Chapter 2: Distrust

"What happened?" A voice repeated inside Amiya's head, chanting it over and over as the young cautus ran down the desolate hallway. Her eyes were gazing up ahead but her mind was not with her body. A terrible feeling swelled up inside of Amiya, a horrible feeling that she had once felt before and buried in the deepest part of her mind in order to forget about it.

At this point, the face of Rhodes Island was panting heavily. not from the running, but the anxiety that was filling her from deep within. The fear that the collapse of Babel would happen once again to Rhodes.

"It won't get to that point... It'll be fine." Amiya repeated to herself. Perhaps the Doctor was just overworked. But this wasn't like his regular self. The Doctor was always a hardworking slacker. He'd do his absolute best if it was necessary of him, or when others needed him. But he'd start to whine the moment he starts feeling overworked or overstressed, saying that he is entitled to a day off so he can indulge in his video games and other recreational activities he enjoyed.

He rarely threw a tantrum and desperately pleaded for a day off. He would always answer other's calls if he could... to see him ask for time off with such a frightened, frail and desperate expression terrified Amiya to her core. She knew something was off and it was not going to end with a few days of rest.

"Amiya...?" A feminine voice suddenly called out from behind Amiya as a head reached for her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks, and causing her to turn around rapidly.

What Amiya saw before her was a long white-haired woman dressed in a long black cloak, her gentle amber eyes looked at her with concern and worry "What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?" The woman asked.

"Miss Shining..." Amiya uttered in a quiet voice for a moment. She is glad to see a medic, but whether or not she should direct her to the Doctor is an entirely different matter. It was clear to Amiya that the Doctor wished to not talk to anyone at the current moment.

Biting her lips for a moment as she collected her breath, Amiya replied." It's nothing... if I may I ask, where is Dr Kal'tsit?"

Shining looked over Amiya for a moment with a perplexed expression. She didn't want to pry, but she was also worried.

However. Dr Kal'tsit would be more of a help to Amiya than she should be. "We just finished the meeting, she is in her office." Shining replied and pointed Amiya further down the corridor.

"Okay, thank you Miss Shining. Please rest well." Amiya then quickly gave an appreciative nod as she rushed off, leaving a baffled Shining behind her.

"...Make sure to come to the medical team if you need anything!" Shining yelled out, hoping that her concerns would reach the girl's ears.

Amiya heeded Shining's words but quickly pushed them aside as her mind was filled with nothing but worry for the Doctor. She was conflicted between asking Dr Kal'tsit to tend to the Doctor or do as he wishes and keep quiet about it.

A silver-haired figure passes Amiya but she is too distracted to notice as she continues down the hallway until she stops in front of Dr Kal'tsit's office.

Without any hesitation, Amiya began to rapidly and incessantly knock on the door.

"What is it Doctor?" A voice groaned from inside the room.

"It's me, Amiya," Amiya replied as she waited for a moment before the door slid open before her.

A feline woman with greenish-white appeared behind the door and stepped out as she gazed down at Amiya with a confused expression.

"Where did you pick up his habi-.." Kal'tsit started to speak but her voice trailed off as she noticed Amiya's panicked state. Although the girl tried to remain calm, her body was shuddering all over.

"Is something the matter?" She asked almost immediately.

"...Doctor... Doctor is..." Amiya started as she began to hesitate on whether or not to tell the truth. "...Doctor is strange." She concluded, her worry having won over.

"Strange.?" Kal'tsit asked with a confused expression. "Did he pour boiling water down his mouth again?"

"No. Please, you have to go see him. He's not himself!" Amiya pleaded as she grabbed onto Kal'tsit.

Kal'tsit flinched for a moment at Amiya's sudden contact, but she could tell that this matter was no joke. In the first place, Doctor's physical and mental health were her responsibilities. "Alright, let's go together." She nodded in affirmation as she walked past Amiya and gestured for her to follow.

Amiya immediately turned around and started to follow Kal'tsit while explaining to her the situation. "I don't know what happened. I went to go check on the Doctor but when he saw me, he seemed to become extremely frightened."

"That is odd indeed." Kal'tsit agreed. "Being afraid is something you rarely see in him. Let alone being scared of you."

"He would then berate me when I tried to talk to him.." Amiya added. "Is he perhaps stressed out? Did his injury cause some kind of damage to his nervous system?" Amiya theorized in a panicked voice.

"Amiya, quit your speculations. We have to see what is going on first." Kal'tsit raised her voice as she reassured Amiya. "It's far too early to say anything, let us go talk to him."

"Okay..." Amiya acquiesced with a heavy sigh.

As the two approached Doctor's room in the medical ward, they began to hear a voice coming from up ahead. "You're bleeding goddammit, Just lie down already!" A feminine voice scolded.

