at once. He has no idea of how two could effect him.
But right now, he's finding out that two render him unable to sit up by himself, as he distantly feels himself fall off the examination table.
He's not too sure what happened after that. He thinks he felt himself being moved? He did just fall, maybe the doctor was helping him up.
The world around him was indistinct, it was hard to see anything past the two clashing rainbow waves on his screen. He could only parse out the lights overhead. The bright white shine of the hospital lights changes to a warm glow (was he outside?), and then to darkness.
It remained dark for a long time, he had a passing thought that maybe he fell asleep. Though sleep doesn't normally feel like this. And he could swear he can still feel his body moving.
No not moving, being moved, because he certainly wasn't trying to do anything. But maybe he should.
He decides to try and lift his arm, but he finds that can barely move it an inch. He tries a few more times but he just can't seem to do it.
No wait...actually, it doesn't feel like fault on his part. It feels more like something is stopping him from being able to move.
Just as he began to feel confused about what was preventing his mobility, he suddenly feels his mind become clearer as a magnet was removed. And then, the other.
His screen was normal again, and he can think and see more clearly. Right now he sees he was in a dimly lit basement of some sort. It was empty save for a nearby shelf that seemed to be storing mechanical parts, and a small table on wheels that held a metallic tray of tools.
He also sees standing infront of him, holding the magnets in hand, is the doctor.
"Sorry, I just realized I should probably ask. Do you need to eat, or will simply keeping you plugged to an energy source do?"
Tenna was so taken aback by the blunt question, all he could think to say was "..W...What..?"
"I'm asking if to stay alive, do you need food, or if you can get by as long as you're charging?" They ask again, with the same indifferent cadence as before.
"I.." Tenna, tries to stand but once again fails to be able to move. At this point, he looks down and sees he was tied with ropes to a wooden chair. His legs tied against the seat and legs of the chair, with his arms tied behind it. He can feel the tight binds against his wrists, and the back post of the chair digging into his arms as he wriggles in place.
"What- what is- w-whERE AM I?-" he flinches when the doctor waves a magnet in their hand, not close enough to his face to effect him just yet, but the threat was well received.
"Ah- ah- calm down, and answer the question please."
It was such an invasive question. Tenna doesn't want to tell them anything that could be used against him, but they're not giving him much of a choice.
He could try making something up, but he's afraid of what could happen if he's caught in a lie. There's no other way around this... "A-as..as long as I'm kept charging I'll live." He hesitantly answers
"Good to know, thanks!" They greatfully said, before lifting up the magnet again. Ah... So no matter what, they were going to put it back on anyway...
Tenna leans his head away as he sputters out some questions of his own "Wait- wait!! Why am I here!? Are- are you holding me as ransom or something?"
They cease the action to callously answer "Oh no not at all. I don't need to, I'll be making a lot of profit from your parts alone."
Tenna reacts to this with a frightened squeal, the doctor gives an indifferent head tilt as they continued talking
"Don't worry, I plan to keep you alive as long as possible. Something might wind up damaged if you die, and then the sale price may go down."
"No- no wait please! You- you don't have to do that! You can just let me go and I can write you a check- no infact I'll leave it blank! And- and I won't tell anyone about any of-!"
Tenna's pleas are cut short when the magnet reattaches to his screen. It was just one this time, but it was enough to make his panicked thoughts skid to a halt. Negative feelings and complex thoughts get smothered out, and he's almost immediately pacified.
But it's not as if everything gets blocked off. Though the magnet is doing a good job of placating him for the most part, Tenna is still at least half aware of himself.
And so, he's left confused and with a certain bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Past the rainbow, he can vaguely see the doctor going to that shelf he noticed earlier, grabbing something.
They come back and go behind Tenna, he can hear some odd sounds like some kind of machinery was being set up. Just as he worked up the strength to turn his head and try to see, they stop him.
They grab his head and force him to tilt it down, at which point he feels something click in the nape of his neck. He knows he has a port there, and from the small energy surge he felt, his best guess is they plugged in a power source for him.
What he doesn't understand, is why they're opening the panel at the back of his head.
That's....isn't that where his ports and wirings for audio and video are? What could they be-
It's then that Tenna flinches as he feels another thing be plugged into one of the ports. But this time it stung, like something unfamiliar was jammed in.
He doesn't feel any different, and he's not playing any video or sound. So what the hell did that accomplish..?
"You'll have to stay here while I work and take care of personal matters. I'll come back as soon as I can."
