ALEXiThymiA: Chapter 33: Sports Related Activities

Chapter 33

Sports Related Activities

“Alexa, I just wanted to tell you that thanks to the work you and your class put together today. We have solid leads and will hopefully be able to put an end to this work shortly.” Captain Johnston began.

Alexa just nodded, while all the other students of the class just stared. Well, everyone but Luke, who had apparently wanted to be part of the team to hunt down the boys related to these crimes.

Then taking a few steps into the room. She moved until she was standing right over top of Alexa’s desk when she said. “When you are back at home, you should check out Bottomless Gorge again, the place sure has changed since last time you were there.”

“Changed?” Luke asked.

Johnston expecting the interrupt just nodded and continued. “The thing evolved, but rather than going up to a tier III like it could have, like most would. It condensed its core. Darn thing is giving out +2 augmentation crystals now.”

At that, Alexa’s eyes went wide as she took in the Captain’s face trying to make sure she wasn’t lying. She wasn’t her Perception perk would have easily caught it if she was. But this, this was huge.

Seeing the look in Alexa’s eyes, Captain Johnston smiled knowingly.

“Of course, that little ol’ dungeon is just a skip and a hop away from your house and the Tri-state headquarters. So, it would be a good time to go back and see your family.”

Alexa might not have looked it, due to her emotions being blank. But she was intrigued by seeing the dungeon again, a dungeon that could now apparently make augmentation crystals that were twice as potent as regular dungeon crystals were.

“Well, I see my motivational speech has done its job.” Captain Johnston said.

Alexa for her part just turned to stare at her brother.

“What? No. I just got away from that place. Last thing I want to do is go back.” Luke demanded.

“I could take you.” Julie shot in. Alexa turned to see Julie there, offering a ride.

“Thank you.” Alexa paused, but then realized. “Wait, I might need to ask my friend first. We had made plans to hang out this weekend.”

Alexa said, remembering how she made it so this weekend would just be time with her and Gina. Though now that she thought about it, having Julie wouldn’t be too big of a problem, would it?

“Friend?” Luke blurted out, like he just heard Alexa curse for the first time while in the Vatican.

Alexa turned to her brother, then stared for a second.

“What? Just saying.”

Alexa for her part just shook her head.

Ding.

“Well, that is the last period for the day. Normally, now we would let you all break apart into your various groups. But since most of you are new here. I will take you all out to the practice fields myself. Here you must be part of a team, and no despite what some of you apparently think. Spelunking is not a team. At least not a true team that we have here.” Ms. Tutlidge said, as she began marching the students down the hallways.

Luke at first walked next to his sister, but soon found that his feet were being stepped on by the militant procession of women behind him.

“Hey, watch it. Cut that out.”

“Learn to walk.” A random girl said, Luke had almost expected it to be Julie, but Julie herself was clearly squared away in the middle of the highly functioning team.

Once they got out to the practice fields. There was the typical class for getting a dungeon pass. Alexa immediately began going over to the class when she was cut off by Mr. Mackie.

“Ah, good. I caught you all in time. There has been a temporary hold on all sophomore spelunking passes.” Mr. Mackie said.

Alexa was shocked. She was about to argue.

“Does this have to do with Alexa cursing the instructor and other students before diving into the local dungeon over there?” Luke said, pointing to the dungeon that was a few hundred feet away from the class.

“While that did play a point initially. I must say the answer is somewhat easier to achieve. See, none of the Sophomore class students have signed up for an elective sports team to join.”

“We could do football.” Luke mused.

At that Alexa gave Luke a pointed look.

“What, with you as our quarterback, we would be unstoppable. Besides, not like they could tackle you to the ground.” Luke noted.

“Actually, it has been advised by the Principal, Ms. Peacock, that Alexa sit out on sports activities and serves as the official healer for all sports injuries.”

“What about my pass?”

Mr. Mackie was already ready for this, as he held up his hands in an overly calming gesture. “That is the other thing. To appease the current instructor and students who were in attendance of your last class, you are to be given a one-week probation from the time of your last pass.”

“So, Friday?”

“Friday.” Mr. Mackie said, as he nodded calmly.

