Out of the Abyss - Act 1 Part 8 - The Relentlessness of the Fairways (2/3)
With some more tempering of the prism from NANCI, a chain came out of it, shooting straight to the Nebula Marble and coiling around it. She tapped again on the prism, now having the chain slowly but surely dragging the spaceship towards the moon.
Both ABBI and SPACEBOY would have cried victory if it wasn’t for the fact they knew better. They looked at each other, nodded in agreement and took out their dagger and gun respectively. The only words spoken then were from the captain :
- “Let’s hope there are survivors…”
Before the ship had even reached the last quarter of its way down, weeping shadows leaped from it, heading for the moon like missiles.
Our duo was ready, but against all odds, NANCI intervened.
Both ABBI and SPACEBOY were left stunned by what the shadowy crab had done for them.
- “Woaw…” the young man managed to utter, “This was quite a daring decision to make. I guess your friend wasn’t at her first run in with them either, was she ?”
- “I don’t know for sure but… that is likely.”
Their attention was drawn back to the ship as they heard a yell coming from it. A yell hoping for a response.
- “HEY ! CAN SOMEONE HEAR ME ?! SOMEONE HELP US, PLEASE !!”
- “LITTLE JACK ?” answered SPACEBOY, “IS THAT YOU ?”
The Nebula Marble was close to landing. The whitish shock of hair of a young man who seemed to be about SPACEBOY’s age presented itself at the railing of the ship. Relief washed over him as he smiled for the first time after an anxiety riddled time span that must have felt like an eternity.
- “CAPTAIN SPACEBOY !” he exclaimed, “I knew you’d come for us ! WHAAAA-”
LITTLE JACK had lost his balance when the ship finally landed, but he quickly got back up. The chain that had triced the ship retracted back into the prism.
A crow flew to the young space sailor.
- “Squack ! What are you waiting for, LITTLE JACK ?! Lower the ramp for the Captain to get on board !”
- “Aye-aye, CHIEF CRUE !”
- “No need !” said ABBI, “We’ll be here in a second !”
- “Squa ?”
The young lady tightly held the captain with her tendril-like arm, and advised him to hold on tight to her as well. She managed to carry him as she climbed up the hull with ease and eventually jumped over the railing.
- “... Wow.” let out JACK, astonished.
- “Impressive.” nodded CRUE.
SPACEBOY drew closer to the other young man and the SPACE PIRATE CHIEF that was now perched on JACK’s shoulder.
While less obvious with the crow, both had been affected by Black Space’s plague. But a good look around the deck showed they were among the least affected within the crew.
The young captain then asked the dreaded question :
- “Where is father ?”
He got answered in a rather unpleasant way as a hoarse cough resonated. SPACEBOY looked behind. It had come from the bridge.
- “Father !” he exclaimed as he ran up to the source of the sound.
And there he found PINKBEARD. The old captain was sitting on the ground, back leaning onto the helm. He was in a pitiful state. The plague had severely spread itself across his body, only leaving a few coloured spots.
*****
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The fear and pain of losing someone dear is universal...
*****
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What’s your opinion on Snowglobe Mountain? It doesn’t seem to appear anywhere on the map, and you access it through some sort of ritual teleport thing. At the top, around the peaks it fades into pitch darkness lower down... would it be considered part of black space?
(Warning: spoilers, suicide)
My understanding is that Snow Globe Mountain is a sub area of Otherworld that can be accessed through the igloo. It is 100% a part of Headspace, and not Black Space. It fits the color scheme and has all the quirky hallmarks of the overworld. But it does overlook Black Space, in fact, many parts of Headspace do, like the garden in Sweethearts castle.
All that being said, it is no doubt one of the most symbolically loaded areas of Headspace. The entrance being a demonic ritual implies that something awful has to happen before it can be accessed. The (mostly) white snow that encompasses the dream can be seen as White Space consuming Sunny's mind. If Humphrey represents Headspace in disgusting microcosm, Snow Globe Mountain is Headspace is Post-Reset Microcosm.
The real world inspiration is probably a snowglobe. One of the many vacation souvenirs Sunny family kept. In this sense, Snow Globe Mountain can be seen as a vacation, a literal escape to Sunny's problems. The snow can also be symbolic of the metaphorical "Winter" that ended the good times of Summer. And perhaps the holiday season that bound his fate all those years ago.
