"Ugh..."
Was all Irene could muster to say as she came too. The liberi was feeling incredibly drained and dehydrated as she began to wake up. As Irene was getting her bearings as she was coming too, the liberi looked around and could see different pieces of medical equipment around her and she was in a bed. "Where am I? What happened? How did I get here?" Were Irene's thoughts as she tried to piece together how she ended up in the situation she was in now.
After a few minutes of gathering her thoughts, Irene's eyes widened, and she recalled what was currently happening to her homeland, "Oh no! The seaborn! They are invading my homeland! I can't stay here! I need to speak to the pope! I need to find Rhodes Island! My people need help!" The liberi remembered that the seaborn were currently destroying Iberia, and she needed to get help as soon as possible.
Without a thought for her own health and wellbeing, Irene willed her body to get out of the bed she was in and tried to stand up. However, after a few seconds, Irene collapsed to the floor and immediately found it difficult to stand up again. Her body was still recovering from the stress and the strain from the journey that it took to get to Laterano by foot. Irene tried again to stand up, but no matter how much she willed her body, the liberi couldn't get back to her feet.
Someone then entered the room and could see the situation that Irene was in, "Irene! What on Terra are you doing?! You are in no state to go anywhere! I'll help you back up!" The person that had just entered the room called out to the liberi, and Irene could immediately recognise the voice. "Doctor Kal'tsit?! Is that you?!" Irene asked the individual that was now in the room with her.
The person didn't answer, instead they helped the liberi back to her feet. When Irene looked at the one helping her, Irene could see that it was the ancient feline. Kal'tsit had a very displeased look on her face when Irene looked at her when the ancient feline had helped her to stand up. Kal'tsit then helped the liberi sit on the bed so she could get some answers as to why Irene had left her bed she was in.
"Irene, what were you thinking? You are in no condition to move around. Do you remember how you ended up here? An ambulance had to be called for you and you were brought here. A sankta civilian heard you mention Rhodes Island and that's why you are here now. Irene, I want some answers. What is so important that you ended up in such a horrible condition and that you needed to find us?" Kal'tsit asked Irene why she needed to find Rhodes Island.
In truth, Kal'tsit had a horrible feeling that she knew what it was. But, the ancient feline wanted to hear the answer directly from Irene herself. Kal'tsit hoped that it was something entirely different than what she was thinking. But, Kal'tsit believed that it was a vain hope...
Irene was glad that at least she was in Rhodes Island, the liberi had hoped that she wouldn't have had to search all around Terra for them. However, she had to tell Kal'tsit why she needed to find the pharmaceutical company so desperately. The liberi could see Kal'tsit looking at her expectantly. With a heavy heart, Irene told Kal'tsit why she was here, "Doctor Kal'tsit, I have some dire news. The worst has happened. The seaborn are invading and destroying Iberia. We need the help of Rhodes Island, we need the help of Laterano, we need the doctor."
Kal'tsit felt her own heart fall into her stomach when she found out the reason why Irene needed to find Rhodes Island, "So it has begun...Skadi has decided to destroy Terra. That's why she needed to find us. But, Skadi has the doctor. And Ulpianus isn't here yet. He is our only hope of stopping her. Dammit! I hate it that we can't do anything yet! The longer we have to wait for him, the more people that will die!" Kal'tsit was frustrated that the abyssal hunter hadn't arrived at Rhodes Island yet. The ancient feline hoped that it wouldn't be long before he showed up. Without him, Rhodes Island had no hope of stopping the future aegir.
Kal'tsit knew she had to tell Irene the truth that Rhodes Island couldn't help at this very moment, "Irene, I understand that you want our help. But, I have some bad news that you won't want to hear. We can't help you right now...I'm sorry." The ancient felines voice was full of regret when she had to inform the liberi that the pharmaceutical company couldn't help at the moment.
"What?! Why?! What's going on, Doctor Kal'tsit?! Why can't you help us?! Don't you understand what is happening?! The seaborn are invading my country!! They are killing so many innocent people!! Iberia can't stop them alone!! If we don't stop them, they could destroy other countries!! They could destroy the whole of Terra!!" The anger and fear was clearly present in Irene's voice when she heard Kal'tsit's answer. The liberi couldn't understand why Rhodes Island couldn't help.
Kal'tsit let out a huge sigh before she began to explain why the pharmaceutical company couldn't help, "Irene, it's not as simple as you think. Let me make this abundantly clear, it's not that we don't want to help. It's that we can't help right now. Trust me, I know the threat that the seaborn pose to Terra. But, a lot of things have happened since the last time we saw each other. And I have discovered a lot of things, things that you wouldn't believe to be true. If you are willing to listen, then you will understand."
