Kazu sprinted to Yuuki's room and was startled at the sight of an orc being spawned in her room and her virtual avatar being stuck with her sword caught in the ceiling. Of course there was no damage to the actual room, but it stopped her movement. She was caught in an Ordinal Scale battle.
"Stop fighting, invite me in!"
Kazu swiftly laid on the floor and accessed the AR network so she could go to the other side immediately at full strength and decapitated the orc from behind without any effort.
"Turn off your Ordinal Scale right now!"
Yuuki frantically nodded and her battle attire disappeared revealing her disheveled appearance underneath. She looked as if she were about to keel over. Her heart was racing, the alarm was buzzing. Kazu interacted with the medicuboid with her virtual avatar, thankfully it had been enveloped by the AR network or there would be more trouble.
"A dose of relaxants..."
Yuuki's avatar faded after a couple of seconds.
"And another touch of the stabilizer. I can't believe she forgot to turn that off. Could you please take sleep attacks out of your game, Ela-sensei?"
Ela listened on in horror. Her game had done that. Nearly killed Yuuki. If her condition worsened any further, she would have died. For her, it's not just an avatar anymore. It's her sense of reality. It's the only way she could leave that room until she's cured or passed on.
"R-right!"
Ela ran over to Yuuki's side and accessed her AR device, finding that Ordinal Scale was still running. She accessed Yuuki's Ordinal Scale and disabled surprise attacks before turning it off. Yuuki's device needed to stay on, but Ordinal Scale could pose a serious threat to her life. She clapped her cheeks and did another check through Yuuki's device to check if there was anything else that was running her the risk. There were a few games that had notifications, and that was enough to make her angry.
"She really wasn't ready. You should have checked her AR activity before administering her medicine, but then I suppose your device doesn't have access to controlling other people's devices. I'm going to give you an upgrade for needed purpose. I can trust you to use this responsibly."
Kazu stared at Yuuki's face through the medicuboid, etching her sense of responsibility into the moment, that she should have confirmed herself instead of simply trusting that she had turned off everything that had notifications. She was also responsible for her health, but she's young. She needed a firm reminder that her health was more important than anything she's getting notifications for. Those other things can wait until she's finished taking her treatment.
"How is her stability?"
Ela's question made Kazu shake her head.
"Returning to normal still, it'll take a few more minutes. Anyways, I was about to administer treatment to...sorry, I just felt a little dizzy. Right, she wanted to be addressed by her online name. Siune. I'll go administer her treatment. I'm going to...here we go, have her information displaying to me in a virtual window. If you needed to do something else I'll be fine from here."
Ela was worried about Kazu. Being dizzy when in a virtual form was something that shouldn't happen, unless...
"Give me a moment, I'm a little worried about you and I need to check over your condition as well. How have you been as far as dizziness? Is it exclusive to moving around with your virtual avatar in the augmented network?"
Kazu shook her head side to side slowly.
"No, my dizziness is all the time. I'm sure it's just exhaustion. I really need to get more sleep but I've been so busy. I wonder when a nice opening will come up in my schedule soon?"
Ela smirked and turned away. If you experience anything else when you're feeling dizzy, let me know. You might have a rare condition but it's too early to say anything.
"When I'm dizzy? Hmm...not that I can think of. Maybe the sound of wind even though it doesn't make any sense, feeling tickled...it's strange. I just really think I need some sleep. Please schedule me some free time so I can sleep."
Ela's eyes widened at first but she wasn't facing Kazu at the moment so she fixed her expression quickly. She didn't want to worry Kazu.
"I'm going to schedule you an appointment with one of the university's doctors. It would be better you go over this with a doctor and they might be better at giving you an opening in your schedule. They might just prescribe you sleep and schedule you some time off. If you're worried about cost, I'll still cover it. I've been making you so busy after all, I'll cover the costs that I put on you."
Kazu nodded.
"Thank you..."
Kazu flopped over at that moment, as if she passed out as soon as the words escaped her mouth. Her body shot up into a sitting position and her virtual avatar was still present, laying face first on the floor. She stared at her virtual avatar in shock.
"W-wait what? How? Is that me?"
