HiME... chapter 4: Casualty
"You're leaving?" Shizuru asked quietly.
The leather crinkled slightly as it fell across its owner's upper body. Natsuki pulled those long, silken blue locks from the back of the jacket and then nodded. "I have to get out of town." Was all she said before walking to the window on the other side of the bed.
It was opened up and Natsuki stuck one leg over the opposite side, much to Shizuru's surprise whose eyes widened as she stepped forward. "Wait!" She cried out just as she caught eyes with the mysterious girl. "We're almost one hundred stories up!"
A small, almost devious smile turned up the corners of Natsuki's mouth. "I better be careful then..." And with that she was gone from sight.
Shizuru's heart caught in her chest as she ran forward and peered out the window. When she looked down though, there was nothing to be seen. The world below carried on and there was no body splattered on the concrete. "How..." She murmured eyes still very much so wide. "Who... Are you?" Her only answer was the wind howling off in the distance.
Situated on a perch above the city a figure scanned the horizon, processing every detail. Two pink eyes suddenly locked onto the silhouette of the fugitive HiME as she dropped from a high story window and vanished amidst darkness of the city streets.
"Gotcha."
Miyu's vigilance had paid off, and again she had eyes on her prey. She brought a compact walkie-talkie to her mouth and pressed the button on the side. "I have her in sight, shall I engage?"
From the other end a voice replied. "Yes, and make sure you bring her back alive." The word 'alive' was drawn out for emphasis. "If she's dead there's no point. Oh and Miyu… Hurry up, that injection is probably wearing off by now."
Miyu's nose twitched slightly as she played back the scene from her first encounter with the blue haired HiME at full power. Without another moment wasted she dropped from her perch, hitting the ground with so much force upon landing that a small crater spit up concrete and dust. When it cleared she was already long gone.
The force of the wind parting underneath me presses hard against my body, taking with it the air from my lungs. Below I can see the ground rapidly approaching and not for the first time I consider allowing myself to continue falling.
A cursed smile tugs the corners of my mouth despite the pain. I smile in the face of something that has become so very familiar... The prospect of Death.
"Power release..."
Jade eyes fell behind heavy lids as their owner prepared for the warm embrace of the star. Natsuki bit the inside of her lower lip when she felt no heat cover her body. Instead the cool rush of night air bit wildly into her cheeks, snapping her back to reality.
"Shit."
It was a rough spat obscenity lost on the current of the wind as every muscle in the HiME's body tensed. Memories from her escape from that crazed scientists laboratory raced through her mind. One singular event overtook the front of her mind and her chest tightened in accordance.
What the FUCK did they do to me?
A familiar fire erupted first in the pit of her stomach then quickly spread throughout every inch of her body. Within this fire came a pain so wrenching it literally forced Natsuki into the fetal position mid-air. From her depths she wailed in agony, the streets ringing through every alleyway her torture. It seemed perhaps this time her silent wish would finally become a reality.
'Now why would you want to die at a time like this..?'
What a great moment for her 'Inner Voice' to make an appearance. It hadn't once protested to her little "vacation", but now it seemed it wanted to reason with her.
'Not only will Haruka be pissed at you for leaving the safety of the compound, but she will be doubly pissed at the mere fact you couldn't manage to at least stay alive. Psh, and all this because you tried to be HiME Suave up there with Ms. Red Eyes. Real good Idea there Kuga.."
Natsuki again bit the inside of her cheek but this time hard enough to snap her out of her mid-air, semi-coma.
"Shut. Up."
She managed to bitterly growl as her body twisted through the air. A deep breath was sucked in and she tried to push past the enormous pain twisting her insides into knots.
"R.. R.."
Her throat tightened, it felt like someone had it in a vice. Breathing was an increasingly difficult thing to do but she persevered.
"Release!"
The orange hue burning into her flesh was immediately replaced by a dimly glowing blue. The air circulating around her seemed to slow and eventually she was upright, kneeling mid-air as she fell gracefully cutting through the night like a blade. For as regal as she appeared upon closer inspection she was covered in sweat and her chest rapidly tried to pull air into restricted lungs. With a grunt she landed in that same kneeling position on the street below, letting out a deep breath upon touching the warm asphalt.
"Well,… We won't be doing that again."
