Being in this hospital bed was starting to drive me mad, I couldn't get up unless I needed to use the bathroom and I could feel that when I was in bed I was being watched. The heart monitors beeping irregularly from my unsteady pulse, the pressure on my arm going off every now and again, the goddamn piece of tape on my finger. I felt completely miserable and yet, it made me realize something.

"This is how Sam felt" Whether it was the lack of sleep or being driven mad I couldn't help but chuckle slightly, even with the slight pain in my throat. For two...three years...stuck in a damn bed. Even being in one for so long, I don't think she ever complained...except for one time...I think it was the first time she ever really cried too, all the needles, being woken up time and time again, even taking multiple medications since no one could figure out what she had, though that's still the case today.

Maybe that's the reason I hated the whole idea of visiting hours, if someone was in agony and they needed someone, they should be able to visit even past pointless hours.

I recall the sight perfectly, an IV in her arm, the same tape on her finger. It was similar to my state but somehow she just looked so much worse, maybe it was from the lack of sunlight, or that plants normally associated with being near her or for once in our lives I saw her finally with her hair down...Can't exactly have a Rose in your hair in a hospital bed, or have it up to begin with. I only got the once chance to visit her during her time in the hospital, even then it wasn't for long as I snuck past the staff just to get in.

I couldn't recall what was said, all I know is by the end of it Sam didn't want me to go, yet I didn't really have a choice, if I stayed I'd get kicked out and probably wouldn't be able to visit ever again, but knowing now that I never got another chance...I wish I chose otherwise, I wanted to so that maybe Sam could go back to her old self.

"I...I'll stay, just a bit longer" It was just a memory, yet I spoke out regardless, it was still faint through the tears but a smile was still there.

"thanks..." Hearing how she sounded back then only reminded me of the possible agony she was in. It felt like a small change, just fixing one simple mistake I made.

"Of course, I know how hospitals are."

"Heh, pretty bad huh?"

"Well don't go telling Nicholai that"

"Duh"

It was just a what if, something that wouldn't come true, it seemed simple, something that wouldn't have an impact, but seeing how distraught she was when she was trying to have me stay, actually staying would have had a bigger impact than one would think.

"Greetings from the outside!" Going back to reality and bursting through the door was Sam and Nicholai.

"Welcome back" I did my best to sit up while not pulling on my IV this time.

"Seems you're alive"

"You think i'd be dead?"

"Course not, you're not that reckless"

"Thanks" Like the day before, Sam pulled out a chair and pulled it over to the bed before sitting down.

"In just a few hours you'll be out"

"What Nicholai means is 2 hours" Sam swayed left and right slowly, like she was going in tune with a slow song. "Hehe, it's like we swapped places" Though her face showed it was somewhat of an uncomfortable subject for her, it's clear she made it so I wouldn't find resting on a hospital bed tragic.

"Yeah...sorry for not staying."

"hm?" Her head tilted to the side in confusion. "You...did stay."

"I...don't think I did..." Was changing time that easy? There wasn't any possible way that just thinking back on it through a vision could change events. Did I meet some requirement without realizing? Or...did I actually stay and forgot that easily?

"Right...I guess I'm misremembering."

"Course you are, leaving lil-ol me is outta the picture"

"You're lucky a kind doctor found you, even if you're a kid they'd still at the very least shout at you for breaking in."

"Yeah, I do my best to be lucky"

"That's not a thing, you can't try and be lucky"

"Don't ruin his fun Nicholai."

"Whatever, anyhow, I should be able to pull you out early if you really don't wanna be here"

"I'd appreciate it"

"Right, be back in a bit then, hopefully I can get it in before blood work comes by again." Nicholai made her way out of the room, some small part of me expected blood work to come in the moment Nicholai left but for the moment that wasn't the case.

"Don't know how you did it" I slouched down again, letting my head rest.

"Did what?"

"Spend 3 years in a hospital, just one day and I'm going mad."

