HIPPOCRATIC OATH

Minerva reached under the table to nervously grab Az's hand, and he squeezed back reassuringly. They sat next to each other in the lecture hall, watching their new classmates file into "Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology." Min began sliding her heart pendant back and forth along its chain. She had discovered upon her release from the hospital that it was, in fact, a locket, and she now carried Az's picture close to her at all times.

The road here hadn't been that difficult, but it had been rather tedious and tiresome. In the spring, Min and Az had moved out of their mansions, along with the rest of the group of pretties who had recently turned twenty, into more adult apartments, farther away from all the noise and action. Min and Az both had their own suites, in separate buildings, but they usually alternated back and forth between each other's. Luckily, since her unfortunate episode, Az had backed off a bit and didn't push sex so often.

They then spent several months' time completing a most mentally exhausting number of exams and courses. The exams were meant to test their interests, abilities, and aptitudes, and they were rather extensive, requiring the taker to sit for hours at a time, staring at a workscreen. At the same time, all of the older new pretties were enrolled in classes not of their choice in a wide range of subjects. They were given scores at the end of each one. Min had received her highest marks in the sciences, especially bio, and the lowest in anything having to do with art. At the end of it all, the city enrolled both her and Az in medical school, although neither of them had been assigned a specific track yet. In fact, today was their very first day.

Minerva cringed inwardly when a large clump of young women entered, all huddled together and chattering noisily, occasionally erupting with obnoxious laughter. They were going around the room to every table and introducing themselves to the people sitting there. Their high, lilting voices sounded extremely insincere.

Minerva knew this kind of girl well. They were exactly the type that would have made fun of her when she was ugly, for being flat-chested, or not liking any of the boys, or whatever. She knew right away that she should stay clear of these vapid, superficial women.

Min's insides shifted uncomfortably when they approached her and Az. The funny thing was, they didn't even seem to notice her at all. Minerva hated the gleam in their eyes as they introduced themselves to Az and shook his hand. She knew he was attractive, and she knew she didn't really have that strong of a hold on him. For the first time in her life, Minerva felt threatened.

"And you are?" one of them said, turning to Min, then stopped herself. "Oh, you're that famous athlete." The woman was a standard-looking new pretty, not unique-looking like Min was at all. She had the usual brown hair, brown eyes, and olive skin, but it didn't suit her like it did Max. "What's your name again?" she continued. "Is it Minnie-something?"

"It's Minerva," Min answered with a monotone voice and icy gaze, and reluctantly offered her hand.

"I'm Maddy," the woman answered, and shook it quite weakly.

"How could you not know her name, Maddy-wa?" Az, asked, laughing. "Where have you been for the past several years?"

"Oh, I'm not much of a sports follower. I'm usually interested in more intellectual pursuits," she said snottily.

"Actually, there's a lot more thinking involved in soccer than you would realize," Min said, trying hard not to let the daggers in her voice show too much. "It's all about seeing openings, and predicting, and strategy. Probably a lot more skills than you use in your 'intellectual' activities," she snorted.

"That's right, Maddy. I would never underestimate Min-la here," he said, putting his arm around Min, and gave Maddy one of the dazzling smiles that he usually only reserved for her. And why was Az using pretty-talk? He never did that!

"Oh!" Maddy said nervously, and spun around, quickly scurrying to her seat along with the rest of her entourage. Min noticed that the professor had walked in, carrying his briefcase, and she booted up her workscreen, ready to take the best notes she ever had in her life, because one thing was for certain: she was going to get higher marks in medical school than this Maddy character, whatever it took.

/

During that class and all the other ones she had to endure with her, Min and Maddy were like oil and water. As soon as Min gave an answer to one of the professor's questions (always the right answer, of course), Maddy's hand would fly up in the air, ready to contradict or question it. And Minerva did the same thing back, always managing to find something wrong or unclear about what Maddy said. It got so bad that a few professors had pulled them aside after class, to lecture on how they were both great students (although Min knew that one of them was a brilliant student), but this was getting to the point where it was wasting class time and they should just let him handle any confusion.

During this time, Az and Min also went to quite a few get-togethers, although they weren't quite the lavish, hedonistic new-pretty bashes. They were more conversational dinners among the medical students, all hosted in someone's apartment. Whenever Min had to put up with one of these, she avoided Maddy like the plague.

In a strange way, Minerva felt that she hadn't been this happy since uglyhood. There were lectures and exams, labs and dissections (animals and even a real human cadaver for the last one), all of which Min found fascinating. She threw as much energy into this new passion as she once had for soccer. It was still a completion, though, against her new arch-nemesis.

And Az was a better study partner than anyone could ever hope for. They stayed up late into the night, poring over their notes and medical textbooks, Min helping Az out and vice versa. And all this thankfully left little time for other pursuits that he may be interested in.

Gradually, the masses of med students enrolled in Intro to Anatomy had been funneled into different, more specific fields, always based on their own personal aptitudes. In a population where no one really got sick, the highest demand was for cosmetic surgeons. Az was going to be one, and Maddy, too. Min was not sure yet. She had taken many of the same classes they had, but as she learned more about how the human body worked, Minerva had discovered that she also had an intense interest in the workings of the brain.

