Fandom JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2.5: Hearts Unchained

[Assailant]

As Ace walked back to the lounge, a man in a stretcher was escorted past by paramedics. The paramedics push the stretcher into the ER, oxygen tubes hooked up to the man's face. The preliminary check begins, quickly examining his vitals.

"Elevated heart rate, but not at risk currently. Heartbeat is not arrhythmic. How is the patient's LOC?"

"It comes in and out. He lost consciousness when we brought him into the ambulance, and he has since regained and lost consciousness twice." Max groaned a bit and his eyes began to flutter open slowly. "Speak of the devil."

Looking at his bare chest, the examiner nodded. "Obvious closed wounds on his chest and shoulders. Definitely bruising, possibly broken. We need to get an X-Ray done.


After a brief examination and X-ray, they determined that his ribs were cracked. There was no complete fracture, but many of his ribs and shoulder blades had been cracked noticeably.

Laying in the hospital bed, bandages wrapped around his torso, Max scoffed. He didn't need this, he could handle himself. Grabbing his military jacket from where it rested nearby and wrapping it around his torso, he stood up to leave. However, a sharp pain in his chest forced him back into bed with an exasperated sigh.

 

[Minako]

Corneille had been with the rest of the team, sans the tiniest nurse, as other night-shift nurses took the now perfectly fine patient that once had a hole in them to their room... Shocked to see such a bloody gurney with a patient with, at worst, a nasty cut that might scar bad.

"So..." Regine, the dark-haired, sassiest one among their team began, "We, uh... We gonna talk about how we're gonna explain this guy's miraculous recovery, or...?"

"We tell him he made a miraculous recovery--"

"Emphasis on the 'miraculous' bit, no doubt--" Chantal interrupted the doctor.

Corneille bit her lip, wanting to say something, but couldn't... In fact, if anything, she just got evidence FOR these "miraculous" recoveries instead of against...

"Chantal, we don't have any proof--" Gerard began, again getting interrupted.

"Are you serious right now, Doc!?" Regine growled, hardly believing what she was hearing, "Yeah, ok, we have no way to prove how it happens, but the WHEN is guaranteed! This is like some church or something, opposite of a haunted house! Where instead of being guaranteed to die in a haunted house coming here you're almost guaranteed to live no matter your ailment!!"

"...There have been sick patients here who have been here a while and even died... And, you know, one DOES come to a hospital with the end goal of NOT DYING in mind..." Gerard raised an eyebrow at the sassy nurse in a sort of retaliation.

"Oh, don't get cute, Gerard, this is strange and you ****in' know it," Regine spat back at him, rolling her eyes at his attitude back at her.

"I mean... We're kinda sorta somewhat able to explain it off..." Corneille muttered, though more to herself than her team.

"Uh, only because when we tell them they've made a speedy recovery and their loved one is going to be just fine they're usually just so overwhelmed with relief and joy they don't really CARE about the how..." Chantal countered, shrugging.

"ALMOST makes me wanna pick a religion," Regine snorted in annoyance, rolling her eyes a second time, "Almost."

"Truth be told, even if I did want to give credit where proper credit is due, honestly, what do you all want me to say? 'Oh, yes, I looked away from the patient for a moment and their bullet wound suddenly became a cut' or 'Well, you see, even though your husband was in critical condition when he was brought in last night, when I came into work the following night he was basically fine and dandy minus a few scratches'?! I can't explain these phenomenons! Even if I wanted to!" Gerard sighed frustratedly, more to himself than the nurses.

It was true, these things just sort of happened... There was no explaining it but it really was like something holy or something was blessing this hospital like it WAS a church...

Corneille looked at her now scratch-less arm and frowned. It even happened to her.

She was glad for it, not being ungrateful, but the lack of explanation as to why was unsettling... She wasn't exactly atheist, but she wasn't too religious either... And something told her even if she was religion couldn't be behind it...

Why would it be?

If it really was, wouldn't that mean that God was playing favorites or something? Why was this Hospital getting their holy blessings when others weren't? Especially during these war times????

Wasn't everyone supposedly a "child of God", according to their teachings...?

No... No this wasn't some holy blessing...

This was something else...



"The Nazi's are going to come for us," Regine bitterly mumbled after an awkward moment of silence between all of them.

"Regine..." Gerard sighed, exasperated with her.

"I'm serious!! They are!!!" Regine shouted in anger and frustration, "You think those Nazi scum are gonna be oblivious about this place forever?!?! Do you!? NO! Every other person who comes in here and comes out those doors is basically IN TEARS at their loved ones MIRACULOUS recoveries, PRACTICALLY FINDING RELIGION IF THEY WEREN'T RELIGIOUS ALREADY! You really think they'd keep quiet about this!? Hell, I'm surprised we haven't gotten diseased people crawling in here begging for a miracle cure we don't know how to give them! Or can't explain how they got it if they do!"

"REGINE--" Gerard tried to settle her down, but the bitter nurse kept going.

"We're going to get caught by the Nazi's, GERARD," Regine warned, almost predicting, "And WHEN we do, not IF, we're gonna get sent to the concentration camps when they come in here and ask how we heal these people and we can't tell them anything but 'it just happens'. It's only a matter of time. We need to buckle down and figure out what in heaven is going on here!"

"...I..."

"...She's kinda right, you know..." Chantal finally spoke up, Gerard almost giving her a look of betrayal... but not quite.

"What do you want me to do, ladies? I can't keep these 'blessings' from happening, even if I wanted to, and I can't explain them even if I wanted to, either! We---"

But as the Doctor tried to defend himself to his team of nurses, another one arrived, knocking at the door.

"Uhm, Doctor, We just got a new patient with some cracked ribs and shoulder blades... They're going to need to stay at least overnight..." They said, but their tone showed such hesitance Gerard frowned almost as soon as he heard.

"Alright... That's fine, is that a problem?" He asked them.

"Well, no... It's just... I thought you might want to know based on their clothes... and their medal... They're a Nazi."


If looks could kill Regine would be a mass-murderer in seconds, and Corneille could have sworn she heard a blood vessel pop when looking at her.

Chantal was stunned speechless (which, Corneille knowing her all her life, had to admit was an impressive achievement for someone she hadn't even met yet) and Gerard looked away while biting his lip and clenching his fist.

The other nurse read the room and nodded quietly while excusing themself.

"I HATE TO SAY 'I TOLD YOU SO', BUT--"

"Oh Regine, please don't insult my intelligence. The only reason you didn't spontaneously burst into flames when you heard about our new patient was because you wanted to say it beforehand... Well, that or the odd blessing on this hospital probably also kept you from it..." Gerard silenced Regine this time, his patience with her wearing thin.

"Joke all you want, ***hole, THEY'RE HERE! I was ten billion percent right and it was almost god-like timing when I said it because as soon as I did we get confirmation THEY'RE HERE! Let's all start praisin' the ****in' KING O' KINGS in hopes that he really DOES play favorites and doesn't like NAZI'S because as soon as THEY get healed, they're gunning for ALL OF US!"

Damn this Nazi bastard for making Corneille actually agree with something Regine was saying...

What will they do now?

Corneille felt like she could barely breathe... Even her proud and sturdy cousin was trembling and looking like she was about to cry like a mere child... And Gerard, who was usually calm, cool, and collected was actually sweating bullets for a change...

It wasn't a change she liked a bit.

"...We could euthanize him."

"WHAT?!" Corneille yelled, now her turn to lose it.

"Oh, drop the goodie two shoes act, Corneille! Think about it! We euthanize him here and now and it's not only the end of our problems now, but it's also one less Nazi scum on the streets!!"

"Regine, look, I know where your head is at, and I know what they took away from you, but--"

"THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

...Well, there was the most obvious lie known to mankind, but alright...

"Regine are you INSANE!? We can't euthanize him like a dog being put out of their misery! I mean, they are a Nazi dog, but... You know... And this is a hospital for goodness sake--!"

"UHM, THANK YOU!"

"...Besides, even if we did do it and got the coroner on our side, which might not be such a feat considering... His Nazi friends would just come looking for him and be awful suspicious that out of everyone coming in here with mortal wounds and LIVING he came in here with some broken bones and ended up dead..."

"Sometimes God plays favorites."

"...AM I THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO IS NOT A PSYCHO!??!"

