Chapter 6:
Aftermath
Aurora woke up slowly while groaning in pain. She realised she couldn't move her left arm nor her right leg. She barely managed to pick her head up from the pillow, she saw that her leg and arm were covered in bandages and were both in a casts.
"Ow….my back…" muttered Aurora as she tried to sit up but it hurt as hell, but at the end she managed to sit up. She looked around, she knew she was in Patch's clinic in one of his patients rooms, since he had two and they aren't that particularly big.
"A-Aurora! It's about time you w-woke up." stuttered Patch as he was holding a clipboard in his hand. "You h-have a visitor." he said as he let Aurora's visitor enter. It turned out to be Petula who was holding a small bouquet of flowers.
She ran up to Aurora with concern on her face. "Dear god Aurora are you alright?! I heard what happened…you're are so lucky to even be alive! What were you thinking fighting with Dastardos was a good idea?!" she exclaimed as she crossed her arms.
Aurora sighed, Petula was acting as if she's her older sister despite being 2 years younger than her. "I…ugh…I wasn't going to let him hurt my lemmoning…I'm not letting him hurt any of my piñatas ever again…not what after he did to Frostwind…" growled Aurora as she grabbed her head with her good arm, and sighed as she rubbed it in pain. She still had a headache.
"Yeah but-ugh…never mind…I'm just glad you're safe girl." said Petula as she sat next Aurora and put the small bouquet of flowers in vase since there was one next to Aurora on a small table.
"You know how much you sacred me when I heard what happened? It felt like I losing was going to lose a sister!" said Petula as she got a bit emotional as she looked at Aurora with tears in her eyes.
"Petula don't cry…" said Aurora as she took Petula's hand a squeezed it gently as she smiled at her, "I'll be fine. Don't worry." said Aurora.
It was odd to see Petula cry since she usually is good at hiding her emotions.
Petula then hugged Aurora tightly, as she tried her hardest not to cry.
Patch looked at both Aurora and Petula and sighed as he walked in the room and cleared his throat, hoping he wouldn't stutter that much.
"Petula, do you know who's taking care of Aurora's piñatas?" said Patch. Yes! For once he didn't stutter! Score!
Petula delicately stopped hugging Aurora as she looked at Patch sighing. "I believe Sparcticus is taking care of her piñatas, we both made deal to take turns once a couple of hours to look after Aurora's piñatas until we both convince Arfur to let one of his Watchlings to look after her garden or until she recovers." explained Petula as she looked at Patch with her tired eyes.
"I see…w-well at least someone is t-taking care of them…" said Patch calmly as put his clipboard down.
"Aurora…I-I hate to be the bringer of b-bad news but your arm in a critical condition and…there is a chance it m-may not heal properly…meaning that-"
Patch was suddenly cut off by Aurora panicking.
"AM I GOING TO DIE?!-"
"N-no Aurora-"
"I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!"
"A-AURORA!"
Patch finally shouted which even made Petula jump from surprise.
"You're n-not going to die! What I m-mean is that your arm may not function properly since D-Dastardos damaged it that b-badly…" said Patch calmly as he flicked his bangs out of his eyes but not much was achieved other than him having only one exposed blue eye.
Aurora looked at Patch in disbelief. As if he was a ghost. Petula bit her lip nervously not knowing what to say, all she could do was to rub Aurora's back. "Patch please tell me that you're joking." said Aurora as her hands were shaking nervously.
"I'm s-s-sorry Aurora but it's true…I did all the x-rays and there is no d-doubt a-about it…there is a high chance you m-might not use your left arm properly ever again…" muttered Patch as he looked at the ground nervously. He hated every time he couldn't help one of his patients, especially if that patient is a friend of his.
"B-but not t-to worry! I will do everything I-I-I can to not let this happen!….I hope…" stuttered Patch as he mumbled the last part very quietly. Silence followed.
But the silence was broken when Petula's alert system started ringing, she quickly answered. Turns out it was Sparcticus who told Petula it was her turn to look after Aurora's garden. Petula sighed, "I have to go...stay safe for me will you? I'll check on you tomorrow." said Petual as she walked out of he room giving Aurora a small smile and a wave.
Both Patch and Aurora watched Petual leave. Aurora couldn't believe that she might never use her left arm properly again. She can't do much around the garden if her left arm's movement will be limited. Worst part might be the fact that she won't be able to do much magic or create potions.
"Well! I hope the visiting hours aren't over! Sorry I'm a little late, I had to deal with some tinkering business!" exclamied Bart as he kicked down the door which made both Aurora and Patch scream loudly in sudden fear. Bart looked at both of them and laughed. "Sorry that little old me scared ya! Since I heared the news and read the newspaper the paper boy gave to me this fine morining I thought I might as well visit the brave young lady who confronted Dastardos." he said as he walked up to Aurora who's face was as red as a beet.
