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Chapter 2: Doctor Alphonse

I tapped to the beat of 'Phantom of the Opera', which I remember watching before whatever happened to make me end up here. That was quite the musical. I looked up when the keycard beeped and Doctor Alphonse and Ava walked out.  "Hi Doctor Alphonse, I'm John, care if I join you?"    

    "Of course you can join me, just follow Ava and me to the medical ward." Doctor Alphonse responded. Ava was slumped over and continuously rubbing her neck. The chest pains probably went to her neck too.

    "So, I take that you're a doctor, Alphonse?"

    "I'm more of a combat medic, but yeah. Mainly a doctor." He responded. Ava groaned in pain, wanting to reach the medical ward quicker, so we began to walk faster. After no more than a minute, we had reached the medical ward.

    After entering the medical ward, I took in my surroundings. The medical ward had the same blue stripe as the hallways did. Not sure what the blue stripes were for. Maybe decoration? There were around 7 beds, two desks with computers, one closed-off room,  all well lit. Some potted plants were in the corners, or by the two benches. Two beds had a curtain you could pull around, and the floor was white tile. I looked at the closed-off room, "What's in there?" I asked Alphonse.

    "That's the lead doctor's office. He is currently somewhere else. Not sure what he's doing, but he's doing something." Alphonse directed Ava to a medical bed and began looking for some pain medicine. "So, John, was that your first test?" He asked, inspecting two medicine bottles.

    "Huh? Oh, yeah it was." I proceeded to walk over to Ava.

    "Here we are, Ava... " Alphonse said, handing her a pill. "Take this with some water." He then handed Ava a water glass.

    "Yeah, thanks," Ava whispered, taking the pill and water, and gulping both down. "That feels better. What was that thing?"

    "Oh, that was the Book of Diseases. I can't remember all the darn numbers. Anyway, pretty sure it inflicts whatever you read from the book. Good thing you didn't read something like lung cancer, huh?" I responded to Ava.

    "Yeah, haha," Ava said, not amused in the slightest. I sighed, checking my watch which read 5:24 PM.

    "You got an event you need to go to?" Doctor Alphonse asked, probably noticing I checked my watch.

    "Oh, yeah. Michelle said I should meet her at the labs around 7, not sure what for."

    "Huh, what's happening around 7 pm..." Alphonse questioned, more or less to himself. He walked over to an unlocked computer and pulled up the schedule. "Oh, that? You? Huh, an odd choice." Alphonse said in a tone that seemed rather ominous.

    "W-why is that an odd choice...?" I asked. With the knowledge of what they do around here, I'm kinda scared to see what they could do.

    "They gather all the new employees, and they have... a battle to the death!" Alphonse said in a scary tone, practically screaming. My face grew pale. Oh gosh, I am way too weak! What am I gonna do?! "Haha, I'm kiddin', I'm kiddin'. It's dinner time. Love doing that to the newbies." He laughed, slugging my arm. "I got ya, didn't I?"

"D-definitely not," I said, fixing my posture to try and seem convincing.

"Say that all you want John, I know I got you, and I know it. Today is pizza day, by the way."

"Sounds yummy. What are you going to do with Ava, Alphonse? Do you just keep her here..?" I asked, worried about Ava.

"Yeah, the next doctor should be here soon to take care of her." Alphonse checked his watch, which said 6:54. "Ah, look at the time, time for dinner!" Alphonse said happily. "Want me to walk you to the labs, John?"

"Uh, sure, why not." I checked my watch, which read 5:38. "Hey, what timezone are we in...?" Alphonse looked at my watch and looked disappointed.

"That looks like a 5 dollar watch. Here, I have some extras." Alphonse opened a cabinet and handed me a gold-plated watch. "It's one of the cheaper ones, so don't feel too special." I inspected the watch, I didn't know the brand, but oh well, it's a new watch. And, truth be told, my other watch was pretty cheap.

"Thanks, Alphonse. We should meet up with Michelle."

"Yeah, we should. Follow me." Alphonse responded, walking out of the room. "You coming, John?"

"Yeah, on my way!"  I yelled back. I waved to Ava on my way out, who was already asleep. "I doubt I'll see her again."

"Come on, John! I need my pizza!"

"Sorry, on my way!" with my lab coat swaying, clipboard in hand, I ran down the hallway to catch up with him.

"How do you know your way around these hallways, they're so confusing..." I asked him in dismay.

"I've worked here for a few years, you'll learn your way around eventually," Alphonse responded, muttering directions to himself. "And here is lab B." We turned a corner and there was the lab, same as always.

"Hai!" Michelle greeted us, making me jump.

"Michelle, Michelle, Michelle. You always seem to have so much energy! In the two years I've worked here, you never seem to tire out. How do you do it?!" Alphonse chuckled to himself, patting Michelle on the shoulder.

"It's a secret!" Michelle responded, holding her head up high in an I'm-proud-of-myself pose. "John, Alphonse, do you need to change before we go?"

"Uhhh, I don't think I need to," I responded, setting my clipboard down on a nearby desk.

"I don't need to change either."

"Alright! Then I imagine we can set off to the cafeteria and have some pizzaaaa!" Michelle said, super enthusiastic, and skipping out of the room.

"We gotta get going before she gets too reckless!" And we both sprinted out with our lab coats flying.