X2.6.5 – The Doctor

"Why can't you carry the monk? He's heavy as hell," said Indigo, struggling with Elevar on her back.

"Because if I carry him my battery will run out in one day, and then you will also have to carry me," said Thero, smiling.

"Don't you dare complain," said Rosso, panting. "I've been carrying the boy since the last world."

The travelers entered a strange, dark forest. It was different than all the rest of the places they had traversed through in Meat World. There were no trees but strange filaments coming out of the ground, which buzzed with light as if they were giant neurons.

"What the hell was that?" said Indigo, noticing something move in the darkness.

"It's those animals again," said Rosso.

"The Nervelopes," said Thero. "Mother had given me some random information when she programmed me."

"Are they dangerous?"

"They don't attack. But the antlers on their heads—they produce powerful psychic waves," explained the android.

"Which means?" asked Rosso.

"Who's—that?" said Indigo, pointing with her chin towards a tall, humanoid figure, interrupting the others.

It was muscular, and it looked like it was missing its skin, as bone and muscle glistened whenever the Nerve Forest shone.

"What is it?" asked Rosso.

"What is what?" asked Thero.

Out from its back, the being took out a massive sword that looked like an oversized butcher's knife.

"Oh, crap," said Rosso.

"I don't think it wants to be friends," said Indigo.

The strange warrior attacked head first, causing the Jumpers to tense up immediately, their eyes shooting wide open. They threw their unconscious friends on the ground, and evaded the attack, scattering behind the glowing trees.

"Stop, you two!" said Thero.

"Indigo, get behind him," Rosso said, receiving a nod from her.

The ran through the forest as the footsteps of the enemy grew nearer. Rosso glanced around but only noticed the enemy at the last second. Out of instinct, he managed to block a deadly blow to the head as the two struggled to overpower each other. Its blade inched closer to Rosso's abdomen as the heretic tried to push it away with all of the strength he had left. Suddenly, Thero leapt down, pushing himself between the two fighters.

"What are you doing?" shouted Rosso, noticing that the robot was also attempting to save the enemy. "Whose side are you on?"

"Both of yours!" Thero threw both of them on the ground, away from each other. "Stop fighting. Can't you see?"

Rosso glanced up at the warrior and recognized a familiar face.

"Indigo?"

"Rosso?"

"The Nervelopes—they're getting in your heads," explained the robot. "There is no enemy. Only you two trying to kill each other. They can tap into your minds and make you see things that are not there.""

"Bastards," shouted Rosso, blasting his Gunhand in the forest, causing the strange animals to scatter in the darkness.

Rosso collapsed on the ground.

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"Are you alright?" asked Indigo, rushing over to him.

"I think—you got me," said the heretic, revealing a bloody wound in his belly.

The robot carried both Roa and Rosso, while Indigo carried the monk on her back.

"I will only last half of a day with their weight on my shoulders," explained Thero. "Please, if I shut down, release my original body."

"What original body?" Indigo asked.

"My original form is inside of my chest. It is a ball with a flicker of my mother's aura. Please take that out if my body ceases to move."

"Understood. Try to last as long as you can, robot," Indigo joked. "I don't want to carry you too."

"I cannot extend my battery's performance. It is now at ten percent."

"Yeah, alright. I guess you don't understand jokes."

"I do."

"Oh yea?"

"Want to hear a joke?"

"Sure," said Indigo with a smirk."

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Nanoo," said a voice, interrupting. It was Elevar who opened his eyes for a moment and pointed ahead, out of the forest and unto a large, wide expanse of tendons that acted like plains. In the middle was a village. "Nanoo is over there." He passed out again.

In the village, Indigo collapsed in front of some locals as the last of her strength finally ran out.

"Hey, robot, give me a hand, will you?" she said, turning back to him.

He stood immobile, the screen on his face was off, making him seem like an inanimate pile of metal and junk.

