“Nngh...” I groan. I can barely sit up again. I've been in and out all day, the doctor pumping me full of different drugs to aid my recovery since last afternoon. It's already dark, Sunday night. I have class tomorrow, but I have no idea if I'll even be able to walk. I was vaguely aware of people coming in a few times during the day, but wasn't really capable of either understanding them or talking to actually interact.
“Seiko...” comes Leona's voice from the next bed over, her words slow and pained. “You up...?”
“Yeah...” it's hard to push my own words out through my dead brain.
“I'm sorry... I don't understand...”
“I know.” I know she didn't know that would happen. She hurt herself more than she hurt me. But still, this is the second time. Do her powers not work correctly around me? Or on me? I don't know... It isn't much longer until the doctor comes and doses me again, my thoughts scattering.
The next time I'm conscious enough, I hear Leona groan loudly, the doctor's voice coming stern, almost panicked. Leona says something about missing a day, and then she's hanging over me. She speaks to me a few times before I can make out her words.
“I have to check you today, we missed yesterday.”
“Don't overdo it, Vicca-san!” the doctor is warning her from behind, but Leona isn't paying attention. Instead, she's gathering power, her whole body shaking with effort and agony. I try to lie still as she reaches down, pressing her large hands against me. Some part of me is afraid, but I know how important it is for us to do this, to not miss too many days.
Besides, all I have to do is endure the pressure of her hands and her power, Leona is the one doing all the work. She presses into me. I grit my teeth against the pain and the flood of blinding power, breath caught in my throat, until Leona pulls away, gasping and panting for air, her hands coming up to claw at her chest before she staggers away, and I hear a crash in the next bed over.
The doctor barks out admonishments while I stare up at the ceiling, some banging and shuffling sounds coming for a while, with muttered curses about thick-headed veterans.
I feel like I'm buzzing. Like there's so much energy poured into me that it's just going to start leaking out. This is going to be a problem, I can hardly move, how am I supposed to burn off so much?
I don't know what to do, and it isn't long before the doctor comes and doses me again, my thoughts scattering with the spread of the strange medication. Like the world around me ceases to exist, and all I have is myself and the energy.
What happened to my consciousness? Am I awake or asleep? I can't move my body at all. I can't even feel my body. The pain from before is still present, but without a source. Like all my nerve endings are just floating in endless space around me. Except I don't really exist, do I?
Rather, all I have is a mass of energy. It doesn't seem to do anything, it just rests, inert. I push on it, but nothing happens. Duh, of course nothing happens, I don't have hands. Am I dumb?
I have thoughts, obviously. So I think the energy away. Just go away! And it leaves. Out and out it goes, the shining colors of the world just pushing off on their own, out and away, overflowing from themselves.
Eventually, they stop. They're at equilibrium with their environment, a pond in a marsh. Like groundwater. Yeah, that's better. I like the color better. It's a nice color, pretty. A color I can see through, like it isn't there. Leona's color.
But also a bunch of different colors? I don't know, it starts looking like something, the longer I look at it. Like it has shape. Red. Blue. Purple.
What was the other color anyway? I blink.
All at once, I realize I'm awake. There's a moment of confusion. What is happening right now? What am I doing? Where am I? When am I? Who am I? Why am I here? Why am I awake?
Literally every single question comes at the same time, all landing on top of each other in my suddenly conscious mind. Of course, I can't untangle any of it well enough to act, so I continue to stare blankly until I do successfully realize I'm seeing a ceiling right now.
Right, that's somewhere to start I guess. Before this was... right, all those... weird thoughts that don't make a single bit of sense to my conscious mind. Is that what it's like to be on drugs? Whatever, probably not important. I think back again, recalling what all happened before this.
Alright, infirmary because of an accident with Leona's powers. My current state is... pain. I'm still holding very still, but the pain is quickly coming back with my conscious mind. It's not as bad as I remember, probably thanks to the doctor.
Having successfully understood the basics of what the hell's going on, I leak out a groan to let anyone around know I'm awake. The doctor rushes over soon enough. “Maka-chan, you're awake! Something extremely strange happened while you were asleep!”
“...” I try briefly, but my throat is too dry to speak. I try to make a gesture with my hand, but can't move it. It's held in place by something, so I use my other, to gesture to my mouth and throat. She gets the message, coming over with water and holding it for me to sip for some time, until I can clear my throat.
“What happened?” I croak out.