"No, Corneille, despite my personal feelings towards his kind I never actually seriously considered it--" Gerard sighed and explained.

"OH, YOU SON OF A--"

"BUT we can't act like we don't have a real serious problem on our hands. We need to think carefully about our next move..." Gerard surprisingly agreed with Regine, but wasn't actually a certifiable nutjob with bad anger management issues.

"Look," Corneille breathed and tried to bring some much needed calm to the room, "If we act like nothing is amiss, maybe he might actually be fooled into thinking nothing is amiss. We go in, bandage him up, have him stay overnight so we can check up on him, and when he's fully healed we go 'Oh, look at that, you made it, YAY... You can go back to killing people who aren't us' or whatever, give him some 'pain pills' that are just sugar tablets since he won't really need them, and we act like this is all routine. He'll be none the wiser thinking he just got really good drugs and treatment and we get off scott free. Sound less murderous to you guys???"

"I liked the murder route," Regine snarled, but seemed to accept the proposition.

"You should be the one to talk to him, then. You're more likely not to lose your nerve or cool unlike these two over there, and I trust you," Gerard nodded, also agreeing to this plan.

Corneille nodded, sort of expecting since she proposed it she'd be the one to go through with it, but secretly hoping she wouldn't have to... Oh well.

In either case, it's time for this headstrong nurse to win the "best actress" award. For her, her friends, and the whole hospital.

Mentally preparing herself, the pony-tailed nurse left the "meeting" room to find out where this Nazi was.

Assailant


Rosie looked at Ace as he spoke at first embarrassed, but as he went on, like he had just shot her.

It was true she wasn't the brightest bulb, but it never occurred to her just how foolish her actions had been up until Ace told her.

Her mother had always told her "harsh truths" and followed it up with "It's better to hear it from me than from some stranger!" and hearing Ace's piercing words just now the little nurse had to admit herself just how strikingly accurate those words were...

It was very weird to think of Ace in the same role as her mother, but here they were.

When he introduced Heavensent Rosie bashfully looked away as Keep Yourself Alive pouted and frowned at them, no doubt still sore from the scare from earlier, and Rosie almost giggled but deemed it inappropriate, so she opted to look away shyly while nodding.

Rosie wasn't going to lie to herself, she was a tad disappointed that Ace didn't really know what Keep or Heavensent were, either... But that didn't stop her from being interested in his offer...

Or heeding his words.


He was right.

More people like them were going to come after her for her healing ability most likely... If anything, at least to find this real-life "saint" (Rosie still couldn't believe people were actually calling her that!!)... And that was best case, wasn't it...?

She sat down, dizzied from all the confusion and dilemma.

Was she doing more harm than good helping people here?

If Ace was one of her best case scenarios, would declining it bring about the worst?

What would happen to her friends?

Corneille? Doctor Gerard?

The whole Hospital????

Maybe Ace himself was a sign telling her she was doing things the wrong way and this was why she was wanted... Maybe this was a sign it was time to really go into hiding, even if it meant totally cutting off from everything and not helping others as much...


Even though she liked helping others... She liked healing others... It was the one thing she could do right....


"...Keep...?" She finally piped up.

"Iro?" Keep Yourself Alive responded back.

"Do you... Do you think we should do it...?" Rosie asked.

"Iro, iro iro iro iro. Ro! Iro iro iro iro iro, Iro iro... Ro ro iro..." Keep pondered aloud, clearly also in thought.

"I know, but... If he can delete our identity and we can disperse the rumors here, or direct them to somewhere else... Maybe it won't be for nothing...? B-besides, I don't think Ace is a bad guy at all! He's been pretty generous, all things considered, and he really is the best case scenario for me being found by people like us, after all... I know we don't really have a reason to trust him yet, but we don't exactly have a reason to distrust him, either..." Rosie defended Ace to Keep, his words still running through her head.

"Iro iro ro, Iro iro iro, ro ro..." Keep muttered, hesitantly, but not entirely protestant.

"Look... I think he's right... If we stay here who knows what will happen...? Maybe it's not too late... He said he would do my bidding, right? If he can disperse the rumors surround us--"

"IRO--" Keep pointed out.

"I'm sure he can! I'll quickly heal people off the street and they can spread things around while the rumors here disperse... It may not be too late if we leave TODAY! I'm not cowardly running away, I promise... I'm doing this because I don't want to see anyone else get hurt... I... I don't want to be WHY anyone else gets hurt..." Rosie slumps on the table, digging her face into her arms.

"Iro..." Keep placed a gentle arm on her shoulder, smiling at her user sympathetically.


...One nod from Keep and Rosie knew what she had to do. She knew, deep down, she'd always have to do this... Now just seemed like the definitive time to do so...

The small nurse allowed herself a five minute pity party (filled with lots of self-hate and ugly crying), but afterwards she got up from the table and her resolve seemed pretty clear with every tear she dried.

Though her face was still a bit blotchy and her eyes were a little red, the smallest nurse managed to make her way back to the lounge, where the stranger like her was.


"Ace," Rosie called out as she approached him, "...I'll do it. I'll go with you. Please, just... The only thing I want is to make my identity disappear... I don't want my friends here to get hurt or anything... I need to know they won't be hunted in my place or anything... That's all I want. If you can do that for me, I'll go with you and use Keep however necessary."

Keep appeared and nodded, agreeing to all this, while nudging Rosie to add one last thing.

"A-ah, right..." Rosie exhaled after inhaling steadily, "I... I also want to say good-bye. Something... I doubt I can or should see any of them again... A-after I disappear..."

DJ UwU

 

[Assailant]

Max turned his head to look as a woman walked in. A ponytailed young woman, blue eyes, and a fairly nice demeanor, at least on the surface. Of course, that didn't mean she was truly nice, not that Max cared all that much one way or the other. He had a job to do.

That man... the strange man who attacked me in the alleyway. Who was he? He could be dangerous to innocent people... perhaps. He might just be resisting the occupation, but what lengths will he go to for that goal? Are civilians targets too? What about innocent German citizens who may come here?

In his thought, he realized he had zoned out around the woman.

"Bonjour," he spoke, adopting the French language. He had learned French during his time in the Great War on the Western front, although admittedly he was not all that adept at it. Adept enough to speak it fluently, but his thick German accent betrayed his native tongue. Not that his jacket was doing any work to hide it.

"I'll be out shortly, I hope?" He continued, still speaking in French. He shifted in his bed, his restlessness getting to him. He had to report this, fast. This man could be a very real danger to a lot of people.

Another Stand... worrisome indeed...

"I am very busy, so surely this won't impede me for too long."

 

[Minako]

Corneille nearly chuckled at the Nazi, giving him a surprised and yet pleased look as he spoke to her in french right off the bat.

Good, She wasn't great at German, and to her knowledge only the doctor and Rosie could speak it (the both of them had only just started learning it, so the conversations wouldn't be that great anyway...).

She smiled sympathetically at him... If only to cover up a laugh. It was ironic he wanted to be out of the hospital as soon as possible because they wanted him out of the hospital as soon as possible as well (for admittedly different reasons)!

More importantly... He hadn't been healed yet...

If he had, he would have been out of here already...


In fact... It seemed like he either didn't know about the rumors surrounding this hospital... or just not care! And to Corneille's delight, it seemed like he might just not CARE as he was clearly preoccupied with something else!


This kept getting better and better...! This hospital may come out of this smelling like a rose yet!!


If they could get him out of here as soon as possible he'd leave without a second thought as to his "speedy recovery"...!!

Quick, she had to think of something!


"You know what," Corneille "sweetly" (or well, it appeared sweet when she was really just delighted things were working out) smiled at the Nazi while looking at his chart, "That's really only for the Doctor to decide, BUT if it's just a few fractures, it looks good after we bandage you up and get you some pain killers!"

Unfortunately Corneille wasn't too good a liar, but it seemed like her lie was just to reassure him things were going to be okay AND she was "charmed" by how quickly the Nazi wanted to get back to work.

"I'll go see if the doctor is ready for you, and he can tell you what you need, okay? Please, wait right here!" Corneille begged for his patience as she excused herself and left the room.


She shut the door behind her to the Nazi's room, and stood there in front of the entrance for a moment and sighed heavily.

Darn, the one time the healing needed to happen quickly is the one time it apparently took it's sweet time...


