'Give me a damn break...!' thought Peridot, her eyes as desperate as her soul.
Peridot had undergone so many medical procedures that her brain was at its limit. Shamelessly, she held the hand of the stern woman, mimicking her movements perfectly and adapting them to her anatomy.
She hadn't had time to think about anything else except simulating a human body.
'I will never wear pink again.' The image of the stoic Lion appeared in her mind as a symptom of PTSD. It was because of Lion that she was in this terrible situation.
The hospital team saw her as a traumatized child. Peridot knew they were seriously misunderstanding her, but there was nothing she could do about it.
'What should I say? That I'm an alien from another planet with a mental illness? The reality is even more unbelievable.' she thought sarcastically.
After automating some vital processes in her gem, such as heartbeats and breathing, Peridot finally became aware of her surroundings.
It was a small white room with a window, several medications around, and a desk next to her bed. A small metallic object was on her index finger, and a mask on her face provided oxygen.
Bandages covered her body and face, and she was wearing a typical hospital gown. There was only one person in the room: the stern woman from earlier.
The stern woman was affectionately stroking her hair with a gentleness that contrasted with her initial appearance.
Peridot felt guilt and embarrassment for her actions. This woman had examined her entire body, something not even her family had done before.
The woman, who had taken away her first kiss and her pride as a man, was now treating her like a cute child, caressing her hair and gently touching her face.
Peridot felt a strange sensation in her stomach, even though she lacked physical senses.
She decided to ignore the woman's actions and focus on organizing the situation in her mind.
'I will probably go to an orphanage or stay in this hospital for a while.'
Peridot was a blank slate in human society, with no background or family. The hospital would take care of her for a while, but there must be a limit to how long she could stay. The only option would be an orphanage and possibly adoption.
'It's not ideal.' This was different from what she wanted, but at least she would be reintegrated into human society. 'The only problem is where this is.'
Peridot wanted to avoid Beach City as much as possible.
'I don't know the exact timeline, but Beach City will probably remain a chaotic place full of monsters and gems who could decapitate someone just for fun.' she thought.
After organizing her thoughts, Peridot decided to communicate with the stern woman to get information. Unfortunately, she still couldn't talk or hear, so the only way to communicate was through writing.
'It would be problematic if they ask too much, but as long as I don't provide too much information, they won't know I'm lying.'
Peridot now had a perfect poker face, not just on her face but throughout her body. She just needed to be careful about how much information she provided.
'The less you say, the better. I just need to be succinct.'
Peridot tugged at the woman's coat, immediately capturing her attention. The stern woman tried to say something, but Peridot couldn't understand her.
Peridot pointed to a sheet of paper on the desk beside her, and the woman quickly understood her intention.
The woman hastily retrieved a notebook and pen and placed them in front of her.
Peridot grasped the pen slowly; it was still difficult to move her body naturally, but there was nothing she could do about it. She tried to carefully choose her words.
[Where]
The woman, noticing her writing, looked shocked for a moment but quickly regained her composure.
[A local hospital in Harborview. Do you remember why you were in front of the hospital?] Her writing was as practical as her personality, without any unnecessary details.
'Phew... It's not Beach City.' Peridot felt relieved by the woman's words and responded briefly.
[No]
It was a terse answer even by her standards, but the woman showed no signs of agitation and simply started writing more questions.
[Can you remember anything about your parents or your home?]
[No]
[Why are you injured? Who did it?]
[Don't know]
[Do you remember your name or who you are?]
At this question, Peridot hesitated. She had a name and a life in her previous world. This name wouldn't fit her current appearance at all, and revealing more about herself would create a hole in her act.
[No]
The woman pondered the dialogue. She made some notes on a piece of paper with a serious expression.
'Is it good enough?' Peridot felt anxious about what the woman was writing but reassured herself that no one would be able to detect her lies.
✦
'This is serious.' thought Priyanka as she analyzed her notes.
The child couldn't even remember basic memories about herself. Priyanka feared the worst.
'A severe case of negligence and abuse—it's the only thing that can explain the child's situation.'
The amnesia must be a self-defense mechanism due to immense pain. The child could have deliberately hidden these memories.
It wouldn't be a good idea to stimulate more of her traumas. Priyanka decided to report the child to social services and block any visits if the child's abusive parents appeared.
In front of her, several consultations with specialists were scheduled. If Peridot had seen that, she would have fainted from shock.
'Her eyes were completely empty...' Priyanka recalled the moment the child had opened her eyes to ask for a paper.
She had never seen such empty eyes. They were like broken jewels. For someone to have such eyes, her suffering must have been long-term.
Priyanka's heart beat rapidly at the thought of the child being repeatedly beaten and harmed.
"Calm." Priyanka breathed slowly, concentrating on each inhalation and exhalation. She was a doctor; she should be able to manage her own emotions.