“You- you just kind of started to glow, like when a psion uses their powers. It probably had to do with what Vicca-san did to you, but I don't know. It was extremely unsettling though, seeing that happen in your sleep.”
“I don't really know, but if I remember right, I think I did something while I was out of my mind from whatever you gave me.” I try to think about it more, but can't come up with anything. “None of it really makes sense when I try to think about it now though...” Did I release the built up energy somehow? I can't tell, it's not like I can actually feel it or anything. I'll have to ask Leona to check me when she wakes up.
Thinking as much, I shift my head as little as I can to see her in the next bed over, breathing lightly in her sleep. “Is Leona alright?” I ask.
The doctor shrugs. “Vicca-san looked like she pushed herself too far with your checkup. I did what I could, and she's been sleeping ever since. It's... about three in the morning right now. If you don't mind, I'm going to get some shut-eye,” she shows a wry grin, but her words finally get me to look at her more closely.
Doctor Belinda has glassy eyes, with big dark circles underneath, and her hair is disheveled. Even her clothes are wrinkled, and even though I can't really remember, I get the strong impression that she hasn't changed them recently. Has she been watching over us the entire time since we came in here?
“O-of course! Get some sleep, I'm not going anywhere!” I assure her. She gives a loose smile, places the glass of water beside my bed, then wobbles away, actually giggling in a hollow voice, before I hear a dull thump from further into the room, then snoring.
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“Thanks, Doctor...” I murmur toward her. I close my eyes again, and soon enough, I'm out again.
----------------------------------------
We end up in bed all Monday as well, before we've recovered enough to move around. “You're lucky you're both technically military personnel,” the doctor scolds us, “I'm not authorized to use those medications on civilians.”
“Haah...” I give a non-response.
“Supposedly, regens do weird things to you. Neither of you are experiencing any of these side effects...?” She clears her throat and frowns down at a tablet screen in her hands.
“Numbness in your hands or feet, panic, disorientation, nausea, paralyzed muscles, uncontrollable muscle spasms, confusion, drowsiness, misophonia, paranoia, trouble breathing, dizziness, blurry vision, migraines, seizures, loss of consciousness, out of body experiences, dry mouth, increase or decrease in sexual desire, irritability, spatial sequence synesthesia, insomnia, narcolepsy, anxiety, ringing ears, hallucinations, suicidal, heart attack, unexpected euphoria...”
The doctor scrolls, her face tightening as she just keeps going. “Obsessive compulsive behavior, increased blood temperature and or pressure, chemical imbalances, mood swings, itching, homicidal, constipation, fatigue, chromesthesia, pain, lack of pain, skin or hair changes, disassociation, loss of appetite, heart palpitations, excessive sweating, disillusionment, stroke, omnicidal, god complex, spontaneous combustion, and excessive fingernail growth. Oh, and... other unspecified effects...”
“Uhhh....” I blink at her like an idiot. What is that list of side effects...? Are those all even real things?
“Umm, don't worry too much, it says that side effects only occur in... between three to ninety nine percent of people.....” After that, the doctor tosses aside the tablet, rolls her eyes, and comes to look us over. She pokes and prods for a while, doing what she can to check us for anything out of place. As far as I can tell, she doesn't find any problems, and returns to her seat with a subtle air of relief.
“So, umm... I think I did experience... something?” I speak up. “I don't really get it now, but I think I like... released the built up energy somehow while I was all, uhh, out of it from that stuff.” She called them 'regens?'
“Yeah,” Leona sighs. “I wouldn't be surprised, regens are weird. They use them in the military. Here, I'll check you.” Clearly nursing her wounds, Leona stands slowly from her bed and shuffles over to mine. She looks me over briefly, before gently lifting my feet to roll me into a ball again, then waves for the doctor.
With a helping hand, she grunts and gets up on my bed, then the doctor helps ease her down to lean onto me. “Nice and slow...” she breathes as she leans down. I grit my teeth, even pushing with my legs like this hurts. Leona touches her head to mine, looking into my eyes briefly, before she pulls back.
Again, the doctor helps her back to her own bed. She sighs, releasing the tension in her body when she sits down, and says, “Yeah, we're in luck, it looks like you were able to dump some energy thanks to the drugs. I'll do your checkup in a bit. Just... need a nap first...” Suddenly yawning, she looks about ready to fall over, when the doctor handles her to lie her down in bed again.
“You too, Maka-chan,” the doctor waves at me. “I'll be back soon with some more food. You need sustenance to heal, and I'm not keen on using any more sketchy military drugs in the place of proper nutrition.” Holding a hand to her head in irritation, the doctor walks away.
