SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Chapter 4: Crimson
The stiff bed crawled against Mejiro Dober's back, as if taunting her. With her whole body succumbing to the infection in the arm and possibly the other infection, her body fell frail. She felt shackled to the bed; being bedridden on her deathbed.
It certainly felt like her deathbed. She could survive the operation, but the others were already grieving.
Mejiro McQueen and the other Umamusume staying at the academy ruins sat at the edge of the bed, looking at Dober's shoulder.
Mejiro McQueen and Mejiro Ryan sat at the head of the bed, next to Tokai Teio and Gold Ship, who had worked together to make a bedazzled, glittery card. The card sat on top of the cabinet next to the bed.
Gold Ship's face showed a level of concern and empathy she hadn't shown before, as Teio's legs sprawled in front of her because she was leaning on McQueen. Next to the card stood a vase, labelled with a tag with the words ‘Golshi's flowers of good luck and prosperity!! The smells shall make your arm heal magically!!!' written in scratchy handwriting.
In the vase stood a pathetic-looking bouquet with about 10 flowers maximum, which were all already wilting.
Dober's head stiffly faced the ceiling, barely acknowledging the Umamusume sitting beside her.
“When Air Groove gets back from the storage, we will start the operation.” McQueen handed over some small pills with a glass of water.
“Please take these painkillers. The strongest ones we could find.”
Dober hesitantly turned over to McQueen's blank expression, holding out the tray.
“Wait- you mean you're not putting me under anesthesia?" Beads of sweat dropped onto the surrounding unclean bed.
“I'm sorry, we have to make do. Air Groove is trying to find some injections in the storage room right now.”
Dober could feel everyone's worried gazes penetrating her head.
Silence, anticipation and worry flooded the air. Everyone's eyes were on Dober.
Mejiro Ryan stood up from the floor, disrupting the stillness.
“Where are you going?” Mejiro McQueen and Mejiro Dober paused, looking towards Ryan, who was standing right in front of the door.
“I...” Ryan's glare shifted to the floor. “I need to leave...”
McQueen lifted her arm towards Ryan, reaching out as she opened the door and turned her back.
“I can't do it. I can't see Dober like this any longer-”
Ryan suddenly hunched over, covering her mouth with her hands and sprinting out of the room, leaving the door open.
The sounds of coughing, spluttering and gagging echoed across the academy.
“Poor Ryan...” McQueen muttered, looking back at Tokai Teio covering her ears.
“I think it's time to say our last goodbyes.”
Gold Ship and Tokai Teio both stood up next to Mejiro Dober, who shot them both one last smile.
“Good luck, Dober.”
The 3 Umamusume walked out of the room to leave Mejiro Dober alone once again, but hopefully not for long.
Teio and Golshi left McQueen to do their own things as McQueen walked down the long hallway, hoping to find and comfort Ryan. Passing by the bathroom, she finds Ryan kneeling over the toilet. Immediately, McQueen rushes over to her.
Yellow and green fluids dripped from Ryan's face, down into the toilet below. Chunks floated in the toilet bowl with the water and vomit. McQueen placed her hand on Ryan's back, feeling her trembling on her fingertips.
“Ryan...”
McQueen's heart ached seeing Mejiro Ryan in such a state. Ryan felt the same, overwhelmed with grief and embarrassment.
“McQueen... go sort out the others, I'm fine.” Ryan lifted a weak thumbs-up, McQueen's face stiffening.
“I can't leave you like this. Let me accompany you for a bit.”
Heaving and breathing filled the tight room. Sweat and tension lingered in the air, with the occasional drop of tears dropping into the toilet bowl.
A familiar yell came closer and closer before stopping right outside the bathroom.
“BAKUSHIINN!!”
The culprit being Sakura Bakushin O, paused right outside of the bathroom, looking down at the Mejiros.
“Bakushin! I didn't see you there!” Bakushin's enthusiastic and booming voice contrasted the situation the academy was in, with Bakushin able to stay somewhat levelheaded.
Mejiro Ryan's tear-stricken face turned around with Mejiro McQueen patting Ryan's face with a handkerchief.
“Oh, stomach bug?” Bakushin's eager grin didn't waver. “Let me brew some tea and heat up some soup! Bakushin bakushiin!”
Before either Mejiro could object, Bakushin was already bolting down the hallway towards the kitchen. McQueen let out a sigh before looking back at Ryan's pitiful face.
“You could probably do with a hearty meal.”
Ryan let out a small smirk, reminiscent of when Ryan would obsessively weightlift. The small sliver of relief made McQueen happier.
Shatter.
The piercing sound of porcelain smashing onto the ground rumbled across the academy. Both the Mejiro's ears perked up. McQueen stood up from the hard tiled floor, offering Ryan a hand and a packet of tissues to clean herself up.