She said breathlessly while forcing herself up, the blue flame disappearing from around her body. Immediately those intense jade eyes surveyed her surroundings to ensure no one had seen the magical little 'arrival' she'd performed. Good no one was around which made a clean get away even more possible.
'Time to scram..'
Natsuki gave a slight nod as if to agree with her inner voices proposition. It was indeed time to scram.. Back to the Outerland which in her present condition would prove quite difficult. There was nothing like having to hobble back to Haruka and get that condescending look that screamed "I told you so!"
How many times would this make? Ugh. She'd seen that face too many times to count, but she wasn't the only one. Natsuki was one of many rebels in the HiME nation, though her rebellions were quite a bit more.. Noticeable?
'How the hell am I supposed to explain this to her? She's going to have my head on the chopping block for sure. What was it she said...?
"The time isn't right yet; going out now would only draw them to us."
Of all the times that blundering nut case was wrong, this time she had been right on the money. Maybe I can just ease out of this without the others having to know...
Ugh, who the hell am I kidding?'
Natsuki pulled the leather jacket tighter around her lithe form, trying to keep the cool breeze from penetrating her body. As she turned toward a nearby corner she chanced a last glance up to the window she'd just seconds before leapt out of. Something inside her chest constricted causing her brows to furrow. What was this feeling of worry suddenly overtaking her?
'No time to worry with such things...'
"Thanks again..." She whispered through the wind before setting off.
Natsuki made it a couple of blocks away from the soon to be bustling main street and found a side street that led into a secluded construction site. By the time she'd made it there she was already clutching her side painfully. Damn jump had hurt worse than she initially thought and the minuscule power she had been able to conjure in order to stop her fall hadn't been near enough to assist in the healing of her injuries. What a stupid move that had been! Now she agreed with the voice inside of her head. She always had been a sucker for showing off in front of pretty ladies though… Inwardly she smacked herself; she really needed to stop referring to the doctor that she'd saved as 'pretty'.
With a roll of her eyes she flicked her hair over her shoulder and huffed. She straightened up, un-cupped her injury and shoved both hands deep into the side pockets of her jacket as she sauntered through the half finished building frames littering the construction area. Injured or not she needed to get the hell out of this city and back to the safety of the Outerland. Running into that tawny haired doctor had actually been a blessing in disguise now that she thought about it. It had given her a place to hide out without even trying. Out here though, back in the elements she was much easier to spot which made getting back 'home' sound even more inviting.
"Did you really think you'd lost me that easily, HiME?"
The cold robotic voice cut through Natsuki like razor wire through flesh. Frozen like a statue she remained in mid step, not wanting to turn around.
'You're in no condition to fight her.'
"I know that."
'So what do you plan to do?'
"I'm not sure yet."
'This isn't really the time to be pondering..'
Natsuki's face contorted into an irritated scowl. On the sidelines Miyu watched, pink eyes narrowing the slightest bit at her preys antics.
"Who are you talking to HiME?" Miyu asked as she took a step from the dark shadows that hid her, though the bluish-black colored cloak adorning her body kept her camouflaged from the rays of light breaking the tops of the buildings.
Natsuki glanced over her shoulder and smirked. "Oh no one.." She turned on the ball of her foot and faced Miyu.
The android cocked her head slightly to one side. This was by far the strangest girl she'd encountered but definitely not one to be underestimated. She'd made that mistake once already. Rather than wait for the first strike, Miyu decided to eliminate any chance her opponent might have straight off the bat. In one fell swoop the cloak was ripped from her body and cast aside, revealing the Gatling gun that used to be her right arm.
Natsuki's thin brows crinkled together and she blinked, slowly soaking in that shining example of why she wouldn't be able to just walk away from this confrontation.
"I don't want to damage you anymore than I already have, that would defeat the purpose. Why don't you just give up and come quietly?" Miyu stared intently into at the unmoving warrior a ways in front of her.
At some point during the androids little speech Natsuki hung her head toward the ground. Her shoulders followed suit, dropping almost solemnly. Miyu managed a crooked smirk which gave her a partially human expression, quite a contrast from her normal stony demeanor. Though her brows suddenly lifted and the smirk was replaced by another human expression… Confusion.