That makes me smile a little, even though it really shouldn't be funny. I return to resting.
Thankfully, with some food in us, Leona manages my checkup again, without wrecking herself so badly this time, and we sleep through another night.
Tuesday morning, the doctor finally gives us the green light to go back to class. As soon as I try to get up, I realize the thing I'd been missing the entire time due to pain, sleep, and drugs. I can't move my left arm because it's in a sling. Apparently it's broken. Not that bad a break according to the doctor, but it'll take some time to heal, even after the seemingly supernatural healing provided by the military meds.
When we step outside, hobbling along toward the correct section of the massive school building, I immediately notice a difference in Leona I couldn't see inside.
“Hey, your hair changed.”
“Did it?” She doesn't sound particularly concerned.
“It's kind of blue now. Like, in the sun.” Before it was just black, in her super short pixie cut. Now when the sun hits it right, I see a blue hue in her bangs as well. Those are some freaky military drugs after all...
Leona shrugs. “Eh, it happens.” I blink, confused by her nonchalance. “Has it happened to you before?”
“No, but I saw others who had stuff change. If it's just my hair, it's fine.”
“Hmm...” The whole thing is off-putting. I pull around a strand of my own hair to peer at it closely. It... looks the same, I think. Length is the same too... I eventually shake my head and put those thoughts from my mind.
“Hey, Seiko,” Leona speaks up as we get closer to the wing of the building we're aiming for.
“Mm?”
“I'm sorry, I didn't realize that would end so badly. I always figured I could get us out of a tight spot with my powers by teleporting to safety, but if it doesn't work correctly on you, that won't be an option. Things might be a lot more dangerous than I realized.”
“Teleporting?” But...
“Ah, that's my unique power. Psions are supposed to keep them secret, but mine is really easy to spot and I've already used it on you twice, and it hurt you both times. I figure I owe it to you to tell you about it. Just don't mention it to anyone else.”
“Uhh...” I still can't come up with a response.
“So, teleporting is moving instantly between two places. I can do it to myself, other people within a small area around me, or a mix.”
“Umm, well, yeah, I guess...” I already know what teleporting is, she doesn't need to explain that. But... Leona raises a brow at my mumbled response. How do I word this? “I-I'm sorry, but I don't get it, how is it teleporting?”
That draws a frown. “Because... Well, when I use it, I disappear from one place, and then I appear in the other place.” She moves her hands with her explanation, like it should be simple.
“Huh? But that isn't how it works.” She doesn't just poof between positions, she moves.
Leona blinks at me.
“What do you mean, that's not how my power works?” She asks it flatly, like it hasn't fully registered yet. Wait, maybe she's calling it that because it's really fast?
I scratch my head. “Well, you have to move between the two spots, does that still count as teleporting? Just because it's fast?”
“Huh? That isn't how it works. I don't move between the two spots, it's an instant repositioning.”
Now we're both looking at each other in confusion. “When you did it with me, we definitely moved between spots,” I explain. “It was so fast that I had a ton of momentum left when we landed. And I'm pretty sure it was that ninety degree turn in the gym that broke my arm.”
“Wh... what...?” She blinks down at me, dumbfounded. “Is that why it doesn't work right with you? Does something about you mess it up?”
“I don't know, but...” I put some thought into it, and realize it actually wouldn't be too difficult to test. “Can you teleport through solid walls?”
“Yes.” Hmm, how would that work...? Well, technically, if you think of it in terms of straight lines, she 'went through walls' in the gym, but that was actually by going around them instead.
“What about a closed space?”
“Uhh, a closed space? Like a room without any doors into it?”
“Yeah,” I confirm. “Or maybe even a room with a locked door? If your power only has to physically move you when I'm part of the equation, you should be able to teleport inside of a closed space without me. But with me, we'd just crash into the side or something.”
“I can teleport into locked rooms, but I'm not sure about the rest. I have to test it later. It sounds crazy, but I'm sure I'll be able to confirm things with some work. I'll let you know how it goes.”
“Just don't hurt yourself, alright?” I pull on her sleeve lightly. “Remember, if I'm right, you really don't want to crash into a solid wall at a million kilometers an hour.
“Mm,” she nods with a small frown. “I've never had any trouble before, so I should be fine, but I'll keep it in mind anyway.”
“Good.” I can't believe Leona still doesn't know everything about her powers. What in the world...?