Upon walking towards the kitchen, a shocking sight lay before them.
“MCQUEEN! RYAN!”
The thundering voice calling them sent shivers down their spines.
Drops of blood trailed in from outside, the blood coming from Symboli Rudolf's cut-up legs. Blanketed on Rudolf's shoulder was an unconscious Agnes Tachyon, blood-soaked bandages covering half of her face. Dried blood clung to her face and neck.
“We need to check Tachyon immediately! She got attacked, then on the way back she passed out!”
Bakushin, still holding the tray that her jug and cups had fallen off from, stood in disbelief. The shock and gravity of the current situation finally dawned on her.
“Let me help!” Mejiro McQueen rushed over to Tachyon, who was slipping from Rudolf's grip. The two of them supported Tachyon and hurried down the hallway, Ryan walking with and kicking down the door to the sick bay.
Mejiro Dober's tired gaze shifted to what looked like the dead body of Tachyon.
“Wh-”
Dober couldn't articulate any words.
She sat up from the bed, getting up to sit on the chair next to the bed as she watched McQueen and Rudolf gently place Tachyon onto the already bloody bed.
Air Groove walked into the chaotic room, dropping her medical equipment she had gotten from the storage room and briskly walking over to Tachyon on the bed. She placed 2 fingers onto Tachyon's blood-ridden neck, shakily searching for a pulse.
Everyone's tense breaths filled up the room.
“She still has a pulse!” Those words from Air Groove flooded everyone with relief.
Rudolf stopped to open her first-aid kit, grabbing out more bandages and equipment.
The three Umamusume made sure Tachyon was stable; they cleaned her up with warm water and wrapped more bandages around her legs.
Air Groove peeled off the soaking bandages from Tachyon's face.
“Urk-”
The entire right side of Tachyon's face was beyond repair.
Red as far as the eye could see, flesh poking out from under the hanging skin. Her eye had burst inside the socket, the hole from Cafe's claw still apparent.
“Ah!”
Tachyon's left eye opened slowly. On impulse, she held her fist up to apply pressure on her face.
“My face! What's happened to my face!” What was once a lifeless body turned into a panicked Umamusume, her chest jumping with every weak breath.
“Tachyon!” Rudolf's eyes met Tachyon's, trying not to look at the remains of her right eye. Tachyon's sharp exhales escaped through her gritted teeth. Air Groove grabbed the bandages from Rudolf and lifted Tachyon's hand away from her face. Flakes of blood and flesh came with her hand, Tachyon staring in disbelief.
Air Groove hurriedly wrapped up Tachyon's head with her haunting stare burning into the back of Air Groove's mind. McQueen assisted her, patting her face down with a warm cloth and bringing an ice pack to soothe Tachyon.
“Ah, an icepack? I doubt that will do anything for half my face being ripped off...”
“That's all we have. Take it.” McQueen snapped back, stress lingering in her voice. Tachyon hesitantly took the icepack and held it near her face. The three standing Umamusume sat down, wiping sweat from their foreheads. Dober was in shock at what she had just witnessed, and it paralyzed her. Air Groove glimpsed Dober sitting in the corner of the room.
“Ah- Dober! I guess Tachyon isn't fit to do your operation. I hope you don't mind it just being me and McQueen amputating your arm..?”
Tachyon raised her eyebrow.
“I was supposed to do what now? An amputation?” Air Groove's stern expression shifted towards Tachyon.
“We were going to ask if you could assist me once you got back...”
Tachyon's face suddenly filled with fear.
“Oh no.”
Rudolf, McQueen and Air Groove paused and looked at Tachyon.
“President, where's Cafe?”
Rudolf's eyes widened. Her breaths quickened.
“She's...”
McQueen and Air Groove looked over at Rudolf with confusion.
“She's outside. The tranquilizer doesn't wear off for another 2 hours.”
McQueen's face spread with disbelief.
“Did you tranquilise Manhattan Cafe?! Why?”
Rudolf picked at her fingernails nervously. “She's infected and we need to do research on the infection, so we went out to find and contain an Umamusume...”
Heavy silence filled the room.
“President...” Air Groove grew more and more tense. “When are we doing the amputation..?”
The shift in topic relieved some tension, but in return gave all the pressure to Dober.
“I will go sort out Manhattan Cafe with the President and Tachyon's guidance. I will join you in the operation afterwards, it shouldn't take too long.” McQueen looked over at Air Groove and Rudolf, who both anxiously nodded. Air Groove's tense gaze then shifted to Mejiro Dober.
“Good luck, Dober,” were the words said to her by Rudolf, with Tachyon wincing as she got up to follow Rudolf and McQueen leaving the room.
The sound of latex stretching and disinfectant spraying felt louder than it was to Dober.
The time had finally come. The time where she either succumbs to her injuries or lives on without an arm.
