Disclaimer: I do not own anything. And yes, the chapter title is referring to the song by Metric.
Chapter 5: Monster Hospital
Hope opened the door to Noel's bedroom.
"Good morning. I'm heading out to the office."
Noel rolled over in response. Unperturbed, Hope continued, "The hospital is taking visitors today. Are you going?"
The brunette grumbled into his pillow. "Not today."
"Ok, I'll see you later!" The door slid shut quietly as Hope left his friend to sleep another day away.
Why doesn't he yell at me? Noel wondered, now awake. It grated on his conscience that Hope accepted his apathetic lifestyle so easily. Especially considering how his roommate had been working to resolve the chaos problem. It's not like I pay rent or anything. I'm glad that he doesn't, but… Maybe I wish he did yell.
From out of nowhere, Serah jumped onto the bed and, by association, onto Noel. "What are you doing, Noel?" she demanded, shaking him awake. "Who's in the hospital? And why aren't you visiting them?"
Noel moved away from her, pulling the blankets up over his face. He didn't want to have this conversation, least of all with her. But, as always, Serah was tenacious and wouldn't let it go.
"Noel!"
With a sigh, he responded miserably, "It's Mog, okay?"
Visibly shaken, Serah quieted, moving to the edge of the bed. "Why?"
Noel sat up, "He just faded away, right after you. He said the goddess was dead. Since then, he hasn't woken up. Hope forced the hospital to admit him, even though they don't take non-humans, and they put him in the intensive care unit."
After a moment of silence, Serah said, "Maybe this is my wish: for you to take care of Mog!"
"Serah, I – " he started, but seeing her in pain over not being able to be there for the moogle, he relented. "Fine."
Serah insisted she tag along, but Noel didn't think that would be a good idea. She hadn't seen Mog since the end of their journey. It would be hard for her to accept the shape he was in now. Besides, he didn't want a repeat of the scene with Snow. From now on, he wanted to protect her from seeing or hearing things that would remind her that she was no longer alive.
So, Noel promised that he'd take her with him to the hospital next time, which seemed to brighten her mood. He still considered that she was just a hallucination – a way for his own mind to tell him that he needed to get out of the house. But even so, it was difficult to make that first step.
A whole day out there… Noel shivered. It was hard to describe the atmosphere outside. In short bursts he could handle it, but over time, he felt like the chaos built up inside him. His skin started feeling plastic, like his body would start changing any moment, morphing into some sinister creature. He'd get a pounding headache that wouldn't leave until he was safe in his bed again. And then there was the paranoia… the feeling that Caius was lurking in the shadows, that the lingering chaos would solidify and swallow him whole.
For today, for Mog, he'd give it a shot. He headed west from his house in Grand Avenue, the closest neighborhood to the Academy building, across the Central Bridge and into New Town, where the hospital was located.
When he arrived, the receptionist was visibly astonished. Though Noel hadn't visited Mog for a long time, her reaction spoke more of fear than surprise. Maybe it was the dual swords he'd strapped to his back that made her so nervous? She started talking quickly, explaining that a new doctor was assigned to the moogle. Not because they thought Mog wasn't a priority, she assured him, but because there were a lot of patients suffering from Chaos Disorder…
Noel didn't pay much attention to her ramblings, except to note that they'd moved Mog from ICU to a new wing. Expecting the palliative care unit, Noel was surprised when she called it the "Chaos Research Wing".
"Wait, hold on," Noel stopped her babbling with a hand on her arm. The seemingly endless stream of words out of her mouth ceased and she looked up at him with worried expression.
"Why is Mog in a research wing? Are you experimenting on him?" he asked, agitated. "Why didn't you tell me when you were moving him?"
The woman would have chuckled, if she wasn't slightly afraid of Noel. His anger seemed genuine, so she answered concisely, "We did tell you. I personally called your comm device several times before getting through. You said you didn't care what we did."
Noel couldn't remember the exchange, but it was believable. How could he have been so callous toward the creature that had saved his life countless times?
"Well, I care now," he spat out, his loathing directed now at himself.
"Mog's new doctor requested that he be placed in isolation. When he was placed in an incubator… well, I think I'll let the doctor explain," the receptionist said, as a man approached them, wearing the essential white lab coat and glasses. "This is Dr. Desouki. He's been placed in charge of Mog's primary care."
