“Looks like you’re already making new friends.” Andrea said.
“Yeah, it honestly is a surprise to me as well. Although I recognized her during the mission. She was the one I saved before one of those Desperado guys tried to kill her. I honestly never thought I would meet up with her again her of all place.” Saul said.
“Do you know her name at least?” Andrea asked.
“Jonna. Jonna Marie Corday.” Saul answered.
“That’s a mouthful.” She replied.
“She said that she used to live in the Eastern City. And it was a bit hard to communicate with her since she doesn’t speak English. She speaks French. I know it to some degree but not enough to hold up a decent conversation. Well…. As decent then what my teacher taught me back in school. And I’m not looking forward to learning French II once summer break is over.” Saul complained.
“So you’re taking French classes back in your world?” Andrea asked.
“Yeah, it’s a required course that we have to take in each semester all the way up until we graduate. I know Spanish and Italian pretty well. But learning French and Latin is a whole different story. I honestly envy the people who are extremely fluent multilingual.” Saul with some grief in his voice.
“Is that so?” Andrea said.
Saul and Andrea continue their conversation as they make their way through the halls. Although, as they pass by, some of Andrea was a bit, be wary about Andrea’s “patient”. Out of all things to prioritize, they rarely see her pyritizing herself with one patient the most than the all other under her care. Why does a child who they never heard about suddenly getting special treatment? Andrea has noticed they eyeing at her and Saul as well. Before long, she opened a portal that led straight back to her room.
“Is there a reason they have been staring at us from this morning?” Saul asked.
“You noticed too huh?” Andrea asked.
“Hard to not notice. Are they always like this?” Saul asked.
“They’re mostly concerning on why am I of all people taking care of you while I should be running the rest of crew and helping everyone else.” Andrea said.
“Why not let one of them take care of me if you need a break?” Saul asked.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Andrea yells.
The yell itself startled Saul for how furious she was in her voice. But then she quickly calmed down and pulled her hair back as some bits of her flipped out in front of her face when realized her outburst.
“I mean no. Do not forget Saul, I know that you’re a human being but everyone else in my staff does not know that you are one. Should they find out that you are a human, there’s no telling how much they’re willing to experiment on you if they find out that you are human. And believe me, I am much the same. You have no idea how many times I had Xin and Miyoko stop me in my tracks for wanting to experiment on you because of your regenerative powers now.” She said as she clutches Saul’s head tightly with a devilish grin on her face.
“….noted.” he said nervously.
She then let goes of Saul’s head and helps him off of his wheelchair and helped him get comfy in bed while she returned to her desk at the corner of the bedroom. Which the documents seem to have doubled in length. Though it didn’t bother her at the least as she continues to work on it as if nothing. Once she finished writing them, she stacks a few of them together and sends them through a smaller portal. Likely messages and reports to the other doctors in the facility. Saul wanted to speak up if he could help but he probably is scolded for not getting rest like instructed. Still, this really puzzled him about Andrea.
She has a sadistic nature to her yet she’s helping a lot of people under her care. She’s running a whole operation and yet she’s not even phased by it. She might have been doing it for a long time. Though why? Why did she choose to be a doctor with her sadistic nature? Was it by choice or something else? Saul laid back on the bed and let out a big sigh and zoned out a bit. Not paying attention to how much time has passed by until Andrea poked the side of his head to which Saul snaps back into reality.
“You’ve been lost in your head kiddo.” She teased.
“Sorry, I was just thinking.” He said.
“About what?” she asked.
“Well…”
His mind was still clouded with the question in his head. But he didn’t want to ask right away without coming out as if he was rude. However, Andrea was getting impatient as she gave him a stern look and was waiting for a response from her. Saul then stomachs and swallowed his guilt and asked him.
“How exactly do you do it? Helping this many people all by yourself?” He asked nervously.
Andrea didn’t respond to him. Saul feared that he might have stepped on a sensitive subject for her to answer. Andrea then reaches towards her chest and pulls out a cigarette. She was attempted to light it but then, without thinking. Saul snatches the cigarette from her mouth despite his arms were still deeply injured. Even rushing the movement of his arm was painful enough for him to pull off.
