Chapter 130: Interlude - Panacea
"Is what he said true?" Carol growled, venom barely contained in her words.
"What if it is? Are you going to believe a random stranger over me?" Amy asked, annoyed as she watched the live feed.
"That random stranger is the hero who saved the world! He has more influence than we could ever dream of! And you rejected him! This will destroy our reputation! New Wave's reputation! Think of the family for once will you?!" Carol shouted in anger.
"Reputation? That's what you care about?
Was I just supposed to trust him? After he tortured two heroes in front of my eyes, on live television!?" Amy shot back.
"It was self defense! And you try convincing anyone else otherwise!" Carol replied.
"Torture? That's not self defense!" Amy said, "You taught me that!"
"This is different!"
"How is it different? Because he's more popular?!" Amy scoffed.
"What did he even ask of you? Why did you reject him?" Carol changed the subject. It was something Amy had gotten used to. A nasty habit.
The same way Amy had gotten used to her adoptive father's depression.
"He wanted me to heal his wife. But-"
I don't do brains.
Amy would have said.
But before she could, she was cut off by Carol.
"You couldn't be fucked to heal his wife? Is it too much to ask that you heal one single person?!" Carol shouted.
"You don't understand, she-"
"Excuses! That's all you have! You just don't want to help do you? You just don't care? Is that it?" Carol continued like a raging bull.
Amy felt choked up, as tears flooded her eyes.
"I care-"
"If you cared you would have put more effort into healing people! All you had to do was heal one measly woman and this would all have been avoided but you were what? Too lazy to do that?! Is this some stupid teenage act of rebellion? Laziness?!" Carol bore down on her, till Amy felt cornered.
The pressure, the blame, the guilt. It was all too much. Too. Much.
Something deep inside Amy just couldn't bear it anymore. Like a foundation in an earthquake, it cracked, slight at first and then thunderous.
The tears just started falling like a damn broken and she couldn't hold it all in anymore.
Amy broke.
Just snapped.
"I ...will ....never....be enough for you,....will I?" She sobbed as anger and hatred took her voice, grinding her teeth.
"I work myself ragged 16 hours a day at hospital, without pay, without breaks, all to please you. Because I care. Cared. I work more than most doctors! I work more than you even Carol! Tell me, when was the last time you worked 16 hours a day, every single day for years?! When Endbringers attack, I work 72 hour shifts, barely resting!
And I don't so much as mutter a complaint!
Because I'm Panacea! If I don't heal people who will, right?! But it's NEVER ENOUGH FOR YOU IS IT?!
WHY? BECAUSE I'M THE DAUGHTER OF SOME CRIMINAL? BECAUSE MY BLOOD IS TAINTED? MUST I WORK MYSELF TO DEATH? SACRIFICE MYSELF ON A CROSS SO I CAN WASH OFF SOME ORIGINAL SIN I BEAR IN YOUR EYES?! JUST BECAUSE I MADE THE MISTAKE OF BEING BORN?!" Amy screamed.
She didn't even realize she was screaming.
She didn't even realize she could scream.
Slowly her voice turned soft, as she hiccuped, sore throated and wound.
"You....I was never a daughter to you, was I? Just a burden you had to bear in your great heroic crusade. Is that why you hate me?" Amy asked, looking Carol in the eye with an intensity that could melt wax.
Carol stood in place gasping, as realization set in. She took a step forward, extending a hand to Amy.
But it was too late.
Amy took a step back. Then another.
She shook her head.
The string of relation was cut to pieces.
The bond of love was broken.
She was too late. Too late to make amends.
Carol felt her chest hitch at the thought as she caught herself.
And Amy took running, storming out of the house.
"Amy!" Carol cried out, and made to chase but her feet wouldn't move.
"Amy!" She cried out once more to no avail.
"I-I'll go after her!" Victoria muttered, and flew out of the room as Carol collapsed onto the floor, tears streaming down her face.
"What have I done?!" She muttered over and over again, curled up in a ball.
"What have I done?!"
.
Amy ran out of the house and into the street, tears blocking her vision, and stumbled, her foot catching on a raised ledge.
She prepared herself for the fall, but the fall never came.
Instead she felt her stomach flutter as if she were floating, no, free falling. Just for a moment.
Then, a wave of information washed over her, sending her careening into the recesses of her mind, comatose.
Something flashed.
Visions. Images.
Two worms floating, no, moving, deliberately, across space, guided by some esoteric purpose.
