It's a Thursday afternoon and the eleventh day for Squid Academy, their week of hell is nearly over with tomorrow serving as the last day; team practices will less grueling from now on but Fuchsia still warned them to stay on their guard since she'll have greater expectations after seeing their performance recently, intent on challenging their endurance and intensity. After starting further behind their competition, the team finally caught up and it was all thanks to the training that saw drastic improvement in their play and could likely make quite some noise in ranked mode if they wanted to. Everyone looked harder, better, faster, and stronger on the turf, their presence almost as imposing as Sky and Azule were when they entered into Midnight mode and speaking of the siblings, the two had underwent leaps and bounds of improvement during hell week. For Sky, she learned to push her limits while in Midnight mode, using her experience in the Winter tournament as a template, she's been suffering nosebleeds forcing her body to obey her will-a harsh critic of herself as she replayed that nightmarish final in her mind; before, she'd rather lock it away and never recall it, but if she'll expect to grow as a competitor and even more so as a person, she had to face her past and conquer her demons and put her best foot forward. Likewise, Azule made great improvements from who he was just a month ago in the spring, now learning to master several techniques all at once such as his accuracy on throwing with his sub weapons and even learning how to curl them like Shiva did with her octorb, as well treat the dualies less like a pair of weapons and more like a part of his body; his training was more on the theoretical level of challenging physics, focusing on trajectory and body positioning and how to manipulate his surroundings to fit his style. The innocent glow he had was replaced by a cold and intense presence that felt so ominous it was as though he ascended to an alternate state whenever he started to practice. Glad to see him and everyone else making tremendous progress, Fuchsia wondered how her strategy would work going into the first game against Towson Senior, and against some of the best teams in the world that occupy the groups. A personal challenge for her and her staff, she saw the upcoming group matches as a test of her resolve and dedication-a big believer that a team is only as good as their coach.
Prior to today's workout, Azule notified Fuchsia and the others that he'd be leave early before practice concludes, explaining that he had a doctor's appointment. A visit meant to check up on his health, he looked far more enthusiastic than a person should be for a routine check-up with their physician, having a had a hop in his step after the easy ride there and walk to her office. After greeting everyone there who knew his face well enough, he had a minimum wait in the office thanks to the doctor greeting him personally and bringing him inside. Together in her office, the nostalgia is apparent as Azule recalls those terrible days of heart problems and unbelievable side effects, thankful that those days are behind him; Dr. Sinclair was remembered the first time they met, amazed at how far they've come since then. Much like how Azule experienced something unforgettable at Ravia, so did the doctor, who carried a different light in her eyes now after witnessing the mess that unfolded there. She looked far more determined than ever, and it reflected in her work recently, as she not only helped in creating medication to improve his life, but was making a statement in the medical world with her research after getting plenty of praise from her peers for her efforts a few weeks ago.
"How is the new medication?" she asked, turning around and looking at him with focus-the burning question she desired an answer before anything else.
"Works well enough…" Azule answers, feeling his chest; "I haven't had any difficulties with my heart yet, and I'm not vomiting or anything. Only gripe I have is muscle spasms and some built up tension in my back and other places-but other than that, I've been feeling great!"
"How bad are the muscle spasms?"
"Mm...not much of a problem. I think it's a side effect that can be managed, so I don't think it's much of a concern. I'd prefer it to what I had previously. All in all, I have no news to report."
"Well, no news is good news..." the doctor said with a wave relief overcoming her, leaning in her seat and catching her breath after holding it in anticipation of his answer. "I'm glad this new prescription is working well for you, really, I am. However, we'll need to monitor those constant spasms. You'll need more sodium and potassium in your system, and make sure to stretch constantly and massage those areas to get blood flowing there, alright? Oh by the way, I'm still researching your rare condition to see if there are any improvements that can be made and also to see if there are any genetic links that can be useful for other cases."
"That's amazing. I'm guessing this is about the study between how our psychology affects our health?"
"More or less. Your condition is as rare as they come. I have heard of the phenomenon where certain mental trauma can bring physical harm, such as having terrible anxiety that it worsens your heart, or how stress is the silent killer. But never have I seen a case in an especially younger patient such a unique condition where their heart is healthy for the most part, but will undergo some serious issues directly linked to reliving a memory."
