Just before the Hunter's Rally

Slatewell Safe Zone

Granite City

Isabelle was trying. She really was. She put it out of her mind and continued healing people all morning. Yet, her mind always managed to slip back to the other night.

Isabelle's mana nearly bottomed out again and she pulled a Mana Chip from her inventory. She closed her eyes and willed the chip to be consumed. The blue chip melted in her hand and was sucked inside her. She felt the coolness that she associated with the flow of Mana as it coursed into her core and her Mana bar filled up to about eighty-five percent her normal amount.

Isabelle had heard from another healer that they could absorb Mana Chips to restore their Mana. The first time she tried it, it had been a rush. She was able to cast her healing spell so many times before she had to rest. It was exciting because she did have a healthy supply of chips, thanks to the Safe Zone paying her with some.

However, the use of chips had a major downside. Each time she used one, her total Mana pool was reduced by a slight amount and the only remedy for it was sleep. By the end of the day, if she wasn't careful, she wouldn't be able to use mana at all until the next day. She couldn't allow that to happen with the lock down so close.

After the cool sensation died away completely, she stuck her hands back to the wounded man's chest. Her hands glowed as she unleashed her spell, the magic flowing through her and into the man. She watched eagerly as more of his shoulder knit back together.

The man almost lost his arm completely. She had been the one to pull the stinger out of him the day before.

Thankfully, they were able to stitch him together using magic and thread. However, his wound was so severe, that any magic used on him only healed his shoulder a small amount. Subsequent spells also seemed to be less effective on the worst wounds. They could cast another few spells on him every few hours, but it was like there was a cool down or something. Their only option was time and consistent bouts of healing.

Once Isabelle's spell ended, she sat on her stool and her assigned aids stepped in to re-bandage the wound. She tried not to listen to the two chatter, but it was hard. They were loud and didn't really care if people overheard them.

Patrick had a dark complexion and was fairly tall. He was slender with curly hair that poked out from its cloth covering. He was speaking animatedly. "Are you going? They said any healers or Safe Zone staff could go onto the stage to thank the hunters later."

The olive skinned girl who was his partner in the crime of excessive chatting, Fiona, hmmed loudly as she pull their patient's bandages together tightly.

"No. I don't think so. Besides, we don't count as healers, Patty."

"It's Patrick, Patch Rick." He responded, sounding annoyed. His tone changed to a little bummed out. "I guess you're right. We are only aids....wait?" Patrick said before turning around. "Isabelle. Are you going to go? You totally should."

Absentmindedly, Isabelle thought about it. She could go. Yeah, then maybe she could could see him... She very well couldn't tell these two that though. They would spread it like wildfire in July.

"I don't know. Depends on our workload." Isabelle said, sounding disinterested.

"Oh, come on. The Safe Zone has moved a lot of people into the bunkers over the last few days. There should be plenty of space and time to get there." Fiona whined at Isabelle.

After Fiona finished tying off the new bandage, she stepped over to Isabelle. Two men who acted as orderlies came in and wheeled the man back to the part of the medical station tent used for long-term care.

"Then you can tell me about it later. Besides, isn't that red-haired guy going to be there?" Fiona teased, poking Isabelle gently in the side.

Isabelle flinched, turning to Fiona.

"Fiona. Don't do that. You know I don't like being tickled." Isabelle glared. Her gaze softened as she thought about it.

She really shouldn't go. She had so much to do here, and it wasn't like she was going to get to attend the dance, or even watch the whole awards ceremony.

"I can't. Besides, we've got too much to do. I can't just leave. Until the lock down, we could get another batch of injured hunters in." Isabelle added.

Patrick and Fiona looked at each other and nodded. As one, they each took one of Isabelle's arms and hauled her, kicking and fighting, out of the tent.

"Very sorry, Isabelle. But you have to go. You need some time off. You've been healing all day." Patrick said as he dodged one of her ill placed kicks.

"He's right, you know. You'll burn yourself out." Fiona added.

They let go of Isabelle and stood in front of her so she couldn't get back inside the tent.

"But-" Isabelle started to say but was cut off by both of them and her guide's chat window opening all at once.

"No buts." Her aids said together.

You need the rest.

Isabelle growled and stomped a foot. "Fine. I'll go." She yelled before stomping off.