She had to figure out what was going on here fast! If she could get him healed, play off his wounds as no big deal, he'd leave here practically forgetting about this place before he even fully set foot off the premises!


"But what could possibly be behind these blessings and where--" Corneille began thinking to herself while walking off when she crashed into someone.

"Ow! Hey, watch where you're going!" Her snobby cousin complained at her when she was snapped out of it.

"Chantal!? What the heck are you doing here!?" Corneille asked, knowing full well Gerard entrusted this to her AND that she had bigger fish to fry.

"Well, Regine and Gerard are arguing while waiting for you, and I wanted to see this Nazi for myself! Is that a crime?" Chantal pouted and huffed indignantly, making Corneille kinda wanna punch her.

"I mean..."

"...Is that him?" She asked, peeking in the room a moment and then retreating after she got a good look at him.

"...Yeah, why?" Corneille asked, wondering if maybe Chantal saw a sign of the mysterious blessing.

"...He's kinda attractive..." She happily observed in a low voice after her peek.


Corneille made a horrified face and cringed hard.

"Ok, first of all, EW. Second of all, EW. Third of all EWWW! And fourth, come with me before you mess this up for all of us!" Corneille snorted through the cringe and grabbed Chantal by the arm, making their way to the Nurses station with her.

"Were all those 'ew's' really necessary!?" Chantal pouted and huffed while almost resisting being dragged off.

"THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH 'EW'S'!" Corneille protested while continuing to drag her cousin around.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Chantal asked.

"We're gonna find whatever is causing this blessing. He's distracted and won't notice if he gets healed... but like, NOW! We need all eyes on deck, and we're gonna go get Rosie to help us look for it!" Corneille determinedly kept stomping.


She felt a tinge of anger hearing Chantal burst into laughter behind her.

"HA! Yeah, I'm sure shrimpy will be real stinking useful helping us look for this blessing!" She chortled through the laughter.

"...Chantal, you may be my cousin and family and all... and I may be a nurse... So, please, know I ask you this out of love for my blood and my job: Don't make me commit assault on a family member in a hospital..."

Assailant

 

[Minako]

​

As soon as Ace gave her a nod Rosie smiled at him, almost hugging him (but not quite doing so), and before she could do anything else turned her head to hear the doors burst open only to find the exact people she was going to look for! From the looks on their faces (Or, well, at least Corneille's...) it looks like they were thinking the same...

"Rosie!" Corneille called out while running to her.

"Corneille!" The smallest nurse called back while sprinting to her as well.

"What the heck happened back there, you seemed out of it for sure--"

"You WERE out of it for sure!" Chantal corrected her cousin.

"Aheheh... Yeah... " Rosie muttered, embarrassedly.

"Listen, Rosie, we---" Corneille began, then noticed and looked at Ace and gave him a sort of confused and "Oh? You're with her? Why?" kind of look.

Luckily, Rosie noticed this and decided to "clarify" Ace's presence.

"Er, uhm, H-he's a family friend!" Rosie "explained".

Corneille and Chantal exchanged glances and slightly skeptical looks.

"I-I didn't recognize him when I first saw him, when you took me to the nurse's station, because I was so out of it..." Rosie kept going.

"...Ok, fine, whatever," Corneille shook off Rosie acting weird as unimportant, wanting to get t the heart of why she was looking for the little nurse and trusting Ace's presence since Rosie did, "Listen, Rosie... Have you noticed... anything... weird going on in this hospital?"

Rosie looked at Ace much like a deer would look at upcoming headlights.

"W-weird, l-like--"

"Ugh! What do you think, shrimpy?! You too asleep to notice people magically getting healed around here?!" Chantal snapped at her like she couldn't believe the tiny nurses antics.

Rosie and Keep almost exchanged glances (it was more like Rosie making a face and directing her gaze at the giggling Keep) in the moment.

"Uhm... Yes, I've noticed..."

"Do you have any theories as to why...? It's not as timely as it usually is with our... newest patient... And we need it to work ASAP..." Corneille explained, her face getting more grim with every word.

"H-huh? Why?" Rosie asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"...We got a new patient... He's a nazi... I don't think he realizes he's at the hospital all the rumors are about, if he's even heard any... If he gets healed and leaves soon he may just walk out of here without being a threat to this hospital... But it has to happen NOW... So, any ideas?"

Rosie, again looking like she had just been shot, gave Ace a "you were right" look when she heard this. She then took a moment to collect her thoughts.


She silently nods to herself and looks Corneille straight in the eyes.

"...Get some sedatives and take me to them," Where the next words that came out of the small nurses mouth.

"Rosie...?" Corneille asked, surprised to hear Rosie so straightforward.

"Uh WHY?! Did you have an aneurysm just now or something? He needs to LEAVE ASAP, why would we SEDATE HIM if we NEED HIM TO LEAVE--"

Chantal stopped when Corneille lightly elbowed her in the stomach and made a rather uncouth "WHO-UH" sound.

Corneille gaped at Rosie wide-eyed and stared at her right in the eyes.

One bashful and reserved look back from the smallest nurse and Corneille knew...

She knew exactly why Rosie wanted those sedatives.

"...I don't want to do it while they're awake..." Rosie spelled it out for the more oblivious Chantal, who then joined her cousin in gaping once she finally connected the dots.

"It... It was you all along... Of course... Right under our noses... But... How--"

"Heh, L-like I said, take me to them after they're sedated, and I'll show you."



The nurses agreed and even let Ace tag along (at Rosies request). Corneille had the three of them wait in front of the Nazi's room and came back with some sedatives... And Gerard and Regine.

"Hey, runt. Heard you mispronounced 'EUTHANASIA' for 'SEDATIVE'. Not very articulate, are ya?" Regine teased her cockily, clearly curious as to what was going on but trying desperately not to show it.

"Regine, for the last time, we are NOT taking the murder route..." Gerard sighed quietly.

"I LIKED the murder rou--"

"Yes, we know you liked the murder route, Regine..." Gerard duly noted exasperatedly while sighing.

"...Wait, what...?" Rosie asked, missing some clear context.

"Don't worry, this is a sedative, we decided we aren't going to kill him," Corneille back-pedalled without much time to explain.

"Because mistakes were made," Regine grumbled.

"Are you sure you're talking about this situation? Because I'm pretty freaking sure the only mistake made here was by whoever let your psychotic self become a nurse???"

"Bite me, goodie two shoes," Regine bitterly retorted back.

"Nah, unlike you, I'm not rabid."

"LADIES," Gerard got the two feuding nurses back on track after their squabble.



The pony-tailed nurse and Gerard entered the Nazi's room after that with their best smiles to put on a show for him.

"Well! Got banged up at work, I see? Don't worry, while you have some broken ribs and shoulder blades, we'll bandage you up and make sure you're on the road to recovery for the night. By tomorrow morning, you should be right as rain, uh, what was it... Oh, yes, Max!" Gerard, also acting enthusiastically and kind, explained while reading his chart, learning his name, and technically not lying about Max's condition.

Corneille took the time to slip in the sedative in Max's IV while he was distracted, but was careful not to be too sneaky and simply smiled when he eventually caught her and explained, "To help you with the pain so you can sleep through the night!"

"So sorry, don't worry you'll be ready for discharge as soon as you wake up and you can go where you need to be!" Geard reassured him while Corneille finished injecting the sedative and casually taking it out and making her way to Gerards side.

"Don't be afraid to use the call button should you need us, and please try to rest! I know you're a busy man and have to get back to work quickly, but this could be a lifelong problem if you don't take the time to heal well!" Corneille gave Max a "friendly reminder" that was kinda a bit TOO friendly, but to an outsider it was just uncanny and creepy and not her hiding laughter or amusement (as she sorta knew what comes next).




The two walked out of his room to the rest of the group, Rosie waiting for them like an expectant father.

"W-well...?" She began to ask.

"He got it, I put just enough to knock him out for a good while and they should kick in any minute," Corneille confirmed as they all waited for Max to fall asleep eagerly.

It wasn't very long before there wasn't any stirring coming from his room and that was when Rosie, taking a moment to mentally prepare herself, stepped in. Corneille and the others followed and Rosie had them all stand before his bed as she approached the seemingly slumbering Nazi.

Rosie gasped and was still when she saw him.