Amiya gave Kal'tsit a brief glance before the two of them rushed over to the Doctor's room, as they stopped before the open door and looked inside, they saw the figure of a silver-haired kuranta holding a figure clad in a black robe lying down on the medical bed.

"Miss... Platinum?" Amiya asked with a surprised tone as she stepped into the room, causing the figure to turn and look at her.

"Ah, wait, this isn't what it looks like. He keeps trying to leave with his head bleeding" Platinum spoke hastily in defence as her face blushed in embarrassment.

The Doctor turned his gaze toward the two new figures in the room, he then spotted Kal'tsit beside Amiya and briefly glanced at her with a sense of bitterness, before his gaze turned to Amiya with a sense of disappointment. As if saying to her with his eyes. "Why did you bring her here?"

"Doctor... can you please tell us what's wrong?" Amiya immediately began to speak as she walked closer to the bed, lowering herself down beside the bed as she reached out for the Doctor's hand and held it.

A troubling silence overtook the room for a brief moment before Kal'tsit spoke up. "Miss Platinum, if you would please leave us. This is a matter that pertains Rhodes Island's executives." Kal'tsit then stated as she turned to Platinum.

Platinum looked at the Doctor and Amiya for a moment, She looked concerned and worried and even though she did not refuse, she seemed like she wanted to stay here. However, after a moment, she eventually walked out, deciding that Kal'tsit was correct in her judgement.

As the door closed behind Platinum, Kal'tsit turned back to the Doctor and asked. "Now can you tell us what is going on? What was that back there?" Kal'tsit then questioned sternly. But she had no intentions to scold the Doctor, she could tell that this wasn't one of his usual antics.

Doctor briefly glanced around the room, trying to find the words to explain to the two of tbem. He didn't want to admit that he recovered from the amnesia as he did not want to deal with the former Babel Members right now. If he told her that he recovered his memories. He'd most likely expect the next question to be 'What happened to Theresa'.

He doesn't want to remember that right now. He doesn't want to even talk about Theresa right now. He needed more time, fortunately, his very cute and understanding disciple decided that he should be visited by one of the two people he did not want to see right now.

Nonetheless, he had to try to weasel his way out of this one.

"I'm just overworked." Doctor answered in a casual manner, trying to brush it aside. "Sorry for before, Amiya." He added.

"A very innovative idea to push the blame on stress, Doctor. Counter argument. Play with this thing." Kal'tsit reached inside her pocket and threw a handheld game console onto the medical bed beside the Doctor.

He glanced down at it for a moment before acknowledging that it was his favourite game console that was confiscated just before the operation because he had been grinding it for too long.

He already knew Kal'tsit wouldn't have bought his bluff. He had no energy to talk to anyone let alone play video games. The only thing he wanted to do right now was shut himself inside a room where no one would go and just sit in the corner for however long he needed.

'The mistake you make in that bluff is that I've dealt with enough of your tantrums in the past about being overworked and stressed out to realize that you'd be rolling around on the floor right now demanding a break instead of whatever shell you've holed up into." Kal'tsit then explained as she walked closer with a stern and firm gaze. "Now tell me what is wrong." She demanded.

With a heavy sigh of exasperation, Doctor then contemplated for a moment before replying. "You leave. I don't want you here." He simply replied.

Kal'tsit tried to retort, but she was sure that he would not answer unless she left. "...Fine." With that, she turned around and left the room in silence.

"Why are you still her-" The door closed behind Kal'tsit as she left, leaving Amiya in the room alone with Doctor.

Amiya was unsure how to proceed now that Kal'tsit was gone, she could only keep questioning. "Doctor... please tell me. We can help you." She pleaded with the man as she tightened her grip on his hand.

It took another few seconds of contemplation before he finally answered. "I recovered from my amnesia."

"Eh..?" Amiya processed the words several times in her head as her eyes widened in shock. "You... what?:

"I remember everything, from Kazdel to Babel." Doctor repeated firmly.

"You... do?" Amiya asked once more, still unable to bear the information that she had just given.

"Yes... Please leave me alone for now. I have to deal with all of these memories." Doctor affirmed once more.

"For now, I don't want to talk to anyone unless it is necessary. You can tell Kal'tsit what I just told you. You can also tell Platinum too but no one else." He then affirmed once more with a heavy sigh.

"Do you need me to do anything for you...?" Amiya asked as she leaned in closer towards the Doctor, She wanted to be as helpful as possible. She did not want to leave him alone with his memories, whatever he is going through must be difficult.

"No. I'll be fine." Doctor reassured. "Thank you for your concerns, please also forward my thanks to Platinum for helping me with the wound." He added, noting the new bandage wrapped around his head after he broke it open earlier while getting off the bed.

"Okay.. I'll let her know.." Amiya said as she slowly got up from the ground. "Doctor, please don't forget that all of us at Rhodes will always be there to help you if you need us." She reminded sternly. She wanted him to know that he was not alone in all of this.

