NO THAT CAN'T BE PLEASE NO I DIDN'T NO NO NO!
She was staring at me. The girl from that sparring ring.
That puppet. Slim. Fierce. Unyielding.
Her form was beautiful, like an Amazonian warrior.
What she could have been.
And her face too…
Left side broken.
Right side stared BLUE.
WRONG WRONG HER EYE IS WRONG IT WAS GRAY IT WAS GRAY GRAY!
Don't look at me with that stunning half! With Elise's eye! With heartbreak!
Look at me like back then! HATRED! PAIN! DESPERATION! FEAR! HORROR!
THAT THING IS NOT ELISE! IT'S NOT HER! GRAY! IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE! BURIED! IT'S THERE PLEASE LET IT BE THERE!!!
Why can't I see! Please let me see! Beneath the RED! RED! RED!
Forgive me please! Stop! Stop looking at me like that! Please please!
NO NO I CAN'T WHAT… what… SPANISH! I learned it! I LEARNED IT PLEASE!
Por favor! Deten… Ha-Habl… Ayud…
I… can't. Heart… heart hurts! Can't think! Can't talk! No please no not again please!
Please forgive me. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I can't I never please sorry I sorry sorry—
PAIN. FOOT.
"Arg!"
My head swung toward the source of my pain.
Brown. Willful. Duty.
I saw Willow.
Impossible! How was she in the ring! Why had she stomped so hard on my foot!?
Wh… why did she look livid?
She mouthed something, but I heard nothing.
I could only read a name from her lips.
Elise?
She looked away from me. I followed her gaze.
We both looked at the puppet.
…She saw it too?
Impossible. It's real? Where… where am I then?
…Why was her face wet?
Both sides wet? Impossible. She only had one eye?
But I saw that the tears had washed some RED away.
Both sides looked the same?
So there was another BLUE eye?
…El-Elise?
Elise was crying? The puppet was Elise!?
Why was she crying!? Heartbreak!? Why!?
Because of me!?
…Oh no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO!!!
Face destroyed. Body-image issues. Me staring in fear.
Shit! Shit! Shit! No please you don't understand! It wasn't! I didn't! I wouldn't!
I… I still love you!
"…"
No words came out. I couldn't speak. Like back then.
My tongue was frozen.
No please not again I love her please let me save her not again let me say it let me say that I still love her!
It's Elise I know it is why couldn't I see her why is it her please let me say what I need to save her!
I can't then move move move can't move can't can't can't!
I can't move!
No no no please help help me someone please make me mo—
My back was pushed.
Willow.
I took a step.
I didn't fall.
I could take one.
I could move?
Other leg… r… r-right!
Another step.
L-left right left right left right!
She came closer and closer and closer…
Until I was in front of her.
But not Elise.
I stared into wet BLUE but saw nothing of the girl I loved.
I can't speak how do I say I love her how do I save her please let me save her!?
I… I can move! No I can just just move move move!
MOVE!
I put my arm around her.
And I leaned forward.
Her eye went wide.
I kissed her.
Her lips felt bloodied.
She stiffened. Froze. Tension filled her.
Please let my feelings come through!
A second passed. And then I felt…
Her tension slowly drain.
Three more seconds…
She leaned forward.
She kissed me back.
Her lips felt warm.
My heart stopped hurting.
A few more seconds.
We both pulled back.
I saw her face again.
The RED had washed away.
I saw the left side of her face.
Blue and swollen. Eye sealed shut. Her jaw was crooked.
But it was her.
Thank god. It was her. Thank god. Thank you. Thank you.
I saw the girl I loved again.
And my tongue thawed at that same moment.
"I love you," I said to Elise with a smile.
And she believed me.
Because I had promised her to always speak the truth.
I saw in her blue a heart remend and love reborn.
And on her face I saw a miracle happen.
The left side of her face was remending like her heart.
The swelling disappeared.
The bruises recolored.
Her jaw realigned.
The cuts on her mouth mended.
And I saw two heaven-blue eyes again.
Her face was once again perfectly symmetrical. The most beautiful face in the world, still wet with tears.
And I heard Elise's voice again.
"Jack, I'm sorry. I—"
"I'm also sorry, but open your mouth first, please."
Elise halted for a moment, but then obliged.
I looked inside. The left side.
I saw her broken and shattered teeth instantly reappear in ethereal golden light.
Once everything was healed, I closed her mouth again by pushing lightly against her jaw.
I then cupped it and lightly moved her face around to inspect every inch.
