A week passed by since Azule woke up from his coma, he'd spent the week recovering at the hospital. The members of Squidcom and many others visited him daily in hopes that he would recover his memory by sharing the experiences that they had together with him-hoping it could work. Sky was there from dawn to dusk, trying to help recover her lost little brother's memory too.
It's Monday morning, the hospital is quiet as most of the patients are rich elders sleeping-no hope left for them. Azule wakes up, blocking his eyes from the rising sun's brightness. He looks over to right, seeing Sky hunched over his leg-sleeping.
She must have stayed up the whole night watching over me… he thought; thankful to have a sister like her, but it's strange…I really can't remember anything! At the most, I've recovered my basic learning like reading and writing and my recognition of sis…Recalling the reading and writing exercises that he performed throughout the week and the event that gave him his memory of Sky. But, why is it that I can't remember those people? The ones that looked like they knew me just as well as sis...? Why is it that I'm forced to see such sadness on their faces…was I really that special to them? I mean…I guess I could understand my sister…but what about the Yellow tentacle one with glasses? The Pink one..? The cute Violet tentacle one..? Or what about the other three with them...and come to think of it…I haven't seen them since the first day when I woke up…
We return to the first day of last week, the day Azule woke up and stunned all of his loved ones with his amnesia. The room is noiseless as everyone stares at Azule with tears welling in their heartbroken eyes.
"Azule…stop playing around…"said Reice in a shaken voice; he clearly was in denial of the truth before him.
The doctor entered the room with an indifferent look in her expression- as if she expected this to happen. She shuffled through the crowd, displaying a strong force in her shove.
"Hello Azule Royale, my name Dr. Sinclair, you'll be in my care for the next 3 weeks."-Holding up three fingers-"in this time you'll need to rehabilitate, so I ask that you not make too much movement for your first week."
Dr. Sinclair turned to Sky, "I'll need to have a word with you and your brother next week…"
Sky's face turned pale, indicating that it must have something in regards to Azule's future. Dr. Sinclair exits the room, taking one last glance at Azule-shaking her head. "Be strong…" she whispered softly.
"I'm sorry everyone…but I really don't recognize any of you…" said Azule, shrugging his shoulders.
"We're your family…" said Sally in a barely audible tone, storming out the room before she could shed any tears.
We worked so hard…for this? We physically and mentally exhausted our efforts for this? It's not fair! She thought, running out the hospital; Reice and the rest of Squidcom followed after her. A few minutes passed by, eventually everyone left, leaving only Sky and Azule alone.
Sky at this point had finally settled down, her eyes were red from constantly rubbing them and wiping tears. Sky sat down on the bed next to him, staring at the sunset.
"Azule…I'm your sister."
Azule doesn't move a muscle, only his move as they shuffle between her and the sunset, "I guess I kind of see that…are we blood related or step siblings?"
"We're blood related…Azule you can't remember anything right?" gently resting one of her tentacles behind the ear, glancing at him with sorrowful eyes.
"Yeah, I don't remember anything other than my name. That's only because Dr. Sinclair said it…"
"So…you…the orphanage..?" Sky rested her hand close to his.
"Orphanage..? What's that?"
"Never mind…it's nothing important…" moving her hand back.
"Sky…" muttered Azule; Sky looks back with eagerness, He's finally remembered something!? He definitely said my name.
"Yes Azule…!" her face beamed with the possibility.
"Oh…I meant the Sky behind you. It's super pretty…"-he is slowly tilting his head-"Is your name Sky too, sis?"
Sky smiles upon hearing the words "sis" so nostalgic…she thought, giving him a smirk, "Yes, my name is Sky. Sky Royale…"
The next day, Azule spent the whole day taking writing and reading tests. Dr. Sinclair sure wouldn't make matters easy for him. Friends came by to visit, but the one that stood out the most to him besides Shiva's seduction attempt, Parker's extra education lessons and Aaron's attempt to brainwash him into his student, was Pastelle; no squidcom members came by to visit him surprisingly, worrying him a little since they were among the first people he thought about every morning.
As you can imagine, Azule once again showed immediate interest in Pastelle as he first laid eyes on her. Her shiny Pastel green tentacles brighten her gorgeous face; Sky tenses up as Pastelle approaches her little brother.
"Pastelle…why are you back here..?" said Sky with suspicion, she isn't aware of the relationship that brews between Azule and Pastelle.
"Relax; I'm here to discuss something with your brother. Not you." Sassed Pastelle; both of them didn't get along, but the both shared the same job-pretty awkward.
Sky glares at Pastelle, "He can't remember anything! What are you looking to do?"