"Zero percent," she said, sighing as she wobbled back to her feet.

The locals jumped around, grunting and shaking their spears as all other tribes had done before them.

"Hey, monk, wake up, we need you to translate," she said, slapping him a few times. "Damn it, he's out cold. She turned to them and said, "we come in peace. We are sick as hell. Please help us."

The locals, to much of Indigo's surprise, took her and the others, bound them in ropes and plopped them in front of a smoldering cauldron. Indigo looked around and rested her forehead to the meaty ground and sighed again.

"We're all going to be cooked, literally cooked—in Nanoo. Thanks, monk. Good job, we're all—healed!" she joked, letting out a laugh.

"How do you know this language?" said a woman's voice.

"Huh?" Indigo turned around and saw a shaman dressed in the typical robes of the priests of Carnassia.

The shaman took off her headgear, revealing a Human face.

"Doctor—doctor—what the hell was her name?" Indigo stuttered.

"Doctor Heeleah?" she said.

"Yes!"

"My name is Indigo, this is Elevar of Pardasia the famous cartographer, that's a robot, that's the boy named the Sunflower, we're all sick and are about to die, please help," she blurted out all in one breath.

"Wow—alright. That's a lot of information all at once," said the doctor. "I haven't seen Humans around these parts in a while."

"The monk said that you're the best doctor in all of Free Society. Please help. The Greatest Fight depends upon this."

The woman smiled and ordered the others to bring them inside of her hut.

Several days had passed. One by one, the Jumpers began to awaken. They were given strange medicines and food, elixirs and potions. Heeleah's lab was large and filled with bubbling liquids and herbs.

"Ouch!" said Rosso, twitching as a needle entered his arm.

"You'll be alright. This will fix you right up," said Heeleah.

"What about the monk and the boy?" asked Indigo.

"The monk's body was poisoned, but I've cleaned it out. He should be alright. The boy—it seems like he has caught the Rot from the Nyx Expanse. One of the hardest diseases to treat, even for me."

"Will he make it?"

"We will see."

Several more weeks passed and everyone had made a full recovery except for the Sunflower.

"There it is," Indigo said, detaching Thero's metal ball from his chest. "Now we just have to recharge this metal volleyball and our robot friend will be operational again."

A loud gasp caused the Jumpers to rush into the room where Roa slept in. The boy was awake.

"Calm down, my friend," said Rosso as he placed his hand on the boy's forehead.

"Slow your breath, Sunflower," instructed the monk.

"Where—where the hell am I? Am I dead?" the boy from Earth said, panting.

"Not yet," said Indigo with a smile.

"Then—why the hell is everything made of meat and bones," Roa said, pointing to the walls and floor of the doctor's lab.

"It's a long story, Sunflower," said Elevar.

"Looks like the Rot is receding. I think the boy will be alright," Doctor Heeleeah explained.

The Jumpers cheered and patted the boy on the shoulder and head.

"Aren't you happy?" said Rosso, noticing that Roa was dead serious. "What's the matter with you?"

The Sunflower did not respond for several seconds until he seemed to snap out of it, as if finally realizing something.

"Nirvana," he said.

"What about her?" asked Rosso.

"She sent me a message a few seconds ago," Roa explained. "I gasped myself awake because of it."

"What did she say?" asked Elevar as the others leaned in over the boy.

"She says that they have gathered the fighters in the Slums of Moriah. They're ready to storm the Second Gate. She says we are needed—urgently—in the Elsewhere," the Sunflower said with a look of determination in his eyes. "We need to get back to Grand Market as soon as possible. Elevar," said the boy, grabbing his wrist, "do you know the fastest way there?"

The monk smiled, and turned to the doctor.

"Can he go?" he asked.

"Sure. Just make sure he finishes all of his medicine, and he should be back to one hundred percent," she said with a smile, handing over a vial to the monk.

Elevar turned to the Sunflower and smiled, "of course I know the way to Grand Market."

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