"He looks so... So... So normal..." She heard herself say, looking at him and gently lifting any hair covering his forehead like a mother would her sleeping child to check if they were getting sick.

"Heh, did you expect horns or something sprouting from there, hun?" Corneille asked, charmed by the small nurse.

"N-no! No! Nothing like that! I just--" Rosie quickly withdrew her hand, actually expecting exactly that considering what she heard about Nazi's and how they were after her, but never actually seeing one so up close and in person.

She paused for a moment to look at the ordinary man and felt... Sad.

"I just... I had this picture of them... in my head... You know? The monsters who are killing so many, and their devil of a leader... a-and... A-and then I see his normal looking self no different than any other man and I can't help but wonder if... If maybe... had we born in different times... and different circumstances... We could have been friends...? And I just.... Feel sad that that is what it would take..."

She stopped to feel a reassuring hand on her shoulder and was happy to see Corneille smile sweetly at her.

"I know, dear. I know. But right here and now... He's not a good person. He's a Nazi... And if you're implying you can do what I think you are... We need to get him out of here without him so much as seeing you..." Corneille sighed, sympathizing with the nurse she was quickly growing fond of.

"Yeah... Stand back... I don't know exactly how much you'll see, but I think you can feel it? Maybe?" Rosie tried to explain while placing her hand on the Nazi's chest.

Keep yourself looked at Max and frowned, nodding to herself seriously.

"You ready, Keep?" The smallest nurse asked the magenta-haired partner she relied on.

"Iro~" Keep nodded, awaiting Rosie's song.

Rosie cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and--

♪ "When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to yoooou~!

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers doooo~" ♪
​

While Keep couldn't be seen by anyone but Ace, they could ALL see the sparkling pastel blue light emanating from Rosie (because of Keep) and spreading onto Max, causing him to glow for only a second until it dissipated as soon as the nurse stopped singing.

"...I... I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys... I was scared to tell anyone ever since... I-I came here... B-because I was on the run, but still wanted to help others... I still wanted to help all of you..."

"What... the ****..." Regine muttered, flabbergasted.

Chantal could only gape, she looked like she had all the air punched out of her lungs.

"In all my years... I've never... It was you... It was you all along..." Gerard could only sputter in surprise.

"...Thank you, Rosie... For everything..." Corneille could only look upon her friend proudly and express gratitude.


They left the room and Corneilles heart sank as Rosie made her way to Ace's side.

"You're not here to see her as some 'family friend'... You came here looking for the healing factor... for her..." Corneille frowned at him like he was a villain, "You're here to take her away.... Aren't you...?"

"Corneille, please!" Rosie immediately hopped to Ace's defense, even going so far as to place herself between them, "It was my fault. I am why those rumors surround this place... It may not have brought this particular Nazi here, but others will come... And they will come with the intent of finding me... If I don't leave here now without you all knowing where I am and start hoping rumors about me spread elsewhere you'll all be in terrible danger... I need to leave now, and Ace is the best person who could have found me! I promise...!"

"...When can I see you again...?" Corneille asked sadly, not wanting to let Rosie go.

At first Rosie was stunned to be so valued she was wanted back, but she was happy to see how genuine Corneille's desire was.

"Mmm, when this is all over. When this war is over, I'll return back home. To you and everyone. I'm going to work really hard to help as much as I can to stop those... m-monsters... I'm going to heal others quickly away from here so that no more speculation is directed here..." Rosie promised her.

"...Ok. I'll hold you to it. You better be back here as soon as the Nazi's fall, I'll never forgive you if you die before we meet again... If you do, I'll find you, resurrect you, and kill you again for putting me through all that heartache! Y-you got it?" Corneille almost sobbed and choked, but was too stubborn to let anyone but Rosie and Gerard see her cry.

"I got it... Little sister," Rosie chuckled and called Corneille while hugging her (which got a chuckle out of the pony-tailed nurse considering Rosie was tinier than her despite being only younger than Rosie by a few months).

"Love you, Big sister," Corneille hugged her back tight.

"...Rosie," Gerard piped up, immediately being swarmed by Keep fondly, causing Rosie to blush but try to keep a straight face in front of him, "...Thank you. Out of everyone here, you've probably helped me the most keeping the mortally injured patients alive and off my conscience. I can't thank you enough, and I also can't wait for you to come back."

"I miss you all so very much already and I haven't even left...!" Rosie hugged Gerard and did her best to ignore Keep Yourself Alive happily (and quite audibly) doting on him and acting like a school-girl with a huge crush even after the hug with him was over.

"...I'm sorry for how I treated you...I...." Chantal, for once, putting her pride aside to give the smallest nurse a proper farewell.

"I know, it's okay, Chantal. Take care of Corny for me, ok? I don't want her lonely!" Rosie smiled while hugging her.

Regine was too indignant to let Rosie hug her at first, but as Rosie again made her way to Ace she heard herself being called.

"...HEY, RUNT!" Regine called out, Rosie turned around to see Regine bashfully yet hesitantly offer an embrace with open arms, "...Keep yourself alive."

"Regine!" Rosie chirped, hugging the final member of her team fondly for the last time.. At least, for now.

With her good-bye's all said and done, and the Nazi healed up at 100% while being none the wiser about the hospitals situation, Rosie could finally go with Ace in peace and with a fresh new resolve to help even more people and protect her friends.

She smiled as happily as she could at the dark-haired stranger like her now known as Ace, following him like a baby duckling follows its mama duck.

The "baby duck" followed Ace off into the night, while still unsure what was to come when the morning light shone again, she knew she was where she was supposed to be... And doing what she was supposed to be doing.

DJ UwU
Assailant
Kloudy
Cyan Hide
Bowl of Sad

 

[Cyan Hide]

The rays of morning light penetrated the gaps in the shuttered blinds of the dim office. Cigarrette smoke filled the room and created a kind of haze. The tapping of keys and the occasional chime of the typewriter were the only sounds present this early, until they stopped and were replaced by the sound of heeled shoes clattering on the wooden floor as Odiel Krupps got out of her chair, opened the filing cabinet behind her, took out a string-tied folder and sat back down. She took the cigarette from her lips and put it out in the ashtray on her desk. But before she could open the folder. The door to the administration office started to open. Odiel was out of her seat and standing to attention before the Obergefreiter had even crossed the threshold. She clacked her heels together and gave the officer a Nazi salute, which he returned.

"Heil Hitler!" Odiel barked robotically

"Heil Hitler," the officer returned much more casually. "Early start as per usual. It's good to see some discipline remaining among some of the soldiers here."

"Of course, sir. What did you wish to talk to me about?"

"Yes, well, you know of Maximus Kühn, the transfer from the Fatherland who arrive here last night? Well, he's in the town hospital, injured. And two other soldiers are in the morgue."

"What?!" Odiel exclaimed, taken aback by this news. Nazis getting killed was far from a regular occurrence here

"It gets more incredible. There are eyewitness reports that state that Maximus entered a burning building and emerged unscathed barring internal wounds that wouldn't be caused by a fire. I would have put this down as a simple act of treachery but with Max's war record and all the facts at our disposal...I can't make heads or tails of this story. Anyway, mein Frauline, I've tightened patrols. You're the only soldier I can spare to go to that hospital, and ask Maximus directly what happened in order to form an official report. And if he's well enough to be transported, bring him in for questioning."

"It is my duty and honor, sir." answered Odiel, already mulling over this incredible story in her head.

 

[Kloudy]

William Hawthorne

"It is my duty and honour... sir."

William muttered gruffly to himself as he crossed the street, scowling at a bronze statue of some German man performing the Nazi salute on a podium. Only a few years since Hitler's regime had been put into effect and they were already acting like a real narcissistic autocracy. It must have been recently imported in. The officer looked away in disgust then calmed himself so as to not seem suspicious. He was here for a purpose, how he felt would not get in the way of his job. The park he now found himself was surprisingly green and full of life, causing William to momentarily ponder how such an oasis could still exist in this occupied land of hell. He wondered if for every park, the Germans had built another concentration camp to mirror it. It was like a cycle of death and life, and the humans had decided to play God.

