Got the Grimoire, Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

“It’s official: I hate paperwork,” Mimi told me flatly as she signed another form. “It’s a stupid pain in my ass. Why does it exist?”

“For bureaucracy and administrative purposes. Keep things organized. Or something. I dunno, I don’t really care for it either,” I admitted.

Thanks to the later hour the previous night, the PRT had been happy to send Mimi home with a packet of papers to fill out. It seemed that it was extremely rare for a solo hero to actually ‘offer’ to fill out the usual forms. I had my own small stack of paperwork as the only professional hero on site. Crystal had weaseled out of having to do anything. Benefits of having a lawyer aunt I guessed.

“Well it’s stupid and pointless. I see why so many independents avoid doing all this,” Mimi huffed.

“I get it, but doing it gives you some manner of legitimacy and good will from the PRT,” I pointed out. “That’s hard to get for most independents.”

“Is it any better if you’re actually in the Protectorate?” she asked wryly. “Because that alone might be enough to convince me to join up.”

“Nah, if anything, it’s worse,” I laughed. “I gotta go to things like budget meetings and deal with the PR department. Way more bureaucracy lies down the path I walk, you’re the lucky one.”

“Uh huh, having to juggle a normal identity while not getting paid to be a superhero is ‘lucky’,” she said, sarcasm dripping from every word. “I think you’re full of shit sometimes, Mak.”

“Hey, truth be told, I would have at least taken a stab at the independent route if my powers hadn’t taken time to ramp up. Might have even liked it.”

“So then why don’t you?” she asked. “Not like they can stop you from leaving.”

“Loyalty. They’ve been good to me, from the average trooper to the top heroes. It’s…” I paused to think about it. “Look, maybe I could have kept my head down and become an independent hero a little later while either surviving on the streets or juggling a job, but the Protectorate allowed me to just get right to being a hero and I’m grateful for that opportunity. Until they start directly going against my moral code or abusing my trust and powers, then I’ll stick by them. Just… maybe do some things behind their back when it’s an issue that I really disagree with them on.”

“Like your stupid head on attack against Coil?”

“Like that,” I agreed. “Giving him time to recover was just asking for future trouble, so I did what I thought was necessary. Or when I healed cancer patients, even though the hospital didn’t want me to.” I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “Though in that case, that was basically with the Director’s approval. I think she knew that she couldn’t stop me from following my conscience, but also didn’t want to get me in trouble officially. She’s a hard ass, but a pretty decent boss.”

“You’re too easy on people. Most of the online gossip makes Piggot seem, well…”

“I know what the forums say,” I sighed. “And some of it’s true. But a lot of it too is just a single woman having to deal with a mountain of bullcrap and traumatized teens and even adults with superpowers who can sometimes act a little entitled. The fact that she held onto the city for as long as she did without it becoming an outright warzone or the gangs openly ruling the streets, says a lot for her effectiveness. But yeah, her attitude has probably rubbed people the wrong way over the years. I just can’t really blame her for it, you know?”

“I reiterate: You’re too easy on people. It’s easy for you to say she’s nice and a good boss when you’re a pretty reasonable guy who also happens to have powers that put him on par with the Triumvirate. Of course she’s going to treat you nicer than she does the rest.”

“…You might have a point. Anyway, back to the original topic, I won’t ditch the Protectorate for now. I treat others as they treat me and they’ve been good to me. Plus, don’t you like living in this apartment? That’s Protectorate dollars at work.”

“Whatever you say.” She got up and grabbed a soda, then sat back down with a sigh. “You got any other plans today?”

“I was going to stop by the Rig, see how Armsmaster is adjusting to the power boost I gave him, then maybe stop by the hospital and check in on Panacea. I haven’t heard from her in a minute. Feels like I’m neglecting her.”

“Not like she’s your responsibility.”

“Maybe, but… Being a healer as powerful as she is put a mountain of stress on her. As the only other healer in the city, I figure I should pitch in and help the gal out, you know?”

“You and your bleeding heart,” she muttered.

It’s only because of it that you’re alive. “How about you? Up to anything once all this is done?”