Tenna has the delayed realization that the doctor has already let go of him, so he slowly lifts his head up, catching just as they exit out the door.
And he was left alone.
Tenna with what little strength he has tugs his limbs against the rope, making use of this time to try and escape before the doctor comes back.
But no matter how hard he tries, or how long he goes at it for, he just can't seem to get himself free. They won't even loosen. Is it because the rope is tied really well, or because he's too weak? Oh what's the difference, either way he's still trapped here...
He decides to stop for now, just as a little break to regain his energy before trying again.
But now, he finds himself in another predicament.
He's so bored.
There's nothing to do other than look around the room, or try to escape. But he doesn't want to keep looking at the same grey walls and dusty floor over and over again. And he can't just keep trying to will himself free forever, he physically can't, he's overexerting himself. Defeated, he stops all together, heavily breathing, feeling so drained from all that work.
He's so tired, he just wants to lie in his bed and sleep....
Come to think of it. Shouldn't he have fallen asleep by now?
Time is a difficult concept to keep grasp of in his mentally muddled state. But judging by how tired he feels, he thinks surely it's been long enough that he should've drifted off by now. From sheer boredom alone he feels like he could.
But he's not. Strange...
He decides to shut his screen off to help himself doze off. He hears the usual click that rings out when he does this, but is confused when nothing happens.
He tries again, and again there is a click, but still nothing. His screen won't turn off. It's the easiest thing for him to do, why isn't it working?
Is it because of that odd thing the doctor plugged into his head? Is that what that was for, to keep him on?
Funny enough, he's felt something a bit similar to this a few times before. When Kris and Asriel would stay up past their bedtime just to get a few extra hours of tv time in.
And as long as he is playing something on his screen, he can't sleep. Though, he didn't mind it too much during those times. It's like they were having a sleepover! And anyhow, Toriel would always eventually end the sleep over, and turn him off to make sure he gets some sleep too!
But this time, Toriel isn't going to be able to come shut him off.
Nothing was working. He can't force himself to turn off, he can't do a system reset, hell he even tried degaussing but nothing worked. His systems were tricked into thinking he has to stay on, and so he has to...even if he really doesn't want to....
Hours have passed, he's sure of it. Since he feels himself exceed the maximum extent of exhaustion he's pushed himself to before.
He's tired.
So tired.
He can feel his plastic casting getting warmer from being on for too long. He's going to overheat at this rate. He needs to turn off, he needs to rest.
He tries his binds again, and again nothing. Though he notices this time his limbs are getting harder to move, not only from feeling weak with fatigue, but they feel half numb. Perhaps as a result of being tied so tight and kept in the same position for so long.
He was always one to be on the move. Even if he had nowhere to be running off to, he would bounce his leg or tap his finger to the beat of a song stuck in his head. He was always moving in someway.
So to be suddenly rendered stuck in a stiff sitting position, it's no wonder his legs ache. They ache, and every so often they spasm and twitch, wanting desperately to move.
He wiggles in his binds once again. It wasn't even about trying to get out of them anymore, even if he's just shifting against the rope it doesn't matter, he just has to move. Even by a millimeter, a little bit like this is fine.
It's fine.
It's fine.
It's not fine.
It's not enough.
He needs to stand.
He needs to stretch.
He needs to run.
He needs to leave.
He needs to leave.
He needs to leave. He needs to leave. He needs to leave. He needs to-
From all the wriggling and moving, it was enough to make the chair, and Tenna along with it, fall to the side.
He gives a delayed groan at the pain of impact that runs up the side of his body. The most feeling he's had in it in awhile.
But now half of his body was being crushed under his own weight. This is worse than before. Why did he do this? He just wanted to move a bit, but why did he have to get so desperate?
Now he's stuck on the floor, still tired, and helpless. So so helpless, he just couldn't fight the urge to cry anymore as despair sets in. He cries to himself, feeling the tears pooling on the ground where the side of his head layed.
He cried for so long he ran out of tears, now just quietly hiccuping to himself. Feeling spent, empty, and so tired.
Eventually, he faintly heard footsteps.
And then, he felt himself being lifted off the ground, him and the chair being fixed back upright. The doctor was back. Does that mean a day has passed? Or longer?
Not important. Right now Tenna jumps at the opportunity to beg to be freed.
"P...pleass.. lllet me goo...lle..lemme.... s..ssstretch at luh..at least...i..it hhurtss.."
He was ignored as the doctor walks away to the otherside of the room "...lllet mhm..me sssleep."
He watches as they come back, rolling up that small table he saw before "...Wuh...whaat...aare y....."