Patrick and Fiona snickered together.

"You know she's only that mad because she really wants to go." Fiona said.

Patrick laughed and nodded. "That's definitely true."

Together they walked back into the medical tent.

That's how Isabelle found herself pacing back and forth in front of the entrance to the theater where the awards assembly would be held. She anxiously walked between the bodies pouring in.

Maybe I can just say hello. I am his primary healer, after all. It wouldn't be rude, would it? Nah. I'm sure that would be fine.

Or... You could just say hi because you want to. It isn't that big of a deal. According to your Lore, you should be sufficiently skilled in talking to people. Why is this so hard?

It's different this time, Cody.

How so?

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Isabelle felt her cheeks heat up. It just is, okay?

I don't really see how. But...

The window faded from Isabelle's view as she focused on the crowd. Cody was not helping her calm down any. She would apologize to them later, but she needed to be alone in her thoughts. She didn't want to be caught off guard.

Then she saw him. Jut walked around the corner. The arm through his was attached to a beautiful woman with blonde hair. They were walking closely together, looking at each other and chatting amongst themselves. Jut looked excited. The girl's cheeks were glowing a soft pink as she laughed at something he had said.

Isabelle felt her heart fall into her shoes.

That has to be her. This was a horrible idea. Was all she could think as she fled before they spotted her. She pushed her way out of the main casino, not really thinking about where she was going. All she knew was that she needed to get away. The crowd was lighter than usual, but she didn't notice.

Isabelle went straight to the north eastern medical tent. She couldn't face Fiona or Patrick right after they had shooed her away. They would tease her for sure and she didn't think she could handle that just then. She was not going to explain herself either.

The healer on duty looked up at Isabelle as she pushed through the flap on the tent. She was a short woman with blue-dyed hair.

"Oi, Isabelle. You here for a shift? Don't they not need you at Central?"

"Hey, Carly. No. It's okay. They are good for now. Anyone need immediate work done?"

"You know how it is in the tent city. We always need an extra healer. There's a few you can work on now. This way."

"Didn't they open the bunkers earlier? Aren't they supposed to be pretty fancy? That should have helped the overpopulation a lot, right?" Isabelle asked, thinking about the announcement that morning.

Carly laughed sardonically. "Ha. No. They only invited certain people. I guess they only want actual doctors, scientists, and important people. Everyone else was given a "Suggested Curfew" instead."

Isabelle had Cody take a note about that but focused on the wounded hunter before her. The woman was bleeding from three scratches down her middle.

"Well, let's see how much I can help."

Isabelle proceeded to dive into healing. She blew through mana like she was drinking water. Whenever she ran low, she consumed another Mana Chip. Once the person she was healing was as good as she could get them based on their injuries, she would move on.

If Isabelle stopped for any length of time, her thoughts careened back to the image of Jut and his blonde companion. It was enough to start the fire under her all over again and she would dive back into her furious healing. Isabelle would have kept going at that pace until she passed out from exhaustion and lack of Mana due to chip overuse, but a soft hand landed on her shoulder. She looked up.

An elderly woman wearing a purple dress was scanning her over.

"You aren't usually here. Young lady, if you aren't assigned to this tent, could I ask you to assist me?"

"I have my hands full already, Ma'am. If you ask one of the regular healers for this section, I am sure they can assist you." Isabelle said stiffly. The woman did not appear injured in the least, so Isabelle turned away.

Then, an iron grip latched onto her wrist and she was pulled towards the exit.

"Carly. I am taking this one. She needs food and I desperately need a healer." The older woman said.

"Let go of me. I need to go back there." Isabelle tried pulling free, but the old woman was strong. "I said..."

Isabelle's head snapped back as the old woman rounded on her. She had the look of a grandmother who had heard enough foolishness and was about to break out the switch.

"And I said I desperately need a healer to come with me." The woman looked her up and down again, her look studying Isabelle closely. Then she cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Tell you what, if I say something about why you need to go back there and it's true, you come with me. If I am wrong, you can stay and I'll grab Carly. What do you say?"

Isabelle felt the woman's grip loosen and Isabelle thought about it.

"Fine. Take your best shot." Isabelle crossed her arms as the old woman smiled and let her go. This woman didn't know her and there is no way she could guess...