“Just waiting to hear back from the job,” she slumped forward, eyes looking tired. “Trying to be normal is it’s own kind of stressful after the streets. Like, sure I don’t have to worry about my next meal or having a roof over my head, but I gotta worry about keeping it all there. It helps that you’re here as a safety net, but I want to be able to stand on my own merits eventually, not just stay your charity case for however long you’ll have me.”

“Take your time,” I said, reaching over and giving her shoulder a firm shake. “There’s no rush, it’s not easy trying to rebuild a life from scratch like you’re trying to.”

She breathed in deeply and nodded. “Thanks.”

“It’s what I do.”

***

A simple illusion was enough to make me appear completely different from Magus, the city’s greatest defender and instead just look like a simple hospital worker, one of dozens of faces that just blended together to most people. Finding Amy wasn’t much more difficult, I just started on the floor with the most urgent cases.

Her current patient was a young Asian man, cuffed to the bed, wearing ABB colors. He’d been shot by the looks of it.

Amy finished healing him, then glanced to the uniformed officer in the room. “Make sure the nurses give him plenty of fluids and maybe an extra meal for all the blood loss. Were there any others?”

“Nah, he was the only one. His friends just dumped him at the emergency entrance.” The officer tipped his cap. “Thanks for the help, Panacea.”

“My pleasure,” she said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Excuse me.”

As she stepped out and began making her way down the hall, I pushed off from where I’d been leaning against the wall and fell into step alongside her. “Howdy, stranger.”

She barely blinked at my dumb attempt at some bastardized accent. “Hey, Mak. What brings you here?” She eyed my outfit. “And why are you dressed like that?”

“Well remember, officially speaking, Magus can’t heal, since I gave the finger to the hospital admins that didn’t want me healing their cash cows. Unofficially, I promised you once that I’d put in time healing.” I gave her a smile. “So here I am, as an unidentified parahuman, but here all the same.”

“You already helped though, when you cleared out the city’s oncology unit and all the long term care wards. I can handle the rest.”

“Bah, that was barely a night’s work. Let’s see if between the two of us, we can clear out the entire place!” I said optimistically.

Amy just gave me a pitying smile.

***

“And there you go, one healed wrist,” I said cheerfully. “Good luck, kiddo.”

The small child gave me a grin and then scampered off with his parents.

“Alright, what’s next?” I asked the older nurse assigned to bring me to patients. Amy and I had been separated a while ago, our different styles and speeds of healing meaning that were better off working on separate cases.

“Male, aged thirty-four, fell off a roof during construction,” the nurse rattled off. “Concussion as well as head and spin injuries.”

I cracked my knuckles. “Let’s get to it then.”

***

“How you doing there, champ?” Amy asked me teasingly.

I glared up at her. We’d been allowed to use the break room, seeing as Amy and now me I guess, were honorary members of the staff. “You didn’t warn me that people come here for some of the absolute dumbest shit. Seriously, do you know how many injuries I’ve healed could have just been treated at home or by a nurse with just a few minutes? But then I look like a jerk if I try to refuse.” At least my guide/ assistant was doing her best to steer me toward cases that actually could use healing magic, instead of being stuck in a bed for weeks or months.

“Oh trust me, I know the feeling,” she said. She walked over to the vending machine and got a couple of energy drinks, placing one in front of me. “My advice is to pace yourself.” She grinned suddenly. “I mean come on, it’s only been a couple of hours. I’m usually here for way longer than that.”

“All the more power to you then,” I said. I took a drink of way over-sweetened energy drink and sighed. “I’m impressed you’ve been doing this for so long. Even more impressed that somehow, people still keep coming in.”

Amy shrugged. “It’s a big city with only two major hospitals. Plenty of work accidents, unexpected illnesses, plain bad luck, and of course, gang violence. That’s dropped a lot more than you think since your broke the Empire over your knee, but it’s still going on unfortunately.” She sighed and stopped to take a drink. “Even not factoring in the gang violence, the ordinary amount of ER stuff would keep me busy all day and then some. And really, I’m happy to help the people who would otherwise have their lives ruined or at least severely inconvenienced for years from their injuries and bills, but dammit, some of the stuff does seem kind of petty.”

“You should take more breaks. Only deal with the real life or death stuff,” I advised. “People shouldn’t just see you as the magic healing dispenser. Give Amy some time of her own.”

“Oh trust me, I do,” she said. “That’s actually why I’m here today.”

