Chapter 11: Learning To Fly
"Come on Lady Enterprise, we need to get to the appointment on time." Enterprise looked up, pouting slightly with a mouth full of lunch. "Don't give me that look. This is going to be for the better. If we don't do this you might not be able to rid that evil deep inside of you." Enterprise set her newspaper down, taking in one last bite of her mashed potatoes with a fork.
"Then let's get going. Don't want to keep Vestal anymore lonely than she already is." Belfast got up from her chair, putting Enterprise's coat across her arm in a fold. Enterprise stood up from the table, pouting slightly when Belfast wiped away a bit of gravy from her cheek.
Vestal's personal office wasn't too far from the canteen, being a small building next to the Eagle Union dorm. Enterprise opened the door, followed by Belfast. Signing herself in, Enterprise sat down in the front room, waiting for her appointment. Belfast in a seemingly off sense of mind, ran a finger along a shelf of magazines. A grey smear of dust covered her finger. "Belfast, please don't do that."
"I was only looking. It's not like I'd go and clean this place up myself."
"That's exactly what you would do." Belfast sat down in the chair next to Enterprise, tilting her head as she saw a group of Sakura destroyers running around outside. Belfast gently let her head fall against Enterprise's shoulder, causing the carrier to blush a rosy red.
Enterprise started to sweat slightly, before being saved by Vestal entering the room. "Enterprise, can you follow me please?" Belfast sat up quickly, embarrassed that she had done that without a single thought about it.
Enterprise stood up, looking down at the floor as she followed Belfast and Vestal to the back of the building. Sitting down behind her desk, Vestal pulled up an online form on an old looking computer. Enterprise sat up on the table, while Belfast sat down in a chair next to her.
Vestal opened a notepad, and rolled her chair from behind her desk. Rolling it forward in front of Enterprise and Belfast, she stopped. "So, tell me what's going on."
"Well, I think I can manage this for now. I'm going to diagnose you with a quite alarming Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and a late stage form of chronic anxiety. As long as you aren't being hurt by it, you shouldn't have to worry about concerns of the physical nature. The main concern should be mental, and how we can get you to a place where the problem is behind us." Belfast nodded. "For now I'm going to let you leave with a prescription for some anxiety medication. Make sure to pick it up from Akashi." Vestal started to whisper. "Cheap girl keeps stealing all my money…" Vestal cleared her throat before continuing the options. "I'd also suggest speaking with Shangri-La. See if she can fit you into her therapy schedule. If that's an issue for you two, I'm sure the Royal Maid Corps will work something out."
"I'll see what I can do with the rest of the group," Belfast softly replied. Enterprise stared at the floor, before standing up. Reaching for Belfast's hand, she held the maid as they walked out of the building and into the sunlight, now removed from Vestal's cramped office.
"Is there something you'd like to do, Lady Enterprise?"
"I just want to take a walk together…" Enterprise turned around, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Belfast looked up at the spire in front of her, seeing a glare off a window near the top. Enterprise walked up to the door, her uniform a bit ruffled up after a bit of crying and walking. Pushing in the wooden door, Enterprise looked around the foyer before letting Belfast in.
The spiraling wooden staircase led them to a floor at the top, about the size of an small apartment. Enterprise led Belfast to a room in the back, its normal old wooden door had a plaque with an eagle over a statue. Enterprise opened the door gently, seeing her light and wind blow through an open window next to a hospital bed.
"I'm surprised they got all these materials up here," Belfast whispered. Enterprise walked over to a photo on the nightstand, its well polished bronze frame surrounded a photo of three girls. She recognized herself on the right, seeing how hard she used to try to be as mature and wise as possible. Hornet on the left however, had a kooky smile, and her usual cowboy hat had been replaced with a backwards ball cap. Enterprise felt herself tear up once more, before feeling Belfast's hand on her shoulder.
"It's her, before it-." Enterprise, brought her arm to her eyes, covering them from Belfast.
"I understand. But you need to know that this is how things had to play out. This is always going to be a part of your past, even if you don't want to remember it."
"I'm sorry. Give me a second." Belfast took out a handkerchief, giving it to Enterprise.
Enterprise rubbed her reddened eyes with its soft cloth before slipping it into her coat pocket. Looking out the window, she spotting something flowing in the wind outside. Stepping to the end of the bed, she reached for another wooden door, the antique handle feeling familiar in her hand. Slowly turning it, she opened the door to see Yorktown sitting outside. Yorktown was facing away from the pair, looking outside while in a wooden wheelchair. Belfast peeked out from behind Enterprise, now understanding why the floor was so large.
Enterprise moved forward, looking around to balcony behind Yorktown. "You know, for someone who is so often called a 'ghost', you sure can't seem to sneak up on someone," Yorktown suddenly joked.
Yorktown rolled herself around, looking at Enterprise. "So, are you going to say something?"
"I'm not really sure what to say. I'm not one of an eloquent vocabulary like you."
"I guess I do have a stronger lexicon than you. But that doesn't explain why you're here."
"I've had some… issues lately."
"Just listen to me. I know you've heard it millions of times, but to be candid, the only thing you have to fear is fear itself."
"You've been up here too long." Yorktown softly laughed, before coughing hard.
Enterprise reached down to help, only for Yorktown to wave off her hand. "You're going to be positively fine. Look around you. You have all these people here to support you, including your mistress that you walk around with these days."
"You sound more like a grandmother than a sister." Enterprise tried to deflect the comment with sarcasm.
"Then why do I hear rumors from all the way up here about your special time with that maid? It's alright to have someone that close to you, just remember not to push her away." Yorktown reached up, pressing a finger against Enterprise's chest. "Now let me enjoy my time watching over this small island of mine," Yorktown joked once more. Enterprise turned around to enter back into the tower, only for Yorktown to clear her throat. She turned around to see Yorktown pointing at the sky. "Just to let you know, I have my eye on you." Enterprise looked up at an eagle circling the tower, watching the two of them. Enterprise turned around and went back inside, meeting Belfast at the top of the stairs.
"Lady Enterprise, would you mind joining me for a few days on a therapeutic trip? It'll still be in the island, most likely up in the mountains." Enterprise nodded, and pulled her hat down. Another tear rolled down her cheek.
End of Chapter 11