Back in the Hospital (for Deskfan)

[CaptainL]

Continued from here

Just...what had happened?

Yuki's head was still spinning when she woke up in a hospital bed. How long it had been since her match with Skylar Jones - a match that was going to be cemented in the annals of wrestling's most infamous and grisly bouts before it even finished - she wasn't sure. Even the events of the match itself were a blur. Still coming off of the whirlwind of emotion and violence it had been, Yuki didn't know how much had happened to her from bell to bell. All she knew that she hurt. Rather badly, in fact, all over her body.

"O-Oww..." she moaned, hugging her arms closer around her sides as she stirred under the covers, the feeling returning to her body. Her head was throbbing, and as her eyes adjusted to the bright lights overhead, she found herself having to squeeze them shut as the pain in her skull grew even worse. She tried to sit back up, but her body was stiff and sore, and her stamina failed her partway through. She fell flat on her back again, panting and groaning; she was too weary to even move. Half-asleep from the pain, fatigue, and the medications alike, she could barely think straight. Certainly not enough to realize that what she was about to say made no sense.

"Am...I dead..?"

[Deskfan45]

Maya Jones hummed, walking down the halls of a hospital in Tokyo. She got a few funny looks from those who recognized her from her rather low profile work in LAW, but no one really addressed it. Wrestling was merely a part time job for Maya. Her real passion was nursing. Taking care of the injured made her feel good. As a matter of fact, a new patient, whom she'd been assigned to, was a wrestler who'd been injured in a match. "Yuki?" She called, creaking open the door in Yuki's room, and stepping inside. As she made her way toward the girl, she winced slightly, seeing the bruises and cuts covering her body. Despite this, she kept a warm, motherly smile. "I'm Maya, I'll be taking care of you. Can I get you anything?"

Maya

[CaptainL]

Yuki's question went unanswered. As a matter of fact, she would soon discover she was the only person in the room - and, as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she was able to recognize the fact that she was in a hospital room. The whitewashed walls were unmistakable, and so was the bed she was in - not the softest of seats, but she could begrudgingly admit it was better than nothing. After all, it wouldn't be the first time she'd been in the hospital in the past 12 months - and that was something that made her let out a sigh.

The last time she had entered herself in a hardcore match, it had been against Amano Jaku in a brutal barbed wire deathmatch that had left both of them sore, bloodied, and out of action for a good while. Now, she'd recovered enough to throw herself back into the action - just long enough to do it all over again. The recent past was all a blur to her, and she didn't know what exactly had happened. But she did know, from what she felt now, that it hurt like hell - and even when she began to sit back up, the throbbing pain in her head was enough to bring her back down, groaning under her breath.

What hurt even more, though, was how Yuki knew she'd made a mistake. She knew that against Amano she'd lost control, endangering not just herself or her opponent but her good name. She'd admitted that to herself, and she'd promised herself she would have to be better. Yet even then, she knew that if she was pushed to those lengths again, she couldn't hold back. And now, that was exactly what had happened - and she was paying the price for it. When Yuki shrunk back down against the pillows, she moaned softly to herself, not just because she hurt, but because she'd done exactly what everyone was afraid she'd do.

At last Yuki was broken out of her train of thought as she heard a voice coming from the door. "Huh..? Come in..." she said, her voice still weak. But as the nurse stepped inside, coming to the side of her bed, Yuki could at least manage a little bit of a smile. Maybe she wouldn't have to be alone here with her inner demons after all.

"Me..? Uh..." she sighed. "A water would be okay, I guess. Um..." As Yuki looked back at the nurse, she paused a moment longer. There was something familiar about her, but she wasn't sure what. But another thought lingered. She wondered if she should ask her, but at the same time, she winced. Yuki was curious about what had happened to her to put her here, but at the same time, she was afraid of what she'd hear in response. But in the end, it was the curiosity that won out. Sooner or later, she'd have to know. She might as well rip that bandaid off.

"...Can you...tell me what happened..?"

[Deskfan45]

"Coming right up." Maya smiled, getting a foam cup and filling it with cold water, before walking over to hand it to Yuki. The girl seemed to be about the same age as her daughter, Skylar. She wondered if they'd met. Handing Yuki the glass of water, she answered her question. "I'm told you were injured in a wrestling match. You have a broken leg and a grade 2 concussion." Maya replied. She got an ice pack from the fridge, and placed it on Yuki's night stand. "In case you need it." She smiled. A curiosity formed in Maya's head. What if the person who'd done this was someone she'd heard of? "I don't mean to pry, but if you don't mind me asking... Who did this to you?"

[CaptainL]

"Thank you." Yuki graciously bowed her head to Maya as she left the cup of water at her side; while this woman didn't look Japanese, and wouldn't be expecting the gesture, Yuki wanted to express her thanks either way. She swirled the water a little in the cup before bringing it to her lips, and as she felt the cool sensation of it running down her throat, she breathed out a short sigh of relief. It felt good on the back of her throat - in fact, Yuki just now realized how sore and raw her throat felt, and as she took in the water she let out a cough. For a moment, she paused. How did that happen?

Still, Maya continued, and Yuki sank against the bed as she listened to her explanation. She winced as she heard the description of her injuries, in the process shrinking back into the pillows. She knew she was hurt, probably pretty bad to end up here - but she didn't realize it'd be that bad. "A...a concussion? And a broken leg..? Jeez..." She could only imagine how that could have happened - and she soon came to realize she probably didn't want to know the details.

In fact, the thought of how severe her injuries were was enough to remind Yuki of the pain she felt, and a throbbing sensation welled up in her knee, causing her to clench her teeth as she shuffled under the covers. Luckily, Maya was right on track with the ice, which Yuki took to place against her leg. "Thanks for that, too. I needed that..."