William shook himself from his daydreaming and took a seat on a nearby bench. The patrols had increased recently, although that was to be expected given his consistent activity in the city. There were only so many reports on robberies at gunpoint from specifically German soldiers to be made before the top occupying brass got suspicious. Aside from last night, no one had thus been able to identify him so it was relatively safe to roam free in the day. A bead of sweat trailed down his neck, but not from anxiety. His wound was worsening. All the sharp movements and fighting didn't help either. The Brit winced slightly and put his hand to his side, knowing that proper medical care would have to be found soon. William knew he was racing against the clock now.

"This better be damn worth it..."

He took out a crumpled piece of paper, scanning his eyes over the scrawl that was written on it. At some point, someone had written the details of this location for the current time and slipped it into his pocket. The worrying part about that was William had no idea who or when that could have happened. All he could think of was that weird moment where he thought he had bumped into something on the street, but nothing had been there...

Another patrol strolled past and William lowered his head to hide his eyes under a hat. He was French enough to pass for a local, but even so he didn't want anyone getting too good of a look at him. William thought back to last night, to the images he had seen of the war from that old veteran. It looked no less fun than what everyone was currently experiencing, although even the sarcastic use of fun when referencing the war made the officer grimace. That vet would either be in a hospital recovering or in a cell being interrogated. Either way, William had some time to either silence him or get far away before having his appearance revealed to the authorities. Time enough to figure out what the hell his next plan was. William was beginning to dislike the concept of time, if only because he was always running out of it.

He hoped his enigmatic contact would arrive soon.

Bowl of Sad Assailant

 

[Bowl of Sad]

Liam nonchalantly walked towards the park, relaxing as the cool breeze swept across his face. Liam was really excited to have found someone how both opposed the Nazis and had his mystical ability. It had been about a month or two since he had had his, well, whatever, and he still had no idea what it was, though that wasn't the main thing on the agenda, first was to figure out if he could. Get this man to join them, or at least work together, in this fight for truth. If they were to fight the Nazis regime, they would need more than a few members who couldn't fight, they'd need something more and this something had shown itself in this man last night.

Liam almost took a sip of his lemonade he had in his hand, when he remembered what it would do. He had brought the lemonade as a precaution. Anything could happen, after all. Liam scanned the small park for anyone there and saw a man sitting on the bench. Thinking it was safe to assume that person is the man he's come for. Making it so that his necklace is visible he walked up to man.

"Hello, can I sit here?"

Liam gestured towards the open part of the bench. If the man saw the trademark necklace and knew of it, he wouldmimmediately know he was the man who had asked for him to meet him. Sure it was a roundabout way of seeing, but it's better safe than sorry.


The Neckalce. On closer inspection, there would appear to be a seed in the gemstone.
​

 

[Kloudy]

William Hawthorne

And there he was. It was not obvious in the slightest, but William could feel himself being immediately drawn to the man approaching him. It was a strange feeling, unlike a romantic attraction, it was almost physically magnetic. The only other time such a feeling had occurred was during his fight last night and when he bumped into...

"I suppose this was from you?"

As he spoke in French, William casually passed the note to the other man as he sat down, looking off at the trees so that his face was angled away from his contact. This man was either an ally, or someone about to kill him. He stole a quick glance at the younger individuals profile and registered an odd ornate pendant hanging from his neck. In the centre there was what appeared to be a jewel cut into the shape of a seed or a tear drop. William frowned and looked away again. He had seen this somewhere else before... A few images flashed in his mind and a brief scene of his superior showing him the mission brief came to light. A few files and documentations on locations, characters and targets for espionage. One of the tertiary objectives involved finding someone... Something to do with a vigilante in Locronan that he was supposed to make contact with, although that had been thrown out the window for him ever since he had been captured by the Germans and had to lay low. Then it hit him. The Seeds of Truth.

"Holy shit, you're Liam McEvoy!" William exclaimed, slipping back into English for a moment as he sat up straight in surprise. He quickly gathered himself and made sure there were no patrols currently nearby before switching back to French.

"We should move somewhere discreet. Do you have a place?"

Bowl of Sad

 

[Bowl of Sad]

Liam watched as the face of distrust turned into intense thought and then, finally, realization, though he hadn't expected such a large reaction from the man, he took it. It seemed like he wouldn't need this lemonade after all. Liam grabbed the note from this man that had written previously and shoved it deep into his pocket without even a glance. There wasn't a point to pretend who he was.Liam was happy that the man knew of him, it simplified things a whole lot and he was glad that he wasn't forced to speak out in the open, though he, being the cautious person he was, thought it best to make sure that he really was who he was.

"I would love to but how can I be sure I can trust you? You could be manipulated into coming here, or you could've been followed, or even worse, you could be a spy."

Liam highly doubted that anyone of those options could be true as a man who could attack a Nazis soldier without worry must have had at least some experience. Him doing this was more as a way to gauge what kind of person he was. ​

 

[Kloudy]

William Hawthorne

William shook his head and pulled a cigar from his inner breast pocket. He didn't have many of the British brands left, but today was apparently a special occasion. Or maybe he was just too stressed. A short sigh came from him as he used a metal flip lighter to spark it, taking a savoured moment to taste the smoke. The cloud he emitted was sweet and strong.

"I am a spy. For the British."

He then proceeded to withdraw a wallet-sized leather square and passed it to Liam. It contained his identification complete with his name, face and other identifiable information as well as verification that he did indeed work as an intelligence officer for the British. Swiftly pocketing the ID after Liam had taken ample time to read it, William got up from the bench and glanced around.

"I don't really have the luxury of waiting for you to decide if you trust me or not."

His posture was telling of an obvious limp as he favoured one leg, a hand pressed against his side in clear discomfort.

"If you have a hideout, now is the time to take me there."

Bowl of Sad

 

[Assailant]

Maximus's mind clouded, fading in and out. He'd never liked the feeling of anesthetics, that feeling of control slowly slipping away from you. He hated not being in control of a situation. In a similar sense, he hated falling asleep. However, at least there it was of his own volition. Nonetheless, he acknowledged it was necessary. Besides, realistically, he had little to fear. The alleyway was one thing, but this was a hospital. Everything was recorded rigorously. Someone would have to be an absolute fool to try to kill him here, there's no way they'd get away with it.

His eyes gently opened as some figures walked into his room. The anesthetics were hitting hard: his eyes only opened slightly enough to peer through, they didn't even appear open to the doctors or... nurses, or... whoever that was floating there...

...

Stand!

He tried to form Fields of Verdun around himself, sure this stand user would make a move, but the anesthetics had taken their toll by now. He couldn't work up the energy to fully activate his stand. He registered that some kind of song was playing in the room, but he wasn't focused enough to find the source of it or the contents of the music. He felt a strange warmth pass over his chest. Had he just been attacked? Was he going to die?

This anesthetic... is far more powerful than it needed to be. This isn't just pain relief, they're trying to knock me out.

As the figures left the room, he pushed himself to get up and follow them. Slowly... in a daze, he saw the world move him by as he pushed to a sitting position. It felt less like he was moving, and more like reality itself was moving around his still form. Then, it all moved back as his head hit the pillow.


Morning light streamed through the window as Maximus, like an ever-vigilant watchdog, observed the outside world. Once more, he prodded his chest. The bones had been broken there, yet... no... this was no simple pain killer. He was healed. Completely and thoroughly healed.

Could that be... the stand effect? The one from last night?

He hummed in thought and sat back on the bed. He was ready to leave, but he was sure it would be more complicated than that. For one thing, he still had to be formally discharged. And, perhaps more pertinently: if he'd been hospitalized over-night, it wouldn't surprise him if someone was on their way at this moment to debrief him. He had to give them at least a bit of time. If he was discharged before they'd managed to arrive here, he'd just assume they weren't coming and go to HQ himself.

Cyan Hide

 

[Minako]

Now, several things happened in the small town Hospital once the (newly dubbed) miracle girl had left with her mysterious new cohort, such as Corneille somehow able to convince the man Rosie's "family friend" had arrived with he was all stitched up (which wasn't a lie, he was, just for far little than a previous hole in their body) and the man was, naturally, so grateful they didn't think to ask much questions and Regine and Chantal heading home after some worried goodbyes.

"Here," Gerard (who stayed behind out of concern for both Rosie and Corneilles sake) confirmed as he handed the pony-tailed nurse a prescription bottle filled with placebos that was purposefully mislabelled as painkillers, looking at her quizzically while adding, "Think this plan of yours will work?"

