Reversed Movements

Elias frowned, absorbing the words, as the Doctor continued, "Focus on getting faster at reading situations. Pay attention to subtleties—the tone in someone's voice, the small shifts in their body language. A low perception score usually means you're easily manipulated, at least from what I've seen in previous users."

"Previo—" Elias began to ask, but his words were cut off as he blinked, the world around him twisting sharply.

Suddenly, he was back in his chair, the quiet hum of the room disorienting. He attempted to raise his hand, but instead, his other arm shot outward uncontrollably, slamming against Colby, who was standing nearby. The force sent Colby stumbling, and he dropped to the ground with a startled yelp.

"What the hell was that for?" Colby shouted, rubbing his shoulder as he sat up. His expression shifted quickly to confusion as he noticed Elias's twitching form.

Elias tried to move, but his body refused to cooperate, his limbs spasming as though controlled by an unseen force.

Information flooded his mind like a torrent, sending him crashing to the ground as his muscles contorted in unnatural ways.

He managed to lift his head slightly, just enough to see a translucent window materialize in front of him.

It displayed his stats and an active... quest? Goal? He squinted, his vision blurring, as his crossed eyes failed to focus on the words.

Colby groaned, still seated on the ground. "What the hell was that smack for?" he repeated, annoyance clear in his tone. But his expression softened as he realized Elias was stuck, his body almost convulsing on the ground.

Moments later, the sound of doors sliding open echoed through the hall. Several others stepped out, groggy and dressed in various nightgowns or sleepwear. Kikaru was the first to react, her sharp tone cutting through the murmurs. "Hey, did anyone else get that speech from the Doctor? How'd it go for you?"

The others murmured vague responses, though three of them didn't emerge at all. Kikaru jogged over to Elias, crouching beside him with a furrowed brow. "Hey, what happened to you?" she asked, tilting her head.

Elias struggled to respond, his tongue feeling like it was tied in knots. His muscles twitched painfully as he forced the words out. "Punishment… stats too low…" He paused, taking a shaky breath. "Some... bullshit."

Kikaru's yellow hair fell loosely to her side as she scanned the corridor, her expression sharpening. "Hey, where's Tidwell, Bui, and Wes? Surely they all had the vision too."

Paul, tall with a dark complexion, crossed his arms and said, "I don't know, but I'll go check. I'm sure they all had the same dream we did."

"Thanks," Kikaru replied, glancing at Elias, who was still struggling on the ground, his movements erratic and awkward. His frustration was evident as he tried to piece together how his body was reacting.

"I try to look left, and my right eye moves…" Elias muttered through gritted teeth, taking a deep breath. He laid flat for a moment, then attempted to move his left foot, only for his right one to jerk instead. Slowly, painfully, he managed to get onto his hands and knees.

His muscles fought him at every step, even reversing the simplest motions, as sweat poured from his face.

Pushing his head up, he groaned at the strain.

"Maybe it's the same for everyone?" Elias said, glancing at Kikaru.

"What is the same?" she asked, crouching down slightly to meet his gaze.

"Failing to meet the stat window requirements…" Elias said bitterly. "We get hit with a reverse-movement penalty… which, again, is absolute bullshit! I just got here! How was I supposed to know I needed to maintain myself?"

As he vented, Paul returned, his face grim. "They're all lying on the ground, groaning and griping," he reported. "What do we do?"

Kikaru tapped a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense, considering what the Doctor said—something about using this time to distance yourself from those falling behind." She sighed, then shrugged. "Let them figure it out. Go back to sleep, or better yet, look over your new stat window with your Ikona."

Elias's hands balled into fists as his frustration simmered. "This is ridiculous," he growled under his breath.

Dot floated closer, her tone a mix of concern and teasing. "Relax and recover, Elias. You'll pop a blood vessel if you keep pushing yourself like this."

"N-no…" Elias stammered, his voice straining as he forced himself upright. His body wavered, trembling under the effort. "To even be in this situation… I had the audacity to blame others, even for a moment…"

His voice grew more resolute as he slammed his fist into the ground and managed to rise shakily to his feet. "Every fiber of my being feels backwards… but I'm done being sorry for myself."