My First Check Up

I awoke to the shine of a ray of sunlight tickling my face. I was shocked to see this room had a window unlike my last one, I wonder if my next one in the dorms will? I tried moving my leg and it felt better quite a bit. Staying on the safe side I didn’t climb out of bed, instead I sat up and waited for Doctor Kris to come and get me. While I waited I messed with my hair a bit, I wish I still had that hand mirror Doctor Mac had, this room doesn’t have anything useful at all! My last room was totally just a bedroom, and this room is nothing but a hospital room! I swear my next room better have at least access to a bathroom! I want a vanity desk in my next room, then I could really mess with my hair and admire my reflection! Haha.
I tie a really basic braid with some of my hair beside my face a few times while I wait, did I wake up too early? I feel pretty well rested, but maybe injured people usually need more rest? I think about summoning Knight to play some sort of game with me that doesn’t require leaving the bed. We could use my notebook and play Tic-Tac-Toe, or maybe something else. Perhaps I’m too trigger happy about bringing Knight out for just any reason.
Finally the door opens and someone steps into the room greeting me good morning. The strange thing is they aren’t any of my previous Doctors?
“Good morning Sophia dear! I’m Hall Director Gretchen.” Gretchen was an older woman who was the oldest I’d seen while here! She was probably in her fifties and had the appearance of someone who worked in construction. Reddish hair that curled and the teeth of a smoker in the past.
I scribble down in my notebook, “HALL DIRECTOR?”
She comes over to my side and begins helping me into the wheelchair as she continues talking. “That’s right dear, I’m in charge of the dorms we’ll be moving you into after your final check up in this building.”
I get excited and write out “I MOVE IN TODAY?”
“That’s right, just gotta get the sign off from the wonderful team of doctors. That and they are the ones who get to tell you your rank and where you’re getting to go.” She chuckles, “So don’t go asking me to give you any spoilers!”
I nod fervorously in agreement. I can’t hide my excitement across my face. It’s almost strange how good I feel about my new situation, I feel like it would be more normal to still be fighting it all. Oh well, no need to worry about being not normal. 
“Here’s your morning pills, two of them, hope that’s okay with you.” Gretchen placed two pills in my hand. I swallowed them, at this point it seemed like pills were a daily morning thing for me here.
Gretchen had brought me a new set of clothes, another jumper skirt and blouse. She also brought me new underwear and a bra, which was helpful since I hadn’t had one on while sleeping and it did cross my mind if I wouldn’t have one in the morning or not. Once I was dressed we headed out. Gretchen wheels my wheelchair down the hall and onto the elevator from yesterday. Today we went to “B1”, and we didn't get to encounter anyone else on our way down unfortunately.
We exit the elevator onto our floor and I am wheeled down another hall. This floor looks a lot like B2, perhaps that’s the case with a lot of the B floors. We end up turning down a hallway where none of the rooms have doors on them, just the frames. They seem like regular doctor appointment rooms. Gretchen takes me inside one and then helps me onto the soft doctor’s bench inside to wait for the doctor. Gretchen excuses herself and tells me she’ll be back once they are done going over everything with me.
I continue waiting until a person in a doctor’s coat followed by a teen girl enters. “Sophia, right?” The doctor asks.
I nod and also throw up a thumbs up. The girl behind the doctor passes him and hops onto the doctor’s bench beside me. “You don’t look too beat up thankfully.” She says, looking me top to bottom.
“Introductions.” The male doctor said raising a hand, “I am Doctor Michael.” He then pointed at the girl beside me. She raised her hand as well, shouting, “I am Guardian Cross, aka Hannah.”
I was quite excited to meet another Magical Girl! She had black hair like mine tied into large braids on either side of her head. She wore these thick circular glasses I thought made her look quite smart. She was the total package when you picture a class representative or a book lover!
Doctor Michael picked up what appeared to be a clipboard of notes about me and medical junk. “Hannah is here today because she is going to help you out and fix your leg.”
I made a gasp expression while putting my hands on my face to really show how shocked I was. I succeeded in making Hannah laugh which made me happy. “I’m the best you could get Sophia so don’t worry, you’re looking at a genuine S rank healer!”
S rank! Wow! I scribbled that down on my notebook and flashed it to her. She nodded, “You’ll soon see my abilities can’t be beat in all ways except marketability.” She turned to Doctor Michael, “My bucket kind sir~”
Bucket? I wondered what the bucket was going to be for. Hannah unwrapped my bandage around my leg where it had lost a chunk of it from the Spawn bite. “How much blood did she lose Michael?”
“Doctor.” He responded.