When they put it next to him, he can see the metal tray closer now, and the tools it holds "Wait..nno...yuh...you're...pparts..? Wait ...nonop...plee..pleas don... please I-"
They put their hand on the magnet, for a moment Tenna felt relieved thinking they were going to remove it, and let him think clearly.
But instead they twist it, and Tenna felt as if his whole brain twisted along with it. He groans, feeling wave of nausea and discomfort from the movement.
"Please be quiet, I can't work while you're talking." They emphasis with another twist, causing him to groan again, this time louder as he shuddered from the awful feeling. It's like his head was put in a blender, even if for a moment.
And so he complies and falls silent. Not like he can get himself to say anything, words were lost to him at this time. He's more distracted by how much his head was spinning.
It takes some time for the twisted feeling to subside. When he comes out of it, he realizes his suit and shirt was unbuttoned. They already had his chest panel open and their hands inside.
This is the first time Tenna was greatful for the magnet. It helps so that he can't feel them digging around inside. Though he still shudders at the thought. And anxiety eats at him of what they might take.
They want to sell his parts right? Will they take something important? Isn't it all important? What could he live without? Those were questions Tenna never wanted to ask himself.
These thoughts were interrupted when he feels a screwdriver begin to loosen a screw within him. He yelps in pain at the sensation. The work is paused as the doctor tells Tenna once again, more firmly this time "Please be quiet."
That's not an easy ask! But fearing further backlash, and that they might mess with the magnet again, Tenna with all his might forces himself to stay quiet as they continue.
The sharp pinch and slow grinding sensation of each screw being taken out was agonizing. Tenna grits his teeth, feeling on edge by it all. His only measure of time was marked by the clink of a screw hitting the ground. He inhales short and quick breaths to try and keep himself calm, albeit how tough of a task that was.
After he heard the 4th clink of what he assumed was the final screw hitting the ground, Tenna sighed heavily in relief. For a moment, thinking that it was all over and that he made it through the worst part.
Until he felt a wire being cut.
He let out an anguished screech before he could even attempt to try and hold it in. Though he couldn't have possibly done so, even if he had time to prepare.
It was a seering hot pain that he felt through his whole body, the delicate and most sensitive part of him was mercilessly cut through.
And worse yet the doctor kept going, cutting another wire and then other. Each consecutive cut happened so quickly, he didn't have any time to process it all. Pain receptors were being overloaded, it overlapped and grew immensely in intensity with each sever. Tenna was helpess to do anything other than violently twitch and scream louder.
He gasps out a loud sob as it kept going. It was a pain that he's never felt before. He was always so careful to take care of himself, he's never so much as even tangled a wire. He didn't know he could feel something this awful.
It makes him miss the feeling of the screws being removed. He'd rather go through 50 of those than this.
He heard the doctor give a disgruntled sigh as they stopped. Tenna breathed heavily, feeling solace from the pause, though he still weeped from the lingering pain.
And then, a second magnet was placed on his screen, immediately disorienting Tenna more than he already was. Wasn't something hurting really badly just now? He can still feel it, but less strong than before.
He is also confused at much more calm he suddenly feels. But he still holds fear in his heart, a distant part of himself remembering he's not safe, something is very wrong. But he can't put his finger on what.
Tenna at this point had quieted down to meek whimpers.
Though perhaps that was considered still too much noise, because then a third magnet was placed on him. It causes a black hole to warp in the middle of his screen, it was the strongest one of the three.
His head fell back against the chair, his shoulders lowered, and whole body relaxed despite the previous agony he just felt before.
He was rendered silent, and still, save for the occasional mouth twitch. He couldn't feel anything anymore, which in this case was a mercy in a way. It could almost be considered peaceful, but the reality for Tenna was that he was mentally too far gone to feel anything at all.
Nothing but the low hum caused by the magnets reverberating through his head, dissolving his senses, subdueing him. He can't move, he can't think, he can barely breathe.
His mind was gone.
After what felt like ages, Tenna regains feeling in his body, and gets back his mind. Well, at least some of it.
He carefully lifts his head back up as he reorients himself to being awake. Slowly, his mind catches up on what just happened. He notices that his chest panel was closed back up, so the doctor must've finished getting what they wanted.
He sees the doctor pack up their things and put away a couple of parts in a duffle bag. His parts.
This would disturb him, but right now he's too busy reeling from the dizzy feeling in his head.
He also noticed the magnets were removed, save for one. That must be why thinking is easier for him again. He's glad the strongest one was removed at least, but he'd really like it if this last one was gone, so he could get back to 100% cognitive thinking.
