Chapter Text
Terranova, 2047: The Radiactive Epidemic
Heavy downpour over the chilly night Terranova, a land full of cities states that would devour each other over the slightest issues. Yet, for the longest time since the second Cyberwar, the city states are now at truce with each other. Even when the threat of war between City States is at an all time high, a singular radiation epidemic halted all events that would escalate it.
Confirmed by authorities in Corporalis that the epidemic began in a bar named Blue Oyster Bar, owned by IS-15, that is located in Corporalis due to leak of radioactive material kept within Blue Oyster Bar for some reason.
It is unknown when the leak or spread of the epidemic started but it put the entire population of Terranova in risk. Cancer related cases were on the rise across Terranova due to several outbreaks in city states such as Eiyuu Republic and Corporalis. As such, various different city state research teams came together and developed an experimental foam, later named “Rosavex Compound”, to counter the spread of the epidemic. It did hold back the spread but the casualties caused by the epidemic continue to rise rapidly as the countermeasure is continuously developed to counter the ever evolving radiation epidemic.
But throughout it all, there was only one singular grave dedicated to a mercenary that didn’t make a big name yet was remembered for the wrong reasons. They were just there, forgotten by all, yet remembered by one, a girl who was unable to fully repay her benefactor.
Eiyuu Republic, Terranova, 19th May 2047 (9:25 p.m.)
As heavy downpour rains all over the night sky of Eiyuu Republic, among the busy traffic and bright skyline of Eiyuu Republic, few people can be seen on the street. Either wearing their synthetic raincoat or using semi-transparent umbrellas, they all skipped along quickly as weather slowly worsened, hurried along to get back to the safety and comfort of their home. Especially during this ever worsening epidemic.
Even during these tense and chaotic events, such as the epidemic ongoing, there are still few seeking to find solace on the streets, they wander around aimlessly, seemingly as if they have nothing to lose anymore in this epidemic.
Even in an abandoned district of Eiyuu Republic, the main utilities still function even regarding recent evacuation orders due to nearby small outbreaks and several new missing cases within the city. Many families have left the district yet few stayed here, persisting on staying in the area.
Although there were various notices about the evacuation order, yet at a still lit bus station, a girl was sitting under it, seemingly seeking shelter from the downpour in a quiet and ghostly area. She just wore a white-ish hooded jacket with a dark dress while having her legs curled up into her chest. She hastily pulled down her hoodie and shook her head. Her hair was a mess yet again but underneath it, there were a few stains of sweat that stuck some strands of her hair to her face. She showed signs of exhaustion yet quietly staring at nothingness, as she waited for a bus to come by the area once more, as she just pressed the bus hailing button available at every bus station a moment ago.
Slowly, she twisted her sitting position for a while, taking out a phone from a pocket on the jacket, as she turned it on and stared. On the phone, it only shown a singular line, sent minutes ago, from an unknown number, it only said:
“.... Afraid that there’s some worsening updates about their condition. But currently their condition remains stable but I would suggest visitation and discussion at..."
She just stared at it and slowly put down the phone from her sight. Her once bright red eyes, now dried and seemingly soulless, dimmed down a little, still fixed on that particular line of messages and paid no mind to the surroundings. The once loud downpour around the bus station became a seemingly quiet hum in the background. Her body was twitching from that message that seemed as if it burned into her mind.
She then gripped her phone tightly and brought it up to her head. She then silently muttered, ‘Please be well…’ At the same time, a droplet fell from a leak on the bus station roof and it fell onto her shoulder.
The droplet startled her and made her lose her grip on the phone for a moment, it slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground with a loud thud. That droplet brought her back to her senses for a while, she hurriedly bent down to pick up her phone. Her optical red emberish eyes slowly lit up as she inspected the phone for any potential damages.
‘No damage at all,’ She was relieved, ‘Thank god.’
She then put away the phone in her pocket. As if attempting to regain her composure, she then brought her hands up towards her face and clapped it hard. She shut her eyes for a while, her hands still holding her face. And it worked for a moment as she attempted to toughen up herself but yet unable to due to the message that is still kept circulating in her mind.
While trying to regain her composure, the downpour slowly receded. The rain has been ongoing for a while now, although it wasn’t as heavy as before but now it was quieter than moments ago. She then pulled down her hands and placed them on the lap. Now composed, she then sat there, heart anxiously, waiting for the arrival of the bus.
