Chapter 1:
Another day is about to pass and the bustling establishment known as Rhodes Island, home for treating for the infected, continues to be lit up by fluorescent lights and the little lights found in every corner of the building. People could be seen rushing about inside the building, hoping to catch their time to be treated and hoping to treat the ones in need of treatment. Fine doctors and nurses and ravishing medicinal contraptions would operate from day to night, hoping to someday make a cure for the infamous illness that the majority suffers from. Oripathy as it is called by its biological name infected millions leading to a widespread and demand to produce a cure or a deter for the spread of the disease.
And in this establishment of Rhodes Island is where medicinal specialists cooperate to make a certain cure. A certain cure for every person in all of Terra. However, the head of the operation is led by a certain someone. Yes, a certain someone who happens to be regarded as the 'top' doctor of most people who is occupying or working in the establishment. And this person is…! …is, unfortunately, dozing off, as there are mounds of paper piled up around his desk. The person is tired, having already drunk about 2 or 3 cups of coffee placed near him, almost falling near the edge. Papers even cluttered his workspace's floor, some papers even falling from the mounds due to the air conditioner running. How many days has it been since he had slept soundly? About two days ago? A day? Maybe even a few hours? Unfortunately for him, he'd forgotten about sleep after for how much papers continued to stack. His assistant kept bringing small stacks of paper until eventually, these small stacks would eventually turn into these mounds towering around his sleeping figure.
However, it wouldn't be for long until this sleep-deprived person could sleep any longer when someone barged in through the door. "D-doctor?", a girl about seventeen years old with brown hair and bunny-like ears on top, one standing and one half-bent, found him knocked out on his desk.
The girl's ears straightened from shock, rushing to his side and leaned near him, hearing moderately loud snoring noises and soft breathing. "Ah… he's still breathing", she sighed in relief. "Doctor, it's time to get up."
The girl began to pat on his shoulder repeatedly, hoping to wake him up from his slumber. It was until that she hears a groaning sound from him that she stops and watches him as he awakens.
She began, "Doctor."
The person who had been groggily woken up from his short nap stared at the girl who was beside her. He couldn't make out who she was yet because of his blurring eyes. By rubbing them, he finally recognized the girl. It was his assistant.
"A-Ah, sorry about that Amiya. It seems that took a nap before I could finish all.. this", he sounded apologetic.
"Its all right, Doctor. It also seems that you haven't been getting much sleep since a week ago".
"A-a week?", he felt dumbfounded. "So it's been that long now, huh."
"Unfortunately.", the girl smiled pitifully.
He fixed himself up and asked her, "By the way, did you need anything?"
"Ah right. After I was done speaking with Kals'tit, she told me to help you out but.. I guess you need more than 'helping out'."
"Well sure, but I think this is the last stack for today and I think I'm about to finish up as well", he pointed to an averagely small mound of papers.
"But after seeing you doze off… I insist, Doctor, let me take over for you", she offered happily.
"You.. sure? This one stack over here is the one that's left for today so I think this is going to be easier for you."
"I see but I'll finish one stack for tomorrow so that I can give you a head-start too", she started to pull him off of his office chair and sat down on it instead.
"Eh? You sure about this? You need sleep though".
"You're the one who needs more sleep, so it's fine."
He began to ponder on this for quite a while, thinking if it'd be fine to dump a bit of his work to his assistant but… since she did offer…
"Well, all right. But you need to get some sleep too. That's an order, Miss Amiya."
"Will do, Doctor. The cafeteria's still open up until now so I think you'd make it in time too", she took a peek on the wall clock. It read, 11:00 in the evening.
"Then I'll be on my way. Thanks for the support". The girl waved goodbye with a smile as the Doctor walked towards the door and bowed his head a bit before the door closed on him.
Now out of his room, the Doctor surveyed the hallway, seeing some rooms still open and bustling with other doctors who are treating Infected patients. Some medic staff passed by him and they even exchanged some 'hello's' and 'hi's'. Through some room which he passed, he could see the ones being treated. Some patients who had serious cases and those who continue to be treated up until now. Some patients were in pain, some were not. Some were happy, some were not. Apparently, half of those who he'd seen, he recognized from the time during the pursuits of Reunion. Especially those who either surrendered or were captured. Captured by Rhodes Island, not by the Lungmen Dept.
But with all of those thoughts and pondering, he didn't notice he is about to bump into one of Rhodes Island's cafeteria staff.
"Oof!", a girl who looks to be thirteen years old and bright blonde hair with a spatula on her hand bumped into him. Apparently, she too wasn't looking where she was going.
"S-sorry about that Gummy", he knelt down and helped her get up, her spatula still at hand.
"Oh, why if it isn't the Doctor", she cupped her head when she had come to her realization.
"Gummy!", a loud voice that came from their left was rushing up by the stairs. A muscular man dressed in black leather clothing appeared from the stairs. Quickly, he stopped by one foot and slowed down when he eventually saw the Doctor who was with her on that floor.
"Doctor! Glad to see you out of your room again", the man slowly walked up the remaining set of stairs.
"A-ah yeah. Amiya kicked me out of my room", he said sorrily.
"Haha, as per usual of Miss Amiya", he then turned to Gummy. "You all right there?"
"It's all good, Matterhorn", she closed one of her eyes, smiled, then did a peace sign.
"As long as you don't trip and fall on your spatula there, could've been risky".
"I told ya, its fine", she relieved him.
"So, ah, you guys are coming back to the cafeteria?", the Doctor asked, looking at both of them.
"Yes, we just ordered raw ingredients to deliver to us from the ground floor and we would've been late if not for Gummy here".
"Aha! All that running really did save us!", she declared right in front of us.
"Right, right", Matterhorn smirked. "Doctor, you should come with us to the cafeteria. We'll whip you up something for the night".
"Thanks, guys. Haven't had anything other than coffee and some energy bars". The two operators then burst into laughter.