“Doctor Michael sir, how much blood did the patient lose from this wound sir!” She responded like a soldier.
Doctor Michael shrugged, “Chart says something like 800-900 mL. Take your best guess.”
“I’ll brace myself for 1,100 mL then.” Hannah said with the most serious cold expression on her face.
She placed her hands onto my wound, it stung a bit but I tried not to move so as to not mess up whatever was about to happen. My wound suddenly began to close up, a sparkling surrounding the wound until it was completely gone as if it had never happened! 
I went to grab my notebook to write a thank you before Doctor Michael tapped me, “Show’s not quite over.” I looked back to see Hannah grab her bucket and immediately vomit a large amount of fluid into it, not in one go but many quick short bursts. I felt like I might become sick just watching it.
“Guardian Cross can heal any wound, but must vomit the same amount of milliliters as the amount of blood lost from the original wound. No one could ever allow that girl to be in front of the public, and that’s how an S rank ends up being a lab rat, or rather lab pest.”
Hannah seemed offended, “I’m no-” she paused for another burst, “not a pest.” Another painful sounding burst, “I’m a blessing to everyone in the lab.”
“Whatever you say Cross, just finish up puking your guts so we can move on. Sophia has another appointment waiting for us to finish.”
Hannah looked much weaker but had a glare filled with determination. “I can walk and vomit, let’s go.”
Doctor Michael shook his head, “I’d really rather you didn’t.” Hannah didn’t seem willing to budge so he relented, “You spill any and you’ll be exiled from the main office down to some cage with the captured Spawn.” He got up and began walking towards the door.
Hannah got up after him, following him out the door, “You wish you could get rid of me that easily.” 
They took off without me even getting to hold up a thank you message. I felt a tad bad, but then again I wouldn’t want to come between whatever banter they were having. It seemed like even the girl’s who don’t get to be in the public’s eyes very often get to have fun lives.
Someone new entered the room, it was Doctor Kris! I waved hello excited to see her again. “Good to see you again Sophia!”Doctor Kris took a seat where Doctor Michael had just been sitting, then she pulled the chair over to my side to get closer to me. “Today is your last day here in this building, that’s a bit sad for us but great news for you!”
I shyly nodded. It was true I did want to spend more time here, especially to see Doctor Mac again and show her my thanks.
Doctor Kris flipped through the chart in her hand, “Let’s get straight to it Sophia, clearly you’ve met Hall Director Gretchen, so you know you’re being sent off to live in a dorm. That means, yes, you’ve been assigned to a Magical Girl team.”
New friends! That’s all that was on my mind, and this time they wouldn’t be friends that I make and then never see again! So far my experience has been meeting many nice people who just suddenly disappear once I start liking them!
“Okay let’s go over your test now.” Doctor Kris flipped the page of her chart, “You passed, obviously, you’re still alive and didn’t lose a single limb. I know Miss Hannah was thankful for that, I'll tell you.” She laughed. “Anyway, your power did manifest and the team does have a grasp of how it works and its limitations. Marketing did raise some concerns over you hurting yourself constantly in fights due to your lack of pain during combat. But don’t worry, they raise concerns over everyone I assure you. Just means you can’t be like company mascot material out of the womb, whatever you can always earn it if you wanted.”
I guess there goes any hope of being part of Elemental Guardian Vontavia, not that my power was very elemental actually. Guess I missed that one out the gate.
Doctor Kris continued, “After reviewing with the input of all teams your power and skills have earned you the rank of B+.”
Only a B? A high B, but still! I didn’t know anyone lower than an A so far in my time here so it kind of stung a bit.
“Don’t get too glum about it, don’t forget the scale goes down from A to E. You did great so don’t be sad. B+ is a great ranking that isn’t going to get you sent off to the arctic circle or middle of nowhere Spawn terf. You’re going to a nearby dorm in a nice place called Marrowsville. Not too busy but not too country, a great mix if you ask me!”
Marrowsville huh? So that’s where my future lies. I’ve never heard of it before, but I surely know practically zero percent of the whole world’s towns and cities. Just gotta make the best of wherever that is! At least giving it a chance to grow on me.
“And here is something exciting, the team you are joining will be led by the S- rank Magical Girl, Tikki!”
I know that name! No way the bandage girl from the elevator that Doctor Mac likes! If I stick around her, maybe one day in the worst case scenario I run into Doctor Mac at a fan meet and greet! My future really is looking bright.
Doctor Kris still wasn’t finished, “There are two more girls who will be on the team with you, the company likes to keep you girls in groups of four at the minimum you see. Anywho, they are also around your rank, one is rank B+ and the other A-. I, and the rest of the institute, really think you girls will all work well together and make a great team!”