"Well" Sam looked up to the ceiling for a bit. "I guess they treated me a bit better since I was fragile, if they pricked me too much I'd end up scratching or biting their hand." So...that doctor did get bit. "Though, I did hate the special treatment"

"Really, thought you'd love it"

"I like it when you guys treat me special because I get food or we go to cool places, and that's because we're friends, here it just made it more lonely, less blood work meant less people came by."

"I doubt they did less just because you used to be fragile...maybe it had to do with your illness too"

"Guess we'll never know now." Sam seemed saddened by it, no one but the doctors who spent years looking into the illness would know why they did what they did. "Didn't help my visiting hours were always so early, only possible way you guys were coming by was if you camped outside of the hospital" The same helpless expression slowly started creeping back to Sam.

"Ahhem! uh, what've you guys been up to?"

"Well, we haven't really gone on any missions, we've just been making a place in Eaxura for us"

"Mh?"

"Plants seem to grow faster in Eaxura when they're tended to really well so I have a few in the base, Nicholai, as you've seen, has a foothold in the hospital since she has healing magic and actual medical skills, and Kenneth is working with that Neal guy from before with tech, they're gonna give Dave an actual body one day to help us more on missions."

"Like an Android?"

"Yup!"

"You'd think Kenneth would do it himself."

"I think he's starting to get he needs help...or else he'd make a mistake somewhere"

"And last we need is a psycho Dave"

"Even if that was the case I think Dave would still help us out, he'd have all the memories from before"

"Fair point there" It went silent for a moment. By now we expected the door to open, either Nicholai or a nurse for blood work to come in. "It's uh, taking a bit huh?"

"I mean, it does take a bit but...I don't see why it's taking this long, back on earth there was a reason, all the paperwork, moving around, but we have the HUDs now." We looked to the door, unease starting setting in.

"I doubt something bad happened in Eaxura but..." A hospital was typically filled with footsteps, yet not even that could be heard. "Watch the door" Though shaky from the time I spent in the bed, I stood up and held onto the IV stand. "Let's go"

"Though I'm glad you still have it, I thought you'd take it out."

"If it's a misunderstanding I wouldn't want Nicholai scolding me for ripping it out."

"True" Nearly hopping, Sam stood up and went to the door.

"Hang on" I was down a hand, having to move the stand with me, but it didn't hinder my walking at least for now. "I wanna hear anything" Crouching down I leaned my ear against the door, I wasn't greeted with anything, there were no footsteps, no talking. "Crescent" Flying over, Crescent attempted to resheath itself until it stopped, just barely preventing itself from stabbing me in the back. "What's wrong?" Crescent flew up and started pointing towards my back, I reached and felt nothing. "Course, makes sense" I went to snap before stopping myself.

"What's the matter?"

"If this isn't a misunderstanding, then I'd give myself away, the snap to change outfits is louder than a normal one."

"And in silence like this, it'd be much more noticable"

"Exactly, just stay nearby so I can grab you if I need you Crescent" Doing their best, Crescent 'nodded' as we opened the door.

The hallways were void of any life except for ours, but it wasn't just that, the floor and walls looked like they were torn to bits.

"Looks just like some buildings during the outbreak"

"B-but that's not where we are" Sam's voice faltered slightly, the change in scenery almost instantly started to set in paranoia.

"It's not where we should be, but we can't say we aren't."

There was something else, it wasn't cold even though we were in the height of winter, even if this place had heating, the tears and broken windows would've at least let some cold air in...There was also someone else, at the end of the hall just barely in the light.

"Oh hell no" I took the IV out and grabbed onto Crescent. "Weapons out"

"Hu- oh!" Sam summoned her dagger and sickle, her weapons were automatically on non-lethal but the question rested on me, was this a person or a creature? Were they even against us to begin with? Sam could see it too, so it isn't just related to Corruption or my visions, so this had to be something, but why?

"Identify yourself!" The figure ignored my demand, instead they started walking forward. Flicking Crescent open, I aimed the barrels at the figure. "Last warning, identify yourself" Again, they ignored us. As they walked more into the light, the figure became more visible, it was a young woman wearing a Green Camo jacket with a hood covering a good portion of their head, all the while, the ground shook, shaking the two-handed Scythe that was on their back, having with multiple barrels at the end of it. Once they became fully visible they came to a halt.