Across from her Natsuki tilted her head up just slightly, revealing a hint of a smirk curling the sides of her mouth. "Stop talking, you're making my head hurt worse than it already does." Her shoulders rolled back, releasing several satisfying cracks as she squared them. "You'll have to kill me before I ever surrender." She bent her knees slightly as if she were some jungle cat preparing to pounce.
Without a second of hesitation Miyu jerked her Gatling appendage forward and let loose with a spray of metallic fire, shredding the immediate area and rendering it no more than dust and debris. Natsuki lunged to the side, wincing at the instant pain she felt. Through the cloud of dust and smoke she darted forward quickly, slamming her uninjured side into Miyu with all of the force she could muster. With the android momentarily off balance, Natsuki continued with a hard right to her jaw… Which probably hurt HER much more than her opponent. Not thinking on the pain she followed the hit with another that sent Miyu teetering away from her.
Not wanting to lose the immediate advantage, Natsuki lurched toward Miyu yet again but this time the android was ready for her. The attack was spoiled when Miyu slammed her knee into Natsuki's abdomen and threw her ferociously to the ground. The android was on top of her in an instant, her cold hands wrapped around the HiME's throat. From beneath Natsuki wrestled for control, her own hands clawing down the arms of Miyu trying desperately to push her away. The edges of her vision began to blur, black invading the small spaces and threatening to drown her. Was this the way it was going to end? Natsuki's mind raced as panic began to engulf her senses. Her eyes widened and blindly she reached to the side searching the ground frantically.
Her hand folded around a cold piece of metal and she jerked her arm forward, jamming a thick piece of rebar right into the androids would be ribcage. Miyu's eyes widened as an arc of electricity shot up from the wound across her face. Her hold released and she stumbled back off of Natsuki, her robotic parts seizing violently as she dropped to a knee.
Natsuki gasped the first breath of air into her lungs and continued gulping down air as she scrambled to her feet, cradling her side which upon closer inspection had split open and stained the inside of her shirt and jacket red. The once warm blood felt cold against her skin in the cool air of the morning blooming across the cityscape that surrounded them. She visibly paled, knowing she needed to get out of there now. As quickly as she could she backed away, never taking her eyes off of Miyu while trying desperately to put as much space between them as she could before the android rebooted.
Shizuru stared out of the guest room window for a while longer after the mysterious woman had leapt. Her mind raced with unanswered questions but the main one that circled her like a shark was… Would she ever see her again? As she entered her own bedroom she closed the door softly behind her and leaned back against the cool wood. Her eyes lifted to the ceiling and a small frown found its way onto her lips.
"Why do I care?" Her manicured brows knitted together and she pushed from the door, eyeing the clock that glowed red from the nightstand. She had to get ready for her shift at the hospital. Perhaps being away would give her mind a chance to reset. Then there was the little issue of Chie and the conversation they had earlier. "Damnit." She ground out, sighing while slamming the bathroom door shut behind her.
The drive was long this morning; traffic was backed up along the service road Shizuru normally took. Uninterestedly she stared out from the driver's side window. The sun was beautiful cresting over the tall buildings in the distance but all she saw were the shadows it cast… They resembled her reflection, a dark and blank memory locked somewhere without a key. Her eyes shifted in front of her as the sound of a horn blowing broke her somber analysis of the world around her. With a sigh she checked her rear view mirror and then threw on her blinker. It clicked noisily as she waited for a car to pass so she could merge into the right lane.
In the morning no one took the scenic route, the highway was much faster (which was the main reason for the traffic!). She cruised along in silence, her hair blowing gently in the cool breeze coming from the ocean just over the mountains… Her left arm hung loosely out of the driver's side window, fingers caressing the air as it ran between them. From the corner of her eye she caught sight of billowing black smoke coming from the construction area just on the other street. An accident? Her doctors instincts instantly kicked in and she made haste toward the location of the smoke. With the car thrown into park she threw open the trunk and pulled out her emergency medical kit, rushing then toward the scene. It looked like something had exploded, bits of fire lit up the ground in random places and dust and debris made it hard to see where she was going exactly.
"Hello! Is there anyone out here, is anyone injured?" She called out, coughing slightly after inhaling the burning air around her. Frantically those crimson eyes searched the ground for people that might have been hurt. She saw someone in the distance; it looked like a woman. "Ma'am, are you alright? Don't move, I'm a doctor!"
