Aches and Fai

Lucy groaned as she slowly fluttered her eyes open. She heard faint voices in the hallway though she couldn't make out what they were saying. She tried to sit up, but the aches of pain from her back and arm gave her different ideas. As she winced, she lied back down and looked around the room. It was the guild's medical wing, its wooden walls stained with small blotches of blood were unmissable to Lucy. As she rested on the medical bed, she heard the voices in the hallway get fainter.

"God everything aches…", Lucy said to herself.

A little laugh came next to her, "I guess it would after that…". Eliza moved onto her side, rustling the sheets of the bed. "You're awake now, that's such great news", Eliza smiled.

Lucy moved gently to face Eliza, "Sorry I didn't see you; I couldn't really see everything." Lucy laughed gently, "I'm glad you're alright too", she said.

"Oh! Where's everyone else? They're okay too, right? Hailey's fine?"

Eliza looked down onto the floor, not wanting to look at Lucy's eyes. "Well… it's quite complicated after what we just pulled". Eliza put her hand up to her mouth, "Olivia and Hailey are really hurt. I and Alerian got lucky…we just got knocked out on accident because mister Silverman thought we were Fafnir pups".

"So, they're not fine…I'm sorry this is my fault I shouldn't have done something so risky like that".

"No, it's not your fault! Olivia might've been against it, but we all wanted to help you out of there! We all did. It's not your fault you were attacked."

Lucy looked saddened still, as she rolled back into a comfortable position.

"How long has it been?"

"About a week…I just woke up yesterday and told me that they're keeping me for a few more days to check that my head doesn't hurt after what Silverman did."

"Okay…thanks…"

They sat there for a while.

"They said that the wound on your back would leave a scar…"

"That's fine…"

Eliza stared at the girl next to her, 'What is she thinking…'.

Lucy stared up into the ceiling, as she thought about the house in the cave and the photos.

'That might be me…I need to ask Mister Jarvis…I need to know why there are images of me like this!'

'…I also need to say sorry to the others…', Lucy thought.

***

Alerian and Olivia looked at each other.

'Maynir…she's making this so awkward…', Alerian thought.

Olivia sighed, "Look who decided to finally wake up…"

"Hey! I just woke up give me a break. I don't even know what's going on right now."

Olivia furrowed her brow, "A lot of bad things, involving our families now."

"Damnit…I didn't want the old man to know."

"Well maybe a week out on the wilderness would attract their attention on us missing.", she said grasping the blanket tightly, her knuckles going whiter.

Alerian sighed, "Are you upset or something about that…you came with us."

"Tch…it doesn't matter now…we're screwed…"

"What do you mean by that?" Alerian questioned.

"I mean that the whitewater family is going to have our heads unless I can think of something!"

"Great…I wake up only to enter family drama…"

"This involves you to you nitwit! Remember that we're engaged!"

Alerians eyes widened in fear, "Why'd you have to remind me! Crap!".

"Look…we'll deal with it when we get home and see what our respective families have to say".

Alerian shrunk in defeat, "Yeah yeah…"

Olivia crossed her arms, "And don't you dare tell them about my ignition."

"Huh? Why wouldn't you want your family to know…"

"…. It seems me and my family value different things…"

"What?"

Olivia threw a book at his face, "Shut up and just go along with it!"

"O-Okay!".

***

Ozer stood in front of the guild's medical wing, rubbing the fabric of his purple scarf between his fingers, tapping his foot as he waited. He'd been there all day waiting for Jarvis to arrive. He just didn't have the patience today.

"How long does he assume I'll stay patient…I apologize for this Fai", he said.

A small white-cloaked figure sitting on a chair looked up at him, the hood of the cloak obscuring their face. Fai got off the chair and started to look around the common area.

"It's ok! I think he'll be here soon!", said a chipper and happy voice.

Ozer sighed before smiling, "Yeah you would be the optimistic one here. It's time to check for ignitions today so are you sure you're up to the challenge Fai?".

"I always am!", she grabbed a cup and started throwing it up and catching it, "It'll be interesting to see the new ones anyway, plus that girl that you told me about."

Ozer leaned onto the wall, "You'd be correct…that girl has untapped potential."

The doors to the guildhall opened as Jarvis stepped out. He looked disgruntled, irritated, and a mess. His normally well-kept hair looked as if he shocked himself with electricity, the bags under his eyes even more profound and darker. It was obvious he had buried himself in work.

"My dear Jarvis you look amazing today!", Ozer snickered.

"What do you want Ozer…", Jarvis scowled.

"You're going to check on your daughter correct?"

"You are right…but it does not involve you. I already gave you my answer to your request about Lucy going to your school. If this is about this then I suggest you leave. I'd like to see my daughter now." Jarvis reached for the door to the medical wing.

Ozer put his arm onto the door, "Now don't be like that dear friend, I'm also worried about her well being seeing how she snuck out into the forest of death. I'm just here to see if any of her companions awoke any ignitions. As you know it is the responsibility of any educational foundation close by to send someone to check for ignitions after what we assume is a major event in someone's life", Ozer smiled as he pushed his glasses back. "I do think that sneaking out into a death trap and living through it would constitute a major moment in someone's life. I'm here on grounds of education."

Jarvis eyed Ozer before moving his arm away from the door, "So that little thing traveling with you- "

Ozer cut him off, "Ah that's Fai! Fai come here!", he leaned into Jarvis and whispered, "Her ignition senses other ignitions. It's quite fortunate that my school has enough sensor type ignitors."

Fai ran over, skidding to a stop in front of them, and as she raised her arms, the oversized cloak drooped down her arms, "Hello there! You're done with your meeting with the parents of the children we'll be seeing today! Yay!"

"How did you know that…?" Jarvis questioned.

"I wish I could tell you myself my dear friend, but it seems Fai experiences some sort of feeling when her ignitions active that tells her a few minutes into the future." Ozer rubbed his chin.

He then opened the door to the medical wing, "Now then shall we!"

Fai happily skipped her way down into the wing, Ozer following behind.

"Hey, you two can't just barge in there! And what was that part about the future!"

"Ah damnit…" Jarvis said under his breath as he ran to catch up to the two.

"So, who do you want to start with first!", Fai shouted, lifting her sleeves up to expose to small little hands.

Ozer's eyes lit up, "Let's begin with Jarvis's daughter", Ozer cleared his throat, "Would you take us to little Lucy?'

"You said her companions. That's it"

"Well might as well get a free scan to see if what she has truly is an ignition."

Fai kicked open a door, "Hello!"

Jarvis quickly ran over, "You can't just kick the door open we have patients here! What if it was someone else!", he shouted.

"Well, what do you mean this is their room!" Fai giggled.

"Lucy you're awake!"