"B-Bart please knock next time...I d-don't want m-m-me and my patients getting a heart a-attack!" exlaimed Patch as he had a bit of an offended look on his face. Bart simply rolled his eyes and chuckled, not being bothered to talk back to the young doctor.
"Will ya look at that! Dastardos did a number on you didn't he? But not to worry! Nothing more than a bit of tinkering can't fix a broken arm!" said Bart confidently as he took a closer look at Aurora's shattered left arm. Aurora was speechless, she didn't know what to say. She was flabbergasted. Her crush was trying to help her! This must be a dream! She could finally look at all of Bart's features since he was close to her. Aurora began to sweat a little from embaressment and stress.
"Hold on a moment B-bart! D-don't you think that trying to tinker a b-broken arm m-might be dangerous?! What if you b-b-break the arm more?!" panicked Bart as he was so close to pushing Bart away but he knows that Bart has mean right hook and Patch would rather not get himself beaten up, even if Bart seems to be mostly docile.
"Relax boy! I know what I'm doing alright? No need to panic, an experianced tinker knows always knows what he's doing. I don't promise that her arm will be perfectly healed but what I can promise that it will certainly improve it's condition." explained Bart as he then looked at Aurora. "Ready young lady?" he asked as he was ready to do his magic.
Her eyes shone with astonishment and admiration, her cheeks silghtly blushing. "I'm ready alright!" she said confidently as she nodded at the tinker.
"That's the spirit! Now let's get to action!" exclaimed Bart as he grinned. He then took and deep breath and began to tinker Aurora's broken arm.
Patch got so nervous that he let out an unmanly squeak and looked away, hiding his face with his clipboard. Aurora on the other hand had her eyes shut tightly, hoping that Bart doesn't fail. She did start to feel her that something is happening to her left arm but she couldn't describe the sensation.
After about few silent minutes, Bart finshed tinkering Aurora's arm and sighed loudly as he wiped off the sweat from his forehead lifting up his hat for few seconds. "Done!" he proudly announced as he looked at Aurora, Patch put his clipboard down and lookedat Aurora, waiting for her reaction.
Aurora tried to move her left arm, everything seemed to be fine even if it still hurt if she tried to lift it up too much or do a certain movement, but it sure was in a better state than before. Aurora grinned widely as she looked at both Patch who was biting his nails nervously and Bart who had a smug facial expression while his arms were crossed. "I can't believe it! Bart...you're a miracle worker!" she beamed at him as she looked like she was about to cry from sheer joy.
"B-but how is that p-p-possible! This is groundbreaking! H-how did you manage to almost fix an entire broken arm B-bart?!" exclaimed Patch as his jaw dropped in shock. Bart simply chuckled and shook his head.
"Told you that an experianced tinker knows always knows what he's doing! See I wasn't lying! But honestly yowzer! I wasn't sure if I was going to properly fix her arm or mess up badly. But hey! At least you only have to be in this place for only 1 or 2 months now huh?" said Bart as he winked at Aurora.
At that moment, Aurora swore that her heart nearly stopped beating. Bart's demeanour always managed to make her feel so...flattered. "Yeah! T-thank you Bart, you really are the best!" said Aurora she blushed again but this time she managed to look at him directly in the eye and smile at him. Bart only laughed and grabbed his head with one of his hands, he then cleared his throat.
"Aww shucks...no need to thank me kid. I only do my job and what's best for good companions of mine!" he said as he rubbed the back of his head, chuckling. Aurora couldn't really tell but she tried to look under Bart's mask a bit to see a bit of pink on his cheek. Was that a blush?
"Now I need to get going just in case if I have any new costumers that need my service. Hey Aurora, if you don't mind I might come in tommorrow to visit you again since I did hear you do know some good magic techinques which might help me with my tinkering, in return I will teach you how to tinker basic stuff." said Bart as he started to make his way to the door.
"I'd be delighted to see you tomorrow again Bart!" said Aurora as she beamed at him, Patch only continued to watch the situation in front of him unfold. It was as if he was watching a bad romance movie but cute nontheless.
"See ya kid!" said Bart as he waved goodbye to Aurora and even Patch who waved back at him. As he made his way out of the room and eventually the clinc, Aurora watched him the entire time until he was gone out of her sight.
"S-so...I finally have s-something to tease you a-about huh?" asked Patch as he grinned at Aurora and nudged her right arm while chuckling at her a bit. Aurora huffed in response and blushed as she avoided Patch's eye contact.
Oh this was going to be a looooong night...