She rushed through the piles of concrete and rebar. Her brows furrowed when she reached the woman,… There was a rather large piece of rebar sticking out from her side… A gasp escaped Shizuru's lips and immediately she fell to the woman's side, allowing her training to take over for her senses. "Ma'am! Can you hear me? I'm here to help you, try and stay calm for me alright?" She licked her lips and reached for her bag, but as her eyes trailed down over the woman's wound she froze.
Sparks of electricity arced and buzzed, lighting up the inside of the gaping hole created by the piercing rebar. Instead of blood, black metallic fluid spilt out onto the ground around them. Shizuru's mouth went dry and her eyes widened. She breathed out a heavy whoosh of air and looked up to the wo-… No, what the fuck was that? She scrambled backwards, knocking her medical bag over in the process.
Across the way Natsuki blinked, her head tilting to one side. Was that? Her brows lifted slightly and she immediately yelled out. "Get the hell away from there!" It was that damn doctor! Shizuru, wasn't that her name? Why the hell was she out here? Natsuki ground her teeth and took off toward the pair, her feet kicking up bits of concrete as she raced to reach the doctor before Miyu could harm her. "Shizuru, Run!" She yelled out but it was too late.
Shizuru scrambled to her feet and turned at the sound of her name but Miyu was up as well and looming unnoticed behind her. The android's non-Gatling hand sliced through the air like cats claws and also through the backside of the tawny haired doctor, splaying open not only her lavender colored scrubs top but the creamy flesh underneath as well.
A spray of blood coated the front of Natsuki as she came to a stop in front of Shizuru. Her face twisted up in horror at the sight. Without hesitation she lurched forward and caught the woman mid-fall. Shizuru landed in a heap against Natsuki's chest, gasping wide-eyed up at her.
Miyu jerked her arm to the side, slinging the remnants of Shizuru's blood to the concrete below. "A friend of yours HiME?" She questioningly mused, a crooked smirk gracing her hard, thin lips.
Natsuki couldn't speak. Her mouth hung slack as she stared down into the scared red eyes looking back up at her. Her blood ran cold through her veins, turning to ice within them. Breaths became shallow against her lips and her body shook underneath the weight of the doctor. Her mind tried in vain to reason with her… She needed to flee, why was she sitting here holding this woman? Why the hell did she care! Casualties were common, what made this woman so fucking different?
Her mind told her to run, but her body refused to respond. The primal side shut down all logic as she laid Shizuru aside and slowly stood to her feet, hands clenched tightly at her sides. Miyu took a step back her eyes slowly narrowing. There was a blue hue that covered the HiME standing in front of her. At first glance it was weak but as she stepped back it grew darker, spreading over the length of the HiME and spitting off curls of flame toward the ground. The power of the star was being conjured…
"Release,…" Natsuki murmured silently against her lips and instantly she could feel the star engulf her. The suffering she had endured at the hands of this artificial being, the experimentation, the abuse… Everything had boiled her temper to the bursting point and watching an innocent fall victim had been the thing that pushed her completely over the edge. This would be the moment the debt would be repaid and Miyu would know why no one messed with the HiME frighteningly referred to as the Silver Wolf. Natsuki could feel the heat washing over her, it was almost seductive feeling the wounds seal without effort across her body.
Her once jade, now radiant cerulean eyes burned into the androids finding the fear she knew was there and locking on. In a blur she darted forward and rammed all of her weight into Miyu. Debris instantly encircled them. Miyu tried to defend herself from the hit but she hadn't been fast enough. It felt like a ten ton hammer slammed into her and her body caved against the force. The HiME hadn't been that fast before! Or maybe… She just hadn't been displaying her full potential (which wasn't a comforting thought). Natsuki grunted and slammed her clasped hands against the side of Miyu's head, causing it to jerk roughly to one side.
Miyu pushed off of Natsuki and raised her Gatling gun between them, crying out as she released a flood of molten rounds aimed at the HiME. Natsuki wasn't falling for anything this time around; she leapt high into the air, flipped over Miyu's head and came down in a low crouch behind her. Rushing forward she jammed her shoulder into Miyu's back, feeling the androids artificial spine bend against the blow. While shoving her forward she reached down and stuffed her hand into the wound created earlier by the rebar, tearing and pulling at the vein like circuitry inside. A jolt of electricity shot through Miyu's body, as well as Natsuki's but the star thankfully protected her from absorbing the shock.