Gerard was only partly right calling this a "plan" as it was mostly just winging it as she goes along, but she did have the foresight to prepare somethings (such as the useless medicine for a lack of pain) and before the Nazi could find it suspicious Corneille was still there in the day despite working the night shift she would say she was worried about him (which wasn't a lie, per say... She was worried about him talking...). It wasn't like any of the daytime nurses wanted to deal with a Nazi anyway once she explained the situation.

"It sort of has so far, so fingers crossed..." Corneille muttered while nodding and accepting the "medicine".

Normally, she'd feel quite conflicted giving anyone these essential "sugar pills" that do nothing, even a Nazi bastard, but... Really, he didn't even need it. Not after Rosie was done healing them.

Miracle girl struck again...


"...He's going to figure it out, you know..." Gerard mumbled concernedly as he was also packing up to leave, knowing if they BOTH went in there the Nazi might be more suspicious than need be of them both staying over to the morning shift, "He feels no pain now, and in order to feel that comfortable and well with all those fractures he'd have to be on so much medicine he'd be an addict..."

"...Yeah, well, there's nothing for it. What's done is done. All I can do is act like nothing is amiss... And hope he either falls for it or does the same just to get out of here," Corneille sighed, really hoping this would work.

"...And... If he doesn't?" Gerard asks.

"I'll pick a God and pray, I guess," the brave pony-tailed nurse shrugged, not getting herself into a tizzy before slipping into her actress role.

"Why, Corneille, I didn't know you were religious," Gerard smirks and teases her as he walks out the nurses station to leave his shift for the morning.

"...I'm not," She answered back duly.



"Rosie... I hope you're alright..." Corneille thinks to herself as the morning sun rose, worried about her best friend with a stranger she didn't know, but knowing it was better than being in Nazi clutches...

She hoped...

Damn, she wished she knew more about this Ace guy... She trusted her most precious friend to him, after all...

"There's nothing for it now, and at least she's as far away from this Nazi bastard as possible..." Corneille thinks as she sighs to herself, frowning at his chart as she reread it (and glad she took the liberty to scalpel out the date and time of his x-ray, so it still might pass off as his current state if need be!).

She carefully went over everything, and re-examined the prescription bottle one more time to make sure it was "properly labelled"...

Everything was in place.

"Act like nothing is amiss, and it won't BE amiss... Make him think he's crazy or something... That it was all some dream and if he feels no pain now he's on a drug high... get him out of here as soon as possible... Hope one of his Nazi friends comes and takes him before he can ask any questions... Don't let him even suspect there was a healer in our midst as recent as last night... Assholes like him are why Rosie had to go into hiding to start... Though, I guess they are also why we met..." Corneille runs drills through her head as she opens the door to Maximus' room, making sure she was already "smiling" even before she entered.

"Hi!" She greeted him with (a bit too much) gusto, then suddenly changed her expression to one of concern (which WAS genuine... But not in the way it should have been), "Hey, wow! You were OUT last night, huh? I gave you the proper amount of medicine--"

Which was true, SHE DID... But in sedatives, not painkillers--

"You must have been pretty tried from getting banged up so bad, huh?" She chirped while handing him his "prescription".

"Now, be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle, ok? Painkillers aren't a toy," Corneille warned him very much like a mother, kinda overly friendly, but she wasn't too concerned with a little bit of hammy acting; USUALLY Nurses WERE nice and had good bedside manner PLUS she knew he had bigger fish to fry.


"Now then," She sorta cheered, as she was hitting the home stretch of getting this Nazi threat out of here, "Do you have any questions or concerns before we let you go? You should recover nicely if you keep those ribs wrapped up and take your medicine as prescribed! Want me to get you a phone to call yourself a ride, or do you have a friend on their way to pick you up?"

Assailant
Cyan Hide

 

[Assailant]

Maximus reached out a gloved hand to take the "painkillers" from the nurse. Through his gas mask, he observed the nurse carefully.

It seems she's not a stand user. Hmph. That will make this more complicated. Nonetheless. Perhaps this can work to my advantage, if I play my cards right.

"Yes, actually, I do have a question, if I may." Maximus stood up from the bed and, with a single push from his right leg, darted to the door and shut it closed behind her, trapping her in the room with him. His stand, like before, gave him increased speed, leaving her little time to react. He dispelled his stand temporarily, ripping the bandages off of his chest with a flourish. He didn't need them, he knew that well enough. No amount of painkillers could dispel his pain so completely and wholly without leaving him in a foggy daze. To add an additional element, he turned his stand back on, whipped out his knife, and stabbed himself in the chest with it at full strength.

The knife bent against his chest, crumpling to the ground.

"Let's cut the shit, shall we?" His French had grown rough, reverting to the thick German accent making it almost hard to understand, though still decipherable. "I recognize you from last night. You and a few others come into my room, some music plays, and next thing I know I'm all healed? And what's more... a stand..."

He walked up to the woman and stared her down, Fields of Verdun still active, though she couldn't see it. She would not be able to run, and if she tried to scream for help, he was prepared to silence her. He didn't want things to go down that route, but he had a job to do and he will do it no matter what.

"You're not a stand user, so this must all seem very confusing to you. But let me try to make this simple. Your friend from last night is not the only one able to accomplish superhuman feats. There are many more out there... and one of them just tried to kill me last night."

His eyes narrowed as he stared the nurse down.

"So far, I've only seen two individuals in this town with these abilities. My would-be murderer and your friend. I have to make sure they aren't connected, so I'll be speaking with your friend. You just need to give me her name."

Max lowered himself to face her at high-level.

"I don't intend on hurting anyone unless I have to, let me make that clear. However, allow me to make something else clear. I have the distinct impression your friend isn't around here anymore. Somehow, I doubt he or she stuck around. All it would take is one look at the night-shift records last night before I know everyone who it could be. Either they show up to a lineup... or they become a fugitive, and I get every German in the city looking for them day and night... so you can either cooperate with me and everyone can come out of this unharmed, or you can let your friend become a war criminal. Your choice. But I have to inform you, the thoroughness of our search parties comes second only to the thoroughness of our punishments. Keep that in mind."

He stood back up to his full height, his arms crossed in front of his chest, his broad shoulders cutting an imposing frame before the woman. He would do what he had to. If this friend of the nurse's was truly innocent, they had nothing to fear. He would ask them questions and be on his merry way. If they weren't though...

"Your friend's fate is in your hands. Choose it wisely."

Minako

 

[Minako]

Corneille gasped and widened her eyes as the literal worst-case scenario, EVERY SINGLE THING THAT COULD GO WRONG, unfolded right before her eyes.

Not only that but, whatever allowed Rosie to heal this (ungrateful) Nazi bastard also had a version of it that apparently made him impenetrable (not that Corneille was intending on fighting him, he was a soldier and she was a nurse and all)...

Her eyes widened in sheer HORROR with every word he spoke, actually stopping her heart near the end...

F***, that's right... One look at the roster, at least before Corneille could get to ANY day shift staff to change it or hide it (and they would to protect Rosie from a Nazi), and he'd know suspects... Regine... Gerard... Chantal... And ROSIE!

She couldn't help it. She felt rage at her hatred for him, helplessness in helping Rosie, and fear all in one neat package.

She spit in his face.

"They'll never help a Nazi... You were even attempted to be killed because you are one, huh? I'll bet that's EXACTLY why..." Corneille hissed at him, scared but not paying said fear any mind.

Or his intimidation tactics, for that matter.

"You're right, you ungrateful bastard, she DID leave," Corneille explained, "Far, far, FAR away from YOU. She left without even telling ME where she was going... And she didn't have anything to do with whoever the f*** tried to kill you, a******! Maybe if you weren't such scum people wouldn't be trying to take your life!?"

She was trying not to lose it, she knew what was at stake (though her mental state...)

"My friend is INNOCENT! They wouldn't hurt a damn fly! And you wanna know what!? The only reason she healed you? SHE WANTED TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE ASAP BECAUSE YOU'RE SCUM! You didn't deserve to be touched by an angel! At all!"

Corneille reached into her pocket and pulled out a scalpel, but she didn't attempt to stab Max at all with it, instead, pulled it on HERSELF. The scalpel was now right up against her throat... She was even starting to slightly bleed a little at the press against her skin...

She was about ready to slash her own throat open.


