Chapter 280: Stitches
Iris looked up at her home in the distance, sighing she walked up to the door, carefully looking around before slipping in and locking the door behind her.
Groaning she walked up to the light switch, flipping it on and turned around
"Aah!"
She shrieked, falling on her back.
"Stop doing that !"
She complained, getting up and wiping off her butt
She’d been so worried about whether or not he’d come back but here he was on her couch in the dark before she even got here
Quickly regaining her composure, she looked towards him, asking
"So you took care of your thing?"
He sighed, looking up.
"You ask a lot of stupid questions"
She was a bit suprised he’d talked, pausing for a second before responding.
"Yeah well I wouldn’t have to if you just took me with you"
Zaine rolled his eyes, the sharp crimson catching the light.
She took a step forward, wincing as she clutched her abdomen.
He looked down, noticing she was still in pain. Zen had helped her with a rudimentary cover back then but it could still get infected
"And of course that black gooey freak isn’t here when you need him"
Black could’ve stitched up the injuries from the inside no problem but right now it was inoperative, just like the first time it’d consumed Clyde’s watch. Apparently it was assimilating the ones it had consumed, and it was a lengthy process. He’d put it in the shadow realm to go through it. Hopefully, with even more bodies as sustenance. Apparently proper protein was rather important for this process.
"Get over here"
He groaned, pulling out a first aid kit from his ring. He might not care much for the kid but he couldn’t let her die. A contract was a contract, and Neo made sure that his sister’s safety was included in the terms.
He could check her status and luckily she didn’t have any infections,so this wouldn’t be any harder.
Opening the box he first brought out an antiseptic solution to clean it with first.
"Lift your shirt"
She was a bit hesitant, looking at the clear solution.
"It’s gonna hurt, isn’t it?"
"Not as much as I’ll hurt you if you don’t hurry up"
She quickly pulled her shirt off, wincing as the would was exposed to the air. He quickly grabbed her hands while they were up, holding them together in one of his then ripping off the temporary bandages Zen had put on and pouring the solution all over the cut area.
She yelled, instinctively trying to pull away and even kicking to get him to let go but he didn’t budge.
Next he picked up some wipes and started cleaning it.
The stinging pain was almost unbearable for her but he didn’t care. It was either this or let it get infected.
A few minutes later and he was done. With a groan he let her go before putting down the wipes.
Breathing heavily with tears in her eyes, she asked.
"Is...is it over?"
"The hell are you so pissy for? The cut itself probably hurt more than this"
"... Actually...I didn’t even feel it"
He shook his head and brought out a small plastic box.
As soon as he opened it, Iris started considering escape, gulping as her eyes locked on the sterile silver needle, glinting in the room’s artificial light.
"How old are you?"
"Uh..."
"Answer the damn question"
"I’m eleven... and a half"
He looked at the wound and then at her face.
"Close enough"
As soon as she heard that she was about to book it when he handed her a bottle out of his ring.
"W-what is this?"
She asked, smelling it and leaning back in disgust.
"I can’t do this part with you scrambling about"
He said, bringing out a pill and giving it to her
"Take a big drink of that and swallow the pill. It’s a painkiller "
"Okay, but what’s the drink?"
"Stop asking stupid questions "
She looked down at the bottle and slowly taking a big gulp, dropping the pill into her mouth and swallowing.
"Good, now take another sip"
She groaned but didn’t complain, taking a small sip.
He grabbed the bottle from her, putting it back in the ring.
"Sit down "
She nodded,dropping into the chair. He gently caught her, laying her on her back.
Theia appeared floating over her head
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"I feel funny... and... dizzy "
She sighed, feeling like they were on the boundary of something insanely immoral. Hopefully the pill does its work and there’s no permanent consequences to this
"You were very brave today Iris. I’m very proud of you. And grumpy pants over there is proud of you too"
"...mnnn...You’re pretty"
"Oh,thank you. You’re really pretty too, Iris"
"Am I gonna have a scar?"
"Uh... well... Maybe a little one?"
Iris giggled
"Cool, but wait,then I won’t be pretty anymore"
She said with a dramatic gasp
"Oh, that’s not true, you’ll always be pretty silly"
"No, you’re lying"
Theia looked down and Zaine was already halfway done with the stitch. She just had to keep the loopy little girl preoccupied
"Why would I lie? I’m looking at you right now and you’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen"
"You mean it?"
She asked with a sniff.
"I promise. And between you and me..."
She leaned in to whisper
"I have a scar too "
Iris gave a toothy smile.
"You’re nice. You wanna know my secret?"
Theia nodded.
"I don’t wanna be pretty "
"Really?"
"I wanna be strong."
"Is that so?"
She nodded
"Will my scar make me strong?"
"Uhhhhhhhh... yes"
"Yaaay. I’m gonna be strong. And then... and then I’m gonna hurt them "
"Who’s them?"
Iris let out a pitiful whine
"Will you stay with me? I’m scared"
"Of course. I promise "
A few minutes later the little girl was fast asleep and Zaine was done.
He returned the first aid kit and everything in it, stretching on the couch.
"I can’t believe we just did that?"
Theia said, looking mortified
He rolled his eyes.
"Oh, don’t you dare ignore me. We just got a child drugged and gave her alcohol"
He shrugged
"She’s alive. And I drank alcohol and poison way before her age"
"Yeah cuz you turned out so great, didn’t you?"
Logically speaking Theia knew she’d probably be fine, still this wouldn’t reflect well on them if ten years from now the girl became an alcoholic.
"Why wasn’t she infected "
He suddenly changed the subject.
"I’m... not sure. What differentiates her from the other three... That’s literally everything "
She sighed, facepalming .
"Or ... maybe. The first time that fire guy infected the other one, he stabbed him through the heart, and you’d already hurt the gold guy. Maybe you need to be near death for it to work "
Zaine felt like it was possible. How could he test it though
"Maybe it was just a fluke."
"..."
Possible.
He pulled out the small vial of plague that Zen swiped for himself, looking at it.
[Read]
[?????]
"Typical"
He turned to Theia
"So I just stick someone with this and kaboom?"
"I don’t know. Probably. We don’t know what happens when someone takes only a little bit"
He groaned, frustrated.
"Well what the hell do you know?!"
Theia furrowed her brow
"Well I know you’re an asshole, and I know you won’t be going back to school in a while. Just cuz I’m your assistant doesn’t mean I have to take your bullshit "
She said before disappearing into the system.
He groaned, putting the vial down and looking at his empty wrist.
Now that was another problem
Time moved much faster in the shadow realm but he didn’t know how long it’d take for Black to come back.
Meaning his absence from school had officially been extended till further notice. Hopefully he wasn’t expelled by the time he was able to go back. Even he understood the value of that place despite his hatred for it
He looked at his status
[LV 28]
Evolution number three was right within his grasp. He’d have to get it before he returned back. For now, he had to figure out what to do with himself.
He turned to look any Iris, sighing as he saw her turning in her sleep.
He grabbed a few pillows, arranging them so she wouldn’t disturb the stitch
"Damn kids"
He muttered under his breath, moving to the opposite corner of the room and sitting on the floor.
He held out his own hand, forming a shard like blade of Astra in his hand.
"You need a name"
He muttered, sticking it into the ground.
He watched and waited for a few seconds as it stayed instead of dissipating instantly.
"Interesting"
He muttered, grabbing it and crushing it in his hands.
"He’d once again been reminded that he knew little to nothing about his powers.
Sighing, he closed his eyes, keeping his awareness up as energy started to flow through him.