After what seemed to be minutes, felt as if it had been hours for her, the bus had finally arrived. It appeared to be the remaining active shuttle for the night shift. The girl, now stood up from her seat, and entered the bus. Inside the bus, there were a few passengers, all who seemed disheveled and most of which had passed out from tiredness.
The bus driver just noticed her, and asked the girl, “Lady, where are you heading?”
“Amatsu Imperial Medical Centre,” the girl replied bluntly.
“That would be the last stop for this line,” the bus driver told her and her hand motioned towards the ticketing machine, “That would amount to be 650 credits, please pay by card, or whatever you youngsters are using nowadays.” She scoffed.
The girl looked at the bus driver and nodded. She went over to the machine and waved her hand over it, as she was chipped with an implant for making these transactions. The red light on the machine turned green and it printed out her ticket. She then took the ticket from the machine, and turned away from the driver.
“Enjoy your ride, lady.”
The girl then found an empty seat and sat on it. She took down her hoodie and turned her face toward the window to look at the scene outside. She wasn’t really paying much attention to the surroundings as the bus started driving off into the brightly lit city skyline of the main district.
Amatsu Imperial Medical Centre, Eiyuu Republic City Centre, 10:35 p.m.
Around an hour since her departure from the bus station, the bus had come to a stop. It had finally arrived at Amatsu Imperial Medical centre’s bus station, and she stepped off the bus as she was the final passenger.
As the bus drove off into the night, she was now left alone at the bus station. She wasn’t prepared to go into the centre just yet, as her mind raced through countless possibilities and outcomes that couldn’t bore well for the visited patient.
She signed and gripped her fist tightly before heading into the centre. There, she quickly wore her mask, procured from her jacket’s pocket, and headed over to the reception counter. Over there, a nurse was working at the counter, focused on the work in his terminal. The girl then approached him at the counter then asked for the patient’s room and if they are currently accepting any visitations.
“Ah, you must be the patient's aide,” The nurse replied, without looking away from their terminal. He lifted his right arm and pointed in that direction. “He’s currently available and accepting visitors, and also please keep yourself safe during visitation in that area.” Later, he looked away from the monitor and motioned at someone behind him and then pointed at the girl.
Soon, a nurse came out from the counter's side door and approached the girl. The nurse then offered to guide the girl towards the visitation room of the patient.
As they walked towards and down the hallway, the girl seemed to notice that the area is filled with various hazardous bins, filled to the brim with the Rosavex Foam, as if containing whatever that was attempting to leak from the bin itself. Later on, they went up a floor using the staircase down the hallway and it, too, was filled with bags and bins of the same foam.
During the entire trip to the patient room, the girl could hear many patients’ rapid breathing as some doors weren't fully closed, and some had a loud hum of their medical equipment, keeping them alive, and slowing down the epidemic as it was eating them alive. Both of them finally arrived at the Intensive Care Section where the supposed patient was located.
They both stopped outside of a unit numbered at 069, where then the nurse finally called the girl and told her some of the procedure of the visitation. She then also told her that the accompanying doctor would be later entering the room as well since they were notified of her visit. The nurse then bowed down and left her alone in the hallway.
Once alone, she then paused and read the name plate outside of the patient room.
‘Yuno Gasai”
She then slowly pressed the button on the sliding door, and then she went in. In there, on the bed sat the person who she was visiting. Yuno, his eyes still shut, resting on bed with a seated position, was hooked up with various life-support equipment, being nested in his right arm. His left arm is now refitted with a synthetic arm due to overt augmentation removal, and thus doesn’t have any needles in them.
His hair was messy yet silvery white but they are losing their saturation due to the intensive chemotherapy he has been doing for the past few weeks. One of the machines was steadily supplying him with fresh blood to replace what has been lost within. Looking at this, the girl’s heart slowly sank as she slowly approached him and sat on a stool next to his bed side.
Her eyes now looked at Yuno intensively, seeing how weak he had become, and how much suffering that he has been through before. She was saddened at this sight yet unable to bring herself to tears so as to not disturb his peaceful sleep. Yet her hands, unable to hold back her urge, placed itself on his resting hand on the bed side. Her hands then slowly gripped his hand in a hold, carefully and slowly, she lifted his hand up as it touched her forehead.