"I know, thank you." Doctor nodded slightly in appreciation.

Amiya stopped for a moment as she leaned back in and snuggled her head against the side of Doctor's waist, below his hand and into it. She didn't know how to express her care in words so she resorted to action and tried to give as much comfort to her beloved mentor as possible.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Amiya said after a while as she reeled back and exited the room quietly

Now that everyone had left, it was time for Doctor to once again confront his memories. A task he preferred to not, but it was like a curse, a vision that always appeared the moment he wasn't distracted.

When he would close his eyes, the scent of smoke and ash filled his nostril and darkness loomed around him until it covered the entire area. Blood was smeared everywhere on the ground he kneeled upon and the lifeless bodies of his allies laid haphazardly around him.

There was only one light in that hell as he looked towards the pink-haired Sarkaz girl adorned with a white dress with her back faced towards him, looking into the distance, somewhere he could not see.

He hated that person, and he also loved that person.

Their meeting was awfully anticlimactic. It was another regular day then, although 'regular' wouldn't have quite fit considering he and his group just barely got out of a huge fight with the rest of the Sarkaz in the lower rundown areas of Kazdel.

He didn't remember what happened then, but he remembered her words well.

"Please help me save Kazdel and our people." She pleaded, her angelic voice was like the soothing melody of a goddess descended upon earth and whispered into his ear.

But it wasn't her voice that made him buy the story. It was what she promised him. But it took him too long to realize that she fought for a goal while he was trying for an idea.

The memories of that fateful day returned to his mind, It was around two months after he had joined Babel. Babel was still in its infantile state at this point and so it still lacked the resources necessary to fight Theresis's forces. Babel's team was on the run after a sudden raid.

"Your Highness... some of our guys were left behind, we gotta go back." A young man said as he stopped just behind the young Sarkaz lady.

"...No Doctor, it's too dangerous. My brother will corner us the moment we turn back." Theresa retorted as she turned around.

"We won't know unless we try." The Doctor argued back as he moved closer toward Theresa with a determined look.

Knowing how stubborn the man in front of her was, Theresa gazed around the two of them before speaking. "Look around you. Our friend's lives are in your hands... You'll be risking even more lives if you go back now." Theresa reasoned. "I know you care a lot for your people Doctor... but there is nothing else we can do if we want to save as many as possible."

"...Then send me back alone, Theresa." He pressed on even more firmly.

Before the Doctor could turn around and leave back into the flames of the battle, Theresa reached for his hand and held him back. "Wait, please!" She pleaded.

"This is reckless! You're going to get yourself killed!" She yelled in frustration before her hand was rudely pushed aside by the Doctor who gave her a brief and disappointed glare as he continued on his way.

"Doctor! We... I still need you!" Theresa yelled in one last desperate attempt, he could hear that her voice was breaking apart and she sounded like she was about to start crying right then and there,

Before Doctor could reply and refuse her, he suddenly stopped.

What is this? he thought to himself as he began to waver and hesitate.

Fear..? No, that's not correct.

Something was holding him back, something that was not himself.

With a slight chuckle of disbelief, Doctor's shoulder slumped over in defeat as he turned around and headed back towards Theresa.

"Am I such a terrible follower that you need to use your arts to make me listen?" Doctor asked with a shocked and hurt tone.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I had no other choice." Theresa defended as she reached out to support the young man.

'Unbelievable, is this all I amount to now?' Doctor thought to himself.

'A delusional hardheaded reckless fool.'

'Is wanting everyone to come out of this alive too much to ask for?'

Theresa looked as the Doctor walked past her with a pained look. She didn't want to be the one to help the Doctor understand that the reality is that he cannot save everyone.

"I'll believe in you." Doctor concluded as he continued fleeing with the rest of Babel, briefly glancing back towards the flames in the distance and his comrades that were even further beyond it. Before resigning in defeat and turned his back on his own people as he continued to run away.

"I believed in you." Doctor muttered to himself in a quiet voice as he opened his eyes to the cold grey ceiling of the medical room.

"How dare you leave before me."

"What? He recovered from his amnesia?" Platinum asked in surprise as she glanced around to make sure no one heard her. It was late in the day at this point so there was no one else in the break room aside from the three of them.

"Yes... he said that I could tell you and Dr Kal'tsit about it, he didn't want anyone else to know," Amiya affirmed with a light nod. "Can you please keep this as a secret for him?"

"Fine by me." Platinum agreed.

"I doubt he'd want anyone else to talk to him in his current state, Platinum." Kal'tsit said as she turned to Platinum who looked at her in response. "I'll arrange for you to become his bodyguard and assistant until further notice. Some members may have already noticed something is amiss, just keep anyone looking for trouble out of his vicinity. Especially W."