She reached out to touch her virtual avatar, but as soon as she made contact it disappeared.
It confirmed something for Ela. Something she was worried about but something she couldn't share just yet.
"Your appointment will be today, I'll send you a message when your appointment is scheduled. Please, get some sleep as soon as possible."
Ela disappeared from the area around her and Kazu rubbed her forehead. She was tired beyond what she had ever experienced before. Like she could easily separate herself from her body in a different sense than moving around augmented space with her virtual avatar. As she left the adjoining room connected to Yuuki's medicuboid, something impossible was in her peripheral vision. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore it. She didn't have anything on which should be changing her perception of things other than Yuuki's information. She did her best to ignore it, but she felt a tapping at her back and when she turned there was nothing there.
"Are you okay, Kazu-chan?"
The director of the department was in the lobby.
"Maybe not..."
He grimaced.
"If you aren't feeling well, you should go home. Or at least move around as your virtual avatar. Remember you can feel free to use the unoccupied medicuboid. Just put in the medicine you think you'll require. We don't want you getting the patients sick since you've been the one interacting with them directly the most."
She sighed and continued on to Siune's room. She sat down and secured herself to the bench with a luggage strap, switching back to virtual mode. As soon as she was back in her virtual avatar she was facing her body again which shocked her by still being conscious. She took a couple of frightened steps back, colliding with the wall which had the viewing window to Siune's medicuboid.
"I really wish you wouldn't ignore me when I can tell you definitely saw me back there. In your peripheral vision. Don't lie and say you didn't see it."
"I'm...dreaming. No, hallucinating. Being without the right amount of sleep for so long can do things like this. I'm just...tired."
No, she wasn't convinced. She couldn't remember most of her dreams but she had a feeling they had never been so vivid. She was afraid that she would wake up and it would be real.
"No, you aren't dreaming, and you are not hallucinating. You are tired, but that was required to break down your barriers. We need to talk."
She was still stunned seeing her real, physical body move and speak like that. The voice that came from her mouth was a little different though. She had a feeling when she blinked while looking at her body, that she could see a vague memory from dreams during her time in Aincrad resurface. A face she had seen in Aincrad mirrors at times, it was hers, but a little more masculine and defined. Hair that was much shorter.
"Who are you?"
"Another part of you. I don't really have a name but if I were to choose one it would be Kirito, maybe...Kazuto. Regardless, you need to listen."
Kazu close her eyes, shook her head, took a deep breath and continued her work on Siune.
"You can say what you need to say while I continue my work."
She grabbed up her medicine bag and took it over to the medicuboid's side of the room while Kazuto spoke to her.
"You do need sleep but you also need to start being more careful around certain things. Be a little more cautious of Ela-san. She obviously means well, but she's been making several mistakes and she might have a similarity to you that she hasn't said yet. Something fundamental. Anyways, just don't ask too much about me. You only need to know that I'm a part of you and here to support you. If you ever feel like there's something a male part of you would handle better, think about me, picture me in your mind and speak aloud or...well, you're smart enough to think conversation. I'll be here most of the time."
Finally, her body slumped over unconscious and she sighed once again. She was able to fully concentrate on giving Siune her medicine. She went over her information once again and gave Siune a gentle tap so they could speak. Siune took a few seconds to appear.
"Oh, good afternoon, Kirigaya-sensei. How is my condition progressing?"
Kazu gave her a bright smile.
"You are stable and the cancer cells appear to have finally completely gone from your system. Just applying some medicine to give your body some energy and to stabilize it. We can pull you out today if you would like."
Siune blinked several times in surprise.
"Wait...really?"
There was an excited undertone.
"Really. Do you remember how we explained the medicuboid works? It's not just about distributing medicines through the patient's body, it analyzes the interior of the patient's body and can use the medicine and tools at its disposal to do the treatments that otherwise doctors would do. The medicuboid can treat at a molecular level and remove something such as cancer. It uses information on the medical processes with the tools at its disposal to do the work it needs to in order to secure the health and safety of the patient held in it's grasp. Basically, without harming your body at all it performed removal surgery at the molecular level and there's not a single cancer cell in your body now at risk of threatening your life. The process used a fluid perfect for the operation. There was a lot of setup with Ela-sensei and the doctors here at the university to apply fluid surgery to the medicuboid and the knowledge on such surgeries as well."
