Chapter 2

A Different Kind of Awakening

Strelitzia was moving, floating above the ground. She was so tired, yet, she couldn't just sleep now. Though it took a herculean effort, she forced open her eyes. She was presented to the revelation that she was being carried by a figure wearing one of those darkness-resisting coats. The hood was up, concealing their features entirely. All Strelitzia could see was a black nothingness in the opening.

"W-wha?" Strelitzia tried to speak, though all she could manage was a rasp.

The cloaked and hood figure looked down at her. There was motion at their head, as if they were saying something, but she couldn't hear it.

She tried to speak again to ask what they had said, but again, all that came out was a rasp. And this seemed to use up what was left of her strength, as her vision became once again blurry and her consciousness faded.

Strelitzia awoke in much more comfortable state then she had the last few times. She could feel she was lying in a soft bed, under warm comfortable blankets.

Was it all a dream? She wondered as she opened her eyes to blurry vision.

However, this didn't feel like her bed. And it didn't look like her room. Too white.

As her vision came into focus she realized that she was indeed not at home, but instead in what appeared to be a hospital room.

"Wha-?" Her voice still felt weak, though it was better than before.

Strelitzia sat up, confused.

"Chirithy?" She managed to croak out. There was no answer.

She forced herself into a sitting position, though she winced in pain as she did so. Curiously, it hurt significantly less than before. Looking at herself, she realized she wasn't wearing her old dress, instead wearing a hospital gown, beneath which her torso was wrapped in bandages. An IV was imbedded into her arm.

"They helped me…" Strelitzia said before looking around more intently. Laying on a table near the bed were her clothes. The dress, sleeves and boots, all perfectly cleaned. The only other thing of note was the window. It was presently day and with the sunlight she could clearly see that the city outside wasn't Daybreak Town. "H-how long was I out? Where am I? I need to get back home!"

She tried to move again, only to feel another burst of pain.

"Argh… what do I do?"

There wasn't anybody around to answer her questions though, meaning she had to take matters into her own hands.

She looked inwards and was relieved to feel that the rest had helped to replenish her magic. She removed the IV needle and then, holding her hand to her chest she chanted. "Cura."

There was a brief pause, and she felt a bit more difficulty in calling upon the magic than she had before. However, before long a soft blue-green light emerged from her hand to soon engulf the rest of her body and in that moment she felt relief. All the pain was gone, her wounds healed.

Strelitzia then opened up the robe and removed the bandages to check. All traces of the wound were gone, her skin was as smooth and unblemished as it had been before.

She did note the difficulty in casting, wondering what that meant. Perhaps merely fatigue. Either way she had more pressing matters to deal with.

Strelitzia ditched the hospital gown, replacing it with her normal clothes.

Now she needed to-

Strelitzia's chain of thought was interrupted by a commotion outside, the sound of shouting and feet pounding. Confused, she stepped towards the door only for it to burst open.

"She's – oh!"

A woman in a doctors coat stepped into the room, followed by what appeared to be two nurses. She had dark green hair and eyes of the same color.

"You're already awake. We were worried when your vital monitors went flat, but it appears the opposite has happened. It looks like you took to my Quirk far better than expected." She said with a smile.

"Quirk?" Strelitzia asked.

"Oh yes, some introductions are in order. You must have a lot of questions. I'm Dr. Kaede Tokage and my Quirk is Lizard Tail Healing. It allows me to place my scales on someone where it is then absorbed into them and heals their wounds. Is there anything else you'd like to know miss…?"

Strelitzia didn't pick up on her implied question, instead launching into a barrage of her own. "Where am I? How long was I out. Has the War happened?"

The doctors smile partially faded. "Um… I don't really know anything about war, but you're in Manaan hospital and you were only out for a little over a day."

"Good, then there's still time. What city is this?"

She needed to find Diana (despite not even knowing where she lived) and meet up with the other Dandelions to organize and then prepare to leave the real world entirely before the War happened.

"Uh. This is Mustafu City. Time for what?" The doctor asked, becoming increasingly flustered.

"I-I'm sorry, but I have to go. Where is Daybreak Town from here?"