The blue haired HiME growled as she slammed Miyu front first into one of the thick concrete walls that had been erected for some future purpose. She held her with there with ease, their bodies tight against one another, both of her hands now tightly coiled around the androids throat squeezing against the cold steel with all of her might. In several places dents began to form… Natsuki's fingers dug into the fake skin, peeling it back. Her mouth curled into a cruel scowl, revealing her pointed canines and she leaned forward into Miyu's ear. "Die." She ground out, her teeth clenched tightly together. The muscles in her arms bulged, corded and pulsed as her hold tightened tenfold. There was a snap and Miyu's eyes widened then dimmed. Her robotic body went slack a moment later… The connection to her power source had been severed rendering her a useless pile of scrap metal.
For a long moment Natsuki held the lifeless android in place, her chest heaving from the release of so much power so very quickly. Finally she relinquished her hold and turned, her eyes focused now on the body of Shizuru in the distance. Long strides brought her to the woman's side and she knelt down, worry etched across her features.
Shizuru arched her back in response to the pain that flowed through her body, small gasps and whimpers escaped between her dirt covered lips stringing together a symphony of agony. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears that sparkled in the early sunlight. She grew cold as the blood oozed out of her, pooled around her body and soaked into her clothes.
Natsuki licked over her dry lips as she leaned down and scooped Shizuru up into her strong arms. What was she going to do with her exactly was unknown… Truthfully she should have fled the scene and left her there to her fate. For some reason still unbeknownst to Natsuki, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Despite being as delicate as she could, the tawny haired doctor cried out while being hoisted up. Her skin pulled and ripped the deep gashes across her back splitting from the stress of the movement.
"P..Please! S..top.." Shizuru croaked out, her words coming in broken pieces strung together best she could manage. Her body shook, muscles constricted and she coughed hard against Natsuki's chest. Blood gleamed from the corners of her lips; she could taste copper filling her throat and mouth. Each breath was a struggle not to choke. She was dying… She could feel the world around her shrinking away as her vision became more and more blurred.
Natsuki froze, her jade eyes locked on the slowly closing crimson. She had to do something, and quick. Unfortunately there wasn't much SHE could do… The power of the star only worked for other HiME like herself, it was pointless to call on it to save a human's life. The simplest realization dawned on her…but…Taking the doctor to the hospital meant questions. Natsuki's jaw clenched. The last thing she needed were more loose ends to tie up. How was she going to explain what had happened to this woman? Looking back up at the pallid face of Shizuru her heart lurched in her chest. With a sigh she made up her mind to do the right thing and without another moment of hesitation she took off through the remains of the construction site.
Morning had come much earlier than Chie had hoped for and with a yawn she let her forehead fall against the front of the coffee machine as it worked on dispensing her liquid addiction into a small paper cup. While she waited, the events of the night before played over in her mind like an endless reel. Her body tingled in remembrance… She and Shizuru tangled up in one another's arms, each fighting for dominance over the other. She bit the inside of her lower lip a little harder than she meant to and tasted blood immediately after. A slow sigh rolled over her lips and she straightened up, rolling her shoulders and neck trying to alleviate some of the tension that had at some point built up there.
When had she fallen in love with her best friend? The realization shot through her body, starting as heat rolling up from the bottoms of her feet continuing to the top of her head and setting her ablaze. Her eyes closed tightly along with her fists, which slammed into the front of the vending machine. The paper cup long since filled toppled over, spilling out across the painted concrete below. Chie sighed heavily, lifted her hands to either side of her head and allowed her fingertips to press against her temples.
At some point Chie had become a receptacle for Shizuru's pain, a means of escape from a world too hurtful to face sober. In the beginning she had been so overwhelmed by the advances that she could do no more than welcome them with open arms. Back then she didn't understand the repercussions of those actions. When she should have stood her strongest, she crumbled against the long anticipated touch of her friend.