Siune sighed. She had been explained the details on the process again, but hearing it from Kazu again was somehow far more reassuring. Her cancer had been successfully removed. She could, with time, regain her hair lost to chemotherapy she needed in the past just to live. She could finish school, get a job, find someone to love and who would love her. She could live the rest of her life like anyone else.
"...give me some time. I want to tell my brother. He can bring me home too."
Kazu nodded and made a note in her nursing journal.
"I'll start the paperwork to discharge you from the hospital's care. I'll of course keep you in my contacts since we've become friends, but don't feel wary of letting me know if you have any more concerns about your health. Just because we're friends, doesn't mean you need to stop treating me as your nurse."
Siune gave her another smile and she had tears in her eyes. She began the call to her brother. Her brother answered right away. Kazu was about to leave the room to let her have privacy, but she held up a hand in signal to stop.
"Hi Siune, how are you doing today?"
She gave a second to pull her emotions together. She was unsuccessful.
"I'm doing great. Great enough that I can go home today! Will you be able to visit and bring me home sometime later?"
A sound like hitting the ground came through and the call ended, only for Siune to get another call she answered right away.
"That's amazing!"
Her brother appeared in front of her through a window. Most people still didn't know how to project out as their virtual avatars. Plus it sounded like he was walking.
"How was your treatment then? Are you done with treatment overall, or...?"
Siune shrugged.
"I might need a bit of help with physical therapy, but my cancer is gone. I don't need my current treatment anymore. Physical therapy is something I can do from home."
Her brother had tears in his eyes as he heard her explanation.
"That's amazing Siune. I'll be there in a couple of hours. I'll just need to let my supervisor know and finish what I'm currently working on. Will that be fine?"
She nodded.
"That's perfect. I need to get discharged from the hospital's care after all and that'll take a bit anyways."
A short bit more of their exchange and their call hung up. Kazu gave Siune an approving smile.
"I've been filling out the paperwork for your discharge and we just need an overseeing doctor to confirm you. Let's get you out of the medicuboid to start."
She pressed a few buttons and the fluids inside emptied out, and after the fluids were emptied out, the lid popped open and Siune blinked a few times before pushing herself up. Kazu quickly and gently put a medical gown on her. She was able to interact with Kazu's avatar, get lifted a little. Kazu couldn't fully lift her, but she could interact with Siune's existing strength. It only took a minute for Siune to find her physical strength and ability to stand as she was used to with her virtual avatar.
"I'm going to definitely need to work on regaining my strength. Thank you again for being my primary nurse."
Kazu smiled and opened the doors for Siune so she could return to the main lobby with Kazu. Kazu returned to moving around physically and the overseeing doctor she had requested arrived.
"Hello, Kirigaya-san and Si-eun-san. Is Si-eun-san present physically this time?"
The doctor waited for confirmation instead of rudely reaching out to confirm by touch.
"Yes, thank you for letting me get treatment through this program. Kirigaya-sensei has confirmed that my cancer is gone."
Kazu made the medical file transferable by hand and passed it to the overseeing doctor's hands. He looked over the information and smiled.
"That you were able to fully remove those harmful cancer cells still boggles my mind. That machine is as good as a miracle right now but might occupy many hospitals in the future and be able to save anyone and everyone."
Kazu nodded and smiled.
"So, will you be able to sign the discharge form?"
He nodded and when Kazu presented those documents as well, he quickly signed the forms.
"Excellent. I'm still surprised every time that I see you that your designation tag only has nurse on it and not doctor, even with your age. You are incredible at your work."
Kazu bowed lightly.
"Thank you for your praise. I am putting in every bit of effort I can to my work. I keep on being reminded to get more sleep, in fact."
He nodded.
"Right, I received a request from Ela-sensei to get you an appointment. Are you having any issues aside from your exhaustion?"