"I know I can't fight you. I knew that before I even know whatever the f*** powers you have make you impenetrable... But what I CAN do? Slash my own throat open, prick," She sneered, "Good luck getting that roster when they're wondering what happened to me. With us being the only ones in the room. You will NEVER get your hands on her, much less even know her name. I'll make sure you won't. You don't even deserve to know her name, let alone get healed by her, but I guess even trash can once be useful like scum like you can get lucky."

Assailant

 

[Assailant]

"Oh, would you cut it out with the theatrics?" At this range, it was no trouble at all to shove his hand between her neck and the blade before wrenching it from her grasp and snapping the scalpel blade, rendering it little more than a handle. With a sigh, he pocketed both the blade and the handle.

"Here's what you've informed me. The culprit is, in fact, a woman. What's more, they wanted me out of here as quickly as possible before fleeing the scene, and her coconspirators will die to keep her identity a secret. In other words..." his eyes narrowed harshly as he got even closer to the nurse. "Your friend is starting to sound an awful lot like a fugitive."

He placed his hand on her shoulder in a faux comforting gesture, though the firm, almost painful, squeeze let her know it was anything but. "Allow me to let you in on a secret. Amongst my comrades, I'm what you'd consider a 'nice guy.' I try not to hurt people unless I'm tasked to or I need to, and I don't enjoy inflicting pain when I have to... however, I'm getting awful close to that line. So I'm going to give you one more chance to give up her name, willingly, and then I'm going to tell you what's going to happen.

"First, I'm going to confiscate the night shift records. You seem to be under the impression that, if you die, I will be unable to get them. You forget yourself. I am an officer in an occupying military. I don't need your consent. I can go right up and take them whenever I please. I don't need you to be alive. Speaking of which...

"Second, I'm going to take you captive. You will be interrogated and, perhaps, tortured for the location of your fugitive ally. Perhaps you'll give up her location, perhaps not. However, that is irrelevant.

"Third, news of your capture and torture will be spread so far, your ally will hear about it for sure. If she is truly as benevolent as you say, I doubt she'll allow for her friend to be tortured to keep her safe, hmm? You tell me if it would be out of character for her to abandon you to your fate.

"Fourth, a manhunt will begin for this nurse. At most, there will only be about four or five suspects, and we can cross most of them out just by asking them to line up. I'll likely know the name and appearance, as well as all of the identifying information of the culprit, by day's end.

Finally, she will be incarcerated and tried as a fugitive and an attempted assassin, with you sharing in her fate..." He lowered down and stared her in the eyes, face to face, squeezing her shoulder once again.

"Alternatively, you can simply tell me her name, appearance, and where she went right now, and we can skip the unpleasantness. We will find her, regardless of if you cooperate. It's simply a matter of how much suffering it takes to get there. Surely your friend wouldn't want you to hurt for her sake, hmm? Or perhaps... even the other people in this hospital? I can ask them which nurse saw them before they miraculously cured... or I could even start offing them to draw her out? The choice is yours. How many innocent people have to suffer and die before you give me the name of this supposedly pure and innocent woman?"

He wiped the spit off of his face and flicked it to the side.

"And I don't recommend you try any more daring stunts. You're already on thin ice as it is. Resist again, and I will assume your friend to be the assassin I suspect her of being, and I will proceed as such."

Minako

 

[Minako]

Wow.

So this is what it's like to be an ant trying to face off against a Scorpion, huh?

The pony-tailed nurse watched in sheer HORROR as the Nazi snapped her scalpel like a twig... And accused Rosie of trying to kill him...

She didn't care SHE would be tortured, but her friends... and poor Rosie being witch-hunted?!

And killing even the day-shift nurses?! Completely innocent civilians...?!


No...

And what was more... It would work. It would totally and completely work to draw her out....

He'd take her captive and as soon as Rosie heard about that, she would try to rescue her... She wasn't impenetrable like this beast here... All she could do was heal...


She glared at him when he sarcastically called her "innocent", ironically as he tried to pin her a killer.


"...You're so sure you'll find her..." She muttered, "I just said: Even I don't know where she went... That was the whole point of her leaving and going into hiding last night..."

She hung her head.

Spite was keeping her mouth barking insults and refusing to tell him anything, but it also was urging her to talk just to prove him wrong.

"...If I tell you what I do know," She humored him, if only to CLEAR her best friends name, "Which isn't a lot NOW, but IF I do... When you find her, what will you do with her? You gonna force her to heal your bastard friends? Use her healing gift to heal your soldiers? Or to bring back your torture victims from the brink of death just so they can nearly die again and again?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, a hatred this pure almost impressive.

"Answer that, and I may talk. It won't be much, but it'll be what you asked that I could tell you... But let's make this clear: I talk to clear her name, you ungrateful bastard. Your scummy self nearly getting killed was entirely YOUR OWN FAULT for being garbage, and my friend shouldn't have to suffer for it just because she tried to help us and ended up healing you in the process. I highly doubt any "thank you", if you even know those words, won't be followed by capturing her, regardless of whether or not you believe me she's innocent, and using her for your own sick purpose."

Assailant

 

[Assailant]

Maximus sighed as the nurse went on. "I told you before, but I suppose it bears repeating. I simply want to talk with her. If she turns out to be an assassin, as I suspect her to be, then she will be arrested and stand trial. If, as you claim, she is simply an innocent nurse... then I will give her my sincere gratitude for saving my life, and I will leave her be."

He stood up and stepped back from the nurse from a moment, breathing deeply. "In the meantime, unless we have reason to suspect you of conspiracy, you will be allowed to leave and continue your life normally. You can forget this ever happened. You have my word."

His face grew somber as his hand crossed over his heart and he spoke in German.

"On the honor of my name and country, under the witness of God himself, I swear to uphold this oath so long as it can be done, and it is within my power to do, henceforth. This is the truth of my conviction, and may the holy Father punish me as He sees fit if I go back on this solemn vow."

Minako

 

[Minako]

Corneille rolled her eyes at the Nazis "word", believing it about as much as she would a snakes.

"Can it, you Nazi scum," She snarled, "You've killed more people in a day than most serial killers have all their lives..."

Her heart lurched, as a disturbing thought came into her head, snuck in via hope...

Even if he was telling the truth, which he probably wasn't, but streching believability...

There was no way his word COULD be true.

At least, not without his own life in jeopardy.

Even IF he just wanted to thank Rosie and not capture and use her... What would happen when his fellow Nazi officers found out he knew of a healer and didn't apprehend her to use her abilities?

"...And even IF I did believe you, you're talking out your a** and making a promise you can't keep... Or are you telling me you're just going to know of a healer, let her go after thanking her, and NOT get seriously reprimanded for not capturing her to use her??" She felt she rightfully questioned.

"I'll pass the thank you when I see her after this war is over, however long that is," Corneille insisted, "I'm not going to hand her over to someone who thinks they can promise me her safety when they clearly can't... Or are you telling me you're going to risk YOUR tail for someone you haven't even met?"

"You are probably right. She probably IS a fugitive," Corneille explained, "My guess as to why? She kept healing France's soldiers and you people didn't like that. Your kind is already out to kill her or capture her for just helping her own country."

She frowns and crosses her arms.

"I don't see an ending where you both are happy. Either she gets hurt or you do."

She sighs, and looks down, contemplating.

She has to keep up her end of the bargain. If only to keep poor Rosie from being witch-hunted and her co-workers alive.

"Her name is Rosalina Chandra. She goes by Rosie. She's small, and has bleached hair... Looks like a teen but is actually thirty... I can give you her OLD address, but I promise you, she won't be there by the time you get to it. Her new friend probably made sure of that. Aside that, I can't tell you anything. That was kind of the whole point," The pony-tailed nurse finally confessed begrudgingly, glaring Max dead in the eyes and adding, "I hope you NEVER find her. Ironically, for BOTH your sakes."

Assailant

 

[Assailant]

Max took out a notepad and jotted down some notes as she'd spoke. He'd cross check her name with the night-shift registry, just to make sure this Rosie individual really existed. This woman was willing to commit suicide to protect someone "innocent", so he doubted she'd sell out an innocent nurse or doctor. So as long as Rosie truly worked here, he could safely assume she was truly the culprit.