"What's the plan?"

"I don't know...they look human, but..." Before I could say anymore, the woman raised a finger and pressed it against her lips, signaling silence. I didn't want to follow their suggestion, but just for the hell of it I did. The shaking grew, sounding like it was right behind us. I was turning until I saw the woman shake her head 'no'. I was annoyed until I saw something just barely in the corner of my vision. The woman started walking forward again, yet she didn't even make a noise, once she was close she pointed downwards while taking out her Scythe with her other hand.

I couldn't even explain what happened when I crouched down, all I recall seeing was the woman swinging her Scythe forward the second I got low, yet it hit something, ringing out an echo like it had just hit metal. The barrels glowed before firing off multiple shots each, and once it was over, she put the Scythe away, but that wasn't it, the motions she did while the barrels glowed had to have a meaning or use.

"Now, identify yourself" The woman spoke in a familiar tone.

"What the hell...Nicholai!?"

"Heh? Hang on..." She turned to the right slightly, looking at Sam, she looked intently, trying to see in the dark. "Oh my God...That doesn't make any sense at all."

"You look older." Sam blurted it out.

"My world or not I'll hit you" As usual, Nicholai countered.

"But...we were just in the hospital a moment ago."

"You still are, just not yours"

"Did we...split off?" I was the main one asking questions, Sam seemed like smoke was gonna start coming out of her head.

"Did you do anything that would've effected what world you were in"

"Not that I recall, I haven't rewinded time recently."

"The point you came from, are you still corrupted?"

"Still?"

"Being dead sorta makes you not corrupted." I was going to act surprised but then thought about It more, it wasn't that surprising.

"Yeah...I guess I am still corrupted."

"Well there you go...Corruption is messing with you, the longer you have it the more you have to learn to counteract it, I guess at this stage it's bringing you places where you'd get killed. But the real question is if this is even real."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Corruption has affected your vision hasn't it? Maybe parts want you to live so it's giving you a warning by having me showcase a corruptor, or maybe it wanted you dead."

"God...that bad?"

"It's going to get worse till you figure out your version and how to go against it."

"Hang on, if this is a vision why is Sam here? Wouldn't I be at more risk of dying if she wasn't here?"

"Course, maybe it wanted Sam dead too"

"So...this whole thing is trying to kill Lee" The older Nicholai nodded.

"Listen, the longer you're here the worse it's going to be when you wake up, so I'm gonna do you all a favor" Grabbing onto her Scythe she slashed it down, cutting me in half and sending my sight black.

"No possible way he's back in a coma" Unlike other times, my sight came back quickly, we were back in the normal hospital with only minor differences like the IV being out of my arm, and a burning pain in my chest. "Nevermind, welcome back to the living" Nicholai stood at the end of my bed, Kenneth and Kaz were here too, with Kaz on Nicholai's shoulder. "Sam get cold?" She tilted her head left.

"Wha-?" When I looked over, I saw a half dazed Sam slouching on the hospital bed like she's been sleeping on it. "My heaaaaad hurrrts"

"Nevermind, guess she just knocked out. You good to go?"

"Yeah...I should be" I waited for Sam to get up before I did, unlike the dream I stood up just fine.

"I'm glad that you're out!" Kaz's expression was as though we won a massive battle, with admiration and joy.

"Me too..." We clearly had different meanings to our words, but no one knew but Sam and I. "Actually...there was a st-" I was stopped by Sam grabbing my arm.

"We'll stress them out and you'll get jammed back into the hospital bed...let's wait till we find an answer, Kay?" Sam tilted her head at the end and smiled, It felt like she knew full well I would listen to her.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"Sttttt- you wanna continue that?" Nicholai was circling with her hand, telling me to get on with it.

"Strange dream..." I said what I was going to say, but I came up with something to say after.

"Oh, another vision then, what was it this time?"

"It wasn't anything important, more so just an old memory"

"Guess it would be strange compared to everything else you've gotten, maybe it's cuz Sam was sleeping beside ya" Nicholai said something that I actually agreed with, it was strange that during the days I was out I didn't see any vision or dream, but the moment it's just Sam and I, I do.