Yuki took another sip of her water as Maya asked her another question. And as she lowered her cup to look the nurse in the eye, she went still, staring out into the distance. Much of the previous match was a haze, and if she thought back on it, all that came to her was a blur, and a piercing flash of light that made her headache worse the longer she thought about it.

But there was one thing about that match she would never forget. One thing that was seared into her brain. And that was her opponent, locking onto her with a piercing glare that seemed to cut straight to her soul.

The girl shivered a little from the memory, but she spoke up nonetheless. "Her name is Skylar. Skylar Jones..."

[Deskfan45]

Maya watched with a motherly smile as Yuki took the ice pack, placing it on her knee before sipping the glass of water. But as the schoolgirl answered her question, her heart sank. She felt sick to her stomach, a putrid feeling of dread invading her mind. Her baby, her little Skylar, was the one who'd done this. Broken this poor girl's leg, cut up her forehead, given her a concussion...

Maya couldn't believe it, but she had to. The woman guilty of this atrocity was the one whom she'd brought fourth from her loins and raised. And what had she raised her into? Maya loved Skylar, more than anything else in the world, and no matter what she did, that would never change. But now, more than ever, she was face to face with the ugly truth: her little girl was a monster. The nurse snapped herself out of it, and made eye contact with Yuki. "F-forgive me, I... have something to attend to..." She needed to clear her head...

Maya went on a walk, wandering the hospital as she was alone with her thoughts. Where had she gone wrong? How was Skylar capable of such treachery? What could she as a mother have done better, to raise a happier girl...? When she returned to Yuki's room, she had a tray in her hand, a couple of fried chicken legs and a lump of mashed potatoes sitting on the plate in the center. "Are you hungry?" She asked, doing her best to put on a happy face.

[CaptainL]

As soon as Yuki had mentioned the name of her opponent, the one who had caused such grievous injuries, a change seemed to come over Maya. A minute ago, she had been all smiles, eager to help Yuki and attend to whatever she needed. But whatever the case was...something about what Yuki said had shaken her. The color drained from her face, and her expression went grave. From the bed, Yuki looked up at her, blinking a few times. She didn't know what it was she had said to have caused this, or why it hit Maya the way it did, but she couldn't help but worry. "A-Ah, ma'am..? Is everything all right..?"

Maya didn't answer, though. She left the room, and for a moment, Yuki stayed where she was, staring blankly back at the door. She didn't know why, but it seemed that the mention of Skylar shook her particularly hard. Letting out a sigh, she glanced down, her shoulders slumping as she folded her hands in her lap. Was it something she said? Did they perhaps have history together? Maybe Maya had treated another one of Skylar's victims before. But, then, why did she seem so familiar..?

Either way, Maya soon returned to the room, bringing a tray of food. Yuki looked up at her, a smile soon crossing her face. Maybe it was as simple as that; maybe she was just getting her meal ready...but at the same time, Yuki couldn't be so sure. Whatever the case may have been, Maya's question reminded Yuki of how she didn't know how long it had been since she last ate, and that caused her stomach to rumble. She could at least be thankful for the offer.

"Oh-! Yeah, I am, thanks..." she said, holding her hands out to take the tray from Maya.

[Deskfan45]

The least Maya could do for the girl her own daughter had wounded was to take good care of her, and she was good at that. She would ensure Yuki's time in this hospital would be as luxurious it could be, despite her injuries.

"Please enjoy." She smiled as Yuki started on her meal. She sat down in the chair next to Yuki's bed. "I'm technically on break now. Do you mind if I keep you company?" She asked.

[CaptainL]

As she guided the tray into her lap, Yuki was quick to set to work on her meal. In fact, Maya would find that she tore through it with an appetite that seemed especially enthusiastic for a girl of her size - granted, she hadn't eaten in a while. After a moment, she stopped to rub at her forehead, her teeth tensing with a grimace as a shudder ran through her body, and then she clutched at her stomach, as though the pain in her head had caused her to lose her appetite however momentarily. Even at that point, though, she had made a sizable dent in her mashed potatoes, and gotten about halfway through a chicken leg in no time flat.

Taking a breath, Yuki straightened herself in her seat. "I'm fine," she said softly before Maya had any chance to say anything, as though she was already concerned that Maya would worry about her. But as she leaned back against the cushions, making herself comfortable, she nodded to Maya, and a smile came to her face. If she was going to be in the hospital again...at least she could spend it with someone.

"I don't mind, no," she told her. "Thanks for the offer...it's really kind of you, you know."

[Deskfan45]

Maya tilted her head at the aggression with which Yuki tore into the meal offered to her, before giggling softly. It was quite the cute young girl she'd been tasked with treating. But... as Yuki rubbed her forehead, and tensed in agony, the warm, tender smile was wiped off her face. The aching wound that caused Yuki's pain had been left by her own daughter, and try as she might, she just couldn't distract herself from that.

As Maya opened her mouth to ask Yuki if she was alright, the girl answered the question before the words left her lips. It relieved the mother, who sighed silently. She offered to keep Yuki company, and the girl accepted, the smile returning to Maya's face. "It's no problem at all, my dear." She made herself comfortable on the chair next to Yuki's bed, passing the girl the TV remote. "Here you go." She smiled warmly. "Y'know, I've got a lot of experience treating my daughter. She happens to be in the same sport as you." She explained. "You seem quite a bit wiser than her, so I don't think you'll give me near as much trouble. Heh, the hours I've spent pulling broken glass outta that stinker's back..." Maya bit her tongue. Why was she talking about Skylar? What was she to do if Yuki found out she was the mother of the woman who'd injured her? She calmed herself down. She figured as long as she didn't mention Sky by name, all would be well...