Irene wasn't in the mood to listen to an explanation from Kal'tsit. But, the liberi understood that she wouldn't understand the situation if she didn't listen to what the ancient feline had to say. Reluctantly, the liberi said to Kal'tsit that she would listen to what she had to say. Seeing that the liberi was willing to listen, Kal'tsit then began to explain the whole situation to Irene...
Once Kal'tsit had finished explaining everything to Irene, the liberi was truly speechless, "I can't believe it! The doctors daughter, this Yua...she is from the future?! And the same Skadi that has taken the doctor is from her timeline as well?! And she has taken over the body of the Skadi from this timeline?! And she is now under Ishar-Mla's influence?! This...how can anyone comprehend this?! Just...how?! How is all of this possible?!" Irene was clearly struggling with accepting everything that the ancient feline had just told her.
Kal'tsit could see the difficulty that Irene was having believing all of this, "I know it's hard to believe all of this, Irene. But, it is the truth. Now you understand why Rhodes Island cannot help you at the moment. Skadi has the doctor, and we can't do anything without Ulpianus here. We need him for our plan to work. We need him to help Skadi take back control of her body. Until he is here, we can't do anything." Kal'tsit was trying to drive home the point on how important the abyssal hunter was to defeating the future Skadi.
Irene could only slowly nod at this. As painful as it was, until Ulpianus arrived they were powerless to stop the future aegir. But, that didn't mean they couldn't do anything right now. The liberi remembered another reason why she was in Laterano, "Doctor Kal'tsit, I know we can't head off to Iberia right now to save my people. But, there is another reason why I came to Laterano. I came to see the pope, to request the help of Laterano in saving my country. I want an audience with him, I want to explain why Iberia needs help. I know Rhodes Island has influence here in Laterano, can you request an audience with him, please?" The liberi asked Kal'tsit to request an audience with the leader of the nation of the sankta.
"It shall be done Irene. I shall inform his council that Rhodes Island needs an urgent meeting with him as soon as possible." Kal'tsit knew that the pope's council wouldn't turn down a request from Rhodes Island to see the religious leader as soon as possible. The pharmaceutical company had done much to help Laterano and so had a lot of influence. The ancient feline informed Irene that she would arrange a meeting as soon as possible.
Kal'tsit was about to leave to inform them, but the liberi stopped her, "Wait, Doctor Kal'tsit. I have one more request. Yua, I want to speak with her, if you don't mind?" Irene asked Kal'tsit to find the white-haired lung and bring her here. Kal'tsit didn't understand why the liberi wanted to speak with Yua, but she didn't see the harm in it. The ancient feline told Irene that she would look for Yua and bring her here. Kal'tsit then left the room to begin searching for the white-haired lung.
Eventually, after what seemed like hours, Kal'tsit returned. Alongside the ancient feline was a white-haired individual. Irene took a few seconds to look at the individual that was with Kal'tsit. "This is Yua? This is the daughter of the doctor and Ch'en Hui-Chieh? Is she a lung or a sarkaz? It's hard to tell, especially with that white hair." Irene was having trouble identifying whether Yua was a sarkaz or a lung. The liberi could see features of both races in her.
Yua was confused as to why Doctor Kal'tsit had brought her here to the medical wing. All the white-haired lung could see was a liberi on a bed that she had never seen before looking at her with intense curiosity. The white-haired lung was about to ask the ancient feline why she was brought here, but Kal'tsit had already begun to walk off.
"Well, this is awkward. Why did Kal'tsit bring me here? Who is this person anyway? I've never seen them before. I certainly don't remember them from my timeline. But, I'm not going to find out anything by doing nothing. I need to find out who this person is and why they asked to see me." Yua realised that she wouldn't get any answers from the liberi looking at her by doing nothing.
The white-haired lung cleared her throat before introducing herself, "Hello, Miss. I am Yua. Doctor Kal'tsit had told me that you wanted to see me? Before I answer any of your questions, do you mind telling me your name?" The lung asked Irene in a very polite voice. Yua didn't want to risk antagonising the liberi in front of her on the bed. Yua decided that a good introduction would cause whoever this person was to hopefully open up to her and reveal everything to her.
"I know who you are, Yua. In fact, I have known about you for some time. I have known about you since the last time Rhodes Island was in Iberia. But, I digress. My name is Irene, and I'm from Iberia. I am a member of the Iberian inquisition." The liberi replied honestly to the white-haired lung.
"Iberian inquisition? What is that? It sounds sinister. This Irene sounds like a sinister person, especially if she knew about me the last time we were in Iberia. How did she find out? Did Doctor Kal'tsit tell her about me? That seems like something she would do. I need to keep my guard up around Irene." Yua didn't like the fact that the liberi already knew about her from Rhodes Islands last trip in Iberia. This, and the fact that Kal'tsit had probably already told Irene a lot of information about her put the white-haired lung on guard.