"Maybe"

"Lee makes sense being here for so long, what's your reason for knocking out?" Nicholai leaned so she could get a line of sight on Sam.

"Uh...Because sleeping elsewhere doesn't feel safe"

"Huh?" Nicholai looked like she was ready to scold Sam to hell.

"Hey, you think I'm fine with sleeping being separated from everyone? Nicholai was working here, Kenneth was with Neal, and Kaz wasn't at the base. Even if Lee was sleeping at least Crescent could cover for me."

"I...guess that's true...sorry" Nicholai seemed genuinely guilty. "Eaxura does still feel unsafe, so it makes sense" Sam started to look sorry too.

"Aaaaanyways" Kenneth adjusted himself. "If you remember you have the day off today, we're off too but we'll probably be doing our own thing."

"Always gotta make yourself busy ay?" Kenneth and I looked at each other in silence.

"...so, yeah...if you find yourself free I guess stop by, I could teach you a bit about tech." With tech being mentioned(Even by himself), it felt like there was an aura around him radiating motivation.

"Same goes for the rest of us, though maybe Sam needs some sleep"

"I'm fine"

"Right" Nicholai handed me a piece of paper. "We'll be off now." Kenneth giving a simple nod, and Kaz waving goodbye, the three left the room. Leaving Sam and I here once again.

"I feel terrible" When they were assumed to be out of earshot, Sam voiced her woes.

"It's as you said, I dropped after hearing and worrying about a hundred things, same could happen to them."

"Okay...you're gonna be okay right?"

"Yeah, you can head back to base"

"In that case, Roger that boss man!" While giving a friendly salute, she left the room

Well...what now then.

Answering my question, I was sent a message.

Subject: Before you do anything else

Sender: Nicholai Broker

Recipient: Lee

'It's been a while since your last injection for Corruption, Raymond is letting me do it so I suggest we get it done now before he does it himself. I'm still in the hospital, just go down a floor.'

"Alright then, shall we?" With a snap, my outfit came back, including the sheath this time, where Crescent gladly put itself.

This time, the hospital remained the same when we left the room, nurses and doctors were moving about, hurried to their next location, it made sense that they were moving faster than on earth considering the amount of people live in Eaxura, but that doesn't make me feel any less worried for them.

"So...down a floor...where're the elevators?" I could have gone left or right, or even just straight, but the hallways were pretty long, I could end up lost if I went too far in one direction.

"Are you lost?" One of the doctors had stopped to ask me.

"I...uh...yeah, the elevators"

"No worries, just go straight, then take the second left you see when going through." Assuming I had no more questions, the doctor continued onward with his mobile desk. Don't know how you guys do it...

Part of me considered just warping at the entrance and going from there, for I could not, for the life of me find any second left for ages. No, no possible way he meant it that way Seeing as there was a left when you go straight, there was a chance the doctor counted the left hallway as one of them.

"I swear..." I put my idea into action, the moment I took that left I saw four elevators. "Goddamnit" All that was left is to hit the down arrow and wait

.

.

And wait... and wait

and

wait

I'm not this unlucky, there's no way the elevator broke down right when I need it...the button is still lit up.

Crescent swung back, pulling me that way, I was confused at first until I turned around, with the doors to one elevator open. So just the ding noise thing was broken... Praying that was it, I went in and hit the floor below, there wasn't a chance Nicholai was in the lobby, so the floor just above that was my best bet.

Subject: Medication

Sender: Raymond

Recipient: Lee

'Hey, I dunno if Nicholai messaged you yet, but she's in charge of your medication from here on out, you don't have to worry about the eye injection anymore, we found a better solution through just a normal shot, that doesn't mean you can be anymore careless you still better sit still and cooperate.'

"I'm gonna get a horde of messages aren't I?"

Subject: How's our Guardian Trainer?