The wave had taken her under and held her prisoner; to this day she remained captured. Unable to fight the will of the tide, she resigned herself to simply coast. Shizuru had needed something to crash upon, not someone to conquer and conquer she had. Everything that was Chie belonged to Shizuru despite her refusal to recognize the truth.
A ragged breath passed Chie's lips and she fought to stifle the raging emotions threatening to sweep her away. She had to remind herself that now was not the time for such trivial irrationalities. Belittling her feelings had become a sort of coping mechanism. If she convinced herself enough times that what she felt wasn't important eventually she believed it, if only long enough to feel a fleeting sense of peace inside of her heart.
Chie's eyes slowly opened at the sound of rushing footsteps behind her. Her head craned to the side as a flurry of nurses and staff rushed past her. One young man with short brown hair turned and called out to her. "Dr. Harada, we need you on scene immediately!"
Now certainly wasn't the time to be consumed with regrets or misplaced feelings. She cleared her throat, pushed her thin rimmed glasses onto her nose and hastily followed behind the group. Something serious had obviously happened but why had she not heard anything over the com? She hadn't even been paged.
As they made their way to the front of the hospital Chie was directed to the ambulance loading dock but no one had arrived yet. Her brows knitted tightly together as she looked around, those honey colored eyes falling upon a gurney being rushed up to the doors. Time seemed to slow around her as she peered upon the pale face of Shizuru lying motionless on what once were white sheets now stained red. Instantly her jaw went slack and her face twisted into an expression of horror and confusion. She tried to keep up with the fast moving gurney but she tripped over her own feet, stumbling hard to her knees.
Someone was talking but Chie couldn't make out the words until she was jerked up roughly. Slowly she furrowed her brows and stared at the woman's lips as they moved. "Dr. Harada.. Pull it together, she needs…" She cleared her throat. "We… need you now. You're the only surgeon on staff. Please,… Get inside; we're bringing her to OR 2 for immediate surgery." The woman's voice was hurried, her words tense.
"I,.. I can't..." Chie blinked rapidly, shaking her head fervently from side to side. There was no way she could perform surgery on Shizuru. "You.. Call someone else, get someone else over here!" Her voice couldn't hide the panic she felt.
The woman tightened her grip on Dr. Harada. "You saw her, there's no time to call someone else. Get in there or she's going to die!" Her eyes reflected the enormity of the situation.
The truth of those words reverberated deep inside of Chie. She swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly shook her head, trying to wipe away the shock and focus. With a much stronger stride she rushed into the hospital to prep. Hurriedly she scrubbed her hands and arms, shoving gloves on while two nurses dressed her in a bluish colored gown. Just as she finished readying the table the doors slammed open and Shizuru was rushed in. Inside of her chest Chie's heart lurched and thudded all the way into her temples.
There was a three count and then Shizuru was flipped over onto her stomach from the gurney to the operating table. The two nurses on hand peeled back the shredded remnants of Dr. Fujino's scrubs and tossed them aside as quickly as possible. The area was sterilized immediately after, the now debris free wounds laid open in clear view. Chie felt bile rise in the pit of her stomach, scorching the back of her throat. She could see torn muscle and cracked bone, severed nerves and ripped skin. It looked as if Shizuru had been flayed alive…
Summoning her strength Chie took a deep, shaky breath and began to instruct her team. Instruments exchanged hands, cut through tissue and the expert hands of Dr. Harada worked efficiently and quickly to repair the damage that had been done. Time passed slowly, what were mere hours seemed like days spanned across years. Somewhere in the distance machines beeped furiously, chiming out vital information to the crew who were relaying said information to Chie as she loomed over Shizuru, eyes narrowed in strict concentration.
There was so much damage,…
Blood leaked, dripped, oozed from the wounds, dismissing all of Chie's attempts at slowing it. The Doctor's jaw visibly tensed as the machinery began frantically bleeping. An alarm blared and one of the nurses ran to check the data. "Doctor, she's coding." The woman's voice quivered as the words passed her lips. Chie's eyes lifted to Shizuru's face, she could see only the side.
Shizuru was still, her eyes opened wide as if peering out at all that was happening around her. Chie's blood ran cold and she turned, slinging the tray of medical instruments aside. It clanked loudly against the floor, scalpels and the like sliding to all points of the room. The two nurses jumped and backed away from the table. "Get me the fucking panels, NOW!" Chie cried out, pointing toward the door. Both women raced off to do just as they had been told.