I suddenly paused as it hit me. It was Wednesday. A school day. I knew that she went to Arcadia, so how the hell was she here on a Wednesday morning…?

She gave me a smile as the gears worked. “I’m doing a ‘work study’, today,” she informed me. “Gives me an excuse to use my powers and help some folks on what would normally be a school day, and I can spend the extra time in the afternoon and evening with other stuff. I got plans with Vicky and her friends tonight.”

“Two birds with one stone. Nice. What about actual classes though?”

She waved a dismissive hand. “Arcadia is big on a flexible schedule, seeing as they host the Wards program and all. Part of their smoke screen to mask the Wards identities. I shifted around my class schedule so that I only have three real full days of school, one partial day, and then one full day doing this.”

“Smart,” I said. “How’d you come up with that?”

“Your ‘sister’, actually. Crazy smart girl, even if she is a bitch about it.”

“Surprised that Vicky didn’t suggest something like it sooner. She’s pretty smart herself.”

“Vicky didn’t know just how much time I was spending at the hospital. Mostly cause I didn’t want to worry her,” she admitted.

“She’s your sister. It’s the right of an older sibling to worry about the younger.”

“Yeah, but when Vicky worries, she worries. It would have been unbearable, first she would have forced me away from the hospital completely for a while, then I’d feel guilty as hell and start sneaking out at night or on weekends, and then it would just become a vicious cycle, all while Carol watched me like a hawk. This way is a lot easier in some ways.”

“Hm. I guess that makes sense.” We paused to each take another drink before I broached a different topic. “How are things with Carol?” I asked hesitantly.

“Is that really any of your business?”

“You’re my friend, Amy, so I try to make it my business. But I’ll stay out of it if you really want me to…”

“I was just teasing you, you dumbass. She’s been… weird. Since you healed Mark, things around the house have been really good.” She smiled to herself, looking extremely content. “It actually feels like having a dad again… But Carol doesn’t deal with change very well. They’ve been fighting a lot, some of it about me, some of it about… other stuff.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“It’s a lot easier when your mind is clear, to notice certain patterns of behavior,” she said cryptically.

“Well that doesn’t sound ominous at all.”

“It should. But ah, don’t poke your nose into all of that stuff. That really is none of your business.”

“Sure, sure.”

“C’mon, we’ve taken long enough.” Amy stood and balled up the can she held before tossing it casually into the recycle bin. “Still got several more hours to go.”

I did my best not to whimper.

***

I eyed the kid with a sprained wrist. The same one I'd already healed. “Again?”

The mother just laughed apologetically.

***

“I ain’t letting no chink heal me, just get the white one,” the old man sputtered angrily. “No offense, it ain’t personal, but I don’t trust any of you yellow folk.”

I felt my eye twitch. “Sir, you have a piece of rebar in your chest. I can heal you now, but it could be a while before Panacea gets to you.”

“I survived worse than this, boy.”

My eye twitched again. “Sir, I understand that we live in a city once filled with Neo-Nazis-“

“What, you think I’m racist because I’m a Nazi? Fuck that, I’m racist cause I fought your kind in ‘Nam.”

I took a breath. “Sir, I’m an American citizen, born and raised, so were my parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. I’m as American as you are.”

The old man eyed me warily. “Alright, fine, sounds like you’re one of the good ones. Go ahead.”

I prayed to God for strength and patience.

***

“Sir, please put your clothes back on, this is a hospital,” I pleaded with the homeless man.

“Look at me, I’m a windmill!” he cackled madly.

The naked homeless man.

I sighed. This is why I hate drugs.

***

“Okay kid, I think I just have to ask bluntly: Are your parents beating you?” I asked wrist-sprain kid after healing him for the third time that day.

“Nah, I just practice a little too hard. Sorry, mister, I’ll try and be more careful.”

I patted him on the shoulder and sent him on his way. Nice kid.

***

“Go home.”

I blinked bleary eyes at the nurse who had been guiding me from case to case. “Huh?”