"Thank God. Is all the pain gone? Are you hurt anywhere else!?"
"I… I'm fine now, thanks. B-but how did you—"
"Your power worked on yourself too through me Thank god. Thank god…"
"Ah… okay. All my pain is gone, thank you," she said with a loving smile through the tears.
She then grabbed my hand from her chin and held it while still crying.
"I'm so sorry. I thought you… when you saw my face—"
"No no no you have nothing to apologize for. I-I'm so sorry. When I saw you, I… I thought you were hurt because of me. And the guilt—"
"I know. I know you're like that. It's not your fault, okay! It's…, I'm so horrible. I… I actually felt happy when my face was like that, but then, when you saw me, I… you looked so hurt. I'm so sorry."
"…Elise, look into my eyes."
Her blue eyes looked up into my hazel ones, and I spokeputting all the emotions I felt into my smile.
"I love you because you are Elise."
Her eyes went wide. She blinked a few times. And then…
Her tears finally stopped, and she smiled again.
"Let's… let's figure this out later, okay? I have a lot I want to say too, about… why I froze when I saw you. But let's talk about it later, after my hand gets fixed. I can't hug you when I have this sling between us after all."
Elise's eyes went slightly wide again and shifted instantly towards my broken hand.
"Oh… oh god, you're hurt! Sorry, I… let's check you in at the reception. Are you in pain!? Your stomach, right!? M-Maybe my powers can… wait a moment, I'll lift your clothes up, stay—"
"My, you two lovebirds really are putting on a show. But this is a hospital, not a romance novel, you know?"
Elise and I both froze, and we both slowly looked to the side…
Where Willow was standing, with a devilish grin on her face.
…I slowly looked around… And then, when I realized, I looked back at Elise.
She was looking back at me too. She had also realized.
Everyone was staring at us.
…We both turned red.
…Elise looked like she wanted to bury herself.
"Hahaha, you two really are adorable! I can't! Let's—haha—let's move to the reception, okay, otherwise I just might have to start a ticket sale! Come— haha—come follow me!"
…Elise and I both meekly nodded, and started to follow the still laughing devil toward the reception to check me in.
***
We had checked me in at the reception. I had to describe my injuries. A shattered hand, possible internal bleeding in my abdomen and head, although I had sustained my wounds a few hours ago.The emergency room was busy, with lots of people suffering injuries ranging from minor to major. The world had really gone to shit, judging by one look around here.
Because of how busy it was, we got treated by priority. I was given medium-high priority, since the internal bleeding could be critical but I still felt fine. I had to immediately tell them, however, if I started feeling even slightly off.
We also discussed my health insurance, which was Marwood-certified excellent, but might unexpectedly be unnecessary. Apparently, the government was working something out so that the insurance bureaucracy wouldn't prevent patients affected by the Whiteout from getting proper care.
Color me surprised that the government had shown such humanitarian foresight. Despite the country burning down under their watch, they could apparently prevent people from being denied treatment due to insurance issues.
But, well, the details were still being worked out, so I thought it would likely turn out to be a 'don't have to pay now, but the bill will probably come later' sort of situation.
If there was still a working economy by that time…
Anyway, after discussing all that, we still had to wait a little bit, although I could have negotiated to be treated immediately. She had seen Elise, whom she had also checked in, suddenly heal through our… romanticism.
Besides removing Elise from the bottom of the waiting list, after we confirmed she was fine, the receptionist immediately pivoted to me because she thought I had a healing power, and she wanted to give me the highest priority in exchange for immediately helping out wherever I could.
I couldn't accept, however, for various reasons, the main one obviously being that it was Elise's own power that healed her and that it only worked between me and her, otherwise all the poor wounded people in this room would have been healed with one look from her.
However, the receptionist being able to arrange that piqued my interest, and I asked her how rare healing powers were. To my disappointment and pity, she said it was extremely rare, and that the doctors had mainly gained powers related to diagnosis or to improving the success rates of operations while minimizing side effects and recovery times.
That's why William had been given the highest priority and undergone treatment immediately, according to Elise. She also said his right hand was extremely injured. From the way she looked when telling me… I imagined bones sticking out.
Beth was now with William in a separate part of the hospital, where he was still being operated on. And once he was done, the expectation was that he would help out here if he could, with the details still to be negotiated. He had accepted.
I hoped he would get better or be able to heal himself. So that he could take care of the wounded around here and also so he could heal me. My broken dominant hand wasn't the end of the world with my power, but it was limiting. And for defeating my father, I couldn't be limited.