"What I'm looking to do is none of your concern…"-turning her attention to Azule-"I'm sure you don't remember me…but we made a promise last month that I'd train you…"
Sky's eyes widen, alarms setting off in her head, "Excuse me, I can train him. He has no business working with you."
Pastelle ignores her, "I promise I'll teach you everything, leave your questions for then…now, will you become my student?" -holding her hand out for a handshake.
Azule's eyes brighten as he gazes at her soft hand "Yes, I gladly accept…" said Azule, grabbing her hand gently, planting a kiss; Pastelle jumps back-blushing hard as Sky's head explodes with complete anger with veins bulging out her fist as her eyes twitched. Pastelle rushes out the room, Sky stomps over to Azule-giving him the hardest karate chop ever; Azule passes out on impact.
Back to the present, Azule stares at the Sleeping Sky at his foot. I'm so sorry sis…I must have worried you. Well, the good news is now I can at least remember Sis. But what happened? I remember getting a hard karate cop on the head…! So that must be it! Cool, I can remember a few things, like sis...reading, writing…but, that's it.
Sky wakes up, yawning loudly as Azule stares at her. Sky looks over at him groggily. Giving him the stink eye as he stared at her-a smile beginning to grow; both of them seem to be on the same page as they both sprout a smile.
"Sis..? I remember you!" said Azule, holding his arms wide; Sky leaps in and hugs him tightly.
"Thank goodness…" she whispered.
The rest of the day was easy going, Sky chilled with Azule, watching Live with the Squid Sisters! Dr. Sinclair came by later that day with a clipboard in her hand, ready to discuss the topic with the siblings. She closes the door behind them, turning off the TV.
"It's time for us to get down to the real talk…" said Dr. Sinclair, grabbing a seat and looking at the info on her clipboard; Sky gulped.
"What's wrong Dr. Sinclair?" asked Azule, clueless to the serious mood that was befalling; Dr. Sinclair keeps her eyes on the clipboard.
"Azule…You have a rare disease. It's a disease known as neuro-cardio type disease that attacks the brain and heart simultaneously…"
Azule still looks at her-absolutely clueless, "OK…I guess that can't be any good…how I got the disease? When did I get it?"
"Judging from out blood tests and our brain assessments, you must have had this disease for about 2 years now…"
Sky chokes on her tears, feeling guilt. He got the disease around the time I left!?Oh no….no…no, please no!
Azule focused his attention on Dr. Sinclair- smiling with optimism, "So how does this disease work? What's the effect? How badly will this damage my body?"
Dr. Sinclair keeps her eyes on the clipboard, refusing to look up in shame. "This disease's symptoms are rapid heart rate triggered by traumatic events that have been experienced, events so traumatic that it psychologically damages the victim and forces the brain and heart to recover at a faster rate than they usually can. As for the effect…"
Sky flees the room, ready to vomit in utter horror of the news she's hearing-it's unbearable. Azule slowly begins to realize just how severe of a position he is in, as his handsome smile that he always sprouted began to fade away and turn into a very concerned look.
"Azule, your life span is 2-5 years. For the next few months, you should begin to start coughing up blood at random as a sign of the effects happening. Your chest will be aching viciously from the trauma you had experienced, and your mind melting as you forget everything, bothe of them will eat away at you painfully. I'm sorry to say that even if your life span is 2-5 years…you could die at any moment."
Azule sits there, his mind broken. First he lost his memory of everyone he cared for, and now he has a fatal disease that will kill him in the most excruciating way. He looks around the empty room to see he's only alone, no sister or friends. Just him with the doctor; the dark reality finally kicked in.
Azule cracks a smile, but very clear that emotionally he was destroyed. Dr. Sinclair takes a quick glance at him, seeing the effort he's trying to put in to cheer up. You poor soul…I wish I could find a way to cure such a terrible disease. It breaks my heart to see such strong and carefree soul become consumed with despair and fear…
Sky sat outside covering her head, hearing the news too. I knew something was wrong…I could feel it…but why couldn't I be there for him? Why did I selfishly choose school over him?
"I'll be doing everything I can to help you for the next couple weeks." she gets up and stands in the doorway-"Afterwards, you'll need to come and visit me every month, got it?"
Azule nodded slowly, still emotionally reeling from the news he just heard. His once bright and energetic aura was now dark, dead blue eyes that saw nothing but death knocking at the door. Sky re-entered the room and gave Azule a hug.
"I'm with you, Azule…" she whispered as tears fell down her cheek; Azule immediately remembers the first time she told him this, the first day of school. All of his memories of Sky rush in all at once, every moment he spent with her came in like a missile striking his brain and heart, each delivering a crushing blow. He grabs his chest, breathing heavily and fall back into his bed, his eyes wide open as his hands quiver, Azule's having a heart attack.