She smiled patiently. “Go home. You’ve been here for…” She checked her watch. “Nine hours. Which isn’t as long as a normal nursing shift, but seeing as you’ve accomplished more than an entire team of doctors and surgeons ever could in that same amount of time and you seem to be using some kind of power to do what you do, means you need to head home before you collapse. I’m sending Panacea with you too. Make sure she gets home safe, alright? Else me and the rest of the staff will track you down and beat ya. If there’s anything left after Glory Girl gets done with you that is.”

“We’re friends. I’ll make sure she gets home safe.”

“Good lad.”

I was led over to the staff lounge and handed some coffee in a to go cup before Amy was ushered in. I led her out through the staff entrance to avoid being crowded and then threw an illusion over the both of us for good measure.

“Is every day like that for you?”

“Every day? No. Some days are worse. I didn’t lose anyone today or have to bow out of dealing with brain injuries, since you were there.”

I bowed my head slightly, feeling a wave of pity hit my stomach. What kind of fucked up world put so much pressure and stress on a mere teenager?

I guess the same one that hand out superpowers like candy, I thought to myself cynically.

“You said you’re hanging out with Vicky tonight?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Later this week, you guys wanna come over for dinner? Mark and Carol too if they want, but I have a feeling that Carol isn’t my biggest fan these days…”

“She’s got other things to worry about, most of which are her own fault,” Amy said, a slightly pleased smile suddenly touching her lips. “But you’re cool in Mark’s books and I know Vicky has been bugging me about hanging out with you more.”

I snorted. “Why’s that?”

“Well you’re dating Crystal, you’ve already done a patrol with Eric, and then we’ve hung out more than a few times. It’s the first time she’s left out of a social circle and it’s driving her nuts,” Amy let out an uncharacteristic giggle. “It’s honestly hilarious.”

I felt a twinge of guilt. I didn’t like being left out of things either. “Look, if it’s really that bad…”

“No, no, don’t you worry about it, this is not your problem, Vicky can stand to not be the center of attention for once. It’s good that you haven’t made more of an attempt to be friends with her, makes you look like less of a creep.” She gave me a smirk. “Still creepy how much you hang around me though.”

“Ass. I’m just looking out for you as the only other healer in Brockton.”

“I know, which is why I actually tolerate your presence.”

“When did you get so snarky?” I grumbled.

“I’ve always been this snarky, I just couldn’t let myself show it.” She grinned. “These days I just have less of a reason to give a damn.”

“And that’s… good?”

“Oh it’s great,” she confirmed. “I can finally say all the things on my mind without fear of reprisal. Having a dad who actually gives a shit is amazing.”

I smiled. Sometimes small actions made big ripples. Healing Mark had been kind of spur of the moment, but the impact it was having on the Dallons was… interesting to watch.

I could only hope that all my little changes amounted to a net positive. A lot of the major threats were gone, but there were still greater dangers on the horizon.

I could only pray that Brockton Bay would survive the coming storm.

***

I dragged myself back into the apartment and flopped next to Mimi on the couch.

She wrinkled her nose at me. “You smell like blood and shit.”

“And piss,” I muttered. “Working at a hospital sucks. 0/10, would not recommend.”

“Ew, don’t get it on my couch!” she shrieked, standing and igniting her hands with flame. “Off to the shower with you!”

“But I’m tired and I can clean it later,” I whined.

“Mak, for the love of God, get out of those filthy clothes and take a shower or I will burn you alive!” she hissed. “And you are going to be absolutely sanitizing that couch when you get back! Down to the last atom!”

“It’s technically my couch,” I muttered as I wandered off to my room. “But sure, whatever.”

After a relaxing shower, I toweled off, threw on some pjs, and headed back into the living room. “Hey, Mi, did you remember to grab some extra-“ I stopped as I took in the scene that greeted me. It was no longer just Mi , instead a rather miserable looking Taylor sat with her at the kitchen island, a steaming mug in her hands. “-tea,” I finished lamely. “Looks like you did.”

“Hi, Mak,” Taylor said quietly. “Um, Mimi said it was okay if I stayed the night. I just… can’t go home right now.”

I sighed deeply. “Start from the beginning.”
***
A/N: Felt like a while since we'd spent some time with Amy, so this chapter is what I cooked up. And Mak experiences the joy of working in an actual hospital. Joy. Based on nothing except some horror stories from a nurse friend of mine and some t.v shows, so take it with a grain of salt obviously. Hope y'all enjoy :)