Alexa paused, then took in a deep breath. Then calmed herself. “So, I am a prisoner here for the week. Then assuming I heal everyone all week I get a Pass?”

Mr. Mackie held up a finger to clarify. “Yes, you will get a pass on Friday. But then by Friday your pause on being issued dungeon passes will be removed. Then assuming you do not do anything like what happened on Friday again, we can continue letting healing be your one sport you will have to attend.”

At that Alexa looked less than enthused.

“Did I forget to mention that Healing will also be the only sports related field that offers an augmentation crystal?”

With that, Alexa’s ears perked up.

“A week?”

“Nothing so minor. A day. Though, we might have you make a trip out to the local hospital to help out there, as well.” Mr. Mackie admitted.

At that Alexa nodded. It was a fair exchange and honestly Alexa liked the idea of helping the local hospital, but didn’t want to be kicked out, or worse. With her going as a school project, then it would be understood that the school would have already worked out the details.

“Tomorrow.”

Mr. Mackie paused, as he tried to understand what the word was in relation to. “To going to the local hospital?”

Alexa nodded.

“Let me see what I can do. But for the moment, there is your booth there. Now if the rest of you will follow me so we can get you all signed up for a different team.” Mr. Mackie said, to the twenty other students, including Luke, who now had to make their way to the different sports teams.

Alexa went to the office and found Gina of all people already in there.

Rustle.

“One second. I will be right with you. Geeze, you must have stumbled on the first play.” The energetic girl said, as she finished checking the logs of her gauze, band aides, compression sleeves, walking boots, crutches, and other odds and end items.

Alexa for her part just stood there watching how Gina went through everything and meticulously logged every item and marked anything that was missing.

Then when she was done, she turned around and stared.

Her look was priceless. “Say, you aren’t injured. At least not where I can see. Do you need to take you clothes off for this? We do have a section in the back for that.” Gina teased, pointing to the cot in the back. One that also had a privacy curtain around it.

“You are the nurse?”

“Assistant. I have been assisting Clara, oops. I mean Ms. St. Brown with her practice.” Gina said.

“Because of your heart?” Alexa asked.

At that, a faint shadow fell over Gina’s face, but then brightened. “Well, that was how it began originally. Kind of hard to run around and do sports if your heart is going all wanka-doodle. So, they put me here, where I found my true calling.”

“To be a nurse.”

“Nothing so minor for the likes of me. No, I am going to be a Doctor.” Gina said, hoisting her fists upon her hips and standing up proudly.

“And not just any doctor either. I will be a cardiologist.”

“Because of your own heart issues.”

“Yeah, I figured. Now that I have a second chance. I might as well make it so I can help at least one person avoid what I went through. So that is either a lot of learning. Or maybe I could just trick you into staying by my side forever?” Gina said.

Alexa smiled. She knew her friend was trying to be genuine. Even if she was a little flirtatious.

“I was told I needed to come here.” Alexa said after a moment.

“Oh right, well you might as well stand over here with me.” Gina said. Gesturing to the far side of the room where there were a few seats strewn about.

Alexa did just that.

“Hey, this might be a good thing. Would you want to go Spelunking with me this weekend?”

Gina looked at her friend, then asked the question anyone would after hearing about her last run.

“Are you planning on staying in that dungeon until Sunday as well?”

“If you come, then yes. The dungeon I am thinking of, has a big bed we can rest in every five floors or so. There is also running water for showers, and a few other things.”

“A dungeon has all this?”

“Yes, don’t get me wrong, I’ll have to kill the dungeon. But if we do it right, the bed will be pristine and soft like a cloud.”

At that Gina just twitched slightly. “So, you are saying that I get to spend all weekend with you. Then when you are tired, we can sleep in a cloud bed?”

Alexa paused at that. Then held up a finger. “No funny business.”

“On my honor as a Boy Scout.”

Alexa just raised her eyebrow.

“Look, they let me through. Not sure why. Probably because I ate more cookies than I sold, so the Girl Scouts shipped me off to the other side.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Gina asked to confirm.

Alexa nodded.

“There is just one other thing I would like to bring up.” Gina began. “On account of some recent medical things, I might not be the most physically capable.”