Sender: Loui, G.O.T.T

Recipient: Lee

'Must've sucked being in that bed for so long, if you wanna get back into the motion of it let any of us know, we're looking forward for your return and we got a new job proposal from someone so come by soon'

I waited for a sec, but to my surprise no new messages came, and the doors opened, letting me continue my search for Nicholai.

"What room would she be in?" I could use the map, but I wanted to get back into the swing of things, allow my body to think more so it would get going. Seeing as she didn't give any directions after the elevator, she should be nearby. I looked up at those weird colored flags, most were red, but one was green. All in all, that's where she should be. With full confidence and no doubt, I walked over and went in, not surprisingly, Nicholai was there with a laptop, endlessly writing something on it.

"Oh, you made it. Took a bit"

"I didn't know where the elevators were"

"Did you ask someone for help?"

"I did...but uh...They gave some confusing information."

"Not surprising, sit down" Taking off the sheath, I set it aside the bed which I sat on. "While you're here I'm just gonna check some other stuff while we're at it."

"Isn't 'While you're here' and 'While we're at it' the sa-"

"You want the eye injection?"

"No ma'am"

"Good" I didn't know how to feel, seeing Nicholai as a doctor was something that would happen eventually, but that time on earth wouldn't have been close at all, even after high school there'd be 4 more years, even then she'd have to take more time in a hospital, and yet here she was. "Open your eyes more" From the wall, Nicholai grabbed something, I never really went to a hospital so I couldn't tell what any of the tools were for.

"I don't think I can"

"Right, you woke up a moment ago, course your eyes would be tired, just do the best you can." Following her instructions, I opened my eyes more, only for them to get blinded by a light coming from the tool Nicholai had.

"Tsk, really!?"

"Keep your eyes open, I can't see a damn thing if they aren't" She didn't spend much time looking at my normal eye, instead she spent most of this check looking at the corrupted one. "How's your leg" She put the light away and grabbed something else, one that looked like a mini hammer.

"It feels alright for the most part, still hurts once in a while." While I spoke she hit the small hammer in a specific spot on my uninjured leg, it kicked up immediately, then came the leg that got pierced, when Nicholai hit it, it took a moment before it kicked up, and even then only slightly.

"Don't struggle against it please."

"I wasn't" Nicholai looked dead into my eyes, but I was being honest, and soon she saw that too after hitting it again, with the same delayed response.

"Hm...Is it ever difficult to walk on?"

"Not often"

"But sometimes?"

"Just a little tinge of pain, nothing to worry about."

"You and I both know it'll get worse if you keep walking on it. But." She walked over to Crescent, taking it out of the sheath. "I know you're too determined to just sit around so." Nicholai took out something and held it near Crescent. Once it made contact, it wrapped around Crescent like a sheath, but the end was a lot more rounded, and the top handle looked a lot more curved. "This sheath also works as a cane, whenever you aren't in battle I want you to use this.

"Never expected to use a cane this young"

"Let's be glad we died before Sam broke anything important, she's a lot more likely than you"

"Hang on, how am I meant to clip the sheath on?" Nicholai motioned me to stand, which I followed quickly.

"See this circle on this side?" I took a closer look, it looked heavily metallic and it seemed to be sturdy "It'll clip onto your outfit automatically, so you can have it on your hip or back depending on what you want at that moment." She walked behind me, and soon my back felt heavier, the same heavy when Crescent was on me. "Give it a go" I took Crescent out, it had a new button on it that when pressed, warped the sheath around it, turning it into the Cane.

"Handy"

"Kenneth and I are finding a way to have the sheath inside Crescent, that way it won't make you use magic and drain you." Having the cane reminded me what walking without pain felt like, I had gotten too used to the pressure on my leg to notice it.

"Thanks"

"Don't mention it, it's my job to look out for you all even when you do something stupid."

"Sorry for being human, I'll take my leave now" I took one step and was nearly thrown back by the intense grasp on my arm.

"You and I both know you're not done here, sit back down or you're getting the eye one."

"Sorry ma'am" I sat back down while Nicholai was prepping the syringe. With her leg, she moved over a table where a pillow was.

"Rest which ever arm you want on there." I did as she asked, setting my right arm down. "Want a countdown?"