By then, she wasn’t able to hold herself, and water began to fill her eyes. She silently cried on the spot with water now dripping more and more on her dress. She wasn’t able to stop and her grip on his hand had shaken somewhat.
Yuno slowly stirred awake from the girl’s constant shaking, with his eyes now opened, he then slowly shifted his gaze towards her. He showed a face of saddened expression as he couldn’t bear to keep watching her cry for his sake. Yuno then moved his free arm and placed his hand on her hair then stroked it to calm her down.
The girl, then startled, looked at Yuno, still tearful, slowly released her grip on his hand. She was still sobbing then suddenly embraced him gently. Yuno then moved his hands around and returned the hug with one of his arms, while the other placed on her hair and patted her.
“Shhh… Hush now,” Yuno spoke weakly as he continued to pat her head, “Estelia…” He called her, “Please, stop crying for now…” He coughed, “...It’s been a while since we met face to face. So…”
The girl, Estelia, now released her grip on his body and slowly straightened herself back on the chair. She then noticed her tears had stained Yuno’s robe, and turned away in embarrassment and began to wipe her tears. As she attempted to regain her composure, Yuno observed her and watched her with a smile on his face still.
“So, how have things been?” He started, his posture shifted to more of a relaxed posture.
“... It’s…,” Estelia began yet she couldn’t procure her words. She paused and looked at Yuno with reddened eyes, then continued, “... It's been well.”
“Is that so? I thought you wouldn’t be able to survive in the wider Terranova,” He joked, “Since you just recently asked to be my aide weeks prior.”
“Funny, I did some mercenary work in your absence,” She replied, sharply, “I did what you advised me. ‘Do some jobs to earn your keep here.’”
“I don’t remember having said that, and who even taught you that?”
“I made it up,” Estelia smirked, “Besides it’s you who taught me how to survive.” She answered, with a hint of regret, as she slowly looked down at the floor.
Yuno signed, with a palm on his face, and now turned his gaze away from her. He was relieved that she was doing well, even without him. He recalled a time when she was helpless on the street, scouring for a living, as if there was no hope, years ago. But he shook his head, and patted her on the head.
“You did well… Proud of you.”
Estelia blushed as she was being patted yet again. Her hands then slowly moved towards his hand to hold it in place. She wanted it to stay a little bit longer like this.
Then, a few knocks could be heard on the door. The sliding door then opened, with a doctor now entering the room while holding onto a report. He looked at the scene before and coughed for a while. Estelia hurriedly removed Yuno’s hand from her head and regained her composure. Yuno, on the other hand, just silently laughed it off, while looking towards the doctor.
“Dr. Minh Vũ,” Yuno greeted him, and then asked, “How’s….”
Dr. Minh Vũ then approached Yuno’s bed with a grim expression. He was flipping through a few pages and then paused before looking at him. He started, “Yuno… Your condition, well, how do I put this…” He paused then continued, “... You aren’t really doing too well… Even with the Chemo…”
Yuno stared, horrified at his words, and asked, “Please clarify,,, and also…” He then looked at Estelia then at the doctor, as if conveying a message. The doctor noticed and nodded, “She can stay and listen. She might… need to know what you have to go through…”
Estelia, confused, looked around, darting between the doctor and Yuno. Dr. Minh Vũ then proceeded to deliver the news.
“Yuno, I’m sorry to be the bearer of this news but… Your cancer treatment, well, couldn’t hold back the spread of the cancer cells anymore….” He paused, now flipped through a couple of pages more, and redirected his gaze back towards him. “The cells would spread and effectively shut down most of your organs in the next few days. So,...”
Estelia, hearing this, distraught as she couldn’t believe the news. She was about to say something but Yuno, seeing this, placed his hand on her shoulder. She then looked back and saw him shaking his head. He then turned back to the doctor and asked, “Please… tell me the next step… of the treatment.”
The doctor nodded and finished it by, “Yuno, you need to be placed in an Isolated Intensive Care bed, to further prevent the continuous spread of the cancer cells, and…” He breathed in, unprepared to deliver the final part of his news, “... You won’t be able to communicate with anyone afterwards… That is until you have been fully treated, you will be in a comatose state for your treatment and safety.”