With all that arranged, I texted Ken that Elise had been found and was alright and that I was waiting for treatment. TThey texted back that they were now walking toward us.
I also texted another reminder that the shadow would probably be spying again, though it probably wouldn't attack since this was a public space, which I also subtly communicated to Elise and Willow, sharpening them again against the ever-present threat.
A full strategy meeting to get everyone on the same page would come later, although, through my earlier text to Elise and William, they knew exactly how much Willow and James knew and could take that into account. That I hadn't told them it was definitely my father, that my mother had been killed rather than kidnapped, and that we were going after my mother's stalker first to get an edge on my father and also to get my brother firmly on my side, but they had my guarantee that they could trust him.
And Beth, William had contacted her after he and Elise were assaulted, and she had driven them here to the hospital. Of course, shell-shocked by what had happened, and demanded to know everything. Elise had been able to secretly inform her of the necessary details by text despite the possibility of being spied on.She wasn't able to communicate everything, of course, but it was enough to keep her mouth shut and play along with us until she heard everything later.
And now, all that was left for me to do was wait until it was my turn and hope for William's recovery. Elise, Willow, and I therefore moved to a back corner of the room, with the two women's backs toward the crowd and my back to the wall.
So I could glare at everyone leering at my girlfriend!
Of course, we had unintentionally made a show of it, and a wounded girl had suddenly been healed through a kiss and become extremely beautiful again, but show some tact! She's still not entirely comfortable with being watched!
Luckily for them, all the wounded people quickly got the message when they caught my gaze, shortly afterward, they didn't dare look again!
But there was a single person who remained unbothered despite all the glaring I gave her, and just continued staring at Elise…
"You know, your friend Ken told me it wouldn't be what I expected. But wow, this definitely exceeds every expectation. Just… wow..."
"Um…" Elise muttered uncomfortably, shyly looking down and away from the mesmerized devil that was Willow.
Elise looked uncomfortable. She kept stealing glances at me. She wanted me to say something. Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I'll distract her.
"Willow, I wanted to say, thank you for before. Although, maybe my foot now needs to be X-rayed as well."
That got her looking away and toward me with an involuntary smirk.
"Well, can you blame me? I was almost about to declare you the worst scum of mankind, with you freezing like that. But well… after seeing that kiss and the Rembrandt restoration after that… you almost made my heart swoon. So you do have some balls after all?"
"Sh-shut up!"
God, my face was heating up again. And Elise's too…
"Hahaha… no, but seriously, are you two okay? You've both been through a lot."
Elise and I looked at each other, and nodded at the same time with a smile. Elise then answered for both of us.
"Thank you. We're… not entirely okay, but we'll figure it out. And… are you okay? Philadelphia must have been horrible."
Willow's eyes briefly went wide at Elise's compassion. I saw her hand involuntarily brush against her pocket where she had put that wallet in. But she quickly regained composure again.
"Well, honestly it was pretty bleak. Without Jack here, I might not even be here anymore, but I'll manage. I'm very grateful, but enough about me. I'm here to repay the favor to your boyfriend and help out. And I'm especially motivated now that I see how cute you really are and after hearing what that sicko did to you and your father over the phone."
Elise's eyes shifted briefly to mine. She noticed too that Willow had deflected. I shook my head subtly. Elise got the message and spoke to her again with a kind smile.
"I see. Thank you for helping out, and I'm glad you're safe and unharmed. And… you don't have to talk about it, but if you want to, Jack and I are here for you."
Willow's eyes were once again wide and now she looked at me.
Wow, Willow was at a loss for words? Good job Elise! Magnificent! Finally, some revenge for all the teasing!
I smiled softly and gave her a nod. Oh wow, now she was completely stunned, but she quickly caught herself and pivoted back to Elise.
"Th-thanks. …Um, do… do you want to talk about… when that sicko…"
"…Oh."
Elise looked away from us, pained by the memory, but after a second, her mouth moved through the fear.
"I… I felt it suddenly. It was exactly the same. I… was terrified and couldn't move. And then, he grabbed dad's hand and broke… one by one… and I couldn't… I couldn't do…"
Willow gave me a look, but I already understood what I needed to say.
"Elise, I'm sor—"
"No! Don't be! It's not your fault! I… Dad and I knew it was dangerous, that this could happen! We don't blame you at all, okay!"
"Thanks, I know… although it's hard for me to accept that… I'll try. But that's not what I'm apologizing for."
"…Wh-what for then?"
