Lyra: part 3
James
So, you, a random person at Dr. Sunshine's clinic is running this secret operation.
Do I have that right?
Caroline
Could you please stop talking for FIVE MINUTES!!!
I need to focus in order to get any work done here.
James
Sorry, I'll keep quiet and let you work.
Caroline
Thank you.
Now, sirs, could the two of you please leave my office?
I'd rather work alone.
Concerned parent
O-of course, if it will help my daughter.
James
I'd like to stay here.
I still have no reason to trust you.
Caroline stares at James
Caroline
Fine.
Stay.
But, don't interrupt me.
James
Fine.
James and Caroline continue to glare at each other
Concerned parent
Please start the operation doctor!
Caroline
I will, just leave first, and you, take a seat.
Stay out of my way.
The door closes and James takes his seat
Caroline
Alright Nurse, time to perform another miracle!
James
?
(Talking to herself, a bit odd but not a red flag.)
(Maybe I got all worked up for nothing–)
A Manifesto appears out of Caroline's back, the toughest looking Manifesto, it's physical features capable of rivalling Greek Gods
James
(A MANIFESTO!?)
(So she does use one in her practice!)
Red rings appear around Caroline's wrists
Caroline
Hm, the father said she was coughing up blood…
…he also mentioned her health not being great, which implies that her immune system was already compromised before she got this virus…
Think, think!
A disease that coughs up blood, causes weakness, and hits compromised people very hard…
!
Nurse!
The lungs!
The Manifesto nods before reaching into the girl's body
James stands up
James
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
Caroline
SHUT UP!
I need absolute focus while I'm working!
I want to make sure I target the right organ!
Nurse, do it now.
The rings on Caroline's wrist begin to spin, picking up speed as they go. The rings on the Manifesto's wrist do the same
Caroline
Andddd stop.
That should do it.
The Manifesto pulls its arm out of the girl's body, no blood on it, no harm done to the girl
James
(I-is she crazy!? Plunging her Manifesto into an innocent person's body!)
(That could kill someone!)
Listen, ms–
Caroline
Doctor.
James
Dr. Sweet, do you know what you just did?
Do you know what these things are capable of?
Caroline
Of course I know.
The formerly sick girl stands up and begins calling for her dad
James
!!!
Caroline
I think a better question is: do you know what I just did?
Concerned parent
Th-thank you doctor!
M-my little girl, i've never seen her so healthy!
Caroline
She had Tuberculosis of the lungs. It attacks the respiratory system–
The parent looks confused, Caroline sighs
Caroline
That means it's spread through breathing it in.
She must've been close to someone who was sick and may have been asymptomatic.
Just make sure you thoroughly wash all of your cups and anything else that will be going into your mouths.
Concerned parent
Thank you again, is there anything I could do to repay you?
Caroline
Nah, I don't do this for money.
I do it to make sure people like you who need immediate help are able to get it.
Have a good day sir.
Concerned Parent
You too, Doctor.
The parent leaves with his daughter, James stands there in disbelief
James
…
What was that in there?
Caroline
?
What do you mean?
James
I saw it.
I saw your "Nurse" during the procedure.
Caroline
!!!
Y-you were able to see it!?
James
I could.
I was sent here to find you for someone else…
…but now things are different.
I'm going to ask you a few questions before I hand you over to my client.
Caroline
…
James
Let's go into your operating room, we wouldn't want anyone eavesdropping on us.
Caroline
Fine.
James closes the door
James
Please take a seat Dr. Sweet.
There's no point in beating around the bush, so…
…Dr. Sweet, what do you know about your nurse?
Caroline
Well, I discovered I had this ability back when I was 15…
Flashback
Past Caroline
You'll see!
I'll show everyone Alphabet St. is worth saving!
Past Lynyrd
No one's saying it's not worth saving, but we just can't afford to keep it up and running without the government!
There's no way around that!
Past Caroline
You're just a coward!
You're just too scared to actually go out and do anything about it!
Here, I'll just leave now and save you the trouble of evicting me!
Caroline runs off
Past Lynyrd
Caroline!
Caroline Sweet!
Get back here!
Ugh, this is why I don't like children…
In her room, Caroline is crying into a pillow
Past Caroline
They can't do this!
They can't just close down Alphabet St.!
I have nowhere else I can go…
This was the only place I could call home and they want to take it from me, just for some stupid war in Europe…
What am I supposed to do…
A bright light appears in front of Caroline
Past Lyra
Caroline Sweet,
Ne desperandum. Hoc est donum vitae et mortis. Accipite me, et ego te defendat. Ego promitto tibi non clamabit iterum.
Past Caroline
H-huh?
W-what are you?
Caroline
But, before I could ask anymore questions, it was gone.
The next day, whenever I went to objects I noticed something unusual: Whenever I would reach towards an object, it would change!
Some objects would begin growing and rotting at a rapid rate, others would slowly turn back into whatever condition they were in before.
I realised this is what that thing was telling me!
I could control the cells of objects!
I wanted to help people, and realised that if I could understand the human body, I could rewind a person's body to the point before it was injured or infected! I could fast forward their immune system in some cases to help their body develop antibodies to help fight against a virus!
An injury that would take months to heal, I could heal in a matter of seconds!
I could help paralyzed people walk again, I could regrow the limbs of veterans!
All I needed was knowledge, so I pursued medicine!
Since becoming a doctor, this has been my nurse: Lyra
James
…
Rewind a body?
So when you were treating that girl…
Caroline
I rewound her lungs to the point before they were infected, and while I was at it, I fast-forwarded the life of the viruses infecting her, causing them to die off prematurely.
James
(Th-that power is terrifying!)
(The idea that with a thought, she could kill someone and force them to live their whole life in the span of a second!)
Caroline
I have a question for you!
James
?
Uh, sure…
Caroline
How can you see my nurse?
No one else has ever been able to see him, not even patients that are being treated by him.
James
Really? How has no one else been able to see?
(I won't tell her about Lacerta, I don't wanna play my hand too early…)
Well Doc, I'll be leaving. I have to go and report back to my client…
Caroline
And another thing, you seemed to know what my nurse was, you didn't know what it could do, but clearly you've seen something like this before…
Just who are you?
Or should I say, what are you?
As James reaches for the door, his hand gets impaled on a spike sticking out of the door handle
James
Ow…
James looks at his hand and sees blood pouring out of it
James
!!!
Orion starts laughing to himself
Orion
It looks like it's started!