"I'll be alright" Though with small pause, Nicholai inserted the syringe in my arm, slowly injecting the medication. "Don't you typically wrap something on my upper arm?"

"You do that to find veins, I don't need a vein" From what I was seeing, and how slowly Nicholai was going, it was made obvious this would take a minute. "If it starts to feel off let me know, it'll bruise if you don't."

"Hey Nicholai"

"What?"

"What made you wanna be a doctor?"

"That's a left field question"

"Well, we bicker and don't get along, yet you still help us, I figured asking was the least I could do." Nicholai didn't answer at first, she seemed focused solely on the medicine, but after some time had passed.

"Sam"

"huh!?"

"Not just because of Sam, but everyone like her. Suffering because no one can find what's causing the cause, stuck In a hospital bed for their entire life. Sam was lucky, they found a way to suppress it, but not everyone did...and uh...for my parents."

"Never knew you had such a heart."

"I'm letting that pass cuz I don't want you dropping dead from me pushing the needle further."

"Thing is, your parents weren't sick were they?"

"No, but they focused more on Kenneth, I don't have a single memory where they took me somewhere without Kenneth."

"But you do of the opposite."

"Granted, Kenneth was a prodigy with tech, and I was just some kid."

"But you were great with medicine weren't you?"

"I became a prodigy because I had no choice"

"Cast aside your life just to be noticed huh?"

"I don't need your pity"

"I know, I just can't help but relate somehow, like I've spent my entire life that way."

"What's your opinion?"

"On what?"

"Is it better to have bad parents or none at all?"

"I only know what it's like to have none"

"Right, until you met Baker and Cali"

"If Sam figured out what happened to them..."

"She'll find out sooner or later, she'll hate me if I say it, so I'll be counting on you to do it"

"Didn't I pass out from having multiple jobs?"

"Except we owe this one to Sam, especially since Cali and Baker looked out for you too."

"Right..." Nicholai took out the needle and wiped the injection site with a small gauze pack.

"Want a bandaid?"

"I'll manage"

"Right, I better not see you back here for at least a week, and use that cane"

"Course, thanks" Nicholai went back to work while I left. It was much easier to walk with the cane, and Crescent was able to help me as well. "You're a good help ya know that buddy?" Crescent couldn't move to give a response, otherwise it'd drag me, but I could tell it was happy regardless. "Guess we better decide who to visit first, probably Kenneth, been a while since I've chatted with just him around." In a manner of days it seems everyone has gotten accustomed to Eaxura, everyone had their place, and when you look at Nicholai and Kenneth already making improvements to our soul weapons that fact becomes more obvious

Leaving the hospital was a breath of fresh air, I was out for most of my time in there, but my body still went without being outside.

"Where Neal is..." Calling my defeat, I looked at the map, Kenneth was smack dab in the middle of an airfield. "What the hell?" He was making a body for Dave, yet there he was in an airfield. "Guess we better get going then." I could've warped, anything other than walking, but I needed to walk, get my body back in the rhythm of moving again. "Hey Crescent" Once more, it couldn't move, however this time I could see the engravings glow from under the sheath. "Are you alive just from being my soul weapon? Or is it something more, glow twice for the second option." Crescent Glowed twice. "RIght, you were given to me after all, I take it you can't tell me?" It glowed twice for 'no'. "Because you can't, or you don't know?" For the third time, it glowed twice. "Makes sense if you're my weapon now...if I don't have the memory neither would you..."

"Hold it" I should've expected I'd get stopped when entering the airfield. "Identify yourself"

"Second Lieutenant Lee"

"Ah, alright then, you're free to go" The soldier unlocked the gate for me, I could've gone through the building, but the gate was faster.

When I got far enough in, I could see Kenneth and Neal working on a smaller ship.

"Yo" No longer walking, I had to lean more on the cane.

"Hear you got the upgrade" Kenneth closed the hatch to all the wires before turning around. "So, you wanna learn a bit of tech?"

"Heh, I just came by to see how you're doing, considering you're in an airfield of all places."

"Guess that's good enough reason"

"Whatcha making it for?"