That was why the mentor she was being assigned to was a neurologist. The years spent in medical school culminated in an internship, right before they all graduated and got their licenses. As Min stood in front of the mirror getting ready for the first day of hers, doubts began to fill her mind. Maddy and Az and everyone else already knew what kind of doctor they would be, but Min was an "extraordinary student" that they "had some difficulty fitting in." She knew middle-pretty talk well enough to know what that meant: she was so good at everything that she could do anything. So why was she so nervous?

Az was gone, leaving Min to eat breakfast by herself. He had already begun his internship. It all depended on the schedule of your mentor. In they end, they would have the same amount of mandatory hours logged. Min had been promised that although she would be working under a neurologist, she would have plenty of chances to observe and help with the pretty operation, in case that was what she ended up being assigned to.

Minerva was lost in thought for the whole hovercar ride to the big hospital. She was escorted inside, and realized vaguely that she hadn't been in here since her sixteenth birthday (luckily she had never sustained a major injury playing soccer). "Minerva Cable?" the receptionist asked, flashing her eye, and ushered her into a very small waiting room outside a closed office door. Soon after, another orderly entered the office suite with a white coat for her to put on. When Min unfolded it and put it on, she saw the word INTERN clearly embroidered on it in red. She ran her finger over the stitching, fantasizing about how one day soon, she would wear one with "Dr. Cable" written there instead.

The office door suddenly opened, and a kindly-looking white-coated man stepped out. He was far into middle-prettyhood, with salt-and-pepper hair and quite a few wrinkles. "Minerva Cable?" he asked, offering his hand.

"Yes, sir," she answered, and stood up to shake it.

"I'm Dr. Valen," he said, smiling. "I've heard quite a lot about you, Minerva. I am quite sure you will be a most excellent pupil."

/

On the day of her graduation from medical school, Minerva sat next to Az in the small but noisy theater, their hands clasped together. They couldn't have made it through these past few years without each other. Min scanned the rest of the seats, noticing her parents in the audience, and of course Dr. Valen. Although she was about to become a licensed cosmetic surgeon, Min had developed a rare friendship with the neurologist. He didn't bother with mindless chatter, immediately sensing Min's annoyance with it. Instead, he constantly praised her attentiveness and knack for learning, and taught her everything he knew. Soon, Dr. Valen became one of three people that Minerva was comfortable around. It was a shame, though, that sometimes he would leave on "official" business, and Min would have to shadow another doctor that day. Although she wouldn't be going into his field, Min would probably do some independent research on neurology, when she wasn't operating on anyone.

Then she spotted a certain dazzling smile across the room and waved. Max, because of her natural good-naturedness and sunny disposition, would be working as an orderly. Max had been done with her training for a while, now. She had just come to watch Min, and was extremely excited that they would be working in the same building, of course.

Minerva looked down at what she was wearing. The strange ensemble dated back to Rusty days, at least. Min didn't mind it, though. She actually thought it was kind of nice, since she was somewhat of a traditionalist. History was her favorite school subject after bio. All of the new doctors were wearing long black robes, with stripes of velvet on the sleeves and velvet panels on the front. On the back was a hood lined in green satin, and on her head was a funny velvet hat with a tassel (a "tam," they called it).

Min caught Maddy glaring at her in the next row. She quickly turned away, of course, when Min noticed her. Maddy was probably still a little sore about how Min would be graduating top of the class. But it was all fair. Minerva had received the highest average marks on labs, exams, and other classwork, along with a stunning intern evaluation by her mentor. It was rumored that a certain someone had come in a very close second.

Min didn't really see what the big deal was, though. All she got to do was deliver a speech after they had all received their licenses (not to mention all the glory. That wasn't a big deal or anything). Min had spent a while writing her speech. It was a load of bullshit, of course, all about their service to the community and the betterment of others' lives. Like she really cared about that.

As the mayor took the podium, a hush settled over the assembled crowd. He welcomed the soon-to-be doctors and gave a boring speech (Min's would be better, of course), then proceeded to read down the list of names.

"Minerva Cable," he called eventually, and deafening cheers and applause erupted as she walked up to receive her license from the mayor. It, too, was old-fashioned, written on a piece of paper in fancy script. (This was just a symbol, though, a prop. Her real license would be a highly secure document embedded in the city interface.) Minerva didn't go back to her seat, though. Instead, she took a place on the risers and faced the audience with the rest who had received their licenses.

Soon all the graduates were assembled onstage before their family, friends, and professors. It was time for the oath. They had practiced it several times before. Apparently, this oath dated all the way back to pre-Rusty times.

Az had made his way next to her, and they joined hands, their gesture hidden in the big sleeves of their robes. They did their secret squeezing pattern as the mayor turned to face them, clearing his throat into the microphone. Minerva took a deep breath as she spoke in unison with the mayor and her fellow doctors: "I pledge to do no harm…"

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Wow, that gave me chills to write, considering that she kills him later. I'm sorry for another boring-but-important "time passes" sort of chapter. S/O to one of my reviewers, if you are reading this: "Hi," your comment on 8/25 literally made may day, probably my whole week, the whole month, even. You really inspired me to keep writing. Do you want more? Then please review!

Love,

Fanna