She decided not to think about anything else until she collected more data from the investigation. The people responsible would pay for their sins; her job was to take care of the child.
The child closed her eyes as if falling into a deep sleep again. Priyanka stared at her with complex emotions until she finally regained her calm.
'The nurses will be responsible for the child's basic needs from now on, but it wouldn't hurt to check in from time to time to make sure everything is okay.' Priyanka thought. Unaware of this fact, her mind was already diverging from the role of a simple doctor.
✦
In the small room of the local hospital, a child with black hair and white clothes lay being fed by a woman in nurse's attire.
It had been a week since Peridot arrived at the hospital. The nurse would appear to clean her body, give her food, and sometimes the serious doctor brought her gifts.
The small room was filled with plush toys and other gifts that a child would typically enjoy. Peridot felt ashamed of the gifts but accepted the woman's kindness.
The food was typical hospital fare. Peridot couldn't taste it and, mentally exhausted from the excessive exams, often neglected it.
Seeing the nurse's pitiful expression, she tried to eat, even if just a little.
Peridot opened her little mouth to accept the food. The nurse carefully placed the spoon in her mouth and, with her other hand, patted her head, saying something incomprehensible.
'Honestly, this is unnecessary.' she thought. She had spent several days in an abandoned world without sleep or food. Her body had survived even the explosions of her experiments.
Unlike before, she wasn't embarrassed by the intrusive behavior of the hospital staff. Peridot had grown accustomed to it over the past week.
The nurse was kind, but Peridot wasn't happy with her care. Not just because she was treated like a child, but because, unlike the serious and reserved doctor, the nurse never stopped talking.
She would stay with her until called away and touch her as if obsessed.
Peridot was introverted, even in her previous world. All her friends were online; she never played outside to avoid talking.
In the abandoned world, she missed company, but only enough to remind her she wasn't completely alone.
Eventually, the nurse stopped talking and left with a sad expression.
Peridot used this time to practice her movements. She had split her gem into several minor parts and was trying to make the process more efficient.
There was a limit to how much she could split her gem. The process used energy, and if she overloaded, she would lose her disguise and some automated functions.
Her limit was to simulate a human body to avoid suspicion. Even if her body was fine, she wouldn't be able to process sensitive information through her gem.
This was her decision, better than losing her sanity from the pain. Peridot hoped that as time passed and she learned more about her gem and abilities, she would overcome her limitations someday.
Due to her efforts, she could skillfully move her hands and sit comfortably. It seemed like small progress, but it was the result of an entire week without sleep or rest.
While Peridot had these thoughts, the serious woman arrived in the room. Unlike before, she brought a wheelchair instead of gifts.
She approached with a notebook and started writing. The serious woman was very considerate, always asking about her condition, bringing gifts, and explaining medical procedures.
Peridot shamelessly mimicked her body to pass the exams, so she developed the habit of touching the woman's coat whenever she approached. Fortunately, the woman didn't mind her touch.
[Do you want to walk a little?] wrote the woman in elegant handwriting.
[Yes.]
Peridot accepted the woman's kindness. It wasn't a bad idea to change the routine sometimes.
The woman placed the wheelchair beside the bed, and with her strong arms, carefully hugged Peridot and set her in it.
After checking her condition for any discomfort, the serious woman left the small room Peridot had been in for the past week.
It was the first time she saw the inside of the hospital since she was brought there. Last time, she couldn't focus due to the CPR the doctor was giving her.
It was a well-built hospital. There weren't many people around, probably due to the woman's consideration.
She could feel eyes on her, but Peridot decided to focus on the building. There were white walls, organized chairs, and TVs displaying patient names and their respective exam rooms.
Peridot analyzed each piece instead of using her wide appraisal to sense the shapes. She wanted to fully experience the objects around her.
She saw all kinds of faces and shapes, each with characteristic expressions. She analyzed the people around her, fascinated.
After a while, the view changed to the outside of the hospital. There were all kinds of shapes on the ground. Peridot focused on the largest object.
A huge tree stood before her. They were behind the tree's shade. Peridot could sense all kinds of life living in the tree.
Just the sight made Peridot feel warmth in her chest, a complex feeling she had been holding until now.
'It looks... so alive.' Peridot felt relieved her senses were restricted.
Tears would have probably covered her face from the emotion.
She never thought a simple tree could make her feel this way.
In the kindergarten, all this life was nonexistent. Everything had the same boring sight of human holes and destruction.
[Thank you.] wrote Peridot, grateful to the serious woman.
The woman smiled faintly and kindly patted her head. Even this small gesture gave her a strange feeling in her belly.
It was a mix of shame, happiness, gratitude, loneliness, and nostalgia. So many complex emotions made her confused.
She decided to just appreciate the tree without thinking about anything else.