Suddenly, the image tore, distorting like a glitch, overlayed by another vision.
A Vitruvian man, against the sun and stars.
A massive ship, blooming into an iron lotus, glimmering lights reflecting on it's surface. It was beautiful.
Then it changed again.
A jar. A portal. Death. Death deathdeathdeath!
Then came the pain. So much pain.
Excruciating, prolonged, and torturous.
As if something was ripping her apart nerve by nerve.
She screamed out in pain. Or tried to.
As did she try to move. Speak. Think.
Nothing.
She had no mouth and she had to scream. The pain was too much. Too much too much!
And she was mute prisoner in her own body.
She thrashed but her body didn't.
She twitched and spasmed. Her skin crawled. It was UNBEARABLE!
Death.
Death. Death.
She wished to die. She wanted to die.
Why wouldn't she just die?
Why was she still alive?
Die already. Die. Please.
Please.please.please.please.
She couldn't bear it anymore.
She couldn't... herself.
Who was.. who am I?
A crackle. A whirr. A thumping.
A thought. Then another. Dizzyness.
She flet something grow within her. Cannibalising a part of something.
She felt it. She felt everything.
And...and...people!
There were people around her.
For the briefest of moment she felt clarity.
Then she was back, in whole.
On the ground. On the pavement.
She felt the cool hardness of the concrete in the shadow of a clothing store.
Then she blinked.
What was she doing here?
Memories came flooding back.
A screaming match. Her bottled up feelings let loose.
Amy felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.
She felt for the familar comfort of her power.
But it wasn't there. She tried again. And again.
But it wasn't anywhere.
Her power...was gone.
And somewhere deep down she felt an unexpected sense of relief, like a burden had lifted off her shoulders.
She felt herself straighten up, different from her usual hunch, and let out a sigh.
She felt someone's hand on her shoulder and turned to see her sister.
Wordlessly, the two pulled each other into an embrace and for that moment at least, Amy felt like everything was going to be just fine. Like the sky wasn't about to go collapsing on her.
It felt...right.
She gathered up the courage to say it this time.
Yes.
She was going to do it.
Hell, she was on a streak, so she might as well open up about this too.
Here goes nothing.
"Victoria I have something to talk to you about...."
.
Star crept through the hall, to the front module, a frosty package tucked under his arm, watching both ways through the hallway, as he entered.
Silently, he pressed a series of buttons on the module, and looked around once more, just to be sure, before pressing the final button.
With a zap, a portal opened up before him, glowing green in the dark room.
Star gulped nervously, thinking of how Papa would be mad at him if he got caught.
But a memory flashed through his mind, as he shook his head.
He giggled happily, and looked at the portal with gleaming eyes, jumping in.
He landed on a wet stone paved street, and almost slipped only to be caught by two firm but tiny hands.
"Star?!" Nami cried out happily, giving him a hug, squishing the package he was carrying.
"Nami! No!" He said, pulling away from her.
"Hm?" She tilted her head confused.
"I brought ice cream!" He said lifting the squished package to her.
"Ice cream!" Nami's eyes glowed with greed, as she made to snatch it from him, only to find no purchase.
"No! Nami, share with Nojiko!" Star said, adamant on denying her the treat.
Nami pouted, crossing her arms.
"Fine! Then let's go quick, before it melts!" She said, dragging him by the arms, as a girl watched from behind.
"So that's where he was going. Hmph!" Riley huffed, "Almost had me worried." She smiled softly, before following after them.
She wasn't about to say no to some ice cream either. And she deserved a bribe for keeping mum about this too!
_____________________
The extra chapter for 200 powerstones is here!
Panacea let's her heart out.
Catharsis for the best hero in the series. Only true good person if you ask me.
Panacea best girl, even if she's a lesbian!
As much as I wrote myself into a corner, accidentally making her the MC's detractor, Panacea is still one of my favourite characters in fiction.
A truly kind person, through and through.
Too bad I'm not good enough a writer to do her pureness justice!
If any of you have any idea to turn this around, tell me in the comments!
And a side order of Star being cute with his first crush.
And Riley being a good, responsible elder sister.
For a price!
How will that turn out, I wonder?
Anyways, thanks for reading.
Next chapter at 300 powerstones.
See ya!
Also, if you want to support me, buy me a cup of coffee or read ahead, go to,
www.patr-eon.com/goldenfingers
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