Gina said this last part nervously playing with her fingers. It was clear she still wanted to go but was going to give Alexa the way out if she wanted to take it.

Alexa for her part just shook her head. “Julie said she would also come. With her, we should be more than capable of making it through the dungeon. Also, I could just carry you.”

At that Gina’s eyes went wide. “Wait, you mean it? I could be your papoose? As in save a horse, ride a cowgirl? That sort of thing?” Gina was really excited about this.

“Yes, but we will only go if you still feel comfortable. The minute you no longer feel so, we will stop.”

“No, that is a date! Also, who is this, Julie? Is she pretty? Do I have to worry about her?”

Alexa paused, “she will not threaten you. She is pack, and I have made it clear you are my friend.”

“Pack?” Gina asked, but she was cut off, as the door to the field tent opened.

“Oh, my. I have a harder and harder time making that trip from the nurse’s office to here, each and every day.” An older woman said, as she came through. Her tone and manner of speech indicated that she felt a level of control while being here.

“Is this a new patient, if so, what are her symptoms?” The old woman said, coming forward to talk to Gina.

“Ms. St. Brown, this is Alexa Thyme, or new healer.” Gina said, with a bubbling smile.

Ms. St. Brown looked at Gina’s expression, then at the tall girl who was standing next to her. Then she took in the number of powers she was credited with having. Then her eyes went wide as she recognized the bright red cross on her magic side.

“You are the Healer; I have heard so much about? The one that saved my Gina?” Ms. St. Brown asked.

“I did heal Gina, Ms. St. Brown.” Alexa clarified.

“None of that Ms. St. Brown stuff. When it is just us in here. I am just Clara. Now, let’s put you to the test. How good is a max level Healer? What can you tell me about my current condition?” The nurse, Clara, asked.

Alexa took that as permission to use her Healing magic on the woman, then began reading off what she found. “You have tar build up from smoking, but you quit years ago. You have arthritis in both your knees and hands. You have stage two breast cancer, and early polyps forming in your lungs and colon.” Alexa surmised.

Clara turned from Alexa to Gina. “Well looks like I should be going to her, rather than all those doctors who are saying it is nothing.”

A slight pause, before Clara asked. “So, what are you going to do about it.”

“Well with your permission, I would like to treat you.”

“How?”

“With magic.”

Clara for her part just shook her head. “I meant how, as in stages. One piece at a time. Focus on the breast cancer?”

Alexa just shook her head. “I was hoping you would let me do it all at once. That looks painful.” Alexa said, looking at the woman’s chest. And not just on the few psychic pins denoting her as being good at appraising people for injuries.

“All at once she says. Well then get to it.” Clara began to walk to the back cot, half expecting the process to take a long time. She also though that she would likely collapse from the sudden change.

Healing.

Clara felt the wave of healing energy enter her as she made her second step. By the time she had finished taking her seventh step and got to the cot, her heart was beating naturally and the painful bulge in her chest was now gone.

Reaching up, she felt at the spot and applied pressure, something that would have at least created a wince earlier. But now, nothing.

“You cured me?” Clara said, turning around to see that the dark-haired beauty with a sun kiss for a birth mark had not moved a step.

“You did give me permission.” Alexa noted, making sure she pointed that out.

“Aye, that I did.” Clara St. Brown said, as a joyful smile filled her face. Then she turned to Gina. “This one is a keeper all right. Now I can see why you have been going on and on about her. If anything, I think you undersold her.”

Clara said the last part as her eyes danced up and down Alexa.

Alexa for her part just stood there, accepting.

“So, what are your plans?” Clara asked.

“Well, tomorrow I plan on going to the local hospital to help out. Then continue to work here so I can get my dungeon passes back.”

“Oh, right, right. I heard about that. But really what do you want to do with your future?” Clara asked.

At that, Alexa just paused. Aside from going to the dungeon this weekend with Julie and Gina, she didn’t have any plans. She never felt the need to make plans, as most would crumble to dust if pushed out too far. Also, Alexa was certain that she didn’t just mean plans like going into dungeons over and over. No, she likely meant the same thing most adults meant, as in what to do for a career.

“I don’t know.”