I couldn’t contain myself any longer and shot my hands up into the air with excitement. Doctor Kris couldn’t help laughing as she watched me, “I love your enthusiasm Sophia.” She placed the chart back onto the table, “Well that’s all I’ve got for you, you are good to go with Gretchen and head on over to your dorm and your new life!” She clasped her hands together with a clap, “Again, congratulations Sophia, we’re all proud of you and look forward to seeing you in the news!”
She held out her hand to shake but I just went for a hug. She laughed at me but indulged me. After that Miss Gretchen entered the room, “Ready to get this show on the road kid?” I nodded and began to walk out with her. “Oh wait, take these with you!” Doctor Kris called out placing a container of pills in my hand. They look like the ones I’ve been taking every morning. “To help with your growth and mood.” I did a nod bow and then left with Gretchen. I had no idea these pills also affected my mood, maybe they’re part of why I’ve felt so happy?
Gretchen leads me back out to the elevator down the halls. It feels nice to walk on my own legs again, that Hannah really is a miracle worker, even if she’s kinda a gross one. Not her fault though, not saying she’s gross or anything!
“Kiddo this is a tad strange but we ain’t supposed to let you girls see how to exit the building so you mind putting this blindfold on till we get into the car. The windows are tinted so you can take it off in there.”
I take the blindfold without much care. If anything this made it all way more mysterious and exciting. I held onto Miss Gretchen’s hand as she led me out of the elevator and down twisting hallways. It was amusing trying to picture the hallways we must be walking through and what sorts of things I might be able to see if I took the blindfold off. We at one point even entered a second elevator? Or was she taking me in circles to confuse me, I wonder!
We eventually reached the car, or rather van. She guided me into the back then told me I could remove my blindfold. The back of this van had no windows you could look out, it did however have a big couch! I climbed onto it and enjoyed how comfy it was. “Okay kiddo, sit tight back here and we’ll be at the dorms in about an hour!”
I scribble down a message in my notebook, “MAY I DRAW WHILE WE DRIVE?”
“Kid, do whatever you feel like back here except leave the van or try to see outside, sound good?” 
I smile and nod. Gretchen closes the back door and gets into the driver’s seat. We begin the drive to the dorms and I get comfy and start drawing, not trying to think about how this feels like it's not too different from how being trafficked would feel. I wanna draw a picture message for my three new besties, or well, teammates. I’m gonna draw them each a picture of me, then I’ll include all the important info about myself!
My name is Sophia. I was once a boy just like all of you. I am mute but can hear and spell. I have only ever worn jumper skirts, so they are my favorite type of outfit now. Oh, and my power is my knight.
I then realized I didn’t have a cool “Guardian X” name. Was someone supposed to give that to me, or was I supposed to make that up? I then got distracted coming up with some names. My top contenders were Guardian Knight or Guardian Armor. If someone else gets to make our names I hope they can beat my suggestions!
The van is still going so I return to my drawings and finish up making three unique drawings, one for each of my new friends! The first one is for Tikki. I drew myself wrapped up in bandages just like she was, and then I wrote her a message saying I was so excited to work with her. For the other two since I don’t know them yet I just drew two random pictures of myself. One I drew myself in the girl’s school uniform from my old school, and I wrote how I was looking forward to learning with them. Then for the other one I drew myself with a bag of chocolate holding them out, and the messenge says I hope we can become quick friends!
We still haven’t arrived yet even though it has to have been an hour by now! Surely we will be there any minute, I just gotta be a little more patient. I dig around in the couch cushions to see if I can find anything interesting, but there isn’t any lost treasure in it at all. I don’t know what I had hoped to find really, maybe a cool pen or some coins maybe? 
The van suddenly stops and shuts off, we must be here! I hear the sound of Gretchen walking around to the back doors, when she unlocks them and swings them open the bright light of the outside takes a moment to adjust to. 
“You ready to start your new life here in the Marrowsville dorms?” Gretchen asked, offering me a hand to help me out of the back.I give two enthusiastic thumbs up, jumping out of the back of the truck and taking in the surroundings. We were behind a large rectangular building against a back fence. I saw a big dumpster and also some wild flowers growing through concrete. The building itself looked like an office building, I suppose the whole building wasn't dorms then. MGI must have offices for staff in all locations their Magical Girl’s are stationed. It's so helpful to have staff so close by!
“Come along Sophia, let me show you to your new room.” Gretchen held a hand out behind her as she walked towards the front of the building. I jogged to catch up and took her hand, together entering into my new home!