Citrus scented the now-clean bed, with Dober sitting on the edge. She lifted her shirt off and lay down on the bed, the spray ever-so-slightly sticking onto Dober's back.
Air Groove hovered over Dober, holding a needle with what anesthesia she could find in the storage.
“Breathe in for me, and one... two... breathe out.” Air Groove signalled the needle piercing Dober's infected skin, Dober tensing up and breathing out sharply. Pulling out the needle, she wiped a clean cotton ball onto where it had just been.
Air Groove walks back to the counter, leaving Dober's anaesthesia to work while she prepares her equipment.
The wait felt painful. Dober just wanted to get it done and over with.
What felt like hours had passed, and Air Groove approached Dober's numb upper body with an assortment of medical blades and scissors.
“I hope the goddesses are with you.” Air Groove's stark words lingered as she picked up the blade.
This was it.
Carefully, Air Groove felt the joint around the shoulder with her free hand, tracing around it with her eyes. The blade sliced through the skin like butter, almost shocking Air Groove. Dober flinched, looking back up at the ceiling to distract herself from the bizarre feeling.
Air Groove created incisions around Dober's shoulder, from her armpit to her back. Gliding through Dober's skin with odd elegance, she went deeper and deeper. The skin peeled back, revealing red around her shoulder and back dripping onto the bed. Adrenaline pumped through Dober's bare chest, rising and falling with every trembling breath she took.
Muscle revealed itself in the sea of crimson, surrounding the joint and bones.
“Air Groove, I'm back.” Mejiro McQueen opened the door, stunned for just a second at the sight of Dober wincing and Air Groove dissecting her.
McQueen put on a pair of latex gloves and walked over to the tray of equipment that sat by Air Groove.
“McQueen, could you help me separate the arm from the shoulder?” She said nothing but nodded, picking up the slightly larger scalpel and inspecting the incisions Air Groove made.
Blood trickled onto the bed, falling onto Dober's bare chest and coating her shoulder in a layer of ruby. Blood pouring out of the wound accelerated as McQueen hacked away at the muscle, crimson gushing out at an alarming rate.
“I think something's wrong.” Air Groove's concerned tone warned McQueen. “Blood is pouring out way too fast, we can't even see where the joint is...”
“We're cutting off a limb, what do you expect? Let's work fast so she doesn't lose any more blood than she needs to.”
McQueen's stern words create even more pressure on Air Groove, her precision becoming rougher and her hands shaking. Dober's groans grew louder.
Drops of red accumulated under the bed, rolling off their shoes and trickling down the drain in the floor. McQueen and Air Groove meticulously carried on, gashing away.
Ultimately, the arm separated from the socket, covered in a gooey red mess. Dober's cries ceased.
“We got the arm off, can you quickly help me stitch up the wound?” Air Groove turned to face McQueen, who was holding Dober's amputated arm. It dangled in the air, covered in shades of red, yellow and brown.
“Dober's passed out. Can you check her pulse?” McQueen looked over at Dober's oddly calm face. McQueen walked closer to Dober's head, holding the back of it with one hand while she used two fingers to search for a pulse.
Air Groove shakily started stitching up the opening with the remaining skin. Blood surged out, coating her glove red and staining her needle and thread.
“I...”
Air Groove's trembling hands only got worse with every bead of sweat that dropped onto Dober's chest. McQueen choked on her words, hastily trying to find a pulse.
“Stitch her up quick!” Panic in her voice arose with Air Groove grimacing, wiping sweat from her forehead and leaving a smear of crimson.
“I'm trying!”
“I can't find a pulse! Did she lose too much blood?”
Air Groove's hands quit all operations, unable to even hold the needle. “I knew it was bad news! You should've listened to me, McQueen!”
Fluids dripped down from the sea surrounding Dober's now lifeless body, her arm sitting next to her ruby covered shoulder.
Air Groove sat down, resting her gloves on her forehead. Liquid dripped from her arms onto her knees.
“It's no use.” Air Groove said, fighting back tears.
“She's gone. We failed.”
-- CONFIRMED ALIVE --
Agnes Tachyon
Mejiro Dober
Mejiro McQueen
Mejiro Ryan
Tokai Teio
Symboli Rudolf
Gold Ship
Sakura Bakushin O
Special Week
Silence Suzuka
Daiwa Scarlet
Vodka
Super Creek
T. M Opera O
Meisho Doto
Rice Shower
Mihono Bourbon
Haru Urara
Matikanefukukitaru
Mayano Top Gun
King Halo
Maruzensky
-- CONFIRMED INFECTED --
Mejiro Palmer
Manhattan Cafe
Seiun Sky
Nishino Flower
-- CONFIRMED DEAD --
Mejiro Dober
-- MISSING --
(N/A)