In a way, Snow Globe Mountain is the closest thing we get to "Omori's World". A level a cold and empty as him. Snow angels, animated by redspace, cast judgment upon Sunny's sins. The theme of the area/dream is suicidal ideation. Spaceboy wanting to expose himself to the elements, suggesting that Sunny is now seriously considering ending it all. Even as you explore, the option to kill one's self looms ever-present. Sunny is only hanging on by a thread, but there is still hope. The theme of the area is called "a single flower blooms" suggesting that tiny bit of hope still remains, and Spaceboy's new boss theme called "you cannot go back", is proven to be false. Spaceboy does pull himself back from the brink.
What's really interesting is the implications around Pinkbeard, Spaceboy's father.
If we accept that Spaceboy and the Junkyard are a metaphor for Sunny and the "junk" and boxes that thrown around his house, (a metaphor outright confirmed in Black Space). Then who is Pinkbeard in this allegory? And why is Pinkbeard telling surrogate Sunny to "not change his name"? I think the answer may be Sunny's father. Its possible that Sunny's father wanted Sunny to face the Truth, and by extension reject OMORI and his 'false name/identity".
What this says is that there is still hope for Hikkiroute Sunny even if it's very small. Sunny is still alive, if only barely. He can still reach out to his friends later on in life, there is still a way out.
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Out of the Abyss - Act 1 Part 8 - The Relentlessness of the Fairways (3/3)
As SPACEBOY was drying his tears after this deluge of emotions, he heard ABBI call him. She along with LITTLE JACK and CHIEF CRUE had come back from the engines’ room.
He looked over the railing.
- “How severe are the damages ?” he inquired.
- “The single damage was minimal.” she responded very simply, “A shadow had found itself stuck in the gears. I took care of it.”
- “I can confirm !” added a somewhat shaky JACK, “That was NOT a pretty sight.”
SPACEBOY took a deep breath. The news was enough to give him a good hold over himself. He was now more than determined to get everyone out of Black Space safe and sound.
- “Alright !” he exclaimed as he took the helm, “Let’s change course ! To starboard !”
The sound of the engines echoed as he swiftly spun the helm, the Nebula Marble turning around to face the rift to Headspace.
- “Onward !”
The remaining space pirates started to regain hope as the ship itself was gaining speed. LITTLE JACK and CHIEF CRUE soon joined CAPTAIN SPACEBOY on the bridge. The apprentice space pirate pointed at the rift.
- “Overthere ! Is this daylight ?”
- “I can assure you it is, JACK.” the captain said.
- “Oh man… What I’m going to say is gonna be stupid, but I think I had never missed the light of day until now !”
- “ Squawk ! I believe I can say as much !”
VLAM !
All of a sudden, the ship got violently shaken.
SPACEBOY asked aloud :
- “What’s happening ?!”
- “C- C- C- C- C- C- CAPTAAAAAIIIIIIIN !!!!”
One of the surviving pirates screamed as he looked overboard.
- “TH- TH- THE SHADOWS ! THEY’RE ATTACKING THE HULL !
The young captain remained calm.
- “If they have decided to make all of us sink, then I shall not go down without a fight ! LITTLE JACK, I entrust you with the helm.”
- “Wh- Me ?! O-… Ok !”
- “Good !”
He then promptly jumped off the bridge and onto the deck, landing next to the Lady of the Abyss.
- “Miss ABBI, will you assist me in this battle ?”
- “With great pleasure, CAPTAIN SPACEBOY.”
They each took a side to defend from the weeping shadows who were crashing and gnawing at the ship’s hull. SPACEBOY was shooting at them on sight, while ABBI was sweeping and smashing them with wide movements of her tentacles.
Their counter attack was efficient enough for the shadows to change tactics : they all flew up on the deck.
SPACEBOY clicked his tongue in annoyance.
- “Those filths don’t give up easily… But neither do I !”
He pulled out a second laser gun, shooting more of them as he stepped back to not let them get too close to him. ABBI had herself taken her dagger and sliced through the weepers gaining on her.
They both ended up being back to back with one another.
- “Hold on tight !” yelled out LITTLE JACK, “We’re about to cross the rift ! In three… Two… One !”
The ship shook once more.
