A blast of frigid air... it all felt so familiar. The cool rush felt like heaven on his terribly burnt skin. He felt something lifting him... he was suddenly lighter than air. This must be the angels, he was finally free from his suffering at last.
"Arturo, can you hear me?!" The voice of a girl. It sounded so far away.
That sounded like, "Blossom...?" Did she really come to save him? He cracked open one of his eyes and indeed saw her blurry outline. She faded in and out but the pink on her was unmistakable.
"It's gonna be alright!" She reassured him. "We're taking you all to the hospital!"
"G-Gracias... chica..." He thanked sincerely and weakly, before giving up the fight and shutting his eyes for good. He heard her urging him to stay awake for her, but he just couldn't do it. The pull of unconsciousness to him was simply far too great.
"Girls! I think they've all inhaled too much smoke! We've gotta get them to a doctor, now!"
"Forget about the smoke!" Buttercup yelled, her hands too busy with Ace. "Ace is bleeding like a stuck pig over here and I can't get it to stop! Blossom, get over here!"
Through the gangster's own pink, bloodshot eyes, he saw his own blood spurt out into Buttercup's face. She clenched her eyes shut tightly and then opened them again. "Shit!" She swore, her body slightly trembling.
Ace heard the wet sound of vomiting next. Shifting his eyes to the left, he saw that little flower Bubbles throwing up.
Buttercup turned her head briefly in her direction and urged, "Bubbles, don't look!" But since the kid was already being sick, her warning seemed too little, too late.
"Go help Big Billy and Grubber, Bubbles!"
The blonde little girl nodded as she shakily wiped her mouth free of clear vomit, and stumbled over to the others.
"Y-Yeah kid... don't want ya... ta s-see me... die."
"You're not dying, Ace!" Buttercup growled at him. "Now shut up and let me apply pressure!"
Ace saw the wide-eyed expression of Blossom next and how pale and ashen her face had turned.
"Dammit Blossom, snap out of it!" Buttercup yelled at her. "Are you gonna help me or not?!"
"R-Right! Move over, Buttercup! I can help you apply pressure!"
Were these chicks trying to finish the job? He could barely even breathe now!
"If there was ever a good time to have fingers! We could've reached in here and pinched off the vessel!"
"M-Maybe we can do something better?" Blossom suggested. "Do you think we can cauterize the wound?"
"You think that could work?"
"M-Maybe it could?"
Oh shit, Ace thought. This is gonna hurt...