It was dead, without a doubt. No pulse, no breath, no hope left for it. Fia withdrew her fingers from its matted, bloodied fur, biting her quivering lip. It looked so young. She looked again the wound in its side… Chaotic and ragged tears, clearly caused by some wild animal. If only it had been killed by a human, then Fia would have someone to be angry at.

If only she could wallow in her rage, she might know how to feel.

Wiping a solitary tear from her face, Fia stood up, shoving her hands in her pockets and trudging out of the alleyway. To think, scavenging in the trash for valuables would lead her to such a sight… To think, her journey would bring back such trauma… To think, the small cat had died so horribly so close to the hospital…

…Speaking of the hospital, as soon as Fia was back out on the main streets, she noticed a commotion around the very same building. She furrowed a brow in its direction, both curious and concerned about what might be happening. Maybe it was something to do with what ‘Doc’ – Fia’s own way of referring to Gerard – had said during Fia’s check up. That an ‘infection’ had spread. She saw the same man darting about, seemingly looking for something from the other townsfolk that’d congregated.

With little else better to do, Fia marched over to see what the hell was going on. Wearing her best thuggish expression, full of anger with canines flared, Fia shoved her way through some of the other townsfolk, hearing Gerard talking to them in a panicked voice as she got closer. Just what was he so worried about?

”Fiammetta! Oh, thank God you’re here! I’ve been searching all day for someone to help… I need your help again, please!” The moment she was spotted, the bearded doctor had practically leaped toward Fia and started begging, catching her by surprise.

”It’s just ‘Fia’.” The delinquent girl growled, looking at the doctor with furrowed eyebrows. Something was very, very wrong, clearly. ”What the hell are you talkin’ about? Need me to some more deliveries?”

Gerard shook his head. ”No, I… I need help with a surgery… All of my assistants are busy, or ill themselves, I need someone reliable, and you fit the bill! Please, lend me your aid! I can’t allow this patient to die. To do so would go against every oath I’ve taken!”

Surgery? Reliable? Something Fia never thought she’d do, and something she’d never heard someone call her. For a few moments, she just stood there with a face coloured by confusion. How the hell she was supposed to help? She couldn’t save a life!

Not even a cat’s…

Fia swallowed down her regret, summoned her resolve. Screw what she couldn’t do… Someone innocent needed help. Someone who wasn’t gonna get aid from any government or Rune Knights needed a helping hand from the little guy. Her father wouldn’t have hesitated for a moment.

”Sure. Whatever. Nothing I can’t handle, long as you’ll pay me, Doc.” With a look of smoldering determination, Fia accepted the request, lighting the doctor’s face with joy and relief. She half expected him to begin praising and thanking her again, but it was clear there was no time for that.

It was rush to the patient, through the hospital and into the operating theatre. But not before Gerard made Fia put on the necessary garments. She changed quick, thanks to how little she normally wore.

Soon enough, they were standing over the patient, Fia on standby next to a collection of operating tools. It was boy, and he looked young, younger than Fia even. Thin and sickly, no wonder he got infected.

”Alright…” Gerard spoke up as he stood over the patient. “Let’s begin…”

WC: 639
Total WC: 639/1000

It wasn’t too hard, at first. Fia wasn’t the squeamish type, so she’d no problem with watching the doctor cut into the young lad’s flesh. Years at the orphanage, with kids of all ages, in a real shitty neighbourhood… All of that meant there was little about the surgery that could faze her. Not even her task was difficult.

Fia spent the majority of that first part of the surgery watching Doc go to work, impressed by his near flawless precision. Every now and then, he’d ask for a surgical tool, often having to describe it to the less medically knowledgeable Fia. With honed focus, she’d follow his simple instructions, grabbing what he’d needed and cleaning used tools as quickly as she could. When it came to simple menial things like that, Fiammetta was more than adequate for the role of handyman.

”Heh, this is easier than I thought…” Fia mused smugly to herself, inflicting a horrible jinx. Just as she’d looked away to clean one of the tools, a single strained yelp of pain was heard. Her had darted to the source, and the sight… Was far more distressing than anything else she’d seen throughout the day.