“Cig… Cigarettes are bad for your health.” Saul nervously said.
Andrea slowly turns and gave him a stern look. She sighed and pulled out another cigarette from her chest and lights it. This time, out of reach from Saul as she got and walks over to her desk. She took in a deep breath and puffs some smoke from her mouth. She then sat in her chair as she takes another huff at the cigarette and exhales the smoke.
“Here’s my question. Why do you want to help that girl you were with at the courtyard?” she asked.
“What how does-“
“Answer my question. And then depending on your answer, I’ll give you mine.” She said. Saul with little choice came up with his own answer.
“Well, I guess I just feel sorry for her. After saving her, talking with her, and learning where she comes from and why she can’t talk. I can’t help but sympathize with her situation. Knowing that she has been through so much, I want to help her, somehow. Call me generic or even naive for this thinking something like this but. I figured if I can help someone, I can help people out. If I can with what I can do.” Saul said anxiously.
Expecting to hear an answer, but Andrea sat in her chair in silence. She turns around and hangs her legs up on her desk and inhales another puff of smoke. She contemplates what to say to him as she twists her foot left to right as she puts out the cigarette in her ashtray. She then turns towards Saul and crossed her legs as she waves her hand as a projection of the courtyard forms in front of him.
“What do you see?” She asked.
“The patients?” He answered.
“Do you still feel sorry and pity them?” she asked.
“Of course.” He replied.
Andrea then motions her hand as the scenery of the courtyard changed dramatically. There were more patients as they were scattered everywhere and even being operated out in the open. Many of the doctors were breaking out in tears as some of them gave up on operating on the patient. Others did nothing as they just stood there and held their patient’s hands as they slowly pass on. Saul was horrified of what he was witnessing but then realized what he was seeing isn’t what’s happening right now. The projection then stopped as it zoomed on the doctor who was holding on to his patient’s hand.
“Feeling “sorry” and pitying people is not enough to save lives such as these. If you really want to make a real difference in this world you either help those in need while you can with action. Not sentiment. Having pity on those who are in this state will only their pay feel worse. While I understand that you want to help those in need. Know this; you can only help so many people, but you can’t save everyone because then, you would be saving no one. Only your self-esteem and that integrity to have “pity” on those that are lower than you. I took this job not just as a job, but to take the course of action. If no one starts to make a difference in helping those in need. Then this is the result of not taking action. Doctors such as him, who let their patients and only pities them out of grief.” She said.
Saul was left speechless on what she said. He couldn’t muster anything to say back to her. Andrea then motions her hand again as the projections fade away.
“While it’s admirable that you’re helping that girl, know that you can’t heal away the scars left on her soul. They’ll fade but they’ll never leave you alone. They’re a part of who you are. Helping her would only ease the pain if only a little. Then by all means, do what you can. But know that you can’t heal everything.” Andrea said.
She then got up and walked out of the room. Saul remained silent as he clenches his fists hard enough for his arms to draw some blood through his bandages. Despite what she said, he still wasn’t going to give up on helping Joanna. He’ll help, in whatever form he could do. Meanwhile. Andrea walked down a deserted corridor hallway as the walls had portraits of students from her days at the academy. Several of them are working under her as doctors while others, never made it to graduation day. She stopped as she sees a portrait phot was on the ground. She picked it up and sighed as she knew this wasn’t the first time this portrait fell off of the wall. Burnt, beyond recognition, and the plaque barely visible to show the student’s name. However, she knew who it belonged. She rubs off the smudges on the plaque as it reads, Yuria Lautrec. She signed, and hangs the portrait back on the wall, and places her hand on the burnt portrait as she has flashbacks of her final days with Yuria. Battling across the academy it as she was deranged and full of hate towards Andrea. She desperately tried to get the upper but failed as she was overpowered and was expelled from the academy and banished from the south for her destructive nature and attempt to take Andrea’s life.
“I couldn’t save you from your own ego and lunacy. If things were different, both of us would still be here helping people.”
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