"Daybreak Town? I've never heard of that."

That gave Strelitzia pause. She had been attacked in a warehouse in Daybreak Town, how far out into the World was she? How could this have even happened?

"A-also you really shouldn't leave." Dr. Tokage said. "The police will be wanting to ask about what happened to you."

Strelitzia took a seat on the bed. Still confused, she asked. "So how did I end up here in the first place?"

"Um… according to the report, you were found stabbed and bleeding on the side of the street. You were brought in by the person who found you, Artemicion."

Strelitzia's thoughts went back to the cloaked figure that had been carrying her. "Artemicion? Where is he?"

"Actually, he's waiting in the lobby now." Dr. Tokage said. "He actually came back today to ask about you."

"Oh!" Strelitzia stood up, prepared to leave and see for herself, only for another person another figure entered into the room, a police officer.

"Hold up ma'am. So, I'm with the Mustafu City Police Department, and we'd like to answer you some questions..."

What followed was a series of questions that even though Strelitzia could answer, it actually left her more confused.

"I didn't actually see who attacked me. And when I came to, they were already gone. And I'm not sure why either." Which was a massive frustration. Who or what had attacked her? A Heartless? Someone from another Union? Strelitzia had no idea.

"And why were you there in the first place, Strelitzia?" The officer asked.

"I was looking for…" Strelitzia had been about to say "a friend" but stopped herself. She hadn't even had the courage to introduce herself to Diana. "…someone."

"Who, might I ask, is this 'someone'?"

"Her name is Diana." Strelitzia said.

"Do you think this Diana could have been the one who attacked you?"

"What? No! She would never!"

"Well, then can you think of any reason why someone might try to attack you?"

"I..." Strelitzia paused, which she hoped didn't look too suspicious. She could think of several reasons she might have been attacked, but they weren't things she was willing to say here. Keyblade Wielders were expected to keep a low profile when traveling. "I don't know."

"Well, that's all the questions I have for you." The officer sighed.

"Then I can go?" Strelitzia asked, eager to seek more answers.

"I'd really like to perform some final checkups on you-" Dr. Tokage said, but by then Strelitzia was already out the door.

As she walked down the hallway, Strelitzia realized that she should have asked where the lobby actually was. However it couldn't be too hard to find. And she was (somewhat) right.

And finding the signage that pointed her towards her goal brought her one step closer to answers. What had happened? Did Artemicion know who had attacked her?

And why had she been brought here, seemingly so far away from home. With Daybreak Town being where the majority of Keyblade Wielders in the World resided, there were no shortage of healers available.

And what had he been saying to her?

Strelitzia quickly descended the stairs, leading into the lobby. Now, she needed to find the cloaked figure, and with him, answers.

Upon entering the hospital lobby, Strelitzia looked around, seeing a wide variety of appearances. There were normal looking Humans ranging to people with animal traits like ears, tails or fur, people with mechanical or toy like appearances, and even what appeared to be a Moogle.

However, there wasn't anyone in a cloak. Though maybe he had taken it of. Which led to the problem of her not knowing what his actual appearance was, or even if they were a 'he' to begin with. The figure had looked masculine, though she really shouldn't assume.

Meaning she was kind of stuck, and her heartbeat quickened at the though of having to do the dreaded task of asking around with strangers.

As she was starting to fret, she noticed the Moogle get up from his seat and start flying over to her. The tiny cat-rabbit-like creature had grey fur strangely adorned with purple stripes, a pair of bat like wings on his back, and an antenna ending in a fuzzy red pom-pom.

"Oh thank goodness, you're alright kupo!"

"Oh, uh, thanks, Mr. Moogle." Strelitzia said, before mustering up the courage. "Um, I'm looking for someone called Artemicion. Would you happen to know where they are?"

At this, the Moogle's eyes widened. "I… I knew it, kupo!"

"Uh… kn-knew what?" Strelitzia asked.

"Well, for starters, I'm Artemicion, and you know what a Moogle is, kupo! You must not be from this world, are you?"

"This World?!"

And the mystery thickens, as well as an introduction.

~Dragonexx