The daylight of Headspace blinded everyone momentarily at the same time the heavy atmosphere of Black Space left them for good. The shadows were themselves destabilized by the sudden change, but it seemed to have only angered them even more as they kept charging on the duo.
Despite being essentially ensnared by the shades, they did not give up, continuing to counter attack and managing to defeat half of their assailants. However, they were beginning to tire out.
- “We’re almost done !” ABBI proclaimed, “All we have to is-”
Only a second of inattention and she found herself pushed to the ground.
- “ABBI !”
He covered her to not let her be an easy target. Which unfortunately meant that he himself would now be at the enemies’ mercy as soon as they strike with another low blow. SPACEBOY was attempting to keep his eyes on all of them, which was impossible.
He expected the worst to happen… when out of nowhere :
- “AVAST, YOU BLACK HOLE LEPERS !”
Right after these words were bellowed, SPACEBOY felt the air around him being disturbed by someone’s fast movements.
He looked up, and saw his father proudly brandishing his two laser sabers as he cut through four or five of the shadows mid-air. The fiends were about to strike from above until PINKBEARD intervened.
The old captain landed by his son’s side, towering over everyone involved in this battle.
- “Don’t just stand there like a bewildered rabbit, my boy !” PINKBEARD’s eyes shone with a rekindled ardour, “Help your friend back on her feet and let’s finish those living black spots off !”
To see his father being up and about again, SPACEBOY felt invigorated.
- “Yes, father !”
The sheer surprise PINKBEARD’s arrival on the scene provoked had left time for ABBI to drink some Infused Morning Dew. She offered some to SPACEBOY as he helped her get up, saying that she hoped he liked peppermint. He gladly accepted, taking a swig as she covered for him. He felt JUICED up !
- “At the ready !” he shouted, throwing the emptied vial at a shadow.
The battle resumed, and even if the shadows were stubborn, their numbers decreased rapidly.
Only a handful were left.
- “CAPTAIN PINKBEARD !” yelled LITTLE JACK out of nowhere, “The controls of the ship are not responding anymore !! We’ve lost speed, but we’re also losing altitude !”
CHIEF CRUE also started to croak in a panic.
- “SQUACK !!! Captain ! Snowglobe Mountain on the horizon !! We’re about to collide with its summit !!!”
The news did not fall into deaf ears. Not even the shadows ignored it in fact, as they proceeded to abscond as fast as they could from the ship, much to ABBI’s shock.
- “They’re fleeing ?!”
- “Bah !” exclaimed the old pirate, “They wanted our blood ! They must think the mountain will take care of that.”
- “Which is why we should prepare for the impact !” stated his son, “Everyone ! Grab onto something and do NOT let go !”
All of the crew scrambled to find what to hold on and brace themselves for the impact. ABBI had grabbed onto the mast at the middle of the ship, beckoning to frenzied crew mates as she lent them tendrils to latch onto.
KRAAAAAAAAAAAASSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
…
It would seem the Nebula Marble was sturdier than it looked. It had stopped abruptly as it hit the frozen peak, leaving a sizable crack into the icy stone.
Of course, the ship itself had sustained some damages, but nothing that couldn’t be repaired. But most importantly :
- “Is everybody ok ?” asked SPACEBOY.
They all responded unanimously that : yes, they were ok. Everyone had made it in one piece.
PINKBEARD was laughing triumphantly.
- “HA HA HA ! We’re alive ! Ha ha ! SPACEBOY ! My son !”
He held him in his arms, lifting the young man in the process, even.
- “Coming to the rescue of a ship stranded in both unknown and hostile territory is no small feat ! I have no doubt this will go down in the history of spatial piracy !”
He looked him in the eyes, still joyful but more serious.
- “You are the pride of the Fairways, HALKENNA.”
SPACEBOY felt HAPPY. A few tears did roll down though. Everything had been so tense until this moment, he felt all the pressure leave him.
- “Thank you, father. Though, I can’t take all the credit here. If it weren’t for Miss ABBI’s help, I could never have done it.”
- “Of course ! Of course ! A captain is nothing without a crew, after all.”
PINKBEARD put his son down and turned towards ABBI.
- “So, ABBI, is it ? I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help.”
- “It was no problem, sir. I simply could not turn my back on people in need of help.”
He nodded.