"You are throwing yourself into your work to keep your mind off of something. If you don't keep yourself immersed in that something, it hurts too badly. If I had to guess, I would have said you lost someone since the initialization, yet this seems too fresh." The woman put her hand to her chin in a thinking pose. "But, looking at you, it has to be a boy. Or a girl. Maybe both? No one knows anymore. However, this person did something that upset you."

"How...no. That isn't it..." Isabelle turned away, her face burning. Despite her words, she didn't leave. "He didn't do it." She let some of her thoughts out. "I did it to myself."

The older woman's smirk softened into a caring smile. "As you didn't leave, I am guessing I was close enough. Why not come with me. The children and I will feed you. You can talk about it. Or not."

"I know you, right? I've seen you before?" Isabelle asked after nodding and they started walking together.

"I am Magatha. You probably saw me when we arrived here. You were the healer who looked over my children. That's how I recognized you too."

"Children?" Isabelle had seen so many different people and she was having trouble remembering. Then she saw her clearly, standing in a crowd of children, holding a toddler on her hip as they flooded her tent. "You manage the orphanage. Jut brought you in, right?" Isabelle was proud of how her voice didn't quiver.

"That is correct. I need you because we had a little accident earlier." Magatha said. "It's just a broken arm and I've already set the bone, but I would feel much better if you would look at it for me. Maybe use some of that amazing magic." Magatha said, turning them down another street. "I've heard a lot about it from that young man."

"Jut told you about me?" Isabelle felt herself scowl and blush again. "What did he tell you?"

Magatha chuckled. "Only truth it seems. When I was stitching his wounds, he was unconscious. He kept mumbling about how "she is going to kill me this time". I am guessing that "she" is you."

Isabelle looked at Magatha as she stopped. Her fists clenched and she felt furious for a moment. "He was unconscious? That man... the next time I speak to him..."

Something Magatha said broke her worry and furry over the past event. "You said you were the one who gave him those stitches? Those were very well done. You did that?"

Magatha laughed louder, nodding. "So, we were camped out in a mansion. It's not too far from here actually."

They continued to talk and walk, Magatha telling the tale of how she met Jut and where she had learned to treat wounds. The conversation was light and helped Isabelle think more clearly.

When they stopped again, it was in front of a three-story apartment building with a flat roof on the edge of the Safe Zone.

"They put you out here?" Isabelle frowned at the shabby building. It had to be the most run down structure in the Safe Zone.

"Out of sight and out of mind. I'm okay with that. No one wanted to stay here because half of the building is outside the Safe Zone. Come. I'll show you to Brett first, then we can eat."

Magatha had been honest. It was just a fractured arm. Isabelle couldn't treat it completely, but she did reduce the swelling and the child's pain. The young boy fell asleep from the relief shortly there after and Isabelle joined Magatha in the kitchen.

It was already dark outside, so the dining room and kitchen were lit by quite a few candles. Someone had knocked out the wall between two units and Magatha had set up a couple long tables end to end in the now much larger dining room. Many of the kids were waiting patiently around that table.

"Take the first seat on the left, honey, and I'll have this stew out there in no time." Magatha told her.

Isabelle did as instructed. She liked children but being around so many made her a little nervous. Instantly, she was met by a flood of small voices.

"Wow. You're pretty."

"Are you the healer?"

"Are you going to stay the night?"

"How many wounds have you healed?"

The children were all speaking at once, getting quite excited. The little girl closest to her was leaning in, staring at her with wide eyes.

As quickly as their words had crashed upon her, they were all silenced when Magatha spoke.

"That's quite enough, you little heathens. Let the poor girl catch her breath." Magatha said as she sat a pot of stew on the table. Her words were kindly and she was chuckling as she said them.

"Sorry, miss healer" All the children chorused at once.

"It's fine." Isabelle said before answering a few of the kids. She would look at who had asked a question when she answered it.

"I am a healer. I usually work at the Central tent. I won't be staying the night, but I would be glad to eat with you all."

To Isabelle's surprise, after that, the children were well behaved. The food was also amazing. The stew was comforting and well seasoned. She lost track of time as she allowed herself to have a little enjoyment.

It was when she was helping Magatha with the dishes when the grenades went off not too far away. The children screamed until they heard the howls and Magatha and Isabelle looked nervously at each other. It cast the orphanage into a terrified silence.