Tenna once again tries his only option which is to plead. His tongue feels heavy in his mouth as he speaks
"..Plea...tttaake..it..ooff....muh...sscr... ssscreeenn...w'll...geh...dahm..meged....I d'nt...."
"Sorry, can't. This is the easiest way to keep you sedated and make sure you don't leave." They heartlessly replied as they picked up the bag "I'll see you later." They say before leaving, and all Tenna could do was watch them as they did.
Alright, that's it. There is no way he's going to just wait here for them to come back and do that awful procedure again! But what can he do? He tried and failed to break free from the rope, but that can't be his only option. Is it?
He feels so frustrated, if only he had this stupid magnet off so he can think more clearly!
Well hey now, there's an idea. If he can somehow get it off, then his chances of escaping will be higher!
The only thing he can freely move is his head, so maybe if he shakes it side to side he can get it to slide off!
And so, Tenna with all his might shakes his head about. Despite how uncomfortable and dizzying it feels, he continues, determined to get this thing off!!
Sadly, the magnet does not budge, but instead, something else happens.
Tenna stops when he feels something loosen and unplug from the back of his head. suddenly, he feels like he's regained the ability to shut off if he wishes.
All that shaking must've loosened that thing that was preventing him from turning off.
He completely disregards his initial plan. Desperation for sleep takes over, telling him to rest now while he can. And he does. The feeling relief blankets him as his screen goes black, and he was finally allowed to drift away.
Until Tenna gasped awake, feeling the sting once again of that thing being plugged back in.
He doesn't know how long he was out for, but it was long enough for the doctor to have returned. They grab the bottom corner of his frame, forcing his head to tilt, looking up at them.
Then they grab onto the magnet. Tenna winces, expecting them to twist it and give him vertigo again.
Though instead, they remove it. Tenna for a split second was happy to have it off, but was instantly overwhelmed as he's struck with a headsplitting migrane.
He's had the magnet on for too long. Having it off was like suddenly taking off a pair of shades under the bright sun. His surrounds became too much to take in.
And his mind that was so used to being blanketed in a half daze, it was screaming out at being thrown back into the waking world.
Just as Tenna was trying adjust to this, the doctor put the magnet back on. His migrane became at ease, welcoming the soothing sensation back in.
And then it was removed again.
On and off, on and off. A few seconds on and a few seconds off.
Tenna for once finds himself wishing they'd just leave it on. Each time it's removed his migrane returns worse and worse. The pain even begins to spread to his neck.
"Ss....s-stop..!" Tenna utters out before the magnet is removed again.
On and off, on and off, again and again, they keep going. Tenna squirms in his seat, trying move his head away, but the doctor keeps their hold on him tight as they continue.
"S-sstOp..!..Ss- STop!!"
Is this a punishment? Because he took the plug off? He wasn't even trying to do that in the first place- it was an accident! He didn't meant to, but he's sorry for doing it. He's so sorry, he'll say it if he has to, he just wants it to stop.
"I dn't m-MmEan to! Puh- plEAasstop I'm suhh- sss- sSSORr-rry!" he helpessly cried out, words shaking and stuttering inbetween the magnet repeatedly being placed and removed
The doctor stops, leaving the magnet on. Tenna whimpers from the pounding headache that lingered after all of that.
"How did it happen?" The doctor coldly asked
"...I wus...tryin t-tto..shhshake the muh..magnnet off..." Tenna pitifully admits, trembling in fear of further punishment.
The doctor silently regarded Tenna with an unreadable look, before softly sighing. Expression calm as they say "It's my fault for thinking just one would be enough to kill the fight in you. But no matter, we'll just fix that right now."
Tenna already knew what that meant "Nno- no please!" he begs, shaking his head in a panic as he sees them retrieve another magnet from their pocket
He can't go back to feeling nothing again, he just can't. It's awful, it's like feeling himself getting erased. "I wuh- won't ddo it again! I won't e-eevenn try too-to leav anymore ple!-"
Words fizzles out when it sticks on. The last thing his mind clings onto is the deep aversion to having it on. It took everything in him to mumble out
"..P...pleeezz...I..w..w'nt..."
The third and final one was placed, and Tenna goes quiet as all his energy and resistance fades away.
He doesn't know if the doctor left at that point, or if they were taking more parts from him. He doesn't know if he cares either way. He doesn't know if his own lack of awareness should worry him.
He doesn't know anything.