Chie stumbled slightly and knelt down beside Shizuru, caressing the side of her face before taking one of her limp hands into her own. "Shizuru,… You have to wake up for me." Her voice was barely even a whisper. She sniffled, fighting back the tears brimming in her eyes. "Please baby, you can't leave me,.. Open your eyes, breathe for me,…"
She rose to her feet when the nurses arrived with the defibrillator, ignoring the looks they were giving her. With all the strength she could muster she rolled Shizuru gently onto her back. One nurse held onto her head, keeping it slightly to the side watching for any airway obstruction while the other awaited orders.
Chie jerked the panels from the machine. "Charge it." The words were bitter on her tongue. A nod was given and the nurse closest to the machine began the process of charging the machine. A moment later it was ready and Chie was given the go ahead. Dr. Harada licked her dry lips and then without hesitation stuck the panels to Shizuru's chest. Her body jerked in reaction, but the machine continued to blast an alarm across the room. "Damnit Shizuru,…" Chie ground out through clenched teeth, hitting Shizuru with the panels for a second time once they had recharged. The young doctor's body convulsed yet again, but nothing more.
Tears stung Chie's cheeks; she couldn't hold them at bay any longer. Beneath her the only person that mattered was slipping away and she'd never felt more helpless in her life. She threw the panels aside, letting them hang by their cords as she leaned over Shizuru and sealed their lips, breathing deep into her lungs. The nurses watched, unable to do anything else at the moment. Chie backed away, checked for a reaction and then began chest compressions. After a few seconds she sealed her lips against Shizuru's yet again and breathed hard. "Come back,…" She said weakly, pushing against Shizuru's chest fiercely, her eyes locked on the dim crimson staring at the ceiling. "Come back to me!" She cried out, sealing their lips a final time.
Remorse, regret, anger and desperation, all of these feelings surged through Chie's body, ripping her to pieces. She sobbed into the breath, unwilling to give up. One of the nurses touched her from behind at the hip; she murmured something to the effect of letting Shizuru go in peace. Chie refused to acknowledge the words, growling she shoved the woman backwards away from her and continued CPR.
Chie almost fell backwards when she felt the gasp pull at her mouth. She immediately jerked away as Shizuru arched her back painfully, sucked in a wet breath and then fell back onto the table. Her eyes were wide and wild giving her the look of a freshly caged animal. From the depths of her core a scream erupted and her body began to seize. Her fingers dug into the cold steel beneath her, several of her long manicured nails bending back and snapping due to the struggle.
But she was alive.
A heavy breath forced its way from Chie's mouth, her own eyes wide with astonishment. She lunged forward and grabbed hold of Shizuru, turning her onto her side while trying in vain to keep her still. "I need morphine! Give me a full dosage and have another syringe on standby!"
The nurses were shocked, so much so that they were slow to move. However both of them hurried into action when Chie repeated the command much louder than before. "Shh, Shizuru I'm here. It's Chie, I've got you and you're safe." She whispered while brushing back Shizuru's blood stained hair. One of the nurses came quickly with the first syringe. The second was being prepped. Chie tested the needle and then jammed it into Shizuru's upper arm.
The flow of delirium was almost instantaneous. Shizuru's world spun and her body was forced to relax. She stared up at the ceiling watching the panels ebb into one another, blossoming strange colors before slipping away into darkness. This was not like before. Here she could see, almost as if she had been sucked into a dream.
Outside of her dreamland Chie and the others worked quickly to stabilize the tawny haired doctor. They moved in a blur around her, stitching, cleaning, repairing the various sliced muscles and returning cracked bone to their original positions. At some point the second injection of morphine had been stuck into Shizuru, sending her past the realm of dreams and into the pitch black beyond.
"I've been waiting for you." A gentle voice road the air and tickled Shizuru's ear forcing her eyes to open for the first time in what seemed a millennia. All around her floated a grey haze, blurring out the world beyond. Slowly she stood from the plain white bed she'd been lying on. Her bare feet carried her across the colorless ground, registering no sensation at all. Unsure of where she was going she followed the voice as it calmly beckoned her forward, unafraid of what lie ahead for a strange sense of familiarity surrounded her.
