Infirmary

[Sheena Wilder]

[is still looking down at herself...]

[looks over at Flynn]

[then back to herself]

[finally lets the tears come]

[sits down on the bed, and draws her knees up, burying her face there]

[Zelos Wilder]

...

[He'll sooth beside Sheena, comforting her...]

[He... can't comfort Rita... Only Flynn, and probably the rest of his gang can...]

[Jade Curtiss]

[releases Rita's shoulders]

That's better.

I'm not saying that to hurt you, Rita, but it's the truth.

We've done all that we could.

Now, we just have to let his body heal on its own.

[pause]

Rita, believe me...I know what you're going through.

I really do.

[looks towards the other room]

[Sheena Wilder]

[turns and holds on to Zelos--almost for dear life--crying]

*whispers*

I found him, Zelos...I can't stop seeing it.....

[Zelos Wilder]

*whispers back*

Tries to stop...

[He wants to cry himself, tho... Flynn, maybe his bestest buddy in this academy has just...]

[Rita Mordio]

N-no....

I..

I don't want to accept..

I[pause]

I'm not gonna lose him right? Assure me, I won't, right??

[Zelos Wilder]

Hon, let's... get back to our room...

{Swwy, i'm turning sleepy here... And i got college in the morning.}

[Jade Curtiss]

To be honest, I didn't expect him to make it this far.

But thanks to someone who could do some sort of healing magic, he has.

[pause]

I'd say he'll recover--he just needs time.

[Sheena Wilder]

{{Was just about to say the same thing..I have to go to work}}

Yes...I want out of here...

[gets the baby, and grabs Zelos' hand, leading him out]

[Zelos Wilder]

[Follows]

[Rita Mordio]

[......]

[Too heavy for her, she'll just faint here]

{Sorry, I am so sleepy..}

[Jade Curtiss]

[picks up Rita and places her in the bed next to Flynn's]

[goes in the other room and washes up]

[gently kisses Natalia on the forehead]

I definitely know what you're going through, Rita.

[Jade Curtiss]

[feels a sudden pain through his leg]

[grabs the side of the bed for support]

I forgot about that...

[goes into the bathroom and checks his leg--it's bleeding again.]

[decides to take care of it and his uniform at the same time]

[lets the uniform soak as he re-bandages his leg and changes into pajamas]

[gets the blood out of the uniform, and hangs it up to dry]

[limps back out, kissing Natalia again, and goes into the next room, chuckling at Luke lying on the sofa, face down]

He can sleep through anything.

[lies down on one of the beds, and goes to sleep]

[Ion]

[comes in to check on everyone]

[Natalia Kimlasca-Lanvaldear]

[begins to dream another dream: she's floating in a white open space, that feels of nothingness. It's so empty, light, and airy...she reaches out her hand, hoping to feel something...and she does, but what she can sense frightens her...very much. A dark presence hovers nearby, full of fury and bloodlust]

["Who's there?" she calls out, seeing nothing yet feeling it all around her, as though it's trying to suppress her presence and weigh her down and suffocate her.
The thing turns and cackles, reaching for her.
"So delicious...." it whispers in a nasty tone of voice.
"S-stay away!" She shrieks, placing her hands in front of her though she knows it won't do much]

["You ssssssmell of him." It snickers and swipes at her with a powerful claw which was once a human limb.
"Of him?" She queries, waving her fear away. "Who are you talking about?"
"...Necromancer..." It hisses vilely, spitting the word out, it's entire being shaking with anger and anguish. Then it turns and laughs, sweeping a gale of wind at her.
"..Ugh...no...." she covers her face, trying hard to not get blown away, for she is very much afraid of being lost in this foreign, white, empty place.]

["I will have my revenge!" It shrieks wildly, it's voice so shrill it echoes across this place of nothingness.
"No, I won't let you hurt him!" she shouts, trying to be brave.
"Try and sssstop me then!" It smirks and turns and follows its prey's scent.]

[She chases the thing down as best as she can in her new body...they end up in the Infirmary...]

[she sees Jade sleeping there]

["Jade!" she cries out, reaching out to him.
The dark thing slaps her hand away and pushes her into the opposite direction.
It looms over the sleeping figure, ready to slit his throat.
"Stop!" she groans, recovering from the attack.
It brings its claw down close to then curve of his neck, almost touching him there with its sharp, bloody nails]

["What makes you think you will feel better by exacting revenge on him?" she shouts.]

["I wish I had my bow..."]

[Just think strongly of it, Natalia...a familiar voice whispers in her mind. Go on. Trust me.]

[This..voice....m-mother?]

[...Trust me it, it says softly...almost like a command. Hurry before you lose him for good!]

["Yes."]

[Suddenly her bow is in her hands. "I won't let you harm him. Rest in peace!"

"Astral Rain!"]

[The attack hits it and it bounces away from Jade before ever landing a nail on him. It screams and roars in pain, smoking and melting in the air, however more of them start emerging from different directions and corners of the walls, pressing in on Jade]

["Star stroke!" "Storm edge!" "Piercing line!"]

["O fragments of the fon verse, heed my call and become power incarnate! I will finish you! Noble Roar!"]

[The entities are all defeated. She goes and lies down next to Jade, feeling exhausted...]

["Don't worry. I'll be with you soon."]

["...Natalia" the familiar voice whispers nearby, behind her]

[Two hands are placed upon her shoulder. She turns around to see...her mother the Queen and...her biological mother, Sylvia, for the first time]

["...Mother?" She says, feeling unsure. "Does...this mean...I'm dead?"
"No, dear." the queen says.
"We wanted to talk to you for so long." says Sylvia.
"If I'm not dead then ---"]

[Q: "You're lying in a coma. And the only way we could talk to you is through this method."]

[S: "However we don't have much time. You will be waking soon."]

["But we just met! ....Why are you here? Why am I in a coma?"]

[The two women look at each other. Finally, Sylvia answers, "You were in an accident and fell into the cold waters of the ice skating ring and we decided to take the opportunity to pull you here, before the monster could attack you. It was the only way to protect you from it. It was going to use you to physically harm that man you just saved]

["You're the reason why I'm here?" she sputters, almost angry]

[The queen smiles sadly. "Not quite, my dear. It was also the shock of the water that knocked you out. Combined with the force of us protecting you, the coma was the result]

[Sylvia clears her throat, "However, we also wanted to give you our blessings before you married him. And to be sure that you will be happy before we can finally rest in peace]

[Tears spring to her eyes as she embraces both her mothers]

["I...I...don't know what else to say..." she stammers. "When will I wake up? I miss him."]

["When you're ready." Was all they replied, before letting go of her shoulders and pulling away]

["But I am ready!" She says, feeling frustrated]

["Please don't be angry, dear Natalia...Meryl..."]

["Meryl?!"]

["The name I gave you before your grandmother gave you away to the royal family..."]

["We also wanted to test him to see if he was worthy of you." whispered the queen]

[she whirled around to stare at them. "And what did you discover?"]

["Please calm yourself. That is not a proper way for a princess to behave!" the queen scolded. "We saw everything that went on and...]

[S: "And he passed the test. We have deemed him worthy of you. Although, it took him awhile to recover from the shock and despair. So please, don't be angry. This is also the only way we could talk to you, see you, touch you. For last time...]

[Tears spill down Natalia's eyes as the two ghostly figures kiss her goodbye and fade away into the sunlight]

[she stands there, hovering near him, brushing the hair from his eyes]

["I will return. I swear it! Please, just wait a little longer for me, my love..." she whispers into his ear, kissing him on the cheek before disappearing back into the empty, white world]