(So, I've finally been blunt and callous enough to influence one of my reviewer's friends to attack me... if you could call it that.
It took long enough.
The more in-depth, angsty rant is on my deviantART journal- username is SomeRandomGirl. Then go ahead and call me a bitch, please. It makes my day. :D
Why yes, I AM sleep-deprived and anxious to operate with Markus, but can't-- thank you for asking!
Let's begin.
Markus, Val, Derek, Angie © Nintendo
GUILT © Nintendo)
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Caught Unaware
Chapter Four- Pain and Luck
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He was amazed at his own ability to tolerate the pain.
Sighing, Markus closed his eyes, emptying his mind of all thought, save the five-pointed cerulean star, which grew brighter in his mind's eye with each passing second...
The pain that clawed at his chest began ebbing away as his Healing Touch activated, slowing the passing of time.
Relax...
Markus slowly relaxed, his tense body becoming loose.
The pain receded.
Breathe...
Air filled his failing lungs, then was pushed out by a quiet sigh.
...okay. Now, just concentrate on the star...
Markus' chest began to burn.
Relax... let go of the pain...
It tore nervously at his lungs, almost as if second-guessing the wisdom of attacking Markus once again...
Come on... let it g--!
Markus' eyes shot open, his focus shattered as his hands flew to his chest. Fiery agony ripped away at his heart, cutting off the air flow to his lungs; he gasped, desperately trying to breathe--
After nearly a minute, air finally rushed into his lungs.
His desperate, irregular panting soon grew quiet and rhythmic as oxygen reentered his body...
Markus sighed, his hands falling back to his side.
Right... no more of that, then.
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"Okay, Markus... let's start from the top. One?"
Valerie sat by Markus' bedside, a clipboard and pen clutched in her hands.
"This operation is only going to happen once... so, that's taken care of."
The dark-haired woman quickly put a check mark next to the number one.
"Two?"
"Well, you're operating too, right? So, there's two doctors operating... and don't hit me for mentioning this-- there's two women in the operating room, as well."
Val rolled her eyes.
"Three?"
"Three conscious people in the operating room."
She chuckled as she marked the clipboard.
"You have a lot of lucky numbers to take care of, Markus."
"Hey, better safe than sorry, right?" Markus smirked, ignoring the dull throbbing in his chest that made it difficult to breathe.
"I guess," Val smiled. "Six?"
"Hm... six... that's a tough one. ...there are six strains of Stigma, and we've treated them all... that counts..."
Nine was the time that he was usually up by so he could be at work on time; he had first wanted to be a doctor when he was thirteen. At twenty-six, he discovered that he had the Healing Touch; now, he was thirty-four years old.
"Let me guess; forty-two is the number of sarcastic comments you try to make in a day?"
"No, actually... that's forty-seven. Forty-two is how old my cousin was when he won the lottery."
"Some of your lucky numbers hardly have anything to with luck or medicine..."
"Don't question my lucky numbers... unless you want me to pester you about that medallion you always carry with you."
"Alright, no questioning being done."
Sixty-six was the number Markus got when he put the number of letters in his first name next to the number of letters in his last name.
"Only two numbers left... seventy-five?"
"Originally, that was the grade that prevented me from being a lawyer... now, that's my chance of survival, according to Dr. Stiles."
"Better seventy-five than twenty-six, I suppose. The final number is... ninety-four?"
"I was born in nineteen ninety-four."
"Alright... that's all the lucky numbers. ...are you sure you're prepared for the operation?"
"There's not much else I can do to get ready, is there?" Markus sighed, closing his eyes. "Those numbers have never failed me before... so why would they now?"
"...Markus, I... I'm scared."
He opened his dark eyes, looking over at Val. She looked down at her feet as she nervously played with her hands.
"What if this operation... doesn't work?" she asked hesitantly, inhaling deeply to try and calm herself. "I-I mean... Dr. Stiles said that sometimes... the patients just... never wake up after the operation, and-- what if that happens to--"
"Val... Val, give me your hand."
Valerie looked up, confused, as she slowly gave her hand to Markus. He took it, grasping it loosely, a small grin gracing his pale face.
"Val... I promise you, I will survive this operation. I mean, after all... I can't have you being angry at me for all eternity, can I? That's a pretty long time..."
Valerie chuckled softly.
"No, you can't... next time I'd see you, when- or wherever- that is, I'd have to smack you across the face..."
Markus grinned.
The door opened, and Derek and Angie walked in.
"Dr. Blaylock... we need you for the pre-op briefing... the supplies just came in. We're going to start the operation as soon as the briefing's over, alright?"
"Y-yes-- I'm coming...!"
Valerie quickly left the room with Derek and Angie.
A nervous energy suddenly filled Markus, making it impossible for him to focus.
This was it...
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(End chapter four.
Chapter five will be up eventually... wheee!
Please review!)