"…I'm sorry I yelled at you to run away."
"…What?"
She blinked a few times while staring into my eyes, confused.
"Wh-why are you…"
"You tried to save your dad, right? I… I'm glad you chose not to run away. I'm proud of you."
"Choose? I… I didn't… think about… I just… but I couldn't…. He just slapped me away. I… if you hadn't yelled, he… he might have…"
I gave Willow a look, which she caught. I signaled with my eyes to Elise. After the cogwheels in her head turned for a second, she understood my intention, and her eyes lit up. She gave me a nod to say it was alright.
"Elise."
Her blue eyes focused on me again.
"Do you want to learn how to fight?"
"…Huh!?"
She was completely stunned, but her mouth quickly moved before her thoughts caught up.
"Like Ken? I don't… I'm not that strong… and your hand—"
"Not me. And I don't think we should start with punches and kicks. Judo, however… I don't know it myself, but we have someone I think is an expert sitting next to you. I want Willow to teach you."
"What?"
Elise looked at Willow in surprise, and the devil gave her a smug grin.
"I'm a black belt. No man stands a chance against me. I even threw your boyfriend and friend to the ground when we first met. No wonder he sings my praises so much."
Elise gasped at that revelation, and looked back and forth between her and me in astonishment.
"It's technically true, but did you really have to put it like that?"
"Well, I want her to know that she'll be able to literally sweep you off your feet too after she learns."
…*Sigh*
Don't engage with her, she'll only tease me back more. Focus on Elise again.
"I want you to be able to protect yourself. I… I'm not always around. And also… I think it will be good for you. I trust Willow, so do you want to give it a try?"
…I saw Elise considering it… but with her body image and everything accompanying that, I imagined it must have felt like a big step for her.
So she looked at Willow next, to sort out her feelings.
"Do you… do you think you can teach me?"
…Willow looked into her eyes with a serious expression. She didn't immediately answer when she saw her hesitation, her fear. Instead, she grabbed Elise's hands before speaking.
Elise flinched a bit at that, and Willow definitely noticed, but she didn't let go.
"…Why do you think you can't learn?"
Elise's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes immediately scanned Willow all over. She then looked at me, but I let my face stay neutral. Elise had to give the answer herself. When she saw that, she looked back at Willow and stuttered out her answer.
"I mean, you're so tall and fit and I… I… I don't… My body's… I can't do—"
"Hey, do you know what the best fighters all have in common?"
Elise looked into Willow's eyes.
"It's bravery. after I heard that you tried to save your dad, you might be the bravest person I've ever met. Learning to fight has nothing to do with your body, especially judo. Anyone can learn. There's always a way, no matter who the person is. And all fighting is, all I'll teach you, is just techniques that will allow you to use your bravery to protect people."
…Elise looked down from Willow's eyes. Unconvinced.
"I'm not brave. Why do you even want to teach me when I… when I look like—"
"Because it's fun."
"Huh!"
That got Elise looking again. Cutely in disbelief. It only made Willow more excited.
"Of course it's fun! I mean, look at you! A literal diamond in the rough! You'll be my best apprentice yet! In fact, you know what, I insist! I'll teach you whether you like it or not! I'll throw you around until you have learned! You better be ready!"
"What!? I… you can't, that's… you can't just touch me like… what do you… wait a minute, I… I…"
Elise looked at me again. Maybe for me to save her, but I saw in her eyes that deep down, she already had her answer.
I just gave her a smile and a nod.
And Elise froze again, but slowly, the last of her resistance thawed away as she looked at Willow again.
"…Alright… I'll try… just… please be patient with me."
"Yay! I… *ahem*. I mean, of course. Don't worry, we'll take it slow, okay?"
…Elise just nodded meekly at that. Well, of course,when someone who was basically still a stranger in her eyes said that while having a devilish teasing grin on her face.
ut, well, Willow really seemed like the right teacher for her. She handled her well, and she enjoyed it too. Well, could I blame her, with how cute Elise is?She'd definitely teach her well just to get even more cute reactions out of her. I… I guess I was looking forward to it too.
…Oh, I should wipe that grin from my face. They're here.
I changed my smile to my casual one and gave a wave, which caused the two women, who had just let go of each other's hands, to look behind them too.
Elise saw Ken first and then…
"Ah!"
A small shriek.
She recoiled toward me in fear, shocking Willow.
Ah, shit! II hadn't told her yet! So stupid!
Elise was staring at James, the spitting image of the shadow, in absolute terror.