"Sure why not." Platinum then nodded in affirmation as she slowly stood up from her seat. "Well then everyone, let's go back and get some rest. Who knows, maybe he'll finish the game by tomorrow and will feel all better." She concluded with a lighthearted tone, trying to liven up the mood as she turned and walked towards the exit.

As Platinum made her way out of the break room, she noticed a figure standing leaning against the side of the corridor not too far away. "Speak of the devil... if you heard something then just forget it," Platinum warned with a casual tone as she walked past the short silver-haired Sarkaz and made her way back to her room.

She begins to contemplate what ways she could help her benefactor but eventually comes up empty-handed She reaches the door of her room and puts her bow aside before falling face-first onto the bed.

Platinum immediately let out a long and exasperated sigh as worry began to fill her heart. She masked it well but now that she was alone, she couldn't help but begin to feel worried as she burrowed her face into the pillows.

The sound of rain began to fill her ears as it brought her back to the memories of the day when she first met the Doctor.

It was a cold and rainy night like this one. In the glorious city where she was left for dead. After three hungry days and two sleepless nights, she eventually crumbled from exhaustion trying to flee the life she was forced into.

Disgusting, and repulsive is all she could name this place for. She had much better preferred to die here than rot any longer under the chains of being someone's disposable pawn.

It sickened her to the core that she was able to live in such a place.

Whatever, it doesn't matter now, with all of these injuries and fatigue. She'll just soon starve to death in here or die of hyperthermia. It no longer mattered to her. MAybe this is the release she wanted in the end when she first started this run.

"Oh, found you." A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind her. It wasn't the voice of one of the Armourless Union. But a person she was very familiar with.

"...You." Platinum said as she turned her glance around to find a masked figure wearing a long black robe holding an umbrella standing before her.

"How did you find me...?" She questioned, the rain should have made her hard to find.

"Intuition, I have good luck, I drew ten SSR in a single pull the other day." The man simply retorted as he walked closer to Platinum and lowered himself to her level. He didn't seem threatening, but if he wanted to, he could end her life at any time he decided now.

"What do you even want... did you come here to laugh at me," Platinum asked with a tone of bitterness and discontent.

"No no, I came here to help you." Doctor replied as he hopped over and held the umbrella above Platinum.

"I've seen enough to trust someone who says they're helping someone because they want to, out with it, what the fuck do yu want?" Platinum repeated once more with a voice laced with skepticism and distrust.

Doctor paused for a moment as he contemplated as he tried to figure out a reason to convince the kuranta. But anyone could see that.

"Err. I like you, does that suffice?" Doctor suddenly stated with the blankest tone one could imagine despite the word that it implied.

"Wha..?!" Platinum immediately shot up in shock and embarrassment as a pink hue slowly grew on her cheeks.

"What are you talking about?!" She barked with hostility, but it was hard to mask her tone of embarrassment.

"I like you. I think your hair is very beautiful and so are your eyes." Doctor repeated casually.

"Do you even realize what you are saying!?" Platinum argued.

"You want to help me because I'm cute?!"

"Yes. That is what I just said." Doctor repeated once more firmly.

"All the more reason I shouldn-" Platinum began before she was immediately cut off.

"I know what you want and I know what I want, we both want the same thing. Your freedom." Doctor cut in and sternly declared.

Platinum could only remain silent as she thought it over. Did he guess her correctly? Is it truly worth it to take this person's hand and follow them?

"Platinum... you have to try at least once before you die." Doctor pressed on, trying to convince the kuranta.

She thought it over multiple times before admitting to herself that he was right. He knew what she wanted...

She wanted to know if there was anyone out there who cared enough to give her a reason to get out o fhere.

She had her answer.

"Fine..." Platinum replied weakly as she extended her hand towards Doctor who accepted it and helped her up.

"Alright team I got what I wanted, we're getting out of here!" He ordered as he tapped on the intercom inside of his hood.

"Come on let's go." The Doctor said as he turned his back around to Platinum and crouched down, offering her a piggyback carry.

"I am not getting carried like that." Platinum protested, she imagined herself getting carried into Rhodes on the back of the Doctor.

"Look, my men are risking their lives out there to buy us time, We have to hurry." Doctor adamantly stated.

Platinum couldn't argue against that, she was weak and won't be able to run in her current state.

"Alright that's it, time is over. I'm out of patience." Doctor suddenly stated as he turned around and leaned down before picking her up by the legs.

"Wai- what?" Platinum questioned as she felt herself plop into Doctor's hold.

"Senomy! Cover me! We're getting out of here!" Doctor ordered as he began to run into the rain with Platinum in his arms.

"Wait! Piggyback! I call piggyback!" Platinum yelled as she tried to get out of the bridal position.

A/N: It's late, I will check the spellings and grammar tomorrow for final edits and revisions.