" Puff?" I said confused as I saw a giant tail wrapped around me.
" Mmm I am here sapling" A windy voice replied.
I held Kibbles in my arms as I tried to stand.
" Don't stand too quickly, you have been asleep for a whole week".
I followed the voice to see it was Lady Yu who had extended a hand toward me.
I looked around the room.
Ren and Ki were looking at me but standing a respectful distance from the dragon who was currently the size of a house.
The area was just as I remembered it except for the way Puff was looking, the obelisk tree was nowhere to be found.
I took Lady Yu's hand.
It was very warm.
After we moved away from Puff, he too stood up. The floor rumbled with each step he took, his massive eye fixated on me for a moment before he made a low guttural growl. It was, as I could only presume, a dragons yawn.
Puff's mouth had opened wide and finally a bright green light shone in all directions. Puffs body began to sprout twigs, branches and a trunk. About a minute later he was backing to standing as a tree.
Then there was a thrum in the room that I had not heard earlier and the sense of calm that I had first felt upon entering had returned.
"I need some rest sapling, although your journey was a trying one you have made it back in one piece. You will be an excellent student next year. Good luck, I must rest now and regain my strength!" Puff had finished on.
I bowed to the tree who had obviously spent a lot of energy to look after me.
" My mother and father, they must be worried where are they?" I turned to Lady Yu and asked politely.
" This room is not the place to talk, your servants are here. Have them follow us to the nurses office" Lady Yu said in her usual tone.
[ Not the room to talk? ]
" Has something happened?!" I said in a concerned voice.
I looked at Lady Yu who just stared back at me and then to Ren and Ki who had just looked away.
" Nurses office first." Yu restated in a firm voice.
" Yes Teacher" I replied.
Yu had taken me to Ki and Ren's side before dropping her arm. Ki looked at me before she wrapped her arms around me tightly.
Her body temperature was much warmer than mine.
" Young Master, It is good to see you!" she said still hugging me.
" Mm it is good to see you too" I replied as I returned her embrace.
After we parted Ren too had pulled me into a hug and said nothing.
Ren had not really ever hugged me before.
It was then I realised something was terribly wrong.
" What has happened?" I said to Ren.
" Yu is right we should have checked out first" Ren replied as he let go.
I took a final look at Puff who had been by my side as we left and headed to the nursing section of the school.
We walked through different corridors and used the teleport system. My stomach hit the floor for a moment before we arrived in a white hall.
It looked very much like an old fashioned hospital.
Yu had said a few words to one of the staff members and I was taken into a room.
Ki stood a respectful distance behind me as she showed off her formal maid training. Ren on the other hand was walking next to me. His face stood firmer than usual. It was as if he was acting like a bodyguard.
Kibbles on the other hand was standing on my shoulder like a parrot with his tail wrapped around my neck.
Although I was confused and a little worried since nobody was telling me anything, I had to admit I was extremely reassured by the sight of them.
We had finally gotten to a room that the staff member had pointed us to.
" You two please wait outside " Lady Yu said to Ki and Ren.
" We refuse!" they replied in unison.
[ Strange…]
" I know you are worried but he is perfectly safe here" Yu replied.
"But- " Ren retorted.
Before he could finish I looked at the duo and put on my best plastic smile.
" It is only a check up I will be out before you know it " I said as sweetly as I could.
" Yes young master!" Ki and Ren had replied before formally saluting and curtsying.
[ Something is definitely off ]
My thoughts wandered as I took one last look at the pair as Lady Yu gestured me to go inside.
I couldn't tell you what half the equipment in the room was. There was vials and concoctions lining the walls, a few simple beds and a desk.
A man with white hair and faded green robes was inside scribbling in a book.
He didn't seem to realise I was in the room.
So I coughed to get his attention.
" That cough, wasn't real. You are not trying to get out of class are you? " the voice of the old man sounded. It's raspiness was firm but pleasant.
He reminded me of a kind old grandfather from films that I had seen as he turned around.
" No sir, I need a check up" I replied quickly.
[ You should be kind to your elders! ]
" Name?" The man replied with a raised eyebrow.
" Aikyo Yuki " I replied as I saluted politely.
" Ahh, the sleeping maiden has awakened! I see, I see. My name is Dr Takahashi. Please take a seat"
" Takahashi? Would you happen to have children called Itsuki and Sakura?" I said as I sat down.
[ Is he a Takahashi? As in the family that are known to be able to cure any wounds? ]
" Oh? How young do you think I am? They are my grandchildren!" Dr Takahashi said with a laugh.
A white light engulfed his hand as he took my pulse.
[ LIGHT MAGIC? ]
[Light magic is a very rare form of magic. This guy has basically hit the healing power jackpot! ]
A warmth spread through me like no other and my joints and muscles instantly felt relaxed. I hadn't even realised that my jaw had been clenched a little until it had relaxed.
" You are underfed but everything else seems healthy, oh wait, your heart… hmm" Dr Takahashi said after a moment.
" You have had this issue for a while yes?" Takahashi said after humming some more.
" Yes all my life, it was an issue at birth sir" I said as I looked at him.
Dr Takahashi stood up and walked over to a cabinet with a shuffle, he had a slightly bent back, a sign of age as he searched through shelf after shelf.
" Oh yes here we go, Rank 8 beast Timat tail!, Boy take off your shirt! " He said as he pulled out a jar of goo.
I watched as he grabbed this and that out of the cabinets like a child at a candy store as I unbuttoned my upper clothing.
He then tossed everything into a mortar and pestle before applying light magic to the concoction.
Finally he boiled parts inside a flask with blue liquid and combined it all together.
With one last jolt of magic whatever he had made was ready.
" Right one heart elixir, drink up child!" the doctor said as he smiled.
" Wait what?" I stammered.
" You need your ticker, tocking right? This should fix it!" Takahashi said as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
" Mother and Father said that it was impossible to find something here to cure my heart!" I said flabbergasted.
" They didn't have access to this school's medical facilities until now did they? " Takahashi said with a wink.
I was utterly bewildered as I took the medical solution from Dr Takahashi. I was utterly skeptical however, I think if I were to tell mother and father that my heart was better as a surprise they would be overjoyed!
" Drink it all up and don't leave a drop!" Dr Takahashi said as he walked behind me with some needles.
As I started drinking I felt the cool liquid fall into my stomach before running rampantly to my heart.
There was a slight sting on my back from what I could only imagine was Dr Takahashi doing acupuncture.
My heart began to beat wildly with a heavy thump.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
My chest ached as I could feel my heart growing stronger. I clutched my chest and clamped my jaw shut because the pain was just as bad as when I had a heart attack.
All of a sudden my chest became numb, before finally it had all passed.
Everything was over in just a moment.
I was confused as I turned around and looked at man who had just finished pulling acupuncture needles out of my back. A slight sweat was on his brow.
He sat back down on his seat and took my pulse again.
" Alright, you're in tip top condition again. Your heart is fully fixed. Don't train for a few days however or their may be some sight discomfort" Dr Takahashi said as he began to write a prescription.
[ Fully.. Healed? ]
I looked at the doctor for a moment before repeating what he had just said. " Fully healed? My heart?"
" Yes! Now get out of here, I have a new patient coming in soon!" Takahashi replied.
" Uhh Thank you Dr Takahashi." I said in shock as I put my shirt on, bowed robotically and left the room.
" How did it go?" Ren said after he looked at my pale face.
" Where do I begin?" I replied still in shock.