Azule rubs the back of his neck with a nervous laugh, "When I was younger I forced myself to shut down because I couldn't handle it. I didn't understand what was happening at the time, and since I didn't have anyone by my side, I felt lonely-betrayed even."
"For a child to carry such complex emotions."
"I thought blocking it out or forgetting it entirely was the best course of action, but I guess that strain in turn took a toll on my heart-like it redirected it."
"Interesting..."
"So, you believe it could have something to do with my genetics?"
"Well..." remembering that she took Sky's blood that ended playing a role in the medication that's saved Azule, she thought it unprofessional to disclose that information; "Before I decide on this being a unique case that focuses on the psychological aspect, I want to see if I can find any similarities within your family and pin this on it being a strange hereditary case where it runs in the family but only you had it brought out by the onset of mental trauma. If not, then I can point it towards the correlation with the mental trauma and tackle it from there."
"Ah, I see. Well, I have you to thank for this-for everything. I'm truly grateful for your kindness." Azule said in a solemn tone bring his hands up to his chest with his palms pressed resembling that of prayer.
The doctor stared at him longingly with a sad smile forming, "I hope you will never ever experience such pain again." she whispered shaking her head.
"Oh! Can I ask you something?" Azule beamed, unaware of her comment.
"Go ahead." she said, hoping he didn't hear.
"In a few weeks, I will leave for Ravia again and this time to compete in a tournament."
"Nationals, right? I remember when my alma mater competed there. It was only for a year though and we didn't make it out of the group stage."
"Do you have any advice? I mean, from a medical point of view. I'll make sure to follow your orders and get blood flowing and intake the right nutrients."
"Hm. I'd say you should increase the dosage of the medication since your body will have grown accustomed by then and the likelihood of those muscle spasms will increase, which is why you should make sure to take in as many necessary nutrients and generate blood flow. The tournament will undoubtedly bring forth some physical and mental strain, so I advise to stay hydrated as much as possible given the hot and humid environment, and to get as much rest as necessary. When you sleep make sure it's on your back and that you are elevated with a pillow under your back and your ankles, doing so will make it easier for blood to flow through the body and erase the frequency of numbing and spasms. Other than that, you should be set. Your vitals are looking great, and I can see it on your face how great you must be feeling."
Azule flashed an innocent smile and got up, "I'll do everything I can, and I owe it all to you doc!"
Dr. Sinclair's eye began to water, remembering the journey she took to get here. The sleepless nights she spent researching and reading, often discussing with her colleagues on ways to create this prototype to benefit a single child. Now, the worst has passed. The reward for all that struggle and efforts was the precious beam shining before her, thankful to see the burden lifted from his shoulders. Finally, he's free to enjoy his life without fear of an early death or lingering pain. An unconscious move that she couldn't explain, in that moment she got and hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad..."
Azule didn't mind but found it strange for her to show such emotion, "Doc…?"
"Oh! S-sorry! That was inappropriate of me..."
"N-No, I understand. There aren't many people I can talk to about this stuff, not even my parents. I feel like, you're like a caretaker for me. You've gone above and beyond to see this through to the end. For that, I'm so thankful. Really, thank you."
A moment of redemption after the one failure that left a scar on her medical practice, Dr. Sinclair found peace. She was able to keep her word in the end, and most importantly, save his life. It wasn't strange to think that there was a different type of closeness between them since she'd invest so much of her energy into assuring his safety, and likewise, he placed such overwhelming trust in her. A meeting that would likely be the last in a very long time with Azule going away for the tournament and likely miss her when he returns in the summer since she'll probably very busy, it felt like goodbye. A second mother, Azule promised her that he'll do his best to make good on the chance she provided for him, and likewise, the doctor promised to watch every game of his and even call him sometimes. Certainly not the end of a friendship, Azule walks out the doors for a final time, free of concern. Now, he can return to living a normal life. No more violence. No more trauma. No more coping. A restart in a way, Azule holds his head high exiting the hospital and looking up the to cloudy blue sky above, the gentle wind hugging his face with such a coolness he felt at ease.