From a mind that was used to running a mile a minute, being shut down into nothing was so uncanny. There was nothing but the clashing of the rainbow from three different points of his screen. But he became so accustomed to it, it may as well not be there.
Infact his mind was sick of it, the same colors, the same waves of movement over and over and over again. The stagnation was an agony in it of itself.
The only other constant is the ever present exhaustion he feels deep in his soul. He can't even sleep and escape into his own mind.
There needs to be something else happening, something to fill in the void.
Shadows around his vision start to bend and twist. Creating forms he can't quite make out. A cat? A crowd? A tree? A camera? Whatever it is, he feels no longer alone. But he's unsure if he likes it.
When that wasn't enough, eventually flashes of lights and colors began to float by. Like fireflies, or maybe even stage lights, flickering and dancing about.
And from the colors he began to hear whispers. He can't make out the words, but they're talking about him no doubt. Or maybe just excluding him from the conversations they're having.
He can hear clattering of footstep, the music of a game show, the sound of a door opening, crowd clapping. A room that was once too quiet, was now filled with too much noise.
He shivered as he feels someone trace a finger up his arm. He had lost all feeling in his limbs long ago, and yet it was still felt. Like someone was really there.
He feels a hand stroke the side of his frame, a tingle in his legs, a breeze on his face. Sensations that his mind is making up to fill in the emptiness. He can't tell whats real and what's not anymore.
He began to hear snickering, cackling, till it grew into an uproar. The sound of an audience laughing. Laughing at him, having no sympathy for his predicament. Infact they seem to relish in it.
Is this funny?
Is that what he's for? To be poked, prodded, and laughed at?
..Is it..?
Is that why he's here? Where even is he?
...Who even is he?
What's his name?
Does he even have one?
He hadn't noticed how much he was loosing himself, how the noise and colors ate away at him and his memories. With his lack of thoughts, his mind had to make up something to fill in the space. But in this attempt to prevent monotony, everything else was being left to rot. It's slipping, it's all slipping away.
What's his name?
What was it?...
What........
...
..
.
And then, everything was blindly bright. He feels an throbbing pain in head as he hears people speaking again. More urgently this time.
More hallucinations no doubt. It must be.
He feels hands touching against his wrists and legs, he feels his muscles spasm for a moment, as if his limbs were somehow moved. And he felt something unplug.
His exhaustion finally catches up to him. He doesn't care why or how, or if its just another figment his mind is making up. Even if he may only get a short rest, he'll take it.
And so his screen shuts off as he passes out in that instant.
Spamton had a lump in his throat, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He would've never guessed something like this happened before he arrived. All he could do was stare at Tenna in shock.
"...Everything is kind of fuzzy for me near the end. But the pippins told me that when they found me, I was completely unresponsive. Even with the magnets off. They almost thought I was uh.. dead..." Tenna tugs at the cuff of his gloves in nervous energy
"I'll be honest, even my recovery is a bit hard to remember. But they said it took near a month until I talked again. And even longer until I was back in tip-top shape!"
He can't help but ramble on. Since Spamton was being so quiet, he feels like he has to keep going.
"Turns out I had been missing for about 3 weeks. Weird right? I thought I was in there for months... But it wasn't even that long!" He says with a nervous laugh while turning his head to look at the wall, feeling self-conscious under Spamton's stare.
He can't bring himself to talk anymore, having run out of words to fill in the silence. So after an uncomfortable pause, Spamton finally says "Three weeks is still a long time..."
Tenna keeps his gaze to the side, giving a slow nod as he quietly says "...Yeah..."
Having found his voice again, Spamton takes this moment to ask "Is..is that why you always did your maintenance in your room?"
Another nod, though Tenna does turn his gaze back to Spamton as he replies "Yeah, I decided to just do it myself from then on. At least until you came along."
"That explains why the first time I took a look, you had a lot of dust inside."
"Haha, yeah it's hard to keep everything clean myself. I can only see so much from my perspective and mirrors. So, you've been a big help!"
"Well, glad to hear it..." Spamton said, though not too enthused. He still had the details of the events Tenna told weighing heavy in his mind
".....I'm sorry."
"Huh?- oh no it's fine! You didn't know know about the ban so-"
"No, I mean...." Spamton seemed to think to himself for a moment. Before leaning in to give Tenna a hug, as he somberly said "I'm sorry that happened to you..."
"Oh...." Tenna pauses, his nerves becoming at ease as he was comforted by Spamton.
He wraps his arms around him, hugging him back as he quietly says "Yeah... Me too.."