Irene could see Yua's body language change and decided to try to ease what worries the lung had about her, "You can relax, Yua. I promise, I mean you no harm. It's not like I am in a position to hurt you anyway." Irene was still feeling unwell from her journey from her homeland and empathised the fact she was still in a bed to the white-haired lung.
"Okay, so you may not be able to hurt me. But, if you want my trust, then tell me how you came to know about me when I was in Iberia." Yua firmly demanded an answer from the liberi. The white-haired lung had a good idea of how Irene found out about her, but Yua wanted an answer from the liberi to see if she was trustworthy.
"Yua, I think you know how I found out about you. Doctor Kal'tsit is the one who told me." Irene told Yua that Kal'tsit was the one who informed her of her existence. "Of course she did. I shouldn't have expected anything else." The white-haired lung groaned when the liberi had given her answer before giving her own. Seeing that Irene told her the truth, Yua began to relax again around the liberi.
The room was quiet for several minutes. Once Irene was sure the white-haired lung was comfortable around her, Irene asked the white-haired lung a question, "Yua, before I go onto the reason I asked Kal'tsit to bring you here, I have a question for you. Are you a lung or a sarkaz? It's difficult for me to tell. You do look more like a sarkaz to me. Especially with that hair of yours."
Yua groaned again when Irene asked her this question. The white-haired lung was getting annoyed with constantly being mistaken for a sarkaz. Yua knew though that she should always expect this question, especially with what she knew about herself now. "I am a lung, Irene. Sorry for sounding annoyed. I always get asked this or I just get straight up mistaken for one. I understand why I look like one. I'm sorry, but I don't want to explain why right now. It's...complicated." Yua didn't want to explain why she looked like a sarkaz to Irene. For the lung, it would take too much time to explain. And, Yua didn't have the energy for it right now.
Irene didn't probe further when the white-haired lung gave her answer. At least the liberi had confirmation on who she was speaking to. Irene then decided it was best to begin explaining to Yua why she had been brought here, "Very well, Yua. We have more important things to talk about anyway. Yua, I know that you are from the future. A future that was destroyed by the seaborn. Well, I have terrible news to tell you. The seaborn are invading my country. They are attacking Iberia. I came here to Rhodes Island to seek help."
The blood of the white-haired lung turned to ice when she heard this. Yua found it difficult to keep her emotions in check, she was about to have a panic attack, but barely managed to keep herself together. "The seaborn...are attacking...Iberia? Right now? Oh no! Not again! Please gods, not again!" Yua clearly sounded frightened. The white-haired lung didn't want this Terra to become the same seaborn infested hell she had escaped from. Yua was beginning to imagine the future repeating itself just like before.
Irene could see the lung was on the verge of panicking. Despite that she was scared herself, the liberi could see the lung was clearly more scared than she was. Irene decided to speak to Yua to help her calm down, "Yua! There is no reason to panic! My people are holding them back for now! Hope isn't lost yet! I can't imagine what you escaped from, but I promise you it won't happen again!" Irene was trying to convince the lung in front of her as much as herself.
Yua looked sheepishly towards the liberi. Irene could see the white-haired lung looking at her. To Irene, Yua looked like a scared child right now. Irene then told Yua more to try to help the situation, "Yua, I know that the Skadi from your timeline is behind this. But, I also know you have a plan to stop her. You are waiting for someone to arrive. Well, I have an idea that could help as well while we wait. I want to speak to the pope, to get help from Laterano as well. And, I want you to come with me. If you tell the pope where you came from and what happened to your timeline, he will surely give us assistance."
Yua didn't seem convinced, "Are you sure that will work, Irene? What if he doesn't? What then? We might not be able to stop Skadi! We might not be able to save my father!" Irene replied to the scared lung, "It will work, Yua! He has to listen! He will listen! We will stop Skadi! We will save your father! Trust me, Yua!" Irene was doing her best to convince the white-haired lung that her idea would work and that Laterano would help.
The room then went silent for several minutes, neither occupant knew what to say to each other. Eventually, the white-haired lung decided that she had enough of this conversation, "I'm going to...see my mother. I'll...see what she thinks. Goodbye, Irene." Yua then left without another word.
Irene didn't object to the white-haired lung leaving. The liberi knew that she was full of emotions right now, mainly fear. Irene hoped that Yua would tell Ch'en everything and the blue-haired lung would agree that her plan would work. Irene also hoped that Ch'en could help her future daughter with her emotions and be a soothing presence for her. Yua was certainly not in the right frame of mind right now and needed all the support she could get.
Irene then began to look at the ceiling and think about her country. The liberi hoped that when she returned, there would still be a nation to save. Before she drifted off to sleep, Irene hoped that her plan would work and her country could be saved...