The man held a hand out to Noel. It had been so long since Noel had met someone new, and the first time he'd shaken hands for years. Initially hesitant, he inspected the man's hand. His olive skin was smooth and unbroken, not the hands of a hunter, but he supposed they fit a doctor well enough. Meeting the man's large green eyes, Noel accepted the handshake.
"Hi… Noel Kreiss."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kreiss," answered the doctor, his face relaxing into a smile which held both amusement and self-assurance. He immediately began steering Noel away from the reception desk, as if eager to discuss his accomplishments in research. "When Mog came into my care, he was unresponsive, deflated and his antenna was dark."
The description fit the last time Noel had seen the moogle. He nodded, curious to hear if his condition had changed, but trying not to get his hopes up.
"But, with my expertise in Chaos Disorder – the affliction that affects anyone who stays out-of-doors for too long – led me to believe that Mog had a very serious case of the disease. So we placed him in quarantine, in an isolation chamber, hoping free him from the source of chaos. And, well, see for yourself!'
They had arrived in the Research Unit, and Noel was surprised to find Mog flitting about inside a plexiglass cage. Holes were drilled in the walls for air and communication, though they were covered over with some gauze-like material.
"Noel, kupo!" the creature called, ecstatic.
"Mog, you're alright!" he cheered, rushing to the cage.
Dr. Desouki cleared his throat, clearly wanting more attention. "We've since discovered that your friend is uniquely susceptible to the chaos. We're not sure why, so we've been running some tests on him. I hope that's ok."
"Thank you, doctor," Noel replied hastily. Then he turned back to the moogle. "Are they treating you alright?"
"Of course, kupo! They saved me from my nightmares, this is the least I could do to thank them."
A nurse came in, signaling to the doctor and then to her watch. Everyone got the message, but it was Dr. Desouki who said it out loud.
"Sorry to cut your reunion short, Mr. Kriess, but it's time for Mog's checkup. You can come back later today, if you want to visit."
"Thanks," he replied sincerely. "I will. And you can call me Noel." He held out his hand to the man again. Dr. Desouki gave him a raised eyebrow, but shook nonetheless.
"Bye Mog, I'll come back real soon."
"Bye, kupo!"
Later in the day, back at the house, the doorbell rang. Serah had insisted on making lunch, and Noel was supervising because he figured that ghost friend/hallucination + hot stove = disaster, fire, etc. Sure enough, the water had started boiling over while Serah was still chopping vegetables. Noel took the lid off the pot and turned the heat down. The doorbell rang a second time.
"You should really get the door, Noel," Serah observed, carefully slicing a red onion.
Noel chuckled. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone with a knife and a hot stove. That's one too many ways to spell trouble."
Then, the impatient caller then assaulted the doorbell, ringing it over and over again, as fast as possible.
"Okay, OK! I'm coming!" he shouted, pulling Serah with him, away from the kitchen.
At the door stood Sazh, who was now leaning casually against the doorframe as if he hadn't just rang the doorbell a million-zillion times.
"Oh, hi Noel. How are things?" he inquired politely.
"What the hell, Sazh? What is so important?"
In response, the older man thrust a piece of paper in his face. It was a hand-written invitation to a barbeque:
Come celebrate good luck and good friends with a barbeque!
Let's figure out Serah's last wish together!
Where: NORA house, New Bodhum
When: Tonight!
Who: Everyone!
"What's this?" he asked, referring more so to the reason behind the invitation, and not the content itself.
Dark brown eyebrows wiggled with glee. "What do you think it is? Anyway, you have to come! You'll bring the guest of honor, right?" Without waiting for an answer, Sazh walked away, whistling.
Watching his friend retreat in a state of shock, Noel just stood in the doorway. Serah tore the invitation out of Noel's hand, and read it over with excitement.
"This looks like fun! I can't wait! Do you think there'll be fireworks?"
Cluing in, Noel distanced himself from the idea. "What makes you think you're going?"
"Aw, Noel, you were going to go without me?" she whined, giving him bright puppy dog eyes.
"Wait, no, I mean, I'm not going either!" he sputtered.
Just thinking about it made Noel uneasy. Knowing Sazh, he'd probably invited Snow. No, if that was the case, he definitely wasn't going.
"But… maybe it's my wish that you go!"
"…Don't you think you're taking this wish thing a little too far?"