"The Teth, DTs and Guardians are trying to resolve their issues, so they're making this. This way, DTs can't warp in the Teth and cause problems, but a small amount can still go up there and communicate...I uh, was also hoping we'd be able to use it once they're done."

"For?"

"Neal was telling me about how a lot of the space in Zullo isn't really explored, this ship is meant for a small crew, us, and for long time travel. It has personal rooms and all that"

"So you're mainly making it so we can explore space."

"Why not? We can still do missions in space so there's our income, then we can find new technology or maybe some other hidden stuff. Nicholai is fine with it, I know you don't really care, our main concern is Sam."

"I don't really think it'd be a concern"

"Think so?"

"'Hey Sam, look at all the amazing views, you can take some photos'"

"Fair enough, Guess you would know."

"She's not some kid anymore, only issue is the blood."

"Right, been a while since I've actually talked to any of you one on one for a good duration."

"Not even Nicholai?" Kenneth shook his head, he didn't seem pleased about that fact either.

"Sadly not, we're both just busy all the time, and even if one isn't that doesn't mean the other isn't as well."

"If this ship is going to be for Bravo Team, I'll tell the people we're sending to not go in the personal rooms."

"We can make them some temporary bedding in storage, if this doesn't get resolved in the first few visits it's clear it's never going to be"

"Agreed" Kenneth turned back around, opening the hatch again.

"I'm doing fine Lee, so don't worry much about me, I'll just be working on this, give a call if I'm needed"

"I'll make sure to do that." I was hoping to talk to Kenneth more, but it seems he's gonna be focused on this. That leaves Sam, she should be at the base if I recall. I decided against walking this time, the base was much farther out and I didn't want to get interrupted again. I attached Crescent back to my back as I looked at the base. It was much different than before, outside were flowers and a few other plants growing, it also cleaned up that city smell I was dealing with. "I'm back!" I went through the door, and like outside, there were plants not only in the corners of the room, but also in other empty spaces. I started scanning the room for Sam until I found her tending to one of the plants.

"Welcome back!" Sam was cutting off the discolored plants, once they were gone, she places the tool down and picked up another. "How'd visiting the others go?" Though she talked to me, she never once looked away from the plants.

"Could've been better, never realized Nicholai was jealous of Kenneth"

"What?" The moment she heard something negative going on with Bravo Team, she stopped working on the plant. "Why?"

"Kenneth was a natural born prodigy, Nicholai, well, she became one because she wanted her parents to pay more attention to her."

"Could that be..."Sam seemed down by the information I gave. "Maybe that's why she acts the way she does."

"Maybe"

"W-well...it's not something we can fix right now, even though I really want to, so...you wanna help me for a bit?"

"Just one last thing"

"Fire away!"

"Where's Kaz?"

"Sleeping, she's been doing it a lot lately, leaving to somewhere, then falling asleep when she's back"

"Think she's a DT somehow?"

"That'd be cool, but she knew us didn't she? So she can't be born one"

"Kaz does have a unique look, we'd probably recognize it."

"Actually, a question of my own."

"Go ahead" I walked over and crouched beside Sam.

"The cane...is that permanent?"

"Hopefully not, I didn't really get an idea of when I could stop when I visited Nicholai."

"Well, let's hope it's not for long."

"Thanks, preciate it"

"Alright, back on track, you see those discolored branches?" Sam was working on a different plant than the one in front of me, yet she still found a way to direct my attention to it.

"Yeah?"

"Those are dead branches, you gotta cut them off or else the plant will keep putting nutrients into the dead ones."

"Ah, that's what you were doing" Since Sam wasn't using it, I picked up the tool she used earlier, it was easy to tell the dead branches apart from the alive ones, the leaves, color, thanks to that I cut the ones I needed to quickly.

"They're not gonna die if you take a bit longer, it's an enjoyable hobby, not a competition"

"Guess that's the case here huh?"

"For you it is hehe, back on track, this is called pruning"

"Pruning..."

"Yup, simple tending, simple name." Whenever Sam went back to talking about flowers and plants, it always seemed like she had this emanating glow around her. "It's a bit tiring at first, but it's a great way to build strength too. Pulling out roots, pruning, ya know?"