”Argh, dammit!” Gerard was clutching a bleeding hand, a scalpel had clattered at his feet. Fia’s eyes went wide in panic, realizing the significance of his blunder. His bloody hand was shaking, the cut deep…

”Shit, shit, shit!” Fia exclaimed in frustration, stamping over to the silent, despair-ridden doctor to get a closer look at his hand. She was no doctor herself… But even Fia could see there was no way he was able to continue this surgery. Fia grit her teeth in frustration… If only she’d been actually helping him, maybe she could’ve stopped this…

”Fia…” Gerard said through grit teeth as he clutched trembling hand. He gestured with his head toward the scalpel on the floor. ”Finish the surgery…”

She stared it him, her hazel eyes wide in surprise. ”You’re shittin’ me… How the HELL am I supposed to-“

”Its our only choice!” The doctor snapped at her, accidentally grabbing his wounded hand too tight, causing him to hiss in pain. ”I’ll guide you the whole way… You just need to do what I tell you to…”

Fia just stood there for a moment, slack-jawed. He couldn’t be serious… But he was. She clenched her fist, feeling a familiar rage flow through her. She was pissed, that this had happened. Angry at the doctor for getting her into this. Furious with herself for hesitating to see it through.

”Fine! Just don’t let me kill the poor bastard!” With those words of ire, Fiamette picked up the scalpel, giving it a quick wash before she held it over the body. Only problem was, her hands were trembling to. Sure, she’d done some first aid before on the kids at the orphanage, but heart surgery? What if… she failed? What if she killed the man? What if she wasn’t good enough.

Suddenly Gerard, having noticed her trembling hands and laboured breath, grabbed her with his good hand. ”Fia! Just… Stay calm, and keep a steady hand…” He assured her, staring into her hazel eyes with a determined look.

‘Steady hands’…. Fia nodded. Breathed in, breathed out, and awaited the doctor’s first instruction. She was barely thinking as she followed his orders, acting more like a machine than a human, with Gerard really being the one behind the wheel. Her mind drifted, reminded of the first time she’d had to do first aid…

She’d stumbled across a neighbourhood cat that’d been stabbed by young hooligans. Fia wanted to chase them down, hurt them for what they’d done, but her father stopped her. The cat was still alive, and he asked for her help to heal it, instead of seeking vengeance. It’d seemed strange to her, at the time, seeing her father resort to a gentle touch before a wrathful blow. But then… He’d said those words…


”Thing is kid, it ain’t always so simple. Sometimes… A warrior’s more in need of a steady hand than he is a strong fist.”


It felt like Baldo and Gerard guided her through the remainder of the surgery. With some kind of thoughtless focus, Fia continued to follow Gerard’s orders. Removing the heart, replacing it, sowing up the young boy… For the entire ordeal, Fia didn’t say a word. Didn’t think a single thing. When it was all done, she just stood there, still holding the tools over the body as Gerard checked his vitals.
”He… He’s made it…” The doctor sighed in relief.


Fia dropped the tools, and let herself fall backwards, landing flat on her backside as she put her in head her hands. She’d done it. Hell, she’d no real idea what she’d done, but she did it. And God was she exhausted. She just sat there, breathing heavily for another few minutes well Gerard made sure everything was in order with the patient.


In the end, she never got the guy’s name. She was on her way out after the surgery, before he even got a chance to thank her. All she wanted after the ordeal was a nice stiff drink. Unfortunately, there’d be a delay, as Gerard stopped her at the entrance. He handed her another payment, which she accepted wordlessly.


”Fia… You saved a man’s life today. I’m afraid there’s no way I can ever repay you for this, for how well you acted under all that pressure…” He praised her again, causing Fia to just groan.


”If ya can’t pay me back, than jus’ don’t bother.” She growled as she pushed past him, pausing for a moment on her way out. ”… Yer welcome…”


Not giving him a chance to respond to that, Fia stormed out even more quickly. She heard Gerard sigh and mutter something to himself as she left, something about wondering what had caused the epidemic. But really, Fia didn’t care… Or at least, she pretended not to.


Truth be told… She hoped the doctor sorted this all out soon. He deserved that much. He was, without a doubt, a good man. Fia kept that in mind as she tiredly wandered to the nearest pub, keeping an eye out for any stray cats.

WC: 1046
Total WC: 1685/1000