"Who is there?" Shizuru asked, but her voice carried no sound. Again she spoke, but could only hear the whisper of her words inside of her own mind. She glanced around, though her beautiful crimson eyes found nothing.
"Don't be afraid, Shizuru. You're safe." The voice from before was so close the breath from the words warmed Shizuru's left ear.
She turned but no one stood behind her, there was only that endless haze closing in on her. Though she could make nothing out beyond it, every fiber of her being screamed the name "Yumi…" She whispered, allowing her eyes to momentarily close. She knew this warmth; she remembered it engulfing her countless times in the past. Her bottom lip quivered as tears streamed down either cheek, dripping off of her chin and landing silently by her feet.
"Please, don't cry." The voice pleaded softly.
Shizuru sniffled quietly and brought her hands up wiping the tears from her face. She forced back the rest of them, not allowing them to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter than before and released a slow, shaky breath. A hand reached forward and cupped her cheek, instinctively she leaned into it and sighed, her brows furrowing. "I miss you so much,…" She mouthed almost silently. Tears threatened to fall yet again but a gentle pressure against her lips stopped them. Shizuru reached out and wrapped her arms around whatever was in front of her, holding on as tightly as she could.
"You have to let go, Shizuru."
"I can't…"
"Trust me."
Before she could protest the warmth around her dissipated and her eyes snapped open. The presence was gone and she was left alone in this foreign place. The haze thickened, swallowed her up and propelled her into a black void. "Yumi!" She cried out, but her voice had also been consumed.
"We found her car on the opposite side of the construction site." The officer shifted his 'Smoky the Bear' hat between his hands as he continued to relay the report to Dr. Harada. "We believe Dr. Fujino saw the explosion and went in search of people that might have been injured. We're not sure what happened after that or what exactly caused her injuries."
"How the hell did she get to the ambulance loading dock?" Chie asked curiously. With those injuries there was no way Shizuru would have been able to make it from the construction site to the hospital. It was impossible.
The officer chewed the inside of his cheek a moment before answering. "The EMT's that found Dr. Fujino gave a statement that a blue haired female had signaled them at the loading dock but was gone when they arrived at the Doctor's side. She had just… Vanished."
"Vanished?" Chie gave a somber nod of her head and turned, walking back into the private room where Shizuru was being monitored. Behind her the door clicked shut and the officer was left alone in the hallway peering through the glass window. After a moment he sighed, adjusted the hat back onto his head and took his leave.
"What happened to you?" Chie questioned almost silently as she came to kneel beside Shizuru's bedside. Of course the tawny haired doctor didn't reply. A breathing tube had been inserted to take as much stress off of her as possible. When she had come in, among the vast injuries she'd sustained, a collapsed lung was one of them. Various other tubes and lines ran from her body to several machines set up to monitor and assist her vital functions. They all suctioned, beeped and breathed around Shizuru but she was completely unaware.
When Chie had finally been able to stop the bleeding, a transfusion had been utterly necessary. It had taken a total of twelve hours from the time Shizuru had been rushed in to contain her situation and stabilize her. She had died on that operating table… It was nothing short of a miracle they had managed to bring her back. Though shortly after the transfusion she had slipped into a coma as a result of the trauma her body had endured.
Looking at Shizuru now she resembled a doll. Her skin was as pale as ivory, her eyes shadowed by heavy lids and her body deathly still save for the pumping of her chest aided by the machine she was hooked up to. She had been left naked from the waist up, her upper half dressed only in bandages that were already beginning to turn red in some spots.
Chie reached up and took hold of Shizuru's right hand, squeezing it tenderly she murmured "I'm here,.." A mixture of fear and relief weighed heavily on her shoulders. She had to close her eyes to stop the tears from descending. A sniffle made its way out regardless and hot moisture brimmed along her eyelashes. At this time there was no way of telling if Shizuru would pull through or pass on. It was completely up to her, but Chie had made up her mind… She wasn't leaving the woman's side.
A/N -
Well,... I hope you enjoyed this rather late update. I'm still around, but here lately I haven't felt like doing much of anything. Perhaps this update sparked a little rise in my spirit... Thank you for taking the time to read, and please feel free to comment if you wish.