"I think I do."

"It seems easy at first, but when you get to plants with more branches, and they start intertwining, it gets a ton more difficult depending on the plant.

"What difficulty is this?"

"Beginner easy just for you"

"How long have you been here?"

"I wasn't sitting here waiting for you,I just made it to this one last.

"My mistake then" Sam handed me the watering can.

"3 seconds for this plant"

"Hm?"

"3 seconds of watering"

"Oh, alright" The can was already filled up, all I had to do was tilt it.

"You know...doesn't this still count as doing a lot?"

"You, Nicholai, and Kenneth? Well, I enjoy hanging out with you all, so I don't really think it's that bad."

"Yeah, I'm just worried they're gonna hound you tomorrow" I wanted to talk about what happened to her parents, but a part of me just couldn't. She seemed back to her happy-go-lucky self with everyone around. "Well, it's not problem, we'll yell at them if they won't leave you alone."

"Hey now, I'm the guy who's meant to be looking out for you all" I lowered the can, it was a bit over 3 seconds, but not too much that'd it hurt the plant.

"Exactly why we also look out for you too, Bravo Team sticks together and all that y'know?"

"Yeah"

"Hey Lee"

"Hmhm?" She leaned forward, smiling as always.

"If the zombie outbreak never happened, and that guy never came by, what do you think you'd be doing?"

"Uh...huh, I never really thought about it, even when we were human"

"So what did you put down on that whole 'Plan for the future' form thing?"

"Don't think I even turned that in"

"Oh come on, Might go tell Nicholai that so she'll scold you like she did me"

"You wouldn't"

"True" Sam took the watering can and stood up. "Sorry that most of the plants were already tended to, I was gonna show you how to tend them all."

"That's alright, there's always tomorrow or the day after."

"True that" Whether it was meant to go on top of a shelf, or if that's just the only free spot, was unimportant to Sam as she set it there regardless. "So?" After making sure it wouldn't fall, she turned back to me.

"Sooo..?"

"If you could be anything you want while we were alive, what would it be?" Sam wasn't going to take an indecisive answer this time, her gaze was all I needed to see to know that.

"Well...While I found being in a band fun...I guess a bakery owner."

"Huh!?"

"Don't make fun of me alright?"

"Why would I? I just found that...I just didn't expect that, it's...uh, cute"

"What?"

"You know, someone who's normally all cold and that, owning a bakery? Quite literally the opposite of cold"

"Say what you will"

"Wait, hang on...but why? I mean, I want a Cafe because it's relaxing, and I give other people a place to relax, why a bak-" She took a sharp breath in as she came up with an idea. "Do you actually love cooking and baking that much!?" Without even letting me answer, she clasped her hands together. "In that case, in the future when this is all over, before you open a bakery could you teach me how to make stuff for the Cafe?"

"You're running a cafe without knowing how to make food?" She unclasped her hands and looked at me. "Right, the burning stuff."

"Didn't have to say it..."

"Alright, I guess I'll teach you a bit."

"Hooray! Well! I gotta put some stuff away, you should probably go sleep for-

"When they start calling me tomorrow"

"Yep!" The longer I don't tell her, the more it's going to hurt, but I can't do it now, no, I could feel myself saying something much worse.

"Sam" She was almost turned around, but hearing me, she faced my way once again.

"Yeah?"

"I'll find your parents, I promise"

"Wha- Where did that come from?"

"Just figured they'd be happy to see you after all this time" I was digging myself a grave, or maybe I was in denial myself. The happiness on Sam's face only made me feel guilt."

"heh...Thank you, is that what you and Nicholai have been doing all this time?"

"Yeah, don't tell her I told you though, it was meant to be a surprise."

"Alright! Tell me when you find them so I can make sure this place is perfect!" Sam began to Hum while skipping off somewhere. Why did I do that!? What part of me thought that was a good idea!? Wait, the Guardians know a lot of people, maybe there can be someone who can help. I turned to Kaz who was sleeping on the couch.

Or maybe...you could