Kazu shook her head, even though in her mind the conversation from just before resonated in her head. The conversation between her and her male self. Was it just a dream? Was she still dreaming? Hallucination? She wondered if she should bring it up. She wouldn't bring it up right away though. She wanted to confirm what that experience was.
"No, just a lot of consistent tiredness."
He nodded.
"Well, then I suppose there's no real need for an appointment. Here's a prescription for a sleep aid, only take it when you're having difficulty with getting to sleep. Try for at least six hours a night through the next seven days, more if you are able. No excuses."
His tone was serious but at the end he smiled.
"But really, take better care of yourself. I know you're doing your best not just for your sake but to save others, but you can't help other people if you make yourself horribly sick through neglecting yourself."
She nodded and accepted the prescription.
"Thank you. I'll let you know if I need anything else."
He nodded happily and left the medicuboid lobby returning his gaze at Siune's medical report.
"Let's go get your belongings. You'll need your own clothing when you leave with your brother."
Siune was practically giddy when we nodded and followed Kazu nearly with a spring in her step but she wasn't strong enough to keep up with the energy expense. Kazu opened the door to the locker where her belongings were stored and the change room door connected to the medicuboid lobby and put her belongings into the change room.
Siune entered the change room and Kazu closed the door on her.
"Let me know if you need any help."
She leaned against the wall and waited for Siune to finish changing. She opened the door two minutes later and a mixture of relief and depression were on her face. Her clothes were baggy on her, and her lack of makeup very likely upset her, but she was relieved to finally feel her clothing secure on her body once again.
"I'm all clothed. My purse feels a little heavy to me but that just tells me I need to work on regaining my strength now."
Kazu nodded.
"Well, how's the "Sleeping Knights" guild taking your graduation from it?"
She frowned. Something about online life she wasn't comfortable with.
"Graduation feels like I've left them forever but that's not my intent at all. There was some anger...not from me but at me. I'm just upset that it came to that at all. We can all graduate and join your guild together. That was the plan when we first met you, but at some point the boys just started saying they won't be saved and it's unfair that me and Yuuki have you as our nurse. I really don't want to get into it though."
Kazu was caught off guard, surprised.
"If they want me to help them as their nurse as well, I can put in a request to act as their nurse through the AR network, we'll just need to have their medical teams set the groundwork for the network there and I can connect through them and offer my help that way. I should be able to fit in a bit of time with them."
Siune sighed a relieved sound and swung her purse around a little.
"I want to thank you, seriously this time. Even though there was a lot of groundwork laid out before you started work as my nurse, you've been so reassuring. Being close in age also helped me understand. You're so kind, and you put in so much time and effort, I had so much confidence that it would definitely happen. One day you would definitely give me the opportunity to live a normal life again, one not bound to life support. You've done that for me, even if you didn't do it alone. You are the person who assured me most that I'm going to have a future. Now you've given it to me. I hope that they can believe in their futures the same way if you can give them some time being their nurse."
Kazu nodded happily.
"I'll do what I can. I just need to remember to take care of myself as well instead of overworking myself for the sake of others. I could very easily cause serious damage to myself by not sleeping so that's what that part of the conversation with the overseeing doctor was about before. At any rate, let's go over a rehabilitation exercise together. We'll go at your pace. Here's an invite to the AR physiotherapy app Ela added to the AR network."
She passed it over and for the last short bit of time before her brother arrived to bring her home, they got her very tired with the physiotherapy. She was barely able to walk so she was given a wheelchair to help her to the vehicle.
When Kazu returned to the medicuboid wing of the university hospital, Rinko was stretching and about ready to head home. Kazu went over Yuuki's information one more time and left at about the same time as Rinko. A part of her wanted to turn on Ordinal Scale on the way home, but she stopped herself.
A familiar voice buzzed through her mind to try and convince her but she thought it might just be her greedy side that wanted to game and relax. She shook it off and reminded herself that at the very least she's physically present and couldn't take the risk of another dangerous encounter happening while she was driving. She had turned it off but Ordinal Scale could still distract her while driving and she wasn't going to take any chances at being distracted and getting hurt.
It was likely just her greed. She didn't want to think about the encounter earlier.
