cgbird

But what, Mr. Reiss? You will need to open this door today.

Yeah, Papa, open the door.

I'm starving. I want bread. And not just one slice. I can eat five or six slices in one go.

Huh—Huh?!

Oh, Uncle Thomas. Sorry for bumping into you. I'm in a rush to get home for breakfast so Mama doesn't give me a scolding.

Oh, Luca, you're home at last. What took you so long?

I'm very sorry, Officer. This is my boy, Luca. It's not that I didn't want to open up. He really wasn't home.

This boy is Luca? He looks as fit as a fiddle. Is he really sick?

*cough*, just a little cold. You know boys his age. They get sick after a day of fun and games.

I suppose so. I've met plenty of Infected. None of them are nearly as lively. Dr. Marcos, what do you think?

Oh... Oh? You want me to check him? Let me take a look.

Look at how muscular and sweaty his arms are. So sturdy to the feel.

And his legs...

*Cough*

My, what strong legs. There's so much mud. Looks like this boy has been having fun.

Sorry for all the trouble, Dr. Marcos.

Oh, no need to worry! Officer, we've been working all morning. I'm as famished as one can be, My vision is starting to blur.

Perhaps we should let the boy go home for his breakfast?

Don't worry, if little Luca gets sick again, I will check on him, and if anything's amiss, I will let you know right away.

Phew... Thank goodness.

Luca, my boy! Let Papa look at you!

You're... fine? You can run all over the place, and you can eat...

These crystals... They are still here, but they're much smaller now. Not nearly as swollen anymore. You've gotten much better. No wonder Dr. Marcos didn't notice.

I-Is this a miracle?

Papa, it isn't a miracle. A fowlbeast healed me!

A fowlbeast...?

It was a really, really pretty fowlbeast! Its feathers were so much bluer than the water in the lake! I've never seen a little fowlbeast so beautiful!

Last night, it flew into my room through the window, and settled by my pillow.

There was a white light around the tiny fowlbeast. It was so bright and warm...

It came over me, and I stopped hurting right away.

A small fowlbeast? And one that glowed?

Yeah! I'm not lying!

My boy, you were ill. You were probably hallucinating.

It wasn't! It sang a song too! I heard it! The blue fowlbeast sang a song for me!

Okay, okay. Everything's fine now. It's all okay...

Thank you, blue, magical fowlbeast. I have no idea if you were real or not—you definitely weren't—but whichever the case, thank you for giving Luca a pleasant dream.

We should get going.

You aren't mad, are you...?

Why would I be mad about a little blue bird checking on a sickly boy at night?

I...

Oh, right, the bird was glowing in the dark, too.

*cough*, *cough*.

Sorry, Shining, Liz just couldn't fall asleep last night, so I...

Shining, I was the one who asked Nearl to help me treat the boy.

I couldn't fall asleep otherwise... I could hear the boy's pained cries in my head.

If it wasn't for my legs... if they had some strength left in them... I would've gone myself.

Please don't blame Nearl.

You don't have to apologize. We are doctors. You two did what you should've done.

I didn't expect the Gendarmerie to show up today, though... I wonder what will happen to the boy and his family in the future.

They may get to live out the rest of their lives in peace, or they might have to move in the not-so-distant future.

As doctors, we may be able to treat our patients' pain, but we don't have any way to treat their predicaments.

I know that, Shining, but I couldn't spend so much time thinking about it.

The boy... was really hurting all over.

When I looked at him, I felt the same pain myself.

All I knew how to do was... help him hurt less.

I wanted to help him... to ease his pain... I wanted to help him leave that room... to help him run and jump again.

Liz, I just have one question. Look at me and answer me. Do you think this is really necessary?

What do you mean... necessary?

Just like what happened before.

What happened before... No, I don't want to be like before.

At the time, they were coming for me. I was locked... I had nowhere to go. I had to heal them.

But what about now?

Now... I'm going everywhere to find them.

I can feel the pain of those who are sick and hurt, and I don't want them hurt anymore.

I stretch my hands out to them... to embrace their pain. I have my birdie sing in their ears.

I never expected the boy would see my birdie. He seemed so happy in his sleep.

When that happened, those shards that tied me down were gone... Birdie's steps became much lighter too.

Is that what it means to be happy? Shining, it sounds like I'm happy too.

Okay... That's the answer I wanted.

Yes, Liz. That's what it means to be happy. You know what it means to be happy now.

Really? So this is how it's like to be happy. So now I... Mmm...

Does it make your heart ache?

Yes, Shining... It really makes my heart ache.

Why is this happening to Liz? She doesn't have the strength to stand up.

This is the outcome of her choice.

Because she treated the kid last night...?

Yes, her condition was hardly optimal to begin with. Even the use of simple healing Arts takes its toll on her. Not to mention she was treating acute Oripathy. She's nearing her limits.

If I knew this was going to happen...

If you knew, would you have stopped her?

This is what I wanted to do... I wanted to heal the boy.

See? This is what Liz wanted, even though it left her exhausted.

Right... I guess I wouldn't have been able to stop her.

Exactly. This is a choice, and these are the choices you two have made. Like Liz, you always choose to sacrifice yourself to treat someone else's pain, whether visible or not.

I should've... respected your decisions.

Shining...

But my hope is that... Liz will have more choices available to her.

And you too, Margaret. My hope is that you will have more choices too.

What does it mean to have more choices?

You've always wanted to see the world outside, don't you, Liz?

Yes, that's my greatest wish, Shining. I've been to so many places with you and Nearl.

These places are beautiful... Hatred and pain sometimes engulf these skies and lands, but that doesn't change the beauty that lies underneath.

I... I still want to see much more, and not just what the bird sings to me.

Yes, it's time we expand our horizons.

It sounds like you just made a decision, Shining.

Nearl, do you remember the pharmaceutical company that the patient we treated last time mentioned?

You mean... Rhodes Island?

Yes, Rhodes Island.

We've been wandering the world all these years. How many patients have we treated altogether?

I don't remember...

It's okay if you don't remember, but, Liz, do you want to treat even more people out there?