- “Hmm-hm ! I see that despite what the atmosphere inside of that black hole did to your body, your mind was unshakeable. You must have a will of iron !”
- “Well, in reality, I-”
BRAOUM !
The mountain quaked.
- “Goodness gracious !” exclaimed PINKBEARD, “What is happening, now ?”
- “Uh… Could- Could the mountain be… collapsing ?!” a trembling pirate let out.
BRAOUM !!
ABBI could feel the source of the tremor. It came from… within the mountain itself ? She approached the crack that had traced itself deep in the stone.
She looked inside the dark fissure…
It stared back.
- “You !”
ABBI defied the figure as she was still towering over the octopus, staring her down, as if judging.
- “You…” continued ABBI, “Your name… is BECKI.”
“BECKI” widened her eye.
- “BECKI… Do you recognise me ?... I existed far before you did. Do you know my name ?”
The giant’s gaze narrowed. She was thinking.
- “... A… ABBI ?... YES… YES, THAT’S IT. THE WISEST OF THE THREE GREAT CREATURES. ABBI.”
- “Correct.”
BECKI started to chuckle. Then her chuckling became mad cackling. Her voice was truly thundering as one could easily mistake it for an actual incoming storm.
- “AND THERE I WAS, ALL GRUMPY, BECAUSE OF ALL THAT RACKET WAKING ME UP ! HAH HA HA HA HA HA HAAA ! MAYBE I SHOULD ON THE CONTRARY THANK YOU. MY SLUMBER… HAS BEEN MUCH TOO LONG…”
BECKI made sure to put down the Nebula Marble on a stable surface of Snowglobe Mountain. Once this was done, she made herself more comfortable, coiling around the mountain like a snake. It seemed it was impossible for her to completely get out of the entrance formed by the crack, as if she was attached to it.
- “SO… YOU GOT OUT OF THE ABYSS ? IMPRESSIVE. NOT SURPRISING, BUT IMPRESSIVE NONETHELESS.”
That bit got the attention of the two captains.
- “The Abyss ?” wondered SPACEBOY in a whisper, “So she comes from the very depths of Deep Well ?”
- “That must explain her resistance to the atmosphere of the black hole.” commented PINKBEARD, “The atmosphere of the Abyss is probably very similar to it.”
ABBI did not hear any of what the pirates said. She was completely hanging on BECKI’s every word.
- “How is it that the fact I got out of there is not surprising to you ? Not even I know how I got out ! Do you know ?”
- “IF I KNOW ? HA HA HA HAA ! MY DEAR ABBI… I MAY HAVE SLEPT FOR TWO YEARS… BUT I WAS NO LESS BLIND. HAVE YOU SEEN THE STATE IN WHICH HEADSPACE IS ? BLACK SPACE WILL SOON SWALLOW IT WHOLE, AND SOMETHING ELSE WILL MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS.”
- “... SOMETHING… ELSE ?”
Was that the real name of the weeping shadows ? “SOMETHING ELSE” ?
- “I MYSELF DO NOT LIKE HOW THINGS ARE TURNING. BUT WE MUST FACE THE FACTS : IT IS TOO LATE FOR SUNNY…”
A knot formed in ABBI’s throat.
- “How can you say that ?! Do you really think that me being finally out of the Abyss isn’t… a good sign ? That I cannot in any shape or form sort things out ?
- “TO ME, YOUR ESCAPE FROM THE ABYSS IS BUT A SYMPTOM OF THE DETERIORATION OF HEADSPACE. TO ME, WHAT IS HAPPENING IS CLEAR. HEADSPACE IS DECOMPOSING… THEN WILL COME THE TURN OF BLACK SPACE…”
- “BECKI. Stop.”
- “... AND AFTER BLACK SPACE… WHAT WILL THERE BE LEFT ?”
- “Stop !”
- “THERE WILL BE NOTHING-”
- “I SAID STOP !”
- “NOTHING. BUT DEATH.”
ABBI could not answer. The world vanished around her as she felt dragged into the void.
*****
*~ Previous Part || Next Part ~*
A big thanks to my friend @toastypastry for the animation ! It was a colaborative effort between the two of us, but it never would have happened without them !
One last chapter left until the end of Act I…
*****
Like my art ? You can commission me !
Buy me a coffee ?
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