"Her friend, you say? Any description on this individual as well? Is he a stand user, do you know? Stands being the special abilities, I should say." He still kept an eye on the nurse out of the corner of his eye, just to make sure she didn't try anything funny. He raised an eyebrow.

"And, for the record, I haven't been ordered to hunt down any healers. So yes, I do expect you to believe I'll just leave her alone if she's innocent. I have no reason to capture an innocent woman if it serves no purpose towards my goals. If she is as innocent as you say, she will be free to go. I have given my word to you and to God."

Minako

 

[Minako]

"Well, I mean, it doesn't matter if YOU, specifically aren't under orders to capture a healer...." Corneille mumbled miserably, rolling her eyes harder at this christian Nazi f***, "ONE OF YOUR NAZI BUDDIES IS, I promise you."

She took a step back and decided to put on a little show for this prick.

" 'Oh, golly gee, I'm Max, I'm on a mission from God and simply want to thank this woman who healed me because I'm a prick and nearly got killed for being a prick!' " She then changes her voice deeper and grabs a quick marker to draw a black rectangle on her finger and then puts it above her lips, imitating Hitler, " 'Ach! YOU FOUND A HEALER AND DIDN'T CAPTURE HER TO HEAL MY SOLDIERS IN BATTLE EVEN THOUGH I'VE SENT OTHERS TO?! TO THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS WITH YOU!!!' "

She then removes the finger-stache to stare at Max dully.

"Yeah, see how nothing you're saying to me now is making me feel better? Even if it's not YOU, it will probably be ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS. I guarantee it. How the hell would Nazi soldiers know of a miraculous healer and NOT want to use her abilities for their own?! That's like Hitler having all these soldiers and NOT wanting to throw them into battle.. And HEY! Whaddaya know... HE DID."

She irritatingly brushes off his reassurance, but does then go back to his original question... If only to see if Max might know about this guy (though she was hoping he didn't because if he did she might just prove Rosie was in cahoots with whoever did that to Max and that would only cause trouble!)

"Well, About him..." Corneille began, now filled with worry and concern, but going on, "He was a sort of older guy, at least older than her, mid thirties, tall but with short and dark-haired and wore black... Uhm... He brought in a gunshot victim that Rosie also healed last night... All they barely needed were stitches after she fixed him up... He's good as new now... To tell you the truth..."

She then looked at Max as if asking for guidance, "She was really drawn to this guy... She insisted he was a family friend, but it was obviously the first day they met... I've been her friend a while, I'd know if he was a family friend... It was like they related on some level... Like they both had something in common only the two of them have? You... You don't think..."

She thought about the end of the question a bit, and didn't really want to ask it, but, "You don't think he's like you two, right? I... I mean..."

Her stomach lurched.

Was Rosie in over her head going with that guy as well?

"He... He did take her to use her... But I'm assuming to use her to help poor people injured on the streets...."

She looked like a deer in the headlights with her "oh no" face of realization... It was clear she was worried Rosie would get caught in the crossfire of whatever was going on between the dark-haired man and the Nazi's!!!

Assailant

 

[Kloudy]

Dead Dreams
(The Hospital - Patient Ward)​

It must have been like a terrible recurring nightmare. For the German, of course. William hadn't expected the result he found, but it was certainly more than a surprise when he overheard a conversation between a nurse and the very man that has nearly ruined his whole operation from last night. A lucky find. The officer had been hit with a painful amount of bad fortune recently, this turn of fate was definitely welcome. It would solve more problems than cause if he played it right.

A few blocks away from the park, William had sent his stand to scout for nearby hospitals to note. It was too risky to move during the night following his battle, and dodging patrols after curfew in his state was not possible. Thanks to |Dead Dreams| Also being a ranged stand, the German would have least expected what was to happen next. The door, possessing no lock to speak of, edged open slowly and silently. With the soldier facing away while keeping an unfortunately close eye on the nurse and his notes, he did not notice as a seemingly fair-skinned brown-haired male poked his head out from the side of the slightly ajar door. His expression seemed entirely neutral to the point of being stony-faced, and the eye the nurse could see slink from Maximus over to the nurse. A moment passed before the stand revealed more of its face for a sliver of a second: the other half of its face was flesh and veins, yet not blood. It had a waxy shine to it, but the man seemed to not be hurt at all.

And then she blinked.

In the split second where her eyes had closed, |Dead Dreams| moved faster than any humanoid on the planet could. The half-skin stand, which had morphed it's statue-like appearance to match that of a medical body mannequin to slip into the hospital unnoticed, moved at un-seeable speed and pushed the German. No warning, no giveaway sound, no respite, Max was perfectly aligned to be launched from the window he had been staring out of not so long ago. With question time apparently over, the stand remained away from the window, staring expressionlessly onwards as if it wasn't really seeing at all.

"R-Ros... Rosa...lina. Chandra."

Assailant Minako

 

[Assailant]

"FUCK NOT AGAIN!"

Max flew towards the window, swearing internally and externally. He had considered jamming the door shut, but he had decided not to do so. Why?! Ugh, he'd not thought the assassin would be so bold. Thankfully though, he had the entire room to fly across, and one of the many things his suit enhanced was reflexes.

Stretching out his arms and legs to catch himself on the window's edge, he quickly turned around to stare down the stand and leaped forward...

not at the stand, but at the woman.

"STAND! GET DOWN!"

He pushed Corneille against the wall, reaching his arms around and shielding her, staring at the humanoid stand.

"If you can see it, don't break eye contact or it will kill both of us. Tell me when you're going to blink. We need to never let go of eye contact."

His arms stretched out, he stood between the nurse and the assassin, a human shield to block her from harm.

"Do you have any way to protect yourself? Anyone else in this building have unexplained abilities? This is the same creature that almost killed me yesterday, so don't treat it lightly."

Kloudy Minako

 

[Minako]

Today was just NOT Corneille's day.

One second she was talking to a Nazi, asking him on advice about who the hell her best friend just went with, and the next?

Some creepy lookin motherf****er just waltzes in here and tries to kill said Nazi (via fall to death from window, apparently) and then said Nazi hops on her and tries to shield her?!

Why?!

Man, she really shouldn't have clocked out before she came into his room, she needs to get paid for this...

Nah, there is no amount she could be paid that would be worth this.

Also... Did Max seriously just ask her that?!

"Uh, I mean, I had my scalpel, but SOMEONE broke it...!" Corneille reminded him bitterly and sarcastically.

Her stomach lurched, if this is what SHE was going through just knowing OF Rosie... What was rosie going through...

Would that Ace guy protect her?! Could he?!


Why would he, they just met?!


Oh Rosie... Where are you?!


"Wait, why are you trying to protect me?! Weren't you ten seconds from imprisoning me earlier? Didn't you just accuse my friend, your healer, of trying to kill you?! Make up your mind, man?!" She barked in bewilderment.


Cornelia had no idea what she was really looking at or what was going on, all she could hope for was coming out of this alive and hoping Rosie was safe wherever she was!

Assailant
Kloudy

 

[Kloudy]

Dead Dreams
(The Hospital - Patient Ward)
​

"Make up-up your mind..."

Like a broken record, the stand didn't wait long, moving jaringly from it's unnaturally still position to swiping up Maximus' blanket at regular speed. It moved like an animatronic when observed, made all the more creepy in it's mal-human form. If William were actually present than controlling it from afar, he would have grinned slightly. The German really thought he'd figured out how to counter his stand's ability. Commendable that he tried, but another set of eyes would not save him. In enclosed spaces like a hospital patient room, |Dead Dreams| held the advantage.

The blanket was flung in the air toward the pair. The way it billowed was enough to cover Maximus' field of vision so that he technically could not see the stand. With The nurse being so close to him, it actually worked against him as her vision was now also obscured. For perhaps half a second, two protruding lumps may have been visible at the bottom of the blanket. In reality, it was the stand's foot. With it's speed increased when unobserved, it launched two lightning fast kicks targeting Maximus' left inner knee. While Fields of Verdun made him physically impervious to the physical realm, Max could not mitigate the damage from another stand with just his suit. William didn't need to kill the man right now, but slowing him down would be helpful. This had just become a race to the healer. As the blanket fell, |Dead Dreams| now stood slightly further back against the far wall. A nearby bedside cabinet had a door open that it hadn't previously, yet the stand remained stood stock still with nothing obvious on it's person.

Assailant Minako